Effect of Changing Climate on Saffron Crop and its Remedial Measures

The most recent change in the climate of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) cultivation has caused productive and destructive droughts, variation of temperature and acute fungal diseases, increasing the drought pressure that has harmed the saffron crop in terms of yield and quality aspects. The major issues of saffron production due to climate change are drought, unpredictable temperature and rise in fungal diseases. The change in rainfall patterns has led to severe drought spells, affecting corm development and flowering. Temperature irregularities have also disturbed the physiology of flowering and corm growth. Further, a rise in temperature and humidity promote the fungal diseases, which remain a constant threat to yield and quality. The farmers are adopting various practices to mitigate the unpleasant impacts, including efficient irrigation schedules, cultivation of tolerant saffron varieties and disease management systems to maintain the yield potential and entire precious saffron ecosystem. For the current and future challenges, adaptive measures include the proper management of irrigation and breeding/cultivar selection for the stress-tolerant saffron, along with their integrated management, appropriate to reducing the disastrous impact. Also, post-harvest complications like impurities, inappropriate drying, microbial infestation and storage issues can be mitigated by the implication of climate-smart technologies for air drying, storage, packaging and supply chain maintenance purposes. Therefore, farmers are urged to identify possible and practical adaptive measures to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change. The current and future challenges of saffron could be addressed through a blend of technology and agronomy.