The main aim of the present investigation is modeling and optimization of a new culture medium for in vitro rooting of G×N15 rootstock using an artificial neural network-genetic algorithm (ANN-GA). Six experiments for assessing different media culture, various concentrations of Indole – 3- butyric acid, different concentrations of Thiamine and Fe-EDDHA were designed. The effects of five ionic macronutrients (NH₄⁺, NO₃⁻, Ca²⁺, K⁺ and Cl⁻) on five growth parameters [root number (RN), root length (RL), root percentage (R%), fresh (FW) and dry weight (DW)] were evaluated using the ANN-GA method. The R² correlation values of 0.88, 0.88, 0.98, 0.94 and 0.87 between observed and predicted values were acquired for all five growth parameters, respectively. The ANN-GA results indicated that among the input variables, K⁺ (7.6) and NH4⁺ (4.4), K⁺ (7.7) and Ca²⁺ (2.8), K⁺ (36.7) and NH₄⁺ (4.3), K⁺ (14.7) and NH₄⁺ (4.4) and K⁺ (7.6) and NH₄⁺ (4.3) had the highest values of variable sensitivity ratio (VSR) in the data set, for RN, RL, R%, FW and DW, respectively. ANN-GA optimized LS medium for G×N15 rooting contained optimized amounts of 1 mg L⁻¹ IBA, 100, 150, or 200 mg L⁻¹ Fe-EDDHA and 1.6 mg L⁻¹ Thiamine. The efficiency of the optimized culture media was compared to other standard media for Prunus rooting and the results indicated that the optimized medium is more efficient than the others.

The objective of this study is to characterize the damage in glass fiber reinforced composite laminated reinforced with nanosilica particles subjected to tensile, flexural, and transverse loadings. Tensile, three-point bending, quasi-static indentation test, and ballistic impact tests were used in order to obtain the perforation response, flexural and tensile behavior of the composites and nanocomposites. Experimental test series was carried out to determine the tensile and flexural strength and stiffness, impact energy absorption, and failure mechanisms of composites in the presence of nanoparticle. Hand lay-up method has been used to manufacture nanocomposites constituted of 12 layers of 2D woven glass fibers with 40% fiber volume fraction. The composites were reinforced by adding organically modified nano-silica in a 0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 3% ratio in weight with respect to the matrix. Results revealed that in 0.5 wt.% nanoparticles, energy absorption and tensile strength are maximum, but flexural strength has the highest value in 3 wt.%. Furthermore, the highest energy absorption, elastic energy, and energy absorption at maximum force in quasi-static penetration occur in 0.5% nanosilica content. In the case of ballistic tests, effect of nanosilica is more tangible than in quasi-static indentation. Nanocomposite at 0.5% nanosilica recorded higher ballistic limit and energy absorption in comparison with other composites and nanocomposites. SEM images showed that fracture surfaces in 0.5 wt.% nanocomposites are rough and engender more crack tips in comparison with other specimens, which contributes to higher energy absorption in static and dynamic tests.

One of the major obstacles to the micropropagation of Prunus rootstocks has, up until now, been the lack of a suitable tissue culture medium. Therefore, reformulation of culture media or modification of the mineral content might be a breakthrough to improve in vitro multiplication of G×N15 (garnem). We found artificial neural network in combination of genetic algorithm (ANN-GA) as a very precise and powerful modeling system for optimizing the culture medium, So that modeling the effects of MS mineral salts (NH4+, NO3-, PO42-, Ca2+, K+, SO42-, Mg2+ and Cl-) on in vitro multiplication parameters (the number of microshoots per explant, average length of microshoots, weight of calluses derived from the base of stem explants, and quality index of plantlets) of G×N15. showed high R2 correlation values of 87, 91, 87 and 74 between observed and predicted values were found for these four growth parameters, respectively.. According to the ANN-GA results, among the input variables, NH4+ and NO3- had the highest values of VSR in data set for the parameters studied. The ANN-GA showed that the best proliferation rate was obtained from medium containing (mM) 27.5 NO3-, 14 NH4+, 5 Ca2+, 25.9 K+, 0.7 Mg2+, 1.1 PO42-, 4.7 SO42- and 0.96 Cl-. The performance of the medium optimized by ANN-GA, denoted as YAS (Yadollahi, Arab and Shojaeiyan), was compared to that of standard growth media for all Prunus rootstock, including the Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, (specific media) EM, Quoirin and Lepoivre (QL) medium and woody plant medium (WPM) Prunus. With respect to shoot length, shoot number per cultured explant and productivity (number of microshoots × length of microshoots), YAS was found to be superior to other media for in vitro multiplication of G×N15 rootstocks. In addition, our results indicated that by using ANN-GA, we were able to determine a suitable culture medium formulation to achieve the best in vitro productivity.

Two modeling techniques [artificial neural network-genetic algorithm (ANN-GA) and stepwise regression analysis] were used to predict the effect of medium macro-nutrients on in vitro performance of pear rootstocks (OHF and Pyrodwarf). The ANN-GA described associations between investigating 8 macronutrients (NO3-, NH4+, Ca2+, K+, Mg2+, PO42-, SO42- and Cl-) and explant growth parameters [proliferation rate (PR), shoot length (SL), shoot tip necrosis (STN), chlorosis (Chl) and vitrification (Vitri)]. ANN-GA revealed a substantially higher accuracy of prediction than for regression models. According to the ANN-GA results, among the input variables concentrations (mM), NH4+ (301.7) and NO3-, NH4+ (64), SO42- (54.1), K+ (40.4) and NO3- (35.1) in OHF and Ca2+ (23.7), NH4+ (10.7), NO3- (9.1), NH4+ (317.6) and NH4+ (79.6) in Pyrodwarf had the highest values of VSR in data set, respectively, for PR, SL, STN, Chl and Vitri. The ANN-GA showed that media containing (mM) 62.5 NO3-, 5.7 NH4+, 2.7 Ca2+, 31.5 K+, 3.3 Mg2+, 2.6 PO42-, 5.6 SO42- and 3.5 Cl- could lead to optimal PR for OHF and optimal PR for Pyrodwarf may be obtained with media containing 25.6 NO3-, 13.1 NH4+, 5.5 Ca2+, 35.7 K+, 1.5 Mg2+, 2.1 PO42-, 3.6 SO42- and 3 Cl-.