Ghorban Azizi - Birjand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran
Seyyed Gholamreza Moosavi - Agricultural, Medicinal Plants and Animal Sciences Research Center, Birjand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran
Mohammad Javad Seghatoleslami - Agricultural, Medicinal Plants and Animal Sciences Research Center, Birjand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran
Mansour Fazeli Rostampour - Birjand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran and Horticultural Crops Research Department, Sistan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Zabol, Iran

In order to investigate the effect of irrigation method and fertilizer type on saffron corm production, a split-plot experiment was carried out in the research field of Islamic Azad University, Birjand Branch, Birjand, Iran during ۲۰۱۶-۲۰۱۸ years based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. Three irrigation methods (flooding, surface drip, subsurface drip) were as the main plots. Also, six fertilizer levels (۱-cattle manure at ۲۵ t/ha, ۲-chemical fertilizer including ۱۵۰, ۱۰۰, and ۱۵۰ kg/ha urea, triple superphosphate and potassium sulfate, respectively, ۳-biological fertilizer at ۲۰۰, ۳۰۰ and ۳۰۰ g/ha including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, respectively, ۴-the combination of ۵۰% cattle manure and ۵۰% chemical fertilizer, ۵-the combination of ۵۰% biological fertilizer and ۵۰% chemical fertilizer and ۶-non-fertilizer application) were the subplots. The results showed that the simple and interaction effects of irrigation method and fertilizer type on the corms number and yield was significant. In general, the results indicated superiority of treatment subsurface drip irrigation and combination of ۵۰% cattle manure with ۵۰% chemical fertilizer. It seems that reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and replacing them with livestock manure can lead to sustainable agriculture and reduce environmental pollution. On the other hand, using of subsurface drip irrigation under the conditions of increasing drought stress in the region will be an effective step in increasing saffron yield.

Subsurface drip irrigation, Nutrition, Saffron, Corm