IRANIAN JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Year:2010 | Volume:11 | Issue:2|Papers Count:7

In order to investigate the growth and comparison of agronomic and phytochemical attributes and determine the real chemotypes of chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) populations collected from centeral and south-western habitates of Iran, an experiment was conducted at research field of Persian Gulf University, Boushehr province, Iran during 2006 and 2007. Experimental treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block with three replications. Seeds of Fars and Boushehr populations were collected from their natural habitats in 2006 and for Esfahan population were obtained from the Agricultural Research Center of the Esfahan province. Flower-diameter, plant height, biomass and dry flower yield, harvest index, essential-oil content and main two medicinal active substances (chamazulene and apigenin 7-glucoside) were analyzed. Essential-oil content was estimated using water-distillation method and chamazulene percentage were determined spectrophotometerically according to Iran's Pharmacopeia. The alcoholic extraction of flower and apigenin 7-glucoside was analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography based on the standard method of United States pharmacopoeia (USP-20). The results indicated that Esfahan population of chamomile had higher flower-diameter and plant height and lower harvest index than to Fars and Boushehr populations. Also there were no significant differences between populations for biomass and dry flower yield. With the exception of essential-oil percentage, other chemical traits resulted in significant difference at the 5% level of probability. Although highest chamazulene percentage (13.8%) and highest amount of apigenin in extraction (0.07 mg ml-1) were existed in Esfahan and Boushehr populations, respectively: but not significant difference existed between ecopulations for dry flower yield and essential-oil content.

In order to investigate the effects of vermicompost (VC) and chemical fertilizer on soil properties and nutrition content of bush bean a pot experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with 8 treatments and 4 replications. The treatments were three levels of vermicompost (15, 30,45 tons ha-1) and three rates of vermicompost (15, 30, 45 ton ha-1) with 50 kg ha-1 chemical fertilizer, chemical fertilizer (100 kg ha-1 of urea, potassium sulfate, triple super phosphate) and control (no VC or chemical fertilizer). In this experiment, some chemical characteristic of soil, such as macronutrients (N, P, K), micronutrients (Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn) and sodium concentration of root and shoot of bush bean at flowering initiation time were measured. Results indicated that the highest electrical conductivity, Na and CI of soil were observed in 45 ton ha-1 VC (with and without chemical fertilizer) and maximum amount of Mg and HCO3- of soil was belonged to 30 ton ha-1 VC with fertilizer. Nitrogen and sodium content in root and shoot of bush bean, root potassium and shoot phosphorus in 30 and 45 ton ha-1 VC with fertilizer treatments were greater as compared to chemical fertilizer. Also, application of 30 (with chemical fertilizer) and 45 (with and without chemical fertilizer) ton ha-1 VC were caused highest increases in terms of Fe content of root and shoot and Zn and Cu content of bush bean shoot. Meanwhile, the amounts of Na and CI in soil solution were correlated to growing media electrical conductivity (r = 0.93** and 0.90**, respectively). Also Fe, Cu, Zn and N content of root and shoot had higher correlations (r = 0.91**, 0.93**, 0.92** and 0.89** respectively).

In order to evaluate drought effects on grain yield (GY) and dry biomass (DB) of twenty Iranian fenugreek landraces, this study was carried out under field and greenhouse conditions. Field studies were conducted in both irrigated and rainfed conditions at two separate fields using RCBD and greenhouse study was conducted with a split plot design (main plots = 20 landrace and subplots = three irrigation regimes including remaining of pot moisture at field capacity, two-third of field capacity and one-third of field capacity). Some quantitative criteria for stress tolerance as: stress tolerance (TOL), mean productivity (MP), geometric mean productivity (GMP), stress susceptibility index (SSI) and stress tolerance index (STI) were used for screening of genotypes. Results showed that among the criteria MP has highly significant and positively correlated with GY and DB under non-stress condition and GMP and STI had positively and high significant correlation with GY and DB under stress condition at field and greenhouse which are recommended for screening of susceptible and tolerant fenugreek genotypes for drought stress. Results showed that a good variability exists in Iranian fenugreek landraces in response to drought stress. Under mid-moisture stress (field condition) landraces number 1 (Ardestan) and 12 (Shiraz) and under continued moisture stress (greenhouse condition) landrace number 7 (Khorasan) had the highest grain yield and dry biomass and recommended for planting at areas with high moisture stress.

Quality of cut rose flowers was evaluated under different potassium and calcium levels in the nutrient solution under hydroponic conditions at Safi Abad Agricultural Research Center. This experiment was carried out as factorial in a randomized complete block with four replicates during 2007-2008 on 'Vendetta' rose cultivar. Rose plants were grown and irrigated with nutrient solutions having three potassium levels of 1, 5 and 10 mM in combination with two calcium concentrations of 1.6 and 4.8 mM. The results indicated that rose quality indices at harvest time consisting of fresh weight, stem length, peduncle length, bud length and diameter were not affected by different potassium and calcium concentrations in the nutrient solutions. However, postharvest quality studies revealed that, increasing potassium concentration up to 10 mM significantly reduced the final weight of rose flowering stem as well as their vase life in comparison with 1 and 5 mM levels. This was due to increased potassium concentration and consequently decreased calcium concentration in the rose leaves. But elevated levels of calcium supply from 1.6 to 4.8 mM markedly increased all of these indices due to increased calcium concentration of rose aerial parts. On the basis of this experiment, for improving postharvest rose quality indices as well as reducing crop loss, the application of 1 mM potassium and 4.8 mM calcium in the nutrient solution are recommended for cut rose production under hydroponic conditions.

Salinity increases oxidative stress which gradually accompanied by deleterious effects on proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. Effect of salinity on one year old Mexican lime seedlings was conducted in a completely randomized design in a factorial arrangement with two factors: NaCl in 4 levels (0, 30, 60, and 90 mM NaCl) and ascorbic acid in 4 levels (0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mM) with three replications. In this study, parameters including malondialdehyde content (indicator of lipid peroxidation), superoxide dismutase enzyme activity and ascorbate peroxidase activity, protein, leaf water content, leaf electrolyte leakage, chlorophylla and chlorophyllb were evaluated on seedlings under saline condition. Ascorbic acid due to protection effect on the membrane structures reduced lipid peroxidation content and electrolyte leakage. Salinity accompanied with increase of superoxide dismutase enzyme activity and decrease of ascorbate peroxidase activity in leaves. Increases in superoxide dismutase enzyme activity under salt stress enhanced decomposition of superoxide to hydrogen peroxide capacity. Ascorbate peroxidase enzyme responsible for prevention of hydrogen peroxide accummulation, by decomposing to water and oxygen that ascorbate peroxidase activity increased with using ascorbic acid. Moreover, addition of ascorbic acid increased soluble proteins and leaf relative water content. Salt stress reduced chlorophylla more than chlorophyllb, however, ascorbic acid application increased chlorophylla more than chlorophyllb.

Present study was carried out to investigate morphological and physiological characters of Thymus vulgaris L. under water deficit conditions under greenhouse conditions. Five irrigation intervals (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 days until to reach the field capacity) for about 6 months were applied. The experiment was conducted as a completely randomized design in factorial arrangements. Each treatment had eight replications (pots). Data were analyzed with SPSS 12.0 software and the mean values were compared using Tuckey's test at 5% level. Water deficit stress decreased shoot length, shoot and root fresh and dry weights, a, b and total chlorophyll contents. In this experiment, root length, root to shoot length ratio and proline content according to increase water deficit stress, were significantly increased, except in 8-day interval. Results showed that although in some of species water deficit stress might cause increasing in antioxidant contents, antioxidant activity of thyme decreased under long-term drought conditions. A higher value of IC50 shows a lower antioxidant activity, which indicates that sever water stress (8 day) significantly decreases the antioxidant activity of thyme. The FRAP values showed a trend to reduction by increasing the irrigation intervals but this trend was not significant. In present study, in all results except root to shoot ratio, 2 days interval was the best treatment.

Water deficiency, save water consumption and production expense in agriculture as well as increasing in tomatoes quality. It is necessary to know the effect of decreasing irrigation on quality of fruits; like water loss, color, permanence and postharvest quality of fruits. The quality of fruits under Partial rootzoone irrigation (was applied in one side of rootzoone) compared with control. PRD improved fruits color, total soluble solid, osmotic potential and rate of redness. Permanence and water loss diminish passing time, although it was higher in control compared to PRD. There were not observed any difference in blossom end rot and water content of fruits. N in PRD and Ca, Fe, Mn and B in controls were higher but Na, Zn, Cu, Mg, S, K, P were the same in both treatments. It is reasonable to use PRD for tomatoes as the quality of fruits not decrease, additively, water saved.