The aim of this study was to determine the fertility, herd life and milk yield characteristics of Simmental (SIM) cows of Austrian origin, which have increased the interest of cattle breeders in Türkiye in recent years. From the records of the farm between 2011 and 2021, the first calving age (FCA), calving interval (CI), herd life (HL), productive life (PL), lactation length (LL), lactation milk yield (LMY) and 305 days milk yield (305-dMY) were calculated. A total of 307 FCA, 619 CI, 212 HL and PL, 447 LL, 271 LMY and 497 305-dMY data were used. The means of FCA, CI, HL, PL, LL, LMY and 305-dMY for SIM cows were 842.35±5.30 days (28.1 months), 422.98±3.18 days, 75.48±1.72 months, 47.15±1.73 months, 363.52±3.52 days, 10,596±152 kg and 8647.0±58.0 kg, respectively. Based on the long FCA and CI averages of Austrian-origin SIM cattle, although it can be interpreted that there are some problems in terms of reproductive efficiency in the farm, finding long HL and PL and high milk yield, it can be said that the farm contributes to the increase of milk yield per cow by turning the negativity caused by the reproductive efficiency into an advantage.

The poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae (De Geer, 1778), is widely regarded as the significant ectoparasite of egg-laying hens worldwide. Since many molecular studies on poultry red mites have focused on analyzing COI and ITS1-2 genes, the present study aimed to identify 16S rDNA and the relatively understudied nuclear 18S rDNA genes of Turkish D. gallinae populations. Twenty-eight different D. gallinae populations were collected from henhouses throughout Türkiye, and the target genes were amplified using conventional PCR after morphological analysis. Haplotype analyses of the 16S rDNA sequences revealed 14 different haplotypes, with Turkish D. gallinae grouped into two of these haplotypes. The intra-species genetic variation of the 18S rDNA and 16S rDNA sequences examined in the present study and the available sequences in public GeneBank were determined as 0.17% and 0.53%, respectively. The obtained sequences belonging to D. gallinae from Türkiye were submitted to GenBank for the first time. Given the importance of identifying genetic diversity within and between species across different geographical regions, the obtained data may contribute substantially to the genetic knowledge of the PRMs.

The aim of this study was to determine the milk quality characteristics of Simmental (SIM) cows of Austrian origin, which have increased the interest of breeders in Türkiye in recent years. For this aim, the milk analysis results of a farm located in Menemen County, İzmir/Türkiye from 2012 to 2021 were used. Milk fat (MF, %), protein (MP, %), lactose (ML, %), total dry matter (TDM, %) contents and somatic cell count (SCC, cell/ml) were determined. In order to determine the current situation, milk samples were taken from the cows (90 heads) in August 2021, and in addition to the above milk components, the solid non-fat (SNF) and freezing point (FP) were determined. The effects of sampling season, calving month, lactation month, sampling season x calving month and sampling season x lactation month interactions were found to be statistically significant for all traits (P<0.05). Parity and calving month effects on Log10SCC were also detected to be statistically significant (P<0.05). The mean MF, MP, ML, TDM, FP and SCC of SIM cattle were 3.71±0.018%, 3.42±0.009%, 4.63±0.009%, 12.49±0.03, -0.535±0.003oC and 5.14±0.01 (138.038 cells/ml), respectively. It was concluded that the milk components of Austrian-origin SIM cattle are not very different from the Holstein-Friesian (HF) breed, however, in the low SCC average for many years, besides the important contribution of the measures taken against mastitis in the farm, the resistance against mastitis may be higher in this genotype. This situation is thought to be the reason why breeders in Türkiye prefer Austrian-origin SIM cattle in addition to high milk yield and carcass weight.

Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are obligate intracellular protozoan parasites that can affect different warm-blooded species worldwide. In this study, it was aimed to detect T. gondii and N. caninum using PCR method in brain tissues of aborted sheep fetuses. Brain specimens were collected from 50 Morkaraman sheep fetuses that had undergone abortion at various stages of pregnancy, within the lambing seasons of 2023 in Muş. Approximately 1 cm³ of brain tissue from the right cerebral hemisphere was excised and subsequently frozen at -20°C for DNA extraction. DNA extraction and PCR amplification were then performed. As a result of this study, 11 (22%) of 50 brain tissues were positive. All brain samples examined in this study were negative for Neospora caninum. Based on the results of this study, it is possible to say that T. gondii is an important abortion agent in sheep in this region. Although N. caninum was not detected in this study, larger scale studies are recommended. Moreover, this study provides important information to breeders and veterinarians in the field in the evaluation and management of abortion.

Recent studies have shown the positive effects of Cucurbita pepo L. (pumpkin) seed oil (PSO) in different disease models. However, the effect of PSO on neurological diseases has not been clarified yet. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate the effects of BBS on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced neuronal damage and the possible roles of oxidative and nitrosative stress in this effect in vitro. The HT-22 hippocampal neuronal cell line was used in the study. Cell survival after PTZ-induced neuronal damage was evaluated with the XTT test in the groups. While the effects of BBS on total antioxidant status (TAS) and total oxidant status (TOS) after PTZ were measured with colorimetric commercial kits, its effects on neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and nitric oxide (NO) levels were also determined by ELISA kits. In light of the data obtained, it was found that pre-treatment with PSO prevented the decrease in cell survival after exposure to PTZ. In addition, it has been found that PSO normalizes the increase in TOS, nNOS, and NO in neuronal cells after PTZ. As a result, it was determined that the treatment of neuronal cells with PSO prevented neuronal damage caused by PTZ and showed neuroprotective properties. It is thought that PSO may achieve these effects through oxidative and nitrosative systems. Enrichment of a daily diet with PSO might be beneficial in reducing the risks of neurological diseases.

Geleneksel atıştırmalıklarımızdan biri olan leblebi yüksek besleyicilik özellikleri ile ön plana çıkmaktadır. Leblebi üretiminde yan ürün olarak kırık leblebi ve leblebi tozu açığa çıkmaktadır. Ticari değeri düşük olan bu yan ürünlerin alternatif gıdalarda kullanılması katma değerini yükseltecektir. Bu çalışmada, leblebi tozu/unu beş farklı oranda (%0, 10, 20, 30 ve 50) glütensiz un ile ikame edilmiş ve elde edilen karışımlardan glütensiz bisküvi üretimi gerçekleştirilmiştir. Üretilen bisküvilerin fiziksel (çap, yükseklik, yayılma oranı, renk vb), kimyasal (protein, yağ, kül vb), fonksiyonel (toplam fenolik madde, toplam antioksidan kapasite), tekstürel ve duyusal özellikleri tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca örneklerin duyusal analiz sonuçları çoklu karar verme yöntemi (TOPSIS) ile de değerlendirilmiştir. Yapılan analizler sonucunda glütensiz una leblebi tozu/unu ilave edilmesi örneklerin protein, kül, toplam fenolik madde ve antioksidan kapasite değerlerini yükseltmiştir. Bisküvi örneklerinin kabarma dereceleri düşmüş, yayılma dereceleri ise artış göstermiştir. Ayrıca leblebi tozu/unu ilavesi örnekleri daha sert bir yapıya dönüştürmüş, %30 ve üzerinde leblebi tozu/unu ilave edilen örneklerin fiziksel özelliklerinin olumsuz etkilendiği belirlenmiştir. Yapılan duyusal değerlendirme de %20 leblebi tozu/unu ilaveli örneklerin kontrol örneğine en yakın genel beğeni puanı aldığı, çoklu karar verme yöntemi (TOPSIS) ile değerlendirilen duyusal analiz verilerinin de benzer sonuçlar verdiği tespit edilmiştir. Bu çalışma protein ve fonksiyonel bileşenlerce zengin glütensiz bisküvi üretiminde leblebi tozu/ununun alternatif ürün olarak kullanılabileceği göstermektedir.

Breeding studies of scented cut roses have gained significance recently. The Black rose, a naturalized old garden rose in Türkiye, is a valuable genetic resource for breeding programs due to its pleasant scent. This study investigated the fertility of the Black rose (Rosa odorata cv. Louis XIV, Halfeti rose) as a seed parent and its ability to transmit flower traits to offspring. Four commercial cut rose varieties with known pollen germination rates were used as pollen parents. Each combination underwent at least 33 pollinations, and the fruit set rate, the average seed number per fruit, and the seed germination rate were examined. Both parents and one-year-old F1 progeny were evaluated for petal number, scent, and flower color traits during two flowering periods. Cross-pollination resulted in fruit set rates ranging from 70.21% to 100.0%, average seed numbers per fruit ranging from 5.0 to 10.0, and seed germination rates ranging from 4.42% to 21.69%. Morphological characterization revealed that 5.05% of the progeny exhibited moderate to intense scent, 42.42% had sour cherry-colored petals, and petal numbers ranged from 9 to 54. Considering the overall efficiency of rose breeding programs, the findings demonstrate the promising fertility of the Black rose and its relative success in forming efficient combinations with hybrid tea roses. However, it also suggests that the Black rose is not as successful in transmitting the scent to its offspring as in transmitting the flower color.

The Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) [Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)] is a polyphagous pest causing significant damage to approximately 300 crops, such as  nuts, vegetables, and ornamentals. In 2017, the BMSB was discovered for the first time in Türkiye. There is currently no published data available on the biology of the pest in Türkiye.  This preliminary study was carried out in Sakarya province, where the BMSB has observed a low population since 2021. In this study, some biological parameters such as voltinism, mortality rates, egg hatching rates, and egg-adult developmental times of the 1st and 2nd generations of the insect populations were determined. The study was carried out under semi-field conditions and laboratory. Considering the BMSB's minimum temperature threshold, which has yet to be determined in Turkey, the accumulation of degree days was calculated using the references to four possible thresholds (DD12, 12.5, 13, 13.5) and was determined to be between 536.91 - 608.69 DD.  The average egg-adult developmental time was 47.85 days for the 1st generation at naturally fluctuating temperatures and 47.13 days for the 2nd generation under laboratory conditions at 25 ֯C. The hatching rate of egg masses was determined to 90.63% in the 1st generation and 57.75% in the 2nd generation. Total mortality in the first generation was 22.97% and 90.24% in the second generation.  It was revealed  that the insect could produce two generations in Türkiye, but the number of egg-producing adults and eggs laid in the second generation was significantly lower than that in the first. This preliminary study was carried out with a limited number of samples due to the initial infesting in the region and,  therefore more comprehensive research is needed to reveal the the biology of BMSB in the country.

The maize breeding programs focuses on the development of homozygous parental lines for hybrid breeding to obtain heterosis. The Improvement of homozygous lines in a effective time is crucial for hybrid maize breeding. Objectives of this research were to obtain homozygous lines of maize in a short time by using of in-vivo maternal haploid (DH) technique and characterizing them morphologically. The experiments were carried out at the Eastern Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute(EMARI). Inducers, RWS, RWK-76 and their hybrid RWS X RWK-76 were used as male parent. As female parent, 56 F2 segregated material obtained by selfing of 66 F1 hybrids developed in maize breeding program of Eastern Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute (EMARI) and 2 F2 segregated material selected from the open pollinated plants of 9 commercial maize variety. As a result of the experiment, 29 doubled haploid lines (DH) were developed. In the developed DH lines, days to tasseling, plant height, height of first ear , ear length, ear diameter, number of kernel per ear and thousand kernel weight varied as 57-78 days, 151-248 cm, 43-112 cm, 11.20-24.50 cm, 24-45 mm, 224-537 kernels/ear, and 180-320 g, respectively. In conclusion, in-vivo maternal DH technique is a highly effective method for obtaining homozygous lines

An experiment was conducted during Kharif-1 of 2022 at Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA), Substation, Satkhira to know the effect of foliar application of micronutrients (zinc and boron) on the growth and yield of mungbean. There were three levels of zinc (Zn) (0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%) and boron (B) (0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%) along with a blanket dose of urea (35 kg ha-1, triple super phosphate (TSP) (80 kg ha-1), murite of potash (MoP) (40 kg ha-1) and Sulphur (60 kg ha-1). The growth and yield of mungbean was significantly affected by foliar application of different levels of Zn and B. Results revealed that foliar application of Zn at the rate of 0.6% and at the rate of B 0.6% along with recommended dose at 45 days after sowing increases the branches/plant, fresh weight (g), dry weight (g), chlorophyll content, flower/plant, pod/plant, seed/pod thereby increase seed yield. Therefore, the foliar spray of 0.6% Zn significantly increased and influenced 1000 seed weight (g), decreased days to flowering, increased number of seed/pod and yield ton/ha along with blanket dose of Urea, TSP, MoP, gypsum might be considered as suitable dose for mungbean production in southern region of Bangladesh.