An NMR analytical protocol is proposed to characterize saffron samples of different geographical origin (Greece, Spain, Hungary, Turkey and Italy). A microwave-assisted extraction procedure was developed to obtain a comparable recovery of metabolites with respect to the ISO specifications, reducing the solvent volume and the extraction time needed. Metabolite profiles of geographically differen...

Saffron production will be increased in arid regions by providing sufficient water through appropriate agronomic strategies. Therefore, in this investigation the impact of different rates of super absorbent polymer (SAP) including 0,10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 kg ha-1 was studied on saffron flowering traits during two growth cycles. Results showed that the influence of experimental factor was signifi...

this research was conducted during 2009 at a regional scale in birjand and qaen counties, southern khorasan, as an attempt to develop a sustainability index (si) for quantifying the sustainability of saffron agroecosystem. the information of these agroecosystems, including socio-economic, agronomic and ecological indicators was collected using questionnaires and was subjected to statistical ana...

Tissue culture is useful method for large scale production of healthy corms and also avenues for creating variability through in vitro use of mutagens and polyploidizing agents. Induction of callus and subsequent regeneration of plants is suggested as possible means of introducing new variation. In vitro micropopagation for product formation its utility is increasing the amount of crocin, picro...

Crocins, the glucosides of crocetin, are present at high concentrations in saffron stigmas and accumulate in the vacuole. However, the biogenesis of the saffron chromoplast, the changes during the development of the stigma and the transport of crocins to the vacuole, are processes that remain poorly understood. We studied the process of chromoplast differentiation in saffron throughout stigma d...

studies on crop improvement of saffron (crocus sativus l.) can play an important role in development of this native crop. in this context, an experiment was conducted at agricultural research station, ferdowsi university of mashhad, iran, as a factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications, during 2005-2010 years. first studied factor was planting pattern of saffron...

Generation of volatiles by thermal treatments has been studied in saffron spice for two reasons: (a) to determine volatile profile changes during simulated aging processes and (b) to study the volatile generation pathway. During the aging process, while the amounts of C10 compounds such as safranal and HTCC increase, the amounts of C9 compounds such as isophorone and 2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexane-...

Obesity is associated with various diseases, particularly diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis and heart disease. Research on possibilities of herbal extracts and isolated compounds from natural products for treating obesity has an upward trend. Saffron (Crocus Sativus L. Iridaceae) is a source of plant polyphenols/carotenoids, used as important spice and food colorant in different parts of t...

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.), has been used since ancient ages in food for its flavouring, aromatic and colouring properties but also for its biomedical activity. In the past years many efforts have been made in order to demonstrate scientifically the healthy effects attributed to saffron consumption since Dioscorides’ time. More than 400 papers have been published in the last decade related to ...