Yusuf Vardar

Preliminary studies on the Styrax oil

The preliminary results presented in this paper throw some light on the oil content of seeds inStyrax officinalis L. In general the oil content amounts to 50%. As for the physical properties of the oil, it is a viscous fluid, slightly yellow in colour, tasteless and has a good flavour. The oil analysis by gas chromatography shows the presence of six fatty acids.

Preliminary results on the chemical composition of the Turkish carob beans

The present study embodies investigations on the chemical composition of three types of carob fruits viz. sisam, fleshy and wild. A perusal of analytical and chromatographic results reveals that the pods of sisam type are rich in sugar content (43.84%) as compared to that of wild and fleshy types. The sugars in general are of non-reducing type. The pods contain four kinds of sugars, namely: glucose, fructose, maltose and sucrose; latter being the principal constituent. In comparison with sugar content the protein content of pods is very low being 2.48%–4.76%. There are four types of amino acids present in the pods, namely: alanine, proline, leucine and valine. The fruits are very poor in fats. As compared to the pods, seeds in general lack sugars but possess higher protein, fat and ash content.

Field Studies of the Effects of Cement Dust on the Growth and Yield of Olive Trees in Turkey

The effects of cement dust emissions from a cement factory on the growth and yield of trees in the adjacent Olive plantation were investigated. Some characteristics of the soils in the polluted and non-polluted areas of the plantation were studied. In the polluted area the cement dust had formed a crust ca 1 cm thick on the soil surface, and the leaves of Olive trees in this area were also covered with a cement crust. The amount of dust deposited on the leaves of the polluted trees was around 2.55 mg/sq. cm of leaf surface, but they did not show any visible symptoms of injury. However, as compared with a non-polluted tree, the polluted trees showed up to 50 and 55.6 per cent reduction in growth and fruit yield, respectively. Moreover, the length and width of the fruits of the polluted trees were, respectively, some 15 and 20 per cent shorter. As regards herbaceous plants, there were only 6 species growing in the polluted area and these were practically confined to the soil under the trees whereas there were 26 species growing virtually at random in the non-polluted area. The soil of the polluted area had a lower moisture-content, less organic matter, a lower water-holding capacity, and a markedly reduced content of calcium carbonate, than that of the non-polluted area, which, however, had a somewhat lower content of other salts. The marked reduction in the growth and yield of Olive trees in the polluted area may be explained in terms of the shading effect of the foliar cement crust as well as through the changes in soil characteristics that had been brought about by the cement factory effluents. Thus the uncontrolled emissions of a cement kiln can affect the growth of the adjacent vegetation through both the air and the soil.

Studies on the effects of auxin-kinetin applications on the epiphyllous budding of Bryophyllum daigremontianumBerg.

Summary Studies have been carried out on the effects of IAA and Kinetin on the formation of epiphyllous buds in the isolated primary leaves of 17 days old seedlings of B. daigremontianum under sterile in vitro conditions. The application of IAA in increasing levels to primary leaves grown by sterile organ culture technique has a stimulatory effect on the epiphyllous budding up to a certain concentration but produces an inhibitory effect afterwards. The increasing concentrations of kinetin have been observed to produce a concomitant inhibitory effect on epiphyllous budding. The application of IAA and Zinetin in different combinations show that the inhibitory effect of kinetin plays a dominant role and stimulatory concentrations of IAA reduce this effect to a smaller extent. On the other hand, the external application of IAA to the primary and secondary leaves attached to the mother plant in 45 days old B. daigremontianum seedlings produces an inhibitory effect on the epiphyllous budding with increasing concentrations, whereas kinetin produces a stimulatory effect. The results of these antagonistic effects of IAA and kinetin in intact and isolated leaves have been discussed.

Studies in the Turkish Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) IV. Acidic Auxin-like and Inhibitory Substances in Fruit Morphogenesis

SummaryCeratonia siliqua L. exhibited a sigmoid growth pattern with each stage being controlled by specific substances. At least three auxin-like substances were involved during fruit morphogenesis with the main one being at indole-acetic acid Rf. Auxin-like substances were present at highest level during stage II, when fruit showed active growth, but decreased at the arrival of stage III. The inhibiting substance I1, at abscissic acid Rf, was present at the highest level at this stage. However, I2, detected towards the last stages of development, was not present at a significant level. The results obtained have been discussed in detail.

A Proposal for the Application of Growth Regulators in Turkey in Relation to Agricultural Potential

It is well known that a worldwide application of plant growth regulators to increase yield has not been made to a large extent before now. We can say that we are actually only at the beginning of the commercial exploitation of plant growth substances in the production, harvesting, and storage of food (Barrass, 1974).

Correlations between the primary leaves and the cotyledonary-axillary buds of Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Summary Correlations between the growth of the primary leaves and of the cotyledonary-axillary buds of 10 days old seedlings of Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Cali were investigated. The primary leaves of the plant, in which the effect of apical dominance had been overcomen, inhibited the development of the cotyledonary buds lying below them during a definite period of growth. The inhibitory period could be shortened if the primary leaves were covered by aluminium foil or if only a single primary leaf was left on the plant. The basipetal inhibitory effect of the primary leaves appeared to be additive and in accordance with the endogenous auxin level of the leaves and vanished when the auxin content fell below 2ppm/g fresh material. As regards the growth correlation of the primary leaves with their axillary buds, the primary leaves of 10 days old seedlings were observed to stimulate the growth of the axillary buds. When IAA was applied to the leaves through the petioles, the proper concentrations of endogenous auxin level in lamina stimulated bud growth. However, higher concentrations inhibited the growth of one of the buds and resulted in the dominance of the other. The primary leaves in this plant thus show correlative effects of a varying nature on the buds inserted at different positions on the plant.

Studies in the Turkish Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) **II. The Level of Growth Regulatory Substances and the Sugar Content at Different Stages of Fruit Development

Summary Ceratonia siliqua L. fruit contained both the growth promoting and inhibiting substances at all the stages of development. Level of growth promoting substances decreased gradually with the maturation of pods while that of inhibiting increased. Young seeds had a significant inhibitory but no promoting activity, but mature had both. The concentration of reducing and non-reducing sugars found was correlated to the balance of growth substances. Total sugar content increased with an increase of inhibitory and decrease of promoting substances. Seeds contained no sugar.