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Self-incompatibility is one of the most important difficulties in almond production which dramatically reduces fruit set and makes orchard management difficult. Therefore, breeding almond to produce self-compatible genotypes is very important. In this study, identification and screening of 100 almond hybrids obtained from cross between Touno (male parent) and A200 (female parent) after the self pollination by PCR reaction with specific primers of SfF and SfR. PCR results confirmed the situation of self-compatible hybrids. In addition, it indicated that, frequencies of Sf, S1 and S9 were 64%, 54% and 72% respectively, among hybrids. Hybrids and their parents vegetative traits (tree height, crown diameter, canopy diameter, branch number, the highest branch, leaf fall, lad length and across petiole length and glad number) using randomized complete bloke design (RCBD) in triplicate was done. PCR results confirmed the situation of self-compatible hybrids. In addition, it indicated that, 50% of genotypes were realized as self-compatible and another 50% were self-incompatible. Also primary evaluating of morphological traits of hybrids and their parents showed that most measured characters of hybrids was ranked between parents at present research, identified Self-compatible hybrids had been identified that can be used in almond breeding programs particularly to development the monoculture orchards of almond.

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  Determination of physical and mechanical properties of agricultural products is the basis for designing or modification of processing equipments. Accordingly, in this research, some of physical and mechanical properties of two varieties of almond were investigated. The mean values of geometrical properties including; length, width, thickness, the geometric mean diameter, mass, volume, surface area and sphericity for Azar variety were 32.42, 21.74, 14.76, 21.80 mm, 4.157 gr, 2793 mm³, 1509 mm² and 67.49% and for Nonpareil were 29.71, 19.12, 12.99, 19.22 mm, 1.305 gr, 2442 mm³, 1168mm² and 63.80%, respectively. Also, properties such as ; true density and bulk density, frictional properties of Almond on the plain steel, galvanized steel and aluminum for the two varieties of Almond, that is, Azar and Nonpareil were measured. At the present research, also the mechanical properties such as maximum force, energy and power requirement to rupture of Almond nut, measured and assessed under compression loading between two parallel plates. The tests were carried out in three levels of size (small, medium and large), three loading speeds (10, 100 and 200 mm/min) and three loading axes (X, Y and Z) with 10 replications. The effect of three factors; size, speed, direction of loading and their interactions were measured for both varieties. Finally, the mean values of physical and mechanical properties both varieties were compared. The mean values of force, energy and power requirement to rupture of nut for Azar variety were 884.6 N, 447.3mJ, 0.681W and for Nonpareil were 56.2 N, 31.4 mJ, 0.045 W, respectively. The results showed that the mean values of mechanical properties of Azar variety were considerably more than that of Nonpareil variety. Also, it was revealed that the effect of size, speed and loading direction on mechanical properties was significant in both varieties.

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  The post-harvest physical and mechanical properties data of fruits and vegetables are important in adoption and design of various handling, packaging, storage and transportation systems. In this research some of physical and mechanical properties of two varieties of almond kernel were investigated. The mean values of geometrical properties including; length, width, thickness, the geometric mean diameter, weight, volume and sphericity for Azar variety were 21.01, 11.53, 5.31, 10.91 mm, 0.695 gr, 673.1 mm³  and 52.02% and for Nonpareil were 19.54, 10.96, 5.24, 10.38 mm, 0.570 gr, 547.9 mm³ and 53.27%, respectively. Also, properties such as ; particle density and bulk density, frictional properties of Almond kernel on the plain steel, galvanized steel and aluminum for the two varieties of Almond, that is, Azar and Nonpareil were measured. At present research, also by cutting loading tests, some of mechanical properties of almond kernel such as force, energy and power requirement for cutting of kernel were investigated. The tests were carried in three size levels (small, medium and large) and three loading speed (5, 50 and 100 mm/min) and three moisture levels (5, 15 and 25%) with 10 replication. The effect of three factors; size, speed, moisture and their multiple effects were measured for both varieties. Finally, the mean values of mechanical properties both varieties were compared. The mean force, energy and power requirement to cutting of kernel for Azar variety were 15.43N, 6.12mJ, 0.0058W and for Nonpareil were 17.03N, 8.19 mJ, 0.0071W, respectively.  

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Iran annually exports considerable quantities of nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, pista-chios and walnuts. The fatty acid profile of these nut oils as an index of their quality was determined using gas chromatography. Results indicated that oleic acid (C18:1) was the major fatty acid in almonds (75.37%), hazelnuts (76.21%) and pistachios (60.49%) fol-lowed by linoleic acid (C18:2), whereas in walnuts, the main fatty acid was linoleic acid (49.84%) followed by oleic acid. However, in all cases palmitic acid (C16:0) was detected at a much lower level than those of oleic and linoleic acid (7.26, 5.29, 7.20, 9.23%, respec-tively).

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Resistance of eight almond genotypes/cultivars, including Sefid, Mamaei, Rabie, Shahrood₇, Ferragnes, Shahrood₁₃, Nonpareil, and Hooreh, to almond fruit wasp (AFW) Eurytoma amygdali Enderlein, was investigated using choice and no-choice tests. The infested fruits ranged from 4.60 ± 1.45% in the Hooreh genotype to 86.87 ± 2.01% in the Ferragnes cultivar in the choice test. The highest and lowest premature dropped fruits were recorded in Ferragnes (80.70 ± 3.21%) and Hooreh genotype (2.43 ± 1.12%), respectively. The highest and lowest numbers of alive larvae were observed in Nonpareil (1.27 ± 0.70 larvae/fruit) and Ferragnes cultivar (0.04 ± 0.02 larvae/fruit). The No-choice test indicated the highest premature dropped fruits (79.21 ± 3.76%) and the lowest number of alive larvae (0.09 ± 0.03 larvae/fruit) in the Ferragnes cultivar. The olfactory response revealed that E. amygdali females were strongly attracted to fruits and fruit extracts of Mamaei and Ferragnes cultivars compared to the Hooreh genotype. Our finding demonstrated that certain chemical stimuli emitted from the unripe fruits of almond might influence the host finding behavior of AFW females.

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In present study, the chemical (ash, protein, fat, minerals, and pH) and functional (ability in stabilizing emulsions and producing edible films) properties of the soluble and insoluble fractions of Persian gum were evaluated. The O/W emulsions were prepared using the soluble fraction at various concentrations vs. oil content.  In order to prepare edible films, the soluble and insoluble fractions as well as whole gum were used at constant concentration (3 w/v%) in the presence of glycerol ( up to 8 wt % based on the gum weight) at pH 8. According to the findings, the Persian gum was consisted of 70 and 30 wt% of insoluble and soluble fractions respectively; where their protein content was negligible (0.062 and 0.146 wt%). The emulsion E4 containing 2 w/v% of soluble fraction and 1 w/v% of oil had the maximum (~99% at room temperature) emulsifying stability index (ESI) up to 5 weeks which was even higher than gum Arabic as control. Moreover, these findings were proven by the optical density and particle size distribution data. In terms of filmability, our findings showed that the edible film containing 3 w/v% of soluble fraction and 4 w/w% of glycerol at pH 8 had the most acceptable characteristics regarding appearance and mechanical properties.

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This study investigated the factors influencing the decision to plant almonds in the Saman region of Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari Province in central Iran through conducting an economic survey in 2005. Using portfolio investment theory and econometric model esti-mation (Shively, 1998), this paper identifies the most important factors influencing the in-dividual farmer’s decision concerning the number of almond trees planted during 1995-2004. Results of this study show that farm size, permission for water use, a one-year fore-cast of almond price changes, and the upcoming year’s expected change in the guaranteed price of wheat as a competitor crop in the use of land and water had a significant impact on the number of trees planted. This study indicates that policymakers should take notice of the adverse impact of the increasing wheat price trends on tree planting and indirectly promote more research on the environmental impact of almond plantations, particularly as it relates to soil erosion and environmental issues.

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This study was done to evaluate quality properties of Amygdalus scoparia kernel (ASK) oil under different storage conditions and packagings. At the zero time USFA/SFA, total tocopherols (TT) and total phenolic (TP) contents of ASK oil were 7.22 and 827.21 and 38.94 mg  per kg oil, respectively. Furthermore Some quality properties (Peroxide value (PV), Conjugated diene value (CDV) and Carbonyle value (CV)) showed that a limit oxidation was done in the kernel of almond. The PV and CV values of oils in different conditions of packaging (PA/PE/PA/PE (80 micron) and PET/AL/LLDPE (90 micron) multilayer plastic bags) have significant differences (p< 0.05) in the 20, 30 and 50°^C during 12 weeks storage. TT and TP contents decrease (p< 0.05) under such circumstance too. The most amount of degradation of TT and TP compound were 46.5 and 68.3% respectively. The anti-oxidative effect of these components resulted in variation in the PV and CV values at the end of storage time in above mentioned temperatures. The best conditions of packaging in ASK was PET/AL/LLDPE (90 micron) multilayer plastic bag in vacuum condition because it had lowest degree of permeatability to oxygen under vacuum conditions and low temperature.    

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Nowadays, consumption of non-dairy-based desserts with a variety of flavors compounds is growing, that are consumed by different age groups due to nutritional value and organoleptic properties. The objective of this study was to investigate the optimization of non-dairy dessert formulations based on almond milk. Additives in three levels of sugar (2, 3, and 4%), pectin (0.5, 0.6 and 0.7%) and gelatin (0.4, 0.5 and 0.6%) were used to produce desserts. Then, the physicochemical properties of the produced dessert including pH, syneresis, viscosity, texture and colorimetric parameters of the produced dessert were measured. The results showed that by increasing the percentage of pectin and sugar, the index L* decreased, by increasing the percentage of gelatin and pectin, a* decreases and by increasing pectin percentage, b* decreased and the effect of gelatin increase was not significant. Increasing the percentage of gelatin and pectin in all levels of sugar has increased the stiffness of dessert samples. By comparing the average values of the stiffness of the dessert texture produced at the fixed levels of gelatin and pectin, it can be concluded that sugar content has a significant effect on the stiffness of the dessert texture after production, and increasing the sugar content, pectin and gelatin increases the stiffness of the texture. In all levels of sugar, the viscosity of desserts increased with increasing gelatin and pectin percentages. By increasing the percentage of gelatin and pectin, the pH decreased. The addition of gelatin and pectin, especially in high concentrations, significantly reduced syneresis.

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Water is the most limiting factor in irrigated agriculture, mainly in Mediterranean environments, as in the case of southwest Spain. In this area, almond is one of the most valuable crops due to its high drought tolerance. This work examines the crop coefficients (K_C) based on four drainage lysimeters installed in an experimental young almond orchard. Complementary, two deficit-irrigation treatments were tested: (1) moderate deficit-irrigation (M_DI), which received 100% of the crop evapotranspiration (ET_C) during the irrigation period, except during the kernel-filling stage and pre-harvest, when irrigation was 50% of ET_C; and (2) severe deficit irrigation (S_DI), in which water was applied according to the values of leaf-water potential at midday (Ψ_leaf), this being maintained at between -1.6 and -2.0 MPa. The crop’s physiological response to water stress was monitored throughout the study period by assessing the leaf-water potential (Ψ_leaf) and canopy temperature (T_C) dynamics. The K_C values changed from 0.4 at the beginning of irrigation period to a maximum of 1.1 during the maximum evaporative demand period. From this stage on, the Kc gradually decreased to 0.4 at the end of the season. In physiological terms, both Ψ_leaf and T_C showed a temporal evolution according to defined irrigation strategies. Moreover, significant relationship (r2 = 0.63, P<0.05) was obtained between Yleaf and the difference between leaf and air temperature values (AT). the difference between leaf and air temperature values; evidencing the feasibility of using T_C for water-stress management. Thus, the findings highlight the importance of local K_C to optimize water use and irrigation scheduling in almond orchards.

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Almond (Prunus dulcis L.) is one of the most important nut fruits and products, which is commercially grown in vast areas of the world. Almond kernel contains valuable compounds including vitamins, carbohydrates (fiber and soluble sugars), protein, fatty acids and mineral salts. Considering the importance of fatty acids in almonds. this study investigated the fatty acid content of pollen and seed parents and offspring of Shahrood 12 with selective pollinizers using Gas chromatography (GC). Also oil extraction by Soxhlet Elements were measured by atomic absorption method in parents and progeny of crosses. Some quantitative and qualitative traits related to dried fruit and almond kernels were also analyzed. The results showed that the highest amount of kernels weight in progeny obtained from crosses was related to free pollination. The results showed that the highest amount of oleic acid (18: 1) and linoleic acid (18: 2) was observed in MSK84 (75.51%) and shahrood14 (19.20%) pollinizers, respectively. Also, the highest amount of oleic acid with 72% was obtained in the offspring of Shahrood 12 (♀) × Shahrood 14(♂). The maximum amount of linoleic acid was obtained with 18.40% in the offspring resulting from Shahrood 12 (♀) × MSK84 (♂). On the other hand, the highest amount of palmitic acid (9.5%) was found in the progeny obtained from open pollination of Shahrood 12. These three types of fatty acids have the highest percentage among the seven fatty acids measured in the almond kernel. The highest amount of oil was obtained in progeny of mother Shahrood 12 with 54.42% MSK82 and 38.32% in MSK83 also The results showed that among the different genotypes Rate of oil (38.32-54.42%), Iron (85.48-138.53 mg / _{1000 g}), Copper (20.32-47.48 mg / _{1000 g}), Manganese (18.04 -44.67 mg / _{1000 g}).
 

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Revival of native food, introducing it to the industrial cycle in accordance with the current modern lifestyle and the tendency to consume prepared foods, will play an effective role in maintaining the correct food pattern, increasing public health and offering it at the international level. Among them, cereal porridge (Harireh) containing almonds and rice flour is recommended as a traditional and beneficial food with high nutritional value for most age groups of the society. The production of this product is associated with limitations such as lack of quick preparation, non-uniform texture and short shelf life. Therefore, it is important to modify the formulation and process to introduce a super food to the market. In this research, extrusion technology was used to fabricate instant porridge from almond- oatmeal composite flour. For this purpose, the effect of humidity (12-16%) and the ratio of almond- oatmeal flour (10:90, 20:80 and 30:70) on the physicochemical and functional properties were evaluated using rotatable central composite design (CCD). The results showed, the simultaneous increase in moisture and the level of whole almond flour due to the increase in fiber and fat fraction caused an increase in density. At the level of 30% of almond powder, the antioxidant activity was at the maximum level. according to the optimization results; In order to have a product with the highest porosity, antioxidant capacity and water absorption along with the lowest density, the optimal treatment including feed moisture 13%, rotation speed 150 rpm and whole almond flour 22.3% was determined. This product, in addition to having suitable microstructure features, also has a favorable performance feature.
 

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The species Prunus fenzliana is acknowledged to be the possible ancestor of cultivated almond (Prunus amygdalus L.) and other wild almond species. The objective of this study was to determine phenological and pomological properties and fatty acid composition of the almond species Prunus fenzliana Fritsch, which grows naturally on the slopes of Mount Ararat. The study was conducted in 2016 and 2017. The fruit weight with shell, kernel weight, fruit thickness with shell: kernel ratios of the selected almond genotypes were 0.47–0.89 g, 0.13–0.22 g, 0.87-1.31 mm, and 22.38-37.36%, respectively. Double kernelled fruits were encountered in two genotypes [(PFG-10 (6.67%) and PFG-15 (7.14%)]. In 2016, the first flowering, full flowering, and harvesting time of the genotypes ranged from 20-25 March, 24-31 March and 17-23 August, respectively. In 2017, the first flowering, full bloom, and harvest time were observed between 08-12 April, 13-17 April and 4-9 September, respectively. The oleic acid concentration was much higher than in previous studies. In this context, the oleic, linoleic, palmitic, stearic and myristic acid concentrations were 69.2-77.9, 15.2-18.5, 4.6-5.3, 1.2-1.6 and 0.7-1.7%, respectively. The results revealed that genotypes under the Prunus fenzliana species could be used as a genetic resource in rootstock breeding programs and could be utilized in chemical and pharmaceutical industry due to its rich fat content.
 

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The production of instant weaning food porridge is one of the most popular research topics. Granulation is the preferred method for producing instant foods. The advantages of granulation include easy storage, dissolution and shelf life. Whole-grain flour and high-fiber materials, in addition to replacing sugar with natural sweeteners, are a viable solution to reduce the adverse effects of a high-calorie diet. In this study, the effect of the granule content of almond oil cake oatmeal (65-70%), grape juice powder (25-30%) and sugar (0-5%) on the physicochemical properties, color brightness, emulsifying activity, stability and sensory parameters of the final porridge was investigated based on the statistical mixing design. According to the optimization results, the recipe of the instant porridge contains 69.9% almond oatmeal granules, 9.26% grape juice powder and 3.89% sugar to achieve emulsifying ability, emulsion stability, color brightness and overall acceptability of 65.82, 64.16, 3.75 and 89.89, respectively. According to the optimization results, for emulsifying ability, emulsion stability, color brightness and total acceptance 65.82, 64.16, 3.75 and 89.89, respectively, the instant porridge formulation was found to contain 69.9% almond oatmeal granules, 9.26% grape juice powder and 3.13% sugar. The fluctuations in blood sugar after 120 minutes of consumption of the optimal sample were significantly lower than in consumers with glucose sugar. Generally speaking, the combination of extrusion, foam mat and granulation technologies for the production of instant weaning food is considered an innovative idea for the development of healthy food technology.