نشریه علوم و تحقیقات بذر ایران
سال نهم شماره 3 (پاییز 1401)

In order to investigate the effect of biopriming of wheat seeds with Trichoderma and Aspergillusalong with ZnSo4 on improving germination indices and the tolerance threshold of wheat to zinc a factorial experiment was done based on a completely randomized design with three replications. Experimental treatments included six levels of zinc (0, 0.6, 6, 60, 300 and 600 mg/L) and four fungal treatments (no inoculation, inoculation with Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma longibrachiatum and Aspergillus niger). Nonetheless, based on the results, the coexistence of wheat seedlings with Trichoderma fungi especially Aspergillus fungi reduced the lipid peroxidation of the membrane in all application levels of zinc. Also, based on the results, the highest proline content was observed in the highest level of zinc in inoculated wheat seedlings by T. harzianum (fourfold increase as compared to the uninoculated control) and in other levels of zinc in seedlings inoculated with A. niger. However, the results showed a negative relationship between malondialdehyde (MDA) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and growth indices of wheat seedlings. There was also a negative relationship between MDAecontent with both SOD activity and growth indices of wheat seedlings. Inoculation of wheat seedlings with fungal treatments with higher production of SOD may led to higher resistance and avoidance to higher concentrations of Zn. Overall, the results showed an increase in the tolerance threshold of wheat seedlings to a concentration of 60 mg/L and therefore, more effectiveness of this micronutrient in seeds inoculated with Trichoderma and Aspergillus especially inoculated with Trichoderma longibrachiatum.

Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) with more than 3660 species in the world and about 900 species in Irano-Turanian region having the highest diversity, includes annual, biennial, perennial herbs or shrubs. The family members are mainly distributed on the earth land surface exceptional Antarctica and tropics. Despite having silique fruit, they have many variations in exo-morphology and other properties of fruits and seeds that are important in their diagnosis and identification. Studies of these characters can revealed the relationship between taxa and used for their taxonomy. In addition, the identification of seeds and fruits is important in agriculture, food industry and weed control. Thirty two quantitative and qualitative fruit and seed characters of 24 collected wild Brassicaceae taxa from the central Iran in Irano-Touranian region were examined using ruler, digital calipers, millimeter paper, graticule and a monitoring zoom binocular light microscope. Obtained data were recorded and then a key was prepared based on the studied Brassicaceae fruit and seed morpho-biometric. Results showed morpho-biometrical studies of siliques and seeds of Irano-Touranian Brassicaceae members may support identification of the family taxa.

In order to investigate the effect of ellagic acid on the growth of seedling and the qualities of soybean in accelerated aging conditions, a pilot was designed in 2019 in the research laboratory of the Shahrood University of Technology. The treatments included aging seed in two levels (unaged seeds and aged seeds) and priming at seven levels (control, distilled water, 25, 75, 50, 100, 125 mg/L with ellagic acid). A pilot study as a factorial experiment with a completely random-base design (CRD) in three replications was carried out under a germinator environment in accordance with standards. To prepare aged seeds in the laboratory, the seeds were incubated at 41°C and 95% relative humidity for 72 hours. Seed priming was soaking with ellagic acid for 6 hours in accordance with the principles of seed aeration. The aging reduced Vigor Index, Allometric Growth Ratio and Seed Reserves Use Rate. The increasing of the malondialdehyde had a negative effect on germination percentage through the influence of Vigor Index and α-amylase activity enzyme. The application of ellagic acid increased the germination percentage in unaged seeds and aged seeds through increasing the activity of α-amylase activity enzyme. The priming of seeds with ellagic acid reduced the malondialdehyde and electrical conductivity. Based on the results of research, the application of 50 mg/L of ellagic acid can be introduced as the best concentration of this material. It can also be suggested that the use of ellagic acid as a seed priming improves the effects of seed aging on soybeans.

In order to investigate the Effect of Mycorrhiza fungi  and leaf application of amino acid on some quantitative and herbaceous properties of Calendula officinalis L., a factorial layout has been conducted, based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the field of the research farm of Islamic Azad University, Takestan Branch during 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 years. Experimental factors included three species of mycorrhiza fungi (control, Glomus mosseae, G. etunicatum and G. intraradices) and Soren amino acid levels included no foliar application and foliar application in two stages of stem and flowering. The results showed that the content of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll was maximum when the seeds were inoculated with G. mosseae and showed an increase of 36, 18 and 30% compared to the control, respectively. Foliar application of amino acid caused 6% increase in chlorophyll index and the use of G. mosseae increased this trait by 33%, which indicates a greater effect of mycorrhiza than foliar application of amino acid in increasing this index. Inoculation with mycorrhiza had a positive effect on the carotenoid content of leaves and flowers, so that inoculation of seeds with G. mosseae increased the carotenoid content of leaves and flowers by 21 and 25%, respectively, compared to the control. Foliar application of amino acid and G. etunicatum application caused 13 and 24% increase in flower flavonoids, respectively. The results indicated that the application of mycorrhiza is able to increase the herbaceous properties of Calendula officinalis to increase the growth and production of more secondary metabolites and the presence of amino acids can be effective in meeting the needs of the plant.

This study was done to investigate the germination response of goji berry to salinity, drought and salinity-drought stress. For this purpose, a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design in the research laboratory of Bradsir Agricultural Excellence Training Center in 2021 was conducted. In this research, goji berry responses were examined to four levels of polyethylene glycol 6000 to create drought stress (0, -2, -4 and -8 bar) and four levels of sodium chloride to create salinity stress (0, -2, -4 and -8 bar) in the germination stage. The results showed that with decreasing osmotic potential in drought and salinity stresses, germination percentage and germination rate, seedling dry weight and relative water content decreased but relative electrolyte leakage and proline content increased. In general, goji berry seeds withstood drought stress conditions better than salinity stress in terms of germination components, so that in the osmotic potential of -8 bar salinity stress, goji berry seeds were not able to germinate and did not produce any shoots and roots. In osmotic potential of -2 bar, germination rate and relative water content in drought stress decreased by 4.56% and 0.47%, respectively, and in salinity stress decreased by 30.18% and 18.24%, respectively, but relative electrolyte leakage increased in drought and salinity stress by 0.57% and 10.89%, respectively.

The effect of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria on quantitative and qualitative growth of two maize cultivars was investigated in a growth chamber experiment at agriculture college of the university of Guilan.   This research was arranged in a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with three replications.  In this experiment, two factors were evaluated: cultivar (S.C. 704, 647) and 11 levels of seed inoculation with PGPB (seed uninoculation and without fertilizer, seed uninoculation and super phosphate triple fertilizer, Pseudomonas fluorescens strain 168 + Pseudomonas fluorescens strain 41+ Aztobacter chroococcum + Azospirillum sp., Pseudomonas fluorescens strain 168 + Aztobacter chroococcum + Azospirillum sp., Pseudomonas fluorescens strain 41 + Aztobacter chroococcum + Azospirillum sp., Azotobacter chroococcum + Azospirillum sp., Pseudomonas fluorescens strain 168 + Pseudomonas fluorescens strain 41, Pseudomonas fluorescens strain 41, Pseudomonas fluorescens strain 168, Azospirillum sp., Azotobacter chroococcum).   Seed inoculation with PGPB positively affected plant growth and P adsorption.  In all of investigated characteristics (except soil P), chemical fertilizer treatment was higher than co-inoculated treatments, but this difference was not significant.   Therefore it could be stated, these microorganisms need more time to fix and establishing themselves in soil.  The present finding showed that there is a linear relationship between plant phosphorus and its dry weight, therefore phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms can interact positively in promoting plant growth, nutrient uptake especially P of maize plants, root colonization percentage increasing and consequently, plant dry weight increasing.