Growing vegetables
Fatemeh Ahmadnia; Ali Ebadi; Masoud Hashemi
Abstract
Introduction: The most significant decrease in the commercial value and quality of leafy crops, such as lettuce, is primarily caused by weeds. The most common weeds in lettuce fields include Lambs quarters (Chenopodium album L.), Redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), and wild mustard (Sinapis ...
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Introduction: The most significant decrease in the commercial value and quality of leafy crops, such as lettuce, is primarily caused by weeds. The most common weeds in lettuce fields include Lambs quarters (Chenopodium album L.), Redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), and wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis L.). Although using chemical inputs is considered a successful method in weed control, the risk of accumulating chemical contamination in plants and reducing human health by using these products increased the idea of using safe and environmentally friendly methods. Cover crops are an environmentally friendly strategy for controlling weeds in agricultural fields, offering numerous environmental benefits. Rye (Secale cereale L.) and chickling pea (Lathyrus sativus) are well-known worldwide cover crops. Many studies have mentioned them for their ability to control weeds, improve soil conditions, and release nutrients. Also, hand-weeding is known as one of the simple but expensive weed control methods. In our study, we aimed to explore how rye and chickling pea cover crop residues, when used in monoculture and intercropping systems, can help reduce the need for hand-weeding and improve the yield of Iceberg lettuce, considering the importance of weed control in leafy products.
Materials and Methods: In the spring of 2020, an experiment was conducted using a factorial design base of CRD with three replications. The experimental treatments included monoculture and intercropping of rye (Secale cereal L.), and chickling pea (Lathyrus sativus) cover crops, control (without cover crops), and additionally, different levels of hand-weeding were implemented (once, twice, and no hand-weeding). The amount of seed used for the rye and chickling pea monoculture was 100 and 25 kg/ha, respectively. For intercropping, 50% of the recommended seed was used. F1 Iceberg lettuce (Bruma Rz.) seeds were planted in a mixture of peat moss and perlite in a 1:5 ratio. Due to the short growing season in Ardabil (20°48' E and 19°38' N), the growth of cover crops was terminated 67 days after the sowing date using paraquat. Then, lettuce seedlings were transplanted manually by 25 × 25 cm inter-row spacing. Hand weeding was conducted at three different stages: once 15 days after transplanting, twice at 15 and 30 days after transplanting, and not at all at the time of lettuce harvest. In this experiment, in addition to investigating the dry weight of cover crops and weeds, weed control efficiency index and fresh yield and lettuce yield components such as number of leaves, plant height, crown diameter, and head diameter were measured.
Results and Discussion: The results indicated that the highest dry weight of cover crops was obtained from the rye monoculture (530.59 ± 30.15 g/m-2), followed by intercropping (400.21.43 ± 10.37 g/m-2). The lowest dry weight of Chenopodium album L. and Anchusa italica Retz. weeds (0 g/m-2) were recorded in intercropping with one- and two-times hand-weeding. The dry weight of Sinapis arvensis L. in intercropping once, twice, and without hand-weeding, rye and chickling pea monoculture without hand-weeding was 0 g/m-2. The lowest total weed dry weight was found in the intercropping of cover crops with once hand-weeding. The highest weed control efficiency indexes (100, 86.95, and 87.72) were observed with intercropping by once and twice hand-weeding, and chickling pea monoculture without hand-weeding. The highest yield of Iceberg lettuce (3.70 ± 0.82 kg/m2) was achieved by intercropped cover crops without hand-weeding. The maximum number of leaves (21.55 ± 2.69 and 21.44 ± 1.01), crown diameter (4.15 ± 0.13 and 4.18 ± 0.23 cm), and head diameter (20. 22.12 ± 2 and 22.65 ± 2.22 cm, respectively) were obtained from the chickling pea monoculture and intercropping.
Conclusion: The effectiveness of using cover crop residues for weed control depends largely on the quantity of their dry weight. In the treatments without hand weeding, the rye monoculture and intercropping reduced the dry weight of weeds. The presence of cover crop residues reduced weed growth, although hand-weeding was still a more effective method of weed control in vegetables. However, the results highlighted the impact of cover crop dry weight on reducing hand-weeding for lettuce. In terms of increasing the yield of iceberg lettuce, rye intercropping, and chickling pea were favorable for the Ardabil region's climatic conditions.
Acknowledgment: The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Iran, for their financial support.
Ornamental plants
Meisam Mohammadi; Fatemeh Khosravifar; Negin Siahi
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 Methods This research was carried out in 2022 in pots in the research greenhouse of Ilam University as a factorial based on a completely random design with three replications. Experimental treatments included three salinity levels with sodium chloride salt (without salinity, 50 and 100 mM sodium chloride) and three levels of glycine betaine foliar spraying (0, 5 and 10 mM). Glycine betaine application was performed after mowing twice with a distance of 48h from each other, and then salinity with sodium chloride salts was applied. 4 weeks after application of salinity stress, some morphological and biochemical characteristics of plants were measured. The results were analysed using SAS software (v.9.2), and Tukey's test was used to compare the means at the 5% probability level. Results and DiscussionThe 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.
Shahabedin Ahooi; Ladan Ajdanian; Seyyed Hossein Nemati; Hossein Arouiee; Mehdi Babaei
Abstract
Introduction: In the past decades, chemical fertilizers are used by farmers have numerous environmental impacts, including various types of water and soil contamination, and cause many problems to human health and other organisms. Sustainable agricultural policy and sustainable agricultural development ...
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Introduction: In the past decades, chemical fertilizers are used by farmers have numerous environmental impacts, including various types of water and soil contamination, and cause many problems to human health and other organisms. Sustainable agricultural policy and sustainable agricultural development have prompted experts to make greater use of soil organisms to meet the plant's nutritional needs, and that is why the production of biofertilizers began. Biological imbalances in the field of sustainable agriculture can be attributed to the fungi of myoderma and its species. According to various studies, it seems that this microorganism having high ability to compete for food and space, and the establishment of spores in the environment and in particular soil around the roots of most crops and non-farm and can induce plant resistance not only reduces pathogen agents Vermicompost is a microbiologically rich, nutrient-rich, organic modifier that is produced by the interaction between earthworms and microorganisms during the decomposition of organic matter. This type of organic fertilizer contains the waste of certain species of earthworms as a result of alteration, conversion, and relative organic residues as they pass through the digestive tract of these animals. Research has shown that vermicompost has a positive effect on growth, crop development, and crop yield. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different amounts of vermicompost and different concentrations of Trichoderma Bi isolate on different properties of celery. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Trichoderma and vermicompost as a biofertilizer promoting growth in research greenhouse at the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad with an average daily temperature of 15-27 °C and relative humidity of 40-70%. The present study was a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with three replicates as a pot experiment under no-tillage conditions in the greenhouse. The first factor consisted of four concentrations of Trichoderma harizianum isolate Bi: zero percent (control), 5%, 10%, and 15% volume of 50 liters of water consumed. The second factor also included four vermicompost treatments: zero percent (control), 25 percent, 50 percent, and 75 percent pot volume. Celery seeds were sown in transplant trays. The transplants were ready for transfer to the main litter after 10 weeks. The pots used were of plastic-type with a span diameter of 20 cm and a height of 25 cm. The plant media consisted of a mixture of 20% cocoon and 80% perlite, the roots of which were easily separable. After full harvest of plants at the commercial size, when a complete set of petiole sets was created (40 days after transplanting) morphological traits including the fresh and dry weight of roots and stems, a number of leaves, stem diameter, stem and root lengths were evaluated. The dry and dry weight of plant root was measured using a digital marking scale and with an accuracy of 0.01 g. Dry weight was determined after placing the specimens in the oven at 72 ° C for 48 hours. Also, the stem diameter was measured using a caliper machine with 0.01 mm accuracy. Root and shoot lengths were measured separately in the laboratory by a ruler in cm. Chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids were read at 663 nm, 653 nm and 470 nm for absorption by spectrophotometer, respectively. Data were analyzed using JMP8 software and ANOVA was performed using the LSD test at 5% probability level. Charts were drawn using Excel 2013 software. Results and Discussion: The results of this study showed a positive and optimal effect of combined vermicompost and Trichoderma fungi. The highest shoot dry weight (49.23 g), leaf number (46), stem diameter (15 mm) and chlorophyll and carotenoid were observed in the effect of vermicompost and Trichoderma fungi compared to the control treatment. The main stem length (77.20 cm) was affected by the fungus with a 10% concentration at the highest rate compared to other treatments. Also, 50% vermicompost treatment had the highest root length (36.66 cm). The highest chlorophyll a was observed at 75% vermicompost interaction at 15% fungi concentration (10.02 mg / g fresh leaf weight). Application of vermicompost in the culture medium and application of Trichoderma fungus extract resulted in improved growth and yield. As can be seen in the results, the best treatment was 15% and 75% vermicompost, respectively. They can be used to improve plant growth and function. Many researchers believe that mainly isolates of Trichoderma produce biochemical stimuli to stimulate plant growth or reduce the inhibitory effects of certain compounds, biological and chemical toxins. According to available reports, the application of vermicompost with 30% volume in ornamental Lilium increased leaf area, fresh and dry weight of plant and plant height. So, fresh and dry weights of bean stem under vermicompost application significantly increased compared to the control treatment, which is in line with the results of this study. However, the researchers believe that the wet and dry weight gain of the plant body if used with vermicompost is probably due to the high amount of humic acids in this biofertilizer. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study and other studies on vermicompost as an enriched fertilizer with numerous growth enzymes and hormones, as well as Trichoderma, it can be concluded that the use of bio-fertilizers plays an important role in the production of high-quality products. Also, the effect we find depends on the concentration used, but in the end, even their application at the lowest concentration compared to the control treatment increased growth and morphological characteristics of the plant. Overall, the results of this study showed that, in the case of the studied species, the combination of vermicompost and Trichoderma had a significant advantage over their separate application, and considering the superiority results of most traits at the time of application of these two together. Therefore, a combination of Trichoderma and vermicompost based on the results (concurrent use of 15% fungus extract and 75% vermicompost) is recommended to improve plant growth and yield.
Maryam Kamali; Mahmood Shoor; Hassan Feizi
Abstract
Introduction: Titanium is the ninth most abundant element and the second most transition metal found in the earth’s crust (about 6.320 ppm). There has been a rising demand for nanotechnology-based products in recent years, particularly in areas directly related to humans. Nanotechnology has many applications ...
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Introduction: Titanium is the ninth most abundant element and the second most transition metal found in the earth’s crust (about 6.320 ppm). There has been a rising demand for nanotechnology-based products in recent years, particularly in areas directly related to humans. Nanotechnology has many applications in agricultural research, such as in reproductive science and technology, the transfer of agricultural and food waste to energy and other helpful by-products through enzymatic nanobioprocessing.
An important effect of titanium compounds on plants used for improvement of yield (about 10–20%) in various crops. Other effects of titanium on plants are increasing contents of some essential elements in plant tissue; an increase in enzyme activity such as peroxidase, catalase, and nitrate reductase activities in plant tissue, and research has shown increased chlorophyll content in paprika (Capsicum anuum L.) and green alga (Chlorella pyrenoidosa). Nanotechnologyapplication is now widely distributed throughout life, and especially in agricultural systems. Nano particles, because of their physicochemical characteristics, have been considered the potential candidates for modulating the redox status and changing in seed germination, growth, performance, and quality of plants.nano-TiO2 has shown to be potential for agricultural application because of its photocatalytic disinfection and photobiological effects. Also,stalinizationof soils or waters is one of the world’s most serious environmental problemsin agriculture. During initial exposure to salinity, plants experience water stress, which in return reduces leaf expansion. during long-term exposure to salinity, plants experience to ionic stress, which can lead to premature senescence of adult leaves, which led to a reduction in the photosynthetic area available to support plants growth.However,a few studies have been done on the effects of nanoparticles on ornamental plants. Nanosized TiO2 is a frequently used nanoparticle, consequently there has been an exponential increase in data collection on the effects of TiO2 nanoparticles on different species. There is much less information on the effects of nanoparticles on plants compared to animals. Studies of the effects of TiO2 nanoparticles on plants provide information about the positive and stimulating effects as well as any negative impact. In this study, weaimedto findout the phytotoxicity or positive effects of different concentrations of Bulk TiO2 and nanosized TiO2 on plant growth of Petunia hybridain salinity stress.
Material and Method: experiments were done to assess the effect of different concentrationsof bulk and nanosized TiO2 on petunia growthin salinity stress in a factorial test based on completely randomized design with 3 replications in agriculture faculty of Ferdowsi University, Mashhad. There were 3 factors, including1- three concentrations (0, 75 and 150 mM) of NaCl, 2- bulk and Nanosized titanium dioxide and 3- six concentrations (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 40 ppm) of TiO2. Titanium dioxide treatments for foliar application was applied 5 times with intervals of seven days (three times before, and twice after starting salinity stress). The experiment was performed at the College of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. during the flowering, flower number, corolla length, flower diameter and flower fresh weight were measured. At the end of the flowering phase, parameters such as leaf area, shoot and leaf fresh weight, lateral shoot number, leaf number, chlorophyll a, b, total and cartenoidwere measured. The data were subjected to Analysis of Variance, was done using Mstat-C statistical. The means were separated, using LSD test.
Results and Discussion: Results showed that interaction of salinity, bulk and nanosized titanium dioxide and titanium dioxide concentrationsweresignificanton total chlorophyll, cartenoides, biomass, leaf area and flower number. The highest amount of total chlorophyll concentrations was measured in 20 and 40 ppm TiO2 and 5 ppm Nano treatments, respectively. The highest leaf area (608 cm2) was in 15 ppm Nano treatment. Among levels of nano TiO2,foliar application with 5 ppm had the best flower diameter in general, foliar application of nano titanium dioxide and titanium dioxide have been effective in improving the effects of salinity stress. In addition, the use of titanium dioxide in the highest level (40 ppm) and use of nano titanium dioxide in less concentration in Petunia plant had better effect on morphological traits. An important effect of titanium compounds on plants used for various crops is yield improvement. The positive effects of TiO2 could be probably due to the antimicrobial properties of engineered nanoparticles, which can enhance strength andresistance of plants to stress.
Iman Baninaeim; Davood Samsampoor
Abstract
Introduction: Narcissus is a genus of hardy, spring-blooming, bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae. Numerous studies have demonstrated positive effects of various chemical additives (e.g. biocides, surfactants, ethylene inhibitors, wound healing enzyme inhibitors) on the postharvest, water relations ...
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Introduction: Narcissus is a genus of hardy, spring-blooming, bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae. Numerous studies have demonstrated positive effects of various chemical additives (e.g. biocides, surfactants, ethylene inhibitors, wound healing enzyme inhibitors) on the postharvest, water relations and longevity of cut flowers. Cut flowers can have limited commercial value because of their dehydrating during vase life that decreased water uptake. Petal senescence is part of a developmental continuum in cut flowers and proceeded by tissue differentiation, growth and development of seeds and coordinated by plant hormones. Senescence can be studied at cellular, tissue, organ or organization level as a genetically programmed event. The vase life of cut narcissus flowers is often very short. The development of senescence symptoms is caused by vascular occlusion, which inhibits water supply to the flowers. Petal senescence was marked by the loss of turgor in petal tissue followed by complete wilting. The development of occlusions is thought to be caused by various factors, such as bacteria, air emboli and physiological responses of stems to cutting. However, despite anecdotal evidence of positive effects, improving postharvest water relations of cut flowers by various physical stem-end treatments is little researched.
Materials and Methods: The Narcissus flowers harvested from Khafr city of Fars province, in February 2015. The Thyme plants harvested in September 2014 and Savory plants harvested in December 2014 and then submitted to hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus for 3 hours. This study was carried out in a completely randomized design with 3 replications. The treatments included control (distilled water), two levels of Savory essential oil (50 and 100 ppm) and two levels of Thyme essential oil (100 and 200 ppm). 2% sucrose were added to control and other of treatments . The cut flowers were also kept at temperature of 20±2 ºC with air humidity (RH) of 70±5%. Different parameters including flower weight, uptake of preservative solution, and wilting of flowers were measured every 2 days (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8) and antioxidant enzyme activity (APX) were measured in days of 0, 4 and 8 during storage period, and at the end of experiment, the vase life were measured. The results analyzed by SAS software and drawing tables and diagrams done by Excel software.
Results and Discussion: The results showed that Savory essential oil 50 ppm treatment was effective in improving the flower weight of cut narcissus by increasing uptake of preservative solution and also reducing wilting of flowers and antioxidant enzyme activities. At 200 ppm of thyme essential oil observed reductionin flower weight and uptake of preservative solution, but increasing in wilting of flowers and antioxidant enzyme activities. At 50 ppm of savory essential oil with average days 12.26, the vase life of cut flowers increased significantly as compared to control (10.36) and at 200 ppm of thyme essential oil treatment with average days 8.53, observed decrease invase life of cut flowers compared to control. Impaired water uptake is typically caused by cut stem occlusions due to microbial, physiological and physical plugging of xylem vessels. Essential oils constituents and derivatives have a long history of application as antimicrobial agents in areas of food preservation and medicinal antimicrobial production. physical treatments damage xylem vessels, allow increase of microbes and increase nutrient supply for microbes, which occlude stems. Recently many works carried out about application essential oils as antimicrobial agents under in vitro and in vivo condition and indicated that essential oils could increase postharvest quality of many horticultural crops such as tomato, table grape and kiwifruit (1, 15 and 24). In addition to improving water uptake, other approaches to maintaining a positive postharvest water balance for cut flowers and foliage include minimizing water loss though reduction in leaf area, keeping them in an environment conducive to less water loss (viz. low temperature and high RH) and providing compatible osmotica (e.g. sucrose) in vase and/or pulsing solutions. The loss of membrane integrity has been shown to cause an increase in the permeability and leakage during senescence in various flowers.
Conclusions: Results of this study showed that savory essential oil treatments increased quality and vase life of narssisus cut flowers compared to control At higher concentrations of thyme (200 ppm) the flowers remained closed, wilted quickly and senesced before controls.
