JOURNAL OF CROP PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING
Year:2020 | Volume:10 | Issue:1|Papers Count:10

In order to evaluate the forage quantity and quality of Sorghum in intercropping with soybean, a field experiment was carried out as a factorial based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maragheh, during the 2016 growing season. The first factor included different planting patterns with eight levels (soybean monocultures with densities of 40 and 50 plants m-2, sorghum monocultures with densities of 10 and 15 plants m-2, and intercropping of the two plant species with the mentioned densities); the second factor consisted of two levels of inoculation with nitroxin (Azotobacter chroococcum and Azospirillum brasilense) Bio-fertilizers and Phosphate solubilizing bacteria (Pseudomonas flurescence) and non-inoculation. The results showed that the highest (25. 59 tons ha-1) and lowest total dry forage yield was obtained in intercropping soybean (with densities of 40 and 50 plants m-2) + sorghum (15 plants m-2) with inoculation and soybean monocultures (with densities of 40 and 50 plants m-2) without inoculation, respectively. Also, the highest and lowest values of forage ash, digestible dry matter (DDM) and net energy of lactation (NEL) were obtained in intercropping soybean (50 plants m-2) + sorghum (10 plants m-2) and monoculture of sorghum (15 plants m-2), respectively. The highest content of the acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) was obtained in the monoculture of sorghum (15 plants m-2) without inoculation. In addition, application of bio-fertilizer increased the content of crude protein (CP), DDM, dry matter intake (DMI) and NEL by 6. 29, 1. 71, 3. 29 and 2. 72%, respectively, as compared to the control. Also, the highest land equivalent ratio and monetary advantage intercropping (MAI) were achieved in the intercropping of soybean (50 plants m-2) + sorghum (15 plants m-2). Generally, intercropping of soybean (50 plants m-2) + sorghum (15 plants m-2) and soybean (50 plants m-2) + sorghum (10 plants m-2) could be introduced as the best treatment in terms of forage quantity and quality, respectively.

In order to study the effect of the superabsorbent polymer and manure fertilizer on the baking characteristics of wheat cultivars under different water deficit conditions, an experiment was carried out in a factorial layout based on a randomized complete block design in three replications at Agricultural Research Center, West-Azerbaijan (Saatlo station) during 2017-2018 growing seasons. The factors included irrigation at two levels (normal and water stress), superabsorbent polymer: 200 kg ha-1, manure fertilizer: 40 tons ha-1, their dual application and control (non-application fertilizer), and wheat cultivars (Mihan, Heidari and Zarineh). The measured traits included grain yield, wheat grain moisture content, hectoliter weight, flour moisture content, ash content, glutenin, gliadin, dry gluten, gluten index, protein percent, Zeleny number, falling number and protein yield. The results of the analysis of variances showed that the effect of drought stress, superabsorbent and cultivar on the studied traits was significant. Grain yield, protein yield, flour moisture, glutenin, dry gluten, gelatin index and Zeleny number were decreased under drought stress conditions, but the falling number, grain protein and gliadin content were increased. Application of the superabsorbent polymer of chemical and manure fertilizer increased the grain yield, protein yield and gluten index. The highest grain yield (6636. 77 kg ha-1) and protein yield (1093. 79 kg ha-1), and the lowest hectoliter weight (75. 81 kg/100 liters) were obtained from Mihan cultivar. The highest Zeleny number was obtained from the Zarineh cultivar (26. 35%) under the conditions involving the dual application of the manure and superabsorbent and the Heidari cultivar (26. 32%) with the application of the manure fertilizer. The highest falling number was obtained from Heidari (461. 50 seconds). The lowest falling number was obtained from Zarineh (443. 73 seconds). The highest correlation was observed between glutenin and gluten indexes (0. 97**). To mitigating the reduction of grain and protein yield under drought stress and improve the baking characteristics, such as dry gluten, falling number, glutenin and gluten index, in wheat cultivars, the use of manure and superabsorbent could be effective.

In order to study the effect of phosphate biofertilizer and chemical fertilizers of nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur on some growth and yield components of Camelina sativa L., a study was conducted based on a factorial experiment; this was done in a randomized complete block design with three replications at Kazeroon during the 2016 growing season. Treatments included bio-based phosphorus (P) fertilizers (Barvar-2) containing phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) (the Pseudomonas putida Strain 13P and Strain 5P and the Pantoea agglomerans Strain 5P) as the first factor at two levels (inoculated and uninoculated seeds) and chemical fertilizer as the second factor, including control, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur alone, based on the recommended doses of NPS and 50% recommended NPS fertilizers. The results showed that the effect of the use of the biofertilizer on plant height and number of seeds per silique and the number of siliques per plant, 1000 seed weight and harvest index were significant, but the number of branches, grain yield and biological yield were not significant. The use of chemical fertilizer as well as the interaction of chemical fertilizers × phosphate biofertilizer on all traits was significant. The combined use of bio-inoculants and chemical nitrogen + phosphorus + sulfur fertilizer, as compared to the control, increased plant height by 50. 58%, the number of branches by 26. 7%, seed number per silique by 29. 8%, the grain yield by 86. 88%, biologic yield by 63. 58%, and harvest index by 32. 36%. Nitrogen consumption increased the number of siliques per plant by 27. 84% and nitrogen + sulfur treatment imrpoved 1000 seed weight by 54. 54%, relative to the control treatment. So, according to the results of this experiment; the best fertilizer treatment for Camelina sativa L. production was the combination of nitrogen + phosphorus + sulfur fertilizer plus biofertilizer application.

Domestication and artificial selection have reduced the level of genetic variation in barley. Inter-specific hybridization is one of the most valuable ways to restore at least part of the lost variation. This study aimed to investigate genetic diversity and screening barley lines which possessed the desired traits, as well as drought tolerance, within two F3 populations derived by crossing a cultivated variety (Reihan 03) with two wild genotypes (HSP21 and HSP45). For this purpose, 162 F3 lines (including 81 lines from each breeding population) were evaluated in three different environments including no stress, moderate drought stress and severe drought stress. The results showed that in both populations, the greatest and smallest variation was obtained for the number of grains per spike and the number of days to physiological maturity, respectively. Mean of the plant height and 100-grain weight in the offspring obtained by crossing with HSP21 were lower than those of the population obtained by HSP45 under the moderate stress environment. Under severe stress environment, the offspring obtained by crossing Reihan 03 with the wild barley genotype HSP45 showed the increase of spike length, number of grains per spike, biological yield and grain yield, and the decrease of the 100-grain weight, as compared to the offspring obtained by crossing Reihan 03 with HSP21. The correlation coefficient analysis for the offspring resulting from crossing Reihan 03 with HSP21 in moderate and severe stress environments showed that grain yield was positively correlated with plant height, biological yield, stress tolerance index (STI) and yield stability index (YSI). The highest grain yield in (HSP21*Reihan 03) derived genotypes, in both control and moderate stress conditions, was revealed by the genotype 584, whereas the highest value in the severe stress condition belonged to the genotype 592. The highest grain yield in (HSP45*Reihan 03) derived genotypes, in the three mentioned environments, was observed for the genotype numbers 689, 671 and 715, respectively. High-yielding lines in both no stress and drought stress conditions were identified by applying multivariate procedures and drought tolerance indices for further studies.

To investigate the effect of nutrition management along with zeolite application on the fertilizer use efficiency and irrigation water productivity of two cultivars of maize under deficit irrigation conditions, a field experiment was carried out. The experiment was conducted at Soil and Water Research Institute, Karaj, Iran, in 2015 and 2016, in the form of a factorial split plot layout based on a randomized complete block with three replications. Experimental treatments included: two levels of irrigation: full irrigation (I1) and low irrigation (70% full irrigation) (I2) as the main factor, and the factorial combination of fertilizer application at five levels; 1-conventional application of fertilizer (F1), 2-conventional application of fertilizer + 10 tons of zeolite per hectare from the source of clinoptilolite (F2), 3-fertilizer application according to the recommended method (F3), 4. fertilizer application in the recommended method and 10 tons of zeolite per hectare from the source of clinoptilolite (F4), 5-control (without fertilizer) (F5) and maize cultivars: late maturity (Cross-704) (C1) and early maturity (C-Fajr) (C2) was considered as the sub-factor. The results showed that deficit irrigation reduced the grain yield of maize (17% and 20%, respectively, in Fajr and 704). The effect of fertilizer application on all plant traits was, therefore, significant in this study. Under deficit irrigation conditions, the highest grain yield of corn varieties was obtained from the recommended fertilizer application + zeolite (cultivars 704 and 260 produced 7934. 3 and 7793. 8 kg/ha, respectively), but it was decreased by 7% and 15%, respectively, as compared to the recommended application of fertilization + zeolite (cultivars 704 and 260 varieties produced 8180 and 9170. 29 kg ha-1, respectively) under full irrigation condition. The results showed that using an appropriate fertilizer management with the consumption of 10 tons per hectare of zeolite, may lead to saving 30 percent in irrigation water consumption (about 2100 m3 per hectare) and obtaining good grain yield.

In order to determine the effect of weeds interference and nitrogen on the sugar beet growth and yield, a field study was performed in the 2010 growing season as a split plot design based on RCBD with three replications in Hana region (Semirom, Esfahan). Treatments were four levels of nitrogen from urea source as the main factor (0, 70, 150 and 210 kg ha-1) and weed interference at five levels (6-leaf, 8-leaf, 10-leaf, 12-leaf, and throughout the growth stages) growth stages in sugar beet as the sub factor. The results indicated that nitrogen and weed interaction had significant effects on the quantitative and qualitative traits of sugar beet (root yield and sugar). With increasing the nitrogen levels from 150 to 210 kg ha-1, the percentages of sugar molasses, sodium, and α-amino nitrogen were increased by 7. 48, 24. 26 and 21. 09%, respectively, while the impurity percentage of sugar, alkalinity coefficient, and extractable sugar content were reduced by 3. 09, 8. 18, and 4. 78%, respectively. The highest total fresh weight, root fresh weight, root dry weight, total biomass and root yield (2. 1, 2. 18, 1. 55, 1. 73 and 1. 33-times, respectively) were achieved under high levels of nitrogen (210 kg ha-1) and weed interference at the 6-leaf growth of sugar beet in comparison to the use of no nitrogen. Reduced duration of weed competition and /or weed free till 6-leaf growth stage of sugar beet along with application of 150 kg ha-1 N led to reduction in weed interference, detrimental effect of nitrogen on quality characteristics, and increase in the root yield of sugar beet.

In order to increase the quality of agricultural products and improve healthy food production systems, application of organic fertilizers has become very important in agroecosystems. To investigate the effect of different concentrations and time of humic acid foliar application on the qualitative characteristics and shoot and grain micronutrients content of Triticale, an experiment was conducted at the Research Field of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan during the 2017-2018 growing season. The experimental design was a split plot based on the randomized complete block design with four replications. Treatments included the time of foliar application at four levels (tillering, stem elongation, flag leaf, anthesis) in the main plot and spraying concentrations at four levels (0, 200, 400 and 600 mg L-1) in the sub plots. The results showed that the foliar application of humic acid at the flag leaf and anthesis stages had the greatest impact on the plant physiological traits. The highest chlorophyll b content, leaf area index and total chlorophyll (SPAD) were obtained from the application of 600 mg L-1 humic acid and the highest chlorophyll a content was gained from the spraying of 400 mg L-1. The maximum grain iron (40. 44 mg kg-1) was related to the spraying of 200 mg L-1 of fertilizer at the tillering stage. The highest protein yield (745. 65 kg ha-1) was obtained from the foliar application of 200 mg L-1 humic acid in the flag leaf stage. The highest amount of manganese (30. 73 mg kg-1) was related to the application at the stem elongation stage and the concentration of 200 mg L-1. Based on the findings of this study, humic acid foliar application can increase the accumulation of micronutrients in plant and improve the qualitative traits of triticale.

Nowadays, the satellite data and remote sensing technologies are widely known as efficient tools for the inspection, identification and management of land resources and precision agriculture in most countries. Satellite information could be used in supplying basic and updated information in the estimation of vegetation cover map, irrigated land area and some biological indices of the major agricultural crops. In this study, the biomass and production of maize were estimated through the application of five common vegetation indices of NDVI, DVI, NIR, PD321, and SAVI, using the Landsat 8 satellite data. The study area was located in Dasht-e-Farahan, Markazi province, Iran, and field sampling was carried out in five farms and five dates corresponded to times of satellite passes over the area. The highest correlation coefficient of the first to fifth observed dates was obtained for NDVI (0. 73), PD321 (0. 58), NIR (0. 67), DVI (0. 62), and SAVI (0. 73) indices, respectively. In the early season, when vegetation cover was low, the biomass was well estimated by the NDVI index with the correlation coefficient of 0. 75. However, in the late season, when the vegetation was high, the SAVI with the high correlation coefficient of 0. 73 could estimate biomass better than other indices estimations. The results, therefore, indicated the satisfactory accuracy of the applied method; in fact, the accuracy of the data in this method was higher in the middle growth period, as compared to the initial stage ones. Therefore, it is recommended to use a suitable vegetation index for each growing period, rather than using a single vegetation index in obtaining satellite data for the total of the growing season.

In order to study the effects of supplementary irrigation and nano iron oxide on the grain yield, and some physiological and biochemical traits of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. ) under rain fed conditions, a factorial experiment was conducted based on a randomized complete block design with three replications in Agricultural Research Station of Ardabil, Northwest of Iran, in 2016. Factors included irrigation levels (no irrigation as the rainfed, supplementary irrigation at heading and booting stages), nano iron oxide application at four levels (without nano iron oxide as the control, application of 0. 3, 0. 6 and 0. 9 g L-1). Application of 0. 9 g L-1 nano iron oxide under rainfed condition increased soluble sugars and proline content and antioxidant enzymes activity (catalase, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase) by 129. 89, 168. 76, 27. 64, 94. 2, and 31. 71%, respectively, in comparison with no application of nano iron oxide and supplementary irrigation at the booting stage. Also, there were 75. 89 and 38. 43 increases, respectively, in the leaf protein and grain yield with the application of 0. 9 g L-1 nano iron oxide and the supplementary irrigation at the booting stage, in comparison with no application of nano iron oxide under rainfed conditions. It seems that the application of nano iron oxide and supplementary irrigation can increase the grain yield of wheat under rainfed conditions due to improving the physiological and biochemical traits.

In order to evaluate dry matter remobilization to seeds in the winter type rapeseed cultivars grown under drought stress conditions, an experiment was carried out using a randomized complete block design arranged in a split plot with three replicates in Shahre-Qods, Iran, in the 2011-2012 growing season. Irrigation treatments including control (irrigation after 80 mm evaporation from evaporation pan class A) and drought stress (irrigation withholding starting from stem elongation, flowering and silique formation stages) were allocated to the main plots and three winter type rapeseed cultivars (GKH2005, Opera and SLM046) were considered as the subplots. The results showed that drought stress increased dry matter remobilization and remobilization efficiency. By contrast, agronomic traits such as the number of siliques on the main stem and secondary branches, number of seeds per silique, 1000 seed weight, oil yield, harvest index and productivity effort (silique dry weight/biomass ratio) were decreased. The GKH2005 cultivar showed the maximum seed yield, which was 1058, 1409 and 2099 kg ha-1, when irrigation withholding started from stem elongation, flowering stage, and silique formation stages, respectively; this was due to the higher amount of remobilization and the efficiency of remobilization and maximum number of silique in the secondary branches. In general, the results suggest that higher remobilization and remobilization efficiency are among the most important drought stress tolerance mechanisms in the oilseed rape.