Background
Different approaches have been used to improve mineral nutrient status of plants in absence of chemical fertilization and toward safer products and improved human health. Amino acids have been proposed with such roles in different recent studies. In this study, glycine was applied as foliar (250, 500 and 1000 ppm) or as soil (250 and 500 mg/plant) to cucumber plants compared to unfertilized control and NPK fertilization, under greenhouse conditions.
Results
The results showed that all glycine treatments increased leaf area and the economic life of plants compared to control. Soil application of glycine at higher concentration of 500 mg/plant was able to produce the same or better records than NPK fertilization, particularly regarding leaf mineral concentration, plant economic life and total yield. Leaf macro- micro-nutrients were most increased under 500 mg soil-glycine application. Foliar spray of 500 ppm glycine resulted in better records than the other two levels, as spray of 1000 ppm glycine showed adverse and toxic effects including leaf necrosis. Fruit firmness was increased only by NPK and soil application of 500 mg glycine, whereas fruit vitamin C was increased by NPK fertilization, soil application of glycine at both levels (250, 500 mg) and foliar application of glycine at 500 ppm compared to control plants.
Conclusion
The results indicate that soil application of 500 mg glycine/plant was able to improve leaf mineral and physiological characteristics towards higher yield and quality.
Phytoremediation is an emerging technology that uses plants to remove pollutants from contaminated sites. The present study examined the absorption of heavy metals by Gleditsia triacanthos L. var. inermis, a tree species planted in the landscape in Tehran-Karaj highway (Iran). This study was arranged in a split plot design with three replications. Experimental treatments included distances of planted trees from highway (30, 65, and 80 m) and three different sampling times (i.e. opening of leaves, late of June, and before the fall). The results showed that with the passage of time and approaching the fall, Pb concentration significantly increased. The highest concentration of Cd was observed in the mid-growth period. With increasing the distance, chlorophyll significantly increased. However, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll were not influenced by the distance from the highway. The interaction of the distance and sampling time demonstrated that in the nearest distance from the highway, the concentration of chlorophyll decreased with the passage of time, while in the distance of 65 and 80 m from the highway, the concentration of chlorophyll increased in the middle of the growth period. In the nearest distance from the highway, the concentration of Pb significantly increased with the passage of time. By approaching fall, Pb concentration increased in 65 and 80 m from the highway. In the nearest distance from the highway, during mid-growth period, Cd concentration reached its maximum level.
This study evaluated the effects of edible coatings and different packaging methods on the shelf-life and quality of walnut kernels. It focused on the coatings with chitosan (1%) and thyme essential oil (TEO) at concentra-
tions of 500 and 1,000 μl L–1 (CT
, CT
) or with chitosan alone (CT). The effects of the coatings was assessed
500
1,000
for different packaging methods (LP, loose packaging; PP, packaging in polypropylene bags; and AP, active packa-
ging) as contrasted to control walnuts (C). Walnuts were stored for 120 days in darkness, with relative humidity of 55%, at 4°C. The results showed that the L* index and moisture content of the samples in the chitosan with 500 and 1,000 μl L–1 thyme essential oil in active packaging were maximum, whereas peroxide and conjugated diene values were minimum. The lowest rate of mold growth was observed for the chitosan samples with 500 μl L–1 thyme es- sential oil in active packaging. The best overall acceptability score was related to the samples with chitosan alone and the chitosan with 500 μl L–1 thyme essential oil in active packaging. The chitosan alone and the chitosan with 500 μl L–1 thyme essential oil in active packaging are recommended for storage of kernels at 4°C.
The bacteria Bacillus subtilis was investigated for control of gray mold, postharvest quality and antioxidant enzymes of Rosa hybrida cv. Baccara. The results indicated that the treatment of Bacillus subtilis suspension of 1 × 10 8 cfu mL −1 with resulted in a remarkably improved control of Botrytis cinerea infections. CAT activity in treated flower by antagonism were significantly more than those control (P ≤ 0.05) at 25•C, RH 60-70%. POD activity cut flowers increased during the flower bud development with the lowest activity present at water-sprayed control. Enhanced by antagonism could be due to either induced resistance or direct effects of these chemicals on Botrytis. The proper concentration of Bacillus subtilis can thus provide an effective strategy to increase postharvest vase life of Rosa. Postharvest antagonism application prolonged vase-life in cut rose flowers by improving the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capacity related to CAT and POD activity.
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