Ehrlichia canis is the primary etiologic agent of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis, a tick-transmitted disease of dogs. The aim of this study is to molecularly investigate the presence of E. canis and to reveal its prevalence in dogs in Siirt province. The animal material of the study is consisted of a total of 82 dogs. A region of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene of E. canis was targeted for PCR amplification. As a result of the conducted Nested-PCR, positivity was detected at the rate of 10.53% (4/38) in male dogs and 13.64% (6/44) in females, and Ehrlichia canis specific bands of size 389 bp were obtained in 10 (12.20%) dogs in total. The phylogenetic tree was constructed with the Maximum Likelihood (MCL) method, The nucleotide sequence was registered in the NCBI GenBank database with access numbers OK331365.1-OK331366. Early detection of the disease by means of hematological, serological, or molecular tests is very important in terms of prognosis. More studies should be performed to determine vector-disease relationships in this region about ticks that vector the disease.

Sheep farming is an important segment of the livestock sector in Turkey. However, low meat, milk, leather and wool production due to various parasitic diseases has adversely affected this sector. This study was carried out by using stool and tissue samples collected from 300 sheep registered with the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry in Iğdır, Turkey. Stool samples were collected using native, flotation and sedimentation methods to diagnose common parasites. In addition, parasitic diagnoses were strengthened with the migration paths of parasites and the presence of cysts as a result of macroscopic examination of the liver and lungs of sheep slaughtered in the slaughterhouse. From the data obtained, the prevalence and material damage and loss of workforce of parasites were determined using appropriate statistical programs. Fascioliasis 16.7%, Nematodirosis 20% Echinococcosis 29% Dicrocoeliasis 32% varied. It was concluded that the parasite population is high in sheep in Iğdır province, Turkey. Accordingly, attention was drawn to the issue of necessary protection and controls.

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.

Honey bee queen quality is a critical factor of colony performance. Indications of such qualities can manifest themselves through morphological traits such as wet weight and thorax width. Improving such characteristics is driven in part by nutritional provision in queen-cell-builder hives. We investigated the potential to improve queen quality by adding coenzyme Q10 (endogenous antioxidant) and caffeine (central nervous system stimulator) to feeder syrup in queen-cell-builder colonies for 15 and 20 days prior to grafting, two sets of queens were reared. We recorded subsequent wet weight, body length, head width and length, thorax and wing width and length, and spermathecae diameter. The queen-cell acceptance rate was not affected by either treatment or graft period. Coenzyme Q10 increased wet weight, body and wing length in the first graft, and thorax width, wing length and spermathecae diameter in the second graft. The caffeine treatment increased head and thorax length in first graft and thorax width in the second. A mix of the two substances (coenzyme Q10 and caffeine) increased head width in the first graft and spermathecae diameter in the second graft. This study suggests that the application of coenzyme Q10 to cell-builder colonies at least 15 days prior to grafting can increase reared wet weight (the most significant quality indicator) and thorax width of queen bees.

Medicinal plants are important natural materials used in the treatment of many diseases. In this study, total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) of endemic Salvia absconditiflora Greuter & Burdet were determined. Plant samples were collected from Nigde and Erzincan (Turkey) provinces. Ethanol (EtOH) extracts of plant samples were extracted. TAS, TOS and OSI values were determined using Rel Assay Diagnostics kits. As a result of the studies, it has been determined that the samples of the plant collected from Nigde have higher TAS, TOS and OSI values. As a result, it has been determined that S. absconditiflora can be used as a potential antioxidant source due to high TAS values.

A study covering cherry, walnut, apple, almond and pear orchards in Edirne, Kırklareli and Tekirdağ provinces was carried out in 2015-2018 with the aim of determination of weed flora, weed frequencies and densities. Total of 64 species belonging to 30 families were identified in fruit tree orchards. Among all the families the most members were in Asteraceae 13 species, Poaceae, 11 species, Brassicaceae 5 species and Lamiaceae 3 species families. The dominant weed species were Amaranthus retroflexus L., Polygonum aviculare L., Capsella-bursa pastoris L. (Medik)., Concolvulus arvensis L., Lepidium draba L., Raphanus raphanistrum L., Chenopodium album L., Cichorium intybus L. in Tekirdağ while Datura stramonium L. distribution in Edirne Uzunköprü and Kırklareli was remarkably high. Semi parazitic weed Viscum album and full parasite Cuscuta campestris Yunck were also detected in some orchards. V. album was widespread among pear trees while Cuscuta campestris Yunck was detected only in suckers emerged in apple and cherry orchards. According to density A. retroflexus has received the first order with 76 plant/m2, following C. album with 54 plant/m2, Lactuca serriola with 27 plant/m2, D. stramonium L. with 24 plant/m2, Portulaca oleracea with 21 plant/m2

Greenhouse gas emissions constitute the basis of global warming. One of the sectors contributing to the greenhouse gas emissions is the agriculture sector which accounts for 24% of the global greenhouse gas emissions. In this study, the effect of cattle husbandry, small ruminant husbandry, poultry husbandry, paddy production, which are the main causes of emissions in the agriculture sector, on agricultural CO2 release was investigated. The research covers the years 1991-2017 of Turkey and China. In the study, time-series analyses such as Augmented Dickey-Fuller Breakpoint Unit Root Test, Johansen Cointegration Test, Ordinary Least Square Regression, Full Modified Ordinary Least Square, Canonical Cointegrating Regression and Impulse-Response Analysis were used. According to the results of the analysis, the effects of cattle husbandry, small ruminant husbandry, and paddy production activities on agricultural CO2 emissions were statistically significant in Turkey. We determined that the most effective variable on agricultural CO2 emissions was cattle husbandry both in the long- and short-term. On the other hand, poultry farming had no statistically significant effect on agricultural CO2 emissions. According to the results of the analysis for China, all variables were statistically significant. As a result, it is important to adopt methods that will not cause environmental damage or will have minimal impact in determination processes of effective parameters on agricultural CO2. The government should determine the boundaries of agricultural production processes through legal arrangements and the relevant ministries should implement them seriously. To take these measures and implement them are seen as a necessity for a sustainable world and a sustainable agricultural sector.

The study aims at estimating the effect of producers’ socio-economic characteristics and the farm structure on the probability of becoming a member of an agricultural organization. For this aim Ordered Probit Model was applied. The data of 2010 production period was collected from 66 dairy cattle farms through questionnaires based on stratified random sampling method. While 74.2% of producers were not a member to any organization, the remaining 18.2 and 7.6% were members of one and more than one organizations, respectively. The result of study showed that the variables of experience, education level, milk yields, milking machine existence, and record keeping rate increased the probability of becoming a member to any agricultural organization. Government financial, technical and educational supports towards increasing the number of cattle farms, with high educated and experienced labor and high productivity levels, which are associated in an agricultural organization, could promote the willingness of producers in the region in participating of agricultural organizations as a member.

Charcoal rot is a soil and seed borne, economically important fungal disease on dry bean in Turkey. Twenty bean isolates of M. phaseolina collected from different locations in Turkey during 2008 and 2012 years were studied for genetic variability using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assay, chlorate sensitivity on medium supplemented with 120mM of potassium, phenotype of colony, and pathogenicity. Isolates were identified as M. phaseolina based on morhological features and PCR assays using species-specific primers (MPKF1and MPKR1). Isolates of M. phaseolina were analysed for their aggressiveness on the susceptible bean cv. Akman 98, by soil inoculation method. Isolates exhibiting a dense chlorate phenotype were chlorate-resistant, while those possessing feathery and restricted chlorate phenotypes were chlorate-sensitive. More than half of the isolates (55%) were resistant to chlorate and produced dense phenotype, while 35% isolates showed feathery and two isolates (10%) showed restricted growth. DNA from 20 isolates was subjected to genetic diversity analysis by the RAPD method using 14 randomly chosen 10-base random primers, and low genetic diversity (33.3%) was observed among the tested isolates.

The maize germplasm variation is valuable for breeders to develop elite hybrids with increased mineral contents in the maize grain to eliminate mineral malnutrition, which is referred as HIDEN HUNGER. Therefore, we aimed to determine mineral element diversity of maize landraces collected from different geographical regions of Turkey. There was huge diversity for all mineral traits and other quality traits. Turkish maize landraces showed high variation for Zn (17-41.34 mg kg-1), Fe (13.52-29.63 mg kg-1), Cu (0.77-3.34 mg kg-1), Mn (5.68-14.78 mg kg-1), Protein (6.6-11.6%), starch content (73.3-80.0%), oil content (3.15-4.7%) and thousand grain weight (177.0-374.9g). There were significant positive and negative associations among mineral elements and quality traits. The principal component analysis differentiated some maize landraces from the rest, and these diverse landraces could be used in the maize breeding program with biofortification purpose.