M. Ghesmati; F. Moradinezhad; M. Khayayt
Abstract
Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) is one of the invaluable medicinal plants, widely used in the pharmaceutical industry due to its vitamins, mucilage, antioxidants, alkaloids and phenolic compounds. Calcium, involved in determining the fruit quality, is one of the most important minerals and its role in ...
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Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) is one of the invaluable medicinal plants, widely used in the pharmaceutical industry due to its vitamins, mucilage, antioxidants, alkaloids and phenolic compounds. Calcium, involved in determining the fruit quality, is one of the most important minerals and its role in the improvement of secondary metabolites in plants has been proved. Nevertheless, little information is available regarding the foliar application of this element on jujube plant. Hence, the current research was aimed to investigate the effects of foliar application of calcium nitrate or calcium chloride on antioxidant properties and quality attributes of jujube fruit. The study was carried out in a randomized complete block design. Treatments were included control (distilled water), calcium chloride (0.5 and 1%) and calcium nitrate (0.5 and 1%). The Foliar application was done in two stages; in fruit cell division stage (20 days after full bloom) and in fruit cell growth stage (40 days after full bloom). The results showed that foliar application of calcium nitrate (0.5%) significantly increased the titratable acidity of the fruit. Calcium chloride treatment (0.5%) also increased fruit anthocyanin content compared to the control. The highest antioxidant properties, vitamin C, and calcium content were obtained in calcium chloride (1%) treatment. The maximum values of chlorophyll a, b and total were observed in the leaves treated with calcium nitrate at a concentration of 1%. In general, the results showed that foliar application of calcium salts improved the quality and antioxidant properties of jujube fruits compared to the control.
F. Ahmadi; M.H. Aminifard; M. Khayyat; A.R. Samadzade
Abstract
The effects of applications of humic acid and planting density on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) were evaluated under field conditions. Treatments were of four levels of humic acid (0, 5, 10 and 15 Kg.ha-1) and three density planting (50, 75 and 100 corms.m-2). ...
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The effects of applications of humic acid and planting density on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) were evaluated under field conditions. Treatments were of four levels of humic acid (0, 5, 10 and 15 Kg.ha-1) and three density planting (50, 75 and 100 corms.m-2). This experiment was carried out as factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications in research farm of Birjand University, Iran, during growing season 2015. Flower fresh weight and fresh and dry weight of stigma were influenced by humic acid treatments. The highest flower fresh weight (0.36g.m-2) was obtained in plants treated with 5 kg.ha-1 humic acid while the lowest values were recorded in the control (0.33g.m-2). However, no significant difference was found in yield and flower number of saffron, length of stigma and style, fresh weight and dry weight of style under different levels of humic acid treatments. Results showed that humic acid improved the leaf growth indices (leaf length, fresh weight, and dry weight of leaf) and photosynthetic pigments (chl b, total chl and spad). The highest leaf length, fresh and dry weight of leaf, chl b, total chl and spad were obtained in plants treated with 10 kg.ha-1 humic acid while the lowest values were recorded in the control. Application of different levels of planting density had a positive effect on the yield and flower number, length of stigma, length of leaf, fresh and dry weight of leaf in saffron. The highest flower number (22.25per.m-2) and yield (8.22g.m-2) were observed in planting density of 100 corms.m-2. Interactive effects of humic acid and density had a positive effect on the flower yield, length and dry weight of stigma, fresh weight and length of leaf and chl b.