Agro Climatic Zoning of Saffron Culture in Miyaneh City by Using WLC Method and Remote Sensing Data

Ali Zamani,Aqil Tariq,Alireza Sharifi,Na Zhao,Shilan Felegari

doi:10.3390/agriculture12010118

Abstract

Recent continuous droughts and decreasing ground water tables have prompted efforts to improve irrigation schedules and introduce crops that need less water. A study was recently conducted to determine suitable zones for saffron in Miyaneh using Landsat-8 images and the weighted linear combination (WLC) method. Climatic and geographical indices for saffron cultivation in the region were for soil type, slope, soil moisture, and soil salinity. Parameters such as 30 years of data on climate, soil, and water conditions were collected from synoptic and climatologic stations such as Tabriz. Then, parameters were weighted using WLC for importance in each region. The data were transferred to expert choice and clustered, rated, and integrated to produce the last layer. The results showed that the southeastern and northwestern regions of Miyaneh, especially the banks of rivers and catchments, were identified as suitable places for saffron cultivation and that 28% of the area is in the suitable class, 36% in the relatively moderately suitable class, 20% in the critical suitability class, and the rest of the area, which covers about 16% of the area, is in the non-suitable class. Therefore, if it is possible to identify favorable areas for saffron cultivation according to the climatic requirements and it is possible in practice to achieve higher performance per unit area, that in itself will contribute to improved economic conditions and levels of income for farmers. Due to the special characteristics of saffron, substituting it for the cultivation of crops with high water requirements, such as onions, potatoes, tomatoes, etc., will help reduce water consumption.

Highlights

One of the most important measures to reduce the dependence of Middle Eastern countries that have numerous oil fields, such as Iran, on oil revenues, is to increase non-oil exports
The determined coefficients related to each index were applied, and, the results related to each index in the weighted linear combination (WLC) formula were added together, and the final and normalized image was obtained with the Raster Calculator command in ArcGis
The most suitable places for saffron cultivation in the study area are in a cultivation strip from southwest to southeast, and in parts of the north of the region

Summary

Introduction

One of the most important measures to reduce the dependence of Middle Eastern countries that have numerous oil fields, such as Iran, on oil revenues, is to increase non-oil exports. Due to the fact that the growing period for saffron is limited to autumn, winter, and early spring, the water requirement for this product is mainly met by rainfall. For this reason, in recent years, attention has been paid to the cultivation of this crop due to the water shortage conditions in Iran [3]. Saffron is very resistant to cold, but because its growth period coincides with autumn, winter, and early spring, it needs suitable and moderate weather. Aghhavani Shajari et al, 2015, suggested an altitude range of 2300 to 1300 m and a slope of less than eight percent for saffron growth

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Conclusion