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To replace the traditional manual cabbage harvesting method commonly practiced by Indian farmers, a self-propelled walk-behind electric cabbage harvester was developed at the Agricultural and Food Engineering Department, IIT Kharagpur. The key concept was to cut the cabbage head from its stem and push the cut cabbage head to a storage unit with the help of a real-time vision-based precise cabbage pushing mechanism. Two counter-rotating disk cutters were used as cutting tools. The performance of the developed harvester was evaluated in a field (20 × 12 m) with three Indian cabbage varieties i.e., Pusa Mukta, Pusa Drumhead and September Early. The developed harvester had a working width of 0.6 m and when operated at a forward speed of 0.25 m/s, the actual field capacity and field efficiency were found to be 0.029 ha/h and 54.86%, respectively. The maximum value of cutting efficiency was found to be 80% for Pusa Mukta variety. The maximum instantaneous power consumption for cutting, pushing, conveying and propelling was found to be 948.53 W. Economic analysis of the developed harvester was carried out and it was found that operational cost was 26.85% lower than traditional harvesting method. The break-even point of the developed cabbage harvester was calculated as 6.43 ha/year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural mechanization and technology adoption are rapidly increasing in Bangladesh, particularly in the context of weed management. This study addresses the pressing need for efficient and labour-saving methods by designing and developing a manually operated double-row weeder tailored to the specific conditions of Bangladesh. The weeder is designed to clean weeds between field rows, optimizing the weeding and mulching processes. The hypothesis guiding the design includes a line-to-line distance of 20 cm, a push-pull action, and an operating condition of 3~5 cm of standing water to soften the field. The weeder incorporates essential elements such as a skid/float, float holder, main body frame, rotor, axel, bush, rotor holder, rotor holder adjuster, handle, handle holder, handle height adjuster, handle arm, handle arm jointer, nut, bolt, and more. For fabrication of the weeder, MS sheet, MS pipe, MS flat bar, MS nut-bolt, and other materials were used. The weeder features four rotors with six blades in each drum, strategically positioned for optimal weed uprooting and burial. The precise two mm-thick float assembly, set at a 20° angle, ensures smooth operation. With an efficient field capacity of 0.037 ha.h-1, the weeder demonstrates an efficiency of 76.88%. The weeder weight is 7.5 kg, which helps pulverize the topsoil and enhance soil aeration. The developed weeder holds excellent potential for farmers in Bangladesh, offering improved comfort and reduced labour in weeding and mulching operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water Balance (WB) allows for assessing the deficit or excess of water. For this purpose, drainage lysimeters have a mechanism to collect and quantify the amount of water that infiltrates through the soil profile, thus evaluating crop evapotranspiration. This study describes the design, construction, and calibration of a block of 7 drainage lysimeters. The lysimeters were designed with a width of 1.97 m, length of 2.49 m, and depth varying from 0.60 m to 1.10 m. For construction, four sequential layers of soil, each 0.2 m thick, were extracted. The concrete resistance of the walls and floors was 210 kg cm-2, and rhizotrons were installed on the inner wall of five of the lysimeters. Calibration included evaluating compaction in the first 3 layers, averaging 2.11, 5.18, and 7.91 kg cm -2 respectively. Infiltration ranged from 5.6 to 10.2 mm h-1. The moisture retention curve allowed determining the irrigation volume to reach Field Capacity (FC), plus an additional percentage of FC volume to produce drainage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental - Agriambi is the property of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A possible way to increase the operating speed and field capacity of a cultivator-fertiliser is to modify its configuration scheme. According to our hypothesis, placing the fertiliser hopper directly on the tractor frame could reduce the traction resistance of the cultivator-fertiliser and consequently increase its operating speed and field capacity. Validating this hypothesis requires a comparative evaluation of the existing configuration schemes for cultivator-fertilisers. However, there are currently no such comprehensive studies available. This research aims to develop a mathematical model for conducting a comparative theoretical evaluation of various configuration schemes for cultivator-fertilisers. The development of this model incorporated principles from classical and agricultural mechanics. We developed a mathematical model and conducted a theoretical evaluation of existing configuration schemes for cultivator-fertilisers, such as mounting the hopper on a separate trailed chassis, mounting the hopper and tillage working bodies on one frame, and mounting the hopper directly on the tractor frame. The working width of the cultivator-fertiliser was constant and amounted to 6.2 m. The effective engine power of the tractor was taken to be 220 × 103 W. It was found that placing the fertiliser hopper on the tractor frame maximises the field capacity to 3.9 ha∙h−1. The increase in field capacity was 8.9–16.0%. In this case, the fertiliser hopper volume should be 1.89 m3 and travel speed 8.45 km∙h−1.

IntroductionThe challenges of climate change and increasing greenhouse gas emissions have led to consequences such as global warming and successive droughts. Additionally, the rise in agricultural activities has significantly increased the pressure on available water resources. Consequently, it has become essential to consider wastewater resources. To make appropriate management decisions and find solutions to reduce CO2 emissions in the agricultural sector, it is crucial to understand how soil moisture and sources of irrigation affect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly CO2. Therefore, the aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of water stress and irrigation management on soil CO2 emissions, water productivity, and soybean yield and yield components.Materials and MethodsThis research was carried out at Sari University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources with latitude (36° 33′ N) and longitude (53° 00׳ E), elevation (14 m, above sea level), average temperature (17.9°C) and total of precipitation (650 mm), during the growing season (2022-2023). The experiment was carried out in the form of a split plot based on a randomized complete block design in three replications in growth season 1402-1403, Sari. Experimental treatments include; the main factor was water stress in three levels ((non-stress, FC100), FC75 and FC50) and the sub factor was irrigation management in two levels (Urban Wastewater (UWW) and Well Water (WW).Results and DiscussionBased on the findings, the highest amount of CO2 emission in the middle and end stages of sampling in 60, 75, 90 and 105 day after sowing in non-stress conditions-FC100 was observed with 535.9, 534.5, 543.6 and 444.5 ppm.min-1, respectively. In addition, its lowest amount was related to water stress-FC50 with 505.3, 499.8, 506.5 and 409.8 ppm.min-1, respectively. The results showed that the highest amount of Co2 emission was assigned to irrigation with urban wastewater with 536.5, 540.1, 538 and 516.9, respectively. Due to the increase in the plant growth rate and approaching the grain maturity, the amount of CO2 emission increased with the increase in temperature, root system development, plant roots respiration and the soil microorganism’s activities. The highest amount of water productivity was observed in the non-stress condition FC100 with a 0.62 kg.m-3. Which compared to water stress conditions-FC75 and FC50 increased by 43.5% and 51.6%, respectively. Also, the results showed that in the non-stress condition-FC100 and irrigation with urban wastewater, the highest pod number (304.8), grain number of per pod (665.1), 100-grain weight (18.7 g), grain yield (1060.4 kg.ha-1) and total dry matter (743.3 kg.ha-1) were obtained. In the condition of irrigation with urban wastewater, the highest number of pods, grain number of per pod, 100-grain weight, grain yield and total dry matter was observed with 234.5, 495.8, 18.5 g, 679.4 kg.ha-1 and 645.7 kg.ha-1, respectively. While their lowest amount was assigned to water stress conditions-FC50 with 218.6, 483.3, 17.7 g, 555.1 kg.ha-1 and 625.5 kg.ha-1, respectively. Optimum soil moisture conditions under non-stress conditions-FC100 and water stress conditions-FC75, especially when irrigating with urban wastewater, increased the yield and yield components by providing nutrients needed by the plant.ConclusionThe results showed that in the early stages of soil sampling, irrigation management (source of irrigation) did not significantly affect the amount of CO2 emission. However, in the middle and final stages of sampling, the growth and development of plant organs and increased soil respiration due to the development of the root system caused the release of CO2. This effect was more pronounced during irrigation with wastewater than with well water. Based on the findings, considering the water scarcity crisis and the challenge of water stress during the soybean growth season, it appears that accurate management and efficient use of wastewater resources is both inevitable and a suitable solution.AcknowledgementSari Agricultural sciences and Natural Resources University (SANRU) financially supported this research under contract number: 02-1397-05.

Drought is the major abiotic constraint affecting sugarcane productivity and quality worldwide. This obstacle may be alleviated through sugarcane genotypes demonstrating good water use efficiency (WUE) performance. This study aims to investigate the WUE characteristics of various sugarcane genotypes under different soil water availability levels. Plant and ratoon field experiments were conducted using a split-plot randomized complete block design with three replications. The main plots were assigned three types of irrigation: (1) rainfed conditions (RF), (2) field capacity conditions (FC), and (3) half-available water (½ AW). The subplots consisted of six sugarcane genotypes with varying levels of drought resistance, i.e., KK3, UT13, Kps01-12, KKU99-03, KKU99-02, and UT12. Data on yield, stalk numbers, stalk diameter, height, and WUE were collected throughout the crop cycle for both plant and ratoon crops. For the plant crop, the net photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and leaf area index (LAI) were recorded during the crop period. In both plant and ratoon crops, the WUE in the RF treatment was lower than in the FC and ½ AW treatments during the drought stress period 4 months after planting (MAP). In the recovery phase, the WUE in the ½ AW treatment fell between the FC and RF treatments. The RF treatment exhibited the lowest WUE compared to the other two water regime treatments at the maturity stage. The drought-resistant genotypes KK3 and UT13 maintained high WUE values throughout both the drought and recovery periods and exhibited outstanding LAIs at 4 and 6 MAP. A significant relationship existed between WUE and LAI during these periods. Moreover, WUE was positively correlated with cane yields and yield components, such as stalk weight, shoot diameter, and height, during recovery and tiller number and height during ripening. Therefore, WUE and LAI are efficient parameters for supporting and maintaining growth and yield during water deficit and recovery phases under rainfed conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In drylands, where the annual precipitation is low and erratic, improving the water storage capacity and the available water in the soil is crucial for crop production. To explore the effect of long-term agronomic management on water storage capacity and available water in the soil, four agronomic management systems were used (including the farmer's management model (FM), the high nitrogen input model (HN), the manure amendment model (MM), and the biochar amendment model (BM)) for eight consecutive years, and the variation in wheat yield and soil hydraulic, physical, and chemical properties in the 0–100 cm soil profile were investigated. The management practices varied in terms of seeding rates, nitrogen (N)-application strategies, and the application of manure or biochar. The results showed that, under the manure amendment model (MM), the wheat yield was increased by 17–35%, and the water-use efficiency was increased by 14–29% when compared to the farmer's management model (FM) and the high nitrogen input model (HN). However, no significant differences in wheat yield and water-use efficiency were found under the biochar amendment model (BM) compared to the HN. The high yield and water-use efficiency under the MM were mainly due to the higher saturated hydraulic conductivity, soil saturated water content, field capacity, and soil available water content, which led to an increase in the available water storage in the 0–100 cm soil profile by 29–48 mm. Furthermore, the MM also improved soil organic matter, porosity, root length density, and root weight density and reduced the soil bulk density, which are beneficial for the improvement of the above soil hydraulic properties. Therefore, it is a practical way to ensure high yield and high efficiency of crops in dryland by improving water storage capacity and the available water in the soil, which can be profoundly regulated by agronomic management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of soil carbon on the available water content (AWC) has garnered considerable attention. An increasing number of studies have recognized a beneficial impact of soil organic matter (SOM) on available water content (AWC); however, results are not consistent regarding the magnitude of soil organic carbon (SOC) effect on AWC. In particular, the critical SOC range necessary for enhancing AWC requires clarification. Accordingly, 165 samples were collected from four sites, where two sites received poultry litter (PL) and two sites did not, covering a wide range of carbon contents from low to high (4.5–22.9 g kg−1). The bulk density was the same, and the soils were tested for their field capacity (FC) and permanent wilt point (PWP) in the lab. The results revealed that there was no significant correlation between the clay and AWC, and a significant positive relationship between SOC and AWC was exhibited, suggesting that the increase in AWC mostly resulted from the increase in SOC. However, the AWC did not change significantly with increasing SOC when the SOC was below 10 g kg−1, whereas a significant increase in AWC occurred when the SOC increased from 10 to 14 g kg−1. The largest increment in AWC occurred when the SOC increased from 14 to 18 g kg−1, but the increase in AWC with increasing SOC decreased when the SOC was above 18 g kg−1. Thus, a critical range of SOC for AWC from 14 to 18 g kg−1 could significantly improve the soil water‐holding capacity. Additionally, most soil samples within the critical SOC range were collected from sites that received PL. Thus, this study also evaluated the enhancement of AWC by PL application, which efficiently improved the soil water‐holding capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water deficit stress poses a significant challenge to wheat cultivation worldwide, necessitating the identification of indicator traits for plant productivity under such conditions. This study investigated the physiological and biochemical responses of four wheat varieties (C-306, DBW 110, DBW 136, and GW 451)under varying levels of water deficit stress (100%, 75%, and 35% FC). The results indicated that increasing water deficit stress resulted in notable decreases in physiological parameters such as the relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll content, chlorophyll stability index (CSI) and membrane stability index (MSI) at both the booting and grain filling stages. In response to water deficit stress, the plants increased their levels of proline, total soluble sugars (TSS), total phenol and free amino acids (FAA). Furthermore. oxidative damage, indicating that parameters such as proline concentration and malondialdehyde (MDA) content increased. Water deficit conditions markedly promoted the activities of key antioxidant enzymes, including catalase and peroxidase. Among the varieties, C-306 and DBW 110 were less affected by water deficit stress, as shown by significant changes in their physiological and biochemical parameters. These results highlight the importance of assessing physio-biochemical traits related to phenotypic water deficit stress tolerance in wheat varieties, providing valuable insights for breeding programs aimed at developing and selecting drought-tolerant cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The handling of the remnants of rice crops in the field is not an easy operation, and farmers prefer burning, which causes air pollution, smog, and disease. This research reports the development of a novel precision crop seeder by handling the remnants of previous crops through mechanization. The precision seeder performed multiple operations in a single path, viz, chop residues, incorporate into soil, make mini trenches, and sow wheat with fertilizer application. The precision seeder has a 2040 mm working width, and specially designed C-type blades are used to shred the crop residue. A multiple-speed gearbox with a gear ratio of 1:0.52 is installed, with a further set of spur gears with 16, 18, and 20 teeth that provide 225, 250, 310, and 350 RPMs to the main rotor. In the middle of the seeder, after the main rotor shaft, 11 V-shaped trencher plates are fixed on the trencher roller for the making of trenches. The trencher roller is powered by star wheels, which showed good results. A zero-tillage-type sharp tip edge novel seeder unit was developed for the precise placement of seed and fertilizer. Seed and fertilizer were placed into the mini trenches through 11 seeder units through a ground wheel calibration system. The field capacity of the precision seeder was 0.408 ha/h and the operational cost was calculated 40.68 USD/ha. The seeder showed good results, with the production of 5028 kg/ha compared to conventional methods. The precision seeder provides a mechanized solution for wheat sowing with minimal operational costs by enhancing organic matter in soil with 13% more yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meanwhile, the study entitled Correlation Analysis Between Watering Interval, Stem Height, Stem Diameter and Number of Leaves in Jackfruit Seedlings (Artocarpus Heterophyllus Lamk) is guided by the amount of watering of 100 ml which is based on the recommendation for the use of the best liquid fertilizer from the research of Mamik et al., (2020). The research will be carried out in the closed room experimental garden of the Plantation Management Study Program, Politeknik Indonesia Venezuela located in Cot Suruy Village, Ingin Jaya District, Aceh Besar Regency, from May 2024 to July 2024. The temperature in the experimental garden is set at 25oC – 28oC. To see the correlation analysis between the Watering Interval, Stem Height, Stem Diameter, and Number of Leaves in Jackfruit Seedlings (Artocarpus Heterophyllus Lamk) bivariate correlation analysis was used. There is a relationship between plant height, stem diameter, and number of leaves. There is no relationship between the length of the watering interval and the variables of plant height, stem diameter, and number of leaves. Table 6 shows that there are no variables that are strongly related and have a significant effect on the watering interval, plant height, stem diameter, and number of leaves. The decreasing amount of water causes plants to be unable to grow normally.

The understanding of soil water retention characteristics, including field capacity, plays a pivotal role in various agricultural studies and practices. This knowledge informs the development of irrigation and drainage schedules, assessments of soil water storage capacity (commonly referred to as plant available water), analyses of solute movement, evaluations of plant growth, and assessments of water stress levels. This study the aim of creating a regression model or equation to predict field capacity of soils in a typical Alfisol, which originated from parent material of basement complex, at the University of Ilorin Teaching and Research Farm. A total of forty-five (45) disturbed and forty-five (45) undisturbed soils samples were collected along a toposequence (upper, middle and bottom slope) at depths: 0 – 30 cm, 30 – 60 cm and 60 – 90 cm. Soil properties of the disturbed and undisturbed samples were ascertained through standard laboratory techniques and/or calculated utilizing established protocols. The measured soil properties include sand, silt, clay, bulk density, total porosity, field capacity and organic matter. A significant negative relationship between field capacity and bulk density (r = -0.582, P≤0.05) was found and a significant positive relationship between field capacity and total porosity (r = 0.581, P≤0.05) was found. A total of four different models were developed for predicting field capacity of the soil. Model four of field capacity was identified as the best model with the highest R2 adjusted value of 0.4494. The model explains 45% of variance in the mean square errors of field capacity with sand, bulk density, silt and organic matter contributing statistically to the model.

Abstract Background The climatic changes crossing the world menace the green life through limitation of water availability. The goal of this study was to determine whether Moringa oleifera Lam. trees cultivated under Tunisian arid climate, retain their tolerance ability to tolerate accentuated environmental stress factors such as drought and salinity. For this reason, the seeds of M. oleifera tree planted in Bouhedma Park (Tunisian arid area), were collected, germinated, and grown in the research area at the National Institute of Research in Rural Engineering, Waters and Forests (INRGREF) of Tunis (Tunisia). The three years aged trees were exposed to four water-holding capacities (25, 50, 75, and 100%) for 60 days to realise this work. Results Growth change was traduced by the reduction of several biometric parameters and fluorescence (Fv/Fm) under severe water restriction (25 and 50%). Whereas roots presented miraculous development in length face to the decrease of water availability (25 and 50%) in their rhizospheres. The sensitivity to drought-induced membrane damage (Malondialdehyde (MDA) content) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) liberation (hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content) was highly correlated with ROS antiradical scavenging (ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and (2, 2’-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyle (DPPH)), phenolic components and osmolytes accumulation. The drought stress tolerance of M. oleifera trees was associated with a dramatic stimulation of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities. Conclusion Based on the several strategies adopted, integrated M. oleifera can grow under drought stress as accentuated adverse environmental condition imposed by climate change.

Available water capacity (AWC), field capacity (θFC), and permanent wilting point (θPWP) are regarded as key physical soil health indicators that directly capture the soil's capacity to store plant available water but are expensive components of a comprehensive soil health analysis. To reduce costs, pedotransfer functions for θFC, θPWP, and AWC were developed from a dataset of 7,232 soil samples with texture, soil organic matter (SOM), permanganate-oxidizable carbon, soil respiration, AWC, θFC, θPWP, wet aggregate stability, and extractable potassium, magnesium, iron, and manganese. Three functions were developed for each property: a full random forest (RF) model containing all variables, a reduced RF model and a multiple linear regression model containing texture and SOM. Pedotransfer functions were validated with an independent dataset that contained 1,406 samples. The full RF models for θFC, θPWP, and AWC reduced the root mean square error (RMSE) by 16.3, 13.3, and 12.8%, compared to multiple linear regression models, respectively. Furthermore, the full RF models for θFC, θPWP, and AWC reduced RMSE by 11.6, 6.7, and 12.8%, compared to the reduced RF model, respectively. Permanganate-oxidizable carbon, wet aggregate stability, and extractable magnesium, potassium, and iron were useful novel predictor variables for improving prediction of θFC and AWC. AWC was sensitive in 20/57 long-term experiments, and full RF models were able to replicate 5/20 of those significant results. New RF pedotransfer functions for θFC, θPWP, and AWC can enhance prediction compared to traditional modeling techniques, fits into existing interpretative frameworks, and improves cost-effectiveness of comprehensive assessments of soil health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sunn pest, Eurygaster integriceps Puton (Heteroptera: Scutelleridae), is one of the most important pests of wheat crops in Iran and the Middle East. Chemical control by high-volume spraying is the most common method of controlling this pest. The current ground sprayers lack advanced spraying technologies, which results in low efficiency. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) sprayer for the chemical control of wheat Sunn pest. The effectiveness, field capacity, and costs of chemical insecticide application were compared between the UAV sprayer and the Very Low Volume (VLV) Knapsack Sprayer (KS). We found that the chemical control effectiveness of the two spraying methods was not significantly different. The UAV sprayer and the VLV knapsack sprayer had an effectiveness percentage of more than 95%. The UAV sprayer was better than the other in terms of field capacity, insecticide dosage ml ha-1, spray volume L ha-1, reduced drift, and the probability of the operator exposure. The field capacities of the UAV sprayer and the VLV knapsack sprayer were 3.75 and 0.5 hectares per hour, respectively, and the spray volumes were 14.6 and 30.0 L ha-1, respectively.5.5 and 0.8 hectares per hour, respectively, and the spray volume was 14.6 and 30.0 L ha−1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Iraq Journal of Market Research & Consumer Protection / Al-Mağallaẗ al-ʿIrāqiyyaẗ li-Buḥūṯ al-Sūq wa-Ḥimāyaẗ al-Mustahlik is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The limited availability of water for irrigation in semi-arid areas necessitates the use of deficit irrigation techniques. Deficit irrigation is an irrigation practice whereby water supply is reduced below maximum levels and a mild water-deficit stress affect the crop yield. Current field experiment was aimed to investigate different densities of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) (33, 40, 50, 66 plants m2 abbreviated as P33, P40, P50, and P66, respectively) under different soil moisture content (irrigation up to 100%, 70%, and 50% field capacity showed as FC100, FC70, and FC50, respectively) on the growth characteristics of safflower in a semi-arid region in the northwest of Iran. Number of days to maturity decreased significantly under deficit irrigation (FC70 and FC50). The longest growth period was recorded for plants grown under P66-FC100 conditions which was 7% higher than P50-FC100. The decrease in plant density caused an increase in chlorophyll content and this trend was more evident under Fc100. Increasing the density under FC100 conditions increased the plant height. However, this trend was not observed under deficit irrigation conditions. Decreasing the plant density per unit area induced the lateral growth, and increased the number of capitula per plant, the weight of capitulum, the number of achenes per capitulum and the 1000-achenes weight. This trend was more prominent under FC100 conditions. Mild deficit-irrigation (irrigation up to FC70) resulted approximately 20% reduction in achene yield. Thus, water management is very important to certify a conservational water supply in semi-arid regions. Irrigation up to FC70 under the studied area is a reasonable and good management method to save irrigation water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manual spading needs more labour, takes more time, high energy and cost per cultivable area. The depth of cut is also less in manual spading operation. Tractor operated spading machines have their own set of limitations in small fields, and their cost was also out of reach for small and marginal farmers. These factors lead to the development of a spading machine as an attachment to power tiller. Overall, the maximum field efficiency 87 per cent was achieved at the forward speed of 2.1 km h-1, when the depth of cut was 10 cm at 30° spade angle and 200 rpm crankshaft speed. The minimum fuel consumption 0.87 l h-1 was noticed at 1.5 km h-1 forward speed, 10 cm depth of operation and 100 rpm crankshaft speed respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The climatic changes crossing the world menace the green life through limitation of water availability. The goal of this study was to determine whether Moringa oleifera Lam. trees cultivated under Tunisian arid climate, retain their tolerance ability to tolerate accentuated environmental stress factors such as drought and salinity. For this reason, the seeds of M. oleifera tree planted in Bouhedma Park (Tunisian arid area), were collected, germinated, and grown in the research area at the National Institute of Research in Rural Engineering, Waters and Forests (INRGREF) of Tunis (Tunisia). The three years aged trees were exposed to four water-holding capacities (25, 50, 75, and 100%) for 60 days to realise this work. Results: Growth change was traduced by the reduction of several biometric parameters and fluorescence (Fv/Fm) under severe water restriction (25 and 50%). Whereas roots presented miraculous development in length face to the decrease of water availability (25 and 50%) in their rhizospheres. The sensitivity to drought-induced membrane damage (Malondialdehyde (MDA) content) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) liberation (hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content) was highly correlated with ROS antiradical scavenging (ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and (2, 2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyle (DPPH)), phenolic components and osmolytes accumulation. The drought stress tolerance of M. oleifera trees was associated with a dramatic stimulation of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities. Conclusion: Based on the several strategies adopted, integrated M. oleifera can grow under drought stress as accentuated adverse environmental condition imposed by climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Organic matter is one of the important indicators of soil quality. Organic matter increases water retention in the soil and helps to transport water and air in the soil. Organic matter increases crop growth and provides nutrients needed by plants and soil microorganisms. The amount of soil organic matter in nature depends on factors such as climate, soil properties, and agricultural management, especially in the plowing stage. This is although in many cultivated and undisturbed soils, the amount of soil organic matter reaches a constant value after some time and becomes balanced.On the other hand, most regions of Iran the arid and semi-arid and have low organic matter. The chemical composition of organic matter is approximately 50% of carbon, 5.0 % of nitrogen, 0.5% of phosphorus, 0.5% of sulfur, 39% of oxygen, and 5.0% of hydrogen, and these values change from one soil to another. The management of compost and plant waste is one of the most essential aspects of soil fertility management in the direction of sustainable agriculture. The research results showed that organic matter and carbohydrates are two factors related to the stability of soil structure. Considering the role and effect of using organic fertilizers (from animal sources and urban waste compost) on the physical characteristics of the soil, it is necessary to improve the productivity of soil and water, changes in the physical characteristics of the soil in different crop management (rotation) in fixed plots and in several years to be reviewed and evaluated consecutively. Materials and Methods This research has been done to investigate the effect of applying organic manure from animal sources and urban waste compost in different and conventional crop rotations in fixed plots and also to investigate the changes in the physical characteristics of the soil due to the application of the following treatments in Alborz Province (at the research station of the Soil and Water Research Institute, Karaj) was implemented from November 2016. After planting wheat in 2016 and harvesting it in 2017, the land alternated with fallow. Wheat was planted again in the fall of 1997 and corn was planted in July 1998. In the fall of 1998, wheat was planted again and then the land was alternated with fallow. This research was conducted in the form of randomized complete blocks in five treatments and three replications in plots with an area of 200 square meters. The treatments include 1- no planting (T1), 2- control without fertilizer use (T2), 3- application of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium chemical fertilizers based on soil test (T3), 4- annual application of 20 ton/h of animal manure (T4) and annual application 20 ton/h of compost (T5). By taking soil samples from the surface layer, the physical characteristics of the soil, including field capacity, permanent wilting point, bulk density, final infiltration of soil, and aggregate stability of soil were measured in different treatments. Soil physical characteristics were measured after harvesting each product from a depth of 0-30 cm in three replicates. By removing the soil surface layer, the aggregate stability was determined by the wet sieve method. Results and Discussion Treatments T1, T2, and T3 did not show significant changes in field capacity. The mean values of the field capacity of these treatments T1, T2, and T3 are about 17.8% and the treatment using animal manure (18.1%) and compost (18.3%) increases the field capacity by about 1.0 and 2.0 %, respectively, compared to the average treatments without the use of organic fertilizers. The values of bulk density changes in the treatments for the desired periods are not significant and it indicates that there is no specific trend in each period due to the changes in soil surface conditions for the treatments. The values of changes in the soil aggregate stability values have become significant only in the treatments of organic fertilizer consumption (from animal sources and compost) in the desired periods. The soil aggregate stability index in the treatment of using compost and manure increased by 27 and 18%, respectively, compared to the average of treatments without fertilizer use (1.1 mm), which indicates the role of organic fertilizer use in increasing the aggregate stability. The average final infiltration rate in the treatments without using fertilizer is about 28.1 mm h-1 and the average rate of final infiltration in the treatments using manure and compost is about 32.7 and 33.3 mm h -1, respectively. The average rate of final infiltration in the treatments using manure and compost has increased by about 16 and 19%, respectively, compared to the average of other treatments. Conclusion According to the obtained results and the changes in the physical characteristics of the soil affected by the use of manure and compost in the cultivation periods, the role of the use of these materials in improving the physical characteristics of the soil is generally evident. The average bulk density of treatments T1 to T5 was equal to 1.47, 1.52, 1.54, 1.54, and 1.54 g cm³, respectively, indicating a relative increase in bulk density in organic fertilizer treatments. The soil aggregate stability index in the treatment of using compost and manure increased by 27 and 18%, respectively, compared to the average of treatments without fertilizer use, which indicates the role of organic fertilizer use in increasing the aggregate stability. The average final infiltration rate in manure and compost treatments has increased by about 16 and 19%, respectively, compared to the average of other treatments, which indicates the effect of manure and compost application in increasing the final soil infiltration rate. Because for each crop rotation, the soil is subjected to tillage operations, therefore destruction of the surface layer of the soil (with more organic matter) and as a result intensifying the activity of microorganisms, from the effect of organic matter on the characteristics, the physical properties of the soil are reduced and it even causes that no special trend can be seen in the physical characteristics of the soil during the cultivation periods. Therefore, it is necessary to use a set of management strategies to improve the amount of organic matter or the physical characteristics of the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The addition of natural or synthetic zeolites induces changes in a soil’s chemical, physical, and biological characteristics. Zeolites possess intricate internal frameworks that allow them to modify soil structure and texture, thereby impacting soil hydrological properties. This potential offers opportunities to control soil and groundwater pollution as well as optimize irrigation management practices. In this study, three sandy-loam soils and a silty-loam soil were collected and mixed with different amounts of synthetic zeolite derived from coal fly ash. Repacked soil samples were combined with four levels of zeolite ranging from 1% to 10% by weight and were then hydraulically characterized. This included measuring soil water retention curves (SWRCs) of soil-zeolite mixtures. The data revealed, in accordance with recent research findings, that zeolite influences the hydraulic behavior of soils. In general, we observed that, as the percentage of zeolite increases in the soil, the SWRCs are shifted upwards. This effect is fundamental for explaining the observed changes in the whole set of investigated soil hydraulic properties. The observed changes are also fundamental to evaluate selected soil physical quality (SPQ) indices of agronomic interest, which are investigated in depth in the present research. A specific focus was on the impact of zeolite on modifying the soil’s capacity to retain water, hence on the energy required by plants to acquire a unit mass of soil water (referred to as integral energy, EI). Finally, the ANOVA test, linear regression, and multivariate analysis were performed on the entire dataset to support, from a statistical standpoint, the observed correlations between SPQ indices and zeolite amounts. These findings underscored the significance of soil texture in selecting the appropriate soil type for zeolite amendment, confirming that coarse-textured soils are more suitable for zeolite treatment compared to fine-textured soils.

Field capacity (FC) is an important soil hydraulic concept in soil science and irrigation management. It is generally determined from soil water content in a soil layer when soil profile reaches a steady pressure head or negligible drainage flux from an initially saturated soil. However, the proposed criteria are mainly tested for uniform soils and vary with soil textures. To quantify FC in layered soils, a Richards equation-based model was used to describe water flow in fine-textured soils with a coarse interlayer. With calibrated soil hydraulic parameters for loam and sand from infiltration measurements, drainage from saturation was simulated in the loam with a sand interlayer. A relative drainage rate (δ) was defined as a function of water storage and drainage flux to analyze soil water status at FC. Soil water content in the upper loam layer of layered profiles was improved compared with that in the uniform loam, which was negatively correlated with buried depth but positively correlated with thickness of the sand layer for a specified δ. Under different buried depths and thicknesses, soil water content decreased with the decline of δ and decreased rapidly as δ reduced to 1 % d−1. The drainage flux at δ = 1 % d−1 changed within a range of 0.056–0.26 cm d−1, and soil water content reached to 0.278–0.346 cm3 cm−3, which accounted for 70–87 % of the saturated water content of loam. Although the FC in the upper fine-textured soil layer varied for different buried depths and thicknesses of coarse interlayer, the proposed dynamic method is reliable and universal to estimate the FC in the above layered soils at δ = 1 % d−1. An empirical equation was also developed to calculate the FC in fine-textured soils with different buried depths and thicknesses of a coarse interlayer based on the critical δ value.

Indonesia is a significant producer of shallots, and the country frequently cultivates three distinct varieties: Bima, Trisula, and Sumenep. Each cultivar exhibits distinct characteristics, specifically when grown under suboptimal conditions. Several studies showed that insufficient watering intervals (WIs) can lead to drought stress, while excessive levels often lead to inundation. To investigate the effects of cultivar and WI on shallot growth and quality, this study employed a split-plot design with main plots and subplots with four repetitions. The main plots consisted of cultivars (Bima, Trisula, and Sumenep), while the subplots comprised WIs (once in 1 day, 2 days, and 3 days). The results showed that there was an effect of interaction between cultivars and WIs on growth (proline [126.15 mg 100 g−1]) and quality (quercetin [3.8739 mg g−1], rutin [0.2080 mg g−1], and kaempferol [1.209 mg g−1]). However, there was no effect on the number of tillers, shoot/root ratio, water content, number of tubers, tuber weight, and total flavonoid.

This research was conducted to investigate the effect of planting densities on some morphophysiological characteristics of sports turfgrass under low water stress conditions. The experiment was carried out in the form of split plots, based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. Treatments included low water stress at three levels of 90 (control), 60 and 30% of field capacity (FC), and planting density of 20, 30, and 40 g seed/m2. Seeds were planted according to the desired densities in plots measuring 2×3 m2. Two months after planting, low water stress was applied for three weeks. The results showed that the treatments had a significant effect on the evaluated traits. The highest fresh and dry weight of the aerial part, leaf length, and total chlorophyll content was observed in 90% FC and the density of 20 g seed/m2 treatment. The highest root fresh and dry weight, root volume, and total carbohydrates were obtained in 30% FC and density of 20 g seed/m2 treatment. Moreover, the highest proline content was in 30% FC and density of 40 g seed/m2 treatment. According to the results, the planting density of 20 g seed/m2 and 90% FC had a more favorable effect on the vegetative and physiological indicators of sport turfgrass.

The investigation in three groups of pomelo trees (good, average, bad) was conducted. Each group included 15 orchards. The number of soil samples collected for analysis is 15 samples × 2 depths (0–15 cm and 15–30 cm) × 3 groups of plants = 90 soil samples. The results indicated that the soil texture of the good pomelo orchard group and the average pomelo orchard group is silty clay loam, and the bad pomelo orchard group has a silty clay. The average pH value in the bad pomelo orchard group is lower than the average pomelo orchard group and the good pomelo orchard group at both soil depths of 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm. The soil EC of the three groups of pomelo orchards is not different at depths of 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm and does not affect the plants. The average organic matter content at both soil depths 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm of the good pomelo orchard group shows the highest organic matter value. Soil bulk density in the group of bad pomelo orchards had the highest value at both depths of 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm. The porosity of the good pomelo orchard group has the highest value at two depths, 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm. Field capacity of good pomelo orchards have the highest values at both depths of 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm. The K sat at a depth of 0–15 cm of the good pomelo orchard group is quite slow, while the average pomelo orchard group and the bad pomelo orchard group are at a slow level. The bad physical and chemical properties had negative effects on pomelo growth.

Climate changes and the cost of irrigation water in semi-arid areas seriously reduce the availability of water for irrigation. The optimal allocation of water resources to irrigation and limit water overexploitation are necessary in these regions. A field trial aimed to evaluate irrigation regimes (60, 80, and 100% based on field capacity, abbreviated as FC60, FC80 and FC100) and organic fertilizer (0, 15, and 30 t ha-1 farmyard manure, abbreviated as FYM) on two rapeseed varieties (Hydromel and Nathalie) in the semi-arid region of Qazvin, Iran. The highest lateral growth (branch number) was observed in the Hydromel cultivar with the application of 15 and 30 t ha-1 farmyard manure (FYM30 and FYM15) under FC100 and FC80 conditions. Comparison of lateral growth between the cultivars showed that Nathalie cultivar was less affected by FYM and irrigation. The chlorophyll content decreased under FC60; however, no significant difference was observed between FC80 and FC100. The maturity of Nathalie was earlier than that of Hydromel. However, the use of FYM significantly extended the days to maturity in Hydromel. Although the silique length of the Nathalie cultivar was 13% less than Hydromel, this component significantly decreased in Hydromel under water deficit conditions (FC80 and FC60). The highest number of siliques was recorded in the Hydromel under FYM30+FC100 and FYM30+FC80. The 60% irrigation regime caused a significant reduction in the number of siliques. Although the seed yield of Hydromel was higher than that of Nathalie, the stability of the seed yield in Nathalie was more evident under FC80 and FC60. Overall, the obtained results showed that the Hydromel variety can produce an acceptable yield under FYM30+FC80 and save 20% in water consumption. The results indicated that the 60% irrigation regime was a stressful deficit irrigation and cannot be recommended for this semi-arid region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saffron is a valuable plant that generally faces water stress in its life cycle. Therefore, in order to investigate the effect of corm priming of saffron on the physiological and corm characteristics of this product under drought stress conditions, a split plot experiment was carried out based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. The experimental treatments included two levels of irrigation based on 70 and 50% of field capacity as a main plot and six corm priming treatments, including no priming (control), potassium nitrate, auxin, gibberellin, silicon dioxide nanoparticles, and hydro-priming as subplot. The results showed that the increase of intensity of drought stress from 70 to 50% of field capacity caused an increase of 38.5%, 59.1%, and 57.3% in the amount of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids, respectively, and a decrease of 32.6% and 20% to the ratio of chlorophyll a.b -1 and the amount of protein respectively. Priming of the mother corm with two hormones auxin and gibberellin, significantly increased the amount of protein, and the highest weight of the daughter corm was observed at gibberellin hormone treatment at the rate of 3.72 grams per plant. The two treatment levels of gibberellin and auxin hormones, under conditions of medium drought stress, significantly resulted in the highest number of daughter corms and gibberellin hormone and also significantly increased the diameter of daughter corm at the rate of 28 mm. In general, corm priming of saffron with two hormones gibberellin and auxin is recommended to improve the physiological traits and tuber characteristics, especially under water stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most significant challenges in arid and semi-arid regions is the presence of abiotic environmental stresses, particularly drought stress, which affects the growth and development of plants. Elaeagnus angustifolia, as a species resistant to drought stress, is utilized for revegetation of barren areas, soil conservation, and creation of green spaces. An experiment was conducted in Semnan city to assess the impact of varying levels of drought stress on one-year-old elm seedlings using a completely randomized design. The experiment included four stress levels: control (100% available water), mild stress (75% available water), moderate stress (50% available water), and severe stress (25% available water). The results indicated that there was no significant difference between drought stress levels regarding the height and diameter of seedlings, while significant differences were observed in leaf number, vitality, root dry weight, and stem dry weight. The control group and mild stress conditions exhibited the highest number of leaves (25), freshness (>95%), root dry weight (>5 grams), and stem dry weight (>8 grams). As drought stress levels increased, there was a noticeable decrease in the number of leaves, survival rate, freshness, root dry weight, and stem dry weight. Regarding the vitality of seedlings, it was found that vitality remained at 100% in all drought stress levels except for severe stress, where vitality gradually decreased to zero after 7 months. Generally, the results demonstrated that the best outcome, which included acceptable growth and optimal water consumption, was attainable under mild stress conditions (75% available water). Indeed, this species demonstrated the ability to endure moderate drought stress conditions (50% available water) with a 100% survival rate. Additionally, there was no significant difference in terms of the stem dry weight (7.5 grams) compared to the control sample. This indicates that the elm species is resilient to water stress and can be effectively utilized for planting in green spaces within dry climate regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

English daisy (Bellis perennis) is a perennial and autumn plant that is one of the best options for rock gardens, garden borders, and window pots due to its abundant flowers and long flowering period. Water deficit is one of the factors affecting the quantity and quality of plants. Today, various compounds are used to increase the tolerance of plants to environmental stresses; one of these compounds is selenium, which increases the plant's tolerance to stress by increasing antioxidant compounds and enzymes. To investigate the effect of selenium foliar application on the growth, physiological and enzymatic activity of English daisy (Bellis perennis) under water deficit stress, an experiment was conducted at Karaj, Iran. The treatments included drought stress (control (no stress), 75, 50 and 25% field capacity) and foliar application of selenium in a form of selenat sodium (zero, 50 and 100 mg L-1). Water deficit stress was applied at the 6-8 leaf stage and selenium foliar application was performed in two stages, the first stage was carried out at 6-8 leaf stage and the second stage was done with a time interval of two weeks after the first stage foliar spraying, and finally sampling was done at the full flowering stage. The results showed that the treatments had significant effects on the evaluated traits. The highest fresh and dry weights of aerial parts (16.42-135.17 g), and cell membrane stability index (84.35%) were observed in the treatment of control field capacity and selenium 50 mg L-1. The highest fresh and dry weights of roots (5.28-39.46 g), petal anthocyanin level (0.92 mg g-1 FW petal), protein (34.2 μg g-1 FW petal), catalase activity (68 5.1 enzyme units g-1 FW petal), superoxide dismutase (3.27 enzyme units g-1 FW petal) and peroxidase (10.32 enzyme units g-1 FW petal) were obtained in 75% fild capacity and 50 mg L-1 selenium. The highest total chlorophyll content (6.43 mg g-1 FW leaf) in the treatment of 50% field capacity and 50 mg L-1 selenium and the highest amount of proline (37.45 mg g-1 DW leaf) in the treatment of 25% field capacity and selenium were observed at 100 mg L-1 . According to the results of this research, it can be stated that selenium foliar application (50 mg L-1 ) in all levels of water deficit stress improved the growth, physiological characteristics and enzyme activities of English daisy under water deficit stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionPlants are exposed to various environmental stresses during growth and development under natural and agricultural conditions. Drought is one of the most severe abiotic stresses that greatly affects plant yield. Metabolic changes under stress cause the morphological and physiological changes in the plant which may eventually lead to reduced yield. Barley is one of the most important cereals which a large part of the human population in many parts of the world are dependent on it as a source of food and animal feed.Materials and methodsIn order to investigate the effects of drought stress on some morphological and physiological traits in barley as one of the most important crop, this experiment was carried out in the greenhouse of the agriculture faculty, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2019 in a factorial based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. Experimental factors were included: different levels of drought stress including 100% of field capacity (control or no stress), 80, 60 and 40% of field capacity and two barley cultivars containing semi-sensitive (Fajr30) and drought tolerant (Dasht). First, the seeds of both cultivars were planted in trays filled with coco peat, perlite and sand, and after two weeks, the seedlings were transferred to pots filled with garden soil. The pots were watered daily and after one month (4 to 6 leaf stage) until the end of the growing season, they were subjected to drought stress treatments. During the vegetative stage, morphological traits such as plant height (from crown to end of plant), stem diameter, number of leaves, number of tillers, leaf area and number of stomata below and above the leaf were examined using common methods. Physiological traits including proline, soluble sugars, photosynthetic pigments and antioxidant enzymes (catalase and peroxidase) were also measured. Analysis of variance was performed using JMP statistical software version 8 and the mean of treatments was compared using LSD test at the level of 5%.Results and discussionThe results of this experiment showed that the effect of cultivar and drought stress were significant for many of the studied traits. The highest plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves and tillers and leaf area index were observed in plants without stress (100% FC), which was significant compared to other stress level. Also, the comparison of the two cultivars showed that Dasht, as a drought tolerant cultivar, has more leaves and tillers but less leaf area and stomata than the semi-sensitive cultivar Fajr30. In other words, the tolerant cultivar produces more leaves but smaller under stress condition which finally reduces the leaf area compared to the sensitive cultivar. This can be a good solution for drought resistance through reduce evaporation from the leaf surface as well as shading. In addition, osmotic regulators such as proline and soluble sugars and the activity of antioxidant enzymes including catalase and peroxidase increased under drought stress and it was higher in tolerant cultivar. In fact, it seems that tolerant cultivar can tolerate drought stress through activating their immune system by producing osmoprotectant and increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes.ConclusionIn general, results showed that proline, soluble sugars and antioxidant enzymes play a role in the mechanism of stress tolerance and their metabolism is affected by drought stress. The results of this experiment suggest that the accumulation of these osmoprotectans and morphological changes can be part of the drought resistance mechanisms in the drought tolerant genotype of barley, which can ultimately be used in breeding programs to improve drought tolerance. In general, the results of this experiment showed that both barley cultivars responded to drought stress, but Dasht cultivar showed more tolerance in these conditions.

Soil compaction is a threat to agricultural soil function due to constriction of macro- and meso-pores necessary for air and water movement and crop root elongation. Soils are most vulnerable to compaction when moist. Agricultural soils saturated from winter precipitation or from intentional flooding for groundwater recharge may limit growers’ operational access to fields. The objective of this research was to develop guidance for rain-free “time-to-trafficability” (including shallow workability—when a soil is conducive to both tillage and traffic) after deep wetting, using soil survey data, pedotransfer functions, and a hydroclimatological modeling approach. Trafficability is defined as a threshold of field capacity (θfc) at the soil surface (0–10 cm), ranging from 85% of θfc (clays and silty clays) to 95% of θfc (sands and loamy sands). The θfc threshold is guided by the soil texture plasticity index, an indicator of compaction risk. 2911 soil profiles from soil survey databases were subjected to a wetting simulation, followed by drainage and evaporation using HYDRUS-1D across 11 locations representing mean annual potential evapotranspiration (PET) quantiles from 5% to 95%, four months (January-April), and three different years, assuming no precipitation. Rain-free time-to-trafficability was greatest in fine and loamy soils during cold months (January and February). However, seasonal effects on time-to-trafficability were more pronounced in loamy soils. Non-linear predictive functions were developed for each 0–10 cm textural class to enable mapping the typical time-to-trafficability across PET gradients, revealing clear regional and temporal patterns. Model derived estimates can inform agricultural managed aquifer recharge timing decisions and subsequent risk of soil compaction. Additional research is needed for validation and to better constrain time-to-trafficability estimates for loamy and fine textured soils, which show a greater degree of uncertainty amid greater risk of compaction indicated by plasticity indices.

Drought is the major abiotic constraint affecting sugarcane productivity and quality worldwide. This obstacle may be alleviated through sugarcane genotypes demonstrating good water use efficiency (WUE) performance. This study aims to investigate the WUE characteristics of various sugarcane genotypes under different soil water availability levels. Plant and ratoon field experiments were conducted using a split-plot randomized complete block design with three replications. The main plots were assigned three types of irrigation: (1) rainfed conditions (RF), (2) field capacity conditions (FC), and (3) half-available water (½ AW). The subplots consisted of six sugarcane genotypes with varying levels of drought resistance, i.e., KK3, UT13, Kps01-12, KKU99-03, KKU99-02, and UT12. Data on yield, stalk numbers, stalk diameter, height, and WUE were collected throughout the crop cycle for both plant and ratoon crops. For the plant crop, the net photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and leaf area index (LAI) were recorded during the crop period. In both plant and ratoon crops, the WUE in the RF treatment was lower than in the FC and ½ AW treatments during the drought stress period 4 months after planting (MAP). In the recovery phase, the WUE in the ½ AW treatment fell between the FC and RF treatments. The RF treatment exhibited the lowest WUE compared to the other two water regime treatments at the maturity stage. The drought-resistant genotypes KK3 and UT13 maintained high WUE values throughout both the drought and recovery periods and exhibited outstanding LAIs at 4 and 6 MAP. A significant relationship existed between WUE and LAI during these periods. Moreover, WUE was positively correlated with cane yields and yield components, such as stalk weight, shoot diameter, and height, during recovery and tiller number and height during ripening. Therefore, WUE and LAI are efficient parameters for supporting and maintaining growth and yield during water deficit and recovery phases under rainfed conditions.

IntroductionWheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important grains used in the world and its production is reduced in different regions due to drought stress. the plant antioxidant system can scavenge the reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced under drought. Induction of mutation using gamma ray is one of the common methods for genetic modification and identification of tolerant and resistant mutants. Mutant T65-58-8 is one of these drought tolerant genotypes that has been obtained by irradiation to Tabasi wheat genotype. The wheat plant needs irrigation during the flowering stage and drought stress is very important in this stage. In this study, in the flowering stage, the enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) involved in the mechanisms of tolerance to oxidative damage of ROS in the flag leaf were studied and the expression of the genes related to these enzymes was investigated using RNAseq. method.Materials and methodsDrought stress was applied based on field capacity (FC). The experiment was performed as a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with three replications. Factors studied in this experiment include genotype at two levels (Tabasi parent and Mutant T65-58-8) and drought stress at 5 levels (100% FC or control, 75%, 22%, re-sampling from control pots at 18% FC and sampling after re-irrigation to the pot when had 90% FC). Wheat growth stages can be studied by Zadoks index. SOD activity was measured by Minami and Yoshikawa method, CAT activity by Aebi method, GR activity by Foyer and Halliwell method and GPX activity by Hopkins and Tudhope method. RNA sequencing was performed using Illumina NovaSeq 6000. Gene expression was obtained based on sequencing data by Bowtie2, Tophat2, HTseq-count and Featurecount softwares. After normalization by generating FPKM, Log2FC gene expression was calculated.Results and discussionExamination of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) indices showed a significant difference (p

Preferential pathways in soil lead to nutrient leaching and groundwater contamination. However, the evolution of preferential flow with straw application remains uncertain. This study aims to experimentally determine the hypothesis that, depending on how it is applied, straw will either promote or inhibit the movement of soil preferential flow. Treatments with straw application rates of 0, 5, 10, and 15 t/ha and decomposition time points of 0, 60, and 240 d were set up for the potassium iodide–starch dye-tracer method. The results showed that the straw decomposition rate slowed down in the later stages. At 0 d, the preferential flow coefficients of straw application of 0, 5, 10, and 15 t/ha were 0.13, 0.14, 0.23, and 0.17, respectively. At 60 d, the preferential flow coefficients were approximately 0.17, 0.11, 0.22, and 0.12. Soil properties and irrigation quality improved at 0 d and 60 d. However, a marked increase of 0.31, 0.35, and 0.17 in the preferential flow coefficient was observed at 240 d. Soil properties and irrigation quality deteriorated at 240 d. These results indicate that the effect of straw incorporation and decomposition on preferential flow was initially inhibited and subsequently promoted. Soil properties and irrigation quality were initially improved and subsequently deteriorated. The study serves as a reference for rational utilization of agricultural residuals and scientific irrigation, suggesting that the optimal method of straw incorporation should be adopted based on the growth cycle of the crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Cross breeding processes including targeted crossings to increase drought tolerance, can be considered as a safe and permanent solution to reduce the harmful effects of drought stress on plants. Therefore, two issues of pistachio as a strategic crop in the country and location of Iran in arid and semi-arid region necessitated research in order to achieve rootstocks drought-tolerant hybrids are necessary. Materials and methods The experiment was conducted as factorial based on a Completely Randomized Design with four replications in the research greenhouse of Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources during 2018-2019. The treatments were consisted of 10 pistachio genotypes Ahmad Aghaei, Akbari, Sorkheh Hosseini, Garmeh, Fandoghi and interspecific hybrids (Ahmad Aghaei×Integerrima, Akbari×Integerrima, Sorkheh Hosseini× Integerrima, Garmeh×Iintegerrima and Fandoghi×Integerrima) and three levels of drought including control (field capacity), mild stress (65% of field capacity) and Severe stress (30% of field capacity) were applied on 3 months old the seedlings for 84 days. Results and Discussion According to the results, fandoghi genotype showed a higher malondialdehyde concentration in leaves (280.23 %), while the hybrid genotypes of Sorkheh Hosseini×Integerrima, Ahmad Aghaei- ×Integerrima and Akbari× Integerrima showed a lower malondialdehyde concentration in leaves by 70.18, 76.70, 81.03 % respectively compared to the control. Several osmotic mechanisms are carried out by plants, especially pistachios, in stressful conditions to reduce the effects of drought stress. In fact, these mechanisms have enabled plants to withstand the damages caused by drought and have made plants able to recover their biochemical and physiological functions faster after removing the stress factor. For example, a general physiological mechanism adopted by plants to cope with abiotic stresses is the production of large amounts of low molecular weight, watersoluble, non-toxic organic compounds even in high amounts called osmolytes. One of the most important of them is proline. Therefore, the genotypes with higher amount of proline can be more tolerant to drought conditions. The next osmolyte is glycine betaine, which has a significant protective role in the stability of enzymes and the structure of plasma membranes when faced with drought stress. Therefore, glycine betaine plays a significant role in the resistance of plants to stress through the protection of enzymes, the photosynthetic apparatus, the elimination of free radicals, the preservation of membrane integrity, the protection of large molecules, and as a nontoxic compatible osmolyte. It has an environment. Carbohydrates also increase membrane stability in response to drought stress. Therefore, the accumulation of carbohydrates in the osmotic responses of plants is one of the factors that can prevent disorders in the cell membrane. In addition, phenols are also one of the antioxidant mechanisms of plants in drought stress conditions, because such compounds act as scavengers of reactive oxygen species and thus stabilize membrane, cells and prevent lipid peroxidation. Malondialdehyde is also a decomposition product of unsaturated fatty acids and hydroxides and is used as a suitable marker for lipid peroxide. Therefore, the amount of malondialdehyde obtained from the peroxidation of membrane lipids is used as an indicator for oxidative damage in most cases. Conclusion Based on the results of the present research, it seems that it is possible to use the hybrids of Sorkhe Hosseini × Integerrima, Ahmad Aghaei × Integerrima, and Akbari× Integerrima as drought-tolerant genotypes in dry areas. Therefore, based on the results of the present research, it seems that the plants in question can be used as drought tolerant genotypes in arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing Physalis peruviana, which is known for its nutraceutical potential and pleasantly sweet-tasting fruits, can be a profitable economic activity for many small-scale farmers across different regions of Brazil. Therefore, studying its agronomic performance under adverse conditions is necessary, mainly concerning low water availability, which is common during dry periods in semiarid areas in the Northeast region of Brazil. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the effects of different water availability conditions (20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% of field capacity - FC) on Physalis peruviana plants. Morphological and physiological characteristics were evaluated: plant height, stem diameter, primary root length, number of leaves per plant, leaf area, relative water content, leaf water potential, and total dry weight. Biochemical analyses were conducted to determine the contents of total soluble proteins, total sugars, reducing sugars, sucrose, and total chlorophyll. Plants subjected to 20% of FC exhibited reduced height, stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf area, relative water content, and leaf water potential due to low soil water availability. Water stress caused an increase in contents of chlorophylls, total soluble proteins, total sugars, reducing sugars, and sucrose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Ambiente e Água is the property of Revista Ambiente e Agua and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background and objectives: Given the low precipitation and frequent occurrence of droughts in Iran, it is crucial to devise basic plans and identify new methods to mitigate the effects of drought on fodder production resources. Saltbush (Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt.), extensively cultivated in Iran for desert restoration, is one such plant. Methodology: To investigate the effects of nano-zinc oxide and its efficacy in creating resistance to drought stress on the growth and physiological variables of one-year-old saltbush seedlings, an experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with four replications. The experimental treatments included seed nano priming using nano-zinc oxide at concentrations of 0, 30, 100, 300, and 1000 mg/liter, and drought stress at four levels of field capacity: 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80%. Results: The results showed that as soil moisture decreased, the growth characteristics of seedlings, including the number of branches, leaves, collar diameter growth, fresh and dry weight of aerial parts, and fresh and dry weight of roots, decreased. The highest values of these characteristics were observed in the 80% treatment and the lowest in the 20% field capacity. With increasing drought stress, leaf physiological characteristics such as chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll, carotenoid, and proline increased. The investigation into the effect of nano-zinc oxide on the growth characteristics and physiology of saltbush seedlings revealed that this nanoparticle significantly affected only chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll, and proline. The highest amount was observed in the control seedlings, and the lowest was in the nano-zinc oxide treatment with a concentration of 1000 mg/liter. Conclusion: In general, due to the very insignificant effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles observed in this research, their use to increase the resistance of saltbush to drought stress is not recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Introduction: Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) is an annual plant from the legume family and tolerant to salinity and drought, which can be used as an alternative product in low water plains. Ascorbic acid is one of the antioxidants involved in the defense mechanisms of plants against various stresses, including drought, which plays a role in ROS detoxification. Calcium is also an essential element for plant growth, which, despite being immobile, has many electrochemical, structural and catalytic functions in plants. It has been reported that calcium ions can increase drought tolerance in plants by participating in the drought signal transduction process and stimulating abscisic acid synthesis. Therefore, this research was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of foliar spraying of ascorbic acid and calcium on some morpho-physiological traits of guar under drought stress conditions. Materials and Methods: In order to investigate the morpho-physiological responses of guar to foliar application of ascorbic acid and calcium under drought stress conditions, a factorial experiment was conducted with two factors in the form of a randomized complete block design with three replications in the research greenhouse of Saravan Higher Education Complex in 2020. The experimental treatments included three levels of drought stress (70, 50 and 30% of field capacity) and three levels of foliar application (no foliar application, foliar application with calcium carbonate and ascorbic acid with a concentration of 3‰). Results and Discussion: The results showed that in 50 and 30% of the field capacity, compared to the treatment of 70% of the field capacity, plant height, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, pod length, leaf dry weight and total protein showed a decreasing trend, but traits of reducing sugar, Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzyme activity and root length showed an increasing trend. The increase of reducing sugars is considered a mechanism to deal with drought in plants because reducing sugars are osmolytes that play a role in plant cells as regulators of the osmotic potential of the intracellular environment. Similarly, the increase in PPO activity during drought stress is justified by the increase in radical oxygen species generated during this stress, because the increase in the activity of antioxidant compounds as a defense mechanism is essential to maintain cellular processes and prevent the damaging effects of free radicals on plant physiological processes. Foliar application with ascorbic acid did not significantly change plant height and number of pods per plant compared to nonsprayed plants but increased leaf dry weight, total protein, reducing sugar and root length by 22%, 11%, and 21%, respectively. While, calcium foliar application significantly increased plant height, number of pods per plant and leaf dry weight by 16%, 24%, and 42%, respectively compared to nonfoliar application and 8.5%, 12%, and 17.5% compared to foliar application with ascorbic acid, but total protein, reducing sugar, root length and dry weight of root remained statistically unchanged in calcium spraying respect to foliar application with ascorbic acid. However, both ascorbic acid and calcium application than no-foliar application showed a significant increase in the amount of total protein, reducing sugar, root length and dry weight of root and a decrease in PPO enzyme activity. The decrease in PPO activity can be considered as a result of reducing the harmful effects of drought stress caused by the application of calcium and ascorbic acid. Conclusion: In general, it seems that the availability of moisture in less than 70% of the field capacity has caused the formation of mechanisms to deal with drought stress in the guar, but foliar application with ascorbic acid and calcium can somewhat to be effective in modulating the effects of drought stress on this plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grass species have a range of strategies to tolerate soil water restriction, which are linked to the environmental conditions at their site of origin. Climate change enhances the relevance of the functional role of anatomical attributes and their contribution as water stress tolerance factors. Morpho-anatomical traits and adjustments that contribute to drought resistance in Lolium perenne L. (Lp) and Bromus valdivianus Phil. (Bv), a temperate humid grass species, were analysed. The structure of the leaves and pseudostems (stems only in Lp) grown at 20–25% field capacity (FC) (water restriction) and 80–85% FC (control) were evaluated by making paraffin sections. In both species, water restriction reduced the thickness of the leaves and pseudostems, along with the size of the vasculature. Bv had long and dense leaf hairs, small and numerous stomata, and other significant adaptive traits under water stress, including thicker pseudostems (p ≤ 0.001), a greatly thickened bundle sheath wall (p ≤ 0.001) in the pseudostem to ensure water flow, and a thickened cuticle covering on leaf surfaces (p ≤ 0.01) to avoid water loss. Lp vascular bundles developed throughout the stem, and under water restriction the xylem vessel walls were strengthened and lignified. Lp leaves had individual traits of a ribbed/corrugated-shaped upper surface, and the stomata were positioned to maintain relative humidity outside the leaf surface. Water restriction significantly changed the bulliform cell depth in Lp (p ≤ 0.05) that contributed to water loss reduction via the curling leaf blade. This study demonstrated that the two grass species, through different morphological traits, were able to adjust their individual tissues and cells in aboveground parts to reach similar physiological functions to reduce water loss with increased water restriction. These attributes explain how both species enhance persistence and resilience under soil water restriction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]