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A. Teiymouri, A.a. Amirinejad, M. Ghobadi,
Volume 12, Issue 1 (5-2021)
Volume 12, Issue 1 (5-2021)
Abstract
Amending soil with biochar (BC) and foliar application of salicylic acid (SA) are two new methods for reducing the effects of heavy metals on plant growth. To evaluate the effects of SA and BC made from rapeseed wastes on alleviation of lead (Pb) stress in salvia (Salvia afficinalis L.), a factorial experiment was conducted in a complete randomized design with three replications in the greenhouse. The factors included Pb concentration at three levels (0, 150 and 300 mg/kg as Pb(NO3)2), BC at three levels (0, 1 and 3% by weight) and SA at three levels (0, 150, and 300 μM). The results showed that Pb stress reduced all growth characteristics of salvia, but the treatments interactions on the proline content, soluble sugars and Pb concentration and the most growth characteristics such as leaf area ad root volume were significant (p < 0.01). The highest proline content (25.7 mmol/g) and Pb concentration (4.36 mg/kg) were obtained at 300 μg/kg of Pb, and BC and SA controls. Also, the highest concentration of soluble sugars (0.41 mg/kg) was found at 300 mg/kg of Pb, 300 μM SA and BC control. In general, although Pb stress had a decreasing effect on most morphological characteristics of salvia, but simultaneous application of BC and SA, as a simple and low-cost strategy, could reduce the negative effects of Pb by increasing proline and soluble sugars in the plant.
S. Osmanpour, A.a. , N. Ghaderi,
Volume 12, Issue 1 (5-2021)
Volume 12, Issue 1 (5-2021)
Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the effect of jasmonic acid (JA) and silica nanoparticles (SNA) on some physio-biochemical traits of strawberry cv. Parus. Three levels of JA (0, 0.25 and 0.5 mM) and three levels of SNA (0, 1, and 2 mM) incorporated in the nutrient solution plus two sodium chloride treatments (0 and 50 mM) were tested. The experimental factors were set up according to a completely randomized design with three replications. Traits measured included content of photosynthetic pigments (PHPs), proline, total soluble carbohydrates (TSC), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), total soluble proteins (TSP), the level of membrane stability index (MSI), relative water content (RWC), peroxidase (POD) and enzyme activities. Results showed that the highest RWC, MSI and TSC were obtained at 0.5 mM JA and 2 mM SNA treatments under control salinity, while these traits were the lowest under salinity stress with no treatment application. The application of 0.5 mM JA and 2 mM SNA increased RWC and TSP under salinity up to %47.5. The K absorption was decreased significantly under salt stress (%48.4), while the Na uptake increased by %54.6. The JA at 0.25 and 0.5 mM decreased Na absorption by %35.2 and %42.3, respectively. On the other hand, the activity of POD was directly correlated with silicon nanoparticles concentrations. The JA and SNA alleviated the deleterious effect of salinity on PHPs. In general, the implementation of JA and SNAs could improve physiological traits under both salinity stress and non-stress conditions as the best results were obtained at higher application of JA and SNA.
Z. Saydi, N.a. Abbasi, M.j. Zare, B. Zarei,
Volume 12, Issue 2 (9-2021)
Volume 12, Issue 2 (9-2021)
Abstract
In order to investigate the effect of nitoxin biofertilizer on black seed (SN) under different levels of water stress, an experiment was conducted in the research farm of Ilam University using a split-split plot arrangement based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications in 1398-1399. The main plots were water stress treatment at three levels including no stress, moderate and severe stress based on 100, 50 and 35% of plant water requirement. The sub-plots and sub-sub plots were biofertilizer treatments (at two levels) and four black seed ecotypes (Isfahan, Semirom, Mashhad and Neyshabour), respectively. Based on the results, the highest amounts of chlorophyll a, b and total pigments were 0.711, 0.523 and 1.235 mg g-1 FW from control and the highest levels of anthocyanin (14.69 μmol g-1 FW), catalase (0.0152 U min-1 g-1 P or units per minute per gram of protein) and proline (5.84 micromoles per gram of fresh leaves) were obtained in the severe water stress treatment. Results also showed that the highest amount of proline (0.0152 units per minute per gram of protein) and chlorophyll pigments including chlorophyll a, b and total with 0.711, 0.523 and 1.235 mg per gram of fresh leaves, respectively, were obtained in the control. The use of nitroxin biofertilizer increased the levels of anthocyanin and catalase. Among the tested ecotypes, Semirom had the highest amount of chlorophyll b pigment (0.39 mg g-1 of fresh leaves) and the highest amount of catalase activity (0.0087 U min-1 g-1 P). Neyshabour and Isfahan ecotypes had the highest anthocyanin content (9.21 μmol g-1 fresh leaf) with the highest proline concentration (4.4 μmol g-1 fresh leaf) and total chlorophyll a. Based on the analysis of variance of the data, the triple interaction of water stress × nitroxin × ecotype on all measured physiological traits except catalase activity and chlorophyll a pigment was statistically significant at 5% probability level. Decreased chlorophyll indicates susceptibility to drought stress and increased anthocyanin, catalase and proline indicate plant response to stress. Examining the physiological characteristics of black seed under drought stress indicated that black seed is almost sensitive to drought stress. The results showed that there was a difference between black seed ecotypes in terms of response to dehydration and biofertilizer was able to improve the plant's response to stress to some extent.
R. Amooaghaie, M. Majidi,
Volume 12, Issue 3 (12-2021)
Volume 12, Issue 3 (12-2021)
Abstract
Salinity is one of the most common abiotic stresses that affects growth and secondary metabolism in medicinal plants. In this study, the effects of two times foliar application of nano titanium dioxide on some agronomic traits of ajowan (Carum copticum) under salinity stress was investigated in a pot experiment. This study was conducted as a factorial experiment with completely randomized design and three replications. The factors included three levels of salinity (0, 50, and 100 mg L-1) and 5 concentrations of TiO2 nanoparticles (0, 10, 20, 40, and 80 mg L-1). Salinity treatments were implemented by adding NaCl to irrigation water of pots containing clay soil three times per week. The results showed that long-term irrigation with slightly saline water significantly decreased dry matter yield, height, total chlorophyll, weight of 100 seeds, number of seeds per plant, and seed yield and increased lipid peroxidation and the activities of catalase ( CAT ) and peroxidase (POX). Impact of 50 mg L-1 salt was not significant on essential oil percentage and essence yield; but 100 mg L-1 salt significantly (33.1%) decreased essential oil content. Foliar spraying of plants with 20 and 40 mg L-1 nano titanium dioxide had the most positive impact on growth and seed yield and significantly lowered lipid peroxidation via enhancing the activities of antioxidant enzymes under salt stress. Foliar spraying with 40 mg L-1 nano titanium dioxide significantly improved essential oil concentration (43.3%) and total essential oil yield (59.7%) under 100 mg L-1 salinity condition. The effect of foliar spraying with 80 mg L-1 nano titanium dioxide on some of the measured attributes was less than the impact of applying 20 and 40 mg L-1 nano titanium dioxide. These results suggest that foliar application of nano titanium dioxide with appropriate concentration improves salt tolerance, seed yield and essential oil content in ajowan.
M.h. Noshad, E. Chavoshi, M.r. Mosaddeghi, V. Dorostkar, F. Hosseini,
Volume 12, Issue 4 (3-2022)
Volume 12, Issue 4 (3-2022)
Abstract
This research was performed to determine the effect of inoculation of two species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on soil available water (SAW) and glomalin concentration under drought and salinity stresses according to a factorial based on completely randomized design with three replications. Treatments included two plant species Atriplex canescens and Haloxylon ammodendron with inoculation of two fungal species Glomus geosporum and Glomus mosseae plus two levels of salinity stress at 7 and 14 dS m-1, and two levels of drought stress including maximum allowable depletion (MAD) of 50 and 80%. After one year of treatments, plant available water (PAW), least limiting water range (LLWR), integral water capacity (IWC), total and easily extractable glomalin concentration and soil organic carbon (SOC) content were measured. Results indicated a significant increase in SOC, glomalin concentration, PAW, LLWR, and IWC by increasing the salinity level in treatments inoculated with G. mosseae and G. geosporum. The highest percentages of increase in PAW (147%), LLWR (140%) and IWC (85%) as compared with control were observed under combined salinity and low drought treatment (14 dS cm-1 + MAD of 50%) in A. canescens inoculated by G. geosporum. The highest concentrations of total glomalin and easily extractable glomalin were observed in both plant species under salinity of 14 dS m-1 and severe drought treatment (MAD of 80%) with the inoculation by G. geosporum and G. mosseae. Overall the results of this research indicated a reduction in negative consequences of drought and salinity stresses in the soil under cultivation of A. canescens and H. ammodendron, with application of mycorrhizal fungi.
J. Nabati, M. Goldani, M. Mohammadi, S.m. Mirmiran, A. Asadi ,
Volume 12, Issue 4 (3-2022)
Volume 12, Issue 4 (3-2022)
Abstract
Salinity tolerant of 24 lentil genotypes was investigated in a split-plot based on a randomized complete blocks design with three replications. Salinity levels (0.5, 12, and 16 dS m-1) were arranged as the main plot and lentil genotypes as the subplot. Results indicated that salinity levels of 12 and 16 dS m-1 reduced the survival percentage of all genotypes compared to control. MLC57, MLC73, MLC94, MLC104, and MLC108 genotypes were not able to tolerate the 16 dS m-1 salinity level. Morphological traits were affected by salinity stress as plant height, number of branches per plant, dry weight, and leaf survival percentage in most genotypes were decreased. Compared to control, the lowest reductions of plant height, number of branches per plant, plant dry weight, and leaf survival percentage were observed at salinity level of 16 dS m-1 in MLC13, MLC120, MLC4, and MLC12 genotypes, respectively. Also the lowest increase in Na+ (5.5 times) and the highest increase in Ca2+ (4 times) were observed at salinity level of 16 dS m-1, in MLC108 and MLC78, respectively. In other words, these genotypes were able to reduce the adverse effects of increased NaCl in higher salinity levels. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that all genotypes of the first group (MLC6, MLC12, MLC26, MLC117, MLC120, and MLC178) were superior for most traits as compared to the total mean. Generally, it could be concluded that this group of genotypes has a better survival percentage and growth characteristics in salinity conditions, which may be used to select salinity tolerant lentil genotypes in subsequent studies.
L. Cheheltanan, B. Baninasab, M. Gholami,
Volume 13, Issue 1 (5-2022)
Volume 13, Issue 1 (5-2022)
Abstract
Salinity is one of the most important abiotic stresses that severely affect the yield and quality of plants. The use of hydrogen sulfide in low concentrations increases tolerance to various stresses, including salinity in plants. This study aimed to investigate the effect of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) on reducing the damage to almond rootstock under salinity stress. The experiment was performed as a factorial based on a completely randomized design with four replications. The treatments included four levels of salinity (0, 30, 60 and 90 mM NaCl) and four concentrations of H2S (0, 0.05, 0.10 and 0.15 mM). Results showed that salinity stress, especially at a concentration of 90 mM NaCl caused a significant decrease in stem height, relative chlorophyll and leaf relative water content and a significant increase in injury rating value, electrolyte leakage, proline and sodium concentrations of root and shoot, activities of catalase and peroxidase of leaf. However, H2S at concentrations of 0.10 and 0.15 mM improved plant growth with a decrease in electrolyte leakage and sodium concentration of root, and a significant increase in proline, relative chlorophyll and antioxidant enzyme activity ameliorated the negative effect of salinity stress and improved plant growth.
M. Manzari Tavakoli, B. Zahedi, H. R. Roosta,
Volume 13, Issue 1 (5-2022)
Volume 13, Issue 1 (5-2022)
Abstract
Today, soil salinization and alkalization have become an environmental problem that has limited agricultural production. The use of silicon and LED light can reduce the limitation of agricultural production in saline and alkaline conditions. For this purpose, a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design in three replications was implemented to investigate the effect of sodium silicate and light sources in reducing salinity and alkalinity stress on Physalis angulate L. Treatments included sodium silicate at 0 and 75 mg L-1, four sources of natural light greenhouse (control), red light (100%), blue light (100%) and 70% red light + 30% blue light and NaHCO3 + NaCl at 0, 10 + 40 and 20 + 80 mM. The results showed that simultaneous use of silicon and LED light in all three conditions of non-stress, mild and severe stresses increased the leaf relative water content and water use efficiency, particularly in severe stress condition. The use of silicon increased the contents of phenol and proline in both non-stress and stress conditions, and the use of LED especially blue + red light, also increased these factors. Although the interactions of the studied factors were not significant on the amount of soluble sugars, glutamine synthetase enzyme of root and shoot, Mn and Zn and SPAD index, the application of silicon as well as LED light had an increasing effect on all these factors. Therefore, the use of silicon and LED light can improve the growth factors of Physalis angulata L. and increase the resistance of this plant to salinity-alkalinity stress.
F. Ebrahimi,
Volume 13, Issue 1 (5-2022)
Volume 13, Issue 1 (5-2022)
Abstract
Sorghum is of the most important forage plants with high production potential, the ability to grow in areas with poor soil, and high adaptation to stresses. To assess the effect of water deficit stress, the production potential and the relationship between important traits, 36 forage sorghum cultivars were studied under water deficit condition using a 6×6 Lattice design at the research farm of Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman in May, 2020. Water deficit was applied at the beginning of heading stage by irrigating at 85% depletion of soil available water. The non-stress conditions consisted of irrigation when 50% of the total available water was depleted from the root zone. The ANOVA showed that water deficit significantly reduced fresh forage yield and plant height by 44.80 and 18.28%, respectively. Cultivars unl Hybrid3, Wray, Speed Feed, and Smith had the highest fresh forage yields in both moisture conditions. Mean comparisons of MP, YI, GMP, and STI indices and principal component analysis for different indices showed that unl Hybrid3, Speed Feed, Wray, Smith, ICSV 25264, and Dale were as tolerant and high yielding cultivars in both moisture conditions. Based on the results of path analysis, plant height and stem diameter had the most direct effect on fresh forage yield under non-stress and water stress conditions, respectively. They had the most indirect effect on sorghum fresh forage yield through stem diameter and plant height, respectively. It may be concluded that water stress at the reproductive growth stage significantly reduced the growth and forage yield of sorghum. However, sufficient variation in the studied germplasm suggested the possibility of selection for more tolerant cultivars. The more tolerant cultivars with high yield potential in the studied germplasm may be proposed for cultivation in regions with limited water resources and traits identified effective on yield increase are suggested for breeding objectives.
A. Noroozi, M.m. Majidi, F. Ebrahimi,
Volume 13, Issue 4 (3-2023)
Volume 13, Issue 4 (3-2023)
Abstract
Abstract
The ability of phenological adjustment and accelerate maturation is one of the most drought tolerance mechanisms in crops. Tall fescue is one of the valuable forage and turf grasses that is used to prevent soil erosion and produce forage in pastures and is compatible with most soils and climates. In this research, yield potential and genetic variation of three phenological groups including mid-flowering group (parental group), early and late flowering groups each containing 25 genotypes, selected from a poly cross community, were studied under non-stress and water deficit conditions in the research farm of Isfahan University of Technology for two years. Irrigation was applied when 90 and 50% of available soil water were depleted for stress and normal environments, respectively. The results showed that there was considerable variation in the studied germplasms in terms of all studied traits and responses to water deficit stress. The highest value of genetic variation belonged to forage yield. The results showed that dry forage yield in the first and second harvest stress decreased by 17% and 52% due to water deficit, respectively. The highest estimate of heritability was related to the trait of day to anthesis and the lowest was related to the percentage of dry matter and forage yield. The results showed that the highest dry forage yield under non-stress conditions belonged to the late flowering group. Means comparison of genotypes showed that the highest dry forage yield under normal and water stress belonged to genotypes 10 (from America with 209.50 g/plant) and 3 (from Yasouj with 142.25 g/plant), respectively, in the late flowering group, genotypes 25 (from Shahrood with 383 g/plant) and 22 (from Poland with 178.50 g/plant), respectively in early flowering group and genotypes 25 (from Shahrood) with 222.50 and 182.25 g/plant in the parental group, respectively. The results indicate that the studied genotypes may have incomplete summer dormancy that should be investigated in future studies. Considerable genetic diversity between and within phenological groups and their different responses to drought stress can be used to develop and produce suitable synthetic varieties for soils with limited water resources.
Background and Objective: Plant water deficits may occur as a consequence of a seasonal decline in soil water availability, developing in the long term, or may result from drought spells (1). Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb), the most important forage and turf grass species, is a widely used grass species that can be found abundantly in cold and dry regions (3). Tall fescue has a deep root system compared to other cool-season grasses. It has become an important grass for turf and soil conservation. Tall fescue is well cultivated in acidic soils with a pH equal to 4.8 to alkaline soils with a pH of 9.5 (2). In this research, the yield potential and genetic diversity of three different phenological groups of tall fescue genotypes were studied under non-stress and water deficit conditions.
Methods: Three different tall fescue groups in terms of phenology, each contained 25 genotypes, mid-flowering group (parental group), early and late flowering groups, selected from a polycross nursery, were studied under non-stress and water deficit conditions in the research farm of Isfahan University of Technology for two years. In non-stress and water deficit stress conditions, irrigation was applied when 50% and 90% of the total available water was depleted from the root zone, respectively.
Results: The results of the analysis of variance revealed highly significant (p < 0.01) difference among the cultivars for the studied traits. Also, the interaction between cultivar and environment was significant for all the studied traits. The highest value of genetic variation belonged to dry forage yield. Water deficit stress significantly reduced dry forage yield in the first and second harvest by 44.80 and 18.28%, respectively. The highest estimate of heritability was related to the days to anthesis, and the lowest one was related to the percentage of dry matter and forage yield. The results showed that the highest dry forage yield under non-stress conditions belonged to the late flowering group but in the case of water deficit stress there was no significant difference between the early and late flowering groups. Also, the parental group showed the lowest percentage of yield reduction under moisture-stress conditions. A comparison of means showed the highest dry forage yield mean in the early-flowering group was related to genotypes 10 (with 209.50 g/plant) and 3 (with 142.25 g/plant) under non-stress and water deficit stress conditions, respectively. In late-flowering group, genotypes 25 (with 383 g/plant) and 22 (178.50 g/plant) had the highest dry forage yield under non-stress and water deficit stress conditions, respectively. Also, in the parental group, genotypes 25 had the highest dry forage yield with 222.50 and 182.25 g/plant under non-stress and water deficit stress conditions, respectively.
Conclusions: High variation in the studied germplasm for response to water deficit stress can be used to develop suitable cultivars in soils with limited water resources. Water deficit stress significantly reduced forage yield and important traits of tall fescue. However, the reaction of different genotypes to water deficit stress is different so it is possible to find tolerant and high-yielding genotypes suitable for cultivation in different regions. Water deficit stress reduced forage plant weight by 27%, 35%, and 7% in late, early, and parental groups, respectively. Genotypes of the parental group with the lowest percentage of yield reduction under water stress conditions can be assessed to select tolerant cultivars to water stress in future studies. The results of this study indicate that the studied genotypes may have incomplete summer dormancy that should be investigated in future studies. Considerable genetic diversity between and within phenological groups and their different responses to drought stress can be used to develop and produce suitable synthetic varieties for soils with limited water resources.
References:
1. Chaves, M.M., Oliveira, M.M., 2004. Mechanisms underlying plant resilience to water deficits: prospects for water-saving agriculture. Journal of Experimental Botany 55(47): 2365–2384.
2. Khashij, Sh., Karimi, B., Makhdoumi, P., 2018. Phytoremediation with Festuca arundinacea. International Journal of Health and Life Sciences 4(2): 1–7.
3. Nematollahia, F., Tehranifara, A., Nematia, S.H., Kazemia, F., Gazanchianb, Gh.A., 2018. Improving early growing stage of Festuca arundinacea Schreb. using media amendments under water stress conditions. Desert 23(2): 295–306.
A.h. Sherafati, M. Eskandari Torbaghan, M. Heidari Salehabadi,
Volume 13, Issue 4 (3-2023)
Volume 13, Issue 4 (3-2023)
Abstract
Abstract
Organic fertilizers and symbiotic fungi are very important in agriculture because of their special role as a link between soil and plant. Currently, large parts of the country's pistachio orchards are facing water and soil salinity crisis. In this study, the effect of processed pistachio waste compost at three levels (0, 10 and 15 kg per seedling) and mycorrhizal fungi at three levels (0, 100 and 200 g soil containing fungal spores per seedling) belonging to four species (Funneliformis mosseae, Rhizophahus intraradices, Glomus iranicus, Rhizophahus irregularis) on vegetative growth and leaf nutrients concentration of two pistachio cultivars of Akbari and Badami Zarand, with three replications (each replicate consisting of four seedlings) were investigated. This experiment was carried out as a factorial split-plot in randomized complete block design (RCBD) for two years (2017 and 2019) in the saline-sodic soil and water condition. The results showed that 15 kg of pistachio waste compost increased the concentrations of nitrogen, iron, zinc and manganese elements in the leaves by 4, 9.7, 8 and 12.1% compared to control, respectively. Also, the height, width and leaf area of seedling leaves increased by 9.6%, 11.8% and 2.8%, respectively, by applying of 15 kg of pistachio waste compost compared to the control. The maximum concentration of leaf iron (702.2 mg kg-1) was observed in the treatment of 200 g of fungi. In the treatment of 100 g of mycorrhiza, the concentrations of manganese, leaf area and height were the highest with 64.8 mg kg-1, 415.3 cm2 and 44.9 cm, respectively. The root colonization percentages were 35.1 and 27.2 in Akbari and Badami Zarand cultivars, respectively. Overall, 15 kg of pistachio waste compost along with 100 grams of mycorrhizal fungi can result in proper vegetative growth of pistachio seedlings the saline water and soil conditions.
Background and Objective: One of the important problems in the world pistachio industry is the waste produced by pistachio processing. Mycorrhizal fungi is among the most important microorganisms present in most soils and mycorrhizal symbiosis is also one of the most well-known, widespread, and at the same time the most important symbiosis relationship (4). Fertile pistachio cultivated area in Iran is 405691 ha and the total yield was 337381 tons (1). Almost all pistachio orchards in Iran are mainly located in arid and semi-arid regions and have serious limitations (2, 3 and 5). The aim of this study was to determine whether compost of pistachio waste along with mycorrhizal fungus can be effective in improving the nutrient uptake from the soil and the vegetative growth of pistachio seedlings under saline-sodic conditions of soil and water.
Methods: A field experiment was conducted on two seedlings pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) cultivars (Akbari and Badami zarand) in three replications (each replication consisted of four seedlings). The experiment was laid out in the factorial split-plot arrangement based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD) for four years (2016-2017 and 2018-2019) in the Feyzabad pistachio research station of Khorasan Razavi, Iran. Experimental factors including, pistachio waste compost in three levels of zero, 10 and, 15 kg seedling-1; mycorrhizal fungi (belonging to four species, Funneliformis mosseae, Rhizophahus intraradices, Glomus iranicus, and Rhizophahus irregularis) in three levels of zero, 100 and, 200 g of soil containing fungal spores per seedling (one gram of soil containing 100 to 120 propagule of mycorrhizal fungi) were applied in the first and third years of experiment. The investigated traits were recorded and measured in the second and fourth years of the experiment.
Results: The year had a significant effect on nutrient uptake especially calcium, iron and manganese, and biological nitrogen fixation due to a significant increase in rainfall in 2019. Akbari and Badami zarand cultivars seedlings performed better in the uptake of micro and macronutrients, respectively. The relationship between leaf size and nutrients concentrations, especially iron concentration was very clear and significant. Thus, the Akbari cultivar had the highest leaf area and nutrients concentrations. The pistachio waste compost had a greater effect on the concentrations of nitrogen, iron, zinc, and manganese compared to the other nutrients. The low salinity and pH of pistachio waste compost resulted in suitable micronutrient uptake which was appropriate for saline-sodic soil and water condition. The consumption levels of mycorrhiza were not adequate for macroelements’ requirements, but the highest level of mycorrhiza was enough for iron and zinc supply in the saline-sodic condition.
Conclusions: In this study, it was found that, contrary to expectations, the mycorrhizal fungus could not significantly increase the availability of nutrients, especially phosphorus for the pistachio seedlings. These results seem to confirm previous findings that fungi are less active in saline and sodic environments with high pH. Another interesting result was that with an increase in pistachio waste compost, the efficiency of mycorrhizal fungus in the availability of elements was significantly increased. It was also found that the use of pistachio waste compost as an organic fertilizer - previously dubious - could now be a viable alternative to organic fertilizers; because it significantly increased the uptake of macro and microelements for pistachio seedlings. In general, due to the fact that most of the pistachio orchards are located in unfavorable areas of water and soil (high salinity and pH), and pistachios also have a small extension of lateral roots, the combined use of mycorrhizal fungi and pistachio waste compost can significantly improve the soil physical and chemical conditions and plant growth.
References
1. Agricultural Statistics Yearbook, 2019. Volume III. Horticultural Products. Information and Communication Technology Center, Ministry of Jihad Agriculture, Iran.
2. Hosseinifard, J., 2010. Soil and Nutrition. In: Mehrnejad, M.R., Javanshah, A. (Eds.), The Strategic Framework for Developing and Promoting Pistachio Research in Iran. First Edition, Iranian Pistachio Research Institute, Rafsanjan, Iran, pp. 420–495.
3. Mehrnejad, M., Javanshah, A., 2010. Strategic Document of Iranian Pistachio Research. Pistachio Research Center, Rafsanjan.
4. Muchovej, R.M., 2009. Importance of mycorrhizae for agricultural crops. Food and Agricultural Sciences. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
5. Sedaghati, N., Mohammadi Mohammadabadi, A., 2010. Water. In: Mehrnejad, M.R., Javanshah, A. (Eds.), The Strategic Framework for Developing and Promoting Pistachio Research in Iran. First Edition, Iranian Pistachio Research Institute, Rafsanjan, Iran, pp. 71–111.
Z. Sadeghi, M. H. Shamshiri, F. Soroush, H. R. Karimi,
Volume 14, Issue 2 (7-2023)
Volume 14, Issue 2 (7-2023)
Abstract
Abstract
In this study, the possibility of growing greenhouse tomato cv. Dafnis with saving water consumption through grafting on different rootstocks was investigated by studying photosynthesis and plant growth. The experiment was carried out in the form of split plots based on completely randomized design in which the main-plot was irrigation levels (irrigation intervals of 3, 6 and 9 days) and the sub-plot consisted of 9 different grafting combinations. After grafting and establishment of tomato plants in greenhouse, the plants were exposed to the irrigation levels for 4 months and all were irrigated up to field capacity. Photosynthesis parameters were measured in four stages and shoot and root dry weights were determined at the end of the experiment. Based on the results, photosynthetic parameters were reduced by the intensity and duration of drought stress. The experimental results showed that the rate of photosynthesis was the same in all grafting combinations 36 days after the start of irrigation levels. However, after 72 days, the rate of photosynthesis in the “Emperador” rootstock was higher than in the control. The chlorophyll fluorescence indices were not sensitive to show the effects of drought stress and the role of rootstocks. Cherry tomato rootstock, in addition to having an extensive root system than the other rootstocks, resulted in more shoot growth at all levels of irrigation, although the least reduction in root weight was observed in the local eggplant rootstock of Yazd. In general, it can be concluded that the photosynthesis in this experiment was more affected by the interaction of environmental factors and grafting and the rootstocks used did not play a significant role in this regard. Furthermore, root and shoot growth traits were more affected by genetic potential of rootstock, and photosynthetic activities of the plant had a minor influence on them.
Background and Objective: The cultivation of tomato is often threatened by drought stress periods as this crop is largely dependent on sufficient water supply (1). The magnitude and intensity of drought are predicted to increase under climate change scenarios, particularly in semi-arid regions, where water is already a scarce resource. Hence, it is imperative to devise strategies for mitigating the adverse effects of drought on tomato through improvement in the plant’s efficiency of root water uptake. Since the root is the entry point for water, its intrinsic structure and functions play a crucial role in maintaining the soil–water–plant continuum during moisture deficit at the rhizosphere. Grafting offers a great opportunity to replace the root system of the cultivated tomato plants with that of wild species and hence provide a rapid solution to modulate root system architecture in contrast to the time-consuming conventional breeding approach (2). In this study, the possibility of growing greenhouse tomato of Dafnis cultivar by saving water consumption through grafting on different rootstocks and from the point of photosynthesis and growth view was investigated.
Materials and Methods: The experiment was carried out in the form of split plots based on completely randomized design in which the main-plot was irrigation levels (irrigation intervals of 3, 6 and 9 days) and the sub-plot consisted of 9 different grafting combinations. After grafting and establishment in the greenhouse, tomato plants were exposed to the irrigation levels for 4 months and all were irrigated up to field capacity. Photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were measured in 4 stages and shoot and root dry weights were determined at the end of the experiment.
Results: Based on the results, photosynthetic parameters were reduced by the intensity and duration of drought stress. The intensity of photosynthesis was the same in all grafting combinations 36 days after the start of irrigation levels and was not different from the non-grafted control plants. However, after 72 days, the rate of photosynthesis in the “Emperador” rootstock was higher than in the control. In this experiment, chlorophyll fluorescence indices were not sensitive to show the effects of drought stress and the role of rootstocks. Cherry tomato rootstock had, an extensive root system than the other rootstocks, resulted in more shoot growth at all levels of irrigation, although the least reduction in root weight was observed in the local eggplant rootstock of Yazd.
Conclusions: In general, it can be concluded that the process of photosynthesis was more affected by the interaction of environmental factors and grafting, and the rootstocks used did not play a significant role in this regard. Furthermore, root and shoot growth traits were more affected by genetic potential of rootstock, and photosynthetic activities of the plant had a minor influence on them. Grafting as a healthy technique may increase the resistance of tomato plants against drought stress depending on the genotype of the rootstock.
References:
1. Jiang, L., Wang, Y., Zhang, S., He, R., Li, W., Han, J., Cheng, X., 2017. Tomato SlDREB1 gene conferred the transcriptional activation of drought-induced gene and an enhanced tolerance of the transgenic Arabidopsis to drought stress. Plant Growth Regulation 81: 131–145.
2. Rouphael, Y., Kyriacou, M.C., Colla, G., 2018. Vegetable grafting: A toolbox for securing yield stability under multiple stress conditions. Frontiers in Plant Science 8: 2255.
R. Norouzi Esfahani, Sh. Khaghani, M. Gomarian, A. Azizi, F. Mortazaeinezhad,
Volume 14, Issue 2 (7-2023)
Volume 14, Issue 2 (7-2023)
Abstract
Abstract
The use of organic fertilizers is one of the appropriate ways to produce medicinal plants due to their proper impact on the various soil properties, maintaining environmental health and better plant growth. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of various vermicompost levels on the growth and the morphological and physiological properties of the medicinal-ornamental plant of the Mullein, under drought stress conditions. The research was carried out in the form of split plots in a complete blocks design with four replicates. Experimental treatments included the use of vermicompost organic fertilizer at three levels of zero, 4, and 8 kg/m2 (equivalent to zero, 4, and 8 tons per hectare) and drought stress at two levels of normal irrigation (no stress) and irrigation at 50% of soil field capacity (FC). The results showed that the use of vermicompost and drought stress improved the morphological and physiological traits of the medicinal plant of Mullein. The highest height of the stem, the stem flower, the number of leaves, the height of the flower, the dry weight of shoot, and the root length were obtained by the use of vermicompost at 4 and 8 kg/m2 levels. The use of vermicompost at the rate of 8 kg/m2 increased chlorophyll and anthocyanin, respectively, by 53.7 and 122% compared to control. It was observed that by applying vermicompost at the levels of 4 and 8 kg/m2, significant changes in the morphological and physiological traits of the Mullein plant occurred. On the other hand, the combination of vermicompost application and mild drought stress also caused positive changes in the plant traits. Therefore, mild drought stress, and also for improving the vegetative growth and reproductive efficiency of the medicinal-ornamental plant of the Mullein, the use of vermicompost at 4 kg/m2 (equivalent to 4 tons per hectare) are recommended.
Background and Objective: Due to the lack of water resources, it is important to introduce and use native plant species with valuable medicinal properties such as the Mullein (1). The use of organic fertilizers is one of the appropriate ways to produce medicinal plants due to its proper impact on the various soil properties, maintaining environmental health and better plant growth (2). Drought is one of the environmental stresses that affect the plant growth, structure and activities, and plant response to environmental stresses varies in morphological, cellular, and molecular levels. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of various vermicompost levels on the growth and the morphological and physiological properties of the medicinal-ornamental plant of the Mullein, under drought stress conditions.
Methods: The research was carried out in a research farm in the form of split plots in a complete blocks design with four replicates. Experimental treatments included the application of vermicompost organic fertilizer at three levels of zero, 4, and 8 kg/m2 (equivalent to zero, 4, and 8 tons per hectare) and drought stress at two levels of normal irrigation (no stress) and irrigation at 50% soil field capacity (FC). Then, the morphological and physiological properties of the Mullein were determined and analyzed.
Results: The results showed that the use of vermicompost fertilizer and drought stress improved the morphological and physiological traits of the medicinal plant. The highest height of the stem, the stem flower, the number of leaves, the height of the flower, the dry weight of shoot, and the root length were obtained by the use of vermicompost at 4 and 8 kg/m2 levels. The use of vermicompost at the rate of 8 kg/m2 increased chlorophyll and anthocyanin, respectively, by 53.7 and 122% compared to the control. The production of most secondary metabolites and plant growth increased significantly in the drought stress condition presumably due to osmotic regulation. It was observed that by applying vermicompost at the levels of 4 and 8 kg/m2, significant changes in the morphological and physiological traits of the Mullein plant occurred. The contents of chlorophyll and anthocyanin pigments increased by 1.67 and 0.25 mg/g, respectively, with the application of vermicompost fertilizer at the rate of 8 kg/m2 compared to the control.
Therefore, mild drought stress, and also for improving the vegetative growth and reproductive efficiency of the medicinal-ornamental plant of the Mullein, the use of vermicompost at 4 kg/m2 (equivalent to 4 tons per hectare) are recommended.
Conclusions: Due to improving soil physical and chemical properties and the nutritional conditions, vermicompost was able to increase the plant growth. The combination of vermicompost application and mild drought stress also caused positive changes in the plant traits. Therefore, mild drought stress, and also for improving the vegetative growth and reproductive efficiency of the medicinal-ornamental plant of the Mullein, the use of vermicompost at 4 kg/m2 (equivalent to 4 tons per hectare) are recommended. These results suggest that the planting of Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) provides an opportunity for significant reductions in the water use in urban landscapes.
References:
1. Dong, X., Mkala, E., Mutinda, E., Yang, J., Wanga, V., Oulo, M., Onjolo, V., Hu, G., Wang, Q., 2022. Taxonomy, comparative genomics of Verbascum Scrophulariaceae, with implications for the evolution of lamiales. BMC Genomics 23: 1–22.
2. Xiaolu, W., 2016. Drought stress and re-watering increase secondary metabolites and enzyme activity in Dendrobium moniliforme. Plant-Microbe-Animal Interactions 94: 385–393.
M. Moosavi, R. Khorassani, R. Tavakkol Afshari,
Volume 14, Issue 3 (10-2023)
Volume 14, Issue 3 (10-2023)
Abstract
Abstract
Phosphorus deficiency and drought stress are limiting factors in wheat yield. Drought stress has different effects on the uptake, utilization and use efficiency of soil phosphorus in wheat cultivars. The purpose of this study is to investigate the response of growth and development, uptake and efficiency of phosphorus in Sirvan and Sivand wheat cultivars at three moisture stress levels of 50, 70 and 95% of soil field capacity (FC) and two phosphorus levels of 0 and 25 mg kg-1. The results showed that addition of phosphorus increased shoot dry weight, phosphorus utilization efficiency, root length and area, and soluble sugars by 42, 61, 84, 47, and 66%, respectively, and decreased electrolyte leakage by 64% under stress conditions of 50%FC. Besides, the phosphorus application of 25 mg kg-1 under drought stress conditions of 50%FC increased the shoot dry weight of the Sirvan variety by 75% compared to the Sivand variety. This increase can be due to the effect of phosphorus on metabolic activities inside the plant, which has led to an increase in root growth, soluble sugar production and cell wall resistance, and a decrease in electrolyte leakage. Therefore, the positive changes observed in different traits and indices due to the use of phosphorus increased the resistance of the Sirvan cultivar compared to Sivand under drought stress conditions. According to the results of phosphorus efficiency and some root morphological and physiobiochemical characteristics, Sirvan cultivar showed a good response to phosphorus fertilizer in modulating the effect of drought stress.
Background and Objective: Drought is one of the most widespread abiotic stresses which has a negative effect on the growth and yield of plants in most areas of the world. Drought stress reduces plant yield by decreasing the uptake of water and nutrients. The arid and semi-arid climate conditions of Iran have caused many problems in the production of plants, including wheat (Triticum aesivum L.). Phosphorus, as one of the essential nutritional elements for plants, can be effective in alleviating drought stress (Kang et al., 2014). In recent years, the use of plants and cultivars efficient in uptake nutrients, including phosphorus, as an appropriate strategy to increase crop yield in water-limited environments has been the focus of researchers. Phosphorous efficient cultivars are important due to their special physiological and morphological characteristics in drought stress conditions (Neji et al., 2019). Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the mechanism of efficient cultivars against drought stress for accurate fertilizer recommendations.
Methods: To evaluate Sirvan and Sivand wheat cultivars, in phosphorus uptake and efficiency and growth and development at different levels of moisture stress and phosphorus, a factorial experiment was performed based on a completely randomized design with three factors and three replications during the vegetative growth period in the greenhouse. The factors included phosphorus from Ca(H₂PO4)₂·H2O (0, and 25 mg P kg soil-1), three moisture regimes including 50, 70 and 95% of field capacity (FC) and two spring wheat varieties (Triticum aesivum L.) of Sivand as a drought-sensitive variety and Sirvan as a drought-resistant variety.
Results: According to the results, it was observed that the application of phosphorus (25 mg kg-1) was effective on the growth and development of the studied wheat cultivars under non-stress and drought stress conditions. Application of phosphorus increased shoot dry weight, phosphorus utilization efficiency, root length and area, and soluble sugars by 42, 61, 84, 47, and 66%, respectively, and decreased electrolyte leakage by 64% under drought stress conditions of 50%FC. Also, the phosphorus application of 25 mg kg-1 under drought stress conditions of 50%FC increased the shoot dry weight of Sirvan variety by 75% compared to Sivand variety. This finding can be due to higher root growth and its characteristics (root area and cumulative length), uptake and utilization of soil phosphorus and physiobiochemical characteristics in Sirvan variety. The application of phosphorus with a positive effect on the growth and development of the Sirvan variety in the vegetative growth stage made it adapt to drought stress conditions.
Conclusions: The application of phosphorus at the level of 25 mg kg-1 under drought stress conditions increased the shoot dry weight, root area and length, phosphorus uptake and efficiency, and soluble sugars and decreased electrolyte leakage. These changes were more noticeable in Sirvan variety. The use efficiency of phosphorus in the stages of vegetative growth can play an important role in determining the resistance of cultivars to drought stress. It is considered a good feature for a suitable fertilizer recommendation in order to improve the yield of agricultural products. Also, using the appropriate level of phosphorus can play an effective role in the efficiency of drought-resistant cultivars.
References:
1. Kang, L.y., Yue, S.C., Li, S.Q., 2014. Effects of phosphorus application in different soil layers on root growth, yield, and water-use efficiency of winter wheat grown under semi-arid conditions. J. Integr. Agric. 13(9), 2028–2039. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119(14)60751-6.
2. Neji, M., Kouas, S., Gandour, M., Aydi, S., Abdelly, C., 2019. Genetic variability of morpho-physiological response to phosphorus deficiency in Tunisian populations of Brachypodium hybridum. Plant Physiol. Biochem. 143, 246–256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2019.09.006.
H. Kakaei, A.a. Amirinejad, M. Ghobadi,
Volume 14, Issue 3 (10-2023)
Volume 14, Issue 3 (10-2023)
Abstract
Abstract
The use of plant hormones has been introduced as a simple and suitable strategy to reduce the adverse effect of heavy metals in plants. To investigate the effect of salicylic acid (SA) in reducing lead (Pb) stress in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.), a factorial experiment was conducted based on completely randomized design with three replications in the greenhouse of Razi University. Factors included soil Pb contamination at three levels (0, 150 and 300 mg kg-1 soil as Pb(NO3)2) and SA at three levels (0, 250 and 500 μM). Results showed that the highest proline content (23.4 mmol g-1) and Pb concentration (4.26 mg kg-1) were obtained in 300 mg kg-1 of Pb and 0 μM SA, which shows an increase of 303 and 387%, respectively, compared to the control (without Pb and SA). Also, the highest amount of soluble sugars (0.48 mg kg-1), plant height (43.5 cm), root length (18.3 cm/plant), shoot dry weight (7.48 g/plant), and leaf area (263.1 cm2/plant) were found in the treatment of 500 μM SA and 0 mg kg-1 Pb. In general, the results showed that the application of SA, as a plant hormone, is a simple and convenient method to reduce the adverse effects of Pb stress in tomato.
Background and Objective: Heavy metals are non-biodegradable and persistent in nature thereby disrupting the environment and causing huge health threats to humans (Ferronato and Torretta, 2019). Lead (Pb) is a toxic heavy metal that enters the environment through various anthropogenic sources, and inhibits plant growth and development. Lead toxicity may result from disturbance in plant metabolism as a consequence of disturbance in the uptake and translocation of mineral nutrients (Hussain et al., 2017). A new method for reducing the effect of heavy metals on plants is the use of growth regulators such as salicylic acid (SA) (Vaculík et al., 2019). Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) is an important vegetable that is rich in minerals, various vitamins and antioxidant compounds. Since the cultivation of tomato, as an important and highly productive crop, is very common in many parts of Iran, including on the side of the roads, there is a possibility of contamination of the arable soils with lead. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of foliar spraying of salicylic acid on reducing Pb-induced stress in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.).
Methods: A factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with three replications was conducted in the greenhouse of Razi University. Factors included Pb at three levels (0, 150 and 300 mg kg-1 as Pb(NO3)2) and SA at three levels (0, 250, and 500 μM). The solutions containing Pb(NO3)2 were sprayed uniformly on the soil sub-samples according to the desired concentrations. The samples were kept moist for 30 days close to the soil field capacity (FC). At the four-leaf stage, SA foliar spraying started and replicated three times until the beginning of flowering. After harvest, some characteristics including soluble sugars and proline content, plant height, shoot and root dry weights, and root volume and length were determined. Also, Pb concentration in leaf extract were measured by Varian AA220 atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) and mean comparisons (Duncan's multiple range test, p < 0.05) were performed using SPSS-16 software.
Results: The results revealed that Pb stress reduced all plant characteristics, such as plant height, root volume and root length, as well as, dry weights of shoot and root, and elevated leaf Pb concentration, proline content and soluble sugars in tomato. However, the SA application resulted in improvement of growth traits. Also, the results showed that the interaction effect of Pb and SA on the most growth characteristics such as plant length, shoot and root dry weights, leaf area, and proline content, soluble sugars and Pb concentration was significant. The highest proline content (23.4 mmol g-1) and Pb concentration (4.26 mg kg-1) were obtained in 300 mg kg-1 of Pb and 0 μM SA. Also, the highest amount of soluble sugars (0.48 mg kg-1), plant height (43.5 cm), root length (18.3 cm/plant), shoot dry weight (7.48 g/plant), and leaf area (263.1 cm2/plant) were found in the treatment of 500 μM SA and 0 mg kg-1 Pb. It seems that under Pb-induced stress, applying SA, as a plant hormone, is an effective approach for improving crop growth by increasing plant resistance.
Conclusions: The results showed the significant negative effect of lead (Pb) on all the measured growth characteristics, including plant height, shoot dry weight, leaf area, root length, surface, volume and dry weight of tomato, as well as the amounts of proline and soluble sugars. The salicylic acid (SA) improved the resistance of tomato plants to Pb stress by increasing plant growth indices. In general, the application of appropriate concentration of SA (i.e., 500 μM) is an economic and easy strategy to reduce the effects of Pb (300 mg kg-1 soil) in tomato.
References:
1. Ferronato, N., Torretta, V., 2019. Waste mismanagement in developing countries: a review of global issues. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 16(6), 1060. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16061060.
2. Hussain, I., Siddique, A., Ashraf, M., Rasheed, R., Ibrahim, M., Iqbal, M., Akbar, S., Imran, M. 2017. Does exogenous application of ascorbic acid modulate growth, photosynthetic pigments and oxidative defense in okra (Abelmos chusesculentus L.) under lead stress? Acta Physiol. Plant. 39, 144–151. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-017-2439-0
3. Vaculík, M., Lux, A., Luxová, M., Tanimoto, E., Lichtscheidl, I., 2019. Silicon mitigates cadmium inhibitory effects in young maize plants. Environ. Exp. Bot. 67(1), 52–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2009.06.012
M. Ghasemi, M.m. Majidi, P. Ehsanzadeh, M.r. Mosaddeghi, M. Etemadi,
Volume 14, Issue 4 (12-2023)
Volume 14, Issue 4 (12-2023)
Abstract
Abstract
Drought is one of the most important abiotic stresses limiting the survival, growth, and production of plants in many regions of the world including Iran. Genetically, different species adopt different strategies to confront with drought. One of the mechanisms that plants have evolved to adapt to the environmental changes is stress memory. In this study, different genotypes of smooth bromegrass were evaluated to investigate the drought stress memory and drought stress tolerance based on a greenhouse pot experiment. Thirty three genotypes of smooth bromegrass were evaluated in three moisture environments: control (C), once drought-stressed (D2), and twice drought-stressed (D1D2) in a factorial arrangement according to the randomized complete blocks design with two replications. The dry matter yield decreased by 45 and 36% in the one-stress and two-stress treatments compared to the control, respectively. These results indicated the role of drought stress memory in modulating drought stress through the influence on forage dry yield and root dry weight. The root dry weight reduced in the once stress and twice stress conditions by 32 and 19%, respectively, compared to the control environment. This finding shows the significant effect of stress memory on the root growth. Based on the principal component analysis, superior genotypes were identified for future researches. Overall, the results suggested that smooth bromegrass is capable to activate some drought stress memory mechanisms related to morphological and root traits.
Background and Objective: Smooth bromegrass is particularly adapted to areas with medium and low annual precipitations and has a high drought tolerance when compared with the other grasses. Drought is one of the most important environmental factors with adverse effects on plant growth and development and affects all morphological, physiological, biochemical and metabolic aspects of plants (Farooq et al., 2009). Therefore, it is necessary to identify drought-tolerant genotypes (Saeidnia et al., 2017b). The term stress memory was first proposed by Trewavas (2003), as the plant's ability to access past experiences to better respond to future stresses. In open-pollinated species that are difficult to develop inbred lines, such as smooth bromegrass, the main breeding method is to create synthetic varieties that are obtained through the crossing of suitable parents. Besides, half-sib matting is one of the most common methods for obtaining genetic information such as estimating the additive effects and dominance of genes (Nguyen and Sleper, 1983). Saidnia et al. (2017a) in a study on the genotypes of orchardgrass species found superior genotypes for hay production. They also examined the genetic parameters and heritability of dry matter yield and introduced the superior genotypes for the further researches. Hence, this study was designed to investigate stress memory and its effect on improving drought tolerance in a smooth bromegrass germplasm.
Methods: This research was carried out from February 2017 to June 2018 in the research greenhouse located at the Isfahan University of Technology as a pot experiment. A sandy loam soil with bulk density, field capacity, and wilting point of 1.57 g cm-3, and 12.5 and 7.4 %w/w, respectively, was used for filling the pots. The genetic materials included 33 genotypes of smooth bromegrass that were collected from different regions of the country and some foreign gene banks. The genotypes were investigated in three moisture environments including control (C), once drought-stressed (D2) and twice drought-stressed (D1D2) as a factorial experiment in the form of a randomized complete blocks design with two replications.
Results: The analysis of variance showed that drought treatments had a significant effect on most of the traits. A significant difference was observed between the genotypes regarding the measured traits indicating high genetic diversity among the genotypes. The secondary drought stress significantly reduced most of the traits. The dry matter yield decreased by 45 and 36% in the once-stress and twice-stress treatments compared to the control, respectively. These results indicated the role of drought stress memory through the effect on dry yield of forage and root dry weight. Also, the root dry weight was reduced by 32 and 19% in the conditions of one stress and two stress compared to the control environment, respectively, which shows the significant effect of stress memory on the root system. Multivariate analysis showed that under the twice stress condition compared to the other two moisture environments, the relationships of the traits have undergone severe changes, which is a confirmation of the effect of initial stress and stress memory.
Conclusions: This research indicated a high genetic diversity among the smooth bromegrass genotypes in terms of stress memory responses, which can be used in the selection methods. For example, the means of dry matter yield and root dry weight decreased to a lesser extent when grown in the presence of twice drought stress, than once drought stress. This finding shows that the mechanisms of the stress memory related to morphological and root traits in this plant are activated by applying preliminary mild drought stress and help the plant to have a smaller decrease in growth. Based on the principal component analysis, superior genotypes were identified for future research. The results of this research can be used in breeding programs and future genetic research. It is also suggested that suitable genotypes be studied more in field conditions over several years.
References:
1. Farooq, M., Wahid, A., Kobayashi, N., Fujita, D., Basra, S.M.A., 2009. Plant drought stress: effects, mechanisms and management. In: Alberola, C., Debaeke, P., Lichtfouse, E., Navarrete, M., Véronique, S. (Eds.), Sustainable Agriculture. Springer Dordrecht. pp. 153–188.
2. Nguyen, H.T., Sleper, D.A., 1983. Theory and application of half-sib matting in forage grass breeding. Theor. Appl. Genet. 64, 187–96.
3. Saeidnia, F., Majidi, M.M., Mirlohi, A., 2017a. Genetic analysis of stability in polycrossed populations of orchardgrass. Crop Sci. 57, 2828–2836.
4. Saeidnia, F., Majidi, M.M., Mirlohi, A., Manafi, M., 2017b. Productivity, persistence and traits related to drought tolerance in Smooth Bromegrass. Plant Breeding. 136, 270–278.
5. Trewavas, A., 2003. Aspects of plant intelligence. Ann. Bot. London. 92, 1–20.
S. Mohammadidust, A. Mohtadi, R. Amiri Fahliyani,
Volume 15, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Volume 15, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
Abstract
Environmental stress in plants, particularly due to heavy metal presence, poses a significant challenge to their growth. Manganese, an essential micronutrient, can become detrimental when accumulated in soil and plants. To assess the impact of silicon on linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) under manganese stress, a factorial experiment was conducted. Linseed plants were grown in hydroponic culture with four different manganese levels (2, 250, 500 and 1000 μM) along with five silicon treatment levels (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 mM). Results revealed that increasing manganese stress levels led to a rise in proline, soluble sugars content, and manganese in the root and shoot, accompanied by a decrease in other studied traits. Notably, the application of 2 mM silicon consistently yielded the highest values across all manganese levels for the examined traits. Silicon application enhanced proline and soluble sugars content in leaves, consequently increasing plant photosynthetic capacity and leading to greater root and shoot dry weights under various silicon levels. The use of silicon significantly ameliorated the harmful effects of manganese in linseed under manganese stress conditions. Therefore, 2 mM silicon is recommended as a beneficial solution in areas contaminated with manganese, which can lead to the reduction of this heavy metal in the root and shoot of plants.
Background and Objective: Oilseeds, crucial for protein and energy, serve diverse purposes from food to industrial applications (Pramanik et al., 2023). Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.), an annual herb, faces heavy metal toxicity affecting plant growth. Environmental pollution, including the accumulation of heavy metals and the pollution of agricultural soils, is one of the most important global issues, which, in addition to reducing the quantity and quality of agricultural products, endangers their sustainability. Manganese (Mn), essential for plants, can turn toxic in excess. Silicon (Si) has been recognized for its role in mitigating biotic and abiotic stress, including heavy metal stress (Shi et al., 205; Imtiaz et al., 2016) and has beneficial effects on growth and development of many plants. In the northeast and northwest of Iran, there are rich soils of manganese and active mines of this element. Moreover, in the vicinity of metal smelting and refining factories, manganese pollution has been reported, and a wide range of agricultural lands adjacent to them are under the influence of toxic concentrations of this element. This study aimed to externally apply silicon to linseed and observe the plant's response to manganese toxicity.
Methods: The experiment employed a factorial design with different Mn (as MnSO4) and Si (as Na2SiO3) levels in a soilless culture of linseed. Distilled water and quarter-strength Hoagland solution were used for irrigation. Mn and Si treatments were applied from the six-leaf stage for four weeks. Several physiological and biochemical traits were measured post-harvest. Statistical assays were carried out by ANOVA test and means were compared by the least significant difference (LSD) test using SAS 9.1 software.
Results: The results revealed that an increment in the Mn stress level increased proline, soluble sugars content, and manganese in the root and shoot, accompanied by a decrease in other studied traits. The interaction of Mn and Si stresses significantly influenced various traits in linseed. The Mn stress increased proline and soluble sugars content, while Si application enhanced this effect. The Si treatment significantly reduced the Mn concentration in the root and aerial parts of the plant. The application of 2 mM silicon consistently yielded the highest values of examined traits across all manganese levels. Silicon application enhanced proline and soluble sugars content in leaves, consequently increasing plant photosynthetic capacity and leading to greater root and shoot dry weights under various silicon levels. As a result, treatment with 2 mM Si demonstrated the most significant improvement in physiological and morphological traits. The use of silicon significantly ameliorated the harmful effects of manganese in linseed under manganese stress conditions.
Conclusions: The study highlights the positive impact of Si on plant characteristics under Mn stress. The 2 mM silicon is recommended as a beneficial solution in areas contaminated with manganese. The Si application proved beneficial in reducing Mn absorption and accumulation in aerial organs, offering an effective and economical solution for increased crop production in Mn-stressed environments.
References:
1. Imtiaz, M., Rizwan, M.S., Mushtaq, M.A., Ashraf, M., Shahzad, S.M., Yousaf, B., Saeed, D.A., Rizwan, M., Nawaz, M.A., Mahmood, S., Tu, S., 2016. Silicon occurrence, uptake transport and mechanism of heavy metals, minerals and salinity enhanced tolerance in plants with future prospects: A review. J. Environ. Manage. 183, 521–529. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.09.009.
2. Pramanik, J., Kumar, A., Prajapati, B., 2023. A review on flaxseeds: Nutritional profile, health benefits, value added products, and toxicity. eFood 4(5), e114. https://doi.org/10.1002/efd2.114.
3. Shi, Q., Bao, Z., Zhu, Z., He, Y., Qian, Q., Yu, J., 2005. Silicon-mediated alleviation of Mn toxicity in Cucumis sativus in relation to activities of superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase. Photochemistry 66(13), 1551–1559. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2005.05.006.
S. Nikoumaram, A. Sepehri,
Volume 15, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Volume 15, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
Abstract
Recently, with the rapid growth of industry and agriculture, the contamination of agricultural soils with the cadmium (Cd) and microplastic particles has become a serious issue. Simultaneous presence of microplastics and Cd in soil can cause various biological effects, especially in the early stages of plant growth. In this research, the effect of Cd stress in the presence of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastic particles was investigated in the early stages of the growth of foxtail millet (Setaria italica L., cv. Bastan). The experiment was arranged in a factorial according to the completely randomized design with three replicates based on five concentrations of Cd (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 µM) and PVC microplastic (0, 1, 2, 4, and 6%). The studied traits included percentage and inhibition of germination, rate and mean germination time, seedling vigor index, weight of mobilized seed reserve, seed reserve utilization efficiency, seed reserve depletion percentage, relative seed germination, seedling toxicity level, germination tolerance index and root tolerance index. The results showed that both pollutants led to the decrease of most germination indices, however, certain concentrations of PVC with Cd stress improved the desired indices. So that germination percentage and seed reserve utilization efficiency in 200 µM Cd concentration with 1% of PVC increased by 43.2 and 206%, respectively, compared to the concentration of 200 µM Cd alone. The highest inhibition of germination percentage belonged to 200 μM Cd concentration, which was reduced by 52.4% with the application of 1% microplastic. Although PVC microplastic particles had adverse effects on the germination process of foxtail millet seeds, but in the presence of Cd in the soil, low concentrations of PVC can have some moderating effects on Cd toxicity.
Background and Objective: Simultaneous contamination of soil with microplastics and heavy metals may pose a more severe threat to the soil and plants than the contamination of one of them alone (Wang et al., 2021). Due to their high adsorption capacity and carrier effect, microplastics can change the accessibility and toxicity of co-existing environmental pollutants in soil organisms and plants. Therefore, our objective was to investigate the possible effect of PVC and Cd on Cd toxicity, germination, and growth characteristics of seedlings.
Methods: The factorial completely randomized design experiment with three replicates was conducted. The seeds disinfected with 5% hypochlorite were placed in a sterile petri dish with 20 ml of 0, 50, 100, 150, 200 µM Cd and 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6% PVC and were kept at 25°C for seven days. The seeds were counted once every 24 hours until the seventh day. Then, the root and shoot lengths were measured in centimeters. Each of the seedling parts was separated from each other, oven-dried at 70°C for 48 hours and weighed. Germination percentage, germination rate, seedling vigor index, mean germination time, weight of mobilized seed reserve, seed reserve utilization efficiency, seed reserve depletion percentage, root tolerance index, relative seed germination, germination tolerance index, seedling toxicity level and germination inhibition percentage were calculated. Data were analyzed through the SAS (v. 9.4) statistical program, and means values were compared by LSD test (p < 0.05).
Results: The effect of Cd and PVC on the examined traits was significant at the 1% probability level, except for the germination percentage, which was significant at the 5% probability level. The effect of Cd and PVC on the relative seed germination was not significant. The presence of PVC with Cd improved the percentage of germination, the mean germination time, and the seedling vigor index. The presence of microplastic decreased the adverse conditions of Cd stress and reduced the toxicity level and germination inhibition percentage. Heavy metals can be adsorbed by microplastic particles, which could reduce Cd adverse effects during germination (Yang et al., 2019). However, co-exposure of microplastic and Cd led to a decrease in germination rate. Duan et al. (2018) stated that the simultaneous presence of Cd and microplastic causes the accumulation of pollutants in plant cells and the intensification of oxidative stress, which leads to higher toxicity. The average germination time reduction in the presence of PVC under Cd stress. Due to the increased concentration of pollutants, disturbances were observed in the weight of mobilized seed reserve, seed reserve utilization efficiency, and seed reserve depletion percentage. Under the heavy metals stress, the starch mobility was reduced, and following the reduction of the mobility of seed reserves, the weight of the transferred seed reserves decreased (Seneviratne et al., 2019). Microplastics prevent water and nutrient absorption by the seeds, then delay germination and root growth (Bosker et al., 2019). The presence of microplastics moderated the adverse conditions of Cd stress and reduced the toxicity level, and germination inhibition percentage.
Conclusions: The PVC application moderated the Cd stress and improved the germination tolerance index as a crucial parameter of plant tolerance to stress. Therefore, despite the pollution of microplastic particles in the seed culture environment, our results demonstrated the reducing and balancing effects of PVC on Cd toxicity in foxtail millet seedlings, especially at low concentrations. However, this result needs more research, especially on other plants and in different concentrations of microplastics and Cd in different soils and it should not be considered as a positive effect of microplastics presence in the environment.
References:
1. Bosker, T., Bouwman, L.J., Brun, N.R., Behrens, P., Vijver, M.G., 2019. Microplastics accumulate on pores in seed capsule and delay germination and root growth of the terrestrial vascular plant Lepidium sativum. Chemosphere 226, 774–781. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.03.163
2. Duan, C., Fang, L., Yang, C., Chen, W., Cui, Y., Li, S., 2018. Reveal the response of enzyme activities to heavy metals through in situ zymography. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf. 156, 106–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.03.015
3. Seneviratne, M., Rajakaruna, N., Rizwan, M., Madawala, H.M.S.P., Ok, Y.S., Vithanage, M., 2019. Heavy metal-induced oxidative stress on seed germination and seedling development: a critical review. Environ. Geochem. Health 41(4), 1813–1831. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-017-0005-8
4. Wang, F., Wang, X., Song, N., 2021. Polyethylene microplastics increase cadmium uptake in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) by altering the soil microenvironment. Sci. Total Environ. 784, 147133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147133
5. Yang, J., Cang, L., Sun, Q., Dong, G., Ata-Ul-Karim, S.T., Zhou, D., 2019. Effects of soil environmental factors and UV aging on Cu2+ adsorption on microplastics. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 26(22), 23027–23036. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05643-8
M. Karimi, M. Eslami , F. Ghorbanalizade ,
Volume 15, Issue 2 (4-2024)
Volume 15, Issue 2 (4-2024)
Abstract
Abstract
Melatonin has been introduced as a strong antioxidant that has a protective role in stressful conditions and acts as an osmotic regulator and metabolic modifier when different stresses occur. In order to investigate the effect of melatonin pretreatment on improving the morphophysiological traits of Calendula officinalis L., a factorial completely randomized design with three replications was conducted. Melatonin at three levels (0, 100 and 150 µM) and sodium chloride at four levels (0, 30, 60 and 90 mM) were considered as the treatments. Based on the obtained results, the highest plant height, the highest number of leaves and the longest root length were obtained in 150 μM melatonin without sodium chloride treatment. On the other hand, at 90 mM salinity and without the presence of melatonin, the lowest number of leaves and plant height were observed. The fresh weight of the root, at different levels of salinity, showed a decreasing trend with increasing salinity concentration, so that its lowest value was observed in the concentration of 90 mM salt without melatonin. The fresh weight of the root increased with the increase in melatonin concentration. The highest relative water content and potassium percentage of leaves were observed in 150 μM melatonin treatment. As the salt concentration increased, the relative water content and potassium concentration decreased. The highest amount of soluble sugar related to 60 mM salinity in combination with 100 µM melatonin and the highest amount of proline was observed in 60 mM salinity + 150 µM melatonin. The results indicated that melatonin pretreatment was effective on the vegetative and physiological traits of marigold under salinity stress and was able to reduce the effect of salinity, especially in the concentrations of 30 and 60 mM sodium chloride.
Background and Objectives: High NaCl levels, due to osmosis and ionization, can significantly diminish plant height, leaf area, and the fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots. Melatonin, a ubiquitous molecule produced in plants, acts as a growth regulator similar to indole acetic acid (IAA), which promotes cell expansion and growth. Under NaCl stress, plants close the stomata to prevent water loss, and this can result in decreased stomatal conductance and photosynthesis activity. However, it has been shown that the application of melatonin makes the stressful conditions tolerable for plants and leads to the opening of stomata, which has been reported to improve the photosynthetic machinery in sunflower and citrus plants (Brugnoli and Lauteri, 1991; Meloni et al., 2003; Ye et al., 2016). The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of melatonin in marigold, in order to improve vegetative and physiological traits.
Methods: A factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with two factors and three replications was conducted in greenhouse conditions at Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University. Melatonin at three levels (0, 100 and 150 µM) and salinity at four levels (0, 30, 60 and 90 mM) were considered as the first and second factors, respectively. Marigold seedlings were sprayed three times every ten days. One week after the last melatonin treatment, irrigation with sodium chloride was applied every 7 days for 35 days. One week after the last application of sodium chloride, some traits such as plant height, number of leaves, flower diameter, root length, root fresh and dry weights, leaf relative water content, soluble sugar, proline, ion leakage, and sodium and potassium contents were measured.
Results: The interaction between salinity and melatonin affected the plant height, number of leaves, and root length, volume and dry weight. The highest plant height (i.e., 17 cm), the number of leaves (i.e., 34) and the root length (i.e., 18.83 cm) were obtained in the 150 μM melatonin treatment without salt. The highest root volume and dry weight were observed in 100 μM melatonin treatment without salt. The highest leaf relative water content and potassium content were obtained in 150 μM melatonin treatment. The highest amounts of soluble sugar and proline were recorded in 60 mM sodium chloride + 100 μM melatonin, and 60 mM sodium chloride + 150 μM melatonin, respectively. At 30 mM salinity without the use of melatonin, the lowest proline was recorded. The highest sodium content was recorded at 60 mM sodium chloride. At the concentration of 150 μM melatonin, the sodium content in the leaf decreased. With the increase of salt concentration, ion leakage increased and it was the highest at 90 mM salinity. At the concentration of 150 μM melatonin compared to the control, a decrease in ion leakage was observed.
Conclusions: The results showed that salinity stress reduced the vegetative traits of marigold, but the use of melatonin reduced the damage under salinity stress conditions. Melatonin, by protecting the membrane and structure of plant cells, maintaining the antioxidant system and helping to absorb potassium and reducing sodium absorption, could increase the resistance of marigold against salt stress. As a result, the use of melatonin moderated the effects of salinity and improved plant growth in saline conditions. Therefore, it is recommended to use 100 and 150 μM concentrations of melatonin for improving vegetative and physiological characteristics of marigold under salinity stress conditions.
References:
1. Brugnoli, E., Lauteri, M., 1991. Effects of salinity on stomatal conductance, photosynthetic capacity, and carbon isotope discrimination of salt-tolerant (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and salt-sensitive (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) C3 non-halophytes. Plant Physiol. 95(2), 628–635. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.95.2.628.
2. Meloni, D.A., Oliva, M.A., Martinez, C.A., Cambraia, J., 2003. Photosynthesis and activity of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and glutathione reductase in cotton under salt stress. Environ. Exp. Bot. 49(1) 69–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0098-8472(02)00058-8.
3. Ye, J., Wang, S., Deng, X., Yin, L., Xiong, B., Wang, X., 2016. Melatonin increased maize (Zea mays L.) seedling drought tolerance by alleviating drought-induced photosynthetic inhibition and oxidative damage. Acta Phys. Planta. 38(2), 48. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-015-2045-y.
H. Hatami,
Volume 15, Issue 3 (8-2024)
Volume 15, Issue 3 (8-2024)
Abstract
Abstract
The objective of this study was to compare the effect of municipal sewage sludge (MSS) and triple superphosphate (TSP) application on some growth traits and P uptake of quinoa under saline and non-saline conditions. Therefore, a pot experiment was conducted in a completely randomized factorial design with 3 TSP levels (0, 29 and 38 mg kg-1 soil, named as T0, T1 and T2, respectively), 3 MSS levels (0, 0.25 and 0.5 %w/w, named as M0, M1 and M2, respectively), 2 irrigation water salinity levels (2 and 12 dS m−1, named as non-saline and saline, respectively) and 3 replicates. The results showed that, although all the growth traits of quinoa significantly decreased by increasing of irrigation water salinity, application of MSS and TSP (especially combined treatments) was able to diminish the negative effect of salinity. In the non-saline condition, the highest amounts of shoot dry weight, seed yield and P uptake were observed for T2M2, which were 2.8, 3.1 and 13.7 times more than T0M0, respectively. In the saline condition, although T2M2 had the greatest enhancement in all the measured traits, there was no statistically difference between this treatment and T1M2. This result suggested that application of T1M2 in the saline condition was more convenient for improving the growth of quinoa as well as fertilizer management. The T2M2 and T1M2 were the best treatments in the non-saline and saline conditions, respectively, probably due to improvement of P uptake by quinoa as well as increase of soil organic matter content.
Background and Objective: Due to the P reactions with soil components, all of the P applied to soils is not available to plants, hence, it is necessary to improve P use efficiency. Application of organic compound (e.g., municipal sewage sludge) as a P fertilizer into soil is one of the ways to enhance soil P supply. The P availability issue is much more important in saline lands because in addition to soil components, salinity directly affects nutrient uptake and translocation (Bouras et al., 2022). Therefore, this study was conducted to compare the effect of the individual and combined applications of municipal sewage sludge (MSS) and triple superphosphate (TSP) on some growth traits and P uptake of quinoa under non-saline and saline conditions.
Materials and Methods: A pot experiment was laid in a completely randomized factorial design with 3 MSS levels (0, 0.25 and 0.5 %w/w, named as M0, M1 and M2, respectively), 3 TSP levels (0, 29 and 38 mg kg-1 soil, named as T0, T1 and T2, respectively), 2 irrigation water salinity levels (2 and 12 dS m−1, named as non-saline and saline, respectively) and 3 replicates. Three months after planting, the plants were harvested for recording plant height, stem diameter and panicle length. The shoots were oven-dried at 70°C and the shoot dry weight, 1000-seed weight and seed yield were measured. Additionally, the shoot dry was crushed, ashed at 450°C and extracted by 0.1 M HCl solution to determine the content of P by molybdate method (Murphy and Riley, 1962). Furthermore, soil within the pots was air-dried, crushed gently and analyzed for the determination of electrical conductivity (EC) and soil organic carbon content. Statistical analyses were performed with MSTATC 1.42 and the means were compared by Duncan’s test at p < 0.05.
Results: The results showed that all of the studied traits of quinoa in the saline condition were significantly lower than the non-saline condition. In other words, salinity had a negative effect on the growth of quinoa. However, application of MSS and TSP (especially the combined treatments) could improve the growth traits of quinoa. In the non-saline condition, the maximum values of shoot dry weight, 1000-seed weight and seed yield were found in T2M2, which were 2.8, 1.2 and 3.1 times higher than that of the T0M0 treatment, respectively. Likeness, the higher shoot P uptake (86.9 mg pot-1) was observed in the T2M2 treatment. Nevertheless, T1M2 was the best treatment in the saline condition as there was no significant difference between the studied traits in this treatment and T2M2. Furthermore, the non-significant effect of MSS on soil EC and its positive effect on soil organic carbon content were other advantageous aspects of this compound.
Conclusions: The effectiveness of the treatments on the studied traits of quinoa were as follows: individual application of TSP < individual application of MSS < combined application of TSP and MSS. Therefore, the results suggested that the use of organic resources with mineral P fertilizer can minimize the adverse effects of salinity and improve the growth and yield of quinoa.
References:
1. Bouras, H., Choukr-Allah, R., Amouaouch, Y., Bouaziz, A., Devkota, K.P., El Mouttaqi, A., Bouazzama, B., Hirich, A., 2022. How does quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) respond to phosphorus fertilization and irrigation water salinity? Plants 11 (2), 216. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11020216.
2. Murphy, J.A.M.E.S., Riley, J.P., 1962. A modified single solution method for the determination of phosphate in natural waters. Anal. Chim. Acta. 27, 31–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-2670(00)88444-5.
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Site Keywords:
- Plant Water Relations
- Physical and Chemical Processes in the Rhizosphere
- Biological Interactions in the Rhizosphere
- Modeling of Soil-Water-Plant Relations
- Greenhouse Culture
- Plant Growth under Stressful Conditions
- Soil Water Availability for Plant
- Carbon Sequestration in Rhizosphere
- Soil-Plant Relations and Soil Health
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