carotenoid

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.

 Due to Iran's location in the arid and semi-arid region of the world, the possibility of drought is high. Therefore, implementing low irrigation to increase the efficiency of limited water resources is a scientific solution to reduce water consumption. On the other hand, irrigation deficit in cotton  is the most important factor limiting production worldwide, which indicates the need for optimal use of water resources to determine the real water needs of cotton plants. Therefore, development and introduction of drought tolerant cultivars and useful method to improve water productivity and efficiency in the face of drought and water scarcity. The aim of this experiment was to evaluate cotton cultivars by measuring traits related to photosynthetic pigments and yield in order to select drought tolerant cultivars. The present study, evaluated physiological traits of 10 cotton cultivars that were known as tolerant cultivar under irrigation deficit based on the measurement of traits and mechanisms of drought tolerance split-plot arrangement using randomized complete blocks design with three replications in 2021 and 2022 years, in the educational and research farm of Gonbadkavos University (Golestan province), Iran. Experimental research includes two different irrigation regime The main factor of irrigation stress in two levels including low irrigation stress (two times of irrigation in the stages of bud formation and beginning of flowering) and no stress (four times of irrigation in the stages of bud formation, beginning of flowering, beginning of bud formation and beginning of bud opening) and the factor Sub-types of cotton were included in 10 levels (Shayan, Sahel, Sepid, Sajidi, Golestan, Latif, Armaghan, Parto, Mai and Lodos). The studied traits include physiological characteristics such as chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids, proline and boll yield. Photosynthetic pigments were measured by spectrophotometer and its concentration was performed by Arnon (1967) method. Based on the results of this experiment, cultivars with low irrigation stress treatments showed a significant difference in terms of traits related to photosynthetic pigments and non-enzymatic antioxidants and their yield. The study of compound analysis of interaction effect of cultivars in the stress of low irrigation during two crop years showed a significant difference in the yield of Vash and malendialdehyde. Most of the studied traits were affected by the intensity of low irrigation stress and growth stage. The amount of proline increased with the increase of stress so that at the medium stress level of two stages of irrigation (bud formation and beginning of flowering) it increased significantly compared to the condition of no stress. The amount of chlorophyll a was affected by the intensity of stress, but there was no significant change in the amount of chlorophyll b. In the first and second year, the highest yield of rice in non-stress conditions belonged to Sajidi variety with 4596 and 4593 kg/ha-1, respectively, and the lowest yield in water stress conditions in the first and second year belonged to Sepid variety, with 1649 and 1756 kg/ha-1, respectively. The decrease in the yield of cotton was due to the decrease in the number of bolls in the plant under the condition of low irrigation stress. The results of this study indicated the traits of  tolerance cultivars under irrigation deficit. Also, cultivars showed different reactions to the studied traits.  According to the results of the research and the correlation coefficients between the traits, among the water stress tolerant cultivars studied, Golestan and Sajidi cultivars are among the stress tolerant cultivars, Sahil and Sepid cultivars are the sensitive cultivars to water stress, and the other cultivars are the semi-sensitive cultivars. Water stress was introduced.

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is the most widely used natural fiber and the most important dual-purpose industrial plant in the world. Delayed transplanting of cotton using early cultivars is one of the effective methods to increase the cultivated area and increase the production of this strategic crop. Plant growth regulators can be effective in the source-sink balance in different plants and are progressively used to increase yield in many plants. Cytokinins are one of the most important plant growth regulators, which increase cell division and differentiation, reduce the effect of terminal dominance, increase leaf surface development, increase the number of lateral branches, increase mobility of nutrients, prevent chlorophyll decomposition, and prevent aging. Growth regulators containing mepiquat chloride, such as pix, reduce vegetative growth in cotton by preventing the synthesis of gibberellic acid. Controlling the growth of cotton as a result of the use of pix, allocates the photosynthetic assimilates to the fruit organs and growing bolls, which increases the weight of the bolls.

To investigate the effect of foliar application of 6-benzylaminopurine and pix on the growth and yield of cotton (cv. May 344) in delayed transplanting, a factorial experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications in Sabzevar during 2020. The factors studied were foliar application of pix at two levels of no foliar application and foliar application at the rate of 1.5 liters per hectare and 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) foliar application at five concentrations of 0, 5, 25, 50 and 100 mg l-1. May 344 cotton cultivar was used in this experiment.

The results showed that foliar application of pix significantly increased the content of chlorophyll a compared to the no foliar application conditions. Foliar application with concentrations of 50 and 100 mg l-1 BAP also caused a significant increase in the content of chlorophyll a compared to the no foliar application conditions. The highest content of chlorophyll a was observed in the concentration of 50 mg l-1 BAP, which had an increase of 17.7% compared to the control treatment. The highest height of the plant (67.9 cm) was obtained by foliar application of 25 mg l-1 BAP alone, which showed an increase of 15.1% compared to the control. The lowest plant height (51.6 cm) was also observed in the treatment of foliar application of pix along with 100 mg l-1 BAP. Foliar application of pix along with 25 mg l-1 BAP produced the highest number of bolls per plant, which was 29.8% higher than the control. The highest average boll weight (5.4 g) and the highest percentage of open bolls (83.8%) were obtained in the foliar application treatment of pix with 100 mg l-1 BAP, which was not significantly different from the control treatment. Foliar application of 1.5 liters per hectare of pix alone produced the highest seed cotton yield (2754.3 kg ha-1), which had a 40.2% increase compared to the control. The highest biological yield was produced in the foliar application treatment of PIX along with 5 mg l-1  of BAP, which had an increase of 26.5% compared to the control treatment. The lowest biological yield was obtained in the treatment of foliar application with 100 mg l-1  of BAP, which was not significantly different from the control treatment. The highest percentage of lint (52.2%) was observed in the pix foliar application treatment along with 50 mg l-1 BAP, which showed an increase of 20.3% compared to the control.

According to the results, foliar application of 1.5 liters per hectare of pix is recommended to produce high seed cotton yield and increase the percentage of lint in delayed transplanting cotton.

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.

In order to study the effects of marjoram extract on soybean (Glycine max), an experiment was conducted in research field of Shahroud University as factorial based on completely randomized blocks in 3 replications. Experimental treatments included marjoram extract in 5 levels (no pretreatment, pretreatment with extract of 40 and 60 percent each for 6 and 9 hours) as the first factor and foliar application of extract in 3 levels (distilled water spraying, extract spraying of 40 and 60 percent) as the second factor. The highest dry weight of leaf (253.3 g.m-2) and stem (279.0 g.m-2) was obtained in pre-treatment with concentration of 40% for 6 hours with foliar application of 40% extract. The maximum leaf area index and number of secondary lateral branches, was obtained with foliar application of 40% marjoram extract that caused a significant increase by 8.8 and 18.3 percent compared with control respectively. The maximum carotenoid (0.029 mg.g-1 dry weight) and total chlorophyll (1.12 mg.g-1 dry weight) was observed in pre-treatment with concentration of 60% for 9 hours in combination with foliar application of 60% extract. In general, it can be said that the use of marjoram extract, while increasing the growth characteristics and yield of crops, can also reduce the environmental pollution.

In the present study, the biochemical and morphological differences of fruit in eight cultivars of mandarin (Orlando Tangelo, Wakiva, Dansi, Honey, Kara, Wilking, Farichid, and Ferement) were investigated. Also, antioxidant capacity and chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments of the juice were evaluated in six cultivars (Orlando Tangelo, Wakiva, Dansi, Honey, Kara and Wilking). The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized block design with three replications. The results showed that the different cultivars had significantly different characteristics. Wakiva cultivar had the highest content of vitamin C, antioxidant capacity, flavor index, pH, and skin thickness and lowest titrable acidity among other cultivars. The highest total soluble solids content belonged to Wheeling cultivar, which wasn’t significantly different with Wakiva cultivar. Kara cultivar had the highest weight, diameter, length, and volume, while Ferement cultivar had the best shape index among other cultivars. In addition, Wakiva cultivar had the best nutritional quality due to higher vitamin C (117.04 mg ascorbic acid per 100 ml juice), antioxidant capacity (45.62%) and flavor index, and was the best for transportation and handling due to peel thickness. Vitamin C content in Wakiva was 82.46% more than Hani cultivar. Kara and Ferment cultivars, having larger and wider fruits, respectively, had better overall quality and were more marketable than other cultivars. Although Hani cultivar due to smallest fruits and lowest vitamin c had a lower marketability and edible quality, but due to having the highest carotenoid pigments, it had higher juice quality and may be recommended for processing in the juice industry.

In order to study effects of seed priming with Gibberellin (GA), Ascorbic acid (AsA) and Salicylic acid (SA) on mitigation of seed deterioration damage and improvement of seed and seedling qualities of three sunflower cultivars (Farrokh, Barzegar and Shamshiri), a pot experiment was done in 2016. This research was carried out as a factorial experiment based on RCBD with three replications. Seeds were exposed to accelerated aging then primed. Priming treatments were included: control, hydropriming, GA (50 and 75 ppm), AsA (100 and 150 ppm), SA (138 and 207 ppm), GA 50 ppm + AsA 100ppm, GA50 ppm + SA 138 ppm, AsA 100ppm + SA 138ppm, and GA 50ppm + AsA 100ppm + SA 138 ppm. Barzegar cultivar had better seedling emergence percentage and rate than the Shamshiri and Farrokh. Seedling emergence was improved by priming treatments; however, suitable treatments were different for the cultivars. Maximum seedling emergence percentage was obtained in Barzegar by GA 50ppm + SA 138ppm; however in Shamshiri and Farrokh by hydropriming. Priming improved seedling emergence rate of the three cultivars, but the response to priming was cultivar specific. Priming decreased seedling malondialdehyde (MDA) significantly in three cultivars. The lowest MDA content was obtained in Barzegar cultivar primed by AsA + SA.