The Crocus Sativus flower gives rise to the Saffron spice which contains five active ingredients known as crocin, crocetin, picrocrocin and safranal. The rich antioxidant containing components of Saffron have been shown to cross the blood brain barrier by passive transcellular diffusion, making them effective in relation to treating neurological disorders. In order to test the effects of Saffron on memory and anxiety, Zebrafish Danio Rerio were placed into two groups and put through a series of assessments including a three compartment memory tank and a dive tank. Zebrafish continue to be at the forefront of behavioral and pharmacological studies due to their ability to display real time effects of substances in the environment. Many strong similarities have been drawn between zebrafish’s neuroanatomy and physiology in comparison to mammals, making them a reliable tool in assessing environmental toxicity. Zebrafish have shown to be a great asset in drug screenings and preclinical trials due to their sensitivity to pharmacological stimulants and fast phenotypic responses. Saffron was administered to a test group via skin absorption, while the control group was transported directly from their habitat to the assessment tanks. The three compartment memory tank consisted of a middle, right, and left chamber separated by movable dividers. Subjects were initially placed in the center compartment and given a choice of swimming either towards the right or left sections. The two sides of the tank contained visual cues which included photos of shapes taped to the wall. The choice of swimming towards the correct compartment was rewarded by the subject being reunited with their tank mates; while making the incorrect decision led to adverse stimuli such as reduction of swim area. Subject memory was tested by their ability to promptly swim towards the intended side during each trial. It was hypothesized that subjects in the test group will learn to swim in the correct compartment significantly faster than the control group. The anxiety evaluation was conducted by individually placing subjects from the control and test groups into a dive tank. The dive tank utilizes vertical distribution in a novel environment to measure the behavioral response in Zebrafish. Once placed in the tank, the subjects will combat their inherent nature of seeking protection in an open environment. During each trial, subject movements, behavior, and activity were tracked and analyzed by the Nolds Ethovision software. It was hypothesized that Saffron dosed Zebrafish will show a reduction in anxiety by increasing their vertical swimming and exploration significantly faster than those in the control groups.

One of the key international policy challenges in the intellectual property (IP) regime is the issue of traditional knowledge (TK) protection. TK has a bearing on debates around biodiversity, food, agriculture, health, expressions of folklore, trade and development, and human rights. In the policy and academic debates around TK protection, a critical gender perspective is often underdeveloped. Guided by feminist legal methodology, an approach founded on women’s experience of exclusion, and using two feminist methods of gender impact assessment and qualitative interviews, the thesis makes a case for mainstreaming gender in TK law and policy. In most Indigenous and local communities around the world, women play a significant role in the generation, transmission, and use of TK. There are different contributions by Indigenous and local women to the TK system, and there is also differential impact of TK misappropriation on these women. Critical evidence to support the importance of gender as an influential factor in TK protection is based on in-depth examination of two case studies, namely Persian handwoven carpets and saffron. My fieldworks in Kashan, “the city of handwoven carpets”, and Khorasan, “the province of saffron” enabled me to examine the role of Iranian local women and their TK in handwoven carpet and saffron production. Iran is the undisputed centre of saffron production, where the tradition dates back over 3,000 years. The superiority of Iranian saffron comes not only from the climatic conditions but also the rich heritage of TK in growing and processing the crop with Iranian local women as the main performers in different stages of saffron production. Persian hand-woven carpet as an icon of Iranian culture, dating back about 2000 years, is another illuminating example of products in which women and their TK play a major role. From carpet weaving workshops to saffron farms, I found one common theme: the invisibility of women’s TK that is taken for granted while it is the very basis of production. Lack of proper attention to women’s TK in these sectors and its potential for women’s empowerment, has led to many local women and most of the younger generation losing their interest in carpet weaving and saffron production, which in the long run can put the TK in danger of becoming forgotten. Moreover, with the rural outmigration due to lack of employment opportunities, the knowledge of the older generations in handwoven carpet and saffron production is often no longer passed on to the younger generation. Therefore, if women’s TK is to remain alive and deliver its potential for empowering Indigenous and local women, which indeed should be among the main objectives of any TK instrument, these women should be incentivized through gender-responsive TK law and policy to continue practising their TK. Building on the fieldwork results, this research reconceptualizes the TK issue as a gender issue to which TK law and policy fora should respond with gender-sensitive instruments, implementation plans, and adequate resources. The objective of the research is to call for and contribute to a policy change in the realm of TK by translating fieldwork insights (as a knowledge-based gender advocacy) into policy recommendations for a gender-responsive alternative approach to TK laws and policy. More specifically, the thesis provides recommendations for gender mainstreaming in both the process of crafting, and the contents of legal modalities for TK protection.

Currently, all commercial cultivation of saffron takes place in outdoor fields, and the work is largely carried out manually. The company BlueRedGold is a Swedish startup that aims to revolutionize commercial saffron cultivation by developing a method to grow saffron indoors year-round using fully automated processes. BlueRedGold has enlisted the help of the project group to which this thesis belongs in order to develop automated methods for preparing saffron bulbs for planting. The preparation of saffron bulbs includes peeling, sieving, and sorting, and this particular thesis aims to ensure functional requirements for these three steps of preparation. Through literature review, the thesis collects theory related to collaborative systems, food safety, and materials. This theory then serves as the basis for designing a comprehensive system for peeling, sieving, and sorting saffron bulbs. The results of the thesis are partly based on the conducted literature review, but also on interviews and observations regarding automated saffron cultivation and handling of saffron bulbs in Sweden. The results clearly indicate the requirements that are important for the system's functionality, safety, and user-friendliness, and based on this, a concept is developed where peeling is done first using the concept Borsta, followed by sieving using the concept Roller Belt Conveyor, and finally sorting using the concept The Roller. In verification tests, the final system is approved for the majority of the requirements. The results also present stainless steel, aluminum, PE, and PP as potentially suitable material choices. In the conclusions, it is stated that the most important requirements for the system are related to the machines' precision and their careful treatment of saffron bulbs. It is further concluded that these requirements are satisfactorily met by the final concept. Furthermore, it is found that this system is not dependent on complicated transport routes between the different machines, but instead, gravity can be utilized as a simpler solution to make the bulbs slide to the next machine. Finally, it is noted that requirements related to material selection must be further examined for specific applications as the prerequisites and resources for material testing are not available in this project. Keywords: Product development, saffron cultivation, automation, collaborative systems, indoor cultivation.

Water extracts of saffron, a spice derived from the plant Crocus Sativus L. obtained from India and Iran, were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The components in the extracts were separated on four different solid phase extraction cartridges with four different solvents and by silica gel column. Analysis was done by GC-MS, LC-MS and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The extracts separated into three distinct bands (two bright yellow and one orange) on the silica gel column. Based on GC-MS, the extracted compounds show many structural similarities. Using both extraction techniques, several compounds were identified that were not previously reported to be in saffron. Picrocrocin, safranal, and crocins presence in the extracts were evidenced by absorbance bands at wavelengths of 250 nm, 310 nm and 440 nm, respectively, in their UV-Vis spectra. The LC-MS analysis revealed several high molecular weight compounds that were not observed by GC-MS.

Manuscripts have an essential importance as being irreplaceable parts of our cultural heritage. It has long been known that these works have been suffered from serious damages due to the corrosive effects of the inks. In this study, the influence of inks prepared according to historical recipes on the degradation of model paper has been investigated. Totally, sixteen ink solutions were prepared and applied on Whatman No. 41 filter papers. The mostly examined ink is the iron-gall-ink which is known as very corrosive. Changing the ratios of the ingredients in the ink, it is aimed to understand the degradation mechanism of the cellulose caused by the iron-gall-ink. Influence of iron to gallic acid ratio, copper to iron ratio and the effect of saffron on ink corrosion were examined. Also the influence of colored inks (red and green) / prepared according to the historical recipes on cellulose degradation was studied. In order to determine the changes in the cellulose in time, dry heat accelerated ageing was performed on the paper samples. UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR-ATR and Color spectrophotometry were used to investigate the changes in the chemical composition of the cellulose after accelerated ageing.

Safran (Crocus sativus) ist eine wertvolle Gewürzpflanze. Alleiniger Anbau führt zu Monokultur und vermehrter Verunkrautung während der Vegetationspause im Sommer. Das Ziel dieser theoretischen Studie war herauszufinden, welche Pflanzenarten zwischen den Safranreihen kultiviert werden können.:Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Einleitung 1 2 Lagebeschreibung 2 3 Betriebsbeschreibung 3 4 Botanik Crocus sativus 7 5 Kulturverfahren 9 6 Nebenfruchtanbau 11 6.1 Gemüse und Obst 13 6.2 Zierpflanzen 15 6.3 Getreide 17 6.4 Leguminosen 19 6.5 Ölpflanzen 22 6.6 Kräuter 25 7 Diskussion 27 7.1 Gemüse- und Obst 28 7.2 Zierpflanzen 31 7.3 Getreide 34 7.4 Leguminosen 36 7.5 Ölpflanzen 38 7.6 Kräuter 40 8 Zusammenfassung 43 9 Anhang 44 10 Literaturverzeichnis 51 / Saffron (Crocus sativus) is a valuable spice plant. Sole cultivation of saffron leads to monoculture and increases weed growth in the vegetative dormancy period. The aim of this theoretical study was to determine which plants species could be cultivated between saffron rows.:Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Einleitung 1 2 Lagebeschreibung 2 3 Betriebsbeschreibung 3 4 Botanik Crocus sativus 7 5 Kulturverfahren 9 6 Nebenfruchtanbau 11 6.1 Gemüse und Obst 13 6.2 Zierpflanzen 15 6.3 Getreide 17 6.4 Leguminosen 19 6.5 Ölpflanzen 22 6.6 Kräuter 25 7 Diskussion 27 7.1 Gemüse- und Obst 28 7.2 Zierpflanzen 31 7.3 Getreide 34 7.4 Leguminosen 36 7.5 Ölpflanzen 38 7.6 Kräuter 40 8 Zusammenfassung 43 9 Anhang 44 10 Literaturverzeichnis 51

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-10T10:44:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 EUNICE DE FARIA.pdf: 1979025 bytes, checksum: 49a90778e9d9603c03ac149202c3b01e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-02-23 / The work focuses on the cultivation of saffron in the municipality of Mara Rosa (GO), after the creation of the Cooperative of Saffron Producers Mara Rosa (Cooperaçafrão) in the period 2003 to 2011. The municipality of Mara Rosa (GO) has 1.703.95 km2 in area, is dominated by the cerrado, cut north to south by Belém-Brasília highway (BR- 153). It is considered the capital of saffron by responding for 90% of national production with over 300 producers working in the form of family farming. In 2007 was the largest center of national production, accounting for 74.0% of the saffron production. It is located 370 km from capital of Goiás state, it is part of the meso and microregion of Porangatu. The research aims to investigate how the dynamics of the company sued the producers of saffron family farmers of "Cooperaçafrão" who chose to develop an agro-industrialization as an alternative to face crises recently experienced by the local family farming. Theoretical support were previously published work related to cooperative and productive system of saffron of the following authors: Marinozzi, (2002), Noronha et al. (2004), Bartholo et al. (2005), Domitian (2007 ) and Domitian Caume, (2008), Coimbra (2005), Labaig (2003) among others. The universe of this study was 51 active cooperative producers, these 49 farmers participated in the survey. The methodology used was case study. The type of research was bibliographic, field and descriptive . It used the questionnaire with data collection instrument applied in the presence of the members, with 99 closed and open questions, with the aim of presenting the socioeconomic profile of the saffron producers, to identify issues related to producing properties and management activities of saffron production. The research was based on data collected directly from farmers in the cooperative Cooperaçafrão. It aimed to investigate the degree of increase in income of respondents and the index of satisfaction with the management of the cooperative leaders. Once assembled and explained the fundamentals of research, the study found that a significant number of cooperative assets that never gave up the cooperative had a significant increase in their income. From the data presented it can be stated that the cooperativism allied with industrialization and institutional interventions represents an alternative to other farmers from Mara Rosa and region also can achieve the same performance. The cooperative is going through a complicated competition from buyers of saffron in the region. Thus it is expected that both managers as the cooperatives can talk, reflect and seek together solutions to the difficulties related to the cooperative. That managers listen more closely associated with and seek to meet your expectations and demands, and at the same time that the cooperative are committed to the cooperative and participate effectively in its management. / O trabalho enfoca a cultura do açafrão no município de Mara Rosa (GO), após a criação da Cooperativa dos Produtores de Açafrão de Mara Rosa (Cooperaçafrão), no período de 2003 a 2011. O município de Mara Rosa (GO) possui 1.703,95 km2 de área, é dominado pelo bioma cerrado, cortado no sentido norte-sul pela rodovia Belém-Brasília (BR-153). É considerada a capital do açafrão por responder por 90% da produção nacional com mais de 300 produtores trabalhando sob a forma de agricultura familiar. Em 2007 representou o maior pólo de produção nacional, responsável por 74,0% da produção de açafrão. Localiza-se a 370 km da capital do Estado de Goiás, faz parte da mesorregião norte do Estado e microrregião de Porangatu. A pesquisa pretende averiguar como se processou a dinâmica da sociedade de agricultores familiares produtores de açafrão da "Cooperaçafrão", que optaram por desenvolver uma agroindustrialização enquanto alternativa para fazer frente `as crises recentemente vivenciadas pela agricultura familiar local. O apoio teórico foram os trabalhos anteriormente publicados relacionados ao cooperativismo e ao sistema produtivo do açafrão dos seguintes autores: Marinozzi, (2002); Noronha et al., (2004); Bartholo et al., (2005); Domiciano, (2007); Domiciano e Caume, (2008); Coimbra, (2005), Labaig (2003) entre outros. O universo pesquisado foi de 51 produtores cooperados ativos, destes participaram da pesquisa 49 agricultores. A metodologia utilizada foi o estudo de caso. A pesquisa foi do tipo bibliográfica, de campo e descritiva. Utilizou-se o questionário como instrumento de coleta de dados aplicado na presença dos cooperados, com 115 questões fechadas e abertas, com o objetivo de apresentar o perfil socioeconômico dos produtores de açafrão; identificar os aspectos relacionados às propriedades produtoras; as atividades de manejo da mão-de-obra da produção do açafrão; conhecer também o grau de elevação da renda dos pesquisados e o índice de satisfação em relação à gestão dos dirigentes da cooperativa. A pesquisa foi fundamentada em dados coletados diretamente dos cooperados agricultores da Cooperaçafrão Depois de reunidas as informações e as variáveis fundamentais da pesquisa, o estudo constatou que um número significativo de cooperados ativos que nunca desistiram da cooperativa tiveram uma elevação na sua renda. Diante dos dados apresentados pode-se afirmar que o cooperativismo aliados à agroindustrialização e às intervenções institucionais representa uma alternativa para que outros agricultores familiares de Mara Rosa e região possam conseguir o mesmo desempenho. A cooperativa esta atravessando um momento difícil e ainda enfrenta a concorrência dos compradores de açafrão da região. Desse modo espera-se que tanto os gestores como os cooperados possam dialogar, refletir e buscarem juntos as soluções para os problemas e dificuldades da cooperativa. Que os gestores ouçam mais associados e procurem atender às suas expectativas e reivindicações, ao mesmo tempo em que os cooperados se comprometam com a cooperativa e participem efetivamente de sua gestão.

In vitro micropropagation of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) by using direct and indirect organogenesis was the aim of this study. Also, the effect of plant growth regulators on growth parameters, such as corm production, sprouting time and germination ratio were investigated in ex vitro conditions. For in vitro regeneration of saffron, the effects of 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) and BAP (6-benzylaminopurine) were tested initially. It was observed that 0,25 mg/L 2,4-D and 1 mg/L BAP combination was superior for indirect organogenesis while 1 mg/L 2,4-D and 1 mg/L BAP combination was favorable for direct organogenesis. During the improvement of direct organogenesis experiments, BAP (1 mg/L) without 2,4-D stimulated further shoot development. For adventitious corm and root induction, NAA (naphthaleneacetic acid) and BAP combinations were tested. Although a few corm formations were achieved, root development was not observed with these treatments. Further experiments with the culture medium supplemented with 1 mg/L IBA (indole-3-butyric acid) and 5% sucrose was effective on obtaining contractile root formation and increasing corm number. As a result, the overall efficiency was calculated as 59.26% for contractile root formation, 35.19% for corm formation and 100% for shoot development. In ex vitro studies, 50 mg/L IAA (indole-3-acetic acid) , 50 mg/L kinetin and 200 mg/L GA3 (gibberellic acid) were used. These applications were not as efficient as expected on assessed growth parameters.

Através de Testes de Diluição em Sistema de Tubos Múltiplos determinou-se in vitro a Intensidade de Atividade de Inibição Bacteriana (IINIB/bacteriostasia) e a Intensidade de Atividade de Inativação Bacteriana (IINAB/bactericidia) de soluções contendo extratos etanólicos a 50% de diferentes acessos in natura de rizomas (alcoolaturas), bem como diferentes amostras comerciais de pó de rizomas (hidroalcoolaturas) de açafrão-da-terra (Curcuma longa L.), sobre inóculos bacterianos padrões de Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Salmonella Enteritidis (ATCC 11076), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 19433) e Escherichia coli (ATCC 11229). Os extratos hidroalcoólicos apresentaram baixa atividade de inibição/inativação entre as quatro bactérias testadas, enquanto que a forma de extração alcoólica sem reidratação (extrato bruto) apresentou atividade antibacteriana seletiva e significativamente mais intensa. Salmonella Enteritidis e Enterococcus faecalis foram às bactérias mais sensíveis, frente a ambos os extratos (hidroalcoólico e alcoólico), enquanto que Escherichia coli e Stahphylococcus aureus apresentaram a menor sensibilidade. Houve diferença positiva significativa para os extratos não reconstituídos (bruto) quando comparados aos reconstituídos. / Through Test Dilution System in Multiple Tubes were determined in vitro the intensity bacterial inhibition activity (IINIB/bacteriostasys) and the Intensity of bacterial inactivation activity (IINAB/bactericidie) solutions containing 50% ethanol extracts of different accessions fresh root (alcoholic preparations) as well as commercial samples of powdered root (hidroalcoolaturas) from ground-saffron (Curcuma longa L.). patterns of bacterial inocula of Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Salmonella Enteritidis (ATCC 11076), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 19433) and Escherichia coli (ATCC 11229). The hydroalcoholic extracts showed low activity inhibition/inactivation among the four tested bacteria, while the form of alcohol extraction without rehydration (crude extract) showed selective antibacterial activity and significantly more intense. Salmonella enteritidis and Enterococcus faecalis bacteria were more sensitive, compared to both extracts (hydroalcoholic and alcohol), while Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus Stahphylococcus showed the least sensitivity. There was a significant positive difference to the extracts not rehydrated (raw) when compared to rehydrated.

Através de Testes de Diluição em Sistema de Tubos Múltiplos determinou-se in vitro a Intensidade de Atividade de Inibição Bacteriana (IINIB/bacteriostasia) e a Intensidade de Atividade de Inativação Bacteriana (IINAB/bactericidia) de soluções contendo extratos etanólicos a 50% de diferentes acessos in natura de rizomas (alcoolaturas), bem como diferentes amostras comerciais de pó de rizomas (hidroalcoolaturas) de açafrão-da-terra (Curcuma longa L.), sobre inóculos bacterianos padrões de Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Salmonella Enteritidis (ATCC 11076), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 19433) e Escherichia coli (ATCC 11229). Os extratos hidroalcoólicos apresentaram baixa atividade de inibição/inativação entre as quatro bactérias testadas, enquanto que a forma de extração alcoólica sem reidratação (extrato bruto) apresentou atividade antibacteriana seletiva e significativamente mais intensa. Salmonella Enteritidis e Enterococcus faecalis foram às bactérias mais sensíveis, frente a ambos os extratos (hidroalcoólico e alcoólico), enquanto que Escherichia coli e Stahphylococcus aureus apresentaram a menor sensibilidade. Houve diferença positiva significativa para os extratos não reconstituídos (bruto) quando comparados aos reconstituídos. / Through Test Dilution System in Multiple Tubes were determined in vitro the intensity bacterial inhibition activity (IINIB/bacteriostasys) and the Intensity of bacterial inactivation activity (IINAB/bactericidie) solutions containing 50% ethanol extracts of different accessions fresh root (alcoholic preparations) as well as commercial samples of powdered root (hidroalcoolaturas) from ground-saffron (Curcuma longa L.). patterns of bacterial inocula of Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Salmonella Enteritidis (ATCC 11076), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 19433) and Escherichia coli (ATCC 11229). The hydroalcoholic extracts showed low activity inhibition/inactivation among the four tested bacteria, while the form of alcohol extraction without rehydration (crude extract) showed selective antibacterial activity and significantly more intense. Salmonella enteritidis and Enterococcus faecalis bacteria were more sensitive, compared to both extracts (hydroalcoholic and alcohol), while Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus Stahphylococcus showed the least sensitivity. There was a significant positive difference to the extracts not rehydrated (raw) when compared to rehydrated.