Plant Production Technology
Year:2012 | Volume:11 | Issue:2|Papers Count:7

The use of natural compounds due to their antifungal, antibacterial and antioxidant properties is proceeding in control of postharvest wastes especially postharvest decay. In this study Clove and Rosemary extracts were prepared using ethanol extraction and the essences were extracted with Clevenger apparatus. The effect of extracts on B. cinerea as pathogenic fungi was investigated by poisoned food and the effect of essences by fumigation and also poisoned food (contact) method, using different concentrations from 0 to 600 ppm. The ethanol extract of both plants had no fungi static effect. Clove essence at concentration of 300 ppm in poisoned food method and at 450 and 600 ppm in fumigation method stopped the fungus growth showing fungicide properties.300, 450 and 600 ppm of rosemary essence in fumigation method, stopped the fungus mycelia growth showing fungi static properties. In the same concentrations, essence compared to ethanol extract, fumigation method to poisoned food method and clove to rosemary, showed greater antifungal effects.

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of some environmental factors on dispersal and density of five dominant grass weeds including ofAvena ludoviciana, Avena fatua, Phalaris minor, Lolium rigidum, Secale cereal in irrigated wheat fields of Iran. Altitude, annual mean of soil temperature, rainfall and evaporation were got from topography and climatic maps, was used as environmental factors in this experiment. Also, abundance percentage of mentioned weeds was determined in different kinds of climate (based on cilianinov method) and 10 types of soil in Iran. According to the results, among studied environmental factors, altitude and annual mean of soil temperature on density of Phalaris minor, altitude and annual mean of soil temperature and rainfall on density of Lolium rigidum and Avena fatua, annual mean of soil temperature, rainfall and evaporation on density of Avena ludoviciana and annual mean of soil temperature on density of Secale cereal had the highest effect. Study of these weeds dispersal in different climates showed that Avena fatua and Avena ludoviciana had the highest and lowest dispersal in different climates, respectively. Also, Avena ludoviciana and Lolium rigidum had the highest and lowest consistency in different soil types, respectively.

Atropa belladonnais one of the medicinal plants used in widespread in Iranian traditional medicine. The hydroponic, method was successfully used in Datura innoxia to increase the secondary metabolite production. In this study. Atropa belladonna plants were cultivated in hydroponic condition before being permeabilized with Tween 20. After 30 days the seedlings were transferred to hydroponics, solution containing different concentrations of Tween 20. High concentration of scopolamine (9.29 mg/1) and atropine (Tropane's alkaloid) were detected in the nutrient solution containing 7% of Tween 20 while the control solutions with no Tween 20 showed lowest levels of scopolamine and atropine. After having their roots rinsed, all the plants were able to survive. These results indicated that hydroponic solutions containing up to 7% of Tween 20 could facilitate release of secondary metabolites from the roots.

In this experiment, the effect of Thyme, Myrtle and savoury essential oils was evaluated on value of peroxidase enzyme activity in some fruits extractions. Peroxidase enzyme activity using factorial test in randomized completely design with 3 factor including stage of applying antioxidants, source and concentrations of antioxidants. Four concentrations of 50, 75, 100, and 200 ml/100ml from each essential oil were applied. Extractions of Banana, Nectarine, Pear, Plum, Peach, Grape, Golden Delicious and Red Delicious apples fruits used as source of peroxidase enzyme. The antioxidant activity of essential oils was compared to that of ascorbic acid. One unit of enzyme activity is defined as a change in absorbance of 0.001 min-1 (units/min/gr).The results revealed that the antioxidant activity of each essential oil was different in the fruits (p<0.01). The highest percent antioxidant activity was obtained under applying high concentrations of savoury essential oils in most of fruits than thyme and myrtle essential oils. This result can cause presence of carvacrol in savoury essential oils that have high antioxidant activity.

This experiment was conducted to study the effect of effective organism (EM) application on efficacy of chemical and organic fertilizers in corn cultivation and their effects on yield as a factorial experiment on the base of complete randomized block design with four replications in research field of agricultural research center of Arak, Iran. Experimental factors were EM concentration included of three levels (0, 1: 20 and 1: 50) and type of fertilizer included of no application, fertilizer contain nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium (NPK: 300-135-100 kg/ha) and domestic manure (20 ton/ha). According to the results, the effect of type of fertilizer on all criteria and EM concentration on all of them except to length of maturity duration were significant. Interaction of fertilizer type and EM concentration was significant on plant height, leaf area index, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium percentage of shoot, seed protein percentage and yield of dry and wet provender. On the base of results, simultaneous application of EM and domestic manure caused to increase necessary elements uptake of plant. So, yield of dry and wet provender was increased due to improvement of plant growth conditions. Difference between domestic manure and NPK on the point of nutrient uptake and yield of provender was high and significant in no EM application, low in 1: 20 concentration of EM and non-significant in phosphor and potassium concentration and yield. According to the results, domestic manure efficacy was increased due to using effective microorganisms. So, in addition to yield increase, it caused to prevent chemical pollution due to using chemical fertilizer.

In the present study, some phenolic compounds of peel, total phenolics and antioxidant activity of peel and pulp of 13 native and imported apple cultivars growing in apple collection of Seed and Plant Improvement Research Institute (SPII) located in Kamal-Abad, Karaj, were studied. Different cultivars had significant variations regarding all measuredcompounds. Among the studied cultivars the peel of ‘Paeez-e Zard Mashhad’ had the highest content of chlorogenic acid and the peel of ‘Jeanne Hardy’ had the highest content of catechin, phloridzin and quercetin 3-galactoside. The highest content of cyanidin 3-galactoside found in the peel of ‘Idared’. The peel of ‘Delicious’ and the pulp of ‘Starkan Roj’ showed the highest content of total phenolics and antioxidant activity. The positive and significant relation was observed between total phenolics and antioxidant activity in peel (0.86**) and pulp (0.93**). Cluster analysis based on the antioxidant activity of the peel and pulp, classified the studied cultivars into 3 completely separate groups, with high, medium and low antioxidant activity. Interestingly, based on this grouping, 2 cultivars ‘Starkan Roj’ and ‘Shisheie-e Tabriz’, with having high content of antioxidant capacity were considered as very valuable cultivars regarding health benefits.

The cultivation of sunflower cultivar Armavirsky which has shown advantages under both rain fed and various irrigation system conditions in different areas, is also common in the Kurdestan province. In order to determine the sowing time and appropriate plant density of this cultivar in the region, the effects of three sowing times on 18th April, 29th April, and 9th May, and 6 density levels 10, 8, 7.1, 6.6, 5.7 and 4.7 plant/m2 respectively. The experiment was carried out as split plots in a randomized block design with three replicas. By analyzing the seed yield, oil percentage, number of seeds per cap, 1000-seed weight and the percentage of unfilled grains, it was found that with a delay in the sowing time the number and weight of seeds per cap, 1000 seed weight and seed yield decreased significantly but the percentage of unfilled grains increased. Although by decrease in plant density the traits related to the weight of grain per cap, 1000 seed weight, unfilled grains percentage and seed yield were increased, the number of grains per cap was decreased. Based on the findings of this experiment and in order to achieve the highest yield, the sowing time of 18th April and the plant density of 4.7 plants per square meter in the Ghorveh region of Kurdistan and other regions with similar ecological conditions are recommended.