ABSTRACT

Every year in Navelli the corms are taken up at the beginning of the summer and replanted at the end of August, after they have been selected for size and checked for possible defects (rot, parasites, viruses, etc.). The continual selection for size and checks for wholesomeness mean that every year only the best plants are replanted, and as a result only the highest morphological and phytochemical characteristics are conserved. This is why L’Aquila saffron is the most sought-after and most highly prized in the world.