Intercropping
Crops and medicinal plants ecology
Ecological services of intercropping and agricultural systems
Energy use efficiency
Integrated management of nutrients and natural resources
Integrated crop management
Improving water use efficiency
Ecological weed management
17
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Sustainable intensification via intercropping and no-tillage boosts carbon stock in semi-arid agroecosystems Tahereh Sadra, Javad Hamzei, Amir Dadrasi Sustainable Futures, 2025 • No-tillage enhances below-ground biomass and carbon stock, improving soil health in semi-arid agroecosystems. • Conventional tillage boosts above-ground biomass and net primary productivity, optimizing crop performance. • Triticale-hairy vetch intercropping increases carbon stock and land-use efficiency through complementary resource use. • No-tillage promotes soil organic carbon and matter, supporting sustainable agriculture in resource-constrained regions. Soil degradation and low productivity in semi-arid regions necessitate sustainable practices to enhance agroecosystem resilience. Limited research has examined the combined effects of tillage, intercropping, and nitrogen fertilization on soil carbon stock (SC) in semi-arid regions like Iran. This study fills this gap by aiming to optimize biomass production and improve soil health. A factorial experiment was conducted to evaluate three tillage systems (conventional, minimum, no-tillage), five planting patterns (sole triticale, sole hairy vetch, and intercropping ratios of 67:33, 50:50, 33:67), and three nitrogen levels (0, 60, 120 kg/ha). Soil samples from 0-30 cm depth were analyzed to assess SC and soil health. Conventional tillage with 60 kg/ha nitrogen increased above-ground biomass by 16.03% and total biomass by 28% compared to no nitrogen, driven by enhanced nutrient availability in sole triticale. No-tillage with 60 kg/ha nitrogen boosted below-ground biomass by 29.62%, total organic carbon by 45.03%, soil organic matter by 45.03%, total soil nitrogen by 45.11%, and SC by 57.41% relative to conventional tillage, due to minimal soil disturbance and residue retention. Intercropping, particularly the 67:33 ratio, improved SC by 15–20% and achieved land equivalent ratios above 1, reflecting efficient resource use. Net primary production under conventional tillage with 60 kg/ha nitrogen rose by 11.29% for plants and 11.18% for soil compared to no nitrogen. This study provides novel evidence that no-tillage, moderate nitrogen, and triticale-hairy vetch intercropping enhance soil health and CS in semi-arid agroecosystems, offering scalable practices for farmers to mitigate climate change and ensure sustainable productivity.
Intercropping and nitrogen fertilizer enhance essential oil quality in Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss Seyyedeh Fatemeh Hosseini, Javad Hamzei Industrial Crops and Products, 2025 In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in medicinal plants and their products due to the importance of herbal medicines in the global market. The chemical composition of D. kotschyi has not been studied in relation to intercropping and nitrogen effects. This study aims to analyze the chemical composition of D. kotschyi essential oil under different intercropping patterns and nitrogen applications. In addition, this research focuses on the effects of legume residues on the chemical composition of essential oil and compares it with nitrogen treatments. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replicates in 2018 and 2019. The experimental treatments included an additive intercropping of green bean (G:D), common bean (C:D), soybean (S:D), and mung bean (M:D) at 20 % of their optimal density with D. kotschyi . The fertilizer treatments included D. kotschyi sole cropping in combination with different nitrogen applications: 0 (control), 40, 80, and 120 kg N/ha. The main results are: The G:D treatment yielded the highest essential oil. Alpha-pinene and dl-limonene levels increased with higher nitrogen fertilization across all harvests. M:D treatment exhibited peak levels of neral, geranial , and geranyl acetate . Among different legume residues, G:D produced the highest alpha-pinene, while D:N120 had the highest dl-limonene. Geranial and geranyl acetate levels were highest at D:N40 and D:N80, respectively. These results suggest that D. kotschyi can be cultivated by either intercropping with green bean at 20 % of the optimal density or with legume residues or sole-cropping with nitrogen fertilizer . The contribution of this study was to confirm that the chemical compounds of the essential oil of this plant can be improved by cultivation methods and nitrogen management.
Response of physiological growth indices and water use efficiency of soybean to mycorrhiza and zinc sulfate application method under water stress conditions Pouya Sohrabi Noor, Mohammad Ali Aboutalebian, Javad Hamzei Environmental Stresses in Crop Sciences, 2023 IntroductionSoybean (Glycine max L.) is one of the most important oilseeds in the world due to its 18 to 22% seed oil and high protein content (36-38%). Meanwhile drought stress is one of the important factor limiting its growth and yield. Drought stress limits root growth and reduces the mobility of important micro-nutrients especially zinc in the soil. Application of zinc sulfate fertilizer increases physiological growth parameters, grain yield and water use efficiency in soybeans. Also mycorrhizal colonization in plants increases growth, improves yield, and increases the plants resistance to drought stress. This study aims to evaluate the effect of mycorrhiza and zinc sulfate fertilizer application method on some soybean growth physiological indices and its water use efficiency under soil moisture deficit stress.Materials and methodsThe experiment was performed as a factorial experiment in the form of randomized complete blocks with three replications. First factor was moisture stress at three levels of no-stress, mild stress and severe stress (irrigation after 60, 90 and 120 mm evaporation from Class A pan, respectively). Second factor was arbuscular mycorrhiza (Funneliformis mosseae) in two levels of application and no-application and third factor was the application method of zinc sulfate fertilizer in three levels of no-application, soil application and foliar feeding. To evaluate the response of growth indices of soybean, plant samples were prepared during the growing season and their leaf area and dry matter were measured. Water use efficiency was also obtained from the ratio of grain yield to the volume of water consumed. During flowering stage, the percentage of mycorrhiza colonization was measured and grain yield was obtained by harvesting two square meters from each plot.Results and discussionIn this experiment, severe moisture stress shortened the growth period of soybeans. The results showed that at all levels of moisture stress, inoculation with mycorrhiza increased leaf area index, crop growth rate, water use efficiency and grain yield. Application of mycorrhiza and foliar feeding of zinc sulfate increased maximum leaf area index, maximum crop growth rate and water use efficiency by 69, 98 and 112%, respectively. In the absence of mycorrhiza, soil application of zinc sulfate had no effect on maximum leaf area index and maximum crop growth rate, but the use of mycorrhiza led to a 15 and 20% increase in these indices by soil application of zinc sulfate compared to no zinc sulfate use. Severe and moderate moisture stresses in no-application of mycorrhiza and no zinc sulfate reduced the total dry matter by 47.22 and 63.04%, respectively, but the application of mycorrhiza in these treatments has reduced the severity of these effects and led to increase of 111.20% in total dry matter. The highest colonization of mycorrhiza occured in moderate moisture stress (65.33%). Soil application of zinc sulfate reduced the colonization of mycorrhiza even compared to the no-application of zinc sulfate fertilizer. In this study, the highest percentages of mycorrhizal colonization occured in moderate moisture stress and foliar application of zinc sulfate by 64 and 59%, respectively. Foliar feeding of zinc sulfate compared to no-zinc sulfate, under severe moisture stress increased grain yield by 68% (1100 kg ha-1). No-application of mycorrhiza led to no difference between soil use and no-application of zinc sulfate in soybean yield. Mycorrhiza in no-moisture stress, moderate stress and severe stress increased water use efficiency by 80.49, 183.33, 275% respectively, compared to no-application of mycorrhiza.ConclusionAccording to the results, foliar feeding of zinc sulfate is more efficient than soil application of zinc sulfate, but this efficiency decreases during moisture stress. Application of mycorrhiza in addition to reducing the effects of moisture stress can increase the efficiency of zinc sulfate fertilizer especially under foliar feeding conditions.
Genetic structure and diversity of Iranian Cannabis populations based on phytochemical, agro-morphological and molecular markers Rezvan Shams, Ali Azizi, Javad Hamzei, Alireza Noroozisharaf, Shoeib Moghadam, Mojtaba Kordrostami Industrial Crops and Products, 2020 Hemp (Cannabis sativa) is an herbaceous, annual, and dioecious plant belongs to the Cannabaceae family and grows in some parts of Iran. In the present study, the genetic diversity between and within the populations of 10 local cultivated landraces from Iran was evaluated, using multiple datasets (agro-morphological and biochemical traits, seed oil fatty acid compositions, and ISSR (Inter simple sequence repeats) markers. The analysis of variance based on the morpho-biochemical traits and oil compositions indicated significant differences among studied hemp populations (P
Nitrogen rate applied affects dry matter translocation and performance attributes of wheat under deficit irrigation Javad Hamzei Journal of Plant Nutrition, 2018 Crop production in arid/semi-arid regions is restricted by soil moisture and nitrogen (N) deficiencies. Consequently, sufficient levels of N and irrigation are important in improving the crop's productivity. Therefore, a 2-year field experiment was conducted to understand influences of watering techniques namely 300, 500 and 700 mm with contrasting N supply (0, 60, 120 and 180 kg ha−1) on wheat cv. “landrace” productivity, dry matter translocation (DMT) and contribution of pre-anthesis assimilates to the grain (CPAAG, %). Experiments were conducted each year using a split-plot design with three replications at a private farm, North Hamedan Province, Iran. Accordingly, when 500/700 mm water was applied, CPAAG values were higher than those obtained after applying 300 mm water, i.e. 49.99 and 45.45 vs. 40.13%. The highest productivity in terms of grain yield, grain N concentration, nitrogen harvest index, special products analysis division and protein content was achieved in normal deficiencies of irrigation and N. This was further supported by a higher leaf area index, crop growth rate and N uptake of such treatment. Meanwhile, co-application of 120 kg N and 500 mm water significantly improved DMT, water and N use efficiency, and it was the optimal scheme for wheat production.
Mycorrhiza and seed priming effect to improve the balance of sodium and potassium and some changes in antioxidants in the leaves of maize (Zea mays L.) under soil salinity Javad Soltani Ka, Mohammad Ali Abouta, Javad Hamzei, Moosa Meskarbash Journal of Agronomy, 2018 Background and Objective: In order to improve the growth and resistence maize (Zea mays L.) under soil salinity, application of seed priming and mycorrhiza that can be beneficial for a better alternative, once it increases the production of some antioxidants, the balance of sodium and potassium, reduces the absorb of sodium in plant and increase the emergence rate and emergence percentage in plants under soil salinity. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of seed priming and mycorrhiza on improving the balance of sodium and potassium and some changes in antioxidants in the leaves of maize under soil salinity. Materials and Methods: This combined analysis experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design as factorial with three replications in both year and place of saline and non-saline on hybrid corn NS640. The tertiary factor was inoculation and non-inoculation with mycorrhiza years places (Glomus mossea), the fourth factor was priming with NaCl solution, salicylic acid, tap water and non-prime (control). The proper solutions concentration and priming duration were determined in separate experiments. Two-way analysis of variance was done using the PROC GLM procedure of the SAS. Results: The results showed inoculation with mycorrhiza and seed priming treatments in comparison to non-inoculation and non-prime the enzymes catalase and peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, soluble proteins and potassium increased in leaves in both places and maximum of these characteristics were obtained by seed priming with salicylic acid and inoculation with mycorrhiza especially in saline soil. The sodium amount in inoculation with mycorrhiza and prime with salicylic acid, than non-prime and non-inoculation in both places was decreased specially in saline environment. Colonization percentage and rate of emergence has been increased in inoculation with mycorrhiza and prime with salicylic acid in both environments, specially in non-saline environment. Conclusion: Maize seed priming with salicylic acid and inoculation with mycorrhiza play an important role in the plant response to salt stress.
Diversity and bioactivity of bacterial endophyte community of Cupressaceae J. Soltani, M. Zaheri-Shoja, J. Hamzei, M. S. Hosseyni-Moghaddam, S. Pakvaz Forest Pathology, 2016 Summary The plant family Cupressaceae (Coniferales) harbours diverse endophytic fungi with antifungal, antibacterial and antiproliferative activities. Here, endophytic association of a broad bacterial community with the healthy foliar tissues of Cupressus arizonica, Cupressus sempervirens, Juniperus communis and Thuja orientalis (Cupressaceae) is shown. We isolated over 69 endophytic bacterial strains of Proteobacteria, Bacilli and Actinobacteria from Cupressaceae. The initial screening for antifungal activity against Pyricularia oryzae identified eleven superior bacterial strains which were identified as Brevundimonas diminuta CAE24 (G−, Caulobacteraceae, Alphaproteobacteria); Stenotrophomonas maltophilia CAE23, CSE4, CSE12, CSE42, CSE49 and CSE62 (G−, Xanthomonadaceae, Gammaproteobacteria); Bacillus pumilus CSE66 and Bacillus subtilis POE26 (G+, Bacillaceae, Bacilli); and Microbacterium resistens CSE19 (G+, Microbacteriaceae, Actinobacteria). The dominant isolated bacterial species was S. maltophilia. This species represented 63.6% of the superior strains which was ubiquitous and also non-host specific. In addition, the superior bacterial strains produced bioactive secondary metabolites and volatile compounds (VOCs) with antifungal activity against the fungal pathogens of Cupressaceae, that is Diplodia seriata, Phaeobotryon cupressi and Spencermartinsia viticola. The antagonistic activity of the endophytic bacteria on the target fungi was also confirmed in vitro. To our knowledge, this is the first to document such an endophytic bacterial community in Cupressaceae and its bioactivity. These findings may find application in organic agroforestry for plant disease biocontrol and in biopharmacy for lead molecule discovery.
Energy use and input-output costs for sunflower production in sole and intercropping with soybean under different tillage systems Javad Hamzei, Mohsen Seyyedi Soil and Tillage Research, 2016 Agriculture is an important energy user and energy supplier in the form of bio-energy. In today’s agricultural practices, soil tillage and applications of chemicals are the greatest consumers of energy and labor. Therefore, selection of an appropriate tillage method and finding an efficient way for decreased consumption of chemicals can improve energy use and reduce costs. The pre-requisite for such improvements includes assessment of the system's energy balance. Moreover, intercropping can play an important role in improving yield and reducing energy consumption. To compare the effects of different tillage treatments on energy use and grain yield in a sunflower-soybean intercropping system, a field experiment was performed on a clay loam soil at the Agricultural Research Station, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bu-Ali Sina, Hamedan, Iran, during the growing seasons of 2013 and 2014. Three levels of tillage, as the main factor, and different planting patterns were tested in sub-plots (sole crop of sunflower, sole crop of soybean, and additive intercroppings of sunflower + 30%, 60% and 90% soybean). The intercropping design was additive. Results showed that sunflower grain yield was significantly affected by the planting pattern. Tillage treatments did not have significant effects on the sunflower yield. The highest sunflower grain yield (356.22 g m −2 ) was obtained from the sole crop of sunflower. Furthermore, amongst intercropping treatments, the highest sunflower grain yield (302.44 g m −2 ) was achieved from the combination of sunflower + 60% soybean. Also, comparison of the combined treatments indicated that the highest energy output (248363 MJ ha −1 ) and energy use efficiency (7.44) were reached with the combinations of conventional tillage × sunflower + 90% soybean, and minimum tillage by disc × sunflower + 90% soybean, respectively. In conclusion, using minimum tillage and intercropping system of sunflower + 60% soybean can decrease energy consumption and increase total yield and land use efficiency when compared to sunflower sole crop under conventional tillage.
Mycorrhizal symbiosis increases reproduction and seed quality of summer squash in field conditions Journal of Applied Horticulture, 2016
Effect of integrated application of phosphorus and phosphate solubilizing microorganisms on root colonization, productivity and seed quality of Cucurbita pepo L. Journal of Applied Horticulture, 2014
Javad Hamzei, Mohsen Seyyedi. 2016. Energy use and input–output costs for sunflower production in sole and intercropping with soybean under different tillage systems. Soil & Tillage Research 157 (2016) 73–82. .
