The research aimed to prepare a theoretical vision, including a set of proposed standards for developing work in Agricultural Extension Centers in the Central Governorates (Baghdad, Diyala, Babylon, Al-anbar, and Salah al-Din), within seven important guiding areas. Using the descriptive approach to conduct this study, the sample community included all agricultural extension workers working in research centers of central Iraq governorates, totaling 95 respondents. The two-part questionnaire served as a tool for collecting data from the respondents. The first part represented opinions of agricultural extension agents about the extent of application and adoption of suggested standards in the work of agricultural extension centers. Meanwhile, the second part included the respondents’ opinions about the degree of their approval of the proposal to develop the extension centers. The study concluded a large proportion of the respondents believe a weakness existed in the level of application of the recommended standards in the operation of the agricultural extension centers. It is evident in not adopting the principle of decentralization when formulating the goals of the extension centers.

Keywords: Agricultural Extension Centers, Central Governorates of Iraq, theoretical vision, research community, extension agents, decentralization

Key findings: A significant weakness in the coordination process and cooperation with relevant authorities exist. Similarly, a limitation occurs in the integration of many parties with common goals, with the objectives of extension programs not based on real data, surveys, and studies. It was evident most of the sample members agreed with the standards proposed by the policy and objectives of the counseling centers.

The study intended to find out the main cause of cowpea damping-off and root rot disease. Separating a group of fungi comprised Fusarium solani, Rhizoctonia solani, and Macrophomina phaseolina. Findings of the field survey revealed fungus F. solani appeared in all isolated samples. The testing of pathogenicity of all isolated fungal isolates led to choosing the F. solani (Fs2) isolate as the most pathogenic in the experiment’s implementation. The biological resistance of Bacillus subtilis and fungus Trichoderma harzianum bore testing, with their high efficiency observed in inhibiting the pathogenic fungus isolate. Biological bacteria with the highest concentration of 10^-7 appeared with an inhibition rate of 82.20%. The results showed effectiveness of the chemical pesticide in all the concentrations and were highly successful. The wooden canopy showed the effectiveness of the biological resistance in inhibiting the pathogenic fungus. Results showed interaction of the fungus with bacteria reduced the rate and severity of infection to zero. A significant superiority of the biological resistance elements was notable in reducing severity of infection compared with pathogenic fungus alone. The field results confirmed the woody canopy for the efficiency of the biotic resistance elements in reducing the rate and severity of infection, raising the growth of cowpea plants.

Keywords: F. solani, T. harzianum, B. subtilis, cowpea damping-off

Key findings: This study aimed to reveal the effectiveness of biological and chemical resistance elements in inhibiting the pathogenic fungus F. solani, which causes the death of cowpea plants, as well as, improving the growth parameters of the plants.

The presented study determined the effects of foliar application of marine algae extract and Humax on the pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) seedlings beneath the plant canopy, carried out in 2023 at the University of Kerbala, Kerbala, Iraq. The experiment layout was in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with factorial arrangement, three factors, and three replications. The first factor was the two pomegranate cultivars (Wonderful and Slimi), the second factor was marine algal extract concentrations (0, 1.5, and 3 ml L^-1), while the third was the Humax levels (0.25, 0.25, and 0.50 g L^-1). Pomegranate cultivar Wonderful showed the highest content of chlorophyll, carbohydrates, nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium, compared with the cultivar Slimi. Marine algal extract (3 ml L^-1) and humax (0.50 g L^-1) also performed better and improved the biochemical composition of the pomegranate. Cultivars in interaction with marine algae extract also performed well and improved the traits. However, cultivar Wonderful with marine algal extract (3 ml L^-1) and humax (0.50 g L^-1) had the highest averages for the chlorophyll, carbohydrates, nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium. The marine algae extract and Humax binary interaction considerably affected the study variables in the pomegranate.

Keywords: Pomegranate (P. granatum L.), marine algae extract, Humax, interaction, physiological and biochemical traits

Key findings: The pomegranate (P. granatum L.) cultivar Wonderful, in integration with marine algae (3 ml L^-1) and humax (0.50 g L^-1), achieved the highest averages for physiological and biochemical traits.

A study, carried out in 2023 at the University of Kerbala, Iraq, aimed to assess the effects of natural and synthetic growth hormones on the vegetative characteristics of two pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivars. The experiment layout had a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with factorial arrangement, two factors, and three replications. The first factor included combinations of natural and chemical growth regulators, while the second comprised stem cuttings of two pomegranate cultivars, Yamani and Bashkan. The results showed cultivar Yamani was superior for vegetative branches (4.110), the number of leaves (341) per seedling, and leaf area (988 cm²). The triple interaction of indole butyric acid (IBA 0 mg L^-1), moringa leaf (M1), and licorice root (L1) (B0M1L1) extracts provided superior performance on the average height and diameter of vegetative shoots (49.500 cm and 2.510 mm, respectively). The interaction of indole butyric acid (IBA 0 mg L^-1), moringa leaf (M1), and licorice root (L0) (B0M1L0) extracts also excelled in the average number of branches and chlorophyll content (4.670 branches seedling^-1 and 0.276 mg g^-1, respectively).

Keywords: Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), cultivar stem cuttings, indole butyric acid, moringa leaf extract, licorice root extract, growth and physiological traits

Key findings: The pomegranate cultivar Yamani showed superiority in most traits than the other cultivar Bashkan. The interaction of natural and synthetic growth regulators (B1M1L0) was superior in seedling height, branch diameter, and leaf area. For the number of branches and leaves per seedling, the combinations B1M0L0 and B0M1L1 outshone with the highest averages, while the combination B0M1L0 led for chlorophyll content.

The presented experiment on grape (Vitis vinifera L.), carried out in the growing season of 2022, transpired in the orchard of the Department of Horticulture and Garden Engineering, College of Agriculture, Tikrit University, Tikrit, Iraq. Two factors comprised the study. The first factor was two grape cultivars, i.e., Halwani and Kamali, while the second involved foliar application of sugar alcohol (mannitol) with three levels (0, 4, and 8 ml L^-1). The study aimed to evaluate the grape cultivars, impact of sugar alcohol, and their interaction on the yield characteristics and qualitative traits. The vine plants planting had dimensions of 2 m × 4 m, with the experiment having the split-plot design. The trial included six treatments, randomly distributed into three replicates, with two vines per experimental unit, totaling 36 vine plants. The results showed adding sugar alcohol solution (8 ml L^-1) led to a significant enhancement in the number of clusters, cluster weight, total suspended solids, total sugars, total acidity, and anthocyanin content. The grape cultivar Halwani outperformed the other cultivar Kamali for cluster weight, total yield, total sugars, and anthocyanin content, while cultivar Kamali excelled in the number of clusters and total acidity.

Keywords: Grape (Vitis vinifera L.), grape cultivars, sugar alcohol, yield quantity, qualitative traits, sugars and anthocyanin content

Key findings: Superiority of the sweet grape (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivar Halwani over the non-sweet cultivar Kamali was evident in cluster weight, total sugars, and anthocyanin content. Conversely, the non-sweet cultivar Kamali outperformed the sweet cultivar Halwani for cluster number and total acidity. However, both grape cultivars revealed nonsignificant differences in total suspended solids and yield quantity.

A field experiment commenced in Hindiyah District, Kerbala, Iraq, during the growing season of 2022–2023, to evaluate the effect of Azotobacter and orange (Citrus sinensis L.) peel treatments on the growth and yield characteristics of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.). The experiment had a randomized complete block design with factorial arrangement of two factors and three replications. The first factor included four levels of the Azotobacter bacteria (control, 20, 50, and 100 g L^-1), while the second comprised four concentrations of orange peel extract as a soil amendment (control, 100, 150, and 200 g L^-1). The treatment with Azotobacter (100 g L^-1) indicated significant effects and provided the highest mean values of the compounds, quercetin, diosgenin and trigonelline (33.20, 36.57, and 37.05 mg g^-1, respectively). The results also revealed the remarkable effect of the treatment with orange peel (200 g L^-1), which gave the maximum values of the quercetin, diosgenin, and trigonelline (31.99, 35.73, and 35.91 mg g^-1, respectively). The interaction effects of the Azotobacter and orange peels were also substantial for all the traits of fenugreek (T. foenum-graecum L.) under study.

Keywords: Fenugreek (T. foenum-graecum L.), Azotobacter, orange peels, secondary compounds, growth and yield traits

Key findings: In fenugreek (T. foenum-graecum L.), the treatments with Azotobacter (100 g L^-1), orange peels (200 g L^-1), and their interactions indicated significant effects to improve the concentrations of secondary metabolism compounds and yield parameters.

The genus Dactylorhiza elata is a tuberous herbaceous perennial growing up to 50 cm, with magnificent spikes of purple flowers in spring. Meanwhile, the genus Ophrys bombyliflora is a pseudo tubers plant, 10–20 cm in height, with amazing bumblebee flowers. The stems of the genera D. elata and O. bombyliflora were circular within the cross-section. The outer first layer was the epidermis, consisting of one row of globular cells; however, the thickness varied in the taxa. In the stem, the sclerenchyma cells contrasted between both genera. The genus D. elata consists of many layers, and the thickness reached 133.6 μm, while two layers with a thickness of 43.5 μm in the genus O. bombyliflora. In both genera, the vascular bundles were in a collateral and closed type, with an arrangement as one row in the ground meristem, each consisting of xylem and phloem. The thickness of tissues varied between them, and the sclerenchyma cells covered the phloem only. The upper and lower epidermis of the leaves consists of one layer of cells covered with cuticle, and the cells’ shapes were ovate. The leaf was hypostomata (the stomata located in only in the lower epidermis). The ordinary cells’ shape was hexagonal in the upper epidermis and longitudinal in the lower one in the genus D. elata. However, it was triangular in the upper and tetragonal in the lower epidermis of the genus O. bombyliflora. Anomocytic types of stomata were evident in both taxa. The mesophyll differed, comprising 12–16 layers in the genus D. elata and 9–11 in the genus O. bombyliflora.

Keywords: Orchidaceae, D. elata, O. bombyliflora, sclerenchyma cells, meristematic tissues, epidermis

Key findings: The collection of plant samples of the genera D. elata and O. bombyliflora through the field survey came from the AL-Sulaymaniyah District (MSU), especially from Penjwin, Iraq. The study comprised anatomical description and comparison of the genera’s leaves and stems, even though both species belong to the same family Orchidaceae. However, the study observed anatomical features’ differences between them.

The field potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) experiment, carried out at the Musayyib project area, Babil Governorate, Iraq, followed a randomized complete block design with factorial arrangement and three replications. The presented study sought to determine the effects of four biofertilization levels (without adding + full recommended fertilizer, addition of 10 g mixture of four types of bacterial fertilizer + half of the recommended fertilizer, addition of 10 g of fungal biofertilizer (mycorrhiza) + half of the recommended fertilizer, and addition of 10 g mixture of bacterial and fungal biofertilizers + half of the recommended fertilizer) symbolized as B0, B1, B2, and B3, respectively. Meanwhile, the study determined nanofertilizer two levels’ effect (0 + full recommended fertilizer and 2 g L^-1 + half of the recommended fertilizer) denoted by symbols N0 and N1, respectively, on the growth and tuber yield of three potato cultivars (Rashida, Sifra, and Arizona), carried out in the growing season of 2022–2023. The results revealed the cultivar Arizona was superior over the rest of the cultivars in the tuber’s percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, protein, and starch. Treatment B3 of biofertilization and nanofertilizer (N1) also showed considerable superiority in the tuber’s percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, protein, and starch. Moreover, the triple interaction between the study factors had a positive effect on most of the studied traits.

Keywords: (S. tuberosum L.), cultivars, bacterial biofertilization, nanofertilization, macro elements

Key findings: Potato (S. tuberosum L.) cultivar Arizona performed better and gave the highest tuber’s percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, protein, and starch. Biofertilization (bacterial and fungal fertilizers) and nanofertilizers (2 g L^-1) also revealed the noticeable advantage for biochemical traits in potato tubers.

The study, carried out during the winter of 2022–2023 at the Fadliyah Region, Thi-Qar Governorate, Iraq, sought to determine the effects of nano-aluminum silicate and irrigation periods on the growth and yield traits of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar Buhouth-22. The experiment had a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with split-plot arrangement, two factors, and three replications. The first factor (main plot) included irrigation periods (I), irrigation every seven days (I₁), 14 days (I₂), and 21 days (I₃), while the second factor (subplot) comprised the volumetric percentages of mixing nano-aluminum silicate (12 nm) with soil (S) i.e., 3% (S₁), 4% (S₂), 5% (S₃), and 6% (S₄). The results showed increased proportion of nano-aluminum silicate significantly enhanced the studied traits. The nano-aluminum silicate ratio (S₄) was superior in root total length, plant height, leaf area, number of tillers, grains per spike, and grain yield, which did not differ from other ratios (S₃ and S₂). The irrigation period (I₂) appeared superior by giving the highest averages for the above traits, but did not differ significantly from the irrigation period (I₁). The interaction of nano-aluminum silicate ratio (S₄) and irrigation period (I₂) provided the highest grain yield.

Keywords: Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), nano-aluminum silicate, unconventional technologies, irrigation periods, mixing ratios

Key findings: The results of the presented study showed irrigation periods had an influential role in the productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grains, especially irrigation every 14 days (I₂), as it gave the highest average grain yield (8.202 t ha^-1). Moreover, adding nano-aluminum silicate was crucial in increasing productivity, especially the treatment S₄, which gave the highest average (7.752 t ha^-1) for grain yield.

The seedlings’ development in the nursery and preparing them for planting depends on some main primary factors, including the pot size and fertilization. The timely study aimed to determine the effects of pot size and nanofertilizer levels on the growth and development of bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis) seedlings, carried out in 2021 at the University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq. The study comprised two factors, with the first factor using pots with three different sizes (small, medium, and large), and the second factor was the treatment with NPK nanofertilizer at three concentrations (0, 2, and 4 g L^-1). The results showed pot size, NPK nanofertilizers, and their interactions have a significant impact on all studied traits. The large pot size and increased level of NPK nanofertilizer (4 g L^-1) individually exhibited the highest increase in seedling height, stem diameter, number of branches, number of leaves, and shoot dry weight. The interaction between the large pot and NPK nanofertilizer (4 g L^-1) also showed the best performance for the traits: seedling height (131.73 cm), stem diameter (12.06 mm), number of branches (39.06 branch seedling^-1), number of leaves (1,181.4 leaves seedling^-1), and shoot dry weight (68.78 g).

Keywords: Bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis), pot size, NPK nanofertilizer, morphological and growth traits

Key findings: The large pot size and increased level of NPK nanofertilizer (4 g L^-1) individually and in combination exhibited the highest increase in seedling height, stem diameter, number of branches and leaves, and shoot dry weight.