Improvement of yield,yield components and oil quality in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) by N-fixing bacteria fertilizers and urea

Experiments were conducted in 2009–2010 at the Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Yazd, Iran, to study the effect of nitrogen levels and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) containing Azotobacter sp. and Azospirillum sp. on seed yield, its components and quality traits of sesame cultivars. Treatments were arranged in a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with nitrogen rates (0 (control), 25 and 50 kg N ha^?1), cultivars (Darab-14, GL-13 and local) and N-fixing bacteria levels (non-inoculation and inoculation) were applied with three replications. Nitrogen fertilizer significantly increased yield and yield components, but reduced oil content in 2010. Inoculating seeds with PGPR increased yield and yield components of sesame cultivars compared to the control treatment. Seed yield in PGPR inoculation with half a rate of N fertilizer treatment was more than seed yield in the full rate of N fertilizer without a PGPR inoculation treatment. N fertilizer and PGPR application significantly decreased saturated fatty acids (palmitic and stearic acid) while it significantly increased unsaturated fatty acids (oleic and linoleic acid). Oleic acid had a significant negative correlation with linoleic acid (r = ?0.79). The result showed that an application of PGPR could be usefully applied to reduce use of chemical fertilizer.     

Potassium fixation capacity of some highly calcareous soils as a function of clay minerals and alternately wetting-drying

ABSTRACT

The current research was done to investigate the effect of wetting-drying cycles, time, and clay mineralogy on K fixation capacity of highly calcareous soils. In order to conduct the study, eight soil samples were collected. The samples were treated with different concentrations of K including 200 (K1), 400 (K2) and 800 mg kg^?1 (K3) and 8 different incubation time including 6 h (t1), 24 h (t2), 72 h (t3), one week (t4), two weeks (t5), one month (t6), two months (t7) and three months (t8). Also, a wetting-drying treatment was done (td) in order to simulate the effect of irrigation and soil drying on K fixation. The results showed that for all K levels addition, the percentage of fixed K was increased with time. The K fixation content was increased with the increase in the added K from K1 to K3, while K fixation percentage was decreased. The results also showed that there was a significant difference between soils with wetting-drying treatment (td) and soils with three-month incubation (t8) in K fixation capacity, so that the fixation of K by the soils was increased with wetting-drying cycles.     

Biochemical traits associated with growing sorghum genotypes with saline water in the field

Abstract

This study was aimed to determine biochemical traits related to higher phytomass production in sorghum genotypes irrigated with saline water. It was also attempted to consider whether or not forage yield production under non-saline conditions could be used as an index for for the selection of high yielding genotypes of sorghum under saline conditions. Forty-five sorghum genotypes were grown under field conditions using saline water or normal irrigation water in two growing seasons in Yazd, Iran. It appeared that salinity tolerance in sorghum genotypes, in addition to local adaption, was highly related to forage yield as well as some biochemical traits as carotenoid concentration, catalase activity, and K⁺/Na⁺ ratio. The screening method based on biochemical traits appeared to be applicable for identification of the salt-tolerant genotypes.     

Weed flora survey in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) fields of Shabestar (northwest of Iran)

Alfalfa is one of the most widely grown forage crops in Iran, especially in Shabestar county. Weeds play a significant role in reducing the feeding value of alfalfa. Weed survey was done in order to determine environmental factors on weed species distribution in alfalfa fields at Shabestar, Iran (2010–2011). The family dominance index (FDI) and relative dominance (RD) were used to find dominant families and species for infestation of Shabestar's alfalfa fields. Data were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). A total of 130 weed species belonging to 28 families were observed. The most dominant families, based on the FDI, were Asteraceae, Poaceae, and Brassicaceae with 66.3, 61.8, and 41.1 FDI, respectively. Alopecurus myosuroides and Convolvulus arvensis were the most dominant species according to the RD index, measuring 26.4 and 21.8, respectively. PCA showed that some weed species only infested specific areas, but a few species with broader environmental tolerances were found near origin. Most variation in species distribution was explained by altitude, which was followed by soil potassium and salinity content of the soil. Our results suggest that the effect of altitude was more important than other environmental factors.     

Reporting Two Novel Mutations in Two Iranian Families with Cystic Fibrosis,Molecular and Bioinformatic Analysis

Background:Cystic fibrosis is the most common heredity disease among the Caucasian population. More than 350 known pathogenic variations in the CFTR gene ({"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"NM_000492.4","term_id":"1732746288","term_text":"NM_000492.4"}}NM_000492.4) cause CF. Herein, we report the outcome of our investigation in two unrelated Iranian families with CF patients. Methods:We conducted phenotypic examination, segregation, linkage analysis, and CFTR gene sequencing to define causative mutations. Results:We found two novel mutations in the present study. The first one was a deletion causing frameshift, c.299delT p.(Leu100Profs*7), and the second one was a missense mutation, c.1857G>T, at nucleotide binding domain 1 of the CFTR protein. Haplotype segregation data supported our new mutation findings. Conclusion:Findings of this study expand the spectrum of CFTR pathogenic variations and can improve prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling for CF.Key Words: Cystic fibrosis, Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, Genetic linkage, Haplotype, Sequence analysis     

Independent and combined effects of heat and drought stress in the Seri M82 × Babax bread wheat population

Heat and drought are the most important wheat production constraints worldwide. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the independent and combined effects of drought and heat in SeriM82/Babax population. Genotypes showed 11, 38 and 52% losses in grain yield (YLD) in 2010–11 and 18, 25 and 48% in 2011–12 under heat, drought and combined stress, respectively. Seri M82 had higher YLD than Babax under heat and combined stress. Grain per spike and canopy temperature at vegetative stage (CTv) in irrigated, day to heading and CT at grain‐filling stage (CTg) in drought, CTg and thousand‐grain weight (TGW) in heat and in combined trials were the best predictors of YLD. Results indicated that due to genotype by environment interactions not all stress‐adaptive traits could be accumulated in a single genotype. In general, day to heading, CTg and grain weight are suggested as indirect selection criteria for increasing YLD under heat and drought stresses. In particular, CTg could be used as a rapid and effective criterion for screening a high number of genotypes.     

Effects of feeding pistachio by‐products silage on growth performance,serum metabolites and urine characteristics in Holstein male calves

This study investigated physiological effects of pistachio by‐products silage (PBPS) substituted in Holstein male calves diets and its effects on the growth performance. Twenty‐four Holstein male calves (4–5 months of age and 155.6 ± 13.5 kg BW) were randomly assigned to one of four experimental diets (n = 6); contained 0%, 6%, 12% and 18% of PBPS (DM basis) respectively. During a 6‐month experiment, dry matter intake (DMI) and weight gain were recorded and blood and urine samples were collected at different times. Results showed that mean DMI was not affected by different levels of PBPS in diets. But the calves fed 6% PBPS had the highest average daily gain (p < 0.05) and the lowest feed conversion ratio (p < 0.05). The calves fed 12% and 18% PBPS had lower albumin, white blood cell, haemoglobin and packed cell volume (p < 0.05) than those fed other diets. However, other serum metabolites, complete blood count (CBC), insulin and liver enzymes were not affected by the experimental diets. The long‐term feeding of PBPS at different levels had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on pH, specific gravity, the number of white and red blood cells and epithelial cells count in urine. The animals did not show any symptom of illness or toxicity during the experimental period and all of the blood and urine parameters were in a normal range. It was concluded that substitution of PBPS up to 18% of the total diet that provide up to 18.2 g/kg DM total tannin had no adverse effects for Holstein male calves.     

Pedological Investigation of a Litho-Toposequence in a Semi-Arid Region of Southwestern Iran

Eurasian Soil Science - A litho-toposequence of soils in a semi-arid region in southwestern Iran was investigated for their pedological properties. Nine representative pedons on different...