Impact of weather parameter on saffron flowering in Kashmir, India

Study on impact of weather parameters on saffron production in Jammu and Kashmir confirmed strong positive association between weather parameters and floral attributes.
Saffron recovery kg^-1 of fresh saffron flowers was observed to be maximum between 21^st October to 5^th November in 2009 (37.7 g) revealing optimal maximum and minimum temperatures coupled with 0 mm precipitation.
About 3650 fresh saffron flowers of 2 days old constituted one kg of fresh saffron flowers with a fresh pistil weight of 132 g.
However 116.5 mm precipitation received during 26^th October to 31^st October, 2010 resulted in delayed flowering (1^st November to 10^th November) leading to lighter flowers by 14.8% with a low saffron recovery of 23 g fresh^-1 saffron flowers.
More wet days observed during critical stage of flowering in 2010 resulted in more number of lighter flowers ha^-1 to the tune of 35% leading to more saffron production ha^-1 by 8%. To mitigate the challenges caused by climate change saffron irrigation during August to November is essential to ensure early flowering when weather parameters are within the safe limits of saffron production.

IV International Symposium on Saffron Biology and Technology

Salwee Yasmin, F.A. Nehvi, S.S. Samad, A.M. Iqbal, J. Sethi

weather, saffron production, Kashmir

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2018.1200.28