JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

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Studying genetic diversity is important because a decrease in genetic variability might result in a reduction of the plasticity of the crops to respond to changes in climate, pathogen populations, or agricultural practices. In this study, 72 Sardari wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) ecotypes were analyzed by AFLP markers and 17 phenotypic characters. Three pairs of EcoRI/MseI primer combinations produced 1582 polymorphic bands (with mean percentage of polymorphic 73.92%). Cluster analysis using Jaccard coefficient and the entire AFLP data divided all ecotypes into eight major groups. Mean, coefficient of variation, phenotypic, genotypic and environment variance were calculated in each quantitative character. Cluster analysis using Euclidian distance through the quantitative characters divided all ecotypes into six major groups. Comparison of genetic distances obtained from AFLP and agronomic data showed low correlation between the two diversity measurements (0.02). The results showed a high degree of genetic diversity between the Sardari ecotypes, suggesting that Sardari is not a single cultivar, but it is the mass of ecotypes and could be introduced in the gene bank.

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To investigate land use changes, Qale Shahrokh basin (15098.1 ha area) was selected. Satellite images of Landsat sensors (MSS, TM and ETM+) were used. After improvement and different enhancement analysis of images such as FCC, PCA, the study area was checked using GPS and topographic maps (1:50000) and other information. Land use units were determined using classified random sampling method. Maps accuracy was assessed after performing different classifications. Final land use maps of 1354, 1369, 1381 years were produced using a hybrid method with fine accuracy. Trend of land use changes was investigated during the study periods. Results showed that during the first period (1354), most area of land use was rangeland with sparse vegetation cover (%41.6) and least area was irrigated farming (1.5%). Also, during the second period (1354-1369) most area of land use was rangeland with sparse vegetation cover (%43.4) and least area was irrigated farming (4.1%). During the third period (1369-1381), the maximum area of land use was dry farming (%35.6) and minimum of area was irrigated farming (7%). Maximum land use change was related to rangeland with medium vegetation cover. They were changed into dry farming and rangeland with sparse vegetation cover during 1354 to 1369. During 1369 to 1381, maximum land use changes occurred on poor rangeland with sparse vegetation cover and rangeland with medium vegetation cover was changed into irrigated and dry farming.

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Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L.) is one of the most important melons in Iran especially in Khorasan province. The cantaloupe seed is a good functional and nutritional source for human, having large amounts of essential amino acids and unsaturated fatty acids. In spite of nutritional and functional aspects, it does not have considerable applications in food industry yet. Cantaloupe seed milk's pH is about 6.8, so cannot be stored for a long time. In this work, pH of cantaloupe seed milk decreases to 4.15 in 3 treatments (citric acid, orange concentrate, and orange sacs) and a constant amount of lemon juice. At first, nutritive value of seed milk was measured. According to results, this milk is a good source of protein (1.52%), phosphorus (41/3 ppm) and potassium (17 ppm). After that, storage stability of cantaloupe seed beverage at refrigerator temperature (4 °C) for 42 days was evaluated by analyzing changes in the chemical, microbial and sensory properties. The results showed that the orange concentrate-cantaloupe seed beverage reached the highest score of total acceptance (3.67 on a 5-point hedonic scale). In these conditions, we couldn’t find any molds and yeasts in the samples, thus the shelf life of the mentioned beverage could be 6 weeks at 4 °C.

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Sun drying is a well-known food preservation technique that reduces the moisture contents of agricultural products. Shrinkage, rehydration ability and color of food materials during air drying adversely affect the quality of the dried products. Since all fresh tomatoes can not be consumed at the time of harvest, preservation provides a larger market, allowing consumers to buy the preserved tomato through the year. A natural convection solar dryer consisting of a solar air heater and a drying chamber was manufactured in this research. Tomato slices were dried in the solar dryer and compared with open sun drying. Also, tomato slices were dried in a laboratory oven (operated at temperature 50, 60, 70, 80°C). With increasing the temperature, the time required to arrive certain moisture content is decreased. Also results showed that drying time in the solar dryer is shorter than open sun drying. In other words, drying time was reduced 17 to 45% by the solar drying in comparison to open – sun drying. The experimental shrinkage data showed a linear behavior with moisture content. Also, the experimental data didn't show a strong effect of temperature on the rehydration ability of the product. Thus, the effect of temperature and method of sun drying on the shrinkage phenomenon and the rehydration ability can be neglected. Tomato slices dried at 50°C had better appearance (lightness and red color) than at 80°C.

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In this research, samples of sugarcane bagasse were irradiated with various amounts (0, 100, 200 and 300 Kilogray) in an electron accelerator (TT200) to evaluate the effects of electron-beam irradiation on dry matter, neutral-detergent fiber (NDF) and acid-detergent fiber (ADF) degradability parameters. The first samples were dried and then ground for chemical analysis. The ruminal degradation parameters of the samples were measured in fistulated cow 3 (400 kg) at times of 0, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h by the terylene bag method. Data were fitted to non-linear degradation model of Orskov and McDonald to calculate degradation parameters of DM, NDF and ADF. The statistical analysis of degradation of various parameters and effective degradability was accomplished by using the GLM procedure of SAS. After variance analysis, the means were compared with Duncan,s new multiplerange test by using a completely randomized design. The washout fractions of DM as well as NDF and ADF increased linearly (P<0.05) with increasing electron irradiation dose, whereas the potentially degradable fractions of NDF and ADF decreased at first, and then, increased. Also, the degradation rate of the b fraction of dry matter increased. Effective degradability of DM, NDF and ADF increased linearly (P<0.05) with increasing irradiation dose. Electron irradiation at doses of 100, 200 and 300 kGy increased the effective degradability of DM, NDF and ADF at rumen outflow rate of 0.05/h (r) by about 7, 11 and 16% 2, 5 and 7% 3, 7 and 10%, respectively.

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Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) is a perennial legume widely adapted to environmental conditions and has been successfully used as a pasture and hay forage in Iran. This experiment was carried out to investigate yield potential and genetic variation of morphological, agronomic and qualitative traits using 10 Iranian sainfoin populations. The experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with four replications ON Research Farm, Isfahan University of Technology. Results indicated that there are significance differences between populations for most of the traits. The estimates of heritabilities for forage yield, number of stem per plant, number of node and qualitative traits were over 50 percent. The high phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variability for economic traits showed that a broad genetic diversity in this germplasem can be exploited in breeding programs. Significant differences were found among cuts and cut × population interaction for all characters. The third harvest produced 41.6 percent of total hay yield. Evaluation of traits related to forage quality revealed that the highest proportion of leaf to stem belong to Sarab and Oromieh populations (6.28 and 6.82, respectively). Crude protein percentage was significantly different among cultivars and Golpayegan population had the highest value for Crude protein percentage. Feridan, Khonsar and Golpayegan populations produced the highest dry matter yield in the first, second and third cut, respectively. These populations were found as the high potential accessions, which can be used as a source for agronomic and plant breeding research in the region.

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The recent years' problems of herbicide use have led a growing number of researchers to seek alternative methods that are less reliant on herbicides. This research was conducted to determine the effect of long-term crop rotation, mineral fertilizer and herbicide on the weed infestation and grain yield of winter rye during 2004 and 2005 at the long-term experimental site of the University of Timiriazev, Moscow. Treatments were control (no weed control), herbicide, combined fertilizer (NPK) and NPK plus herbicide in field winter rye cultivated in continuous and crop rotation with other crops since 1912. Crop rotation significantly decreased weed density and dry mass. Long-term NPK application significantly decreased weed density, but had not any effect on weed dry mass. Crop rotation, NPK application and herbicide increased ground crop cover and decreased ground weed cover. In continuous crop, weed ground cover was 10 % in control plot and 3.33 % in plots where NPK was applied. Data showed that long-term crop rotation and NPK application can reduce weed infestation and increase grain yield of winter rye.

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Soil tillage management for various crops in different regions needs use available indices and information about condition, manual manner, defects and preferences of various tillage methods. Therefore, this experiment was conducted in summer 2003 on clay soil containing wheat residual in Shawoor agricultural research center, situated in northern Ahwaz. Experiment was conducted as a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Treatments included: conventional tillage in one pass of moldboard plowing in 20cm depth + leveler (T1), two passes of disk harrow in 8-10cm depth + leveler (T2), two passes of disk harrow in 12-15cm depth + leveler (T3), one pass of cultivator in 10cm depth + leveler (T4), one pass of cultivator in 15cm depth + leveler (T5) and one pass of rotivator in 5cm depth (T6). The results showed that fuel consumption decreased for T2-T6 57, 51, 67, 54 and 69 % as compared to T1 (49 L/ha), respectively. Total operation time decrease in T2-T6 42, 46, 42, 54 and 44 % in comparison to T1 (4.41 h/ha) respectively. Field capacity increased for T2-T6 as much as 2.4, 2.2, 2.4, 1.8 and 2.3ha/h compared to T1, respectively. Mean weight diameter (MWD) index increased in T2-T5 29, 21, 10 and 5 % than T1 (1.92cm), respectively, but decreased 6% in T6. Mean tillage costs reduced in T2-T6 as much as 40, 32, 54, 50 and 60 % compared to T1 (500000 Rial/ha), respectively.

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One of the most important goals of precision farming is preparing yield map. Recently in Iran, planting of corn has received special attention. Therefore, among the different methods of yield measurement such as using impact sensor at the outlet port of forage harvester (chopper), displacement sensors at feed rollers of forage harvester, continuous measurement of discharged material to trailing wagon and using the torque meter, the present study made use of the torque meter method. This method consisted of a torque transmitting shaft equipped with laser-based encoders to monitor twist in a real time mode. The unit output could be exported to a computer via a microcontroller installed into the interface device. For calibration of the torque meter output with material feed rate in lab conditions, a conveyor was used to feed homogenous amount of material at a specific rate to the chopper. The experiment was conducted at 3 feed rates of silage corn and at 3 feed roll speeds of the chopper with 3 replications. Correlation between the feed rate and recorded power at different gears of the chopper was established. Relationships between feed rate and recorded power of the chopper at gears 1, 2 and 3 were linear with calculated R2 of 0.95, 0,98 and 0.98, respectively.

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To characterize the geographical distribution of medicago-nodulating rhizobia in western regions of Iran, 950 Sinorhizobium isolates were trapped from a combination of two local alfalfa populations (Hamedani, Nikshahri) together with a foreign cultivar ( Kodi) and soil samples from eight sites across Kurdestan, Kermanshah, Eastern Azarbayjan and Lorestan provinces. Also, a total of 45 isolates were obtained from nodules of naturally grown Melilotus officinalis (14 isolates) and Trigonella foenum-graecum (31 isolates) plants in Isfahan. On the basis of PCR partial amplification of the plasmid born nod box gene and chromosomal mucR gene of the isolates,16S ribosomal DNA PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, and the nucleotide sequence, three isolates from alfalfa, seven isolates from M. officinalis and 13 isolates from T. foenum-graecum were proved to be Sinorhizobium medicae. The remaining isolates (943 from alfalfa, seven from M. officinalis and 18 from T. foenum-graecum) were identified as S. melilloti. Both species, S. meliloti and S. medicae, were recovered from nodules of all the hosts although S. meloti was clearly more dominant in nodulating different populations of alfalfa. Taken together, these results indicated that the abundance of S. meliloti is independent of the site of isolation and have a wide geographical distribution. In this study, the banding pattern resulting from PCR amplification of 16S rRNA gene, followed by digestion with Rsa I, clearly differentiated S. meliloti and S. medica strains, showing that PCR-RFLP is an appropriate method to discriminate medicago-nodulating rhizobian with relative rapidity.

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Variable rate technology-spraying technologies are new aspect of sustainable agriculture. In these technologies, the chemical is applied in the needed level of farm where there is a high intensity of pests and weeds. The purpose of this paper was to study the agricultural specialists' attitude toward and intention to use variable rate technology-spraying technologies in Jihad-e-Keshavarzi organization of Fars and Khuzestan provinces. A survey was conducted using a stratified random sampling to collect data from 249 agricultural specialists. The results showed that the specialists of Fars and Khuzestan provinces have intentions to use the variable rate technology-spraying technologies. The variables including attitude toward application, trialing, perceived usefulness, compatibility, and attitude of confidence all influence the intentions to use the variable rate technology-spraying technologies. Based on high positive intention of agricultural specialists, we recommend the use of these technologies in agricultural practices of the two provinces.

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Because of the fact that alternative agricultural policies cannot be examined in a laboratory, the potential effects of policies must be analyzed before policy setting, and during or after the policy implementation using mathematical programming (MP) models. In this context, the consequences of increasing the acreage of colza at representative farm (RF) level of Namdan plain were analyzed using positive mathematical programming (PMP), which were improved to overcome normative character of optimization models. The main aim of PMP is to give as true a picture as possible of the situation and then simulate the behavior of farmers as parameters in which the object of agricultural policy intervention is shifted. Based on the results of this study, reduction in the acreage of wheat and bean and increase in the expected profit of RFs are the consequences of increasing acreage of colza. But, as variance of profit increases, the net impact of policy on the expected utility of RFs is not perfectly known. The results also indicated that the use of pesticide increases through introducing colza into a cropping pattern. The effect of policy on water use is different among RFs and they can't take this policy as a water demand management policy.

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The cabbage aphid Brevicoryne brassicae L. is an important pest, which attacks the rape seed and causes economic damage. In this study, effects of four different cultivars of rape seed (Zarfam, Licord, Hyola 401, and SLM046) on biological parameters and intrinsic rate of increase of B. brassicae were studied in laboratory conditions (25±1ºC, 70±10 RH and of 14:10 (L:D) photoperiod). Results showed that maximum nymphal and reproductive period, longevity of insects were found on Licord cultivar. The maximum fecundity of adult aphid was seen on Hyola 401. There was no significant difference between duration of developmental stages, and aphid fecundity on different cultivars. The intrinsic rate of increase was calculated by Wyatt & White method. Estimated intrinsic rate of natural increase of aphid was 0.316, 0.294, 0.311, and 0.289 on Zarfam, Licord, Hyola 401, and SLM046, respectively. Although the lowest intrinsic rate of increase was observed on Zarfam, statistical analysis of Wyatt & White output showed there was not any significance difference between rm on different cultivars.

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This research was conducted to study the nutritive value of Jerusalem artichoke (JA) as animal feed. The aerial part of the JA plant was harvested, at full bloom stage, and then chopped and dried. The chopped JA hay included 0.0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 % of alfalfa hay, used as experimental diets, and tested for in vitro digestibility. In a changeover experiment with Latin square based design the in vivo digestibility was studied by sheep. The samples of dried JA forage as well as the experimental diets were collected and analyzed chemically. The nutrient contents of JA were relatively similar to alfalfa hay except for the crude protein that was lower in JA. The in vitro dry mater and organic mater digestibility were not affected by the levels of JA in the diets, but the digestible value reduced (p<0.05) when the JA ratio was increased to the 40% of the diet. The in vivo digestibility of dry mater, organic mater and fiber fractions was decreased in the diet containing 40 percent JA however, total digestible nutrients and metabolisable energy were not significantly different among the treatments. It may be concluded that nutritive value of JA is similar to alfalfa hay, when it is used up to 30% instead of the alfalfa hay based diet

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In this study, the effect of “Osmodehydrofrozen” fruit addition on sensory, physical, chemical and microbiological properties of concentrated yoghurt and its quality during storage was evaluated. This research was done in two stages. At the first stage, fruit percentage, type and addition time (before and after fermentation) was determined. The results indicated yoghurts containing 10% apple or 13% strawberry, which was added before fermentation had a better quality. Because of high osmotic activity of apple, the synersis was lower in apple yoghurt in comparison with strawberry yoghurt. According to osmotic activity of both fruits, the synersis value was much lower than that of fruit yoghurts, which contained untreated fruits. Taste value was higher in strawberry yoghurt and texture and mouth feel values were higher at low percentages of fruit. The results of the second stage (quality evaluation during storage) indicated that storage had a significant effect on pH, acidity, synersis, taste and texture (P<0.05). In samples which contained apple, coli forms disappeared after 7 days of storage. In samples that contained strawberry, coli forms disappeared after 7 days of storage.

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The objective of this research was to predict head rice yield (HRY) in fluidized bed dryer using artificial neural network approaches. Several parameters considered here as input variables for artificial neural network affect operation of fluidized bed dryers. These variables include: air relative humidity, air temperature, inlet air velocity, bed depth, initial moisture content, final moisture content and inlet air temperature. In aggregate, 274 drying experiments were conducted for creating training and testing patterns by a laboratory dryer. Samples were collected from dryer, and then dehulling and polishing operations were done using laboratory apparatus. HRY was measured at several different depths , average of which was considered as HRY for each experiment. Three networks and two training algorithms were used for training presented patterns. Results showed that the cascade forward back propagation algorithm with topology of 7- 13-7-1 and Levenberg-Marquardt training algorithm and activation function of Sigmoid Tangent predicted HRY with determination coefficient of 95.48% and mean absolute error 0.019 in different conditions of fluidized bed paddy drying method. Results showed that the input air temperature and final moisture content has the most significant effect on HRY.

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Forest future depends on forest stands regeneration. Soil is one of the principal capitals in the forest area. It is important to minimize damages to the forest ecosystem during logging operation. In forestry and forest management, it is significant to know the effect of forest logging damages on regeneration, sapling and soil compaction. This study was carried out in Asalem Beech forest area, in the north of Iran. The forest was harvested by selective cutting method. A systematic and randomized sampling method was used for data collection. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) techniques and binomial distribution were used for data analysis. The results showed 14.5 ± 0.99 percent of regeneration and saplings of forest stands were destroyed and damaged by logging operations with 20 m3/ha intensity per year. 9.12 ± 0.83 percent of saplings were totally destroyed and 5.3 ± 0.63 percent were damaged. These damages were caused due to felling, accumulating, skidding and landing. Soil bulk density in range of 0-10 cm depth, logging and skid trails areas were increased 17.54 and 35.61 percent, respectively. To reduce logging damages and soil compaction in forestry, and manage the forest, we need a suitable organization of timber extraction operation, careful designing and standard construction of skid trails on the basis of logging maps before felling the trees down.

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A study was conducted in 2007 to investigate the effect of nitrogen fertilizer rates (0, 30, 60 Kg ha-1) on some agronomic characteristics, seed yield and oil percentage in three Sesame(Sesamum indicum L.) cultivars (Dashtestan, Darab 14, and Zarghan) in Kaki region (Bushehr Province). The type of design was completely randomized block with factorial arrangement and three replications. Nitrogen(N) fertilizer had a very significant effect on agronomic characteristics, such as number of capsules in the main stem, number of capsules per plant, branches /plant, biological yield, seed yield ,and oil percentage, but had no effect on 1000 seed weight. There was no significant difference between the application of 30 and 60 Kg of N fertilizer ha-1 with respect to harvest index. Seed yield increased as N rate increased, but each cultivar had a different response to different rates of nitrogen. Dashtestan and Zarghan had superiority over Darab 14 with respect to overall agronomic properties such as response to fertilizer and early maturity, but from the qualitative point of view, Darab 14 produced higher percentage of oil.

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Fire is widely used to clear farms in Iran, while there is little information regarding the effects of fire on the characteristics, especially mineralogy of soils. The objectives of the present study were to 1) compare some physico-chemical properties of burned and unburned soils and 2) evaluate minerals transformation in top soil layer resulting from increasing temperature. Soil samples were taken from 0-5 and 5-15 cm depths of two burned places, an agricultural soil from Takht-e-Jamshid area and Bamoo forest, in four replications. Physico-chemical analyses were carried out on burned and unburned samples. X-ray diffraction technique was used to identify minerals of clay fraction in 0-5 cm depth burned and unburned soil, and also to compare transformation of minerals (if any) after heating at 300˚C and 600˚C for 2, 4, 8 and 12 h. Burning increased soil pH and sand sized fraction in 0-5 cm, and P and K in both depths of Bamoo forest. Changes in soil properties of agricultural filed were negligible. XRD analyses showed the reduction in the intensity peaks of chlorite and illite after burning. Lower relative quantity of chlorite and illite was observed in various times of 300˚C treatment in comparison to control, while they were not observed in 8 and 12 h of 600˚C. No change was observed in the peak of quartz in forest and field soils after burning and after various heat treatments.

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Environment pollution is an important problem in the world. In agriculture irrigation, drainage and fertilization activities cause water resource and environmental pollution by effecting on solute, nutrient and sediment transport. Combined methods of water and nutrient management could consider in pollution transport controlling that reducing runoff and deep percolation, providing opportunity for solute infiltration, reducing sediment transport even economic and easy usage. In this research, affect of two different management in irrigation (cutback and continues) and fertilization (solid and fertigation) on nutrient loss was evaluated. Comparing nitrate, phosphor and potassium loss in different management explicate cutback flow with no uniform solid distribution of fertilizer is more useful to prevent nutrient loss. Because of similar results, increasing in fertilizer distribution in furrow length and easy usage between nitrate losses in six managements, show cutback flow with three proceeding solid, fertigation and fertigation (with 1/4, 1/2 and 1/4 ratio) fertilization was recommended replacement of cutback flow with three proceeding solid fertilization.