Journal of Soil and Plant Interactions

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Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is highly sensitive to salinity and selection of chickpea genotypes that are moderately tolerant to salinity can help to expand chickpea cultivation in saline areas. Eleven chickpea genotypes were grown in a hydroponic system containing different NaCl concentrations (8 and 12 dS m-1) and control (Hoagland solution) in order to study the effects of salt stress on physiological traits. The results showed that with increasing salinity, the concentration of photosynthetic pigments, carotenoids, proline, soluble sugars and radical scavenging activity (DPPH) in leaves and roots was increased. Among the studied genotypes, MCC674, MCC759, MCC544 and MCC783 showed superiority in most traits. Genotypes that contain higher concentration of chlorophyll, carotenoids, soluble carbohydrates, proline and DPPH in shoots were more resistant to salinity. The correlation between physiologic traits and sodium concentration in leaves was positive. Production of photosynthetic pigments, carotenoids, proline, soluble sugars and DPPH was higher in sensitive genotypes. The resistance index in 12 dS m-1 salinity stress showed that resistant genotypes to water stress (MCC760 and MCC333) were also resistant to salinity. But, in 8 dS m-1 stress level, the MCC759 sensitive to aridity, was moderately resistant to salinity.

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In order to evaluate the effects of salt stress and putrescine on some morphological and biochemical traits and pigment content of pot marigold plant, an experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions based on completely randomized design, using four levels of sodium chloride (1, 3, 6 and 9 dS/m) and three levels of putrescine (0, 1 and 2 mM). Sodium chloride was applied on the soil, while putrescine solution was sprayed on the leaves. Results showed that salt stress reduced all growth parameters and pigment content significantly, while increased the amount of reduced sugars in leaves and roots. Application of putrescine had significant effect on all biochemical parameters and pigment content but had no effect on the number and diameter of flowers. Spraying of 2 mM putrescine, under salt stress level of 9 dS/m, increased fresh flower weight, shoot dry weight, chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll, leaf cartenoides and reduced sugars by 29, 27, 35, 32, 17 and 15 percent, respectively, compared to control treatment. Based on the results of this experiment, it was concluded that application of putrescine improves the growth, biochemical traits and pigment content of marigold plant under salt stress conditions.

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Information about the effect of endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica on wheat response to stress conditions is very limited and sometime contradictory. This greenhouse research was conducted in a hydroponic culture to investigate the inoculation effects of mycorrizhal-like fungus, P. indica, on enzymatic and non–enzymatic defense mechanisms of wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv. Niknejad) at two levels of phosphorus (P) supply (deficient and sufficient). The experiment was factorial, based on a completely randomized design with three replications. Sixty days after applying the treatments, plants were harvested and shoot dry weight and concentration of P, iron, zinc and activity of antioxidant enzymes like catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) and chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids contents were measured. Results showed that P-deficiency reduced shoot dry weight and concentration of P and iron and increased concentration of zinc in the shoots. Inoculation of wheat roots with P. indica in P-deficiency condition resulted in significant increasing of shoot dry weight and P concentration. Also, chlorophyll a, b contents and concentration of carotenoids in P-deficiency condition was significantly higher than P-sufficiency condition. Inoculation of P. indica to wheat roots decreased chorophyll a, b contents and concentration of carotenoids. Inoculation of P. indica in P-deficiency condition significantly decreased the activity of GPX and significantly increased the activity of CAT and GPX in P-sufficiency condition. In general, inoculation of fungus P. indica to wheat plant could be recommended as an effective method to alleviate deleterious effects of P-deficiency and increase its tolerance to this stress.

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Organic fertilizers preserve food cycle, reduce pollution and remediation of soil physicochemical properties and stabilization of plants in soil. To investigate the effect of organic fertilizer (vermicompost, compost and manure) on physiological characteristics of Petunia hybrida, a factorial greenhouse experiment was conducted based on completely randomized design with three replications at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Treatments consisted of three irrigation levels (irrigation based on 100% of field capacity (FC), equivalent to 360 ml of water (D1), 50% of field capacity, equivalent to 180 ml water (D2), and 25% of field capacity, equivalent to 90 ml water (D3), in each 2-kg pot) and four fertilizer treatments (control, compost, vermicompost and manure). The measured morphophysiologic traits were plant height, number of lateral branches, number of leaves, number of flowers, volume of roots, dry weight of leaf, root, stem and flower, electrolyte leakage, stomatal conductance and photosynthetic pigments. Results showed that irrigation levels and fertilizer types were significant for all measured traits. The interaction of irrigation and fertilizer treatments showed that the highest amount of leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, plant height, number of flowers and stomatal conductance was obtained in the 100% FC and manure fertilizer. In 25% FC treatment, 10-flower weight was increased by 38, 29 and 61% in compost, manure and vermicompost, respectively, compared to control. Among the fertilizer treatments, the highest level of chlorophyll a was measured in control. However, the highest chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll and carotenoid content was observed in vermicompost treatment. Generally, manure and vermicompost had better effects in improving the performance and number of flowers of petunia under deficit irrigation.

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The current study was conducted to investigate the effect of 24-hour short treatment of benzyl adenine (zero and 0.1 mM) and salicylic acid (zero, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 and 1.0 mM) on the vase life of Lily cv. Fangio. The measured traits were leaf fresh weight (on zero, first, third, and seventh days), the contents of anthocyanin, flavonoids, carotenoids, chlorophylls a, b and total (on zero and seventh day) and vase life. Results showed that maximum vase life was obtained in 1.0 mM salicylic acid and zero benzyl adenine. In addition, the leaf fresh weight was increased by 9.67% in 1.0 mM salicylic acid and 0.1 mM benzyl adenine from the first to the seventh day after treatment. The values of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophylls a, b and total, and carotenoids) remained constant in 0.1 mM benzyl adenine and 0.1 mM salicylic acid treatment during this period. The highest increase of anthocyanin content was observed in the 0.001 mM salicylic acid and no benzyl adenine treatment, as compared to control. The highest flavonoid content was observed in zero mM salicylic acid and 0.1 mM benzyl adenine, which was significantly increased during the first to the seventh days after treatment. In conclusion, 1.0 mM salicylic acid treatment is recommended to increase the vase life of Lily cv. Fangio

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In order to investigate the effect of wood chip compost and potassium sulfate on some morpho-physiological characteristics of geranium, Rocky Mountain Rock Red cultivar, a factorial experiment was conducted as a completely randomized design with four replications. The first factor was different percentages of wood chip compost (0, 5, 10, 15% replacing peat moss in the base growth medium) and the second factor was potassium sulfate (0, 1 and 2 mg/L). The composition of the base growth substrate (control) including peat moss: perlite: garden soil (1:1:1 V/V) was selected. First, geranium seedlings were planted in pots containing different percentages of wood chip compost. After the adaptation of the plants to the growth media, fertilization with potassium sulfate was applied every 10 days. According to the obtained results, the interaction of wood chip compost and potassium sulfate on height, number of flowers, number of buds and number of leaves was significant at the probability level of 1%. The highest plant height was recorded in the treatment of 5% compost along with 2 mg/L of potassium sulfate. The highest number of inflorescences was observed in 10% compost in combination with 1 mg/L of potassium sulfate and 15% compost with 2 mg/L of potassium sulfate. The highest root fresh weight was recorded in 10% compost in combination with 2 mg/L of potassium sulfate. The amount of chlorophyll was maximum in 15% compost and 1 mg/L of potassium sulfate. The plants grown in 10% compost in combination with 2 mg/L of potassium sulfate had the highest amount of carotenoids. According to the results of the present study, the effect of different percentages of compost used in combination with potassium sulfate was significant in most of the examined traits compared to the control treatment. 15% compost in combination with 2 mg/L of potassium sulfate performed better on stem height, number of inflorescences and buds.
Keywords: Fertilization, Ornamental plant, Pigments, Medium
Background and Objective:
One of the important factors in the production of ornamental plants is the use of suitable medium. In addition to having suitable physical and chemical properties, the media for plants should be cheap and available. Compost is an organic substance that has a positive effect on the physical and chemical properties of the media. Fertilizers play an important role in improving the growth and development of plants. Potassium is effective in accelerating the growth and development of plants. This element plays an important role in the production of hydrocarbon materials, protein production, photosynthesis, and the opening and closing of stomata (Tabatabaei, 2018; Nofa et al., 2024). The use of cheap and available organic materials, in addition to improving the vegetative and reproductive characteristics of the plant, can be important in reducing the cost of producing agricultural products. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of wood chip compost and potassium sulfate fertilizer on the morph-physiological characteristics of geranium plant.
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. The first factor of wood chip compost (0, 5%, 10%, 15%) and the second factor was potassium sulfate (0, 1 and 2 mg/L). Healthy and uniform geranium seedlings were purchased from a greenhouse in Pakdasht, Varamin. The plants were placed in the greenhouse temperature for two weeks to adapt to the environmental conditions. After two weeks, the seedlings were transferred to the media containing compost and placed inside the greenhouse with an average temperature of 22°C and a relative humidity of 60-70%. After the adaptation of the plants to the media, fertilization with the desired concentrations of potassium sulfate was applied every 10 days. Six months after the start of the treatment, traits such as height, number of leaves, number of buds, number of inflorescences, root length, root volume, shoot fresh and dry weight, root fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll content, anthocyanin and potassium element was measured.
Results: According to the obtained results, the highest plant height was created in 5% compost with 2 mg/L of potassium. The highest number of inflorescences was observed in 10% compost combined with 1 mg/L of potassium, which was not significantly different from 15% compost treatment with 2 mg/L of potassium. The highest root wet weight was measured in 10% compost in combination with 2 mg/L of potassium. The highest root dry weight was observed in 10% compost + 2 mg/L potassium. The plants grown in 10% compost in combination with 2 mg/L of potassium had the highest amount of carotenoids. The amount of anthocyanin was the highest in 2 mg/L potassium. Also, this pigment was maximum in 15% compost. The highest amount of total chlorophyll was observed under the treatment of 15% wood chip compost and 1 mg/L of potassium.
Conclusions: The findings of the present study showed that most of the substrates containing compost and potassium sulfate fertilizer had a significant effect on improving the vegetative and flowering traits of geranium compared to the control treatment. An increase in the number of inflorescences was observed in 10 and 15% compost in combination with potassium fertilizer. Anthocyanin pigment showed an increase in 15% compost and 2 mg/L potassium compared to the control. The number of leaves was the highest in plants grown in 15% compost and 1 and 2 grams per liter of potassium fertilizer. According to the results of the present study, the use of wood chip compost along with potassium sulfate fertilizer is recommended to improve the morphological and physiological characteristics of geranium.
References:
1- Nofal, E., Menesy, F., M. Abd El-Hady, W., G. Shehab, E., El-Ramady, H. and Prokisch, J. 2024. Effect of Nano-NPK and Nano-Chitosan fertilizers on the growth and chemical constituents of Philodendron sellum Plants. Egypt. J. Soil Sci. 64(3), 1193-1205. doi: 10.21608/ejss.2024.289119.1769.
2- Tabatabaei, S.J. 2018. Principles of plant mineral nutrition. First edition, autho's publications. Tabriz, Iran.