*2.4. Effects of Salicylic Acid, Glutamine, and Jasmonic Acid on Saffron Daughter Corm Formation In Vitro*

Saffron apical buds were grown in MS medium supplemented with 3% sucrose and the following additives: salicylic acid (75 or 150 mg L<sup>−</sup>1), glutamine (600 or 1200 mg L−1), and jasmonic acid (1 or 2 mg L−1). The explants grown in MS medium without additives were used as controls. Thus, the effects of nine different treatments on daughter corm size were assessed. All media were solidified with 0.8% agar. The pH of the medium was adjusted to 5.8 prior to autoclaving at 121 ◦C and 1.2 kg cm−<sup>2</sup> pressure for 20 min. The environmental conditions in the growth chamber were adjusted to 15 ◦C ± 1 ◦C and 70 μmol m−<sup>2</sup> s−<sup>1</sup> PPFD for a 16 h photoperiod using cool white fluorescent lamps. There were 15 explants in each treatment and the diameter and fresh weight of daughter corms were recorded after 14 weeks of culture from 9 randomly selected explants.
