Foliar Spraying ofAscophyllumnodosum Extract, Methanol and Iron Fertilizers on Fresh Flower Cover yield of Saffron plant (Crocus sativus L.)

ABSTRACT: In order to study effects of Ascophyllumnodosum extract, methanol and iron fertilizers foliar spraying on fresh flower cover yield in saffron (Crocus sativusL.), an experiment in factorial format based on randomized complete block design with three replications in AstanehAshrafiyeh Township located in 37° 16ʹlatitude and 49° 56ʹ longitude (north of Iran) in 2011 was conducted. Factors of experiment was consists of foliar spraying of A. nodosumwith two levels (A1: control and A2: 2 g/L concentration), foliar spraying of methanol with two levels (M1: control and M2: 20% (V/V) concentration) and foliar spraying of iron fertilizers with five levels (I1: control, I2: pure iron, I3: chelate iron, I4: iron humichelate and I5: nano iron chelate in 2 g/L concentration). Results showed that, the effect of A. nodosum extract, methanol and iron fertilizers foliar spraying and also total of interaction levels (A×M, A×I, M×I and A×M×I) on fresh flower cover yield was significant at 1% probability level. The highest amounts offresh flower cover yield was recorded from foliar spraying of A. nodosum (2 g/L), methanol (20% (v/v)) and nano iron chelate fertilizer (2 g/L) with 343.2 kg/ha.