IRANIAN JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Year:2009 | Volume:10 | Issue:3|Papers Count:7

Field experiment was laid out at Aboureyhan College, University of Tehran, Iran, during 2005-2006 growing season to evaluate the herbicides efficacy in controlling weeds of seasonal flowers including Calendula, pansy and sweet William. Experimental design was a RCBD with 12 treatments and 4 replications. Treatments were trifluralin preplant incorporated at 0.2 and 0.3 ml m-2, trifluralin preplant non incorporated at 0.2 and 0.3 ml m-2, oxyfluorfen preplant at 0.2 and 0.3 ml m-2, oxyfluorfen postemergence at 0.2 and 0.3 ml m-2 and cholorothol-dimethyl preplant at 1 g m-2 Two times hand weeding, weedy and weed free treatments were also included. Trifluralin applied preplant at 0.2 and 0.3 ml m-2 controlled 70% weeds. These treatment had no phytotoxic effects on Calendula and did not reduce the yields. Oxyfluorfen applied preplant and postemergence had phytotoxic effect on Calendula. Among applied herbicides, Cholorothol-dimethyl demonstrated the lowest weed control and no phytotoxic effects on Calendula. All 3 applied herbicides injured pansy and sweet William, about 90% and practically can not be recommended for weed control in pansy and sweet William nurseries.

This experiment was conducted to study the effect of south-west climatic variation on morphological characteristics, vitamin C, and fatty acids of dog rose (Rosa canina L.) fruits. The fruits were collected from five different regions in south-west of Iran. Results showed that length, thickness, flesh percentage, weight, and flesh to seed ratio of fruit were significantly different at 5% level but width and length to width of fruit were not significantly different. Vitamin C contents of fruits were determined by HPLC. Differences among studied regions regarding the vitamin C were significant. The largest and lowest of vitamin C content was obtained from Gerd Bishe (1384.4 mg 100-1 g FW) and Kiar (721.64 mg 100-1 g FW) respectively. Oil was extracted using Soxhlet apparatus and analyses of fruit fatty acids were carried out by gas chromatography (GC). The results confirmed the presence of five dominant fatty acids in fruits of dog rose, including: linoleic acid, oleic acid, linolenic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid, respectively. Differences among oleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid quantity in the studied regions were significant, whereas differences among linoleic and linolenic acid quantity was not significant. The results of the present study showed that climatic factors affect quantity of vitamin C, fatty acid, and morphological characteristics of dog rose.

In order to determine the best level and source of nitrogen fertilizers on yield, quality and reduction of date palm bunch fading disorder, an experiment was conducted in Jiroft region for two years from September 2004. Experiment was a randomized block design with 3 nitrogen levels (700, 900 and 1100 g nitrogen per tree), 3 fertilizer sources (urea, ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate) in 5 replications. Every plot contained a tree. Number of bunches thinned to 4 uniform bunches per tree. Before occuring disorder, 10 strands (bunchlets) werr selected randomly on each tree and thenafter to ripening disorder injury measured every 5-day intervals. Sampling of leaf (middle row leaves and leaflets) and bunch was done in Khalal to Rutab conversion stage. Yield measured as kg per tree. Fruit characteristics such as Khalal diameter and length, mean Khalal and Rutab weight and nitrogen concentration in leaf and bunch measured. The two-year combined data analysis showed that the effect of levels and sources of nitrogen were significant on yield. The highest yield obtained from second level of nitrogen (900 g N per tree) from ammonium nitrate source. The effect of N sources on disorder percentage was significant. Ammonium nitrate decreased disorder intensity significantly compared to other sources. The effect of N level and source on yield and disorder intensity were uniform in experimental years. Increasing N level from 700 to 900 g per tree significantly decreased Khalal diameter, length and weight but increased mean Rutab weight. It was concluded that for the highest yield and the least damage from this disorder use of 900 g net N from ammonium nitrate source is recommendable under experimental condition.

In this research, effect of drought stress on physiological characteristics of pep perm in (Mentha piperita L.), was performed in the research farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, in 2008. Experiment was conducted using randomized block design with four replications for every treatment. Treatment included T1 (non stress), T2 (80% FC), T3 (60% FC), T4 (40% FC) and T5, (20% FC). The results showed that, effect of drought stress on fresh and dry yield, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, proline, soluble sugars, relative water contents and essential oil percentage and yield were significant (P<0.01). Effect of drought stress on total chlorophyll was significant (P<0.05). Comparison of treatment means showed that highest fresh yield (14311 kg ha-1) and dry yield (8912.25 kg ha-1) were related to T1 (control). Highest chlorophyll a (1.987 mg 1-1) and total chlorophyll (2.321 mg 1-1) were related to T1 (control) and highest chlorophyll b (1.198 mg 1-1) was related to T5, (20% FC), respectively. Highest accumulation of proline with 2.258 mg 1-1 mean was related to T3, (20% FC). The highest amount of soluble sugar with 2.523 mg 1-1 mean was obtained when T3 (60% FC) used. Maximum relative water content with 97.123 mean percentage related to T1 (control). Also the highest amount of essential oil was obtained when T3 (60% FC) used. It could be concluded that plant accumulation of proline and soluble sugars increased tolerance and showed that moderate drought stress is beneficial for peppermint production.

This research was carried out to determine the genetic diversity of R. foetida between Iran. three types of R. foetida with different morphological characters which were collected from scthern and northern provinces of Iran where this specimen reported to occur according to Flora Iranica. Ten microsatellite markers which previously showed high polymorphism in other rose species were used. The dendrogram obtained using Dice similarity coefficient resulted in only two genotypes. The main type of R. foetida along with R. foetida ‘bicolor’ placed in one group while R. foetida double flower comprised the second group. Although R. foetida accessions were collected at different sites, the majority of them showed the same genotype. It seems there is a dominant genotype of R. foetida in Iran. Overall, the results showed that there is a lack of genetic diversity in R. foetida of Iran which may be due to long time vegetative propagation of this species as the results of having low fertility. Knowing this can help breeders in choosing the proper method for future breeding programs.

In order to study the genetic relations among 25 Iranian’ Cucumis melo var. flexusus genotypes, 28 quantitative and qualitative traits were evaluated in Department of Horticultural Science, Tehran University, in 2006. Simple correlation analysis of traits showed significant correlations between important traits that could mention positive correlation between seed, fruit and leaf color and also negative correlation between fruit shape and fruit color, rib number on fruit skin and total soluble solids and positive correlation with presence of hair on fruit skin. Factor analysis showed that in the three first principle factors length, width and weight of seed, fruit weight, rib number, fruit shape, fruit flesh color and TSS and also in forth factor bush traits had more effective portion. Cluster analysis by using principle factors, based on seed, fruit, bush and leaf traits placed genotypes in different subgroups. One genotype that had strip lines on fruit skin and another genotype with different carpel number classified separately. According to the results high variation was observed among quantitative and qualitative traits that showed high genetic variation among genotypes.

Considering the calcareous soil of pistachio orchards in Iran and high EC and pH of soil, Fe acquisition by pistachio trees from the soil is difficult and cause chlorosis in pistachio trees. When soil condition is not suitable, foliar application of mineral nutrients for nutrient provision of deficit plants is more effective than soil application. This experiment was done for investigation of foliar application of chelated Fe on ecophysiological characteristics of four economical cultivars of Iranian pistachio (‘Ohadi’, ‘Ahmadaghaii’, ‘Akbari’, and ‘Kalehghoochi’) on ‘Badamie Rize Zarandi’ rootstocks. Foliar application of Fe at 0.5 and 1 g 1-1 increased photosynthesis, transpiration, and water use efficiency compared to control, and the highest photosynthesis was at 1 g 1-1 and cv. ‘Kalehghoochi’ in which leaf Fe concentration was 3 time higher compared to control. It was concluded that foliar application of chelated Fe can solve Fe deficiency and has suitable effects on photosynthesis of pistachio trees.