Journal Of Horticultural Science

Research Article Medicinal Plants

The Study on the Effect of Different LED Light Wavelength on Growth, Mycelial Biomass and Secondary Metabolits in Monascus purpureus

Atefeh Bakherad; Majid Azizi

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 10 March 2021

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2021.59962.0

Abstract

Introduction: the capacity to sense and respond to light is widespread in animals, plants, fungi and bacteria. In nature, light is one of most crucial environmental signals for developmental and physiological processes in various organisms, including filamentous fungi. The ability to sense light is crucial ... Read More Introduction: the capacity to sense and respond to light is widespread in animals, plants, fungi and bacteria. In nature, light is one of most crucial environmental signals for developmental and physiological processes in various organisms, including filamentous fungi. The ability to sense light is crucial for many organisms determining timing and modality of development and orienting primary and secondary metabolic processes. Due to the increased number of sequenced fungal genomes, numerous genes encoding proteins involved in light sensing and downstream gene regulation have been identified. This expedited understanding the mechanisms by which the fungus activates physiological and morphological reactions in response to light. One of the One of these fungi is the Monascus purpureus. the genus Monascus was classified in the family Monascaceae, but based on recent genome sequencing, it seems that the genus is more closely associated with the genus Aspergillus, and thus should be reclassified in the Aspergillaceae family. The fungus Monascus is the most famous for production of pigments and monacolins; however, it can also form other metabolites – citrinin, dimerumic acid, and GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid). Formation of particular metabolites depends on the strain and cultivation conditions. Monascus pigments (MPs) as natural food colorants have been widely utilized in food industries in the world, especially in China and Japan. Moreover, MPs possess a range of biological activities, such as anti-mutagenic and anticancer properties, antimicrobial activities, potential anti-obesity activities, and so on. So, in the past two decades, more and more attention has been paid to MPs. In this study, the effect of different LED light spectra on growth and secondary metabolites of Monascus purpureus is studied.Material and methods: In this study, in order to investigate the effect of light quality on growth rate, biomass and pigment production in Monascus purpureus, this fungus was cultivated under dark conditions and three light, white, red and blue LEDs and harvested in three times (seventh, tenth and fourteenth days) To measure the amount of pigment in the liquid medium. To measure the radial growth rate and biomass weight, a solid medium was used. Also, the absorbance of the samples was measured in 410, 470, and 510 nm wavelengths for yellow, orange and red pigments,respectively, using a spectrophotometric device.Results: The results of this study shows that there is a significant correlation between pigment and optical spectra, so that the highest amount of pigment (yellow, orange, red) was obtained in terms of darkness, with values of 0.344, 0.291, 0.249, respectively. There was no significant difference between harvest time and pigment content except for red color on day 10 in dark conditions, with a value of 0.249. The smallest amount of pigment is also related to the red pigment produced on the 14th day in the blue light spectrum with an absorption of 0.009. Also, the highest radial growth rate was observed in the dark condition with a mean growth of 5.12 mm / day and the lowest radial growth was related to the cultivation of monascus under the blue light spectrum with an average growth of 2.61 mm / day. However, there was no significant difference between biomass and light in solid media. The highest amount of biomass in the liquid medium was 0.126 g in 40 ml of culture medium with monascus culture in dark conditions on day 14 and the lowest amount of biomass was also obtained with 0.068 g in 40 ml of culture medium in white light on the seventh day.Concolusion: The results showed that, in addition to factors such as carbon source, nitrogen source, PH, temperature, minerals, partial pressure of oxygen, other microorganisms, light is also an important environmental factor for development and physiological processes in Monascus purpureus. According to this study, the growth of this fungus in the dark causes increased cell growth, the amount of biomass and pigment, these results indicate that the lack of light stimulates the growth and production of secondary metabolites in this fungus. Although there was no significant difference between pigment value and harvest time, except for the red pigment, but due to the slight difference in pigmentation on the 10th day of cultivation in dark conditions, it can be deduced that the best conditions for producing the highest amount of pigment, cultivation of Monascus fungus under conditions The darkness and harvest of this mushroom is on the tenth day of cultivation. Also, among pigments produced by this fungus, the amount of yellow pigment production in different light conditions is higher than other pigments. Chen, M. H. & Johns, M. R. (1993) shows that the solid-state yielded greater amount of pigment9,8 compared to submerged fermentation. This phenomenon had been attributed to the pigment because of low solubility in the fermentation medium and pigment accumulation within the mycelium in submerged culture10. In contrast, in solid-state fermentation, the Monascus sp penetrated into solid substrate and pigment released onto the surface. Solid state not only issued nutrient, but also acted as anchorage for cells, this may have bestowed to the celebrated eminent productivity. Solid state environment is similar to environment of fungi which was normally excited. Therefore, it is suggested that in subsequent studies, to achieve maximum pigment, a solid culture medium should be used.

Research Article Medicinal Plants

Flowering Study and Effect of Various Hand Pollination Methods on Fertility of Some Iranian Native Salvia Species

Ghasem Esmaeili; Majid Azizi; Hossein Arouiee; Jamil Vaezi

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 10 March 2021

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2021.61510.0

Abstract

Introduction: The genus Salvia L. (Lamiaceae) is one of the most interesting plant genera with a variety of annual, biennial, perennial and shrub forms. According to recent reports, there are 61 species of Salvia genus in Iran, among which 18 species are endemic. The use of Salvia species dates back ... Read More Introduction: The genus Salvia L. (Lamiaceae) is one of the most interesting plant genera with a variety of annual, biennial, perennial and shrub forms. According to recent reports, there are 61 species of Salvia genus in Iran, among which 18 species are endemic. The use of Salvia species dates back to ancient times, and they are now being used for different purposes such as antimicrobial, anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, tonic, carminative, digestive, Alzheimer’s disease, antispasmodic as well as for traditional medicines and food industries. Compared to crop plants, the breeding programs of medicinal plants are still in nascent stages due to high biological and biochemical variations. Since breeding programs, especially in medicinal plants, are expensive, suitable mating can help reduce the costs of breeding programs. Understanding the flowering biology, reproductive systems and pollination mechanism is essential to management and protection of ecosystems and mating programs. Despite the high diversity of Salvia genus in Iran, there is a paucity of studies on reproductive biology.Materials and methods: seeds of seven Salvia species including S. virgata (with four accessions), S. frigida, S. nemorosa, S. atropatana, S. macrosiphon, S. sclarea, and S. syriaca were collected from different geographical regions. The seeds were treated by various methods such as washing, cold treatment (stratification), scarification (sand and sulfuric acid), Gibberellic acid (GA3) and KNO3 to enhance germination. The seedlings were produced at the greenhouse and after growing as high as 15 cm or reaching the10-leaf stage, the seedlings were transferred to the farm. Plants phenology and flowering duration were recorded in the second year. Furthermore, some flower characteristics and pollinator were monitored. The Various pollination treatments were designed to investigate the breeding system of Salvia species including open pollination, spontaneous autogamy, geitonogamy, xenogamy, apomixis, and control. The self-incompatibility index (ISI) was calculated for each species in different pollination treatment.Results and discussion: The germination study exhibited that washing seeds for 24 h and applying 250 ppm GA3 exerted the highest effect on seed germination. The seedlings in early growth stages required medium to high porosity (high permeability to water and air) like natural habitat, but they were sensitive to dry and high EC at these stages. The phenology studies were shown Salvia virgata (all accessions) and S. nemorosa flowered three months after cultivation and other species flowered in the second year. The results showed that all species had long flowering periods ranging from 15 (S. atropatana) to 41 days (S. virgata). Increased flowering period led to the enhancement of flower over-lapping and the sharing of the pollen among different plants or species. Two species including S. atropatana and S. syriaca had heterostyly flowers (long-styled morph). The staminal-lever-mechanism was observed in all species. The results of manual pollination indicated that open pollination provided the best treatment with the highest average of seed set (73.63%) in all species. Salvia virgata (A1) with a seed set of 90.3% was the best species, and S. syriaca with a seed set of 51.5% demonstrated the poorest performance in open pollination system. The seed set in the xenogamy treatment of different species and accessions was in the range of 10.2 (S. syriaca) to 32.5% (S. frigida). It was observed that seed set among different species in geitonogamy and spontaneous autogamy varied widely from 2.60 - 17.30% and 2.98 - 12.18%, respectively. In treatments with a wide variety of pollen sources, the fruit set was higher, indicating that the pollen limitation triggered low seed set.Conclusion: Salvia species in the present study have a high potential for cultivation as medicinal and ornamental due to suitable adaptability and long flowering period. Salvia species were relatively self-incompatible that intention to the out-crossing and breeders can use in breeding programs as a valuable characteristic. The self-incompatible and specific structure in flower and pollination are the reasons for the diversity of this taxa.

Research Article Medicinal Plants

The Impact of LED Spectrum and Supplementary Lighting Duration on Some Physiological Traits and Hypericin content of Hypericum perforatum

ELAHE GHAFOOREAN HOZORI ISFAHAN; Majid Azizi

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 10 March 2021

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2021.61538.0

Abstract

IntroductionMedicinal plant are very importnat in health care for today societies and the need for it is increasing. Greenhouse production of transplants face different limitations including light. LED lights are introduced for solving the problem. An LED lamp or LED light bulb is ... Read More IntroductionMedicinal plant are very importnat in health care for today societies and the need for it is increasing. Greenhouse production of transplants face different limitations including light. LED lights are introduced for solving the problem. An LED lamp or LED light bulb is an electric light for use in light fixtures that produces light using one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs). LED lamps have a lifespan many times longer than equivalent incandescent lamps, and are significantly more efficient than most fluorescent lamps. Experiments revealed surprising performance and production of vegetables and ornamental plants under LED light sources. Many plant species have been assessed in greenhouse trials to make sure that the quality of biomass and biochemical ingredients of such plants is at least comparable with those grown in field conditions. Plant performance of mint, basil, lentil, lettuce, cabbage, parsley and carrot was measured by assessing both the health and vigor of the plants and the success of the LEDs in promoting growth. Also noticed was profuse flowering of select ornamentals including primula, marigold and stock.Materials and Methods In order to investigate the effect of supplementary LED light on the growth parameters and the amount of active ingredient in Hypericum perforatum L. “Topaz” cultivar, a research was conducted in two independent experiments. The research was set up in a completely randomized design with three replications. The first experiment experienced the extended of day length with 4 hours at the end of the day (started from sunrise to sunset). LED treatments were started at 10 cm height of the transplants. The second experiment examined the light types. In this order the considered treatments consisted of four levels of red light (L1), blue light (L2), combination of 67% red light and 33% blue light (L3), white (L4), 100% natural light(L5), with an intensity equal to (200 fc). Measurement of traits in the first experiment was carried out at flowering stage. Aerial part fresh and dry weights, number of black nodes, days to flowering, leaf area, total chlorophyll, antioxidant activity, total phenol, plant height and hypericine percentage were determined within both experiments.Results and Discussion The results showed that the simple effect of supplementary combination red and blue light (started from sunrise to sunset) on growth, morphological, physiological and biochemical traits was significant at 1% probability level. The highest plant dry weight was detected in L3 in the first and second harvests respectively (8.63 g, 66.29 g). Also, the highest percentage of Hypericine in the first harvest was obtained for L3 (0.17%). Measurement of the traits in the second experiment was carried out at the seedling stage. Results showed that the simple effect of supplementary combination light (sun exposure and day length increased for 4 hours) had a significant effect (p≤0.01) on growth rate, physiological, morphological and biochemical properties. So that the lowest number of days to flowering (early flowering) was obtained from L3 treatment (101 day), and the highest percentage of Hypericin was related to L3 treatment (0.156%). Black node numbers and total phenol content were increased by 27 and 53 % with supplementary light treatments respectively. Antioxidant activity was also raised and enhanced from 33 % to 75 % with LED light application. Plant height and total chlorophyll content were enhanced from 13 to 23 cm and 12 to 22 mg/g FW as well. Regarding studied traits and the obtained results of the both experiments, the positive effect of applying LED light, red and blue on the growth and biochemical properties, especially the Hypericine percentage and yield of St. John’s wort is quite evident.Different reactions were observed in response to supplementary light treatments for St. John’s wort. Most of the enhancements observed were mainly due to optimized photosynthesis activities and more metabolic production processes.Conclusions Regarding studied traits and the obtained results of the both experiments, the positive effect of applying LED light, red and blue on the growth and biochemical properties, especially the Hypericine percentage and yield of St. John’s wort is quite evident. It seems that a combination of red and blue light could be suggested for solving the light limitations and increasing the medicinal plant production for future.Keywords: Supplementry light, light quality, Hypericum perforatum, Hypericine

Research Article Medicinal Plants

Study of Allelopathic Properties of Saffron Fields and Methods of Its Ameliorate

mahdieh kheirabadi; Majid Azizi

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 10 March 2021

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2021.61772.0

Abstract

Introduction: The allelopathic potential of saffron in three experiments were investigated.Materials and Methods: In this study, we examined the aqueous and aqueous methanol extract of saffron (Crocus sativus L.), 9-year-saffron cultivated soils and non-saffron cultivated soils. Activated carbon and ... Read More

Research Article Medicinal Plants

Optimizing the in vitro culture for callus induction of Iranian Hypericum perforatum L.

Monireh Abdollahpoor; Majid Azizi; Siamak Kalantari; Yusef Ali Saadat

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 05 April 2021

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2021.59629.0

Abstract

Introduction Hypericum perforatum L. is an important medicinal plant that used for depression treatment. In vitro regeneration has been successfully achieved for many Hypericum species from a range of explants sources with different growth regulators. Recent studies have demonstrated that in vitro culture ... Read More Introduction Hypericum perforatum L. is an important medicinal plant that used for depression treatment. In vitro regeneration has been successfully achieved for many Hypericum species from a range of explants sources with different growth regulators. Recent studies have demonstrated that in vitro culture is an option for multiplication of different Hypericum species. With consideration this notice that tissue culture can provide an affordable alternative method for propagation with high speed to production of intensive plant material as well as suitable materials for breeding programs of H. perforatum, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of explant types (leaf and stem), plant growth regulators (2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA), Benzyl Adenine (BA) and Kinetin (Kin)), light (dark and weak light), media culture (MS medium and MS medium with B5 vitamins) and poly vinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) on callus induction in H. perforatum at in vitro culture condition. Materials and Methods For preparation of sterile plantlets, the seeds of Iranian H. perforatum (Azadshahr population) were cultured in 1.2 MS growth regulator free-media. For investigation the callus induction of Iranian H. perforatum the leaf and stem explants of in vitro obtained plantlets were used. Explants were cultured in different concentrations of 2,4-D (0.2, 0.5 and 1 mg l-1) with two kinds of cytokines BA and Kin (0.2, 0.5 and 1 mg l-1) as well as 1 mg l-1 NAA. For browning control of calli the effects of light (dark and weak light), media culture (MS medium and MS medium with B5 vitamins) and four concentrations of poly vinyl pyrrolidone (0, 50, 100 and 200 mg l-1) were also surveyed. Results and Discussion Callus cultures could be used for cell suspension initiation, studying of their morphogenetic potential and screening of secondary metabolite proﬁle. In present study the response of two H. perforatum explants (leaf and stem) to different levels and combinations of auxins and cytokinins were tested. The callus induction in both studied explants (leaf and stem) was just observed in supplemented media with plant growth regulators. The calli of leaf explants were showed better growth in dark and the highest callus fresh weight was obtained in 0.25 mg l-1 2,4-D + 1 mg l-1 Kin and 0.5 mg l-1 2.4-D + 1 mg l-1 BA. Of the various concentrations and combination of growth regulators, the minimum response about callus induction was observed in the presence of 1 mg l-1 2, 4-D in combination with 1 mg l-1 NAA. The obtained calli got browning shortly after induction. The investigation of light effect on callus quantity and quality showed that not only light did not affect the callus induction and callus browning but also reduced the callus growth. The highest callus fresh weight was obtained in 100 mg l-1 poly vinyl pyrrolidone in leaf explant. Few species within the genus Hypericum have been used to produce callus. In H. perforatum seedling, different explants such as shoot apical meristem, stem segments and leaves were used for callus induction. In H. erectum callus induction was obtained by culturing seedlings in the presence of Indole Acetic Acid (IAA) and BA under darkness. The combination of cytokinins and auxins did not support callus growth of H. brasiliense and callus of nodal explants was only obtained in the presence of 2,4-D or NAA using either MS or B5 medium. These differences among literatures can be due to different cultivars, culture conditions, explant type and medium composition.Conclusion The plant growth regulators is necessary for callus induction in Iranian H. perforatum and leaf is suitable for this purpose. The light intensity and poly vinyl pyrrolidone did not control the browning of of H. perforatum calli.

Research Article Postharvest physiology

Comparative Study of Short and Long-term Treatments of Nanosilver, Salicylic Acid and Essential Oils on Some of Gerbera ‘Rosalin’ Traits

Mahroo Sadat Motaghayer; Majid Azizi; Ali Tehranifar

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 05 April 2021

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2021.60101.0

Abstract

Introduction: Gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii Bolus, Asteraceae) commonly known as Transvaal Daisy, is one of the ten most popular and important commercial cut flowers. Gerbera is a perennial, tropical, herbaceous plant with colorful and attractive flowers that are widely used as a decorative garden plant ... Read More Introduction: Gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii Bolus, Asteraceae) commonly known as Transvaal Daisy, is one of the ten most popular and important commercial cut flowers. Gerbera is a perennial, tropical, herbaceous plant with colorful and attractive flowers that are widely used as a decorative garden plant or cut flowers. The most important problem of the gerbera cut flowers is short vase life. The end of vase life of cut gerbera flowers is often due to bending of the scape. The aim of this study was to screen the effects of nanosilver and salicylic acid as pulse treatment and sucrose and thyme, clove and peppermint essential oils as permanent treatment on vase life and some physiological and biochemical traits of gerbera ‘Rosalin’ cut flowers.Materials and Methods: This study was conducted as a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with three replications. The first factor was pulse treatments using nanosilver (NS) 5 and 10 mg/L (Nanocid Company, Iran), salicylic acid (SA) 50 and 100 mg/L (Merck Company) and distilled water as control, and the second factor was permanent treatments applying distilled water, sucrose 4% (Merck Company), peppermint (100 mg/L), thyme (100 mg/L) and clove (300 mg/L) essential oils (EO) (Zardband Company, Iran). Pulse treatments were applied for 24 h. Treated stems were then stood into vases containing permanent treatments. Vase solutions were freshly prepared at the beginning of the experiment and not renewed during of the study. The measured traits were: flower vase life, flower water content (WC), relative fresh weight (RFW), water loss (WL), water uptake (WU), total soluble solid (TSS), superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) amount (Biovision Colorimetric Assay Kit, USA). The experiment was conducted in the laboratory at 20-22°C, 40-50% RH, and 15 µmol/m2s light intensity (cool white florescent tubes) under a daily light period of 12 hours. The obtained data were analyzed using MSTAT-C program and mean comparison was done using LSD range test.Results and Discussion: The results showed that NS 10 mg/L with thyme EO 100 mg/L (14.25 days) and NS 10 mg/L followed by peppermint EO 100 mg/L (14 days) had the best effect on longevity and maintaining the water content of gerbera cv. ‘Rosalin’ cut flower, compare to other treatments. Flower WC was high (about 90%) except in 4% sucrose permanent treatment flowers which had negative effect and decreased more rapidly during the vase life period. Despite of antimicrobial preservative application, RFW, WU, WL and TSS generally had a decreasing trend during the experiment. However, it was observed that flowers treated by NS 10 mg/L (0.86 g/g) and thyme (0.77 g/g) and peppermint (0.72 g/g) EOs had the most RFW on the eighth day of experiment, but 4% sucrose (0.59 g/g) permanent treatment reduced RFW during cut flower vase life. The highest WU was respectively observed in SA 100 mg/L (67.28 g), NS 5 (61.31 g) and 10 mg/L (60.35 g) on the second day. According to the results of this research, pulsing by NS 5 and 10 mg/L and SA 100 mg/L resulted in the the most WL on day two (64.24, 57.85 and 64.95 g respectively). TSS of the cut flowers decreased with time, however reduction rates were delayed in SA and NS treated flowers. On the eighth day of experiment, long-term treatment showed the most effect on TSS amount. Flowers treated by NS 10 mg/L followed by 4% sucrose and peppermint EO treatment had the highest TSS amount, respectively 3.50 and 3.17 Bx. As the time passed, the activities of SOD enzyme increased, however, treated flowers showed significantly higher SOD activity compared to the control. Especially NS 10 mg/L pulse treatment, followed by thyme and peppermint EOs, indicated by the highest amounts (241.43% and 233.94%) of SOD activity on seveth day of the experiment. During the experiment, MDA increased in the flowers, so that the highest amount of MDA was detected in control (67.30%) on the seventh day and the lowest was produced in NS 10 mg/L treated flowers followed by thyme (14.88%) and peppermint (19.44%) EOs. Due to the fact that these treatments had the best effects on flower vase life, these results are logical.Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, new antimicrobial agents such as NS, thyme and peppermint EOs had a positive effect on flower vase life, WC, RFW and WU and reduced the rate of WL and TSS reduction in flowers. It might be due to this fact that these are very effective antimicrobial agents, inhibited the microbial growth and prevented bacterial plugging in conducting tissues. NS particles enter to cell, tissue and organs, so they can inhibit the respiration and electron transfer system and material transfer in microbial cell membrane. The application of natural phenolic compound like EOs reduced the accumulation of MDA and enhanced SOD enzyme activity. Therefore, due to the undesirable results of chemical preservative on human and environmental health, EOs can be very good substitutes for preserving cut flowers postharvest life.

Research Article Medicinal Plants

Medium Optimization for Callus Induction, Shoot Regeneration and Rooting of Hypericum perforatum from Stem and Leaf Explants

Negin Afsharzadeh; Majid Azizi; Leila Samiei

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 05 April 2021

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2021.60331.0

Abstract

Introduction Hypericum perforatum is a perennial plant that has been used in traditional medicine. H. perforatum have several types of medicinal compounds including antiviral compounds, antioxidants, flavonoides and also has valuable compounds such as Hypericin, Hyperforin, Pseudo-hypericin and xanthones ... Read More Introduction Hypericum perforatum is a perennial plant that has been used in traditional medicine. H. perforatum have several types of medicinal compounds including antiviral compounds, antioxidants, flavonoides and also has valuable compounds such as Hypericin, Hyperforin, Pseudo-hypericin and xanthones that have effect on human physiology. Aerial parts of H. perforatum are dotted with dark glands that appear as black or red nodules. Black glands were known as localization of secondary metabolites. as a consequence of the commercial potential of this species attempts have been at plant improvement by application of in vitro culture methods. Among seedling explants of H. perforatum, it appears that roots are superior for shoot regeneration. It is generally accepted that explants source is an important factor r successful establishment of tissue culture in many cases. Production of secondary metabolites via plant cell and tissue culture yields various advantage es, including standardization and quality. These criteria are also valid for the main economically important chemical in st. John’s wort, namely hypericin, pseudo hypericin and hyperforin. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectof some tissue cultures on plant Callogenesis, regeneration and also, study the effect of cytokinin and auxin on rooting rate and shoot multiplication. Materials and Methods: This research included two experiments; first experiment plan was a completely randomized in the form of a factorial. Second experiment plan was completely ranom.first part of experiment : this part were conducted with two explants, leaf and shoot ,maintained in light and dark condition. Shoot explants were derived from sterile seedlings that was obtained from seeds were cultured on MS medium. Seeds were decontaminated by NaClO 20% (V/V) for 20 min and were washed with sterile deionized water. Leaf explants were derived from seedlings in the in vivo condition and decontaminated by NaClO 20% (V/V) for 20 min then washed with sterile deionized water. Both of explants cultured on MS media supplemented with BA(3 and 4 mg/l) and 2,4-D (0, 1 and 2.5 mg/l). Callogenesis and regeneration was measured after 4 weeks.Second part of experiment: shoot of indirect regeneration for rooting study, were cultured on ½ MS media supplemented with BA (0 and 5/0 mg/l) and IBA (0 and 1 mg/l). Proliferation, shoot and root length were measured after 4 and 8 weeks.Results and Discussion:Effects of the factors on first part of experiment; calluses of shoot and leaf explants were induced after 4 weeks. Shoot explants Medium supplemented with 4 mg/l BA and 2.5 mg/l 2, 4-D showed 95% Callogenesis. Leaf explants Medium supplemented with 3 mg/l BA and 2.5 mg/l 2, 4-D showed 98% Callogenesis. Shoot explants Medium supplemented with BA 3 mg/l showed 62% regeneration and leaf explants Medium supplemented with BA 4 mg/l showed 8% regeneration.For second part of experiments; root induction on half strength medium without hormone and medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l BA and 1 mg/l IBA had highest rooting frequencies. Average of root length was registered 5.25 cm. half strength medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l BA had 100% and also, medium with 0.5 mg/l BA and 1 mg/l IBA had 86% shoot multiplication and were not appeared any roots. Average Shoot length on medium without hormone and medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l BA and 1 mg/l IBA was registered 6.24 cm and in media with 0.5 mg/l BA and 1 mg/l IBA was registered 1.8 cm. based on result of this experiments, the concentration levels of the two hormone BA and 2, 4-D in the induction of calli formation and regeneration of the H. perforatum have been effective. In the second experiment, hormone BA, in the absence of IBA did not cause rooting and increased the degree of shoots and ultimately proliferation was effective. Also, in treatment with 0.5 mg/l BA and 1 mg/l IBA, although the concentration of cytokinin was less than auxin, rooting was not done. conclusionThe goal of this study was to introduce the suitable medium for Callogenesis and regeneration of H. perforatum for production and breeding aims. Tissue and cell culture methods are used for various purposes. The result of each section can be used effectively in research topics, including corrective tests, processes for increasing secondary metabolites, as well as increasing commercial products. Therefore, by introducing efficient and effective methods, it is possible to increase the production of plants by micropropagation in less time.

Research Article Growing vegetables

Improving the Growth and Yield of Tomato (Cv. 240) under the Cover of Supplementary Light and Nutrition

Ladan Ajdanian; Hossein Arouiee; Majid Azizi

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 05 April 2021

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2021.60433.0

Abstract

Introduction: As an artificial light source, LED bulbs can help to grow better and faster greenhouse products. Meanwhile, blue and red light are important for plant growth. The quality of light in terms of color and wavelength can affect the morphological structure of the plants. Therefore, the use of ... Read More Introduction: As an artificial light source, LED bulbs can help to grow better and faster greenhouse products. Meanwhile, blue and red light are important for plant growth. The quality of light in terms of color and wavelength can affect the morphological structure of the plants. Therefore, the use of additional lights in winter, when light exposure is less than normal, can improve plant growth and flowering. It is also advisable to change the quality of light by using artificial light sources in controlled environments such as greenhouses in order to change the quantity and quality of agricultural products, especially the fruits of the fruit.Materials and Methods: In this research, the effect of complementary light and nutrition (commercial Calfomyth solution containing high calcium phosphorus and calcium elements along with micronutrient elements) as a pot experiment under non-soil culture conditions in the greenhouse, in the form of split-based plots experiment A completely randomized design with 3 light treatments including: natural light (control), 60% red light + 40% light blue and 90% red light + 10% blue light, and 2 nutritional treatments including: non-spraying with commercial fertilizer, Calfomyth and spraying A concentration of 2,000 in 3 replicates was established and implemented. The traits that were studied in this experiment are: 1- leaf number (count of leaves), 2- plant height by meter, with accuracy 0.01 m, 3- diameter with caliber with accuracy 0.01 mm, 4- Number of flowers (counting), 5- Time of flowering until the product reaches (counting the number of days), 6- Performance: Whole and red ripe fruits were planted and weighed separately from the total fruit weight Per plant was obtained in grams per plant. Statistical analysis was performed using JMP8 software and comparison of meanings was done using LSD test at 1% and 5% probability level.Results and Discussion: The results showed that the application of additional light on fruit yield, stem diameter and plant height, yield time and leaf number (p≤0.05) were significant. Spraying with Calfomyth could have a significant effect on stem diameter and number of leaves. In the traits such as fruit yield, number of flowers and leaves, the interaction effect of feeding and supplementary light was also significant. The highest number of leaves belonged to 60% red + 40% blue treatment, as well as spraying with Calfomyth (118), the highest number of flowers (50) was related to 90% red + 10% blue and Calfomyth treatment, and the smallest number ( 15) was related to control treatment. Also, the highest yield (3553 g of fruit per plant) was obtained in Calfomyth treatment with 90% red + 10% blue treatment and the lowest yield (434 g fruit per plant) The control was light and non-foliar treatment. Although light is an important source of photosynthesis, photosynthesis can also be related to a series of optical regulators and optical sensors. Blue and red light cause different optical sensors and expression of genes, each of which can have a positive or negative effect on plant growth and development. Therefore, it can be concluded that the presence of both wavelengths (blue and red) is necessary for conducting, and for this reason, more research is now focused on achieving an appropriate optical composition.Conclusions: In this research, all of the morphological traits examined in the tomato plant were subjected to additional exposure by LED bulbs, each of which had a special effect on their receptors in the plant. Maximize growth and yield in the plant. As expected, blue light on vegetative traits and red light were more effective on reproductive traits. It can be said that the existence of both wavelengths (blue and red) is essential for the better and complete growth of the plant. In addition to the positive effect of wavelengths, the positive effect of leaf spraying can also be observed, which, along with the neodymium, could improve growth. The results of this study showed that the performance and growth under the cover of LED light (red and blue combination) were superior to natural conditions. Therefore, it could be suggested that the use of these lamps, as well as spraying with Calfomyth commercial fertilizer, could be feasible for better production in controlled conditions (greenhouse).It seems that application of complementary lights with proper nutrition can improve the performance and growth of tomato plants in greenhouse conditions.

Research Article Medicinal Plants

The Study of Micromorphological and Essential oil Analysis of Nepeta binaloudensis and Nepeta cataria (Lamiaceae)

Fatemehzahra Amirmohammadi; Majid Azizi; Seyyed Hossein Nemati

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 05 April 2021

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2021.60692.0

Abstract

IntroductionThe Nepeta is one of the largest genus of Nepetoide subfamily, in the Lamiaceae family with about 79 species in Iran. Most of the species are perennial rarely annual with different vegetative forms, leaves covered with trichome. Glandular trichomes are widely distributed all over the aerial ... Read More IntroductionThe Nepeta is one of the largest genus of Nepetoide subfamily, in the Lamiaceae family with about 79 species in Iran. Most of the species are perennial rarely annual with different vegetative forms, leaves covered with trichome. Glandular trichomes are widely distributed all over the aerial part of Nepeta species, and their largely to its great importance and their structures can vary widely among plants species. Some species contain monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, cyclopentanoid iridoids derivatives and nepetalactones which they are used in folk medicine as, diaphoretic, diuretic, antitussive, febrifuge agent. In the present work, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to determine the nutlet micromorphology and also micromorphology and distribution of the glandular trichomes of Nepeta binaludensis “an Iranian endemic species” and Nepeta cataria in order to improve the knowledge of the species and to evaluate the usefulness of this feature for phytochemical and systematic purpose. The chemical composition of its essential oil was also analyzed. This paper provides a detailed description of trichome morphology and nutlet in Nepeta binaludensis andNepeta catariaspecies growing in Iran, by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and evaluates the systematic significance of such characteristics. Materials and MethodsThe research was conducted in research garden of Agricultural Faculty of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad during 2017. Seeds of two Nepeta species were provided by Institute of Plant Sciences in Ferdowsi University of Mashhad.The seeds were cultivation in greenhouse and the seedling (10 cm long) were transplanted in the field. During the summer aerial parts of the plants were harvested at flowering stage, dried in shade, and (30 g) were hydro distilled for 3 h using Clevenger apparatus. For SEM study, leaves were fixed with 3% glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.2 for 30 min at 4 °C. After washing in water the material was dehydrated through an ethanol gradient and critical point dried. Specimens were mounted onto SEM stubs using double-sided adhesive tape and coated with palladium. For nutlets observation, seed were directly mounted onto aluminum stubs using double-sided adhesive tape and coated with palladium and photographed. ResultBased on the obtained data, the surface leaves of both species (N. binaludensis and N.cataria) was observed forglandular and non-glandular trichomes distribution. (The glandular trichomes of the peltate types). Trichome density and size was variable as 7-21mm2 leaf surface (63-77 µm) in N. binaludensis and as 20-30 mm2 leaf surface (47-67 µm) in N.cataria. In both species only one types of glandular trichome was identified. Peltate trichomes comprise of a basal cell situated in the leaf epiderm with a four-celled secretory head. Nutlets of Nepeta were blackish-brown or brown in color. One type surface ornamentation, can be distinguished: smooth-type. The nutlet ornamental pattern was smooth type with finely granulated in N. binaludensis and reticulate pattern in N.cataria species. Water-distilled essential oil of the aerial parts of two speciescultivated in field, were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. In essential oil of N.binaludensis and N. cataria, 51 and 26 components were identified, respectively. The main components of the essential oil of N. binaludensis were 1.8-cineole (14.8%), β-Pinene (10.4%) and p-Cymene (9.8%). Main compounds of the essential oil of N. cataria were 4a-a, 7-a, 7a-b-Nepetalactone (72/76%) and 4a-a, 7-a,7a-a-Nepetalactone (17.86%). Depending on the composition of key compound identified in essential oils, Nepeta species have been divided in two groups. Conclusions Depending on the composition of main compound identified in the essential oils, Nepeta species have been divided in two groups. On the basis of our research N. binaludensis belong to 1.8-cineole chemotype and of N.cataria belong to the nepetalactone chemotype. The leaves of N. binaludensis, N.cataria have be glandular and non-glandular trichomes. One types of glandular trichomes are identified: Peltate trichomes.Trichomes are distributed at the surface of leaves, having various functions and are extremely variable in the plants, plant organs location, density, form, therefore their morphology and structure could be of taxonomical importance in plant. Glandular trichomes contain or secrete substances which are widely used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic as well as in pesticide industry. The variation in the structure, morphology, density, secretion and function is noticed among these trichomes distributed on different plant organs. Nutlet surface can be useful as a taxonomic characteres.

Research Article Medicinal Plants

Assessment of nutrient elements, chemical composition, and antioxidant activity of Ganoderma lucidum

Zhale Zandavifard; Majid Azizi; Majid Darroudi; Azar Hosseini

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 23 July 2022

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2022.77380.1181

Abstract

Introduction:Ganoderma lucidum is a high medicinal value mushroom have been widely used in the Far East countries especially in traditional Chinese medicine as promoting human health and treatment of many diseases. Nowadays, many published studies have established it contains a high source of nutraceutical ... Read More Introduction:Ganoderma lucidum is a high medicinal value mushroom have been widely used in the Far East countries especially in traditional Chinese medicine as promoting human health and treatment of many diseases. Nowadays, many published studies have established it contains a high source of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical substances with potent and unique properties as immune suppressors, hypercholesterolemic agents, or coadjutant treatments in diseases such as cancer, hypertension, insomnia, anorexia, dizziness, and chronic hepatitis, among others. This species is rich in several bioactive compounds (over 400 compounds) mainly, including polysaccharides, triterpenoids, steroids, fatty acids, amino acids, nucleotides, proteins, and alkaloids. Herein, the fruiting bodies of G. lucidum were studied in terms of nutritional value and chemical composition analysis. and further assessment of antioxidant activity of extracts from the fruiting body. Materials and methods: In order to detection of nutrient elements, the samples were homogenized by microwave digestion (Milestone Ethos, Germany) with 1000 W maximum power and further characterized using Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Biochemical molecule contents were characterized using Acquity Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatograph (UPLC, Waters) coupled to a photodiode array detector (PDA, Waters) and an electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometer (ESI–QTOF/MS; Waters). In order to assess antioxidant activity, two kinds of extract including methanol 80 % (ME) and hot water (HWE) as solvent were prepared by ultrasonic method. Six different in vitro assays are used for the determination of antioxidant capacity including ABTS, DPPH, superoxide (SO), nitric oxide (NO) free radicals scavenging, iron-reducing power (FRAP), and iron chelating activity (ICA). The data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the means were separated by the Newman-Keuls Multiple Comparison test (GraphPad Prism 8, San Diego, CA, USA)). All data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. P ≤ 0.05 values or less were considered to indicate a statistically significant difference. Furthermore, Half-maximum inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for each assay were calculated from linear or logarithmic regression using Excel software.Results and Discussion: G.lucidum was characterized in terms of nutritional value and chemical composition. Generally, to study the nutraceutical value of G.lucidum, 14 elements were analyzed by ICP-OES. Amongst the macronutrient group, phosphorus and potassium (2910.8 and 1510.8 mg/kg dry matter) and in the micronutrient iron and zinc (8.5 and 7.74 mg/kg dry matter) have the highest amounts, respectively. In terms of biochemical compounds, totally 37 compounds were identified in which Ganoderic acid was observed as most abundant (15890.1 ± 232.1 μg per g dry matter) followed by Sinapic acid and Succinic acid (2011.4 ± 28.11 and 1505.33 ± 31.5 μg per g dry matter) were the predominant compounds. The results of antioxidant assays clearly revealed that, the methanolic extract proved to have higher antioxidant potential than one corresponding hot water extract for all assays. In ABTS radical scavenging activity assay, ME with the best antioxidant activity (IC50,48.46±2.42 µg/ml) had a higher activity which was significantly different (P ≤ 0.05) from HWE (163.51±4.51 µg/ml). For DPPH assay, radical scavenging capacity was dose-dependent and IC50 values of ME (111.93±1.39 µg/ml) and HWE (213.48±5.42µg/ml) was a significant difference (P ≤ 0.05). In FRAP assay, The highest level of iron-reduction was observed in the highest level of ME(IC50, 308.13±4.13 µg/ml). This extract had higher iron-chelating activity (IC50, 671.75±5.66 µg/ml) as well. These values in both assays were significantly more potent than HWE (P ≤0.01). In SO assay, ME extract (IC50, 488.8±7.38 µg/ml) and HWE (IC50, 645.92±5.48 µg/ml) showed no difference significantly. In addition, in the NO assay, both extracts released slight weak activity for neutralization of nitric oxide radicals, however, the highest activity level was related to ME (IC50, 1189.5±8.5 µg/ml) in comparison to HWE (IC50, 1343.2±10.6 µg/ml) that was significant (P ≤0.01). The results clearly indicate that different solvents used in this study significantly affected antioxidant capacities and total biochemical contents.Conclusions: G. lucidum, as a high medicinal value mushroom, proved is a very important source of nutrients and antioxidant compounds such as terpenoids, especially triterpenoids, and polysaccharides. The free radical scavenging properties, reducing power and iron-chelating inhibition of G. lucidum seemed to be correlated with phenolic compounds and triterpenoids mostly. Therefore, based on the nutritional and biochemical profile of G. lucidum, and also its antioxidant power, this mushroom possesses a high nutrient potential that reflects positively on its health benefits.

Research Article Postharvest physiology

Effect of Propanol, Butanol and Pentanol on Vase Life and Quality of Cut Carnation cv. Nelson (Dianthus caryophyllus cv. Nelson) Flower

Davood Hashemabadi; Amirhossein Soleimani; Behzad Kaviani; Nayyereh Naziri Moghaddam

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 25 November 2023

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2023.83721.1280

Abstract

IntroductionCut carnation flowers have high economic importance in the floriculture industry. The postharvest life of cut ornamentals, including carnation, is important in determining their quality and consumer preference. High production of ethylene is one of the most important factors that reduce the ... Read More IntroductionCut carnation flowers have high economic importance in the floriculture industry. The postharvest life of cut ornamentals, including carnation, is important in determining their quality and consumer preference. High production of ethylene is one of the most important factors that reduce the postharvest life of this flower. High ethylene production causes the aging of some cut flowers. In order to increase the vase life of cut flowers, many researches have been done and various preservative solutions have been introduced, and in some of these solutions, disinfectants have also been used. One of the effective compounds in stopping or reducing ethylene production are alcohols. Ethanol stops ethylene synthesis in cut carnation. Cut carnation is climacteric flower and sensitive to high levels of ethylene. Therefore, the aim of this research was to investigate and compare the effect of different amounts of propanol, butanol and pentanol on the vase life and quality improvement of cut carnation flowers cultivar 'Nelson'.Materials and MethodsIn the present study, propanol, butanol and pentanol were used at the concentrations of 2, 4 and 6% for 24-hour pulse, in order to reduce ethylene production and increase the vase life of cut carnation cultivar 'Nelson' flowers. In February 2020, cut carnation flowers that were harvested at the commercial stage were prepared from a greenhouse in Mahalat city and were immediately transferred to the Postharvest Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Islamic Azad University, Rasht Branch for treatment and evaluation of traits. This experiment was conducted as a completely randomized design in 30 plots. For each treatment, 3 replications and 5 samples for each replication and a total of 150 flower branches were considered. Some traits such as vase life, water absorption, dry matter, petal protein, leaf chlorophyll, ethylene production, fresh weight loss, flower opening index, Brix degree, lipid peroxidation and activity of antioxidant enzymes, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were measured. To evaluate the vase life of cut flowers, the main criterion is the turning of the petals inward and the apparent wilting of the flowers. Data analysis was done using SAS statistical software and mean comparison based on Duncan's multiple range test.Results and DiscussionThe results of variance analysis of the data showed that the effect of different amounts of propanol, butanol and pentanol application was significant at 5% and 1% probability level on vase life and most of the traits measured in cut carnation flowers. This research revealed that propanol had a more effective role in reducing ethylene production and increasing the vase life than butanol and pentanol. The results showed that the longest vase life (14.11 days) was observed in cut flowers treated with 2% propanol. This treatment also caused the highest amount of water absorption, percentage of dry matter, petal protein and leaf chlorophyll, as well as the lowest amount of ethylene production. The lowest vase life (8.91 days) was observed in control cut flowers. The mean comparison of the different alcohol treatments showed that all treatments of propanol and butanol alcohols in different concentrations increased the absorption of solution by cut flowers compared to the control. Maintaining the water balance in cut flowers is one of the important factors in the vase life of cut flowers. The content of water uptake by cut flowers depends on the hydraulic conductivity of the water channel in the stem and the water potential difference between cut flower tissues and the preservative solution. The least plasma membrane damage was caused in cut flowers treated with 2% propanol. This treatment also caused the highest SOD activity. The short vase life of cut flowers is a global challenge, and efforts are being made to increase their vase life by using appropriate compounds in the vase solution. One of these compounds are alcohols, which have been used by some researchers in order to increase the vase life of various cut flowers. Alcohols are usually toxic for cells in high concentrations. Propanol and butanol in low concentrations inhibited the synthesis of ethylene and therefore increased the vase life of cut carnation flowers. These anti-ethylene compounds prevent the senescence of the petals, which is usually associated with the browning of the petals. Alcohols in optimal concentrations act as a signal and increase the vase life of cut flowers and improve their postharvest quality by reducing lipid peroxidation and inducing the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Similar findings were reported in cut alstroemeria, some carnation cultivars and chrysanthemum flowers.ConclusionThe present study showed the positive effect of disinfectant and antimicrobial compounds on increasing the vase life, some physiologic characters and antioxidants activity. This research revealed that propanol had more effective role in reducing ethylene production and increasing the vase life than butanol and pentanol. The results showed that the longest vase life was observed in cut carnation cv. Nelson flowers treated with 2% propanol.

Research Article Medicinal Plants

Effect of temperature and sulfuric acid on improvement seed germination of three populations of medicinal plant Allium (Allium hirtifolium) and evaluation of micromorphology characteristics using scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

Hoda Sajedimehr; Mahya Sajedimehr; Majid Azizi

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 02 March 2024

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2024.84817.1295

Abstract

IntroductionMedicinal plants with a high level of antioxidant activity are of great importance due to their effect on a wide range of diseases such as diabetes, inflammatory diseases, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, cardiovascular diseases, blood pressure and other diseases caused by oxidative stress. Therefore, ... Read More IntroductionMedicinal plants with a high level of antioxidant activity are of great importance due to their effect on a wide range of diseases such as diabetes, inflammatory diseases, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, cardiovascular diseases, blood pressure and other diseases caused by oxidative stress. Therefore, studying medicinal plants and extracting and identifying chemical properties and effective compounds in medicinal plants emphasizes the necessity of learning and using medicinal plants. Iranian shallot plant with the scientific name Allium hirtifolium is a species of the onion family (Alliaceae) and is one of the largest genera of the monocot group. Shallot plant is an important horticultural product that has been known and used as a vegetable, spice and medicinal plant since ancient times due to its useful properties. In this genus, there are economically important species such as: onions, garlic, shallots, chives and leeks. Germination and sprouting are one of the most important phenological stages (life cycle) of the plant. Having enough information about the phenological cycle of the plant leads to better management of the different stages of this cycle, which determines the degree of success of agricultural systems. Seedling germination and growth in the early stages are strongly influenced and controlled by environmental factors, especially temperature, soil moisture and seed quality (germination and seedling strength) and internal factors (growth regulators) such as Gibberellin and Abscisic acid hormones.In order to speed up the germination of seeds and eliminate seed dormancy so that germination can happen faster, there are different methods. One of these methods is mechanical or chemical scratching. The aim of this research is to present a precise and scientific description for the failure of Iranian shallot medicinal plant seed dormancy (Allium hirtifolium) and improvement in the acceleration of germination, considering the different characteristics in three populations of Iranian shallot seeds. Also, to increase the quality and accuracy in this research, a scanning electron microscope was also used to accurately determine the surface changes of the seeds before the acid-washing treatment with sulfuric acid and after the acid-washing treatment with sulfuric acid. In the previous research that has been carried out on Iranian shallot seeds, the simultaneous examination of different temperatures and different times of acid washing by sulfuric acid in a precise manner and with several populations that have different genotypes, as well as the use of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) has not been done.Materials and methodsThe study was done to investigate the effect of different degrees of temperature, and different times of sulfuric acid for acid washing on the improvement of germination of three populations of Iranian shallot seeds (Allium hirtifolium). The effect of four different temperatures (5, 10, 15 and 20 degrees Celsius) inside the Germinator device and four different times of acid washing with sulfuric acid (0, 5, 10, 15 minutes) on germination and micromorphological characteristics of three populations of shallot plant (Feridon Shahr, Tiran and Khansar) was investigated. On the other hand, a scanning electron microscope (SEM) with different degrees of magnification was used for the effect of sulfuric acid treatment on the surface of the seed coat. The experiment was conducted as a factorial, in the form of a completely randomized design with four replications. At the end of the experiment, traits such as germination percentage, average germination time, germination speed, root length and shoot length were evaluated. Also, traits such as diameter, length, volume and weight of seeds in three populations of shallot were also analyzed statistically.Conclusion and discussionThe results of electron microscopy showed that in all three populations of Iranian shallot seeds, the seed coat, after using the acid washing treatment with sulfuric acid for 15 minutes, underwent noticeable and significant changes compared to the control seeds. The surface of the seed is destroyed by sulfuric acid and the surface of the seed does not have its natural ornamentation and protrusions compared to the control. Also, the effect of temperature, duration of acid washing and seed population on germination percentage, germination speed, average germination duration, seedling root length and seedling length was significant at the 1% probability level (p≤0.01). The population of Fereydoun Shahr has the highest germination percentage (69.16 percent), germination speed 3.7 (number of seeds per day) and average duration of germination 9.64 (number of seeds per day) at a temperature of 5 degrees Celsius and acid washing time of 15 minutes. The maximum shoot length and root length were 19.7 and 8.81 (mm) in the Tiran population with a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius and a 15-minute acid washing time, and in the Khansar population with a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius and time of 5 minutes acid washing respectively. The results show that, according to the dormancy of the seeds and their need for cold, the best temperature for shallot seed germination is 5 degrees Celsius with 15 minutes of acid washing by sulfuric acid. Diversity in shallot plant populations has a significant effect on the performance of this plant in improving seed germination.AcknowledgeWe thank Ferdowsi University of Mashhad and the Isfahan University of Technology.Keywords: shallot diversity (seed morphology), stratification, seed scarification, germination, scanning electron microscope (SEM)

Research Article Pomology

Study the effect of some biofertilizers on growth, leaf nutrient contents and yield properties of apple cv. Red Delicious

afsaneh Salehi; Fatemeh Nekounam; Farhang Razavi

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 07 July 2024

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2024.87166.1329

Abstract

Introduction Apple (Malus domestica) belongs to the Rosacea family and is one of the most important fruit trees in temperate regions. Apple fruit is a rich source of vitamins, sugars, organic acids, minerals, fibers, and bioactive compounds and is widely cultivated due to its pleasant taste, aroma, and ... Read More Introduction Apple (Malus domestica) belongs to the Rosacea family and is one of the most important fruit trees in temperate regions. Apple fruit is a rich source of vitamins, sugars, organic acids, minerals, fibers, and bioactive compounds and is widely cultivated due to its pleasant taste, aroma, and texture. Due to the rising need for food and fiber per unit of land area, chemical fertilizers are becoming increasingly popular to increase yields from small plots of land. Chemical fertilizers pose major health risks and harm the environment when they are used in excess. Because of this, research in this area is heavily focused on finding and evaluating the efficiency of new products. One such approach is using biostimulants that can enhance the effectiveness of conventional mineral fertilizers. Plant biostimulants contain some nutrients (marine plant extracts, humic acids, amino acids and other natural products such as saponins and compost teas) that stimulate plant growth, even when administered in small amounts. Foliar application of seaweed extracts at 0.2% recorded maximum no. of fruits/tree, fruit weight, and yield/tree in valencia orange. Materials and methods In order to investigate the effect of biofertilizers on growth, yield and leaf nutrient contents of apple under climatic conditions of Zanjan, the experiment was carried out in a completely randomized block design with three replicates in 2023. Different concentration of seaweed (Alg; 0.075 and 0.15%), amino acid (GF Amino; 0.1 and 0.2%), humic acid (HA; 0.3%), commercial fertilizer Homarang, (Homa fert; 0.5%), combined chemical fertilizer (nitrogen, zinc and boron (Combinate fert; 1% urea, 0.3% zinc chelate and 0.1% boric acid)) and distilled water as a control were sprayed on the trees at 40 days after full bloom stage until runoff using a mechanical mist sprayer, and repeated three times with an 30 days interval until the physiological ripening of fruits. The experiment was carried out on 10-year-old Red Delicious apple trees grafted on M9 rootstocks. Shoot length, chlorophyll index, fruit drop percentage, yield efficiency, leaf area, leaf dry matter, leaf macro and micro nutrient were measured. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) and least significant difference test (P≤ 0.05) used to compare means within each sampling date. The Statistical analysis and standard error calculation were carried out using SAS software (V. 9.3). Results and Discussion The results showed that the foliar application of bio and chemical fertilizers significantly increased growth and fruit yield. So that, the highest increase in shoot length (39%) and leaf area (74.30%) compared to the control was obtained with application of seaweed 0.075%. Also, seaweed 0.15%, amino acid 0.2%, humic acid and amino acid 0.1% caused a significant increase in leaf area (42.02, 35.57, 22.27 and 16.20%, respectively) compared to the control. Foliar spray of seaweed, amino acid and chemical fertilizer increased chlorophyll index. The highest increase in chlorophyll index (50%) compared to the control was obtained with application of combined chemical fertilizer at 130 days after full bloom. These results are in agreement with the outcomes of other experiments conducted with seaweed on apple and on other crops such as grapevine. Therefore, this represents a further evidence of a possible role of seaweed extracts in the reduction of chlorophyll degradation and in delaying leaf senescence. The highest amount of nitrogen (1.66%), potassium (1.03%) zinc (150 mg g-1DW) and boron (82.5 mg g-1DW) and the lowest amount of phosphorus (0.44%) were obtained with application of combined chemical fertilizer. The highest value of iron was observed in leaf of trees treated with seaweed 0.15%, humic acid and commercial biofertilizer. Based on the results, it was observed that the amino acid, seaweed and combined chemical fertilizer have the greatest effect in reducing fruit drop (36.97, 33.37, 29.07%, respectively) compared to control) and increasing yield efficiency (respectively 2.75, 2.73 and 2.8 compared to control with 0.22 fruits No. cm-2 SCSA). These results partially are in agreement with another research performed on apple, where the use of a similar seaweed extract (Ascophyllum nodosum) was found able to induce a higher final yield. The hormonal components found in the extracts, particularly cytokinins, are assumed to be responsible for the increased yield in plants treated with seaweed. Previous studies mentioned that the application of biological fertilizers alone or in combination with the mineral fertilizers had positive influences on the leaf plate area, mean fruit weight and fruit chemical composition. Conclusions According to the results of this research, the use of biofertilizers, especially seaweed (0.15%) and amino acid (0.1%), are suitable and nature-friendly substitutes for chemical fertilizers and can play a significant role in increasing growth indices and yield of apples.

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Research Article Medicinal Plants

Utilization of superabsorbent nano-polymer, grow-more, iron and zinc fertilizers on functional quality and quantity of Agave (Agave americana cv. marginata) under drought stress

Mehrab Yadegari

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 21 March 2025

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2024.90365.1384

Abstract

IntroductionAgave americana cv. marginata from Agavaceae family is one of the important plants have many uses in various medicinal and food industrial. Among environmental stresses, water deficit stress plays an important role in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants in arid and ... Read More IntroductionAgave americana cv. marginata from Agavaceae family is one of the important plants have many uses in various medicinal and food industrial. Among environmental stresses, water deficit stress plays an important role in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants in arid and semi-arid regions like Iran. Drought stress has detrimental effects on growth and yield and can upset the balance between the antioxidant defense system and free radicals by stimulating a series of biochemical reactions, where free radicals cause cell damage. In sustainable production systems of medicinal and aromatic plants, stable quantitative and qualitative functions can be achieved under conditions of environmental stress and it is possible to improve the production of secondary metabolites in these plants under adverse environmental conditions. Therefore, this study was done to evaluate some of important macro-micro nutrients on the morpho-physiological and phytochemical properties of Agave americana cv. marginata to determine and introduce the best combinations of fertilizers with use of superabsorbent nano-polymer under water stress conditions. Materials and MethodsThis research was performed in randomized complete block design (RCBD) in a split-split plot layout with three replications. Irrigation regimes (D1-D3: Field Capacity, 50% and 75% evaporation from basin class A) in main plots, superabsorbent nano-polymer application (S1-S2: use and not use) in sub plots and treatments of fertilizers [F1-F15: grow-more 1 (F1), grow-more 2 (F2), grow-more 3 (F3), iron chelate (F4), zinc chelate (F5), grow-more 1+iron chelate (F6), grow-more 1+zinc chelate (F7), grow-more 2+iron chelate (F8), grow-more 2+zinc chelate (F9), grow-more 3+iron chelate (F10), grow-more 3+zinc chelate (F11), grow-more 1+iron chelate+zinc chelate (F12), grow-more 2+iron chelate+zinc chelate (F13), grow-more 3+iron chelate+zinc chelate (F14) and control (F15)] in sub-sub plots were done. This research was performed in greenhouse condition of Islamic Azad University Branch of Shahrekord (latitude. 32°20′ N, longitude. 50°51′ E, altitude. 2061 m) in 2023-2024. In each year, fertilizer treatments were applied in foliar application after stage of V8 (plants had 8 leaf) in 6 stage by 14 days interval and harvesting was done after one month after the final application of fertilizers. The fertilizers of grow-more (NPK), iron and zinc in 4 gr.l-1 concentration by production company certification were used in V8 stage in plants and the effects were compared by control plants. Weed control was done manually during the entire experiment. During the experiment no systemic pesticide and herbicide were used. The harvested shoots transferred to the laboratory for measure of characters. Morphological characters such as leaf length, leaf diameter and dry/fresh root/leaf weight; physiological characters such as chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll and zinc, iron and nitrogen content in root/leaf and phytochemical characters such as contents of hecogenin, saponin, protein of leaf and root were measured. For assessment of the total chlorophyll content of A.americana, the leaves were extracted with 80% acetone. The absorbance of the extraction was read at 470, 648, and 664 nm, and the content of total chlorophyll was calculated as mg per g leaf fresh weight. For measure of hecogenin, saponin, total protein in leaf and root and nitrogen content in leaf and root use the protocols of Hackman et al., 2006, Sidana et al., 2016, Bradford, 1976 and Álvarez-Chávez et al., 2021; respectively. Results and DiscussionIn two sequential years, the obtained results showed that the use of treatments increased the characters and made the significant effectiveness. The most of means of leaf dry weight (30.11 g.plant-1), leaf fresh weight (207.33 g.plant-1), root dry weight (3.82 g.plant-1), root fresh weight (18.79 g.plant-1), length of leaf (64.55 cm), leaf diameter (0.41 centimeter), chlorophyll a (2.27 mg.g-1 fresh weight), chlorophyll b (0.53 mg.g-1 fresh weight), total chlorophyll (2.81 mg.g-1 fresh weight), hecogenin (35.48 mg.kg-1 fresh weight), saponin (66164.8 mg.kg-1 fresh weight), nitrogen of leaf (1.39 mg.g-1 dry weight), nitrogen of root (1.23 mg.g-1 dry weight), protein of leaf (25.34 mg.g-1 dry weight), protein of root (16.99 mg.g-1 dry weight), zinc of leaf (68.99 microg-1 dry weight), zinc of root (44.84 microg-1 dry weight), iron of leaf (81.01 microg-1 dry weight) and iron of root (49.84 microg-1 dry weight) made in grow-more fertilizers specially grow-more 1 (20-20-20) in combination with Fe/Zn Libfer. However the superabsorbent nano-polymer application had the aggressive effectiveness on amounts of characters especially in hardness of water stress. The least morpho-physiological and phytochemical characters such as leaf dry weight (12.81 g.plant-1), leaf fresh weight (89.54 g.plant-1), root dry weight (1.62 g.plant-1), root fresh weight (8.18 g.plant-1), length of leaf (41.12 cm), leaf diameter (0.24 centimeter), chlorophyll a (1.69 mg.g-1 fresh weight), chlorophyll b (0.26 mg.g-1 fresh weight), total chlorophyll (1.95 mg.g-1 fresh weight), hecogenin (21.88 mg.kg-1 fresh weight), saponin (22134.3 mg.kg-1 fresh weight), nitrogen of leaf (0.29 mg.g-1 dry weight), nitrogen of root (0.77 mg.g-1 dry weight), protein of leaf (10.11 mg.g-1 dry weight), protein of root (6.47 mg.g-1 dry weight), zinc of leaf (34.34 microg-1 dry weight), zinc of root (20.36 microg-1 dry weight), iron of leaf (43.77 microg-1 dry weight) and iron of root (27.73 microg-1 dry weight) made in control plants. In most of measured characters the treatments of D1S1F12, D3S1F14 and D2S1F14 were the best and control plants had the least of characters.ConclusionGenerally the application of grow-more fertilizer 1 (20-20-20) with consumption of zinc and iron fertilizers can be a good strategy to improve the morpho-physiological and phytochemical characters of Agave americana cv. marginata specially the hecogenin and saponin amounts in the water stress conditions. However the use of superabsorbent nano-polymer in strenuous drought stress (75 %) is more effectivnes than other water stress levels.

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Research Article Growing vegetables

Breeding of nutty watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thund) Matsum and Nakai) evaluation and selection from among the populations of some landraces

Kazem Hokmabadi; Seyyed Hosein Nemati; Reza Tavakkol Afshari

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 22 June 2025

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2025.90646.1390

Abstract

Breeding of nutty watermelon: evaluation and selection from among the populations of some landracesAbstractIntroductionSelecting desirable traits in plants and improving them for desired traits requires the existence of sufficient genetic diversity within the population or between them and on the other ... Read More Breeding of nutty watermelon: evaluation and selection from among the populations of some landracesAbstractIntroductionSelecting desirable traits in plants and improving them for desired traits requires the existence of sufficient genetic diversity within the population or between them and on the other hand, the use of genetic diversity within a population can be used as a suitable solution to deal with genetic vulnerability in plants. Usually, the genetic diversity of plants changes in time and place. Genetic diversity of a trait is the different value of individuals or genotypes for that trait. Usually, in the classical breeding program, varieties are identified based on the morphological characteristics of leaves, flowers and fruits. However, most cultivars cannot be identified based on these traits, especially if they are closely related. In addition, phenotypic identification based on morphology is affected by environmental changes. The success of breeding programs depends on the existence of diversity in germplasms in terms of the desired trait or traits. Collecting superior watermelons and examining their characteristics provides valuable resources to researchers for breeding programs. Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) has great diversity in terms of shape, fruit size, fruit skin pattern, fruit flesh color, seed length and width, and number The seed in the fruit as well as the quality of the fruit is among its cultivars and varieties, therefore it seems that by examining the native cultivars and populations, it is possible to find desirable traits and use them in future commercial cultivars for breeding processes.Materials and MethodsIn order to evaluate the genetic diversity of 10 native stands of Iranian watermelon by examining the growth and seed-related traits, a research was conducted in Farouj city in 2019 in the form of a randomized complete block design with three replications. The seeds of Jabani, Sonbek and Kalaleh trees were collected from Joven, Kashan and Gorgan. After the selection in the first year, the desired traits were also checked in the selected populations in the second year.ConclusionIn this research, it was found that the type of mass and the choice of generation had a significant effect on the yield of the product. The highest fruit yield, i.e. 65 tons per hectare, corresponds to Jabani 1 mass. After Jabani cluster 1, Kalaleh cluster 1 had the highest yield with a yield of 45 tons per hectare, which seems to have a direct relationship with the fruit weight per plant. There was a significant difference in the yield between the stands in terms of seed characteristics and yield, fruit flesh and skin yield, fruit length and width. In the breeding goals of nutty watermelons, the most important are the characteristics of the seeds. Coarseness of the seed and high percentage of the kernel compared to the skin of the seed and the softness of the seed texture are also among the other improvement goals in these watermelons. In the first year experiment, among these traits that determine the quality and quantity of seeds, the highest 1,000-seed weight (326.6 grams) in Jabani stand 1, the highest percentage of brain to seed weight (50%) in Sanbek stand 1, the longest seed (average 20 mm) and the widest fruit (average 11.7 mm) belongs to Jabani 1, while the lowest thickness of the seed coat (0.37 mm) is evident in Sanbek 3 mass. Therefore, Jabani mass and stigma are desirable for the cultivation of a nut watermelon. In the second generation of the first experiment, Jabani mass 1 with an average weight of 1000 seeds was 350 grams, seed length was 20.35 mm, seed width was 12.44 mm, seed diameter was 3.39 mm, and seed coat thickness was 0.86 mm. m and seed yield of 1.39 tons per hectare was the best group among the tested groups. Regarding fruit traits, Jabani 1 had the heaviest fruit weight (3.14 kg), the heaviest weight of fruit flesh (1.80 kg) and the highest fruit yield per hectare (62.80 tons per hectare).The examination of traits that determine the quality and quantity of seeds, such as the weight of 1000 seeds, percentage of kernel weight to seed, length, width and diameter, thickness of the seed coat, showed that Jabani 1 and 3 are the most desirable types. In the second year, Jabani 1 and 3 have the highest quantity and quality of seeds and they are suitable for cultivation as nut watermelon. The comparison of two generations of each of the selected populations showed that most of the fruit and seed traits improved under the influence of the generation and the second generation produced heavier fruits with better seed yield. Also, this improvement of fruit traits in Jabani population 1 and the improvement of seed traits in Kalaleh population 1 is more significant than other populations.

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Research Article Medicinal Plants

Evaluation of the allelopathic effects of some plant species on the germination and growth of lettuce seedlings (Lactuca sativa var. Great lakes 366) using the sandwich method

Somaye Amini; Maryam Shamshirkesh shahri

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 22 March 2025

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2025.89712.1376

Abstract

Introduction: Invasion of weeds is one of the major factors in the reduction of yield of agricultural crops in the field conditions. Use of allelopathic plants is one of the methods of weeds control. So far, numerous laboratory and farm methods have been designed to evaluate the allelopathy in various ... Read More Introduction: Invasion of weeds is one of the major factors in the reduction of yield of agricultural crops in the field conditions. Use of allelopathic plants is one of the methods of weeds control. So far, numerous laboratory and farm methods have been designed to evaluate the allelopathy in various plants. Recently, there have been advances in allelopathy knowledge through the advent of innovative techniques and suitable bioassays. Researchers have shown that numerous problems could be solved in allelopathy investigations by the implementation of such techniques. The old methods have been replaced with new methods such as the Sandwich method by which allelopathic properties of various plants could be evaluated during the shortest time and using the minimum amount of plant sample. Materials and methods: Considering that there is significant evidence of the presence of allelopathic compounds in invasive weeds as well as medicinal plants, therefore, in the current research, the main focus was on these two groups of plants for the selection. In this research, the allelopathic activity of 57 plant species (60 samples including leaf, stem, seed, rhizome, flower, gum) of 18 families was investigated using the Sandwich method. In this method, plant samples were first dried at 40 degrees Celsius and then weighed in three replicates with amounts of 10 and 50 mg. Special containers with 6 well were used for cultivation. The diameter of each well was 3 cm. In one row of the wells, 10 mg and 50 mg of plant sample powder were placed in the other row. Then 5 ml of 0.5% agar solution was added to the samples and after the agar cooled and coagulated, another 5 ml of agar solution was added to each well. In this way, the plant sample was placed between two layers of agar. Then, in each well, 5 seeds of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) variety Great Lakes 366 were planted vertically on the agar surface. This variety of lettuce has been selected as an indicator due to its high sensitivity to metabolites. Then the containers were sealed and placed in an incubator with a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius in the dark conditions. After 3 days, the percentage of seed germination was checked by measuring the length of lettuce radicle and hypocotyl. To make it easier to compare plants, data clustering was performed using Minitab software. Results and discusion: Using this method, 59 plant samples were placed into 10 distinct clusters. The similarity of plants in each cluster was 85%. The findings revealed that the leaf residues of Anethum graveolens and a Cynara cardunculus clustered together based on their allelopathic activity, demonstrating the most significant growth-inhibitory effect at a concentration of 10 mg of the plant sample. The average percentage of inhibition of radicle and hypocotyl growth of lettuce seedlings caused by these two plants was reported to be 94.95 and 87.65 percent, respectively. Also, 13 plants including leaves of Chenopodium album, Prangos ferulacea, Lepidium draba, Petroselinum crispum, Dianthus barbatus, Convolvulus arvensis, Narcissus tazetta, Heracleum persicum, Onosma dichroantha, Stellaria media, Brassica cretica, Ipomoea purpurea and Apium graveolense Seeds were placed in one cluster. This group also had significant growth inhibitory effects. Although their inhibitory effects were always less than Anethum graveolens and a Cynara cardunculus. The average percentage of radicle and hypocotyl growth inhibition in these plants with 10 mg of dry plant sample was 79.76 and 62.27, respectively. This study demonstrated that both the leaf residue of Hypericum perforatum and Hypericum scabrum significantly enhanced the growth of lettuce seedlings. Even minimal amounts (10 mg of the dried plant sample) resulted in a remarkable increase in radicle growth by 14.65% and hypocotyl growth by 45.15%. Additionally, at a mount of 50 mg, Pistacia lentiscus gum demonstrated exceptional efficacy, enhancing radicle growth by an impressive 90%. Among the plants studied in this study, Cupressus sempervirens leaf residues had an inhibitory effect on radicle growth but stimulated hypocotyl growth. Centaurea behen leaf residues only produced a growth-stimulating effect (43.3%) on hypocotyl growth at amount of 10 mg, and in other cases, they showed allelopathic effects in the form of growth inhibition. Conclusion: This study confirms the reliability of the sandwich method for identifying allelopathic plants and assessing their properties. It efficiently evaluates a variety of plants with fewer samples and time. The results suggest that plant residues could be used in organic farming to control weeds. Further research is necessary to identify the specific allelopathic compounds involved. Acknowledgement: The authors of this article would like to thank Mr. Mohammad Reza Joharchi, a faculty member of the Herbarium of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, for his sincere cooperation in identifying the plants used in this study from a botanical perspective, confirming the Persian names, and matching them with scientific names.

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Research Article Breeding and Biotechnology of Plant and Flower

Estimation of frost damage in walnut trees using remote sensing

Elham Gohari; Hossein Torabzadeh; Saeed Alvandy; Morteza Heidarimozaffar

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 13 April 2025

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2025.91090.1398

Abstract

Introduction Walnut is one of the most important economic products of Iran and the world. Among the climatic factors effective in choosing the right place for planting walnut trees, we can mention the spring cold. Most of the walnut planting areas in Iran are mostly in the areas that have damaging ... Read More Introduction Walnut is one of the most important economic products of Iran and the world. Among the climatic factors effective in choosing the right place for planting walnut trees, we can mention the spring cold. Most of the walnut planting areas in Iran are mostly in the areas that have damaging colds in spring. The largest area under walnut cultivation in Iran is concentrated in the mountain hills and heights of the Zagros and Alborz mountain ranges. Every year, walnut production is limited by spring frosts, which, in addition to reducing production, can also damage sensitive plant tissues. Frost damage is one of the cases that are subject to compensation from the Agricultural Insurance Fund. Due to the high economic value of this product, an accurate, fast and low-cost estimation is necessary to evaluate the damages caused by this phenomenon on the walnut product. In this regard, in order to plan for the accurate calculation of the amount of compensation to the insurer, the insurer needs comprehensive information, so that it can estimate the performance losses caused by various factors. Remote sensing methods for frost monitoring using vegetation indicators are very efficient and effective. Therefore, this research examines spring frost damage by providing a quantitative index. Materials and methods In this research, frost damage of the Agricultural Insurance Fund was used for walnut trees. The damage assessment was presented over a period of nine years.Vegetation index values extracted from OLI, ETM+, MSI sensors have been used to overcome adverse weather conditions. Each of the vegetation indicators has different noises such as light changes during the day, wind speed, temperature, sun angle, etc. . In order to smooth the indices, SG filter was used. This filter was calculated with window size 11 and degree 2. In this filter, choosing the window size and degree is very important, because the small window size and degree cause noise to remain in the data, and if the window size and degree are chosen large, they lead to the loss of information related to vegetation indices. Meanwhile, choosing the reference year for comparison with other years was of particular importance. According to the consistency of the filtered indicators and the damages reported by the Agricultural Insurance Fund, the reference year was determined. The SFDI index was presented in each year using the filtered values of the relevant vegetation indices, between the reference year and other years. In general, the enclosed area of the two curves between the intersection points at the beginning and the end has indicated the values of the SFDI index in each year. Results and Discussion The relationship between SFDI index and damages was done through 2nd degree polynomial model and linear regression. The status of the SFDI index compared to the estimates of the agricultural insurance fund for all villages was investigated through two polynomial models of the 2nd degree and linear regression. The accuracy of the regression model was evaluated with criteria such as: r, RMSE, P-value. The value of r indicates how well a model can predict the value of the dependent variable in percentage terms. The higher the value of r, the better the model. RMSE values indicate how well a regression model can predict the value of the variable. The quantity P-value shows the significance of two independent and dependent variables, and values less than 5% indicate the existence of a relationship between two variables at a significant level of 95%. It is useful to calculate all three quantities for a given model, as each measure provides useful information. Spring frost damage index based on NDVI vegetation index with correlation coefficients of r = 0.927 and r = 0.823 were able to estimate the damage. Finally, the maps of spatial distribution and spring frost damage showed a good fit with the damage reported by the Agricultural Insurance Fund. Conclusion The SFDI index has provided a positive effect in the assessment of frost damage. Also, the results of the spatial distribution of the SFDI index have shown the effectiveness of this index, in such a way that with the increase of this index, the frost damage percentage of the agricultural insurance fund has also increased. The results showed that this index evaluated the effects of spring frost effectively and quickly and showed a good correlation with the decrease in crop yield.

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Research Article Pomology

Evaluation of promising almond genotypes (Prunus dulcis L) base on vegetative, phenological, and quantitative and qualitative characteristics of nuts and kernels

Seyed Asghar mousavi; Akram Vatankhah; Ali Imani

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 26 April 2025

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2025.91410.1402

Abstract

Introduction Almond is a commercial and important nut fruit known as Prunus dulcis, a species of Prunus of the Rosaceae family. The nutritional value of almonds as well as the presence of oil, protein, fiber, minerals and biologically active compounds have made almonds Nutrionally, industrially and medicinally ... Read More Introduction Almond is a commercial and important nut fruit known as Prunus dulcis, a species of Prunus of the Rosaceae family. The nutritional value of almonds as well as the presence of oil, protein, fiber, minerals and biologically active compounds have made almonds Nutrionally, industrially and medicinally important. In most native orchards of Iran, almonds are cultivated through seeds, which has increased the genetic diversity of this plant. The introduction and production of superior cultivars depends on the careful selection of plants, which requires knowledge of the cultivars and their diversity. Cross-pollination in almond increases genetic diversity in cultivated species. Creating a orchard by selecting grafted genotypes on suitable rootstocks for sustainable cultivation of almonds is particularly important (Babadai et al., 2017). The aim of this research is to evaluate the phenotypic diversity of 44 promising genotypes that were grafted on GF677 rootstock, using the vegetative, quantitative and qualitative characteristics of nuts and kernels in order to select superior genotypes. A great diversity was observed in the morphological and pomological characteristics of 60 almond genotypes by Ardjmand et al. (2014). Many researches (Mousavi et al., 2010; Asgari and Khadivi 2021; Heidari et al., 2022; Beigi and Khadivi, 2023) have been conducted on the selection of superior cultivars by examining the morphological, nut and kernel characteristics. Materials and methods: In this research, 44 promising almond cultivars and genotypes on GF677 rootstock were investigated in terms of various vegetative traits, nut and kernel characteristics. Experiment on 44 almond genotypes prepared from Karaj and grafted on GF677 rootstock, in March to September 2024 in the form of randomized complete block design in three replications at the almond research station in Saman region affiliated to the Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center was conducted on 5-year-old trees. Vegetative traits of tree height, canopy length, canopy width, and branch length were measured by meter in the garden, and rootstock diameter, scion diameter, and branch diameter were measured in the garden with calipers. In order to measure nut and kernel traits, 100 fruits were harvested from each of the cultivars and genotypes, and their green shell was separated and dried. Measurement of traits such as length, width, diameter of nut and kernel was done by digital caliper and weight of nut and kernel was measured by digital scale with accuracy of 0.01. Coding of some traits was done based on almond descriptor (Gülcan, 1985) with some changes. The data obtained from the experiment were analyzed using SAS software (version 3.1.9). To compare the means, LSD least significant difference test was used at the 5% probability level. Results and Discussion The results of analysis of variance for the evaluation of vegetative traits showed that there was a significant difference between promising cultivars and genotypes in terms of tree height, canopy length and canopy width, one-year branch length, canopy length-to- canopy width ratio, and canopy height-to- canopy length ratio at the 1% probability level. The results of the analysis of variance showed that between all cultivars and genotypes grafted on GF677 rootstock in terms of length, width, diameter and weight of nuts, length, width, weight and diameter of kernel, shell thickness, double kernel, percentage of blank kernel, kernel color and shrinkage of kernel, shell hardness, suture opening of the shell, percentage of kernel, kernel width/kernel length ratio, kernel thickness/kernel length ratio, kernel thickness/kernel width ratio and kernel weight/nut weight ratio have significant differences. Based on the obtained results, the genotypes 4-4, TS-11, H, 2-3-2, 2-0-4 according to the valuable and commercial properties of almonds, including yield, kernel percentage, shell hardness, percentage of blank kernel, kernel weight, suture opening of the shell, double kernel, shell thickness, kernel color and most importantly late flower were genotypes with relative superiority in terms of nut and kernel traits. According to the results, the 4-4 genotype grafted on the GF677 rootstock with yield of 750 gr, 51% kernel percentage , hard shell, excellent seal suture opening of the shell, very light kernel color, late flowering, flowering on spurs and one year old shoots, the low of double kernel and low percentage of blank kernel seems to be one of the relatively good genotypes for Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari region. In the study of Mousavi et al., 2010, by examining the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of 55 varieties and genotypes of almonds, reported that all quantitative and qualitative traits in the genotypes have significant differences, which is in line with the results of this research. Conclusion Based on the results of this study, significant variation in morphology, phenology, and pomology was observed among 44 promising genotypes grafted onto GF677 rootstock. This variation is of great importance in selecting superior cultivars that are adapted to environmental conditions, as well as in selecting high-yielding genotypes. Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, with its specific climatic conditions, requires varieties that are adapted to these conditions. The climatic conditions of this region include hot and dry summers and cold winters, so varieties that are resistant to cold and drought should be selected, especially varieties whose flowering date is such that they are safe from the risk of spring frost. Based on the obtained results, the genotypes 4-4, TS-11, H, 2-3-2, 2-0-4 according to the valuable and commercial properties of almonds, including yield, kernel percentage, shell hardness, percentage of blank kernel, kernel weight, suture opening of the shell, double kernel, shell thickness, kernel color and most importantly late flower were genotypes with relative superiority in terms of nut and kernel traits. According to the results, the 4-4 genotype grafted on the GF677 rootstock with yield of 750 gr, 51% kernel percentage, hard shell, excellent seal suture opening of the shell, very light kernel color, late flowering, flowering on spurs and one year old shoots, the low of double kernel and low percentage of blank kernel seems to be one of the relatively good genotypes for Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari region.

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Research Article Medicinal Plants

Assessment of Active Compound Extraction from the Marjoram (Origanum vulgare) Influenced by Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) Plasma Pretreatment

Saeideh Mohtashami

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 10 May 2025

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2025.92105.1415

Abstract

Introduction Plant materials contain many bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolic compounds, etc., which can be used to prepare health products, cosmetics, medicines, food additives, etc., and have great importance for improving human health and quality of life (Ahmadian ... Read More Introduction Plant materials contain many bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolic compounds, etc., which can be used to prepare health products, cosmetics, medicines, food additives, etc., and have great importance for improving human health and quality of life (Ahmadian et al., 2023). In recent years, the extraction of bioactive compounds from plant materials has attracted much attention. Extracting these active compounds is a challenging task because they are usually present in small amounts in plants and special techniques and methods are required for their successful isolation (Qin et al., 2022). Bioactive substances are usually found inside or between plant cells. The main resistance factor to the diffusion of bioactive substances into the solvent during extraction is the plant cell wall (Zhao et al., 2014). In order to improve extraction efficiency, pretreatments are usually performed before the extraction operation to destroy cell wall structure, increase cell wall permeability, and promote release of active substances (Ijod et al., 2022). Cold plasma has shown a wide application prospect in food processing, pharmaceutical and health care, environmental protection, biomedicine, and many other fields due to its many advantages such as low temperature, high efficiency, low energy consumption, and environmental compatibility (Melotti et al., 2021). When cold plasma is applied to plant materials, it can destroy the cell wall structure and increase the surface hydrophilicity of the materials, thereby improving the extraction efficiency (Keshavarzi et al., 2020). Therefore, it can be widely used as a pre-extraction treatment. Nevertheless, there is no comprehensive study on DBD cold plasma pretreatment technology to enhance the extraction of bioactive compounds from plant materials, which is suitable for researchers to continue their research. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of cold plasma pretreatment on the extraction rate of active compounds from Origanum vulgare. Materials and Methods Oregano seeds were sown in the medicinal plant farm of Jahrom University in October 2023, and aerial parts of the plant was harvested in May 2024 at the flowering stage and dried in shade. After drying, the samples were subjected to DBD cold plasma pretreatment, with air as the carrier gas and different voltages and times. Then, essential oil extraction and extraction were performed on the pretreated samples, and some of the active substances such as essential oil content, total phenolic compounds, flavones and flavonols, total flavonoids, tannin contents, antioxidant activity, and total carbohydrates were measured. In this study, a factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with 3 replications. The first factor included time at three levels (0, 3, and 6 minutes) and the second factor included voltage at two levels (20 and 30 kV). For the pretreatment of the samples for essential oil extraction, 30 g of dried marjoram plant were hand-cut and crushed for each treatment, and then 30 ml of water was added to them, and then they were placed in a plasma device. After the treatments, the samples were extracted. Plasma pretreatment was applied to investigate its effect on the phytochemical compounds in the extract, as follows: the plant samples were powdered using an electric grinder, and then five g of the powdered sample was weighed for each treatment and 25 ml of 70% methanol solvent was added to them. After the powdered samples were completely mixed with the solvent, they were placed in a plasma device for plasma pretreatment. After the treatments, the samples were extracted. Results and Discussion The findings of this study showed that a voltage of 30 kV for 3 minutes was more effective in extracting the non-volatile active substances of oregano and led to an increase in all of their measured traits compared to the control treatment. Also, the lowest amount of active substances measured in this study was observed in the 30 kV treatment for 6 minutes. According to the results obtained from this study, it can be concluded that the duration of plasma pretreatment has a greater effect than the output voltage on the extraction of non-volatile active ingredients. So that in this study, using a voltage of 30 kV for 3 minutes led to an increase in the active substances of oregano, while using the same voltage for 6 minutes led to the opposite result. Although the effect of plasma pretreatment on the extraction of essential oil was not significant. However, the highest amount of essential oil was measured in the control treatment and the lowest amount was in the 30 kV voltage treatment for 3 minutes, indicating the destruction of essential oil glands and loss of essential oil at this voltage. At present, the mechanism of cold plasma treatment to improve the extraction efficiency of active substances is not fully understood, but it is generally believed that it can be attributed to two possible mechanisms: the decomposition of cell wall structure and increase of surface hydrophilicity. Disruption of plant cell wall structure can reduce diffusion resistance of active substances, thereby promoting their release. Meanwhile, increase of surface hydrophilicity of materials facilitates the dissolution and diffusion of hydrophilic active substances, thereby improving the extraction efficiency (Bao et al., 2020a; 2020b). Conclusion The findings of this study showed that a voltage of 30 kV for 3 minutes was more effective than other treatments in extracting non-volatile active ingredients of oregano and led to an increase in all measured traits compared to the control treatment. While the effect of plasma treatments on the extraction rate of essential oil was not significant.

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Research Article Ornamental plants

The effect of fulvic acid on morpho-physiological characteristics and vase life of rose cultivar (Rosa hybrida c.v. Dolce vita) under salt stress

Rasoul Azarmi; Maryam Danandeh; Muosa Torabi Giglou; Esmaeil Chamani; zahra aslani

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 14 May 2025

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2025.92084.1410

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: Rosa hybrida is known as one of the most important cut flowers. Rosa hybrida is one of the most diverse and widespread plants in the northern hemisphere in terms of growth habit, flower color and shape. Roses are mostly grown in the ornamental industries as cut flowers, potted ... Read More Abstract Introduction: Rosa hybrida is known as one of the most important cut flowers. Rosa hybrida is one of the most diverse and widespread plants in the northern hemisphere in terms of growth habit, flower color and shape. Roses are mostly grown in the ornamental industries as cut flowers, potted plants and bedding plants due to their ornamental value. In addition, roses and their products have many applications in various industries such as beverages, cosmetics, food and pharmaceuticals. So, salinity stress is one of the environmental factors limiting the cultivation of this plant. Appropriate plant nutrition plays a significant role in raising the tolerance level of plants against various stresses. Materials and methods: This experiment was carried out in the form of a completely randomized design with four replications in the research greenhouse of the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources of Mohaghegh Ardabili University. Experimental treatments included control, salinity with the concentration of 120 mM, salinity + fulvic acid 10 mg/L, salinity + fulvic acid 30 mg/L, salinity + fulvic acid 60 mg/L, salinity + fulvic acid 90 mg/ L, salinity + fulvic acid 120 mg /L. After the plants were established in the original pots, they were placed on platforms one meter above the ground. On average, each pot was fed twice a day with a basal nutrient solution based on modified Hoagland nutrient solution., Experimental treatments were applied approximately 50 days after the plants were established. Salinity treatment was applied by sodium chloride. 100 to 150 ml of nutrient solution was added to each treatment according to the growth stage of the plant. The growth medium was rinsed once a week to minimize EC changes. The pH of the nutrient solution was adjusted to 6.5 with 37% hydrochloric acid. Flowers were harvested at the beginning of sepal opening (economic harvest stage) from a height of 45 cm of the flowering stem with a sharp knife. The stem was immediately placed in 500 ml bottles filled with 250 ml of distilled water containing 75 mg /L Sodium hypochlorite. Results and discussion: The results showed that the application of salt stress with a concentration of 120 mM caused a significant decrease in leaf fresh weight, stem fresh weight, number of flowers, vase life, flower diameter, relative water content of leaves and the amount of a, b and total chlorophyll in comparison with the control treatment. Also, the results showed that the application of fulvic acid had a significant effect on the studied traits. So that the application of fulvic acid increased the growth, physiological and quality parameters of roses. The results showed that leaf fresh weight, stem fresh weight, flower number, flower length and vase life were significantly affected by salinity and fulvic acid treatments. So that under salinity stress conditions, the highest leaf fresh weight (3.56 g) and stem fresh weight (27.51 g) were obtained in the 30 mg/L folic acid treatment. Also, the highest number of flowers (2.25), flower length (45.51 mm) and vase life were observed in the 30 mg/L fulvic acid treatments in the non-salinity conditions, and the lowest levels of these traits were obtained in the salinity and non-fulvic acid treatments. Fulvic acid by chelating the mineral elements including, potassium, magnesium, zinc, calcium, iron, copper, and increasing the growth of lateral roots increases the availability of these elements for the plant. Conclusion: It seems that the application of. Fulvic acid can be useful in removing osmotic stress and improving the growth and efficiency of rose plants under salt stress conditions. This experiment shows that adding fulvic acid to saline water can reduce the effects of salinity stress on rose plants. So that using different concentrations of fulvic acid (10, 30, 60 and 90 mg/L), especially the concentration of 30 mg/L, improved the absorption of nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium and calcium and photosynthetic pigments and moderated the adverse effects of salinity stress.So that using different concentrations of fulvic acid (10, 30, 60 and 90 mg/L), especially the concentration of 30 mg/L, improved the absorption of nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium and calcium and photosynthetic pigments and moderated the adverse effects of salinity stress. Key words: Abiotic stress, Hydroponics, Humic substances, Roses, fulvic acid, salinity

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Research Article Growing vegetables

The effect of foliar application of salicylic acid on induced salinity tolerance in hydroponic culture of shallot (Allium hirtifolium Boiss)

Nasrin Farhadi; Mojgan Abdeshahian; Samane Mottagi

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 26 May 2025

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2025.92108.1412

Abstract

Introduction Currently, salinity stress is one of the most important challenges in the agriculture and is the main growth limiting factor of many plant species. Saline stress adversely affects the plant's physiological and biochemical process which leads to a considerable reduction of plant growth ... Read More Introduction Currently, salinity stress is one of the most important challenges in the agriculture and is the main growth limiting factor of many plant species. Saline stress adversely affects the plant's physiological and biochemical process which leads to a considerable reduction of plant growth and yield. Shallot (Allium hirtifolium Boiss.) is a perennial plant from the Alliaceae family, which is one of the native and valuable plants of Iran and wildly grows in the slopes of the Zagros Mountain range. The nutritional and medicinal value of shallots is due to the presence of sulfur compounds, especially allicin in the bulbs. The present study was conducted to investigating the effect of foliar application of salicylic acid on the changes of growth, physiological and biochemical traits of shallot under different levels of salinity stress in factorial design based on a completely randomized design with three replications. The investigated treatments were four levels of salinity (0, 30, 60 and 90 mM NaCl) and four levels of salicylic acid (0, 1, 1.5 and 2 mM). Distilled water (control) and salicylic acid (1, 1.5 and 2 mM) were foliar sprayed on the whole plants at 4, 6 and 8 weeks after sowing date. At the end of the growing season (beginning of yellowing of the leaves of the plants), growth, physiological and biochemical traits were evaluated. Evaluation of lipid peroxidation, osmolality compounds and activity of antioxidant enzymes was carried out in the leaves of treated plants and the amount of pyrovat and allicin was measured in harvested shallot bulbs. Results and discussion Various abiotic stresses restrict plant productivity, and many efforts have been done to reduce plant growth inhibition by alleviating the disorder’s effects of these stresses. Exogenous application of plant growth regulators has been reported as an economic procedure to improve plant resistance to environmental stresses. It has been previously reported that salicylic acid as a signaling molecule alleviated the adverse effect of different stress condition. In this experiment, shallot resistance to saline condition was enhanced by the foliar spray of salicylic acid. The results showed a significant link between salicylic acid treatment and improvement of bulb biomass under saline conditions. Lipid peroxidation regards to accumulation of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide increased with increasing the salinity intensity. Also, saline stress significantly enhanced the proline and glycine betaine content in stressed plants of shallot. The plant antioxidant activity induced under stress condition by increased the total phenol content as well as the activity of catalase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase enzymes. The pyrovat and allicin content of shallot bulb was increased with increasing salinity stress. The decreased in the photosynthetic pigments (total chlorophyll and carotenoids) led to a decrease in plant growth with the intensifying of stress level. So that the lowest leaf area, fresh and dry weight of bulbs were obtained in severe salinity stressed plants (90 mM NaCl). Foliar application of salicylic acid through increasing the antioxidant compounds (total phenol, pyrovat and allicin) and the activity of antioxidant enzymes (CAT, POX, APX and SOD) limited the of hydrogen peroxide accumulation and lipid peroxidation. The induced accumulated osmolyte compounds proline and glycine betaine was decreased in treated plant with salicylic acid. The treatment of salicylic acid considerably improved the chlorophyll and carotenoids content especially in salinity stressed plants. So that the applied of salicylic acid, especially at concentration of 2 mM, reduced the harmful effects of salinity stress on plant growth and bulb yield by increasing the photosynthesis pigments and consequently photosynthesis efficiency. Also increased growth in the treated plants with salicylic acid has been attributed to changes in the concentration of plant hormones, especially auxins and cytokinins (the most important plant growth stimulating hormones). Nevertheless, the growth reactions of treated plants to salicylic acid are different depending on the used concentration, the plant species and the growth stage at the treatment time. Conclusion In the several literatures the salicylic acid effects on plant growth enhancement under unfavorable environmental condition attributed to salicylic acid-induced changes in plant biochemical and physiological processes. Based on the obtained results, the salinity resistance of the shallot plant in response to salicylic acid is related to the increased antioxidant capacity of the stressed plants, which leads to the improvement of the photosynthetic pigments, and consequently plant growth and bulb biomass under saline condition. Although the present study was performed in the glass greenhouse, the obtained finding showed that salicylic acid application could also be a promising treatment for improving salinity tolerance of A. hirtifolium under field conditions.

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Research Article Growing vegetables

The effect of foliar application of sodium selenite and calcium nitrate on nitrate accumulation spinach in Shahrekord region

Afsane Farahmandi; Bijan Haghighati; Babak Madani

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 01 June 2025

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2025.91050.1397

Abstract

Vegetables are among the most important agricultural products in Iran, holding significant importance in terms of production and consumption. These products, in addition to meeting nutritional needs, play a crucial role in public health. Due to their high nutritional value, fiber content, and antioxidant ... Read More Vegetables are among the most important agricultural products in Iran, holding significant importance in terms of production and consumption. These products, in addition to meeting nutritional needs, play a crucial role in public health. Due to their high nutritional value, fiber content, and antioxidant compounds, the consumption of vegetables has always been emphasized by nutritionists and is increasing. In healthy diets, regular consumption of vegetables is recommended as a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. However, one of the main challenges associated with vegetable consumption is the nitrate content, which can have adverse effects on human health.Nitrate is a natural compound in plants that is primarily absorbed from the soil and accumulates in plant tissues. Under normal conditions, small amounts of nitrate are essential for plant growth, but excessive accumulation can pose serious health risks. Overconsumption of nitrate may lead to diseases such as methemoglobinemia (blue baby syndrome), which is particularly dangerous for infants. Additionally, some studies have suggested that excessive nitrate intake may be linked to an increased risk of certain cancers. Therefore, controlling nitrate levels in agricultural products and finding effective methods to reduce its accumulation in plants is of great importance.Selenium, due to its effects on plant growth and its role in antioxidant systems, is an essential micronutrient for human health. This element plays a crucial role in boosting the immune system, preventing oxidative stress, and reducing the risk of chronic diseases. In plants, selenium acts as a growth regulator and influences various metabolic processes. Numerous studies have shown that selenium can reduce nitrate accumulation in plants and improve nitrogen uptake and utilization efficiency. This highlights the significance of investigating the effects of selenium on nitrogen metabolism and nitrate levels in plants.In this study, the effect of sodium selenite and calcium nitrate foliar application on certain growth characteristics, biochemical properties, nitrate and selenium content, and nitrate reductase enzyme activity in spinach was investigated. Spinach is one of the most widely consumed leafy vegetables due to its high iron, vitamin C, and antioxidant compound content, making it highly nutritious. The treatments included foliar application of calcium nitrate (5, 10, and 20 mM), sodium selenite (0.5, 1, and 1.5 mM), and a control (distilled water). Foliar application is a commonly used method in plant nutrition management due to its rapid absorption and direct impact on plant physiology. After the growth stage (8–10 leaf stage), growth indices, biochemical compounds, nitrate and selenium content, and nitrate reductase activity were measured.The results indicated that foliar application of sodium selenite and calcium nitrate significantly affected chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoid content. An increase in chlorophyll content suggests improved photosynthesis and light absorption efficiency in plants. Additionally, the highest total phenol content, antioxidant activity, and nitrate reductase activity were observed in the 20 mM calcium nitrate and 1.5 mM sodium selenite treatment. Phenolic and antioxidant compounds play a crucial role in protecting plant cells against environmental stresses and pathogens. Therefore, increased antioxidant activity in plants can also enhance the nutritional quality and shelf life of the final product.The highest nitrate content was observed in the control, while the highest selenium concentration was found in the 1.5 mM sodium selenite treatment. These findings suggest that selenium application can reduce nitrate levels and improve the nutritional quality of spinach. Since excessive nitrate accumulation in leafy vegetables can endanger consumer health, adopting effective methods to reduce this compound in plants is essential. The use of regulatory elements such as selenium provides a practical solution for mitigating this issue. The results of this study demonstrated that sodium selenite foliar application reduced nitrate accumulation, increased nitrate reductase enzyme activity, and enhanced selenium concentration in spinach. Nitrate reductase is a key enzyme in nitrogen metabolism, responsible for reducing nitrate to nitrite and facilitating its utilization in essential plant structures. Increased activity of this enzyme indicates improved nitrogen uptake and utilization, which can lead to better growth and higher yield.Therefore, foliar application of 1.5 mM sodium selenite in spinach is recommended to achieve maximum antioxidant compounds, increased selenium concentration, and minimal nitrate accumulation. This method not only improves the nutritional quality of agricultural products but also serves as a sustainable approach to reducing health risks associated with nitrate accumulation in vegetables. Furthermore, the application of selenium can enhance the plant’s defense mechanisms and increase its resistance to environmental stresses.

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Research Article Growing vegetables

Comparing the Effects of Chicken Manure and Blood Meal with Chemical Fertilizer on Growth Traits and Yield of Potato under Deficit Irrigation Conditions

Khosro Parvizi; Ali Ghadami firoozabadi; M. khataar; M. Ahmadian

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 07 June 2025

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2025.91970.1408

Abstract

Introduction The limited amount of organic matter in most potato-growing soils in the country reduces their biological activity and limits the availability and absorption of some nutrients by plants (Khatar et al., 2017). One of the most effective management strategies in this field is to maintain and ... Read More Introduction The limited amount of organic matter in most potato-growing soils in the country reduces their biological activity and limits the availability and absorption of some nutrients by plants (Khatar et al., 2017). One of the most effective management strategies in this field is to maintain and enhance soil organic matter, because improving the physical and chemical conditions of the soil can greatly help increase yield and achieve sustainable agriculture. Due to the limitations and high costs of livestock and poultry manure, which are used as a major part of organic fertilizers in the country, efforts should be made to benefit from new organic sources such as blood meal, which is used in smaller amounts per unit area and at the same time provides higher nitrogen content to the plant. Blood meal is also known as a growth stimulant due to its high amino acid content (Bhunia et al., 2021). So far, have been down very few experiments to investigate the effects of blood meal especially under irrigation deficit conditions. Therefore, it was necessary to investigate the effects of using blood meal as a source of nitrogen-rich organic fertilizer under stress conditions on growth traits as well as its effects on production of this important product (potato) in this project in the country. Materials and Methods This research was conducted as a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design at the Hamedan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center (Ekbatan Agricultural Research Station). In this study two potato cultivars, Bamba and Sante, were considered as the first factor. The irrigation water amount was examined at three levels (100, 75, and 50 percent of Cumulative Evapotranspiration from Class A Evaporation Pan) and fertilizer treatments at three levels (chemical fertilizer, poultry manure, and blood powder. The use of chemical fertilizer was based on soil tests. Chemical fertilizer treatment was carried out by using 120 kg of pure nitrogen with urea source (260 kg of urea fertilizer per hectare), 150 kg of triple superphosphate, 100 kg of potassium sulfate and two injections of complete micro fertilizer at the flowering stage and two weeks after that. One third of urea fertilizer was applied at the time of planting time and the two other parts were applied as a top-dress form. Complete micro fertilizer injection was also performed in two simultaneous times in the blood meal and chicken manure treatments. The drip irrigation system and the tape type were placed at a depth of five to six centimeters on the ridge and at the time of planting the tubers. The growth stage traits including time to achieve 50% germination, date of full emergence and date of full coverage, chlorophyll content, stem length, internode length, number of nodes, number and length of stolons, leaf area, fresh and dry weight of roots and stems were measured. Chlorophyll content was measured using the Gross method (Gross, 1999). At harvest time, the total yield was calculated and the tubers produced were separated into three sizes; seed, large, and small. Tuber dry matter percentage and water use efficiency were also measured. The resulting data were statistically analyzed using SAS 9.1 software, and means were compared using Duncan's multiple range test with a five percent probability level. Results and Discussion The results of analysis of variance in the measured traits showed that the two treatments of irrigation levels and the kind of fertilizer did not have a significant effect on the time required to achieve 50% germination and complete emergence. However, the effects of irrigation levels and fertilizer type and their interaction were significant on other growing traits including time to reach full coverage, plant height at flowering, number and length of stolons, chlorophyll content, leaf area index and fresh and dry weight of roots and stems. The tuber dry matter percentage was not statistically affected by cultivar, but irrigation treatment had a significant effect (p≤0.05) on tuber dry matter percentage. The type of fertilizer was significant (p≤0.01) on the number of tubers in all three sizes, as well as water use efficiency and on yield and percentage of tuber dry matter. The interaction effect of irrigation treatment × fertilizer type was significant on tuber production in all three sizes, as well as tuber dry matter, total yield, and water use efficiency. An increase in the ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus leads to a relative increase in stolon length. While the opposite ratio leads to a decrease in stolon length. Establishing a proportional and balanced amount of these two elements and providing sufficient amounts of them depending on the nutritional needs of the potato leads to an increase in the number of stolons (Jackson, 1999). Recent research has demonstrated that chicken manure and blood meal are capable of significantly reducing stolon length and increasing their number under stress conditions. It seems that both of these types of organic fertilizers (blood meal and chicken manure) provide the potato plant with a balanced access of nitrogen to phosphorus under stress conditions and, by relatively increasing the stolon length and helping to increase its number, delay the potato plant's tuberization stage and achieve maximum storage capacity. The results of this study showed that under severe stress conditions, the use of blood meal had also positive effect on number of tubers and total yield compared to the use of chemical fertilizer alone (control) in deficit irrigation treatments by releasing amino acids and also helping to absorb nutrients. As a result, in conditions of severe stress, the use of blood meal regulates the effects of water stress and partially compensates adverse effects of deficit irrigation. Conclusion the results of this experiment showed that the use of chicken manure and blood meal significantly increased vegetative growth and yield of potatoes compared to chemical fertilizers. In addition, the effectiveness of both types of organic fertilizers was greater compared to chemical fertilizers under deficit irrigation conditions. Therefore the use of these two organic fertilizers, especially blood meal, can compensate the reduction of yield under water stress conditions.

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Research Article Medicinal Plants

The improvement of germination, growth, and biochemical indices of Echium amoenum Fisch & Mey. under different light qualities

Roghayeh Nabipour Sanjbod; Esmaeil Chamani; Younes Pourbeyrami Hir

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 09 June 2025

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2025.91567.1404

Abstract

1. Title: The improvement of germination, growth, and biochemical indices of Echium amoenum Fisch & Mey. under different light qualities 2. Introduction: Medicinal plants, as a valuable source of herbal medicines and bioactive compounds, are rapidly declining due to uncontrolled collection from nature. ... Read More 1. Title: The improvement of germination, growth, and biochemical indices of Echium amoenum Fisch & Mey. under different light qualities 2. Introduction: Medicinal plants, as a valuable source of herbal medicines and bioactive compounds, are rapidly declining due to uncontrolled collection from nature. Echium amoenum Fisch & Mey. belongs to the Boraginaceae family and has a special place in Iranian traditional medicine. This plant is native to Iran and has been used to treat many infectious and inflammatory diseases, as well as modern diseases related to stress and anxiety, for many years. However, low germination percentage and uneven germination are some of the obstacles to the growth and propagation of this valuable medicinal plant. Recently, it has been reported that LED light sources have significantly increased the germination of some medicinal species. The response of plants to light spectra depends on the plant species. However, blue and red light are more useful because green plant tissues more readily absorb them. Considering the medicinal importance of E. amoenum, the present study was conducted to improve the germination and growth characteristics under LED treatments. 3. Materials and methods: This study was conducted at the University of Mohaghegh Ardabili in 2024. E. amoenum seeds were purchased from Pakan Bazr Company. After surface disinfection, the seeds were placed in Petri dishes containing wet filter paper and transferred to light chambers. Germination indices (germination percentage, speed of germination, mean daily germination, germination energy, seed efficiency, seedling efficiency, seedling vigor index, coefficient of velocity of germination, daily germination speed) were recorded for up to 21 days. Morphological indices (fresh weight of seedling, dry weight of seedling, shoot length, root length, percentage of root dry weight, percentage of shoot dry weight) were measured in 7-day-old seedlings. Then seedlings were transferred to the growing medium (peat moss and perlite), and the pots were placed in the same light chambers. After 4 weeks, biochemical indices (photosynthetic pigment content, total carbohydrate content, total protein content, and total phenol content) were evaluated. The experiment was conducted based on a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 4 replications. The 4 light treatments included 100% white LED light (W), 100% blue LED light (B), 100% red LED light (R), and a combination of blue and red LED light (50:50, BR). The data were analyzed using SPSS Inc. version 16. Means were compared using Duncan's multiple range test at a 5% probability level. Graphs were drawn using Excel software. 4. Results and Discussion: The results of the present study revealed that red light (R) treatment significantly improved germination percentage, germination speed, mean daily germination, germination energy, seed efficiency, seedling efficiency, seedling vigor index, coefficient of velocity of germination, and blue light (B) application reduced the germination of E. amoenum seeds. Similarly, E. amoenum growth characteristics, including fresh weight, dry weight, seedling length, root length, percentage of root dry weight, and percentage of shoot dry weight, increased under the positive effect of red LED light (R). Also, the blue light (B) application did not indicate any positive effect on growth indices. In biochemical indices, the application of a combination of blue and red light (BR) resulted in a significant increase in the content of photosynthetic pigments, total carbohydrate content, total protein content, and total phenol content. In addition, blue LED light (B) had a negative effect on biochemical indices compared to other treatments. In general, light quality changes can affect photosynthesis and energy production efficiency. Blue and red light are known to be the most effective wavelengths for plants, and their absorption peaks correspond to the absorption peaks of photosynthetic pigments. Therefore, their application alone and in combination can effectively increase the efficiency of photosynthesis, the synthesis of photosynthetic pigments, and the biosynthesis of macromolecules including carbohydrates and proteins. In addition, applying blue and red light increases phenolic compounds by increasing the production of enzymes related to plant secondary metabolism. 5. Conclusion: The observations of the present study showed that the seeds of E. amoenum are considered in the group of plant species that require light or are photoblastic positive. Hence, the application of red LED (R) can be considered an effective treatment to improve and increase the germination and growth characteristics of E. amoenum plant at the seedling stage. In the later stages of plant growth, the response of E. amoenum to light qualities was different. The combination of blue and red light (BR) was considered an effective treatment to increase the content of photosynthetic pigments, total carbohydrates, total proteins, and total phenols. 6. Acknowledgement: We would like to thank the University of Mohaghegh Ardabili for financial support. 7. Keywords: Chlorophyll, Germination percentage, Morphological, Phenol, Protein

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Research Article Medicinal Plants

Effect of Putrescine Foliar Application on Growth and Physiological Characteristics of Echium amoenum SeedlingsUnder Salinity Conditions.”

Behrooz Rahimkhani; Mahboobeh Naseri; Ahmad Ahmadian; Masoud Ali Panah

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 17 June 2025

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2025.91889.1413

Abstract

Introduction Polyamines are a group of low molecular weight organic compounds with two or more amine groups that are present in almost all living organisms. Polyamines are organic compounds that play a crucial role in various physiological processes in plants, particularly in response to stress. Research ... Read More Introduction Polyamines are a group of low molecular weight organic compounds with two or more amine groups that are present in almost all living organisms. Polyamines are organic compounds that play a crucial role in various physiological processes in plants, particularly in response to stress. Research has demonstrated that these compounds-primarily putrescine, spermidine, and spermine-are involved in cellular functions such as growth regulation, cell division, and differentiation. Their role in stress responses is complex and varies significantly depending on the plant species and the specific type of stress encountered. The level of polyamines in plants increases under stress conditions, and this increase of polyamines from the plant against salinity by removing free radicals, stabilizing membrane and cell structure, creating cation and anion balance, regulating it protects ion channels. The foliar application of putrescine can significantly improve various physiological traits in plants subjected to salinity stress. By enhancing growth, photosynthetic efficiency, osmotic adjustment and oxidative stress tolerance, putrescine acts as a valuable tool for improving plant resilience under challenging environmental conditions. Echium amoenum is an annual plant of Boraginaceae family and is considered as one of the important medicinal plants in traditional medicine. Blue-violet petals of E. amoenum are used in Iranian traditional medicine as a painkiller, relaxant, invigorator, anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. To investigate the impact of putrescine on the morpho-physiological characteristics of Echium amoenum Fisch & Mey seedlings under salinity stress, a greenhouse experiment was conducted. Materials and methods The experimental design was factorial, incorporating two factors: the application of putrescine and salinity stress induced by sodium chloride. This was organized as a completely randomized design. The first factor involved two levels of putrescine (0 and 1.5 mM), while the second factor included three levels of salinity stress (1600, 4000, and 8000 ds/m). Seeds were purchased from Pakaan Seed Company in Isfahan. Selecting high-quality seeds suitable for the growing conditions is crucial for successful plant growth. After soaking, the seeds were transferred to small pots containing a mixture of three parts peat moss and one part perlite. This mixture enhances aeration and moisture retention in the soil, creating an optimal environment for root development. One week after transplanting the seedlings to the main pots, a foliar application of putrescine was performed. Putrescine is a polyamine compound that can enhance plant growth and resilience against stress. This application was repeated every two weeks. One week after the first application of putrescine, salinity stress was introduced. To prevent shock to the plants, the salinity treatment was gradually applied in three stages. This gradual approach helps the plants acclimate to the new conditions. To prevent salt buildup in the soil, leaching with regular water was conducted every two weeks. Results and discussion The results indicated that both the individual effects of salinity and putrescine, as well as their interaction, significantly influenced shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, root length, and the overall dry weight of the borage plants. The application of putrescine enhanced the levels of proline and potassium in the leaves, which mitigated the detrimental effects of salinity stress on the borage plants. Furthermore, foliar spraying of putrescine increased chlorophyll content, thereby promoting photosynthesis and improving plant growth under saline conditions.Comparative analysis of the average data revealed that the highest dry weight of borage seedlings (0.6 g), relative leaf water content (85%), chlorophyll a (4 mg/g), and chlorophyll b (1.2 mg/g) were achieved with the combination of putrescine and salinity at 1.6 mm/m. The results underscore the potential of putrescine as a practical strategy for enhancing the growth and resilience of borage plants under salinity stress. By improving growth parameters such as shoot and root weights, root length, and overall dry weight, as well as enhancing physiological traits like proline and potassium levels, putrescine plays a crucial role in mitigating the adverse effects of salinity. Conclusions rhe The foliar application of putrescine at 1.5 mM presents a valuable and practical strategy for managing salinity stress in borage. By enhancing photosynthetic pigments and antioxidant properties, putrescine helps the plant maintain its physiological functions and resilience under stress. This approach not only supports the growth and health of borage but also has implications for improving the quality and yield of its medicinal properties.

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Research Article Pomology

Evaluation of the Efficiency of Calcium and Potassium Thiosulfate Compounds on Biochemical Traits and Yield in the Walnut (Juglans regia L. var. Chandler)

Vali Rabiei; Sogra Heydari; Asghar Soleimani; Fahime Nasr

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 30 June 2025

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2025.93226.1427

Abstract

Introduction The Persian walnut (Juglans regia L.) is a valuable commercial crop with high economic and nutritional value. Nutrition management is one of the most important factors affecting the growth and performance of modern walnut orchards. The demand for high-quality walnuts is increasing day by ... Read More Introduction The Persian walnut (Juglans regia L.) is a valuable commercial crop with high economic and nutritional value. Nutrition management is one of the most important factors affecting the growth and performance of modern walnut orchards. The demand for high-quality walnuts is increasing day by day in the national and international markets. Horticultural production has undergone tremendous changes in recent years due to the development of innovative technologies, including nutrient management practices. Nutrient management of walnuts is one of the important factors for increasing yield and improving the quality of walnut kernels. The use of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers is essential for tree growth and the production of fruits such as walnuts. The enhancement in the use of fertilizers in an irrational manner has led to a decrease in soil productivity and multiple nutrient deficiencies. Minimizing the use of chemical fertilizers in fruit cultivation is the goal of integrated fruit production. The gravity of environmental degradation caused by the faulty cultivation practices has led to focus on ecologically sound, viable and sustainable farming systemsIn this study, in order to investigate the efficiency and feasibility of replacing sulfate-containing fertilizers with thiosulfate-based fertilizers, the effect of calcium thiosulfate and potassium thiosulfate fertilizers on increasing the yield and quality of walnut fruit was evaluated in an experiment. Materials and Methods This experiment was conducted in 1402, in a randomized complete block design with three replications and 5 trees per experimental unit in an orchard with 6-year-old Chandler trees grown from tissue culture seedlings in the Khoramdareh Agro-Industrial Complex. The experimental treatments included T1: regular orchard nutrition (control) including 50 kg/ha potassium nitrate calcium + 200 kg/ha potassium sulfate, T2: 100 L/ha calcium thiosulfate plus 200 kg/ha potassium sulfate, T3: 50 kg/ha potassium nitrate and calcium plus 100 L/ha potassium thiosulfate plus 125 kg potassium sulfate, T4: 100 L/ha calcium thiosulfate plus 100 L/ha potassium thiosulfate plus 125 kg potassium sulfate. After applying the treatments, after observing signs of ripening, the fruits of the tree were harvested and transferred to the laboratory for evaluation of biochemical and physical traits. Results and Discussion Analysis of variance for fruit and yield traits showed significant differences at the 1 and 5 % levels. Comparison of the means of these traits showed that the highest fruit dry weight, fresh and dry kernel weights, and kernel percentage were obtained in the calcium and potassium thiosulfate treatment, and the highest tree yield and yield efficiency per trunk cross-section were obtained in the calcium thiosulfate treatment. Calcium increases the growth of hairy roots, root cell division, root length and also enhance the absorption and transfer of nutrients and water to the plant, This led to an improvement in fresh and dry weight of the plant and yield. Calcium also increases the fresh and dry weight of the plant by increasing the transfer of carbohydrates from leaves to fruit. On the other side, potassium increases fresh and dry weight and yield by enhancing photosynthesis, carbohydrate formation and transport, maintaining intracellular pH, and absorbing nutrients from the soil. In addition, the results of the comparison of means showed that all treatments used increased the total phenol and flavonoid content of walnut fruit compared to the control, so that the highest total phenol and flavonoid content were obtained in the potassium thiosulfate and potassium and calcium thiosulfate treatments. Calcium reduces oxidative stress in the membrane through membrane strength and delays the degradation and reduction of phenolic compounds by strengthening the membrane and cell wall. Moreover, Potassium increases plant growth and photosynthetic activity, increasing the allocation of additional carbon to the shikimic acid pathway, thereby increasing phenolic substances such as phenols and total flavonoids. Potassium also increases phenolic compounds and antioxidants by increasing the activity of the enzyme phenylalanine ammonia lyase, which is a key enzyme in the synthesis of phenolic compounds. Analysis of variance of data related to crude fiber, total protein and crude fat of fruit showed significant difference between treatments at 1% level, but the effect of treatments on ash content of samples was not significant. Results of mean comparison showed that the highest amount of crude fiber was related to potassium and calcium thiosulfate treatment. Increased absorption and transport of nutrients is one of the important factors in increasing crude fiber in plants, and it seems that rapid absorption and transport of thiosulfate-containing compounds has led to improved fiber production. Analysis of variance of data related to linoleic and oleic acid traits of walnut fruit showed significant difference between treatments at 1% level and results of mean comparison also showed significant increase in linoleic acid content in fruits under calcium and potassium thiosulfate treatment and potassium thiosulfate treatment. There are two important sources for assimilation and oil formation. The first is the carbohydrate pathway that is produced in the leaf after photosynthesis and transferred to the fruit, and the second is the carbohydrate pathway that is formed during photosynthesis in the walnut fruit, which is converted into fatty acids after enzymatic processes. In this study, increasing sulfur, potassium, and calcium and increasing the absorption of trace elements due to thiosulfate consumption increased photosynthetic activity and increased the production of plant metabolites, which increased the fatty acids in walnuts. Therefore, the obtained results indicate high efficiency of calcium and potassium thiosulfate fertilizers in increasing quality and yield of walnut fruit. Conclusions Our findings indicated that calcium thiosulfate - potassium thiosulfate combination were the best treatments for increasing quantitative and qualitative characteristics of walnut fruit. These findings demonstrate the potential of calcium and potassium thiosulfate fertilizers to enhance walnut orchard productivity and fruit quality, making them a recommended choice for nutrient management strategies. Keywords: Fatty acids, Nutrition, Biochemical traits of fruit, Yield efficiency

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Research Article Ornamental plants

Study of vegetative and ornamental traits of different species of sage (Salvia spp.) in the climatic conditions of Birjand

Maryam Abaspour; H. Bayat; Mohmmad Hossein Aminifard; Farid Moradinezhad

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 07 July 2025

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2025.92524.1419

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 ... Read More 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.

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