No Sufficient of chilling is a major problem in producing temperate fruit in warm climates. So determination of chilling requirement of different CULTIVARS of grape is important. The aim of this research was determination of chilling requirement of four grape vine COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS including: Kolahdary, Red Rasin, Yaghoti and White Rasin that factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with 12 chilling temperatures included: control, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900 and 1000 hours below 5±10C and three replications with 6 individual samples in each replicate. Results showed that the effects of chilling requirement and CULTIVARS on the studied traits including sprouting percentage, number of days to first sprouting shoot, number of days to last sprouting shoot and ratio of fresh weight to dry weight were significantly different. With increasing chilling duration from 200-1000 hour in Yaghoti cultivar and from 300-1000 hour in other three CULTIVARS, there was no significant difference in the percentage of sprouting. Nevertheless at least 100 hr, of chilling is needed to get the favorable sprouting in Yaghoti cultivar and 200 hr, in other three CULTIVARS. Results showed that with increasing chilling duration 0-1000 hr, the number of days for complete sprouting in kolahdary, Red Rasin, Yaghoti, and White Rasin CULTIVARS decreased by 19, 19, 22 and 15 day, respectively. Moreover, the highest ratio of fresh weight to dry weight of vegetative parts of cutting above mentioned CULTIVARS was observed in 200-1000 hr, rang of chilling.

The purpose of the present research was to investigate four COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS of tomato (Karoon, 3402, LS0019 and H1015) in order to determine the physicochemical attributes of the cultivar. During this investigation, fruit qualities were evaluated: Soluble solids, total solids, and moisture, pH, lycopene, β-carotene, lutein, and β-cryptoxanthin contents, color indexes (CIE a* b* L*), hue angle (h), chroma (C), total polyphenols and antioxidant activity. The amounts of total solids, a*, b*, L*, carotenoids (lycopene, β-carotene, lutein, β-cryptoxanthin), total polyphenols, and antioxidant activity (Free radical scavenging capacity, reducing power, total antioxidant capacity) remained significantly different among the investigated CULTIVARS (p<0. 05). The results showed that the H1015 cultivar had the highest antioxidant activity and carotenoids content especially lycopene. Moreover, this cultivar had the best color indexes (highest a*) in comparison with the other CULTIVARS, it is concluded that the H1015 cultivar is comparable to other CULTIVARS and thus is recommended for cultivation and processing.

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum. L) is an important economic crop worldwide, valued for its rich fibres and its role as a major source of edible oil. However, the resistance of cotton to conventional regeneration protocols is a challenge. Therefore, the development of efficient plant regeneration protocols for recalcitrant species such as cotton, especially from meristem apex explants, is crucial for the advancement of functional genomics and selective breeding using transformation technologies. In this study, we used seeds of Sahil, Varamin, Khurshid, Golestan, Latif, Kashmer and Armaghan varieties. The meristems isolated from these CULTIVARS were cultured on a medium containing MS salts, B5 vitamins and hormones to induce organogenesis. The shoots were then transferred to a branching medium. Optimal branching was observed with a medium enriched with 2 mg/l BAP and 2 mg/l Kin, with no significant differences between varieties and a maximum branching level of 92. In addition, the shoots were transferred to five different rooting media. Statistical analysis showed that a medium containing MS salts, B5 vitamins and 1 mg/l IBA gave the highest rooting rate of 95%. Our study optimised a fast, productive and genotype-independent method for organogenesis and branching from the shoot tip in cotton. The improved rooting rate and the provision of a genotype-independent rooting method are further results of this research that promise significant advances in cotton regeneration protocols.

Most almond CULTIVARS in Iran are self-incompatible. In 2008-2009, a study was carried out to determine the level of self-compatibility of 54 almond CULTIVARS grown in collection garden of Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Fars in Zarghan, Iran, as well as the most suitable pollinizers of six selected CULTIVARS. To determine the level of self-compatibility for each cultivar, four branches were selected and at least 100 buds on each branch were covered, and self-pollinated. The fruit set percentage was recorded 30 and 60 days after pollination. To determine the suitable pollinizers, the six selected CULTIVARS were crossed in a di-allele method. Regarding self compatibility, 41% fruit set formation was observed in Tuono in two years. No fruit set formation was observed in self pollination of other CULTIVARS. Furthermore, CULTIVARS Merced, Tuono and Cristomorto were determined as the most suitable pollinizers for Kapareil, cultivar Tuono for Cristomorto, CULTIVARS Kapareil, Tuono and Merced for Tuono, CULTIVARS Ai and Kapareil for Ferragnes, CULTIVARS Cristomorto and Tuono for Merced and CULTIVARS Tuono and Cristomor for Ai.

In this experiment the chilling and heating requirements of 5 COMMERCIAL apricot (Prunus armenica L .) CULTIVARS, Nasiri, Ordobad, Ghorban-e-Maragheh, Ghermez- e- Shahrood and Dorosht-e-Malayer were studied during years 1997-99 to assess their adaptability and time of blooming under different climatic conditions at Sahand Horticultural Research Station. Cut shoots of CULTIVARS were prepared and kept in growth chamber in 15 days intervals, during the dormant period, from mid-summer up to late winter. The results indicated that the CULTIVARS had different phases of dormancy during fall and winter, nevertheless they were blooming at the same time. The cultivar Ghorban-e-Maragheh with a short dormancy period had low chilling and high heating requirements. The CULTIVARS Nasiri and Ordobad had deep and long true dormancy with high chilling requirements.

The chilling and heat-sum requirements of seven COMMERCIAL almonds ['Managa' (early-bloom), 'Ne Plus Ultra' and' Azar' (mid to late-bloom), 'Sahand', 'A200', 'A230' and 'Shokofe' (late-bloom)] were studied in 1994- 96, with a view to assessing their adaptability under different climatic conditions. 'Sahand', 'A200' and 'A230' maintain their late blooming qualities because of their high chill and heat-sum requirements, and' Azar' is a middle-bloom cultivar with a medium chilling requirement and low heat-sum requirement. Therefore, this cultivar will probably flower late in warmer climates. 'Managa' can be grown in warmer climates with no problems due to its low chilling requirement and minimum heat requirement. 'Shokofe' is a late-blooming cultivar, despite its lower chilling and heat-sum requirements than 'Ne Plus Ultra' and therefore more compatibility studies will be required for various zones. 'Ne Plus Ultra' is not recommended for cold climates owing to its limited chilling and heat-sum requirements and early blooming.

Salt tolerance threshold is determined by considering the yield reduction rate in saline media compared to non-saline conditions. This value can be used for comparing salt tolerance among crop varieties. To determine salt tolerance threshold of wheat, a field experiment arranged as spilt plot in completely randomized block design was conducted with three replications.Experimental treatments were irrigation with saline water (2, 5, 8, 11, 14 and 20 dS.m-1) and wheat CULTIVARS, namely, Kavir, Roshan, Mahoti and Marvdasht. Results showed that salt tolerance threshold values for Kavir, Roshan, Mahoti and Marvdasht were 5.0, 4.6, 3.3, and 5.7 dS.m-1, respectively. With each increase in salinity level above the salt tolerance threshold, grain yield of Kavir, Roshan, Mahoti and Marvdasht was reduced by 4.5, 4.1, 4.5, and 5.5 percent, respectively. The salinity at which the yield is reduced by 50% were 15.1, 16.0, 13.0 and 12.9 for Kavir, Roshan, Mahoti and Marvdasht, respectively. Based on the U. S. Salinity Laboratory rating, these CULTIVARS are moderately salt tolerant.

The pathogen, Pythium aphanidermatum is one of the causal agents of sugar beet root rot in Iran. In order to evaluate the reaction of CULTIVARS to the pathogen, at first, the screening method of evaluation was optimized. Then, a number of 24 CULTIVARS that are commonly cultivated in Iran were evaluated against the pathogen. Three different evaluation methods in the greenhouse including grass leaf suspension, oospore suspension, and grass leaf suspension using through making wounds on the roots were compared with each other. A number of 12 CULTIVARS were inoculated with these three inoculation methods. The results showed that positive and significant correlation of the three methods with each other. Then, 24 COMMERCIAL sugar beet CULTIVARS were evaluated with grass leaf suspension method under the greenhouse conditions. Based on the results of the evaluation of the 24 COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS of sugar beet and the comparison of the disease index of Pythium root rot based on Duncan's multi-range test, Ivano, Boomrang, Flores and Tous had the lowest rot index among the CULTIVARS with the average index of 2.58, 2.65, 2.72 and 2.75 respectively and were introduced as resistant CULTIVARS to the disease. CULTIVARS Jolgeh, Rasool, Shirin and Jam were categorized as susceptible.

To identify and discriminate 15 soybean COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS, 11 morphological characteristics viz. plant height, timing of beginning of flowering, timing of maturity, anthocyanin of hypocotyl, growth type, color of hairs on main stem, shape of lateral leaflets, flower color, intensity of brown color of pod, seed coat color due to peroxidase activity, and seed hilum color were assessed and measured. This experiment was conducted during 2007-08 growing seasons using randomized complete block design with three replications in Karaj. Distinctness of CULTIVARS was determined using UPOV’s recommended method for two growing seasons (COYD).Considering seed hilum color, color of hairs on main stem, and flower color soybean CULTIVARS were grouped in similar group. Pair-wise tables were used for discriminating within-group CULTIVARS by other qualitative traits.Analysis of variance for quantitative traits showed very high significant differences (p<0.001) between CULTIVARS.Molecular tests, 16 microsatellite markers were used in CULTIVARS fingerprinting. These markers could distinguish between CULTIVARS except two of them. To determine optimum combination of markers, all markers were used which led to selection of three SSR loci; Satt231, Satt005, and Satt274. These three microsatellite loci with the most discriminative power and effective number of alleles were used in cluster analysis and led to the same distinction results using 16 markers. Since these markers are not influenced by environmental conditions, therefore, could be utilized as complementary traits to morphological and physiological characteristics in identification of soybean CULTIVARS.