نشریه علوم سبزی ها
سال هشتم شماره 2 (پیاپی 16، پاییز و زمستان 1403)

Intercropping as a current method in sustainable agriculture, in addition to increase the yield of traits compared to pure cultivation, increases biodiversity in agricultural ecosystems. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the yield components of beans in pure and mixed cultivation of cucumbers and identify the best cultivars of beans and cucumbers in terms of plant height, fruit weight, fruit dry weight, fruit pod length, plant height, plant fresh weight and number of fruits per plant. Also, the presence or absence of correlation as well as its level in the evaluated traits will be investigated. 

In order to evaluate the performance of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) intercropping, an experiment is conducted in the form of a randomized complete block design with three replications in Varamin region. The experimental treatments include 10 mixtures of beans and cucumbers as a mixed product and one pure bean as a control. Cucumber cultivars in this experiment include Viola, Mirsoltan, Mito, Emilie, CUB-9042, FC-21, CUB-9045, FC-27, Nagin and Negin, along with Cobra bean variety, which were cultivated and investigated. In order to evaluate mixed cultivation compared to pure cultivation at the end of the growing season, ten plants of beans and ten plants of cucumber are sampled from each plot. The samples are dried in an oven at 70°C for 24 hours and after evaluating the mixed and pure cultures, they are compared to each other using the Land Equality Ratio (LER) index.   

The results of analysis of variance showed that mixed culture is significant for all the evaluated traits at the level of one percent probability. Mixed cultivation of Cobra bean and Viola greenhouse cucumber cultivars has been selected as the most suitable cultivation in terms of all traits. Cultivations of Cobra bean with CUB-9042 greenhouse cucumber, Cobra bean with Nagin greenhouse cucumber, and Cobra bean were identified as undesirable crops. In terms of the stability of mixed crops, the cultivations of Cobra bean with Viola greenhouse cucumber and Cobra bean with Negin greenhouse cucumber were identified as stable crops in terms of traits. In general, it is possible to select the beans of the Cobra variety with the greenhouse cucumber of the Viola variety as the most desirable and stable crops in terms of all the traits evaluated in the experiment. The relationship between fruit fresh weight with fruit dry weight and pod length; and the number of fruits per plant with pod length and plant height are positive and significant. A polygon view was drawn to determine the best cultivation for the evaluated traits. This figure is drawn by connecting the cultures that had the greatest distance from the origin. From the origin, a line is perpendicular to each side of the polyhedron to divide the figure into several parts. In this form, crops that are located in a section with one or more specific traits show good performance relative to that trait. The multidimensional view also show that mixed crops of Cobra bean and greenhouse cucumber Viola cultivars, Cobra bean and greenhouse cucumber cultivar CUB-9042, and Cobra bean and greenhouse cucumber Nagin cultivars are suitable mixtures. Also, Cobra (bean) × Viola (cucumber) cultivar was more favorable in terms of pod length and plant fresh weight. In the ranking of mixed cultivation based on traits, mixed cultivation of beans of Cobra and greenhouse cucumber of Viola cultivars has been identified as the most desirable cultivation. Based on the grouping of bean and cucumber mixed crops in terms of all studied traits, the crops have been divided into four groups. Regarding land parity ratio (LER), mixed cultivation of Cobra bean and FC-27 greenhouse cucumber cultivars with 25% increase is more beneficial than pure cultivation.    

The mixed cultures of Cobra (bean) × Viola (cucumber) and Cobra (broad) × FC-21 (cucumber) were favorable in terms of the average traits studied. These two mixed crops of beans and cucumber were identified as crops with high utility in multivariate bi-plot analyses. In the study of the land equality ratio (LER), the cultivation of Cobra (broad) × FC-21 (cucumber) was selected as a beneficial crop with a 25% increase compared to pure cultivation. Finally, according to the results of this study, Cobra × Viola, Cobra × FC-21, Cobra × Nagin and Cobra × CUB-9042 can be considered as high yield and suitable crops.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is one of the strategic vegetable products in the world and has a valuable place in the food basket of people in most countries. One of the most important stages of the growth of S. lycopersicum is the germination and establishment of seedlings, which determines the final yields. The germination of seeds and establishment of seedlings are strongly influenced by the culture medium used, and therefore, choosing the right culture medium can ultimately lead to the improvement of the final yield of the product. Thus, in the present study, the effects of different cultivation substrates on morpho-physiological traits and photosynthesis performance were studied.  

For this purpose, the randomized complete block design (three repetitions) with treatments of 100% cocopeat (CP100), 100% Nipeat (NP100), 50% cocopeat + 50% Nipeat (CP50NP50), 25% cocopeat + 50% Nipeat + 25% perlite (CP25NP50P25), 50% Nipeat + 50% perlite (NP50P50) and 70% Nipeat + 30% perlite (NP70P30) were used in the early spring of the crop year 2019-2020. Seed cultivation was done in pots and daily irrigation and Hoagland nutrient solution were used. Also, the cultivation beds will be sent to the Soil and Water Institute and analyzed for their components. At first, germination percentage and germination speed were calculated. Almost 20 days after cultivation, morphological parameters such as root length, stem diameter, stem length, number of leaves, fresh weight of stem and root, and dry weight of root and stem were measured. After measuring the morphological traits, the content of chlorophyll and carotenoids in the leaves were calculated using a spectrophotometer and reading the absorbance intensity at the wavelengths of A645, A663 and A470. Then, the antioxidant potential of the plant was measured and the activities of catalase, polyphenol oxidase, and superoxide dismutase enzymes were measured. Catalase enzyme activity was measured based on the reduction of hydrogen peroxide absorption at 30 seconds at 240 nm. The activity of polyphenol oxidase enzyme was measured according to the method of Asadi Sanam et al., (2015) and the activity of superoxide dismutase was measured according to the method of Gianopoulits and Reis (1977). The proline content of the leaves was used according to the method described by Zhang et al., (2010), and the relative water content of the leaves was measured by drying the leaves, and recording the fresh and dry weight of the leaves, and calculating their difference according to the method of Paknejad et al., (2007). Handy flourCam FC 100H, Photon (Systems Instruments, PSI, Czech Republic) was used to measure the maximum efficiency of the photosystem. Finally, the obtained data were analyzed in SAS software. 

The results indicated that morphological traits were influenced by the type of culture medium. So that the highest germination percentage of tomato seedlings was obtained in the CP100 treatment. In this treatment, other traits such as stem length, number of leaves, fresh and dry weight of stem, fresh and dry weight of root were at their maximum value. In terms of all physiological traits, significant differences were observed in different treatments of the culture medium, so that more chlorophyll a, b and total content was observed in the leaves of tomato seedlings cultivated in NP100 treatment. Nevertheless, the highest carotenoid content of leaves was observed in the treatments of CP100, NP100 and CP50NP50, and the lowest was observed in the NP50P50 treatment. Although the highest activity of catalase was obtained in the treatments of CP50NP50, CP100 and NP100. However, low activity of polyphenol oxidase enzyme was seen in these treatments. Also, the highest activity of superoxide dismutase and proline enzyme was obtained in the CP100 treatment and the lowest in the NP100 treatment.

The treatment of CP25NP50P25 resulted in the highest relative water content of leaves. The highest intensity of variable fluorescence was obtained in the treatments of CP100, CP25NP50P25, NP50P50, and NP70P30 treatments. The relative variable fluorescence in the intermediate J stage was the maximum in the NP70P30 treatment and the minimum in the NP50P50 treatment. Nevertheless, the relative variable fluorescence in intermediate stage I was the highest in the CP100 treatment. The maximum efficiency of the photosystem II water decomposition system (Fv/F0) was obtained in the treatment of NP70+P30 and the lowest was obtained in the treatment of CP50NP50. However, the maximum photosystem II efficiency (ΦPO) and electron transfer quantum efficiency (ΦEo) were seen in the treatment of CP50P50. The quantum performance of energy loss (ΦDo) had its maximum value in the treatment of CP50NP50 and the lowest value in the treatment of NP50P50. In general, it can be concluded that one of the important factors in the cultivation of tomato seedlings is the type of culture medium, and cocopeat and Nipeat or their combination can be a suitable option.

Water deficit is one of the most important factors limiting plant production in arid and semi-arid regions of Iran. Potatoes are highly sensitive to drought stress at all stages of development, especially the tuber formation stage. Using genotypes that are adaptable and tolerant to water deficit is one of the main methods of preventing the reduction of agricultural production in arid regions. This study aimed to select drought-tolerant genotypes by examining water use efficiency, tuber yield, tuber weight per plant, and some potato quality traits including dry matter, starch, and protein of 20 potato genotypes in the Ardabil region. 

In order to select drought tolerant genotypes, an experiment in the form of a randomized complete block design with split strip blocks in three replications during the two cropping years 2018 and 2019 in Ardabil region accomplished. Horizontal treatments included 20 potato genotypes and vertical treatments included drought stress and no stress.In order to select droughttolerant genotypes, an experiment in the form of a randomized complete block design with split strip blocks in three replications during the two cropping years 2018 and 2019 in Ardabil region accomplished. Horizontal treatments included 20 potato genotypes and vertical treatments included drought stress and no stress. Genotypes were obtained from the Ardabil Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Station based on ten-year selection in terms of yield and quality.  Each plot consisted of four lines of four meters in length with a distance between the lines and on the lines of 75 and 25 cm, respectively (64 plants in each plot with an area of 12 square meters). To prevent lateral penetration of moisture, a distance of one and a half meters was considered between adjacent plots, and at the time of harvesting, the effect of the margin was minimized by removing the two side lines and the first and last plants in each row. In both years, sowing was carried out on the sixth day of May.

The results showed that stress treatment caused a significant reduction in tuber weight and tuber yield in all genotypes. The highest tuber weight per plant and tuber yield with the lowest decrease compared to the control belonged to genotype 905675 and the lowest value of these traits belonged to Marfona cultivar with the highest percentage decrease compared to the control. In addition, starch content, dry matter percentage and protein content were inversely related to potato tuber yield and increased. The results showed that among the studied genotypes under stress conditions, genotype 901375 had the highest percentage of dry matter and genotype 901375 had the highest percentage of starch. The highest water use efficiency under stress conditions was related to genotype 905675 with a yield of 9.89 kg / m3. In terms of stress indices, genotypes 901375, 905676 and 901675 with the highest numerical values in all four evaluated indices had a high potential for tolerance under stress conditions, respectively. Potato yield is primarily directly related to the amount of water consumed and is strongly affected by drought stress, and the stability of yield under stress conditions depends on the tolerance of genotypes. For this purpose, a numerical ranking between one and 20 was performed to select the genotypes more favorably. Accordingly, the highest and lowest tuber yield, the lowest and highest percentage of change in stress and non-stress conditions were ranked one and 20, respectively. The lowest total rank belonged to genotypes 905675, 901575, and 901375, respectively, which were tolerant genotypes, and the highest total rank belonged to cultivars Milva, Marfona, and Jelli, respectively, which were identified as sensitive cultivar. Under stress conditions, the highest productivity (9.89 kg/m3) was related to genotypes 905675 with a 50% increase, followed by 901375 (9.84 kg/m3) with a 35% increase. The lowest productivity was related to the Marfona variety with 5.66 kg/m3, and the lowest increase under stress (17%) occurred in the Mileva variety. The results showed that the 901375 genotype had high productivity in both non-stressed and stressed conditions. In this experiment, it was found that water use efficiency increased differently in the genotypes by applying stress. This confirms that the higher water use efficiency for potato genotypes under drought stress conditions is an indicator that these varieties have a higher potential for higher yield even under low moisture levels, thus making them suitable for drought conditions.   

In general, considering the rate of changes in tuber yield, tuber weight per plant, as well as increasing starch, dry matter, protein content and water productivity and stress indices, genotypes 905675, 901575 and 901375 in both stress and non-stress conditions, respectively were selected as tolerant and high yield potential genotypes. Therefore, these genotypes can be introduced as a suitable alternative to the well-known cultivar Agria in Ardabil region as well as Milva, Jeli and Marfona cultivars were introduced as susceptible cultivars.

The root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.), are considered one of the most important plant-damaging nematodes in the world. In the last two decades, with the increasing prohibition of nematicides, the development of biological control agents has become one of the urgent needs to reduce the damage caused by these nematodes. Considering the fresh consumption of tomato and the dangers caused by the residual chemical pesticides in this product and the adverse effects of toxins on human health and the environment, the use of biological control methods, especially nematode antagonist fungi, which can produce some destructive enzymes of nematodes can be considered as an alternative and suitable method to control this diseases. The present study was conducted to evaluate the antagonistic effect of some fungal isolates on the root-knot nematode in vitro and in greenhouse conditions. The evaluation was done in vitro as the ability to produce lipase enzyme and to calculate the percentage of parasitized eggs, also in greenhouse as the examination of tomato growth factors under the influence of fungal isolates on nematodes in pot The results in vitro conditions showed that Trichoderma atroviride had the highest amount of lipase enzyme production and also the highest number of parasitized eggs. In greenhouse too, T. atroviride isolate had the highest antagonistic effect on tomato root-knot nematode and was introduced as the most successful fungal isolate in reducing damage caused by Meloidogyne javanica. 

To take samples of crops infected with nematodes, in May, June, and July 2019, plant and soil samples were taken from tomato farms and greenhouses in Kermanshah city. This study has tried to examine the antagonistic ability of seven isolates of five fungal genera including Fusarium solani, F. oxysporum, F. equiseti, Paecilomyces sp. Trichoderma atroviride, Ulocladium dauci, and Alternaria alternata on knot-producing nematode in vitro and in greenhouse conditions. The ability of the lipase enzyme production of fungal isolates was also evaluated. The lipase specific activity assay in seven isolates of various species of fungi obtained from infected knot-producing nematode over five days of fungal growth (24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h) was measured. Also, evaluation was performed in vitro by calculating the percentage of parasitized eggs in a water-agar and the greenhouse by examining the growth factors of tomato under the antagonistic effect of fungal isolates on nematodes. The ability of antagonistic activity of the fungi on the eggs was evaluated in water-agar medium with an evaluation of the interaction between fungi and eggs. The numbers of healthy and parasitized eggs were calculated after two weeks. The ability of the antagonistic fungi under greenhouse conditions was studied. To provide fungal inoculum, 20g of soaked wheat seed were cast in bags with autoclave capability. Per every gram of casted seed, 2 ml distilled water were added and during 24 hours they autoclaved 3 times. Then to every of bag number of 4 fungi disks with 5 mm diameter from selected isolates was added in 3 repetitions and was kept at 25 °C and dark conditions. To colonize all of the seeds and to avoid hanging them, every 48 hours interval the seeds in bags were mixed. After three weeks all of the seeds were infected with fungal isolates. The ability of the antagonistic fungi under greenhouse conditions was done by adding fungal inoculum and the numbers of 2000 eggs to each pot and evaluation of performance traits of tomato in pot after 50 days. In every two conditions, data analysis ANOVA (Analysis of variance) was conducted using of the SAS software version 9.4 in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replicates.  

Analysis of variance of evaluation results in vitro and greenhouse conditions showed significant differences among isolates in 1% level. The results of the data in vitro conditions showed that T. atroviride had the highest amount of lipase enzyme production and the highest number of parasitized eggs in five consecutive days of measuring specific enzyme activity, while the lowest lipase enzyme production and number of parasitized eggs were related to U. dauci and A. alternata. In greenhouse conditions, T. atroviride had the highest antagonistic effect against root-knot nematode, with 95%, 61.3%, 99.4%, 47.8% and 45.4% increase root length, fresh weight root, dry weight root, number of stem bifurcations and number of fruit compared to the control, respectively. Also the results showed a twofold increase in plant height, fresh weight shoot and dry weight shoot. There was 41.8% and 48.8% decrease in number of node and the number of eggs per plant, too. 

Results showed there is direct relationship between an increase in plant yield and the addition of fungal isolates to the pot. The results of the antagonistic ability of fungal isolates in vitro and in greenhouse showed there is good correlation between the two conditions. So the results showed a positive effect of the fungal isolates in reducing nematode damage. Finally, based on all of the evaluations T. atroviride was reported as the most effective isolate ana A. alternata and U. dauci isolates as the least effective antagonist fungi.

Vegetables daily is vital for maintaining good health. They provide essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, including antioxidants and fiber. Research consistently shows that individuals who consume at least five servings of vegetables each day have a lower risk of various diseases, including cancer and heart disease. A diet rich in vegetables and fruits can help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent certain types of cancer, decrease the likelihood of eye and digestive problems, and positively influence blood sugar levels, which can help regulate appetite. Non-starchy vegetables and fruits, such as apples, pears, and leafy greens, may even promote weight loss due to their low glycemic loads, which prevent blood sugar spikes that can trigger hunger. Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is regarded as one of the most important edible crops in the Lamiaceae family. This plant is widely distributed across tropical Asia, Africa, Central America, and South America. Traditionally, basil has been used globally as both a fresh and dried medicinal herb to treat various disorders, offering antispasmodic, carminative, and digestive remedies for conditions such as abdominal cramps, fever, poor digestion, migraines, insomnia, depression, and dysentery. Fertilizers are essential for balancing soluble nutrients in agricultural soil to support the germination and growth of crops, ultimately maximizing yield. However, the continuous application of chemical fertilizers can lead to diminishing returns over time as soil fertility declines and the physicochemical properties of the soil deteriorate, resulting in arid conditions. Over time, it has become evident that chemical fertilizers can degrade soil quality and disrupt microbial communities that are crucial for crop growth.This research was conducted to evaluate the yield, growth, and quantitative characteristics of basil cultivars (green and purple) across three consecutive cuttings under varying plant densities and manure rates in the climatic conditions of Mashhad.   

An experiment was conducted using a split-split plot layout based on a randomized complete block design with three replications in Mashhad, located in Northeastern Iran under a semi-arid climate. The main plot consisted of three harvests (first, second, and third), while subplots included farmyard manure treatments (0 and 5 t/ha). Sub-subplots were randomized as factorial combinations of three plant densities (30, 40, and 50 plants/m²) and two basil cultivars (green and purple). The following parameters were statistically evaluated across the three consecutive harvests: plant height, number of lateral branches per plant, maximum leaf area index, leaf fresh weight, total dry weight, and total fresh yield. The data were analyzed using ANOVA, and means were compared using the LSD test.

The effect of plant density was significant for several parameters: the number of branches per plant, maximum leaf area index, fresh yield of leaves, total fresh weight, and total dry weight of the basil plants. The effect of harvest timing was significant on plant height, number of branches per plant, maximum leaf area index, fresh yield of leaves, and total fresh weight. Additionally, plant height, fresh yield of leaves, total dry weight, and total fresh weight of basil were significantly influenced by the interaction between plant densities and cow manure levels. The interaction between cultivars and harvest timing significantly affected plant height. Furthermore, both total dry weight and total fresh weight of basil were significantly influenced by the interactions between plant density and harvest timing as well as between plant density and cultivar selection. Total dry weight and total fresh weight of basil were significantly affected by the interaction between cow manure and other factors. The results of this research revealed that across three harvests, the application of decomposed cow manure, in conjunction with plant density and cultivar selection, significantly influenced the characteristics of the basil plants. The highest yield was observed during the second harvest, while the optimal total fresh weight and fresh leaf weight were recorded during the initial harvest. Among the three plant densities tested, the most favorable yields were achieved at densities of 30 and 50 plants per square meter, with the highest total fresh weight, dry weight, and leaf fresh weight observed at a density of 50 plants per square meter. When comparing the two cultivars, the green basil variety demonstrated the highest yield.

The results of this experiment indicated that basil cultivars exhibited varying responses to different planting densities and levels of cow manure. In general, the findings suggest that the most effective fertilizer treatment for the green basil cultivar involves applying 5 tons per hectare of manure at a plant density of 50 plants per square meter. These results imply that a sustainable approach can effectively enhance vegetable production by providing essential nutrients and improving soil structure.

The production of high-quality vegetable transplants is crucial for cultivating greenhouse products. Utilizing healthy, vigorous seedlings ensures a high potential for producing top-performing products. Healthy seedlings guarantee successful plant growth, ultimately increasing producers' profits. Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is one of the oldest cultivated crops in Africa, Asia, and Southern Europe. Currently, biological fertilizers have been proposed as an alternative to some chemical fertilizers to increase soil fertility in the production of products in sustainable agriculture. The effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) as a plant symbiotic fungus and seaweed (SWE) as a biological growth promoter have been documented in increasing the growth and yield of crops. The production and performance of greenhouse products depend on producing high-quality transplants, and increasing the quality of transplants to reduce production costs is one of the main goals of the transplanting industry. Optimum nutrition is one of the most effective ways to improve the quality of seedlings.

To study the effect of foliar application of seaweed extract and mycorrhizal fungus on yield, yield components, and morphological characteristics of eggplant transplants, a factorial experiment was conducted based on a completely randomized design with four replications in greenhouse conditions. The first factor was mycorrhiza (Glomus mosseae) in two levels: without mycorrhiza and with the application of mycorrhiza (5 g kg-1 soil), and the second factor was the foliar application of seaweed extract (Ascophyllum nodosum) with concentrations of 0, 1, 2, and 4 g L-1. After 15 days from the seeds' initial planting, a seaweed extract was applied in three stages over 21 days, each occurring once every seven days. Six weeks after planting the seeds, the morphological characteristics of eggplant, including the number of leaves, leaf length and width, seedling height, root and stem weight, stem diameter, greenness index, and physiological traits such as photosynthetic pigments, carbohydrates, and leaf protein, and some nutritional values were evaluated.

The results showed that eggplant's morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics were affected by foliar spraying of seaweed extract and mycorrhizal fungus. The application of these treatments improved the morphological characteristics, and growth parameters of eggplant transplants, photosynthetic pigments, osmolytes (carbohydrate and total protein), and antioxidant elements. SWE treatment (4 g L-1) with AMF inoculation caused a 69, 42, 59, and 109% increase in seedling height, stem diameter, leaf length, and width, respectively. The highest amount of chlorophyll b was observed in the treatments with 2 and 4 g L-1 SWE, both with and without AMF application. Conversely, the lowest amount was observed in the control treatment. Additionally, the highest amount of carotenoid was observed at the 4 g L-1 SWE level with the application of AMF, showing a 324% increase compared to the control treatment. Conversely, the lowest amount was also observed in the control treatment. The highest amount of carbohydrates was observed with the foliar application of 4 g L-1 SWE in combination with the application of AMF, resulting in 34.05 mg g-1 fresh weight. The lowest amount of carbohydrates was observed in the control group, with 15.82 mg g-1 fresh weight. The highest amount of total soluble protein, 6.75 mg/g fresh weight, was obtained using 4 g L-1 SWE in combination with AMF. However, there was a significant difference between this treatment and using 4 g L-1 SWE alone or combined with 2 g L-1 with AMF. The lowest amount of total soluble protein, 2.43 mg g-1 fresh weight, was observed in the control treatment. The application of AMF in conjunction with 4 g L-1 SWE increased the iron content by 208% and the iron content by 93% compared to the control treatment. Also, the application of AMF caused a 28% increase in the concentration of copper in the leaves of eggplant transplants.

The research findings indicate that the application of seaweed extract, mycorrhizal fungus, or a combination of both can significantly enhance various characteristics of plants. These improvements include increased plant height, leaf length, number of leaves, stem diameter, and leaf width, as well as enhanced stem and root vigor in terms of fresh and dry weights. Additionally, physiological traits such as protein content, chlorophyll levels (both a and b), total carbohydrates, carotenoid levels, and SPAD values were also found to be positively influenced. It is recommended that 4 g/l be used in conjunction with AMF for optimal results.

Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Nirvin variety is one of the most important vegetables in the world because of its high economic value and its valuable food and medicinal compounds, including the antioxidants and vitamins. Though there is a high amount of iron as one of the most essential microelements in soil, iron deficiency is a significant issue in agriculture principally in calcareous soils. However, bioavailability of iron as an essential micronutrient depends on environmental parameters including acidity and redox reactions. Also, iron delivery into plants mainly in alkaline and neutral soils, is an important problem and enormous efforts have been accomplished to appropriately deliver iron ions to plants and overcome the iron deficiency. Foe this purpose, several synthetic Fe-containing fertilizers have been produced to solve the iron deficiency problem in plants and enhance yield and quality of agricultural crops. Many studies have reported effects of HA on enhancement of iron contents in many plants. Besides, application of humic iron chelates in soil is known as an important strategy for iron delivery to plants. Hence, it is expected hat the humic iron chelates will enhance the morphological and micronutrient properties of bell pepper plant including its leaf and fruit.

In order to investigate the effect of differential treatments on the concentration of N, P, and K, and low-use elements, especially Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn, and some leaf and fruit morphological traits in the red bell pepper plant of Nirvin variety, several experiments were performed in a complete randomized block design with three replications. High consumption elements including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and low consumption elements including including iron, zic, manganese, and copper were measured in bell pepper plant leaves. For this purpose, samples were thermally treated at 550 C for 3 h to obtain their ash powders. Then, HCl was added to the samples to obtain extracts, which were used for measurement os the existing elements. The elements zinc, copper, iron, and manganese were measured using atomic absorption spectroscopy, phosphorus element was measured using spectrophotometer, potassium was measured by film photometer, and nitrogen was measured by Kjeldahl digestion as as analytical chemistry method. In order to measure fresh and dry weights of leaves, samples were weighted before and after drying at 70 C for 48 h. The length and diameter and fruits were measured using a digital caliper.

The results of analysis of variance showed a significant difference between the treatments in high and low consumption elements and traits of leaf length, leaf width, leaf fresh and dry weight, fruit length and width, fruit fresh and dry weight and pericarp thickness. The highest amounts of N and K, Fe were observed in plants treated with humic iron chelate. The highest and the lowest amounts of low consumption iron element were 258.67 mg/L and 192.67 mg/L, which were obtaoned for the plants treated with humic iron chelate and control, respectively. By comparing the average values, it was found that the highest and the lowest amounts of zinc element were 47 mg/L and 38 mg/L, which were obtaoned for the plants treated with low humic percentage and control, respectively. Moreover, the highest and the lowest amounts of manganese element were 105 mg/L and 74 mg/L, which were obtaoned for the plants treated with humic iron chelate and control, respectively. Furthermore, the characteristics of leaf width and fresh weight, length, fresh and dry weight of fruit showed the highest values in plants treated with humic iron chelate. In the cluster analysis of the control treatments, humic and low percentage humic iron chelate were placed in one group. Leaf width trait with leaf wet weight (r=0.89) and leaf length with fruit dry weight (r=0.87) showed the highest positive and significant correlation among the traits. Plants treated using commercial iron chelate and american humax exhibited the highest amounts of manganese element in bell pepper leaves.

Therefore, according to the result of this research, in order to obtain better performance in bell pepper plant, it is recommended to use humic iron chelate compared to other treatments used. This result was obtained by treatment of bell pepper plant using various micronutrient materials for bell pepper plant, including commercial iron chelate, low humic percentage, high humic percentage, american humax, and humic iron chelate.

treatments included Pendimethalin (Prowl CS 45%) With concentrations of 2.5, 3 and 3.5 L ha-1 After planting potato, Metribuzin (Sencor WP 70%), 750 g.ha-1 After planting potato and Pre weed emergence to Four leaf weed, Rimsulfuron (Rima DF25%), 100 g ha-1 Three or Five leaf weed, Paraquat (Gramaxon Sl 20%), 3 L ha-1 After planting potato and A maximum of 70 percent of Pre emergence potato, Sulfosulfuron (Apiros WG 75%) 30 g ha-1 Three or Five leaf weed, And control treatment is hand weeding. The results showed that the density and biomass of weeds were affected by the herbicide treatments So that weeds biomass the highest treatments show in Sulfosulfuron 30 g ha-1 and Paraquat 3 L ha-1 and lowest percentage biomass loss were for treatments of Rimsulfuron 100 g ha-1, Pendimethalin 2.5, 3 L ha-1 and Metribuzin 750 g ha-1. The Use of 30 g ha-1 Sulfosulfuron, decreased weed density and biomass of Johnson grass (Sorghum halepense) 100 percent controlled. In the case of field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), all treatments except Pendimethalin 2.5, 3 L ha-1, were suitable in reducing the density and biomass of this weed for Red root pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus) all treatments except Paraquat 3 L ha-1, were suitable. Results, also, showed that application 30 g ha-1 Sulfosulfuron and Pendimethalin 3.5 L ha-1, after weed free, increased total tuber yield by 89.34 and 84. 69 percent respectively.

There is significant concern regarding the occurrence of diseases caused by the consumption of vegetables  high in nitrate and nitrite, such as spinach. Nitrate accumulation is a common problem in most leafy vegetables and it happens when the amount of nitrate (NO-3) absorption exceeds the amount consumed by the plant. Different nitrogen (N) levels significantly affect the activities and expressions of N metabolism enzymes and concentration of mineral elements in crop plants. Molybdenum (Mo) is an essential micronutrient for plants, playing a critical role in various physiological processes, growth, and development. Although plants require molybdenum in very small amounts compared to macronutrients, it is crucial for several key functions within plants. Molybdenum is an essential component of enzymes involved in nitrogen metabolism and other biochemical processes. Molybdenum deficiency affects the amount of nitrogen in plants, and its presence reduces nitrate accumulation in their tissues. This element is an essential part of the nitrate reductase enzyme necessary to reduce nitrate nitrogen to the amino form, resulting in more and effective utilization of nitrogen by plants. Nitrogenase and nitrate reductase, two enzymes crucial to nitrogen-fixing and nitrogen reduction, need molybdenum to carry out their respective activities. Molybdenum is required as a co-factor for nitrogenase enzymes in symbiotic N fixation, where it catalyzes the redox process that transforms elemental N into ammonium (NH4+) ions. In this study, the effect of different molybdenum concentration on nitrate accumulation in spinach plant under soilless conditions was investigated.

This study was conducted as a factorial experiment with two factors in a completely randomized design with  three replications. The first factor was the concentration of  nitrogen in the  form of calcium nitrate salt [Ca (NO3) 2.4H2O] at three levels including 0 (control), 10 and 20%. and the second factor was  molybdenum concentration in the  form of sodium molybdate salt [Na2Mo4O] at four levels including 0 (control), 0.5, 1.5 and 3 μM, all added to the Hoagland's standard solution. Therefore, 12 treatments were applied, and three plants were considered for each replication, so that 108 plants were totally used. Depending on the plants growth rate, the nutrient solution was applied once a day at the beginning of the experiment, but it was increased to 2 times a day at the end of the experiment, when the plants biomass had been increased. The harvesting index in spinach were the size and the number of leaves before flowering, which is recognized as the commercial harvesting stage. Finally, the measured traits included certain biochemical properties, some mineral elements,  and the amount of nitrate as well as the activity of nitrate reductase enzyme in root and leaf.

Based on the obtained results, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids contents (TSS) and pH increased with increasing molybdenum up to the level of 3 μM, and the simultaneous application of molybdenum and nitrate did not have a significant effect on the mentioned traits. The interaction effect between nitrate and molybdenum on leaf and root nitrate levels, and leaf nitrate reductase enzyme activity was significant at the probability level of 1%. The highest amount of nitrate in leaf (3.2474 g kg-1 FW) and root (2.9191 g k-1g FW) was observed in the combined treatment of 20% nitrate and control  molybdenum. On the other hand, the highest level of nitrate reductase enzyme activity was observed when 3 and 1.5 μM molybdenum applied for each of  three level nitrate. The highest amount of  nitrogen (3.14%), phosphorus (0.064%), iron (0.004%) and potassium (0.78%) elements was obtained from the combined treatment of 3 μM molybdenum and 20% nitrate. The amount of molybdenum element in the control nitrate and 3 μM molybdenum treatment was at its highest level (0.549 mg kg-1 FW).

In general, the use of sodium molybdate can be recommended as the way to reduce the accumulation of nitrate and, besides, molybdenum enrichment in spinach increases the nutritional value of this plant. Based on the results, the use of molybdenum in nutrient solution had a reducing effect on nitrate accumulation and an increasing effect on nitrate reductase enzyme activity inside the spinach plant. Therefore, adding 3 μM sodium molybdate to the Hoagland nutrient solution in the hydroponic system, can be recommended for growing spinach to achieve the minimum amount of nitrate accumulation.

The melon aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemi.: Aphididae), is a polyphagous aphid species that causes severe damage to many crops worldwide. It feeds on the host plants by sucking the sap from leaves, flower buds, and stems. A. gossypii can also transmit several plant viruses. The population of A. gossypii is usually controlled by chemical insecticides. However, the excessive use of insecticides has resulted in developing resistance to the insecticides. For sustainable management of A. gossypii on host plants, alternative methods such as the use of resistant plant cultivars and plant hormones seem to be effective strategies. Host plant resistance is a fundamental factor for a successful integrated pest management (IPM) system. Gibberellic acid is one the most important plant hormones that regulates many aspects of plant growth and promotes plant resistance to some insect pests. In this study, we investigated the involvement of gibberellic acid in the defense responses of two caltivers (Capsicum annuum L.) against A. gossypii.

The effects of gibberellic acid and two cultivars [poblano (as susceptible cultivar) and paprika (as resistant cultivar)] on A. gossypii were determined by analyzing the life history and life table parameters of the pest at 25 ± 2 ˚C, 65 ± 5 % RH, and a photoperiod of 16L: 8D h. The initial colony of A. gossypii was obtained from the laboratory of Department of Plant Protection, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili (Ardabil, Iran). The plants were grown individually in 16 cm-diameter plastic pots filled with a mixture of soil and sand (1:1). When they had reached the four- or six-leaf stage, they were used either for rearing the aphids or for the experiments. The experiments were initiated by spraying the entire leaves of each pepper cultivar with a solution of gibberellic acid at a concentration of 0.005 g. The control plants were treated with distilled water. After 24h, apterous adults were randomly selected from the colony and transffered to the clipcages (6 cm diameter) set on the tested cultivars leaves. They were permitted to produce nymphs for 24h. Then, the adults and all nymphs except one were removed from the clipcages. Each cage were monitored daily for the aphid’s survival and developmental time. After maturity, daily observations were continued until the death of last individual. The numbers of nymphs produced per female aphid were counted daily, and then all nymphs were eliminated from the clipcages. The obtained data were analyzed via the TWOSEX-MSChart program based on the age-stage, two-sex life table theory.

The results show that, A. gossypii exhibited a longer nymphal period and lower adult longevity on the tested cultivars sprayed with gibberellic acid than on the control. The oviposition period and fecundity of the aphid were lower in the plants treated with gibberellic acid than in control. Finally, the lowest and highest lifespan were 6.97 days (gibberellic acid treatment in Paprika) and 10.25 days (control treatment in Poblano), respectively. In addition, spraying the pepper cultivars with gibberellic acid significantly decreased the gross reproductive rate (GRR), net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (r), and finite rate of increase (λ) of A. gossypii compared to the control. The minimum and maximum values of r were 0.2839 (gibberellic acid treatment in Paprika) and 0.4046 day (control treatment in Poblano). The results exhibited that the gibberellic acid was more effective in decreasing the life -history and -table parameters of A. gossypii on cultivar paprika. These parameters are appropriate indexes to compare insect pests’ performance on different host plants as well as the host plant’s induce resistance versus the insects. Comparing the results of the life history and life table parameters of A. gossypii on the tested treatments indicated that pepper plants especially the cultivar paprika treated with gibberellic acid was more effective in controlling A. gossypii due to slow development, poor fecundity, and low r value of the aphid. The lower performance of A. gossypii on this treatment would result in a lower population growth that in turn would lead to lower subsequent infestations. 

The results of the current study showed that, gibberllic acid had a suitable potential for controlling the population of A. gossypii and can be used in the integrated pest management (IPM) programs.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the main crops for food security in the world. This plant has a cultivated area of more than 16 million hectares and a production of 360 million tons per year. This plant is propagated sexually (true potato seeds (TPS)), and asexually (tuber formation), but for commercial purposes mainly seed tubers are used. The most important issue for the production of agricultural plants is the choosing appropriate method to propagate them (Rashtian et al., 2024). Minitubers are used to prevent diseases and pests and increase product yield (Askari et al., 2023). Minitubers are small seed potato tubers that are obtained from seedlings propagated in laboratory conditions. Minituber production is one of the important methods of potato seed production and has created a bridge between rapid propagation of seedlings in glass and field propagation of seed tubers all over the world (Struik et al., 2006). Various agricultural factors, including the type of variety and the type and amount of fertilizer used in plant nutrition, can affect the quantity and quality of tubers produced (Bolandi and Hamidi, 2017). In recent decades, agriculture based on the use of biological fertilizers has been considered with the aim of eliminating or significantly reducing the consumption of chemical inputs. In sustainable agricultural systems, the use of biological fertilizers is of particular importance in increasing the quality yield (Barzegari Barogh et al., 2023). Among the organic fertilizers that are used in agriculture today is humic (Sardashti and Mohammadian Moghadam, 2016). Humic matter is a natural polymer and is extracted from various sources such as soil, humus, peat, oxidized lignite (Sebahattin and Necdet, 2005). In this experiment, effect of pretreatment of potassium humate in different time levels investigated on production of potato seed minitubers. 

The efficiency of potassium humate consumption levels through pretreatment times for potato seed minitubers cv. Agria was conducted as an experiment at greenhouse of Behparvar Sabalan Company in Ardabil. A factorial experiment was carried out based on completely randomized design with three replications. Treatments including were powder potassium humate fertilizer levels (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.25 and 1.5 g/ L) and time of pretreatment levels (0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 hours). Plant fresh weight, dry weight, plant height, compound leaves number, the average number of minituber per pot, the average number of minituber per seedling, average minituber weight, and average minituber diameter traits were studied. Data were analyzed using SAS version 9.4 software and means comparison was done through the Least Significant Difference at five percent probability level. 

Analysis of variance showed that the interaction of potassium humate levels and pretreatment time levels on fresh and dry weight, plant height and numbers of compound leaves were significant at 5% probability level. The best treatment combination for fresh and dry weight was 1.5 g/l potassium humate consumption by 12 hours of pretreatment. In term of plant height, the lowest value was obtained in the combined treatments 0.5 g/l potassium humate without pretreatment, also by treatments combined with 12 hours pretreatment and consumption of 1.5 g/l of potassium humate, the highest number of compound leaves was observed. The average number of minituber per pot and seedling, average minituber weight and diameter minituber significantly affected by potassium humate levels and pretreatment levels at 1% probability level. 1.25 and 1.5 g/L consumption of potassium humate led to a significant increase in the number of minituber per pot compared to control, as well as the highest attribute was from 12 hours pretreatment. The highest average number of minitubers per seedling was obtained from consumption 1.5 g/l of potassium humate and 12 hours pretreatment had the highest value of this trait. In the absence of potassium humate consumption, average minituber weight was the lowest value, while the highest value was in 1.5 g/l of potassium humate. 

Increasing of the pretreatment duration with potassium humate caused significant improvement in minituber number and weight compared to control. It concluded that pretreatment of Agria potato seedlings with potassium humate before culture in greenhouse affected significantly positive effect on number and weight of potato seed minitubers, and this effect increased by more times pretreatment in high concentrations of potassium humate.

Drought stress, as one of the main abiotic stresses, affects plant growth and performance by affecting various physiological and biochemical processes, such as membrane integrity, photosynthetic pigments, osmotic adjustments, water relations, and secondary metabolism. Drought stress in plants causes oxidative stress due to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during photosynthesis and respiration. ROS directly damage proteins, fats, nucleic acids and cell membrane, and due to the increase in membrane permeability, the rate of electrolyte leakeage and malondialdehyde increases. Plants mainly reduce the damage of these oxides by controlling the antioxidant system and regulating the content of osmosis compounds. Enzymatic antioxidant system: It includes antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, superoxidase dismutase, peroxidase and non-enzymatic antioxidant system including compounds such as ascorbate, glutathione, as well as phenol and flavonoids. Savory (Satureja hortensis L.) is one of the most important medicinal plants that grows in different parts of the world, including Iran. Biofertilizers play a prominent role in the growth and development of plants by improving the absorption of nutrients and sufficient water through changes in the physicochemical properties of the soil. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of drought stress, plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPRS) and vermicompost on the physiological and biochemiclal traits of savory plant. In drought stress conditions, the application of organic fertilizers prevents the soil from drying out by maintaining moisture.   

In order to investigate the effect of inoculation with  Pseudomonas P15 bacteria, Streptomyces and vermicompost on some physiological and phytochemical traits of savory plant (S. hortensis L.) under drought stress conditions, a factorial experimental based on a randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted at the Research Farm at the Mohaghegh Ardabili University, Iran, during 2016-2017.The experimental factors include inoculation with microorganisms at three levels (control (without inoculation), inoculation with Pseudomonas P15 and Streptomyces bacteria),    vermicompost at four levels (0, 1, 1.5 and 2 tons). per hectare) and drought stress in three levels (S1: full irrigation, S2: water cut at 50% of flowering and S3: water cut at the beginning of flowering). 

The results showed that drought stress, inoculation with   microorganisms and vermicompost had a significant effect on the measured traits (chlorophyll, carotenoid, RWC, protein, electrolyte leakeage, proline, and antioxidant enzymes. Under drought stress conditions, the amount of chlorophyll, carotenoid, RWC and protein decreased. While the amount of electrolyte leakeage, proline, and antioxidant enzymes increased. Also, the values of all the measured traits, except the amount of electrolyte leakeage and proline, in plants inoculated with bacteria and vermicompost application were more than non-inoculated plants. The highest and lowest values of the RWC (94.44 and 62.33 percent) were obserwed in plants inoculated with Streptomyces bacteria under non-stress conditions and in non-inoculated plants under drought stress at the beginning of flowering respectively. Also, the highest amount of chlorophyll a, b and total (25.36, 20.25 and 45.61 mg/g FW) was obtained in non-stress conditions, application of two tons per hectare of vermicompost and inoculation with Streptomyces bacteria. While the lowest amount of chlorophyll a, b and total (16.73, 9.63 and 23.69 mg/g FW) was obtained in non- inoculation plants and without application of vermicompost under drought stress at the beginning of flowering. It seems under drought stress conditions, the application of organic fertilizers prevents soil drying by maintaining moisture, thereby improving the relative water content of the leaves. Also, the use of organic fertilizers such as vermicompost improves the absorption of nitrogen that leading to greater synthesis of photosynthetic pigments such as chlorophyll and carotenoids.

The findings of this research showed that inoculation with growth-stimulating microorganisms and the use of vermicompost can moderate the adverse effects of water stress on the growth and performance of savory plants by maintaining chlorophyll levels and increasing antioxidant activity. According to the results of this study, it can be stated that the application of Streptomyces bacteria and 2 tons per hectare of vermicompost in the field leads to sustainable production and yield of S. hortensis under drought stress conditions by improving physiological traits.