Agronomy
Gholamhassan Ranjbar; Saber Golkari; Mohammad Hassan Rahimian; Farhad Dehghani; Vali Soltani Gerdfaramarzi
Volume 15, Issue 1 , September 2026, Pages 1-13
Abstract
Introduction: Drought and salinity stresses are the main impacts of climate change event. Wheat as an important crop in arid and semi-arid regions, have a high contribution in society food security. Climate change and reduction in irrigation water quantity as well as increasing soil and water salinity ...
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Introduction: Drought and salinity stresses are the main impacts of climate change event. Wheat as an important crop in arid and semi-arid regions, have a high contribution in society food security. Climate change and reduction in irrigation water quantity as well as increasing soil and water salinity resources caused to remarkable reduction in wheat planting areas in dry and semi-dry regions such as Yazd province during last decade. Using early maturing cultivars with lower water requirement and tolerate to saline condition could be used for maintain planting area.Methodology: This field experiment was carried out as split-plot design arranged as randomized complete block design with three replicates to evaluate yield and yield component of some early maturity wheat cultivars in two years. Experimental factors were two levels of irrigation water salinity (2.5 and 10 dS m-1) in main plots and dryland wheat cultivars; Aftab, Aseman, Ghabous, Kabir, Karim, Kohdasht, Paya along with Barzgar as the local check cultivar in sub-plots. The field was irrigated five times at planting, tillering, mid stem elongation, ear emergence and milking stages of early maturing cultivars. Total water consuming through growing season was 5210 and 5549 m3 ha-1 in first and second years, respectively.Research findings: Results showed that Aftab produced the highest grain yield by 489.60 and 532.57 g m-2 in first and second years, respectively. Barzegar grain yield was lower than that of Aftab by 28.32% and 47.79% in first and second years, respectively. Aseman, Aftab and Paya had the highest thousand kernel weight (TKW). In turn, the lowest TKW was observed for Barzegar and Karim. Irrigation water salinity by 10 dS m-1 (saline condition) reduced wheat plant height by 36.30 percent compared to non-saline condition (2.5 dS m-1). Grain yield for the Aftab and Barzegar was reduced by 31.52 and 39.91 percent in saline condition compared to no-saline condition, respectively. Based on the results of the study, it is possible to maintain crop areas in dry and semi-dry regions by developing high yielding of early maturity wheat cultivars under drought and salinity limitations.
Crops under rainfed cultivation
Hatam Maarouf; abdolali ghaffari; Amir Aynehband; Ghorban Normohammadi; Khoshnood Alizadeh
Volume 15, Issue 1 , September 2026, Pages 14-29
Abstract
Introduction. Continuous wheat cultivation and inadequate crop rotation in the dryland farming systems of West Azerbaijan Province have contributed to declining soil fertility and increasing production costs. Continuation of the current cropping pattern, as observed in many rainfed areas of the country, ...
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Introduction. Continuous wheat cultivation and inadequate crop rotation in the dryland farming systems of West Azerbaijan Province have contributed to declining soil fertility and increasing production costs. Continuation of the current cropping pattern, as observed in many rainfed areas of the country, may threaten the long-term sustainability of crop production under dryland conditions. Previous research in Iran has demonstrated that the adoption of appropriate crop rotations, particularly the inclusion of grain legumes and annual forage legumes, can alleviate many of the limitations and constraints associated with continuous cereal cultivation and gradually improve soil productivity. The climatic conditions of the dryland areas of northwestern Iran provide opportunities for integrating a wide range of crops, including grain legumes, annual forage crops, and oilseed crops, into rotations with wheat. Conventional dryland cropping patterns, owing to insufficient crop diversity over the long term, may result in declining soil fertility and reduced resource-use efficiency. In contrast, increasing crop diversity through the inclusion of legumes such as chickpea and lentil in rotation with wheat, as well as the use of annual forage legumes and drought-tolerant oilseed crops as preceding crops, can enhance the utilization of rainfall resources. In addition, shifting sowing from spring to delayed sowing can improve rainfall water productivity. These strategies were therefore evaluated in the present study.Methodology: A three-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of sowing date and crop rotation pattern on wheat yield and yield components, as well as rainfall water productivity (RWP). The experiment was established at the Dryland Agricultural Research Institute using a split-plot arrangement within a randomized complete block design, with nine treatments evaluated under two sowing dates: spring sowing and delayed sowing. The crop rotation patterns were: (1) wheat–chickpea, (2) wheat–lentil, (3) wheat–vetch, and (4) wheat–safflower.Research findings: Combined analysis of variance and mean comparisons across treatments showed that sowing date and crop rotation pattern had distinct effects on the wheat agroecosystem. Across all rotation patterns evaluated, delayed sowing consistently outperformed spring sowing in terms of economic yield, biological yield, and rainfall water productivity. The highest and lowest wheat grain yields were obtained under the chickpea–wheat rotation with delayed sowing (entezari) and the lentil–wheat rotation with spring sowing, reaching 1405.7 and 1108.2 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. Analysis of the effects of sowing date on rainfall water productivity indicated a significant year × sowing-date interaction. The highest economic and biological rainfall water productivity values were recorded in the first year under delayed sowing following chickpea (ERWP = 4.09), Sina safflower (BRWP = 9.54), and Maragheh vetch (BRWP = 8.53), respectively.
Agronomy
Hadi Khorsandi; Yaser Azimzadeh; Ramin Lotfi; Mahdi Rahmati; mahdi koosehlou
Volume 15, Issue 1 , September 2026, Pages 30-45
Abstract
Introduction: Water erosion poses a fundamental challenge to sustainable agriculture and threatens the stability of natural ecosystems. Vegetation cover and land management play an important role in controlling water induced soil erosion. Soil erosion by water is a major challenge to sustainable agriculture ...
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Introduction: Water erosion poses a fundamental challenge to sustainable agriculture and threatens the stability of natural ecosystems. Vegetation cover and land management play an important role in controlling water induced soil erosion. Soil erosion by water is a major challenge to sustainable agriculture and a serious threat to the stability of natural ecosystems.Methodology: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different tillage methods on controlling water erosion, using a randomized complete block design with three replications on slopes of 6–12% over two cropping years (2022–2023) at the Maragheh Dryland Agricultural Research Station, Iran. The treatments included five tillage systems: (1) reduced tillage along the slope (using a roller-chisel plough), (2) reduced tillage perpendicular to the slope, (3) conventional tillage along the slope (moldboard plough + disc), (4) conventional tillage perpendicular to the slope, and (5) no-tillage. Rainfall was simulated at a constant intensity of 45 mm h⁻¹, and runoff volume, sediment weight, sediment bulk density, and the concentrations of available phosphorus and potassium in the sediments were measured.Research findings: The results showed that conventional tillage along the slope produced the highest runoff (2222 ml) and sediment (148 g), while no-tillage resulted in the lowest values (350 ml and 11 g, respectively). Tillage perpendicular to the slope significantly reduced runoff and sediment (ranging from 1142 to 1498 ml and 29 to 53 g, respectively); however, their efficiency declined in the second year, except for conventional tillage perpendicular to the slope, which performed better in the second year. Sediment bulk density was highest under conventional tillage along the slope (1.17 g cm⁻³) and lowest under no-tillage (1.01 g cm⁻³). Likewise, available potassium loss was significantly higher under conventional tillage along the slope (121 mg kg⁻¹) compared to no-tillage (46 mg kg⁻¹). Overall, no-tillage was identified as the most effective practice for reducing runoff, sediment, and nutrient loss, while tillage perpendicular to the slope may serve as an intermediate strategy for erosion management in dryland sloping areas.
Agronomy
Khoshnood Alizadeh; Ramin Lotfi; Aziz Majidi; Esmail Alizadeh; Navid Kargar; Amir Nourjoo; abdollah hasanzadeh; Bagher Hoseinpour
Volume 15, Issue 1 , September 2026, Pages 46-60
Abstract
Introduction: With more than 475,000 ha of dryland area, West Azerbaijan Province is one of the major dryland farming regions in Iran. The widespread practice of continuous wheat cultivation, the very low diversity of dryland crops, and the lack of an appropriate cropping pattern are among the major ...
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Introduction: With more than 475,000 ha of dryland area, West Azerbaijan Province is one of the major dryland farming regions in Iran. The widespread practice of continuous wheat cultivation, the very low diversity of dryland crops, and the lack of an appropriate cropping pattern are among the major challenges facing the province’s dryland agricultural systems. Continuation of the current cropping pattern may seriously undermine production sustainability, and this issue has been one of the major drivers behind large-scale initiatives such as the “Production Leap in Dryland Areas” program and the national program for optimizing cropping patterns. Implementation of an optimized cropping pattern, particularly the inclusion of grain legumes and forage legumes in crop rotations, can significantly improve the sustainability of dryland production systems by enhancing the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil, reducing pest and disease populations, and increasing water-use efficiency. In the dryland areas of West Azerbaijan Province, which are characterized by long winters and a relatively short growing season, the primary objective of crop rotation design is to manage the risks associated with water scarcity and low temperatures while maintaining or improving soil fertility. Under such conditions, simpler, more resilient, and lower-risk cropping patterns are generally preferred. Accordingly, this study analyzes the existing challenges and the potential of dryland agriculture in the region and examines effective measures and practical strategies for improving cropping patterns in the dryland areas of West Azerbaijan Province.Research Methodology: In this study, the optimized cropping pattern was evaluated considering climatic and soil conditions, the effects of climate change on precipitation and temperature patterns, and the socioeconomic conditions of farmers. Accordingly, based on previous research findings and existing agricultural programs, an operational cropping pattern was developed, including suitable crop types, their spatial distribution, and the required management practices and inputs. Crop rotation patterns involving dryland cereals (wheat/barley) with grain legumes (chickpea/lentil), cereals with forage legumes (vetch, grass pea, and forage chickpea), and cereals with oilseed crops (safflower, isfahanian starthistle, and camelina) were introduced as examples of simple and low-risk cropping patterns suitable for the dryland conditions of West Azerbaijan Province.Research Findings: A gradual decrease in the area allocated to dryland wheat, accompanied by a gradual increase in the cultivated areas of rotational crops that can substitute for cereals, including chickpea, lentil, safflower, and annual forage crops, is clearly evident when the officially mandated cropping programs of the recent three-year period (1402–1405) are compared. Accordingly, based on the National Cropping Pattern Program for the 2025–2026 cropping year, a substantial increase in the cultivated area of oilseed crops, particularly safflower and camelina, has been projected for the dryland areas of West Azerbaijan Province. This development is consistent with the objectives of the Dryland Production Sustainability Program, which represents a continuation of the Production Leap in Dryland Areas initiative, and has also been reflected in the province’s officially mandated cropping program. Achieving sustainable changes in cropping patterns and encouraging farmers to adopt the proposed patterns depend to a large extent on achieving tangible results under field conditions and adhering to the technical principles of dryland crop production. Based on research conducted under dryland conditions, the major technical priorities for successful implementation of the cropping pattern include: adopting direct seeding (no-tillage) as the first option and reduced tillage as the second option for dryland land preparation; using new and improved cultivars adapted to the province’s climatic conditions; maintaining appropriate seeding rates and planting arrangements; managing planting dates with an emphasis on autumn rather than spring sowing and establishing crops before the occurrence of effective early-autumn rainfall events; integrated weed management; balanced nutrient management; and selecting crop rotations according to production risk and economic considerations. Finally, reducing tillage intensity, implementing appropriate crop rotations, and retaining crop residues as the three key principles of conservation agriculture, together with the use of newly improved cultivars and recommended crop-specific production packages, can contribute substantially to the successful implementation of optimized cropping patterns in the dryland areas of West Azerbaijan Province.
