Growing vegetables
Leyla Cheheltanan; Saeed Khosravi; Hosein Nemati
Abstract
IntroductionGrasses are narrow-leaved plants that are used as cover plants in landscape. These plants are one of the basic and necessary components of the green cover of most gardens, parks and as the background color of landscape. In Iran, due to the high costs of planting and management of grass, high ...
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IntroductionGrasses are narrow-leaved plants that are used as cover plants in landscape. These plants are one of the basic and necessary components of the green cover of most gardens, parks and as the background color of landscape. In Iran, due to the high costs of planting and management of grass, high water requirements, climatic incompatibility and damage to water and soil salinity, it is recommended to remove from the green space in some cities, especially in areas with low water and water and soil saline. If it is possible to benefit from the role and influence of these plants by observing the technical points and choosing the best species for each area. Salinity stress is the second limiting factor for the growth of plants in the world after drought, which affects the efficiency and performance of plants. Increase in salinity causes a decrease in the water potential in the soil. In this condition, the plant spends most of its energy to maintain the water potential, cell mass, and water absorption to have minimal growth. The aim of this research is the effect of external application of glycine betaine on the accumulation of osmolality compounds and the antioxidant system of sports grass under salt stress. Materials and MethodsThis research was done in factorial form in completely randomized design with 3 replications on Rashid variety cucumber. The factors included 4 levels of temperature (25, 30, 35 and 40 degrees Celsius) and 3 levels of salicylic acid (0, 0.5 and 1 mM). When the seedlings reached the two-leaf stage, they were sprayed with different concentrations of salicylic acid two times with an interval of five days. One week after the application of salicylic acid, temperature treatment was gradually applied. After applying each heat treatment, the corresponding pots were transferred to the greenhouse with a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. Then, fresh and dry weight of root and shoot, leaf surface, chlorophyll index, electrolyte leakage, proline, polyphenol oxidase enzyme activity and superoxide dismutase enzyme activity were measured. Results and Discussion The results showed that salinity stress decreased all the study morphological, physiological and biochemical parameters including plant height, shoot fresh and dry weight, number of tiller, leaf area, chlorophyll content, protein and total antioxidant capacity in the studied plants. It also increased peroxidase enzyme, H2O2 and proline in plants, but glycine betaine application significantly improved the morpho-physiological characteristics of plants compared to the control under salt stress conditions. Thus, the highest height, shoot fresh and dry weight, leaf area, number of tiller, chlorophyll content, and protein and antioxidant capacity were observed in plants sprayed with glycine betaine. Also, the highest content of glycine betaine and activity of catalase and peroxidase enzymes and the lowest content of glycine betaine and H2O2 were observed in in plants sprayed with glycine betaine and 10 mM glycine betaine was more effective than 5 mM. The occurrence of salinity in plants disrupts the absorption of ions and causes the reduction of nutrients and increases sodium ions. One of the effects of salinity in plants is the reduction of photosynthetic activity, which results in the reduction of chlorophyll, carbon dioxide absorption, photosynthetic capacity, plant height, shoot fresh and dry weight, number of tiller and leaf area. One of the most strategies to deal with stress is accumulation of osmolyte and increasing the antioxidant activity, which makes plants resistant to environmental stresses. Salinity, through the toxic effect of Na+ and Cl- ions, affects the growth and performance of the plant by reducing the soil water potential, disrupting water absorption and imbalance of nutrients in the plant. The results obtained from comparing the average results of glycine betaine show that glycine betaine increased plant height, shoot fresh and dry weight, number of tiller, leaf area, chlorophyll content, total protein and antioxidant capacity, but on the other hand, it increased proline and H2O2 decreased, which is due to the accumulation of glycine betaine as a protector in plants under salt stress conditions. In stress conditions, glycine betaine can protect photosynthetic activities including photosynthetic enzymes, proteins and lipids in thylakoid membranes in the combination of photosystem II, and also the task of protecting cell membranes against osmotic stresses in the plant. ConclusionThe results obtained from this research showed that salinity stress reduced all the morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics in the sport grass plants, but glycine betaine application played a positive role in reducing salinity damage and maintaining plant quality. Glycine betaine is known as one of the effective molecules in stress signaling, so it can protect the plant cells against stress by reducing the destruction of the membrane and by increasing the salt tolerance mechanisms. Also, glycine betaine 10 mM is introduced as the best treatment to reduce salinity damage in sport grass during present study.
Growing vegetables
N. Zeinali Pour; F. Aghebati
Abstract
Introduction
Portulaca oleraceae is used in many countries for a variety of purposes, including human nutrition and the conversion and pharmaceutical industries. The edible parts of Portulaca oleracea are the young organs, especially the brittle leaves and stems. Over time, this medicinal herb ...
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Introduction
Portulaca oleraceae is used in many countries for a variety of purposes, including human nutrition and the conversion and pharmaceutical industries. The edible parts of Portulaca oleracea are the young organs, especially the brittle leaves and stems. Over time, this medicinal herb has been forgotten. Drought, on the other hand, is a factor in the decline of crops and horticulture around the world. Given the vastness of arid and semi-arid regions in Iran and also the reduction of access to water resources, appropriate arrangements should be made for the optimal use of water in the agricultural sector. Changing the planting pattern and using useful and resistant alternative species such as drought-tolerant medicinal plants can enable the optimal use of limited water resources. GABA is an important non-protein amino acid that plays a positive role in increasing plant resistance to stress.
Materials and Methods
This experiment was carried out in 2020 as a factorial based on a completely randomized design with three replications in the vegetable research greenhouse of the Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman. Experimental treatments included different levels of GABA (0, 20, and 40 mM). Treatment with different concentrations of GABA was done in two stages of 6 and 12 leaves of portulaca oleracea and foliar application and application of dehydration stress in three levels of control, medium and severe at irrigation intervals of 7, 14, and 21 days from 6 leaf stage of plants to the end.
Results and Discussion
According to the analysis of variance, the effect of GABA at different concentrations and dehydration stress on plant height was significant at the level of 5% probability. Based on the mean comparison test, the highest plant height was obtained in GABA treatment of 40 mM and irrigation intervals of 7 days (control), and the lowest of this trait was obtained in GABA zero treatment and irrigation intervals of 21 days (highest stress level). The results of analysis of variance showed that the effect of GABA at different concentrations and dehydration stress on vegetative yield was significant, the interaction between irrigation intervals and GABA was significant at 5% level. Based on the mean comparison test, the highest vegetative yield was obtained in GABA treatment of 40 mM and irrigation intervals of 7 days and the lowest in control treatment and irrigation intervals of 21 days. According to the results of the analysis of variance table, the effect of GABA at different concentrations and dehydration stress on the amount of malondialdehyde was significant at the level of 1% probability. Based on the means comparison test, the highest amount of this trait was obtained in the control treatment. Comparison of the mean of the data showed that the effect of GABA at different concentrations and dehydration stress caused a significant difference in the probability level of 1% in the proline content of the data. Based on the mean comparison test, the highest amount of proline was observed in GABA treatment of 40 mM and irrigation intervals of 21 days and the lowest amount was observed in control treatment and irrigation intervals of 7 days. As can be seen in the comparison table of means, the highest activity of superoxide dismutase enzyme was obtained in GABA treatment at 40 mM and irrigation intervals of 14 days and the lowest in control treatment and irrigation intervals was 7 days (Table 2). The results of this study showed that the effect of GABA at different concentrations and dehydration stress on the activity of catalase was significant at the level of 1% probability. As can be seen in the comparison table of means, the highest level of catalase activity was 40 mM in GABA treatment and 21 days irrigation intervals and the lowest in GABA treatment was 40 mM and irrigation intervals were 7 days.
Conclusion
The results of this study indicate that GABA is able to greatly alleviate the oxidative stress caused by dehydration in Portulaca oleracea. This effect is quite evident in oxidative parameters, especially the activity of antioxidant enzymes. The concentration of 40 mM GABA was the most effective treatment in mitigating the effects of irrigation. The results show that the use of GABA makes Portulaca oleracea tolerant to dehydration stress.
Medicinal Plants
S. Keyghobadi; R. Fotohi Ghazvini; Y. Tajvar; A. Sabouri
Abstract
Introduction
Drought is one of the most important environmental stresses that affects various plants such as ornamental plants. The identification and selection of ornamental tolerant genotypes is essential for landscape projects. Understanding the mechanisms that enable plants to adapt to drought ...
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Introduction
Drought is one of the most important environmental stresses that affects various plants such as ornamental plants. The identification and selection of ornamental tolerant genotypes is essential for landscape projects. Understanding the mechanisms that enable plants to adapt to drought stress can help to select the most tolerant genotypes for cultivation in arid and semi-arid regions.
Materials and Methods
For this purpose, a research was conducted as a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with eleven genotypes and two levels of irrigation (irrigation as Control and severe drought) at Ramsar Citrus and Tropical Fruits Research Institute.
Results and Discussion
The first symptoms of drought stress were observed after 10 days in the Juniperus horizontalis (G1) genotype (the most sensitive genotype) and were not recovered and dried after 15 days. G3 and G5 genotypes (Ravande-mamouli and Ravande-setarei, respectively) showed drought stress after 28 days (most tolerant genotypes) and recovered at the end of the stress period after irrigation. Drought stress decreased photosynthetic pigments in studied genotypes. The content of soluble sugars, proline, and total soluble protein increased under drought stress conditions and the highest amount was observed in G3 genotype 30.8 mg g-1 DW, 30.5 μg g-1 DW, and 965.2 μg g-1FW, respectively. Under drought stress condition, the highest concentration of hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde and electrical conductivity were observed in G11, G4, and G10 genotypes respectively compared to control plants. In addition, the most enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (85.57%), total phenol (181.09%) and total flavonoid (98.46%) was evaluated in G3, G5 and G8 respectively. Also, chlorophyll changes indicate the response of plants to environmental stresses such as drought during drought stress, the concentration of abscisic acid and ethylene increases, which stimulates the activity of the enzyme chlorophilase and causes chlorophyll degradation. The reduction of photosynthetic pigments under drought stress also seems to be related to changes in nitrogen metabolism to proline production and reduced chlorophyll synthesis because the precursor of chlorophyll and proline is glutamate. Furthermore, one of the biochemical changes that occur in plants under drought stress is the accumulation of ROS. Numerous reports have stated that drought stress increases ROS production. Drought-induced oxidative stress causes lipid peroxidation and membrane damage. It seems that in some genotypes with low levels of malondialdehyde, the membrane damage is severe and leads to more electrical conductivity. Genotypes with more electrical conductivity are more damaged by drought stress. In some genotypes, such as G2 and G11, there was a positive correlation between malondialdehyde content and electrical conductivity, but in others, such as G1, there was a negative correlation. Although the amount of malondialdehyde in this genotype is low, electrical conductivity is very high. In other words, this genotype should be a genotype sensitive to drought stress. The tolerance of the plant to various environmental stresses may be related to the level of activity of the enzymes responsible for scavenging ROS. The antioxidant response to water scarcity depends on the severity of stress and type of plant species. Therefore, different genotypes increased their antioxidant activity to reduce the effects of oxidative stress, and the high antioxidant activity was observed for G5 compared with other genotypes which can be contemplated as drought-tolerant genotype. The accumulation of compatible metabolites such as soluble sugars and proline in plants under drought conditions can help to protect them against stress. The proline and soluble sugars accumulation under stress conditions reduce lipid peroxidation and acts as a free radical scavenger. According to the results, drought stress induced accumulation of proline and soluble sugars in the genotypes of Juniperus and the highest accumulation of proline was related to G3. Therefore, this genotype can be introduced as drought-resistant genotype.
Conclusion
The results of the current study showed that drought stress significantly affected some biochemical parameters in all eleven genotypes. However, a variation in drought susceptibility was observed among genotypes. The studied genotypes in this experiment had different responses to drought stress and it seems that they utilized different mechanisms for stress tolerance. Genotype of G3 (Ravande -mamouli) was the most tolerant genotype to drought stress based on the highest levels of superoxide dismutase, soluble sugars, proline, and soluble protein. Genotype of G5 was also tolerant to drought stress with high superoxide dismutase activity and the largest amount of total flavonoid production. Therefore, increasing of compatible metabolites and antioxidant system are effective protective mechanisms against oxidative damage under drought stress.
A. Angooti; J, Hajilou; F. Razavi
Abstract
Introduction: The ability to tolerate cold will not be possible without stopping or inducing sleep, which is one of the important steps in the life cycle of plants in temperate regions. This period is one of the important factors in preventing cold damages in winter and spring in temperate regions. Various ...
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Introduction: The ability to tolerate cold will not be possible without stopping or inducing sleep, which is one of the important steps in the life cycle of plants in temperate regions. This period is one of the important factors in preventing cold damages in winter and spring in temperate regions. Various studies in controlled conditions on plants have shown that in plants, when entering and leaving this period, various changes occur in materials such as proteins, enzymes and hormones. In order to control the harmful effects of active oxygen species, plants have defense mechanisms. Catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase enzymes are a defensive team whose common goal is to defend against the destructive effects of active oxygen species. This study was carried out to determine the chill requirement and its relationship with the changes in the activity of antioxidants enzymes and proline.
Materials and Methods: The experiment was conducted at agricultural Research Station of Khalat-Pooshan and the Laboratory of Flower Biology and Physiology of Fruit Growth in the Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Tabriz University in 2015-2016. Flower buds needed for testing were selected from ‘Siah Shabestar’, Zard Mashhad, Zoodras cultivars and a local genotype of sour cherry. Once a month, enough buds were harvested and until the experiments began, they were kept inside the freezer inside an aluminum foil at -80 ° C. In order to estimate the chill requirement, four replicates (4 geographic directions) from each cultivar and from each replication four branches with the same length and diameter were removed. The amount of chilling accumulation and chilling requirement in each month was calculated according to Utah model. In order to estimate fresh weight, four replicates in each cultivar were selected and in each replication five buds were selected from different parts of the branch. The statistical design used in the determination of the chill requirement was a randomized complete block design. Enzymatic and proline data were analyzed in a completely randomized design as factorial
Conclusions: Chill requirement: Based on the Utah model, the chill requirement of sweet and sour cherry cultivars contains Zard Mashhad, Zoodras and Siah Shabestar were calculated 752, 780, 867 and 961 CU, respectively. There was a significant difference in the activity of superoxide dismutase enzymes between cultivars and different sampling times at 1% probability level. Siah Shabestar cultivars with the highest chill requirement had the lowest SOD enzymatic activity and Zard Mashhad and Zoodras were intermediate cultivars in terms of enzymatic activity. Sour cherries, which had the least chill requirement, showed the highest levels of SOD enzyme activity. This is consistent with the results of some researchers regarding apricot stated that the low chill apricot cultivars had the highest SOD enzymatic activity. The sour cherry had the highest amount of POX enzymatic activity with the least amount of chill requirement, and also Siah Shabestar has the least chill requirement. Like the two previous enzymes, the activity of catalase was highest in sour cherries and the lowest was observed in Siah Shabestar. In terms of the presence of free proline, there was no significant difference between the Zard Mashhad cultivars and Zoodras, while there was a significant difference between these two cultivars and Sour Cherry and Siah Shabestar. Zoodras cultivar has the highest and our cherry has the lowest amount of free proline. Between different cultivars, in terms of fresh weight of buds, there is a significant difference at 1% probability level before and after placement in the growth chamber. The increase in fresh weight of sour cherry and Zard Mashhad, Zoodras and Siah Shabestar cultivars were 25, 27, 31.5 and 33%, respectively. The highest fresh weight before and after placement in growth chamber was observed in Siah Shabestar and sour cherry was the lowest. In all the cultivars, the activity of all three enzymes were initially at maximum (369 CU), then, with the cooling of the air and the initiation of deep dormancy, the activity of these enzymes were greatly reduced (820 CU) and then again increased in the activity of this enzyme (963 CU), which is similar to other studies.
Conclusions The results of this study showed that the antioxidant metabolism in plants is influenced by seasonal cycle changes and enzymatic activity changes depending on temperature, so that sour cherry with the least chill requirement has the most activity of the enzyme catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase and Siah Shabestar, which have the most chill requirement, have the least enzymatic activity. Accordingly, the enzymatic antioxidant system activity of the flower buds was relatively high at the beginning of the dormancy period, but decreased during the end of dormancy. Also, the amount of free proline at the end of dormancy and the stage of dormancy breaking was highest and the lowest was in the deep dormancy period.
A. Moshashaei; M.M. Jowkar
Abstract
Introduction: Dianthus barbatus L. from Caryophyllaceae is an important herbaceous landscape ornamental plant in the temperate regions throughout the world. Although this ornamental plant is used as bedding plant, it also has other extensive applications such as cut flower and pot plant. Besides, in ...
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Introduction: Dianthus barbatus L. from Caryophyllaceae is an important herbaceous landscape ornamental plant in the temperate regions throughout the world. Although this ornamental plant is used as bedding plant, it also has other extensive applications such as cut flower and pot plant. Besides, in some countries the leaves of Dianthus barbatus are used for treatment of digestive disorders in their traditional medicine. Landscape and its quality, plays an essential role in human life. Nowadays, maintenance and development of urban landscape in many regions such as Iran is facing major challenging issues. Soil and water salinity are the most important challenges of urban landscape. Considering the challenges which landscape development faces in many parts of the country and the importance of this plant in landscape, the effect of salinity on D. barbatus during in vitro condition was studied in order to obtain some basic physiological information for future stress studies on this plant.
Materials and Methods: In vitro sterile plants were initially obtained from seeds by culturing them on basal MS medium. Calli were obtained by culturing leaf, stem and root explants on previously reported callogenesis optimization medium which was MS medium supplemented with 2µM BAP + 6µM NAA. Calli proliferation was then conducted on the same media. Proliferated calli with same size were subjected to MS medium supplemented with the mentioned plant growth regulators and various NaCl concentrations (0, 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 gl-1) in order to induce salinity stress. Various physiological aspects and stress related mechanisms such as growth, osmo-protection and oxidative stress mechanisms were consequently studied in the stressed Dianthus barbatus calli. Studied growth features were calli growth, final growth rate, fresh and dry weight. Total protein content, glycine-betaine content, and the activity of betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BAD) were studied as a part of osmo-protection mechanism. On the other hand, the activity of free radical scavenger enzymes such as sccccuperoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX) and malondialdehyde damage biomarker content were studied in stressed calli as a part of oxidative stress mechanism. Total protein was measured using Bradford method. Glycine-betaine content was measured using spectroscopy method by KI-I2 reaction agent. The activity of betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase was evaluated using spectroscopy method by reduction with NAD+. SOD activity was measured using spectroscopy method and formation as an indicator. CAT activity was measured using spectroscopy method by measuring hydrogen peroxide breakdown. POX activity was measured using spectroscopy method by nitro-blue tetrazolium reduction activity. Malondialdehyde content was also measured by using spectroscopy method.
Results and Discussion: Results indicated that by increasing salinity level, calli growth and consequently fresh and dry weight reduced. Calli growth was dramatically reduced as salinity level reached above 1 gl-1. This slow growth was also observed at high stress levels such as 12 gl-1. By salinity increment, total protein content of the stressed calli significantly reduced. On the other hand, BAD activity increased as a result of salinity stress and consequently glycine-betaine content also increased significantly. The highest level of glycine-betaine content and also the activity of BAD activity were observed in 12gl-1 NaCl treated calli. A significant correlation between glycine-betaine content and BAD activity was observed. The activity of free radical scavenger enzymes such as SOD, CAT, POX also significantly increased by salinity stress increment. The highest activity of the mentioned free radical scavenger enzymes were observed in 12 gl-1 NaCl treated calli. CAT had the most activity among the mentioned studied free radical scavenger enzymes. The highest increase in POX activity was half of the control and also half of the activity increment of other studied free radical scavenger enzymes. Although the activity of free radical scavenger enzymes increased, the level of malondialdehyde damage biomarker also increased as the result of salinity stress increment. The highest amount of malondialdehyde content was seen in the 12gl-1 NaCl treated calli. A significant correlation between malondialdehyde content and the activity of free radical scavenger enzymes was observed.
Conclusion: In general, the calli of Dianthus barbatus cultured in vitro are sensitive to salinity stress induced by more than 1 gl-1 NaCl; indicating the stress tolerance threshold. The tolerance and resistance mechanisms performed well under stress condition and the stress calli resisted to salinity up to 12 gl-1 NaCl and survived without chlorosis.
maryam haghighi; maryam mozafariyan
Abstract
Decreasing irrigation via partial root zoon drying (PRD) save water and decreased production expenses. For comparing common irrigation and PRD on tomato cv. Falcato an experiment was designed in Massey University of New Zealand. Treatments were control (irrigation in a Field capacity in each irrigation ...
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Decreasing irrigation via partial root zoon drying (PRD) save water and decreased production expenses. For comparing common irrigation and PRD on tomato cv. Falcato an experiment was designed in Massey University of New Zealand. Treatments were control (irrigation in a Field capacity in each irrigation to whole root zoon) and PRD (irrigation in a half of Field capacity in each irrigation to one side of root zoon). The results were shown that superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activity increased in PRD compare with control. Photosynthesis, mesophyll conductance, photosynthesis water efficiency, fresh and dry weight of root and shoot decreased in PRD. NACE (Nutrient Acquisition Efficiency) of leaf was the highest for Zn and Na and the lowest for P when PRD applied compare with control. Yield indices like MP increased significantly by 63% compare to first harvest. YSI (Yield Stability Index) increased by 46% in third harvest compare with second one. The TOL (Tolerance index) increased by 80% in last harvest compare with first one. GMP (Geometric Mean Productivity) in the second harvest increased by 62% compare to first one.
