Study of the Effect of Pretreatment of Corms by Different Concentrations of Gibberellic Acid and at Different Periods on the Growth, Flowering, and Quality of Saffron in Eastern Morocco

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate the influence of gibberellic acid (25, 50, 100, and 200 ppm) applied on saffron corms previously harvested during different periods (March, June, and before planting) on the growth and the quantitative and qualitative yield of saffron (Crocus sativus L.). The study was carried out in the field during the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 seasons in the experimental station of the Faculty of Sciences of Oujda (Morocco). The measured parameters correspond, on the one hand, to morphometric measurements and to the determination of the saffron stigma yield and, on the other hand, to the evaluation of the quality of the spice. The results showed that almost all the parameters studied were significantly affected by the factors considered. The treatment of corms just before planting with concentrations of 100 and 200 ppm GA3 showed the highest flower and leaf appearance rate and the highest leaf length and surface area. Moreover, the application of GA3 during the month of March gave the best results in terms of stigmata yield, percentage of large-diameter daughter corms, and the ratio of the number of flowers produced to the total weight of corms. The results of the coefficient of corm propagation revealed that the application of gibberellin during any period improved this coefficient compared to the control. The results indicated that the application of GA3 with concentrations above 25 ppm can improve the growth of saffron and increase its yield under the semiarid climatic conditions of eastern Morocco.