محمدرضا غفاری

Photosynthesis is a fundamental process, converts solar energy and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates, sustaining all life on Earth. With the global population approaching nine billion, the demand for food and energy has significantly increased. Furthermore, unexpected climate changes such as drought and floods have reduced agricultural land, highlighting the urgent need to improve crop productivity. An ambitious idea to address the global food demand and enhance crop efficiency in hot and arid climates involves redesigning the anatomical and biochemical pathways of C3 plants based on the metabolic blueprint of C4 plants. The structural complexity of key enzymes, such as Rubisco, along with the need for proper subunit alignment in the holoenzyme, poses significant challenges to enhancing photosynthetic efficiency through manipulating these enzymes. Since the discovery of photosynthetic pathways, studies have attempted to enhance the expression of certain enzymes from the C4 photosynthetic pathway in C3 plants. Although efforts have not yet directly led to significant improvements in photosynthetic efficiency or yield, they underscore the high potential of metabolic engineering as a precise and effective tool for crop improvement. Recent research on engineering C3 plants has demonstrated that introducing specific genes regulating leaf anatomy and C4 photosynthetic processes can significantly enhance photosynthesis and yield. Furthermore, emerging findings suggest that enzymes from simpler photosynthetic organisms, such as cyanobacteria and algae, may offer new avenues for substantial improvements in C3 photosynthetic efficiency. This study discusses these advancements and explores strategies for engineering metabolic pathways to architect C3 crops based on C4 models.

Drought conditions at the terminal of grain filling stage are one of the main factors limiting barley yield. In stressful conditions, due to the limitation of current photosynthesis, the importance of storing more stems and its contribution to the production of the final product will be significant. Among other internodes of the stem, the penultimate internode plays the most important role in remobilization. The aim of this study is to investigate the drought tolerance of two cultivars and one line of barley with different degrees of remobilize of substances and also to investigate the comparative metabolic analysis on the penultimate internodes of three genotypes of barley Yousef (tolerant), Morocco (sensitive) and line PBYT17 (semi-tolerant) under the terminal of grain filling stage

Evaluation of metabolomics analysis of barley genotypes (Yousef, Morocco and line PBYT17) in response to drought stress was carried out 21 and 28 days after the application of drought stress in the grain filling stage. Also, the ability to remobilize stem penultimates of Yusuf, Morocco and PBYT17 genotypes in response to drought was investigated. Identification of metabolites profile which included 17 metabolites including soluble sugars, sugar phosphate, sugar nucleotide, organic acids, phosphorylated metabolites and nucleotides.

The results obtained from the metabolomics data showed that Youssef cultivar had a significantly higher efficiency than other cultivars in retransmission, related to penultimate. Among the investigated genotypes, 17 metabolites were identified. The amount of transferred reserves and the amount of remobilization efficiency were significantly different among different genotypes. Two cultivars Yousef and Morocco had the highest and lowest remobilization efficiency under stress conditions, respectively. Our results showed that the tolerant genotype, by increasing UDP-glucose and glucose-6-phosphate, led to the synthesis of trehalose-6-phosphate, which plays a key role in remobilization materials in the stem.

In general, the results of this research show that the effective metabolites in the remobilze of stem reserves can play a major role in maintaining the performance of barley plants during the drought stress at the end of the season, and this issue can be targeted solutions to increase the genotype performance. The desired varieties of barley that face drought stress at the end of the season should be used. This study may provide potential directions and valuable resources for further study of drought stress in the barley.

Bioremediation is a crucial strategy in combating environmental pollution, particularly in soil. The escalation of industrial and agricultural activities, coupled with the introduction of non-degradable and toxic pollutants, has exacerbated soil contamination. Heavy metals, such as lead and zinc, resistant to degradation over time, potentially accumulating in the food chain and posing persistent threats to both the environment and human health. Similarly, chemical compounds like herbicides and insecticides present challenges due to their prolonged stability and persistence. Although various chemical and physical methods exist for soil remediation, the biological approach gains more attention due to its sustainability and minimal impact on native ecosystems. Bioremediation leverages natural organisms to transform hazardous substances into less harmful forms. Microorganisms play a pivotal role in this process. Furthermore, plants can enhance bioremediation efficiency through symbiotic relationships with bacteria, accelerating the degradation of pollutants and accelerating soil productivity restoration. The use of native plants and microorganisms, especially in countries with high biodiversity such as Iran, is an important step towards the sustainable use of this technology. Native plants and microorganisms have the ability to make better use of environmental conditions and are most efficient with minimal environmental changes. Recent advancements in 'omics' technologies, such as genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, have opened new avenues for the exploration and application of bioremediation techniques. These advance technologies enable molecular-level studies of organisms by generating big data to identify the most effective microorganisms for specific pollutants. Bioremediation can be applied in two primary ways: in situ or ex situ. In-situ bioremediation addresses contaminated soil directly on-site, whereas ex-situ bioremediation involves the removal of contaminated soil to another location for remediation. Each approach has its advantages and limitations, necessitating careful consideration prior to implementation. The integration of phytoremediation and microbial bioremediation methods can enhance efficiency and reduce costs, making the process economically viable. This study aims to serve as a comprehensive guide to understanding the diverse methodologies in bioremediation. Furthermore, it proposes sustainable and effective strategies to transform non-arable polluted lands into arable areas, offering environmental and economic benefits for future land reuse. Finally, what is ahead of bioremediation is turning bioremediation into a central tool in sustainable development. In addition, from the decomposition of industrial pollutants to the restoration of damaged natural environments, bioremediation can play an important role in providing a better and healthier life for future generations. This multifaceted and expandable approach can be one of the keys to success in sustainable environmental management in the 21st century.

Sequence alignment and genome mapping pose significant challenges, primarily focusing on speed and storage space requirements for mapped sequences. With the ever-increasing volume of DNA sequence data, it becomes imperative to develop efficient alignment methods that not only reduce storage demands but also offer rapid alignment. This study introduces the Parallel Sequence Alignment with a Hash-Based Model (PSALR) algorithm, specifically designed to enhance alignment speed and optimize storage space while maintaining utmost accuracy. In contrast to other algorithms like BLAST, PSALR efficiently indexes data using a hash table, resulting in reduced computational load and processing time. This algorithm utilizes data compression and packetization with conventional bandwidth sizes, distributing data among different nodes to reduce memory and transfer time. Upon receiving compressed data, nodes can seamlessly perform searching and mapping, eliminating the need for unpacking and decoding at the destination. As an additional innovation, PSALR not only divides sequences among processors but also breaks down large sequences into sub-sequences, forwarding them to nodes. This approach eliminates any restrictions on query length sent to nodes, and evaluation results are returned directly to the user without central node involvement. Another notable feature of PSALR is its utilization of overlapping sub-sequences within both query and reference sequences. This ensures that the search and mapping process includes all possible sub-sequences of the target sequence, rather than being limited to a subset. Performance tests indicate that the PSALR algorithm outperforms its counterparts, positioning it as a promising solution for efficient sequence alignment and genome mapping.

Plants use a variety of strategies to cope with abiotic stress, depending on the species and the growth of the plant. Abiotic stresses such as drought is the most important stress that affects yield of agricultural products. In addition, drought stress is one of the main limiting factors in plant growth, it can also inhibit respiration, photosynthesis, and thus affects the growth and physiological metabolism of plants. Plants activate several mechanisms such as morphological and structural changes as well as the expression of drought-resistant genes, the synthesis of hormones and osmotic regulators to reduce drought stress. Drought accelerates grain leaf senescence, altering the expression of thousands of genes and ultimately affecting grain protein content and grain yield. However, the genotypic variability exists for drought induced disruption and tolerance in barley. In this review, the approaches can help for improving barley genotypes in response to drought stress through breeding and physiological traits, genetic engineering, and marker-assisted selection (MAS). We detected genes and proteins involved in response to drought-tolerance using proteomics, transcriptomics and metabolomics approaches. Also, the introduced Quatitatives Traits Loci (QTLs) related to yield and Stay green and physiological traits found in this study can be used for MAS in barley improvement for drought tolerance in the future. In particular, comparative studies of genetically diverse germplasm exposed to adverse conditions such as drought provide valuable insights into plant responses to stress and create information on biochemical pathways involved in adaptation to environmental limitations. Proper evaluation of omics data can help the biomarker discovery.

Today, using advanced technologies such as the global positioning system (GPS), agricultural drones, satellite mapping, remote sensors, and precision agriculture machinery provides farmers with a lot of big data during production. According to the reports, this can be considered a part of the digital economy in precision agriculture and be economically exploited. The analysis of this data cannot be processed by traditional processing systems due to its complexity. Given the size and complexity of big data, artificial intelligence can transform this data into valuable information through machine learning algorithms. This technology is being used to performance prediction algorithms, reducing agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and poisons, monitoring the growing conditions, pest management, breeding, molecular studies and finally value chain management. Developing programs using artificial intelligence technology will soon be able to manage the time of agricultural products entering the market, in addition to determining the planting time in order to increase productivity. The production of bio fertilizer from agricultural waste can be another achievement of the development of algorithms based on artificial intelligence to reduce the negative environmental effects and increase the economic productivity of the remaining waste from agricultural products. This study discusses the important applications of artificial intelligence in agriculture and its impact on Precision agriculture.

Production of drought tolerant crop is an important strategy for avoiding water scarce crisis. Improvement of the root structure leading to the higher yield and seed quality. In this study, three genes affecting root structure, drought tolerance and phosphorous absorbance are used in producing hybrid constructs used for the rice transformation. Three genes: a serine/threonine protein kinase (PSTOL1), a gene from the cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase family (OsCKX4) and a transcription factor induced under stress from the NAM-ATAF-CUC family (OsNAC5) isolated from the rice wild cultivars are cloned under separate regulatory elements in the T-DNA region of the Agrobacterium binary vector. OsNAC5 gene was cloned under RCc3 root specific promoter and PSTOL1 gene under ubiquitin promoter. Also, OsCKX4 gene was cloned once under ubiquitin promoter and once under RCc3 promoter. Two hybrid multi-gene constructs named pUhrN5CkPstol and pUhrCkPstol harboring multiple genes are synthetized and used for the gene transformation into the Hashemi cultivar. Gene transfer was done to callus obtained from mature rice seeds. Transgenic plants were confirmed using PCR analysis. From the number of 107 regenerated plants in which the presence of transgenes was proved, 14 transgenic events were finally obtained. Root structure of the T0 plants showed drastic phenotypic difference in comparison to the non-transgenic ones. By now, one transgenic event harboring CKX4 and PSTOL1 is confirmed to have a homozygous line in T2 generation. It is hoped that genetic engineering of rice for enhanced root structure lead to drought tolerance, reduce water consumption and improve yield under stress conditions.

To evaluate the interaction of genotypes in the environment (GEI) and promising clones, 60 potato genotypes were used during the growing seasons of 2018-2019. To identify the best potato genotypes in response to water deficit, GGE biplot and AMMI models were performed under two treatments (water deficit and normal conditions) with two commercial cultivars Agria and Sante. The experiment was performed in eight environments (2 treatments, 2 locations, and 2 years) using a randomized complete block design with three replications. AMMI and GGE biplot analysis showed that the G21 clone was more different than other genotypes for selecting the superior genotype. The yield of the tuber of promising clones G21 (90227), G31 (8708.177), G44 (KSG95), G28 (8707/861), and G18 (90127) was higher in all environments. The best-proposed genotypes for introduction are based on their greater stability for the target environment or parallel environments. In this study, using AMMI and GGE biplot analysis, superior genotypes were identified and selected.

Suaeda salsa is an annual halophyte with nutritional value and high salt tolerance, making it crucial as an oil, medicinal, and edible plant. Currently, there is limited research in the field investigating metabolic diversity in S. salsa. In this study, our aim was to understand the salinity tolerance mechanism by examining metabolic diversity, specifically the amino acids profile, in S. salsa exposed to 0 mM, 200 mM, and 800 mM NaCl. The results of the physiological study indicated that salinity significantly affected the sodium (Na+) content in the aerial parts of the plant, with a significant increase compared to the control. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that differences in metabolic diversity can explain 96% of the phenotypic variation in S. salsa under salinity stress. Comparison of amino acids profiles at different salinity levels showed the highest accumulation of proline, methionine, citrulline, and lysine under 800 mM salt stress. Given the crucial role of these amino acids in S. Salsa,further studies are necessary to uncover the mechanisms behind the adaptation response.

Drought is a severe abiotic stress factor that significantly impacts rice production globally. The investigation of drought stress response components, particularly in plant roots, holds great importance. Recent evidence highlights the critical role played by long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the response to abiotic stress. In this study, we identified drought stress-induced lncRNAs in the root tip region of rice using transcriptome sequencing analysis performed on seedlings of a sensitive rice genotype (IR64) under drought and control conditions. We identified a total of 358 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNA), more than 60% of which were in intergenic regions. Our results demonstrated that DElncRNAs can directly or indirectly regulate 710 and 7535 mRNAs in cis and trans, respectively. Additionally, the target genes of DElncRNAs were involved in drought resistance genes, lateral root growth, and genes affecting auxin transport. We also identified 24 conserved sequence motifs in the upstream regions of DElncRNAs and differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) motifs through a search and functional analysis of these motifs indicated their involvement in regulation of transcription, translation, and the transmembrane receptor protein tyrosine kinase signaling pathway. Finally, we constructed a network of DElncRNAs and DEmRNAs. Our functional analysis of the top 10 hub lncRNAs in the network demonstrated their involvement in growth processes, cellular responses to stimuli, and signaling pathways. These results offer a comprehensive perspective on potentially functional lncRNAs and provide insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying drought resistance in the root tip region of rice.

Water deficit poses severe limitation to potato cultivation as a drought-sensitive crop plant. Selection of tolerant genotypes based on a combination of tolerance indices can provide useful criteria for breeding drought tolerant potato varieties. Water deficit affects plants at various levels and stages of their life cycle. This abiotic stress not only affects plant–water relations through the reduction of leaf water content, turgor, and total water, but it also affects stomata closure, limits gas exchange, reduces transpiration, and disturbs photosynthesis. In potato, tolerance to drought is a very complex trait. Photosynthesis is one of the basic physiological processes of plants with internal and external conditions. Any reduction of the intensity of this process causes a decrease in the amount and quality of crop plants. One of the indicators for early prediction of potato yielding can be the measurement of chlorophyll content. It is an informative tool for studying the effects of dif ferent environmental stresses on photosynthesis.  Chlorophyll content has an important role in photosynthesis and in understanding plant functions.  In any research, measuring of the chlorophyll content is used for assessment of potato genotypes tolerant and/or sen sitive to environmental stresses.

In this study, 20 potato genotypes were evaluated under two water levels; normal and water deficit stress conditions. The experiment was performed as spilt-plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications at the Seed and Plant Improvement Institute, Karaj, Iran in 2018. The correlations among the different traits were measured and estimated by calculating Pearson correlation coefficients using the statistical tool in Minitab 17. Tuber yield, yield components, growth parameters, and morphological traits were measured under both well-watered and water stressed treatments. Morphological and reproductive characteristics such as plant height, leaf dry weight, chlorophyll content, yield tuber, ware yield, seed yield, non-marketable yield, and marketable yield were measured. 

Analysis of variance showed that stem number, chlorophyll content, stem thickness, plant height, leaf dry weight (LDW), total yield, ware yield (yield>55 mm), seed yield (yield 35-55 mm), non-marketable yield (yield<35 mm), and marketable yield (ware and seed yield) were significantly affected by genotype and drough and their interaction. Analysis of variance showed that the simple effect of genotype treatment on all studied traits including yield, ware yield, seed yield and marketable yield, LDW, stem thickness, plant height, chlorophyll content, and stem number were significant at 1% level. Correlation of stem number and plant height was highly positive and significant at the 0.01 level. Principal component analysis (PCA) and measured traits showed that genotypes 2, 5, 7 and 13 had high performance in the studied stress environment. To fully reflect the various factors that played a principal role in the comprehensive indicators, PCA was carried out on quantitative traits. The accumulative contribution rate accounted for 99% of the total variation for PC3. Analysis of PCA by the correlation matrix and the biplot analysis methods used in this study revealed that these parameters could be used for evaluating the responses of potato genotypes to water deficit in different environments.  The associations among traits related to yield and genotypes are graphically revealed in a biplot of PC1 and PC2. The PC1 and PC2 axes mainly distinguish the morphological traits and yield-related traits in three different groups.   

Parameters related to yield and leaf photosynthetic pigment content (chlorophyll content) were used to rank the clones and cultivars tested for comparative analysis. Based on our results, genotype 7 performed well under normal and water stress conditions. Water deficit is an important constraint limiting the crop productivity worldwide. Plants show a wide range of responses to water deficit which are mostly expressed by a variety of alterations in the growth and morphology of plants. Field experiments revealed that water deficit affects all evaluated morphological and yield related traits.

Eurygaster integriceps is one of the known pests of wheat fields in Iran and West Asia. The role of neuropeptides in the stages of insect’s growth has led to a promising perspective for the production of a new generation of bio-insecticides based specific application. Insect’s neuropeptides along with their specific receptors are one of the most diverse proteins that control physiological and behavioral activities in insects. Allatostatin is one of the important neuropeptides in insects which, by inhibiting the youth hormone, plays a role in regulating physiological processes such as feed and metabolism in some insects. In this study, using the information obtained from adult Eurygaster integriceps transcriptome, neuropeptides and specific receptors of the allatostatin family were investigated. Bioinformatics and phylogenetic studies of the data led to identify four neuropeptides A, B and C allatostatin family, as well as the neuropeptide receptors of A and B allatostatin. The results showed that the neuropeptides of the allatostatin family identified in Eurygaster integriceps are involved in various physiological processes. Considering the important role of neuropeptides in insects, these neuropeptides can be used to design specific insecticides compatible with the environment for managing control Eurygaster integriceps in future.

Nitrogen is one of the most important components of biomolecules, amino acids, nucleotides, proteins, chlorophyll, and many plant hormones, which are essential and necessary for plant growth and development. In the condition of nitrogen deficiency very different responses such as yield reduction, leaf chlorosis, plant growth and root structure formation appears in phenotypes of plants. In the last decade, to increase the amount of biomass and as a result the yield of plants, a wide use of nitrogen has attracted the attention of researchers. In this study, the expression analysis of seven nitrate transporter genes (NRT2) was investigated in Arabidopsis in response to nitrogen deficiency stress at 4 and 7 days after this stress. The expression analysis of NRT2.3 and NRT2.4 genes showed increased expression at 7 days after applying nitrogen deficiency stress. But all the genes did not show a significant increase in expression at 4 days after N stress application. NRT2.4 gene showed a significant increase in 4 and 7 days after applying nitrogen stress compared to other genes. Overall, our results showed that increased nitrate transporter gene expression in leaves contributes to nitrogen uptake for plant growth and nitrogen accumulation in response to long-term low nitrogen stress. These findings can lead to a better understanding of the mechanism of low nitrogen tolerance and therefore the increase of other cultivars with nitrogen deficiency stresses.

Abiotic stresses are among major factors limiting crop yields. Cold, heat, and high-light are the most important abiotic stress among plants. Thus, it is considered the understanding of molecular mechanisms response to stress.  FtsH metallopeptidase is one of the key regulators of plant response to abiotic stresses. Many surveys were performed on the FtsH in different plants. However, there is not report on potato under cold, heat, and high-light stress.

In this study, the gene expression of StFtsH5, StFtsH6, and StFtsH10 was evaluated in root, stem, and leaves under cold, heat, and high light stresses. Agria genotypes were planted under controlled greenhouse conditions. After cold, heat, and high light treatment duration, leaves, stem, and root sampling were performed under two conditions stress and normal after 24h and 48h treatment. The relative expression of selected genes was estimated.

StFtsH5 gene was strongly up regulated in leaves and stem at the 24h and 48h under cold stress as compared to non-stress condition, respectively. Further, this gene had the higher mean relative expression than normal condition in root and leaves at the 24h and 48h under heat stress. At 24h after high light stress, the more mean relative increase StFtsH5 gene than control condition was observed. However, StFtsH6 gene is not increased gene expression under low temperature, and high light after utilization of stress treatment in leaves, stem, and root. StFtsH10 gene showed the significantly increased expression of in stem and root under high-light stress at the 48h. It showed an increase in gene expression in stem and leaves under cold stress at the 48h after stress treatment. However, this gene had the high gene expression in stem and root as compared to control at the 24h and 48h after stress treatment. The results of this study showed that StFtsH5 and StFtsH6 had the maximum and minimum gene expression in stem, leaves, and root under three stress treatments.

Among three genes, StFtsH5 showed the high expression in three tissues under cold, heat, and high-light stress. According to the above results, changes in gene expression of StFtsH5 could refer to the key roles of this gene in abiotic stresses, particularly cold, heat, and high light stresses.

Seed germination is an important process that determines the beginning of the seed plant life cycle. However, the mechanism underlying seed germination in barley remains unclear. To understand the molecular mechanism of the seed germination in barley, WGCNA analysis was used to detect the hub and responsive genes and to reveal the expression of the genes on seed germination. WGCNA is a valuable tool for studying the correlation between genes, identifying modules with high correlation, and identifying Hub genes in different modules.

Raw microarray data related to germination stage were obtained from the GEO microarray database for 0h, 3h, 9h, 18h, 33h and 71h after germination stage. Then, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was utilized for detection of co-expressed network genes. In the present study, a barley cultivar, Mahtab, was utilized to show expression pattern after 9h, 18h and 71h after germination stage. A total number of 4137 differentially expressed genes (DEG) were identified, with some genes showing higher expression in Mahtab and three genes verified by qRT-PCR

Most of these DEGs were involved in metabolic processes, cellular processes, glycolysis, and response to stimulus. Hub gene in MEbrown was alpha/beta-Hydrolases superfamily protein, MEpurple was U-box domain-containing protein 4, and MEdarkgrey was B3 domain-containing transcription factor ABI3 which were positively correlated with germinated seeds. The results showed a microarray database and candidate genes for further study of barley at germination stages. In addition, DEGs were divided into three modules by WGCNA. In this study, gene modules associated with seed germination during barley seed germination were identified. Transcription factor and alpha/beta-hydrolase played an important role at germination stage. Also, gene modules and hub genes at 9h, 18h, and 71h after germination were detected. As there is lack of information on seed germination requirements of barley, this research was conducted to study seed germination mechanisms as well as evaluation of hub genes to study molecular mechanism seed germination in barley.

The results of the present study provide new insights into the molecular mechanism underlying barley seed germination. Based on the network analysis, transcription factors (TFs) and ubiquitin proteins were involved in germination. Most of the genes related to each module were related to proteins involved in carbohydrate metabolism, glycolysis, and protein degradation. Our gene expression results can serve as molecular markers in barley cultivars during seed germination. These findings can be suitable for molecular assisted selection and breeding of fast germinating barley genotypes.

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small (22 nucleotide) non-coding RNA molecules that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression. Previous research has shown that miRNA plays an essential role in plant tolerance to adverse environmental conditions. In our study, we focused on the miR164 family in rice (Oryza sativa), an important food crop. We used a bioinformatics approach to analyze the sequences of all osa-miR164 of the miR164 family of rice, evaluate the expression profile of osa-miR164 under different stress conditions, predict cis-regulatory elements at the promoters of osa-miR164 genes, and simultaneously predict the miR164-targeted genes and their expressions. The results showed that the mature osa-miR164 sequences are highly conserved, but the precursor sequences are highly variable. The variation in the precursor sequences of osa-miR164 genes resulted in different expressions under stress conditions. In addition, different cis-regulatory elements in the promoter sequences of osa-miR164 genes could explain the different expression patterns of osa-miR164 genes. Some possible osa-miR164 target genes were discovered and their expression were studied under different stress conditions. Overall, the results of this study provided a valuable resource for further identification and evaluation of the interaction between osa-miR164 family target genes in response to abiotic stress.

Root structure modification is associated with the efficient water uptake and the nutrient utilization. It also provides structural support for the anchoring in soil. Genetic engineering for the improvement of plant root structure may help to maintain higher yields under drought conditions. The aim of this study was to modify the root structure of rice in order to improve drought tolerance and the efficiency of nutrient uptake. For this purpose, simultaneous transformation of Deeper Rooting1 or OsDRO1 gene, which is involved in the regulation of growth angle of the root in order to adapt to drought conditions, and Phosphorus-Starvation Tolerance1 or OsPSTOL1 gene, which is effective in increasing phosphorus uptake and improving root structure, were considered for rice root structure modification. 

The OsDRO1 and OsPSTOL1 genes derived from the wild rice cultivars were cloned together in a single construct under the control of the root specific and the ubiquitin promoters, respectively. The resulting construct, pUhrDroPstol is transformed into the Agrobacterium tumefactions strain EHA105 and used for the gene transformation into Hashemi cultivar. Putative transgenic plants, survived on 50 mg/L Hygromycin during tissue culture steps, are transplanted into the Yoshida solution and then into the pots until they set seeds. Construct specific and gene specific PCR analysis are used to confirm the transgenic plants. 

In this study, 12 putative transgenic rice events were obtained, of which 10 showed the presence of both OsDRO1 and OsPSTOL1 genes in the PCR analysis. Transgenic plants show stronger root structure compared to the non-transgenic ones. Molecular analysis in the T1 and T2 generations determined the homozygous events. 

In this study, two candidate genes affecting root structure, nutrient uptake and drought tolerance were transferred to the Hashemi rice using genetic engineering. So far, simultaneous transfer of these two candidate genes have not been reported. Transgenic plants present better root system compared to the control plants. The mentioned construct can be used for the transformation of other crops to improve their root structure, nutrient uptake and their drought tolerance. It is hoped that the production of the transgenic rice with modified root structure and efficient phosphorus uptake increases its drought tolerance and reduce water consumption in rice cultivation.

Triticum aestivum L. is an important food crop that provides more than 40% of the per capita calories and protein in the diet in many developing countries. Wheat production plays an important role in food security and the global economy. Sunn pest is one of the most serious pests of wheat in Asia, North Africa, and Eastern Europe. Yield losses caused by Sunn pest are estimated at 50-90% in wheat in case of pest out break. The use of chemical pesticides is the most common method of controlling Sunn pest. Although chemical pesticides have decreased in recent years, the damage caused by the chemicals, and how long they remain in the environment are the causes of most worrying. Thus, finding more effective alternative methods to be safer are a necessity. The Promising new technologies are attractive on many levels, mainly because they have been developed to target specific species and eradicate pest populations more gently. Many researchers worldwide have performed several studies to control various pests using new techniques such as RNA interference, genomic modification, and microbiome studies. The use of new methods may play effective roles in controlling the sunn pest of wheat and reduce some concerns.

Improvement of the root architecture lead to higher grain yield and seed quality. This is achieved via improvement of the plant growth, better establishment in soil, higher absorption of water and nutrition resulting in the biosynthesis of the essential amino acids and hormones. It increases the efficiency of the nutrition usage and the stress tolerance. Drought conditions are a serious challenge in Iran; therefore, improving crop tolerance has a major importance. In this study, we investigate the presence of DRO1 gene, which is involved in the modification of the root growth angle, in rice cultivar Hashemi and compared to the Kinandang Patong cultivar. We further analyze the simultaneous presence of DRO1 and a second gene, OsCKX4, which is involved in the improvement of root structure. DRO1 and OsCKX4 are cloned together in a single construct under the control of the ubiquitin and the root specific promoters, respectively. The resulting construct, pUhrCkDro is transformed into the Agrobacterium tumefactions strain EHA105 and used for the gene transformation into Hashemi cultivar. Putative transgenic plants, survived on 50 mg. L−1 Hygromycin during tissue culture steps, are transplanted into the Yoshida solution and then into the pots until they set seeds. Construct specific and gene specific PCR analysis are used to confirm the transgenic plants. Transgenic plants show stronger root structure compared to the non-transgenic ones. Molecular analysis in the T1 and T2 generations leads to the homozygous events. The multi-genic construct used in this study, can be introduced into other crops for the aim of root structure improvement and drought tolerance. It is hoped that the production of transgenic rice with enhanced root structure results in improving drought tolerance, reducing water consumption and enhancing yield under drought stress conditions.

Due to the severe limitations of fresh water in Iran, the use of low-quality saline water resources is an inevitable necessity in development of sustainable agriculture. One of the ways to deal with climate change is to use the potential of halophyte plants such as Salicornia for the economic utilization of saline soils. In this study, two genotypes of Salicornia (Qom, sensitive to salinity and Helleh, tolerant to salinity) were hydroponically treated with salinity and different concentrations of phosphorus (P) and magnesium (Mg). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of these two elements on growth factors and morphological and anatomical characteristics in Salicornia under the salinity treatments. The results showed that at 0 mM salinity, P could stimulate growth in both genotypes. But at 200- and 800- Mm salinity, had a negative effect on growth parameters. Increasing the concentration of Mg at all three salinity levels(0, 200, 800mmol) improved growth in both genotypes. Also, the lack of P in 200-and 800-mM salinities affected the plant anatomy and caused lignification areas in the endoderm and increased diameter in the cell wall of the xylem. In addition, a 3-fold concentration of Mg at 800 mM salinity severely deformed and plasmolyzed epidermal and parenchymal cells. Overall, these studies showed that a one-fold treatment of Mg and P provides the best conditions for the growth of Salicornia.

Plants utilize different strategies to combat abiotic stress, depending on the species and growth stage. One of these strategies is to increase the remobilization of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) under stress, which can be important sources of carbon to fill the grain in response to drought stress. Drought is one of the most important abiotic stresses affecting yield of agricultural products. In addition, drought stress is one of the main limiting factors in plant growth, it can also prevent respiration, photosynthesis and opening and closing of plant stomata. As a result, it affects the growth and physiological metabolism of the plant. In response to drought stress, plants activate drought response mechanisms such as morphological and structural changes as well as the expression of responsive-drought genes, the synthesis of hormones and osmotic regulators to reduce drought stress. Drought initiates the senescence of cereal leaves, including changes in the expression of thousands of genes that ultimately affect grain protein content, grain yield, and nitrogen utilization efficiency. Also, under drought stress, soil nitrogen availability is reduced causing initiation and acceleration of the leaves senescence. Leaf senescence is strongly influenced by plant hormones and environmental factors including the availability of nitrogen. During maturity or drought stress, reduced nitrogen uptake can cause nitrogen to be redistributed from leaves and stems to seeds, eventually leading to leaf senescence. Under these conditions, genes involved in the fructan biosynthesis pathway and in chloroplast degradation and proteases show increased expression. For example, genes involved in protein degradation (proteases) and transcription factors (NAC, WRKY) are expressed in the process of cells senescence. In this paper, it was shown that the genes involved in the fructan biosynthesis pathway, chloroplast degradation, protein degradation (proteases), and transcription factors (NAC, WRKY) during the aging process show increased expression.

Potato virus Y (PVY) and Potato virus X (PVX) are the most important potato-infecting agent causing yield loss and tuber quality reduction. In this study, an experiment was conducted in Karaj, Iran, to investigate the effects of mentioned viruses on the yield and resistance level of 33 potato genotypes. The experiment was performed based on randomized complete design in factorial format under two levels viruses with three replications. The results revealed that the viral infection had a significant impact on mean yield, seed yield (tuber size 35-55), ware yield (tuber size > 55 mm), and non-marketable yield (tuber size< 35). Based on cluster analysis for PVY, cluster VII was considered maximum resistant genotypes to PVY in terms mean absorption and yield, while cluster VI was identified susceptible genotypes in to PVY. According to cluster analysis of PVX virus, cluster I was considered highest resistant genotypes in terms mean absorption and yield and cluster III were maximum susceptible genotypes to PVX infection. Results of this study showed that genotype G23 with a mean-absorption of 0.01 and 0.032 for PVY and PVX, respectively, and mean yield of 4.1 kg/m2 was considered as a highly resistant genotype to both viruses. The concurrent selection of genotypes for high yield and resistant to both viruses (PVX and PVY) can facilitate potato breeding programs.

The subject of this article is the image of art between old and new rhetoric and, in particular, metaphor according to Jaber Asfour’s view. The artistic expression of nature and characteristics and the course of its evolution and its fundamental study through its relationship with other sciences and the role that these sciences have in the realization of this concept is the most important project that Jaber Asfour brought in some of his compilations, including “artistic image in Arabic Criticism and rhetoric” which is one of the deepest studies in this field. In this research we discover the hidden dimensions of artistic imagery in Jaber Asfour’s view based on metaphor. In order to achieve this goal, we refer to Jaber Asfoor’s book as the main source and then refer to other relevant books, such as Secrets of Al-Balaghah and Alla'il al-Ajaz, to criticize and analyze it. The results show that Jaber Asfour’s view on metaphor is a comprehensive view. According to the discourses of formation of artistic forms, Jaber has provided a profound study of them and concluded that the old critics did not focus on the emotional aspects of objects or the emotional content of words, but maintained the rational reconciliation of their constituent elements. In other words, their way of thinking about similitude was based on rational and verbal terms. So, Jaber Asfour concludes that such a vision has led to a distortion in the concept of poetry, and rhetorically avoids explaining the great abilities of analogies and metaphors. He believes that Abd al-Qahir did not pay attention to personifications for religious tendencies. In our research, we have mentioned examples of rhetorical theory that undermine this claim, or at least makes us to look at it with doubt and certainty.

There have been many books, research papers, and writings that talk about the Abbasid era, its characteristics and features, as Abbasid poetry is dealt with with its criticism and analysis. The book “Abbasid Poetry, Analysis and Taste” by the Egyptian critic and writer, Ibrahim Awad, who is the author of many books on criticism and Arabic literature, tries to criticize the masterpieces of Abbasid poetry in simple language, avoiding the ruggedness of critical terminology to make it easier for readers and speakers to understand, in an attempt to clarify their aesthetic characteristics through Employing aesthetic criticism in criticism. This research seeks to study the book - previously mentioned - and critique it in form and content, following a descriptive-critical approach to clarify its position, identify strengths and weaknesses, and scrutinize it from defects. Among the positives that we must ponder in the book can be referred to the employment of applied models, matching the design of the book cover with the topic, choosing masterpieces of Abbasid literature for criticism, evaluation and analysis, and the book's analysis of criticism and analysis instead of collection and transmission. The absence of a necessary systematic introduction, the absence of the result, the absence of a list of sources or returning to the sources are among the problems that must be tracked and fixed. The truth is that the writer has diverted his attention from some criteria and buildings for aesthetic criticism and did not provide a comprehensive aesthetic criticism that is comprehensive in all the meaning of the word, and The book still needs aesthetic critical additions and highlights, but due to its analytical and critical advantage, it can be taught as two units of study for students of the Arabic Language and Literature Branch at the MA stage under the title: “Aesthetic Criticism and Analysis of Abbasid Poetry”.

Potato is considered as a strategic product in the food security of the country and is the fourth most consumed food product in Iran.  Due to its shallow rooting system, this plant is sensitive to water deficit.  In order to study the response of 20 potato genotypes to drought stress, a field experiment was conducted during 2018–2019 at the Seed and Plant Improvement Institute located at Karaj, Iran. The experimental design utilized was a Strip-plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications under two irrigation regimes (normal and stressed). ANOVA showed a significant difference for genotypes at 1% level for overall tuber yield, ware yield (tubers larger than 35 mm), seed yield (tubers between 35 and 55 mm), small yield (non-marketable potatoes), and marketable yield (total ware yield and seed yield). Eleven drought tolerance indices including STI, SSI, TOL, HARM, GMP, MP, YSI, DSI were calculated based on tuber yield under water deficit (Ys) and irrigated (Yp) conditions.  Our results showed a highly significant and positive correlation between MP, Yp and Ys.  The results of the analysis of PCA and the analysis of clustering showed that the drought-tolerance and drought-sensitive genotypes with the clustering pattern are consistent.  The MP, GMP, STI and MSTI identified 902027 genotypes as the best genotype under normal and stress conditions.  Among the genotypes and cultivars studied, 902027 and 8703- genotypes showed the highest MP and GMP, indicating high stability of genotypes in response to drought stress and thus can be considered as drought tolerant genotypes.