Université Laval

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Biology Department

Presented by: Mohamed Amine AYARI

Laboratory of Pr. Line LAPOINTE

March 15th, 2019 1

Challenges of cultivating saffron under cold climate

2

Scheme of the annual cycle and the principal growth stages of saffron

Lopez-Corcoles, 2007

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

Flower

induction

Flowering

Appearance of

the first leaves

The foliage becomes denser and

continues to lengthen

Yellowing and

disappearing leaves

Dormancy

Warm

Climate

Cold

Climate

Beginning of

root growth

Warm

Climate

Cold

Climate

leaves

corms

3

WinterFall SummerSpring

Flowering Dormancy

Senescence

Snow: No photosynthesisDormancyshortenedIn cold climate

Flower

induction

Avinash Sharma, 2015

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

Photosynthesis

4

• Climate: cooler summer, snow cover for 5 months

deeper planting (Escape frost in winter)

• No irrigation needed

• Planting: on ridges and ideally on slopes (to improve

drainage),

• Weeds: fields overgrown with weeds during second

summer

Distinctive features under cold climate

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

5

Floral Induction

Ve

rnalizatio

n

Nutrition

Tem

per

atu

re

Summer

23-27 ° C

High

temperature

(Initiation)

Release of dormancy

Emergence

17°C

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

6

Floral Induction

Ve

rnalizatio

n

Nutrition

Tem

per

atu

re

Summer

23-27 ° C

High

temperature

(Initiation)

Release of dormancy

Emergence

17°C

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

Soil warming

Planting Period

Soil warming effect on

floral induction

7

Objectives:

• Increase soil temperature during the dormancy period using mini-tunnels

and mulch to increase floral induction.

• Document the most advantageous method.

• Quantify the impact of these different techniques on weed control.

Soil warming experimentIntroduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

8

• Organic corms from the Netherlands 25 cm deep planted in August 2016

Treatments:

• “MT": Installation of mini-tunnels (30% leaf yellowing)

• “MT-M": Installation of mini-tunnels (30% yellowing), then removal of

tunnels and laying of black mulch (2017) or solar mulch (2018) (> 75%

yellowing)

• “M": Laying black mulch (2017) or solar mulch (2018) (> 75% yellowing)

• “C": Control

9

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

2017 2018

10

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

Figure 5. Mean (± standard error) of daily temperatures by treatment. Different letters

indicate significant differences between treatments.

2017 2018

11

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilization ConclusionM

ean

da

ily

tem

per

atu

re(°

C)

0

5

10

15

20

25

MT MT-M M C

Mea

nd

ail

yte

mp

era

ture

(°C

)Treatment

b ba

c

Weed manual control

Total time (min) spent weeding per plot per m2 by treatment for the entire season.

12

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

2017 2018

Wee

din

gm

an

ag

emen

t ti

me

(min

)

Wee

din

gm

an

ag

emen

t ti

me

(min

)

• In 2017: 14 flowers / 960 corms (1.5%)

• Attributed to late emergence and flowering (1st flower November 18th,

persistent ground snow November 23rd)

• In 2018: 7 flowers / 936 corms (0.7%) ..., some problems

Require additional repetitions to determine the impact on saffron yield!

Flowering and harvest

13

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

Effect of planting period on

saffron yield

14

Planting Period experiment

Objective: To test the effect of planting date on plant growth and saffron yield

• Corms grown in Quebec(origin: France) planted in July to September 2017

• Plots of 40 corms

Treatments:

• Planting July 25

• Planting August 7

• Planting August 21

• Planting September 5

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilisation Nutrients

15

Shoot emergence over time for each treatment

16

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilisation Nutrients

Emer

gen

tsh

oo

t/p

lot

(%)

Plots of 40 corms

Number of flowers per plot per treatment and date

17

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilisation Nutrients

Nu

mer

of

flo

wer

s

Plots of 40 corms

Dry saffron harvest per plot according to the treatment

18

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilisation Nutrients

Dry

saf

fro

n(g

/m2)

Effects of fertilization, mycorrhizas

and bio-stimulants on saffron

growth and yield

19

Objective: To test the individual and synergistic effect of

organic fertilization, mycorrhizas and various biostimulants on

saffron yield and growth,

* Planting on August 2017 combination of 12 treatments

Fert

ilizati

on, m

ycorr

hizati

onan

d bio

-stimu

lants

20

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

21

Bioprotection

Soil stabilization

Bioregulation

Biofertilization

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

Biostimulant

Better germination and

root development

Optimization of the metabolic

process

Better vitality and stress resistance

Increased yield in quality and

quantity

22

Roles of biostimulants

Source: http://ag.alltech.com/en/blog/athlete-style-nutrition-plant-science-biostimulants

Composition of biostimulant:

Algae, microbes, chitin, plant

extracts, humic and fulvic acid.

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

23

Fert

ilizati

on, m

ycorr

hizati

onan

d bio

-stimu

lants

FertilizationAbsence F0

Presence F1

mycorrhizasAbsence M0

Presence M1

Bio-stimulant

Absence B0

Earth Alive B1

Turitek B2

Feather meal 13-0-0 (462 kg / ha),

fossil bone 0-13-0 (1538 kg / ha)

and Sul-Po-Mag 0-0-22 (1136 kg /

ha).

Myke Pro Gazon G (Premier

Tech):20g/corm

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

Liquid solution 4

kg/ha; and 15 ml

on each side of

each corm at the

time of planting

Soak the corms for 4

hours in 15 ml of

Turitek per liter of

water

Then, watering every

three weeks (0.23 ml

Turitek / m2)

24

Field measures and Harvesting

*Harvesting of roots

One root / plant; 3 plants / plot

Evaluate mycorrhization rate

*Harvest of 6 corms / plot

(Annual growth)

Measure of the diameter and dry weight of corms

*Drying of corms for

nutrient analyses and

weight

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

roots were mycorrhized

Treatment

F0 F1

Mass o

f la

rgest

corm

(g)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14a

b

Effects of fertilization on number of corms, total mass, mean mass and mass of

largest corm (g)

25

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

Treatment

F0 F1

Mean c

orm

mass (

g)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

a

b

Treatment

F0 F1

Tota

l corm

mass (

g)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

a

b

Treatment

F0 F1

Num

ber

of

corm

s

0

1

2

3

4

5

6a

b

Around 7.5 g for the grade 8

26

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

Effects of fertililization on:

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Co

nce

ntr

atio

n (

mg

/g) N a

b

F0 F1

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1C

once

ntr

atio

n (

mg/g

)Mg

F0 F1

a

b

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

Co

nce

ntr

atio

n (

mg/g

)

P

F0 F1

ab

• The use of the mini-tunnels and mulch helped us to control

weed and to reduce the time of hand weeding

• The most advantageous method to increase the soil

temperature is the solar mulch

• The best period of planting is August 21.

• Fertilization improve saffron growth.

27

Introduction Soil Warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

Conclusion

28

Thank you for

your attention

29

Corm nutrient concentrations

Introduction Soil warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

0.00.20.40.60.81.01.21.41.61.8

B0 B1 B2 B0 B1 B2 B0 B1 B2 B0 B1 B2

F0 F1 F0 F1

M0 M1

P, Ca, Mg (mg/g)

P mg/g Ca mg/g Mg mg/g

Co

nce

ntr

atio

n (

mg

/g)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

B0 B1 B2 B0 B1 B2 B0 B1 B2 B0 B1 B2

F0 F1 F0 F1

M0 M1

N,P,K (mg/g)

N mg/g K mg/g

Co

nce

ntr

atio

n (

mg

/g)

• Introduction

• Soil warming

• Planting Period

• Fertilization

• Conclusion

30

Plan

31

Field measures

Probe Thermochron

iButton

Impact of the treatments

on the growth and

development conditions of

corm

1 probe / plot

20cm deep

Introduction Soil warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

32

Introduction Soil warming Planting Period Fertilization Conclusion

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

Co

nce

ntr

atio

n (

mg/g

)

P0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1C

once

ntr

atio

n (

mg/g

)Mg

Effects of

fertililization on

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Co

nce

ntr

atio

n (

mg

/g) N a

b

F0 F1