Plant Nutrition, Soil Fertility and Fertilizers
Ali Reza Jafarnejadi; Farhad Moshiri; Fatemeh Meskini-Vishkaee
Abstract
Introduction: Arid and semi-arid areas such as Khuzestan province has highly fragile ecosystems that are characterized by low soil fertility, and high organic matter decomposition rates. Moreover, according to the FAO, around 12% of world soils and 65% of Iran's soils are calcareous and more than 20 ...
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Introduction: Arid and semi-arid areas such as Khuzestan province has highly fragile ecosystems that are characterized by low soil fertility, and high organic matter decomposition rates. Moreover, according to the FAO, around 12% of world soils and 65% of Iran's soils are calcareous and more than 20 % of the irrigated farms in the world is affected by salinity. Since soil carbon saturation is low in saline-calcareous soils, the use of organic manure can be effective in increasing soil organic carbon and supplying essential nutrients in crop production. Applying organic manure in agriculture has been considered during the last two decades due to its high-quality products, high price, and low market availability of synthetic fertilizers, chiefly in developing countries. The manure application, both alone or in combination with inorganic fertilizers, is effective in increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) content and improve in soil fertility, microbial activity, and soil water retention capacity. Now the integrated application of organic and chemical fertilizers is inevitable for sustainable production and soil conservation. Hence, comprehension of the response of the soil and crop to applying organic and inorganic fertilizer may help to determine proper manure management strategies to enhance SOC and improve soil health and its ecosystem services. Thus, the aim of the study was to investigate the effects of different fertilizer managements on nutrient content of soil and wheat in saline-calcareous soils of Khuzestan province.Materials and Methods: To evaluate the effect of the integrated and long-term application of chemical and organic fertilizers on the nutrient content of soil and wheat grain in fixed plots, this research was carried out in Khuzestan province (Ahvaz city) in a calcareous- saline soil with silty clay texture under wheat cultivation (Barat cultivar) as a randomized complete block design in six treatments with three replications for four years (2017-2021). The treatments included T1: unfertilized control, T2: application of nitrogenous, phosphorus and potassium chemical fertilizers based on soil test, T3: application of 20 tons of cattle manure every two years + 75% of recommended nitrogen + 50% of the recommended phosphorus and potassium, T4: application 20 tons of bagasse every two years + 75% of the recommended nitrogen + 50% of the recommended phosphorus and potassium, T5: annual application of 20 tons of cattle manure + 75% of the recommended nitrogen, T6: annual application of 20 tons of bagasse + 75% of the recommended nitrogen. In treatment T2 recommended dose of P2O5, K2O, and 30 % of recommended N were applied at the time of second irrigation; the remaining N dose was applied in two splits at tillering (40 % of recommended N) and booting stages (30 % of recommended N). The organic manures were incorporated in the soil (depth 0-15 cm) a week before sowing. At the end of the growing season, wheat yield components were measured. At the end of the growth season, some soil properties involved pH, salinity and SOC, and the concentration of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in soil and grain wheat were determined. SAS v.9.1 statistical software and LSD test were used to compare the means of the studied treatments.Results and Discussion: The mean values of SOC varied in range of 0.60 to 0.73 %. As a result of applying treatment T2 (inorganic fertilizers application as alone), no significant difference was observed in SOC compared to the control treatment (p< 0.05). Compared to unfertilized control treatment, the SOC content were increased significantly by the use of cattle manure at T3 treatment (0.13 %), which could be attributed to the larger proportion of tenacious organic compounds in organic fertilizers than in chemical fertilizer. The highest concentration of soil available phosphorus (19.8 mg kg-1) was obtained in the integrated application of chemical fertilizer and cattle manure (T3), which is 60 and 169 % higher than those in the exclusive chemical fertilizer application (12.35 mg kg-1) and control (7.35 mg kg-1) treatments, respectively. The highest average soil available potassium concentration (253.3 mg kg-1) was also observed in T3. The results showed that the application of different fertilizer treatments was significant only on the nitrogen concentration of wheat grain (p< 0.01). The increase in wheat grain nitrogen concentration due to the application of integrated fertilizer treatments (28-38% increase compared to the control treatment) was significantly higher than the chemical fertilizers treatment (19% increase compared to the control treatment).Conclusion: Based on the results of this research, it was found that the integrated application of organic and inorganic fertilizers has a more positive effect on improving soil fertility in the long term than using them alone. Moreover, the results indicated that the use of cattle manure was more effective than bagasse manure which may be due to its lower carbon to nitrogen ratio (21.3). The integrated use of organic and inorganic fertilizers not only improve soil fertility, but also increases the efficiency of chemical fertilizer use, which reduces the basic chemical fertilizers consumption. Therefore, it is recommended to application of 20 tons of cattle manure every two years + 75% of recommended nitrogen + 50% of the recommended phosphorus and potassium (T3) in the saline-calcareous soils under wheat cultivation in arid and semi-arid climates such as southern of Khuzestan province.
Plant Nutrition, Soil Fertility and Fertilizers
Saeid Heydarzadeh; ahmad tobeh; Sodabeh Jahanbakhsh; salim farzaneh
Abstract
Introduction: Ajwain (Carum copticum L.) is a medicinal herb from the Apiaceae family that is widely cultivated in Europe, Iran, India, Egypt, and Pakistan. Pharmacological and clinical trials indicate that C. copticum is effective in treating pharyngitis, showcasing benefits like antioxidant, antiparasitic, ...
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Introduction: Ajwain (Carum copticum L.) is a medicinal herb from the Apiaceae family that is widely cultivated in Europe, Iran, India, Egypt, and Pakistan. Pharmacological and clinical trials indicate that C. copticum is effective in treating pharyngitis, showcasing benefits like antioxidant, antiparasitic, expectorant, and antilithiatic effects. Although this herb can withstand damage from water stress, regular and sufficient watering will increase its yield. Inadequate water supply, particularly in terms of quantity and allocation throughout growth and developmental stages, leads to reduced achievement of the crop's intrinsic potential, eventually decreasing the farmer's production and livelihood. Water deprivation is a major limiting factor in semi-arid and arid regions, affecting all aspects of plant morphology, physiology, growth, development, and yield. Chitosan facilitates the formation of secondary compounds like polyphenolics, flavonoids, and lignin, which are beneficial for various herb species, and for the activation of herb defense enzymes. Humic acid can especially influence the growth of medicinal herbs by affecting cell membrane permeability, metabolic pathways, cellular respiration, photosynthetic efficiency, enzyme activation, and cell growth. Melatonin improves plant tolerance against various environmental stresses, including extreme temperatures, cold, salinity, chemical compounds, heavy metals, and pathogens. The use of selenium improve photosynthesis, antioxidant activity, carbohydrate accumulation, and synthesis of secondary metabolites under drought stress. Therefore, this study aims to assess the effects of stress modifiers; namely chitosan, humic acid, melatonin, and selenium on the physiological and yield traits of ajwain when exposed under water stress.Materials and Methods: A two-year field trial was performed in the 2022 and 2023 years of cultivation at the University of Mohaghegh Ardabili in Ardabil, Iran. The experimental design was factorial, using a complete randomized block design with three replications. The factors were the stress modulator treatment (MEN: melatonin, CHN: chitosan, HUC: humic acid, and SEM: selenium and CON: control) and irrigation treatments (watering at 100%, 75%, and 50% field capacity (FC) as normal, moderate deficit irrigation and severe deficit irrigation, respectively). All plots consisted of 8 rows of herbs spaced 20 cm from each other, with plants spaced 40 cm apart within each row. Seeds of ajwain (Carum copticum L.) were sown on March 20, 2022 and 2023. During the vegetative phase of ajwain, foliar spraying was applied on the leaves in the three stages at ten-day intervals, coinciding with periods of moisture stress. Weeds were carefully controlled when needed. The soil was collected from a depth of 0-30 cm, analyzed, and found to be silty clay (36% Silt, 33% Clay, 31% Sand) with an electrical conductivity of 0.37 dS /m, pH of 7.8, 1.04% of organic matter, 0.11% total N, 10.04, and 344 mg kg−1 available P and K, respectively. A 2-year investigation analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted operating the general linear model (GLM) (SAS 9.1.3) combining the findings from 2022 and 2023. The LSD trial was evaluated for comparing means at p < 0.05.Results and Discussion: The results showed that under normal irrigation conditions, ajwain plants sprayed with melatonin had the seed yield (733.35 kg/ha), and essential oil yield (22.11 kg/ha). The maximum absorption of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (3.09%, 0.40%, and 1.65%, respectively) was obtained under normal irrigation conditions and foliar spraying with melatonin. While the highest amount of total phenol and flavonoid (29.55 and 3.33 mg/g dw, respectively), DPPH radical inhibition percentage, nitric acid radical inhibition percentage, and superoxide radical collection capacity were 78.85, 67.88, and 138.47% respectively, which were observed in the conditions of severe stress and foliar spraying with melatonin. Also, melatonin foliar application improved the amount of essential oil of ajwain (3.30%) under medium stress conditions. Water stress hinders plant growth and development by impacting many physiologic processes, including nutrient absorption, stomata function, transpiration rate, sugar synthesis, hormone production, assimilation, and photosynthesis. Stressful environments were shown to accelerate the synthesis of EOs, as evidenced by the increased EO content under stress. This is likely due to the role of secondary metabolites in helping plants withstand ecological stresses. The application of MEN, CHA, HUM, and SEM directly enhanced photosynthetic pigments, improved photosynthetic efficiency, increased the concentration and activity of RuBisCo, and promoted ATP and NADPH production to enhance plant productivity. Drought stress triggers the production of secondary metabolites and essential oils, which act as protective molecules against environmental pressures. The biostimulant composition, which includes macro and microelements, vitamins, amino acids, and growth hormones, plays a crucial role in promoting plant growth, as well as the percentage and yield of essential oil. When soil moisture availability is restricted, the uptake of water, the solubility of minerals in the soil, and their absorption by roots decline, leading to adverse effects on photosynthesis and transpiration rates. In these circumstances, as previously demonstrated, the foliar application of MEN, CHA, HUM, and SEM positively influences stomatal opening adjustment and chlorophyll abundance, facilitating the growth, division, and elongation of herb root cells. As a result, foliar spraying of MEN, CHA, HUM, and SEM likely maximized this influence by reactivating various biosynthetic and biological pathways and genes that regulate secondary metabolite production, while also enhancing the glands that manufacture essential oils in the flowers and leaves of plants under water restriction. Since hydrocarbons are required as precursors for the production of phenols, an increase in their rate and concentration influences the enhancement of phenolic combinations. Applying MEN, and CHA has been shown to be beneficial in reducing the impact of free radicals and increasing the production of phenolic compounds. This effect may be related to the role of MEN, and CHA in improving antioxidant activity against ROS.Conclusion: Overall, among all the tested stress modulators, MEN and CHN emerged as valuable tools for improving growth, physiological characteristics, essential oil, and fixed production in ajwain herb. They can help reduce the detrimental impacts of water stress and establish a sustainable framework for optimizing ajwain performance even under moisture-deficit conditions in semi-arid and arid regions of Iran.
Plant Nutrition, Soil Fertility and Fertilizers
Hadi Ahmadian; Shiva Khalesro; Gholamreza Heidari
Abstract
Introduction: A decline in soil organic matter is a key facet of soil degradation, leading to the loss of soil fertility and the capacity to produce crops. The intensive use of synthetic inorganic inputs, such as chemical fertilizers, has resulted in soil organic matter depletion, groundwater contamination, ...
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Introduction: A decline in soil organic matter is a key facet of soil degradation, leading to the loss of soil fertility and the capacity to produce crops. The intensive use of synthetic inorganic inputs, such as chemical fertilizers, has resulted in soil organic matter depletion, groundwater contamination, air pollution, and reduced production quality in arid and semi-arid regions. Therefore, sustainable techniques, such as organic fertilizers and natural inputs, are becoming increasingly important to enhance soil organic matter and plant yield in sustainable agricultural systems. The use of organic fertilizers and soil amendment like biochar and wood vinegar can significantly improve soil organic matter. Much of the world's interest in biochar stems from the worsening condition of agricultural soils and the depletion of water resources. Additionally, biochar has attracted researchers’ interest mainly due to its long-term soil carbon sequestration potential, role in greenhouse gas mitigation, phytoremediation, and ability to improve soil fertility. Biochar and wood vinegar can be made from various biomass materials/residues such as wood waste, crop and refinery residues, animal manures, and municipal wastes. Biofertilizers also play a vital role in sustainable agriculture systems. Mycorrhiza is one of the most important biofertilizers. Mycorrhizal associations help plants obtain water and nutrients in dry and nutrient-poor conditions by increasing the root surface area for water and nutrient uptake. Castor bean (Ricinus commonis L.) is a valuable annual herb belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family. It is an important oilseed crop widely used in industry and medicine today. Numerous studies have underlined the beneficial effects of organic fertilizers on soil fertility and crop yield. However, no study has evaluated the impact of organic fertilizer, biochar, wood vinegar, and mycorrhiza on Ricinus commonis L. This research aims to discover the main effects and interactions of these treatments on the quantitative and qualitative traits of Ricinus commonis L.Materials and Methods: The field experiment was conducted at the Research Field at the University of Kurdistan (35° 19' N, 47° 18' E) during 2022 growing season. The research was designed as a factorial experiment using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Treatment included five fertilizer types: control, organic fertilizer (800 kg ha-1), biochar (3000 kg ha-1), wood vinegar (90 kg ha-1) and chemical fertilizer (urea 200 kg ha-1, and TSP 100 kg ha-1). Additionally, two mycorrhiza levels (Rhizophagus irregularis) were tested: no-inoculation and inoculation. Each experimental plot consisted of six rows, each 6 meters long and spaced 75 cm apart. The seeds were sown on 10 May 2020. Agronomic traits such as plant height, number of capsules per plant, and 1000-seed weight were randomly measured from five plants at full maturity in each plot. In the center rows of each plot, 2.25 m2 of area was harvested at the end of each growing season to evaluate biological and seed yield. Other studied traits included harvest index, seed oil content, seed oil yield, and the nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium concentration of the seeds.Results and Discussion: The results showed that the effect of mycorrhiza inoculation on the plant height, capsules number per plant, seed number per plant, and 1000-seed weight was significant. Furthermore, the fertilizer impact on the mentioned traits except of 1000-seed weight was significant. Organic fertilizer, biochar, wood vinegar, and chemical fertilizer significantly increased the capsules number per plant. The highest number of capsules per plant and seed number per plant belonged to the organic fertilizer. Mycorrhiza inoculation enhanced the seed number per plant and 1000-seed weight by 16% and 23% compared to control, respectively. the interaction effects of different fertilizers and mycorrhiza inoculation improved the quantitative and qualitative traits of castor bean. The highest biological yield (3650.2 g/m2), seed oil content (50.5 %), and oil yield (588.3 g/m2) were observed in the integrated treatment of organic fertilizer and mycorrhiza inoculation. This treatment increased seed and biological yield by 36.5% and 24% compared to control, respectively. Mycorrhiza can enhance plant growth and yield by increasing the supply of phosphorus to the host plant. Mycorrhizal plants can absorb and accumulate several times more phosphate from the soil or solution than non-mycorrhizal plants. Organic fertilizer and biochar positively affected the morphological characteristics. Biochar reduces water consumption and improves soil properties under drought conditions. Compared to other amendment materials, biochar has the benefit of a large surface area and pore spaces, allowing it to absorb and retain water. The highest seed nitrogen and potassium content was observed in the organic fertilizer treatment. Organic fertilizers may promote root development by retaining more water and nutrients in the soil, secreting more plant hormones, and increasing the amount of inorganic material such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that plants can absorb.Conclusion: Therefore, it can be said that the integrated application of organic and biofertilizers not only improve the quantitative and qualitative traits of Ricinus commonis L. but also could be a key strategy in sustainable agricultural systems by reducing the consumption of chemical fertilizers.
Plant Nutrition, Soil Fertility and Fertilizers
Fatemeh Meskini-Vishkaee; Ali Reza JAfarnejadi
Abstract
Introduction In Iran, salinity is a pervasive and limiting Factor of agricultural sustainable production. Plants in saline conditions are exposed to limited absorption of nutrients, water and toxicity of some elements and subsequently, their yield will be affected by salinity. Moreover, dust storms in ...
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Introduction In Iran, salinity is a pervasive and limiting Factor of agricultural sustainable production. Plants in saline conditions are exposed to limited absorption of nutrients, water and toxicity of some elements and subsequently, their yield will be affected by salinity. Moreover, dust storms in arid and semi-arid climates are one of the most important environmental and pollution problems, as they directly and indirectly reduced the quality and quantity of agricultural products. Dust occurrence frequency in the country, especially in the western and southwestern regions increased in the last decades. Hence, increased dust occurrence frequency and intensity during the growth period of agricultural crops is one of the most substantial risks in agricultural sustainable production in Khuzestan province. Thus, the aim of the study was to investigate the effects of dust occurrence and farm management practices applied to reduce the effects of this stress on wheat yield indices as a strategic agricultural product in Khuzestan province. Materials and Methods This study was carried out in Khuzestan province in a calcareous and saline soil with clay loam texture under wheat cultivation (Barat cultivar) as a split plat experiment in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications. Two agricultural farm managements included 1) the custom of the farmer (traditional farming) and 2) nutrition management (soil test, soil balanced and complementary nutrition) based on plant phenological growth stages. In each farm management operation, four leaf washing treatments including 1) without leaf washing, 2) leaf washing after the occurrence of dust phenomenon in the tillering stage, 3) leaf washing after the occurrence of dust phenomenon in the booting stage and 4) leaf washing after the occurrence of dust phenomenon in both the tillering and booting stages, in plots with an area of 20 m2 were applied in three replicates. At the end of the growth season, wheat yield indices involved thousand kernel weight, number of grains per spike, biomass weight, grain yield and the number of tillers per square meter in different treatments were determined. SAS v.9.1 statistical software and Duncan's multiple range test were used to compare the means of the studied treatments.Results and Discussion The results showed that the highest wheat grain yield was observed in the treatment of balanced nutrition management and leaf washing after dust occurrence at two wheat growth stages (5180 kg ha-1), while the least wheat grain yield was in the traditional management and no leaf washing treatment (2830 kg ha-1). The interactions of farm management practices and different leaf washing treatments on biomass, grain yield, harvest index, thousand kernel weight and number of tillers per square meter were significant (p< 0.01). In the traditional management of the farmer, using the plant leaves washing at only one wheat growth stage after the occurrence of dust caused about 30% increase in wheat grain yield on average (24 and 35% increase in grain yield as a result of leaf washing after dust, respectively, in the tillering and booting stages). While in the traditional management and leaf washing at both two stages of wheat growth, it increased the wheat grain yield by 43%. In addition, the results showed that by using balanced nutrition management without leaf washing, wheat grain yield and harvest index increased by 10 and 9%, respectively. Application of balanced nutrition and leaf washing after the dust occurrence at both two wheat growth stages (tillering and booting) caused 32, 59, 21 and 11% increase in biomass, grain yield, harvest index and thousand kernel weight of wheat.Conclusion Based on the results of this research, it was found that the use of different management operations in the farms, such as balanced nutrition of the crop based on the plant growth phenological stages and the leaves washing after the occurrence of dust, can significantly reduce the damage of wheat yield caused by the occurrence of dust. However, it should be noted that despite the positive and significant effect of washing the plant leaf surface after the occurrence of dust phenomenon on reducing wheat yield damage, the time of leaves washing application is very important. Because if immediately after washing the leaf surface of the plant, the dust phenomenon occurs again, the wetness of the plant leaf surface causes more dust particles to deposit on it and the damage caused by dust on wheat yield indices increases.All right reserved.
F. Zandian; amin farnia; M Sheikholeslami; A. Rezaizad
Abstract
Introduction Chitosan is a biological polymer that is obtained from the chitin of crustaceans, fungi and Arthropoda, and is the most abundant polysaccharide on the earth's surface after cellulose (5). According to some evidences that indicate the improvement of the quality of plant products by chitosan, ...
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Introduction Chitosan is a biological polymer that is obtained from the chitin of crustaceans, fungi and Arthropoda, and is the most abundant polysaccharide on the earth's surface after cellulose (5). According to some evidences that indicate the improvement of the quality of plant products by chitosan, studying and understanding the effect of chitosan bio stimulant spraying on the quantitative and qualitative performance of important plants such as tomatoes has particular importance in agricultural research.Materials and Methods was done in order to investigate the effect of chitosan bio stimulant on the growth and yield and some quality characteristics of tomato fruit in a factorial format based on a randomized complete block design with three replications in two crop years 2017-2018 in fields belonging to Dasht Sabz Company, Kasht Complex and the RoginTak industry located in the Iran, Kermanshah. In this experiment, the chitosan bio stimulant was evaluated at five levels (control(S0), 1/1000(S1), 2/1000(S2), 3/1000(S3), and Seed coating(K) treatment). The experiment included 15 plots, each plot with a length of 4.2 meters and a width of 2.1 meters. Three rows were planted in each plot and 7 plants in each row and 21 plants in each plot. The distance between the rows was 1.4 meters and the distance on the row was 30 cm. In total, 315 plants were cultivated in this experiment. The planting density was about 2.38 plants per square meter or 23800 plants per hectare. Analysis of total data was collected using MSTAT-C statistical software Results and Discussion The results of analysis of variance showed that the effect of chitosan spraying on all studied traits was significant, the highest yield was obtained in the S3 treatment in the second year with the amount of 227tons per hectare. Chitosan spraying in the first and second year increased the yield compared to the treatment. It was seen that in the first year, in the treatments of S1S2, S3 and K, it caused an increase of 20, 27, 47 and 31% respectively, and in the second year it caused an increase of 11, 14, 15 and 1% performance compared to the control (S0) treatment. The highest amount of fresh weight was observed in the treatment of S3. The highest amount of dry weight in the treatment of S2 was 399 grams in the second year, which was significantly different from other treatments, which had a significant difference with other treatments so that in the K treatment compared to the S0, S1, S2, and S3 increased the acidity by 6, 3, 5 and 3%, respectively.The effect of chitosan treatment increased the amount of TSS compared to the control treatment. So that the effect of S1, S2, S3 and K treatments caused an increase of 7, 4, 3 and 10% in the amount of TSS, respectively, compared to the S0 treatment. The percentage of nitrogen on average in the first and second year in the S2, S3 and K treatments was higher than the S0 treatment and this increase was 5, 6 and 1%, respectively. However, in the S1 treatment, this value was less than the S0 treatment (13%). The highest percentage of potassium in the treatment of S2 in the first year was 4.62%. On average, in the treatments of S1 and S2, chitosan foliar spraying increased the amount of potassium by 1 and 15% compared to the S0 treatment. In the treatments of S3 and K, it caused a decrease in the amount of potassium compared to the S0 treatment. The highest percentage of phosphorus in the S1 treatment in the first year was 0.65%, in the first and second year in the S3 treatments and K increased the amount of phosphorus by 9% and 2%, respectively, compared to the S0 treatment. Although, in the S1 treatment. no difference was observed, in the S2 treatment, the amount of phosphorus decreased by 9% compared to the S0 treatment, the highest percentage of calcium was obtained in the S1 treatment in the first year, and the lowest amount of calcium was observed in the second year in the K treatment. Chitosan foliar spraying in the S1 treatment caused an 82% increase in the amount of calcium compared to the S0 treatment. The average comparison results showed that the highest amount of sodium in the S3 treatment in the second year was 0.275 ppm. On average, in the S3 and S2 treatments, chitosan foliar spraying caused an increase of 5 and 11% in the amount of sodium compared to the S0 treatment, but in the treatments of S1 and S2, it caused a decrease of 2 and 15% in the amount of sodium compared to the S0 treatment. The highest amount of ascorbic acid in the S3 treatment was 0.45 PPM, which was significantly different from other treatments. The lowest amount of ascorbic acid was 0.306 PPM in the S2 treatment. except for the S2 treatment, which caused a 9% decrease in the amount of vitamin C, in the S1, S3 treatments, and K increased by 14, 33, and 29%, respectively, compared to the S0 treatment.Conclusion The results of this experiment investigated the effect of chitosan on the growth and yield and some quality characteristics of tomato fruit. Based on the obtained results, the use of chitosan as a biological stimulant improves yield, fresh weight, dry weight, and dissolved solids. And it became ascorbic acid. However, in the case of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and calcium elements, there was no linear trend in the increase of elements. However, in general, chitosan foliar application increased the percentage of the investigated elements compared to the S0 treatment. So that the greatest effect in increasing yield, plant fresh weight, nitrogen, phosphorus and ascorbic acid was observed in the S3 treatment, also the highest amount of PH, TSS and sodium was observed in the K treatment, the highest amount of dry weight and potassium In the S2 treatment and the highest amount of calcium was observed in the S1 treatment.
Ali Reza JAfarnejadi; Fatemeh Meskini-Vishkaee; Mohammad Hadi Mousavi Fazl; Gh. Lotfali Ayeneh; Leila Behbahani
Abstract
abstractIntroduction In Iran, salinity is a pervasive and limiting Factor of agricultural sustainable production. Plants in saline conditions are exposed to limited absorption of nutrients, water and toxicity of some elements and subsequently, their yield will be affected by salinity. Moreover, being ...
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abstractIntroduction In Iran, salinity is a pervasive and limiting Factor of agricultural sustainable production. Plants in saline conditions are exposed to limited absorption of nutrients, water and toxicity of some elements and subsequently, their yield will be affected by salinity. Moreover, being calcareous, the salinity of soil and irrigation water, low organic matter in the country's arable soils, and excessive consumption of phosphate fertilizers cause a lack of available nutrients for the plant uptake. As regards more than three billion people in the world suffer from a lack of micro nutrients, the bio-enrichment in strategic products such as wheat is necessary.Materials and Methods This study was carried out in Khuzestan province in a calcareous and saline soil with silty clay texture under wheat cultivation as a factorial experiment in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications. Factors included four levels of zinc (zero, 30, 60 and 120 kilograms per hectare of zinc sulfate) and the four levels of iron (zero, 2.5, 5, 7.5 kilograms per hectare of Fe- EDDHA). Zinc fertilizer treatments were used as application in soil and simultaneously with basic fertilizers (phosphorus and potassium fertilizers). While, iron fertilizer treatments were applied as irrigation fertilizer during wheat tillering stage. At the end of the growth season, wheat yield components (1000-seed weight, number of grains per spike, biomass weight, grain yield, number of tillers per square meter) and quality characteristics including hectoliters, seedling number, protein percentage, grain hardness and moisture content in different treatments were determined. MSTAT-C statistical software and Duncan's multiple range test were used to compare the means of the studied treatments.Results and Discussion The results showed that the interactions of zinc and iron on 1000-grain weight, number of grains per panicle and number of tillers and simple effects of zinc on total yield were significant (p< 0.01). The highest wheat grain yield was obtained in the treatment of 120 kilograms per hectare of Zn and 2.5 kilograms per hectare of iron and was equal to 6723 kilograms per hectare. The results showed that increasing one element alone had a negative effect on the number of plants per square meter. So that the lowest number of tillers per square meter (489 tillers per square meter) was observed when 60 kilograms per hectare of zinc fertilizer was consumed without iron fertilizer application. In other words, the imbalance in the amount of nutrients caused a significant reduction in the number of plants per square meter. Although the role of iron in yield and yield components of wheat in saline conditions was less than the element zinc, but the combined use of zinc and iron in a certain ratio had a positive effect on the yield components of wheat. Despite the less effect of iron application than zinc on wheat yield and yield components in saline conditions, the combined application of zinc and iron in a certain ratio had a positive effect on the wheat yield components. Combined and separate application of iron and zinc had no significant effect on wheat grain quality indicators including hectoliters, hardness and moisture. While the application of the most value of zinc caused a significant decrease in the wheat grain zeleny index. Higher levels of zinc fertilizer reduced the zeleny number of wheat grain, but the results showed that iron fertilizer levels followed the opposite trend rather than the element zinc. The least protein content (12.8%) was obtained in the treatment of 120 kg zinc fertilizer per hectare, which showed a statistically significant difference with the control treatment. Based on economic analysis, the application of 30 kg of zinc fertilizer per hectare, 2.5 kg of iron fertilizer per hectare and the combined application of both zinc and iron fertilizers resulted in a benefit-to-cost ratio of 2.3, 3.1 and 2, respectively.Conclusion Based on the economic analysis of treatments, their effect on qualitative and quantitative yield of wheat and the role of these micronutrients in human health, application of 30 kg ha-1 Zn fertilizer (as application in soil) and 2.5 kg ha-1 Fe fertilizer (as Irrigation fertilizer) in the wheat tillering stage was suggested in saline soil and climate conditions of khuzestan province.All right reserved. All right reserved. All right reserved.
Asieh Naroie; Javad Zamani; Shapour Kohestani; Farideh Abbaszadeh Afshar
Abstract
Introduction: The application of biochar in soil as a method for disposal of organic wastes from environment has been considered by environmental scientists in recent years, due to the unique properties of these components. Biochar is a carbon-rich compound that is produced by burning different types ...
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Introduction: The application of biochar in soil as a method for disposal of organic wastes from environment has been considered by environmental scientists in recent years, due to the unique properties of these components. Biochar is a carbon-rich compound that is produced by burning different types of organic wastes under anaerobic or limited supply of oxygen, which called pyrolysis. Biochar due to its physicochemical properties such as porous structure, expanded specific surface area, high organic carbon content, active functional groups, and also high cation-exchange capacity could able to stabilize organic and mineral compounds. Many studies showed that the biochars enhance soil fertility and improve plant growth but if we want to recommend or apply a specific biochar as an amendment of soil, it's necessary to know about the effects of this biochar on the soil properties and growth of plant. So, the aim of this study was to find out the effect of two biochar (biochar of Date Palm's Leaves (DPL biochar) and biochar of Pistchio Harvesting wastes (PW biochar)) on the growth and heavy metals concentrations of Maize (Zea mays L.) under two different soil textures (Sandy and Sandy Loam).Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in a greenhouse condition on the growth of maize in two types of soil (Sandy and Sandy Loam) with application of 5 levels (0, 1, 2, 3 and 5% w/w) of two different types of biocahr (DPL biochar and PW biochar). Maize were cultivated in treatments for 38 days and at harvesting the shoot and root dry weight and shoot height were measured. Also, the concentration of heavy metals (including Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Cd) in plant shoots were evaluated.Results and Discussion: The result showed that the growth of maize severely decreased due to the application of the biochar and the negative effect of PW biochar was more than DPL biochar. Meanwhile, the negative effect of PW biochar on plant growth in sandy soil was more than other one (i.e. Sandy Loam soil), which medium (2 and 3% w/w) and high (5% w/w) levels of this biochar caused the plant to stop growing. Also application of 5% of DPL biochar in Sandy Loam soil caused in a decrease of about 19, 69 and 72% in plant height, shoot dry weight and root dry weight of maize in compared with control (without biochar application in this soil), respectively and these ratios were about 15, 44 and 31% with application of 3% DPL biochar; while with application of 3% of PW biochar in sandy loam soil has decreased plant height, shoot dry weight and root dry weight of maize about 17, 53 and 37%, in compared to control respectively. These results approved the greater negative effect of PW biochar on plant growth. Assessment of soil salinity as the application of different levels of biochars showed that these materials increased salinity and thus had a negative effect on plant growth. In overall, the results of this study showed that the use of different biochars have different effects on plant growth, since most of biochars have high salinity, coarse-textured soils could more affected by salinity, because of the lower water holding capacity of this soils. Since, biochar is a stable substance, the results of the concentration of elements in the shoot of plants showed that the concentration of most elements not significantly affected by the application of biochar, however the increase in Fe concentration in sandy soil due to application of PW biochar, also Mn uptake in the effect of applying 1% of DPL biochar was observed. On the other hand, the results of this part of the research showed that DPL biochar at higher levels has even reduced the concentration of Mn in the plant. The results of this section also showed that the application of biochar in sandy loam soil, although it was significant on the concentration of heavy metals Pb and Cd in the plant and had slightly increased them, but their concentration was less than critical levels (dangerous) for human health.Conclusion: The effect of biochar on improving plant growth can be greatly influenced by the combined effect of biochar properties and soil conditions. The results showed that despite the many benefits of the soil application of biochar in the different scientific literatures, it is necessary to study the effect of biochar on soil properties and plant growth before applying any type of biochar in the soil.
Amir Rahimi; Behnam Doulati; Saeid Heydarzadeh; Fatemeh Ahmadi
Abstract
Today, water scarcity is one of the biggest concerns of agriculture in arid and semi-arid areas. In order to investigate the effect of vermicompost, biofertilizers and nitrogen on the quantitative and qualitative performance of Badershob under different moisture conditions, a factorial experiment was ...
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Today, water scarcity is one of the biggest concerns of agriculture in arid and semi-arid areas. In order to investigate the effect of vermicompost, biofertilizers and nitrogen on the quantitative and qualitative performance of Badershob under different moisture conditions, a factorial experiment was performed in the form of a randomized complete block design with three replications. Experimental treatments, including irrigation (I) at three levels of 40, 60 and 80% moisture, can be used at the root development depth as the first factor and soil fertility at five levels: non-consumption of fertilizer (F0), urea (150 kg per hectare). Nitrogen-stabilizing release (NFB), vermicompost (V) and vermicompost + release nitrogen-fixing (V + NFB) release bacteria were applied as the second factor. The results showed that water scarcity led to a significant reduction in the amount of nutrients (zinc, manganese and copper) and photosynthetic pigments, while plants inoculated with V + NFB significantly increased the amount of zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn) and Copper (Cu) has become more fertile than soil. The combined use of V + NFB increased chlorophyll a (45%), chlorophyll b (50%), total chlorophyll (46%) and carotenoids (39%) compared to the control treatment. The content of total phenol, flavonoids, the percentage of radical inhibition of DPPH, the percentage of relative moisture content and dry yield of the plant led to an increase of 36, 37, 35, 29 and 31%, respectively, in optimal irrigation conditions and 31, 29, 30, 21 and 23%. Comparison of the average soil fertility treatments in different irrigation levels showed that soil fertility application led to a decrease in proline content. Accordingly, the highest amount of proline (31 micrograms of warmer weight) of the control treatment was observed in irrigation conditions after consuming 80% of the usable moisture in the root development depth and without the use of soil fertility treatments. However, the lowest proline levels of 15.61 micromoles per kg of body weight were obtained in irrigated conditions after consuming 40% of the moisture usable in root development depth and fertilizer and vermicompost treatment + nitrogen stabilizing release bacteria (V + NFB). According to the results of variance analysis, different irrigation levels and soil fertility treatments had a significant effect on the amount of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide. According to the results of the comparison of the mean of the data, the delay in irrigation significantly increased the concentration of malondialdehyde. While the use of soil fertility treatments has shown an effective role in reducing the amount of malondialdehyde, the highest and lowest levels of this trait were observed in control treatment and combined treatment of vermicompost and nitrogen-fixing release bacteria (V + NFB), respectively. Combination treatment of vermicompost and nitrogen-fixing release bacteria (V + NFB) reduced the amount of hydrogen peroxide at all three different irrigation levels compared to the control treatment.Soil fertility combined with soil fertility treatments was less than the individual application conditions In moderate stress conditions and 21, 19, 18, 17 and 17% in severe stress conditions in plants inoculated with V + NFB. From the obtained results, it is inferred that the application of the combined system of organic, biological and chemical fertilizers due to the increase of compatible solutions and regulation of antioxidant systems, as an effective solution to soil fertility and increase nutrient uptake, improves environmental stress. Comparison of the average data obtained from the interaction of different levels of irrigation and soil fertility treatments clearly showed that the combined use of fertilizer and vermicompost + nitrogen-fixing release bacteria (V + NFB) and treatment application of vermicompost increased the effect of increasing irrigation at all different levels. The percentage of leaf moisture content showed. The lowest percentage of leaf moisture content (52.45%) in irrigation conditions was obtained after consuming 80% of the moisture that can be used in the root development depth and without the use of soil fertility treatments. A study of the results of this study showed that the combined use of vermicompost and nitrogen-fixing release bacteria (V + NFB) reduces the effects of drought stress. Many of the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the plant are fragrant.Therefore, the results of this study showed that the use of soil fertilizers by improving plant tolerance in water stress conditions leads to improved plant performance.
Plant Nutrition, Soil Fertility and Fertilizers
Amir Rahimi; Behnam Doulati; Saied Heydarzadeh
Abstract
Introduction Nutritional deficiencies (e.g. Iron, Zinc, Manganese and Boron) account for almost two‐thirds of the childhood death worldwide. Most of those afflicted are dependent on staple crops for their sustenance. Declining soil fertility in many countries, duo to continuous cropping systems, has ...
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Introduction Nutritional deficiencies (e.g. Iron, Zinc, Manganese and Boron) account for almost two‐thirds of the childhood death worldwide. Most of those afflicted are dependent on staple crops for their sustenance. Declining soil fertility in many countries, duo to continuous cropping systems, has reduced soil production capacity affected by depletion of soil nutrient without proper replacement. Soil application of prepared humic substances is not economical, but the response to foliar sprays has the potential to be economical because the relatively small quantities are needed. Foliar application is one of the swift response methods for plants to add fertilizer, which leads to dispel of nutrients deficiency and providence in the use of chemical fertilizers. The solubility of nutrients decreases in soils with high acidity or undesirable chemical composition and can be possibility of ionic competition (Antagonism) or the accumulation of nutrient in soilcanlee resulthed. Therefore, adsorption of nutrients and root growth will be inappropriate. On the other hand, the application of humic substance with improving physical, chemical and biological conditions causes an increase in adsorption and soil fertility. Using humic substances is another benefit of the reduction of environmental pollution in order to achieve sustainable agriculture. A sugar beet is a plant whose root contains a high concentration of sucrose and which is grown commercially for sugar production. Sugar beet is one of the strategic crops and is widely cultivated in the West Azerbaijan region. So, the aim of this study was to investigate the application of humic substances and micronutrient on some quantitative and qualitative characteristics of sugar beet. Material and Methods This study was carried out as a randomized complete block design with six levels of humic substance (0, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 kg ha-1) and foliar application of micronutrients including Fe, Zn, B, and Mn with 3 replications. Physicochemical properties of soil (calcium carbonate equilibrium, pH, OC, EC, micro and macro elements, soil texture) were determined by standard methods. There fore, quantitative and qualitative characteristics of sugar beet including total sugar content, pure sugar content, and molasses sugar content, Na, K and N content in root, alkalinity, sugar extraction coefficient, root yield and pure sugar and total sugar yield were determined in sugar beet samples. Results The results showed that the application of humic and micronutrient was significant in qualitative and quantitative characteristics of sugar beet. Maximum root yield (68.96 ton ha-1) was obtained in the Mn treatment. The highest of pure (16.30%), gross sugars (18.68%) and sugar extraction coefficient (87.25%) was observed in B and 500 kg ha-1 of humic asid treatment. Humic acid application increased nitrogen (27.58%) and root yield (29.08%) compared to control. Also, micronutrient and humic substance application reduced the molasses sugar content and increased potassium in the root of sugar beet. So that the highest (3.48%) and lowest (2.37%) amounts of molasses sugar were obtained in control and 500 kg ha-1 humic acid plus B treatment respectively. Boron is much required for cell division and development in the growth regions of the plant near the tips of shoots and roots. It also affects sugar transport and appears to be associated with some of the functions of calcium. Conclusion According to the results of this study, foliar application of humic substance and micronutrient improved qualitative and quantitative characteristics of sugar beet. The root and refined sugar yields are among the most important components in sugar beet production. Also, treatment of 600 kg ha-1 of humic acid and Mn spraying had the greatest effect on the root and gross sugars yield in sugar beet. Also, the amount of molasses sugar decreased with increasing sugar content and replacing potassium instead of harmful elements. Application of Mn and B may need to be considered for sugar beets. Foliar fertilization with Mn has the beneficial effect mainly on such features like White sugar yield, root, gross sugars yield, and the number of leaves per single sugar beet plants. It can be concluded that the contemporary use of humic substance and micronutrient is recommended in order to achieve adequate yield and preserve the environment.
