The present research was carried out to determine the effects of the addition of cardamom powder at different levels (0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 g/kg) to diet on performance, egg quality, and serum parameters in laying quails. In the experiment, a total of 120 laying quails at the age of 20 weeks were randomly distributed to 5 treatment groups with 6 subgroups (4 quails each). Quails were fed with experimental diets for 10 weeks. In the experiment, the feed intake of quails significantly increased with the supplementation of cardamom powder at the level of 3 g/kg to the diet, while other performance parameters were not affected. Eggshell thickness advanced with the addition of 1 g/kg cardamom powder to diet. Egg yolk L* value increased at the level of 4 g/kg, but a* value decreased with the addition of cardamom powder. Other egg quality parameters were not affected by the addition of cardamom powder to the diet. In addition, the supplementation of cardamom powder to the diet significantly reduced serum cholesterol levels of quails. According to the results obtained from the experiment, the addition of cardamom powder at the level of 3 g/kg to the diet increased the feed intake of quails, while the supplementation of 1 g/kg was effective in improving the eggshell quality and serum cholesterol level.

Uzaktan algılama (UA) birçok farklı alanda kullanıldığı gibi tarımda da etkin bir biçimde kullanılmaktadır. UA tekniklerinden faydalanarak tarım alanlarında verim, bitki su tüketimi, bitki büyüme ve gelişme gibi özelliklerin tahmin edilmesi için geliştirilmiş birçok matematiksel model vardır. Bu çalışmada modellerden Normalize Edilmiş Vejetasyon Değişim İndeksi (NDVI) ve Toprak Yansımalarını Dikkate Alan Vejetasyon İndeksi (SAVI)’den yararlanılmıştır. NDVI ve SAVI uydu görüntülerinin yakın kızılötesi (NIR) ve kırmızı (RED) ışık dalga boyundaki bantlar kullanılarak hesaplanmaktadır. Çalışma kapsamında 2018 ve 2019 yılına ait LANDSAT 8 uydu görüntüleri kullanılarak Tarım İşletme Genel Müdürlüğüne ait Sultansuyu Tarım İşletme Müdürlüğü’nün Yeniköy mevkiinde bulunan dairesel hareketli yağmurlama sulama (Center Pivot) sistemleri ile sulanan silajlık mısır üretim alanlarındaki değişim bitki gelişme dönemi boyunca analiz edilmiştir. Bu kapsamda uydu görüntülerinden elde edilen NDVI ve SAVI haritaları belirlenmiştir. Elde edilen haritalardan ekimden hasada kadar geçen süre için bitki gelişim değişmeleri değerlendirilmiştir. Çalışmadan elde edilen sonuçlara göre silajlık mısır bitkisinde bitki büyüme ve gelişmesi uydu görüntülerinin NIR ve RED bantları kullanılarak elde edilen NDVI ve SAVI bitki parametreleri ile takip edilebileceği belirlenmiştir.

An experiment was conducted to determinate the phytochemical properties (chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, carotenoids, antioxidant activity, total phenolic and flavonoid content) in ten medicinal plants namely Syal Kata (Argemone mexicana L.), Akanda (Calotropis gigantea (L.) Dryand.), Dumur (Ficus carica L.), Chalmugra (Gynocardia odorata R.Br.), Kata kachu (Lasia spinosa (L.) Thwaites), Shetodrone (Leucas aspera (Wild.)), Khona (Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz), Reri (Ricinus communis L.), Ghat kachu (Typhonium trilobatum (L.) Schott) and Bazna (Zanthoxylum rhetsa DC.) for ethno-botanical uses. The young fresh leaves were harvested and were subjected to methanolic (95%) extract. Total phenolic contents were analysed by using Folin - Ciocalteau method where gallic acid was used as standard. Total phenolic content varied from 94.53 mg GAE/100 g FW (C. gigantea) to 484.88 mg GAE/100 g FW (L. aspera). Total flavonoid contents were performed by using Quercetin as standard. Total flavonoid content varied from 137.25 mg QUE /100 g FW (C. gigantea) to 334.27 mg QUE/100 g FW (G. odorata). Antioxidant activity of these extracts was performed by using DPPH free radical scavenging assay. Total anti-oxidant capacity varied from IC50 value 35.37 mg/mL (A. mexicana) to 90.47 mg/mL (F. carica) where ascorbic acid is used as standard. Results indicated that among the ten medicinal plants phenolics rich in L. aspera, flavonoids rich in G. odorata, antioxidant activity rich in A. mexicana. Z. rhetsa leaf rich in chlorophyll-a content (311.67 mg/100 g FW), L. aspera leaf rich in chlorophyll-b content (157 mg/100 g FW), Z. rhetsa rich in chlorophyll- (a+b) content as 439 mg/100 g FW, A. mexicana leaf rich in carotenoids content as 96 mg/100 g FW.

The study was conducted to assess consumers’ preference and willingness to pay for different pepper varieties in Osun State, Nigeria. The study used the major pepper types – Capsicum chinenses (Rodo), C. annum (Tatase), C. frutescens (Sombo) and C. pubescens (Bawa), being sold in the markets in Osun State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was used to collect data from 100 respondents. The primary data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study showed that consumers mostly preferred and were willing to pay more for C. chinenses (Rodo) than any other types of pepper. Household size, primary occupation, total household income, availability and meal-making ability of pepper were the factors that influenced consumers’ preference for the different varieties of pepper while the willingness to pay for pepper varieties by consumers was influenced by affordability, availability, taste and thickness. The study recommends that since availability and affordability influenced preference and willingness to pay for pepper varieties, policies should be aimed at increasing farmers’ production as this will ensure that pepper is readily available and affordable for consumers.

In this study, the performance, egg quality, egg yolk colour and fatty acids profile of quails fed on diets containing different fat sources were determined. During 8 weeks trial, a total of 75, 10-weeks-old laying quails were used. Three diets were formulated to contain soybean oil (SBO), sunflower oil (SFO) and hempseed oil (HSO), respectively. The performance parameters were not significantly influenced by the dietary different oil sources. Eggshell ratio, eggshell thickness, eggshell breaking strength, egg shape index, egg yolk index, albumen index and egg yolk colour values (except a*) were not influenced by the different dietary oil sources. The a* value was significantly affected and the highest a* value was the HSO of group. The different oil sources supplementation to the diets was effective on fatty acid composition of the egg yolk. The highest value in terms of α-linolenic acid, total polyunsaturated fatty acids and total n-3 fatty acids were found in the diet fed group with HSO added. As a result; supplementation of different sources of oil to quail diets without negatively affecting performance and egg quality can be used to change the egg yolk fatty acid composition. Hempseed oil may increase the amount of total polyunsaturated fatty acids and total n-3 fatty acid content of egg yolk.

Mushrooms contain a variety of secondary metabolites, including various phenolic compounds, which have been shown to act as excellent antioxidants. In this study, the contents of total phenolic, flavonoids and tannins of mushrooms methanolic extracts were evaluated by colorimetric assays to ranges of 277.36±0.66 to 420.86±0.90 mg (GAE)/100g DW; 31.99±0.90 to 90.90±0.07mg (QE)/100g DW and 150.61±0.16 to 220.47±1.01mg (TAE)/100g DW respectively. HPLC-profiles of methanolic extracts indicated that the individual phenolic compounds found to the samples of the species of mushrooms that are Lentinus squarrosulus and Auricularia politrich revealed us that gallic acid, catechin, acid ρ-hydroxybenzoїc, acid ellagique and naringerin were presented to the level of the two species. With respect to organic acids, the results showed that citric acid and fumaric acid was the major organic acid in all the samples of both mushrooms species. The methanolic extracts of the two mushrooms exhibited the high DPPH radical scavenging activities ranging from 34.10±1.12 to 58.95±0.52%. These data indicated that these mushrooms could constitute a potential good source of natural antioxidant for the local population.

This study established an efficient in vitro callus formation and plant regeneration protocol for a prevıously reported Cu accumulator, Brassica nigra, black mustard collected from Diyarbakir (Station site). Node explants from 10-day old mature plants were used for callus formation and shoot regeneration. The highest callus formation frequency (100%) was observed on Murasige Skoog (MS) medium containing 0.1 mg/L Benzylaminopurine (BAP) + 0.5 mg/L Naphthylacetic acid (NAA) (MS 2), 0.6 mg/L BAP + 0.2 mg/L NAA (MS 7), the highest shoot regeneration frequency (100%) was achieved on MS medium containing 0.6 mg/L BAP + 0.05 mg/L Indole butyric acid (IBA) (MS 8), 0.2 mg/L IBA + 0.2 mg/L NAA (MS 10) and the highest number of shoots per explant (3,25) was obtained on MS medium supplemented 0.6 mg/L BAP + 0.05 mg/L IBA (MS 8). After root, stem, and leaf formation from explants in MS medium, these plants were transferred to soil and grown in the plant growth room for one month. A dependable and effective shoot regeneration procedure was developed, laying the groundwork for genetic transformation in Brassica nigra.

This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of active yeast (AY) and inactive-stabilized yeast (Thepax) supplementation to the rations in different levels on broiler performance. In the experiment carried out according to the randomized plot design, there were 5 different treatment groups as control group (Group 1), 0.1% Thepax (Group 2), 0.2% Thepax (Group 3), 0.1% AY (Group 4) and 0.2% AY (Group 5). In the experiment, the effects of active and inactive yeasts on body weight gain (BWG), feed consumption, feed conversion rate, carcass weight (CW), carcass yield (CY), abdominal fat amount and mortality were investigated. In the present experiment, the final live weight, the cumulative feed consumption and feed conversion were insignificant. The statistical difference between the groups in the experiment was significant in carcass weight, but insignificant in the amount of abdominal fat and mortality rate. Inactive-stabilized yeast (Thepax 0.1%) was more effective than 0.2% AY on BWG. Only 0.1% Thepax increased the CW besides CY was high in 0.1%, 0.2% Thepax and 0.1% AY groups. It has been observed that active and inactive yeasts are used in broiler chickens without any problem.

In this study, testicular and ovarian structures of economically important edible Pelophylax ridibundus (Pallas, 1771) were histologically examined before and after reproduction in male and female individuals. Fourty eight (24 ♀, 24 ♂) adult frogs were collected from Gölbaşı Lake in Hatay. The average weight and length values of female frogs collected from nature were found to be 56.61±19.59 g and 79.54±7.07 mm; while, the average weight and length values of male frogs were 36.63±12.84 g and 69.29±9.15 mm, respectively. Frogs were brought to the frog farm established in Aydıncık and placed in breeding ponds with a width of 1m2. Frogs in the ponds were brought to the laboratory of Iskenderun Technical University in different periods, before breeding (March) and after breeding (June). Then, histological samples were taken from ovary and testis. The female frogs were determined ready for reproduction. Moreover, a large number of mature oocytes in the before breeding ovaries in vitellogenic stage, while after reproduction oocytes in primary structure and oocytes which have atresia status observed. Also, increase in the thickness of the theca layer was determined. In the male frog seminiferous tubules containing a large number of spermatogonia, spermatocyte, spermatid and a small number of spermatozoons including sperm bundles and leydig cells were found before reproduction. After the reproduciton, the density of spermatogonia, spermatocyte and spermatids were decreased; while, the density of spermatozoon and sperm bundle were increased in the seminiferous tubules. This study will contribute to the determination of mating and spawning in frog breeding by revealing the histological status of the gonad structure of P. ridibundus in the breeding process.

The study examined the constraints of access to the use of agricultural insurance schemes (AIS) by small-scale farmers in Kogi State, Nigeria. Sustainable agricultural enterprise in most developing countries like Nigeria can be achieved through adequate financing especially in the area of agricultural insurance. Despite the existence of insurance services by the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation and other private firms in Nigeria, there has been a low level of participation of farmers buying insurance premium; thus, there is a need to examine the hindrances in accessing the scheme. The specific objectives were to describe the socio-economics characteristic of small- scale farmers, examine the types of agricultural insurance and evaluate the constraints in accessing AIS in the study area. Primary data were collected from 150 farmers with the aid of a well-structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results showed that farmers in the study area were dominated by the married (68%), literates (81.33) and males (73.33%) with the mean age and farming experience of 47 and 19 years respectively. Crop insurance (56%) and farm implement insurance (46%) were the major types of agricultural insurance used by the farmers. Rigorous procedures in claim settlement (3.266), poor government attention (3.106) poor repayment (3.080) and non-coverage of all the crops (3.093) were among the major challenges in accessing AIS) in the study area. The study recommended that the government through the ministry of Agriculture or Bank of Agriculture should eliminate the bureaucratic processes and bottlenecks encountered by the farmers in accessing AIS.