Hormone and microorganism treatments in the cultivation of saffron (Crocus Sativus L.) plants

The difficult cultivation of the saffron plant (Crocus Sativus L.) make the spice of the same name made from its dried stigmas very valuable. It is estimated that some 75,000 blossoms or 225,000 hand-picked stigmas are required to make a single pound of saffron, which explains why it is the world’s most expensive spice. The aim of this study was to identify ways of increasing the fertility and production of saffron. For this purpose, the treatment of saffron bulbs with a synthetic growth hormone – a mixture of Polystimulins A6 and K – and two different microorganism based materials – biohumus or vermicompost and Effective Microorganisms™ (EM) – in four different ways (hormone alone, biohumus alone, EM alone and EM+biohumus) was investigated to determine whether these treatments have any statistically meaningful effects on corms and stigmas. It has been shown that EM + biohumus was the most effective choice for improved saffron cultivation

The Adsorption and Diffusion Manners of Hydrogen Atoms on Pt (100), Pt (110), and Pt (111) Surfaces

In this study, the interactions between H atoms and the (100), (110), and (111) surfaces of platinum have been investigated by using the London-Eyring-Polanyi-Sato (LEPS) potential function. The adsorption zones (sites) and LEPS energy values of these sites have been determined theoretically. In addition, the potential-energy surfaces for each Pt surface have been obtained in detail. Further, the adsorption sites on the surface, scattering from the surface, diffusion paths on the surface, and transition regions to the subsurface, have been determined and the differences have been examined in detail among the surfaces. From these results, it is found that an H atom has the lowest binding energy at the hollow sites on the Pt (100) and Pt (111) surfaces and that it has the lowest binding energy at the long-bridge sites on the Pt (110) surface. It has also been determined that the hollow sites on the three surfaces are the regions through which H atoms can penetrate into the subsurface. In addition, it has also been found that, for each of the three Pt surfaces, the diffusion of an H atom across the surface may follow a bridge-hollow-bridge pathway. These results are in agreement with previous experimental and theoretical results. Besides, the adsorption and diffusion manners of hydrogen atoms on each of the Pt surfaces have been analyzed deeply

Some chemical properties of camiyani black pine

The aim of this study was to assess some chemical properties of Pinus nigra Arn. var. pallasiana subsp. pallasiana. This, is one of the most valued tree species used in furniture industry in Turkey. The distribution of this relict species is the Western Black Sea Region. The most important property of this tree is its straight and uniform stem and evident-large heartwood. The large heartwood content is reached up to 62,04 % of the total cross section (Gündüz, 1999). This is the most important reason for its usage in the furniture industry. Since no research has been conducted on the factors that forms the larger heartwood of Camiyani Black Pine, some chemical properties of the heartwood of his species were determined. Therefore, some chemical properties of this large heartwood contain species were carried out and compared with values from the same tree species (P. nigra Arn. var. pallasiana) which are grown in different regions of Turkey (Table 2)

Annual ring properties of pinus nigra arnold var. pallassiana (camiyanı black pine) grown in Turkey

The distribution areas of Camiyani Black Pine (Pinus nigra Arn. var. paliasiana), a site stand, in Turkey is the Western Blacksea Region This relict pine species grows predominantly at four sites totally on 30000 hectares in Yenice - Karabuk Because of its outstanding properties and rarity it is under protection since 1986 by General Directorate of Forestry. In practice, only collapsed and broken individuals subjected to lumber production (5000-6000 m/year) (1)

Genetic variation in wood specific gravity of half-sib families of Pinus nigra subsp pallasiana tested at the juvenile stage: Implications for early selection

Seeds from 7 populations (total of 281 half-sib families, progeny test) and 35 seed stands (provenance test) representing natural range of Anatolian black pine (Pinus nigra subsp. pallasiana) were sown in a forest nursery in Ankara in 1990 and raised until age 3. Stem wood specific gravity (WSG) of all seedlings was determined at age of 3. The results of this study indicated that WSG did not vary significantly neither among the 7 populations (ranging from 0.41 to 0.42) nor among 35 seed stands (ranging from 0.37 to 0.46). Differences between half sib families for WSG were, however, statistically significant. Estimated family heritablity was moderately high (0.38) Genetic correlations between seedling growth traits and WSG were low, but consistently negative. The families with better height and diameter growth had lower WSG values. Also families with late budset and budburst dates in 1991 had lower WSG values. Seedlings originating from northern latitudes had lower WSG than those from southern latitudes. From the results of the study, it seems that early selection of families for WSG (indirect selection for WSG at mature age) would be possible and substantial genetic gain in WSG could be achieved if the selection based on a multi-trait index selection by giving appropriate weights to WSG and other traits. Further implications of early selection for WSG in Anatolian black pine are also discussed in the paper