Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2020; 9(6): 237-243 E-ISSN: 2278-4136 P-ISSN: 2349-8234 www.phytojournal.com Prospects of organic saffron kitchen gardens as a JPP 2020; 9(6): 237-243 Received: 22-09-2020 source of phytochemicals for boosting immunity in Accepted: 25-10-2020 common households of semi-arid regions: A case Amjad M Husaini study of trans-Himalayan Kashmir valley Genome Engineering and Societal Biotechnology Lab, Division of Plant Biotechnology, SKUAST-K, Shalimar, Srinagar, Amjad M Husaini and Amir Bashir Wani J&K, India DOI: https://doi.org/10.22271/phyto.2020.v9.i6d.12889 Amir Bashir Wani Genome Engineering and Societal Biotechnology Lab, Abstract Division of Plant Biotechnology, Saffron grows well in arid regions with well drained sandy soil, under warm and dry summers. It requires SKUAST-K, Shalimar, Srinagar, minimal irrigation, mostly during critical stages prior to flowering. Currently, saffron is faced with a J&K, India number of challenges, especially outside Iranian region. The few prominent ones are lack of good-quality corms as seed material, poor soil fertility, lack of assured irrigation, increased urbanization on saffron land, and rampant adulteration. Initiatives are needed to reverse the declining trend by its cultivation in non-traditional sites like in arid as well as semi-arid regions. Instead of spending huge amount on large irrigation projects for big areas especially when financial resources are a constraint, a good alternative strategy is introduction and popularization of organic saffron in kitchen gardens. This would ensure small-scale cultivation as it would be easier to assure irrigation during critical growth stages, and hence supply of good quality genuine saffron for in-house consumption, and also increase awareness about organic agriculture. Herein we present a first report on the establishment of organic saffron kitchen gardens by women in their households, and successful cultivation of saffron in non-traditional semi-arid trans-Himalayan regions of Kashmir valley. Keywords: Crocus sativus L., vegetable, semi-arid, non-traditional, ethnobotany, health, geographical indication, climate change Introduction Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is the dried orange-red trifid stigma of a perennial bulbous plant Crocus sativus L., a triploid male-sterile plant flowering in autumn, one of the costliest culinary spice of the world [1]. It is included in the family Iridaceae. Some recent research reports indicate two possible sites of saffron origin: one in Greece in the Mediterranean area, and the other at East in Turkey-Iran-India [2]. Highly coveted for its beauty, aroma, healing [3] powers, and overall appeal, “Red Gold” is the most expensive spice in the world . Its production is typically favoured in countries where labour is cheap, such as Iran, India and Azerbaijan, but is also produced in countries like Greece, Switzerland, Spain, Argentina or the USA and newer areas being brought under its cultivation, viz. China and Japan [4]. Jammu and Kashmir, which encompasses the western Himalayas and the Karakorum mountains is well known for best quality saffron (Crocus sativus L. Kashmirianus) (reviewed [5,6] in Husaini et al. ). It is the only high-altitude saffron in the world that is cultivated at 1600- 1800 m above mean sea level, and this could be one of the major contributors towards its unique characteristics and good quality. The major characteristics that constitute its uniqueness are its longer and thicker stigmas, deep-red colour, great aroma, bitter taste and chemical free processing. It is a traditional niche plantation crop of Kashmir, where it has been under cultivation since past twenty five centuries. There had been a long pending demand for granting it the status of Geographical Indication for Kashmir Saffron on a pattern similar to that for Spanish “Azafrán de la Mancha”, Greek ‘Krokos Kozanis’, and Italian "Zafferano dell'Aquila" [6]. Its connection with the Indian soil can be illustrated by the fact that in the ancient Saffron language it is known by the name ‘Bahukuma’, and as ‘Kesar’ in Hindi, ‘Zafran’ in Urdu and ‘Koung’ in Kashmiri. Its distinction as being reflected in its scientific name ‘Crocus sativus L. Kashmirianus’ [5, 6] is supported by its genetic distinction. This was Corresponding Author: validated by the study of karyograms, and reporting significant distinctions as well as Amjad M Husaini difference in total length of chromosomes between Crocus sativus L. and Crocus sativus L. [email protected]; [7] [email protected] Kashmirianus . In 2011, Food and Agricultural Organization of United Nations included it in ~ 237 ~ Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry http://www.phytojournal.com the list of globally important agricultural heritage systems degeneration (AMD) and cataracts (GIAHS) [8]. The time at which saffron was introduced to (https://www.persavita.com/ca/). Microarray experiments Kashmir is not precisely known, although evidence from have established that saffron is able to modulate gene ‘Rajatarangini’, written by a 12th century poet-historian expression modified by retinal induced damage, and that ‘Kalhana’, indicates its presence in Kashmir even before the saffron treatment modulates metalloproteinase expression, reign of King Lalitaditya in 750 AD [5]. Recently saffron was enzymatic activity and reduces external matrix dis- granted Geographical indication as “Kashmir Saffron” by the organization through the activation of multiple pathways [31]. Government of India under the Geographical Indication of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 under section Health benefits for common households 16(2) and geographical indication number 635 dated 3rd The perusal of literature (reviewed by Licón et al. [32]; December, 2018 (Figure 1a). The documents in support of Premkumar and Ramesh [33]; Christodoulou et al. [34]) reveals geographical indication status claim that ‘saffron’ finds its the following benefits of saffron for a common household. It name in the oldest text of Kashmir (Nilamatapurane, Vol. 1) is equally effective as chemically synthesized drugs, in mild and in the 5th century BC Kashmiri records. or moderate depression (antidepressant action) and epilepsy (anticonvulsant action) without causing side effects. It helps Phytochemical composition and medicinal properties in ameliorating neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer’s and The chemical composition of dried saffron stigmas has been Parkinson’s disease) and related memory impairments. It is extensively studied since the end of the 19th century. suggested that its antioxidant properties may help β- Proximate composition of dried stigmas of saffron indicate pancreatic cells to increase insulin secretion and reduce that they contain water (10–12%), mineral matter (5–7%), fat elevated blood glucose levels, and hence is good for diabetic (5–8%), protein (12–13%), reducing sugars (20%), free sugars patients. Safranal is useful in treating chronic bronchitis. It (trace), starch (6–7%), pentosans (6–7%), gums and dextrins (safranal) sedates coughing by its anaesthetic action on vagal (9-10%), crude fibre (4–5%), crocin pigment (8–9%) and nerves of the alveoli. Picrocrocin has sedative effect on essential oil (0.3%) [9, 10]. It also contains riboflavin, spasms and lumbar pains (back pain), which are generally thiamine and small quantities of β-carotene. Riboflavin routine problems nowadays. Crocin is useful for women in content range from 56 to 138 μg/g and is the highest to be painful menstruation, typically involving abdominal cramps found in any food. Thiamine concentration levels range from (dysmenorrhoea), relief as it decreases uterine contractions. 0.7 to 4 μg/g, which are average values found in vegetables Crocetin, because of its ability to increase the speed of [11]. These red stigmas of C. sativus accumulate three different oxygen transport and diffusivity, is useful in situations like apocarotenoids: crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal which are atherosclerosis, alveolar hypoxia, haemorrhages, and arthritis. responsible for the color, taste and aroma of saffron, Saffron has been traditionally associated with famous respectively (reviewed in Maggi et al. [12] and Gomez-Gomez Kashmiri cuisines, medicinal values and rich cultural heritage et al. [13]). The ability to synthesize these compounds is not of Kashmir. It has been traditionally used to colour and common across species: picrocrocin and crocin, in fact, have flavour number of dishes like ‘phirini’, ‘kheer’, ‘tahaer’ as only been identified in stigma tissues of some Crocus species well as ‘wazwaan’ and is used as a key spice for preparation and few others species such as Buddleja [14] and Gardenia [15]. of Kashmiri ‘kehwa’, a traditional beverage served in social Understanding carotenoid metabolism in stigma of saffron is a gatherings in Kashmir. Saffron has had a significant role in all principle area of focus where a lot of work is underway [13]. religious rituals having roots in Kashmir, and branching out in Many studies are underway on genomics, transcriptomics, and Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. It is essential in performing phytochemical profiling of the active compounds using some rituals; the Buddhist monks have adopted the saffron modern technologies [16, 17]. Recently we introduced activity- colour as the most important one and Hindus use saffron for based protein profiling (ABPP) of a-glycosidases in saffron marking their foreheads. and used it to identify and quantify 67 active glycosidases