This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of NK chemical fertilizers in combination with compost on the growth and yield attributes of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). The pot experiment was done in a complete randomized block design possessing eight treatments with four replicates. Fruit weight, pulp weight, seed weight, total soluble solid, leaf area and dry weights of plat parts were taken and fruit yield was calculated. All the collected data were subjected to statistical analysis. The results revealed that there were significant differences in fruit and seed weights, total soluble solid, pulp weight, 100 seed weight, pulp consistency, leaf area and crop residue. In these parameters, higher mean values were recorded in chemical fertilizers (7.5 g N + 6 g K2O + 15 g P2O5 per m2) with compost (2 kg per m2) than those in the chemical fertilizers applied alone (9.0 g N + 8 g K2O + 15 g P2O5 per m2as standard control). Total soluble solid and fruit yield were 5.73 obrix and 3.21 kg/m2 respectively in the chemical fertilizers with compost (7.5 g N + 6 g K2O + 15 g P2O5 +2 kg compost per m2) treated plants and these were statically on par with the standard control which gave 4.36 obrix total soluble solid and 3.05 kg/m2 fruit yield. The result could be concluded that application of chemical fertilizers (7.5 g N + 6 g K2O + 15 g P2O5 per m2) with compost (2 kg per m2) could increase the total soluble solid and fruit yield as well as reduce the usage of chemical fertilizers in tomato cultivation over the standard control in sandy regosol.

This study was conducted to determine the better hygienic behaviour determination method that is used in controlling against bee diseases and pests. Total forty honeybee colonies (Apis mellifera anatoliaca) were used and they were randomly divided into two groups (each group consists of twenty colonies) in first year. Liquid nitrogen method was used in the first group' colonies and pin-killing (needling process) method was used in the second group’ colonies to determine the effectiveness of methods for hygienic behaviour. Average clearance rate was found as 66.25% and 78.10% in the first (Liquid nitrogen application) and the second (pin-killing) groups respectively. In the second year, forty colonies were divided into five equal groups and each group consisted eight colonies. The first group consisted of 9 frames bees in standard langstroot hive (10 frame capacity), the second group consisted of 5 frames bees in standard langstroot hive (10 frame capacity), the third group consisted of 5 frames bees in ruşet hive (5 frame capacity), the forth group’s consisted of 3 frames bees in ruşet hive (5 frame capacity) and the fifty group consisted of queen mating hive. The pin-killing (needling process) method, tested in first year, was used for all groups to determine the effectiveness of colony population and the size of hive. Average clearance rates of the first, second, third, forth and fifth groups were 70.54%, 58.38%, 70.63%, 54.96% and 58.21% respectively. The colonies that belonged to the pin-killing (needling) group showed a higher cleaning behaviour rate than the other colonies. The density of bees in hive had an important effect on the clearance rate of colonies. The colonies of group 1 and group 3, which had the more density of bees in per unit area, had the higher clearance rate than the other groups.

Mantı, the traditional Turkish food, was subjected to modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) compositions of MAP 1 (80% CO2 + 20% N2), MAP 2 (40% CO2 + 60% N2), MAP 3 (60% CO2 + 40% N2) and control (packaged under atmospheric composition) to extend its refrigerated storage at 4°C. The physical, chemical and sensorial qualities of each package were assessed by analysing headspace gas composition, pH, water activity, 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA), dry matter, lipid content and a sensory analysis of both cooked and raw mantı samples. The compositions of MAP samples (MAP 1, MAP 2 and MAP 3) resulted in the maximum storage time of 126 days versus 20 days in normal atmospheric packaging (control). In conclusion, 60% CO2 or either 80% CO2 with N2, as a make-up gas, should be implemented in the mantı process.

In this study, radioactivity and heavy metals accumulations in Agaricus campestris mushroom collected from Kahramanmaraş and Erzurum provinces was determined. HPGe gamma detector was used for the determination of radioactivity concentrations. Heavy metal content was measured using a ICP-MS. As radioactive element; natural (238U, 232Th 40K) and artificial radionuclide (137Cs) concentrations were determined. The values of the committed effective dose were calculated. Same measurements were made in soils. Absorbed dose and excess lifetime cancer risk were calculated. Amount of Mg, Al, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd, Pb206, Pb207 and Pb208 as heavy metals of mushrooms were determined. 238U, 232Th, 40K activity concentrations of mushroom collected from Erzurum was determined as 12.1 ± 0.8, 11.7 ± 0.9, 497.7 ± 17.8 Bq/kg, respectively and 137Cs was not detected by system. 232Th and 40K activity concentrations of mushroom collected from Kahramanmaraş was determined as 13.4 ± 0.5, 134.9 ± 6.3 Bq/kg, respectively, 238U and 137Cs was not detected by system similarly. The value of the committed effective dose collected from Erzurum and Kahramanmaraş were calculated as 75 and 29 μSv respectively and these values were found lower than 290 μSv accepted as world average. Absorbed dose and risk of lifetime cancer for Erzurum was determined as 37.39 nGy/h, 16.5 x 10-5; absorbed dose and excess lifetime cancer risk for Kahramanmaraş was determined as 30.92 nGy/h, 13.3 x 10-5 respectively. Amount of daily intake for each heavy metal was calculated. Radionuclide activity concentrations and accumulations of heavy metal were not founded threaten level to healthy, except from arsenic As (0.025 and 0.039 mg/kg) in mushroom collected from both provinces. They were found a bit higher than upper limit (0.015 mg/kg) in report which is prepared World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) jointly.

In this study the heritability of body weights of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix Japanica) were estimated by using MINQUE (Minimum Quadratic Unbiased Estimation) methods. Firstly the variance components were estimated by using MINQUE method which were later estimated the heritability for weekly body weights. The estimation of heritability of body weights are following: for third week : 0.302±0.018; for fourth week: 0.70±0.15; for fifth week : 0.30±0.067

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 aim of the study is to evaluate all the factors determining the milk production and yield decisions with regard to the nutrition and feeding programs affecting the integrated management strategies on the success of the dairy farms with culture breed cattle under the pasture-based and indoor barn-based production systems. For these aims, data obtained from the individual interviews conducted at the dairy farms with 100 culture breed cattle were used for Principal Component and Multiple Regression Analyses. The results of the study highlighted that while there were linear positive relationships among liquid assets of farms value, concentrate feed and fodder intake of dairy cattle, milk sale price, forage crop support, additional feeding and their types at pasture and milk yields per dairy cattle at the dairy farms; there were inverse relationships among hay intake of dairy cattle, lactation period, pasture planning, culture breed cattle support and those. The farmers could increase the successes of the dairy farms by increasing the technical and economic effectiveness under the integrated management pattern approaches at those with culture breed cattle.

A survey of the occurrence of food pathogens like Salmonella, Listeria, Escherichia, Clostridium, Bacillus and Staphylococcus analyses were performed on 301 food samples from 8 different food categories such as dry legumes, milk products, meat products, fish, frozen foods, deserts, nuts and vegetables and fruits. Yeast and mold analyses were also performed on 364 food products from 9 main food categories such as dry legumes, milk products, meat products, seasonings, deserts, nuts, bee products, bakery products and dried fruits produced in Turkey. S. aureus and Salmonella were the most prevalent (1.33%) of the six isolated pathogens. The species Cl. perfringens, L. monocytogenes and B. cereus were detected with the ratios of 1.00%, 0.66% and 0.66%, respectively. Total yeast and molds occurrence were 1.65% and 9.06%, respectively. Pathogens were detected in cream cheese, spinach, strawberry and cod fish most prevalently, whereas dried fig, chilli pepper, hazelnut and bakery products were determined as foods prone to the growth of molds. The results of this study suggest that faecal contamination of water needs to be prevented, and the production and storage conditions of food materials should be improved. These findings have implications for the use of these surveillance data in developing evidence-based food policy.

The leaves of Cnidoscolus aurifolia were analysed for their chemical, antinutrients, proximate and mineral element compositions using standard procedures. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, terpenes and tannins while anthraquinones, glycosides and phlobatannins were absent. Proximate analysis indicated high protein content (59.45 ± 0.07%) with crude fibre and fat also present in appreciable quantities. Mineral elements determination showed the presence of calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Antinutrient analysis of the leaf extract of C. aurifolia indicated low levels of phytic acid and hydrocyanide well below the lethal doses. An unusually high oxalate level of 404.80 ± 0.11 mg/100 g (dry weight) was also obtained although still below toxic level. These results support the ethnomedicinal and nutritional uses of this plant and suggest that the consumption of leaves of C. aurifolia is not harmful nutritively.