JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

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Wheat as a main food source is partly lost in different ways such as planting, harvesting, storage and even in consumption processes. This calls for attention to reducing these losses through application of the results from agricultural research, use of new farming practices, improvements in management system and repair and renewal of farm machinery. The present study considers the design, development and evaluation of a new pneumatic air reel system as a replacement for the conventional mechanical reel. To evaluate the new system, laboratory and field tests were conducted.

 In the laboratory tests, the air velocity was measured along the fan outlet width at a 10 centimeter interval from the outlet to 40 centimeters away from it, and corresponding curves of air velocity distribution along the fan outlet width were drawn. On the basis of the results, 13 fans were calculated to be required on the cutting platform of a 14-foot (4.3 meter) combine. The results from the field tests of mechanical and air reels show that grain losses of air reel during harvesting are less than those of the mechanical reel because the air reel has no mechanical contact with the crop and applies less shock on plant stem than the mechanical reel. According to the results, grain losses increased linearly with increasing fan speed. In addition to the change of fan speed (2247, 2503, 2860, 3218 and 3932 RPM), three air discharge directions of 10, 20 and 30 degrees from horizontal line were examined. According to the data analysis in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) through Tukey’s procedure (15 treatments and 6 samples in each treatment), there were significant differences between grain loss at these directions and mechanical reel at a level of 5%. A wind direction of 20 degrees and fan speeds of 2503 to 2860 RPM are recommended.

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In this study, the control method of greater wax moth using male sterilization technique with gamma ray and chemical control methods were examined and compared. In order to determine the safe and effective dosage of gamma-ray to sterilize male pupae of the greater wax moth, an experiment was conducted in a complete randomized design with 5 treatments and 3 replicates with 50 male pupae in each replicate. Treatments included different levels of gamma-ray dosages with zero, 250, 300, 350 and 400 gray.

Release ratio of sterile to normal males was also studied in a similar experiment. Treatments included sterile-males, normal males and virgin females with the ratios of 1:1:1, 2:1:1, 3:1:1, 4:1:1 and 5:1:1. In this study, male pupae were irradiated with 350 grays of gamma-ray. The possible parthenogenetic reproduction of this pest was also studied. In order to compare the results from the male-sterile technique and the chemical control of this pest, another experiment was conducted in wax stores using 3 treatments with 3 replicates. Phostoxin was used as the most common chemical pesticide with a dosage of 1 tablet of 3 grams of 56% per 1 m3 space for the control of this pest.

The results showed that the best dosage to sterilize male pupae of the greater wax moth was 350 grays of gamma-ray. Also the best release ratio was four sterile male, one normal male for each normal female (4:1:1). Our results indicated that the females of the greater wax moth were not able to reproduce through parthenogenesis. There was no significant difference between the chemical and male-sterile methods for the control of this pest.

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Environmental pollution is one of the major problems for humans and animals. Radioactive wastes and heavy metals are important sources of pollution. Recent studies suggest that soil and geomedia have a high potential for the disposal of radioactive wastes and heavy metals. The clay minerals in geomedia can act as a barrier against radioactive wastes and heavy metals. However, enough information and experimental evidence about the mechanisms involved in the fixation of metals by clays are not available. This study aimed to show the effect of clay type on the fixation of cobalt and cadmium as affected by thermal energy. Increasing the temperature from 25 to 400°C decreased the CEC of clays in Ahwaz and Darab soils saturated with cobalt from 35.6 and 50.1 cmol_c+/kg to 28.8 and 4.5, respectively. In cadmium clays, however, reductions in CEC were minimal (from 34.3 and 51.2 at 25°C to 32.5 and 47.7 cmol_c+/kg at 400°C, respectively) compared to cobalt saturated clays. Consequently, the bonding characteristics change according to the size of the cations upon thermal treatment. The small cation, cobalt with an ionic radius of 0.68 Å, apparently migrates to the octahedral vacant sites and forms covalent bonds after heating at 400°C to become non-exchangable (fixed). The larger cation, Cd with an ionic radius of 0.97Å, apparently does not migrate into lattice sites on thermal treatment and remains exchangeable.

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In recent decades, the use of nitrogen fertilizers has increased irrespective of their effects on soil properties, agricultural products and, particularly, on environmental pollution. Nitrate easily leaches from soils into groundwater. The objective of this study was to determine temporal and spatial nitrate concentrations in groundwater in agricultural, industrial and urban regions in some parts of Isfahan Province. Water samples were collected monthly from 75 agricultural, industrial, and urban wells of Isfahan, Najaf-abad, Shahreza, Natanz and Kashan during January-May 2001. The results indicated that NO₃-N concentrations in most of the regions studied were higher than the standard level (10 mg/l) and nitrate pollution must be reckoned among the most serious problems of sustainable agriculture and exploitation of groundwater resources. Average NO₃-N concentration in different wells ranged from 1.03 to 50.78 mg/l (4.64 to 228.5 mg/l as nitrate). The average NO₃-N concentration in groundwater of Najaf-abad, Shahreza, Isfahan and Natanz-Kashan was 17.56, 14.6, 16.04, and 8.24 mg/l and 95.5, 100, 84 and 33.3 % of total wells in these regions had nitrate concentrations above the standard level, respectively. Maximum NO₃-N concentration was detected in the agricultural region south of Najaf-abad (64.6 mg/l). Nitrate pollution in most of the sampling areas was mainly linked to agricultural activities. The average NO₃-N concentration in groundwater of all agricultural, industrial, and urban regions, except for urban regions of Natanz and Kashan, were above the standard level. Generally, nitrate concentration level in groundwater increased with time and was maximum in March and April.

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Two hundred Arian broiler chicks were used to investigate the effect of contents of dietary glucosinolates on performance of broiler chicks during starter (0-21 days of age) and grower periods (22-42 days of age) in a completely randomized design. The dietary glucosinolates contents in the starter period were 0 (S₁), 7.5 (S₂), 15 (S₃), 22.5 (S₄), 30 (S₅) µmol/g and in the grower period they were 0 (G₁), 5.7 (G₂), 11.4 (G₃), 17.1 (G₄), 22.8 (G₅) µmol/g. Feed intake during the grower period was affected (P<0.05) by different levels of glucosinolates in the diets and the lowest feed intake was observed in the G₅ treatment. The lowest body weight gains were observed in the S₅ and G₅ treatments during the starter and grower periods, respectively (P<0.05). The feed conversion ratio (FCR) in the S₅ treatment for the starter and the G₅ treatment for the grower period were significantly different (P<0.05) from other treatments. The correlation between the body weight gain and level of dietary glucosinolates or glucosinolate consumption was high during the starter (r = -95.3% and -94.7%, respectively) and relatively high (r = -69.5% and -72.4%, respectively) during the grower period. This experiment showed that the amount of glucosinolates in the diets of broiler chicks for the periods of starter and grower feeding system should not be more than 11.36 and 8.11µmol/g diet, respectively. Also during the starter and grower feeding periods, the highest level of rapeseed meal could be used in the broiler diets are 13 and 8 percent, respectively.

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Range suitability and its grazing capability are the most important criteria in rangeland analysis and monitoring. Determination and monitoring of factors affecting on range suitability and diagnosis of them are important .All range ecosystem components affect range suitability. Which among them physical and vegetational factors, forage production, water resources and sensitivity to erosion were considered. The objective of this research was to determine range suitability of Lar, Dasht bakan, Ardestan, Siahrood rangelands to design a model for sheep grazing. This study was carried out in four regions, two of them (Siahrood and Lar) located in Alborz mountain chain, Ardestan in center of Iran and Dashtbakan in Zagros mountain chain. According to the results among physical factors, slope remoteness of watering points and sensitivity to erosion had more effect on grazing capability than vegetation factors. In Siahrood watershed aboundancy of poisonous plants, high slope, transient watering points and non resistant formations were limiting factors. High slope, sensitivity of soils and stones to erosion, kind of exploitation in Lar watershed affected range suitability. In Ardestan watershed, low range productivity, presence of invader plants, erosion, remoteness of watering points are major limitation of range suitability. In Dasht Bakan factors including slope, elevation, dispersion of water resources and transient water resources were limited grazing capability. In land evaluation each land utilization type has certain land use requirement and each land unit has certain land qualities. Utilization of rangeland based on grazing capacity, range readiness and recreation of degraded rangeland can improve suitability of rangelands in the studied areas.

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To study the effects of terbutaline (a beta adrenergic agonist) on performance of broiler chickens, 21 d-old male and female Cobb broiler chicks (n=300) were randomly assigned to one of five dietary treatments containing 0 (control), 5, 10, 15 and 20 mg terbutaline per kg diet. The feed conversion ratio (FCR), feed intake and body weight gain were measuered after 3 weeks. At 42-d age, six males and six females were randomly selected from each treatment and their live weight and weights of carcass, breast, breast muscle, drumsticks, drumstick muscle and abdominal fat were determined. Terbutaline didn’t affect daily weight gain, but FCR of male chicks was reduced for 5 and 10 mg/kg terbutaline treatments comapared with the control group (p<0.05). Carcass weight and weight of drumsticks, drumstick muscle, breast, breast muscle and ratio of breast to live weight of female chicks reciving 5 mg/kg terbutaline were higher than for other treatments (p<0.05). In male chicks, the live weight and weight of carcass, ratio of carcass to live weight, drumsticks and drumstick muscle at 5 mg/kg terbutaline treatment were higher than for other treatments (p<0.05). This experiment also showed that the addition of 5 mg terbotaline per kg diet during growing period improved FCR and ratio of carcass to live weight of male chicks, increased the ratio of breast to live weight of female chicks, and increased the carcass weight of male and female Cobb chicks.

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To determine the preheating effect on frozen French - fries quality, four potato cultivars: Agria, Marfona, Auozonia & Auola were selected from Faridan region in Isfahan province & transferred to cold storage at temp.=5+0.5°C and RH=85-90%. At first, some physico – chemical characteristics of potato tubers such as specific gravity and dry matter content were measured by A.O.A.C methods. Also reducing sugar contents were analyzed by “High Performance Liquid Chromatography” (HPLC). The potato strips were blanched in hot water at different condition: 70°C - 4 min, 70 °C 10 min, 95 °C - 2min and then deep - fat fried at temperature 175°C for 2 minutes. Product quality properties such as texture, color and oil absorption were determined by standard methods. The data were analyzed using a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design, and average comparisons were made by by Duncan's multiple range test (p < 0.01). The results showed that blanching at 70 °C for 10 minutes markedly improved the quality parameters. Treatment at 95 °C – 2 min did not have any significant effect on Hunter Lab color parameters compared with 70 °C – 10 min. treatment, but the texture was significantly different. The oil absorption increased in strips blanched at 95 °C for 2 minutes. The samples blanched at 70 °C – 4 min had no significant effect on the product quality. In conculsion, Agria &Auola cultivars were more suitable for manufacturing French - fries than the other two varieties.

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The effect of dietary protein level and feed restriction on performance, body temperature and hematological values was evaluated, using Ross 308 broiler chicks under heat stress. For this purpose, three dietary treatments were fed to broilers during 21 to 42 days of age. Two treatments consisted of diets with protein levels recommended by NRC, 1994 and 85% of NRC recommendation and were fed ad-lib during the experiment. The third treatment was a feed restriction group that was fed diet with protein level recommended by NRC, but chicks were deprived of feed for 6 hours during heat stress challenge. Birds had free access to water. Results indicated that lowering protein content or feed restriction had no significant effect on body weight gain (P>0.05). Feed restriction resulted in significantly decreased feed intake, improved feed conversion and energy efficiency ratio, and decreased body temperature after heat stress challenge at 24 and 32 days (P<0.05). Lowering protein of diet and feed restriction resulted in significantly decreased protein intake, improved protein efficiency ratio and increased hematocrit and blood uric acid (P<0.05). Sex had no significant effect on body temperature and hematological values (P>0.05). Heat stress significantly increased body temperature, hematocrit and glucose and uric acid values.

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In order to determine the reciprocal relationship between the important characteristics of soil and the growth of Haloxylon ammodendron (C.A. Mey) plant in segsi plain of Isfahan., ordination method was used. The study was performed through the stratified random sampling and the regions were separated according to the plant age and physical physiognomy, then 10 samples of Haloxylon ammodendron (C.A. Mey) of the same age were selected in each region. Meanwhile, factors such as height, canopy cover area, canopy cover perimeter, canopy cover diameter, and basal area were considered. Also, 30 profiles from viewpoint of growth situations in 10 different regions were dug. Soil characteristics such as : pH, Ec, total soluble Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, Cl^-, CO3^--, HCO3^-, SP%, CaCO3%, CaSO4%, organic matter%, total nitrogen percentage, phosphorous, Na⁺, K⁺, SAR, and hardpan depth were measured. Data was analyzed using ordination method. According to the results, samples of the same age showed significant differences in plant features. Other results showed that physical characteristics such as depth of hardpan from soil surface, SP%, and chemical characteristics such as salinity, alkalinity and total nitrogen had the highest effect on qualities of this kind of plant. In other words, the results mentioned above showed the important role of Haloxylon ammodendron (C.A. Mey) in sharp increase of salinity and alkanity in it's stratum.

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Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)‌ and rotational crops have been cultivated without potassium fertilizers for many years in southwestern Iran. Although potassium was removed from this soil, no response has been reported to K fertilizers by crops. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of wetting and drying, and cultivation systems on potassium fixation in some Khouzestan soils. The results showed that expandable clay mineral was observed in cultivated soils but not in the non-cultivated soils. This may be related to irrigation, and cultivation practices in this soils. By adding K and sequential wetting and drying the amount of K-available increased in sugarcane, rotational cropping and uncultivated soils from 132.6, 226.2 and, 171.6 mgkg^-1 to 266, 447 and 628, respectively. These results showed that more K can be fixed after cultivating soils, especially by sugarcane, but available K increased by adding K. All surface soils had higher K fixation capacity than subsurface ones. Also, by application K to these soils, the amount of K fixation decreased with increasing wetting and drying times. The K fixation increased by the increase of cation exchangeable capacity. Significant difference was observed between cultivation system and depth of sampling in 1% levels. High K fixation can be attributed to illite minerals depleted from K. Mica-like minerals formed after adding K, and wetting and drying cycles. Amount of K fixation by clay particle samples was more than the same soil samples but in both the same trend was observed for K fixation. Also, drying and wetting decreased K fixation in the last periods. It may be due to trapping K in the interlayer positions.

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  The research design of elimination trail has performed in the form of randomized completely blocks design with 3 replications and 8 treatments ( species of needleleaves) in Kohsarkande forests of Neka, Mazandaran(North of Iran). For investigation of the plant biodiversity the treatments of needleleaves in this elimination trail, the aforestation of hard woods(Maple) and the bare area were selected. For determination of characteristics of top soil(0-10cm), a total of 24 samples of treatments were taken(per treatment 3 samples) and topsoil chemical properties such as EC, pH, T.N.V, caso4, P, K and organic matter were analized. To determin of plant biodiversity in these treatments Simpson´s index, N2 Hill´s index, Mc Arthur´s index and Shannon-Wiener function were used and for determination of species richness of these treatments Margalef ´s index and Menhinick´s index were employed. The results of this research showed that the treatments of the bare area, Cryptomeria japonica and Pinus pinaster with minimal survival and at least litter covering percentage have the highest biodiversity of plant covering on the floor of these treatments. The treatments of Pinus teada and the aforestation of hard woods(Maple) with maximum survival and the highest litter covering percentage have the lowest biodiversity of the plant covering on the floor of these treatments.

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Biological characteristics of Creontiades pallidus Ramber (an important pest of cotton in Khorasan province, Northeastern Iran) and its predator Nabis capsiformis Germar were determined and compared. The experiments were conducted in the laboratory conditions at 26±1؛C, 65±5% RH and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D) h. Statistical analysis of data showed that different developmental periods except the second instar nymph, oviposition, pre- and post-oviposition periods, adult longevity and life span in C. pallidus were significantly shorter than N. capsiformis. The egg incubation period, total nymphal period and total developmental period were 5.99±0.038, 10.83±0.11 and 16.86±0.11 days, respectively in C. pallidus and 7.23±0.50, 14.05±0.37 and 21.35±0.36 days, respectively in N. capsiformis. The oviposition period, female longevity and life span were 9.90±1.20, 14.45±1.30 and 28.76±1.10 days in C. pallidus and 18.40±2.40, 27.60±2.50 and 44.90±2.60 days in N. capsiformis, respectively. Each female of C. pallidus and N. capsiformis laid an average of 65.9±3.59 and 119.6±8.83 eggs, respectively in ovipositional period, which showed significantly high oviposition rate of the predator. In C. pallidus, 70.71% of eggs hatched and 23.93% of immatures developed to adult stage. The hatched eggs and developed immatures in N. capsiformis were 77.78% and 29.63%, respectively.

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While technical efficiencies of firms that are estimated with respect to a given frontier are comparable, this is not normally valid the case among firms that operate under different technologies. Such problem arises when comparisons of firms from different regions of country are involved. This study uses the concept of the metafrontier function to investigate regional differences in milk production technologies of Iran. Metafrontier function was estimated using non-parametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) and required data are collected from 726 questionnaires. Results of estimating regional frontier production function indicated that, gap between the best producer and other producers in Yazd is minimum and it is maximum in Esfahan. Also estimation of metafrontier production function and technical gap ratio showed that Tehran and Yazd have higher technical operation in comparison with other studied provinces.

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Mineralogy is one of the most influential soil properties that change from upper- to lower slope positions, depending on the climate differences. Such changes affect soil properties such as phosphorus sorption and desorption processes differently. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate the clay mineralogy of soils in four toposequences from arid (Isfahan) and semiarid (Chaharmahal Bakhtiari) regions and its effect on soil P release. The soils of three points on each toposequence were sampled as the upper-slope mainly containing parent materials the mid-slope, non-arable lands and the lower-slope, arable lands. Some of soil properties such as clay minerals were determined. Also, trend of P release parameters was studied in four toposequences. Results showed that the amount of clay, cation exchange capacity (CEC), electrical conductivity (EC), and pH of the soils increase down the slope in all toposequences. X-ray diffractograms showed that kaolinite and illite in upper slope and smectite and chlorite in lower slope were the predominant clays. Among the kinetic models examined based on their determination coefficient and standard error, the Elovich equation was chosen to describe the P release kinetics in studied soils. The trend of P desorption rate along the arid toposequences was in the following order: upper-slope < mid-slope < lower-slope. Furthermore, the rate of P desorption in soils of the semiarid toposequences was higher than arid toposequences. Regarding the trend of P rate parameters along the toposequences, it could be concluded that P release rate and the soil capacity to supply P for plants increase toward lower slope.

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Rice whitening is an important stage in rice milling process and improvement of the whitener machines has a remarkable effect on rice loss. To decrease the amounts of broken rice and losses, the rotor of the blade whitener was equipped with screw conveyor. To investigate the effects of rotor speed (in four levels: 600, 700, 800 and 900 rpm) and output rate (in three levels: 400, 500 and 600 kg/h) on quality of milled rice, a factorial design with randomized complete block experiments with three replications were conducted. In this study, Sorkheh variety (a medium rice variety), which is one of the prevailing varieties in Esfahan, was used. The results showed that the lowest breakage percentage (20.92%) occurred at rotor speed of 700 rpm with an output rate of 600 kg/h and the best degree of milling (6.33%) took place at rotor speed of 600 rpm with an output rate of 400 kg/h. The best rice quality (low broken rice and high degree of milling) was observed at rotor speed of 600 rpm with 500 kg/h output rate.

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Antioxidant activity of pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel extract (PPE), extracted by either methanol or ethanol solvent, was studied by phosphomolybdenum method. Antioxidant activity of methanolic PPE was higher than the other. To evaluate heat stability of PPE in sunflower oil, the rancidity rate of the oil was compared at 90, 120, and 150ºC with those containing α-tocopherol and synthetic BHT, using rancimat method. A sample including 1000 ppm PPE had the highest induction period at 90,120 ,150ºC. The use of PPE had no adverse effect on sensory characteristics of potato chips as judged by the taste panel.

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Cadmium is a toxic element in plant nutrition and is considered as a contaminant of food and feed. A greenhouse experiment was carried out to examine the effects of combined application of cadmium and zinc on responses of wheat on a clay loam soil texture. This experiment was designed in a factorial experiment with randomized complete block design (RCBD) and four replicates per treatment. Three levels of cadmium (Cd 0, Cd 50 and Cd 100 mg kg-1) and three levels of zinc (Zn 0, Zn 50 and Zn 100 mg kg-1) were added to the pot in factorial(9 treatments), and then Chamran seed variety of wheat (triticum aestivum L.) was planted in each pot. The statistical analyses showed that Cd application significantly (P0.01) decreased grain, straw, and total yield, but Zn application increased these parameters significantly (P0.01). Application of Cd separately decreased the grain yield by 61.5 while application of Zn separately increased the grain yield by 36.9. Cd application increased the Cd concentration and uptake by grain and straw as well as total uptake but by increasing Zn application, Cd uptake was decreased by wheat. Cd concentration was higher in straw than that grain, but Zn showed a different trend. Decreasing Zn applications decreased total uptake of Cd from 42.9 in Zn0 to 7.8 mg kg-1 in Zn100 treatment. Although this soil was very calcareous, this characteristic did not control Cd absorbtion.

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Digital soil mapping includes soils, spatial prediction and their properties based on the relationship with covariates. This study was designed for digital soil mapping using binary logistic regression and boosted regression tree in Zarand region of Kerman. A stratified sampling scheme was adopted for the 90,000 ha area based on which, 123 soil profiles were described. In both approaches, the occurrence of relevant diagnostic horizons was first mapped, and subsequently, various maps were combined for a pixel-wise classification by combining the presence or absence of diagnostic horizons. Covariates included a geomorphology map, terrain attributes and remote sensing indices. Among the predictors, geomorphology map was identified as an important tool for digital soil mapping approaches as it helped increase the prediction accuracy. After geomorphic surfaces, the terrain attributes were identified as the most effective auxiliary parameters in predicting the diagnostic horizons. The methods predicted high probability of salic horizon in playa landform, gypsic horizon in gypsiferous hills and calcic horizon in alluvial fans. Both models predicted Calcigypsids with very low reliability and accuracy, while prediction of Haplosalids and Haplogypsids was carried out with high accuracy.

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Soil characteristics are the most powerful factors in desertification phenomenon. The purpose of this study was investigating soil characteristics as indices for evaluating desertification intensity. The most important indicators of the soil that affect desertification were selected in the present study. Soil samples were taken from Segzi desert vicinity located in the east of Isfahan city with surface area of 112,167 ha. Soil indices such as Soil texture, soil gypsum percentage, the content of HCO3-1, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, the percentage of the organic matter, the content of the soil sodium, chloral and sodium absorption ratio (SAR) were selected. All of these indices were calculated on the thirty four soil samples. After ensuring of the normality of the samples by Klomogrov-Smirnov test, the mentioned indices were imported into GIS for delineating soil characteristics maps. To delineate distribution maps of each soil indice, inverse distance weighting and ordinary and discrete Kriging methods were applied, and appropriate method was selected. Each layer was scored based on MEDALUS model, and the final characteristic maps were then generated using soil geometric mean indices. Results showed that the affected areas of the average, severe and very severe classes of desertification were calculated about 66000, 45650 and 517 ha, respectively. The results also revealed that the indices of the organic matter, soil gypsum percentage, electrical conductivity and SAR were the most influential indicators, which affected desertification in the study area.