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Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), adapted to arid and semiarid regions, is grown for seed and petal production, but the present study aimed to evaluate the possibility of simultaneous forage and seed production in the autumn and middle types of safflower varieties in dual-purpose cultivation in semiarid areas in the shortfall forage period. An experiment was done based on a randomized complete block design with nine treatments and three replications at the Seed and Plant Improvement Institute, Agriculture Research, Education and Extension Organization, Karaj, Iran. The treatments included the cultivation of Parnian, Goldasht, and Golmehr varieties with the purpose of seed harvesting as control treatments; the same varieties (Parnian, Goldasht, and Golmehr), once with the aim of forage harvesting at 50% stem elongation stage and seed harvesting; and again with the aim of forage harvesting at 50% branching stage and seed harvesting. The results showed that forage harvesting at the 50% branching stage significantly increased the dry and fresh forage yield compared to the 50% stem elongation stage. The highest fresh and dry forage yields (DFY) (42,229 and 11,266 kg/ha) were related to the Golmehr variety at the 50% branching stage. Forage harvesting at the stem elongation stage decreased the crude protein, protein content, and digestibility compared to the branching stage in three safflower varieties. Parnian variety had the maximum seed yield (2,226 kg/ha) without forage harvesting. The highest seed yield in the second year (2018–2019) of the experiment belonged to the Golmehr variety (1,310 kg/ha) to harvest forage at 50% stem elongation (rapid stem growth) and seed harvest treatment, which compared to the first year (2017–2018), showed an increase of 25%. Finally, the forage harvested amount of all three varieties studied was higher in the branching stage than in the stem elongation stage. These results implied that the Golmehr variety (11,266 kg/ha DFY and 520 kg/ha seed yield) is for dual-purpose cultivation, and the Parnian variety (2,226 kg/ha seed yield) is suitable for only seed production for the semiarid region of Karaj in Iran and similar areas in terms of climate.

This study was conducted to determine effect of harvest times on yield and yield components of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) varieties in Tekirdağ conditions without irrigation between 2016–2018. The study was carried out in randomized block design with three replications. Gözlü-1, Bilensoy 80, Prosementi Bologna, Plato and Verko varieties was used as material, plants were harvested in two different flowering stages (%10 and %50). In two years statistical results, the characters of the study has significant differences and first year has higher results more than second year. According to statistical analyses years has significant differences and years was examined separately. In two years results plant height varied between 74.99–46.98 cm. Highest fresh forage yield was determined from variety Gözlü-1 (4188.98 kg/da), lowest fresh forage yield was determined from variety Bilensoy-80 (3543.71 kg/da). Fresh forage yield varied belongs to harvest stage. Alfalfa varieties had higher fresh forage yield at 50% flowering period (4353.24 kg/da) compared to 10% flowering stage (3190.67 kg/da). According to forage quality analyses, protein content was determined between 21.80-21.36 % in first year and 22.73-20.98 % in second year at % 10 and %50 flowering harvest time. The ADF was determined 40.15-42.47 % in first year and 39.60-43.25 % in second year; the NDF was determined 40.96-43.00 % in first year and 39.95-47.22 % in second year; the RFV was determined 124.78-127.43 % in first year and 108.72-138.83 % in second year at same harvest times.

Abstract Background & Objective: Soil low fertility resulted from continuous chemical fertilizer application turned to be a challenge to sustainable agricultural production. Complementary application of chemical and organic fertilizers is a fertilizer management strategy and a practical solution for reducing the dependency to chemical fertilizer. Materials & Methods: Since little reports about eryngo reaction toward fertilization exist, a field experiment based on split-plot design with 3 replications with two treatments, fertilization as the main plot with 8 treatments and harvesting stage as sub-plot with three developmental phases was conducted in 2016 in Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Results: The results revealed that appropriate application of organic with inorganic fertilizers increased eryngo’s productivity and its phytochemical constituent. NPK fertilizer (200 Kg.ha-1) + CM (20 t.ha-1) in leaf number per plant (28), herb yield (498.77 Kg.ha-1), flavonoid (41.10 mg QE .g-1 dry sample), antioxidant (85.64%), essential oil percentage (0.17%W/W) and yield (0.85 Kg.ha-1) at last harvest resulted to the highest amounts. The minimum amounts were produced at control and first harvest. Mycorrhizae symbiosis and Manure treatments in the first harvest did not represent any difference with control but over time, the difference grew up into a considerable level. Result showed that the effects of conventional 100% NPK and 50% CM + 50% NPK fertilizers were almost similar. Application of these fertilizers increased yield and phytochemical traits. Conclusion: In view of the positive reaction of eryngo toward fertilization specially to integrated treatments, we can take advantage of these fertilizations to produce safe and healthy crop.

Background: Following the popularization of high-yielding rice in China, fast and efficient mechanized harvesting proved challenging. In addition, the physical characteristics of rice grains and stems are substantially affected during harvest by the field environment and harvest time. However, the combine harvester driver is focused on maximizing the outputs and does not consider the adverse effects of these factors during the rice harvest. Methods: We investigated the effects of the harvest time, spatial position, and temperature on the static friction coefficient of rice grains and stems of high-yielding rice using a field experiment. Results: The result difference in the static friction coefficient between the parallel and perpendicular placements of the rice stem on the steel plate was 9%, indicating that the contact configuration had a significant impact. The region, harvest time, and temperature significantly affected the static friction characteristics of the rice grains and stems. The most significant differences were observed in the X-direction. Conclusions: The optimum harvest time was 10:11 a.m.–3:30 p.m. and the optimum temperature was above 16.5 °C. A quantitative analysis of the effects of the harvest time and temperature on the static friction characteristics of rice provides reliable data for machine design optimization and standardization of harvests operations.

The present study evaluated the agronomic productive and qualitative traits of black oat (Avena strigosa) forage harvested at different developmental stages for haylage production. This was a 2 x 3 factorial randomized complete block design consisting of six treatments, two stages of development of the crop (vegetative and full vegetative) associated with three harvest seasons, with four replications: T1 - vegetative stage, first cut, when light interception reached values between 90 and 95 %; T2 - vegetative stage with harvest seven days after the first cut; T3 - vegetative stage with harvest fourteen days after the first cut; T4 - full vegetative stage, second cut, when again the light interception reached values between 90 and 95 %; T5 - full vegetative stage with harvest seven days after the second cut; and T6 - full vegetative stage with harvest fourteen days after the second cut. The first cut at the vegetative stage of black oat generated a larger dry biomass production with 2.478 kg ha-1 and a greater participation of green leaves compared to the second cut at the full vegetative stage, as well as the in situ degradability of green leaves and the stem was higher in the first cut. The delay of 7 or 14 days from the ideal harvest time of the black oat forage reduced the nutritional quality. The first cut at the vegetative stage resulted in higher dry biomass production, greater participation of green leaves in the dry matter and better digestibility of green leaves and stem compared to the second cut at the full vegetative stage.

Amaranth leaves are edible vegetables with high nutritional value that depends on the harvest stage. This study evaluated the nutritional and chemical profile of amaranth leaves harvested at days 65 and 120. Samples were collected, air-dried, and milled to pass through a 1-mm sieve before analysis. Higher (p < 0.05) crude protein (CP) and gross energy (GE) were observed in early harvested leaves than late harvested leaves. In addition, late harvested leaves had higher (p < 0.05) calcium, magnesium, and sodium contents than early harvested leaves; early harvested leaves had higher (p < 0.05) threonine, lysine, and leucine contents than late harvested leaves. Furthermore, early harvested leaves showed higher (p < 0.05) rutin, hyperoside, tryptophan, quercetin, and kaempferol rutinoside contents than late harvested leaves. A strong positive correlation was observed between nutrition composition and phenolic compounds. It can be concluded that both early and late harvested amaranth leaves are a promising source of nutrients and phenolic compounds that can help in providing new opportunities for their use in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

The harvest stage of Physalis angulata L. aiming human consumption is set in literature. However, there are no criteria for harvesting fruits for seed propagation. This study aimed to determine the harvest stage of P. angulata L. seeds according to the fruit calyx color, as well as evaluating their storage viability. For that, fruits were harvested from matrix plants, considering three maturity stages, according to the calyx color (green, yellow and yellow-brownish). A completely randomized design was used, in a factorial arrangement comprising two kinds of package (paper bag and glass container) and four evaluation periods (after harvesting and at 45, 90 and 135 days after storage - DAS), being isolated the factor storage environment. It was concluded that P. angulata seeds should be collected from fruits with a green calyx and used soon after being harvested, since seed germination sharply decreases after 45 DAS, both in the storage chamber and in the refrigerated environment, regardless of whether glass or paper is used.