JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

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Using a deterministic model for dairy herd according to milk pricing system in Iran, the economic weights of milk production, fat percentage, protein percentage and herd life with minimized cost were identified, while restricted total input and total costs were variable in animal unit. By data simulation and the data obtained from 3 different dairy herds in Iran, the sensitivity of economic values with the assumption of 20% change in forage and concentrate price, forage to concentrate ratio, feed-cost, non-feed cost, base price of milk, free-market price of milk, average milk production, fat percentage, protein percentage and herd life were estimated. In the base condition, the economic weights of milk production, fat and protein percentage and herd life in three herds were -0.55, -0.24, -0.54 -34, -20, -11 -34, -37, -33 -0.37, 0.67, -0.39, respectively. The effect of change in different factors of production system on economic weights of three farms was variable. The economic weights of milk production, fat percentage, protein percentage and herd life had the most sensitivity to change in the average milk productoin, base price of milk and herd life, respectively.

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The effect of nitrogen and phosphorous fertilization on range species production was studied using factor combination method as factorial with 3 blocks and 12 treatments. Nitrogen in 4 levels of 0،25،50 and 75 kg N/ha and phosphorus in 3 rates of 0،30 and 60 kg N/ha were used. Results indicated no significant difference between nitrogen rates in different growth forms of grass, bush and Eurotia ceratoides. Nitrogen in 75 kg/ha rates caused an increase of 40 and 106% in grass and Eurotia production, respectively. The maximum rate of production was seen in N50 with 100 percent increase compared to N0. Moreover, no significant difference in phosphor rates of leguminous and grass was observed. P 60 kg caused 500 and 56 % increase in leguminous and grass production, respectively.

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Safflower (Carthamus tinctoius L.) is an Iranian native crop that is adapted to different environmental conditions of this country. Sixteen safflower varieties/lines were spring-planted in 6 research stations including Sararood (Kermanshah), Maragheh, Ghamlo (Kordestan), Khodabandeh (Zanjan), Shirvan (North Khorasan)and Khohdasht (Lorestan) with and without drought stress conditions each in a RCBD with 3 replications. Some drought resistante indices including Mean of Productivity (MP), Geometric Mean of Productivity (GMP), Tolerance (TOL), Stress Tolerance Index (STI), Stress Susceptibility Index (SSI) for seed yield and genotypes Cell Membrane Stability (CMS) were calculated. Results showed that STI was the most appropriate index to identify drough resistant genotypes. Estimation of STI from mean of all stations revealed that Gila, CW-4440 and PI-537598 with high STI showed high seed yield in both stress and non-stress conditions. Caculation of STI standard deviation for these genotypes showed that Gila had less STI stability over the locations than other two genotypes so, CW-4440 and PI-537598 are more stable in drought stress resistance. Analysis of variance for cell membrane stability (CMS) of genotypes showed the significant differences in 1% level of probability between genotypes. S-541 had the highest and Kino-76 had the lowest CMS. There were significant and strong correlations between STI, MP and GMP with CMS namely, genotypes with more stable membrane having more drought resistance in field condition. So, cell membrance stability can be a useful and fast method to screen germplasm and identify drought resistant genotypes. Cluster analysis based on STI,MP,GMP, CMS and seed yield in both stress and non-stress conditions divided genotypes into 3 groupes. Results of clustering also identified S-541, Gila, CW-4440 and PI-537598 as 4 superior genotypes and confirmed the results of other methods.

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Variance components and genetic parameters of body weight of Mehraban sheep were estimated by univariate and random regression models. This was done by using body weight records of 2746 Mehraban lambs related to flocks under supervision of the Agriculture Organization of the Hamadan province, collected between 1990 and 2005. In both methods, variance components estimates were obtained by restricted maximum likelihood (REML) using DFUNI and DXMRR programs, respectively, via DFREML 3.1 software package. Results showed that variance components obtained from RR models (except for residual variance) in some ages were higher than those obtained from univariate models. Direct heritability (h2) estimates from univariate and RR models were approximately equal to weaning age but, overall, RR estimates were higher than those obtained from univariate analyses. Maternal heritability estimates (m2) from RR models were higher than univariate models’ estimates, and showed a different pattern of variation with age. Correlations between predicted breeding values from univariate and RR models for birth weight and weaning weight were 0.72 and 0.70, respectively. Results showed that estimates of variance components and genetic parameters by RR models were affected by data structure and in case of the need for genetic parameters, especially those related to body weight late in lambs’ life, estimates of univariate analyses should be preferred.

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Chlorine and sulfate toxicity in water and soils are the main factors limiting growth and yield of most plants. Tolerance and sensitive indexes related to Cl and SO4 in irrigation water and effect of nitrogen fertilizer on barley were evaluated in a completely randomized design with three replications, under greenhouse conditions. Quantity salinity tolerance and susceptibility indices such as Mean Productivity (MP), Tolerance Index (TOL), Geometric Mean Productivity (GMP), Stress Susceptibility Index (SSI), Reduction Yield Ratio (Yr) and Stress Tolerance Index (STI) on the basis of plant yield with stress (Ys) and without stress (Yp) conditions were determined. Results showed that STI had a positive and highest significant correlation with grain and straw yields, compared to other indexes. Study of Standard Beta contents in grain and straw with STI index showed that the impact of Cl had a greater effect on reduction of salinity tolerance than SO4. Also Cl/SO4 ratios of 1:3 and 1:2 for grain and 1:2 and 1:1 for plant straw brought about highest tolerance to salinity, compared to non stress conditions. The scatter plot also confirmed such findings.

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A greenhouse experiment was conducted to study the effects of soil copper (Cu) and salinity on growth and chemical composition of two pistachio cultivars. A factorial experiment was carried out as a completely randomized design with three replications. Treatments consisted of four Cu levels (0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 mg Kg-1soil as CuSO4.2H2O), five salinity levels (0, 800, 1600, 2400, and 3200 mg NaCl Kg-1 soil) and two pistachio cultivars (Badami-e-Zarand and Ghazvini). Results showed that salinity significantly decreased growth parameters. Application of 3200 mg NaCl Kg-1 soil decreased shoot and root dry weights, leaf area and stem height by 67, 72, 45 and 76 % respectively. Application of 7.5 mg Cu Kg-1 soil increased shoot dry weight and leaf area by 24 and 26% respectively. Morever, there was no significant difference between growth parameters of two pistachio cultivars, except for leaf area index. Salinity stress significantly decreased shoot and root P, k and Cu total uptake, and increased that of Na and Cl. Application of 5 mg Cu Kg-1 soil significantly increased shoot Cu uptake. Since total uptake of all elements for Badami cultivar was significantly higher than the Ghazvini, it could be concluded that the latter cultivar is probably more resistant to the saline conditions.

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Quantity-Intensity (Q/I) curves and their derived parameters provide general information about soil Potassium (K) availability. This investigation was conducted to obtain K different varieties and their correlations with K, Q/I parameters in 13 soils sample from Bahar area as the major potato producing area in Iran. Soil Samples were equilibrated with solution containing different potassium activity ratios (ARK), and changes in potassium concentrations in the equilibrium solution (ΔK) were ploted against activity ratio of K, and Q/I parameters were determined. The results showed that, potassium activity ratio at equilibrium (AR0) ranged from 0.007 to 0.995 with an average of 0.16 (mmol L-1)0.5, The readily exchangeable potassium (ΔK0) ranged from 0.04 to 2.199 with an average of 0.49 cmol kg-1, The potassium potential buffering capacity (PBCK) ranged from 13.21 to 75.37 with an average of 42.02 (mmol kg-1) / (mmol L-1)0.5. Highly significant linear correlations were found between PBCK and CEC (r = 0.6*), AR0 and KSO (r = 0.99**), AR0 and Kex (r = 0.85**). Among the studied soils, one soil (Chopolgh Lo soil) absorbed potassim on edge position of clay minerals and the others absorbed potassium on planar surface.

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The geographical location of Isfahan province has led the province to be at risk of drought. One of the ways to mitigate drought is evaluation and monitoring of drought based on indices that can determine its intensity and permanence in each region. In this research, for drought and trend analysis standard precipitation index and Mann-Kendall test were used, respectively. Also, monthly precipitation time series of Isfahan province was applied to forecast drought from 1970 to 2009. For this purpose, Box and Jenkins modeling approach (1976) was used which has three main steps, namely model identification, parameter estimation, goodness of fit test or time independency and normal test of residual. The results showed that most of the stations in Isfahan province were faced with severe drought in the year 2000 and this situation was repeated one more time in 2008. Also, the results brought forth multiplicative models in all the stations. ARIMA (1,0,0) (0,1,1) showed the highest correlations between control and forecast data in Isfahan, Meime and Ardestan stations, and the model ARIMA (0,0,1) (0,1,1) displayed the highest correlation between control and forecasted data in Naein, Freydoonshahr, Khansar and Natanz. These models were selected as the best models through which the amount of precipitation was predicted till 2015. The trend of forecast data across Isfahan province showed that in most months the trend is not significant.

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Evaluation of chemical and biological indicators of soil in different land uses could be helpful in sustainable range management, preventing degradation of soil quality trend. This study was conducted in Friedan in Isfahan province in 2010 to compare chemical and biological indicators in three land uses (rangeland, degraded dry land and dry land), during two growing seasons (May and September) in three slopes (0-10, 10-20, 20-30 %). Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, organic matter, cation exchange capacity and microbial soil respiration were measured. Results showed that all measured characteristics except potassium decreased over an increase in the slope. Maximum values of phosphorus, organic matters, cation exchange capacity and soil respiration were obtained in pasture (28.4 mg/kg, 0.62%, 20.38 cmol/kg, 33.2 mgC/day, respectively)but potassium maximum rate was seen in dry land form (406.8 mg/kg).The effect of season on all measured parameters was significant except for N, while the highest amounts of phosphorus, potassium, cation exchange capacity and soil respiration (28.7 mg/kg, 377.3 mg/kg, 19.6 cmol/kg and 25.9 mgC/day, respectively) were seen in May and the highest organic matter rate (0.68%)in September. The results of this study showed that an increase in the slope, poor range management, and the end of the growing season could be major factors degrading the soil quality indices and soil productivity.

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