Mulching, a widely employed agricultural practice, has been recognized for its influence on soil moisture retention, temperature regulation, and weed suppression, thereby improving growth and yield of crops. An experiment was conducted to study the effect of mulching materials on growth and yield attributes of summer squash under water constraint condition during March to May 2023 in Chitwan, Nepal. The experiment was laid in single factor Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four different mulches (rice straw, wheat straw, rice husk and silver on black plastic mulch 30 microns) and control replicated 4 times. All the Plant growth parameters, including plant height, number of leaves per plant and plant spread, were highest in silver plastic mulch and the poorest in the un-mulched plots. Mulching also significantly influenced floral characters, with plastic mulch demonstrating superiority in traits such as days to flowering, number of flowers per plant, and sex ratio compared to organic mulches and the control. Fruit length, diameter, and weight exhibited the highest values under plastic mulch and the lowest values under the control, while all organic mulches showed similar results. The highest yield of 41.44 Mt ha-1 was achieved with silver plastic mulch, highlighting its effectiveness in enhancing crop productivity, while the lowest yield of 11.77 Mt ha-1 was recorded in the control plots. Despite its higher cost, silver pastic mulch exhibited highest net return and benefit-cost ratio. Rice husk mulch, with the second highest benefit-cost ratio and relatively low cost of production, emerged as promising alternative. Although mulching did not notably affect the soil pH, the varying soil organic matter percentages were observed, with the highest on rice straw mulch and the lowest on silver plastic mulch. The study suggests that while plastic mulch can significantly boost productivity during water scarcity, rice husk mulch offers a cost-effective alternative with substantial economic benefit.

Günümüzde şehirleşmenin artması ve şehir merkezlerinin genişlemesi, birçok kent merkezinde sanayi alanları, yerleşim alanları ve tarım alanlarının iç içe geçmesine sebep olmuştur. Bu durum tarım topraklarının antropojenik kirlilik kaynaklarından önemli ölçüde etkilenmesine sebep olmaktadır. Bu toprakların kirlenmesi, gıda olarak tüketilen ürünler yetiştirildiğinde insan sağlığı açısından risk oluşturmaktadır. Bundan dolayı bu topraklar kirlilik yönünden kontrol edilmelidir. Bu çalışmada da Ankara İli Yenimahalle İlçesi sınırları içerisinde yer alan tarım topraklarında 20 farklı örnekleme istasyonundan, üç farklı toprak derinliğinden alınan topraklar numunelerinde, insan ve çevre sağlığı açısından en tehlikeli ve zararlı ağır metallerden olan kobalt (Co) konsantrasyonunun değişimi değerlendirilmiştir. Çalışma sonucunda ortalama Co konsantrasyonunun 0-15 cm derinlikteki topraklarda 14556,8 ppb, 15-30 cm derinliklerdeki topraklarda 15273,4 ppb ve 30-45 cm derinlikteki topraklarda 14761,1 ppb düzeyinde olduğu belirlenmiştir. Lokasyon bazında en düşük değer 7348,3 ppb ile L1 lokasyonunda (yerleşim alanında açık alanda) belirlenirken en yüksek değer 23609,1 ppb ile L8 lokasyonunda (yerleşim alanında, sanayi bölgesine yakın açık alanda) elde edilmiştir.

Food waste is a significant problem worldwide. These food wastes, often discarded without any preliminary processing, can be rich in bioactive substances. In this study, the aim was to identify the phenolic compounds in pumpkin, rosehip and pomegranate seeds, which are frequently consumed in winter. For this purpose, ultrasonically assisted methanolic extracts were prepared from seeds separated from other waste parts (such as shells, stems, and leaves). The results indicated that pomegranate seeds had the highest total phenolic content, with 45.6±3.1 mg GAE/g sample (P<0.05). Similarly, pomegranate seeds also showed the highest total antioxidant capacity in both CUPRAC (114.7±2.6 mg torolox/g sample) and DPPH (71.2±3.8 mg torolox/g sample) analyses (P<0.05). In phenolic profiling analysis using HPLC-PDA, syringic acid was the most abundant compound in pumpkin seeds, (-)-catechin in rosehip seeds, and punicalagin derivatives in pomegranate seeds.

Excessive sugar intake can lead to poor health outcomes. The use of sweeteners is considered as a strategy to reduce added sugar consumption. The presence of sweeteners in food products has increased significantly in many countries. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the added sugars and sweeteners in packaged products. 1550 (57.9%) out of 2676 food products contained at least one added sugar. Confectionery and desserts (35.38±24.82 g/100 g), and snack foods (20.70±16.20 g/100 g) were the main categories containing the highest amount of added sugar. 229 (8.6%) out of 2676 food products contained various types of sweeteners. The most popular added sugar was sucrose (62.9%), while the most popular sweetener was sorbitol (28.2%). This is the most comprehensive study in the city center of Edirne province in Türkiye reporting on the types and frequency of added sugars and sweeteners in packaged products. This study offers monitoring to improve the legislation of Türkiye on added sugars and sweeteners used in the food supply.

Recycling plant residues through various processes is essential for addressing waste issues in our country, because it contributes to the protection of the environment and ecosystems. Composting is one of the most important recycling methods for plant residues. Composts are not only natural, but they also enhance soil fertility and exhibit fungitoxic properties on the mycelial and spore germination of fungi. This study aimed to isolate bacterial bioagents from compost derived from various agricultural and household organic wastes, and to assess their antagonistic potential against important plant pathogens Botrytis cinerea and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum under in vitro conditions. A total of eight bacterial isolates were obtained, identified as belonging to Bacillus spp. Dual culture tests were used to evaluate the potential of these bacterial candidates to inhibit the mycelial growth of phytopathogenic fungi. In vitro trials revealed that six bacterial isolates exhibited varying degrees of antagonistic effects (23.3%- 63.3%) on the mycelial growth of B. cinerea. Among the tested bacteria, two isolates were effective against S. sclerotiorum, demonstrating antifungal activity ranging from 80% to 83.3%. The results indicate that composts provide a favorable environment for microorganisms with antagonistic potential, suggesting that these cultivation environments could play a significant role in the biological control of fungal pathogens in agriculture. In conclusion, this study contributes to the development of sustainable agricultural practices by ensuring a more efficient utilization of organic waste.

The development of high-yielding modern wheat varieties to feed the growing population has had a negative impact on the production of ancestral and landrace crops. The use of modern varieties, which are very deficient in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and flavonoids, has caused people to turn to old varieties due to health problems that arise over time. In this study, which aimed to determine the glutathione S-transferase (GST) enzyme activity of registered varieties and landraces, the differences between the protein values and GST enzyme activity values of wheat were found to be statistically significant. When protein values were analysed among wheat varieties, einkorn wheat had the highest value with 15.53 mg/ml, and KUNDURU-1149 had the second highest value with 13.52 mg/ml. The lowest protein values were found in wheat landraces. Lr-4 had the highest GST enzyme activity with 299.7 mmol/min/mg protein and Lr-10 with 265.3 mmol/min/mg protein. A negative and high correlation was found between wheat protein values and GST enzyme activity, and it was determined that landraces were prominent in terms of GST enzyme activity.

Nearly all of the apricot varieties grown in Malatya are dried apricots and the plantation areas in this region are expanding daily. Due to the impact of climate change, producers are growing apricots mostly under limited irrigation or even dry conditions. Therefore, it is essential to determine the drought resistance characteristics of the varieties commonly cultivated in this region. In this study, different irrigation levels of 100%, 75%, 50% and 25% of available water were applied to Hacıhalioğlu, Kabaaşı, Çataloğlu, Hasanbey and Soğancı apricot varieties. To evaluate the resistance of the varieties to drought stress and its relationship with physiological changes, chlorophyll a and b, carotenoids, total sugar, total starch and abscisic acid contents in the leaves were analyzed. A decrease in chlorophyll a and b, carotenoids, total starch values and an increase in total sugar and ABA values were determined due to the decrease in irrigation rates. In Kabaasi and Hasanbey varieties, which were observed as the most resistant to water shortage, chlorophyll a and b, carotenoids, total starch values were higher and total sugar content was lower at decreased irrigation levels. No difference was detected between varieties in ABA values. As a result of the observations in the drought resistance tests and physiological analyses, it was concluded that the most resistant varieties were Kabaasi and Hasanbey. Unfortunately, the most sensitive variety was the most widespread Hacihaliloglu. In addition, analyzing and evaluating the physiological changes occurring in apricot under drought stress will be useful in developing the most appropriate irrigation strategies for each variety and increasing water use efficiency. It may also be useful in cross-breeding studies to develop new drought-resistant varieties.

For protein evaluation of feedstuffs for ruminants, the Streptomyces griseus protease test offers a purely enzymatic approach to estimate ruminal protein degradation. This study was conducted to determine the enzymatic crude protein (CP) degradability of alfalfa, sainfoin, and common vetch hays, which are commonly used in ruminant nutrition. To estimate CP degradation, fifteen samples from each type of hay were incubated in vitro with a commercial protease extracted from Streptomyces griseus. The incubation was carried out for 1, 4, 24, and 48 hours in a borate-phosphate buffer at pH 8. Significant differences in CP degradability values were found among all three types of hay across all incubation periods. For all incubation periods, sainfoin had the lowest CP degradability values (P < 0.05), due to its high content of cell wall components and condensed tannins (CTs). For incubation periods longer than 1 hour, common vetch had the highest CP degradability values, followed by alfalfa and sainfoin, respectively (P < 0.05). As a result, the use of the protease enzyme extracted from Streptomyces griseus was confirmed as an effective method for estimating the CP degradability of selected legume forages in the laboratory, eliminating the need for animal testing. However, since plant proteins are often embedded within carbohydrate complexes, it is recommended that future tests consider the combined use of protease and carbohydrase, particularly for sainfoin, which is rich in cell wall components and condensed tannins.

This research aimed to examine the impact of resveratrol and catalase on the motility, plasma membrane integrity, acrosomal membrane integrity, and mitochondrial activity of Ankara buck semen following freeze-thawed process. In this study, semen samples obtained from four mature bucks were divided into four groups: control (C), resveratrol 500 µM/ml (R), catalase 50 IU/ml (CAT), and resveratrol 500 µM/ml + catalase 50 IU/ml (CATR). After dilution with Tris/egg yolk extender, the semen samples were frozen in liquid nitrogen and then thawed for assessment. The CATR group gave the highest values across all evaluated parameters (motility, plasma membrane integrity, acrosomal membrane integrity, and mitochondrial activity) compared to the other groups (61 ± 1.0%, 72.6 ± 0.70%, 70.73 ± 0.67%, 60.9 ± 0.79%, respectively) (p<0.05). In conclusion, the combination of catalase and resveratrol significantly improved the quality of buck semen after freeze-thawed process, thereby contributing to enhanced reproductive outcomes and genetic preservation.

Bu çalışmada, tahıl depolaması amacıyla farklı sac kalınlıkları ve destek elemanlarına sahip 85 adet silo modeli oluşturulmuştur. Silo boyutları,1500×3000 mm sac tabakalar kesilmeksizin kullanılarak çapı 4,77 metre ve yüksekliği (çatı hariç) 10,5 olarak belirlenmiş ve araştırma süresince sabit tutulmuştur. Çalışmanın temel amacı, çelik siloların maliyetinin büyük kısmını oluşturan yapı malzemesini azaltarak maliyeti düşürmek için optimizasyon yapmaktır. Oluşturulan modeller için kaynaklanabilirlik, işlenebilirlik ve maliyet yönünden uygun malzeme olarak St44 yapı çeliği seçilmiştir. Silonun stabilitesini artırmak ve olası yapısal sorunları minimize etmek amacıyla, NPU ve lama destek elemanları tasarıma dahil edilmiştir. Oluşturulan silo modellerinin yapısal analizleri ANSYS sonlu elemanlar yazılımı ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. ANSYS yazılımı kullanılarak yapılan analizlerde, her bir silo modeli için statik yükleme koşulları altında oluşan toplam deformasyon, gerinim ve gerilme değerleri hesaplanmıştır. Ayrıca, her bir tasarımın toplam ağırlığı da değerlendirilmiştir. Bu analizler sonucunda elde edilen veriler karşılaştırılarak, en uygun performans ve maliyet dengesini sağlayan optimum silo tasarımı belirlenmiştir. İmalat sırasında sac kalınlığını artırmadan, yeterli destek elemanlarının kullanılması ile genel ağırlığın %58 oranında azaltılabileceği tespit edilmiştir. Bu bulgu, imalat sırasında malzeme maliyetlerini önemli ölçüde düşürmekte ve yapısal performansı koruyarak ekonomik bir çözüm sunmaktadır.