ORIGINAL ARTICLE Effect of Different Green Manure Crops and Nitrogen Levelson Biomass Production Efficiency and Nitrogen Concentration in Wheat(TriticumaestivumL.) and Soil

ABSTRACT Utilization of green manure crops along with nitrogen fertilizer may balance requirement of soil and plants to nitrogen and increase nitrogen availability for succeeding crops. In order to study the effect of green manure (GM) crops and nitrogen (N) levels on grain, straw and soil nitrogen concentration and biomass production efficiency (BPE), a field experiment was conducted on Agricultural Faculty of ShahidChamran University of Ahvaz during 2010-2011. The experimental design was split plot based on RCB with three replications. Main plot including nitrogen rates (i.e. 0, 50, 100, 150 kg.ha -1 ) and sub-plot including green manure crops (i.e. fallow, millet, sesbania, amaranth, cowpea and mung bean). Our result showed that, both GM crops and N levels had significant effect on BPE, wheat grain, straw and soil N concentration. The effect of GM and N interaction was significant only on soil N concentration. Relationship BPE and wheat grain N concentration with N fertilizer levels was linear. In contrast, relationship of wheat straw N concentration as well as soil N concentration with N fertilizer levels was non-linear. Biomass production efficiency diminished as N fertilizer rates increased, while other studied factors increased with increase of N fertilizer rates. Highest grain and soil N concentration obtained with legume GM crops (sesbania and cowpea, respectively) application and highest BPE and straw N concentration obtained after fallow treatment. Generally, result of this study indicated that, legume GM crops can be better than non-legume GM crops due to atmospheric N fixation and release suitable nutrients especially N for subsequent crops

ORIGINAL ARTICLE Evaluation the allelopathic effect of bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis L.) on germination and seedling growth of millet and basil

Evaluation the allelopathic effect of bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis L.) on germination and seedling growth of millet and basil ABSTRACT In order to study the allelopathic effect of different vegetative parts of bindweed on millet and basil seed germination and growth characteristics, two separate laboratory experiments were conducted on Agricultural Faculty of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz in 2010. The experimental design was completely randomized, with three replications. The treatments were arranged in a 4 × 3 factorial design including different extract of bindweed vegetative parts (i.e. stem (P stem ), leaf (P leaf ) and whole vegetative parts (P stem + P leaf = P total )) and extract concentration in four levels including distilled water (control), 33% w/v (AE 33% ), 66% w/v (AE 66% ) and 100% w/v (AE 100% ). In this study germination percent, seed germination rate, radicle and plumule length, seed vigor index, radicle to plumule ratio and radicle and plumule dry weight of millet and basil were measured. Among different extracted parts, P total of bindweed had the highest inhibitory effect on millet and basil germination and growth characters. AE 100% had the highest inhibitory effects on millet and basil germination and seedling growth as compared with control. In contrast, AE 33% had the lowest inhibitory effect on both plants. Therefore, inhibitory effects of bindweed increased by increasing extract concentration. Radicle length and dry weight was more sensitive to bindweed allelochemical materials than plumule length and dry weight. Also, germination percent of basil was lower than millet as influenced by allelopathic effects. Radicle and plumule dry weight less affected than other studied characters to different extracts

Brain Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography in Anosmic Subjects Ater Closed Head Trauma

Anosmia following head trauma is relatively common and in many cases is persistent and irreversible. The ability to objectively measure such a decline in smelling, for both clinical and medicolegal goals, is very important. The aim of this study was to find results of brain Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) in anosmic subjects after closed head trauma. This case-control cross sectional study was conducted in a tertiary referral University Hospital. The brain perfusion state of nineteen anosmic patients and thirteen normal controls was evaluated by means of the SPECT with 99mtc- ECD infusion- before and after olfactory stimulation. The orbitofrontal lobe of the brain was assumed as the region of interest and changes in perfusion of this area before and after the stimulations were compared in two groups. The mean of brain perfusion in controls before and after the stimulation was 8.26% ± 0.19% and 9.89% ± 0.54%, respectively (P < 0.0001). Among patients group, these quantities were 7.97% ± 1.05% and 8.49% ± 1.5%, respectively (P < 0.004). The difference between all the measures in cases and controls were statistically significant (P < 0.0001). There were no differences in age and sex between two groups. The brain SPECT is an objective technique suitable for evaluating anosmia following the head trauma and it may be used with other diagnostic modalitie

Effects of irrigation intervals and organic manure on morphological traits, essential oil content and yield of oregano ( Origanum vulgare L.)

ABSTRACT In order to evaluate the effect of irrigation intervals and cattle manure levels on morphological traits, essential oil content and yield of oregano, an experiment was conducted at the experimental Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Iran. The experimental design was split-plots, arranged in randomized complete blocks with three replications. Main plots including irrigation intervals (1, 2 and 3 weeks) and four levels of cattle manure at 0, 10, 20 and 30 t ha-1 were allocated to sub plots. Our results showed that increasing irrigation intervals reduced values of all morphological traits except for proportion of stems. Also, values for stems number, plant spread, stem diameter, leaf area, fresh and dry herb yield increased by increasing cattle manure levels. On the other hand, morphological traits not influenced by interaction of treatments except for plant spread and leaf area. The highest essential oil content (2.07%) and yield (66.62 kg ha-1) obtained in highest irrigation intervals and cattle manure levels. Whereas, 1 week irrigation interval without use of cattle manure produce lowest essential oil content (1.55%). For essential oil yield, the lowest value (46.37 kg ha-1) was found in 2 weeks irrigation interval with application of 20 t ha-1 cattle manure