PLANT AND ECOSYSTEM
Year:2014 | Volume:10 | Issue:39|Papers Count:9

Olive (Olea europaeaL.) is an evergreen plant which belongs to Oleaceae family. In an attempt to investigate the impact of pollination and branch direction as well as the interaction effect of these two treatments on the quality and quantity of fruit in two varieties of yellow and Mary olive in the region of Fars, an experiment was carried out during 2005-2006. The experiment was conducted with three treatments of pollination (i.e. self-pollination, open pollination, and wind pollination without the interference of pollinating insects) in four replications following a randomized complete block design by means of net in four main geographical directions of yellow and Mary olive trees. The results indicated that in comparison to self-pollination, open pollination significantly increased the yield level at P<0.01 in the two cultivars. Self-pollination resulted in an increase in the number of parthenogenetic and unnatural fruits which reduced the yield and quality of these fruits in comparison to the open treatment. The variance analysis of yields demonstrated genetic differences between cultivars as an indication of production power. The comparison of open pollination treatment and wind pollination without the interference of pollinating insects was not significant. The highest and the lowest percentages of full flowering were respectively observed in the southern and northern directions. An increase in full flowering in the southern part resulted in an increase in the amount of initial fruit. However, after the primary and secondary flower loss, no significant difference was observed in the final fruit formation.

In order to investigate the antifungal effect of fennel and savory essential oil on golden delicious apple’s postharvest life and reduction of decay, this experiment was conducted in complete randomized design (CRD) with seven treatments and four replications. The treatments included: control (fruits inoculated with Pencillium fungi without any treatments), and 3-5 minute dipping in medicinal plant essential oil (Fennel and Summer savory) at the concentrations of 400, 800, and 1200 mg/lit. Treated fruits were stored under cold storage for 3 month. The analyzed factors included: decay and weigh loss percentages, total soluble solid (TSS), juice pH, total acid (TA), TSS/TA ratio, decreasing percent of total acid, and increasing percent of TSS and pH. The results indicated that the minimum percentage of weight loss, the highest value of TSS and TSS/TA ratio were in treatment with Fennel essential oil (800 mg/lit). The percentage of decay in treatments with the essence of both plants was significantly less than the control. The amount of TSS increased during the storage period. Although the percentage of medicinal plants increased, the amount of decay and TSS reduced while the percentage of weight loss increased. The maximum amount of TSS/TA ratio was respectively observed in Fennel essential oil (800 and 1200 mg/lit).

Lavandulais is a medicinal plant which belongs to laminacea species. Nowadays, it is planted as an ornamental plant in cities. Considering the tendency of people in using medicinal plants, it appears essential to investigate the extent to which the plants grown in cities have the same characteristics of the natural plants or some of their properties change due to the air pollution. The extracts of Lavandula against Escherichia coli, Seudomonas aeruginosa, B. subtilis, and S. aureus were investigated at two concentrations in two regions (non-polluted and polluted) using two (Methanol and water) extraction strategies. In addition, the antimicrobial properties of Lavandula essence were compared with two new antibiotics (i.e. Ceftizoxime and Ciprofloxacin). The results indicated that the water extracts obtained from the flowering branches in two polluted and non-polluted areas of Tehran had no antimicrobial activity. The Methanol extract obtained from the flowering branches did not have any antimicrobial activity in the polluted region but was influential in the non-polluted area. Hence, people should be informed on that the Lavandula planted in the polluted areas of Tehran (street, park, and house) are merely ornamental and have no medicinal value.

Knowing the time of maturity is important for different reasons such as defining the proper time for harvest. Plums are perishable fruits and they may have commercial life span between 2 to 6 weeks depending on their variety. Therefore, one of the tools for delaying postharvest changes, which eventually spoil the product, is using cold storage. In order to explore the effect of harvest time on storage time and the quantitative and qualitative properties of Santa Rosa plums, a factorial (factor A with three levels, days after full bloom, and factor B with two levels, storage time) experiment was carried out in a complete randomized blocks design with three replications. The quantitative and qualitative features studied and assessed included phenolic compounds, pectin, pH, total solid solution (TSS), potassium, C vitamin, and weight. These features were evaluated at three different harvest times, i.e. at the beginning, the end and during the 40 day storage period. The results indicated that if harvest is done 115 days after full bloom, it can sustain 40 days of storage under lower temperatures and enhance quantitative and qualitative characteristics. Also, as the storage period increased, the phenolic compounds level decreased.

This experiment was carried out to study the effects of time and chemical treatments on increasing the vase life of cut Tuberose (polianthes tuberosa L.) flowers. The investigation was conducted in two time-spans (24 and 48 hours). After the harvest, cut Tuberose flowers were pulsed with Nitric oxide and Thidiazuron in four concentrations and were then transferred to the containers of preservative solution including distilled water (used as control). The effects of the applied treatments on plant life and some of the quantitative and qualitative characteristics such as open florets percentage, relative fresh weight, solution absorbance rate, etc. were evaluated. The results indicated that there was no significant difference between time treatments with respect to the measured characteristics. TDZ treatments (25 and 50 mM) increased vase life and open florets. In addition, 25mM TDZ treatment kept the relative wet weight and 25 and 50mM TDZ treatments increased solution absorbance. However, the application of NO treatment did not increase the vase life of the plant.

Shahroodi 48 cultivar of apricot was treated with 0 (control), 5, 10, and 15 mmol/lit at different phases, i.e. budding stage, 5 days after the budding Stage, full bloom, 5 days after full bloom, and 10 days after full bloom. The results indicated that in the early season variety of Shahroodi48 cultivar, TSS and other fruit characteristics were affected by Exogenous Polyamines. For increasing fruit wide diameter, Putrescine treatment with 5 mmol/lit (10 days after full bloom stage) is required. Narrow diameter is better increased using Putrescine treatment with 15 mmol/lit and in (10 days after full bloom stage). Anthocyanin and Putrescine (15 mmol/lit) treatments were respectively the best form of treatment for the budding stage and fruit weight in this period. Finally, Putrescine (15 mmol/lit) was the best treatment.

Super-absorber is an additive substance of soil that absorbs and saves water and nutrients, mixes with soil, contributes to appropriate plant growth, and reduces water and fertilizer loss. In order to investigate the impact of various levels of damp super-absorbing materials and different concentrations of nitrogen fertilizer on Thomson young trees, a vase experiment under split plot design and three replications with three fertilizer treatments (N1:100 mg/l of nitrogen fertilizer; N2: 200 mg/l of nitrogen fertilizer, and N3: 300 mg/l of nitrogen fertilizer) and 5 superabsorbing material treatments (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1%) was carried out in the greenhouse of Ghaemshahr Islamic Azad University. The results indicated that fertilizer and damp super-absorbing material treatments (at P<0.01 and P<0.05) significantly influenced the absorption of nutrients (N, P, K, Fe, ZN, Cu, and Mn). The maximum effect of nutrient absorption was observed in 300 mg/l nitrogen which belonged to 1% of super-absorbing material treatment. The results indicated that an increase in the amount of super-absorbing material in soil increases the amount of nitrogen saved in leaves. This can be attributed to the reduction of nitrogen leaching. It can be concluded that super-absorbing materials can economize the application of mineral fertilizers because adding this substance to the soil reduces the leaching of some fertilizers and increases the absorbability.

In an attempt to investigate the effect of osmopriming on seed germination characteristics of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with 3 replications was conducted in laboratory. Treatments included: PEG with 5 and 10% concentrations, KNO3 with 1 and 2% concentrations, and KCL with 2 and 4% concentrations and the seed soaking times were 6, 12, and 18 hours. The results indicated that the maximum radicle and shoot lengths were respectively found under KCl 4% and PEG 5% priming treatments and 12-hour time period. The maximum R/S length ratio, R/S dry weight ratio, and R/S fresh weight ratio were respectively obtained from KNO3 1 and 2% priming treatments in 6- and 18-hour periods. The highest and the least radicle, shoot, and total dry weights were respectively obtained from PEG 5% and KNO3 2% treatments in 6- and 18-hour time periods. The highest germination percentage and germination rate belonged to the priming under KCl 2 and PEG 2 and 5% treatments during 6- and 12-hour periods. Therefore, seed priming with KCl better enhances seed germination and seedling growth in comparison to the other solutions.

Seed priming is a technique through which seeds are physiologically and biochemically prepared for germination before being planted and confronting the ecological conditions of the environment. This can create several biological and physiological attributes in the primed seed and the resulting plant. The present study explored the impact of seed priming on a number of physiological characteristics two cultivars of dry land wheat. The experiment treatments included control (without seed priming), seed priming (hardening: wet and dry seeds with distilled water and zinc sulfate at three concentrations: 200, 300, and 400 ppm), and two cultivars of dry land wheat (Sardari and Azar2). This experiment was carried out in the Faculty of Agriculture at University of Kurdistan, following a factorial completely randomized design, with three replications. The results indicated that the experiment treatments had a significant impact on the chlorophyll, photosynthesis, transpiration, sub-stomata CO2, mesophilic conductivity, water use efficiency, catalase, peroxidase, and seed weight. Priming of seed with zinc increased the amount of chlorophyll, photosynthesis, transpiration, mesophilic conductivity, water use efficiency, and seed weight in wheat cultivars. The activity of catalase and peroxidase enzymes declined with seed priming. Sub-stomata CO2 and water use efficiency in Sardari cultivar were more than Azar2. However, chlorophyll and the activity of catalase and peroxidase enzymes in the leaves of Azar2 cultivar were more than Sardari.