PJB-2024-94
RESPONSE OF SAFFRON TO GROWTH PROMOTORS
Muhammad Junaid Khan
Abstract
This study aimed to examine the effects of various growth promoters and corm sizes on saffron during the 2022-2023 growing season. The experiment took place at the Agriculture Research Institute Tarnab Peshawar, utilizing a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with split plot arrangement. Treatments were replicated four times. Two mother corm sizes, small (2-3 g) and large (4-6 g), were assigned to the main plot (Factor A), while foliar application of growth promoters was allocated to subplots (Factor B). The growth promoters included Brassinosteroid (1.02 mg/L, 1.53 mg/L), Potassium silicate (153 mg/L, 306 mg/L), Gibberellic acid (51 mg/L, 102 mg/L), and Control. Various growth parameters were recorded, including plant height, number of leaves per plant, chlorophyll content (SPAD), leaf area, number of daughter corms and cormels per plant, corm diameter, corm volume, daughter corm weight, and days to leaf drying.
The results indicated that corm size significantly influenced all studied attributes. Large corms (4-6 g) resulted in maximum plant height (39.07 cm), number of leaves per plant (14.01), leaf area (117.81 cm2), number of daughter corms per plant (1.42), corm diameter (23.71 mm), corm volume (8.11 ml), daughter corm weight (13.03 g), chlorophyll content (21.97 SPAD), and days to leaf senescence (162.80). Conversely, small corms (2-3 g) produced plants with minimum plant height (27.76 cm), number of leaves (10.00), chlorophyll content (15.33 SPAD), leaf area (71.41 cm2), number of daughter corms (0.63), daughter corm weight (2.70 g), daughter corm diameter (15.33 mm), daughter corm volume (4.59 ml), and days to leaf senescence (153.75).
The application of growth promoters had a significant effect on most of the studied attributes. Among these, brassinosteroid at 1.53 mg/L resulted in the highest chlorophyll content (25.50 SPAD), number of leaves per plant (13.31), daughter corm weight (12.72 g), daughter corm diameter (24.14 mm), daughter corm volume (9.22 cm3), and days to leaf senescence (168.32). In conclusion, larger corms (4-6 g) were superior compared to small corms (2-3 g) for all the studied parameters of crocus, while brassinosteroid at a rate of 1.53 mg/L was found to be the most effective among the growth promoters and control.
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