Leaf and Fruit Mineral Composition and Quality in Relation to Production of Malformed Strawberry Fruits

Saeid Eshghi,Babak Jamali 한국원예학회 2009 Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology Vol.50 No.5

Improving Fruit Quality in ‘Hayward’ Kiwifruit Using Proper Leaf to Fruit Ratios and Girdling

Pedram Assar,Saeid Eshghi,Enayatollah Tafazoli,Majid Rahemi,Yazdan Gholi Khazaeipoul,Abbas Saboorrooh Monfared 한국원예학회 2009 Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology Vol.50 No.6

The effects of different leaf to fruit ratios, summer pruning time, and girdling on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of ‘Hayward’ kiwifruit were examined. On each vine, four uniform canes were selected and by pruning their fruiting laterals, leaf to fruit ratio was adjusted and maintained at 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, or 4:1. In control treatment, these selected canes were left intact without topping and removing any lateral growth. Half of the selected canes were girdled by removing a 5 mm strip of bark around the base of each cane, while the other half were left intact. Leaf to fruit adjustment and girdling were imposed 2 weeks after petal fall. To show how pruning time can affect fruit characteristics of the four mentioned selected canes, other canes and their laterals in each vine were pruned early (similar to selected canes) or late (in late summer) (vine general pruning methods A and B, respectively). In both methods, pruning manner was in accordance with common practice in Persian commercial orchards (heading cuts were performed after 3-4 leaves distal to the latest fruit). Finally, fruits of selected canes were harvested and analyzed. Results indicated the necessity of summer pruning performance to obtain fruits with higher quality. The importance of total leaf numbers of laterals in each cane as carbohydrate suppliers for fruits in order to support potential fruit growth was proved. Also, dependence of fruit growth in each cane on carbohydrate supply of other canes was detected. In pruned vines in method A (early summer pruned and as a result having light canopies with optimum light penetration) on girdled experimental canes, minimum leaf to fruit ratio that was required to achieve significant changes in fruit quantitative characteristics compared with control, was 1:1 for width and weight and 2:1 for length and volume. The positive effect of girdling on fruit quantitative characteristics via improving the available photosynthates supply to developing fruits was confirmed. Smaller responses of fruit growth to increasing the leaf to fruit ratios on non-girdled canes due to competition for photosynthate from other sinks, was observed. In pruned vines in method A (better canopy conditions), girdling performance combined with 3:1 and 4:1 leaf to fruit ratios resulted in higher vitamin C and total soluble solids contents, respectively. The positive effect of on time (early) summer pruning on fruit characteristics was proved.

Mineral Composition of ‘Selva’ Strawberry as Affected by Time of Application of Nitric Oxide under Saline Conditions

Babak Jamali,Saeid Eshghi,Enayatolah Tafazoli 한국원예학회 2015 Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology Vol.56 No.3

The objective of present study was to evaluate the impact of time of application of nitric oxide (NO) on mineral composition of strawberry ‘Selva’ plants under saline conditions. Well-rooted daughter plants were planted in 3L plastic pots filled with 1:1 (v/v) ratio of peat moss and perlite and grown under the greenhouse conditions (21 ± 2/17 ± 2°C and RH = 60 ± 5% under natural sunlight). After full establishment of plants they were divided into 10 groups: control, plants sprayed with distilled water and exposed to 40 mM NaCl salinity stress, plants sprayed with 50 or 75 μM NO solutions under non-stress conditions, and plants sprayed with 50 or 75 μM NO solutions at three different application times, one week before, at the beginning, and one week after initiation of 40 mM NaCl salt stress. Results indicated that concentrations of macro-nutrients, Fe and Zn in shoots and roots were decreased due to salinity stress. The NO application, regardless of time of application and level, mitigated the deleterious effect of salinity on minerals uptake. Time aspect of NO application was important as plants received 75 μM NO solution, one week before initiation of salt stress had higher shoot N, K, and Ca concentration, productivity and leaf relative water content as compared with those received NO solution at the same concentration, one week after exposure to salt stress. Higher K/Na ratio of shoot was also observed in plants treated with 75 μM NO solution one week before start of salinity compared with salt-stressed, non-NO-treated plants. It seemed that time of NO application could change the strategy of plant against stress.

Turf Seedling Height and Quality in Paclobutrazol-treated Seeds of Lolium perenne L. ‘Barbal’ Sown in the Soil Mixed with Zeolite

Mahsa Shahrokhi,Hassan Salehi,Saeid Eshghi,Gholamreza Abdi 한국원예학회 2008 Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology Vol.49 No.6

To determine the effect of paclobutrazol on seedling height and visual quality, seeds of Lolium perenne L. ‘Barbal’ were soaked with 15, 30 and 45 ㎎?L<SUP>-1</SUP> paclobutrazol for 24 h on shaker during imbibitions stage of seed germination. Treated seeds were potted in the soil mixtures containing 5, 10, 15 and 30 percent zeolite with gardening soil and sand. 30 ㎎?L<SUP>-1</SUP> paclobutrazol followed by 15% zeolite resulted in the lowest seedling height. After the first mowing, lower heights were obtained in 30 ㎎?L<SUP>-1</SUP> paclobutrazol with 30% zeolite and in 45 ㎎?L<SUP>-1</SUP> paclobutrazol without zeolite. Paclobutrazol and zeolite combined at the highest concentrations resulted in the lowest height and clipping dry weight at second mowing. Treatment of 5 % zeolite had lower color quality but paclobutrazol at concentration of 15 ㎎?L<SUP>-1</SUP> produced the highest turf quality. It can be concluded that using zeolite in the media can lower the height of seedlings previously treated with paclobutrazol.

Effect of Natural Zeolite and Paclobutrazol on Reducing Salt Stress in Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.)

Gholamreza Abdi,Hassan Salehi,Saeid Eshghi 한국원예학회 2010 Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology Vol.51 No.3

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to study the effect of zeolite and drench application of paclobutrazol (PBZ) on the salt stress response. Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) turfs were grown in boxes filled with sand (100%), sand + 15% zeolite, sand + 30 ㎎ PBZ, and sand + 15% zeolite + 30 ㎎ PBZ, and were irrigated with 0.24 (control irrigation), 3.4 and 6.4 dS · m?¹ saline water daily for 6 months in greenhouse condition. Saline water reduced TQ, TFW, TDW, CY, PR, transpiration, SC, ME, and WUE, compared to control condition, Paclobutrazol and salinity treatments reduced growth and development, progressively produced plant that were too small especially at the highest saline concentration. Amendment of sand with zeolite increased TQ, TFW, TDW, CFW, CDW, PR, transpiration, SC, ME, and WUE during both second and third months of the experiment at both salinity levels. The beneficial effects of zeolite on turf quality and other parameters diminished 3 months after treatment. Amendment of sand with zeolite reduced leaching of Na and K but increased leaching of Ca?? and Mg??. Using zeolite in medium increased SAR value compared to control. Results indicated that amending with zeolite may buffer soil solution Na+ concentration in short-term. In the long-term, however, a substantial amount of Na? may be retained concurrent with Ca?? and Mg?? exchange, thereby increasing sodicity and salinity problems. Furthermore, results indicated that PBZ can reduce salinity effect via reducing the availability of salt ions in the medium.

Paclobutrazol Application Ameliorates the Negative Effect of Salt Stress on Reproductive Growth, Yield, and Fruit Quality of Strawberry Plants

Salma Jamalian,Ali Tehranifar,Enayatollah Tafazoli,Saeid Eshghi,Gholam Hossein Davarynejad 한국원예학회 2008 Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology Vol.49 No.1

Strawberry plants (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) are very susceptible to salinity. In order to investigate the interaction effects of paclobutrazol (PP333) and salinity on flowering, yield and fruit quality of strawberry plants, three levels of NaCl (0, 5, 10 mM) were incorporated into the nutrient solution and four levels of PP333 [0, 10, 20, 30 ㎎·L¹] were sprayed. PP333 application caused reduction in inflorescence length, but increased inflorescence and flower number. Salinity reduced number of achenes per fruit. However 10 ㎎·L<SUP>-1</SUP> of PP333 ameliorated the diverse effect of salinity at 10 mM NaCl salinity and increased significantly the number of achenes per fruit. Interaction of 20 and 30 ㎎·L<SUP>-1</SUP> PP333 with 5 mM NaCl, showed increase in yield in comparison with 0 and 10 ㎎·L<SUP>-1</SUP> PP333 at the same salinity level. Total soluble solids (TSS) were increased at 30 ㎎·L-1 PP333 in combination with 5 and 10 mM NaCl. also increased by this level of PP333. The highest level of PP333 (30 ㎎·L<SUP>-1</SUP>) reduced titratable acidity (TA) on salt treated (5, 10 mM) plants. The ratio of TSS/TA tended to rise by application of PP333. Salinity reduced vitamin C, but 20 ㎎·L<SUP>-1</SUP> of PP333 significantly increased vitamin C in both levels of salinity (5, 10 mM). Therefore from the results of this study, PP333 application is recommended to increase reproductive growth, yield and improve fruit quality in saline condition.

The Effects of Natural Zeolite on Vegetative growth, Flower and Physiological Characteristics of African Marigold (Tagetes erecta L. ‘Queen’)

Nazari Farzad,Khosh-Khui Morteza,Eshghi Saeid,Salehi Hassan 한국원예학회 2007 Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology Vol.48 No.4

This research was conducted to investigate the effects of natural zeolite on vegetative growth, flower and physiological characteristics of African marigold (Tagetes erecta L. 'Queen'). The experiment was performed as a completely randomized design with six treatments (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 g zeolite/kg soil mixture along with control) and 5 replications. Results indicated that zeolite decreased leaching of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium due to increase in cation exchange capacity (CEC) of soil mixture. Application of zeolite in the medium resulted in significant increase in photosynthetic rate, mesophyll efficiency, water use efficiency, chlorophyll content, fresh and dry weights of roots and shoots, leaf area and flower length, but did not significantly affect flower diameter and stomatal conductance. It was concluded that zeolite had a pronounced effect on vegetative growth, flower and physiological characteristics of African marigold. It my be recommended that zeolite being used, as an amendment to soil of ornamental plants such as African marigold to decrease nutrient leaching and irrigation interval.