The aim of this study was to determine the relationships between body defects, egg and chick quality and hatching results at different age periods of the laying period of partridges raised in production conditions (cage system). The study was based on three different periods. The first period is the pre-peak egg production period (˂200 eggs), the second period is the peak egg production period (˃200 eggs) and the third period is the post-peak egg production period (˂200 eggs). These periods also represent the age of the animals. As material, 432 female and 216 male partridges in their first egg production year were used. The study was organized according to the random plots experimental plan. There were changes in body defects and other health parameters depending on egg production periods. Foot-pad dermatitis and elbow burns increased with increasing age. Parent partridges had better head, neck, back, chest and tail feather condition before peak egg production. Egg weight increased with advancing age. Hatching egg characteristics such as excessively pointed eggs and eggs with calcium deposits decreased in the peak and post-peak yield period. Eggshell transparency increased with advancing age. Fertility was higher in the pre-peak egg yield period compared to other periods. Hatchability was lower after the peak period. Tona score of chicks decreased with age. There were weak negative and positive phenotypic correlations between many traits. Practices that prevent body injuries in the early egg production period and deteriorating feather condition with advancing age, decreasing shell opacity, deterioration in hatching performance and chick quality traits in partridges will be beneficial in terms of increasing both production performance and animal welfare.

Drought is regarded as one of the most significant abiotic constraints to agricultural crop output worldwide. Drought in the spring and early summer, which coincides with important reproductive stages, severely limits lupin yield in Mediterranean climate zones. The purpose of this study was to determine how different drought treatments affected seed germination and initial seedling growth in Lupinus albus L. (white or field lupin). Seed germination parameters and initial seedling growth traits were tested against five levels of drought stress induced with Polyethylene glycol-6000 (PEG6000) at concentrations of 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16%. An experiment with four replications was conducted using a completely randomized design. The results revealed that the negative effect of drought stress started at 4% (-0.03 MPa or -0.3 bar) treatment for the initial seedling growth stage; whereas, it started at 12% (-0.2 MPa or -2 bar) treatment for the germination stage. Therefore, it was determined that L. albus was more sensitive to drought stress at the initial seedling growth stage than at the germination stage. However, it was observed that the growth parameters were more sensitive in shoot growth than in root growth to drought stress. There will be a sharp loss of yield in soils with levels of drought stress imposed by 12% PEG6000 (-0.2 MPa-moderate drought-) and beyond. Therefore, it is likely that L. albus has low drought tolerance.

The agricultural sector plays a crucial role in economic growth, employment, and food security. Although E7 countries (Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, and Turkey) hold a significant share in global agricultural production, there is limited literature on the determinants of agricultural value added. This study aims to analyze the key economic factors affecting agricultural value added in E7 countries and assess the effectiveness of agricultural policies. The study covers the period 2001-2022 and employs the Panel ARDL method to examine long-term relationships. The findings indicate that the proportion of agricultural land and agricultural employment positively impact agricultural value added, whereas government expenditures may have a negative effect. Governments intervene in the agricultural sector through both direct and indirect measures. It can be suggested that direct income support policies for farmers may have the potential to increase dependency rather than enhance productivity. Although a detailed distinction regarding the implementation of direct payments during the analyzed period could not be made, the impact of government support is likely to vary depending on the type and implementation of the assistance provided. The results emphasize the need for more effective planning of agricultural support mechanisms. Redirecting public expenditures towards infrastructure investments, agricultural technology adoption, and rural development projects could enhance the sector’s long-term sustainability. Additionally, improving the transparency and measurability of support policies may increase their effectiveness and strengthen agricultural productivity. Policymakers should conduct a more detailed analysis of the effects of different support mechanisms to develop appropriate intervention strategies.

Salinity is a primary abiotic factor affecting agricultural productivity in arid and semiarid environments. The stages that are most vulnerable to salinity are germination and early seedling growth. There are limited reports on the responses of Lupinus albus L. to salinity. Therefore, in the study, we aim to test germination and early seedling growth of L. albus under different salinity levels. To this end, seeds of L. albus were treated with different concentrations (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mM) of NaCl under laboratory conditions. A total of 16 parameters, including germination and growth, were examined. The results showed that under 200 mM NaCl, germination percentage (GP) decreased by 13.4% and germination rate index (GRI) decreased by 69.24%, while mean germination time (MGT) increased by 30.02%. In addition, the shoot length (SL), root length (RL), shoot fresh weight (SFW), root fresh weight (RWF), and root dry weight (RDW), root to shoot dry matter (R/S DM), shoot water content (SWC), root water content (RWC), and seedling vigor index (SVI) were reduced respectively by 82.69%, 75.65%, 53.30%, 70%, 66.66%, 70.86%, 23.47%, 0.35% and 82.57% under 200 mM NaCl, compared to the control condition. However, root to shoot ratio (R/S), shoot dry weight (SDW), shoot dry matter (SDM), root dry matter (RDM) were increased by 43.33%, 65.07%, 249.68%, and 3.22% under 200 mM NaCl. Overall, the study results showed that the critical level to mitigate the negative effect of salinity is 150 mM NaCl (-0.6 MPa osmotic potential) for germination and 50 mM NaCl (-0.2 MPa osmotic potential) for growth. Therefore, L. albus has a low tolerance to salinity.

Bu araştırmada ‘Fuyu’ çeşidi meyvelerine, hasattan 14 ve 21 gün önce farklı dozlarda (0, 75, 150 ve 225 mg l-1) AVG (Aminoetoksivinilglisin) uygulamalarının depolama süresince meyve kalitesine etkileri incelenmiştir. AVG uygulaması yapılan meyveler modifiye atmosferli poşetler ile ambalajlanarak 0-1oC sıcaklık ve %85-90 oransal nemde 4 ay süreyle depolanmıştır. Araştırmada ağırlık kaybı, toplam suda çözünür kuru madde miktarı, titre edilebilir asit miktarı, meyve eti sertliği, askorbik asit miktarı, toplam fenolik madde miktarı, toplam antioksidan madde miktarı, solunum hızı ve üşüme zarar oranları incelenmiştir. Çalışmada depolama süresince meyve eti sertliği azalırken, meyvelerin ağırlık kayıplarında artışlar belirlenmiştir. AVG uygulamalarının meyve olgunlaşması üzerine olan geciktirici etkisine paralel olarak üşüme zararı oluşumu da gecikmiştir. Solumun hızı ve biyokimyasal bileşiklerin kaybı üzerine artan dozları ile AVG’nin engelleyici etkisi belirgin bir şekilde ortaya çıkmıştır. Sonuç olarak, ticari hasattan önce uygulanan 150 ve 225 mg l-1 AVG uygulamasının, hasat sonrası depolama döneminde meyve kalitesi açısından Fuyu’ çeşidi Trabzon hurması üzerinde önemli ve olumlu bir etkisi olmuştur.

This study was conducted on the Sinceri grape cultivar grown for both table and raisin (drying) purposes, in the 2021 growing season in Siirt/Türkiye. The primary objective was to create a microclimate within the vine canopy by installing net covers with different shading rates (35%, 55%, and 75%) during the veraison period, thereby delaying the harvest and obtaining high-quality, high-yield grapes. Regarding phenological development, the period between full bloom and harvest was the shortest under the 55% shading treatment, which also recorded the lowest mean temperature (28.54 °C) and the lowest Effective Heat Summation (EHS) value (1965.70 dd). The highest mean temperature (26.28 °C) was observed under the 75% shading treatment, while the highest EHS value (2401.05 dd) was recorded under the 35% shading treatment. In terms of yield compared to the control, the 35% shading treatment provided a 21.75% increase, the 55% treatment yielded a 57.44% increase, and the 75% treatment led to a 37.45% increase. Furthermore, it was determined that all shading treatments increased the macro- and micronutrient contents in grapevine leaves. Economic analyses for the Sinceri grape cultivar revealed that the shading treatments had a statistically significant effect on yield. In conclusion, the net cover with a 55% shading rate proved to be the most effective treatment.

The whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, damages various crops by releasing honeydew and spreading. Although farmers and pest control experts primarily rely on insecticides to manage whiteflies, the notable issue is their tendency to develop resistance to major insecticide categories, posing a significant challenge. This result has led to the improvement of new drugs or insecticide mixtures. In addition, some plant-based studies have been conducted to control whiteflies, and RNA interference (RNAi) technology has been used in recent years. This study aimed to identify the relationships between tobacco, cotton, tomato, and linen miRNAs and odorant-binding protein (OBP) and chemosensory protein (CSP) genes in whiteflies by using in silico approaches. We determined that 115 miRNAs belonging to these plants targeted 13 CSP and 8 OBP genes of B. tabaci. Obtaining findings are important to reduce dependency on chemicals and pesticides in pest management.

Spartium junceum L. is a plant traditionally used for different medicinal purposes. While limited research data explicates its antioxidizing ability, interest in this plant is induced mainly due to its possible role, especially against stress-causing oxidative effects. The objectives of this study were to compare antioxidant activity in flowers and leaves of Spartium junceum L., as well as time under different storage conditions implemented for antioxidative mechanisms. Spartium junceum L. plants were obtained from the Kahramanmaras, Turkey region; subsequently, the flowering and leaf parts of the plant were separated and analyzed. Plant homogenates were prepared, and the activities of SOD and CAT enzymes, as well as MDA levels, were determined using spectrophotometric methods. Enzyme activity upon storage at +4°C, -20°C, and -70° temperature enzyme samples were carried out separately and operated for less than one month in our laboratory. Flowers exhibited higher SOD and CAT activities than leaves. Flowers also showed higher levels of MDA. It may be due to the structural and biochemical differences, where flowers experience extra oxidative stress. The optimal enzyme retention under storage conditions was at -70°C, and a decrease in temperature increased the stability of this biocatalyst. In contrast, MDA levels increased at low temperatures at total capacity. The antioxidant properties of the flower extract had stronger antioxidant potential than those of the leaf part, which also means that chemically active substances show much higher concentrations in this plant section. Storage temperature significantly affects the stability of enzymes, and it was stated that low temperatures mainly maintain antioxidant activity. The results obtained from this study recommend Spartium junceum L. as a valuable antioxidant food resource.