IRANIAN JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Year:2006 | Volume:7 | Issue:3|Papers Count:7

The nutrient foliar application is an effective method for providing the plant different elements and optimum using of manures. In this investigation, 0, 1 and %1.5 urea and 0, 1 and %2 K2SO4 were sprayed on the 18 years-old grapevines in a randomized complete block design in Malekan (located in southern part of East Azarbaijan) region. Results indicated that the urea spray affected the berry set percentage, total soluble solids (TSS) and total berry sugar. This study indicated that urea application at early period of growth had great effects on the qualitative characteristics. Application of %1 urea at prebloom stage plus %1.5 urea at post petal abscission significantly increased the amount of total berry sugar. Application of %1 K2SO4 resulted in the highest TSS at the problem + post petal abscission + veraison + post harvest. Stages the amount of leaf soluble carbohydrates was increased through K2SO4 spray in all the treatments compared to the control. In the potassium treatments, there was a positive correlation between the total leaf protein and the number of clusters per bud in the next year, although this correlation was not significant. The highest number of clusters per bud was produced in the treatments which total protein and soluble carbohydrate of leaf were the highest.

To investigate the effect of different pollen grains on pollen tube growth and fruit set in 'Ghermez-e-Shahroodi' and 'Ghorban-e-Marageh' apricot cultivars, an experiment was conducted under controlled pollination under lab and field conditions. In addition to assessment, in vitro pollen germination, initial and final fruit set and also fruit drop were determined after self- or crosspollination.In order to measure the number of pollen tubes at the end of style and in the ovary, pollination was performed in a growth chamber under controlled temperature, humidity and photoperiod condition. Seventy two hours after pollination, pistils were harvested and fixed in FAA. The pistils were washed and placed in an autoclave in 5% sodium sulfite solution to soften the flowers. After staining with aniline blue, pistils were examined under fluorescence microscope. Results showed significant differences for all the traits in the cultivars studied. The highest fruit set percentage and the number of pollen tubes at the end of style and in the ovary was observed in 'Ghorban-e-Marageh'. However, 'Ghermez-e-Shahroodi' showed the highest number of fruit drop. No significant differences were observed in the number of pollen tubes at the end of style and in the ovary as well as fruit set percentage under self- or cross-pollination. Interaction between cultivar and pollen sources for final fruit set and the number of pollen tubes at the end of style was significant but was not significant for other characteristics.

According to the frequent observation of precocious and dwarf walnut genotypes in Iran nurseries, this study was conducted to collect and evaluate these valuable genotypes during 2000-2005, in northwest of Iran. Several seedlings were inspected and 125 phenotypes showing one or more dwarfing characteristics had been selected for further investigations on the stability of characters. The selected seedlings were randomly planted in a separate field plot spacing 4 x 4 m. After five years of planting, different characteristics of genotypes including tree size, shoots length, crotch angle, number of nodes, internodes length, leaf area and number of fruits were recorded. There were significant positive correlations between size of the tree and other traits except crotch angle and fruiting, which showed a significant negative correlation (-0.39 and -0.42, respectively) with the tree size, These dwarf trees had shorter internodes, less nodes as well as wide crotch angles and good fruiting ability. Cluster analysis of genotypes revealed three clusters of genotypes; each of them had a significantly distinctive characteristic. In the main cluster, mean of tree size, number of nodes and length of nodes were 46.12, 7.70 and 1.05, respectively. The similar results were achieved by factor analysis using two principal components (pc1 and pc 2). The structure of phenotypic diversity of clusters and the centralization of most of the genotypes in the main cluster to some extent indicated the genetic stability of evaluated genotypes. Morever, the possible genetic mechanisms and the role of natural and artificial selections as well as the importance of these dwarf and semi-dwarf genotypes for developing new horizons in walnut orchard management has been discussed.

Natural propagation of Narcissus is extremely slow. Twin-scaling and chipping, two methods of Narcissus propagation, can overcome this problem. Two completely different experiments in the framework of a completely randomized design were conducted to investigate the effects of some growth regulators on bulblet induction and growth in two Narcissus populations grown in Fars province. Propagules in population 1 (locally known as Shahla narcissus) were prepared through twin-scaling and soaked in solutions of 6- benzyladenin (BA), abscisic acid (ABA), kinetin (Kin), gibberellic acid (GA3), ethephon (Eth), indolebutyric acid (IDA) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) at concentrations of 25, 50 and 100mg l-1  for 1 h and then treated with Captan fungicide with concentration of 2 g l-1  for 30 min. Propagules in population 2 (locally known as Meskin narcissus) were prepared via chipping and dipped in ABA, BA, Eth and GA3 at concentrations of 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg l-1 for 10 min. followed by Captan treatment at 8 gl-1  for 30. Control treatment for both populations was distilled water. The propagules in both populations were mixed with moist vermiculite and incubated at 21±1°C for three months. Among growth regulator treatments, the least decay percentage was observed in treatment with Eth. Higher decay percentage was obtained in population 1, with IDA and ABA treatments. In this population, the highest bulblet weight and diameter (0.38 g and 6.75 mm, respectively) was obtained in treatment with 50 mg l-1  Kin which were significantly different compared to control. In population 1, IDA significantly decreased bulblet number. In population 2, the highest bulblet weight and diameter (0.45 g and 0.71 mm, respectively) was gained in 25 mg l-1  GA3. ABA in all concentrations resulted in higher decay percentage. In this population, ABA at 100 and 200 mg l-1  significantly reduced bulblet weight and diameter compared to control.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of N, P and K fertilization on yield and quantitative characteristics of cultivated and wild populations of German chamomile. Fertilizers were applied at the rate of 1:1:1 and 6 levels of 0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 kg ha-1 under field conditions. Results indicated that various treatments of fertilizers affected flower, root and shoot fresh and dry weights, plant fresh weight/dry weight ratios, fresh and dry weight yields of flower and shoot, flower number and essential oil percentage. The highest flower fresh (1588 and 3250 kg ha-1) and dry weight (403 and 641.5 kg ha-1) were obtained with 120 and 30 kg NPK ha-1 in wild and cultivated populations, respectively, which was significantly different compared to the other treatments and control. Flower number per plant in both populations in treatment of 90 kg NPK ha-1 was significantly different compared to control. The highest essential oil percentage in cultivated population (0.55%) was obtained with 90 kg NPK ha-1. However, essential oil percentage of wild population was decreased with increasing the levels of fertilizers (from 0.68% in control treatment to 0.51% in 120kg NPK ha-1).

'Lisbon' lemons (Citrus limon L. Burm.) were treated with CaCl2 solutions up to 7.5% (w/v) by methods of normal dip (ND, 15°C, 25 min), hot dip (HD, 53°C, 3 min), normal vacuum infiltration (NVI, 15°C, -33 kpa, 10 min), and hot vacuum infiltration (BVI, 45°C, -33 kpa, 10 min) before storage at 1.5°c and 85% RH for 6 and 12 weeks and 1 additional week at 20°C. The correlation coefficient between Ca content of peel and CaCl2 concentration showed that Ca uptake was raised slightly and affected by application method, concentration of CaCl2 and temperature. Storage for 6 weeks resulted in comparatively minor chilling injury (CI), so that treatments gave little additional benefit. After 12 weeks, for all application methods, the different treatments of CaCl2 only affected CI and weight loss of fruit, but did not alter other parameters. Normal dip at 3% CaCl2, NVI at 1.5% CaCl2, hot water dip alone and hot water infiltration alone were the most effective methods and reduced the severity of CI by 58.89, 53.25, 67.5, and 19.29 %, respectively. Hot CaCl2 solutions (HD and HVI) had no advantage compared with hot water alone, and at high concentrations increased CI and weight loss. CI, weight loss, ion leakage and internal quality of fruits were significantly affected by application methods of CaCl2 and by storage period. Fruits treated by ND and NVI, RD, and HVI methods showed significantly minimum, moderate and severe CI, respectively. A significant correlation was also found between CI and each of the other parameters. As CI increased, weight loss and ion leakage increased, and conversely vitamin C and acidity levels decreased. Similar trends were observed as the storage time advanced and CI increased.