Microwave (MW)-hot air (HA) combined drying was applied to white sweet cherries besides solely HA drying at 50, 60 and 70°C in the presence of citric acid, sucrose and freezing pretreatment in this study. Single power level of MW (90 W) was chosen, and drying behavior of all samples was modelled by using eleven thin layer equations. Two-term, rational and sigmoid models were the most suitable models for describing drying phenomena. Effective moisture diffusivities (Deff) ranged from 1.724×10-10 to 5.173×10-10 m2/s in HA drying and from 4.260×10-10 to 1.805×10-9 m2/s in MW-HA drying. Activation energies (Ea) were between 2.785 and 30.541 kJ/mol and 6.929 and 42.101 kJ/mol for HA and MW-HA drying techniques, respectively. Total color change (ΔE) levels of the outer surface of dried cherries were generally higher than the ones of inner surface. Freezing pretreatment had a comparably lower enhancing effect on the total phenolic content (TPC) of HA dried white sweet cherries compared to fresh sample. The TPC of freezing pretreated and HA dried at 50°C and HA dried at 70°C control samples were 1.481 ± 0.398 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dry matter (DM) and 6.181 ± 0.012 mg GAE/g DM as the minimum and maximum, respectively. These values were determined as 4.183 ± 1.728 and 8.240 ± 0.502 mg GAE/g DM that were belonged to MW-HA dried at 50°C control and freezing pretreated MW-HA dried at 70°C samples in combined procedure, respectively.

Ethiopia has enormous potential for wheat production, yet it remains a net wheat importer. This paper aims to examine the efficiency of wheat production in Debra Libanos district, Ethiopia. Two stages sampling technique was used to randomly select 150 farmers for the study. A stochastic production frontier and two-limit Tobit estimator was utilized in the study. The study reveals that technical (78.5 %,), allocative (85.6%), and economic (66.7%) efficiencies. The yield gap was 5.13 quintal/ hectare showing a room to increase efficiencies. The study identified the determinants of wheat production efficiency in the area. Hence, to improve wheat production efficiencies strengthen extension services, improved technology utilization, and proper land ploughing. Besides, natural resource conservations that improve soil fertility should be the focus of the policymakers.

Many people in different parts of the world benefit from alternative medicine in the treatment and prevention of diseases. Plants are among the important natural materials used in alternative medicine. In this study, the antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of Datura stramonium L. was determined. Ethanol extracts of the plant's flower parts were obtained in the soxhlet device. The antioxidant and oxidant potential of the plant extract was determined using Rel Assay TAS and TOS kits. Antimicrobial activity was tested by the agar dilution method. The TAS value of the plant extract was 7.559±0.224 mmol/L, the TOS value was 10.711±0.243 μmol/L, and the OSI value was 0.142±0.002. It was determined that the plant extract was effective against bacteria and fungus strains at 100-400 μg/mL concentration. As a result, it was determined in our study that D. stramonium can be a natural antioxidant and antimicrobial source.

Spices and herbs are groups of vegetables with important properties for human health and food industries. They are generally consumed in cooked recipes and such treatment may affect the content of vital components such antioxidants. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of the cooking temperatures on total phenolics, flavonoids and vitamin C of some spices and herbs used in the locality of Bamenda, Cameroon. Briefly, the most consumed spices and herbs were selected through structured questionnaires administered to individuals involved in their consumption and selling. Thereafter, samples were collected and subjected to different boiling treatments and the levels of the antioxidants (flavonoids, phenols and vitamin C) were determined. Results showed that almost half the participants (48%) used Parsley, Basil, White pepper, Njansa, Mint and African nutmeg mainly for flavoring and medicinal purposes. The cooking temperature of 65°C increased total phenolics and flavonoids in spices (Mint, White pepper, Njangsa and African nutmeg) and herbs (Parsley, Basil) while higher heat treatments (75 and 85°C) lowered the content of these pytochemicals. Boiling of spices or herbs significantly and temperature dependently reduced the vitamin C content in all spice and herb samples with respect to the control raw samples. Summarily, the moderate boiling (65°C) treatment used by the local populations favors release of total phenolics and flavonoids though with some reducing effect on vitamin C.

Recent decades were characterized by genetic selection of broiler and layer chickens for enhanced growth rate and meat yield or intensified egg production, respectively. It is to be expected that genetic selection for various traits would also influence embryo development. The effects of different strains of chickens on egg weight, stage of blastoderm, variation of the blastoderm development and Pearson correlation between egg weight and stage of blastoderm at oviposition were studied in the current study. Hatching eggs were randomly collected from three layer chicken lines (Layer-1, Layer-2, and Layer-3) raised in Poultry Research Institute, and two broiler grandparent flocks (Female and Male) from Aviagen Anadolu. The age of all chicken lines was 36 week. A total of 30 eggs in each line were used, and egg weight and the blastoderm development of the embryos were determined at oviposition time. At the end of the research, significant difference in egg weights (P0.05). The mean stage of blastoderm development in male grandparent line eggs significantly lower than other four genetic lines (P

In this study carried out in 2015 under conditions of Kahramanmaraş province of Turkey, it was aimed at determining the effects of sawgin and rollergin methods on fiber quality in some cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivars. In the study varieties of Lydia, Carisma, PG 2018, Flash, BA 440, BA 119 Maraş-92 and Erşan-92 were used as experimental materials. The trial was established according to factorial randomized block design with four replications. Seed cottons obtained from the trial were ginned in the rollergin and sawgin machines. In the obtained lint cotton samples, a number of fiber characteristics were determined by using HVI and AFIS fiber analysis devices. Ginnig outturn (38.6%), fiber length (30.21 mm), uniformity index (86.02%), fiber strength (31.76 g tex-1), spinning consistency index (SCI) (104.68) determined by using rollergin system were found higher than ones determined by using sawgin system (respectivelly 37.2%, 29.78 mm, 84.61%, 30.97 g tex-1, 94.50). Short fiber index (3.47%) and nep count (59.40 number g-1) obtained from rollergin system were found lower than ones obtained from sawgin system (respectivelly 4.38% and 119.34 number g-1). As a result it can be said that the rollergin method has positive effect on ginnig outturn, fiber length, uniformity index, fiber strength, spinning consistency index, short fiber index and nep count. When fiber length, fiber strength, spinning consistency index, nep size are considered together the best variety was Lydia cv. (respectivelly 30.87 mm, 32.56 g tex-1, 104.25, 675.63 μm). Ginning outturn, uniformity index, short fiber index, total particule number, dust particule number and trash count are considered together the best variety was Erşan-92 cv. (respectivelly 39.4%, 86.02%, 3.48%, 231.4 number g-1, 206.3 number g-1, 25.13 number g-1). For fiber fineness the best varieties were BA 119 and Maraş-92 cv. (respectivelly 4.78 mic. and 4.80 mic.).

Vinegar is an aqueous food product made by a succession of yeast and acetic acid bacteria activities from fruits that contain high carbohydrates such as apples and grapes. Vinegar has been used as a dietary spice and natural remedy since ancient times due to its therapeutic properties including antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and anticancer activities. It has been shown that some bioactive compounds exhibiting antioxidant activity in vinegars lead to anticancer activity. The aim of the present study was to investigate antiproliferative effect of commercial and home-made apple vinegars in native and neutralized form on myeloma cells. In order to neutralize the vinegars, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was used. A serial two-fold dilutions of the vinegars (50%, 25%, 12.5%, 6.25%, 3.12%, 1.56%, 0.78%, 0.39%) prepared with cell medium were treated to the cells. The MTT (3-(4.5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2.5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide) assay was used to determine the cellular viability in the cells treated with the vinegars. In this study, while commercial vinegar possessed a stronger antiproliferative activity than home-made vinegar, all native vinegars possessed stronger antiproliferative effect than neutralized vinegars. Interestingly, when home-made vinegar (both native and neutralized) concentrations were from 6.25 to 1.56%, the cell viability increased. Apple vinegar exhibited antiproliferative activity on myeloma cells; however, further studies are required to clarify the mechanisms underlying this activity.

Tillage is an important factor affecting different soil properties and crop yields. Tillage relates to applying forces to soil using different implements for preparation of a proper seed bed. For rice crop, land preparation is a rigorous and time consuming operation that needs special attention for preparing a puddled soil condition to transplant the weak and tender rice seedlings. A field experiment was established under agro-ecological conditions of Sheikhupura to evaluate different land preparation techniques during fall in 2017 and 2018 years. The experiment was performed at Adaptive Research Farm Sheikhupura. It was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four different land preparation techniques including T1= Cultivator (4 times) + Planking (2 times) (Farmer’s Practice), T2=MB plough (1 time) + Disc Harrow (1 time) + Planking (2 Times), T3=MB plough (1 time) + Cultivator (2 times) + Planking (2 Times) and T4= Rotavator (1 time) + Disc Harrow (1 time) + Planking (2 Times), each treatment replicated thrice during both the years. All the other agronomic and crop husbandry operations were kept uniform throughout the growing season every year. The results revealed that preparing land with MB plough (1 time), Disc Harrow (1 time) and Planking (2 times) is the best land preparation method can increase the paddy yield 13.5-17.5% as compared to the traditional method practised by the farmers. Moreover, highest plant height (134.00 cm and 132.00 cm), number of tillers (224 and 220 m-2), number of grains per spike (130 and 116) and 1000-grain weight (23.0 and 22.0 g) respectively during Kharif-18 and Kharif-19 was also recorded in the same treatment. So, preparation of land for paddy in agro-ecological conditions of Sheikhupura using MB plough (1 time), Disc Harrow (1 time) and Planking (2 times) can significantly enhance the paddy yield.

American serpentine leafminer, Liriomyza trifolii, is a polyphagous insect pest that feeds on a wide range of vegetable and ornamental plants around the world. To develop an effective IPM program, information on the seasonal field distribution and population dynamics of leafminer and its parasitoids is very important. Therefore, seasonal abundances and spatial distributions of, L. trifolii on snap bean and squash were studied during four crop growing periods between 2013 to 2015 in Homestead, Florida. The mean numbers of mines, larvae, pupae, emerged adults, and parasitoids on snap bean were highest at 2 weeks after planting during all four growing periods. Whereas, the mean numbers of mines, larvae, pupae, emerged adults, and parasitoids on squash were highest at 3 weeks after planting during all four growing periods. L. trifolii distributions tended to be aggregated on snap bean at 2 weeks after planting during most of growing periods but had uniform distributions on squash at 2 weeks after planting during most of growing periods. Similar results were seen on the distribution of leafminer parasitoids on both bean and squash.

Şekerpancarı üretiminde verim ve kalite için azot (N) ve bor (B) gübrelemesi önemlidir. Fakat fazla azotlu (N) gübreler kalite parametreleri üzerinde olumsuz etkilere neden olmaktadır. Hayvan yemi olarak kullanılan şeker pancarı yapraklarında nitrat birikiminin artması da olumsuz etkilenen kalite parametrelerinden birisidir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, şeker pancarına farklı dozda azot ve bor uygulamasının bitki yapraklarında nitrat birikimi üzerine etkisini incelemektir. Çalışma, Kahramanmaraş ili Elbistan İlçesinde 2017 yılında B içeriği 0,56 mg kg-1 olan bir arazide yürütülmüştür. Deneme tesadüf blokları faktöriyel deneme desenine göre 3 tekerrürlü olarak kurulmuştur. Denemede 5 farklı N dozu (0, 9,18, 27, 36 kg N da-1) ve 4 farklı B dozu (0, 200, 400, 600 g B da-1) uygulanmıştır. Araştırmada temmuz, ağustos, eylül ve ekim aylarında yaprak örnekleri alınmıştır. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre N dozu arttıkça yaprakların nitrat içeriği istatistiksel olarak önemli derecede artmıştır. Bor uygulamasının yaprakların nitrat içeriği üzerine etkisi önemli bulunmamıştır. Hasat dönemine doğru yaprakların nitrat içeriği istatistiksel olarak önemli düzeyde azalmıştır. Sonuç olarak hasat sonrası şekerpancarı yapraklarının hayvan yemi olarak kullanması, nitrat bakımından hayvanlar için bir risk oluşturmamaktadır.