Article
Plant Sciences
Matteo Busconi, Elisabeth Wischnitzki, Marcello Del Corvo, Licia Colli, Giovanna Soffritti, Lorenzo Stagnati, Silvia Fluch, Eva Maria Sehr, Marcelino de los Mozos Pascual, Jose Antonio Fernandez
Summary: This study represents the first epigenomic study on saffron crocus, revealing high epigenetic variability among different saffron accessions, including sequences encoding proteins that could explain different phenotypes. The comparison of hypomethylomes also showed a high number of SNPs likely due to prolonged vegetative propagation. Gene ontology analysis indicated a clear difference in polymorphic gene distribution among accessions, possibly influenced by geographic origin.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Joel Jose-Santhi, Firdous Rasool Sheikh, Diksha Kalia, Rajesh Kumar Singh
Summary: Temperature plays a crucial role in regulating flowering in saffron. High temperature promotes flowering while low temperature suppresses it. This temperature-dependent flower induction is mediated by changes in sugar metabolism genes and the FT3 gene.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Tareq Abu-Izneid, Abdur Rauf, Anees Ahmed Khalil, Ahmed Olatunde, Ahood Khalid, Fahad A. Alhumaydhi, Abdullah S. M. Aljohani, Md Sahab Uddin, Mojtaba Heydari, Mars Khayrullin, Mohammad Ali Shariati, Adeyemi Oladapo Aremu, Ahmed Alafnan, Kannan R. R. Rengasamy
Summary: Saffron is commonly used in traditional medicine and has been studied for its therapeutic effects on the nervous system. Its active constituents, including apocarotenoids, monoterpenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and phytosterols, have been shown to have neuroprotective, anxiolytic, antidepressant, learning, and memory-enhancing effects.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andromachi Lambrianidou, Fani Koutsougianni, Irida Papapostolou, Konstantinos Dimas
Summary: Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally with limited treatment efficacy, and difficulty in curing it. Research has shown that saffron and its main components have anticancer activities, drawing the interest of the scientific community.
Article
Plant Sciences
Soukaina Chaouqi, Natalia Moratalla-Lopez, Gonzalo L. Alonso, Candida Lorenzo, Abdelmjid Zouahri, Nazha Asserar, El Mehdi Haidar, Taoufiq Guedira
Summary: Climate and soil affect the quality of saffron, which is determined by secondary metabolites. The study analyzed saffron samples using HPLC-DAD and analyzed soil samples using physicochemical methods, ED-XRF fluorescence, and X-ray diffraction. Saffron grown in loam-clay-sand soils contained high levels of crocins and kaempferol 3-sophoroside 7-glucoside, but low levels of safranal. Saffron grown in soils rich in organic matter, phosphorus, and potassium also had high levels of crocins and kaempferol 3-sophoroside 7-glucoside, but low levels of safranal. The presence of clays with low iron content was found to have a positive effect on the coloring strength of saffron.
Article
Plant Sciences
Zineb Khadfy, Hajar Atifi, Rachid Mamouni, Si Mohamed Jadouali, Agnes Chartier, Reine Nehme, Youssef Karra, Abdelghani Tahiri
Summary: This paper provides a systematic overview of the applications of saffron stigmas and its by-products in various fields, such as food and cosmetic products, and explains the mechanisms of action of saffron bioactive compounds.
SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Seyyed Jalal Azari, Ali Sorooshzadeh, Jafar Nabati, Ehsan Oskoueian
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of fertilization and planting depth on antioxidant activities in saffron. It found that using nitrogen, potassium, and phosphate fertilizers and planting at a depth of 15 cm increased catalase and superoxide dismutase activities, improving saffron's tolerance to freezing stress.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2023)
Review
Integrative & Complementary Medicine
Shakiba Azami, Zahra Shahriari, Samira Asgharzade, Tahereh Farkhondeh, Mahmood Sadeghi, Fatemeh Ahmadi, Mohammad Mahdi Vahedi, Fatemeh Forouzanfar
Summary: Saffron and its active constituents have been reported to possess neuroprotective effects against cerebral ischemia stroke, mainly through their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties. They may be a potent candidate for new drug development in the treatment of ischemic stroke.
EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Horticulture
Zhen Wang, Xin Li, Junxu Xu, Zhen Yang, Yongchun Zhang
Summary: The study evaluated the effects of different temperatures and incubation periods on flower initiation and flowering of saffron. It found that the optimal temperature (between 20 and 25 degrees C) can effectively promote flower initiation, while inappropriate temperatures (15 degrees C or 25 degrees C) can lead to flower interruption. The best incubation method involves incubating at a slightly high temperature for 2 to 3 weeks, transferring to a suitable temperature for 1 to 2 months, and then transferring to a lower temperature for flowering.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2021)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Ali Salehi, Nabi Shariatifar, Mohadeseh Pirhadi, Tayebeh Zeinali
Summary: Saffron is a valuable spice that is often adulterated due to its high economic worth. This study briefly discusses various adulteration detection techniques, and suggests that a combination of techniques is needed for rapid detection. Nanosensor-based techniques are the most effective due to their quick detection, low cost, and lack of sample preparation processes.
JOURNAL OF FOOD MEASUREMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Fatemeh Moallem Banhangi, Parviz Rezvani Moghaddam, Ghorban Ali Asadi, Soroor Khorramdel
Summary: The study demonstrated that under different corm seeding rates and sowing depths, 8 Mg ha(-1) corm seeding rate and 10 cm sowing depth were beneficial for increasing total crop dry weight, CGR, and RGR in saffron.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Stefania Stelluti, Matteo Caser, Sonia Demasi, Valentina Scariot
Summary: The study revealed that dried saffron tepals are rich in antioxidant properties and valuable phytochemicals. In terms of extraction techniques, ultrasound-assisted extraction using water or low percentage methanol solvents showed similar results to maceration but with reduced processing time. This demonstrates the potential for efficient extraction of bioactive compounds from saffron tepals for various industries.
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Ali Mohammad Pourbagher-Shahri, Fatemeh Forouzanfar
Summary: Saffron has shown analgesic activities in preclinical and clinical studies, affecting multiple targets including ion channels, adrenergic system, inflammatory pathways, and the endocannabinoid system. Clinical studies have demonstrated analgesia of Saffron in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, after-pain following childbirth, dysmenorrhea, and fibromyalgia. Saffron can be beneficial as an adjunct therapy to commonly used analgesics in practice, particularly in chronic pain conditions.
PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ayat Taheri-Dehkordi, Roohangiz Naderi, Federico Martinelli, Seyed Alireza Salami
Summary: A robust workflow for the identification of miRNAs and their targets in saffron was developed, revealing the potential involvement of miRNA-mediated gene regulation in several biological processes, including the biosynthesis of highly valuable apocarotenoids. A total of 66 miRNAs targeting 2880 genes, including those involved in the flowering transition and terpenoids biosynthesis pathway, were identified in saffron, shedding new light on the post-transcriptional regulation dynamic in this valuable plant.
Article
Agronomy
Mahsa Aghhavani Shajari, Parviz Rezvani Moghaddam, Reza Ghorbani, Alireza Koocheki
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of nutrient and irrigation management on the quality and yield of saffron. The results showed that the application of humic acid, mycorrhiza, superabsorbent, and longer irrigation intervals can significantly increase the yield and quality of saffron.
AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT
(2022)