This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different dry matter (DM) levels and additive applications on the fermentation characteristics, chemical composition, microbiological profile, aerobic stability, and in vitro digestibility of silages prepared from a mixture of legume and cereal forage crops. The forage material, consisting of a legume-cereal mixture, was divided into two portions after harvest. One half was directly ensiled with the addition of various additives, while the other half was artificially wilted at 30 °C for 3 hours prior to additive application and ensiling. The additives tested in this study included: (1) Control (no additive), (2) Homofermentative lactic acid bacteria (3) Heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria (4) Sodium diacetate and (5) Resin. The treated silages were vacuum-sealed in plastic bags (seven replicates per group) and incubated for 60 days under laboratory conditions. After fermentation, a 7-day aerobic stability test was performed. Chemical, microbiological, and in vitro evaluations were carried out on both fresh and fermented silage samples.The results demonstrated that additive applications significantly improved silage quality by increasing DM, pH, and water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) contents, while reducing NH₃-N/TN ratio and dry matter lost (DML) (P<0.05). Similar positive effects were observed with wilting. Additives did not significantly influence the organic acid profile (lactic, acetic, propionic, and butyric acids) (P>0.05). In terms of chemical composition, additives increased crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) contents while decreasing crude fiber (CF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and hemicellulose (HCEL) (P<0.05). Microbiological analysis showed that additives reduced yeast populations and enhanced lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts (P<0.05). Aerobic stability was also improved, particularly through reduced pH increases during air exposure. However, neither additives nor wilting had significant effects on in vitro gas production, metabolic energy (ME), or organic matter digestibility (OMD) (P>0.05). In conclusion, additives and the drying process had a positive effect on silage quality. In particular, resin and heterofermentative LAB additives stood out in terms of increasing microbial stability, inhibiting yeast growth, and delaying aerobic spoilage.

This study investigates the effectiveness of partial substitution of vegetable garden waste ash (VGA), an agricultural waste, as an alternative to traditional lime additive within the scope of sustainable soil improvement applications in soil stabilization. In the experimental program, mixtures containing VGA at rates varying between 0–8% were prepared using low plasticity silty soil obtained from Kastamonu province, and a constant binder content of 4% was maintained. The engineering performances of the mixtures were evaluated with unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests; carbon footprint and carbon efficiency (CI) were also analyzed as environmental sustainability indicators. The results show that VGA additive significantly increases UCS values, and the highest strength is obtained in the mixture containing 4% VGA. When the compaction properties are examined, it is observed that the maximum dry unit volume weight decreases with the increase in VGA ratio, and the optimum water content increases. Carbon emission analyses emphasize the environmental burden of traditional lime use, while VGA additive reduces this burden and provides an environmentally friendly alternative. The inverted U-shaped relationship between UCS and CI highlights the importance of determining optimum additive ratios. In particular, the 4% VGA ratio provided the most favorable results from both technical and environmental perspectives.

This study evaluated the temporal variation and inter-population differences in needle moisture content of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings grown from five natural populations representing different altitudinal zones. The populations ranged from sea level to 2250 meters in elevation, and the seedlings were cultivated under uniform nursery conditions at the Faculty of Forestry, Karadeniz Technical University, for four years. Needle samples were collected monthly over a 23-month period from a total of 750 seedlings, and fresh and dry weights were recorded to calculate needle moisture content. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that both population and sampling time had statistically significant effects (p < 0.05), whereas their interaction was not significant. The lowest mean needle moisture content was observed in the Çamburnu population (0–450 m), while the highest was recorded in Zigana-3 (1800–2250 m), suggesting that high-elevation populations may have developed more effective water retention strategies. Seasonally, higher moisture levels were recorded in winter and early spring, while a decline was observed during summer months due to increased temperatures. The relationship between needle moisture and weight parameters varied among populations. These findings indicate that needle moisture content is a physiologically sensitive parameter influenced by both environmental conditions and elevation-driven genetic variation. The results highlight the importance of prioritizing high-elevation populations in future afforestation efforts aimed at enhancing drought tolerance and climate change adaptation.

Pomegranates are among the most widely cultivated fruit trees in the world. Their processing and consumption generate a significant amount of by-products, particularly peels, which can represent up to 50% of the fruit’s fresh weight. These peels are rich in bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, carotenoids, vitamins, essential oils, and fibers, giving them notable nutritional value and potential health benefits. This review presents a synthesis of scientific studies focusing on the phytochemical composition of pomegranate peels and their incorporation into functional food products. Data were gathered from publications published between 2004 and 2025 using specialized databases related to agro-food applications of fruit co-products. The results highlight the strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of pomegranate peels, primarily attributed to their high content of phenolic compounds and essential oils. Their application in bakery, beverage, meat, and dairy products has been shown to enhance the functional properties of these foods while extending their shelf life. Such valorization strategies provide new value to organic waste traditionally discarded, aligning with the principles of circular economy and sustainable food production. Pomegranate peels offer numerous opportunities for the development of value-added foods while contributing to the reduction of agri-food waste and its environmental impact.

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) seeds have been bred to boost crop yield and resistance to diseases. The impact of breeding on the nutritional value of sesame seeds in Uganda is scanty. This study evaluated the chemical composition of the improved seeds and landraces. The proximate content of the seeds was determined using the Association of Official Analytical Chemist protocols. Mineral concentrations were analysed using atomic emission spectrophotometry. Fatty acid (FA) composition was determined using gas chromatography. The protein and total lipids were in the range of 6.90 to 10.41% and 37.47 to 50.45%, respectively. Ash content ranged from 3.45 to 4.05% while crude fibre ranged from 5.38 to 9.40%. Linoleic and oleic acids were the predominant unsaturated FA with respective range values of 43.92 to 46.89% and 37.91 to 41.50%. Palmitic and stearic acids were the most abundant saturated FA with values ranging from 7.92 to 9.61% and between 3.32 and 6.24%, respectively. The Atherogenic Index, Thrombogenic Index, Hypocholesterolemic FA to hypercholesterolemic FA ratio and polysaturated FA to saturated FA ratio showed favourable nutritional effects. Mineral ratios showed a favourable mineral-mineral interaction for sodium and potassium which is desirable for use as a functional food. Seed breeding may not have caused notable effect on the chemical composition of sesame seeds.

The research was conducted to evaluate the effect of different ripening agents (apple, tomato, paddy straw, and ethephon) on shelf life and quality of banana under tropical condition with high temperature and low humidity. The experiment was carried out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD), with five treatments: one control and four ripening agents. The treatments were as follows: T1 (control), T2 (apple 130 ±10 gram), T3 (tomato 75±5 gram), T4 (paddy straw 220 gram), and T5 (Ethephon 500 ppm). Each treatment was replicated four times to ensure statistical validity. A dozen fresh Williams’s hybrid bananas were used and ripened in carton boxes for each treatment. Data were recorded on 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th days for key post-harvest quality parameters such as weight loss (%), firmness, pulp-to-peel ratio, specific gravity (SG), total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), days to complete ripening, and shelf life. Treatments showed significant differences for most of the parameters. Ethephon (T5) induced the fastest ripening (3 days) and the highest pulp-to-peel ratio (2.96), specific gravity (1.26), and TSS (18.37°Brix). However, it also had the lowest firmness (0.45 Newton (N)) and a shorter shelf life (5.75 days). In contrast, paddy straw(T4) delayed ripening (7.5 days) and maintained the highest firmness (1.82 Newton (N)), with a longer shelf life (11 days), though it showed the lowest TSS (14.70°Brix) and specific gravity (1.06). The treatments with the highest weight loss (%) were observed in ethephon (43.42%) and apple (37.25%), whereas the controls (31.23%) and paddy straw (33.24%) had the lowest.  These findings suggest that Ethephon (T5) is most effective in accelerating ripening with improved sweetness but led to higher weight loss and softening, whereas T4 offers extended shelf life and better firmness, emerges as a cost-effective, safe, and natural alternative for maintaining fruit quality and shelf life.

Bu çalışma, Lythrum salicaria L. (Hevhulma) bitkisinin kök, yaprak ve çiçek kısımlarının etanol ekstraktlarının fenolik bileşenlerini, antioksidan kapasitesini ve antimikrobiyal aktivitesini değerlendirmiştir. Fenolik bileşikler, HPLC ve LC-MS/MS ile analiz edilmiş; toplam fenolik (TPC) ve flavonoid (TFC) içerikleri Folin-Ciocalteu ve alüminyum klorür yöntemleriyle ölçülmüştür. Antioksidan kapasite, DPPH, ABTS ve FRAP testleriyle, antimikrobiyal aktivite ise Gram-pozitif (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus), Gram-negatif (Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae ve Proteus mirabilis) bakteriler ve Candida albicans üzerinde disk difüzyon ve minimum inhibisyon konsantrasyonu (MIC) yöntemleriyle belirlenmiştir. Çiçek ekstraktları, ellagik asit (3419,0 ± 50,0 μg/g) ve kateşin (985,5 ± 30,0 μg/g) açısından en zengin bulunurken, yapraklar gallik asit (752,5 ± 22,5 μg/g) ve protokateşik asit (127,5 ± 3,8 μg/g) bakımından yüksek içerik göstermiştir. Kök ekstraktları, en yüksek FRAP değerine (418,7 ± 10,5 µmol TEAC/g) sahip olup, çiçek ve yapraklar sırasıyla 217,1 ± 5,4 ve 213,7 ± 5,3 µmol TEAC/g değerleri göstermiştir. Antimikrobiyal testler, ekstraktın 300–750 µg/mL konsantrasyonlarda A. baumannii ve B. cereus’a karşı ticari antibiyotiklerle (ofloksasin, netilmisin) karşılaştırılabilir etkinlik sergilediğini ortaya koymuştur (MIC: 300–500 µg/mL). Bu bulgular, L. salicaria’nın doğal antioksidan ve antimikrobiyal ajan olarak farmasötik ve nutrasötik uygulamalarda potansiyelini vurgulamaktadır.