Journal of Ornamental Plants
Volume:5 Issue: 3, Summer 2015

In the turfgrass industry, the need for salinity tolerant turfgrasses is increasing because of the increased use of saline and non-potable water. Greenhouse container experiments were conducted to determine the relative salinity tolerance and growth responses of eleven native populations of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schrub) (TF), including: Semirom, Mashhad, Sanandaj, Yasuj, Yazd Abad, Daran, Kamyaran, Gandoman, Borujen, Nasir Abad and Alborz to 8 weeks of salinity stress. Also, commercial TF was used as control. Four salinity levels of irrigation water (0, 45, 90, 135 mM NaCl) were applied to turfgrasses. Results showed shoot and root dry weight, total leaf area, leaf length, leaf width and leaf firing percentage was significantly affected by salinity for all turfgrasses. The lowest leaf firing percentage at 90 and 135 mM, was related to Sanandaj population and commercial TF, and the highest leaf firing percentage was related to Alborz at 45 mM and Gandoman population at 90 and 135 mM. Shoot dry weight, total leaf area and leaf length of Sanandaj population was less affected by salinity compared to other populations. Based on data on growth parameters, the salinity tolerance ranking of selected populations was: Sanandaj >Daran >Yasuj >Kamyaran >Nasir Abad >Semirom >Mashhad >Alborz >Yazd Abad >Borujen >Gandoman . These results showed the potential and competetive role of TF native populations compared to commercial TF.

The periwinkle with the scientific name of Catharanthus roseus is one of the most important ornamental plants of the Apocynaceae family. In order to evaluate the effect of different waters on the amount of the nutrient elements in soil and aerial parts of Catharanthus roseus, a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design was conducted in 3 replications. Experimental treatments were including: type of water (magnetized tap water, tap water, magnetized well water and well water) and irrigation intervals (2, 4, 6 and 8 days). In this study, the attributes such as display life , plant height, leaf number, the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium of the soil and the plant were evaluated. According to results, the maximum display life (42.23 days), plant height (21.71 cm) and leaf number (165.88) were related to the treatment of irrigation with the magnetized tap water with2 days interval. The maximum amount of nitrogen of the plant was related to the treatment of irrigation with the magnetized well water days interval (0.32 mgl-1). The treatments of irrigation with the non- magnetized tap and well water with 8 days interval had the maximum amount of nitrogen of the soil. The maximum amount of potassium of the plant with 56.21 mgl- 1was obtained in the treatment of irrigation with the magnetized well water with 2 days interval. The maximum amount of phosphorus of the plant with 39.5 mgl-1and then 38.8 mgl-1were related to the treatments of irrigation with the magnetized well water 2 days interval and irrigation with the magnetized tap water 2 days interval.

Crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertner.) is a potential source of low-maintenance turf species for use in areas with less water. The main goal of this study was to evaluate turf quality characteristics of 24 crested wheatgrass specimens collected from different locations of Iran as low-maintenance turfgrass. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. The results showed significant variation among specimens for turf quality and turf quality components and there were 15 specimens with an average turf quality rating of 6.0 or higher, indicating adequate quality performance. Mowing quality were higher than 6 for all specimens and ranging from 6.30 (210 M) to 7.28 (4049). Habitats of samples varied in performance for all traits and different geographical regions may offer germplasm with high turf quality performance. There were significant positive correlation between turf quality and mowing quality (r = 71**) and also turf quality and tillering (r = 57**). Based on the results of cluster analysis, the specimens were assigned to 3 clusters and the single specimen from cluster 2 had the highest ratings for turf quality (7.95), mowing quality (7.28), color (7.27) and leaf texture (7.10). These results indicated that crested wheatgrass specimens native to Iran could be an important resource for use as low-maintenance turfgrass.

Anthurium is commercially produced as cut flowers and potted plants and known for its colorful spathes. It is traditionally propagated by stem cutting and suckers, so micropropagation is an alternative production method. In thisexperiment we carried out shoot regeneration in Anthurium andreanum ‘Clisto’. The leaf explant was used and after sterilization, they cultured on two different media (half-strength MS and Nitsch’s media) which supplemented with different compositions of 2,4-D (0, 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 mg/L) and BA (0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 mg/L). After three months callus size and percentage of explant that produced callus were measured and callus transferred to MS media with different concentrations of BA (0, 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 mg/L). After 6 months, number of shoot, shoot length and leaf number was recorded. The highest callus proliferation was obtained in Nitsch’ media supplemented with 0.25 mg/L 2,4-D and 0.25 or 0.5 mg/L BA. The callus was creamy color and compact. The highest shoot regeneration was observed in media with 0.75 mg/L BA. We cloud achieved 31 shoot per callus segment in the best treatment. Rooting was easily performed in peat: perlite (1:2) pots and they well acclimated and transferred to greenhouse and 99% plants were survived.

The anti-senescence biogenic polyamines (PAs) putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm) are involved in plant growth processes and responses to stress. The physiological mechanism of exogenous Put to affect the senescence of cut lisianthus flowers during vase life was investigated. Fresh cut lisianthus flowers were treated with distilled water (control), 0.5, 1 and 2 mM Put and then held at 25 ◦C up to 12 days. Exogenous Put supply at 2 mM extended vase life, which was associated with reduced electrolyte leakage and MDA content. Put treatment also reduced activity of lipoxygenase (LOX), is responsible for membrane lipid peroxidation. Put treatment also enhanced activities of catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and decreased H2O2 accumulation during vase life. Thus, exogenous Put supply could maintain membrane integrity by increasing antioxidant system activity, thereby retarding the senescence of cut lisianthus flower during vase life.

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), is an economically important pest of ornamental plant in Iran. The population abundance and spatial distribution were studied on five Rosa cultivars including Maroussia, Wendela, Elderado, Wenedetta, and Hot Lady during two growing seasons of 2011 and 2012 in greenhouse. The k parameter, index of dispersion, Lloyd’s mean crowding, Morisita’s index and regression methods (Taylor and Iwao) were used to estimate the spatial distribution pattern of mite. There was improved sampling program by k parameter and coefficients of regression models. The result indicated that the highest population density of T. urticae was early of July (2.47 per leaf) and early of September (4.11 per leaf). Also, a sequential sampling plan was developed using the fixed-precision method of Green for estimating the density of the mite. Populations on different Rosa cultivars, especially Maroussia, were aggregated during most of the growing season and negative binomial models fit data sets better than the Poisson series. The mean number of two-spotted spider mite per plant had significantly difference between all plant strata. The fitness percentage of cultivar Maroussia Rosa revealed a slight tendency towards the Poisson distribution, so that 58 and 14.1 percent of data sets from T. urticae on cultivar Wenedetta populations fit the Poisson distribution. These results fully support findings of distribution indices, indicating an aggregated distribution. Determining sampling program and spatial distribution pattern of the pest can effectively help to design and perform of IPM.

Chamaecyparis lawsonia, which brings beauty in parks and green space, is attacked by a variety of pathogenic agents specially fungi. In this study, some Chamaecyparis lawsonia available in parks that had disease symptoms were sampled. After sample collection, in order to isolate fungal pathogens, cuts of the infected plant tissues were placed on PDA (potato dextrose agar) and later were put on WA (water agar) for identifying. Then test of pathogenicity of these isolates on Chamaecyparis lawsonia was done inside the box with plastic stopper. To do this, cuts of colonies of 4 day fungi obtained on PDA medium were put on leaves. The final evaluation was performed after 10 days. This experiment was performed in a completely randomized design with 3 replications and 7 treatments. The results showed that isolated fungi are in 2 groups as following: Alternaria franseriae and Alternaria tenuissima. According to the results, both species were pathogenic on host. Totally, A. franseriae showed more disease severity compared to A. tenuissima on C. lawsonia.

The aim of this study was the better assessment of the relationship of pulsing treatment of gibberellic acid as an anti-senescence agent and holding in sucrose as a carbohydrate supply resource on improving some qualitative and physiological attributes of cut rose flower cv. Velvet. Hence, an experiment involving the pulsing treatment with gibberllic acid (GA3) at 0, 20, 40 and 60 mg L-1, for 24 hours, and holding them in sucrose at 0, 2 and 3% with 250 mg L-1 of 8- HQS as an antimicrobial agent for all holding treatments was conducted. The study was performed as a factorial experiment based on a randomized completely design (RCD) with three replication for each combination treatment. Applying GA3 pulse treatment alone at all concentrations increased significantly vase life and its effect enhanced with sucrose holding at 2 and 3% compared with control. The effect of GA3 pulsing in increasing of stem relative fresh weight (RFW) and solution uptake (SU) was hastened by sucrose holding treatment at 2 and 3%. Highest amount of flower opening and petal water content during vase life period was observed in 60 mg L-1 of GA3 pulsing and sucrose 3% holding treatment which had been longer flower diameters and greater petals. Gibberellic acid pulsing alone and along with sucrose holding treatment at all concentrations caused to prevention of leaf chlorophyll degradation compared with control. In conclusion, GA3 pulsing at 40 mg L-1 along with sucrose 2% holding treatment had a significant effect on improving vase life and other qualitative attributes of cut rose flower cv. Velvet.