مصطفی زنگویی

Camelthorn is a perennial plant belonging to fabaceae family. Camelthorn tolerance to salinity is very high and it’s a halophyte plant. By using halophyte plants as species with potential for production in saline lands, many outturns can be produced in these areas, one of these products is fodder needed by livestock. Salinity and plant density are factors affecting forage quality. Increased salinity created by sodium chloride leads to an increase in sodium ions in the plant and affects the balance of sodium to potassium ratio and forage quality. Different plant ecotypes and genotypes absorb different amounts of elements in their culture medium. Considering that one of the most important areas for the development of cultivation of this plant is saline lands, which have been excluded from cultivation due to irrigation with saline water for many years with increasing soil salinity, It is necessary to study the nutrients changes in plant organs, which is one of the factors affecting forage quality in field conditions with irrigation with salt water. This study investigates the effect of irrigation water salinity in two ecotypes and different densities on the forage yield accumulation of nutrients in shoot and roots in field conditions in two locations.

The experiment was conducted as a split factorial in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The experiment was analyzed in two separate locations. Experimental sites included the farm of the Faculty of Agriculture of Birjand University and the Hojjatabad farm of Peyvande Khavaran agro-industry located in Sarbishe. The experiment was conducted in 1399. Experimental Factors include ecotypes at two levels: Krond and Voshmgir, Irrigation water salinity at 3 levels of 3.5, 7.5 and 12 dS.m-1 and plant density at two levels were 10 and 20 plants per square meter. The main plots were considered as salinity levels and the sub-plots were considered as a combination of density and ecotype levels. Sampling was performed to measurement the nutrients of shoots and roots of camelthorn in mid-October. Shoot sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium were measured at the end of the growing season.

The results showed that there is a negative relationship between the salinity and the forage yield. Application of maximum salinity level compare to the control reduced the forage fresh yield from 2825 to 1868 in Birjand and from 2425 to 1931 kg.ha-1 in Sarbishe. The increase salinity caused a significant increase in shoot sodium in Sarbishe from 1.39 to 2.68 percentages and root sodium in Birjand from 0.126 to 0.159 percentages and a significant decrease in root potassium in Sarbishe from 3.94 to 1.78 percentage of the plant dry matter. With the increase of plant density, the magnesium of aerial parts decreased from 0.023 to 0.016 percentages in Birjand and from 0.028 to 0.02 percentages of the plant dry matter in Sarbishe. Also, root magnesium decreased significantly in Birjand (from 0.015 to 0.011%) and root potassium decreased from 5.6 to 4.8 percentages in Sarbishe, but Shoot sodium increased significantly in both places. The effect of ecotype was significant on shoot sodium and magnesium in Birjand, shoot and root potassium and root magnesium in Sarbishe.The Krond ecotype had less potassium in Sarbishe than the Voshmgir ecotype statistically significant, so it had higher forage quality. Forage produced in Sarbishe had less potassium than Birjand, so it was of higher quality.

Although the increase in salinity caused a decrease in the camelthorn forage yield. However, this plant had an acceptable yield in high soil salinity at the end of the season. Therefore, it is possible to produce forage in very salty lands through the cultivation of this plant. Magnesium levels of camelthorn shoot were less than the required level of livestock and supplementary feeding should be considered to meet the need for magnesium and prevent complications of magnesium deficiency in long-term feeding of camelthorn forage. The shoot potassium is higher than the critical level for livestock and in case of long-term feeding; it should be consumed in combination with low-potassium fodder. Also, due to the higher shoot potassium of Voshmgir ecotype in Sarbishe, the use of Krond ecotype is recommended because of the lower potassium level. Shoot potassium level in Sarbishe was lower than Birjand (9 in Sarbishe and 12% in Birjand), so forage produced in Sarbishe was more desirable. The shoot sodium and calcium levels are optimal and there is no need to supplementary nutrition the livestock to provide these elements. Although increased salinity increased shoot sodium, it had no effect on potassium (only root potassium in Sarbishe decreased with increasing salinity), therefore, in salinity conditions, camelthorn can maintain the potassium level of its shoots and this feature is one of the factors affecting the plant's tolerance to salinity. Increasing sodium concentration was associated with decreasing root potassium concentration, indicating competition of sodium with potassium for uptake. Also, higher sodium concentration of shoots than roots can be considered as an effective factor in salinity tolerance by increasing the gradient of osmotic potential from roots to shoots.

Camelthorn (Alhagi camelorum Fisch.) is a perennial plant with shrub growing form belonging to Fabaceae family, which is native to large area from Mediterranean to Russia. Camelthorn is very high tolerant to salinity and this is one of the halophytic plants. By using halophytic plants, many products can be produced in saline areas, which one of these products is forage needed by livestock. One of the most important areas for the development of camelthorn cultivation is saline lands that have been excluded from cultivation due to irrigation with saline water for many years that increasing soil salinity. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the plant forage quality in field conditions with irrigation by saline water.

The experiment was conducted as split-factorial in a randomized complete block design with three replication in two locations (Farms of the Faculty of Agriculture in the Birjand University and Hojjatabad farm of Peyvand Khavaran Agro- Industry in Sarbishe) at years of 1399. The effect of location was considered fixed. The Experimental factors was included ecotype at two levels (Voshmgir and Korond), Plant density at two levels (10 and 20 plant per square meter) irrigation water salinity at 3 levels (3.5, 7.5 and 12 dS/m). The main plots were included irrigation water salinity levels and the sub-plots were included from a combination of density and ecotype levels. The amounts of crude protein, crude fatty acids, crude ash, acid detergent fiber, neutrals detergent fiber, Metabolizable energy, and digestible dry matter of camelthorn forage were measured at the end of the growing season.

The results showed that by increasing salinity to 7.5 ds/m had not significant effect on the crude protein percentage, but with a further increase in salinity to 12 dS/m the crude protein was decreased (7.2%) significantly compared to control (Figure 2a). The forage fatty acids of Sarbishe were significantly higher (5.3%) than Birjand, which is due to the lower temperature of Sarbisheh region. The crude forage ash content in Birjand was significantly higher (5.3%) than Sarbishe (Figure 1a).With increasing the density from 10 to 20 plants per square meter the forage ash was increased (7.5%) significantly (Table 5). In Birjand, Metabolizable energy was increased (2.2 %) significantly with increasing plant density, but in Sarbishe, increasing density had not effect on this trait (Figure 5a). Irrigation water salinity application in both places and ecotypes studied was not significant effect on the metabolizable energy of camelthorn forage. Voshmgir ecotype in Birjand had significantly (11.4%) more acid detergent fiber than Korond ecotype, but the difference between these ecotypes was not significant in Sarbishe (Table 7). With increasing plant density in Birjand, the value of acid detergent fiber was decreased (7.9%) significantly but the difference between two plant densities was not significant in Sarbishe (Figure 6). At the 12 dS/m irrigation water salinity level, increasing the plant density let to a decrease (14.5%) of neutral detergent fiber, while increasing the plant density at lower irrigation water salinity levels had no effect on this trait (Table 3).

Although increasing the irrigation water salinity led to a significant reduction in camelthorn forage protein, but the amount of protein obtained at 12 dS/m irrigation water salinity (12.29%) was also acceptable. High irrigation water salinity levels in both ecotypes and locations did not lead to a significant reduction in forage metabolizable energy, so it is possible to produce adequate quality forage by cultivation camelthorn with saline water. Korond Ecotype was more suitable for cultivation in Birjand and Voshmgir ecotype was more suitable for cultivation in Sarbishe and produced better forage in these locations. In saline conditions, it is better to cultivate camelthorn with high plant density, because in this case, the amount of forage fiber will decrease and the forage quality will increase.

Asafetida is a medicinal plant belonging to the family of Apiaceae. Gum obtained from this plant has many industrial and pharmaceutical applications. Poor establishment of this plant is of main concern that is mainly attributed to the issues on seed germination and slow initial growth. Hormone priming is aimed to improve seed germination and increase plant establishment. The present study is an attempt to investigate the effects of hormone priming on seed germination in different time and concentration regime. The experiment was planned based on a factorial-completely randomized design with three factors including hormone type at two levels (Giberlic acid and Salicylic acid), priming time duration at 3 levels (6, 12 and 24 hours) and Hormone concentration at three levels (500, 1000 and 1500 ppm) in 4 replications. The results showed that the seeds primed with giberlic acid (500 ppm for 12 hours) and salicylic acid (500 ppm for 6 hours) have made high improvements to Asafetida’s seed germination. As well as to evaluate the effect of different SA concentrations on seed germination was conducted an experiment in a completely randomized design with 6 treatments and 3 replications. Results showed that the concentrations of salicylic acid had inverse relations with germination characteristics.

Ferula ovina is a medicinal plant belonging to the Apiaceae family that can be used its dry forage as livestock fodder. This plant due to over harvesting from natural pastures has been endanger to elimination. Ferula ovina seeds have a little germination due to seed dormancy.  In order to break seed dormancy an experiment with 28 treatments in a completely randomized design with four replications in seed technology and Agricultural Research laboratories of Birjand University was carried out. Treatments were consisting of 6 and 12 hours of  leaching, chemical scarification with sulfuric acid solution 80% for 5 and 10 min, Potassium Nitrate 0.3% for 72 hours, hormone treatments, Gibberellic acid (250, 500 and 1000 ppm) and Benzyl Amino Porine (0.1 And 0.25 mg per liter), prechilling for 20, 35 and 50 days at +5 °C temperature, and combined prechilling and hormonal treatments. Results showed that the effect of treatments on percentage, rate, mean germination time and seed vigor of Ferula ovina was significant (P≤%1). prechilling was an essential factor for dormancy breaking of Ferula ovina seeds. Hormonal treatments improved seed germination characteristics.  The best treatment for Ferula ovina seed dormancy breaking was 50 days perichilling with 500 ppm GA3 at +5 °C temperature.

The seeds germination response to temperature is different between plant species. The germination process in different plants occurs in a wide range of temperature. The cardinal temperatures have an important role in the selection of suitable climate, time and places for seed planting. Given that the replacement of soybean by Green Pea is important for supply the required protein in dry lands. Evaluation of cardinal temperatures for germination of this plant can helps to better planting and timely seeding in the field. With this aim, an experiment based on completely randomized design was conducted with 4 replications in the faculty of agriculture of Birjand University. The treatments were 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 degree of centigrade temperatures. The results showed that the maximum of germination rate was observed at 30 degree centigrade. In the temperature range of 15 to 30 degree centigrade observed high germination percentage. But, by reducing the temperature to below 15 degree of centigrade and increase it to more than 30 degrees, the germination percentage are significantly reduced. To determine the cardinal temperatures was used from three models including Intersected Lines, Quadratic Polynomial and Five Parametric Beta Regression. The Beta regression model was better described by temperature changes than the germination rate. In addition, the base, optimum and maximum temperature was 4.47, 28 and 35 degree of centigrade respectively.

Asafoetida is one of the valuable medicinal plants belonging of the Apiaceae family. Resin extracted from this plant has many uses in industry and pharmacy. Because unsustainable harvesting of pastures, this plant has medicinal value at risk of extinction. Asafoetida seedlings in the early of the life cycle, have slow growth led to the poor seedlings establishment.Osmopriming improvement of techniques that can improve seed germination and seedling growth and thus to improve its establishment. To examine the effects of seed osmopriming on improving asafetida germination and seedling growth, carried out a factorial experiment in completely randomized design with three factors: time of osmopriming in three levels 12, 24 and 36 hours, solution type with three levels of calcium chloride, potassium dihydrogen phosphate and polyethylene glycol and osmotic potential -0.5, -1.0, -1.5 and -2.0 Mpa with 3 replications in the Faculty of Agriculture of Birjand University. The results indicated that time of osmopriming had significant effect on asafetida seed germination and seedling growth and the best time to asafetida seed osmopriming was 12 hours. The effect of solution type on seed germination and seedling growth was significant and that the solution of calcium chloride and potassium dihydrogen phosphate were treated showed a better seed germination and seedling growth. But osmotic potential effects on any of the germination and seedling growthwere significant

Ammoniacum is a medicinal, industrial and forage plants of Apiaceae that has been destroyed due to excessive utilizations. Ammoniacum seeds have a little germination due to seed dormancy. In order to break seed dormancy an experiment with 22 treatments in a completely randomized design with four replications in seed technology laboratories of Birjand University Agricultural Research was carried out. Treatments were consisting of 6 and 12 hours of leaching, chemical scarification with sulfuric acid solution 80% for 5 and 10 min, potassium nitrate 0.3% for 72 hours, hormone treatments, gibberellic acid (250, 500 and 1000 ppm) and benzyl amino porine (0.1 And 0.25 mg per liter), prechilling for 20 and 35 days at +5 °C temperature, and combined prechilling and hormonal treatments. Results showed that the effect of treatments on percentage, rate, mean germination time and seed vigor of ammoniacum was significant (P>%1). prechilling was an essential factor for dormancy breaking of ammoniacum seed and none of the treatments without prechilling had no effect on germination. The best treatment to overcome seed dormancy was the integrated treatment of perchilling for 35 days and gibberellic acid with 250 ppm concentration. however alonely perichilling be able to breaking seed dormancy in this plant.

Asafoetida is one of important medicinal plant of the Apiaceae family that due to over harvesting from natural pastures has been endanger to elimination. Knowledge and studies of plant biology and germination behavior can lead to the development of its cultivation and protection in the natural pastures. This experiment was conducted to evaluate Asafoetida seeds germination on the response to temperature in Seed Technology and Agricultural Research Laboratories of Birjand University in 2011. For this experiment using a completely randomized design with 10 treatments consisting of 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30 and 33 degree of Celsius in four replications. Traits measured were germination percentage, germination rate and mean germination time. Temperature was significantly effected on all measured traits (P<%1). Results of regression analysis of data with intersected-lines (ISL) model showed those minimum, optimum and maximum seed germination temperatures were 1.06, 13.46 and 31.04 degree of Celsius respectively.