Filed experiments were carried out to study the effect of conservation tillage methods on weed control in sugar beet cropping during 2012 and 2013 growing seasons. Tillage treatments were moldboard plow + two passes of disk harrow (MDD) as conventional tillage method; moldboard plow + one pass of rotavator (MR), chisel plow + one pass of rotavator (CR) and two passes of disk harrow (DD) as reduced tillage methods; one pass of rotavator (R) and one pass of tine cultivator (C) as minimum tillage methods and no-tillage (NT). Two indexes of weed control, i.e. number of weeds and dry mass of weeds per square meters were determined for different tillage treatments. Statistical results of study indicated that although effect of different tillage methods on both indexes of weed control was not significant (P = 0.05); tillage operations were useful in decreasing both indexes. The lowest values of number of weeds (6.30 m ) and dry mass of weeds (6.70 g m ) 2 2 were recorded in the MR treatment, while the highest values of number of weeds (14.0 m ) and dry mass of 2 weeds (21.2 g m ) were noted in the NT treatment. Results also showed that tillage method affected both 2 indexes of weed control in the order of MR < CR < R < MDD < DD < C < NT. Therefore, the reduced tillage treatments MR and CR and the minimum tillage treatment R were considered as more beneficial and suitable methods.

A two years study was carried out at the Research Site of Hamedan Province, Iran to investigate the influence of different tillage methods on yield and quality of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) during, 2008 and 2009 growing seasons. Tillage treatments were moldboard plow + two passes of disk harrow (MDD) as conventional tillage method; moldboard plow + one pass of rotavator (MR), chisel plow + one pass of rotavator (CR) and two passes of disk harrow (DD) as reduced tillage methods; one pass of rotavator (R) and one pass of tine cultivator (C) as minimum tillage methods and no-tillage (NT). Root yield, yield components i.e., root number per hectare (RNPH), sugar yield, root dry matter (RODM), root length, rim diameter and some quality characteristics of sugar beet such as sugar content, K, Na, alpha-amino nitrogen (ALAN) and molasses were measured for different tillage treatments. Different treatments significantly (P = 0.05) affected RNPH and K, but there was no significant difference in other studied traits. Although effect of different tillage treatments on root yield, sugar yield, RODM, root length, rim diameter, sugar content, Na, ALAN and molasses was not significant, results of the study indicated that tillage operations were useful in improving the yield and quality of sugar beet. The highest values of root yield (82.7 t ha(-1)), RNPH (135412 roots ha(-1)), sugar yield (11.4 t ha(-1)), RODM (23.9%) and sugar content (17.0%) were recorded in the MR treatment, while the highest values of root length (20.5 cm), rim diameter (1.5 cm), K (6.4 mmol/100 g), Na (2.6 mmol/100 g), ALAN (2.5 mg/100 g) and molasses (3.0%) were noted in the NT treatment. In contrast, the lowest values of root yield (71.3 t ha(-1)), RNPH (115000 roots ha(-1)), sugar yield (9.15 t ha(-1)), RODM (20.3%) and sugar content (15.2%) were recorded in the NT treatment, while the lowest values of root length (18.0 cm), rim diameter (1.1 cm), K (4.5 mmol/100 g), Na (1.5 mmol/100 g), ALAN (1.6 mg/100 g) and molasses (2.2%) were noted in the MR treatment. Results also showed that tillage method affected the yield and quality of sugar beet in the order of MR > CR > R > MDD > DD > C > NT. Therefore, the reduced tillage treatments MR and CR and the minimum tillage treatment R were considered as more beneficial and suitable tillage methods in improving the yield and quality of sugar beet. (C) 2011Friends Science Publishers

A two-year field experiment was conducted to study the response of root yield and yield components of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) to different tillage methods during 2008 and 2009 growing seasons. Tillage treatments in the study were moldboard plow + two passes of disk harrow (MDD) as conventional tillage method; moldboard plow + one pass of rotavator (MR), chisel plow + one pass of rotavator (CR) and two passes of disk harrow (DD) as reduced tillage methods; one pass of rotavator (R) and one pass of tine cultivator (C) as minimum tillage methods, and no-tillage (NT) as direct drilling method. Root yield (RY) and some yield components such as root number per hectare (RNPH), sugar yield (SUGY), root dry matter (RODM), root length (ROTL), rim diameter (RIMD) were determined for all treatments. Different tillage methods significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected RNPH, but there was no significant difference in other studied traits. Although there was no significant difference in RY, SUGY, RODM, ROTL and RIMD, results of the study showed that tillage practices were beneficial in improving the yield of sugar beet. The maximum values of RY (82.7 t ha -1 ), RNPH (135412 roots ha -1 ), SUGY (11.4 t ha -1 ) and RODM (23.9%) were observed in case of MR treatment, while the maximum values of ROTL (20.5 cm) and RIMD (1.5 cm) were noted in case of NT treatment. In contrast, the minimum values of RY (71.3 t ha -1 ), RNPH (115000 roots ha -1 ), SUGY (9.15 t ha -1 ) and RODM (20.3%) were observed in case of NT treatment, while the minimum values of ROTL (18.0 cm) and RIMD (1.1 cm) were noted in case of MR treatment. Results also showed that tillage method affected the yield of sugar beet in the order of MR > CR > R > MDD > DD > C > NT. Therefore, the reduced tillage treatments MR and CR, and the minimum tillage treatment R were considered as more appropriate and profitable tillage methods in improving the yield of sugar beet.

Carrot total soluble solids (TSS) is frequently determined using laboratory tests, but it may be more appropriate and suitable to develop a model which uses a determined quality characteristic. In this study, a typical linear regression model for predicting carrot TSS based on carrot firmness (FIR) was suggested. Paired samples t-test results indicated that the difference between the TSS values predicted by model and measured by laboratory tests were not statistically significant and in order to predict carrot TSS based on carrot FIR the linear regression model TSS = 22.80 - 0.004 FIR with R = 0.66 can be suggested. 2

The finite element method (FEM) was used to predict soil sinkage by multiple loadings (ten loadings) of a rectangular plate and a two-dimensional FEM program entitled PRESSINK was modified and employed to perform required numerical calculations. The FEM analysis was finally verified through laboratory test. Results of the laboratory test proved that the FEM is a relatively accurate and powerful technique to predict soil sinkage by multiple loadings. Results of the study also indicated that the number of loadings noticeably affected soil sinkage. Moreover, the first three loadings caused critical soil sinkage and the amount of soil sinkage owing to the first three loadings was about 89% and 82% of the total soil sinkage based on the FEM analysis and laboratory test results, respectively.

Sustainable agriculture greatly depends on soil quality (SQ). This study was conducted in the Research Site of Tehran Province Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center in Varamin, Iran to study a set of inexpensive and agronomically meaningful indicators of SQ, i.e. aggregate stability, available water capacity, organic matter content, active carbon content, pH, available phosphorus and available potassium. For each SQ indicator, the measured value was reported as well as the associated rating score from its scoring curve. Results of the study indicated very favorable results for chemical indicators, with high rating scores for pH, available phosphorous and available potassium (88, 100 and 100, respectively). The remaining indicators, i.e. the physical and biological indicators of SQ, had unfavorable or very unfavorable results and consequently showed evidence of low physical and biological SQ. Low rating scores for aggregate stability, available water content and organic matter content (20, 44 and 3, respectively) were evidences of soil degradation from long-term intensive tillage and lacking use of soil-building crops or organic matter additions. Also, very low rating score for active carbon content (4) indicated that the soil of site was biologically degraded and unbalanced.

There are many cases in which it is desirable to determine relationships among some fruit quality characteristics. For example, fruit firmness (FIR) are often determined using laborious and time consuming laboratory tests, but it may be more suitable and economical to develop a method which uses an easily available characteristic. In this study, one linear regression model for predicting FIR of Nantes carrot based on carrot water content (WC) was suggested. The statistical results of the study indicated that in order to predict FIR of carrot based on WC the linear regression model FIR = - 1665 + 55.5 WC with R = 0.84 can be recommended. 2

A four year field experiment was conducted at the Research Site of Tehran Province Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center in Varamin, Iran to study the effect of seeding rate on seed yield and seed yield components of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) during 2005-2008 growing seasons. Seeding rate treatments were 2.5 kg ha -1 (SR1), 5.0 kg ha -1 (SR2), 7.5 kg ha -1 (SR3), 10.0 kg ha -1 (SR4) and 12.5 kg ha -1 (SR5). Seed yield and seed yield components (number of pods per m 2 , number seeds per pod and 1000-seed weight) were determined for all treatments. The statistical results of the study indicated that seeding rate significantly (P = 0.01) affected seed yield and number of pods per m 2 , but there was no significant difference in number seeds per pod and 1000-seed weight. The maximum value of seed yield (805.0 kg ha -1 ) and number of pods per m 2 (6610) was obtained in case of SR1 treatment. Conversely, the minimum value of seed yield (605.7 kg ha -1 ) and number of pods per m 2 (4620) was observed in case of SR5 treatment. Therefore, 2.5 kg ha -1 was found to be more appropriate seeding rate in improving seed yield of alfalfa in the semi-arid lands of Varamin, Iran.

2 Abstract: This study was conducted on the effects of Relative Humidity (RH), Coating Methods (CM) and Storage Periods (SP) on Nantes carrot during cold storage at temperature of 0±0.5°C. Two RH (85% and 90%), four CM (Carboxy Methyl Cellulose + Cellophane Film (CMC + CF), Carboxy Methyl Cellulose (CMC), Cellophane Film (CF) and No-Coating (NC)) and nine SP (0, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 100, 110 and 120-days) were investigated for some qualitative characteristics including water content, total soluble solids (TSS), reducing sugars and firmness. Experiment was conducted in completely randomized design with three replications for each factor. Duncan's multiple range tests at 1% probability were performed to compare the means of different treatments. The statistical results of the study indicated that RH, CM and SP significantly (P = 0.01) affected all traits. Interactions of RH × SP, CM × SP for all traits and RH × CM for water content and TSS were also significant. However, interactions of RH × CM for reducing sugars and firmness and RH × CM × SP for all traits were not significant. The statistical results of the study also indicated that at 90% RH, carrots were firmer and had higher water content and reducing sugars than 85% RH. Moreover, CMC + CF for water content and reducing sugars, while CF for firmness were the best CM. In addition, water content, reducing sugars and firmness were decreased by increasing the SP, whereas TSS was increased by increasing SP.

Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo) volume was measured using water displacement and image processing methods. The volume determined from image processing method was compared to the volume determined by the water displacement method using the paired samples t-test and the Bland-Altman approach. The paired samples t-test results showed that the volume determined by image processing method was not significantly (P> 0.05) different from the volume measured through water displacement method. The mean and standard deviation of the volume difference between the two methods were -81.1 cm(3) and 237.4 cm(3), respectively (95% confidence interval: -212.5 and 50.4 cm(3), P= 0.207). The average percentage difference between the two methods was 7.60%. The Bland-Altman approach was also indicated to be a satisfactory, image processing method suitable for volume estimation of almost all size cantaloupe. Accordingly, image processing provides an accurate, simple, rapid and non-invasive method to estimate fruit volume and can be easily implemented in monitoring fruit growth as well as in sorting of fruits during postharvest processing.