Apple production is a vital sector of agriculture in Nepal, significantly impacting local livelihoods and the regional economy. This study, conducted in Jumla District, Nepal, from January to July 2022, aims to comprehensively assess apple production, including its existing conditions, economic implications, marketing and challenges. The research hypothesizes that while apple production in Jumla District contributes significantly to the local economy, it faces challenges related to pest and disease management, marketing, and adoption of modern practices. Using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), descriptive statistics were computed based on data collected from a sample of 80 respondents selected through simple random sampling. The result revealed that agriculture constituted the primary source of income for 73.75% of the population, with an average landholding size of 0.3428 ha and an apple-growing land area of 0.3164 ha. Income from apple production, along with vegetables and fruits, was a major income source. The average annual sales of apple production were 7.291 t/ha. Labor costs accounted for 45.67% of the total cost of apple production, with an average total production cost of NPR 238,097.2 and average gross returns of NPR 485,500. Apple productivity was 9.71 t/ha, demonstrating its economic viability with net returns of NPR 247,402.80 per ha and benefit cost ratio of 2.039. However, the study found that farm produce only sufficed for 6-9 months, with pest and disease incidence and marketing issues as major challenges. Interventions should address pest and disease management, marketing strategies, and modern practices adoption to enhance sustainable and profitable apple production in Jumla. Efforts to extend farm produce sufficiency should also be explored, highlighting apple production's potential and the need for targeted support to overcome challenges and foster sector development.

In this research, it is aimed to determine the factors affecting the innovation level of agricultural enterprises. Konya province was chosen as the research area because it is one of the important agricultural production centres in Türkiye. Stratified random sampling method was used within the scope of the study. A total of 268 agricultural enterprise owners were interviewed face to face and survey data were compiled. Multiple regression model was applied in the analysis of the factors affecting the perception of innovations by the operator. In this research, considering the characteristics of the data collected by the questionnaire, the linear regression model, which uses functional forms in regression models, was used. In the study, innovation index was taken as the dependent variable in the linear regression model. Independent variables were determined as education, experience, number of parcels, amount of land, active capital, amount of land, agricultural income, following innovations, receiving training on agricultural issues, participating in agricultural activities, following events related to agriculture on social media and cooperation with institutions. As a result of the model, a positive relationship was determined between education, experience, number of parcels, amount of land, active capital, amount of land, agricultural income, following innovations, receiving training on agriculture-related issues, participating in agriculture-related activities, following agriculture-related events on social media and cooperation with institutions and innovation index.

Araştırma Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi Bahçe Bitkileri Bölümü arazisinde, ‘Tokat-1’ Mürver genotipine uygulanan kontrol, PGPR bakterileri ve solucan gübresinin bitkisel özelliklerine etkilerinin belirlenmesi amacı ile yürütülmüştür. Uygulamalara göre, yazlık sürgün sayıları yaklaşık 14-20 adet/bitki olarak bulunmuş ve uygulamalar arasında istatistiki bir fark olmamıştır. Sürgün boyu en uzun, kontrol uygulamasından 89,39 cm, PGPR uygulamasına 86,48 cm ve solucan gübresi 77,03 cm olarak ölçülmüş ve uygulamalar arasındaki farklılık önemli bulunmuştur. Ağaç taç hacmi ortalaması 1,52-2,43 m3 olarak ölçülmüş ve en yüksek değer kontrol ve PGPR uygulamasından elde edilmiştir. Bitki gövde çapı ve yaprak alanı, uygulamalara göre değişmemiştir. Bitki kök sayısı (46-80 adet/bitki), kök çapı (7,88-10,45 mm) ve kök toplam kuru madde ağırlığına (%28,79-31,63) uygulamaların etkisi benzer bulunmuştur.

Post-modern toplum düzenini getirdiği yenilikler bireylerin yaşam tarzlarında ve alışkanlıklarında önemli değişimlere neden olmuş, bu değişimler gıda tercih ve tüketim alışkanlıklarında da gözlemlenmiştir. Günümüzde çoğu insan gıdaya erişimi artık sadece beslenme ihtiyacını karşılamaya yönelik bir çaba ile sınırlandırmayıp ondan psiko-sosyal ve ekonomik faydalar da beklemekte, beslenme alışkanlıklarına rasyonel, hedonik ve sembolik boyutlar eklemektedir.  Bu kapsamda yeme-içme faaliyetlerini evlerinin dışında gerçekleştiren bireylerin sayısında sürekli bir artış söz konusudur. Bu araştırmada ev dışı gıda tüketimini (EDGT) etkileyen gıda odaklı faktörler ve sosyo-demografik özelliklerin etkisi araştırılmıştır. Bu kapsamda Türkiye’nin 7 bölgesinin en büyük şehirlerinde 1016 tüketici ile yüz yüze anket çalışması gerçekleştirilmiş elde edilen veriler tanımlayıcı istatistikler ve sıralı probit regresyon modeli kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Buna göre gıda tercihlerini etkileyen faktörler arasında başkaları tarafından da tüketilen gıdaların ev dışı gıda tüketim sıklığı ile pozitif, besin içeriği ve yerel markaları tercih etme ile ise negatif ilişki durumu söz konusudur. Gıda tüketim desenlerinden fast-food tüketimi, sokak yemeği tercihi ve abur-cubur tüketimi ile EDGT sıklığı arasında pozitif, bitkisel temelli beslenme tercihiyle ise negatif bir ilişki bulunmuştur. Ayrıca sosyo-demografik özelliklerden cinsiyet, medeni durum, yaş, gelir ve eğitim de bireylerin EDGT’lerini etkilemektedir.

Yapılan bu çalışmada ısıl işleme alternatif termosonikasyon (TS) yöntemi ile taze elma suyu farklı genlik (%60, 80, 100), sıcaklık (40, 50, 60 ve 70°C) ve sürelerde (5, 10, 15, 20, 25 ve 30 dakika) pastörize edilmiştir. Bu yöntemin elma suyunda bulunan polifenoloksidaz (PPO) ile peroksidaz (POD) ile fenolik bileşiklere etkisi araştırılmıştır. Fenolik bileşikler HPLC ve FTIR spektroskopisi kullanılarak belirlenmiştir. İnaktivasyon sonuçlarına bakıldığında elma suyunda %100 genlikte, 70°C sıcaklıkta 15 dakika işlem sonunda PPO enziminin %99’u inaktif olurken, aynı koşullarda POD enziminin %94,5’i inaktif olmuştur. %80 genlik, 60°C sıcaklık ve 15 dakika toplam fenolik madde ve antioksidan aktivitenin en iyi korunduğu işlem parametreleri olarak belirlenmiştir. HPLC ile belirlenen fenolik bileşikler; kateşin, epikateşin, klorojenik asit, kafeik asit ve kamferoldur. FTIR spektrumlarına bakıldığında fenolik bileşiklerde önemli bir değişiklik olmadığı belirlenmiştir. Aynı zamanda HPLC ve FTIR ile belirlenen fenolik bileşiklerin benzer olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Termosonikasyon elma sularının işlenmesinde enzimlerin inaktivasyonu ve biyoaktif bileşiklerin korunmasında umut verici bir yöntem olarak önerilebilmektedir.

In this study, it was to identify a method for separating the free bulgur bran from the fine bulgur during the production of bulgur. This was attempted by creating an electrostatic field using a PVC surface. It was observed that the issue of free bran, which adversely affects the packaged products visually, was effectively solved by this method. In contrast to conventional techniques, an alternative methodology was employed which utilizing a device comprising a folded PVC surface (folded curved channel). The configuration of the experimental apparatus was developed with dimensions of 4, 5 and 6 cm in width, 20, 40 and 60 cm in length, and angles of 30, 35 and 40 degrees, respectively. At the end of the PVC surface, plates were placed to create an electric field. In order to create the electric field, one of the plates was charged with a positive and the other with a negative charge. The distance between the plates was varied according to the width of the tunnel. The expected results were obtained in the layered PVC system. Consequently, a fine bulgur mixture consisting of 5 g of bran per 1000 g of bulgur was introduced into the experimental system at a flow rate of 0.89 g/s. This resulted in a notable reduction in the free bran content, which decreased from 5 g to approximately 2 g.

Agricultural landscapes contribute positively to the visual texture of the city and change over time. In this context, this study aims to determine the visual landscape quality of agricultural landscapes based on parameters on expert approach the hypothesis; it is important and necessary to determine the visual landscape values based on the change in agricultural landscapes over time. Within the framework of the developed hypothesis, it aims to make an expert-based visual landscape assessment of the agricultural landscapes of Tekirdağ Province, located in the northwestern part of Türkiye, based on nine subclasses created according to the CORINE land cover (CLC) classes, on the basis of 4 main parameters. Using the AHP technique, the priorities of the parameters and agricultural landscape classes and the relationships between basic parameters and visual preferences were determined. In this direction, the questions; What are the priorities of parameters that are effective in determining the visual quality of agricultural landscapes on the basis of expert approach?; What kind of changes have occurred in agricultural landscapes during the years 1990-2000-2006-2012-2018 in 9 subclasses created according to the CLC classes? and; How should the visual landscape quality values of the agricultural landscape subclasses created according to the CLC classes be ranked? The results of the study can be used as a tool in landscape planning and management studies as a factor in strengthening landscape quality.

The main goal of this study was to assess the qualitative composition of essential oil (P), a natural extract produced from wasted orange peels in the citrus processing sector. Additionally, the study aimed to investigate the alterations in fish feeds when this essential oil is incorporated and stored. The essential oil was extracted from the orange peels provided for the study using the hydrodistillation method and the Clevenger apparatus. The study determined the volatile components of the oil with 100% accuracy. The primary constituent was identified as D-limonene, comprising 59.27% of the total composition. Subsequently, experimental feed groups were established by including the essential oil in the feed rations at ratios of ‰0 (P0), ‰0.5 (P5), ‰1 (P10), and ‰3 (P30). Under storage conditions, the feeds were stored in feed sacks for 60 days. Periodic samples were collected during storage and subjected to nutritional, microbiological, structural, and oxidation tests. The results of the study show that P had no protective effect in fish diets against the growth of yeasts, molds, and other mesophilic aerobic bacteria (p > 0.05). It was shown that the nutritional values varied over time during storage. However, this variation was not substantially correlated with the amount of P in the diets (p > 0.05). There was no discernible impact of the addition of P on the structural characteristics of the feed grains. Nevertheless, the inclusion of P substantially impeded the process of lipid oxidation in the diet (p<0.05). After the two-month storage period, it was shown that adding at least 1 ‰ of P to the fish meals prevented the peroxide generated from oxidation in the feed from exceeding acceptable levels.

A cassava starch extraction machine was designed and fabricated to perform a quadruplet action of grating, washing, sieving and separation. The study was necessitated based on concerns that most locally manufactured cassava processing machines are without provision for the extraction of starch. Food processors mainly depend on the manual pressing of cassava to obtain starch and this has significantly increased the cost of the product in the local market. Materials for construction were locally sourced and the machine was powered by a 2 hp electric motor through a v-belt-pulley transmission system and operating at a speed of 547 rpm. Fresh cassava tubers were harvested from Ikot Akpaden, a rural community in Mkpat Enin, Akwa Ibom, South-South of Nigeria, and used for the experiment. Results from the experiment showed that the quantity of wet starch extracted increased from 0.64 to 1.48 kg as the volume of water mixed with 2 kg of the product increased from 1 to 5 Liters. The rate of water usage and throughput capacity increased from 0.0005 to 0.0025 m3/kg and 35.29 to 46.75 kg/h respectively as volume of water increased. The optimum machine efficiency was 74%. The machine was fabricated at a cost of N 150,200 (equivalent of $100). Minimal time consumption, ease of operation and low production cost were some of the features that made the machine economically viable when compared to other conventional methods of extracting starch from cassava.

Implementing the right strategies in the agricultural supply chain in the supply of seeds, pesticides, fertilizer, energy, fuel and agricultural mechanization tools and equipment has a great role in increasing agricultural productivity. The main purpose of the study is to rank and evaluate alternatives in choosing a sustainable fertilizer supplier in the agricultural supply chain by using AHP-F and ARAS-F techniques. In an environment of uncertainty and complex supply chain structure, multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) methods are widely used to solve supplier selection problems. In this study, the importance levels and weights of the criteria in the selection of sustainable fertilizer suppliers were measured by the AHP-F method. The criteria that are important for fertilizer supplier selection were evaluated by taking expert opinions, the uncertain and uncertain opinions of the decision makers were modeled with the AHP-F approach and the weights of the criteria were determined. Among the criteria, resource consumption (FSC05) has the highest weight. Then, alternative rankings were obtained with the ARAS-F method. Fertilizer supplier alternatives in the agricultural supply chain were ranked with the ARAS-F method, using the criterion weights found with AHP-F. In the ranking of alternatives, alternative fertilizer supplier FS03 ranked first with the highest value. This study provides a resource for businesses and other stakeholders to make decisions regarding sustainable fertilizer supplier selection.