Iranian Plant Protection Research
Year:2024 | Volume:38 | Issue:1|Papers Count:8

IntroductionPomegranate carob moth with the scientific name Ectomyelois ceratoniae Zeller (Lep.: Pyralidae) is a key pest of pomegranate and causes an economic damage to the quantity and quality of pomegranate fruits. According to the reports, from 20 to 80% of the pomegranate fruits in the gardens and warehouses are attacked by the carob moth and suffer damage (Fotouhi et al., 2021). Various methods have been recommended to control the pomegranate carob moth (Shojaei & Esmaili, 1987), including chemical control, the use of optical traps, fabric nets, flag removal, repellent compounds such as processed kaolin at a 5% concentration applied every 20 days in four stages, the collection and destruction of infected fruits on trees and garden floors, the use of resistant cultivars, and the introduction of Trichogramma wasps. However, none of these methods have yet achieved a decisive reduction in the pest population. Considering the importance of organic pomegranate production, the necessity of further studies on non-chemical pest control methods, especially biological control using Trichogramma wasps, is emphasized (Fotouhi et al., 2021). Field observations indicate that the release of Trichogramma wasps is effective through various factors, including arthropods that prey on parasitized eggs on Trichocards. So far, only a handful of studies have examined the effect of predators on the emergence rate of Trichogramma wasps on Trichocards during the release stage. For example, Al Rouechdi, and Voegele (1981) reported that after installing trichocards on plants due to the phenomenon of predation, a considerable number of wasps were destroyed before hatching and emergence of adult wasps. Also, Bento et al. (1998) and Bento (1999) announced the reduction of Trichogramma wasps (T. cacoeciae) efficiency due to the activity of predators. According to Gomes et al. (1998), ants are one of the important predators of parasitized eggs of cereal willow and thus reduce the efficiency of biological control. Suh et al. (2000) also announced the low efficiency of Trichogramma species (T. exiguum) in controlling cotton pests due to the activity of ants on parasitized eggs during the release of Trichogramma. Perira et al. (2004) evaluated the destructive effects of predators on the Trichogramma wasps (T. cacoeciae) biocontrol agent of olive willow in Portugal and reported that more than 99% of the predators of released parasite eggs are ants. Kerguntiol et al. (2013) in a research in Uruguay on reducing the destructive effect of predators on the emergence rate of Trichogramma wasps from Trichocards, considered two species of ants responsible for the destruction of parasitized eggs and with changes in the packaging of release units to somewhat reduced the effect of ants.Despite the destructive role of predators in release stage of Trichoramma wasps for controlling plant pests, so far, no research has been done in Iran on the identification of the predators of parasitized eggs on trichocards and the extent of their influence during the release stage of Trichogramma wasps for the biological control of carob moth (Ectomyelois ceratoniae Zeller). The present research aims to identify different groups of predators of parasitized eggs and estimate the effect of predators on the loss rate of Trichogramma wasps during the release phase in pomegranate orchards.Material and MethodsA research was conducted in a pomegranate orchard with an area of two hectares located in the village of Hoz Sarkh, in the central district of Torbat-e- Heydarieh, in Razavi Khorasan province of Iran, in 2019. This research was conducted in the form of a factorial two-factor experiment, each factor at two levels in a completely randomized basis with 5 replications. Results and Discution In this study, a total of six species of ants namely Pheidole pallidula  (Nylander, 1849), Crematogaster subdentata Mayr, 1877, Tapinoma erraticum (Latreille, 1798), Lepisiota frauenfeldi (Mayr, 1855), and Camponotus sanctus Forel, 1904 from three subfamilies of family Formicidae including Formicinae, Dolichoderinae, Myrmicinae, one species of Dermaptera (Forficula auricularia L.), a species of Hemiptera (Geocoris sp.) as well as a few specimens of a spider were collected and identified from the surveyed trichocards. Also, the results of this study showed that ants and other predators destroy a significant number of the parasitized eggs on trichocards and this cause a significant decrease in the efficiency of this egg parasitoid. The mortality rate of aprasitized eggs on trichocards embedded with grease was significantly lower than those tichocards without grease. Furthemore, the height of the installation of trichocards also showed a significant effect on the loss rate of Trichogramma wasps. In addition, the height of installation of trichocards also showed a significant effect on the loss rate of Trichogramma wasps. So that at high height in both the grease and non-grease treatments at different times, the loss rate of Trichogramma wasps was lower.Conclusion In conclusion, according to the results of this research, in order to protect the trichocards from ants' attacks and reduce the damage caused by them, it is necessary to pay attention to the release plan of Trichogramma wasps in such a way that the maximum number of wasps emerge in less than 24 hours of the initial installation of the trichocards. Moreover, trichocards should be installed at higher height (150 centimetrs above the ground level) by using a wire coated with a sticky substance such as grease.

IntroductionScab disease of apple caused by Venturia inaequalis is one of the most important diseases of apple in the world and Iran. Especially in areas with wet and cold weather its damage reach more than 70%. Apple scab results in symptoms on most upper plant parts, notably leaves and fruit.  Petioles, flowers, sepals, pedicels, young shoots, and bud scales can also become infected. Apple scab infections are initiated in early spring on emerging and young leaves. The Mills table relates leaf wetness duration and temperature to determine the likelihood that conidial infection will occur. For example, at an average temperature of 18°C (65°F), light infection will result if leaves remain wet for 9 h. Lesions can produce conidia after 9 days if the temperature averages 18°C (65°F), but not until 17 days if the temperatures are lower, averaging only 8°C (49°F).Materials and MethodsThe experiment was conducted in apple orchards located in Yasuj, Bojnourd and Karaj which had a history of apple scab. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 8 treatments and 4 replications. The control treatments included plots without any spraying and plots sprayed with water. The remaining treatments involved the application of specific treatments at three different stages. The first spraying was done at swelling of leaf buds time, the second spraying after fall leaves, and the third spraying 14 days after the second spray. 30 days after observing the first symptoms of the disease in the controls, samples were taken from the leaves and fruits to evaluate the percentage of the disease density and severity of the disease. The data obtained for disease incidence and severity were analyzed using statistical software, such as SAS, and the means of these traits were compared using Duncan's multiple range test at a significance level of one percent. This test helps determine significant differences between the treatment means.Results and DiscutionThe analysis of variance conducted on the data obtained from the evaluation of treated trees revealed a statistically significant effect of the treatments on reducing the percentage of disease severity and disease incidence. Result showed that, there are significant differences between treatments and controls in all three provinces (P = 5%). Mean comparisons of the treatments showed that, all fungicides caused a significant decrease in the severity and incidence of disease infection percent compared to controls. The results of three provinces showed that new fungicide Luna Sensation 500® SC 0.4 and 0.6 ml L-1 and Flint® 50% WG 0.2 ml L-1 during three times spraying is very effective on controlling of apple scab. In Kohghiloyeh and Boyerahmad, 0.4 and 0.6 ml L-1 of Luna Sensation had the best efficiency compared to other treatments. The severity of disease was lower than control about 96 percent in leaves and 98 percent in fruits. Also, incidence of disease in fruit and leaf of these treatments were lower than the other treatments. In North Khorasan province Flint 0.2 ml L-1 and Luna Sensation 0.4 compared to other treatments was more effective in controlling the disease severity and approximately 75 percent compared to controls reduced disease severity on fruits. Also on leaves Luna Sensation 0.4 were effective approximately 80 percent. In terms of disease control on fruit, there were no significant differences between all fungicide treatments except benomyl. Disease incidence on the leaves treated with all three concentrations of Luna Sensation and 0.2 ml L-1 Flint was lower than other treatments. In Alborze province, Luna Sensation 0.4 and 0.6 ml L-1 and Flint 0.2 ml L-1 had the best efficacy and nearly 100 percent decrease severity and incidence of disease in leaves in compared with controls. The results of three provinces showed that new fungicide Luna Sensation 500® SC 0.4 and 0.6 ml L-1 and Flint® 50% WG 0.2 ml L-1 during three times spraying is very effective on controlling of apple scab. Also, the results showed that Luna Sensation fungicide can control apple scab disease on Golden Delicious and Red Delicious and The type of cultivar has no effect on the efficacy of the fungicide. Results show that Luna Sensation 500® SC 0.4 is an effective fungicide to control apple scab and can be used in apple orchards as a part of integrated pest management program. The management of apple scab disease in the world usually requires multiple sprayings, from the greening stage of the branches to harvest. Since V. inaequalis has a high risk of developing resistance to fungicides, the alternating use of effective fungicides from different groups and with different mechanisms of action or the use of fungicides with multiple mechanisms of action in disease management programs are necessary to prevent resistance. The new fungicide Lunasenish® SC 500, which is composed of 21.4% trifloxystrobin, 21.4% flupiram and 57.2% related substances, is a systemic fungicide with a wide range of effects.

Introduction[1]Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are among the most important soil-borne pathogens that cause serious economic damage to orchards and agricultural products. Over 2000 plant species are attacked by root-knot nematodes. Root-Knot Nematodes limit the absorption of water and nutrients, and create favorable conditions for infection by root-pathogenic microorganisms in many crops, resulting in the formation of giant cells. Due to their high reproductive rate, RKN management is challenging. Meloidogyne species can be controlled using various methods, including agricultural practices, resistant cultivars, and chemical nematicides, which are easier and more effective to use. The use of chemical nematicides has decreased due to health and environmental concerns. The agricultural community needs new and alternative management strategies, especially those that are environmentally acceptable. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of several combinations of chicken manure, liquid chicken manure, vermicompost, vermiwash, cabbage and broccoli waste in the management of root-knot nematodes in kiwi orchards. Materials and MethodsInspection and sampling were carried out in kiwi orchards in the western province of Guilan (Talesh and Astara) to determine the infected orchards for planned treatments. The nematode species were identified by using morphological characteristics of perineal pattern, and second-stage juveniles. Three orchards located in Asalem, Lisar, and Lavandevil were selected based on their high similarity in terms of contamination level and other characteristics such as tree age, row distance, irrigation, slope, and soil type. Nine treatments were applied using a complete randomized block design for three months. The treatments consisted of 40 tons of chicken manure, vermicompost, and cabbage waste per hectare, planting of broccoli, vermiwash, and liquid chicken manure (one liter per tree). Ragbi was also used as a nematicide at a rate of 10 g/m3 alongside other treatments. For the application of chicken manure, vermicompost, and cabbage waste, the area of the plant's nutrient root expansion was first determined. Then, the desired amount of treatments was mixed with the soil at a depth of 3 to 30 centimeters. After preparing the designated plots, broccoli seedlings were planted around the damaged trees. Results and DiscussionBased on the morphological and histological characteristics, the studied species was identified as M. incognita. The results showed that all treatments had a significant difference compared to the control and were able to reduce nematode infection indices. The best treatment in nematode control was chicken manure which decreased the number of galls, the number of egg masses, the number of larvae and eggs per gram of root, the number of second stage juveniles per hundred grams of soil and the reproduction factor by 86.7%, 76.7%, 89.8%, 90.3% and 91%, respectively, compared to the control. The results revealed that vermicompost was the least effective treatment which reduced the number of galls and egg masses per root system, the number of larvae and eggs per gram of root, the number of second stage juveniles per hundred grams of soil, and the reproduction factor by 78.8%, 36%, 65.4%, 64.7% and 65.1%, respectively, compared to the control. The results suggest that the use of organic amendments as an alternative to chemical nematicides can be effective in reducing nematode populations in kiwi orchards. In addition, the use of organic amendments may improve soil fertility and plant growth, which can have a positive impact on overall crop yield and quality. ConclusionBased on the findings of this study, all treatments were successful in reducing nematode indices. However, comparisons of the treatments showed that chicken manure had the most significant effect in reducing the indices compared to other treatments. Following chicken manure, vermiwash and liquid chicken manure treatments were the next most effective. Additionally, all treatments successfully increased production. These results may be attributed to effective nematode control and improved plant nutrition. Application of chicken manure, vermicompost, and vegetable waste as organic amendments have been reported to have positive effects on soil health and plant growth, as they improve soil fertility and increase the population of beneficial soil microorganisms. In this study, these organic amendments were effective in reducing nematode infection indicators, such as the number of galls, egg masses, and larvae per gram of root, as well as the reproduction factor. It's important to conduct further research to confirm the effectiveness of these treatments in different environmental conditions and on different crops. It's also important to consider the potential for nutrient leaching and other environmental impacts associated with the use of organic amendments.

Introduction[1]The pathogenic fungus, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. carthami (FOC) is one of the main causal agent of safflower damping-off in Iran and worldwide. Climate change and extending of safflower farming area, specifically in rainfed systems have caused considerable crop loss in recent years. This pathogen can cause damping-off in any growth stage. Materials and MethodsThe pathogen FOC was isolated from infected plants, purified by single sporing, identified to species level, followed by the pathogenicity test in the lab condition on the Petri plates containing SNA media using Soffeh, a cultivar of safflower. A high pathogenic isolate of FOC was selected for further investigation for disease resistance evaluation test in greenhouse condition. Resistance level of 16 safflower genotypes was determined using inoculum layer test method in which infestation of sterile soil was implemented using fungal mycelial mat cultured on agar disk. Each genotypes comprised of six replications. Three pots inoculated and three un-inoculated as the mock. 45 days later, the plants uprooted and washed. Since disease scoring might vary a lot in replications, three more traits including plant height, aboveground biomass weight and root weight were recorded in inoculated and un-inoculated pots and then compared with each other. In addition, disease severity (DS) using a 0-5 scale were recorded for each plant. Reduction percent of plant height (PHR), root weight reduction percent (RWR) and biomass reduction percent weight (PBR) were calculated using data obtained from inoculated and un-inoculated pots and subjected to statistical analysis using R programming software. Since dwarfing of the inoculated plants was an important symptom in the field and greenhouse, a disease index (DI) was identified by multiplication of PHR and DS for each genotype. All the traits were subjected to analysis of variance and comparison of means by least significant difference (LSD) method. Correlation test was conducted between all the traits to find if there is any statistically significant correlation between them. Reaction of genotypes to the disease was shown by a partitional cluster plot using k-means algorithm.Results and DiscussionDifferent Fusarium species were isolated from infected root and crown of safflower. Fusarium spp. and Macrophomina phaseolina were the top two main agents of damping-off isolated from safflower farms in Karaj and Zabol. Three different pathogenic Fusarium species including F. oxysporum, F. solani and F. verticillioides were isolated out of 30 infected samples. G186 as a very aggressive isolate of FOC was selected in order to screen the genotypes in the greenhouse. Analysis of variance of the traits which measured in greenhouse showed that all of them are statistically different at 1% level. Least square difference (LSD) multiple comparison of the RWR trait showed that the cultivar Goldasht has the lowest decrease in root weight compared to the control. This cultivar had the lowest decrease in PBR and PHR traits among the genotypes as well. Comparing DI of 16 genotypes indicated that Goldasht had the lowest index followed by L160 and L136. Therefore, they can be considered the most tolerant ones to FOC. The Pearson correlation test suggested a statistically significant difference between the traits RWR and PBR. PHR had a stronger correlation with PBR, as well. Partitional clustering revealed 4 different clusters in which resistant genotypes including Goldasht, L160 and L136 grouped in the same cluster while the susceptible ones including Padideh, Ghazzaghi, L72 and L111 grouped together in another cluster.ConclusionFusarium oxysporum was frequently isolated in Karaj and Zabol fields and is expected to be a major pathogen of safflower in other safflower growing areas that needs to be verified by collecting more samples. The inoculum layer test method of inoculation seems to be an effective method to cause disease symptoms on safflower genotypes. However, there should be more tests on safflower-Fusarium interaction using different Fusarium species., i.e. F. solani and F. verticillioides to find more sources of resistance using different methods of inoculations. Most of the worldwide researches on pathobreeding of safflower to Fusarium are conducting using FOC isolates. Isolation of F. verticillioides frequently in this research might indicate that this species can be an important threat to this crop in the coming years. This species is known to cause crop loss mainly in aboveground parts of corn and sorghum farms but now it is frequently observed in safflower fields. Application of machine learning techniques to cluster different genotypes based on their reaction to the disease might be regarded as a useful method to find reaction of each genotype to the disease more accurately.

Introduction[1]Avena ludoviciana L., also known as wild oat, is the predominant grass weed in Iranian agricultural systems. In Iran, the most prevalent approach for managing wild oats is the use of herbicides. Sethoxydim is a herbicide that is specifically designed to be applied after the emergence of weeds and is absorbed by the leaves. It belongs to a series of herbicides called aryloxy phenoxy propionates (AOPP). Sethoxydim has been approved for use on a wide range of broad-leaved crops. Currently, the chlorophyll fluorescence approach is employed as a precise and cost-efficient method in herbicide research. The chlorophyll fluorescence method is a non-destructive technique that is highly sensitive, fast, and easy to detect. It provides crucial information on the photosynthetic mechanism, allowing researchers to promptly assess herbicide efficacy before visible symptoms manifest in plants. An essential aspect of this approach is to reduce the duration of the screening session. While evaluating the impacts of herbicides with non-photosynthetic mode of action may take longer than evaluating herbicides that limit photosynthesis, it still requires significantly less time compared to the previous method. Hence, this study was conducted to examine the variations in the Katsky curve and establish the correlation between the curve parameters and dry weight. The objective was to assess the impact of utilizing vegetable oils on the efficacy of setoxydim in controlling wild oats, while also evaluating the feasibility of employing this approach. Materials and Methods In order to overcome the dormancy of wild oat seeds prior to conducting the experiment, the outer covering of the caryopsis fruits was removed and the seeds were then placed on a single layer of Whatman no. 1 filter paper in 11 cm diameter Petri dishes. Each Petri plate was supplemented with 10 ml of a potassium nitrate (KNO3) solution with a concentration of 2 grams per liter. An experiment was conducted in 2012 at the Research Greenhouse of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad to discover the early effects of vegetable oils on the efficiency of sethoxydim in controlling wild oat. The Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were assessed using the PEA Plus instrument at 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 days after applying the sethoxydim herbicide, both with and without vegetable oils. During the one-leaf stage, the seedlings were reduced to four seedlings per pot and a solution containing 3 grams per liter of N:P:K fertilizer (20:20:20) was given to each pot. The plants were subjected to treatment at the four-leaf stage using a mobile rail sprayer that was fitted with a standard blower nozzle (8004) with an output of 238 L ha-1 and a spray pressure of 200 kPa. The test treatments include of different concentrations of the herbicide cetoxydim, specifically 0, 22.5, 46.8, 93.75, 187.5, 281.25, and 375 g ha-1. These concentrations are applied at ten different levels. 1) Excluding vegetable oil and other types of vegetable oils: The following crops were replicated three times: 2) Turnip, 3) soybean, 4) cotton seed, 5) sunflower, 6) olive, 7) castor, 8) sesame, 9) corn, and 10) rapeseed. To make each vegetable oil, an emulsifier called Cytogate adjuvant was added at a concentration of 0.05%. Each sample of vegetable oils, which contained emulsifiers, was used in a volume of five percent (equivalent to five per thousand). After four weeks after administering the treatments, the above-ground sections of both control and treated plants were taken from the surface of the pots. The dry weight of plants was recorded and used to fit the dose response curves using the R software. Results and DiscussionInhibiting acetyl CoA carboxylase results in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which cause damage to the electron transport chain between PSII and PSI. The degradation mentioned here affects the chlorophyll fluorescence, perhaps enabling the measurement of herbicide effectiveness by assessing the maximal quantum efficiency of PSII. Chlorophyll fluorescence can serve as a useful tool for detecting the effectiveness of herbicides that have different modes of action, such as acetyl coenzyme-A carboxylase inhibitors, phenoxy compounds, and glyphosate. The overall results indicated a decrease in the values of Fv/Fm, Fvj, and area parameters across all treatments. The treatments were ranked in decreasing order of their diminishing effects intensity as follows: turnip > olive > soybean > corn > sunflower > canola > sesame > castor > cotton > sethoxydim without oil. These findings were in line with the alterations in dry weight caused by the application of vegetable oils. Based on the experiment's findings, the parameters Fv/Fm, Fvj, and Area can be utilized to evaluate and compare the growing effects of vegetable oils on the efficiency of sethoxydim in controlling wild oat. ConclusionChlorophyll fluorescence investigations can serve as a substitute for classical screening approaches, as supported by existing knowledge and experimental proof. This procedure is non-destructive, very sensitive, and rapid compared to standard screening methods. This research showed that the chlorophyll fluorescence approach requires less time compared to standard screening methods. The utilization of the chlorophyll fluorescence approach is likely to be enhanced in future herbicide bioassay investigations. Based on the correlation between dry weight and fluorescence characteristics, it is possible to utilize chlorophyll fluorescence to reduce the time required for analyzing the effectiveness of herbicides.

Introduction Seed germination is the first and most important stage of plant establishment and subsequent successful competition, which is affected by genetic and environmental factors. Temperature and soil water potential are the most important environmental factors. Knowledge of environmental factors controlling seed germination provides the possibility of predicting weed infestation. By obtaining information about the temperature and moisture requirements of weeds, it is possible to manage them successfully. In recent years, the weed of herb-robert has been raised as an invasive weed in rapeseed fields in Mazandaran and Golestan provinces. To investigate the relationship between temperature and germination rate, various cardinal models such as dent-like, segmented, and beta have been used. The purpose of this research is to determine cardinal temperatures in herb-Robert and investigate the role of temperature and drought stress on some of its germination characteristics. Materials and MethodsTo investigate the effect of temperature and drought stress on the germination of herb-Robert (Geranium robertianum L.) seeds, this study was conducted as a factorial experiment within a completely randomized design. The experiment included 8 levels of constant temperature (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 °C) and drought stress in 6 levels (-0.2, 4 -0.0, -0.6, -0.8, -1 MPa) with 4 replications. Germinated seeds were counted up to 14 days after germination. Then indicators such as percentage, germination rate and time to reach 50% germination were calculated. A dent-like regression model was used to determine the cardinal temperature. Results and DiscussionThe results showed that the constant temperature of 20°C has the highest percentage (98%) and germination rate (6.019) under non-stress conditions (zero water potential). Also, germination was stopped at temperatures of 35 and 40 °C. The three-parameters regression model had good accuracy to describe the trend of cumulative seed germination percentage of herb-Robert. The results also showed that with the increase of drought stress, the percentage and rate of germination decreased and at potentials higher than -0.8 MPa, germination stopped. At zero potential (non-stress conditions), the minimum, first optimum, second optimum and maximum temperatures were determined as 1.12, 18.83, 22.76 and 35.09 °C, respectively. With an increase from zero to water potential up to -0.8 MPa, minimum temperature from 1.12 to 4.96, optimal temperatures from 18.83 to 22.76 to 10.51 to 20.63 and maximum temperature from 35.09 changed to 34.48 °C. The results showed that, in each osmotic potential, with increasing temperature, the time to reach 50% germination decreased. On the other hand, with the increase in osmotic potential, this time increased, which indicates a decrease in germination speed. In general, the time to reach 50% germination from 0 to 0.4 MPa potentials started from 6 days and decreased to 3 days. While at higher potentials (-0.6 and -0.8 MPa) it varies in the range of 6 to 8 days. These results indicate that the germination ability of herb-Robert increases in the temperature range of 15 to 20 degrees Celsius at any water potential. Based on the results of this experiment, there was no germination at the osmotic potential of 1 MPa. In general, wild geranium is more tolerant to moderate drought stress (up to -0.6 MPa) in the temperature range of 17 to 22 degrees Celsius, and with increasing drought stress, at lower temperatures (10 to 20 degrees Celsius) its presence will be more. Conclusion Based on the results of this study, the highest percentage and rate of seed germination occurred at 20°C. There was no seed germination at temperatures of 35 and 40 °C and water potential of -1 MPa. With the increase of water potential, the minimum temperature increased, the optimal temperatures decreased and the maximum temperature decreased slightly. In general, due to the low minimum temperature, the probability of germination and outbreak of this weed will be higher in colder seasons.

Introduction[1] Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is one of the most important crops in Iran. The area under cultivation of this crop in Fars’s province is 421,000 hectares. Weeds are one of the most significant factors limiting crop production. They primarily decrease grain yield by competing with the crop for light, nutrients, water, and root space.  Weeds can cause a significant reduction in wheat yield, with an average by 23-35%. The most important weed species of wheat in Fars are including Lolium rigidum L., Bromus tectorum L., Mavla neglecta Wallr., Hirschfeldia incana L., Carthamus oxyacanthus M.B., Centaurea solstitialis L., Veronica persica L. The rigid ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) is one of the most troublesome weeds in winter wheat fields of Fars province. Lolium rigidum, has the capacity to produce 45,000 seeds m−2 in infested wheat fields. Its highly competitive nature for nutrients has been reported to cause a significant reduction in wheat yield. The application of herbicides is the most common method of weed control in wheat fields. Herbicides are registered for weed control in winter wheat fields included of Axial®, Topik®, Othello®, Atlantis®, Total®, Bromicide® MA, Geranestar® and Apiros®. There are a limited number of herbicides that is used in wheat. Therefore, it is necessary to register new herbicides in winter wheat. The objectives of this research were to optimize the dosage of FenoMetri in combination with a non-ionic surfactant, Tifis®, and to compare its efficacy with other pre-mixed herbicides (Bromicide® MA, Othello®, and Atlantis®). Materials and Methods In order to study the efficacy of herbicides for controlling weeds in wheat fields, an experiment was conducted at the Fars Province Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Darab, Iran, during 2021-2022. This experiment was carried out using a randomized complete block design with 14 treatments and 4 replications. The treatments included post emergence application of Bromicide MA® at 1.5 L ha–1 + Topik® at 1 L ha–1, Bromicide MA® at 1.5 L ha–1 +Puma-super® at 1 L ha–1, Granstar® at 20 g ha–1 +Topik® at 1 L ha–1, Atlantis® at 1.5 L ha–1, Othello® at 1.6 L ha–1, Tifis® at 300 g ha–1, FenoMetri  at 0.8, 1 and 1.2 L ha–1 with and without surfactant at 1 L ha–1, Sencor® 800 g ha–1 (400 g ha–1 in the 1- 3 leaf stage + 400 g ha–1 in the tillering stage of wheat and Control (hand weeding). Each plot was divided into two subplots. One subplot was treated with the herbicide applications, while the other subplot was left unsprayed to consider as a weedy check treatment for comparison purposes. Herbicide treatments were applied in tillering stage of wheat (Zadoks’ scale = 25) using a pressure backpack sprayer equipped with an 8002 flat fan nozzle tip, which delivered 350 L ha-1 at 2 bar spray pressure. Traits were recorded including weed density, weed biomass, plant height, grains per spike, number spikes, 1000 grains weigh, grain yield and biological yield. Weed density and dry weight were determined in random 0.50-m2 quadrates per plot. The grain yield and biological yield were recorded for a 3 m2 and 0.50 m2 from each plot, respectively. Weed control efficiency (WCE) representing the degree of reduction in the density or dry biomass of weeds due to herbicide treatment was determined using Equation 1. A and B are the density or dry biomass of weeds in the unsprayed and sprayed subplots, respectively (Somani, 1992). The changes in each trait of yield wheat (Yi), as mentioned above, were determined using Equation 2  Ys and Yu are the amount of each trait in the sprayed and unsprayed subplots (weedy check treatment), respectively. After checking data normality, the data were subjected to analysis of variance using SAS 9.2 software. To compare the means, the Fisher's Least Significant Difference (LSD) test was used at the 5% level of significance. Results and Discussion Weeds infestations included Lolium rigidum L., Convolvulus arvensis L., Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam and Carthamus oxyacanthus M.B. The highest and lowest density were observed for L. rigidum (56%) and C. oxyacanthus (5.1%), respectively. While, the highest and lowest weight were observed for L. rigidum (74%) and C. oxyacanthus (4%), respectively. The statistical analysis of the data on the weed density and biomass were revealed that applied herbicides significantly decreased both weed density and biomass. Additionally, the herbicide treatments led to a significant increase in the number of spikes per m², grains per spike, 1000 grains weight, grain yield, and biological yield. The Bromicide MA® had the best treatment for controlling the broad-leaved weed by 80 – 85%, On the other hand, Sencor had the best control for ryegrass (L. rigidum) by 80%. The application of FenoMetri at 1.2 L ha–1 with Surfactant® decreased the biomass of C. arvensis, C. oxyacanthus, M. officinalis, L. rigidum and total weed by 71, 63, 52, 48 and 73% respectively. It also increased grain and biological yields up to 20% and 22% as compared to the weedy check treatment. Additionally, the herbicides of Sencor® and Othello® showed the highest- grain yield after hand weeding, respectively. Conclusion The application of FenoMetri at 1.2 L ha–1 with surfactant effectively controlled the density of weed species by 45–71% and the dry biomass of weed species by 48–72%. It also increased grain and biological yields by up to 20% and 22%, respectively, compared to the weedy check treatment. However, the efficacy of FenoMetri herbicide in controlling weeds was lower compared to commonly used herbicides such as Othello®, Bromicide MA® + Topik®, and Bromicide MA® + Puma super®. Therefore, it is recommended to evaluate the FenoMetri herbicide with higher application rates.

IntroductionElymus repens (L.) Gould, is a perennial, three-carbon, rhizomatous and morphologically diverse weed, with highly competitive and allelopathic ability which is considered a problematic weed in many crop lands. Plant growth is done through seed or rhizome germination, but due to the reserves in the rhizomes of this plant, the growth of seedlings from rhizomes is faster than the seedlings from seeds. The rhizomes of this plant are the main factor of reproduction. The seeds of this plant germinate in autumn or spring. At the 3 to 4 leaf stage, the plant begins to shoot and produce a new rhizome. By the end of May, a new plant is formed. Each shoot can produce 2 to 3 new rhizomes, allowing each plant to produce up to 50 rhizomes in one season. The propagation of this plant is done when these organs are placed at a depth of 2.5 to 8 cm in the soil and the rhizomes that are placed on the surface of the soil produce a small number of stems. The ability of double reproduction of perennial weeds, including Agropyron repens, has made their management and control difficult, and their successful management is almost impossible without knowledge of their biology and how they grow and reproduce. Today, weed science researchers have come to the conclusion that in order to increase the effectiveness of weed control techniques, they must be aware of their strengths and weaknesses, so that they can avoid providing strong points to the plant and hitting the Weaknesses should prevail over it, and this issue is more important in the case of perennial weeds. Studies conducted on other species of rhizomatous weeds show that the emergence of a branch from a piece of rhizome strongly depends on the size of the rhizome and the depth of the rhizome burial. Normally, deep burial of short rhizome fragments is expected to reduce stem emergence. Apart from these two elements, external factors such as ambient temperature can also affect the growth of new branches from rhizomes. An increase in temperature has a significant effect on the deterioration of the rhizomes of perennial weeds, and the high temperature and the duration of exposure of the rhizomes to high temperatures are the main factors in reducing their population in the soil. Materials and Methods In order to investigate effect of duration, temperature storage and depth of burial of vegetative means of Agropyron repens L. on its survival and growth, two separate experiments were conducted in the weed science laboratory of Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources of Mohaghegh Ardabili University in 2021. In the first experiment, effect of duration and temperature storage on survival of vegetative means was carried out as factorially based on a completely randomized design with three replications. Treatments included length of rhizome (3, 6 and 12 cm), temperature storage (10, 20 and 40 oC) and duration storage (7, 14 and 30 days). In second experiment, effect of burial depth on survival of rhizomes was done factorially based on a completely randomized design with three replications. In this experiment, the treatments included the length of rhizomes (3, 6 and 12 cm) and their burial depth (5, 10 and 20 cm). Results and DiscussionResults showed that with increasing temperature and duration storage, number of new formed rhizomes and their survival reduced, so that no new rhizomes were produced when rhizomes of the plant were kept at 40 oC. Even 14 and 30 days of exposure of the rhizomes at 20 oC reduced production of new rhizomes by 50 and 95%, respectively, compared to 7 days. Results also showed that even rhizomes with 12 cm long could not survive at 40 oC for 7 days. At lower temperatures (10 and 20°C), the chances of survival and the strength of rhizomes increased as their size increased, resulting in the production of more and longer rhizomes. Additionally, at these lower storage temperatures, smaller rhizomes (3 cm) exhibited weaker growth ability, and the dry weight of seedlings obtained from them was significantly lower than that of seedlings obtained from larger rhizomes (12 cm).The results showed that to increase in burial depth, the number of Agropyron repens seedlings that appeared decreased. Conclusion The results of this experiment showed that by keeping the plant's rhizomes at high temperature and small size or by burying them, the chance of regrowth of the rhizomes is significantly reduced and it accelerates their deterioration. Therefore, any agricultural operation, including tillage in hot seasons or deep plowing, which causes the burial of the rhizomes of perennial weeds, can play an important role in their control.