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Yield quality and quantity in hydroponic greenhouses usually rely on optimum crop root health and effective nutrient mobility. This study evaluated the effects of applying arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and biochar on different growth characteristics of commercial rose cultivars in a hydroponic cultivation system. In this experiment, Rosa hybrida cultivars were 'Angelina' and 'Dolce Vita'. Treatments included concentrations of 0, 1.5, 3 and 6 g L-1 biochar, and 0 and 7 g L-1 of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as organic biofertilizers for the growth of rose plants. Biofertilizer application at 3 g L-1 biochar and 7 g L-1 arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi optimally increased flowering shoot diameter, flower diameter, flowering shoot length, and leaf phosphorus content. The 'Dolce Vita' cultivar responded more favorably to higher concentrations of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and biochar than the 'Angelina' cultivar in the hydroponic culture medium. Stem diameter, stem length, and flower diameter in both cultivars improved in response to higher biochar concentrations. The increased flowering shoot length resulted from root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and an enhanced nutrient uptake, especially phosphorus. A higher nutrient supply increased cell division and shoot growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, because of the slow growth and conventional propagation methods are not sufficient to meet the marketable needs of Sansevieria trifasciata, it is possible to use rooting stimulators for propagation. This study investigated the effects of IBA concentrations and culture media on some morpho-physiological parameters in Sansevieria trifasciata. Treatments included cultivar (black gold and compact), IBA (0, 100 and 200 mg.l-1), and culture medium (perlite and sand). Morphophysiological traits, including callus size, number of roots, number of shoots, stem length, stem diameter, number of leaves, FW and DW, and relative water content, etc. were measured 8 months. Increasing the concentration of IBA stimulated the reactions of black gold to FW and DW of shoots, callus size, number of leaves, and increasing the DW of roots, but in compact varieties, increasing the concentration of IBA resulted in a decrease in root initiation time and number of leaves. IBA reduced the decay of the cuttings (100 mg.l-1 in the compact green and 200 mg.l-1 in the black). Increasing the concentration of IBA for treating cuttings caused an increase in the number of roots and root length of compact green and black gold cuttings. Sansevieria trifasciata had diverse responses to different concentrations of IBA and culture media throughout propagation. IBA at 200 mg.l-1 had an encouraging effect on the propagation of Sansevieria trifasciata. The results revealed that increasing the concentration of IBA increased the root number and root length in the cuttings of compact and black gold. Introduction Sansevieria trifasciata is a perennial plant from the liliaceae family, which originates from tropical and semi-tropical regions of the world. Sansevieria trifasciata variateis are one of the most popular ornamental indoor plants due to having types with striped leaves. Today, due to the slow growth and conventional propagation methods are not sufficient to meet the marketable needs of Sansevieria trifasciata, it is possible to use agent of rooting stimulator for multiplication. This study aimed to investigate the effects of indole butyric acid concentrations as a plant growth regulator and culture media on some morphophysiology parameters in Sansevieria trifasciata cuttings. Materials and Methods This research included 3 factors, cultivar (black gold and compact), indole butyric acid plant growth regulator (0, 100 and 200 mg.l-1) and culture medium (perlite and sand). This research, which was conducted in the greenhouse of with controlled conditions of 25°C, 70% humidity and 10,000 lux of light. The end cutting was immersed in the solution of indole butyric acid immediately which was prepared in three concentrations of 0, 100 and 200 mg/l for 10 seconds to initiation root. Subsequently, cutting were placed on a site sterilized by 70% alcohol in the lab condition for two days to callus initiation of wound surface. Morphological parameters include callus size, rooting time, number of roots, length of the root, length of the longest root, time of bud initiation, number of shoots, stem length, stem diameter, root rot rate, number of leaves, callus size, fresh weight of root and shoot, dry weight of root and shoot were measured. Physiological traits including relative water content, electrolyte leakage, chlorophyll content, organ biomass percentage were investigated 8 months after cultivation. The experiment was adjusting in as factorial arrangements in a completely randomized design. Each treatment consisted of three replicates for statistical purposes. All the results were statistically analyzed using the SAS program. Means of three replicates were subjected to one-way ANOVA. Duncan's Multiple Range Test was also used to compare the mean values and determine the significance of statistical differences in treatments. Results and Discussion It was found that the effects of the variety were obvious in response to the culture medium and different concentrations of indole butyric acid. The results of effect of the hormone on the recorded traits revealed that increasing the concentration of indole butyric acid had in the cuttings stimulating reactions of black gold to fresh and dry weight of shoots, callus size, number of leaves and increasing the dry weight of roots, but in compact green variety, increasing the hormone affected a decrease in root initiation time, root biomass and number of leaves. Based on the results, the treatment of cuttings by indole butyric acid reduced the decay of the cuttings (100 mg.l-1 in the compact green and 200 mg.l-1 in the black variety) and their survival plants. The results of this research also indicated that increasing the concentration of indole butyric acid for the treatment of cuttings grown in substrates such as sand and perlite caused an increase in the number of roots and root length of compact green and black gold cuttings. Conclusions Sansevieria trifasciata variety had diverse response to different concentrations of the indole butyric acid and type of culture media in throughout propagation. 200 mg.l-1 of indole butyric acid hormone had an encouraging result on the propagation of Sansevieria trifasciata cuttings. The uppermost percentage of cuttings rooting was related to the Sansevieria trifasciata black gold. The perlite substrate was the best media for propagation compact and black gold variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Genetic diversity is one of the major goals of plant breeding. Mutation induction is a method to increase genetic variety that is used in plant breeding along with selection, recombination or a combination of the both. Rosa persica Michx can serve as a valuable genetic resource for breeding programs, especially due to the market demand for variety in rose cultivars as well as its drought resistance. In two independent experiments, this study examined the effect of ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) as a chemical mutagen on seed germination and seedling characteristics of Rosa persica. Materials and Methods The seeds of Rosa persica Mich.seeds were collected from an adult shrub on the Arak University campus, Karbala St., Sardasht (34° N, 49.6° E) and an altitude of 1872 m above sea level during mid-summer. The seeds were separated from the hips by a sharp scalpel and the damaged and abnormal seeds were removed. Before applying the cold stratification, the seeds were washed for several hours and then placed in layers of wet sand at 4 ° C for 60 days. First, the effects of 0, 0.2, and 0.3% EMS at 4, 8 and 12 hours on seed germination characteristics were examined. Second, 0, 0.2, and 0.3 concentrations of EMS at 4 and 8 hours were studied on reproductive buds. Seed germination characteristics such as final germination percentage, germination rate index, coefficient velocity germination, germination rate, mean daily germination, daily germination speed, mean germination rate, germination index, seed vigor, seed dormancy and seedling vegetative traits such as stem lengths, root lengths, and leaf number are evaluated at first experiment. In second experiment, flower diameter, flower opening rate, number of necrotic buds and the number of seeds in each hip were measured. Results and Discussion The results showed that increasing the concentration of EMS and the time of seed treatment caused a further decrease in germination indices. In 0.3% EMS treatment for 8 hours on seeds, traits such as germination percentage, germination rate index and daily germination were reduced to zero. According to the results of the second experiment, leaf and seedling lengths were longer at 0.2 and 0.3% EMS concentrations and at 4 h incubation. There was a decline in the number of seeds per hip and an increase in necrotic buds with increasing concentration and time of EMS application. In order to succeed in a breeding program using mutagenic methods, the appropriate concentration and time must first be optimized. To determine the best concentration of mutagens, there are two important factors to consider: first, that the concentration should not be so high as to destroy plants, and second, that the applied concentration should be selected moderately. Although, that the frequency of mutations occurs sufficiently. Conclusion In order to induce a positive mutation and diversity in Iranian roses for the purpose of introducing a new cultivar, seed treatment with a concentration of 0.3% EMS and an incubation time of 4 h is recommended. It is also recommended to apply a concentration of 0.2% EMS on the reproductive buds for 4 h to induce mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the effect of nanocomposite superabsorbent and humic acid on the characteristics of lawn sport, a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with three replications was carried out. The first factor was nanocomposite superabsorbent at three levels (0, 2 and 5 g/Kg in each pot), the second factor was humic acid at three levels (0, 250 and 500 mg/L, as spray) and the thirs factor was drought stress at two levels (50 and 100% field capacity). Results showed that the application of humic acid during drought stress improved color traits and aerial part hieght. Application of nanocomposite superabsorbent during drought stress reduced the effect of drought stress on color traits, leaf texture quality and aerial part hieght. The application of humic acid and nanocomposite superabsorbent simultaneously improved the density, shoot height, fresh weight, but reduced the ion leakage, proline and dry weight of turfgrass. In general, the results showed that the application of humic and nanocomposite superabsorbent acid could help the stress flow through the passage, and reduced the effect of stress on the plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimizing the tissue culture condition for Adenium sp as an imported ornamental plant with a low propagation rate can deliver the way for mass propagation to multiplication of this ornamental plant. So, this research was carried out in a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design to optimize organogenesis of Adenium abessum and Adenium arabicum during shoot induction, proliferation and root induction experiments. The highest rate of shoot regeneration for Adenium obesum was achieved in MS medium containing 0.5 mgl-1 BA, and for Adenium arabicum was achieved in MS medium containing 0.5 mgl-1 BA in combination with 0.5 mgl-1 TDZ. Organogenesis was more observed as leafy and rooted in A. arabicum and shoot induction in that was longer compare with A. abessum. The result showed that 0.5 mgl-1 BA can be used to prolifered shoots induced in both specie of Adenium. The full strength of free plant growth regulator MS medium supplemented with 0.3% activated charcoal was the best treatment at root induction stage. The plantlet gradually became first adapted in sterile perlite with 1/2 MS concentration and then in the culture media contained soil, vermicompost and perlite. [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]

Prunus scoparia is a wild deciduous shrub, usually living on dry calcareous soils of the rocky mountains and has been used as a grafting rootstock for domesticated almonds to provide drought resistance. In the current study, micropropagation ability of P. scoparia was investigated using cytokinin and auxin. Uniform nodal shoot pieces (3–5 cm in length) of seedlings were used as explants. The explants were disinfected with 10% sodium hypochlorite solution. For adventitious shoot induction and proliferation, Murashige and Skoog (MS) media containing 7.00 g/l agar and 30.00 g/l sucrose containing five concentrations of benzyl adenine (BA) (0.00, 0.50, 1.00, 2.00, and 4.00 mg/1) and also containing six concentrations of Thidiazuron (TDZ) (0.00, 0.50, 1.00, 2.00, 5.00, and 7.00 mg/1) were compared. For rooting, in vitro shoots (2–3 cm) were transferred into ½ MS medium supplemented with 30 g/l sucrose, 7.50 g/l agar, and different concentrations of IBA (0.00, 0.25, 0.50, and 1.00 mg/l) and NAA (0.00, 0.25, 0.50, and 1.00 mg/l). Based on the results obtained for shoot proliferation, only 2.00 and 4.00 mg/l BA and 2.00 mg/l TDZ concentrations generated shoots, while other treatments did not show shoot proliferation. Among the three treatments that generated shoots, the best results for shoot number, leaf number, and leaf color quality were observed in media containing 2.00 mg/l TDZ. Based on the results obtained for rooting, the effect of IBA concentrations on the rooting percentage, root number, and root length was significant. Among IBA concentrations, only 0.50 mg/l IBA induced rooting, while there was no rooting in the media containing other IBA concentrations. None of the NAA concentrations showed rooting. In conclusion, MS culture medium supplemented with 2.00 mg/l TDZ and ½ MS culture medium supplemented with 0.50 mg/l IBA are suggested for in vitro shoot proliferation and rooting of P. scoparia, respectively. The results presented herein could be used for in vitro selection and micropropagation of P. scoparia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]