Characterization of Promising Apricot (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus armeniaca</Emphasis> L.) Genetic Resources in Malatya,Turkey

The study here was conducted on nearly 12,000 apricot seedlings in the Malatya Region in the Eastern part of Turkey. This region is famous for its horticulture based mainly on apricot production and the Country's highest apricot production originates from this region. The flower and fruit characteristics of all populations, which include apricot seedlings, in the region were evaluated. Based on their horticultural performances, 13 genotypes were selected, of which seven were considered as apricots served in dried form and six as in table consumption form. Among the selected genotypes, the fruit weight ranged between 28.5 and 71.19 g, soluble solids ranged between 12.7 and 26.5%, while the range in total acidity was between 0.35 and 1.80% and fruit development period was between 87 and 183 days. To determine the selected genotypes performance in a similar environment, they were grafted on to 4-year-old rootstocks. The results from these combinations showed that there was some decrease, especially in fruit size and soluble solids, in the genotypes performance when compared to the results of the initial observations. Some differences were also detected in taste, fruit shape, pit shape, fruit flesh firmness, skin and flesh colors. The dry fruit yield was determined as 22.50–28.36% for the selected dry apricot genotypes. The dry fruit yield of all seven genotypes considered for dry consumption were similar to ‘Hacıhaliloğlu’ and higher than ‘Canino’, which were evaluated as control cultivars.     

Factors affecting the reproductive efficiency in crayfish: implications for aquaculture

In recent years, crayfish aquaculture industry has been developing rapidly in different regions of the world. Crayfish aquaculture is often carried out in dams, lakes and extensive pond systems. There is an increasing demand for crayfish juvenile in aquaculture sector. Therefore, it is important to know which factors affect reproductive efficiency in crayfish. In the present review, factors affecting the reproductive efficiency of crayfish are divided into two main sections, external and internal factors. Dietary lipids, phospholipids, highly unsaturated fatty acids, protein and amino acids, vitamins and carotenoids are important external factors affecting broodstock crayfish reproduction. In addition, various external (i.e. female size, stocking density, temperature, photoperiod, sex ratio) and internal (i.e. endogenous hormones) factors affect the reproductive efficiency in crayfish. This study reviews the present knowledge with the purpose of realizing the factors that are important to reach optimal crayfish nutrition, maturation and reproduction (i.e. pleopodal egg number and quality). This review will particularly be useful for crayfish farmers and crayfish hatchery units.     

The ghosts of taste: food and the cultural politics of authenticity

We add a political culture dimension to the debate over the politics of food. Central to food politics is the cultural granting of authenticity, experienced through the conjuring of relational presences of authorship. These presences derive from the faces and the places of relationality, what we term the ghosts of taste, by which food narratives articulate claims of the authorship of food by people and environments, and thus claim of authenticity. In this paper, we trace the often-conflicting presences of authenticating ghosts in food along a prominent axis of current debate: the local versus the global. The three cases outlined here—Greek food, Thousand Island dressing, and wild rice—illustrate the recovery and suppression of the lingering spirits of both local and global faces and places in what we taste, and show the mutually interdependent consequence of culture and economics in food politics.     

Feed enzyme supplementation does not ameliorate foot pad dermatitis in broiler chickens fed on a corn-soyabean diet

1.?Foot Pad Dermatitis (FPD) can be a serious health, quality and welfare problem in poultry production, with a significant affect on the economics of production. The physico-chemical properties of (NSP) have been correlated with increases in excreta viscosity and adherence, and hence FPD in broiler chickens.

2.?Two broiler experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of different dietary non-starch polisaccharide (NSP) applications to corn-soyabean based diets in replicated floor pens. In addition to live performance, the incidence and severity of FPD was scored and, in experiment 2, intestinal viscosity and ammonia volatilization were measured.

3.?Live performance did not vary with the different treatments in either experiment and the incidence and severity of FPD, and ammionia volatisation in experiment 2, were unaffected. However, birds reared on enzyme supplemented diets had lower (P? 4.?In this study with corn-soyabean meal based diets, dietary enzyme supplementation had no affect on the incidence and severity of FPD. The lack of an association between the excreta viscosity and FPD is attributed to the multifactorial etiology of this condition.     

First genetic characterization of equine adenovirus type 1 (EAdV-1) in Turkey

Equine adenovirus type 1 (EAdV-1) is a cause of repiratory tract infection in equids. In present study for the first time in Turkey, the prevalence of EAdV-1 in nasal swab samples obtained from horses showing respiratory symptoms was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and molecular characterization of the hexon gene detected in the Turkish (TR) strain was performed. Overall, the prevalence of EAdV-1 was found low (1.4%) as indicated by a positive PCR reaction from the nasal swab extracts tested. Phylogenetic analysis based on the partial sequences of the hexon gene of a TR-EAdV-1 strain with those of previously isolated AdVs from different mammals and an EAdV-1 M1 strain showed that the EAdV-1 strains were placed into a unique cluster. Although the TR-EAdV-1 strain was closely related to CAV-1, CAV-2 and bat adenovirus reference strains, larger-scale studies are necessary to better understand the molecular epidemiology and population structure of EAdV-1 in Turkey.     

Effects of α-lipoic acid, vitamins E and C upon the heat stress in Japanese quails

Antioxidant vitamins are commonly used as colorant, preventive, sweetener, nutritive and antioxidant materials in food industry. Thus, many studies have been conducted in recent years. We have performed the present study to understand the effects of α-lipoic acid (ALA), vitamin C and E, added into rations of Japanese quails, on chronic heat stress. This study was carried out in five groups as: control, stress, ALA, vitamin E and vitamin C groups. Heat stress is applied to all groups except the control group. Superficial pectoral muscles tissues were used for biochemical determinations. During the research, it is found that heat stress exerted undesired effects such as increasing lipid peroxidation (LPO) level indicating oxidative stress in Japanese quails. In addition, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzyme activities and glutathione (GSH) amounts were studied to understand the behaviour of defence mechanism. While stress increased LPO ratio, it was determined that all antioxidant added into the ration decreases LPO significantly (p < 0.05). In addition, it was determined that all of antioxidants added into ration effectively restored SOD activity and LPO ratio which heat stress affected negatively. Interestingly, vitamin C did not adjust GSH ratio in contrast to vitamin E and ALA, where vitamin E and C did not perform any positive effect on heat stress decreased CAT activity. Finally, it can be thought that antioxidant vitamins relatively ameliorated these undesired affects caused by stress factors given.     

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 Determination of Nematode Tolerance and Seedling Performance of The Selected Almond (Prunus amygdalus L.) Genotypes in Isparta Province

In the present study, selected almond genotypes in Keciborlu/Isparta region by Y?ld?r?m (2007) based on late blooming and superior nut chacteristics were used to evaluate seedling growth performances and the reaction to root knot nematodes. Seeds were planted on perlite medium and stored 60 days at +4 ^°C in order to break seed dormancy. After germinating, seedlings were transferred to plastic pots to evaluate seedling growth characteristics and remaining seedlings were inoculated with Meloidogyne javanica and Meloidogyne incognita in order to asses resistance status of the selected seedlings. The highest germination percentage was obtained from Genotype 54 (96.1?%), the highest plant was observed from Genotype 9 (62.18 cm), the longest primary root was found from Genotype 54 (30.28 cm), the average secondary root lenght was highest in Genotype 9 (31.04 cm) and the widest root collar was observed in Genotype 33 (8.38 mm). Seedling stem diameter changed between 4.76 mm (Genoype 40) to 7.67 mm (Genotype 33). The lowest variation for stem widht was observed in Genotype 55 (0.58?%) while the lowest variation for seedling hight was found in Genotype 33 (0.50?%). Evaluated almond genotypes showed different reactions to studied nematode species, M. javanica and M. incognita. Resistant reactions of almond genotypes to nematode species were classified as susceptible, tolerant and resistant based on gal index values. Genotype 9 and 31 classified as tolerant to M. javanica while Genotype 54 classified as resistant to M. incognita.