Biomass production, water use efficiency and nutritional value parameters of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) genotypes as affected by seed hydro-priming and transplanting

To investigate hydropriming and transplanting effect on biomass and nutritional content of forage sorghum, a two-year field experiment was conducted in the semiarid condition of Iran. Experimental factor consisted of planting dates (July-1st, July-11th, July-23rd, August-1st) in the main plot and the factorial combination of planting methods (direct planting, hydropriming, transplanting) with cultivars (Speedfeed and Pegah) in the subplot. Planting date postponement from 1st of July to 10th of July, 23rd of July, and 1st of August, respectively, caused 16.1, 32.5 and 47.2% reduction in dry matter yield (DMY) and 7.4, 20.2, and 35.1% reduction in water use efficiency of DMY production (WUEDMY). Hydropriming and transplanting produced 23.6 and 22.4% more DMY, 24.5 and 21.8% more WUEDMY, 24 and 16.3% more crude protein yield, 22.7 and 20.9% more digestible dry matter (DDM) yield, and 22.2 and 20.1% more metabolic energy (ME) yield, compared to the direct planting. Hydropriming compared to direct planting caused 29% increase in plant growth rate and utilized growing season more productively than transplanting for DMY production. Conclusively, hydropriming and transplanting compensated for delay in planting through enhancing and accelerating germination and plant development but, applying hydropriming on Speedfeed and planting in July-1st caused the highest DMY, WUEDMY and the yield of nutritive parameters

Exploring the Possibility of Discharge of Nitrogen from the Lower Part of the Soil by two Between-crops Plant of Perko and Buko in order to better Use and Prevent the Waste of Nitrogen

Since the nitrogen is one of the essential elements of plant with high mobility and tremendous waste, some cover crops with improved root system probably can prevent leaching of this element. This study was done in Agricultural Research Station of Islamic Azad University of Karaj located in Mahdasht area during the crop year 2013-2014. This study was done by using factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design with two cultivars of Brassica family of Perko and Buko, 3 levels of nitrogen (N0, N150, N300) Kg per ha, from urea source (due to nitrogen use efficiency in Karaj) at two different depth of 0-30 and 30-60 cm of soil. The research results showed that the triple interaction of in-depth plant at nitrogen on root fresh weight, root dry weight, the percentage of nitrogen in depth of 30 cm, 60 cm depth of soil nitrogen, at probability level of 1% and the percentage of organic carbon (P <0.05) among the studied plants is significant. The comparisons showed that Buko at the highest amount of applied nitrogen in the soil (300 kg N ha) left less nitrogen in the soil. The lowest amount of nitrogen leaching was for a depth of 30 cm and at 150 kg of nitrogen per hectare which belonged to Perko. By using high levels of nitrogen in the soil the waste and leaching of this element was tremendous. Therefore, Perko root fresh weight and root dry weight at 150 kg nitrogen per hectare were the highest at 30 cm depth of soil. Control plants had low root dry weight yield and aerial dry weight yield. Buko root length at a 60 cm depth of soil was higher than Perko so that at this depth of soil Buko was capable than Perko in preventing the nitrogen waste. Buko at high levels of nitrogen had higher nitrogen percentage in root and aerial organ. The protein amount of aerial organ increased with enhancement of nitrogen absorption to plant organs. Buko had more protein than Perko. Buko total dry weight was more than Perko

Effect of Different Deficit-Irrigation Methods on Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Wheat (Parsi Cultivar)

To study the effect of different deficit-irrigation methods on yield and water use efficiency of wheat under different water applications a field experiment was carried out in split plot arrangement using randomized complete block design with four replications at the Research Farm of Islamic Azad University, Karaj branch, Iran in 2014-2015 growing year. Deficit irrigation with three levels were I100: use of 100% wheat water requirement, I75: use of 75% wheat water requirement and I50: use of 50% wheat water requirement, which were assigned to the main plots and irrigation methods with three levels, consisting of M1: conventional furrow irrigation, M2: fixed alternate-furrow irrigation and M3: periodic alternate-furrow irrigation which were assigned to the sub plots. The results showed that by using 100% wheat water requirement grain yield in the fixed and periodic alternate-furrow irrigation methods decreased by 21.8 and 23.7 percents as compared to conventional furrow irrigation method, respectively. The highest water use efficiency for grain yield (1.63 kg.m-3) was obtained when 75% wheat water requirement and fixed and alternate-furrow irrigation methods and the lowest water use efficiency for grain yield (1.24 kg.m-3) was obtained when to 50% wheat water requirement, with conventional furrow irrigation method, was used. Also, the highest water use efficiency for biologic yield (4.38 kg.m-3) was obtained at 50% wheat water requirement, with fixed alternate-furrow irrigation method, that decreased 31.5 percent as compared to I100M1. According to the results of this study, the application of alternate furrow irrigation with 75% crop water requirement can be used to increase water use efficiency for wheat yield in the studied area

Effect of Concentrations and Time of Kaolin Spraying on Wheat Aphid

ABSTRACT Common wheat aphid (Schizaphis graminum Rondani) is the cereal key pest. To study the effectiveness of different concentrations and times of kaolin spraying on the reduction of S. Graminum damage, a field experiment was arranged based on randomized block design with 4 replicates. Treatments were kaolin concentrations at four levels [0, 1.25 %, 2.5 % and 3.75 %, k1, K2, k3, and k4, respectively], times of kaolin spraying at three levels (concurrently with the stem forming, coincides with the first appearance of spikelets, coincides with dough development, T1, T2 and T3 respectively. The results indicated that the maximum (9914.81 kg ha -1 ) and minimum (6277.76 kg ha -1 ) grain yield were found in plots received 3.75 % kaolin at T2 time and untreated control, respectively. The highest (22666.66 kg ha -1 ) and lowest (16465.92 kg ha -1) biological yield were detected in plots exposed to kaolin 1.25 % at T3 time and control treatment, respectively. The present study showed that Kaolin could reduce wheat aphid damage and had positive effect of grain and biological yields. Therefore, Kaolin can be an important and effective tool to mitigate wheat aphid damage, and could be a good alternative to chemical products

The application of the multivariate analysis method for some traits in wheat under drought stress

In order to evaluate the relationship between yield and some relevant traits and estimation of the most effective traits on grain yield, a split-plot experiment based on completely randomized block design with four replications was carried out in 2006-2007 in the research field of Islamic Azad University of Karaj. The irrigation schemes scheduled as main plots included the following: (T1) 40% moisture depletion throughout the growing season (control); (T2) 60% moisture depletion throughout the growing season; (T3) 80% moisture depletion throughout the growing season; (T4) no irrigation during the stem elongation stage and continuing with adequate irrigation to the end of the growing season; (T5) no irrigation from the stem elongation stage to the end of the growing season; (T6) no irrigation at flowering and continuing with adequate irrigation to the end of the growing season; (T7) no irrigation from flowering to the end of the growing season; and (T8) no irrigation from the milk stage to the end of the growing season; and 2 wheat cultivars [Marvdasht (V1), Chamran (V2)] as sub-plots. According to the results of simple correlation, the grain yield exhibited the most positive correlation with biomass (0.877), number of infertile spikelets (0.876) and harvest index (0.855). The results of step-wise regression showed that, in the absence of drought stress, biomass and harvest index had respectively the most important effects on the grain yield but both exhibited different results under drought stress. Path analysis results showed that the most important effect on the grain yield in the total tested treatments was related to the biomass, justifying a total of 87% of grain yield variations, 72% of which is the direct effect of this trait on grain yield

Effect of Long-time Mild Heat Stress on Proliferative, Differentiation and Bone Regeneration Capabilities of Dental Pulp Stem Cells

Introduction: The application of various strategies, including heat stress, has been attempted to maintain and improve mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) plasticity and efficiency for bone regeneration. Although cell responses to heat stress are one of the most examined cellular stress responses, most studies, in this context, investigated the effect of that for a short period. Hence, the current study aimed to investigate the properties of MSCs, derived from dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) following long-term heat stress. Materials and Methods: DPSCs was loaded on β-tricalcium phosphate scaffold blocks and cultivated at elevated temperature up to 39 ° C. In vitro, DPSC properties, including proliferation, osteogenic differentiation, and bone regeneration in vivo, have been evaluated. Results: The results of in vitro study showed that mild heat stress for a lengthy period could maintain and improve both the proliferative and differentiation potential of DPSCs during in vitro expansion and differentiation. Also, bone regeneration in vivo showed increased bone regeneration in the cells cultivated at a higher temperature. Conclusion: This study provided evidence for the beneficial effects of the administration of mild heat stress for an extended period to maintain and improve DPSC properties, which may serve as a starting point for developing clinically compliant procedures for MSC treatment before transplantation

Simulation of Maize Yield with Different Levels of Nitrogen by Using DSSAT Model

Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) model is able to simulate plant growth, development, and yield that are grown on a uniform surface under simulated management conditions, including changes in soil water, soil carbon, soil nitrogen contents and nitrogen leaching. This study was aimed to investigate the effects of nitrogen on yield and yield components of maize variety SC704 by using this model, and to calibrate CERES-Maize model under 4 levels of nitrogen fertilizer: N1: 25% less than the recommended level, N2: recommended level (200 kg/ha), N3: 50% less than recommended level (260 kg/ha), and N4: 50% more than the recommended level (310 kg/ha). To evaluate the applicability of this model an experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted during 2013 at the Research Field of Agriculture Faculty of Islamic Azad University – Karaj Branch. The measured traits, and their simulated values for ear and biomass yields, leaf area index (LAI) and stem dry matter content were compared. The results of the biomass simulation showed that Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of the four fertilizer levels ranged 2496.48, 2159.24, 2302.43, and 3289.19 kg/ha respectively. For the ear yield, the highest coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.98) was obtained by N4. In fact, this treatment provided highest accuracy for predicting the yield of maize by the model. For leaf area index, the Willmott Agreement Index (d) varied between 0.77-0.94. This indicates that the model has successfully predicted the variation of leaf area index. Therefore, the model is considered appropriate for simulating growth, development and yield of maize under 4 levels of nitrogen fertilizer. In this case, it is recommended that the model is calibrated and verified, and then, it is applied for research purposes in Karaj climatic conditions