Research was conducted to develop and release new improved winter safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) cultivar suitable for cold and semi cold areas of Iran. In 1995, 1996 and 1997, line L.R.V.51.51  was selected from Uromeieh landraces based on agronomic traits, resistance to diseases and abiotic stresses under field conditions. It was included in yield trials in main Research Stations Karaj, Isfahan and Darab, together with 9 safflower lines, as well as widely grown improved cheek cultivar Zrgan-279 Results showed that this line produces significantly higher and stable yield. Analysis of the grain and oil yields using Eberhart and Russel method showed significant difference for the main effects of genotype and genotype × environment (linear) interactions and non-significant difference for deviation from regression. According to the classification of genotypes based on the mean of grain and oil yields, coefficient of regression and deviation from regression, the new line L.R.V.51.51 with its high grain and oil yields and stability was selected as a desirable genotype while it has more tolerant to cold than Zargan-279, with mean grain and oil yields 2205 kgha-1 and 600 kgha-1 respectively. The new line was released in 2005, with the name of Paideh. 

This study was designed to investigate the total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity of fruits methanolic extracts from Momordica charantia L., Ecballium elaterium (L. ) A. Rich, Cucurbita pepo L. cultivar pumpkin, Lagenaria siceraria L. cultivar Marankka belonging to Cucurbitaceae family. For this purpose, a factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replications. The matured fruits were harvested from the research farm in Zanjan university during the September to December 2017. Phytochemical characteristics of total phenol content (Folin– Ciocalteu method), total flavonoid (Aluminum Chloride method) and antioxidant activity (DPPH method) were evaluated. The highest level of phenolic and flavonoid contents was recorded for the fruit methanolic extracts from the Ecballium elaterium (L. ) and Momordica charantia L., with 85/5 ± 3/5 mg GAE/g and 12. 13 ± 0. 8, respectively. The results of DPPH test showed that the methanolic extract of Momordica charantia exhibited potent activity (97. 09 % ± 0. 96), followed by Ecballium elaterium (87. 8% ± 1. 5) and the lowest antioxidant activity related to methanolic extract of pumpkin fruit (58/02 % ± 2. 7). Furthermore, there was a strong correlation between flavonoids content and antioxidant activity (P = 0. 87) and also there was a positive correlation between phenolic content and antioxidant activity (P = 0. 54). Generally, the phytochemical analysis showed that, Ecballium and Karella extracts are rich in polyphenol compounds against other sspecies and can be used as food. drug-

Pegah is a new forage sorghum cultivar, improved in Iran. It is derived from progenies of a cross made between Early orange (Farian) and LFS56 (Local selected germ[lasm) cultivars. Its improvement took 15 years from crossing up to releazing time. All selections and evaluations were made in SPII and its associated research centers in Iran. Pegah is a pure line variety and its seed production is the same as other self fertilization crops. Green fodder and dry matter yield of pegah in 6 locations for three years were 128.38 and 23.52 tha-1 respectively which was 42.28% and 46.82% higher than those of check cultivar Speed feed. Protein contents of Pegah cultivar is 12%. Maximum green fodder and dry matter of pegah cultivar were obtained in planting densities of 208 and 287 thousand plants per hectare. As an example in Karaj at 208 thousand plants per hectare, it produced 156.39 and 29.32 tha-1 green fodder and dry matter, respectively. As another aspect, Pegah cultivar has high contents of sugar in stem, and it is a sweet sorghum cultivar too.

Sepahan is a new bread wheat cultivar derived from progenies of a cross made between Azadi cultivar and some high yielding and resistant to rust advanced lines. All selections were made in Kelardasht and Iranshahr stations and early evaluations in Karaj. It was also studied in regional uniform yield trials in moderate stations including Kaboutar Abad. Results revealed that this line is more tolerant to drought, thus it's suitable for arid areas of Iran and it has higher yield than check cultivar (Mahdavi). It is of spring habit and early maturity, 95-100 cm plant height, grain color amber and thousand kernel weight of 40 gram. Sepahan has grains with average protein and gluten content 10.3% and 23% respectively. Based on these superiorities and good performance, the new line was released in 2006, under the name of Sepahan.

Due to its wide adaptability, chickpea is considered as an important crop in arid, semi-arid and in marginal lands. Most important factors which limit yield of chickpea are short length of physiological growth period and susceptibility to cold and diseases, especially Ascochyta rabie. Releasing a chickpea cultivar with high yield and good characteristics such as cold tolerance, resistance to disease (Ascochyta rabie), erect growth habit and early maturity has been a most important goal in Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Neishabour, Iran. Thus, in order to release a chickpea cultivar suitable for autumn-winter cultivation, more than 300 genotypes from ICARDA (including ILC3279), Italy and some Iranian landraces were examined during an eight year period starting from 1990. In different nurseries, preliminary and advanced yield trails, ILC3279 produced the highest yield and exhibited good agronomic characteristics, therefore this genotype and two other were selected as the superior genotypes. In adaptability and other agronomic and physiological trails, to find the best planting date, plant density and physiological characteristics, ILC3279 was found to be the most superior genotype for releasing. It was finally registered officially in Iran with the name of Binaloud as a new chickpea cultivar.

Red clover (Trifolium pretense) has wide adaptability to different soil and climatic conditions, and suitable digestibility of forage compared to the other clover species. New red clover cultivar, Nasim, was primarily selected from clover germplasm received from Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations, in Seed and Plant Improvement Institute, Karaj, Iran. Agronomic and yield trails were carried- out in Karaj, Shahr-e-kord, Arak, Gorgan, Sanandaj, Kermanshah. This clover cultivar has the potential to increase the productivity and production of forage in the country. Nasim cultivar is a prennial and late maturing clover (4-5 cuts season-1) which can produce forage during whole growing season and is also suitale component in short-term crop rotation systems. Nasim cultivar is tolerant to powdery mildew and other fungal diseases and pests as well as cold. Nasim performance was excellent in agronomy and yield trails with 60-90 t ha-1 fresh forage and 12-15 t ha-1 dry forage yields.

Some parts of semitropical regions in Khouzestan, Fars, Kohgiloyieh-va-Boyrahmad, Lorestan, Golestan, Ardabil, Kermanshah and Boushehr provinces specified to spring barley cultivation which local or a few improved cultivars are grown there. Barley breeding activities in Dryland Agricultural Research Institute (DARI) are continuously undertaken in Gachsaran, Kouhdasht, Gonbad and Moghan to introduce new cultivars for these regions.

Scince 1990 research on clover has been commenced in Karaj and other field stations of Seed and Plant Improvement Institute, Iran. One of the achievements of this initiative is selection, improvement and release of Alborz 1 Crimson clover cultivar. New Crimson clover cultivar, Alborz 1 was primarily selected from clover germplasm received from Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), The United Nations, in Seed and Plant Improvement Institute, Karaj, Iran. Agronomic and yield trials were carried out in Karaj, Dezfoul, Arak, Mazandaran and Esfahan. Demonstration plots and research-extension verifications were performed in Karaj, Golpayegan and Shahr-e-Kord. The important agronomic characteristics of Alborz 1 cultivar are: earliness, high fresh forage yield in early spring season, suitability for being grown as second and third crop in cropping systems as well as tolerant to diseases and pests. Alborz 1 is also tolerant to deficit irrigation and cold, therefore, it is also suitable to be grown in cold and foothills areas. This cultivar is a reliable substitute for Berseem clover in paddy cropping systems. Alborz 1 cultivar had very good performance in agronomy and yield trails with 30-35 t ha-1 fresh forage and 5-5.5 t ha-1 dry forage yields of 16% protein content, 60% digestibility and 70-80% platability.

Babol local lettuce as a landrace in Mazandaran, has cultivated for many years. Local lettuce is a mixture of different genotypic and phenotypic forms which affects its marketability. It was purified by individual selection method during a three year priod (1998-2000) based on the selection for characteristics such as shape of bush, closed pome high yield, good marketability and resistance to diseases. A pure sample was developed in 2000 covering several good characteristics of the local lettuce and after evaluation in several agronomic and yield trial experiments it was registered as a new cultivar named Varesh in 2008. Varesh is a high yielding lettuce cultivar with good shape of bush, closed pome, good marketability and moderately resistant to Bremia lactucae Based on the agronomic trials, the plant density of 100000 (50×20 sowing pattern), 200 kgha-1 urea fertilizer and planting date of 22 November were recommend for this cultivar. The average yield of the new cultivar in farmers condition was more than 40tha-1.