The role of calcium in improving photosynthesis and related physiological and biochemical attributes of spring wheat subjected to simulated acid rain.

The response of photosynthesis parameters, catalase, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activity, malondialdehyde, proline, chlorophyll, yield and yield components to foliar application of calcium and simulated acid rain in wheat were investigated. Foliar treatment of calcium led to significant increases in the photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, proline, chlorophyll, yield and yield components in plants subjected to acid rain. Antioxidant enzyme activity and lipid peroxidation in the wheat leaves decreased because of calcium foliar application. Calcium hindered degradation of the rubisco subunits under acid rain treatment compared with water-treated plants. Results suggest that acid rain induces the production of free radicals resulting in lipid peroxidation of the cell membrane so that significant increase in antioxidant enzyme activity was observed. In addition, photosynthetic parameters i.e. photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate and stomatal conductance were drastically suppressed by acid rain. The cellular damage caused by free radicals might be reduced or prevented by a protective metabolism including antioxidative enzymes and calcium. We report that foliar application of calcium before acid rain may ameliorate the adverse effects of acid rain in wheat plants.

Study of water stress effects in different growth stages on yield and yield components of different rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars.

A field experiment was conducted during 2001-2003 to evaluate the effect of water stress on the yield and yield components of four rice cultivars commonly grown in Mazandaran province, Iran. In northern Iran irrigated lowland rice usually experiences water deficit during the growing season include of land preparation time, planting, tillering stage, flowering and grain filing period. Recently drought affected 20 of 28 provinces in Iran; with the southeastern, central and eastern parts of the country being most severely affected. The local and improved cultivars used were Tarom, Khazar, Fajr and Nemat. The different water stress conditions were water stress during vegetative, flowering and grain filling stages and well watered was the control. Water stress at vegetative stage significantly reduced plant height of all cultivars. Water stress at flowering stage had a greater grain yield reduction than water stress at other times. The reduction of grain yield largely resulted from the reduction in fertile panicle and filled grain percentage. Water deficit during vegetative, flowering and grain filling stages reduced mean grain yield by 21, 50 and 21% on average in comparison to control respectively. The yield advantage of two semidwarf varieties, Fajr and Nemat, were not maintained under drought stress. Total biomass, harvest index, plant height, filled grain, unfilled grain and 1000 grain weight were reduced under water stress in all cultivars. Water stress at vegetative stage effectively reduced total biomass due to decrease of photosynthesis rate and dry matter accumulation.

Different irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer treatments on some agro-physiologic traits in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.).

In order to investigate the effect of irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer on agronomical and physiological traits of two winter rapeseed varieties, an experiment was established in a randomized complete block design as split-plot factorial arrangement with four replications in 2005-2006 at Agricultural Research Station of Khorramabad, Iran. Irrigation as main-plot factor consisted of four levels (I60, I90, I120 and I150). Sub-plot factors included nitrogen in four levels (N0, N70, N140, and N210 kg N ha(-1)) and two varieties (Zarfam and SLM046). Thousand-seed weight (TSW) in all irrigation and nitrogen levels was lower in the 2006 than that of the 2005. Seed oil percentage (SOP) was decreased with increasing water use only in second year. As nitrogen rate increased, SOP decreased and seed oil yield (SOY) increased in the 2006 significantly (p < 0.05). With increasing water supply, SOY increased in first year. Zarfam variety had a higher TSW and SOP in both years. According to combined analysis results, seed and oil yield were not significantly affected by irrigation treatments and rapeseed varieties. Seed yield had not significant difference between 70 to 210 kg N ha(-1) treatments. Both Water Use Efficiency (WUE) and dry matter remobilization efficiency (DMRE) were increased by decreasing water supply in I90 to I150 treatments. But N0 and N210 resulted in the lowest WUE and DMRE, respectively. Considering all traits, the first year of experiment was better than second year. The irrigation x variety interaction had a significant (p < 0.01) effect on seed yield and WUE. Generally, I150N70V1 combination is recommended in the region of the study due to high performance in production of seed and oil yield.

Nodulation and root traits in four grasspea (Lathyrus sativus) ecotypes under root-zone temperatures.

In order to study the effect of four Root-Zone Temperatures (RZT) (5, 10, 15 and 25 degrees C) on nodulation and nitrogen percent of four grasspea ecotypes (ardabil, zanjan, mashhad and sharkord), an experiment was conducted in a controlled-environmental chamber in 2005. There were differences (p < 0.01) among ecotypes, RZT and ecotypes *RZT for root length, forage dry matter, root dry matter, nodule dry weight, nodule number, nodule cluster number, nodule cluster diameter, nodule diameter, nodule distribution (root length that has nodule) and plant nitrogen percent. Mashad and ardabil ecotypes produced the most and least nodule number at 25 and 5 degrees C, respectively. The maximum and minimum nodule cluster number were observed in ardabil ecotype under 25 and 5 degrees C RZT, respectively. Root distribution was the most and the least in mashhad and ardabil ecotypes under 25 and 5 degrees C RZT, respectively. Ardabil produced the highest dry nodule weight at 25 degrees C RZT. The least dry nodule weight was belonged to ardabil ecotype under 5 degrees C RZT. Plant nitrogen percent was the highest in ardabile ecotype at 15 degrees C RZT and the lowest in mashhad ecotype under 5 degrees C RZT. This experiment showed that at low RZT (i.e., 5 and 10 degrees C) none of ecotypes had preferred on other ecotypes in point of view measured traits except nodule diameter. Ardabile and mashhad ecotypes were better than other ecotypes at 15 and 25 degrees C RZT respectively for most traits.

Germination and seedling growth in grasspea (Lathyrus sativus) cultivars under salinity conditions.

In four grasspea varieties include ardabil, sharekord, mashhad and zanjan, the effects of different salinity concentrations on seed germination percent, proline concentration, malondialdehyde (MDA), germination index, radicle and hypocotyl length and weight were studied. Result showed that salinity had significant effects on seed germination percentage and germination index. The most and least of germination percentage were observed in 6 and 18 dS m(-1), respectively. Salinity had significantly effect on radicle and hypocotyl length, dry and fresh weight, MDA and proline concentration of seedlings. Salinity had not effect on dry weight of seedling. Increasing salinity reduced radicle and hypocotyl length, dry and fresh weight of seedlings and enhanced proline and malondialdehyde in them. Sharkord cultivar had the most germination percentage at 18 dS m(-1) sodium chloride. Sharkord and ardabil varieties were the most tolerance and sensitive varieties to salinity stress, respectively.

Effect of auxin and salt stress (NaCl) on seed germination of wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.).

Seeds of three wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars included Mahdavi, Pishtaz and Shiraz, were used to investigate the effects of different salinity and auxin concentrations on their germination percent, radicle and hypocotyl length, seedling fresh and dry weight, radicle and hypocotyl dry weight. Results showed that increasing concentrations of NaCl reduced germination percentage, radicle length, hypocotyl length, seedling fresh and dry weight and hypocotyl dry weight. Hypocotyl dry weight increased in seeds only at -0.6 MPa. Auxin increased hypocotyl length, seedling fresh and dry weight and hypocotyl dry weight, but did not influence on seed germination percentage and radicle length. Pishtaz cultivar showed high seed germination percentage, radicle length and hypocotyl length in comparison to other cultivars while Shiraz cultivar had high radicle dry weights and Mahdavi cultivar produced high seedling fresh and dry weights.