Journal of Crop Production and Processing

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Determining environment – associated alterations in grain yield is important in yield assessment under drought stress. Therefore this study was carried out to determine the correlation coefficients and direct and indirect effects of effective components on yield in four drought - tolerant and susceptible cotton cultivars. Cotton cultivars were considered as sub plots and 3 levels of irrigation regime [33% (I_33%), 66% (I_66%) and 100% (I_100% of water requirement)], designated as main plots in a split plot based on complete block design with three replications at Agricultural Research Station of Kashmar, Razavi Khorasan of Iran in 2011. The results showed that all yield components, except boll weight, were negatively and significantly affected by drought stress. The results also showed that retention of greater boll numbers per plant was the main component of cultivars difference in terms of cotton seed yield. High and significant correlations were observed between yield and boll number per plant, biological yield and harvest index under drought stress. While there was only significant correlations between seed yield with plant height and biological yield under non-stress condition. Path analysis showed that the most important component of cotton seed yield is biological yield under both drought stress and non-stress conditions and other components such as: boll number and weight, earliness percent and harvest index caused an increase in cotton seed yield by indirect effect on this component.

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In this research, sunflower oil that was extracted and refined at Shiraz Narges Oil Company was packed in four different containers, namely, clear PET (polyethylene terephtalate), yellow PET, yellow HDPE (high density polyethylene), and metal can. Samples were kept at ambient temperature in the shelf exposed to normal light for a period of 1 year. Peroxide values were determined at 45-day intervals and TBA and anisidine values were measured at 0, 6 and 12-month periods. In order to determine the effect of artificial light, some samples in PET and HDPE containers were kept in a wooden box equiped with four (20 w) fluorescent lamps and the peroxide values of the samples were determined. Light transmittance properties of the packaging materials were measured using a spectrophotometer over a wavelength range of 350 nm to 800 nm. The data indicated that the greatest variations in peroxide, TBA and anisidine values were observed in samples in HDPE containers (significantly different at 5% level) kept under normal light and ambient temperature for a period of 1 year. It was also shown that the shelf life of sunflower oil in HDPE container was less than 6 months while for the other packaging materials it was more than one year. Samples exposed to artificial light indicated that the highest peroxide values belonged to samples in clear PET while those in yellow PET proved to have the lowest. Finally, PET container proved to be the most suitable container for sunflower oil followed by metal can. Yellow PET with the lowest transmittance percentage (350-800 nm) and peroxide value (when exposed to 20 w fluorescent lamp) could be substituted for clear PET. HDPE container proved to be unsatisfactory for sunflower oil due to high oxidation rate.

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The storage life of mushrooms is less than the other vegetables due mainly to high water contents and a porous and thin epidermal structure. This research was aimed at obtaining a suitable compost combination and an optimal condition of maintenance for increase the storage life of button mushroom. The experimental factors consisted of two maintenance temperatures (4°C and 25°C), two types of packages (transparent and covered with foil) and four types of composts (wheat straw and chicken manure, wheat straw and horse manure, rice straw and chicken manure, rice straw and olive bagasse). Attributes such as percent of weight loss, browning area, percent of dry matter, total phenol and antioxidant capacity of stored samples were assessed 7 days after harvest in room temperature and 25 days after harvest in refrigerator temperature. Mushrooms grown in rice straw and olive bagasse compost had the highest dry matter (11.62%), when stored in room temperature. Mushrooms grown in rice straw and olive bagasse compost had the highest antioxidant capacity in both refrigerator and room temperatures when stored in the package covered with foil. According to our results, rice straw and olive bagasse compost is potent to increase the storage life of the button mushroom and merits further studies.
 

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The general goal of this research was to study the effective factors on the success of the poultry-farm cooperatives in Isfahan province. Based on multi-stage cluster sampling and Chocran formulas, nine cooperatives and 173 members were selected from 15 cooperatives with 1768 members. After completion of questionnaires, the AHP method was employed for scaling. Statistical tests (factor analysis and alpha coefficient) indicated that this research has a high construction validity and reliability. The research results indicated that cooperative functions toward fulfillment of members' demands were weak. The results of the path model indicated that effective factors on the success of cooperatives (from highest to the lowest) are: knowledge of cooperative principles by the members, extra-organizational factors, education quality, managers' skills, participation in cooperative affairs, and members' education level. Also, the success of cooperatives much relies on inter-organizational factors. The amount of members' share from education, participation in cooperative's affairs, the managers' specialty and skills, and knowledge of cooperatives' principles are very weak. Research results indicated that there is a direct and statistically significant correlation between these independent variables and the success of cooperatives in Isfahan province.

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To evaluate the effects of chemical and hand fruit thinning on pistachio flower bud retention, experiments were conducted during 1382 and 1383. In the first year, ethephon treatments at the concentrations of 100 and 200 mg L^-1, urea at 2.5% and 5%, naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) 125 and 250 mg L^-1 and naphthaleneacetamide (NAD) 250 and 500 mg L^-1 were sprayed on two branches of nine uniform trees with four replications. During the second year, hand fruit thinning treatments were used in addition to the previous treatments. Chemical treatments reduced flower bud abscission among them ethephon treatments were the most effective on flower bud retention. As compared with other treatments, hand thinning treatments had also positive effect on flower bud retention. Fruit thinning also increased kernel weight, reduced the number of nuts per ounce and decreased blank fruits. Fruit thinning had no significant effect on the yield of branches during ‘on’ year.

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