AGROECOLOGY (بوم شناسی کشاورزی)
Year:2024 | Volume:16 | Issue:1|Papers Count:11

Introduction Intercropping reduces the application of chemical pesticides to control pests and weeds, reducing the environmental risks associated with chemical pesticide application (Himmelstein et al., 2017). Biochar is a soil amendment because of its potential to retain water and nutrients, prevent nitrogen leaching, increase soil fertility, and improve plant growth (Fang et al., 2018; Munoz et al., 2016). Other benefits of vermicompost are increased stability of soil resources, maintenance of production, reduction of environmental pollution, and increased soil biological activity too (Demir, 2019). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the quality of forage turnip (Brassica rapa var. rapa) leaves in different intercropping ratios of forage turnip and basil (Ocimum basilicum) using biochar as soil amendment and vermicompost.   Materials and Methods A biennial study was conducted on the quality performance of forage turnip (Brassica rapa var. Rapa) in the form of split-plot factorial in a randomized complete block design with three replications in the research farm of Islamic Azad University of Karaj in two years (2018-2019). The treatments of this study include: intercropping in four ratio (100% forage turnip (monoculture), 90% forage turnip + 10% basil, 80% forage turnip + 20% basil, 70% forage turnip + 30% basil), in main plots, and vermicompost in two levels (15, 18.5 ton.ha-1) and biochar in two levels (No consumption and 5 ton.ha-1) which was placed in subplots. The forage turnip cultivar was PacFB05. In this study, Photosynthetic pigments were measured by the Arnon  (1967) method, membrane permeability (Ferrat and Loval, 1999), relative moisture content (Bertin et al., 1996), soluble leaf sugars (Sheligl, 1986), catalase (Dazy et al., 2008) and soil respiration (Isermeyer, 1952). Using SAS software (Ver.9) for data analysis of a two-year experiment and analysis of means was done with Duncan’s test in significance at 5% probability level. Excel software was used to plot the graphs.   Results and Discussion The results of this study indicated that by increasing the ratio of basil in intercropping, the quality traits of forage turnip leaves increased. Consumption of biochar and application of vermicompost at the level of 18.5 ton.ha-1 increased the quality of forage turnip leaves. The highest chlorophyll a ((17.52 mg.g-1Fw), chlorophyll b (8.76 mg.g-1Fw) total chlorophyll (26.38 mg.g-1Fw), carotenoids (6.91 mg.g-1Fw), relative water content (59.54%), of soluble sugars (69.43%), catalase (0.018 micromole Fresh weight/min) were due to the interaction of (70% forage turnip + 30% basil) × vermicompost 18.5 ton ha-1 × application of biochar. The highest value of membrane stability index was related to 100% forage turnip × vermicompost 15 ton ha-1 (4.85 (mol.ml-1.s-1)). The highest amount of soil respiration is associated with the interaction of vermicompost 18.5 ton.ha-1 × 70% forage turnip + 30% basil with value of 0.28 (micromole.gsoil-1.hour-1)), interaction of biochar ×70% forage turnip + 30% basil (0.32 (micromole.gsoil-1.hour-1)), and interaction of vermicompost of 18.5 ton.ha-1 × biochar 0.31 (micromole. g soil-1.hour-1). Due to the potential of biochar (water and food retention and prevent of nitrogen leaching) it can increase the availability of water and nutrients for the plant, which leads to increased photosynthesis of the plant and thus the quality of forage turnip leaves (Akhtar et al., 2015; Hammer et al., 2015). Vermicompost increases soil organic matter and the uptake of zinc, copper, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen in soil. The presence of these elements in the soil and their absorption by the roots increases vegetative growth and leaf production in the plant, which causes the level of light absorption, photosynthetic level, the formation of hydrocarbons in the leaves, and the resulting growth also increases leaf quality (Theunissen et al., 2010).   Conclusion The results of this study indicated that the application of vermicompost ​​18.5 ton ha-1 and biochar increased forage turnip quality, which is due to the availability of water and nutrients for forage turnip. The best intercropping ratio was related to 70% forage turnip + 30% basil, which can be said to be due to the increase in the percentage of basil and the competition of plants for better use of intercropping components of growth sources such as light, water, and food.

Introduction Vetches are especially important due to their resistance to cold and water-deficient stresses, and due to the high amount of crude protein and detergent fibers, they have the same nutritional value as alfalfa and clover. Planting vetch can increase soil nitrogen due to the symbiosis of its root nodes with Rhizobium bacteria. No-tillage reserves more moisture in the soil than other tillage systems. No-tillage and reduced tillage significantly increase mycorrhizal fungi in soil compared to conventional tillage. Increased leaf area index (LAI) and dry matter in plants under reduced and no-tillage systems have been observed, too. Also, increases in chlorophyll concentration, decreases in canopy temperature, increases in plant height and improvements in forage quality in plants under a no-tillage system have been reported. This experiment evaluated the effects of different types of tillage on morpho-physiological traits related to yield and quality of vetch forage to protect the soil and select the best tillage system. Materials and Methods This experiment was carried out in Saral Rainfed Agricultural Research Station located 55 km north of Sanandaj county, Kurdistan province, in the west of Iran. The effects of reduce tillage (RT), no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) systems were evaluated on rainfed vetch in rotation with wheat during two years (2018-02019). Sowing date was 18 and 9th of October in the two experimental years respectively. All sampling of rhizobium nodules, relative leaf water content, leaf area index, chlorophyll and carotenoids, chlorophyll fluorescence, canopy temperature, enzymes, proline, hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, leaf soluble proteins and carbohydrates, leaf elements took place in early seed filling stage. The combined (2-year data) analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed using SAS software by the general linear model (GLM). The means value were compared using Duncan’s range test at P ≤ 0.05. Results and Discussion In this study, the yield of dry forage in reduced and no-tillage systems increased by 14 and 24%, respectively, compared to CT. A significant relationship (R = 0.75*) was obtained between the relative leaf water content and dry forage yield. According to the results, vetch in the no-tillage system had the highest percentage of colonization (30.16%), the number of fungal spores (179.8), and rhizobium nodes (12.16) on the roots. The high symbiosis of mycorrhizal fungi in RT and NT compared to CT was probably due to higher water uptake and higher RWC. In the present study, vetches under the NT system probably had higher chlorophyll a and b concentration due to more moisture and higher nitrogen and phosphorus in leaves. The results showed that the tillage treatments had significant effects on the activity of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which was directly related to the amount of plant moisture and antioxidant enzymes. The lowest activity of enzymes was in vetches under a no-tillage system.   Conclusion In this experiment, reduced and no-tillage systems increased yield compared to conventional tillage. Significant increases in relative leaf water content and canopy temperature difference were observed in different types of tillage. Chlorophyll content and carotenoids in plants grown in the conventional tillage were lower than in reduce and no-tillage systems. The percentage of colonization, sporulation of mycorrhizal fungi, and the number of rhizobium nodes were higher in no-tillage system. The levels of antioxidant enzymes, hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, and proline increased in CT compared to RT and NT. Types of tillage in rainfed conditions due to biological and structural changes in the soil cause positive morpho-physiological changes and forage quality in rainfed vetch seem to be effective in increasing yield and improving growth conditions.

Introduction Barley is the fourth most important cereal in the world and is considered one of the least expected crops that has adapted and distributed globally due to its resistance to salinity. The growing world's population has expanded the cultivated domain, which caused the utilization of extravagant chemical fertilizers in modern agricultural cropping systems. This approach has not been cost-effective and has caused severe environmental damages like contaminating the underground water and creating unusual salinity in the fields. Therefore, it seems to be essential to replace risky approaches with eco-friendlier methods. In addition, with increasing environmental stress as a result of climate warming, we need to understand better ways to reduce environmental stress for the sustainable production of barley. Mycorrhiza has been introduced as an essential portion of agricultural ecosystems because of its positive effect on the soil texture, growth, and productivity of almost all host plants. This trend is attributed to reduced chemical fertilizer demands. Mycorrhiza enhances the water relations under stress conditions, water and nutrient uptake by augmenting the hyphae network. In this study we aimed to investigate the role of mycorrhizal inoculation in alleviating the detrimental effects of salinity stress on barley. Our hypotheses were: (i) mycorrhizal inoculation can alleviate the detrimental effect of stress at low to medium levels but not at high levels of salinity, and (ii) there is an interaction effect of low levels of salinity and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis lead to higher the performance of barley. Materials and Methods In order to evaluate the effects of Funneliformis mosseae mycorrhiza on morphological, biochemical and yield of barley, one experiment was conducted in research farm of School of Agriculture, Shiraz University. Field experiment was a split-plot in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Factors included salinity levels (0.4, 4, 8 and 12 dS m-1) as the main factor and the mycorrhiza (with and without) was applied as sub factor.  Data were analyzed by using SAS 9.2 software and the means were separated using LSD test at 5% probability level. Results and Discussion The results of the experiment showed that salinity decreased yield and vegetation traits, including plant height, number of tillers per plant, number of spikes per plant, number of seeds per spike, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, and biological yield. All the measured traits in plants inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi were higher than the non-mycorrhizal plants. The inoculation of plants in most cases improved the effects of stress; i.e., inoculation under high salinity stress (12 dS m-1) increased SOD by 5.7%, CAT by 8.0%, K concentration by 30.8%, K/Na ratio by 131.1%, plant height by 8.1%, number of spikes per plant by 9.4%, number of grain per spike by 6.6%, 1000-grain weight by 4.2%, grain yield by 20.2%, and biological yield by 11.0% compared with non-inoculation plants. Also, Fayaz and Zahedi (2021) reported that mycorrhizal inoculation could promote the growth and salt tolerance of wheat cultivars by improving osmoregulation and antioxidant enzyme activity and reducing the Na+/K+ ratio. Conclusion In this experiment, inoculation treatment alleviated the high salinity stress (12 dS m-1) effects in most cases and raised the grain yield and K+/Na+ ratio up to 20.2 and 131.1%, respectively, compared with non-inoculation plants. The results from this experiment showed that Funneliformis mosseae fungi inoculation could promote the growth and salt tolerance of barley by improving antioxidant enzyme activity, and ion homeostasis. In summary, the use of Funneliformis mosseae could reduce salinity damages by improving the physiological and biochemical responses of barley. This study highlighted the potential role of Funneliformis mosseae inoculation, in particular with native strains, as an innovative and eco-friendly technology for a sustainable crop-growing system in arid and semi-arid areas.

Introduction      Food security is one of the most important concerns of human society. Given the importance of climate for the agricultural sector, achieving long-term climate forecasts in this area is essential. The advent of global climate (GCM) and regional models (RCM) has made it possible for researchers to study the impact of climate on agricultural products. Predicted climate change, especially the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide and temperature, as well as changes in the amount and patterns of rainfall, will have severe effects on agricultural production and food security, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Therefore, any change in the world climate, directly affects the production of agricultural products in different parts of the world and, consequently, the issue of food security in the world. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of climate change on yield and length of phenological stages of potato plant in tropical and subtropical regions of Kerman province. Materials and Methods      The study area in this research includes stations with a statistical period of 17 years (1989 to 2005), including Jiroft, Kahnooj, and Manojan. In this study, maximum and minimum temperature data, precipitation, average relative humidity, average wind speed, and sunny hours on a daily time scale were used for the exponential microscale. From the output of the CanESM2 general circulation model was used under the three scenarios rcp2.6, rcp4.5, and rcp8.5. The SDSM microscale model was used to exponentially scale the output of the general circulation model. In order to prepare field data for calibration and to determine the validity of the WOFOST model in potential conditions, data from research projects of Jiroft Agricultural Research Center during 2010-2011 were collected and used as a basic course. This information includes planting date, phenological stages from planting to emergence, emergence to flowering, and emergence to physiological maturity of the potato plant in the study areas.   Results and Discussion      The results of WOFOST model validation for phenological stages and potato yield provided acceptable estimates for both variables. The ability of the SDSM model to simulate meteorological parameters was confirmed, however, the model showed less accuracy in simulating precipitation. The simulated maximum and minimum temperatures for the next period (2011-2100) under RCP scenarios increased compared to the observation period in all three RCP scenarios. Precipitation has also will change in future periods in all three scenarios and show a declining trend. Combining the results of the CanESM2 climate model under RCP scenarios in three climate periods 2011-2041, 2041-2070 and 2071-2100 with the WOFOST growth simulation model showed that the length of different phenological stages and potato tuber yield under potential conditions will be reduced in the study areas. The stage of germination to the physiological maturation of the tubers, due to its longer duration, the greatest reduction in the length of the period occurred in this stage. The results of potato tuber yield simulation showed a decrease in yield in the study areas. According to the results, the highest reduction in performance was observed in the third period (2071-2100). The percentage of glandular function reduction was observed on average between 2 and 4.3%. In general, the results showed an increase in the average minimum and maximum temperatures of 0.37 to 0.9 degrees Celsius over the next three periods. The length of the phenological stages of the potato plant from emergence to physiological maturity has decreased in parallel with the increase in the mean minimum and maximum temperatures. The reduction in the length of the germination stage is between 0.2 to 1.9 days, the flowering stage is between 0.5 to 1.7 days, and the maturation stage to maturity is between 1.4 to 3.5 days. The greatest reduction during the phenological stages is related to the emergence stage to maturity of 3.5 days. Conclusion      In general, the results of this study indicate an increase in the negative effects of climate change on the potato plant in three stations of Jiroft, Kahnooj, and Manojan. As the temperature rises and the rainfall decreases, and naturally, the length of the growing season and the yield of potatoes decrease, the amount of damage in future climates will increase. Generally, for one degree Celsius increase in average annual temperature, tuber yield will decrease by 4.99%.

Introduction Agriculture plays an essential role in providing food, and in order to achieve sustainability in the agricultural sector, resources must be used in the best possible way. In order to achieve the maximum possible yield, it is necessary for the crop plant to use the environmental factors, water, nutrients, light, and carbon dioxide, with the maximum possible efficiency. The maximum use of the required factors for growth is achieved only when the plant community exerts maximum pressure on these factors. In general, intercropping is one of the ways to achieve sustainable agriculture, with higher yields without increasing agricultural inputs, absorption, and environmental factors productivity. Researchers for the intercropping of corn and mung bean have reported that the mixed cultivation systems used environmental resources more effectively compared to the sole cropping of corn and mung bean. For this reason, nowadays, many plants, especially legumes, are cultivated in an intercropping form due to their ability to fix nitrogen. Due to the lack of resources regarding the effect of planting direction on plant yield, this study was conducted in order to evaluate resources and soil nutrients by changing the planting direction and replacing the intercropping system of the sunflower with cowpea. Materials and Methods This research was conducted in the field of the Agricultural Research Station of Zabol University during 2015-2016. The experiment was performed as a split-plot based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the Research Farm of the Agricultural Research Institute of Zabol University.  The main factor was two levels of planting direction (North-South and East-West), and the secondary factor was intercropping system in five levels, including (100% pure sunflower), (100% pure cowpea ), (50% sunflower + 50% cowpea ) (25% cowpea  + 75% sunflower) and (75 % cowpea  + 25%sunflower) were considered. Data for studied traits were measured as follows: radiation, temperature, volumetric humidity, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and the land equality ratio.  Statistical analysis including, analysis of variance and mean comparisons (least significant difference (LSD) test at the 5% level), were applied to evaluated traits. Results and Discussion The maximum absorption of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) was in the east-west cultivation direction (77.90%) compared to the north-south treatment, which was 24.6% more than the north-south direction. The analysis of variance indicated that the cultivation direction and intercropping systems on the amount of phosphorus in the soil after harvest were significant at 1% probability level. The comparison of means treatments showed that the amount of phosphorus in the soil in the direction of east-west cultivation was 15% higher compared to the direction of north-south cultivation. The highest amount of soil potassium was obtained in the east-west treatment and the intercropping system of 50% sunflower plus 50% cowpea (24.7 ppm). The lowest amount of soil potassium (16.15 ppm) was obtained in the treatment of east-west cultivation and the intercropping system of 75% sunflower plus 25% cowpea. The relative advantage of intercropping is expressed by the land equivalent ratio. The increase in the ratio of equal land per unit shows the relative usefulness of intercropping compared to sole cropping of each of the mixed components. The comparison of means of the intercropping system showed that among the treatments, the mixture of 75% sunflower plus 25% cowpea had the highest land equivalent ratio (2.54). Conclusion It seems that in order to maintain humidity make maximum use of limited water resources, and obtain high yield, the intercropping system of 75% sunflower plus 25% cowpea and planting direction the prevailing wind of the region (east-west) should be suitable for this region and regions with similar climate and windy conditions. Acknowledgments We would like to thank the chairman and the respected staff of the Agricultural Research Institute of Zabul University, who sincerely accompanied us in the implementation of this thesis.

Introduction Salinity stress is an important abiotic stress threatening the production of cotton in arid and semi-arid regions of the country and the world, which can be reduced by the proper use of organic materials. Cotton is the most important fiber product, which is widely cultivated for agricultural and industrial purposes in temperate and hot regions of more than 15 countries of the world. Although cotton is known as a salinity-tolerant plant, not only is the resistance to salinity limited in this plant, but different stages of development also show different reactions to salinity. One of the effects of stress is disturbing the nutritional balance in the plant. Proper nutrition during times of stress can partially help the plant deal with various environmental stresses. In this regard, by using fertilizers containing micronutrient elements, firstly, plant yield increases, secondly, increasing the concentration of these elements in agricultural products plays an important role in improving the quality of food consumption. Using organic fertilizers, especially organic and animal manure such as humic acid, can improve the performance and performance components of different products under stress conditions.  Materials and Methods To study the effect of manure and humic acid on some of the physiological qualities of cotton under salt water salinity stress, an experiment was conducted as factorial split plots (factorial split plot) in which different levels of irrigation water salinity at three levels (2.5, 5.5 and 8.5 ds.m-1) as the main factor and two treatments of manure at two levels (0 and 20 t/h) and humic acid at two levels (0 and 200 gr/100 kg of seeds) as sub-factor in 4 replications in a farm located in Boshrouyeh city in 1398 years. The software SAS (V9.1) and Excel were used to analyze the data and draw the figures. Means were compared using the FLSD test at a 5% probability level. Results and Discussion Analysis of variance results showed that the simple effects of three experimental factors (salinity stress, manure, and humic acid) were significant on all studied traits (on the relative water content, Electrical conductivity and membrane stability, chlorophyll a and b contents, and proline content). With increasing salinity level, increased proline content (286.5%), membrane Electrical conductivity (4.2%) and carotenoids (88.79%) and decreased chlorophyll a (20.7 1 %) and b content (39.38%), relative water content (23.16%) and membrane stability (13.54%). The application of animal manure and humic acid increased the relative water content, membrane stability and chlorophyll content under stress conditions, which indicates the modifying effect of these fertilizers in reducing the adverse effects of salinity stress. The interaction effects were significant, too. Conclusion The results of this research showed that the use of water with high salinity, such as salinity of 8 ds.m-1, caused significant changes in the physiological traits of the plant, including relative leaf water content, membrane stability, membrane electrolyte leakage, chlorophylls, and proline. With increasing salinity levels, the amount of proline, membrane electrolyte leakage, and carotenoid increased, and the content of chlorophyll a and b, relative water content, and membrane stability decreased. The application of animal manure and humic acid increased the relative water content, membrane stability, and chlorophyll content under stress conditions, which indicates the moderating effect of these fertilizers in reducing the adverse effects of salinity stress. Considering the positive effects of using organic fertilizers in this experiment, it is recommended to test and investigate the use of humic acid during the growing season in addition to the use of animal manure before planting and the use of humic acid in bulk Thus, it is suggested to use humic acid and animal manure in cotton cultivation to adjust the salinity levels.

Introduction[1] Rice is a staple and valuable grain that is the main source of food for over 50 percent of the world's population after wheat (Lopez et al., 2019; Jabran and Chauhan, 2015). Rice production should increase by over 50 percent by 2050, which can be realized by improving its cultivars and applying sound agronomic management practices (Esfahani et al., 2005; Asadi et al., 2016). Nitrogen (N) is a key macroelement that is decisive for plants, but it is deficient in most farms. N fertilizer is applied chemically, organically, and biologically (Moslehi et al., 2015).  Materials and Methods This research was conducted as a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at two sites at the experimental farm of Islami Azad University of Lahijan (the village of Tustan) and Kateshal farm in 2018-2019. The study site (Lat. 36°55' N., Long. 45°20' E. (first location) and Lat. 37°21' N., Long. 50°18' E. (second location)) has a temperate and humid climate with a 10-year mean annual precipitation of 1150 mm (Guilan Meteorological Quarterly, 2020). Table 1 presents the meteorological data of the region during the experiment. Before the experiment, the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil at the study site were measured in the laboratory of the Water and Soil Department of Rice Research Center. The experimental factors included organic, chemical fertilizer, and control as the three levels of the first factor and urban waste compost, biochar, and Azolla, and control as the four levels of the second factor. Statistical analysis of data, data conversion, and drawing of graphs and charts were done using SAS 9.2 and Excel 2010 software. The averages obtained were statistically compared with each other using Tukey's test and at the probability level of 5%. Results and Discussion The simple effects of the chemical, organic, and organic nutritional systems were found to be significant (P < 0.01) on grain yield. Based on the comparison of data means for both research farms, the highest grain yield of, on average, 3699 kg/ha was obtained from the treatment of chemical fertilizer and biochar, and the lowest one of 2209 kg.ha-1 (40% lower than its maximum counterpart) from the control (unfertilized) treatment. Among the subplots, the biochar treatment was the most effective, and the control (unfertilized) was the least effective in this trait. The treatments that were fertilized with chemical N fertilizer produced more panicles per plant than the treatments that weren’t. Among the sub-plots, the highest number of panicles per plant was related to the biochar treatments under no-fertilization, ecological, and chemical conditions, and the lowest number to the control (unfertilized treatment). The plants treated chemically and ecologically in the presence of biochar were the tallest, growing to a height of 127 and 124 cm, respectively, whereas the lowest plant height was 108 cm, related to the control (unfertilized plants).   Conclusion The use of organic fertilizers alone or in combination with chemical fertilizers, in addition to improving the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of rice, has a positive effect on the sustainability of production and preservation of the environment. The results of this research showed that the application of nitrogen fertilizer and biochar, in addition to optimizing the application of fertilizer, increased the yield of rice. It was also found that the consumption of biochar caused an increase in traits related to grain yield. The role of biochar was evident in the significant change of the studied traits of Hashemi rice in the main treatments (control, ecological, and chemical). Therefore, it is recommended to use biochar along with chemical fertilizer in order to maintain yield, prevent biological pollution and increase soil and rice fertility. Acknowledgments The assistance of the esteemed personnel of the Islamic Azad University, Lahijan branch, who helped us in the implementation of this research, is gratefully acknowledged.

Introduction Maize (Zea mays L.) ranks first in terms of forage production among forage plants by producing about 490 million tons of fresh and silage forage in the world. Chemical fertilizers are used to increase crop yields and provide human food, but reduce soil organic matter content and, in the long run, pose a serious environmental risk, resulting in contamination of arable soils and surface and groundwater. Organic manures reduce the harmful effects of chemical fertilizers by producing humus and increasing the activity of the soil microbial community. Utilization of non-chemical resources such as farmyard manure in combination with chemical fertilizers can lead to soil fertility and increase yield and crop quality because combined fertilizer systems can provide most of the plant's nutritional needs by increasing the absorption efficiency of nutrients in crops. Considering the importance of organic manures and their combination with chemical fertilizers, this experiment was conducted in order to investigate the effects of different levels of poultry manure, chemical fertilizer, and their combination on yield, yield components, and maize forage quality. Materials and Methods The research was carried out in the research farm of Kurdistan University located in Dehgolan County, Kurdistan Province, Iran in the crop year 2017-2018. The experiment was performed in the form of randomized complete blocks with three replications. Experimental treatments included different levels of pelleted poultry manure in combination with chemical fertilizers: Figure 2. T1: no fertilizer (control), T2: 1250 kg of poultry manure + zero kg of recommended chemical fertilizer, T3: 1250 kg of poultry manure + 25% of the recommended chemical fertilizer, T4: 1250 kg of poultry manure + 50% recommended chemical fertilizer, T5: 2500 kg of poultry manure + zero kg of recommended chemical fertilizer, T6: 2500 kg of poultry manure + 25% of recommended chemical fertilizer, T7: 2500 kg of poultry manure + 50% Recommended chemical fertilizer, T8: 5000 kg of poultry manure + 0 kg of recommended chemical fertilizer, T9: 5000 kg of poultry manure + 25% of recommended chemical fertilizer, T10: 5000 kg of poultry manure + 50% of chemical fertilizer Recommended, T11: 100% recommended chemical fertilizer. In this experiment, traits such as plant height, 1000-seed weight, biological and grain yield, seed nitrogen, starch, oil contents and forage quality were measured. Results and Discussion The results of the analysis of variance showed that the plant height, grain yield, biological yield, grain nitrogen, starch and oil contents, and oil yield were affected by fertilizer treatments at a probability level of 1%. The index harvest of maize was significant at the level of 5% probability. The number of plants per square meter and 1000-seed weight were not affected by fertilizer treatment. The highest plant height (241.2 cm), number of ears per plant (1.2 ears), 1000-seed weight (26.99 g.m-2), seed yield (12.76 tons per hectare) and biological yield (26.42 tons per hectare) were observed in the treatment of 5000 kg of plated chicken manure + 50% of the recommended chemical fertilizer. The highest percentage of fodder silage protein (12.58%) and silage ash (10.32%) was observed in the treatment of 2500 kg of plated chicken manure + 50% of the recommended chemical fertilizer. The highest percentage of insoluble fibers in neutral detergent was observed in the T6 and T8 treatments, and the lowest percentage of insoluble fibers in neutral detergents was observed in the T10 treatment. The highest and lowest percentages of insoluble fibers in acidic detergent were in the T2, T4, and T3 treatments, respectively. According to the results of the present experiment, the combination of chemical fertilizer with different amounts of chicken manure has reduced the consumption of chemical fertilizers, and in addition to saving on the consumption of fertilizer and the resulting costs, the harmful effects on the environment have also been reduced, and the condition of the soil in terms of fertility in the long term, the percentage of soil organic matter will improve. Conclusion  The results of the experiment showed that combined fertilizer treatments were superior compared to pure chemical fertilizer and pure poultry manure treatments, improved the yield and yield components of maize and caused a reduction in chemical fertilizers consumption. Chemical fertilizer treatment provided acceptable yield only at high levels.

Introduction Seed aging reduces the quality and quantity of agricultural production by reducing quality, viability, and irreversible seed vigor over time. Researchers are increasingly interested in seed aging, which is a serious problem in agriculture. To reduce damages caused during aging, various pretreatment techniques have been studied, including chemical compounds, growth regulators, and antioxidants. Sowing seeds in low osmotic potential osmotic solution is one method of slowing seed aging by osmopriming them. To reduce the negative effects of seed aging, biostimulants such as seaweed extract are used. In order to investigate the effect of seaweed extract on the quantitative and qualitative yield of soybean, an experiment was conducted in the two years of 2018 and 2019 in the research farm of Shahrood University of Technology. Materials and Methods The experimental treatments involved the acceleration of aging in two groups: normal seeds and aged seeds. Additionally, seaweed extract was applied at four different levels: control, seed pre-treatment with a seaweed extract concentration of 0.3%, foliar spraying with a seaweed extract concentration of 0.3%, and a combination of seed pre-treatment and foliar spraying with a seaweed extract concentration of 0.3%. This was conducted as a factorial experiment, employing a randomized complete block design with three replications. A sample of DPX was collected from the Mazandaran Agricultural Research Center. A controlled storage room was used to maintain the seeds at a temperature of 14-17°C and relative humidity of 30-40%. The seeds were harvested the same year as the experiment. In order to apply accelerated aging, the seeds were kept for 72 hours at a temperature of 41°C and relative humidity of 95%. Foliar spraying was done at the beginning of flowering (R1). Results and Discussion  The results showed that accelerated aging decreased the mean daily emergence and germination index by 61.39 and 42.08% compared to the control. The pretreatment of soybean seeds made them more responsive to external stimuli and counteracted stress conditions before they emerged as seedlings. When the seeds were pretreated with seaweed extract, the mean daily emergence and seed germination index increased. The weight of one hundred seeds and the number of pods per plant decreased by 11.64 and 11.38% compared to the control. The combined application of seed pretreatment and foliar spraying in normal and aging conditions had the highest hundred seed weight and the number of pods per plant. In protein-rich crops, seaweed biostimulants can increase protein production. Pretreatment of normal and aged seeds with seaweed extract increased by 1.48 and 1.61 percent of seed protein. In order to improve soybean germination percentage, protein, and seed yield, ellagic acid and seaweed extract should be used individually or combined. Accelerated aging caused a 32.69% decrease in seed yield compared to normal conditions. The combined application of pre-treatment and foliar spraying of seaweed extract had the highest seed yield, which increased by 87.85% compared to the control. Seed aging likely caused a reduction of seed yield by reducing the mean daily emergence, leaf area index, and 100-seed weight. There are three main characteristics (mean daily seedling field emergence, the number of pods per plant, and 100-seed weight) that can explain 85.96% of seed yield variability based on the coefficient of explanation. An analysis of causal connections between seed yield and 100-seed weight showed that seed protein content directly affects seed yield. By increasing the number of pods per plant and the weight of 100 seed, soybean seeds yield may be enhanced by using seaweed extract. Conclusion With its powerful antioxidant properties and anti-aging properties, seaweed extract minimizes the effects of aging on aged seeds. Finally, within the scope of the research, it is possible to suggest the use of pre-treatment and foliar spraying with seaweed extract to increase seed yield and protein percentage in normal and aged soybean seeds.

Introduction The application of various inputs, such as pesticides and chemical fertilizers, has been one of the most significant factors negatively impacting the sustainability of agricultural systems. To accurately assess the value of agricultural ecosystem services, both the positive and negative aspects of agricultural systems must be taken into account. In the past three decades, the emergy analysis has been developed for assessing environmental policies and resource quality based on the dynamics of complex environmental and economic systems. Emergy analysis can be used to evaluate the sustainability of agriculture. By definition, emergy is the amount of direct or indirect solar energy required to produce a good or service. By converting all forms of energy, resources, and services into a single unit, the solar emjoule (sej), emergy analysis can assess the interdependence of economic, social, and environmental factors. The production of three important oil crops of Sistan, including rapeseed, safflower, and sesame, was investigated using emergy and economic analysis techniques to evaluate the ecological health and productivity of the use of inputs in the production of oil crops in Sistan. Materials and Methods This research was conducted at the level of Sistan's oil plant production systems in the Northern provinces of Sistan and Baluchistan. This research used questionnaires and face-to-face interviews with the owners of small ownership systems to determine the input consumption and performance of these systems. According to their service life, the annual input energy flow in the form of structural facilities, buildings, machinery, and materials used in the systems was calculated. The RUSLE model was used to assess water erosion. Inputs are divided into four categories to analyze production systems: renewable environmental resources (R), non-renewable environmental resources (N), purchased renewable resources (FR), and purchased non-renewable resources (FN). After calculating all input and output flows, the raw data for each of the production systems was multiplied by their unit emergy value in Joules, grams, or Rials, according to Iran's conditions. This study utilized transformity, the renewable emergy ratio (R%), the rmergy yield ratio (EYR), the rmergy investment ratio (EIR), the rnvironmental loading ratio (ELR), the emergy sustainability index (ESI), the emergy exchange ratio (EER), and the emergy index of product safety (EIPS). Results and Discussion The total supporting emergy for rapeseed, safflower, and sesame production systems was calculated to be 7.28E+16, 4.75E+16, and 3.55E+16 sej.ha-1.yr-1, respectively. In all three studied production systems, wind emergy was the largest source of free environmental input. In all three studied systems, environmental non-renewable inputs accounted for the largest portion of total emergy input, which was 83.42 percent for rapeseed, 80.11 percent for safflower, and 84.4 percent for sesame. The high proportion of nonrenewable inputs in this study for all three production systems demonstrated the vulnerability of Sistan's landscape cultivation systems as a result of the obvious lack of water, severe soil erosion, and contamination of agricultural lands. The total amount of purchased inputs for rapeseed, safflower, and sesame production systems was estimated to be 1.14E+16, 8.78E+15, and 5.40E+15 sej.ha-1.yr-1, respectively. Nitrogen and phosphorus chemical fertilizers comprised the largest proportion of purchased inputs in all three systems. The transformity for rapeseed, safflower, and sesame production systems, respectively, was 3.88E+06, 3.76E+06, and 2.48E+06 sej.J-1. The higher transformability of the rapeseed production system was due to the lower input utilization efficiency of this system compared to the safflower and sesame systems. The values of the saffron system's environmental sustainability indices (ESI and ESI*), renewable energy ratio (%R), environmental loading ratios (ELR and ELR*), and modified investment ratio (EIR*) indicate that this system is more sustainable. The lower health of rapeseed and sesame systems based on emergy indices was primarily due to the large proportion of input emergy related to organic matter losses and soil erosion, which are nonrenewable environmental resources. The economic analysis revealed that the sesame production system generated a higher profit-to-cost ratio and net profit than the safflower and rapeseed systems. Conclusion This study demonstrated that emphasizing practical solutions in the comprehensive management of production ecosystems, particularly through the protection of soil organic matter and the prevention of erosion, can significantly enhance their ecological health.

IntroductionMedicinal plants are one of the most valuable resources in Iran's wide range of natural resources, which can play an important role in society's health, job creation, and non-oil exports if they are scientifically recognized, cultivated, developed, and exploited properly. Iran is considered one of the world's best regions in terms of climate, geographical location, and medicinal plant growth, and it has been a source of production and consumption of medicinal plants in the past. Lemon balm is generally used in traditional medicine to treat digestive problems, pain, and mental disorders. Drought stress is one of the most serious and widespread problems that limit plant productivity because it negatively affects plant physiology. The effects of drought stress depend on the duration, intensity and stage of growth and the genetic tolerance capacity of plants, which can reduce the growth of plants. It causes a change in morphological and physiological structures and the pattern of biomass distribution or even death.Materials and MethodsTo study the effect of foliar different growth stimulants on the growth characteristics and essential oil of balm at different levels of drought stress, an experiment was carried out in the crop year 2021. The experiment was a split plot based on randomized complete blocks with four replications, where different levels of irrigation include irrigation after 80, 60, and 40 percent of the field crop capacity (FC) in the main plots and foliar application of different growth stimulants including control, melatonin, amino acid, and folic acid were placed in sub-plots. In this research, total chlorophyll, dry matter yield, relative water content, phenoline content, soluble sugars, essential oil content, essential oil yield, total phenol, and flavonoid were measured. The data obtained from the experiment was analyzed using SAS.9.4 software. The obtaineds averages were statistically compared using Duncan's method (LSR) and at the five percent probability level.Results and DiscussionThe results of variance analysis of the data showed that the effect of irrigation and foliar spraying on growth stimulants on all investigated traits were significant at the probability level of 1%. There was a significant difference between the interaction treatments in terms of chlorophyll content, proline content, essential oil percentage, essential oil yield, and flavonoid content at the probability level of one percent and in terms of relative leaf water content, dry matter yield, soluble sugars content and total phenol content at the probability level of five percent. The results showed the highest chlorophyll content (2.25 mg g-1 FW), relative leaf water content (88.12 percent), and dry matter yield (793.79 kg ha-1) was recorded in melatonin foliar application and irrigation of 80% of FC treatments. Also, the highest essential oil content (0.81%) and essential oil yield (6.46 kg ha-1) were observed in treating foliar application with melatonin under the irrigation treatment of 60% FC. This study allocated the highest total phenol content to melatonin foliar application at 40% of the FC conditions. In this study, 40% FC irrigation treatment increased the flavonoid content by 29.90% and 93.23%, respectively, compared to 60% and 80% FC. Furthermore, foliar application of melatonin, proline amino acid, and folic acid increased the flavonoid content compared to the control treatment by 17.64, 23.35 and 32.35%, respectively.ConclusionIn this study, melatonin foliar application in all three irrigation conditions increased essential oil yield compared to the corresponding control. Under irrigation and foliar spraying of melatonin, the synthesis of secondary metabolites and essential oil has been accelerated and produced the maximum yield of essential oil. Therefore, foliar spraying of melatonin and mild water deficit stress can be recommended to achieve maximum economic yield in Lemon balm.