Marketing information enhances farmer’s decision to increase production and productivity of agricultural commodities. This paper examines farmers’ perspectives on agricultural marketing information in developing countries, with a case study focusing on three districts in Tanzania. Data were obtained from a survey conducted on 291 maize farmers in the three districts namely Arusha (103 farmers), Njombe (100 farmers) and Kongwa (88 farmers), selected from three regions in Tanzania Mainland. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the percentage distributions of the farmers based on socio-economic characteristics and Likert scale ratings of the farmers’ levels of agreement with the debriefing questions constructed to evaluate their perceptions. The analysis of the socio-economic variables of the farmers suggests male dominance in maize farming, predominant youthful farming demographics, predominantly large household Size, and predominance of low-level educational backgrounds among maize farmers in the study areas. The results of the socio-economic characteristics underscore the importance of targeted policies to support maize farmers, focusing on education, youth engagement, and household resource management. The overall result of farmers’ perceptions of agricultural marketing information indicates a widespread agreement across districts highlighting the shared challenges and priorities among maize farmers in Tanzania, particularly indicating that farmers recognize the benefits of agricultural services and understand the importance of communication infrastructure for economic development. The study thus, recommends establishment of local marketing information centers to reduce costs and time associated with gathering market information, enhancement of digital literacy to train farmers, and collaboration with critical stakeholders; such as government, private sector, and non-profits organizations to fund and sustain marketing information infrastructure for farmers. Investments in communication and marketing infrastructure will bridge information gaps, enhance market access, and ultimately drive economic development among maize farmers. This structured approach will not only improve maize farmers’ productivity but also contribute to broader rural development goals.

Bu çalışmada ülkemiz ve dünya genelinde uzun yıllardır yaygın bir şekilde tüketilen erişteye belirli oranlarda ve farklı formlarda ilave edilen çörek otu, kekik ve zerdeçalın, eriştenin bazı kalite özelliklerine etkileri araştırılmıştır. Üretimde kullanılan tane çörek otu, toz çörek otu, yaprak kekik ve toz kekik formülasyona %1, %2, %3 ve %4 (ağırlıkça); zerdeçal ise %0,5, %1, %1,5 ve %2 (ağırlıkça) oranında ilave edilmiştir. Baharatların ilavesi ile üretilen eriştelerin nem içeriklerinin genel olarak azaldığı, % kül içeriklerinin tane ve toz kekik içeren eriştelerde, % protein içeriklerinin ise tane ve toz çörek otu içeren eriştelerde artış gösterdiği tespit edilmiştir. Eriştelerin renk değerleri (L*, a*, b*) baharat ilavesine bağlı olarak değişiklik göstermiştir. Erişte formülasyonuna ilave edilen baharatlar L* değerlerini düşürerek eriştelerin parlaklığını azaltmış ve özellikle zerdeçalın yüksek a* ve b* değerinden dolayı daha sarı renkli erişteler elde edilmiştir. Erişteye artan oranlarda baharat ilave edilmesi ile optimum pişme süresi (dk), su absorpsiyonu (%) ve hacim artışının (%) kontrol eriştesine göre azaldığı, pişme kaybının (%) ise arttığı belirlenmiştir. Genel kabul edilebilirlik açısından kontrol eriştesi duyusal analizlerde en yüksek puanı almıştır. Erişteye katılan baharatların ilave oranı arttıkça, duyusal ve pişme özellikleri olumsuz yönde etkilenmiştir. Bu sebeple eriştenin çalışmada değerlendirilen özellikleri bozulmadan, kabul edilebilir bir şekilde bu baharatlarla zenginleştirilebilmesi için en fazla %2 oranında çörek otu ve kekik; %0,5 oranına kadar zerdeçalın başarı ile kullanılabileceği sonucuna varılmıştır.

This study analysed fisherfolk’s poverty and food insecurity status in the coastal region of Nigeria. Data from 420 artisanal fisherfolk, selected through a multistage sampling procedure, were analysed using descriptive statistics, a multidimensional poverty index approach, a household food insecurity access scale, and Seemingly unrelated regression equation (SURE). Findings from the study showed that about 62% of the respondents lived in households with malnourished individuals, no clean water, no electricity, no education, a dirty floor, inadequate infrastructure, and poor healthcare services. Infrastructure such as markets and road networks had the highest contribution to the poverty intensity with education having the least contribution in the study area. The results revealed that artisanal fisherfolk who are non-poor are more food secure than those who are poor. Also, estimates from SURE show that household size, daily income, and owning a house significantly influenced household food insecurity level, while multidimensional poverty level was significantly influenced by age, education experience, daily income, owning a house, and credit constraint. It is, therefore, recommended that initiatives that address poverty and food insecurity issue among the artisanal fisherfolk in the coastal region of Nigeria should be given utmost priority because of the contribution of the sub-sector to the economy. Also, artisanal fisherfolk are encouraged to diversify their means of livelihood in order to reduce their level of poverty.

Çevre dostu ürünler ve sürdürülebilirlik konuları, son yıllarda tüketicilerin giderek daha fazla ilgisini çekmekte ve çevresel etkileri azaltmaya yönelik tercihler giderek artmaktadır. Tüketiciler, çevre dostu ürünler tercih ederek doğaya olumlu etkilerde bulunmayı ve sürdürülebilir tüketim alışkanlıkları kazanmayı hedeflemektedirler. Yeşil ürünler, çevre üzerindeki olumsuz etkileri azaltmayı amaçlayan, sürdürülebilir üretim süreçleriyle üretilen ve çevreye duyarlı olan ürünlerdir. Yeşil ürünler, çevre dostu özelliklere sahip oldukları iddiasıyla pazara sunulurken, bazen bu iddialar yanıltıcı olabilmektedir. Buda yeşil yıkama algısını ortaya çıkarmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, yeşil yıkama (greenwashing) ve yeşil kafa karışıklığı (green confusion) kavramlarının, tüketicilerin yeşil ürün satın alma niyetleri üzerindeki etkilerini incelemektedir. Anketler 384 kişiye Google forms aracılığı ile yapılmıştır. Saha araştırmasında toplanan veriler, öncelikle analiz için uygunluklarını değerlendirmek amacıyla çeşitli kontrollerden (normallik testi ve Cronbach Alfa testi) geçirilmiş, sonrasında ise Açıklayıcı Faktör Analizi, korelasyon ve çoklu Regresyon Analizi ile test edilmiştir. Araştırma sonucunda, yeşil yıkama algısı ve yeşil kafa karışıklığının satın alma niyetini etkilediği tespit edilmiştir.

The COVID-19 pandemic has notably reshaped consumer perceptions of food safety, with lasting effects on food purchasing and consumption behaviors. This study examines Turkish consumers’ perceptions of food safety risks during and after the pandemic, aiming to contribute to both national and international literature on the topic. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between April and July 2023 in seven major Turkish cities (Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Trabzon, Adana, Van, and Gaziantep), with 1,016 respondents participating. The survey explored various socio-demographic factors influencing food safety risk perception using an ordered probit model. The results reveal that 86% of respondents consider food produced and sold in Türkiye risky, with 20.4% rating it as critically unsafe. Key factors influencing risk perception include concerns about open market sales, food additives, food labeling accuracy, and vendor hygiene practices. Additionally, socio-demographic characteristics such as marital status, age, education level, and household size significantly impact risk perception. Married individuals, older adults, and those with higher education levels tend to have heightened food safety concerns. These findings highlight the importance of targeted food safety education and policies that address diverse consumer profiles. The study provides insights for enhancing food safety strategies and fostering consumer confidence, especially during and after health crises.

Bu çalışmada, Denizli ili Tavas ilçesinde doğal olarak yetişen 38 badem genotipinin pomolojik ve kolorimetrik özellikleri incelenmiştir. İncelenen genotiplerde meyve ağırlığı 3,00-6,87 g, iç ağırlığı 0,26-1,98 g ve iç oranı %13,26-43,30 arasında değişim göstermiştir. Meyve boyutları açısından en yüksek varyasyon katsayısı uzunlukta (%18,70), en düşük ise kalınlıkta (%7,55) belirlenmiştir. Renk parametrelerinde L* değeri 36,51-55,90, a* değeri 10,11-15,23, b* değeri 26,16-39,93 arasında değişmiştir. Hiyerarşik kümeleme analizinde genotipler iki ana küme altında gruplandırılmış olup, genetik mesafe 1,21-10,05 arasında değişmiştir. Temel bileşenler analizinde (PCA) ilk beş bileşen toplam varyasyonun %68,84’ünü açıklamıştır. PC1 eksenine en yüksek katkıyı b* (0,433), meyve uzunluğu (0,389) ve iç uzunluğu (0,375) sağlarken, PC2 eksenine en yüksek katkıyı Chroma (0,429) ve iç genişliği (0,200) sağlamıştır. Çalışma sonucunda, incelenen popülasyonun önemli düzeyde genetik çeşitlilik gösterdiği ve özellikle 1, 5, 9 ve 17 numaralı genotiplerin ıslah çalışmaları için değerli genetik kaynaklar olabileceği belirlenmiştir.

The existing practice of using excessive mineral fertilizers for maize production not only degrades the soil quality but also poses a threat to the overall ecosystem. Thus, in our research, we attempt to investigate the influence of biofertilizers on yield and yield attributing traits of maize, as a better, alternative, cheaper, eco-friendly, and sustainable solution. A two-factorial field experiment (RCBD) was carried out in Gaindakot, Ward No. 8, Nawalpur district, to assess the effect of Azotobacter in association with other fertilizers on the growth and yield of different maize varieties. The experiment consisted of 15 treatments (3 maize varieties and 5 different nutrient sources) with 3 replications. The three maize varieties used were Local Pahelo, Rampur Composite, and Rampur Hybrid-14, while the nutrient sources included Control, Farmyard Manure (FYM) only, Azotobacter-inoculated seeds, Azotobacter + FYM, and Azotobacter + chemical fertilizers (NPK). The results obtained revealed that the optimum performance was observed in Rampur Hybrid-14 with the nutrient source being Azotobacter inoculation in combination with FYM, resulting in a Leaf Area Index (LAI) of 0.39, 15 leaves, a grain yield of 8.41 tons per hectare, dry stover weight of 0.964 kg per meter square and a root length of 32.33 cm. The results demonstrated that the use of Azotobacter in combination with FYM in the Rampur Hybrid-14 variety could result in higher yields in commercial maize production, reducing the need for excessive mineral fertilizers.

This study investigated the impact of various drying techniques and ultrasound pretreatments on the drying kinetics, rehydration properties, energy efficiency, and quality parameters of apple slices. Apples were dried using hot-air drying at 55 °C and 65 °C, and intermittent microwave drying at 240 W and 400 W. US pretreatment was applied at acoustic densities of 60 and 80 W L⁻¹ prior to hot-air drying to assess its effect on mass transfer and quality. The drying behavior was modeled using both thin-layer mathematical models and artificial neural networks. Results revealed that US pretreatment significantly enhanced the drying rate and reduced drying time and energy consumption, particularly at higher acoustic density and temperature, while intermittent microwave drying achieved the shortest drying durations and lowest energy consumption. Among the models, the Midilli and Kucuk model best described the thin-layer drying data, although ANN models provided superior predictive performance across most conditions. Rehydration ratio was positively influenced by US pretreatment at lower temperatures but was adversely affected at higher temperatures and higher microwave power levels due to structural damage. Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were preserved or enhanced by microwave drying, whereas US pretreatment showed no clear benefit and, in some cases, led to degradation, likely due to prolonged sonication and water immersion. Color values showed minimal undesirable changes with US pretreatment, and higher L* values (lightness) were retained in most cases. a* and b* values increased after drying processes. Principal component analysis (PCA) effectively differentiated treatment groups based on all measured parameters. US pretreated and unpretreated samples are positioned in the same place, while intermittent microwave dried and fresh samples are in a different plane. In conclusion, US pretreatment and microwave drying are promising technologies for improving drying efficiency and maintaining quality in dried apple products.

Mitochondrial genomes are key targets in controlling fungal plant pathogens and mediate adaptive responses like fungicide resistance. Respiratory inhibitor fungicides (RIs) are widely used against many fungal pathogens, including Monilia fructi cola and M. lax, which are casual agents of brown rot of stone fruits worldwide. Although resistance to RIs has been reported in these species, the genetic basis is not fully elucidated. and is hypothesized to involve mitochondrial genome variations. To explore this, mitogenomic variations was comprehensively analysed to assess the resistance responses of two Monilia species to three RIs, including two technical grade fungicides (bosclid and azoxystrobin) and, a commercial one (signum). Whole mitogenome data from sixteen isolates of two species with different resistance/susceptibility phenotypes were analysed for certain gene mutations, mitochondrial variants, heteroplasmy, and sequence kernel associations. The results indicated that commonly known mutations and low levels of heteroplasmy do not fully explain resistance. In Monilinia fructicola, the presence of multiple variants appears to contribute to resistance, however, no variant patterns corresponded significantly with resistance phenotype in M. laxa. Providing a broad perspective, this study serves as a valuable model and supports the potential of mitogenome-focused RI resistance research. These insights contribute to a better understanding of specific resistance responses, thereby supporting the development of more effective pathogen control strategies.

Microgreens have become popular due to the positive health and high nutritional value effects of the bioactive compounds they contain. This study aimed to determine the total phenolic, flavonoid and antioxidant contents of red radish and parsley microgreens and to evaluate their anticancer effects in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells (CLL). After methanolic extraction of microgreens, DPPH, radical scavenging activity and total polyphenol and flavonoid content were analyzed spectrophotometrically. The effects of microgreens on MEC-1 and HG-3 CLL cell lines were determined by MTT method. The methanolic total flavonoid content of red radish and parsley microgreens were 2,562 mg/g RE and 1,306 mg/g RE, respectively; total polyphenol contents were 4,133 mg/g GAE and 1,851 mg/g GAE, respectively; DPPH radical scavenging activity were 701,423 µg/g GAE and 625,717 µg/g GAE, respectively. The IC50 concentrations were found 70 mg/ml and 75 mg/ml for parsley microgreen for MEC-1 and HG-3 cell lines, respectively; 65 mg/ml for red radish microgreen for MEC-1 cells, while more cell proliferation was observed at the doses applied for HG-3 cells. Higher antioxidant content was found in microgreen radish than in parsley. Methanolic microgreen extracts significantly reduced cell proliferation in CLL cell cultures at varying levels. Of interest in terms of potential antitumor effects, microgreen radish extracts, which are rich in polyphenol content, showed a proliferative effect on wild-type CLL cells. In conclusion, this study is important in terms of revealing the activities of various microgreens, particularly radish and parsley microgreens, and detailing their benefits on human health.