Effects of nitrogen form of nutrient solution on uptake and concentration macro element and morphological trait in hydroponic tulip

Effects of nutrient solution composition ratio on (Tulipa gesneriana L.) cv, ?Apricot Parrot? and ?Daytona? growth and flowering were studied hydroponics. Plants were grown with five treatments respectively: S₁(0), S₂(0.01), S₃(0.02) S₄(0.03) and S₅(0.04) meq L^.-1 ammonium or 0,0.38, 0.74, 0.11 and 0.14 ammonium (NH₄⁺)/NH₄+nitrate (NO₃)^?ratios. Flowering was accelerated by increase of ammonium level for both cultivars. Nutrition solution was not significant on the stem length of Daytona cultivar, but maximum flowering stem length occurred S₂ solution for Apricot Parrot cultivar. Increasing ammonium level, decreased potassium concentration in the aerial parts. Total nitrogen of new bulbs decreased with increasing ammonium level for both cultivars. Maximum bulblet production rate occurred in plants that were fed with S₅ solution. Maximum flower longevity was in S₂ solution for both cultivars. growth and quality of tulip were affected by ammonium level in nutrient solution, so for obtain the best flower quality must added to nutrient solution.     

Use of IR thermography in screening wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars for salt tolerance

Thermography is proposed to be an alternative non-destructive and rapid technique for the study and diagnosing of salt tolerance in plants. In a pot experiment, 30 cultivars of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were evaluated in terms of their leaf temperature and shoot growth and their ion distribution responses to NaCl salinity at two concentration levels: the control with electrical conductivity (EC) of 1 dS m^?1 and salinity treatment with EC of 16 dS m^?1 (150 mM). A completely randomized block design with factorial treatments was employed with three replications. The results indicated that thermography may accurately reflect the physiological status of salt-stressed wheat plants. The salt stress-based increase in leaf temperature of wheat cultivars grown at 150 mM NaCl reached 1.34°C compared to the control. According to the results obtained, it appears that thermography has the capability of discerning differences of salinity tolerance between the cultivars. Three salt-tolerant wheat cultivars, namely Roshan, Kharchia and Sholeh, had higher mean shoot dry matter (0.039 g plant^?1) and higher mean ratio of leaf K⁺/Na⁺ (14.06) and showed lower increase in the mean leaf temperature (0.37°C) by thermography compared to the control. This was while nine salt-sensitive cultivars, namely Kavir, Ghods, Atrak, Parsi, Bahar, Pishtaz, Falat, Gaspard and Tajan, had lower mean plant dry matter production (0.027 g plant^?1), lower mean ratio of K⁺/Na⁺ (9.49) and higher mean increases in leaf temperature (1.24°C).     

The potential of using insecticidal properties of medicinal plants against insect pests

In this study, botanicals extracted from two the species of family Scrophulariaceae, Verbascum cheiranthifolium Boiss and Verbascum speciosum Schard, were examined for their effect on mortality and progeny production against adults of Sitophilus oryzae (L.). The plant extracts were applied at five dose rates, which 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 3% (w/v). Adults of S. oryzae was exposed to the treated wheat at 25 degrees C and 65% RH and mortality was assessed after 24 h, 48 h, 7 day, 14 day and 21 day of exposure. Then all adults were removed and the treated substrate remained at the same conditions for an additional 45 day after this interval, the commodity was checked for progeny production. In use two extracts the mortality of adults increased with the increase of dose and exposure interval so that; mortality was 100% after 21 days of exposure at the highest dose rate. Results indicated that applied of V. cheiranthifolium extract was more effective than V. speciosum against adult insects. Interestingly, in two cases complete suppression (100% reduction) of the progeny production (F1) was observed in the treated wheat than in control even in the lowest dose rate. Therefore, our results indicate that these medicinal plants can be used for protection of stored grain from infestations of stored-product insect pests.     

Prevalence of ixodid ticks on cattle and sheep southeast of Iran

A survey was carried out to investigate the prevalence of hard tick species (Acari: Ixodidae) on cattle and sheep southeast of Iran. A total of 972 ticks were collected from 280 infested cattle and 1,207 ticks were collected from 632 infested sheep during activating seasons of ticks in 2008–2009. The species collected from cattle were Hyalomma marginatum marginatum (50.92%), Hyalomma anatolicum excavatum (25.61%), Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum (8.12%), Hyalomma asiaticum asiaticum (1.85%), and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (13.47%) while the species collected from sheep were R. sanguineus (36.37%), H. marginatum marginatum (30.65%), H. anatolicum excavatum (19.05%), H. asiaticum asiaticum (10.52%), Hyalomma detritum (3.14%), and Dermacentor marginatus (0.24%). The results show that, H. marginatum marginatum, H. anatolicum excavatum, and R. sanguineus are dominant tick species in the surveyed area.     

Effects of different boron concentration on the growth and physiological characteristics of two olive cultivars

This study investigated the effect of different boron concentrations on growth and physiological characteristics of olive plants. The absorption of some macronutrients and distribution of boron were also examined. This research was carried out in a completely randomized design with factorial arrangements including six boron levels (0.2, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 mg L^?1) and two cultivars (Amygdalolia and Konservolia), with four replications for each treatment. Two-year old seedlings were treated with Hoagland nutrient solution containing different boron (B) concentration for 4 months. Chlorophyll fluorescence, fresh and dry weight of leaves, stems and roots as well as absorption of macronutrients decreased in both cultivars as the boron level were increased. Diagnostic symptoms of boron toxicity appeared 45 and 75 days after planting for Amygdaloila and Konservolia at 30, 40 and 50 mg L^?1; and 40 and 50 mg L^?1 of boron, respectively. Our results showed that at a higher level of B, the Konservolia cultivar maintained more B concentration in its root than Amygdalolia cultivar; however, B content in young leaves of Amygdalolia was higher than Konservolia. It seems that Konservolia cultivar could accumulate B in its roots and prevents its translocation to the leaves through an internal tolerance mechanism; therefore, Konservolia shows greater tolerance to high concentrations of boron compared to Amygdalolia.     

Analysis of hydrological drought characteristics using copula function approach

Paddy and Water Environment - Drought is a natural phenomenon which starts with decreased precipitation and can disrupt the environmental systems by changing the hydrological cycle. This is more...     

Hard ticks on one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) and their seasonal population dynamics in southeast, Iran

The primary objective of this study was to determine the diversity and intensity of ticks found on camels (Camelus dromedarius) and their seasonal population dynamics in Kerman, southeast of Iran. For this purpose, a total of 426 tick specimens were collected from 217 infested camels in southeast of Iran during activating seasons of ticks (April 2009 to March 2010). The species collected from camel were Hyalomma dromedarii (84.7%), Hyalomma marginatum (8.7%), Hyalomma anatolicum excavatum (5.4%), and Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum (1.2%). The highest seasonal activities occurred in summer. The ratio of male ticks was more than female ticks. H. dromedarii was the predominant tick species and accounted for 84.7% of the ticks.     

Overcoming seed dormancy of mooseer (Allium hirtifolium) through cold stratification, gibberellic acid, and acid scarification

Mooseer(Allium hirtifolium Boiss.) is bulbous perennial herb widely used in pharmaceutical and food industry in Iran.We studied germination of mooseer seeds in two separate experiments.In the first experiment,we evaluated four treatments:sulfuric acid scarification,sandpaper scarification,cold stratification,and gibberellic acid(GA 3) application.In the second experiment,we evaluated combinations of these treatments.All treatments in the first experiment had no effect on seed germination,suggesting that mooseer seeds have physical and physiological dormancy.In the second experiment,the highest germination percentage(86.6%) was observed after five minutes scarification with sulfuric acid(75% v/v),followed by 60 days of cold stratification.Duration of sulfuric acid scarification(5,10,and 20 min) did not affect germination rates,but increasing duration of cold stratification(from 15 to 60 days),increased germination from 28.3% to 86.6%.Our study showed that mooseer seeds have both physical and physiological dormancy.     

Exploring Morpho-Physiological Relationships among Drought Resistance Related Traits in Wheat Genotypes Using Multivariate Techniques

Eighteen bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and two durum wheat genotypes (Triticum turgidum L.) were used to explore relationship among their morpho-physiological traits. Two separate field experiments were conducted at the Experimental Station, College of Agricultural, Shiraz University. Each experiment was designed as a randomized completed block with three replications. Twenty-five morpho-physiological drought resistance related traits were measured and multivariate statistical techniques were used to consider these relationships. Based on the results of the factor analysis, electrolyte leakage (EL) had the highest positive correlation, while membrane stability index (MSI) had the highest negative correlation with the first factor, canopy temperature depression (CTD). It could be clearly detected that these two variables had high effect on canopy temperature and the genotype with lower EL and higher MSI resulted in lower canopy temperature. This factor also showed that reactive oxygen species (ROS) related traits and plant water relationship related traits had significant effect on CTD. Since yield stability (YS) had the highest coefficient in factor 3, this factor was the most important one showing effective variables on this trait, thus this factor's suggested name was YS. The significant positive correlations with factor 3 were relative water protected (RWP), which is a new index, and cellular membrane stability (CMS). This result clearly shows that new index of RWP can be an efficient indirect criterion to screen higher YS genotypes together with CMS. Cluster analysis grouped variables into three clusters. These results were confirmed by the results of principal and discriminate function analysis. In addition, the results of the factor analysis for considering relationships among measured traits were confirmed through the cluster analysis.