کارتنوئید

Malva sylvestris, commonly known as the common mallow, is a flowering plant species in the genus Malva. It is native to Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia, and has been introduced to other parts of the world. The plant has been known since ancient times and is considered the "type-species" for the genus. The leaves are edible and the plant (and seeds) are used as herbal remedies. Malva sylvestris is either a perennial or biennial plant. It spreads readily from seed and can self-seed prolifically. The seeds resemble small wheels or discs. The plant is known to be susceptible to a virus called Malva vein clearing potyvirus, which is transmitted by aphids. It also contains compounds such as malvin, malonylmalvin, and the naphthoquinone malvone A. The aim of this article is to evaluate the various (nine) ecotypes of Iranian Malva sylvestris L. by analyzing their morphological and physiological characteristics. By employing a step-by-step regression approach, the study seeks to identify significant traits that differentiate these ecotypes. The research intends to enhance understanding of the adaptive strategies of Malva sylvestris in diverse environmental conditions. Ultimately, the findings aim to contribute valuable insights for conservation efforts and the potential use of these ecotypes in horticulture and agriculture. This comprehensive evaluation will also provide a foundation for future studies on the species' ecological adaptability. In this study, 9 ecotypes of Malva sylvestris were collected in 2017 from different habitats in Iran (Mashhad, Torbat-e Heydariyeh, Fariman, Zabol, Zarand, Jiroft, Rudbar, Bandar Abbas and Khorramdasht) (Table 1) and identified in the Herbarium of Torbat-e Heydariyeh University. They were then cultivated in a completely randomized design with three replications in late February 2018 in the greenhouse of the Agricultural Research Institute of the University of Zabol and evaluated in May 2019. The seeds of each ecotype were planted in 5-liter pots (after germination and thinning, five plants of each ecotype were kept in each pot) in a growing medium consisting of an equal mixture of agricultural soil, coco peat, perlite, and well-rotted animal manure. Irrigation was calculated based on the temperature conditions in Sistan and the greenhouse, as well as the field capacity of the pot mixture, and was carried out regularly until flowering. At full flowering, the stem diameter and length of three plants from each pot were randomly measured and their means were considered for each treatment. At this stage, the number of flowers with seeds and the number of leaves of each plant were counted. Fresh and dry weights of root, stem and whole plant were measured with a digital scale (0.01 g accuracy). For dry weight measurement, fresh samples were placed in an oven at 70°C for 48 hours. Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoid contents were determined. The absorbance of the samples for chlorophyll a and b and carotenoids was measured at wavelengths of 663, 645 and 470 nm, respectively, using a spectrophotometer. Proline, soluble carbohydrates, and protein were measured. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to calculate simple correlation coefficients between morphological traits. Statistical analysis of traits was performed using SAS Ver. 9 and Excel software, and means were compared by Duncan's method at 1% and 5% probability levels. The highest stem diameter (9.58 mm), root length (61.22 cm), root weight (18.86 g), root dry weight (4.84 g), and proline content (0.614) belonged to Mashhad ecotype. The number of leaves had a negative and significant correlation with the fresh weight of the plant, while it had a positive and significant correlation with plant height and shoot dry weight. Other traits did not show a significant correlation with the number of leaves per plant. The highest correlation was observed between morphological traits between fresh weight and leaf dry weight (P<0.01) and in phytochemical traits between carotenoid and chlorophyll b (P<0.05). Based on stepwise regression in the presented models, root weight and plant dry weight had the most positive effect on root length, but stem diameter and plant weight had the most negative effect. Chlorophyll b had the most negative and direct effect on proline yield, but chlorophyll a, carotenoids, carbohydrates, and total protein had the most positive effects, respectively. The variance analysis results indicated significant differences among the various ecotypes of Malva sylvestris regarding morphological and phytochemical traits (P<0.01) (Tables 2 and 3). Mean comparisons revealed that the Mashhad ecotype excelled in stem diameter, root length, and fresh and dry root weight, while the Rudbar ecotype showed the highest fresh weight in aerial parts. The Bandar Abbas ecotype had superior fresh and dry weights of aerial parts, leaf count, flower count, and seed count, and the Torbat-e Heydariyeh ecotype was notable for flower and seed counts per plant (Table 4). The tallest stem (40.55 cm) was recorded in the Jiroft ecotype, while the shortest (1.81 cm) was from Mashhad. The greatest stem diameter (9.58 mm) belonged to the Mashhad ecotype, and the smallest (3.54 mm) was found in Zabol. Root length also varied, with the Mashhad ecotype having the longest (61.22 cm) and Rudbar the shortest (9.55 cm) (Table 4). The highest fresh and dry root weights were observed in the Mashhad ecotype, while the Jiroft ecotype had the lowest. In the results of step-wise correlation and regression analysis of the medicinal plant Malva sylvestris L., the highest positive regression coefficients for yield were related to the traits of proline content, root fresh weight, and plant dry weight, which indicates their more fundamental role in increasing yield and their potential for improvement. Overall, the present study showed that root-related traits had an important effect on the final yield in the Mashhad population of Malva sylvestris L., and the Mashhad ecotype also showed the most desirable performance in terms of the evaluated traits. Due to its high performance in these traits, the Mashhad ecotype is recommended for researchers, universities, and private sectors involved in the cultivation and domestication of medicinal plants.

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is one of the most important leafy vegetable. Due to importance and high demand the greenhouse and hydroponically growing of lettuce is increasing. One of the key points in effectiveness of hydroponic production is the formulation of suitable nutrient solution. Nitrogen as an essential element could be provided by two form in nutrient solution, ammonium and nitrate. Although both form provide the nitrogen for plants but they can affect the growth and physiological aspects differentiatly. In other side open systems of hydroponic in addition to to high cost for nutrient solution preparation can cause soil and water pollution, so its need to use hydroponic systems that decrease the amount of nutrient solution consumation. In this study we assessed the effect of three different NH4+:NO3- ratio in nutrient solution in an easy and very low cost closed hydroponic system so called Kratky method on lettuce production.

The experiment was conducted in hydroponic greenhouse as a factorial based on completely randomized design. Three nutrient solutions with the same level of total nitrogen but with different ammonium to nitrate ratio (0.5:8, 1:8 and 2:8) were used for growing the three lettuce cultivars (Local Romain, French red and Salinas) in closed hydroponic system without the exchange of nutrient solution during the growing cycle and just water were added to substition the of the consumed solution. The seeds of lettuce cultivars at first were planted in cell try that were filled with coco peat-perlite with 1:1 ratio and after emergence and until reaching to suitable size for transplating seedling were fertigated with hoglnd nutrient solution. Two lettuce seedlings were transplanted via the small plastic small baskets and styrofom plate in pots with seven liters volum until the end of growing period. The characters like leaf and root fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll, carotenoid and anthocyanin content were assessed.

The results indicate that the ammonium:nitrate ratio had significant effect on the lettuce leaf and roots fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll index and anthocyanin contents. The cultivars had significantly difference effects on leaf and roots fresh and dry weight, collorophyl index, carotenoid and anthocyanin content. But the interaction between the ammonium:nitrate ratio and lettuce cultivars were not significant on the investigated characters. Between the cultivars Salinas and locally Romaine respectively had the highest and lowest yield. The highest and lowest root fresh and dry weights also were obtained from the 2:8 and 0.5:8 ammonium to nitrate ratios respectively while the 0.5:8 and 1:8 ammonium to nitrate ratio were not the significantly different from each other on the leaf fresh wight. The same rule also was for the leaf dry weight. The Salinas and French red had the highest dry weight and the localy romain significantly leaf lowest dry weight. On the roots fresh and dry weight characters there was significantly difference between the cultivars that was close to the results on leaf fresh and dry weight. So that Salinas withought the significantly difference with the French red had the highest root fresh weight and lowest root fresh weight belongs to locally romain. Result showed that lettuce being a vegetative crop satisfied by increasing the ammonium:nitrate ratio in nutrient solution. This is close to the results that previously has been reported by some authors.

The highest fresh and dry weights of lettuce were obtained by the solution with the 2:8 ammoniums:nitrate ratio, which indicate the superiority of the lettuce simultaneously feeding with nitrate and ammonium. In addition to quatitative characteristic like the yield the yield, simoultaneously feeding with ammonium and nitrate affected the qualitative characteristics like the anthocyanin and cartenoeid contents. Also providing the some parts of Nitrogen needs of plant as ammonium can reduce the nitrate accumulation. All of three nutrient solution with different ammonium to nitrate ratio but with the same level of total nitrogene and without any need to aeration also without the change of nutrient solution and only by substitution of consumed water were able to feed the lettuce plants without any visible disorders. This kind of hydroponic due to the drastic decrease of production costs would be suitable method specially for small scale hydroponic vegtable production greenhouse.

Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea L.) is a herbaceous, perennial plant in the sunflower family; its essential oil and extract are widely used in the pharmaceutical, food, health, and cosmetic industries; and it has antimicrobial, anti-oxidant, and radical -neutralizing properties. Anti-allergy, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory properties have been ascribed to them. In arid and semiarid regions, a lack of water and inefficient irrigation techniques are the primary factors limiting the development of the agricultural sector. Drought is one of the most influential stresses on crop performance, and it is well known that it affects a number of physiological processes in plants. This investigation sought to determine the impact of biochar and salicylic acid on the physiological traits and yield of echinacea (Echinacea purpurea L.) under non-stress and drought -stress conditions.  In order to examine the effect of biochar (in three levels without biochar as control, 20 t×ha-1 and 40 t×ha-1) and salicylic acid (in three levels of zero, 0.5 mM and 1 mM) in two humid environments (no stress and drought stress), a factorial experiment in split plot experiment was carried out in Ilam province (two locations) in a randomized complete block design with three replicates in 2020. The evaluated traits included chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids, soluble carbohydrates, total protein, proline activity, and biological yield. The results indicate that the highest increase in biological yield was 45.97% and 45.42%, respectively, in the treatment combination of 40 tons of biochar and no salicylic acid foliar spray and the treatment combination of 20 t ha-1 of biochar and 0.5% salicylic acid foliar spray in the condition of 75% drought stress.  Proline content decreased in all treatment compounds; except in the combination of non-drought stress treatment and use of 40 t ha-1 of biochar and 0.5% salicylic acid which increased by 25.71%. The highest increase in carotenoids (36.66%) was obtained if 40 t ha-1 of biochar were used and salicylic acid was not sprayed under 50% drought stress. Also, the results show that by using 20 t ha-1 of biochar and spraying 1% salicylic acid under 50% drought stress, the amount of carotenoids increased by 33.33% compared to the control. As one of the growth regulators, salicylic acid was used to increase plant tolerance to stresses such as drought. In addition, biochar had a positive impact on the enhancement of several physiological characteristics and echinacea yield. Echinacea purpurea L. appears to benefit from the use of biochar and salicylic acid to mitigate the negative effects of drought stress.

Application of bio-fertilizers as plant nutrition is one of the vital solutions to increase plant yield and its quality. Therefore, pot experiment with factorial of completely randomized design with three replications was conducted in the research greenhouse of Zabol University. The first factor was bio-fertilizers which contains two levels of non-inoculated and non-sterile (control) and inoculated soil growing media with bio-fertilizers: Nitrogen fertilizer 1 (microorganism Azeotobacter) and phosphate fertilizer 2 (containing microorganisms Pseudomonas putida, Pantoea agglomrans)  and the second factor  was alfalfa extract from freshly harvested alfalfa and last year harvested alfalfa (old) which was used as foliar and soil application with two levels of concentrations  2 and 4 per thousand with control(total 9 levels). In this experiment, the sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) was cultivated in non-sterile soil growing media. Pots field capacity was kept at 70% by weighting. The results showed that the highest concentrations of Fe (132.35 mg.kg-1), Mn (89 mg.kg-1), chlorophyll a (2.29 mg.g-1), chlorophyll b (1.07 mg.g-1) and carotenoids (1.29 mg.g-1) in sunflower shoot belonged to inoculated growing media with bio-fertilizers and the foliar consumption fresh extracts of alfalfa. The highest potassium concentration was seen in shoot (0.97 percent) in non-inoculated growing media and the foliar consumption fresh extracts of alfalfa was observed at four per thousand level. Resulted also indicated that the maximum dry weight (28.93 g.pot-1) belonged to non-inoculated with bio fertilizers and fresh foliar application at four per thousand level.