https://iuvs.ilam.ac.ir/ Journal of Vegetables Sciences en daily 1 Mon, 22 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0330 Mon, 22 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0330 https://iuvs.ilam.ac.ir/article_733367.html 1.      Introduction: One of the important goals of greenhouse development in Iran is production efficiency and water consumption reduction. Currently, approximately 80% of the country's greenhouses are cultivated with cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers. Nearly 95% of vegetable crop seeds are imported from other countries. Therefore, one of the high costs of greenhouse crop production is the preparation of seed. The highest price of seed provision is for pepper seed production. Propagation by cutting is a very economical and efficient method for some plants. Environmental conditions such as temperature, light, relative humidity, hormones (especially auxin), carbohydrates, minerals, and other internal substances are effective factors in the rooting of cuttings. Maintaining the relative humidity around the cuttings is very important, especially in the herbaceous cuttings. For better rooting, it should be kept at the optimal level. Excessive temperature causes the growth of buds before root formation and increases the rate of water loss from the leaves. Natural growth regulators, especially auxin in plants, are necessary to produce adventitious roots. Bell pepper is an important vegetable not only because of its economic value but also because of the nutritional value of its fruits, which are an excellent source of natural colors and mineral compounds. The purpose of this research was to investigate bell pepper propagation by using the cutting method to reduce the cost of propagation and production. 2.      Materials and Methods: Two types of nodal and non-nodal cutting were taken from 1204 (red color) and 7141 (green color) greenhouse pepper hybrid cultivars. The cutting had at least one leaf and a bud next to the leaf. To prevent rotting, the bottom of the cuttings was treated with Captan fungicide 0.4% for one minute. The cuttings were treated with concentrations of 0, 1000, and 1500 ppm of indole-3-butyric acid hormone for 30 seconds. The cuttings were cultivated in seedling trays in a mixed culture medium of 60% perlite and 40% cocopeat. Seedling trays were placed in a greenhouse with day temperatures of 25-30 °C and night temperatures of 18-23 °C. The Mist system was used to provide the relative humidity for cuttings. Day and night relative humidity was 85-90% and 65-70%, respectively. A factorial experiment was carried out based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. The factors were pepper cultivar, type of cuttings, and indole-3-butyric acid hormone concentration. In order to effect evaluation of different treatments on rooting, one month after planting of cuttings in the seedling trays, the percentage of rooted cuttings, the number of roots, the length of the largest root, and the total length of roots were measured. 3.      Results and Discussion: The results showed that the number of roots and the total length of roots in the cutting samples increased significantly in cultivar 7141 (green color) compared to cultivar 1204 (red color). So the number of roots for two cultivars was 7.2 and 6.4, and the total length of roots was 32 and 25.6 cm, respectively. The nodal cutting produced a greater number of roots and the total length of roots than the non-nodal cutting. In nodal cutting, the number of roots and the total length of roots were 7.3 and 31.1 cm. These two traits were recorded for non-nodal cutting at 6 and 25.4 cm, respectively. The presence of nodal roots at the bottom of the cutting increases rooting in pepper cuttings. Better rooting on the nodal can be related to more nutrients and auxin at the nodal site. Both concentrations of 1000 and 1500 ppm of hormone significantly increased the number of roots and total length of roots compared to the treatment without hormone. There was a significant difference in the length of the largest root between the concentration of 1500 ppm and the treatment without hormone. But in this trait significant difference between the concentration of 1000 ppm and the treatment without hormone was not observed. Between the two hormone concentrations, no significant difference was detected in the studied rooting traits. The highest number of roots, 9.5 numbers was observed in nodal cutting with 1000 ppm of IBA. 4.      Conclusion: Although pepper is an herbaceous plant, compared to other herbaceous plants such as cucumber and tomato, its cuttings are hard to root. Two weeks after planting in seedling trays, the pepper cutting only formed callus and one or two small roots. In case a large number of adventitious roots are formed in cucumber and tomato cuttings within two weeks. In pepper, it takes about a month for the cutting to produce enough adventitious roots. https://iuvs.ilam.ac.ir/article_733366.html 1.      Introduction: Plants are constantly faced with adverse environmental conditions such as heavy metal stress. Heavy metal stress is one of the most critical abiotic factors that has attracted much attention in the past 30 years. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Wild.) is an annual plant from the Amaranthaceae family, which has been cultivated for thousands of years in South America. The stress caused by the accumulation of heavy metals is considered one of the environmental stresses, which has a wide spread in the world and the effects It hurts plants under stress, and because these metals are not destroyed and have a high tendency to accumulate in biological organs, either by consumption of animals and through entering the food chain, or by direct consumption by humans, their destructive effects and in this sense they have harmful environmental effects. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of hydropriming, biopriming (Trichoderma fungus), and coating seeds with nano-chelate on germination indicators and antioxidant properties of quinoa leaf extract (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) under cadmium stress. 2.      Materials and Methods: To investigate the effect of hydropriming, biopriming (Trichoderma fungus) and seed coating with nanochelate on germination indices and antioxidant properties of quinoa leaf extract (Chenopodium quinoa willd.) under cadmium stress, a factorial experiment was conducted in the form of a completely randomized design in four replications in the Laboratory of Seed Science and Technology of Mohaghegh Ardabili University in 2024. The experimental treatments included pretreatment methods at four levels (control, hydropriming, biopriming, and seed coating) and cadmium stress (control, 50, 100, and 150 mg/liter). Statistical analysis of the data and comparison of the average of the resulting data, after ensuring their normality, with Statistical software (SAS) Ver 9.4 was used. 3.      Results and Discussion: The results showed that the cadmium stress of 150 mg/l decreased the germination percentage by 9.46%, the germination rate by 49.68%, and the seedling dry weight by 22.5%, and the quinoa seedling length by 66.6%. Also, cadmium stress was 150 mg/liter, catalase enzyme activity was 13.36%, peroxidase enzyme activity was 19.4%, polyphenol oxidase enzyme was about 37.97%, total phenol content was about 37.97%, hydrogen peroxide content was significantly higher, and it was about 12.5 to increased, by 30% and malondialdehyde increased by about 491.491%. Percentage compared to the control treatment. On the other hand, water pretreatment increased the germination percentage by 17.75% and the germination rate by 97.14%. Also, biopriming with Trichoderm fungus increased polyphenol oxidase enzyme activity by 27.79%, proline content by 65.25%, and hydrogen peroxide by 36.84%. The highest seedling length was related to biopriming with Trichoderma fungus, which was able to increase the seedling length by about 45.45 to 67.06 percent at the same level of cadmium stress compared to untreated samples. Under stress conditions of 150 mg/L of cadmium chloride, the highest catalase enzyme activity was observed in biopriming with Trichoderma fungus, which had no significant difference with hydropriming and coating seeds with nano-chelate, but was about 15.62 percent higher than seeds without pretreatment. Biopriming with Trichoderma fungus increased the peroxidase enzyme activity of quinoa seedlings by 16.87 percent compared to the control treatment. In general, at 150 mg/L cadmium stress, hydropriming and biopriming increased total phenol content by 21.87% and 28.86%, respectively, compared to the control. The highest proline content was observed in the 150 mg/L cadmium chloride stress treatment and was about 25.17% higher than the control treatment, but there was no significant difference with 100 mg/L cadmium stress. Cadmium stress (150 mg/L concentration) significantly increased the activity of polyphenol oxidase enzyme by about 37.97% compared to zero cadmium stress. 4.      Conclusion: According to the results of this study, it can be concluded that biopriming with Trichoderma fungus at different levels of cadmium stress by increasing the vigor of seeds and seedlings and increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes reduces the negative effect of cadmium stress and improves the characteristics of germination and growth of seedlings. But in many cases, hydropriming is not significantly different from biopriming, and in some cases, it has worked better. Therefore, water pretreatment is a simple and cost-effective method, and at the same time, it is simple and does not require complex technical knowledge; it can be easily implemented by farmers. Therefore, this method is recommended to improve germination, seedling growth, and increase the quality and strength of quinoa seeds. https://iuvs.ilam.ac.ir/article_733365.html 1.      Introduction: All the species belonging to the Asparagus subgenus are dioecious with the basic number of chromosomes (=10x), and the number of chromosomes varies depending on the type of species and due to changes in the ploidy level. Genotypes of Asparagus subgenus with chromosome number diploid (x2=20), triploid (x3=30), tetraploid (x4=40), pentaploid (x5=50), hexaploid (x6=60), octaploid (x8=80), decaploid (x10=100), and dodecaploid (x12=120) can be found. Asparagus is widely distributed in different climates of Iran. Asparagus officinalis L. is an edible herbaceous perennial dioecious crop species with different ploidy levels. One of the problems of asparagus production is the decrease in fertility due to the increase in ploidy levels, resulting in a reduction in seed production. The limitation of genetic resources in asparagus makes it necessary to use methods such as vegetative embryogenesis for the clonal propagation of this plant. One of the main uses of vegetative embryo is its use in artificial seed production. Hydrated artificial seeding was first achieved by coating alfalfa embryos. These seeds are prepared by encapsulating vegetative embryos or other vegetative organs of the plant in a hydrogel. So far, several methods have been used to produce artificial seeds, such as potassium alginate, sodium alginate, agar, gelrite, etc., among which the use of sodium alginate and calcium alginate has been introduced as the most successful methods. 2.      Materials and Methods: The current research was carried out to encapsulate tissue culture-originated vegetative embryos. For this purpose, the seeds of A. officinalis L. with two different ploidy levels (diploid and octaploid) were prepared. After washing the seeds with water and detergent, the seeds were disinfected in 70% ethanol under a laminar hood for one minute and then placed in 30% sodium hypochlorite for 15 minutes. In the next step, the seeds were washed three times with sterile distilled water. Then they were established in the MS basic culture medium. The resulting seedlings were used for collecting five to seven-cm single-node explants. These single-node explants were cultured on B5 liquid media supplemented with 2 mg/L 2,4-D. Then they were kept in the axophyton device for 14 days in the induction phase. Afterwards, the explants were grown in B5 media without 2-4-D. After the emergence of vegetative embryos, the embryos were encapsulated using 2% sodium alginate in half-strength B5 medium containing 1 ppm of Kinetin. To harden the coverings of somatic embryos, a 100 mM calcium chloride solution was applied at three different time points of 30, 40, and 60 minutes. 3.       Results and Discussion: The lowest and highest percentage of germination rate among artificial seeds with Kinetin was recorded as T40 (25.2) and T30 (39.9), respectively. Also, the lowest and highest percentage of germination rate among artificial seeds without Kinetin was observed in C40 (21.7) and C60 (47.3), respectively. The comparison of the average data on the germination speed between the mutual effects of mass and encapsulation treatment showed that the highest rate was related to the diploid seedlings obtained from artificial seeds treated with Kinetin, with a time of 60 minutes (AO6T60), as 14.4, and the lowest rate was related to the diploid mother plant (AO6P), as 9.7. Comparison of the average data of the effects of encapsulation treatment related to the average time required for germination shows that the highest was related to the 30-minute treatment (c30), as 8.1, and the lowest was related to the c40 treatment, as 2.4, and no significant difference was observed between the other treatments (p>0.05). Comparison of the average effects of encapsulation treatment in terms of length and number of stems shows that the longest stem length after the mother seedlings was related to Kinetin treatment 30 minutes (T30), as 6.8 cm, and this result was also observed for the trait number of stems. The lowest value of these traits was observed in the C60 treatment, as 4.61 cm for stem length and the C30 treatment for stem number (4 numbers). The results of the average comparison between two plant populations show that the highest amount of carotenoid, total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a, and chlorophyll b is related to octaploid plants. Based on the results of comparing the averages related to the encapsulation treatment, the highest amount of carotenoids was observed for 40 minutes with kinetin (T40) as 1.69 (mg/g fresh weight), and the lowest was observed for 40 minutes without Kinetin (C40) as 1.09 (mg/g fresh weight). In terms of chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll, the highest amount was observed in the mother seedlings, and the lowest was observed for chlorophyll b in C40 treatment as 1.02 (mg/g fresh weight) and for total chlorophyll in T30 treatment as 1.08 (mg/g fresh weight).  4.      Conclusion: The results of the comparison of the averages related to the mutual effects between plant mass and encapsulation treatments showed that in terms of carotenoid, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll, the highest amount was related to the octaploid seedlings obtained from artificial seeds without 60 minutes Kinetin, and the lowest amount of carotenoid was related to the diploid seedlings obtained from artificial seeds with 60 minutes Kinetin, and in terms of chlorophyll b, it corresponded to diploid seedlings obtained from artificial seeds without 60 minutes Kinetin, and in terms of total chlorophyll, corresponding to diploid seedlings obtained from synthetic seeds without 40 minutes Kinetin. https://iuvs.ilam.ac.ir/article_733364.html 1.      Introduction: Selenium is one of the essential food elements for humans and animals. Seleno-proteins participate in antioxidant defense systems and the regulation of oxidation in mammals, and their deficiency leads to immune system dysfunction. Selenium concentration in soils has been deemed insufficient, and as a result, according to estimates, 15-20% of children and adults worldwide suffer from selenium deficiency. Plants, which are the primary source of selenium for humans and animals, absorb the element from the soil and enter the food chain. Nanotechnology is a promising field of bioengineering. Selenium nanoparticles have been introduced as stable nanoparticles as fertilizers in agriculture. Foliar spraying of plants with nano-selenium has been associated with the improvement of antioxidant defense mechanisms, photosynthetic indices, and secondary metabolites. Spinach, an annual and long-day plant, is one of the important leafy vegetables of the cold season. Fresh spinach contains sugars, lecithin, secretin, chlorophyll, carotene, saponins, phenolic compounds, caffeic acid, ortho-coumaric acid, para-coumaric acid, myristicin, and oxalates. Since selenium is one of the useful elements in plants (including spinach) and due to the toxic effects of this element in high concentrations, in this research, the effects of selenium (in both bulk and nano forms) were considered on spinach plants. This research aims to compare foliar spraying with nano-selenium (5, 10 and 20 ppm) and sodium selenate (5, 10 and 20 mg/liter) on growth indices (leaf and root dry matter, root length and plant height, leaf number) and elements content (including nitrogen, phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, sodium, calcium, zinc, selenium and iron) in spinach. 2.      Materials and Methods: The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design. The factors were included: foliar spraying of nano selenium (5, 10, and 20 ppm), sodium selenate (5, 10, and 20 mg/L), and distilled water (control). Spinach Dash seedlings cultivated in the greenhouse were treated at the vegetative growth stage. At the end, the growth indices (including leaf and root dry matter, root length and plant height, leaf number) and macro and micronutrient content (including N, P, Mn, Mg, Na, Ca, Zn, Se, and Fe) were evaluated. The normality of the data was determined by the Shapiro-Wilk method. Tukey's test was performed to compare the means (P < 0.01, 0.05). Statistical analysis of data was done with SAS Ver.9.4 software. Also, the pictures were drawn using EXCEL 2016 Software. 3.      Results and Discussion: Based on findings, with increasing the levels of treatments, the root and shoot length, leaf and root dry matter, and leaf number showed an improving trend. In addition, P, Fe, Zn, and Se contents were also enhanced by increasing the levels of the two treatments. In contrast, increasing the concentration of treatments led to a decline in Na and Mn contents. Mg also decreased under the highest level of both treatments; However, at the medium level (10 mg/L sodium selenate and 10 ppm nano-selenium), an increase in its content was observed. The responses of N and Ca were different to selenium compounds. On the other hand, under 5 ppm of nano-selenium, leaf N reached the highest value; nevertheless, with the enhancement of nano-selenium concentrations, N content decreased. An increase and a decrease of N were observed under 10 and 20 mg/L of sodium selenate, respectively. A similar trend was also recorded for Ca under 10 and 20 ppm nano-selenium. In contrast, increasing the levels of sodium selenate up to 20 mg/L boosted the calcium content of leaves. 4.      Conclusion: Based on the results obtained from the present research, sodium selenate at suitable levels can improve some growth traits of spinach. The best concentration to enhance root length was the highest level of sodium selenate (20 mg L-1). Nevertheless, reduced Mn content occurred under the same treatment. The results also indicated the positive role of nano selenium on growth characteristics and some macro and micro elements of spinach. The highest level of nano selenium (20 ppm) enhanced P, Fe, and Se content. This treatment also decreased the content of Ca, Mg, Na, and the accumulation of nitrate in the leaves of spinach. As the application of the lowest level of nano selenium caused the more accumulation of nitrate. However, the positive impact of a moderate level of nano selenium (10 ppm) was stronger on leaf number, root dry matter, Mg, and Zn contents. Overall, since the different levels of the applied treatments illustrated different effects on growth indices and the contents of macro and micro elements, selecting the selenium type (bulk or nano) as well as its required level, can be conducted based on the purpose of the experiment, and result in desired results. https://iuvs.ilam.ac.ir/article_733363.html 1.      Introduction: Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is one of the most important horticultural crops in the world and especially in Iran. In arid and semi-arid regions, water deficit stress is a major limiting factor for crop growth and yield. Increases in water scarcity with climate change reduce plant growth and development, thereby decreasing plant production in agricultural systems. Due to their high leaf area/root ratio and high transpiration rate, cucumber plants are sensitive to water-deficit stress. It is well known that water deficit causes oxidative stress by increasing the production of reactive oxygen species in different cellular organelles, thus affecting membrane stability, lipid peroxidation, and other biological and physiological processes. Various agricultural methods are used to increase plant resistance to environmental stresses. Auxin is one of the important plant growth regulators that play multiple physiological roles in promoting cell elongation and division, seed germination, fruit development, and plant stress responses. Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) has frequently been demonstrated to enhance growth parameters and productivity in vegetable and other crops. From this standpoint, this research was conducted to study the effect of foliar spraying with different concentrations of NAA on the physiological properties and fruit yield of cucumber under water deficit stress. 2.      Materials and Methods: This experiment was conducted at the Research Farm of the Agriculture Faculty (University of Zanjan, Iran) in 2023 using a split plot based on a randomized complete block design with three replicates. The experimental treatments consisted of three different irrigation regimes (70, 85, and 100% ETc) as the main plot and foliar spray of NAA at three levels (0, 50, and 100 mg L-1) as a sub-plot. Kish F1 hybrid cucumber seeds (US Agriseeds Company) were sown at a distance of 50 cm in rows and 120 cm between rows. Different levels of NAA foliar spraying started at 45th true leaf stage and were repeated two times with an interval of 15 days using a mechanical mist sprayer. Irrigation was calculated based on actual evapotranspiration (ETc%) rates. All necessary management practices, such as weed control, were performed according to the recommended package of practices during crop growth. During the growth period and after crop harvest, fruit yield, chlorophyll content, relative water content (RWC), proline, phenolic compounds, electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde (MDA), H2O2 contents, and antioxidant enzyme activity were evaluated. 3.      Results and Discussion: Drought affects all aspects of plant physiology, including a reduction of photosynthesis rate and overproduction of reactive oxygen species, resulting in retarded plant growth and significant crop losses. The results showed that deficit irrigation significantly increased the proline content, ion leakage, catalase, and superoxide dismutase enzyme activity. In contrast, deficit irrigation reduced leaf RWC, chlorophyll content, and fruit yield. Foliar application of NAA improved the fruit yield with increasing chlorophyll and proline contents, leaf relative water content, and antioxidant enzyme activity, and decreasing ion leakage, MDA, and H2O2 accumulation. Plants have developed an antioxidant defense system that consists of enzymatic (SOD, CAT, POX, etc.) and non-enzymatic (ascorbate, phenolics, proline, etc.) components, which change significantly in response to different stresses, including drought. It was reported that after moderate or severe drought, proline content increased to a different extent in maize hybrids depending on their tolerance. The accumulation of proline under water deficit conditions could contribute to a plant’s drought tolerance or could be a stress-injury indicator depending on plant species and the severity of the stress. According to the results, the highest chlorophyll content (2.25 mg g-1FW) and fruit yield (42693.7 kg ha-1) were obtained with the application of NAA 50 mg L-1 under irrigation 100 ETc%. Also, the maximum RWC, and minimum ion leakage, MDA, and H2O2 accumulation were obtained in the plant treated with NAA 100 mg L-1 under irrigation 100 ETc%. The highest value of superoxide dismutase activity (1.67 U mg-¹protein) and proline content was observed in irrigation 50 ETc% with application of NAA 100 and 50 mg L-1, respectively. The preliminary application of auxin compounds before drought treatment led to the adjustment of CAT and POX activities, and also suggested that the auxin compounds play an essential role in balancing H2O2 levels. 4.      Conclusion: According to the results of the experiment, it can be stated that the cucumber plant is a sensitive plant to water deficit stress. Under water deficit, fruit yield decreased. Finally, NAA increased the yield by modulating the negative effects of water deficit stress in cucumber plants. Therefore, according to the results, application of NAA 50 mg L-1 can be proposed to improve the growth and yield of cucumber under normal and deficit irrigation conditions. https://iuvs.ilam.ac.ir/article_733369.html Extended Abstract 1.      Introduction: Water deficit is one of the major abiotic stresses that adversely affects crop growth and yield. Drought stress occurs when the available soil-water becomes scanty and atmospheric conditions cause continuous loss of water by transpiration or evaporation. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, the most important root endophytes, are extensively studied and well documented for their role in promoting resistance to drought stress, nutrient uptake, and improvement in plant development. Furthermore, drought stress adversely affects the physiology, biochemistry, growth, and development of plants worldwide. It leads to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plants, destroys cell membranes, and disrupts the dynamic balance of active oxygen content. These physiological and biochemical responses of plants under drought stress cause growth inhibition and even death. Many studies have shown that the inoculation of mycorrhizal fungi initiates morphological, nutritional, and physiological changes in host plants to counter biotic and abiotic stresses and enhance plant growth. Approximately 72% of the known vascular plants can act as hosts for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and such mutually beneficial mycorrhizal associations have key roles in maintaining plant productivity in natural and agricultural habitats. 2.      Materials and Methods: To investigate the symbiosis of mycorrhizal fungi and drought stress on the growth and biochemical characteristics of tarragon plant, a factorial pot experiment (with two factors) was conducted in the form of a completely randomized design in the research greenhouse of Razi University in 2021. The first factor was drought stress in two levels, including control (full irrigation) and irrigation up to 50% of the pot capacity, and the second factor included inoculation of tarragon rhizomes with mycorrhizal fungi from the genus Glomus in 5 levels (G.hoi + G. mosseae, G.hoi + G. intraradices, G. mosseae + G. intraradices, G.hoi + G. mosseae + G. intraradices, and the control (no inoculation). During the cultivation of rhizomes, fungi inoculation was done, and the amount of mycorrhizal fungi used for each pot was 100 g. After the rhizomes were cultivated and the plants were fully established, drought stress was applied. In order to prevent sudden stress and osmotic stress in plants, drought stress was applied gradually over a period of two months. Drought stress was applied by weight, and two months after the application of drought stress, some growth characteristics (leaf dry weight and root length) and physiological characteristics (relative water content, photosynthetic pigments, electrolyte leakage, proline, total soluble sugars, soluble protein, and antioxidant capacity) were measured.3.      Results and Discussion: The results showed that in tarragon plants, drought stress caused a decrease in leaf dry weight, root length, photosynthetic pigments, relative water content, and soluble protein. While the amount of proline, total soluble sugars, and antioxidant capacity has increased. The use of mycorrhizal fungi improved the studied characteristics under drought stress conditions. In the conditions of drought stress, the application of mycorrhizal fungi led to a decrease in electrolyte leakage. In response to drought stress, osmotic regulation processes were activated in tarragon plants. Inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi significantly increased vegetative growth indicators, relative content of plant water, proline, and total soluble sugars of tarragon plants under drought stress conditions in comparison with non-inoculated plants. In general, the use of mycorrhizal fungi increased the resistance to drought stress in tarragon plants. The lowest amount of leaf dry weight (0.65 g) and root length (14.65 cm) was observed in the treatment of 50% FC. Contrary to drought stress, the use of all three types of mycorrhizal fungi increased the dry weight of the leaf (0.83 g) and root length (17.57 cm). In the conditions of drought stress, the application of mycorrhiza improved the amount of photosynthetic pigments compared to the control. The highest amount of proline (18.33 μmol g-1 FW) was in the treatment of drought stress with three species of mycorrhizal fungi. The highest amount of total soluble sugar (49.00 mg g-1 FW), soluble protein (0.352 mg g-1 FW), and antioxidant activity (96.06%) was observed in the full irrigation treatment with three species of mycorrhizal fungi.4.      Conclusion: Under drought conditions, mycorrhizal fungi can enhance seedling survival, promote absorption and transportation of water by the host plant, change the root morphology, improve the gas exchange ability and water use efficiency, regulate the plant endogenous hormone levels, and accelerate reactive oxygen species removal, all of which are aimed at reducing the negative impact of drought on plants. The results showed that the application of G. intraradices +G. hoi + G. mosseae had a better effect on the growth, physiological, and biochemical characteristics of tarragon under drought stress. The above results showed the positive effect of mycorrhiza in increasing the drought tolerance of the tarragon plant and better inhibition of free radicals produced in the presence of this stress. Accumulation of organic molecules in the vacuoles of leaf cells under drought stress is more common in mycorrhizal plants and causes a decrease in the osmotic potential of leaf cells. All these changes change the ratio of water in mycorrhizal plants. In this study, the use of all three species of mycorrhizal fungi improved stress tolerance in tarragon plants more than the control. https://iuvs.ilam.ac.ir/article_733368.html Extended Abstract 1.      Introduction: Microgreens represent a unique category of products derived from seeds, vegetables, medicinal plants, and certain wild species. These microgreens have attracted attention for their aesthetic appeal and potential health benefits due to the presence of phytochemicals. They are primarily consumed as fresh vegetables. LED lights, particularly those emitting blue and red light, play a significant role in fostering the growth and development of plants. They enhance chlorophyll absorption, boost photosynthesis, and influence the mineral content in plants. The primary objective of this research was to examine changes in mineral nutrient compositions and flavor profiles of fennel, chia, and chicory microgreens under varying LED spectra in a controlled greenhouse environment.2.      Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in 2021-2022 in a controlled greenhouse for seedling production in the city of Douche, Guatemalan region, with temperatures of 26.16 ±2°C and relative humidity of 65%, using a completely randomized block design with three replications. The light treatments included LED light at four levels (natural light, 100% red light, 100% blue light, and 70% red light + 30% blue light), applied to chia (Salvia hispanica L.), chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare L.) microgreens. Seeds were purchased from Pagan Bar Company of Isfahan and cultivated in planting trays with dimensions of 60 cm length, 30 cm width, and 5 cm height, using a medium containing a mixture of agricultural soil and perlite in a volume ratio of 1:1. During the first three weeks, irrigation was performed daily and subsequently every other day. Microgreens at the two-leaf stage were subjected to light treatments for 12 hours daily. The wavelength of red light was 650 nm, and the wavelength of blue light was 460 nm, with a total photon flux density (TPFD) of 100 μmol.m-2 s-1, embedded at a distance of 80 cm from the microgreens' surface.3.      Results and Discussion: The research findings indicated that blue light caused a reduction in internode length, while increased 100% red light exposure led to longer internodes. Hence, maintaining a balance between the blue and red light spectrums is crucial for optimal growth in certain plants. Chicory and fennel microgreens exhibited the longest internodes under 70% red light + 30% blue light, with a 23% increase in chicory and a 45% increase in fennel compared to using only 100% blue light. The highest total chlorophyll content was observed across all three microgreens under 100% blue light and 70% red light + 30% blue light. In chicory and fennel microgreens, 100% red light followed by 70% red light + 30% blue light enhanced phenol content, with 100% red light increasing phenol levels by 26% in chicory and 18% in fennel compared to the control light. The greatest antioxidant activity was noted in chia and chicory under 100% red light and in fennel under 70% red light + 30% blue light. Potassium and iron concentrations increased in chia microgreens under 70% red light + 30% blue light, while zinc concentrations improved by 42% in chia and 16% in fennel. However, magnesium concentration decreased under 70% red light + 30% blue light compared to the control. In chia and chicory microgreens, manganese levels increased by 40% and 9%, respectively, under 70% red light + 30% blue light compared to the control light. Fennel microgreens exhibited a sweet taste with a mild aroma under 100% blue light, a sweet taste with a relatively sharp aroma under 100% red light, and a sweet taste with a strong aroma under 70% red light + 30% blue light combined. Microgreen chia had a bitter taste across all light treatments, with 100% red light resulting in a relatively sharp aroma, 100% blue light producing a mild aroma, and 70% red light + 30% blue light yielding a sharp aroma. Similarly, microgreen chicory displayed a bitter taste under all light treatments, with 70% red light + 30% blue light causing a m4.      Conclusion: In general, the use of LED lighting enhanced most of the studied parameters and increased the nutritional value of microgreens compared to natural light in the greenhouse. Specifically, 100% blue light increased total chlorophyll content and induced a mild aroma in all three microgreens: chia, chicory, and fennel. The highest phenol and flavonoid content, along with spicy aromas, were observed in chicory and fennel microgreens under 100% red light. A combination of 70% red light and 30% blue light increased internode length and sweet taste with high aroma in fennel while improving nutrients in chia, chicory, and fennel microgreens. Overall, 70% red light and 30% blue light were identified as the most effective combination for microgreens growth. https://iuvs.ilam.ac.ir/article_734070.html Extended Abstract1.      Introduction: One of the main symptoms of sensitivity to environmental stress is the decrease in plant performance. Tomato, with the scientific name (Solanum lycopersicum L) from the Solanaceae family, is one of the valuable plants from an economic and nutritional point of view. Drought has been one of the main factors limiting agriculture in recent years, especially in Iran, which is located in an arid and semi-arid region, and it has become more visible and effective in recent years. In 2017, the Food and Agriculture Organization reported its global production as 182.3 million tons, and Iran, with the production of 6.17 million tons and 3.4% of the world's production, occupies sixth place in the world's tomato production. Studies have shown that this plant is a rich source of minerals and vitamins, and its distinct nutritional properties play an important role in reducing the risk of diseases because they contain high amounts of antioxidants such as carotenoids, polyphenols, ascorbic acid, and many others. To reduce and moderate the harmful effects of environmental stress, the new combinations of LAB and GABA have been used less often, while the use of these two together is very beneficial. 2.      Materials and Methods:  To reduce the effects of experimental irrigation stress, the present research was conducted in the research farm of the Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mohaghegh Ardabili University, as a factorial experiment in the form of a completely randomized design. In this experiment, to apply low irrigation stress, irrigation at two levels of soil moisture (full irrigation 90% of field capacity moisture, 50% of field soil capacity moisture) as the first factor and GABA foliar spraying treatments in concentrations 1 and 2 mg/liter along with LAB in two concentrations of 5 and 10% and a control treatment was considered as the second factor. To obtain the field capacity of the soil (the amount of moisture that remains in the soil after the release of gravity water) and the percentage of moisture in the field soil, a field of one square meter was irrigated until saturation and covered with plastic. After stopping irrigation and water drainage, soil moisture was measured at six-hour intervals at the root growth depth (20 cm) with a hygrometer. This process continued until the moisture content was approximately equal in several consecutive measurements. This percentage of humidity is considered equal to the humidity of the field's capacity, and irrigation treatments are considered based on a percentage of this amount of soil moisture. The seeds of Chef tomato plants were planted in 12 x 12 trays to produce seedlings and kept in the greenhouse. After the production of seedlings, the plants were transferred to the main farm. 20 days after transferring to the mainland and establishing the plants, irrigation stress was applied along with spraying the plants with GABA and LAB. Two weeks after the last spraying, the fruits were harvested, and the fruit weight and yield of a plant, along with stomatal conductance, ion leakage, and relative water content, were investigated.3.      Results and Discussion: The results showed that foliar spraying of GABA and LAB affected the performance of tomato plants, especially in drought stress conditions, and partially compensated for the negative effects of drought stress. Application of GABA and LAB increased the yield in tomato. The highest fruit weight (2.44 kg) per plant was obtained under full irrigation conditions and when GABA was used at a concentration of 2 mg/liter. Our results showed that the plants treated with GABA at a concentration of 2 mg/liter had a higher efficiency than the plants treated with LAB and the control. With the increase of irrigation stress, the rate of ion leakage increased, and the relative water content of leaves decreased. Despite the positive effect of LAB at a concentration of 10% in reducing ion leakage during irrigation stress, the use of GABA at a concentration of 2 mg, in addition to reducing the amount of ion leakage, increased the relative water content and stomatal conductance in tomato leaves in this experiment. In addition, the results showed us that with increasing drought stress, stomatal conductivity decreases. Stomatal closure is the first response to drought stress in most plants, and stomatal closure prevents water loss from transpiration pathways. Also, the concentration of 2 mg/L GABA in normal irrigation conditions has increased stomatal conductance, and in Irrigation stress, in field capacity humidity of 50% has prevented the reduction of stomatal conductance to a large extent. According to the results of the present study, during irrigation at 50% humidity of the field capacity, the use of GABA at a concentration of 2 mg/liter and LAB at a concentration of 10% had an acceptable effect on reducing the effects of irrigation stress on tomatoes.5.      Conclusion:  In this study, foliar spraying of GABA and LAB affected the performance of tomato plants, especially under drought stress conditions, and partially compensated for the negative effects of low irrigation stress. Application of GABA and LAB increased the yield in tomato. Therefore, it seems that in order to achieve the goals of sustainable agriculture, it is recommended to use LAB and GABA in different concentrations instead of chemical fertilizers to increase the efficiency and performance of plants during irrigation stress. https://iuvs.ilam.ac.ir/article_734114.html Extended Abstract 1.      Introduction: Zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn) are essential micronutrients required to enhance crop growth and yield, and to balance these nutrients in plants.  The essentiality of Zn and Mn for plants has been well established, as both are essential micronutrients involved in a number of essential functions. Zn, an essential micronutrient, plays a vital role in various processes such as carbohydrate, auxin, and nucleic acid metabolism, protein synthesis, membrane stabilization, and in the detoxification of highly active superoxide radicals. Soils in many arid and semi-arid regions of Iran, due to high pH and low organic matter, are faced with Zn and Mn deficiencies. Pea, a member of the Fabaceae family, is one of the most widely used winter vegetables. Pea has high nutritional value, having proteins (21–32%) and starch (37– 49%) content, water-soluble fibers, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Therefore, we carried out the present study to observe the effect of foliar spray of Zn and Mn on the yield and quality of pea seeds.2.      Materials and Methods: To investigate the effect of foliar application of Zn and Mn on growth, yield, and quality of pea (Pisum sativum cv. Stardust), a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted in Reasech field of university of Zanjan during 2023. Experimental treatments included three levels of Zn (0, 2, and 4%, Zinc sulfate) and three levels of Mn (0, 2, and 4%, manganese sulfate). Seeds pea were sown on 11 Marc, 2024, with 2.5 cm, 25 cm spacing within row and 40 cm spacing between rows. Different concentrations of zinc sulfate (Zn; 0, 2, and 4 %) and manganese sulfate (Mn; 0, 2, and 4 %) were sprayed on the plant at the 5–6th true leaf and flowering stages using a mechanical mist sprayer. Irrigation was calculated based on actual evapotranspiration (ETc%) rates. All necessary management practices, such as weed control, were performed according to the recommended package of practices during crop growth. During the growth period and after crop harvest, the plant height, chlorophyll index, pods number/plant, pod fresh weight, seeds number/pod, seed fresh weight, and yield, total soluble solids (TSS), and protein contents, the amount of zinc and manganese elements in seeds were evaluated. 3.      Results and Discussion: ZnSO4 and MnSO4 at different concentrations resulted in a significant increase in growth, yield, and quality of pea seeds as compared to control plants. Provitamin studies suggested that the depression in plant growth was due to a decrease in auxin concentration in Zn-deficient plants. The foliar application of Zn and Mn had a significant effect on the number per pod, the weight of seeds per pod, pod fresh weight, chlorophyll index, seed protein content, but had no significant effect on plant height, pod dry weight, pod yield per plant, and total soluble solids content. The pod and seed weight of plants receiving foliar treatments was significantly higher than that of control plants. The highest seeds weight/pod (3.92), seeds number/pod (8.66), pod fresh weight (5.97), and chlorophyll index (87.13) were obtained with the application of Zn 4% and Mn 4%. Numerous research studies have highlighted the roles and importance of Zn and Mn in enhancing crop yield and production. Foliar application of Zn and Mn, compared to control plants, improved the concentration of total protein content of seeds. The decrease in protein concentration in seed control plants might be due to a sharp reduction in RNA polymerase activity, deformation of ribosomes, and enhanced RNase activity in Zn-deficient plants. Also, foliar application of ZnSO4 and MnSO4 resulted in a significant increase in Zn and Mn content in the seeds as compared to control plants, and the highest content of Zn (78.1 mg g-1) and Mn (46.1 mg g-1) was observed in plants treated with 2% Zn and 4% Mn.4.      Conclusion: Zinc and Mn are essential micronutrient minerals that are required by pea, an important pulse crop, which can retain and enhance the productivity as well as the nutritional value of the crop through biofortification for higher food quality. The present study clarified that the supplementation of ZnSO4 influenced the yield and quality of pea. The use of ZnSO4 (4%) and MnSO4 (4%) at growth and flowering stages improved the TSS, Zn, Mn, protein content, and grain yield over the control. Thus, the present study demonstrated that biofortification through the foliar application of ZnSO4 and MnSO4 could be considered the most effective treatment for improving food quality parameters and yield of pea. https://iuvs.ilam.ac.ir/article_734115.html Extended Abstract1.      Introduction: Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is a highly significant vegetable cultivated worldwide. Cucumber belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and is the third most significant vegetable cultivated globally, following tomatoes and onions. It also has a significant role in the Iranian food basket. The cultivation of various vegetables, including cucumber, is encountering challenges such as harm inflicted by numerous soil-borne fungal diseases and adverse environmental conditions like drought and salinity. However, by grafting cucumber onto appropriate rootstocks, these issues can effectively be mitigated or entirely overcome. Grafting in herbaceous vegetables is a distinctive technique where a commercially viable scion is fused with a compatible rootstock to address both biotic and abiotic challenges in production. This study examines the impact of certain rootstocks on the yield and morphological characteristics of cucumber.2.      Materials and Methods: To assess the impact of different rootstocks on cucumber yield and morphological characteristics, we used a commercial cultivar, ‘Monza’ as the scion, which was grafted onto three different commercial rootstocks, including ‘Marvel’ (an inter-specific squash), ‘Sentinel’ (a melon type), and a bottle gourd line. The experiment was conducted from November 2019 to August 2020 in a greenhouse located at the Department of Horticultural Sciences, Campus of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran. After sowing seeds of both rootstocks and scion, plants were grafted, and for healing grafted plants, they placed them in a grafting room with controlled conditions for humidity (100% RH) and temperature. Grafted plants are held in the grafting room for one week to allow the union of the grafted area, and then, the grafted plants are moved out of the grafting room. Transplants obtained through grafting were hydroponically grown under greenhouse conditions, and the experiment was run based on a randomized complete block design. Growing media was cocopeat and perlite with a 1:1 ratio and filled in pots. Several traits were measured, including yield, fruit juice total soluble solids (TSS), fruit juice pH, number of fruits per plant, mean fruit weight, fruit dry matter percentage, stem length, fresh and dry weights of roots, shoots, stems, leaves, and total fresh and dry weights. In addition, the dry-to-fresh weight ratio was determined for all plant organs, including roots, shoots, stems, and leaves, as well as the ratio of total dry weight of plants to fresh weight.3.      Results and Discussion: The findings indicated that the self-grafted plants had the highest yield, followed by the non-grafted plants (10331.6 and 10038.1 g/plant, respectively), with no significant difference. The lowest yield was observed in the Setinel rootstock (6686.5 g/plant). Highest yield obtained from Marvel and Bottle gourd rootstocks ( 7760.1 and7693 g/plant, respectively). All rootstocks exhibited lower yield (p<0.01) compared to the self-grafted and non-grafted control groups. The bottle gourd had the highest total soluble solids (TSS) content at 4.12%, while the Marvel had the lowest TSS content at 3.8%. Both rootstocks showed a significant difference compared to the self-grafted and non-grafted controls. The maximum stem length achieved through self-grafting control was 12.69m, followed by plants grafted on Marvel rootstock, while the minimum stem length obtained from the Sentinel group was 8.88cm, which was significantly lower than both the self-grafted and non-grafted control groups. The maximum stem length between rootstocks obtained from the Marvel variety is 12.04cm, which did not show a significant difference compared to the self-grafted and non-grafted controls. The Marvel rootstock yielded the highest fresh and dry root weight compared to all other treatments (p<0.01). No significant difference was observed between the pH of fruit juice in any of the grafted and non-grafted plants.4.      Conclusion: The interaction between the scion and rootstock yields varying outcomes in grafted plants. The level of compatibility between the scion and rootstock can significantly impact the physiological and morphological characteristics of the grafted plant. The results obtained indicate that ‘Marvel’ and bottle gourd rootstocks were the most compatible with ‘Monza’. On the other hand, the lowest compatibility was observed with the ‘Sentinel’ rootstock, which had the lowest measured indexes in terms of yield, stem length, fresh and dry weight of shoot, root, leaves, and total fresh and dry weight. Further experimentation with altered nutrition and cultivation conditions is necessary to assess the capabilities of rootstocks under various cultivation conditions and enhance the yield and quality of the crop. https://iuvs.ilam.ac.ir/article_734116.html Extended Abstract 1.      Introduction: One of the most multipurpose cropping is the use of mechanization and agricultural machinery is during the harvesting period. Therefore, the plants that are harvested currently by hand in sole cropping systems can get rid of this limitation successfully. In this connection, the cultivation of both sweet corn and kidney beans can be a suitable option for introducing it in multiple cropping systems. Additionaly sweet corn intercropped with beans can be advantageous due to the additional price, direct market, and hand harvesting. This agricultural system is also efficient ecologically because of the structural differences, low interspecific competition, and improved use of environmental factors such as light, water, and soil nitrogen content. In addition, the issue of using chemical fertilizers is very important, especially in vegetables that are used directly and fresh, such as sweet corn. In this regard, Intercropping can use resources efficiently compared to pure cropping, at the same time as increasing the total yield per unit area and increasing the efficiency of nutrient consumption. Mixed cropping is also considered a method to reduce losses of high-use elements, especially nitrogen.2.      Materials and Methods: In order to investigate the nitrogen effect on the sweet corn intercropped with kidney bean, an experiment was conducted in the 2017-2018 growing season as split plots designe based on a randomized complete block design in three replications. The main plots were the management of nitrogen consumption from the source of urea fertilizer (80, 160, 240 kg/ha and controls) and the intercropping pattern (one row of corn, one row of kidney bean, one row of corn, two rows of kidney bean, two rows of corn, one row of kidney bean, kidney bean and sweet corn purecropping) formed as sub-plots. Each subplot consisted of six rows of three meters long and 50 cm row spacing for both sweet corn and kidney bean, with the four middle rows considered for sampling. One square meter from the middle of each plot was harvested at 70-75% humidity in order to determine the yield and yield components of sweet corn. Some intercropping indicators were used to evaluate mixed cultivation compared to pure cultivation, including Land Equivalent Ratio (LER), Relative Value Total (RVT), Productivity Index (PI), and Competition Index (CI).3.      Results and Discussion: The results showed that nitrogen consumption and intercropping affect the number of seed rows, cob length, cob diameter, stem diameter, cannable seed weight, total fresh weight, dry weight of seeds, and biological yield. Also, the number of seeds per row, cob length, cannable grain weight, grain dry weight, and biological yield were significantly affected by the interaction of nitrogen and planting arrangement. The treatment combination of 240 kg/ha of nitrogen fertilizer along with the cultivation pattern of two rows of corn and one row of beans was better than other treatment combinations based on the measured traits. Also, the pattern of planting two rows of sweet corn and one row of beans showed its superiority in terms of cob length (32.64 cm) and the number of seeds per cob (35.75). The highest RVT value total was related to the control and cultivation of two rows of sweet corn and one row of kidney beans, with the consumption of 80 kg/ha of nitrogen fertilizer (0.86 and 0.85, respectively). The CI was also positive in the control treatment and the cultivation of one row of sweet corn and two rows of kidney beans, which indicates the dominance of sweet corn in mixed cropping. Ultimately, the combination treatment of 80 and 160 kg/ha and the intercrop pattern of one row of sweet corn and two rows of beans had the highest index of land equality ratio (1.16).4.      Conclusion: Mixed cultivation of one row of sweet corn and two rows of red beans had the highest index of land equality ratio. Also, the estimation of the competition index in most of the intercropping treatments showed that sweet corn was the dominant species and used the environmental conditions more favorably. However, due to the lack of a significant difference between the yield obtained in the treatments of 160 and 240 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare, it is possible to save on fertilizer consumption and costs by using 160. Finally, according to the performance and economic indicators, the combinations of two rows of sweet corn with one row of red beans or one row of sweet corn and two rows of red beans, with consumption of 160 and 240 kg per hectare, can be introduced as the best treatments in this research. https://iuvs.ilam.ac.ir/article_707277.html Extended Abstract 1.     Introduction: As the global population continues to rise, the demand for food production has intensified. Limited water resources and environmental pollution resulting from the excessive use of chemical fertilizers have posed significant challenges to increasing food production. One viable approach to enhancing the sustainable production of agricultural products is to improve water use efficiency and optimize the utilization of various resources. The potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) requires substantial amounts of nitrogen (N), potassium (K), and phosphorus (P) fertilizers, as well as water, to achieve high yields. The availability of these inputs must be aligned with the plant's dynamic temporal needs; however, they also need to be accessible in the soil zones where the crop's root system can absorb them. Additionally, conditions must be favorable for root activity and nutrient uptake. These interactions are complex and influenced by the biological, physical, and chemical characteristics of the soil, as well as climatic conditions, which introduce a high degree of uncertainty. Therefore, enhancing the efficiency of resource consumption presents a significant challenge. This study aimed to investigate the spatial variations in the efficiencies of key inputs, namely nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and water consumption within potato crops in Iran.2.     Materials and Methods: To explore the spatial variations in water, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium consumption efficiencies for potatoes from 2011 to 2020, research was conducted across various regions of Iran. Initially, provinces that produced over 80 percent of the country’s potatoes were identified. Subsequently, cities within these provinces that contributed more than 80 percent of potato production were selected for analysis. Data were collected through recorded statistics, information reviews, and face-to-face interviews. Efficiency indicators for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and water consumption in these areas were calculated, along with correlation coefficients (Pearson coefficients) between climatic parameters, tuber yield, and input usage. Data analysis was performed using SigmaPlot software.3.     Results and Discussion: The findings indicated that the highest nitrogen consumption efficiency was observed in Bahar city of Hamadan province (242.71 kg tubers per kg nitrogen), while Meshkin city in Ardabil province exhibited the highest water consumption efficiency (8.96 kg tubers per m³ water). The average consumption efficiencies for inputs revealed that Ardabil province had the highest efficiencies for nitrogen (159.01 kg tubers per kg nitrogen), phosphorus (177.30 kg tubers per kg phosphorus), and water (7.15 kg tubers per m² of water). The highest potassium use efficiency, at 628.27 kg tubers per kg potassium, was recorded in Kerman province. Conversely, Golestan province exhibited the lowest efficiencies for nitrogen (20.54 kg tubers per kg nitrogen), phosphorus (35.89 kg tubers per kg phosphorus), and potassium (21.72 kg tubers per kg potassium). Kerman province also showed the lowest water consumption efficiency at 593.0 kg tubers per m³ of water. The research results further indicated that nitrogen and water consumption efficiencies had a strong positive correlation with each other, whereas potassium consumption efficiency did not significantly correlate with the efficiencies of other resources. Regression analysis revealed that increases in nitrogen and phosphorus had the most substantial positive impact on potato yield, while temperature had the least effect. Interestingly, higher potassium levels were associated with a negative impact on potato yield.  4.     Conclusion: Strong interactions between water and various nutrient use efficiencies are prevalent in many farming systems. Management practices that aim to improve water use efficiency (WUE), nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), phosphorus use efficiency (PUE), and potassium use efficiency (KUE) simultaneously tend to be more successful than those that focus on optimizing these inputs individually. The complexity of enhancing NUE, PUE, KUE, and WUE necessitates an integrated approach that combines agronomy, breeding, and crop physiology to better understand the interactions among these indicators and their related traits under varying environmental conditions. Therefore, sustainable intensification of agriculture should prioritize management strategies aimed at enhancing both water and nutrient use efficiencies, particularly nitrogen. Given the significant correlations among resource use efficiencies and their direct impact on potato yield, it is evident that investigating and managing climatic factors to improve resource consumption efficiency in each region can significantly influence tuber yield. This, in turn, can help reduce the excessive consumption of various inputs within agricultural ecosystems. https://iuvs.ilam.ac.ir/article_728606.html In order to evaluate the effects of foliar application of nano fertilizers on germination and seedling growth indices of pea under heavy cadmium stress, a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with four replications was conducted at Mohaghegh Ardabili University in 2019. In this study, in addition to seed germination and seedling growth indices of pea, some biochemical parameters such as soluble protein content, proline, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes catalase and peroxidase were measured. The experimental treatments included five foliar application levels (control, foliar application with molybdenum 2 parts per thousand, foliar application with molybdenum 4 parts per thousand, foliar application with boron nanochelate 2 parts per thousand, foliar application with boron nanochelate 4 parts per thousand) and three cadmium stress levels (0, 50, and 100 mg/L cadmium chloride). The results showed that cadmium stress significantly reduced the germination percentage and rate, seedling length and dry weight, and increased antioxidant enzymes, protein and proline. Severe cadmium stress (100 mg/L) reduced the germination percentage by 16.4%, germination rate by 66.51%, seedling length by 07.43%, seedling dry weight by 33.43%, and catalase by 14.57%, peroxidase by 15.31%, protein by 65.89%, and proline by 09.10% compared to the control. While feeding with boron and molybdenum nanochelate fertilizers increased germination indices by about 42.20% and seedling growth (length and dry weight) by about 92.58%, through increasing growth and activity of antioxidant enzymes such as reduced the effects of cadmium stress. https://iuvs.ilam.ac.ir/article_728607.html Background and Objectives: Cadmium is considered one of the most important toxic heavy metals. Its entry into the food chain poses a risk to the health of animals and humans. Currently, cadmium toxicity is a major environmental concern, as this element can be readily absorbed by plant roots and accumulate in significant amounts in various plant organs without displaying any signs of toxicity in the plants. Enhancing plant tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses is a crucial area that requires increased attention. Inoculation with plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) is one method that can be utilized to reduce the uptake of heavy metals by plants and prevent their entry into the human food chain.Materials and Methods: The experiment was conducted as a factorial design within a completely randomized framework, involving two factors and four replications, under hydroponic cultivation conditions in the research greenhouse of the University of Mohaghegh Ardabili. The first factor comprised the application of cadmium chloride (CdCl2) along with a Hogland nutrient solution at three concentrations (0, 75, and 150 µM). TResults: The results of the study indicated that increasing cadmium concentration led to a reduction in plant height, leaf area, dry weight of shoots and roots, stomatal conductance, and chlorophyll content. Conversely, the increase in cadmium concentration resulted in elevated levels of electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde, and proline. Additionally, inoculation of plants with Pseudomonas aeruginosa significantly mitigated the effects of stress in stressed plants and enhanced growth parameters in non-stressed plants. https://iuvs.ilam.ac.ir/article_732511.html Introduction: Salicornia is a genus of annual herbaceous halophytes belonging to the Amaranthaceae family. It is recognized as a significant genetic resource for its high tolerance to various environmental stresses, particularly salinity. For a long time, researchers globally have focused on this plant for its potential to produce edible oil, forage, seed meal, and leafy vegetables. Of the 25 to 30 known Salicornia species worldwide, seven are recorded in Iran's flora. The distribution of these species in Iran is directly related to their ecological requirements. Drought-tolerant species are primarily found in central Iran, while Salicornia persica, adapted to marshy and extremely high-salinity conditions, is distributed across the southern and central regions of the country. Interestingly, despite their ability to thrive in highly saline environments, the germination of Salicornia seeds is severely inhibited by high salt concentrations. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the response of three native S. persica ecotypes to various levels of sodium chloride-induced salinity stress during the germination stage. Materials and methods: The present study was conducted to determine the salinity tolerance threshold of three S. persica ecotypes during the germination stage. The experiment was designed as a factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design with three replicates. The experimental treatments included eight salinity levels: a control with distilled water and levels of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 dS m-1, prepared using sodium chloride from Merck, Germany. Three ecotypes of S. persica, namely, Central Plateau, Urmia, and Bushehr, sourced from the National Salt Research Center of Iran, were also used. The research was carried out at the Seed Technology Laboratory of the Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz. Results and discussion: The results revealed that increasing salinity significantly affected the vital indices of germination and early seedling growth. In the Bushehr ecotype, the germination percentage dropped from 100% in the control to just 6% at a salinity of 70 dS m-1. Similarly, the decline was substantial for both the Urmia and Central Plateau ecotypes. Among all ecotypes, the Central Plateau demonstrated the highest tolerance to salinity. Furthermore, the estimation of the salinity tolerance threshold using a 3-parameter logistic model predicted the 50% reduction threshold for germination percentage to be 47.73, 43.95, and 37.67 dS m-1 for the Central Plateau, Urmia, and Bushehr ecotypes, respectively. Correspondingly, the 50% reduction threshold for the seed vigor index was calculated as 38.75, 29.78, and 22.90 dS m-1 for the same ecotypes. These findings clearly indicate that the seed vigor index is more sensitive to salinity stress than the germination percentage. Conclusions: The findings of this study generally revealed that native ecotypes of S. persica possess significant genetic differences in their tolerance to salinity stress during the germination phase. At high salinity levels, key indicators such as germination percentage, germination rate, and particularly the seed vigor index, were severely impacted and showed a substantial decline. A comparison of the three examined ecotypes showed that the Central Plateau ecotype was the most salt-tolerant, exhibiting the highest tolerance threshold and the smallest reduction in germination indices. This superiority was evident not only under stress conditions but also in the absence of salinity. The use of a 3-parameter logistic model to estimate the critical 50% reduction threshold for both germination and seed vigor further validated this observation. Given the remarkable adaptability of the Central Plateau ecotype to saline environments, we recommend its use as a superior genetic resource for breeding programs and for expanding its cultivation in saline lands and coastal areas. This would enable the sustainable production of forage, edible oil, and other by-products in regions with limited access to freshwater.