Journal of Agricultural Science and Sustainable Production
Year:2015 | Volume:25 | Issue:2|Papers Count:8

Intercropping in many parts of the world, due to the efficient use and conservation of resources and enhance the quantitative and qualitative yield of medicinal and crop plants is important. In order to evaluate the effect of intercropping on yield and some physiological traits of fenugreek and anise in intercropping a field experiment was carried out in the agricultural research field of Yasouj University, during growing reason of 2011-2012, as a randomized complete block design with three replications and ten treatments. Treatments included one row of fenugreek + one row of anise, two rows of fenugreek + two rows of anise, three rows of fenugreek + three rows of anise and monoculture fenugreek and anise by without weed control and weed control conditions. The results showed that intercropping treatments had significant effects on grain and biological yield of both plants and pure cultures of the two species in terms of both the presence and absence of weeds had the highest grain and biological yield. Treatments on grain and oil yield, percentage of the total protein and biomass nitrogen on fenugreek and anise essential oil and oil yield were significantly different from each other. Land equivalent ratio in all intercropping treatments was more than one and between 1.04 and 1.39, which was indicated superiority of a mixed culture than pure culture in the culture patterns. In general, single-row intercropping to monoculture, due to the improved quality traits and increase its usefulness is recommended.

In order to evaluate the effect of simultaneous cropping with legumes and application of chemical and biological fertilizers on nitrogen agronomic efficiency of corn, this study was carried out in field of agricultural research of Arak Payame Noor University in 2011. A factorial arrangement of treatments in a randomized complete block design with three replications was used. Methods of plant nutrition (M0= inoculation with azotobacter, M1=inoculation with azotobacter + 37.5 Kg.ha-1 of rare nitrogen with foliar application method, M2= inoculation with azotobacter+150 Kg.ha-1 of rare nitrogen mix with soil) and simultaneous cropping treatment of legumes, (S1= corn + alfalfa, S2= corn + bitter vetch, S3= corn + mung bean, S4= corn + chickpea, S5= corn + vetch) were assigned in plots. Each sub plot consisted of 4 rows, 6 m long with 60 cm between rows space and 20 cm between plants on the rows and S.C Apex hybrid was used. Results showed that the methods of nutrition effect on the characteristics such as stem height, number of grain per ear, wet weight of ear, harvest index of legumes, biological yield of corn, productivity index, grain yield of legumes, nitrogen agronomic efficiency and yield of wet forage was significant. Effect of simultaneous cropping treatment on the number of green leaf, number of grain per ear, wet weight of ear, harvest index of legumes, biological yield of corn, productivity index, harvest index of ear, grain yield of legumes, nitrogen agronomic efficiency and yield of wet forage was significant. The maximum and minimum of yield of wet forage (52.2 and 32.2 ton.ha-1) were obtained with the inoculation with azotobacter + 150 Kg.ha-1 nitrigen + Simultaneous cropping of bitter vetch and corn and inoculation with azotobacter + non application of nitrogen + Simultaneous cropping of corn and alfalfa treatments, respectively.

To evaluate the effect of crop cultivars and living mulch on sunflower yield and yield component and weeds control an experiment was carried out as factorial based on a randomized complete block design with three replications in 2013. Factors were sunflower cultivars (Azargol, Allstar, Farokh) and weed control treatments (weed-free, weed-infestation and intercropping of Fagopyrum esculentum, Medicago scutellata, Vicia villosa as living mulch alone and in combination with one hand-weeding). The results showed that cover crop and weed interference induced significant reduction in the stem height, leaf area index, seed number per head, 100 seeds weight and seed yield of sunflower varieties. Among the traits of crop, leaf area index showed a higher sensitivity to weed interference and cover crops presence than the other traits. In the presence of F. esculentum, M. scutellata and V. villosa grain yield was reduced by 28, 16 and 28%, respectively, compared to weed-free plot. Weed interference decreased yield of Azargol, Allstar and Farokh by 18, 22 and 33%, respectively compared to weed-free plot. In the presence of F. esculentum, M. scutellata and V.villosa weed biomass was reduced by 43, 33 and 25%, respectively, compared to weed infested check. The highest grain yield was obtained from interaction of M. scutellata as cover crop alone and Azargol cultivar. The lowest level of weed infestation was also obtained from interaction of V. villosa followed by one weeding and Azargol cultivar.

Soil conservation and the improvement of characteristics are the most important aims of sustainable agriculture. The cover crop planting during fallow can be beneficial in order to achieve these aims. Therefore, this study was conducted in order to investigate the effects of rye (Secale cereale L.) and common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) cover crops planted as pure and mixed on soil physicochemical characteristics during the 2011-2012 growing season at the Agricultural Research Farm of Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran. The experiment was a split plot in time based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. Three cover crop treatments including rye (Secale cereale L.), common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) and mixed (rye + common vetch) and two incorporation date (March and April) were considered. Control plot (without cover crop) was also included in each block. Results indicated that the presence of cover crops significantly reduced soil nitrate content as compared with control and rye showed a higher reducing effect. The presence of cover crops until March led to a significant reduction in soil electrical conductivity compared to control. In comparison between the two incorporation times, the April incorporated treatments showed lower organic matter present age and higher electrical conductivity. Soil physical characteristics were not influenced by the type of the cover crop treatments, but the presence of cover crops until April reduced soil porosity percentage.

In order to assessment the effects of wastewater of Iran-Mayeh company (yeast manufacture) on grain yield and some yield components of wheat, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design was conducted in three replications. The first factor comprised irrigation frequencies in 3 levels (I1= once one irrigation with given concentrations of wastewater, I2= two twice irrigations with given concentrations of wastewater and I3= irrigation in whole of plant growth period (three irrigations) with given concentrations of wastewater) and the second factor comprised of wastewater concentration in 6 levels (P0= well water (control), P15=15% wastewater +85% well water, P30= 30% wastewater +70% well water, P45= 45% wastewater +55% well water, P60= 60% wastewater +40% well water and P100= 100% wastewater). Results indicated that the highest 1000 grain weight and fertile florets number per spike were observed at well water (control) and 100% waste water concentration treatments, respectively. Maximum grain yield and fertile tiller number were achieved in irrigation in whole of plant growth period (three irrigations) with given concentrations of wastewater. The irrigation in whole of plant growth period (three times) with determined concentrations of wastewater compared to once and twice irrigation with wastewater increased grain yield by 13.6% and 5.7%, respectively.

In order to evaluate the yield and some morphological characteristics of two faba bean (Vicia faba L.) local and foreign cultivars to different sowing dates in Ahwaz region, an experiment was conducted during 2013-2014 year in Khouzestan Ramin Agriculture and Natural Resources University. The Experiment was as split plot based on complete randomized block design with four replications that included sowing date as main plot (October 10, October 25, November 10, November 25 and December 10) and two faba bean varieties Hystal (foreign) and Saraziry (local) as sub plots. The results showed that cultivars had significant difference in terms of number of grain per pod, number of pods per plant, plant height and grain weight. Also interaction effect of sowing date and cultivar on grain yield, biological yield, was significant. The mean showed that Hystal cultivar has more grains per pod and saraziry cultivar had more number of pods per plant. The Highest grain yield related to sowing date of October 25 and November 10 with average 3979.3 and 3849.4 kg per hectare, respectively and the lowest grain yield to December 10 with average 1806.2 kg per hectare. In general, results of experiment showed that Hystal cultivar in sowing date of November 10 and Saraziry cultivar in sowing date on October 25, produced highest grain yield and dry matter.

Economic activity is associated with the incidence of some adverse environmental consequences such as global warming, climate change and acid rain. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze these impacts using economic-environmental theories. On this base, it is necessary to correct the efficiency models by combining good and bad outputs in efficiency calculations. In this study, environmental efficiency of agricultural sector is calculated by including data of five pollutants (SO2, NOX, CO, CO2) during 1373-1390 using Data Envelopment Analysis. The results show that the efficiency scores by including bad outputs (pollutants) less than the efficiency without the inclusion of bad outputs. By inclusion of bad outputs in the process of calculating efficiency, the average efficiency has fallen from 0.98 to 0.72. This suggests that environmental conditions have significant impact in efficiency measures. On this base, it is proposed to include good and bad outputs in efficiency measures for achieving a realistic view of the situation of firms.

In sustainable agriculture, using green manure as an alternative for chemical fertilizers has a high importance. To investigate the response of some corn (Zea mays L.) growth indices to green manure and nitrogen fertilizer an experiment was carried out at the Research Farm of Agricultural and Natural Resources Faculty, Razi University during the 90-91 growing season. The experiment was split plot based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. The main factor was green manure and its incorporation time including rye incorporated in March, rye incorporated in April, common vetch incorporated in March, common vetch incorporated in April, mixed (rye + commom vetch) incorporated in March, mixed incorporated in April and control (no green manure). The sub factor was nitrogen fertilizer as urea with three levels including 0 (no fertilizer), 200 kg.ha-1 (the 50% of the recommended amount) and 400 kg.ha-1 (the 100% of the recommended amount). Results indicated that the highest corn leaf area index, crop growth rate and grain yield were obtained in common vetch treatment incorporated in April and the lowest ones were recorded in control treatment (without green manure). Moreover, common vetch in both incorporation times led to the highest specific leaf area. However, corn relative growth rate, net assimilation rate and leaf area ratio were not significantly influenced by green manure treatments. Among the nitrogen treatments, the 100% of the recommended dose showed the highest values of the traits under study and unfertilized treatment showed the lowest ones.