Zahra Bitarafan

• PhD
• Researcher at Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research

BACKGROUND As regulations on pesticides become more stringent, it is likely that there will be interest in steam as an alternative approach for soil disinfestation. This study investigates the feasibility of utilizing a soil steaming device for thermal control of invasive plants. RESULTS Seeds of Echinochloa crus‐galli, Impatiens glandulifera, Sol...

Yield maps give farmers information about growth conditions and can be a tool for site-specific crop management. Combine harvesters may provide farmers with detailed yield maps if there is a constant flow of a certain amount of biomass through the yield sensor. This is unachievable for grass seeds because the weight of the intake is generally too s...

Background : Inflammation is a double-edged sword in the pathophysiology of chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The global rise in the prevalence of T2DM in one hand, and poor disease control with currently-available treatments on the other hand, along with an increased tendency towards the use of natural products make scient...

Abstract Invasive plant propagative material can be introduced to new regions as contaminants in soil. Therefore, moving soil should be done only when the soil has been verified to be free of invasive species. Stationary soil steaming as a non-chemical control method has the potential to disinfect soil masses contaminated with invasive species. We...

Alopecurus myosuroides seed production and shedding pattern

The potential for Harvest Weed Seed Control (HWSC) of Common Weed Species in Denmark

Steam Soil Disinfestation to Control Bromus sterilis and Echinochloa crus-galli

Seed production is an important element of weed population dynamics, and weed persistence relies upon the soil seed bank. In 2017 and 2018, we studied the relationship between the aboveground dry biomass of common weed species and their seed production. Weeds were selected randomly in the fields, and we surrounded the plants with a porous net to co...

Clopyralid is a systemic herbicide used in oilseed rape and other crops. It was found in Danish honey from 2026 in concentrations exceeding the maximum residue level (MRL) of 0.05 mg kg⁻¹. About 50% of the Danish honey is based on nectar from winter oilseed rape. In 2019 and 2020, winter oilseed rape fields were sprayed with clopyralid just before...

Reusing soil can reduce environmental impacts associated with obtaining natural fresh soil during road construction and analogous activities. However, the movement and reuse of soils can spread numerous plant diseases and pests, including propagules of weeds and invasive alien plant species. To avoid spread of barnyardgrass in reused soil, its seed...

Eradication of alien invasive species in the soil with steam as an alternative to chemical fumigation may allow contaminated soil to be reused. We have investigated steam disinfestation of soil to combat invasive plant species in three experiments including different temperatures and exposure durations using a prototype stationary soil-steaming dev...

We assessed the seed production and shedding pattern of 10 common weed species in two oat fields in Denmark. The aim was to evaluate the possibility of harvesting retained seeds on weeds at crop harvest by a combine harvester based on estimation of weed seed retention. Before flowering, ten plants of each weed species were selected and surrounded b...

A wheat field was sprayed with a dosage of 1.1 kg a.i./ha Roundup PowerMax 10 days before harvest. The ¹H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used for the detection and quantification of the glyphosate (GLYP) in dried wheat spikelets, leaves, and stems. The quantification was done by the integration of the CH2-P groups doublet at 3.00...

Blackgrass ( Alopecurus myosuroides Huds.) and silky windgrass [ Apera spica-venti (L.) P. Beauv.] are becoming a significant problem in Europe. Due to the development of herbicide-resistant biotypes and unwanted side-effects of herbicide, there is a need for new integrated weed management strategies to control weeds. Therefore, reducing weed infes...

If seeds retained on weeds at crop harvest could be collected and removed by the combine harvester, weed infestation could be reduced in the following years. We estimated the proportion of weed seeds that could be removed at oat harvest. The seed production and shedding pattern of Fallopia convolvulus, Sinapis arvensis, Spergula arvensis and Stella...

In two identical pot trials we investigated the effect of different biochars on the growth and Water Use Efficiency (WUE) of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) grown with and without water stress. Plants were grown in pots with and without biochar. Rice husk (RH), standard rice husk (SRH), standard wheat straw (SWS) or standard oilseed rape s...

Red fescue (Festuca rubra) is used in seed mixtures for lawns and pastures. It is prone to lodge at flowering, and plant growth regulators (PGRs) are used to prevent lodging, ensuring sufficient pollination. Seed yield and lodging were studied over three years in a red fescue field established with four seeding rates (2, 4, 6 and 8 kg ha⁻¹) and spr...

We investigated if hot exhaust gas from a combine harvester could be used to reduce germination or kill weed seeds during the harvesting process. During the threshing and cleaning process in the combine, weed seeds and chaff are separated from the crop grains. After this separation, weed and crop seeds not collected can be exposed to exhaust gas be...

The height of a grass crop can be an indicator of its seed production potential. If grasses become very tall, there is a risk of lodging and, if a grass crop is established with the purpose of producing seeds, lodging during the flowering period may result in inadequate pollination and low seed yield. Plant growth regulators (PGRs) can be applied t...

Red fescue (Festuca rubra) is a grass species used in many different seed mixtures for lawns and pastures. The climate in Denmark is well suited for producing seeds of red fescue. The species is exposed to lodging at flowering, and therefore plant growth regulators (PGRs) are used to prevent lodging at flowering, thereby ensuring sufficient pollina...

During harvesting, grain, straw, and chaff with weed seeds are separated. The chaff is returned to the fields, resulting in weed problems in the subsequent crops. We estimated the fraction of weed seeds a combine harvester could potentially harvest and used various methods to collect the chaff and treat it with heat to kill weed seeds or reduce wee...

Destroying weed seeds with exhaust gas from a combine harvester Weeds are significant constraints getting high yields of crop plants on arable land. We investigated if exhaust gas from a combine harvester could be used to kill or harm weed seeds. Centaurea cyanus L. was chosen as a model plant because it has a high germination percentage and large...

Seed shattering of Bromus hordeaceus L. during the growing season of winter wheat Bromus hordeaceus ssp. hordeaceus L. is native to Eurasia, where it is most common in the Mediterranean region. It has naturalized in all other continents except Antarctica. It is annual or biennial. The culms are erect or rarely ascending from a decumbent base and c...

Extrinsic factors may be needed to inhibit seed yield reduction and achieve a high yield of secondary metabolites when plants are stressed. Trigonelline and diosgenin are secondary metabolites and important components in medicine and cosmetic. We assessed if charcoal made from rice husk added to the soil could alter the content of these compounds i...

Integrating soil amendment biochar to legume‐based intercropping systems may amplify the intercropping benefits and lead to more sustainable production due to its positive effects on the soil physicochemical and biological environment. Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum‐graecum) is a legume used in an intercropping system in several countries in Southern...

Abstract Within the international project Sweedhart different measures and concepts are investigated to reduce weeds on agricultural fields without using herbicides. During harvesting three main fractions are produced – grain, chaff with weed seeds and straw. Conventional combine harvesters return the chaff and weed seeds to the fields and the seed...

Weeds are mainly controlled with herbicides in intensive crop production, but this has resulted in increasing problems with herbicide-resistant weeds and public concerns about the unwanted side-effects of herbicide use. Therefore, there is a need for new alternative methods to reduce weed problems. One way to reduce weed infestation could be to col...

The effects ofplanting date andirrigation regimes on some physiological and agronomical traitsof spring rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) cultivars were studied through field experiments conducted in Takestan, Iran during 2011-2013. Experiments were laid out in RCBR factorial split plot with two irrigation levels (I1: normal irrigation (non-water stress...

Two field studies were conducted during 2011-2013 years using factorial split plot experiment laid out in RCBD with three replications, to assess the effects of planting date on some qualitative and quantitative traits of three spring rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) cultivars under different irrigation regimes. Planting date in three levels as Februar...

Aflatoxin, ochratoxin and zearalenone are major mycotoxins in cereal grains like rice. Their existence above standard limits in food can result in serious and adverse effects like cancer. The aim of this study was to survey aflatoxins B1, B2 and G1, ochratoxin A and zearalenone contamination of imported and Iranian rice which were being consumed in...

To assess the effect of zeolite as a natural super absorbent and nitrogen on seed yield, oil yield, oil content and some fatty acids (oleic acid, linoleic acid and linolenic acid) of rapeseed (Brassica napus L-cv. Okapi) grown under different irrigation regimes, a field study was conducted in Takestan, Iran during Oct. 2009-Jul. 2010. The experimen...

Soil salinity is one of the major environmental stresses affecting plant growth and productivity. To assess the effect of salt stress on physiological traits of sweet wormwood medicinal plant (Artemisia annua L.) under salicylic acid application and non application conditions a field study was conducted in Zanjan, Iran during 2010- 2011 crop year i...

To assess the effect of plant density and foliar application of Zn and F e on some quantitative and qualitative traits of German chamomile (matricaria chamomilla L .), an experiment was conducted in 2010 summer growing season at Agriculture and natural resources research center of Zanjan, I ran which has a mountainous, cold and dry climate. T he ex...

Two field studies were conducted in Qazvin, Iran during the 2009-2010 autumn and winter planting seasons with the objective of determining the effect of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer rates on yield and yield components (number of heads per plant, number of heads on primary branch, number of heads on secondary branches, number of seeds per head...

Since the most widespread limiting factor in agricultural production is water stress, a two year field experiment was carried out in Karaj, Iran during 2008 to 2010 growing seasons to assess the effect of water stress on yield and yield components of spring rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) cultivars in winter planting to find the most tolerant cultivar...

To assess the effect of nitrogen rate, plant density and plant pattern on yield and some phenological stages (10% flowering time, 50% seed ripening time and ripening period) and physiological indices (LAI, LDW and TDW) of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), a field study was conducted in Roodbar, Iran during 2011 spring and summer growing seasons. T...

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT A field study was conducted in Karaj, Iran during 2010 crop year with the objective to determine the effect of different sowing dates and transplant root sizes on root yield, sugar yield, white sugar yield and root impurities of sugar beet (Beta v...

To study the effects of supplementary irrigation and plant density on yield and yield components of lentil (Lens culinaris Medic), an experiment was conducted in Sararod, Kermanshah, Iran during 2009-2010 crop year. The experimental design was a split plot design laid out in RCBD with four replications. Supplementary irrigation at four levels (I 1...

Environmental stresses are the most significant limiting factors in agriculture world. Improving yield under drought stress and delayed sowing date is one of the main goals of agronomy which could be possible by recognition of resistant cultivars. The effect of sowing date and irrigation regimes on grain and oil yield and some important grain trait...

To assess the effect of different nitrogen rates, sowing dates and interaction of them on seed yield and some morphologic traits (plant height, stem diameter, number of branches per plant, number of heads per plant, primary head diameter, secondary head diameter, head diameter and number of seeds per head) of spring safflower (Carthamus tinctoriusL...

To study the effect of suitable methods for propagation of True Potato Seed (TPS) progenies, transplant and selection of the best progenies, a factorial experiment base on a randomized complete block design was carried out in the research field of Sahneh region, Kermanshah, Iran during 2009-2010. Five selective progenies from CIP (International Pot...

To assess the effect of different sowing dates on yield, yield components and oil content of safflower cultivars, an experiment was conducted on a randomized complete block design arranged in factorial split-plot form with four replications during 2010 spring growing season at the research field, located in Kazem Abad, Iran. The experimental treatm...

A field study was conducted in Qazvin, Iran during 2010 spring growing season with the objective to determine the effect of N fertilization on yield, yield components (number of heads per plant, number of heads on primary branch, number of heads on secondary branches, number of seeds per head, number of seeds per primary head, number of seeds per s...

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) growth and productivity are influenced by many factors such as genotype, environment and agronomic practices. This field study were conducted in Qazvin, Iran during 2010 spring growing season with the objective to determine the effect of different nitrogen rates, sowing dates and interaction of them on 1000 seed wei...