ABSTRACT In order to evaluate the effect of irrigation intervals and cattle manure levels on morphological traits, essential oil content and yield of oregano, an experiment was conducted at the experimental Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Iran. The experimental design was split-plots, arranged in randomized complete blocks with three replications. Main plots including irrigation intervals (1, 2 and 3 weeks) and four levels of cattle manure at 0, 10, 20 and 30 t ha-1 were allocated to sub plots. Our results showed that increasing irrigation intervals reduced values of all morphological traits except for proportion of stems. Also, values for stems number, plant spread, stem diameter, leaf area, fresh and dry herb yield increased by increasing cattle manure levels. On the other hand, morphological traits not influenced by interaction of treatments except for plant spread and leaf area. The highest essential oil content (2.07%) and yield (66.62 kg ha-1) obtained in highest irrigation intervals and cattle manure levels. Whereas, 1 week irrigation interval without use of cattle manure produce lowest essential oil content (1.55%). For essential oil yield, the lowest value (46.37 kg ha-1) was found in 2 weeks irrigation interval with application of 20 t ha-1 cattle manure.

O experimento foi conduzido na Universidade de Urmia para avaliar a diversidade genética em populações iranianas de Ajowan, baseada em características agro-morfológicas. Dez populações, coletadas em diferentes regiões, foram avaliadas num delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com oito a dez repetições. Foram avaliadas várias características agro-morfológicas, como o diâmetro do caule, altura da planta, número de ramos, número de folhas e folíolos, número de umbelas, número de umbelas em uma inflorescência, número de flores por umbelas e inflorescência, comprimento da folha, média distância internodal, peso seco da parte aérea, peso de cem sementes, número de sementes, rendimento biológico, rendimento por planta única, duração do período de maturação e índice de colheita,. Entre as características estudadas, um coeficiente de variação alto foi observado para o número de sementes (197,58), rendimento por planta única (57,56) e peso seco da parte aérea (56,28). As herdabilidades de sentido amplo, para todas as características estudadas, foram de moderadas a altas, e variaram de 0,41a 91%, com excepção do número de ramos e das características de comprimento e período de maturação, que teve baixa herdabilidade de sentido amplo. A análise de agrupamento, utilizando o método de Ward, classificou as dez populações de Ajowan em quatro grupos. A análise do componente principal, usando 18 características agro-morfológicas indicou que os primeiros dois componentes principais (PCs), com valores próprios de mais que um, representaram 74,5% da variância total. Os resultados da PCA foram consistentes com os da análise de agrupamento. O presente estudo demonstra que as populações Ajowan do Irã apresentaram uma diversidade de características agro-morfológicas considerável, e que são úteis no manejo de germoplasma e em programas de melhoramento.

The experiment was conducted at Urmia University, to assess genetic diversity in populations of Iranian Ajwain based on agronomical and morphological characteristics. Ten populations, collected from different regions, were evaluated in a completely randomised design with eight to ten replications. Various agronomical and morphological characteristics were measured, including stem diameter, plant height, number of branches, number of leaves and leaflets, number of umbels, number of umbellules per inflorescence, number of flowers per umbellule with inflorescence, leaf length, average internodal distance, shoot dry matter, one hundred seed weight, number of seeds, biological production, single plant yield, length of ripening period and harvest index. Among the characteristics studied, a high coefficient of variation was observed for the number of seeds (197.58), single plant yield (57.56) and shoot dry matter (56.28). Broad-sense heritability for all of the characteristics studied was moderate to high, and varied from 0.41 to 91% with the exception of the number of branches, length and ripening period, which had low broad-sense heritability. Cluster analysis using Ward's method classified ten populations of Ajwain into four groups. Principal Component Analysis (PCA), using 18 agronomical and morphological characteristics, indicated that the first two principal components (PCs) with eigenvalues of more than one, accounted for 74.5% of the total variance. The results of the PCA were consistent with those of the cluster analysis. The present study demonstrates that populations of Ajwain from Iran displayed a considerable diversity of agronomical and morphological characteristics that are useful in germplasm management and for utilisation in improvement programs.

Iron and zinc deficiency are a yield-limiting factor with major implications for field crop production in many agricultural regions of the world; this production is essential source of Fe and Zn in human and animal diets. Two experiments were conducted under greenhouse conditions to evaluate Fe and Zn uptake by German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) grown under several drought conditions. Treatments were arranged in four irrigation regimes (95%, 80%, 65%, and 50% field capacity) and six irrigation disruptions (stem formation, flower onset, full bloom, first harvest, second harvest, and control without disruption) based on a randomized complete block design with five and four replicates in experiments 1 and 2, respectively. In Experiment 1, the irrigation regimes had no significant effect on Fe and Zn uptake by German chamomile, which reached total means of Fe (39.68 mg kg4) and Zn (29.15 mg kg4). In Experiment 2, the highest amount of Fe (39.0 mg kg4) was obtained from irrigation disruption at first harvest; this is similar to the results of irrigation disruption at flower onset and full bloom. However, irrigation disruption in stem formation (21.3 mg kg4), second harvest (12.95 mg kg4), and the control (7.79 mg kg4) had a decreasing trend of Fe uptake. The maximum value of Zn (40.0 mg kg4) occurred at irrigation disruption at the full bloom stage, which was also similar to irrigation disruption at flower onset and stem formation. However, later irrigation disruptions at the first and second harvest stages caused lower amounts of Zn uptake by chamomile. Therefore, the lowest Zn values were obtained from irrigation disruption at second harvest (5.0 mg kg4) and the control (5.5 mg kg4). Regressions between both Fe or Zn uptake and irrigation showed a binomial function.

La deficiencia de hierro y zinc es un factor limitante de la producción con grandes implicaciones para producción de cultivo en terreno en muchas regiones agrícolas del mundo como fuentes esenciales de Fe y Zn en dietas para humanos y animales. Para evaluar captación de Fe y Zn por manzanilla (Matricaria chamomilla L.) cultivada en varias condiciones de sequía, se realizaron dos experimentos bajo condiciones de invernadero. Los tratamientos fueron distribuidos en cuatro regímenes de riego (95, 80, 65, y 50% capacidad de campo) con cinco replicaciones y seis interrupciones del riego (formación de tallo, inicio de floración, floración completa, primera cosecha, segunda cosecha, y sin interrupción) con cuatro repeticiones basadas en diseno de bloques completos al azar en Experimentos 1 y 2, respectivamente. En Experimento 1, los regímenes de riego no tuvieron efecto significativo en captación de Fe y Zn por la manzanilla alcanzando una media total de Fe (39.68 mg kg-1) y Zn (29.15 mg kg-1). En Experimento 2, la más alta cantidad de Fe (39.0 mg kg-1) se obtuvo de interrupción de riego en primera cosecha, similar a los resultados de interrupción de riego en inicio de floración y floración completa. Pero, la interrupción del riego en formación de tallo (21.3 mg kg-1), segunda cosecha (12.95 mg kg-1) y control (7.79 mg kg-1) tuvo una tendencia a reducir la captación de Fe. El valor máximo de Zn (40.0 mg kg-1) se obtuvo de interrupción del riego en estado de floración completa, lo cual también fue similar a la interrupción en inicio de floración y formación de tallo. Sin embargo, interrupciones de riego posteriores, en primera y segunda cosechas redujeron la captación de Zn en manzanilla. Por lo tanto, los menores valores de Zn se obtuvieron con interrupción de riego en segunda cosecha (5.0 mg kg-1) y control (5.5 mg kg-1). Las regresiones entre captación de Fe o Zn y riego mostraron una función binominal.

O estudo das relações genéticas é um pré-requisito para atividades em reprodução de plantas assim como para conservação de recursos genéticos. Neste trabalho a diversidade genética entre 50 acessos de Manejericão Iraniano (Ocimum basilicum L.) foram determinadas usando marcadores de Seqüência Simples Repetida Interna (ISSR). Trinta e oito alelos foram identificados utilizando-se 12 locos ISSR. O número de alelos por lócus variou de 1 a 5 com uma média de 3,17. O máximo número de alelos foi observado em A7; 818; 825 e 849 locos, e seus tamanhos variaram de 300 a 2500 bp. Uma matriz de similaridade baseada no coeficiente de Jaccard para todas as 50 acessos obteve valores de 1,00-0,60. A máxima similaridade (1.00) foi observada nos acessos "Urmia" e "Shahr-e-Rey II" assim como entre os acessos "Urmia" e "Qazvin II". A menor similaridade (0,60) foi observada entre os acessos "Tuyserkan I" e "Gom II". O algoritmo de análise de agrupamentos foi o método da distância média usando a média aritmética (UPGMA) que classificou os acessos estudadas em três distintos grupos. Todos os acessos do manjericão com exceção de "Babol III", "Ahvaz II", "Yazd II" e "Ardebil I", foram localizadas nos grupos I e II. A cor da folha foi uma característica específica que influenciou o agrupamento dos acessos do Manjericão Iraniano. Devido a esta relação, os resultados da análise de coordenada principal (PCoA) aproximadamente corresponde à aquela obtida pela análise de agrupamentos. Os resultados revelam que a distribuição geográfica dos genótipos não pode ser usada como base para parentais cruzados com alta heterosis e, portanto devem ser conduzidos estudos genéticos para tais fins.

The study of genetic relationships is a prerequisite for plant breeding activities as well as for conservation of genetic resources. In the present study, genetic diversity among 50 Iranian basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) accessions was determined using inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Thirty-eight alleles were generated at 12 ISSR loci. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 1 to 5 with an average of 3.17. The maximum number of alleles was observed at the A7, 818, 825 and 849 loci, and their size ranged from 300 to 2500 bp. A similarity matrix based on Jaccard's coefficient for all 50 basil accessions gave values from 1.00-0.60. The maximum similarity (1.00) was observed between the "Urmia" and "Shahr-e-Rey II" accessions as well as between the "Urmia" and "Qazvin II" accessions. The lowest similarity (0.60) was observed between the "Tuyserkan I" and "Gom II" accessions. The unweighted pair- group method using arithmetique average UPGMA clustering algorithm classified the studied accessions into three distinct groups. All of the basil accessions, with the exception of "Babol III", "Ahvaz II", "Yazd II" and "Ardebil I", were placed in groups I and II. Leaf colour was a specific characteristic that influenced the clustering of Iranian basil accessions. Because of this relationship, the results of the principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) approximately corresponded to those obtained through cluster analysis. Our results revealed that the geographical distribution of genotypes could not be used as a basis for crossing parents to obtain high heterosis, and therefore, it must be carried out by genetic studies.