The present study was conducted to find out an in vitro efficient method for multiple shoot regeneration of two local chickpea varieties. The mature embryos were excised of two chickpea varieties i.e. Bittle-98 and Dasht-2000 (with cotyledon and without cotyledon) used as explants. The explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with three concentrations of (2, 3, 4 mg/l) 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) using explant with and without cotyledon. Further, 0.5 mg/l α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) along with varied concentrations of BAP (2, 3, 4 mg/ l) was also tested using explant with cotyledon. 3 mg/l BAP alone and 3 mg/l BAP with 0.5 mg/l NAA were found the most effective cytokinin in multiple shoot induction in both tested varieties. Bittle-98 and Dasht-2000 showed 82% and 76% elongation in shoots induction with 0.2 mg/l Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Root formation was recorded 80% and 60% in Bittle-98 and Dasht-2000 with 1.0 mg/l Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). Whereas, recorded root formation was 40 and 20% in Bittle-98 and Dasht-2000 with 1.0 mg/l NAA. The best response for rooting observed in Bittle-98 as its roots were thick, long and strong. Plantlets of Bittle-98 were acclimatized in solid medium for 7-14 days. The successful invitro regeneration of Bittle-98 was observed, when excised embryo with cotyledon were used as explant, made it valuable for genetic transformation.

The study aimed to identify physiological response of potato to drought. For this aim, a drought experiment was carried out by using two different potato varieties, cv. Desiree and Russet Burbank, under environmentally controlled greenhouse conditions. Drought treatment was initiated at 45 days after emergence (early tuber bulking period) by withholding irrigation for 10 days. Physiological traits such as stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll index, leaf temperature, proline content, malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) accumulation, in addition, some yield components average tuber weight, number of tubers and plant tuber yield were evaluated in the study. While the first significant decline in stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, and photosynthetic rate of both varieties was occurred at the 5th day of withholding irrigation, the highest decline was observed at 9th and 10th days of withholding irrigation. Proline content in both varieties increased two times at 10th day of withholding irrigation, however, H2O2 accumulation was not changed significantly by drought treatment. Even though MDA accumulation was increased in both varieties under drought stress conditions, the increase was significant in Desiree whereas, it was not significant in Russet Burbank. In addition, while drought treatment did not change the plant tuber yield in both varieties, it caused to a significant decline in average tuber yield of Russet Burbank, being an important trait for marketable tuber yield.

In this study, the effects of some herbal wastes such as daphne (Laurus nobilis), thyme (Origanum onites) and cumin (Cuminum cyminum) on the yield of Pleurotus ostreatus were investigated. While compost formula consisted 43% wheat straw+ 43% poplar dust+ 10% wheat bran+ 4% gyps mixture was used as the control group, 20% to 40% of herbal waste was added to this formula in the experiment groups. Total number of mushroom was counted in both the experiment and the control groups. Then, the harvested mushrooms were weighed and morphological features of caps were measured and recorded. As a result of obtained data, while it was detected that compost contained 20% cumin waste had the highest number of primordium (34), the control group had the lowest number of primordium (21 items). The highest biological yield was detected as 35.8% in the group contained 20% cumin waste. The lowest biological yield was detected in the control group with 24.6%.

Muscari neglectum Guss. Ex Ten, is an ornamental, herbaceous perennial plant species that grows in the Mediterranean countries with attractive and scented blue-colored flowers. The plant has low seed output, seed dormancy, low germination and propagation rates. This study aimed to develop a reliable microclonal propagation protocol for M. neglectum using TDZ (Thidiazuron)-NAA (α Naphthalene acetic acid) to induce bulblets, roots, and acclimatization of the regenerated bulblets. Maximum number of bulblets per explant (8.25±0.05) was noted on MS medium containing 0.0454 µM TDZ-5.37 µM NAA. The bulblets regenerated in each type of culture medium were very vigorous, and acclimatized easily following rooting on a subculture. Here we show that this protocol is a useful clonal micropropagation system for this important ornamental plant.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of pre-treatment and drying temperature on the drying kinetics and nutritional quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculantum L.) under hot air drying. Tomato samples were blanched at 80oC and osmotically dehydrated using 20% w/w sodium chloride solutions at 30oC for 20 min. The blanch-osmotic pre-treated and untreated tomato slices were dried at temperature of 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80oC, respectively in a hot air-dryer. The results showed that blanch-osmotic pre-treatment offered a higher drying rate and lower or faster drying time than untreated condition. The tomato drying regime was characteristically in the constant and falling rate period. The tomato drying rate curve showed characteristics of porous hygroscopic solids. The optimum drying temperature for tomato was found to be 60oC. Four semi-empirical drying models of Newton, Page, Henderson and Pabis, and Logarithmic were fitted to the drying data using non-linear regression analysis. The most appropriate model was selected using the coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE). The Page model has shown a better fit to the drying kinetics data of tomato in comparison with other tested models. Transport of moisture during drying was described by Fick’s diffusion model application and the effective moisture diffusivity (Deff) thus estimated. The Deff at 60oC was 4.43 × 10-11m2/s and 6.33 × 10-11m2/s for blanch-osmotic pre-treated and untreated tomato slices, respectively.

In this study consumers’ perception of, and purchase intention for genetically modified foods were examined in the city center of Hatay. The data of the 343 surveys were collected by using the face to face interview method. The data were analyzed by means of Likert Scale, and Spearman Correlation Analysis. According to the survey results, consumers’ risk perceptions about genetically modified foods are quite high. Consumers don’t willingly purchase genetically modified foods, and they intend to consume foods grown in traditional methods. High risk perceptions have a determining role on consumers’ views about genetically modified foods and their purchase intention for them. Another outcome from this study is that consumers’ awareness and knowledge levels about genetically modified foods are quite low, and that their perceptions and attitudes are mostly based on biases.

Agricultural development is now expected to proceed in a way that maximizes opportunities to improve health and nutrition. Accordingly, the term “nutrition-education-agriculture linkages” describes the set of relationships that shows the mutual dependence of nutrition, education and agriculture. Changes in nutrition or education status are expected to affect agricultural production; conversely changes in the agricultural sector can have significant effects on individual health and nutritional status. Professionals in are trained in nutrition or agriculture, but very few will be trained in both. It is therefore difficult to begin discussions on nutrition-focused agricultural programs and policies. How do we begin to identify these linked outcomes? And how do we begin to think about ways to impact factors that are outside of our sector of expertise? This paper provides a simple framework for thinking critically about nutrition, education and agriculture linkages. The purpose is to help readers identify the linkages of greatest importance to their goals and to begin thinking about how to take steps toward integrating programs more effectively.

This study investigates the antioxidant components (total carotenoids, lycopene, β-carotene, total phenols, flavonoids, ascorbic acid and total vitamin C) as well as the hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant activities (HAA and LAA) of tomato genotypes consisting of one ordinary cultivar Rio Grande and the two high-lycopene breeding lines HLT-F71 and HLT-F72. The correlation of nutritional value to L∗, a∗, b∗ colour indexes and a∗/b∗ ratio was also investigated in whole and fresh cut tomato fruits. Except for β-carotene content, significant differences were found among cultivars for antioxidants. The berries of both HLT-lines recorded higher antioxidant contents, HAA and LAA (TEAC and FRAP assays) than Rio Grande. Under controlled conditions, HLT-F72 reached the highest levels of total carotenoids (165.5 mg β-ca Eq per kg fw), lycopene (150.1 mg per kg fw) and total phenolics (549.7 mg GAE per kg fw). However, HLT-F72 exhibited the highest levels of ascorbic acid (193.3 mg per kg fw), total vitamin C (271.6 mg per kg fw) and flavonoids (450.5 mg RE per kg fw). Line HLT-F71 showed the highest HAA (148.0 µM Trolox per 100 g fw and 4.2 mM FRAP per g fw) and LAA values (258.5 µM Trolox per 100 g fw and 3.2 mM FRAP per g fw respectively). Colour readings in red ripe fresh cut tomato berries particularly a∗, b∗ and the ratio a∗/b∗ could represent an indicator not only for lycopene but also for other phytochemicals and resulting antioxidant activities. HLT-Lines may serve as a starting point for the development of semi-determinate growth habit tomato cultivars with higher functional quality.

Tomato is one of the most important vegetable crop which is widely grown in the world. Economic yield loses due to several insect species has been reported on tomato production. In recent years, a new pest Lasioptera sp, which causes significant damage in tomato production area has emerged. The pest has first been reported in tomato production areas of Mersin district in 2012 after it has been reported in Greece. This pest belongs to the family Cecidomyiidae and is causing damage in the stems and on the fruits of tomato. The larva feeds inside of the stem, so this makes management of the pest difficult. There are no adequate studies on integrated pest management on this pest. This report clearly showed that detailed studies on the biology and management of this pest in the tomato production should be done.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of NK chemical fertilizers in combination with compost on the growth and yield attributes of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). The pot experiment was done in a complete randomized block design possessing eight treatments with four replicates. Fruit weight, pulp weight, seed weight, total soluble solid, leaf area and dry weights of plat parts were taken and fruit yield was calculated. All the collected data were subjected to statistical analysis. The results revealed that there were significant differences in fruit and seed weights, total soluble solid, pulp weight, 100 seed weight, pulp consistency, leaf area and crop residue. In these parameters, higher mean values were recorded in chemical fertilizers (7.5 g N + 6 g K2O + 15 g P2O5 per m2) with compost (2 kg per m2) than those in the chemical fertilizers applied alone (9.0 g N + 8 g K2O + 15 g P2O5 per m2as standard control). Total soluble solid and fruit yield were 5.73 obrix and 3.21 kg/m2 respectively in the chemical fertilizers with compost (7.5 g N + 6 g K2O + 15 g P2O5 +2 kg compost per m2) treated plants and these were statically on par with the standard control which gave 4.36 obrix total soluble solid and 3.05 kg/m2 fruit yield. The result could be concluded that application of chemical fertilizers (7.5 g N + 6 g K2O + 15 g P2O5 per m2) with compost (2 kg per m2) could increase the total soluble solid and fruit yield as well as reduce the usage of chemical fertilizers in tomato cultivation over the standard control in sandy regosol.