In this study, the interaction between potato production and its price from 1991 to 2012 was analyzed using Koyck approach, one of the distributed lag econometric models. The amount of potato production can increase or decrease in the current year based on the prices of previous year, as a product that is appropriate for cobweb theorem, one of economic facts. According to the results of Koyck model, it was determined that potato was affected by the prices of maximum two years retrospectively, and that 1.45 years were needed so that the change in potato prices could have a significant and considerable effect on potato production. On the other hand, while a TL 1 increase in potato prices in the current year increased potato production 711151.80 tons, a TL 1 increase in the prices of previous year increased the production 421001.86 tons and a TL 1 increase in potato prices two years previously caused 249233.10 tons increase in production. In conclusion, the following issues can be considered as measures to be taken economically: creating producer-consumer chain by setting up effective marketing organizations and therefore avoiding problems such as surplus supply or surplus demand, creating both more efficient and better quality production structure by planning the production, and providing stable production and stable price policies by establishing supply and demand balance.

Greenhouse construction projects need to consider local climate characteristics, production type in the greenhouse and materials used for the physical structure and glazing. A major share of commercial greenhouse manufacturers in Turkey produce turnkey greenhouse projects either using by trial and error method or imitating/reproducing greenhouse imported from other countries. Improperly designed projects may result in greenhouses having weak construction or more expensive structures due to using unnecessarily larger profiles which consequently cause a loss the profits for the growers. This study aims to contribute to the improvements and overcome the gaps in practice of greenhouse projects by designing a software for an expert system that utilizes an accurate Project considering them and mandatory buildings standards of Turkish Standardization Institute (TSE). The expert system, named SERASİM, has been developed within the framework of the present MSc. Thesis and enables calculating each part of the construction system of a gable roof glass house according to TSE standards. Besides calculations for statics, dynamics and strength as well estimating the bill of quantity, SERASİM can be utilized to determine the heating requirements and costs for selected locations and crops. SERASİM may also be used as a teaching tool for courses including greenhouse design, protected cultivation and greenhouse acclimatization.

In this study, the effects of food preservative p-hydroxybenzoic acid and propyl-paraben on the inhibitory activity of enterocin KP produced by Enterococcus faecalis KP were determined. Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium, resistant to enterocin KP bacteriocin, were used as target organisms. The inhibitor activity of enterosin KP (1600 AU/ml) alone or in combination with p-hydroxybenzoic acid (%0.1-0.3) and propyl-paraben (%0.008-0.16) on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium were determined. The inhibitory activity of enterocin KP was increased when used in combination with p-hydroxybenzoic acid and propyl-paraben at concentrations of 0.1-0.3% and 0.008-0.016%, respectively. Furthermore, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium became sensitive to enterocin KP. In conclusion, the use of enterocin KP in combination with other food preservatives principles resulted in an increase in its inhibitory activity and spectrum.

In this study, it was aimed to demonstrate the effect of humic acid applications on some morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics of eggplant genotypes (Burdur Merkez, Burdur Bucak, Kemer and Giresun) irrigated with the irrigation water with a high content of heavy metal and determined previously salt tolerance levels. In studies conducted in controlled greenhouse conditions, eggplant seeds germinated in the growth substrate a mixture of peat and perlite and the seedlings were transplanted into pots at 20 days after sowing. Plants when they are 4-5 true leaves, 3 different humic acid levels (0, 500, 1000 ppm) have been applied and 7 days later after this application began to be watered with 3 different irrigation water comprising a mixture of various doses of heavy metals (control: 0 ppm; I. Mixture: 0.2 ppm 5 ppm to 0.01 ppm Cd + Cu + Pb + 2 ppm Zn, II. mixture: +0.02 ppm 0.4 ppm Cu 10 ppm Pb + Cd + 4 ppm Zn). Field capacity level for the plants 40 days after quenched with water after which time they were harvested and samples for analysis were performed. In the study plants were investigated for shoot and root fresh weight, shoot and root dry weight, shoot and root length, leaf area, chlorophyll and MDA level of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR) enzyme activities All genotypes are adversely affected by heavy metal applications. In parallel to increase the dose, heavy metal mixtures led to a reduction in values of fresh and dry weight of shoot and root, stem and root length, leaf area of eggplant genotypes. MDA and antioxidative enzyme activities increased in plants irrigated with water containing a mixture of heavy metal. Humic acid applications had a positive effect on reducing of the limiting effect of heavy metal stress on growth and development. As a result, compared to sensitive genotypes Giresun and Kemer, salt tolerant genotypes Burdur Merkez and Burdur Bucak showed much better resistance to abiotic stress factor which consists of heavy metal applications. The obtained results; formed also an opinion about that plants evolved similar strategies for resistance to abiotic stresses such as salinity, drought and heavy metal stress.

The aim of this study is to determine the quality characteristics of kefir by developing different flavours in order to increase its consumption. Plum (10%) and molasses (7.5%) which are rich in phenolic contents are used to produce kefir in different flavours. Chemical analysis (pH, titratable acidity, dry matter and colour), microbial analysis (total microorganism, Lactobacillus spp, Lactococcus spp. and yeast counts), total antioxidant activity (by ORAC method), total amount of phenolic contents and sensorial properties of all kefir samples were carried out at the 1st, 7th and 14th days of storage. Consequently, the results of pH, titratable acidity and dry matter in the kefir samples were determined to change between the values 4.11-4.39; 0.22-0.30 and 11.9-17.02% respectively, during the storage. In the colour analysis, the redness colour parameter of the kefir sample produced using molasses was determined to be higher compared to the other kefir samples. At the first day of storage, the total antioxidant contents of the control group kefir, plum- added kefir and molasses-added kefir samples were determined as 13.30; 16.80 and 17.35 µmol ml-1; and the total phenolic contents as 945.70; 2535.8 and 2357.6 mg ml-1, respectively. Content of total microorganism in kefir samples varied between 8.91-9.80 log kob ml-1during the storage period. Lactobacillus spp. and Lactococcus spp. contents of kefir produced using molasses were determined to have the highest values with 9.11 and 9.91 log kob ml-1, respectively, at the first day. Yeast content of the plum kefir and the molasses kefir samples including sugar was detected to be higher than that of the controlled kefir sample. According to the results of the sensory analysis, the kefir produced with plum was approved the most by the panelists. As a result of this study, two alternative products with quite high total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were developed for consumers.

The aim of the present study was to compare the incidence of brucellosis in groups of Kangal Akkaraman sheep flocks raised in farm conditions in Sivas province. The first and second groups of the sheep flocks were part of the 8 sub-projects which belong to The Project entitled “Nationwide Genetic Improvement of Small Ruminants in Farm Condition” continued for 7 and 1-3 years, respectively. The third group of the sheep flocks was not part of this nationwide project. The study material consisted of 1491 units of blood serum (n=278, 1166 and 47 for the first, second and third groups, respectively). Brucella antibodies were looked for in blood serum using tube and slide agglutination tests. The incidences of brucellosis were 4% and 7.5% in flocks which were part of the nationwide project continued for 7 and 3 years, respectively and 25.5% for the flocks not part of the nationwide project. The differences between groups were found statistically significant. Even though there was no brucella vaccination programs in the flocks of the nationwide project, practices such as regular controls of the flocks by veterinary technicians, drug/vaccination applications for parasites and some other diseases, removal of rams positive for brucella before breeding season significantly reduced the incidence of brucella. As a result, promoting good breeding practices along with the brucella vaccination program applied by the related Ministry can be very beneficial for the eradication of brucella disease that is a big problem for the country.

The aim of this study is to determine the slaughter and carcass traits of White and Multicolor Geese varieties reared in Yozgat province. 5 female and 5 male geese at six months old age from each variety were slaughtered and their slaughter and carcass traits were presented. Also, phenotypic correlations between carcass traits were calculated. The differences between the slaughter weight, hot and cold carcass weight, feather, head and foot weights of varieties were found insignificant, while male geese had higher values in terms of these traits. There were no significant differences between varieties and sexes in terms of hot and cold carcass yields and head ratio. Feather and foot ratios were found higher in White geese; whereas, abdominal fat ratio was found higher in Multicolor geese. There were insignificant differences between varieties in terms of carcass part weights, except back weight which was found higher in males. While heart weights of male geese were significantly higher, differences between varieties and sexes in terms of liver and gizzard weight were found insignificant. There were insignificant differences between the carcass parts and edible inner organ ratios of varieties, but breast ratio of females was found higher, while back ratio of males were found higher. Phenotypic correlation coefficients between slaughter weights, carcass weights and hot-cold carcass yields were found significant. Obtained data showed that native geese in the region are suitable for meat production in terms of slaughter and carcass traits.

The aim of this study was to determine the main spermatological properties in Carasobarbus luteus (H., 1843) and Carassius carassius (L., 1758) in Atatürk Dam Lake. Sperm was collected by abdominal massage from thirty C. luteus and twenty C. carassius. Milt volume (ml), spermatozoa motility (%), motility duration (s), spermatozoa concentration (x109/ml) and pH in C. luteus and C. carassius were 0.72±0.08 ml and 1.03±0.20 ml, %57.67±3.67 and % 81.00±1.43, 190.30±11.25 s and 107.30±12.03 s, 13.15±1.33 and 10.53±1.28x109/ml, 8.13±0.11 and 7.60±0.04, respectively. The spermatozoa motility, motility duration, spermatozoa concentration and pH was found significant compared with fish species group.

Concentrations and profile of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) and metals (Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Fe and Mn) were determined in selected brands of canned maize in the Nigeria market with a view to providing information on the hazards associated with the consumption of these products. The measurement of the concentrations of PAHs was carried out by using a gas chromatography equipped with flame ionization detector (GC-FID) after extraction by ultra-sonication with acetone/dichloromethane and clean-up. The 16 PAH concentrations varied between 45.1 and 335.7 µg/kg. The concentrations of the indicators for occurrence and effects of PAHs in food varied from 3.6 to 114.5 µg/kg for BaP, 6.4 to 168.2 µg/kg for PAH2, 11.8 to 232.7 µg/kg for PAH4 and 19.4 to 327.3 µg/kg for PAH8. The concentrations of metals were determined by using atomic absorption spectrometry after acid digestion. The concentrations of metals in these samples ranged from

A small scale pilot biodiesel production plant that has a volume of 65 liters/day has been designed, constructed and tested. The plant was performed using oil mixture (50% wild mustard seed oil + 50% refined canola oil) and methanol with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) catalyst. The fuel properties of biodiesel indicated as density at 15oC (889.64 kg/m3), kinematic viscosity at 40oC (6.975 mm2/s), flash point (170oC), copper strip corrosion (1a), water content (499.87 mg/kg), and calorific value (39.555 MJ/kg), respectively.