IRANIAN JOURNAL OF DRYLAND AGRICULTURE
Year:2019 | Volume:8 | Issue:1|Papers Count:6

In order to investigate the effects of irrigation frequency and fertilizer treatments on physiological characteristics, yield and forage quality of Dragon's head (Lallemantia iberica) a split plot experiment based on RCBD with three replications was studied in Bukan at 2018. The treatments included irrigation frequencies at three levels (twice irrigation, once irrigation, and non-irrigation) was as main plots and chemical fertilizer (Urea and triple super phosphate fertilizers) and bio-organic fertilizers (nitroxin, Phosphat barvar-2 and biosulfur) was as sub plots. The results showed that the maximum of chlorophyll-a (4. 96 mg/g fresh weight), chlorophyll-b (1. 45 mg/g fresh weight), total chlorophyll (6. 40 mg/g fresh weight), grain yield (608. 33 kg ha-1), biological yield (1922. 29 kg ha-1), digestible dry matter (55. 46%) and crude fiber (43. 66%) were obtained under twice irrigated condition and plants under non-irrigation condition had the highest crude protein (9. 95%), water soluble carbohydrates (21. 66%), and ash (58. 6%). Chemical fertilizer application with increasing the photosynthetic pigments, proline and 1000-grain weight led to increases 31 and 23. 82 percent of grain yield and biological yield, compared to biofertilizer-organic treatment. The highest amount of crude protein (9. 66%), water-soluble carbohydrates (20%) and ash (6. 25%) were obtained in the chemical fertilizer treatment. Therefore, in order to reach the maximum quantitative and qualitative yield in the Dragon's head, application of twice supplementary irrigation and nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers are recommended.

In order to investigate the effect of zinc and silicon spraying on some of the quantitative and qualitative traits of Lallemantia iberica (Urmia Landrace), a split plot experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted at Research Farm of Urmia University in 2016-2017. The two rainfed and supplementary irrigation systems were considered as the main plots, and the spraying of zinc, silicon and untreated control as the sub-plots. The main effects of environment, spraying and their interaction were significant on the most of the studied traits. The highest amounts of chlorophyll, carotenoids, potassium and zinc were obtained from zinc application. The highest amount of soluble carbohydrates, phosphorus, and silicon was observed in silicon spraying. There were no significant differences, in term of leaf relative water content, between Zn or Si treatments in both stress conditions. The highest percentage of seed mucilage belonged to Si spraying of rainfed plants. The highest seed oil content were occurred at Zn spraying (23. 7%), and however obtained from rainfed (23. 9%) plants. The amounts of grain yield of Lallemantia iberica (Urmia Landrace) either in rainfed conditions or supplemental irrigation was for zinc application (613. 3 and 688. 3 kg ha-1, respectively) and silicon spraying (657. 3 and 668. 7 kg ha-1, respectively) more than untreated control plants.

To evaluate the drought tolerance of lentil by morpho-physiological traits, 10 lentil lines were planted in randomized complete design with 3 replications under non-stress and drought stress conditions in agricultural station of Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran in 2016. Grain yield, plant height, number of pods and 1000 kernels weight, leaf relative water content, activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase enzymes and cell membrane stability were measured. Results showed that differences among genotypes were significant in all of traits except for relative water content and CAT activity (under non-stress). Under drought, ILL-10088, ILL-10053 and Bilesavar, with 1244, 1153 and 1107 kg/ha and under non stress condition, ILL-10088, with 1905 kg/ha had the highest yield. Considering the yield of cultivars in two environments, ILL-10088, BileSavar, ILL-10017 and ILL-468 were the most tolerant cultivars. Results showed that under drought, grain yield had significant correlations with catalase activity, relative water content and cell membrane stability. Under non-stress condition, yield had significant correlations with relative water content, cell membrane stability, 1000 kernels weight and number of fertile pods. In regression analysis, using stepwise method, under stress, relative content remained in model. However, under non-stress condition, relative water content and cell membrane stability remained in model. Principle component analysis could separate susceptible cultivars from tolerant cultivars better than cluster analysis. Regarding to the presence of genetic diversity, ease of use and strong relations with yield, relative water content and cell membrane stability were proposed as indirect criteria for selection of drought tolerance in lentil.

In this study, in order to display the crop capacity and production potential of durum wheat breeding lines and internal and external cultivars to farmers and identifying the best adapted genotypes under no-tillage condition, 26 durum wheat genotypes along with two local bread wheat cultivars as checks were evaluated at inovation platform of Iran-ICARDA food security project in moderate warm region of Sarpol-e Zahab, Kermanshah, Iran under conservaton agriculture (no-tillage) in farmers' fields during 2017-18 cropping season. During the experiment the genotypes were evaluated for grain yield and agro-physiological charactristics. The results of ANOVA and mean comparison for the studied traits in inovation platform indicated significant dfferences among genotypes for grain yield and some of the agro-physiological traits. Mean yields among genotypes varied from 327 kg/ha (corresponding for G23) to 926 kg/ha (corresponding for G16) and superior genotypes had increasing yileds between 6 to 51% than the local check. In general, according to the yield productivity, agro-physiological charactristics and agronomic scores, six durum wheat genotypes (G24, G21, G7, G18, G16 and G25) were superior to the local check. These well performing genotypes, were charactrized for high grain yield and 1000-kernel weight, early heading, high SPAD-reading and NDVI (normal difference vegetative index) and cooler canopy under rainfed condition.

In order to evaluate competition of wheat with wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis L. ) and wild oat (Avena ludoviciana Durieu) to nitrogen and herbicide, a field experiment was conducted as split plots in a randomized complete block design with four replications at Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan. Nitrogen fertilizer included in five levels of 0, 45, 90, 180 and 330 kg ha-1 of urea was considered as main plots and herbicide dose of Othello OD (mesosulfuron methyl + iodosulfuron methyl sodium + diflufenican + mefenpyr-diethyl) in six levels of (0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 % the recommended dose (1. 6 L ha-1 the recommended dose)) was considered as sub plots. The results showed that weed and wheat biomass response to herbicide doses were followed by response and sigmoid dosage models, which with increasing of nitrogen fertilizer application, those models were developed. Based on the prediction of the combined model, weed boimass with half of the recommend dose of Othello OD herbicide, and by applying 0, 45, 90, 180, 230 and 330 kg ha-1 of nitrogen was estimated 105/69, 182/71, 212/61, 128/13, 60/70 and 10/60 g m-2, respectively. Also, 750 g m-2 of wheat biomass, was recorded by 265 kg ha-1 of nitrogen fertilizer with 0/80 L ha-1 herbicide dose, and/or by applying of 330 kg ha-1 of nitrogen fertilizer and 0/72 L ha-1 herbicide dose.

Selection of suitable species of forage crops along with cultivation package is a critical decision For developing of forage crops in the rainfed conditions. Overall researches on forage crop at dryland condition during last 15 years (2003-2018), accessions of indigenous and exotic germplasm of three grass pea species, two field pea, six vetch species and 15 annual medics have been evaluated at research stations of Dryland Agricultural Research and suitable species along with superior genotypes for different agro-ecological zones have been identified. Maragheh vetch with 2. 5 t/ha mean dry biomass, was released for moderate and warm areas of Iran. Golsefid and Lamei form Hungarian vetch and Golshan from winter vetch with 3 t/ha dray biomass yield are suitable for fall planting at cold and moderate dryland areas and also Toloa was released with 2. 8 t/h dry biomass yield for warm draland areas. Despite the superiority vetchs at cold and fall planting, it was evident that tolerance to drought condition in grasspea was more than vetch and some good promising lines for grasspea are under releasing. In addition to suitable forage cultivars for increasing yields, different mix culture systems like legume-cereal and also legume-legume was evaluated under dryland conditions, which increased the dry biomass yield up to 6 t/ha with maraghe vetch + barely and at least 20% more dry fodder yield at legume-legume mix culture. Iranian annual medics showed poor performance in rainfed conditions in spite of cold tolerance presence in some species.