chapter 1 SAFFRON CULTIVATION: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE PROSPECTS / chapter 2 Botany, Taxonomy and Cytology of C.sativus L. and its Allies -- chapter 3 REPRODUCTION BIOLOGY OF SAFFRON AND ITS ALLIES / chapter 4 SAFFRON CHEMISTRY / chapter 5 SAFFRON (CROCUS SATIVUS L.) IN ITALY / chapter 6 SAFFRON CULTIVATION IN AZERBAIJAN / chapter 7 SAFFRON CULTIVATION IN GREECE / chapter 8 SAFFRON CULTIVATION IN MOROCCO -- chapter 9 SAFFRON TECHNOLOGY / chapter 10 SAFFRON IN BIOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL RESEARCH / chapter 11 MECHANIZED SAFFRON CULTIVATION, INCLUDING HARVESTING / chapter 12 Sterility and Perspectives for Genetic Improvement of Crocus sativus L.Giusseppe Chichiricc -- chapter 13 IN VITRO PROPAGATION AND SECONDARY METABOLITE PRODUCTION IN CROCUS SATIVUS L.