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An Expensive Spice Saffron (Crocus sativus L.): A Case Study from Kashmir, Iran, and Turkey

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Global Perspectives on Underutilized Crops

Abstract

Saffron, originating from the Arabic word “Zafaran” meaning yellow, is a fascinating spice steeped in rich history. Its secrets stem from the dried red stigmas, which accumulate large amounts of three glucosylated apocarotenoids, namely crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal, which, among the more than 150 volatile and aroma yielding compounds, contribute to the color, bitter flavor, and aroma so typical of saffron. It is reported to have antidepressant, hypnotic, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, bronchodilatory, aphrodisiac, inducer of labor, emmenagogue, and several other uses. Owing to extremely high demand from the dye, perfumery, and flavoring industries, it is one of the most expensive spices on earth. The components of the spice “saffron” are localized in the red stigmatic lobes of C. sativus flower and these are responsible for its distinct color, flavor, and smell. In this chapter the history of saffron, its economic importance, its pharmacological activities, cultivated area, production, as well as other uses are discussed. Further, we highlight the practices followed in saffron cultivation and discuss various issues connected with its production.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Agriculture, Center of Excellence for Special Crops, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran

    Muhammad Kafi

  2. Centre of Research for Development, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Azra N. Kamili

  3. Genome Engineering Lab, Division of Plant Biotechnology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Amjad M. Husaini

  4. Botany Department and Centre for Environmental Sciences, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey

    Munir Ozturk

  5. Biology Department, Science & Arts Faculty, Mustafa Kemal University, Antakya, Turkey

    Volkan Altay

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  1. Muhammad Kafi
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  2. Azra N. Kamili
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  3. Amjad M. Husaini
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  4. Munir Ozturk
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  5. Volkan Altay
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany and Center for Environmental Studies, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey

    Munir Ozturk

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Khalid Rehman Hakeem

  3. Pakistan Science Foundation, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Muhammad Ashraf

  4. Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Muhammad Sajid Aqeel Ahmad

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Kafi, M., Kamili, A.N., Husaini, A.M., Ozturk, M., Altay, V. (2018). An Expensive Spice Saffron (Crocus sativus L.): A Case Study from Kashmir, Iran, and Turkey. In: Ozturk, M., Hakeem, K., Ashraf, M., Ahmad, M. (eds) Global Perspectives on Underutilized Crops. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77776-4_4

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