“Crocus sativus L. : An overview of morphological characteristics, phytochemical profile and biotechnological advances”.

Abstract

Saffron (Crocus sativus), a highly priced and prominent spice of the global market has massive medicinal and   industrial value, in pertinence to the pharmacological nature of the bioactive compounds present in its stigma. These bioactive constituents viz. carotenoids, flavonoids, terpenoids, apocarotenoids are the secondary metabolites (safranal, crocin, picrocrocin, crocetin) synthesized by the plant mainly for its defense and survival. These compounds also serve as deterrents against pathogens as well as herbivores, protect the plant against various environmental stresses, help in pollination, pigmentation, seed dispersal; thereby playing an active role in plant-plant interactions, plant signalling cascades and plant microbe-interactions. Their quantity of production is dependent on the prevailing environmental conditions and factors regulating the growth of corms and emergence of flowering in this plant. Moreover, the pattern of vegetative propagation of its corms hampers its genetic modification, due to which a standardised platform for its tissue culture in lab-controlled conditions becomes urgent so as to genetically improve it for the production of metabolites in gigantic amounts and further used in medicine for human welfare. This review is a concise explanation of morphology, physiology and phytochemistry of Crocus sativus with emphasis on its response to biotic as well as abiotic stresses and biosynthetic pathway associated with its secondary metabolite production; thus, highlighting its significance in food, cosmetics and modern medicine.