Pomology
Zohre Rohi Vishekaii; Ali Soleimani; Mahmood Ghasemnejad; Akbar Hasani
Abstract
Introduction Olive tree, with a thousand years of cultivation history, is one of the most important horticultural crops in Iran and has always played an important economical role for orchardists. In olive orchards traits such as an increased formation of incomplete flowers, low yield of fruits and ...
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Introduction Olive tree, with a thousand years of cultivation history, is one of the most important horticultural crops in Iran and has always played an important economical role for orchardists. In olive orchards traits such as an increased formation of incomplete flowers, low yield of fruits and oil are often found as major problems. It should be noted that these traits are affected by numerous environmental and management factors from which the nutrition status is one of the most important ones. Proper nutrition plays an important role in both olive fruit and oil yield. There is a wide range of fertilizer compounds with different formulas and efficiencies available in the world market, among which nano-products are becoming increasingly popular. However, there is limited information on their efficacy in different plant species. Materials and MethodsIn order to evaluate the impact of fertilizers on olive cultivation, a research was conducted during two successive years from 2019 to 2020 in a commercial orchard on 15 year old olive tree cv. ‘Zard’, in Manjil city of Guilan province. Foliar application included five treatments using two types of fertilizers; nano (nano-chelated nitrogen and potassium: nano-NK) and chemical fertilizers (urea and potassium nitrate; NK). Treatments involved application of two concentrations from each fertilizers sources; 1.02g and 0.81g (nano-N1K1 and N1K1), 1.36 g and 1.08 g (nano-N2K2 and N2K2) of pure nitrogen and potassium, respectively. Foliar application was conducted in four stages bud-swelling, before blooming, pit hardening and shortly after harvest of table olive. Spraying with water was considered as the control. The nano-chelated fertilizers were obtained from Khazra Company, Teheran, Iran (http://en.khazra.ir). Spraying with water was considered as control. The experiment was performed in a randomized block design with three replications. The measurement of leaf nutrient status and its chlorophyll and carbohydrate contents were carried out at two times each growing season; in August (during pit hardening stage) and October (shortly after the harvest of table olive). At the green ripening stage, fruits were collected and weighted to determine fruit yield. At the end of the experiment quantity and quality traits of oil were measured. Results and Discussion The results showed that the trees under N2K2 treatment had the highest yield. In terms of mineral content, both forms of fertilizers increased the concentration of nitrogen and potassium leaf elements compared to the control trees. Chlorophyll content was affected by nano-N1K1 foliar application and carbohydrate content was affected by nano-N1K1 in the pit hardening stage and nano-N2K2 in shortly after the harvest of table olive. Nano-N1K1 treatment with the lower crop load not only increased oil content but also improved quality characteristics of olive oil (free fatty acids, peroxide value, specific ultraviolet absorbance K232, K270 and contents of pigments), total phenol content, antioxidant capacity and fatty acid composition. Generally, the results showed that olive trees responded well to fertilizer feeding. These trees produced better crop and higher quality oil in comparison with control trees. According to the results, fruit yield is better under urea and potassium nitrate treatment, and the quality of olive oil is more stable after nano-chelated nitrogen and potassium foliar application. It seems that the reason for the high amount of fruit yield with N2K2 in comparison to the slow-release property of nano-fertilizers is that using nitrogen and potassium in the form of ordinary chemical fertilizer regulates the biosynthesis, conversion and rapid translocation of assimilates and mineral elements into reproductive structures, which resulted in soaring yield. We assumed that nano-N1K1 foliar spray in the pit hardening stage and shortly after the fruit harvest for table olive might export the assimilation into the fruit to fulfill cell metabolism requirements for oil synthesis. Conclusion The current findings indicated that two of four treatments, i.e. nano-N1K1 and N2K2, could be more effective on olive trees in terms of general fruit and oil attributes. It was remarkable that nano treatment with a lower concentration could provide adequate beneficial effects on quality characteristics of olive oil and is in line with good management strategies regarding the preservation of the environment. To the best of our knowledge, the current work is the first report considering the application of nano-chelated nitrogen and potassium and their is use as a foliar application on olive trees. Additional studies would be necessary to further optimize the concentration and timing of the applications with these new formulations.
Sanaz Molaie; Ali Soleimani; Mehrshad Zeinolabedini
Abstract
Introduction Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) has special position in Iran fruit culture industry. In terms of cultivation and producing, Iran is one of the major countries in the world but in terms of export Iran is ranked 23. For this reason, research on necessities of fruit culture industries and access ...
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Introduction Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) has special position in Iran fruit culture industry. In terms of cultivation and producing, Iran is one of the major countries in the world but in terms of export Iran is ranked 23. For this reason, research on necessities of fruit culture industries and access to new cultivars by breeding project is required. Obviously, paying attention to quality and quantity of products and using of local germplasm that known completely, played a significant role in this project. Apricot with genomic feature 2n=16, has extensive diversity due to sexual propagation and cultivation in different areas. Central Asia and Caucasian groups of apricot that involving Iranian and Turkish cultivars, have greatest phenotypic variations, while European group including cultivars that cultivated in North America, Australia and South Africa have the lowest diversity. Climate adaptation, increasing of fruits quality, self-compatibility and resistance to diseases are the most important goals of apricot breeding. Of course, the quality of fruits depends on sugar and acid balance and special aroma. One of the important targets of apricot breeding is introduce and develop of cultivars that can be cultivated in extensive areas. Target of recent study is primary evaluating of morphological and pomological traits of some cultivar and genotypes of apricot grown in Zanjan province. In order to introduce the cultivars that produces fruit with high quality and complete scientific researches to selection of ideal cultivars in this region for future.
Method and material: This research carried out on four cultivars (Badami, Daneshkadeh, Shekarpareh, Shahroodi) and two genotypes (C and D) and was conducted in a completely randomize design with three replications. Evaluating of tree, branch, leaf, flower and some fruit traits performed based on existing descriptor. For determining some important pomological traits, fruits harvested in commercial time and transferred to laboratory. For measuring total soluble solid (TSS), refractometer (model: ATAGO-N1) was used. To determinetitratableacidity (TA) titration with 0.1 N NaOH method and for measuring pH content, pH-meter (model: JENWAY 3020) was used. The weight of fruit and stone was measured with digital balance. Flesh fresh weight also was determined with digital balance and flesh dry weight was measured after 72 hours dried in oven. Finally flesh firmness was determined with presser meter (model: OSK 1618). For evaluating fruit set percent, flowers of some branches in every cultivar was numerated then primary and final fruit set percent was calculated after 10 and 30 days, respectively. Data analysis was done with SAS 9.1, SPSS 20 and Statistica 10 software.
Results and discussion: The results of qualitative data that analysis with non- parametric (Kruskal-wallis) method showed significant differences among some genotypes and cultivars. In terms of corebitternes strait genotype D showed significant differences with other cultivar and genotypes. Due to this trait, genotype D is suitable for use as rootstockbecause the genotypes with kernel are suitable for cultivation in lime and semi dry soil and also are resistant nematode. In terms of blooming time, genotype D (late blooming)had significant differences with genotype C, Badami and Shahroodi cultivars. Because of this trait, genotype D is resistance to late spring chilling injury. Based on trees growth habit, genotype C (long growth habit) showed significant differences with Shekarpareh cultivar (widespread growth habit). In terms of flower bud distributions genotype C (blooming on annual branches) showed significant differences with genotype D and Daneshkadeh cultivar (blooming on spurs). According to these traits genotype C is suitable for dense cultivation orchards and need to prune every year like peach. Results of correlations among traits showed that TA has negative significant correlations with flesh dry weight, TSS/TA ratio and flesh weight/stone weight ratio. During fruit ripening TA rates was decreased and TSS rates were increased, so during of TSS increasing as one of the non-structural components of dry matter, flesh dry weight increasing simultaneously. Positive correlations between flesh dry weight and TSS/TA ratio indicate that cultivars with big fruits have high dry matter, so they are sweeter than other cultivars. Also aprincipal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine the number of important factors that influenced on morphological identification. The results of PCA showed that total variance (90.2%) is justified by two factors. The first factor (73.05%) included all fruit traits, leaf length and first and second fruit set percent. The second factor (17.21%) contained flower diameter, core length and juice percent. Consider to this analysis, Shahrodi, Daneshkadeh and Shekarpareh cultivars were settled near each other but Badami cultivar, Cand D genotypes were placed separately.
Conclusion: According to the results, high diversity was observed among genotypes and cultivars. This diversity provides suitable genetic resources for breeding works. Results of this study showed that Daneshkadeh cultivar has the biggest fruits and Shahroodi cultivar has the most rates of TSS and flesh firmness, so this cultivar has long storage life. Finally, the Shekarpareh cultivar showed the most flesh dry weight and flesh weight/stone weight ratio, so this cultivar is suitable for processing.
Mahshid Ghfouri; Ali Soleimani; Vali Rabiei; Roghayeh Hemmati
Abstract
Introduction: Due to high quality, Iran pomegranate is quite competitive compared to other countries is unrivaled among agricultural products and has great economic importance. Using essential oil is a new idea to reduce postharvest losses and increase the horticultural crop storage life and control ...
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Introduction: Due to high quality, Iran pomegranate is quite competitive compared to other countries is unrivaled among agricultural products and has great economic importance. Using essential oil is a new idea to reduce postharvest losses and increase the horticultural crop storage life and control of fungal infection. In this context, a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design was conducted to study the postharvest spraying of thyme essential oil on storage life and qualitative characteristics of pomegranate fruit (cv. Tarom red skin)
Materials and Methods: Pomegranate fruit (cv. Tarom red skin) was prepared and transferred to University of Zanjan, Horticulture postharvest physiology lab. Treatments were included essential oil of thyme at four levels (0, 500, 1000, 1500 mg/l) and the cold time storage (6 °C and 85% of relative humidity) at three levels (one, two and three months (by four replications. In the first experiment, 180 normal pomegranate fruits were treated with thyme essential oil. In the second experiment, fruits were infected with spores of the fungus Aspergillus niger and then treated with essential oil. During experiment, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), TSS/TA ratio, pH, anthocyanin, electrolyte leakage, chilling injury, weight loss and fungal decay were evaluated. Fruit juice TSS was determined with a hand-refractometer at room temperature. TA was determined by titration an aliquot (20 mL) of the juice with 0.1 N NaOH and the results were expressed as a percentage of citric acid. The maturity index (TSS/TA ratio) was evaluated as the TSS/TA ratio. Fruit juice pH was measured using a pH meter. Anthocyanin was performed to method Fuleki & Francis. Electrolyte leakage was measured according to McCollum & McDonald method. Weight loss was measured according to Ershadi method. Chilling injury was measured by Wang method. Decay was visually evaluated and expressed as percentage. An analysis of variance was used to analyze difference between treatments and the Duncan test was applied for mean separation at p
Mohammad Mahdi Zarrabi; Ali Reza Talaie; Ali Soleimani; Rahim Haddad
Abstract
Abstract
Drought is one of the important environmental stresses affecting plants growth. In order to determine olives molecular tolerance to drought in greenhouse conditions, a factorial experiment was carried out based on randomized complete block design with two factors including stress with two levels: ...
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Abstract
Drought is one of the important environmental stresses affecting plants growth. In order to determine olives molecular tolerance to drought in greenhouse conditions, a factorial experiment was carried out based on randomized complete block design with two factors including stress with two levels: control and treatment, - 1.5 MPa and olive cultivars with six levels (Nabali, Gordal, Arbequine, Zard, Roghani and Feshomi) with three replications. In this study, some indices, such as protein, content peroxidase enzymes, ascorbate peroxidase, betaine content, chlorophyll and the number of stomata were measured. Results showed that drought stress reduced the total soluble protein content and it was different in various cultivars. Also drought stress caused a significant accumulation of peroxidase enzyme in olive leaves. Biochemical results showed that Gordal and Zard cultivars were more tolerant in comparison to other cultivars. The Betaine content showed a significant difference in the drought stress treated cultivars compared to the control ones. Chlorophyll a and b and the total chlorophyll content decreased under stress and this reduction was more in Gordal and Nabali than the other cultivars. Stomata density decreased under drought stress. An increase in stomata density appeared in Gordal and Roghani cultivars. It could be concluded that Nabali and Gordal cultivars are relatively more tolerant to drought stress.
Keywords: Olive, Stress, Peroxidase enzyme, Betaine, chlorophyll
