Morphological, physiological and biochemical response of Lallemantia species to elevated temperature and light duration during seed development

Seed weight, storability, and germinability can depend on maternal plant's environment. However, there is slight information about the effect of light and temperature on seed quality of Lallemantia species. The purpose of this research was to determine the properties of physio-biochemical of maternal plant, seed quality, and seed chemical composition of Lallemantia species (Lallemantia iberica and Lallemantia royleana) under temperature (15 °C, 25 °C, and 35 °C) and photoperiod (8 hd-1, 16 hd-1, and 24 hd-1) maternal plants environment. Increasing temperature and photoperiod caused a reduction in leaf chlorophyll, stomatal movement, total soluble sugar, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) enzymes activities, and an increment in malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content of seeds. However, the highest weight, germination, vigor index, and longevity, seed chemical compositions were obtained in offspring which matured under 25 °C for 16 hd-1. The highest germination, oil, and relative percentage of fatty acids (oleic acid (OA), linoleic acid (LA), and linolenic acid (LNA)) were obtained in L. iberica seeds. On the contrary, longevity, mucilage, and sucrose were more abundant in L. royleana seeds. Overall, this research has clearly shown that temperature and light quality and quantity of maternal plant's environment have an immensely effect on producing of seeds with high-quality. However, it is necessary to investigate the impact of the epigenetic mechanisms of the maternal plant on the offspring in future studies

Effects of Saffron Corm and Leaf Extracts on Early Growth of Some Plants to Investigate the Possibility of Using Them as Associated Crop

Saffron intercropping with other plants needs to preliminary investigations about the possible negative interactions between saffron and associated crop. In this study, allelopathic effects of saffron leaf and corm extracts on germination and seedling growth indices of alfalfa (Medicago sativa), arugula (Eruca sativa) and rapeseed (Brassica napus) was investigated in six separate experiments based on completely randomized design. Experimental treatments were consisted of different levels of saffron leaf and corm extracts including 0, 0.75, 1.5, 3 and 6%. The maximum germination percentage of all selected crops was obtained at control treatment (on average 92%) and then decreased with increasing extracts concentration. So that, the germination percentage of arugula, canola and alfalfa in highest concentration of extracts were 18, 10 and 8% for leaf extract and 72, 68 and 93% for corm extract, respectively. The relatively similar trend was observed about germination rate, root and plumule lengths and dry weights. Therefore, the inhibitory effect of saffron leaf extract was more than corm extract on initial growth indices of studied plants. The lowest inhibitory effect of saffron leaf extract and even relatively high stimulatory effect of corm extract were obtained on alfalfa initial growth criteria. Considering the differences in allelochemicals mode of action and concentrations in laboratory bioassays with natural condition, it is necessary to investigate the effects of saffron residues on growth of selected associated crops in greenhouse and field scales for the final decision