Postharvest fungal diseases in mandarin fruits cause significant economic and nutritional losses during transport and storage. The control of postharvest diseases in citrus fruit involves frequent and large amounts of chemical fungicides. Increasing concerns about health hazards and environmental pollution caused by the use of chemicals have necessitated the development and use of environmentally friendly control strategies as an alternative to chemicals for the control of post-harvest diseases in citrus fruits. The bacterial isolates as biological control agents (BCAs) are one of the most suitable alternatives to synthetic fungicides, which are banned or restricted for use in post-harvest disease management. Fungal diseases such as black mould (Aspergillus niger), blue mould (Penicillium italicum), green mould (Penicillium digitatum), sour rot (Geotrichum citri-aurantii), and anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) cause the most significant postharvest losses in citrus fruit. The BCA bacterial isolate used in this study was isolated from healthy mandarins and identified as Burkholderia ambifaria by Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry (MALDI TOF MS; MicroFlex LT, Bruker Daltonics, Bremen, Germany) analysis. In this study, the antagonistic activity of B. ambifaria on the inhibition of mycelial growth of A niger, P. italicum, P. digitatum, G. citri-aurantii and C. gloeosporioides isolated from mandarin fruits was determined under in vitro conditions. In dual culture tests, the BCA B. ambifaria isolate inhibited the mycelial growth of C. gloeosporioides by 66.67%, A. niger by 69.40%, G. citri-aurantii by 73.33%, P. italicum and P. digitatum by 77.78%. The high level of antagonistic activity of the bacterial isolate in inhibiting the mycelial growth of fungal pathogens showed that B. ambifaria has the potential to be used as a BCA against diseases occurring during post-harvest storage.

Wood vinegar, also known as pyroligneous acid (PA), is a liquid mixture with organic properties obtained from the condensation of smoke produced by the charring or pyrolysis of wood. The aim of this study was to determine the in vitro antibacterial activity of three different PAs obtained from the pyrolysis of apricot kernels (AKPA), hazelnut shells (HSPA), and kermes oak (OPA) against bacterial plant pathogens species such as Curtobacterium flaccumfacies pv. flaccumfaciens, Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola and Bacillus pumilus. The antibacterial activity of wood vinegar on development of disease agents were evaluated by measuring the inhibition zone diameters (IZ) under in vitro conditions by using disk diffusion technique. According to the mean IZ, HSPA was the most effective PA causing 20.34 mm mean IZ, followed by AKPA and OPA PAs with 20.13 and 19.34 mean IZ, respectively. The highest antibacterial activity was shown by HSPA against C. flaccumfacies pv. flaccumfaciens with the diameter of 24.17 mm IZ, followed by AKPA and OPA treatments with 23.33 and 21.17 mm IZ, respectively. The most susceptible bacterial pathogens against C. flaccumfacies pv. flaccumfaciens with a 22.89 mm mean IZ, followed by Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola and B. pumilus with 19.89, 18.50 and 18.44 mm mean IZ, respectively. C. flaccumfacies pv. flaccumfaciens was found to be the most sensitive to the three PAs used in the study. The results showed that wood vinegar has a great antibacterial potential to be used as a bio-bactericide against important plant bacterial disease agents.

This study evaluated the effects of liquid versus solid fertilizer applications on sunflower yield and nutrient uptake under contrasting rainfall conditions. Field trials were conducted in Kırklareli (sufficient rainfall, SR) and Keşan (insufficient rainfall, IR). Fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (20-20-0, 15-15-15, and DAP) were applied in both liquid and solid forms. Under SR conditions, liquid fertilizers significantly increased sunflower yield, biomass, and the uptake of key macronutrients (N, P and K) and micronutrients (Zn, Fe and Cu) compared to solid fertilizers. However, under IR conditions, neither liquid nor solid fertilizers provided a significant improvement in yield or biomass. These findings highlight that liquid fertilizers are effective in enhancing sunflower productivity and nutrient acquisition under adequate moisture conditions but have limited impact under drought conditions.

Bu çalışma, bakla (Vicia faba L.) ve yaygın fiğ (Vicia sativa L.) ekstraktlarının, çokyıllık çim (Lolium perenne L.), semizotu (Portulaca oleracea L.) ve yabani hardal (Sinapis arvensis L.) gibi yaygın yabancı ot türlerinin çimlenme ve büyüme parametreleri üzerindeki etkilerinin incelenmesi amacıyla yapılmıştır. Sakarya Uygulamalı Bilimler Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi laboratuvarlarında 10-30 Temmuz 2024 tarihleri arasında yürütülen bu çalışmada, bakla ve yaygın fiğ bitkilerinin toprak üstü aksamlarından hasat edilen materyaller öğütülüp kurutularak, %1, %3 ve %5 konsantrasyonlarında sulu ekstraktlar hazırlanmıştır. Denemeler, Tesadüf Parsellerinde Faktöriyel Deneme Deseni’ne göre dört tekerrürlü olarak kurulmuş ve çimlenme oranı (%), kök uzunluğu (mm), sürgün uzunluğu (mm), bitki yaş ve kuru ağırlığı (g) gibi parametreler değerlendirilmiştir. Sonuçlar, bakla ve fiğ özütlerinin yabancı ot türleri üzerinde doza bağlı olarak farklı seviyelerde allelopatik etkiler gösterdiğini ortaya koymuştur. Özellikle %5 konsantrasyonundaki uygulamalarda, yabancı ot türlerinin çimlenme ve büyüme parametrelerini büyük ölçüde baskıladığı gözlenmiştir. Bu bulgular, bakla ve yaygın fiğ bitkilerinden elde edilen sulu özütlerin, kimyasal herbisitlere alternatif olarak kullanılabilecek doğal bileşiklerle mücadele imkânı sunduğunu göstermektedir. Elde edilen verilerin, doğal bileşiklerle mücadele yöntemlerinin yaygınlaştırılması ve çevresel etkilerin en aza indirgenmesine yönelik önemli katkılar sunması beklenmektedir.

Suptropik iklim meyveleri arasında yer alan incirin farklı rakım koşullarında yetiştiricilik başarısını belirleyen temel faktörlerden biri, toprak özellikleri ile bitki beslenme durumunun saptanmasına yönelik gerçekleştirilen toprak ve yaprak analizleridir. Bu çalışmada Aydın İli’nin farklı bölgelerinde bulunan “Sarılop” incir bahçelerinde toprak ve yaprak analizleri değerlendirilmiştir. Araştırma kapsamında, düşük (0–200 m), orta (200–500 m) ve yüksek (>500 m) olmak üzere 3 farklı rakım grubunda ve her grupta yer alan 3 üretici incir bahçesinden, 2 farklı derinlikten 3 tekerrürlü olarak toprak ve yaprak örnekleri alınmış; makro ve mikro besin elementleri analiz edilmiştir. Veriler, yörenin 60m, 315m ve 687m rakımlarında yetiştirilen incirlerde besin elementi alımı ve toprak verimliliği açısından farklılık olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Toprak analizleri sonucunda, rakıma bağlı olarak özellikle kalsiyum ve potasyum yeterli bulunmuş olsa da, yüksek toprak reaksiyonu nedeniyle mikro elementlerin alınmasında bir antagonisttik etki söz konusu olduğu belirlenmiştir. Yaprak analizleri sonuçlarına göre ise; Erbeyli’de üretim sezonunda yapraktan mikro element verilmesi önerilmiştir. Ayrıca gübreleme stratejilerinin rakıma özgü olarak farklılaştırılmasının gerekliliği ortaya konmuştur.

This study was conducted on Salvia officinalis L. plants suitable for most Türkiye’s climatic conditions. The experiments were carried out in July 2021 in a fully controlled climate chamber where plants were grown at 25°C, 65% relative humidity, and an 16/8-hour light/dark photoperiod. Plants in the developmental stage (month 1) were treated with various concentrations of ascorbic acid (0 ppm, 100 ppm, 200 ppm, and 300 ppm) and exposed to different doses of salt stress (0 mM, 100 mM, and 200 mM NaCl). The study was conducted in a randomised trial design with four replicates. In the study, plant morphological (plant stem and root length, stem and root fresh weight, stem and root dry weight), physiological (relative water content (RWC), ion leakage (ILLT), and membrane resistance index (MEI)), photosynthetic pigment (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and total carotenoid) and MDA traits were determined. In the study, the MEI (membrane endurance index) value was found to be statistically significant at the 5% level, while all other parameters were found to be statistically significant at the 1% level. The interaction between ascorbic acid and salt stress was determined in the range of 19.0-36.83 cm for plant length, 17.0-38.33 cm for root length, 1.09-5.68 g for plant fresh weight, 1.19-5.54 g for root fresh weight, 0.120-0.570 g for root dry weight, 0.392-1.325 g for plant dry weight, 37.22–51.07% for ILLT, 36.89–62.78% for MEI, 59.99–90.18% for RWC, 2.52-8.90 nmol g-1TA for MDA, 9.99-24.42 μg g-1fw for Chlorophyll a, 3.67-13.41 μg g-1fw Chlorophyll b for, 13.66-37.22 μg g-1fw for Chlorophyll total and 3.48-7.66 μg g-1fw for carotenoids. As a result of the study, it was determined that the morphological development parameters of the plant decreased in parallel with increasing salt stress. Similarly, it was determined that salt stress had a negative effect on the physiological and photosynthetic pigment contents of the plant. This study conducted to determine the remedial properties of ascorbic acid against increasing salt stress, effective results were obtained in morphological development parameters, especially at a 300 ppm ascorbic acid dose. In other parameters, it was determined that ascorbic acid doses showed a remedial effect on the plant compared to the control.

In the study conducted in the Altıeylül district of Balıkesir province, ten different grain hybrid corn varieties were grown with a row spacing of seventy cm and a plant spacing of fifteen cm in the 2022 corn growing season. Seven different characteristics of the varieties used in the study were examined: plant height, cob length, cob weight, cob diameter, cob grain number, cob grain weight and thousand grain weight. Path analysis and correlation analysis were used to examine the relationships between the examined traits and to determine the direct and indirect effects of these traits on grain weight in the cob. Correlation analysis showed that there were positive significant relationships between cob grain weight and cob length (0.775**), cob weight (0.941**), cob diameter (0.587**) and cob grain number (0.809**) traits. According to path analysis, cob weight, thousand grain weight and cob number had the greatest direct effect on cob grain weight trait. It was observed that cob length trait had small but positive effects on cob grain weight trait.

The growing global population and unsustainable consumption of natural resources are expected to exacerbate future food security challenges. Cultivated meat, a novel technology produced by culturing animal cells in controlled environments without the need for conventional livestock farming, offers a sustainable alternative that also supports animal welfare. This study presents a literature review focused on the environmental impacts of cultivated meat production, specifically analyzing studies utilizing the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. In addition, the review considers health and safety implications, animal welfare concerns, and the economic landscape of the cultivated meat sector. Findings suggest that cultivated meat can be a sustainable solution, particularly when renewable energy sources are employed. However, energy consumption remains the primary contributor to environmental impact, with greenhouse gas emissions largely associated with energy use and culture media. The implications of large-scale production are still uncertain. While cultivated meat may benefit animal welfare, its long-term health effects are not yet fully understood. Despite a decline in investment in 2023, new market entrants and decreasing production costs reflect ongoing industry momentum. Overall, cultivated meat demonstrates strong potential as a sustainable protein source, though further research and technological development are necessary to realize its full promise.

Understanding the spatial variability of soil properties is essential for optimizing oil palm growth and productivity, particularly in ecologically diverse regions such as Southwest Nigeria. In order to establish baseline dataset for spatial soil management in a long-established oil palm plantation, this study was conducted to determine the spatial semivariance structures and interdependence between soil properties and oil palm growth at the Oil Palm Research Station at Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. Soil samples were collected from the 0 - 10 cm surface layer of eighty-one (81) georeferenced from points comprising six distinct transects, with a separation distance of 10 m. The spatial semivariance characteristics and spatial dependence of the oil palm diameter at breast height and soil physical (bulk density (BD) , water content (SWC), total porosity (Pt), particle density (Pd), texture, air capacity (AC), field capacity (FC) and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat)) and chemical properties (pH) and soil organic matter (SOM)) were determined using the semivariogram algorithm while the spatial interdependence was determined using the isotropic cross-semivariogram option in the geostatistical software. Except for FC/Pt (spherical), all the soil variables and oil palm diameter at breast height (DBH) were fitted to exponential model. Four variables, DBH, sand, silt and total porosity had nugget effect values far from zero. Soil bulk density and organic matter showed strong spatial dependence (< 25%) while other soil variables and oil palm diameter at breast height showed moderate spatial dependence (25-75%). The maps showed the spatial heterogeneity of the soil variables and DBH. The cross- semivariograms between DBH versus soil variables were fitted to spherical model except soil organic matter (linear) and particle size (exponential). The cross-semivariogram nugget effect was zero (0) for AC, SWC and AC/Pt while the highest (~ 12) was obtained from silt. The degree of spatial interdependence between DBH versus soil variables was strong (< 25%) for air capacity, soil water content, particle density, pH, and field capacity; weak (> 75%) for soil organic matter; and moderate (25-75%) for other variables evaluated. Employing both semivariogram and cross-semivariogram analyses enhances our understanding of spatial variability significantly and makes a crucial contribution to developing site-specific agricultural practices and promoting sustainable oil palm plantation management in tropical agroecosystems.

This article aims to analyze the effects of climate change on food security and economic growth. In this context, the BRICS-T countries Brazil, China, Russia, India, South Africa, and Turkey are examined using autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) estimates for long-run and short-run cointegration for the period 1991–2023. Climate change is measured by CO₂ emissions and precipitation. The findings indicate that increased rainfall improves food production in India, China, and Turkey, whereas for Brazil, South Africa, and Russia, precipitation has a negative impact on food production. However, the results in the short run demonstrate that CO₂ emissions have an insignificant effect on food production in BRICS-T. The long-run coefficient estimates indicate that precipitation has a negative effect on GDP. Whereas, CO₂ emissions are found to have a positive and statistically significant impact on GDP.