ABSTRACT

Khorasan province in Iran with diverse climatic conditions accommodates a wide range of plant communities, particularly herbs, spices and medicinal plants. Among these, saffron (Crocus sativus L.), cumin (Cuminum cyminum) and barberry (Berberis vulgaris) have been the most cultivated plants for thousands of years. These crops have unique interest and applications, for example, in recent years, the novel use of saffron in cancer treatments has been promoted and has stimulated more investigation on this crop. Almost 89% of the world's total saffron production (270 t) and 92% of the Iran's total saffron production (240 t) originates from Khorasan province. Almost all of the barberry production in the world (8,540 t); 52% of the world's total cumin production (29,000 t) and 88% of the Iran's total cumin production (15,410 t) are produced in this area too. Water scarcity, mostly associated with low rainfall and hot summers, along with low soil fertility are the most limiting factors of crop production in this region. These crops are not only the most important source of income for farmers, but also historically, form the basis of strong sociocultural activities within the local community. To understand the scientific basis of indigenous knowledge of spice producing communities, the Centre of Excellence for Special Crops was established in 2001 in the Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Although indigenous knowledge has developed quite independently from science, these two should be considered as two sources of knowledge that can supplement, rather than compete, with each other. This paper highlights the results of various ongoing researches in the Khorasan area with intention of exploring possible opportunities for developing international collaboration.