Southern Marmara Region Research Articles

THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF PROCESSING TOMATO PRODUCTION AREAS IN MARMARA REGION

Tomato is a main crop in the southern part of Marmara region in Turkey. But, in general, yield and quality of processing tomato are not as good as expected by farmers and also industrialists. This research has been carried out to investigate nutrient status of processing tomato fields of southern Marmara region of Turkey, and it also aimed to determine the relationship between the nutrients in soil and some important soil properties. A total of 250 soil samples from 0-30 cm soil depth were taken at tomato planting time in 1999, 2000 and 2001 growing seasons. Mean clay, silt, sand, salt and organic matter percentages were 31.52, 29.89, 39.28, 0.018 and 1.59 respectively. Soil pH was mainly slightly alkaline. Total N, available P and K contents were not sufficient in most of soil samples. Among the micronutrients, only zinc was limiting. In addition, a slightly excessive boron content was found. Sand content was positively correlated (p=0,05) with available P and negatively (p=0,01) with K, Ca and Mg values. Soil pH negatively (p=0.05) affected P and Zn content only. Organic matter was positively correlated to N, Ca, Mg and Zn.

Neotectonics of the southeast Marmara region, NW Anatolia, Turkey

The North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ) bifurcates into three branches in the Marmara Region, which is a transition zone between the strike–slip tectonics manifested by the NAFZ and the N–S directed extensional regime of western Anatolia. The southern Marmara region is characterized by the middle and the southern branches while the northern branch controls the north Marmara region. The south Marmara region is characterized by approximately E–W trending rhomb-like horst and graben complexes bounded by strike slip-faults with normal component, striking mainly in E–W direction. This study documents the geometry and the structural characteristics of the NAFZ in the southeast Marmara region and discusses the commencement age of the strike–slip tectonics using deformation patterns of Neogene units and information available in the literature.

Acquired drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from treated patients in the province of Bursa, Turkey

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the distribution of acquired resistance in isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from treated patients in two periods, 1984--89 and 1990--95, in the Bursa (Southern Marmara) region. METHOD: Susceptibility of 531 M. tuberculosis isolates to four commonly used drugs (isoniazid (INH), streptomycin (SM), ethambutol (EMB) and rifampin (RMP) was determined by the absolute concentration method of Canetti et al. RESULTS: In 203 strains isolated in the years 1984--89, the total acquired resistance was 32.5%, and it was 37.5% in 328 strains isolated in 1990--95 (p>0.05). Resistance to INH, SM, RMP and EMB was found in 23.6%, 16.7%, 6.4% and 3.9%, respectively, in the first period (1984--89), and in 26.2%, 20.4%, 25.3% and 8.2%, respectively, in the second period (1990--95). The increase in RMP resistance was statistically significant (p<0.001). The incidence of multidrug-resistant strains was 12.3% in the first period, and 24.4% in the second period, a significant increase (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We believe that progressive emergence of phenotypes resistant to INH+RMP in our region is caused by inadequate treatment for various reasons. In the present study, the fact that multidrug resistance occurred in nearly 25% of patients treated previously but still infective suggests that the approach to surveillance, patient therapy and follow-up programs should be fundamentally reconsidered in our region.

The Mat White-painted Pottery from Eastern Thrace: a new look at the relations between the Balkans and Anatolia

The excavations and surface surveys carried out in Eastern Thrace as well as the Southern Marmara region over the past few years have made much headway in filling the substantial gaps still existing in the cultural sequence of the region. Although the field data are far from complete, the results of this research help us to reconstruct the prehistory of the region and to gain a better understanding of the relations between the Balkan and Anatolian prehistoric sequences.The network of cultural exchange between Anatolia and Southeast Europe during the fifth and fourth millennia B.C. may be demonstrated by examining some major artifact types, such as pottery forms, terracotta figurines, bone spoons, etc. (cf. Thissen 1993a, 302–3, Özdoğan 1993, 179–81). In pottery the similarities between Anatolia and Southeast Europe are especially apparent in types of decoration, also to some extent in the repertoire of shapes (not all shapes are similar) and method of manufacture.During our investigations in the province of Edirne, Eastern Thrace, were recovered mat white-painted sherds of Anatolian and Aegean type which help to fill the gaps in our knowledge between Anatolian and Balkan prehistoric sequences.