The Determination of Soil Boron Fractions,Their Relationships to Soil Properties and the Availability to Olive (Olea europea L.) Trees

This study was conducted to investigate the various boron fractions in olive tree grown soils. The correlations between boron fractions in leaves, fruits and soil properties were examined. For this purpose cv “Gemlik” olive (Olea europaea L.) orchards were visited. Soil samples from 0–30 cm and 30–60 cm deep, the leaf and fruit samples were collected. The greatest proportion of total soil boron is present in residual form (85–88%). It is followed by organically bound B (2.84–4.50%), specifically adsorbed on soil colloid surfaces (0.93–1.31%), oxides (manganese oxyhydroxides, amorphous Fe and Al oxides, crystalline Fe and Al oxides) bound B (7.27–8.31%). The smallest one readily soluble (extracting plant available) boron values were composed of only 0.40–0.50% of total boron ranging. To determine readily soluble boron five different extraction solutions were in the order Hot water ? 0.01 M CaCl₂ ? 1 M NH₄OAc ? 0.1 M KCl ? 0.005 M DTPA. Fruit boron concentration and soil boron fractions showed close correlations than leaf boron concentration.     

An assessment of hydrological functions of forest ecosystems to support sustainable forest management

Forests are among the most important ecosystems that provide various hydrological services including water production and protection because the vast majority of the water available on the earth comes from forested catchments. The forests provide quality and continuous water yield as well as protective services such as flood control, soil protection, landslide protection, avalanche protection, and prevention against rock falls, which are related to water. However, the quality and quantity of all the forest functions are influenced by forest ecosystem structure and composition such as forest type, tree species, age class distribution, biomass, leaf area, basal area, crown closure, and stand development stages. This study provides an assessment of hydrological services of forest ecosystems through the systematic review of relevant literature till 2018. It mainly focuses on water-forest relations and explains how forest ecosystem structure and composition affect water production, quality, and sustainability. Then, a general framework relating to the integration of hydrological services into forest management is concluded in the context of sustainable management of natural resources.     

Effects of Irrigation Frequency on Yield and Quality Parameters in Apple c.v. ‘Gala,Galaxy’

This study was conducted in 2007 and 2008 in order to determine the effects of irrigation frequency on the yield and quality parameters of dwarf trees of the apple cultivar ‘Gala, Galaxy’ in the first and second year of cultivation. Irrigation water was applied at 3?, 5?, 7?, and 10-day intervals as much as the amount of water consumed from the field capacity. Statistical analysis revealed that the effects of irrigation frequency on yield were significant. Since the trees used in the experiment showed mainly vegetative growth, the effects of irrigation frequency on the fruit quality characteristics varied. Irrigation water amount was applied as 355.7–446.5 mm and 359.2–538.9 mm to the experimental treatments in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The evapotranspiration measured was in the range 400.7–491.5 mm in 2007 but in the range 440.2–600.5 mm in 2008, while the yields in the same years ranged from 1.54 to 2.84 t ha^?1 and from 2.61 to 6.06 t ha^?1. Water use efficiency varied between 2.40 and 4.80 t ha^?1mm^?1 in the first year of the experiment but between 3.45 and 7.08 t ha^?1mm^?1 in the second year. The I₂ treatment, in which the highest yield and water use efficiency were recorded in both years of the experiment under the experimental conditions, was determined as the irrigation scheduling.     

The chemical and sensorial changes in rainbow trout caviar salted in different ratios during storage

In this study, the intention was to investigate the chemical and sensorial changes occurring during cold storage (4 ± 1°C) of caviar obtained from rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss W. 1792 that was dry salted in different ratios. Caviar has a higher fat and protein content than other seafood products, and in processing it with dry salting technology, it was determined that the shelf life could be up to 28 days for the experimental group in which salt was applied at a rate of 4% and up to 35 days for the experimental group in which salt was applied at a rate of 8%. Thus the storage period of the samples is longer for the products to which a high (8%) amount of salt was applied than the products to which a low (4%) amount of salt was applied in the salting process.     

Effects of 17β-estradiol injection on the reproductive efficiency of freshwater crayfish,Astacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823)

The effects of 17β-estradiol injection (10^?7mol/crayfish) in adult female Astacus leptodactylus on the reproductive efficiency (i.e., pleopodal egg and stage 1 juvenile numbers) were investigated. In addition, hepatosomatic index, gonodosomatic index, and 17β-estradiol (E2) levels of crayfish ovary, hepatopancreas, and heamolymph before and after injections were also determined. Results showed that E2 injection to females enhances the reproductive efficiency of A.leptodctylus. E2 injection significantly increased pleopodal egg and stage 1 juvenile numbers, GSI, HSI, and concentrations of E2 in heamolymph, ovary, and hepatopancreas. However, E2 injection did not accelerate time of mating and proportion of pleopodal egg-berried females at the first week of reproduction season in this species. This study highlights that to improve the reproductive efficiency of A.leptodctylus by using hormones to regulate the ovarian cycle, E2 should be used at least 1.5 months before the commencement of the breeding season.     

Genetic resources of rice in the Western Himalayan region of India: current status

The Western Himalayan region of India possesses rich genetic diversity of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Rice landraces having withstood the rigors of biotic and abiotic stresses, suit to the local conditions of farms and reflect socio-cultural preferences can still be found in crop fields located distantly in rural and tribal areas. This region is known for growing World fame basmati in the foot hills and many varieties of red rices grown at higher elevations, known for cold tolerance and medicinal properties. Genetic resources of rice were collected for about 8 years (1999–2006) and 1069 germplasm accessions including 154 named landraces were collected. Prominent landraces such as Begumi, Ramjwain, Thapachini, Naurang, Hansraj, Tilakchandan, Lalsati, Jhini, Mushakbudji, Jattoo, Barpasso, Qadirbeigh, Safedbrez, Shahie known for their special quality attributes were collected. The change in land use, cropping patterns and aggressive introduction of modern varieties in the region has resulted in the loss of a large number of landraces especially from irrigated lands. The present paper looks at the status of rice genetic resources, genetic variability, genetic erosion and future strategies to conserve rice germplasm on farm and to maximize its use in rice breeding.     

Nano-TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> based multilayer film deposition on cotton fabrics for UV-protection

Nano-TiO₂ based multilayer nanocomposite films were fabricated on cationically modified woven cotton fabrics by layer-by-layer molecular self-assembly technique. Cationization process was used to obtain cationic surface charge on cotton fabrics. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses were used to verify the presence of cationic surface charge and multilayer films deposited on the fabrics. Scanning electron microscope micrographs of poly(sodium 4-styrene sulfonate)/TiO₂, nano polyurethane/TiO₂, and TiO₂/poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) multilayer films deposited on cotton fabrics were taken. With nano-TiO₂ based multilayer film deposition, the protection of cotton fabrics against UV radiation is enhanced. The UV protection durability of the self-assembled multilayer films deposited on the cotton fabrics was analyzed after 10 and 20 washing cycles at 40 °C for 30 min. Air permeability and whiteness value analysis were performed on the untreated and multilayer film deposited cotton fabrics. The effect of layer-by-layer deposition process on tensile strength properties of the warp and weft yarns was determined.     

Factors affecting forest cooperative's participation in forestry in Turkey

This study analyses forest cooperative's participation in forestry in Turkey. The study was carried out with 71 forest cooperatives in the Kastamonu province, located in the Western Black Sea Region. By using a principal component analysis it was found that the most important factors affecting forest cooperative's participation in forestry are: (1) member involvement, (2) forest ownership and administration, and (3) harmony within cooperatives and between cooperatives and the state. These three factors explained 59% of participation within a cooperative.Regression analyses indicate that active members, sufficiency of work, use of published material, and the availability of capital and credit are important variables to explain variations in participation. A game theoretic model indicates a positive link between a cooperative's wood production (payoff) and levels of participation as derived from the principal component analysis, indicating that a productive forest goes hand in hand with high levels of forest cooperative's participation in forestry.     

Partnerships for sustainable development as discursive practice: Shifts in discourses of environment and democracy

Partnerships for sustainable development are the Type II outcomes that emerged out of the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg, 2002. These new mechanisms of environmental governance were an intersection point of three significant discourses in global politics: those of participatory democracy, private governance, and sustainable development. By analysing these three discourses around partnerships for sustainable development, this paper aims at revealing the larger frames of reference and the meta-narratives that explain why and how institutions like partnerships for sustainable development have emerged and how they have actualised. Using key concepts from and discourse theoretical approaches of Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe, the paper focuses on the negotiations of formal international organisations as a practice of discourse institutionalisation. By recognising that the international negotiations can result in these institutions to carry contestations and conflicts, it traces the dilemmas inherent in partnerships, that reflect shifts in the discourses of environment and development.