Water loss kinetics in osmotic dehydration of cone-shaped fruits and vegetables was modeled on the basis of diffusion mechanism, using the Fick’s second law. The model was developed by taking into account the influences of the fruit geometrical characteristics, initial water content of fruit, water diffusion coefficient in fruit, and the water concentration in hypertonic solution. Based on the obtained model, it was shown that the water diffusion coefficient and the initial water concentration of fruit have direct effects on the dehydration rate and also inverse influence on the dehydration duration. The geometrical parameters of fruit and water concentration in hypertonic solution showed direct effect on the dehydration duration as well as inverse effect on the dehydration rate. The presented model seems to be useful tool to predict the dehydration kinetics of cone-shaped fruit during osmotic dehydration process and to optimize the process prior to perform the experiments.

The present study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of lycopene in alleviating the toxicity of cypermethrin (CYP) on haematological parameters in carp, Cyprinus carpio. Fish (totally 140 fish) were exposed to sublethal concentrations (0.202 and 0.404 μg/L) of CYP, and lycopene (10 mg per kg of fish weight) was simultaneously administered. At the end of 28 days administration, blood samples were collected and haematological changes (red and white blood cell count, haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit level, and erythrocyte indices: mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration) were determined. According to the data obtained, CYP was determined to lead to negative alterations in the haematological parameters investigated. The administration of lycopene alleviated this effect.

The development in science  technology and the researches made in the health field showed that nutrition increases the effectiveness of medical treatment as well as maintaining the human health and singularly effective in the treatment of certain diseases. In recent years, the importance of nutritional elements called ‘Functional foods’ has increased. Functional foods provide physiological benefits and can reduce the risk of chronic diseases beyond their nutritional benefits. One of these functional compounds is conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers which have significant effects on human health and previously have been demonstrated in the researches carried out on people and animals. CLA’s attracted more attention after detection of its body fat accumulation reducing, antidiabetic, immune system enhancing, arteriosclerosis reducing, bone mineralization increasing effects.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the movement and accumulation of 2,6 – dinitro – NN – dipropyl – 4 - trifluoromethylanil (trifluralin) in soil under irrigated conditions. Despite its hazardous effects this herbicide is widely used in the country. The herbicide researched, is known to be one of the most resistant and least mobile pesticides used in the country. The investigations were carried out, using drainage type lysimeters with application of two different doses of trifluralin and three irrigation water levels. Irrigations were applied during three stages used as indicators for irrigation scheduling of the sunflower crop. Disturbed and undisturbed soil samples were taken from the original field in the beginning and from the tanks after completing of the study. Trifluralin analyses were completed using gas chromatography technique. The results of the study determined that the amounts of the herbicide and its degradation product (2-ethyl-4-nitro-6-trifluoromethyl-1H-benzimidazole) in the ranges of 3.04 – 0.1 and 4.128- 0.344 ppm, respectively were accumulated in the lysimeter soils during the 5-year research period. The highest amounts of trifluralin and its degradation product were measured in the 0-30 cm soil layer, of the treatment with higher applied herbicide amount and deficit irrigation.

Bu çalışma, Trakya Bölgesinde iyi tarım uygulaması yapan ve yapmayan armut üreten tarım işletmelerini kapsamaktadır. Çalışmanın temel amacı, iyi tarım uygulaması yapan ve yapmayan işletmelerin girdi kullanım miktarlarının ve enerji kullanım etkinliğinin belirlenmesi ve ekonomik olarak karşılaştırılmasıdır. Kırklareli, Edirne ve Tekirdağ illerinde iyi tarım uygulaması yapan 16 armut üreticisinin tamamıyla, aynı sayıda iyi tarım uygulaması yapmayan armut üreticisi ile anket çalışması yapılmıştır. Değerlendirme sonuçlarına göre iyi tarım uygulayan işletmelerde toplam enerji girdisi 30.046,64 MJ, enerji çıktısı 36.000 MJ, enerji çıktı/girdi oranı 1,20, enerji verimliliği 0,50 kg/MJ, spesifik enerji 2,00 MJ/kg, enerji yoğunluğu 1,80 MJ/TL ve net enerji 5.953,36 MJ olarak hesaplanmıştır. İyi tarım uygulamayan işletmelerde toplam enerji girdisi 32.111,92 MJ, enerji çıktısı 33.600 MJ, enerji çıktı/girdi oranı 1,05, enerji verimliliği 0,44 kg/MJ, spesifik enerji 2,29 MJ/kg, enerji yoğunluğu 2,05 MJ/TL ve net enerji 1.488,08 MJ olarak hesaplanmıştır. Trakya Bölgesinde iyi tarım uygulaması yapan işletmelerde bir kg armut yetiştirmenin maliyeti 1,11 TL, iyi tarım uygulaması yapmayan işletmelerde 1,12 TL olarak belirlenmiştir. İyi tarım uygulaması yapan işletmelerde toplam masraflar 16.682,80 TL, gayri safi üretim değeri 24.250 TL, brüt kâr 14.938,10 TL, mutlak kâr 7.567,20 TL, nispi kâr 1,45 olarak hesaplanmıştır. İyi tarım uygulaması yapmayan işletmelerde toplam masraflar 15.652 TL, gayri safi üretim değeri 21.000 TL, brüt kâr 11.511,80 TL, mutlak kâr 5.348 TL, nispi kâr ise 1,34 olarak belirlenmiştir. Enerji kullanım etkinliği ve ekonomik analiz sonuçlarına göre iyi tarım uygulaması yapan işletmelerde armut yetiştiriciliğinin daha avantajlı olduğu belirlenmiştir.

Crop production in West Africa is mostly dependent upon rainfed agriculture. Irrigation is a vital need due to uneven distribution of rainfall and seasonality of water resources. However, management and sustainability of irrigation are under risk due to notably weak database, excessive cost, unappropriate soil or land use, environmental problems and extreme pessimism in some quarters since rainfed agriculture is seen as potentially able to support the present population. This paper focuses on modernized irrigation technologies and systems that utilize less water. Information about irrigation systems in Ghana and Liberia were gathered through: 1) Irrigation development authorities in both countries, by reviewing past literatures, online publications, reports and files about irrigation in West Africa, specifically Ghana and Liberia; 2) International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI); 3) Collation of information, reports and data from Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) and 4) International Water Management Institute (IWMI). The result shows that both countries have higher irrigation potential. However, the areas developed for irrigation is still a small portion as compare to the total land available for irrigation. On the other hand, as seen in the result, Liberia as compare to Ghana has even low level of irrigation development.

Ekonomik bir dayandırma yöntemi olan kurutma; yaş ürünlerdeki serbest suyu uzaklaştırarak ürünlerde meydana gelebilecek biyokimyasal reaksiyonların yavaşlatılmasıdır. Dünya’da bandırılmış (potasalı) ve bandırılmamış (naturel) olmak üzere başlıca iki tip çekirdeksiz kuru üzüm üretilmektedir. Bu çalışmada 2015 yılında Alaşehir (Manisa) bölgesinde sultaniye üzümü yetiştirilen 6 farklı bağdan hasat döneminde yaş üzümler toplanmıştır. Bu üzümlerin bir kısmı potasalı ve naturel olarak kurutulmuştur. Hem yaş üzümlerde hem de iki farklı şekilde kurutulan kuru üzümlerde pestisit analizleri gerçekleştirilmiştir. Analizler sonucunda her bağda en az 8 adet pestisit etken maddesi tespit edilmiştir. Bu bağlardan iki tanesinin yaş üzümünde, üç tanesinin de kuru üzümünde MRL (Maximum Residue Limit, Maksimum kalıntı miktarı) değerlerini aşmış en az bir adet pestisit etken maddesi bulunmaktadır. Pestisit etken maddelerinin tamamına yakını üzümler kurutulduğu zaman konsantrasyonlarında artış göstermiştir. Ayrıca potasalı kurutulan kuru üzümlerde natural kurutulan kuru üzümlere kıyasla daha yüksek konsantrasyonlarda pestisitler tespit edilmiştir.

Honey samples were obtained from wild and domesticated sources and analyzed for some physicochemical properties such as color, pH, moisture content, ash content, refractive index, specific gravity, total solid, viscosity, glucose and fructose content following Standard Association of Official Analytical Chemistry. The following range of values for pH (3.55-4.20), moisture content (18.50-25.60%), soluble solids (74.10-81.20%), ash content (0.08-0.14%), specific gravity (1.38-1.47), refractive index (81.3-83.4%), fructose content (40.5-63.04%) and glucose content (19.35-32.34%). The mineral composition analyzed revealed potassium to be the dominant mineral in the honey samples followed by Calcium. However, Cadmium and lead where not detected in the honey samples. The results indicated that parameters such as pH, moisture content, ash content, specific gravity, sugar (majorly fructose and glucose content), fructose/glucose ratio, glucose/water ratio conform within the limit of the international standard for honey. However, moisture contents of the wild honey samples (22.05% and 25.60%) were a little higher than the Codex Standards of ≤ 21%. In conclusion, the honey samples investigated have the needed quality criteria and are good for human consumption. The results also revealed excellent organoleptic acceptability of the honey samples, hence are suitable for human uses.

This study was carried out to investigate the structure of dairy farms such as demographic information, management practises, production values, marketing of milk and milk products in Diyarbakır province. In the study, face to face interviews were realized with the 192 dairy farms having 25 and more cattle including 17 district. According to the data collected, dairy enterprises in the region consisted of family based enterprises (90%), cooperative enterprises (7%) and private dairy farms (3%). Cattle breeds distribution in enterprises consist of 12% native breeds, 25% cross- breeds and 63% pure breeds. In dairy enterprises, distribution of cattle was found as 59.7 % of cow, 11.8 % of heifer, 26.1 % of calf, and 2.4 % of bull. The average number of cattle and milking cow per farm were found as 46.7 and 27.8 heads respectively. The type of dairy barns was determined as tie-stall (89%), semi-open (8%) and free-stall (%3) in the cattle enterprises. The average size of land 56% of dairy farm was found under the 50 decares. The 92% of the dairy enterprises declared that the income from dairy was insufficient and 86% were not satisfied as well. The 23% of the farms are used the artificial insemination only. In the herd, 71% of cows were milked by hand and 29% by milking machine. It was found that only 6% of farms sold their milk to dairy factories. This research is important in terms of providing an important data base relating to dairy farming in Diyarbakir province

The study performed the metal bioaccumulations in seven plant species from Giresun city. A total 140 specimens were collected from two stations (Station A; 40° 48’ N, 38° 19’ E, Station B; 50° 54’ N, 38° 26’ E) from March 2012 to September 2012. Plant samples were dissected, homogenized and dried at 105°C for 24 hours. An approximately 0.25 g sample of each plant leaf was digested with Cem Mars 5 microwave oven. After cooling, the residue was transferred to 50 ml volumetric flasks and diluted to level with deionized water. Before analysis, the samples were filtered through a 0.45 µm filter. All samples were analyzed (as mg kg-1 dry weight) three times for cobalt chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, lead and zinc by ICP-MS. A logarithmic transformation was done on the data to improve normality. One way ANOVA and Duncan’s multiple range tests were performed to test the differences among metal levels of species. Concentrations of metals in the examined species ranged from 0.05 to 1.80 for cobalt, 0.14 to 3.24 for chromium, 2.33 to 28.1 for copper, 38.9 to 533 for iron, 1.81 to 64.6 for manganese, 0.81 to 18.9 for nickel, 0.32 to 6.22 for lead and 14.3 to 536 for zinc, in mg kg-1 respectively. Iron had the highest concentrations in all examined plant species in both stations except Zn for Sambucus ebulus in Station B. Second highest metal was zinc after iron. On the other hand, cobalt had lowest levels than other metals. The differences among metal levels in plant species were statistically significant. Maximum Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intakes (PTWI) in edible plant species were calculated.