Iranian Journal Pulses Research

Abstract In order to study the genetic diversity of the causal agent of Fusarium wilting in chickpea, two techniques including RAPD and PCR-RFLP were used. In RAPD-PCR technique, all 14 primers could show the diversity among the isolates. After studding the banding patterns of 14 primers, a dendrogram based on similarity matrix was constructed. The RAPD dendrogram analysis could not separate isolates based on their geographical origins. In PCR-RFLP technique, two primers, IGS2 and CLN12, were used which made the same band pattern (2.5 kb) in all isolates. Totally, 22 polymorphic bands obtained through digestion with three digestive enzymes. The digestive enzyme RsaI produced the highest number of polymorphic bands (12 bands) and EcoRI produced the lowest number (3 bands). The genetic calculation results of the isolates showed that FOC85, FOC86 and FOC40 isolates (from Neyshabour), FOC32 (from Bojnord), FOC21 and FOC15 (from Bardaskan) and FOC11 (from Ghochan) showed the lowest genetic distance and the highest genetic similarity. The most genetic distance observed among FOC6 isolates (from Ghochan) compared to other isolates. Analysis of clusters in this method showed that there are not any specific relation between genotypic grouping and their geographical origins.

Abstract This study aimed to assess the response of chickpea genotypes to drought stress in terms of morphological traits and subsequent biochemical changes to further understanding of drought resistance mechanisms in plants and access to better genetic resources. The chickpea genotypes including MCC776, MCC877, MCC696 and MCC588 evaluated at four soil moisture regimes with field capacity (control), 75%, 50% and 25% of field capacity through a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with three replications at physiology laboratory in Research Center for Plant Science, during 2009. The results showed that most of the morphological traits such as plant height, shoot and root biomass, total root length and leaf area, were mainly affected by severe drought stress. Moderate drought stress (50% FC moisture and above) had no significant effect on these traits. Reduced soil moisture increased the stem proline content in all genotypes. The highest proline obtained in native genotype candidate (MCC696) at severe drought stress. Enzymes activity of super oxide dismutase and peroxidase increased in drought- sensitive genotype MCC588 than other genotypes. Absence or poor performance of drought tolerance or avoidance mechanisms in MCC588 genotype possibly caused induction of oxidative stress and produced antioxidant enzymes.

Abstract To investigate the effects of supplementary irrigation and application of different compost levels on morphological traits, yield and yield components of two chickpea cultivars under dry land conditions, a field experiment was conducted at the research field in Khoramabad, Iran in 2009-2010. The experiment was split split plot based on randomized complete block design with four levels of irrigation (no irrigation as control, supplementary irrigation at flowering, at grain filling, and at flowering + grain filling stages along) with three levels of compost (0, 10 and 15 t.ha-1 as sub factors) and two chickpea cultivars (Greet and Filip93-93) as sub-sub factors. Results indicated that the highest number of main shoot (3.63), branches (14.61), pod/plant (36.68), seed/plant (39.26), plant height (38.6 cm), 1000 seed weight (291.5 g), grain yield (1688 kg/ha) and biological yield (4898 kg/ha) were obtained from supplementary irrigation at flowering + grain filling stages from Greet cultivar. The maximum grain yield was obtained from interaction of supplementary irrigation and application of 15 t.ha-1 compost. Due to increase of chickpea cultivar yield under supplementary irrigation and compost in dry farming conditions, therefore such plant is recommended for dry farming at Khoramabad region.

Abstract In order to study and determine the most effective traits, drought tolerance indices and identify tolerant genotypes in terminal drought stress on the cowpea, an experiment was carried out based on an augment design in two separate conditions in the Karaj Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Tehran University in 2009. Drought stress was imposed by cutting irrigation after flowering against normal irrigation on 238 cowpea genotypes. Evaluation of studying genotypes under drought conditions was conducted using nine indices, including mean productivity (MP), Harmonic Mean (HARM), Tolerance Index (TOL), Stress Susceptibility index (SSI), Stress Tolerance index (STI), Geometric Mean productivity (GMP), Yield Index (YI), Yield Stability Index (YSI) and Yield Reduction percent (Yr). To determine the relationship between grain yield and indices, Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated. The MP, GMP, HARM and STI indices which have the most significant correlation with yield in stress and non-stress conditions were introduced as the best indices for screening tolerant genotypes to drought and high-yielding in both environmental conditions. Using Biplot scatter graph in 238 cowpea genotypes and according to genotypes status in Biplot scatter graph, 4, 149, 180, 6, 147, 151, 160, 55, 9 and 189 genotypes were identified as tolerant genotypes with high-yield. Cluster analysis based on investigating indices and yield under drought stress and non-stress conditions showed that genotypes was grouped in four clusters and most of drought tolerant genotypes with high yield were grouped in third cluster, while most of sensitive genotypes to drought stress were grouped in the second cluster.

Abstract Fusarium wilt of chickpea, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris, is one of the most important diseases of this plant in Iran. In order to control this disease biologically, fluorescent pseudomonas were isolated from the rhizosphere of chickpea plants and enumerated using King’S medium B (KB). Antifungal activity of 80 bacterial isolates against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris was evaluated on KB and potato dextrose agar (PDA) media. Results revealed that from 80 isolates tested, 81.25% of isolates in KB and 94.37% in PDA showed the ability to inhibit fungal growth. There was a correlation between production of antifungal metabolites and disease reduction, however, no correlation was observed between Siderophore production and metabolite production. Under greenhouse conditions, results showed that only M2-15 isolate reduced Fusarium wilt of chickpea significantly, with the rest having positive effects on chickpea growth factors. In greenhouse experiment, M2-15 ، Pf-5 and K-15 isolates caused a significant increase in growth factors including dry and fresh root and shoot weights compared to control plants. Among isolates studied in this research, M2-15 decreased the severity of chickpea wilt under greenhouse conditions, significantly.

Abstract In order to evaluate the effect of different levels of sowing dates and plant density on grain yield and its components in chickpea var. Arman, a field study was conducted at Ekbatan Research Field Station of Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Hamedan province under rainfed condition during 2009-2010 cropping season. Treatments were arranged as split plot on the basis of randomized complete block design with four replications. The main plots were date of sowing in three levels including Entezari (16 December), spring planting (7 March) and late spring planting (4 April) and the sub-plots were plant densities (20, 30 and 40 plants/m2). Results showed that pod number per plant, 100-seed weight and grain yield were affected by sowing dates, significantly. The results also showed significant differences for pod number per plant, grain yield and harvest index in different plant densities. The interaction of sowing date×plant density was significant (p< 0.01) only for seed yield. Finally, the highest and the lowest seed yield was achieved in Entezari planting with 30 plants/m2 and late spring planting with 40 plants/m2.

Abstract To evaluate the sensitivity of different crops included some pulses to simulated metribuzin soil residues, an experiment was conducted in completely randomized design with factorial arrangement and four replications in Research Greenhouse of College of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Treatments included of 8 crops (chickpea, common bean, lentil, corn, wheat, barley, rape seed and sugar beet) and concentrations of metribuzin simulated residue in soil at 6 levels (0, 0.016, 0.032, 0.064, 0.128 and 0.160 mg a.i. kg-1 soil). Plants survival percentage and shoot and root biomass were measured 30 days after emergence. Plants response to metribuzin soil residue fitted with 3 and 4 parameters logistic equations to the shoot and root biomass data as a function of the herbicide soil residue concentrations and was used to calculate the dose for 50% of measured traits (ED50). Results showed that the survival and shoot and root growth were affected by metribuzin soil residue, significantly (pchickpea>common bean>corn.

Abstract The effects of sowing date and crop density of chickpea on population and infestation of pod borers were studied in a randomized complete block design by factorial arrangement with three replications in the chickpea growing region of Greet, Khorramabad in 2007 until 2009. Experimental factors comprised of sowing dates (March 14, March 30, and April 21) and crop density (25, 50 and 75 plant.m-2). Population of larvae on plants during the growing season and final yield and 100 seeds weight at harvesting time were determined. Pod borers low population in first year was attributed to the extremely cold winter (occurrence of 14.6°C) during the growing season. The second year results showed that although pest population in early date of planting was 1.35 times higher than other dates and infestation percentage was more than 5 times, but the yield was 61.6% higher in early sowing treatment. Infestation percentage was 5 and 4 times higher in plots sowed on March 14 and 30, respectively than those plots sowed on April 21. The average chickpea yield in March 14 and 30 were 61.6 and 52.4% higher than April 21, respectively. Higher plant density increased population and pod borers damage in chickpea. The highest seed yield was obtained from the highest plant density. When plant density increased from 25 to 50 and 75 plant.m-2 chickpea grain yield increased 13.3% and 37.7%, respectively.

Abstract Lentil is considered as salinity sensitive species and is adversely affected in response to the salt stress in terms of growth and yield. This pot experiment was conducted to determine the effect of exogenous salicylic acid (SA) application on physiology, growth, yield and yield components of lentil grown under salt stress in greenhouse conditions, in a factorial arrangement based on Randomized Completely Block Design with three replications. The first factor was cultivars of lens (Kimiya, Ghachsaran and Kermanshah) and the second factor was three levels of salinity (0, 60 and 120 mM NaCl) and the last one was foliar application by distilled water and two levels of salicylic acid (0.2, 0.5 mM). The results showed that seed yield of Kermanshah cultivar in non-salt conditions and foliar application of 0.5 Mm salicylic acid was 168/88 g/m2 and in salinity condition (60 & 120 mM) Kermanshah cultivar produced more yield than two other cultivars in both levels of salicylic acid foliar applications at 0.2 and 0.5 mM, respectively. The pod number per plant and seed number per pod are two important yield components that were higher in Kermanshah cultivar than that in two other cultivars. Also, the results of variance analysis showed that the interactions of all factor on the number of branches, number of pods per plant, seed weight, seed yield, biological yield, harvest index, malondialdehyde MDA and proline was significant. Salicylic acid effect on growth, seed yield and yield components under salinity stress was due to significant increase in growth rate. In consequence, Kermanshah cultivar in application of 0.2 and 0.5 mM of salicylic acid with 0.2 and 0.5 mM under salt conditions 60 and 120 Mm showed a better performance in most considerable traits rather than two other cultivars.

Abstract Assessment of different plant genetic resources clarifies genetic variation and makes it possible to apply them in plant breeding programs. In this experiment, 27 selected lines of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), one local landrace and two conventional bean cultivars (Talash and COS-16 as controls), sown using randomized complete block design with three replications in the Research Farm of University of Zanjan in 2009. Results of analysis of variance showed significant differences among all tested genotypes (P< 0.01). There was a close agreement in grouping results of cluster analysis and principle component analysis. The principal component analysis showed that first four components explained 81% of the total variation. For the first component, traits including days to 50% podding, plant height and grain yield justified the most variation, and for the second component, emergence percentage and emergence index justified the maximum justified coefficient of determination. For the third component, days to full maturity, and for the fourth component, number of seed per pod showed the most variance. It was concluded that lines number 24, 21, 5 and 20 had higher values compared to other genotypes.