Ecotypic variation and environmental influence on saffron (Crocus sativus L.) vegetative growth: A multivariate performance analysis

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a crop of significant medicinal and economic importance, exhibiting phenotypic plasticity that leads to variable vegetative growth. This three-year multifactorial study evaluated the vegetative potential of various saffron ecotypes under contrasting environments. The results revealed significant effects on shoot sprouting, leaf count, and overall growth, with the ´Tamlakoute´ ecotype (E2) performing best, particularly in the coastal field (CF2). The leaf count increased markedly from 24.9 ± 8.8 in the first year to 188.8 ± 43.9 by the third year, influenced by ecotypes and cultivation fields. In contrast, plant length variations revealed less dependence on ecotypes throughout the different growing seasons. Pearson's correlation analysis showed a weak relationship (r = 0.108, p < 0.004) between the number of shoots per original corm and per progeny corm. This implies a varied trade-off in resource allocation between vegetative growth and corm formation. The principal component analysis highlighted patterns of variations governed by environmental drivers, particularly favoring the E2 ecotype. Performance scoring and ranking, which assigned scores based on vegetative performance across all ecotypes by environment combinations, identified CF2E2 as the highest-ranking performer, followed by CF2E1 and CF2E4, with comprehensive scores of 2.4, 1.3, and 1.1, respectively. These findings highlight the potential of selecting superior ecotypes and coastal environments to promote sustainable saffron cultivation.