Available fresh water resources are subjected to an ever-increasing pressure due to extensive agricultural water demand for irrigated lands. A long-term perspective in shortage of fresh water resources, especially in arid and semi-arid area, highlights an urgent solution for innovative irrigation strategy and agricultural water management. This paper is a review on the wide applications of the partial ROOT-ZONE drying irrigation (PRD) on diverse plant species. The PRD irrigation is a novel improvement of deficit irrigation in which half of the ROOT ZONE is irrigated alternatively in scheduled irrigation events. In the last decade, scientists across the world, especially from arid to semi-arid countries, have extensively evaluated this irrigation as a water-saving irrigation strategy on agronomic and horticultural plants. This review paper focuses on the physiological and morphological aspects of PRD on plants and its ultimate impact on yield and water productivity. Overall, under limited water resources where water is precious, PRD is a viable irrigation option to increase water productivity while margining the yield, rather than only increasing the economic yield without concerning the value of water in limited water environments.

In this study, the pattern of changes in the values of soil Electrical Conductivity (EC) and soil Temperature (T) under Full Irrigation treatment (FI) as compared with PRD75 and PRD55 treatments (Partial ROOT-ZONE Drying which received 75 % and 55% water of FI at each irrigation event) was investigated in 1389 on a maize filed in Sari University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Results demonstrated that there was a strong linear relationship between the values of T and soil water content and as well between EC and soil water content. Results also showed a strong exponential relation between the values of T and EC. Regardless of treatments, the values of EC and T decreased in response to any increase in the soil depth. However, the values of changes in the EC and T in the wetted part of PRD75 treatment were significantly higher than those of the same part in FI treatment. The value of total salt accumulation in the ROOT-ZONE under PRD75 treatment was 27% less than that at FI treatment. Furthermore, in spite of a 25% water saving under PRD75 treatment, there was no significant decrease in the value of yield efficiency (6.9 ton/ha) as compared with FI treatment (7 ton/ha). Therefore, it can be concluded that applying PRD75 treatment can lead to the most suitable results in this study area.

Frequent droughts, improper grazing management and exploitation of rangelands caused degradation of vegetation. Currently several shrubs especially Atriplex canescens is used for restoration of the rangelands as a result a vast areas have been planted by this species. However, no study was conducted to assess the echo hydrological aspect of this species. The present study was therefore taken place to investigate the soil moisture distribution, as one of the controller factor for proper rangeland management, in ROOT ZONE of three A. canescens in a planted area located in Birjand Township, eastern of Iran. For this propose, an area was surrounded around the plants and then irrigated. A profile was then dug after two days with a dimension of 180 cm length to adepth of 100 cm. The soil samples were then taken from 10 points in depth with intervals of 10 cm and 21 points in horizontal direction at 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150 and 180 cm. The volumetric moisture of the soil samples was measured using weighing technique and data was analyzed using SPSS11.5 software.The results showed that the soil moisture content is radially decreased as distance increased from plants. The comparison also revealed that the soil moisture is the highest and lowest rate at depth of 20-30 and 60-100 cm, respectively, owing to controlling interaction between atmospheric condition and ROOT distribution system.

Background and Aim: Today several materials have been used for ROOT- end filling in endodontic surgery. Optimal properties of Pro ROOT MTA in in-vitro and in-vivo studies have been proven. On the other hand, based on some studies, ROOT MTA (Iranian Pro ROOT MTA) and Portland cement are similar to Pro ROOT MTA in physical and biologic properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate bacterial leakage (amount and mean leakage time) of four ROOT- end filling materials. Materials and Methods: In this experimental in-vitro study, seventy six extracted single- ROOTed human teeth were randomly divided into six groups for ROOT-end filling with gray Pro ROOT MTA, white Pro ROOT MTA, ROOT MTA (Iranian Pro ROOT MTA), Portland Cement (type I) and positive and negative control groups. ROOT canals were instrumented using the step- back technique. ROOT- end filling materials were placed in 3mm ultra sonic retro preparations. Samples and microleakage model system were sterilized in autoclave. The apical 3-4 mm of the ROOTs were immersed in phenol red with 3% lactose broth culture medium. The coronal access of each specimen was inoculated every 24h with a suspension of Streptococcus sanguis (ATCC 10556). Culture media were observed every 24h for color change indicating bacterial contamination for 60 days. Statistical analysis was performed using log- rank test with P<0.05 as the limit of significance. Results: At the end of study 50%, 56.25%, 56.25% and 50% of specimens filled with Gray Pro ROOT MTA, White Pro ROOT MTA. ROOT MTA and Portland Cement (type I) had evidence of leakage respectively. The mean leakage time was 37.19±6.29, 36.44±5.81, 37.69±5.97 and 34.81±6.67 days respectively. Statistical analysis of data showed no significant difference among the leakage (amount and mean leakage time) of the four tested ROOT- end filling materials (P=0.9958). Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, there were no significant differences in leakage among the four tested groups at 60 days. The results suggest that ROOT MTA and Portland Cement can be used as less expensive ROOT filling materials.

This research was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replications, to evaluate the effect of ROOT-ZONE temperature on antioxidant activity in saffron corm in 2013. In this experiment, effect of two ROOT-ZONE temperatures (23±1 oC and 33±1 oC) in growth chamber on the activity of antioxidant enzymes: peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase and auxin oxidase in the appical of saffron corms during corm dormancy stage (July) and at beginning corm growing stage (October) were studied. The results showed that at both ROOT-ZONE temperatures the activity of all enzymes were least in July. Moreover at the 33 oC ROOT-ZONE temperature no differences in enzyme activities were observed between the months of July to October. In addition measured soluble sugars in buds and corms of saffron showed the highest rate of glucose, mannose, and arabinose at a temperature of 23 oC, respectively.Thus, treatment of 23 oC as the best temperature for storage and maintenance of saffron corms was introduced.

Irrigation management is one of the most important factors affecting the development and expansion of the plant ROOT. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different deficit irrigation treatments on the ROOT characteristics of fodder maize (KSC 704) in surface drip irrigation system. This research was conducted in agricultural research center of Khorasan Razavi during the 2014 growing season. A factorial experiment based on randomized complete blocks design with nine treatments and four replications was carried out. Treatments included full irrigation (FI), deficit irrigation (DI) and replacements of 80 and 60% of total water requirement, partial ROOT ZONE drying (PRD) at 100, 80 and 60% of water requirement and fixed partial ROOT ZONE drying (FPRD) at 100, 80 and 60% of water requirement. Water requirement was determined based on compensation of soil moisture deficit using an electromagnetic moisture meter. Water was measured by volume meters and distributed in the field. The first stress was applied at the 6-leaf stage of maize. Two weeks after applying the first deficit irrigation treatment in the 10-leaf stage of the plants, the first ROOT sampling performed. Dry weight and volume, lateral and deep penetration of ROOTs were measured at each sampling. The results showed that in all treatments the average amount of all measured traits decreased with decreasing water consumption. There was no significant difference among ROOT dry weight of FI, PRD100 and PRD80 treatments. ROOT volume was affected by water stress but application of PRD80 method prevented the negative effects of water stress on ROOT volume. Therefore, PRD method is more efficient compared to DI and FPRD methods when applied water stress, and water and nutrients will be absorbed at a higher level by ROOT.

Heating the soil temperature can improve seed germination and plant growth. Using renewable energy for greenhouse heating is recommended due to environmental concerns and the possibility of fossil fuel scarcity. This study analyzed the heat transfer relationships of pipes and solar collectors using Python software to determine the most optimal mode. This research aims to heat a specific type of greenhouse (with a surface area of 10 m2 out of 500 m2 in Shahtekord, Iran) using ROOT-ZONE installations. The results indicate that the diameter and depth of the pipe placement from the ROOT have a significant impact on the amount of heat supplied from the collector side. Increasing the pipe diameter results in higher system heat requirements while decreasing the depth of the pipes leads to a decrease in the supplied heat from the collector side. After analyzing these parameters, it was determined that the optimal distance for placing the pipe from the ROOT is 30 cm. Also, in December, which is the coldest month, 16 collectors are required to meet the necessary heat supply.

Due to the increased water consumption and the depletion of water resources, deficit irrigation is an optimal strategy for cultivation, which is usually applied by utilizing the methods of Deficit Irrigation (DI), Regulated Deficit Irrigation (PRD), and Partial ROOT-ZONE Drying Irrigation (PRD). In the PRD method, just one side of the plant is irrigated in each irrigation interval. Under these conditions, in the part of the irrigated plant, the ROOTs absorb enough water and grow, so that there is no change in the amount of the plan’s photosynthesis. There are some models, including WOFOST (Van Diepen et al., 1989; Boogaard et al., 1998), EPIC (Jones et al., 1991), AquoCrop (Steduto et al., 2009), and STICS (Brisson et al., 2003), that can simulate crop yield under different soil conditions, Climates, irrigation schedule, and agricultural managements (Hashemi et al., 2018). These models simulate PRD irrigation, such as the DI method. Daisy is the first model, differentiating the gained results between the two methods (Hansen et al., 1990; Hansen et al., 1991); a semi-experimental model that considers the Richards equation (Richards, 1931) to simulate the soil water content and the experimental equations to simulate crop yield parameters. The PRD sub-model in the Daisy was developed and upgraded based on the data gained from potato cultivation under PRD irrigation (Liu et al., 2008; Plauborg et al., 2010). Since this sub-model was developed only for the potato, the aim of the present study was calibration and validation of two parameters; stomatal slop factor (m) and specific leaf weight modifier (LeafAIMod) in the PRD sub-model, to run the Daisy model to simulate sunflower under the PRD irrigation.

When irrigating with saline water, salt distribution pattern within the ROOT ZONE is affected by leaching fraction and crop water uptake pattern, in addition to the chemical interactions of soil solution. In order to evaluate leaching requirement and sensitivity of alfalfa to salinity, a lysimetric study (cylindrical lysimeters with internal diameters of 40cm and height of 180 em) was conducted in completely randomized design with 3 levels of irrigation water salinity (3, 7 and 13 dS/m) and 3 levels of leaching fractions (12%, 25%, and 50 %) as a factorial experiment with 4 replications. After packing, soil columns were leached until drainage water salinity reached 3 dS/m and, then, were sown with alfalfa (Yazdi cultivar). To prepare different irrigation water salinity, natural saline water from Sadouq Salinity Research Field with salinity level of 14 dS/m was blended with tap water in different ratios. The amount of applied water was based on crop water consumption in addition to leaching fraction which was carefully weighed. The collected drain water was weighed again after 48 hr in which drain water quality was measured too. The least required irrigation cycles to reach steady state conditions was 12 cycles which increased with increasing salinity level and decreasing leaching fraction. Generally, results showed that implementation of a defined leaching fraction can reduce soil salinity more than WatSuit predictions. Therefore, soil salinity control at a desired level can be obtained with less leaching fraction level. This is especially important for optimum water utilization under saline conditions when irrigation is linked to application of more salts.