This study was conducted to investigate the NaCl impacts on germination and emergence performance of common vetch varieties. Seeds of Gülhan, Selçuk, Kubilay, Emir and Nitra were used as materials. Electrical conductivity (EC) values of NaCl solutions were 5, 10, 15 and 20 dS m-1. Distilled water (0 dS m-1) used as control. In this study germination and emergence test were applied to the varieties. In germination and emergence test mean germination time, mean emergence time, germination percentage, emergence percentage shoot length, root length, shoot fresh and dry weight were measured at the end of the 14th day after sowing. The results showed that germination and emergence percentage and the seedling growth of the varieties were inhibited by NaCl stress and NaCl stress led to increase in germination time and emergence time. Cultivars Gülhan and Emir were the least affected compared to other cultivars. Moreover increased NaCl levels gave rise to increase in Na+ content of cultivars and it was evaluated that the significant correlation (r=-0,525) between Na+ and K+. It was also determined that the correlation between two characters had negative relationship.

The increasing costs of conventional feedstuffs like corn, soybean meal and fish meal for poultry diets increased the need for cheaper alternatives. Babassu is a tall palm tree species found in Brazil. Babassu meal is high in protein (19.49-20.19%), minerals (1.20% Ca, 0.41% available P) and gross energy, 4553 kcal/kg. The amino acid profile of babassu meal indicates that it is a good source of amino acids especially arginine (2.34%), glycine+serine (1.75%) and phenylalanine+tyrosine (1.32%). In this review, the studies focused on possibilities of using babassu meal in poultry and ruminant rations were discussed.

When continuity is lacked in the agricultural programs and policies of a developing nation, such nation cannot avoid to keep moving round a circle. Such nation’s agricultural sector will be full of activities without actions and achievements will elude such country. This study therefore reviewed some of the agricultural programs and policies in Nigeria, their failures and successes as well as reasons behind the failures and success vis-à-vis the recent agricultural development strategy of Nigeria; Agricultural Transformation Agenda which has had its attending major successes of lifting the agricultural economy of Nigeria from being a democratic dividend to profit-oriented commercial business sector of the economy and x-rayed the role of legislature in sustainability of the successes of the agricultural strategy for continuity of agricultural development in Nigeria.

In our country, there are many cheese types that are produced traditionally. Cheeses which produced from cows, sheep and goat milk that matured with spontaneous growth of molds present in livestock skins, pots and similar environments are among them. They are produced traditionally in Mediterrian, Central and Eastern Anatolia regions. Molds that grow spontaneously in cheeses could create public health risk because of their secondary metabolites. Penicillium spp. are the most isolated mold from these cheeses and Penicillium roqueforti is determined as the dominant species. Furthermore, Aspergillus, Alternaria, Mucor, Geotrichum, Cladosporium species have been isolated. It is very important to control the ripening conditions and starter strain selection since some strains were reported as mycotoxin producers. In this review, it has been tried to give general information about traditional production of mold-ripened cheese in Turkey and the mold flora found in traditional cheeses. In addition, public health risk of these cheeses is reported.

Mushroom cultivation in South Korea is increasing fast last decades. Mushroom cultivation of South Korea is 173577 tones and South Korea gains 800 million dollars income annually. Different kind of mushroom species are cultivated and 31% enoki mushroom (Flammulina velutipes), 26% king oyster (Pleurotus eryngii), 26% oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus), 13% white buton mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) and 4% rest of the total mushroom Lentinula edodes, Ganoderma lucidum, Phellinus vb. are produced in Korea. 764 ha mushroom growing area was used for mushroom cultivation. 31% of total growing area is oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) and 14% king oyster (Pleurotus eryngii), 6% winter mushroom (Flummulina velutipes), 16% white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus), 3% Phellinus, 3% reishii (Ganoderma lucidum) and 27% other mushrooms. Mushroom is consumed frequently in Korea and mushroom consumption per person is 4.2 kg. Growing on log culture (oak mushroom, reishi and Phellinus), growing on shelves (Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus ostreatus) and bottle culture (Flummulina velutipes, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus eryngii) are commonly used growing systems.

In cheese-manufacturing process, cutting time greatly affects moisture, yield, and quality of cheese as well as whey fat losses. The objective cutting time determination is extremely important to both the quality and the quantity of cheese being produced. Taking into account the importance of accurate cutting time determination for economic and practical aspects, numerous instrumental techniques have been developed to assess cutting time based on a wide range of mechanical, vibrational, ultrasonic, thermal or optical instrument methods. In this article, information about advanced instrumental methods applied to the analysis of cutting time will be given.

The purpose of the study is to compare Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems (AKIS) for adopters and non-adopters of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in the Bafra district of Samsun, Turkey. The main materials of this study are the data obtained from a survey and interview with adopters and non-adopters of GAPs in Bafra district. The research data were collected from 77 farmers contained both adopters and non-adopters of GAPs. Statistical analysis, such as Chi-square and t-test was used. The study results presented the socio-economic characteristics of farmers. There was a significant difference between adopters and non-adopters of GAPs, according to household size, organizational membership, farm size, livestock and crop production. Meanwhile, the information sources such as a district agricultural manager/personnel, adviser of the farmers’ union association (GAPs) and pesticide/fertilizer dealers were preferred the main sources of agricultural information for adopters of GAPs. However, it recommended that information sources like research institute, university and cooperatives needs to be improved by strengthening their way of information dissemination. In terms of usefulness of AKIS for this study, it seems that this system was insufficient to analyze this study. Even though the functions of this system are essent ial elements, they are insufficient for establishing a network of complex innovation-oriented institutional arrangements. In the future, this study suggests to analyze GAPs it needs to use Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) approach, because this system have many interaction networks that can facilitate the researchers to reach the innovation easily to the intended farmers.

The antimicrobial activity of various plant extracts on Pseudomonas bacteria isolated from spoiled chilled tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) was evaluated in this study. In the first stage of this study, red tilapia was subjected to chilled storage (4°C) for 3 weeks, and spoilage bacteria were isolated and identified from the spoiled fish. Pseudomonas was the dominant bacteria isolated from the spoiled fish and further identification revealed that P. putida, P. fluorescens and Pseudomonas spp. were the main species of this group. In the second stage, methanolic extracts of 15 selected plant species were screened for their antimicrobial activity, by agar disc diffusion method, against the Pseudomonas isolates. Results indicated that most of the extracts had different degrees of activity against the bacterial isolates. The strongest activity was exhibited by bottlebrush flower (Callistemon viminalis) extract. This was followed by extracts from guava bark (Psidium guajava) and henna leaf (Lawsonia inermis). Moderate antimicrobial activities were observed in extracts of clove (Syzygium aromaticum), leaf and peel of tamarind (Tamarindus indica), cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), wild betel leaf (Piper sarmentosum) and fresh thyme (Thymus spp.). Weak or no antimicrobial activity was observed from the remaining extracts. The potential antimicrobial activity shown by some plant extracts in this study could significantly contribute to the fish preservation.

The phytotoxic impact of safflower extracts prepared by different plant parts like stem and root of it on germination and seedling growth of plants like wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) were studied. Root and stem extracts of safflower at 2.5, 5 and 10% concentrations were obtained from safflower residuals after harvest of the plants. Mean germination time and percentage, root and shoot length, fresh and dry weight of seedlings were investigated. Essential oil composition of both root and stem extracts were determined. Results indicated that extract doses significantly influenced mean germination time of sunflower and chickpea. Germination time of wheat and barley also decreased with the increasing extract doses. The other growing parameters of all crops were also decreased with extract doses. The main essential oil compound of root extract was 1-Pentadecene (47.78%) followed by 2-Naphthalenemethanol (33.07%). The main essential oil compound of stem extract was 2-Naphthalenemethanol (49.15%) followed by Lauryl alcohol (22.26%). Root and stem extracts of safflower showed different effects. Stem extract mostly had severe impact on sunflower while root extract had this impact on wheat and barley. Consequently, removing stem parts of the safflower from field could reduce the amount of secondary metabolites released from the plant parts.