1 1680-7073 Tarbiat Modares University 3458 Optimization of Machinery Use on Farms with Emphasis on Timeliness Costs Najafi B. b Torabi Dastgerduei S. c b Islamic Azad University, Marvdasht Branch, Islamic Republic of Iran. c Natural Resources Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. 1 5 2015 17 3 533 541 26 08 2013 06 09 2014 This study was conducted to determine timeliness costs in using machinery and their effects on farmers’ revenues. In addition, optimum cropping pattern was compared with the existing one assuming removal of timeliness cost. For the purpose of the study, mixed integer and linear programming methods were used. The study was conduced in Marvdasht region in southern Iran. The data were collected through interviews with a sample of 80 farm managers. Selected farmers were divided into six groups in terms of farm size and farm machinery use, and in each group a representative farm was selected. Findings of the study showed that 19 percent of farmers owned and 81 percent rented tractor and, as a result, timeliness cost was considerable for the latter group. The results also showed that for the farmers whose farm size was more than 10 hectares, it was justified to buy tractor and rent a combine. The results revealed that there was a gap between the optimum and existing cropping patterns with respect to timeliness cost and gross margin increased mostly in the groups that owned tractor and more than five hectares of land. Finally, in order to minimize timeliness cost, joint ownership of machinery by neighboring farms was recommended.
7355 Induction of Caterpillar Resistance in Sunflower Using Silicon and Acibenzolar-S-Methyl Assis F. A. d Moraes J. A. e Assis G. A. f Parolin F. J. T. g d Department of Entomology (DEN), Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil. e Department of Entomology (DEN), Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil. f Department of Entomology (DEN), Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil. g Department of Agriculture (DAG), UFLA, Brazil. 1 5 2015 17 3 543 550 04 06 2013 16 07 2014 The sunflower caterpillar Chlosyne lacinia saundersii (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) is considered a major pest in sunflower, causing severe defoliation and, thus, threatening production of oilseed. Chemical control remains the most widely used method for the management of this defoliator. To manage insect pests, there is a need to use substances of low toxicity that are able to stimulate the plant to use its own defense mechanisms. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the induction of resistance by silicon (Si) and acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) against C. lacinia saundersii in sunflower plants. The bioassay was conducted in a completely randomized design using 4 treatments and 10 replicates. The treatments were: (1) Si; (2) ASM; (3) Si+ASM, and (4) the control. The biological parameters of the caterpillar and the accumulation of Si and lignin in plants were evaluated. The application of resistance inducers reduced weight of the caterpillars 10 and 15 days of age. The use of Si alone or Si+ASM promoted the accumulation of this element; however, only ASM increased lignin content in plants. Negative correlations between the silicon content and larval weight and between the silicon content and lignin content were observed. Therefore, the application of silicic acid or ASM can inhibit the development of C. lacinia saundersii, conferring a resistance in plants attributable to the accumulation of silicon and lignin, thus serving as an alternative approach that may potentially be integrated into the management of this key pest in sunflower crops. 1855 Oviposition Model of Trissolcus basalis Wholaston (Hym.: Scelionidae) on Sunn Pest Eggs Forouzan M. h Shirazi J. i Safaralizadeh M. h. j Safavi A. k Rezaei M. l h Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia, Islamic Republic of Iran. i Biological Control Research Dept., Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection j Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia, Islamic Republic of Iran. k Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia, Islamic Republic of Iran. l West Azerbaijan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center, Urmia, Islamic Republic of Iran. 1 5 2015 17 3 551 560 21 10 2013 16 07 2014 Longevity, survivorship, and fecundity of Trissolcusbasalis Wholaston were studied on sunn pest eggs at 17.5, 20, 25, 27, 30 and 35˚C (all ±0.5), 60±5% RH and 16:8 h L:D. The preliminary results revealed an effect of temperature on the mentioned traits. In general, longevity decreased as temperature increased and ranged from 53.28±5.9 to 10.68±1.13 days when temperature leveled up from 17.5 to 35ºC. Similarly, the highest and lowest fecundity was observed at 25 and 35˚C (292.40±11.14 and 42.16±8.62 eggs female-1), respectively. Moreover, the developmental rate of adult parasitoids (1/median longevity) was well described by modified model of Sharp-DeMichele in the range of studied temperatures and it was used to calculate physiological age. Likewise, the relationship between temperature and total realized fecundity was fitted well to a quadratic polynomial function. Conspicuously, age-specific cumulative fecundity rate was highly coordinated with exponential model and adult survivorship was fitted well to the reversed logistic curve. Finally, three temperature-dependent attributes viz., total fecundity, age-specific cumulative fecundity rate, and age-specific survivorship rate were used for T. basalisoviposition modeling. These findings may contribute to better understanding of oviposition strategy and behavior of T. basalis. 10756 Farmers’ Perceptions toward Agricultural Water Conflict: The Case of Doroodzan Dam Irrigation Network, Iran Bijani M. m Hayati D. n m PhD Student of Agricultural Extension and Education, Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. n Lecturer, Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. 1 5 2015 17 3 561 575 23 12 2012 06 09 2014 Water conflict is considered as one of the major challenges in agricultural water management. "Agricultural water conflict" is a term describing disputes and differences among water stakeholders over an access to water resources in the agricultural sector. The purpose of this paper was to investigate farmers’ viewpoints toward agricultural water conflicts. A descriptive correlation method was adopted and the study was conducted in Doroodzan dam irrigation network in Fars province, Iran. Multistage stratified random sampling was used to collect data from 294 farmers. The research tool included a questionnaire whose validity was confirmed by a group of professionals. A pilot study was conducted during which the Cronbach's alpha test was calculated to determinate the reliability of data collection instrument. Findings revealed that, among the groups involved in water conflicts, the main conflict was between farmers and the government. Farmers in downstream were the main losers in water distribution. The dominant water conflict was "latent" as well. The main reasons for agricultural water conflict were "water scarcity", "drought", and "the kind of water management". Farmers' satisfaction toward water management was "low". Farmers’ age, education levels, satisfaction toward water management, and attitude toward geographical and climatic conditions had a significant relationship with agricultural water conflict. 5634 Why Do They Continue to Use Pesticides? The Case of Tomato Growers in Boushehr Province in Southern Iran Monfared N. o Yazdanpanah M. p Tavakoli K. o Institute of Applied Scientific Higher Education Jihad-e-Agriculture, Boushehr, Islamic Republic of Iran. p Department of Agricultural Extension, Education and Rural Development, Ramin Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Ahwaz, Islamic Republic of Iran. Jihad-e-Agriculture Organization, Boushehr, Islamic Republic of Iran. 1 5 2015 17 3 577 588 25 12 2013 12 08 2014  The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the addition of commercial lipase in various forms on the acceleration of the ripening of UF-Feta cheese. Commercial lipase from Aspergillus niger was encapsulated by using silica composition based on Sol-Gel method. Lipase was then added to cheeses in three forms, namely, free lipase, encapsulated lipase, and encapsulated lipase with Arabic gum. Lipase was added to the retentate in the ratio of 4 g:100 kg. The effects of free lipase, encapsulated lipase, and encapsulated lipase with Arabic gum on lipolysis, quantity of free water, bounded water, and chemical compounds were studied during the 60 days of ripening. Based on FTIR analysis, encapsulated lipases were completely released from the capsules during the first 15 days of ripening period. The greatest amount of lipolysis was detected in free lipase samples, compared to encapsulated and encapsulated with Arabic gum treatments. Thermal analysis of all treatments indicated that lipolysis could affect the free and bounded water content by decreasing both of them from the 15th to 60th days of ripening. The amount of salt, moisture, and fat changed during the first 15 days of ripening significantly (P< 0.05). In comparison with free or encapsulated lipase, the encapsulated lipase with Arabic gum caused more changes in types of water and chemical compositions because the produced emulsions were uniform. 7465 Determination of Cherry Color Parameters during Ripening by Artificial Neural Network Assisted Image Processing Technique Taghadomi-Saberi S. Omid M. Emam-Djomeh Z. Faraji-Mahyari Kh. Department of Agricultural Machinery Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, University of Tehran, Karaj, Islamic Republic of Iran. Department of Agricultural Machinery Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, University of Tehran, Karaj, Islamic Republic of Iran. Department of Food Sciences and Technology, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, University of Tehran, Karaj, Islamic Republic of Iran. Department of Agricultural Machinery Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran 1 5 2015 17 3 589 600 07 12 2013 16 07 2014 Among the different classes of physical properties of foods, color is considered the most important visual attribute in quality perception. Consumers tend to associate color with quality due to its good correlation with physical, chemical and sensorial evaluations of food quality. This study used an inexpensive method to predict sweet cherries color parameters by combining image processing and artificial neural network (ANN) techniques. The color measuring technique consisted of a CCD camera for image acquisition, MATLAB software for image analysis, and ANN for modeling. To demonstrate the usefulness of this technique, changes of cherry color during ripening were studied. After designing, training, and generalizing several ANNs using Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm, a network with 7-14-11-3 architecture showed the best correlation (R2= 0.9999) for L*, a* and b* values from Chroma meter and the machine vision system. L* and b* parameters decreased during ripening of cherries and a* parameter increased at first and then decreased. Evaluation of L*, a* and b* values showed the possibility of reliable use of this system for determination of absolute color values of foodstuffs with a much lower cost in comparison with Chroma meter. 10081 Performance of Selected Agricultural Spray Nozzles using Particle Image Velocimetry Wang S. Dorr G. J. Khashehchi M. He X. College of Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, People’s Republic of China. The University of Queensland, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia. The University of Queensland, School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia. College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, People’s Republic of China. 1 5 2015 17 3 601 613 14 04 2014 04 03 2015 The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of nozzle configurations on spray drift and explain the influences using several atomization characteristics (length of spray sheet, spray angle, velocity distribution of flow field, fluctuation of velocity, and droplet size). Nozzles manufactured by one company (Lechler GmbH, Germany) were tested by spraying local tap water in a wind tunnel at an operating pressure of 0.3 MPa and under room temperature. The nozzles tested were compact air-induction flat fan nozzles (IDK120-02, IDK120-03), standard flat fan nozzles (ST110-02, ST110-03), and hollow-cone swirl nozzles (TR80-02, TR80-03). The atomization process was recorded using a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system, droplet size was measured by a Sympatec Helos laser-diffraction particle-size analyzer, and spray drift was evaluated in a wind tunnel with deposition measured using a calibrated fluorometer (Turner-Sequoia model 450). Results showed that spray drift was significantly different among nozzle types (P<0.0005) and that nozzle configurations influenced breakup length, spray angle, droplet size, and velocity. Nozzles producing larger droplet sizes had lower velocity. Smaller droplets were produced when longer and wider spray sheets were produced. Compared to ST and TR nozzles, IDK nozzles started to breakup in the center of the liquid sheet, producing droplets with larger diameter, lower velocity, and less velocity fluctuation. The IDK nozzle is a good choice for low spray drift at higher wind speeds. 10243 Genetic Monitoring for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disease (SCID) Carriers in Arabian Horses of Iran Shahidzade Arbani R. Tarang A. Rafeie F. Potki P. Seighalani R. Baniyaghoub S. Vahidi M. F. Ajamian F. Department of Animal Genomics, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran - North Region Branch (ABRINI), Rasht, Iran Department of Animal Genomics, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran - North Region Branch (ABRINI), Rasht, Iran Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran Department of Animal Genomics, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran - North Region Branch (ABRINI), Rasht, Iran Department of Animal Genomics, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran - North Region Branch (ABRINI), Rasht, Iran Department of Animal Genomics, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran - North Region Branch (ABRINI), Rasht, Iran Department of Animal Genomics, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran - North Region Branch (ABRINI), Rasht, Iran Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran 1 5 2015 17 3 615 622 20 10 2013 12 08 2014 SCID is a lethal genetic autosomal recessive disorder that has been observed in humans, dogs, mice, and horses. Affected animals are incapable of generating specific antigens for immune responses needed to protect them from infectious diseases. The frequency of affected recessive allele varies in different regions so that the outcome of normal breeding with carriers of recessive alleles is differently distributed. Little information is available for SCID carriers in Iranian horses to prevent carriers breeding. In this study, the occurrence of the SCID alleles was tested in representative samples of Persian Arabian (or Asil) horses. Blood samples were collected from 244 Arabian horses in eight provinces of Iran. The ARMS-PCRs were used for the first time to identify SCID carriers, based on three distinguishing primer pairs. Each sample was used in two separate PCRs with a common forward primer. The two reverse primers differed in their 3′ end: one reverse primer could pick the wild-type allele while the other could pick the mutant allele with a 3′ end deletion. An internal control (HMS02 locus) was used in both reactions to verify whether the amplifications worked correctly. The results showed a mutated allele frequency of 0.8% in the Arabian horse population of Iran. This is the first report identifying SCID carriers’ frequency among Arabian horse population in Iran. 3087 Antimicrobial and Anti-oxidative Effects of Methanolic Extract of Dorema aucheri Boiss. Mianabadi M. Hoshani M. Salmanian S. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Golestan University, Gorgan, Islamic Republic of Iran. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Golestan University, Gorgan, Islamic Republic of Iran. Department of Food Science and Technology, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, 1 5 2015 17 3 623 634 09 11 2013 12 08 2014  Dorema aucheri Boiss. (Apiaceae) is an endemic plant growing in Iran. This plant is used as food and its extracts are recommended for the treatment of a wide range of diseases. To conduct this study, leaf, stem, and flower of D. aucheri were collected from near Yasouje, Iran. Antioxidant and antimicrobialeffects of methanol extracts were measured. Further, total phenolic,flavonoid, anthocyanin, carotenoid, soluble sugar, gallicacid,chlorogenic acid,caffeicacid, andp-coumaric acid contentsof plant methanol extracts were also determined. The results showed that total phenolic, anthocyanin, and soluble sugar in the stem of D. aucheri were 22.72 mg GAE g-1 dW, 19.33 mg g-1 dW, and 6.45 mg g-1 dW respectively, greater than those of the other samples tested. Also, phenolic acids were identified by RP-HPLCand chlorogenic acid was the predominant phenolic compound in the samples. The highest amount of flavonoid (1.95 mg QE g-1 dW) was observed in the flower. All of the different extracts exhibited a good antioxidant activity based on inhibition of fatty acid oxidation assay. Themaximal inhibition was observed in the leaf (48.52%) and flower (54.24%) of D. aucheri. Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) was also high in the stem and flower. In addition, the results showed that leaf, stem, and flower extracts had inhibitory activity against four bacteria tested. The highest antimicrobial activity was obtained with flower extract. These results suggest that the methanolic extracts from different parts of D. aucheri are a valuable source of effective compounds. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of extracts was correlated with p-coumaric and caffeic acid content.  7425 Relationships between Grain Physicochemical and Mechanical Properties of Some Iranian Wheat Cultivars Kasraei M. Nejadi J. Shafiei S. Department of Mechanics of Agricultural Machinery, Faculty of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran. Department of Mechanics of Agricultural Machinery, Faculty of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran. Department of Mechanics of Agricultural Machinery, Faculty of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran. 1 5 2015 17 3 635 647 23 06 2013 12 08 2014 Physicochemical and mechanical properties of wheat grains can have a great impact on the quality of the final products (bread). Therefore, correct selection of wheat cultivar for specific applications seems to be crucial. In this study, the differences in the physicochemical and mechanical properties (under compression and impact loadings) of ten Iranian wheat cultivars (Azar2, Alamut, Bam, Bahar, Chamran, Shiraz, Falat, Keras Adl, Marvdasht, and Nicknejad) were studied. Moreover, the relationship between these properties was investigated. The results indicated that the type of cultivar had significant influences on physicochemical and mechanical properties. The results of regression analysis between physicochemical and mechanical properties showed a significant correlation between protein content and particle size index (r2= 0.6). Moreover, the protein content could be significantly correlated with the parameters obtained from mechanical tests (r2> 0.50). Among the mechanical parameters obtained from compression and impact loading, the apparent elastic modulus and the specific breakage energy established maximum correlation (r2= 0.77 and 0.78, respectively) with the protein content. Similarly, significant correlations were found between particle size index and mechanical parameters (r2>0.60). Hence, the wheat protein content and particle size index, which have great impacts on quality of the final product, can be estimated by a few simple mechanical tests on the wheat kernels.  2904 Twin Screw Extrusion of Sorghum and Soya Blends: A Response Surface Analysis Arun Kumar T. V. Samuel D. V. K. Jha S. K. Sinha J. P. Division of Agricultural Engineering Indian, Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. Division of Agricultural Engineering Indian, Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. Division of Post Harvest Technology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. Division of Agricultural Engineering Indian, Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. 1 5 2015 17 3 649 662 01 10 2013 30 08 2014 Blends of sorghum and soybean flours were processed in a co-rotating twin screw extruder to prepare expanded product. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to study the effect of soya level (SL), feed moisture (FM), barrel temperature (BT) and screw speed (SS) on extruder system parameters and physical properties of the extrudate. Response variables were product temperature (PT), motor torque (MT), specific mechanical energy (SME), expansion ratio (ER), bulk density (BD), hardness (H), crispness (C), water absorption index (WAI), and water solubility index (WSI). Second order polynomial models were developed to determine the responses as a function of process variables. FM, BT, and SS had a significant effect on all the responses except BT on WAI, while SL considerably affected ER, BD, H, C, and WAI.  All the models were found to be statistically significant (R2> 0.85; insignificant lack of fit). Sorghum-soya extruded product was found to be feasible and the optimum values of processing variables were: SL: 14 per cent; FM: 14 per cent wb; BT: 129°C; and SS: 422 rpm. 6035 Water Mobility in Accelerated Ripening of UF Feta Cheese Yazdanpanah S. Ehsani M. R. Mizani M. Department of Food Science and Technology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. Department of Food Science and Technology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. Department of Food Science and Technology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. 1 5 2015 17 3 663 674 28 12 2013 21 06 2014  The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the addition of commercial lipase in various forms on the acceleration of the ripening of UF-Feta cheese. Commercial lipase from Aspergillus niger was encapsulated by using silica composition based on Sol-Gel method. Lipase was then added to cheeses in three forms, namely, free lipase, encapsulated lipase, and encapsulated lipase with Arabic gum. Lipase was added to the retentate in the ratio of 4 g:100 kg. The effects of free lipase, encapsulated lipase, and encapsulated lipase with Arabic gum on lipolysis, quantity of free water, bounded water, and chemical compounds were studied during the 60 days of ripening. Based on FTIR analysis, encapsulated lipases were completely released from the capsules during the first 15 days of ripening period. The greatest amount of lipolysis was detected in free lipase samples, compared to encapsulated and encapsulated with Arabic gum treatments. Thermal analysis of all treatments indicated that lipolysis could affect the free and bounded water content by decreasing both of them from the 15th to 60th days of ripening. The amount of salt, moisture, and fat changed during the first 15 days of ripening significantly (P< 0.05). In comparison with free or encapsulated lipase, the encapsulated lipase with Arabic gum caused more changes in types of water and chemical compositions because the produced emulsions were uniform. 11532 A Comparative Study of Salt Tolerance of Three Almond Rootstocks: Contribution of Organic and Inorganic Solutes to Osmotic Adjustment Zrig A. Ben mohamed H. Tounekti T. Ennajeh M. Valero D. Khemira H. Research Unit of Biodiversity and Valorization of Bioresources in Arid Zones, Faculty of Sciences of Gabes- City Erriadh, Zrig, Gabes 6072, Tunisia. Laboratory of Horticulture, Tunisian National Agricultural Research Institute (INRAT), Rue Hédi Karray 2049 Ariana, Tunisia. Laboratory of Horticulture, Tunisian National Agricultural Research Institute (INRAT), Rue Hédi Karray 2049 Ariana, Tunisia. Research Unit of Biodiversity and Valorization of Bioresources in Arid Zones, Faculty of Sciences of Gabes- City Erriadh, Zrig, Gabes 6072, Tunisia. Department of Food Technology, University Miguel Hernández, Ctra. Beniel km. 3, 2, 03312 Orihuela, Alicante, Spain. Research Unit of Biodiversity and Valorization of Bioresources in Arid Zones, Faculty of Sciences of Gabes- City Erriadh, Zrig, Gabes 6072, Tunisia. 1 5 2015 17 3 675 689 16 01 2013 16 07 2014 In this study, we assessed the relative contribution of organic and inorganic solutes to osmotic adjustment (OA) in three almond rootstocks subjected to four levels of soil salinity. The results showed that leaf water and osmotic potentials were affected by salinity in GF677 and Bitter almond, but less so in GN15, suggesting a higher selectivity for K+ and Ca2+ against Na+ in this latter rootstock. GN15 excluded Na+ and accumulated Cl-. Nevertheless, in this rootstock, Cl- and Na+ were the main osmolytes involved in OA, while the osmotic role of K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ was small. Proline had the highest relative contribution of organic solutes to OA in the leaves of GN15 and GF677, while in Bitter almond it was not effective. The role of soluble sugars was rather marginal in terms of OA in all three genotypes. All three rootstocks displayed a degree of OA in the presence of high NaCl concentrations in the growth medium, but used different osmolytes to achieve it. Therefore, breeders should be careful in choosing biochemical parameters to assess OA capability of Prunus genotypes.  2193 Fruit Quality and Yield of Tomato as Influenced by Rain Shelters and Deficit Irrigation Shao G. C. Deng S. Liu N. Wang M. H. She D. L. Key Laboratory of Efficient Irrigation-Drainage and Agricultural Soil-Water Environment in Southern China, Ministry of Education, College of Water Conservancy and Hydropower Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, Peoples’ Republic of China Key Laboratory of Efficient Irrigation-Drainage and Agricultural Soil-Water Environment in Southern China, Ministry of Education, College of Water Conservancy and Hydropower Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, Peoples’ Republic of China School of Economics and Management, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology , Nanjing 210044, Peoples’ Republic of China. Key Laboratory of Efficient Irrigation-Drainage and Agricultural Soil-Water Environment in Southern China, Ministry of Education, College of Water Conservancy and Hydropower Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, Peoples’ Republic of China Key Laboratory of Efficient Irrigation-Drainage and Agricultural Soil-Water Environment in Southern China, Ministry of Education, College of Water Conservancy and Hydropower Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, Peoples’ Republic of China 1 5 2015 17 3 691 704 18 01 2014 16 07 2014 This study was conducted to determine the effects of the combined use of rain shelters (RS) and deficit irrigation (DI) on tomato yield and quality characteristics. Two experiments with different treatments were conducted in the southern China during the growing season in 2011 and 2012. The crops were irrigated to field capacity once average soil water content at the 0-60 cm layer in the treatment decreased to 80% of field capacity under open-field (T1, the control) and RS (T2), and 30, 40, and 50% decreased water of T2 as treatments T3, T4, and T5, respectively. The results showed that T2 increased the yield and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) by 13 and 11.5% in the two years, and improved fruit firmness (FF), total soluble solids (TSS), soluble sugar (SS), and vitamin C (VC) compared to T1. Under RS conditions, DI reduced the yield, but increased IWUE of tomato relative to T2 from 25 to 52% in 2011, and from 26 to 41% in 2012. The effects of DI on fruit quality were generally the inverse of those on fruit yield. FF, TSS, SS, VC, organic acid, and color index were positively affected by DI. With regard to the rank of comprehensive quality index (CQI) calculated by the analysis hierarchy process and modified technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution, it exhibited good fitness to the rank of single quality attributes. The highest CQI was obtained in treatment T4 in 2011, and T3 in 2012. 5158 Morpho-chemical Diversity among Iranian Teucrium poliumL. (Lamiaceae) Populations in Fars Province Gorgini Shabankare H. Asgharipour M. R. Fakheri B. Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zabol, Zabol, Islamic Republic of Iran. Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zabol, Zabol, Islamic Republic of Iran. Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zabol, Zabol, Islamic Republic of Iran. 1 5 2015 17 3 705 716 19 01 2014 12 08 2014 Differentiation among populations of the Iranian Teucrium polium L.was analyzed on the basis of morphological and phytochemical variability, to evaluate the level and distribution of diversity among four distant populations from arid, semi-arid, and sub-humid regions of Fars Province. Morphological analysis included 11 characters related to the plant, leaf, and stem morphology. Analyses of variances and clustering were done to establish the variability and significance of morphological differentiation. The morphological analysis of plants from the studied populations confirmed that the species belonged to malacophyllous xeromorphic species and were distinguished by stable conservative xeromorphic characteristics. Morphological variation was correlated with ecological conditions at the site of origin and there was a small difference between the plants belonging to arid and semi-arid populations and the sub-humid ones. Chemical analysis was performed using combination of capillary GC, GC-MS after fractionation on column chromatography. The chemical composition of their oil differed qualitatively and quantitatively between the populations. β-Caryophyllene was the major oil compound in the sub-humid and semi-arid populations, while the main compound of arid populations were farnesene-cis-b and linalool. In addition, oil samples from semi-arid and sub-humid populations contained β-bisabolene (1.6-2.2%), myrcene (0.9-1.1%), bornyl acetate (0.7-0.8%), and 3-octanol (0.6-0.8%), which were not detected in oil samples from arid populations. All oil samples, however, were dominated by hydrocarbon compounds. The relatively low morpho-chemical diversity in the populations indicates that the maintenance of their evolutionary potential is at risk if population sizes are not maintained and if there is no protection of the habitats. 323 Use of Olive Cultivars in Landscape Planning Regarding Form and Texture Simkeshzadeh N. Etemadi N. Mobli M. Baninasab B. Department of Horticultural Science, Isfahan University of Technology. Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran. Department of Horticultural Science, Isfahan University of Technology. Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran. Department of Horticultural Science, Isfahan University of Technology. Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran. Department of Horticultural Science, Isfahan University of Technology. Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran. 1 5 2015 17 3 717 724 27 02 2013 12 08 2014 Olive is a perennial evergreen tree which has good adaptability to poor environmental conditions such as salt and drought resistance. In recent years, there is a tendency to plant olive trees in green spaces. Therefore, this study was carried out to evaluate 15 olive cultivars regarding growth habit, form, and texture to recommend for landscape. Six-year-old trees of 15 olive cultivars, which had been planted in Isfahan University of Technology (2000), were used in randomized block design with 3 replications and some of their vegetative characters were measured. A cluster analysis was done using seven factors effective on tree texture, which divided cultivars into 3 groups and a separate genotype. Also, another cluster analysis done on the seven factors effective on tree form classified olive cultivars in 3 groups. In short, Manzanilla, Spain, and Amphisis cultivars performed wide oval form and fine-medium coarse texture, so they could be used as background tree, screen, and group planting in green spaces. Roughani, Mishen, Valanolia, Gorgan, Kroneiki, Zard, and Sevillana cultivars showed round form and medium texture which could be used as specimen tree to plant in lawn. Rashid cultivar with long height, long oval form, and coarse texture is suitable as accent, screen, and frame plant. 6072 Differential Transcript Accumulation of Dhydrin and Beta-glucosidase Genes to Cold-induced Oxidative Stress in Chickpea Khazaei M. Maali-Amiri R. Talei A. R. Ramezanpour S. Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Islamic Republic of Iran. Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Islamic Republic of Iran. Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Islamic Republic of Iran. Department of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Islamic Republic of Iran. 1 5 2015 17 3 725 734 29 06 2013 11 06 2014 In this study, accumulation of H2O2, malondialdehyde (MDA) (as cold-induced oxidative stress indicators), the transcript levels of dehydrin and beta-glucosidase genes (involved in metabolic responses) was evaluated in chickpea cv. Jam, using qRT-PCR during control, cold acclimation (CA), cold stress (CS), recovery, and freezing phases. Results showed the existence of wide range of genetic capacity in the cultivar to increase cold tolerance when environmental conditions change. Significant increase in H2O2 and MDA content during CA phase indicated that seedlings perceived cold signaling that resulted in remarkable increase in the transcript levels of dehydrin and beta-glucosidase genes as part of defense responses of plants. Balancing the expression of these genes and oxidative stress indicators showed the interplay between two major defense and injury pathways. During freezing phase, the higher transcript levels of these genes in acclimated plants compared to non-acclimated plants showed a more active role for plant cells. An incapability of defense machine in non-acclimated plants was a limiting factor determining the low potential of chickpea plants to freezing phase. It was suggested that adjustment and metabolic alterations like dehydrin and beta-glucosidase genes, especially after CA phase and, thereby, decrease in oxidative stress indicators, could be a reason for relative cold tolerance in chickpea.  10757 Relationships between Microbial Compositions and Hydrochemical Factors in Nitrate Contaminated Groundwater of Hun River Alluvial Proluvial Fan, China Zhou A. X. Zhang Y. L. Dang J. Y. Su X. S. Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environments, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun, People’s Republic of China. Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environments, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun, People’s Republic of China. Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environments, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun, People’s Republic of China. Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environments, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun, People’s Republic of China. 1 5 2015 17 3 735 746 28 08 2013 21 09 2014  The objective of this study was to explore the microbial community diversities and the relationships between microbial community compositions and hydrochemical factors in nitrate contaminated groundwater of Hun River alluvial plain. The method of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-denaturing, gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) gene fingerprints combined with canonical correspondence analysis(CCA) were applied. The Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) of all the sampling sites had a certain degree of heteroplasmy and 75% OTUs presented in less than half of the sampling sites. The un-weighted pair group mean average (UPGMA) cluster analysis showed that the microbial community similarity of all the sampling sites were not relatively high (0.6-0.8). The distribution of microbial community positively correlated with nitrate. The dominant bacteria of the nitrate contaminated groundwater mainly included Hyphomicrobium denitrifican sp., Halanaerobium praevalens sp., Desulfotomaculum reducens sp., Nitrosospira multiformis sp., among which the Nitrosospira multiformis sp.and Sulfurovum sp. existed in all the sampling sites. CCA results indicated that Mn2+and NO3- were the most relevant hydrochemical factors to regulate the microbial composition in nitrate contaminated groundwater of this area, and next were Fe2+ and SO42- . The results could provide references for the bioremediation of the nitrate contaminated groundwater of Hun River alluvial plain 2050 Screening and Characterization of Wheat Germplasms for Phytic Acid and Iron Content Gupta R. K. Gangoliya S. S. Singh N. K. Department of Biotechnology, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad, (U. P.) 211004 India. Department of Biotechnology, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad, (U. P.) 211004 India. Department of Biotechnology, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad, (U. P.) 211004 India. 1 5 2015 17 3 747 756 18 02 2014 12 08 2014 Phytic acid is a major storage form of phosphorous in cereals that acts as food inhibitor by chelating micronutrients and prevents it to be bioavailabe for monogastric animals, including humans. Ninety three wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) germplasms, including cultivars from India, were characterized for phytic acid and Fe contents. Phytic acid contents ranged from 0.59 (IITR 92) to 2.08% (IITR 25). The Fe contents of all wheat germplasms ranged from 9.97 (IITR 25) to 45.77 mg kg−1 (IBW 1133) while historical cultivars from India contain an average of 21.7 mg kg−1 Fe. This initial screening facilitated the identification of diversity in germplasms for this trait that can be exploited for genetic improvement in wheat. Forty eight F2 wheat lines from (WL711×IITR 19) were also evaluated, which demonstrated considerable variation in phytic acid content. Phytic acid contents ranged from 0.58 to 2.01% in F2 lineswith an average of 1.52%. The genotypes showed significant differences in phytic acid and Fe contents. F2 lines of WL711×IITR19 also illustrated variation in phytic acid content that were significant. The progenies having lower phytic acid content compared to parents are useful for further crop improvement. A relatively high broad sense heritability (93.4%) and genetic advance (32.3%) of phytic acid showed that progenies of this cross would be useful for reducing phytic acid. 9948 Detection of PVY, PVX, PVS, PVA, and PLRV on Different Potato Varieties in Turkey Using DAS-ELISA Yardımcı N. Çulal Kılıç H. Demir Y. Süleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant Protection, 32260, Isparta, Turkey. Süleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant Protection, 32260, Isparta, Turkey. Süleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant Protection, 32260, Isparta, Turkey. 1 5 2015 17 3 757 764 21 10 2013 12 08 2014 This research was performed in order to study and diagnose Potato virus Y,Potyvirus (PVY), Potato virus X,Potexvirus (PVX), Potato virus S,Carlavirus (PVS), Potato virus A,Potyvirus(PVA) and Potato leafroll Luteovirus (PLRV) on tubers and leaves of different potato varieties, namely, Solea, Safran, Floris, Proventa, Milva, Universa, Lady olympia, Vangogh, and Marabel grown in Afyon region of Turkey. For this purpose, potato tubers from different varieties were obtained from Afyon region producers during 2009-2010 and they were planted in the trial plots in Isparta region of Turkey. One hundred sixty nine samples were taken from the leaves showing virus symptoms in the vegetation period and 109 samples were taken from the tubers of suspicious plants in the harvest period. Total of 278 samples were tested by using double antibody sandwich- enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) method. The DAS-ELISA analysis revealed that both tubers and leaves were infected with PVY, PVX, PVS, PVA and PLRV. It was determined that 87.45% (244 samples) of the tested samples were infected with one or more viruses and 12.54% (34 samples) of them gave negative reaction with DAS-ELISA. Regarding the prevalence of viruses among the potato varieties in this study, it was found that all samples belonging to Safrane and Milva varieties were infected with one or more viruses. Besides, other potato varieties showed different rates of virus infection. In the mechanical inoculation tests,serious stunting, systemic chlorosis and leaf deformation symptoms were observed on N. glutinosa, whilesymptoms such as mottling, leaf distortion, chlorotic and necrotic local lesions were observed on the leaves of other test plants.  3199 Molecular Identification of an Isolate of Peanut Mottle Virus (PeMoV) in Iran Beikzadeh N. Hassani-Mehraban A. Peters D. Khorasan Razavi Agricultural Education Center, Technical and Vocational Higher Education Institute, Mashhad, Islamic Republic of Iran. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, Section of Virology and Molecular Biology, P. O. Box: 9102, 6700 HC Wageningen, The Netherlands. Department of Plant Sciences, Laboratory of Virology, Wageningen University, P. O. Box: 629, Wageningen, The Netherlands. 1 5 2015 17 3 765 776 26 08 2013 12 08 2014  Peanut plants showing mottling, yellow and necrotic spots on leaves were collected from peanut fields in Golestan province. Electron microscopic studies revealed the presence of flexuous filamentous particles ca. 700 nm in length, which was suggestive of a potyvirus infection. Healthy Nicotiana benthamiana plants mechanically inoculated with sap from infected peanut plants showed mottling, downward leaf curling, and wrinkling of the leaves. The virus was transmitted by Myzus persicae in a non-persistent manner to healthy N. benthamiana, on which symptoms were observed two weeks later. RT-PCR using an Oligo-dT and a NIb primer set resulted in a fragment of about 1093 bp, which comprised the complete coat protein (CP) gene and 3´-non-coding region. Analysis of its CP nucleotide and amino acid sequence revealed 98-99% similarity and 95-99% identity to those of Peanut mottle virus (PeMoV) isolated from other countries, respectively. The molecular data confirmed serological, vector transmission, and electron microscopic findings on the incidence of PeMoV in Iran. Additionally, sequence and phylogenetic analyses of the CP revealed clustering of Iranian PeMoV isolate with Asian/Australian isolates. 8925 Adsorption and Desorption Behavior of Herbicide Metribuzin in Different Soils of Iran Rigi M. R. Farahbakhsh M. Rezaei K. Department of Soil Science, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, 31587-77871, Islamic Republic of Iran. Department of Soil Science, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, 31587-77871, Islamic Republic of Iran. Department of Food Science, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, 31587-77871, Islamic Republic of Iran. 1 5 2015 17 3 777 787 06 04 2014 30 08 2014 In this study, the batch equilibrium method was used to conduct metribuzin adsorption/desorption experiments with eight soils from different regions of Iran. The results indicated that the organic carbon (OC) content, clay content, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and pH had a combined effect on the metribuzin adsorption on soil. Under the experimental conditions, the adsorption amount of metribuzin on soils was positively correlated with the content of soil organic carbon. Freundlich adsorption isotherm provided the best fit for all adsorption and desorption data. The values of Kf-ads, Freundlich adsorption capacity, ranged from 0.16 to 2.53 L kg-1. Soil organic carbon content and pH were the main factors influencing adsorption. Adsorption was positively correlated with OC and negatively correlated with pH. Metribuzin desorption showed that almost all of the adsorbed metribuzin was desorbed in all soils, except soil 1 and 8. However, adsorption was not completely reversible.