Agricultural Sciences and Technology
Year:2007 | Volume:21 | Issue:2 (SPECIAL ISSUE IN HORTICULTURE SCIENCES)|Papers Count:14

Pepino vegetable crops, used for its edible fruits, has been identified as a potential crop for greenhouse and garden cultivation. In this research propagation procedures of pepino were investigated. A randomized complete design experiment with three treatments and five replication and twenty samples were conducted to examine seed germination and transplant production methods. Seed germination percentage was 4%, 56%and 28% in soil, peat and Petri dish respectively. In second experiment propagation and production of transplant was examined using a randomized complete design with four treatments and five replicate and twenty samples. Results showed that direct planting of seeds in Jiffy pot pots (peat moss) was the best which had significant difference at 1% probability level with three other treatments. In the third experiment, propagation by stem in a 3 factor factorial experiment (4*6*2) base on a complete randomized design was examined. The first factor was kind of media, the second one auxin concentration and the third one kind of stem (apical or medial).Stems in perlite and water significantly produce more root compare to sand and cocopeat.500 PPm concentration of auxin for 5 seconds and 100 ppm auxin for 1 hour treatment were better than hormone treatment for much longer time. There were significant interactions between hormone treatments and media and also between hormone treatments and type of stem at 1% level. The treatment of medial stems of shoots in water and perlite and application of 500PPm concentration of auxin for 5 seconds had the most roots. Generally Results of this research showes that Pepino is a vegetatively propagated plant.

Sweet lime (Citrus limetta) is one of the most sensitive species to salinity of soil and water, and under such conditions, drastic reduction of both vegetative and yield occurs. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different rootstocks namely: Sour orange (C. aurantium), Sweet lime (c.limetta), Mexican lime (C. aurantifolia), volkameriana (C. volkameriana) and Bakraii (c.reticulate C. limetta) and salinity on changes in nitrate, proline and soluble protein in sweet lime leaf and root of rootstocks in glasshouse, using a factorial experiment in randomized completely design with four replications. The four levels of salinity imposed were: 0, 20, 40 and 60 mole L1-NaCl. At the end of experiment, levels of nitrate, proline and protein in leaves and roots were determined. Levels of nitrate, proline and protein varied among rootstocks even in control plants (no salt). Control plants had high levels of nitrate and low levels of proline in leaves and roots. Salinity decreased levels of nitrate in leaves and increased it in roots of all rootstocks. Proline levels were increased in leaves and roots with increasing of salinity levels. Under salinity stress, soluble protein levels were increased in leaves of scion among rootstocks and roots of all rootstocks but decreased at high salinity levels. Generally concluded that volkamer lemon, and to some extent Bakraii, could induce salinity resistance in Sweet lime scion.

Cultivation of olive trees has been improved recently in Golestan province. Good productivity of the Koroneiki cultivar, placed it as a popular cultivar in this province. One of the major characteristics of this cultivar is precocity, low alternate bearing, resistance to Verticillium spp. and high oil productivity. This research has been conducted to select the best pollinizers for Koroneiki cultivar. The main aim was selection of the best pollinizers to be increased up the fruit set and consequently more improvement of the oil productivity. This research has been achieved in a randomized complete blocks design, including six treatments and four replications. During the experiment pollination was conducted by using different procedures of hand, open and self pollination cultivar. Index of self incompatibility (ISI) tested for five cultivars including of Koroneiki, Marry, Mission, Valanolia and Beledy.The male and hermaphrodite flowers (%) of Koroneiki were calculated. According to the results 90.6% out of total flowers of Koroneiki cv. Were hermaphrodite flowers, while 6.4% out of total were male flowers. Further results indicated, IC=0 for Beledy, IC=0.12 for Valanolia, IC=0.87 for Marry, IC=0.44 for Mission and IC=1.18 for Koroneiki. The result ofpollinizers evaluation showed final fruit set percentage (FF) of 10.82% for Koroneiki (self pollination), following 9.19% (FF) obtained via open pollination for Koroneiki. Results of fruit percentage following application of other pollen sources on Koroneiki were as follow; Marry=8.15% FF, Mission=4.07% FF, Valanolia=1.14% FF and Beledy=0% FE The effect of pollen sources on oil production of Koroneiki was ranged in a diverse arrangement. Open pollination produced an oil content of 41.12%. Following, Marry cv.39.8%, Mission 39.7%, Valanolia 37.4% and Koroneike 35.8%. However results of this research indicated that Koroneike was a self compatible cultivar that can culture it without Pollinizer. But if our purpose is oil production, open pollination is better.

An experiment was conducted in order to determine the effect of Paclobutrazol (PBZ) on several vegetative and reproductive trails, such as Relative water content (RWC) trunk cross sectional area (TCSA), fruit set and flower bud initiation. Four treatments were alTanged in randomized complete block design with five replications. Treatments were: T1=0, T2=0.25, T3=0.75, T4=1.25 grams soil application s paclobutrazol per tree.Results showed that: PBZ had no effecr-on RWC but reduced CUlTentseason growth and TCSA. In 2003 (second year after treatment) treatment 3 and 4 were delayed blooming time for 2& 3 days respectively. Despite of flower bud formation were not modify by treatments, initial fruit set and final fruit set were increased by PBZ. Although no changes were observed in leaf P & K content but N content were increased by PBZ treatments.

The utilisation of organic fertilizer is an effective method in organic culture of medicinal plants because of its useful role on improvement of soil properties, reduction of environmental problem and better plants growth. This study was conducted as a pot experiment to determine of the influence of different level of vermicompost (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25%), complete chemical fertilizer (NPK), vermi-wash and Fusin (spraying on morphological traits such as plant height, leaf area and leaf number per plants, internode length and node number per plant, fresh and dry herb yield, seed yield and essential oils content of the plant. The experiment was conducted in randomized complete block design with 9 treatments and 7 replications. The results showed that different levels of vermicompost had significant effects on morphological traits and yield of sweet basil. Using 20% vermicompost produced the highest fresh and dry herb yield. The highest essential oils content was resulted of 15% vermicompost which showed significant difference when compared with untreated control. Plants treated with 25% vermicomposting produced highest seed weight (2.312 g/ plant) that was significantly different with all other treatments. In conclusion, 15% vermicompost was the best treatment for yiehid and essential oils production and the best seed yield need to more vermicompost treatment near 25%.

The viability, pollen source, pollen tube growth and fertilization were considered in pistachio fruit production. Dropped ovaries were produced via unpollinated flowers, pollination with incompatible pollen or degeneration after zygote formation. Abscission or blankness also may affected by time of pollination or flower age. In order to study the state of germination and tube growth of 4 overlap male genotypes pistachio that were crossed with two female pistachio cultivars at different time, Finally fruit set were studied. The results of this experiment were conducted by RCBD design.Highest percent of pollen germination in lab condition was belong to pollens of R28 and N16 (85 and 81%), R27 (72%) and N2 (69%).Maximum number of germinated pollen grains were seen in Kalleghoochis flower pistils in the first and second days of anthesis when pollinated with R27 (42 and 40 no). From interaction effects of all factors on number of pollen tubes number in nucellus cleared that "Kalleghoochis" flowers which pollinated in third day of anthesis with R28 pollens after 48 hours, had the highest number of pollen tube in nucellus (1/4 no). Maximum number of pollen tube in flower's nucellus of "Ahmadaghaii" were obtained in the second time of anthesis with R27 pollens and study after 48 hours (1/3 no).The highest rate of fruit set determined with pollination in third days of anthesis in both of varieties.

In order to study effect of amount of irrigation and nutrition on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of six ornamental sunflower cultivars a factorial experiment based on a RCD with 5 replications was conducted in the growing season of 2006 in Mashhad. The factors under study were 2 levels of irrigation (350CC and 700CC with 48h intervals), 2 levels of nutrition (control and with nutrition) and six ornamental sunflower cultivars. Traits such as: time of blossom appearance and flowering, number of tongue flower in the head, length and diameter of tongue flowers, flower viability on plant, number and diameter of flower heads were recorded. Results showed that cultivars and interaction effect of irrigation levels and cultivar were significant for an characters under study. Effect of irrigation treatment on time of blossom appearance and flowering, diameter of tongue flowers, number and diameter of head was significant at P<0.01. Nutrition affect diameter of tongue flower, viability of flower on plant number and diameter of flower head at p<0.01 and time of blossom and length of tongue flower at p<0.05. Interaction between nutrition and cultivars was significant for time of blossom and flowering (P<0.05), number of tongue on the head, diameter of tongue flower, viability of flower on plant and diameter of flower head (P<0.01). Also Interaction between irrigation levels and nutrition was significant for time of blossom appearance, diameter of head flower (p<0.01), diameter of tongue flower (p<.0.05). Triple interaction effects on some quantitative traits was significant (p<0.01). In general, the results showed, desirability of "Pro-Cut Lemon" and "Zarrin" cultivars as ornamental flower, positive effects of 700ml irrigation in 48h intervals and nutrition on the major quantitative and qualitative characters of ornamental sunflower.

One of the main obstacles in vegetative propagation of plants is hard root formation. A. rhizogenes mediated transformation dissolved the problem and could be used as an alternative root induction method. In this research, we used two strains of A. rhizogenes (A4 and GMI9534) for root induction and transformed root production of three stem type (current season growth, 1-2 years old and 5-6 years old stem) in some horticultural crops. This study was conducted in two factorial experiments in randomized complete block design. In first experiment (in vitro) we inoculated shoots of Berberis vulgar var. asperma and sterile seedling of Lavandula spica. In second experiment (In vivo) we inoculated stem cutting (Berberis vulgar var. asperma, Ficus benjamine) and air layered stem of Berberis vulgar var. asperma, Ficus benjamine, Rosa spp, Rosmarinus officinal is with A. rhizogenes for root induction. Results showed that GMI9534 increased root induction of sterile seedling of Lavandula spica significantly (p<0.01) in comparison with A4 and control. Hardwood stem (1-2 years old) of Rosmarinus officinal is that inoculated with GMI9534 significantly (p<0.05) produced more root than A4 and control treatment. Root induction of inoculated stem cutting and layerage (1- 2 years old) in Ficus benjamine and Rosa spp with GMI9534 was significantly (p<0.01) higher than A4 and control. PCR analysis of DNA extracted from transformed root, confirmed that rolC gene has been transferred to adventitious roots by A. rhizogenes.

a-This experiment was conducted for investigation on yield of different potato varieties in different plantation densities. A split-plot design with completely randomized design (CRD) as basal design was used. The potato varieties including Agria, Picaso, Diamant, Casmos, Marfona and Hertha.Meanwhile different plantation densities were at density of 4.4 plant per m2 with 75x30 distance between each row and plant, density of 5.3 plant per m2 with 75*25 distance between each row and plant and density of 6.6 plant per m2 with 75x20 distance between each row and plant which respectively put in principal and secondary (inferior, subordinate) plots. Obtained result from 4 harvest stages and final harvest showed that densities and used varieties in each of these 4 harvest stages had significant effect on the length of stolon, wet weight of tubers, amount of tubers, dry weight of tubers, dry weight of airy organs, dry weight of leaves, plant height, amount of principal stems, amount of stolons and the total yield (P<0.01).But plant density and variety had not significant effect on tubers volume (P<0.05). Variety of Picaso in total yield with 43.850 ton per hectare and wet weight of tubers 104.583gr had the highest yield (P<0.05) among total varieties. Density of 25cm for plant (37.046 ton per hectare) and volume of tubers (666.20cc) showed the highest effect between other different densities (P<0.01). Also by increasing of density plant, it was showed that quantity of produced tuber and volume of dry matter in each plant decreased. Results of this experiment showed that the highest yield in all varieties; would obtained when plant is in the maximum growth, but plant must not be picked before completing of these organs growth.

This research was conducted to investigate the distinction of early incompatibility, and to detect a polypeptide as a marker that would be associated with pear/quince compatibility/incompatibility.Bark samples were collected from 3 year-old pear scions grafted on QA and pear seedling rootstocks (PS). For determination of total soluble protein contents the Bradford assay was used. Profile protein of bark tissues of 4 pear scions, Pass a Crassana (PC), Beurre Hardy (BH), Dargazi (D) and Bartlett (BT), were determined by using SDS-PAGE. The result showed that, the scions grafted on QA had greater total protein content than those on PS rootstock. The highest protein content was determined in BH/QA combination. However, no linear correlation was detected between total protein content and graft compatibility. In SDS-PAGE, the protein profiles of the scions were similar. However, a 63 KDa protein band determined in compatible pear scions (PC and BH) was faintly observed in an intermediate compatible scion CD), but was not detected in the incompatible scion (BT). In general the results indicated that this polypeptide could be used as a marker in determination of compatibility and the early distinction of incompatibility between pear cultivars on QA rootstock.