Sahriye Sonmez

Determination of endogenous hormones, sugars and mineral nutrition levels during the induction, initiation and differentiation stage and their effects on flower formation in olive

Olive (Olea europaea L.) is one of the most important crop plants grown in the Mediterranean region. Varying levels of hormones, sugars and mineral nutrient are thought to influence flower bud formation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in endogenous sugar, mineral nutrition and hormone levels in leaf, node and fruit samples of ‘Memecik’ olive during the induction, initiation and differentiation periods in on (bearing) and off (non-bearing) years. Leaf, node and fruit samples of mature 15-year-old Memecik olive were used. The samples were taken during the induction, initiation and differentiation periods of olive in on (2000) and off (2001) years. Sugar (glucose, fructose and sucrose), mineral nutrient (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu) and hormone [abscisic acid (ABA), indole acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA3, GA4) and zeatin (Z)] levels were determined in on and off years. Hormone and sugar levels were measured by gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. The K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu levels were quantified by an atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Nitrogen was determined by the Kjeldahl procedure, and P by a spectrophotometric method. The differences in any of the sugar concentrations, with the exception of fructose, were not significant in on and off years. Hormone levels, however, were significantly different in on and off years. Glucose had the highest concentrations in both years, followed by sucrose and fructose, respectively. The highest macro and micro element concentrations were found to be Ca and Fe, respectively. Thus, the results suggest that carbohydrates and mineral nutrients may not have a direct effect to induce flower initiation. However, high GA3 level exhibited an inhibitory effect on floral formation during the induction and initiation periods. On the other hand, the high concentrations of GA4, ABA and certain cytokinin levels may have a positive effect on flower formation in olive during the induction and initiation periods.

High level of copper application to soil and leaves reduce the growth and yield of tomato plants

Copper-containing fertilizers, fungicides and bactericides are extensively used in greenhouses in Turkey. Informations on effects of these applications to plants are scarce. The aim of the present study was to investigate effects of Cu application to a calcareous soil and to leaves on the yield and growth of tomato plants. Cu was first applied to soil as CuSO4.5H2O in three different levels (0, 1000, and 2000 mg Cu kg-1) and then to leaves in three different frequencies (no application, biweekly and weekly) using two cupric fungicides (Cu oxychloride, and Cu salts of fatty and rosin acids) in pot experiments carried out in a computer-controlled greenhouse. Total yield, fruit number, dry root weight and plant height decreased with increasing Cu application to soil. Increasing levels of Cu applied to soil and leaves resulted in decreasing final fruit number, dry root weight and plant height in 4th, 5th and 6th weeks. Combined applications of Cu to soil and leaves could be more deleterious to plants than when Cu is applied only to soil or leaves.

Mineral Contents of Organically and Conventionally Grown Spinach (Spinacea oleracea L.) during Two Successive Seasons

Spinach (Spinacea oleracea L.) plants were grown organically and conventionally during two successive seasons (late autumn and early winter) in order to examine the nutrient content of the plants. In a series of 17 organic applications including chicken manure (CM), farmyard manure (FM), blood meal (BM), and one mineral fertilizer treatment and one control, collectively 19 treatments, were used at each season. The optimum doses to be recommended should be divided into groups depending on the mineral nutrients and also the seasons as follows: 1.7 CM+7.5 FM in the late autumn season and 2.5 CM + 4.0 FM in the early winter season for N, P, K content; 5.0 FM + 1.2 CM + 0.4 BM in the late autumn; and 2.5 CM + 4.0 FM in the early winter season for Ca and Mg. Regarding the micro nutrients, the group divisions should be as follows: 10.0 FM + 0.4 BM in the late autumn season and 5.0 FM + 2.5 CM in the early winter season for Fe and Cu, and 3.5 CM in the late autumn season and 10.0 FM + 1.2 CM in the early winter season for Mn and Zn content. High rates of farmyard manure (FM) and chicken manure (CM) can be successfully used in organic production, and high rates of these manures may substitute for mineral fertilizer, especially in the late autumn season.

Influence of organic and conventional growing conditions on the nutrient contents of white head cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) during two successive seasons.

Organically and conventionally grown white head cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) plants were cultivated during two successive seasons (spring and autumn) to evaluate the effects of the applications on the nutrient content of the edible part of cabbage plants. Seventeen different organic applications containing farmyard manure (FM), chicken manure (CM), and blood meal (BM) and 1 chemical fertilizer and 1 control, collectively 19 treatments, were examined under the open-field conditions. Recommendations of the best results obtained should be divided into groups in the following order regarding the mineral contents and also the seasons: 0.6 BM + 7.5 FM in the spring season, and 3.5 CM in the autumn season for N, P, and K content of cabbage. For Ca and Mg, the group division should be 1.7 CM + 0.6 BM in the spring season and 10.0 FM + 1.2 CM in the autumn season. The optimum recommendations for the micronutrients could be 5.0 FM + 1.0 BM in the spring season and 0.9 BM + 0.85 CM in the autumn season for Fe and Cu and 15.0 FM in the spring season, and 10.0 FM + 0.4 BM in the autumn season for Mn and Zn. FM and CM could be used in high rates in producing organic cabbage and could be substituted for chemical fertilizer especially in the spring season.

Taxonomic data supporting differences between Allium elmaliense and Allium cyrilli

The first specimens of Allium elmaliense were collected in Elmal? (Antalya/Turkey) in 2001 and were described as new species in 2004. However, Allium elmaliense was claimed as synonym of Allium cyrilli in 2006. This study was undertaken to reveal the differences between these taxa utilizing morphological, palynological, and chromosome characters and genomic differences based on the DNA analyses along with the ecological preference studies conducted during 2006 and 2011. The results clearly indicated differences between these two taxa in terms of morphological characters, pollen, seed surfaces and niche preferences. Chromosome morphology and Td-DAMD-PCR fingerprinting studies revealed that Allium elmaliense Deniz & Sümbül is a distinct species and not a synonym of A. cyrilli Ten.

DEPOLANAN VE DEPOLANMAYAN KARANFİL ÇELİKLERİNE YAPRAKTAN UYGULANAN Fe-EDTA GÜBRELEMESİNİN KARANFİL (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) BİTKİSİNİN BESLENMESİ ÜZERİNE ETKİSİ

Bu calismada, soguk hava deposunda 4oC’de 55 gun depolanan ve depolanmayan sprey karanfil celiklerinden elde edilen karanfil fideleri sera ortamina aktarilarak karanfil yetistiriciligi yapilmis ve karanfil yetistiriciliginde yapraktan uygulanan farkli dozlardaki Fe-EDTA (50ppm, 100ppm, 200ppm, 300ppm)’nin bitkinin yaprak, govde ve cicekteki besin icerigine etkisi incelenmistir. Yetistiricilik sonunda Fe-EDTA uygulamasi depolanan karanfil yapraklarinin K(%), Mg(%), Fe(ppm) icerigini, ciceklerinin Mg(%), Mn(ppm), Ca(ppm) icerigini arttirmistir. Depolanmayan karanfillerin sadece yapraklarindaki N(%) ve govdelerindeki K(%) icerigini arttirmistir. Karanfilin besin icerigi uzerine Fe-EDTA uygulama dozlarinin yaprak ve cicekteki N(%) icerigine etkisi oldugu saptanmistir, ancak diger besin iceriklerinde belirgin bir etkisi gorulmemistir