**2. Mycotrophic nature of Saffron plants**

As saffron does not grow from seeds, reproduction is only possible by vegetative propagation, using the corms which can withstand a long dry dormant period before sprouting. Thus, corms are indispensable to saffron propagation reproducing vegetatively into corm lets that ultimately develop into new plants (**Figure 2**) [19].

The traditional area of saffron production in Morocco is characterized by very poor soils, however, the rhizosphere of cultivated saffron supports very interesting populations of microorganisms such as endomycorrhizae that are supposed to be essential for plant growth and ecosystem functioning.

Like most geophytes, saffron produces a coarse root system; these root systems have under gone extensive mycorrhization and benefit from this symbiosis [20]. Indeed, field-grown saffron is extensively mycorrhized [21, 22]. The Saffron plant

**Figure 2.** *A, B: Saffron fields in Talouine region; C: Saffron plant at flowering stage.*

shows a high incidence of AMF colonization. It was observed that the corm, despite being the modified stem, shows AMF colonization [23]. Morphological examination of fine roots comprised in rhizospheric soil samples collected in October 2020 from 15 different plots of saffron located in the Taliouine area (Morocco) under light microscope revealed the presence of AMF structures inside the examined roots which showed different colonization levels (**Figure 3**).

Ourras et al. [24] pointed out a high mycorrhization rate of 95.02% which reflects the inoculum pressure or propagules rate infecting the surrounding substrate. Likewise, El Aymani et al. [12] have reported different root mycorrhizal frequencies of 93.33% and 96.67% associated with the rhizosphere of *C. sativus* grown in the Taliouine region. This mycorrhizal colonization demonstrates relevant interaction between *C. sativus* roots and native endomycorrhizal populations under field conditions through which mechanisms such as modulation of water transport [25], nutrient acquisition [26], and stimulating the exudation of root phosphatase [27, 28] under drought conditions, are active in mycorrhizal plants to alleviate environmental stressors.

With the identification of native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and their application, it could be possible to expand the saffron cultivated area and increase the performance of arable lands.

*Saffron Endomycorrhizae: Diversity and Effect on Plant Growth and Corm Formation DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.106881*

**Figure 3.** *AMF structures inside the examined roots of saffron plants grown in fields in Taliouine regions.*
