Journal of Plant Production Research
Year:2013 | Volume:20 | Issue:2|Papers Count:17

Effect of urea and cow manure on the fruit yield, quantity, quality characteristics and leaf mineral composition of pomegranate (Punica granatum cv. Malas e Torsh e Saveh) was assessed during 2010 and 2011. The experiment was laid out as factorial on the base of completely randomized block design, with three replications. Treatments were consisted of various urea rates (0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 g/tree) and three cow manure rates (0, 8 and 16 kg/tree) as deep fertilizer placement, applied in the first year and measurements were carried out in two years. According to results, urea had a positive significant effect on most studied characteristics, specially yield, number of fruits/tree and average fruit weight at both years. The effect of cow manure in the first year was not statistically significant on any of the characteristics, however, it had a significant effect on total soluble solids and anthocyanin content of juice in the second year after application. In both years, interaction between urea and cow manure was not significant. In the first year, 300 and 400 g/tree of urea significantly increased nitrogen concentration and also 300 g/tree of urea increased manganese concentration in the leaves. Cow manure had no significant effect on the concentration of mineral elements in the leaves during this study.

This experiment was carried out to determine the morphological and qualitative traits and yield adaptability of 8 genotypes with hill spacing of 25cm×25cm with experimental design randomized complete block with 4 replications in two locations of Mazandaran province (Amol and Tonekabon) during 2004-2006. The eighteen traits were measured based on standard evaluation system for rice. The simple and combined analysis of variance were done for grain yield and the effect of year, location and genotype, genotype×year, genotype×location, year× location and the three way interaction of year×location×genotypes were calculated. Simple and combined analysis of variances showed that there were significant different between genotypes. Results showed genotypes 7 and 4 were the most stable, respectively on using Lin and Binns method, because of having less variance within location and less coefficient of variance. Development and release of high quality rice cultivars is one of the major objectives in rice breeding programs in Iran. Amylose content (AC), gelatinization temperature (GT) and gel consistency (GC) are very important characteristics determining end-use and cooking quality in rice. Results also indicated that (25-30%), (6-7 class) and (40-70 mm) for AC, GT, and GC, respectively. Consequently, appropriate breeding schemes based on hybridization and selection for these traits may bring about an improvement of cooking quality in rice.

In order to effect of application chemical fertilizers (nitrogen and phosphorus), Nitroxin biofertilizer (containing Azospirillum, Azetobacter and phosphate solubilizing bacteria from Pseudomonas genus) and Phosphate Barvar 2 (containing 2 strains of bacteria, 5 p and bacteria 13p) in Pashen sweet corn variety, an experiment was conducted as factorial base on randomized complete block design with three replications in Gachsaran Agriculture Research Center Farm, in 2010- 11. Experimental treatments were contained of 50, 100 and 150 kg/ha of nitrogen, without the use of biological fertilizers and using 1 liter ha-1 Nitroxin as the first factors and 75 and 150 kg ha-1 triple super phosphate, without application of biofertilizers and the application of 100 g ha-1 phosphate Barvar2 with 75 kg ha-1 phosphorus and without application chemical fertilizer as the second factors. Traits were included yield components (cob number per plant, number of rows per cob, grain number per row, number of grains per cob and thousand grain weight), fresh cob yield, biological yield and grain yield of canned, sweet corn cob harvest index and grains. Finally, application of 150 kg nitrogen and 75 kg ha-1 phosphorus with application phosphate Barvar 2 and Nitroxin biofertilizer had the greatest increase in yield and yield components, grain protein and phosphorus content. In grain harvest index, 150 kg ha-1 nitrogen with Nitroxin biofertilizer and 100 g/ha of phosphate barvar2 application have had the most influence.

Coating not only prevents the evaporation of water inside the fruit and fungus infections but also reduces the appearance marketing. The effects of coating on inner composition which determines the nutritional value and taste of fruit juice has been less studied. To this aim, the experiment was conducted on harvested citrus fruits including ‘Thomson’, ‘Siavaraz’ (a local variety), ‘Moro’, and ‘Page’ mandarin. Fruits with uniform size and free of any disorders were harvested, and divided into different groups. Used treatments were included control (no coating), wax coating (a type commonly used by growers) and storage period. Treated fruits of each variety were stored at 50C for 90 days and some physicochemical properties of pulp were evaluated on samples taken from 0, 30, 60 and 90 days after beginning of storage. Overall, ascorbic acid content of four varieties decreased during storage especially in ‘Thomson’ and ‘Page’ varieties. The total phenol decreased after harvesting, but at each stage of sampling, phenol content of control fruits was higher than waxed fruits. All treatments had not significant effect to inhibit DPPH radicals. Inversely, uncoated fruits typically inhibited from ABTS radicals than coated fruits especially during the late month of storage.

In the present study for assessing effect of irrigation regime on yield gap of wheat farms in Gorgan region, growth and yield of wheat was simulated using CropSyst model under different scenarios of irrigation regime over a period of 40 years. The irrigation regimes included were B, F, A, BF, BA, FA, BFA (B, irrigation before flowering stage; F, irrigation at flowering stage; A, irrigation after flowering stage) and no irrigation (N). The results showed that the maximum and minimum yield were 4.94 and 4.05 t ha-1 obtained in BFA and N, respectively. Maximum and minimum yield gap (difference between yield in BFA regime and others) over a 40-year simulation span were 0 and 1.73 t ha-1 that related to BF and N, respectively. On-farm assessment in both 2007 and 2008 showed that actual yield ranged from 2.5 to 6.3 t ha-1 and BFA regime was only used in 10% of farms in 2007. However, amount of gap between yield of BFA regime and actual yields under different irrigation regimes ranged from -1.36 to 2.44 t ha-1 in 2007 and 2008. According to the results of simulation, it was concluded that up to 1.73 t ha-1 of yield gap on farms was related to unsuitable irrigation regime and the rest was due to other unsuitable crop management practices.

Flooding stress problem threats about a million hectares of Iran fields and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) as the world's fourth most important cereal, despite of relatively desired tolerance to salinity and drought stress but specially in prone provinces of rain the flooding damage can be serious. Therefore an experiment was designed according to split-plot form with using a randomized complete blocks design in order to identify of more tolerant genotypes to flooding stress. Flooding stress was the main factor with three levels (Control, 10 and 20 days of stress) and 77 barley genotypes were the subplot. There were significant differences between genotypes for all traits in terms of root and shoot dryweight. After compare of means for all trait most tolerant barley genotypes were identified using the ranking of genotypes based on the results of the method of Arunachalam and tolerance index of TOL, YI and GMP. In agreement with these analysis, Cluster analysis of genotypes divided genotypes into two main groups too, that considering to second group for studied traits were higher than total mean therefore can introduce this group as more tolerant group. The overall results revealed identified tolerant ngenotypes if be confirmed at other environments can be introduced for cultivation in prone areas to water logging stress of country.

The first step to quantify crop phenology is precise estimation of the parameters, which affect it. These parameters are mainly temperature and photoperiod. This study was conducted with seven sowing dates to quantify response of stem elongation rate (SER) to temperature and photoperiod in wheat (Zagros Cultivar). The regression models fitted to SER against temperature were flat, logistic, quadratic, cubic, dent-like, segmented, beta and curve models. Meanwhile, quadratic, negative exponential and segmented models fitted to SER against photoperiod (these models were used as 24 combined models to describe SER as a function of photothermal day). Root mean square of errors (RMSE), coefficients of determination and regression coefficients of predicted values versus observed ones were used to find the most appropriate model. Also, the phenological data obtained from an independent experiment were used for independent model evaluation. The results showed that quadratic-quadratic function was the best model to describe SER as a function of both temperature and photoperiod. Using this function, the base temperatures, critical photoperiod and photoperiod sensitivity coefficient were estimated as 7.06 oC, 14.19 h and 0.02, respectively. Study the effects of temperature and photoperiod on stem elongation phase indicated that Zagros cultivar has a quantitative or facultative long-day (LDP) response to photoperiod. Biological days required to pass from emergence to stem elongation and emergence to physiological maturity were estimated as 19.57 and 66.93, respectively.

This study was conducted to examine the effect of different amounts application of urban compost on the growth and yield characteristics of vetch plants and rate of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous and also organic matter in soil. In this experiment, five treatment of various amounts of compost (0, 15, 30, 45, 60 ton/ha) in the base of complete randomized blocks design with 3 replication in the research field of Abureyhan campus, University of Tehran. Results showed that the compost amount had a meaningful effect on the shoots dry weight, plant height, 1000-grain weight, the number of seeds in pod, protein and seed yields of Mungbean plant and rate of soil nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous. Based on the results between treatments, application of 60 tones of dry compost, which is the highest applied rate, resulted in the highest dry-weight in the shoots, plant height, 1000-grain weight, the number of seed in pod. The highest rate of protein yields was obtained in two 45 tons/ha and 60 tons/ha treatments respectively. Considering the fact that the increase in the amount of compost affects the rate of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous in soil positively, one of the reasons for increase of yields and yield components in mungbean can be attributed to the improvement of nutritional conditions and increase in the soil physicochemical properties.

For evaluating the effect of some plant growth inducers on yield and yield components of double-cross 704 corn, an experiment was conducted under field conditions in complete randomized blocks plan with 8 replications and 6 treatment of inducing plant growth matters: MARMARIN, HB_101, EXIN (INDOLE acetic acid), CYCOCEL, ETHEPHON, and control case. ANOVA results showed that the traits of stem height, dry and wet weight stem and leave, maiz diameter and height, the number of rows of grain, number of grains per row, number of grains per maize, grain weight per maize, weight of 1000 grains, cob weight, grain Yield and Harvest Index were significant at least in probability value of 5 percent (a=%5). The Marmaryn, HB-101 and auxin treatment led to increase in the number of rows of grain, number of grains per row, number of grains per maize, grain weight per maize, weight of 1000 grains, cob weight, grain Yield and Harvest Index. So that the greatest value was related to Marmarine treatment, then HB_101 treatment and eventually auxin treatment. Also, Cycocel did not indicate any significant effect on the Yield and Yield components of corn except for reducing the weight of 1000 grains. Ethephon decreased grain number per row, number of grains per maize, weight of 1000 grains and cob weight, but its impact on the yield was not statistically significant.

In order to investigate the effect of on-farm seed priming and supplementary irrigation on the emergence rate and yield of two chickpea cultivars, a field experiment was conducted in Hamedan as split plot factorial, in the randomized complete block design of three replications. Main plots were representative of three supplementary irrigation treatments (irrigation at flowering stage and irrigation at flowering and podding stages) and without irrigation treatment (rainfed), while subplots included combinations of chickpea cultivars (Azad and Hashem) and priming treatments (primed with water and no-primed). Of course the emergence rate was analyzed as factorial because of no-irrigation treatments. Results showed that emergence rate was increased about 31% in two chickpea cultivars under on-farm seed priming treatment. In other investigated traits (emergence percentage, number of seed per pod, number of pod per area, hundred grains weight, biological yield and grain yield) except harvest index, priming caused a considerable increase and the economic yield was increased about 13.5% in comparison to no-primed plots. Also supplementary irrigation especially at flowering and pudding stages improved most of the traits. In comparison of two cultivars, Azad had better reaction to supplementary irrigation. It seems that on-farm seed priming by improving chickpea stand establishment and yield components plus supplementary irrigation at reproductive stages could increase considerable rainfed chickpea production.

Production of any commodity should be profitable not only for producers but also for the country as a whole. In other words, production cost of a commodity should be less than income earnedfrom its export or cost of import of that commodity. If these conditions fulfilled one can say that the country enjoys social profitability and comparative advantage in production of commodity under consideration.This study used Policy Analyses Matrix (PAM) and Domestic Resource Cost (DRC) for calculating the comparative advantage. To investigate support policies of rice and cotton in Golestan province indices of policy analysis matrix (PAM) has been used. Results of this research shows diesirable condition of comparative advantage and ability of rice producers and unirrigated cotton in Golestan province. From the view point of comparative advantage, greatest comparative advantage is belonged to high-yield medium grain rice (DRC=0.67), qualified medium grain rice (DRC=0.72), irrigated cotton (DRC=0.72), high-yield long grain rice (DRC=0.73), qualified long grain rice (DRC=0.75), respectively. Irrigated cotton don’t have comparative advantage (DRC=1.61). As presented in this research work, producers of irrigated cotton and rice receive income and input subsidies. While aggregate domestic policy tells us stories of no government support in term of income and inputs in respects to unirrigated cotton.

Canola's (Brassica napus L.) seed yield (SY) is a function of plant number per square meter (PNSM), pod number per plant (PNP), seed number per pod (SNP) and seed weight (SW). To quantify the role of yield components in determining SY, 12 field experiments were conducted at Agricultural Research Station of Gonbad, during 2000-7. The results showed that in both groups of open pollinate (OP) and hybrid genotypes, SY were not affected by PNSM and SW. With a density of 100 plant per square meter, SY was different from 100 to 4800 kg/ha. Although there were positive and significant relationships between SY and PNP, and between SY and SNP, but when 3 components of PNSM, PNP and SNP were combined in seed number per square meter (SNSM), there was a significant relationship between SY and SNSM. With an each number increase in SNSM, SY of OP and hybrid genotypes increased 0.02 kg/ha, respectively, showing the similar and positive reaction of SY in both groups of genotypes to increase in PNSM. The existence of very strong relationship between SY and SNSM in different genotypes and environmental conditions showed that SNSM was the main components of canola SY, so canola SY can be increased by increasing SNSM.

Climate change as a result of increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration and other greenhouse gases may have major effects on productivity of crops in future. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of climate change on growth, yield and water consumption of chickpea under rainfed and irrigated conditions of Kermanshah. The studied scenarios were (1) doubling CO2 concentration (i.e., 700 ppm), (2) 4oC increase in temperature, (3) 2% reduction in the amount of precipitation, and (4) a combination of 700 ppm CO2, 4oC increase in temperature and 2% reduction in precipitation. Simulations were done using SSM-Chickpea model for the mentioned scenarios. Simulation results showed that climate change will cause 89% increase in grain yield under rainfed condition and a 33% decrease under irrigated condition. Although increasing concentration of atmospheric CO2 had directly positive effects on yield of chickpea, but it was found that increased temperature was more important. Water use efficiency enhanced by 81% under rainfed condition, but decreased by 25% under irrigated conditions. In addition, crop life cycle is shortened due to increase in temperature. According to the simulation results, the amount of required water for irrigated chickpea is reduced in the future. It was concluded that due to limitation of agriculture water, irrigated chickpea will be less profitable in the future; although area under irrigated chickpea is very low now.

To evaluate morphological diversity of some almond genotypes obtained from crossing between some superior self-incompatible local genotypes and ‘tuono’. Twenty-two vegetative as well as nut characteristics were evaluated in fifty almond genotypes. Analysis of variance and means comparisons indicated that all characteristics were significantly different among examined genotypes. High variability was observed for some characteristics such as: taste of kernel, average nut weight, nut size, shell thickness. The evaluated traits were categorized within eight factors, accounted for 74.54 of total variance. Within each factor, characters with coefficient values more than 0.52 were considered significant. Factor analysis showed that characteristics such as: kernel wrinkles, nut size, nut length, shellthickness, shell pattern and nut diameter had highest effect on genotypes diversity. Cluster analysis divided genotypes onto four main groups in Eudidean distance of five, divided them into four main groups. Characteristics such as: average nut weight, shell thickness, shell pattern, shell suture opening as well as nut size were main factors which separated clusters. Finally, genotypes 6, 15, 20, 25 and 45 were introduced as superior ones on the basis of their nut weight and kernel characteristics. Genotypes no. 6 was self-incompatible in addition of having good fruit and nut characteristics.