Olive jift is a solid by-product of olive (Olea europea) oil processing. Greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate olive jift effect on broomrape (Orobanchespp.) infections on three crops. Soil—jift mixtures were used as potting medium in ratios of 1:0, 1:1, and 3:1 soil to jift. Broomrape seeds were evenly incorporated in the potting media at 0, 150, 300, 450, 600, 750, and 900 seeds/kg. Pots planted with faba bean or pea were inoculated with seeds ofO. crenataForsk., whereas pots planted with tomato were inoculated with seeds ofO. lavandulaceaReichenb. Jift in soil reduced broomrape germination and infection on all three hosts regardless of inoculation densities. Pea was not infected with broomrape in jift-containing media at any inoculation density, whereas only sporadic broomrape infections were observed in faba bean and tomato grown in jift-mixed soils. Fresh and dry weights of all crops were not adversely affected by mixing jift with soil. These results suggest a possible use of jift as an inexpensive organic material for broomrape control.
To determine the effects of ethephon [(2-chloroethyl) phosphonic acid] on yield and yield components of rainfed barley in arid (150 mm rainfall) and semiarid (346 mm) regions, the present study was conducted during the growing seasons of 1999-2001. Ethephon was applied at the tillering, stem elongation and flowering stages. A comparison of the effect of ethephon on rainfed and irrigated barley performed at the semiarid location in the following season confirmed the results. Ethephon decreased grain yield when sprayed at tillering and stem elongation compared with the later flowering stage for both the arid and semiarid locations. All arid-location barley plants had lower grain yields than the semiarid-location plants. There was a reduction in spikes m )2 in the tillering and stem elongation stage sprayings compared to the control for both locations. In the semiarid and arid locations no difference in earliness (50 % heading) was observed between spraying times but ethephon always delayed heading. All arid-location plants were earlier than semiarid-location plants. However, when ethephon was used with supplementary irrigation it was found to increase grain yield, spikes m )2 and earliness.
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