Metin Turan

Macro and Micro Mineral Content of Some Wild Edible Leaves Consumed in Eastern Anatolia

Wild plants play an important role in the diet of inhabitants in different parts of the world. These plants tend to be drought-resistant and are gathered both in times of abundance and times of need. Used in everyday cooking, these foods may be an important source of nutrients. The purpose of this study was to assess the mineral content of some edible wild leaves. Plants species ( Beta lomatogena Fisch.et Mey., Capparis spinosa L., Chenopodium album L., Eryngium billardieri Delar., Falcaria vulgaris Bernh., Ferula communis L., Gundelia tournefortii L., Lathyrus tuberosus L., Malva neglecta Wallr., Mentha arvensis L., Nepeta concolor Boiss. and Heldr., Ocimum basilicum L., Papaver dubium L., Polygonum bistorta L., Polygonum cognatum Meissn., Portulaca oleracea L., Rheum ribes L . , Rubus sp., Rumex crispus L., Rumex scutatus L ., Scorzonera cana (C.A.Mey.) Hoffm., Scorzonera latifolia (Fish. and Mey.) DC., Scorzonera sp., Sempervivum armenum Boiss et Huet, Tragopogon spp., Urtica urens L.) were collected in late winter and spring, and their taxonomic identifications were made according to Flora of Turkey and analyzed for their mineral content. Moisture content, ash content and pH were found reasonable as compared to some vegetables. However, protein content, N, K, Ca and Mg content of wild plants were higher, while P, S and Na content were lower, and Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu content were equal to, or higher than those of some commonly used vegetables such as spinach, pepper, lettuce, cabbage species.

The effect of spraying a growth promoting bacterium on the yield, growth and nutrient element composition of leaves of apricot (Prunus armeniaca L. cv. Hacihaliloglu)

Experiments were conducted during 2000 and 2001 to determine the effects of floral and foliar application of the bacterial strain Bacillus OSU 142 on the yield, growth and nutrient element composition of leaves of the apricot cultivar Hacihaliloglu grown in the Malatya province of Turkey. In 2000, trees were sprayed with a bacterial suspension at full bloom, and 30 and 60 days after full bloom. This experiment demonstrated significant differences in yield, shoot length and nutrient element composition of leaves only on trees treated at the full bloom stage. In view of this, the bacterial application was performed only at full bloom in 2001. The average increase in yield in 2000 and 2001 was 30% and 90%, respectively, compared with the untreated control. Shoot length development was significantly higher when trees were treated with OSU 142 at full bloom stage in both years. Similarly, N, P, K, Ca and Mg contents of leaves were higher on OSU 142-treated trees than on the untreated control. The results of this study suggest that OSU 142 has the potential to increase the yield of apricot trees.

Effect of Foliar Salicylic Acid Applications on Growth, Chlorophyll, and Mineral Content of Cucumber Grown Under Salt Stress

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to determine the effect of foliar salicylic acid (SA) applications on growth, chlorophyll, and mineral content of cucumber grown under salt stress. The study was conducted in pot experiments under greenhouse conditions. Cucumber seedlings were treated with foliar SA applications at different concentrations (0.0, 0.25, 0.50, and 1.00 mM). Salinity treatments were established by adding 0, 60, and 120 mM of sodium chloride (NaCl) to a base complete nutrient solution. The SA was applied with spraying two times as before and after transplanting. Salt stress negatively affected the growth, chlorophyll content and mineral uptake of cucumber plants. However, foliar applications of SA resulted in greater shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root fresh weight, and root dry weight as well as higher plants under salt stress. Shoot diameter and leaf number per plant increased with SA treatments under salt stress. The greatest chlorophyll content was obtained with 1.00 mM SA treatment in both saline and non-saline conditions. Leaf water relative content (LWRC) reduced in response to salt stress while SA raised LWRC of salt stressed cucumber plants. Salinity treatments induced significant increases in electrolyte leakage. Plants treated with foliar SA had lower values of electrolyte leakage than non-treated ones. In regard to nutrient content, it can be interfered that foliar SA applications increased almost all nutrient content in leaves and roots of cucumber plants under salt stress. Generally, the greatest values were obtained from 1.00 mM SA application. Based on these findings, the SA treatments may help alleviate the negative effect of salinity on the growth of cucumber.

Evaluation of the Capacity of Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria and Fungi on Different Forms of Phosphorus in Liquid Culture

ABSTRACT In the present study, the capacity of phosphate solubilizing bacterial strain, Bacillus (FS3) and fungal isolates, Aspergillus FS9 and FS11 have been tested in National Botanical Research Institutes Phosphate nutrient medium (NBRIP) broths containing two different phosphate sources, Ca3(PO4)2 and rock phosphate (18% of total P2O5 and CaO 42.2%, of which 27 of P was soluble in 2% citric acid) at two different concentrations (10 and 20 g 250 ml−1). NBRIP broth without microbial inoculation was used as the control. The phosphorus solubilizing bacteria and fungi inoculation decreased solution pH and increased electrical conductivity, and Ca and P concentrations in solution culture. The largest pH decrease was found with FS9 fungi inoculation at 20 g 250 ml−1 with three calcium phosphate (TCP) applications when compared to control. Similarly, the highest EC values, Ca and P concentrations were found in NBRIP broth with FS9 inoculation at the concentration of 20 g 250 ml−1 TCP when compared to control and other treatments. In addition, it was found that the highest Ca uptake was formed in solution culture inoculated with FS3 bacteria at 10 g 250 ml−1 rock phosphate (RP) application. The result suggested that phosphate solubilizing bacteria FS3 and fungal strain FS9 have great potential for use bio-fertilizer development in agriculture.

Salicylic acid ameliorates the adverse effect of salt stress on strawberry

Strawberry is considered as a salinity sensitive species and is adversely affected in response to the salt stress in terms of growth and yield. Pot experiments were conducted to determine the effect of exogenous salicylic acid (SA) application on physiology, growth, chlorophyll and mineral content of strawberry grown under salt stress and greenhouse conditions. Strawberry plants were treated with SA at different concentrations (0.0, 0.25, 0.50 and 1.00 mM). Salinity treatments were established by adding 0 and 35 mM of NaCl to a base complete nutrient solution. Salt stress negatively affected the growth, chlorophyll content and mineral uptake of strawberry plants. However, plants treated with SA often had greater shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root fresh weight and root dry weight as well as higher chlorophyll content under salt stress. The greatest values were obtained with 1.00 mM SA treatment in both saline and non-saline conditions. Leaf water relative content (LWRC) was reduced in response to salt stress while electrolyte leakage was raised. SA treatments induced increases in LWRC and decreases in electrolyte leakage compared to the control under salt stress. With respect to the nutrient content, SA treatments increased almost contents of all nutrients in leaves and roots of strawberry plants under salt stress. The greatest values were often obtained by the 1.00 mM SA treatment. These findings suggest that the SA treatments can ameliorate the negative effect of salinity on the growth of strawberries.

Calcium and humic acid affect seed germination, growth, and nutrient content of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) seedlings under saline soil conditions

The effects of calcium and humic acid on seed germination, growth and macro- and micro-nutrient contents of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) seedlings in saline soil conditions were evaluated. Different levels of humic acid (0, 500, 1000 and 2000 mg kg−1) and calcium (0, 100, 200 and 400 mg kg−1) were applied to growth media treated with 50 mg NaCl kg−1 before sowing seeds. Seed germination, hypocotyl length, cotyledon width and length, root size, shoot length, leaf number, shoot and root fresh weights, and shoot and root dry weights of the plant seedlings were determined. Macro- and micro-nutrient (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) contents of shoot and root of seedlings were also measured. Humic acid applied to the plant growth medium at 1000 mg kg−1 concentration increased seedling growth and nutrient contents of plants. Humic acid not only increased macro-nutrient contents, but also enhanced micro-nutrient contents of plant organs. However, high levels of humic acid arrested plant growth or decreased nutrient contents. Levels of 100 and 200 mg kg−1 Ca2+ application significantly increased N, Ca and S contents of shoot, and N and K contents of root.

Seaweed extracts improve copper uptake of grapevine

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of seaweed extract on macro and micro nutrient uptake of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Karaerik). One-year-old grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Karaerik) saplings were planted in perlite with different nutrient element levels under greenhouse conditions. Three seaweed extracts, Maxicrop, Proton and Algipower, were sprayed on the foliage at different concentrations (0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 g l−1). Results indicated that foliar application of seaweed extract increased Cu uptake of grapevine in the growth media which had insufficient nutrient elements. No significant differences in nutrient uptake of grapevine were obtained among the three seaweed extract types. The results showed that nutrient element level of growth media was more effective on stimulation of N, P, K, Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn and Zn uptake than seaweed extracts. In contrast, seaweed extract was more effective in supporting Cu uptake in vines than nutrient element level of growth media.

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria improved growth, nutrient, and hormone content of cabbage (Brassica oleracea) seedlings

Metin TURAN, Melek EKİNCİ, Ertan YILDIRIM*, Adem GÜNEŞ, Kenan KARAGÖZ, Recep KOTAN, Atilla DURSUN Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Yeditepe University, Kayışdağı, İstanbul, Turkey Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey

Alternating magnetic field effects on yield and plant nutrient element composition of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa cv. camarosa)

A magnetic field is an inescapable environmental factor for plants in the soil. However, its impact on plant growth is not well understood. In order to learn how magnetic fields affect plants, the effects of alternating the magnetic field (MF) on the yield and ion accumulation in the leaves of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) was studied. Short day strawberry cv. Camarosa plants were treated with magnetic field (MF) strengths of 0.096, 0.192 and 0.384 Tesla (T) in heated greenhouse conditions. Fruit yield and fruit number per plant, and average fruit weight were higher at low MF strength than control and high MF strength. Increasing MF strength from control to 0.096 T increased fruit yield per plant (208.50 and 246.07 g, respectively) and fruit number per plant (25.9 and 27.6, respectively), but higher MF strengths than 0.096 T reduced fruit yield and fruit number. All of the MF strengths increased average fruit weight as compared with the control, although the largest fruit weight (8.92 g) was obtained at 0.096 T strength. Increasing MF strength from control to 0.384 T increased contents of N, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, Na and Zn, but reduced P and S content.

Effects of Long-Term Wastewater Irrigation on Soil Properties

ABSTRACT The use of wastewater for irrigation is increasingly being considered as a technical solution to minimize soil degradation and to restore nutrient contents of soils. This study describes changes in soil and plant nutrient contents after long-term irrigation with wastewater. Application of wastewater increased salinity and decreased pH. Several beneficial changes were observed including an increase in organic matter, N, concentrations of major cations and heavy metals of soils. Wastewater increased N, P, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, Mo and Cd contents of cabbage (Brassica olerecea var. Capitate cv. Yalova-1) and potato (Solanum tuberosum) plants. In order to avoid undesirable side effects due to salinity and toxic concentrations of metals from the application of wastewater to soil, it is necessary to determine the effects of wastewater concentration in long-term periods.