Tripartite symbiosis of Lentil (Lense culinaris L.), Mycorrhiza and Azospirillum brasilense under Rainfed Condition

A field experiment was conducted aiming to determine the possibility of improving the lentil performance when co-inoculated with Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (VAM) fungi and Azospirillum under natural rain-fed conditions, in Iran. Results showed the substantial impact of VAM fungi on grain protein, root colonization and shoot dry weight. Highest value for shoot dry weight recorded in plants which inoculated with G. intraradices and highest values for root colonization and grain protein content was observed in plants which inoculated with G. mosseae. Also, Azospirillum had a significant effect on shoot dry weight and root colonization. A significant differences on grain protein content observed when combination of both microorganisms have been used

The Effect of Vermicompost and PGPR on Physiological Traits of Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis L.) Plant under Drought Stress

In this research, effect of vermicompost and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on physiological traits of lemon balm under drought stress condition was investigated in year 2012 at Karaj Research Institute of Forest and Rangelands. Experiment was conducted as split-split plot in a randomized complete block design with three replications. irrigation (normal: irrigated to field capacity;  drought stress: watered to 60% of field capacity) was considered as main plot, vermicompost fertilizer (consuming 0, 5 and 10 t ha-1) as split plot and biofertilizers (Pseudomonas fluorescent, Azotobacter chrococum+Azospirillm brasilense, Azotobacter+ Azospirillum + Pseudomonas and no fertilizer) as split-split plot. Results showed that water stress significantly increased essential oil content, while decreased essential oil yield, total chlorophyll, cell membrane stability, relative water content and proline. Only relative water content and total chlorophyll were positively affected by biofertilizer application. Essential oil content, essential oil yield, total chlorophyll, cell membrane stability, relative water content and proline were significantly increased by vermicompost application, especially, relative water content increased with an increase in amount of vermicompost application, but there were strong interactions with irrigation. These interactions are important in practical use of vermicompost and biofertilizers

Maize biofortification and yield improvement through organic biochemical nutrient management

Micronutrient malnutrition is a threatening health issue mainly among the developing countries. Thus cereal biofortification must be under attention of researchers in addition to yield improvement in order to feed the increasing world population. In order to investígate the effects of various sources of nutrients on maize biofortification, growth and yield, a field experiment was conducted at the research station of the Faculty of Agriculture, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran in 2012. The experiment was carried out as a randomized complete block design with a factorial arrangement in 3 replicates. Studied factors (4 factors) were Vermicompost (V 0 and V1), inoculation with and without Thiobacillus thiooxidans (B 0 and B 1), Fe chelate foliar spraying (F 0 and F 1) and Zn chelate foliar application (Z 0 and Z 1). The results showed that maize grain yield was improved by application of vermicompost (20.9%) and inoculation with Thiobacillus (13.1%). Biofortification demonstrated that vermicompost and Thiobacillus were highly effective on the micronutrient content of grain, improving Fe (12.7% and 12.1%, respectively) and Zn (29.2% and 17.5%, respectively) content. Although Fe and Zn application improved grain yield slightly (5.8% and 8.0%, respectively), they were effective for maize biofortification. Although Fe and Zn foliar application had slight effects on plant yield, yet Fe application increased Fe content by 12.9%. However, Zn application increased the content of N by 6.7%, Zn by 12.6% and protein by 7.2%. Farmers must be encouraged to apply micronutrient fer-tilizers to their fields in order to increase the quality of their products.La desnutrición es un problema de salud que amenaza principalmente a los países en vía de desarrollo. La investigación orientada al mejoramiento de los cereales por el bioenriquecimiento permite mejorar la alimentación de la población mundial en situación de vulnerabilidad alimenticia. El objetivo de esta investigación es evaluar distintas fuentes de nutrientes en maíz bioenriquecido en el desarrollo y rendimiento del cereal. El experimento de campo se realizó en el campo de investigación de la Facultad de Agronomía de la Universidad Islámica Azad, Tabriz, Irán, durante 2012. El diseño experimental fue un diseño de bloques completos al azar con un arreglo factorial y tres repeticiones. Los factores estudiados fueron compost de lombriz (V0 y V1); inoculación con Thiobacillus thiooxidans (B0 y B1), Fe quelatado en pulverización foliar (F0 y F1) y Zn quelatado en aplicación foliar (Z0 y Z1). Los resultados mostraron que el rendimiento de grano de maíz mejora mediante la aplicación de vermicompost (20,9%) y con inoculación de Thiobacillus (13,1%). Los resultados indican que la los cultivos en vermicompost con aplicación de Thiobacillus fueron muy eficaces en el aumento de contenido de micro-nutrientes de grano, con mejora de Fe (12,7% y 12,1%, respectivamente) y Zn (29,2% y 17,5%, respectivamente). Aunque la aplicación Fe y Zn mejoró el rendimiento de grano ligeramente (5,8% y 8,0%, respectivamente), fueron eficaces para bioenriquecimiento maíz. Pese a que la aplicación foliar de Fe y Zn tuvo efectos leves sobre el rendimiento de la planta, la aplicación de Fe aumentó el contenido hierro en el maíz en un 12,9%. La aplicación de Zn aumentó el contenido de Nen un 6,7%; Zn en un 12,6% y, proteína en un 7,2%. Los resultados sugieren que se debe estimular a los agricultores la aplicación de micronutrientes para mejorar la calidad de sus productos

Yield and yield components of wheat as affected by salinity and inoculation with Azospirillum strains from saline or non-saline soil

In many arid and semi-arid areas of the world where sustainability of agriculture is limited by salinity, use of biological potential may be a key component of sustainable plant production. A greenhouse experiment was used to test the effectiveness of inoculation with Azospirillum strains isolated from saline or non-saline soil in alleviating the salinity stress in wheat plants grown with irrigation water with different electrical conductivities (ECw) of 0.7, 4, 8 and 12 dS m−1. Inoculation with the two isolates increased salinity tolerance of wheat plants; the saline-adapted isolate significantly increased shoot dry weight and grain yield under severe water salinity. The component of grain yield most affected by inoculation was grains per plant. Plants inoculated with saline-adapted Azospirillum strains had higher N concentrations at all water salinity levels

Effect of Microbial Inoculants on Uptake of Nutrient Elements in Two Cultivars of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in Saline Soils

A greenhouse experiment was conducted in order to evaluate the interactive effects of microbial inoculants on uptake of nutrient elements (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Cl, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn) in two cultivars of sunflower. The trials were carried out on saline (EC = 7.6 dS m-1) calcareous soils taken from Eshtehard (Karaj) region of Iran. In a factorial trial and completely randomized design (CRD), three levels of arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculants (non inoculation, inoculation withGlomus etunicatum and Glomus intradices) and four levels of Pseudomonas fluorescensinoculants (non inoculation and inoculation with Pseudomonas fluorescens strains 4, 9, 12) in two cultivars of sunflower with four replications per treatments were applied. Results revealed that all of the treatments increased the N uptake in Euroflor cultivar. Moreover, in Euroflor cultivar, inoculation with Pseudomonas fluorescens strains 9 and co-inoculation of Pseudomonas fluorescens strains 4 and Glomus intradices made a significant different in phosphorous uptake, while did not make any significant change in the Master cultivar. However, bacterial and fungal treatments significantly (P < 0.05) increased uptake of micro nutrients such as Fe, Zn and Mn