The effect of saffron Crocus sativus L. cultivation methods in Suwaida governorate on some vegetative growth indicators and productivity of the stigmas

Saud Sarbukh¹, Wasim Mohsen^1*, Nashat Abu Tafesh¹, Maysoon Abu Ras¹, and Maissa Amer¹

¹Suwaida Research Center, of Field Crops, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Wasim Mohsen, Email: wasimmo6@yahoo.com).

Received: 18/ 2/ 2025 Accepted: 3/ 9/ 2025

Abstract

This research was conducted at the Agricultural Scientific Research Center in As-Suwaida – Hout Station, which has swelling clay soil from 2020 to 2022. The study aimed to investigate the effects of three methods of saffron cultivation: (M1) cultivation on the shoulders of raised soil furrows, (M2) cultivation in rows, and (M3) cultivation in rows with the addition of volcanic tuff as a soil conditioner. The research focused on the impact of these methods on the growth of saffron plants, the yield of dry stigmas, quality. The results indicated that growing saffron using M1 improved the growth strength of the saffron plant, as evidenced by the increase in the average leaf length, the number of leaves, and the number of shoots produced, across all studied agricultural seasons. The superiority was statistically significant compared to other cultivation methods. Additionally, M1 enhanced the productivity of saffron stigmas and the weight of the stigma, with this increase being significant compared to other cultivation methods. The results also showed that adding volcanic tuff to the soil had negative effects on all studied indicators. Therefore, it is recommended to cultivate saffron using M1 in the swollen clay soils of As-Suwaida Governorate and not adding volcanic tuff to the soils designated for saffron cultivation.

Keywords: Saffron, swollen clay soil, stigmas, volcanic tuff, cultivation methods.

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Evaluation of heterosis for yield and some related traits in protected tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Ali Izzo¹*, A.M. Murie² Ali Hmdan², and Wafaa Zahde¹

¹Scientific Agricultural Research Center of Tartous, Tartous, Syria.

²General commission for scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR), Damascus, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Ali Izzo; E-Mail: izzo198899@gmail.com).

Received: 17/ 02/ 2025 Accepted: 8/ 05/ 2025

Abstract

The research was conducted at Al-Jammasah station – Agricultural Research Center in Tartous- Syria, during (2021-2022) seasons in order to estimate relative, superior and standard heterosis for yield and some other traits of tomato in twenty-eight hybrids produced by half-diallel crossing method of eight lines. Randomized complete block design with three replications were used. Most hybrids were characterized by high significant heterosis values for all studied traits compared to mid parents, better parents and standard hybrid for all studied traits. Heterosis reached (39.39, 39.39, 33.33) % for plant yield, (57.15, 39.89, 75.04) % for the number of flowers per cluster, (88.64, 62.75, 93.02) % for the number of fruits per cluster, (6.62, -, 13.47) % for fruit length, (28.00, 25.00, 43.33) % for number of locules per fruit, (16.13, -, -) % for pericarp thickness, and (27.13, 25.76, 15.70) % for firmness, compared to mid parents, better parent and standard hybrid, respectively. Based on the results of the study, the hybrids (Na10×Na25 – Na12×Na24 – Na6×Na25) could be considered as promising hybrids for yield and fruit quality traits to continue working on.

Keywords: Tomato, Heterosis, yield.

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Impact of Humic Acid and Seaweed Extract Treatment on Productivity of Pepper (Antakli cultivar)

Raghad Essa1 *, Ghaithaa Wanas 1, Aziza Ajour2, and Marwan Alabi 1

1 Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, University of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria.
2Dept. of Soil Section, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, University of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

(*Corresponding author: Raghad Essa, Email: raghadessa648@gmail.com).

Received: 19/ 05/ 2025 Accepted: 21/ 07/ 2025

Abstract:

The research was conducted in Ain Al-Kroum village, Al-Ghab region, Hama Governorate, during the 2024 agricultural season to study the effect of two concentrations of humic acid (2, 4 g/L) and seaweed extract (1, 2 mL/L) on vegetative growth indicators and productivity per unit area of pepper (Capsicum annuum L., Antakli variety). The experiment included 9 treatments, including the control (0 g/L humic acid + 0 mL/L seaweed extract), with three replicates and 20 plants per treatment, following a split-plot design. The main plots were assigned to humic acid fertilization, while the subplots were assigned to foliar spraying with seaweed extract. The results showed significant improvements in plant growth and productivity when using humic acid, seaweed extract, or their combination. The H2A2 treatment (4 g/L humic acid + 2 mL/L seaweed extract) outperformed all other treatments, recording the highest values for vegetative growth indicators: average plant height of 60.93 cm, number of lateral branches of 8.26 branches/plant, number of leaves of 250.9 leaves/plant, and the highest productivity per unit area of 5.47 kg/m². In contrast, the control (H0A0) recorded the lowest values: 41.31 cm for plant height, 4.06 branches/plant, 195.9 leaves/plant, and 2.68 kg/m² for productivity. The H2 treatment (4 g/L humic acid) achieved the highest individual averages for vegetative growth (57.17 cm, 7.24 branches/plant, 241.1 leaves/plant) and productivity (4.85 kg/m²), while the A2 treatment (2 mL/L seaweed extract) recorded averages of 54.19 cm, 7.24 branches/plant, 232.5 leaves/plant, and 4.73 kg/m². These improvements are attributed to the combined effect of both factors, where humic acid enhances nutrient uptake, and seaweed extract promotes vegetative growth and fruit production through plant hormones and nutrients.

Keywords: Humic Acid, Pepper, Productivity, Seaweed Extract,Vegetative Growth.

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Effect of supplementary irrigation and manure fertilization on Leafe components of Olive tree- verities “Alkhdery cv.”

Kholod Abbas^1* , Georges Makhoul¹, Faisal Dway¹ and Mohammad Naddaf²

1 Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Lattakia University, Lattakia, Syria.
2Department of Food Science – Faculty of Agriculture – Lattaakia University Lattakia – Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Dr. Kholod Abbas. E-Mail: kholod.abbas7@gmail.com ).

Received: 28/ 06/ 2025 Accepted: 3/ 09/ 2025

Abstract

The experiment was carried out during three seasons (2020,2021,2022) on Al- khdery olive trees,30 years old in Rwayst al-hersh village in Lattakia. In order to study the effect of supplementary irrigation and manur fertilization on clorophyll mg/y ,dry matter%, carbohydrate %,protein% ,fat% and fibers% contents in olive leaves cv”Alkhdery” .Two levels of organic fertilizer 5 and 7 kg\ tree, were added in November, and irrigation was used at mid June, July and August at a fixed irrigation water rate at 800 liters\ tree\irrigation. A completely randomized design was adopted. The experiment included 12 treatments and four replications per treatment. The data were analyzed using Genestat 12 program by calculating the least significant difference level of 5%. The results showed that the T12 treatment (7 kg\tree organic fertilizer+ 3 batches irrigations) and T11(7 kg\tree organic fertilizer+ 2 batches irrigations) and T10(7 kg\tree organic fertilizer+ 1 batches irrigations) and T8(5 kg\tree organic fertilizer+ 3 batches irrigations ) were superior in tern of clorophyll content (2.0 , 1.95 , 1.91 ,1.88,1.83)mg/g wet weigh .T9 was superior in dry matter55.72%. T12 and T11 were superior at carbohydrate (37.70 , 37.35)% and fat (30.77, 29.81)% respectively without significant differences between the. T12 was superior in average of protein 11.31%. while T8 and T9 were superior in fiber rate (28.12 ,28.3)

Keywords: Olive, Organic Fertilizer , Supplementary Irrigation, Leaves Content , Protein , Chlorophyll, Fibers.

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Evaluation of the effectiveness of both inoculation with some bacterial biofertilizers (PGPR) and spraying with yeast suspension on some morphophysiological indicators of the tomato plant Solanum lycopersicum L. under the conditions of protected cultivation

Amjad W Alsamra1*, Yaser Hamad2 , and Mitiady Boras1

1 Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture engineering, Lattakia University,
Lattakia, Syria.
2Department of Soil Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture engineering, Lattakia University, Lattakia, Syria.
(*Corresponding author: Amjad Wahib Alsamra, E-Mail: amjadalsamra444@gmail.com , Mobile: 0988466799).

Received: 10/ 08/ 2025 Accepted: 29/ 09/ 2025

Abstract:

The research was carried out within an unheated sheltered house in the AL-Hafa area (Latakia governorate) during the spring lug of the agricultural season 2025, the research aimed to study the effect of both yeast suspension and three bacterial biofertilizers on some morphophysiological indicators of the tomato plant “hybrid Mandaloun F1”. The study included five transactions: witness (untreated plants), plants sprayed with yeast suspension, plants inoculated with bacterial bio-fertilizer I (M1), plants inoculated with bacterial bio-fertilizer II (M2) and plants inoculated with bio-fertilizer III (M3). In carrying out the research, follow the design of complete random sectors with three duplicates per transaction and at a rate of /10/ plants per transaction. The results showed the positive effect of both inoculation with bacterial fertilizer and spraying with yeast extract in the studied qualities, and the inoculation treatment with the third bio-fertilizer significantly exceeded the rest of the transactions and achieved the best results, as the highest values were recorded in the number of plant leaves (33.7)leaf/plant, leaf litter area (17394)cm2/plant, leaf litter index (5.10) M2/M2, relative growth rate (1.71)mg/g/day, total chlorophyll amount (46.7) SPAD and representative efficiency of the plant (0.0124)G/cm2/day.

Keywords: tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum.L), bacterial biofertilizers, yeast suspension, Morpho-physiological indicators.

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Effect of Sowing Dates and Different Concentrations of IBA ‎on the Multiplication of ‎Dodonaea viscosa ‎

Aysar Mohammad Salem AlMeaamari^*(1) and Alaa Hashem Younes AlTaai⁽¹⁾

(1). Horticulture and Forestry Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Al Mosul University, Iraq.

(*Corresponding author: Dr. Aysar Mohammad Salem AlMeaamari. E-Mail: aysaralsalim@yahoo.com).

Received: 21/03/2020 Accepted: 12/05/2020

Abstract

This study was conducted in a plastic house at the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Design, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Mosul University, In tow dates (15^th November and 15^th February) during 2019/2020 season, in order to study the effect of the date of sowing and treatment with Indole Acid at concentrations of (0, 250, 500, 750, 1000 and 2000 mg/L), and the effect of the interaction between them on root ability of the half woody cuttings of Dodonaea viscosa plants, and the extent of its effect on improving the characteristics of root and plant growth. The experiment was laid according to completely randomized design CRD with two factors and 3 replicates per treatment, and ten cuttings per replicate. The data was statistically analyzed and its treatments were compared with Duncan multiple test. The results showed that the date of getting the cuttings and treatment with Indole acid had a significant impact on the studied traits. No rooting was observed at the first date, while the second date had a clear response after ten weeks of cultivation, where the highest rooting percentage was obtained (33.33 %) due to the treatment with a concentration of 1000 mg/L and the number of roots (14.43) and the highest value of root length (10.86 cm) and the number of vegetative branches (1.96) and the length of the vegetative branch (2.76 cm) besides the fresh weight of the roots (2.50 g) and the highest dry weight (0.08 g).

Keyword: Dodonaea viscosa, Sowing dates, IBA, Multiplication.

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The Phenotypic Characterization of Some Damask Rose (Rosa ‎damascena Mill.) Genotypes Distributed in Latakia ‎Government

Tharwat Saleem Redwan^*(1) Hafez Mohammed Mahfouz⁽¹⁾ and Mazen Ali Nassour⁽²⁾

(1). Scientific Agricultural Research Center of Lattakia, General Commission for Scientific

Agricultural Research (GCSAR), Damascus, Syria.

(2). Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Eng. Tharwat Saleem Redwan. E-Mail: tharwat.redwan@yahoo.com) .

Received: 12/12/2018 Accepted: 08/04/2019

Abstract

This research aimed to study the morphological characterization and to determine the  variability among twenty Rosa damascene genotypes, which grown in different areas of  Latakia and  compare them with two genotypes from Marah location at the countryside of Damascus to  take advantage of high quality characteristics  in order to be improved in the future, and  to enhance its cultivation. The results of morphological characterization  of forty traits showed a clear difference between some studied genotypes. The highest differences were related to flowers and vegetative characters compared with fruits and seeds characters.  A dendrogram based on the morphological data showed clear separation between studied genotypes, and reached (85%) for flowers characters and reached (60%) for vegetative characters, while it attained (47%)  for  fruits and seeds characters. The study showed that there were a distinct differences for some genotypes which can be used in breeding and genetic improvement programs in the future.

 Key words: Genotypes,  Rosa damascena,  Morphological characterization, Syria.
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In Vitro Micropropagation of Seedlings of Ceratonia siliqua L. ‎with Micro-Cuttings

Fadi Kazngi^*(1) Talal Amin⁽¹⁾ and Hafez Mahfoud⁽²⁾

(1). Environment and Forestry Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen University, Latakia, Syria.

(2). Biotechnology Division, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR), Damascus, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Eng. Fadi Kazngi. E-Mail: fadikazngi79@yahoo.com).

Received: 30/07/2019 Accepted: 24/09/2019

Abstract

This study was carried out during 2018 and 2019 seasons at the Green House Nursery using S₁ genotype of Ceratonia Siliqua L. which is grown at the site of Snobar Jablah in Lattakia Governorate to determine the best hormonal balance to multiply the vegetative growth and rooting the micro- cutting of the seedling and thus the possibility of multiplying the desired genotypes of mature carob plants to produce vegetative strains for re-infiltration in its degraded areas. This study found a successful and detailed In Vitro propagation system for rapid micropropagation of carob. 10% Sodium Hypochlorite for 20 minutes gave the best efficiency for surface sterilization of vegetative growth. Concentration of 0.5 mg/L of Gibberellin with BAP at a concentration of 0.5 mg/L gave the best average of shoots length (8.47 cm), while the seedling multiplying became better when using the BAP hormone at a concentration of 0.5 mg/L with 0.1 mg/L of AIB. The best concentration of rooting hormone AIB was 2 mg/L which achieved the best percentage of rooting (71.67%), and the best mean number of roots(5.43) , while the concentration of 1 mg/L achieved the best mean length of roots (4.25 cm).

Key words: Carob, Micropropagation, Benzyl Amino Purine BAP, Indol Butyric Acid AIB.

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The Effect of Different Levels of Poultry Manure on the ‎Production of Pistachios var. ‘Ashouri’‎

Mohammed Al Doeames^*(1) Rashid Kharbutli⁽²⁾ and Rashid AlSaid Omar⁽³⁾

(1). Hamah Research Center, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research GCSAR, Damascus, Syria.

(2). Department of Horticulture Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen University, Latakia, Syria.

(3). Administration of Horticulture Research, GCSAR, Damascus, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Eng. Mohammed Al Doeames. E-Mail:mohammaddaems@gmail.com).

Received: 21/03/2020 Accepted: 12/05/2020

Abstract

This research was conducted during the seasons 2017 and 2018 on pistachio trees var.’ Ashouri’ which grown in Bsireen village at Hama governorate, in order to study the effect of different levels of poultry manure on the production of pistachio trees var. Ashouri. Five rates of poultry manure were applied (10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 kg/tree), and the treatments were (T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6 respectively) which compared to chemical fertilizer (T1 treatment) as applied by the farmer, and with a control without any fertilizer addition (T0). The experiment was designed according to randomized complete block design. The results confirmed the positive effect of manure treatments on the productivity indicators of pistachio trees which clearly observed at the second season. The highest production per tree were (34.49, 34.58 and 34.83 kg) for the treatments (T4, T5 and T6) respectively, and all treatments surpassed the control. In terms of fruits crack and empty fruits ratios the treatments T4, T5, T6 had the best values.

Key words: Pistachio, Pistacia vera, Poultry manure, Productivity traits.

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The Effect of Indole Butyric Acid IBA Concentrations on ‎Rooting and Growth of Stem Cuttings of Thymus spp. Which ‎Spread Naturally in Latakia Governorate

Malak Sabbouh^*(1) Talal Amin⁽²⁾ and Hafez Mahfoud⁽³⁾

(1). Forestry and Environment Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen University, Latakia, Syria.

(2). Biotechnology Department, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research GCSAR, Damascus, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Eng. Malak Sabbouh. E-Mail: malak.sabboh@gmail.com).

Received: 08/01/2019 Accepted: 01/04/2019

Abstract

The study was conducted during 2018 to determine the effect of Indole Butyric Acid (IBA) on rooting of three types of thyme spread naturally in Latakia governorate. A stem cuttings of thymus capitatus (Snobar Gableh), Thymus syriacus (Kasab), and thymus cilicicus (Al-Dalia) were collected. and treated with different concentrations of IBA (0, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 ppm) then they were planted under controlled conditions at the greenhouse of the seedlings of olive propagation in Latakia. The root traits (rooting%, number of roots and length of roots), and shoot traits (length of main stem cm, number of shoots and length of shoots) were measured after two months of planting. The results were analyzed according to Randomized Completely Block Design with three replicates. The treatments of IBA showed positive effect on all the studied trait as compared with the control, according to the concentration of IBA and the species studied. The concentration 500 ppm showed the best results over the studied species of thyme in terms of rooting percentage (81.78%), number of roots (139.86) and number of shoots (6.97), while the concentration of 250 ppm gave the highest root length (16.83 cm) and the main stem length (9.5 cm). In general, these concentrations significantly surpassed the other concentrations. T. cilicicus showed the best root characteristics, while T. capitatus had better shoot characteristics , whereas T. syriacus showed intermediate values between the two previous species.

Key words: Thymus spp., IBA, Stem cutting, Rooting percentage.

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