Journal of Nuts
Volume:13 Issue: 1, Winter 2022

Immature lentisk (Pistacia lentiscus L.) seeds from plants grown in Liguria (Italy) were collected and surface sterilized with ethanol (70%) and then NaOCl (1%). The outer pericarp of the immature fruits was removed and shells were opened. Enhancement of Embryo germination was examined through the use of five sucrose concentrations (0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 g L-1) combined with five concentrations of GA3 (0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7 mg L-1). After 14 days, the germination frequency was detected and after 16 days, seedling development was evaluated. The embryo development into plantlets increased up to 54.37% when 45 g L-1 of sucrose was supplied; at this concentration, all the parameters, such as plantlet weight, height, and root length were high, while at 60 g L-1 of sucrose, the plantlets showed many lateral root formations. The root shape was completely different among the treatments. The percentage of embryo germination, plantlet weight and height, root length, and main lateral root number were enhanced when GA3 was used in the concentration of 0.7 (mg L-1). No rooting at all was observed when GA3 was used in a concentration of 0.3 or 0.5 (mg L-1) or medium without GA3. This research increases the possibility to obtain a massive number of plants to be used as rootstock for pistachio cultivation in difficult soils.

This experiment was performed to investigate the effect of foliar application of amino acids on improving biochemical properties and yield evaluation of the effect of drought stress on pistachio, cv. Shahpsand in Damghan city during 2019 and 2020. Statistical analysis was conducted as a factorial split-plot based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The main factor was irrigation intervals (35, 55, and 75 days) and sub-factors were including asparagine and glutamine amino acids at three levels (0, 150 and 300 mg L-1). The results showed that the irrigation interval had a significant effect on catalase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, sodium, chlorine, potassium, proline, protein, relative water content (RWC), and yield at the level of 1% probability and the maximum content of catalase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, chlorine, proline, and RWC were observed at 75 days irrigation interval but the highest yield and potassium were obtained at 35 days irrigation interval. Mineral concentrations of sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl), in leaves increased with increasing irrigation cycle however, the Potassium (K) concentration in leaves decreased. The highest Na concentrations and Cl were observed in 75 days, and the lowest was in 35days. The correlation coefficient between catalase and peroxidase was positive and the correlation between sodium and potassium was Negative, but the correlation between chlorine and protein was negative. Foliar application of amino acids increased plant yield and resistance to drought stress.

Walnut (Juglans regia L.) is one of the main nutritional nut crops in many parts of the world. Iran is one of the most important countries in the world regarding walnut production. In recent years, dieback and decline of some of walnut trees has attracted the attention of growers and plant pathologists in Iran. Although the infestation by the Cytospora spp. was accepted as the causal agent of canker, dieback, and decline in walnut trees, the role of the other agents has yet to be well investigated. Field observations were conducted during 2016- 2020 from different provinces in Iran, and black sooty canker was noticed in most declined or declining walnut trees. To determine the causal agent of the observed symptoms, sampling was conducted, and fungal isolates were obtained from symptomatic tissues of walnut trees. The fungus consistently isolated was identified as Neoscytalidium dimidiatum based on morphological and molecular characteristics of the ITS and tef1-α regions. Neoscytalidium dimidiatum was shown to be the cause of the symptoms by pathogenicity testing. The current findings show that N. dimidiatum is a serious and devastating disease in Iran, causing walnut tree decline.

This research was conducted to determine the effect of salicylic acid on the drought tolerance of three pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) rootstocks. The treatments were included three irrigation levels (Control: 100 % ETc, medium stress: 65% ETc, and severe stress: 30% ETc), three pistachio rootstocks, and three salicylic acid concentrations (0, 1, and 3 mM). The salicylic acid solution was once applied as a foliar spray, starting water stress, and irrigation treatments continued for 75 days. Results showed that P. vera ‘Badami Zarand’ was less affected by water stress treatments than the other seedling rootstocks. Among the rootstocks studied, the highest photosynthesis rate (6.55 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1) was obtained in P. vera ‘Badami Zarand’ under severe water stress (30 % ETc) and 1 mM salicylic acid application. The lowest photosynthesis rate (2.75 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1) was observed in P. vera ‘Sarakhs’ under severe water stress (30 % ETc) and 3 mM salicylic acid treatment. In addition, the highest relative water content (66.16%) and the lowest ion leakage (33.29%) were obtained in ‘Badami Zarand.’ The 1 mM salicylic acid application effectively reduced the negative effects of water stress. According to the results, P. vera ‘Badami Zarand’ showed a better response to salicylic acid under stress conditions, and the highest photosynthesis, relative leaf water content, dry weight of organs (leaves, shoots, roots), and the lowest ion leakage under drought stress belonged to this rootstock.

With the development of pecan orchards in subtropical regions of Iran in recent years, it is very important to release vigorous and hot weather tolerant rootstocks for grafting. For this purpose, 15 pecan cultivars were evaluated in terms of seed germination rate, seedling growth rate, and summer heat stress damage in 2019-2021 at Safiabad Agricultural Research Center. The cultivars were included ‘GraTex’, ‘Peruque’, ‘Comanche 4M’, ‘10J’, ‘Wichita 6J’, ‘GraKing’, ‘Choctaw’, ‘Apache’, ‘Wichita 7J’, ‘Comanche 5M’. ‘Stuart 2J’, ‘Stuart 4J’, ‘6M’, ‘Mahan’ and ‘Mohawk’. The evaluated traits were seed germination rate, determination of seedling production index per kilogram of seed, seedling height and diameter, and amount of seedling damage due to heat stress. The results showed that ‘Peruque’, ‘Apache’, ‘Mohawk’, and ‘Wichita 7J’ were preferred with the possibility of producing 126, 86, 75, and 74 seedlings per kilogram of seed, respectively. The results of the height and diameter of the seedlings showed that ‘Peruque’, ‘Stuart 2J’, ‘Comanche 5M’, ‘Mahan’ and ‘Apache’ were vigorous. The heat stress was so intense in 2021 that even several decades old and large pecan trees were damaged. Meteorological information of Safiabad station showed that, the temperature was above 45 degrees Celsius for 435 hours in 2021. The results showed that the seedlings of ‘Peruque’ and ‘Apache’ were the most tolerant and ‘GraTex’ and ‘Mohawk’ were very sensitive. According to the evaluation of seedlings of pecan cultivars in the years, 2019 to 2021, ‘Peruque’ and ‘Apache’ for pecan rootstock production are recommended.

Agriculture is the most important economic activity in rural areas of Iran, especially in the north of the country. In the present study, considering the importance of hazelnut crop in the rural life of Amlash County, the economic and social effects of hazelnut cultivation on villages and farmers were investigated. This was descriptive-analytical research that the required information was obtained through documentary sources and field studies. The statistical population includes all hazelnut growers in 38 villages of the mountainous area, Amlash County. The sample size was determined 384 items using the Morgan standard table and was distributed among the operators using the random-quota sampling method. The results showed that the economic effects of hazelnut cultivation in the indicators of economic welfare (with an average of (3.76), economic security (3.81), and employment quality (3.72) were higher than the social effects of hazelnut cultivation in indicators of participation (with the average of 3.27) and social capital (3.40) in the study area. Expanding the area under hazelnut cultivation, government support by providing low-interest banking facilities and appropriate repayment terms, product insurance, and the construction of conversion and complementary industries are some of the most important ways to develop this activity and increase its economic and social effects in villages of Amlash County.