Growing vegetables
Majid Amiri roudan; Mohammad Reza Hassandokht; Davood Sadeghzadeh-Ahari; Amir Mousavi
Abstract
Introduction
The use of natural and artificial mulches to reduce evaporation from the soil surface and retain moisture is one of the best measures to make optimal use of limited water resources and increase crop yields. Optimal production of plants in sandy soils has been challenged due to their ...
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Introduction
The use of natural and artificial mulches to reduce evaporation from the soil surface and retain moisture is one of the best measures to make optimal use of limited water resources and increase crop yields. Optimal production of plants in sandy soils has been challenged due to their low capacity in water retention and also production of plants in arid and semi-arid regions due to water shortage and drought stress. Water scarcity is increasing as a result of global warming, and attention is being paid to the methods that lead to water storage. Therefore, it is necessary to increase water consumption efficiency with new technologies. One of the new methods of water retention in the root zone is the use of a water retaining layer below the soil surface. By preserving water and elements in the root zone and creating a stable environmental state, it increases local production and economy by reducing soil erosion and groundwater pollution. Also, due to limited water resources, it is necessary to seek solutions to conserve water and increase water use efficiency. Mulch is considered as one of the best ways to retain water in the soil and reduce soil evaporation. Therefore, in this study, the application of impermeable soil layer on morphophysiological and biochemical traits of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) was investigated using date leaf mulch under deficit irrigation stress.
Materials and Methods
This study was conducted in Roudan, Hormozgan, Iran. Main plot includes deficit irrigation stress in three levels (100, 70,40 % of plant water requirement), sub-plot includes mulch in two levels (date leaves and no mulch) and sub-sub-plot includes impermeable layer in three levels (0, 100, 120 cm). Eggplant seeds of the local variety Rudan were planted in the seedling tray and transplanted when the seedlings were about 15 cm long or 5-6 leaf stage. Shortly after transplanting the seedlings to the field, daily irrigation was performed. CROPWAT software was used to calculate 100 % of the water requirement. Stress was applied using drippers with lower flow rate or reduced irrigation hours and by installing water meters.
Results and Discussion
The results showed that the highest plant height (78 cm) belonged to date palm mulch, layer impermeable at depth of 120 cm and 100% water requirement. The use of date palm mulch and impermeable layer, especially the impermeable layer, has led to an increase in the number of leaves and fruits in the eggplant. The highest number of leaves (189) belonged to the treatment without mulch and with an impermeable layer of 120 cm soil depth in 100 % water requirement and the lowest (75.13) belonged to the treatment without mulch and impermeable layer in 40 % water requirement. The highest number of fruits belonged to the treatment without mulch and impermeable layer at depth of 120 cm and 100 % water requirement and the highest amount of dry matter (12.5%) belonged to the treatment of date palm mulch and impermeable layer at depth of 120 cm and 100 % water requirement and the lowest (1/9%) belonged to date palm mulch without impermeable layer and 70% water requirement. The results showed deficit irrigation stress reduced the amount of chlorophyll a, b and total in eggplant. The use of date palm mulch and impermeable layer in water requirement of 70 and 40 % has increased the amount of chlorophyll, which seems to be used in case of water shortage, reduce the adverse effects of dehydration and prevent the destruction of chlorophyll in eggplant. The highest amount of total chlorophyll belonged to the 100 % water requirement, without the use of date palm mulch and impermeable at depth of layer 120 cm. The highest amount of proline in this study belonged to treatment without date palm mulch, application of impermeable layer at depth of 0 cm and water requirement of 40 % and the lowest belonged to the treatment of date palm mulch, application of impermeable layer at depth of 120 cm and 100 % water requirement. The highest amount of eggplant water use efficiency was obtained in 40 % water requirement, use of date palm mulch and impermeable layer at depth of 120 cm. The results of this study also showed that deficit irrigation stress reduced fruit yield in eggplant and the use of date palm mulch and impermeable layer also increased eggplant yield. This increase in fruit yield is especially noticeable in the use of date palm mulch and impermeable layer at depth of 120 cm.
Conclusion
It seems that the impermeable layer and date palm mulch have reduced the negative effects of water stress on the plant, increased fruit yield and water use efficiency and reduced the effects of stress.
Nader Yaghubi Akram; Ali Imani; Davood Sadeghzadeh-Ahari
Abstract
Introduction: Apple tree is one of the widely grown fruit crops in Iran. Apple is not only consumed as fresh fruit in Iran but also it is one of the most important export products in country. Iran has a good ranking among the first world ten apple producing countries and it annual production is about ...
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Introduction: Apple tree is one of the widely grown fruit crops in Iran. Apple is not only consumed as fresh fruit in Iran but also it is one of the most important export products in country. Iran has a good ranking among the first world ten apple producing countries and it annual production is about three million tons. Although Iran has acceptable ranking in the case of apple production in the world, but its mean yield is about 13 tons per hectare. Unsuited nourishing and unbalancing of the nutrients in the soils is one of the reasons for reducing of apple yields in most parts of Iran.
Calcium (Ca) is one of the plant nutrients that most closely related to improvement of fruit quality and increasing of fruits shelf life. Calcium mobilization from leaf to fruit is controlling by transpiration of plant. With growing of fruits, calcium deficiency will be increase especially in high temperature and drought condition because of dilution effect.
Calcium ions bind tightly to the pectins in the cell walls and produce cationic bridges between pectic acids, or between pectic acids and other acidic polysaccharides. These bridges make the cell walls less accessible to the action of pectolytic enzymes.
It is suggested that addition of calcium to fruit can either enhance resistance of fruit to postharvest pathogens or reduce susceptibility to postharvest diseases and disorders.
Calcium chloride (Ca Cl2) and calcium nitrate [Ca (NO3)2] are commonly used for foliar sprays. Application of calcium chloride has been reported to control fruit disorders and improve fruit quality of apples and pears. Calcium chloride solution by immersion did not significantly differ from the untreated control in pH, total soluble solids (TSS), total titratable acidity (TA).
Boron is an essential micronutrient required for optimal yield and quality of apple fruit. Its availability to plants decreases with increasing of soil pH and under drought condition. Boron deficiencies may reduce Ca movement in a tree. Boron plays a significant role in pollination success and it plays a role in the trees ability to translocation of Ca from the roots to other parts of the tree. Foliar application of boron is preferred over soil application because of the very narrow range from deficient to toxic levels. Efficiency of calcium and boron increases plant height by increasing mitotic activity in the terminal meristems.
Dwarfing rootstocks have been used in most parts of the world. They have more differences in adaptability with different soils and agro-climatologically conditions. Recently using from East Maling 9 (M9) and Maling Merton 106 (MM106) has been extended in Iranian apple gardens.
Regarding to the difficulties of apple growing gardens in Iran that due to appearing serious difficulties in nutrients absorption by plants and importance of improvement of qualitative and quantitative apple production on the other hand, this study carried out.
Materials and Methods: The research study was conducted at the Khorramdarreh region located in 36○.13' eastern longitude and 49○.12' northern altitude and 1560 meter above the free seas levels, during spring and summer 2014 to determine the influence of foliar calcium chloride + calcium nitrate and boron mixture application on growth and yield performance of Star King apple cultivar grafted on M 9 and MM 106 rootstocks. Trees were nine years old. The experiment was laid out in factorial based on randomized complete blocks design with 3 replications. Factor A was rootstock in two level(M 9 and MM 106) and factor B was foliar spraying of calcium chloride + calcium nitrate and boron mixture with three levels(0, 3000 and 5000 ppm).
Mixture of calcium chloride, calcium nitrate and borax (3000 and 5000 ppm), were applied as foliar spray in four times with 22 days interval started from 28 of June (after June drop). A back-held spray pump was used for foliar application of the chemicals. After spraying two branches were selected at two eastern and western directions with 80-100 centimeter length and 1-1.5 centimeter diameter for noting the growing related traits such as length and diameter of new branches also the tress height and diameter were noted. After ripening of the fruits, ten randomly selected fruit were picked around the tree canopy from each treatment and in laboratory some qualitative characteristics such as pH, titrable acid and total soluble solids of them were tested.
The data were analyzed using MSTAT-C software and treatment means were separated by the Duncans Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at a 0.05% level of significance.
Results and Discussion: Results showed that effect of rootstock factor was significant on length of new branches, tree diameter, annual increasing of tree diameter and fruit pH. The highest length of new branches (30.56 cm) belonged to MM 106 rootstock that 47% increased comparing with M9 new branches length. The lowest tree diameter was 11.50 cm and belonged to M 9 rootstock that decreased about 51% comparing with MM 106 rootstock. The highest annual increasing of tree diameter (6.8 mm) belonged to MM 106. The maximum fruit pH (4.7) belonged to M9 rootstock that had significantly differences with fruit pH in MM 106(4.5).Concentration factor had significantly effect on individual tree fruit yield, yields per hectare, length and diameter of new branches, trees height and diameter, annual increasing of tree diameter, fruit total soluble solid, fruit juice and fruits texture hardiness. Interaction effect of rootstock × concentration was significant only on length of new branches. With increasing of solution mixture (calcium chloride + calcium nitrate and boron) concentration, growing of new branches (in length and diameter), trees height and diameter were increased.
Conclusion: It can be concluded from these results that three time foliar application of calcium chloride + calcium nitrate and boron mixture on Star King apple cultivar grafted on M 9 and MM 106, results in a significant increase in tree and fruit qualitative and quantitative production. According to the results of study spraying of Star King apple cultivar with 5000 ppm concentration of calcium chloride + calcium nitrate and boron mixture, recommended in Khorramdarreh region.
Davood Sadeghzadeh Ahari; Mohammad Reza Hassandokht; Abdolkarim Kashi; Ahmad Amri
Abstract
Introduction: Fenugreek (Trigonella foneum-graecum L.) has been cultivated in vegetable farms at the most parts of Iran. It is an annual crop belonging to the Leguminosae family. It originated from west Asia and Iran and cultivated at mostly in European, Asian and African countries, presently. With distinguished ...
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Introduction: Fenugreek (Trigonella foneum-graecum L.) has been cultivated in vegetable farms at the most parts of Iran. It is an annual crop belonging to the Leguminosae family. It originated from west Asia and Iran and cultivated at mostly in European, Asian and African countries, presently. With distinguished of feeding and medicinal values, low needs to soil conditions and its width adaptability to cultivation in different regions, the range of fenugreek cultivation areas have been extended from America to India. In most parts of Iran there is limiting possibilities for cultivation of horticultural and agricultural crops for the reason of limiting water harvesting and unsuitable rainfall distributions. There is no doubt that introduction of new crops for such conditions could increase variation of crops production and stability of farming systems. Plants landraces have been created in thousands of cultivation years under different climatologically and local cropping systems. They are evolved by natural and artificial selection under environmental conditions where they were grown and there have accumulative adaptive genes for tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses and are the most precious materials in starting of breeding programs. Germination phase is the most important period that guaranties the growth and establishments of crops. One of the basic activators of germination starters is water and limiting of it (drought) is the most important retardant of seed growth during germination period under field condition. Fast germination and emergence of seedling from soil and high preliminary growth rate has been known for one of the drought escape mechanisms for most crops such as chickpea, lentil and bean. In breeding programs of crops, using in vitro method is one of the most used methods in germplasm selection for drought tolerance. This study carried out under laboratory condition in order to evaluate some Iranian fenugreek landraces reactions to drought stress.
Materials and Methods: In order to evaluate the Iranian fenugreek landraces reactions to drought stress induced by Poly Ethylene Glycol 6000, twenty fenugreek landraces originated from different parts of Iran were used in this study. The experiment was conducted at Maragheh experimental station of the Dry land Agricultural Research Institute (DARI) under laboratory condition, with a factorial experiment based on randomized complete blocks design and three replications. The stress levels were zero (di-ionized water),-2, -4,-6 and -8 bar. Fifteen normal and health seeds from each landraces were cultivated in petridishes and stayed under fixed temperature (25±1 degree of centigrade), 12 hour day/night for fourteen days. Seedling characteristics (seed germination percentage, root and stem lengths, ratio of stem length to root length, root and stem fresh weights, ratio of stem fresh weight to root fresh weight, root and stem dry weights) were noted. Data were analyzed by MSTAT-C software and comparisons of noted traits means done by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test at 5% probability level. In order to distinguish tolerant and susceptible genotypes, landraces ranked by using of Sarmadnia et al.,(1988) and Kafi et al.(2005) methods, and with using of the main traits such as seed germination percentage, root and stem lengths, root and stem fresh weights, root and stem dry weights.
Results and Discussion: Results showed that, drought stress levels had significantly affected on all study traits (seed germination percentage, root and stem lengths, ratio of stem length to root length, root and stem fresh weights, ratio of stem fresh weight to root fresh weight, root and stem dry weights). The differences among landraces were highly significant in all traits except in primary root dry weight. The most visible differences among the genotypes in germination percentage monitored at less than -4 bars. Based on ranking of genotypes with seven main studied traits (seed germination percentage, root and stem lengths, root and stem fresh weights, root and stem dry weights), Kashan and Neyshaboor were the most tolerant and Rey and Khash were the most susceptible landraces among the studied genotypes at germination and seedling growth stages.
Conclusion: It could be concluded that, there are differences among the Iranian fenugreek landraces in case of reaction to drought stress at germination and seedling growth stages that shows suitable diversity among them. Moreover, using from less than -4 bar drought stress levels recommended for screening and selection of drought tolerance fenugreek genotypes. Also, it is recommended attention to Iranian fenugreek landraces and using the hidden potentials of them same as drought tolerance and resistance. It is suggested protection of them as a precious genetically resources in gene bank.
