Year:2005 | Volume:11 | Issue:1 (SUPPLEMENT)|Papers Count:9

Cleaning up of contaminations from soil, water and air by plants named phytoremediation. This new technology and science can apply for remediation of polluted ecosystems by heavey metals, metalloids, radionuclides, herbicides, petroleum hydrocarbons and chlorinated solvents. Different plants that able to uptake cotaminants are often in the family of Poaceae, Fabaceae, Brassicaceae, Asteraceae and amaranthaceae. Phytoremediation have different various such as: phytoextraction, phytostabilization, phytofilteration, rhizodegridation and so on. Plants that are use to phytoremediation should be adapted to climate and soil condition, and have high ability of biomass production and root growth. In Addition to, they should be able to high uptake of contaminations. To clean up and remediation contaminants, we can use simultaneously or sequentially of some process of phytoremediation. Thus, phytoremediation can apply for development and remediation ground water, surface water, waste water, soil and air. Phytoremediation is 1000-fold cheaper than other technologies. This technology is ecofriendly and environmentally friendly. Also, established vegetation cause conservation and development of soil properties. In designing of phytoremediation project, should consider factors such as: application native plants, to be suitable growth condition for plants, possibility of use from non-native plants and so on.

Geometric morphometrics is known as rather new approach to study similarities and differences between morphological structures in biological populations. This approach was born after debates on some failings of descriptive morphology and traditional morphometrics in distinguishing morphologically similar groups and then was used by researchers in different science including Entomology. In this study, in order to investigate on morphological variation among geographic populations of carob moth Ectomyelois ceratoniae (Zel.) on figs in Iran, infested figs were collected from 4 sites and larvae inside were reared to adulthood. Using geometric morphometric techniques, differences in shape of wings among populations were shown geometrically. MANOVA and ANOVA showed significant variation of wing shape and size among tested populations. Then canonical variate ordination of tested populations was shown and allometric relationships between shape and size were detected. Then probable influent factors and existence of genetic basis of these variations were discussed.

For the populations located in semi- arid regions, agricultural scientists need to change their insight on “development concept” as well as application of “advanced technologies” for optimal water and energy use, environmental protection and landscaping in order to achieve sustainable agricultural production. One new issue for crop production in semi-arid regions is the application of new irrigation methods. By approaching new technologies, not only the water use efficiency increases, but the salt accumulation in the root zone will reduce, providing more yields. As the civil population increases in semi-arid regions, the demand for good quality water will also grow up, creating more pressure on the limited amount of available waters. Therefore, the use of drainage and sewage waters now becomes a new challenge in such areas. Yet, in some countries, sewage waters are successfully used to irrigate green spaces following some physical or biological treatments. Also, there are some automated agricultural networks that continuously monitor the consumptive use of different plants, employing some thermal ultra red sensors. In addition, there are some large meteorological stations, networking the necessary data for optimizing the irrigation water use efficiency. One more new alternative for better use of available resources in semi-arid regions is concerning the “available biodiversity” such that one can pay attention to “halophyte” and “medicinal” plant production.

One of the most recent methods for plant diseases management is to protect the plants from pathogenic microorganism via application of essential oil based compounds. These are alternative pest management natural compounds, which performed a promising and satisfactory compact under IPM programmers. The novel technology, which is most compatible with principle aims of organic production and processing. This is more pronounced when we found no effective control measurement for many seed and soil-borne pathogens and some phenomena such as resistance to synthetic pesticides and chemical residues are additional problems of current agricultural practices. The main issues which can be solved, in part, with new emerging bio-products. In this regards, some companies are encouraged to manufacture a new class of pesticides with a wide range of antimicrobial effects and negligible residues. This new approach is in order to basic standards of the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements and general requirements of environmental impacts. Some of these products are commercially available in the markets and are used against specific bacterial and fungal diseases. The one is registered in Iran is developed against E. amylovora. The product is formulated from thyme essential oil and many antibacterial aspects of the protectant are assessed and fulfilled.

Cultivation of cucumber in glasshouse, plastic tunnel and under plastic cover, to produce european varieties. is becoming popular practice and very profitable in recent years. On almost over 1000 hectares, in different parts of Iran. The greenhouse culture of European parthenocarpic varieties of cucumber is simple in their management. Because they require no pollination for fruit production-but the producers are now facing the following tow major problems:- Their dependency on heavy application of insecticides, fungicides and acaroids to control plant pests and diseases. That may be very expensive, because of their more use (two or three times per week).- Their dependency on imported hybrid seeds, furthermore there is not too much depend for this type of crop. Due to low quality and fruit taste in Iranian markets.- The pesticides residues in crop. Health hazard consequences. Environmental pollution. And the high cost of importing hybrid seeds. and pesticides are other problems.- During the cours of 4 years research, our study of IPM in two programs of preventive and reasonably biocontrol shown:- That preventive control such as: all aspects of cropping measures, were more effective and Iranian cucumber cuitivares toierated the pests and diseases better than imported parthenocarpic cultivares.- That the reasonably control. such as: release of beneficial insects (parasitoids and predators). Regularly using of different biomaterials.- Intercropping of cucumber and tomato and companion planting (bean, eggplant, pepper yellow sweet) for the conservation of biodiversity in the biotope of greenhouse and implentation of integrated crop management (ICM).- In preventive measures adequate irrigation control of temperature (22±4°c), relative humidity (60-70%), light (14-16 hours period) and supplementation of Co2 in greenhouse is also very important for increasing resistance of plants to pests and yield increase.- Planting the seeds in nursery pots, for uniform transplantation. With the use three four week transplants in greenhouse, that is free of diseases and pests. The transplant were more advantageous than direct seeding (See:pp. 2, 3, 28, 29).- In biological program of IPM mass rearing and innundative release of predators: Orius albidipennis and Aphidolets aphidimyza are effective in reasonably control of aphids. traps and the use of biomaterials, Such as: savona, Bacillus etc. to keep the pests and diseases bellow economic threshold level (See:pp. 9, 11, 12, 30, 33).- Using yellow sticky traps for trapping sucking paste, from transplantation period, for prevention of pests outbreak (See: pp. 14, 18).- Release of parasitoid wasps: Diglyphus isaea for control of leafminer, and Eretmocerus mundus for whitefly control. and at the same time use of antagonists, for control of mildews sush as Bacillus subtilis, milk, copost tea and Bacillus thurengiensis (Bactospein) for control Trichoplusia, were also effective (See: pp. 14. 15. 16. 18.30).- During 15 cultivation period: from 1998-2003. It became clear, that for proper implementation of good IPM program the off season cultivation (fall and winter) should be recommended for good production and marketing. (see:p.35).- In greenhouse culture of Iranian cultivars of cucumber the prime importance of our study was focused on the fecundity of female flowers that are monoecious with separate male and female flowers in the same plant. The tow Iranian seed cultivars obtained from Basmenj regjon near Tabriz and Dastguerd region near Isfahan (see: p.20).- In 1998 the leaf cutter bee (Megachile rotundata) were released in greenhouse culture for pollination and to secure the pollination of the crop in our glasshouse several wood nesting traps of leaf cutter bee (see: pp.20, 21) Containing larval leaf- cells were instaled against the wall in the glasshouse. (See: p. 21).- In 2003 the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) was released in plastic tunnel. The activities of two pollinators during periodic cultures (1988-2003) were satisfactory result in crop pollination of Iranian cucumber cultivars (See: pp. 21, 31).

A difficult period has globally begun for pulp and paper industry. The consumer standards are high and production is severely competitive. In some countries, the necessity for reducing production costs, has caused integration of the companies and their profitability has been affected and restricted by factors such as globalization, environmental concerns and competition. Pulp and paper production is a large capital – intensive industry where production capacity has a major role in it’s survival. On the other hand, paper consumption per capita is increasing in the world and so in Iran. To meet this demand, we need to find new methods for optimum and efficient usage of lignocellulosic resources with less environmental affects. Development of chemical conversion industries based on sustainable use of lignolellulosic resources of Iran can justify renewal of the existing pulp and paper industries and utilization of biotechnology as a strategic solution in midterm and long term. In this research the current problems of Iranian pulp and paper industries were identified and then some applications of different enzyms in pulp and paper production process, bleaching, fiber recovery and deinking, deposit removal, fiber property improvement and reduction of environmental pollutants were investigated.

In this paper, the design and implementation of the first Iranian mechanization database is presented. This program will help researches, designers, buyers, manufacturers, decision makers and those who are involved in the advancement of mechanization in Iran to promptly locate the indigenous producers and upon comparison in the database search and make reports in order to get accurate information concerning the industry. The software is written with MS ACCESS, is composed of one table, 26 queries, 24 forms, 10 reports and 30 Macros. It has capabilities such as adding new information to the database, modifying current information, searching and reporting according to various indices. This software has an attractive, user-friendly and flexible graphical interface and is written all in Farsi. An outstanding feature of the developed software is the speed by which users can access their desire records, and at each stage print their search results.

Any interference in natural process of animal reproduction and guidance towards certain goals can be defined as biotechnology in reproduction. Biotechnology in reproduction began with artificial insemination. There are numerous examples of reproductive biotechnical procedures such as artificial insemination, separation of X and Y containing spermatozoa, in vitro fertilization (IVF), gene transfer, cloning, chimera, embryo freezing, embryo division and sex determination of embryo and embryo transfer. Embryo transfer makes biotechnological processes possible in mammalian reproduction. For the first time, in 1780 Spallanzani carried out artificial insemination in dog. Embryo transfer consists of removing an embryo in its early developmental stage from its own mother and transferring it into another reproductive tract or incubates it in an appropriate media in the laboratory for development subsequent birth. In 1891, such a technique has been preceded by Heap on rabbit. The in vitro fertilization (IVF) is a technique that an ovum from donor fertilized by sperms in vitro. This technique was done on rabbit in 1959 and on human in 1978. Gene transfer is based on identified DNA, transferred into male chromosomes in pronucleus stage of the fertilized egg, when two sets of paternal and maternal chromosomes are not yet joined. So, for the gene transfer has been successful in cattle, sheep, goat and swine. Cloning is to generate genetically similar animals produced from one parent. Cloning can be done by transferring of a blastomer into an enucleated egg. This technique could be of a grate help in production of high performance animals. Chimera produces a creature with more than one cellular population, which originated from different species early embryos. The most famous chimera produced in farm animals is a combination of goat and sheep embryos, called “Geep”. Cell freezing is a way of halting life in order to elongate the living potential, and then defrosting is the way of its reactivation. In reproduction, sperm cryopreservation is in use since 1960, and embryo cryopreservation since 1971 for viability elongation purpose. This technique is a very valuable and efficient tool in animal breeding and for endangered species of animals. A frozen cell can be kept in liquid nitrogen (-196oC) for a long period of time. In this condition all vital activities seized, but its viability is preserved. Freezing a cell or a compound of cells is done via physical transformation of liquid water to ice crystals which is the biological stable state of the water. In order to prevent cold shock during freezing, chemical compounds called cryoprotectants are used. Embryo freezing is done in three ways: controlled freezing and thawing, rapid freezing and thawing and vitrification. There are different techniques to determine the sex of embryo including study of embryos growth rate, chromosome – X enzyme measurement, determination of specific sex antibody and using chromosome - Y specific DNA - markers. Separation of X and Y spermatozoa for production of male or female offspring has been under consideration since the time of discovery of gene and chromosome. Different techniques, like sedimentation, difference in electrical charge and fluorescence, have also been used

Leaf feeder moth (Erannis defoliaria Clereck) recognized & reported for the first time in the west part of Mazandaran forest of Iran (1998). In this research a two hectare sample plot from a compartment of hornbeam trees selected and from infected trees, 10 trees signed for sampling. Where as the female moths are wingless & for laying eggs, raise from tree trunks, plastic band (wide: 30cm) with Tengel food adhesive used for capturing them. By counting the eggs in the female insect’s body, number of larva on the tree trunks and number of pupa in a square meter below the trees and also percentage of mortality, life table of this moth obtained. The male fly from in late autumn with a few stragglers turning up until in mid January. Again, the females are wingless. The females of this pest crawl up the trunk and mating with the males in sunset. Then female lays eggs in the crevice on the trunk or under the moss grown on trees. The eggs after over wintering in early April are hatching and the larva move geometrically and reach themselves to shoot and leaves and feed them severely, larva start to pupate under soil surface in early May. In early June all of them change to the brownish pupa. The stage of pupate lasts until the mid November. According to studies this pest has one generation per year. Erannis defoliaria or mottled umber attacks to most of trees exception Alder, Oak and Wild kaki. Also That is Observed natural enemis such as Bracon SP. And Chaetinella SP and Parus major feed this pest.