m. majidian

Exporting agricultural products is considered as one of the strategies for developing non-oil exports and achieving sustainable economic growth in developing countries. Saffron, as an export commodity, holds particular significance in Iran's non-oil exports. Given Iran's position among the top four saffron-exporting countries globally, this study aims to prioritize Iran's saffron target markets based on market competition indices and calculate its relative advantage and export stability index in the world market and Iran's export target countries. Comparison of the global market structure of the product during 2003 to 2022 revealed that despite the significant shares of Iran, Spain, England, and Nigeria in most years, the market structure has been characterized by a multi-sided monopoly, open and closed, and in some years dominated by oligopoly, indicating an increase in the number of competitors and the competitiveness of the export market for this product. Iran, with an average share of 13.6% in the saffron export market and producing over 80% of saffron, does not have a direct share in global exports, and most of Iran's saffron is exported to countries such as the UAE, Spain, China, and Oman, and then re-exported to other countries, for which strategies such as market expansion and branding need to be prioritized. The results showed that in 2022, four countries, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Iran, and Spain, accounted for 93% of the total world exports, and Iran ranked second in terms of export volume in the saffron export market during the study period. Also, Iran had an export stability index of less than one (0.96) but the trend of this index indicates a decrease in Iran's stability. The results showed that the majority of Iran's saffron exports are concentrated in only four countries, with the composition of these countries varying over time. To enhance market stability and growth, it is crucial to expand the target export markets. Prioritization should be given to China, UAE, Spain, India, USA, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, and Kuwait, with average priority ranks of 4.15, 6.85, 7.7, 7.95, 8.9, 12.3, 14.35, 15.25, 15.5, and 16.45 respectively. Furthermore, the results indicated that the export market for saffron is oligopolistic. Therefore, it is essential for all exporting countries to collaborate in determining the price and market share for each country. This collaborative approach can help in stabilizing the market, ensuring fair pricing, and promoting sustainable growth in the saffron industry.

Seed yield in soybean is a complex trait and is influenced by multiple genetic and environmental factors. Safflower is one of the oilseeds adapted to a wide range of soil conditions, but micronutrients deficiencies cause a decrease in its grain yield and quality. Hence, an experiment was conducted as a split factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications at Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Arak, Iran in 2019. Three tillage methods (including no tillage, low tillage and conventional tillage) were considered as the main plots and fertilizer treatments (including 1- Control, 2- Zinc, 3- Iron, 4- Sulfur, 5- Zinc + Iron, 6-Zinc + Sulfur, 7- Iron + Sulfur, and 8- Iron + Sulfur + Zinc) were considered as sub-plots. Results showed that there were significant differences between the fertilizer treatments in terms of seed yield, flower yield, seed weight per head, number of heads, number of seeds per head, percentage of seed protein and seed oil. In the treatment of tillage methods, thousand seed weight and linoleic fatty acid had significant differences. Interaction effects of soil tillage methods X fertilizer were significant on number of heads and linolenic acid. Fertilizer treatment of iron + sulfur + zinc had the highest seed yield (i.e. 1391 kg ha-1), flower yield (i.e. 183.7 kg ha-1), 1000 seed weight (i.e. 45.8 g), seed weight per head (i.e. 1.27 g), number of heads (i.e. 7.9), protein percentage (i.e. 21.2%) and seed oil percentage (i.e. 26.5). Results of this research showed that application of micronutrient elements by increasing the yield components, particularly 1000-seed weight, number of heads, and the weight of seeds per head led to increases in seed yield, oil percentage and protein percentage of safflower seeds. Though, tillage methods had no significant effect on safflower seed yield. According to the results of this experiment the use of zinc, sulfur, and iron fertilizers along with the method of low tillage can help to increase the grain yield and quality of rapeseed.

To investigate the effects of zinc, boron, and sulfur on the quantitative characteristics, elements uptake, and allicin content in Ziabar local garlic (Allium sativum L.), an experiment was conducted as a completely randomized block design with three replications in 2019-20. The treatments included 1- control (without fertilizer use), 2- Zn, 3- B, 4- S, 5- Zn+S, 6- Zn+B, 7- B+S, and 8- S+B+Zn. Sulfur, zinc, and boron fertilizers were added to the soil as sulfur flower (100 kg ha-1), ZnSO4·7H2O (20 kg ha−1), and H3BO3 (5 kg ha−1) at two vegetative growth and bulb filling stages. The results showed that the S+B+Zn treatment was significantly superior to other treatments in all studied traits. Among the single fertilizer treatments, the highest economic yield and boron uptake rate was observed with the B application. The S application resulted in the highest S uptake. The highest Zn uptake and allicin content was observed in the Zn application treatment. Among the dual treatments, the B+S treatment caused the highest economic yield and S and B uptake rate. The Zn+B treatment showed the highest Zn uptake. The highest allicin content (29%) was observed in the S+B+Zn treatment. The highest garlic economic yield (3000 kg ha-1) and the best quality in terms of allicin content (29%), S uptake (0.73 kg ha-1), Zn uptake (39.6 kg ha-1), and B uptake (12.96 kg ha-1) were obtained in the S+B+Zn treatment. According to the present results, the use of zinc, boron, and sulfur fertilizers along with basal fertilizers could be recommended to increase the quantitative and qualitative yield of garlic.

In order to investigate the effects of tillage, planting method and the levels of nitrogen fertilizer on the grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency in planting Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), a split factorial experiment in complete randomized block design was conducted with three replications at Research Fields of Rice Research Institute of Iran in Rasht during two cropping seasons of 2016-2018. In the experiment, three tillage methods including the conventional tillage, minimum tillage and no tillage were considered as the main plots and two planting methods of direct planting and transplanting as well as the four amounts of nitrogen fertilizer of 0, 100, 200 and 300 kg ha-1 N from urea source as factorial in sub plots. The interaction between the tillage and nitrogen amount indicated that the treatment combination of minimum tillage at 200 kg ha-1 of nitrogen with the average of 4144.3 kg ha-1 had the highest grain yield. Treatment of 100 kg ha-1 of nitrogen had the highest nitrogen agronomic efficiency (17.68 kg ha-1), nitrogen use efficiency (32.40 kg ha-1), nitrogen apparent recovery (71.85 kg ha-1), nitrogen harvest index (75.48 percent) and nitrogen physiological efficiency (47.98 kg kg-1). Increasing the nitrogen consumption decreased all the traits related to the nitrogen efficiency and these traits were in their minimum values in the treatment of 300 kg ha-1 of nitrogen. The interaction between the tillage and nitrogen showed that the treatment of minimum tillage at 200 kg ha-1 of nitrogen with an average of 4144 kg ha-1 had the highest grain yield. In conclusion, the treatment of minimum tillage at 200 kg ha-1 of nitrogen due to the high seed and oil yields and treatment of minimum tillage at 100 kg ha-1 of nitrogen because of the high nitrogen consumption efficiency, energy saving and observance of the environmental issues are suitable for planting canola in paddy fields of Guilan province.

In order to investigate the effect of source and rate of nitrogen fertilizer on yield and quality of sweet corn, a field study was conducted in 2011 cropping season in Agriculture Experiment Station of College of Agriculture, University of Guilan. A randomized complete block design with three replications was used. Treatment consisted of four levels of nitrogen fertilizer (0, 46, 92 and 138 kg N ha-1) and integrated N of chemical and biological (23 kg N ha-1 + 1 ton ha-1 Vermi-compost, 46 kg N ha-1 + 2 ton ha-1 Vermi-compost, and 69 kg N ha-1 +3 ton ha-1 Vermi-compost) and organic sources (2, 4 and 6 ton ha-1). Effect of source and rate of nitrogen fertilizer on fresh ear yield, grain yield canned, grain protein amount and dry matter digestibility percent had significant. With increscent nitrogen at treatments nitrogen fertilizer, organic ant integrated farming yield fresh ear, grain yield, grain protein amount and dry matter digestibility percent increased. Maximum yield fresh ear was obtained with 69 kg N ha-1 + 3 ton ha-1 Vermi-compost with an average 14595.9 kg ha-1. Maximum forage yield and dry forage yield obtained with an average 18619.5 and 3593 kg ha-1 at treatment with 69 kg N ha-1 + 3 ton ha-1 Vermi-compost. Results of this research showed that the best grain yield and quality, and forage yield and quality of sweet corn were obtained in integrated farming and organic methods in Rasht region conditions and same climatology conditions.

In order to investigate the effects of moisture stress, nitrogen fertilizer, manure and integrated nitrogen and manure fertilizer on yield, yield components and water use efficiency of SC 704 corn (late maturing, non-prolific and dent). In 2005, a field study was conducted in agricultural experiment station of the college of agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University. The type of design was randomized complete block with factorial arrangement and three replications. For the study, four levels of nitrogen fertilizer (0, 92, 184 and 276 kg N ha-1), integrated fertilizer (46 kg N ha-1 + 2/5 ton ha-1 FYM, 92 kg N ha-1 + 5 ton ha-1 FYM and 138 kg N ha-1 +7/5 ton ha-1 FYM ) and organic Farm Yard Manure (5, 10 and 15 ton ha-1 FYM ) along with three levels of irrigation (optimum irrigation (control), water stress 75% optimum irrigation and water stress 50% optimum irrigation) were used as treatments. The results showed maximum seed yield was produced with 92 kg N ha-1 + 5 ton ha-1 FYM and average of seed yield was 7976 kg ha-1. Maximum corn seed yield resulted when optimum irrigation water was applied and average seed yield was 7041 kg ha-1. When water stress was imposed in 50% and 75% of optimum irrigation, seed yield was decreased by 33 and 12%, respectively. The best seed yield was obtained with interaction of 5 ton ha-1 FYM and optimum irrigation. Also, maximum water use efficiency was obtained in using 50% of optimum irrigation. Maximum water use efficiency was obtained with interaction of 92 kg N ha-1 + 5 ton ha-1 FYM and imposition of water stress in 50% optimum irrigation. Results showed that adequate nitrogen fertilizer slightly increased corn seed yield under stress, and integrated (nitrogen and manure) fertilizer increased corn seed yield under stress. But seed yield greatly increased with optimum irrigation. Integrated fertilizer application increased seed yield even with severe moisture stress. Application of integrated chemical fertilizers and manure produced better seed yield and also decreased the amount of chemical fertilizers and improved soil physical and chemical characteristics.

In order to investigate the effects of different nitrogen fertilizer levels and water stress during milky and dough stages on grain yield, yield components and water use efficiency of corn hybrid SC 704 (late maturing, non prolific and dent type), a field study was conducted. The factorial design of the study comprised of a randomized complete block with four replications. Four levels of nitrogen fertilizer (0, 92, 184 and 276 kg/ha nitrogen) along with three levels of irrigation (water stress imposed at milky stage, dough stage and a season-long optimum irrigation) were used as treatments. Results showed that water stress during milky and dough stages significantly decreased grain yield and thousand kernel weight. Also, effect of nitrogen fertilizer on grain yield, kernel number per ear, kernel weight per ear and thousand kernel weight was significant. Maximum grain yield was produced with 276 kg/ha nitrogen, although no significant differences were found among 92, 184 and 276 kg/ha nitrogen levels. Regarding water use efficiency during water stress, maximum efficiency was observed at milky stage but, as water stress declined with optimum irrigation, water use efficiency decreased.