Ion Homeostasis and Stress-Related Gene Activity in Lemna minor during Salt Stress Ahmed Y. Lafta Hzaa, Najim M. Aziz, Ahmed Zaer Resan Iop Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science, 2025 Salinity stress greatly affects the ion balance and alters the expression of important stress-related genes in Lemna minor, a model aquatic plant. Exposure to higher NaCl concentrations (50–200 mM) resulted in a significant increase in Na + , reaching 465.4% at a concentration of 200 mM, compared to the control sample. In contrast, K + levels peaked at 50 mM (5.176 mg/g DW) and then sharply decreased at higher salinities, showing an initial compensatory response that faileds with prolonged stress. As a result, the Na + /K + ratio increased significantly from 0.24 in the control to 1.73 at 200 mM indicating a serious ionic imbalance. Gene expression analysis showed clear patterns: the NHX gene, which is responsible for vacuolar Na + storage, was upregulated 256 times at 200 mM NaCl, indicating activation of compartmentalization under high salinity. In contrast, the K + transporter (K Trans) gene was progressively downregulated (as low as 7% of the control), suggesting that Na + competition hinders K + uptake. The aquaporin gene TIP4 showed peak expression (22.4-fold) at 100 mM NaCl, emphasizing its role in regulating water transport during moderate stress. The transcription factor MYB was significantly induced at 100 mM (16-fold) but suppressed at 200 mM (0.03-fold), indicating its involvement in early stress signaling that decreases under severe conditions. These results show that Lemna minor uses a complex molecular and physiological response to salinity, involving ion regulation, osmotic adjustment, and transcriptional control, with critical thresholds influencing adaptive success.
Effect of Plant Extracts and Nano-Selenium on the Anatomical Characteristics of Mango Seedling Leaves (Mangifera indica L.) Under Stress Conditions Noor Abdulrazzaq Abdullah, Wasen Fawzi Alpresem, Ahmed Yousef Lafta Hzaa Iop Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science, 2025 This study was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station and Laboratories of the College of Agriculture, University of Basrah, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Design, on two-year-old mango seedlings planted in 25 kilograms pots. The study included a factorial experiment with two factors and six replicates, resulting in 54 experimental units. The first factor consisted of three treatments: Moringa extract and Damas leaf extract at (100 mg L⁻¹ and 100 mg L⁻¹) as well as control treatment. The second factor was nano-selenium at (0, 25, 50 ppm). The Anatomical characteristics of the leaves were analyzed using the paraffin technique. The results showed that the control treatment significantly outperformed the others, recording the highest cuticle layer thickness of 3.03 µm, while the Damas extract treatment recorded the lowest thickness of 1.59 µm. Regarding the effect of nano-selenium, the control treatment outperformed the other concentrations with an average thickness of 2.66 µm, while the 50 mg L⁻¹ concentration recorded the lowest value of 1.66 µm. The interaction between Damas extract and nano-selenium at 50 mg L⁻¹ recorded the lowest thickness of 0.99 µm compared to the control treatment recorded the highest cuticle layer thickness of 3.23 µm. Additionally, the interaction between Damas extract and 50 mg L⁻¹ nano-selenium resulted in the highest values for epidermal cell thickness, palisade cell length, spongy cell diameter, and the thickness of the xylem and phloem layers, measuring 92.34 µm, 94.25 µm, 15.89 µm, 17.86 µm, and 8.49 µm, respectively. The study also suggested that the observed damage to the Anatomical characteristics of the leaves could be attributed to the sharp increase in temperature and low relative humidity during the summer growing season. These environmental stresses likely caused a reduction in key Anatomical features, such as the thickness of the xylem and phloem layers within the vascular bundles, while significantly increasing the cuticle layer thickness. This thickening of the cuticle layer may represent an adaptive response by the plant to mitigate the effects of environmental stress.
Response of Date Palm Trees (Phoenix dactylifera L.) to Treatment with Boron and Silica Sol Nutrient Solution under Saline Growing Conditions Hassan A. Faisal, Abdul Samad Aboud Abdullah, Ahmed Y. Lafta Hzaa Diyala Agricultural Sciences Journal, 2024 The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of different concentrations of boron 0, 100, and 200 mg L-1 and silica sol nutritional solutions 0, 3, and 6 mL L-1 on Khadrawi date palm trees in the presence of salt conditions. The results demonstrated that the spray treatment with boron at 200 mg L-1 and the spray treatment with silica sol nutrient solution at a level of 6 ml L-1 exhibited significant superiority. These treatments resulted in the highest values for various parameters including the concentration of mineral elements such as potassium, silicon, and boron, the ratio of potassium to sodium, the membrane stability index, the increase in activity of the peroxidase enzyme in leaves, the increase in the percentage of set, maturity, shoot weight, and total fruit yield. In contrast, the comparison treatment obtained the lowest values for these parameters. The treatments (boron at 200 mg L-1 and silica sol 6 mL L-1) decreased significantly, recording the lowest values in the concentration of sodium, chlorine, amino acids, proline, and ionic leakage of potassium ions in the leaves, while the comparison treatment recorded the highest values for the same traits. The interference between the two study factors significantly affected most of the studied traits.
Influence of a Mixture of Microbiology (Bacteria and Fungi) and Marine Alga Extracts on Some Growth Characteristics of Strawberry (cv. Roby Gem) Ahmed Hzaa, Ola Hamza M., Ali. S. A. Al-janabi Tikrit Journal for Agricultural Sciences, 2024 Throughout the 2021 season, an experiment was conducted to observe the impact of different mixtures on strawberry growth. The mixtures consisted of equal levels of microorganisms, specifically (20mlL -1 of Rhizobium combined with 20mlL -1 of Arbuscular mycorrhizal, and (20ml.L -1 of Bacillus subtilis combined with 20ml.L -1 of Arbuscular mycorrhizal).( 20mlL -1 of Rhizobium combined with 20mlL -1 of Trichoderma harzianum ), (20ml.L -1 of Bacillus subtilis combined with 20mlL -1 of Trichoderma harzianum ). Additionally, Marine Alga Extracts (MAE) at concentrations of 0.5 and 1 mlL -1 were included, along with a control treatment without any spray. The results revealed that treating the seedlings with 20 mlL -1 of Bacillus bacteria and 20 mlL -1 of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus resulted in a height of 11.02 cm. Similarly, treating the seedlings with 20ml.L -1 of Rhizobium bacteria and 20ml.L -1 of tricho fungus showed a significantly higher height of 11.13 cm compared to the control treatment , which only reached 2.20 cm. All combinations of microorganisms demonstrated a significant increase in the diameter of the seedlings. The diameter measurements were 2.73, 2.50, 3.13, and 2.01 mm for the different mixtures, respectively. Furthermore, the treatment with Rhizobium bacteria and tricho fungus exhibited a superior leaf area of 94.333 cm 2 , while the treatment with Bacillus bacteria and Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus had a leaf area of 88.866 cm 2 . In contrast, the control treatmenthad a leaf area of 68.666 cm 2 . The average weight of the fruit was significantly higher with the MAE treatment, with an average of 71.37 g. In contrast, the comparison treatment had the lowest average fruit weight of 22.873 g. On the other hand, the Microorganism treatment had a significantly higher average number of fruits, with an average of 10.36 fruits and seedlings. In comparison, the comparison treatment had the lowest average of 6.62 fruits and seedlings.
Effect of spraying the acetylsalicylic acid and citric acid on some physical and chemical characteristics of date palm two cultivars Halawi and Sayer Murtadha Shanan Auda, Ahmed Yousef Lafta Hzaa Bionatura, 2023 This study was conducted in an orchard in Basra Governorate during the 2020 growing season, with the aim of the effect of spraying the antioxidants acetylsalicylic acid and citric acid on some physical and chemical characteristics of two date palm cultivars Phoenix dactylifera L. (Halawi and Sayer) in improving the chemical and physical properties of the fruits. The experiment included five-factor treatments, which are the comparison treatment and two concentrations of citric acid 150, 300 mg.L-1 and two concentrations of acetylsalicylic acid 500 and 1000 mg.L-1, the floral spikes were sprayed twice, the first spraying a month after pollination and the second spray 15 days after the first spray. The results demonstrated that spraying with two acids led to a significant increase in all studied traits, sprayed with salicylic acetylcholine at a concentration of 1000 mg. mg.L-1 and spraying with citric acid 300 mg. mg.L-1 significant increase in yield, while spraying with distilled water gave the lowest value for the studied traits, the binary interaction between acetylsalicylic acid at a concentration of 1000 mg.L-1 and Halawi cultivar significantly outperformed in all the traits included in the study. Keywords: Acetyl, citric acid, date palm, Halawi, Sayer.
Response of date palm Phoenix dactylifera L. Hillawi cultivar to some amino acids Abdul Samad A. Abdullah, Hassan A. Faisal, Ahmed Y. L. Hzaa Journal of Global Innovations in Agricultural Sciences, 2023 This study was conducted at one of the orchards in the Abi Al-Khasib region of Basrah Governorate during the 2022 growing season to determine the extent of the response of the date palm Hillawi cultivar to spray with amino acids (Glycine, Arginine, and Tryptophan) concentrations of 1000, 1500, and 2000 mg. L-1 per acid, to determine the effect of these acids on some vegetative and fruitful growth characteristics. Showed results of the study showed significant superiority of s amino acid glycine at a concentration of 2000 mg. L-1 in leaf length, leaf width, number of new leaves, chlorophyll, carbohydrates, length and weight of fruit, weight of fleshy part of the fruit weight bunch and reducing sugars. (4.627m, 5.477cm, 17.67, 12.240 mg.100g-1, 49.37 mg.g-1, 3.870cm, 6.057g, 4.817g, 6.823kg, 50.76%) respectively compared with control. Arginine concentration 2000 mg. L-1 significantly in total protein of leaves, and total sugar and soluble solids of fruits. (4.933 mg.g-1, 60.90%, 70.42%) respectively. A tryptophan concentration of 2000 mg. L-1 was significant to fruit size (6.590 cm3). A tryptophan concentration of 1000 mg l was significant to sucrose on fruits (11.260%). Amino acid supplements have a significant impact on plant development and production. Combining different amino acids yields better quality and quantity of fruit. Keywords: Amino acids, vegetative characteristics, fruit characteristics, chemical characteristics, bunch weight.
Foliar iron and zinc nano-fertilizers enhance growth, mineral uptake, and antioxidant defense in date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) seedlings Hussein J. Shareef, Ahmed Y. L. Hzaa, Nabil I. Elsheery Folia Oecologica, 2023 Salty sandy soil usually hinders plant growth, while spraying nano-fertilizers such as iron and zinc enhances plant growth. This experiment investigated the role of iron and zinc nano-fertilizers (1 g l–1) in the adaptation of date palm seedlings (cv. Barhee) subjected to salt stress (0, 75, 150 mM NaCl). Nano-fertilizer increased plant height, length of roots, number of leaves, and roots. In contrast, salt stress led to reducing these parameters. Salt stress increased hydrogen peroxide, electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde, and antioxidants such as soluble proteins, proline, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and peroxidase enzyme in the leaves. Abscisic acid also increased. Nano-fertilizers increased the chlorophyll and dry matter of the plant under salt stress. Nano-iron induced better seedling growth than nano-zinc, especially in the length of the roots. Nano-iron under salt stress increased iron and potassium concentration and K/Na ratio in leaves. Nano-fertilizers help the plant adapt to environmental stresses, and seedlings succeed in growing in saline sandy soils.
Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Five Cultivars of Ziziphus spp. Cultivated in Southern Iraq Ahmed Yousef Lafta Hzaa, Israa Malallah Alkanan, Mohammad Radhi Sahib Bionatura, 2023 Ziziphus spp. is one of the economic fruit trees whose cultivation spreads in southern Iraq. This study characterized the morphological, molecular, and genetic diversity of five cultivars (Malasy, Normal, Zaytony, Bambawi, Tofahy), using 12 morphological indicators for leaf and fruit and six primers for RAPD technology. The results of the morphological characterization showed that the two cultivars (Normal and Malasy) recorded the highest genetic kinship between them, amounting to 10.04. In comparison, the farthest genetic distance between the two cultivars (Zaytony and Normal) was recorded, which amounted to 29.3. As for the molecular characterization results, the primers produced 113 20 bands, with an average of 18.8 bands for each primer, and the percentage of polymorphism was 100% and unique bands totaling 51 bands appeared, including 17 bands with different molecular weights characteristic of the cultivars. The genetic tree diagram showed the distribution of cultivars in two groups. The combination of morphological and molecular characterization is one of the most important tools that can be relied upon in finding genetic differences and determining fingerprints, especially between types of genders or cultivars of the same species. Keywords: fingerprints, genetic distance, Morphological, RAPD, Ziziphus.
FINDING THE FINGERPRINT AND GENETIC VARIANCE FOR A NUMBER OF PHENOTYPICALLY SIMILAR DATE PALM CULTIVARS International Journal of Agricultural and Statistical Sciences, 2022
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