محمد مقدم

Knowledge of the level of genetic diversity and its estimation in plant germplasms is the basis of many breeding programs. Due to high levels of polymorphism, high reproducibility, polyallelic nature, codominant scoring, and high genomic frequency, microsatellite (SSR) markers are used widely in investigating genetic diversity and determining the relationships between genotypes. This research aimed to study the genetic diversity of 40 barley genotypes in terms of SSR markers and to determine the markers with the highest discriminating ability.

In this research, the genetic diversity of 39 barley cultivars and one wild barley genotype was investigated in terms of 57 SSR markers, of which 51 polymorphic markers with clear and acceptable amplification were selected for molecular evaluation of the genotypes. The banding pattern of markers was scored as one (presence of the band) and zero (absence of the band) and also, as the codominance state. Then, the efficiency of the markers was evaluated by the polymorphism information content, frequency of common alleles, number of alleles, observed heterozygosity, and gene diversity. In addition, barley genotypes were grouped by cluster analysis with the Minimum Evolution algorithm and the P-Distance coefficient.

Totally, 200 alleles (with an average of 3.92 alleles per locus) were amplified. The average polymorphism information content and gene diversity for these markers were 0.48 and 0.54, respectively. The frequency of common alleles ranged from 0.25 to 0.92 with an average of 0.56, which belonged to the GBMS021 and GBM1275 markers, respectively. Also, the GBMS027 marker had the highest polymorphism information content, expected heterozygosity, and allele number. Cluster analysis assigned the genotypes into three groups. The first group had the highest number of genotypes from the temperate regions (either warm or cold) with spring growth habit. The second group consisted mainly of genotypes from the temperate and cold regions with spring and intermediate growth habits. The third group was mostly a mixture of genotypes from temperate and tropical regions with the intermediate and spring growth habit, and most foreign genotypes were also assigned to this group. However, cluster analysis based on SSR markers couldn’t fully separate the genotypes of different geographical regions, and with different growth habits.

In general, there was significant genetic diversity among the barley genotypes studied in terms of SSR markers, and the markers GBMS027, GBMS021, GBMS006, GBMS180, GBMS0160, GBM1272, and GBMS002 were identified as markers with the highest discriminating ability due to having the higher amount of polymorphic information content, expected heterozygosity, and allele number. This diversity can be utilized in the barley breeding programs.

Limited research exists on the relationship between different root structures and the content of steviol glycosides in various genotypes of the Stevia plant (Stevia rebaudiana</em> Bertoni) under varying levels of drought stress. This study aimed to assess the relationship between root characteristics and the content of Rebaudioside-A (Reb-A) and Stevioside (Stev) in two Stevia genotypes under drought stress.

This study evaluated the relationship between root attributes, yield characteristics, and the content of Reb-A and Stev in two Stevia genotypes (Chinese and Indian) under hydroponic conditions. Seven drought levels (-2, -4, -6, -8, -10, and -12 bars using polyethylene glycol 6000) were applied in 2023. The experiment consisted of two completely randomized design trials with three replications each. To begin the experiment, pots filled with a 1:1 ratio of vermiculite and perlite were prepared, and three uniform seedlings were planted in early April. Throughout the growth period and the application of drought stress using Hoagland solution, all pots were initially irrigated with distilled water until the establishment of plants. Once plant establishment was ensured, drought treatments were administered by irrigating once every three days with 400 mL of Hoagland solution with varying osmotic potentials based on the designated treatments. After 65 days from planting, all plants were carefully removed from the pots, and their aboveground and underground parts were separated to measure the desired traits. Steviol glycosides were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with two C18 columns and a UV-Vis detector at a wavelength of 202 nm. Finally, the results pertaining to each genotype were analyzed and presented separately.

The results indicated that both genotypes experienced significant reductions in yield and growth characteristics, including plant height, leaf number, leaf fresh weight, leaf yield, and total biomass yield, under drought stress conditions. Compared to the control, all mentioned traits decreased notably under stress. At the -12 bar level, the reduction in leaf yield traits was 59.84% and 87.9% in the Chinese and Indian genotypes, respectively, while total biomass yield decreased by 52.51% and 64.19%, respectively. The Indian genotype exhibited a higher average leaf yield at non-drought stress levels, whereas the Chinese genotype showed a higher yield at higher drought stress levels (beyond -8 bars). This suggests that the Chinese genotype displays greater tolerance in terms of leaf yield under higher stress levels compared to the Indian genotype. Root-related traits, including fresh and dry weight, volume, length, and density, showed the highest averages in the Chinese genotype at the -4 bar level and in the Indian genotype at the -2 bar level. In both genotypes, partial drought stress (-2 bars) resulted in increased average content of Stev when compared to the non-stress treatment, with the highest content of Reb-A and Stev observed at this stress level in both the Chinese and Indian genotypes (2.58% and 2.58%, respectively, and 7.8% and 5.96%, respectively). According to the stepwise regression results, root area, leaf fresh weight, and total biomass yield were identified as influential traits in increasing the combined content of Reb-A and Stev.

Based on the findings, severe drought stress resulted in a decline in growth and yield traits, root characteristics, and the content and yield of the combined Reb-A and Stev. The synthesis of these two glycosides as metabolites in Stevia plants peaked at the partial drought stress level (-2 bars), highlighting their pivotal role as influential metabolites in imparting stress tolerance. The Chinese genotype exhibited the highest resistance to drought stress, displaying superior yield and content of combined Reb-A and Stev compared to the Indian genotype in certain instances. Overall, this study illustrates that severe drought stress directly diminishes the yield and content of Reb-A and Stev in Stevia plants. In contrast, certain root-related and yield traits can serve as reliable indicators of drought tolerance in this plant.

Maintaining medicinal plants' quality and effective compounds is a fundamental challenge. Salvia L. has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties and is a rich source of biological compounds that destroy free radicals. Salvia virgate Jacq. has several biological activities and is used to treat wounds and various skin diseases and prevent blood cancer. Cadmium is one of the most toxic heavy metals due to its long biological half-life, significant mobility in soil, and capacity to be absorbed by plants. Cadmium's negative effects on plant growth, and physiological and biochemical activities reduce plant quality and performance. Sodium nitroprusside is involved in biological processes and responds to various stresses by releasing nitric oxide (NO).
To investigate the effect of different levels of sodium nitroprusside on improving the response of salvia virgata to cadmium stress under in vitro conditions, an experiment was conducted in the Research Institute of Plant Sciences of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad with a factorial design based on a completely randomized design with four replications. The studied factors included different levels of cadmium (0 (control), 25, 50, and 100 µM) and sodium nitroprusside (0 (control), 15, and 30 µM). Murashig and Skoog culture media were used for seed cultivation. In this experiment, different amounts of cadmium nitrate were added to the culture medium before adjusting the pH. Sodium nitroprusside was added to the medium after autoclaving and a sub-laminar filter due to its sensitivity to high temperatures. At first, the seeds were sterilized with 70% alcohol and 2% sodium hypochlorite; then, they were planted in a culture medium. After three months of growth, the seedlings were removed from the culture medium. Growth traits include the fresh and dry weight of the aerial part, root, and whole seedling, and physiological and biochemical traits including photosynthetic pigments (measurement of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoid, total chlorophyll, and total photosynthetic pigment), flavonoid, total phenol, carbohydrate, proline, protein, and antioxidant activity were measured. The data obtained from this research were analyzed by Minitab software. The mean comparisons were done by the Bonferroni test at the five percent probability level.
According to the results of the analysis of variance of the data, the interaction effect of cadmium and nitroprusside on seedling fresh weight, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoid, total photosynthetic pigments, total phenol, carbohydrate and proline at the probability level of one percent and seedling dry weight, total chlorophyll, flavonoid, and protein were significant at the five percent probability level. The interaction effect of treatments on antioxidant activity was not significant, but their simple effects were significant. The results of the mean comparison of the data indicated that cadmium stress decreased the fresh and dry weight of seedlings, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, carotenoids, and total photosynthetic pigments in S. virgata, and the application of sodium nitroprusside led to the improvement of these traits; so that the application of 30 μM sodium nitroprusside under cadmium stress with a 50 μM concentration showed the highest fresh and dry weight of seedlings and the proline content, and the application of 15 μM sodium nitroprusside under cadmium stress with a 25 μM concentration showed the highest amount of photosynthetic pigments. Also, this research indicated that cadmium stress increased antioxidant activity, total flavonoid, total phenol, soluble carbohydrate, proline, and protein in the S. virgata plant. However, sodium nitroprusside application improved these negative effects of cadmium stress. So, the application of 30 μM sodium nitroprusside led to an increase in total flavonoid, total phenol, soluble carbohydrate, and protein under cadmium stress conditions at 25 μM concentration.
The results showed that cadmium stress reduces plant growth and physiological and biochemical functions, but sodium nitroprusside application could improve cadmium's negative effects. These findings show that sodium nitroprusside can be used as an effective instrument in cadmium stress management in medicinal plants and help to improve the growth and quality of these plants. This research, in addition to enhancing our knowledge about the mechanisms of plants' response to cadmium stress, helps to analyze the effect of sodium nitroprusside in exposure to environmental life pollutants.

The right to the city is a human right that includes the city belonging to all citizens and their participation in urban affairs. The right to a city is to ensure equal opportunities and the proper distribution of services and facilities that can play an effective two-way relationship with good urban governance.The present study was applied in terms of type of purpose and in terms of nature and descriptive-analytical method and library and field methods were used to collect data. The statistical population consists of citizens living in the metropolis of Tabriz, which according to the census of the Statistics Center in 2016 had a population of 1558693 people and 497898 households, which using the Cochran's formula, 337 citizens were selected as a sample. In the selection of citizens, people over 20 years of age were interviewed and cluster sampling method was used for sampling in ten metropolitan areas. Data were analyzed using one-sample t-test, mean, Kruskal-Wallis, geographical weight regression and path analysis. Indicators of the right to city theory at the level of Tabriz metropolis have various effects on the realization of good urban governance from the perspective of citizens. Thus, the indicators of acceptance of urban differences and contradictions with a value of 0.242 and freedom of activity in urban space with a value of 0.145 have had the greatest impact on the realization of good urban governance in the metropolis of Tabriz.

 One of the important bacterial diseases of stone-fruit trees is canker caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (Pss). This pathogen employs a vast range of pathogenic and virulence factors during its interaction with its host in order to induce disease symptoms. To control the bacterial canker disease, various methods such as sanitary measures, selection of resistant cultivars and certified seedlings and chemical component based on copper are used. Application pf plant derivatives such as essential oils and extracts, is one of the compatible management methods in line with environmental goals. Essential oils include a wide range of antimicrobial components and have high efficacy, multiple mechanisms of action, and low toxicity on non-target organisms. The current study aimed to assess the inhibitory and sub-inhibitory effects of six indigenous medicinal essential oils against the causative agent of canker disease in stone fruits. The research evaluated the efficacy of these essential oils in reducing the virulence factors of the disease while identifying the active compounds within the oils. 

The antimicrobial properties of six native plant EOs, namely Thymus transcaspicus, Satureja khuzistanica, Mentha longifolia, Ziziphora clinopodioides, Perorkia abrotanoides, and Artemisia persica were evaluated against Pss bacteria based on disc diffusion assay test and measurement of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Moreover, the effect of essential oils on some virulence factors of pathogen including motility, biofilm, and syringomycine production was investigated in sub-inhibitory concentrations. The effect of selected EOs on the reduction of bacterial pathogenicity on immature cherry fruitlets was also investigated. Finally, the chemical composition of EOs was determined using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-Ms).

All studied essential oils have different antibacterial effects in interaction with Pss bacteria. EOs of T. transcaspicus and S. khuzistanica showed a significant inhibitory effect with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) value of 1.16 and 2.32 g L-1, respectively against Pss compared with other essential oils and streptomycin antibiotic. Sub-inhibitory concentrations test of EOs showed no significant effect on the growth pathogen. The swarming motility of bacterial cells treated with essential oil decreased by 25-55% and the swimming motility decreased by 18.42 to 35.71% compared with the control. T. transcaspicus and S. khuzistanica within the range of 70-75% showed the strongest inhibitory effect on biofilm formation. Also, in the toxin production test, T. transcaspicus and S.khuzistanica EOs are effective in reducing syringomycin production and increasing the growth of Geotrichum candidum by 1.5 to 1.76 times compared with control (not treatment with EOs). The EOs treatment at MICs reduced the symptoms of the disease. In immature cherries inoculated with Pss bacterium and treated with EO of T. transcaspicus was not observed necrosis symptom. The four selected essential oils tested all had a role in reducing the virulence factors in Pss, and the degree of effectiveness is different depending on the components of the essential oil. The higher the phenolic content in the essential oil, the greater its antimicrobial properties against plant pathogenic bacteria. According to the EOs analysis, thymol in T. transcaspicus, carvacrol in S. khuzistanica, piperitone in M. longifolia, and pulegone in Ziziphora clinopodioides were the major constituent compound. It seems that the highest amounts of compounds in essential oils have a higher antibacterial power. The EOs of T. transcaspicus and S. khuzistanica effectively reduce the pathogenic activity of bacterial cankers agent in stone fruits. ConclusionThe studied plant compounds in sub-inhibition concentration showed acceptable potential in inhibiting pathogenic agents in in vitro tests. Taking into account the growing trend of the general acceptance of natural control compounds in the field of plant diseases, it seems that planning in line with how to use plant products to reduce the consumption of pesticides can be investigated and needs complementary experiments. In order to reduce the spread of bacterial canker symptoms and increase the life span of the tree, the main effective substances (oxygenated monoterpenes) of the essential oils of T. transcaspicus and S. khuzistanica can be used as a model chemical structure for the synthesis of antimicrobial substances using the experts in the field of chemistry and pharmaceuticals. It is suggested to investigate the stability and preservation of antimicrobial properties in laboratory and field conditions.

One of the research requirements in agriculture is to find a new and practical method for sustainable production that brings the highest efficiency and the least harm to humans and the environment. In order to investigate the effect of different levels of carbon dioxide and ethanol foliar spraying on the physiological and biochemical characteristics of basil (Ocimum basilicm cv. Keshkeni luvelou), a factorial pot experiment based on a completely randomized design with three replications was conducted in the research greenhouse of the Department of Horticultural Sciences and Landscape of Ferdowsi University Mashhad in 2018. The factors included ethanol spraying at 4 levels (0, 10, 20, and 30% v/v) and carbon dioxide at 3 levels (380, 700, and 1050 µmol mol−1). The results showed that the highest relative water content (RWC) of leaf, photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and leaf protein were observed in the treatment of 20% v/v ethanol foliar application with the application of 700 µmol mol−1 of carbon dioxide, as they increased by 45%, 295%, 684%, 83%, and 328% compared to the control, respectively. Fresh and dry biomasses of shoot parts increased significantly with increasing carbon dioxide concentration and ethanol spraying. Thus, the highest fresh and dry biomasses of shoot parts were obtained in foliar spraying of 30% v/v of ethanol and 700 µmol mol−1 of carbon dioxide which increased by 176% and 76%, respectively, compared to the control. The highest activity of polyphenol oxidase and guaiacol peroxidase, stomatal resistance, and electrolyte leakage were related to spraying 30% v/v of ethanol with an application of 1050 µmol mol−1 of carbon dioxide which showed an increase of 2%, 4%, 65%, and 76%, respectively, compared to the control. Overall, the results showed that foliar spraying of 20 and 30% v/v of ethanol along with the application of 700 µmol mol−1 carbon dioxide had the greatest effect in increasing photosynthesis and finally the fresh and dry biomasses of basil.

Selenium is one of the useful chemical elements for plants growth which, in addition to its beneficial effects on plant growth, is known as an essential substance for human and animal health. This research was carried out to investigate the effect of different levels of sodium selenate and selenite on some growth and physiological traits of peppermint in a completely randomized design with 4 replications. Plants were grown in a soilless culture system in the research greenhouse of the faculty of agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, The treatments included different levels of sodium selenate (4, 8 and 12 mg/L) and sodium selenite (4, 8 and 12 mg/L), equal to 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06 M of selenate and selenite sodium, respectively in Hoagland solution. The control treatment was a Hoagland solution without selenium application. Based on the results of the analysis of variance, the effect of sodium selenate and sodium selenite on all measured traits was significant. The results showed that the highest dry weight of aerial parts was observed in the treatment with 4 mg/L of sodium selenate. The relative water content of the leaf (6.6%) and guaiacol peroxidase activity (29.02%) were increased with the treatment of 4 mg/L of sodium selenate, compared to the control. The treatment with 12 mg/L of selenite and selenate sodium increased the ion leakage percentage, malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide concentrations. According to the obtained results, the treatment of 4 mg/L of selenate and selenite sodium is recommended to increase growth and improve some physiological characteristics in peppermint plant.

In this experiment, the effect of salt stress on the root proteome pattern of Arg (tolerant to salinity) and Moghan3 (sensitive to salinity) cultivars of wheat was investigated by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Salinity was applied at two levels of 0 and 150 mM in the third-leaf stage for three weeks under greenhouse conditions. The proteome analysis of the roots revealed 120 reproducible protein spots, among which 15 spots showed significant changes in expression. In Moghan3, four protein spots with a significant reduction in expression were identified. In the tolerant cultivar of Arg, 11 protein spots showed significant changes in expression, among which five protein spots had an increased expression and six protein spots had a decreased expression. These proteins were classified based on their function into several groups such as the proteins involved in metabolism and energy, reactive oxygen species scavenging and detoxification, the proteins associated with cell walls, and the proteins involved in folding and degradation. Probably, the tolerance to salt stress in the Arg cultivar was related to the increased expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase, phosphoglycerate mutase, catalase, and malate dehydrogenase proteins. While in the sensitive variety of Moghan3, the decrease in the expression of enolase, peroxidase, and glutathione peroxidase proteins under salinity stress conditions probably caused oxidative stress in the plants due to increased production of reactive oxygen species. These findings can be useful for improving the salt tolerance in the breeding programs of wheat.

Rosa damascena Mill. belongs to Rosaceae family and is considered as one of the most important medicinal and industrial plant. In the present study, the effects of foliar application of methyl jasmonate and titanium dioxide nanoparticles were investigated on physiological and phytochemical traits of Rosa damascena Mill. in two separate experiments based on a randomized complete block design with 3 replications in Farsan during two growing seasons (2019 and 2020). Foliar application of methyl jasmonate (0, 0.5, 1, and 2 mM) and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (0, 100, 200, and 300 mg L-1) was performed three times with 4-day intervals before the flowering stage. Essential oil extraction was done by steam distillation (a clevenger apparatus), phytochemical evaluation was performed using spectrophotometric method, and antioxidant performance was evaluated through DPPH test. Results showed that foliar application of elicitors increased dry weight of leaves and photosynthetic pigments. The phenolic compounds of leaves and petals of R. damascena Mill. also increased in response to applied elicitors and the highest increment was observed in plants treated with 1 mM methyl jasmonate and 100 mg L-1 titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Also the results showed the positive effect of applied treatments on increasing macro (N, P, K and Mg) and micro elements (Fe, Mn, and Zn) in leaves of damask rose. Methyl jasmonate (0.5-1 mM) increased the essential oil content of the treated plants by 34.32%. According to the obtained results, methyl jasmonate applied at concentration of 1 mM is suggested to improve the physiological and phytochemical characteristics of the R. damascena plants.

To investigate the effect of ten species of mycorrhizal fungi belonging to seven different genera (Racocetra, Rhizophagus, Claroideoglomus, Funneliformis, Diversispora, Acaulospora and Gigaspora) on some growth and biochemical traits of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-groecum), a pot experiment based on a completely randomized design was conducted in the research greenhouse of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. The changes of biomass, number and length of pods, weight of 1000 seeds, photosynthetic pigments, phenolic compounds, soluble carbohydrates, total protein, and antioxidant capacity in fenugreek plants in response to mycorrhizal inoculation were studied. The results of variance analysis of the data showed that the effect of mycorrhizal fungi on all studied traits was significant at the probability level of 1%. Based on the findings, the response of fenugreek plant to inoculation with different species of mycorrhizal fungi was variable. Inoculation with suitable species of mycorrhizal fungi through improving the growth condition and biochemical traits of treated plants increased the fenugreek growth based on plant fresh and dry weights. In the present study, mycorrhizal species, especially R. castanea, A. langula, R. intraradicese, and G. margarita enhanced the amount of chlorophyll and the activities of antioxidant enzymes of inoculated fenugreek plant compared to the control, which was accompanied by increasing the plant growth in terms of fresh and dry weights in these treatments. According to the obtained results, inoculation of fenugreek plant with C. claroideum, R. castanea, A. langula, G. margarita, R. fasciculatus, and F. caledonium fungi can be suggested as a suitable alternative for chemical fertilizers to increase the yield of this plant.

Inheritance of several physiological and agronomic traits in 92 F4 lines derived from the cross between two wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars (Arg and Moghan3, tolerant and sensitive to salinity, respectively) was studied in a greenhouse at normal and salinity stress conditions using a hydroponic system in 2018. The experiment was carried out as a split-plot design based on randomized complete blocks with two replications. The two salinity levels (control and application of 150 mM NaCl at the three-leaf stage) were arranged in the main plots and the lines in the subplots. Analysis of variance showed significant differences among lines for all of the investigated characteristics, except the K+/Na+ ratio. The line × salinity interaction was significant for the majority of the traits including grain yield. Salinity stress increased leaf temperature, electrolyte leakage, 1000-grain weight, and Na+ content, and decreased other traits significantly. Transgressive segregation was detected for some traits at both normal and salinity stress conditions. At both normal and salinity stress conditions, broad-sense and narrow-sense heritability for the studied traits were estimated high (0.72 to 0.99) and moderate to low (0.11-0.62), respectively. The lowest broad-sense (0.72 and 0.66 at normal and salinity-stress conditions, respectively) and narrow-sense heritability (0.13 and 0.11 at normal and salinity-stress conditions, respectively) belonged to the grain yield. At both conditions, the magnitude of dominance genetic variance was higher than the additive genetic variance for the majority of the traits investigated. The average degree of dominance for all traits at both conditions was greater than one, which showed the existence of over-dominance gene action in controlling these traits. This research highlights the necessity of exploiting dominance gene effects in breeding programs of wheat at salinity stress conditions.

Maize is one of the most important cereals that is cultivated in many parts of the world and it is one of the most important cereals for the production of food for people all over the world. The most common environmental stress is drought, which limits the growth and survival of plants in arid and semi-arid areas. The selection of tolerant genotypes to drought can help to improve the performance of maize hybrids under these conditions.

In this research, to investigate the tolerance of maize hybrids to drought stress, 18 maize hybrids were evaluated in an experiment in the form of the split-plot design based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. In the control conditions, irrigation was done after 70 mm and under drought stress conditions, after 120 mm of evaporation from the class A pan. Based on the grain yield under water-deficit stress and normal conditions, the indices including the stress tolerance index (STI), stress susceptibility index (SSI), tolerance (TOL), mean productivity (MP), geometric mean productivity (GMP), harmonic mean (HARM), reconnaissance drought Index (RDI), drought resistance index (DI), yield stability index (YSI) and selection index of ideal genotype (SIIG) were calculated for the studied hybrids and the most tolerant and sensitive hybrids were identified. Also, the grouping of hybrids was done based on cluster analysis and principal component analysis.

In this research, yield under normal and water-deficit stress conditions had a low correlation with the TOL index, a negative and significant correlation with SSI, and a positive and significant correlation with MP, GMP, STI, HARM, YSI, RDI, DI and SIIG and therefore, hybrids with higher values for these indices had higher yield in the water-deficit stress and normal conditions. Thus, MP, GMP, STI, HARM, YSI, RDI, DI, and SIIG were suitable indices for identifying hybrids with higher yield in both conditions due to their higher correlation with the grain yield in water-deficit stress and non-stress environments.

In normal conditions, SC704, has the highest (18.57 tons/ha) and SC703 (11.81 tons/ha), SC702 (11.76 tons/ha), SC720 (12.66 tons/ha), SC701 (11.77 ton/ha), K19/2×K3651 (11.09) and AR66 (11.43 tons/ha) had the lowest yield. Also, under water stress conditions, SC704 had the highest (15.9 tons/ha) and AR66 had the lowest (6.16 tons/ha) yield. Based on the results of the studied indices, SC500 and SC704 were identified as water deficit tolerant hybrids and SC670 and AR66 were also identified as sensitive hybrids to water deficit stress. The results of cluster analysis and principal component analysis and biplot diagram also confirmed this issue.

In order to investigate the effect of magnetized saline water on Meadow sage, a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with three replications was conducted in greenhouse conditions in 2021 at the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Based on the findings, the salinity (0, 30, and 90 mM of sodium chloride, respectively equivalent to electrical conductivity values of 0, 2.5, 5.25, and 7.88 dS/m) caused a decrease in leaf area, fresh weight of shoot, dry weight of shoot, chlorophyll content and increased specific leaf weight, total phenol, and antioxidant activity. The application of magnetic water (non-magnetic water, 0.6 Tesla half an hour, 0.6 Tesla once, 0.3 Tesla half an hour, and 0.3 Tesla once) reduced the effects of salinity stress on the studied traits. In general, the use of magnetic water increased the fresh weight of the shoot by 34%, the dry weight of the shoot by 45%, the leaf area by 20%, chlorophyll b by 20%, chlorophyll a by 55%, total chlorophyll by 47%, total phenolics by 158%, and antioxidant activity by 12%. According to the obtained results, as the intensity and duration of saltwater magnetization increase, the ability of magnetized water to reduce the destructive effects of salinity increases. The results showed that at high salinity levels, the field intensity of 0.6 Tesla half an hour increases the plant's tolerance to salinity stress. Saltwater magnetization technology might be a promising technique in agriculture, which, of course, needs more extensive studies.

In order to investigate the effect of the type and concentration of solvent on the amount of extraction of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of Crataegus elbursensis leaves, a research was performed in two separate experiments. At first experiment the effect of solvent type (acetone, ethanol, methanol) at three concentrations (50, 80 and 100%) on extracted total phenolics content of C. elbursensis leaf was evaluated. At second experiment antioxidant capacity of produced extract from the best solvent at first experiment with the highest phenolic compounds (methanol 80%) was investigated by two different methods including total antioxidant and Fe reduction capacity. The results of these experiments showed that all three solvents; acetone, ethanol and methanol; in the form of mixture with water have more potential for extracting phenolic compounds toward the pure ones. The highest total phenolic content (118 mg GAE/g DW) was obtained at 80% concentration of all solvents, especially at methanol 80%. The results of evaluating antioxidant activity showed that with increasing the concentration of extract up to 500 µg/mL, antioxidant activity (0.8 mg/mL) was increased. Investigation of Fe reduction capacity indicated that with increasing the concentration of extract up to 800 µg/mL, the amount of absorption of the solvents contain the extract significantly increased. Therefore, according to the results of this study, the leaves of this plant can be used as the source of phenolics and antioxidants in different industries.

To investigate the effect of sodium selenate (Na2SeO4) and sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) on some morphological characteristics and nutrients concentration in peppermint, an experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with four replications. Different levels of sodium selenate and sodium selenite (0, 4, 8, and 12 mg l-1) were applied in soilless cultivation in the research greenhouse of the Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Then morphological traits and the concentrations of nutrients in the leaf were measured in the flowering stage. The results showed that the application of two forms of selenium at a concentration of 4 mg l-1 increased the growth traits in peppermint. The highest concentration of both salts decreased the plant growth. The results also showed that with increasing the concentration of selenite and sodium selenate, the selenium concentration increased, but the use of sodium selenate caused higher concentration of this element in the leaf. At a concentration of 4 mg l-1 selenium, the concentrations of macronutrients including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium in the leaf increased by 43.7, 11.1, 3.2, 11.6, and 9.2%, respectively, compared to the control but were not significant. The highest nitrogen concentration was observed at the concentration of 4 mg l-1 sodium selenite 43.7% greater than the control. With increasing the concentration of selenium, except for molybdenum and manganese, the concentration of zinc, iron, boron, and copper increased. The highest concentrations of iron and boron were obtained at 12 mg l-1 sodium selenate, 60.2 and 25.7% greater compared to the control, respectively. The highest concentrations of zinc and copper measured at 12 mg l-1 sodium selenite were 63.3 and 40.6% greater than the control, respectively. In general, it is concluded that 4 mg l-1 of sodium selenate can be applied to improve the growth and nutritional condition of the peppermint.

A pot experiment in soilless culture was performed as a factorial experiment based on the randomized block complete design with four replications in the research greenhouse of Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. The effect of foliar application of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) [distilled water (control), ethanol 1% (as solvent of MeJA and control), 1 and 2 mM MeJA] and Zn application (0, 0.025, 0.05 and 0.1 mgL-1) in Hoagland nutrient solution on the growth characteristics, photosynthetic pigments, and essential oil production of Mentha piperita L. was evaluated. According to the results, the highest growth was observed in 0.025 mg L-1 Zn and foliar application of 1 and 2 mM MeJA. The highest photosynthetic pigments of chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll were obtained in 0.025 mg L-1 Zn and foliar application of 2 mM MeJA. The highest root fresh and dry weights, chlorophyll b and carotenoid were observed in 0.05 mg L-1 Zn and foliar application of 2 mM MeJA and the treatment without Zn and foliar application with distilled water. In addition, the highest amount of essential oil production was observed in 0.1 mg L-1 Zn and foliar application with 1 mM MeJA. In general, 0.025 mg L-1 Zn and foliar application of 2 mM MeJA was the best treatment and improved most studied traits. The results of this experiment showed that Zn in low concentrations stimulate the peppermint growth; whereas Zn omission or application of high concentrations created some stressful effects in this plant increasing its essential oil production. Therefore, application of proper concentrations of Zn and MeJA can be a suitable way to improve the growth and essential oil production of peppermint.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is one of the important plants from Lamiaceae family which is used as a medicinal spicy plant and also as a fresh vegetable. Salicylic acid (SA) is one of the most important plant growth regulators that regulates growth and physiological development and metabolic processes of the plant. Its application under salinity stress conditions decreases the effects of salinity toxicity and makes resistance in the plants. To investigate the basil (O. basilicum cv. Keshkeny luvelou) physiological and biochemical responses to salinity stress and SA, a factorial pot experiment was conducted based on a completely randomized design with three replications in the research greenhouse of Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan. Experimental treatments included salinity at four levels (0, 30 ,60, and 90 mM) and SA at five levels (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 mM). The results showed that salinity stress reduced the amount of chlorophyll florescence, chlorophylls a and b, total chlorophyll, carotenoid, relative water content, and essential oil percentage. The SA treatment decreased the negative effects of salinity stress on the plant and improved essential oil percentage. Also, salinity stress increased the amount of proline, soluble carbohydrate, phenol, antioxidant activity, electrolyte leakage, leaf and root sodium, and chlorine, but the SA treatment at some salinity stress levels caused to decrease and/or increase these traits. Overall, SA improved the physiological and biochemical characteristics of basil under salinity stress through increasing osmolytes production and resulted in increasing nutrient uptake and essential oil percentage of the plant.

Estimating the spatial hazard, or in other words, the probability of exceeding a certain boundary is one of the important issues in environmental studies that are used to control the level of pollution and prevent damage from natural disasters. Risk zoning provides useful information to decision-makers; For example, in areas where spatial hazards are high, zoning is used to design preventive policies to avoid adverse effects on the environment or harm to humans. Generally, the common spatial risk estimating methods are for stationary random fields. In addition, a parametric form is usually considered for the distribution and variogram of the random field. Whereas in practice, sometimes these assumptions are not realistic. For an example of these methods, we can point to the Indicator kriging, Disjunctive kriging, Geostatistical Markov Chain, and simple kriging.  In practice utilize the parametric spatial models caused unreliable results. In this paper, we use a nonparametric spatial model to estimate the unconditional probability or spatial risk:rcs0=PZs0⩾c.  (1) Because the conditional distribution at points close to the observations has less variability than the unconditional probability, nonparametric spatial methods will be used to estimate the unconditional probability.  

Let Z=Zs1,…,ZsnT be an observation vector from the random field {Zs;s∈D⊆Rd} which is decomposed as follows Zs=μs+εs,  (2) where μ(s) is the trend and ε(s) is the error term, that is a second-order stationary random field with zero mean and covariogram Ch=Covεs,εs+h. The local linear model for the trend is given by μHs= e1TSsTWsSs-1 SsTWsZ≡  ϕTsZ, where e1 is a vector with 1 in the first entry and all other entries 0, Ss is a matrix with ith row equal to (1, (si-s)T), Ws = diag {KHs1 – s,…,KH(sn-s)}, KHu=H-1K(H-1u), K is a triple multiplicative multivariate kernel function and H is a nonsingular symmetric d×d bandwidth matrix. In this model, the bandwidth matrix obtained from a bias corrected and estimated generalized cross-validation (CGCV). From nonparametric residuals ε(s) = Z(s) -μ(s) a local linear estimate of the variogram 2 γ(⋅)is obtained as the solution of the following least-squares problem minα.βi<jnεi-εj2-α-βT si-sj-u2 KGsi-sj-u, where G is the corresponding bandwidth matrix, that obtained from minimizing cross-validation relative squared error of semi-variogram estimate. Algorithm1: Semiparametric Bootstrap Obtain estimates of the error covariance and nonparametric residuals covariance. Generate bootstrap samples with the estimated spatial trend μHs and adding bootstrap errors generated as a spatially correlated set of errors. Compute the kriging prediction Z*s0 at each unsampled location s0 from the bootstrap sample Z*s1,…,Z*sn. Repeat steps 2 and 3 a larger number times B. Therefore, for each un-sampled location s0, B bootstrap replications Z*(1)s0.…. Z*(B)(s0) are obtained. Calculate (1) at position s_0 by calculating the relative frequency of Bootstrap repetition as follows to estimate the unconditional probability of excess of boundary c. rcs0= 1B j=1BIZ*js0≥ c

To analysis the practical behavior of the proposed methods a simulation study is conducted under different scenarios. For N=150 samples and n=16×16 were generated on a regular grid in the unit square following model (2), with mean function μs=2.5 + sin( 2π x1) + 4x2 - 0.5 2, and random errors normally distributed with zero mean and isotropic exponential covariogram  Ch= 0.04 + 2.01 1- exp-3 ∥ h∥0.5,   h∈ R2. For comparing nonparametric spatial methods for estimate unconditional risk, conditional risk, and Indicator kriging, we considered 7 missing observations in certain situations. Empirical spatial risk and its estimates are presented in Table 1. The Indicator kriging is overestimating and estimate spatial risk larger than 1. Generally, an estimated risk with unconditional and conditional methods is near value to empirical value. Table 1. Empirical spatial risk and its estimates Locations (0.13, 0) (0.87, 0.87) (0.80, 0.20) (0.94, 0.27) (0, 0.47) (074, .60) (0.34, 0.60) Methods 0.999 0.300 0.069 0.317 0.504 0.011 0.989 Empirical 0.998 0.351 0.054 0.347 0.494 0.057 0.954 Conditional 1.002 0.230 0.091 0.091 0.652 0.006 0.996 Indicator 1.000 0.388 0.418 0.481 0.602 0.024 0.994 Unconditional The spatial risk mapping for the maximum temperature means of Iran in 364 stations in March 2018 is obtained. By applying Algorithm 1 final trend and semi-variogram estimates are smoother than the pilot version.  The conditional and unconditional spatial risk with 150 bootstrap replicates for two values of threshold 25 and 31 on a 75×75 grid are estimated. The unconditional risk estimate is smoother than the conditional risk estimate. Because of this in the unconditional version, biased residual unused directly in the spatial prediction but in the conditional risk estimating, original residuals and simple kriging used.

The spatial risk estimated with the nonparametric spatial method. For the trend and variability of the random field, modeling applied a local linear nonparametric model. In the simulation study, this method better results than Indicator kriging. Because the flexibility of the nonparametric spatial method could apply for the construction of confidence or prediction intervals and hypothesis testing.

Environmental stresses play an important role in the pattern of plant distribution worldwide, and drought stress in turn determines a large part of this distribution. Drought stress is the most important environmental factor limiting the growth and development of plants in the world so that the growth reduction due to drought stress is much greater than other environmental stresses. One of the ways to reduce drought stress damage in plants is the use of biopolymers and chitosan is one of these compounds. Chitosan has become one of the leading biopolymers for plants against various stresses in recent decades due to its numerous properties. Due to the side effects of chemical drugs, the use and importance of medicinal plants are increasing. Savory is one of the most widely used and widely used medicinal plants. Savory (Satureja hortensis L.) is an annual or perennial herbaceous plant, fragrant and belongs to the Lamiaceae family. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of chitosan foliar application on growth, biochemical properties, and amount of savory (Satureja hortensis L.) essential oil under different levels of soil moisture.

This study was conducted in the research greenhouses of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2019-2020 as a factorial in a completely randomized design with 2 factors and 3 replications. The first factor was different levels of soil moisture (30, 60, and 90% of field capacity) and the second factor was different levels of chitosan foliar application (water control, acetic acid control, 0.5, 1, and 2 g l-1). Different levels of soil moisture were applied when the plants reached the 4-6 leaf stage. Before applying drought stress, soil arable capacity was determined. Chitosan foliar application was performed in two stages. The first stage was when the plants were in the 6-8 leaf stage and the second foliar application was done two weeks after the first foliar application. During the growing season, all crops, including weed control, were uniformly applied between treatments. The studied traits included growth characteristics, wet and dry biomass of shoots and roots, relative leaf water content, electrolyte leakage, proline content, malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and essential oil.

Based on the obtained results, with decreasing soil moisture, growth indices and relative water content of plant leave decreased significantly, and in contrast, leakage of electrolytes, proline, malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and plant essential oil was increased. The highest amount of hydrogen peroxide (0.24 mg g-1 fresh leaf weight) was observed at the lowest soil moisture level (30% of field capacity) and the use of chitosan, especially at the level of 0.5 g l-1, reduced the significance. The application of this concentration of chitosan reduced the leakage of electrolytes and hydrogen peroxide by 8.86% and 23.77% at the highest stress levels, respectively. Also, the application of 0.5 g l-1 of chitosan caused that at the highest level of stress, plant height, shoot and root biomass, and relative leaf water content Increase 2.78, 60.18, 118.18, and 18.6 (percent), respectively. However, application of 2 g l-1 of chitosan intensified the stress in the plant so that the amount of electrolyte leakage at the lowest soil moisture level (30% of field capacity) and application of 2 g l-1 of chitosan compared to the control (no use of chitosan) with 11.98%. The increase was accompanied. Also, the highest amount of proline (0.0194 μg g-1) was observed in the application of 2 g l-1 of chitosan and 30% of soil capacity.

Chitosan foliar application, especially the application of 0.5 g l-1, improved the growth characteristics, the relative leaf water content of the plant and also reduced the damaging effects of electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde, and hydrogen peroxide in savory. In general, the results of this study showed that the use of chitosan improved the tolerance of savory under drought stress.

Nowadays, soil pollution to various heavy metals is one of the most important environmental issues in human societies, which has adverse effects on soil and soil flora and groundwater contamination. Among the heavy metals, cadmium with a half-life of about 20 years, its high mobility in the soil and absorption by the plant, has a significant toxicity that its presence in the food chain seriously threatens human health. A wide range of studies have shown that inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi increases the resistance of many plants against heavy metals.

In order to investigate the effect of mycorrhizal fungi on biochemical properties of coriander under heavy metal stress, a pot experiment was conducted in the greenhouses at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. A factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with 2 factors and 3 replications was conducted. The first factor was heavy metal in 4 levels of 0, 20, 40, 80 mg/kg nitrate cadmium soil and the second factor was mycorrhiza fungi in 3 levels without fungi and Glomus mosseae and Glomus intraradicese application. The soil mixture included soil, leafy soil and sand in a ratio of 1: 1: 1. All traits were measured at flowering stage. The studied traits include aerial parts dry biomass, chlorophyll, b, a, electrolyte leakage, soluble carbohydrate, antioxidant activity, total phenol, total flavonoids and proline. Data analysis using Minitab 17 software was done.

The results were showed that by increasing the concentration of cadmium, the amount of electrolyte leakage, soluble carbohydrate, antioxidant activity, total phenol, total flavonoids and proline increased. However, with increasing cadmium concentration, the amount of dry biomass of aerial parts, chlorophyll, a, b and carotenoids decreased. So, with increasing cadmium concentration, the amount of aerial parts dry biomass of coriander decreased by 40% compared with the control. Based on this study, using of mycorrhizal fungi under cadmium pollution reduced the stress influence, so that the highest amount of aerial parts dry biomass was found in plants treated with mycorrhizal and without cadmium application. The lowest amount dry biomass of aerial parts was found in without mycorrhizal with highest nitrate cadmium concentration (80 mg/kg soil). The highest amount of proline, soluble carbohydrate, phenol, antioxidant activity, and total flavonoids was observed in plants which treated with the highest nitrate cadmium concentration (80 mg/kg soil) and Glomus intraradicese application.

So that inoculated plants with mycorrhizal fungi had more dry biomass of aerial parts than plants without mycorrhiza. According to the results of this study, in the conditions of environmental stresses such as cadmium stress, the use of mycorrhizal fungi reduces its destructive effects, which can be used as a management solution in heavy metal contaminated areas. In general, the results of this study showed that application of Glomus mosseae fungus in cadmium stress has a better effect on the traits and its application is recommended in this condition.

The aim of this research was to study the effect of salicylic acid (SA) usage on some physiological characteristics and essential oil production of lemon verbena (Lippia citrodora L.) under salinity stress. For this purpose, a pot factorial experiment was performed based on a completely randomized design with 4 salinity levels (0, 50, 100 and 150 mM NaCl), 4 SA levels (0, 150, 300 and 450 mg/L) and three replications. The measured traits included total soluble protein, malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide, glycine betaine, some antioxidant enzyme activities, and essential oil production. The interaction effect of the treatments on all of the studied traits were significant at 1% P value. The results showed that the highest amount of total soluble protein, MDA, hydrogen peroxide, glycine betaine, ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities were observed at 150 mM salinity level and application of SA at 300 mg/L causes to decrease total soluble protein and glycine betaine, and 150 mg/L of SA causes to decrease MDA. But application of this plant growth regulator had no significant effect on hydrogen peroxide. Also, the results showed that catalase enzyme activity and essential oil content at the highest salinity level (150 mM) reached to the lowest amounts. In total, the results of this study indicated that the SA application especially at 300 mg/L causes to improve the studied traits in this experiment and its usage under stress conditions is recommended.

Ferulago (Ferulago ssp.) medicinal plant belongs to Apiaceae family and is endemic of Iran. Species of this genus are extremely endangered, considering the seed dormancy, excess harvesting and environmental stresses such as drought. By considering this plant as a valuable medicinal-rangeland plant, its production and reclamation is an essential task. This investigation was done to optimize micropropagation of two endemic species of Ferulago, included F. angulate and F. subvelutina. Maximum percentage of callus induction in F. angulata specie was reached as 100%, using rootlet explant (under treatments of 0 BAP + 1 NAA, 0 BAP + 1.5 NAA and 0 BAP + 2 NAA mg/l) and also true leaf explants (under treatments of 0.5 BAP + 0.5 NAA and 1 BAP + 2 NAA mg/l), and in F. subvelutina specie using true leaf explants (under treatments of 0.5 BAP + 0.5 NAA and 1 BAP + 2 NAA mg/l) respectively as 72.33 and 71.66%. The combined application of the cytokinin and auxin phytohormones has been shown to be effective in regenerating Ferulago species; so that the maximum regeneration was reached as 53.33 and 46.66% in F. angulata respectively under treatments of 0.5 BAP + 0.2 NAA mg/l and 0.5 BAP + 0.4 NAA mg/l and so on as 53.33 and 60 percent in F. subvelutina respectively under treatments of 1 BAP + 0.2 NAA mg/l and 1 BAP + 0.4 NAA mg/l. The best rooting treatment in both species was selected as the ½ MS cultural medium included 0.5 mg/l IBA. The adaptation stage was done in a mixture of soil, peat soil and sand with a weight ratio of 1: 1: 1, in which the total of 80% of regenerated plants from tissue culture, were successfully adapted to the outside environment.

Drought stress is one of the non-living environmental stresses that affect the quantity and quality of plant yield (Eyni-Nargeseh et al., 2020), and it is the most important factor in reducing yield and crop production in plants (Xu et al., 2020). Elements such as potassium play an important role in controlling water loss from the plant (Farahani et al. 2019). Potassium is an essential nutrient and is one of the most abundant cations in plants, which plays an important role in plant growth and in almost all related functions (Zahoor et al., 2017). Summer Savory (Satureja hortensis L.) is one of the most widely used medicinal plants. It is an herbaceous or perennial plant and a member of the aromatic plants of the family Mint (Lamiaceae), which has a rodent flower, the flowers appear in the axils of the upper leaves, the flowers are male and female and are seen in white to purple colors (Yazdanpanah et al., 2011). Finding solutions to reduce the effects of drought stress and improve plant growth and yield is essential. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the application of different levels of potassium sulfate on increasing yield, biochemical properties, and drought resistance in Summer Savory.

This research was carried out as a factorial split-plot based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the research farm of Ferdowsi University in 2015-2016. The main factors included drought stress at three levels (50, 70, and 100% of field capacity) and potassium sulfate fertilizer at four levels (0, 100, 200, and 300 kg/ha) and the sub-factor of two harvest times. All traits were measured at the flowering stage. The studied traits included growth characteristics (using conventional methods), photosynthetic pigments (Lutts et al., 1996), soluble carbohydrates (Paquin et al., 1979), antioxidant activity (Moon et al., 1998), and total phenol (Singleton et al., 1965). Minitab17 software was used to analyze the data. The mean comparison was performed based on the Bonferroni test.

The results showed that with increasing drought stress, the amounts of chlorophyll a, b, total, soluble carbohydrate, antioxidant activity, and total phenol increased. However, with increasing drought stress, growth characteristics and carotenoids decreased. So that with increasing drought stress, the amount of plant height at the highest drought stress level (50% of field capacity) decreased by 33.99% compared to the control. Based on the results of this study, the application of potassium sulfate fertilizer under drought stress conditions reduced the effect of drought stress, as the highest amount of growth characteristics and photosynthetic pigments were observed in the application of potassium sulfate fertilizer. At the highest level of drought stress and application of 300 kg/ha of potassium sulfate in the first harvest time increased plant height, chlorophyll a, b, and total by 62.14, 82.36, 93.09, and 87.35%, respectively, but decreased antioxidant activity (13.86%) and total phenol content (34.38%).

Based on the findings of this study, the use of potassium sulfate fertilizer reduces destructive effects under environmental stresses, including drought stress. In particular, the application of 300 kg/ha of potassium sulfate fertilizer had the best results in drought stress conditions in Summer Savory which can be used as a management solution in drought-prone areas.

Introduction:

 Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) generally have positive impacts on the growth, biochemical, and physiological characteristics of plants. Salinity is one of the major environmental factors that limited the growth and production of most crops due to the different plant species and growth stages. Based on severity and duration of the salinity stress different reactions of the plants were observed. Salinity reduces the growth of plants due to the existing osmotic materials around the roots. In addition, salinity exerts hypertonic stress on the plants. Under salinity, ions, mostly Na+ and Cl-, accumulate in the tissues of plants and cause significant physiological disorders and reduction in plant growth and development. Therefore, using different methods for reducing the harmful effects of salinity is very important. Various ameliorating agents such as nanoparticles (NPs) have been used for combating various abiotic stresses like salinity. Application of NPs to stressed plants have been shown to mitigate stress-induced oxidative and osmotic stress. Calendula officinalis L. (marigold) is an annual ornamental and medicinal plant from Asteraceae family that widely cultivated for different purposes like producing industrial products in culinary, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries.

Materials and Methods:

 This study aimed to evaluate the effects of TiO2NPs on biochemical and physiological parameters of marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) under NaCl stress. Treatments included TiO2NPs applied as foliar spraying in three levels (50, 100, and 200 mg/L), no foliar application as control, and different NaCl levels (0, 30, 60, and 90 mM) by adding NaCl into irrigation water.The studied traits were included growth characteristic (height, number of brunches, Number of flowering branch Number of flowers, Flower diameter, Total flower fresh weight, Total flower dry weight, Flower yield, Leaf area , Plant fresh and dry weight, Root fresh and dry weight, Root length and volume)) and element content (N, P, K, Fe, Mn,Mg,Ca, Zn, Na, Ti). Statistical analysis was performed using JAMP 13software. The mean comparison was done by LSD test at the 5% probability level.

Results and Discussion:

 The results of the mean comparison showed that, with increasing salinity, the growth characteristics of the plant decreased and the application of titanium dioxide nanoparticles, especially in 200 mg/L level, improved these traits. In addition salinity affected the nutrient uptake of the plant. Application of titanium dioxide nanoparticles improved the nutrient uptake of marigold under NaCl stress. According to the findings of this study, titanium dioxide nanoparticles mitigate the detrimental effects of salinity on the studied traits which were decreased under different NaCl concentrations.Among different titanium dioxide nanoparticles levels that used in this study, 200 mg/L is more effective than the other concentrations.

Conclusions:

 Based on the results of this experiment, the stimulatory effect of foliar application of TiO2NPs under NaCl stress on enhancing growth characteristics and nutrient uptake of marigold were observed in this study. At the higher NaCl levels, the negative effects of NaCl on plant growth and osmotic abilities were observed. The application of titanium dioxide nanoparticles had different effects on the studied traits. TiO2NPs application increased the studied parameters under salinity stress in comparison with no application of TiO2. In most cases, 200 mg/L titanium dioxide was the most effective concentration to mitigate the negative effects of salinity.In addition, TiO2 helped the plants to resist NaCl stress and mitigate the harmful effects of salinity.On the other hand, proper osmoprotectants and antioxidants may induce the synthesis and accumulation of bioactive naturally compounds. Based on the findings of this study, it is concluded that foliar application of TiO2NPs under NaCl stress can alleviate the deleterious effects of salinity and also improve the growth of marigold by increasing the nutrient element content such as Fe, Mg and N that effective in chlorophyll synthesis.

The side effects of chemical drugs have resulted in more attention from humans to use medicinal plants and their extract ingredients to treat many diseases. Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a medicinal plant from the Lamiaceae family that is used in the food and cosmetic industries. Due to the serious problems in the past decades resulting in the excessive application of chemical inputs and plant growth regulators to enhance agricultural production, nowadays, the need for new technologies to produce safe food and protect the environment has been of great interest to the international community. In this regard, the application of alcohols, especially ethanol and methanol solutions, to improve the performance of plants in the agricultural systems is important. The use of foliar application of methanol and ethanol on the aerial parts of different plants propound as one of the newest strategies to increase growth and their yield. Short-term exposure to elevated CO2 for plants generally leads to an increase in the rates of leaf-level photosynthesis due to enhance the activity of ribulose-1.5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco). The response to elevated CO2 results in an increase in leaf area, biomass accumulation, or individual plant size.

To study the morphophysiological response of basil cv. keshkeni luvelou under CO2 and ethanol nutrition, a pot experiment was conducted at the research greenhouse of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad as factorial based on a completely randomized design with three levels of CO2 (380, 700, and 1050 mg/L) and four levels of ethanol foliar application (0, 10, 20 and 30 %v/v) in three replications in 2019. The studied traits were included growth characteristics (plant height, number of branches, stem diameter, internode distance, and fresh and dry weight of the aerial part) and photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoid, and total chlorophyll), antioxidant activity, total phenol, and essential oil content. Statistical analysis was performed using Minitab 17 software. The mean comparison was done by the Bonferroni test at the 5% probability level. The figures drew by Microsoft excel software.

The results of the mean comparisons showed that, with increasing ethanol concentration, the growth characteristics of the plant increased, and also the application of 700 mg/L carbon dioxide was able to increase the growth characteristics of the plant. Application of 700 mg/L CO2 and foliar application of ethanol (20%v/v) increased chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll by 72.18, 74.01, and 71.33%, respectively compared to 380 mg/L CO2 and no ethanol application. The results also showed that the highest antioxidant activity (87.38%) and total phenol (264 mg g fresh leaf weight) higher than control at 700 mg/L CO2 and 20 %v/v ethanol foliar application. The highest essential oil content was observed at 1050 mg/L CO2 and 30%v/v ethanol. The results of this experiment showed that the use of CO2 and ethanol by affecting plant metabolites and improving photosynthesis can affect the morphophysiological characteristics of the basil.

Based on the results of this experiment, the growth characteristics, photosynthetic pigments, antioxidant activity, total phenol, and essential oil content of O. basilicum cv. Keshkeni luvelu was influenced by CO2 and ethanol. At 700 mg/L CO2 and 20%v/v ethanol application due to the effect on these compounds in improving photosynthesis, the highest growth characteristics were observed. While the highest essential oil content was observed in the highest levels of carbon dioxide and ethanol foliar application. Therefore, according to the results of this study to achieve the highest yield of basil, 700 mg/L CO2 and 20%v/v ethanol application is recommended.