Iranian Journal Pulses Research

Abstract Introduction
Given the projected population of nine billion by the year 2050, and despite the increase in crop yields, concerns about food security still remain. Among various agricultural crops, legumes play a significant role in providing human food. These plants have high nutritional value and are the most important food source rich in protein (11 to 32 percent) (Schoonhoven & Voysest, 1991). An appropriate combination of legume proteins with cereals can alleviate malnutrition and amino acid deficiencies.

Materials and Methods
To regenerate and evaluate certain traits of the accessions in the bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) collection of the Khomein Bean Research and Education Center, an experiment was conducted over three years. A total of 720 bean accessions of pinto, red, and white types from the Khomein bean collection were planted using an augmented design. The number of blocks varied each year depending on the number of planted accessions: in the first year, the accessions were planted in 19 blocks; in the second year, in 14 blocks; and in the third year, in 12 experimental blocks. Each spring, after land preparation, furrows and ridges were created at 50-cm intervals, and the seeds of each genotype were planted on two rows of two meters. Plant spacing within the rows was set at 50 cm, and one unplanted row was considered between each experimental plot. To determine block uniformity during data analysis, three check varieties were used: the pinto bean cultivar ‘Kousha’, the red bean ‘Ofogh’, and the white bean ‘Dorsa’. All required agronomic practices—including irrigation, weed control, pest and disease management were applied uniformly across all blocks. Data were recorded for days to maturity, plant type, yield, and hundred-seed weight. Lines with a visual damage scale of less than 2.5 were considered resistant; those rated 2.5–3.7 as moderately resistant; 3.7–4.6 as moderately susceptible; and 4.6–6 as susceptible. For quantitative traits, descriptive statistics, including arithmetic mean, dispersion, range, variance, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation were estimated. Excel and SPSS software were used for data recording, analysis of variance, and chart preparation.

Results and Discussion
The results showed that the genotypes under study exhibited variation for the measured traits. The greatest amount of variation observed during the three years was related to grain yield, followed by hundred-seed weight. One of the main objectives of establishing gene banks and collections is the conservation of plant genetic resources and the utilization of storable materials in breeding programs through the use of their desirable genes to increase production, either directly or indirectly, under various biotic and abiotic stresses. For selecting desirable bean accessions, traits such as yield, earliness, marketability, and plant growth habit are of great importance. Based on the seed yield and maturity period of the genotypes over the three years of the experiment, a biplot of these two traits was used (Figures 1 to 3), and the accessions with above-average yield and early maturity were selected. The characteristics of the selected genotypes for each year are presented in Tables 8 to 10. The greatest amount of variation in common bean has been reported for number of pods per plant, yield, and hundred-seed weight, and this variation contributes the most to the development of high-yielding cultivars. In addition, pod number per plant has high heritability, and this trait is influenced by factors such as the number and size of leaves on the plant. Because of its positive correlation with yield, it should be considered a key criterion when selecting high-yielding plants (Dargahi et al., 2008). Similarly, Ashtari et al. (2020), in their evaluation of the tolerance of several promising bean lines to the two-spotted spider mite under greenhouse and field conditions, concluded that the Dadfar cultivar and line 31286 exhibited higher resistance indices compared with the other genotypes, and they recommended these genotypes for cultivation in the region. These findings indicate that it is possible to identify mite-tolerant genotypes within bean populations, and that this trait can be utilized to reduce dependence on chemical pesticides.

Conclusions
Based on the results obtained from this project during the restoration and evaluation of part of the accessions in the bean collection of the Khomein Bean Research and Education Campus, a total of 64 accessions with above-average yield and early maturity were selected over the three years of the project. These selected accessions will undergo further detailed evaluations.

Abstract Introduction
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is considered as a valuable legume crop that, in addition to having high nutritional value, is well adapted to rainfed farming conditions. Also, it is one of the most important crops in the semi-arid regions of the world, and is widely cultivated in Iran. In 2023, chickpea cultivation area in Iran is about 423,700 hectares and its production is estimated at more than 175,000 tons with an average yield of 413 kilograms per hectare. Developing new cultivars with superior agronomic performance and desirable consumer traits is essential for increasing yield, improving mechanization efficiency, and enhancing market competitiveness. The Value for Cultivation and Use (VCU) test is a critical step in the registration and commercialization process, as it verifies that new cultivars outperform existing commercial varieties in terms of agronomic performance and quality. The newly developed chickpea cultivar Sakar was selected for evaluation based on its promising morphological and physiological characteristics. The aim of this study was to investigate the agronomic performance and consumption-related characteristics of the "Sakar" cultivar in comparison with five commercial cultivars in diverse climatic conditions of Iran.

Materials and Methods
This study was conducted during two cropping seasons in three locations: Urmia, Naqadeh, and Karaj. A Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications was used to evaluate the candidate cultivar ‘Sakar’ alongside five control cultivars. Data collection was based on the national VCU testing protocol and phenological traits, yield components and seed quality were evaluated. Post-harvest traits such as water absorption index, seed swelling index and cooking time were measured using standard laboratory methods. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to assess differences among cultivars and mean comparisons were conducted using Duncan’s multiple range test at the 5% significance level. All statistical analyses were carried out using SAS software.

Results and Discussion
The candidate cultivar ‘Sakar’ was later flowering than the other cultivars with 154.4 days to flowering. Sakars flowering time was significantly delayed compared to the average of the other cultivars (152.7 days). ‘Sakar’cultivar with a maturity period of 190.7 days was classified in the late-maturing cultivar group along with ‘Nosrat’ (190.2 days) and ‘Ata’ (189.8 days). The first pod height in ‘Sakar’ (20.5 cm) was significantly higher than the mean of the other cultivars (17.8 cm), which is considered as an advantage for ‘Sakar’ mechanical harvesting. ‘Sakar’ also showed high branching (7.05 branches per plant), similar to ‘Ata’ (7.0) and ‘Nosrat’ (6.77). Although the number of pods per plant in ‘Sakar’ (39.4 pods) was significantly lower than the average of the improved cultivars (49.15 pods), it had the highest number of seeds per pod (1.15) and the highest 100‑seed weight of 37 g which was ranked in the highest statistical group with 100-seed weight in Saeed (37.9 grams) and Anna (37 grams) cultivars. ‘Sakar’ also produced the highest fresh seed weight (81.3 g) and showed a higher water absorption index (1.19%) compared to the general mean (1.12%). Its dry seed volume (83 mL) was the highest among the cultivars. Based on the seed swelling index (2.23) and cooking time (38.3 minutes), ‘Sakar’ was categorized as an intermediate cultivar. Overall, due to its higher first pod height and relatively large seed size, ‘Sakar’ can serve as an efficient and promising germplasm for breeding and production programs in regions with environmental conditions similar to the study areas.

Conclusions
The candidate cultivar ‘Sakar’ showed impressive agronomic performance in the evaluations; higher first pod height, adequate branching and relatively large seed size were its outstanding features. In addition, the sakar cultivar showed favorable quality traits such as higher grain fresh weight, higher water absorption index and higher grian dry volume. Although this cultivar was ranked at an average level in terms of grain swelling index and cooking time, the combination of all Sakar characteristics indicates that Sakar can be used as an efficient and promising germplasm for breeding and production programs in areas with environmental conditions similar to the experimental sites.

Acknowledgement
This article is extracted from the research project of the Seed and Plant Certification and Registration Institute under the approved number 04-08-08-050-011221 dated 2025/10/18 which is hereby thanked and appreciated.

Abstract Introduction
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the most important rainfed legumes in the western regions of Iran; however, its production is severely constrained by late-season drought stress. Drought stress disrupts photosynthetic processes and reproductive growth by reducing the availability of essential nutrients. Salicylic acid, as a plant growth regulator, enhances drought tolerance. Furthermore, mycorrhizal fungi such as Glomus intraradices, through the extension of their hyphal network, facilitate the uptake of water and low-mobility elements such as phosphorus (P), thereby improving stress resilience. Given the decisive role of cultivar selection in yield performance, this study was conducted to evaluate the interactive effects of salicylic acid and mycorrhizal inoculation on the morphophysiological characteristics, yield, and nutrient acquisition of two rainfed chickpea cultivars under the climatic conditions of Lorestan province.

Materials and Methods
The experiment was carried out during the 2021–2022 growing season at the Beyranshahr Research Station (northeast of Khorramabad, altitude 1660 m, cold semi-arid climate with an average annual rainfall of 250 mm). The experiment was arranged as a split-plot factorial based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. The main factor consisted of salicylic acid at four levels (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mM). Subplot factors included two chickpea cultivars (Lorestan local and the Goksu cultivar) and two mycorrhizal inoculation levels (inoculation with Glomus intraradices and non-inoculated). Seeds were hand-planted in December. Mycorrhizal inoculum was incorporated into the root-zone soil, before sowing, and salicylic acid was applied as a foliar spray at the pre-flowering stage. Measured traits included plant height, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, 100-seed weight, seed yield, biological yield, leaf area index (LAI), canopy temperature, leaf chlorophyll index (SPAD), plant nitrogen and phosphorus concentration, and seed protein content. Data were analyzed using SAS software (version 9.4, SAS Institute Inc.). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed, and treatment means were compared using Duncan’s multiple range test (α = 0.05).

Results and Discussion
Analysis of variance revealed that the salicylic acid × mycorrhiza interaction had a significant effect on number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, canopy temperature, leaf chlorophyll index, plant nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, and seed protein content. The highest number of pods per plant (26.30) and seeds per pod (2.15) were recorded in the 1.5 mM salicylic acid × mycorrhiza treatment. Moreover, the highest leaf chlorophyll index (17.08) was observed in the Goksu cultivar treated with 1.5 mM salicylic acid and mycorrhiza, which was twice the minimum value (8.18 in the untreated local cultivar, 0 mM salicylic acid, no mycorrhiza). The combined application of 1.5 mM salicylic acid and mycorrhiza increased plant nitrogen concentration (by 40.38%), plant phosphorus concentration (to 4.16 mg.kg^-1) which were more than double the lowest values (19.82% and 1.98 mg.kg^-1, respectively). The lowest canopy temperature (23.45 °C) was also recorded under the 1.5 mM salicylic acid × mycorrhiza treatment, showing a significant reduction compared to the control (31.53 °C). The main effect of salicylic acid was significant on plant height, 100-seed weight, and seed yield; the application of 1.5 mM salicylic acid resulted in the highest plant height (42.07 cm), 100-seed weight (38.06 g), and seed yield (2022 kg.ha⁻¹), which were increases of 26.6%, 30.5%, and 56%, respectively, over the control. Mycorrhizal inoculation alone also increased seed yield to 1864 kg ha⁻¹. The Goksu cultivar was superior to the local cultivar in terms of plant height (39.03 cm vs. 37.52 cm) and leaf area index (2.08 vs. 1.85), but no significant difference in seed yield was detected between the two cultivars.

Conclusions
Based on the results obtained from this experiment, it was established that the main effects of salicylic acid application and mycorrhizal inoculation individually increased seed yield. Mycorrhiza, through the expansion of its hyphal network, improves phosphorus uptake, which provides the energy required for nitrogen fixation and chlorophyll synthesis. Salicylic acid appears to improve nitrogen metabolism and prevent protein degradation under drought conditions by enhancing nitrate reductase activity and modulating antioxidant responses. Furthermore, the synergy between these two factors reduced canopy temperature (which improves plant water status) and increased the chlorophyll index (enhancing photosynthetic capacity), thereby promoting the translocation of photosynthates to the seed. Although the Goksu cultivar was superior in certain vegetative traits, its seed yield was similar to the local cultivar, which is likely attributable to the greater adaptation of the local cultivar to the region’s rainfed conditions. In conclusion, the foliar application of 1.5 mM salicylic acid combined with soil inoculation with the mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices can be recommended as a low-input, environmentally sustainable strategy to increase seed yield (up to 56%), protein content (up to 37%), and nutrient uptake in rainfed chickpea under cold semi-arid conditions similar to those of Lorestan province.

Abstract Introduction
Mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) belongs to the Fabaceae family and originates in Southeast Asia. It is widely cultivated worldwide, particularly in Asia, for human consumption, with annual production exceeding 4.5 million tons. Due to its high protein content, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and essential vitamins, mung bean plays a significant role in food security. In addition, it contributes to soil fertility through atmospheric nitrogen fixation by rhizobium bacteria. In Afghanistan, mung bean is particularly important because of its high nutritional value and low water requirement. However, its production faces several challenges, including a lack of improved seeds, limited access to modern equipment, and poor nutrient management. In this context, the use of organic fertilizers has been proposed as a sustainable approach to improve growth and yield. These fertilizers enhance soil physical, chemical, and biological properties while supplying essential nutrients. Humic acid, as an effective organic compound, improves soil structure, increases nutrient uptake, and promotes plant growth. Its combined application with organic fertilizers can enhance photosynthesis, biomass, and grain yield. Due to the lack of sufficient studies under the climatic conditions of Afghanestan, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of humic acid and farmyard manure on the growth and yield of mung bean in Samangan province.

Materials and Methods
The study was conducted during the 2025 season at the research farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Samangan University, located in the Old City of Samangan Province, Afghanistan, at an altitude of 962 m above sea level. The experiment was arranged as a factorial in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The experimental factors consisted of fertilizer at three levels (control: 0, humic acid: 50 kg.ha⁻¹, and farmyard manure: 40 t.ha⁻¹) and genotype at two levels (Afghanestan landrace and Uzbekestan landrace). Before sowing, farmyard manure was uniformly incorporated into the soil one month before planting. Each experimental plot measured 2 × 2 m (4 m²), and the seeds were uniformly sown by hand broadcasting. Humic acid was applied once in solid form at the 2–3 leaf stage. Irrigation was carried out using the flood irrigation method according to crop water requirements at approximately 7-day intervals. Weeds were manually controlled at two stages, 20 and 40 days after sowing. Measured traits included phenological, growth, and yield-related characteristics, including plant height, number of pods per plant, 1000-seed weight, grain yield, biological yield, harvest index, and relative water content. The data were tested for normality prior to statistical analysis using IBM SPSS Statistics version 25. Treatment means were compared using Duncan’s multiple range test at the 5% probability level (P ≤ 0.05). Graphs were generated using Microsoft Excel.

Results and Discussion
The results of analysis of variance showed that there were significant differences among mung bean landraces and fertilizer treatments for most traits. The shortest period to the three-leaf stage was observed in the control treatment, which may be attributed to the use of seed storage during early seedling growth. Among the treatments, humic acid had the greatest effect on the growth and yield of mung bean. In the Uzbekestan landrace, this treatment increased leaf length and width by 51.7% and 79%, respectively, number of branches by 63.7%, number of pods by 51.9%, number of seeds per pod by 65.33%, 1000-seed weight by 11%, seed yield by 69.3%, biological yield by 66%, dry matter yield by 65.4%, and relative water content of leaf by 3.3%, compared to the control. Furthermore, in the Afghanestan landrace, humic acid increased plant height and number of leaves by 16.8% and 46.4%, respectively, compared to the control treatment. In addition, the application of humic acid in the Uzbekestan landrace reduced the days to flowering and days to maturity by 23.6% and 7.5%, respectively, compared to the control.

Conclusions
The results showed that the application of farmyard manure and humic acid could significantly increase the growth parameters and yield of mung bean. Among the treatments studied, humic acid performed better than farmyard manure in most of the studied traits; in the Afghanestan landrace, the highest plant height and number of leaves were observed under this treatment, while in the Uzbekestan landrace, the greatest leaf length and leaf width, highest number of branches, and highest number of pods and seeds per pod were recorded with humic acid application. Furthermore, humic acid significantly reduced the days to flowering and days to maturity. The Uzbekestan landrace showed a better response than the Afghanestan landrace in most of the traits studied, with the highest 1000-seed weight, seed yield, biomass, harvest index, stem dry weight, and relative leaf water content being observed in this landrace under humic acid treatment. Overall, the results of this study showed that the application of humic acid at a rate of 50 kg.ha⁻¹ improved the growth and yield of mung bean landraces under the climatic conditions of Afghanistan, and it can be used as an effective strategy to improve the production of this crop in the region.

Acknowledgements
We would like to thank our esteemed colleagues at Samangan University.

Abstract Introduction
The concept of sustainability is mainly used as a measure of the temporal or spatial invariance of specific characteristics. Therefore, sustainability can be expressed as the stability of agricultural outputs, especially yield, over long periods of time or in different spatial environments. The idea of ​​applying sustainability analysis methods to cropping systems is not new, however, it does not seem to have been addressed as it deserves. Yield sustainability analyses have gained more importance in recent years, as the increase in climate variability caused by climate change is also associated with a decrease in crop yield sustainability. For example, among the eight crops studied, beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) have shown the greatest sensitivity to temperature increase scenarios caused by climate change. Some studies have shown that yield instability in legumes is 30% higher than in spring and autumn cereals. There are two dominant approaches to the comparative advantage index. The first approach is based on the costs and benefits of products, and the second approach is based on the performance and production of products. The first approach often includes economic and monetary aspects, and the second approach includes technical aspects of production. For example, in a study evaluating crop production, watermelon, cucumber, potato, onion, tomato, and rainfed wheat were found to be efficient in terms of production performance and to have a comparative advantage. In contrast, irrigated wheat, irrigated barley, grain corn, long-grain rice, and short-grain rice did not demonstrate a comparative advantage in production compared with the national level.

Materials and Methods
Official statistics from the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad were used to obtain bean yields from (2010-2011) to (2020-2021) and were the source of information necessary for this research. Yield, relative yield, yield sustainability index, and cumulative comparative advantage were among the items measured in this study. Provincial data were tested using a randomized complete block design with 10 replications (years) and compared means using Duncan's range test. Although changes in genotypes, crop management, economic factors, and weed and pest control vary from year to year, the principle of yield stability calculations does not distort the results, but to reduce these effects, the number of base years was only 10 years. The minimum number of years to measure yield stability indices is 4 years. Usually, there are two opinions on dealing with outliers in yield stability studies: one is that these data should be eliminated, and some believe that these data should be retained because they reflect biotic and abiotic stresses in the studies. In the present study, there were no outliers due to the limited number of years of evaluation, and therefore all data were retained for the provinces.

Results and Discussion
Yield, relative yield, sustainability index, and comparative advantage were the factors evaluated in this study. The yield range of bean seeds fluctuated from 940 kg ha^-1 in South Khorasan to 2816 kg.ha^-1 in Zanjan. 58 percent of the 31 bean-producing provinces had a yield of less than 2 tons ha^-1. In terms of relative bean yield index, the provinces of the country are divided into three groups, with only 48.4 percent of the provinces having a relative yield of more than 100. Provinces such as Fars, Zanjan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Isfahan, and Markazi had bean yields of more than 2 t.ha^-1, and at the same time, the yield sustainability index in them was more than 0.7. In terms of relative advantage in area, only 5 provinces had a comparative advantage, and in these provinces a significant level of cultivation was devoted to bean crops. The relative yield advantage was more than 1 in 9 provinces and more than 2 in 3 provinces. The cumulative comparative advantage of bean cultivation in the country showed that the provinces of East Azerbaijan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Zanjan, Fars, Kohgiluye and Boyer Ahmad, Lorestan and Markazi have cumulative comparative advantage for bean cultivation. According to the results obtained, it is suggested that policies for bean production in the country be made according to similar indicators of this research.

Conclusions
Ensuring a promising future for crop production depends on an accurate analysis of past production trends. Monitoring yield, relative yield, yield stability, and the comparative advantage of production are among the tools used to analyze the historical performance of crops. Over a decade of bean cultivation in the country, bean seed yield across the 31 bean-producing provinces ranged from 940 kg ha⁻¹ in South Khorasan to 2,816 kg ha⁻¹ in Zanjan. However, 58% of the producing provinces still had yields below 2 t ha⁻¹. The relative yield of beans exceeded 100 in 15 provinces. In terms of yield stability, only 16% of the bean-producing provinces both achieved yields above 2 t ha⁻¹ and maintained these yields over time, indicating substantial yield fluctuations in most producing provinces. In terms of relative advantage, only 5 provinces had a comparative advantage, and in these provinces a significant level of cultivation has been devoted to the bean crop. The relative advantage of yield in 9 provinces was more than 1 and in 3 provinces more than 2. If both the level and yield are the basis of the relative advantage (cumulative relative advantage), the provinces of East Azerbaijan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Zanjan, Fars, Kohgiluye and Boyer Ahmad, Lorestan and Markazi have such an advantage for bean cultivation. According to the results, the strengths and weaknesses of bean production in each province are specific to that province and can be traced through the indicators presented in this article.

Abstract Introduction
One of the most important issues related to lentil (Lens culinaris Medik) cultivation in Iran, which is often cultivated in less fertile soils under dryland conditions, is its low and unstable yield, which can be significantly improved with appropriate management methods, including proper plant nutrition. One of the problems of soils in arid and semi-arid regions is the reduced availability of micronutrients, especially Zn and Fe, and as a result, their deficiency in plants. he lack of organic matter, high pH, and high percentage of calcium carbonate in arid and semi-arid soils cause micronutrients, especially zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe), to stabilize in these soils and quickly become unavailable to the plant. Under such conditions, applying these micronutrients as seed priming or foliar sprays (or a combination of both) will be much more efficient than applying them to the soil.
 
Materials and Methods
In order to evaluate the effect of seed priming and foliar application of lentil plants by Zn and Fe micronutrient, a factorial experiment was conducted based on randomized complete blocks design with three replications and two factors. The first factor was nutritional priming in six levels [nutritional priming with FeSO₄ and ZnSO₄ each at two concentrations of 50 and 100 mM, along with no prime (dry seed) and hydro prime as controls); The second factor was foliar spraying with four levels (no foliar spraying and spraying with distilled water, FeSO₄ and ZnSO₄ at 4‰ concentration). Nutritional priming of seeds was carried out for 12 hours at a temperature of 15 °C. Foliar spraying was carried out at two times, one at the 50% flowering stage and the other at the podding stage of lentils, using zinc sulfate fertilizer containing 21% zinc and iron sulfate fertilizer containing 19% iron at a concentration of 4‰. At the end of the experiment, plants were harvested from an area equivalent to 5 square meters and yield and yield components were determined. After that, a seed sample was randomly separated and 20 seeds were placed in 9 cm diameter Petri dishes containing 5 ml of distilled water. Then, the Petri dishes were placed in a germinator at 20°C and a 12-hour light/dark cycle. Finally, the germination and seedling growth characteristics of the seeds obtained from the mother plants were examined.
 
Results and Discussion
Based on the analysis of variance of the measured data, the main effects of seed priming and foliar spray were significant on all measured traits; however their interaction was significant only on grain yield. Almost the highest levels of all studied traits were observed in the priming with 50 mM FeSO₄ and then ZnSO₄. However, by increasing the concentration to 100 mM, there was a reduction in all studied traits. For example, grain yield decreased by 69.16 and 72.09 percent by 100 mM FeSO₄ and ZnSO₄, respectively. Foliar application of FeSO₄ and ZnSO₄ increased the number of pods per plant by 2.51 and 1.96 times, the number of seeds per pod by 1.24 and 1.33 times, and the 100-kernel weight by 47.34 and 29.98%, respectively, compared to the control (non-foliar application), indicating a greater effect of plant nutrition with iron and zinc on seed weight, while priming had a greater effect on the number of pods. Also, foliar application of micronutrients increased lentil grain yield through improving yield components, and the highest yields were obtained from a combination of priming with 50 mM FeSO₄ and/or ZnSO₄ and foliar application of these micronutrients. Priming did not affect the germination traits of the harvested seeds; nevertheless seeds from plants foliar sprayed with FeSO₄ were superior regarding germination traits and seedling vigor.
 
Conclusions
Overall, the results indicate that using management operations such as nutritional priming and foliar spraying with micronutrients may be a suitable solution to improve plant growth and production, as well as germination and seedling establishment of produced seeds. In this study, hydropriming did not have a significant difference with no-priming in most traits, and priming with iron- and zinc sulfates, through improving height and lateral branches, caused the most tremendous increase in the number of pods per plant among yield components, while later applying of these micronutrients through foliar spraying had the most significant effect on grain weight. Choosing the appropriate concentration of these micronutrients (50 mM) and their application at the right time had an effective role in increasing the vegetative and reproductive traits of lentil crops. In comparison, the high concentration of priming agents (100 mM) had the opposite effect on all measured traits, and therefore, care should be taken in the amount of these micronutrients.

Abstract Introduction
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) serves as a vital source of dietary protein and plays a crucial role in sustainable crop rotations within the Iranian agricultural system. Its productivity in dryland conditions is predominantly constrained by suboptimal sowing dates and inadequate nutrient management, leading to significant yield gaps. In recent years, bio-fertilizers have emerged as a promising ecological strategy to improve crop growth, soil health, and resource use efficiency. However, the performance of these microbial inoculants is highly context-dependent and influenced by agronomic practices, particularly sowing date. Despite this, the interactions between sowing dates and specific bio-fertilizer formulations under the variable climatic conditions of Iran's rain-fed ecosystems remain poorly understood. Therefore, this two-year field study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of various commercial bio-fertilizers applied as seed treatments on the growth, yield, and water productivity of rain-fed chickpea, with a focus on comparing autumn and spring sowing dates.
 
Materials and Methods
A two-year field study (2023-2025) was conducted in Maragheh, East Azerbaijan province, using a split-plot arrangement within a randomized complete block design with three replications. The main plots were assigned to two sowing dates (autumn and spring), and the sub-plots to five seed treatments: Non-inoculated control, Probio96, Bioguard, MycoSupre Plus, and Humic acid. Following land preparation with a combined tiller, chickpea seeds (cv. Ana) were inoculated and sown at a density of 40 seeds.m⁻² on plots measuring 30×5 m in rotation with wheat, using a three-axis ASKE seeder with a 17.5-53 cm row arrangement. Weed control was performed manually. At flowering, plant density, root volume, dry root weight, root nodule weight, and plant height were measured. At physiological maturity, whole plots were hand-harvested to determine 100-seed weight, biological yield, grain yield, harvest index, and rainwater productivity.
 
Results and Discussion
Combined analysis of variance revealed that the main effect of sowing date was significant (p≤0.01) for all studied traits except plant establishment and 100-grain weight. Autumn sowing consistently and significantly enhanced root system development, resulting in higher root dry weight (2.97 g.plant⁻¹ in Year 1) and root nodule weight compared to spring sowing across both years. This superior root architecture under autumn sowing translated directly into improved agronomic performance, culminating in significantly higher mean grain yield (1084 kg.ha⁻¹) and rainwater productivity (2.84 kg.mm⁻¹). The main effect of year was also highly significant (p≤0.01) for key traits, reflecting the substantial impact of inter-annual environmental variability. The performance of bio-fertilizer treatments was profoundly influenced by these year-to-year fluctuations and their interactions with the sowing date. Among them, Bioguard, a consortium of Trichoderma and Bacillus velezensis, achieved the peak performance under optimal conditions (autumn sowing in the favorable Year 1), yielding the highest grain yield (1084 kg.ha⁻¹) and biological yield (2337 kg.ha⁻¹). However, its efficacy was highly unstable, showing the most drastic decline in the stressful Year 2 under spring sowing, where it produced the lowest yield (405 kg.ha⁻¹), even underperforming the control. This highlights its high sensitivity to environmental stress. In contrast, MycoSupre Plus, a complex formulation containing mycorrhizal fungi, Azotobacter, and Pseudomonas, demonstrated greater stability across contrasting years. While it did not reach the absolute peak yield of Bioguard in the optimal year, it provided consistent and reliable improvements in root volume, plant height, and final yield in both autumn and spring sowings, establishing it as a lower-risk option. Probio96, based on Bacillus velezensis, had a limited impact on root biomass but registered the highest harvest index (46.8%), indicating a superior efficiency in partitioning photosynthetic assimilates towards grain production rather than vegetative growth. Significant two-way (Year × Sowing Date, Sowing Date × Bio-fertilizer) and three-way (Year × Sowing Date × Bio-fertilizer) interactions were observed for most traits, including root volume, grain yield, and rainwater productivity. These interactions underscore the complex interplay between management practices and the environment. For instance, in spring sowing under stressful conditions, the untreated control sometimes showed better plant establishment than some bio-fertilizers, suggesting that the inoculated microbes could pose an additional osmotic stress on germinating seeds when environmental conditions were already adverse.
 
Conclusions
The choice of bio-fertilizer should be tailored to specific environmental conditions, including seasonal climate and sowing date. Integrating autumn sowing with bio-fertilizers that possess stable mechanisms of action, particularly MycoSupre Plus, is recommended as an effective strategy for achieving both high yield and production stability in rain-fed chickpea systems.

Abstract Introduction
Sustainable production is essential for ensuring food security of a growing population. Despite having a high potential for paddy fields in the northern provinces of Iran, unfortunately, most of these paddy fields are planted only once a year and farmers suffer from seasonal unemployment after rice harvesting until the next year. Second crop is one of the ways to increase land productivity and paddy farmers' income which in turn, prevents their migration. The second crop is a type of multiple cropping where the first crop is harvested before planting the second crop. Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is an annual legume with a high protein content. Faba bean is considered an important food legume crop in Iran, especially in the northern provinces. Cultivation of faba bean as a second crop in paddy fields can help sustainable production. Efficient access to the optimum level of nutrient elements in the soil is very important for plant growth and development. The application of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers is one of the most appropriate methods to increase crop production. Determining the optimum levels of chemical fertilizers plays an important role in increasing the yield and sustainable production of faba bean. Therefore, the purpose of this experiment was to investigate morphological traits, yield and yield components of faba bean under different levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers in paddy fields.
 
Materials and Methods
In order to investigate the effects of different levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers on morphological traits, yield and yield components of faba bean in paddy fields, a factorial arrangement based on randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted in two consecutive seasons at the research fields of Rice Research Institute of Iran in Rasht. Experimental treatments were three levels of nitrogen (46, 69 and 92 kg.ha^-1 from urea fertilizer source), two levels of phosphorus (48 and 96 kg.ha^-1 from triple super phosphate source) and three levels of potassium (50, 75 and 100 kg.ha^-1 from potassium sulfate source). A treatment without fertilizer usage was considered for an independent comparison. For measuring the yield and yield components of faba bean, ten plants in each plot were selected randomly after removing marginal effects and the traits were measured. The protein content of samples was determined by the Kejeldahl method. After measurement of the sample total nitrogen by applying factor 6.25, the seed protein content was measured. Data was analyzed using SAS 9.1 and mean comparisons were done by least significant difference (LSD) test at the 5% probability level.
 
Results and Discussion
The orthogonal analysis results revealed that the fertilizer treatment had a significant effect on all measured traits of faba bean. The results of variance analysis showed that nitrogen fertilizer had significant effects on all studied traits of faba bean except seeds per pod. The application of phosphorus fertilizer significantly affected branch number, pods per plant, seeds per plant, protein content, pod yield, biological yield, grain yield and protein yield. Among nitrogen levels, the highest plant height, branch number, pods per plant, seeds per plant, 100-seed weight, pod yield, biological yield, grain yield and protein yield were obtained by applying 92 kg.ha^-1. The yield and yield components of faba bean were improved with increasing rate of phosphorus fertilizer, and the highest pods per plant (18.8), seeds per pod (4.6), seeds per plant (46.5), grain yield (3996.9 kg.ha^-1), pod yield (13385 kg.ha^-1), biological yield (34442 kg.ha^-1), and protein yield (1233.2 kg.ha^-1) were obtained due to addition of 96 kg.ha^-1. The pods per plant, seeds per pod, pod yield, grain yield and protein yield were significantly increased with increasing rates of potassium up to 100 kg.ha^-1.
 
 
Conclusions
According to the results and due to large areas of paddy fields in northern provinces of Iran, use of the areas for faba bean cultivation after rice harvesting can be a helpful solution for sustainable rice production, achieving self-sufficiency and ensuring food security. Overall, the results suggest that applying nitrogen (92 kg.ha^-1), phosphorus (96 kg.ha^-1), and potassium (100 kg.ha^-1) fertilizers is recommended to achieve maximum yield and sustainable production of faba beans as a second crop in the paddy fields of Guilan province.

Abstract Introduction
Chickpeas, with 37.8 % of the total production of pulses, ranked first in Iran and produced 168142.5 t.ha^-1 in 439872 ha of area harvested. The largest area under cultivation of chickpea is located in Kermanshah, Kurdistan and Lorestan provinces in Iran. Various strategies for weed management can be used in autumn-sown chickpea, including application of interrow cultivator, crop management (crop rotations) and application of herbicides. Herbicide can be considered as one of the effective measures to reduce weed damage in chickpea. Like other pulses, chickpea is more likely damaged by post (post emergence) herbicides than PRE (pre emergence) herbicides. This indicates the limitations of herbicides, especially post-emergence herbicides for broadleaf weeds in chickpeas. Ccurrently, only few herbicides are recommended for chickpea in Iran. Farmers in Iran prefer to manage weeds, by hand weeding or using cultivator between rows, due to potential risk of herbicide damages, high cost involved in herbicide applications, and limited herbicide options for selective weed control. Considering the wide range of weed species in chickpeas in different regions of Iran, autumn-sown requires herbicides that provide a broader spectrum of weed control. Furthermore, the preventing of weed resistance to herbicides makes it necessary to increase the diversity of herbicides. In this regard, the purpose of this study was to compare new PRE-herbicide (flumioxazin) with different rates as IBS, PRE, and early-post with previously used herbicides, in terms of weed control and subsequently increase grain yield of chickpea.
 
Materials and Methods
This experiment was carried out in Kermanshah, West Azerbaijan and Hamadan during crop year 2021-2022, Iran. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 12 treatments and four replicates. Treatments included pre-emergence (PRE) application of novagap (aclonifen 600 SC) at 1, 2, 3 and 4 l.ha^-1, oxyfluorfen (SC 24%) at 0.7 l.ha^-1, clean sheet (flumioxazin, WP 50%) at100 g.ha^-1, post-emergence (POST) application of aclonifen at 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 l.ha^-1, PRE application of oxyfluorfen at 0.7 l.ha^-1+POST application of aclonifen at 1.5 l.ha^-1 and hand weeding. 30 days after post-emergence spraying, density and dry weight of weeds per plot were determined and compared with untreated control. At harvesting, grain yield, plant height and dry weight of chickpea was measured per unit area. Variance analysis of chickpea data was also done through SAS software, and then the averages were compared based on Duncan's test (p<0.05).
 
Results and Discussion
At kermanshah visual evaluation results showed that the highest reduction in weeds (87 to 90%) was observed in PRE application of aclonifen at 2, 3 and 4 l.ha^-1 and flumioxazin without any significant difference. In addition, PRE application of aclonifen 2 l.ha^-1 had a very good efficiency (91-100%) in reducing the density and dry weight of weeds of R. rugosum, C. album and C. orientalis. Also, C. intybus and C. oxycantha were controlled by this treatment with a lower percentage (72-81%). The highest grain yields of chickpea in Kermanshah (590.5 to 609 kg.ha^-1) was observed in the PRE aclonifen at 2 and 3 l. ha^-1 that had no significant difference with hand weeding. At Hamadan, the highest weed control efficiency (95%) found in aclonifen at 2, 3 and 4 l.ha^-1, flumioxazin, oxyflourfen and oxyfluorfen + aclonifen. The results in Hamedan showed that flumioxazin, post aclonifen 2.5 l.ha^-1 and PRE aclonifen 2, 3 and 4 l.ha^-1, oxyfluorfen and oxyfluorfen + aclonifen favorably reduced the density of D. Sophia, Alyssum spp. and total weeds. In the visual evaluation, the highest efficiency belonged to aclonifen at 4 l.ha^-1, followed by PRE aclonifen at 2 and 3 l. ha^-1, flumioxazin and oxyfluorfen + aclonifen. At Hamedan, PRE aclonifen at 2 l. ha^-1 and flumioxazin had the highest grain yield of chickpea with 309 and 322 kg.ha^-1, respectively, and there was no statistically significant difference with each other and hand weeding treatment. At West Azerbayjan, the highest weed control (84 to 86%) belonged to a PRE application of aclonifen at 3 and 4 l.ha^-1 and POST application of aclonifen at 2.5 l.ha^-1 that there was no significant difference between them. At West Azerbayjan, after hand weeding, aclonifen 3 l. ha^-1 and flumioxazin had the highest grain yield of chickpea with 1251 and 1254 kg.ha^-1, respectively.
 
Conclusions
According to the results, aclonifen is recommended as a pre-emergence application at 2 to 3 l.ha^-1 and flumioxazin at 100 g.ha^-1 for the control of broadleaf weeds in rainfed autumn- sown chickpea.

Abstract Introduction
Introducing improved bean cultivars with desirable characteristics such as high yield, large and marketable seeds, tolerant to environmental stress, erect growth type and suitable for mechanized harvesting are most important improvement goals in releasing new bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars. These characteristics are considered in the manual for the implementation of the bean agronomic value test (VCU). The aim of current research is to evaluate the agricultural value, yield and other important agricultural characteristics of a pinto bean cultivar (Negin) applying for commercialization in the most important bean growing climates in Iran.
 
Materials and Methods
In this experiment, candidate pinto been cultivar (Negin) along with 4 control cultivars (Sembol, Sepehr, Saleh and Kusha) were studied in 3 locations (Khomein, Ardabil and Esfahan) based on complete randomized block design experiment in 4 replications during two crop seasons (2021-2022 and 2022-2023). Characteristics listed in the "Manual for the implementation of the bean agronomic value test" include the number of days until flowering, the number of days until physiological maturity, plant height, first pod height, pods number per plant, seeds number per pod, pod shedding, the weight of 100 seeds, the yield of seeds fresh weight and water absorption capacity were recorded.
 
Results and Discussion
Results showed that flowering occurred significantly earlier in Negin candidate cultivar (42.3 days) than control cultivars. Early flowering is considered as an important factor influencing yield of bean cultivars. This feature makes the flowering process start earlier before the onset of environmental stresses such as drought and high temperature. Also, in early flowering cultivars, the seed filling period will be longer. Seed ripening in Negin candidate cultivar occurred 5 days earlier than determinate control cultivars (mean ripening period 82.1 days) and 12 days earlier than indeterminate control cultivars (mean ripening period 89.5 days). Early ripening is not only an escape mechanism from end-season stresses such as drought, but it is also important because enables the early production and bringing to the appropriate market price, and for this reason many bean breeding programs in the world are focused on introducing of early cultivars. Among the studied cultivars, the number of seeds per pod in Kusha cultivar was significantly higher than the other studied cultivars, while this trait in Saleh, Sepehr and Negin cultivars was less than Kusha cultivar. In all 3 study locations, Sembol determinate cultivar had the highest hundred seed weight (52.9 g) and after that the other determinate cultivars (Negin and sepehr) had the highest hundred seed weight (48.9 g and 46.53 g respectively). Seed yield of determinate candidate cultivar (4235.8 kg.ha^-1) was significantly more than other determinate Sepehr and Sembol cultivars (4027.1 kg.ha^-1 and 34463.8 kg.ha^-1 respectively) and seed yield of Negin cultivar had not significant difference with seed yield of indeterminate Saleh cultivar. In terms of performance, the Negin cultivar outperformed other determinate cultivars and matched the performance level of one indeterminate cultivar. Among the studied cultivars, Sembol showed the highest water absorption capacity, followed by Kusha, Saleh, Sepehr, and Negin. Thus, the Negin candidate cultivar exhibited the lowest water absorption capacity.
 
Conclusion
The Negin candidate cultivar has strong potential as a new germplasm for national bean production due to its erect growth habit and ease of mechanical harvesting, early flowering and maturity, reduced water requirement (one to two times less), good marketability, and ability to produce larger seeds.
 
Acknowledgement
This article is extracted from the research project of the Seed and Plant Certification and Registration Institute under the approved number 04-08-08-040-011096 dated 2024/06/15, which is hereby thanked and appreciated.

Abstract Introduction
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), a key legume of the Fabaceae family, is cultivated as a winter or spring crop, primarily under rainfed conditions, in western and northwestern of Iran. To position chickpea as a viable alternative in cereal-based rotations and enhance its contribution to sustainable agriculture, agronomic practices—especially nutrient management—must be thoroughly optimized and studied.  Nitrogen (N), the most critical macronutrient for plant growth and yield enhancement, is required in greater quantities than any other element. While chickpea fulfills much of its nitrogen demand via biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), a minimal "starter" N dose is essential to ensure robust seedling establishment and meet early growth requirements before effective rhizobial symbiosis is achieved. Precise determination of starter N for rainfed chickpea is critical, as excessive application increases costs, risks environmental contamination, and suppresses yields, whereas insufficient doses compromise productivity.
 
Materials and Methods
A randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was employed during the 2022–2023 growing season to evaluate the N requirements of rainfed chickpea (cv. Ana) under cold rainfed conditions in Bukan (autumn sowing) and Maragheh (autumn and spring sowing). Treatments included five urea levels: 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 kg ha⁻¹. Following reduced tillage (using a combination tillage implement), chickpea seeds were sown at 40 seeds m⁻². Autumn sowing occurred in October 2023, and spring sowing in late February 2024, using an ASKE 3-shank 11-row planter with 53–17 cm row spacing. Experimental plots measured 10 × 30 m. Urea was applied via subsurface banding (5–6 cm below seeds) at sowing. Measured parameters included root traits (length, volume, dry weight, nodule weight), plant height, 100-seed weight, biological yield, grain yield, harvest index, and rainwater use efficiency.
 
Results and Discussion
Environmental effects significantly influenced root length, nodule weight, root volume, dry weight, plant height, biological yield, grain yield, rainwater use efficiency (p ≤ 0.01), and 100-seed weight (p ≤ 0.05). Nitrogen levels significantly affected all parameters (p ≤ 0.01), except 100-seed weight (p ≤ 0.05). Autumn-sown Bukan exhibited superior root traits, plant height, and yields compared to Maragheh. Root length, volume, and dry weight declined with increasing N, likely due to restricted root growth from urea banding at higher doses. Enhanced nodulation in Bukan may reflect its soil’s native rhizobia populations, as Maragheh lacks prior legume cultivation. Elevated soil fertility and favorable climatic conditions in Bukan further supported root development. Excessive mineral N inhibited rhizobial symbiosis, reducing nodule weight. Plant height and 100-grain weight peaked at 50 kg ha⁻¹ N in Bukan (57 cm, 6 cm above control). In autumn-sown Bukan, grain yield plateaued at 25 kg ha⁻¹ N, while Maragheh achieved maxima at 75 kg ha⁻¹ (autumn) and 50 kg ha⁻¹ (spring). The highest harvest index (48%) occurred at 50 kg ha⁻¹ N in spring-sown Maragheh. Starter N bolstered early growth and photosynthetic capacity, enhancing yields. Moderate N optimized harvest index by favoring grain over biomass allocation. Rainwater use efficiency (RUE) was higher in autumn-sown chickpea in Bukan compared to both autumn- and spring-sown crops in Maragheh. Furthermore, RUE initially increased with rising nitrogen application rates but declined at elevated doses. Regression analysis of grain yield against urea application rates revealed maximum achievable yields of 1535 and 940 kg ha⁻¹ for autumn-sown rainfed chickpea in Bukan and Maragheh, respectively. To attain these yields, starter urea doses of 62 and 61 kg ha⁻¹ were required for Bukan and Maragheh. For spring-sown chickpea in Maragheh, the peak grain yield was 835 kg ha⁻¹, achievable with a urea input of 43 kg ha⁻¹. The minimal urea requirements for maximizing net economic returns were 60 kg ha⁻¹ for autumn-sown chickpea in both regions, whereas spring-sown systems in Maragheh required 42 kg ha⁻¹. Simple correlation analyses between grain yield and yield components demonstrated that grain yield showed the strongest positive correlations with biological yield, plant height, and root dry weight, in descending order of magnitude. Similarly, rainwater use efficiency exhibited the highest positive correlations with grain yield, biological yield, and plant height, respectively. The robust correlations between grain yield and these traits suggest that these parameters likely exert direct influences on grain yield.
 
Conclusions
Excessive nitrogen fertilization leads to salinity, toxicity, and disruption of symbiotic relationships, offsetting potential yield benefits. A minimal starter dose of 42 kg ha⁻¹ urea is sufficient for spring-sown chickpea, while 60 kg ha⁻¹ urea maximizes economic returns in autumn-sown systems. Precision in N management is critical to balance productivity, sustainability, and environmental stewardship in rainfed chickpea cultivation.

Abstract Introduction
The practice of growing two or more crops simultaneously in the same field is called intercropping and it is a common feature in traditional farming of small landholders. It provides farmers with a variety of returns from land and labor, often increases the efficiency with which scarce resources are used, and reduces the failure risk of a single crop that is susceptible to environmental and economic fluctuation. There is another important way that without incurring additional costs and use of water and fertilizer could result in higher production. This approach is increasing agricultural production per unit area by growing more than one crop in a year. Intercropping will be successful when competition for sources is less than competition within a species. Plants in the mixture can be chosen in a way that a species benefits from environmental changes caused by other species in mixed cultures directly. Intercropping inhibits the growth and development of weeds and leads to increased production. Since the system will reduce pesticide use, environmental pollution will be also less proportionally. The objective of the present study was to study some traits of chickpea (plant height, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per plant, number of seeds per plant, 100-seed weight, and plant yield,) under application of nitrogen and planting pattern of chickpea and quinoa.
 
Materials and Methods
In order to study the effect of nitrogen and intercropping ratios of chickpea and quinoa on some traits of chickpeas, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete Block design (RCBD) was conducted with three replications at Gonbad Kavous University farm during the 2020-2021 growing season. Nitrogen factor was included three levels of non-application and application of 25 and 50 kg N/ha and the treatments of planting pattern were included 9 levels of sole cropping of chickpea, 67 % chickpea + 33 % quinoa, 50% chickpea + 50% quinoa, 33% chickpea + 67% quinoa, 100% chickpea + 33% quinoa, 100% chickpea + 50 % quinoa, 100% chickpea + 67% quinoa, 100% chickpea + 100% quinoa and sole cropping of quinoa. In sole cropping, the distance between the plants on the row for chickpea and quinoa was 10 cm. The operation of harvesting the entire plot was done by removing the border rows and half a meter from both sides of the middle rows. For analysis variance of data software of SAS Ver.9.1.3 was used and treatment mean differences were separated by the least significant difference (LSD) test at the 0.05 probability level.
 
Results and Discussion
The results of analysis variance showed that planting pattern and nitrogen had a significant effect on plant height, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, number of seeds per plant, 100-seed weight, and plant yield chickpea and also plant height, number of seeds per plant, 1000-seed weight, and plant yield quinoa. Plant height in additive intercropping was more than in replacement intercropping but the number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, number of seeds per plant, 100-seed weight, seed weight per plant, and pods weight per plant in replacement treatments and sole cropping of chickpea was more than additive treatments. Nitrogen application increased all traits. Plant yield of quinoa in replacement intercropping of 33% quinoa instead of chickpea was greater than other treatments. However, the plant yield of chickpea in sole cropping of chickpea and replacement intercropping of 33% quinoa instead of chickpeas with 14.11 and 13.26 respectively, which was greater than other treatments.
 
Conclusions
Plant height in additive intercropping treatments was more than in replacement intercropping but the number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, number of seeds per plant, 100-seed weight, plant yield, and plant dry weight in replacement treatments and sole cropping of chickpea was more than additive treatments.

Abstract Introduction
Rain-fed Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is vulnerable to weed competition because of its tiny stature, slow establishment, and limited vegetative growth. Weed control is necessary for maximum seed yield and seed quality. Crop yield losses are primarily a result of competition with weeds for nutrients, moisture and space. Therefore, weed control at this period plays an important role to gain high roduction. Although the vast majority of lentil production is under rain-fed conditions, there is a little published information on weed control with herbicides in rain-fed lentils. Herbicides due to efficiency and expense savings play a  essential role in weed control. The purpose of this research was to determine the best time to application effective herbicides in weeds control for the maximum rain-fed Lentil production in Khorramabad.
 
Materials and Methods
The Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) field experiment was carried out as split plot based on complete randomized block design with three replications during 2017-2018 in Khorramabad (48.21°E, 33.29°N, 1170 m above sea level, 450 mm average yearly precipitation) Iran. The following herbicides were used: Oxyfluorfen (EC 24%) 1 Li ha^-1, Isoxaflutole (SC 480) 200 Ml ha^-1, Flumetsulam(WG 800) 20 g ha^-1, Metribuzin (WP 70%) 500g ha^-1, Pendimethalin Aria(EC33%) 4 li ha^-1, Pendimethalin Prowl (CS45.5%) 4li ha^-1, Imazethapyr (SL10%) 350 ml ha^-1 and Pendimethalin prowl 2li ha^-1plus Imazethapyr 350 ml ha^-1. Herbicide applicatioin time at 3 levels; IAP application (Immediately after planting), PRE application and IBCE (eraly post herbicide application at fourth lentil node stage) was assigned to the main and sub plots respectively. The fields were in wheat cultivation in the year before the experiments. The soil at the test sites was a silty loam with a pH of 7.9 and organic matter of 1.11%. Lentil was sown at a density of 75 kg seed ha^-1 by hand on December 21, 2017. Herbicides were sprayed with an electric knapsack sprayer MATABI (calibrated to deliver 300 L ha^-1. In order to evaluate the effect of treatments on weeds density and biomass, at the beginning of lentil flowering, sampling was done from a surface of 0.3 m^-2 area and weed density and weed biomass recorded. At lentil physiological maturity, the yield and yield components were measured by harvesting lentil plants from a 1-m² area in each plot (Izadi & Maghsoudi, 1400). The data were subjected to the analysis of variance using SAS. Means were compared using Duncan's Multiple Range test at P=0.05 level of significance.  
 
Results and Discussion
The results indicated that the lowest weed density and weed biomass were associated with Flumetsulam and Prowl plus Imazethapyr. The average weed densities for the postemergence and preemergence treatments of the eight evaluated herbicides were 14.9% and 31.0% lower, respectively, compared to the herbicide application immediately after planting. The least herbicide injury effects on the Lentil crop were assigned to the Pendimethalin Aria, Pendimethalin Prowl, Prowl plus Imazethapyr, Imazethapyr and Flumetsulam. In the case of Oxyfluorfen herbicide, weed density for early postemergence application treatment was 84.1% lower than in PRE application. In the case of Isoxaflutole herbicide, the mean weed density for application immediately after planting was 79.3% lower than for early post-application. In the case of Flumetsulam herbicide, the mean of weed biomass for application immediately after planting was 73.3% and 66.6% less than preemergence and early post-application, respectively. With the exception of Flumetsulam herbicide, there was no significant difference between the different herbicide application times in terms of weed biomass. The highest average Lentil grain yield per unit area was observed when Flumetsulam herbicide was applied immediately after planting. On the other hand, the lowest average Lentil grain yield per unit area was recorded when Isoxaflutole herbicide was applied immediately after planting. No significant differences in Lentil grain yield per unit area were found between the different application times for the herbicides Metribuzin and Imazethapyr. Based on cluster analysis grouping of relative efficacy of control treatments, immediately after planting application or preemergence application of Flumetsulam and early postemergence application of Imazethapyr were better than the other herbicide treatments for Lentil weed control, whereas the lowest relative efficacy was related to preemergence application of Oxyfluorfen, immediately after planting application of Isoxaflutole and Metribuzin, and preemergence application of Pendimethalin Arya.
 
Conclusion
Based on the results of this research, the application of flumezolam immediately after planting (20 g ha^-1) and imazatapir( 350 ml ha^-1) as pre-emergence application have had more efficiency for weed control in lentil than other herbicide treatments, while the pre-emergent application of oxyfluorfen, the application immediately after planting of isoxaflotel and metribyozin have  had the effects of plant burning on lentil crops and the pendimethalin Aria herbicide is not recommended  in lentil farms because of to the lack of control of broadleaf weeds under normal conditions in lentil fields. In general, among the experimental treatments, in terms of the level of control efficiency and the level of safety for the lentil crop, the application of flumetsulam immediately after planting was the best herbicide treatment.

Abstract Introduction
Pulse crops play important role in supplying human food needs. Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is probably the oldest grain legume to be domesticated and one of the most important pulse crops worldwide due its nutritional characteristics. Lentil is an integral part of dryland agriculture, mainly because of its ability to thrive comparatively well under water-limiting environments. As a result, the crop which provides protein-rich food and animal feed is largely grown under rainfed conditions. The major lentil producing countries are India, Canada, Turkey, USA, Nepal, Australia, Syria, China, Bangladesh, Iran, etc. Iran ranked fourth in area after India, Turkey and Canada and ninth in the production. The aim of any breeding program working for unpredictable and rainfed environments is to develop varieties with high and stable yields. Breeders take advantage of the selection for several traits to achieve maximum economic yield. The selection of genotypes based on indices using yield components was used by breeders for a long time. Breeders believe that obtaining a linear function for measurable traits could lead the selection of genotypes with better genetic values, but a need to include economic value and weights in this function express by many researchers. Simultaneous selection using characteristics with important and heritable economic values is more effective. Crop yield is a function of multiple variables inter-related to each other and can not be defined only by a single-variable equation. One of the most effective of these methods is boundary lines. Feiziasl et al (2003 and 2010) used this method for the first time to determine the optimum levels of plant (dryland wheat) characteristics and yield stability analysis. In this paper, “Boundary Lines” and averaging methods and are used to determine optimum levels for some traits of dryland lentil in cold areas.
 
Materials and Methods
 More than 8300 data for each trait were collected from national and international trials conducted under rainfed conditions in Maragheh, Zanjan, Ardabil and Shirvan (North Khorasan Province) DARI experiment stations 20 years (1996-2016). The traits considered in the analysis were: days to heading, days to physiological maturity, grain filling period, plant height, 100 seed weight and grain yield. The Excel software was used to develop a scatter diagram showing the relationship between each trait with grain yield in each location. Two methods were used to determine the optimum value for a given characteristic. One is based on the boundary lines method where the maximum grain yield and the optimum value for the trait considered coincide with the crossing point of the two boundary lines. “Boundary Lines” method was used to determine the maximum limits of each crop characteristic. The scatter diagram is surrounded by two regression lines, one on the left and the other on the right called boundary lines. Then Maximum yield is obtained at the intersection of both boundary lines. The other approach, called averaging method, is based on subdividing the data into two groups: high and low yielding groups.
 
Results and Discussion
The boundary lines method allowed the determination of optimum levels for days to flowering, days to physiological maturity, duration of grain filling, plant height and 100 seed weight which were 55.4 days, 92.6 days, 33.8 days, 27.8 centimeters and 5.4 grams, respectively. By averaging of high yielding group method optimums for days to flowering, days to physiological maturity, duration of grain filling, plant height and 100 seed weight characteristics were 62.0 days, 92.6 days, 30.7 days, 23.7 centimeters, 4.9 grams, respectively. These optimums were closely equivalent to those determined using the averaging method for one days to physiological maturity characteristic. But for other plant characteristics there were a lot of difference and boundary line estimated its amplitude on average 3 times wider than the averaging method. Principle component analysis (PCA) show that, the most important traits for selection of lentil varieties were days to flowering and number of days to physiological maturity. These methods could help breeders to determine the optimum and range for characteristics determining the adaptation of genotypes to given environments. Boundary lines method is more suitable for determining of characteristic’s optimum levels in comparison with the averaging method.
 
Conclusion
It can be concluded that, determining the optimum levels of some dryland lentil characteristics were closely equivalent in two boundary lines and averaging methods. However, in some other characteristics, the optimum levels were a lot of difference in estimating of boundary lines and averaging of high yielding groups. Because boundary lines method is considered the data distribution process and gap data in databank, therefore, its estimates in the optimum levels of the characteristics are more accurate and more realistic than the averaging of the high yielding group.

Abstract Inroduction
Considering the development of cultivation and production of legumes and the importance of genetic studies in plant breeding, identifying the genetic potential of these plants is very important. Knowledge of genetic diversity and relationships between genotypes is important for understanding available genetic variability and the potential to use it in breeding programs. According to previous studies on lentils, it was found that improving the yield potential per unit area can be one of the important criteria for increasing the production of this plant. Increasing the yield per unit area is possible mainly by modifying and creating high-yielding cultivars, improving the characteristics and increasing the quantitative and qualitative potentials. Breeders and plant physiologists believe that in order to be more productive in improving compatible cultivars in areas with limited water resources, recognizing the agronomic traits affecting grain yield under stress conditions will be of great importance; Therefore, indirect selection based on physiological traits has been proposed as a complement to the selection of cultivars with high yield potential. Considering the different reactions of photosynthetic indices under stress conditions, it is important to know the genotypic diversity of photosynthetic indices under culture conditions and their relationship with grain yield. Despite numerous studies on the role of physiological traits in drought tolerance in crops, recent studies on lentils, especially in Iran, are limited. This study was designed and carried out with the aim of determining genotypes with desirable physiological and yield traits and the relationship between these traits and photosynthesis under rainfed conditions.
 
Materials & Methods
In order to study the photosynthetic and yield parameters of lentil plant in rainfed conditions, selected advanced lentil lines with control cultivars were studied in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications in Khodabandeh dryland research station in Zanjan Province in two cropping seasons 2018 to 2020. Physiological traits included photosynthesis per unit leaf area, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, photosynthetic activated radiation, sub stumatal CO₂, leaf temperature, photosynthetic water use efficiency, mesophilic conductivity and water use efficiency. Plant height, 100-seed weight, number of pods and yield (kg/ha) were also measured for each genotype in each plot. Analysis of variance and comparison of means were performed using Duncan's test at 5% probability level. Finally, correlation analysis and stepwise regression analysis were performed with the variables of photosynthesis rate and total yield.
 
Results & Discussion
The results showed that there was a significant difference in photosynthetic active radiation, leaf temperature, photosynthetic water use efficiency, mesophilic conductivity, water use efficiency, 100-grain weight and yield between two years of experiment. The studied genotypes showed significant differences in leaf temperature, photosynthesis, plant height, 100-seed weight and yield, which indicated the high genetic diversity of these genotypes in terms of these traits. The interaction effect of genotype per year was not significant in all studied traits, which shows that the trend of changes in these traits between genotypes during the two years was the same. Among the studied genotypes, G5 genotype is a genotype with superior agronomic characteristics that can be recommended as a cultivar with high yield potential. Photosynthesis rate showed a significant negative correlation with leaf temperature and significant positive correlation with transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, mesophilic conductivity, water use efficiency and 100-grain weight. 100-seed weight showed a significant negative correlation with leaf temperature and a significant positive correlation with stomatal conductance, photosynthesis, mesophilic conductivity and water use efficiency. These results show that drought and lack of water in the soil have the greatest effect on reducing photosynthesis and plant yield at different phenological stages (seedling, flowering and podding) of the plant. Finally, regression analysis showed that stomatal conductance and sub stumatal CO₂ explained the changes in photosynthesis.
 
Conclusion
The results showed that for lentils, two traits of stomatal conductance and sub stumatal CO₂ concentration may explain the changes in photosynthesis. Genetic diversity is very important for crop breeding and higher diversity of genotypes provides a better chance of producing a variety of desirable cultivars. The observed genetic diversity in traits can help select superior genotypes based on phenotypic expression and can be used in breeding programs to improve economically important traits. Finally, among the studied genotypes, G5 genotype was found to be a genotype with superior agronomic characteristics that could be recommended to the farmers to improve lentil yield.

Abstract Introduction
In temperate climates, cool-season plants are usually grown in autumn. Due to the proper establishment of the plant in autumn, better use of rainfall, and avoidance of late-season heat and drought stresses, autumn planting leads to better plant stability and yield compared to spring planting. In chickpeas, autumn sowing increases plant height and nitrogen fixation. Scientists believe that autumn cultivation of chickpea leads to higher yields due to the longer vegetative growth period and coincides with the reproductive growth period with favorable humidity and temperature conditions. On the other hand, studies have shown that in severe freezing temperatures in cold regions, chickpea has a lower tolerance threshold than autumn cereals. This study aimed to evaluate the freezing tolerance of chickpea genotypes -desi type- in field conditions to select superior genotypes for autumn cultivation.
 
Materials and Methods
This study was conducted in the research farm station of the Faculty of Agriculture, the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2018. In this study, 255 desi type genotypes and a Kabuli type genotype (Saral) as control were evaluated in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Seeds were provided from the Mashhad Chickpea Collection (Seed Bank of Research Center for Plant Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad). Planting was done in October with a density of 30 plants per square meter. Irrigation was done in three stages including immediately after planting, 14 days after the first irrigation, and at the flowering stage. To determine survival percentage, the number of plants for each genotype was counted 30 days after emergence and immediately after winter. Genotypes were classified into four groups (0-25, 26-50, 51-75 and 76-100% survival). Plant height, plant length, lowest pod height, number of branches, number of pods per plant, percentage of filled pods, plant dry weight, grain weight per plant, 100-seed weight, biological yield, grain yield, and harvest index were measured at the end of the growing season.
Results and Discussion
The lowest minimum temperature during the growing season was -12°C. Results showed that among 255 genotypes, 25 genotypes were lost before freezing stress and 20 genotypes were lost by freezing stress. Significant differences were observed among the genotypes in terms of plant height, plant length, lowest pod height, number of branches, number of pods per plant, percentage of filled pods, plant dry weight, seed weight per plant, 100-seed weight, biological yield, grain yield, and harvest index. The survival percentage of 39 genotypes was between 76 to 100%, 75 genotypes between 51 to 75%, 61 genotypes between 26 to 50%, and 55 genotypes less than 25%. Ten genotypes (MCC373, MCC658, MCC755, MCC212, MCC83, MCC864, MCC371, MCC756, MCC749 and MCC885) had a survival percentage higher than 90%. Plant height in 21 genotypes was higher than 50 cm and the lowest pod height in 47 genotypes was more than 15cm. The number of branches per plant increased as the survival range increased. Also, in different survival ranges, grain yield decreased as survival percentage decreased. The average grain yield in the survival range of 100-76% was 257 g.m^-2, which was 24%, 2.5, and 8.6 times higher than the survival ranges of 51-75, 26-50, and 0-25%, respectively. No significant difference was found among survival ranges of 100-76, 75-51, and 50-26% according to the harvest index.
 
Conclusion
The results of cluster analysis of chickpea genotypes desi type under autumn cultivation showed that 230 studied genotypes were divided into four groups. The four groups included 106, 24, 43, and 57 genotypes, respectively. Standardized canonical coefficients of all traits except, the percentage of filled pods, seed weight per plant, 100-seed weight, and harvest index were significant in the first canonical diagnostic equation. These results show that these traits have the greatest impact on the diversity between genotypes. Based on the results of the analysis of the variance of groups, except for the percentage of filled pods and harvest index, a significant difference was observed between the groups in all studied traits. A comparison of the means of the groups showed that the genotypes of the second group had the highest mean survival percentage and then the fourth group was in the next rank. The difference between the means of these two groups with the total mean was 17.7 and 16.4%, respectively. The genotypes of the second group were superior to the genotypes of the other groups in terms of biomass yield and grain yield and produced 1252 and 606 g.m^-2 more than the total average, respectively, then the genotypes of the fourth group were superior to the genotypes of the other groups. In general, due to the high yield in the cold-tolerant genotypes, autumn cultivation of desi-type chickpeas seems to be economical.

Abstract Introduction
Due to the increasing need for agricultural products and the limited water and soil resources for growing crops, it is necessary to study genetic resources, and on the other hand, genetic materials are resources that are considered valuable for plant breeding specialists who try to collect and maintain and evaluate these materials. Iran is one of the main centers of genetic diversity in the world. Identifying the morphological traits is the first step in classifying and describing the pattern of each plant, and several scientists have attempted to classify and measure the phenomenological diversity of specimen collections of various legumes, including lentils. Since Iran is one of the centers of lentil diversity in the world, it is predicted that a great diversity will be found among the native populations of this plant.
 
Materials and Methods
In order to evaluate the efficiency of multivariate statistical methods in identifying the most important traits affecting grain yield and genetic pattern in lentil genotypes in Ilam province, an experiment as randomized complete block design with three replications using 18 lentil genotypes (two local cultivars) in Sarablah Agricultural Research Station per year was implemented in 2018-2019. Selected traits included the number of leaves of a plant, the number of seeds in a pod, the number of seeds of a plant, the number of flowers on a plant, the number of lateral shoot, flowering and maturity dates, the estimated weight of 100 seeds and final grain yield.
 
Results and Discussion
Based on the variance analysis, all traits showed meaningful differences until the experiment day except the number of seeds in a pod and the number of pods of a plant. The genotype named 11 (Flip 2010-90L (and genotype named 15 (ILL 754* ILL) showed the highest and the lowest grain yield, respectively which were 1432.3 and 500 g.m^-2. The estimated weight of 100 seeds (r= 0.314) and the number of pods showed the highest positive correlation with grain yield. The basic derivatives of the analysis showed the amount of more than one. The validation amount of total variance was 69.9%. Furthermore, the first and second agents showed the most amount of total variance, which was 3.39%. The six positive traits were the amount of seeds in a pod, the amount of seeds in an herb, the length of the plant, the estimated weight of hundred seeds and the functionality of the plant. In addition, the second positive agents included the number of seeds in a pod, the number of leaves in an herb, the length of the plant and the number of lateral shoots. This study was employed in order to determination of the excellent genotypes regarding the studied traits. Another aim of this research was the enhancement of the availability to the lentil sources. In this study, a wide variety of seed traits such as 100-seed weight and phenological traits such as flowering date, number of seeds per pod, number of leaves per plant and plant height which can be used in breeding programs were recorded. According to statistical analysis, it was found that the studied genotypes have good diversity in terms of grain yield. Number of seeds per plant, 100-seed weight, plant height are some of the traits that showed a positive relationship with seed yield. Since the first factor justifies the most changes, the traits that have the largest factor coefficients in this factor can be plant height, day to maturity and number of seeds per pod and can be selected to select the best genotypes and lines of these traits used. According to the results of the analysis of the main components, the first two components have the traits of day to maturity, plant height and number of seeds per pod, which can be considered as desirable traits in lentils; which is necessary to confirm the results of the repeat test.
 
Conclusion
The statistical analysis indicated the agreeable variance based on the seed functionality among the selected genotypes.

Abstract Introduction
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the most important legumes in the world after pea and bean and is rich in protein (21.7-23.4%), minerals (iron, phosphorus, calcium, zinc, potassium and magnesium), carbohydrates (41.1-47.4%) and vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, C, E, K). The interaction of genotype by environment, as a response of genotypes to the environmental variation is a source of complexity for breeding programs and preparation of high yielding and stable genotypes. One of the most important ways to discover the nature of genotype by environment interaction is stability analysis, which identified the stable or compatible genotypes. Different methods for investigation of genotype by environment interaction and determination of stable genotypes have been reported, which generally include uni-variate and multivariate methods. One of the multivariate methods is AMMI analysis. The purpose of present study is the evaluation of the stability of chickpea genotypes using AMMI indices and biplots.
 
Materials and Methods
Eighteen selective advanced genotypes of chickpea from ICARDA with two check verities (Arman and Azad) evaluated across four locations (Gachsaran, Ilam, Gonbad and Khoramabad) at three growing seasons, in a completely randomized block design with three replications. The data of 3rd year in Gonbad were lost and therefore, the analysis of data performed on 11 environments. Average seed yield of genotypes estimated at each environment (combination of location and growing season) and used for analysis. Statistical analyses including simple analysis of variance, combined analysis of variance and stability analysis carried out by metan (Multi environment trial analysis) R package. Five AMMI stability indices including ASV (AMMI stability value), SIPC (Sum of IPCs scores), EV (Eigenvalue stability parameter of AMMI), Za (Absolute value of the relative contribution of IPCs to the interaction), WASS (Weighted average of absolute scores) and simultaneous selection index (ssi) of these parameters was used for stability evaluation of genotypes.
 
Results and Discussion
Combined analysis of variance indicated environment, genotype and genotype by environment interaction accounted 79.2, 2.4 and 10.0% of the phenotypic variation of seed yield, respectively. The significant effect of genotype indicated the wide genetic background of genotypes, while the significant effect of genotype by environment interaction is indicated the diversity of genotypes in test locations and growing years and exhibited the necessary of evaluation of genotypes in multiple environments. According to the significant effect of genotype by environment interaction, AMMI analysis was carried out by principal components analysis and the results indicated the significant effects of five principal components on seed yield. The first two principal components contributed to 42.5 and 19.4% of genotype by environment interaction. Genotype G3 (1663 kg ha^-1) followed by G1, G17, G20 and G5 had the highest seed yield. According to the ASV and WAAS indices, G3, G4 and G13; EV and ZA indices, G3, G14, G16 and G6; and SIPC, G14, G3, G11, G4 and G16 were the most stable genotypes. Selection of these genotypes was done only on stability aspect of genotypes, therefore simultaneous selection index (ssi) based on any of these parameters was used to evaluate the simultaneously selection of genotypes based on seed yield stability and performance. Genotypes G3, G1, G4, G13 and G16 selected as superior genotypes by ssiASV, ssiZA and ssiWAAS indices; while based on ssiSIPC and ssiEV, G3, G16 and G20 were as the best genotypes. The other applications of AMMI stability analysis are selection of best genotypes in any of environments. According to this procedure, genotype G3 was placed in the first order in E1, E5 and E7; in the second order in E2, E3 and E9; in the third order in the E6 and E7; and in the fourth order in the E5. The AMMI1 biplot (IPCA1 vs grain yield) identified G1, G3, G17 and G13 as high yielding and stable genotypes with seed yield higher than total mean and lowest IPCA1 values. This biplot was also indicated environments E1, E9, E5, E2 and E3 had the lowest contribution in genotype by environment interaction interaction. The first principal components explained only 42.5% of genotype by environment interaction, and therefore, it seems that using the AMMI2 biplot is more efficient to identify the superior genotypes. In AMMI2 biplot (IPCA1 vs IPCA2), genotypes G4, G3, G13, G1 and G10 had high general stability. The environments E3, E4 and E10 with long vectors, had high discriminating ability and can estimate the relative efficiency of genotypes well.
 
Conclusion
In general, based on different indices, G3, G1 and G13 had high yield in most of environments, and in most methods had good stability and could be candidates for introduction of new cultivars.

Abstract Introduction
The use of intercropping as an effective component in sustainable agriculture, while increasing the ecological and economic diversity, cause increasing yield per unit area, yield stability under adverse environmental conditions, increasing the quantity and quality of the product, increasing water use efficiency, control of soil erosion, reducing pesticides use and increasing stability in agroecosystems. Plants from the family of legumes are among the plants that have a special place in intercropping because of their nitrogen fixation ability. Usefulness of intercropping cultivation of sweet corn and green bean has been reported to be better than monoculture. This study was designed and conducted with the aim of studying the effect of replacement and additive intercropping green bean with bell pepper on yield, yield components and land equivalent ratio in Mashhad weather conditions.
 
Materials and Methods
The experiment was conducted in 2015-2016 growing season based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the Research Farm of Agriculture Faculty, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Experimental treatments were 25% green bean+75% bell pepper, 50% green bean+50% bell pepper in replacement intercropping, 20% green bean+100% bell pepper and 40% green bean+100% bell pepper in additive intercropping and monoculture of green bean and bell pepper. Green beans have planted by seed and bell pepper transplants were sown at the same time in June 2016 in rows with a distance of 50 cm. In 4-leaf stage, green bean was thinned with an optimum density of 20 plants per square meter. In addition, the spacing on the row was considered 30 cm for transplants of bell pepper; in this case, its optimum density was 6.66 plant per square meter. At harvest time, green pod yield for green bean, fruit yield for bell pepper, other yield components and plant dry weight for two plants were measured, and land equivalent ratios were also calculated.
 
Results and Discussion
The highest green pod yield and plant dry weight for green bean with 57921.7 and 1051.03 kg ha^-1, respectively, was observed in monoculture and the lowest values for 20% green bean+100% bell pepper with 11252.5 and 525.8 kg per ha, respectively. With the increase in the presence of green bean in replacement and additive intercropping, the green pod yield of green bean increased due to increasing of biological nitrogen fixation. For bell pepper, the highest fruit yield with 32766.7 kg ha^-1 was observed in monoculture and the highest plant dry weight with 7816.6 kg ha^-1 was observed for 75% bell pepper+25% green bean and the lowest fruit yield was obtained for 50% bell pepper+50% green bean and 100% bell pepper+20% green bean with 21183.3 and 21886 kg ha^-1, respectively, and the lowest plant dry weight was obtained for 50% bell pepper+50% green bean with 3533.33 kg ha^-1. Due to the fact that the highest number of fruits per plant was observed in monoculture of bell pepper, therefore, monoculture has higher fruit yield because it has more space for plants. The highest value of total land equivalent ratio (1.28 and 1.25) was obtained in ratios of 40% green bean+100% bell pepper and 50% green bean+50% bell pepper, respectively, indicating 28 and 25% yield advantage of intercropping compared to pure stands of species of these two plants. The lowest value of total land equivalent ratio (0.86) was observed in ratio of 20% green bean+100% bell pepper.
 
Conclusion
Comparison of different patterns of replacement and additive intercropping showed that cultivation pattern of 25% green bean+75% bell pepper was superior for most of the traits evaluated in green bean and bell pepper compared to other patterns. Additive intercropping pattern of 40% green bean+100% bell pepper had the highest total land equivalent ratio (1.28) which indicate the beneficial effect of mixed cropping pattern over pure cropping. Since green bean through biological nitrogen fixation, leads to reduction in the use of chemical fertilizers, intercropping of this plant with other plants such as bell pepper can increase the resources efficiency and improve yield quantity for bell pepper.