Ornamental plants
Maryam Abaspour; H. Bayat; Mohmmad Hossein Aminifard; Farid Moradinezhad
Abstract
Introduction
Sage (Salvia spp.), which belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae), is considered one of the largest and most important genera in terms of aromatic and medicinal properties. This diverse genus includes approximately 900 species, each with unique characteristics, and is mainly native to the ...
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Introduction
Sage (Salvia spp.), which belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae), is considered one of the largest and most important genera in terms of aromatic and medicinal properties. This diverse genus includes approximately 900 species, each with unique characteristics, and is mainly native to the northern Mediterranean and North African regions. It is used as a traditional medicine in the treatment of many diseases and as a seasoning and flavoring in the food industry. Sage is a remarkable plant that is widely known for its numerous medicinal properties, including antispasmodic, antiseptic and sedative effects, which makes it very valuable in traditional and modern medicine. In addition to its therapeutic benefits, this aromatic plant usually reaches a height of 60 cm. The plant is suitable for cultivation in green spaces and parks due to its ornamental properties and resistance to environmental stresses. Numerous features, including the diversity of the native Iranian sage genus, aesthetic aspects, and high adaptability to environmental stresses such as drought, increase the potential of these plants for use in urban green spaces, and their widespread use can help create sustainable green spaces. Considering the beauty of the leaves and flowers of these plants, the presence of abundant fragrance during the flowering stage, the lack of need for special conditions for cultivation, and their resistance to adverse conditions, it seems that these plants are very suitable for cultivation in green spaces for ornamental purposes. Most previous research on sage has focused on the medicinal value and the increase in its medicinal compounds and secondary metabolites, and the ornamental potential of the plant for use in green spaces has not been considered. Considering the diversity of this genus in Iran and its beauty, its use in urban green spaces as a native plant compatible with the country's climatic conditions can be investigated. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the vegetative and ornamental traits of different native and imported sage species, as well as the potential of this plant for ornamental uses in the climatic conditions of Birjand.
Material and methods
This study was conducted on 14 genotypes of medicinal sage (Salvia spp.) in the research farm and greenhouse of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Birjand during 2022-2024 in a randomized complete block design with three replications. During the plant growth period, vegetative traits including plant height, plant width and number of leaves were examined every 15 days. At the full flowering stage, peduncle length, number of peduncle, number of florets in main and axillary inflorescences, number of axillary inflorescence peduncles, inflorescence diameter, peduncle diameter, diameter and length of floret, length of main and axillary inflorescence, interfloral distance of florets, number of days to flowering, and flower durability on the plant were measured.
Results and discussion
The results of variance analysis showed that there was a significant difference between different sage species for all studied traits at the 1% probability level. The highest plant height (32.93 cm), leaf width (63.80 cm), and number of leaves (337) were obtained from the species Salvia nemorosa SA036, Salvia sclarea var turkestanica SA060 and Salvia officinalis, respectively. In addition, the lowest plant height (3.20 cm) was obtained from Salvia chorassanica, leaf width (6.05 cm) and number of leaves (6) from the species Salvia virgata. In terms of reproductive traits, the highest peduncle length (49.15 cm), main inflorescence length (34.10 cm) and number of axillary inflorescence (12) were observed in the Salvia sclarea SA058 species. The lowest flower durability on the plant (25 days) was observed in the Salvia chorassanica species, and the other species had the highest flower persistence and no significant difference was observed between them. The highest (23) and lowest (2) number of peduncle were observed in the Salvia reuterina and Salvia firgida species, respectively. The highest inflorescence diameter (51.81 mm) and peduncle diameter (4.45 mm) were obtained from Salvia reuterina and Salvia sclarea var turkestanica SA060, respectively. The results of this study showed that there was high genetic diversity in terms of morphological traits among different sage species, which have the potential to be used as ornamental plants in urban green spaces.
Conclusion
The results of this study showed that native and imported sage species have significant diversity in terms of vegetative and ornamental traits, indicating the high genetic potential of this genus. Some imported sage species, especially in terms of ornamental characteristics, perform better than native species. These species show significant potential for cultivation in urban green spaces, making them very valuable for landscaping purposes. By intelligently selecting and including these species in urban planning, a significant contribution can be made in increasing and maintaining the aesthetic appeal of urban environments. Given the diversity of sage species in the country, it is essential to examine this diversity and use it in breeding programs for ornamental purposes and cultivation in urban green spaces.
Postharvest physiology
mina bahrami; Mehdi Jahani; mohmmad Hossein Aminifard
Abstract
Introduction
Long term storage of pomegranate fruit is compromised by pathogens that cause postharvest rots and decay. Pomegranatesare predisposed to attack from various pathogens at pre- and/or postharvest stage, which has a significant impact on fruit quality and storage life. These pathogens ...
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Introduction
Long term storage of pomegranate fruit is compromised by pathogens that cause postharvest rots and decay. Pomegranatesare predisposed to attack from various pathogens at pre- and/or postharvest stage, which has a significant impact on fruit quality and storage life. These pathogens often cause damage to the tissues, thereby making the fruit unsaleable. A significant portion of pomegranate pre- and postharvest losses is attributed to dis-eases associated with various bacterial and fungal species. The use of plant essential oils is considered as a new idea in reducing post-harvest waste and increasing the storage life of horticultural products and controlling fungal contamination in developed agriculture. This study was conducted with the aim of determining the antifungal effect of some herbal essential oils in different concentrations on pomegranate fruit to prevent the growth of Penicillium fungus in vitro and in vivo.
Materials and Methods
In order to investigate the effect of the essential oils of some medicinal plants on the fungus Penicilliumsp. in pomegranate fruit in in vivo and in vitro conditions, a factorial experiment was conducted in the form of a completely randomized design with three replications at the Faculty of Agriculture of Birjand University in 2022. The first factor included the type of essential oil: Ginger, Zenian, Tarragon and Cardamom essential oils, and the second factor included the concentration of essential oil at five levels (0, 200, 400, 600, and 800 microliters.liter-1).The index measured in in vitro conditions was the radial growth of the fungus. The indicators measured in vivo conditions include appearance of the fruit, TSS, pH, total acidity (meq.g-1), total phenol (mg galic acid.100 g-1 FW), antioxidant (%), antocyanin (mg.g-1) and tissue firmness. Finally, the experimental data were statistically analyzed using SAS program and comparison of means was performed by LSD test at 5% probability level.
Results and Discussion
The results showed that the increase in the concentration of essential oils also increases their antifungal activity, so the highest inhibition rate was observed in Ginger essential oil and the lowest in Cardamom essential oil on the growth of the fungus colony. The strongest antifungal activity was observed with the essential oils of ginger, zedoary (Zenian), tarragon, and cardamom, in that order. Notably, no fungal growth was detected in samples treated with ginger essential oil throughout the entire sampling period. These results indicate that the tested essential oils effectively inhibited fungal colony growth and demonstrated significant antifungal potential.In in vivo conditions, the best fruit appearance was obtained in pomegranates impregnated with Zenian and Ginger essential oils, and the least was observed in Cardamom essential oil. Ginger essential oil had the highest amount of soluble solids. The highest pH value of fruit juice was obtained from Ginger essential oil and the lowest pH value was obtained from Tarragon and Cardamom essential oils. The fruits treated with Tarragon essential oil had the highest total acidity. The fruits treated with Ginger essential oil had the highest amount of total phenol. The statistical comparison of the averages showed that the highest percentage of antioxidants was observed in the Ginger essential oil treatment and the lowest antioxidant percentage was found in the Tarragon essential oil treatment. The results showed that the infected fruits treated with Zenian essential oil with a concentration of 800 microliters.liter-1 had the highest antioxidant. The results of the comparison of the averages related to the effect of the type of essential oil show that Cardamom and Ginger essential oils had the highest and lowest anthocyanin content, respectively. In this experiment, Ginger essential oil had the highest hardness of the fruit texture and the lowest index was obtained from the essential oil of Zenian.
Conclusions
In general, the results of this research showed that essential oils have antifungal properties in the control of fungal disease after harvest; in-vitro tests showed that Cardamom essential oil had a very low fungicidal effect and in the control of Penicillium sp. Ginger essential oil had the most fungicidal effect. Antifungal properties increased with increasing the concentration of essential oil, but the antifungal property of Ginger essential oil was 100% in 400-800 concentrations used. Under natural conditions, Ginger and Zenian essential oil has good antifungal activity against Penicilliumsp.Considering the biodegradability and low toxicity of plant essential oils, the use of Ginger and Zenian essential oil is recommended to increase the shelf life of food products and can be used as disease controllers in agriculture.
Ornamental plants
A. Akrami; H. Bayat; S. Daghighi; M.H. Aminifard
Abstract
Introduction
Narcissus is the most important early-season blooming flowering plant that belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family. N. tazetta is a valuable plant for cosmetics, cut flowers, and landscape plants. The growth and flower quality of narcissus could be improved by adopting proper cultural practices ...
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Introduction
Narcissus is the most important early-season blooming flowering plant that belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family. N. tazetta is a valuable plant for cosmetics, cut flowers, and landscape plants. The growth and flower quality of narcissus could be improved by adopting proper cultural practices and application of plant nutrients. Narcissus is one of the geophyte plants; therefore, one of the important and influencing factors on the growth and performance of narcissus is the appropriate planting date, especially in the first year. Bio-fertilizers can be mentioned among the new and effective sources of fertilizer that are used in plant nutrition today. These fertilizers contain useful soil microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes with their metabolites that stimulate the quantitative and qualitative performance of the plant in different ways. Since there is little information about the effect of planting and environmental conditions, including the date of planting, nutrition with bio-fertilizers and irrigation on Narcissus tazetta. Therefore, the investigation of these factors can help the cultivation of narcissus plant in South Khorasan region. Therefore, the aim of this research was to study the effect of planting dates, summer irrigation and EM bio-fertilizer on the growth and reproductive characteristics of N. tazetta cv. Shahla in South Khorasan region.
Materials and Methods
To investigate the effect of planting date, summer irrigation and EM bio fertilizer on the growth, ornamental and physiological traits of Narcissus tazetta cv. Shahla, an experiment in the form of randomized complete block design with three replications during crop years 2021-2022 in Qaen city of South Khorasan province was implemented. The experimental treatments were bulb planting on July 1 without irrigation, bulb planting on July 1 with irrigation, bulb planting on July 1 along with irrigation with EM fertilizer, bulb planting on September 1 without irrigation, bulb planting on September 1 along with irrigation, and bulb planting on September 1 along with irrigation with EM. The measured indices including vegetative characteristics (number of leaves, leaf length, leaf width and plant height), reproductive traits (corona diameter, flower length, flower diameter, stem diameter, flowering stem length, number of flowers per square meter and number of flowers per stem), physiological traits (total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoid content) and leaf nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium). Finally, the experimental data were statistically analyzed using SAS, JMP Statistical Discovery Pro v13.2.1 program and comparison of means was performed by LSD test at 5% probability level.
Results and Discussion
The results showed that the maximum amount of leaf length and plant height was obtained from the bulbs planted in September and were irrigated with EM fertilizer. However, the highest number of leaves and leaf width were obtained from the bulbs planted in July along with irrigation with EM fertilizer. Planting the bulbs in July along with irrigation had the highest diameter of the flower corona and the length of the flowering stem. In the second year of the experiment, the maximum flower diameter was obtained from the bulbs planted on July 1 with irrigation (3.61 cm). The results showed that the number of flowers per square meter in both years of the experiment was affected by the date of planting and irrigation, so that the bulbs planted on July 1 with irrigation and irrigation with EM fertilizer had the highest number of flowers. The highest number of flowers on the flowering stem was obtained from the treatments of planting bulbs on July 1 (7.21 flowers per square meter) and September 1 (1.7 flowers per square meter) along with bio-fertilizer. In addition, the highest total chlorophyll, carotenoid, nitrogen and potassium content was obtained from September culture. Enhancing the supply of nutrients throughout the growing season, a key mechanism of bio fertilizers, promotes the development and reinforcement of floral structures in the terminal meristem of the bud during the phases of cell meiosis in summer and the stimulation of flower buds, which ultimately boosts the yield of the narcissus flower farm.
Conclusions
The results of this research showed that planting the bulbs in September and using EM bio-fertilizer improved the vegetative characteristics of narcissus flower. In addition, the results showed that the planting of bulbs in July and irrigation in summer improved the reproductive characteristics of N. tazetta cv. Shahla. Overall, the results indicate that planting narcissus bulbs on July 1, along with summer irrigation, significantly increases the yield of narcissus flower in South Khorasan province.
Growing vegetables
M. H. Aminifard; S. Nadafan; H. Bayat; M. Jahani
Abstract
IntroductionThe annual herb Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (Fabaceae) is cultivated worldwide as a semi-arid crop. It is commonly known as Fenugreek and used as both a spice and medicinal plant. Fenugreek is used to treat many ailments due to the presence of various bioactive compounds, like apigenin, ...
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IntroductionThe annual herb Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (Fabaceae) is cultivated worldwide as a semi-arid crop. It is commonly known as Fenugreek and used as both a spice and medicinal plant. Fenugreek is used to treat many ailments due to the presence of various bioactive compounds, like apigenin, luteolin, orientin, quercetin, vitexin, isovitexin, saponins, amino acids, phenols, alkaloids, etc. Combining chemical and organic fertilizers offers a sustainable approach to nutrient management. This integrated strategy enhances the effectiveness of chemical fertilizers, fosters improved soil health, and minimizes nutrient loss from the system.Chicken manure is one of the types of animal manure and a source of organic matter to strengthen all types of soil. In addition to having nutrients, it is one of the cheap fertilizers compared to common fertilizers in the production of crops, and it is richer in nitrogen than other animal fertilizers. Potassium is a critical element for plant growth and development, playing a vital physiological role in plant health and resilience against biotic and abiotic stresses. Materials and MethodsTo investigate the effect of chicken manure and potassium sulfate on yield and biochemical traits of the fenugreek medicinal plant, factorial research was conducted in the form of randomized complete block design in three replications in the crop year 2021-2022. Experimental treatments included chicken manure at three levels (0, 1000, and 2000 kg.ha-1) and potassium sulfate at four levels (0, 1.5, 3, and 5 per thousand). To determine the seed yield after full ripening, the seeds were collected from one plant in each plot, weighed, and recorded. Arnon's method was used to measure the pigments in the leaves at the full flowering stage of the plant. To measure the amount of total phenolic compounds in the leaf using the Folin Cicalto method, antioxidant using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method, total sugar using anthrone method, total flavonoid using aluminum chloride reagent method was used in the full flowering stage of the plant. Results and DiscussionThis experiment revealed that chicken manure significantly boosted crop yield and improved most biochemical traits, with the exception of sugar and antioxidant content.The amount of antioxidant activity decreased with increasing levels of chicken manure and soluble sugar was not affected by this manure. Treatment of 2000 kg.h-1 chicken manure has the highest phenol with 10.793 mg.g-1 dry weight, flavonoid with 4.475 mg.g-1 dry weight, Chlorophyll a with 2.591 mg.g-1 of fresh weight, Chlorophyll b with 3.055 mg.g-1 of fresh weight, and seed yield with 1185.8 kg.h-1. Regarding the impact of Soluptas on biochemical traits, all except phenol and antioxidant content peaked at a concentration of three parts per thousand. Notably, these peak levels were statistically indistinguishable from those observed at five parts per thousand.Treatment of 5 per thousand Soluptas also increased 28% seed yield, 13% soluble sugar, 20% phenol, 31% flavonoid, and 97% chlorophyll b. In the interaction effect in the treatment, it was observed that the highest amount of the two fertilizers had the highest amount of yield and biochemical traits, except for the antioxidant, whose activity level decreased with the increase of fertilizer levels. The results showed that the highest amount of soluble sugar in fenugreek leaves was related to the level of no chicken fertilization with Soluptas 5 per thousand at the rate of 21.53 mg.g-1 dry weight. The highest levels of both treatments (2000 kg.h-1 of chicken manure and Soluptas 5 per thousand) caused an increase in grain yield (1396 kg.h-1), phenol (12.86 mg.g-1 DW), and chlorophyll b (3.62 mg.g-1 FW) compared to no fertilization (control level). The highest amount of chlorophyll a was related to the interaction of 2000 kg.h-1of chicken manure and Soluptas 3 per thousand at the rate of 3.11 mg.g-1 of fresh weight. ConclusionOverall, chicken manure exhibited the strongest positive influence on the greatest number of traits among the single treatments. When considering the combined effects, a combination of 2000 parts per thousand chicken manure and 5 parts per thousand Soluptas appears to be optimal for enhancing the fenugreek plant's properties.
Growing vegetables
N. Haresabadi; S. A. Hosseini; M. H. Aminifard
Abstract
Introduction Tomato, scientifically known as Solanum lycopersicum L., belongs to the Solanaceae family and is susceptible to various diseases, resulting in reduced yield. Among the diseases, the Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), which belongs to the Tospovirus genus and Bunyaviridae family, causes ...
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Introduction Tomato, scientifically known as Solanum lycopersicum L., belongs to the Solanaceae family and is susceptible to various diseases, resulting in reduced yield. Among the diseases, the Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), which belongs to the Tospovirus genus and Bunyaviridae family, causes significant damage to tomato crops and other greenhouse plants. Therefore, it is crucial to find ways to increase plant resistance and control viral infections. One effective method is through proper plant nutrition, which can enhance plant resistance by balancing fertilizer consumption and nutrient supply. Iron (Fe) is an essential element for plants and plays a significant role in increasing their tolerance to various stresses. In Order to evaluate the interaction effects of Tomato spotted wilt virus and Fe on some biochemical traits of Mobil and RioGrand tomato cultivars, a study was conducted in Birjand Faculty of Agriculture.Materials and Methods Experiment in a Random complete design with greenhouse conditions, with 3 replications and 4 treatments Done. Experimental factors include cultivar with two levels (Mobil cultivar and Rio Grand cultivar) and Fe foliar application in the presence of virus with these three (zero, 1.5 and three milliliter of Fe fertilizer per liter of water). First, two varieties of RioGrand and Mobil tomato seeds were prepared and planted in seedlings. Then, in the two-leaf stage, they were transferred to pots filled with sterile soil and kept in greenhouse conditions. After seedling establishment, the first foliar application of Fe fertilizer was done and in the five to seven leaf stage, the virus was inoculated on all leaves. Then, the second stage of fertilizer was applied 10 days after the first fertilizer and finally, after the last stage of foliar application, the samples were transferred to the laboratory. In Order to accurately investigate the effect of Fe on important plant factors, extracts were taken from the samples. Then, the amount of antioxidants, carbohydrates, Flavonoids, Chlorophyll (a, b and total chlorophyll) and phenol was measured. Finally, the final data analysis was performed using SAS statistical software.Results The results showed that the simple effect of cultivar on the amount of phenol and flavonoids was significant at the level of one percent and the highest amount of phenol was recorded in Mobil cultivar and the highest amount of flavonoids was recorded in RioGrand cultivar. The effect of treatments on chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll index and antioxidant enzymes was significant at the level of 1% probability and carbohydrate content at the level of 5% probability. The results showed that feeding Fe at a concentration of 1.5 milliliter had a favorable effect on carbohydrate content and increased its amount in infected plants compared to control plants. This Increase effect may be useful for improving tolerance in a variety of tomatoes. According to the results, an increase in foliar application concentration to 3 milliliters led to a decrease in carbohydrate levels. Mechanical inoculation with a positive sample of the virus resulted in plant contamination. However, virus infection increased carbohydrate and antioxidant enzyme levels in tomatoes. The effect of cultivar on treatment was only significant in the amount of antioxidant enzymes at a one percent probability level, with the Mobil cultivar showing the highest response to virus infection treatment. Therefore, it can be concluded that a concentration of 1.5 milliliters of Fe fertilizer could be effective in increasing carbohydrate levels, as well as utilizing enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant components to prevent viral penetration to some extent and reduce symptoms, particularly in the Mobile cultivar. However, the RioGrand cultivar produced less antioxidant components. Different cultivars of the same plant species have been reported to have varying responses to different types of infections, such as viruses, fungi, and bacteria. These differences are attributed to genetic variations among cultivars, which leads to different resistance mechanisms.Conclusion The final results showed that in the early stages of greenhouse tomato growth, Fe nutrition had an effect on the biochemical properties of the plant and had a positive effect on some traits. In total, Fe fertilizer with a concentration of 1.5 milliliter increased carbohydrates in plants infected with Tomato spotted wilt virus and together with phenol and antioxidants affected the spread of the virus, especially in Mobil cultivar.
Growing vegetables
M.H. Aminifard; M. Askarian; M. Jahani; M. Khayyat
Abstract
Introduction
Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is an annual and herbaceous plant of the family of Lamiaceae. It is used as an antispasmodic, appetizer, carminative, diuretic, lactation aid, and sedative in traditional medicine. In general, basil is rich in phenols and flavonoids. Organic and chemical ...
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Introduction
Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is an annual and herbaceous plant of the family of Lamiaceae. It is used as an antispasmodic, appetizer, carminative, diuretic, lactation aid, and sedative in traditional medicine. In general, basil is rich in phenols and flavonoids. Organic and chemical fertilizers are necessary for each other and both types of fertilizers are needed to create favorable conditions to improve biochemical traits. Overuse of chemical fertilizers has caused several problems in agriculture including changes in the soil structure, contamination of underground waters, and heavy metal toxicity. Agricultural scientists suggest replacing chemical fertilizers with organic products to reduce negative effects on environment and soil properties. In recent years, neglecting the importance of organic matters to improve soil fertility has led to an increase in chemical fertilizer use in Iran. Organic matters due to their positive effects on soil are identified as one of the important pillars of soil productivity. However, more than 60 percent of agricultural soils in Iran contain less than one percent of organic matter. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the influence of vermicompost and copper sulfate on biochemical parameters and the antioxidant activity of basil.
Materials and Methods
To investigate the effect of vermicompost and copper sulfate on the biochemical characteristics of Basil's medicinal plant, a factorial experiment was conducted based on randomized complete block design with a field experiment at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Birjand. The factors included vermicompost in three levels (0, 5, and 10 t.ha-1) and copper sulfate in three levels (0, 3, and 6 per thousand) with three replications. After applying the treatments and after the plants entered the flowering stage, ten plants from each plot were randomly selected taking into account the marginal effects and then samples of the developed leaves of 10 plants were randomly prepared and the biochemical traits of basil were measured. Measured traits included photosynthetic pigments, antioxidants, phenols, anthocyanins, flavonoids, total sugar, and biological function. Statistical analysis of data was performed using SAS statistical software.
Results and Discussion
The results of the mean comparison showed that vermicompost had a significant effect on chlorophyll content, antioxidant activity, anthocyanin, flavonoids, sugar, and biological function of basil so that the highest amount of flavonoids (3.26 mg.g-1) with the application of 10 t.ha-1 of vermicompost and the lowest Its amount (2.65 mg.g-1) was obtained from the control. Treatment of 10 t.ha-1 of vermicompost increased plant sugar by 37.05% compared to the control. Copper sulfate also affected chlorophyll a and total, antioxidant activity, phenol, anthocyanin content, sugar, and biological function, so that the highest activity of phenol and sugar (15.29 and 12.99 mg.g-1, respectively) of the treatment of 3 per thousand Copper sulfate and its lowest levels (10.98 and 9.19 mg.g-1, respectively) were obtained from the control. The results of interactions also showed the highest levels of chlorophyll a (1.62 mg.g-1), chlorophyll b (2.57 mg.g-1), total chlorophyll (4.19 mg.g-1), antioxidant activity (92.57%), and anthocyanins (3.03 mg.g-1) was obtained by applying 10 tons per hectare of vermicompost and 3 per thousand of copper sulfate. Furthermore, the highest increase in biological function (20968.3 kg.ha-1) with the application of 5 t.ha-1 of vermicompost and 6 per thousand copper and the lowest (16596.7 kg.ha-1) was related to the control.
Conclusion
In general, the results indicated a positive effect of vermicompost and copper sulfate on Basil's biochemical characteristics. Therefore, vermicompost (10 t.ha-1) of and copper sulfate (3 per thousand) treatments can be suggested as a suitable treatment. From the present study, it can be concluded that the combined application of organic fertilizers with chemical fertilizers has a useful and effective role in improving photosynthetic pigments, antioxidants, anthocyanins, and the biological function of basil. In the discussion of basil production as a medicinal and vegetable plant, the best results in terms of crop production were related to the combined treatments of organic and chemical fertilizers, because these treatments have increased the production relative to organic treatments alone.
Growing vegetables
M. Najafi; H. Arouiee; M. H. Aminifard
Abstract
Introduction: The deficiency of organic matter in the soil is one of the factors limiting cultivating and growing of plants. While the organic matter is the main factor of soil fertility and the ideal organic matter content of agricultural soils is about 4-6% according to the experiments performed, this ...
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Introduction: The deficiency of organic matter in the soil is one of the factors limiting cultivating and growing of plants. While the organic matter is the main factor of soil fertility and the ideal organic matter content of agricultural soils is about 4-6% according to the experiments performed, this amount is very low in arid and desert areas such as those in Iran. The significant capability of humic fertilizers in the rapid improvement of soil fertilization level is quite recognizable. Humic acid has a direct role in determining the producing potential of the soil. Humic substances can have a positive effect on plant growth in different ways. Humic acid results in an increasing nitrogen uptake by plants and stimulates and enhances the uptake of Ca, Mg, P, and K. By enhancing the resistance to environmental stresses, increasing chlorophyll concentration and thus affecting photosynthesis, amino acids are effective in plant growth and yield. Given the conditions that agriculture faces, drought is the main limiting factor of agricultural production in the present and future. Research has reported that the improvement of plant growth under stress conditions by application of humic substances and amino acid. The use of these factors that increase plant growth in stressful conditions and improve yield is a useful and effective method. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of organic fertilizers on growth traits of cucumber plants under drought stress.Materials and Methods: In order to explore the effect of drought stress on cucumber plant, an experiment was carried out in the research field of agriculture faculty of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2015-2016. This study was performed as a factorial design in a completely randomized block design with three replications. The first factor was fertilization at four levels (control, humic acid application (200 ppm), glycine amino acid and glutamic acid application (6 liters per hectare), and combined application of humic acid (200 ppm), glycine amino acid and glutamic acid (6 liters per hectare), and the second factor was irrigation at three levels of 3, 5 and 7 days. Furrows with 2 m apart, 40 cm deep, 50 cm wide and 20 m long were created. Following the soil irrigation, the cucumber seeds were planted on the edge of the experimental hills (4-5 seeds per hill) that were spaced 50 cm apart. The treatments were applied via irrigation at specified concentration. At the end of the experiment Morphophysiological traits were measured.Results and Discussion: The results showed that drought stress reduced fresh and dry weights of plant, a number of branches, root length, stem length, and internode length. The amount of available water to plants affects their growth traits. Increasing irrigation interval decreased vegetative growth parameters in this plant, which is undoubtedly due to the lack of water available to the plant. Drought stress leads to stomata closure, plant wilt, swelling reduction, and reduced water content and total potential of the leaf, resulting in decreased cell division, especially in shoots and leaves. As a result, the first effects of dehydration in plants can be seen in their smaller leaf size and lower height than normal conditions. The highest level of drought stress (7 days) decreases all the traits. Unfortunately, the use of humic acid and acid amine had no effect on the highest levels of stress (7 days). The application of humic acid alone could improve the effects of drought stress on the plant. Humic acid enhances plant growth by affecting plant cell metabolism as well as chelating power, increasing nutrient uptake, and increasing nitrogen content. Experimental studies have shown that glycine betaine strengthens enzymatic structures and activities and protein components, and cell wall stability against the damaging effects of environmental stresses is considered to be one of its activities. It seems that organic matter and humic compounds including humic acid through positive physiological effects including effects on plant cells metabolism, increased leaf chlorophyll concentration, increased metabolism within cells, and increased durability of photosynthetic tissues (Increasing leaf durability) leads to increase of production performance and biomass production in plants.Conclusion: The use of humic acid alone led to improved leaf area, root length, and other traits. These factors caused an improvement in the photosynthetic rate in the plant, resulting in improved yield and growth under drought stress conditions (increased irrigation intervals). The protective and moderating role of the humic acid application under drought stress is one of the reasons for growth improvement by these compounds. In general, the combined application of humic acid and amino acid in the form of irrigation fertilizer in cucumber under drought stress improved growth traits and prevented yield reduction.
Ali Naseri Moghadam; Hassan Bayat; Mohammad Hossein Aminifard; Farid Moradinezhad
Abstract
Introduction: Salinity and drought have adverse impacts on crop production throughout the world, especially in arid and semiarid areas. Salinity decreases crop growth and yield through modifications of ion balance, water status, stomatal behavior, photosynthetic efficiency, salinity-induced nutrient ...
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Introduction: Salinity and drought have adverse impacts on crop production throughout the world, especially in arid and semiarid areas. Salinity decreases crop growth and yield through modifications of ion balance, water status, stomatal behavior, photosynthetic efficiency, salinity-induced nutrient deficiency and changes to the soil structure. Drought is another one of the main factors limiting the growth and development through the anatomical, morphological, and physiological and biochemical changes that the severity of drought damage varies depending on the duration of the stress and plant growth stage. Water stress reduces relative water content, photosynthesis pigments, stomatal conductance, biomass, growth and ultimately plant performance. Narcissus (Narcissus tazetta L. cv. ‘Shahla’) belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family is grown as a cut flower, landscape and medicinal plant that grows throughout the world except tropical regions. It is necessary to know the tolerance of N. tazzeta to drought and salinity stress in order to produce optimal product. According to previous studies, no complete research has been done on the effects of drought and salinity stress on N. tazzeta. Therefore, the present study was carried out with the aim of investigating the combined effects of drought and salinity stress on growth, flowering and biochemical characteristics of N. tazzeta.
Materials and Methods: This research was carried out in Faculty of Agriculture, University of Birjand, in 2017. A pot experiment was conducted in completely randomized deign with factorial arrangement and three replications. The treatments included sodium chloride (NaCl) in four levels 0 (control), 20, 40 and 60 mM and drought stress in four levels 30, 50, 70 and 90% of field capacity. The plants were harvested four months after the start of salt and drought treatments. The investigation traits were included vegetative, reproductive and biochemical characterizes. Measured traits were included root length, volume of root, root fresh weight, bulb length, bulb fresh weight, shoot fresh weight, total dry weight, flower diameter, flower crown diameter, stem diameter, days from planting to flowering, days from flowering to senescence, antioxidant activity, total phenolic content and total soluble sugar of leaf and root. The data were analyzed by SAS version 9.4 and the means separated by Duncan's multiple range test at p < 0.05. Excel was used to draw graphs.
Results and Discussion: The results of simple effects showed that drought and salinity stresses decreased the values of flowering stem diameter, flower diameter, root length, root volume, root fresh weight, bulb fresh weight, bulb length, shoot fresh weight, total dry weight and days from flowering to senescence. In contrast, the values of the number of days from sowing to flowering, total soluble sugars of leaf and root, antioxidant activity and total phenolic content increased under the influence of these two stresses. The results of interaction effects showed that the destructive effects of salinity and drought stress were intensified in co-application conditions, so that the lowest values of growth and reproductive traits were observed in the most severe stress (30% field capacity × 60 mM salinity). Usually, root and shoot length in sodium chloride solution is reduced due to the toxicity of ions and their negative effects on cell membranes. Drought stress and salinity reduce cell division and also reduce the size of cells and consequently the length of the plant decreases. Delay in flowering is due to multiple stresses (osmotic imbalance, nutrient insufficiency and cellular toxicity) that is caused by salinity and drought stresses. These stresses produce ROS compounds that damage the proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. Plants for scavenging and detoxifying these compounds from the cell surface use enzymatic (catalase, superoxide dismutase, etc.) and non-enzymatic (phenolic compounds and carotenoids) defense systems that increase the antioxidant activity of the plant.
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that drought and salinity stresses had negative effects on growth and flowering traits, which was exacerbated by the combined application of these two stresses. On the other hand, the highest levels of antioxidant activity, total phenolic content and total soluble sugars were obtained under severe stress conditions (drought or salinity). Salinity and drought stress reduced the flowering rate, quality of flowers and the flower life on the plant, but all the levels of stress reached to flowering stage. Also, the growth of narcissus plant was not affected by the highest levels of drought (30% crop capacity) and salinity (60 mM) stress. In general, the results showed that both drought and salinity stress reduced the growth and yield of narcissus flower, but the destructive effects of salinity stress on the growth, ornamental and physiological traits of narcissus flower were more than drought stress.
