In this study, it was aimed to evaluate of the quality of the sowing process applied by 10 different producers in their fields in Tokat / Kazova, in the cultivation of grain corn, by Statistical Process Control. In determining of the quality of the sowing process, plant spacing uniformity, seeding depth uniformity and ratio of plant emergence were used. Acceptable plant spacing, the multiples ratio and the miss ratio were determined for planting spacing uniformity on the row. Plant emergence ratio values varied between 59.60% (D field) and 93.13% (B field) in the trial areas. Acceptable plant spacing, the multiples ratio and the miss ratio values ranged from 65.56% - 90.24%, 4.02 - 15.69% and 5.11% - 12.91%, in the trial areas, respectively. It was concluded that the sowing process is generally ‘Moderate’ and ‘Inadequate’ according to the parameters of plant spacing uniformity. Similarly, individual and moving range quality charts prepared for statistical quality control of plant spacing uniformity and seeding depth uniformity showed that the sowing process was not under control. According to these results, it is necessary to take precautions regarding the factors that negatively affect the quality of the sowing process for sustainable agricultural production.

Medicinal plants are important natural materials used in the treatment of many diseases. In this study, total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) of endemic Salvia absconditiflora Greuter & Burdet were determined. Plant samples were collected from Nigde and Erzincan (Turkey) provinces. Ethanol (EtOH) extracts of plant samples were extracted. TAS, TOS and OSI values were determined using Rel Assay Diagnostics kits. As a result of the studies, it has been determined that the samples of the plant collected from Nigde have higher TAS, TOS and OSI values. As a result, it has been determined that S. absconditiflora can be used as a potential antioxidant source due to high TAS values.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of housing system on morphological characteristics of Atak-S cocks reared in closed and free range systems. Cocks were fed with standard feed according to feeding program for seventeen weeks. In order to determine the effect of the housing system on some morphological features and asymmetry, Crest length (İU), Crest width (İG), Eye width (GG), Nose length (BU), Face width (YG), Wattle length (SU), Beak length (GU) in bilateral features, measurements were made from the right and left sides on the head of the cocks. Furthermore, foot features such as Width of tarsometatarsus at the joint with tibiotarsus (EG), Length of tarsometatarsus (TU), Width at 1 cm above the spur of tarsometatarsus (MG1), Width of tarsometatarsus at the spur (MG2), Length of the back toe (AP), Length of the outer toe nail (DT), Length of the fourth phalanx of the outer toe (D4), Length of the third phalanx of the outer toe (D3), Length of the mid toe nail (OT), Length of the fourth phalanx of the mid toe (O4), Length of the third phalanx of the mid toe (O3) measurements were taken on the right and left feet of the cocks. All measurements were made in millimetres (0.01 mm) using a digital caliper. Relative asymmetry (GA) and fluctuating asymmetry (DA) values were calculated for the features showing bilateral symmetry. According to the statistical analysis on the obtained data, the morphological characteristics of ATAK-S cocks were not affected by the housing system, and that the characters underlined in both housing conditions developed in the same way as right and left.

Much of the sustained agricultural growth necessary for poverty reduction and sustainable development comes from adequate and expanded improved agricultural inputs use like hybrid seeds, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and inorganic fertilizer. However, smallholder farmers faced various and empirically unidentified constraints in the sustainable use of improved agricultural inputs. This study, therefore, is to examine the trends and challenges farmers faced to use improved inputs. The study has used secondary data from various databases such as FAOSTAT, World Bank, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research and agricultural statistics. Simple graphical sketch, tabular and percentage analysis was employed for interpretation of the data. The study revealed that the trends in the use of various improved inputs are not based on the regular basis. The sustainable improved input intensification by smallholder farmers was influenced by various socio-economic, physical, and institutional factors. Understanding trends and challenges in input utilization provide baseline information for input intensification policies and strategies. Therefore, this review pointed out that it is possible to increase inputs intensification by smallholder farmers.

The Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is a serious pest on pomegranate in Turkey. The purpose of this study was to determine population fluctuation and infestation rates of medfly on various pomegranate varieties in Hatay province of Turkey. The Eostrap® invaginada traps baited with % 95 Trimedlure impregnated in a polymeric plug-type dispenser were used. The fruit infestation assessment was measured by a hundred fruits chosen randomly from ten trees in each of sampled orchard and checked for medfly punctures and infested fruits were counted. As a result of two-year investigations, this pest was found in six sites, which are located in Kırıkhan (Delibekirli, Kurtlu soğuksu) and Serinyol districts of Hatay province. In 2010, the highest mean of the catches per traps were recorded on 13 October (236.5), followed by 6 October (166.5), 29 September (145.5), 20 October (145.0) and 22 September (110.0) on ‘Karamehmet+katırbaşı’ varieties in Delibekirli village. Moreover, the highest mean of the catches per traps were recorded on 6 October (38.0), followed by 13 October (33.5), 20 October (17.0), 29 September (16) and 22 September (9) on ‘Katırbaşı’ varieties in Kurtlu soğuksu. In 2011, the highest mean of the catches per traps were recorded on 7 November (240.0), followed by 14 November (162.5), 31 October (100.5), 24 October (58) and 21 November (32) on Katırbaşı and Hicaz varieties of Serinyol district. The highest percentages of infestation rates were observed at orchard II (42) on ‘Karamehmet+katırbaşı’, followed orchard I (37) on ‘Karamehmet+katırbaşı’, orchard III (7) on ‘Katırbaşı’ and orchard IV (3) on ‘Katırbaşı’ varieties 2010. In addition, the highest percentages of infestation rates were observed at orchard I (44) on ‘Katırbaşı’, followed at orchard II (8) on ‘Hicaz’ varieties 2011. The highest mean of medfly was observed in October and September in 2010, and in November and October in 2011 due to ripening and harvesting time of fruits. The medfly caused significantly more infestation rates on ‘Karamehmet+katırbaşı’ and ‘Katırbaşı’ pomegranate than ‘Hicaz’ pomegranate.

Access to land in Bangladesh is governed by the state rule but informal tenure arrangement is existing all over the country. Land productivity differs with the contractual arrangement between landlord and tenant. Inefficiency may arise due to sharecropping which is known as Marshallian inefficiency. This study investigated the productivity the productivity, profitability and efficiency of different tenure arrangement of Boro rice cultivation selecting 120 farmers from Rangpur district of Bangladesh. The stochastic frontier production function was employed to determine the efficiency. Moreover, t-test was performed to see whether any significant difference exist among tenure categories in terms of productivity, profitability and efficiency. Four types of tenure arrangements were identified as cash tenant, fifty-fifty input-output sharing arrangement, only output sharing arrangement and owner farmers. Result revealed that productivity and profitability was higher for owner and cash tenant compared to others. Significant productivity and profitability difference were found between owner farmers and cash tenants versus sharecroppers. Result also found that inefficiency level was significantly high for fifty-fifty input-output share tenant and only output share tenant compared to cash tenant and owner operator implying that Marshallian inefficiency exist due to sharecropping system in the Boro rice production.

Turkey is one of the major garlic producing country in the world and the significant amount of Turkey’s production has been made using a garlic variety called Taşköprü garlic (Allium sativum L.) in Kastamonu, Turkey. In order to improve the quality of garlic production, a field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of different doses of leonardite organic fertilizer, mineral fertilizer NPK and the mixture of both the leonardite and NPK fertilizers on the soil properties and mean performances of different characters and yield production of Taşköprü garlic. The treatments were: the plots without leonardite and NPK fertilizers (Control), (2) 80 N kg ha-1 + 40 kg ha-1 P2O5 + 100 kg ha-1 K2O (MF), (3) 2.6 ton ha-1 leonardite (Leo1), (4) 6.9 ton ha-1 leonardite (Leo2), (5) 9.7 ton ha-1 leonardite (Leo3), (6) Leo1 + MF, (7) Leo2 + MF and Leo3 + MF. Most soil characteristics and the different characters and yield production of Taşköprü garlic statistically varied between the different fertilizer treatments. The plots with the Leo3MF application showed the highest soil organic C, N, P and K concentrations, and the SOCstock and TNstock, while it had the highest bulb weight, length, equatorial diameter, weight of cloves, width of cloves, length of cloves as well as bulb yield per decare. Of the soil properties, the garlic yield was strongly positively correlated with the soil N concentration, indicating that the applications of leonardite with the different doses or the mixture of leonardite with the mineral fertilizer were resulting in higher soil N concentration and thus having the greatest effect on the garlic yields.

The aim of the study was pasteurization of orange juces using microwave, thermosonication and traditional methods and comparing the quality properties. In this study thermosonication, microwave (540, 720, 900W), and traditional pasteurization methods were used for pasteurization of orange juice at 85°C. Pectin methlyesterase enzyme inactivation and Vitamin C, colour, total phenolic content, total carotenoid content were measured. It was determined that the processing times of orange juices pasteurized by traditional, thermosonication and microwave were 180, 120, and 60-85 s, respectively. The highest pectin methlyesterase enzyme inactivation (%95.64) was found after the microwave pasteurization at 900 W. The loss was found in the total phenolic content of orange juice was 6.15% by thermosonication process, whereas this loss was 16.11% by traditional method compared to fresh orange juice. The total colour difference was found the lowest in thermosonication application with a value of 7.98, and the highest vitamin C content (52.52 mg/100 mL) was detected in the microwave pasteurization group of 540 W.

In this study, it was aimed to determine the usability of different diluents and cry protectants in cryopreservation of Peking duck semen. Semen samples were collected from five male ducks, twice a week for four weeks, using the abdominal massage method. In the study, 40 semen samples were used. Semen samples from ducks were combined (mixed) after being evaluated individually. Mix semen volume (ml), density (×109 / mL), pH, motility (%) and vitality (%) values were determined as 1.84±0.04, 1.72±0.8, 6.88±0.29, 71.55±3.28 and 74.27±4.67 respectively. In the study, as cry protectant, Glucose I (GⅠ) containing 6%DMF (dimethylformamide), Tris-Glucose I (TI), Lactated Ringer's-Glucose I (LGI), Lactated Ringer's I (LI) and Glucose II (GⅠI) containing 5% DMSO, Tris-Glucose II (TII), Lactated Ringer's-Glucose II (LGII), Lactated Ringer's II (LII) were used as diluents. The mixed semen was divided into eight equal parts and 1:3 ratio diluent was added and equilibrated in straws for 90 minutes at + 4°C. The straws were first frozen to -80°C with liquid nitrogen vapour, and then stored in liquid nitrogen at -196°C. After freezing and thawing, the highest motility value was determined in diluent LGI with 41.91%. In other diluents used, the mortality values were determined as LII (33.10%), LGII (32.80%), LI (29.00%), GI (23.66%), TI (12.91%), GII (11.22%) and TII (6.90%). Vitality (%) values were determined as LGI (44.08%), LII (38.50%), LGII (35.10%), LI (33.58), GI (30.91%), GII (23.10%), TI (20.66%) and TII (14.80%) respectively. In this study, it has been determined that the lactated Ringer's-Glucose diluent containing 6% DMF is more advantageous in terms of semen vitality and mortality values when compared to other diluents and that it can be used for long-term storage of duck sperm.

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production is constrained majorly by drought and low soil fertility in Kenya. These limitations have never been adequately approached due to financial challenges and lack of better technology. A study was carried out in Kirinyaga and Embu Counties to evaluate the effects of tillage method and residual fertilizers on yield performance of dry bean. Dry bean was grown in the short rains season on plots preceded by fertilized maize (Zea mays L.) grown in the long rains season. The trials were laid out in a randomized complete block design with a split-plot arrangement. The tillage methods, NT+CR and CT-CR, where NT: No-tillage, CT: Conventional tillage, and CR: Crop residue, were assigned the main plot and residual fertilizers (NK, NP, PK, NPK, and NPK+CaMgZnBS) the subplots. The results showed that there was 35% and 46% more water retention under NT+CR than under CT-CR system in Embu and Kirinyaga sites, respectively. NT+CR produced higher biomass, more number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, and 1000-seed weight. Plots with residual NPK+ZnBMgCaS yielded higher biomass at 60 DAE, number of seeds per pod, 1000-seed weight and grain yield than plots with other treatments. The residual NPK+ZnBMgCaS and NPK treatments out yielded PK treatment by 600 kg ha-1 and 370 kg ha-1 (Embu) and by 710 kg ha-1 and 330 kg ha-1 (Kirinyaga), respectively. Based on these results, cultivation of dry bean on residual fertilizer nutrients solely or in combination with no-till and crop residue retention after maize harvest has the potential to improve the yields and food security among farmers in the region.