نشریه مدیریت خاک و تولید پایدار
سال ششم شماره 3 (پیاپی 17، پاییز 1395)

Knowledge about the iron (Fe) critical level and plant response to application of Fe can effectively help to proper use of this element. Corn is used in human nutrition, poultry and livestock in pharmaceticals, starch, and alcohol and oil production. Because of the calcareous soils, low organic matter content, low solubility of iron in alkaline pH, carbonate and bicarbonate ions present in irrigation water, and phosphorus over fertilization, Fe deficiency is common in most fields and gardens.The aim of this study was investigation effect of Fe-EDDHA on corn growth indices and determination of Fe critical level in some calcareous soils of East Azerbaijan province using DTPA and ABDTPA by conventional methods.
In this research, Fe critical level for corn (Zea mays L.) was determined in 21 soils from corn fields of East Azerbaijan province during 2014-2015. Corn plant was cultivated in two level of Fe (zero and 10 mg Fe kg-1 as Fe-EDDHA) as a factorial experiment in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications in pots containing 4 kg air-dried soil. After 60 days, the plant growth parameters were measured. Fe available of studied soils were extracted by DTPA and ABDTPA methods and measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS).
The results showed that soil type had a significant effect on the growth indices of corn and the effect of applied Fe levels was significant in some of growth indices while the fertilizer and soil interaction was not significant. Critical level of soil Fe for corn with DTPA-Fe, based on 90% relative yield, was determined 10.08, 5, 11.4 and 7.44 mg Fe kg-1 soil by using plant response column order procedure, graphical Cate–Nelson, Cate–Nelson analysis of variance and Mitscherlich-Bray, respectively and for AB-DTPA method was 6.19, 4.4, 9.8 and 4.53 (mg Fe kg-1 soil) respectively. As well as to achieve a 90% relative concentration of active Fe in shoot by using graphical Cate–Nelson and DTPA and AB-DTPA methods, critical soil Fe level were 6.8 and 4.8 mg Fe kg-1 soil, respectively. Mitscherlich-Bray equation coefficients, C1 and C2, for DTPA-Fe were 0.1344 and 0.0356 kg soil mg-1Fe, respectively and for AB-DTPA-Fe were 0.2207 and 0.0556 kg soil mg-1Fe.
In this study, statistical Kate- Nelson's method due to very low coefficient of determination was unsuccessful. Also, due to the low level of applied Fe fertilizer, C2 factor of Mitscherlich--Bray equation was mostly negative. Iron critical levels by averaging and using DTPA and AB-DTPA methods for corn in these areas, respectively, 33/7 and 98/4 mg kg is suggested.

Salinization and solonization are of common processes in the soils of arid and semiarid regions and are serious problem in agricultural development and sustainable use and management of soil and water resources. Now a day, these processes are extremely active in lands around Urmia Lake and the most of agricultural and horticultural lands around Urmia Lake have been destructed due to these processes and as a result excluded from crop production cycle. In this study physical, chemical and mineralogical properties and classification of six soil profiles in the lands affects by Urmia Lake and two profiles in the lands which unaffected by Urmia Lake were investigated.
The study area has been located at the east of Urmia. Mean annual precipitation and mean annual temperature of this area are 345 mm and 10.83 ºC respectively and the soil moisture and soil temperature regims of this area are Dry Xeric and Mesic respectively. In order to perform this investigation, the position of six soil profiles in saline-sodic soils in the west of Urmia Lake were determined in which include nearly all of saline-sodic soils of this area. In order to control the effect of management and land use, all of soil profiles were dug in non agricultural lands. Additionally, two soil profiles in nonsaline-nonsodic soils which had the same conditions as saline-sodic soils were studied as representative profiles. Soil sampling was done from all of characteristic horizons and the physic-chemical properties of soils were determined using standard methods and soils were classified according to the last version of soil taxonomy. In order to mineralogical studies, pure clay samples were studied using SHIMADUZ XRD 600 diffractometer with 0.4 second time delay in 2θ angels between 2-30 degree, using beam source of Cukα with 30kv voltage and 30 mili ampere.
The results of this study revealed that the soils around Urmia Lake have been extremely salinized and alkalized and their physico-chemical and mineralogical properties were greatly different in comparison with the soils that have not been affected (or less affected) by Urmia Lake. According to the results, saline- sodic soils had more clay content, electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, exchangeable sodium and soil evolution, whereas, the content of organic carbon and calcium carbonate equivalent were higher in nonsaline-nonsodic soils. Clay mineralogical investigations revealed that the clay minerals in both groups of saline-sodic and nonsaline-nonsodic soils were mainly smectite, illite, kaolinite, chlorite, vermiculite, hydroxy interlayered vermiculite, mixed layered minerals and quartz. The origin of illite, kaolinite, chlorite, and hydroxy interlayered vermiculite were related to inheritance from parent material, the origin of vermiculite were related to transformation of illite, and smectites have been formed under inheritance from parent material, illite transformation and neoformation from soil solution. It seems that the neoformation is the main mechanism for the formation of smectites in saline-sodic soils. The saline-sodic soils contain more smectite than nonsaline-nonsodic soils and it might that the formation of smectite via neoformation is the main cause of high amounts of smectite in studied saline-sodic soils.
Accordingly, salinization and solonization which have been resulted from Urmia Lake, have caused mineralogical changes in soils around Urmia Lake and presence of more smectite in saline-sodic soils. Differences in morphological and physico-chemical properties of studied soils have been lead to extreme variety in their classification, in which these soils were classified in three orders, three suborders, four great groups and four subgroups.

Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients in plants which its shortage in soil is the main factor limiting plant growth. Molecular nitrogen comprises about 80 % of the atmospheric gases whereas it is not directly absorbable in plants. Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) through symbiosis with leguminous plants is one of the most important ways entrance of inorganic nitrogen into soils. Inoculation of legumes with rhizobia is also an important process to maximize biological N2 fixation capacity in these crops. Moreover, phosphorus is an essential element to convert atmospheric N (N2) into ammonium (NH4) in nitrogen fixation process. Hence in this study, the effects of simultaneous application of Sinorhizobium and phosphorus on the growth, nitrogen fixation and nutrients uptake of Fenugreek were evaluated.
Material and To evaluate the effect of combined application of Sinorhizobium and phosphorus levels on growth, nitrogen content and other nutrients uptake of Fenugreek, five isolates of Sinorhizobium were selected from bacterial bank of soil science department, University of Rafsanjan and used in a greenhouse experiment. These bacteria were had isolated from Fenugreek root nodules and had the highest symbiotic effectiveness. The greenhouse experiment was conducted in factorial based on completely randomized design with three replications including two factors i) five levels of bacteria (inoculation with four Sinorhizobium isolates (SR4,SR5,SR12, SR16) and non-inoculated as control) ii) four levels of phosphorous (0, 20, 40 and 60 mg kg-1soil).
Results showed that simultaneous application of Sinorhizobium and phosphorus levels significantly increased the number of nodule and shoot dry weight. Also combined application of Sinorhizobium and phosphorus levels significantly enhanced amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, iron and magnesium in shoot of Fenugreek. Interaction of the isolates and phosphorus levels didn’t have any significant effect (p
this study revealed that simultaneous application of isolate SR4 and 60 mg phosphorus per kg soil was the most efficient treatment in improvement of growth, nitrogen content and other nutrients uptake of Fenugreek. In comparison with control, this treatment enhanced soot dry weight from 0.25 to 2.25 g pot-1, nodule number from 70 to 570, nitrogen and phosphorus contents from 6.95 and 0.28 to 100 and 2.54 mg pot-1 and also iron and manganese uptake from 0.02 and 0.03 to 0.19 and 0.28 µg pot-1respectively.

Regarding to phosphorus as a low mobility element in soil, identification and application of traits of cultivars that are recognized as phosphorus efficient, will be very important for crop improvement and optimum usage of soil. Maximizing the phosphorus use efficiency of crops in the system is one of the most important approaches considered in phosphorus management. The first step in improving effectiveness of nutrient management practices is having information about how plant root systems interact with the soil. Because of limited researches on function of roots at the uptake of low mobile elements, this investigation was conducted to study some root morphological properties of several phosphorus efficient and phosphorus inefficient cultivars of wheat and their relations with phosphorus efficiency indexes.
In this study, some root morphological properties of several phosphorus-efficient and phosphorus-inefficient cultivars of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were compared and their correlations with efficiency indexes were studied. Furthermore, the rhizosphere effect of each cultivar on soil pH and soil phosphorus fractions was investigated. A greenhouse experiment on wheat cultivars as a factorial in completely randomized design was conducted with 8 treatments and 3 replications for six weeks. Experimental factors were different cultivars (2 phosphorus efficient i.e. Azadi and Yavarus and 2 phosphorus inefficient i.e. Karaj 1 and Marvdasht) and soil P levels (natural level of soil P and 20 mg P kg-1 soil). To understand root properties effecting phosphorus efficiency related to cultivar, some root morphological properties (root wet weight, root dry weight and root volume) were measured and then total root length and root surface area were calculated. Shoot wet and dry weight and shoot to root ratio in different cultivars was measured and calculated, too. Finally, total phosphorus uptake, phosphorus acquisition efficiency, phosphorus utilization efficiency and phosphorus efficiency were calculated and correlation between root morphological properties and efficiency indexes was investigated.
There was a significant (p
The differences are attributed to genetic differences among cultivars, root size, root morphology and changes in the rhizosphere. Identification of plants strategies for adoption to low nutrient condition and the right selection of the cultivars can improve the uptake of P in P-deficient soils and crop production.

World population growth, human need of food, his interference in natural ecosystems and changing soil intrinsic properties by degradation, increases the need of evaluating land use changes impacts, on soil quality. This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of land use change on some of soil quality indicators in land use changed forest of Northern Zagros.
in this study about 96 soil samples were taken from North Zagros forests as well as adjacent areas with land use changed. Some soil properties including basal respiration (BR), substrate induced respiration (SIR), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), pH, electrical conductivity, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, dissolved and exchangeable potassium, cation exchange capacity (CEC), soil organic matter (SOM), sodium adsorbtion ratio (SAR) and exchangeble sodium percent (ESP) were measured. Soil quality index (SQI) was determined using principal component analysis (PCA).
The results showed that changing forest to other land uses significantly reduced microbial biomass carbon, basal respiration, substrate induced respiration, the amount of dissolved calcium and potassium, exchangeable calcium, magnesium and sodium, organic matter, CEC, SAR and potassium. Soil organic matter amount in pasture, garden and agriculture decreased 16, 47 and 57.5 percent compared to forest, respectively. As a result of changing forest to pasture, gardens and agriculture MBC amount decreased 28.34, 48.66 and 58.28, respectively. The amount of total nitrogen, potassium and CEC in forest were 2.5, 1.39 and 1.4 times more than agriculture, respectively. Also, in different land uses, depth effect on all measured parameters was significant. As the results showed, the highest amount of potassium, nitrogen, cation exchange capacity, basal respiration, microbial biomass carbon and substrate induced respiration was seen in forest surface soils. Principal component analysis showed that between 16 properties assessed soil quality as total data set (TDS), organic matter, carbon availability, microbial carbon proportion to organic carbon, available phosphorus, pH and SAR, as the most important or the least effective properties on soil quality (minimum data set or MDS), had the greatest impact on the quality of studied soils. According to the cumulative soil quality index (SQI), soil quality for forest (0.756) and pasture (0.73) was II (lowly restricted) and for agriculture (0.646) and garden (0.626) was III (with limitation for plant growth).
Therefore, any management and land use change that increases soil disturbance, will reduce soil quality and increase land susceptibility to soil erosion. So, in order to maintain soil quality, appropriate management practices should be done.

Land suitability evaluation as part of a sustainable agricultural ýsystem, leads land utilization to a direction, which can preserve land quality in a desirable ýlevel while ensuring the highest income. In the traditional studies of land suitability ýevaluation, the land units fit between two classes can only view one of the primary classes are ýdefined for land suitability. Therefore, the method is not able to show the continuous reality ýof land and soil spatial variability. The development of modern methods (such as fuzzy logic) ýhas solved this problem to a great extent. Therefore, the main objective of this research was to ýdetermine the optimum depth of soil for quantitative land suitability evaluation for wheat ýproduction using the fuzzy sets theory and comparison of two different fuzzification methods ýof land suitability classes in the Shahediyeh region, Yazd. ý
After crop harvesting and taking soil samples from three depths of 0 ýto 30, 30 to 60 and 60 to 100 cm in 90 observation points, and from genetic horizons of ýrepresentative pedon, which excavated in the region, the parameters needed for land suitability ýevaluation of wheat were measured. Then, land suitability classes were calculated using the ýsquare root method and were compared in three depths from 0 to 30, 0 to 60 and 0 to 100 cm. ýFuzzy calculations used for this study were conducted in two different ways. In the first ýmethod, fuzzification of land index calculated for wheat was conducted as trapezoidal fuzzy ýintervals. In the second method, firstly the variables used to calculate the land suitability ýclasses for wheat, including climatic parameters, and soil and topographic characteristics, were ýdefined as fuzzy numbers, and then the land index was calculated as a triangular fuzzy ýnumber. To obtain the numerical values of the result of applied fuzzy method (defuzzification ýprocess), the centroid method was used. Finally, to show the different land suitability classes, ýthe resulting numbers were converted to degrees of fuzzy membership. To compare the results ýof two fuzzy methods used for different depths, the similarity index that presented by Sarma, ýwas used.ý
The compatibility percentage between the results of representative pedon and ýobservation points was remarkable (more than 60 %) only for 0 to 100 cm depth. In addition, ýthe highest compatibility percentage of land suitability class was related to comparison of 0 to ýý60 and 0 to 100 cm depths in each of the two fuzzy methods. This fact shows that 0 to 60 cm ýdepth could be a relevant alternative for the optimal depth to evaluate land suitability for ýwheat in the Shahediyeh region. The results also showed that there was no difference between ýtwo fuzzy methods for all land suitability classes and at all the studied depths. ý
Overall, considering the depth of 0 to 30 and/or 0 to 60 cm in the traditional ýstudies of land suitability evaluation for wheat is not sufficient compatible with the results of ýrepresentative pedon. Therefore, if the study is not intended to offer detailed information on ýthe type of limitations for civil actions, use of the results of representative pedon to a depth of ýý100 cm based on the traditional method is sufficient and it does not need to fuzzy ýcalculations.ý

There is no scientific report, as an out put of field study, related to short or long effect of vermicompost on soil properties and quality of tea green leaves with the aim of replacement of chemical fertilizers with organic manures and producton of organic tea, but in trade level this activity has been started in small scale in Guilan province. In order to study short time effects of different levels of vermicompost on soil properties and quality of tea green leaf with the aim of investigation posibility of organic tea production, this research has been counducted in one tea garden with 30 hectares area, located in the side of Foman–Maklavan road, in Guilan province, in a completely randomized design with 3 treatments and replications. First of all, prune floor has been done in the part of this garden and plots were separated with 20 square meter area. Then soil samples were taken from surface and combined and primary experiments have been done, in the end of winter, 2013. Then, vermicompost, with suitable size (

Background and objectives It is estimated that 350000 ha of soils of Golestan province are affected by different degrees of salinity. The use of salinity sensors for estimating the amount of salts in the field is increasingly common; however, laboratory analysis of aqueous extracts of soil is still the most common technique for assessing salinity and other potential hazards. Salinity is expressed in a number of ways, depending on the method and purpose of the measurements. Electrical conductivity (ECe), total dissolved salts (TSS) and total dissolved solids (TDS) called salinity parameters. Direct measurements of some of these parameters are time-consuming and costly involving errors. Therefore, investigators attempt to estimate them from other parameters which could be measured more easily. The aim of this study was to suggest some reliable simple equations for estimating salinity indices in salt affected soils of Golestan province using electrical conductivity .
Materials and Methods The study area is located in the Northeast Iran (Golestan Province). 43 composed soil samples were collected from the 0–30 cm of salt-affected soils. All samples were air-dried and ground to pass a 2-mm mesh sieve. Concentrations of calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulphate, bicarbonate and carbonate in the saturation extracts of soils were determined. The concentration of the above cations and anions were used to calculate ionic strength by using the relationship I=1/2∑CiZi2 where C and Z are concentration and valance, respectively. Then, the relationship between I and ECe was examined. Ionic strength was also estimated using the relationship between I and ECe as proposed by Griffinn and Jurinak, i.e. I=0.013 EC. Other simple equations to estimate the salinity parameters for the salt-affected soils of Golestan province were also find.
Results Results showed that the salinity (TSS, ionic strength and concentration of chloride ion) parameters are in close relation with the ECe. The following equations are proposed for estimating parameters of TSS (mmolcL-1), ionic strength (molL-1) and concentration of chloride ion (mmolcL-1) from ECe(dSm-1):
LogTSS = 1.1489 0.9214 log ECe (R2= 0.960, SEE=0.083)
I = 0.0124 ECe 0.0488 (R2= 0.96, SEE=0.042)
LogCl- = 1.1555 log ECe 0.5042 (R2= 0.89, SEE= 0.19)
Conclusion According to the results, salinity (TSS, ionic strength and concentration of chloride ion) parameters are in close relation with the ECe. These relationships are may vary depending on the type of soil. This study reported a linear relationship between ionic strength and electrical conductivity which was employed to predict ionic strength using soil solution samples. The results also indicated that there is a good agreement and correlation between EC and Cl- concentration in soil solution samples.

Arsenic is a metalloid contaminant that due to its risk to plants, animals and human health is of impressive concern in the environment. The most environmental problems are the result of mobilization of arsenic under anaerobic conditions. In these conditions, reducing bacteria have ability for bioreduction of arsenate to arsenic and increasing its mobilization. The objective of this study was to determine the bioreduction of arsenate in aqueous and adsorbed on goethite in the presence of shewanella sp in two different sections.
In the first section, bioreduction of arsenate in aqueous phase and in the second section bioreduction of adsorbed arsenate on goethite was studied. The change in the number of viable cells over the course of the experiments was monitored by viable cell counts.
The results of the first section revealed that Shewanella sp bacterium is capable of bioreduction of arsenate in aqueous phase at a concentration of 0.05 mM. The results also showed that during 6 days, goethite is capable to adsorb arsenate at a concentration of 0.05 mM totally and Shewanella sp reduced adsorbed arsenate on goethite. The rate of bioreduction of arsenate in aqueous phase was more than the adsorbed arsenate on goethite. The results also showed that Shewanella sp was able to bioreduce of ferric iron in the structure of goethite to ferrous iron. So, Shewanella sp was able to reduce both adsorbed arsenate on goethite and ferric iron in anoxic condition and Shewanella sp as an iron reducing bacterium (IRB) was able to reduce arsenate. But bioreduction of adsorbed arsenate on goethite was done with more priority in comparison with ferric iron in the structure of goethite in the presence of Shewanella sp. The concentration of arsenite in aqueous phase after 30 days of bioreduction process was 0.04 mM that revealed 80% of adsorbed arsenate reduced to arsenite and entered to aqueous phase. The amount of aqueous ferrous iron increased up to 10 days and after that significantly decreased. The amount of total ferrous iron increased up to 20 days and after that became almost constant. The results of the change in the number of viable cells over the course of the experiments also showed continuation of bacterium cell growth of Shewanella sp in the bioreduction experiments.
Bioreduction process in anaerobic ecosystems could create contamination in water sources and should be considered especially by the environmental specialists.

Nutrients status in plants with high yield can be a real benchmark for evaluating the growth and desirable nutrient status in the plant. The first step in the implementation of each nutritional diagnosis method is determining norms. The aims of this study were determining norms, rang of optimum concentration and limitation of nutrients for orange by compositional nutrient diagnosis method.
Material and This study was conducted in 30 citrus orchards in the tropical and semi-tropical regions of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province. The base of selecting these orchards was the similarity in age and variety, with different yield. Composite samples of soil and leaf were taken by standard method and analyzed by using appropriate laboratory methods. The yield of each orchard was determined at the harvest time. Norms of nutrients were determined by compositional nutrient diagnosis method.
By using the model of cumulative variance ratio function of nutrients and solving cumulative third-rank function related to 10 nutrients along and also remaining concentration, the yield related to each of them was calculated with unit of ton per hectare as 15.83 for nitrogen, 14.17 for phosphorus, 18.90 for potassium, 14.27 for calcium, 7.69 for magnesium, 15.44 for manganese, 13.84 for zinc, 13.51 for iron, 15.33 for copper, 14.78 for boron and 16.71 for remained nutrients (Rd). Based on average of optimal yield, the goal yield was determined as 14.62 ton per hectare and with attention to the goal yield, 43% of the selected orchards were located in high-yield subpopulation and 57% of them were located in low-yield subpopulation. This was confirmed by Cate-Nelson method. Compositional nutrients diagnosis norms were estimated as: V*N = 3.12± 0.192 ,V*P = 0.47± 0.227, V*K = 2.8± 0.179, V*Ca = 3.36± 0.156, V*Mg = 0.96± 0.131, V*Mn= -3.35± 0.269, V*Zn = -4.16± 0.136, V*Fe = -2.67± 0.354 , V*Cu = -4.92± 0.115, V*B = -2.39± 0.235 and V*Rd = 6.79± 0.066. Optimal range of nutrients for orange to achieve yield of about 15 ton per hectare were determined as 2.38±0.335 for nitrogen, 0.17±0.033 for phosphorus, 1.73± 0.235 for potassium, 3.02 ± 0.415 for calcium, 0.27 ± 0.040 for magnesium, 38.21 ± 11.44 for manganese, 16.38 ± 2.52 for zinc, 77.7± 31.57 for iron, 7.63 ± 1.04 for copper and 98.54 ± 29.24 for boron.
Imbalance of nutrients such as boron and some cations can be one of the reasons of locating 57% of orchards in low-yield subpopulation. In this way, results showed that the concentration of boron in some samples was higher than norm while, the deficiency of four elements, including magnesium, zinc, iron, and calcium is more common in these areas of the province, which it can be a reason for decreasing of yield.

The goal of this research was investigation on the effect of Ca/B ratio on the yield and nutrient elements uptake of wheat in Sand culture. The experiment was laid out In a randomized complete block design with 6 treatments and 4 replicate in Gorgan university of Natural Resource and Agriculture Science greenhouse. Different Ca/B ratios were applied: 2000:1, 1000:1, 500:1, 250:1, 125:1 and 25:1. In each pot 20 seeds was planted in sand and perlite. The essential elements was given by Hoagland solution . Results showed that performance of dry matter yield of plant increased with decrease in Ca/B ratio. The highest performance of dry material was in 500/1. Also, the results showed that in the treatment with the highest Ca/B ratio, named 2000/1, the least percentage of dry matter yield was seen which is due to high Ca/B ratio. Results of variance analysis in Phosphorous showed that different Ca/B ratios were different significantly in 1% probability limit and treatment 125/1 had the highest phosphorus uptake compared to other treatments, and amount of phosphorus in plants increased with decrease in Ca/B ratio. Results of variance analysis showed that different Ca/B ratio were different significantly in 1% probability limit and treatment 500/1 had got the highest absorption of potassium, Results of variance analysis showed that different treatments were different significantly in 1% probability limit and treatment 2000/1 had the highest uptake of calcium the amount of calcium in plants was increased with increase in Ca/B ratio in the solution. Results of variance analysis showed that different treatments were different significantly in 5% probability limit and treatment 250/1 had the highest uptake of magnesium. Results of variance analysis showed that different treatments were different significantly in 5% in Na, probability limit and treatment 25/1 had the highest amount of uptake. Sodium behaves same as potassium and magnesium so that amount of sodium in plants increases with decrease in Ca/B ratio. Results of variance analysis showed that different treatments were different significantly in 5% probability limit and treatment 25/1 had the highest amount of uptake. The results show that the amount of Boron in plants increases with decrease in Ca/B ratio. The elements K, P, Na, Mg and B are absorbed more in plants with decrease in Ca/B ratio. The elements K, P, Na, Mg and B had negative correlation with Calcium. Increase of Ca lead to neutralized the Adverse effects of Boron.