Journal of Nuts
Volume:4 Issue: 3, Summer-Autumn 2013

Drought is one of the major limitations to crop production worldwide. This study was conducted to evaluate the response of five almond genotypes and peach×almond hybrid GF677 to drought stress in vitro, and screening drought tolerance. Explants subjected to polyethylene glycol osmotic stress (0, 3.5, and 7.0% WV) on the MS medium. Increasing PEG level in the medium significantly reduced fresh weight and leaf growth indices of the explants. Concentrations of chlorophylls, anthocyanins and carotenoids were significantly reduced under osmotic stress. Drought sensitive genotypes ‘B-124’, ‘Sepid’, ‘Mamaei’ and ‘Ferragnès’ showed stunted growth with high rate of leaf abscission under osmotic stress. Under osmotic stress, leaf water content, cellular membrane stability and pigments concentration were significantly higher in the leaves of tolerant genotypes ‘Supernova’ and GF677. The results revealed that carotenoids and anthocyanins may be involved in protecting almonds against drought stress. Based on their responses to the osmotic treatments, almond genotypes were divided into drought tolerant (‘Supernova’ and GF677), semi-sensitive (‘B-124’ and ‘Sepid’) and drought sensitive (‘Mamaei’ and ‘Ferragnès’).

Effects of kaolin applicati on were evaluated on water stress in pistachio cv. ‘Ohadi’. This experiment was conducted in one of research sites at the Pistachio Research Institute in Rafsanjan (Kerman province) in 2009. The results show that individual and interaction effects of all treatments were significant on nutrition absorption in leaves, although there was not a steady effect on all the elements. On the majority of the factors, control with 30 days irrigation period and lower kaolin application had more effect on nutrients absorbed by the leaves. Lower irrigation and upper concentration of kaolin application boosted soluble solids content. Increasing of prolin concentration was more impacted by the interaction of kaolin 2.5% and low irrigation treatments and also leaf area showed decreasing trend by single kaolin application, but in this regard, interaction of kaolin with low irrigation has boosting effect on this factor. Lower irrigation period decreased total nut production, blankness percentage, and increased fresh weight (nearly 50%), percentage of split nut, percentage of early split nut, percentage of irregular cracking nuts and ounce index. More kaolin concentration increased fresh weight, percentage of closed nut and lowering the total pistachio production, blankness and early split nut. Interaction effect caused increasing fresh weight, percentage of closed nut, ounce of nut, and decreased total pistachio production, spit nut, blankness and early split nut.

This study attempted to assess the situation of Iranian pistachio and its export distribution channels. The main purposes of this study were to determine the most important strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities facing the distribution channels of export of pistachio in Kerman province and to suggest appropriate strategies for the current situation. For this purpose, an experimental approach wasused; requirementdata was gathered via interviews and questionnaires from pistachio exporters of Kerman province.Data analysis wascarried outusing one-sample t-test; assessment matrix of internal and external factors and the SWOT1model were incorporated. Using the statistical t-test, the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities of distribution channels of Kerman province’s pistachio were identified and then prioritized with relative weights of approved strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities. Then, with an analysis of SWOT, breakthroughs were devised to improve distribution channels of Kerman’s pistachio and finally based on the internal-external factors matrix, the current status of distribution channels of Kerman’s pistachio was defined and the best strategy for implementation was suggested. According to the results, the best strategy at present is a defensive WT one.

The plant genetic resources are important, because they have most valuable national basis resources in the each country. In this study, to grouping the 92 almond progenies from ‘Shahrood1’ × ‘Shahrood12’ and comparing them in terms of heritability with their parents, measured on the basis of almond universal descriptor. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to compare 15 morphological and phonological traits among study progenies. The important traits frequency such as flowering time, tree size, resistance to frost, growth habit, flower density and leaving time in all hybrid population and compare them with their parents showed their asymmetric distribution among them. The simple correlation coefficients traits showed that among some measured traits was a significant positive correlation. In other hand, the eigenvalue variance percentage and cumulative variance showed the among measure traits, three independent factors that their eigenvalue were more than seven, they could justified 60% of total variance. Also the results of cluster analysis all cultivars were divided into three main groups. some of progenies likes ‘Shahrood1’ in third group, some other likes ‘Shahrood12’were in second group and some other that expression of phenotypic traits were additive mode, incomplete dominance or over dominance in first group.

Agricultural products export has main role among non-oil exports and pistachio is the most important exportable agricultural product in Iran. In this research we tried to deal with the most important weak and strong spots, opportunities and threats facing the advertisement of exporting pistachio in Kerman province. This has been done with the usage of factor analysis (PFA) in combination with SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat). The information has been collected from 30 people who are initiated into pistachio export in Kerman province. The results showed the most important factors in SWOT which have affect advertisement of pistachio export including Adroit and specialist manpower in the field of pistachio advertising and exporting in Kerman province, lack of an appropriate trade name for exporter, absence of sufficient budget in advertising from the exporter side and allocating facilities for advertising and marketing in specialized journals. The above mentioned factors have the correlation accounted for 78%, 78%, 88%, and 85% in SWOT, respectively. Among all these factors “Adroit and specialist manpower in the field of advertising and exporting of pistachio in Kerman province” have the highest rank and most effect on advertising for pistachio export. And in the end, analyzing the results yielded the following supplemental suggestions for Kerman province’s pistachio advertisement improvement: Reducing wholesale of pistachio and moving towards a packaging at the international standards level, and improving the storage and transportation systems.

Photosynthetic rates of six pistachio cultivars were studied including Ohadi, Kalleh-Ghochi, Akbari, Ahmad-Aghaii, Rezaii Zoudras and Haratii. Measurements were done using OFF and ON shoots at different stages of fruit growth and development included: 1- Beginning of endocarp growth; 2- pith hardening; 3- Beginning of endosperm rapid growth; 4- end of embryo development; 5- ripening and harvesting times and 6- post harvest. The experiment was carried out as split-plot in a randomized complete block basic design (RCBD) with 72 treatments and three replications, which each replication included the 10 off and on branches. Results indicated that the highest amount of photosynthetic activity obtained by Rezaii Zoudras (4.15), which was followed by Akbari (4.08), Ohadi (3.79), Ahmad-Aghaii (3.7), Kalleh-Ghochi (3.58) and Haratii (3.42), respectively. Moreover in the course of experiment, the highest (5.65) and lowest (2.27) amounts of photosynthesis were resulted from stages of beginning of endocarp growth and ripening and harvesting times, respectively. These data illuminated that gas exchange efficiency can be consider to select and plant the best cvs. under Rafsajan and similar conditions.

Verticillium wilt is a serious disease of pistachio caused by Verticilliumdahliae. Control of the disease is difficult due to soil borne nature of the causal agent. Verticillium wilt has been biologically controlled by Trichoderma spp. In the present study, Trichoderma spp. was isolated from soils of pistachio orchards and their effect was investigated on radial growth of Verticillium dahliae by using dual culture and production of volatile and non-volatile metabolites. Five isolates of T. harzianum and one isolate of T. asperellum,T.koningii and T. crassum were used in the present study. All the isolates of Trichoderma produced volatile and non-volatile metabolites that reduced radial growth of the pathogen. T. harzianum 30 and T. koningii isolates had the highest effect on radial growth of the pathogen but T. harzianum 42 and T. crassum showed the lowest effect in non-volatile test. Six days after culture of pathogen on the medium was the best time for study of effect of the non-volatile metabolites. In volatile metabolite test, T. harzianum 85 and T. koningii reduced radial growth of V. dahliae further than others. Overally, T. harzianum 30, 85 and T. koningii isolates showed the highest inhibitory effect of radial growth of V. dahliae.

Bacterial blight (Xanthomonas arboricola pv.juglandis) is one of the main diseases of walnut that reduce the yield in the central, western and northern regions of Iran. This disease was first reported form, Qazvin and Mazandaran, then widely reported from northern, central and western provinces. To identify the cause of the disease in different provinces, infected leaves collected from Alborze, Lorestan and Kurdestan provinces during spring-summer 2011. Based on the conventional methods of bacteriology, some strains purified and Pathogenicity was proved on three-year plant leaves and on detached fruits of walnut. Based on the biochemical and pathogenesity tests, the yellow colored colonies identified as Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis. According to the results of cluster analysis model of the rep-PCR method, the strains were categorized in three groups with 56% similarity. On the basis of the sequence of RNA polymerase, beta subunit and dendrogram of NJ method, the strains were differentiated in a separate category. Three strains (10, 11 and 12) were collected from Lorestan and Kordestan and completely separated from other Xanthomonas in independent group.