Safa Khosravi; Babak ValizadehKaji; Ahmadreza Abbasifar
Abstract
Consumption of vegetables with high nitrate content threaten human health. Garden cress is a hyperaccumulator of nitrate and quickly accumulates a large amount of nitrate. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of foliar application of selenium (Se) on the morphological and ...
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Consumption of vegetables with high nitrate content threaten human health. Garden cress is a hyperaccumulator of nitrate and quickly accumulates a large amount of nitrate. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of foliar application of selenium (Se) on the morphological and physiochemical traits of garden cress plants. Treatments included three levels of sodium selenite (1, 2, and 4 mg L-1) and three levels of green synthesized Se nanoparticles (NPs) (1, 2, and 4 mg L-1). Most nutrient treatments, especially 1 mg L-1 Se NPs, significantly increased plant height, number of leaves, fresh and dry weights, chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll, and nitrate reductase activity of garden cress plants. The foliar application of Se, especially 1 mg L-1 Se NPs, caused a significant decrease in the level of nitrate accumulation. Under different treatments of sodium selenite and green synthesized Se NPs on garden cress plants, the concentration of Se was increased, and concentrations of zinc and phosphorus were decreased. This research highlights the implications of Se for improving the quality and quantity of garden cress plants.
Gholamreza Malekshahi; Babak ValizadehKaji
Abstract
Regardless of the low respiration rate in pomegranate fruits, it is a greatly perishable product. An alternative to maintain quality and prolong the shelf life of pomegranate fruits could be edible coatings. In the present study, three different edible coatings including: 1% chitosan, 1000 mg L-1 thymol, ...
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Regardless of the low respiration rate in pomegranate fruits, it is a greatly perishable product. An alternative to maintain quality and prolong the shelf life of pomegranate fruits could be edible coatings. In the present study, three different edible coatings including: 1% chitosan, 1000 mg L-1 thymol, and their combined were investigated on the postharvest quality of pomegranate fruits. Changes in weight loss, fruit firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), juice pH, anthocyanin, total phenolic, and flavonoids content, sensory characteristics and fungal decay incidence of fruits were evaluated during 30, 60, 90 and 120 days storage at 6 °C. The results showed that coated fruits with 1% chitosan + 1000 mg L-1 thymol significantly decreased weight loss and firmness than uncoated fruits. Furthermore, the coated fruits with 1% chitosan + 1000 mg L-1 thymol exhibited significantly higher anthocyanin, total phenolic, flavonoids content, and sensory characteristics than the control treatment. The minimum shelf-life (83.33 days) was observed in uncoated fruits, while the maximum shelf-life (108.33 days) was recorded in fruits coated with 1 % chitosan + 1000 mg L-1 thymol. Duration of storage had a significant effect on weight loss, firmness, juice pH, anthocyanin content, total phenolic content, flavonoids content, sensory characteristics, and decay, whereas there was no significant effect on TSS, TA, and TSS/TA. In conclusion, the combined application of chitosan and thymol can provide a useful alternative for shelf life extension of pomegranate fruits.
Mostafa Eshghi Khas; Ahmadreza Abbasifar; Babak ValizadehKaji
Abstract
Tissue culture techniques can be beneficial for quick clonal propagation and production of disease-free plants of purple passion fruit as one of the most important medicinal and ornamental plants. These techniques are essential tools for the production of transgenic plants and high-value phytochemicals. ...
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Tissue culture techniques can be beneficial for quick clonal propagation and production of disease-free plants of purple passion fruit as one of the most important medicinal and ornamental plants. These techniques are essential tools for the production of transgenic plants and high-value phytochemicals. The present study was planned to introduce an efficient in vitro propagation for purple passion fruit(Passiflora edulis Sims.). To do so, the effect of different plant growth regulators was investigated on micropropagation medium of purple passion fruit. For proliferation stage, nodal segments were cultured in media supplemented with various combinations of different plant growth regulators including: BA (0, 2.2, 4.4 and 8.9 μM), TDZ (2.3, 4.5 and 9.1 μM), GA3 (0 and 2.9 μM) and IBA (0 and 0.5 μM). For rooting, shoots with about 1.5 cm long originating from explants were removed and cultured in half-strength MS medium containing different concentrations of auxin-based plant growth regulators including: IAA (0, 1.1, 2.9, 5.7 and 11.4 μM), IBA (1, 2.5, 4.9 and 8.9 μM), and NAA (1.1, 2.7, 5.4, 10.7 μM). For the proliferation stage, the best plant growth regulator combination was 8.9 μM BA+2.9 μM GA3+0.5 μM IBA, resulting in the maximum shoot proliferation, number of shoots per explants, and shoot length. Half-strength MS medium supplemented with 5.4 μM NAA or 8.9 μM IBA was the most effective treatment for the rooting of shoots. Gradual acclimatization of the rooted plantlets was performed and the plantlets were established in the soil successfully. The micropropagated plants did not exhibit any visually detectable variation to their mother plants.
Babak ValizadehKaji; Ahmadreza Abbasifar; Hosein Bagheri; Golnar Zandievakili; Atieh Daryabeigi
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the stenting (grafted cutting) propagation of commercial pomegranate cultivars as scions on drought tolerant genotypes as rootstocks. The effect of drought stress on nine pomegranate rootstocks was analyzed. Cultivars including ‘Daneshgah 13’, ‘Daneshgah ...
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The objective of this study was to evaluate the stenting (grafted cutting) propagation of commercial pomegranate cultivars as scions on drought tolerant genotypes as rootstocks. The effect of drought stress on nine pomegranate rootstocks was analyzed. Cultivars including ‘Daneshgah 13’, ‘Daneshgah 32’ and ‘Daneshgah 8’ that were used as rootstocks showed the maximum drought tolerance among the studied cultivars; therefore, these three rootstocks were used to investigate the stenting propagation. Furthermore, three pomegranate cultivars including ‘Malas Saveh’, ‘Robab’ and ‘Bihasteh’ were used as scions. The highest percentage of graft success (58.88%) was obtained from grafting on ‘Daneshgah 13’. In addition, the highest percentage of graft success (84.22) was found in ‘Robab’. ‘Robab’ and ‘Malas Saveh’ had the longest shoot (11.50-11.93 cm) and highest shoot fresh weight (33.66-35.00 g) when grafted on ‘Daneshgah 13’. ‘Daneshgah 13’ had higher shoot dry weight (5.47 g) compared to the other rootstocks. Regarding the scion cultivars, ‘Robab’ and ‘Malas Saveh’ showed higher shoot dry weight (6.76-6.96 g) in comparison with ‘Bihasteh’. Using ‘Daneshgah 13’ as rootstock resulted in the highest content of chlorophyll a (18.11 mg/g), chlorophyll b (8.02 mg/g) and total chlorophyll (26.13 mg/g) in the scion leaves. ‘Robab’ and ‘Malas Saveh’ had highest content of chlorophyll a (18.11-18.33 mg/g), chlorophyll b (8.58-8.62 mg/g) and total chlorophyll (26.73-26.92 mg/g) among the scion cultivars. In all three rootstocks, a negative correlation was observed between the total phenolic content and the percentage of graft success. In addition, there was a negative correlation between the total phenolic content and the percentage of graft success in ‘Bihasteh’ scion.
Mohammadmehdi Norozi; Babak ValizadehKaji; Rouhollah Karimi; Mohammadali Nikoogoftar Sedghi
Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of foliar applications of potassium and zinc on the fruit yield and quality as well as leaf nutrient concentrations of pistachio cv. ‘Chrokeh’. The experiment was conducted based on a completely randomized block design with nine treatments ...
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The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of foliar applications of potassium and zinc on the fruit yield and quality as well as leaf nutrient concentrations of pistachio cv. ‘Chrokeh’. The experiment was conducted based on a completely randomized block design with nine treatments and three replications per treatment. Treatments were three levels of K2SO4 (0, 1 and 2%) and three levels of ZnSO4 (0, 0.5 and 1%). The nutrition solutions were sprayed on trees at two times (bud swell stage and green tip stage) in 2017–2018. Based on the obtained results, nutrient treatments especially 1% K2SO4+1% ZnSO4 and 2% K2SO4+1% ZnSO4 caused a significant increase in chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll and carotenoid contents. Application of K2SO4 and ZnSO4 significantly affected concentrations of P, K, Mg, Zn, Mn and Fe in the leaves of ‘Chrokeh’ pistachio, whereas nutrient treatments had no significant effect on leaf concentration of N. Nutrient treatments especially 2% K2SO4+1% ZnSO4 led to significant increases in the fresh (up to 65%) and dry (up to 67%) yield when compared with the control trees. Moreover, nutrient applications had a significant effect on the percentage of splitting (an 11 % increase) and blankness (a 26% decrease). It can be concluded that foliar application of K and Zn fertilizers is necessary for obtaining better fruit yield and quality in pistachio.
Babak Valizadeh Kaji; Ahmad Ershadi; Masoud Tohidfar
Abstract
In this study, an efficient Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method was developed forpomegranate (Punica granatum L.), a difficult-to-transform plant. In vitro shoot segments wereinoculated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 harboring the binary vectorpBI121 carrying the neomycin phosphotransferase ...
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In this study, an efficient Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method was developed forpomegranate (Punica granatum L.), a difficult-to-transform plant. In vitro shoot segments wereinoculated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 harboring the binary vectorpBI121 carrying the neomycin phosphotransferase (nptII) gene as a selectable marker and β-glucuronidase (gus) gene as a reporter. After 28 d in WPM selection medium containing 50 mgL-1 kanamycin, 59 new shoots proliferated. gus analysis was performed on these putativetransgenic shoots, of which 32 stained positive. Positive staining shoots were cut and culturedin selection medium for 2 subsequent subcultures until final gus analysis. After three months ofthe selection period, 6 putative transgenic shoots were obtained. Presence of the gus and nptIIgenes was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. Southern blot analysis confirmed that TDNAwas stably integrated into the genome of three out of six PCR-positive plants. Thetransgenic plants were rooted and successfully acclimatized.
