Iranian Journal of Horticultural Science
Year:2017 | Volume:47 | Issue:4 |Papers Count:20

Effect of different levels of vermicompost and chemical fertilizer on the nutrient elements and alkaloids of fumitory (Fumaria vaillantii)

Echinacea purpurea L., known collectively as a medicinal species of Asteraceae family, is a perennial herb found in eastern and central United States and southern Canada. Whole parts of the plants, especially their roots contain valuable compounds which are as an immune system booster and blood purifier. Due to Echinacea purpurea L. economical and medical valus, breeding and selection of the superior genotypes for morphological and phytochemical characters is important. To achive the aims, this study were designed to select the best genotypes bassed on evaluation of their progenies in a diverse population. Thus, after land preparation, treated seeds and seedlings of the species were sown on the basis of a simple lattice design with two replications and their phenological stages as well as crop yield and 12 different characters were studied. Analysis of variance of the collected data revealed that the half-sib families were significantly different (p>0. 01) based on the studied characters such as leaf area, flowering commencement, bud number, flower number, plant height, flower diameter, plant fresh and dried weight. According to the results, based on the means and GCA of the studied traits such as leaf area, number of buds and flowers, plant height, plant diameter, the number of branches from the base and dried weight, families of the 93, 72, 92 and 97 were the best, for which by combining their parent seeds to form the next improved population might be optimistic.

Nitric oxide (NO) has been found as an important growth regulator and posses much attention in different aspects of science, including medicine, biochemistry, physiology and genetics. NO enhances hormonal effects through cytokinen signal transduction in vitro. The stimulation effect of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) is by releasing NO during in vitro culture. In this experiment, the effect of NO on Gerbera micropropagation has been studied based on completely randomized design. Leaf explants were cultured on modified MS, containing 0. 5 mg/L 2, 4-D and different concentrations of SNP (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, μ M). In the second experiment, proliferation of shoot was studied on MS containing 0. 5 mg/l BAP+0. 1mg IAA and different concentrations of SNP (0, 20, 40 and 60 μ M). Then, the regenerated shoots were transferred to modified MS with 0. 1mg IAA and different levels of SNP (0, 10, 20 and 30 μ M). The results showed that the maximum amount of leaf callus formation and stimulation were observed in 60 μ M treatment. There was a significant difference between different concentration of NO and control. The highest proliferation of shoots and plant weight were obtained in medium containing 20 μ M SNP compared with the medium without SNP. Sodium nitroprusside increased root diameter along with root weight.

Orange fruits were treated with 0 (control), 0. 75 and 1. 5 mgL-1 brassinosteroid for 5 Min and then stored at 3± 1° C and 85-90 % relative humidity for 5 month. Characteristics of chilling injury, ion leakage, lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, ascorbic acid, and activity of antioxidant enzymes (peroxidase and catalase) have been evaluated. Results showed that fruits treated with brassinosteroid significantly reduced the chilling injury, ion leakage, lipid peroxidation and hydrogen peroxide, compared to control. According this results, total soluble solids, pH, and ascorbic acid, of treated and control fruits increased during storage while titratable acidity of fruits decreased. The pattern of mentioned changes reduced in brassinosteroid treatments lower than to control. The activity of antioxidant enzymes of fruits treated with brassinosteroid highly increased compared to control during storage. Fruits treated with 1. 5 mgL-1 brassinosteroid showed highest quality and activity of antioxidant enzymes, with lowest chilling injury.

Peppermint (Mentha piperita L. ) is a medicinal and aromatic plant belonging to Lamiaceae family that its essential oil is used in differernt pharmaceutical industries. In order to study the effect salicylic acid and putrescine on some physiological characters and essential oil of peppermint, an experiment was conducted as a factorial using treatments of salicylic acid (0, 0. 1, 1 mM) and putrescine (0, 0. 1, 1 mM) in randomized complete block design with three replications. All traits were evaluated in two harvests. Results showed that all traits (except the ratio of chlorophyll a/b, carotenoid, anthocyanin and soluble solids) in the first harvest were significantly higher than the second harvest. Application of different concentrations of salicylic acid led to decrease the amount of chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll, carotenoid and anthocyanin. Also the treatments of 0. 1 and 1 mM salicylic acid increased shoot essential oil perecentage in comparison to no consumption 16. 45% and 32. 91% and leaf oil perecentage in comparison to control 2. 54% and 29. 66%, respectively. With increasing the putrescine, yield per unit area, chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll, carotenoid and leaf essential oil perecentage were increased. Applying of 1mM putrescine increased the amount of anthocyanin and leaf essential oil perecentage in comparison to control 33. 91% and 21. 36%, respectively. In addition to, the interaction effect of two studied factors on fresh yield per unit area, chlorophyll a and b, total chlorophyll, carotenoid, anthocyanin, soluble solids and interaction effect of three factors on dry yield per unit, careatotal and soluble solids were significant.

In this research, effect of different levels of salinity and application of different concentration of putrescine were investigated for decreasing harmful effects of salt on morphological and physiological characteristics of wild ‘ Konar’ . A factorial experiment was arranged in a Compelet Randomized Design (CRD) with 4 replications. Treatments were 4 levels of 0, 3. 2, 6. 4 and 12. 8 g/l sodium chloride and 3 levels of 0, 0. 01 and 0. 1 mM putrescine. The results showed that with increasing salinity, all growth indices such as leaf number, stem length leaf and root fresh and dry weight reduced and spraying application of putrescine especially with 0. 1 mM concentration ameliorated seedlings growth in salt condition. Salt stress increased Na+ and Cl-uptake and declined K+ uptake. Foliar Putrescine application reduced and increased Na+ and K+ uptake, respectively. Salinity also reduced the amount of chlorophyll and starch, but the amount of proline and soluble sugars were increased. Applied putrescine reduced the damaging effect of salt on chlorophyll degradation and also increased the amount of proline, sugar and starch.

Environmental and microclimate studies of various green roof types in arid areas of Iran should be carefully studied in order to assess their potential effects on the surrounding environment and the citizens, before the development and expansion of them. By the same token, a research was performed in one of the residential areas of the Yazd city by using climate data of 2014. In this study, the software simulation on the research area at the same time and place was done, including: intensive green roof, extensive green roof and roof without vegetation with ENVI-met model. The outputs of this model indicated that the effects of temperature, relative humidity and thermal comfort index in the simulated green roofs have been negligible and inconsiderable in comparison with the roof without vegetation in the hot period of the year. Also the three simulated sites were in the extreme heat tension range.

In order to evaluate the effect of substrate and composting duration on biological efficiency and improve some quality properties of button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) at different substrates from agricultural waste, a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design was done with twelve treatment combinations (six substrates and two composting durations) with three replications. Treatments used in the experiment consisted of substrates including wheat straw and rice straw as the main material and chicken manure, olive bagasse and horse manure as additives, and two composting durations (short (16 days) and long (22 days)). Substrate prepared from rice straw and chicken manure had the highest biological efficiency (67. 18 %). Substrate prepared from rice straw and olive bagass had the highest dry matter (8. 73 %), while mushrooms obtained from substrate prepared from wheat straw and olive bagasse had the highest nitrogen (6. 63 %), protein (41. 46 %) and antioxidant capacity (54. 4 %). Mushrooms produced in substrate prepared from rice straw and horse manure had the most ash (9. 83 %). Mushrooms grown in short method produced compost had the greatest biological efficiency (42. 41 %). Based on this experiment rice straw and chicken manure were the better economically substrate for button mushroom compost preparation in the northern provinces of Iran especially Guilan.

Evaluation of vineyards nutritional status using nutrition indices in Khodabande region

Improvement of growth and flowering with polyamines application has been reported in different plants. So, in this study application of exogenous polyamines on quantitative characteristics, vase life and endogenous hormones and polyamines contents in rose flower was investigated. For this purpose, an experiment was conducted as randomized complete block design (RCBD) with ten treatments, three replications and two observations in each replication in a hydroponic greenhouse in Yasouj city. Treatments were including foliar application of putricine (Put) at 1, 2 and 3 mM, spermidine (Spd) at 0. 5, 1 and 1. 5 mM, spermin (Spm) at 1, 2 and 4 mm and control. The highest and the lowest fresh weight and flower height were obtained in the plants treated with Spd 1. 5 mM and control, respectively. Foliar application of polyamines increased the vase life, so that maximum vase life (16 days) was observed in treated flowers with Spm 1 mM as compared to the other treatments. The highest content of IAA, GA3 and zeatin obtained in treated flowers with Spm 4 mM. The highest ABA content was found in treated flowers with Spd 1. 5 mM. The use of exogenous polyamine increased the internal Put and Spd contents. So, the final results of this study revealed that exogenous application of 1. 5 mM Spd and 4 mM Spm due to increasing of internal hormones and PAS, caused to increase of vegetative properties and vase life of rose cv. Dolcvita.

Anthemis with 39 native species belongs to Asteraceae family. Essential oils of the flowers, leaves and stems with special components are used in pharmaceutical industries. In order to study essential oil content and composition of different accessions of Anthemis pseudocotula, the seeds were collected from provinces of Golestan, Yazd, Semnan, Tehran, Zanjan and Bushehr and were sown at Alborz experimental station. In addition to terminated flower bearing shoots at flowering stage, whole sample flower bearing shoots of A. pseudocotula were sampled and their essential oil were extracted by hydro-distillation method and analyzed and identified by GC and GC/MS. Results of essential oil analysis of different accessions showed that essential oil yields of Zanjan and Golestan 1 were 0. 2% and 0. 03 %, respectively. Thirty-two components were recognized in eight accessions that were different in number, type and percentage. Their main components were β-thujone (Golestan 2, Golestan 3, Tehran, Yazd, Bushehr and Golestan 1 were 62. 9%, 36%, 33. 1%, 26. 1%, 20. 4% and 13. 9% respectively), Z-β-farnesene (Bushehr, code 29717, Yazd, Golestan 3, Zanjan, Tehran and Golestan 1 were 38. 1%, 21. 9%, 16%, 15. 7%, 14. 4%, 13. 3% and 12. 2% % respectively), and caryophyllene oxide (Yazd, Golestan 1 and code 29717 were 20. 4%, 20. 1% and 17. 7% respectively). Some components belonged to specific accession, so that myrcene, Z-β-ocimene, dihydro carveol, myrtenol and caryophyllene oxide in Zanjan, camphor in Golestan, (E, E) – α-farnesene in Bushehr and 1, 8-cineole in Golestan and Zanjan accessions. Based on the results, in order to gain some components with high percentage, we need to select specific accessions

In order to study the effect of different amounts of potassium silicate and potassium sulfate on growth traits of pistachio seedlings cv. Badami-E-Riz Kerman, an experiment was done as factorial with three factors, including two levels of salinity as source of NaCl (0 and 90 mM), three levels of silicon as source of potassium silicate (0, 50 and 100 mgL-1) and three levels of potassium as source of potassium sulfate (0, 1 and 2%), in compeletely randomized design with three replications. 45 days after the emergence of seeds, seedlings were exposed to salt stress foliar application of potassium silicate and potassium sulfate, both a week before and after starting salinity stress. The results showed that salinity decreased leaf relative water content, water use efficiency, leaf total soluble protein and increased electrolytes leakage, proline, soluble sugars, phenolic compounds in leaf and glycine betaine in leaf and root. Foliar application of potassium silicate and potassium sulfate increased leaf relative water content, water use efficiency, leaf total soluble protein, proline, soluble sugars, phenolic compounds and glycine betaine in leaf and roots, and reduced electrolytes leakage under salinity conditions. The most effective treatments were 50 mgL-1 potassium silicate and 2% potassium sulfate.

Pomegranate aril and peel fruit colour are important factors affect fruit quality and consumer preference. In this study, the effects of three coating treatments (1 and 2% chitosan, Xedasol M14 and Britex Ti wax) investigated on the aril colour parameters and anthocyanins content of pomegranate fruit cv. Malas-e-Saveh during 120 days storage at 4. 5˚ C. Above traits were measured at harvest time and 40, 80 and 120 days after storage. The results appeared diglucosides and – mono glucosides derivatives of cyanidin, delphinidin and pelargonidin in the pomegranate juice at harvest time. The profile of individual anthocyanins pomegranate juice was not affected by coating treatments and storage time. Up to 40 days storage, L* and chroma parameters reduced while in this time hue angle and total anthocyanin content increased. It is reflected that the anthocyanin synthesis continues in harvested fruit. Then, up to the end of storage the L* and chroma parameters gradually reduced and hue angle and total anthocyanin content increased that the level of reducing in the treated fruits were lower than that untreated fruits. The results showed that the diglucoside anthocyanins were more stable than the monoglucosides. Overall, xedasol and 2% chitosan coating treatments were more effective in maintaining of the colour parameters and anthocyanin content.

In order to evaluate some Iranian melon landraces for water stress tolerance, an experiment was set out in a split plot design based on RCBD with three replicates in research field of University of Zanjan. Treatments were consisted of three irrigation levels (100, 66 and 33% of ETC) as main plots and 7 landraces of Iranian melon as subplots (‘ Kali’ , ‘ Orshang’ , ‘ Mouri’ , ‘ Mozi’ , ‘ Shirazi’ , ‘ Ezmir’ and ‘ Eyvanekey’ ). The results indicated that water deficit stress significantly increased proline content, peroxidase and catalase activity and reduced leaf relative water content (RWC), yield and vitamin C content. The highest water use efficiency (WUE) was observed in 66% water stress. The landraces had significant difference for physiological traits. The highest values of RWC, proline and vitamin C content were obtained in landraces of ‘ Kali’ and ‘ Mouri’ . Also the highest POX activity, WUE and yield were obtained in landraces of ‘ Ezmir’ and ‘ Mozi’ , respectively. According to the results ‘ Eyvanekey’ and ‘ Mozi’ with highest and lowest yield reduction under water deficit stress was tolerant and sensitive landraces respectively.

Rosa damascena is one of the most important Aromatic plants in the world. The extracted oil from the petals of the flowers is used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. Traditional methods to propagate this plant have problems such as transfer of pollution agents and limited native plants. Due to more advantages of the in vitro proliferation in compared to traditional methods, this study designed to evaluate impression different medium cultures with diverse hormone levels to improve the proliferation and control of shoots chlorosis. In this research we used medium cultures of MS and mMS (mMS0, mMS1, mMS2, mMS3, mMS4 and mMS5). In order to establishment in MS medium, nodal segments containing 1 or 2 lateral buds were cultured. For regenerating the shoots, mediums with different concentrations of 1 and 2 mg/l BAP and 0. 2 mg/l IBA were supplied, then plantlets were transferred to the rooting medium (1/2 MS and LS) with different levels of IBA (1 and 2 mg/l). The best treatment to increase the number of rose shoots was mMS medium containing 1. 5 mg/l of BAP and 0. 2 mg/l of IBA. The highest chlorophyll content of leaves was observed in mMS medium. Gallica plantlets produced the highest percentage of rooting on 1/2 MS with 2 mg/l of IBA.

Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L. ) is one of the most popular cut flowers in the world. Stem end blockage and water stress are two problems in decreasing of vase life of cut carnation. A factorial experiment carried out based on CRD to study the effect of Zhumeria majdae extraction (0, 10, 20 and 30%) and 8-HQS (0, 200, 400, 600 mg L-1) on longevity of cut carnation ‘ White Liberty’ . Some traits, such as vase life, percent of dry matter, loss of fresh weight, water uptake, bacterial population in vase solution and stem end, petal carotenoids, ethylene production and petal protein content were evaluated. Results showed that continuous treatment by 30% Zhumeria majdae extraction+200 mg L-1 8-HQS improved the vase life of cut flowers 7. 87 days longer than control. Also, results showed that 20 and 30% extraction of Zhumeria majdae had highest effect on the longevity of carnation cut flowers compared to 8-HQS.

To study the effects of salt stress on some physiological parameters of grapevine and the effect of foliar application of potassium silicate and zinc sulphate in alleviating saline effects, a pot experiment was conducted under greenhouse condition. Rooted sapling of two grapevine cultivars, ‘ Rasha’ (salt-tolerant cultivar) and ‘ Bidaneh ghermez’ (salt-semi sensitive cultivar) were subjected to different NaCl concentrations (0, 50 and 100 mM) and foliar application of potassium silicate (0, 150 and 300 mg/l) and zinc sulphate (0, 2 and 4 g/l) in hydroponic conditions. The experiment was conducted using a factorial design (cultivar, salinity levels and foliar application as factors) based on randomized complete block design with three replications. The results showed that relative water content, photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration and chlorophyll content decreased with increasing salinity level. The reduction of physiological parameters in ‘ Rasha’ was less than ‘ Bidaneh ghermez’ . Foliar application of different concentrations of potassium silicate and zinc sulphate increased relative water content, photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration and chlorophyll content in both cultivars. The most effective treatment was potassium silicate 300 mg/l + zinc sulphate 2 g/l, so that at the highest salinity level (100 mM) relative water content, stomatal conductance and photosynthesis in this treatment was 13. 75%, 91. 14% and 47. 56% more than no foliar application treatment, respectively. According to the results of this study foliar application of potassium silicate and zinc sulphate can be used to alleviate salinity effects in grapevine.

In order to study the foliar application effect of calcium and boron on fruit quantitative and qualitative characteristics of ‘ Golab-e kohanz’ apple, an experiment was carried out for two years. Experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with 10 treatments and 4 replications (totally include 40 trees). The treatments included calcium chloride (CaCl2) with 3 concentrations of 0. 5%, 0. 75% and 1%, calcium chloride with 3 mentioned concentrations + 0. 05% Boric Acid, and three commercial calcium fertilizer, Calsiogreen (34% Ca), Calboron (34% Ca + 1% B) and Set (8% Ca + 0. 5% B), and control. Pre-harvest fruit drop, some of fruit quantitative and qualitative traits, potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and boron (B) content, as well as some antioxidant enzymes activities including Catalase (CAT), Ascorbic peroxidase (APX), and Super oxide dismutase (SOD) were measured. Results showed that almost all of Ca treatments (single, in combination with B and even commercial Ca fertilizers) comparing to the control, decreased pre-harvest fruit drop, bruising and russetting incidence as well as fruit color but increased firmness, pH, ascorbic acid, Ca and B as well as antioxidant enzymes activities. Combined treatments of Ca and B performed better results or had no significant difference with single Ca treatments in many of evaluated fruit characteristics. However, there were no significant differences among different concentrations of Calcium chloride as well as between calcium chloride and commercial Ca fertilizers in most of the measured fruit characteristics but generally calcium chloride of 0. 75% combined with 0. 05% boric acid was the best treatment.

With respect to the ever icreasing trend in the applicability of zeolite, superabsorbent polymer in agriculture especialy in arid and semiarid region, and vermicompost in producing healthy crop, a pot experiment was conducted in factorial based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. Treatments were zeolite at three levels (0, 3 and 6 weight percent), vermicompost at three levels (0, 3 and 6 weight percent) and hydrogel at there levels (0, 0. 2 and 0. 4 weight percent). Traits of plant height, number of leaf, flower and seed per plant, wet and dry weight of entire plant, yield of flower and grain per plant were measured. As to the result, the interatctive effect of zeolite, hydrogel, and vermicompost had a significant effect on all the tarits except number of flower, and flower yield. Most of these traits increased to increasing zeolite and vermicompost along with increasing hydrogel to 0. 2%. Interactive double effects of tratments had a significant effect on number of flower per plant and flower yield.

A factorial experiment in completely randomized design with three replications was conducted to investigate the effects of nanocomposite containing zeolite nanoparticles and some nutrients on the growth characteristics of African violets. This experiment was run in Agriculture and Natural Resources College, Arak University, in 2015. African violet (Saintpaulia ionantha) as a potted plant is sensitive to the method of irrigation. Water continuous contact to plant organs may be caused to rot the plant and appearance of white and yellow spots on leaves. The effect of Nanocomposite containing zeolite nanoparticles plus nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) in four levels 0, 1, 2 and 3 grams per pot) and three irrigation intervals (5, 10 and 15 days) on some morphological and physiological characteristics of African violet were investigated in this study. The results showed that nanocomposites in the highest level (three gram per pot) in addition to reducing the negative effects of deficit irrigation, increased the multiple absorption of phosphorus and potassium. Furthermore, increasing the morphological traits (length and width leaves, canopy, fresh weight and chlorophyll index) and decreasing of some physiological characteristics such as ion leakage, were observed, significantly.