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The plant symbiotic fungi, Arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM), increases host competency and causes partial control of Egyptian broomrape Phelipanche aegyptiaca (Orobanchaceae). In this study, a greenhouse experiment was designed to investigate the AM efficacy on the morphological and physiological traits in the association of cucumber and P. aegyptiaca. Findings showed that the broomrape contamination increased the activity of ascorbate, peroxidase, and catalase in cucumber. In contrast, AM decreased ascorbate, peroxidase activity and increased total phenolic compounds. However, AM in P. aegyptiaca-infected genotypes had no significant effect on malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide content. In AM inoculated treatments, the height and number of cucumber leaves were unaffected by P. aegyptiaca infestation. Also, AM decreased the harmful effects of the P. aegyptiaca by reducing the total dry weight and number of attachments, increasing the leaf area, the shoot, and the dry root weight of cucumber genotypes. Despite the positive effect of AM, about 35 and 50% reduction in shoot and dry root weight of cucumber indicated high susceptibility of the host. Overall, It seems that the AM cannot be effective as a primary broomrape control strategy in cucumber.

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 A greenhouse experiment was conducted to examine the influence of Phelipanche aegyptiaca on vegetative growth, rate of photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence and leaf chlorophyll content of 35 cucumber genotypes. High demand of assimilates by P. aegyptiaca caused significant reductions in shoot and root dry weight, leaf number, leaf area and plant height in all cucumber genotypes. Once plants were infected by P. aegyptiaca, the leaf chlorophyll content, the photosynthesis rate and the maximum quantum yield of PSII chemistry were significantly less than control, thus implying a reduction in carbon assimilation, photosynthesis efficiency and susceptibility of infected plants to photoinhibition. P. aegyptiaca traits were significantly affected by cucumber genotypes. There was no correlation between P. aegyptiaca traits with the reduction percentage of cucumber shoot dry weight. However, there were correlations between underground attachments number plant^-1 (UAN) and percentage of cucumber root dry weight reduction (-0.58), total attachment number plant ^-1 (TAN) and the percentage of reduction of root dry weight (+0.39). In accordance with the results obtained, the genotypes were classified into 3 groups. It was demonstrated that the genotype number 22 (Khassib) behaved differently to other genotypes and, in particular, they suffered less damage from the presence of P. aegyptiaca.


 

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In this paper, a new hybrid intelligent method is presented for detecting the bearing faults in the various rotating speeds. The vibration signals are collected in four conditions, including the normal state, the faulty inner race, the faulty outer race, and the faulty bearing element. Firstly, twenty-two statistical features in the time domain and four frequency features, three Wavelet packet decomposition (WPD), and the first five intrinsic mode functions obtained by the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) are extracted from the original signal; finally, the feature vector for each signal sample has 424 features. However, in the high dimensional feature matrix, there may exist the insensitive features to the presence of defects. Therefore, in this study, the compensation distance evaluation technique (CDET) is used to select the optimal features. Then, the selected features are used as the inputs of the support vector machine (SVM) classifier to diagnose the bearing conditions. In the CDET method, there is a threshold indicator that plays a decisive role in choosing the desired attributes. Also, the SVM method has some parameters that need to be set during the fault detection process. Therefore, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is used to determine the optimal threshold in the CDET method and the optimal SVM parameters, so that the prediction error of the bearing conditions and the number of the selected features are minimized. The obtained results demonstrate that the selected features are well able to differentiate between different bearing conditions at various speeds. Comparing the results of this paper with other fault detection methods indicates the ability of the proposed method.

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Vibration analysis of the plate is an important topic in high-speed train body design. Because of the dynamic loads on plates which are used in the wagon body of the train, vibration analysis and determination of the amount of deflection and bending of the structure is important in wagon design. A plate which is used in the high-speed train is composite plate. Composite plates are considered because of many advantages relative to the other plates, such as low weight, high strength and cost-effective. In this paper, the nonlinear free vibration analysis of the used plate in the wagon body of high-speed trains has been presented. First, a three layers sandwich plate used for car body of high-speed trains has been transformed into a single layer equivalent orthotropic plate. Von-Karman theory and the Galerkin method have been employed to solving the equations of motion of the equivalent orthotropic plate. The nonlinear natural frequencies of the first four modes of the system have been determined using the numerical and variational iteration methods (VIM). Then the effect of different parameters on the value of nonlinear frequencies of the first four modes has been studied. The Difference lower than 0.1% is observed between the determined natural frequencies by VIM, with initial condition limited to zero, and natural frequencies determined by linear vibration. The results show that natural frequency is increased by increasing elasticity modulus of the face, the thickness of the core and the thickness of the face of the sandwich plate. In addition, because of nonlinearity of plate vibration equations, natural frequencies of composite plate are increased by increasing initial condition.

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Possibility of improving physiological traits and minituber yield of potato cultivars (cvs. Agria and Fontane) was investigated by application of plant growth regulators (BAP, ABA and BAP+ABA) at tuber initiation stage. Regardless of the cultivars, Net photosynthesis rate (Np), actual quantum yield (Φ), stomatal conductance (g_s) and Transpiration rate (T_r) of BAP-treated leaves were superior to those of the control. For Agria, the greatest Chlorophyll content (Chl) was observed in BAP-treated plants, while the highest Chl for Fontane was observed in ABA-treated plants. Increasing Np and Chl content were associated with higher Soluble Carbohydrate content (SC). BAP+ABA application increased SC of leaflets in both cultivars compared with the control. Tuber Yield per Plant (Y/P), Mean Tuber Weight (MTW), and Tuber Number (TN) were stimulated by foliar treatment of plants with PGRs compared with the untreated ones, but there were significant interactions between cultivar and hormone type. Positive correlation between SC and Y/P (r= 0.97*) and MTW (r= 0.97*) were observed in Agria. Leaf area as well as dry and fresh weight of aerial parts of the BAP+ABA-treated plants were more than the untreated plants and other PGR treatments. These results indicate that either of BAP, ABA, or their combination could be effectively used to improve physiological traits and tuber yield of these cultivars, although, Agria responded more prominently to PGRs than Fontane.

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Beam–column connections in reinforced concrete (RC) structures play an important role when the frame is subjected to seismic loading. The overall stability of the structure and the formation of the optimal energy absorption mechanism in the beam plastic hinge zone depends on the role of the beam-column joints. The non-seismic detailing in the joint panel area can cause a partial or total collapse of the structure. Beam-column connections with non-seismic detailing in buildings with moment resisting lateral load bearing systems, are the major cause of post-earthquake damage. The optimal shape and energy absorption of the moment frame structure is dependent on the design and perfect execution of the beam-column connections. In the beam-column connections, the lack of positive reinforcement of the beam in the joint area and non-extension of the column stirrup in the joint area are common defects of the joints in accordance with new regulations. Researchers have provided a lot of experimental studies on beam–column connections, while experimental studies are usually costly and time consuming, and can be restricted by the test facilities and space. The behaviour of the RC beam–column joint is very complex and several parameters such as axial load ratio, reinforcement detailing, concrete strength have significant influences on its seismic performance, it is impractical to fully investigate all parameters through a limited number of experimental tests. Finite element modelling using ABAQUS software platform can provide an opportunity to study the various parameters governing the monotonic and cyclic behaviour of the beam–column joints. In this study, by examining several parameters in the finite element model of the RC Beam–column connections in ABAQUS software, such as specifications of strain-hardening for steel, bushinger effects, concrete damaged plasticity (CDP) in tensile and compression, concrete confinement effects, presence of lateral beam, and also bond-slip of reinforcing bars was investigated and leads to provides recommendations for finite element modelling of the RC frames. For this purpose, the behaviours of the seismically and the non-seismically detailed beam–column joints under monotonic and cyclic lateral loading were evaluated in different conditions of the presence of lateral beam. The finite element models with seismic and non-seismic detail were considered and validate with laboratory tests by considering sliding effect of longitudinal beam reinforcement using modified steel stress-strain curve. Then, the effect of different lateral beam conditions around the joint was considered. The results showed well that the finite element model is more consistent with the experimental results when considering the slip effects of the longitudinal beam reinforcement. Also comparing the results of the models with the different lateral beam conditions showed that confining the non-seismic joints can increase the joint strength against lateral loads. The general behaviour mode for the seismically detailed specimen was flexural yielding in the beam at the column face whereas for the non-seismically detailed specimens joint shear failure occurred generally before the beam section reached its ultimate flexural strength. The finite element model of beam-column joint specimens was calibrated by test results and good agreement was found between the experimental and numerical hysteretic behaviour. The model was able to capture the modes of failure, peak load and initial stiffness of the tested specimens.

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There are currently about 1.2 billion people, nearly a fifth of the global population faced to physical water scarcity, and 500 million by 2025 will be encountered to such status. Of these, 1.6 billion people, nearly a quarter of the world's population face economic water shortages. According to Iran's geographical position in semi-arid and dry region, and share of irrigated agriculture in water resources consumption, some researchers, policy makers and NGO's are thinking that national wheat production consume the bulk of the renewable water resources. So they propose some limitation for national wheat production. The main point of this article is to answer this question: What is the amount of water consumption trough the national wheat production in a crop year? To answer this question, ArcGIS , wheat production at 401 regional scale and wheat net irrigation information at 620 watershed scale are organized. Furthermore the farm system irrigation efficiencies are estimated by referring to water and agricultural expert's judgment. According to the results net water consumption for 9165176 tons irrigated wheat production is 8106.4 million m3, weighted average of farm irrigation system efficiencies is estimated 44.7 percent, so national water consumption for irrigated wheat national production is 18135.1 million m3, and according weighted average of wheat net irrigation trough the 620 water basin 2907.1 m3/h, it is estimated about 11628.02 million m3, green water was used for 4000006 tons dry land wheat production.

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Micro-propagated potato plantlets (cvs. Agria and Fontane) were grown in growth chambers under controlled conditions to determine the effect of different levels of CO₂ concentrations (400 vs. 800 µmol mol⁻¹) on physiological and biochemical traits and yield of minitubers, at the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, in 2015. Irrespective of the cultivar, the elevated CO₂ significantly increased Net photosynthesis (Np) and leaf Dark Respiration (R_D) compared to the control at 34 and 57 days after transplanting. Higher Np under the elevated CO₂ resulted in a higher accumulation of leaflet starch and soluble sugar content. The elevated CO₂, compared to the ambient, induced allocation of more dry matter to the underground parts, especially tubers. CO₂ Enrichment did not significantly affect the number of tubers and mean tuber weight, however, the elevated CO₂ increased yield of Agria and Fontane by 17 and 39%, respectively. The yield of Fontane was increased more than Agria when exposed to elevated CO₂, mainly due to greater mean tuber weight than tuber number. The number of large size tubers increased under elevated CO₂. The results showed that the greater mean tuber weight might affect tuber yield more than the number of tubers. Our findings suggest that rising levels of CO₂ in minituber production systems could be beneficial to improve productivity and tuber yield.

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Cross-acclimation of mild drought stress and cold acclimation may additionally increase the chickpea’s cold tolerance due to transferring sowing date from spring to winter in Mediterranean high lands. Two weeks after sowing in greenhouse, chickpea seedlings were subjected to the following treatments in a controlled environment: (i) Well-Watered under an optimum temperature regime (WW); (ii) Well-Watered under a Cold temperature regime (WWC); (iii) Drought Preconditioned under an optimum temperature regime (DP); and (iv) Drought Preconditioned under a Cold temperature regime (DPC). After three-week acclimation period, plants were frozen on the thermogradient freezer, then, recovered for three weeks in a greenhouse. In the acclimation period, with decreasing temperatures, a clear decrease of the electrolyte leakage (EL) were observed for both genotypes: 51% for cold tolerant MCC252 and 36% for cold sensitive MCC505. Cold acclimation induced the greatest accumulation of proline and MDA contents (about 75% for both genotypes) and drought preconditioning most consistently induced an increase in soluble carbohydrate content (25% for MCC252 and 51.7% for MCC505) during the acclimation period. The survival percentage increased 9.3% for MCC252 and 21.25% for MCC505 by both cold and drought acclimation under freezing conditions. Generally, drought preconditioning had a synergistic effect on the cold acclimation period to improve freezing tolerance (as indicated by the lowest LT50el and LT50su) and leading to an increase in the freezing tolerance for the cold sensitive genotypes (MCC505). Thus, the greatest gains in freezing tolerance for both genotypes were associated with cross-acclimation treatment (DPC).
 

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Cheetah is one of the endangered wildlife species in different countries around the world, including Iran, and has been included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Today, Iran is the only place where Asiatic Cheetahs can be found, and the latest estimates indicate that only 30 to 40 Asiatic Cheetahs remain. The present study aimed to prioritize the ecosystem functions and services for Asiatic Cheetahs in Iran from the perspectives of experts and professionals. After a literature review, based on the 2018 Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services (CICES), among Provisioning, Cultural, and Regulation and Maintenance functions, the Cultural and Regulation and Maintenance functions and 14 services were extracted for Asiatic Cheetahs in Iran. Next, by using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Delphi method, the priority of functions and services was investigated in two stages. The results showed that the most important functions and services were, respectively, as follows: Cultural (4.37), Regulation and Maintenance (4.32) functions, and services related to the Bequest value (4.95) of Asiatic Cheetahs; Existence value (4.93); Educational (4.58); Aesthetic (4.47); Entertainment (recreation and ecotourism) (4.44); Symbolic (4.40); Scientific (3.67), Cultural (3.55), Biodiversity (4.82); and Disease control (3.82). The necessary measures for preventing the extinction of Asiatic Cheetahs include the construction of wildlife corridors in habitats of Cheetahs, promoting participation of communities and non-governmental organizations in the sustainable management of Cheetah habitats, and designing coins with Cheetah to attract public attention and support.