Study of Diversity in Some Moroccan Population of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.)

To study Moroccan saffron germplasm variability relating to different agro-morphological and
phenological traits, 969 saffron corms (accessions) were collected from thirteen different sites located
in traditional saffron area of Taliouine-Taznakht. The study confirmed a wide range of phenotypic
variability within and between populations. The variance analysis revealed that the mother corm
weight (MCW), taken as covariant, has significant effect on all studied traits. The difference within and
between origins (Provenances) was highly significant for all traits, which showed highly significant
correlation. The flowers number (NF) as well as the number of daughter corms weighing above 7 g
per plant (NDC≥7) turned out to be the most determinant parameters of saffron yield. The produced
FN per corm varied from 1 to 9 with an average of 2.2 flowers. P1 population recorded a flowering
rate of 65.5% with a maximum average of NF (2). Stigmat length (SL), which is an important yield
trait, showed wide variation between origins from 32 to 38 mm. The mean stigma dry weight (DSW)
varied from 4.2 to 6.2 mg with a maximum of 7.1 mg per flower recorded in P1. The PCA revealed 5
homogeneous main groups inside the studied populations. The first one was monoorganogenic and
consisted of P1 population only, a group characterized by high values of MCW, NF, NDC≥7 and
DSW. This study confirms as well a noticeable influence of corm origin on saffron yield, explained by
the genotypic profile and/or the epigenetic effects of the different origins. These results proved a
variability which should be useful to the selection program aiming the improvement of saffron
productivity in Morocco.