Response of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to Spent Mushroom Compost under Different Moisture Conditions

The effect of spent mushroom compost (SMC) on yield and yield components of wheat (cv. Azar2) under different moisture conditions was evaluated in pot experiment at Dry-land Agricultural Research Institute in 2010. Experiment arrangement was factorial based on complete randomized design with four replications. Treatments were SMC at three levels (0, 25 and 50 Mg.ha-1) and water deficit stress at three levels (-0.3 or field capacity, -5 and -10 bar). Some morphological, yield and yield components of wheat were determined. Results indicated that water stress had a negative and significant (

Inoculation with Trichoderma virens and Piriformospora indica for Improving the Morphological and Physiological Traits Related to Grain Yield of Rice under Different Rates of Phosphorus Fertilizer

Environmental protection and safity of agricultural products are two major goals in sustainable agriculture. Hence, using plant growth promoting rhizobacteria may be effective to reduce chemical inputs. Therefore, a field split plot experiment based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD) was conducted at Ghaemshahr, Mazandaran Province in 2015. Treatments were consisted of three levels of phosphorus (P) fertilizer (0 or control, 50 and 100 kg.ha-1 as triple super phosphate) and coinoculation of rice seed and seedling with Trichoderma virens and Piriformospora indica fungi with four levels (uninoculated control, inoculation of seed or seedlings and seed + seedlings inoculation). Results indicated that inoculation with these fungi significantly and positively affected the morpho-physiological traits and paddy yield of rice plant in all P levels. When, 0, 50 and 100 kg.ha-1 was applied, seed inoculation resulted in significant increase of panicle number per plant (33, 19 and 40 percent, respectively), filled seeds per plant (21, 45 and 58 percent, respectively), biological yield (31, 6 and 18 percent, respectively) and paddy yield (37, 48 and 43 percent, respectively). Also, fungi inoculation of rice seeds, seedlings and seeds + seedlings improved paddy yield up to 48, 53 and 53 percent and 43, 44 and 15 percent when 50 and 100 kg.ha-1 of P was applied, respectively. In general, results indicated that all three methods of fungi inoculation had positive effect on rice plants under all P levels, which could be related to those fungi ability to improving the parameters under study such as panicle number per plant and biological yield. In conclusion, the positive effects of using both microorganisms and P were more pronounced than using P alone

The effect of Piriformospora indica inoculation on salt and drought stress tolerance in Stevia rebaudiana under in vitro conditions

In order to investigate the effect of Piriformospora indica under salt and drought stresses on some vegetative characteristics and physiological parameters of stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) medicinal plant, an experiment was conducted in factorial arrangement based on completely randomized design with three replicates at Genetics and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute in Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University. Factors include three levels of osmatic potential (0, -5, and -10 bar) and with three osmotic sources including NaCl (Na), Mannitol (M) and NaCl+Mannitol (N+M) and inoculation of mycorrhizae like fungi at two levels (non-inoculated and inoculation with fungi). The plantlets were treated for 30 days and then some morphological and physiological parameters were measured. Results of ANOVA showed that there was a significant interaction between osmatic source and levels with fungi inoculation for the most determined parameters. Inoculation of stevia plantlets with P. indica at osmatic level of -5 bar caused either by M or M+Na markedly improved dry weight of leaf (112 and 156%, respectively) and aerial parts (49 and 144%, respectively) as compared to the uninoculated control. Fungi inoculation positively improved vegetative parameters of stevia plant under most osmatic levels and sources. The most ameliorate effect, however, was observed where M as drought stress or M+Na were adjusted to -5 bar. Therefore, the results of this study represented a positive effect of P. indica inoculation in inproving osmotic tolerance of stevia medicinal plant