k. saeidi

The effects of the encapsulation of Satureja bachtiarica essential oil with chitosan on the shelf life and quality of pomegranate seeds were studied in an experiment based on a completely randomized design with eight treatments, including different ratios of chitosan to S. bachtiarica essential oil (control, 1:1–0.3, 1:1–0.6, 1:2–0.3, 1:2–0.6, 1:3–0.3, 1:3–0.6) and three replications. The results showed that the highest fruit extract pH was observed in the control treatment before the storage period. The post-storage control treatment exhibited the highest total soluble solids (TSS). The highest organic acid was obtained from the extract treated with the chitosan: essential oil ratio of 0.6-1 and from the control plants before the storage period. The post-storage control treatment had the lowest organic acid content. During the storage period, anthocyanin content was decreased significantly relative to the control treatment before the storage period. The chitosan:essential oil ratios of 3-0.3 and 3-0.6 brought about the highest antioxidant capacity. During the storage period, the application of chitosan:essential oil ratio of 2-0.6 increased phenol content compared to the control before the storage period. The highest weight loss was observed in the treatment of chitosan:essential oil ratio of 3-0.6. Overall, coating pomegranate seeds and selecting an appropriate concentration of S. bachtiarica for incorporation into the chitosan coating can contribute to preserving the shelf life, marketability, and nutritional quality of pomegranate seeds.

Nigella damascena and Nigella sativa are two important species of the genus Nigella that have many medicinal and industrial applications. Both species are widely cultivated in arid and semi-arid areas, and are affected by abiotic stresses, especially drought stress. In the present study, the effect of water deficit stress on seed yield, oil percentage and yield, total phenolics and flavonoids content, and antioxidant activity of both species were investigated during two growing seasons (2018 and 2019). In this experiment, different levels of irrigation (severe stress, mild stress, and control) and two species (N. sativa and N. damescena) were studied as the main plots and subplots, respectively. Seed and oil yields decreased sharply due to drought stress in both species. Means of the seed and oil yields in N. sativa were 540.65 and 206.92 kg ha-1, respectively, and seed and oil yields in N. damascena were 286.37 and 100.29 kg ha-1, respectively. Mild stress increased the oil content in both species, but severe stress significantly decreased the oil content in N. sativa. Linoleic acid had the highest percentage in both species, followed by oleic and palmitic acids, in the order of their appearance. Drought stress decreased polyunsaturated fatty acids (linolenic acid and linoleic acid), but saturated ones (stearic and palmitic acids) increased under drought stress with increasing drought stress, and the amount of phenolics and flavonoids in both species increased (P< 0.05). Furthermore, the IC50 level decreased with increasing phenolics and flavonoids contents. In general, drought stress negatively affected seed and oil yields and edible oil quality in these species. Considering the acceptable seed and oil yields of N. damascena and its beneficial fatty acid compositions, it can be used in plant breeding programs and edible oil production.

In order to evaluation the effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria on germination and primary growth of Darcocephalum  moldavica L. an experiment in completely randomized design was conducted in the laboratory of agronomy science of Shahrekord University. Treatments were included control (no bacterial inoculation), inoculated with Rhodococcus sp., Corynebacterium sp., Mycobacterium sp., Bacillus sp., Azotobacter sp., Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas fluorescens bacteria and inoculated with a mixture of all bacteria. Results showed that a significantly effect of bacterial treatments on germination percentage, germination rate, mean germination time, germination rate index, half maximal activation level (T50), length and radical weight, shoot and seedling, vigor index and Allometric coecifficient at 1% probability level. Bacillus sp. bacterial inoculation treatment had the most influence on mean germination time, germination rate index, half maximal activation level (T50), length and radical weight, shoot and seedling, and vigor index traits. Bacteria incubation treatment of Rhodococcus sp. and Pseudomonasfluorescence hadthe most effect on germination speed and germination percentage, respectively. The results showed that bacterial inoculation treatments as biopriming can improve the germination and primary growth indices of D. moldavica herb.