Mahyar Ramezani Tazehabad; Elaheh Motamedi
Abstract
Objective: Urea is one of the most widely used fertilizers in agricultural practices; however, its high solubility in water leads to rapid leaching from the soil before plants can effectively absorb it. This issue results in significant fertilizer losses, increased agricultural costs, and various environmental ...
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Objective: Urea is one of the most widely used fertilizers in agricultural practices; however, its high solubility in water leads to rapid leaching from the soil before plants can effectively absorb it. This issue results in significant fertilizer losses, increased agricultural costs, and various environmental concerns. A promising approach to address this challenge is the application of organic materials to coat urea granules, thereby slowing their dissolution rate in water. In this study, to mitigate fertilizer loss and enhance efficiency, carnauba wax (CW) was selected due to its biocompatibility and abundance. Additionally, urea granules were coated separately with CW combined with paraffin wax and stearic acid, polyethylene wax, and paraffin wax to evaluate the effectiveness of these materials in reducing urea dissolution.
Method: The method of dip-coating was employed as the primary technique for applying the coating onto the urea granules. To assess the release of urea over time, a specific quantity of the coated urea granules was carefully placed into 10 ml of distilled water, and the solution was monitored by collecting samples at predetermined time intervals. The concentration of urea released into the water at each interval was quantitatively determined using a UV-VIS spectrophotometer. Additionally, the diameters of the various coatings formed on the urea granules were examined and recorded on the seventh day of the experiment using a stereo microscope equipped with 40X magnification for precise measurements.
Results: The release of urea was monitored over a 41-day period, and the results revealed significant differences in the release rates based on the coating material used. Urea granules coated with carnauba wax exhibited the slowest release rate, with only 71.5% of the urea released by the end of the 41-day observation period. In contrast, granules coated with a mixture of carnauba wax and paraffin wax released their entire urea content into the water within just 7 days. Among the coatings tested, carnauba wax demonstrated the highest efficiency with a coating diameter of 0.504 mm, which also represented the smallest thickness compared to the other coating formulations.
Conclusions: The study results revealed that carnauba wax serves as an efficient coating material for urea granules, significantly prolonging their release time. This wax offers numerous benefits due to its natural origin, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and non-toxic properties. Its application enhances sustainability while ensuring safety, making it a highly suitable choice for controlled-release purposes in agricultural or similar settings. These findings highlight its potential to revolutionize fertilizer usage, reducing environmental impact and improving cost efficiency.
Mohammad Reza Mansouri Vajari; Ebrahim Zeinali; Afshin Soltani; Benjamin Torabi; Alireza Nehbandani
Abstract
Objective: The present study was conducted in order to estimate the yield gap of faba bean in the main production areas of this plant in Golestan province, including Gorgan, Ali Abadkatol and Aq Qola cities, and to identify the factors that cause it and to determine the contribution of each of them.Methods: ...
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Objective: The present study was conducted in order to estimate the yield gap of faba bean in the main production areas of this plant in Golestan province, including Gorgan, Ali Abadkatol and Aq Qola cities, and to identify the factors that cause it and to determine the contribution of each of them.Methods: Based on this, the information related to the production management of 445 faba bean farms in Gorgan, Aliabadkatol and Aqqola regions in 1398-1399 and 1399-1400 was collected and the yield gap was estimated using the comparative performance analysis (CPA) method.Results: The average, maximum, and gap yield of faba bean seeds were 2742, 4000, and 1258 kg per hectare, respectively. Additionally, based on the results obtained, the most important reasons for the yield gap and the contribution of each of them in creating the yield gap were: planting date 21%, pests 15 percent, the amount of pure nitrogen (N) 14 percent, the number of disc times 14 percent, the amount of seed used 12 percent, diseases 12 percent, waterlogging 5 percent, weeds 3 percent, non-use of working row 2 percent and improper planting depth 1 percent.Conclusion: In general, by optimizing the management of faba bean production and eliminating the mentioned factors of yield gap, it is possible to increase the yield of faba bean in the regions of Gorgan, Ali Abadkatol and Aq Qala of Golestan province by 46 percent (equal to 1258 kg per hectare) compared to the current amount increased.
Nikrooz Bagheri; Maryam Rahimi Jahangirlou; Mehyar Jaberi Aghdam
Abstract
Objective: In order to present a new, non-destructive, accurate, and fast method for estimating the nitrogen content of corn, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) multispectral sensing technology was used.
Methods: The experiments were performed based on a randomized complete block design in four levels of ...
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Objective: In order to present a new, non-destructive, accurate, and fast method for estimating the nitrogen content of corn, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) multispectral sensing technology was used.
Methods: The experiments were performed based on a randomized complete block design in four levels of nitrogen fertilizer (zero, 50, 100, and 150%) in Varamin in 2018. Sampling was carried out in two stages of fertilization (8-leaf Stage and Tasseling Stage). Multispectral aerial imaging and ground sampling was performed one week after each fertilizer application. After processing aerial imagery, vegetation indices were calculated and their correlation with the results of ground sampling was determined.
Results: Based on the results obtained from the correlation coefficients (r) and best subsets regression, among the spectral vegetation indices, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Nitrogen Reflectance Index (NIR), and Modified Triangular Vegetation Index2 (MTVI2) indices in both eight leaf collar (V8) and tasseling (VT) of maize growth stage was identified as the best indicator to estimate the nitrogen content of forage maize. At VT, a positive and significant relationship was obtained between NDVI (R2= 0.86, P≤0.001), NRI (R2= 0.70, P≤0.001) and MTVI2 (R2= 0.46, P≤0.01) indices with maize nitrogen content.
Conclusion: It can be concluded that UAV multispectral imaging provides acceptable accuracy in determining the nitrogen content of maize. This technology can help farmers to determine the appropriate time of fertilization.
Farhad Azizi; Ali Mahrokh; Vida Ghotbi; Farid Golzardi; Seyed Mohammad Ali Mofidian; Mohammad Zamanian; Vahid Rahjoo; Masoud Torabi; Elias Soltani
Abstract
To identify the limiting factors in forage maize production in Iran, this study has been carried out in order to separate the effective and influential management factors in forage maize production in the country with data. It is obtained from 43 final reports or their derived extracted articles in Agricultural ...
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To identify the limiting factors in forage maize production in Iran, this study has been carried out in order to separate the effective and influential management factors in forage maize production in the country with data. It is obtained from 43 final reports or their derived extracted articles in Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO) with meta-analysis method. According to the results, plant density (5.65%), drought stress (-13.44%), cultivar (0.31%), planting date (2.54%), and nitrogen fertilizer (24%) justify the amount of forage maize variation. Based on the results of this study, forage yield has increased by about 9.49%, increasing plant density between 80 to 100 thousand plants per hectare. Maize forage yield has decreased significantly under mild stress, severe stress, and very severe drought stress by 25.30%, 14.38% and 8.99%, respectively. Also, for different cultivars and different groups of maturity, group-700 has had a significant increase of 3.83% compared to other groups. For the planting dates of forage maize compared to the control, which is the first half of June, a decrease in forage yield is observed. Finally, the highest percentage of increase in maize forage yield has been obtained from the use of 450 kg ha-1 of urea fertilizer. Overall, nitrogen fertilizer, drought stress, and planting density are recognized as the most important factors affecting corn forage yield in Iran, respectively.
Ali Mahrokh; Farid Golzardi; Farhad Azizi; seid mohammad ali mofidian; Mohammad Zamanian; Vahid Rahjoo; Masoud Torabi; Elias soltani
Abstract
To identify the limiting factors in grain maize production in Iran, a study has been carried out to particulate effective and influential management factors of this crop’s production in the country. The data come from 95 final reports or extracted articles in Agricultural Research, Education, and ...
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To identify the limiting factors in grain maize production in Iran, a study has been carried out to particulate effective and influential management factors of this crop’s production in the country. The data come from 95 final reports or extracted articles in Agricultural Research, Education, and Extension Organization (AREEO), undergoing meta-analysis. Based on this study, of all grain maize variation, 2.93% is justified by plant density, 6.81% by planting structure, 11.12% by planting rotation, 2.28% by conservation agriculture, 25.28% by drought stress, 4.99% by cultivar, 4.46% by planting date, and 25.84% by nitrogen fertilizer. Accordingly, 100 thousand plants per hectare, zigzag double rows planting structure, maize-leguminous crops planting pattern, cultivating in residue, optimum irrigation without drought stress (in case of water availability), 700 maturity group cultivar (in case of adequate growing season), planting in May and early August in temperate and tropical climate, and using maximum 100-300 kg urea fertilizer per hectare are recommended to decrease yield gap in grain maize production.
Shiva Akbari; Iraj Allahdadi; Majid Ghorbani Javid; kourosh Kabiri; Elias Soltani
Abstract
In order to study the effect of slow release hydrogel-urea complex (SRHUC) on yield, yield components and physiological traits of barley under water deficit, an experiment was performed in 2017-2018 and conducted as factorial in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in three replications in greenhouse ...
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In order to study the effect of slow release hydrogel-urea complex (SRHUC) on yield, yield components and physiological traits of barley under water deficit, an experiment was performed in 2017-2018 and conducted as factorial in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in three replications in greenhouse of Aburaihan campus of University of Tehran. The combination of factorial levels were as fertilization factor containing nitrogen (N) from urea source in five levels of no use of N, equivalent 125 and 65 kg.ha-1 N (without SRHUC) as CU-N125 and CU-N65 and equivalent 125 and 65 kg.ha-1 N with SRHUC as SRHUC-N125 and SRHUC-N65 and water deficit in three levels of 70, 50 and 30% of FC. Water deficit decreased yield and yield components, RWC and SPAD. The highest grain yield in a pot belonged to SRHUC-N125 (41.9 g) and there was no significant difference between CU-N125 (41.5 g) and SRHUC-N65 (39.1 g). For most of the traits, there was no significant difference between SRHUC-N125 and SRHUC-N65 and CU-N125. Under stress, utilization of SRHUC for both N amount could generate a better biological yield and SPAD index. Using N in the form of SRHUC was preferred to using of N without SRHUC, especially under stressed conditions.
Peyman Sharifi; Unes Izadpanah; Mohammad Naghi Safarzad Vishekaei; Mohammad Arash Tahmourespour
Abstract
A factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications was carried out in order to study the effects of tuber size, nitrogen fertilizer and harvest date on yield and yield components of potato. This experiment was conducted in a grower’s farm in Uraki village ...
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A factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications was carried out in order to study the effects of tuber size, nitrogen fertilizer and harvest date on yield and yield components of potato. This experiment was conducted in a grower’s farm in Uraki village located in Chabahar city, in 2011. In this experiment, the treatments were two levels of tuber size (smaller and larger than 35 mm), four levels of nitrogen fertilizer (0, 60, 120 and 180 kg ha-1) and two levels of harvest date (105 and 112 days after emergence). The results of analysis of variance indicated that effects of tuber size, nitrogen rate and tuber size × nitrogen rate interaction effect were significant for all of the studied traits at 0.01 probability level. Effect of harvest date was significant on total tuber yield, number of large tubers, tuber yield and dry matter. The results of this experiment indicated increasing nitrogen up to 120 kg ha-1,increased total tuber number, number of large tubers, tuber yield and dry matter. But using up to 180 kg of nitrogen per hectare reduced these traits. According to the results of this research, it seems that under our experiments condition, tuber size larger than 35 mm, using 120 kg nitrogen per hectare which harvested 112 days after emergence date of tubers (1st of April) produced 41500 kg ha-1 tuber which is suitable to gain the highest yield of tubers for planting the 'Sante' cultivar.
Davood Akbari Nodehi; Hassan Khademi Shormasty; Ali Cherati Araei; Fazl Shirdel Shahmiri; Reza Rezaei Sokht Abandani; Nadia Fahimi borkhali
Abstract
To investigate the effects of deficit irrigation and different levels of nitrogen fertilizer on somequantitative and qualitative properties of Melissa, a pot experiment was conducted for one year (2011) inMazandaran province. Experiment was carried out as a factorial based on randomized complete blockdesign ...
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To investigate the effects of deficit irrigation and different levels of nitrogen fertilizer on somequantitative and qualitative properties of Melissa, a pot experiment was conducted for one year (2011) inMazandaran province. Experiment was carried out as a factorial based on randomized complete blockdesign with three replications. Irrigation treatments (25, 52 and 75 percent field capacity, FC) andnitrogen fertilizer (0 and 2.5 percent ammonium nitrate) were allocated to main and sub-plots,respectively. The results showed that the effect of different levels of deficit irrigation were significant onquantitative and qualitative properties of Melissa. Fertilizer treatments were significant on dry weight,leaf area, shoot number and fresh weight, percent citronellal, caryophyllene oxide percent, geranial andneral percent. Interaction of treatments was significant only on leaf number, dry weight of shoot, freshweight of plant and geranial percent. Results showed that maximum plant height, leaf area, number ofstems, number of leaves and dry and fresh weight was obtained in 75 percent FC treatment. Percent ofcitronellal, caryophyllene oxide, geranial and neral with 6.14 percent, 11.61 percent, 20.09 percent and17.38 percent, respectively, had a maximum amounts in 75 percent FC treatment. Also, application ofnitrogen fertilizer caused 5.33 and 9.15 percent reduction of citronellal and caryophyllene oxiderespectively and increased geranial and neral percent by 17.64 and 15.56, respectively.
Sophia Soroori; Mohammad Moghaddam; Hamid Hashemi Moghaddam
Abstract
A filed experiment was conducted to assay the effect of nitrogen fertilization and cultivated density on essential oil content on dragonhead (Dracocephalum moldavica) in semi-arid conditions in 100 km of South East of Mashhad. The experiment was done as factorial based on randomized complete blocks design ...
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A filed experiment was conducted to assay the effect of nitrogen fertilization and cultivated density on essential oil content on dragonhead (Dracocephalum moldavica) in semi-arid conditions in 100 km of South East of Mashhad. The experiment was done as factorial based on randomized complete blocks design with three replications, factor included four levels of nitrogen fertilization (0, 50, 100, 150 kg/ha) and three levels of cultivated density(20, 30, 40 cm). The results showed that the effect of nitrogen fertilization and cultivated densityhad significant effect on plant height, number of primary shoot, fresh and dry weight of plant, essential oil content and herbage yield of dragonhead. The highest plant height, number of primary shoot, fresh and dry weight of per plant was obtained from 40 cm cultivated densitywith 100kg/ha N treatment. The highest herbage yield (10.4 ton/ha), essential oil content (0.46 percent) and essential oil yield (44.9 kg/ha) obtained from 40 cm with 100kg/ha N treatment. In conclusion, application of 100 kg/ha N fertilizer with cultivated density40 cm can be recommended for the maximum of herbage and oil yield of dragonhead in this condition.