https://ijfcs.ut.ac.ir/ Iranian Journal of Field Crop Science en daily 1 Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0330 Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0330 https://ijfcs.ut.ac.ir/article_107279.html In pursuit of sustainable agriculture and reducing the use of chemical inputs, adopting practices such as intercropping and the use of biofertilizers has become essential. Accordingly, a study was conducted to evaluate the effects of replacement ratios and various phosphorus fertilizer sources on yield and nutrient uptake in an intercropping system of ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi) and coronilla (Securigera securidaca L.) during the 2021–2022 and 2022–2023 growing seasons in Mamasani County, Iran. The experiment was arranged as a factorial based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. The first factor included five phosphorus fertilizer treatments: 100 kg/ha of chemical fertilizer (triple superphosphate), 50 kg/ha + phosphate-solubilizing bacteria, 50 kg/ha + mycorrhiza, 50 kg/ha + both bacteria and mycorrhiza, and a control. The second factor consisted of five cropping systems: different ratios of ajwain and coronilla (1:1, 1:2, 2:1) and sole cropping of each species. Results showed that the combined treatment of mycorrhizal fungi and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria significantly increased nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc content in both crops. The highest nitrogen content in ajwain (3.12%) and phosphorus content in coronilla (0.7%) were observed under the 1 ajwain: 2 coronilla intercropping pattern with the combined biofertilizer treatment. Although grain yield was higher in sole cropping, intercropping with biofertilizers improved nutrient uptake, reduced chemical fertilizer use, and enhanced ecological balance. Therefore, this approach is recommended as an effective strategy for sustainable production of medicinal plants. The findings confirm the positive role of biofertilizers in increasing productivity and sustainability in agricultural systems.. https://ijfcs.ut.ac.ir/article_107282.html Climate change and reduced rainfall have brought increased attention from researchers to the production of durum wheat varieties suitable for cultivation in rainfed fields. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to further explore the genetic diversity among existing durum wheat germplasms to identify genotypes with high potential for breeding programs. In this study, 117 selected durum wheat genotypes from the international germplasm trial, along with three control cultivars (Seymareh, Dehdasht, and Sawers), were evaluated for morphological and agronomic traits using an augmentation design. Results indicated that the average of grain yield of the studied genotypes was 4113.7 kg/ha. Cluster analysis categorized the germplasm into three main clusters, with the third cluster showing the highest average grain yield at about 5329.1 kg/ha. Additionally, Venn Diagram results revealed that among the high-yielding genotypes, G004, G071, and G072, along with the three control cultivars, exhibited favorable traits and are promising candidates for breeding programs focused on producing cultivars for rainfed cultivation in tropical regions. https://ijfcs.ut.ac.ir/article_107275.html To assess the impact of lead nitrate-induced stress on Capsella bursa-pastoris, a completely randomized design experiment with four replicates was conducted in 2024 at the Plant Physiology Laboratory of the Faculty of Science, Yasouj University. Lead stress was induced by applying lead nitrate at concentrations of 0, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 µM under hydroponic conditions. The findings revealed that lead concentrations up to 50 µM caused no significant adverse impact on the measured parameters, exhibiting moderate tolerance C. bursa-pastoris to lead exposure. At a lead nitrate concentration of 100 µM, lead accumulation increased significantly in the root (624 µg g-1 dry weight) and shoot (15 µg g-1 dry weight), accompanied by reductions in dry weight of 67% in the root and 62% in the shoot. Exposure to 100 μM lead nitrate resulted in increases in several plant biochemical parameters, including soluble sugar content (by 50%), anthocyanins (by 293%), total flavonoids (by 41%), and soluble leaf proteins (by 65%) compared with the control. The enhanced synthesis of antioxidant compounds, such as anthocyanins and flavonoids, indicates the activation of defense mechanisms to counteract oxidative stress induced by lead exposure. The results indicate that C. bursa-pastoris can tolerate lead concentrations up to 50 µM; however, its growth is significantly impaired at higher levels. These findings highlight the species' potential as a promising candidate for phytoremediation research in heavy metal-contaminated soils. https://ijfcs.ut.ac.ir/article_107278.html In order to investigate the yield and economic indices of forage crops as a second crop in rotation after rice, an experiment was conducted based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at research fields of Rice Research Institute of Iran in Rasht during two cropping seasons of 2023-2025. The experimental treatments included eight forage plants (berseem clover, forage mustard, barley, triticale, forage safflower, vetch, forage pea and faba bean) and intercropping of triticale + vetch (50% triticale and 50% vetch). The results of combined analysis of variance revealed that forage species had significant effect on all studied traits. The highest fresh forage yield (44520 kg.ha-1), dry forage yield (12861 kg.ha-1) and protein yield (1818 kg.ha-1) were obtained in the intercropping of triticale + vetch. The lowest fresh forage yield (27082 kg.ha-1) and dry forage yield (5796 kg.ha-1) were also found for mustard and safflower, respectively. The intercropping of triticale + vetch, berseem clover and vetch with net profit and benefit-cost ratio (1003050 thousand rials/ha and 3.5), (969850 thousand rials/ha and 3/29) and (879840 thousand rials/ha and 3/06) were ranked first to third, respectively. Overall, to achieve optimal forage yield and quality, as well as greater economic advantage, the intercropping of triticale + vetch, berseem clover and vetch, is recommended as a second crop in paddy fields of Guilan province https://ijfcs.ut.ac.ir/article_107280.html Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum), as the world's second most important wheat species, plays a vital role in global food security and the production of high-quality industrial products. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate four promising durum wheat lines compared to the control cultivar, Tabban, under field conditions in Dezful County. The experiment was conducted during the 2023-2024 growing season in two regions of Dezful: Shamsabad and Safiabad. Agronomic traits, disease response, and various quality indices were assessed. The results revealed significant genetic diversity in terms of yield and quality among the lines. Line D-99-10, with an average yield of 4574 kg/ha, had the highest grain yield, outperforming the control by 11.6%. Line D-99-6, with a yield of 4476 kg/ha, ranked second. Regarding quality, line D-400-20 had the highest test weight (84 kg/hl), while line D-99-6 had the lowest percentage of brown spots (2%). Line D-99-10, possessing the highest SDS sedimentation volume (87 ml) and gluten index (89), exhibited superior gluten quality. A key finding of this research was the very strong positive correlation between grain yield and both SDS sedimentation volume (0.92) and gluten index (0.90). Based on these results, line D-99-10 is recommended as a superior genotype for release as a new cultivar, and line D-99-6 is suggested as a high-quality genetic resource. https://ijfcs.ut.ac.ir/article_107276.html In order to evaluate effect of heat stress at the end of the season on grain yield and some related traits of bitter vetch ecotypes, an experiment in the Farm of Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan in 2023-2024 cropping seasons with a randomized complete block design with three repeat on 12 ecotypes was conducted. Number of days to emergence, flowering end and 50% maturing stage, plant height and root length in maturity stage, above ground biomass, grain yield, thousand kernel weight and harvest index were measured. Ecotypes were planted in three sowing dates (26Dec.2023, 25Jan.2024 and 24Feb.2024). Combined analysis of variance showed sowing date effect on number of days to emergence and number of days to 50% maturing stage, ecotype effect on plant height, interaction effect of sowing date×ecotype on above ground biomass and thousand kernel weight and sowing date effect, ecotype effect and their interaction effect on number of days to flowering end, grain yield and harvest index had significant effect. Response of ecotypes to sowing dates was different, which indicated the existence of diversity between ecotypes in terms of the traits. According to cluster analysis, ecotypes were divided into 3 groups in each three sowing dates. According to means comparison of the groups obtained from cluster analysis, Yolwlqonlu in the second and third sowing dates (with grain yields of 6.0 and 3.9 g/plant and harvest index of 35.7 and 27.6 % respectively) were identified as the most tolerant ecotype to terminal heat stress for grain yield production in Rafsanjan. https://ijfcs.ut.ac.ir/article_107274.html To measure carbohydrate remobilization, the analysis of the entire stem yields underestimated results in barley cultivars with simultaneous occurrence of the photoassimilates accumulation and remobilization in their internodes. The aim of this research was to compare the amount of photoassimilates storage and remobilization at the entire stem and at the internode’s level of different rainfed barley cultivars grown under different climates. Eight barley cultivars were cultivated under rainfed conditions in Meshginshahr and Jafarabad-Moghan during 2023-2024 growing season. Photoasimilate accumulation and remobilization were measured at the entire stem and its internodes (peduncle, penultimate, and lower internodes) based on dry weight changes.Results showed that in the majority of cultivars grown at Meshginshahr and Moghan regions, photoassimilates accumulation and remobilization occurred simultaneously. In such cultivars, employing the entire stem for measuring photoassimilates remobilization underestimated its value. Depending on the cultivars and the environmental conditions, the amount of underestimated remobilization was also found to range from 1 to 38 mg. Therefore, it is necessary to measure remobilization amount at the level of internodes and use the sum of them to estimate the trait amount at the entire stem level. https://ijfcs.ut.ac.ir/article_107281.html Introduction. Legumes, as a source of plant protein, are considered as one of the most valuable agricultural products, playing a significant role in meeting the food needs of developing countries. Green mung beans, being small grain legumes with a high protein content (22-25%), amino acids, minerals, and vitamins, are particularly valued. However, water scarcity stress, one of the most important factors limiting crop production, has hindered the cultivation of this crop in Iran. Drought stress leads to physiological, biochemical, metabolic disorders, and oxidative stress in plants, making it one of the most crucial non-living stresses. Various methods are employed to mitigate the adverse effects of drought stress and enhance plant tolerance, including the use of organic compounds such as amino acids and humic acid. These compounds can stimulate plant growth and development under optimal conditions and stress. Amino acids play direct and indirect roles in physiological metabolism, exchange, and structural activities, such as increasing the concentration of photosynthetic pigments, enhancing the rate of photosynthesis, and promoting protein synthesis under stress conditions. Humic acid, with its polymeric structure, enhances cell membrane permeability, stimulates root growth, and improves water and nutrient absorption by roots. Consequently, it increases the relative water content of leaves under stress conditions, mitigating the adverse effects of stress. Considering the importance of legumes in the diet and the challenges of water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions of the country, this research aimed to study the effects of humic acid and amino acid foliar application on the yield and yield components of mung bean plants under water stress conditions.Materials and Methods. To investigate the effects of humic acid and various levels of amino acid on mung bean yield and yield components under water stress conditions, a factorial experiment was conducted based on a randomized complete block design with three replications in a greenhouse with open vents. The experiment took place in Urmia city, West Azerbaijan province, during the 1401 growing season. The experimental factors included three irrigation regimes (optimal irrigation, mild stress, and severe stress), six levels of commercial amino acid foliar application (1. no foliar spraying, 2. foliar spraying with distilled water, 3-1 gram, 4-2 grams, 5-3 grams, and 6-4 grams of amino acids per liter of water), and two levels of humic acid application (1. application of 0.1 gram of humic acid and 2. no application of humic acid). Statistical analysis was performed using SAS 9.4, and mean comparisons were based on the LSD method at a 5% probability level.Results and Discussion. The results revealed that the highest plant height (26.58 cm) was obtained from the application of humic acid with three grams of amino acids under optimal irrigation conditions. Additionally, the highest leaf area (51.7 cm2) was observed with the application of two grams of amino acids and humic acid under optimal irrigation conditions. The highest number of seeds per plant (26.2) was obtained from the application of humic acid under optimal irrigation conditions, leading to the highest grain weight (1883.3 mg plant-1) with foliar spraying of two grams of amino acids under optimal conditions. The highest concentrations of photosynthetic pigments and anthocyanin were recorded in the leaves of mung bean with amino and humic acid treatments. Foliar application of amino acids significantly improved 1000-seed weight, number of seeds per plant, harvest index, and shoot dry weight compared to the control. Generally, morphological and yield components were negatively affected under severe stress conditions. However, the application of amino acids and humic acid appeared to enhance the adaptability of green mung beans to drought stress conditions.Conclusion. The study concluded that drought stress negatively impacts morphological traits (plant height, leaf area, and dry weight of aerial organs) and yield components (grain weight, 1000-seed weight, number of seeds per plant, and harvest index). However, foliar application of amino acids and soil application of humic acid effectively mitigated these negative effects on mung bean traits. The highest plant height, leaf area, shoot dry weight, and grain weight were achieved with the simultaneous application of amino acids and humic acid. Therefore, based on the research findings, drought stress had negative effects on yield and morphological, therefore traits foliar application of three grams of amino acids along with soil application of humic acid is recommended to improve the vegetative and yield traits of mung bean plants. https://ijfcs.ut.ac.ir/article_107277.html Integrated soil fertility management is a vital approach for sustainable linseed oil production in arid regions. To investigate the effect of different nutrient sources on biochemical indices and linseed yield under drought stress conditions, a split-plot experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The study evaluated seven fertilization treatments including control, organic (Cattle manure, 30 tons per hectare), chemical (Nitrogen 100, phosphorus 40, and potassium 100 kg per hectare), and biological (Pseudomonas spp bacteria), along with integrated treatments of organic-chemical (30 tons cattle manure + 70% chemical), organic-biological (30 tons organic + biological), and chemical-biological (100% chemical + biological), under two irrigation regimes (normal and irrigation cutoff at flowering stage). Results demonstrated that drought stress reduced mean grain yield from 2000 to 1395 kg per hectare. However, integrated treatments, particularly organic-chemical and chemical-biological, mitigated the negative effects of stress by strengthening the plant’s antioxidant system. Under normal irrigation conditions, the organic-chemical treatment resulted in remarkable increases in dry matter (287%), proline (112%), and harvest index (52%) compared to the control. Ultimately, the implementation of integrated fertilization systems (Organic-chemical and chemical-biological) is recommended as the most effective agronomic strategy for improving quantitative and qualitative performance of linseed under water-limited conditions. https://ijfcs.ut.ac.ir/article_107598.html Introduction. Homozygous lines are essential for breeding new cultivars in both self-pollinated and cross-pollinated species, and they are also valuable in many biological studies. Accelerating the development of high-yielding and stress-resilient wheat cultivars is indispensable for ensuring food security under the constraints of climate change, urbanization, population explosion, and emerging biotic and abiotic stresses. However, conventional breeding approaches are inherently slow, typically requiring 12–14 years to develop a new cultivar, mainly due to the long generation time of wheat and the need for multiple field seasons to achieve homozygosity and selection accuracy. To overcome these temporal limitations, speed breeding has emerged as a transformative technology that enables rapid generation advancement through controlled-environment cultivation under extended photoperiods, intense light, and optimized temperature regimes allowing breeders to produce up to six generations of wheat, barley, or other crops per year, compared with only 1–2 under normal field conditions. This technology is, however, less efficient in winter cereals due to vernalization requirement. The objective of this study was to develop an effective speed breeding protocol for winter wheat varieties. Materials and Methods. Three winter wheat varieties, Zarineh, Gaspard, and Gascogen, three vernalization methods and two lighting regime including 360 µmol/m²/s supplied by white LEDs as well as 420 µmol/m²/s provided by white LEDs plus nearly 15% supplemental purple grow light were tested in this study. Embryo rescue technique was employed by culturing immature seeds in MS medium to further shorten the growth duration of the plants. Flowering and maturity time, total leaves number, and grains/spike were measured. The experiment was analyzed in a split factorial design with six replications. Results and Discussion. Seed to seed generation time of Zarineh, Gaspard, and Gascogen was shortened to 95, 110, and 125 days under light vernalization followed by speed breeding. These periods were 114, 137, and 146 under cold vernalization while being 106, 124, and 136 under cold-chemical vernalization. Speed breeding under a combination of white and grow light (with 126.6 days to maturity) accelerated the growth cycle more than solely white LED lights (with 130.7 days to maturity). Zarineh completed its embryo and seed maturity in just 82 and 95 days, respectively, under speed breeding condition. Gascogen showed the longest generation time (154 days) under cold vernalization most probably due to longer vernalization requirement. The results showed that foliar application of gibberellic acid led to 7-10 days decline in generation time compared to conventional vernalization by cooling. Conclusion. This study evidenced that 16-hour photoperiod, 420 µmol m-²s-1 light intensity provided by a combination of white LEDs (85%) and purple grow light (15%) and 23/17° C (day/night) temperature was the optimum speed breeding condition for winter wheat. Through shortening the generation time to three months, this protocol makes it possible for the breeders to advance four generations of winter lines per year