Preface -- Contents -- List of Contributors -- 1. Historical Background, Economy, creage, Production, Yield and Uses -- 1-1 INTRODUCTION -- 1-2 HISTORY -- 1-3 ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE -- 1-4 ACREAGE, TOTAL PRODUCTION AND YIELD -- 1-5 USES -- 1-5-1 Food Industries -- 1-5-2 Medicinal Uses -- 1-5-3 Use of Leaves as Animal Feed -- 1-6 SAFFRON TOXICITY -- 1-7 SUMMARY -- References -- 2. Saffron Botany -- 2-1 INTRODUCTION -- 2-2 IRIDACEAE (SAFFRON FAMILY) -- 2-3 CROCUS L. -- 2-4 CULTIVATED SAFFRON (CROCUS SATIVUS L.) -- 2-5 WILD SAFFRON (CROCUS CARTWRGHTIANUS) -- 2-6 JOE QUASEM SAFFRON ( CROCUS PALLASII SUBSP. HAUSSKNECHTII) -- 2-7 ALMEH SAFFRON (C. ALMEHENSIS) -- 2-8 VIOLET SAFFRON (C. MICHELSONII) -- 2-9 TWO FLOWERED SAFFRON (C. BIFLORUS) -- 2-10 ZAGROS SAFFRON( C. CANCELLATUS ) -- 2-11 ZIBA SAFFRON ( C. SPECIOSUS ) -- 2-12 CASPIAN SAFFRON (C. CASPIUS) -- 2-13 GILAN SAFFRON ( C. GILANICUS) -- 2-14 C. KOROKOWII -- SUMMARY -- Reference -- 3. Saffron Ecophysiology -- 3-1 INTRODUCTION -- 3-2 CLIMATIC REQUIREMENTS -- 3-2-1 Temperature -- 3-2-2 Moisture -- 3-2-3 Soil -- 3-3 PHENOLOGICAL STAGES -- 3-3-1 Phenological Stages on the Basis of Above Ground Parts -- A-Generative phase -- B-Vegetative phase -- C-Dormant phase -- 3-3-2 Phenological Stages based on Corm Development -- 3-4 PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES DURING CORM DEVELOPMENT -- 3-5 GROWTH PARAMETERS -- 3-6 BIOLOGICAL YIELD -- 3-7 ECONOMIC YIELD -- 3-8 SUMMARY -- References -- 4. Saffron ProductionTechnology -- 4-1 INTRODUCTION -- 4-2 CROP ROTATION -- 4-2-1 Multiple Cropping -- 4-3 CULTIVATION OF SAFFRON -- 4-3-1 Soil Preparation -- 4-3-2 Planting Methods -- 4-3-3 Selection of Corms -- 4-3-4 Time of Corm Lifting -- 4-3-5 Time of Planting -- 4-3-6 Preparation of Corm for Planting -- 4-3-7 Planting Density -- 4-4 FIELD MANAGEMENT -- 4-4-1 Application of Fertilizer -- 4-4-2 Breaking Soil Crust -- 4-4-3 Weed Control.

4-5 HARVESTING -- CONCLUSION -- References -- 5. Irrigation -- 5-1 INTRODUCTION -- 5-2 WATER REQUIREMENT -- 5-3 CROP COEFFICIENT -- Irrigation Regime -- SUMMARY -- References -- 6. Saffron Pests, Diseases, and Weeds -- 6-1 INTRODUCTION -- 6-2 PORCUPINE (HYSTRIX INDICA) KERR -- 6-3 BANDICOOT RAT (NESOKIA INDICA GRAY) -- 6-4 MOUSE (MUS MUSCULUS L.) -- 6-5 AFGHAN MOLE RAT (ELLOBIUS FUCOCABILUS BLYTH) -- 6-6 INSECTS -- 6-6-1 Saffron Bulb Mite (Rhizoglyphus robini) -- Morphology -- Biology -- Larvae -- Variation within population and generations -- Method of damage -- 6-6-2 Corm Thrips (Thrips tabaci Linedman) -- Morphology -- Biology -- Method of damage -- Prevention and control -- 6-7 SAFFRON DISEASE -- 6-7-1 Stigma twisting -- 6-7-2 Corm rots -- 6-7-2-1 Corm root rot -- 6-7-2-2 Corm neck rot -- 6-7-2-3 Saffron smut (Tacon) -- 6-7-2-4 Saffron leaf chlorosis -- 6-8 SAFFRON WEEDS AND WEEDS CONTROL -- SUMMARY -- References -- 7. Genetics, Sterility, Propagation and in vitro Production of Secondary Metabolites -- 7-1 KARYOLOGY -- 7-2 DIVERSITY AND MUTAGENESIS -- 7-3 MIROSPOROGENESIS AND POLLEN DEVELOPMENT -- 7-4 POLLEN VIABILITY -- 7-5 MEGASPOROGENESIS AND DEVELOPMENT OF EMBRYO SAC -- 7-6 OUTCROSSING -- 7-7 INTERSPECIFIC CROSSING -- 7-8 IN VITRO PROPAGATION AND PRODUCTION OF SECONDARY METABOLITES -- 7-8-1 Composition of Culture Media -- 7-9 BUD AND MERISTEM CULTURE -- 7-10 CORM AND LEAF EXPLANTS -- 7-11 EXPLANTS FROM FLORAL PARTS -- 7-12 IN VITRO PRODUCTION OF SECONDARY METABOLITES -- 7-13 CONCLUSION AND FUTURE PROSPECTS -- 7-14 SUMMARY -- References -- 8. Economic Aspects of Saffron -- 8-1 INTRODUCTION -- 8-2 SAFFRON MARKETING -- 8-3 THE PRICE OF SAFFRON -- 8-4 EXPORTING SAFFRON -- 8-5 THE PROBLEM OF EXPORTING SAFFRON -- 8-6 SAFFRON INTERNATIONAL STOCK MARKET -- SUMMARY -- References.

9. Role of Indigenous Knowledge in Traditional Agriculture with Emphasis on Saffron -- 9-1 INTRODUCTION -- 9-2 TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURE AND IK -- 9-3 INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE IN IRANIAN AGRICULTURE -- 9-4 EVALUATION OF IK IN SAFFRON PRODUCTION -- SUMMARY -- References -- 10. Processing, Chemical Composition and the Standards of Saffron -- 10-1 INTRODUCTION -- 10-2 THE PROCESSING OF SAFFRON -- 10-2-1 Harvesting, Transporting and the Preservation of Saffron Flower -- The time of harvesting -- Flower pickers -- Flower container -- Transportation -- 10-2-2 The Separation of Stigma -- 10-2-3 Packing and Storage of Saffron -- 10-2-4 Removing of Pollutants from Saffron -- 10-3 CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SAFFRON -- 10-3-1 General -- 10-3-2 Specific Composition of Saffron -- 10-3-2-1 Factors responsible for flavor, aroma andsmell -- 10-3a CHANGES IN SECOND METABOLITES DURING FLOWER EVOLUTION IN SAFFRON STIGMA -- 10-4 STANDARDS AND QUALITY CONTROL OFSAFFRON -- 10-4-1 Saffron Standards in Iran -- 10-4-1-1 Saffron characteristics -- 10-4-2 International Standard of Saffron -- 10-4-3 Saffron Standards in other Countries -- 10-4-3-1 Scales and standards of saffron in USA -- 10-4-3-2 Prevention of food adulteration act of India -- 10-4-3-3 Saffron standard in the United Kingdom -- 10-4-3-4 Methods of standardization and test of saffron in Spain -- 10-4-3-5 Saffron Standard in France -- 10-4-4 Adulteration in Saffron and Methods of Evaluation -- Methods to recognize saffron adulteration -- 10-5 SUMMARY -- References -- 11. Research Strategies -- 11-1 INTRODUCTION -- 11-2 RESEARCH PROCESS OF SAFFRON -- 11-3 POLICIES AND STRATEGIES FOR RESEARCH ON SAFFRON -- 1. The agronomical studies -- 2. The examination of the causes by which saffron cannot be planted a second time in a particular soil -- 3. The cultivation of saffron with other plants.

4. Examining the samples of corms to be sown -- 5. Examining the beginning and evolving of saffron corm -- 6. Examining the needs of temperature for the saffron plant -- 7. The study of the reaction of saffron at the intensity of heat and the quality of light -- 8. The equilibrium of photosynthesis and measurement by related parameters -- 9. The study of the reaction of the plant to biotic stresses -- 10. The study of the reaction of the plant to abiotic stresses -- 11. The different usage of the other parts of the flower and the small corms -- 12. Changes in the structure of canopy and an ideal designing for saffron -- 13. The reform of the figures of saffron -- 14. The creation of the genetic variation -- 15. Stability in the yield of saffron -- 16. Use of biotechnology and molecular genetics for breeding of saffron -- 17. Ecological demarcation of the areas for the growth of saffron -- 18. Packing, exploring markets and export of saffron -- 19. Uptodate economic studies -- 20. The establishment of the research center for saffron -- 11-4 SAFFRON ON INTERNET -- 11-5 SUMMARY -- References -- Index.