Quantitative information regarding biomass accumulation and partitioning in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is limited or inconclusive. The objective of this study was to obtain baseline values for extinction coefficient (K S ), radiation use efficiency (RUE, g MJ )1 ) and biomass partitioning coefficients of chickpea crops grown under well-watered conditions. The stability of these parameters during the crop life cycle and under different environmental and growth conditions, caused by season and sowing date and density, were also evaluated. Two field experiments, each with three sowing dates and four plant densities, were conducted during 2002-2004. Crop leaf area index, light interception and crop biomass were measured between emergence and maturity. A K S value of 0.5 was obtained. An average RUE of 1 g MJ )1 was obtained. Plant density had no effect on RUE, but some effects of temperature were detected. There was no effect of solar radiation or vapour pressure deficit on RUE when RUE values were corrected for the effect of temperature. RUE was constant during the whole crop cycle. A biphasic pattern was found for biomass partitioning between leaves and stems before first-seed stage. At lower levels of total dry matter, 54 % of biomass produced was allocated to leaves, but at higher levels of total dry matter, i.e. under favourable and prolonged conditions for vegetative growth, this portion decreased to 28 %. During the period from first-pod to first-seed, 60 % of biomass produced went to stems, 27 % to pods and 13 % to leaves. During the period from first-seed to maturity, 83 % of biomass was partitioned to pods. It was concluded that using fixed partitioning coefficients after first-seed are not as effective as they are before this stage. Environmental conditions (temperature and solar radiation) and plant density did not affect partitioning of biomass.

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The influence of two grafting techniques on the success of stenting (simultaneous cutting and grafting) and some ensuing growth parameters of stentlings were studied under glasshouse conditions. The Avalanch and Peach Avalanch glasshouse rose varieties were utilized as scion and grafted on R. manetti as rootstock. Two grafting techniques namely, splice and omega grafting methods were practiced and graft combinations were inserted in cocopeat-perlit (1:2) medium under mist system. The number of roots, longest root size, shoots and leaf numbers and successful grafting percentage were evaluated after grafting. In Avalanch/R. manetti and Peach Avalanch/R. manetti combinations, higher percentage of successful grafting was observed in the stentlings propagated via omega grafting technique. Furthermore Avalanch/R. manetti stentlings prepared by omega grafting were found to produce more number of roots, shoots and leaves and longest root size as compared to those propagated through splice grafting method. In case of Peach Avalanch/R. manetti combinations propagated via omega grafting more number of shoots was observed as compared to those propagated by splice method. However, these were not significantly different with respect to their leaf numbers. The results showed the superiority of omega grafting procedure.

Stenting is a vegetative propagation method, based on cutting and grafting in one action. The question addressed in this study is whether indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) concentration is able to impress success of Chinese hibiscus propagation when grafted onto two kinds of rootstocks. The used IBA concentrations include: 0, 1000, 3000 and 5000 ppm and two cultivars of Hibiscus syriacus ("Blue Stain" and "Jeanne d'Arc"), which have been used as rootstock. Results indicated that, all the cultivars were superior for most of the measured parameters when IBA treatments were used compared to control plants except for average of the longest root size. The highest healing percentage resulted in stentlings (plant which has been propagated by stenting method) with 5000 ppm of IBA treatment. All IBA treatments significantly increased rooting percentage compared with the control plants. Stentlings that were treated with 3000 and 5000 ppm of IBA, produced the greatest leave number. In Chinese hibiscus/"Jeanne d'Arc" combination, higher root number and dry weight of roots were observed. Interactions of kinds of rootstock and IBA concentration showed that the highest healing percentage was obtained in "Blue Stain" in concentration of 5000 ppm and the highest root number were seen in stentlings with "Jeanne d'Arc" in 3000 ppm and "Jeanne d'Arc" in 5000 ppm.

In this research, in order to study the effect of different concentrations of IBA and time of taking cutting on rooting, growth and survival of F. binnendijkii ‘Amstel Queen’ cuttings, a test was conducted in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Treatments were consisted of four levels of hormones: 0 (control), 2000, 4000 and 6000 mg/l, with two intervals of time for taking cuttings (late June and early September). Results showed that highest root percentage, root number and fresh weight of root were for IBA concentrations of 4000 and 6000 mg/l and cuttings taken early in September. The maximum of mean length of root and longest root were achieved in concentration of 6000 mg/l IBA, taking cutting in early September. The highest survival percentage of plants was recorded in concentrations of 4000 and 6000 mg/l IBA, early September being the appropriate time of taking the cutting. The greatest length of new shoots was obtained in concentration of 4000 mg/l IBA, cutting in late June, while the maximum number of new leaf was in IBA concentration of 2000 and 4000 mg/l, with cuttings taken also in late June.

An experiment was undertaken to study the effects of two grafting times (1st of June and end of September) as well as kind of rootstock on growth and rooting of rose stentlings. Two Rosa species i.e. R. canina and R. manetti were selected as rootstock and three different hybrid tea rose cultivars namely Avalanch, Peach Avalanch and Dolcevita were grafted on them as scion through omega and splice techniques. The growth parameters were collected 57 days after grafting. The highest average of rooting, healing percentage, numbers of root, shoot and leaves were seen in September grafted plants. In overall Rosa canina was the best rootstock for Avalanch cultivar. Other observations did not lead to any prominent result as it varied with time of grafting, scion and rootstock cultivars.

Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) is an ornamental bulbous plant and a famous cut flower in tropical and subtropical regions. Post-harvest senescence of the cut flowers is the main factor limiting the marketability of most of these species including tuberose. From the perspective of metabolic changes, senescence happens as the result of oxidative processes induced by active oxygen species production. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and salicylic acid (SA) are compounds with some functions in the post-harvest physiology of some plants. The present study focused on the effect of GABA and SA on vase life and some post-harvest traits of cut tuberose flowers. The plants were sprayed with GABA (5, 10, or 15 mg L–1) and SA (50, 100, or 150 mg L–1) at three stages during growth and before harvest in a greenhouse (30, 45, and 60 days after the planting of the bulbs) and were observed after harvest until senescence. Results showed that GABA and SA positively affected the vase life, water uptake, fresh weight, ion leakage, total dissolved solids, chlorophyll, protein, and catalase, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase enzymatic activity. They postponed senescence. The highest and lowest vase lives were observed in plants treated with 10 mg L–1 GABA (11 days) and control (distilled water) (7 days), respectively. It was found that the treatment of tuberose with GABA and SA during growth can improve its post-harvest quality. However, it is recommended to conduct further studies on them.

Juniperus sabina is an interesting species for forest restoration and ornamental purposes. The seeds of this plant have several types of dormancies; therefore, seed propagation is difficult and time consuming. The production of cuttings can be an alternative way to produce plants more quickly. The main objective of this experiment was to determine the best propagation conditions (indole butyric acid dose, substrate, and season) for this species using stem cuttings. Rooting performance of the cuttings was evaluated based on the rooting percentage (%), root biomass, and specific root length (SRL). In addition, we examined the internal composition (auxin and peroxidase content) in treated stem cuttings. Cuttings were pretreated with five doses of indole butyric acid (IBA; 0 (control), 1000, 2000, 4000, and 8000 ppm) and were rooted in four substrates (perlite, perlite-cocopeat, pumice, and mixed substrate) during the four seasons (winter, spring, summer, and autumn). The best treatments, with more than 60% rooting, were applied in spring, and IBA at 1000 ppm in perlite–cocopeat substrate obtained 62% rooting. The highest rooting percentage correlated with the highest root biomass production and the lowest SRL. IBA pretreatment decreased the concentration of peroxidase in spring (coinciding with maximum rooting), representing an indicator of rooting performance. Based on these results, we recommend a new protocol for Juniperus sabina production: (i) prepare cuttings in spring, (ii) treat cutting bases with 1000 ppm IBA, and (iii) plant cuttings in a substrate of perlite–cocopeat (1:1).