Changes of micronutrients, dry weight and plant development in canola (Brassica napus L.) cultivars under salt stress

This study was carried out to determine the effects of salt stress on the growth, dry weights and micronutrient contents of canola (Brassica napus L.) cultivars grown in greenhouse conditions. 12 canola cultivars (Marinca, Kosa, Spok, Semu DNK207 NA, Tower, Liraspa, Star, Tobin, Helios, Semu 209/81, Regent and Lirawell) were exposed to salinity treatments (150 mM NaCl and control). Shoot, leaf and root dry weights of all the cultivars at 45-day-old plants were determined. Micronutrient contents (Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn) of the leaves, stems and roots were also analyzed. Salinity stress negatively affected the canola cultivars and the extent of effects varied depending on the salt tolerance of the cultivars. Generally, salinity reduced the plant growth and dry weights. Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn concentrations were high in the roots when compared with those in the leaves and shoots in the salt applied samples. It was observed that, micronutrient contents showed some variation in the different plant parts of the canola cultivars as a result of salt applications to the growing media. Iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and copper (Cu) content increased in all the plant parts with salt applications except for some cultivars. On the other hand, when mean data of the cultivars were considered, it could be said that zinc (Zn) content of the leaves was not significantly affected by the salt stress.Key words: Canola, Brassica napus, dry weight, micronutrient accumulation, salt stress

Effect of salinity stress on plant fresh weight and nutrient composition of some Canola (Brassica napus L.) cultivars

Soil salinity is a major limitation to crop production in many areas of the world. A pot experiment was carried out with rapeseed cultivars in order to investigate the effects of salinity stress on plant development and nutrient composition. For the salinity studies, 150 mM NaCl concentration was applied to12 rapseed cultivars (Marinca, Kosa, Spok, Semu DNK207 NA, Tower, Liraspa, Star, Tobin, Helios, Semu 209/81, Regent and Lirawell) under the greenhouse conditions. All the cultivars were harvested after 45 days from planting. Green plants parts were weighted. Harvested rapeseed plants were separated into root, shoot and leaf parts for nutrient (K+, Na+, K+/Na+, Ca2+ and Cl-) analysis. As shown in this study, salinity stress affected negatively all the canola cultivars investigated. Generally, salinity reduced the green parts’ weight. K+, Ca2+ and K+/Na+ contents in plants decreased by salt stress, but Na+ and Cl- content in the roots, shoots and leaves of all the cultivars significantly increased. In the salt treatment, the K+ and Ca2+ concentrations were the highest in the leaf samples as compared to root and shoot samples. Furthermore, the highest concentration of Na+ and Cl- was observed in the leaf and shoot. Under salinity, Regent and Lirawell cultivars retained the highest K+ and Ca2+ content in leaves, with respect to the K+ content. The effect of NaCl treatment on the canola cultivars’ growth was not considerable.Key words: Canola cultivars, green plant parts, nutrient content, salt stress

Influence of starter culture strains, pH adjustment and incubation temperature on exopolysaccharide production and viscosity in whey

There are many functional characteristics of exopolysaccharides (EPS) produced by lactic acid bacteria in fermented dairy products. In this study, 2 EPS-producing strains of Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus and 2 Streptococcus thermophilus strains were isolated from commercial and rural yoghurts and they were inoculated into whey and their effects on EPS production and viscosity of whey were monitored. Two pH applications (adjusted pH and free pH) and 3 incubation temperature (42, 36 and 42/36ºC) were performed. pH of samples was significantly affected by starter culture strains, pH adjustment and incubation temperature (P < 0.01). Generally counts of L. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus were found higher than of S. thermophilus (P < 0.05). Viable cell counts were significantly higher, in pHadjusted samples and 42ºC samples, than their relevants (P < 0.01). Higher concentrations of EPS were observed in pH-adjusted media than that in pH-free media (P < 0.01). Also 2-step (42/36ºC) and lower (36ºC) incubation temperature caused an increase in EPS production. Viscosity of samples greatly influenced from their EPS contents. The highest EPS concentration (676 mg/L) and viscosity (6.37 mPa.s) was determined in the sample that inoculated with S. thermophilus ST3 strain, incubated at 42/36ºC with pH-adjustment

Some Properties of Fresh and Ripened Herby Cheese, a Traditional Variety Produced in Turkey

Herby cheese (Otlu peynir) is widely produced and consumed in eastern parts of Turkey, and is generally made from sheep milk. The objectives of this study were to determine some properties of fresh and ripened herby cheese samples. Samples (20 fresh and 20 ripened) of herby cheese were collected from retail markets in Van, and analysed chemically and biochemically. Higher levels of dry matter, salt, fat and titratable acidity (%) were found in ripened cheeses. Also lipolysis and protein degradation were higher in ripened herby cheese samples than in fresh samples. Urea-polyacrylamide gel electropherograms of ripened cheese samples showed that higher degradation of αs-casein than of β-casein occurred

Determining of Relationship Between Weed Seedbank in Soil and Weed Flora in Potato Areas

Bu çalışmada, Van Gölü ve Çevresi önemli patates ekiliş alanlarından Erciş ve Ahlat’ta topraktaki yabancı ot tohumlarının yoğunlukları, rastlanma sıklıkları ve bunların floraya yansıması araştırılmıştır. Erciş ve Ahlat patates ekiliş alanlarında 0-25 cm’lik toprak derinliğinde Amaranthus retroflexus L. ve Portulaca oleracea L. tohumlarının en yoğun türler olduğu saptanmıştır. Topraktaki tohum rezervinin floraya yansıma oranının Erciş’te sadece 2007 yılında %1.2; bunun dışında %1’den düşük olduğu belirlenmiştir.In this study it was investigated in order to determine density of weed seeds and reflection to flora at Ercis and Ahlat. The most common weed species were determined as to Amaranthus retroflexus L. and Portulaca oleracea L. in dept 0-25 cm of soil reservoir at Ercis and Ahlat fields. The ratio of reflection to flora of seed reservoirs in soil is determined lower than 1% as well. But this ratio in Ercis is found 1.2% in 2007

The Effects of Varying Phosphorus Doses on Yield and Some Yield Components of Black Cumin (Nigella Sativa L.)

This study was carried out to determine the effects of different phosphorus doses (0, 20 and 40 kg/ha) on yield and some yield components of black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) in Van ecological conditions in 2006 and 2007. Field trials were designed by Completely Randomized Block Design with three replications at the experimental fields of Agricultural Faculty of Yuzuncu Yıl University. In the study, plant height (cm), the number of branch (branch/plant), the number of capsule (capsule/plant), the number of seeds in the capsule (seed/capsule), thousand-seed weight (g) and seed yield (kg/ha) were determined. According to statistical analysis, significant differences were determined among the phosphorus doses applications for the number of capsule, thousand-seed weight and seed yield. Seed yield increased by increasing phosphorus doses. According to the results, the highest seed yield (597 kg/ha) and thousand-seed weight (2.48 g) were obtained from 40 kg P/ha fertilizer application. The highest mean values for the number of capsule (5.68 capsule/plant) resulted in 20 kg P/ha application