This research was conducted in 2020 to determine the effects of leonardite-derived humic acids (Humas-15, Liquid Humus and Humico Maximix-K) with different properties, along with reduced nitrogen fertilization, on tuber yield and quality in potatoes (cv. Van Gogh). In the study, chemical fertilizer applications were made as basic fertilization (20 N 10 P 10 K), reduced fertilization I (15 N 10 P 10 K) and reduced fertilization II (10 N 10 P 10 K). Humic acids were applied twice with irrigation water, at the beginning of the flowering period and 15 days later. Humas-15 and Liquid Humus were applied at 1.0 and 2.0 lt/da doses, and Humico Maximix-K was applied at 400 and 800 g/da doses. A total of seven traits (tuber number per plant, tuber yield per plant, marketable tuber yield, total tuber yield, dry matter content, reducing sugar content and total sugar content) were measured. Reducing nitrogen applications with humic acid applications significantly affected all the traits studied. Humic acid applications combined with reduced nitrogen fertilization increased the number of tubers per plant by up to 13%, marketable tuber yield by up to 18% and total tuber yield by up to 16% compared with the control. Total and reducing sugar contents varied between 1.27-1.58% and 159-389 mg/100g fw, respectively depending on the applications. In the study, the highest tuber yield was obtained from 1.0 and 2.0 L/da Humas-15 and 2.0 L/da Liquid Humus applications applied together with reducing nitrogen applications which have close values to the recommended fertilization applications.

The Zamboanga Peninsula region significantly contributes to the Philippine coconut production, wherein abaca is also cultivated as an additional crop within coconut plantations. Still, coconut farmers belong to the country’s poverty sector. Abaca plays a significant role in providing an alternative source of income as a perennial intercrop in agroforestry systems like coconut. However, the productivity and sustainability of this farming system are affected by practices such as nutrient management, which is not explicitly known. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study applies a combination of quantitative and qualitative data-gathering techniques to assess the nutrient management practices adopted by the 33 qualified respondents, including challenges encountered and perceptions to abaca under the coconut farming system and fertilizer use. Quantitative data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 29, and thematic analysis was utilized for qualitative data. Results indicate that most (88%) of the farmers in the area did not apply fertilizers for their abaca. Yet, they still consider abaca as one of the income-generating crops besides coconut. The lack of financial resources and irregular harvesting operations are significant challenges that hinder fertilizer application. Findings revealed the need to develop low-cost and practical nutrient management technology for abaca under coconut, which shall be complemented with an effective human resource management system of skilled harvesters for the continuous harvesting operation of abaca to translate good crop growth into good yield and income. This will serve as a basis for government institutions and other stakeholders in developing and implementing programs and policies to improve the abaca and coconut industries.

The aims of this study were i) to evaluate the seasonal changes in births of Anatolian buffaloes, ii) to examine the changes of some milk [lactation milk yield (LMY) and lactation length (LL)] and fertility [first calving age (FCA) and calving interval (CI)] according to seasons and iii) to investigate the effects of seasons on the growth traits of calves [birth weight (BW0), live weight at 6 mo (LW6) and live weight at 12 mo (LW12)]. A total of 8614 to 15605 yield records were evaluated including milk yield and fertility traits of buffalo cows and growth traits of calves between 2012 and 2023. The mean temperature, relative humidity, the duration of sunshine, and temperature humidity index (THI) values were calculated for these years. While the highest birth rate was observed in the summer season (34.27%), the lowest birth rate was determined in the winter season (11.99%). The BW0, LW6 and LW12, LMY, LL, FCA, and CI values of the calves were determined as 30.8±0.04 kg, 107.6±0.23 kg, 172.6±0.27 kg, 994.7±2.05 kg, 262.6±0.22 d 1175.5±3.46 d and 561.7±1.84 d, respectively. Except for CI, all characteristics were significantly affected by seasonal changes (P<0.001). The growth traits of the calves born in autumn were higher than the other seasons. The LMY values in spring and winter were higher than those determined in the different seasons. Also, the highest FCA was obtained in heifers born in the winter. It was concluded that the season could affect both some fertility and milk yield characteristics of buffalo cows and the growth performance of calves.

Bu çalışmada, hıyarda fide kalitesi üzerine paklobutrazolun farklı uygulamalarının etkisi araştırılmıştır. Denemede paklobutrazolun 30, 40, 50 ve 60 ppm dozları 2 faklı miktarda (0,5-1,0 ml) ve 2 farklı şekilde uygulanmıştır. Birinci uygulama kotiledon yaprakları yere paralel olduğu dönemde yapılmış ve sonrasında herhangi bir uygulama yapılmamıştır (1+0). İkinci uygulama kotiledon yaprakları yere paralel olduğu dönemde ve ilk gerçek yapraklar 0,5 cm çapa ulaştığında olmak üzere iki sefer (1+1) yapılmıştır. Kontrol parsellerinde bitkilere saf su verilmiştir. Fidelerin gübrelenmesinde Hoagland besin solüsyonu modifiye edilerek kullanılmıştır. Fide yetiştirme dönemi boyunca çözeltinin pH’sı 6,3±2’ye ayarlanmıştır. Tohum ekiminden 35 gün sonra hıyar fidelerinin yetiştiriciliği tamamlanmış ve fidelerde gözlemler yapılmıştır. Çalışmada fide boyu (cm), gövde uzunluğu (cm), gövde çapı (mm), yaprak sayısı, fide yaş ağırlığı (g), fide kuru ağırlığı (g), kök yaş ağırlığı (g) ve kök kuru ağırlığı (g) incelenmiştir. Paklobutrazol uygulamaları fide boyu ve gövde uzunluğunda önemli düzeyde kısalmaya neden olmuştur. Paklobutrazol miktarı arttıkça fide boyu ve gövde uzunluğundaki azalış devam etmiştir. Denemede 30 ve 40 ppm paklobutrazolun fide başına 0,5 ml ve 1+1 şeklinde verilmesi en etkili sonuç olarak belirlenmiştir. Paklobutrazol uygulamaları ile gövde çapı arasında anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmamıştır. Benzer şekilde uygulamalar ile yaprak sayısı arasında da bir ilişki bulunmamıştır. Sonuç olarak, paklobutrazolun fide kalitesini önemli düzeyde artırırken, uygulama şekli, uygulama dozu ve miktarına bağlı olarak fide kalitesinde önemli gerilemeler de meydana gelmektedir.

This study investigated the effects of different processing techniques and sol-gel coating on the physical properties of biocomposite material. Two dispersion series from corn starch, clay, and sorbitol were prepared by conventional and microwave-assisted processing, and casting technique. One film from each series was sol-gel coated by immersion. All the samples were subjected to moisture content (MC), water solubility (WS), water absorption (WA), FT-IR, DSC, and SEM/digital microscopy tests. The results showed that the coated films contained higher MC (11.5±0.5%) than the non-coated films (5.3±0.6%) and absorbed less water (44.7±12.4%), compared to the non-coated ones (166.3±2.5%). Non-coated films exhibited less solubility in water (26.1±0.2%) than the coated ones (51.0±0.7%). FT-IR test detected cross-linking (1723 cm-1 ester) in the microwave-assisted coated film. The sol-gel coating increased the latent heat of melting and specific heat values by 14.9% and 19.4% for conventionally fabricated samples, and 22.3% and 25.3% for microwaved films, respectively, whereas it reduced the temperature of melting by 23.1% for conventionally fabricated ones, and 6.6% for microwaved ones. Microscopic tests revealed that microwaved compact morphology indicated better gelatinization of starch. Overall, microwaving and sol-gel coating need further investigation to improve the physical properties of biocomposite materials for food packaging.

Katkı maddeleri, gıdaya güvenliği, tazeliği, tadı, dokuyu veya görünümü korumak ve geliştirmek amacıyla eklenen maddeler olarak tanımlanmaktadır. Katkı maddelerinin kullanımı, yasal düzenlemelere uygun olması halinde ve belirlenen konsantrasyonda kullanılması durumunda tüketiciler için tehlike oluşturmamaktadır.  Fakat gıda katkı maddelerine ilişkin endişeler, son 20 yılda artış göstermiştir. Son yıllarda gıda katkı maddesi olarak kullanılan kimyasallarla ilgili olarak giderek daha fazla çalışma sağlığa olumsuz etkilerini göstermektedir. Aslında sağlık sorunlarını daha iyi tanımlayabilmek için toksisite testleri geliştirilmelidir ve yaşam boyunca maruziyeti incelemek için geniş çaplı ve uzun araştırmalara ihtiyaç vardır. Bu çalışmada son gelişmeler ışığında gıda katkı maddelerinin insan sağlığına etkileri irdelenmektedir.

Bağların kontrolünün, takibinin ve bakımının zamanında doğru bir şekilde yapılması çok önemlidir. Bağ zararlılarıyla mücadelede aşırı pestisit kullanımı, insan sağlığını tehlikeye atmakta ve çevre kirliliğine yol açmaktadır. Ayrıca aşırı pestisit kullanımı ekonomik açıdan düşünüldüğünde işletme giderlerinin artmasına sebep olmaktadır. Bu nedenle bağdaki zararlıların ve hasarlarının zamanında teşhisi çok önemlidir. Zamanında tespiti sağlamaya yardımcı olan yöntemlerden biri derin öğrenmedir. Bu çalışmada, bir derin öğrenme nesne algılama algoritması olan YOLOv8x modeli ile bazı bağ zararlılarının (Salkım güvesi, Trips, Bağ yaprak uyuzu ve İki noktalı kırmızı örümcek) yaprak ve meyve kısmında oluşturduğu hasarın tespitine yönelik çalışma gerçekleştirilmiştir. 7 farklı sınıftan ve 3500 görüntüden meydana gelen veri seti oluşturulmuştur. Oluşturulan veri seti; YOLOv8(n/s/m/l/x) modelleri ile eğitilmiştir. Eğitim sonucunda, YOLOv8x modeli performans değerleri sırayla; mAP0,5, mAP0,5-0,95, Kesinlik (Precision), Duyarlılık (Recall), 0,926, 0,648, 0,892 ve 0,903 şeklinde sonuçlar vermiştir. Aynı veri seti, YOLOv7, DETR ve RTMDet modelleriyle de eğitilerek YOLOv8x modeliyle performans karşılaştırmaları yapılmıştır. Karşılaştırma sonucunda bağlarda belirtilen zararlıların oluşturduğu hasarı en iyi tespit eden YOLOv8x modeli olmuştur.

This study focused on evaluating the nutritional characteristics and in vitro true digestibility of apple pomace derived from three apple cultivars: Golden Delicious, Starking, and Granny Smith (Malus domestica Borkh). These apple cultivars were sourced from the local market in Nigde, Turkiye. Statistical analyses, including one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncan's test, were employed to assess variations among the apple pomace samples. Results indicated that, except for in vitro true digestibility, there were no significant variations in the chemical composition and total phenolic matter contents among the apple pomaces (P>0.05). However, Granny Smith apple pomace exhibited distinct features, such as higher neutral detergent fiber content (29.80%), elevated crude protein levels (5.09%) and substantial acid detergent fiber (25.30%) values. In contrast, Starking apple pomace displayed superior air-dry matter (27.24%), while Golden Delicious showcased enhanced dry matter (95.3%) and ash content (2.00%). Regarding total phenolic matter contents, Granny Smith excelled with 112.4 mg GAE/100g, outperforming Starking (103 mg GAE/100g) and Golden Delicious (75.8 mg GAE/100g). Crucially, Starking demonstrated superior in vitro true digestibility, with values reaching 92.36% (as received) and 92.23% (dry matter). Granny Smith, in comparison to Golden Delicious and Starking, displayed significantly different neutral detergent fiber digestibility (P<0.05). Starking apple pomace exhibit the highest overall digestibility among the apple pomaces analysed in this study, hence recommended for use in ruminant nutrition. These findings have implications for the potential utilization of apple pomace in diverse applications, given the diverse nutritional profiles of these cultivars.

It is critical that Bangladesh faces water scarcity during the dry season, affecting lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) yield and some yield components during seedling and flowering stages. Thus, a two-factorial pot experiments (The experiment comprises Factor A: three fertilization levels i.e. F1 = Control [inorganic], F2 = poultry litter-based compost [20 ton/ha], F3 = poultry litter-based compost [30 ton/ha]; Factor B: two irrigation levels such as W1 = 100% field capacity [FC] and W2 = 70% FC) were designed at Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, from November 2018 to April 2019. And it was investigated how the poultry litter-based composts affected the morpho-physiology, yield and yield components of the lentil (BARI Masur-4) variety under different irrigation stress levels. Obtained results revealed that the tallest plant (30.7 cm at 75 DAS) and maximum branch number per plant (14.1 at 65 DAS), leaf chlorophyll a (0.30 mg/g), highest RLWC (70.28%), lowest proline content (1.57 µ moles g-1 FW), maximum number of pods per plant (39.4 at 75 DAS) and total grain yield (3.62 kg/m2) were recorded from compost F3 (poultry litter-based compost 30 tons/ha) with W1 (100% FC). Results also showed that the yield contributing attributes and yield of lentils were drastically reduced by water stress conditions with different rates of fertilization. In drought conditions (W2 = 70% FC), F3 (30 ton/ha poultry litter-based compost) fertilization produced the highest plant height (30.20 cm at 75 DAS), number of branches (11.5 at 65 DAS), stem dry weight (0.35 g), lowest proline (3.88 µ moles g-1 FW), highest pod number per plant (33.1), weight of 100-seed (2.36 g), total grain weight (2.77 kg/m2), harvest index (58.84%) compared to other fertilizations (F1 and F2). In summary, F3 (30 tons), a compost made from poultry litter, provides better soil conditions under drought conditions compared to F1 and F2 in the year of 2018-19 at the 0 and 20 tons/ha, respectively under the field conditions.

In the present study, some microbial, chemical, and physicochemical characteristics occurring during ripening were observed in unpackaged and vacuum-packed Kashar cheese samples. Some microbial and chemical properties of Kashar cheese samples were studied Also, the free fatty acid ratio was determined with the SDS-Page Electrophoresis to determine proteolysis during the ripening period and with the High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) for lipolysis. Physical, chemical, and microbiological analyzes were made at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75 days of ripening during which the changes in the number of microbiologically total aerobic mesophilic bacteria (TAMB), Lactobacillus spp., Lactococcus spp., Pseudomonas spp., yeast-mold, lipolytic, and proteolytic bacteria were determined. In the present study, % lactic acid, pH, dry matter percentage, color parameters (L, a and b values) and water activity (aw) were analyzed during ripening and the changes during storage were defined. Lactobacillus spp., Lactococcus spp., TAMB, and proteolytic bacteria counts and % lactic acid ratios were higher in vacuum-packed Kashar cheeses. It was found that lipolysis and proteolysis were higher in cheese samples stored open during ripening.