The experiment was conducted in Banke, Nepal, from February 2021 to May 2021 to find suitable spacing and weed management practices for spring maize. The experiment was conducted in a split-plot design in which main plots consisting of two spacings (S1:60 cm × 25 cm and S2:60 cm × 30 cm) and subplots consisting of five weed management practices as, W1: weedy check, W2: weed free, W3: atrazine @ 2 kg a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence herbicide, W4: atrazine as pre-emergence herbicide followed by single-hand weeding at 30 DAS, and W5: straw mulch. Observations were taken for different parameters, that are, cob length, cob circumference, number of grains per cob, number of ears per hectare, thousand-grain weight, and grain yield. Based on spacing non-significant variations were found for all traits except for the number of ears per hectare. The highest number of ears per hectare (61667 ears ha-1) was found in S1 (60 cm × 25 cm). Based on weed management practices all the traits were significantly different, except the number of ears per hectare and thousand grain weight. The highest value of grain yield (6.15 mt ha-1) was found in straw mulch, and the lowest grain yield (3.72 mt ha-1) was found in the weedy check. A positive correlation was observed between yield and different weed management practices (WEM) (r = 0.5**) and other yield-attributing traits, that are, number of ears per hectare (NE) (r = 0.62**), the number of grains per cob (NK) (r = 0.82**), cob length (CL) (r = 0.47**), cob diameter (CD) (r = 0.68**), and total grain weight (TGW) (r = 0.52**). A negative correlation was observed between yield and spacing (S) (r = -0.41*).

In table olive production it is necessary to remove oleuropein by brine or dry salting method because it gives bitterness. However, some olive varieties such as Throuba Thassos-Greece, Djemali-Tunisia can be consumed without any de-bittering process. Some olives in Türkiye are also consumed without any pre-treatment and these are Kilis Yağlık, Butko, Hurma (Erkence cv.), and Nizip Yağlık olives. These naturally de-bittered olives were aimed to be characterized in this research. The lowest moisture content was determined for Kilis Yağlık (6.84%) and the highest moisture content was determined for Butko (50.01%). The oil and protein content of the samples was between, 16.66-68.46% and 0.19-18.13%, respectively. Total phenolic content (mg GAE/100g) of Kilis Yağlık, Butko, Hurma and Nizip Yağlık olive varieties were determined as 458.87, 152.09, 109.73, 234.33, respectively. The lowest antioxidant capacity was determined for Butko and the highest value was determined for Kilis Yağlık. The hardness values of the olives were found between 677.44-3688.06 (g). The L*, a*, b* values of olive samples were found between 26.14-32.05, 2.02-4.78, 2.37- 7.18, respectively. Highest oleic was determined for Hurma, highest linoleic acid was determined for Butko whereas the highest linolenic acid was determined for Nizip Yağlık. Volatile component analysis results of olives showed that 24, 23, 16 and 17 volatile components were detected in Kilis Yağlık, Butko, Hurma and Nizip Yağlık olives, respectively.

The fermented seed of néré (Parkia biglobosa), known as Soumbara, is a condiment widely consumed by the population in West Africa and Guinea in particular. The present study aims to use physicochemical, colorimetric methods and mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy to evaluate the evolution of the quality of Soumbara during storage (30 days). Thus, 5 kg of Soumbara were taken, subdivided into 7 batches of samples, and analysed every 5 days for 30 days. Physicochemical analyses (water activity, moisture, proteins, and total ash) would show that the storage duration induced a variation during storage; for example, the total ash contents on days 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 are respectively 3.96 ± 0.25, 3.89 ± 0.43, 3.97 ± 0, 23, 3.99 ± 0.12, 4.54 ± 0.14, 4.57 ± 0.2 and 4.8 ± 0.21%. During the first 15 days of storage, no significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed between samples. The colorimetric measurements showed that the storage duration did not significantly affect the values of a* and b*, except the L* value which decreased significantly (p<0.05) (42.16 ± 0.015 on day 1 to 40.02 ± 0.015 on day 30). Applying statistical methods to mid-infrared spectroscopy allowed a clear distinction between the Soumbara samples during storage for 30 days. The partial least squares regression (PLSR) applied to MIR spectra made it possible to predict water, moisture and protein activity levels, since R2 greater than 0.99 were obtained. The results demonstrated that mid-infrared spectroscopy coupled with chemometric tools could be used as a rapid screening tool to assess and monitor the quality of Soumbara during storage.

In the study, the aeroponic system examined the rooting performances of three grapevine rootstocks (110R, 1103 Paulsen, 5BB) commonly used in Türkiye. IBA was applied to grapevine cuttings to encourage rooting. Grapevine cuttings taken during the winter dormancy period were placed in the aeroponic system after the necessary pretreatments. Significant improvements were observed in root length, root number, and rooting rate during the rooting process of cuttings placed in the aeroponic system. No diseases or pests were observed during the rooting period in the daily checks. As a result of the study, the highest root length was 17.77 cm in 110R rootstock, while the lowest was 7.1 cm in 1103P rootstock. The highest rooting rate was 76.67% in a 25 ppm IBA application in 1103P rootstock and 73.33% in a 100 ppm IBA application. The lowest rooting was 10% in 110R rootstock at 100 ppm IBA application dose and in the control group. The study's results revealed the positive effects of aeroponic systems in increasing rooting performance. The advantages offered by these systems are essential in terms of sustainability and efficiency in agriculture. Considering global challenges such as climate change and the reduction of agricultural areas, aeroponic systems are expected to find wider applications in the future.

Numerous in-depth studies have described the fertility traits, growth performance and milk yield traits of dairy animals, which are considered indicators of welfare, but there are limited studies examining these traits within the framework of cause-effect relationships, especially in buffaloes. The aim of this study was to determine the changes in some milk, growth and fertility traits of Anatolian buffaloes over the years in some dairy farms where the Buffalo Breeding Project in Public Conditions was implemented in Samsun province and, to investigate the effects of first calving age (FCA) and calving interval (CI) on milk and growth traits. The study was conducted in 27 buffalo farms (3295 buffalo cows and 3317 buffalo calves) located in Bafra district, the region with the highest buffalo population in Samsun province, Türkiye. The data was taken from records previously kept within the scope of the relevant project. The data such as growth characteristics [birth weight (BW), 6th and 12th-mo live weight (LW) values of calves born between 2013-2020] and lactation traits of cows [lactation milk yield (LMY) and lactation duration (LD)] and FCA and CI values were analyzed by analysis of variance. The effect of years on LMY of buffalo cows was found to be significant, and significant positive changes were determined from year to year. In addition, the BW, 6th-mo, and 12th-mo LW values of calves also varied from year to year. As the FCA value of buffaloes increased, the BW, 6th-mo, and 12th-mo LW values of calves and LMY of cows increased. Similarly, CI values affected the BW values of calves (P<0.01), and LMY and LD values increased in parallel with the increase in CI values. Consequently, determining the lactation and growth traits of buffaloes could benefit developing herd management practices that would optimize these performance indicators.

This study sought to develop an index for agricultural digitalization by applying composite confirmatory analysis (CCA). Another aim was to determine the factors that affect the development of digitalization in PLAS farms. Data on the indicators of the three dimensions of digitalization were collected from 300 Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy (PLAS) farms in South Africa using semi-structured questionnaires. Confirmatory composite analysis (CCA) was employed to reduce the items into three digitalization dimensions and ultimately to a digitalization index. Standardized digitalization index scores were extracted and fitted to a linear regression model to determine the factors affecting digitalization. The results revealed that the model shows practical validity and can be used to measure digitalization as measures of fit (geodesic distance, standardized root mean square residual, and squared Euclidean distance) were all below their respective 95%quantiles of bootstrap discrepancies (HI95 values). Therefore, digitalization is an emergent variable that can be measured using CCA. The average level of digitalization in PLAS farms was 0.02 and varied significantly across provinces. Although farmers have attempted to digitalise their farms, there are still minimal levels of digitalization in PLAS farms. The results further reveal different digitalization patterns. As judged by the estimated weights of various dimensions of digitalization, the use of digital technologies to collect, store, analyse, and disseminate (CSAD) farm-related data contributed more towards the digitalization index. The second most important component of digitalization was automation digitalization. In contrast, value chain digitalization was the least significant contributor. The factors that significantly influence digitalization were age, gender, farm type, network type, and cellular data type. Since PLAS farmers have not embraced much digitalization, it is important to focus on awareness and capacity building. A balanced approach to digitalization would benefit PLAS farms by ensuring that strategies to integrate digital solutions within the value chain are developed. To foster and support the digitalization in PLAS farms, policymakers and stakeholders should tailor their strategies to fit specific socioeconomic factors.

This study examined the nexus between cluster farming and household dietary diversity among smallholder wheat farmers in Oromia region, Ethiopia. Three-stage sampling procedures were employed to gather data from 384 household heads on a cross-sectional survey that was carried out in June 2022. Descriptive statistics and a binary logistic regression model were used for data analysis. The average, minimum, and maximum household dietary diversity scores were 7.10, 1, and 11, respectively. A significant difference was observed: participants in cluster farming had 14% more dietary diversity than their counterparts. Sex, marital status, participation in wheat cluster farming, home gardening, off-farm income, number of crops grown, cooperative membership, and access to training determined household dietary diversity. The study indicates that dietary diversity in households is influenced by a variety of factors. While wheat cluster-based farming is heavily promoted, household food and nutrition security also need to consider other elements like home gardening, off-farm income, cooperative membership, and training access.

Bu çalışmada; Türkiye'de kırsal alanlarda ısınma amaçlı olarak kullanılan yenilenebilir enerji kaynaklarından güneşte kurutulmuş sığır gübresi külünün (SGK) farklı oranlarda çimento yerine kullanılmasının, hafif betonun basınç dayanımı üzerine etkisinin araştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmada, hafif agrega olarak pomza bağlayıcı olarak da CEM I 42,5 R tipi çimento ve SGK ikamesi kullanılmıştır. Karışımlara çimento yerine ağırlıkça belirli oranlarda (%0, %5, %10, %15 ve %20) SGK ikame edilerek 5 grup halinde toplam 45 adet 150×150×150 mm’lik küp numune üretilmiştir. Taze beton deneyleri olarak-birim ağırlık deneyleri; serleşmiş beton deneyleri olarak da kuru birim ağırlık, su emme ve basınç dayanımı deneyleri yapılmıştır. SGK kullanılan numunelerde, SGK ikamesinin artması ile kontrol örneklerine göre su emme miktarında bir miktar artış, basınç dayanımlarında ise bir miktar düşüş görülmüştür. %5, %10, %15 ve %20 oranlarında SGK ikamesi ile üretilen numunelerin 28 günlük basınç dayanımı düşüş değerleri kontrol örnekleri ile karşılaştırıldığında sırasıyla %4, %4,6, %5,5 ve %6 olarak belirlenmiştir. Çimento yerine %20 SGK ikamesinin uygulanması, numunelerin 28 günlük basınç dayanımlarında %6’lık bir azalma gözlemlenmiştir.

Yumurta her toplumda ve yaş grubunda severek tüketilen besin değeri yüksek bir gıda maddesidir. Yumurta ve yumurta ürünlerinin gıda endüstrisinde yaygın kullanımı insan sağlığı açısından tüketim süresi yanında hijyenik kaliteyi de ön plana çıkarmaktadır. Gıda kaynaklı zehirlenmelere, hastalıklara ve hatta ölümlere kadar giden vakalarda özellikle salmonelloz salgınlarının yarıya yakını yumurta ve yumurta ürünleri tüketimi ile ilişkilendirilmektedir. Diğer taraftan kabuklu yumurtanın tüketim süresini belirleyen iç ve dış kalitesinin korunması gıda kaybı ve atık miktarlarının azaltılması açısından büyük önem taşımaktadır. Sofralık yumurtalarda depolama süresini/raf ömrünü uzatmak amacıyla yumurtaların yağ veya mum içeren çözeltilerle kaplanması çok eski zamanlardan beri uygulanan bir yöntemdir. Günümüzde yenilebilir film veya kaplamalar olarak adlandırılan bu yöntemde amaç yumurtanın iç ve dış kalitesi ile mikrobiyolojik kalitesini koruyarak raf ömrünü uzatmak, ayrıca yumurta kabuğunun mukavemetine de katkı sağlamaktır. Bu derlemede, sofralık yumurtaların kaplanmasında kullanılan protein, lipit ve polisakkarit bazlı biyomoleküller özetlenerek olumlu ve olumsuz yönlerine vurgu yapılmıştır.

Bu çalışmada zencefil (Zingiber officinale), sarımsak (Allium sativum L.) ve nane (Mentha piperita L.) tıbbi ve aromatik bitkilerinden farklı çözücüler kullanılarak hazırlanan ekstraktların çoklu antibiyotik dirençli Escherichia coli suşları üzerine in vitro antimikrobiyal aktivitesi belirlenmiştir. Zencefil, sarımsak ve nane ekstraktlarının hazırlanmasında çözücü olarak etanol, metanol, aseton ve saf su kullanılmıştır. Çözücülerin ekstraksiyon verimi belirlendikten sonra hazırlanan ekstraktların in vitro antimikrobiyal aktivitesi altı farklı çoklu antibiyotik dirençli E. coli suşu (EC1-6) kullanılarak disk difüzyon yöntemiyle belirlenmiştir. Çözücü olarak su veya metanol kullanılan nane ekstraksiyonundan elde edilen ekstraksiyon verimi, aseton ve etanolden daha yüksek bulunmuştur (P<0,001). Benzer şekilde, zencefil ve sarımsak örneklerinden su kullanılarak alınan ekstraksiyon verimi diğer çözücülerden daha yüksek olmuştur (sırasıyla P=0,013 ve P<0,001). Zencefil etanol ve metanol ekstraktlarının E. coli EC2 ve EC4 suşlarına karşı antimikrobiyal aktivite gösterdiği (sırasıyla P=0,020 ve P=0,026), buna karşın diğer E. coli suşları üzerine zencefil ekstraktlarının herhangi bir etkisi olmadığı (P>0,05) belirlenmiştir. Benzer şekilde, sarımsak etanol ve metanol ekstraktlarının E. coli EC2 suşu dışındaki tüm E. coli suşlarına antibakteriyel etki gösterdiği belirlenmiştir (P<0,05). Bununla birlikte, farklı çözücüler kullanılarak hazırlanan nane ekstraktlarının hiçbir E. coli suşuna karşı antimikrobiyal aktivitesi tespit edilmemiştir. Çalışmanın sonuçları, zencefil etanol veya metanol ekstraktlarının, sarımsak etanol ekstraktlarının çalışılan E. coli suşlarına karşı antimikrobiyal ajan olarak kullanılabileceğini göstermiştir.