Honey samples were obtained from wild and domesticated sources and analyzed for some physicochemical properties such as color, pH, moisture content, ash content, refractive index, specific gravity, total solid, viscosity, glucose and fructose content following Standard Association of Official Analytical Chemistry. The following range of values for pH (3.55-4.20), moisture content (18.50-25.60%), soluble solids (74.10-81.20%), ash content (0.08-0.14%), specific gravity (1.38-1.47), refractive index (81.3-83.4%), fructose content (40.5-63.04%) and glucose content (19.35-32.34%). The mineral composition analyzed revealed potassium to be the dominant mineral in the honey samples followed by Calcium. However, Cadmium and lead where not detected in the honey samples. The results indicated that parameters such as pH, moisture content, ash content, specific gravity, sugar (majorly fructose and glucose content), fructose/glucose ratio, glucose/water ratio conform within the limit of the international standard for honey. However, moisture contents of the wild honey samples (22.05% and 25.60%) were a little higher than the Codex Standards of ≤ 21%. In conclusion, the honey samples investigated have the needed quality criteria and are good for human consumption. The results also revealed excellent organoleptic acceptability of the honey samples, hence are suitable for human uses.

During the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, first cause of deaths in the world, diet has a vital role. While nutrition programs for the cardiovascular health generally focus on lipids and carbohydrates, effects of proteins are not well concerned. Thus this review is written in order to examine effect of proteins, amino acids, and the other amine consisting compounds on cardiovascular system. Because of that animal or plant derived proteins have different protein composition in different foods such as dairy products, egg, meat, chicken, fish, pulse and grains, their effects on blood pressure and regulation of lipid profile are unlike. In parallel amino acids made up proteins have different effect on cardiovascular system. From this point, sulfur containing amino acids, branched chain amino acids, aromatic amino acids, arginine, ornithine, citrulline, glycine, and glutamine may affect cardiovascular system in different metabolic pathways. In this context, one carbon metabolism, synthesis of hormone, stimulation of signaling pathways and effects of intermediate and final products that formed as a result of amino acids metabolism is determined. Despite the protein and amino acids, some other amine consisting compounds in diet include trimethylamine N-oxide, heterocyclic aromatic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and products of Maillard reaction. These amine consisting compounds generally increase the risk for cardiovascular diseases by stimulating oxidative stress, inflammation, and formation of atherosclerotic plaque.

Prices of agricultural products fluctuate depending upon several factors. In Turkey, potatoes are one of the main products for which price fluctuations are observed. This study was undertaken to determine the effect of the fluctuation in potato prices on producer incomes in Turkey. The Neyman Method was used to determine the sample size. The number of enterprises required to achieve a representative sample size was determined to be 56, with a 5% error margin and a 95% reliability limit. The way in which the potato cultivation area is affected by price was examined. The Koyck model was utilized for this purpose. By using Koyck analysis, average lag time was calculated to be approximately 1 year. This result indicates that the fluctuation in potato prices has quite a rapid effect on production. It was determined that producer income varies greatly depending on annual potato prices. The difference between estimated potato price and the actual price for the year 2012 resulted in an income loss of 11,198.6 $/ha. Some sustainable efforts such as production planning can be recommended to prevent these price fluctuations.

Bu çalışma ile; Konya ilinde arpa üretim, pazarlama ve işleme aşamalarında arpa pazarlamasına etki eden kriterlerin araştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmada; Konya ilinde faaliyet gösteren; karma yem (37 adet) ve malt fabrikası (1 adet), arpa alım satımı yapan tüccarlar (50 adet) ve tarımsal faaliyetleri içinde arpa üretimine yer veren tarım işletmeleri (107 adet) ile yapılan anket sonuçları kullanılmıştır. Tarım işletmeleri tarafından arpa satımında fiyata etki ettiği düşünülen kriterlerin başında hektolitre ve arpanın içine başka bitki çeşidinin karışmaması öne çıkarken, arpa çeşitlerinin satış fiyatında önemli bir kriter olmadığı belirlenmiştir. Tüccarların arpa satın alırken göz önünde bulundurduğu en önemli kriter arpanın hektolitresi olup, bu kriteri arpanın rutubeti, rengi ve içindeki yabancı madde karışıklık oranı izlemektedir. Fabrikaların arpa satın alırken göz önünde bulundurdukları en önemli kriter arpanın rutubet oranı olarak belirlenirken, daha sonra arpanın hektolitresi ve içindeki yabancı madde karışıklık oranı gelmektedir. Malt sanayisi için ise; arpanın çeşidi alım kriterlerinde çok önemli bir faktör olup, bunu arpanın rutubet oranı ve rengi takip etmektedir.

Bu çalışmada Sinop ilinde perakende balık satış yerlerinde satışa sunulan akuakültür ürünlerinin aylık fiyat değişimlerinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. İşletmeler tabakalı amaçlı örnekleme yöntemi ile belirlenmiştir. İşletmeler aylık satış cirolarına göre I (en çok), II (orta) ve III (en az) olarak gruplandırılmıştır. Her grubu iki farklı iş yeri temsil etmektedir. Araştırma süresince ayda iki kez günün aynı saatinde türlere ait fiyatlar elde edilmiş, veriler aylık ortalama±sd olarak hesaplanmıştır. İşletme grupları arasındaki fark tek yönlü varyans analizi (ANOVA) ile türler arasındaki fiyat ilişki düzeyleri korrelasyon analizi ile IBM SPSS 21 programında değerlendirilmiştir. İşletmelerde kültür balıkları ürünlerinden çipura (Sparus aurata), levrek (Dicentrarhus labrax), gökkuşağı alabalığı (Oncorhyncus mykiss) (porsiyonluk ve kiloluk) ve somon balığı (Salmo salar) (ithal) türlerinin satışının yapıldığı belirlenmiştir. Av yasaklarının olduğu dönemde (Nisan-Ağustos) satışa sunulduğu, yasağın kalktığı Eylül ayından itibaren çoğunlukla avcılık ürünlerinin en az olduğu günlerde satışa sunulduğu tespit edilmiştir. Tüm türlerde örnekleme istasyonları arasındaki fiyat farkının önemli olmadığı, ortalama fiyatların 2008-2013 yılı ortalama fiyatlarına göre yüksek olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Çalışmada, alabalık ile somon arasında negatif-kuvvetli bir ilişki tespit edilmiştir.

Pleurotus pulmonarius was cultivated in three different environmental conditions, in ambient indoor environment (System 1), in humidifying without ventilation (System 2) and in humidifying with ventilation (System 3) to analyse the major nutritional contents. Sawdust was the main substrate for all the cultivation systems. The lowest temperature and the highest optimal humidity were found in System 3. The temperature and humidity had shown statistically significant among the three cultivation Systems. The highest numbers of flushes was found both in System 2 and System 3 but System 1 was produced mushrooms till 3rd flush. About 29.5%, 28.3%, 28.5% protein; 59.0%, 55.8%, 54.3% carbohydrate and 3.8%, 3.5%, 3.3% lipid were found in System 1, System 2 and System 3 respectively. The protein, carbohydrate, and lipid contents were shown statistically insignificant among the cultivation systems. The highest value of protein, carbohydrate and lipid were found for the sample of 1st flush in all the cultivation systems but the values were started to decrease with the increased numbers of flushes significantly. So, this study shown that, although the environmental conditions of the three cultivation systems were varied significantly but the protein, carbohydrate and lipid contents were existed their normal values in all cases but the values were decreased by the increased numbers of flushes.

The 21st century sustainable city requires the merging of urbanism with sustainable food systems. The challenges industrial food system separates people from their food sources. The design strategies for edible landscape are about re-inviting food back into the city and re-connecting people with their local/regional food system to promote a healthier lifestyle. Edible landscapes are a movement in transition and sprouting up as a response to the slow food movement and living a greener lifestyle. These urban agricultural landscapes are fast becoming iconic media darlings and are demonstrating that they are far more than growing vegetables and fruits on abandoned lots. Edible landscaping is the use of food plants as design features in a landscape. These plants are used both for aesthetic value as well as consumption. Edible landscapes encompass a variety of garden types and scales but do not include food items produced for sale. Edible landscaping is the practical integration of food plants within an ornamental or decorative setting. Using edibles in landscape design can enhance a garden by providing a unique ornamental component with additional health, aesthetic, and economic benefits. In this study; emergence of edible landscape, edible landscape design and maintenance, samples of edible landscape, productive plants, importance of edible landscaping for urban environments have been explained.

In this study, the threat categories of locally endangered orchid species were sampled over an area of covering 187 km2 in Mersin, Adana, Hatay and Kahramanmaraş provinces of Turkey. Periodic observations were carried out in 44 sampling plots specified within three bioclimatic belts, namely the Mediterranean-montane, the sub-Mediterranean and the Mediterranean. 34 orchid species were identified under the genera of Cephalanthera (L.), Comperia (Steven.), Dactylorhiza, Epipactis (L.), Himantaglossum (Boiss.), Limodorum (L.) Ophrys, Orchisand Serapias (Burm.fil). The results revealed that six orchid species were growing in the Mediterranean-montane zone, 20 species in the sub-Mediterranean zone and 23 species in the Mediterranean zone. According to the resources of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) the threat categories were reported for only 12 out of 13 species. Local threat categories of this study showed some differences when IUCN data were considered. 34 orchid species identified in this study and 12 species were evaluated under Critically Endangered (CR) threat category. It was found that 11, 7, 2 and 2 species were under EN, VU, NT and LC respectively. Therefore, Orchid species sampled from the Eastern Mediterranean Region of Turkey have been categorized on the basis of the threat categories identified by the IUCN.

The optimization machinery model was developed to aid decision-makers and farm machinery managers in determining the optimal number of tractors, scheduling the agricultural operation and minimizing machinery total costs. For purpose of model verification, validation and application input data was collected from primary & secondary sources from Elsuki agricultural scheme for two seasons namely 2011-2012 and 2013-2014. Model verification was made by comparing the numbers of tractors of Elsuki agricultural scheme for season 2011-2012 with those estimated by the model. The model succeeded in reducing the number of tractors and operation total cost by 23%. The effect of optimization model on elements of direct cost saving indicated that the highest cost saving is reached with depreciation, repair and maintenance (23%) and the minimum cost saving is attained with fuel cost (22%). Sensitivity analysis in terms of change in model input for each of cultivated area and total costs of operations showing that: Increasing the operation total cost by 10% decreased the total number of tractors after optimization by 23% and total cost of operations was also decreased by 23%. Increasing the cultivated area by 10%, decreased the total number of tractors after optimization by(12%) and total cost of operations was also decreased by 12% (16669206 SDG(1111280 $) to 14636376 SDG(975758 $)). For the case of multiple input effect of the area and operation total cost resulted in decrease maximum number of tractors by 12%, and the total cost of operations also decreased by 12%. It is recommended to apply the optimization model as pre-requisite for improving machinery management during implementation of machinery scheduling.

Plant sterols are important agricultural products for human health and consequently, for nutrition industries. In the present study, free sterol contents of crude Turkish cottonseed oil samples have been determined in a single analytical run by using a solid phase extraction step prior to the detection with a gas chromatography coupled with a flame ionization detector. Free hydroxyl groups of Stigmasterol, β-Sitosterol, Campesterol and Brassicasterol were derivatized by using N-methyl-N-trimethylsilyl trifluoroacetamide to enhance their volatility and, sterol content of the samples were, then, separated from their matrix by using a octadecylsilane cartridge. The eluates were injected into the gas chromatographic system and satisfactory recovery ratios were obtained. After having validated the method, it was applied into the analysis for cottonseed oil samples for their free sterol levels.