ORIGINAL_ARTICLE When Is Metafrontier Analysis Appropriate? An Example of Varietal Differences in Pistachio Production in Iran Estimates of technical inefficiency in agricultural production are suspect so long as variations exist in production technology among the sampled farmers. Traditional methods of dealing with these technological differences risk attributing "technology gaps" to technical inefficiency between farms, pointing to the need to undertake a metafrontier analysis that allows technology gaps to be distinguished from technical inefficiency. Using farm-level data on the production of three different varieties of pistachio trees in Iran, we outline two criteria to justify its use: an inability in farmers to switch between production technologies except in the long term, and satisfaction of statistical tests on metafrontier coefficients. The application of metafrontier analysis enabled technical efficiency scores to be corrected for differences in production capacity imposed by tree variety. Results reveal that there is very little difference in technical efficiency between farms growing the different tree varieties. But they show that ignoring the production constraints imposed by variety choice could overstate the scope for farmers to improve their technical performance by adopting better farming practices. The results also indicate that it is misleading to compare the performance of different tree varieties on the basis of yield per hectare alone. http://jast.modares.ac.ir/article-1-7875-en.pdf 2010-06-03 379 389 Pistachio Iranian agriculture Metafrontier Stochastic production function Technical Efficiency R. Villano 1 School of Business, Economics and Public Policy, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia. AUTHOR H. Mehrabi Boshrabadi 2 Department of Agricultural Economics, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE A Comparative Study of Parametric and Non-parametric Energy Use Efficiency in Paddy Production In the present study an attempt has been made to use a non-parametric method Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) for assessing source-wise and operation-wise the Technical Efficiency (TE) and Return-to-Scale (RTS) for paddy production in four zones of the state of Punjab, India. The results were then compared to corresponding ones already obtained from a parametric method (Cobb-Douglas production function). The data from farmers growing rice in four zones including labor-h, machine-h, power source, horse power and hours used, kind of machinery used, physical inputs such as seed, fertilizers and pesticides (as inputs) and the yield (as output) were transformed into energy terms (MJ ha-1). The results revealed that farmers in zone 2 with a source-wise TE of 0.91, have consumed energy from more efficient sources, followed by zone 4 (0.90) and then zones 3 and 5 (0.85). No significant correlation could be established between the parametric and non-parametric TE for source-wise energy inputs. According to the DEA results, it was observed that 55.6% and 64.1% of inefficient farmers had an increasing RTS for operation-wise and source-wise energy inputs, respectively. However, a constant RTS had been reported by the parametric frontier function. http://jast.modares.ac.ir/article-1-5534-en.pdf 2010-06-03 391 399 Technical Efficiency : Data envelopment analysis Energy efficiency Paddy Pure technical efficiency Return-to-scale Scale efficiency S. M. Nassiri 1 Department of Agricultural Engineering, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR S. Singh 2 Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal, India. AUTHOR
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE Mathematical Modeling of Forced Convection Thin Layer Solar Drying for Cuminum cyminum This paper presents mathematical models of thin layer forced convection solar drying of Cuminum cyminum using two drying methods (mixed and indirect) at different operating conditions. The average initial moisture content of the seeds for all tests was about 43% d.b. and the drying was performed continuously, in each test, for a uniform period of 90 minutes drying time in a solar cabinet dryer to obtain an average final moisture content of 8% d.b. Three airflow rates (0.084, 0.127 and 0.155 m3 s-1) were adopted and the experiments were run each sunny day from 11:30 to 13:00 with an average solar intensity of 750 W m-2 (±50 W m-2), ambient air temperature of 27°C (±1°C) and relative humidity of 30% (±1%). In order to find the most suitable form of thin layer solar drying model, eleven different mathematical models were selected using the experimental data to determine the pertinent coefficients for each model by applying the non-linear regression analysis technique. The goodness of fit was evaluated by calculating and comparing the statistical values of the coefficient of determination (R2), reduced chi-square (χ2) and root of mean square error (RMSE) for any model and for the two drying methods. The best results were found for the approximation of diffusion model with R2= 0.995, and RSME= 0.0199 in mixed mode type, and the Midilli model with R2= 0.994, and RSME= 0.0225 in indirect mode type thin layer solar drying. http://jast.modares.ac.ir/article-1-1457-en.pdf 2010-06-03 401 408 Cuminum cyminum Mathematical model Thin layer drying A. Zomorodian 1 Department of Agricultural Engineering, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR M. Moradi 2 Department of Agricultural Engineering, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE Optimization of Processing Parameters of Soybean Seeds Dried in a Constant-bed Dryer Using Response Surface Methodology In some conditions, to avoid deterioration and field losses of soybean seeds (Glycine max Merr.) from weathering at end of the season, farmers start to harvest seeds with a high moisture content and so, careful post-harvest drying would be required to maintain the physiological quality of seeds. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the operating conditions of soybean seed drying. The study was performed using a three-level, four-factor fractional factorial design and aimed at determining the optimum combination of initial moisture content (X1), drying air temperature (X2), air velocity (X3), and depth of loading (X4) that could result in high germination, vigor and field emergence. The seeds of two soybean cultivars (Clark and Sahar) with initial moisture content of 15 to 45% dry weight basis )d.w.b), were dried in different drying air temperatures from 35 to 55°C, air velocity ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 m s-1 and a loading depth of 0.5 to 10 cm. According to the results of germination and vigor tests, the optimum drying conditions for seeds of cv. Clark were obtained at an air temperature of 52ºC, which needs to be decreased with higher initial moisture content. Harvesting can start at about 30% d.w.b initial seed moisture content, if drying is done carefully, but cv. Sahar was more susceptible and the drying air temperature should not exceed 41ºC and harvesting should take place when seeds reach an initial moisture content of below 32%. Moreover, it is strongly recommended to use moderate depths of loading because of best aeration and air circulation and to avoid overdrying. The seed quality indices in this experiment were more sensitive to both air temperature and initial moisture content than air velocity and depth of loading. http://jast.modares.ac.ir/article-1-7627-en.pdf 2010-06-03 409 423 Germination Drying Response surface methodology Seed quality A. Abbasi Surki 1 Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Tehran University, Karaj, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR F. Sharifzadeh 2 Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Tehran University, Karaj, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR R. Tavakkol Afshari 3 Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Tehran University, Karaj, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR N. Majnoun Hosseini 4 Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Tehran University, Karaj, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR H. R. Gazor 5 Agricultural Engineering Research Institute. Karaj, Islamic Republic of Iran AUTHOR
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE Prevention of Salmonella Colonization in Neonatal Broiler Chicks by Using Different Routes of Probiotic Administration in Hatchery Evaluated by Culture and PCR Techniques The effects of various methods of probiotic administration in hatchery and on prevention of Salmonella enteritidis (Se) in broiler chicks was investigated. A total of 150 Salmonella free day old chicks (Ross 308) were assigned to five experimental groups including control and four in-hatchery probiotic administration method groups comprised of: in ovo injection, oral gavage, spray and vent lip application. Each group was comprized of 30 chicks. The chicks were challenged by 8 Log CFU Se using oral gavage on 2 days of age. At 1 and 7 days of post-challenge (PC) 15 birds per experimental group were sampled for Se recovery through either one of culture or culture based PCR techniques. Administration of probiotics reduced the number of Se colonized chicks, compared with control as evaluated through either culture or PCR method. These reductions were significant for all the administration routes (P< 0.05), except for the 1 day PC, evaluated by culture method (P> 0.05). Furthermore probiotics were capable of reducing the number of colonized chicks from day 1 to day 7 PC. Vent lip method was evaluated as the most effective route of probiotic administration in prevention of Se colonization, not significantly different from either spray application in day 1 of PC group or from other administration methods in the day of 7 PC (P> 0.05). PCR method was more reponsive in detection of Se as compared to traditional culture method. Administration of probiotics in hatchery finally resulted in reducing the colonization of Salmonella in the alimentary tract of chicks. http://jast.modares.ac.ir/article-1-6063-en.pdf 2010-06-03 425 432 Broiler probiotic Administration method Hatchery Z. Hashemzadeh 1 Department of Poultry Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR M. A. Karimi Torshizi 2 Department of Poultry Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR S. Rahimi 3 Department of Poultry Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR V. Razban 4 Department of Anatomy, College of Medical Sciences, Kerman Medical Sciences University, Kerman, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR T. Zahraei Salehi 5 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary, Tehran University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE Development of Reservoir Operation Policies Using Integrated Optimization-Simulation Approach This study is focused on developing an integrated optimization-simulation based genetic algorithm model (IOSGA) to develop the operational policies for a multi-purpose reservoir system. The objective function of the optimization model is considered to be a linear function of Reliability (Rel), Resiliency (Res), and Vulnerability (Vul) of the river-reservoir system. Genetic Algorithm (GA) is employed to solve the optimization model in which the coefficients of reservoir operation policy equations are considered as decision variables. These coefficients are formulated in the form of fuzzy numbers to be able to capture the variations in releases and in water demands. Due to significant variations of agricultural water demands during different months and years, a water demand time series is considered as one of the inputs of the optimization model. Zayandeh-Rud River-reservoir system, in central part of Iran, is considered the case study. The results of the proposed approach are compared with those of the classic three cyclic algorithm in which the reservoir releases are the decision variables of the optimization model and the IOSGA model in which the coefficients of reservoir operation policies are considered to be classic (non-fuzzy) numbers. The results of the study indicated that the developed algorithm can significantly reduce the time and costs of modeling efforts and the run-time of the GA model, while it has also improved the overall performance of the system in terms of Rel, Res, and maximum Vulnerability (VulMax) and the coefficient of efficiency (CE) and standard error (SE). http://jast.modares.ac.ir/article-1-8371-en.pdf 2010-04-28 433 446 genetic algorithm Reliability Reservoir operation optimization Resiliency Vulnerability Zayandeh-rud Reservoir S. M. Hosseini 1 Department of Irrigation and Reclamation Engineering, University of Tehran, Karaj, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR B. Zahraie 2 The Center of Excellence for Infrastructure Engineering and Management, School of Civil Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE Karyological and Nuclear DNA Content Variation in Some Iranian Endemic Thymus Species (Lamiaceae) Thymus is a medicinal plant which contains one of the world's top ten essential oils, exhibiting antibacterial, antioxidative, food preservative and mammalian age-delaying properties. This work was aimed at identifying between-species variations requiring for selecting appropriate parents for hybridization. Six Iranian endemic Thymus accessions belonging to Thymus daënensis, T. eriocalyx and T. migricus were studied. Root tips were examined for karyological studies and fresh young leaves of the standard reference (Parsley, Petroselinum crispum, 2C DNA= 4.45 pg) and the Thymus samples stained with propidium iodide (PI) for flow cytometric (FCM) measurements. Two ploidy levels (diploid and tetraploid) and 3 chromosome numbers (30, 56, 60) were recognized. The latter chromosome number is being reported for the first time on T. daënensis accession. FCM measurements showed that 2C DNA contents varied from 1.02 to 2.42 pg, verifying more than 2-fold variations and showing a genome size range of 499 to 1182 Mbp, correspondingly. The mean amount of 2C DNA/chromosome and mean of monoploid genome size were not proportional to ploidy. 2C-values were correlated with, and linearly regressed upon somatic metaphase, considering either total chromosome volume (TCV) or total chromatin length (X). http://jast.modares.ac.ir/article-1-1422-en.pdf 2010-06-03 447 458 Chromosome DNA C-value Genome size Medicinal plant Thymus daënensis T. eriocalyx T. migricus S. Mahdavi 1 Department of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, P. O. Box: 14115-336, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR G. Karimzadeh 2 Department of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, P. O. Box: 14115-336, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE Molecular Analysis of Ancient DNA Extracted from 3250-3450 Year-old Plant Seeds Excavated from Tepe Sagz Abad in Iran To determine ancient seed species, 3250-3450 year-old charred seeds obtained from different Iranian archaeological sites were studied using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and molecular analysis. SEM analysis of ancient seeds revealed that the surface of the seeds was damaged. Therefore, we could not accurately identify their species. Molecular analysis on ancient specimens was done on different samples obtained from Masjede Kabood (Tabriz), Tepe Rahmat Abad (Pasargad) and Tepe Sagz Abad (Qazvin plain). The specific primer pairs were designed based on a part of the promoter region of the High Molecular Weight (HMW) glutenin gene and a short fragment of the vrs1 gene were verified on samples of modern wheat and barley varieties, respectively. The designated primers failed to amplify ancient DNAs (aDNAs) obtained from Masjede Kabood and Tepe Rahmat Abad, but successfully amplified the aDNA obtained from Tepe Sagz Abad. This finding was expected since the latter seeds had a better morphological preservation in comparison to the former ones. The accuracy of the amplified products was further proved by cloning and sequencing. http://jast.modares.ac.ir/article-1-5249-en.pdf 2010-06-03 459 470 Wheat Barley Seed aDNA Ancient DNA Molecular analyses H. Mahmoudi Nasab 1 Department of Genetics, Faculty of Basic Science, Tarbiat Modares University, P. O. Box: 14115-175, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR M. Mardi 2 Department of Genomics, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute, Karaj, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR H. Talaee 3 Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Tehran University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR H. Fazeli Nashli 4 Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Tehran University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR S. M. Pirseyedi 5 Department of Genomics, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute, Karaj, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR A. Hejabri Noubari 6 Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR S. J. Mowla* 7 Department of Genetics, Faculty of Basic Science, Tarbiat Modares University, P. O. Box: 14115-175, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE Disease Progress Curves of Sclerotinia Stem Rot of Canola Epidemics in Golestan Province, Iran Sclerotinia Stem Rot (SSR), caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, is believed as the most important disease of canola (Brassica napus) in Iran. Temporal analysis of the disease epidemics was carried out by evaluating SSR in 80 fields in four locations of: Gorgan, AliAbad, Kalaleh and Gonbad in Golestan Province during 2006 and 2007. Scouting of the fields to record disease incidence (I) and disease severity (S) was started before the end of flowering and continued weekly up to harvest time. Disease Progress Curves (DPCs) were studied using mathematical growth models and their goodness of fit determined based on such statistics as coefficient of determination (R2), standard error of estimates (SEE) and residual plots. Gompertz model with a mean R2 of 94.69% was selected as the most appropriate model for describing SSR progress in field conditions of Golestan Province. Rates of increase (rG) per unit of disease in the canola fields were 0.003 to 0.077 (with an average of 0.03). This is the first temporal study of canola SSR in Iran. http://jast.modares.ac.ir/article-1-1864-en.pdf 2010-06-03 471 478 Canola (Brassica napus) Disease progress curve Epidemiology Sclerotinia sclerotiorum temporal analysis M. A. Aghajani 1 Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR N. Safaie 2 Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran AUTHOR
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE A Synchronous Investigation of Soil Geometric Mean Particle Diameter and Lime, Using Remote Sensing Technology (Case Study: Pol-e-Dokhtar, the Southwest of Lorestan Province, Iran) The geometric mean particle diameter (dg) and lime are two of the most important properties from the viewpoint of soil management. Nowadays remote sensing technology which has emerged walking with science development throughout the world, has made soil study faster, more facile and more cost-efficient. An investigation of soil dg and lime was performed in Pol-e-Dokhtar area by use of four sets of spectral data of IRS P6, LISS III obtained from the Organizations of Geography of Armed Forces and Aerospace of Iran, in September 7th 2007. Subsequently, Principle Component Analysis, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Soil Line Euclidean Distance and Unsupervised Classification was carried out for satellite data sets following image preprocessing operations. Through stratified randomized sampling method and according to the false color composite and photomorphic units of the main image, 95 samples were selected and eventually collected from 0-5cm depth of soil surface, likewise 43 samples from 5-20cm. Afterwards, dg and lime contents were determined for each sampled point in soil laboratory. By means of multivariate regression operations there were eventually shown pronounced relationships (P< 0.01) between soil dg and lime with green (R2adj= 0.78) and NIR (R2adj= 0.77) bands in the first sampling depth. In addition, this was true for the second sampling depth with green (R2adj= 0.57), NIR (R2adj= 0.55) and red (R2adj= 0.59) bands with lower coefficients of determination. Consequently it has been substantiated with evidence that dg and lime contents are able to impress soil spectral reflectance. So it is possible to find out about these parameters using satellite and ancillary data. http://jast.modares.ac.ir/article-1-4733-en.pdf 2010-06-03 479 494 Geometric mean particle diameter Normalized Difference Vegetation Index Principle Component Analysis Remote Sensing Technology Soil lime M. Danesh 1 Department of Soil Science , Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR H. A. Bahrami 2 Department of Soil Science , Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR S. K. Alavipanah 3 Department of Remote Sensing and Cartography, Faculty of Geography, Tehran University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR A. A. Noroozi 4 Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research Institute, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE Impact of Clay Mineralogy and Landscape on Potassium Forms in Calcareous Soils, Urmia Region The potassium pools of five major physiographic units of Urmia region in Western Azarbaijan Province were studied to investigate the distribution of K forms as a function of clay mineralogy and physiographic units. For this, soil samples from different horizons of ten pedons were selected and analyzed for physiochemical properties, mineralogy of clay fraction, and forms of K. Analyses of XRD revealed that the soils are similar in their clay mineralogy, consisting of illite, smectite, chlorite, and kaolinite, but with different in contents. Illite was higher in the Piedmont Plains (PP) followed by Plateaux (Pl), River Alluvial Plains (RAP), Colluvial Alluvial Plains (CAP), and Lowlands (LL) units, whereas a higher content of smectite was observed available in the Pl followed by PP, LL, RAP, and CAP units. Several such simultaneous processes as mineral weathering and soil forming, biocycling processes, and geomorphologic conditions had resulted in significant difference in K forms in the soils studied. A wide variation in total K (HF-extractable K) (0.54-1.1%), non-exchangeable K (280-450 mg kg-1), and exchangeable K (217-330 mg kg-1) were recorded among different physiographic units. Statistically significant differences (P≤ 0.05) were observed in the levels of mineral K, HNO3-extractable K, and non-exchangeable K in soils of high illite (30-50%) as compared with those of low illite contents (10-30%). A highly significant positive relationship was recorded between total K and illite content (r2= 0.85, P 0.001) and as well between non-exchangeable K and illite contents (r2= 0.84, P 0.001) suggesting that these pools of K are mainly released from the frayed edges and wedge zones of illite. The soils were categorized into two major groups based on the physiographic unit's assertion and soil solution K content: first group comprised of Pl and PP units while the second group of RAP, CAP, and LL units. http://jast.modares.ac.ir/article-1-8776-en.pdf 2010-06-03 495 507 Clay mineralogy Potassium Forms Physiographic units S. Rezapour 1 Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Urmia University, P. O. Box: 165, Urmia, 57134, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR A. Samadi 2 Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Urmia University, P. O. Box: 165, Urmia, 57134, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR A. A. Jafarzadeh 3 Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Tabriz University, 51664, Tabriz, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR Sh. Oustan 4 Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Tabriz University, 51664, Tabriz, Islamic Republic of Iran. AUTHOR