Baby corn is a premature ear of maize that is harvested as dehusked vegetable corn at 2-3 days after silking before fertilization. No enough attention has been paid to this kind of maize in the literature. In order to investigate the effect of planting density and pattern on yield and some qualitative and morphological traits in baby corn hybrid KSC403su a field experiment was conducted at College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran in 2014. The treatments were plant density at four levels: 100, 125, 150 and 175 thousands plant ha-1 and three planting patterns: one, two and three rows which arranged in factorial based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The results showed that yield, solar radiation, total soluble solid (TTS) and a majority of morphological traits of baby corn were significantly affected by the treatments and their interactions. With increasing of the number of rows and plant density, leaf area and plant height were increased, while the number of tillers per plant, number of ears per plant, husked and dehusked ear yield, husked and dehusked ear weight and ear diameter were decreased. The highest husked and dehusked ear yield were obtained in 150 thousands plant ha-1 and single row planting pattern with average of 1834 and 9128 Kg ha-1, respectively. In general, one row planting pattern at 150 thousands plant ha-1 were considered as the most suitable treatments and could be suggested for achieving acceptable yield and appropriate quality.

Amount of fumonisin B1 in 46 corn samples which were collected preharvest, at harvest and post harvest stages (after drying, befor and after silage) from Golestan province in northern Iran was evaluated. The samples were milled using analytical Romer mill. Fumonisin B1 was extracted with methanol-water (80:20 v/v) solvent, purified by immunoaffmity columns (IACs) and converted to fluorescent derivatives by OPA (Ortho-phetaldehyde).The mycotoxin was quantified through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detector (Em=335 nm, Exi=440 nm). Standard curve was drawn between 0.3125-40 mg/ml using 6 fumonisin working standards. Validation of the method was estimated by Certified Reference Material (CRM). The percentage mean of recovery obtained using this method was 90.7 %. All samples were contaminated with fumonisin B1, the range of contamination varied from 261 to 6891 ng/g and the mean of contamination was 2658.35 ng/g. There was in significant difference on the contamination of samples at different sampling stages.

Introduction: The prevalence of diseases related to high fat and low calcium diets have caused the increase of consumers’ demand as well as recommendations of international scientific organizations on consuming low-fat and calcium fortified food products. The main objective of this research is producing a low fat, calcium fortified meat product as a healthy and functional food.Materials and Methods: In this study, a dietary corn bran fiber, named z-trim (1.2% and 1.7%) and calcium gluconate (20% RDA) were used to reduce fat and enrich sausages, respectively. Chemical (fat, protein, moisture, calcium, ash and pH), physical (texture and color) and sensory properties of samples were analyzed.Results: The results indicated a decrease of 34-63% fat and an increase of 88.74-88.82% calcium respectively as compared to control. In addition, the samples which were treated only with z-trim had a softer texture, while a combined treatment of z-trim and calcium gluconate resulted in a product similar to control, in respect of texture.Conclusion: In this study, a new formulation for producing a healthy meat product with lower fat and higher dietary fiber and calcium content as a functional food was introduced.

To investigate the response of corn to combined application of chemical fertilizers with rhizobacteria plant growth promoting, an experiment was conducted in 2017 at Research farm of Agricultural and Natural Resources Campus of Tehran University, Karaj, Iran, in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Four nutritional treatments including T1 (Control treatment without applying fertilizer), T2 (Just PGPRs), T3 (Use chemical fertilizers based on soil test) and T4 (T3 + PGPRs) were considered. According to the results, the highest total dry weight (3.9 kg/m2), crop growth rate (79.8 g.m-2.day-1), net assimilation rate (15.3 g.m-2.day-1) and grain yield (18.2 ton.ha-1) were observed in T4 treatment and T2 treatment produced the highest  leaf area index (5.3), leaf area duration (205.2) and specific leaf weight (78.5 g.m-2) . Also, the lowest value of all traits was observed in in T1 (control) treatment. The results showed that the presence of rhizobacteria plant growth promotioninduction in the corn nutrition program increased the growth and growth indices of the plant. Combined application of chemical fertilizers with rhizobacteria plant growth promoting resulted in the highest growth and final grain yield of corn.

This experiment was designed to survey the nutritive value and estimate protected-protein level of Protanomix as a new protein source and compare it with soybean meal. Protanomix is a brown powder by separating the precipitate produced from the reaction of tannin with corn-steep liquor. Crude protein (CP) and metabolizable energy (ME) in this protein source is nearly similar to soybean meal, and more than 80% of its protein content is insoluble. In this study, potential of in vitro gas production in Protanomix was significantly (P˂0.001) lower than the control treatment (soybean meal); however, substitution of soybean meal at different levels of Protanomix in experimental diets did not lead to significant changes in gas production parameters (P˃0.05). Comparing Protanomix with soybean meal (control) showed that in vitro truly degraded dry matter (IVTDDM), estimated metabilizable energy (ME) and pH were similar (P˃0.05). However, short chain fatty acids (SCFA), apparently in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMAD) and ammonia nitrogen (N-NH3) were significantly higher in soybean meal (P˂0.01) than Protanomix, while partitioning factor (PF), microbial protein synthesis (MPS) and efficiency of microbial protein synthesis (EMPS) were greater in Protanomix than soybean meal (P˂0.05). Nonetheless, when soybean meal was substituted with different levels of Protanomix in the experimental diets, only concentration of ammonia nitrogen (N-NH3) was significantly decreased (P˂0.001).

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different sowing dates and plant density on quantitative and qualitative yield of baby corn var. KSC403 su (Zea mays L.). The experiment was performed in at the Agricultural Research and Natural Resources of Khorasan Razavi Province, Mashhad, Iran in 2008 growing season. The experiment was carried out in a factorial split plot based on randomized completely block design with four replications. The sowing dates (14th June, 3th July, 24th July) were used as the main factor and combination of plant densities (65000, 85000 and 105000 plant.ha-1) along with the two harvest methods (baby corn, sweet corn and their combinations) as sub factor. The results showed significant differences among sowing dates for plant height, ear height, stem diameter, ear length, ear diameter, husked and dehusked baby corn yield. The maximum baby corn yield was harvested from 3rd sowing date (8095 kg.ha-1). The plant density had significant effects on traits like stem diameter, husked and dehusked ear yield, standard ear percentage and sub- standard ear percentage. Therefore, significant differences between harvest method for plant height, ear height, dehusked and husked baby corn yields were obtained. Finally, the interaction of sowing date and plant density and harvest method was significant only for standard and sub-standard ear percentage. Thus, sowing date of July 24th and with planting density (105000 plants/ha) is recommended for maximum husked baby corn yield.

Histopathology of fungus Ustilago maydis causal agent of common corn smut was investigated in exposure to both light and electron microscopy in cultivars SC301, SC647 and DC704 that were known before as sensitive, semiresistant and resistant cultivars, respectively. For providing fungal inoculum, mixture of teliospors were collected from Khozestan province, then cultured in CMA and PDA+10% dextorose media and incubated 5 days at 25oC. Fungal inoculums were inoculated under 2 different methods, injection and spray; then samples were collected and fixed 2, 4, 11 and 25 days after inoculation. 18 days after inoculation, disease symptoms were first observed in injection and then spray method. Fungal penetration in host by scanning electron microscopy showed that penetration is possible both in direct and indirect ways and fungus make a swollen and brilliant appressorium. Light microscopy of fungal extension showed that infection cells were larger than intact ones and extension of fungal hyphes were first intercellular and then intracellular. Some intracellular branches were lobed and others terminated in pointed finger like or other kinds of swelling. At the site of teliospore formation, cavity of mycelium was formed that contained both mature and immature teliospores. These young teliospores were surrounded with gelatinus sheath. Corn infection happened easily under control conditions and made an appropriate system for investigation of some aspects of pathogen interaction.

TThe study was conducted using a randomized complete block experimental design with five treatments and four replications. Treatments were including: A) reduced tillage, B) wheat and corn direct seeding, C) corn direct seeding for four years, wheat direct seeding for the first two years and the fourth year, and conventional planting in the third year, D) wheat direct seeding for four years, corn direct seeding for the first two years and the fourth year, and conventional planting in the third year, and E) conventional tillage. Results showed that conservation tillage methods increased soil moisture retention (at most 25%) with respect to the conventional tillage but, they did not increase soil organic carbon. Conservation tillage methods especially direct seeding increased soil bulk density (at most 13%), and decreased soil accumulative filtration and infiltration rate (at most 25%). Meanwhile, tillage methods had no significant effect on corn yield for three growing seasons.