Production Practices and Quality Assessment of Food Crops. Vol. 1

Morocco. Ait-Oubahou and El-Otmani (1999) recently presented some information
concerning the cultivation in the Taliouine area (1200–1400 m altitude) in
the junction of High and Low Atlas. The produced annual quantity of about 1000
kg is of great importance for the locals who have rather low income. No particular
evidence is found in the article that cites mainly Italian literature though it is
clear that some projects are underway to expand the cultivation in other parts of
this country.
Spain. In 1983 statistics indicated that 3788 ha were devoted to saffron crocus
cultivation, most of them in the Castilla-la Mancha (2864 ha) region and in particular
in the Albacete province (1785 ha) (Gómez et al., 1987a). ‘La Mancha’ is
an agricultural area distributed among several provinces of the Castilla-La Mancha
region (Central Spain) where the best Spanish saffron is produced (Alonso et al.,
2001). Another province reported for saffron cultivation is Aragon. Some data
concerning agroclimatic conditions and soil characteristics from a study in an
experimental field of 90 m 2 cannot be considered as representative or typical for
the Spanish saffron growing areas (Gómez et al., 1987a).
4.3. Control of pests and diseases
Saffron Quality 239
Since propagation of saffron plant is feasible only through annual replacement of
corms, the latter are indispensable for the producers. More research seems necessary
to ensure survival of the plant material. All producers have experienced sudden
loss of the corms and, thus, destruction of the harvest and reduction of the yield
in the following years. A cantharidine beetle damages the stigmas during its visits
to the bloomed flowers. Worse is the result of attacks by rodents, which eat the
corms. Rhizoctonia crocorum affects the corms and roots and is controlled by
dipping corms in a 5% copper sulphate solution. Corm rot may be due to Phoma
crocophila attack. Other fungi and even viruses, some of which do not cause any
symptoms, know to affect other Iridaceae plants may also be potential enemies
(Rees, 1988). A particular type of plant destruction caused by Penicillium cyclopium
has been reported in the area of Navelli. The abnormal growth of leaves (50 cm
long!) and sheaths results in loss of the one third to half of the flowers in cases
of multiannual cultivation especially during the hot rainy season (Tammaro, 1999).
In 1988–1989, farmers in the province of Aquila (central Italy) experienced almost
50% loss of their production due to a fungus identified to be Penicilium corymbiferum
Westl., a known pathogen of other Crocus species and some other ornamental
bulbs in this country. Plant damping off, basal stem rot and dropping and wilting
of shoots was observed. Infested corms had dark lesions beneath the outer tunic
and often a blue-green mould on the surface (Cappelli et al., 1991). Topsin M, captan,
Sadoplon and Feunaben solutions have been used effectively against Fusarium
culorum, F. semitectum, and F. oxysporum orthoceras isolated from infected C.
sativus corms. Model experiments at growing conditions imitating early spring characteristics
indicated that the four fungicides stimulated rooting of inoculated plants
(Bartynska and Przytocki, 1985). Rats and moles are a major threat in Kozani
(Greece).