https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/ Journal of Plant Production Research en daily 1 Sat, 21 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0330 Sat, 21 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0330 https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7733.html AbstractIntroduction and aim: One of the best ways to know the ecological ability of each region is the method of land surveying and evaluating land suitability. By this method, it is possible to determine the suitable area for the cultivation of each plant on a wide scale compared to the laboratory and field methods, and to take steps towards the sustainability of agriculture and prevention of environmental destruction with targeted management principles. This study was conducted with the aim of agro-ecological evaluation of agricultural lands in Behshahr county (Mazandarn province) for the cultivation of wheat and barley using spatial analysis of GIS and AHP in 2020-2021.Materials and Methods For this purpose, climatic variables (minimum, maximum, average temperatures and annual precipitation), topography (slope, direction and height) and soil characteristics (texture, K, P, Cu, Mn, N, Fe, TNV, organic matter, EC, pH and OC) were used. Thematic maps of each variable were prepared in ArcGIS 10.8, then the final map was produced by assigning AHP weights. The final map was classified into four classes: highly suitable, suitable, semi-suitable and non-suitable.Results: Based on the obtained results, it was found that the most suitable areas for wheat cultivation are located in the north and northwest regions, respectively, and for barley in the southeast parts of the region. In general, the area of two high suitable and suitable classes for two crops of wheat and barley included 13, 23.5, 35 and 28% of the total area respectively, but the area of semi-suitable and non-suitable classes for two crops were 35 and 59%, respectively. According to the obtained results, climatic conditions, especially rainfall, soil organic matter and topography were the main reasons for this condition.Conclusion: In this research, it was found that for wheat and barley, 23 and 37% of the studied agricultural lands were suitable for production in terms of topography, soil and climate, and there is no limitation in terms of these variables. In general, among the limiting factors, annual rainfall, low percentage of organic matter and poor soil fertility are identified as the limiting factors for rainfed wheat and barley cultivation in semi-suitable and non-suitable classes. Keywords: AHP, Barley, Geographical Information System (GIS), Land use suitability, Wheat.Introduction and aim: One of the best ways to know the ecological ability of each region is the method of land surveying and evaluating land suitability. By this method, it is possible to determine the suitable area for the cultivation of each plant on a wide scale compared to the laboratory and field methods, and to take steps towards the sustainability of agriculture and prevention of environmental destruction with targeted management principles. This study was conducted with the aim of agro-ecological evaluation of agricultural lands in Behshahr county (Mazandarn province) for the cultivation of wheat and barley using spatial analysis of GIS and AHP in 2020-2021. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_6842.html Background and objectives: Weed competition for resources is one of the most important limiting factors in soybean production, Today, one of the solutions to deal with these unwanted plants on farms is the use of stress alleviator and micronutrient fertilizers, which have a significant effect on the ability of crops to compete with weeds, The effect of seed priming and Foliar application of micronutrients was investigated on yield, yield attributes and some qualitative traits of soybean under weed stress.Materials and methods: In this research, seed priming and foliar application of micronutrients affect yield, yield attributes and some qualitative traits of soybean cv. Kowsar under weed stress as a factorial experiment based on completely randomized blocks was performed during 2020-2021 at Qorveh (Kurdistan province) in three replications. salicylic acid prime with a concentration of 0.5 mM, hydroprime and non-prime, hand weeding in three levels no-weeding, once weeding, twice weeding and foliar application of micronutrients in four levels include foliar application with water (control), zinc sulfate with a concentration of 0.03%, manganese sulfate with a concentration of 0.03% and iron chelate with 9% was investigated.Results: The parameters of the yield attributes such as the number of pods per plant, number of seeds in the pod, number of seeds per plant and the harvest index showed the yield stability in the pretreatment of seeds with salicylic acid under stress/non-stress conditions. The components of plant height, seed yield, biological yield, percentage and yield of protein and percentage and yield of oil were affected by the interaction of seed pretreatment, weeding and foliar application, so that with the application of seed pretreatment, with and without weeding conditions and foliar application with micronutrient elements, plant height, seed and biological yield, oil percentage and oil yield showed a significant increase than foliar application with water. The research findings show that the highest number of pods per plant was obtained in the twice-weeding and foliar application with iron so the number of pods per plant increased by 39.77% compared to the treatment of no-weeding and foliar spraying with water. Unlike seed oil, seed protein decreased under the pretreatment of seeds with salicylic acid and foliar application of micronutrients. In the non-prime conditions, the once-weeding treatment with the foliar application of micronutrient elements was able to increase soybean protein compared to the no-weeding treatment. The yield protein in seed pretreatment with salicylic acid and foliar application of iron with twice weeding had its highest value in soybean. Weeding increased protein yield and foliar application of micronutrient elements improved these conditions in prime and non-prime conditions. Pretreatment of seeds and foliar application of micronutrient elements at all levels of weeding increased the percentage of soybean oil compared to the control treatment so that in the treatment non-prime and foliar application with water, weeding increased 10.17% of soybean oil. In most of the studied traits, the pretreatment of seeds with salicylic acid compared to the pretreatment of seeds with water, was able to create more favourable conditions in the presence of weeds and without the presence of weeds, so that soybean seed yield with the application of salicylic acid with once weeding and iron foliar spraying was improved to the extent of pretreatment with salicylic acid with manganese and zinc foliar spraying with two times of weeding.Conclusion: It can be done by applying salicylic acid priming and iron foliar application, at least one time reducing the field hand weeding, which result can reduce the time and cost of hand weeding saving or lack of chemical herbicides application to conserve soil resources and to avoid contamination of the environment. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7732.html Background and objectives:The blueberry plant belongs to the Ericaceae family and the Vaccinium genus, which is native to North America. In recent years, the demand for blueberry consumption has increased significantly due to the presence of valuable antioxidant compounds such as flavonoid, anthocyanin and phenolic acids and the effect on human health. The use of new methods of plant propagation such as tissue culture can be effective in the mass production of blueberry cultivars, garden construction and finally blueberry fruit production. Although blueberry cultivation has not been carried out on a large scale in Iran, there are environmental requirements for its growth and commercial production in some regions of Iran.Materials and methods:In this research, lateral shoot explants with two nodes of Bluegold cultivar of blueberry were prepared and after disinfection in Murashige and Skoog (MS), Woody Plant Medium (WPM) and Anderson (AN) basic culture media containing Zeatin growth regulators. , TDZ, 2iP and BA were cultured at three levels (0.5, 1 and 1.5 mg/L) for proliferation. After two months, new branches were grown and fertilized, and the indices of shoot length, number of shoots, number of leaves, and chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b were measured in each explant. Rooting potential on the shoots produced in the mentioned culture medium along with the growth regulators of IBA, NAA and IAA at three levels (1, 2 and 3 mg/L) based on the complete randomly design and in three replicate, was performed. After 8 weeks, the characteristics of rooting percentage, root length and number of roots were evaluated.Results:In the processing stage after 10 weeks, the desired traits were measured, the longest shoot length (4.93 cm) and the highest number of leaves (18.75) in the treatment of WPM culture medium with Zeatin hormone, the highest number of shoots (8.22) in the application of Zeatin at the rate of 1.5 mg/l, the highest amount of chlorophyll a (1.71 mg/g) in MS culture medium and chlorophyll b (0.36 mg/g) It was observed in the treatment of WPM culture medium with Zeatin. In the rooting stage after 8 weeks, the desired traits were measured, the highest number of roots (3.64) and the longest root length (8.22 cm) with the application of IBA in the amount of 2 mg/l in the environment. WPM cultivation and the highest percentage of rooting (67.11) was observed with the application of IBA at the rate of 2 mg/l.Conclusion:In general, the results of this research showed that in the processing test, the use of 1.5 mg/L of zeatin in the AN culture medium has effective effects on the bluegold blueberry proliferation. In the rooting test, the use of 2 mg/L IBA in WPM culture medium with half the concentration of macro substances showed better results than other growth regulators and other culture mediums. Therefore, the above treatments can be suggested for processing and rooting of Bluegold blueberry. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7180.html Background and objectives:Quinoa is a plant from the Amaranthaceae family, which is currently being proposed as an alternative product for plants with high water consumption due to its high nutritional value and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, especially drought and salinity. Weeds are one of the limiting factors for the growth and development of quinoa and they directly affect the performance of the plant in the competition for the absorption of water, light, and nutrient resources. One of the important factors in the weed suppression mechanism of this product is the non-chemical control of weeds using cover crops.Materials and methods:In order to investigate the effect of cover crops on the control of weeds in quinoa, an experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications at the farms of the Research Institute of Breeding and Preparation of Seed Seedlings during 2022-2023. Treatments included the cultivation of cover crops of Berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.), Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum L.), and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.), Persian clover + Berseem clover, Persian clover + crimson clover and Berseem clover + crimson clover, no cover crop weed-free, no cover crop weed-infest. The cover crops were returned to the soil at the stage of 25% flowering. Results: The results showed that the amount of weed control in the treatments of Persian clover + Berseem clover, Berseem clover + crimson clover, Persian clover + crimson clover, Berseem clover, Persian clover, and crimson clover compared to the control treatment (no cover crop -weed free) is 64, 60, 58, 53, 44 and It was 36 percent. The highest dry weight of total weeds at the rate of 219 gr.m-2 was related to the control treatment (no cover crop -weed infest) and the lowest dry weight of total weeds at the rate of 39 gr.m-2 was related to the mixed treatment of Persian clover + Berseem clover. The highest seed yield was observed in the control treatment (no cover crop-weed free) and Persian clover + Berseem clover with an average of 4600 and 3500 kg.ha-1, respectively. The lowest yield of quinoa seed (64.64 g/m2) and the highest yield (288.68 g/m2) are related to the control treatment (no cover crop -weed infest) and control treatment (no cover crop -weed free), respectively.Conclusion:Overall results showed that the clover cover crop was not only not competing with quinoa, but it was able to increase the yield compared to the control treatment (no cover crop-weed infest). https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7021.html Background and purpose: Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is an annual plant of the Amaranthaceae family that has been cultivated in South America for thousands of years. Seed pretreatment is a low-cost and useful technology to improve seed vigor and quality. Considering the importance of the quinoa plant and the existing problems in the field of seed germination and seedling growth (due to the sensitive and criticality of these steps), the use of treatments that improve germination and germination such as the use of salicylic acid and sodium hydrogen sulfide as Pre-treatment can be considered as one of the solutions that is directly and indirectly effective on improving the germination and establishment of seedlings. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of pretreatment of seeds with sodium hydrogen sulfide and salicylic acid on the emergence, morphological and biochemical indicators of quinoa seedlings in greenhouse conditions.Materials and methods: In order to investigate the effect of different pretreatments on greening and physiological and biochemical indices in quinoa seedlings under greenhouse conditions, an experiment in the form of a completely randomized basic design in three replications in the research greenhouse of Mohaghegh Ardabili University. It was implemented in 2022. Experimental treatments include five levels of pretreatment (control (no pretreatment), water pretreatment, seed pretreatment with 2.5 mM salicylic acid, seed pretreatment with 300 mM sodium hydrogen sulfide, and seed pretreatment with 2.5 mM The molarity of salicylic acid + 300 mM sodium hydrogen sulfide) was Also, the characteristics of greening percentage, average emergence time and time to 50% emergence, chlorophyll index, plant length and dry weight were evaluated. The activity of antioxidant enzymes was measured. All statistical analyzes of the data were performed using SAS statistical software (Ver 9.4). Findings: According to the results of the data, the combined treatment of 300 mM sodium hydrogen sulfide + 2.5 mM salicylic acid made the percentage of greening about 48.7%, the speed of greening about 40.3%, the average Greening period increased by 30.7%, average daily greening by 57.69%, root length by 87.47%, shoot length by 42.24%, and chlorophyll index by 20.47% compared to the control treatment. gave The combined application of 300 mM sodium hydrogen sulfide + 2.5 mM salicylic acid increased the activity of catalase by 62.5%, peroxidase by 75.17%, and polyphenol oxidase by 65.71%. Conclusion: In general, it can be concluded that the application of salicylic acid and sodium hydrogen sulfide individually or together can be considered as a suitable solution for improving the emergence, growth and biochemical characteristics of quinoa seedlings. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7095.html Background and objectives: Waterlogging stress is a major factor limiting plant growth, primarily due to oxygen deficiency, which disrupts physiological processes, impairs aerobic respiration, and ultimately reduces plant performance. Due to the oxidative nature of waterlogging stress, which is caused by the production of free radicals in the plant. In this study, to deal with this stress, some compounds with antioxidant properties were used as a way to control the harmful effects of stress.Materials and methods: This study was conducted as a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design, incorporating two factors and three replications three in the year 2021 at the Genetics and Biotechnology Research Institute of Tabarestan, Mazandaran. The first factor was water treatment at two levels: waterlogging stress and field capacity. The second factor involved three elicitors, each tested at two concentrations. The elicitors were melatonin (50 and 100 μM), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) (5 and 10 mM), and potassium phosphite (Kphi) (2 and 3 g L⁻¹). Distilled water was also used for control plants. Waterlogging stress was applied to the plants for four weeks, and the elicitors were sprayed weekly. At the end of the experiment, various growth, biochemical, and photosynthetic traits of sour orange were evaluated.Results: Waterlogging stress significantly reduced both the fresh and dry weights of roots and leaves compared to control plants. However, the application of 10 mM GABA led to an increase in the fresh 15% and dry weight 6% of leaves, as well as an increase in the dry weight of roots 23% compared to controls. In field capacity conditions, both concentrations of GABA significantly increased root dry weight. The lowest crown diameter (2.98 mm) was observed in the waterlogged control, while the largest was recorded in plants treated with 2 g L⁻¹ Kphi under stress. Waterlogging stress also caused a marked increase in leaves vapor pressure deficit, with the highest values observed in plants treated with melatonin 100 μM (68.51 Pa kPa⁻¹), melatonin 50 μM (65.89 Pa kPa⁻¹), and GABA 10 mM (64.23 Pa kPa⁻¹), accompanied by a significant reduction in stomatal conductance. Under field capacity conditions, the highest CO₂ assimilation rates were observed in plants treated with Kphi 3 g L⁻¹and GABA 10 mM (3.74 and 3.88 µmolCO2 m⁻² s⁻¹, respectively), while the lowest rate was found in the waterlogged control. The highest water use efficiency under waterlogging stress was observed in plants treated with 100 μM melatonin and GABA 10 mM (2.37 and 2.26 µmol CO2/mmol H2O, respectively). Additionally, the highest photosystem efficiency under field capacity was recorded in plants treated with GABA 10 mM and melatonin 100 μM.Conclusion: This study demonstrates that waterlogging stress significantly reduces plant biomass. However, the use of GABA 10 Mm as an elicitor improved several growth traits. The results suggest that elicitors can enhance plant tolerance to stress by modulating stomatal behavior and increasing photosynthetic capacity. Improved stomatal water use efficiency helps prevent water loss, thereby enhancing plant resilience under stress conditions. Keywords: Field capacity, Gamma-aminobutyric acid, Melatonin, Oxidative stress, Potassium phosphite https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7264.html Background and objectives: Quinoa is a valuable food product that helps ensure food security worldwide. Accurate phenological predictions are essential for understanding a plant species' growth potential and performance. One of the most important studies required for this purpose is quantifying and estimating cardinal temperatures and day length parameters for the pollination stage, which is a crucial step in understanding the growth and performance of plants. Given that quantitative information on quinoa phenology is scarce, such data regarding pollination responses to temperature and day length can be useful in understanding the growth and performance of this plant. Therefore, the objectives of the present study are: (1) to develop a multiple model for predicting pollination in quinoa, and (2) to determine cardinal temperatures and day length parameters for pollination.Materials and Methods: A field experiment was conducted with 12 planting dates from 2019 to 2021 on three quinoa varieties in Galugah city. In this study, 10 plants were randomly selected and marked in each subplot to record the pollination initiation time for each planting date. The time taken to reach the pollination initiation stage was also recorded, where at least 50% of the plants had at least one flower at any position on the plant. To quantify the pollination stage against temperature and day length, a multiple model using combined temperature and day length functions was used. The temperature function was represented as a piecewise function, and the day length function was represented exponentially. The model was executed using the Proc nlin procedure in SAS software. To evaluate the model's accuracy, criteria such as RMSD, R², comparison of 1:1 line coefficients with coefficients a and b from linear regression between predicted and observed values, and the correlation coefficient between them were used.Results:The results showed that the RMSD values for different varieties ranged from 1.6 to 6.9 days, with lower values indicating higher model efficiency. The R² coefficient for describing the relationship between pollination rate and temperature and day length in the three quinoa varieties was estimated to be above 0.97. A high R² value indicates that the model is appropriate for describing the relationship between pollination rate, temperature, and day length. The base temperatures for the different varieties were estimated to be between 1.6 and 4.2 degrees Celsius, but no statistically significant differences were observed in the base temperatures of these three varieties. The optimal temperature estimated among the varieties ranged from 22.1 to 27.9 degrees Celsius. Further analysis using the error of estimating the optimal temperature revealed significant differences among the varieties regarding base temperature, with the Q12 variety having the highest optimal temperature value. The sensitivity coefficients to day length for varieties Q12, Titicaca, and Giz1 were estimated to be 0.025, 0.065, and 0.096 hours per day, respectively. Statistically significant differences were observed among the studied varieties with respect to sensitivity to day length. The biological day (the minimum number of days to pollination under optimal temperature and day length conditions) estimated through the model for the varieties Q12, Titicaca, and Giz1 were 31.7, 32.1, and 36.1 days, respectively. Conclusion: The results showed that due to the low value of RMSD (less than 6.9 days) and high values of R2 (above 0.97) and r (above 0.95) in different cultivars, the bipartite-exponential model was able to describe the relationship between pollination well. Describe the temperature and length of the day. This model can be used to optimize management decisions, adjust phenological responses to diverse environmental conditions, and predict phenological responses to temperature and day length changes in the future.Key Words: Temperature function, biological day, optimal temperature, phenology. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7186.html Background and objectives: Apple is one of the most important fruit trees in temperate regions and is a native of central Asia. Apple fruit is rich in potassium, sodium, calcium, boron, phosphorus, and significant amounts of vitamins C, B and A. Optimal nutrition for fruit trees is one of the effective strategies to achieve maximum fruit yield and increase product quality. But, long-term use of chemical fertilizers leads to harmful impacts on the soil, environment and humane health. Recently, one of the basic solutions to overcome these problems is the use of mineral, organic and biological fertilizers as an alternative to chemical fertilizers. Commercial bio-stimulants include important compounds such as seaweed extracts, humic substances, amino acids, etc. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the effect of foliar application of some of biofertilizers (seaweed extract, humic acid, amino acid) on quantitative and qualitative traits and antioxidant capacity of Red Delicious apple fruit, under the climatic conditions of Zanjan region, Iran.Materials and methods: The experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three replications in apple orchard of university of Zanjan during 2023. The experimental treatments included foliar spraying of seaweed extract (Alg; 0.075 and 0.15%), amino acid (GF Amino; 0.1 and 0.2%), humic acid (HA; 0.03%), commercial fertilizer Homarang, (Homa fert; 0.5%), combined chemical fertilizer of nitrogen, zinc and boron (Combinate fert; 1% urea, 0.3% zinc chelate and 0.1% boric acid) and foliar spraying with distilled water (control). Foliar application of treatments started 40 days after full bloom, and was repeated three times with an interval of 30 days until the physiological ripening of fruits. The fruits were harvested based on the fruit growth curve at the physiological maturity stage, which occurs 130 days after full bloom. Ten fruits were randomly harvested from each experimental unit, and then the samples were transferred to the laboratory for quantitative and qualitative trait measurements. Quantitative and qualitative traits of the fruit, such as fruit length, diameter, weight, volume, and dry weight, phenols, flavonoids, antioxidant capacity, ascorbic acid, protein, and anthocyanin content of the fruit were examined.Results: Results showed that the highest value of titratable acidity and vitamin C (22.25 mg 100g-1FW) were obtained in apple trees treated with seaweed 0.075%. The maximum amount of total phenol (9.62 mg 100g-1FW), flavonoid (1.59 mg 100g-1FW) and antioxidant capacity (70.17 %) were observed in fruits treated with amino acid fertilizer 0.1 and 0.2%. The highest fruit length (70.56 mm), diameter (71.16 mm), weight (186.51 grams) and fruit firmness (43.54 N) were obtained with foliar application of HA. Also, the highest anthocyanin content of fruit skin (16.9 µmol g-1FW) was achieved with the use of commercial Homa fertilizer, as this fertilizer had the greatest effect on fruit color quality. The application of combined chemical fertilizer had a negative impact on fruit quality indices, reducing the quality of skin color and fruit firmness. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that foliar application of biofertilizers and chemical fertilizer had a significant effect on the quantitative and qualitative characteristics and antioxidant capacity of Red Delicious apples. According to the results, biofertilizers, especially seaweed extract (0.075%), amino acid (0.1%), and humic acid (0.03%), had a positive effect on the quantitative and qualitative characteristics and nutritional value of the Red Delicious apple fruit. So that, the combined or separate application of these biofertilizers is recommended to improve the quantitative, qualitative, and nutritional properties of the Red Delicious apple fruit under climatic conditions of Zanjan. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7336.html Background and objectivesToday, the technology of preparing nanomaterials with different morphologies has emerged one after another. Nanos have versatile applications in agriculture due to their outstanding biocompatibility properties. Encapsulating compounds in nano-size represents an advantageous technique for increasing their biological activity. Therefore, it increases the antimicrobial effect, forms a natural barrier on the outer surface of food to prevent water evaporation and control the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide resulting from product respiration, and does not pose a risk to humans and the environment. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of nanochitosan and nanohydroxyapatite, as well as their combined effects, on increasing the shelf life of button mushrooms.Materials and MethodsFor this purpose, the effect of these coatings was evaluated in a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with three replications on the quality of button mushrooms. The experimental treatments included coating button mushrooms with different concentrations of nanochitosan (0, 1%, and 2%) and nanohydroxyapatite (0, 40, and 80 mg) for 28 days. The mushrooms were immersed in each of the coating solutions for five minutes according to the desired treatment. The mushrooms were removed from the solutions and placed on a mesh basket (at laboratory temperature) for 15 to 30 minutes to allow the excess coating to drip off. The mushrooms were then individually weighed and six in triplicate were transferred into disposable plastic containers with perforated lids. They were then transferred to a refrigerator at a temperature of four degrees Celsius. The control sample was immersed in distilled water for 5 minutes. After coating, the traits of weight loss percentage, texture firmness, cap opening, cap diameter changes, decay, shrinkage, pH, water reabsorption, color index parameters and sensory evaluation of the mushrooms were recorded and analyzed during 28 days of storage.ResultsBased on the results, the lowest percentage of weight loss, cap opening, cap diameter changes, decay, shrinkage, a, b and ΔE parameters of color index and viscosity parameter in sensory evaluation were obtained in nanochitosan coating containing 40 mg of nanohydroxyapatite, and the highest percentage of L parameter of color index and parameters of taste, color, odor, firmness and marketability of sensory evaluation during 28 days of storage compared to the control. In the control treatment (without coating), the highest percentage of weight loss, cap opening, cap diameter changes, decay, shrinkage, a, b and ΔE parameters of color index and viscosity in sensory evaluation were obtained and the lowest percentage of tissue firmness, water reabsorption, L parameter of color index, parameters of taste, color, odor, firmness and marketability of sensory evaluation index were obtained during 28 days of storage.ConclusionFinally, according to the findings of this study, it can be stated that the combined coating of 1% nanochitosan containing 40 mg nanohydroxyapatite can increase the post-harvest shelf life of button mushrooms up to 28 days, which is marketable by day 14. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_6937.html Background and purpose: Rose is one of the most important cut flowers in the world which one of its main physiological disorders is the bent neck in the postharvest stage. Calcium plays an important role in plant cell wall strength and silicon plays a role in photosynthesis and extending vase life of cut flowers. The present study was conducted to evaluate calcium silicate and calcium chelate effects on some biochemical indices, bent neck and vase life of rose cut flowers in the postharvest stage.Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted as a factorial study, based on a completely randomized design with 3 replications under hydroponic condition in a commercial greenhouse. Foliar application of calcium silicate and calcium chelate in the pre-harvest stage was performed once a week for 1 month and calcium silicate and calcium chelate at concentrations of 100, 100, 200 and 400 mg. l-1 and 25, 25, 50 and 100 mg. l-1 were used, respectively. After flower harvesting in commercial stage, indices such as chlorophyll index, petal anthocyanin, leaf phenol content, leaf antioxidant capacity, petal ion leakage, vase life and flower bent neck were evaluated.Results: The results of the present study showed that the application of calcium chelate at concentration of 100 mg. l-1 and calcium silicate at 200 mg. l-1 concentrations were more effective in improving the measured characteristics of cut roses, so that the vase life and bent neck indices showed greater improvement due to the application of 400 mg. l-1 calcium silicate and 200 mg. l-1 calcium chelate compared to control and other treatments. Chlorophyll index and petal anthocyanin contents showed a significant increase due to the use of calcium silicate and calcium chelate, and concentrations of 100 mg. l-1 calcium chelate and 200 mg. l-1 calcium silicate were more effective in increasing anthocyanin levels. Application of calcium chelate and calcium silicate also significantly reduced the amount of petal ion leakage and leaf MDA content compared to the control. Biochemical indices, including leaf antioxidant capacity and leaf phenolic content increased significantly due to the application of calcium silicate and calcium chelate. Leaf phenol content was significantly increased due to the application of 200 mg. l-1 silicate-calcium and 100 mg. l-1 calcium chelate. Conclusion: In general, it can be said that the combined application of calcium silicate and calcium chelate at 200 mg. l-1 and 100 mg. l-1 respectively, can be used as effective treatments to improve the quality, vase life and reducing bent neck incidence in ‘Dolce Vita’ cut rose flowers. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7262.html AbstractBackground and Objectives: Camelina as a medicinal-oil plant is one of the oldest ‎cultivated ‎plants of the Brassicaceae family. ‎Agricultural drainage water constitutes a large ‎amount of unconventional waters. However, the ‎foliar application of L-amino acids and ‎salicylic acid has been considered as a suitable method ‎to mittigate the adverse effects of ‎various environmental stresses on plant. However, there is ‎little information about their ‎mechanism for reducing the stress of using drainage water ‎resources. This experiment aimed to ‎evaluate the effect of sugarcane drainage water and foliar ‎application of L-amino acids and ‎salicylic acid on qualitative and quantitative characteristics of ‎Camelina (Camelina sativa) ‎cultivars.‎‏ ‏Materials and Methods: This study was conducted during the 2022-2023 and 2023-‎‎2024 ‎growing seasons in the sugarcane industry of Hakim Farabi, located in southern ‎Khuzestan ‎Province, in a split-split plot design based on a randomized complete block design ‎with four ‎replications. The main plots consisted of different water sources: river water irrigation ‎‎(control), ‎alternative irrigation (alternating between river water and drain water), and sugarcane ‎drainage ‎water irrigation. Foliar application of L-amino acids and salicylic acid tested at five ‎levels, ‎including control (no foliar application), The L-amino acids used included alanine, ‎arginine, ‎aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, ‎lysine, ‎methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine ‎from ‎stock solutions of 1.5 and 3 l.ha-1., and 1 and 2 millimolar concentrations of salicylic ‎acid ‎during the flowering stage, which served as sub-plots. The cultivars Sohail and Sepehr ‎were ‎assigned as sub-sub plots. Data ‎analysis were done using SAS V. 9.4.‎Results: Results indicated that the highest seed yield over the two years was obtained from ‎river ‎water irrigation combined with a foliar application of 3 l.ha-1 of L-amino acids in the ‎Sepehr ‎cultivar (1476 and 3609 kg.ha-1). In contrast, the lowest seed and oil yield was recorded ‎for the ‎Sepehr cultivar under irrigation with sugarcane drain water. The best seed and oil yield in ‎the ‎Soheil cultivar was also achieved with a foliar application of 3 l.ha-1 of L-amino acids (687 ‎and ‎‎1691 kg/ha). The Sepehr cultivar demonstrated higher grain and biological yields under ‎river ‎water irrigation conditions.The results showed that the foliar application of L-amino ‎acids and ‎salicylic acid under the conditions of using not using drainage water had a positive ‎effect on the ‎traits of grain yield, oil and protein, biological yield, and oil and protein ‎percentage. Among all ‎treatments, the foliar application of L-amino acids at 3 liters per hectare ‎achieved the best ‎performance under the conditions of using and not using drainage water. ‎Sepehr cultivar ‎showed lower performance than the Soheil cultivar under the conditions of ‎using drainage ‎water.‎Conclusion: Foliar application of L-amino ‎acids and salicylic acid , as potential regulators for ‎increasing the growth and development of ‎Camelina, by increasing the absorption of nutrients, ‎moderated the effects of stress and ‎improved grain oil yield. Results showed that, in order to ‎improveing ionic relations in ‎Camelina, the Soheil cultivar and the foliar application of salicylic ‎acid and L-amino acids can ‎be used in the conditions of sugarcane drainage water irrigation. ‎The foliar applications positively influenced seed yield, biological yield, Oil yield, ‎Oil ‎percentage, Seed protein percentage and protein yield under both drainage water conditions ‎and ‎normal conditions. Foliar applications of enhanced the growth and development of ‎Camelina by improving nutrient ‎absorption, mitigating stress effects, and increasing seed yield. ‎Overall, it seems that the Soheil ‎cultivar exhibited better yield stability and could be cultivated ‎successfully using drainage water ‎of sugarcane fields in the region.‎ https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_6942.html Estimation of post-harvest losses/wastes for agricultural products in Iran Background and Objectives: Reducing the loss of agricultural products not only, increase the supply of food for the people, but also, reduce the cost of importing food and reduce the loss of resources in Iran. Therefore. In order to reducing losses/wastes, it is necessary to know their quantity in different products. Materials and methods: This study was conducted in order to estimate the percentage and amount of losses/wastes of agricultural products in the food basket of Iranian people. In our study, the difference between per capita consumption of agricultural products and per capita supply was considered as the sum of per capita losses and other expenses. By calculating the amount of other uses for agricultural products and deducting it from the total per capita losses/wastes and other uses, the per capita amount of losses/wastes for each agricultural product was obtained. Findings: The results showed that the percentage of post-harvest losses/wastes for wheat, white rice, legumes, potatoes is, oil, Sugar, fruit, vegetables, meat, chicken, eggs, milk and fishis 15, 10.4, 10, 19.8, 11.5, 23.9, 57.5, 54, 11.2, 12.2, 11.8, 9.1 and 2.8%, respectively. Annually, 283.30 million tons of agricultural products produced in Iran (30.3% of the total production of agricultural products in the country) are lost due to losses/wastes. . Annually, 283.30 million tons of agricultural products produced in Iran (30.3% of the total production of agricultural products in the country) are lost due to losses/wastes. This amount of loss/waste of agricultural products is equivalent to the waste of 3.393 million hectares of cultivated area (24% of the total cultivated area in Iran) and 25.119 billion cubic meters of water in the country (29% of the total water consumed in the agricultural sector in iran).This amount of loss/waste of agricultural products is equivalent to the waste of 3.393 million hectares of cultivated area (24% of the total cultivated area in Iran) and 25.119 billion cubic meters of water in the country (29% of the total water consumed in the agricultural sector in iran). Findings: The results showed that the percentage of post-harvest losses/wastes for wheat, white rice, legumes, potatoes is, oil, Sugar, fruit, vegetables, meat, chicken, eggs, milk and fishis 15, 10.4, 10, 19.8, 11.5, 23.9, 57.5, 54, 11.2, 12.2, 11.8, 9.1 and 2.8%, respectively. Annually, 283.30 million tons of agricultural products produced in Iran (30.3% of the tot Conclusion: Therefore, the policy makers by having the information related to losses/wastes for each of the agricultural products in iran, can estimate the the waste of water and land resources and determine priorities to reduce losses for different products. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7009.html Background and objectives: Lack of water is the most important factor which is limiting the production of crops in arid and semi-arid countries of the world, including Iran. In such a situations, rice, as one of the crops with high water demand, has the largest share in the diet of Iranian people after wheat. The extensive cultivation of rice has led to the overexploitation of water resources. Currently, there is no comprehensive and accurate information on the actual amount of water being consumed in the production process of this crop in the country. In the present study, this issue was investigated by using the water footprint index. The purpose of this research was to estimate the potential yield (yield in the conditions of no water and nutrient limitations, and no damage from pests, diseases and weeds) and to estimate the water footprint of green and blue rice in the country. Materials and methods: The scope of study in this research is the rice producing areas in the whole country. Water footprint calculations were made based on the outputs of the SSM-iCrop2 model and in the time limit of 2006-2015. Results: The average yield potential of paddy for low yield cultivars in the whole country was estimated to be 3548 kg/ha and for high yield cultivars to be 6078 kg/ha. The blue water footprint for low yield cultivars in the whole country fluctuated between 446 m3/t and 5717 m3/t. The lowest blue water footprint for high yield cultivars was 237 m3/t and the highest was 2170 m3/t. Furthermore, the amount of green water footprint for low yield cultivars in the whole country was estimated to be 213 m3/t and this amount for high yield cultivars was also estimated to be 90 m3/t. Conclusion: The results show that the provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran and Golestan, which are located in the north of the country and near the Caspian Sea, due to the benefit of rainfall and high yield, have less blue water footprint and more green water footprint. Other provinces of the country, such as Khuzestan, Bushehr and Hormozgan provinces, which are located in hot areas, have more blue water footprint and less green water footprint, due to the high temperature in them and the lack of proper precipitation (rain). By evaluating the water footprint, the necessary planning is done to manage the cultivation of this crop in terms of the amount of water available in different regions of the country, so that rice cultivation can be limited and stopped in areas with high water consumption. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7060.html Abstract Background and Objectives: canola (Brassica napus L.) is considered one of the most important oilseeds in the world due to its high oil content. Regarding the world population rapidly increasing, global food demand is projected to rise by 60% by 2050, presenting substantial challenges, particularly in climate change. The most critical aspects of global climate change include significant temperature increases and uneven precipitation distribution, which pose limitations to sustainable development. Climate change risk assessment aims to identify adaptation strategies that promote sustainable development in specific regions. These strategies vary based on agricultural systems, regional characteristics, and climate change scenarios. This study explores adaptation strategies for rainfed canola cultivation in response to climate change in the country. Materials and methods: This study was conducted to predict the effects of climate change on the growth and development of rainfed canola in differnt climatic regions of Iran. We used two general circulation models, HadGEM2-ES and IPSL-CM5A-MR, from the CMIP5 project under two scenarios: RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, based on the fifth IPCC assessment, for the period from 2040 to 2069. The AgMIP approach was employed to downscale climatic parameters for future projections. Following the simulation of future climatic data and the generation of necessary parameters, the growth and development of rain-fed canola were modeled using the SSM-iCrop2 model. Additionally, two adaptation strategies were evaluated: early planting (10%, 20%, and 30% earlier) and late planting (10%, 20%, and 30% later). Results: The model output indicated that the mean temperature during the canola growing season will increase by approximately 2.3°C in the RCP4.5 scenario and around 3.1°C in the RCP8.5 scenario compared to the baseline period. The results also revealed that there are the two models' precipitation distribution between growing seasons. Under climate change conditions in both RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios, it was observed that the growing season would decrease in both models despite rising average temperatures. However, water use efficiency is expected to improve in both scenarios. Predictions for average canola yield in the main cultivation regions approved an increase of 10% in the RCP4.5 scenario and 13% in the RCP8.5 scenario compared to baseline conditions. Conversely, implementing early planting strategies will decrease yield ranging from 11% to 40% in the RCP4.5 scenario and from 13% to 43% in the RCP8.5 scenario, compared to future conditions without adaptation strategies. Moreover, adopting late planting strategies is anticipated to enhance yields by 7% to 12% in the RCP4.5 scenario and by 10% to 17% in the RCP8.5 scenario compared to future conditions without adaptation strategies. Conclusion: The results showed that, yields in most major canola cultivation areas are expected to increase under both emissions scenarios. However, implementing early planting strategies in both scenarios is projected to lead to a decrease in yields compared to future conditions without adaptation. Conversely, by delaying planting, yields are anticipated to improve on average in both scenarios compared to future conditions without an adaptation strategy. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7106.html AbstractBackground and Objectives: Pollution with heavy elements is one of the environmental hazards that has caused a serious challenge in human life. At present, the toxicity caused by cadmium is one of the major environmental problems, because this element is easily absorbed by plants and causes some plants in plants, which causes food consumption. to bring Fertility decreases in plants. Cultivation of sweet pepper in heavy metal-contaminated beds and using contaminated water for its irrigation causes the absorption of these elements and its deposition in plant tissues, especially in the fruit part, and endangers the health of the food chain. Foliar spraying with hormones is one of the solutions that can play a role in reducing the effects of heavy metal toxicity stress in the soil. Melatonin regulates rooting through auxin induction and shoot production through cytokinin enhancement, for this reason melatonin is known as a plant growth regulator.Materials and Methods: To evaluate the effect of melatonin application on the growth and physiological characteristics of the Clavesol RZ bell pepper cultivar under cadmium stress, a factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with four replications during the year 2023 in the research greenhouse of Mohaghegh Ardabili University. The experimental factors included the application of cadmium chloride (CdCl2) along with a nutrient solution at three levels (0, 75, and 150 micromoles), and the second factor involved the application of melatonin treatment through foliar spraying at concentrations of 0 (control), 75, and 150 micromolar using a 2-liter hand sprayer. To prevent evaporation and enhance the absorption of melatonin from the plant tissue surfaces, the foliar spraying was conducted early in the morning. The spraying was performed in three stages, with an interval of every 14 days. The first spraying occurred at the 3 to 4 leaf stage after the seedlings were established in the pots. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using SAS 9.1 software. Mean comparisons were conducted using Duncan’s multiple range test at the 1% and 5% probability levels.Results: The results of the study indicated that increasing cadmium concentration led to a reduction in plant height, leaf area, dry weight of aerial parts and roots, stomatal conductance, and chlorophyll content. In contrast, with the increase in cadmium concentration, the parameters of electrolyte leakage (40.57%), malondialdehyde (32.2%), and proline (65.5%) increased. Additionally, the foliar spraying with melatonin significantly mitigated the effects of stress in stressed plants and increased growth parameters, including leaf area (9.1%), dry weight of the shoot (99.8%), and dry weight of the root (52.9%) in non-stressed plants.Conclusion: The overall results of the present study indicate that cadmium toxicity leads to disturbances in the growth, physiological, and biochemical characteristics of bell pepper plants. Foliar spraying with melatonin can improve the growth characteristics and performance of bell pepper plants under adverse environmental conditions and abiotic stresses.Keywords: Growth regulators, growth indices, heavy metals, foliar spraying. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7153.html Background and Objectives: The identification and evaluation of native walnut genotypes using existing genetic diversity within populations, cultivars, and genotypes is a crucial first step in breeding and improvement programs aimed at developing enhanced walnut orchards. The identification and assessment of native walnut genotypes to utilize existing genetic diversity is a critical step in walnut breeding and improvement. Failing to properly harness this diversity can lead to reduced productivity and quality in crops. To address this issue, a thorough evaluation of genotypes through morphological trait analysis and the application of statistical methods such as principal component analysis and cluster analysis can assist in selecting suitable parents and improving genetic and qualitative traits.Materials and Methods: This study aimed to evaluate 20 walnut genotypes from Farsan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, to identify superior genotypes based on fruit quantity and quality traits. The selection process involved phenological observations and pomological analysis of the walnuts. Sampling took place over several months, from March to October. During this period, phenological characteristics such as the timing of leafing, flowering, and fruiting were recorded. Fifty fruits and ten leaves were collected from each tree for a comprehensive assessment. Pomological traits, including fruit weight, kernel weight, kernel percentage, and fruit shape, were evaluated according to the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) guidelines. Morphological characteristics of the leaves and fruit, as well as other tree traits like tree height, trunk diameter, and canopy area, were also measured.The analysis of these traits allowed for the identification of genotypes with higher nut yield, larger kernel size, and better overall fruit quality. The selected superior genotypes are potential candidates for further propagation and cultivation, with the aim of improving walnut production in the region.Results: The results revealed significant diversity among the genotypes, particularly in trunk diameter, canopy area, fruit seight. Kernel weight and percaetage which showed the highest variance, while tree height, tree vigor, fruit length and width exhibited the least diversity. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that 12 principal components accounted for 92.41% of the total variance in traits. The first to twelfth components significantly explained the variations and interactions among different traits. The biplot results for genotype separation based on various traits demonstrated that the genotypes were effectively segregated into distinct clusters, highlighting the high diversity among the studied genotypes. Cluster analysis using the Ward and furthest neighbor methods, with the dendrogram cut at a genetic distance of 14, grouped the genotypes into five distinct clusters. This clustering aids in identifying morphological diversity and selecting suitable parents for breeding programs. Conculsion:The results of this study can be particularly useful in parent selection and breeding strategies to improve the genetic and qualitative traits of the plants. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7184.html Background and objectives: Lavender from the Lamiaceae family is an important plants with many uses in various medicinal and food industrial. Among environmental stresses, water deficit stress plays an important role in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants in arid and semi-arid regions like Iran. Drought stress has detrimental effects on growth and yield and can upset the balance between the antioxidant defense system and free radicals by stimulating a series of biochemical reactions, where free radicals cause cell damage. In sustainable production systems of medicinal and aromatic plants, stable quantitative and qualitative functions can be achieved under conditions of environmental stress and it is possible to improve the production of secondary metabolites in these plants under adverse environmental conditions. Therefore, this study was done to evaluate some of important macro-micro nutrients on the morpho-physiological and phytochemical properties of Lavandula angustifolia to determine and introduce the best combinations of fertilizers with use of superabsorbent nano-polymer under water stress conditions. Materials and methods: This research was using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in a split-split plot layout with three replications. Irrigation regimes (D1-D3: Field Capacity, 50% and 75% evaporation from basin class A) in main plots, superabsorbent nano-polymer application (S1-S2: use and not use) in sub plots and treatments of fertilizers in sub-sub plots were done. This research was performed in farm of Islamic Azad University Branch of Shahrekord (latitude. 32°20′ N, longitude. 50°51′ E, altitude. 2061 m) in 2023-2024. Results: Over two consecutive years, the obtained results showed that the use of treatments increased the characters and made the significant effectiveness. In two years, the highest shoot dry matter (61.55 g.plant-1), zinc of shoot (69.55 µg/g dry weight), iron of shoot (82.85 µg/g dry weight), phenol (1.39 mg.Kg Fw-1), chlorophyll content (2.92 mg.g-1 DW) and the lowest amount of prolin (10.89 µg.KgFw-1), made by grow-more fertilizers specially grow-more 1 (20-20-20) in combination with Fe/Zn Libfer. However the superabsorbent nano-polymer application had the aggressive effectiveness on amounts of characters especially in hardness of water stress. In most of measured characters, plants treated with grow-more fertilizers were in the same group. The lowest values for morpho-physiological and phytochemical characters such as shoot dry matter (22.12 g.plant-1), zinc of shoot (28.34 µg/g dry weight), iron of shoot (40.77 µg/g dry weight), phenol (0.29 mg.KgFw-1), chlorophyll content (1.95 mg.g-1 DW) and the most of prolin (32.01 µg.KgFw-1), obtained by plants treated with irrigation regime of 75% evaporation from basin class A (D3) and no application of fertilizers. In some characters, plants treated with F12, F13 or F14 treatments under hardness of drought stress had the same group with control plants. The main constituents of essential oil were Linalool, Linalyl acetate, Limonene, Alpha-pinene, 1, 8 cineole, Borneol, Camphor (alcoholic/cyclic monoterpenes) and Beta-farnesene, Alpha-bisabolene and Beta-Caryophyllene (Sesquiterpenes) that made the most components of essential oil plants. The effect of grow-more 1 (20-20-20) in combination with Fe/Zn Libfer on increasing the total phenol and chlorophyll content, were higher than the other grow-more fertilizers ones. Conclusion: Generally the application of grow-more fertilizer 1 (20-20-20) with consumption of zinc and iron fertilizers can be a good strategy to improve the morpho-physiological and phytochemical characters of L.angustifolia especially the grow-more 1 (20-20-20) in combination with Fe/Zn Libfer in field capacity water condition. However the use of superabsorbent nano-polymer in strenuous drought stress (75%) is more effectivnes than other water stress levels. Finally, the application of grow-more 1 (20-20-20) in combination with Fe/Zn Libfer can be a good strategy to improve morpho-physiological characters and essential oil quantity and quality of L.angustifolia in cold and semi-arid climates. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7247.html Background and Objectives: Alkaline stress, by creating high pH and the accumulation of sodium ions, can lead to proton deficiency and the destruction or inhibition of the electrochemical gradient/potential in root cells, which consequently disrupts water and ion absorption. Alkaline stress slows down photosynthesis and consequently plant growth. Alkalinity also causes the formation of insoluble forms of iron, zinc and copper that are not absorbable by the plant, resulting in reduced chlorophyll synthesis and yellowing of young leaves. In recent years, many researchers have proposed the biological enrichment technique to reduce selenium deficiency in humans. Selenium is one of the non-essential but beneficial elements for plants that can neutralize or somewhat reduce the effects of alkaline stress. Materials and Methods: The experiment was conducted as a factorial in a randomized complete block design with three replications in the fall and winter of 2024 in the greenhouse complex of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz. The experimental treatments included selenium concentrations (0, 5, 15, and 30 mg/L) and bicarbonate levels (0, 3, and 6 meq/L). After applying the treatment and completing the experiment, morphological traits such as seedling height and hypocotyl length were measured using a ruler, hypocotyl diameter was measured using a digital caliper, fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots were measured using a scale and dried in an oven at 70 °C for 48 h, leaf area was measured using a leaf area meter, and physiological traits of cabbage seedlings such as photosynthetic pigments were measured using a spectrophotometer, relative leaf water content, and electrolyte leakage were calculated using standard equations. Results: The results showed that adding selenium to the culture medium under alkaline stress generally led to an increase in the fresh and dry weight of different organs. Under stress conditions, the highest shoot fresh weight (2 g)-a key indicator of seedling quality-was observed in the 15 mg/L selenium + 3 meq/L bicarbonate treatment which compared to the treatment of 0 mg/L selenium + 3 meq/L bicarbonate stress, increased the shoot fresh weight of cabbage seedlings by 16.27%, which is one of the interesting findings of this study. The use of selenium under alkaline stress conditions reduced ion leakage and increased the relative water content of cabbage seedlings. The results of this study showed that selenium at optimal concentrations can act as a factor improving plant growth and tolerance to alkaline stress. However, high concentrations of selenium can have toxic effects and damage plant growth. For instance, in the non-stress treatment increasing the selenium concentration to 30 mg/L reduced seedling fresh weight by 59.44% compared to the 0 mg/L selenium treatment. Conclusion: Research results show that cabbage has the ability to enrich selenium. Appropriate levels of selenium treatment can improve the growth and quality of cabbage. Considering the unusual water consumption in seedling production greenhouses in the south of the country and the subsequent development of yellow leaves and thin stems, it seems absolutely necessary to provide a practical solution for enriching cabbage and solving the problems of seedling production units. Considering the moderation of the adverse effects of water quality used in the greenhouse by optimal selenium levels, it seems that this is an important step towards developing sustainable agriculture and increasing agricultural production in areas with alkaline water research by modifying conventional agricultural practices. Based on the results, a selenium concentration of 15 mg/L is recommended to moderate the negative effects of alkali stress and improve seedling growth in greenhouses producing of cabbage seedlings, especially in greenhouses with alkaline water. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7266.html Background and Objective: Limequat has become a popular product in the food and pharmaceutical industries due to its unique flavor and high nutritional properties. Although limequat cultivation has seen significant growth in recent years, there are still fundamental challenges in optimizing its growth management that require serious attention. Effectively managing these challenges can lead to increased production and improved fruit quality. Therefore, the use of plant growth regulators is of particular importance as effective tools for enhancing growth management and plant development. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the growth inhibitors paclobutrazol (PBZ) and uniconazole (UCZ) on the vegetative and reproductive traits of limequat. Materials and Methods: This research was conducted in a high tunnel in the village of Khormakla, Qaem Shahr. 20-month-old limequat trees were selected, grown on citrange C35 rootstock. The high tunnel consisted of three rows of 20 limequat trees, maintained at a temperature of approximately 22 C and a relative humidity of around 70%. The experiment was carried out as a factorial design in a completely randomized layout with two growth inhibitors: PBZ at four levels (0, 300, 600, and 900 mg/L) and UCZ (0, 10, 100, and 1000 mg/L). The treatments were applied through foliar spraying in three replications (each replication consisting of one tree). The treatments were conducted in mid-April, coinciding with the onset of the first shoot growth following manual pruning in March, and were applied in three stages by 10 days. Results: The results showed that the application of growth inhibitors significantly reduced leaf fresh and dry weight, leaf area, while increasing the horizontal branch length. The lowest values of these parameters were observed in the treatments with PBZ and UCZ, while the highest values were recorded in the control treatment. Concerning reproductive traits, the findings indicated that the application of PBZ alone and in combination with UCZ led to an increase in the number of flowers and fruits. The highest flower count was observed at a concentration of 900 mg/L of PBZ, and the maximum fruit volume was achieved with the simultaneous application of PBZ (900 mg/L) and UCZ (100 mg/L). Moreover, the number of fruits significantly increased with the use of these regulators; indeed, the results demonstrated the positive effect of these compounds on both the quality and quantity of the yield. Conclusion: Overall, the results of this study suggest that the application of growth inhibitors can lead to a reduction in vegetative traits while improving reproductive traits in greenhouse limequat. The use concentration of 900 mg/L of PBZ and 100 mg/L UCZ not only aids in the expansion of the plant's canopy but also positively impacts flower and fruit production. These findings could serve as an effective strategy for optimizing limequat cultivation and enhancing the performance of this plant under various growing conditions. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7270.html Background and objectives: Lavender is an important plants with many uses in various medicinal and food industrial. In sustainable production systems of the medicinal and aromatic plants, stable quantitative and qualitative functions can be achieved under conditions of environmental stress and it is possible to improve the production of secondary metabolites in these plants under adverse environmental conditions. Therefore, this study was done to evaluate the organic and alcoholic elicitors on the important morpho-physiological characters of L.officinalis to determine and introduce the best elicitor for increasing of qualitative and quantitative characters. Materials and methods: This research was performed in Ben city from Chaharmahal & Bakhtyari province (latitude. 32°35′ N, longitude. 50°33′ E, altitude. 2380 m) in 2023-2024. Based on the Köppen climate classification, the climate of the area of study is classified as cold and semiarid. The present study was conducted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications to investigate the effect of foliar application of different elicitors. Seedlings with 4-6 leaf in first year were sown at 4 May 2023 and in second year, planted at 9 May 2024 and irrigated immediately. Treatments contain of organic elicitors such as chitosan (0.25 and 0.50 gr.L-1), salicylic acid (1.5 and 3 mM) and phenylalanine (1000 and 2000 mg. L-1), alcoholic elicitors such as ethanol, methanol and acetone (10% and 20%), water spraying and control level (without any spraying). Estimated morphological characters were shoot dry/fresh matter, height of plant, number nod per stem and number stem per plant; and physiological characters were content of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll, carotenoid, antioxidant and flavonoid. In each year, treatments were applied in 3 stage (early vegetative phase (20-25 leaf), 50% vegetative phase (150-200 leaf) and beginning of flowering) and harvesting were done in complete flowering at 5 July 2023 in first year and 9 July 2024 in second year. Results: Over two consecutive years, the obtained results showed that the use of treatments increased the characters and made the significant effectiveness. In two years, the highest of morphological characters such as shoot fresh matter (144.37 g.plant-1), shoot dry matter (67.46 g.plant-1), height of plant (66.57 Cm) in treatment of chitosan 0.25 gr.L-1, number stem per plant (45.78) in treatment of phenylalanine 1000 mg. L-1 and the highest number nod per stem (28.62) in treatment of ethanol (10%) and the least amount of shoot fresh matter (51.56 g.plant-1), shoot dry matter (21.14 g.plant-1), height of plant (25.18 Cm), number nod per stem (12.14) and number stem per plant (25.99) made by water foliar application and control plants. Also the most measured physiological characters such as chlorophyll a (2.34 mg.g-1 FW) in treatment of chitosan 0.5 gr.L-1, chlorophyll b (0.91 mg.g-1 FW), total chlorophyll (3.06 mg.g-1 FW) in treatments of chitosan 0.5 gr.L-1 and salicylic acid 1.5 mM, the amount of antioxidant (79.00 mg.gr-1 FW), flavonoid (691.03 mg.gr-1 FW) in treatment of chitosan 0.25 g.L-1 and carotenoid (2.89 mg.gr-1 FW) in salicylic acid 1.5 mM were obtained. The least of chlorophyll a (1.52 mg.g-1 FW), chlorophyll b (0.36 mg.g-1 FW), total chlorophyll (1.88 mg.g-1 FW), the amount of antioxidant (40.00 mg.gr-1 FW), flavonoid (300.1 mg.gr-1 FW) and carotenoid (0.5 mg.gr-1 FW) in treatments of water foliar application and control were made. Conclusion: The application of organic elicitors (chitosan and phenylalanine) and alcoholic elicitors (ethanol and methanol) made significant effectiveness on morpho-physiological characters of Lavender. Use of elicitors of chitosan (0.25 gr.L-1) and phenylalanine (1000 mg.L-1) in most of characters for better nutrition were the best treatments. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7318.html Background and Objective: Barley is the fourth most important cereal crop in the world. Today, this plant is used as animal feed, malt production, and human food. The quality of its seeds, like other crop seeds, decreases under unfavorable environmental conditions. Seed aging or aging is usually an irreversible, cumulative, and irreparable process that causes cellular damage, leading to delayed germination, reduced ability to resist stress, and ultimately loss of vitality. The use of biological treatments or their derivatives is considered one of the strategies for controlling the rate of seed aging, among which the use of fungi of the genus Trichoderma is of great importance. The aim of this research is to investigate the effect of fungal extracts of Trichoderma koningii, T. virens, and T. harzianum on improving germination and seedling quality of 'Jolgeh' barley seeds under induced aging conditions. Materials and Methods: In this experiment, the effects of seed treatment with T. koningii, T. virens, and T. harzianum extracts on germination indices and seedling vigor of spent and unspent seeds of plain barley cultivar Jolgeh were investigated under laboratory and greenhouse conditions as factorial experiments in completely randomized plots with three replications. For seed exhaustion, accelerated exhaustion method was used for 24, 48, 72, 96, 144, and 120 hours at 44±1°C and 95±5% relative humidity. Extraction of fungal extracts was performed using Trichoderma-TSM specific culture medium. Germination traits were examined using ISTA method under standard laboratory conditions and greenhouse experiment was adjusted based on the results. In the greenhouse experiment, two exhaustion levels of 120 and 144 (hours) were excluded from the exhaustion treatment levels due to complete exhaustion of seeds. At this stage, all seedling traits were examined, including seed reserve utilization efficiency, seed discharge percentage, material mobility amount, and seedling vigor. Result: The results showed that all the studied parameters including germination percentage, germination rate, germination percentage, germination rate, abnormal seedling percentage, stem length, leaf length, root length, seedling length, root to stem length ratio, stem dry weight, root dry weight, seedling dry weight, seed reserve utilization efficiency, seed discharge percentage, material mobility amount, and seedling vigor were significantly (p≤0.01) affected by the interaction between seed exhaustion and fungal extracts. Seed exhaustion caused a decrease in germination percentage, which was proportional to the intensity of stress. However, the positive effect of fungal extracts of T. koningii, T. virens and T. harzianum on improving germination percentage in treatments with exhaustion longer than 72 hours was more pronounced than in the control treatment (p≤0.05). Seed exhaustion for 48 hours significantly increased germination rate, after which this trait decreased significantly under exhaustion (p≤0.05). The greenhouse results indicated positive effects of fungal extracts on important seedling traits. T. virens and T. harzianum extracts reduced the percentage of abnormal seedling compared to the control treatment. Also, these treatments performed better than the control treatment in most of the seedling weight and length traits under exhaustion conditions. The highest efficiency of using reserves from T. virens and T. harzianum was achieved at 72 hours and 24 hours of exhaustion, respectively, while the conversion efficiency of T. koningii was lower than the control at all exhaustion levels. Conclusion: The effect of fungal extracts on seed and seedling vigor recovery was not significant up to exhaustion levels of 48 hours compared to the control, but at higher levels, a significant effect on seed and seedling vigor recovery was observed, especially with extracts of T. virens and T. harzianum fungi, which was due to the increase in the mobility of seed reserves and their efficiency of use. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7346.html Background and Objectives: Many medicinal plants grow under the canopy of forest trees and are shade-tolerant, so agroforestry can be a suitable and practical strategy for promoting their cultivation and conservation. The agroforestry system is one of the land use systems that affects the soil's physical, chemical and dynamic properties and maintains agricultural sustainability. Little research has been conducted on the productivity of agroforestry systems, especially with medicinal and aromatic plants under a poplar-based Silvi-medicinal system. Accordingly, in the present study, the growth rate, yield, and yield components of chamomile in pure and mixed cultivation with poplar were compared under Karaj conditions. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted for five consecutive years from 2017 to 2021 to evaluate the yield and essential oil of the medicinal plant German chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) in an intercropping crop with poplar trees. Chamomile medicinal plant was planted in late autumn 2017 in the Alborz Research Station farm, between the rows of uniform seedlings of poplar (Populus euramericana clone of 92/40). Seedlings of Populus were planted in March 2017 at a distance of 3 m × 4 m. The statistical design of this research was a paired t-test with 2 treatments (chamomile with poplar and chamomile monoculture) in three experimental plots and 6 replications in each plot. Chamomile seeds were sown in five rows with a length of 21 m and 50 cm among rows and 10 cm in rows at a depth of 2 cm of soil, and then field irrigated immediately. During each growing season, poplar seedlings were irrigated once a week until late November, and chamomile plants until early September (before seed maturity). Then, variables of yield and yield components of chamomile, chlorophyll, and carotenoid concentrations, essential oil (%) and essential oil yield, percentage of tree shade density each year, and soil carbon content at two different depths by measuring the percentage of organic carbon and the apparent specific gravity of the soil in the final year were calculated. Results: The results showed that the variables of plant height, number of flowers per plant, flower diameter, seed yield, and number of main stems showed statistically significant differences in all years studied and in the first and second years, the highest amount of these variables was in intercropped cultivation compared to sole cultivation. The amounts of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll in the second and third years of harvest were higher in sole cultivation than in intercropped cultivation. A comparison of means showed that intercropped cultivation had the highest essential oil (%) in the first year with 0.78% and the lowest essential oil (%) in the third year with 0.41% due to the decrease in mount of light intercepted. The intercropped crop had the highest essential oil yield in the first year with 451.02 kg ha-1 and the lowest essential oil yield in the third year with 116.03 kg ha-1. In the third year of harvest, the amount of light intercepted during the growing months in the intercropped crop was greatly reduced, so that the density of shading created by poplar trees on the chamomile crop was calculated to be 64.5%. The main effect of cultivation type and soil depth and the interaction between these two factors on the rate of soil organic carbon content was significant, and the highest amount was obtained in intercropping at a depth of 30-60 cm. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7369.html Background and Objective: The integration of traditional and modern medicine has overcome the discrepancies and doubts associated with the use of medicinal plants. Medicinal plants have recently reestablished their vital role in contemporary medicine and pharmacology. Among these, alkaloids have attained a prominent status in the medical field. Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus L.) is a wild plant species utilized in Western medicine for treating biliary liver disorders such as indigestion, gallbladder disorders, and the healing of warts. The high diversity of phytochemical compounds, including alkaloids, terpenoids, phenols, and carotenoids in this plant, is the foundation of its utilization in both Eastern and Western medicine. With the increasing climate changes, understanding their regulatory effects on the plant's secondary metabolism has become vital. In this context, the present study aimed to better understand the impact of climate on the total alkaloid content of Greater Celandine across natural habitats in three northern provinces of Iran, while mitigating the environmental effects and comparing them across locations. Materials and Methods: The experiment was conducted as a completely randomized design with three replicates. Plants were collected from their natural habitats in the Caspian provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran, and Golestan and were examined for alkaloid, phenol, and total flavonoid content. To eliminate environmental effects, seeds from the collected populations were cultivated in a pot experiment under the climatic conditions of Gorgan in Golestan Province, and the desired traits were measured. Findings: The results of the analysis of variance showed that the effect of the habitat on the variations of the measured traits was statistically significant at a 1% probability level. This study recorded the highest total alkaloid content in the aerial parts from the Oushian habitat in Gilan Province and the lowest in the Gorgan habitat in Golestan Province. Additionally, the total alkaloid content in the aerial parts of plants collected from the Kurdku habitat, which was also cultivated in Gorgan’s climate, was at the highest amount. In contrast, the total alkaloid content in the aerial parts from Gorgan was at its lowest level. Among the 19 areas examined in this study, the highest phenol content was associated with the plants collected from the Soustan habitat in Gilan Province, while the lowest phenol content was observed in the Daland in Golestan and the Siesangan in Mazandaran Province. In plants grown under the climatic conditions of Gorgan, total pheno content was highest in the samples collected from the Noor and Shastakla habitats, while the lowest total phenol content was observed in samples from the Kaboodwal habitat. The total flavonoid content in the aerial parts of plants indicated that the Gorgan and Aliabad habitats in Golestan Province had the highest total flavonoid levels, whereas the Noor and Porshkouh habitats had the lowest, aligning with the comparisons made across the three provinces. Golestan Province initially showed the highest total flavonoid content. Conclusion: The results of this experiment indicated that the accumulation of total alkaloids in the Greater Celandine plants collected from east to west across the Caspian provinces showed an increasing trend, with the plants collected from Gilan having more favorable conditions for alkaloid production. In contrast, the phenolic compounds exhibited varied results. Given the higher rainfall in Gilan and the availability of organic materials in the soil, the plants have better conditions for alkaloid production. Phenols, as secondary plant metabolites, are also affected by various environmental factors, including light and moisture. Additionally, the lower altitude in Gilan correlates with increased alkaloid compounds, as these compounds have an inverse relationship with elevation. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7370.html Background and Objectives: Nitrogen (N), as an essential nutrient for growth and development of plants, is added to agricultural fields to boost crop yield. Soil inorganic amendments such as zeolite are good strategies to improve soil quality and increase soil nitrogen content. The objective of this research was conducted with the aim of determine the impact of zeolite and ammonium sulphate fertilizer on physiological characteristics and yield in two soils with different texture. Materials and Methods: This experiment was conducted as a split plot in pots conditions in three replicates in Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University in 2022. In this experiment, the main factors include two types of soils (silty clay loam and sandy loam) and the secondary factors in twelve levels include the control, 108 and 153 mg kg-1 ammonium sulphate fertilizer, 2, 4 and 6 g zeolite with 108 mg. kg ammonium sulphate, 2, 4 and 6 g zeolite with 153 mg kg-1 ammonium sulphate and 2, 4 and 6 g enriched zeolite were considered. The amount of ammonium sulfate fertilizer was determined according to the soil test and zeolite was enriched by ion saturation method. Data analysis was done in the Statistic software and the mean comparisons were made by LSD test. Results: The results showed that the effects of the soil type treatments were significant on pod weight, protein grain and grain yield and the effects of the amendment treatments were significant on all studied traits. the interaction effect of soil type and amendment treatments were significant on biological yield, harvest index, oil yield and grain yield. 4 g zeolite with 153 mg kg-1 ammonium sulphate (T7) was the most effective treatment on pod weight and leaf chlorophyll content. The highest amount of plant height and protein grain was observed in 6 g zeolite with 153 mg kg-1 ammonium sulphate (T8) and 153 mg kg-1 ammonium sulphate (T2) respectively. The highest amount of biological yield and grain yield was observed in silty clay loam soil and 6 g zeolite with 153 mg kg-1 ammonium sulphate (T8). the most effective treatment on harvest index was silty clay loam soil and 108 mg kg-1 ammonium sulphate (T2) and the highest amount of oil yield was observed in silty clay loam soil and 2 g zeolite with 153 mg kg-1 ammonium sulphate (T6). Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, all studied traits in soil with silty clay loam texture are more than soil with sandy loam texture. The best results were obtained in 6 g zeolite with 153 mg. kg ammonium sulphate (T8) and among the enriched zeolite treatments, application of 6 gr enriched zeolite with ammonium was the most effective treatment. It can be concluded that the combined use of zeolite and ammonium sulphate can be a suitable solution for improving rapeseed yield. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7381.html Background and Objective: Olive (Olea europaea L.), a member of the Oleaceae family, is one of the oldest cultivated fruit trees in the world, with a documented history of over 2000 years and a longstanding role in human civilizations. More than 1200 olive genotypes are currently under cultivation and utilization worldwide. Due to Iran's favorable climatic conditions, olive cultivation has significantly expanded over the past two decades. In this context, identifying and evaluating superior genotypes for improved yield, enhanced oil quality, and greater production efficiency has become a critical necessity. Accordingly, the present study was conducted to assess the impact of genotype on the morphological traits of olive, particularly those related to fruit, stone, and flower, across 20 commonly cultivated genotypes in Iran, including both native and introduced types. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in 2021 at the olive germplasm collection of the Golestan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Iran. A total of 20 morphological traits related to flower, fruit, and stone were selected based on established standards and available facilities. These traits were evaluated in 20 olive genotypes currently cultivated in Iran, including: Koroneiki, Zard, Arbequina, Shiraz, Direh, Baladi, Shengeh, Zard Golouleh, Rowghani, Malekshahi, Conservolia, Caillet, Lemeski, Manzanilla, Amiygdalolia, Mari, Mission, Valanolia, Coratina, and Genotype One (a local genotype from Golestan). The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS software. The Least Significant Difference (LSD) test was used to compare means and determine significant differences among genotypes. To visualize data patterns, a heatmap of traits was generated using PAST software. In addition, principal component analysis (PCA), correlation analysis, and hierarchical clustering were conducted to explore complex relationships among traits and reduce dimensionality in the dataset. Results: The findings of this study revealed highly significant differences (p < 0.01) among the evaluated genotypes in terms of morphological traits related to fruit, stone, and flower. Mean comparisons indicated considerable genetic diversity, with genotypes such as Conservolia, Shiraz, Amiygdalolia, Malekshahi, and Manzanilla exhibiting superior performance in traits including fruit weight, fruit length, and flesh content highlighting their potential as promising candidates for breeding programs. In contrast, Genotype One, along with Arbequina and Koroneiki, recorded the lowest values in most fruit and stone-related traits. Regarding stone shape, Zard Golouleh and Arbequina were identified as more suitable for table olive processing due to their more spherical form. Inflorescence traits also varied significantly among genotypes, with Genotype One showing the lowest numerical values. Cluster and correlation analyses revealed that Lemeski, Amiygdalolia, and Malekshahi were grouped closely together, indicating minimal phenotypic distance, whereas Genotype One was phenotypically the most distinct. Correlation coefficients indicated strong positive associations among fruit and stone traits, while several inflorescence traits showed negative correlations with fruit-related traits. This inverse relationship may reflect a physiological trade-off in resource allocation between flower development and fruit growth, which warrants further investigation, particularly in the context of orchard management and genotype selection strategies. Conclusion: This study, focusing on olive genotypes cultivated in Iran and employing a multivariate analysis of morphological traits, including fruit, stone, and especially inflorescence characteristics revealed a considerable level of genetic diversity among the evaluated genotypes. This diversity should be taken into account in future breeding and orchard management programs. The identified variability can play a critical role in improving productivity, enhancing oil quality, and contributing to the sustainable development of the olive industry in Iran. Moreover, the findings provide a valuable basis for the identification, selection, and improvement of superior cultivars adapted to the country’s agro-climatic conditions. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7383.html ضایعات کشاورزی و صنعتی می‌توانند به عنوان بستر کشت برای تولید قارچ صدفی مورد استفاده قرار گیرند. در دو دهه گذشته، به دلیل ارزش غذایی بالای شناخته شده و اثرات مفید بر سلامتی، افزایش قابل توجهی در تولید و مصرف قارچ‌ها مشاهده شده است. قارچ اوستراتوس که معمولاً با نام قارچ صدفی شناخته می‌شود، به عنوان یکی از رایج‌ترین و محبوب‌ترین گونه‌های قارچ در سراسر جهان، جایگاه برجسته‌ای دارد. نظر به اینکه کشت موفقیت‌آمیز قارچ صدفی به داشتن محیطی با محتوای نیتروژن متوسط، سلولز بالا و سطح لیگنین پایین بستگی دارد لذا بررسی و شناخت ویژگی های شیمیایی و فیزیکی ضایعات لیگنوسلولزی مختلف برای کشت قارچ صدفی از اهمیت بالایی برخوردار است همچنین بررسی تغییرات بیوشیمیایی در اجزای لیگنوسلولزی بستر کشت در طول دوره کشت قارچ از رشد رویشی تا برداشت اندام میوه‌دهی آن مهم می باشد. مواد و روش ها این پژوهش با استفاده از شش بستر کشت مختلف شامل کلش گندم، باگاس نیشکر، خرده چوب انگور، کلش گندم+ باگاس نیشکر (به نسبت وزنی مساوی)، کلش گندم+خرده چوب انگور (به نسبت وزنی مساوی) و باگاس نیشکر+خرده چوب انگور (به نسبت وزنی مساوی) انجام گردید. همچنین تعداد روزهای لازم برای تکمیل دوره پنجه دوانی میسلیوم، شروع تشکیل اندام گره ای و برداشت اولین اندام میوه ای محاسبه شد. پس از بلوغ، وزن تر اندام میوه ای قارچ اندازه‌گیری شد. همچنین صفاتی مانند کربن، نیتروژن، نسبت کربن به نیتروژن، هدایت الکتریکی، سلولز، همی‌سلولز و لیگنین محیط کشت در سه مرحله پنجه دوانی میسلیوم، شروع تشکیل اندام گره ای و برداشت اولین اندام میوه ای تعیین گردید. یافته ها نتایج نشان داد که بیشترین و کمترین زمان برای کامل شدن پنجه دوانی میسلیوم و شروع تشکیل اندام گره ای در بسترهای خرده چوب انگور و کلش گندم به ترتیب 22، 15، 34 و 15 روز طول کشید همچنین بیشترین (33/40 روز) و کمترین (33 روز) زمان لازم برای برداشت اولین اندام میوه ای به ترتیب به بسترهای ترکیبی باگاس نیشکر و خرده چوب انگور (به نسبت وزنی مساوی) و بستر کلش گندم مربوط بود همچنین بیشترین (715 گرم) وزن تر اندام میوه ای قارچ به تیمار کلش گندم مربوط بود و نیز بیشترین (68/78 درصد) وزن خشک کل اندام میوه ای به تیمار ترکیبی باگاس نیشکر با خرده چوب انگور مربوط است. نتایج مربوط به بستر کشت نشان داد که بیشترین (23/22-) و کمترین (02/13-) درصد کاهش مقادیر کربن بستر کشت در مرحله برداشت اولین اندام میوه ای به ترتیب به تیمارهای ترکیبی کلش گندم و باگاس نیشکر (به نسبت وزنی مساوی) و تیمار باگاس نیشکر مربوط بود. همچنین نتایج این پژوهش نشان داد که مقادیر نیتروژن، هدایت الکتریکی و خاکستر بستر کشت در مراحل اتمام پنجه دوانی میسلیوم، شروع تولید اندام گره ای و برداشت اولین اندام میوه ای قارچ صدفی اوستراتوس افزایش یافت. در حالی که کربن، سلولز، همی سلولز https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7389.html Background and Objective: In order to provide food for the growing world population, it is necessary to increase agricultural production significantly. Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an annual shrub plant native to tropical and subtropical regions cultivated in 109 countries due to its oil and seed protein quality. Weeds cause significant damage to crops and using integrated management programs is the best method to eliminate these plants. This method emphasizes the correct use of all eradication, prevention, and control methods, including agronomic, physical, mechanical, biological, and chemical control, to reduce the damage caused by weeds. Materials and Methods: This experiment was conducted in 2012 and 2013 in a split-plot randomized complete block design with three replications at the research farm of the Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Ardabil Province (Moghan) in order to evaluate the effect of planting arrangement in combination with weeding, herbicides, & cover crops on weed control & peanut yield. The main plots included the type of planting arrangement (single row, parallel double row & zigzag double row) on a 75 cm ridge & subplots, 7 levels of weed management including (planting cover crops 1- Crimson clover & 2- Flowering vetch, 3- Application of the herbicide combination bentazone + supergallant, 4- Weeding once (20 days after planting), 5- Weeding twice (20 & 40 days after planting), 6- Weeding all season of weeds & 7- Control without the use of cover crops and without the use of herbicides. Results: The results of the experiment showed that the density & biomass of weeds, grain yield, & the amount of amino acids lysine, methionine, palmitic acid, stearic acid, & oleic acid in peanut seeds were affected by the experimental treatments. The lowest weed density & biomass were obtained in the zigzag double-row planting arrangement & the treatments of double weeding & vetch cover crop cultivation, & the highest weed density & biomass were obtained in the single-row planting arrangement & the control condition without control. The highest peanut seed yield was obtained in the zigzag double-row planting arrangement & different levels of weeding, & then in the cover crop treatments of vetch, clover, & herbicide application, & the lowest values of the mentioned traits were obtained in the single-row planting arrangement & the control condition without control. The highest levels of lysine & methionine in the grain were obtained in the treatments of full-season weeding & the arrangement of parallel single-row & double-row planting. The highest levels of palmitic acid & oleic acid were obtained in the all-season weeding treatments & the single-row zigzag & parallel planting arrangements. The highest levels of stearic acid were obtained in the all-season weeding treatments & the zigzag planting arrangement. Conclusion: Considering the conditions of the Moghan region, the zigzag planting arrangement & weeding twice will be the best option for controlling peanut weeds. However, in case of a shortage of labor for weeding, the use of a mixture of bentazone & supergallant herbicides is recommended as the next priority. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7391.html Background and objectives: The rice plant belongs to the Poaceae family and is known by the scientific name Oryza sativa. This plant is one of the important cereals and is the main food of half of the world, especially in Asia. Rice is a herbaceous, annual plant for areas with hot climate. Rice contains a variety of components such as carbohydrates, fats, protein, fiber and mineral element which the amount of these compounds is different in each cultivar. It has been show that some powerful antioxidants including Ƴ-Oryzanol, tocopherols, tocotrinols and phenolic compounds have anti-aging effects. The purpose of current research was to investigate the possible effect of ascorbic acid and salicylic acid elicitors on secondary metabolites production, antioxidant potential and other biological activities of the extract obtained from callus cultures of two cultivars of Shirodi and Hashemi rice on Murashig and Skoog (MS) medium culture. Shiroodi is a high-yielding cultivar with medium seed quality, and Hashemi cultivar is a low-yielding cultivar with high seed quality. Material and Methods: The current experiment was conducted at the Plant Physiology Laboratory of Golestan University in 2023. In order to produce callus, we used seed as an explant to induce callus. For this purpose, the peeled seeds of the target cultivars were placed on MS medium culture containing growth regulators 2, 4-D (20 mg/l), BAP (10 mg/l) and NAA (10 mg/l). In different treatments, ascorbic acid and salicylic acid were added to the culture medium at a concentration of 70 mg/l. The treatments included growth regulators without ascorbic acid and salicylic acid (control treatment), growth regulators with ascorbic acid, growth regulators with salicylic acid, and growth regulators with both elicitors. After six weeks, callus was collected and different growth and biochemical parameters were evaluated. The experiment was done in the form of completely randomized design and the whole measurements were done in four replications. Results: The obtained data showed that the application of both elicitors, ascorbic acid and salicylic acid, caused a significant increase in the amount of fresh and dry weight in Hashemi cultivar, compared to Shiroudi cultivar, and the highest amount of callus formation was also observed in this treatment. Also, the presence of these elicitors caused a significant increase in the production of secondary metabolites and antioxidant properties. Accordingly, significant differences were observed in total phenol, total flavonoid, total anthocyanin, activity of PPO, POD, SOD enzymes, total protein content, soluble sugar, and photosynthetic pigments in Hashemi compared to Shiroudi cultivar. The highest antioxidant activity based on DPPH free radical scavenging percentage was also observed in the group treated by both ascorbic acid and salicylic acid. Conclusion: The current data revealed that the application of combined elicitors, ascorbic acid and salicylic acid (70 mg/L), significantly increased biomass, secondary metabolites content and antioxidant activity in the both Hashemi and Shiroodi rice cultivars. However, Hashemi cultivar showed greater enhancement compared to shiroodi cultivar. It seems these elicitors increase secondary metabolites production by activating of biosynthetic pathways and consequently enhance the antioxidant potential of rice callus. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7394.html Abstract Background and objectives: The use of biofertilizers, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), in intercropping systems has emerged as an innovative and sustainable approach to enhance crop growth and promote sustainable production. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of mycorrhizal biofertilizer and mineral phosphorus fertilizer on some physiological traits of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and maize (Zea mays) in an intercropping system using the replacement method. Materials and methods: The experiment was carried out at two locations (the research farms of Shahrood University of Technology located in the Faculty of Agriculture and the Tarud research farm) as a factorial experiment in a completely randomized block design with three replications. The treatments included different cropping arrangements (pure cowpea, 75% cowpea + 25% maize, 50% cowpea + 50% maize, 25% cowpea + 75% maize, and pure maize) as the first factor; phosphorus fertilizer at three levels (0, 50, and 100 kg/ha) as the second factor; and mycorrhiza at two levels (application and no application) as the third factor. Results: The results showed that the highest grain yield in cowpea plants (13.95 tons per hectare) and maize (6.2 tons per hectare) was observed in the treatment using mycorrhizal biofertilizer and 50 kilograms per hectare of phosphorus fertilizer in the Shahroud farm. The highest protein content, averaging 25.4%, in cowpea plants was achieved with the inoculation of mycorrhiza, 50 kilograms per hectare of phosphorus, and 100% cowpea planting in the Shahroud farm. All individual effects of the treatments significantly influenced the pigment content in cowpea. The highest chlorophyll content in cowpea (2.88 mg/g) and maize (3.8 mg/g) was observed in the 50% planting arrangement with the application of 50 kilograms per hectare phosphorus fertilizer. The highest carotenoid content in cowpea (3.56 mg/g) and maize (4.02 mg/g) was recorded at a 50% cowpea-maize planting ratio combined with 50 kilograms per hectare phosphorus application and the use of mycorrhiza in the Tarood region. The highest leaf area index in both plants increased by about 27% in the 50% planting arrangement compared to pure cropping. The highest land equivalent ratio, averaging 1.72, was obtained in the 75% maize and 25% cowpea planting treatment with 50 kilograms per hectare phosphorus fertilizer and mycorrhizal fungus application. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, the mixed cropping system with the use of phosphorus fertilizer and mycorrhiza positively affected the physiological traits of cowpea and maize and can be recommended as a cropping model for agricultural producers. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7395.html Abstract Background and objective: Prohexadione-calcium (ProCa) is a chemical inhibitor compound and an inhibitor of gibberellin hormone biosynthesis, which has low toxicity and limited stability. In the conditions of potato tissue culture, the carbon source is necessary for the induction of microtuberization and the development of the microtuber. The use of plant growth retarders in the stage of tuber formation reduces stem growth and transfers photosynthetic materials to the tuber and increases tuber growth. A number of plant growth regulators have been used to delay stem growth and start tuber formation. Prohexadione-calcium is classified as a plant growth inhibitor. In general, the mode of action of this growth inhibitor is to prevent the conversion of the inactive form of GA20 into its active form GA1. Prohexadione-calcium is registered in the United States under the brand name Apogee and in Europe under the brand name Regalis. Materials and Methods: In this experiment, the carbon source (80 g/L sucrose and mannitol) and prohexadione calcium (at concentrations of 0, 3, 6 and 9 mg/L) in the MS base culture medium as a factorial experiment in the form of a completely randomized design with 8 treatments and 4 replications was executed. Also, 5 single nodule micro-samples were cultured in each test unit. In the test of microtuber, the explants were kept under dark conditions and at a temperature of 18±2 degrees Celsius and notes were taken every 15 days. After 3 months, the effects of these substances on the number of microtubers, the percent of microtuber dormancy, the number of eyes, the average weight of the tubers, the length and width of the microtubers, and the yield were investigated. Results and Discussion: The results showed that the treatments of 3 and 6 mg/L prohexadione calcium produced the highest number of microtuber with 2.4 and 2.83 number of microtuber and did not show any significant difference from each other. Also, control and prohexadione calcium treatments at a concentration of 9 mg/liter produced the lowest number of microtuber with 1.17 microtuber. Also, in all concentrations of prohexadione calcium, sucrose produced more microtuber with length and width than mannitol. The treatment of 3 mg/L prohexadione calcium with 80 g/L sucrose produced the highest number of eyes with 5.66 eyes and showed a significant difference with the other treatments. The treatment of 3 mg/L prohexadione calcium along with 80 g/L sucrose with 2.66 g of microtuber in the treatment produced the highest yield among the treatments. With a general look at the results of this research, it can be concluded that the carbon source of sucrose is better for microtuberization than mannitol, and among the concentrations of prohexadione calcium, the concentration of 3 mg/liter showed better results than the higher concentrations, and this concentration of prohexadione calcium together with 80 gr per liter of sucrose showed positive and better results for microtuber production. Conclusions: Generally, it can be concluded that the carbon source of sucrose is better for microtuberization than mannitol, and among the concentrations of prohexadione calcium, the concentration of 3 mg/liter showed better results than the higher concentrations, and this concentration of prohexadione calcium together with 80 gr per liter of sucrose showed positive and better results for the production of microtubers and with the assumption that the growth retarder plays a role in the induction of potato microtubers. Prohexadione calcium has played a role in the induction of microtuberization by preventing the production of gibberellin hormone and it has performed the mechanism of microtuberization induction by preventing the production of gibberellin hormone. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7435.html Effect of microbial biostimulants on growth and physiology of lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. prizehead) under Dicyandiamide stress Background and objectives Dicyandiamide is a nitrification inhibitor that slows down the nitrification process (the conversion of ammonium to nitrate) by inhibiting the activity of nitrifying bacteria, and its accumulation in the soil may lead to plant toxicity. The efficiency of nitrogen use in soils is generally low, and a large portion the nitrogen applied to soil becomes unavailable to plant roots through leaching, volatilization, and denitrification. One of the most important forms of nitrogen in the soil is nitrate (NO₃⁻). Due to its high mobility in the soil, nitrate is easily leached by irrigation or rainfall and enters groundwater resources. To address this problem, the use of nitrification inhibitors has been considered an effective method to reduce the rate of ammonium conversion to nitrate. One approach to mitigate the harmful effects of nitrification inhibitor and prevent their entry into the nutrient cycle is through their immobilization in the soil and plant roots using plant-microorganism bioremediation technologies. The presence of useful microorganisms around the roots led to substantial pollutant degradation, suggesting that inoculation of roots holds promise as a method to remediate pollution Material and Methods In the present study, to investigate the effect of different levels of dicyandiamide and microbial biostimulant on growth and physiological traits of lettuce, a factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design. The experiment included different levels of dicyandiamide (0, 5, 20, and 40 mg kg-1 of soil) and the application of a combination of symbiotic fungus and growth-promoting bacteria (inoculated and non-inoculated), with four replications under soil-based cultivation in the research greenhouse of University of Mohaghegh Ardabili. The cultivation was carried out in the autumn of 1401.In this experiment, traits such as root and leaf fresh weight, number of leaves, total chlorophyll content, carotenoid, anthocyanin, soluble protein content, soluble sugars, flavonoids, malondialdehyde, leaf relative water content, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and guaiacol peroxidase were studied. To identify bacterial strains resistant to the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide, a total of 15 bacterial strains were obtained from the Faculty of Soil Science at University of Shahid Beheshti. One of these strains, Bacillus anthracis, was selected and used as the chosen strain. Result The results indicated that as the dicyandiamide (DCD) amount in the soil increased from 0 to 40 mg/kg, root symbiosis percentage, fresh root weight, and fresh leaf weight decreased by 29%, 27%, and 30%, respectively. Additionally, inoculation with the bio-stimulant increased fresh root weight and fresh leaf weight by 36% and 27%, respectively. Total chlorophyll content decreased from 8.39 mg/g FW in the 5 mg/kg DCD treatment to 7.11 mg/g FW in the 40 mg/kg DCD treatment. The 40 mg/kg DCD treatment showed an approximately 24% increase in carotenoid content compared to the DCD-free control treatment. Inoculated plants exhibited 33% higher total chlorophyll and 50% higher carotenoid content than non-inoculated plants. The highest activity of guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) enzymes was obtained in the 20 mg dicyandiamide treatment without bio-stimulant application, while the lowest activity was observed in the dicyandiamide control treatment without bio-stimulant application. Conclusion: "In general, it is concluded that the application of the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (DCD) at rates of 20 and 40 mg/kg soil resulted in a significant reduction in leaf and root fresh weight, root colonization, and total chlorophyll content. However, it increased carotenoid and flavonoid content, and antioxidant enzyme activities. Inoculation of plant roots with the fungus S. indica and the bacterium Bacillus anthracis improved growth and physiological traits." Keywords: Nitrification inhibitor, Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPR),Serendipita indica, Lettuce https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7448.html Background and objectives: Water and soil salinity is one of the most serious problems in agricultural production. Silicon is one of the elements that benefits the growth of many plants under various biotic and abiotic stresses and can activate certain plant defense mechanisms. Nitric oxide is also a compound that reacts rapidly with reactive oxygen species (ROS) under stress conditions and acts as a signaling molecule in response to various biotic and abiotic stresses. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the role of silicon and nitric oxide in mitigating the destructive effects of salinity on Zard olive cultivar. Materials and methods: The experiment was conducted on one-year-old olive plants (cv. Zard) in a greenhouse. Salinity treatment was applied from the beginning of the experiment at four concentrations (0, 50, 100, and 150 mM sodium chloride) along with irrigation with tap water for 90 days. Saline water irrigation intervals were considered to be 4 days. Foliar application of the resistance-inducing agents including nano-silicon (at concentrations of 100 and 200 mg/L) and sodium nitroprusside (at concentrations of 0.5 and 1 mM) was carried out alongside a control in four stages at 20-day intervals. Morphological characteristics were measured after 90 days. Morphological characteristics were: length of the longest shoot, width of the largest leaf at the fourth node, internode length between the fourth and fifth nodes (from the top), percentage of green leaves, percentage of necrotic leaves, percentage of abscission leaves, thickness of the largest leaf at the fourth node, and percentage of morality. Fresh and dry weights of leaves, stems and roots, relative leaf water content and ion leakage were also other traits examined. Results: The interaction effect of salinity and elicitor was significant for internode length, leaf width, percentage of green leaf, fresh and dry leaf weights, and LRWC content and decreased with increasing salinity levels. Foliar application of elicitors, especially nano-silicon, mitigated the damage caused by salt stress. As salinity increased, especially at 150 mM NaCl - elicitor control, leaf abscission increased, while foliar application of elicitors significantly reduced it. Ion leakage also increased with increasing salt concentration, indicating reduced membrane stability under salt stress conditions. Foliar application of inducers, especially nano-silicon at 200 mg/L, enhanced membrane stability and significantly reduced ion leakage. Salt addition and also foliar application of elicitors independently increased leaf thickness compared to the control. Salinity reduced shoot length, while foliar application of both elicitors effectively increased this parameter compared to the control. The highest morality and leaf necrosis percentages were observed in the 150 mM NaCl treatment, and foliar application of elicitors reduced leaf necrosis and morality compared to the control. Salinity independently and significantly decreased fresh and dry weights of roots and stems. Foliar application, especially nano-silicon at 200 mg/L, improved stem weight. Conclusion: Zard is one of the sensitive cultivars of olive to salinity. This experiment demonstrated that high salt concentrations led to a decline in growth characteristics and relative leaf water content. Additionally, salinity caused an increase in ion leakage, indicating reduced membrane stability. Foliar application of nano-silicon and sodium nitroprusside compounds, particularly nano-silicon at 200 mg/L, improved growth traits under salt stress conditions. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7471.html Background and objectives: Teucrium polium L., a perennial medicinal plant from the Lamiaceae family, is renowned in traditional medicine for its hypoglycemic properties. Its flowering tops contain phenolic and flavonoid compounds, which are associated with tonic, analgesic, and antioxidant effects. Given the influence of environmental factors on phytochemical composition, this study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activity, total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC) of 18 ecotypes from southern Iran. The objective was to identify superior ecotypes with an optimal phytochemical profile for pharmaceutical applications and to establish a basis for their conservation and commercial cultivation. Methodology: Eighteen T. polium ecotypes were collected at full flowering stage from various habitats in southern Iran, encompassing the provinces of Hormozgan, Kerman, Bushehr, and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad. The flowering branches were dried in shade at room temperature, powdered, and subjected to methanolic extraction using maceration. TPC was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, with absorbance measured at 750 nm and quantified against a gallic acid standard curve. TFC was assessed via the aluminum chloride colorimetric method, measuring absorbance at 415 nm against a quercetin standard. Antioxidant capacity was evaluated using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay, measuring absorbance at 517 nm. All measurements were performed in triplicate, and data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Duncan's multiple range test (p < 0.05). Results: Habitat significantly influenced the phytochemical properties of T. polium (p < 0.01). Among the 18 ecotypes, the Siyahoo ecotype (Hormozgan) exhibited the highest TPC (86.66 mg GAE/g DW), while the Kondar ecotype (Kerman) showed the highest TFC (56.45 mg QE/g DW). The Narrab ecotype (Kerman) demonstrated the highest IC50 value (85.02 µg/ml), indicating its weaker antioxidant activity. Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive relationship (R² = 0.82) between TPC and antioxidant power (inverse of IC50), confirming the contribution of phenolics to the plant's antioxidant activity. Ecotypes from Kerman and Hormozgan provinces consistently outperformed those from Bushehr and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad. Siyahoo exhibited a 25% higher phenolic content than the average of other ecotypes, whereas Kondor was superior in flavonoids. Significant statistical differences (p < 0.05) among ecotypes highlighted the impact of environmental factors, such as altitude and rainfall, on phytochemical diversity. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that the ecological conditions of high-altitude regions, characterized by greater solar radiation, temperature fluctuations, and lower precipitation, significantly enhance the phenolic and flavonoid compounds and antioxidant capacity of T. polium. This underscores the necessity of concurrently considering environmental factors like altitude, temperature, and rainfall when selecting elite germplasms for pharmaceutical and industrial purposes. The introduction of high-yielding ecotypes (e.g., Kondar, Siyahoo, and Esfandagheh) can pave the way for sustainable cultivation, conservation of natural resources, and improved quality of plant-based pharmaceutical products. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7472.html Background and objectives: Catchweed bedstraw (Galium aparine L.) and wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis L.) are among the most problematic broadleaf weeds of winter cereals in western Iran. Reports indicate these weeds have developed resistance to the commonly used herbicides 2,4-D and 2,4-D + MCPA in western Kermanshah province. The primary resistance mechanism to 2,4-D is reduced translocation from treated leaves to other plant parts. However, other off-target resistance mechanisms have not been sufficiently investigated. Therefore, the main goal of this research, besides confirming resistance to these herbicides, is to reveal increased 2,4-D metabolism in resistant populations of weeds like Catchweed bedstraw and wild mustard to synthetic auxins. Materials and methods: Seeds of Catchweed bedstraw and wild mustard weeds were collected from 10 diverse fields in Kermanshah province in spring and summer 2017, including Sarpol-e-Zahab, Gilan-e-Gharb, Islamabad, Kozran, Ravansar, and Mahidasht. The populations had received two-way herbicides (2,4-D and 2,4-D + MCPA) at least three times in the past five years. A sample of the susceptible population was also collected from a field with no history of herbicide use. The experiments were conducted in the research greenhouse of Razi University. In the screening experiment, the suspected populations were sprayed with the recommended dose of two-way herbicide, and their resistance was evaluated based on biomass estimation on a scale of 0 to 10. The dose-response experiment was conducted with doses of 0 to 17280 g active ingredient per hectare with three replications. The leaf 2,4-D metabolism test was also performed at several time points after treatment with doses of 0, 600, and 2400 g of active ingredient per hectare. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to investigate the metabolism of 2,4-D. Results: Among 23 Catchweed bedstraw biotypes and 15 wild mustard biotypes, two biotypes of each species showed resistance to herbicide application by maintaining 50% survival and seed production. The dose-response experiment showed that the effective dose for 50% dry weight reduction (X50) in resistant Catchweed bedstraw biotypes was 2028 and 973 g ha-1 under 2,4-D and 2,4-D + MCPA treatments, respectively, which was significantly higher than the doses of sensitive biotypes (291 and 326 g ha-1). For resistant wild mustard biotypes, X50 was 1411 and 864 g ha-1, respectively. The resistance index for resistant Catchweed bedstraw biotypes to 2,4-D herbicide was 6.95 and 2.98 for the 2,4-D + MCPA combination. The dry weight loss curves were sigmoid in shape, and the effect of 2,4-D + MCPA was stronger than 2,4-D alone. The metabolism of 2,4-D in the plant cell resulted in the hydroxy metabolites 2,3-D and 2,5-D, which were significantly increased in the resistant biotypes of Catchweed bedstraw and wild mustard. These metabolites were detected at higher concentrations (up to 4320 g ha-1) in the resistant biotypes of wild mustard, while they were observed at lower doses (405 g ha-1) in the susceptible biotypes. High resistance and resistance indices greater than six indicate a decrease in the efficacy of 2,4-D in these areas, and continuous use of this herbicide may limit effective weed control. Conclusion: The findings indicate the existence of significant resistance to the herbicide 2,4-D in the biotypes of Catchweed bedstraw and wild mustard weeds, which has dramatically reduced the effectiveness of this herbicide. The use of the combination of 2,4-D + MCPA can slow down the resistance process, but the relative resistance is still a challenge. The metabolism of 2,4-D to hydroxy metabolites in resistant biotypes indicates a detoxification and resistance mechanism. Therefore, the combination of management and intelligent planning is essential for the control of resistant weeds. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7505.html Background and objectives: Irrigation is an important limiting factor of crop yield, because it is associated with many factors of plant environment, which influence growth and development. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) demands high soil moisture for satisfactory yield, and under unfavorable climatic conditions, several problems may occur, such as the reduction of female flowers and delay in fruit growth. Availability of adequate amount of moisture at critical stages of plant growth not only optimizes the metabolic process in plant cells but also increases the effectiveness of the mineral nutrients applied to the crop. Auxin plays crucial roles during stress like improving root architecture by increasing lateral root number, expression of stress-related genes and metabolic homeostasis. Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), has frequently been demonstrated to enhance growth parameters and productivity in vegetable and other crops. This study aimed to investigate the effect of NAA foliar spray on female flower production and fruit yield of cucumber under water deficit stress. Material and methods: This experiment was conducted at the Research farm of the Agriculture Faculty (University of Zanjan, Iran) in 2023 using a split plot based on a randomized complete block design with three replicates. The experimental treatments consisted of three different irrigation regimes (50, 75 and 100 ETc%) as the main plot and foliar spray of NAA at three levels (0, 50 and 100 mg L-1) as a sub plot. Kish F1 hybrid cucumber seeds were sown with a distance of 50 cm in rows and 120 cm between rows. Different levels of NAA foliar spraying started at 4–5th true leaf stage and were repeated two times with an interval 15 days using a mechanical mist sprayer. Irrigation was calculated based on actual evapotranspiration (ETc%) rates. During the growth period, male and female flowers number was recorded. Fruits number per plant, average fruit weight, total fruit yield, water use efficiency (WUE) and total soluble solid (TSS) and fruit firmness were evaluated. Results: The results showed that deficit irrigation stress significantly decreased male and female flowers number, but had no significant effect on female to male flower ratio. Also results showed that deficit irrigation significantly reduced fruit number per plant, average fruit weight and yield. Sever water deficit stress (50 ETc%) resulted in a 54.7% reduction in fruit yield compared to irrigation 100 ETc%, leading to a decrease in WUE. Also, water deficit stress significantly reduced fruit firmness but had no significant effect on fruit soluble solids content. Foliar application of NAA improved fruit yield by increasing the number of female flowers, number of fruit per plant, and average fruit weight. Foliar application of naphthalene acetic acid improved fruit yield by increasing the number of female flowers, number of fruits, and average fruit weight. Treatment with NAA 50 mg L-1 under irrigation 100 ETc% increased the number of female flowers, average fruit weight, water use efficiency, and fruit yield by 43.6, 53.2, 24.3, and 24.1 percent, respectively, compared to the control treatment. Application of NAA significantly increased TSS, which depended on the hormone concentration and irrigation level. Also, foliar spray of NAA under irrigation 100 ETc% and deficit irrigation 75 ETc% conditions improved fruit firmness. Maximum fruit firmness (3.7 kg cm-2) was achieved with foliar spray of NAA 100 mg L-1 under irrigation 100 ETc% condition. Conclusion: According to the results,, it can be stated that the cucumber is a sensitive plant to water deficit stress, which under water deficit fruit yield decreased. This study showed that the application of NAA 50 mg L-1 can be proposed to improve the growth and yield of cucumber under normal and deficit irrigation conditions. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7507.html Background and objectives: The global trend toward using medicinal plants and natural compounds, also the growing domestic interest in this field, the need for basic and applied research on basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), a warm-season medicinal-vegetable plant, has increased. Basil faces photosynthetic challenges under low-light conditions in the cold season, as light affects chlorophyll and carotenoid production, stomatal opening and closing, and growth. LED lamps, due to their small size, high durability, long lifespan, and ability to provide specific wavelengths (e.g., red-to-blue ratios of 2:1 or 3:1), are superior to traditional light sources and enhance growth, photosynthetic efficiency, and phenolic compounds; particularly, blue light increases carotenoid accumulation. To cope with reactive oxygen species (ROS) under stress, plants utilize antioxidant systems (enzymatic and non-enzymatic) such as ascorbic acid. The combined or separate application of salicylic acid and ascorbic acid under stress conditions increases chlorophyll and carotenoid levels, reduces antioxidant enzyme activity, and leads to improved growth and stress resistance in basil. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of these factors on the photosynthetic and antioxidant characteristics of basil in a controlled environment. Materials and methods: To investigate the responses of photosynthetic pigments in basil to various light treatments combined with ascorbic acid foliar application, a pot experiment was conducted in 2023 using a split-plot design based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. The main factor consisted of different LED light spectra with three blue-to-red light ratios (BBBR, BBRR, BRRR) and full-spectrum light (FFFF). The sub-factor included the application of ascorbic acid at two levels (applied and non-applied). The traits evaluated in this experiment included chlorophyll index, chlorophyll a and b, carotenoids, and photosynthetic parameters such as minimum, maximum, and variable fluorescence. Results: The results indicated that the application of ascorbic acid combined with red-blue light (50:50) led to an approximately 5% increase in the chlorophyll index. Additionally, the combination of blue-red light (75:25) with ascorbic acid resulted in a 12% increase in chlorophyll a compared to full-spectrum light. Foliar application of ascorbic acid under the red-blue light spectrum (75:25) caused a 53% increase in chlorophyll b. Furthermore, the red-blue light treatment (50:50) combined with ascorbic acid increased carotenoid content by 17% compared to the control. Moreover, the application of ascorbic acid under the red-blue light (75:25) significantly enhanced the values of minimum, maximum, and variable fluorescence. Conclusion: Overall, the exogenous application of ascorbic acid combined with an appropriate red-blue light spectrum can be recommended as an effective and economical strategy to improve photosynthetic indices under low-light conditions. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7517.html Abstract Background and objectives: The quinoa plant with its scientific name (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a pseudo-cereal and is native to the Andes mountains in South America. It is an annual, dicotyledonous, allotetraploid (2n=4x=36) and Autogamy plant from the Amaranthaceae family and the Chenopodioideae subfamily. Quinoa seeds are a very valuable food item with high carbohydrates, quality protein, it contains fat, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals. This research was conducted to investigate mycorrhiza and phosphorus fertilizer on some phytochemical and growth characteristics of quinoa under mixed cultivation conditions using replacement method. Materials and methods:The experiment was carried out at the research farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Shahrood University of Technology, using a factorial arrangement within a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The treatments consisted of three main factors: cropping pattern, phosphorus application, and mycorrhizal biofertilizer. The cropping pattern included five levels: sole cropping of quinoa, 75% quinoa + 25% guar, 50% quinoa + 50% guar, 25% quinoa + 75% guar, and sole cropping of guar. Phosphorus was applied at three levels (0, 50, and 100 kg/ha), and mycorrhizal biofertilizer was used at two levels (with and without application). The measured traits included yield and its components, as well as physiological and biochemical characteristics. Data analysis was performed using SAS software version 9.1, and mean comparisons were conducted using the LSD test at a 5% probability level. Results: The results indicated that the highest quinoa grain yield (2,410.5 kg/ha) was obtained with the application of 50 kg phosphorus per hectare, while the lowest yield (1,502.3 kg/ha) was observed in the untreated control. The highest protein content in quinoa (15.31%) was recorded under sole cropping of quinoa, whereas the lowest value (14.2%) occurred in the control treatment without phosphorus and mycorrhiza application. The maximum flavonoid content (66.80 mg/g) and antioxidant activity (78.21%) were observed in the 50:50 intercropping ratio treated with mycorrhiza. The highest fatty acid content (15.8%) was achieved under the 50% quinoa cropping pattern with 50 kg/ha phosphorus, while the lowest (8.68%) was recorded in the 25% quinoa + 75% guar pattern with 100 kg/ha phosphorus. The tallest plant height (81.3 cm) was observed with mycorrhiza application and 50 kg/ha phosphorus, whereas the shortest (56.3 cm) was found in the absence of both mycorrhiza and phosphorus. Regarding photosynthetic pigments, the highest chlorophyll a (2.16 mg/g), chlorophyll b (0.66 mg/g), and total chlorophyll (2.77 mg/g) contents were recorded under sole quinoa cropping combined with 50 kg/ha phosphorus and mycorrhiza application. The highest land equivalent ratio (1.85) was also obtained under the treatment with 50 kg/ha phosphorus and mycorrhiza application. Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, intercropping combined with phosphorus fertilizer and mycorrhizal biofertilizer had a positive impact on the functional and biochemical traits of quinoa. Keywords: Cropping pattern, Antioxidant activity, Biochemical traits, Protein, Biofertilizer https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7543.html Background and Objective: Rice is a strategic crop and one of the most important food sources in most countries, including Iran. Drought stress causes the most damage to the plant among all existing stresses, and since rice has the highest potential for crop production under flooded conditions, drought is considered a very serious threat to its production. Drought threatens large areas of rice cultivation. Given the increasing population and the shortage of water resources, improving drought stress tolerant genotypes is a necessity. The requirement for identifying drought stress tolerant genotypes is to examine changes in morphological traits under stress conditions. The aim of this study is to identify drought-tolerant genotype(s) by evaluating morphological traits under different irrigation periods. Materials and Methods: In this study, 25 different rice genotypes were used to identify drought-tolerant genotype(s) based on morphological traits, along with a drought-tolerant control Kinanadang patong (KP) and a drought-sensitive IR64 under field conditions. This experiment was conducted in split plots based on a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. To investigate drought stress tolerance, morphological traits including number of days to 50% flowering, plant height, number of fertile tillers per plant, spike length, number of full grains per panicle, number of hollow seeds grains per panicle, 100-grain weight, paddy width, paddy length and Rice paddy yield were used. Cluster analysis was used to group and identify superior genotype(s). Results: Analysis variance of the data showed that there was a significant difference in drought tolerance between the studied genotypes. The results of this study showed that number of fertile tillers per plant and number of full grains per panicle are important yield components and a suitable indicator for selecting drought-tolerant genotypes. With increasing irrigation periods, the traits of plant height, number of tillers per plant, number of full grains per panicle, 100-grain weight and plant yield showed a decreasing trend. In examining the average of the studied traits in different irrigation periods, 7 genotypes showed their superiority in terms of the traits of number of fertile tillers per plant and number of full grains per panicle and plant yield. Also, in cluster analysis, some of these genotypes were placed in a group that showed higher plant yield than other groups in all irrigation periods. Conclusion: As a result, the selected genotypes, having high yield in different irrigation periods and being in the superior groups in terms of yield in all irrigation periods, have been identified as promising lines with drought tolerance that can be used in future rice breeding programs. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7576.html Abstract: Background and Objective: Drought is one of the most significant threats to crop production worldwide, causing morphophysiological and biochemical changes in plants that negatively affect their growth and yield. The application of inputs that can enhance plant performance under drought conditions is of great importance. Proper plant nutrition and mitigation of various stresses using modern agricultural practices, such as the application of zeolite and biochar, are considered effective strategies to help plants tolerate stress. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of biochar and zeolite on morphophysiological, biochemical, and yield characteristics of safflower under drought stress conditions. The experiment was carried out as a split-factorial design based on a randomized complete block design with three replications during the 2022–2023 growing season at the agricultural research field of Zabol Research Institute. The main factor consisted of irrigation levels at 100%, 75%, and 50% of field capacity, while the sub-factors included combinations of zeolite and biochar, each applied at three levels: no application, 2.5%, and 5% of soil bulk density. The evaluated traits included stem diameter, number of capitula per plant, floret weight per plant, grain and biological yield, ion leakage, carbohydrate content, polyphenol oxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, and grain phosphorus and potassium content. Data were analyzed using SAS version 9.1 software, and mean comparisons were performed at a 5% probability level using the LSD test. Findings: The analysis of variance revealed that the interaction of drought stress × biochar × zeolite significantly affected stem diameter, number of capitula per plant, floret weight per plant, grain and biological yield, ion leakage, carbohydrate content, polyphenol oxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, and grain phosphorus and potassium content. Based on mean comparisons, the highest grain yield was observed in the treatment with irrigation at 75% field capacity combined with 2.5% biochar and 5% zeolite, which was not significantly different from the application of 5% biochar and zeolite under the same drought level. The highest values for the number of capitula per plant, floret weight per plant, carbohydrate content, and grain phosphorus and potassium were recorded in the treatment with irrigation at 100% field capacity combined with 5% biochar and zeolite. Conversely, the highest ion leakage, polyphenol oxidase, and guaiacol peroxidase levels were observed under irrigation at 50% field capacity with no fertilizer application. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the combined application of biochar and zeolite under increasing drought stress can mitigate the adverse effects of water scarcity, significantly improving the morphophysiological, biochemical, and yield characteristics of safflower. It can be inferred that the use of zeolite and biochar under drought conditions may play a significant role in reducing the severity of drought stress damage to safflower. The adoption of inputs that enhance the ecological aspects of the system and reduce environmental risks can be suitable for advancing the goals of sustainable agriculture. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7579.html Background and Objective: Understanding the physiological and ecological processes underlying crop yield formation is critical for optimizing agricultural management practices. Soil structure and water retention capacity play pivotal roles in regulating stomatal conductance and enhancing photosynthesis, ultimately influencing crop productivity. In many agroecosystems, water scarcity and limited availability of immobile nutrients, particularly phosphorus, significantly constrain yield potential. Considering the ongoing challenges of climate change, adopting effective strategies to enhance soil water storage is a key approach to improving water use efficiency and sustaining crop production. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of Leonardite—a rich source of humic acid—as a partial substitute for conventional phosphorus fertilizer (triple superphosphate) to promote sustainable agriculture, reduce input costs, enhance phosphorus bioavailability, and improve the yield of medicinal black seed (Nigella sativa L.). Materials and Methods: A field experiment was conducted during the 2021–2022 growing season using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications on sandy loam soil in Parchin, Ardabil Province, Iran. Nine treatments were applied: control, 100 kg ha⁻¹ triple superphosphate (P100), 50 kg ha⁻¹ triple superphosphate (P50), 200 kg ha⁻¹ Leonardite (H200), 100 kg ha⁻¹ Leonardite (H100), 50 kg ha⁻¹ triple superphosphate + 100 kg ha⁻¹ Leonardite (P50H100), 25 kg ha⁻¹ triple superphosphate + 150 kg ha⁻¹ Leonardite (P25H150), 75 kg ha⁻¹ triple superphosphate + 50 kg ha⁻¹ Leonardite (P75H50), and 25 kg ha⁻¹ triple superphosphate + 50 kg ha⁻¹ Leonardite (P25H50). Measured parameters included soil moisture indices, bulk density, mean weight diameter (MWD) of soil aggregates under dry and wet conditions, stomatal conductance, photosynthesis rate, plant height, and grain yield. Findings: Treatments P25H150 and P50H100 increased grain yield by 120% and 110%, respectively, compared to the control. Plant height also increased by 61% and 59% under the same treatments. Stomatal conductance improved by 33% and 32% for P25H150 and P50H100, respectively. The H200 treatment achieved the highest soil moisture indices and dry aggregate stability (MWD). Grain yield and plant height exhibited strong positive correlations (P < 0.01) with stomatal conductance, as well as with gravimetric and volumetric soil moisture and dry aggregate MWD. A positive association was also observed between stomatal opening and soil moisture indicators. Conclusion: Leonardite, as a humic acid-rich amendment, effectively reduced the requirement for triple superphosphate fertilizer, enhanced soil water retention, and improved aggregate stability. The findings suggest that applying H200 or the combined treatment P25H150 can promote sustainable soil management while enhancing black seed yield. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7580.html Introduction:Red bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is one of the key legumes in global nutrition due to its high content of proteins, fibers, and essential micronutrients. Although it is cultivated across various climates, this crop is highly sensitive to water deficit, and drought stress leads to yield reduction by disrupting key physiological processes. In this regard, the use of sustainable inputs, such as humic acid, has gained importance. Humic acid improves soil structure, enhances moisture retention, and facilitates nutrient uptake, thereby increasing plant resistance to drought. Therefore, its application can be considered an effective and eco-friendly approach to ensuring the sustainability of common bean production under climate change conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of foliar application of humic acid on the physiological and biochemical traits of the red bean cultivar ‘Yaghout’ under water deficit conditions. Materials and Methods: The experiment was conducted in 2023 in Boyer-Ahmad County as a split-plot arrangement within a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The trial was arranged as a split-plot experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. Irrigation treatments were assigned to the main plots at three levels, including full irrigation (100% of crop water requirement), moderate deficit irrigation (80% of crop water requirement), and severe deficit irrigation (60% of crop water requirement), determined using Class A pan evaporation. The subplots included foliar application of humic acid at four levels (0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 L ha⁻¹). Data were statistically analyzed using SAS software, and mean comparisons were performed using the LSD test at the 5% significance level. Results and Discussion: Severe drought stress significantly reduced leaf relative water content by 15.87%, indicating disturbance in water balance and the plant's ability to maintain turgor pressure. Simultaneously, electrolyte leakage increased by 47.65%, reflecting significant cellular membrane damage under drought conditions. Moreover, shoot phosphorus concentration decreased by 11.11%, likely due to reduced mobility and uptake of phosphorus in dry soil. In contrast, shoot potassium concentration increased by 45.55%, indicating its protective role in drought tolerance. Foliar application of 7.5 L ha⁻¹ humic acid enhanced peroxidase activity and carotenoid content by 68.04% and 55.22%, respectively, demonstrating activation of the antioxidant defense system and improved photosynthetic capacity. The interaction effects showed that under 60% irrigation, the highest humic acid level increased total chlorophyll content by 110% and grain yield by 20.66%. These findings suggest that humic acid ameliorates drought stress through enhanced nutrient availability, membrane stability, and improvement of vital physiological functions under water deficit conditions. Conclusion: Overall, foliar application of 7.5 L ha⁻¹ humic acid can mitigate the adverse effects of water deficit on physiological traits and grain yield of common bean. Therefore, optimal foliar use of humic acid is recommended as an efficient and environmentally friendly strategy to enhance drought tolerance, maintain physiological integrity, and sustain yield of common bean under limited water conditions. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7581.html Background and objectives: Given the abundance of sunny days and high light intensity in most regions of Iran, providing shade in urban green spaces is essential. However, a significant challenge for turfgrass, as a fundamental component of urban greenery, is the issue of light deficiency and shading caused by building development as well as tree canopies. A better understanding of the physiological mechanisms of shade tolerance in turfgrasses is necessary for the efficient development of more shade-tolerant cultivars enable of surviving in low-light environments. Based on previous studies, cool-season turfgrasses generally exhibit greater shade tolerance than warm-season species. Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Scherb.) is tolerant to heat and drought, and also demonstrates good shade tolerance. Furthermore, no study has yet evaluated the shade tolerance of promising native genotypes and an sample polycross progenies of tall fescue in Iran. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify superior genotypes in terms of shade tolerance under the climatic conditions of Ahvaz city.Materials and methods: This research was conducted in an open field at the Horticultural Science Department farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz. The experiment was carried out as a factorial arrangement (comprising three shade levels and four tall fescue genotypes) based on a randomized complete block design with four replications. Seeds of three native tall fescues (Festuca arundinacea) genotypes (Aboureihan1, Aboureihan5, and Isfahan2) along with the seeds of a Polycross population were weighed and sown in plastic pots. These pots were 20 cm in height and 10 cm in diameter and contained a mixture of sand, garden soil, and completely composed manure at a 1:1:2 ratios. Following plant establishment and acclimatization to natural conditions, the plants were subjected to experimental shade treatments (60% and 80% shade), and full sunlight from April to June.Results: The results indicated that shade stress elicited clear morphological and physiological adjustments in tall fescue, characterized by reductions in leaf width, tiller production, biomass accumulation, and the chlorophyll a/b ratio, alongside marked increases in shoot elongation, leaf greenness, ion leakage, relative leaf water content, and the concentrations of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoids. Notably, moderate shading (60%) supported optimal performance for root length as well as fresh and dry shoot biomass, suggesting a threshold at which light attenuation becomes beneficial rather than restrictive. Genotypic comparisons further highlighted substantial variability in shade responsiveness. Polycross consistently exhibited superior performance in traits linked to photosynthetic capacity and tissue water status, including greater leaf width, higher relative leaf water content, and elevated chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll, and carotenoid levels. Aboureihan1 excelled in shoot elongation, tillering ability, and canopy color, indicative of a stronger escape-type response under shade. Aboureihan5 demonstrated the greatest root system development and shoot biomass accumulation, reflecting robust carbon allocation and stress resilience. In contrast, Isfahan2 showed higher ion leakage and elevated chlorophyll b, indicating a more stress-sensitive profile with compensatory adjustments in the light-harvesting complex.Conclusion: Overall, these findings demonstrated Polycross as the most shade-tolerant tall fescue genotype among those evaluated, exhibiting a coordinated physiological strategy that supports superior performance under reduced light environments. This genotype therefore represents a promising candidate for breeding programs targeting enhanced adaptation to shaded or low-light landscapes. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7583.html Abstract Background and Objective: Soil salinity is a major abiotic stress for agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions, significantly affecting seed germination, growth, development, and crop productivity. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a salt-tolerant plant; however, this tolerance varies greatly among different quinoa cultivars. Quinoa is of great interest due to its excellent nutritional properties, such as high protein content and a unique amino acid profile, as well as its high tolerance to abiotic stresses. This makes quinoa an important crop for food security. The fungus Piriformospora indica enhances plant salt tolerance through mechanisms such as increasing the efficiency of water and nutrient uptake, stimulating the antioxidant system, and producing protective compounds and silicon nanoparticles enhane salt tolerance of plants by modulating phsiological and biochemical processes. The aim of the present research was to investigate the effect of inoculating with the symbiotic fungus Piriformospora indica and foliar application of silicon nanoparticles on salt stress tolerance in Giza1 quinoa cultivar. Materials and Methods: This research was conducted as a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with three replications on Giza1 quinoa cultivar. The experimental treatments included three salinity levels (0, 200, and 400 mM NaCl), three levels of silicon nanoparticles (0, 50, and 100 mg/l, 3 times at 10-days interval), and two levels of Piriformospora indica (non-inoculation and inoculation). Biochemical traits including the content of total protein, malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, proline, soluble sugars, free amino acids, antioxidant capacity assessed by the DPPH free radical scavenging method, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes were evaluated. Findings: Analysis of variance of the data showed that the interaction effect of silicon nanoparticle application and Piriformospora indica inoculation was significant on all biochemical indices studied in the Giza1quinoa cultivar. Although salt stress significantly increased oxidative stress indices (hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde), the simultaneous application of silicon nanoparticles and P. indica markedly reduced these indices. Conversely, they increased the content of proline, soluble sugars, free amino acids, and total protein, as well as the activity of antioxidant enzymes (asorbate eroxidase, catalase and peroxidase) and DPPH free radical scavenging capacity. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicated that the combined application of silicon nanoparticles (especially at 100 mg/L) and Piriformospora indica inoculation was the most effecive treatment for improving the biochemical indices of Giza1 quinoa cultivar under salt stress and also on reducing the destructive effects of this stress. Keywords: Antioxidant, Physiological indices, Salinity stress, Piriformospora indica https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7596.html Background and Objectives: Sansevieria (Sansevieria trifasciata) is among the most widely cultivated ornamental plants worldwide, appreciated for its aesthetic foliage, adaptability to diverse environmental conditions, and significant contribution to improving indoor air quality in both residential and public spaces. Despite its economic and ecological importance, the commercial cultivation of this species has recently faced increasing challenges due to fungal diseases, particularly anthracnose. This disease not only compromises the visual quality and marketability of Sansevieria but also results in substantial economic losses for growers. The intensive and prolonged use of chemical fungicides for disease management has raised major concerns, including the development of resistant fungal strains, environmental contamination, potential health hazards to consumers, and increasing regulatory restrictions on synthetic agrochemicals. These limitations highlight the urgent need to explore safe and environmentally sustainable alternatives for plant disease control, especially in the ornamental plant sector where sensitivity to chemical residues is of great concern. Accordingly, the present study aimed to isolate and identify the causal fungal pathogen associated with leaf rot symptoms of Sansevieria in Guilan Province, Iran. Furthermore, the antifungal potential of selected plant-derived essential oils was investigated, with emphasis on their inhibitory and fungicidal activities, as a promising natural and sustainable strategy for the management of this emerging disease. Materials and Methods: Infected leaf samples were collected from greenhouses in Gilan Province. The pathogen was identified based on morphological characteristics on PDA medium and confirmed through sequencing of the ITS region and phylogenetic analysis. The antifungal activity of 12 plant essential oils was evaluated using both the paper disc diffusion and poisoned food techniques at various concentrations. Additionally, the effects of five common chemical fungicides at a concentration of 2000 ppm were tested as controls. The evaluated parameters included inhibition of mycelial growth, conidial germination, and determination of fungistatic and fungicidal properties. Results: Based on morphological and molecular analyses, the causal agent of the disease was identified as Colletotrichum spp., and ITS sequence analysis confirmed the species as C. sansevieriae, Among the tested essential oils, those of thyme (Thymus vulgaris), lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi), and kakoti (Ziziphora tenuior) exhibited the highest inhibitory activity, completely suppressing fungal growth in the poisoned food method. Thyme oil showed the strongest effect, inhibiting 88% of conidial germination. Among chemical fungicides, thiophanate-methyl and copper oxychloride showed the highest inhibitory activity, whereas Roral-TS had no significant effect. The mode-of-action test revealed that thyme and lemongrass oils possessed true fungicidal properties. Conclusion: The findings clearly demonstrate that plant essential oils, particularly thyme and lemongrass, have very high potential for inhibiting the causal agent of sansevieria anthracnose, and their efficacy is comparable to common chemical fungicides. These results are an important step towards integrated disease management and the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly strategies for protecting ornamental crops. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7640.html Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) is one of the most important horticultural crops, valued for its high content of bioactive compounds such as anthocyanins, phenolics, and vitamin C, which contribute to its high nutritional quality. However, its high sensitivity to salinity stress significantly reduces growth, yield, and fruit quality. The use of biostimulants such as chitosan and sodium nitroprusside (SNP), as a nitric oxide donor, has emerged as an effective approach to mitigate the adverse effects of salinity and to enhance physiological and biochemical responses in plants. This study aimed to evaluate the individual and combined effects of chitosan and SNP on the quantitative and qualitative traits of strawberry fruits under salinity stress. The experiment was conducted in a factorial arrangement based on a completely randomized design with three replications at Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University greenhouse. The first factor was salinity at three levels (0, 30, and 60 mM NaCl) that around 0, 3 and 6 ds.m-1 respectively, and the second factor was biostimulant treatment at five levels (control, SNP at 50 and 100 µM, and chitosan at 0.25 and 0.5 g L⁻¹). Treatments were applied to two strawberry cultivars (‘Camarosa’ and ‘Sabrina’) through foliar spraying at three stages: two weeks before salinity imposition, at the onset of stress, and two weeks after. Results showed that increasing salinity from 0 to 60 mM significantly reduced fruit weight (by 26.8%), fruit length (18.3%), TSS (22.5%), and vitamin C content (30.7%). In contrast, the application of biostimulants improved many of these attributes. Foliar application of 0.25 g L⁻¹ chitosan increased total phenolic content from 161.3 to 217.9 mg GAE 100 g⁻¹ FW and total anthocyanins from 28.5 to 37.4 mg C3G 100 g⁻¹ FW. In Camarosa cultivar, application of 50 µM SNP under 60mM salinity increased vitamin C content from 467.26 to 1026.9 mg 100 g⁻¹ FW and enhanced fruit firmness compared with the control. Although in sabrina cultivar, 0.5% chitosan under severe salinity(60mM) showed maximum vitamin C . Almost traits showed a significant salinity × biostimulant interaction. In ‘Camarosa’, 0.25% chitosan under moderate salinity (30 mM) produced the highest TSS (8.9 °Brix) and TA (0.93%), whereas 100 µM SNP under severe salinity (60 mM) maintained the highest fruit weight (13.2 g) and firmness (1.83 N). In ‘Sabrina’, both chitosan concentrations significantly enhanced phenolic and anthocyanin contents, while the effect of SNP was more limited. Overall, salinity stress had pronounced negative effects on fruit yield and quality, but foliar application of chitosan and sodium nitroprusside substantially mitigated these impacts. Chitosan improved fruit quality mainly through the enhancement of secondary metabolites and water balance, while SNP acted by regulating antioxidant cycles and ionic homeostasis. The ‘Camarosa’ cultivar compared to Sabrina, with enhancement weight and firmness fruit and highest level vitamin C under salinity stress, highest tolerance and effective reply to elicitor treatments. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7641.html Background and Objectives: Abiotic stresses are one of the main constraints in agricultural development, leading to significant yield reduction. High temperature stress is one of the most destructive abiotic stresses that affects all physiological and biochemical processes of the plant, reducing growth and crop quality, and if the stress persists, and may eventually lead to plant death if the stress persists. In recent years, researchers have proposed various strategies to increase plant tolerance to high temperature stress; one of these strategies is the exogenousapplication of phytohormones. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of brassinosteroid and methyl jasmonate under high temperature stress conditions on the morphological and biochemical characteristics of Vicuna pepper. Materials and Methods: The long green pepper (Capsicum annuum) is a herbaceous, annual plant from the Solanaceae family that has significant anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties due to its high content of alkaloids such as capsaicin. In order to investigate the effect of brassinosteroid and methyl jasmonate on modulating the effect of high temperature stress in Vicuna pepper seedlings, an experiment was conducted in 2024 in the greenhouse at Research Institute of Zabol in a completely randomized design with three replications. The experimental treatments included temperature of 25°C, temperature of 40°C, brassinosteroid foliar application and temperature of 40°C, methyl jasmonate foliar application and temperature of 40°C, combined foliar application of brassinosteroid and methyl jasmonate and temperature of 40°C. In this study, the traits of plant height, number of leaves, fresh and dry weight of shoots, concentration of total chlorophyll, carotenoids, content of hydrogen peroxide, proline, activity of antioxidant enzymes, were evaluated. Results: The results showed that the highest plant height (15.33 cm), number of leaves (8.33), fresh fruit weight (13.91 g), dry fruit weight (8.5 g), total chlorophyll content (14.2 mg/g F.W.), relative leaf water content (56%) and membrane stability index (22%) were obtained in the conditions of plant growth at 25 °C (control). The highest carotenoid content (0.17 mg/g F.W.) and hydrogen peroxide (0.46 μmol/g fresh weight) were obtained in the temperature stress treatment of 40 °C. Spraying pepper plants under heat stress conditions with brassinosteroid + methyl jasmonate produced the highest number of fruits (10), the highest fresh weight (35 g) and the highest yield (170 g / plant). The highest proline content (52 μg/g F.W.) was obtained under foliar application of methyl jasmonate under heat stress conditions. The combination of brassinosteroid and methyl jasmonate at 40°C also led to a 1.71, 1.52, 3.25 and 1.67 times increase in the activities of catalase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase enzymes compared to the absence of these hormones under high temperature stress conditions. Conclusion: Overall, the results showed that the combination of brassinosteroid and methyl jasmonate improved the tolerance to high temperature stress in Vicuna pepper seedlings by improving the activity of antioxidant enzymes, reducing the production of hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde, increasing the chlorophyll content, and increasing the production of compatible osmolytes compared to the treatment without these two hormones. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7642.html Background and Objectives: Climate change and the increasing emissions of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, represent one of the most pressing environmental challenges today. Agriculture, as one of the largest consumers of land and natural resources, plays a dual role in both carbon emissions and sequestration. Identifying crop and horticultural species with high potential for carbon fixation and return to the soil is especially important in arid and semi-arid regions such as Sistan. This study aimed to assess the carbon sequestration potential and short-term carbon cycling of key regional crops, including wheat, safflower, sesame, cowpea, and grape, and to provide strategies for improved crop management to enhance soil carbon sequestration. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in Zabol County, northern Sistan and Baluchestan Province. Crop yield and cultivated area data were collected over five years (2019–2024), and climatic data were obtained from synoptic weather stations. Net primary carbon production (NPPC) of the whole plant, as well as the allocation to aboveground and belowground organs, was calculated using standard equations. Actual and potential carbon inputs to the soil were estimated based on the return of non-harvested plant residues. Harvest index, shoot-to-root ratio, and relative carbon allocation coefficients were determined for each crop. Data analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel and descriptive statistical methods. Results: Grapevine exhibited the highest carbon sequestration potential, with substantial carbon allocated to roots and root exudates, indicating its key role in long-term carbon storage. Wheat and cowpea, with more balanced carbon distribution between aboveground and belowground organs, contributed significantly to short-term carbon cycling. Safflower and sesame, with low harvest indices, stored a large portion of biomass in non-harvested organs, providing considerable potential carbon inputs to the soil. Comparison of actual versus potential carbon inputs revealed that, on average, only 30–50% of potential carbon returned to the soil, primarily due to complete or partial harvesting of aboveground organs and inadequate residue management, such as burning of straw and stubble. Conclusion: The findings of these search indicate that crop diversification and the integration of annual and perennial species, combined with proper residue management and conservation tillage, can significantly improve the carbon balance and sustainability of agricultural ecosystems in Sistan. Crops with low harvest indices and high residue return play a critical role in enhancing carbon sequestration and reducing atmospheric CO₂ emissions. These results can inform sustainable agricultural planning and climate change mitigation strategies in arid and semi-arid regions. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7652.html Abstract Background and objectives: Hazelnut is an economically important crop both in Iran and in the world. It is cultivated and used in more than 20 countries of the world, mainly in large water basins such as the Black Sea, Caspian Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Pacific Ocean. In Iran, Guilan Province has the largest area under cultivation and production of hazelnuts. Considering that most of the varieties cultivated in Iran are indigenous and local genotypes with low yield and quality, replacing local varieties with suitable commercial varieties will improve yield and increase income from product sales and exports. Materials and methods: This research was conducted to evaluate hazelnut cultivars introduced from Russia in Eshkevarat area of Rudsar County, Gilan Province, at an altitude of 1850 masl, in a randomized complete block design with five replications (each replication three uniform and same-aged suckers of each cultivar). Six cultivars Vartashen, Chelsea, Sochi, Kalib, Qafqaz, Prehistorica along with common local cultivar in the region (Gord Eshkvar) were planted in regular rows and spaced at 4×4m. Adaptation to the environment and the morphophysiological traits such as the length of the current season's shoot, the number of buds per shoot, the height of the seedling, the number of male flowers (catkins), and fruit characteristics, including the number of fruits, fruit weight with shell, nut weight,, kernel weight, and yield were studied during two consecutive years. Results: The results of the study showed that significant differences were observed between the studied cultivars in terms of measured traits. Among the cultivars studied, the Qafqaz cultivar showed the highest shoot length and number of buds per shoot. The seedling length in the Qafqaz cultivar (170.45 cm) was higher than other cultivars and the lowest value was observed in the Sochi cultivar (118.83 cm). The highest number of catkin in the studied cultivars was observed in the Vartashen cultivar and the lowest number was observed in the Qafqaz cultivar. The average number of hazelnuts per cluster was highest in the Vartashen cultivar (3.73) and lowest in the Kalib cultivar (1.07). The highest fruit weight with shell and nut weight were observed in Chelsea and Prehistorica cultivars, respectively. Despite having a higher number of nut and yield, the Vartashen cultivar had the lowest fruit weight with the shell, similar to the Gord Eshkvar. The lowest nut weight was observed in the local cultivar. The Prehistorica cultivar with 1.61 gr and the Chelsea cultivar with 1.35 gr showed the highest kernel weight. Regarding the shell weight trait, the highest value was related to the Chelsea cultivar and the lowest value was related to the Vartashen cultivar. Correlation coefficients showed that there was a significant correlation between some of the measured traits, such as vegetative traits and nut weight and kernel weight. Conclusion: Overall, the results of the evaluation conducted in the first two years after planting showed that the introduced cultivars Vartashen, Prehistorica and Chelsea cultivars were superior to the local cultivar Gord Eshkvar in terms of vegetative, pomological and yield traits. Vartashen cultivar showed high potential in terms of quantity, with higher catkin and higher yield, although the fruit weight with shell was lowe in this cultivar. In contrast, the cultivars Prehistorica and Chelsea, with higher fruit and nut weight, were at a more desirable level in terms of product quality. This study highlights the potential of replacing imported hazelnut cultivars with low-yielding local cultivars in Iran. By selecting the right cultivars, farmers can significantly improve productivity and profitability. However, the final recommendation will be made after evaluation in subsequent years when sustainable performance is achieved. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7653.html purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of different and common tillage methods on the yield, yield components of tea and to determine the best type of tillage by considering the yield and their economic efficiency.Long-term exploitation of soil in tea plantations causes depletion of elements and soil deterioration. Also, high human traffic, the use of some operation and harvesting machines in succession in tea plantations causes soil hardening and compaction and reduces the quantitative and qualitative yield of tea. The choice of tillage method and the type of equipment used during tillage have a great impact on the physical properties of the soil and ultimately the yield of the crop.Experiment were performed in the form of a randomized complete block design with 11 treatments (three replications) including tillage in winter (without spring tillage) in the form of Soil cultivator KR-35A model (M-N), tillage with a farming shovel (B-N) and tillage with a rake hoe (G-N); tillage in spring as plowing with rake hoe (N-G) and tillage with hoe (N-F) and tillage in winter + spring as farming shovel + hoe (B-F), rake hoe + rake hoe (G-G), rake hoe + hoe (G-F) , machine + hoe (M-F) and machine + machine (M-M) and treatment without tillage or control (N-N). Statistical analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of applying these treatments on tea yield and yield components and economic analysis was conducted to determine the best method and their application. The results of analysis of variance showed that the experimental treatments had a significant effect on the fresh weight of green tea leaves (yield), average shoot mass and number of harvestable shoots (P<0.01). Accordingly, compared to the control, some tillage methods improved the yield and yield components of tea. Tillage operations with machines in the form of M-N, M-F and M-M increased green leaf yield by 22.7, 17.8 and 16.5 percent, respectively (two-year averages of 4005, 3822 and 3796 kg/ha), and with farming shovel in the form of B-N and B-F increased green leaf yield by 15.9 and 14.1 percent (two-year averages of 3793 and 3730 kg/ha) compared to the control. There was a similar increasing trend in the number and mass of harvestable shoots in all tillage treatments (soil cultivator and farming shovel) compared to the control. For example, the increase in yield of the best treatment, winter tillage with tillage, compared to the control resulted in a 23.3% increase in the number of harvestable shoots and a 4.4% increase in shoot mass. For example, the increase in yield in the best treatment, winter tillage with soil cultivator, compared to the control, resulted in a 23.3% increase in the number of harvestable shoots and a 4.4% increase in shoot mass. This indicates that the effect of this type of tillage on increasing the number of shoots is greater than the effect on shoot mass. Economically, the M-N treatment had the highest net income and rate of return. In general, for different tillage machines and equipment, tillage only in winter to a depth of 20 cm (such as the M-N and B-N treatments) produced better results than shallow tillage only in spring or plowing at both times.Semi-deep tillage (about 20 cm) with soil cultivator and a farming shovel can increase tea yield. Taking into account economic considerations, the best way to improve productivity and increase yields in tea plantations is to carry out tillage operations with soil cultivator or a farming shovel in winter. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7665.html Bakground and objective: Melon (Cucumis melo L.) an important crop belong to of Cucurbitaceae family. Besides the fragrance and flavor, antioxidants, vitamins, polyphenols has led to melon as desirable fruit being consume all over the word. Shadegan landrace melon is an important Iranian indigenous landraces that is cultivated in some regions of Khuzestan province. Due to high diversity in some characteristics of Shadegan landrace melon, this research was conducted to bred and purified this landrace using full sib families selection method. Material and methods: This project was carried out in Dashteazadegan region and Behbahan Agriculture Research Station. In the first year, high- growing fruits without any disorders were selected in Dashtazadegan farms. Seeds of selected fruits were cultivated at Behbahan Agriculture Research Station in the second year. During flowering stage about 300 high growing as well as free of any pests and disease plants, that female flower appeared earlier, were selected and self pollination was done. In the third year, half of self-pollinated seeds were cultivated in mid February to test progenies. Fruits were harvested in mid May In the fourth year, stored seeds were cultivated in crossing block. Seeds of cream and orange flesh fruits were cultivated in mid February and early August respectively to prevent pollen transfer from one population to other. Progenies of orange flesh fruits, as improved population, were compared with Shadegan landrace in the fifth year. Data were statistically analyzed by SPSS software using T-Test. Results: In the first year seeds of selected melons were collected in Behbahan Agriculture Research Station. About 300 self pollinations were done and 33 self pollinated fruits produced in the second year. Results of progenies test showed, fruit characteristics (peel and flesh color) of seven populations were uniform in the third year. The color of flesh fruits in four and three lines were cream and orange respectively. In the fourth year, segregation was observed in cream-colored flesh fruits. However segregation was not observed in orange-colored flesh. In the fifth year some characteristics of orange-colored flesh, as improved population melon were compared with Shadegan landrace. Results showed the yield and mean fruit weight of improved population melon were significantly higher than Shadegan landrace at 1% and 5% probability level respectively. The differences of total soluble solids, thickness of peel and flesh fruit and seed cavity diameter were not significant between improved population and Shadegan landrace melon. Conclusion: Yield of improved population melon was significantly higher than Shadegan landrace. In addition, some important quality characteristics such as peel and flesh color of fruit were uniform in improved population that led to increase marketability. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7672.html Background and objectives: Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) as an important source of plant protein, is cultivated in Iran and many semi-arid regions of the world, and play a crucial role in the country’s food security and economic stability. The escalating challenges of climate change and improper management of rainfed farming principles have significantly affected the sustainable production of this valuable crop in recent years. To address this challenge and improve lentil productivity under rainfed conditions, several innovative approaches have emerged. Among these, soil moisture conservation techniques, including the strategic application of different mulching materials and supplemental irrigation systems, have shown promising potential for improving crop performance. This research aims to comprehensively evaluate and compare different soil moisture management strategies and their subsequent effects on both quantitative and qualitative parameters of rainfed lentil production. Materials and Methods: A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of different types of mulch on the lentil yield and its components under supplemental irrigation conditions. The study was conducted in 2022 in a farm located in Nasirabad village, Varzeghan district, East Azerbaijan province, Iran. The experiment was implemented as a split-plot design based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with twelve treatments and three replications. The main factor consisted of three supplementary irrigation levels: no irrigation (rainfed), irrigation at flowering stage, and irrigation at two stages of flowering and seed-filling and the sub-factor mulch with four levels: without mulch (control), polyethylene mulch, crop residues (straw and stubble at 8.5 tons/ha) and sawdust mulch at 4 tons/ha. Yield and its components were measured at physiological maturity, when the lentil pods had turned yellow and reached full maturity. Data analysis was performed using Minitab software (version 17) for primary statistical analyses, while treatment interaction effects were analysed using SAS software (version 9.2). Treatment means were compared using Fisher's Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at the 5% probability level (P ≤ 0.05). To determine the correlation coefficients based on all studied traits, Pearson's correlation coefficient was used in Minitab software version 17. Results: The results showed that supplementary irrigation combined with mulching practices significantly improved lentil productivity under rainfed conditions. The application of two supplementary irrigations at critical growth stages (flowering and seed-filling periods) proved to be significantly more effective than a single irrigation either at flowering or no-irrigation on pods and seed number per plant, 1000-seed weight, biomass, seed yield, harvest index, and seed protein content. Among the different mulching treatments, straw and stubble mulch proved to be the most beneficial, significantly improving all the parameters studied. The optimal treatment combination was identified as supplemental irrigation at flowering + seed-filling stages combined with straw and stubble mulch, which maximized both yield (955.5 kg ha-1) and its components (13.3 seed plant-1, 55.1 g 1000-seed weight, 5744.3 kg ha-1 biomass, and 23.6% seed protein content). While other mulch materials also showed significant yield improvements over the control (no mulching), they were not as effective as straw and stubble mulch. This finding highlights the importance of mulch selection in dryland lentil production. Under dryland conditions, the integration of supplementary irrigation and mulch proved effective in mitigating the effects of drought stress, resulting in improved seed yield and protein content. Conclusion: Considering the environmental stresses affecting rainfed lentil cultivation, supplemental irrigation combined with straw and stubble mulch significantly was able to improves lentil productivity under rainfed conditions. This integrated approach of strategic irrigation timing and appropriate mulching practices provides an effective strategy for sustainable lentil production in water-limited environments, particularly in regions experiencing irregular rainfall patterns and drought stress conditions. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7719.html Abstract Background and Objective: Wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis) is a major weed in wheat fields, which causes serious problems for farmers due to its high competitive ability, abundant seed production, and herbicide resistance. To date, 533 herbicide-resistant weed biotypes have been reported, and this herbicide family is one of the groups to which resistance has been widely observed worldwide; so far, 172 weed species have developed resistance to this family (1). Fluorescence parameters are suitable indicators for assessing the damage caused by herbicides. Since tribenuron-methyl is an inhibitor of the enzyme acetolactate synthase, and this enzyme is located in the chloroplast, evaluating wild mustard's resistance to tribenuron-methyl by examining chlorophyll fluorescence can be valuable. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in the spring of 2013 at the research farm of the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, as a factorial split plot based on a completely randomized design with 3 replications. The first factor was wild mustard biotype at 2 levels (susceptible and resistant to the herbicide tribenuron-methyl), the second factor was the herbicide concentration of tribenuron-methyl (WP%50) at 7 levels (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 g/ha), and the third factor was the sampling time at 5 levels (3, 5, 7, 9, and 12 days after spraying). Results: Tribenuron-methyl caused a greater increase in minimum fluorescence and thermal dissipation of photosystem II reaction centers, as well as a decrease in maximum fluorescence, variable fluorescence, and the maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II in the susceptible biotype compared to the resistant biotype. This indicates that the photosynthetic system efficiency in the susceptible wild mustard is lower when exposed to herbicide doses. This could suggest an inability of the photosynthetic pigments to absorb solar radiation and transfer electrons to chlorophyll a located in the reaction center of photosystem II. In the susceptible biotype, fluorescence levels peaked 9 days after herbicide application and then declined, decreasing by 13.39% on day 12 and 25.37% on day 15 compared to the levels recorded on day 9. In contrast, the resistant biotype showed an increasing trend in fluorescence until day 9, followed by a decrease by day 12 after herbicide application. Variable fluorescence in the untreated control of susceptible wild mustard showed a significant decrease on day 7 compared to other days, indicating the occurrence of environmental stress, likely due to higher light intensity on that day. Chlorophyll content was significantly influenced by the interaction between herbicide dose, wild mustard biotype, and sampling time. Three days after treatment, all herbicide doses increased chlorophyll concentration in the susceptible wild mustard compared to the control. Conversely, in the resistant biotype, all herbicide doses reduced chlorophyll concentration at all time points after application. The lowest chlorophyll concentration was observed 5 days after application at the 5 g ha⁻¹ dose, which was 14.73% lower than the control treatment. Conclusion: The results showed that tribenuron-methyl caused a greater increase in minimum fluorescence (F₀) and thermal dissipation in photosystem II (PSII) reaction centers, along with a decrease in maximum fluorescence (Fm), variable fluorescence (Fv), and the maximum quantum efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) in the susceptible biotype compared to the resistant biotype. This indicates lower photosynthetic system efficiency in susceptible wild mustard when exposed to herbicide doses, which could be attributed to the inability of photosynthetic pigments to absorb solar radiation and transfer electrons to the chlorophyll a dimer in the PSII reaction center. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7744.html Background and Objectives: Soil salinization is one of the major threats to food security and ecosystem health in arid and semi-arid regions worldwide. High salt concentrations cause osmotic imbalance, oxidative damage, and other hazards to plants, leading to reduced growth, reduced biomass, and even complete crop loss. Salt-tolerant plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (HT-PGPR), as a group of beneficial soil microorganisms, are emerging as a valuable biological fertilizer to reduce the negative effects of high salt concentrations and improve plant growth. This study aimed to investigate the effects of inoculation of two strains of halophilic bacteria isolated from saline plants on reducing the negative effects of salinity in three grape cultivars. Materials and Methods: This study investigated the potential of two strains of halophilic bacteria Bacillus subtilis POE26 and Oceanobacillus sp.76 to increase tolerance to NaCl salinity stress in three grape cultivars (Fakhri, Bidaneh Sefid and Gaznehei). This research was conducted as a factorial experiment in a completely randomized basic design with three replications. The response of plants to salinity stress and bacterial inoculation was analyzed by evaluating growth parameters and physiological traits. Results: The results of this study showed that in all the studied cultivars, salinity stress caused a decrease in internode length, leaf area and relative leaf water content, so that in (salinity 0 mM) the maximum values were recorded in these traits, although the Oceanobacillus sp. 76 strain increased the internode length and leaf area compared with the uninoculated control. Stem diameter and number of branches decreased under the influence of salinity stress, and leaf protein and Ion leakage parameters increased. Under salinity stress, it was observed that the activity of both bacterial strains studied increased total soluble sugar and protein and reduced electrolyte leakage. Among the cultivars, Fakhri recorded the highest internode length (3.19cm), leaf area (32.22cm2), lateral branch length (32.50cm) and soluble sugars (117.72mg/gFW). Conclusion: In this study, the role of two strains of halophilic bacteria Bacillus subtilis POE26 and Oceanobacillus sp.76 isolated from tissues of halophytic plants in reducing salinity stress in three grape cultivars (Fakhri, Bidaneh Sefid and Gaznehei) was evaluated. The results obtained show that the application of both bacterial strains positively improved both morphological and physiological characteristics. Salinity stress reduced growth parameters, relative leaf water content and total soluble sugar and caused an increase in leaf protein and Ion leakage, although bacterial inoculation improved growth parameters and caused an increase in protein, soluble sugars and reduced Ion leakage compared with the uninoculated control. , https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7786.html Background and objectives: Information on germplasms characteristics held in plant gene banks is the first step for germplasm utilization. Small-grain millets, as plants with a short growth period and low water requirements, are one of the most suitable crops for fodder production due to climate change and water resource shortage. Therefore, this study investigates and evaluates the genetic diversity of agro-morphological traits in the collections of Iranian millet landraces held by the National Plant Gene Bank of Iran. Materials and methods: Eighty-one accessions of foxtail millet (Setaria italic L.) and 169 accessions of common millet (Panicum milliaceum L.) were planted in two distinct lattice designs with 2 replications at the end of May, in 2022. Thirty-two agro-morphological traits, including plant height, days to flowering and ripening, forage and grain yield, shape and length of panicle and etc. were evaluated. Data were used in the analysis of variance, the analyses of correlation, regression, factor, and discriminate as well. Results: In common millets, means of grain yield, days to flowering, and days to ripening were 2470.2 Kg/ha, 50.8 days, and 78.1 days, respectively. Plant height and panicle length differed from 48.8 to 105 cm and 5.5 to 34 cm, respectively. In foxtail millet, the mean grain yield was 2571 Kg/ha. Whereas, days to flowering and ripening were 61.7 and 93.5 days, respectively. In common millet, there were significant correlations between forage and grain yields with plant height (p<0.01, r=0.429) and leaf color (p<0.01, r= -0.422). In foxtail millet, grain yield showed a negative significant correlation with the number of flowering stems (p<0.01, r= -0.269), and a positive significant correlation with lodging susceptibility (p<0.01, r=0.375). Distribution of accessions was drawn in the produced bi-plot based on two first factors of factor analysis. Produced bi-plot based on two first functions of discriminate analysis distinguished forage, grain and dual-purpose of millet landraces in both species. Conclusion: High degree of genetic diversity for the investigated traits in Iranian millet collections is comparable with those of world millet collections, so Iranian millet germplasm can be used in millet breeding programs. Correlation and regression analyses showed positive relationships between lodging susceptibility with grain and forage yields; therefore, to releasing new millet varieties, this finding should be considered. Finally, the produced bi-plots based on discriminate analysis revealed forage, grain, and dual-purpose germplasms in Iranian millet landraces that can be used to introduce new millet varieties in millet breeding programs. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7795.html Background and objectives: Supplying forage with adequate quantity and quality remains a major challenge for the livestock sector in the semi-arid and temperate regions of Iran. Water scarcity, climate change, and rainfall variability have intensified the need for adaptable and stable forage crops. Autumn-sown forage legumes contribute substantially to the sustainability of cropping systems through biological nitrogen fixation, improvement of soil fertility, and production of high-nutritive-value forage. Among them, vetch species (Vicia sativa, V. pannonica, and V. villosa) have attracted attention due to their relative tolerance to environmental stresses. Considering the importance of genotype × environment (G×E) interaction and the necessity of identifying stable cultivars, this study aimed to evaluate yield performance, stability, and nutritional quality of different forage vetch cultivars under diverse climatic conditions of Iran. Materials and methods: The experiment was conducted over two growing seasons (2022-2023 and 2023-2024) at four locations: Karaj, Gorgan, Kermanshah, and Parsabad (Moghan). A randomized complete blocks design with four replications was employed. Plant materials consisted of two introduced cultivars (Atom and Enes) and two local checks (Lamei and Maragheh). Evaluated traits included fresh and dry forage yield, plant height, establishment percentage, phenological traits, and quality parameters such as crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), crude fiber (CF), total ash, and water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC). Combined analysis of variance across years and locations was performed, and GGE-biplot analysis was used to assess yield stability and genotype × environment interaction. Results: The combined analysis of variance indicated that the effects of location, year, genotype, and their interactions were significant at the 1% probability level for fresh forage and dry forage yield. Fresh forage yield in the first year (approximately 23318 kg ha⁻¹) exceeded that of the second year (approximately 20030 kg ha⁻¹) by 3288 kg ha⁻¹. The genotype Lamei exhibited the highest mean dry forage yield (2808 kg ha⁻¹), the greatest plant height (mean 79 cm), and the highest plant establishment rate (98-100%). GGE-biplot analysis showed that Lamei was the closest genotype to the ideal genotype and demonstrated high general adaptability and yield stability, whereas Maragheh showed better specific adaptation in Parsabad (mean dry yield 2470 kg ha⁻¹). The genotypes Atom and Enes, in addition to lower mean yields (2195 and 2383 kg ha⁻¹, respectively), exhibited greater variability across environments. Regarding phenological traits, Lamei was identified as the earliest-maturing genotype in most environments, with the shortest period from emergence to harvest (mean 154 days), while Maragheh was the latest-maturing genotype (mean 168 days). In terms of nutritional quality, Lamei showed the highest crude protein content (0.18%) and water-soluble carbohydrates (5.7%), and the lowest acid detergent insoluble fiber (3.34%) among the genotypes. Overall, Lamei exhibited both the highest dry matter yield and crude protein content among all genotypes. Conclusion: Forage yield and quality of vetch were significantly influenced by genotype × environment interaction, highlighting the necessity of multi-environment evaluation for cultivar recommendation. Based on combined quantitative, qualitative, and stability analyses, Lamei is recommended as a broadly adapted, high-yielding, nutritionally superior, and stable cultivar for cultivation across diverse regions of Iran. Maragheh may be recommended for cooler environments with specific adaptation. The selection of late-maturing and stable cultivars can serve as an effective strategy to enhance forage production sustainability under diverse climatic conditions. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7798.html Background and Objective: Girdling involves removing approximately 5–10 mm of bark and cambium tissue from the trunk to restrict phloem transport between the canopy and roots, a practice that has been used for thousands of years to improve crop yield. As a horticultural technique, girdling disrupts the downward translocation of photosynthetic products such as carbohydrates and certain compounds like auxins, and by manipulating the source–sink relationships of vines, it affects flowering, fruit set, growth, and fruit quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of girdling timing on fruit quality and to investigate the postharvest behavior of fruit from girdled vines. Materials and Methods: This research was conducted to examine the effect of girdling timing on the qualitative traits and storage performance of Hayward kiwifruit over two years (2023–2024) in Astara County. Kiwifruit vines were girdled at a height of 0.5 m above ground level at two-week intervals from early May to early September, comprising 10 time-point treatments. Overall, girdling was performed at two stages before flowering (reproductive organ differentiation stage), three stages during rapid fruit growth, two stages during fruit development, and two stages at maturity. Data on fruit quality traits at harvest and during storage were analyzed via two-year combined analysis with two factors (girdling time and storage duration) in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Results: Two-year combined analysis showed that the interaction between girdling time and storage duration was not significant for fruit quality traits. However, mid-summer girdling, particularly in early August (coinciding with the fruit development stage), significantly increased soluble solids content, titratable acidity, vitamin C, fruit firmness, fruit dry matter, total phenol content, and antioxidant activity compared with the control and several other treatments. The highest soluble solids content (14.28 %) was observed in the early September girdling treatment in the second year, and the lowest (11.45 %) in the late-May girdling treatment. The highest total phenol content (1.006 mg g⁻¹ fresh weight) was recorded in the late-August girdling treatment in the second year. During storage, soluble solids content, fruit dry matter, total phenol content, and antioxidant activity increased, while titratable acidity, vitamin C, and fruit firmness decreased. Conclusion: Trunk girdling had no effect on fruit storage life. However, fruit from trunk girdling vines had different maturity characteristics and quality traits at harvest than fruit from vines that were not trunk girdling. Based on the results of this study, early-mid summer girdling can be used to improve fruit quality in the Hayward cultivar. https://jopp.gau.ac.ir/article_7815.html Background and Objectives: Coriander microgreens (Coriandrum sativum L.) have attracted increasing attention as functional foods due to their high concentration of bioactive compounds and considerable nutritional value. Their cultivation in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) systems enables uniform and high-quality production. Considering the important role of genetic diversity in determining yield, vegetative growth, and the accumulation of secondary metabolites, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of genotype on morphological traits, yield, photosynthetic pigments, antioxidant compounds, and the antioxidant potential composite index (APCI) in coriander microgreens grown under hydroponic and controlled environmental conditions. The identification of superior genotypes in terms of both yield and nutritional quality was also targeted. In addition, this study aimed to identify genotypes with simultaneous potential for high productivity and desirable biochemical quality for commercial production in intensive urban cultivation systems. Materials and Methods: This experiment was conducted in January 2025 in the growth chamber of the Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, using a floating hydroponic system. Fourteen coriander genotypes, including thirteen Iranian genotypes and one Hungarian genotype, were evaluated in a completely randomized design with three replications. Plants were grown under red and blue LED light with a 1:1 ratio, a light intensity of 300 ± 15 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹, and a 12-hour photoperiod. Measured traits included growth and yield characteristics, photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll and carotenoids), vitamin C, total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, antioxidant activity, and antioxidant potential composite index (APCI). Furthermore, Pearson correlation analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to investigate relationships among traits and classify genotypes, providing a comprehensive interpretation of the genetic variation structure. Results: The results demonstrated that genotype had a significant effect on all morphological, biochemical, antioxidant, and yield-related traits. The Hungarian and Bushehr 2 genotypes exhibited the highest yield and superior vegetative growth. Khuzestan 1 showed the highest levels of chlorophyll, carotenoids, and vitamin C, whereas the Hormozgan genotype possessed the highest flavonoid content and APCI value. The greatest antioxidant activity was observed in the West Azerbaijan genotype. Principal component analysis indicated that the first three principal components explained more than 80% of the total variation and clearly differentiated the genotypes based on yield-related traits, biochemical characteristics, and pigment–antioxidant attributes. Strong positive correlations were observed among growth and yield traits, while secondary metabolites showed negative correlations with yield-related traits, indicating a trade-off between biomass production and secondary metabolite synthesis. These findings suggest that the selection of superior genotypes should simultaneously consider both production objectives and nutritional quality. Conclusion: Overall, considerable genetic diversity exists among coriander genotypes for microgreen production under controlled environmental conditions. The superior genotypes identified in this study (Bushehr, Hormozgan, Khuzestan 1, and Hungarian) can be utilized in breeding programs, genotype selection, and optimization of production protocols in hydroponic systems to enhance both yield and functional quality of coriander microgreens. Moreover, the findings of this research may provide a basis for developing management strategies aimed at achieving an optimal balance between product quantity and quality in advanced agricultural systems