JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

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Elm leaf beetle were reared under controlled conditions (25± 2 ^oC, 70± 5%R.H. and 16L: 8D) to determine relationship between biological traits and the number of eggs per female on different hosts and to evaluate correlation between traits. U. carpinifolia, U .c. var. umbraculifera, U. glabra var. pendula and Celtis caucasica were examined as hosts. The biological traits consisted of 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd larval developmental times first, second, and third larval percent mortality rates prepupal and pupal developmental times male and female longevity and pre-ovipositional period recorded during experiments. The relationships between traits and the number of eggs per female were determined by multiple regression (Foreward selection and stepwise). The correlation between traits was evaluated, too. The results showed that the number of eggs per female were mostly affected by certain special traits such as 2^nd and 3^rd larval developmental time, pre-ovipositional period and male longevity which are distinct in different hosts and seasons.

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Four different species of aphids belonging to the Aphididae family in four genera were collected and identified in Rape-seed fields in Sistan region during 2000-2001. Among them, Brevicoryne brassicae (Cabbage aphid) was the dominant species with an abundance of about 89% in area. The population fluctuation of Brevicoryne brassicae was studied simultaneously on fields in Sistan region (Zahak research station and her around fields). The research was conducted on a half hectare of each farm. Thirty leaves from each field at week intervals were randomly picked up and the aphids were collected and identified at the species level. The Brevicoryne brassicae had a peak of activity in early mid March to April at temperature and R.H. ranging between 22-28ºC and 45-65 R.H., respectively. Controlled conditions indicated that the Brevicoryne brassicae has a life cycle of 6-7 days and adult female longevity is 20-31 days (25±2 ºC and 75±5 R.H.). Rearing study also revealed that this species has the ability to reproduce up to 18-98 nymphs under laboratory conditions and an apterous female gives birth to 22-93 nymphs in her life time. Samplings for recognition of predators and parasitoids were also taken at 3-day intervals. Natural enemies in fields during the two years were identified to be 5 coccinellid (Col:Coccinellidae), 4 syrphid(Dip:Syrphidae) and 2 chrysopid species (Neu:Chrysopidae). Also in Hymenoptera, 2 parasitoids (Hym: Aphidiidae & Pteromalidae) were determined.

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Pedotransfer functions are the predictive models of a certain soil property from other easily, routinely, or cheaply measured properties. The common approach for fitting the pedotransfer functions is the use of the conventional statistical regression method. Such an approach is heavily based on the crisp obervations and also the crisp relations among variables. In the modeling natural systems, like soil, we are dealing with imprecise observations and the vague relations among the variables. Therefore, we need an appropriate algorithm for modeling such a fuzzy structures. In the present study, the fuzzy regression approach was used in order to fit some chemical and physical pedotransfer functions. The optimum regression models with the fuzzy coefficients were obtained for modeling pedotransfer functions. Sensivity analysis was carried out by using the credibility level. The results indicated that the fuzzy regression might be considered, as a suitable alternative or a complement to the statistical regression, whenever a relationship between variables is imprecise and generally when dealing with the errors due to a vaguness in regression models.

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The biological parameters of cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae (L.) was studied in the laboratory conditions under the three constant temperatures (20, 25 and 30 ºC), RH 60±5% and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D) using 40 first instar nymphs. Among nymphs, 40%, 55% and 10% of them completed their nymphal period in 20, 25 and 30 ºC, respectively and developed to adult stage. In 30 ºC, the most biological acitivities of aphid were disrupted and the most individuals (nymphs and adults) were killed. Most developmental periods, longevity and the amount of reproduction in 20 ºC were significantly greater than other temperatures. In temperatures 20, 25 and 30 ºC the last individual of a cohort died in age of 33, 29 and 16 days, respectively. The life expectancy of cabbage aphid in the first day of experiment was 13.93, 10.50 and 7.19, respectively according to the mentioned temperatures. There was a little difference between net reproduction rates in temperatures 20 and 25 ºC (16.74 and 15.92, respectively). Net reproduction rate was reduced extremely in temperature 30 ºC (1.75). The intrinsic rate of the increase in the temperatures 20, 25 and 30 ºC were 0.187, 0.226 and 0.042, respectively. The results indicated that 25 ºC was the optimal temperature for biological activities of B. brassicae and its highest population growth was observed at this temperature.

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Since the fluctuations of the Persian Gulf Sea Surface Temperature (PGSST) have a significant effect on the winter precipitation and water resources and agricultural productions of the south western parts of Iran, the possibility of the Winter SST prediction was evaluated by multiple regression model. The time series of PGSSTs for all seasons, during 1947-1992, were considered as predictors, and the time series of MSSTs during 1948-1993, as the prrdictand. For the purpose of data reduction and principal components extraction, the principal components analysis was applied. Just the scores of the first four PCs (PC1 to PC4) that accounted for the total variance in predictor field were considered as the input file for the regression analysis. For finding the dependency of each principal component to the first time series of the PGSST, the Varimax rotation analysis was applied. The results have indicated that PC1 to PC4 respectively are the indicator of temperature changes during winter, autumn, Spring and Summer. According to the regression model, the components of PC1, PC2 and PC4 were significant at 5% level. But the components of PC3 was insignificant. The results indicated that the significant variables are held accountable for the 33.5% of the total variance in the winter PGSSTs. It became obvious that for the prediction of the winter PGSST, the PGSST during the winter of the last year has a particular importance. At the next stage, autumn and summer temperature have also a role in prediction of winter PGSST.

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In this study changes in microstructure of casein micelles in raw and pasteurized milk were investigated by SEM and TEM. Milk was pasteurized by L.T.L.T. method (Temperature: 63 ^oC_ Time:30 minute).Samples of raw and pasteurized milk were taken from research pilot plant of The College of Agriculture. Each sample was divided into two parts. One part of each sample was directly prepared for SEM and TEM, whereas the second part were renneted at 2 ^oC and kept at this temperature for 24 h. and then prepared for evaluation by electron microscopes. Results indicated that in native state, particularly in raw milk casein micelles are in spherical shape with smooth surface and in the single form. The samples, which stored in the cold were under the effect of the rennet, encounter of filamentous status that might be due to the changes occurred in kappa-casein following the action of rennet along with partial removal of beta-casein and micellar calcium phosphate. Micrographs of casein micelles in pasteurized milk indicated that thermal condition during pasteurization had influenced on increasing of casein micelles size.

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Of the applications of remote sensing and satellite images in natural resources is distinguishing and detection of changes in land surface. The image classification using Maximum Likelihood (MLC) is one the prevalent method which is used in a study of the application of TM and ETM+ satellite images to detect sediment deposition on an implemented floodwater spreading scheme. In order to implement the research, field sampling and checking were done using transect networking method by selection of 30 sample points in floodwater spreading area as well as another 30 control points in the study area. The results of the study are shown that detection of sediment deposition using MLC method by application of LANDSAT TM and ETM+ can lead to increase the precision of change detection up to 82 percent. Furthermore, the results also show that the trend and changes due to sediment deposition on water spreading area can be precisely detected. Considering the present and potential applicability of the applied method in distinguishing changes due to sediment deposition on land surface which is absorbed on 450 hectares of water spreading area in this research study, it can be pointed out that the use of this method in larger area could be tend to increase the precision of change detection and to decrease the required time.

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Chenges in the soil characteristics is rather continuously. A method that takes this continuity into account would present a realistic pattern of soil distribution either in taxonomic or geographical space. The fuzzy set theory provides such an approach. In this study, the robustness of fuzzy clustering in soil pattern recognition was evaluated in a subcatchment of western Iran. The clustering carried out on the basis of minimization of an objective function in assigning membership values to each pedon in each fuzzy class. Fuzziness exponent values from 1.15 to 1.5 were used. The following validation of the resulted clusters (classes), optimal number of classes in whole, morphological and particle-size subsets were determined 8, 4, and 5 respectively. Plots of membership values across the landscape indicated class overlap and considerable contiguity. Considering low differentiation of these young soils and the high similarity among their properties, the method indicated a high capacity in recognizing different soil types over the study area. Furthermore, there was relationships between the soil fuzzy classes and landform. Thus, the method is capable in continuous classification, which could be so important in construction of continuous soil maps at low aggregation levels, e. g., pedon.

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The soil potassium status and effect of soil physical and chemical properties on it were investigated using 109 surface soils (0-30cm) from four regions in Guilan province. Neutral molar ammonium acetate extractable K (K-NH₄OAc), boiling molar nitric acid extractable K (K-HNO₃) and water soluble K were determined. Results showed that CEC and clay were normally frequency distributed while distribution frequency of other variables such as silt organic carbon and pH were not normal and have significant skew and kurtosis. In addition sand, K-NH₄OAc and K-HNO₃ has logarithmic normal distribution. Water-soluble potassium was affected by sand, pH, O.C and K-NH₄OAc (R²_a=0.73**). Ammonium extractable potassium was affected by soluble potassium, non-exchangeable potassium and CEC (R²_a=0.72**). Boiling nitric acid was affected by exchangeable potassium and silt (R²_a=0.55**). Geographic distribution of K-NH₄OAc data shows amount of it in central parts of Guilan, particularly Sepidrood river watershed is more than other regions. Fomanat region soils have the less clay, CEC, K-NH₄OAc and K-HNO₃. According this study about 68.8 percent of Guilan soils was classified in the range of medium to very low potassium status.

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A major source of photoassimilates deposited into the seeds is the closest photosynthetic source to the latter sinks. While the contribution made to grain yield by floral parts and the adjacent photosynthetic surfaces has been determined for a number of crop plants, such information lacks regarding safflower. Thus the present study was aimed at estimating the contribution of photosynthesis of safflower head and the two adjacent leaves to the grain yield of this oil seed crop. A 4-replicate RCBD field experiment was conducted at Lavark Research Farm, Isfahan U. of Tech., using four genotypes (Nebraska10, Kouseh, Arak2811 and K12) and three levels of shading (heads only, heads and the two adjacent leaves and control) on safflower heads following pollination, using khaki paper bags. Genotypes differed in terms of days to heading and maturity, height, number of heads per plant, number of seeds per head, 1000-seed weight, seed weight per head and grain yield per plant. Shading on safflower head and the two adjacent leaves led to a significant decrease in number of seeds per head, 1000-seed weight, seed weight per head, grain yield per plant and harvest index. There was not a significant difference between the two levels of shading treatment. It could be concluded that, with the environmental conditions experienced during spring 2003 at Isfahan, the photosynthetic products of safflower head and the two adjacent leaves may contribute to grain yield per plant by as much as 37 percent.

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Dasht Yari plain is nearly 580,000 hectares which is under engraving gully erosion and unfortunately the gully development rate is increased in the recent decades. Satellite images may provide quick, extensive, and valuable information for the interpretation of morphometric characterstics of gully erosion expansion due to having attributes such as time series, relatively low cost, large coverage, and finally being capable of digital analysis. Therefore, this research was initiated to use these possible capabilities to find a quick and cost effective method to determine the morphometric characteristics of gullies with use of the Landsat ETM⁺ digital data of Dasht Yari plain in Chabahar county in southeast of Iran. The Landsat 7 data of 2001 and the field data collected from 25 selected gullies from the same area were used as control in this study. After geometric and haze corrections with use of spectral enhancement methods such as linear enhancement and color composites, the images were made ready for visual interpretation and selection field sites for the subsequent field sampling. On the selected 25 gullies, the field data collection including width, length, and height of gullies at 25%, 50%, and 75% cross sections was performed. At the end of the image processing, with use of image interpretation techniques such filtering, fusion and principal component analysis (PCA), morphometric characteristics of the gullies was computed and compared with the field data. Mean comparison and F and t-student tests were used to verify any statistical differences between two set of the data. The results showed that the data set were different at 1 and 5 percent levels. From the image processing methods, the PCA method had the smallest difference with the field collected data. Therefore, we may conclude that PCA method may be used for monitoring the gully expansion in the Dashat Yari plain and similar plains in the southeast of Iran.

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Potassium is one of nutritional element that has an important effect on the quantity and quality of rice plant. Knowledge about the K critical level and plant response to different application rate of K, can effectively help with the proper use of this element. Therefore, in this study potassium (K) critical level for rice (Khazar variety) and prediction equation for grain yield were determined in 21 rice fields of Guilan provience during 2001-2002. After land preparation, 6 experimental plots (4×5m) were constructed in each selected field. Nitrogen and phosphorus were applied before transplanting, based on soil test from urea and triple superphosphate, respectively. Potassium was applied in different rates including 0, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 kg ha^-1 of K₂O as muriate potassium. Khazar variety was transplanted in a space of 25×25cm, just after fertilizing of plots. Plots were harvested in 5 m² at the end of maturity stage from the first node above the ground, and grain and straw were measured separately. Statistic analysis was done on grain weight based on 14% moisture. The results showed, that effect of different K fertilizer application in 5% and the effect of soil type in 1% were statistically significant on the grain yield. The mean increase of grain yield in responsive fields to K application was 982 kg ha^-1. The results also showed that the responses of rice fields with available K less than 100 mg kg^-1, 100-160, and more than 160 mg kg^-1 to KCl application were high, moderate and low, respectively. Potassium critical level based on 90% relative yield was determined as 110 mg kg^-1 of soil . In final relative yield, prediction equation, available potassium, potassium content of irrigation water, and rate of KCl fertilizer application entered positively in the equation, while available phosphorus showed negative effect on relative yield.

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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.

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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).

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Phenology is the study of time and sequence of recurring stages in the life history of an organism. The occurrence fashions of the phenophases form different phenological behavior patterns. Despite the importance of phenology and wide applications of knowing phenophases, few studies have been done on the wooden species in Iran. The goals of this study are identification and designation of the phenophases occuring time and their successions, phenological behavior patterns and finally phenological patterns assay of 35 fruitful and fruitless woody species in the northeast of Esfahan during 2003-2005. Leaves, flowers, fruits, buds, bark and color changes were observed weekly or every other week. Analysis of the obtained charts and tables shows that with respect to the environmental and climatic condition of the area, observed phenological behavior patterns are two- leaf, two-flower and two-fruit emergent patterns two-flower peak patterns three-fruit perpetuity patterns and three leaf shed patterns. Finally, there are three comparative successions, six-flower and three-leaf phenological patterns. Based on the findings, blooming and leaf shed calendars were also achieved.

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To detect the rice paddis areas in Isfahan region, the IRS-1D data from PAN, LISS III and WiFS time series were used. Geometric, atmospheric, radiometric and topographic corrections were applied to various images from 2003 to 2004. Necessary preprocessing and various analyses as well as time series composite image analyses were applied and field sampling was done for appropriate times in 2003 and 2004. Image classification was applied using suitable training sites in various images. The SWIR band capabilities were useful for NDWI (Normalized Difference Water Index) to detect the rice paddies. On PAN and LISS III images, urban areas, roads, agricultural lands, non cultivated farms, rocks and brackish soils are detectable. The error matrix was calculated to assess the produced map accuracy using the ground truth data. The total classification accuracy was %91 and the Kappa index value was %89. The rice paddy areas was about 19500 ha in 2003, detected through LISS III data, and 20450 ha through WiFS data. The paddies were 21670 in 2004 through WiFS data. The results of this study confirmed that one can use the LISS III data to detect and determine the rice paddys areas with high accuracy, and WiFS data to estimate the paddies areas with acceptable accuracy.

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This research was carried out to determine the optimum conditions for acidic extraction of gelatine from cattle bones. The effects of different treatments such as pH (1.8 to 2.6), temperature (60 to 80°C) and time (40 to 120minutes) on yield of extraction, gel strength, viscosity and absorption (420 nm) was measured. Coefficients of central composite rotatable design (CCRD) and regression surface response.... (RSREG) were used. The coefficients for yield, gel strength, viscosity and absorption were 0.990, 0.991, 0.998, 0.928, respectively. According to variance analysis of the data, there were significant differences between the effects of three variables (pH, temperature and time) on yield of extraction and viscosity, but no significant difference was observed between the effects of temperature and pH on gel strength and absorption, respectively. Comparisons of the averages of functional characteristics of acidic and commercial gelatin showed that viscosity and strength of acidic gelatin were higher than those of commercial one. The optimum conditions were found to be: pH=1.88, temp. 80°C and 118 min., to reach the highest yield and pH=1.88, temp. 60°C and 48 min. to get maximum strength, and pH=2.56, temp. 69°C and 118 min. to obtain the maximum viscosity and finally, pH=2.6, temp. 62°C and 48 min. for minimum absorption. Also, the results revealed that there were significant differences between trace elements content (Fe, Ca and Pb) of commercial and acidic gelatins. Although, acidic gelatin contained higher amount of the elements, but these amounts were still less than maximum values which are allowed to exist in gelatin. Amino acid compositions of both gelatins were almost identical.

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In order to evaluate the capability of ETM+ remotely- sensed data to provide "Forest- shrub land- Rangeland" cover type map in areas near the timberline of northern forests of Iran, the data was analyzed in a portion of nearly 790 ha located in Neka- Zalemroud region. First, ortho-rectification process was implemented to correct the geometric errors of the image, which yielded 0/68 and 0/69 pixels of RMS error toward X and Y axis, respectively. The original multi-spectral bands were fused to the panchromatic band using PANSHARP Statistical module. The ground truth map was prepared using 1 ha field plots in a systematic- random sampling grid. Vegetative form of trees, shrubs and rangelands was recorded as a criterion to allocate the plots. A set of channels including original bands, NDVI and IR/R indices, and first components of PCA was used for classification procedure. Automatic band selection command was used to select the appropriate channel set.. Classification was carried out using ML classifier on both original and fused data sets. It showed 67% of overall accuracy and 0/43 of Kappa coefficient in original data set. Due to the results present presented above, it's concluded that ETM+ data has an intermediate capability to fulfill the spectral variations of 3 form- based classes, in the studied area. Furthermore, applying complementary methods to minimize the background spectral effect is proposed for future studies.

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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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  Sugarcane is one of the most important sugar crops in the world. Because of semi-arid climate and salinity of its cultivation area in our country, increasing salt tolerance of sugarcane is signifying. To achieve this goal determining salt tolerant cultivars and understanding salinity mechanisms in sugarcane are very important. This study was conducted to evaluate 8 commercial and promising sugarcane cultivars at early stage of growth. A complete randomized design with three replicates and four salinity treatments (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 % NaCl) was used in a hydroponics system. The effect of salinity on absorption, transport and accumulation of Na⁺, Cl^- , K⁺ and Ca²⁺ ions in shoot and root was determined. At high level salt concentration, Cl^- content in shoot and root increased. Result showed that sodium accumulation in sugarcane plants was more than potassium. By increasing salinity level, sodium uptake and its translocation to shoots increased reducing growth and dry matter yield of plants. With rising salt concentration from medium (0.5%) to high (0.75%), content of chloride in shoot and root of NCO-310 was constant showed that this cultivar had genetic ability to avoid Cl^- uptake. CP82-1592 with lowest ratio of shoot / root chloride had minimum transport of Cl^- to shoots. Also this cultivar had high content of Ca²⁺ in shoot and low Na⁺/Ca²⁺ ratio at all salinity levels. CP48-103 had low sodium in shoot and relatively low sodium in root. Thus it probably has genetic potential to avoid sodium uptake. At last, exclusion of Na⁺ and Cl^- to older leaves and tillers was seen in CP82-1592 and CP72-2086 cultivars. According to results, to avoid once of absorption and transport, and exclusion of harmful Na⁺ and Cl^- ions were mechanisms that could be used in salinity tolerance of sugarcane.