Plants absorb nutrients through the roots and through the foliage. In this context, an experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, as a factorial layout based on randomized complete block design with three replications, in 2012 growing season. The aim of this study was to compare foliar and soil macro- and micro-nutrients supply on corm yield of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) on sixth year saffron farm. Experimental treatments included four levels of soil nutrition with mixed fertilizer (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha-1) and three levels of foliar nutrition with mixed fertilizer (0, 0.05% and 1.0% solutions per hectare). The sources of mixed fertilizer were KNO3, NH4H2PO4, MgSO4.7H2O, Ca(NO3)2.4H2O, and Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn Chelates. Foliar and soil macro- and micro-nutrients application was done in March 6th, 2012. In the experiment total number of corms, total weight of corms, total weight of corms without tunics, total weight of tunics; total number, average weight, diameter and number of buds of corms more than 8 g (large corms), between 4.01-8 g (medium corms) and lower than 4g (small corms) were studied. Results showed that soil nutrition had more significant effects on number of corms, total weight of corms and number of large, medium and small corms of saffron than foliar nutrition. The maximum number of large corms in soil nutrition was obtained in 100 kg ha-1 mixed fertilizer (31.1 corms/m2) and in foliar nutrition was measured in 0.05% solution (24.3 corms/m2). In generally, interaction effects between of soil and foliar macro- and micro-nutrients application showed that the highest number of large corms resulted from the combined application of 100 kg ha-1 mixed fertilizer and 0.1% solution.

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