محمدرضا میرزائی

The present study was conducted with the aim of evaluating and grouping new domestic and foreign sugar beet cultivars for quantitative and qualitative characteristics in the western region of the country.

In these experiments, 12 domestic and foreign commercial cultivars were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with three replications in the two regions of Kermanshah and Lorestan.

The results showed that the Rivolta variety in the Kermanshah region, and the Perfekta variety in the Lorestan environment showed the highest root yield, sugar yield and with sugar yield. Also, in the Kermanshah environment, the cultivars Rivolta and Anaconda were the closest cultivars to the ideal cultivar, and in the Lorestan environment, the cultivars Perfekta and Cadmus were the closest to the ideal cultivar respectively. Based on the results of cluster analysis, cultivars were classified into three groups in Kermanshah and five groups in Lorestan. So, in the Kermanshah area, three cultivars Anaconda, Perfekta, and Rivolta, and in Lorestan three cultivars of Anaconda, Gecko, and Perfekta were placed in a cluster that had the best quantitative and qualitative characteristics. In factor analysis, two factors were identified in both environments, which explained 77.85% in Kermanshah and 88.11% of data changes in Lorestan conditions.

In this study, two commercial cultivars, Anaconda and Perfekta, had the best quantitative and qualitative characteristics in both environments. Cultivation of these two cultivars can improve the potential of sugar production in the western region of the country.

The oomycete pathogens causing white blister rusts on members of Asteridae comprise different species within the genus Pustula (Albuginales, Oomycota). During the collection of white blister rust specimens in the South Khorasan province (eastern Iran) in April 2019, a specimen collected from Takhtajaniantha pusilla (Asteraceae), was identified morphologically as Pustula junggarensis (Albuginales, Oomycota). BLAST search using the ITS nrDNA sequence data, confirmed the identification. Also, the phylogenetic analysis using cox2 sequences clustered the species in the same clade with P. junggarensis sequences from China. This is the first record of P. junggarensis in Iran. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a disease caused by a causative fungal/fungal-like agent on T. pusilla in Iran.

South Khorasan province of Iran is the largest producer of common barberry (Berberis vulgaris L.) in the world. The production and quality of common barberry shrub are affected by broad range of abiotic and biotic causal agents. Witches' broom rust caused by Puccinia arrhenatheri is one of the most important diseases of common barberry shrubs in South Khorasan province. A two years' field experiment carried out to study the control of barberry witches' broom rust using the Falcon (Tebuconazole + Spiroxamine + Triadimenol) at concentrations 0.6 and 1 ml L-1, Folicur 1 and 1.5 ml L-1, Amistar Xtra (Azoxystrobin + Cyproconazole) 0.75 and 1.2 ml L-1 and Tilt 0.5 and 1 ml L-1 at two locations of South Khorasan during 2018-2019 at the time of disease symptoms initiation as randomized complete block design. There was significant difference in witches' broom rust severity scores between the different fungicides and rates of application and control treatment. The results of combined analysis of variance showed that one-time application of Folicur at concentrations 1 and 1.5 ml L-1 were determined as the most effective in controlling the disease at the time of disease appearance, followed by Folicur 1 ml L-1, 1.5 ml L-1, Falcon 0.6 ml L-1, Amistar Xtra 1.5 ml L-1, Amistar Xtra 0.75 ml L-1, Falcon 1 ml L-1, Tilt 1 and 0.5 ml L-1. The highest and lowest disease severity were obtained in control and Folicur (1 ml L-1) treatments, respectively. Based on our findings retrieved from results of this study and field trials, Folicur at concentrations 1 ml L-1 and Falcon at concentrations 0.6 ml L-1 at the time of disease symptoms initiation to achieve efficient control and application of rotation of them to mitigate fungicide resistance development are recommended. Application of treatments including Folicur at concentrations 1 and 1.5 ml L-1 and Amistar Xtra at concentrations 0.75 ml L-1 were also significantly effective in decreasing the number of witches' brooms.

The seed vigor, which shows influence of parents on the life cycle and survival of plants, is also very important in for creating food security for human society. The most important objectives of the present study were to evaluate the general compatibility of parents and the specific combining of crosses, determining the nature and degree of gene action, and finally estimate the heritability of quantitative and qualitative traits of sugar beet hybrids through line-tester analysis.

Eleven pollinator lines of sugar beet were crossed with three male sterile single crosses using controlled pollination in the form of line-tester. A total of 33 obtained hybrids were investigated in terms of different traits related to seed germination in both laboratory and greenhouse conditions. The existence of diversity among the crosses was confirmed, and the calculation of the combining ability of the parents and their genetic effects was done by line-tester analysis.

The results under laboratory conditions showed that there is a significant difference between the crosses in terms of of different germination traits, non-germinated filled cluster, empty cluster and 1000 seed weight. The line had a significant effect on the characteristics of germination capacity, germination uniformity, empty cluster and 1000 seed weight. Tester mean square for germination rate, mean germination time, empty cluster and 1000 seed weight showed a significant difference. Line-tester interaction resulted in a significant difference for the mean germination time, empty cluster and 1000 seed weight. The results of analysis of variance of different traits in greenhouse conditions indicated significant differences between the crosses in terms of the traits of seedling emergence and mean shoot dry weight of a single seedling. The effect of line was significant only on the seedling emergence capacity. The tester factor had a significant effect on all studied traits. Line-tester interaction was significant only for seedling emergence capacity. The general combinability of lines 970023 and 970100 for germination capacity, lines 970038 and 970100 and all three experimental testers for germination rate and 970097 for germination uniformity was significant in positive direction. Line 970097 and tester 474*7112-36-6 decreased the mean germination time and Lines 970038, 970023, 970014, 970100 and tester MS KWS and 7112*SB36 caused a decrease in empty cluster. Testers MS KWS and 7112*SB36 caused the reduction of empty cluster with their negative effect. Regarding the 1000 seed weight, lines 970094, 970014 and 970031 and testers 7112*SB36 and MS KWS had positive and significant general combining ability. In the greenhouse experiment, in relation to the seedling emergence capacity, lines 970100, 970023 and 970038 and MS KWS tester and for seedling emergence rate, lines 970038, 970100 and three testers showed positive and significant general combining ability. For the mean shoot dry weight, line 970098 and tester 7112-36-6*474 had positive significant general combining ability, but tester SB36*7112 caused a decrease in mean shoot dry weight.

Considering that general combining ability shows the additive effects of genes, therefore, parents with high general combining ability also have a high additive effect that can be used in the production of synthetic cultivars. On the other hand, these parents can be used through recurrent selection in the development of inbred lines and also as testers to evaluate new inbred lines. According to the obtained results, the selection of useful compounds for the production of suitable hybrids is determined by the breeding goals. Therefore, by considering the positive or negative specific combining ability value of parental compounds for a trait, it is possible to increase genes with non-additive effect to produce hybrids.

Germination and seedling emergence potential of monogerm sugar beet seed in the field, depends on seed quality. Also, crop yield and resource use efficiency of agricultural inputs depend on successful plant establishment in the field, and it is the vigor of seeds that defines their ability to germinate and establish seedlings rapidly, uniformly, and robustly across diverse environmental conditions. Our knowledge of variation in vigor and function of seed in crop yield, is limited. Accordingly, the quality characteristics of seeds, including seed vigor, are essential in the process of sugar beet breeding to provide cultivars with vigor and seed function good in the field. The present study was conducted to evaluate and rank single crosses and hybrids being improved in terms of different traits of seed vigor and determining the relationship between them to achieve maximum seed quality.

In this study, the seed vigor traits of 22 single crosses and 22 top cross hybrids, from crossing along with the sugar beet pollinating line, under greenhouse conditions in Sugar Beet Seed Institute in 2020-2021 were studied. The quality traits of single crosses and hybrids in two separate experiments in greenhouse conditions, each with 22 treatments were evaluated in a randomized completely block design with four replications.

The results showed that seedling emergence traits in single crosses and top cross hybrids resulting from their crossings in sugar beet were influenced by genotype. Genetic variation was observed between single crosses and hybrids in terms of seed vigor. Hybrids with low abnormal germination percentage, low non-germinated seeds and high germination uniformity in the laboratory have a significant increase in seedling emergence compared to other hybrids. Finally, hybrids that high germination uniformity in the laboratory, had the higher coefficient velocity of germination and were green in less time.

It seems that the uniformity trait of sugar beet seed germination has a decisive and significant role compared to the rest of the quality traits in the laboratory and can be used in breeding programs as an index of seed quality selection; Also, the multivariate cluster analysis method and the ideal genotype selection index (SIIG) of genotypes based on the qualitative traits of sugar beet seeds (seedling emergence percentage, seedling emergence rate, mean emergence time of seedling, emergence uniformity of seedling, mean dry weight of seedling) obtained a statistically significant difference in the cluster and their ranking in SIIG. It seems that the germination traits of sugar beet seeds can be used in breeding programs as one of the indexes of seed quality selection; Therefore, it is expected that selecting and screening superior genotypes to increase the quality of sugar beet seeds, it will lead to the improvement and increase of seedling emergence in the field and finally, will be accompanied by an increase in crop yield.

Narcissus (Narcissus tazetta) is one of the perennial herbaceous and ornamental bulbous crops that is used as a cut flower garden plant and potted plant. Fungal diseases are one of the harmful factors of this ornamental plant in different parts of the world. In 2018, symptoms of Narcissus leaf spot (NLS) were observed in some planting areas of this plant in South Khorasan province. This study was carried out to identify the casual and associated fungi with NLS in Southern Khorasan province.

Samples with leaf spot symptoms were collected from two regions, Khoosf and Tabas, from 2018 to 2019. Plant tissues were transferred to the laboratory of the Department of Plant Protection in separate paper bags. The tissues were cultured on a Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium and purification was performed on a 2% water-agar medium using the Hyphal tip method. Fungal agents were isolated and identified based on morphological and molecular characteristics.  The DNA of representative fungal isolates was extracted according to the CTAB method. To molecularly confirm the species, part of the rDNA gene was amplified using ITS5 (5'-GGAAGTAAAAGTCGTAACAAGG-3') and ITS4 (5'- TCCTCCGCTTATTGATATGC-3') primers. Sequencing of PCR products was done by Pishgam Biotechnology Company and deposited in the GenBank with Accession number: MN829259. Sequences were edited with Chromas software and the edited sequences were saved in FASTA format. The ITS-based phylogenetic tree was constructed using the Maximum Likelihood Method with MEGA ver6.0 software. For the pathogenicity test, the Narcissus plant was inoculated with mycelia plugs. In order to maintain moisture and establish the fungus, the inoculation area was covered with parafilm.  The plants were covered with polythene bags for 24 hours. The bags were removed after 24 hours. In the control plants, the potato-dextrose-agar culture medium without fungal mycelium was used. All plants were examined after 3 to 14 days and the pathogen was re-isolated from the inoculated plant that showed leaf spot.

Symptoms of narcissus leaf spot (NLS) disease in the sampled areas included elongated, elliptical, and red to brown circles on the leaf. A total of 50 samples of different leaf spot symptoms were collected. In this study, 20 fungal strains were isolated and identified based on morphological and molecular characteristics. The growth rate of this isolate on the PDA medium was relatively fast and the average growth rate after 7 days was 6.6 cm. Pycnidia were formed abundantly on the PDA medium after 7 days. The pycnidiospores were transparent, mostly single-celled (3-4×5-7), sometimes two-celled (11.5-15 ×5.8), round to oval and curved. Chlamydospores (8-15) were dark brown, unicellular and multicellular, intercellular and rarely terminal. Based on morphological characteristics, the strains were finally identified as Phoma narcissi.The NCBI blast search revealed that the ITS region Phoma narcissi in our study had similarities to Didymella curtisii, Phoma narcissi, and Phoma sp. 100%, 100%, and 99% respectively. Phylogenetic analysis confirms that the examined strain belongs in a clade with strains of Ph. narcissi. In Pathogenicity tests, symptoms of the disease were observed on all plants 7 days after inoculation. No symptoms developed on non- inoculated plants. The original pathogen was re-isolated from the leaf spots of inoculated plants. Phoma s.l. is one of the most ubiquitous fungal genera, characterized by its great ecological diversity and difficult identification. According to our knowledge, the main cause of NLS disease in the east of the country is the Ph. Narcissi, Fusarium sp. and Cladosporium sp. were associated agents with this disease. Since the identification of the disease agent is effective in choosing effective and efficient strategies for disease control, the results can help to adopt effective methods in disease management.

Spiny lobster is one of the most valuable crustaceans in the Gulf of Oman. Overfishing in recent decades has reduced the stocks of this aquatic resource. Therefore, accurate knowledge and study of ecological parameters of lobster habitats are very important because the seabed structure and ecological parameters in these habitats are widely associated with the presence, absence and distribution of lobsters. The current study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the classification of sediments, the abundance of macrobenthos and environmental factors on a seasonal basis along seven transects and 28 stations. It was carried out in the rocky areas of the coast of Ramin in the east of Chabahar port. The mean values of temperature, salinity, turbidity, acidity and chlorophyll a in the study area were 26.38 ° C, 36.65 PSU, 2.59 FTU, 8.1, 86 µg / L, 0.86, respectively. Almost similar environmental parameters were observed between similar points between the depth of 5 and 15 meters. The macrobenthos results in the studied stations showed that foraminifera and Polychaeta are the most prevalent macrobenthos groups and in the deepest stations in transect T3. Percentages of sand, silt and clay for the sediment samples were 93%, 5% and 2%, respectively. The sedimentary texture of the bed plays an important role in the movement of the lobster in the habitat, and the rocky and sandy bed is a suitable habitat for the lobster. According to the results of this study, the highest percentage of sediment sand was observed in the eastern part of Ramin port. There were similar environmental parameters for equal depths of water. Furthermore, Macrobenthos were most abundant in the eastern region of Ramin port in spring and autumn and agreed with pre-Manson and post-Manson conditions. Therefore, the stations in the eastern part of Ramin port are suitable places for the establishment of artificial reefs.

The yield and quality of sugar in this plant, like other plants, are strongly influenced by environmental factors, and high modifications occur in its quantitative and qualitative performance. Therefore, the present research was designated and implemented to study the effect of genotype-environment interaction on the quantitative and qualitative production potential of sugar beet cultivars and also determine their adaptability to a wide range of environments with different conditions.

Seven cultivars of sugar beet, consisting of four domestic and three foreign cultivars formed the genetic material of the present study. The plant materials under investigation were cultivated in the randomized complete block design with four replications in four regions of Borujerd, Piranshahr, Jovein, and Shirvan in 2021. After harvesting and estimating root yield, sugar content, white sugar yield, and extraction coefficient of sugar for each of the experimental cultivars, analysis of the stability of root yield and white sugar yield were done by using the additive main effect and multiplicative interaction model and simultaneous analysis of the stability of four measured characteristics with a multi-trait stability index.

The additive effects analysis results of AMMI's model showed that genotype, environment, and genotype-environment interaction were significant at the 1% probability level. Analyzing the multiplicative effect of AMMI's model into principal components showed that in both studied traits, only the first two components of the interaction were significant at the 1% probability level. According to the biplot of the mean yield against the weighted average of absolute scores of the principal components, the Dena in terms of root yield and Dena and Sina in terms of white sugar yield was known as stable cultivars with suitable yield. In the biplot of the first and second principal components of the genotype-environment interaction, the Dena in terms of root yield and Dena, Ekbatan, and Sina in terms of white sugar yield was recognized as cultivars with suitable general adaptability. The studied areas were divided into three mega-environments in terms of each root yield and white sugar yield, so Jovein and Shirvan were identified as the first mega-environment, Borujerd as the second mega-environment, and Piranshahr as the third mega-environment. Based on the results of the multi-trait stability index, the Perfekta was the most ideal cultivar at the same time in terms of all four traits of root yield, white sugar yield, sugar content, and extraction coefficient of sugar, and after that, Flores and Sina were the ideal cultivars.

According to the obtained results, it can be concluded that the environmental conditions and their interaction with the genotype play a significant role in influencing the phenotypic expression of traits in different sugar beet genotypes and cause yield fluctuations from one environment to another. Therefore, it is necessary to be more careful when releasing genotypes to introduce genotypes that are adaptable to the conditions of the target environment and produce suitable products.

Crises provide very short time to make decisions by creating unexpected and unstable conditions. Lack of preparation before crises, can lead to widespread negative consequences such as disorder, fragility, disintegration, instability, threat to values and conflict. In the last two decades, the issue of resiliency has been addressed due to the dramatic increase in damages caused by over concentration of people and resources in urban areas. Resilience is a multifaceted concept, so planning for physical resilience can be considered as one of the most important factors in reducing the effects of hazards. However, there are still serious ambiguities in the detailed explanation of physical resilience criteria and the importance and priority of each of them, which has led to a serious problem in determining planning priorities in urban development plans. Therefore, the aim and endeavor of this research is to state the most important criteria of physical resilience and then determine their importance. In this way, it will help to redefine the priorities in resiliency planning in the management of the country's cities.

This research is applied in terms of essence and descriptive-analytical in terms of method with using quantitative IAHP method. Documentary studies, exploratory interviews and the results of the expert panel were used in data collection.

This research, after reviewing various texts and sources and the opinions of professors and urban planning professionals, has explained seventeen criteria of physical resilience in three levels and five fields and has determined the coefficient of preference and priority of action in urban development plans.

Creating the change in the state of physical resilience, requires long-term planning, application of urban planning and architectural technical criteria, significant investment and continuous monitoring of executive results, which in many cases is beyond the capacity of urban administrations. Therefore, by formulating a specific action plan, the criteria that cause the most damage if ignored should be prioritized for correction and implementation. However, the importance of other criteria should not be neglected.

Due to its nature, water resources, in addition to giving life to a land and its creatures, can be the source of differences between countries and nations with common resources and cause great losses. In this regard, a new field of research called hydro politics has been created that surveys these issues. Considering the climate situation of the Middle East and the widespread limitation of water resources in this region, the purpose of this study is to investigate the hydro political situation of Iran's joint watersheds with neighbors with emphasis on the Tigris and Euphrates, especially the Arvandrud River. Using the descriptive-analytical method, first, the resources were reviewed systematically, and then the situation of water resources in the area was identified and studied using spatial analysis. Surveys were conducted on three large scales in the Tigris and Euphrates basins, the middle scale in the Karkheh and Karun basins, and the local scale in the Arvandrud River joint area. Studies have shown that the hydro political situation in the region will become tenser with the control of water by upstream countries and due to the very high population growth and water consumption in Iraq. Also, due to Iraq's limited access to open waters and its very small and unsuitable coastline for maritime transport, there is a potential for tension in the region in the future

Since finding new drugs with fewer side effects to reduce blood sugar in diabetics seems necessary, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the different doses of Capparis spinosa fruit extract on key enzymes of glucose metabolism pathways in the liver cells of diabetic male rats.

In this experimental study, 60 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups. Groups 1-3 were normal (nondiabetic) rats that received distilled water, and 200 and 800 mg/kg extract, respectively, and groups 4-6 were diabetic rats that received distilled water, and 200 and 800 mg/kg extract, respectively. Diabetes induced by intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg streptozotocin. Serum levels of insulin and glucose were measured by special kits, the activity of glucokinase and hexokinase was measured manually, and gene expression of phosphofructokinase-1 and glucose-6-phosphatase was determined by Real Time-PCR. Data was analyzed using non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis H test and post hoc Mann-Whitney U test.

Administration of Capparis spinosa fruit extract decreased the serum level of glucose but increased the serum level of insulin and glucokinase and the level of expression of phosphofructokinase-1 genes in all groups receiving the extract compared to the control groups, and the average activity of glucose-6-phosphatase and hexokinase in different groups was significantly different (p<0.001).

The treatment of diabetic animals with Capparis spinosa fruit extract caused a significant decrease in blood sugar and an increase in serum insulin levels, and also led to an improvement in the activity of enzymes involved in glycolysis. Therefore, it seems that the consumption of this fruit has beneficial effects on blood sugar and insulin secretion as well as sugar metabolism.

Water scarcity is a major limiting factor for agriculture in all arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Identification of various genotypes to produce drought-tolerant cultivars requires an assessment of their sugar yield under deficit irrigation conditions. Implementation of irrigation system and an appropriate level of water stress are therefore absolutely necessary in assessing genotypes for drought tolerance. For this purpose, four genotypes under eight irrigation treatments in a split plot design based on a Randomized Complete Block with four replications during the years 1387 and 1388 the Research and Education Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources Hamadan were evaluated. Eight irrigation treatments consisted of three treatments of furrow irrigation after 80, 130 and 180 mm, two treatments of tape irrigation, including irrigation after 30 mm with 100% and irrigation after 30 mm with 50% supply of water requirement of sugar beet and three tape irrigation treatments including 80, 130 and 180 mm cumulative evaporation from the evaporation pan in main plots and four genotypes in sub plots. The results showed that the interaction between genotypes and irrigation for the drought susceptibility index (DSI) was significant at 5% probability level. Reduced sugar yield of sugar beet genotypes caused by reduction of the amount of water (30mm tape irrigation with 50% of supply of water requirement) was more severe than the different irrigation intervals. Furrow irrigation is not an efficient and effective method of evaluating drought tolerance of sugar beet genotypes. Therefore, in order to evaluate drought tolerance of genotypes in breeding programs and produce drought-tolerant genotypes, tape irrigation method after 30 mm cumulative evaporation with supplying 50% of the plant water requirement, is introduced and recommended as an appropriate method and drought stress level.

In this experiment, physical and chemical characteristics of sugar beet seed and its relationship with germination traits was studied. This traits were evaluated on 10 sugar beet singles crosses that obtained from three locations including Ardabil, Firuzkuh, and Karaj. Results showed that bulk density, true density and electrical conductivity are influenced by environment and genotype. Percentage of solids soluble in sugar beet pericarp (germination inhibitors) it was only affected by the seed production environment. Both genetics and environmental conditions on the maternal plant during seed development and maturing were effective on germination percentage, germination velocity and mean germination time. But the germination uniformity of sugar beet seeds was only affected by genotype. On the other, the correlation between bulk density, true density, electrical conductivity, porosity and percentage of solids in pericarp solution of sugar beet seeds with some germination traits was significant. But, the germination uniformity had no correlation with the physical and chemical properties of seed. Increased density of the seed pericarp caused decrease of seed quality factors including electrical conductivity and percentage of solids solution on pericarp. Therefore, germination uniformity, which is less affected by the environment, can be used in breeding programs as indicator of seed quality selection. Physical and chemical traits that was a significant correlation with germination traits, in the management of sugar beet seed production with the aim of increasing the extraction coefficient and quality of sugar beet seeds are recommended.

The growing importance and simultaneously, the emergence of passive defense and the dispersion and lack of information in this area on the one hand and the vital importance of the transportation network in times of humanitarian crises such as war and natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes are highly vulnerable. On the other hand, the need to provide a comprehensive model and method for identifying the threat potential in this network with a passive defense approach is obvious. This study aims to present a model using GIS and decision-making techniques with a passive defense approach to identify and evaluate the potential threat in the road transport network. For this purpose, 13 criteria were identified in three categories: natural, human, and transportation, and their causal relationships were evaluated by the DEMATEL method. Then, to generate potential threat maps, they were weighed by the network analysis process method and evaluated in GIS using fuzzy logic, weighted linear combination method, kernel density estimation, and hot spot function. The results showed that the most important criteria were the density of road network with 0.141, stairs with 0.133, the presence of rails with 0.124 and location relative to cities with 0.104. Also, the results of fuzzy methods and weighted linear composition identified the threat potential range in the range of 0.21 to 0.87. The hot spot function also showed that urban areas and areas where the network has a high density are among the threatening hot spots. Based on the research results, it was suggested that in the new planning for the development of the transportation network, the principles of passive defense be used in the design of the network, especially bridges.

Separation of oil derivatives and contaminants from water is one of the important fields in industry and industrial oil wastewater treatment. Synthesis of nano micro-mineral structures on porous materials is a very effective method to separate petroleum derivatives from water under relatively high temperatures and pressures. In this study, cobalt-phosphorus nanostructures were deposited on nickel foam using a single-step electrochemical method. Then, after cobalt-phosphorus deposition process on nickel foam, two types of diesel oil and edible oil solutions were investigated to separate the oil from the water. In this method, the effect of sodium hypophosphite concentration and application of pulse voltages on the electrolyte was investigated. Different concentrations of sodium hypophosphite were created in the amount of 100 mM, 300 mM, 500 mM and without sodium hypophosphite in the electrolyte solution. It was then coated on nickel foam. The morphology and identification of the coatings were investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-Ray analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction pattern, atomic emission spectroscopy and contact angle. Next, the performance of oil separation from water was investigated using weight separation efficiency and oil contact angle.

Application of fungicides and insecticides in seed coating technology to control pathogen and pest early in the growing season to reduce damage to seedling emergence and plant establishment is essential. In this study, carboxyl tyram, lamardor, and maxim XL 035 fungicides and Cruiser FS 350, Cruiser FS 600 and Gaucho insecticides were used for coating the seed of two maize cultivars. The results showed that the coating maize seed with different fungicides and insecticides has significant effect on germination traits of the seeds. Germination rate, seedling emergence rate and seedling growth and finally dry weight were affected by the interaction of fungicide and insecticide in maize seed coating. In general, fungicidal and insecticidal formulations that have an increasing effect on seedling emergence rate and decrease average seedling emergence time, increased vegetative growth and eventually seedling weight. Maize seeds coating with Maxim XL + Cruiser 600, increased the dry weight of seedlings by 49.7% compared with uncoated seed under laboratory condition. Finally, based on germination traits in laboratory and greenhouse, Maxim XL 035 FS fungicide with Cruiser FS 600 or 350 insecticids, and Vitavax fungicide with Cruiser FS 600 insecticid, as the best combination of fungicide and insecticide are recommended for maize seed coating.

The Maximum Entropy Model (MaxEnt) is a high-performance machine learning algorithm that is used to investigate the presence of species and to forecast the possible distribution of a target species according to its maximum entropy under different conditions and to determine the habitat suitability of species. In the present study, habitat suitability modeling for Nemipterus japonicus in the Makoran region (northern shores of the Makran Sea) was performed using the Maximum Entropy Model (MaxEnt). For this purpose, the data obtained from the fishing of Nemipterus japonicus during the period of 2015 to 2019 recorded by the Chabahar Offshore Fisheries Research Center in five areas were used to find points of presence. Based on the results obtained from the model, the variables of sea surface temperature at night and day and chlorophyll a concentration were recognized as the most important parameters in identifying the suitable areas, including the Gowatr bay area. Also, the area under the curve index (AUC) was equal to 0.998, which indicates the high accuracy and efficiency of the model in identifying the most suitable areas of Nemipterus japonicus distribution. The obtained results can be used as an effective tool for effective evaluation of conservation strategies for sustainable yield of Nemipterus japonicus fish stocks.

Petrography and geochemistry analysis of the sandstones of the Ojaggheshlagh Formation (Late Eocene-Early Oligocene) of the Moghan Basin, was carried out to evaluate their tectonic setting, climate, weathering degree, and parent rock. Sandstones include litharenite and feldspathic litharenite and minor arkose and greywacke. In a general view, sandstones are immature, characterized by the poorly sorted and poorly rounded grains including volcanic fragments and feldspars and minor heavy minerals, mica, monocrystalline quartz and clay minerals. Geochemical diagrams including discriminate function, TiO2 vs. Al2O3, TiO2 vs. Zr, as well as trace elements diagrams/data as La/Th vs. Hf, Zr/Sc and Th/Sc indicate a predominantly basic to intermediate (and minor acidic) volcanic parent rocks for the Ojaggheshlagh sandstones. Low chemical index of alteration plus SiO2 vs. Al2O3+K2O+Na2O and Al2O3-CaO+Na2O-K2O diagrams emphasis sub-arid climate and short transportation distance of the Ojaggheshlagh sandstones from the source area, which led to the preservation of the unstable minerals and poor compositional and textural maturity of the Ojaggheshlagh sandstones of the Moghan Basin. Al2O3/SiO2 vs. Fe2O3+MgO, K2O/Na2O vs. SiO2 and La-Th-Sc diagrams and La/Th and Th/Sc content reveal an island arc tectonic setting The archived results of the paper are useful for the paleogeographical and tectono-sedimentary reconstruction of the Moghan Basin.

In this study, the aim is to apply the concept of passive defense to manage the road transport network using the experiences of the sacred defense (1359-1368). The research method is library and survey, and the framework of strategic analysis tools is used. To achieve the goal, first, the road transport network and its components are surveyed, and sufficient information is gathered to achieve awareness of the existing threats to various parts. Different threats to the transportation network are identified based on the sacred defense experiences and used in multiple strategies. Then, by spatial analysis of the network threat potential and using the method of strategic analysis tools, its various aspects and general condition are evaluated. The opinions of 15 experts are used to weigh the matrices. Then some strategies are presented and prioritized based on different aspects of this system with a passive defense approach, for planning a sustainable road transport network. The results show that internal factors scored 1.77 and external factors scored 2.62, hence based on the position evaluation matrix and strategic action, the position of the transportation system is evaluated as conservative. Also, based on the prioritization of strategies with the quantitative matrix method of strategic planning, the first strategy (cooperation and joint program-executions with policy-making and executive organizations in the field of passive defense) with a weight of 4.56 and the second strategy (budgeting for project development and passive defense plans in road transport) with a weight of 4.43 are the most important strategies.