The Costs of Training Medical Parasitology and Mycology Students at Kerman University of Medical Sciences

Background: Training of expert human resources is one of the main and basic objectives of developed countries. One of the important challenges for attainment of this objective is shortage in funding and financial resources. This is while medical branches, due to being specialized and requiring vast practical courses, need spending considerable financial costs for training competent students. Objectives: The present study aimed to estimate the costs of training medical parasitology and mycology students at Kerman University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This was a descriptive research. The data collection tool was a form designed by researchers using various resources. Educational and non-educational costs of the academic year of 2017-2018, with a top-down approach, were analysed to estimate the costs of training and educating post-graduate students. Analyses were made using Microsoft Excel 2013 software. Results: The costs of educating master students in parasitology, Ph.D. students in parasitology, and master students in mycology in the academic year of 2017-2018 were 11,144, 18,365, and 7,821 USD, respectively. Forty-five percent of the total of educational costs was allocated to training Ph.D. students in parasitology alone, and a major share (81%) of these costs had been paid to human resources. Conclusion: Our findings indicated that the financial costs of training and educating students in the parasitology and mycology fields are high, needing the prompt attention of the policymakers of the national medical education system. Keywords: Cost, Parasitology, Mycology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Ph.D. program, MSc. progra

Response of sunflower to organic and chemical fertilizers in different drought stress conditions

The main objectives of this research were to determine the effects of applying organic and chemical fertilizers under different irrigation regimes on sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) morphological traits, yield components, grain yield and grain quality. The experiment was conducted as spilt plots based on a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Irrigation treatments at three levels (well-irrigated, mild and severe drought stress) were allocated to main plots and eight fertilizer treatments (urea (F1), urea + composted cattle manure (F2), zeocompost (F3), vermicompost (F4), zeolite-amended chicken manure (Z-ACM) (F5), zeocompost + vermicompost (F6), zeocompost + Z-ACM (F7) and vermicompost + Z-ACM (F8)) were randomized in sub-plots. The results showed that irrespective of the drought stress intensity, organic fertilizer treatments produced more dry matter, heavier and greater grain than did chemical treatments. In well-irrigated plots, the highest grain yield was obtained from F6, F7 and F8 treatments. Under drought stress conditions, the highest grain yield was obtained from the high zeolite content organic fertilizers i.e. F3, F5 and F7. We concluded that amending soil with organic fertilizers in combination with zeolite can be a beneficial approach for decreasing chemical fertilizer application rates and improving the sustainability of agricultural systems.</p

Combining ability and heterosis for some canola characteristics sown on recommended and late planting dates using biplot

Canola (Brassica napus L.) is one of the most efficient oil-producing crops in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. In the current study, ten winter canola genotypes [seven genotypes as lines (Zarfam (L1), Talaye (L2), SLM046 (L3), Geronimo (L4), Modena (L5), Opera (L6) and Symbol (L7)] and three genotypes as testers [Okapi (T1), Licord (T2) and Orient (T3)] and their F1 hybrids (21 hybrids) were evaluated to determine the genetic parameters for grain yield, oil content, meal and seed glucosinolate contents under two different planting date [recommended (late September) and late planting (late October)]. According to combined analysis of variance there were significant differences among the genotypes for most studied traits. The genotype main effect and genotype × environment interaction (GGE) biplot method was used for analyzing line × tester design data. Among the lines, L5 showed high negative general combining ability (GCA) effect for meal glucosinolate content in both conditions whereas L1, L5 and L6 revealed high negative GCA effects for seed glucosinolate content in both planting date. From the results, it could be concluded that, hybridization between T1×L1, T1×L6 or T3×L5 is an efficient approach to release genotypes with low seed and meal glucosinolate content. Furthermore, to develop canola cultivars with higher seed and oil yield, hybridization between T1×L7 or T2×L7 is highly recommended. Improved oil content will be achieved if T1×L5, T2×L5 or T3×L6 hybrids are implemented into the breeding programs.</p

Evaluation of proline, chlorophyll, soluble sugar content and uptake of nutrients in the German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) under drought stress and organic fertilizer treatments

Objective: To investigate the effect of drought stress and organic fertilizer on German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) nutrient uptake, leaf chlorophyll content and osmotic adjustment under field conditions. Methods: This experiment was carried out through a randomized complete block design with a split factorial arrangement of treatments in three replications. The main plots were subjected to the following irrigation treatments: irrigation after 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 mm evaporation from Class A pan. The sub-plots were treated with three vermicompost doses (0, 5 and 10 t/ha). Results: Although drought stress reduced the nutrient percentages in the shoots, application of vermicompost enhanced the nutrient percentages, particularly when the plants were subjected to moderate to severe drought stress conditions. Moreover, the results of this study showed that the interaction between irrigation treatments and vermicompost rates on leaf chlorophyll content was significant. Comparison between the combined treatments indicated that under normal irrigation and moderate drought stress conditions chamomile plants received 5 and 10 t/ha vermicompost showed significantly higher leaf chlorophyll content comparing to the control treatment. Conclusions: Totally, organic fertilization by vermicompost could partly alleviate the effect of drought stress on chamomile by increasing N, P and K uptake and leaf soluble sugar, especially in stressed treatments

Comparison among Different Integrated Nutrition Management for Soil Micro and Macro Elements after Winter Wheat Harvesting and Yield

A comparative field experiment has been conducted in order to study the effect of chemical, organic and integrated nitrogen suppliment on micro and macro nutrient residue after wheat harvesting, at Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. The treatments consisted in three groups that are chemical, organically and integrated of them. Nitrogen was supplied in different proportion from chemical and organic sources. Also, zeolite was applied in two ways: mixed with soil and mixed with cattle manure during composting. Before sowing and after wheat harvesting, macro and micro nutrient availability in the soil were examined. The results showed that, among treatments supplying with 100% nitrogen required from composted cattle manure amended with 10% (w/w) zeolite had the best effect on nutrition residue after wheat production because zeolite decreased nitrogen leaching during the manure composting. Crop yield was not statistically different between fertilizer treatments but the highest seed yield was achieved from supplying 50% nitrogen required from cattle manure compost and 50% by urea amended with 10% (w/w) zeolite. This study demonstrated that composted cattle manure amended with zeolite improves soil fertility after wheat production compared with chemical fertilization