عملکرد علوفه

 Despite the high importance of corn seeds in various uses like green cobs, baby cobs, sweet corn, and popcorn, the production of oil, starch, dextrose, and syrup, less than ten percent of corn grains consumed in the country is supplied through domestic production. Deficiencies in the absorbable form of iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) exist in most agricultural lands worldwide. This deficiency severely reduces the quantity and quality of crop yields such as maize. Lack of micronutrients in most agricultural soils of arid and semi-arid regions, such as most farming regions of Iran, is due to low absorbable form of micronutrients, imbalance with NPK fertilizers, high pH and low percentage of organic matters in soil and high bicarbonate content in irrigation water. By eliminating the lack of micronutrients through foliar spraying, it is possible to increase the grain yield of agricultural plants. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of traditional and nanoparticle forms of iron and zinc on some single cross-600 popcorn agronomic traits. This research was conducted as a completely randomized block design with three replications in the research farm of Razi University, located in Kermanshah city at 1319 meters above sea level in the crop year 2019-2020. This research investigated popcorn (single cross 600) with maternal line K1533 and paternal line ZK4722AA. In each block, there are 13 foliar treatments, including traditional and nanoparticle forms of iron and zinc (zero, 4, and 8 g lit-1) and combined nanoparticle treatments of iron4 × zinc4, iron4 × zinc8, iron8 × zinc4, and iron8× zinc8. The foliar spraying treatments were applied twice at the beginning of vegetative growth and the beginning of flowering. The data were subjected to analysis of variance by SAS, and means Fisher’s Protected method (LSD 5%) was used for mean separation. The results showed that all fertilizer concentrations and fertilizer groups (traditional iron, nanoparticle iron, traditional zinc, nanoparticle zinc, and combined forms) caused a significant increase in grain yield, dry forage yield, harvest index, the number of cobs per plant, the number of seeds in cobs and the number of rows in cob compared to the control treatment. However, they had no significant effect on the weight of 1000 seeds. The highest increase in grain yield compared to the control treatment (3590 kg ha-1) was related to the two treatment groups of traditional iron and nanoparticle iron×nanoparticle zinc with 81%. The treatment of iron nanoparticle8×zinc nanoparticle4 caused the most significant increase in grain yield (132%) compared to the control treatment. The number of seeds per plant was affected by fertilizer treatments more than the trait of the 1000 seed weight. The 1000 seed weight is probably controlled under the influence of genetic factors. It seems that the foliar application of micronutrients by eliminating their deficiency and their nutritional effect probably increases the balance in the growth and regulation of plant development processes and ultimately causes a significant increase in grain yield. Different concentrations of iron and zinc nanoparticle fertilizers were significantly more effective in increasing grain yield than different concentrations of iron and zinc common fertilizers. This result may be due to the characteristics of shape, size, distribution, and nanoparticle fertilizers compared to common fertilizers. The significant increase in grain yield under the influence of foliar spraying treatments indicated a significant lack of absorbable forms of iron and zinc elements and their critical role in the formation of corn grain yield in similar areas (arid and semiarid regions). Nanoparticle forms of iron and zinc fertilizers increase grain yield more effectively than traditional forms.

Grass pea is one of the most important crops and forage plants in the world, which is known for its high protein and lysine content. Due to the importance of this plant among forage plants in terms of livestock nutrition, planting in low-yielding lands, resistance to stresses, and also their role in soil fertility, they are extensively used. To investigate the response of early-maturing grass pea genotypes to salinity stress, 26 genotypes were studied in a factorial experiment based on RCBD with two replications. Salinity treatments were applied at four levels NaCl and various traits were evaluated. The number of plants in each pot after thinning was five plants, and at the end of the growing season, one plant was harvested from each pot every week. In the first harvest, genotype had a significant effect on pod dry weight and leaf length, and salinity had a significant effect on shoot dry weight, leaf number and root length. In this harvest, for the root length, the lowest average was in the first level of salinity and the other three levels were in the same group, that is, in the conditions of salinity stress, the root grew more than the control. In the second harvest, the genotype had a significant effect on the traits of number of pods, plant height, number of leaves, number of grains per pods, leaf angle, leaf length, number of branches and root length. The effect of salinity was significant for root length. In the root length, the least effect of salinity was related to the first level and the second and third levels were placed in the same group, which increased the root length with the increase of salinity. In the third harvest, the genotype had a significant effect on pod fresh weight, leaf length, pod dry weight and number of branches. The effect of salinity on the dry weight of the pod was significant, and other traits had not a significant difference for any of the effects. Also, in this harvest, the fourth level of salinity was removed. The results of the fourth harvest showed that the genotype had a significant effect on the traits of pod dry weight, number of grains, number of grains per pods, plant height, pod fresh weight, number of branches and location of the first branch. Dry weight of shoot, fresh weight of pod, dry weight of pod, number of grains, number of grains per pod, plant height and number of leaves were significant for the effect of salinity. With the increase in salinity, the dry weight of the pod increased and the number of grains and the number of leaves decreased. In this harvest, the traits dry weight of shoot, fresh weight of pod, dry weight of pod, number of grains, number of grains in pod, plant height and number of leaves, which are components of yield, were affected by salinity. The results of the fifth harvest showed that the genotype had a significant effect on the number of branches. The effect of salinity was significant for dry weight of shoot, fresh weight of shoot, fresh weight of pod, dry weight of pod, number of grains and number of grains in pod, leaf length and plant height. The effect of salinity on yield was consistent with the results of the fourth week. The genotypes showed different reactions in different weeks, which may be because genotypes are exposed more time to salinity, they show the more different reactions. Also, in the first and second harvests, salinity had a significant effect on root length, and with increasing salinity, root length increased. The dry weight of shoots was affected by salinity stress in the first and fourth harvests, and salinity had no significant effect on it in the second and third harvests. In general, it can be said that in the first and second harvests, salinity had a significant effect on root length, and with increasing salinity, root length increased. The dry weight of shoots was affected by salinity stress in the first, fourth and fifth harvests, and salinity had no significant effect on it in the second and third harvests.

Phalaris aquatica L. (Poaceae), is perennial grass. It passes summer drought as buds at the base of reproductive tillers attached to the deep root system. Genotypes of Ph. aquatica show a range of incomplete endogenous dormancy. P. aquatica, 2n=4x=28, is an allopolyploid or segmental allotetraploid. Many forage grass species have estimated the heritability of different agronomic traits. The selection could be operated on a highly heritable trait related to a more complex trait such as forage yield.Evaluation of genetic diversity and study of relationships between traits based on morphological and agronomic traits can be helpful for organizing germplasm, selecting parents for hybridization, and producing segregating populations. Despite the importance of forage plants in country's animal husbandry, not much attention has been paid to the category of breeding and introduction of suitable forage plants in comparison with other crops. The main purpose of this study was to investigate Phalaris aquatica as a forage species in order to identify the desired genotypes for use in breeding projects.

The twenty-six Phalaris aquatica genotypes were selected from a large replicated nursery established, mainly consisting of natural ecotypes of Phalaris aquatica from broad geographical areas of Iran. A study was implemented using 26 selected Ph. aquatica genotypes in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications in the Research Field of the Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute (ABRI) of northwest and west region of the country in Tabriz. The Ph. aquatica genotypes were examined in terms of morphological and agronomical traits, seed and forage yield. Evaluated traits were number of days to flowering, number of days to pollination, plant height, spike length, number of stems, dry matter yield, crown diameter, flag leaf length and flag leaf width. Before performing a data analysis, the assumptions of analysis of variance was tested.

The results of analysis of variance (ANoVA) showed the existence of genetic diversity among selected Phalaris aquatica genotypes. Mean comparisons also showed that genotype Ph.aq-3 had the highest number of stems and genotypes Ph.aq-6 and Ph.aq-26 had the lowest number of stems per plant, respectively. The largest diameter of the canopy with 48.89 cm was related to genotype Ph.aq-12. Results of correlation analysis showed that dry forage yield has a positive and significant correlation with traits such as spike length, seed yield, number of stems, crown diameter and canopy diameter. In principal components analysis, four components were identified, which in total explained 84.3% of the total variance of the variables. In the first principal component, traits such as dry forage yield, crown diameter and canopy diameter, in the second component, only the leaf length and in the third component, traits such as number of days to flowering and number of days to pollination had the highest coefficients. Cluster analysis also classified the studied genotypes into six sub-clusters. Considering traits such as yield and yield components, genotypes in the third sub-cluster can be a good choice for cultivation. Also, the maximum genetic distance was obtained between the third sub-cluster and the fifth sub-cluster, which according to the goals of the breeder, the genotypes of these two sub-clusters can be used in breeding programs for exploiting their desirable genes.

In conclusion, results of present research indicated low genetic variability in the studied Ph. aquatica genotypes and some genotypes with high production capacity or other desirable traits can be used in Phalaris aquatica breeding projects. Genetic diversity can be used at breeding genotypes to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the studied Phalaris aquatica genotypes will deliver valuable germplasm to employ in Phalaris aquatica breeding programs for forage cultivar production.

The effects of planting method and planting time on seed and forage production of Astragalus brachyodontus was investigated in the natural rangelands of Meshgin-Shahr from 2013 to 2016. The bioassay was conducted in a completely randomized split-plot design with three replications. The factor A was different planting times (autumn and spring), while the factor B was different planting methods (Seedling, row cropping and dry farming methods in the natural rangelands). Forage and seed yield were measured after growing and seedling establishment. All data were analyzed by SAS statistical software and means statistical comparison was done using duncan multiple range test. The results showed significant effect of planting time on seed and forage yield (p<0.01). Comparison of means showed that autumn planting was better than spring one. Planting method also had significant effect on seed yield (p<0.05). The highest amount of seed yield was related to row cultivation in the second year. Accordingly, planting of Astragalus brachyodontus in autumn at 1500-m height from the see level is recommended to achieve better results. In order to saving the seeds used in cultivation and creating a uniform distribution, row cultivation with a certain depth (2.5-3 cm) were recommended.