PECULIAR EVOLUTION OF SAFFRON (CROCUS SATIVUS L.): PROSPERITY AND DECLINE

Abstract

After establishment in our previous experiments of high heterogeneity of populations of saffron it was interesting further to observe the evolution of this plant propagated in exclusively vegetative way by means of man. Possible ways of occurrence of heterogeneity were analyzed. It is supposed that saffron, a sterile clone of triploid origin that has been cultivated from time immemorial (the period about 3.5-4.5 thousand years) has passed an original evolution. Growing in the various countries under various soil-climatic conditions, during many centuries, saffron has been influenced by various stressful factors and has undergone different sorts of mutations. Despite of sterility genetic changes could partly happen also as a result of somatic recombination. Each plant that has undergone a genetic change has become a unique, new clone. Clones in populations grow together, in a mixture. Thus they never combine genetically because of their sterility. kept mutations and other genetic changes collected in populations. Such process has been going on even today. Clones were different, of high, average and low vital potentials. first clones were prospering, but small in extent, the second made the prevailing majority; the third could be exposed to genetic decline and, partly, disappear, being replaced with the first and the second. Let any part of the specified clones as a result of genetic degradation annually dies off and disappears. Man, probably will not notice it, as he always has clones with high or even not very high, and usual vital potential at hand. At their expense places of the degraded and missed clones will be filled automatically and man, not noticing anything special, will continue the usual work on cultivation and propagation of saffron. described process gives us the basis to speak about the phenomenon of original process of self-renewal or self-recovery of saffron, occurring annually in populations. Self-renewal of saffron could be considered as a selection of a special type, which cannot be named natural, even though it takes place spontaneously, artificial, albeit it is being carried out at intermediary of humans. In our opinion, it should be named: The self-renewal selection.