The Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizers (Urea, Sulfur Coated Urea) with Manure on the Saffron Yield

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1 The Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizers (Ure, Sulfur Coted Ure) with Mnure on the Sffron Yield Seed Rezin nd Mjid Forouhr Soil nd Wter Deprtment griculturl Reserch Center of Khorsn Mshhd, Torough Sttion, Mshhd, Irn Keywords: sffron fertiliztion, sffron nitrogen nutrition,. strct: This reserch in sffron plnt nutrition ws done in three res elonging to Khorsn province (Irn), one in Gond region, nd other two (oroon nd Eslmieh) in Ferdows region. The experiment ws crried out s Rndomized Complete lock Design (RCD) in five frms of ech region, with the sum of fifteen different frms. There were nine tretments with three replictions in ech frm. They consisted in one control using only (3 Ton/h) mnure s fertilizer, together with other tretments using different rtes of (23, 34, 46, 57) Kg/h pure Nitrogen (N) from two different sources of Ure nd Sulfur Coted Ure (.), plus the 3 Ton/h mnure s the fertilizer needed for ech experiment. Reltive Yield ws clculted s: Reltive Yield (%) = (Tretment Yield in ech Expt.*1 / MX. Yield in the sme Expt.) nlysis System pckge (SS), in the Eslmieh re of Ferdows region nd in Gond region, the effect of N fertilizer type on the reltive yield of sffron ws non-significnt. For the N-fertilizer rte there ws significnt difference t (α =.1 %). However, in the oroon re of Ferdows region, none of the fctors hd significnt effect on the sffron yield. Mximum yield otined in ech of the res of Eslmieh, Gond nd oroon were in the order of (7.1, 6.5, 7.1) Kg/h respectively. sed on the Duncn s Multiple Rnge Test (DMRT) men comprison nlysis t (α =.5 %), for simple nd interction effects of the type nd rte of N fertilizer for the Eslmieh re, there ws no significnt effect for the type, ut there ws significnt difference on the different rtes, such tht the mximum yield ws otined from the 3 rd N rte. It seems tht the sffron response to the N-fertilizer is sed on the chrcteristics of the different res. Menwhile, if %O.C. nd NO3-N of soils re low, 46 Kg/h of pure N from oth (Ure, nd.) sources plus the (3 Ton/h) mnure cn e used, nd n increse in sffron yield is expected. Nitrogen mounts higher thn (57 Ton/h), if not reducing the yield, will not increse it significntly. Investigting the effect of higher rtes of N ove (57 Kg/h), nd lso the ppliction time nd type of N fertilizer, could e good topics for future reserch. INTRODUCTION In the rid nd semi-rid res of Khorsn, the low orgnic mtter in the soils, nitrogen (N), is the most limiting fctor for plnt growth. Not considering solely the role of N s uilding lock of chlorophyll, other different key functions hve een scertin such s its role s uilding lock of nucleic cids, mino cids, poly mines, nd phospholipids. This cused tht some people consider N s crucil for plnt growth, nd some others compre it s the role of gsoline for the utomoile. In reltion to the reserch done with sffron, Sdeghi et l. (1987) suggested tht if soil phosphorous (P) level is out 1 mg/kg, sored potssium (K) level would out 2 mg/kg nd % O.C. out 1%. Therefore, to rech the optimum level for N. P. K nutrients, ppliction of only N fertilizer would e enough. lso, Sdeghi et l. (1988) suggested tht using 1-11 Kg/h ure on yerly sis produce the est results. The effect of N on the sffron Proc. I st IS on Sffron Eds: J.-. Fernández & F. dullev ct Hort 65, ISHS 24 21

2 qulity, nd especilly in coloring properties, is well documented (Dutt isws et l., 1956; Smpthu et l., 1984; Munshi et l., 1989). Unfortuntely, there hs een too little reserch on sffron plnt nutrition physiology nd, therefore, the production methods need chnges from customry prctices to more dvnce scientific methods, in order to scertin the exct mount of nutritionl elements required for this crop. MTERILS ND METHODS This work ws crried out in three res, Ghond, oroon, nd Eslmieh, seprtely. This experiment ws conducted s rndomized complete lock design in five frms of ech region, with nine tretments nd three replictions. The experimentl tretments included, one control (using 3 Ton/h of niml mnure), nd different rtes (23, 34, 46, nd 57) Kg/h of pure N s the fertilizer form, from the two sources of Ure nd plus the 3 Ton/h of niml mnure. The men soil physicl nd chemicl chrcteristics of this experiment in the three regions re shown in tle 1. The Percent Reltive Yield (% R.Y) in ech tretment ws clculted s shown elow, nd dt ws nlyzed sttisticlly y Sttisticl nlysis System Pckge (SS, 1985). % R.Y = (Tretment yield in ech frm / Mximum yield in the sme frm)* 1 Plnt Mteril The plnts used in these experiments were sffron crocus (Crocus stivus L.) from the southern prt of Khorsn, Irn. Tretments In these experiments, tretments were done in RCD design in five frms of ech region, with the sum of fifteen different frms. There were nine tretments with three replictions in ech frm. The tretments included were: One control using only (3 Ton/h) mnure s fertilizer, nd the other tretments were different rtes of (23, 34, 46, 57) Kg/h pure Nitrogen (N), from two different sources of Ure nd Sulfur Coted Ure (.), plus 3 Ton/h mnure s fertilizer needed for ech experiment. RESULTS ND DISCUSSION sed on the nlyticl results of vritions in dt in Eslmieh re of Ferdows region nd Ghond region, the type of N fertilizer effect on the reltive yield of sffron ws non-significnt, nd the N rte used t α=.1 proility level ws significnt. Menwhile, in oroon re of Ferdows none type nd rte of fertilizers hd significnt difference on sffron reltive yield. Mximum men yield in ech of the different res, Eslmieh nd oroon in Ferdows region, nd Ghond region, were in the order of 7.1, 7.1, nd 6.5 Kg/h. sed on the Duncn's Multiple Rnge Test (DMRT) results (α=.5) for comprison of simple nd interction effects on the type nd rte of N fertilizer in Eslmieh re, there ws no significnt differences etween the different rtes, ut the mximum reltive yield ws otined from the third rte of N fertilizer. Men comprison tests of the interction effects etween the type nd rte of N fertilizer (Figure 1) showed tht for the Eslmieh re, t ech of the N fertilizer types, the reltive yield incresed t first nd then decresed y incresing used mount of ech of the N fertilizer types, nd mximum reltive yield ws otined from the third rte of two N fertilizer types. Reltive yield in low mounts of N fertilizer for. ws more thn Ure, nd in high mounts of N rtes ws converse. lthough, the lowest reltive yield ws otined t the first rte of N fertilizer nd y incresing the rte, the reltive yield ws lso incresed. Fertilizer in oroon re (Fig 2) showed tht in reltion to., the incresing men comprison tests for the interction effects on type nd rte of N reltive yield ws otined in the third rte of N fertilizer. lthough the reltive yield in fertilizer rtes of (1, 3, 4) were in one group, nd were significntly lower in reltion to the second rte of N fertilizer, nd with the Ure type of fertilizer ove the second rte, incresing reltive yield ws otined. Menwhile there were no significnt differences etween the two fertilizer rtes (3 nd 4). In the Eslmieh re of Ferdows reltively, the higher mount of 22

3 . ws otined t the low level of fertilizer use, nd the higher Ure mount ws otined t the high level of fertilizer used. Even though, these differences were nonsignificnt, ut it seems tht we cn relte it to the higher dringe mount of Ure in comprison to. In such wy, since the dringe mount of wter is higher in ure in comprison to. t the low level of N fertilizer, the remining N ville t the root is not enough for the optimum yield. lthough the cn slowly relese the N needed for the plnt, therefore the dringe losses will decrese, nd the optimum growth nd yield will e otined. lso t high rtes of N, knowing the N disdvntges yields were decresed y the use of. (Figures 1-3). ut with ure tretments, since there re higher dringe losses thn., the effects of higher N mounts used were lower, nd except for Eslmieh region, there were significnt increses in the other two res. Disdvntges of incresing use of N fertilizer, e.g. poor root development nd underground prts of the plnt, the flowering effect, nd freezing injury, hve een demonstrted in other crops (Sdeghi et l., 1987). Nevertheless, in vrious experiments crried out with these two types of fertilizers, similr nd contrdictive results hve een reported (Mrschner, 1995; Munshi et l., 1989; Office of Informtion nd Sttistics, 1999). sed on the DMRT test results in oroon re of Ferdows region, there were no significnt differences etween type nd different rtes of N fertilizer for the simple effects. Moreover, for the men comprison tests of the interction effects on type nd rtes of N fertilizer, there were no significnt differences etween the rtes of N fertilizer in this re (Figure 2). sed on the experimentl results, it seems tht the sffron response to the N fertilizer use is different depending on the different res. Even though, the soil O.C. % nd NO3 level re low in the three regions, we cn use 46 Kg/h of pure N from ech of the two sources with the 3 Ton/h of niml mnure, nd still expect the increse in yield compred to the use of niml mnure lone. t the higher N rtes up to 57 Kg/h, there will e no incresing significnt effect, if it doesn t cuse significnt decrese in yield. Investigting the effects of higher N rtes ove 57 Kg/h, nd lso the time nd method of N fertilizer ppliction, should e n importnt suject for future reserch. Literture Cited Dutt isws, N.R., Rychoudhuri, S.P. nd Dkshinmurthy, M Soil conditions for the growth of sffron t Pm Pore (Kshmir). Indin J. gric. Sci. 27: 413. Mrschner, H., Minerl nutrition of higher plnt. 2nd ed. Hrcourt rce & Pu. Co. Orlndo. Munshi,.M., Sindhu, J.S. nd, G.H Improved cultivtion prctices for sffron. Indin Frm. 39: Office of Informtion nd Sttistics, Sffron history. Mshhd, Khorsn, Irn. Sdeghi,. nd Mehjeri, M The effect of chemicl fertilizers in optimizing sffron gronomy. griculturl Reserch Center Lirry of Mshhd, Khorsn, Irn. Sdeghi,. Rzvi, M. nd Mehjeri, M The effect of different chemicl fertilizers in incresing the sffron production. griculturl Reserch Center Lirry of Mshhd, Khorsn, Irn. Smpthu, S.R., Shivshnkr.S., nd Lewis, Y.S Sffron (Crocus stivus L.). Cultivtion, Processing, Chemistry nd Stndrdiztion. CRC Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. 2:

4 Tles Tle 1. Men soil physicl nd chemicl chrcteristics of the three regions. Region PH Ec (ds/m) %N %O.C P K No3 % T.N.V % Sn % Silt % Cly SR oroon Ghon d Eslmieh Figures % R.Y Rte of N Fertlizer (Kg/h) URE Fig. 1. The effect of type nd rte of N fertilizer on % R.Y in Ghond region (%) يبسن دركلمع Rte of N Fertlizer (Kg/h) URE Fig. 2. The effect of type nd rte of N fertilizer on % R.Y in oroon region 24

5 % R.Y Rte of N Fertlizer (Kg/h) URE Fig. 3. The effect of type nd rte of N fertilizer on % R.Y in Ghond region 25