Journal title

The Morphological Characters of Spike in Taxonomy of Tetraploid and Hexaploid Triticum L. Species in Iran

Due to high morphological similarity between Triticum turgidum L. and T. aestivum L., using 34 quantitative and nine qualitative spike morphological characters, the taxonomic status and the variations of spike morphology between 22 accessions of T. turgidum and 42 accessions of T. aestivum were studied. Consequently, the statistical coefficients such as Mean, Coefficient of Variation, Cluster Analysis and Factor Analysis were applied. The results of this study show that these two species were differentiated by spike morphological characters, such as the length of spike and glume, and the awn length of lemma and glume. The diversity and variability of spike morphological characters among T. aestivum accessions are higher than those of T. turgidum accessions. It can be concluded that there would be a relatively high gene flow in T. aestivum accessions.

Macro-Ascomycetes from North-East forests of Iran (Shahid Zare and Siah Roodbar)

In order to identify the mycoflora of North-East forests of Iran, nine species of Ascomycetes in Shahid Zare and Siah Roodbar forests were collected and transferred to the lab. These species belonged to 4 order, 6 families and 7 genera including, Helvella acetabulum, H.crispa, H.macropus, Hymenoscyphus albidus, Lasiosphaeria spermoides, Peziza arvernensis, Tarzetta catinus and Xylaria hypoxylon. Among these, Bisporella subpallida, Helvella macropus, Hymenoscyphus albidus,Lasiosphaeria spermoides, Peziza arvernensis and Tarzetta catinus are new taxa for Iranian fungal flora

Production of Rhamnolipid by Pseudomonas aeroginosa in Media containing Treated Whey

Biosurfactants are surface active agents which are widely used in industries. One of the important varieties of biosurfactants are widely produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this paper. P. aeruginosa MM1011 was obtained from Persian Type Culture Collection (Biotechnology Department, IROST). The aim of this investigation is to optimize the mineral salts medium with whey to produce rhamnolipid. Since P. aeruginosa is Lac (-), the whey hydrolysed by lactase in order to produc glucose as carbon source. The results assayed by phenol-sulfuric acid method and crude oil emulsification activity. Depicted results showed that the best medium is 3M which contained whey (that hydrolysed by lactase completely at temp.: 40° C ,pH: 6.5, time: 3 hours) . The product obtained at temp.: 33 ° C, pH:7, shaking rate: 200 rpm , nitrogen concentration, 0.36 %, and inoculum size, 2 %. The results of rhamnolipid production by usig whey as a source of carbon and energy is more or less comparable with the results obtained when molasses was used as carbon and energy source.

Isolation and Morphological and Molecular Identification of New Species of Cyanobacteria from Firoozkooh region (Tehran Province) Using Different Culture Media

Microalgae are cosmopolitan microorganisms and minerals are considered as limiting factors for growth of them. In the present study cyanobacteria were isolated and indentified and also the effect of different media on their growth was examined. Consequently, two new species of cyanobacteria belonged to the family of Oscillatoriaceae were isolated and reported for the first time from Tehran province. To this end, soil samples were collected from Tehran Province in summer 2008. Samples were cultured in BBM & N8 media to evaluate the effect of nutrients on the growth of microalgae. Isolation was carried out by several subcultures. Morphological indentification was done using systematics keys and partial sequencing of 16S rRNA was used for molecular identification. The results showed that two species were recorded from Tehran Province, Leptolyngbya sp. ISC 40 Gomont and Leptolyngbya sp. ISC 25 Gomont. The collected soil samples were analyzed physically and chemically. Results indicated that BBM medium was suitable for isolation and as indicated by infertility of cultured soils, two identified species are resistance to environmental factors.

A Survey of the Effect of Various Ratios of Dietary HUFA on Growth and Survival of Female Brood Stock of White Leg Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

This experiment was performed to determine the suitable quantity of highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) for survival and growth of female broodstock of White leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) during a 2- months culture period (from Apr 3 to Jun 4, 2008). Brood feed was similar in all treatmints containing and Isonitrogeneous (31.5 % protein): but the only difference between dry diets of the test was varying levels of HUFA (1, 2 and 3%). This research tested the effect of dietary HUFA on the survival ratio (SVR) and the body weight (%WG) and body length (% L), compared to those fed on fresh meals (Prenereis worm, melalis and cuttlefish). The survival ratio didn’t differ significantly between all diets (P>0.05). The (% L) in control diet was significantly higher than other treatments (P<0.05) and then1% HUFA diet was significantly higher. The (%WG) in 1% HUFA diet was significantly higher comared to other treatments (P<0.05).

The Effect of Harvesting Time on the Antibacterial Activity of Salvia leriifolia Benth. Leaf extract

Salvia leriifolia (Lamiaceae) is an endemic plant of Khorasan and Semnan provinces which has antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and antioxidant properties. In this research, antibacterial activity of of S. leriifolia leaf was investigated at different growth stages and the best harvesting time was determined. The leaves were harvested at vegetative (mid March), flowering (mid April) and ripening seed stages (late May). Different concentrations of metanolic extract(5,10,15 and 20 g/l) of leaves were applied on five different bacteria(Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis) according to dick diffusion method. Inhibition zones were measured after 24 hours. Inhibitory effect of extracts at different stages were compared together and with certain antibiotics (Penicillin, Ampicilin and Tetracaiclin). Statistical analysis was performed through the JMP software. Maximum antibacterial activity of leaves was coincident with flowering stage. In this stage, antibacterial activity of leaves was significantly higher than the vegetative and ripening seed stage. Inhibitory effect of leaf extract at flowering stage on some bacteria was higher than the antibiotics or similar with them. It seems that flowering stage (mid April) is the best time for obtaining the maximum antioxidant activity of leaf.

Revision of the Genus Astragalus (Sect. Caprini) in Khorassan Province and a New Record for the Flora of Iran

Caprini is one of the largest sections belonging to the genus Astragalus with 280 species. Astragalus Sect. Caprini are revised. This section has 171 and 115 species in Flora Iranica area and Iran, respectively. During the work, plant specimens preserved in Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Herbarium (FUMH) were indentified from different regions of Khorassan provinces. Also, distribution of regions in different parts of this section are presented. Based on this study, 37 species of this section are known in Khorassan provinces. A. kushkensis in Flora Iranica has been recorded from Turkmenistan and Afghanistan and is reported from NE. of Khorassan, Torbate – jam, Saleh Abad as a new record for the flora of Iran. This plant is glabrous and has 18 – 22 pairs of leaflets. Leaflets are narrowing ovate and glabrous. Distribution regions of these taxa in different parts of Khorassan province are given.