JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

---

Populations of Arboridia kermanshah Dlabola is increasing in Isfahan vineyards. In this study, some morphological characteristics of the immature stages, over wintering sites, number of generations per year, and seasonal population fluctuations of this pest were studied in vineyards in Isfahan Province. Eggs showed apparently four distinct embryonic developmental stages. At 25.8 ±2˚C, development of eggs was completed in 10.9 ± 0.7 days. There were five nymphal developmental stages. Nymphal stages can be distinguished with wing pad development and width of head capsule and width of pronotum. The grape leafhopper overwintered as adults under leaves and crop residues. Rearing studies showed that the grape leafhopper had three generations per year, each lasting 33.9±0.6 (without overwintering period), 46.3±0.7 and 37.3±0.6 days, respectively. Seasonal monitoring of adults, nymphs and eggs showed three or four overlapping periods of activity in the field. Four periods of activities of adults were recorded through season from early May – mid June, mid June – mid July, mid July - late August and early September – mid October.

---

Data from the birth weight (BW), the average daily gain from birth to weaning (ADG) and the weaning weight (WW) of 1182, 1099 and 1099 lambs were respectively collected and applied to estimate the maternal effects on heritabilities as well as on the determination of the environmental factors. The data were collected from Shahrbabak Sheep Breeding Research Station within five year, from 1993 to 1998. The effects of the year of birth, the age of the dam and its sex on all the traits were significant. The type of birth had no effect on BW but it was significant for the other two traits. Estimates of (co)variance components and genetic parameters were obtained by restricted maximum likelihood, using single and two-trait animal models. Based on the most appropriate fitted model, direct heritability of BW, ADG and WW were estimated at 0.10± 0.06, 0.21 ±0.08 and 0.22± 0.09, respectively. The maternal heritability for the three traits was also estimated at 0.27± 0.04, 0.15 ±0.05 and 0.19 ±0.05, respectively. Direct genetic and phenotypic correlations between BW and ADG BW and WW ADG and WW were estimated at 0.85 and 0.41 0.82 and 0.48 and 0.99 and 0.99, respectively. Ignoring maternal effects in animal model caused overestimation of direct heritability. Thus maternal effects are significant sources of variation for early growth traits and their ignorance in the animal model causes inaccurate genetic evaluation of the lambs.

---

Some bioecological aspects of grape leafhopper, Arboridia kermanshah Dlabola, including: the egg distribution under the leaf surface, eggs and nymphs spatial distribution on the vine arms, the adult distribution on three strata of the vine canopy, the adult diel activities and the geographical distribution of this species in Isfahan province were studied. Samplings were done in the 1997. The egg distribution under the leaf surface was determined by repeated sampling during the season and the egg density was estimated on three regions such as the main and secondary vein, the leaf surface margins and others. Eggs and nymphs spatial distribution along the vine arms were studied weekly for six weeks by sampling an arm of five vines during the second generation, the leafhopper population was the highest. The adult spatial distribution on the vine canopy was determined by sampling three strata of the vine canopy using the D-vac apparatus. Diel activities were studied by sweeping nets fifty times per vineyard at the two hour intervals from 8 a.m. to 20 p.m. Temperature and the relative humidity were also measured in the shade once per hour. The presence and the abundance of this species in 87 vineyards in the different climatic conditions were studied by a sweeping net. The leaf margin and around of the secondary vein were preferred for the oviposition of the leafhopper. Adults, nymphs and eggs were more abundant in the middle strata of the vine canopy than others. The mean pattern of the daily activity of the adult indicated one peak at 8 a.m. and the other one at 20 p.m. Maximum temperature thereshold for the adult activities was 28º C. The study of the grape leafhopper distribution in isfahan province indicated that this species was distributed in the most vineyards, but was highly abundant in more humid conditions.

---

In 1997, in two vineyards of Isfahan university of technology and Zobeahan in Isfahan, the density fluctuations of Arboridia kermanshah Dlabola and their injury symptoms were studied. In each vineyard three leaves of each of ten randomly selected vines were sampled weekly. Nymphs in different instars were counted directly and rate of injury symptom (leaf discoloration) was determined with planimeter. Special cages were used to determine rate of injury symptom for each nymphal instar in comparison to each other. Rate of injury symptoms and nymphal density indicated two peaks through growing season until harvest. Tolerance threshold for A. kermanshah nymphs was determined 80 first instar nymphal days or presence of 11-12 first instar nymphs and feeding for seven days. With increase of nymph densities, damage symptom increased rapidly.

---

Improper management of watershed land utilization has many ill effects on the available resources. Land use optimization is one of the proper strategies to achieve sustainable development and to reduce resource dissipation. Focusing on Brimvand watershed in Kermanshah province which comprises an area of 9572 ha, the present study was conducted to find out the most suitable land allocation to different land uses viz. garden, irrigated farming, dry farming and rangeland to achieve soil erosion minimization and benefit maximization. The soil erosion, net benefit and standard land capability maps were supposed as the inputs of the objective functions and to defined constraints. The multi-objective linear problem was then solved using simplex method with the help of ADBASE software package and ultimately the optimal solution was gained. Additionally, the results of the study revealed that the amount of soil erosion could reduce by 7.78% whereas the benefit increases at the rate of 118.62%, in case of implementation of optimal solution. The above mentioned optimization led to dry farming decrease and garden increase over that area. The results of sensitivity analysis also showed that objective functions were strongly susceptible to the variation of maximum constraint of irrigated farming and garden areas.

---

The purpose of this study was to assess characteristics of and reasons for farmers’ disagreement on implementation of land consolidation projects. Part of needed information was collected through questionnaire and interviewing 75 farmers in 6 unsuccessful villages in Kermanshah and Lenjanat region and also visiting some performed and ongoing projects. Other part of information was obtained by questionnaire and interviewing 44 experts involved with performing the project in Jahad Agricultural offices. Fragmentation of properties were measured by Januszewski fragmentation coefficient. Correlation coefficient and comparison of mean were used to analyzed the information. The results showed that disagreement of farmers is the most important obstacle for progress on land consolidatin projects, which accounted for farmers. In Lanjanat, these farmers have a better land structures in respect to size and fragmentation of parcels. In both rejoin reasons for farmer’s disagreement are divided in three groups: logical-justified reasons, logical-unjustified and illogical. Mediation, preference and legislative force are the three interactive methods to satisfy these farmers. To decrease disagreements and promote land consolidation in the two regions, following suggestions are offered: education and extension, correcting the technical and adminestrative methods of land consolidation and legal and judicial supports to implement the projects.

---

  The purpose of this research was to study factors on farmer’s request to land consolidation projects and also consolidation’ adventages in utilization units. The data of this study was collected through completing questionnaires and interviewing 34 experts connected with administrating of land consolidation projects in agricultural offices and service centers in Kermanshah township and Lenjanat region in Isfahan. Data was also collected through visiting some performed and performing projects. The results showed that in Kermanshah land consolidation improves the technology, farm management and land more than other production factors. In Lenjanat it improves technology and farm management in comparison with other factors. In both regions the aplicant villages of the projects have a larger ownership and more fragmentaed parcels than other villages. Moreover they have younger exploiters, more educated and less in number. It is also notworthy that these regions obtain more extention education, are nearer to agricultural offices, and have closer relation with extention agents.

---

In order to diagnose form species of Bipolaris involving root and crown rot of wheat plants and determine their distribution, frequency and disease severity, 410 wheat fields (W. Fs.) in different regions of Kermanshah province were sampled at seedling, tillering and heading stages during three crop years (1997– 2000). Also 90 W. Fs. (30 per year) in different regions of the province were chosen randomly to estimate percentage of infected wheat plants. For the isolation of the fungi from tissues of root, subcrown internodes, crown and foot, the tissues were surface sterilized and placed on culture media. The results showed that there were some root and crown rots in the most regions of the province and the percentage of diseased plants was 0-24%, whose average was 3.2%. Forty three isolates belonging to form genus Bipolaris were isolated including form species B. sorokinina, B. cynodontis and B. spicifera. All three form species were pathogenic under greenhouse conditions. Disease severity and frequency of B. sorokinina were more than the others. Disease severity of B. cynodontis and B. spicifera was the same and their differences compared with the control were significant.

---

Kerman province is the largest producer of greenhouse cucumber and tomato in Iran. This paper calculates the interest rate of return (IRR) and return period of investment (RPI) in vegetable, cut flowers and strawberry in greenhouse and compares them with vegetable grown outdoors. To do the study, a random sample of 309 farmers was selected in the province of Kerman in 2005. Results showed that IRR for vegetable, cut flowers and strawberry in greenhouse was about 20, 14 and 23 respectively, and it was 45/8 percentage per year for vegetable outdoors. RPI for vegetable, cut flowers and strawberry in greenhouse was about 8, 29, and 7 years, respectively. Vegetables Production under greenhouse produces more employment opportunities, has better yields, higher price and efficient use of factors, but it has lower IRR, higher production cost, higher pesticide residue and is more capital intensive in comparison with outdoor production. Improvement of greenhouse credits, enlargement of metal greenhouses, research on yield and development of greenhouses at region 5 are the important policy-making implications of this paper.

---

Protein electrophoretic pattern similarity among 21 strains of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri isolated from Hormozgan and Kerman provinces together with the representatives of reference strains of X.a. pv. citri and X. a. pv. aurantifoli and 246 strains of the other Xanthomonas spp. including : X. a. pv. citri, X. a. pv. glycins, X. a. pv. manihotis, X. c. pv. campestris, X. a. pv. phaseoli, X. cassavae, X. vesicatoria, X. c. pv. euphorbia, X. c. pv. arracaciae, X.c. pv. malvacearum, X. a. pv. clitoriae, X. a. pv. citrumelo, X. a. pv. aurantifolii, X. a. pv. alfalfae, X. cucurbitae, X.c.pv. dieffenbachiae, X. vasicola. pv. holcicola, X. melonis, X. hortorum. pv. pelargonii, X. a. pv. poinsettiicola, X. arboricola pv. pruni, X. c. pv. raphani, X. a. pv. ricini, X. a. pv. vasculorum, X. a. pv. vignicola, X. c. pv. armoraciae, X. c. pv. barbareae and X. c. pv. Carotae was compared and analyzed via Gel Compare version 4.2 software. Results indicated 86% of mean similarity among the strains tested. The highest similarity was 100% for strains isolated from Hormozgan and Kerman provinces and X. a. pv. citri LMG 9176 and X. a. pv. citri LMG 9654. The lowest similarity was 84.90% for these strains and X. c. pv. euphorbia LMG 7402 and X. a. pv. ricini LMG 7444. The 100% of protein pattern similarity among the strains isolated from Hormozgan and Kerman provinces and the reference strains from pathotype A (X. a. pv. citri LMG 9176 and X. a. pv. citri LMG 9654) was supported by host range and pathogenicity patterns of these strains obtained from our previous study.

---

The pistachio twig borer moth, Kermania pistaciella Amsel (Lep.: Tineidae) is one of the most important pests of pistachio trees (Pistacia vera L.) in Iran. This study was carried out in two pistachio orchards of Rafsanjan area. Periods of pupal cocoon and adult emergence were recorded in two pistachio orchards for four years. Minimum threshold temperatures were calculated according to the least coefficient of variation method for different developmental stages. Cumulative effective temperatures were calculated for different percentages of pupal cocoon and adult emergence. Results showed that minimum threshold temperatures for overwintering larvae to pupal cocoon formation, Larvae to adult and pupal cocoon to adult were calculated 10ْ C, 11ْ C and 12ْ C, respectively. Cumulative effective temperatures for occurrence of 50% pupal cocoon from overwintering larvae with minimum threshold temperatures 10ْ C under field conditions were 73.6 degree-day. Cumulative effective temperatures for occurrence of 65% adult emergence from overwintering larvae with minimum threshold temperature of 11ْ C under field conditions were 213.8 degree-day. Cumulative effective temperature for occurrence of 65% adult emergence from 5% pupal cocoon, 50% pupal cocoon and 5% adult emergence with minimum threshold temperature of 12 ْ C were 145.3, 126.9 and 71.6 degree days, respectively.

---

Qanat is a traditional structure that provides water without spending much energy and expense. Therefore, in eastern regions where there are no big rivers available qanat can play an important role in public economy and should be taken into consideration. The regions around Kerman such as Joupar, Mahan, Bam, Narmashir and Fahraj have many qanats with high discharges. Therefore, protection of this water resource is essential in view of either our cultural heritage or water resources. For this reason, in the present research exploitation problems, water distribution, planting pattern, and variation of water quality and quantity in 15 qanats of Kerman province were studied. Results showed that qanats’ discharges have changed in long run and had a noticeable decrease in the recent decade, and as a result planting pattern and areas in downstream fields have been changed. In the above mentioned fields, average water conveyance efficiency and roughness coefficient in water canals and mean application efficiency were 83.6 percent, 0.024 and 59.3 percent, respectively. Mean water productivity for cultivated crops such as wheat, alfalfa, sugar beet, grain corn, forage corn, watermelon was 0.43, 0.51, 0.31, 0.65, 4.75, 8, and for horticultural crops such as pistachio, almond, date palm, citrus, and stone and pome fruit was 0.52, 0.3, 0.66, 1.1, and 0.54 kg/m3, respectively. Based on the results, the main problems of qanats are the lack of necessary budget allocation by agricultural organizations, digging deep wells on qanats border, technical issues, exploitation, and maintenance management problems.

---

Field capacity and permasent wilting point are the most important parameters in designing and programming irrigation, whose measurements are troublesome and time-consuming. But these parameters could be estimated by easy data characteristics such as soil texture, organic matter and gypsum, using Pedotransfer Functions (PTFs) with high precision. In order to estimate soil moisture at FC and PWP by easy data characteristic, using neural network (ROSETA) and regression models ,20 soil samples with 6 replications were collected from around Bardsir area in Kerman province and the charactersifics including, bulk density, clay, sand, silt, FC, PWP,T.N.V and organic matter were determined for each sample. The results showed that progress in neural network from a low level up to higher level needs new inputs (charactersifics), but without any considerable increase in the precision of prediction. Also, regression analysis for estimation of linear models to predict FC and PWP showed that PWP has a significant positive correlation with clay, and FC significantly correlated with sand, silt and clay. Therefore, two prediction models were constructed for FC and PWP with (R2= 69.2) and (R2= 76.6), respectively.

---

Stage – discharge relationship is mainly developed from measured data in any hydrometry station. Measured data usually obtain in low to medium flow discharge, because in most cases it is very difficult to measure the flow discharge during flood. Therefore, the stage–discharge is extrapolated beyond the measured data to compute the flood which may estimate low or higher value. This is because during the high flow, the bed form is developed which causes the flow resistance to change. In order to establish a better stage – discharge relation, it is important to apply methods which consider the bed form resistance. In this study an attempt has been made to determine the best method for developing such relationship. To reach the goal, the required data such as river cross section, discharge and related stage and bed material gradation from Ghorbaghestan hydrometry station were measured for two years. Then a computer program was developed. Using this program and applying the measured data, the stage – discharge relationships were computed by five different methods. From the statistical comparison of the results of these methods with measured data, it was found that Shen, Brownlie, Engelund and White’s method overestimate the flow discharge. The best method was found to be the Einstein – Barbarossa’s method that provided the minimum absolute mean errors 0.31 and 1.468 m3/s and minimum root mean square error 0.112 and 0.466 m3/s for the two study years, respectively

---

The estimation of crop water requirement is one the most important stages for designing different irrigation systems, programming and corrected management of water resources. Therefore, to determine the water requirement for Coriandrum sativum L. a study was conducted in College of Agriculture Research Farm at Razi University in the city of Kermanshah during two years, 2010 and 2011. For this purpose, three water balance drainable lysimeters with the diameter of 1.20m and height of 1.40 m were used. During the investigation, the irrigation was determined by using data logger equipment of (IDRG). The soil humidity was determined in the field capacity condition. The evapotranspiration was calculated using water balance equation. Finally, the Coriandrum sativum L. water requirement was determined to be 722.95 and 580.64mm for years 1388-1389 and 1389-1390, respectively. Meanwhile, the potential evapotranspiration using the Penman Monteith equation was calculated to be 643.58 and 530.17mm for the first and second year of investigation, respectively.

---

Reduction of quality and soil productivity due to organic carbon losses is one of the most important consequences of land use changes, that creates irreparable effects on the soil. To evaluate the land use effect on the amount of soil organic carbon in Vertisols, Sartip Abad series with extent of 1850 hectare in south of Bilehvar area in Kermanshah province was studied by using the completely randomized block design in factorial experiment with 10 repeats in farmland and grassland, some soil physical and chemical properties in two Lands compared with each other. The results showed that the soil organic carbon in surface horizons of grassland has been more than farmland and accordingly increase the amount of sequestrated carbon in grassland. No significant differences were found in the amount of soil organic carbon in lower horizons of two lands. Due to land use change from grassland to farmland, noticeably increase in Bulk density, Nitrogen, Acidity, soil Electrical Conductivity and decrease the organic carbon percent and the soil organic material. Pedutorbation, clay amount (higher of 50%), numerous small subsoil, and stable structure are the important factors in saving the organic carbon of vertisols that can reduce the effects of land use changes on organic carbon amount. Generally, it can be conclude that: the land use changes not only can create the severe damage on soil physical and chemical properties but with the carbon losses and more release of greenhouse gases exacerbate the pollution of environment which endangers the life in a earth planet.

---

Dust deposition occurs extensively in arid and semiarid regions of the world. Since dust particles are fine-sized, they have a high adsorption capacity and also high contamination potential. The objective of this study was to evaluate the temporal and spatial distribution of the rate of atmospheric dust deposition in different locations in Kerman urban area. Dust samples were collected monthly using glass traps installed on the roof of 35 one-story buildings in Kerman for 7 months from April 20 to Nov. 20, 2012 (a total of 245 samples). After each monthly sampling, traps were washed and dust samples transferred to the laboratory and weighed. The mean dust deposition rate of 7 months was mapped using the inverse distance weighting (IDW) approach. The wind rose of Kerman was drawn by WRPLOT 7.0.0. The results showed that the average rate of dust deposition decreased during the 7 months studied from 17.4 to 5 g/m2. month, which could be attributed to the decrease in wind velocity. The spatial distribution of the samples also showed that the dust deposition rate varied from 4.84 in the southern parts to 14.84 g/m2.month, mostly in the northern locations of the city. The wind rose based on the average wind speed of the 7 months of sampling indicated the prevailing wind blows from north, northeast and northwest and the dust spatial distribution well follows the wind direction. In general, the rate of dust deposition in Kerman city is high and therefore, the source of dust has to be well detected and proper management practices are necessary.

---

Heavy metals in dust can directly enter to the human body through ingestion and inhalation. They can pollute the water and soil resources via atmospheric precipitation and accumulate in the plant tissues and then enter human body through water and food. This research aimed to study the heavy metals concentration in dust in Kermanshah province and to identify their sources. 49 samples of dust were collected in the cities of Kermanshah, Songhor, Gilangharb, Ghasre-Shirin, Sahneh, Sarpolzahab, Kangavar, Paveh and Javanrood during the spring 2013. The concentration of Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, Mn and Fe were determined using an atomic absorption spectrometer following the sample extraction with a mixture of HCL and HNO₃ (3:1 ratio). The average concentrations of Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, Mn and Fe were 182.3, 48.6, 115.3, 73.9, 428.1 and 23161 mg kg^-1, respectively. Correlation, cluster and principal component analyses were used to identify probable natural and anthropogenic sources of contaminants, and the enrichment factor was used to identify probable effects of human activity on the concentration of heavy metals. The results indicated that metal concentrations, except for Fe and Mn, were higher in comparison with the world soils. Zn, Cu, Ni and Cr are mainly of anthropogenic origin, while Fe and Mn are mainly of natural origin. Zn and Cu are mainly of traffic sources and partly of industrial sources, and Ni and Cr are mainly derived from industrial sources, combustion processes, combined with traffic sources. The analysis of EF revealed moderate enrichment for Mn and Cr, and significant enrichment for Zn, Cu and Ni. Based on the results of this study, more attention should be paid to identifying and controlling the sources of contaminants such as heavy metals in dust in order to prevent their associated pollution.

---

Dust deposition phenomenon is an important climatic and environmental issue in arid and semi-arid regions. The objective of this study was to examine important characteristics of atmospheric dust in Kerman as one of the major cities in arid areas of our country with high potential of dust production. Dust samples were collected monthly using glass traps installed on the roof of 35 one-story buildings in Kerman for 7 months from April 20 to Nov. 20, 2012. To compare the results of atmospheric dust with those of soil, 60 surface soil samples (0-10 cm) from outside Kerman and 35 soil samples from urban areas were also collected. Some physical and chemical characteristics such as pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, calcium carbonate equivalent, and  particle size distribution were determined in dust and soil samples. The results of chemical analyses indicated that the amount of these properties is much higher than that in soils. Atmosphere dust particles appear to mainly originate from alkaline and saline soils surrounding the city of Kerman. Dust particle size distribution analysis further confirmed that dust particles have been transferred to Kerman city from medium to long distance areas.  Temporal variability in dust chemical properties indicates that the contribution of anthropogenic and natural sources to urban dust in Kerman has seasonal changes. Based on the results obtained, it is necessary to control dust production outside and inside the city and its distribution in populated areas employing proper management practices.