Abstract: With the aim to improve the production of saffron, key technologies for high yield cultivation were developed. The influence of different factors including seed treatment modes, fertilizer composition, planting time, planting density and bulb size on saffron productivity and bulb yield were investigated. The results showed that higher yield in saffron production could be obtained in the condition of complete bulb with outside flakes but not unwanted sidebuds, the appropriate fertilizer of N 450 kg·hm-2, P2O5 225 kg·hm-2 and K2O 225 kg·hm-2and the bigsize bulb planted in the density of 10 cm×10 cm in late November and early December after fine management．

Key words: Yangtze river delta, saffron, highyield cultivation, key technologies