Ethiopia’s agricultural production has been challenged by waterlogging, salinity, acidity, parasitic weed, and irrigation scheduling problems which has resulted in lower yields than the potential. Waterlogging is the main drainage problem in the small scale irrigation schemes in the Vertisols dominated highland areas while salinity and salinization is a common phenomenon in the large and medium scale irrigation schemes located in the lowlands of the country’s major river basins with predominantly salt affected soils. Soil acidity and associated low nutrient availability is one of the constraints to crop production on acid soils. Lime requirement for crops grown on acid soils is determined by the quality of liming material, status of soil fertility, crop species and varieties, crop management practices, and economic considerations. A considerable loss in growth and yield of many food and fodder crops is caused by root-parasitic flowering plants. Globally, Striga and Orobanche have a greater impact on human welfare than any other parasitic angiosperms because their hosts are subsistence crops in areas marginal for agriculture. In irrigated agriculture, efficient water management is an important element. Such practices can help bust sustainable production and maintain farm profitability in which there is limited water resource.

Recently nanotechnology has become an integral part of modern biomedical applications. Accordingly, nanoparticles are considered as promising components for the development of innovative tags, probes, biosensors and carrier molecules for drug delivery. Spherical colloidal gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are prime candidates to be utilized for these purposes due to their useful physical properties. However, in order for the gold nanoparticles to be used in nanomedicine, their biological properties should be extensively studied as well. Therefore, in this paper we chemically synthesized gold nanoparticles and studied their physical and biological characteristics to determine their potential use in medicine. Gold nanoparticles were synthesized by the reduction of chloroauric acid (HAuCl4) solution with sodium citrate. The physical properties of the AuNPs were determined by UV–vis spectrophotometer and Zetasizer readings. The antimicrobial activity of the newly synthesized gold nanoparticles on Escherichia coli, Salmonella infantis, Salmonella kentucky, Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella enteritidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus subtilis and Candida albicans were investigated via disk diffusion method. We found that the AuNPs were monodisperse, stable and not prone to aggregation with an average size of 22.12 nm and an emission band at 522 nm. The disk diffusion tests revealed that the gold nanoparticles did not have a significant growth inhibitory effect on the pathogens tested. In conclusion, here we showed the successful synthesis of gold nanoparticles by a safe and non-toxic method. Furthermore, our evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of these nanoparticles suggests that these molecules could be considered as biologically safe molecules for future medical applications.

Bu çalışma tohumluk patates yumrularına uygulanan bazı uçucu yağların patateste sürgün gücü ve kök gelişimine etkilerinin belirlenmesi amacıyla 2016 yılında yürütülmüştür. Çalışmada Agria çeşidine ait dormant durumdaki tohumluk yumrular farklı konsantrasyonlarda (150, 300, 450 ve 600 ppm) İzmir kekiği (Origanum onites L.), biberiye (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), dereotu (Anethum graveolens L.), kimyon (Cuminum cyminum L.), rezene (Foeniculum vulgare L.), adaçayı (Salvia officinalis L.) ve çörtük otu (Echinophora tenuifolia L. subsp. sibthorpiana (Guss.)) uçucu yağları ile muamele edilerek kontrollü şartlardaki tohum yataklarına dikilmiştir. Araştırmada dormansi süresi, sürgün uzunluğu, sürgün sayısı, sürgün çapı, sürgün ağırlığı, kök uzunluğu ve kök ağırlığı parametreleri incelenmiştir. Uçucu yağların sürgün gelişimine etkileri değişken olmuş adaçayı, biberiye, dereotu ve çörtük yağları sürgün gelişimini teşvik ederken, İzmir kekiği ve kimyon yağı uygulamaları kök gelişimi üzerine diğer uygulamalardan daha etkili olmuştur. Genel olarak yüksek dozda yapılan uygulamalar sürgün gelişimi olumsuz yönde etkilerken, kök gelişimini teşvik etmiştir. Çalışmada, tohumluk yumrulara dikim öncesi uçucu yağ uygulamalarının sürgün ve kök gelişimini olumlu yönde etkilediği ve bu uygulamaların arazi şartlarında yapılması ile daha sağlıklı ve güçlü bitki tesisi kurulabileceği sonucuna varılmıştır.

There are a good many researches carried out to be able to find out the species of phytoplanktonic organisms which are widely met in the inland waters of Turkey and make up the first link of food chain in nature. In addition to this, there are lots of water sources the phytoplanktonic composition (one of the most effective methods of identifying drinking water in Turkey in which inland waters cover a huge area) and biodiversity of which have not been found out and listed. Ergene River is among the richest water basins in Turkey in terms of freshwater and there is not a comprehensive research carried out to determine the algae composition in this area. For that reason, Bacillariophyta members which are met in main streams supporting Ergene River, have been gathered seasonally; and systematic positions of these algae have been identified and photographed. As a consequence of this study; 114 different taxa species belonging to Coscinodiscophyceae (4) and Bacillariophyceae (110) taxa have been observed and found out in Ergene River and other watercourses along with water basins supporting this river. After these taxa have been gathered, how these are spread with regard to seasonal and sample points have been determined. All of these taxa, which have been identified with respect to freshwater algal flora of Turkey, have been recorded for the first time for that region while 22 of these taxa have been recorded for the first time for Turkey.

Gerçek zamanlı kantitatif polimeraz zincir reaksiyonu (q-PCR), hem gen ekspresyonu analizinde hem de rutin Deoksiribo Nükleik Asit (DNA) ölçümünde nükleik asit miktarının belirlenmesi için kullanılan ileri moleküler bir yöntemdir. Gıda ve yem ürünlerinde genetiği değiştirilmiş organizma (GDO) kalıntıları için etiketleme eşiğinin Japonya’da %5, Avrupa Birliği’nde ise %0,9 olduğu göz önüne alındığında, doğru bir ölçüm metodu şarttır. GDO bileşenlerinin tespiti, kesin miktar tayini ve besin matrislerinde eser miktardaki kalıntısının tespit edilmesi q-PCR’da mümkündür. Bu amaçla çeşitli q-PCR kimyasalları kullanılmaktadır. Bunlar; interkalasyon boyaları, primer bazlı kimyasallar ve prob bazlı kimyasallar olarak üç gruba ayrılmaktadır. Marketlerde GDO ürünlerinin artan sayısıyla birlikte, her örnek için gerçekleştirilen analiz sayısı ve bu nedenle analiz maliyetleri artmaktadır. Bunun için GDO çalışmalarında, GDO’ların varlığının miktarını belirlemede hızlı ve ekonomik olan uygulanabilir taramalar yapılabilmesi için geliştirilmiş tespit yöntemlerine ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, q-PCR kimyaları ekonomikliği, verimliliği ve uygulanabilirliği açısından karşılaştırılmıştır.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the thermal resistance of acid adapted and non-adapted stationary phase Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes in pomegranate juice. In addition, the performance of generic E. coli was evaluated as an indicator. Non-adapted stationary phase cells were grown by incubating inoculated tryptic soy broth without glucose (TSB-NG) at 36±1°C for 18±2 hours. Tryptic soy broth with 1% glucose (10 g/l; TSBG) was used for acid adaptation. All media used for L. monocytogenes was supplemented with 0.6% yeast extract. After washing the cells with peptone, 5 ml of pasteurized pomegranate juice was added onto the pellet to obtain inoculated juice with a initial concentration of 107-1010 log CFU/ml. Inoculated pomegranate juice was sealed into the microcapillary tubes. Microtubes were heat treated in waterbaths at 50, 52 and 54±1°C by immersing at pre-determined time intervals. Survived populations were counted on tryptic soy agar (TSA). S. Typhimurium had the lowest thermal resistance in pomegranate juice. At 50°C, E. coli O157:H7 was the most resistant, whereas L. monocytogenes was more thermally tolerant at 52 and 54°C. Acid adaptation decreased the thermal resistance of E. coli O157:H7, but increased the heat resistance of L. monocytogenes at all tested temperatures significantly. Thermal tolerance of S. Typhimurium increased only at 50°C. The most resistant microorganism was non-adapted generic E. coli at 50 and 52°C; acid-adapted L. monocytogenes had the most thermal tolerance at 54°C. Thermal inactivation of microorganisms in pomegranate juice could be tested at lower temperatures compare to other fruit juices. This may be due to the natural antimicrobial effect and more acidic content of pomegranate juice.

The purpose of this study is to indicate and analyse the factors that affect the decision of the Prespa bean producers to implement Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in their farmlands. Additionally, the social characteristics of the producers are analyzed in order to obtain a broader picture. To achieve the above objectives, a logit model was applied as well as descriptive statistics for the analysis of the personal and social characteristics of farmers. The research was conducted in the Florina Prefecture of Western Macedonia through questionnaires that were filled in during personal interviews with the producers. The results of the research showed that growing PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) products, attending training seminars, the educational level of the producers, the earned income, the communication and information by an agricultural engineer affect significantly the decision of the producers to apply Good Agricultural Practices.

Bu araştırma, Türkiye’de kuru dane olarak kullanımı için tescil edilen dört börülce çeşidinin bazı morfolojik ve tarımsal özelliklerini belirlenerek amacıyla 2013 ve 2014 yetiştirme sezonunda, Amik ovası koşullarında, tesadüf blokları deneme desenine göre üç tekrarlamalı olarak yürütülmüştür. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre, en yüksek bitki boyu (221,8 cm) ve en yüksek ilk bakla yüksekliği (43,6 cm) Sırma çeşidinden; en yüksek bitkide dal sayısı (4,0 adet), en yüksek bakla uzunluğu (14,9 cm), en fazla bitkide bakla sayısı (19,8 adet), en fazla bitkide tane sayısı (113,5 adet), en fazla yüz tohum ağırlığı (22,2 g) ve en yüksek tane verimi (275,2 kg/da) Amazon çeşidinden; en fazla baklada tane sayısı (6,2 adet) ve en yüksek hasat indeksi (%39) ise Karagöz çeşidinden elde edilmiştir. Ayrıca yapılan korelasyon analizi sonucunda incelenen bazı özellikler arasında istatistiksel olarak hem olumlu hem de olumsuz ilişkiler tespit edilmiştir. Dekardaki tane verimi göz önüne alındığında Amik ovası koşullarında denemede yer alan börülce çeşitleri içerisinde Amazon çeşidinin üreticilere tavsiye edilebileceği ortaya çıkmıştır.

The research was carried out in the Eastern Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute-Hacı Ali location with 4 replications according to the randomized block trial design in 2013-2014. 13 public and 1 private sector maize variety were used as material in the trials. According to the results of the analysis, it was determined that the maize varieties examined showed statistically significant differences in plant properties, dry grass and silage quality. Average plant height, number of leaves, leaf ratio, stem diameter, number of cob, stem ratio, cob ratio and green grass yield were 249.9 cm, 12.97 plant/piece, 19.24%, 22.08 mm, 0.93 plant/unit, 38.40% and 4,251.57 kg/da respectively. According to the analysis, it was observed that the average crude protein content, ADF ratio, NDF ratio, crude ash content, digestible dry matter ratio, crude protein yield, dry matter rate, dry matter yield and hay yield were 8.80%, 34.91%, 59.7%, 7.2%, 61.7%, 993.9 kg/ha, 29.4%, 11,640 kg/ha 12,570 kg/ha in dry grass, respectively. For the silage of varieties, the average crude protein content, ADF ratio, NDF ratio, pH, digestible dry matter rate, dry matter ratio, crude protein yield and Fleig score were 8.22%, 29.27%, 50.48%, 3.57, 66.1%, 28.14%, 926 kg/ha and 118.35, respectively. Burak, Sasa 1 and Ada 334 genotypes performed better in terms of green yield per hectare (53,650, 50,290 and 45,630 kg/ha) and dry matter yield (14,710, 12,810 and 12,410 kg/ha). These varieties can be recommended to producers as silage maize varieties under second crop conditions in Çukurova region of Turkey.

Doner is a kind of kebab which is produced after marinating meat and spitting the fat with marinated meat then cooked in the doner cooker. Doner is our traditional product that is consumed gladly and its production is growing day by day in our country and in different countries of the world. The increasing demand for this product, which is unique to our country, has led researchers to work on doner and to raise awareness of consumers. When the limited number of studies are examined, it is concluded that the chemical properties of the doners presented to consumption in Turkey are generally in conformity with the standards, but their microbiological characteristics vary and can have risks for health. In addition to the studies related to doners offered for sale, it has been observed that there are studies in the direction of identifying and developing the factors that affect the quality of doners, however, in recent years formulation development studies have intensified. In this study, studies on doner were compiled and doner production, quality characteristics of doners offered for sale, the effects of different factors on doner production and product properties development researches were investigated, in this way it was intended to provide a collective overview to our traditional product doner.