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Among the wild relatives of wheat, Triticum urartu Tumanian ex Gandilyan is of interest to wheat breeders. Numerous works have focussed on its utilization for enrichment of the genetic variation of cultivated genotypes. In the present study, the genetic diversity and population structure in 85 accessions of T. urartu were investigated using start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphism and CAAT-box derived polymorphism (CBDP) markers. Nineteen SCoT primers and fifteen CBDP primers amplified 185 and 141 polymorphic fragments with an average of 9.74 and 9.40 fragments per primer, respectively. The polymorphic information content (PIC) for the SCoT and CBDP primers ranged from 0.41 to 0.50 and 0.40 to 0.49, with the resolving power (Rp) ranging from 21.61 to 3.97 and 13.08 to 28.02, respectively. Neighbour-joining (NJ) based clustering grouped 72 accessions into two main clusters based on the two sets of markers and the combined data. Genetic relationships inferred from STRUCTURE analysis was matched with cluster analysis and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), indicating that the accessions were grouped into two major clades and the grouping patterns were not correlated with the geographic origins. The results from this study revealed that Iranian T. urartu, especially Kerend-e-Gharb and Sisakht-Pataveh populations, can be interesting for wheat improvement. Hence, conservation of this region is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of two irrigation regimes (well-watered versus water limited conditions) on yield and grain composition of 24 safflower genotypes was compared in a two-year field trial arranged as a split plot design. Safflower genotypes at limited irrigation had higher total chlorophyll and proline levels compared with well-watered irrigations. In term of total chlorophyll content, safflower genotypes G17 (1.4 mg g-1 FW), G24 (1.37 mg g-1 FW) and G7 (1.36 mg g-1 FW) were statistically higher relative to other genotypes under well water conditions. In contrast, under limited irrigation conditions, G15 (1.76 mg g-1 FW) had the highest total chlorophyll suggestive of differential response among genotypes. The highest plant height and leaf dry weight were detected in G3 (84.4 cm and 13.3 g plant-1, respectively) under limited irrigation. Difference in number of heads plant-1 under well-watered (29.5 plant-1) was observed compared to limited irrigation (20.5 plant-1) among genotypes. Under well-watered (49.8 g) and limited irrigation (44.1), G2 and G9 showed the highest 1000 seed weight, respectively. Among accessions, G24 yielded more seed compared to other genotypes under well-watered (2342 kg ha-1) and limited irrigation (1137 kg ha-1) posing it as potential line for further breeding. With regards to seed oil yield, G23 was the highest under well-watered (735 kg ha-1) and water limited conditions (356 kg ha-1), with water limited conditions found to reduce seed oil content by ca. 1.5% among lines. Under both well-watered and water limited conditions, highest biological yield (14003 and 11238 kg ha-1, respectively) and lowest harvest index (6.9% and 6.1%) were detected in G3 genotype. Based on this experiment, it is could be concluded that under well and limited irrigation, high seed yield and oil yield was achieved in G23, while seed oil concentration did not change remarkably by stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Nowadays, in the industrial areas, there is a problem of simultaneous contamination of soil with heavy metals and lack of organic matter that can impede the growth of plants. Thus, this study was done to investigate the effect of organic amendments on decreases plant abiotic stress in a soil cocontaminated with lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) under ornamental sunflower cultivation. Materials and Methods: Treatments consisted of applying vermicompost (0, 15, and 30 t/ha) and soil polluted with Cd (0, 5, 10, and 15 mg/kg soil) and Pb (0, 400, and 600 mg/kg soil), and the plant used in this experiment was ornamental sunflower. After 8 weeks of the experiment, plants were harvested, and soil and plant Zn and Fe were measured using the atomic absorption spectroscopy. In addition, the ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and peroxidase (POX) of the plant were measured. Results: The application of 15 and 30 t/ha vermicompost significantly depressed the APX and POX activity by 12.1% and 14.6%, respectively. While the plant Fe and Zn concentration was significantly increased by 11.1% and 13.6%, respectively. Increasing soil pollution to Cd to 15 mg/kg soil significantly increased the APX and POX enzyme activities of the sunflower by 14.6% and 13.3%, respectively. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the interaction effect of Fe and Zn with heavy metal can help to decrease the plant abiotic stress that is a positive point in the environmental research. However, the role of organic amendments in decreasing heavy metals availability cannot be ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]