Modulation of Quality and Yield in Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) through endophytic fungi and silicon as a novel bio-Stimulant under deficit irrigation

The eco- friendly agricultural practices, reduces the application of manufacturing fertilizers, while refining soil richness and plant growth. We applied biostimulant endophytic fungi ( Penicillium chrysogenum and Serendipita indica ), in addition silicon levels under different irrigation management, in order to increase the vegetative and reproductive growth of saffron, yield, and improvement nutritional quality of saffron chemical constituent, along with reducing the use of chemical fertilizers. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with twenty-seven treatment combinations of Penicillium chrysogenum , Serendipita indica , silicon, and different irrigation levels with three replications during the 2022–2023 growing season. Application of Penicillium chrysogenum , and Serendipita indica fungi, solely or in combination with silicon significantly enhanced the stigma fresh weight, stigma dry weight, saffron yield, stigma length, daughter corm number, daughter corm weight, leaf length and number, leaf dry weight, root length, root fresh and dry weight, picrocrocin and safranal. The treatment of Serendipita indica  + 200 ppm silicon was the most effectiveness, so application of Serendipita indica  + 200 ppm silicon caused increases by 419.1, 29.2, 279.4, 286.5, 284.5, 55.4, 371.2, 316.9, 120.8, 163.9, 312.4, 177.6, 116.5, 116.5, 40.0, and 157.8%, respectively in the values of stigma fresh weight, stigma dry weight, saffron yield, stigma length, daughter corm number, daughter corm weight, leaf length, leaf number per plant, leaf dry weight, root length, root fresh weight, root dry weigh, picrocrocin and safranal. We recommend the application of Serendipita indica  + 200 ppm silicon in order to enhancement growth and flowering, saffron yield, and saffron nutritional quality in non-stress and drought stress condition.