SEED AND PLANT PRODUCTION JOURNAL
Year:2009 | Volume:25-2 | Issue:2|Papers Count:15

To determine the optimum sowing date for bread wheat cultivars of different flowering habits (spring, facultative and winter), a field experiment was conducted in Neishabour in 2003-04 and 2004-05 cropping seasons, using split plot arrangements in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Three sowing dates were assigned to main plots; Oct. 12(D1), Nov. 06(D2) and Dec.01(D3). Six cultivars; Pishtaz, Marvdasht (spring), Alvand, Toos (facultative) and Alamoot, MV17 (winter type) were randomized in sub-plots. Results of combined analysis of variance showed no significant differences for grain yield in different planting dates. However simple analysis of variance showed that in first year D1 produced more grain yield (8804 kg/ha) and in second year D3 was of higher grain yield (7707 kg/ha), due mainly to air temperatures below zero (-7oC) in spring in second year, and severe damages imposed to early sowing date. With delay in sowing date, grain yield of winter cultivars decreased more than others, because spikes/m2 decreased, however, 1000GW slightly increased. Honce, latter component contributed to increase in grain yield. Optimum sowing date for winter and spring wheat was determined as early October and early November, respectively. In conlusion, spring type cultivars are recommended in Neishabour for best performance, because they produce higher grain yield in comparison to winter type.

Increased grain yield in modern wheat cultivars has been achieved by increasing grain numbers in spike, which has been associated with a greater contribution of the more distal grains (C, D & E) in the wheat spikelet. However, because distal grains are smaller and lighter than basal grains (A and B) they reduce the average grain weight of modern wheat cultivars. The objectives of this study was to determine the contribution of basal (A & B) and distal (C & D) grains formed in various positions on of spikelet on winter and facultative wheat grain yield in terminal drought stress and normal irrigation conditions.The experimental design for both trials was a randomized complete block with three replications. Five winter and facultative wheat genotypes were studied in normal irrigation and terminal drought stress conditions at two locations (Karaj and Ardabil) in 2003-04 and 2004-05 growing seasons. Cv. Gaspard winter wheat had the highest grain yield (7288 kg/ha) under normal irrigation, while the genotypes grown under terminal drought stress conditions had no significant differences in grain yield. Combined analysis of variance showed that the effect of the position of grains was highly significant (P<0.01) under normal irrigation conditions. Under drought stress conditions, differences due to position of grains was significantly different (P<0.01), the position of grain × location interaction was also highly significant (P<0.01), indicating a considerable variation for this character in different environments. All genotypes had significant differences in the weight of grains in the basal (A & B=38 mg), and distal (C & D=27-32 mg) grains in the spikelets with lighter grains in the C (32 mg) and D (27 mg) grains in spikelets. However, the weight of grains in the A and B position in the spikelets were heavier. The contribution of the basal grains to grain yield was about 28%, while the contribution of C and D grains were about 22.6% and 19.6% respectively, under terminal drought stress conditions. Breading line as C-80-10, which produced heavier basal (40 mg under stress and 48 mg under normal irrigation) and distal grains (33 and 39 mg under stress and irrigation conditions, respectively) are suitable for both emvironments. More physiology- breeding researches are needed for selection of genotypes with larger and uniform grain size for regions prone to terminal drought stress conditions in winter wheat areas of Iran.

Fire blight causal agent (Erwinia amylovora) naturally induces systemic acquired resistance (SAR) in host plants. This study was carried out to evaluate the induction of SAR by salicylic acid (SA) on fire blight infections in two host plant species, apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) and pear (Pyrus communis L.). Apple rootstocks, MM-111 (tolerant) and MM-106 (moderately-susceptible) and pear cultivars, Harrow Sweet (tolerant) and Spadona (moderately-susceptible) were micropropagated and inoculated from basal parts with strain Ea273 of E. amylovora. The pathogen activity was traced by adding Green Bromo Cresol, and evaluating the pH variation in media. SA treatments were applied by concentration (0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10 and 0 mgl-1 as control) and days before co-culture (1, 3, 5, 7 days and 0 as control). Effects of SA on the disease development were evaluated by necrosis progress rate, as well as number of necrosed internodes in a 240 h period from inoculation. Results showed that SA did not cause similar effects on disease development in two tested host plant species, apple and pear. SAR induction by salicylic acid application, could not reduce the disease progress in tested apple rootstocks, but also increased development of bacteria on this host plant. In pear, presence of SA successfully decreased disease development rate in shoots. Results confirm that E. amylovora uses induced SAR to become more virulent in interaction with host apple tissues. It is conduded that, the interaction mechanisms of pathogen with SAR in pear and apple are different, and only in pear the SAR induction could be an efficient strategy for management and control of the disease development.

In order to evaluate drought and heat stress tolerance in new rapeseed (B. napus L.) cultivars, an experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station of Gonbad in 2005-2007 cropping seasons. The experiment was arranged as split plots in a randomized complete block design with three replications in two conditions, i.e. supplemental irrigation and rainfed. Five dates of sowing: 06 Nov., 06 Dec., 06 Jan., 06 Feb., and 06 March were assigned to main plots and two rapeseed cultivars; Hayola 401 and RGS003 were randomized in sub-plots. Results showed that, in stress and non-stress conditions, seed yield and oil content of Hyola 401 hybrid was considerably more than RGS003. The mean seed yield of Hyola 401 hybrid and RGS003 was 4455 and 3480 kgha-1 in non-stress conditions, 3718 and 2994 kgha-1 in drought stress conditions, 583 and 340 kgha-1 in heat stress conditions and 349 and 217 kgha-1 in drought+heat stress conditions, respectively. The mean of oil content of Hyola 401 hybrid and RGS003 was 44.0 and 42.3% in nonstress conditions, 42.3 and 40.3% in drought stress conditions, 32.5 and 27.7% in heat stress conditions and 31.2 and 29.4% in drought and heat stress conditions, respectively.Considering stress tolerance indices, drought, heat and drought and heat stress tolerance of Hyola401 hybrid was more than RGS003. Therefore, for areas prone to terminal heat and drought stresses, Hyola 401 hybrid is more suitable than RGS003, and is recommended.

Application of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as biofertilizers have important role in crops productivity and yield. Bacterial biofertilizers application through seed inoculation is the most important method of application. In order to study the effect of Azotobacter chroococcum, Azospirillum lipoferum and Pseudomonas fluorescens application on late maturity maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids (SC700, SC 704 and a promising single cross; B73×K18) seedling emergence and establishment and grain yield a field experiment was conducted in two cropping seasons. Expriment treatments including hybrids seeds were inoculated with one by one bacteria and co-inoculated by two, and three bacterial combined inoculants and no inoculation as control. Characteristics measured included 50% of primary and final seedling emergence, mean and final emergence time, rate of field emergence and commulative emergence rate, field emergence index, plant height and leaf area, plant dry matter, seedling vigour index (30 days after planting) and grain yield. Results revealed that interaction of hybrids×PGPR was significant on all measured traits. Likewise, the application of inoculant of three bacteria combination had the highest promoting effect on seedling emergence rate and related traites in hybrids. Azotobacter chroococcum and Pseudomonas fluorescens and seed inoculation by single bacterium had the most growth promoting effect, respectively.Seedling emergence and other characteristics were more effected by growth promoting rhizobactoria. B73×K18 and SC700 were also affected by PGPR. There were significant relationships between different characteristics. Therefore, application of studied PGPR has considerable effect on enhancement of seedling emergence and establishment as well as grain yield in studied maize hybrids.

To study the effect of deficit irrigation during different phenological stages of fruit growth and development of almond (cv Mamaei) four experiments were separately carried out using radamized complete block design with three replications. In each experiment, levels of deficit irrigation were T1 (100% ETc, full irrigation), T2 (80% ETC, deficit irrigation), T3 (40% ETC, deficit irrigation) and T4 (0% ETc, drought). In the first experiment levels of deficit irrigation were applied in fruit growth stage, in the second experiment, irrigation levels were applied in kernel growth stage, in the third experiment irrigation levels were applied in harvest stage. Each experiment was separately conducted in 2002 and 2003 growing seasons. The fourth experiment was carried out as split plot arrangement in randomized complete block design with three replications. In this experiment, the main plots were four different stages of growth including: fruit growth, kernel growth, preharvest period and post-harvest period. The sub-plots were different irrigation levels.Results showed that deficit irrigation significantly decreased fruit size and increased fruit drop in first experiment (fruit growth stage). Deficit irrigation decreased fruit fresh weight and kernel fresh and dry weight in kernel growth stage, but in pre-harvest period there was not significant effect on fruit and kernel characteristics. Flower bud density and proportion of initial and final fruit set decreased with deficit irrigation in fourth experiment, hence, yield decreased in following year. Results also showed that the effect of deficit irrigation during pre- and post-harvest was more pronounced on decreasing flower bud density in following growing season.

Two Experiments were conducted to study the effect of benzyladenin and gibberellin on runner production and comparing some vegetative traits of three strawberry cultivars in greenhouse and laboratories of Deparrtment of Horticultural Science, University of Tehran in 2006 and 2007. In the first year (2006), the experiment was carried out as factorial in a completely randomized design (CRD), with two factors; hormonal treatments and strawberry cultivars and in three replications. Hormonel treatments had two levels: the mixture of BA (Benzyladenin) 1200 ppm and GA (Gibberellin) 300 ppm, and control (0ppm). Three strawberry cultivars (Pajaro, Queen Eliza and Paros) were sprayed in April and June. The second experiment (2007) was conducted as factorial in a completely randomized design (CRD), with five replications with two factors; hormonal treatments and strawberry cultivars. Hormonal treatments had five levels. In the first year, results showed that the effect of hormonel treatments was not significant on any trait. In the second year, results showed that the effect of hormonel treatment were significant on all traits. Highest numbers of plantlets were observed in the second treatment (mixture of BA 1200 ppm and GA 300 ppm sprayed in April) with a standard crown diameter of 6.15 mm.However, highest number of runners in each mother plants and highest crown diameter of plantlets were observed in control (0 ppm).