Journal of Plant Production Research
Year:2013 | Volume:20 | Issue:1|Papers Count:16

Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV) is one of the important plant viruses of cucurbits worldwide. In order to investigate relative incidence, experimental host range, symptomatology and transmission efficacy of aphid vector of WMV, cucurbits species (squash, cantaloupe, watermelon, and cucumber) grown in agricultural regions in five provinces (Esfahan, West Azarbayjan, Kerman, Hormozgan and Yazd) were surveyed. Collected samples were analyzed by double antibody sandwich ELISA (DAS-ELISA). The symptoms of WMV infected samples were mosaic, malformation, blistering and vein banding. The highest and lowest virus infections were 44.9 and 9.5% in West Azarbayjane and Keramn provinces, respectively. The maximum (70.6 %) and minimum (5.9%) rates of infection were observed in cantaloupe and watermelon, respectively. According to host range and region, 19 positive infected samples were selected for further studies. Depending on virus isolates, inoculation of selected isolates on test plants produced different symptoms. The antiserum prepared against whole WMV particles had a titer of 1.500 in indirect ELISA test. The rate of virus transmission by Myzus persica according to WMV isolates was between 20 to 60%. The results of this study indicated that WMV is a destructive virus in cucurbit plants in Iran and different cucurbit plants showed diverse susceptibility against WMV infection.

In this research, seed germination modeling of wild mustard was conducted satisfactory. Beta function was used to describe seed germination rate to temperature. Base temperature was -2.9oC and it was increased with decreasing water potential to about 2oC in -0.6 MPa. The R2 values were 0.86 in sub-optimal temperatures, and this value for supra-optimal temperatures was 0.94. The R2 values showed a good fitness of the hydrothermal time model under both sub- and supra-optimal temperatures. The hydrothermal values were 207 and 274 MPaoC for sub- and supra-optimal temperatures, respectively. The parameters and relationships estimated here can be used in soil seed bank dynamics models or can be use to establish a new model for the environment. The results of this study will also be useful for future studies of wild mustard biology and ecology.

Prangos ferulacea (L.) Lindl (Apiaceae) is a permanent and aromatic plant grows wild in some regions of Iran. There are not any reports about plant regeneration of P. ferulacea in vitro. In the present study, the effect of various concentrations of 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) with kinetin and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) with Benzyl amino purine (BAP) on shoot and plant regeneration of P. ferulacea radicle, hypocotyl, crown, and cotyledon explants were investigated. The study was designed as a completely randomized design with 20 treatments and 3 replications. The best results of shoot regenerationwas recorded case of crown explants in MS medium comprising 0.5 mg/L 2,4-D with 1mg/L Kin and 0.5 mg/L 2,4-D with 1.5 mg/L Kin treatments (67%, in each cases). The regenerated shoots were rooted on basal MS medium without any hormonal treatment.

Lead as a heavy metal and chemical pollutant contaminates environment through naturally occurrence and anthropogenic activities. Nowadays, phytoremediation as a low cost and friendly environmental technique employs the use of plants to remediate contaminated soil. Since the resistance of Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) has approved to oil components, the effects of different lead concentrations (0, 100, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000 and 1500 micro molar) on some physiological parameters of this species in hydroponic conditions, were investigated. Results showed that the root and shoot biomass, the chlorophyll content (chlorophyll a, b and total) and leaf area index of Artichoke decreased significantly with increasing the concentrations of lead to 1500 mM. Lead uptake and accumulation was increased with increasing its concentration in the medium. Plants treated with 1500 mM of lead, accumulate 411 and 217.32 mg/kg of metal in its roots and shoots, respectively. According to our results, Artichoke is tolerance to lead, and has a good lead accumulation and root to shoot translocation properties than normal plants studied before. Therefore it could be used in the rehabilitation of moderately lead contaminated sites.

One of the main challenges in turf management is limitation of water resources. Development of drought resistant species is one of the existing approaches for solving this problem. In this study some of the physiological responces of Bromus inermis, Poa pratensis cv. ’Barimpala‘ and Agropyron desertorum in drought stress conditions was evaluated. Seeds were cultivated at cylindrical pots and exposed to outdoors. After establishment of plants withholder irrigation until leaf wilting of most plants reach 80% then the half of pots rewatered. After withholding irrigation, Bromus inermis, Poa pratensis and Agropyron desertorum were wilted respectively. Leaf wilting in Agropyron desertorum and Poa pratensis decreased during rewatering and after a while was similar to control plants, but Bromus inermis was compeletly wilted. Turf quality and chlorophyll content was decreased due to drought stress. With prolonged stress treatment, electrolyte leakage strongly increased in Bromus inermis. The least electrolyte leakage was observed in Agropyron desertorum. Proline content was increased in three species with prolonged withholding irrigation. The highest proline content was observed in Agropyron desertorum. There was no significant difference in activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase between stressed plants and control plants, then increased and decreased with prolonged stress. The highest activities of these enzymes were showed in Agropyron desertorum.

The use of ovules to produce the haploid plants is one of the fundamental fields of tissue culture. Considering that the optimized tissue culture conditions varies depending on plant species, genotype within species, nutrient medium components and different environmental factors, in present study, the effects of 1,3 and 10 days cold pre-treatments in 4oC and different hormonal combinations of MS medium was studied on callus-formation of ovule explant in 4 cotton cultivars. Based on the results, ovules with cold induction for 10 days had the highest (83.7%) callus formation. However, less than 3 days cold pre-treatment with 28% showed significant decreasing effect on callus-formation. Explants of different cultivars had a different callus-formation rate, as Sahel cultivar produced significantly higher callus percentage than Hashemabad native cultivar. In the other hand, low concentrations of auxin (0.1 mg/l 2,4-D) had positive role in callus-formation of ovule, but by increasing BAP concentration above 3 mg/l, an inhibitory effect was observed. Therefore, different cold pre-treatment times, cultivar type, and hormonal types and concentrations affected on callus-production in ovule culture of cotton cultivars, and low concentrations of 2,4-D with increasing cold pre-treatment duration had positive roles in callus-formation. In addition to callus percentage, various treatments also affected on color and size of calli, so the ovules of Sahel that had been under cold induction for 10 days, produced medium to large and bright green calli, and increasing of cold pre-treatment time until the tenth day, and also low levels of 2,4-D (0.1 mg/l) in medium increased the calli size in cotton ovule culture.

Breeding desired cultivar in rapeseed programs is the main goal of plant breeders. Modern plant breeding has been formed on the basis of variation induction, selection, evaluation and multiplication of desired genotypes. To reach these goals, mutation breeding has played an important role to neonate variation. In this study seeds of PF and Zarfam cultivars were treated with five dosages of gamma rays (500, 700, 900, 1100 and 1300 Gry). Studied traits were: plant height, number of lateral branches, number of pods per plant, length of pods and weight of 1000-seed in M2 generation. For detection of loci controlling oleic acid, SCAR and RAPD markers were used. Results showed that in PF cultivar, in all the traits except number of pods on main stem, significant deduction observed in compare with the control. In Zarfam cultivar, effect of gamma rays was significant only for the 1000-seed weight. In this study the most of relative variation coefficient between different traits belong to the number of pods on lateral branches. In this study, various lines with improved traits (lower height, more number of pods, andlength of pods and 1000-seed weight) in compare with the control were obtained. Therefore, it is possible to choose desirable traits and introduce desirable variety in colza. Results of molecular markers showed that all lines treated with gamma rays in PF and Zarfam cultivars, had 399 bp and 830 bp bands.

Provide theme of increase efficiency of agricultural water, is as the most logical approach of water resources management in arid and semi-arid regions. Super adsorbent polymers (hydrogel) application in rainfed agriculture is including strategies for achieve to this significant that not only improve the crop qualitative yield conditions, but can be causing a substantial increase in water use efficiency. In order to investigate the effect of hydrophilic polymer application on yield and yield components of two chickpea varieties in rainfed conditions, an experiment was conducted in 2011 at the Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan. The experimental design was split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications. Experiment treatment including three levels of hydrophilic polymer (H1: 0, H2: 150 and H3: 300 gr/m2) and two varieties (Jam and ILC482) were randomized to the main plot and sub plot, respectively. The results showed that all studied characteristics were affected by hydrophilic polymer, but chickpea cultivars, except on 100 grain weight and grain number in plant were not significant differences in other traits. Highest grain yield (160.541 gr/m2) obtained in Jam cultuvar by applyind 300 gr/m2 polymer and lowest grain yield (71.276 gr/m2) obtained in ILC482 cultivar without polymer application. Super absorbent polymer apllication was caused to increase at pod number in plant, 100 grain weight, and biological yield compared to control.

The competition for nitrogen is an effective factor can be affected crop- weed interactions. In order to determine of black seed nitrogen use efficiency and harvest index at different weed competition durations, a field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, during 2009- 2010. The experiment was Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 12 treatments and 3 replications. Two sets of treatments consist of weed-infested and weed-free periods were used. At the first set of treatments, weeds compete with black seed up to 0, 14, 28, 42, 56 and 70 day after emergence (weed-infested periods). At weed free treatments, plots were kept free of weeds up to the mentioned stages. Results indicated that different weed interference durations had significant effects on nitrogen contents of seed, stubble and biomass of black seed. Nitrogen harvest index was significantly affected by different weed competition durations. In this experiment, uptake (recovery), physiological (internal) and use (agronomic) efficiency of nitrogen in black seed decreased with decreasing weed free and increasing weed-infested periods. However, these competition periods had more effect on nitrogen uptake efficiency than physiological efficiency of nitrogen.

Leaf explants of grapevine cultivars Shahroodi, Bidaneh Sefid and Yaghouti were cultured in MS medium supplemented with 1 mg/l BAP and 0.1 mg/l 2,4-D for callus induction. To differentiate somatic embryo, achieved callus were cultured on MS medium contained various concentrations of sucrose, casein hydrolysate and supplemented with glutamine, phenyl alanine and arginine amino acids. Yaghouti and Bidaneh Sefid cultivars produced the highest percentage of somatic embryos in medium containing 250 mg/l casein hydrolysate and Shahroodi in medium contained 500mg/l casein hydrolysate. On the other hand, in all studied cultivars the highest percentage of somatic embryos was obtained in medium contained 10 mg/l phenyl alanine, 100 mg/l glutamine and 50mg/l arginine. Although, Yaghouti and Bidaneh Sefid cultivars were produced the highest percentage of somatic embryos in medium contained 45g/l sucrose, Shahroodi cultivar produced the highest percentage of somatic embryos in medium contained 60g/l sucrose.

Pistachio has a high genetic diversity because of dioeciously and heterozygous nature. In this study, morphological and phonological characters of 40 male and female genotypes, so RAPDs marker of 38 male and female genotyps from Faizabad region of Khorasan province were evaluated. Results showed that some characters such as tree canopy, annual growth, winter bud density and the time of flowering and also leaf bud burst with high coefficients of variation showed high diversity. The cluster analysis of morphological data divided the female and male genotypes into 3 groups. Among the female genotypes, some of them such as ‘Badami Sefid1’, ‘Sefid Sabuni2’, ‘Garme Siah’ and ‘Ghermez Dorosht Zoodras’ were the best genotypes, in point of split shells, size of nut, protein and lipids percentage of kernel. In RAPDs experiment fifteen primers were used that produced 123 bands which among them 115 were polymorphic even between two genotypes. Size of produced bands was in range of 200-300 bp. The highest number bands were 12 and achieved by BC18 primer. Means of polymorphism among used primers was 92.83 percentages. Total resolving power was 74.54 with the mean of 4.97. Primer BC12 RAPD showed the most resolving power equal to 7.89. Based on similarity matrices the lowest genetic similarity (0.18) was between ‘Garme Siah’ and ‘Sefid Sabuni1’ genotypes and the highest (0.70) detected between ‘Badami Sefid3’ and ‘Genotype7’. Cluster analysis based on Dice similarity coefficients and UPGMA method were divided the genotypes into 8 subclusters at similarity level of 0.41, which ‘Sefid Sabuni1’ and ‘Genotype4’ genotypes of the other genotypes was separated individually. Results showed that there are high genetic diversity in the studied genotypes.

In this study, the effect of different concentrations of smoke extracts derived from burning plant material of Tanacetum parthenium on germination parameters, growth and yield of onion (Allium cepa L.) was investigated. The experiment was arranged as a Randomized Complete Block Design with 3 replications. Onion seeds were treated (socked) with different concentrations of aqueous smoke extract (1:500, 1:100, 1:10, 1 v/v) and distilled water control for 3 hours. All concentrations of smoke extracts significantly improved the traits studied in this experiment. Onion seeds treated with smoke-extract dilution of 1:100 exhibited a significantly greater germination percentage and germination speed compared to control. Fresh and dry weights of root and shoot in onion plants were positively influenced by smoke-extract dilutions of 1:500 and 1:100, 120 days after seed sowing under greenhouse conditions. The number of leaves was significantly increased with all concentrations of smoke-extract 120 days after seed sowing under greenhouse conditions. In addition, smoke-extract treated onion plants exhibited a significantly higher bulb diameter and bulb fresh and dry weight than untreated plants.

In order to investigate fuel consumption for soil preparation and sowing operation in barley farms, three tillage methods were considered for a period of two years (2009-2010). Results from analysis of variance for fuel consumption of the three tillage methods showed a significant difference at 1% level. Mean value of the fuel consumption in conventional tillage was 58.48 (lits/ha), whereas for reduced tillage was 29.67 and in No-till was 14.33 liters per hectare, respectively. Results from analysis of variance for field performance in three tillage methods showed a significant difference at 1% level. Mean value of crop yield in conventional tillage was 5.01 (tons/ha), in reduced tillage 4.9 and in No-till 3.5 ton per hectare were obtained. Reduced tillage method in condition that irrigated field due to reduced traffic (which uses less cost and more profits, saving in time, optimum fuel and also less compaction) is suggested instead of conventional and No tillage.