Editorial
Research Paper
m p; n t; f kh
Abstract
Digital soil mapping (DSM),as one of the sub-disciplines of soil science, was first introduced in McBratny et al. in 2003. It has since then witnessed many developments and has had a lot of scientific contributions at the global level. DSM aims to create and populate spatial soil information collected ...
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Digital soil mapping (DSM),as one of the sub-disciplines of soil science, was first introduced in McBratny et al. in 2003. It has since then witnessed many developments and has had a lot of scientific contributions at the global level. DSM aims to create and populate spatial soil information collected through field and laboratory observations that are coupled through quantitative relationships with environmental data. The output involves raster maps of predictions and uncertainties. The enhanced availability of spatial data, such as digital elevation models and satellite images; the increasing computation power to process data; the development of data-mining tools and GIS; and increasing global demand for spatial data including uncertainty assessments are some of the factors that have led to the success of field.This paper reviews the development of digital soil mapping through time, the covariates, some modeling examples,and the DSM studies so far carried out in Iran.
Research Paper
M M; N N
Abstract
The limited availability of arable land and the declining soilfertility have led to an increasing application of chemical fertilizers to respond to the increasing demand for more food by the growing population. Micronutrients are essential for plant growth, albeit in small amounts. However, ...
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The limited availability of arable land and the declining soilfertility have led to an increasing application of chemical fertilizers to respond to the increasing demand for more food by the growing population. Micronutrients are essential for plant growth, albeit in small amounts. However, these elements are rarely present in some of the calcareous soils across the world, or in those with an alkaline pH, a low organic matter content (i.e., the conditions of most soils in Iran), or a coarse texture. Researchers have been directing their efforts on enhancing micronutrient utilization efficiency by using new technologies to reduce fertilizer application and to decrease, there by, farm costs and environmental pollution. Along these lines, nanotechnology has been successfully exploited to produce nanofertilizers (materials typically smaller than 100 nm at least in one dimension)for plant nutrition, mostlyin greenhouse, and in vitro applications. The positive effects of nano-fertilizers of iron, zinc, manganese, copper, and molybdenum as a new generation of fertilizers have been reported on the growth indices of wheat, canola, sorghum, beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, peanuts, and some medicinal plants, among others. Despite all this, there is no shortage of reports on lack of or negative effects of nano-fertilizers. Moreover, there is only scant knowledge presently available on the likely consequences of introducing large amounts of these substances into the environment and the food chain. Thus, production of safe and useful nanofertilizers seems to await more in-depth research.
Research Paper
A R; H R
Abstract
Concern about environmental protection is on the rise on a global scale. The development of contaminant removal techniques using adsorption processes is nowadays finding global acceptance in environmental chemistry for their low costs, simple design, ease of operation, insensitivity to toxic substances, ...
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Concern about environmental protection is on the rise on a global scale. The development of contaminant removal techniques using adsorption processes is nowadays finding global acceptance in environmental chemistry for their low costs, simple design, ease of operation, insensitivity to toxic substances, and perfect pollutant removal efficiency. Recent advances in isotherm modeling have attracted a growing interest in this research field. The present paper presents a state-of-the-art review of adsorption isotherm modeling, its fundamental characteristics, and mathematical derivations while a brief history of isothermal studies on Iranian soils is also provided. Another aspect of the paper is the investigation of the key advances in error functions and principles of their application together with comparisons of linear and non-linear isotherm models. It will finally be shown that the extensive use of nonlinear isotherms bears witness to their potentials as a powerful instrument that have led to new horizons in adsorption science.
Research Paper
yaser azimzadeh; N N
Abstract
Biochar is a carbon-rich organic material that is produced from the pyrolysis of organic matter under low or no oxygen. The unique physical and chemical properties of biochar distinguish it from other soil organic matter. Addition of biochar to soil can improve not only its physical properties ...
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Biochar is a carbon-rich organic material that is produced from the pyrolysis of organic matter under low or no oxygen. The unique physical and chemical properties of biochar distinguish it from other soil organic matter. Addition of biochar to soil can improve not only its physical properties such as specific surface area, water holding capacity, aeration, and resistance to soil erosion but also its chemical properties such as cation exchange capacity, pH, organic carbon, nutrient availability, and reduced risk of soil contaminants. Moreover, it has such advantageous biological effects as increasing microorganism colonies and their protection against predators, raising soil fertility, enhancing crop yield and carbon sequestration, climate change mitigation, and biofuel production. However, due to its novelty, its positive and negative effects on the environment and interactions with various soil components are not clearly known. In addition, biochar properties may change over time and nothing is yet known about these changes and their long-term effects. Despite the universal attention shown to biochar for its expected beneficial effects on soil and carbon sequestration, few studies have as of yet been devoted to its production and application in Iran, which warrants studies to be conducted on biochar production and application to Iranian soils.
Research Paper
AMIR moradinejad; N E
Abstract
Being located in a(semi-)arid region, Iran has been facing severe droughts in recent years complicated by the increasing urbanization. These conditions have led to a growing pressure on renewable water resources and, greater attention has been, therefore, drawn to efficient use of unconventional ...
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Being located in a(semi-)arid region, Iran has been facing severe droughts in recent years complicated by the increasing urbanization. These conditions have led to a growing pressure on renewable water resources and, greater attention has been, therefore, drawn to efficient use of unconventional water resources such as urban and domestic effluents. Wastewater reuse is of great importance for the study area as a solution to overcome the growing demand for water. At the time of this study, the effluent from Arak wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was being discharged into the Mighan desert where it is reused by downstream farmers in an unplanned manner. Concerns over public health and introduction of pollutants into soil, water, and agricultural products call for a well-planned agricultural reuse policy based on investigations of the effluent quality. The present descriptive, cross-sectional study was, therefore, conducted to determine the quality parameters of the effluent from Arak WWTP against the relevant standards and to determine its usability for irrigation. For this purpose, samples were collected from the effluent and the required tests were performed. Results revealed average values of 49.65, 23.26, and 1.93 mg/l for COD, BOD5, and DO, respectively, and 0.0564, 0.08, and 0.512 mg/L, respectively, for the heavy metals of Cadmium, copper, and lead. These values are in compliance with the limits recommended by Iran Environmental Protection Organization for wastewater reuse in agriculture. Total and fecal coliforms were, however, found to be 877.882 and 379.5588 per 100 mL and the average number of parasite eggs was 0.524 per liter, which violate the relevant standards. Based on the result obtained, the effluent seems to have no limitation for reuse in agricultural irrigation except for its total and fecal coliforms. Thus, disinfection and continuous monitoring of the effluent along with upgrading of the WWTP facility are strongly recommended for its effluent to be reusable. Over all recommendation for agricultural reuse of the effluent can be certainly made once in-depth research has been carried out.
Research Paper
kamran mirzashahi; freydon nourgholipour; saeed samavat
Abstract
In order to evaluate the effects of Fe-Fulvate extracted from cow rotten manure and Fe-EDDHA on the yield and yield components of soybean(Glycin max (L.) Merr. var. saland), this study was carried out in a randomized complete block design with six treatments and three replications during ...
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In order to evaluate the effects of Fe-Fulvate extracted from cow rotten manure and Fe-EDDHA on the yield and yield components of soybean(Glycin max (L.) Merr. var. saland), this study was carried out in a randomized complete block design with six treatments and three replications during 2012 at Safi-Abad Agricultural Research Center of Dezful, Iran. The treatments were: T1(without Fe application; the control), T2 (soil application of Fe-EDDHA to apply100% of the recommended Fe content equal to 12.5 kg.ha-1),T3(foliar application of Fe-Fulvate to apply 100% of the recommended Fe content with a concentration of 5 kg in 1000 lit of water"), T4 (soil application of Fe-EDDHA and foliar application of Fe-Fulvate to apply75% equal to 9.38 kg.ha-1 and 25% equal to 1.25 kg in 1000 lit of water of the recommened levels, respectively), T5 (soil application of Fe-EDDHA and foliar application of Fe-Fulvate to apply 50% equal to 6.25 kg.ha-1 and 50% equal to 2.5 kg in 1000 lit of water of the recommended levels, respectively), and T6 (soil application of Fe-EDDHA and foliar application of Fe-Fulvate to apply 25% equal to 3.13 kg.ha-1 and 75% equal to 3.75 kg in 1000 lit of water of the recommended levels, respectively). Results indicated that Fe application had significant effects on plant height, number of pods per plant, 1000-grain weight, grain and total yields, chlorophyll meter index (4 and 6 weeks after planting), and grain uptakes of Fe and Mn. Regardless of the Fe fertilizer source used, grain yield in the Fe-treated plants showed an average improvement of 28% relative to that of the control (T1). Based on the results of the experiment, Fe-Fulvate may be recommended for use as the Fe supply source. Finally, T5 proved to be a better treatment than the others.
Research Paper
P F; N D; S J
Abstract
It was the objective of the present survey to investigate wheat farmers’ attitudes toward education-extension courses on the conservation, reclamation, and development of natural resources and the factors involved. The target population in this study consisted of 953 wheat farmers in Miandasht ...
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It was the objective of the present survey to investigate wheat farmers’ attitudes toward education-extension courses on the conservation, reclamation, and development of natural resources and the factors involved. The target population in this study consisted of 953 wheat farmers in Miandasht rural district neighboring the city of Kashan. Given the distribution of the statistical population, use was made of the simple random sampling method to select a representative statistical sample and the Krejcie and Morgan Table was employed to determine a survey statistical sample of 275 wheat farmers from the study area. Data were collected using a questionnaire whose validity had been approved by a panel of experts and its reliability was approved by a pilot study and Cronbach alpha coefficients which were calculated to be above 0.7 for the different sections of the questionnaire. The findings of the survey indicate that there exists a significant positive relationship between the variables of level of education, total land area owned, total annual income, annual agricultural income, and satisfaction with the education-extension programs, on the one hand, and the dependent variable of attitudes toward the effects of such courses on the conservation, restoration and development of natural resources. Also, the independent variables of total land area owned, total annual income, annual agricultural income, and satisfaction with the courses were able to explain interactively 46% of the variation observed in the dependent variable of farmer attitudes. The findings of the present survey can be exploited by managers and authorities to develop appropriate education-extension courses that aim at the sustainable and wise exploitation of natural resources. Moreover, the results can be most importantly used to improve wheat farmers’ attitudes to the conservation, restoration, and sustainable development of natural resources while also enhancing farmers’ livelihoods by focusing on the non-farming economy in rural areas.