H. Dialami; J. Givi
Abstract
Abstract Introduction: This research aimed to evaluate the qualitative land suitability for irrigated cultivation of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L. cv Kabkab) using FAO (parametric -the second root formula) and Multi-criteria approaches. The FAO approach has been used by many scholars in different ...
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Abstract Introduction: This research aimed to evaluate the qualitative land suitability for irrigated cultivation of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L. cv Kabkab) using FAO (parametric -the second root formula) and Multi-criteria approaches. The FAO approach has been used by many scholars in different parts of the world and Iran for land suitability assessment. In this approach, the most commonly used method is the parametric method. The FAO approach uses Boolean logic to assess land suitability. This logic has been criticized by a number of land evaluation researchers. Because it does not take into account the continuous nature of the soil variations along the earth's surface and the uncertainty in the measurements. To overcome these shortcomings, the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) was presented to determine the land suitability classes. Land suitability should be determined based on a fuzzy analytical hierarchy process, in which, unlike the Boolean logic, unequal importance of different land characteristics and continuity of soil variations are considered. Materials and Methods: The studied area is located in Kheshet and Komaroj plain, Kazerun County, Fars province, southwestern- Iran; between latitudes 29º 32΄ and 29º 36΄ N and longitudes 51º 20΄ and 51º 22΄ E. Its surface area is 5000 ha. The mean annual rainfall and temperature are 377mm and 23 °C, respectively. The soil temperature and moisture regimes are hyperthermic and xeric, respectively. The physiographic unit is river alluvial plain with a very gently sloping. The entire Kabkab date palm plantation of Fars Province is located in this plain. To fulfill the objectives 10 date palm groves, each with an area of at least 0.5 ha and palm date (Kabkab cultivar) cultivation, aged between 20 and 25 years, identical in soil management and vary soil characteristics were selected. A soil profile was dug randomly in each date palm grove, with dimensions of 1.5 (length), 1(width) and 1.5 (depth) meters and described, using soil profile description (Soil Survey Staff). Soil samples were collected from each horizon. After pre-treatments soil samples were analyzed and some physical and chemical characteristics were measured using standard laboratory methods. The profile site was chosen to have a date palm tree in each of the four corners of the profile. The yield of the four trees in four corners of each profile was measured and their average yield was considered as the yield of the corresponding profile. Meteorological data was collected for a period of 10 year from the nearest synoptic station (Kazerun). Land indices were calculated, using soil and climatic data and FAO (parametric-second root formula) and fuzzy AHP and AHP methods. Weighted average of the climatic and the soil data were used and a land index was calculated for each soil profile. In the fuzzy AHP and AHP methods, relative weight of each of the studied criteria was determined by analytical hierarchy analysis using a pair wise comparison matrix. In the fuzzy AHP method the membership degree for each soil and climatic criteria was determined through an appropriate membership function and finally, land suitability class for each soil profile was determined. Landscape characteristics such as slope, drainage and soil depth were not considered in the land evaluation, because these characteristics did not show any limitation for the date production in the studied area. Finally the accuracy of the methods was compared. Results and Discussion: The results of qualitative land suitability evaluation based on FAO (parametric-second root formula) method showed that about 10 and 90 percent of the studied area were classified as S2 and S3, respectively. Based upon fuzzy AHP method, 100 percent of the studied area was classified as S2 and according to AHP method about 90 and 10 percent of the studied area were in S1 and S2, respectively. According to the results, the suitability classes resulted from AHP method was higher than of the fuzzy AHP and FAO methods. Correlation coefficients between the measured yields and the calculated land indexes showed that the fuzzy AHP method results was more correlated to the measured yield than of the other two methods which indicated that the fuzzy AHP was the most appropriate method for land suitability assessment for Kabkab Date palm plantation compared to the FAO (parametric-second root formula) and AHP methods. Conclusion: According to the results of this research, the fuzzy AHP was the most appropriate method for qualitative land suitability evaluation for Kabkab Date in compared to the other two methods in Fars province, Iran.
Z. Saeidi; M. Heshmati Rafsanjani; J. Sarhadi; M.H. Shamshiri
Abstract
Introduction: The date bunch fading disorder causes huge loss on farmers' incomes and damages to economy of date producing regions. Thus it is important to find a way for controlling the disorder or reducing its economic damages. It seems that the water losses of the tree under critical environmental ...
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Introduction: The date bunch fading disorder causes huge loss on farmers' incomes and damages to economy of date producing regions. Thus it is important to find a way for controlling the disorder or reducing its economic damages. It seems that the water losses of the tree under critical environmental conditions, such as high temperature and very low air relative humidity, cause date bunch fading disorder especially when is accompanied by regional warm wind. According to the scientific literatures, the use of different covers on bunches, high-frequency irrigation, foliar application of mineral nutrients and anti-transpiring substances, and soil mineral fertilization can affect date palm bunch fading disorder. Superabsorbent polymers have great capability for storage water and can be used in soil to improve its water retention and increase soil available water under drought conditions. On the other hand, potassium has important roles in metabolism of carbohydrates, plant water relations as the major element in action mechanism of stomata, and plant water osmotic potential. Organic matter can also improve soil physical properties, i.e., soil structure and soil available water as well as soil fertility and bioavailability of mineral nutrients. Because of mentioned roles of these three factors, the effects of them on date palm bunch fading disorder were investigated in this research. Materials and Methods: The effects of superabsorbent, potassium fertilizer, and manure on yield and date bunch fading disorder of "Mazafati" date palm cultivar were investigated in Jiroft, Kerman province, south of Iran. An experiment was conducted in factorial randomized complete block design. The factors were included superabsorbent polymer A200 in 0 (S1), 200 (S2), and 300 (S3) g.tree-1 levels, potassium sulfate fertilizer in 0 (K1), 2 (K2), and 3 (K3) kg.tree-1 levels, and cow manure in 0 (O1), 65 (O2), and 130 (O3) kg.tree-1 levels. Treatments were applied in February in three blocks and harvest was done at the first half of August. The yield of intact fruits, the yield of dried and dropped fruits (collected in an elastic silicone wire cloth cover), and total yield were determined at the harvest time and date bunch fading disorder was calculated as weight percentage (the dried fruits weight was divided by the total fruits weight and multiplied by 100, in each plot). Weight, diameter, and length of fruits were measured and determined from a random sample containing 30 intact fruits per each plot (a tree). Statistical analysis was done by IBM SPSS Statistics version 25. Results and Discussion: According to the results, the block had no significant effect on any of studied parameters, on the other hand, the results showed significant effects of all three factors on all of the measured parameters including percentage of date bunch fading disorder, total fruits yield, intact fruits yield, fruit weight, fruit diameter, and fruit length, except fruit length by the manure factor, by ANOVA at the 0.01 level. Three factors interaction significantly affected only the fruit characteristics including weight, diameter, and length of fruit. About the intact and total fruits yield and date bunch fading disorder, interactions between superabsorbent and two other factors were statistically significant. The highest means of intact fruits yield were observed in S3K3 and S3O3 treatments (28.9 and 28.7 kg.tree-1) increased by 98% and 93% compared to S1K1 and S1O1 treatments, respectively; and they were also significantly higher than those of all other treatments. The maximum means of total yield were found in S3K3 and S3O3 treatments (35.0 and 26.8 kg.tree-1) increased by 33% and 28% compared to S1K1 and S1O1 treatments, respectively. The mean percentage of date bunch fading disorder was significantly decreased by increasing the levels of superabsorbent, potassium fertilizer, and manure factors in interactions between superabsorbent and two other factors (SK and SO interactions), thus the lowest mean of date bunch fading disorder percentage in both interactions was found in third levels of each factor (S3K3 and S3O3 treatments), decreased by 60% and 63% compared to S1K1 and S1O1 treatments, respectively. The lowest and the highest mean of fruit weight, fruit diameter, and fruit length parameters were observed in S2K1O3 and S3K3O3 treatments, respectively. Negative significant correlations were found between percentage of date bunch fading disorder and total fruits yield, intact fruits yield, fruit moisture, fruit weight, fruit diameter, and fruit length, while the last six parameters had positive significant correlations with each other. In addition to common positive effects of three factors on water supply improvement, they can influence plant progress in different ways, such as carbohydrate metabolism and activation of some enzymes by potassium, and increasing of mineral nutrients availability and soil microbial activities by organic matter and manure. Therefore, these three factors could have some positive interactions on their effects on control of the disorder, increasing the yield, and improvement of weight and size of fruit. An observed decrease in weight and size of fruit by using 2nd level of superabsorbent and 3rd level of manure can be resulted from significant decrease in percentage of disorder and finally competition between safe fruits for potassium in carbohydrate metabolism and so on. Conclusion: According to the results of this research, applying of superabsorbent polymer (300 g.tree-1), potassium fertilizer (3 kg.tree-1), and manure (130 kg.tree-1) together can be recommended to improve qualitative parameters of date palm fruits (weight, length, and diameter). Applying the 3rd levels of these factors together can also control date bunch fading disorder cv. Mazafati, and increase the economic income because of qualitative improvement of fruits.
Hojat Dialami
Abstract
Introduction: Date palm is considered as one of the important fruit trees in Iran. According to agriculture statistic book of Iran (2015-2016), mature date plantation area and production of Iran are 230000 hectares and more than 1000000 tons, respectively. This crop usually is planted in south of Iran ...
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Introduction: Date palm is considered as one of the important fruit trees in Iran. According to agriculture statistic book of Iran (2015-2016), mature date plantation area and production of Iran are 230000 hectares and more than 1000000 tons, respectively. This crop usually is planted in south of Iran where the soils are calcareous with high pH. The high soil pH causes reduction of nutrient elements absorption and yield. Thus, finding a solution for this problem is necessary. The investigations indicate that application of elemental sulfur along with Thiobacillus inoculant in soil reduces local pH in rhizosphere area due to sulfur oxidation. The reduced pH of calcareous soil can increase the availability of other essential nutrients resulting in an increase in the nutrient uptake by plants. In addition, uncontrolled use of chemical fertilizers destroys soil structure and decreases organic matter resulting in a more dense soil. This research was conducted to assess the effects of sulfur along with manure on yield improvement and fruit quality as well as the consumption amount of chemical fertilizers.
Materials and Methods: In order to evaluate the effect of elemental sulfur along with Thiobacilli bacteria and manure on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of date fruit, an experiment was carried out in randomized completed block design (RCBD) with six treatments and four replications on 24 fruitful, 25 years old date palm (cv. Barhee), in Ahwaz (Khuzestan Province). The treatments were: T1= Control (without any fertilizer), T2= (application of chemical fertilizer based on soil test for each date palm), T3= (application of 30 kg manure based on general recommendation for each date palm), T4= T3 + (application of elemental sulfur mixed with Thiobacillus inoculant) as 5% of manure, T5= T3 + (application of elemental sulfur mixed with Thiobacillus inoculant) as 10% of manure and T6= T3 (application of elemental sulfur mixed with Thiobacillus inoculant) as 15% of manure. Before the treatments application, soil and water were sampled and analyzed. In second treatment, macronutrient chemical fertilizers were also applied. Source of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were urea, triple super phosphate and potassium sulfate, respectively. The nitrogen fertilizer was split and applied in February and May (the next year). Furthermore, all phosphorus and potassium fertilizers were used in February. These treatments were carried out along with manure (30 kg) and chemical micronutrient fertilizers applied based on general recommendation (i.e. 150 g of zinc sulfate, iron sulfate, copper sulfate and manganese sulfate). In third treatment, manure (30 kg) was applied based on general recommendation for each date palm. In T4, T5 and T5 treatments, 500g of Thiobacillus inoculant was mixed with 25 kg of elemental sulfur and then consumed base on 5, 10 and 15% of manure, respectively. All treatments were undertaken during winter by local placement method (Chalkood). Agro-technical practices such as pollination, thinning and irrigation were done according to local practice. Each year, in May, 20-25 leaflets from middle of leaf in second row were picked up, and their mineral nutrients were analyzed. At harvesting time, yield, average of weight, length, diameter and volume of fresh fruit, weight of stone and weight ratio of fruit pulp to its stone, pH, acidity, brix, total and reducing sugars in fruits were determined. The obtained data were analyzed with MSTATC statistical program and mean comparison was conducted using the Duncan’s Multiple rang test.
Results and Discussion: The results showed that using sulfur along with Thiobacillus bacteria and manure had significant effect on leaf phosphorus concentration at the 1% level and on yield and some quantitative characteristics such as weight, length, diameter, volume and pulp weight of fruit fresh and concentration of nitrogen at the 5% level. Sulfur application did not, however, significantly affect the leaf potassium concentration, stone weight, weight ratio of fruit pulp to its stone, pH, acidity, brix, reducing sugar and total sugar of fruit. As a result, application of 1500 g elemental sulfur (mixed with Thiobacillus inoculant) along with 30 kg manure for each date palm is recommended to improve yield and fruit quality and to reduce chemical fertilizer application.
