International Journal of Horticultural Science and Technology
Volume:10 Issue: 3, Summer 2023

To determine effects of different fertilizer sources on the yield and quality parameters of Moldavian balm (MB) in intercropping with Fenugreek (FG), two factors were analyzed. The first one included three cropping patterns: MB pure stand, FG pure stand, and intercropping of two rows of MB with two rows of FG (2FG:2MB); the second factor was fertilizer sources: control plants, 100% chemical fertilizer (NPK), 100% bacterial biofertilizers + 25% synthetic fertilizer (BF+25NPK), 75% humic acid (HA)+ 25% synthetic fertilizer (75HA+25NPK), and 75% vermicompost (V)+ 25% synthetic fertilizer (75V+25NPK). Results showed that the highest basic microbial respiration , substrate induced respiration and microbial biomass carbon was observed in intercropping of 2FG:2MB fertilized with 75V+25NPK. This treatment also increased the seed yield of FG and dry matter yield of MB by 54% and 80%, respectively, and resulted in the maximum essential oil (EO) content of MB (0.77%) and oil content of FG (14.2%). In addition, the intercrop of 2FG:2MB fertilized with 75V+25NPK improved the EO quality of MB plants by increasing its geranyl acetate and geranial concentration, and also improved the oil quality in FG by maximizing its unsaturated fatty acids content such as oleic and linoleic acids. Overall, we conclude that intercropping of 2MB:2FG fertilized with a fertilizer mix composed of vermicompost (75%) and synthetic NPK fertilizer (25%) can be suggested to farmers as an eco-friendly and sustainable system practice for improving EO and oil content as well as quality of FG and MB plants, respectively.

In this study, an efficient in vitro method was established for indirect somatic embryogenesis of tuberose from pedicel-derived calluses on MS medium. The effects of 2,4-D, NAA, BAP, and ABA on callus induction, callus growth, embryogenic callus formation, embryo maturation, and plantlet regeneration were evaluated. Combination of 0.5 mg L-1 2,4-D + 0.5 mg L-1 NAA resulted in the highest percentage of callus induction (100%) and callus quality. The highest average of callus growth was achieved at 1 mg L-1 2,4-D + 1 mg L 1 BAP. Embryogenic calluses were induced on the media containing 1 mg L-1 2,4-D after 90 days of subculturing. The highest number of matured somatic embryos per petri dish (81) and callus greening were observed on the medium containing 1 mg L-1 ABA + 45 g L-1 maltose. Further germination of embryos was observed on MS medium containing 10 to 15 ml L-1 goat colostrum and embryos with leaves regenerated after 90 days. Beside induction of osmotic pressure, colostrum is a rich source of organic nitrogen and calcium which play key roles in somatic embryogenesis. The whole plantlets were achieved after 60 days of subculturing on the media containing IBA (0.75 mg L-1) with a survival rate of 88%. In conclusion, the present study provides a suitable somatic embryogenesis system which may serve in micropropagation, genetic transformation, and ploidy manipulation of tuberose.

The significance of building sustainable farms has been highlighted in the search for food security. The traditional farming methods used in Nigeria result in low agricultural yields. Utilizing modern technologies, such as nanotechnology, is crucial right now to address the growing need for food crops. These objectives gave birth to nanotechnology as a frontier for the twenty-first century. Nanoparticles may be helpful in the treatment and monitoring of diseases affecting agricultural crops because they specifically target microorganisms. Crop diseases are fought by nanoparticles, including carbon nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles, and silica nanoparticles. An edible coating containing encoded nanoparticles is one such technique for preserving and storing food. Agricultural fields can be equipped with nano-sensors to track soil fertility and other agro-climatic factors. Nanomaterials are utilized to remediate deficient soils and offer a clever, unique, environmentally responsible, and long-lasting solution. Green nanotechnology may be used to improve the hygiene of food items, leading to a better lifestyle for the general public. An effective substitute for better recycling of agricultural waste might be nanotechnology. These are the ideal raw materials for biochar, renewable energy, and nano-silica. Agriculture also uses barcode technology and nano-based identifying markers. The intentional use of nanomaterials in agricultural endeavours may have unanticipated health effects. Future agricultural issues like food security have a lot of potentials to be solved with the help of nanotechnology applications, particularly in developing countries.

Waterlogging may be imposed by intense rainfall, excessive irrigation, or poor drainage. In Iran, besides the northern parts of the country with high precipitation, waterlogging may occur due to over-irrigation, or inadequate drainage especially for landscape use of ornamentals. In this study, the joint effects of growth stage (four-leaf stage, full growth and start flowering), at which waterlogging is encountered, and the duration of the episode (0, 6, 12, and 24 h) on flowering induction, plant growth, and external quality were investigated in zinnia (Zinnia elegans Jacq.). Waterlogging generally downgraded visually-perceived quality (stem length, flower size, leaf coloration), increased the risk of buckling (lower stem strength) and shortened flower bud longevity. Waterlogging adversely affected biomass accumulation, through decreases in both light capture (leaf area), and photosynthesis. Besides disturbed water relations, waterlogged plants underwent oxidative damage as indicated by reduced chlorophyll content, and elevated lipid peroxidation level. Waterlogging was further associated with increased activity of antioxidant enzymes (ascorbate peroxidase, peroxidase). The waterlogging-induced effects were generally more prominent as waterlogging duration increased, and the growth stage of application was less advanced, so that the plants waterlogged in four-leaf stage for 24 h showed the most negative effects and their plant dry weight reduced to 75 percent of that in controls. In conclusion, the obtained results offer a quantitative analysis of how both growth stage and duration determine the waterlogging-induced injury in zinnia.

The foliar application of organic compounds and biofertilizers is a suitable method for optimal nutrition of plants. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the foliar application of humic acid and amino acids on the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of tomato fruits under field conditions in 2019-2020. The treatments included the control, three concentrations of humic acid (1, 2, and 3 g L-1), three concentrations of amino acids (2, 4, and 6 g L-1), and combined treatment of humic acid (3 g L-1) + amino acid (3 g L-1). The results showed that the effect of the treatments on plant fresh and dry weight, leaf chlorophyll content, fruit number, total yield and marketability, and fruit quality except the fruit length was significant. The highest leaf pigment content, fruit number (30.3 per plant), yield (50.3 tons ha-1), and marketable yield (43.1 tons ha-1) were related to the combined treatment of humic acid + amino acids. Furthermore, the highest fruit quality characteristics such as firmness, TSS, vitamin C, anthocyanin, and potassium were observed for the humic acid at 3 g L-1, which showed no significant difference with the combined treatment of humic acid + amino acid. In general, it was found that the foliar application of organic compounds improved the yield, yield components, and fruit quality of tomato plants, so that the combined application of humic acid (3 g L-1) + amino acids (3 g L-1) had the highest effect on improving the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of tomato plants.

A decrease in agricultural water resources in recent years has led to the cultivation of plants with low water requirements. Creeping savory (Satureja spicigera) is a medicinal species that grows on rock walls in the north of Iran. To evaluate the effects of different planting densities and different treatments of organic fertilizer (O.F.) on creeping savory essential oil (EO) under rainfed cultivation, an experiment was conducted by a split plot design based on RCBD with three fertilizer treatments (rotten cow manure, enriched straw and farm soil), and three planting densities (2.66, 4 and 8 plant/m2). The experiment was carried out in two crop years (2017-2019) in Mehregan Research Station of Kermanshah Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center. After extraction by water distillation, the EO content and EO yield were calculated and the chemical compounds were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. A total of 13 compounds were identified in the EO, comprising more than 97% of the total compounds. The effects of fertilizer treatments had statistical significance (P≤0.01) in terms of EO content, EO yield, and several chemical compounds. The effects of planting density were significant on the EO yield and chemical compounds (P≤0.01). The highest EO content was obtained in the treatment of rotten cow manure×high density (3.75%) and the lowest EO content occurred from the effect of farm soil×high density (2.78%). The highest EO yield was caused by enriched straw×high density (72.59 kg ha-1). The use of O.F. increased the EO content, EO yield, and thymol content.

In order to estimate the genetic parameters of resistance against the race 1.2y of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis, a complete 7 × 7 diallel mating design was conducted with three replications by the use of Iranian native melons including Jalali, Chapalizi, Sooski, Magasi, Khaghani, Semsoori and Shadegani. Moreover two inbred lines including Charentais-T and Isabelle were entered as susceptible and resistant controls in the experiment respectively while they were not involved in diallel mating. Plants were inoculated by root dip method with 106 conidia ml-1 concentration of Maharloo isolate.The traits, including area under disease progress curve (AUDPC), disease severity index (DSI), standardized AUDPC (SAUDPC), and latent period (LP), were all measured. The results revealed significant additive, dominance, and reciprocal variance for all traits followed by significant estimates in broad-sense and narrow-sense heritabilities. The highest narrow-sense heritability was calculated for SAUDPC (0.47). General combining ability (GCA), special combining ability (SCA), and the reciprocal effects were significant for AUDPC, SAUDPC, and LP. Results stand for the significant role of both additive and non-additive effects in the control of the traits. In combining ability studies, Magasi, Chapalizi, and Jalali showed the lowest significant GCA effect for AUDPC and SAUDPC followed by high significant GCA for LP. These populations can be considered as resistant parents in corresponding breeding programs. The F1 of Chapalizi × Sooski showed the lowest significant SCA for DSI, AUDPC, and the highest significant SCA was for LP. Therefore it can be considered as the best resistant ‘hybrid’ against FOM-1.2y.

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) belongs to the Malvaceae family and is sensitive to chilling injury. To evaluate the effect of amino acids on preventing okra pods from chilling injury and maintaining their quality during storage, an experiment was performed to evaluate the possible role of amino acids in maintaining okra quality during cold storage. In this regard, okra pods were dipped for 10 min in distilled water (as control) and four solutions containing 2mM arginine, asparagine, or glycine individually as well as a combination of the aforementioned amino acids. The samples were then stored at 4°C for 14 days. Results showed that glycine and asparagine individually reduced the rate of pods’ weight loss by as much as 43% and 37%, respectively. Moreover, pretreatment of okra with amino acids, particularly glycine, remarkably diminished chilling disorders because of their roles in inducing antioxidant activity and declining lipid peroxidation in the pods. Results also revealed that pretreatment of okra with amino acids significantly mitigated polyphenol oxidase activity, and this could delay the appearance of pods’ browning lesions during cold storage. In conclusion, the results suggest that pretreatment of okra pods with amino acids, especially glycine, could reduce biochemical changes that occurred in pods due to chilling in cold storage.

The experiment was performed to study the effect of foliar application of citric acid on reducing the effects of drought stress on Calendula officinalis L., the effect of citric acid (0, 50 and 100 mg l-1) and different levels of drought (no stress: control, 25, 50 and 75% field capacity) was studied as a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with three replicates in 2018 in greenhouses in northern Iran. The foliar application was applied in three stages with an interval of about 20 days, including the six-leaf stage, full tillering and the appearance of the first bud. The results showed that drought stress and foliar application of CA significantly affected the parameters evaluated. The highest fresh and dry weight of shoots and roots, carotenoids, phenol and flavonoid were obtained in 75% FC + CA 50 mg l-1. The maximum plant height, root length and number of flowers were for control irrigation + CA 50 mg l-1 and the highest longevity of the flower on the plant, total carbohydrate, rutin and total antioxidant activity was observed in 75% FC + CA 100 mg l-1. In addition, treatment of control irrigation + CA 100 mg l-1 had the highest total chlorophyll and vitamin C and the 25% FC treatment had the highest proline content. In general, irrigation of pot marigolds with 75% FC and spraying with citric acid 100 mg l-1 had positive effects on plant growth and biochemical parameters

This study evaluated the effects of date palm wastes + soil (1:1 v/v), perlite + soil (1:1 v/v) and soil with no additive, along with the spraying of MgSO4.7H2O at (0, 50 and, 100 mg. L-1) on the growth and flowering of potted Gerbera. The results showed that adding date palm wastes to the soil significantly increased plant height to 30.36 cm, number of leaves (6.91), branches (11.35) and suckers (3.39/ plant). Also nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents in leaves recorded: 2.18 %, 0.28 %, and 2.34 %, respectively. Leaf dry matter raised to 20.63 % as well. Moreover, adding date palm wastes+ soil increased chlorophyll, carbohydrates, and protein contents in leaf to 1.76 mg/g. fresh wt., 14.14 % and 13.64 % respectively, as well as flower stalk diameter to 0.346 cm and the vase life to 12.26 days. Magnesium improved plant height to 27.75 cm, number of suckers to 3.05/ plant and leaf area to 136.3 cm2. Likewise, there were increases in N (1.96 %), P (0.25 %), and K (2.03 %), chlorophyll (1.45 mg/g. fresh wt.), carbohydrates (13.27 %) and protein (12.28 %). The flower stalk diameter became thicker when increasing the concentration of Mg and scored 0.393 cm. Also, Mg at 100 mg. L-1 raised vase life to 11.08 days. Some interferences between the media and magnesium treatments were significantly effective as the longest vase life (12.79 days) occurred in plants grown on date-palm wastes+ soil and were treated with 100 mg. L-1 of Mg.