Journal of Plant Production Research
Year:2017 | Volume:24 | Issue:3 |Papers Count:12

Background and objectives: Pomegranate (Punica granatum), is one of the horticultural crops with great medicinal properties and compatible with warm and dry conditions. Although the fruit trees are resistant to the deficit, but regular irrigation is important in increasing the quantity and quality of its product. Despite the shortage of water resources, salinization of groundwater resources due to decreased rainfall and the presence of nutrients in the wastewater may be blending it with saline water to reduce the negative impacts of salinity and crop production be maintained in these conditions. This research was carriedout in order to effects of diluted saline water wastewater rooted catting pomegranante.Materials and methods: This project was carried out in order to use the blend of these two unconventional water resources (saline water and wastewater) for irrigation of one year rooted cuttings pomegranate Malas-e Yandi with 8 treatments and 3 replications in format of randomized complete design. After planting and 3 months establishment of rooted pomegranate cuttings two water treatments in 4 salinity levels (control=1.2, 4, 7 and 10 ds/m) with diluting of saline water by fresh water (treatment of water without wastewater) as well as diluting of saline water by wastewater (treatment of water with wastewater) were gradually applied as treatments. After 4 months of treatment application, at the end of experiment, some vegetative and physiological characteristics of cuttings were measured. Data were analyzed using SAS software and comparisons of mean data were carried out using LSD method.Results: The results showed that the wastewater treatment had not negative effect on electrical conductivity of soil saturation extract. Also, wastewater had not effect on vegetative traits such as height, crown size, surface area and number of leaves as well as leaf temperature, electrolyte leakage and proline, soluble sugar and leaf relative water content. But, salinity treatments had the significant effects on these triats.Conclusion: Treated wastewater had not negative effect on pomegranate growth, so we can use it for diluting saline water down to 7 dS/m. It seems that pomegranate tree can overcome early effect of salinity (soil water potential decrease) in saline conditions by reduction level of the leaves (transpiration reduction) and no change in soluble sugar and proved leaf relative water content.

Background and objectives: Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis L.) is medicinal plant of moderate region and its seed containing about 20 to 30 percent of oil. Germination of seed and establishment of seedling are determining factors of crop production ripening time. Models apply for predicting of cumulative germination response and can estimate the cardinal temperatures too. Numerous thermal functions can describe germination response to temperature, amongst them segmented, beta and dent-like are the most popular functions. Although many investigations have conducted to determine cardinal temperatures of germination and required thermal time of emergence, there is no sufficient information about evening primrose in Iran from this regard. This investigation has conducted in order to evaluate non-linear regression models to describe the evening primrose seed germination rate response to temperature and estimate its seed germination cardinal temperatures.Materials and methods: Experiment conducted as Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four replications at Arya Tina GeneÒ Co. laboratory. Evening primrose seeds were placed at eight constant temperatures regimes involves 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 °C. One hundred evening primrose seeds were placed at 9 em. petri dishes containing two Whatman No. 1 filter papers and drained with 5 ml. distilled water. Germinated seeds were counted at 12 hr. intervals. To obtain maximum germination rate, cumulative germination progress curve were plotted versus time and the time required to 50 percentile germination estimated using 3 parameters sigmoidal function. Cardinal temperature of germination described using quadratic, four parameters beta, segmented and dent-like functions. The best fitted model selected according to Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Adjusted Regression Coefficient (adj. R2) values and Akaike Information Criteria (AIC and AICc) indices.Results: Results showed that temperature effects on germination percentile and time to reach 50% germination (germination rate) were significant at 5% level. Comparison of RMSE, MAE, adjusted R2 and AICc criteria improved that evening primrose seed germination response to temperature has the best fitting to dent-like function. According to dent-like model, the base, lower and upper range and ceiling temperatures were 4.7, 24.3 to 34.7 and 41.2°C, respectively. There were no different estimation of base and ceiling temperatures between models. However, segmented model have overestimated optimum temperature among models.Conclusion: Evening primrose seed germination followed by dent-like function clear that seeds are able to germinate at a wide range of temperatures. In cultural condition, cultivation of evening primrose is possible at autumn or spring which is completely confirmed with behavior of the plant in natural stands.

Background and objectives: Turfgrasses are the most important ground covers with high dining leg strength that rarely replacement can be found for them in landscape. Limitation of water resources especially in arid and semi-arid regions is one of the main challenges in turf management. One of the ways to reduce the adverse effects of drought stress is mycorrhizae symbiosis with plants. This research was carried out in order to evalution the symbiosis of three mycorrhizae fungi species on biochemical characteristics of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and Agropyron (Agropyron elongatum) turfgrasses under drought stress conditions.Materials and Methods: In order to investigate the effects of three species of mycorrhizae fungi (G. clarum, G. fasiculatum, G. mosseae and Non fungi) and drought stress (80, 55 and 30 percent of field capacity) on the biochemical characteristics of turfgrass species, Poa pratensis and Agropyron elongatum, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design was carried out in the greenhouse of the Faculty of Agricultural Science, University of Guilan in 2015. Following the establishment of turfgrass that lasted about 60 days, drought stress was applied. The traits of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activity and malondialdehyde, proline, total protein of leaves and root colonization percent were studied.Results: According to the results Agropyron showed the highest root colonization with G. mosseae while Poa showed the lowest colonization with G. clarum. Drought stress reduced the root colonization of Agropyron and poa with G. mosseae but increased the root colonization of them with G. clarum and G. fasiculatum. Mycorrhizal fungi, especially under drought stress increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes and proline content, but decreased the malondialdehyde content. There were significant differences between fungi species and grass species in terms of impact on the above mentioned traits. So that Agropyron with G. moss and Poa with G. clarum showed the highest leaf APX activity. In the highest level of stress, grasses symbiotic with G. mosseae had the highest POD activity while under mild stress condition, the highest enzyme activity was observed in leaves of grasses symbiotic with G. fasiculatum. Grass response to mycorrhizal fungi species was variable at different levels of drought stress on CAT activity. In moderate stress conditions Agropyron symbiotic with G. mosseae had a highest CAT activity, while in the highest level of stress Agropyron symbiotic with G. fasiculatum had a highest enzyme activity but in Poa in both moderate and severe stress, the highest enzyme activity was related to grasses that had not been inoculated with mycorrhizae fungi. G. mosseae caused the proline content of grass leaves at the highest level of drought stress more than 130 percent compared to without mycorrhizae situation increased, but malondialdehyde more than 32 percent decreased. In moderate stress this rate was 70 percent increase and 25 percent decrease respectively.Conclusion: The effect of mycorrhizal fungi species on the activity of antioxidant enzymes in leaves of studied turfgrasses was different under drought stress, In general, mycorrhiza symbiosis with increases of antioxidant activity and proline could reduce the amount of lipid peroxidation in leaves of studied turfgrasses. In this regards the G. mosseae was more effective.

Background and objectives: Storage condition in the bulb's rest period may in fluence on vegetative and reproductive growth of plant. Results of previous studies show that temperature between 20 to 25°C lasting for 4 to 8 weeks are proper condition for storage of tuberose bulbs (Polianthes tuberosa L.), but there is no comprehensive information available regarding suitable level of humidity and its interaction effect with temperature and bulb's rest period duration. Based on this, the aim of current study was allocated to determine the effect of temperature, humidity, and bulb's rest period duration on vegetative and reproductive growth in tuberose.Materials and methods: Design of the study was as factorial with 3 temperatures (15, 20, and 25°C), 2 humidity levels (50 and 75%), and 2 rest period (4 and 8 weeks) which was conducted in adaption to randomized complete blocks design with four relicating on the tuberose double cultivar in 2015. Indicators of vegetative and reproductive growth includ time of germination, spike emergence, first floret, and harvest, germination percentage, leaf numbers, numbers, diameter, and length of inflorescence spike, numbers and diameter of floret and inflorescence length were measured. Resulted data were analyzed using factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncan's multiple rang test.Results: The results of current study showed that the main effect of temperature on all indicators of vegetative and reproductive growth including time of germination, spike emergence, first floret, and harvest, germination percentage, leaf numbers, numbers, diameter, and length of inflorescence spike, numbers and diameter of floret and inflorescence length is statistically significant. The main effect of humidity only on numbers and diameter of inflorescence spike, and main effect of rest period on time of germination, germination percentage, leaf numbers, numbers, diameter, and length of inflorescence spike, diameter of first floret and inflorescence length are statistically significant. Also, interaction effects of temperature, humidity, and bulb's rest period duration on all traits of vegetative and reproductive growth were statistically significant. Follow-up tests showed that indicators of the vegetative and reproductive growth in the treatment of 25°C temperature with 75% humidity lasting for 4 and 8 weeks compared to other treatments are placed in better levels, but 8 weeks treatment creates better general condition compared to 4 weeks treatment.Conclusion: The temperature of 25°C with 75% humidity lasting for 8 weeks provided better condition for acceleration of germination and flowering. Therefore increase of vegetative and reproductive growth its proposed for tuberose bulbs storage.

Background and objectives: Drought stress is one of the most important factors that it limites plant growth around of the world and it's the most common environmental stress. Nowadays, the application of plant growth regulators has discussed for decreasing the negative effect of different stresses. Among these materials are sodium nitroprusside that causes plant resistance for biotic and abiotic environmental stresses. Satureja khuzestanica is an annual medicinal plant from Lamiaceae a rich source of polyphenolic components and antioxidant activity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate effect of sodium nitro-prusside (SNP) application on physiological, biochemical and essential oil characteristics of savory under deficit water regimes.Materials and methods: A factorial experiment was conducted based on a completely randomized design with three replications at Gorgan University Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources in 2016. The treatments were consisted to four levels for irrigation regimes (40 percent field capacity, 60 percent field capacity, 80 percent field capacity, 100 percent field capacity (control)) and three levels for sodium nitroprusside (without sodium nitroprusside (control), 50 sodium nitroprusside, 100 mM). In this study, a, b and total chlorophyll content, leaf water ratio, proline, antioxidant activity with Baits, total phenol with Folin siu caltive, essence percent, essence yield with Clevenger and distillation were measured.Results: The results showed that increasing water deficit, a, b and total chlorophyll content were decreased. Also, leaf water ratio was decreased (18.8 percent) with increasing water deficit to 40 percent field capacity. But, proline, antioxidant activity, total phenol, percentage of essence, essence yield were increased with decreasing to 1.41, 0.63, 20, 07 and 0.02 percent, respectively with increasing water deficit to 40 percent FC. SNP had significant effects on the all of studied characteristic that these effects were maximum in 1OOmM. Interaction effects of irrigation regime and SNP had significant effects on all of characteristic except of total phenol. The most value of proline, essential oil percent and antioxidant activity were obtained to 1.23, 0.24 and 4.48 percent in SNP 100 mM and 40 percent FC.Conclusion: Generally, the results showed that by increasing water deficit, a, b and total chlorophyll contents and leaf water ratio were decreased, but, antioxidant activity, total phenol, percentage of essence were increased. However SNP treatment protected savory from water deficit stress and decreased its damages. Therefore application of SNP for spraying can be recommended to decreased adverse effects of water deficit in case of further experiments.

Background and objectives: Water deficit stress is first limitation that cause crops yield reduction in dried and semi-dried regions. In addition to the physiological changes that occurs due to water deficiency in plants, oxidative damage is also an important factor limiting plant growth and production. Plants adopt to cope with water deficit stress include accumulation of osmolytes such as proline, glycine betaine and soluble sugar and increased antioxidant compounds (enzymatic such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and non-enzymatic such as carotenoids and anthocyanins) against oxidative stress. This study was designed to investigate the effects of deficit stress, nitrogen fertilizer and zeolite on some physiological traits, biological and Trigonelline yield in fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.).Materials and methods: A split factorial experiment was laid out in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications in the research field of Tarbiat Modares University in 2014 and 2015. Five irrigation regimes (un-stress; mild stress during the vegetative and reproductive stages respectively; severe stress during the vegetative and reproductive stages respectively) were randomized to the main plots. Subplots were 6 treatments in number and consisted of a factorial combination of three nitrogen fertilization (untreated plots, vermicompost fertilizer at a rate of 2.7 ton ha-1 and nitrogen chemical fertilizer at a rate of 11 kg ha-1) and two zeolite rates, (0, 9 ton ha-1. In this experiment, plant physiological traits in fenugreek was measured.Results: The results showed that the effect of irrigation regime was significant on all traits. And water deficit stress in both years resulted in increased levels of proline, glycine betaine, soluble carbohydrates, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase, carotenoids and anthocyanin and also reduces leaves greenness (SPAD), biological and grain trigonelline yield in fenugreek. Increase in the activity of two enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, and carotenoids and anthocyanin indicate activation of both enzymatic and non enzymatic antioxidant systems to deal with oxygen free radical production in fenugreek under water deficit stress. It also increases the amounts of proline, glycine betaine and soluble carbohydrates in the leaves that is effective in osmotic adjustment and create good conditions for absorbing water from the soil. With increasing severe stress decreased the amount of soluble carbohydrates, biological and grain trigonelline yield in fenugreek. The highest and lowest biological and trigoneline yield was obtained in full irrigation and vermicompost fertilizer treatment and severe water deficit stress in reproductive stage (20% FC) and no fertilizer treatment in both years. Also significant statistical difference was observed in trigoneline yield between mild water deficit stresses in vegetative stage treatment (40% FC) with control treatment (full irrigation) in both years.Conclusion: Based on the results in this study, it can be concluded that although the reduction in water consumption was reduced biological and trigonelline yield in Fenugreek and to be added trigonelline percentage, but the application of vermicompost fertilizer can be reduce the adverse effects of water deficit stress on biological and Trigonelline yield in this plant. So that it produce the least malondialdehyde content (as a marker of lipid peroxidation and membrane damage) and the highest total antioxidant capacity, biological and grain trigonelline yield.

Background and objectives: In the field of ornamental plants breeding, extensive research has been carried out using morphological, biochemical and molecular markers, but only a few reports have been presented in the field of genetic diversity of Chrysanthemums by morphological and molecular markers. Therefore it important for further identification of germplasm and cultivars of Chrysanthemums in Iran. This study was conducted to evaluate the genetic diversity of 15 cultivars of Chrysanthemums based on morphological characteristics and selection of compatible cultivar with Khorramabad region.Materials and methods: This experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with three replications at the Agricultural Research Station of Lorestan University. Quantitative trait such as stem height, petiole length, leaf length, leaf width, number of lateral branches of the plant, leaf to width ratio, bud diameter, the diameter of the disc, flowering date, number of florets tab, branch diameter, number of flowers, leaf length to petiole length ratio, and etc. were measured according to the relevant Descriptor. All characters of the flower measured in the full opening of the first flowers and were used 10 mature leaves in the middle of each plant for evaluation the characteristics leaves.Result: Based on variance analysis of the data, most the traits examined in cultivars were significant differences (P£0.01). Results showed that the correlation between the number of flowers with the number of lateral branches, and main branch diameter with the extent of plant there was a significant and positive correlation. The most significant and negative correlation (r= -0.82) was observed between length I width of leaf with leaf area. Based on the results obtained from principal components analysis, the six main and independent components with Eigen values than greater one could justify 82.5 percent of the total variation. The first component, Justified 27.4 percent of the total variation. Cluster analysis cultivars in Euclidean distance of 63.24, were categorized into two main groups. The cultivars "Dila", "Afshan", "Elika" and "Yasarnin" in the first group in terms of leaf characteristics have most similar together of leaf traits were most similar. The cultivars "Oran", "Taban3" and "Nadia2" were separated, from the rest cultivars with the highest height branch.Conclusion: Based on the results leaf size, petiole length, branches length, number of branches and number of flowers in plant traits were most important to recognize the diversity of cultivars of Chrysanthemum. With using some cultivars belonging to the first cluster with large flowers and cultivars in the second cluster with a height of more branches as a parent can be began a new cycle of Chrysanthemum breeding program.

Background and objectives: Black cumin is one of the important and valuable medicinal plants and, due to its frequent application in the pharmaceutical industry, is cultivated in different parts of Iran. Limiting environmental factors, however, have a negative impact on its growth and production. Water deficit is one of the main inhibitors for crop production in Iran and many arid and semi-arid regions. Production and potential yield of black cumin also can affect by drought stress. There are not many reports available about drought tolerance of black cumin. Therefore, this research focused on response of ten black cumin landraces to water-stress condition.Materials and methods: In order to study the effects of water deficit stress on morpho­ physiological traits including oil and grain yield of black cumin an experiment was carried out in Abadeh (Fars province) in 2014. The experimental design was split plot based on complete randomized blocks design with three replications. Water-stress and well-watered conditions as main factor and 10 black cumin genotypes were used as sub-factor. Water deficit stress applied during seedling to ripening stages. Plant height, number of lateral branches, number of follicles per plant, number of seeds per follicle, number of seeds per plant, 1000 grain weight, grain yield, oil content, oil yield, proline content, total soluble sugars and potassium content of black cumin genotypes were measured in both stress and non-stress conditions. Descriptive statistic parameters for all the above measured traits and stress tolerance index (STI) for oil and grain yield were calculated.Results: Analysis of variance showed that the effect of irrigation for all the measured traits, genotype effect for the most of traits except the number of follicles per plant, grain yield, oil content percentage, proline and total soluble sugars contents, and interaction between irrigation and genotype for all traits except grain yield, oil yield, and proline content were significant. Arak genotype had the highest values for plant height, seed number per follicle, number of seeds per plant and potassium content in water-stress condition. Classification of genotypes using three-dimensional plots of stress tolerance index, stress and non-stress oil and grain yields showed that Arak and Indian landraces were tolerant genotypes in terms of grain and oil yields, respectively. Stress intensity results indicated that proline content and number of lateral branches (SI=0.59) more affected by drought stress.Conclusion: In this investigation, the all morpho-physiological traits of black cumin affected by water deficit stress. There was enough genetic diversity for drought tolerance among the studied black cumin landraces based on important traits such an oil contention. So, based on these results, it is possible the water deficit tolerance of black cumin crop pine in regions under water stress. These results can be used in breeding programs to improving drought tolerance of black cumin.

Background and objectives: Mullein (Verbascum sp.) is a biennial herbaceous member of the Scrophulariaceae family. Verbascum flowers are highly valued herbal drugs used in the treatment of inflammation, asthma, spasmodic coughs and other respiratory tract diseases. In this study in order to domestication of mullein a preliminary evaluation of morphological and phytochemical diversity of different mullein species from West Azerbaijan province was investigated.Materials and methods: West Azerbaijan as the centers of origin for many species of mullein in Iran was selected for sampling. For assessment of morphological diversity, different species of Mullein were evaluated in full flowering stage based on 12 qualitative and 20 quantitative morphological traits. After species identification, leaf and flower samples were extracted using ultrasonic device. For evaluation of phytochemical diversity among different species of mullein, total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of leaves and flowers were determined using Folin- Ciocalteu assay and DPPH methods, respectively.Results: Based on the evaluation of collected samples from different regions, 9 species (V. erianthum, V. songaricum, V. speciosum, V. szovitsianum, V. stachydiforme, V. sinuatum, V. haussknechtianum, V. cherirantifolium and V. saccatum) were identified. The results showed that species has significant effect on the plant height, inflorescence length, number of flowers per bunch, number of flowering stems, basal leaves length and length and width of capsule (p<0.01). Also for stem leaves length /width ratio and length of calyx there was significant difference between studied species (p<0.05). The evaluation results of phytochemical data showed that the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were significantly varied both amongst species and different plant organs (p<0.01). The highest total phenolic content (32.83 mg GAE/g DW) and antioxidant capacity (85.02 %) were in the leaves of V. sinuatum. Multivariate analysis and clustering revealed four distinct categories of species based on their morphological and phytochemical traits. V. sinuatum that had the highest total penolic content and antioxidant activity of leaves, plant height, number of flowers in each axillary clusters, number of flowering branches and width of basal leaves was placed in the first cluster. Other species (V. szovitsianum and V. haussknechtianum), (V. songaricum, V. speciosum, V. stachydiforme and V. saccatum) and (V. erianthum and V. cherirantifolium) were placed in second, third and fourth clusters, respectively.Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that there is a wide diversity of mullein species in West Azerbaijan province. V. sinuatum has unique morphological and phytochemical traits that can be used for breeding strategies and economic production.

Background and objectives: Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) is a perennial herb belonging to the family Lamiaceae. One of the most important factors in crop production management is determination of appropriate planting density. Plant density is an important factor in determining the micro environment in the mint field. The optimization of this factor can lead to a higher yield in the mint. This study was undertaken to know the effect of plant density on some properties of peppermint and introduce suitable plant density for peppermint cultivation in greenhouse condition.Materials and methods: In order to evaluate the effect of planting density on some characteristics of peppermint a study was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replications at university of Guilan during 2016. Planting density with four levels including 6, 9, 15 and 30 plants m-2 was investigated in present research. The soil of field was loamy with pH 7.4, containing 1% total N and 1% C. At harvest, total leaf dry and fresh yield, oil yield, number of lateral branches per plant, plant fresh and dry weight and plant height were determined.Results: Results indicated that the highest number of leaf, node and branch, leaf dry and fresh yield was related to 6 plants m-2 .Fresh weight of plant reduced 73.45% in 30 plants m-2 compare to 6 plants m-2. 6 plants m-2 density had highest percent of essential oil content (2.25 %) in different level of planting density. The effect of plant density on growth and development is largely due to change in the interception of radiant energy, the low plant density leads to higher interception and consequently to the greater growth of peppermint. The commercial production of peppermint depends on the ecological conditions affecting yield and quality. Low plant density have higher fresh herbage yield, while moderate plant density have higher oil yield.Conclusion: The results indicated that there were significant differences between cultivation plant densities in all measured characteristics. The results also showed that the best plant density to improve some important properties of peppermint was 6 plants m-2. According to the results increasing plant density only to 15 plant m-2 is advisable.