Evaluating the long-term effects of tillage systems on soil structural quality using visual assessment and classical methods

Current agricultural practices and their impacts on the sustainability of crop production can be evaluated by simple and reliable soil structure assessment tools. The study was conducted to determine the effects of long-term (2006–2017) tillage systems on structural quality of a clayey soil using the visual evaluation of soil structure (VESS) and classical field and laboratory measurements. A field experiment with seven tillage systems, representing both traditional and conservation tillage methods, was conducted on a clayey soil in the Cukurova region, Turkey. Soil samples from 0–10, 10–20 and 20–25 cm depths were analysed for mean weight diameter (MWD), porosity and organic carbon. Penetration resistance (PR) was determined in each treatment plot. The VESS scores (<2) of upper 0–5 cm indicated a good structural quality for all tillage systems. The VESS scores were positively related to PR and MWD and negatively to macroporosity (MaP) and total porosity. In reduced and no-till systems, poorer soil structures were observed in subsurface layers where firm platy and angular blocky structures were defined. Mean VESS score (3.29) in 20–25 cm depth where PR was 3.01 MPa under no-till indicated a deterioration of soil structural quality; thus, immediate physical interventions would be needed. Lower VESS scores and PR values under strategic tillage which was created by ploughing half of no-till plots in November 2015 indicated successful correction of compaction caused by long-term no-till. The results suggest that the VESS approach is sensitive and useful in distinguishing compacted layers within the topsoil.     

Promoting community-based bird monitoring in the tropics: Conservation,research, environmental education,capacity-building,and local incomes

Long-term, locally-based biodiversity monitoring programs are essential for understanding and mitigating the effects of global change on tropical biodiversity while providing capacity-building, environmental education, and public outreach. However, these programs are lacking in most tropical countries. Birds are the best-known major group of organism, comprise excellent environmental indicators, are relatively easy to monitor, and are met with enthusiasm and interest by people worldwide. Bird monitoring programs using mist nets and bird banding (ringing) are especially valuable, as these well-established techniques enable the use of capture-mark-recapture (CMR) models to measure population change and other demographic parameters. Equally important for conservation, the ability to capture and release birds makes it possible to provide hands-on ornithological training and educational activities to students, conservationists, villagers, decision-makers, journalists, and other local people. Bird banding programs provide local jobs for research assistants, who often go on to productive careers in conservation, education, research, or ecotourism. Long-term bird banding stations also provide the nuclei, infrastructure, and staff for monitoring, education, and conservation programs focused on other taxa. As successful examples from Costa Rica and Ethiopia show, bird monitoring programs that integrate conservation, ecological research, environmental education, capacity-building, and income generation are cost-effective tools to achieve the goals of community-based biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction in the developing world. Therefore, locally-based and long-term bird monitoring programs should be encouraged, established, and funded throughout the tropics.     

The Effect of Salicylic Acid On Photosynthetic Characteristics,Growth Attributes,and Some Antioxidant Enzymes On Parsley (Petroselinum crispum L.) Under Salinity Stress

Gesunde Pflanzen - Parsley (Petroselinum crispum&nbsp;L.) is widely used in food, medicine, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. This research was conducted to determine the effect of six...     

Efficacy and persistence of native entomopathogenic nematodes against Capnodis tenebrionis in peach (Prunus persica) orchard in Turkey

Phytoparasitica - Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) have an important potential in the biological control of agricultural soil pests. Efficacy and persistence of native EPN species from Turkey were...     

The Importance of Hair Goats in Turkey

Of the goat population in Turkey, 98% of the goat population consists of hair goats. They are the prime breeds of goats and they can be bred in the Mediterranean, Aegean and Southeast regions of Turkey. Hair goats are the main income for their breeders. The goats are typically raised in scarce conditions, thus giving rise to greater yield of meat. In spite of the fact that the studies are limited to hair goats bred by the public, in 2005, Republic of Turkey Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock （TAGEM） initiated a countywide reclamation project aiming to identify the regional differences and characteristics of the hair goats. This paper focuses on the yearly quantity of hair goats＇ produce, particularly observing the proportions of goat milk, meat and other animal produce, and to highlight the importance of the hair goats. Recommendations are made from these findings.     

A Sheeppox Virus Outbreak in Central Turkey in 2003: Isolation and Identification of Capripoxvirus Ovis

Poxvirus epidemics occur almost every year and cause significant economic losses for small-scale animal producers in Turkey. In this study, the causative agent of the most recent epidemic in Central Anatolia was detected in clinical samples using electron microscopy (EM) and amplified using an in house polymerase chain reaction procedure for the first time. Additionally, the aetiological agent was isolated from a sheep and identified using EM and PCR.     

Screening of Multi-Trait Rhizobacteria for Improving the Growth,Enzyme Activities,and Nutrient Uptake of Tea (Camellia sinensis)

The use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as agricultural inputs for increasing crop production needs the selection of efficient bacteria with plant growth-promoting (PGP) attributes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of 20 multi-traits bacteria on tea growth, nutrient uptake, chlorophyll contents, and enzyme activities under field conditions for over 3 years. These isolates were screened in vitro for their PGP traits such as the production of indole acetic acid (IAA), nitrogenase activity, phosphorus (P) solubilization, and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase activity. Screening of rhizobacteria that show multiple PGP traits suggests that they stimulated overall plant growth, including shoot development and leaf yield, improving macro- and micro-nutrient uptake, chlorophyll contents, and activities of enzymes of tea plant. Use of strains with multiple PGP traits could be a more effective approach and have great potential for the environmentally-friendly tea production.     

Application of GA3, AVG and choline chloride to peach trees: Effects on nutritional status of fruit

This research was aimed to determine the effects of plant regulators such as gibberellic acid (GA₃), aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), and choline chloride (CC) on the nutrient components in the fruit of ‘Monroe’ peach under Isparta in Turkey ecological condition. AVG at doses of 0, 100, 150 and 200 ppm, GA₃ at doses of 0, 100, 200, 300 ppm and CC at doses of 0, 1000, 2000, 3000 pmm was sprayed on the peaches 7, 21 and 30 days before commercial harvests. All concentrations of AVG treatments were found to increase the amount of nitrogen in fruits. In general, it was observed that CC and GA₃ applications reduced the amount of calcium in fruits, however, AVG applications were found to not be effective. In the first year, the statistically significant of AVG treatments was seen on magnesium content only. It was determined in our study that AVG and CC treatments reduced copper content in peach fruits, all applications decreased the amount of manganese, 100 ppm AVG application increased the element zinc, and all of CC applications minimized the amount of that element.     

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) and potassium fertilization

The objective of the present study was to examine the effect of potassium (K) fertilization and soil texture on total yield (1st and 2nd cuttings) and yield components of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted in a completely randomized statistical design. Basil growth was examined in two different textured soils under three different doses of K fertilization. Generally, for the basil grown under clay soil conditions, moderate amounts of K fertilization is proposed to be sufficient if higher linalool contents are wanted. However, if the growing conditions are sandy loam in texture, it is suggested that higher doses of K be used. Results also highlighted the contribution of second cut as an important cultural practice in the cultivation of an annual basil.     

A cluster of metabolic defects caused by mutation in a mitochondrial tRNA

Hypertension and dyslipidemia are risk factors for atherosclerosis and occur together more often than expected by chance. Although this clustering suggests shared causation, unifying factors remain unknown. We describe a large kindred with a syndrome including hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and hypomagnesemia. Each phenotype is transmitted on the maternal lineage with a pattern indicating mitochondrial inheritance. Analysis of the mitochondrial genome of the maternal lineage identified a homoplasmic mutation substituting cytidine for uridine immediately 5' to the mitochondrial transfer RNA(Ile) anticodon. Uridine at this position is nearly invariate among transfer RNAs because of its role in stabilizing the anticodon loop. Given the known loss of mitochondrial function with aging, these findings may have implications for the common clustering of these metabolic disorders.