F. Heidari; F. Shekari; B. Andalibi; J. Saba
Abstract
In order to investigate the effects of growth regulators on yield and agronomical characteristics of saffron (Crocus sativus L.), an experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design in the research greenhouse of Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan. Experimental treatments included ...
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In order to investigate the effects of growth regulators on yield and agronomical characteristics of saffron (Crocus sativus L.), an experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design in the research greenhouse of Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan. Experimental treatments included corms priming with gibberellic acid (GA) (250, 500 and 750μM), salicylic acid (SA) (700, 1400 and 2100μM), paclobutrazol (PBZ) (50, 100 and 150μM), chlormequat chloride (CCC) (500, 1000 and 1500 μM), hydropriming (HP) (distilled water), and control (treatment without any growth regulator). Among the treatments, the effect of GA was more pronounced than other growth regulators, so that the highest dry yield of flower and stigma was observed in GA treatment, especially at 500-μM level. CCC and PBZ caused the lowest flower and stigma yield and the highest amount of chlorophyll pigments compared to other treatments. In contrast, the use of GA and SA reduced the chlorophyll content. HP treatment did not show any significant difference with control. SA treatment increased safranal (perfume) and crocin (color) of the stigmas. The highest effect on picrocrocin (flavor) was obtained in CCC treatment.
E. Zangani; S. Zehtab Salmasi; B. Andalibi; A.A. Zamani
Abstract
To evaluate the effects of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on tolerance enhancement towards drought in Milk thistle (Silybium marianum (L.) Gaertn.), an experiment was conducted in a split split plot restriction in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The study was conducted in ...
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To evaluate the effects of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on tolerance enhancement towards drought in Milk thistle (Silybium marianum (L.) Gaertn.), an experiment was conducted in a split split plot restriction in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The study was conducted in the research field of the University of Zanjan in 2014. Sodium nitroprusside at three levels of 0, 100 and 200 µmol l-1 was considered as the main factor, while drought stress at three levels of control and withholding irrigation at stem elongation and anthesis stages were regarded as sub factors. Finally, two genotypes of milk thistle (Hungarian and sari) comprised sub-sub factors. With increasing drought severity, leaf photosynthesis rate decreased significantly up to 45 percent compared with the control in both genotypes. Application of 100 µM SNP increased the leaf photosynthesis during stem elongation by roughly 80 and 100 percent in the Hungarian cultivar and Sari ecotype, respectively compared to non-application of SNP. Drought stress significantly decreased the pigment content in Sari ecotype, while this decrease was compensated by applying SNP during stem elongation. Drought stress in both stages of irrigation withholding reduced the grain yield in both genotypes. However, the exogenous application of 100 µM SNP compensated the reduction of grain yield, particularly in Sari ecotype. In addition, withholding of irrigation reduced the active ingredient yield; however, this reduction was compensated by increasing the content of silymarin and grain yield especially in the stage of anthesis stress with application of 100 µM SNP. Research findings showed that concentration of 100 µM SNP was more efficient to protect the milk thistle with increasing drought severity and cultivation of this plant in the water deficit systems.
E. Vatankhah; B. Kalantari; B. Andalibi
Abstract
Jasmonates are key signaling compounds in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses as well as in development. We studied the role of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) in alleviating NaCl-induced salt stress in Mentha piperita L. through evaluating its growth, mineral and phenolics contents, essential oil ...
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Jasmonates are key signaling compounds in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses as well as in development. We studied the role of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) in alleviating NaCl-induced salt stress in Mentha piperita L. through evaluating its growth, mineral and phenolics contents, essential oil (EO) quantity and quality. Accordingly, plants were exposed to the NaCl concentrations of 1.86 (control), 5, 75 and 10 dS/m for two weeks, 24 h after foliar application of 0, 60 and 120 µM MeJA. The results showed that salt stress decreased fresh and dry weights of aerial parts and concentrations of potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), K+/ Na+ ratio and phenolic compounds, while sodium (Na+) content increased significantly under salt stress. Also, EO yield increased with the increase of salinity concentration then decreased at the salinity concentration of 10 dS/m. However, exogenous application of MeJA enhanced the contents of K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+/ Na+ ratio and phenolics, while Na+ content in salt stressed plants declined. In addition, pretreatment with 60 µM MeJA improved the growth and EO yield. The highest values of menthone and menthol were obtained at the salinity concentration of 7.5 dS/m and concentrations of 60 and 120 µM MeJA. In summary, our results indicated that application of MeJA could reduce the adverse of salinity stress in M. piperita.
S. Morady; M. Pouryousef; B. Andalibi
Abstract
Foliar application of micronutrients is a useful technique for rapid absorption of minerals in the plants and avoids soil contamination. To evaluate the effect of foliar application of micronutrients (iron and zinc) on yield, yield components, and essential oil of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), an ...
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Foliar application of micronutrients is a useful technique for rapid absorption of minerals in the plants and avoids soil contamination. To evaluate the effect of foliar application of micronutrients (iron and zinc) on yield, yield components, and essential oil of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), an experiment was conducted as factorial based on randomized complete blocks design with three replications at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan during the growing season of 2012. In this experiment, the effect of foliar application of Fe (using ferrous sulphate) at four concentrations (0, 1, 2 and 3 gr.L-1) and foliar application of Zn (using zinc sulphate) at three concentrations (0, 2 and 4 gr.L-1) were investigated. Results showed that the majority of measured traits including number of umbels per plant, 1000-seed weight, grain yield, essential oil content and essential oil yield were significantly affected (p≤ 0.01) by combined application of iron and zinc. Therefore, the highest grain yield (2637.96 kg ha-1) was obtained in foliar application of Fe + Zn at a concentration of 0.2%. In addition, the highest essential oil content (2.88%) and essential oil yield (75.71 kg ha-1) were obtained in combined application of Fe 0.3% and Zn 0.2% and the lowest content of mentioned traits was obtained in control.
F. Mohtashami; M. Pouryousef; B. Andalibi; F. Shekari
Abstract
To study the effects of seed priming and foliar application of salicylic acid (SA) on yield and essence of fennel (Foeniculum vulgar Mill.) under drought stress condition, a field experiment was conducted at College of Agriculture, University of Zanjan in the spring of 2012. The experiment was conducted ...
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To study the effects of seed priming and foliar application of salicylic acid (SA) on yield and essence of fennel (Foeniculum vulgar Mill.) under drought stress condition, a field experiment was conducted at College of Agriculture, University of Zanjan in the spring of 2012. The experiment was conducted as a split plot based on complete randomized block design with three replications. In this study, drought stress at reproductive stage with control (full irrigation) was assigned to the main plots and different treatments of seed priming and foliar application with SA including dry seeds (without priming), seeds priming with SA at different concentrations (0, 800 and 1600μmol) and foliar application with SA at different concentrations (800 and 1600μmol) were assigned to the subplots. Results showed that the majority of measured traits including number of umbrella in plant, number of seeds in umbrella, seed thousand weight, harvest index, biomass, grain yield, and essential oil yield significantly decreased under drought stress condition and the essential oil content increased vice versa. Therefore, the highest seed (2925.6kg/ha) and essential oil yield (52.88kg/ha) were obtained in control, and the lowest amount of mentioned traits was obtained in drought stress condition. The results also showed that the effect of seed priming and foliar application of SA on the majority of measured traits was significant. There were no differences about seed yield and essential oil yield between foliar application and priming with SA at a concentration of 1600 μmol; however, the highest seed yield (2579.60kg/ha) and essential oil yield (63.15kg/ha) were obtained in foliar application with SA at a concentration of 1600μmol, and the lowest amounts of mentioned traits were obtained in dry seeds (without priming).
