M. Nasrifard, G.h. Sayyad, A.z. Jafarnejadi, M. Afyuni,
Volume 17, Issue 65 (fall 2013)
Abstract
Environmental pollution caused by heavy metals such as lead is a serious and growing problem. Due to the importance of wheat in the human nutrition, this research was conducted to study concentration of lead in the soil and also seeds of wheat farms in Khuzestan Province. Therefore, in the agricultural year of 2007-2008, the soil and wheat seed samples were collected from 100 farms whose locations were specified using weighing sampling method. The lead concentrations in soil (total and available), and wheat seeds samples were measured. The result revealed that lead concentrations in soil and seeds in none of the studied regions exceeded the respective critical levels (50 and 30-300 mg/kg, respectively). Ezeh with an average of 0.01 µg/kg had the lowest amount of lead in the wheat seeds, while BaghMalek with an average of 190 µg/kg had the highest amount. The mean concentration of available lead in the soils of study region was 0.6 mg/kg. The concentration of available lead had a negative and significant correlation (r=-0.2*) with the ECe. Also, lead concentration in wheat seeds had a positive and significant correlation (r=0.3**) with the amount of calcium carbonate equivalent. More lead concentration in seeds of bread wheat cultivars showed its higher potential for accumulation of lead than durum wheat.
A.r. Jafarnejadi, A. Gilani, F. Meskini-Vishkaee, M. Hoseini Chaleshtori,
Volume 29, Issue 3 (Fall 2025)
Abstract
Rice, as one of the world's most strategic crops, plays a vital role in global food security. This study investigated the effects of different nutrition management approaches on yield and water productivity in dry direct-seeded rice cultivation (local Anbouri Red Dwarf cultivar) at Shavoor Research Station in Khuzestan Province. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with four treatments, including 1) Farmer's conventional practice, 2) Soil test-based fertilization, 3) Soil test-based fertilization + supplementary nutrition, and 4) 25% reduced chemical fertilizers + biofertilizers, with three replications. Results demonstrated that the supplementary nutrition (4270 kgha-1) and biofertilizer with 25% chemical fertilizer reduction (4356 kgha-1) treatments increased yield by 17% and 19.3 %, respectively, compared to conventional practice (3651 kgha-1). This improvement was primarily attributed to increased panicles per m² (10-14%) and enhanced nutrient uptake efficiency. The biofertilizer treatment also showed the highest water productivity (0.25 kg m-³) and the best benefit-cost ratio (23.25). Economic analysis confirmed that combining biofertilizers with 25% chemical fertilizer reduction significantly reduced costs while maintaining yield. These findings suggest that integrating soil testing with either biofertilizers or stage-specific nutrition represents an effective strategy for enhancing yield, improving water use efficiency, and reducing dependence on chemical inputs in dry-seeded rice cultivation. These methods can be recommended as sustainable models for farmers in arid regions like Khuzestan, which face salinity challenges and water resource limitations.
