Search

Drought is a major abiotic stress affecting plant growth and productivity worldwide. Henna (Lawsonia inermis L.) is an economically important plant species that is widely cultivated due to its natural dye properties and medicinal uses, and it is highly susceptible to drought stress, which limits its growth and development. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of foliar spraying of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on the yield of henna ecotypes (Lawsonia inermis L.) under drought stress conditions in Shahdad-Iran. The experiment was conducted in the form of a split factorial design based on randomized complete block design (RCBD) in three replications. Three ecotypes of henna (Rudbar-e-Jonub, Shahdad, and Bam) were used as plant material. The findings showed that with the onset of drought, photosynthetic pigments, growth indices, net photosynthesis, and yield of dry matter of henna plant leaves decrease. However, when SNP spray treatment was applied, it significantly improved things like leaf area index, crop growth rate, net photosynthesis and leaf dry matter yield, especially when drought levels were at 25 and 50%. The natural water content of Shahdad genotype in henna plants showed the highest percentage increase in these measurements compared with other henna plant species. It can be concluded that SNP spray can increase the yield of henna plant under drought stress conditions.

Rationale: Rabies is a zoonotic disease with a high mortality, primarily transmitted through the bite of infected mammals, particularly dogs and cats. Despite being a well-known disease since ancient times, it continues to cause a significant number of human deaths worldwide, with approximately 65 000 fatalities reported annually. Patient concerns: We present two fatal cases of rabies in a 12-year- old immigrant boy and a 7-year-old boy. The first case was subject to a 24-hour delay in receiving appropriate medical attention and rabies preventive measures due to the lack of awareness among emergency hospital staff, leading to the administration of wound dressing only. The second case received timely rabies immunoglobulin administration; however, there was a 4-day delay in administering the fourth dose of the rabies vaccine, despite presenting evident symptoms of rabies. Diagnosis: Postmortem examination of brain samples from both patients confirmed the presence of rabies virus. Interventions: Post-exposure prophylaxis for rabies. Outcomes: Both patients were admitted to the hospital after the manifestation of rabies-related symptoms, with the 12-year-old child seeking medical care 47 days after the animal bite and the 7-year-old child seeking medical care 58 days after the exposure. Finally, the first patient died after 27 days and the second patient died after 40 days of hospitalization. Lessons: There is an urgent need for heightened awareness and education among both healthcare professionals and the public regarding the urgency of seeking immediate medical attention after potential rabies exposure. Timely recognition and initiation of post-exposure prophylaxis are pivotal in preventing the progression of the disease. Strengthening surveillance and reporting systems, coupled with continuous training for healthcare professionals, can contribute to early detection and management of rabies cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic disease that presents a broad spectrum of clinical features. Treatment of CL is problematic. We aimed to compare the field therapeutic efficacy of topical nanoliposomes containing 0.4% amphotericin B (Nano Lip-AmB) alone and in combination with cryotherapy and/or Glucantime® on human CL in the endemic areas of Iran. Methods: This retrospective study was performed based on the results of using Nano Lip-AmB alone or with Glucantime® and/or cryotherapy in the treatment of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) in patients referred to health centers of Isfahan, Golestan and Ilam Provinces of Iran as endemic foci of ZCL caused by Leishmania major besides Mashhad and Bam cities as endemic foci of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) caused by with L. tropica. Results: Two hundred and seventy-eight patients with CL were included in the current study. All of the patients (100%) who received Nano Lip-AmB alone or in combination with Glucantime® and/or cryotherapy based on guideline of Iranian national committee for the treatment of CL. Two patients with 7 skin lesions, who was resident in ACL endemic area and received Nano Lip-AmB plus Glucantime® and another patient was a resident of ZCL endemic area and received Nano Lip-AmB plus cryotherapy showed clinical relapses after treatment. Conclusion: Sina Ampholeish® in combination with other standard protocols of treatment of CL is well tolerated and with acceptable clinical efficacy rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The lack of an integrated national system prevents the Islamic Republic of Iran from registering and reporting all cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Aim: To establish a laboratory network for the improvement of diagnosis and surveillance of cutaneous leishmaniasis in endemic areas of the Islamic Republic of Iran using parasitological and molecular methods. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional, pilot study examined 49 laboratories in the 2 endemic areas for cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Samples were taken for identification of the dominant Leishmania species from individuals with cutaneous leishmaniasis referred to the laboratories and had not travelled to other endemic regions. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 25.0. Using the primary healthcare laboratory network, we established a 3-level surveillance system. We compared misdiagnosis, new cases, clinical relapses, treatment resistance, and treatment failure before and after establishment of the network. Results: Network implementation reduced relapse of cutaneous leishmaniasis. After the laboratory training, the average misdiagnosis rate decreased from 49.3% to 4.2% for positive microscopic slides and from 31.6% to 12% for negative slides. Correct diagnosis was significantly higher in the study areas after the intervention. Conclusion: Implementation of a cutaneous leishmaniasis laboratory network can enhance diagnosis, unify diagnostic methods and improve patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The guar, known as Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L., is an annual, summer plant of the legume family and importance of guar as a food, industrial and medicinal product is new in the cultivation pattern. Methods: This combined experiment was conducted as factorial based on a randomized complete block design with three replications during two consecutive years (2020-2021) under the climatic conditions of Jiroft area (Kerman province, Iran) in the farm of research center and agricultural and natural resources education. Three levels of Nitrogen (20, 60 and 100 kg pure nitrogen per hectare) from a source of urea and phosphorus fertilizer at two levels (zero and 75 kg P2O5 source per hectare) and a source of monopotassium phosphate fertilizer and three levels of planting row spacing (30, 45 and 60 cm) equivalent to 47, 31 and 24 plants per square meter, plant density was taken into account. Result: The highest chlorophyll a (2.69 mg/fresh weight), chlorophyll b (1.97 mg/fresh weight) and carotenoid (2.64 mg/fresh weight) was measured for guar in treatment N3P2D3 under application nitrogen 100 kg/ha-1 + phosphorus 75 kg/ha-1 + planting row distance 60 cm, while the lowest chlorophyll a (1.85 mg/fresh weight), chlorophyll b (1.25 mg/fresh weight) and carotenoid (1.72 mg/fresh weight)was observed in treatment N1P1D1 under nitrogen 20 kg/ha-1 + phosphorus zero kg/ha-1 + planting row distance 30 cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nanofertilizers are a new product containing nutrients available in Nano form scale and are mainly preferred due to their effectiveness. Methods: This research was conducted to assess a three-replicate randomized complete block design (RCBD) factorial experiment in Roudbar area (Kerman province, Iran) in 2018 and 2019 to investigate the effects of Nano iron and zinc chelates on Nano iron and zinc chelates on agronomic and qualitative traits of cowpea in cover crops was investigated. Treatments included the first factor, the cropping system at five levels of cowpea and maize cropping pattern (PC: pure Cultivation, IC1: 75% maize+ 25% cowpea, IC2: 50% maize+ 50% cowpea, IC3: 25% maize+75% cowpea) and the second factor, four levels of nano-chelate (nano iron chelate, nano zinc chelate and nano iron chelate + nano zinc chelate) and control treatments. Result: The highest protein of seed (28.6%), grain yield (2813 kg/ha) and harvest index (44.4%) was measured for cowpea in treatment IC3 under Zn application alone, while the lowest protein of seed (16.9%) and grain yield (1618 kg/ha) was observed in treatment CPC and harvest index (36%) in treatment IC2 under control. The highest Protein of seed (22.2%) in treatment IC1 under Zn application, grain yield (12050 kg/ha) in treatment MPC under Fe application and Harvest index (54.8%) was measured for maize in treatment MPC under Fe application, while the lowest protein of seed (7.4%) and grain yield (9980 kg/ha) was observed in treatment MPC control and harvest index (36.5%) in treatment IC1 under control for maize. Simultaneously applying nano iron and zinc chelates increased all the quantitative and qualitative traits measured in both crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The increasing trend in animal bites and rabies in recent years makes the disease a public health concern in Iran. The objectives of the current study were to investigate the epidemiologic aspects of the animal bite and determine the associated risk factors of the delay in initiation of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) against rabies in Iran. Study Design: National registry-based cross-sectional study. Methods: This study included all registered cases of animal bites between March 2021 and March 2022 at the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in Iran. We retrieved epidemiologic data on person, time, place, and PEP outcome. Results: A total of 260 470 ani mal bite cases (approximately 334 per 100 000 populations, and 11 deaths) were registered during the study period. About 77.2% of them were reported in males, 4.3% in children aged less than 5 years, 56.4% occurred in urban areas, 98% in domestic animals, and mostly in north and northeast areas of Iran. Additionally, 2.8% of cases had a delay of more than 48 hours in the initiation of PEP. Significant determinants of the increase in delay were female gender (OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.36, 1.51, P < 0.001), foreign nationality (OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.12, P = 0.001), rural residence (OR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.12, P = 0.010), and the wild animals (OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.34, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The observed frequency of animal bites in a year indicates a serious public health concern and the need for targeted interventions, especially in at-risk areas and vulnerable populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) is an important vector-borne disease with an incidence of 15.8 cases per 100,000 people in Iran in 2019. Despite all efforts to control the disease, ZCL has expanded into new areas during the last decades. The aim of this study was to predict the best ecological niches for both vectors and reservoirs of ZCL under climate change scenarios in Iran. Several online scientific databases were searched. In this study, various scientific sources (Google Scholar, PubMed, SID, Ovid Medline, Web of Science, Irandoc, Magiran) were searched. The inclusion criteria for this study included all records with spatial information about vectors and reservoirs of ZCL which were published between 1980 and 2019. The bioclimatic data were downloaded from online databases. MaxEnt model was used to predict the ecological niches for each species under two climate change scenarios in two periods: the 2030s and 2050s. The results obtained from the model were analysed in ArcMap to find the vulnerability of different provinces for the establishment of ZCL foci. The area under the curve (AUC) for all models was >0.8, which suggests the models are able to make an accurate prediction. The distribution of all studied species in different climatic conditions showed changes. The variables affecting each of the studied species are introduced in the article. The predicted maps show that by 2050 there will be more suitable areas for the co-occurrence of vector and reservoir(s) of ZCL in Iran compared to the current climate condition and RCP2.6 scenario. An area in the northwest of Iran is predicted to have suitable environmental conditions for both vectors and reservoirs of ZCL, although the disease has not yet been reported in this area. These areas should be considered for field studies to confirm these results and to prevent the establishment of new ZCL foci in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negligible data are available following major social activities and environmental changes on leishmaniasis. Therefore, how interactions between these events influence cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) risk is not well-known. This longitudinal study was undertaken to explore the impact of interventions conducted between 1971 and 2020 in Bam county, which has had the highest disease burden in Iran. Only confirmed CL cases during this period were taken into account. Data were analyzed by SPSS 22 using the X2 test to assess the significance of the difference between proportions. Moreover, we used interrupted time series (ITS) to assess the impact of three environmental events during this period. Overall, 40,164 cases of CL occurred in the past five decades. Multiple complex factors were among the leading causes that synergistically induced the emergence/re-emergence of CL outbreaks in Bam. The main factors attributed negatively to CL control were cessation of malaria spraying activity, expansion of the city spaces, and a massive earthquake creating new breeding potentials for the vectors. The highest impact on CL incidence during these years was related to the earthquake [coefficient = 17.8 (95% CI: 11.3, 22.7); p-value < 0.001]. Many factors can contribute to CL outbreaks in endemic foci. They also can cause new foci in new areas. Since humans are the single reservoir for CL in this area, early detection and effective management significantly contribute to controlling CL to reduce the disease burden. However, essential evidence gaps remain, and new tools are crucial before the disease can ultimately be controlled. Nevertheless, sustained funding and more trained task forces are essential to strengthen surveillance and case management and monitor the interventions' impact. Author summary: We aimed to conduct this longitudinal observation to assess the impact of interventions applied between 1971 and 2020 in Bam county, Iran's highest anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis burden. Only confirmed CL cases were taken into account. Overall, 40,164 cases of CL occurred in the past five decades. Multiple complex factors were among the leading causes that synergistically induced the emergence/re-emergence of CL outbreaks in Bam. The main factors attributed negatively to CL control were cessation of malaria spraying activity, expansion of the city spaces, and a massive earthquake creating new breeding potentials for the vectors. Since humans are the single reservoir host for CL in this area, early detection and effective management significantly contribute to controlling CL to reduce the disease burden. However, continuous funding and more trained forces are critical to strengthening surveillance and case management and monitoring the interventions' impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water shortage is a critical problem touching plant growth and yield in arid and semi-arid areas such as Iran. Plant hormones such as jasmonic acid (JA) play a crucial role in altering plant morphology in response to stress. To investigate the effect of JA and drought stress on grain yield and some physiological and biochemical characteristics of quinoa cultivars, a split-plot factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted at Kerman Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center over two crop years (2018-2019). In this experiment, drought stress as the main factor in two levels including non-stress and stress based on 60% and 90% soil available moisture depletion and JA foliar application (0, 1 and 2 mg L-1) and cultivars (Giza1, Titicaca, Q29) respectively, as factorial were sub factor. The maximum grain yield (3775 kg ha-1) was obtained in Giza1 cultivar under non-stress condition and 1 mg L-1 JA foliar application. The greatest grain protein and total chlorophyll content were obtained in Titicaca cultivar under non-stress and 1 mg L-1 JA foliar application by 18.17% and 1.83 mg g-1 fresh leaf weight, respectively. In the opposite trend, the maximum amount of malondialdehyde was observed under drought stress and non-use of JA. In general, given the results of this study, it can be stated that JA caused an increase in grain yield in quinoa cultivars by reducing the harmful effects of drought stress and improving plant growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis is an ancient endemic disease in Iran and continues to be a growing health threat to community development and the environment. This paper explains how to use the facilities of health centers for developing a laboratory network on vectors and reservoir hosts of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran. Methods: A literature search was performed of the relevant multiple databases to include studies on vectors and reservoirs of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran. A team of experienced experts was performed. After holding several meetings, field visits and organizing workshops, the activities of laboratories were determined at three levels. Results: Entomological studies showed that 5 species of the genus Phlebotomus and 10 species of the genus Sergentomyia are active in the south, 4 species of the genus Phlebotomus and one species of the genus Sergentomyia in the central part and 5 species of the genus Phlebotomus and 2 species of the genus Sergentomyia in the north east. Reservoir hosts were identified in the study areas. The tasks of laboratories were regulated at different levels. Conclusion: The Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education should prioritize the employment of capable persons in the field of Medical Entomology and Vector Control. The survival of this laboratory network depends on hiring and employing interested and persistent people. The universities of Medical Sciences that have the facilities to set up this network will be a very effective partner in the control of the disease in high risk areas. The results can be used in neighboring countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a neglected and parasitic vector borne diseases that is endemic in tropical and subtropical countries, including Iran. The aim of this study was to explain the present status of CL in Iran. This report is based on data that recorded by cutaneous leishmaniasis surveillance system in 2019, and evaluated in Center for Communicable Diseases Management in Ministry of Health in Iran. Iran has been considered an endemic area for cutaneous leishmaniasis in the world. Dependent to activities for cutaneous leishmaniasis control the number of cases decreased from 23202 in 2008 (Incidence rate 32 per 100000) to 13124 in 2019 (Incidence rate 15.8 per 100000), more cases reported from September to December, in 2019, 46% of cases had one lesion and 21% had 2 lesions, 85% of cases diagnosed when the diameter of lesions had 3 centimeters and bellows. Although the Leishmania control program began in 1977, the incidence of the disease has dropped dramatically since 2008 when the new cutaneous leishmaniasis control program have been implemented. Although in some areas the incidence of the disease increased, but the implementation of the new program has reduced the number of cases, in order to continue reducing the disease, permanent support for the control programs is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rabies is one of the oldest zoonosis viral diseases, which still remains as one of the most important threats to public health in the 21st century. Methods: This cross-sectional study examined epidemiologic features of all 33,996 cases of persons bitten by animals and referred to the rabies prophylaxis centers in Golestan province between March 2017 and March 2020. Factors included demographic information of the victim (age, gender, and occupation), type of invasive animals (dog, cat, and other types), time of bite (year, month, and hour), place of residence (urban or rural), and injury and treatment statuses. We also obtained national and provincial animal bite incidence data for all of Iran and for Golestan province for the longer interval 2013–2020 to examine broader time trends. We used SPSS version 19, QGIS version 3.1, and Excel 2013 to generate frequency distributions and descriptive statistics. Results: The incidence rates of animal bites in Golestan province and Iran as a whole both increased smoothly. The latest incidence rate of animal bites in Golestan was 652 per 100,000 people, almost three times the overall national figure for 2020. Most cases of animal bites (67.6%) occurred in rural areas, and 36% of the victims aged under 19 years old. Dog and cat bites accounted for the great majority of cases (89% and 8%, respectively). The highest rate of animal bites was reported in the spring (30.8%). The lower limb was the most commonly bitten area in these individuals (64.6%). Of note, 87% of the cases received incomplete prophylactic post-exposure treatment, and 18% received immunoglobulin. Conclusion: The increasing rates of animal bites in the study area as well as the higher rate compared to the national average indicates the need for further review of animal bite control programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we derive optimal uniform error bounds for moving least‐squares (MLS) mesh‐free point collocation (also called finite point method) when applied to solve second‐order elliptic partial integro‐differential equations (PIDEs). In the special case of elliptic partial differential equations (PDEs), we show that our estimate improves the results of Cheng and Cheng (Appl. Numer. Math. 58 (2008), no. 6, 884–898) both in terms of the used error norm (here the uniform norm and there the discrete vector norm) and the obtained order of convergence. We then present optimal convergence rate estimates for second‐order elliptic PIDEs. We proceed by some numerical experiments dealing with elliptic PDEs that confirm the obtained theoretical results. The article concludes with numerical approximation of the linear parabolic PIDE arising from European option pricing problem under Merton's and Kou's jump‐diffusion models. The presented computational results (including the computation of option Greeks) and comparisons with other competing approaches suggest that the MLS collocation scheme is an efficient and reliable numerical method to solve elliptic and parabolic PIDEs arising from applied areas such as financial engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a factorial experiment was arranged as a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was conducted in 2018 and 2019 in southeastern Iran to investigate the effect of nano iron and zinc chelates on agronomic and quality traits of cowpea in intercropping with maize. Treatments included the first factor, cropping system at five levels of cowpea and maize cropping pattern (100% cowpea, 75% cowpea+ 25% maize, 50% cowpea + 50% maize, 25% cowpea + 75% maize, and 100% maize), and the second factor, four levels of nano-chelate (nano iron chelate, nano zinc chelate, and nano iron chelate + nano zinc chelate), and control treatments. The results indicated that intercropping of 75% cowpea + 25% maize increased the grain yield (2560 kg/ha), and harvest index (HI) (43%) of cowpea. Protein content (24.3%) and 100-seed weight (21.0 g) were the highest in intercropping of 50% cowpea + 50% maize. However, the highest biomass (13724 kg/ha) was measured in the sole cropping of cowpea. Simultaneous application of nano iron and zinc chelates increased all the quantitative and qualitative traits measured in cowpea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is an emergent public health concern, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. Reports of pregnancy complications are scarce; however, as the endemic range of CL expands in Iran, there is concern of possible detrimental effects on fetal development amongst infected mothers through placental transmission of the parasite or enhanced maternal immune responses. We herein describe the first known case of persistent anthroponotic CL, plausibly responsible for pregnancy complications, preterm birth, and neonatal death in a healthy Iranian primigravida woman. Diagnosis was based on physical examinations of the lesions on the back of both calves of the patient and laboratory analyses including direct smear, culture, and PCR. During active CL infection, the patient gave birth to a premature female neonate who passed three days post-delivery due to immature lung development and subsequent respiratory distress syndrome. This report highlights the challenges associated with CL infection during pregnancy, exacerbation of lesions, and subsequent complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Brucellosis is a common zoonotic infection worldwide. Transmission can be occasionally observed via transfusion or transplantation. This study was designed to survey the seroprevalence of anti-Brucella antibody in blood donors in different endemic provinces. Materials and Methods: A total of 14,706 blood donors from the 5 most prevalent provinces were studied by standard tube agglutination (STA) and any positive subjects were further confirmed by 2-mercaptoethanol agglutination test (2-ME). Significant titres were 80 for STA and 40 for 2-ME. Result: A total of 63 (0.43%) serum samples were STA-positive. Of these, the 2-ME test was reactive in 42 samples. The 2-ME test was reactive in 31 samples with a low titre. However, concomitant STA ≥80 and the titre of ≥40 for the 2-ME test were found in 11 subjects (0.075%), mostly resident in urban areas. Exposure to manure products was identified as a significant risk factor (p = 0.0128). Conclusion: The observed data show a somewhat noticeable prevalence among Iranian blood donors, bringing attention to the importance of pre-donation screening via a questionnaire which supplies answers about occupational history, and any history of exposure or past infections. Further studies to evaluate the frequency and related risk factors in certain populations, in conjunction with implementing stricter regulations in blood donor selection in endemic areas, may be necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a dermal and parasitic disease.. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of environmental and climate factors on spatial distribution of CL in northeastern Iran by utilizing remote sensing from 20 March 2016 to 19 March 2017. Methods: In this ecological study, the data were divided into two parts: The descriptive data on human CL cases were gathered from Communicable Diseases center of Iran. The remote sensing techniques and satellite imagery data (TRMM, MODIS-Aqua, MODIS-Terra and AMSR-2 with spatial resolution 0.25°, 0.05°, 5600m and 10km) of environmental and climate factors were used to determine the spatial pattern changes of cutaneous leishmaniasis incidence. Results: The incidence of CL in North Khorasan, Razavi Khorasan, and South Khorasan was 35.80 per 100,000 people (309/863092), 34.14 per 100,000 people (2197/6,434,501) and 7.67 per 100,000 people (59/768,898), respectively. The incidence of CL had the highest correlation with soil moisture and evapotranspiration. Moreover, the incidence of disease was significantly correlated with Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and air humidity while it had the lowest correlation with rainfall. Furthermore, the CL incidence had an indirect correlation relation with the air temperature meaning that with an increase in the temperature, the incidence of disease decreased. Conclusion: As such, the incidence of disease was also higher in the northern regions; most areas of North Khorasan and northern regions of Razavi Khorasan; where the rainfall, vegetation, specific humidity, evapotranspiration, and soil moisture was higher than the southern areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the effects of plant growth regulators (PGRs) and mulch on some traits of onion under water deficit stress, a split-factorial experiment based on Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications was conducted in Iran in 2016 and 2017. The main plot consisted of water deficit stress treatment at three levels (100%, 80% and 60% of water requirement), and sub-plots consisted of a dark nylon mulch application and an unmulched control, and PGRs six levels (zero, salicylic acid 0.5 mM, methyl jasmonate 5 and 7.5 mM, and 24-epibrasinolide 0.5 and 1 mM, respectively). Final yield under water deficit stress (60% water requirement) decreased by 30% compared to control (100% water requirement). On the other hand, the use of plastic mulch increased the yield by 29%. Interaction of water deficit stress and PGRs on leaf number, fresh and dry weight of plant, plant height, bulb length and diameter, early yield and final bulb yield were significant and the effect of regulators was mainly effective in severe water deficit conditions. The highest crop yield of 52.55 ton per hectare was obtained from 1 micromolar brassinolide treatment under non-stress conditions which had a 9% increase compared to control under non-stress conditions and 28% increase compared to control under severe water deficit stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]