Sweet cherry, which affects consumers’ preferences with its aroma, taste and sensory properties, is a significant fruit species for human health with its bioactive compounds such as organic acids, vitamins and anthocyanins. However, its post-harvest shelf life is very short due to its sensitive fruit structure. Thus, the significant economic losses occur. In the study, effects of pre-harvest Aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), Salicylic acid (SA) and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) applications on fruit quality characteristics and biochemical content in sweet cherry were determined. SA and PGPR treatments increased fruit size, but AVG decreased (If the fruit weight is 4.51 in the control application, 4.49 in the SA application and 4.10 in the PGPR, how can it be said that SA and PGPR increase the fruit weight).  The fruits treated with SA, AVG and PGPR had higher fruit firmness values than the control’-fruits. Salisylic acid treatmens did not affect the rate of soluble solids content(SSC) in fruit, SSC rate was higher in PGPR treated-fruit, but AVG decreased the SSC. Titratable acidity (TA) was lower in PGPR treated-fruit, but was higher in the AVG and SA treated-fruit. Fruits treated with the SA and AVG had higher fruit color values than control fruits, while the lowest color values was obtained with PGPR treatment. In general; PGPR, SA and AVG were effective in the concentration of organic acids, but their effects varied depending on the organic acid compounds. As a result, AVG and SA delayed fruit ripening and fruit softening while PGPR, AVG and SA improved fruit quality (It is not clear how this idea was reached). These applications can be considered as a promising method for improving fruit quality at harvest and  maintaining post-harvest fruit quality of sweet cherry.

The main focus of this research was to explore the present status of pineapple cultivation in Madhupur tract of Bangladesh. Primary data were collected using a pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire by face-to-face interviews from a sample of 300 pineapple growers and two focus group discussions were also carried out from March to May 2022. According to the study findings majority (51%) of the respondents cultivate pineapple in their own land having medium experience (53.3%), followed mixed cropping pattern (89%) where 25.33 percent respondent cultivate banana as companion crop. ‘Calendar’ is the top most cultivated variety of pineapple in Madhupur tract. Majority of the respondent use balanced pesticide and ripening agent due to increasing demand of chemical free farm fresh pineapple among consumers. Higher profit compared to other crops (82.00 %) was the main reason for producing pineapple in the study area. Majority (26.67%) of the respondent followed (Grower- Faria- Bepari- Aratdar- Wholesaler- Retailer- Consumers) channel among the six dominant marketing channels to market their produced pineapple. The results of SWOT analysis revealed that weakness of pineapple cultivation in Madhupur tract have the potential to improve. If the government and other policy making organizations come forward to solve the problems arising in pineapple cultivation, then the position of pineapple as fruit will be consolidated soon in home and abroad.

Lactic acid bacteria are the substantial source for producing polysaccharides used in technological applications as thickeners and viscosifiers in the food industry. A broad variety of lactic acid bacteria species secrete structurally diverse exopolysaccharides that contribute to their surface attachment, protection against abiotic or biotic stress factors and nutrient uptake. The exopolysaccharides are produced naturally during fermentation process by living lactic acid bacteria cells and accepted as postbiotic for these metabolites having various physiological health-promoting effects. Exopolysaccharide producer lactic acid bacteria encode a great number of enzymes and regulatory proteins involved exopolysaccharide biosynthesis process. This process is a complex and occurs through presence of multiple genes. However, it is crucial the understanding of structure, composition, function, chemical, and physical properties of exopolysaccharides which vary from one type of bacteria to another via chemical analysis methods. In this review, the use of lactic acid bacteria exopolysaccharides, their structures, genetic modules and biosynthesis, and the use of exopolysaccharides derived from lactic acid bacteria in the food industry are described, discussed and focused on recent developments.

Quercetin (QU) is a flavonoid found in different fruits and vegetables. Studies report that QU may have positive effects on neurological diseases. However, the effect of QU on 4-aminopyridine (4-AP)-induced neurodegeneration in neuronal cells is still not fully elucidated. In this study, the effects of QU on 4-AP-induced hippocampal neuron damage in vitro and the possible role of oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress in this effect were investigated. The study was carried out using the HT-22 hippocampal neuronal cell line. The effect of pre-treatment with QU on cell viability after 4-AP-induced neuronal damage was determined by the XTT test. Cells were evaluated histopathologically for apoptotic nuclear change (ANC) using DAPI staining. The effects of QU on oxidative stress (total oxidant state (TOS) and total antioxidant status (TAS)) occurring after neuronal damage were evaluated with colorimetric commercial kits and endoplasmic reticulum stress markers (activating transcription factor 4 (ATF-4) and C/EBP homologous protein). (CHOP) was measured with the ELISA kits. While the cell viability rate decreased in the cells treated with 4-AP, it was determined that pre-treatment with QU reversed this situation. In terms of histopathology, treatment with 4-AP increased the number of ANC, while QU pre-treatment reduced it. In addition, in terms of biochemical evaluations, TOS, ATF-4, and CHOP increased in neuronal cells after 4-AP, and QU was determined to suppress this increase. In addition, QU normalized the decreased TAS levels following the 4-AP application. As a result, in the HT-22 cell line, it was found that QU treatment had a neuroprotective effect by suppressing oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress in 4-AP-induced neuronal damage.

Gelişen sanayi faaliyetleri ile birlikte günümüzün en önemli sorunlarından biri haline gelen ağır metal kontaminasyonu tüm canlı organizmalar için ciddi bir tehdittir. Bazı funguslar ağır metallere karşı direnç mekanizmalarına sahiptir ve bu durum iyileştirme süreçleri için sürdürülebilir bir yaklaşım olarak kabul edilmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı ağır metal kontaminasyonunun yüksek oranlarda olduğu alanlardaki dirençli fungal mikrobiyotayı belirleyerek ağır metallerin biyolojik ıslah yaklaşımlarına ışık tutmaktır. Araştırmada yüksek oranda ağır metal kirliliğine sahip Samsun Organize Sanayi Bölgesinden alınan toprak örneklerindeki Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, As ve V ağır metal oranları ICP-OES ile tespit edilmiştir. Toprak fungal mikrobiyotası ise metagenenomik yeni nesil sekanslama teknolojisi kullanılarak belirlenmiştir. Metagenomik sekanslama için illumina MiSeq teknolojisi, istatistiksel mikrobiyom analizi için QIIME 2 2017,4 kullanılmıştır. Ağır metalle kontamine olmuş çalışma alanında en yüksek oranlarda sırasıyla Mortierella %53,90, Halokirschsteiniothelia %18,01, Rhizopogon %2,74, Cladosporium %,1,88, Aspergillus %1,62 ve Gibberella %1,12 cinsleri tespit edilmiştir. Sonuçlar metal konsantrasyonundaki fazlalığa dirençli taksonların ortamda dominant olduğunu göstermektedir.

Bu çalışmada toprak organik madde içeriğini iyileştirmek için toprağa ahır gübresi ve biyoçar uygulanarak farklı organik madde seviyelerinin [%1,21 (kontrol) %1,5, %2,5, %3,5 ve %4,5] elde edildiği inkübe toprağın temiz su ve arıtılmış atık suyla sulanması koşullarında bir aylık ıslanma-kuruma döngüsünde topraktan CO2 ve H2O salınımı ile toprak nemi ve sıcaklığı değerleri araştırılmıştır. Çalışmanın sonuçları kontrol uygulamasına göre ahır gübresiyle toprağın iyileştirilen organik madde içeriğinde CO2 salınımının %29’dan %146’a kadar arttığını gösterirken biyoçarın %1,5 ve 2,5 organik madde seviyelerinin kontrol uygulamasıyla istatistiksel olarak benzer olduğunu ancak biyoçarla daha fazla artan organik madde katkısının kontrol uygulamasına göre salınımı %28 ve %81 arttırdığını belirlemiştir. Arıtılmış atık suyla sulama temiz suya göre %40 daha fazla CO2 salınımıyla sonuçlanmıştır. Ahır gübresi ve biyoçarla toprağın artan organik madde katkısı topraktan daha az H2O salınımı ve daha fazla toprak nemi sağlamış ve ahır gübresinin aksine biyoçarın H2O salınımını azaltıcı ve toprak nemini koruyucu etkisi belirlenmiştir. Toprak neminin daha fazla olması nemin yüksek bulunduğu uygulamalarda toprak sıcaklığını azaltıcı bir etki ortaya çıkarmıştır. Ayrıca topraktan CO2 salınımı toprak nemi ile önemli pozitif doğrusal ilişki göstermiş ancak toprak sıcaklığıyla olan etkisi önemsiz olmuştur. Toprak organik maddesini iyileştirmek için ahır gübresi yerine biyoçarın topraktan CO2 ve H2O salınımlarını azaltıcı ve toprak nemini koruyucu özelliklerinden yararlanılması önemli bir sonuç olmakla beraber özellikle atık suyla sulama koşullarında biyoçarın çevre dostu bir uygulama olarak kullanımı bu çalışmanın sonucunda önerilebilir olarak bulunmuştur.

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) insanlarda ve hayvanlarda patojen bir tür olup, dünyadaki gıda kaynaklı zehirlenmelerin en önemli nedenlerinden biridir. Bu çalışmada farklı hayvan türlerine (sığır, koyun, keçi ve tavuk) ait etlerde ve gıdaların temas ettiği yüzeylerden elde edilen örneklerde S. aureus’un koagülaz (coa), clumping faktör (clfA) ve protein A (spa-IgG; spa-X) gibi önemli virülens genlerinin moleküler yöntemlerle karakterize edilmesi amaçlandı. Bu amaçla Sivas ilindeki çeşitli işletmelerden et (n=400) ve yüzey svap (n=50) örnekleri toplandı. Örnekler fenotipik yöntemlerle koagülaz pozitif S. aureus olarak identifiye edildi. Koagülaz pozitif olarak doğrulanan izolatlara ait virülens genleri tekli ve mültipleks Polimeraz Zincir Reaksiyonu (PZR) ile incelendi. Toplamda 450 örneğin 110’unda (%24,4) S. aureus belirlendi. Bu izolatların %29, %24, %14, %32 ve %22 oranlarında sığır, koyun, keçi ve tavuk et örneklerinin yanı sıra yüzey örneklerinde de bulundu. S. aureus izolatlarının tamamında coa, clfA, spa’nın IgG bağlayan bölgesi ve X bölgesini kodlayan genler tespit edildi. Bu dört gen bölgesinin ikisinde polimorfizmler gözlendi. Coa-PZR’da, izolatların tamamında beş farklı moleküler uzunluğa sahip ve 500-1400 bç arasında değişen tek bir bant oluşumu bulundu. spa-X-PZR’da ise izolatların tamamında yedi farklı moleküler uzunluğa sahip ve 190-350 bç arasında değişen tek bir bant oluşumu belirlendi. Sonuç olarak, et ve yüzey orijinli S. aureus izolatlarında coa-PZR ile spa gen polimorfizmleri tespitinin geleneksel yöntemlere karşı iyi bir alternatif olarak kullanılabileceği, dolayısıyla stafilokokal enfeksiyonlara karşı etkili kontrol stratejilerinin geliştirilmesi ve halk sağlığının korunmasına katkı sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir.

Medicinal plants are quite popular in the medicine development process because they contain bioactive chemicals. Traditional medicine has made extensive use of Crataegus orientalis L., which also has significant biological effects. In this study, essential oils (EOs) of C. orientalis var. orientalis collected from Tokat-Türkiye were isolated by hydrodistillation. Chemical constituents were detected by GC-MS and benzaldehyde (%52.75), α-terpineol (%16.86), germacrene D (%7.03) and caryophyllene (%6.77) were determined as major components. Moreover, antioxidant analyses including DPPH•, ABTS+• and FRAP tests were carried out. EOs displayed good the DPPH activity (IC50, 12.21, µg/mL) in comparison to the standard BHT (IC50, 10.23 µg/mL). The same trend was observed for ABTS and FRAP assays.

The purpose of this study was to prepare eight sub-fractions from leaves and flowers of Erica arborea L., characterize their phytochemicals constituents and investigate their potential antioxidant, in order to validate the beneficial medicinal properties of this shrub in Algeria folk medicine. Total polyphenols, flavonoids and condensed tannins contents were determined using Folin-Ciocalteu’s, aluminum chloride and vanillin reagents, respectively. The in vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated by using 2,2-diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyl and reducing power assay. E. arborea L. contains various compounds such as polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, quinones, anthraquinones, saponins and terpenoids in different sub-fractions. All the tested extracts showed an appreciable total phenolic, flavonoids and condensed tannins contents as well as strong antioxidant capacity. The highest total phenolic and flavonoids content was found in the ethyl acetate extracts ranging from 649.38 to 944.55 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry extract and 65.31 to 67.15 mg quercetin equivalent/g dry extract, respectively. Whereas, the highest condensed tannins content was found in the crude extract for leaves and aqueous extracts for flowers. The ethyl acetate extract of the flowers and the crude extract of leaves exhibited the better antioxidant activity by DPPH assay (IC50 =17.72 µg/mL) and reducing power assays (IC50 = 2.91 µg/mL), respectively. Our findings indicate that leaves and flowers extracts are rich in natural antioxidant substances and have good qualities in antioxidant properties and may be beneficial against diver’s disorders related to free radicals.

Hidabu Abote, Dera, Wera Jarso and Debra Libanos districts of North Shewa zone are potential in honey production. To enhance this potential, different organizations disseminate improved beehives technologies for the smallholder farmers. However, the impact of the disseminated technologies on household income has not been evaluated. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of improved beehive adoption on household income. Purposive and two stage sampling technique was used to select 384 sampled households. The study used logistic regression model to identify the determinants of adoption decision of modern beehive technology while propensity score matching to evaluate the impact of modern beehive technology adoption on household income. The result of logistic regression model shows that age of household head, family size, households experience in beekeeping, frequency of extension contact, access to credit services, access to training and access to beehive demonstration site visit had positive and significant effect on household adoption decision of modern beehive technology. The result of propensity score matching indicates that the adopters of improved beehive technology were earned Birr 2690.383 than non-adopter. The difference in household income between the two groups shows that there is considerable room for improvement of household income through increasing the number of adopter of improved beehives technology in the study area. This should be done through provision of training, credit, extension and expansion of beehive demonstration site among the others.