A review of the research activities of the East Azerbaijan Agricultural Research and Training Center and Natural Resources

Significant achievements in the field of agricultural and horticultural research

• Introduction of 4 new apricot cultivars for the first time in the country: Aibatan, Ordobad, Nasiri, Maraghei
• Introduction of two commercial cultivars of late flowering almond with letters of Alexander and Araz - evaluation of existing genotypes and action to release six new and high yielding apricot cultivars. And transportation and determining the best pollinator for them is underway. These genotypes are: Esco (414), Ajab Shir (464), Kashkasrai (269), Marand (177), Julfa (390) and Tasuj (190)
• Preparation of almond mass propagation protocol through tissue culture and technical knowledge
• Participation in the introduction of Safflower cultivar of Padideh and Golmehr, spring safflower of Goldasht from the native masses of East Azerbaijan (Middle), participation in the introduction of Safflower cultivar of Sefeh - suitable for spring cultivation in different parts of the province with tolerance to late water shortage, rapeseed cultivar Ahmadi
• Introduction of synthetic alfalfa varieties from the native populations of Azerbaijan
• Production of cereal seed (wheat and barley) in classes 1 and 2 with a weight value of about 1300 kg (wheat), 650 kg (barley) and alfalfa mother seed with a weight value of about 480 kg (gross)
  • Participation in the introduction of bread wheat cultivars Narin, Pishgam, Orum and Zare - suitable for normal irrigation conditions and cold regions
  • Achieving a promising base for inducing dwarfism in apricots

Significant achievements in the field of natural resources research

• Collection and identification of about 320 species of medicinal plants in the province and domestication of medicinal plants
• Introduction of mechanical control method The most important pest of forest trees in Arasbaran called oak brown leaf-eating moth, which has led to the control of this pest in recent years.
• Introducing a new species of insect pathogenic nematodes for the first time in the world with the scientific name Steinernema arasbaranense Nikdel, Niknam & Ye
• Identification of more than 100 species of trees and shrubs in Arasbaran forests
• Understanding the ecological regions of East Azerbaijan province and achieving the main components of the habitat needs of important Arasbaran forest species
• Identifying and collecting the flora of the province's plants and establishing a comprehensive herbarium of Azerbaijani plants and establishing a museum of insects in the forests and pastures of the province with at least 1,200 species of insects, many of which have been reported from Iran for the first time.

Significant achievements in soil and water research

• Establishment of a research working group on saline land management in Tabriz plain in February 2011
• Development of study and research programs for sustainable use of lands east of Lake Urmia
• Prepare development, study and research programs to reduce the effects of drought
• Preparation of soil classification and talent map of the province (in collaboration with Soil and Water Research Institute)
• Soil classification and land suitability studies in the plains and dams of the province and supervision of soil science studies and the formation of a joint working group with the regional water company of the province
• Determining water needs and providing appropriate irrigation methods in terms of improving water use efficiency and crop and horticultural yields
• Determining the critical limits of nutrients for different crops and cooperation with Jihad Agriculture Organization in preparing soil fertility maps of the province
• Research and recommendation of appropriate methods for the use of biological and chemical fertilizers to increase the quantitative and qualitative yield of crops and orchards

Significant achievements in the field of soil protection and watershed management

• Watershed management plans (achievement: reduction of sediments from 6.7 tons to 1.5 tons per hectare)
• Rehabilitation of 240 hectares of destroyed marl lands in Khajeh area
• Storing half a million cubic meters of the resulting runoff and injecting it into groundwater
• Rehabilitation of 300 hectares of pastures, creation of 400 hectares of rainfed forestry from industrial and garden trees
• Flood productivity in increasing vegetation and increasing production in Tasuj aquifer
• The effect of flood spreading on the quality and quantity of groundwater
• Establishment of rainwater catchment systems for the construction of rainfed gardens on sloping lands - achieving significant results in reducing the irrigation water required for seedlings from 1500 liters to about 90 liters per year (efficiency about 90%)

Significant achievements in the field of technical research and agricultural engineering

• Design and construction of a portable machine for pneumatic collection of Colorado potato beetle in potato fields
• Design and manufacture of grape dryer
• Design and construction of intelligent dryer with the ability to apply temperature curves to find the optimal drying conditions for agricultural products - photography of different drying stages - weighing samples online
• Design and manufacture of walnut dryer and evaluate its efficiency in comparison with traditional method
• Use of narrow tractor tires in all field operations (in areas where row crops are done)
• Low tillage of rapeseed (introduction of a method to save energy, water and maintain soil structure)
• Introduction and development of optimal control of onion thrips using micronizer sprayers compared to other sprayers
• Evaluating and determining the performance of composite machines (multipurpose)

Significant achievements in animal science research

• Improving the hereditary characteristics and production capabilities of native poultry breeding species in the province
• Achieving phenotypic homogeneous groups of quail, pearl chicken, goose and turkey
• Determining the production and reproductive potential of native species of quail, pearl chicken, goose and turkey
• Manufacturing an industrial incubator for goose eggs with an efficiency of over 85% for the first time in Iran
• Study and determination of chemical compounds and raw energy of livestock and poultry feed in East Azerbaijan province
• Identification and study of plants used by bees in different regions of East Azerbaijan province
• Use of new technologies (artificial insemination, biotechnology and nuclear energy) to increase poultry production efficiency
• Publication of extension instructions on: Breeding pearls - quail - turkey, camel thorn in goat diet, determining the most appropriate slaughter age in male trout, use of cotyledon lesions in meat diets diets

Significant achievements in the field of phytosanitary research

• Detection and registration of six species of parasitoid bees from different parts of the country
• Introduction and evaluation of onion psyllid damage as a new pest in onion fields
• Discovery and registration of a new parasitoid bee species for the first time in the world for control

Biological plant mites

• Preparation of weed distribution map of wheat and barley fields in the province in order to facilitate their control management
• Determination of the distribution of important diseases such as wheat black rust, potato cystic nematode, almond broom, pear fever and cereal nematodes
• Development of technical knowledge for breeding biological control agents such as Trichogramma bee, predatory mites and beneficial predator species
• Participation in the design and construction of the Colorado beetle pneumatic collection device and the Abzdak sound trap

Knowledge-based production programs:

• Production of 100 tons of irrigated wheat seeds in Malekan Research Station
• Production of dryland wheat seeds in the amount of 100 tons in Tikmeh Dash research station, "Homa" cultivar
• Production of 10,000 apricot and peach seedlings in Malekan Research Station
• Production of pistachio seedlings in the number of 3000 in Tasuj research station
• Production of 5,000 one-month-old turkey chicks at the Tatar Research Station
• Production of 16 tons of wheat and 22 tons of barley in Khosrow Shah research station
• Production of 500 one-day-old goose chicks at Malekan Research Station
• Propagation of modified genotypes of quail, pearl chicken and Marandi chicken in 3000 pieces