Bu araştırmada, Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığı, Yozgat Avcılık ve Yaban Hayatı Şube Müdürlüğü Üretim İstasyonunda 1240 metre rakımda yetiştirilen 42 haftalık yaşta olan Beç Tavuklarına (Numidae meleagris) ait 200 adet yumurta kullanılmıştır. Bireysel yumurta ağırlıkları ile birlikte, 5184×3456 piksel boyutunda 72 piksel/inç çözünürlükte görüntüleme yapılmıştır. Elde edilen görüntüler üzerinden ortalama Objektif Alan (16,07 cm2), Çevre (15,82 cm), Dairesellik (0,81), Yükseklik (5,17 cm), Genişlik (4,04 cm), Gri Değeri (82,82), Taban Yarıçapı (2,02 cm), Uzun yarı yüksekliği (2,96 cm), Kısa yarı yükseklik (2,20 cm) değerleri sayısal görüntü analizleri yapılarak belirlenmiştir. Elde edilen veriler üzerinden ortalama Elongasyon (1,28), Şekil İndeksi (78,27) hesaplanmıştır. Bireysel yumurta ağırlıkları kullanılarak ortalama yüzey alanı (55,43 cm2), boy (5,16 cm), en (3,77 cm), elongasyon (1,37), şekil indeksi (73,01), hacim (40,14 cm3), yüzey/hacim oranı (1,38), kabuk ağırlığı (3,17 g), kabuk kalınlığı (0,28 mm), gözenek sayıları (6666,25; 5132,39; 5011,12 adet), gözenek yoğunlukları (120,32; 92,56; 90,31), sarı oranı (14,85), sarı ağırlık (5,95 g), ak ağırlığı (30,75 g), ak oranı (77,21) gibi parametreler hesaplanmıştır. Gri değeri bakımından yumurtalar 90, Şekil indeksi bakımından yumurtalar 79 ve ağırlık bakımından 43 olacak şekilde 3 gruba ayrılmış, her grubun diğer özellikler üzerine etkisi araştırılmıştır. Sonuç olarak elde edilen verilerin bilimsel çalışmalarda kullanılabileceği düşünülmektedir.

Türkiye’nin mevcut doğal çayır-mera alanları ile yem bitkileri ekim alanlarından üretilen toplam kaba yem 73,7 milyon büyük ve küçükbaş hayvan varlığının kaba yem gereksinimini karşılayamamaktadır. Türkiye’de 14,6 milyon hektar doğal çayır-mera alanı bulunmaktadır. Bu alanın büyük çoğunluğunun ot verimi ve kalitesinin artırılması ve sürdürülebilirliğinin sağlanması için ıslahı gereklidir. Bu alanların ıslahı için toplamda 45,6 milyar TL bütçeye ve yıllık bakım için ortalama 4 milyar TL’ye ihtiyaç olduğu hesaplanmıştır. 4342 sayılı Mera Kanunu ile birlikte başlatılan Mera Islah ve Amenajman Projeleri ile bugüne kadar ıslah edilen mera alanları oldukça yetersizdir. Ayrıca, ıslah edilen mera alanlarının otlatılmasında mera idaresinin teknik kurallarına uyulmamasından dolayı yapılan ıslah işlemi sürdürülebilir olmamaktadır. Mevcut bütçe kaynaklarının yeterli olmaması ve devlet imkânları ile mera ıslahının uzun yıllar sürecek olması nedeniyle sürdürülebilir mera ıslahında yeni bir bakış açısına, politika değişikliğine ihtiyaç vardır. Bu çalışmada Türkiye meralarının etkin ıslahı ve sürdürülebilir kullanımı için bazı ıslah ve kullanım modelleri tartışılmıştır. Yapılan öneri ile kıraç meralardan 1000 dekardan taban meralarda 500 dekardan daha büyük orta malı meraların özel sektöre kiralanarak “ıslah et-işlet” sistemiyle ıslah edilmesi ve özel sektör tarafından ıslah edilen alanın ¾’ünün ıslah eden özel sektör, ¼’ünün ise meranın tahsisli bulunduğu köydeki hayvan sahipleri tarafından kullanımın sağlanması önerilmiştir. Kıraçta 1000 dekar, tabanda 500 dekardan küçük alana sahip mera alanlarının ise tahsisli bulundukları yerleşim yerindeki Mera Yönetim Birliklerine kiralanarak ıslahı ve sürdürülebilir kullanımının sağlanması önerilmiştir. Mera Yönetim Birliklerinin ıslah amaçlı kiralamaya istekli olmadığı durumlarda mera alanının büyüklüğüne bakılmaksızın meranın özel sektöre kiralanması önerilmiştir.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) improves the uptake of nutrients and water to the plants through mutual symbiosis. Only AMF produces glomalin related soil protein (GRSP). Acaulospora morroaiae, Glomus luteum, Glomus verruculosum, Glomus versiforme are the effective glomalin producing AMFs. Mixed primary forest, tropical rainforest, soil organic matter, clay soil, no tillage, quality and quantity of fertilizers, crop rotation, and water stable aggregates are also suitable to increase glomalin production. Glomalin is a glycoprotein that contains 30–40% carbon (C) which is assumed to be stable and persistent in soil. The glomalin can sequestrate more carbon in the soil due to its high carbon and aggregate stability. Greater aggregate stability leads to high organic carbon protection in terrestrial ecosystems. The lowest glomalin content (0.007 mg per gram soil) was found in Antarctic region, and the highest glomalin content (13.50 mg per gram soil) was observed in tropical rainforest. In agricultural soil, glomalin content varies between 0.30 and 0.70 mg per gram soil. The GRSP containing soil organic carbon (SOC) in deeper soil layers was 1.34 to 1.50 times higher than in surface layers. Glomalin can sequestrate 0.24 Mg C ha-1 in soil when present at 1.10±0.04 mg g-1. At elevated CO2 (700 µmol mol-1) level, easily extractable glomalin (EEG) and total glomalin (TG) were 2.76 and 5.67% SOC in the surface soil layer over ambient carbon dioxide (CO2) level. This finding indicates the effective function of GRSP C sequestration in soil under global environmental change scenarios. Glomalin can also protect labile carbon that can help regulating nutrient supply to the plants. No tillage practice causes higher AMF hyphal length, GRSP and water stable aggregate (WSA) compared to that of conventional tillage practice. The current review demonstrated that GRSP is an important tool for carbon storage in deep soils. Glomalin mediates soil aggregates, improves soil quality, increases carbon sequestration and crop production, and mitigates climate change.

Nowadays, immediate environmental friendly solutions such as the use of biopesticides and other methods to control and manage pests are well needed. They are imperative due to the continuous accumulation of toxic residues from synthetic insecticides into the environment, the contamination of global agro-ecosystem and resistance of certain insects and pathogens. The global renewed interest of botanical pesticides does not leave aside Turkey. Thus, many environmental reports pointed out contaminations in different regions of Turkey by chemical pesticide residues, like lambda-cyhalothrin in some conventional grapes farming in the Aegean region. The use of botanical pesticides like Pyrethrin extracted from Pyrethrum’s flowers (Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium) is part of sustainable agriculture goals to reduce the incidence of pests and diseases without any alteration to the natural balance. The purpose of this review is to analyse and identify the possibilities of Pyrethrum production in Turkey. Various research works around the world were compiled and some key informants were correlated to existing researches in Turkey. Subsequently, it was found that the Black-Sea region of Turkey has great potential in the growing and industrial production of Pyrethrum by its weather patterns (temperatures, pluviometry and humidity) and soil characteristics. The region has a similar climate with the East-African high-lands well-known for Pyrethrum production. Thus, the country has shown great technological advances and the capacity to produce vegetative and disease-free clones for other ornamental plants by using tissue culture techniques. Therefore, the multiplication of high-quality vegetative clones of Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium and their maintenance can sustain commercial and long term production of Pyrethrum in Turkey.

Minerals have crucial roles in terms of vital function in the organism including hormones, enzymes, cell formation etc. Oxidative stress and related hormones, regarding infectious diseases, affect all functions of body including mineral taking, metabolism and excretion. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the pox disease on blood minerals composition of sheep and lambs. This study was conducted on 20 healthy sheep, 20 poxvirus infected sheep and their lambs (Totally 80 subjects). One-shot blood samples from sheep and lambs were collected and serums were separated immediately. Serum mineral levels were analysed in the atomic absorption spectrophotometer. In general, the level of Cu in infected animals was higher than in healthy ones. Zn, Fe, Mg and Na levels of healthy animals were found higher than infected subjects. The difference between healthy and infected animal groups for serum Ca and K levels was not significant. Positive correlations were found between serum Zn, Fe, Mg and Na levels. However, a negative correlation was found between Cu-Zn and Cu-Fe pairs. Consequently, Cu, Zn, Fe, Mg and Na levels in serum, which are vital for animal organisms, showed significant changes in sheep and their lambs during poxvirus infection. To rapid healing or prevention of the diseases, mineral disorders must be corrected urgently.

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of equi-protein replacement of soybean meal with groundnut cake on immune status, haematology and serum biochemical parameters of broiler chickens. A total of One hundred and twenty (120) Cobb’s day old chicks were randomly allocated to five (5) dietary treatments of three (3) replicates and eight (8) chicks per replicate in a completely randomized design. The Diet I was the control diet with 100% SBM as the major plant protein source while in other diets, SBM was replaced with 25, 50, 75 and 100% GNC in equi-protein basis and designated as Diets II, III, IV and V respectively. Feed and water were provided ad-libitum throughout the experimental period of 56 days. Newcastle disease (ND) vaccines were administered following a stipulated regime. At the end of the experiment two birds were randomly selected from each replicate and slaughtered. Blood and serum was collected for haematological analysis, serum bioassay and HA/HI tests to determine antibody titres against ND vaccines. All data collected were subjected to one-way analysis of variance using SPSS software package. Results showed that haematological parameters were significantly influenced by the dietary treatments in which birds fed 50% equi-protein replacement of SBM with GNC had better PCV, basophil, MCH and MCHC values compared to that of birds in the other dietary treatments. The antibody titres of experimental birds were not significantly different among treatment groups. The diet with 50% equi-protein replacement of SBM with GNC elicited the highest antibody titres of Log28 and Log210 after the 1st and 2nd ND vaccinations when compared to the other diets. The serum total protein, globulin, albumin, and glucose were significantly influenced by the dietary treatments. The present result indicate that 50% equi-protein replacement of SBM with GNC in diets is not detrimental to health status of broiler chickens.

Leguminosae or Fabaceae is the third-largest flowering plant family and is important in terms of both food production and soil fertility. Wild Vicia species and the genetic diversity of the Southeastern Anatolia Region provide an invaluable resource for the improvement of cultivated temperate feed and legume crops. The rapid progress of technology in recent years has nowmade it possible to use modern techniques in phylogenetic studies and to examine plants in a greater detail using biochemical, cytological and molecular methods to supplement purely systematic studies. The use of molecular phylogenetic analysis is the most attractive alternative strategy for a more accurate identification of the species of the Vicia genus. In the current study, some Vicia L. taxa growing naturally in the Southeastern Anatolia Region were investigated using molecular phylogenetic analysis. Internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA were sequenced in order to study the phylogenetic relationships of Vicia L. taxa. Lathyrus inconspicuous L. and Lathyrus cassius Boiss. were used as an outgroup. The ITS area was determined to be approximately 479- 672 bp. The ITS sequences were submitted to the NCBI database and accession numbers obtained. The resulting tree clearly groups and separates the sect. Narbonensis, Ervilia, Peregrinae, Lathyroides, Vicia and Cracca species but was less able to distinguish species from sect. Hypechusa and Lentopsis. The data acquired were observed to be reliable in terms of solving the taxonomical problems of the Vicia L. taxa. The morphological distinctions are greatly supported by DNA sequence studies. The species-specific markers developed in this study are useful for early detection of targeted Vicia taxa and can act as a guide to the basic data required for the evolution of systematic breeding and conservation strategies, as well as for germplasm resources.

The interactions between plant, soil, and mycorrhizal fungi are ecologically and agriculturally beneficial systems. Mycorrhizal fungi are capable of forming a symbiosis with the roots of many plants in nature. In this symbiosis, the plant receives help from the mycorrhizal fungus in nutrient and water uptake. On the other hand, the mycorrhizal fungi supply the assimilant products they need from the plant. In addition to the many benefits of AMF, they have very important roles in carbon (C) storage in the soil. These roles of AMF are associated with the production of a substance named “Glomalin”. Glomalin, an N-linked glycoprotein that is considered to be AMF gene products, is defined as a protein secreted by AMF hyphae and spores. Glomalin significantly reduces the degradation of soil organic matter by preserving unstable compounds in soil aggregates. Glomalin, which helps soil aggregation, is also an excellent hyphae protector.

Food spoilage is an undesirable process and is a serious problem for humans. There are many factors that accelerate and affect food spoilage. In this study, microbial behaviors in foods, microorganisms causing food spoilage and beneficial microorganisms are mentioned.

Uncertain heat shock by a rapid increase in temperature particularly at the critical growth stage affects plant productivity. The study aimed to assess qualitative changes in wheat grains when plant exposed to high temperature shock (HTS) at starting anthesis for limited durations (48, 72 and 96h). Selected wheat cultivars (Pirsabak-2005, Pakhtunkhwa-2015, Pakistan-2013, DN-84, P-2, P-12 and P-18) were exposed to extending HTS effective from anthesis in the field covering plants within plastic tents for a limited duration. The experiment was conducted in 2017-18 and 2018-19 at the Research Farm, the University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan in a randomized complete block design, in three replications. Temperatures inside and outside plastic tents were manually noted. Two years mean data showed significant effects of HTS on the wheat grain quality. Imposed HTS for 48, 72 and 96h resulted in a reduction on grain amylose by 23, 39 and 48% and wet gluten by 16, 25 and 36%, respectively when compared with the control (i.e. no HTS). Contrary to this, as compared to the control treatment an increase noted in the grain amylopectin by 7, 11 & 17% and in the grain N-content by 13, 28 & 41% with imposing HTS extending to a duration of 48, 72 and 96h, respectively. The study concluded adverse effects of HTS at the anthesis stage on wheat grain quality disturbing amylose and amylopectin ratios, which latter on brought changes in floor structure and gluten elasticity. However, cultivar did differ to respond to the changes but have the option to choose the best one.