Journal of Crop Production and Processing

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This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of time and rate of nitrogen fertilizer (urea) application on yield and yield components and quality of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. )cv.Euroflor. A field experiment was carried out at College of Agriculture, Shiraz University during Summer 2009. The experimental design was a factorial based on a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. Five nitrogen rates (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 kilograms N per hectare) and four split application of nitrogen fertilizer (T1 “1/3 before planting, 1/3 V4 , 1/3 R1” , “T2 1/3 before planting, 1/3 V4 , 1/3R5.8” , T3 “1/3 before planting, 1/3R2 , 1/3 R5.8 ”, T4 “1/3 V4 , 1/3 R1 , 1/3 R8 ”) were used. Chlorophyll content, head diameter, plant height, number of grains per head, thousand grain weight, dry matter yield, harvest index and grain yield were determined after harvesting. There was a significant difference within various rate of nitrogen application. Significantly highest plant length, leaf area index, total dry weight, chlorophyll content, head diameter, number of grains per head, thousand grain weights, grain yield and dry matter yield were recorded at 200 kilogram N per hectare followed by 150 kilogram N per hectare. However, there was no significant difference between 150 and 200 kg/ha N. Split application of nitrogen had no significant effect on plant characteristics except on grain yield, the highest grain yield was obtained from T1 (1/3 before planting, 1/3 V4, 1/3 R1) treatment.

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The use of plant growth hormones and beneficial microorganisms, could reduce the drought damage. The purpose of this study was to investigate the treatment with salicylic acid and inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi at different levels of irrigation on flax growth. A factorial experiment based on randomized complete blocks design with 3 replications was performed in growth chamber of college of agriculture, Isfahan university of technology and in the years 2010-2011. Treatments were irrigation regimes at 3 levels (100%, 70% and 40% field capacity), mycorrhizae at 3 levels (non-inoculated and inoculated with two species Glomus mosseae and G. intraradices) and salicylic acid in 2 levels (seeds treated with 250 μM concentration of salicylic acid for 8 hours and non-treated seeds). The level of 40% field capacity irrigation reduced the leaf number, root length, root dry weight, height, stem and leaf and total plant dry weight, number and weight of capsules per plant, number of seeds per capsule and seed yield and increased vesicle diameter and percent colonization. Both mycorrhizal species in the three levels of irrigation increased the drought tolerance of the flax but in G. mosseae was more effective. Salicylic acid decreased some of the investigated traits. Inoculation with mycorrhiza and treatment with salicylic acid reduced the investigated characteristics than the inoculation with mycorrhiza and non-application of salicylic acid. 100% field capacity and G. mosseae species were the best irrigation level and mycorrhizal fungi respectively. Therefore it is suggest that application of mycorrhizal fungi especially G. mosseae species increase in the cultivation of flax plants without treatment with salicylic acid, especially in drought conditions because in addition to increased yield, water consumption is also lower and it makes the plant more tolerant to stress conditions such as drought.

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In order to study the effects of inoculation of rhizobium and mycorhizae on the response of alfafa cultivars to different salinity levels a pot experiment was conducted. The experiment was arranged as factorial in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments included three alfafa cultivars (Rehnani, Hamadani and Bami), four levels of salinity (0, 60, 120 and 180 mmol (NaCl), and four inoculations (rhizobium, mycorhizae, rhizobium + mycorhizae, and control). There was a decrease in plant height, leaf area, shoot and root dry matter, percentage of mycorhizae infection, and root characteristics. The highest amounts of the above-mentioned growth characteristics were obtained in rhizobium + mycorhizae, mycorhizae, rhizobium, and control, respectively. The highest values of root mycorhizal infection and the number and weight of nodules were also achieved in dual inoculation treatment. Root was more affected than shoot by inoculation. The extent of positive effect of mycorhizae on alfalfa was greater than that of rhizobium. Rehnani was recognized to be more a salt tolerant cultivar as compared to Hamadani and Bami. The decrease in plant dry matter due to salinity was more in non-inoculated than in inoculated treatments. The results of our experiment showed that coinoculation of rhizobium and mycorhizae may cause synergistic effects on alfalfa dry matter accumulation. However, dual inoculation was not significantly superior to other inoculation treatments in terms of the alleviation of salinity effects.

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In order to assess the effect of nitrogen application and planting methods on linseed and berseem clover yield and yield components in an intercropping system an experiment was conducted as a split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications at the Research Farm of College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran in 2013. Experimental factors included three levels of nitrogen (zero, 30 and 60 kg ha^-1) as main plots and linseed and berseem clover planting methods in 4 levels (pure culture of linseed, berseem clover monoculture, mixed cropping) (50%:50%), intercropping row) 50%:50%)) as sub-plots. Results showed that different levels of nitrogen had no effect on the main stem, seed weight and harvest index of both plants, but the number of lateral branches, number of capsules per plant (linseed), inflorescences number per plant (berseem clover), number of seeds per capsules (linseed), biological yield and grain yield were affected by nitrogen fertilizer. Among the methods of planting, pure cultures of linseed and berseem clover with 1604 and 830 kg ha^-1 had the highest yield, respectively. Significant difference between treatments was found in the land equivalent ratio, but the highest land equivalent ratio, was archived at 30 kg nitrogen fertilizer application (1.35) and row intercropping treatment (1.32), respectively. According to the results of this research, the use of berseem clover as a nitrogen-fixing plant, intercropped with linseed under 30 kg of nitrogen application per hectare could, probably, be useful for achieving an appropriate grain yield.

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In order to investigate some physiological responses and grain yield of five chickpea cultivars under different levels of moisture and salinity, two experiments (i.e. a pot and a field experiment) were conducted in 2012. In the pot experiment, effects of four salt levels (i.e. control, 50, 75 and 100 mM of NaCl) on five chickpea cultivars, i.e. Arman, Azad, Hashem, ILC-482 and Noorabad were studied in a 3-replicate factorial completely random design experiment. In the field experiment, responses of the latter cultivars to four moisture regimes (i.e. no irrigation, irrigation after 75, 100 and 150 mm of evaporation) based on evaporation from a Class-A Standard Pan were evaluated in a 3-replicate split-plot randomized complete block experiment. Data obtained from the pot experiment indicated that proline accumulation, Na⁺ concentration and Na⁺/K⁺ were increased, but K⁺ concentration, relative water content and plant dry mass were decreased with increase in salt level. Since cultivar ILC-482 tended to indicate a greater proline concentration, in contrary to a smaller Na⁺ concentration and plant dry mass, compared to the remaining cultivars, it seemed to be more tolerant to the salinity. Data from the field experiment confirmed that delayed irrigation leads to increase in proline accumulation and decreases in leaf area index, plant dry mass and grain yield. Irrigating chickpea after 75, 100 and 150 mm evaporation resulted in 1964, 1675 and 1503 kg/ha of grain yield, leading to 114%, 84% and 64% increases in grain yield, respectively, compared to the no irrigation control. Cultivars Noorabad and Hashem produced the greatest (i.e. 1610 kg/ha) and smallest (i.e. 1361 kg/ha) grain yields, respectively. According to the findings of this one-year field study, seeding cultivar Noorabad concomitant to irrigation after 150 mm evaporation could, perhaps, lead to a substantial increase in grain yield in Noorabad region of the Lorestan Province in Iran. Though, cultivar ILC482 tended to indicate a more stable plant dry mass, when subjected to different irrigation regimes and different levels of saline water.

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Excessive application of P fertilizers, use of the bicarbonated water sources for irrigation concomitant to a  low level of organic matter have resulted in widespread iron deficiencies in crop plants in Iran. One of the strategies to overcome this problem is to select tolerant genotypes to iron deficiency (i.e. iron-use-efficient genotypes) or bred genotypes with high-micronutrient-uptake ability. Therefore, this experiment was conducted to study the behavior of twelve Iranian rice landraces and improved genotypes to iron deficiency (Tarom Mahalli, Amol 2, Musa-Tarom, Gharib, Shiroudi, Bejar, Neda, Nogouran, Jozdan, Sazandegi, Zayande Roud, and Kouhrang) as exposed to two levels of chelated iron fertilizers, including 5mM (iron deficiency) and 50mM (no iron deficiency) in Yushida nutrient solution culture.  A factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with four replicates was carried out in Soilless Culture Center at Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran in 2013. The results showed that the iron content, shoot and root dry weights, total dry weight, leaf area, root length and volume and the number of tillers were significantly affected by genotypes, iron fertilizer, and their interaction. The mean dry weights were 0.215, 0.138, and 0.255 g per plant in northern landraces, northern improved, and central Iranian genotypes under no iron deficiency condition, but they were decreased by 25.7, 35.2, and 23.0% under iron deficiency condition, respectively. Based on the magnitude of decrease of total biomass under iron deficiency condition, genotypes such as Musa-Tarom, Bejar, and Zayande Roud seemed to be more tolerant in comparison to Jozdan, Amol 2, and Shiroudi.

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In order to unravel the potential mitigating effects of seed priming on salt-stressed chickpea (Cicer arietinum), a
4-replicate factorial out-door completely random design pot experiment was conducted on Arman cultivar of chickpea at the research field of the Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan (Latitude of 32° 38' North, Longitude of 51° 39' East, and an Altitude of 1620 m above sea level), Iran. Irrigation water salinity at four levels (0, 25, 50, and 75 mM NaCl) and seed priming at four levels, including control (non-priming), priming with mannitol (5%), NaCl (0.5%) and KCl (0.5%) were tested. Na⁺ and K⁺ concentrations and Na⁺/K⁺ were increased, but Ca⁺² concentration, days to physiological maturity, seed yield, fertile pods/plant, seeds/pod, above-ground dry mass, and harvest index were decreased with aggravation of salinity. Chickpea seed priming by NaCl and KCl led to increase in yield components and hence seed yield of the salt-stricken plants, compared to non-primed and mannitol-primed plants due, seemingly, to decrease in tissue Na⁺ concentration. Albeit, priming-associated modifications in Na⁺ and Ca⁺² concentrations, fertile pods/plant, seeds/pod, seed yield, and harvest index varied with the level of salinity. In contrary to the non-primed chickpea, plants receiving priming were able to produce fertile pods, due perhaps to the mitigative effects of the priming on salt-stricken plants. All results, taken together, confirm that the salt-sensitive legume chickpea may be harmed by 50 mM salinity of irrigation water but seed priming by NaCl and KCl may suppress the harmful effects.

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Identification of grass species seems difficult due to the morphological similarities. However, selecting desirable parental genotypes of the crosses based on the genetic distances is considered as the most critical step in a breeding program. The aim of this study was to characterize grass species using AFLP techniques. Five species with five cultivars from each were selected and studied using AFLP reactions performed by PstI and MseI restriction enzymes. The obtained data was analyzed using NT SYS-pc Ver. 2.02 software and Jaccard’s method. Ten primer combinations amplified 1170 bands, all of which were polymorphic between cultivars and species. The maximum band (168) and the minimum number of band (81) were produced by P-AAG & M-CAG and P-ACT & M-CGC, respectively. The results also distinguished 5 species in 40% of genetic distances. Some of the markers were special to some special species that can be used in the identification of that species. Additionally, the results showed that AFLP techniques robust and efficient tools for the identification of genetic relationships of different genotypes within species. High levels of bands and polymorphism make AFLP one of the most powerful markers in the determination and classification of species and different cultivars of grass.

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Turfgrasses are the most important cover plants in the world. Quality evaluation of the turfgrasses is usually done by experienced evaluators using color texture, density and uniformity. The results obtained by different evaluators may be different, leading to researcher’s concern. Therefore, some quantitative methods have been used for increasing the aquracy and stability in results. In this study, three color evaluating methods including, spectrophotometery (chlorophyll content), chlorophyllmeter SPAD-502, and evaluator person, as well as leaf texture by evaluator person compared with leaf width were used for 75 populations of Cynodon dactylon L. and Tifdwarf cultivar. The results showed that there were significant differences between populations for the color and leaf texture. There were no significant corelations between measuring color by using specterophotometery, chlorophyllmeter-502, and evaluator. Use of SPAD-502 instrument for measuring leaf color of bermudagrass is not recommended due to small leaf width of this species. However, there was significant corelation between visual evaluation and leaf width in measuring leaf texture. Therefore, when no experienced evaluator is present, leaf width maybe used for measuring leaf texture.

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In order to study the effects of salinity of irrigation water on the growth and quality of 10 bermudagrass cultivars under saline soil, a factorial plot experiment using a complete randomized block design with three replications was carried out at College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology in 2002-2003. Ten cultivars under five levels of irrigation water salinity (3.30, 6.93, 10.2, 14.8, 17.8 dsm^-1) were studied. During experiment, visual appearance of color (1 to 9, best 9), and leaf area, shoot and root dry weights and length and number of stolones were measured. Results showed that salinity of irrigation water affected color of different cultivars, such that with increase in the level of salinity, color decreased. Cultivars showed better color in August, but lower color in January. Annual mean indexes showed that ISF2 and Tifdwarf had highest and lowest color, respectively. Also, with increase in salinity levels, leaf area, foliage dry weight, length and number of stolones reduced. With increase in salinity of irrigation water from 3.30 to 10.2 dsm^-1 root dry weight increased, but reduced in higher salinity levels. Due to significant interaction effects between salinity and cultivars for most traits, the responses of cultivars were different. Large differences observed between cultivars for most of traits indicated high genetic variation among the studied bermudagrass cultivars. Under high level of salinity conditions, JP2 and Tifway for foliage dry weight, 3200W18-4 and ISF2 for root dry weight, and cultivars Midlawn and 3200W18-4 for leaf area, were recognized as more tolerant than others.

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In order to evaluate the effect of row and plant spacings on the yield and yield components of three cultivars of forge sorghum, a field experiment was conducted in Isfahan University of Technology, Lavark, during spring, 2001. Experimental design was a split-factorial with three replications. Main plots consisted of three row spacings (45, 60, 75 cm) and subplots were combinations of three cultivars of forage sorghum(cultivars KFS1, IS722, IS3313) and three plant spacings (4, 6 and 8 cm). The results showed that the number of young and adult tillers, the number of leaf per square meter and shoot and leaf dry weight were influenced by row and plant spacings and significantly decreased with increasing row and plant spacings. Forage yield also decreased with increasing row and plant spacing. The highest dry forage yield was produced by 45 cm row spacing and 4 cm plant spacing. The KFS1 cultivar produced more forage yield than IS722 cultivar. The number of young and adult tiller per square meter and the number of leaf per square meter were significantly (p< 0.01) influenced by the interaction between row spacing and cultivar, row spacing and plant spacing and plant spacing and cultivar in two cuts. Shoot and leaf dry weight (kg/m²) was also significant (p< 0.01) influenced by the interaction between row spacing and cultivar, and between plant spacing and cultivar in the second cut. The density of 45 cm row spacing and 4 cm plant spacing produced the maximum forage yield.

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Identification of drought-resistant genotypes is crucial in order to reduce the negative effects of drought, as one of the most important limiting factors of crop production in arid and semiarid regions. Thus, effects of three irrigation regimes (irrigation after 50 (I1), 100 (I2) and 150 (I3) mm evaporation from a class A pan), as the main plot were investigated. These effects were studied on some morphological traits, yield, yield components and seed quality of ten pinto bean cultivars (KS-21193, KS-21191, KS-21189, E10, E9, Sadri, Talash, local masses Khomein, Eghlid and Fereidoonshahr), as the sub-plot. The experiment was conducted with 3 replications as split-plot based on randomized complete block design in Fereidoonshahr, Esfahan, Iran. Drought stress led to decreases in day to physiological maturity, plant height, pods/plant, seeds/pod, seeds/plant, 100-seeds weight, seed weight/plant, dry matter and grain yield, and harvest index and increases in seed protein percentage. However, only seed protein percentage was not genotype-dependent. Variations of reduction in grain yield from I1 to I2 were observed. These variations were from 54.4% in Sadri to 36.6% in Talash genotype. Also, from I1 to I3 the variations were from 87.3% in KS-21191 to 74.9% in Fereidoonshahr genotype. It could be concluded that while the highest grain yield was obtained in KS-21191 (2319 kg ha-1), probably planting Fereidoonshahr genotype along with irrigation after 150 mm evaporation may lead to moderation of drought stress at regions similar to Fereidounshahr.