Effects of Extraction Rates of Wheat Flour on Phyllo (Yufka) Properties at Different Storage Temperatures

Phyllo sheets were produced with flour obtained at different extraction rates (53, 58, or 67%), and stored at 4 and 25°C. Physical, chemical, and sensory properties of fresh and stored phyllo were researched. Fresh phyllo samples from wheat flour at 53% extraction rate were thinner (0.4 mm) and had whiter color (L* = 87.6). Textural properties and overall sensory acceptability of phyllo samples significantly decreased (P ≤ 0.01) with increased extraction rates and storage times. At the end of four days, toughness and extensibility decreased from 0.88 N and 10.9 mm to 0.65 N and 6.7 mm at 4°C and to 0.45 N and 5.6 mm at 25°C. The 53% extraction rate was more suitable for producing phyllo. The shelf life of phyllo samples for preparing borek was determined four days at 4°C and two days at 25°C according to acid contents and sensory properties.     

LEAF MINERAL COMPOSITION OF ‘NOVA’, ‘ROBINSON’ AND ‘FREMONT’ MANDARIN CULTIVARS ON DIFFERENT ROOTSTOCKS

Rootstock selection has a critical importance for mineral nutrition of budded cultivars. This study was conducted at the experimental farm of Mustafa Kemal University, Dörtyol, Turkey. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sour orange, Troyer and Carrizo citrange rootstocks on the leaf nutrient contents of ‘Nova’, ‘Robinson’, and ‘Fremont’ mandarin cultivars in the 2004 and 2005 growing seasons. Carrizo citrange was examined for nitrogen (N), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), and manganese (Mn); Troyer citrange for iron (Fe); and sour orange for calcium (Ca) and zinc (Zn) were superior on the others. Nitrogen, phosphorus (P) and Mg levels of mandarin leaf budded on sour orange were under or just above the deficiency threshold. Potassium, Mn, and Zn content of ‘Robinson’; P, Ca and Fe content of ‘Fremont’; and Cu content of ‘Nova’ were statistically higher. Therefore, it can be concluded that Carrizo rootstock may be suggested for the region and regions with similar ecological conditions.     

Use of Canopy Temperature Measurements as a Screening Tool for Drought Tolerance in Spring Wheat

Remotely sensed infrared canopy temperatures provide an efficient method for rapid, non-destructive monitoring of whole-plant response to water stress. Field studies were conducted in 1992 and 1993 to evaluate the potential for using canopy temperatures to screen for drought tolerance in wheat. In both years, 12 spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes were grown under two irrigation levels (well-watered and moisture-stressed) imposed between tillering and anthesis with a line-source sprinkler irrigation system. Canopy temperature measurements were taken in well-watered and moisture-stressed plots between 1330 and 1430 h (MDT) on five clear days in 1992 and seven clear days in 1993 during the late vegetative and early reproductive growth periods following closure of the plant canopy. Genotypes exhibited differences in mean canopy temperatures across the two irrigation levels and two years. Klasic consistently had the highest canopy temperature under moisture-stressed conditions, while Bannock and Pondera had the lowest. Bannock, Yecora Rojo and Klasic had the warmest canopies under well-watered conditions, while Vandal, Amidon and Rick had the coolest. Plot-to-plot variation in canopy temperature under water stress conditions was evident for differences in grain yield. Significant correlations between canopy temperature and yield under moisture-stress conditions and drought susceptibility index values indicated the potential for screening wheat genotypes for drought response.     

Effects of afforestation on microbial biomass C and respiration in eroded soils of Turkey

ABSTRACT

Soil erosion is a major socioeconomic and environmental problem in Turkey. Almost 86% of the land in Turkey has suffered various degrees of soil erosion. The objective of this study was to determine whether differences in tree species affect soil characteristics and microbial activity in degraded soils. Results from this study showed that organic C (C_org) was highest in the black locust soil at 0–20 cm depth and lowest in the bare land. Microbial biomass C (C_mic) increased in the order black locust > Scotch pine > bare land at two soil depths. One-way ANOVA demonstrated that afforested soils contain significantly higher microbial biomass C than those in the bare land soils. Microbial quotient (C_mic/C_org) of soils are positively influenced by afforestation as the bare land soils exhibited lower microbial quotient than the associated Scotch pine and black locust soils. Microbial communities in black locust soils were energetically more efficient—had a lower metabolic quotient (qCO₂)—with a higher C_mic/C_org compared to those in Scotch pine soils. However, the microbial quotient in our study was still below range and cannot reach equilibrium again 15 yr after afforestation. Restoration of degraded lands could be a long-term process from microbial activity in the observed regions.     

Genetic analysis of selected almond genotypes and cultivars grown in Turkey using peroxidase-gene-based markers

Peroxidase plays important roles in many stress-related interactions and catalyzes important reactions in various physiological processes. Since peroxidase played critical roles in the evolution of almond(Prunus dulcis Miller(D.A Webb) syn P. amygdalus Batsch), peroxidase-gene-based analyses may increase the understanding of evolution of this species. Peroxidase gene polymorphism(POGP) markers were used to determine genetic diversity and relationships among 69 Turkish genotypes/cultivars and 27 foreign almond cultivars by using unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean(UPGMA) analysis. This study is the first evaluation of the use of POGP markers for diversity analysis in almond.Totally, 83 fragments were obtained from eight peroxidase primer pairs, and polymorphism was identified as 94 %.Similarity level among the genotypes ranged between 0.63 and 0.93, and all materials were distinguished. In general,Turkish and foreign genotypes were mixed in clusters since they share a common genetic background and gene migration among the sites. Clusters were not based on geographic regions except for some minor groupings. This study indicated that peroxidase gene markers can be reliably used to determine genetic relationships in almonds.     

A comparative study on stability and decay resistance of some environmentally friendly fire-retardant boron compounds

Environmental concern accelerated development of new wood preservatives having low mammalian toxicity in addition to high protective effectiveness. PHN 130 and PHN 130 G have been developed recently by KOHMIX Ltd. in Japan as environmentally safe, fire-proof boron containing compounds. Beyond their proved fire-proof properties, stability of loaded chemical in wood at humid service conditions and decay resistance are required to be known for effective and broad use of these compounds in wood preservation. Results indicated that PHN imparted complete decay resistance to wood against brown- and white-rot fungi Tyromyces palustris and Coriolus versicolor, respectively. Protection efficacy of PHN also continued despite severe weathering conditions provided that impregnation is done by an undiluted solution. PHN 130 G appeared more effective than PHN 130 in this respect. However, both compounds were leachable from treated wood regardless of retention level or physical restriction of water access into wood by compression.This revised version was published online in April 2005 with a corrected date of receipt of the article.

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Anti-inflammatory activities of cucurbitacin E isolated from Citrullus lanatus var. citroides: role of reactive nitrogen species and cyclooxygenase enzyme inhibition

The in vivo and in vitro mechanistic anti-inflammatory actions of cucurbitacin E (CE) (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides) were examined. The results showed that LPS/INF-γ increased NO production in RAW264.7 macrophages, whereas L-NAME and CE curtailed it. CE did not reveal any cytotoxicity on RAW264.7 and WRL-68 cells. CE inhibited both COX enzymes with more selectivity toward COX-2. Intraperitoneal injection of CE significantly suppressed carrageenan-induced rat's paw edema. ORAC and FRAP assays showed that CE is not a potent ROS scavenger. It could be concluded that CE is potentially useful in treating inflammation through the inhibition of COX and RNS but not ROS.     

Spatial variability of soil penetration resistance in an alluvial delta plain under different land uses in middle Black Sea Region of Turkey

The aim of this study was to analyse the soil compaction and its spatial variability on an alluvial plain in K?z?l?rmak River Delta in Turkey, which is an important agricultural area where vegetable, rice, cereals and other crops have been grown under conventional tillage and irrigation over a long period. Penetration resistance (PR) was measured at 5 cm depth intervals between 0 and 40 cm soil depth, and gravimetric water content (GWC), field capacity (FC) and texture were determined for 0–20 cm and 20–40 cm. Penetration resistance values in some parts of the area were higher than the critical value for root growth limitation, the mean PR values at all depths were considerably lower than the critical value despite a relative increase in PR with soil depth. The areas with values greater than 3.0 MPa, except for 0–5 cm, were generally located in the fields with high sand content, especially near the K?z?l?rmak River. In contrast, for 0–5 cm, the areas with PR greater than 3.0 MPa, which is the value accepted for root growth limitation, were usually located in the west and northwest of the study area and had a high clay content.     

Effects of Soil Characteristics on Spring-Harvested Switchgrass Biomass Composition

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a promising bioenergy crop for temperate regions. Overwintering has been used to improve biomass quality, resulting in a more efficient combustion, partially due to a reduction in minerals concentration. This study examines the effects of soil composition on overwintered switchgrass composition. Samples were collected in the spring from 58 environments in Southern Quebec to determine possible relationships between soil composition and biomass quality. Principal component analysis and stepwise regressions were used to identify relationships between soil and biomass compositions. Soil parameters monitored explained 74% of the variation in biomass silicon (Si) concentration, 45% of the variation in ash, and 32% of the variation in magnesium (Mg). Soil composition had limited effects on the concentration of other elements in switchgrass biomass. Switchgrass biomass quality is influenced by soil composition and appears well suited to biomass combustion when overwintered and harvested in the spring.