The extraction process of peanut oil has been a major concern for local processors due to the difficult task it constitutes during processing. The use of oil expellers has been found to reduce the difficulty in this task yet different processing factors tend to affect the efficiency of those oil expellers. In this study, the optimum peanut oil processing factors and their interaction were investigated using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with fractional factorial design (33) model of Central Composite Design (CCD). Processing factors such as Moisture Content (10, 12, and 14% db), Peanut Temperature (50, 65, and 80°C), and Water Quantity added during extraction (12, 14, and 16 ml). This aimed at providing the optimum parameter needed to obtain the optimum oil yield using a peanut oil expeller. From this study, it was observed that all three factors considered affecting the oil yield of peanuts during extraction. Only water quantity added during extraction is statistically different. The optimum condition of the oil extraction processing parameter was observed at 50oC, 10 db, and 120 ml. The correlation coefficient (R-squared) of the model analysis was found to be 0.8901.

Bread wheat landraces are considered among important gene sources for quality breeding programs. This study aims to compare thousand kernel weight crude protein ratio, dry gluten ratio, grain hardness and zeleny sedimentation results of 20 bread wheat lines selected from landraces to 5 registered cultivars in order to determine future candidates for quality breeding programs. Field experiments were conducted in the consequent 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 growing seasons in Çanakkale (Türkiye), according to randomized complete block design with three replications. ANOVA results indicated significant difference among genotypes, means were compared with Duncan’s test. Additionally, genotype × growing season interaction were significant for all parameters. Results of cluster and PCA Biplot analysis revealed a significant and positive relationship between crude protein ratio and dry gluten ratio while allowing for the selection of superior landrace pure lines. Our findings suggested that bread wheat varieties had higher TKW compared to landrace pure lines when pure lines had higher crude protein ratio, dry gluten ratio, sedimentation value with generally softer grains. Bread wheat landraces were concluded as being important variation sources.

Plants have been used for many purposes in different communities. Plants used in alternative medicine since ancient times have been the main material in the treatment of many diseases. In this context, it is very important to determine the biological potential of plants. In our study, total antioxidant status, total oxidant status, oxidative stress index and DPPH free radical scavenging activity of Euphorbia eriophora Boiss. were determined. The aerial parts of the plant were extracted with ethanol in a Soxhlet device. TAS, TOS and OSI values of the plant extract were determined using Rel Assay kits. In addition, the free radical scavenging activity of the plant extract was measured by the DPPH method. As a result of the studies, the TAS value of the plant extract was 5.390±0.227, the TOS value was 20.971±0.348, and the OSI value was 0.390±0.014. The DPPH activity of the plant extract was determined to have an inhibition value of 68.721±1.694% at 2 mg/mL concentration. As a result, in our study, it was determined that E. eriophora has antioxidant potential and can be used as a natural antioxidant agent in this context.

Sweet sorghum is a multi-purpose crop due to the use of all plant parts. The research was carried out under controlled conditions to evaluate the effect of fertilization management on growth, grain yield and yield characteristics of sweet sorghum grown as a second crop in Mediterranean climate conditions. The experiment was carried out two-factor randomized plot trial with 20 treatments combination of 5 nitrogen levels (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 kg N/ha) and 4 phosphorus levels (0, 50, 100, 150 kg P/ ha) with 3 replications. Some properties were investigated in the study such as, plant height, harvest index, thousand grain weight and grain yield per plant and some characteristics related to yield. The results shown that plant height of sweet sorghum increased with increasing N and P levels up to 200 kg N or 150 kg P per hectare, respectively, but increase beyond 100 kg N or P/ha was not found significant in general. Other features related to yield followed almost the same trend. Grain yield per plant of sweet sorghum increased linearly with increasing levels of N and P up to 200 kg N and 150 kg P/ha in both years. The combined application of 150 kg N + 150 kg P/ha produced highest grain yield.

Free radicals or highly reactive oxygen species are capable of inducing oxidative damage to the human body Plants containing phenolic compounds have potent antioxidant capacity. The present study was undertaken to investigate the in vitro antioxidant activities of Myrtus communis L. (Myrtaceae), a plant widely used as natural remedy for digestive disorders in folk medicine. Total polyphenol contents were determined using Folin Ciocalteu's reagent; flavonoids were quantified employing the AlCl3 Method. EAE extract showed the highest polyphenolic and flavonoids contents (358.37±2.28 GAE/g of dry extract and 105.44±3.48 QE/g of dry extract) respectively. The EAE had the highest antioxidant activity as measured by DPPH radical and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. EAE and ME extracts exhibited the highest reducing power. EAE possess an IC50 close to BHT (0.074 mg/ml) as reference drug All extracts exhibited antioxidant activity in the linoleic acid emulsion system (76.81% -86.93 %). EAE showed an inhibition ratio of (86.93 %) close to that of BHT (94.9±1.52 %). These findings provide evidence that Myrtus communis L. berries are a potential source of antioxidant which have many benefits towards human health.

Although snail meat is an important source of protein in terms of human nutrition, it has found a place in the eating and drinking culture of very few communities. Consumption of snail meat is socially accepted in many parts of the Cyprus. It is called as “Garavolli” by the Cypriot people and is also one of the most delicious appetizers. This research is important in determining the consumption behaviour of the people of the Northern Cyprus and determining their preferences depending on cooking methods. According to the results of this study, 32.7% of the participants do not consume snail meat, while 67.3% of them consume snail meat. It is consumed more at home (41.3%), compared to consuming at restaurants (38.1%). While 47% of participants consuming preferred to consume as boiled (with olive oil and vinegar), 3.8% of them preferred to consume as grilled. The most preferred method of cooking is boiling then dipping it to olive oil and vinegar. As we see from the answers, habits directly effect on preference to consume or not to consume the snail meat.

This study is conducted to improve growth performance, breast meat characteristics, welfare, and immunity level of broiler chickens by using a combination of monochromatic LED light in the early and later periods of the rearing. A total of 576 one-day old mixed sexes broiler chickens (ROSS 308) were randomly assigned to one of 4 treatments: 1) White fluorescent light (Control, WF), 2) Green LED light (G), 3) Blue LED light (B) and 4) Green-Blue LED combination light (G-B) (green light for first 3 weeks, switching to blue light for remaining 3 weeks). Body weights (BW), body weights gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and mortality rates were determined. In addition, on d 39, gait score and at 21 and 40 d of age, tonic immobility (TI) duration and at 28 and 40 d for immunoglobulin G (IgG) in serum and at d 42 of age, pectoral muscle quality and tibia bone characteristics were determined. The results showed that birds under Y-M had significantly higher CA in the first 21 days than these of BF and M and in the last 3 weeks than the broilers in the BF and G. At the end of the experiment, it was revealed that the B and G-B groups consumed more feed than the other groups. FCR, mortality rates and TI duration in broilers were not affected by light treatments. Light affected the gait score which is a welfare indicator in broilers was affected and G group had the worst gait score. Light affected values of pH24, b* and water-holding capacity in the breast muscle and the lowest pH24 value appeared in G-B group. On 40th day of the trial, although the IgG levels in all the treatment groups decreased according to the 28th day, the IgG level of G-B group was found higher than the other groups. In conclusion, the present study shows that in chickens, the monochromatic G-B combination had a positive effect on the growing and especially the high level of IgG determined in the blood serum showed that it can be effective in development of a strong immunity.

Chrysophyllum albidum fruits are underutilized because they are seasonal and perishable in nature due to physiological, biochemical and microbial alteration. This study investigated the potency of calcium chloride (CaCl2) in suppressing postharvest deterioration of Chrysophyllum albidum fruits. Ripe wholesome fruits of Chrysophyllum albidum were harvested and treated with different concentrations of CaCl2 (1, 2, and 3%) at three different dip times (5, 10, and 15 min). The goal was to use established analytical methods to investigate the influence of CaCl2 on the firmness, weight loss, pH, titratable acidity, total sugar (TS), pectin, color, microbial (fungi and bacteria) loads of Chrysophyllum albidum fruits. All the treated fruits were stored at ambient temperature 28 ± 2°C and 90± 5% relative humidity for 15 days. The obtained results indicated that treating Chrysophyllum albidum fruits with 3% CaCl2 for 15 min was found the most effective in controlling weight loss, microbial load, color, firmness, and other compositional changes such as pH, titratable acidity, pectin and total sugar. It was observed that CaCl2 treated samples showed reduced fungal loads from 6.00 × 103 SFU/g at harvest to 0.02 × 103 SFU/g after 15 d of storage as compared to untreated samples. No record of bacterial load was detected on Chrysophyllum albidum fruits treated with 3% CaCl2 for 15 min. The shelf life of Chrysophyllum albidum fruits could be extended for 15 d without excessive deterioration in quality by treating the fruits with 3% CaCl2 for 15 min with a minimum quality loss, as compared to the control sample which had greater compositional changes with maximum quality loss during storage at ambient temperature.

Soil and water are the two most important basic factors for ensuring sustainable agricultural production. On the other hand, supplying quality and sufficient irrigation water from the nature for agricultural production is getting harder day by day. The decrease or pollution of natural resources for irrigated agriculture, especially in arid and semi-arid climatic regions, necessitates making agriculture with the use of low-quality irrigation water. Low-quality irrigation water causes salinization of the soils in the production areas. If the salinized lands are not washed or rehabilitated, it is inevitable that they will be out of production soon. In the agricultural area, salinity can occur naturally as well as irrigation practice. Salinity, which is an important problem for agriculture in the world, causes increasing soil losses every year. Efforts should be made to eliminate the problem of salinity in sustainable agriculture. In addition, salinity-resistant plants can be preferred to be grown as well as encouraging conscious irrigation in the salinized areas.

The aim of this study was to identify the endophytic fungi associated with medicinal plant Thymus algeriensis and to evaluate their potential for antimicrobial activities. A total of 16 fungi belonging to 6 genera were successfully isolated and identified. The colonization rates ranged from 14.29% to 42.86% and were significantly higher in the roots followed by stems and leaves. Regarding the isolation rates, they were 0.23, 0.14, and 0.1 for the roots, stems, and leaves respectively. Based on the comparison of the morphological characteristics, six genera were identified: Rhizopus, Fusarium, Aspergillus, Alternaria, Phoma, and Penicillium. Fusarium, Phoma, and Alternaria were the most dominant with relative frequencies of 35.5, 28.6, and 14.3% respectively. The fungal endophytes were assessed for their antimicrobial activities using agar plug diffusion method, the best zones of inhibition obtained with the most active endophytic isolates were 20.33 and 20 mm for Fusarium sp. 3, 22.33 and 18.67 mm for Fusarium sp. 5, 23.33 and 25.33 mm for Fusarium sp. 2, and 29.33 and 23 mm for Phoma sp. 4 obtained against Bacillus cereus ATCC 10876 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 respectively. The comparison of the averages of inhibition zones obtained against all the pathogenic bacteria showed that the isolates Fusarium sp.3 and Fusarium sp.5 were the most active with mean zones of inhibition of 19.61 and 19.56 mm respectively, followed by Fusarium sp.2 (19 mm) and Phoma sp. 4 (18.61mm). Regarding the antifungal activity, the results showed that the highest inhibition percentages were 60 and 58% obtained by Rhizopus sp. and 51 and 53% obtained by Aspergillus sp. against Fusarium oxysporum f.p. ciccri and Phytophthora infestans respectively. The study concludes the presence of endophytic fungi such as Fusarium, Phoma, Penicillium and Aspergillus associated with Thymus algeriensis that exhibited antibacterial activity. These isolates could serve as potential sources for the isolation of novel antimicrobial agents that may contribute to antibiotic control of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.