Sugar beet and Barley Yields in Relation to Bacillus polymyxa and Bacillus megaterium var. phosphaticum Inoculation

Microbiological fertilizers are an important part of environment friendly sustainable agricultural practices. A study was conducted in order to investigate seed inoculation of sugar beet (cv. Sonja) and barley (cv. Tokak), with nitrogen fixing (Bacillus polymyxa) and phosphate dissolving (Bacillus megaterium var. phosphaticum) bacteria in comparison to control and mineral fertilizer application in the green house and in the field at two sites in 1996 and 1997 in Erzurum (29^o 55' N and 41^o 16' E with an altitude of 1950 m), Turkey. In the green house trial bacterial inoculation of seeds increased sugar beet root and barley seed yields compared with control. B. polymyxa was more effective, but dual inoculations gave increases of 19.0 and 25.9% respectively. In the field as an average of sites and years sugar beet root yields were increased by 12.0%, 7.5% and 16.5% while barley seed yields were increased by 15.0%, 8.4% and 18.2% respectively with B. polymyxa, B. megaterium var. phosphaticum and dual applications over control treatment. Other yield and yield components were also enhanced especially by dual applications. However, increases in yield and yield components were lower than or comparable to mineral fertilizer application. The beneficial effect of bacterial inoculation was higher in well irrigated pot trials and at the site of rich clayey soils. In conclusion, microbial inoculation of seeds with Bacillus polymyxa and B. megaterium var. phosphaticum, alone or in dual combinations, may substitute costly NP fertilizers in sugar beet and barley production even in cold highland areas such as in Erzurum.     

An SMS based system for surveillance of wheat rust diseases: a pilot initiative in Central Anatolia region in Turkey

Rust diseases (Puccinia spp.), namely stripe, leaf and stem rusts, are among the major diseases of wheat. Their management requires integrated approaches including timely surveillance, speedy communication and rapid response. This surveillance system was developed in order to facilitate participation of extension offices (in provinces/districts) in the survey of wheat rust diseases and sharing of information quickly. The SMS based system was tested as a pilot tool in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey connecting 25 districts in 5 provinces through an SMS network during the rust development period (April–July) in 2013. The observations from 268 fields indicated that leaf rust and stem rust development was insignificant in the districts covered, occurring in only 2.3% and 1.9% of the fields respectively. Stripe rust prevalence was higher occurring in 44.8% of the fields. Of the inspected fields 2.5% had infected plant incidences between 15% and 40% requiring control measures. Using the SMS reports received from the extension officers, the system facilitated daily monitoring of rust development and exchange of observations among the relevant institutions, also sending out alert messages to designated authorities as necessary. The study demonstrated that the system can serve as a rapid surveillance and communication tool to facilitate timely decision making and rapid response to prevent wheat rust epidemics.     

Synthesis,analysis and simulation of carbonized electrospun nanofibers infused carbon prepreg composites for improved mechanical and thermal properties

This paper reports the fabrication, characterization and simulation of electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers into pre-impregnated (prepreg) carbon fiber composites for different industrial applications. The electrospun PAN nanofibers were stabilized in air at 270 °C for one hour and then carbonized at 950 °C in an inert atmosphere (argon) for another hour before placing on the prepreg composites as top layers. The prepreg carbon fibers and carbonized PAN nanofibers were cured together following the prepreg composite curing cycles. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) was carried out to investigate the chemical compositions and elemental distribution of the carbonized PAN nanofibers. The EDX results revealed that the carbon weight % of approximately 66 (atomic % 72) was achieved in the PAN-derived carbon nanofibers along with nitrogen and lower amounts of nickel, oxygen and other impurities. Thermomechanical analysis (TMA) exhibited the glass transition regions in the prepreg nanocomposites and the significant dependence of coefficient of thermal expansion on the fiber directions. The highest value of coefficient of thermal expansion was observed in the temperature range of 118-139 °C (7.5×10^-8 1/°C) for 0 degree nanocomposite scheme. The highest value of coefficient of thermal expansion was observed in the temperature range of 50-80 °C (37.5×10^-6 1/°C) for 90 degree nanocomposite scheme. The test results were simulated using ANSYS software. The test results may be useful for the development of structural health monitoring of various composite materials for aircraft and wind turbine applications.     

Influence of Spent Mushroom Compost (SMC) as an Organic Fertilizer on Nutrient,Growth, Yield,and Essential Oil Composition of German Chamomile (Matricaria Recutita L.)

To investigate the effect of Spent Mushroom Compost (SMC) as an organic fertilizer on German chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) nutrient, growth, yield, essential oil and osmolytes a greenhouse experiment was conducted through a randomized complete design in six replications. A mixture of sandy loam soil with 5, 10 and 15% volume rates of spent mushroom compost was used as the partial substrate for German chamomile pot culture. Finding of results revealed that usage of SMC in the growing media increased significantly plant growth, flower yield, essential macro nutrient uptake, sodium concentration, proline and soluble sugars content as well as essential oil percentages in compared to control. Comparison between the treatments indicated that addition of 10% SMC to the plant soil substrate cause to higher growth and addition of higher rates of SMC (10% and 15%) led to better yield. The obtained results showed that absorption of K and Na enhanced significantly by increasing of SMC percentage in growing media but there was no significant difference in N and P uptake in SMC treatments. The results of GC and GC-MS analysis presented that the main compositions of essential oil extracted from German chamomile flowers accounted for 83.99–99.84% of total essential oil in SMC treatments. Regarding important role of SMC on the essential oil yield, we can consider SMC could be a suitable substitute for chemical fertilizers as environmentally friendly material in cultivation medicinal plant German chamomile.     

Functinalization of poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers by grafting of maleic acid/methacrylamide monomer mixture

Functionalized poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers were synthesized by grafting of maleic acidmethacrylamide (MAA-MAAm) monomer mixtures by using benzoylperoxide as initiator onto PET fibers in an aqueous medium. The functionalized fibers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimeter, and scanning electron microscopy. The effects of reaction conditions, such as monomer mixture ratio, monomer mixture and initiator concentration, polymerization time, and temperature on grafting were investigated. In alone grafting of MAA, grafting was not observed. However, the use of MAAm as a comonomer increased the amount of MAA inserted to the PET fiber up to 40.7 %. An increase in the temperature between 75 and 95 °C and also, increase in monomer mixture concentration between 0.50 and 1.00 M increased the grafting rate and saturation graft yield. The graft yield has shown an increase up to an initiator concentration of 1.0×10⁻² M and decreased afterwards. The grafting increased the dyeability with disperse, acidic and basic dyes, and water absorption capacity but decreased the thermal stability of the fibers.     

Nephrotoxicity in rats induced by organophosphate insecticide methidathion and ameliorating effects of vitamins E and C

The effects of organophosphate insecticide methidathion (MD) on kidney tissue and the ameliorating effects of a combination of vitamins E and C against subchronic MD toxicity were evaluated in rats. Experimental groups were: control group (group I), 5 mg/kg body weight MD-treated group (group II), and 5 mg/kg body weight MD plus vitamin E plus vitamin C treated group (group III). The groups II and III were treated orally with MD on five days a week for four weeks. Vitamins E and C were injected at doses of 50 mg/kg body weight, i.m. and 20 mg/kg body weight, i.p., respectively, 30 min after the treatment of MD in the group III. Rats were anaesthesized and venous blood samples were collected by direct right ventricle heart puncture, in addition, the right kidney was removed for histopathological examinations and malondialdehyde (MDA) analyses after four weeks. The serum activity of cholinesterase (ChE) and the kidney level of malondialdehyde, and kidney histopathology were studied in rats. MD caused decreased ChE activity (group I: 2114 ± 63 U/L, group II: 1455 ± 100 U/L) and increased MDA level (group I: 147 ± 20.2 nmol/mg protein, group II: 236 ± 25.6 nmol/mg protein), and kidney damage in rats. Furthermore, a combination of vitamins E and C restored partially (ChE activity: 1670 ± 111 U/L, MDA level: 159 19.4 nmol/mg protein) this changes in MD-treated rats.     

Effects of Baking and Boiling on the Nutritional and Antioxidant Properties of Sweet Potato [<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ipomoea batatas</Emphasis> (L.) Lam.] Cultivars

The effects of baking and boiling on the nutritional and antioxidant properties of three sweet potato cultivars (Beniazuma, Koganesengan, Kotobuki) cultivated in Turkey were investigated. The samples were analyzed for proximate composition, total phenolic content, ascorbic acid, β-carotene, antiradical activity, and free sugars. The dry matter, protein, and starch contents of the sweet potatoes were significantly changed by the treatments while the ash and crude fiber contents did not differ as significantly. The β-carotene contents of baked and boiled sweet potatoes were lower than those of fresh sweet potatoes; however, the total phenolic and ascorbic acid contents of the baked and boiled sweet potatoes were higher than those of the fresh samples. Generally, the antiradical activity of the sweet potatoes increased with the treatments. Sucrose, glucose, and fructose were quantified as free sugars in all fresh sweet potatoes; however, maltose was determined in the treated samples. In terms of the analyzed parameters, there were no explicit differences among the sweet potato cultivars.     

Virulence of Puccinia triticina in Turkey and leaf rust resistance in Turkish wheat cultivars

Leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina is a common disease on wheat in the coastal regions of Turkey. Collections of P. triticina from infected wheat leaves were obtained from the main wheat production zones of Turkey in 2009 and 2010. A total of 104 single uredinial isolates were tested for virulence on 20 lines of Thatcher wheat that differ for single leaf rust resistance genes. Forty-four different virulence phenotypes were identified over both years. Four phenotypes were found in both years. Phenotype FHPTQ found in 2009, with virulence to genes Lr2c, Lr3, Lr16, Lr26, Lr3ka, Lr17a, Lr30, LrB, Lr10, Lr14a, Lr18, Lr3bg, and Lr14b, was the most common phenotype at 15.4 % of the total isolates. Forty-three winter and spring wheat cultivars from Turkey were tested as seedlings with 13 different P. triticina virulence phenotypes from Canada, the US and Turkey. The infection types on the cultivars were compared with infection types on the Thatcher near isogenic lines to postulate the presence of seedling leaf rust resistance genes in the cultivars. Resistance genes Lr1, Lr3a, Lr10, Lr14a, Lr17a, Lr20, Lr23, and Lr26 were postulated to be present in the Turkish wheat cultivars. DNA of the wheat cultivars was tested with PCR markers to determine the presence of the adult plant resistance genes Lr34 and Lr37. Marker data indicated the presence of Lr34 in 20 cultivars and Lr37 in three cultivars. Field plot evaluations of the wheat cultivars indicated that no single Lr gene conditioned highly effective leaf rust resistance. Resistant cultivars varied for combinations of seedling and adult plant resistance genes.     

The Influence of Cadmium Toxicity on Some Physiological Parameters as Affected by Iron in Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) Plant

The effects of interaction between cadmium chloride (CdCl₂) and iron (Fe)- ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) were studied in rice plant. The seedlings of rice were treated with 0, 50, and 100 μM CdCl₂ supplemented with 5, 10 and 20 ppm Fe as Fe-EDTA for 30 days. Plants were grown under controlled condition. In all the plants treated with CdCl_2, growth parameters [relative leaf growth rate (RLGR), specific leaf area (SLA), and leaf water content area (LWCA)], soluble, and unsoluble sugars contents decreased. Addition of Fe-EDTA moderated cadmium effects. Under CdCl₂ stress without Fe, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, proline content, catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activity increased, however, in solutions containing both CdCl₂ and Fe-EDTA, MDA content, proline content and activities of antioxidant enzymes decreased. In 50 μM CdCl₂, total protein content increased but in 100 μM decreased. With increasing Fe in solutions containing CdCl₂, protein content decreased. The results indicated that with increasing Fe-EDTA in CdCl₂ treated plants, the effects of toxicity of Cd decreased.