This research focused on assessing economically impactful fruit fly species across different altitudes in sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) orchards in Sindhuli, Nepal. The study aimed to determine species distribution, population dynamics, and the effectiveness of various lures to guide integrated pest management strategies. A two-factor factorial randomized complete block design was implemented, utilizing 24 Steiner traps baited with Methyl Eugenol (ME) and Cue Lure (CL) at altitudes of 1100-1200 m, 1201-1300 m, and 1301-1400 m from March to June 2023. Weekly data collection and bi-weekly lure replacement ensured precise monitoring. The study identified five fruit fly species: Bactrocera dorsalis, B. zonata, Zeugodacus tau, Z. scutellaris, and Z. cucurbitae. B. dorsalis and B. zonata were the most dominant, with their populations decreasing at higher elevations. ME traps primarily attracted B. dorsalis and B. zonata, while CL traps were more effective for Z. tau, Z. scutellaris, and Z. cucurbitae. The fruit fly population consistently grew from early April, peaking in mid-June, coinciding with fruit ripening and rising temperatures. The results underscore the significant effects of altitude and lure selection on fruit fly populations, highlighting the importance of targeted pest control measures. This research offers valuable insights for enhancing crop protection and meeting international export requirements.

Bu çalışma 2021 yılında Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa Üniversitesi (TOGÜ) bünyesinde bulunan tam otomasyonlu ısıtmalı sera koşullarında yürütülmüştür. Araştırma 2021 yılı ilkbahar döneminde kurulmuş ve “Maritima” marul çeşidi kullanılmıştır. Bu çalışmada domates, üzüm ve elma posalarından elde edilen kompost materyallerinin, farklı yetiştirme ortamlarında marul fidesi üretimi için kullanım potansiyelleri incelenmiştir. Denemede 13 farklı yetiştirme ortamı [(1) Kontrol 2:1 oranında torf: perlit; (2) Üzüm kompostu; (3) Elma kompostu; (4) Domates kompostu; (5) Üzüm+elma+domates kompostu; (6) 2:1 oranında üzüm kompostu: perlit; (7) 2:1 oranında elma kompostu: perlit; (8) 2:1 oranında domates kompostu: perlit; (9) 2:1 oranında (üzüm+elma+domates kompostu):perlit; (10) 1:1:1 oranında üzüm kompostu:torf:perlit; (11) 1:1:1 oranında elma kompostu:torf:perlit; (12) 1:1:1 oranında domates kompostu:torf:perlit ve (13) 1:1:1 oranında (üzüm+elma+domates kompostu):torf:perlit] marulda tohum çimlenme hızı ve çimlenme oranı ile fide boyu, gövde çapı, yaprak sayısı, kök boyu, fide kuru madde ve kök kuru madde incelenmiştir. Deneme tesadüf parselleri deneme desenine göre 3 tekerrürlü olarak yürütülmüştür. Her tekerrürde 50 fide yetiştirilmiş ve 10 fide üzerinde gözlemler yapılmıştır. Deneme sonucunda (2:1) torf:perlit karışımına (kontrol) alternatif olabilecek özellikle elma ve üzüm posalarından elde edilen kompostların tek başına veya birlikte kullanıldığı uygulamalar marul fidesi üretiminde kontrol uygulamaları ile kıyaslandığında benzer etkiler göstermiştir.

This research paper identifies the Determinants influencing the adoption of modern agricultural technologies from the perspective of farmers in the Shirqat District, Salah Al Din Governorate. The adoption Determinants were categorized into three main domains: chemical technology constraints, biological technology constraints, and physical technology constraints. The study also examined variations in farmers' perspectives based on selected personal characteristics, including age, type of land ownership, possession of production tools and equipment, exposure to information sources, and attitude toward using modern technologies. Furthermore, the dominos were ranked in descending order based on the severity of adoption constraints. The study population included all 236 farmers in The Shirqat District who had adopted Delete modern agricultural technologies. A stratified sample of 47farmers, representing 20% of the population, was selected. A structured questionnaire was developed, consisting of two parts: the first part addressed farmers personal variables, while the second part contained 40 items related to adoption constraints, distributed across scale (high, moderate, low) was used for assessment, The scale size for the respondents ranged from (40-120) degrees. Data were collected through personal interviews, coded, and analyzed using SPSS software, employing statistical tools such as frequency distribution, range, percentage, arithmetic mean and variance. Data was collected from 10-11-2024 to 25-12-2024. Results showed that 87.24% of respondents fell within the moderate to high levels of adoption constraints, indicating a generally increasing trend. The domains were ranked by constraint severity as follows: chemical technology, biological technology, and physical technology. Significant differences were found in farmers' views based on most studied variable (age, land ownership, information exposure and attitudes). However, no significant differences were observed regarding possession of production equipment. The findings underscore the importance of considering these variable when designing agricultural extension and training programs. The study recommends enhancing access to information sources and promoting the use of proven, high-quality technologies to reduce adoption barriers and lower the financial burden on farmers.

Owing to the prevailing climate change which has drastically reduced the duration of the wet season that supports naturally cultivated maize in a typical rainforest ecology of Ife, Southwestern (SW) Nigeria, this study determined the climatic factor(s) favouring maize yield in the agro-climatic zone. Grain yield data obtained from five maize varieties grown in 42 environments, at Ife – Teaching and Research Farm of Obafemi Awolowo University, along with weather data captured electronically and automatically at the Farm, were analyzed using variance, correlation, regression, and path coefficient analyses. Grain yield was a significant correlate of solar radiation (r = 0.58**) and soil temperature (r = 0.39*). Subsequent stepwise multiple regression analysis isolated total solar radiation as the single most important causal factor for increased yield, albeit, with a low R2 = 34%. Fitting the regression model up to quartic level did not increase the R2 value. Other climatic factors affecting grain yield included minimum temperature, heat unit, and maximum air relative humidity, all acting indirectly through total solar radiation. At this and similar agro-ecologies, maize must be planted from March to early April and late July to August for the early and late season crops, respectively.

Bu çalışmada, Türkiye’nin orta güney bölgesinde yer alan Konya, Kayseri ve Niğde illerinde yaşayan kırsal gençlerin göç etme eğilimleri ve tarıma bakış açıları incelenmiştir. Araştırmada 48 köy muhtarı, 15-29 yaş aralığındaki 308 genç ve 308 hane reisi ile yüz yüze anketler yapılmıştır. Elde edilen veriler Göç Davranış Indeksi (GDI) ile analiz edilmiştir. Bulgulara göre gençlerin %37,0’si kırsaldan göç etmeyi düşünürken, %58,1’i göç etmeyi istememekte, %4,9’u ise kararsızdır. Gençlerin göç etme niyetleri ile; eğitim, yaş, cinsiyet, hane reisinin göç niyeti ve tarımsal gelirin yeterliliği gibi faktörler arasında anlamlı ilişkiler olduğu belirlenmiştir. Göç etmek isteyen gençlerin büyük bir kısmı göç ettiği yerde tarım dışı alanlarda çalışmayı planlamaktadırlar. Gençlerin göç etme şekli, çalışma planı, ailenin göç kararına yaklaşımı gibi unsurların göç davranışlarında belirleyici rol oynadığı tespit edilmiştir. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre gençlerin kırsalda kalması için sosyal güvenlik sorunun çözümlenmesi gerekmektedir. Bölgede tarım sektörünün önemini kaybetmemesi için kırsal alanın daha cazip hale getirilmesi, tarıma dayalı sanayinin geliştirilmesi ve kırsal ile entegre hale getirilmesi, iş ve sosyal imkanların artırılması önem taşımaktadır.

The tomato is a significant vegetable in the world on the basis of consumption, nutrition, and extensive use in processed foods. During plant growth and development, amino acids especially exogenous application of proline (Pro), plays a crucial role to increase stress tolerance under various abiotic stresses. Among abiotic stressors, temperature is considered as an important and alarming stressor for plant development and growth. Sometime a significant drop in crop productivity is the outcome of harsh temperature increment. An investigation was carried out at the Horticulture Lab, College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, during 2021-22 to inspect the role of foliar application of proline under heat stress in tomato plants. Tomato seedlings with true leaves were exposed to high temperatures (25°C [control], 40°C, and 45°C) with exogenous proline sprays of (0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 mili-molars). Various growth attributes like morphological i-e number of leaves, leaf area cm2, shoot fresh weight (mg), shoot dry weight (mg), root fresh weight (mg), root dry weight (mg), and physiological [photosynthetic rate (µ mol/m-2s-1)], chlorophyll contents (spad), stomatal conductance (µ mols m-2 s-1 transpiration rate (µ mol/m-2 s-1),)] were studied. The findings indicated that foliar application of proline at 1.5 mM under heat stress on 40oC and 45oC was found to be more advantageous to improve growth attributes like number of leaves (12.2), leaf area (8.3 cm2), shoot length (10.39 cm), shoot fresh weight (1.88 mg), shoot dry weight (0.28 mg), root dry weight (0.20 mg), and remediated the detrimental effect of heat stress in tomato plants. The variation between control and proline treated heat-stressed plants supported that proline may have a function in alleviating heat stress.

Environmental factors such as drought, resulting from global climate change, have increasingly limited productivity in melon cultivation in recent years. Turkiye's geographical location and rich genetic diversity make it highly probable that drought-tolerant genetic material exists within this diversity. In this study, 192 melon genotypes were used, sourced from the cucurbit genetic resource collection of the Department of Horticulture at Çukurova University, which includes materials from various regions of Turkiye and around the world. In the pre-screening screening phase conducted in the first year of the research, 192 genotypes were grown under drought stress conditions created using 5% PEG 6000 for two months. Parameters such as stem length, stem dry weight, root dry weight, number of leaf, and a 0-5 scale were evaluated in the green parts and roots of the plants. A general decrease was observed in all parameters except root dry weight, where a 3% increase was noted in the average of the genotypes. In the special screening phase of the study, 15 genotypes selected based on the initial screening results were subjected to a second stress test under hydroponic conditions in a climate-controlled plant growth chamber using 8% PEG 6000, parameters such as visual scale evaluation (0-5), stem fresh and dry weight, root fresh and dry weight, stem and root length, number of leaf, leaf relative water content, relative water content, and electrolyte leakage were examined. All parameters showed varying degrees of reduction in the drought-stressed genotypes compared to the control groups, except for percentage change values. An increase in electrolyte leakage was observed compared to the control. As a result of the two different screenings, the drought tolerance levels of the melon genotypes were determined. Genotype Kav-248 was identified as the most drought-tolerant, while Kav-20 was found to be the most sensitive.

Bu çalışma, İstanbul’da faaliyet gösteren perakende balık satış yerlerindeki yetkililerin ve çalışanların sosyo-demografik özelliklerini, hijyen bilgi düzeylerini ve sektörel sorunlarını incelemiştir. Çalışma, İstanbul genelinde 60 perakende balık satış işletmesinde çalışanlarla yüz yüze anketler ve 16 Su Ürünleri Kontrol Görevlisi ile çevrimiçi anket yoluyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Katılımcıların %95’inin erkek olduğu ve ağırlıklı olarak 31-55 yaş aralığında yer aldığı gözlemlenmiştir. Çalışanların %40’ının sektörde otuz yıldan fazla deneyime sahip olduğu ve %93’ünün sattıkları ürünleri iyi tanıdığı belirlenmiştir. Su Ürünleri Kontrol Görevlilerinin %63’ü yapılan denetimlerin yetersiz olduğunu düşünürken, %50’si bu durumu personel eksikliğine bağlamaktadır. Öte yandan, perakende balık satış yerlerinde çalışanların %80’i denetimlerin balık hallerinde yoğunlaştırılması gerektiğini düşünmektedir. Çalışma, perakende balık satış yerlerinin su ürünleri sektörü içinde önemli bir yere sahip olmasına rağmen, zor çalışma koşulları nedeniyle kadınlar ve gençler için tercih edilmeyen bir iş alanı olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Ayrıca, çalışanların hijyen uygulamalarını bilmelerine rağmen bunları iş yerlerinde uygulamadıkları ve resmi denetimlerin yetersiz kaldığı gözlemlenmiştir.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of somatic cell count (SCC) variation on fertility [days open (DO),  number of inseminations per pregnancy (NIPP), calving interval (CI) and gestation length (GL)] and milk yield traits [daily milk yield (dMY), lactation length (LL), lactation milk yield (LMY) and 305-days milk yield (305-dMY)] during early (< 100 d), mid (100-200 d) and late lactation (> 200 d). This study was conducted with primiparous and multiparous Holstein cows at a commercial farm having an approximate herd size of 260 heads in Kırşehir, Türkiye. A total of 107 Holstein dairy cows on the farm were selected. Milk samples were collected once a month during morning milking between 30 and 240±15 d of lactation. The somatic cell counter (DCC, DeLaval, Tumba, Sweden) was used to assess SCC (cells/ml). SCC levels were categorized into three groups (< 100 × 10³ cells/mL, 100-200 × 10³ cells/mL and > 200 × 10³ cells/mL). Cows were divided into three groups according to parity: Cows with parity 1 (first group; n = 49), cows with parity 2 (second group; n = 30) and cows with parity 3 ≤ (third group; n = 28). Parity did not influence fertility traits (P>0.05). Parity significantly affected dMY and 305-dMY, but not LL or LMY. The study found that cows with SCC < 100 × 10³ cells/mL had lower DO and CI values compared to cows with SCC 100-200 × 10³ cells/mL and > 200 × 10³ cells/mL during mid-lactation, although no statistical differences were observed in the NIPP, GL, dMY, LL, LMY and 305-dMY values. A positive correlation was observed between SCC groups and DO during mid-lactation. These findings suggest that SCC can be used as an indicator in indirect selection programs to achieve shorter DO and CI in Holstein cows.

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum and Fagopyrum tataricum) is recognized as a highly nutritious food source due to its high nutritional value and functional properties. Classified as a pseudocereal, buckwheat provides numerous health benefits owing to its high protein content, rich fiber composition, balanced essential amino acid profile, and abundance of polyphenolic compounds. As a gluten-free grain, it serves as a safe alternative for individuals with celiac disease and gluten intolerance, while its low glycemic index makes it beneficial for diabetes management. The bioactive compounds found in buckwheat, including flavonoids (rutin, quercetin), polyphenols, and fagopyritols, have been shown to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cardioprotective effects. Regular consumption has been reported to reduce LDL cholesterol levels, increase HDL cholesterol levels, and lower the risk of hypertension. Additionally, buckwheat supports digestive health by regulating gut microbiota, thereby playing a protective role against inflammatory bowel diseases. With its extensive applications in the food industry, buckwheat is utilized in the production of bakery products, pasta, bread, biscuits, functional beverages, and fermented products, contributing to the development of antioxidant-rich beverages. However, due to its gluten-free nature, it can cause textural differences in baked goods, necessitating the use of stabilizers to improve product consistency and quality.