JOURNAL OF CROP PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING
Year:2020 | Volume:10 | Issue:2|Papers Count:10

In order to investigate the effects of solitary and combined application of chemical and biological fertilizers on the yield and yield components of quinoa plant, a factorial experiment was conducted based on randomized complete block design with three replications in Dastgerd (Borkhar), Isfahan, central Iran, during the 2017-2018 growing season. Experimental factors included four levels of Chemical fertilizers [control, urea, triple superphosphate (TSP), and combined urea + TSP fertilizers] and bio-fertilizers at four levels (no inoculation, and inoculations with nitroxin, biophosphorus, and combined nitroxin + biophosphorus). Results showed that the interaction effects of chemical and biological fertilizers on leaf area index, grain yield, and yield components (including number of panicles per m2, number of grains per panicle, and 1000-grain weight) of quinoa plant were significant at 1% probability level. Combined application of urea and TSP fertilizers had the highest impact on the biological yield. Overall, the results showed that plant height, chlorophyll content and the number of panicles per m2 were significantly influenced by nitrogen sources of fertilizers used in this study. The phosphorus fertilizer sources had the highest effects on leaf area index, number of grains per panicle, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, and biological yield, which can be attributed to the greater impact of nitrogen on the increase of prolific panicles and to the marked role of phosphorus in both flower and grain formation. The integrated application of biofertilizers and all of the examined chemical fertilizers treatments increased the yield of quinoa plant compared to the control. Therefore, the application of biofertilizers as supplements can be introduced as a practical approach for optimal and balanced use of chemical fertilizers in order to achieve sustainable agriculture goals in quinoa cultivation.

In order to evaluate the potential of citogate and turnip vegetable oil in increasing the performance of barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) control by colthodim and haloxyfop-r-methyl ester herbicides, two greenhouse experiments were carried out in the Research Greenhouse of the Faculty of Agriculture, Birjand, Iran, in 2016; this study was based on a factorial arrangement as a completely randomized design with three replications. Treatments in each experiment included herbicide concentrations at seven levels (0, 6. 25, 12. 5, 25, 50, 75, and 100% of the recommended dose) and additives were applied at three levels (turnip oil, citogate, and without additives). The application of additives with colthodim herbicide on barnyardgrass (based on the shoot dry weight) led to 4. 5% and 5. 4% decreases in ED50 in the presence of turnip oil and citogate, respectively. Based on the root dry weight, ED50 was reduced to 22. 9% and 21. 6% in the presence of turnip oil and citogate, respectively. The results of the use of additives with Haloxyfop-r-methyl ester also showed a similar trend. However, the increase in the efficiency of Haloxyfop-r-methyl ester was higher than that of colthodim herbicide. The Haloxyfop-r-methyl ester ED50 values for the shoot dry weight of barnyardgrass were reduced by 14% and 16. 3% in the presence of turnip oil and citogate, respectively. The Haloxyfop-r-methyl ester ED50 values for the root dry weight in the presence of turnip oil and citogate were 10 and 7 times higher than those in the treatments without additives, respectively. According to the results of this study, application of appropriate additives may lead to decrease in the extent of herbicide contamination of soil and water resources.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of different nitrogen sources on qualitative and quantitative characters and economic benefit of potato (Sante cultvar). This experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with four treatments and three replicates at Behbahan Agriculture Research Station, Behbahan, south-east Iran, in two years (2014 and 2016). Treatments were: 0 nitrogen fertilizer, 50% nitrogen from chemical fertilizer (as urea) + 50% nitrogen from vermicompost (50% M+50%V), 75% nitrogen from chemical fertilizer + 25% nitrogen from vermicompost (75% M+25%V) and 100% nitrogen from chemical fertilizer (100% M). The total and marketable tuber yield, nitrogen use efficiency and agronomic nitrogen use efficiency in 75% M+25%V were significantly higher than the other treatments. Application of vermicompost in both treatments significantly increased stem and tuber number and decreased tuber nitrate content as compared with 100% M. The effect of vermicompost on tuber dry matter percentage was not significant. Economic evaluation indicated the highest benefit may be achieved from 75% M+25%V. Supply of 75% required nitrogen fertilizer through vermicompost and 25% nitrogen from mineral fertilizer (as urea) can increase yield and qualitative characters of potato and farmers’ incomes in Behbahan.

One of the main problems in crop production in Iran is the difference between actual yield and attainable yield which is called yield gap. Thus, identifying yield constraints and yield gap are important. Therefore, a study was conducted in 60 farms in Parsabad Moghan, during 2013-14 and 2014-15 crop years using Comparative Performance Analysis (CPA). In this study, several attributes related to management operations and crop characteristics were recorded and measured. Then, the relationship between different variables and grain yield were considered, using stepwise regression. The results showed that there is a 2317. 42 kg/ha difference (gap) between actual yield (average farmers' yield) and attainable yield (maximum farmers' yield). It was identified that planting time, spike density, the number of vents of split application of urea, the number of land preparation operations, farming experience and repeated use of fungicides with contributions of about 18, 29. 7, 20, 4. 6, 14. 3, and 13. 4 percent, respectively, were responsible for this yield gap. Further analysis of the data revealed that most of the variables listed above can be controlled by the agronomic management. It was concluded that with proper farm management and considering the listed yield gap factors, it would be possible to obtain higher grain yields of about 2316 kg/ha in the irrigated wheat farms, compared to the current average farmers’ yield.

Drought stress is considered as one of the most important constraints to the crop production, including medicinal plants in many arid and semi-arid regions. This study was carried out to determine the most effective indices for drought tolerance and identification of tolerance genotypes under drought conditions in N. sativa. For this purpose, 36 genotypes of N. sativa were tested as a split plot experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at Agricultural Research Field of Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran under two irrigation conditions (non-stress and drought stress) at 2017-2018. The results showed that there were significant differences among different genotypes in terms of all drought stress tolerance indices. A modest correlation was observed between grain yield under normal and stress conditions (R2 = 0. 43). Grain yield showed a positive and significant correlation with all indices under normal conditions, except for yield stability index (YSI). The MP, GMP and STI had positive and significant correlations with grain yield under both normal and drought stress conditions. According to principal component analysis, the first component explained about 63% of the total variation, which was correlated positively with YP, MP, GMP, and STI indices. Therefore, MP, GMP and STI could be used to select drought-tolerant genotypes. Based on the high grain yield potential and high drought tolerance observed for Nige53, Nige59 and 38923 genotypes, these genotypes could be recommended for cultivation under drought stress conditions and further studies in breeding programs.

Knowing the trees nutritional status is necessary for achieving balanced fertilization in orchards. One approach for determining the nutritional status of orchards is the compositional nutrient diagnosis method. In the present research this method was performed to evaluate the nutritional status of three important areas of lime cultivation in Hormozgan province, south of Iran, during 2014 and 2015. Comparison between the obtained results and standard nutrient concentrations in lime revealed that nitrogen, potassium, and manganese deficiency were the most limiting factors for lime production in Hormozgan lime orchards. Moreover, excess phosphorus, chlorine, iron, and boron showed negative effect on the fruit yield of lime. The optimum concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and chlorine in the lime leaves in the studied orchards for achieving 150 kg fruit per tree were 2. 88, 0. 28, 1. 31, 0. 27% and those of iron, manganese, zinc, copper and boron were 222. 26, 11. 57, 4. 63, 6. 67, and 222. 80 mg/kg DW, respectively. Therefore, it is recommended that using nutrients such as nitrogen, manganese and potassium must be given a priority in these orchards. Furthermore, some approaches like leaching fraction and supplying N-NO3 fertilizers should be utilized to mitigate the negative effects of boron and chlorine on the plant growth and yield.

Strawberry is one of the highly consumed fruits which are cultivated in wide areas of the world. The most important problem of the strawberry is low storability and high postharvest losses; hence, more than 50% of harvested fruit is lost in Iran. The purpose of this research was to investigate biochemical and shelf life reaction of Camarosa cultivar to different concentrations of methyl jasmonate. The investigation was performed in split plot experiments in a completely randomized design with three replications. The main factor included different concentrations of methyl jasmonate (8 and 12 μ M /L), along with control (distilled water) and the sub-factor included different storage times (7, 14 and 21 days). The fruits were transferred to a cold storage with a temperature of 2 ± 0. 5 ° C, relative humidity of 90-95% and carbon dioxide content of 15% over the course of the research. Methyl jasmonate treatment improved antioxidant capacity and catalase enzyme activity of the treated fruits. The highest antioxidant capacity and catalase enzyme activity were observed at 12 μ M/L. Ethylene biosynthesis was significantly affected by the storage time of the treated fruits; so that methyl jasmonate at 12 μ M/L reduced the ethylene production. Also, fruit firmness was improved at 5 μ M/L methyl jasmonate concentration. Based on the results, methyl jasmonate is potent to increase the strawberry marketability with minimal side effects and, hence, may be chosen for decreasing the postharvest losses of strawberry fruit.

Application of intercropping systems is one of the ecological methods for controlling weeds due to maximization of soil cover and plant diversity. In order to study the effect of intercropping system of indigo (Indigofera tinctoria L. ) and roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L. ) on biodiversity, weeds population changes and plant yield an experiment was conducted based on randomized complete block design with three replications in the Research Farm of South Kerman Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Jiroft, Iran, during 2014-2015 growing season. Treatments were additive and replacement series of intercropping including: I100: H100, I100: H50, I50: H100, I50: H50 and monoculture of indigo and roselle. The results showed that the density and biomass of Amaranth, Cyprus and other weeds (Heliotropium europaeum L., Heliotropium europaeum L. and Portulaca oleracea L. ) were significant by intercropping of indigo and roselle. Amaranth weed density in I100: H100, I50: H100 and I100: H50 were 57. 44, 81. 5 and 70. 38%, respectively, lower than roselle monoculture. The highest of Cyprus weed density was in indigo and roselle monoculture and I50: H50 intercropping ratio. The density of other weeds in I50: H50, I50: H100, I100: H50 and I100: H100 ratio were 44. 4, 48. 2, 51. 8 and 77. 7 % lower than monoculture. Weed biomass in I100: H100, I10: H50 and I50: H100 ratio were decreased by 25. 44, 23. 38 and 15. 98 % in comparison to monoculture, respectively. The highest yield of roselle (1114. 2 kg/ha) and leaf dry weight (3016. 7 kg/ha) of indigo was observed in I100: H100 ratio. The values of the land equivalent ratio (LER) in all of intercropping treatments were greater than unit and the highest LER belonged to H100: I100 treatment, indicating that intercropping system outperforms the monoculture in terms of crop productivity and hence weed control.

In order to study the effects of supplementary irrigation and biofertilizers on grain yield, dry matter remobilization and some physiological traits of barley (Hordeum vulgare L. ) under rainfed condition, a factorial experiment was conducted based on randomized complete block design with three replications at in 2017. Factors included irrigation at three levels (no irrigation as rainfed (I1), supplementary irrigation at 50% heading (I2) and booting stages(I3) and biofertilizers application at four levels (without biofertilizers as control (Q1), application of mycorrhiza(Q2), Azetobacter(Q3), both application of mycorrhiza and Azetobacter(Q4). The results showed that supplementary irrigation at heading stage with both application of mycorrhiza and Azetobacter increased efficiency of PSII photochemistry (Fv/Fm), chlorophyll index and relative water content of flag leaf compared to non-application of biofertilizers under rainfed condition. Rainfed condition and no application of biofertilizers increased electrical conductivity and contribution of dry matter remobolization in grain yield. The highest and the lowest grain yields (268. 2 and 206. 5 g m-2 respectively) were obtained at supplementary irrigation at heading stage with both application of mycorrhiza and Azetobacter, and no application of biofertilizers under rainfed condition. In conclusion, it seems that application of biofertilizers and supplementary irrigation can increase grain yield of barley under rainfed condition due to improving some physiological traits.

To investigate the effect of different planting dates (November 1-2018, December 1-2018 and December 31-2018) as the main factor, different salinity levels of the irrigation water (2, 7 and 12 dS/m) as the sub-plots factor and different irrigation regimes (including irrigation at 5 critical stages of the growth period, 2 stages of germination and flowering and 0 irrigation) as the sub-sub-plots factor with three replications a split-split plot experiment was carried out in a complete random blocks design during 2018-2019. Significant effects were observed for all treatments and interaction between two and three factors on grain yield and root anatomical traits (surfaces of the central cylinder, epidermis and cross-sectional). The highest and lowest grain yields (6106. 30 and 689. 30 kg/ha, respectively) belonged to planting at December 1-2018 and December 31-2018, salinities of 2 and 12 dS/m and also irrigation at 5 stages and no irrigation during the growing season. Other traits (number of spikes, number of grains, 1000-grain weight, spike length and plant height) were decreased with increasing in salt level and reducing irrigation events. Delayed planting reduced the yield and components more than early planting. The largest surface of the central cylinder, and the cross-section was obtained with planting at December 1-2018 and the greatest epidermis surface was obtained with planting at December 31-2018. Grain yield had the highest positive and significant correlation with cross-sectional surface (0. 396**) and it may be used as criteria for breeding wheat for an increased yield under unfavorable environments.