Pomegranate has been recently considered as a significant fruit for human health and demanded year-long apart from two-month standard harvest period. To extend market supply durations over longer periods, various methods and treatments should be applied to pomegranates to preserve quality parameters throughout different storage durations. The present study was conducted at cold storages of ÇOMÜ Agricultural Faculty to investigate the effects of 1-Methylcyclopropane (1-MCP) and MAP (LDPE, 20 mµ) treatments on quality attributes of ‘Hicaz’ pomegranate cultivar. Experimental materials were treated with two different doses (625 and 1250 ppb) of 1-MCP alone and combined with MAP (625 ppb + MAP and 1250 ppb + MAP) and stored at 3 different storage durations (40, 80 and 120 days). All fruits, including control group, were stored at 6.5-7.5°C temperature and 85-90% relative humidity. At the end of each storage period, fruits were subjected to weight loss (%), Total soluble solids (TSS) content (%), titratable total acidity (TTA) (%g), pH, grain color (a value), decay ratio (%) analyses and assessments were performed for these quality and biochemical characteristics. Both Doses of 1-MCP alone and combined with MAP treatments were found to be more efficient in decelerating the adverse effects on rotting, perishes and other quality parameters, however there were not significant differences between two doses of 1-MCP. Therefore, MAP or 625 ppb 1-MCP treatments alone or combined with MAP treatments can be recommended for better preservation of quality parameter throughout the storage of pomegranates.

Plant sterols are important agricultural products for human health and consequently, for nutrition industries. In the present study, free sterol contents of crude Turkish cottonseed oil samples have been determined in a single analytical run by using a solid phase extraction step prior to the detection with a gas chromatography coupled with a flame ionization detector. Free hydroxyl groups of Stigmasterol, β-Sitosterol, Campesterol and Brassicasterol were derivatized by using N-methyl-N-trimethylsilyl trifluoroacetamide to enhance their volatility and, sterol content of the samples were, then, separated from their matrix by using a octadecylsilane cartridge. The eluates were injected into the gas chromatographic system and satisfactory recovery ratios were obtained. After having validated the method, it was applied into the analysis for cottonseed oil samples for their free sterol levels.

Papaya (Carica papaya) is a common tropical fruit used for nutrition as well as medicinal purposes. Apart from fruit, seed, latex and other plant parts of papaya tree have been shown to have medicinal properties. Since, no systematic study has been performed on nutritional analysis of papaya (Carica papaya L. var solo 8) peels. In this study, the proximate composition, mineral element profile and phytochemical composition of papaya (Carica papaya L. var solo 8) peels were investigated. The peels were harvested fresh, dried in an oven at 45°C for 48 hours, ground and analyzed according to standard procedures. Proximate analysis showed high level of proteins (11.67 ± 0.04 %), crude fibre (32.51 ± 0.03 %), carbohydrate (47.33 ± 0.08 %), ash (5.98 ± 0.03 %) 0.03 %) and fat (2.51 ± 0.13 %). Mineral analysis indicated the papaya (Carica papaya L. var solo 8) peels were specifically rich in potassium and phosphorus. Potassium was found to be the most abundant mineral present in the peels (516.33 ± 0.82 mg/100g). Phytochemical composition showed high level of total phenolic (65.48 ± 0.39 mg (GAE)/100 g DW), flavonoids (5.58 ± 0.83 mg (QE)/100 g DW) and tannins (10.51 ± 0.93 mg (TAE)/100 g DW). The methanolic extracts of the papaya (Carica papaya L. var solo 8) peels exhibited the high DPPH radical scavenging activities (81.89 ± 0.14 %).These data indicated that this papaya (Carica papaya L. var solo 8) peels could constitute a potential good source of natural antioxidant for local population.

Due to its nutritional and economic value, the tomato is considered one of the main vegetables in terms of production and consumption in the world. For this reason, an important case study is the fruit maturation parametrized by its mass loss in this study. This process develops in the fruit mainly after harvest. Since that parameter affects the economic value of the crop, the scientific community has been progressively approaching the issue. However, there is no a state-of-the-art practical model allowing the prediction of the tomato fruit mass loss yet. This study proposes a prediction model for tomato mass loss in a continuous and definite time-frame using regression methods. The model is based on a combination of adjustment methods such as least squares polynomial regression leading to error estimation, and cross validation techniques. Experimental results from a 50 fruit of tomato sample studied over a 54 days period were compared to results from the model using a second-order polynomial approach found to provide optimal data fit with a resulting efficiency of ~97%. The model also allows the design of precise logistic strategies centered on post-harvest tomato mass loss prediction usable by producers, distributors, and consumers.

With industrialization, change has taken place in the world and development efforts have concentrated in urban areas. This has affected the rural area negatively and the increase in rural development studies has increased with the emergence of interregional economic imbalances. With the planned period, rural development studies in Turkey have increased and strategies, projects and programs have begun to be developed. One of these activities is the Rural Development Investment Support Program (RDISP), which entered into force in 2006. The aim of the program is to increase the level of rural area income, to ensure integration of agricultural production and agricultural industry, to strengthen food safety, to create alternative income sources in the rural area. In this study, it was aimed to determine the attitudes and behaviors of program beneficiaries in the Western Mediterranean Region within the framework of the RDISP applied in Turkey, and the factors affecting their utilization from the program. In the study, a total of 96 enterprises provided interviews based on face to face interviews. In this study, Factor Analysis was applied to determine the factors that affect the preferences of the enterprises and to determine the factors affecting the investments of the enterprises. In the study, 12 variables that were effective in factor analysis in the utilization of this support were combined into 3 factors. These factors have been found to be “support for local support and information about support”, “employment support for support” and “environmental sensitivity for support”.

Bifora radians M. Bieb. Dünya genelinde çok geniş yayılım alanı bulan Asya’ya özgü tek yıllık bir yabancı ottur. Geniş bir ekolojik toleransının ve yüksek rekabet yeteneğinin olması, B. radians’ı buğday yetiştiriciliği yapılan alanlarda sorun haline getirmiştir. Herbisitlere dayanıklılığın, popülasyon dinamiğinin bilinme gerekliliği ve demografik verilere duyulan ihtiyaçtan dolayı bitkilerdeki varyasyon çalışmaları önem arz etmektedir. Asetolaktat sentez inhibitörü herbisitlere dayanıklı 29 ve duyarlı 22 olmak üzere 51 lokasyondan toplanan B. radians popülasyonları morfolojik ve biyolojik farklılıklarına göre karşılaştırılmıştır. Sonuçlara göre parametre verileri dayanıklı ve hassas popülasyonlar arasında belirgin farklılığı göstermiş ve bu çeşitlilik benzer lokasyonlar için de geçerli olmuştur. B. radians genotipleri arasındaki morfolojik ve biyolojik çeşitlilik; coğrafi lokasyonlar, farklı aktif maddeli ve farklı etki tarzlarına sahip herbisit uygulamaları, yetiştirilen ürünler ve uygulanan farklı tarımsal uygulamalar nedeniyle meydana gelebilmektedir. Yabancı ot popülasyonları arasındaki farklılık biyolojik ve kimyasal mücadele çalışmalarını etkileyebilmektedir.

Phaeodactylum tricornutum is the microalgae that is known to produce lipid. In this study, it was aimed to estimate the microalgae Phaeodactylum tricornutum dry matter cultured in the conditions of nitrogen deficiency as a stress factor, in outdoor, in photo bioreactors, by using multiple regression analysis method. In this study, diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum (Bohlin) was cultured medium of which N was reduced by 50% and with 20% inoculation ratio. The light intensity, temperature, optical density and chlorophyll a, were measured daily. The mathematical model was formed for control group and 50 % of the N applied to the group using optical density, temperature, light intensity, chlorophyll a and without chlorophyll a. The regression equation of control group was estimated. The R2 value of control group was found 95.1% and statistically significant. Then, the regression equation was estimated for control group without chlorophyll a. The R2 value of this equation was found 94.0% and statistically significant. And then, the regression equation was estimated in 50% nitrogen. The R2 value of control group was found 92.4% and statistically significant. Finally, the regression equation was estimated in 50% nitrogen deficiency without chlorophyll a. The R2 value of this equation was found 91.7% and statistically significant.

This study is on the optimization of the medium for solubilization of phosphate based on the Box-Behnken design and response surface methodology. Optimization of the liquid medium for phosphate solubilization using Serratia marcescens strain AGKT4 was carried out by varying the concentrations of 3 ingredients; the fructose, peptone and inoculum size of bacteria. A mathematical model derived from the response surface methodology was then validated statistically for the target test variables. The highest phosphate solubilization in the medium was achieved at the optimal concentrations of fructose and peptone at 6% (w/v) and 0.6% (w/v), respectively. The maximum phosphate solubilization at these concentrations was 239.12 µg/mL. Under the same conditions, the bacterial growth in the medium was 9 log10 CFU.

In this study, molecular markers were used to determine fungal flora in black olive fruits from field surveys to the table, following the fermentation process. Field samples were collected from different locations of Canakkale province, including Gokceada (Imbros), where organic farming is employed. Some of the fruits from field samples were used for black table olive production and then fungal flora was tracked during the fermentation process. Fungal isolation was also conducted on some commercial samples. Fifty seven isolates from field samples, 56 isolates from the fermentation process and 17 isolates from commercial products were obtained. Among these isolates, 41 Alternaria, 43 Penicillium, 19 Aspergillus, 8 Monascus and 19 other genera were determined using amplified sizes of the Beta-tubulin gene region. Species level identification was carried out based on sequences of Beta-tubulin amplicons, which provided accurate identification, especially where the genera were morphologically highly similar. The occurrence and prevalence of fungal species changed in fungal collections from the field to the fermentation process. While Alternaria alternata was common in field samples, they were absent during fermentation. Many of these identified species, such as Penicillium expansum, Aspergillus niger and Monascus pilosus, which are known as potential toxin producers such as aflatoxin, ochratoxin A and citrinin, were found both in natural and fermented samples, even at the end of the fermentation process. These results showed that some fungal species which survive on olives from the field to the table are potential toxin producers and can be successfully characterized by amplification and sequencing of Beta-tubulin gene.

Bu çalışmada; farklı su sıcaklıkları uygulanmış pullu sazan (Cyprinus carpio)’da malaondialdehit (MDA) ve glutatyon (GSH) düzeyi ile glutatyon-S-transferaz (GST) enzim aktivitesine çörek otu yağının etkisi araştırılmıştır. 20, 24 ve 28°C’ de tutulan balıklara çörek otu yağı (10 mg/kg yem) uygulanmıştır. Kontrol grubu olarak 24°C’de tutulan balıklar seçilmiştir. Uygulama 10 gün devam etmiş ve bu sürenin sonunda balıklardan karaciğer ve böbrek örnekleri alınmıştır. Çalışma sonucuna göre 20°C ve 28°C’deki balıkların MDA düzeyinin önemli oranda arttığı, GSH düzeyi ile GST aktivitesinin düştüğü tespit edilmiştir. Bu gruplarda çörek otu yağı uygulamasıyla MDA düzeyinin istatistiksel olarak önemli düzeyde düştüğü, GSH düzeyi ile GST aktivitesinin önemli oranda yükseldiği belirlenmiştir. Elde edilen sonuçlara göre, balıklarda sıcaklık farklılıklarından kaynaklanan strese karşı çörek otu yağı antioksidan olarak kullanılabilir.