Isolation and Identification of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi of Saffron Symbiosis and Investigation of Their Effect on Yield and Nutrient Uptake under Water Interruption and Different Planting Bed

In order to investigate the effect of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in Saffron rhizosphere on yield and nutrient uptake, a study has been conducted as split plot factorial based on a completely randomized design with three replications in the institute of Soil and Water research in Karaj, during 2017-2020. The treatment is consisted of irrigation regime as the main factor in three levels (complete irrigation as control, water interruption at the beginning of the growing season (mild restriction water), and water interruption at the beginning and in the middle of the growing season (severe restriction water)), sowing media in three levels (no organic fertilizer, vermicompost (20 ton ha-1), and biochar (10 ton ha-1) and Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal in three levels (no application, isolate a, and isolate b) as the subfactor. Based on the molecular findings, both isolates, isolated from saffron rhizosphere, belong to Rhizophagus irregularis. Results from this study show that the highest fresh yield of flowers, i.e. phosphorus and potassium in the leaves of 7.76 g per pot, 1032.4.4 and 24876.8 mg kg-1, respectively, belongs to the complete irrigation× biochar× strain b treatment. Complete irrigation× vermicompost× strain b treatment has had the highest percentage of nitrogen (1.757) in the leaves. The highest fresh and dried yield of stigma (0.358 and 0.062 gr per pot, respectively) has been observed in complete irrigation × biochar treatment. Identification of native mycorrhizal fungi and its production as well as the use of organic fertilizers can play an important role in sustainable production of this plant.