Journal of Crop Production and Processing

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To investigate the effect of different levels of salinity on yield of three cultivars of cotton, an experiment was performed for two years (2008-2009) as split plot, based on randomized complete blocks design with four replications, at Rudasht Agricultural Research Station, Isfahan Province, Iran. To prepare the salinity levels, mixtures of well water, Zayandehrud river water and drainage water were used. The main plots were different salinity levels (4, 7, 10 and 13 dS/m) and subplots were three cultivars of cotton (B557, Tabladila, and Delta Pine 16 (control)). The results showed that with increasing salinity level, the performance of all three cotton cultivars was decreased. The highest yield (4602 kg/ha) was related to the Delta Pine 16 cultivar, which was obtained at salinity level of 4 dS/m. With increasing the salinity level from 4 to 7, 10 and 13 dS/m, the percent reduction in water productivity index in Tabladila, Delta Pine 16 and B557 cultivars was (25.5, 63.7 and 175), (22.6, 58 and 189) and (26, 65.5 and 196), respectively. At all levels of salinity, water productivity index was highest in Tabladila cultivar (0.424, 0.338, 0.259 and 0.154 kg/m3 in salinities of 4, 7, 10 and 13 dS/m, respectively). In summary, the results showed that in salinity levels of 4 and 7 dS/m, the Delta Pine 16 cultivar is recommendable due to higher yield. But in salinity level of 10 dS/m, the Tabladila cultivar had significantly higher yield than the other two cultivars. From the viewpoint of resistance to salinity, the B557 cultivar couldn’t compete with Tabladila and Delta Pine 16 cultivars.

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To evaluate the effect of spraying with methyl jasmonate on some morphological characters and flower dry weight of chamomile under salt stress an experiment was conducted at greenhouse. The experimental design was as factorial based on a randomized complete block design. Spraying with methyl jasmonate at five levels including, 0, 75, 150, 225 and 300 μM and salt stress applied at four levels including 2.1, 6, 10 and 14 dS/m by adding NaCl to each pots soil. The results showed that spraying with methyl jasmonate and salinity stress had significant effects (P≤ 0.05) on all measured traits. Application of methyl jasmonate in 75 µM and salinity in 6 dS/m leads the highest leaf area, S/R ratio, flower dry weight, length of shoot, biomass, stem diameter, branch numbers. The lowest, root length was recorded in 75 µM and 14 dS/m salinity treatment. According to the results, mild salinity (6dS/m) and low levels of methyl jasmonate in German chamomile had positive effects on morphological traits and flowers performance.

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Salinity stress is one of the important limiting factors in agricultural crops production. In order to evaluate salicylic acid (SA) application effects on lettuce growth parameters under salinity stress condition, a factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was carried out in greenhouses, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilam, Iran. Factors examined in this study were salinity stress at 3 levels (0, 75 and 150 mM NaCl) and SA at 4 concentrations (0, 0.25, 0.5 and 1 mM). The results showed that SA significantly increased growth parameters of lettuce plants under salinity stress condition and reduced adverse effects of stress. With increased salinity severity, proline and malondialdehyde content and antioxidant activity increased but growth parameters decreased. In high concentrations of SA, all the measured parameters were increased while the malondialdehyde content was decreased. In general, SA application with an increase in proline content and antioxidant activity, and a decrease in peroxidation rate of cell membrane lipids led to decrease in adverse effects of salinity stress on lettuce plants.

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Salinity is one of the greatest factors that limit the producion of horticultural crops in many parts of the world, especially in arid and semi-arid areas. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) is an annual herbacious plant whose annual global production is over 80 million tons. In areas with warm and dry climate which are suitable for the production of tomatoes, salt is considered a major problem. This research was done in order to study the salinity effects on growth and physiological characteristics of tomato plant cultivars Super strain–B and Red clud. Firstly, seeds were planted in metal trays filled with sand in the greenhouse environment with sufficient moisture, and then seedlings in two leaf stages were transplanted to hydroponics’ medium with a Johnson nutritional solution. After establishment, the five levels of salinity treatments including, zero (control), 40, 80, 120 and 160 mM of Nacl were applied in three replications. The results showed that salt stress significantly reduces shoot and root dry weight, number of leaves, leaf area, leaf chlorophyll content, and stress index (Fv/Fm) of both cultivars. Specific leaf area (SLA) in both cultivars decreased due to salinity treatment however, this reduction was not significant in Red clud cultivar. Salinity also significantly increased the amount of proline in shoots in both cultivars. The results were suggestive of the relative resistance of tomato plant cultivar Red clud in comparison with Super strain-B to salinity conditions.

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Salinity is one of the most important ecological stresses which have undesirable effects on seed germination. This study was carried out to evaluate the germination of three species of lawn (Poa pratensis, Lolium perenne, Cynodon dactylon) seeds under salinity stress. The effect of different treatments (Gibberellins 50 mgl-1, 2% CaCl2 and hydroprimig in 24 hours) was evaluated on total germination, mean daily germination, maximum and mean germination percent in three species of lawn, under four levels of salinity (0, 3, 6, 9 dS/m). Priming factor (Gibberellins and water) was more effective than salinity on the seed germination. Among lawn types, Lolium perenne and Cynodon dactylon indicated greater seed germination percentage and germination rate. The least rate and percentage of germination belonged to Poa pratensis. Among priming treatments, gibberellins had the greatest effect on germination, followed by hydropriming. However, interaction effects of "Lolium × CaCl2" were greater than other treatments on the mean daily germination and germination value. Based on the results, seed priming specially Gibberellins could be an appropriate substrate to improve seed germination in lawns, when grown under salinity.

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The effect of soil salinity on plant growth is due to two factors, namely, increase in osmotic pressure of soil solution and the ionic composition of salt. The present experiment was conducted to obtain information about the response of pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) to salinity and ionic composition of the salt. Salinity with different relative composition of sodium chloride and sodium sulfate were applied to two pistachio cultivars, Fandoghi and Badami. Yield (dry matter of leaf and shoots produced in each pot) of plants were compared by the analysis of variances method of F and Duncan tests.

The yields of the cultivars were significantly different (P≤0.01) with Fandoghi cultivar producing less shoots and leaf and, consequently, lower total dry matter. Increasing the salinity level decreased the plant growth. Leaves were more sensitive to salinity. Increasing the ratio of sulfate salt alleviated the depressive effect of salinity such that when salinity was 100% sodium sulfate, the dry matter yield of shoots was 1.5 times and that of leaf was 1.7 times higher compared to the treatment where salinity was 100% sodium chloride. Leaf was more sensitive than shoots and, therefore, it showed a more positive response to chloride decreasing.

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This study was carried out in two years, 2012 and 2013, to determine the effects of salinity and different kochia plant densities on yield and some physiological characteristics of sorghum (cv. Sepideh) at Salinity Research Center, National Salinity Research Center, Yazd, Iran. Treatments consisted of water salinity levels: 2 (control), 6, 10, and 14 dS m^-1 of NaCl as main plots and different kochia (K. indica) densities: 0 (weed free sorghum, D₀), 80 (D₁), 60 (D₂), and 40 (D₃) cm between kochia plants on the sorghum row as sub plots. Results showed that at each salinity level, increase in kochia plant density was accompanied by reduction in sorghum dry matter, leaf area index and crop growth rate. Decreases in dry matter and leaf area index of sorghum due to kochia were more pronounced when grown at salinities of up to 6 dS m^-1. Chlorophyll content index at 6, 10 and 14 dS m^-1 were 23, 32 and 40% lower than the non-saline control. Increase in irrigation water salinity was accompanied by increase in canopy temperature. Canopy temperature of plants subjected to 14 dS m^-1 of salt was higher than the non–stressed control by 13.6%. The weed free sorghum treatment had the highest canopy temperature. Therefore, it is necessary to control both salinity and Kochia indica to avoid meaningful decreases in sorghum yield.

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In a pot experiment, the growth (Dry matter) responses of 18 rapeseed varieties to three levels of NaCl salinity induced by 1.2, 6, and 12 dS.m^-1 were investigated using a factorial experiment with a randomized complete block design in 3 replications. The results indicated that salinity reduced total dry matter, Na concentration, K/Na ratio, ion selectivity of K versus Na, and leaf water potential while it increased K concentration. However, the leaf water potential of the plants had the highest and a significantly negative correlation with total dry matter accumulation. Therefore, it seemed that leaf water content of the plants could explain the tolerance or sensitivity responses to salinity. The rapeseed varieties were accordingly ranked into different groups. The varieties viz, Alice, Fonax, DP.94.8 and Licord were classified as saline tolerant group, and varieties such as Okapi, Akamar and Eurol as saline sensitive group. The remaining eight rapeseed varieties were moderately tolerant. Moreover, the response of rapeseed varieties viz. Consul, VDH8003-98 and Orient were different such that the above explanation could not be applied to them. Therefore, halophytic strategies for these three varieties might be worth further investigation.

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To evaluate effects of different salinity levels on activity of antioxidant enzymes (CAT, APX and GPX) and osmotic components (carbohydrate and proline) in two sorghum genotypes, an experiment was conducted as completely randomized factorial design with three replications in Zabol university in 2007. Three levels of salinity control (0), 100 and 200 mM NaCl and two sorghum genotypes (Payam and Sistan) were compared. Results showed that by increasing salinity levels from 0 to 200 mM NaCl, the activities of these three antioxidant enzymes were significantly increased and the highest level of activity was observed in 200 mM salinity. Payam cultivar had the highest level of APX and GPX enzyme activity in these experiments. salinity significantly changed two osmotic adjustment concentrations (Carbohydrate and proline) and increased their concentrations. The highest proline and carbohydrate were showN in Sistan and Payam, respectively. In this study we found positive correlation between osmotic components and antioxidant enzyme activity. The results showed that in these two sorghum cultivars the two mechanisms help with salinity tolerance. A direct relationship between activity of the antioxidant- enzymes and accumulation of osmotic regulators (carbohydrate and proline) was observed. In Payam genotype, as the activity of the enzymes and accumulation of osmotic regulators increased, the weight of the plants decreased. The decrease in weight could mean some of plant energy is allocated to the production of antioxidant enzymes and osmotic regulators.