دیم

Direct planting becomes more common in the recent years, because it conserves soil and water as well as it saves energy and time. However, this technology needs special implements such as seed planter. Given that direct planting is practiced in undisturbed lands, so it was needed to design a special furrow opener. In order to obtain a suitable furrow opener this experiment was conducted in rain-fed Agricultural Research Institute in Maragheh.
Most of seed planters that are used for cultivation in rain fed conditions are equipped by hoe-type furrow opener. Hoe-type furrow openers have good penetration in hard and dry soils. However, they do not have the ability for direct planting. Hoe-type furrow opener was chosen as a model. Then by changing the geometric form of the depth to width ratio (d/w), the two openers were designed. In the first design, which was called O1 two wings and a narrow blade acting as a coulter were added in front of the hoe-type furrow opener. In the second design, which was called O2, in addition to the O1 modification, furrow opener width was decreased and a disk blade was added for seed sowing (Fig. 1).
The performance of O1 and O2 openers were compared with the conventional hoe-type furrow opener (check) in soil bin and in field conditions. At three different forward speeds (1, 1.5 and 2 m.s-1) with 3 replications, the effects of the openers designs of vertical and horizontal soil forces were evaluated in soil-bin conditions. In order to evaluate the performance of the furrow opener in field conditions, an experiment was conducted using a split plot design based on RCBD at 4 replications. Furrow openers formed the main plots and forward speeds formed the sub plots. Each plot size was 22 meters long in two rows for each treatment. After germination of wheat crop, the numbers of seedlings in two rows were counted (along a one meter). After crop maturity, all plots were harvested by hand and grain and biological yield was measured. ANOVA test, uniformity test and mean comparison were conducted by using Genstat software.
The soil bin test results showed that opener design and forward speed both have significant influences on the horizontal force (p It can be concluded that the newly designed furrow opener (O2) could improve the energy efficiency with increasing crop yield. Hence, O2 furrow opener could be recommended for direct planting in rain-fed farming.

Water harvesting in agriculture mobilizes rainwater in a catchment area (usually non-productive) to benefit growing plants in a target area. This brings water available to the target area closer to crop water requirements so that economical agricultural production can be achieved, improving rainwater productivity. To investigate micro-catchment water harvesting (MCWH), a field experiment was conducted from 2000 to 2006 in East Azarbaijan in northern Iran using a split-split plot factorial design with five replications. Thetreatments comprised two MCWH patterns (small basins and semi-circular bunds); three catchments sizes of 25 m2 (5×5, R = 2 m), 49 m2 (7×7, R = 2.85 m) and 81 m2 (9×9, R = 3.7 m); three runoff area treatments (natural; cleaned and smoothed; cleaned, wetted and compacted); and two-infiltration areas (natural, soil mixed with polymer at 1 kg/tree) for two new almond varieties. Agronomic characteristics, product growth, threshold runoff and crop yield estimates were examined. The results were compared with farmed fields (traditional and irrigated) and showed that the tree survival rate was about 35%-55% for irrigated farmed fields and 100% for the MCWH site. The use of a polymer had no significant effect on water retention. Although a small basin (9×9) and runoff area that were compacted using a polymer gave better results for the survival, growth and productivity of almonds, a small basin (7×7) compacted without a polymer isrecommended based on the economic analysis. Threshold runoff was 2.5-3.5, 3.5-4.5 and 4.5-5.5 mm for the natural, cleaned and smoothed, and cleaned, wetted and compacted conditions, respectively. During the 2006 season, the fruit yield was estimated to be 3 kg/tree, totaling 612 kg/ha for the recommended treatment. For the farm fields, the optimal treatment combined required at least 1-2 irrigations during the summer.

Dryland winter wheat (Triticum sativum L.) generally grown in rotation with fallow or chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) constitutes a major crop in the west region of Iran. Information is limited on the success of more intensive dryland cropping systems while applying conservation tillage management. An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of five tillage systems on soil physical properties and on crop yield in a winter wheat-chickpea rotation during a 4-year period on a silty clay loam in Tajarak Research Station (Kaboudarahang Township), Hamedan. Tillage treatments were comprised of Conventional Tillage (CT: mouldboard plow + disk), Reduced Tillage (RT: chisel plow + roller packer), Minimum Till (MT: sweep plow + roller packer), CYT: Cyclotiller + roller packer and No-Till (NT: direct planting). A randomized complete block design of four replications was employed. Some soil physical properties including: bulk density and permeability were assessed. Also wheat yield and yield components were determined. Tillage treatments exerted significant effects on bulk density and permeability. RT exhibited lower bulk density and higher permeability among treatments. Mean grain yields over the three seasons were recorded as 1050 Kg ha−1 for RT, 1030 Kg ha−1 for CYT, 982 Kg ha−1 for MT, 974Kg ha−1 for NT and 932 Kg ha−1 for CT. Average grain yields while applying conservation tillage were greater than those using CT treatment. This study revealed that a wide range of conservation tillage systems are adaptable for an intensive dryland cropping systems for the semiarid areas of Hamedan. Therefore the traditional system of applying moldboard plow, following chickpea cultivation could be replaced by conservation tillage systems that can increase yield and will likely improve soil properties in the long run.

In order to study effect of plant density on yield and seed yield components of forage vetch in rain-fed and supplemental irrigation conditions، two separate experiments were conducted at the research filed of faculty of agriculture، Lorestsn University، during 2008-2009. Three species of forage vetch (Vicia narbonensis، V. sativa and V. dasycarpa) and in three plant densities (100، 150 and 200 plant/m2) were combined factorially based on a randomized complete block design in each experiment. The highest dry forage yield (4912 kg/ha) was found in V. sativa under rain-fed condition and 150 plant/m2. Also the lowest dry forage yield (1750 kg/ha) was found in V. dasycarpa under supplemental irrigation condition and 100 plant/m2. The highest and the lowest pods yield (4282 and 1426 kg/ha) were recorded under supplemental irrigation condition and 100، 150 plant/m2 for V. narbonensis and V. dasycarpa، respectively. The highest and the lowest seed yield (3352 and 3/870 kg/ha) were recorded under supplemental irrigation condition for 200، 150 plant/m2 for V. narbonensis and V. dasycarpa، respectively. The highest and the lowest 1000 grain weight (133. 10 and 29. 73 gr) were recorded under supplemental irrigation condition for 100، 200 plant/m2 for V. narbonensis and V. dasycarpa، respectively. The highest biological yield (8243 kg/ha) was found in V. sativa under rain-fed condition and 150 plant/m2. Also the lowest biological yield (3268 kg/ha) was found in V. dasycarpa under supplemental irrigation condition and 150 plant/m2. The maximum and the minimum harvest index (52/82% and 21/10%) were recorded under rain-fed condition for 100، 150 plant/m2 for V. narbonensis and V. dasycarpa، respectively. The 1000 grain weight of the two experiments were significantly different using T- test (P 1%) and dry forage yield and harvest index of the two experiments showed significant difference using T-test (P= 5%).

This experiment was conducted in the Agriculture College of the University of Lorestan in 2007. To study morphological structure of stomata and forage yield in three species of forage vetch (Vicia sp.), a factorial experiment on the basis of a complete randomized block design (RCBD) with three replications was performed. The experimental treatments were three plant densities (100, 150 and 200 seed per m2) and three species of vetch including broad leaf vetch (V. narbonensis L.), common vetch (V. sativa L.) and woolly pod vetch (V. dasycarpa L.) evaluated under dry farming conditions. The interaction of density and plant species significantly affected the number of upper stoma and forage yield (P= 0.01). So the maximum and minimum number of stomata (/mm2) in the upper level was related to woolly pod and common vetch, respectively, and for the densities of 200 and 150 plant/m2 was equal to 224 and 123.2, respectively. Other properties of stomata (stomata number in the other level, its length and width in the both level of upper and lower, was affected by palnt species. Also, the highest and the lowest forage yield was related to the broad leaf and woolly pod vetch, respectively, with plant density of 200 and 100 seed per m2 equal to 2268 and 724 kg yield per hectare. The differences in the leaf area index (LAI) was not related to the differences among the plant species density. Thus, under the semiarid climate of region (Khorramabad), the broad leaf and common vetch species are superior to the hairy vetch species for forage production.

The current study was conducted to compare different tillage methods on wheat yield in pebbly dry land areas done within three years (2006-2008) in north Khouzestan (Baghmalek city) in randomized block design with five treatments and four replications. The experimental treatments were:(1)chisel plow +seed-drill, (2)Semi plow(mold board plow with remove mold board)+seed-drill, (3)no-till-drill, (4)sweep plow +seed-drill and (5)conventional method(mold board plow+ broadcasting seed and fertilizer+ sweep plow). These treatments included minimum tillage (treatments 1, 2 and 4), no tillage (treatment 3) and conventional tillage (treatment 5). Complex variance analyses of three years data showed that there was no significant difference between tillage methods and interaction of tillage methods with year in soil moisture content in different plant growth stages (stem, flowering, and filling seeds stages) but years were different in this factor. Variance analyses of data showed that there was no significant difference between different tillage methods in percent of organic materials in different soil depths in the end of the project. However, no difference in tillage methods in the amount of organic material has been analyzed based on the pebbly conditions. The complex variance analyses of data also showed that tillage methods had significant effect on grain yield and other agronomical factors, except plant height and harvest index. According to the results any devices cause to back more gravel and cobblestone into sub soil layer provide more grain yield. Therefore, mold board plow resulted in maximum yield in three experimental years which were different in amount and distribution of rainfall, and also in third year the amount of rainfall was considerably low. The grain yield averages of three years were 1333, 1558, 1190, 1080 and 1787 Kg.ha-1 for chisel plow, semi plow, no-till-drill, sweep plow and mold board plow respectively.

The current study was conducted to compare the effect of different tillage methods on wheat yield of canola-wheat rotation in dryland areas during three years (2005-2008) north of Khouzestan (Baghmalek city). Randomized block design with five treatments was applied by using four replications. Canola tillage was done with conventional method and the experimental wheat treatments were: (1) moldboard plow + grain-drill, (2) chisel plow + grain-drill, (3) moldboard plow with removed moldboard + grain-drill, (4) sweep plow + grain-drill and (5) no-till-drill. The investigated indices were percent age of organic materials, soil moisture content (W.B), wheat yield and other agronomical factors. Complex variance analyses of the three years data showed no significant difference between tillage methods and interaction of tillage methods with year in case of soil moisture content in different plant growth stages. However, the effect of years was different for this factor. Analyses of variance for different tillage methods showed that there was no significant difference between percent age of organic materials in soil depths. The complex variance analyses of data also showed that tillage methods had a significant effect on harvesting index and biological yield but the difference in grain yield and other agronomical factors was not significant. In general, the tillage methods did not affect wheat yield. Hence, the conservation methods are recommended for this condition. Regarding the harvest index, the sweep plow with 43 percent had the highest and no-till-drill with 36 percent had the lowest amount. Moreover, in biological yield, the moldboard plow with 5263 and sweep plow with 3718 kg/ha had the most and the least values respectively.

A 1-year field experiment was conducted in Agricultural college of the University of Lorestan, during the 1385-86 cropping year to study the influence of mono-and inter-cropping of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) with narbon vetch (Vicia narbonensis L.) or narbon bean (Vicia narbonensis L.) on barley grain production and weeds growth. Treatments including barley mono-cropping, different seed ratios (barley: vetch) of 0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25 and 100:0 and weed interference were tested. The experiment was a factorial on the basis of randomized complete block design in three replications. The interactions results showed that number of fruitful tillers was significantly affected by intercropping system. However, the number of grain into spike, 1000-seed weight of barley and barley grain yield were not significantly affected. The maximum seed yield of barley (2.88 t.ha-1) was obtained in barley mono-cropping and the minimum seed yield (2.41 t.ha-1) was obtained in 50:50 seed ratio. Also, the lowest dry weight (6.78 gr.m-2) and number of weeds (14.3 numbers per m2) were resulted by treatments 75:25 ratio indicating the important role of this seed ratio in more effective control of weeds.

To study the effects of plant density and species on forage and grain yield of Vicia sp., anexperiment was conducted in College of Agriculture, University of Lorestan, under dry farming conditions during 2007-2008 growing season. Three levels of plant density at 100, 150 and 200 seed per square meter along with three species of Vicia including Vicia narbonensis, Vicia sativa and Vicia dasycarpa were arranged factorially. The experiment was performed on the basis of a complete block design with three replications. The maximum dry forage yield of 3263 kg/ha belonging to broad leaf vetch at 150 seed/m2 was obtained. The highest stem dry weight of 1788 kg/ha was obtained from common vetch at 100 seed/m2. However, the maximum leaf dry weight of 1801 kg/ha was obtained from broad leaf vetch at 150 seed/m2. In some treatments the maximum seed yield, pod/plant, seed/pod and biological yield were obtained.