Iran holds the largest share of global saffron production, with statistics showing that the cultivation area has increased from around 1,000 hectares in 1973 to over 120,000 hectares in 2020. However, during this period, the yield per hectare has decreased from approximately 2.6 kilograms to about 2.3 kilograms, which can be attributed to various environmental and technical management factors. Research results have shown that among technical factors, low levels of soil organic matter, clay percentage, phosphorus content, the use of small-sized corms at planting time, and low plant density are effective factors in reducing crop yield. Studies have also demonstrated that the most important factor in reducing yield is the level of organic matter in the soil. In countries where high saffron yields have been achieved, the soil has mainly been rich in organic matter. Of course, environmental factors also have a significant impact on saffron growth and performance, which must be discussed separately in research. This article attempts to discuss the effect of these technical and management factors on saffron production.
