Pomegranate cultivar ("Ardestani") peeled and packed in polyethylene containers and treated with different natural products. Two concentrations of Aloe vera gel (10 and 15%), two different levels of saffron petal extracts (10 and 20% V/V) and two concentrations of saffron style extract (0.1 and 1% V/V) and control in one storage condition (7°C and 85% RH) were the treatments that applied by a full factorial randomized method. We examined natural substances for their possible application in extending the shelf life of fresh-cut horticultural products to find a new approach for packaging and exporting pomegranates. About 13.8% mass loss in the 12th day of storage occurred because of higher enzymatic activity and lower membrane resistance. Our results show that all treatments significantly reduced mass loss, and Aloe vera gel treatments combined with saffron petal extract were the best. Although all treatments decreased ion leakage, Aloe vera gel and saffron petal extract reduced it significantly. Ion leakage incidence of arils at day 12 was lower in Aloe vera gel and saffron petal extract treatment compare to control. Application of both saffron extracts on arils reduced decay incidence and chilling injury from 86.67% to 6.67% and 60% to 26.67%, respectively. Total acidity, soluble solids content, total phenol content, anthocyanin content, and antioxidant capacity of arils changed differently in different treatments, and saffron petal extract significantly was the best one and increased anthocyanin content, total phenol content, and antioxidant capacity in arils.The microbial contamination increased in more extended storage, although both saffron extracts were successfully suppressed mold and bacteria growth below acceptable limits in 14 days at 7°C.
Aim of study: Comparison of saffron flowering between open field and controlled environment. Possibility of saffron transplanting.Area of study: University of Birjand (Iran)Material and methods: In a first experiment, saffron yield and quality produced by traditional production system (TPS) and by soilless one (SPS) were compared. In a second experiment, the effects of the production method, by direct planting (DP) or by transplanting plant (TP) in open field were studied.Main results: Percentage of flowering corms grown by SPS was 39% and 65%, while by TPS was 6% and 56% in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Flower and stigma yields were significantly higher by SPS than by TPS. Stigma obtained from SPS had higher L (lightness) and crocin. Safranal content was higher in stigma produced by TPS. Leaf and root numbers and corm weight were higher for SPS, but after transplanting there was better status for DP than for TP. At the end of the first growing season (2018-19), mean replacement corms weight (4.4 vs 3.0 g), replacement corms yield (21.3 vs 12.8 g per plant), weight of main replacement corm (11.7 vs 6.0 g) and number of large replacement corms (0.6 vs 0.1 corms per plant) for DP were significantly higher than for TP. However, during the second growing season (2019-20), the plants in TP plots improved their performances.Research highlights: Saffron production was more favorable under controlled environment. Transplanting is possible, but there is a need to improve methods to gain more favorable results.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.