The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of different water deficit levels applied through growing season on silage yield, quality and water use efficiency (WUE) of main crop silage maize under semi-arid climate conditions during the years 2014 and 2015. Irrigation treatments were set as 100% (I100), 70% (I70) and 35% (I35) supply of depleted water within 0-90 cm effective root zone in 7-day intervals. Applied irrigation water quantities in I100(control) treatment of the first and second year (in 8 irrigations) were respectively observed as 693 and 666 mm. Plant water consumptions in control treatment were respectively measured as 770 and 738 mm. Silage yield was 10650 kg da−1 in the first year and 10600 kg da−1 in the second year. The silage yield obtained from I70 treatment with 30% water deficit was statistically placed in group (B) following I100 (control) treatment. The water deficits over 30% resulted in significant decreases in silage yield and quality. The correlation coefficient between ETa and dry matter was respectively identified as (r: 0.78), (r: 0.87) in 2014 and 2015 and the correlation coefficient between plant water consumption (ETa) and protein content was respectively identified as (r:0.81), (r:0.80) and the correlations between ETa and quality parameters were found to be positive and highly significant. There were significant linear correlations between ETa and kernel yield (Y). Yield response factor (ky) of experimental years were respectively calculated as 0.74 and 1.06. Irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) values varied between 3.80-5.10 kg da−1 mm and water use efficiency (WUE) values varied between 3.62 and 4.42 kg da−1 mm.

Insufficient capital an technical sources of agricultural enterprises, old-ages and low educational levels of population dealing with agricultural activities, lack of technical stuff and resultant insufficiencies of extension services and adverse climate conditions experienced time to time all negatively influence cereal farming and productivity levels in Sivas province. Large fallow lands over monoculture cereal lands, insufficient certified seed utilization, improper soil tillage and seedbed preparation practices, delay of winter sowings or high summer sowing rates (especially in barley), insufficient chemical fertilizer uses because of high fertilizer costs, lack of scientific research on cereals and untimely weed control practices also significantly limit cereal yields. All these aforementioned theoretical and economical deficiencies should be eliminated to have high yield levels in cereal farming of Sivas province.

Tomato is one of the most important vegetable crop which is widely grown in the world. Economic yield loses due to several insect species has been reported on tomato production. In recent years, a new pest Lasioptera sp, which causes significant damage in tomato production area has emerged. The pest has first been reported in tomato production areas of Mersin district in 2012 after it has been reported in Greece. This pest belongs to the family Cecidomyiidae and is causing damage in the stems and on the fruits of tomato. The larva feeds inside of the stem, so this makes management of the pest difficult. There are no adequate studies on integrated pest management on this pest. This report clearly showed that detailed studies on the biology and management of this pest in the tomato production should be done.

The testis and epididymis of twenty five adult Large White boars were used to investigate the biometric and histomorphometric parameters of the testis and epididymis of the boars. The aim of the study was to provide information which could be useful in the comparative regional anatomy of the male reproductive organs of domestic animals and thus an improved assessment of breeding soundness and fertility potential in boars. The average weight of the animals was 71.3 ± 10.7 kg. The average weights of the right and left testes were 170 ± 0.7.60 g and 179±6.48g, respectively with no significant dif¬ference. The average weights of the right and left epididymis were 40.9 ± 6.81 g and 43.7 ± 8.55 g, respectively, with no significant difference. The relative testicular and epididymal weights were 0.49% and 0.12%, respectively. This study shows that the testis is about four times the size of the epididymis. The ductal diameter of the head, body and tail of the epididymis were 418 ± 22.6 µm, 432 ± 20.3 µm and 939 ± 50.6 µm, respectively. The mean relative volume of the germinal epithelium, interstitium and lumen of the seminiferous tubules of the boars rats were 68.4 ± 3.46%, 5.5 ± 0.66% and 78.0 ± 4.81%, respectively. It can be concluded that the morphology of the testis and epididymis of the Large White boar are similar to those of most mammals. This work provides information the testis and epididymis of the Large White boar which could be useful in the comparative regional anatomy of the male reproductive organs of domestic animals and thus an improved assessment of breeding soundness and fertility potential in boars.

The study aimed to identify physiological response of potato to drought. For this aim, a drought experiment was carried out by using two different potato varieties, cv. Desiree and Russet Burbank, under environmentally controlled greenhouse conditions. Drought treatment was initiated at 45 days after emergence (early tuber bulking period) by withholding irrigation for 10 days. Physiological traits such as stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll index, leaf temperature, proline content, malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) accumulation, in addition, some yield components average tuber weight, number of tubers and plant tuber yield were evaluated in the study. While the first significant decline in stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, and photosynthetic rate of both varieties was occurred at the 5th day of withholding irrigation, the highest decline was observed at 9th and 10th days of withholding irrigation. Proline content in both varieties increased two times at 10th day of withholding irrigation, however, H2O2 accumulation was not changed significantly by drought treatment. Even though MDA accumulation was increased in both varieties under drought stress conditions, the increase was significant in Desiree whereas, it was not significant in Russet Burbank. In addition, while drought treatment did not change the plant tuber yield in both varieties, it caused to a significant decline in average tuber yield of Russet Burbank, being an important trait for marketable tuber yield.

Copra meal (CM) is an important feed ingredient and the by-product of the oil extraction from dried coconut kernels. This product, although copra meal has a moderate protein content (15-25%); because of a high cellulose content (11.63-16.00%) and some limiting amino acids (particularly lysine and methionine), limits its use as a basic source of protein in poultry due to insufficient. Copra meals are more suitable common supplements as both an energy and protein source for ruminants. In this paper, nutritional researches performed with the copra meal usage on poultry and ruminant species have been reviewed.

This study was carried out to determine the effects of storage duration on nutrient composition and silage quality parameters. Corn was used as silage material. Corn (31.41% dry matter) was harvested at the dough stage and fermented for 90, 104, 118, 132, 146, 160, 174, 188 and 202 days in three trench silos. The samples were brought to laboratory every 14 days. This process was repeated 9 times. After the 132th day, whereas silage crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), ash and crude fiber (CF) contents decreased, nitrogen free extract (NFE) content increased. Lactic acid concentration of corn silage increased until the 118th day but decreased between the 118th and the 160th days. On the contrary, of decrease in LA concentration, acetic acid concentration increased depending on storage time. Ammonia nitrogen and CO2 concentration of silage increased decreased with progressing time. Storage time had significant influence on Flieg scores. The lowest score was found between days the 104th-118th. In this research, it was observed that there was a change in silage nutrient contents and fermentation characteristics with increasing storage time.

Non-dairy probiotic functional foods are receiving considerable interest recently owing to the inability to cause allergy in certain segments of the population. Studies on probiotication were carried out to determine the suitability of kunun-zaki as food matrix for production of probiotic beverage using single and mixed culture of Pediococcus acidilactici KU7, Pediococcus pentosaceus CREC5 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. Probioticated and un-probioticated kunun-zaki samples were designated PKZ and UPKZ, respectively. There was a significant difference in the viable count during storage. Viable counts of the LAB strains decreased with increasing storage time with P. acidilactici KU7 having the highest viability at the beginning and end of storage (3.43 ± 0.06 and 0.93± 0.12 x108 cfu/ml). There was a decrease in pH of the PKZ samples within the 1st and 3rd week with corresponding increase in lactic acid production (71.16 ± 0.01 – 441.39 ± 0.01). Marked increase in pH and a decline in lactic acid were observed at the 4th week of storage in all samples. Total soluble solids content of the beverage was observed to decrease with increasing storage time ranging from 8.25 ± 0.01-4.97± 0.01. There was no significant difference in pH and total soluble solids of UPKZ and colour of the PKZ and UPKZ samples during storage. All the PKZ samples were able to inhibit the growth of selected pathogens with marked variability amongst the samples. The UPKZ sample also showed slight inhibitory activity. The samples showed a decline in proximate and mineral composition at the end of storage. Sensory evaluation showed the PKZ samples were preferred over the UPKZ samples. This study shows that probioticated kunun-zaki can serve as a suitable non-dairy alternative to dairy probiotic formulations and would be of health benefits to potential consumers.

The objectives of this study were to determine the saline concentration and moromi’s fermentation duration of Koro Benguk salty soy sauce at best organolepticly and determine consumers’ preferences towards Koro Benguk salty soy sauce from the best treatment results. The study was conducted using a randomized design method using two factors: the saline concentration (17%; 20%; and 23%) and duration of moromi’s fermentation (2; 3; and 4 weeks). The best treatment results based on the Friedman test was on the saline concentration of 17% and moromi’s fermentation duration was 4 weeks, with the NP value of 1,000; had a preference color level of 5:40 (liked); aroma of 4.30 (rather liked); flavor of 4.55 (rather liked); and viscosity of 5.05 (liked). The obtained protein was 7.14%; and dissolved solids of 27obrix. Consumers’ preferences towards the best treatment showed that product of Koro Benguk salty soy sauce was acceptable to consumers.

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria are colonized bacterial species that has the capability to improve plant growth by certain direct and indirect means. Environmental factors including both biotic and abiotic stresses are among the major constraints to crop production. In the current study, the effectiveness of microbial inoculation (Bacillus megaterium) for enhancing growth of tomato plants under salt stress conditions has been investigated. Significant improvement in shoot length, root length, leaf surface area, number of leaves, total weight of the shoot and root was observed in tomato plants inoculated with zm7 strain post 15 and 30 days of its application. Zm3, Zm4 and Zm6 strains improved the morphological parameters as compared to the control. Chlorophyll content a, chlorophyll content b, anthocyanin and carotenoid content was increased in tomato plants subjected to Zm7, Zm6 and Zm4 strains. Stress responsive genes; metallothionein and glutothion gene were found highly expressed in Zm7 treated tomato plants as compared to control, untreated plants. Significant correlation of anthocyanin was reported for carotenoids, chlorophyll-b, shoot weight and total weight of seedling while carotenoids were significantly correlated with leaf surface area, root length, chlorophyll-b and anthocyanin. Overall, Zm7 strain proved best for improvement in salt stressed plant’s morphological parameters and biochemical parameters as compared to control, untreated plants.