Low soil organic matter is a prevalent problem in soils with semi-desert climates, which seems to have effects on the efficiency of the utilized chemical fertilizers. The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the interaction between FARMYARD MANURE (FYM0=0, FYM10=10, and FYM20=20 t ha-1) and nitrogen fertilizer (N0=0, N40= 40 and N80=80 kg ha-1) on growth ad seed production of safflower in the west of Iran. Results showed that the application of nitrogen at all levels of animal MANURE increased the height of the plant. The effect of using small amounts of nitrogen (40) was more evident in the conditions of application of animal MANURE. The application of FYM10+N80 increased the number of lateral branches by about 56%. With the increase in nitrogen consumption, the chlorophyll content in the leaves increased linearly. The increasing effect of applying FYM20 on chlorophyll content was similar to the application of 40 kg of nitrogen and improved the chlorophyll content by about 26%. Canopy width increased by 80% with the utilization of FYM20+N80 compared to the control condition (FYM0+N0). Application of FYM10 and FYM20 increased capitulum diameter by canopy by 40% and 54%, respectively. Altogether, the best safflower performance was achieved under the conditions of using FYM20+N80, which improved the yield by 439 kg ha-1 over control. The use of FYM increased the positive effect of nitrogen on leaf chlorophyll, canopy width, and capitulum number and ultimately improved seed yield. Improving soil organic matter is one of the necessities to increase the efficiency of nitrogenous fertilizers in semi-arid areas.

Tillage systems and organic MANUREs could affect soil physical and mechanical properties. This study was conducted to investigate the impacts of two tillage systems including conventional tillage by moldboard plowing (plowing depth, 30 cm) and reduced tillage by disk plow (plowing depth, 15 cm) and three rates (0, 30 and 60 ton ha-1) of FARMYARD MANURE (FYM) on the soil penetration resistance under corn cropping in a split block design with 3 replications. The cone index (CI) decreased with increase of the tillage depth. It is attributable to soil disturbing and loosening of the deeper layers under conventional tillage compared to reduced tillage. This trend, however, was observed only in the first (after treatments’ application and before cropping) and second (the highest rate of vegetative growth) samplings. In the third sampling (after harvest), there were not significant differences between the CI values under two tillage systems in different soil depths. It might be due to soil re-compaction (approaching the pre-tillage state) as well as disappearance of the tillage effects seven month after commencement of the experiment. In fact, the soil mechanical resistance increased with the time indicating soil re-compaction over the growing season. Adding FYM to the surface layer (i.e. 0-10 cm) of ridge soil resulted in significant decrease of soil mechanical resistance compared to control treatment. The CI decreased significantly in the 30 ton ha-1 treatment up to the stage of highest rate of vegetative grow, but the effect on CI was diminished after harvest. However, the decreasing effects of the 60 ton ha-1 treatment on the CI continued to the harvesting time. There were no significant effects of FYM in the soil deeper than 10 cm from the ridge surface and in all of the layers in furrow. The CI did not decrease significantly in the furrow due to negligible effect of MANURE application for the inter-row position.

Introduction The cultivation area of sesame is about 43, 000 hectares and the average yield is 900 kg ha-1 (Anonymous, 2017). Due to low grain yield of sesame per unit area, need to field operations are felt. To achieve high yield, it is necessary to manage production inputs in order to use them correctly and efficiently (Tahmasebi & Mostafavi, 2010). The use of renewable FARMYARD and green MANUREs instead of chemical sources in crop rotation can play an important role in fertility and preservation of biological activities, soil organic matter, ecosystem health and crop quality (Zaidi et al., 2003). FARMYARD MANURE provides all plant nutrients in limited quantities. The nutrient elements of FARMYARD MANURE (nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, iron, zinc) are slowly released to the plant, thus causing less pollution in the environment. In organic farming, the use of legumes as a green MANURE has also been a matter of interest due to their ability to stabilize atmospheric nitrogen. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of FARMYARD MANURE and green MANURE application on grain and grain components of sesame under temperate Kermanshah region condition. Materials and Methods This experiment was done in the Organic Farming Educational and Research of Campus of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran during 2016-2017. The farm of study was located in latitude 34º 21'North and longitude 47º 9' East with 1319 m above sea. The experiment was conducted as split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications. The experimental treatments included FARMYARD MANURE at three levels (0, 10 and 20 t h-1, FM0, FM10 and FM20, respectively) as the main factor and the cultivation of green MANURE (non-cultivating green MANURE, hairy vetch, berseem clover and fenugreek) as sub factor. At the end of growing season, number of branches per plant, number of capsules per plant, number of grain per capsule, 1000-grain weight (g), total dry weight yield (kg ha-1), grain yield (kg ha-1), harvest index (%) and grain oil content (%) were measured for each plot. Statistical analysis and means comparison by LSD method at 5% level were performed using SAS software. Results and Discussion Based on the results, in FM10 and FM20 treatments, the number of branches per plant 20 and 21%, capsule per plant 10. 9 and 30. 7%, 1000-grain weight 4. 2 and 5. 5%, total dry weight yield 25 and 34%, and grain yield 18. 8% and 38. 1% were higher than FM0 treatment, respectively. The application of green MANURE also improved sesame and yield and yield components, but the difference between various species of green MANURE was not significant. However, the highest and had the least effect on these traits were related to fenugreek and hairy vetch, respectively. Application of green MANURE at all levels of FARMYARD MANURE also increased total dry wieght yield and grain yield of sesame. The maximum of 1000-grain weight, total dry weight yield and grain yield (3. 3 g, 10720 and 1929 kg ha-1, respectively) were obtained in FM20 and planting the fenugreek as green MANURE, their lowest amounts (2. 87 g, 5960 and 918 kg ha-1, respectively) were obtained under control conditions. Effective traits on sesame grain yield were number of capsules per plant (0. 81), 1000-grain weight (0. 75) and number of grain per capsule (0. 35), respectively. The correlation between total dry weight yield and number of capsules per plant (0. 62), 1000-grain weight (0. 57), and number of branches per plant (0. 54) was positive and significant at 1% level. There was a positive and significant correlation between dry weight and grain yield (0. 78) at 1% level. Grain oil content was not positively correlated with any of the traits and showed the most negative and significant correlation with grain yield (-0. 42). Conclusions In general, the results indicate that FARMYARD MANURE application and select the appropriate green MANURE species by provide a balanced composition of nutrients is an appropriate solution to improve sesame yield and yield components, so sustainable production of sesame is possible in organic farming systems.

Effects of FARMYARD MANURE and planting depth on (Solanum tuberosum L. var. Agria) was examined in a field study in Faculty of Agriculture Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2004. The experimental design was a split plot with four complete randomized blocks. FARMYARD MANURE was allocated to main plots with 4 levels (0, 20, 40 and 60 ton/ha) and planting depth were randomized in subplots with 4 levels (6, 12, 18 and 24 cm). FARMYARD MANURE and planting depth had significant effect on phenological stages. Emergence and maturity was accelerated and delayed, respectively with increasing FARMYARD MANURE or decreasing planting depth. Number of tuber per plant was increased with increasing FARMYARD MANURE or decreasing planting depth. Tuber weight was not affected by FARMYARD MANURE but with increasing planting depth this parameter increased. With increasing FARMYARD MANURE, yield was increased and the highest tuber yield (29.01 ton/ha) was obtained with 60 ton/ha FARMYARD MANURE. The highest tuber yield was obtained in 18 cm planting depth. The interaction effect of FARMYARD MANURE and planting depth was not significant on phenological stages, yield and yield components.

From 2016 to 2017, an experiment was conducted at Razi University Organic Farming to identify the best organic fertilizers for organic sesame production. The research was carried out in the split-plot design based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. Comparison of soil nitrate in the post-planting stage of sesame with soil before the experiment shows that organic nitrate storage with an application of treatments of 10 and 20 t ha-1 of animal MANURE is 36 and 63% and green MANURE of fenugreek, berseem clover, and hairy vetch is 63, 54, and 23%, respectively. The reason for improving grain yield is the positive role of animal MANURE and green MANURE in the fertility and balance of soil elements. The plant doesn’, t face a lack of nutrients and increases the concentration of essential growth elements in the leaves, which increases grain yield. Fenugreek and berseem clover were higher than hairy vetch due to higher nitrogen yield. In the post-harvesting stage of sesame, soil experiments revealed that approximately 24% organic carbon, 58% phosphorus, 16% nitrogen, 63% nitrate, and 50% ammonium were stored in the soil. Potassium content was 13% lower than in soil before the experiment. In general, this study showed that the application of animal and green MANURE by providing physical and chemical properties of soil in organic field conditions leads to improved traits associated with sesame growth and, ultimately, grain yield.

The use of models can improve understanding of nutrient uptake process by plant. Even with a lack of agreement, models can be helpful in identifying the causes of divergence. This research was performed for potassium uptake prediction, in different growth stages of corn by Cushman model and under different tillage systems and FARMYARD MANURE treatments. Tillage treatments included surface disk harrowing+two disk, harrowing as reduced tillage (15 cm plowing depth) and moldboard plowing+two disk harrowings as conventional tillage system (30 cm plowing depth). Also, three levels of 0, 30 and 60 tons per hectare FARMYARD MANURE were used as organic MANURE treatments. The above mentioned treatments were done in a split block design with 3 replications and under corn cultivation for two years. The results showed, predicted potassium uptake in plant, using Cushman model, was highly correlated with measured K uptake, but was in a much lower magnitude. With MANURE addition, model deviation increased in observed data. Also, model deviation was lower under reduced tillage in comparison with the conventional tillage.

To study the effect of chemical and MANURE fertilizers on the yield of tobacco, cultivar K326, an experiment was conducted in Taqar Tappeh village (Golestan province) in 2016 in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Treatments including chemical fertilizer (100%), livestock MANURE (at two levels of 10 and 20 t/ha), the combination of chemical and MANURE fertilizers (10 t/ha of MANURE + 50% chemical fertilizer), and no fertilization (control) During the growing period and before harvest, necessary evaluations were performed on leaf length, leaf width, leaf chlorophyll index (spad), leaf fresh weight, leaf dry weight, leaf nicotine percentage, average price and gross income per hectare. The results showed that except for chlorophyll index, mean price and leaf nicotine percentage, other traits such as leaf length and width, fresh and dry leaf weight and gross yield per hectare were statistically significant. Comparison of means also showed that the highest leaf length (63.2 cm), leaf width (32.5 cm), leaf fresh weight (35851 kg/ha.), dry leaf yield (6343 kg/ha.) and gross income (508550072 Rials) was obtained from the combined treatment of 10 t/ha of MANURE + 50% chemical fertilizer. Therefore, the findings of this study showed that there is a possibility of combined application of chemical and livestock fertilizers without a significant reduction in tobacco leaf yield and no environmental degradation consequential in a sustainable agricultural system.

Drought is one of the most common and important factors limiting production in arid and semi-arid regions. Some organic amendments can be used to reduce the effects of drought on plants. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of municipal waste compost and FARMYARD MANURE on the growth characteristics of basil (Ocimum basilicum L) under water deficit. A factorial experiment was conducted based on a completely randomized design with three replications in 2022 in the greenhouse of Razi University, Kermanshah. The factors included water deficit (at three levels of 50, 75 and 100 % of field capacity (FC), FARMYARD MANURE (at three levels of 15, 30 and 45 ton/ha) and municipal waste compost (at three levels of 15, 30 and 45 ton/ha). For the MANURE, the treatment without MANURE and also for the compost, the treatment without compost is considered as the control. The results showed that the interaction effect of compost and FARMYARD MANURE under water deficit on most of the growth characteristics as well as the amounts of proline, soluble sugars and plant pigments were significant (P≤0.01). The highest shoot and root dry weight (2.1 and 1.7 g, respectively), shoot height (24.1 cm), leaf area (75.5 cm2) and relative water content (29.3 %) were obtained with application of 45 tons/ha of compost, 45 tons/ha of MANURE and FC. Also, the highest amount of proline (9.78 μmol/g) and soluble sugars (1.06 mg/g) were found under 50% of FC, without the use of compost and MANURE. In general, the simultaneous use of municipal waste compost and FARMYARD MANURE is a simple, suitable and cheap strategy to reduce the effects of water deficit in basil.