News Headline

Mystery solved—biologists explain the genetic origins of the saffron crocus

Source
Phys.org

Publication Date
2019-03-12

With a price tag of up to €30,000 per kilogram, saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. Sometimes it even exceeds the price of gold. Its typical aroma is produced by the apocarotenoid Safranal. Saffron is harvested from the flowers of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus), which blooms solely in autumn. In order to yield one kilogram of saffron, 150,000 to 200,000 flowers must be harvested by hand—skilled pickers can collect 60 to 80 grams per day.

Content
https://phys.org/news/2019-03-mystery-solvedbiologists-genetic-saffron-crocus.html