In this study, it was aimed to reveal some viruses that are a problem in Dahlia plants grown for ornamental plants in parks and home gardens in Selçuklu, Karatay and Meram districts of Konya. For this reason, in the 2019 summer, leaf samples were taken from 152 Dahlia plants showing symptoms similar to virus disease symptoms such as mosaic, deformations, yellowing, blight on the leaves and stunted plants. Possible infections of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Tomato spotted-wilt virus (TSWV) and Impatiens necrotic spot virus, (INSV) on these leaves were tested by serological-based DAS-ELISA (Double Antibody Sandwich- Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay) method. According to DAS-ELISA results, it was determined that 46.71% of the samples were infected with at least one of these three viruses. In addition, TSWV was detected as the most common virus with a 38.82% relative incidence in the samples, followed by CMV (27.63%). Mixed infections of the viruses were also detected in the leaf samples tested. As a result of the tests, only CMV + TSWV double infection was detected in a total of 30 samples. On the other hand, INSV infection was not detected in any of the leaf samples tested. As a result of survey studies, the average of prevalence rate of virus diseases in Dahlia plants grown in Konya was calculated as 69.56%. Moreover, it was determined that virus diseases were most common in Selçuklu district (75.47%). This is the first report of CMV and TSWV on Dahlia spp. in Türkiye.

The increase in the world population and rapid urbanization cause different types of pollution such as air, water, soil and noise. Today, this situation significantly affects the quality of life in densely populated settlements both in the world and in Turkey. Noise pollution, which is one of the important types of pollution, especially in urban areas, is increasing day by day due to anthropogenic effects. Studies conducted by the European Noise Directive (END) show that noise pollution is one of the important factors that cause health problems. Parks are places that allow children trapped in the structural environment in urban life to get to know nature and play games in open spaces. In particular, the children's playgrounds in the parks allow children to play and socialize in the open area and also allow parents to rest. However, park users may be exposed to noise pollution due to high-level noises originating from vehicle traffic, user density, and children's playgrounds in these places. This situation adversely affects the physical and mental health of the park users. The aim of the research is to determine the noise level in children's playgrounds in parks and to develop suggestions for reducing this noise level. As a result of the preliminary studies carried out in this context, Antalya/Kepez Dokuma Park was determined as a research area. Zones were created at certain intervals around the children's playground in the research area. And noise levels were measured on weekdays and weekends from the noise measurement points determined in these zones. The results obtained show that the noise pollution caused by the children's playgrounds in the parks and environmental factors is at a high level. In this context, landscape design and planning proposals havebeen developed to reduce noise pollution from children's playgrounds and environmental factors.

The visual perception of landscapes is expressed as seeing the qualities of the landscape. This level of perception varies depending on the socio-cultural and economic structure of the people and the environment in which they live. The fact that the environment in which people live has a variable visual structure also constantly affects their landscape perception. Parks are one of the important urban landscape areas in cities. The existing structure of the parks located in the urban landscape areas affects the visual perception value of these areas on the users. The aim of the research is to evaluate the visual landscape quality value of the parks in the city of Serik in the direction of user opinions. In this context, the photographs of the selected parks within the boundaries of the research area were taken from certain points. The questionnaire form prepared with these photographs was applied to the park users on a voluntary basis. The data obtained from the questionnaire forms were digitized and analyzed. Within the scope of the analysis, the data belonging to the socio-demographic structure of the participants and the answers they gave to the propositions about the parks were determined by descriptive analysis (frequencies and descriptives). Whether there was a statistically significant difference between the sociodemographic structure of the participants and their answers to the propositions was analyzed with parametric tests (independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance). At the same time, the relationship between the visual landscape quality assessment criteria of the parks was examined by Pearson Correlation Analysis. The results of the analysis show that the features of the parks due to their planning, design and maintenance affect the visual landscape quality values. In this direction, suggestions have been developed to increase the visual landscape quality value of the parks.

Ocimum gratissimum L. is a perennial herbaceous plant used in the treatment of fungal and bacterial infections. Green synthesis has provided cost effective, environment friendly procedure and raising safe strategies for the synthesis of nanoparticles. This study was aimed at investigating the potential of O. gratissimum for the synthesis of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and their antimicrobial activities. Phytochemical screening on aqueous extract was carried out using standard procedures. Selenium nanoparticles was biosynthesized by O. gratissimum and characterized using Visual detection, UV-Visible spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscope, Transmission Electron Microscope, Energy dispersive X-ray, Fourier Transform Infra-red spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. Antimicrobial activity of the biosynthesized selenium nanoparticles by O. gratissimum was done using agar well diffusion method. Saponins, tannins, cardiac glycosides, terpenoids and phenols were present. The biosynthesized SeNPs had a strong plasmon resonance band at 300 nm, changes in colour from dark brown to ruby red. The SeNPs were spherical and aggregated with varying shapes and size ranged from 20 – 50 nm. Strong signal of selenium element was observed. Hydroxyl, esters, aldehyde, alkane and amine are present and responsible for the efficient stabilization and bioreduction of Selenium nanoparticle. Furthermore, biosynthesized SeNPs by O. gratissimum (OGSeNPs) exhibited higher antimicrobial activity against both Gram ositive and Gram negative bacteria. Green synthesis of nanoparticles is a promising method in the biomedical field, due to its high bioactive components.

Adoption of improved technologies and agricultural practices are prerequisites for increased farm productivity. Assessing the appropriateness of potential new technologies or practices increases the likelihood of adoption or modification to suit farmers’ needs; however, low farm output still persists among smallholders, attributable to several factors including poor and low adoption of modern production practices. This study therefore analyzed the index of adoption of recommended onion production practices (ROPPs) and correlation of multivariate factors among smallholder farmers in Dambatta, Kano State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used in selecting 100 respondents for this study. Primary data collected via well-structured questionnaires were analyzed using Descriptive statistics, Adoption index and Multivariate Correlation techniques.The results revealed that the prevalent ROPPs adopted by the farmers include improved onion varieties (78%), plant spacing (69%), planting method (55%), weed management (50%) and fertilizer application (44%). Moreover, most (72%) of the farmers have low adoption index (≤0.33). Further, significant correlations between multivariate factors (farm output, adoption cost and adoption index) exists and the estimated correlation coefficients for rxz, ryz and rxy were -0.53, 0.71 and -0.82 respectively. Subsidizing cost of adoption of ROPPs, improving access to modern production practices/technologies, agricultural credit/farm capital, extension services, adequate labour supply and tenure policy modification are recommended to ameliorate adoption constraints.

This study assessed the proximate composition, sensory quality and consumer acceptability of beef sausage fortified with edible meat waste. Lean beef and edible meat waste (EMW) samples were obtained from commercial abattoir and combined in ratio 50:50 and 70:30 and designated as T1 and T2 respectively, while CT contained 90% lean meat and 10% fat. The fresh T1, T2 and CT sausages were thermal processed using microwave and oven-grilling cooking methods. The results showed significant difference in moisture, protein, lipid and ash content of raw and cooked sausages across treatments. Raw sausage fortified with EMW had higher protein and lower lipid contents compared to control treatment (90/10, CT). Cooking of the sausage significantly decreased moisture and increase lipid, protein and lipid content, with microwaved sausage having higher values. The results of sensory quality showed that beef sausage fortified with EMW were all acceptable to consumers, irrespective of the cooking methods used. The distribution of consumers who liked the appearance, colour, texture and flavour of the sausage meat containing EMW were higher than those who dislike the products. Therefore, this study shows that EMW could be successfully used in meat industry to improve quality of sausage during production.

Fruits and vegetables are basic crops of mass consumption for human population to meet their food requirements. Recent advances in medicinal studies have revealed that different parts of fruits and vegetables are loaded with phytochemicals responsible for eliminating the risks of different diseases. Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Duchesne) is one of the abundantly grown and consumed vegetable all around the world. Seeds of this vegetables are named as nutritional power houses due to their excellent nutrient profiles. In present study total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI) and DPPH free radical scavenging activity, of pumpkin seeds extracts were determined. Extraction of pumpkin seeds was carried out in a Soxhlet apparatus using ethanol as extraction solvent. TAS and TOS were determined through Rel Assay Kits and free radical scavenging activity was measured through DPPH assay. TAS was found 4.18±0.36 and TOS 14.68±0.42, whereas value of OSI was measured 0.35±0.10. DPPH free radical scavenging activity was observed increasing with increasing the concentration and maximum value 56.10±0.90% was observed at 2 mg/mL concentration. From these results it was concluded that pumpkin seeds could be utilized as natural antioxidant source with potential to reduce oxidative stress and minimizing the risks of certain diseases.

African eggplants are highly valued constituents of the Nigerian food. However, their nutritional potentials have not been fully tapped due to inadequate information on their nutritional and anti-nutritional qualities. This present study investigated the proximate, minerals, anti-nutrient contents as well as the estimation of mineral ratios and Mineral Safety Index of four selected edible solanum species namely, Solanum anguivi, S. gilo, S. menalogena and S. aethiopicum. The proximate contents (%) ranged from 4.19-5.46 (moisture content), 1.71-2.49 (crude fat), 4.57-5.45 (crude ash), 3.76-4.93 (crude protein), 5.20-6.30 (crude fiber) and 77.14-78.58 (carbohydrate). The solanum species were good sources of energy with total metabolizable energy of 1.458MJ-1.484MJ. The four solanum species contained high K, Ca, Mg, low Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu, while amount of Cd, Ni and Pb were very low. The mineral ratios of K/Na, Ca/Mg, Ca/K, Zn/Cu and [K/(Ca+Mg)] were below the minimum good ratios levels of 1.0, 4.17, 4.0, 8.0 and 2.2 respectively which are good for man. The anti-nutrient contents revealed low phytate, oxalate and cyanide levels. The calculated Phytate/Zn, Phytate/Ca and Oxalate/Ca were lower than the threshold levels and would support absorption and bioavailability of Zn and Ca in the samples while that of Phytate/Fe was above the critical value and this indicates unavailability of iron in these eggplant fruits. The mineral differences observed showed that S. menalogena and S. aethiopicum had greater minerals while the Mineral Safety Index results revealed that the body could not be overloaded with any of the minerals investigated. The eggplants are rich in fiber, ash, carbohydrate and minerals with moderate protein. The low level of the anti-nutrient is good and poses no deleterious effect when consumed. The eggplants have nutritional health benefits; hence, their consumption should be encouraged to address food insecurity in Nigeria

Animal and vegetable wastes are mostly utilized by burning or as fertilizer on agricultural lands. Burning these wastes does not produce a desired level of heat, and the remaining material after heat production cannot be used as fertilizer, either. For this reason, plant and animal wastes are converted into energy by obtaining biogas from biomass, which is one of the most environmentally acceptable methods of solution. This system makes it possible to both produce energy and evaluate the end product as fertilizer. In this study, the efficiency of biogas and methane production from kitchen waste and ovine manure via anaerobic fermentation was evaluated. First of all, the C/N ratio of randomly selected kitchen wastes was determined, and it was found as 34.30. The mixing ratios with ovine manure were determined by considering the C/N ratio that was found. The mixing ratios of kitchen waste and ovine manure by mass were determined as 1:0, 0:1, 1:1, 1:2, and 2:1, respectively, and the C/N values providing optimum biogas production in the mixtures were found. At the end of the 48-day-long anaerobic fermentation process, the highest biogas and methane production was achieved as 525 ml and 332 ml, respectively, in reactor 5 with a mixing ratio of 2:1. This reactor was followed by reactor 2 with 450 ml of biogas and 271 ml of methane production. Accordingly, it was concluded that kitchen waste could be a good mixture with ovine manure in anaerobic fermentation.

Agroforestry (AF) is widely considered the most important tool to mitigate climate change-related issues by removing Carbon (C) Dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and storing C. Therefore, this study aims to broaden current knowledge on the impact of sustainable Agroforestry (AF) on the C sequestration rate and C stock in the surroundings of Cyamudongo isolated rain forest and Ruhande Arboretum. To understand this, the permanent sample plots (PSPs) were established mainly in the four designed transects of four km long originating on the Cyamudongo isolated rain forest boundary following the slope gradient ranging from 1286 to 2015 m asl. A total number of 73 PSPs were established in the Cyamudongo study area while 3 PSPs were established in the Ruhande AF plot. The Arc Map GIS 10.4 was used to design and map the sampling areas while GPS was used for the localization of the plots. Statistical significance was analyzed through R-software. The estimated quantity of sequestrated C for 2 years and 34 years of AF species was 13.11 t C ha -1 yr-1 (equivalent to 48 t CO2 ha -1 yr-1) and 6.85 t ha-1 yr-1 (equivalent to 25.1 t CO2 ha -1 yr-1) in Cyamudongo and Ruhande respectively. The estimated quantity of C stored by the Ruhande AF plot is 232.94 t ha-1. In Cyamudongo, the overall C stored by the AF systems was 823 t ha-1 by both young tree species established by the Cyamudongo Project (35.84 t ha-1) and C stored by existing AF species before the existence of the Project (787.12 t ha-1). In all study areas, the Grevillea robusta contributed more to overall stored C. The correlation coefficients between tree diameter and living biomass ranged from moderate to very strong due to differences in terms of age, stage of growth, and tree species.