Middle Black Sea Region Research Articles

Evaluation of foreign national cases applied to Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University Hospital Forensic Medicine Department, 2014–2022

Introduction/aimTurkey has experienced a heavy migration burden in recent years due to its location and benevolent policies. This study aimed to retrospectively examine and discuss the reports prepared for foreign nationals who requested assistance at the Forensic Medicine Department of Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Hospital in Tokat, which is located in the Middle Black Sea Region of Turkey, between 2014 and 2022.Materials and methodsThis study retrospectively evaluated reports prepared between 2014 and 2022 in the outpatient clinics of Forensic Medicine at Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Hospital.ResultsBased on the files reviewed, 219 cases were included in the study, of which 70.8% (n = 155) were male and 29.2% (n = 64) were female. Among the 75 cases referred by judicial authorities, 34.6% (n = 26) involved assault, 28% (n = 21) involved determination of the ability to understand the legal significance and consequences of the act, 16% (n = 12) involved traffic accidents, 8% (n = 6) involved poisoning, 9.3% (n = 7) involved abuse, and 4% (n = 3) involved age determinations.DiscussionProblems with immigrants, which have always been a reality due to Turkey’s location on migration routes, have increased significantly in recent years. For this reason, we believe that studies with multicenter and larger series should be conducted to determine the current situation that foreigners create for themselves and Turkey to facilitate necessary arrangements, determine proposed solutions, increase the quality of services offered, and develop plans for the future.

Short‐term estimations of PM10 concentration in the Middle Black Sea region based on grey prediction models

AbstractThe Middle Black Sea region has experienced severe air pollution, with a significant increase in particulate matter (PM) concentration due to a growth in population, financial activity, and an expansion of transportation in recent years. Therefore, the prediction of PM concentration has become a topic of great significance to reduce air pollution and assess the effects on public health. In this study, the grey prediction model (GM (1,1)), the discrete grey model (DGM (1,1)), and the grey Verhulst model (GVM (1,1)) were used to estimate the PM10 concentration of the cities Amasya, Çorum, Ordu, and Samsun in the Middle Black Sea region, for the period from 2022 to 2026. The accuracy of the GM (1,1), DGM (1,1), and GVM (1,1) models in fitting data was calculated using the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) value. Since three types of prediction models of MAPEs were less than 20%, they were considered a good value for prediction performance. Furthermore, the results showed that the PM10 concentrations of Amasya, Çorum, and Ordu showed a downward trend over the next 5 years. However, the GVM (1,1) model showed an upward trend in the yearly average PM10 concentration in Samsun. In conclusion, these models could be considered a reliable approach in early warning systems for emissions reduction and as a long‐term policy for managing air quality in the Middle Black Sea region.

Avena sterilis L.’in Mikrosatellit İşaretleyicileri ile Genetik Çeşitlilik Analizi

Avena sterilis is an important grassy weed that causes a problem in wheat cultivation areas, and intensive herbicides are used to control it. Genetic diversity study is important to have information how on the effect weed species of the environmental factors and herbicides. The high level of genetic diversity within the species is a guarantee for adaptation to changing environmental conditions. This study was conducted based on complaints of the loss of effectiveness during the chemical control. Analyses were carried out on 27 selected populations collected from wheat cultivation areas in Turkey's Middle Black Sea region. Seventy-seven alleles from microsatellite loci were detected, and the average number of alleles per locus was determined as five using 17 microsatellite primers. The average gene diversity (GD) and polymorphism information content (PIC) values were 0.894 and 0.732, respectively. According to the UPGMA dendrogram generated using Average Linkage, the populations were clustered into two main groups. A high degree of diversity was found among the studied steril oat genotypes, and it is seen that there is no geographical isolation. It is understood that this situation primarily provides adaptation to those geographical areas by transporting weed seeds from other provinces in various ways. According to these findings, issues such as crop rotation, cultural control methods, encouraging the use of certified seeds, and the use of herbicides with different mechanisms of action can be listed among the measures that can be taken to control the high genetic diversity, which is an indicator of herbicide resistance.

Relations of hygiene index scores with milk production in Anatolian buffaloes

The aim of the study was to determine the relations of hygienic status and milk production of Anatolian buffaloes. Fifty milking buffaloes reared in two farms in the Middle Black Sea region of Turkey were used as the study material. To record hygienic status of the animals, udder and flank hygiene scores (UHS and FHS) of the animal’s bodies were evaluated using a scale with 1 to 4 points (1 = very clean, 2 = clean, 3 = dirty, 4 = very dirty). Hygiene index score (HIS) values were consisted of 60% UHS and 40% FHS. To eliminate environmental factors, two parity (1st and ≥2nd) and stage of lactation (SL1<100d and SL2≥100d) subgroups were constituted. The buffalo cows with first parity and later SL had more udder dirtiness (P<0.05) and, the buffalo cows those in SL1 had higher milk yield compared to the other subgroup. A negative and weak correlation (r = -0.227) was estimated between HIS and test day milk yield (TDMY) of milking buffaloes. Confirming these relationships using more data and keeping buffaloes within more hygiene is advised as beneficial approaches.

Evaluation of Water Quality of the Middle Black Sea Region, Kızılırmak and Yeşilırmak Rivers Using Water Quality Index and Statistical Analysis

Karadeniz Bölgesi’nin en büyük akarsularından olan Kızılırmak ve Yeşilırmak, havza alanlarındaki insan aktiviteleri, tarım ve hayvancılık faaliyetleri nedeniyle kirletici faktörlerin yoğun baskısı altındadır. Bu kirletici etkilerin belirlenmesi için Orta Karadeniz Bölgesi, Samsun’da yer alan Kızılırmak ve Yeşilırmak nehirlerinin fizikokimyasal özelliklerinin ve su kalitesinin değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Ekim 2018 ve Ağustos 2019 olmak üzere dört mevsim olacak şekilde örnekleme çalışmaları yürütülmüştür. Çalışmada elde edilen sonuçlar Yerüstü Su Kalitesi Yönetmeliği (YSKY) ne göre ve mevsimsel olarak Su Kalite İndeksine (WQI) göre değerlendirilmiştir. İstatiksel olarak veriler arasında farklılıklar için bağımsız t-testi, parametreler arasındaki ilişkinin belirlenmesi için pearson korelasyon indeksi (PCI), kirletici kaynaklarının belirlenmesi için temel bileşen analizi (TBA/FA) uygulanmıştır. TBA/FA ya göre dört faktör tüm faktörlerin %90,118 ni oluşturmuştur. YSKY’ne göre Kızılırmak I. ve II. sınıf, Yeşilırmak ise II.ve III. sınıf su kalite özelliği taşımaktadır. WQI sonuçlarına göre Kızılırmak ilkbahar mevsiminde “zayıf”, Yeşilırmak ise sadece kış mevsiminde “iyi” diğer tüm mevsimlerde zayıf ve çok zayıf su kalite özelliği taşımaktadır. Sonuçlar Kızılırmak’ın içme, sulama ve endüstriyel kullanım için uygun, Yeşilırmak’ın ise sadece sulama amaçlı kullanım açısından uygun olduğunu göstermiştir.

Sugar and Biochemical Composition of Some Apple Cultivar Grown in the Middle Black Sea Region

Changes in ecological conditions in Turkey are among the rare countries where most plant species spread widely throughout the country, both economically and naturally. In this study on apple, which is one of the important fruit species with economic importance, the color characteristics, biochemical and sugar contents of some commercial apple cultivars grown in Çarşamba district of Samsun province were examined. Wide variations occurred in all parameters evaluated in the study among the cultivars. The fructose content of the cultivars was from 14.22 (Royal Gala) to 34.40 g 100 ml-1 (Fuji), glucose content was from 1.30 (Galaxy Gala) to 4.34 g 100 ml-1 (Fuji), and sucrose content were varied from 2.01 (Fuji) to 4.52 g 100 ml-1 (Granny Smith). The highest value in total sugar content was determined in Fuji cultivar with 40.75 g 100 ml-1. The highest total phenolics, total flavonoids and antioxidant activity (according to DPPH and FRAP) were 423.7 mg 100 g-1 (Granny Smith), 96.1 mg 100 g-1 (Fuji), 250.8 µmol 100 g-1 (Granny Smith) and 952.9 µmol 100 g-1 (Granny Smith), respectively. In the principal component analysis results, the first component was associated with a*, b*, hue angle, total phenolics, total flavonoids and antioxidant activity (DPPH and FRAP) and explained 59.4% of the total variation. The second component explained 36.4% of the total variation of the obtained data and was determined to be related to L*, chroma, glucose, sucrose, fructose, and total sugar properties. As a result, Granny Smith cultivar gave remarkable results in terms of biochemical properties and Fuji cultivar in terms of sugar content. It is thought that the results obtained may guide the researches to be made about apple in this region.

Evaluation of the promoter methylation status of hypoxia factor 3A and interleukin-6 genes and expression levels of mir-130b and mir-146b in childhood obesity.

SUMMARYOBJECTIVE:Obesity, which causes many serious diseases, is increasing exponentially in childhood across the world. Epigenetic changes, as well as genetics, play an important role in the process of adipogenesis. Therefore, we aimed to examine the expression levels of obesity-related MicroRNA-130b and MicroRNA-146b and the methylation status of hypoxia factor 3A and interleukin-6 genes associated with obesity in children.METHODS:This study was performed with 98 individuals (49 obese children and 49 controls) whose DNA was isolated from peripheral blood. Gene promoter methylations were analyzed by methylation-specific Polymerase chain reaction. In addition, expression levels of MicroRNAs were determined by quantitative real-time Polymerase chain reaction in 30 children (15 obese children and 15 controls).RESULTS:Methylation status of interleukin-6 gene was 93.9% in obese children (n=46/49) and 100% (n=49/49) in control group (p>0.05). There was no methylation for hypoxia factor 3A gene (p>0.05). As a result of the study, there was no statistically significant difference in terms of methylation status for hypoxia factor 3A and interleukin-6 genes in the obese group compared to the control group. However, we found that expression levels of MicroRNA-130b (p<0.01) and MicroRNA-146b (p<0.001) were higher in the obese group.CONCLUSIONS:Results support that MicroRNA-130b and MicroRNA-146b are potential biomarkers for the prevention and early diagnosis of obesity. This is the first study on childhood obesity in the Middle Black Sea region of Turkey. We believe that the results obtained by expanding the studies in our country and neighboring countries will be more decisive.

Adaptation of The Triarchic Model of Grit Scale and Perceived Academic Underachievement Scale into Turkish

This study aimed to adapt the Triarchic Model of Grit Scale (TMGS) and Perceived Academic Underachievement Scale (PAUS) to a Turkish state university context and provide evidence of its validity.. The relationships between the scales were also examined. The data of this study was obtained from three different study groups consisting of college students attending a state university located in the Middle Black Sea Region of Turkey. The psychometric properties of the PAUS were examined with the first study group, the psychometric properties of the TMGS were examined with the second study group, and the relationships between both scales and their relations to academic self-efficacy were examined with the third study group. Exploratory Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, and Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient were used to analyze data. Results showed that both scales have sufficient validity and reliability. Furthermore, there was a negative relationship between grit and perceived underachievement, a positive relationship between grit and academic self-efficacy, and a negative relationship between perceived underachievement and academic self-efficacy. These findings suggest that adapted scales are valid and reliable measurement tools that can be used to determine perceived academic underachievement and grit levels among adults and teacher candidates.

Food composition and feeding strategies of an invasive species, Carassius gibelio (Bloch, 1782) inhabiting a eutrophic lake in Middle Black Sea region

Diet composition and feeding features of the Prussian carp Carassius gibelio (Bloch, 1782) were studied by analysing the stomach content of 155 fish specimens sampled from Lake Ladik during November 2009-October 2010. Five of the specimens had empty stomachs. A total of 29 prey taxa belonging to eight major groups comprising aquatic insects, Copepoda, Cladocera, Rotifera, Bacillariopyhta, Chlorophyta, Cyanobacteria and fish eggs were identified in 150 full stomachs. Diet composition showed slight seasonal variation. Cladocera was the most important prey item in all seasons, with peak abndance in spring. Feeding intensity exhibited seasonal change and was maximum in summer. Summer and autumn diets of this species showed the highest similarity. The study indicated that the Prussian carp in Lake Ladik showed both omnivorous and opportunistic feeding habits, exhibiting specialised feeding strategy on Cladocera, while they showed generalised feeding strategy on most prey items. The wide dietary plasticity of invasive Prussian carp can help their population to expand rapidly in different aquatic ecosystems. Keywords: Alien species, Diet composition, Feeding habits, Lake Ladik, Prussian carp

Türkiye'nin kuzeyinde Tick-borne ensefalitis virüsünün serolojik ve moleküler araştırması

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is an endemic viral zoonotic disease in many regions of Eurasia. In this study, whole blood, serum samples and the hard ticks collected from a variety of ruminant species (cattle, goat and sheep) in the middle Black Sea region of Turkey were investigated for the presence of RNA and IgG antibodies against Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). No TBEV genomic RNA was found in 2625 tick and 708 blood samples. However, serological examination for anti-TBEV antibodies revealed that TBEV IgG antibody was found as follow: cattle 61 of 198 (30.8%), goat 7 of 115 (6.1%) and sheep 15 of 147 (10.2%), and confirmed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Positivity rates for the provinces were as follows: Samsun 12.7%, Sivas 35.2% and Tokat 13.2%. This information supports previous findings of TBEV in ticks in Turkey and may be of relevance for public health considerations (in respect to vaccination recommendations for those exposed).

Receiving Education in a Different Country: Challenges Encountered by Foreign Students and Proposed Solutions

Abstract Introduction: The purpose of this study is to determine the problems of primary and secondary school teachers about foreign students and propose solutions to these problems. Methods: In the research, qualitative research method was conducted. Primary and secondary school teachers who had at least one foreign student in their class and volunteered to participate in the study in one of the provinces of Middle Black Sea Region of Turkey were included in study group. They were 29 participants in total (15 female and 14 male). The classes of the teachers generally included 1-5 foreign students. As a data collection tool, a semi-structured open-ended questionnaire consisting of 7 questions was used. After data collection, analyses were performed with content analysis method. Results: Findings of the study reveal that the most basic problem experienced by foreign students is the language problem. Students had difficulty in understanding their environment because of this problem and this situation brought problems of adaptation to school, the teacher and classmates. Especially the students whose parents did not know Turkish experience these problems more than others because of the lack of support from their parents. The majority of the teachers mentioned that they could not reach the achievements in the education programs with these students, and they stated that they included additional activities related to reading and writing. Conducting orientations programs, language and literacy courses, family education (especially language teaching to families), providing therapy for children who had a tendency to violence, providing a separate education program for foreign students and providing training by teachers who were their own citizens in separate classes were among the proposed solution obtained as a result of the research. Discussion: The opinions of the teachers were evaluated under the themes of positive opinions about foreign students, the level of achievement of outcomes, additional activities, experienced problems, the way teachers solve problems, and teachers’ suggestions for solutions. The study shows that the first problems of foreign students that need to be solved are language and communication problems. Also, parents are as important as students in teaching foreign students and that parents’ language skills are critical in terms of informing parents and conducting the process with school-family cooperation. Furthermore, it is of great importance that foreign students must not be alienated because of their culture, that they must not be excluded by other students, and that they must primarily be helped to ensure their adaptation and integration into culture and school through activities. Limitations: The study group of the research includes 29 primary and secondary school teachers who had at least one foreign student in their class and volunteered to participate in the study in one of the provinces of Middle Black Sea Region of Turkey. Conclusions: Based on the results obtained throughout the study, it is possible to say that taking into account the given recommendations can contribute to the solution of the problems of foreign students. Further research can be conducted in different context to shed light on different problems of foreign students experience and proposed solutions to these problems.

A determination of season shifting across Turkey in the period 1965–2020

AbstractSignificant changes in the onset, length and thermal characteristics of seasons have been reported all over the globe in recent decades; however, the spatiotemporal changes of seasonal characteristics in Turkey have received little attention in relation to seasons delineation. In this study, the changes in the characteristics of Turkish seasons have been examined from 1965 to 2020 by considering the daily average temperature data obtained from 65 meteorological stations. A nonstatic definition of season onset was used to delineate the seasons. The study also presents the response of seasons timing and thermal characteristics affected by climate change. All over Turkey, the trend rate for beginning of summer was determined to be 2.1 days·decade−1 from 1965 to 2020, while the beginning of winter has shifted forward at many stations in southeastern Anatolia. All the seasons have experienced increases in average temperatures. The maximum increase was in summer seasons and occurred at up to a rate of 0.7°C·decade−1. There has been almost no change in winter temperatures over the Mediterranean region. Eastern Marmara with the western and middle Black Sea regions experienced an extension of spring as well as a shortening of the autumn season. It was noted that the change in the beginning of summer occurred all over the country. However, the extension of spring and shortening of the autumn season was mainly limited to the western Black Sea regions. The seasons, defined by considering climate change and variability, showed significant trends for length, average temperature and their onset. To the best of the author's knowledge, the delineation of seasons using a dynamic approach is the first attempt of its kind in this study area.

Research on Environmental Problems and People's Environmental Sensitivity; A case study

The study was carried out with 363 people randomly determined to evaluate the perception of encountered water issues of the people living in the district of Atakum in Samsun Province of the Middle Black Sea Region, Turkey. In this study, it was examined whether some of the people's personal characteristics (gender, age, place of residence, education status and occupation) made a difference in their views on water issues. In the study, a survey of 31 questions developed through literature review was directed to the participants. Through this survey, was tried to determine if people their views on water issues, whether they had information about the problems caused by water-related issues, and opinions on the appropriateness of payment policies. For the validity of the survey, expert opinion was taken and reliability studies were made and SPSS 22 program was used in the analysis of the data. When the survey results of the work done to measure public opinion on water issues are evaluated, this is seen as a serious problem by the public. Considering the people's evaluations about water issues, the solution proposed for the issues that may be experienced and experienced is presented with the findings supported by indications.

Regional extreme rainfall estimation in the Middle Black Sea Region, Turkey

The occurrence probabilities of heavy rainfall that cause flood events have an essential role in designing water-related structures and water resource management. In many cases, data for analysis are either not available or are insufficient for reliable design of water-related structures. Regional frequency analysis is usually preferred to provide design information in sites with especially inadequate data available. Our study applied L-moment procedures to annual maximum rainfall series from 70 gauging stations in the Middle Black Sea Region (MBSR) of Turkey to estimate regional rainfall quantiles. The first attempt for regionalization aimed to evaluate the entire area as an homogeneous region. The sub-regions were initially defined with the ward’s clustering algorithm due to the presence of discordant sites under a presumption of a single homogeneous region. In compliance with the results of the discordancy and heterogeneity measures, the most promising classification was achieved with six clusters (sub-regions) that satisfied the homogeneity condition as “acceptably homogeneous”. It was decided that the GEV and GLO distributions in five sub-regions, the GNO distribution in four sub-regions, and the PE3 distribution in three sub-regions, were acceptable as regional frequency distributions. In comparison, GPA was not a candidate distribution in any of the six sub-regions.

Determining Some Quality Properties of Oat Genotypes Collected from the Middle and West Black Sea Region

Healthy foodstuffs, including functional foods, are the key component of a healthy and prosperous life. Oat grains are rich in protein, soluble dietary fiber, β-glucan, starch, oil, some vitamins and minerals, and thus accepted as a healthy foodstuff. This study was conducted to determine physical and chemical quality traits of many different oat landraces/cultivars. In this study, 251 local oat genotypes, collected from 10 provinces of Western and Middle Black Sea Regions of Turkey and four standard oat cultivars were grown over the experimental fields of the Agricultural Application and Research Center at Samsun Ondokuz Mayıs University for two years in an augmented experimental design. As a result of the research, the screenings percentage &gt;2 mm ranged from 69.81 to 95.80%, thousand grain weight from 18.55 to 38.41 g, protein content from 8.82 to 14.81%, starch content from 33.15 to 51.32, β-glucan content from 2.44 to 3.93%, acid detergent fibre value from 18.1 to 18.95%, and neutral detergent fibre value from 27.83 to 36.66%. Also, the local oat genotypes exhibited significant variations in fat content (3.70–7.91%), linoleic acid content (31.89–38.37%), oleic acid content (35.03–44.77%), palmitic acid content (18.26–22.87%), and stearic acid content (1.50–1.96%). According to the biplot, it was determined that the investigated quality traits differed according to the genotypes collected from the provinces. Also, these results can be used for selection of precious pure lines and improvement of new varieties for oat breeding programs.

Evaluation of Gross Alpha and Beta Radioactivity Concentrations in Tooth Samples

Objective: Teeth are used as an important data source to estimate radioactivity accumulation in individuals. This study aimed to evaluation the gross alpha (GA) and gross beta (GB) radioactivity concentrations in tooth samples.Methods: Mandibular permanent first molar teeth of individuals living in the Middle Black Sea region were used for the study to ensure standardization. The teeth samples were divided into 4 groups according to the age factor (Group 1: 6-15 years, Group 2: 16-30 years, Group 3: 31-45 years, and Group 4: 46-65 years). Each group was divided into two subgroups according to gender factor. Measurements were completed with a nuclear spectroscopic system containing a gas-flow proportional counter. Data were analyzed statistically.Results: While a statistically significant difference was detected among groups for GA radioactivity concentration (p&amp;lt;0.05), no significant difference was detected among groups for GB (p&amp;gt;0.05). Mean GA value was higher in Group 1 (6-15 years) compared to the other groups. There was no statistically significant difference between the genders in both GA and GB radioactivity concentrations for all groups (p&amp;gt;0.05).Conclusion: While the GA radioactivity concentration was affected by the age factor, it was not affected by the gender factor.

Genetic diversity for mineral element in seeds of Turkish oat landraces

Oat grain is an important cereal in the human diet and as an animal feed. It is cultivated in many regions of the world. This study was carried out to determine the variability in the element content of these oat gene sources collected from the West and Middle Black Sea Region of Turkey. Two hundred and fifty-six oat genotypes were examined under this study. The mean of mineral elements in landraces and commercial cultivars were 40.39 g kg-1 and 36.16 g kg-1 for K, 23.90 g kg-1 and 28.51 g kg-1 for P, 12.47 g kg-1 and 10.99 g kg-1 for Mg, 10.92 g kg-1 and 10.96 g kg-1 for Ca, 2.58 g kg-1 and 2.36 g kg-1 for Na, 54.70 mg kg-1 and 53.02 mg kg-1 for Fe, 32.08 mg kg-1 and 23.51 mg kg-1 for Mn, 25.39 mg kg-1 and 24.05 mg kg-1 for Zn and 8.26 mg kg-1 and 8.07 mg kg-1 for Cu, respectively. The ranges of mineral elements in the landraces were significantly higher than those in the commercial cultivars. The contributions of the first and second principal components (PC1 and PC2) to the total variation were 43.0% and 15.6%, respectively. These results indicate that examined oat landraces can provide a good source of diversity in mineral elements concentration and could be successfully used in biofortification programs.

COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among primary care residents in Middle-Black Sea Region of Turkey

BackgroundFamily Health Center residents fights against infectious diseases at the forefront in primary care. This study aimed to identify COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and associated factors among FHC residents of primary care Middle-Black Sea Region of Turkey.MethodsA-web based cross-sectional study was conducted with family health center residents in Turkey between October-November 2020. The main outcome variable was acceptance of a potential COVID-19 vaccines. Also COVID-19 Fear scale was used. The associated factors with acceptance were identified through a multiple logistic regression analysis. In evaluations p < 0.05 value were considered significant.ResultsA total of 443 family health center residents were enrolled in the study. In the study group, 65.7% were women, 44% were doctors and 56.0% were other family health staffs. Among the residents, 60.9% reported to willing and 39.1% reported to hesitant to COVID-19 vaccine. Major reasons for acceptance and hesitancy were expection of high protection of vaccines (76.4%) and lack of scientific studies (37.5%) respectively. Men (ORa=1.54), non-smokers (ORa=2.12), those with vaccinated to influenza (ORa=0.33), those with non-infected with COVID-19 (ORa=2.36), and residents who had high level of COVID-19 fear (ORa=2.69) were more likely to be accepted to vaccinate.ConclusionsMore than half of the family health center residents had COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. The way to strengthen the process of vaccination is to well informed of family health center residents with newly emerging scientific data and evidence.Key messages Acceptance of a potential COVID-19 vaccine was not desired level.Informing about current evidence on COVID-19 may be needed in order to achieve better vaccine coverage.

The assessment of yield and quality traits of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) genotypes in middle Black Sea region, Turkey.

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) cultivation in Turkey is concentrated in one province situated in Mediterranean region only, which would not fulfill the domestic needs of the country soon. Therefore, cultivation of the crop in other provinces/climatic regions should be initiated to fulfill the domestic needs. The cultivation in other provinces requires thorough assessment of yield and quality traits of target crop. Therefore, yield and quality characteristics of four sweet potato genotypes (i.e., ‘Hatay Kırmızısı’, ‘Hatay Yerlisi’, ‘Havuc’ and ‘Kalem’) were assessed in the current study in Kazova and Niksar counties of Tokat province of the country having middle Black Sea climate in field experiments during 2018 and 2019. The cuttings of the genotypes were planted in Niksar during the second fortnight of April and first week of May in Kazova. The planting density was kept 90 × 45 cm. Data relating to number of storage roots, storage root weight, storage root yield per hill and storage root yield per hectare were recorded. Furthermore, quality traits, including dry matter ratio (%), protein ratio (%) and antioxidant ratio (%) of storage roots were also determined. The highest total storage root yield was recorded for ‘Havuc’ genotype during both years and locations, followed by ‘Hatay Yerlisi’ and ‘Hatay Kırmızısı’ genotypes. Overall, storage root yield (60.06 and 62.40 tons ha-1 during first and second year) recorded for the experiment at Niksar was higher than the storage root yield recorded for Kazova experiment (53.50 and 52.84 tons ha-1 during first and second year, respectively). The highest dry matter was produced by ‘Kalem’ and ‘Hatay Yerlisi’ genotypes during both years and at both locations, followed by ‘Hatay Kırmızısı’ and ‘Havuc’ genotypes. The storage roots of the tested genotypes accumulated higher dry matter at Kazova during both years. The highest protein content was obtained from the ‘Kalem’ genotype, and the protein contents of the ‘Hatay Yerlisi’ and ‘Hatay Kırmızısı’ genotypes were close to the ‘Kalem’ genotype. The results indicated that tested genotypes can successfully be cultivated in middle Black Sea climate. Therefore, production of sweet potato can be initiated in the future to meet the domestic needs for sweet potato in the country.

Is Flax a Chance for Rural Areas in the Middle Black Sea Region? Profitability Analysis and Feasibility

Bu çalışma liflik keten yetiştiriciliğinin Orta Karadeniz Bölgesinde kârlı bir üretim faaliyeti olarak yapılabilirliğini ve kışlık buğdaya alternatif bir ürün olup olamayacağını ortaya koymak amacıyla yapılmıştır. Araştırmanın ana materyalini 2019-2020 üretim döneminde Sinop ve Samsun illerinde 3 farklı lokasyonda yapılan deneme alanlarında çiftçi koşullarında yetiştirilen liflik keten üretim verileri oluşturmuştur. Samsun ili Bafra ilçesi Elifli köyü, Sinop ili Merkez ilçe Taşmanlı köyü ve Sinop ili Ayancık ilçesi Söküçayırı köyü lokasyonları için keten üretim maliyetleri ve karlılığı ayrı ayrı hesaplanmış, daha sonra Samsun ve Sinop illeri ortalama buğday üretim maliyeti ile karşılaştırılmıştır. Araştırmada incelenen lokasyonların tamamında masraflar içerisinde en büyük payı değişken masrafların oluşturduğu saptanmıştır. Sinop ili Ayancık ilçesi Söküçayırı köyünde toplam masrafların yaklaşık %89’u, Sinop ili Merkez ilçe Taşmanlı köyünde %83’ü ve Samsun ili Bafra ilçesi Elifli köyünde %81’i değişken masraflardan oluşmaktadır. Sinop ili Merkez ilçe Taşmanlı köyü ve Samsun ili Bafra ilçesi Elifli köyü lokasyonlarında keten üretim faaliyetinde bulunan işletmeler üretim masraflarının tamamını karşılayabiliyorken, Sinop ili Ayancık ilçesi Söküçayırı köyü lokasyonunda faaliyet gösteren işletmelerin üretimin değişken masraflarını dahi karşılayamadıkları gözlenmiştir. Araştırma sonucunda, kısmen veya tamamen mekanizasyonla yapılan liflik keten üretiminin bölgede yetiştirilen buğdaya göre daha kârlı olduğu tespit edilmiştir. İşletmeler tüm masraflarını karşıladıktan sonra Sinop ili Merkez ilçe Taşmanlı köyünde 715.3 TL da-1, Samsun ili Bafra ilçesi Elifli köyünde 533.2 TL da-1 net kâr elde etmişlerdir. Tamamen el işçiliği ile üretilen keten lifinden ise zarar edildiği saptanmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda, liflik keten yetiştiriciliğinde yüksek verim ve kârlılık için tüm işlemlerin mekanizasyonla yapılmasının yanı sıra, bakım ve kültürel işlemlere gerekli özenin gösterilmesi önerilmektedir.