Agro Climatic Zoning of Saffron Culture in Miyaneh City by Using WLC Method and Remote Sensing Data

Abstract

Recent continuous droughts and decreasing ground water tables have prompted efforts to improve irrigation schedules and introduce crops that need less water. A study was recently conducted to determine suitable zones for saffron in Miyaneh using Landsat-8 images and the weighted linear combination (WLC) method. Climatic and geographical indices for saffron cultivation in the region were for soil type, slope, soil moisture, and soil salinity. Parameters such as 30 years of data on climate, soil, and water conditions were collected from synoptic and climatologic stations such as Tabriz. Then, parameters were weighted using WLC for importance in each region. The data were transferred to expert choice and clustered, rated, and integrated to produce the last layer. The results showed that the southeastern and northwestern regions of Miyaneh, especially the banks of rivers and catchments, were identified as suitable places for saffron cultivation and that 28% of the area is in the suitable class, 36% in the relatively moderately suitable class, 20% in the critical suitability class, and the rest of the area, which covers about 16% of the area, is in the non-suitable class. Therefore, if it is possible to identify favorable areas for saffron cultivation according to the climatic requirements and it is possible in practice to achieve higher performance per unit area, that in itself will contribute to improved economic conditions and levels of income for farmers. Due to the special characteristics of saffron, substituting it for the cultivation of crops with high water requirements, such as onions, potatoes, tomatoes, etc., will help reduce water consumption.