Abstract: The antioxidant properties and total phenols’ content of 80% methanol, acetone and water extracts of olive leaves procured through Microwave Assisted Extraction (MAE) were examined . Two varieties of olive namely: Cronaiky and Roghani were the ones studied. Various experimental models were employed for antioxidant activity evaluation of the extracts. The results revealed the highest phenolic content (230.50 mg tannic acid equivalent g -1 extract) and the lowest IC 50 in DPPH (86.81 µg ml -1 of extract), reducing power (166.45 µg ml -1 extract) and total antioxidant capacity (128.32 µg ml -1 of extract) indices were attributed to the methanol extract of Cronaiky variety. The efficacy of the extracts at three experimental levels (200, 500, 1,000 ppm) in blocking the oxidation process was investigated using peroxide value and thiobarbituric acid index for sunflower oil during its heating at 70°C (oven test method). The lowest peroxide value and thiobarbituric acid index was observed for the methanol extract of Cronaiky at its 1,000 ppm concentration. This extract was competitively comparable with BHA and BHT at either of the tested levels (100, 200 ppm). Thus, methanol extract of Cronaiky olive variety can be employed in place of synthetic antioxidants to establish oxidation stability in edible oils.

Abstract: This study was conducted to determine the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomus mosseae and Glomus intraradices ) symbiosis on mineral uptake of two pistachio cultivars (Pistacia vera cv . Qazvini and Pistacia vera cv . Badami-Riz - Zarand) grown in the greenhouse under different drought stress levels. Drought stress (DS) reduced the mycorrhizal colonization in both cultivars as well as nutrient uptake. The mycorrhizal plants had higher P, K, Zn and Mn concentrations than non - mycorrhizal plants regardless of soil moisture conditions while Cu and Fe concentrations were unchanged . Distribution of elements was affected by AMF treatments where all except P were accumulated more in leaves than in roots. Contrastingly, under drought conditions, the absorbed elements tended to remain in root tissue. In the case of P and Mn uptake, Qazvini was superior in comparison with Badami. In conclusion, it is suggested that AMF inoculation improves drought tolerance of pistachio cultivars at least in part through the enhanced uptake of slowly diffusing mineral ions such as PO 4 2 and Zn 2 + . Moreover,

Abstract: An experiment was conducted at Assossa Agricultural Research Center (AARC) station during 2008 cropping season in order to study the effects of co-inoculation of Bradyrhizobium japonicum (TAL-378 and TAL-379) and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) ( Pseudomonas spp. ), and conventional farmers’ fertilizer level (combined and individual application of 46N kg ha -1 and 46 P2O5 kg ha -1 ) on nodulation, seed yield and yield components of soybean ( Glycine max L. (Merr.)). Analyses of variance indicated that most of the parameters measured were significantly (P>0.05) affected by the treatments. Accordingly, dual inoculation with TAL-378 and PSB significantly increased plant height at harvest, number of nodules per plant, nodule volume per plant, nodule fresh weight per plant, and shoot height at late flowering and early pod setting compared to the other treatments. Similarly, co-inoculation with TAL-378 and PSB, and dual fertilization of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizers significantly increased number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod per plant and seed yield ha -1 compared to the other treatments. Analysis of plant tissue also indicated that dual inoculation of TAL-379 and PSB yielded the highest total N whereas the lowest was recorded for the negative control. Likewise, dual inoculation with TAL-378 and PSB and the positive control gave the highest plant P compared to all other treatments. The data revealed that, there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in days required for emergence, flower bearing and maturity, number of seeds per pod, 300 seeds weight and root length among the investigated treatments. Thus, the dual inoculation of TAL-378 and PSB is recommended to achieve maximum seed yield of soybean in Assossa area.

Abstract: Two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), is one of the most injurious pests of fruits, vegetables and ornamental plants worldwide, both outdoor and indoors. Currently the main method of control of this pest is through application of pesticides which is mostly accompanied by the resistance of the pest against pesticide(s). The resurgence of resistant mite populations brings about further contamination of foodstuff and environment. Essential oils obtained from the aerial parts of plants may have the potential to be an alternative to synthetic pesticides, since they have been demonstrated to posses a wide range of bioactivities against insects and mites. So, the aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of essential oils extracted from three different medicinal plants namely: Mentha longifolia , Salvia officialis (both Lamiaceae) and Myrtus communis (Myrtaceae) against T. urticae . The LC 50 values of essential oils of M. longifolia , M. communis , and S. officialis against T. urticae were 20.08, 53.22, 60.93 µl L -1 air, respectively. This shows that M. longifolia possesses the highest lethal activity whereas S. officialis the lowest. Also, essential oils of M. longifolia , M. communis , and S. officialis were demonstrated to possess repellency effect with ED 50 s of 147.47, 138.80 and 164.41, µl L -1 air, respectively. These data suggest that essential oils of all the three plants have the potential to be employed in the pest management programs designed for a control of T. urticae under greenhouse conditions.

Abstract: An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of using different levels of Ginger rhizome powder (GRP) and Turmeric rhizome powder (TRP) on production performance and some blood metabolites in laying hens. Ninety 103-week old laying hens were divided into 5 treatments in a completely randomized design with 3 replicates and 6 birds in each cage. The birds were fed a corn-soybean meal based diet containing different concentrations of GRP (1 and 3%) and TRP (1 and 3%) and control (0 %). During 9 weeks of experimental period, the data of production parameters were collected. Some blood serum metabolites including, total cholesterol, glucose, uric acid, Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Calcium (Ca) and Phosphorous (P) were measured. Results indicated that the inclusion of GRP into the diets increased egg production percent, egg mass, feed intake whereas it decreased serum total cholesterol, AST and ALT significantly (P 0.05) implied the non-toxic effect of GRP and TRP treatments on hepatic and renal tissues. As a result of this study, supplementation with ginger (GRP3%) might have some positive effects on production performance and some blood metabolites of the laying hens.

Abstract: Microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (MAHD) at three levels of microwave power (180, 360, and 540 W) and the traditional hydrodistillation (HD) were applied to obtain essential oils from Bunium persicum Boiss. (Black Zira). MAHD at 540 W started much earlier than that of HD (4 min vs. 38 min, respectively). By the time the extraction of essential oils started with HD, almost 50% of the total essential oils (2.15%, w/w yield) had been extracted with MAHD at 540 W. Analysis of the essential oils using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry showed that �-terpinene (28.16-31.13%, w/w), cuminaldehyde (24.85-29.20%), �-cymene (14.67-16.50%) and limonene (6.13-8.28%) were their main constituents, with a similar composition both after HD and MAHD extraction. The antioxidant activity (reported as IC50) of essential oil extracted by HD was 9.31 mg ml -1 and those of MAHD at 180, 360, and 540 W were 8.62, 8.79, and 6.45 mg ml 1 , respectively. Microwave irradiation did not cause any adverse effect on the antioxidant activities of the extracted essential oils, therefore, it can be used as a good alternative method to obtain essential oils from B. persicum.

Abstract: Chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflorum (Ramat.) Kitamura cv. Pattriot) is one of the most important and marketable cut flowers in the world. However, a relatively limited vase life reduces its marketability. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of salicylic acid (SA) and citric acid (CA) in extending the vase life of chrysanthemum flowers. Therefore, a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with SA at (0, 100, 200, 300 ppm) and CA at (0, 100, 200 ppm) with 3 replicates and 3 samples (individual flowers) for each replicate, was conducted. Applying SA and CA increased vase life, petal water content (%), initial fresh weight (%) and marketability, significantly. SA treatments increased leaf relative water content (RWC), petal water content (%) and initial fresh weight (%) by 49, 73 and 23 %, compared to the controls, respectively. The highest vase life (21.77 days) was observed for the treatments of SA (300 ppm). The significant increase (300%) in vase life is considered to be due to plant regulating and anti-stress properties of SA and CA. According to the results of this experiment, SA and CA as natural, cheap, safe and biodegradable compounds are suitable alternatives for conventional chemical treatments in order to prolong vase life of cut flowers of chrysanthemum. Commercialization of these compounds for optimum formulations needs further experiments.

Abstract: This study was carried out to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antifungal efficacy of essential oil and extracts derived from the flower and leaves of Magnolia liliflora , respectively, against plant pathogenic fungi. The oil (750 µg disc -1 ) and various leaf extracts such as hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol (1,500 µg disc -1 ) revealed promising antifungal effects against Botrytis cinerea KACC 40573, Colletotrichum capsici KACC 40978 , Fusarium oxysporum KACC 41083 , Fusarium solani KACC 41092 , Phytophthora capsici KACC 40157, Rhizoctonia solani KACC 40111 and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum KACC 41065 as radial growth inhibition percentages of 38 to 65.6% and 7.6 to 57.3%, respectively along with their respective MIC and MFC values ranging from (125 to 500 and 125 to 100 µg mL -1 ) and (500 to 4,000 and 500 to 8,000 µg mL -1 ). The oil had a strong detrimental effect on spore germination of all tested plant pathogens as well as concentration and time-dependent kinetic inhibition of P. capsici KACC40157. Also the oil displayed potent in vivo antifungal effect against one of the selected plant pathogens P. capsici KACC 40157 on greenhouse-grown pepper plants. The results of this study indicate that the flower oil and leaf extracts of M. liliflora could be used as natural alternatives to synthetic fungicides to control the in vitro and in vivo growth of certain important plant pathogenic fungi.

Abstract: To study the effects of soil amendments on physical and hydraulic properties of a saline-sodic sandy clay loam soil, a field experiment was carried out as a complete block design with three replications. The treatments in this research consisted of control (B), 10 ton ha -1 gypsum (G), 10 ton ha -1 urban solid compost (C), three levels of vinyl alcohol acrylic acid (S 1= 0.05%, S2= 0.1%, S3= 0.2%), CS 1, CS 2, CS 3, GS 1, GS 2, GS 3CGS 1, CGS 2, and CGS 3. Four months after applying the treatments, water contents were measured at 9 pressure heads for each treatment and data obtained were fitted to Van Genuchten equation. The parameters of this equation (i.e. �s, �r, �, and n) were determined by the least square error method. Also some physical properties including bulk density (Bd), mean weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates, plant available water content (PAWC), and the slope of water retention curve at inflection point (S index) were measured. The results showed that all treatments increased saturated water content ( �s) significantly (P< 0.05) compared with the control (B). A similar trend was observed for residual water content ( �r). The highest and lowest

Abstract: Development of an autonomous weeding machine requires a vision system capable of detecting and locating the position of the crop. It is important for the vision system to be able to recognize the accurate position of the crop stem to be protected during weeding. Several shape features of corn plants and common weed species in the location were extracted by means of morphological operations. Effective features in the classification of corn and weeds were analyzed using stepwise discriminant analysis. Among the seven features used in the analysis, four were sufficient to classify the two target groups of weeds and corn. These shape features were fed to artificial neural networks to discriminate between the weeds and the main crop. 180 images consisting of corn plants and four species of common weeds were collected from normal conditions of the field. Results showed that this technique was able to distinguish corn plants with an accuracy of 100% while at most 4% of the weeds were incorrectly classified as corn. In the final stage, the position of the main crop was also approximated and its accuracy was measured with respect to the real position of the crop. The position of the crop is necessary for the weeding machine to root up all of the plants except the main crop. It was concluded that the high accuracy of this method is due to the significant difference between corn and weeds in the critical period of weeding in the region.

Abstract: Despite considerable effort in developing climate information and demonstrating the potential benefits available to farmers, use of the climate information by farmers in farming decisions has not changed. The present research employed the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) as a theoretical framework to analyze the antecedents of agricultural climate information use behaviour. Fars Province wheat growers (n= 314) were administered a questionnaire survey that measured standard TPB constructs. The data and hypotheses were examined using structural equation modeling (SEM) by AMOS 7. Results from the maximum likelihood estimation showed that attitude was positively related to farmers’ climate information use in farming decisions. Thus, greater attitude (instrumental and affective) toward use of information in farming decisions was associated with stronger intention to engage in behaviour. Chi-square tests and fit indices indicated good fit for the final structural models. The results of this study demonstrated that the modified theory of planned behaviour provided a significant improvement on the model fit by adding a direct causal path linking attitude to behaviour. Applicability of the theory of planned behavior for measuring levels of wheat growers’ climate forecast use and the implications for future research are discussed.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to assess the microbial contamination of Razavi Khorasan (Iran) hot red pepper. The natural occurrence of aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in those samples was also investigated. For this purpose, 36 samples of this kind of pepper were collected from a farm and sun-dried. Standard and established methods were used for both microbiological analyses and mycotoxins identification. Total aerobic mesophilic counts of samples varied from 10 2 to 4×10 6 cfu g -1 . Coliforms were present at high levels in all samples ranging from 1.9×10 2 to 3.52×10 6 cfu g -1 that may indicate inappropriate hygienic quality of samples. 42% of the samples were of unsatisfactory quality due to the presence of E. coli . In all samples examined, sulphite-reducing clostridia (SRC) was below detection limit and Salmonella spp. was not detected. Fungi were found in all of the collected samples. Mold and yeast were generally high ranging from 2.4×10 3 to 4.6×10 6 cfu g -1 and the most predominant fungal genera were Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp and Rhizopus spp. Considering the results obtained, the samples analyzed contain a high level of microorganisms and only two samples (6%) had acceptable levels for all microbial factors according to EU Commission Recommendation (directive2004/24/EC). 69% and 17% of samples were found contaminated with total aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, respectively, that might contribute to health hazards for humans. Overall, The Razavi Khorasan hot red pepper samples collected for this study were contaminated with microorganisms and mycotoxins, which suggests that hygiene practice pre- and postharvesting must be improved if the region is to exploit fully the potential for this valuable product.

Abstract: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the medicinal plant yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.), a probiotic (Primalac) and an antibiotic (virginiamycin) on gastrointestinal tract (GIT) characteristics, microbial populations, immune response, serum lipids and growth performance of broiler chickens. A total of 250 one-day old male broilers (Ross 308) were randomly allocated to 5 treatments, 5 replicates with 10 birds in each in a completely randomized design. Experimental treatments included the control, yarrow powder at two different concentrations (1.5 and 3% of diet), Primalac (0.1% of diet) and virginiamycin (15 ppm). The highest feed conversion ratio (FCR) was observed in the control while the lowest FCR was seen in the virginiamycin group at 42 days of age (P 0.05). Relative weights of breast and thigh were similar among all treatments (P> 0.05). Relative weights of bursa Fabricius, spleen and primary immune response (total titer, IgG and IgM) against sheep red blood cells (SRBC ) were not affected by treatments. The serum cholesterol, triglyceride as well as high and low density lipoprotein (LDL and HDL) levels were different among treatments (P< 0.05). The lowest concentrations of the mentioned parameters were obtained in the group supplemented with 3% of yarrow (P< 0.05). The highest and lowest antibody titers (secondary immune response) against SRBC were observed by the yarrow (3%) and antibiotic supplementations, respectively (P< 0.05). The highest lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts were detected in the crop, ileum and cecum of the Primalac group (P< 0.05). Inclusion of virginiamycin and yarrow (3%) caused a significant decrease in coliforms and total aerobic bacteria counts in crop, ileum and cecum (P< 0.05). The results of this study showed that the administration of yarrow (3%) can reduce the levels of serum lipids and boost the immune response in broilers. Moreover, it led to reduced pathogenic bacteria population in the GIT which could help to improve intestinal health and well being of poultry. It is proposed that yarrow can be used as an antibiotic alternative.

Abstract: Bacteria of the genus Azospirillum are well known as plant growth promoting rhizobacteria. The ability to synthesize phytohormones is considered one of the most important mechanisms to promote plant growth and is widely distributed among plantassociated rhizobacteria. The most important phytohormone produced by Azospirillum is the auxin indole-3-acetic acid, with the L-tryptophan as the precursor. In the present study, we evaluate the capacity of eight Azospirillum strains isolated from rice and wheat, to produce in vitro auxins using plant exudates. Our results show that isolates produced auxins in tryptophan free media, but, generally, the amount produced increased when the tryptophan concentration increased. Some plants root exudates had a similar effect to tryptophan for the auxin production. In this sense, bean, rice and canola root extracts produced, respectively, 93.3%, 96.2%, and 88.31% more auxin than L-tryptophan. Azospirillum sp. isolate A 3 had the maximal capacity to produce auxin. Therefore, the effect of cell free supernatant was studied on rice root development. Statistical analysis did not show any significant difference between root number and dry weight of the treated and control seedlings. However, significant differences were observed in root length and wet weight at �=0.01 and �=0.05, respectively.

Abstract: In this paper, the performance evaluation of a two-way hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) solar collector was analytically and experimentally carried out. Mathematical expressions for operating parameters in glass to glass and glass to tedlar PV/T solar collectors were developed and experimentally validated by a glass to tedlar PV/T solar collector system. Also the influence of air flow rate on the solar collector performance was investigated. The results showed that the glass to glass PV/T solar collector gave higher outlet air temperature, cell temperature and thermal efficiency than the glass to tedlar PV/T solar collector. However, back surface temperature and electrical efficiency were higher in case of glass to tedlar collector. Increasing the air flow rate led to a lower outlet air temperature and a higher electrical efficiency of the photovoltaic module. Maximum experimental electrical efficiency, thermal efficiency and overall thermal efficiency for the glass to tedlar PV module were found to be 10.35, 57.9 and 84.5%, respectively.

Abstract: Organic farming as an approach to sustainable agriculture tries to decrease environmental problems and possible health hazards caused by the residues from pesticides. Since the agricultural professionals are responsible to inform the farmers and the public by education and extension efforts, it is necessary to understand their attitudes. The main purpose of this research was to investigate factors influencing agricultural professionals’ attitudes towards organic farming. We used a survey research by questionnaire in Fars province (a southern province in Iran) to collect data from 138 agricultural professionals in autumn 2007. Major independent variables in the study were knowledge of organic farming, general attitude towards the environment, social norm about organic farming, moral norm about organic farming, nutrient attitude, health attitude, perceived transitional difficulty and negative attitude towards conventional agriculture. The findings showed that negative attitude towards conventional agriculture, general attitude towards the environment, perceived transitional difficulty and moral norm had significant and direct effects on attitude towards organic farming. Negative attitude towards conventional agriculture had the most direct effect. As it was expected, the perceived transitional difficulty had a negative effect on attitude towards organic farming.

Abstract: Genotype×environment interactions (GEIs) can affect breeding programs because they often complicate the evaluation and selection of superior genotypes. This drawback can be reduced by gaining insights into GEI processes and genotype adaptation. The objectives of this research were to evaluate: (1) the yield stability of promising wheat lines across locations and (2) the relationship among the test environments for selecting superior lines within the cold climate mega-environments of Iran. A total of 35 wheat promising lines were grown at 7 locations during the 2008-2009 cropping season. Combined analysis of variance showed that the environment (E) accounted for 75.7% of the model sum of squares. The magnitude of the GEI sum of squares was about three times larger than that for genotypes. To determine the effects of GEI on yields, the data were subjected to the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) and genotype+(genotype×environment) interaction (GGE) biplot analysis. The AMMI1 model was found to explain up to 88% of the main and interaction effects. According to the AMMI1 and GGE biplots, the lines G5 and G4 were found to produce high and stable yields across environments. There were three mega-environments (Euromieh and Ardebil as mega-environment I, Mashhad, Arak, Hamedan and Jolgerokh as mega-environment II, and Karaj as mega-environment III) according to the site regression genotype (SREG) GGE model. Application of AMMI and GGE biplots facilitated visual comparison and identification of superior genotypes for each target set of environments.

Abstract: Prangos ferulacea (Apiaceae) is a perennial herb with a distribution from East Europe to Middle East and Central Asia. The plant’s leaves are used as animal fodder. Its fruits and roots possess biological traits that provide it with the potential to be used for medicinal purposes. The essential oils obtained through hydrodistillation from aerial parts of Prangos ferulacea at the vegetative and flowering stages were analyzed through GC and GC-MS. Thirty-one vs. seven compounds were identified in the vegetative and flowering stages’ oils, respectively. While the essential oil of aerial parts at vegetative stage was dominated by �- pinene (57%), the oil at flowering stage was characterized by (E)-anethol (95.5%). The latter exhibited significant phytotoxic and fungitoxic effects in lettuce and against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum , respectively.

Abstract: Drought is an important abiotic stress limiting plant performance. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is enhanced under stresses. Two greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of phytohormones on the changes of antioxidant enzymes and carotenoids in petals of pot marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) under drought stress. Results showed that the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1) and catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6) increased 47 and 73%, respectively, in petals under water deficit conditions compared with the control plants. Spraying with gibberellic acid (GA 3) and benzyl amino purine (BAP) alleviated drought effects, but application of abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA), salicylic acid (SA) and brassinolid (BR) induced the activity of these enzymes. In the case of peroxidase (POD, EC 1.11.1.7), GA 3 enhanced the enzyme activity unlike the other enzymes and the rest of the phytohormones had no significant effect on POD activity under either stressed or nonstressed condition. Concentration of carotenoids was affected by drought and hormone treatments. Concentration of carotenoids increased under water deficit but, GA 3, BAP and JA had inhibitory effects on lycopene and carotene synthesis, while the rest of the hormones increased them. Spraying with GA 3 increased luteoxanthin concentration in petals by 35 and 20% in comparison with the non-stressed and stressed environments, respectively. The decrease in POD activity under stress suggests that other mechanisms might be involved for ROS scavenging in petals of pot marigold.

Abstract: This study was conducted to determine a relationship between energy input and yield in greenhouse basil production in Esfahan Province, Iran. Data were collected from 26 greenhouse basil producers through a face-to-face questionnaire. The data collected belonged to the production period of 2009–2010 with the following results obtained. A total energy input of 236,057 MJ ha -1 was estimated to be required for basil production. The share of electricity (75.68% of the total energy input) was the highest form of energy required. The expense was followed by plastic cover (9.69%) and chemical fertilizer spending (7.28%), respectively. The energy ratio, productivity, specific, and net energies were found out as 0.25, 0.11 kg MJ -1 , 9 MJ kg -1 and -177377 MJ ha -1 , respectively. A determination of the efficient allocation of energy resources was modeled through Cobb– Douglas production function. The results of econometric model estimation revealed that the impact of energies spent in the form of human labour and plastic coverings on yield was significantly positive at 1% level. Sensitivity analysis of the energy inputs revealed that the marginal physical productivity (MPP) value related to human labour was estimated as the highest.

Abstract: The research was conducted in order to determine the bending stress, Young’s modulus, shearing stress, and shearing energy of safflower stalk as a function of moisture content and stalk region. The bending forces were measured at different moisture contents and the bending stress and the Young’s modulus were calculated from these data. For measuring the shear forces, the stalk specimens were severed by using a computer aided cutting apparatus. The shear energy was calculated by using the area under the shear force versus displacement curve. The experiments were conducted at four moisture contents (8.61, 16.37, 25.26, and 37.16% wb) and at three stalk regions (bottom, middle, and top). Based on the results obtained, the bending stress decreased as the moisture content increased. The value of the bending stress obtained at the lowest moisture content was approximately 2 times higher than that of the highest moisture content. Bending stress values also decreased from top to the bottom of stalks. The average bending stress value varied from 21.98 to 59.19 MPa. The Young’s modulus in bending also decreased as the moisture content and diameter of stalks increased. The average Young's modulus varied between 0.86 and 3.33 GPa. The shear stress and the shear energy increased with increasing moisture content. Values of the shear stress and energy also increased from top to the bottom of stalks due to the structural heterogeneity. The maximum shear stress and shear energy were found to be 11.04 MPa and 938.33 mJ, respectively, both occurring at the bottom region with the moisture content of 37.16%.

Abstract: Wheat germ, a highly nutritive part of wheat kernels, is separated during milling as a by-product. In this study, wheat germ was used to supplement cakes. Different levels of the germ (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%) at different particles sizes (280, 585, 890 and 1,195 µm) were added to a cake recipe. The results showed that with increasing the germ level and particle size, batter consistency and density of the cakes increased significantly, while the height of the cakes decreased. With increasing the germ level and its particle size, the crumb became slightly yellow while the crust color and the textural parameters (TPA test) remained unaffected. Determination of the sensory attributes of the samples showed that the particle size was negatively correlated with the crumb color and texture of the cakes, while other sensory parameters remained unaffected. In general, 15% of germ was the highest level and 280 µm was the most suitable particle size (as recognized by the panelists) for the production of an appropriate germ cake.

Abstract: In the present study, an attempt has been made to use Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) for assessing the technical efficiency and return-to-scale for greenhouse cucumber production in Iran. For this purpose, the data from greenhouses in Esfahan province, during one period of plant cultivation in one year including spring plants were randomly collected. The results indicated that total input energy, total output energy and energy ratio were 436,824 MJ ha -1 , 128,532 MJ ha -1 and 0.29, respectively. DEA can be used to optimize the performance of any cucumber greenhouse. Based on input-oriented CRS and VRS models of DEA , the average values of pure technical efficiency, technical efficiency and scale efficiency were found to be 0.95, 0.83 and 0.88, respectively. Also the results revealed that, on average, about 30.27% of the total input energy could be saved without reducing the cucumber yield from its present level by adopting the recommendations based on the present study.

Abstract: Changes in dietary electrolyte balance influence the metabolic fate of protein and many amino acids. Furthermore, acid-base condition is achieved in part by the alteration of dietary amino acids pattern and quantity. Therefore, a trial was conducted in a completely randomized design to evaluate performance, carcass characteristics, plasma electrolyte and uric acid concentrations of 19 and 28-day-old male broilers fed three experimental diets in which CP was decreased in a stepwise manner from 21 to 18%. Ileal digestible quantities of all EAA were almost equal in the diets, and the total amount of each EAA was maintained at or above NRC 1994 requirements. Decreasing dietary CP did not affect performance and appetite but increased fat deposition in the whole body and abdominal cavity, significantly. High crude protein fed chickens generally produced breast, thighs and total carcasses that were lower in fat. Reducing dietary CP increased the concentrations of main plasma electrolytes including ionized forms of the electrolytes (Na + , K + , Cl - ) but its influence on Ca ++ and HCO 3 - ions was not significant. On the other hand, plasma uric acid concentration was reduced in parallel with crude protein reduction. Therefore, although reduction of CP to 18% does not impair the performance of broiler chickens, deficiency in uric acid production in low CP diets may lead to blood electrolyte imbalance.

Abstract: efficiency (WUE). Irrigation management treatments were fresh (0.86 dS m -1 ) and saline waters (3.6 dS m -1 ), surface and subsurface irrigation methods, 2, 4, and 6 L h -1 irrigation rates applied at the same irrigation duration and interval, and clay deposit, organic matter, and control amendment treatments. The results showed that differences among treatments were highly significant (P< 0.05) for tomato yield and WUE. The interactions between water quality and the other three factors were highly significant (P< 0.05). Applying fresh water and clay deposit amendments in sandy soil under subsurface drip irrigation at 2 L h -1 flow rate irrigation, water saving occurred due to improving soil water distribution in root zone. On the other hand, fresh application of saline water and clay deposit or organic matter amendments in sandy soil under subsurface drip irrigation method at 6 L h -1 flow rate, reduced both high cost of water desalinization and deleterious effect of saline water. Therefore, this management practice is recommended for greenhouse tomato production.

Abstract: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1) on performance and egg quality in broiler breeders and the abatement of its deteriorative effect through its counteraction with Herbal Mycotoxin Binder (HMB). Thirty-six, 28-wkold broiler breeder hens were allotted to one of the three treatments of: (1) basal diet (control), (2) control plus 500 µg kg -1 AFB 1 and (3) control diet plus 500 µg kg -1 AFB 1+0.2% HMB for three periods, each of a duration of three weeks and when from 28 to 36 weeks of age. Results revealed that 500 µg kg -1 AFB 1 significantly (P< 0.05) reduced feed consumption, feed efficiency, egg production as well as egg weight. Supplementation of HMB partially restored feed consumption and egg production alleviating some side effects of AFB 1.

Abstract: The effects of Aflatoxin (AF) (0.0 and 0.5m g kg -1 ) and High Grade Sodium Bentonite (HGSB) (5, 7.5 and 10 g kg -1 ) were tested in an in vivo study including 8 dietary treatments with three replicates of 14 birds per diet per replicate, using a total of 336 broiler chicks up to five weeks. Results showed that chicks receiving AF contaminated feed had significantly (P � 0.05) suppressed body weight gain, which improved significantly (P � 0.05) with addition of HGSB to AF contaminated diet. Supplementation of HGSB at 7.5 and 10 g kg -1 to the diets containing AF significantly (P � 0.05) improved feed consumption by 9.97 and 9.15 g kg -1 , respectively, compared to the control group. Efficiency of feed utilization decreased significantly (P � 0.05) with addition of 0.5 mg kg -1 AF and improved significantly (P � 0.05) in HGSB treated group. The relative weights of liver and kidney, which increased significantly (P � 0.05) with addition of 0.5 mg kg -1 AF (19.56 and 18.38 g kg -1 ) compared to control group, were improved with dietary inclusion of 7.5 and 10 g kg -1 HGSB. Relative weights of gizzard and pancreas were not affected in AF fed and the control groups. The relative thymus and bursal weights were significantly (P � 0.05) lower at inclusion of 0.5 mg kg -1 of AF (38.99 and 31.36%) compared to the control group, but were not altered by supplementation of HGSB. The serum antibody titers against Newcastle disease (ND) and Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD) vaccination, which were significantly (P � 0.05) depressed by AF, were restored with the inclusion of 7.5 and 10 g kg -1 HGSB. The serum concentration of uric acid and albumin in comparison with control group were not affected by treatment groups. The activity of serum gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) significantly (P � 0.05) increased in AF fed group and the addition of HGSB did not show significant reduction in the activity of serum GGT (P � 0.05). Activity of serum alanine amino transferase (ALT) was not affected by the treatment groups. It was found that HGSB at 10 g kg -1 level is partially effective in counteracting the adverse effects of aflatoxin in broilers.

Abstract: In recent years, changes in catchments water balance due to land use management have become the main concern of water resources authorities in Iran. Due to rapid population growth and land use changes, especially construction of Taleghan dam, Taleghan catchment has undergone rapid changes such as urban development, declining of rangelands, and deterioration of environment and erosion of soil resources by cultivating the hilly lands along the slopes for wheat or barely production. The extent of rangeland area shrinkage is substantial: from 83% during the early stages of dam construction down to 35% by the end of the study period. The ‘good’ rangeland area decreased to 5.90% from 34.49% while the poor rangeland increased from 19.04 to 23.35% during the period of 1987 to 2007. These changes could potentially have devastating impacts on water balance of the catchment. The main objective of this research was to examine the effects of land use changes on water balance of the Taleghan catchment before and after the dam construction. The Soil and Water Assessment Tools (SWAT) model was applied for predicting water balance in the middle and outlet of the catchment. The main input data for simulation of SWAT are Digital Elevation Model (DEM), soil type, soil properties, and hydro-climatological data. Comparing the water balance for 1987's land use for the middle station (Joestan) and the outlet station (Galinak) showed that surface runoff was 21% of the precipitation for the upper part of the catchment and 33% at the outlet. Total groundwater and lateral flows were 37 and 19%, respectively. The water balance at the outlet was predicted for two other scenarios of 2001 and 2007. The results showed 7.3% increase in surface runoff and 11.3 and 11% decrease in the lateral flow and groundwater flow, respectively. These results indicated progressive increase in surface runoff and decline in interflow and groundwater flow.Therefore, one of the main challenges facing development planners is the control of the accelerated degradation of the natural resources that has been taking place during the last decade.

Abstract: Kenya realised tremendous growth in maize production between 1964 and 1997, fueled by the introduction of high yielding hybrid maize. However, from 1997, there has been a decline in yield from 1.85 to 1.57 metric tones per hectare with observed supply shortages occasionally. Maize shortages result in famine among the poor urban and rural households. Since almost all the arable land is under cultivation, future increase in maize production will heavily depend on technical efficiency and yield improvement rather than expansion in area under production. The main objective of this study was to determine the technical efficiency of smallholder maize production in Kenya. The stochastic frontier model was used as the method of analysis to estimate several production function forms using cross-sectional household data for the 2003/2004 main cropping season. Variations in technical efficiency index across smallholder farm units were explained through a number of socio-economic, farm characteristic and Agro-Ecological Zone variables. The results of the translog functional form revealed that the technical efficiency index across smallholder farm units ranged from 8 to 98 percent. Purchased hybrid seeds, use of tractors for land preparation, number of school years of household head, male headed households, age of household head, access to credit and high potential zone dummy variables had a negative sign, and therefore decreased technical inefficiency (increased technical efficiency). Calculations of marginal effects showed that purchased inputs and primary education had the highest improvement of technical efficiency i.e. hybrid seed (36%), tractor services (26%) and an extra year of household head primary schooling (0.84%). It is therefore concluded that improvement of maize input markets together with an emphasis on primary school education would enhance maize productivity. Thus, if hybrid seeds, tractor services and agricultural credit are made available and affordable to farmers technical efficiency would increase.