Iranian Journal of Horticultural Science
Year:2010 | Volume:40 | Issue:4|Papers Count:10

A methodology to regenerate whole plants of fig tree (Ficus carica cv. Jaami-e-Kan) from apical meristem of greenhouse plantlets was developed. Two meristematic explants size (0.2-0.4 and 0.5-0.7 mm), two kinds of culture media and three concentrations of 6-benzyladenine (0.5, 1 and 1.5 mgrl-1) were tested as a completely randomize design (CRD) with a simple factorial arrangement for establishment stage of meristem explants. The survival in percentage of meristems was recorded at the end of 5th week. Best developed meristems were taken for proliferation stage. MS medium supplemented with BA (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 mgl-1) and NAA (0, 0.1, 0.5 mgl-1) through a completely randomized design with a simple factorial arrangement were employed for shoot regeneration. Data were started to be recorded following 6 weeks. Four concentrations of IBA were added to ½ MS and the experiment conducted under a completely randomized design of a simple factorial arrangement and applied for rooting stage. Percentage of rooting plants, the number of roots per plant and length of roots were assessed after 5 weeks in culture. A high percentage of survival was obtained in BA 0.5 mgl-1 treatment. Meristems of larger sizes showed the most survival. The proliferation rate was found to be higher in the medium containing 2 mgl-1 BA than in the other concentrations while the shortest shoots obtained in this concentration. The highest number of rooted plants were obtained from 1.5 and 2mgl-1 IBA. Also, 2 mgl-1 of IBA treatment was shown to generate the greatest number of roots per plant.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of NaCl application on yield and some growth parameters of tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum cv. Falkato). The study was carried out during September 2005 until May 2006 using soilless culture. The plants were fed with a complete nutrient solution, of electrical conductivity at levels of (a) 1.5 (control) (b) 3.5, (c) 5.5, (d) 6.5 dSm-1 replicated three times. Sodium chloride was added to the standard nutrient solution (control) to obtain the higher EC levels. Results indicated that total yield, mean fruit weight, and leaf area were significantly reduced with increasing salinity levels, while dry matter percentage was increased. Highest total yields were found by control and as well by the treatment (b) with 14.33 and 13.25 kg/m2 respectively with no significant differences observed. Treatments (c) and (d) had the lowest total yields of 10.18 and 9.73 kg/m2 respectively. Increase in salinity affected the size of fruits, so that the fruits in grade 1 were reduced while fruits of grade 2 and 3 were increased. Total soluble solid (TSS), titrable acidity (TA), fruit juice electrical conductivity, fruit dry matter, and the level of vitamin C increased with higher salinity. Salinity increasing also reduced the levels of K, N and Ca, while increasing the amounts of Na and Cl in fruits.

To determine the threshold of photoperiodism and culmulative thermal time related to bulbing and growth analysis of Safid Behbehan, Ghermez Iranshahr and Primavera onion cultivars an experiment was conducted at Behbahan Agricultural Research Station for a year (2006-2007) based on a randomized complete block design of four replications. Seeds were sown in nursery in late October and seedlings transplanted in late January. Earliest time of bulbing was assessed using the bulbing ratio (maximum bulb diameter divided by minimum neck diameter). Bulbing occurred for Ghermez Iranshahr, Safid Behbahan and Primavera cultivars at a photoperiodism of 12 h and 7 min (19 March), 12 h and 52 min (15 April) and 12 h and 34 min (4 April) and cumulative thermal time of 1036.3, 1317.2 and 1179.8 growth degree days respectively. Bulbs were harvested when 50-80% of the foliage tops had fallen and started to collapse. The results of growth analysis indicated that the period of slow growth had been 135 days after emergence (for all the studied cultivars) and then the period of rapid growth of plants being started. Leaf area index (LAI), relative growth rate (RGR), crop growth rate (CGR) and bulb growth rate (BGR) of Safid Behbahan cultivar was higher than those in the other cultivars, so that this cultivar produced the highest yield of bulb dry weight. The yield of Bulb fresh weight in Primavera cultivar was significantly (1% level) higher than that in the other cultivars. However, due to the observation of high significant difference among bulb dry matter percentage in the studied cultivars, analysis of variance was done on yield of bulb dry weight. The obtained results indicated that the yield of bulb dry weight per hectare of Safid Behbahan cultivar was significantly (5% leval) higher than that in the other cultivars.

The effect of four citrus rootstocks {sour orange (Citrus aurantium), Bakraeii (C. reticulata × C. limetta, Mexican lime (C. aurantifolia) and Volkamerlemon (C. volkameriana)} were evaluated on sweet lime leaf chlorophyll content and mineral concentrations (N, P, K, Ca, Na, Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cl, Cu, and B) in a completely randomized design of four replications. Budded sweet lime on the above rootstocks were grown in pots containing calcareous soil (pH=8.2) in a greenhouse expriment. Results indicated that rootstocks had significant effects on the leaf chlorophyll content. Highest chlorophyll content was found in lime leaf when budded on Mexican lime rootstock. Rootstock types had significant effects on leaf mineral concentrations except on B. Leaf N concentration was lower than the optimum range inplants on all rootstocks. Scion on sour orange rootstock contained the highest concentrations of both Cl and Na.

This research was conducted at the Department of Horticluture, University of Tehran during years 2005-2006, to investigate the use of Iran apatite rocks in zeoponic substrate and as well to evaluate them as substitutes for phosphate fertilizers. Five different substrates namely: M : 89 wt. % soil+10 wt. % Zeolite+1 Wt.% Jeyrood apatite; M2: 82 wt.% Soil+15 wt.% Zeolite+ 3 wt. % Jeyrood apatite; M3: 89 wt. % soil+10 wt. % zeolite+1 wt. % Moondoon apatite; M4: 82 Wt. % soil+15 wt. % Zeolite+3 wt. % Moondoon apatite; M5: soil only (as control) plus five different nutrient solution of: S1: Coïc and Lesaint solution as control; S2: half strength solution of Coïc and Lesaint; S3: half strength solution of Coïc and Lesaint with no phosphorus, S4: a solution similar to soil solution that is in a proper condition, S5: solution similar to the soil solution but with no phosphorus, were comared during the experimental period (six months). The plant material chosen was Rosa Sp., Var. Black Magic. The results, as based upon substrate pH, mutrient solution pH and culture periods indicated that, phosphorous and other nutrient uptakes from soil substrates containing a low amount of apatite took place more and easier than from the other substrates. The growth in these substrates was also more than that in the others. Furthermore, Mondoon apatite was shown to act more efficienctly than Jeyrood apatite, as substrate.

To prolong the storage life and quality of 'Zafarany' peach, fruits were treated with UV-C irradiation with dosage of 1.435×10-4 Wcm-2 with three time durations (0, 5 and 15 min) and as well immersion of fruits in 0 and 3% CaCl2 solution. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design (factorial experiment) of four replications. Fruits were harvested in commercial maturity, treated as mentioned, and stord in a cold storage of 0oC (90±5% relative humidity) for 45 days. The quality traits including flesh firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), titrable acidity (TA), TSS/TA ratio, pH, weight loss, decay, ascorbic acid content were recorded. The results showed that UV-C irradiation along with dipping of fruits in CaCl2 solution increased the storage durability and improved the quality factors by the end of cold storage. UV-C irradiation decreased pH, TSS/TA and decay while increasing TA, firmness, and ascorbic acid content in fruits. Dipping in CaCl2 solution increased the firmness and TA while decreasing the weight loss, decay and as well the TSS/TA of fruits.

Almond (Prunus dulcis) is one of the most important nut bearing fruit crops among temperate zone crops of the world. Since, most almond cultivars are incompatible, as far as pollination is concerned, proper and compatible pollinizers are decisive for almond commercial production. Hence, a know ledge of sufficient fruit set by using compatible pollinizers is valuable in almond production industry. Moreover, an introduction of compatible cultivars is of special importance in severe environmental conditions not suitable for either flowering or insect pollinators. In this study, the compatible cultivar "Supernova" was considered as a seed parent and was hand pollinated using collected pollen from "Shahrood 21", "Shahrood 12", "Feragello", "4-10","11-5", and "Supernova" itself using two pollination methods ("Supernova with non-emasculated vs. emasculated flowers as seed parent). Results indicated that all used pollinizers were compatible on "Supernova". Significant differences among pollinizers were observed on fruit setting in stages 2 and 3 but there wasn't any significant difference observed between the two types of pollinated flowers (either emasculated or not). The highest fruit set was achieved by using "Shahrood 21", while the lowest setting recorded when "Supernova" was forced to self pollination.

Since long, salinity has been considered as a most limiting factor that adversely affects the growth and development of many crops in the word. In general, citrus fruits are classified as sensitive to salinity. As a rule, citrus fruits are mostly propagated through grafting, and during the process, the rootstock shows different responses to soil and water salinity. So, tolerance to salinity in citrus is highly dependent on the rootstock genotype. A pot experiment, under glasshouse conditions, was arranged to evaluate the response of different citrus rootstocks to salinity. Nine citrus rootstocks namely: Sour orange (Citrus aurantium), Bakraii (Citrus reticulata × Citrus limetta), Cleopatra mandarin (Citrus reshni), Rangpur lime (Citrus limonia), Rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri), Macrophylla (Citrus macrophylla), Swingle citrumelo (Poncirus trifoliata × Citrus paradisi), Citrange (Poncirus trifoliata × Citrus sinensis) and Trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata) were subjected to 4 levels of salinity (NaCl) of 0 (control), 25, 50, and 75 mM, equivalent to 1.4, 4.5, 6.79, and 9.06 dS/m. Treatments were applied to six month old seedlings a duration of for 60 days. Results indicated that increase in salinity, decreased all growth parameters including leaf number, leaf area, leaf fresh weight, leaf dry weight, stem dry and fresh weight, root fresh and dry weight, root number as well as root length. Among the genotypes, Cleopatra, Sour orange, and Rangpur lime showed the highest tolerance to salinity, respectively. Trifoliate orange, Citrange, Citrumelo showed no tolerance, while other genotypes (Macrophylla, Rough lemon and Bakraii) exhibited a moderate response.

To investigate the genetic diversity of Persian walnut (Juglans regia), 608 different walnut genotypes of Neyriz region were evaluated for 30 morphological characteristics including kernel color, fruit shape, shell seal, shell texture and kernel plumpness, kernel weight, percentage of kernel as well as thickness of shell. The correlation between was traits in most cases significant at either 1 or 5% level. There was also positive correlation observed between seed weight with kernel weight. Furthermore, correlation between leaf bearing time and harvest was also significant. Finally the superior genotypes were analyzed with ten characterstics taken into account. The cluster analysis, according to Ward method and Euclidian distance, classified 44 genotypes in four groups. The highest distance was observed between the two genotypes 564 and 536, and the three ones namely: 483, 572 and 581. Forty four genotypes were selected among which 7 genotypes possessed an 85% of the requirements needed for a promising genotype.

To conserve the genetic resources and identify the strong and weak points in Sistan watermelon accessions and compare these with improved cultivars of: Sugarbaby and Fairfax, an experiment was carried out, based on rectangular Lattic design of two replications in 2007. The morphological traits studied, included plant length, plant weight, seed weight, fruit number, fruit length, fruit width, sugar percentage and yield. Phenotypic, genetic and environmental variations, broad sense heritability, ratios of genetic variation and environmental variation, coefficient of phenotypic correlation, Stepwise Regression, Cluster Analysis and Principle Component Analysis, using Excell and SAS version 9.1 were carried out. Results showed that fruit length, fruit width, suger percentage and yield of cultivars and of accessions had exhibited different significances at 5% level. In all traits, coefficient of phenotypic variation was greater than coefficient of environmental variation, indicating the effect of environment on investigated traits. Ratio of genetic variation to environmental variation was low in all the traits, except for seed weight. Phenotypic correlation of traits, indicated positive and significant correlations between yield and fruit weight, fruit length and fruit width. Cluster Analysis Separated the accessions into two clusters. Results of Principle Component Analysis for traits, indicated that the first two PCs explained 36 and 19 percent of total variations, and the first five PCs explained 78% of total variations. In PC1 fruit width (54%), yield (53%), fruit weight and fruit length, and in PC2 fruit number (52%), seed weight and suger percentage contributed the widest in explaining the genetic variations.