In Sub-Saharan Africa, especially, in Côte d’Ivoire, the wild edible mushroom Termitomyces heimii Natarajan is the most prized and widely consumed for different reasons such as taste, flavour, attractiveness, uses as substitutes for meat or fish and medicinal values. The present study was aimed at evaluating the proximate composition and functional properties of T. heimii flour for further food products formulation. Fresh mushroom T. heimii were obtained from the market of Aboisso (5° 28′ 06″ N and3° 12′ 25″ W) in Côte d’Ivoire. The fresh mushrooms were dried and ground to obtain the crude flour. Chemical composition and functional properties were investigated using standard methods. The chemical composition revealed that it contains crude protein about 23.75%, crude fat 3.58%, moisture 11.59 %, ash 7.40%, total carbohydrate 54.70% and energy value of 345.90 kcal/ 100 g. These results suggest that T. heimii can be used in human diet to prevent undernourishment due to protein. Furthermore, the low fat content suggest that it would be an ideal food for obese persons and useful in preventing hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. The functional properties showed that it has high bulk density and water absorption capacity with values of 0.737 g/mL and 315.15 ± 45.74% respectively. This flour exhibited also good foaming properties. All these characteristics make it suitable as good thickeners in food products, useful in foods such as bakery products which require hydration and attractive for products like cakes or whipping topping where foaming is important. The mushroom T. heimii could be utilized for making some low-fat foodstuffs and snacks with considerable protein content. The mushroom flour shows good functional characteristics for use in many food industries.

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.

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 purpose of the study is to compare Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems (AKIS) for adopters and non-adopters of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in the Bafra district of Samsun, Turkey. The main materials of this study are the data obtained from a survey and interview with adopters and non-adopters of GAPs in Bafra district. The research data were collected from 77 farmers contained both adopters and non-adopters of GAPs. Statistical analysis, such as Chi-square and t-test was used. The study results presented the socio-economic characteristics of farmers. There was a significant difference between adopters and non-adopters of GAPs, according to household size, organizational membership, farm size, livestock and crop production. Meanwhile, the information sources such as a district agricultural manager/personnel, adviser of the farmers’ union association (GAPs) and pesticide/fertilizer dealers were preferred the main sources of agricultural information for adopters of GAPs. However, it recommended that information sources like research institute, university and cooperatives needs to be improved by strengthening their way of information dissemination. In terms of usefulness of AKIS for this study, it seems that this system was insufficient to analyze this study. Even though the functions of this system are essent ial elements, they are insufficient for establishing a network of complex innovation-oriented institutional arrangements. In the future, this study suggests to analyze GAPs it needs to use Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) approach, because this system have many interaction networks that can facilitate the researchers to reach the innovation easily to the intended farmers.

Binary logit regression model of econometrics was used to identify the factors affecting adoption of recommended agricultural technology by the commercial farmers of Nepal. A survey was carried out in 2012 in 120 households from Kavre district, Nepal. The objective was to appraise factors affecting adoption of recommended technology of cauliflower, finding out the level of adoption, identifying the constraints of cauliflower cultivation, assessing the perceived level of satisfaction and studying the relationship of certain selected variables on the adoption. Education, Occupation, contact with Personal Localite sources of information, Group membership and Experience were the most influencing factors for adoption of recommended technology. Though, other factors were not strong enough to contribute significantly but indirectly influence the adoption decision of farmers as combined effects. Occupation was found as negatively associated. Landholding size was strongly and positively influencing among the non significant factors. The level of satisfaction and the constraints of cauliflower production were also identified. Transfer of technology will be effective if and only if the client adopts the technology. For an effective transfer of technology, it is better to go for activities for the welfare of the socioeconomic factors of the farmers.

The effect of different processing stages- defatting, solubilization, isoelectric precipitation, neutralisation and lyophilisation on the total phenolic content and protein content of Carica papaya (pawpaw) seeds (CPS) full-fat flour (CFF), defatted flour (CDF), protein concentrates (CPC) and protein isolates (CPI) was studied. The folin-ciocalteu procedure was used to assess the total phenolic concentrations of the Carica papaya products and results were expressed as gallic acid equivalent (GAE). Optimal protein content was estimated at pH 10 for all samples. Higher levels of polyphenols were extracted using water-methanol (20/80) mixture compared to 100% methanol. Total phenolic content (TPC) was demonstrated in a trend of CDF > CPC > CFF > CPI with CDF having the highest TPC. The finding suggested a more economical protein isolate production method. The study concludes that the processing of CPS into the various products (CFF, CDF, CPC & CPI) improves its protein and polyphenol content.

This study analyses the consciousness levels, attitudes and behaviours of farmers against stubble burning and the damages of stubble burning which is a part of land misuse. 86 farmers from 9 villages in Zile county of Tokat province were surveyed for the study. These data was used to state farmers' socio-demographical characteristics and their behaviours against stubble burning was analysed. According to the study results, 99% of the farmers says that stubble burning is a wrong application. They states that stubble burning causes natural damages and the most importantly it is harmful by 76% to the living creatures in the nature. 57% of them prefers the method of mixing stubble to the soil.

Two plant growth regulators: β-NOA (50 and 80 ppm) and GA (200 and 250 ppm) were applied to emasculated flowers at anthesis to set parthenocarpic fruit, while in the control treatment fruit set was achieved by natural pollination. The application of β-NOA found ineffective in setting parthenocarpic guava. No significant differences were observed in the length and diameter of fruit between parthenocarpic and naturally pollinated seeded fruit at different days after anthesis. The mean fruit weight, TSS and ascorbic acid content of parthenocarpic fruit were similar to that of seeded fruit. Significant higher amount of total polyphenol was detected in the seeded fruit than the parthenocarpic fruit. Although 200 ppm GA showed comparatively better response to fruit growth, TSS and ascorbic acid content than 250 ppm GA but not in a statistical level.

Antioxidants are naturally occurring substances that combat oxidative damage in biological entities. An antioxidant achieves this by slowing or preventing the oxidation process that can damage cells in the body. It does this by getting oxidized itself in place of the cells. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of aqueous and 95% methanol leaf extracts of four herbs viz. Trigonella foenum-graecum L, Murraya koenigii, Coriandrum sativum and Centella asiatica which have frequent use in Indian cuisine. Both aqueous and 95% methanol leaf extracts have shown significant amount reducing power. Both aqueous and 95% methanol leaf extracts of Coriandrum sativum had significant DPPH radical scavenging activity with IC50 value of 0.21± 0.3 mg/L and 0.176 ± 0.008 mg/L respectively. The aqueous leaf extract of Trigonella foenum-graecum L showed low scavenging activity. Among all the leaf extracts, the aqueous leaf extract of Centella asiatica has exhibited significantly high NO radical scavenging activity (80%) with IC50 value of 0.11 ± 0.17 mg/L. The aqueous leaf extracts of the samples have showed significantly high superoxide radical scavenging activity. The activity was maximum for the aqueous leaf extract of Centella asiatica, IC50 value is 4.36 ± 0.41 mg/L. anti lipid peroxide activities were very high ( 90 %) for aqueous leaf extracts of Coriandrum sativum (IC50 = 0.064 ± 0.85 mg/L) and Centella asiatica (IC50 = 0.066 ± 0.9mg/L) at a concentration of 0.16 mg/L. The aqueous leaf extracts of the samples were found to contain large amounts of flavonoids and phenolic compounds and exhibited high antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities. These in vitro assays indicate that these plant extracts are significant source of natural antioxidants which might be helpful in preventing the progress of various oxidative stresses.

This experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of variant doses of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) essential oils (REO), vitamin E (α‐tocopheryl acetate) and antibiotic (chlortetracyclin) on the concentration of vitamin E, fatty acid composition, cholesterol levels in the yolk. In this experiment, 32 weeks old Bovans genotype and 240 white laying hens were randomly separated to six treatment groups with five replicas. While the control group was fed with basal diet the treatment groups were supplemented with 500 mg/kg antibiotics; 200 mg/kg vitamin E; 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg REO to basal diet for 90 consecutive days. The results showed that addition of antibiotics, vitamin E and REO to the diet had no effects on egg cholesterol, while fatty acid composition and vitamin E contents of the yolk were significantly affected. Addition of 100 mg/kg REO to the diet increased total mono unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) by increasing oleic acid level but decreased Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) by decreasing linoleic acid content of the yolk. Addition of 200 mg/kg vitamin E to the diet significantly increased vitamin E content of egg. The study showed that the changes in yolk fatty acid composition and vitamin E content due to the feed additives, could affect positively in chemical composition of eggs. In conclusion, 100 mg/kg REO and 200 mg/kg vitamin E supplementation to the diet might cause high antioxidant capacity and could help to produce eggs that were more resistant to lipid oxidation.