Crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) is a novel halophyte crop for sustainable agriculture in Northern Kazakhstan. This study investigated the effect of molybdenum (Mo) as molybdate (Na2MoO4·2H2O) and its chemical antagonist tungsten (W) as tungstate (Na2WO4·2H2O) on plant response to salinity treatment. The results showed that the treatment of A. cristatum with Mo significantly improved plant health, as opposed to the W application, which negatively correlated with root and shoot development. Indeed, Mo prevented oxidative damage to plant tissues subjected to salinity stress through increased activities of the three Mo-containing enzymes, nitrate reductase, aldehyde oxidase and xanthine dehydrogenase. Contrarily, treatment with tungsten negatively affected these enzymes’ activities, resulting in increased sensitivity to salt stress. Hence, our results suggested that the Mo-treatment might play an important role in the process of halophyte plant A. cristatum adaptation to salt stress.

Molybdenum application enhances adaptation of crested wheatgrass to salinity stress

To study the effects of chilling on dormancy breaking and the increased germination characteristics of Nepeta (germination percent and speed, seedling length, vigor index, wet and dry weight), a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with 4 replications was implemented in a laboratory in 2014. Factor A was the chilling treatment in three levels (control, one-month and two-month pre-chilling of wet seeds at 4°C) and factor B was related to the seeds of 10 different species of genus Nepeta. After chilling, seeds of control were placed in a germinator for 15 days at 20°C and light-to-dark cycle of 16 hours light (1000 lux) to 8 hours dark. The results showed that chilling treatments had significant effects (p<0.01) on germination percent, germination speed, vigor index and fresh weight, but they had no effects on the seedling length. The chilling effects on germination percent showed that one-month chilling had a positive effect on N. haussknechtii with 40% and N. menthoides with 36.5% and two-month chilling had a positive effect on N. haussknechtii with 43%. The two-month chilling effect on germination speed was positive for most species. Generally, one-month chilling had positive effects on the increased seed vigor index of N. betonicifolia, N. haussknechtii  and N. menthoidesand by 20.48%, 25.33% and 17.99%, respectively as compared to that of control treatment and two-month chilling had positive effects on the increased fresh weight of N. cataria, N. haussknechtii , N. pungens, N. menthoides andN. crassifolia.

http://www.rangeland.ir/article_516674_33deca6cb7240ed92b421b92f8473e56.pdf

Investigation of Chilling Effects on Characteristics of Seed Germination, Vigor and Seedling Growth of Nepeta spp. Species

Population growth and the consequent pressure on land resources and frequent crop failures have led to greater land use as well as intercropping systems. In order to investigate the changes of ash percentage, important elements and solar radiation absorption of three cultivars of berseem clover as cover crops intercropped with forage corn in different levels of nitrogen starter fertilizer, an experiment was conducted in 2010, at Research Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Islamic Azad University, Khorasgan Branch (Isfahan). A factorial layout within randomized complete block design with 3 replications was used. Cultivars were Karaj, Sacromont and Multicut, and nitrogen levels included 0, 40 and 60 kg/ha. The nitrogen fertilizer was provided from urea source (46% pure N). Cultivar had significant effect on ash percentage and solar radiation absorption. The effect of nitrogen also was significant on ash percentage, Fe content, Mn content and solar radiation absorption. Ash percentage, Fe content, solar radiation absorption and light transmission were significantly influenced by interaction between cultivar and nitrogen. The highest ash percentage, Fe and Zn content were related to Sacromont. The maximum Mn content, Cu content and light transmission were obtained by Multicut. The maximum solar radiation absorption was related to Karaj. The nutritive value of berseem clover was influenced by changes in different levels of nitrogen starter fertilizer. The highest ash percentage, Mn content, Cu content and light transmission was obtained by application of 40 kg N/ha. The maximum Zn content was related to application of 60 kg N/ha. Control treatment had the maximum Fe content and solar radiation absorption.

The effects of nitrogen as starter fertilizer on ash percentage, important elements and solar radiation absorption of berseem clover cultivars intercropped by corn

Yield, Quality, and Other Characteristics of Selected Lines of Crested Wheatgrass

Poa genus has a high value for grazing and forage conservation concerning thelivestock. In order to study the impacts of cold temperature and Growing Degree Days(GDD) on seedling morphological trait and phonological development of two speciesinvolving Poa pratensis and Poa trivialis, this research was conducted in laboratory andgreenhouse and outdoor of Research Institute of Forest and Rangeland in Tehran, Iran. Theseed samples were moist chilled at 4 °C for two weeks as compared to the control treatment.Samples of both treatments (chilling and control) were transferred into a germinator at20±4°C for 15 days. All the pots were placed in a normal glasshouse at 20±10°C for onemonth. The 30th day age pots have been transferred into the cold rooms at 4°C for two weeks incomparison with control treatment. The seedling vegetative traits were measured same as thelaboratory. For outdoor experiment, half of pots of greenhouse were transferred outdooruntil their flowering and growth stages and GDD were recorded. In the flowering stage,morphological characteristics including stem number, stem length, peduncle length,panicle length, plants‟ fresh and dry weight of each ecotype were recorded. The collecteddata of each experiment were separately analyzed using factorial experiment based oncompletely randomized design. The results of laboratory experiment showed thesignificant effects of chilling (4 °C) treatment on germination percent, speed of germinationin both species and vigor index for P. pratensis. Regarding P. pratensis in vegetative stage,the mean values of all of traits were higher in control treatment than those of coldtreatment. Similarly, in outdoor experiment, the mean values of reproductive traits in thecontrol treatment were higher than those for cold treatment concerning both species. P.pratensis had higher mean values for all of reproductive traits as compared to P. trivialis.Results also showed that GDD of plants which were subjected to cold treatment werelower than those for control treatment for both vegetative and flowering stages. It has beenconcluded that cold treatment reduced flowering dates in reproductive stage.

http://www.rangeland.ir/article_512987_086c525b7b5758da70742c7946734c83.pdf

Studying the Impacts of Cold Temperature on Morphological and Phonological Development of Poa pratensis and Poa trivialis Regarding GDD

Seed and hay production in 18 ecotypes of crested wheatgrass agropyron cristatum in cold-temperate territory of northern lorestan

The effect of cold treatment on germination characteristics and vegetative traits in five ecotypes of Dactylis glomerata in germinator and greenhouse.

Forage production in 7 ecotypes of red clover (Trifolium pratense) in pure stands and in mix cropping with tall fescue in northern Alborz mountains, rangelands.

Jafari Ali Ashraf

Papers

Seed and hay production in 18 ecotypes of crested wheatgrass agropyron cristatum in cold-temperate territory of northern lorestan

The effect of cold treatment on germination characteristics and vegetative traits in five ecotypes of Dactylis glomerata in germinator and greenhouse.

Forage production in 7 ecotypes of red clover (Trifolium pratense) in pure stands and in mix cropping with tall fescue in northern Alborz mountains, rangelands.