Background Different approaches have been used to improve mineral nutrient status of plants in absence of chemical fertilization and toward safer products and improved human health. Amino acids have been proposed with such roles in different recent studies. In this study, glycine was applied as foliar (250, 500 and 1000 ppm) or as soil (250 and 500 mg/plant) to cucumber plants compared to unfertilized control and NPK fertilization, under greenhouse conditions. Results The results showed that all glycine treatments increased leaf area and the economic life of plants compared to control. Soil application of glycine at higher concentration of 500 mg/plant was able to produce the same or better records than NPK fertilization, particularly regarding leaf mineral concentration, plant economic life and total yield. Leaf macro- micro-nutrients were most increased under 500 mg soil-glycine application. Foliar spray of 500 ppm glycine resulted in better records than the other two levels, as spray of 1000 ppm glycine showed adverse and toxic effects including leaf necrosis. Fruit firmness was increased only by NPK and soil application of 500 mg glycine, whereas fruit vitamin C was increased by NPK fertilization, soil application of glycine at both levels (250, 500 mg) and foliar application of glycine at 500 ppm compared to control plants. Conclusion The results indicate that soil application of 500 mg glycine/plant was able to improve leaf mineral and physiological characteristics towards higher yield and quality.

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Background: Trigonella L. is a well-known worldwide growing genus of the Fabaceae family. In addition to food, the plants have various medicinal properties, including reducing fat and blood sugar, antibacterial, anti-ulcer, and analgesic. Objective: Variability in agro-morphological traits, phenolic compounds, and proximate composition of the aerial parts of some Iranian Trigonella and its relative e.g. Medicago L. species was studied to introduce the superior species for further use in breeding and exploitation programs. Methods: The seed samples of T. astroides, T. elliptica, T. filipes, T. foenum-graecum, T. spruneriana, M. crassipes (syn: T. crassipes), M. monantha (syn: T. monantha), M. monspeliaca (syn: T. monspeliaca), M. orthoceras (syn: T. orthoceras), and M. phrygia (syn: T. aurantiaca) were collected from different regions of Iran, and then were cultivated at the same agronomic conditions. Morphological traits were measured by a ruler, digital caliper and scales. Proximate composition (moisture, ash, fibre, protein, fat, and carbohydrates) and phenolic acids of the aerial parts were determined by the AOAC method and HPLC, respectively. Results: Significant morphological differences among the studied species were observed. The highest protein content was measured in M. orthoceras (13.4 ± 0.4 %), followed by T. filipes (11.5 ± 0.8 %), and T. spruneriana (11.1 ± 0.4 %). Fibre content was ranged from 0.7 ± 0.04 % to 4.9 ± 0.4 %. In the extracts of the studied species, catechin, chlorogenic acid, and pcoumaric acid were found in abundance (0.01 ± 0.05 -69.32 ± 0.7 mg/g DW). Conclusion: Trigonella filipes and T. spruneriana could be selected as suitable species for further exploitation in food and pharmaceutical industries.

In order to investigate the effects of plant growth regulators (PGRs) and mulch on some traits of onion under water deficit stress, a split-factorial experiment based on Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications was conducted in Iran in 2016 and 2017. The main plot consisted of water deficit stress treatment at three levels (100%, 80% and 60% of water requirement), and sub-plots consisted of a dark nylon mulch application and an unmulched control, and PGRs six levels (zero, salicylic acid 0.5 mM, methyl jasmonate 5 and 7.5 mM, and 24-epibrasinolide 0.5 and 1 mM, respectively). Final yield under water deficit stress (60% water requirement) decreased by 30% compared to control (100% water requirement). On the other hand, the use of plastic mulch increased the yield by 29%. Interaction of water deficit stress and PGRs on leaf number, fresh and dry weight of plant, plant height, bulb length and diameter, early yield and final bulb yield were significant and the effect of regulators was mainly effective in severe water deficit conditions. The highest crop yield of 52.55 ton per hectare was obtained from 1 micromolar brassinolide treatment under non-stress conditions which had a 9% increase ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mohammad Hasan Shizadi born in Iran, I am and graduated from Tehran University of Science and Research with a degree in Horticulture and also a member of the Department of Horticulture in Islamic Azad University Jahrom branch. So far I have published more than 20 scientific articles in Iranian and international journals ISI and ISC. Most of his research has been in the field of horticulture and vegetable science.