Anna Tadevosyan; Mahsa Daryadar; Anahit Tovmasyan; Armenuhi Asatryan; Hamid Reza Roosta; Anahit Hakobjanyan
Abstract
Moringa oleifera Lam. is a well-known medicinal plant and food source. It is rich in bioactive substances, has several pharmacological properties, and is an introduced species to Armenia. This study aimed to evaluate moringa for adaptability to Armenian climatic conditions while assessing its antioxidant ...
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Moringa oleifera Lam. is a well-known medicinal plant and food source. It is rich in bioactive substances, has several pharmacological properties, and is an introduced species to Armenia. This study aimed to evaluate moringa for adaptability to Armenian climatic conditions while assessing its antioxidant and antibacterial activities in different cultivation systems. Moringa plants were grown in soil and hydroponic systems (on specific substrates: volcanic slag, gravel, volcanic slag mixed with gravel). We examined growth characteristics, yield, antioxidant activity, and antibacterial properties. The results showed that moringa can adapt to the Armenian climate. It is important to note that leaf dry mass increased by 1.6-1.7 fold in hydroponic-grown plants compared to soil-grown plants, regardless of the growth substrate. We observed a higher antioxidant activity in plants that grew on gravel only and gravel mixed with volcanic slag substrates. A comparative study of the antibacterial activity of moringa leaf water extract revealed that the plant extract (5000 µg mL-1) in hydroponic conditions suppressed the growth of gram-positive (Enterococcus hirae) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria in 24 hours. Soil-grown plants had similar extracts by concentration that inhibited the growth of gram-negative bacteria. Thus, moringa plants adapted to the Armenian climate. The plants performed better in the hydroponic system than in the soil system. This superiority in performance appeared in plant growth, yield, antioxidant activity, and antibacterial properties.
Mohammad Hadi Ebrahimzadeh; Mahboobeh Naseri; Fatemeh Soghra Younesikelaki; Iman Yusefi javan; Rama Swamy N
Abstract
Silybum marianum (L.) is a medicinally important herb known for producing the liver-protecting compound silymarin, an isomeric mixture of flavonolignans and taxifolin. In this study, a protocol (plant growth regulators in various concentrations and combinations of coconut water) for the initiation of ...
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Silybum marianum (L.) is a medicinally important herb known for producing the liver-protecting compound silymarin, an isomeric mixture of flavonolignans and taxifolin. In this study, a protocol (plant growth regulators in various concentrations and combinations of coconut water) for the initiation of callus and silymarin production using different types of explantes (root, hypocotyls, cotyledonary leaf) of S. marianum L. was established. The free radical scavenging activity of silymarin extracted from callus cultures of these explants was investigated. In comparison to other plant growth regulators and explants studied, root explants cultured on MS medium enriched with 5.0 M NAA + 2.5 M BAP + 10% coconut water produced the most friable callus and had the highest possible level of silymarin and free radical scavenging activity. NAA + BAP + coconut water was found to be the best hormonal combination for callus initiation and mass production. This research will aid in understanding the influence of plant growth regulators and different types of explantes on the production of valuable secondary metabolites in S. marianum L. in vitro cultures.
Atefeh Gholizadegan; َAlireza Seifi
Abstract
Fusarium wilt is one of the most destructive diseases of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.), which is an economically important disease worldwide causes yield losses in muskmelon growing areas. One of the most effective controlling measures to prevent Fusarium wilt is through host resistance by using resistance ...
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Fusarium wilt is one of the most destructive diseases of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.), which is an economically important disease worldwide causes yield losses in muskmelon growing areas. One of the most effective controlling measures to prevent Fusarium wilt is through host resistance by using resistance genes. We used developed molecular markers for Fom-2 gene, which confers resistance to race 1 of Fusarium in muskmelon, to screen muskmelon landraces in Khorasane-e-Razavi, Iran. After validation of the markers on a differential set of resistant and susceptible lines, we identified STS312 marker as the polymorphic and easy-to-score marker. Then we used STS312 to genotype plants from five different landraces. Our results suggest that resistance allele of Fom-2 gene is present in two landraces: Eyvankey and Mashhadi. These landraces can be used by muskmelon breeders to enhance resistance to Fusarium wilt in muskmelon.
Morteza Mirza Hosseini Zarandi; Maryam Pahlavan Yali; Kamal Ahmadi
Abstract
The rose aphid, Macrosiphum rosae (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is one of the most important pests on Rosa species, which cause serious damage to plants. Salicylic acid (SA) and Potassium sulfate (PS) have the potential to affect the population of pests on plants. In this study, different concentrations ...
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The rose aphid, Macrosiphum rosae (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is one of the most important pests on Rosa species, which cause serious damage to plants. Salicylic acid (SA) and Potassium sulfate (PS) have the potential to affect the population of pests on plants. In this study, different concentrations of SA (0.7 and 1.4 mM), PS (11 and 28 mM) and SA (1.4 mM) + PS (28 mM) were used as foliar applications on rose plants to evaluate the life table parameters of M. rosae. The chemical constituents of rose leaves were also assessed using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). Results showed that the life table parameters of M. rosae were significantly affected by various treatments. The longevity of the aphid was longest on control and shortest on SA (1.4 mM). M. rosae had the least fecundity on SA (1.4 mM) treatment. The intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm) of M. rosae ranged from 0.202 to 0.298 day-1 on different treatments, which was lowest on SA (1.4 mM) and highest on control. GC/MS analysis showed that Squalene, 2-(1,3-benzothiazol-2-ylsulfanyl)-1-(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl) ethanone, and 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, as secondary metabolite, were the major compounds in SA (1.4 mM) treatment. The results of this study demonstrated that application of SA (1.4 mM) on rose plants has a good potential for reducing the population of M. rosae and can be used in integrated pest management programs.
Karim Arab Salmani; Yousef Hakimi
Abstract
Genetic variability in a crop population is essential for successful plant breeding. Fifteen cucumber genotypes (Cucumis sativus L.) were evaluated in the greenhouse under warm conditions to estimate the magnitude of their genetic variability, trait heritability, morphological features, and pomological ...
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Genetic variability in a crop population is essential for successful plant breeding. Fifteen cucumber genotypes (Cucumis sativus L.) were evaluated in the greenhouse under warm conditions to estimate the magnitude of their genetic variability, trait heritability, morphological features, and pomological characteristics. The genotypes appeared in five categories based on their performance and determination of the most reliable discriminative features that accounted for more significant variability. Cluster Analysis and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) assisted in the classification. The measured characteristics were cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus, fungal severities of infestation, off-type plant, stem, internode, leaf, petiole, fruit and fruit trail length, leaf width, male flower percentage, fruit color and groove, fruit diameter, fruit fresh weight, fruit dry matter and ash percentage, fruit pH, EC and TSS, fruit yield, and total fruit count. The IR4 and IR5 genotypes showed the highest fruit yield (460.85 and 425.86 kg/plot) and number (108.72 and 84.22 fruit/plant). IR11 had the highest value of fruit length (16.60 cm). High broad-sense heritability was associated with all the traits except for cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus and fungal severities of infestation, fruit pH, and total fruit yield. Cluster analysis and its comparison of means showed that IR4 and IR5 from the fifth cluster expressed the best agronomic traits and yield potentials in warm conditions (40 °C/32 °C day/night). Hence, selection for any characteristic would favor genotypes in these clusters. The PCA involved fruit dry matter and TSS as the most discriminating trait that accounted for more significant cucumber variability, which can become crucial information in cucumber improvement programs.
Dennis Maina Gatahi
Abstract
Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) is an important member of the Solanaceae family. It is mainly used as food and cash crop globally. Tomato also serves as an ornamental plant in some parts of the world. In urban areas, this crop is included in the foodscaping systems where it is grown in hanging baskets, ...
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Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) is an important member of the Solanaceae family. It is mainly used as food and cash crop globally. Tomato also serves as an ornamental plant in some parts of the world. In urban areas, this crop is included in the foodscaping systems where it is grown in hanging baskets, growing pots and aquaponics for aesthetic and food purposes. Tomato production is mainly done for fresh and processing market niches. Most developed countries process a larger portion of tomato than is offered in fresh form. Cultivation of tomato is practiced on the open field and inside greenhouses. Greenhouse production has gained popularity recently. Determinate varieties are produced outdoor while indeterminate ones are produced in greenhouses and tunnels. Due to good adaptability, heirloom tomato varieties are becoming popular especially where farmers practice tomato grafting using the indigenous varieties as rootstocks. High cost of inputs, pest and diseases, postharvest losses and marketing are the major challenges facing tomato production globally. Organic tomato production is an emerging market niche. This is due to the increased consumer awareness, environmental conservation requirements and globalization. Thus, farmers have been making strides towards compliance to organic and other sustainable standards. These standards require adoption of the requisite practices, documentation, verification and certification by a third party. Value addition in tomato is an important aspect in addressing the postharvest challenges, product diversification and ultimately profitability. This review paper is expected to provide the requisite information in tomato value chain to ensure sustainable production of tomato globally.
Aminu Mallam Bello; Kazem Kamali Aliabad; Afagh Tabandeh Saravi; Hamid Sodaei Zade
Abstract
Azadirachta indica is a tree with high medicinal value that is conventionally propagated by seed while exhibiting heterozygosity. The aim of this research was to determine the best culture media and plant growth regulators for the micropropagation of Neem. Lateral and terminal buds of A. indica were ...
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Azadirachta indica is a tree with high medicinal value that is conventionally propagated by seed while exhibiting heterozygosity. The aim of this research was to determine the best culture media and plant growth regulators for the micropropagation of Neem. Lateral and terminal buds of A. indica were sterilized with 0.15% and 0.2% mercuric chloride for 10, 11, 12, and 13 min, followed by washing with sterilized double-distilled water three times. At the proliferation and elongation stage, WPM and MS media were tested with different concentrations of BAP either alone or in combination with 0.01 mg L-1 IBA. LS and MS media containing four different levels of IBA (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg L-1) were used for the rooting stage. Pulsing technique with different IBA concentrations was investigated at the rooting stage. Hardening of rooted plantlets was done in potting soil containing peat and perlite (2:1), at 23-24 °C prior to transfer into the natural environment. Maximum survival percentage (70.83%) with minimum browning (10.42%) was achieved by sterilizing the explant with 0.15% of mercuric chloride at all times. The longest shoots (3.66 cm) were observed in the media containing BAP (0.5 mg L-1). Furthermore, the highest number of leaves (14.2 leaves per plant) was recorded in MS medium. Additionally, the MS media containing BAP hormone alone at 0.7 mg L-1 produced the highest number of shoots (3.6 shoots per treatment). LS medium supplemented with IBA (4.0 mg L-1) using the pulsing technique gave the best result at the rooting stage.
Lida Ganbari Torkamany; Hassan Mahdavikia; Esmaeil Rezaei-Chiyaneh; Mohsen Barin; Martin Leonardo Battaglia
Abstract
To determine effects of different fertilizer sources on the yield and quality parameters of Moldavian balm (MB) in intercropping with Fenugreek (FG), two factors were analyzed. The first one included three cropping patterns: MB pure stand, FG pure stand, and intercropping of two rows of MB with two rows ...
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To determine effects of different fertilizer sources on the yield and quality parameters of Moldavian balm (MB) in intercropping with Fenugreek (FG), two factors were analyzed. The first one included three cropping patterns: MB pure stand, FG pure stand, and intercropping of two rows of MB with two rows of FG (2FG:2MB); the second factor was fertilizer sources: control plants, 100% chemical fertilizer (NPK), 100% bacterial biofertilizers + 25% synthetic fertilizer (BF+25NPK), 75% humic acid (HA)+ 25% synthetic fertilizer (75HA+25NPK), and 75% vermicompost (V)+ 25% synthetic fertilizer (75V+25NPK). Results showed that the highest basic microbial respiration , substrate induced respiration and microbial biomass carbon was observed in intercropping of 2FG:2MB fertilized with 75V+25NPK. This treatment also increased the seed yield of FG and dry matter yield of MB by 54% and 80%, respectively, and resulted in the maximum essential oil (EO) content of MB (0.77%) and oil content of FG (14.2%). In addition, the intercrop of 2FG:2MB fertilized with 75V+25NPK improved the EO quality of MB plants by increasing its geranyl acetate and geranial concentration, and also improved the oil quality in FG by maximizing its unsaturated fatty acids content such as oleic and linoleic acids. Overall, we conclude that intercropping of 2MB:2FG fertilized with a fertilizer mix composed of vermicompost (75%) and synthetic NPK fertilizer (25%) can be suggested to farmers as an eco-friendly and sustainable system practice for improving EO and oil content as well as quality of FG and MB plants, respectively.
Dabit Bista; Dikshya Sapkota; Hemanta Paudel; Gaurav Adhikari
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted at Horticulture Farm of Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal from 1 December to30 April of 2018/19 to evaluate the effect of plant growth regulators on onion (Allium cepa cv. Nasik-53). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block ...
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A field experiment was conducted at Horticulture Farm of Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal from 1 December to30 April of 2018/19 to evaluate the effect of plant growth regulators on onion (Allium cepa cv. Nasik-53). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 13 treatments. Growth regulators including: GA3 and NAA each at 75, 150 and 200 mg L-1 concentrations together with the combined forms were applied at 3 and 7 leaf stages of onion crop and the obtained data were compared with the control (distilled water spray) plants. Each treatment was replicated three times. The application of combination of 150 mg L-1 NAA at 3 leaf stage and 150 mg L-1 GA3 at 7 leaf stage resulted in highest values for plant height (76.67 cm), number of leaves (11.33), stem diameter (2.19 cm), bulb diameter (7.55 cm) and fresh weight (72.66 gm) while the control treatment resulted in the lowest values for all these attributes. Therefore, the combined application of 150 mg L-1 of NAA at 3-leaf stage and 150 mg L-1 of GA3 at 7 leaf stage can be recommended to enhance the growth and yield of onion.
Khaled Elmeer; Zenib Suliman; Latifa Al-Latifi; Nora Alhashimi; Ateea Alamami
Abstract
In the Libyan Green Mountains, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different elevations and topography on the genetic variation and chemical composition of Spartium junceum. The results indicated a significant difference among the antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds, and flavonoid ...
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In the Libyan Green Mountains, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different elevations and topography on the genetic variation and chemical composition of Spartium junceum. The results indicated a significant difference among the antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds, and flavonoid content of flower extracts obtained from the genotypes of different regions. The total phenol content ranged from 22.74 to 31.66 mg GAE g-1, whereas the flavonoid content ranged from 7.35 to 10.74 mg CE g-1 DW. The antioxidant efficiency appeared variable among the flower extracts, ranging between 66.81-91.55 μM Trolox equivalents (TE) g-1 of dry matter. Genetic variation was examined by inter-simple sequence repeats, showing a mean value of 0.26 in gene diversity, and a mean value of 0.21 in polymorphism information content. A total of 26 bands were observed, with an average of 3.25 bands per primer, while 50% of the bands were polymorphic. The most effective primers were BT01, BT09, and BT11, which generated four bands. The least effective primer was BT10, which generated only two bands. Phylogenetic relationships between the genotypes divided the samples into two main groups according to geographical location.
Tahereh Parvaneh; Hossein Afshari; Somayeh Naseri
Abstract
Internal conditions and external display of grafted fruit trees are the results of rootstock effects on nutrient uptake, type and amount of rootstock inductive effects on the scion, and scion consumption. Effect of grafting combination on nutrient content, phenyl propanoid pathway enzymes and their effect ...
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Internal conditions and external display of grafted fruit trees are the results of rootstock effects on nutrient uptake, type and amount of rootstock inductive effects on the scion, and scion consumption. Effect of grafting combination on nutrient content, phenyl propanoid pathway enzymes and their effect on secondary metabolites production of apple leaves was investigated in two consecutive years. Two Iranian red flesh apple cultivars and ‘Red delicious’ cultivar grafted on M9, B9 and one red flesh apple colony rootstock of Bekran were tested in a factorial randomized complete block design. To make a noticeable difference in the amount of nutrients in samples, the treatments in the second year were fertilized. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium were measured in leaves for two years. Also PAL (Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase) and UFGT (UDP-glucose: flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase) enzymes activity, phenolic compounds and flavonoids were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in vegetative tissues. According to results of this study, among studied rootstocks, M9 was able to accumulate and maintain high concentration of minerals in leaves. Red flesh apples are capable of production of secondary metabolites if they grafted on rootstocks with higher absorption rate. In this way, they can meet the goal of secondary metabolites production. Also, our results showed that calcium was effective in production of all phenolic and flavonoid compounds and induction of UFGT enzyme activity.Abbreviations: N, Nitrogen; P, Phosphorus; K, Potassium; Ca, Calcium; Fe, Iron; Zn, Zinc; PAL, Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase; UFGT, UDP-glucose: flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase; HPLC, High-performance liquid chromatography; BA, Bastam; BE, Bekran
Ali Pourkhaloee; Morteza Khosh-Khui; Rodrigo Barba-Gonzalez
Abstract
In this study, an efficient in vitro method was established for indirect somatic embryogenesis of tuberose from pedicel-derived calluses on MS medium. The effects of 2,4-D, NAA, BAP, and ABA on callus induction, callus growth, embryogenic callus formation, embryo maturation, and plantlet regeneration ...
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In this study, an efficient in vitro method was established for indirect somatic embryogenesis of tuberose from pedicel-derived calluses on MS medium. The effects of 2,4-D, NAA, BAP, and ABA on callus induction, callus growth, embryogenic callus formation, embryo maturation, and plantlet regeneration were evaluated. Combination of 0.5 mg L-1 2,4-D + 0.5 mg L-1 NAA resulted in the highest percentage of callus induction (100%) and callus quality. The highest average of callus growth was achieved at 1 mg L-1 2,4-D + 1 mg L 1 BAP. Embryogenic calluses were induced on the media containing 1 mg L-1 2,4-D after 90 days of subculturing. The highest number of matured somatic embryos per petri dish (81) and callus greening were observed on the medium containing 1 mg L-1 ABA + 45 g L-1 maltose. Further germination of embryos was observed on MS medium containing 10 to 15 ml L-1 goat colostrum and embryos with leaves regenerated after 90 days. Beside induction of osmotic pressure, colostrum is a rich source of organic nitrogen and calcium which play key roles in somatic embryogenesis. The whole plantlets were achieved after 60 days of subculturing on the media containing IBA (0.75 mg L-1) with a survival rate of 88%. In conclusion, the present study provides a suitable somatic embryogenesis system which may serve in micropropagation, genetic transformation, and ploidy manipulation of tuberose.
Ritambhara Bhutani; Susmita Shukla; Nibha Gupta; Shiv Kant Shukla
Abstract
This research aimed at in vitro propagations of bananas originating from India. Banana (Musa spp.) is a nutritious fruit but shows susceptibility to specific diseases. A traditional method of its propagation is through the separation of suckers, although it may culminate in the transmission of nematodes, ...
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This research aimed at in vitro propagations of bananas originating from India. Banana (Musa spp.) is a nutritious fruit but shows susceptibility to specific diseases. A traditional method of its propagation is through the separation of suckers, although it may culminate in the transmission of nematodes, parasitic organisms, and viral diseases. In the past two decades, plant tissue culture techniques have facilitated the production of disease-free plantlets. Tissue culturing bananas can involve different explants, including shoot tips, suckers, leaves, and flower buds. Each responds differently to the presence and absence of light. In the current research, explant cultures were placed in light or dark incubation for identical durations, i.e., one to six months, to monitor their growth and development. The color intensity of the explants changed in response to different photoperiods. Young flower buds, mature flower buds, and suckers developed a higher color intensity when placed in light than in dark conditions. However, the opposite occurred in leaf explants thatgrew optimally in the dark. The results indicated that banana growth occurred productively from sucker explants in different light conditions and variable durations. The results were optimal when employing sucker explants, which exhibited the fastest growth.
Masoud Haghshenas; Mohammad Javad Nazarideljou; Akbar Shokoohian
Abstract
The moderating role of salicylic acid (SA) and putrescine (PUS) as plant growth regulators (PGRs), on the growth parameters and phytochemical and qualitative characteristics of strawberry fruit 'Selva' under osmotic stress was investigated under soilless culture. The osmotic potential (salinity) of the ...
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The moderating role of salicylic acid (SA) and putrescine (PUS) as plant growth regulators (PGRs), on the growth parameters and phytochemical and qualitative characteristics of strawberry fruit 'Selva' under osmotic stress was investigated under soilless culture. The osmotic potential (salinity) of the nutrient solution containing different NaCl concentrations (0, 7.5, 15, 30 and 45 mM) and foliar application of PUS (0 and 1.5 mM) and SA (0 and 1.5 mM) were studied. The results showed a significant decrease in plant leaf area (79.6%), total chlorophyll content (48%), fruit yield (73.5%), leaf relative water content (33%), total protein (33.4%), total phenol (7.8%), and vitamin C content (24.5%) under osmotic stress. Moreover, peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes activity, leaf ion leakage, and soluble carbohydrate and proline content increased significantly under osmotic stress. Application of PGRs had a significant effect on all the studied traits (except for SOD activity). Interactive effects of salinity and PGRs were significant on all the traits except for leaf ion leakage, POD activity, soluble carbohydrates, and protein. The highest total phenol and vitamin C contents were obtained with 15 mM salinity along with foliar application of PGRs. In conclusion, foliar application of PUS and SA ameliorate negative effects of salt stress on growth, yield, and quality of strawberry fruit.
Adel Sultan Alqadasi; Isam Al-madhagi; Abdulbaset Al-kershy; Mohamed Al-Samaei
Abstract
Ginger is unfertile species that usually failed to set seed. Cultivation of this plant using its economic part (rhizomes) is an unprofitable method, which negatively affects its supply in the market. Therefore, this study aimed to maintain the local Yemeni ginger variety, and facilitate its propagation ...
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Ginger is unfertile species that usually failed to set seed. Cultivation of this plant using its economic part (rhizomes) is an unprofitable method, which negatively affects its supply in the market. Therefore, this study aimed to maintain the local Yemeni ginger variety, and facilitate its propagation by tissue culture technique, using fresh rhizome buds in a semi-rigid culture medium. To do so, two experiments were carried out, the first one was based on completely randomized block design with four replicates to determine the optimum pH levels (including 5.6, 5.8, 6.0) for the shoot and root formation. The result showed that the 5.8 is the optimum pH level of the medium. Second experiment was designed as two factors, type of cytokinin [6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and Kiniten (Kin) (N6- furfuryladenine)] and ii) Cytokinin concentrations (0, 1, 2 and 3 mg L-1). The MS basal medium supplemented with above types and concentration of cytokinin with 1.0 mg L-1 IBA and 3% sucrose (BAP and Kinetin) The explants cultured on Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) medium supplemented with cytokinin with four replicates. The result showed that the explants cultured on MS basal medium supplemented with 2.0 mg L-1 Kin + 1.0 mg L-1 IBA give the highest rate of shoot multiplication, shoot length and root number. In conclusion, the result obtained from this study might help to manage the propagation of ginger.
Francis Aibuedefe Igiebor; Beckley Ikhajiagbe; Mostprecious Asia
Abstract
The significance of building sustainable farms has been highlighted in the search for food security. The traditional farming methods used in Nigeria result in low agricultural yields. Utilizing modern technologies, such as nanotechnology, is crucial right now to address the growing need for food crops. ...
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The significance of building sustainable farms has been highlighted in the search for food security. The traditional farming methods used in Nigeria result in low agricultural yields. Utilizing modern technologies, such as nanotechnology, is crucial right now to address the growing need for food crops. These objectives gave birth to nanotechnology as a frontier for the twenty-first century. Nanoparticles may be helpful in the treatment and monitoring of diseases affecting agricultural crops because they specifically target microorganisms. Crop diseases are fought by nanoparticles, including carbon nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles, and silica nanoparticles. An edible coating containing encoded nanoparticles is one such technique for preserving and storing food. Agricultural fields can be equipped with nano-sensors to track soil fertility and other agro-climatic factors. Nanomaterials are utilized to remediate deficient soils and offer a clever, unique, environmentally responsible, and long-lasting solution. Green nanotechnology may be used to improve the hygiene of food items, leading to a better lifestyle for the general public. An effective substitute for better recycling of agricultural waste might be nanotechnology. These are the ideal raw materials for biochar, renewable energy, and nano-silica. Agriculture also uses barcode technology and nano-based identifying markers. The intentional use of nanomaterials in agricultural endeavours may have unanticipated health effects. Future agricultural issues like food security have a lot of potentials to be solved with the help of nanotechnology applications, particularly in developing countries.
Fereshteh Abbasi; Azizolah Khandan-Mirkohi; Ali Haji Ahmad; Mohsen Kafi; Majid Shokrpour
Abstract
This study aimed to optimize an efficient nutrient system to produce cut Lilium flowers while considering the recent severe water crisis and the high cost of chemicals and fertilizers. Lilium bulbs (Lilium OT Hybrid cv. ‘‘Zambesi’’) were grown in aeroponic (centrifugal) and ultrasonic ...
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This study aimed to optimize an efficient nutrient system to produce cut Lilium flowers while considering the recent severe water crisis and the high cost of chemicals and fertilizers. Lilium bulbs (Lilium OT Hybrid cv. ‘‘Zambesi’’) were grown in aeroponic (centrifugal) and ultrasonic systems with variable pulse periods. An ultrasonic system (on/off) time in seconds was considered 10/10, 15/5, and 20/0. An aeroponic system was 3/27, 6/24, and 9/21 in seconds. A modified Hoagland nutrient solution was applied, and plants were grown to the flowering stage. Then, plant morpho-physiological responses were evaluated under different systems and operation times. The growth rate in the vegetative stage and plant height were higher in the aeroponic compared to the ultrasonic system, but the effect of pulses was not significant. Thehighest reproductive growth occurred in 10 and 20% pulses of the aeroponic system. Maximum root length was obtained in 10% of the aeroponic system operation. Maximum but unserious bulb rot was observed in 10% of the aeroponic systems compared to the others. Overall, 10% of the aeroponic system operation was recommendable for Lilium cultivation. Considerably, water consumption was less than half in the ultrasonic system compared to the aeroponic system. Also, the quantum performance of PSII decreased in the time performance by 50%, but it showed better results than the other pulses in the ultrasonic system. The findings reveal that the low water need in the ultrasonicsystem is a promising achievement. Thus, we recommended performing additional experiments with different pulses and even frequencies to achieve better performances in this system.
Mohsen Azadbakht; Mohammad Vahedi Torshizi; Mohammad Javad Mahmoodi; Ahmad Abbaszadeh-Mayvan
Abstract
The current study was aimed to evaluate the physiological properties of pear influenced by two dynamics of loading force and the storage time. In this experiment, the pears were subjected to dynamic loading (300, 350 and 400 g) and different storage periods (5, 10 and 15 d). The amounts of fruit total ...
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The current study was aimed to evaluate the physiological properties of pear influenced by two dynamics of loading force and the storage time. In this experiment, the pears were subjected to dynamic loading (300, 350 and 400 g) and different storage periods (5, 10 and 15 d). The amounts of fruit total phenol, antioxidant and Vitamin C contents were evaluated after each storage period. In the present study, multilayer perceptron (MLP) artificial neural network featuring a hidden layer and two activating functions (hyperbolic tangent-sigmoid) and a total number of 5 and 10 neurons in each layer were selected for the loading force and storage period so that the amounts of the total phenol, antioxidants and Vitamin C contents of the fruits could be forecasted. According to the obtained results, the highest R2 for dynamic loading in a network with 5 neurons in the hidden layer and a sigmoid activation function were obtained for total phenol content (R2 = 0.980), antioxidant (R2 = 0.983) and Vitamin C (R2 = 0.930). Additionally, considering the value of Epoch and Run for the network, the ability of the neural network to predict total phenol, antioxidant and Vitamin C contents can be used. According to the obtained results, the neural network with these two activation functions possesses an appropriate ability in overlapping and predicting the simulated data based on real data.
Fatemeh Nazoori; Solmaz Poraziz; Seyed Hossein Mirdehghan; Majid Esmailizadeh; Elaheh ZamaniBahramabadi
Abstract
In the present study, effects of edible coatings using sodium alginate (SA) and sodium alginate in combination with ascorbic acid (AA) on the shelf-life extension of strawberries at 4±1°C was studied. A factorial experiment was performed based on a randomized complete block design with four ...
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In the present study, effects of edible coatings using sodium alginate (SA) and sodium alginate in combination with ascorbic acid (AA) on the shelf-life extension of strawberries at 4±1°C was studied. A factorial experiment was performed based on a randomized complete block design with four replications. The treatments included control (distilled water), SA (1%, 2%, 3% w/v), SA in combination with AA (1% w/v) and the storage periods (7 and 14 days). The results showed that lightness (L*), chroma, firmness, total acidity, vitamin C, phenols, and antioxidant activity decreased during storage, but coating improved them in the sold-stored strwberries. SA2%+AA1% coating was the best treatment in maintaining the fruit quality. Firmness, weight loss, fruit L*, fruit chroma, sepal L*, sepal chroma, total phenolics, and polyphenol oxidase activity were decreased by 15%, 1.95%, 16.7%, 2.66%, 10.23%, 16%, 19.47% and 2.5%, respectively for SA2%+AA1% samples at the end of the 14th day, which was lower than the untreated fruits. The results suggested that postharvest application of SA2%+AA1% has the potential to extend the storage life of strawberry fruits by reducing water loss and maintaining fruit quality.
Omid Sohrabi; Abbdollah Hatamzadeh; Azim Ghasemnezhad; Habibollah Samizadeh; Vahid Erfani-Moghadam
Abstract
Irresponsible applications of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agricultural production have caused significant environmental impacts and damage to human health. This study aimed to explore the effects of extracts from several Iranian medicinal plants on tomato growth under greenhouse conditions. ...
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Irresponsible applications of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agricultural production have caused significant environmental impacts and damage to human health. This study aimed to explore the effects of extracts from several Iranian medicinal plants on tomato growth under greenhouse conditions. Within a completely randomized design, the treatments included methanolic extracts of Taraxacum officinale L., Conocarpus erectus L., Allium jesdianum L., Rheum ribes L., Dorema aucheri L., and Juniperus sabina L. at three concentrations of 1000, 5000, and 8000 mg L-1. The measured variables were stem length (SL), internode distance (ID), branch number (BN), auxin content (AC), cytokinin content (CC), auxin/cytokinin ratio, total protein, total phenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant potential (FRAP). Under greenhouse conditions, foliar spraying with Dorema aucheri plant extract (8000 mg L-1) significantly increased the stem length by 15% compared to the control. Rheum ribes extract (8000 mg L-1) increased internode distance (19%). However, the number of branches decreased by 34% in response to the plant extracts. Compared to the control, the amount of cytokinin decreased after spraying, whereas the auxin content showed a sinusoidal pattern of change. In response to all treatments, the auxin/cytokinin ratio increased, with the highest value observed in plants treated with Allium jesdianum extract (5000 mg L-1). According to the results, the plant extracts proved effective and assisted in tomato growth. Future research may aim to identify effective biological compounds in these extracts.
Fariba Bagheri; Abdolhosein Rezaei Nejad; Mohammad Reza Raji
Abstract
Waterlogging may be imposed by intense rainfall, excessive irrigation, or poor drainage. In Iran, besides the northern parts of the country with high precipitation, waterlogging may occur due to over-irrigation, or inadequate drainage especially for landscape use of ornamentals. In this study, the joint ...
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Waterlogging may be imposed by intense rainfall, excessive irrigation, or poor drainage. In Iran, besides the northern parts of the country with high precipitation, waterlogging may occur due to over-irrigation, or inadequate drainage especially for landscape use of ornamentals. In this study, the joint effects of growth stage (four-leaf stage, full growth and start flowering), at which waterlogging is encountered, and the duration of the episode (0, 6, 12, and 24 h) on flowering induction, plant growth, and external quality were investigated in zinnia (Zinnia elegans Jacq.). Waterlogging generally downgraded visually-perceived quality (stem length, flower size, leaf coloration), increased the risk of buckling (lower stem strength) and shortened flower bud longevity. Waterlogging adversely affected biomass accumulation, through decreases in both light capture (leaf area), and photosynthesis. Besides disturbed water relations, waterlogged plants underwent oxidative damage as indicated by reduced chlorophyll content, and elevated lipid peroxidation level. Waterlogging was further associated with increased activity of antioxidant enzymes (ascorbate peroxidase, peroxidase). The waterlogging-induced effects were generally more prominent as waterlogging duration increased, and the growth stage of application was less advanced, so that the plants waterlogged in four-leaf stage for 24 h showed the most negative effects and their plant dry weight reduced to 75 percent of that in controls. In conclusion, the obtained results offer a quantitative analysis of how both growth stage and duration determine the waterlogging-induced injury in zinnia.
Pratima Bagale; Srijana Pandey; Pradip Regmi; Subhekchhya Bhusal
Abstract
This review provides a comprehensive overview of the basic and applied aspects of gibberellins (GAs) and its application in the regulation of growth and development of different vegetable crops. Plant growth regulators are the substances which are synthesized in particular cells and are transferred to ...
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This review provides a comprehensive overview of the basic and applied aspects of gibberellins (GAs) and its application in the regulation of growth and development of different vegetable crops. Plant growth regulators are the substances which are synthesized in particular cells and are transferred to other cells where in extremely small quantities influence the developmental processes. The GAs are an important group of phytohormones which exert various effects on promotion and regulation of plant growth. Gibberellic acid (GA3) is a type of GA plant hormone, with great economical and industrial importance. GAs affect stem elongation, germination, elimination of dormancy, flowering, sex expression, flooding responses, enzyme induction and leaf and fruit senescence. Foliar application of GA3 has been shown to change the physiological and developmental processes, including plant vegetative growth, sex expression, yield, and yield components in different vegetable crops. This study aims to reveal the impacts of GAs on different aspect of crop production with special emphasis on vegetable crops. Furthermore, appropriate concentration for the applications of GA3 in vegetable crops would be discussed so that the use of such regulators is environmentally and toxicologically safe for both plants and the consumers.
Karim Farmanpour-Kalalagh; Mehdi Mohebodini; Naser Sabaghnia
Abstract
In this study, the variability of essential oil composition in different parts of summer savory was investigated. Extraction of essential oils from air-dried leaves and healthy seeds was done using water-distillation in Clevenger-type apparatus for 4 h. In total, 23 and 24 components were identified ...
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In this study, the variability of essential oil composition in different parts of summer savory was investigated. Extraction of essential oils from air-dried leaves and healthy seeds was done using water-distillation in Clevenger-type apparatus for 4 h. In total, 23 and 24 components were identified in the leaves and seeds of summer savory, respectively. Carvacrol (46.023%), Estragole (Methyl Chavicol) (6.257%), Caryophyllene (4.753%), and E-Caryophyllene (4.753%) were the major constituents in the seeds and Carvacrol (56.537%), γ-Terpinene (21.377%), and p-Cymene (8.587%) were the major constituents in the leaves. Among all constituents, Carvacrol, Caryophyllene, E-Caryophyllene, β-Bisabolene, cis-α-Bisabolene, Caryophyllene oxide, Z-Citral, E-Citral, γ-Terpinene, and δ-3-Carene were present in both of leaves and seeds. Significant positive and negative correlations were detected between constituents for the investigated parts of summer savory. In addition, the correlation analysis of same volatile constituents in seeds and leaves indicated that some constituents in one part of summer savory have a significant correlation with another part. Also, γ-Terpinene in leaves has a negative significant correlation with γ-Terpinene in the seeds.
Fatemeh Nazoori; Elaheh ZamaniBahramabadi; Hossein Rezaei
Abstract
Since processing may affect the quality and benefits of foods, a study was conducted to compare some properties of fresh, sun-dried (constant water content of 4%) and oven-roasted (130 °C for 25 min) pistachio nuts of two cultivars. Carotenoid, iron, copper, manganese, total saturated, total unsaturated, ...
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Since processing may affect the quality and benefits of foods, a study was conducted to compare some properties of fresh, sun-dried (constant water content of 4%) and oven-roasted (130 °C for 25 min) pistachio nuts of two cultivars. Carotenoid, iron, copper, manganese, total saturated, total unsaturated, palmitic, and linolenic fatty acids showed no statistical difference (P≤0.05) among the samples. Comparing the ‘Akbari’ cultivar, the ‘Ahmadaghaei’ cultivar had less anthocyanin and less palmitoleic acid. Drying and roasting reduced antioxidant activity, flavonoid content, and arachidonic acid while increasing kernel firmness, malondialdehyde, and hydrogen peroxide. Chlorophyll content was higher in dried and roasted than fresh status in both cultivars. Stearic acid had a stable content in ‘Ahmadaghaei’, but increased by drying and roasting in ‘Akbari.’ Oleic acid increased by drying and roasting in ‘Ahmadaghaei.’ In ‘Akbari,’ oleic acid first decreased by drying and then increased to the initial level by roasting. Linoleic acid decreased by drying and roasting in ‘Ahmadaghaei’. In ‘Akbari’, it revealed an increasing trend by drying, but again decreased to the initial content after roasting. In conclusion, the conditions in this experiment for drying and roasting the pistachios were not harmful and had some advantages, leading to better pistachios storage.
Saeed Bazgeer; Mahmoud Behrouzi; Hamid Nouri; Mohamad Ali Nejatian; Davod Akhzari
Abstract
To investigate the effects of dust particles on physiological and yield characteristics of grapevine cv. Bidaneh Safid, a field experiment in randomized complete block design (RCBD) was conducted on 40 plants at the Malayer Grape Research Station, Iran, during 2015-2017. The treatments comprised of: ...
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To investigate the effects of dust particles on physiological and yield characteristics of grapevine cv. Bidaneh Safid, a field experiment in randomized complete block design (RCBD) was conducted on 40 plants at the Malayer Grape Research Station, Iran, during 2015-2017. The treatments comprised of: 1) artificial dust (4.3 micron, on average), 2) washing vine by well water, 3) washing vine by soluble-in-water dioctyle solution (dioctyl sulfosuccinate under the brand name dioctyl) one day after spraying artificial dust, 4) washing vine after the occurrence of natural dust storm in the region with no artificial dust applied, and 5) control, dust was not applied and after dust storm vines were not washed. Analysis of variance revealed that dioctyl and dust treatment had the highest and lowest yields of 12 and 4.5 kg/vine, respectively. In addition, dust particles significantly decreased fruit set (by 21.7% as compare to dioctyl treatment), berries per bunch (57 berries per bunch as compared to dioctyl treatment (82 berries/bunch)) and weight of bunch (85 g as compared to dioctyl which was 110 g). Moreover, dust had adverse effects on lengths of shoot (decrease up to 62 cm), leaf dry weight (1.28 to 1.39 g as compared to dioctyl treatment which ranged between 1.45 and 1.55 g) and photosynthetic pigments. (e.g. chlorophyll a reduced by 1.26 mg g-1). In conclusion, washing grapevine with dioctyl and water removed dust from surface of the leaves and dust could not damage the growth and yield of the grapevine.
