JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

---

The effect of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki on different larval instars of Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) and the role of two plant materials, namely, caffeine and aqueous neem extract, in the enhancement of it’s efficiency was investigated under laboratory conditions. The experiments were conducted at 25±4 ^oC, 65±5 %(RH) and photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D).The larvae were provided from the colony established and maintained on host plant. The different larval instars were distinguished by measuring head capsule width.To evaluate susceptibility of different instar groups of larvae to B.thuringiensis, LC₅₀ values on (1-4) instar groups were determined. LC₅₀ values for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th instar groups were, 183.86, 377.03 ,1297 and 3096 ppm, respectively. The synergistic effect of caffeine and aqueous neem extract with B.thuringiensis was investigated separately on 3rd larvae instar. A completely randomized design with 6 treatments and 4 replications was used. The results revealed that there was a striking synergistic effect of caffeine and neem on B.thuringiensis.The larval mortality percentage for mixture 618ppm of B.thuringiensis and 4000ppm of caffeine was 80% however, this was 10% and 20% for caffeine B. thuringiensis respectively when these compounds were used alone.The initiation of larval mortalitry in all mixtures was earlier than other treatments.Also the larval mortality for mixture B. thuringiensis with 35000 ppm of aqueous neem extract was 77.5% after 144 hours however, it was 22.5 % and 25 % for B.t. and neem alone, respectively. The mean weight of larvae treated with all synergists was significantly less than the control cohort, (p<0.05).

---

An experiment was conducted at Rasht Rice Research Institute, in 2001 to study trait relationships and to determine the direct and indirect effects of different characteristics on grain yield of rice (Orgza sativa L.). A 9x2 factorial experiment in complete randomized block design with 3 replications was used. The two factors were 9 cultivars, namely: Hashemi, Ali Kazemi, Binam, Sepeedroud, Nemat, Khazar, Taichung, Chanto, and Usen, and 2 planting patterns (15x15 cm and 30x30 cm). Significant differences were detected among cultivars, between planting patterns, and their interaction effects. The direct effect of the number of panicles/m² on grain yield was positive and significant in both planting patterns and their combined analysis. Heading date had a positive and significant direct effect on the number of panicles/m² in both planting patterns and their combined analysis. Only in 30x30 cm planting pattern, a positive correlation was found between biomass at heading date and the number of panicles/m². Grain weight per plant had a direct and positive effect on panicle weight in the 3 cases studied. Also, in all the cases studied, flag leaf area had positive direct effects on grain weight per plant. Grain filling rate and effective grain filling period increased in 30x30 cm planting pattern. Native cultivars demonstrated longer latent period. Grain filling rate and effective grain filling period showed positive direct effects on grain yield in both plantings. According to the results obtained, an increase in the number of panicles/m², rate of grain filling, and effective grain filling period would enhance grain yield. Selection for heading date, grain yield per plant, and flag leaf area would also indirectly increase grain yield.

---

The vast and diverse rangelands of Iran require the selection of appropriate methods for grazing intensity measurement in the different vegetation types. Methods can be compared on the bases of time and budget as well as their accuracy. In this study nine methods of the utilization measurement were conducted on the E. ceratoides stands of Hanna exclosure Semirom, Isfahan province. The duncan multiple range test was used to compare mean utilization percentages obtained from the different methods, with paired cage method data was used as control group. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was also used to compare methods for accuracy, time and budget. The means from reference unite, twig length, production index, plant count and stem count methods had significant (p<0.05) differences compared with control group but were comparatively time consuming and more expensive than other methods. The height-weight method resulted in an estimate with no significant difference with the control group. This method was also fastest and least expensive among methods with the accurate results (p<0.05).

---

To evaluate heritability, phenotypic and genotypic correlation coefficients, phenotypic and genotypic variances as well as relationships between some of the grain quality traits, an investigation was conducted in a randomized complete block design replicated three times in 2001, using four durum wheat genotypes PI40100, Dipper-6, Oste/Gata, Shova and their F₂ and F₃ progenies derived from their crosses. Grain quality characteristics including seed hardiness, protein content, SDS sedimentation volume and gluten content were evaluated. The results indicated that wet gluten content and dry gluten content had the highest coefficient of variation. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference between genotypes for all traits with the exception of SDS sedimentation volume. Dry gluten content had the highest heritability (90.4%) while SDS sedimentation volume had the lowest heritability (48.6%). Results of correlation analysis indicated that seed hardiness correlated significantly with protein content, SDS sedimentation and dry gluten content. Protein content had a positive correlation with wet and dry gluten content. Since dry gluten content showed a high correlation with protein content (quantity) and seed hardiness had a high correlation with SDS sedimentation volume, hence these two traits can be used as the selection criteria for improving quality of protein in durum wheat.

---

The Genetic basis of grain yield and related characteristics were studied by a generation mean analysis in five crosses of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). “Roshan”, “Mahdavi”, “Inia”, “Atila” and “Goscoyin” cultivars along with their F₁, F₂, BC₁ and BC₂ populations were evaluated by a split-plot design with crosses as the whole plot in a randomized complete block design with two replications and generations were applied as the subplots. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among generations for studied characteristics including the grain yield per plant, the number of spikelet per plant, the number of spikelet per spike and grain weight per spike. For the majority of traits and crosses, F/DH^1/2 was less than one, indicating that the sign and magnitude of gene actions were different. Estimates of broadsense and narrow sense heritabilities were low for the grain yield per plant compared with other traits, rating from 28.5% to 58.6% and 24% to 48,5% for the five crosses, respectively. Genetic components of generation means were calculated by fitting different models and choosing the best model indicated that the impact of additive, dominance and epistasis genetic components in controlling the traits depend on the cross and the trait under study.

---

Improvement of feed efficiency in dairy farming economically has a great importance. In this study, the genetic parameters of net energy efficiency and its relationships with milk yield, 3.2% fat corrected milk, body weight, gross income and income over feed costs were investigated, by the 2589 monthly records collected from the 723 lactating cows in the 3 herds. The different requirements of energy were estimated, by the National Research Council (NRC) models. A general linear model was employed for determining significant factors affecting each trait. The genetic parameters were estimated by a multivariate analysis with the derivative free approach of restricted maximum likelihood algorithm. The animal models contained the fixed effects of herd-year-season, parity number and stage of lactation, the regression coefficients of each trait on the dietary levels of rumen undegradable protein and metabolizable energy, and the random effects of animal additive genetic, permanent environment and residuals. The heritability of milk yield, 3.2 percent fat corrected milk, body weight, net energy efficiency, gross income and income over feed cost, were estimates 0.31, 0.32, 0.30, 0.34, 0.24 and 0.29 respectively. The results of this study indicated that the direct selection for net energy efficiency might genetically improve the feed efficiency. It also seems that the selection for fat corrected milk may be effective for the indirect improvement of feed efficiency and economic performance of dairy cows.

---

To obtain a suitable explant and efficient culture medium for plant regeneration in spinach, two cultivars of Melody and Karaj local seedlings were chosen. A hypocotyl and cotyledon segments as well as shoot tip explants were dissected from seedlings. The explants were then cultured on MS medium supplemented with IAA, GA₃, NAA, and BAP and their response to this media was studied. A completely randomized design with different replicates was used to conduct the experiments. Callus was formed at the base of the hypocotyl explants on the medium containing 15 mg.l^-1 IAA, and 3.4 mg.l^-1 GA₃. Calli capable of regeneration was obtained after subculturing on the medium containing 2 mg.l^-1 IAA, and 3.4 mg.l^-1 GA₃ at the rate of 38 percent. The vitrified plantlets were abnormally glassy, and translucent which might have high water content. It was a physiological disorder which was overcome when an improved agar medium raising to 9 gl^-1 was used. Callus has been obtained only from the hypocotyl explants, while regeneration has been obtained from shoot tip cultured on the medium containing 0.02 mgl^-1 BAP at the rate of 80 percent.

---

Present study investigates macrobenthic invertebrates and their community structure in Chafrood river to classify and assess the study sites regarding the environmental anthropogenic factors. Along a 9 km distance, 8 study sites were selected, and macrobenthic were monthly sampled using a surber sampler (1600cm², 250 μ mesh net) with 3 replicate at each station. Collected samples organisms were fixed with 4% formalin and laboratory process including sorting, identification and enumeration of the animals were preceded. During the study 73 benthic taxa were identified which were dominated with aquatic insects larvae especially orders Diptera and Ephemeroptera. The maximum and minimum total abundance was 2335 ind.m^-2 in station #2 and 1639 ind.m^-2 in station #4 respectively. Benthic animals' frequency data were summarized to community structure metrics including total richness, EPT richness and ratio of EPT frequency to Chironomidae family. A Shannon- Winner diversity index and Hilsenhoff family level biotic index was also determined for each studied station. Result of cluster analysis for stations, based on the community structure metrics and diversity index, was in accordance with the station classification using biotic index and both classify the affected stations at the same group.

---

Diallel analysis was used to estimate the combining ability, gene action, gene number, heritabilties and other genetic parameters of a set of wheat genotypes. For this purpose, nine parents and their 36 crosses were evaluated for 9 traits in a randomized complete block design with three replications in 1996. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among all genotypes for all traits. Estimates of general and specific combining ability mean squares based on Griffing’s Method 2 indicated the importance of additive and non additive effects in the expression of all traits. Alvand and Roshan cultivars for grain yield per plant, Alvand for grain number per main spike and main spike weight, and Alvand and Alamoot for 1000 grain weight were the best combiners, thus use of them is beneficial for these traits. Based on the estimates of average degree of dominance and results of graphical analysis, the gene action for grain number and spikeletes per main spike were partial dominance, while for grain yield per plant, biological yield, plant height, harvest index and 1000 grain weight, overdominance gene actions were observed. Moreover, genotypic correlation coefficients of grain yield per plant with grain number per main spike, 1000 grain weight, grain weight per main spike and main spike weight were positive and significant.

---

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.

---

Endophytic fungi, Neotyphodium spp. symbiotically infect host grasses, Fescue arundinacea Schreb. and F. pratensis Huds. and Mealybug, Phenococcus solani Ferris attacks some forage plants. To evaluate the role of these fungi to control this pest, four genotypes of F. arundinacea and two genotypes of F. pratensis were used. Plant tillers were split into two sections, one section of which was freed from endophyte using a fungicide mixture. The mixture contained 2 grams of active ingredients of Propiconazol and 1 ml of Folicur per liter of water. New tillers from endophyte-infected and endophyte-free plants were transferred into the field. The number of mealybugs was measured after the first visible sign of infestation on roots. To count mealybug, one plant hill of each plot was randomly selected. Hay yield of each plot was measured by clipping the plants 5 cm above ground level. Correlation of hay yield and other growth characteristics with the number of mealybugs on roots as an index for mealybug damage on infested plants was determined. The results indicated that endophyte-free plants were highly infested with mealybug, P. solani compared with endophyte-infected plants that were completely free of P. solani, correlation coefficients showed that there was significant negative correlation between forage yield and mealybug numbers, indicating mealybug damage on infested plants. It seems that endophytic fungi are effective biocontrol factors for some root feeding pest such as mealybug, P. solani.

---

The aim of this study was to detect change of the forest area in the north of Iran between 1994 and 2001. The study area was covered by a 1:25000 topographic map (about 15000 ha) in Babol forests. The forest map of 1994 was extracted from 1:25000 topographic digital map. Landsat 7 ETM+ image dated July 30, 2001 was analyzed to produce the forest map for the end of the period. Since the evaluation of the image quality illustrated it less than ±1DN in the ETM 2, 4, 5, the rectification of the stripping distortion was ignored. There were also duplicate scan lines and sweep distortions in all the spectral bands. Orthorectification was implemented using ephemeris data and digital elevation model. Several spectral transformations such as rationing, PCA, Tasseled cap and image fusion (using Color space transformation and Spectral response method) were performed on the ETM+ data. The sample ground-truth map was prepared using GPS in 3% of the study area. In order to classify the image, hybrid classification method (digital and visual), using original and synthetic bands, was employed. At first the image was classified using maximum likelihood classifier. The most accurate map (overall accuracy and kappa coefficient equal to 94.56% and 0.89, respectively) was converted to the vector format and then it was edited on the basis of various color composites, fused images and other ancillary data. The obtained map showed overall accuracy and kappa coefficient equal to 96.39% and 0.927, respectively. The comparison of the classified map with the forest map of 1994, illustrated that 751 ha of forest area (equal to 8.2% of the previous forest area), were decreased. This includes a 417 ha increase (mostly reforested areas) and a 1168 ha decrease over the study period. The findings indicate the high potential of ETM+ data in forest mapping and change detection over the whole extent of the northern forest of Iran.

---

This research was conducted to investigate the changes of GA₃-like substances in the stratified (0, 10, 20, 30 days at 10^oC) and non-stratified seeds of two olive cultivars, namely ‘Arbequina’ and ‘Zard’. In the first experiment stratified seeds of these cultivars (10 g) were extracted with ethanol (80%), purified by ethyl acetate, and then separated by thin layer chromatography (TLC). To compare the biological activity of separated zones, lettuce hypocolyl assauy was used. The results obtained in this part of study indicated that the amount of GA₃-like substances increased as the stratification period increased. In the second experiment extracts were made from different parts of non-stratified seeds of both cultivars. The result of the second experiment showed that the GA₃–like substances of embryos of non-stratified seeds were higher than other parts of the seed.

---

This research was carried out to investigate the heterogeneity of milk yield variance components in different production levels of holstein cattles. The first lactation milk yield records of 95945 Holstein cattles, which had calved in 651 herds through years 1991 to 2000, were used in this research. Data was collected by the Animal Breeding Center of Iran and adjusted for two-time milking per day. Records were classified into three classes: low (less than 5275 kg), average (5275-6874 kg), and high (more than 6874 kg) based on the level of production. Variance components and genetic parameters were estimated using single and three-trait animal models for each class and three classes with Derivative Free Restricted Maximum Likelihood methods (DF-REML). Bartlett test showed significant differences for variance components between classes. Milk yield heritability was estimated as 0.205, 0.276, and 0.196 for low, average, and high class, respectively, in both single and three-trait analysis. The gentic correlation coefficient between classes ranged from 0.80 to 0.85, Phenotypic correlation coefficients between classes were low and ranged from 0.17 to 0.19. The highest rank correlation coefficient between estimated breeding value by single and three-trait model was obtained in average class. The average changes in the rank of common animals in the top 1% of cows were greather than the top 5% of bulls. Adjustment for heterogeneity of variance components suggested selecting more top cows from herds with high level of production.

---

In this study external fat-tail dimensions (upper, middle and lower width, length, length of gap, depth and upper circumference) and fat-tail weights collected on 724 Lori-Bakhtiari sheep were used to study external fat-tail dimensions and their relationships with fat-tail weights. Sheep were 3 months to 6 years old and slaughtered at the industrial slaughter house of Joneghan in Chaharmohal and Bakhtiari province in 2003. The mean of fat-tail dimensions were estimated as 15.83, 23.85, 24.73, 26.52, 14.96, 14.12 and 52.59 cm for upper width, middle width, lower width, length, length of gap, depth and upper circumference, respectively. Fat-tail weight varied from 0.10 to 20.60 with overall mean of 2.71 kg. Fat-tail percentage varied from 1.18 to 37.18 with overall mean of 11.87 percent. The effects of fixed factors of age, sex and body condition of sheep on all of traits were highly significant (p<0.0001). The least square means of all traits except fat-tail percentage were increased with increasing age of sheep. Lowest least square mean (± s.e) of 2.12 ± 0.25 kg fat-tail weight and 7.91 ± 0.72% fat-tail were observed for sheep having body condition score of 1 and the highest least square mean with fat-tail weight of 9.84 ± 0.56 kg and fat-tail percentage of 20.59 ± 1.63 were observed for sheep having body condition score of 5. Estimation of correlation coefficients among external fat-tail dimensions and fat-tail weight were positive and varied from 0.60 between upper fat-tail width and fat-tail weight to 0.83 between upper circomference of fat-tail and fat-tail weight. Upper circumference of fat-tail accounted for %69.5 of variation of fat-tail weight. This study showed that fat-tail weight in live sheep of Lori-Bakhtiari could be estimated using external fat-tail dimensions with very high accuracy (r = 0.904).

---

Increased chemical compounds in soil are the most important results of irrigation with domestic wastewater and treated effluents which contain some nutrients such as phosphorous (P). This process could increase the soil fertility, leading to the decrease of chemical nutrient consumption and consequently the cost of agricultural production. A research project was carried out in Tehran region for two years in order to investigate the capabilities of soil and plant in absorption and storage of wastewater contaminants, namely, phosphorous, and also the transmission of them to drain depth as a result of irrigation practice. To do the research, a series of lysimeters based on a statistical factorial experiment in the form of randomized complete design (3x3x3) were used. Raw and treated domestic wastewater, obtained from Ekbatan Housing Complex, and well water (control) were used to irrigate raw edible vegetables including parsley, carrot and tomato. The results showed that the amount of phosphorous leaching through soil to drain depth was between 0.90% and 3.56%, and between 1.03% and 4.15% of the phosphorous concentration in raw wastewater and treated one entered into the soil, respectively. Also, mass balance analyses showed the average phosphorous reduction ranged from 97.2% to 99.9% of the phosphorous entered with wastewater. During two years of study, the maximum concentration of PO₄ measured in drained water was about 0.21 mg/L obtained from lysimeters irrigated with raw wastewater. This was much lower than the permissible PO₄ amount for discharging the effluents to the surface water resources (6 mg/L PO₄ is permitted by Iranian Environmental Protection Organization).

---

A field study was conducted at the Zabol Agricultural Research Center during the years (2003-2004) to investigate the effect of irrigation with treated municipal wastewater on the yield and quality of wheat and some soil properties. Irrigation treatments were: T₁: Irrigation of wheat with well water during entire period of growing season T₂: Irrigation of wheat with well water until the begging of flowering stage, and irrigation with wastewater in every other turns of irrigation T₃: Irrigation of wheat with well water until the beginning of booting stage, and irrigation with wastewater in every other turns of irrigation T₄: Irrigation of wheat with well water until the begging of tilling stage, and irrigation with wastewater in every other turns of irrigation and T₅: Irrigation of wheat with wastewater during entire period of growing season. A complete randomized block design with four replications was adopted for this experiment. The soil was sandy loam with no limitation for internal drainage. Chemical and physical aspects of soil were measured during the experiment. Grain yield, yield components and chemical composition of wheat grain were also measured. The results showed that yield of wheat and total biomass production were statistically significant in T₃, T₄ and T₅ compared with the control treatment. Plant height, width and length of flag leaf, numbers of fertile tillers, length of panicle, numbers of grains per panicle and weight of 1000 grains were also statistically significant with the control treatment. Percentages of protein were statistically different among various irrigation treatments. No significant changes in accumulation of heavy metals in soil and plant grains were observed. The increase of SAR, ECe, O.C% and total nitrogen in the T₄ and T₅ were statistical significant compared with the control treatment. In summary, for sustainable use of Zabol municipal wastewater, the growth stages of wheat should be irrigated with municipal wastewater and other growth stages should be irrigated with nonsalinty water, so that the maximum yield is obtained and soil salinitisation and sodication is prevented.

---

To determine the role of endophytes in conferring valuable physiological characteristics on and induction inducing cold tolerance in two species of festuca, an experiment was done at Isfahan University of Technology in 2002. Endophyte-infected and non-infected clones from two genotypes of tall fescue and one meadow fescue were prepared and coded 75,83 and 60 respectively. The clones were exposed to cold treatments at 6, -2 and –10C and compared with control treatment at 20C. After three weeks of cold treatments, relative water content of leaf and crown, cell membrane stability (electrolyte leakage), percentage of membrane damage and finally proline content of leaf were measured. The presence of endophyt caused an slight increase in relative water content of leaf and crown. There was considerably higher proline in endophyte-infected plants compared with non-infected ones in both stress and non-stress conditions. Endophytic fungi had strong effects on maintenance of membrane stability and on the decrease of electrolyte leakage at all temperature levels. Among plant genotypes, 83 preformed better for some characteristics, specially in the presence of endophyte, and showed higher cold tolerance.

---

In order to evaluate endophyte effect on plant earliness, compatible host-endophyte combinations including four genotypes of tall fescue and two genotypes of meadow fescue were selected and used in this study. One tiller-part of each genotype was treated using a fungicide mixture of Propiconazole and Folicur. New tillers of endophyte-infected and endophyte-free plants were planted in the field according to a complete block design with three replications. The traits including days to head emergence, days to 50% anthesis, days to maturity initiation, number of heads (as a weekly measurement), total seed weight, net seed weight and empty seed weigh were measured. Results showed that endophytes can enhance head emergence, maturity initiation and periodical seed yield. Days to 50% anthesis, and days to maturity initiation were also reduced. Head numbers in some genotypes increased up to 2 times. Increase in net seed yield may show some physiological alterations in plant such as hormonal balance alteration which may provide better seed setting in infected plants. Based on this study, we concluded that endophytic fungi can induce earliness in infected host plants.

---

An experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of different levels of energy (2700, 2900 and 3100 kcal/kg) and protein (13, 14.5 and 16 %) on laying performance of Fars native hens during the first phase of production. Two hundred and sixteen 25-week-old native pullets were put into fifty four groups of similar live weight (994 ± 169 gr) of four chickens, which were randomly allocated to nine experimental diets. Each treatment was replicated six times in factorial CRD design (3×3). At each level of energy, three diets were formulated to contain three levels of protein (16, 14.5 and 13%). The diets were fed ad libitum for a period of 20 weeks (week 25-45). The treatments 1 with 3100 kcal/kg ME and 16% protein and 3 with3100 kcal/kg ME and 13% protein had less daily feed consumption than treatment 7 with 2700 kcal/kg ME and 16% protein (90.50 and 87.30 vs 101.20 gr respectively, P<0.05). The effect of energy levels on daily feed and energy consumption and feed conversion ratio was significant (P< 0.05). Feed conversion ratio for energy level of 3100 kcal/kg was significantly different from 2700 kcal/kg (2.85 vs 3.08 respectively). The effect of protein levels on uric acid content of excreta and daily protein consumption was significant (P< 0.05) and protein level of 16% was significantly differed from protein level of 13% (11.40 vs 10.50 gr respectively). The results of this experiment showed that it is preferable to use the energy level of 2700 kcal/kg and protein level of 13% during the first phase of production of Fars native hens.