Journal of Emergy, Life Cycle and System Analysis in Agriculture
Volume:1 Issue: 1, Winter-Spring 2021

Conventional tillage methods result in resource waste and the release of greenhouse gases into the environment. An experiment with a randomized complete block design and three treatments in four replications was conducted at Darab Agricultural Research Station for five years to determine the effects of different tillage methods on nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia (NH3) emissions in cotton-wheat rotation. Direct farming (no tillage), low tillage, and conventional wheat-cotton tillage (control) were used as treatments. Following wheat harvesting in the direct and low tillage treatments, 30% (weight) of wheat residues were dispersed on the field. Within two years, N2O and NH3 emissions from the cotton-wheat field were estimated using the DNDC 9.5 model. Data from the first three years of the study was used to validate the model. The results of model validation revealed that the model performed well in simulating the soil environment as well as N2O and NH3 emissions. The simulation results revealed that the highest and lowest N2O emission rates occurred in conventional and no-tillage treatments, with a significant difference. After five years of experimentation, average annual N2O emissions were 4.40, 2.80, and 2.14 kg N ha-1 y-1 for conventional, low, and no-tillage treatments, respectively. According to the simulation results, peak NH3 emission from soil occurred on the fifth day after fertilization in all three treatments. The overall findings of this study indicated that the use of no-tillage methods is more advantageous than other cotton culture treatments in cotton-wheat rotation under similar conditions as in the current study.

The life-cycle assessment of two irrigated and rainfed wheat crops was investigated in this study. Tillage, planting, irrigation, fertilization, pesticide spraying, and harvesting are the basic stages of production for each crop throughout its life cycle. A farmer's questionnaire was used to collect farm data. The ecoinvent models compile emissions in their reports. The functional unit is designed to produce one ton of grain. Following the calculation, emissions from each stage of production in a triple environment (soil, water, and atmosphere) are logged. Following that, a life-cycle impact assessment, or LCIA, was carried out. The environmental effects were first estimated separately for each crop, followed by a comparison of the two crops. The calculated potential for each ton of irrigated wheat equals 860 Kg of CO2 equivalent in the impact assessment of global warming, whereas it is 623 Kg for rainfed wheat. The production potential per ton for the eutrophication phenomenon is roughly equivalent for both systems: 2.625 equivalent Kg po4 for irrigated wheat and 2.601 for rainfed wheat. The data from the long-term scenario show an increase in the potential for eutrophication in both crop productions. Meanwhile, the long-term effects of chemical fertilizer use on human health and aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems indicated a potential increase in their use. Following a data uncertainty analysis, it was determined that, with a confidence interval of 95 percent, details of the life-cycle assessment results could be applied to the farms under consideration. However, some of the environmental impacts in the uncertainty analysis overlap. The highest overlapping values are insufficient to call average farm results into question.

Salinity is one of the most important abiotic stresses because it causes zinc to precipitate in an unusable form for plants and is influenced by saline-calcareous soils. This experiment was carried out in a strip split block design with three replications at the Esfahan Rodasht Drainage and Salinity Research Station to investigate the effects of agrophysiological responses of barley genotypes to zinc fertilization and water saline irrigation. As vertical factors, water irrigation quality at three levels, 2, 10, and 18, dS/m, were used. Fertilizer application included Nano zinc-oxide, zinc-chelate, a mixture of Nano zinc-oxide and zinc-chelate, and water as a control. Within vertical factors, three different barley genotypes are arranged, including Morocco (moderate semi-sensitive), Nosrat (moderate tolerant), and Khatam (tolerant). The results showed that the application of Zn-chelate fertilizer resulted in the highest grain yield, K+ concentration, and K+/Na+ ratio in shoots. In Khatam, stomatal conductance (gs), the maximum quantum efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm), K+ and Zn2+ concentrations, and the K+/Na+ ratio were all higher than in Morocco. In comparison to Morocco, Khatam had lower Na+ and Ca2++Na+ contents. Furthermore, as salinity stress increased, all barley genotypes showed a decreasing trend in K+ content and the K+/Na+ ratio in shoots.

Data mining algorithms were used in this study to predict Shiraz's monthly potential evapotranspiration. The CART (Classification and Regression Trees), M5P, K-star, M5Rules, and REP-Tree (Reduced Error Pruning Tree) algorithms were used to predict potential evapotranspiration. Meteorological data from the Shiraz weather station from 2001 to 2016 were used in this study. The CART algorithm performed better in estimating monthly averages, according to statistical indicators. The maximum amount of potential evapotranspiration was reached when the sunshine hours exceeded 9.5 hours and the wind speed exceeded 0.3 meters per second, according to the results. When there was less than 9.5 hours of sunshine and the air temperature was less than 2 °C, the potential evapotranspiration rate was the lowest. The sensitivity analysis revealed that the parameters of sunshine hours, air temperature, wind speed, and relative humidity had a positive effect on the CART algorithm's performance in estimating monthly evapotranspiration.

An experiment was conducted in 2014 in the research field of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, to investigate the triplet symbiosis of chickpea, mycorrhiza, and rhizobium, as well as the responses of chickpea genotypes to these inoculations. The experimental design was a split-plot with three replications based on a randomized complete block design. The main plot included three mycorrhiza levels as a biological fertilizer (Glomus mosseae, Piriformospora indica, and non-used), while the subplot included nine chickpea genotypes. When compared to other treatments, G. mosseae significantly increased seed yield and dry matter of chickpeas from mid-season onward. Arbuscular mycorrhiza significantly increased chlorophyll a and b levels, as well as carotenoids and SPAD levels. MCC537 outperformed the other genotypes in terms of seed yield and dry matter during the growing season and at harvest time. MCC537, MCC427, and MCC392 genotypes had the highest levels of carotenoids and SPAD readings. It appears that using G. mosseae in conjunction with rhizobium can improve the physiological traits and seed yield of chickpea.

Because of the agricultural sector's importance in the national economy, and because it accounts for 17 percent of GDP and 22 percent of job labor, it is critical to support it as much as possible. Agricultural product insurance is one of the most important governmental support levers in the agricultural sector. It not only compensates farmers for the losses caused by the small savings of a large number of farmers, but it also provides more security for agricultural producers, lowering production risks significantly. So, in this study, we attempted to use positive mathematical programming (PMP) to examine the effects of introducing wheat insurance on wheat cultivation and farmer gross margins in the Sistan region. These farmers were divided into three groups based on the size of their cultivated farms: (1) small group (less than 3 hectares), (2) average-sized group (4-10 hectares), and (3) large group (more than 10 hectares). The results showed that after introducing wheat insurance, the farmer accepted it, and the cultivated area of wheat increased from 2 hectares to 2.01 hectares, while the farm's gross return increased from 18423290 Rials to 18511721 Rials, i.e., 0.479 percent more than those farmers who did not participate in the insurance scheme. On average-sized farms, implementing this insurance increased wheat cultivated area from 4.8 hectares to 4.858 hectares, and farm gross return increased from 48803550 Rials to 49291580 Rials, i.e., about 1% more than farmers who did not participate in the scheme. Following this plan, the cultivated area of wheat increased from 16 hectares to 16.445 hectares, and the farm's gross return increased from 139151140 Rials to 142421200 Rials, a 2.35 percent increase over those who did not participate in the scheme.

The development and implementation of effective, beneficial programs towards restoration, conservation, and appropriate utilization of medicinal plant species are feasible only through the identification of their ecological characteristics. This research was conducted with the objective of investigating the morphological, nutritive, and secondary metabolite characteristics of calotrope wild populations in certain habitats of Baluchestan, as a completely random nested design with three repetitions throughout four cities during February/March 2014. The edaphic properties of habitats were also assessed. The obtained data were compared at a 5% significance level via DMRT. The samples were collected from various regions, including the cities of (1) Iranshahr (Mand-e Bala and Sarzeh villages), (2) Chabahar (Negour and Nalent villages), (3) Nikshahr (Bandaan and Bent villages), and Khash (Baluchkan and central Khash), were compared. Results showed that the majority of the investigated characteristics were significantly different among cities and regions. In this research, Nikshahr city had the highest number of morphological characteristics. The investigated soil in Nikshahr city was more suitable regarding P and K, as compared to other regions. The plants grown in Nikshahr had the highest level of foliar N, Ca, K, and P, the highest level of floral K, and the highest level of P and K in the roots. Forty-two compounds were identified in the aerial organs and root extracts of calotrope. Among the active ingredients, 9-Octadecenamide acid with 8.3% in the aerial organ, Benzyl alcohol with 8.7% in the root, and 2,6,10-Trimethyl,14-ethylene-14-pentadecane with 27.2% in the stem-extracted latex had the highest content in this plant.

Peppermint is one of the medicinal and aromatic plants that is widely used as a pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic. In recent years, due to the harmful effects of fertilizers on the environment, their use has been criticized. Using bio and nano-fertilizer as an alternative source for conventional fertilizers leads to the gradual realization of fertilizer nutrients in the soil and in a controlled manner. The use of these fertilizers leads to increased nutrients, use efficiency, reduce the toxicity of the soil, and reduce the frequency of the application. The current study evaluates the effect of nano- fertilizers and organic fertilizers on morpho-physiological characteristics of peppermint based a completely randomized design. Experimental treatments were the foliar application of nano fertilizers (nitrogen, iron, and potassium) and normal vermiwash, enriched vermiwash, tea compost, and control.  The results showed that the effect of nano- fertilizers and bio-fertilizers on plant height, leaf area, leaf dry weight, total dry weight, photosynthetic pigments, proline, protein, and carbohydrate were significant. All treatments increased photosynthetic pigments, compared to control. The maximum amount of proline, total dry weight, and plant height was obtained using nano fertilizers of nitrogen whereas enriched vermiwash resulted in the highest protein and leaf area.

This study aimed to investigate the chemical compounds in the essential oil extracted from the flowering branch of Vitex agnus-castus L., grown in the Sistan region (Sistan and Baluchestan Province), and its antibacterial effects. Samples were hydrodistilled in a Clevenger–type apparatus and analyzed with gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In vitex essential oil, 30 bioactive compounds were identified. The most important compounds are 1,8-Cineole (39.16%), Sabinene (8.78%), β-Myrcene (6.44%), Sclareol (4.3%), and trans-Caryophyllene (3.17%). The composition of the essential oil of Vitex agnus-castus was described for the first time from Sistan region. Bacillus cereus (ATCC 11778) was the most sensitive strain against this essential oil, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ISIRI 275) was the most resistant strain. The monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes confer the chemical profile of the analyzed essential oil of vitex causing antibacterial effects. Further studies are required to explain the oil mechanism of action of this species involved in antimicrobial activities

Salinity is one of the most important abiotic stresses and variables restricting the successful production of plant products around the world, with negative consequences for plant development and other metabolic processes. The effect of nutrient management (control, 0.5 percent K2SO4, 0.5 percent ZnSO4, and 1.5 Mm salicylic acid) on physiological parameters, antioxidant activities, and grain yield responses of three barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars (Armaghan, Goharan, and Mehr) were examined under salinity stress (1 and 12 dS/m of salinty). Salinity stress considerably lowers growth, yield components, and grain yield, according to the findings. The number of grains per spike and 1000-grain weight of all cultivars tested increased after foliar application of salicylic acid. ZnSO4, K2SO4, and salicylic acid influenced grain and biological yields. At a salinity of 12 dS/m, foliar treatment of ZnSO4, K2SO4, and salicylic acid boosted peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, and catalase while decreasing hydrogen peroxidase and malondialdehyde. Under the influence of foliar application, the relative water content increased by 12 percent, while the leaf water potential dropped by 8 percent. Salicylic acid treatment had a stronger impact on Mehr cultivar yield and physiological parameters than ZnSO4 or K2SO4. These findings revealed that under the impact of salicylic acid, the Mehr cultivar was more appropriate than other cultivars.