Journal of Plant Process and Function

---

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a medicinal plant of the family of Lamiaceae. It contains phenylpropanoid and terpenoid componds. Chitosan with elicitor action induce defence mechanisms of plant. In the present study, the effect of chitosan on malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), gayacol peroxidase (GPX) , peroxidase (POD) and poly phenol oxidase (PPO) antioxidant enzymes activity, phenol compounds, flavonoids, antosyanin, chlorophyl a, b and carotenoid, soluble sugars and proline was evaluated. The plants were treated at pre flowering stage with 2 g/L chitosan and harvested after 1, 2, 3, and 5 days after chitosan. Comparing with control, the results showed that MDA and H2O2 increase in shoot in different harvest stages under treatment with chitosan. Also antioxidant enzymes activity, phenol compounds, flavonoids, antocyanin, chlorophyll a, b and carotenoid, soluble sugars and proline, in comparison with control , increased in many cases in different harvest steges. So it seems that chitosan, as a biotic elicitor, enhanced antioxidant enzymes activity and secondary metabolites production.

---

To investigate the amount of nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) uptake in crops and weeds in cereals-legumes intercropping, a field experiment was performed in 2014-2015. Treatments included 10 monoculture (wheat, barley, triticale, pea and bean with and without weeds) and 6 intercropping (wheat + pea, wheat + faba bean, barley + pea, barley + faba bean, triticale + pea and triticale + faba bean with weeds) which laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. Our results showed that the highest N content in cereals shoot was obtained in weed-free monoculture wheat (8.1 %) and in legumes shoot was obtained in weedy monoculture pea (17.3 %) and weed-free monoculture pea (15.8 %). There was no significant difference between weedy monoculture and intercropping treatments for N content in weed shoot, according to Duncan test. The highest value of P content in cereals shoot was observed in faba bean+wheat intercropping (0.80 %) and weed-free monoculture wheat (0.79 %). The highest amount of P content in legume and weeds was obtained in weed-free monoculture pea (1.90 %) and weedy monoculture pea (0.13 %). The highest amount of K content in cereals, legumes and weed shoot was obtained in barley-pea intercropping (1.95 %), triticale-pea (1.59 %) and barley-pea (1.90 %), respectively. Thus, intercropping can reduce nutrients availability for weeds and it can cause an increase in nutrients for crops.

---

The detrimental drought effects could be listed as the loss in dry weight and silicon is known to enhance crop tolerance to drought by increasing seedling growth and hydraulic conductivity. To investigate the effects of silicon priming (0, 1 and 2 mM as sodium silicate), on seedling growth and root anatomy of three barley cultivars (Khatam, Rihane, and Nimrooz) a laboratory experiment was conducted under drought stress induced by 3.6 mM polyethylene glycol (PEG). Under 3.6 mM PEG, the highest root length was observed in Nimrooz barley cultivar (7.86 mm) at 2 mM silicon. In Nimrooz, seedling dry weight increased from 0.19 mg plant^-1 in control to 0.27 mg plant^-1 at 2 mM silicon (29.6% increase). At 2 mM silicon, Nimrooz with highest root surface area had the highest hydraulic conductivity (6.29×10 ^-9 m s^-1 MPa^-1) while in Rihane and Khatam was low as 5.38 and 5.19×10^-9 m s^-1 MPa^-1 under 3.6 mM PEG, respectively. In Nimrooz, positive relationship was observed between application of 2 mM silicon and increasing the mean diameter of peripheral metaxylem vessels under drought. In all barely cultivars, drought stress affected the diameter of the vessels more than the number of the vessels. Also, under 3.6 mM PEG, K⁺ and Ca²⁺content increased from 0 mM silicon to 2 mM. Overall, silicon priming at 2 mM, especially in Nimrooz appears to be a promising and cost-effective procedure to alleviate the drought stress.

---

In order to investigate the effect of phosphate biofertilizer on physiological and growth characteristics of tall fescue in different salinity conditions, a factorial experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results of analysis of variance showed that interactions between salinity stress and biofertilizer were significant on leaf area, total chlorophyll, sodium, potassium, and catalase activity. However, the interaction between these treatments was not significant in the traits such as aerial and underground biomass, chlorophyll a and b, and carotenoids at 5% level. The maximum leaf area and total chlorophyll content in biomass was 1 g / L and control salinity and the highest catalase activity, assessment in 0.5, 1 g / L biofertilizer treatments and 12 ds / m salinity. The highest amount of sodium was observed in the treatment without biofertilizer and 12 dS / m salinity. Also, the highest potassium content was observed in non-fertilized treatments and 0.5 g / L biofertilizer with control salinity without fertilizer and salinity of 12 dS / m. Significant difference between plants treated with biofertilizer in salinity conditions indicates improvement of tall fescue function in stress conditions. In general, the results of this study indicate that tall fescue treatment with bio-phosphate fertilizer has positive effects on plant growth and physiological characteristics.

---

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of climate, irrigation regimes and micronutrients foliar application on morphophysiological characters of three medicinal species of Satureja. This research was carried out in a completely randomized design with in factorial layout and 4 replications. Factors included 2 climatic regiones (Isfahan and Golpayegan), 3 species (mutica, bachtiarica and khuzistanica), 3 concentrations of Cu (0, 20, 40 ppm) and Mn (0, 20 and 40 ppm). The results of study showed that among the morphological traits, the highest plant height (57.5±1.1cm), stem number (22.2±1.7) and total chlorophyll (1.57±1.1 mg.l^-1) in species of khuzistanica under Isfahan region made by concentration of 20 ppm of Cu and Mn with irrigation period every 3 days and the greatest amount of Proline (13.99±0.1 mcg.grfw^-1) obtained in species of khuzistanica under Isfahan region was obtained by concentration of 40 ppm of Cu and Mn with irrigation period every 9 days .  The lowest amounts of characters were often obtained by species of mutica under Isfahan region by concentration of 40 ppm of Cu and Mn with irrigation period every 9 days. It seemed, better condition in Isfahan region by subtropical climate for species of khuzistanica made the most morpho-physiological characters with irrigation period every 3 days.

---

Vetiver plant belongs to Poaceae family with high resistance, environmental compatibility and high ability for pollution absorption, therefore it can be used in environmental pollutions removal processes. Among petroleum compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are known as primary pollutants due to their stability in the environment. Phenanthrene usually has the highest concentration and most polluting among the petroleum aromatic compounds. In this study, vetiver was planted in pot with phenanthrene concentrations of zero (negative control), zero with acetone (positive control), 250, 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 mg/kg soil dry weight and its physiological effects were investigated. At the highest concentration of phenanthrene the amount of chlorophyll and carotenoids decreased 20% and 21%, respectively, but phenolic compounds, proline and antioxidant activity were increased. Root and shoot weights at a concentration of 250 mg phenanthrene were significantly reduced compared to the control, but at subsequent concentrations, their decreasing slope were reduced. Root length and root volume also decreased. As phenanthrene was accumulated in root, it caused more decreases compare to shoot. Maximum accumulation of phenanthrene in vetiver root was 519 ppm in 4000 mg/kg soil dry weight phenanthrene concentration. Due to the resistance of vetiver to high concentrations of phenanthrene and its accumulation in roots, this plant can be used as a very suitable plant for the phytoremediation process of petroleum compounds.

---

The present experiment was aimed to investigate the improvement of salt tolerance in narcissus by exogenous application of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in a factorial complete randomized block design with three replications at the Research Greenhouse, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch during 2019-2020. Experimental treatments included irrigation by saline water at two levels 4 and 8 dS m^-1 and control (without saline), as well as SNP (0, 100, 200, and 400 µM). The results indicated that elevated salt stress levels induce oxidative stress, including an increase in the hydrogen peroxide by 82% and malondialdehyde by 118% in plants. Severe salt stress reduced morphological traits, including a 40% decrease in flower longevity on the plant and a 49% decrease in the flowering duration of narcissus compared to non-stress conditions. The salt stress led to the change of antioxidant enzymes activities at different concentrations. The activity of superoxide dismutase enzyme positively correlated with salt treatment and increased up to 23%. While catalase enzyme increased up to 4 dS m-1 treatment by 87% and then decreased at a higher concentration in the leaves. However, SNP reduced oxidative damage in plants by improving antioxidant enzymes, proline and flavonoid content, ultimately, preventing the reduction of plant biomass. Finally, the present study showed that the exogenous application of SNP, especially at a concentration of 200 µM, improved narcissus tolerance to salinity stress by reducing the uptake of Na by 16%, as well as decreasing membrane lipid peroxides by 17%.

---

Eryngium caucasicum from the Apiaceae family, is native to the northern regions of Iran and has significant medicinal and nutritional properties. This paper has provided detailed morpho-anatomical characteristics of the leaves, peduncles, leaf tail, stem, and roots of Eryngium caucasicum by bright-field light microscopy. Also, the amount of phenol, flavonoid, and antioxidant activity with a spectrophotometer and the analysis of essential compounds of the aerial part with GC and GCMS have been presented. Morpho-anatomical features include the dicot-like leaves with palmate venation, isolateral mesophyll with palisade tissue on the upper and lower regions of the leaf, and much reduced spongy parenchyma; characteristic arrangement of the mechanical collenchyma tissue, especially in leaves; and characteristic wrinkles in the leaf cuticle. The stem and peduncle with longitudinal ribs contain collenchyma; there is a presence of aerenchyma in the peduncle and root; calcium oxalate druses and secretory channels in all the studied plant parts; and an absence of sclerenchyma in all investigated parts of the plant. The aerial parts of E. caucasicum had 37% essential oil, 53.9 mg of flavonoids per gram of dry matter, 48.79 mg per gram of dry matter, and 62.97 percent antioxidant activity. The main compounds in the essential oil of the aerial part include Piperitone (48.78%), ß-Sesquiphellandrene (12.64%), and (Z)-Falcarinol (7.85%), and (Z) ß-Farnesene (6.36 percent).