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Background Biostimulants, particularly those derived from seaweeds, are gaining increasing attention in agricultural practices due to their potential to enhance plant growth, productivity, and stress tolerance. Saffron, a high-value crop, faces challenges in yield optimization and environmental sustainability. In this context, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of minimally processed homogenates (MPHs) of two red seaweed-derived species, Solieria chordalis (C. Agardh) J. Agardh and Gracilaria edulis (S.G. Gmelin) P.C. Silva, on saffron ( Crocus sativus L.) growth and corm production. The experiment was conducted during the 2022–2023 growing season and employed a factorial randomized block design with two biostimulants ( S. chordalis and G. edulis , both applied at 2.5%) and five corm sizes (C1: 6–8 g, C2: 8.1–10 g, C3: 10.1–12 g, C4: 12.1–14 g, C5: >14 g), replicated four times. Results The results indicated that both seaweed treatments and corm sizes significantly affected saffron growth parameters and dry weight. Plants from larger corm sizes (C4 and C5) exhibited significantly greater plant height and leaf length, with C5 (> 14 g) showing the highest values 31.42 cm at 60 days after sowing (DAS) and 47.52 cm at 90 DAS. Additionally, chlorophyll ‘a’ content was higher in plants treated with S. chordalis and C2 (8.1-10 g) corms, while chlorophyll ‘b’ was elevated in plants treated with G. edulis and C1 (6–8 g) corms. Treatment combination T10, which involved larger corm sizes, particularly C5, along with the application of G. edulis , produced a higher number of daughter corms with a weight of more than 8 g per corm, suggesting improved corm multiplication. This treatment also aligned with PCA results, where T10 was distinctly positioned in the positive quadrant of both PC1 and PC2, highlighting its strong overall contribution to vegetative growth and corm multiplication. Conclusion The study highlights the importance of integrating larger corm sizes with biostimulants to not only boost saffron growth but also increase corm multiplication, a key factor in saffron cultivation. These findings support the application of seaweed biostimulants as a sustainable strategy for enhancing saffron productivity. By promoting plant growth, and increasing corm production, seaweed biostimulants offer an environmentally friendly alternative to the excessive use of synthetic fertilizers, thus contributing to more sustainable saffron cultivation practices.

Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is a tropical root crop widely cultivated for its edible corms and leaves. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of taro morphometric parameters on prolificacy, yield and nutritional value under dryland production. Two sites were used to grow small, medium and large propagules generated under controlled environment conditions from a local landrace. Plant prolificacy, in terms of corms per plant, crop yield (t·ha−1) and nutrient content (macro- and micronutrients) and fibre were used to determine taro quality. The size of propagule was associated with both productivity and nutritional value. There was a positive correlation between propagule size and starch content. A decline in both Acid Detergent Fibre (13%) and Neutral Detergent Fibre (25%) occurred in larger corms. The protein and macronutrient contents improved with corm size, but the micronutrient content decreased. This study revealed that there are benefits in the utilisation of a wide range of corm sizes for upland production purposes. However, there is a need to investigate and expand knowledge of taro food components to include its potential value for specific nutritional and industrial purposes.

The effect of the corm size of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) and the planting density was determined on a field study for six years. The objective of the present study was to determine the impact of the corm size and planting density on flower and stigma yields. Two corm sizes were used: corms with a diameter up to 2.5 cm and corms with a diameter greater than 2.5 cm, and five planting density: 22, 27, 33, 44 and 67 corms/m2 with planting distances 30, 25, 20, 15 and 10 cm on the plant row, respectively. The results showed that the year (growing season) and the interaction of year (growing season) with corm size affected all the characteristics that were studied. Over the six-year study period, there was a gradual increase in flowering from the first to the third year, followed by a decline in the fifth and sixth years. The yield of larger corms (greater than 2.5 cm) was higher during the first three years, while smaller corms (less than 2.5 cm) produced higher yields in the fourth through sixth years. On the contrary, the planting density, did not significantly affect the characteristics studied over the six years of cultivation and therefore did not affect the stigma yield of saffron. Therefore, corm size together with the environment are important factors that can affect the productivity and the longevity of the crop and should be considered when planting a new saffron cultivation.

Amadumbe, commonly known as taro is a traditional southern African tuber crop. In this study, the effect of corm size: large, medium and small on composition and functional properties of amadumbe flours and starch isolates was determined. With the exception of iron and zinc, the basic chemical composition of amadumbe flours was not affected by differences in corms size. Amadumbe flours contained substantial amount of carbohydrates and limited contents of protein and fat. However, flours derived from large and small corms had iron contents (approx. 3 mg/100 g), which was 3 times that of medium corms. Large corms flour had the highest Zn content (2.6 mg/100 g). Amadumbe corms showed polygonal and small sized (1–5 µm) starch granules containing varying levels of amylose (13–16%). Starch isolates showed reflective peaks at 15° (2θ) and doublet at 17° and 18° typical of A-type starches. Peak viscosity, gelatinisation temperatures and final peak viscosity significantly varied among amadumbe corm types possibly due to variation in amylose contents. Flour mineral content, starch amylose and functionality differ with corm types.

There is an increasing interest in the use of nano-fertilizer as an alternative to traditional fertilizers, in order to increase the secondary metabolites in medicinal plants. The present study was conducted to observe the changes in morphological and biochemical properties of three populations of Colchicum speciosum L., from Iran (Filband, Sangdarka, and Kelerd), upon conventional (1.1 and 2.2 mg L-1) and nano-N (1.5 and 3 mg L-1) fertilizers based on completely randomized design (CRD). The anthocyanin and phenolic contents of leaves and corms were determined with a spectrophotometer and corm colchicine was extracted by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results represented different responses of morphological and biochemical attributes to populations due to their different origins. Filband with higher altitude showed increased leaf area, plant length, corn weight and diameter when treated with N fertilizers. Increased total phenolic component (TPC) in leaves and corm and also leaf total flavonoids component (TFC) were reported in Filband upon N fertilizers. All fertilizers led to decreased leaf anthocyanin when N fertilizers were applied. A noticeable increase in colchicine was obtained in Kelerd and Sangdarka when plants were treated with 1.5 mg L-1   nano-N fertilizer. Heat map analysis of corm anthocyanin, leaf anthocyanin, leaf TPC, leaf TPC, and colchicine amount showed higher variability under the treatments. According to principal component analysis (PCA), corm TPC, leaf TFC, corm TFC, leaf area, and corm weight were specific traits of Kelerd. In conclusion, different responses of morphological and biochemical traits were reported between populations, and N fertilizers exerted diverse effects on these traits. The population from higher altitudes showed higher phenolic content and lower anthocyanin accumulation under conventional and nano-N fertilizers.

The reproduction of Crocus sativus L., a sterile triploid plant, is carried out exclusively through corms, whose size determines the saffron yield. The development of daughter corms (DC) is supported by photoassimilates supplied by the leaves as well as by the mother corms (MC). While biomass partitioning during DC development is well studied, growth dynamics in terms of cell number and size, the involved meristems, as well as carbohydrate partition and allocation, are not yet fully understood. We conducted a comprehensive study into saffron corm growth dynamics at the macroscopic and microscopic levels. Variations in carbohydrate content and enzymatic activities related to sucrose metabolism in sources and sinks were measured. Two key meristems were identified. One is involved in vascular connections between DC and MC. The other is a thickening meristem responsible for DC enlargement. This research explains how the previously described phases of corm growth correlate with variations in cell division, enlargement dynamics, and carbohydrate partitioning among organs. Results also elucidated that the end of DC growth relates to a significant drop in MC root biomass, limiting the water supply for the DC growth, and establishing the onset of leaf wilting. The lack of starch accumulation in aged leaf cells is noteworthy, as is the accumulation of lipids. We hypothesize a signaling role of sugars in DC growth initiation, stop, and leaf aging. Finally, we established a predominant role of sucrose synthase as a sucrolytic enzyme in the maintenance of the high flux of carbon for starch synthesis in DC. Together, the obtained results pave the way for the definition of strategies leading to better control of saffron corm development.

Enset, a perennial diploid plant from the Musaceae family, is a key crop in Ethiopia, supporting food, feed, and employment for over 25 million people. Despite the economic, social, and environmental importance of the crop, diseases like enset bacterial wilt pose a bottleneck for crop production and productivity. On the other hand, enset cultivation is started expanding to low-moisture area without basic information. Currently, experiments on enset diseases screening and stress conditions are being widely conducted using different pot size and enset varieties to overcome these issues. However, the absence of recommended pot sizes leads to use inappropriate pot sizes, affecting final results. Therefore, this experiment was conducted to determine the ideal pot size and stress-tolerant varieties by using three improved enset varieties and varying pot sizes. Results revealed significant effects of pot size on all traits and variety on most root, shoot, and corm traits tested. The interaction effect was significant only for some of the traits. Enset allocates more resources to root establishment in the first six months and then to vegetative growth. The crop can undergo normal growth for up to 10 months in small (7 L) and medium (23 L) pots and up to 14 months in large (34 L) pots without experiencing any stress. The variety Endale's higher yield of dry corm in small pots and overall performance in pseudostem circumference may suggest resilience to stress conditions, as these are key yield determinant components. Further research is needed to validate these findings under field conditions.

Background: Colocasia esculenta L. Schott is a main traditional root crop in China, serving as an important vegetable and staple food. Drought stress plays vital role on the growth and development of taro corm. Methods: Two different varieties of taro in Jiangsu were selected: Xiangsha taro and Longxiang taro. The accumulation characteristics, morphological structure, and physicochemical properties of taro corm starch were studied by microscopic observation, particle size analysis, and X-ray diffractometer (XRD) analysis. Transcriptome analyses were used to identify the related genes of taro corm under drought stress. Results: During the growth of taro, the number of amyloplasts showed an obvious increasing trend and shifted from being dispersed throughout the cells to being gathered on one side of the cells, and morphological observations showed that smaller granular distribution gradually changed to a larger lumpy distribution. The particle size of Longxiang taro is smaller than that of Xiangsha taro. Under drought stress conditions, the occurrence of starch grains and corm size were inhibited in Xiangsha taro. Transcriptome sequencing of drought-stressed taro corms showed that the enzymes related to starch synthesis were differentially expressed. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of drought-stressed taro corms showed that drought affected hormone signal transduction, material metabolism, drought stress tolerance, plant growth and development, and stress resistance, which triggered the plant drought adaptive response. Conclusions: Drought stress inhibits starch accumulation in taro.

Supporting a productive rural population is essential for ensuring a society’s food security. In this context, the reuse of agro-industrial waste represents a strategy with significant environmental and economic benefits. This study characterizes the residues from the cultivation of Arracacia xanthorrhiza , which were used for starch purification and low-temperature pyrolysis to obtain biochar. As an application aligned with the principles of the circular economy, the resulting biochar was characterized using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherm analysis. Biochar was impregnated with carboxin for application in a potato crop. Results indicated that each Arracacia plant generates an average of 3,485 ± 384 g of biomass, approximately 30% of which constitutes residues (4% leaves and stems, and 26% rootstock and corms). The rootstock and corms exhibited a starch content of 21% and the residual biomass was subsequently used for biochar production. The amorphous carbonaceous material exhibited an average pore size of 14.9 nm, formed spherical aggregates of approximately 4.5 μm, and demonstrated a carboxin adsorption capacity of 260.3 ± 0.4 mg/g of adsorbent. The incorporation of both raw and carboxin-impregnated biochar into the potato crop led to a 35% increase in total biomass per plant and a 23% increase in the mass of tubers exceeding 4 cm in diameter, indicating a notable improvement in crop yield and quality.

In the present study, isolated starch from the saffron corm (SS) was investigated for physicochemical and functional properties and compared with the potato (PS) and waxy rice starches (RS). The SS granules were irregular and heterogeneous in appearance with bimodal particle size distribution. A mean granule size of 2.66, 8.87, and 32.27 μm (Dv50) was recorded for RS, SS, and PS granules, respectively. The lowest degree of crystallinity and the least gelatinization enthalpy of SS are linked to its high amylose/amylopectin ratio. The least swelling power was obtained for SS gel and followed by RS and PS gels. Also, SS and RS samples showed the most syneresis and paste turbidity. Higher viscoelastic solid properties, gel strength, and final viscosity were also observed in the SS gel. The elastic modulus of saffron corm starch gel was less frequency dependent than potato and waxy rice starches. The most heterogeneous film was prepared from SS with the least transparency and maximum thickness. Also, the lowest film transparency was obtained for the rice starch sample. The SS films had the highest maximum tensile strength and stiffness but the lowest film stretchability. So, the saffron corm starch can be used when higher gelling properties or less transparency and more rigid films or coatings are required.