Journal of Agricultural Science and Sustainable Production
Year:2015 | Volume:25 | Issue:3|Papers Count:12

In order to study of population density and insect biodiversity and quantitive and qualitive yield of pot marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in row and strip intercropping, a field experiment was conducted based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the farm located in West Azerbaijan province- Nagadeh city, Iran during growing reason of 2011-2012. Treatments included row intercropping (1 row of pot marigold + 1 row of chickpea), strip intercropping consist of 4 row of pot marigold + 2 row of chickpea, 6 row of pot marigold + 3 row of chickpea , 8 row of pot marigold + 4 row of chickpea and sole cropping of each crop. Results showed that the maximum population of pest obtained under sole cropping of chickpea, while the maximum population of biological predators was observed under row intercropping, respectively. The highest seed yield and biological yield of chickpea were obtained in sole cropping with 893 and 2476 kg.ha-1, respectively. The results showed that the maximum seed yield and biological yield of pot marigold were achieved at sole cropping with 746 and 2030 kg.ha-1, respectively. The highest percentage of grain protein (27%) of chickpea and oil percentage (20%) of pot marigold were obtained in row intercropping, respectively.

The aim of this study was to compile composite indicators for quantifying the ecological sustainability of greenhouse production in Sistan. These indices assesses information about the agricultural community-economically, producing crops and livestock, fertilizer and chemical materials, crop residue management, water and irrigation, tillage and mechanization, weed management and agro biodiversity in greenhouse and farm. Data were collected from 100 farmers using a face-to-face questionnaire during 2012. After verification of the questionnaire data were analyzed. Average score of sustainability index in greenhouse system is 49.3 and 64.2 % of farmers have earned 40 or less scores. The results of step by step regression progressive showed that the most important factors determining the sustainability index in the systems were; crop species diversity, variety of herbicides and fungicides, crop residue management, and accessibility to inputs, respectively, while the use of chemical fertilizers, had no significant effect on sustainability index. The study of critical points revealed that to improve the greenhouse systems sustainability, training of farmers, helping them to achieve economic sustainability, improving crop and water resources management must be a priority.

To study the effects of different fertilization systems on some growth indices of two maize (Zea mays) varieties, a factorial experiment was conducted based on randomized complete block design with three replications at Agricultural Research Station of University of Kurdistan in 2012. Factors were: different fertilizer levels including (T1) chemical fertilizers (nitrogen and phosphorus as much as 300 and 150 kg.ha-1), (T2) biological fertilizers (Barvar-2 phosphate bio fertilizer (100 g.ha-1) and Nitrox in bio-fertilizer (1 L.ha-1), (T3) chicken manure (15 ton.ha-1), (T4) 50% chicken manure + bio-fertilizers, (T5) 50% chemical fertilizer + bio-fertilizers + 50% chicken manure, (T6) control (without fertilizer) and maize varieties including (A1) SC704 cultivar and (A2) DC370 cultivar. Results showed that T5 significantly had the highest total dry weight, leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR) and net assimilation rate (NAR) in SC704. In DC370 the highest total dry weight, LAI, CGR, and NAR obtained from T1. In both cultivars the highest RGR belonged to T5, 21 days after sowing. In different fertilize levels, late maturing SC704 cultivar had more yield than that of DC370. Integrated use of organic, biological and chemical fertilizers caused to produce highest yield compared with application of fertilizers alone.

German chamomile (Matricaria Chamomilla) is one of the most important essential oil bearing plants that its essential oil constituent is used in different medicinal industries. A field experiment was conducted using a split plot design with three replications in Eqlid, Fars, Iran in 2013. The treatments were included three amounts of vermicompost (0, 5 and 10 ton.ha-1) and five drought stress an irrigation after (60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 mm evaporation pan class A). Analysis of variance showed that the main effect of vermicompost and drought stress on the number of branches, number of main stem and flower yield was significant. Comparison of means showed that the maximum flower yield (441.50) was obtained from lowest of drought stress (60 mm evaporation pan class A). Also, analysis of variance showed interaction of treatments on height, biological yield, essential oil and essential oil yield were significant. Comparison of means the interaction between drought stress and vermicompost levels for essential oil percent showed that for the irrigation levels after 60, 150 and 180 mm evaporation from evaporation pan, the highest and lowest essential oil percent was obtained from 10 tons and no application of vermicompost per hectare, respectively. Based on the results of this experiment can be expressed, however, by reducing water consumption, Consequently, the occurrence of drought stress, German chamomile flower yield decreases, but with the use of manure vermicompost (in the highest level of stress), can partially reduce the negative effects of drought stress on plant yield.

Nowadays in order to produce healthy foods, application of compost and other organic fertilizers has received more attention as a suitable alternative for utilization of chemical fertilizers. It’s due to the fact that excess use of chemical fertilizers can cause threats to human health and lead to salinity or pollution of agriculture soils. Due to low organic-matter content in most soils in arid and semi-arid regions of Iran, application of organic-wastes’ like compost can increase waterholding capacity of the soil. In order to evaluate the effect of licorice compost application on decreasing of water stress in greenhouse cucumber (cv. Negin), an investigation was conducted in a research greenhouse of Fasa in 2012. The experiment was factorial in a randomized completely block design with four replications. Treatments were composted root residue of licorice in four levels (0, 10, 20 and 40 percent of pot soil) and three irrigation regimes (50, 75 and 100% of field capacity moisture). Results showed that increasing in the amount of waste Licorice significantly increased shoot dry and fresh weight of cucumber. By reduction in moisture content of the soil and the amount of licorice residue, number of flower and fruit, plant height and internode length were reduced significantly. But 100% of field capacity moisture and 40 percent of licorice residue increased fruit weight and yield per plant significantly. The result of this study showed that water stress in cucumber can be controlled using licorice residue.

Crop residue management is one of the main pillars of the stabilization of agricultural ecosystems. In order to evaluate the effects of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and bean residues (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) with application zinc sulfate (ZnSo4) in wheat farms on zinc and iron available in soil, roots, shoots, grain and protein of grain wheat, an experiment was conducted in the growing season of 2012-2013 in research farm of Isfahan city, as complete randomized block design with three replications and six treatments (control, zinc sulfate, wheat residues, bean residues, wheat residues with zinc sulfate and bean residues with zinc sulfate) that was mixed with soil under severe available zinc deficiency and iron respectively (0.3, 4.8 mg per kg) then wheat plants were cultivated. The results showed that the addition of plant residues in soil increased, zinc and iron, of soil, root, shoot, grain and its protein and there was significant difference between the control and other treatments. This increase was higher in the bean residue than other treatments except control. The use of crop residue on the soil caused a significant increase in grain yield and shoot in comparison to the control (p<0.01), as the bean residue caused a 20% increase in grain yield but the highest grain yield 35% was obtained more than control (2.8 t/ha) when the bean residue + zinc (3.8 t/ha) was added to the soil. In general the results showed that bean residue + zinc sulfate was better than other treatments for increasing plant traits.

In order to study the effect of deficit irrigation and foliar application of potassium di-hydrogen phosphate on physiological characteristics of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar Alvand, a split- plot experiment in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications was conducted in 2008- 2009 season at the Yasooj Agriculture Research Station and Natural Resources. Main plots consisted of three irrigation regimes (full irrigation, cut of irrigation at the beginning of stem rise to the heading and cut of irrigation of heading stage to the end of the growth period), and subplots consisted of five level of foliar application of potassium di-hydrogen phosphate as the zero (foliar application only with water as control), 3, 6, 9 and 12 kg.ha-1 KH2PO4 as foliar spraying. The results showed that the effects of irrigation regimes and potassium di-hydrogen phosphate treatments on all traits were significant. The interaction of irrigation and foliar application of potassium di-hydrogen phosphate on growth and yield traits were significant. Drought stress reduced leaf chlorophyll concentration and phosphorus content, and increased leaf proline and soluble sugar and protein content in grain. potassium di-hydrogen phosphate treatments increased phosphorus, proline and soluble sugars of flag leaf and protein content of seed. Foliar application of potassium di-hydrogen phosphate only under drought stress conditions improves grain yield and growth indicators and in the condition of full irrigation did not observed the significant difference between the levels of foliar application of potassium di-hydrogen phosphate.

In order to investigate the effects of different levels of drought stress and two kinds of mycorrhizal fungi on yield and yield components of eight sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) landraces, an experimental using factorial split plot design was conducted with three replications in research field of Urmia agricultural high school. The main factor was consisted different levels of irrigation, normal irrigation (irrigation after 70 mm evaporation of crop (ETc)), moderate drought stress (irrigation after 90 mm ETc) and severe drought stress (irrigation after 110 mm ETc), sub plots including two kinds of mycorrhizal fungi Glomus mosseae, Glomus intraradices and noninoculated (control). Sub-sub plots consisted of eight landraces of sesame names Jiroft13, Zanjan Tarom landrace, Moghan landrace, several branches Naz, TC-25, TS-3, Darab 14 and Dashtestan 5. Results of analysis showed that the effect of different levels of irrigation, mycorrhizal fungi and genotypes on studied traits was significant. Mean comparison showed that with increasing severity of drought stress, grain yield, capsule no per plant, grains no per area, grains no per capsule and biological yield decreased significantly. Severe drought stress reduced grain yield and biological yield about 63 and 52 percent, respectively. Using two kinds of mycorrhizal fungi Glomus mosseae, Glomus intraradices in compared with non-inoculated (control) all traits such as yield and yield components increased. Among under studied sesame landraces, Moghan landrace and Zanjan Tarom landrace based on traits yield and yield components had superiority on other landraces. For improvement yield and yield components, using mycorrhizal fungi, especially G.mosseae is recommendable. Also in three different irrigation conditions, Moghan landrace and Zanjan Tarom landrace were superior landraces.

Given the importance of soybean oil as a valuable oilseed crop compatible with Iranian climate, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of biological and organic fertilizers on soybean yield and yield components. A factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design was conducted with three replications in the spring of 2011 in Yasouj, Iran. Experimental factors included five levels of organic fertilizer (10 and 15 t/ha manure, 5 and 10 t/ha vermicompost and control without organic fertilizer) and two levels of bio-fertilizer (lack of bacteria and the use of the Brady rhizobium japanicum bacterium plus phosphate Barvar 2). The results showed that the highest grain and oil yield were obtained using 15 t/ha manure (449 and 102 g/m2, respectively) and 5 t/ha vermicompost without bio-fertilizers (400 and 98.6 g/m2, respectively) and the lowest were obtained in the control treatment without organic fertilizer. Application of 10 t/ha vermicompost decreased oil content significantly compared to treatment without organic fertilizer. The use of organic fertilizers increased pods per plant, biological yield, grain yield, oil yield, protein percentage and protein yield. Results showed that application of 15 t/ha manure and five t/ha vermicompost can caused higher soybean grain yield in Yasouj.