Progesterone plays a key role in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in mammalian. Increasing levels of circulating progesterone in the post-conception period are associated with conceptus elongation and high pregnancy rates in cattle. Contradictory results are available on the direct role of progesterone in early embryo development. The objective of this study was to evaluate direct effects of progesterone on in vitro development of cattle embryos. Immature oocytes collected from slaughtered animals and cultured in the presence of different concentrations of progesterone (25, 50, 100 ng/mL) following in vitro fertilization. Cleavage rates in 25 and 50 ng/mL concentrations of progesterone were significantly higher than those in controls and 100 ng/mL. Rate of embryos that reached to the morula stage was similar in all groups. Supplementation of 25 and 50 ng/mL progesterone to the culture media significantly increased blastocyst yield while 100 ng/mL progesterone resulted in a decrease. As a conclusion, we can suggest that progesterone supplementation in in vitro culture may support embryo development at low levels.

This study aimed to reveal relationship between the extensiveness of trichophytosis on the body and serum zinc levels in cattle. This study was carried out on 92 cattle with trichophytosis and 50 healthy ones. Serum zinc levels of healthy cattle were evaluated as control. The cattle with trichophytosis separated into 5 groups according to diffusiveness of the diseases. Experimental groups of this study were designed as follows; Group 1: up to 1 cm, Group 2: 1-5 cm, Group 3: 5-10 cm, Group 4: 10-20 cm and Group 5: widespread on the body. Serum zinc levels measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometer equipped with flame system. In general, the mean level of Zn in trichophytosis groups (0.613±0.013 mg Zn/L) was statistically lower than healthy ones (0.900±0.017 mg Zn/L). A negative correlation was determined between the diffusiveness degree of trichophytosis and serum zinc levels (r = -0.772). Serum Zinc levels were statistically decreased from the control group to group 3. However, a stable course was observed from 3 to 5. Therefore, the value of group 3 (0.6 mgZn/L) was determined as a critical value for the cattle with trichophytosis. According to regression analysis results, it was observed that the extensiveness of the trichophytosis lesions affected the levels of serum Zn levels significantly (r2=59.6%). Consequently, serum zinc levels of cattle decreased in an inversely proportional manner to the diffusiveness degree of trichophytosis and stabilization was observed at the level of 0.6 mg Zn/L.

In this study, it was aimed to determine the effects of gibberillic acid (GA3) applications on drop and quality changes of fruits on-tree storage period. GA3 (before peel color break, on the peel color break and both periods) and 20 ppm GA3 (before peel color break and on the peel color break) were applied to the trees, and the untreated trees constituted the control group. Fruits were harvested in five periods at monthly intervals from april. In the last harvest period, the average fruit drop rate was significantly higher in the control group (38.48%) than in the color transformation 10 ppm GA3 (9.44%) and before color transformation 20 ppm GA3 (19.28%). The fruit drop was not observed in the first and second harvest periods. Especially in the first period on-tree storage, the shell C* and h° values of the fruits in control were found higher than the GA3 application. As a result, twice application of 10 ppm GA3 in 'Valencia Late' orange reduced pre-harvest fruit drop, delayed peel color transformation and limited fruit quality change. Accordingly, it has been revealed that it allows on-tree storability until the end of august.

Erwinia amylovora, the causative agent of fire blight disease, threatens a lot of species of the Rosaceae family. Antibiotics and copper compounds in chemical applications are most frequently are applied, but these can be phytotoxic and cause resistant strains of the pathogen. In our experiments, 20 herbal materials were tested for their antimicrobial effectiveness against the fire blight pathogen in vitro and in planta. The air-dried plants ground into fine powder and extraction was performed at room temperature by maceration with 80% (v/v) methanol/distilled water. The minimum inhibitory concentration values were determined by using disc diffusion method and streptomycin was used as control in all experiments. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated by measuring the inhibition zones in reference to the pathogen. Among the tested plants, Szygium aromaticum, Thymus vulgaris and Rhus cararia showed a good antibacterial activity and they inhibited the growth of E. amylovora with inhibition zone diameter ranging from 21 to 27 mm at 20% (w/v) in absolute methanol compared to streptomycin (31 mm) in vitro conditions. In vivo tests were performed by using highly virulent E. amylovora isolate (Eak24b, 91%) grown on TSA medium and inoculation on young shoots of 3-year-old Gala variety of apple and Santa Maria variety of pear seedlings at 107 CFU ml-1 density of the pathogen. Disease severity (%) was assessed by by proportion of blighted shoot length to the whole shoot length and also efficacy of the extracts was determined by using Abbott formula. The highest efficacy was obtained by S. aromaticum and T. vulgaris extracts of reducing shoot blight of cv. Gala and cv. Santa Maria by 67.81% - 64-12% and 51.50% - 51.04% ratios, respectively. Obtaining results showed that some medicinal and aromatic plant extracts might be used against fire blight disease as potential new generation chemicals on pome fruits within integrated and organic control programs.

In this study, in vitro gas production values, gas production parameters (a, b, a+b and c) and organic matter digestibilities (OMD), metabolizable energy (ME), net energy lactation (NEL) contents, chemical compositions and feed values of different physical processed (raw, soaked, boiled and roasted) common vetch seeds (Vicia sativa) were determined by in vitro gas production technique. Rumen fluid, used in this study, was obtained by probe from one Holstein bull (seven years old, average live weight= 650 kg) raised at Research and Application Farm of Agricultural Faculty Atatürk University. Raw and treated common vetch seeds were incubated for 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 48, 72 ve 96 hours for the determination of in vitro gas production values and gas production parameters in rumen fluid. It was observed significant differences among all of the common vetch seeds in terms of chemical composition (DM, CA, OM, CP, EE, NDF, ADF, ADL) values (P

Plants are important antioxidant sources. In our study, total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) of endemic Helleborus vesicarius Aucher ex Boiss.were determined. The aerial parts of the plant samples were dried and extracted with ethanol (EtOH). TAS and TOS values of plant extract were determined using Rel Assay Diagnostics kits. As a result of the studies, the TAS value of H. vesicarius was determined 5.548±0.23, the TOS value was 13.778±0.119 and the OSI value was 0.249±0.009. In this context, the plant has been shown to have significant antioxidant potential.

Weed-competitive cultivars are desired in the wake of growing popularity of organic farming, environmental pollution and evolution of herbicide resistance in weeds. This research work evaluated the weed competitive ability of three forage maize cultivars (ADA-523, AGA and SASA-5) against the noxious weed barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P.Beauv.). The study was conducted in spring 2018 and repeated in summer 2018. Results of this study showed that maize-barnyardgrass competition significantly decreased the growth of forage maize plants. For instance, barnyardgrass decreased the maize plant height by 11.9-16.9%, leaf length by 13.3-20.2%, leaf width by 20.2-27.4%, and number of leaves by 14.3-25.0%. Fresh and dry weights of maize plants were also significantly decreased as a result of weed-crop competition. Barnyardgrass decreased the shoot fresh weight (30.7-60.6%), shoot dry weight (33.3-52.2%), leaf fresh weight (33.4-56.5%) and leaf dry weight (31.9-50.0%) of the maize plants. An interactive effect of weed × maize cultivars was found non-significant. Forage maize cultivars also varied occasionally for their traits. Nevertheless, ADA-523 had a higher plant height, leaf length, leaf width, leaf fresh weight and leaf dry weight than the cultivars AGA and SASA-5. On the other hand, the cultivar SASA-5 had a higher shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight and root fresh weight than the other cultivars in the study. This research work concluded that the forage maize cultivars in the study did not vary for the weed-competitive ability. Further, barnyardgrass-maize competition could decrease the growth and development of the maize cultivars.

Kaz yetiştiriciliğinde verimli ve karlı bir üretimin yapılabilmesi ancak sağlıklı sürülerin olması ile mümkündür. Her ne kadar kanatlı hayvanlar içerisinde hastalıklardan en az etkilenen tür kazlar olmasına rağmen, kazlarda ciddi kayıplara neden olan birçok bakteriyel, viral, paraziter ve mantar hastalıkları bulunmaktadır. Diğer kanatlılarda olduğu gibi kaz yetiştiriciliğinde de hastalığın tedavisi, korunmadan daha pahalıdır. Bu nedenle hastalıkların çıkmasını ve yayılmasını en aza indirmek, hastalıkların tedavisinde tasarruf sağlamak, sürü sağlığını iyileştirip-geliştirmek, hayvan ölümlerini en aza indirmek ve işletme karlılığını artırmak için biyogüvenlik prosedürlerinin uygulanması gerekmektedir. Bu biyogüvenlik prosedürleri ise rutin ve yüksek riskli olmak üzere iki şekilde yapılabilir. Rutin biyogüvenlik prosedürleri hastalık etkenlerinin işletmeye girişinin engel olunması, etkili hijyen ve sanitasyon programının uygulanması, yeterli bağışıklığın oluşturulması için etkili aşı programlarının olması, kalifiye personel ile çalışılması, sürü yönetim programının düzgün olması ile denetim ve kontrolün iyi bir şekilde yapılması ile mümkündür. Yüksek riskli biyogüvenlik prosedürleri ise şüpheli ve salgın bir hayvan hastalığı durumunda planlı ve programlı bir şekilde yapılması gereken uygulamalardır. Sonuç olarak kaz yetiştiriciliğinde biyogüvenlik prosedürleri etkili ve disiplinli bir şekilde yerine getirilirse, sağlıklı sürüler ve daha fazla kârlılık elde edileceği unutulmamalıdır.

The purpose of this research is to measure the economic performance and development of rainbow trout farming in inland waters in Turkey. As a result of the research, it was determined that the farms use an average of 82% of their capacities. There was a negative relationship between the farm-scale and CUR, and as the farm scale grows, the CUR decreases. The average feed conversion rate (FCR) of the enterprises was calculated as 1.12. Fish capital (36.8%) had the largest share in active capital, and equity capital (87.2%) had the largest share in passive capital. Net profits of farms falling to one-tonne production capacity; it was calculated as 2.374 TRY in small-scale farms, 1.322 TRY in medium-scale farms and 1.896 TRY in large-scale farms. The proportional profit of farms was 1.08, 0.99, and 1.17, respectively. The average current ratio value of the examined farms was calculated as 3.67 and liquidity ratios as 3.55. As the farm's scale grows, current ratio values also increase, and large-scale farms had more cash assets than small and medium-scale farms. As a result of the research; It can be said that the trout-breeding farms in Turkey have current assets that can pay their short term debts. The average borrowing rate of farms was 0.16. In other words, 16% of the financial assets of the trout farms in Turkey were met from debts. The turnover rate of the assets of the farms was 0.79 and is below the sector average. The average rate of economic profitability of farms was calculated as 0.13. In other words, the income that farms generate from aquaculture is more than the opportunity cost.

In this study, antioxidant, oxidant and oxidative stress index of Thymbra spicata L. collected from Duhok (Iraq) region were determined. The aerial parts of the plant were extracted with ethanol. Rel Assay Diagnostics kits were used for detect TAS, TOS and OSI values. As a result of the studies, it was determined that TAS value of plant extract was determined 8.399±0.102, TOS value was 6.530±0.115 and OSI value was 0.078±0.001. As a result, it was determined that T. spicata has high antioxidant potential and in this context, can be used as a natural resource.