فضل الله صفی خانی

Small size of Satureja (Satureja hortensis L.) seed causes many problems in mechanized cultivation and its seed consumption is increased significantly.  The approach discussed in the present study is the seed coating of Satureja by several matters and selecting the suitable method as well as investigation of adding hormonal and nutritional substances to the selected coating material for better emergence and the elimination of problem arise as a result of coating.

Purified Satureja seeds (97%) were prepared and poured into the coating machine at a specified amount. First, 1% solution of benomyl fungicide was sprayed on the seeds. Then some coating powder was sprayed on the spinning wet seeds inside the machine. Then some of the adhesive solution was sprayed on it and again the coating powder was added and this was repeated several times to create a suitable form for the coated seeds. This was repeated using different materials and among these coatings powder, vermiculite and perlite provided better coating on Satureja seed. Then, different materials including gibberellin, BAP, cytokinin, thiourea (CH4N2S) and potassium nitrate (KNO3), phosphorus from H2PO4 source and manganese sulfate (MnSO4) were used to the emergence of the enlarged seeds and also, the emergence of these seeds were evaluated in the greenhouse.

Initial results showed that vermiculite and perlite provided better cover for Satureja compared with the other coating materials. Investigating the emergence of perlite-coated seeds in the greenhouse showed that gibberellin (all concentrations) and kinetin (500 mg/l) present in the seed coat improved the Satureja seed emergence under greenhouse condition. Also, it was found that Thiourea (700 and 7000 mg/l), potassium nitrate (7, 70, 700 mg/l), phosphorous (9 kg/100 kg seed) and manganese sulphate (2 and 4 mg/l) present in the coat significantly increased the Satureja seed emergence and led to improved seedling growth.

Perlite for the purpose of seed pelleting of Satureja showed good results and the use of gibberellin (at all concentrations) and quintine (500 mg/l) in the seed pelleting improved germination of pelleted Satureja seed. 

1- Technical knowledge of Satureja seed pelleting was obtained.2- The suitable material to improve the emergence of pelleted Satureja seed was introduced.

Coriander seed (Coriandrum sativum L.) has essential oil, lipid and protein, and the lack attention to seed storage condition causes physical and physiological damage and ultimately decreasesits quality and deterioration so a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design was carried out and six levels of time storage (30, 60, 90,120,150 and 180 days), five level of seed moisture (5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 %) and four level of temperature (10,15,20 and 25 oc ) were studied. The results showed that the moisture content of 13% had severe harmful effects on seed germination at different temperatures compared to other humidity. In 5% moisture, an increase in temperature from 10 to 25 oc had no significant effect on germination indices especially seed germination percent and it was above 90 in all temperatures. The results of different seed packaging material showed that between aluminum, fabric, paper and cellophane, aluminum has less impact on the germination indices. The conclustion that can storage coriander seeds in the moisture content of 5% and aluminum packaging at temperature bellow 25 for long-term without a significant reduction in its maintenance.

Soil contamination by heavy metals is a major environmental problem in the world. In polluted environments, especial plant species can grow, adapt, absorb, and uptake heavy metals. This study was carried out to investigate the phytoremediation potential of plant species including Acantholimon olivieri (Jaub. & Spach) Boiss., Astragalus glaucacanthus Fisch., Ebenus stellata Boiss., Scariola orientalis (Boiss) Sojak subsp Orientalis. and Stipa barbata Desf in Ahangaran lead and zinc mine, Malayer Province. For this purpose, in polluted and controlled sites, the sampling of aerial and underground tissue was performed in a completely randomized block design with three replicates in summer 2015. The results indicated that in polluted sites, lead and zinc concentrations in aerial and underground tissues were higher as compared with control site. Among the study species, Astragalus glaucacanthus Fisch., had the highest value of lead and zinc absorption in aerial tissue (118.6 and 190.69 mg/kg dry matter, respectively) and Scariola orientalis (Boiss) Sojak subsp Orientalis., had the highest value of lead and zinc absorption in underground tissue (41.07 and 67.76 mg/kg dry matter, respectively). Also, Astragalus glaucacanthus Fisch., Acantholimon olivieri (Jaub. & Spach) Boiss., and Ebenus stellata Boiss., had the highest translocation factor of lead (3.39, 3.19, 3.16) and zinc (3.24, 3.06, 2.92), respectively. Our results clearly showed that these three mentioned species could be used to refine the soils polluted to lead and zinc in similar conditions.

To evaluate the effect foliar application of different concentrations of brassinolide on water productivity, grain yield and yield components of bread wheat (cv. Sirvan) under drought stress conditions, an experiment was carried out as spilt factorial arrangements using randomized complete block design with three replications at Zarghan filed station, Fars Province, Iran, dutring 2014-15 and 2015-16 growing seasons. Three levels of irrigation; optimum, withholding irrigation from flowering to grain filling stage and withholding irrigation during grain filling stage were assigned to main plots, and foliar application of brassinolide concentrations in three levels 0, 0.05 and 0.1 mg.l-1 and two timing of foliar application, before flowering and before grain filling, as factorial were randomized in sub-plots. Results showed that increasing foliar application of brassinolide concentration increased grain yield and water productivity under drough stress conditions. The lowest grain number per spike, thousand grain weight, grain yield, biological yield and harvest indexbelonged to drought stress from flowering to grainfilling stagewhich were reduced by 18.3, 13.1, 21.25, 11.33 and 11.78 percent, respectively, when compared to optimum irrigation conditions. The application of 0.1 mg.l-1 brassinolide increased grain number per spike by 9.17 percent, thousand grain weight by 6.62 percent and grain yield by 7.3 percent compared with contol. The highets water productivity (1.01kg.m-3) was observed in 0.1 mg.l-1 brassinolide application and also the longest duration to physiological maturity (193.5 day) was recorded in 0.1 mg.l-1 brassinolide application and optimum irrigation. The results of this study showed that drought stress from flowering to grainfilling stage had the most negative effect on bread wheat cv. Sirvan grain yield and foliar application of 0.1 mg.l-1 brassinolide improved this negative effect to some extent.

Matricaria chamomilla L. is an annual plant belongs to Asteraceae family, which has been used and cultivated globally as an antioxidant and anti inflammation. This project was carried out to determine the best treatment of seed moisture content and storage temperature to maintain maximum viability in addition to investigation impact of various coating package in seed storage. A factorial experiment was conducted in completely randomized design and rates of studied factors were 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 days for time; 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13% for seed moisture; 10, 15, 20 and 25°C for storage temperature, aluminum and nano cottage for package. Increasing storage time caused reduction in seeds viability under high temperature and moisture condition. Whereas, in nano package (NP) it was lesser compared to aluminum package (AP). NP had better performance in most temperature and moisture rates. Germination percent (GP) was 95% in moisture of 5 and 7%, 25°C and 30 days. This treatment had 1 percent reduction after 6 months which was not significant. It seems that low moisture neutralized negative effect of rising temperature. Moisture of 9%, 25 °C and 30 days led to 84% of GP in both packages which reduced to 55 and 51% after 6 months in NP and AP, respectively. It can be suggested that moisture of 5 and 7% under 10 °C and NP is the best condition for chamomile seeds storage which maintain seeds viability for long-term.

Water shortages has always been a great concern as a limiting factor for agricultura l production in Kerman province. Rainfed sowing may be recommended to bypass the problem. Because of high rates of potential evapotranspiration and limited water resources in arid and semiarid areas, it is expected more attention will be paid to study of the effects of rain fed culture on quality of medicinal plants. In order to investigate the establishment, growth and yield of some of perennial medicinal plants (Thymus caramanicus, Elaeagnus angustifolia, Olea europaeain, Thymus vulgaris, Rosa damascena, Thymus daenensis, Artemisia persica, Ferula assa feotida, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Rosmarinus officinalis, Lavandula officinalis, Salvia officinalis, Achillea millefolium ), the study was conducted using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 3 repli cations during 3 years from 2012 to 2014 in the Kohpanj mountains in the west of Bardsir city. During the growing seasons, the phonological and morphological events were recorded and finally analyzed by SAS software and the means were compared using Dunca n's Multiple Range Test at 0.05 level. The results showed Thymus caramanicus, Elaeagnus angustifolia and Olea europaeain destroyed in the first summer because of environmental drought. Thymus vulgaris, Rosmarinus officinalis, lavandula officinalis, Achille a millefolium and Salvia officinalis Survived in the first year, but destroyed in the second year. Rosa damascena 85%), Thymus daenensis (60%), Artemisia persica (77%), Ferula assa feotida (100%) and Glycyrrhiza glabra (100%) had the most survival rate am ong the species. With aging, dry weight of the plants were increased. The greatest dry weights were in Thymus daenensis, Artemisia persica and Ferula assa feotida respectively equal 188, 135.6 and 16 g/m 2 . The greatest dry weight of root in Glycyrrhiza gl abra (173.3 g/m 2) obtaind in the third year. The most number of flowers in Rosa damascena (31 flowers per plant) obtained in the third year.

Anisum (Pimpinella anisum L.) is one of the aromatic herbal plants which has great export value. In order to investigate effects of drought stress on yield and essential oil in different populations of Anisum an experiment was conducted in alborz karaj stations in 2011. This research was caried out as a randomized complete block design with 4 replications. Main factors were 3 populations of the Anisum (sabzevar، kerman and jiroft) and sub factors were include 4 levels of drought stress (10، 30، 50 and 70 % water depletion). Effect of interaction between main and sub factors were different significant on essential oil stem at %1 level and stem yield، dry matter yield and essential oil yield at %5 level. Mean comparison of main and sub factors showed that highest root yield، stem yield and dry matter yield order 120، 712 and 1100 kg/ha belong to kerman population in 10% water depletion and highest essential oil stem (0. 89%) and essential oil leaf (0. 63%) belong to kerman population in 70% water depletion.

In order to investigate the effect of drought on morphological characteristics of Anisum، a split plot experiment was conducted in 2011 at Research Station located in the Alborz mountains in Karaj by using a randomized complete block design in four replications. The main factors included 3 populations (Sabzevar، Kerman and Jiroft) and the operating subsidiary of 4 Stress levels (10، 30، 50 and 70 Percent moisture depletion). Results showed that the main effect (population) the number of umbrellas، leaf dry weight، seed weight and seed weight of the sub-agent (drought) on plant height، canopy diameter، small diameter، large canopy، umbrella number، root dry weight، stem dry weight، leaf dry weight، dry matter yield and seed weight showed a significant difference. The main operating subsidiary of interaction in small canopy diameter and number of umbrella in 1% And the dry weight and stem dry matter yield in 5% was significant. Comparison of the main factor (population) showed that the greatest number of umbrella with an average population of Jiroft 66. 62 n/p، leaf dry weight with an average population of Sabzevar 198. 543 Kg/ha of grain per hectare and an average population of Kerman 2. 95 g/p were obtained. Comparison of the effects of sub-factor (drought) showed that the highest plant (48. 91 Cm)، the number of umbrella (81. 83 n/p)، root dry weight (91. 778 Kg/ha)، stem dry weight (577. 725 Kg/ha)، leaf dry weight (272. 724 Kg/ha)، dry matter (942. 227 Kg/ha) and seed weight (3. 20 g/p) obtained from 10 percent moisture depletion. 10% moisture depletion level was the best water level to produce the highest dry matter production.

In order to investigation effect of drought stress essential oil percent and yield and physiological characteristics of medicinal plant Deracocephalum moldavica L. under greenhouse. This research performed in 2004-2005 at research institute of forests and rangelands. Experiment was carried out in a split plot under randomize complete block design with four replications. Main factors were contains of three populations of Deracocephalum moldavica L. that collected from Tehran, Esfahan and Fars provinces. Subplots were contains three level of drought stress 100% Fc, 60% Fc and 40% Fc. The results showed that effect of different populations not significant. The results showed that effect of drought stress on essence yield, amount of solution carbohydrates, amount of a, b and total chlorophyll at two years were significant. So effect of drought stress on proline in second year was significant. The results analysis variation of two years showed that effect of year on essential oil percent and proline amount was significant (α=1%). Comparison mean of treatments showed that at first year highest of essence yield, solution carbohydrate and chlorophyll respectively related to 60%, 40% and 100% of field capacity treatments. At second year highest proline amount, solution carbohydrate and chlorophyll respectively related to 40%, 40% and 100% of field capacity treatments. Comparison mean treatments of plant populations and different levels of drought stress showed that at first year highest of essential oil percent related to Esfahan seed*60% humidity of field capacity. Highest chlorophyll relate to 100% humidity of field capacity in three ecotypes. At second year highest solution carbohydrate and chlorophyll respectively related to 40% and 100% of field capacity in three populations.

In order to investigation of application methods of nitrogen fertilizer on essential oil content and composition of Balm, the experiment was conducted during 7 months in field condition at Alborze Research complex in 2004. This experiment was carried out at two levels of suspension nitrogen (4.5% and 6%) spraying on shoot and two levels of solid nitrogen (60 and 90 kg N/ha) application in soil with control. Treatment was implicated to three equal divisions. This experiment was carried out in complete randomized block design with 4 replications. In floral imitation, plants harvested and essential oil were extracted by water distillation. The essential oils were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The results showed a significant difference (1%) among nitrogen rates application on essential oil yield. Identification of essential oil components showed that some compounds of the oil decreased with more application of nitrogen in two methods of nitrogen application, whereas some other compounds increased with most application nitrogen in both methods.