Kufa Journal for Agricultural Sciences

Artemisia absinthium is a wild edible species presence in Iraqi Kurdistan region the local people has used the plants as a part of their traditional medicine and their daily life. Nowadays, these plants become more attractive and interested due to their phytochemicals and antioxidant activities. Therefore, This study sought to evaluate various phytochemicals of this plant's aerial section generated by micropropagation in-vitro at tissue culture Laboratory of College of Agricultural Engineering science/University of Duhok, and with identical plants harvested from the field from Gali Ali Bak (invivo), including the difference in total phenolic compound and flavonoid content and antioxidant activity using DPPH test. The results showed that A. absinthium plants were rich with the high concentration of phenolic components in the Invivo plant extract was high (1.65 mg gallic acid equivalents/g of dry extract, eq.100g-1), while it was lowest in the in-vitro plant extract (0.56 mg gallic acid). and (5.2 and 2.9 g of quercetin equivalents/g of dry extract, eq.100g-1 ) for the Invivo and in-vitro plants, respectively, were the determined amounts of flavonoids extracted in the Invivo plant extract compared to the in-vitro plant extract. The anti-oxidative activity was tested by measuring their ability to scavenge stable 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical, the results displayed that the different quantities of plant extract of Invivo and in-vitro ranged between (150-300 g/ml) concentrations had radical-scavenging activity as comparative with the positive control (ascorbic acid),however the best value was at 200 g/ml for Invivo(118) as compared with positive control (ascorbic acid) (80.8). Thus, the evidence of this study shown that Artemisia can enhance natural medicines for human being.

The experiment was carried out at a Research Station B / Department of Horticulture and Landscape Gardening/ College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences / University of Baghdad during the growth season 2022-2021 on the seedlings of citrus rootstock Rangpur, seedlings were chosen homogeneous in size as much as possible to study the effect of three factors, The first factor is fertilization with balanced NPK in three concentrations, without addition (F0), 2 gm. seedlings-1 (F1) and 4gm seedlings-1 ( F2) The second factor is the root stimulator with three concentrations, which is without addition ( R0)5 ml L-1 (R1), and 10 ml L-1 (R2). The third factor is spraying with two concentrations of Nano-micronutrients without spraying,( N0), with spraying 1 gm L-1 (N1). A factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) was carried out, (3 concentrations of NPK x 3 concentrations of Root stimulator x 2 concentrations of Nano-micronutrients) with 3 replicates, and 3 plants in an experimental unit, So that the number of seedlings included in the experiment was 162 seedlings. NPK fertilization showed that there were significant differences in increasing the rates for studied traits, where the concentration (4gm seedlings-1) shows that there were significant differences in plant height, the main stem diameter, Leaves number, leaf area, dry matter percentage of the shoot and chlorophyll concentration values were (46.33 cm, 3.283 mm, 107.06 leaf plant -1, 32.57 cm2, 53.22 gm, 2.37 mg gm-1) respectively. As for the root stimulator, the concentration (10 ml L-1) showed that there were significant differences in plant height, Leaves number, leaf area, the main stem diameter, dry matter percentage of the shoot, and chlorophyll concentration, values were (49.50 cm,30.28 leaf plant -1,31.99 cm 2,3.433mm, 54.67g,2.33 mg gm-1) respectively. The Spraying with Nano-micronutrients with concentration 1g L-1 showed the highest rates in plant height, leaf area, main stem diameter, dry matter percentage of shoot, and chlorophyll concentration, values were (44.37 cm, 31.31 cm2, 3.037 mm, 50.96 g, 2.29 mg gm-1) respectively compared to other treatments.

This research was conducted in the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, to investigate the effect of different indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) concentrations (0, 1000, 2000 and 3000 mg.L-) and rooting media (river-sand, river sand/peat moss, and perlite/peat moss) on rooting success of hardwood cuttings of quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.). The experiment was laid out in a Factorial Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications inside a lath-house. The parameters of rooting%, root number, root length (cm), root dry weight (g), shoot length (cm), shoot diameter (mm), shoot dry weight (g), number of leaves per seedling, leaf area (cm2), and leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD unit) were measured. The effect of individual factors showed that rooting and other traits of rooted cuttings were independent of IBA effect. The highest rooting percentage (62.50%) was achieved in the control cuttings, as well as improved other traits. Also, the best rooting (64.58%) was found in the cuttings planted in river sand medium. Interaction effects of the two factors showed that control cuttings which planted in river-sand gave the highest rooting (70.83%), and the highest other root and shoot traits. River-sand and river sand/peat moss were outstanding for the quince cuttings, but IBA was not needed at the concentrations used in this study.

The study aimed to assess Milk Thistle oi reducing the aflatoxin damage and improve the health status of local breed hens. The study was performed on 60 hens aged 35 weeks, weighing 2-2.5 kg of the body was obtained and housed on a private poultry farm in north of Baghdad (Altaji) for a period of 9 weeks from 22 October until 22 December 2020. Hens were divided to three treatments (20 hens). The first was fed a basal diet free of aflatoxin. The 2nd fed on a contaminated diet with aflatoxin (14.6 ppb) while the 3rd fed as in the 2nd with 0.5% of Milk Thistle oil /kg feed. A 5 hens from each group were slaughtered at the end of the trial for the histopathological inspection of liver, spleen and intestine tissues to evaluate the harmful effect of aflatoxin and the repairing role of Milk Thistle. In G2 Aflatoxin group there was leg weakness, lameness, abnormal pigmentation (shank, feet), lethargy, and the crop is free from food. While in the 3rd group, the macro and microscopic examination of the symptoms were less marked and almost invisible. We conclude that silymarin may have a highly effect in repairing the aflatoxin damage to the body tissues of laying hens.

The experiment aimed to compare different methods of measuring the Feed pellet durability through the effect of pellet die speeds and the particle size (mill sieve holes diameter). Feed pellet durability was studied in four different ways: pellet direct measurement (%), pellet lengths (%), pellet water absorption (%), pellet durability by drop box device (%), pellet durability by air pressure device (%). Three pellet die speeds 280, 300, and 320 rpm, three mill sieve holes diameter 2, 4, and 6 mm, have been used. The results showed that increasing the pellet die speeds from 280 to 300 then to 320 rpm led to a significant decrease in the feed pellet durability by direct measurement, drop box device, and air pressure device, while pellet water absorption a significant increased, whereas it did not significantly affect the pellet lengths. Increasing the sieve holes diameter from 2 to 4 then to 6 mm led to a significant decrease in the feed pellet durability in pellet lengths, drop box device, and air pressure device, pellet water absorption increased, whereas it did not significantly affect the direct measurement of pellet. Pellet die speeds of 280 rpm and the sieve holes diameter of 2 mm recorded the highest pellet durability for all ways: direct measurement 94.66 %, pellet lengths 85.94%, the drop box device 93.42% and the air pressure device 91.21%, less pellet water absorption 38.98%.

A field experiment was carried out in a private greenhouse farm located in Al-Madaen city / old Diyala Bridge / Western Tuwaitha village (N 44, 29,47-E 36, 33,11) in the agricultural season 2020/2021 to study the effect of micronutrient absorption efficiency and yield of sweet pepper was grown in calcareous soil, Dutch Olombus sweet pepper was planted and used the nutrients (manganese at a concentration of 30 mg.l-1, copper at ca concentration of 25 mg.l-1. Iron at a concentration of 50 mg.l-1, zinc at a concentration of 60 mg.l-1, The factorial experiment was carried out according to the split-plot design with two methods of nutrients application, one by spraying on shoots foliar application and the other with irrigation water, 16 treatments were used for each method of addition, which consisted of single, double, triple and quadruple addition of the nutrients that used in the experiment, with the control treatment for each method of addition and with three replicates for each treatment, there were 30 additions duration of the experiment, the first edition took place after two weeks of cultivation in the field, the period between each addition was one week, and the macronutrients N, P, K were used in concentrations (425 Kg N ha-1,175kg P ha-1 and 250 kg K ha-1 ), the results of highest cumulative yield was for the Fe+ Zn+ Mn treatment which added by spraying on shoots, which amounted to 159.15 Mg h-1., It also showed a highly significant superiority for all treatments of adding micronutrients sprayed on the shoot over the corresponding treatments of adding these nutrients with irrigation water on the efficiency of absorption of micronutrients in the fruits of the sweet pepper plant. The Fe+ Mn treatment gave the highest value for the iron absorption efficiency of 341.3%, while the Zn+ Mn+ Cu treatment gave the highest value for the zinc absorption efficiency of 113.17%. As for the manganese absorption efficiency, the Fe+ Mn treatment gave the highest value of 517.2%. As for the absorption efficiency of copper, the Fe+ Mn+ Cu treatment gave the highest value of 217.2%.

In the fall agricultural season of 2021-2022, an experiment was conducted in two areas of Nineveh Governorate, the first experiment in Yarmgah and the second one in Badush, each experiment included two types of board bean Vicia faba L to study their response to antioxidants and ammonium phosphate diphosphate fertilizer. The experiment included two factors, the first factor varieties (Aquadlge and Luz de otono) with antioxidants with seven levels. without the addition of catechins and DAP fertilizer, spray and soak at a concentration of 250 mg. L-1 for each of AsA, B1, B6 with the addition of 20 kg DAP. Spray and soak at a concentration of 500 mg.L-1 for each of AsA, B1, B6 with the addition of 20 kg DAP.H -1.spray and soak at a concentration of 250 mg.L-1 for each of AsA, B1, B6 with the addition of 40 kg DAP.H-1, spray and soak at a concentration of 500 mg.L-1 for each of AsA, B1, B6 with the addition of 40 kg DAP.H-1, spray and soak at a concentration of 250 mg.L-1 for each of AsA, B1, B6 with the addition of 60 kg DAP.H-1, and Spray and soak at a concentration of 500 mg.L-1 for each of AsA, B1, B6 with the addition of 60 kg DAP.H-1). The seeds were soaked in water with antioxidants for 6 hours before planting and sprayed with antioxidant until complete wetness took place 30 and 45 days of planting, and the results showed the superiority of the Aquadlge Variety over the Luz de otono variety morally at the Yarmgah and Badush experiment sites for all the studied qualities: the chlorophyll content, the number of pods in the plant, the number of seeds per pod, the number of seeds per plant, the weight of 100 seeds and the protein percentage. The seventh level of the fertilizer combination with antioxidants gave the highest value of all the studied qualities: the chlorophyll content, the number of pods in the plant, the number of seeds in the pod, the number of seeds in the plant, the weight of 100 seeds and the percentage of protein.

A field study was conducted on the course of the Shatt al-Arab for the period from September 2021 to August 2022. to track the space-time changes in the quality of moving water in the course of the Shatt al-Arab under the influence of the movement of tidal cycles and their interference with fresh water coming from the Tigris River. through four study stations located in the areas of Al-Sada Al-Nour, the paper factory, Al-Ashar, and Sehan. and the study aimed to find out the extent of variation in the values of salinity. the concentration of dissolved solids and concentrations of some Cations and anions spatially and temporally and the extent to which they are affected by the movement of tides. Aquatic samples were collected from the study stations according to the four seasons of the study period and from three depths and three repeats from each depth. The results of the statistical analysis showed significant differences in the values of all studied vocabulary, namely EC, pH, Ca + 2, Mg+2, TH, Na + 1, HCO3-1, Cl-1, SO4-2 based on the stations and seasons studied, and the values of the studied vocabulary showed a spatial and temporal variation, as the salinity values increased as we headed south towards the mouth of the river and the ranges of values reached 1.92-8.45 dS-1.The pH values tended to be light basal and ranged between 7.79 – 8.06, and the concentrations of cations and anions varied spatially and temporally as they were affected by the movement of the tides and the values of the concentrations ranged between 116.43 - 661.67, 35.16 -147.62, 167.67 - 1118.91, 221.43-2337.53 and 344.88 - 1073.68 mg L-1 for ions Ca+2, Mg+2, Na+1, Cl-1, SO4-2 respectively.

This study has aimed to investigate the effect of feed forms, mash and pellet on productive performance and carcass yields of broilers. 225 unsexed birds of the hybrid Ross 308 broiler were used, with a starting weight of 45.4 g one day old. The experiment lasted up to 35 days. The birds were randomly distributed into five treatments; each treatment contained 45 chicks according to three replicates (15 birds/ replicate). The experiment’s treatments included: (T1) Control mash 100% (pellet 0%), (T2) mash 75% (pellet 25%), (T3) mash 50% (pellet 50%), (T4) mash 25% (pellet 75%) and (T5) mash 0% (pellet 100%). Results were recorded a significant superior of T4 compared with other treatments (P≤0.05) in live body weight, weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, carcass weights and dressing percentage, productive index, and economic indicator. It has been found that the growth performance and carcass yield in broiler chickens was improved by using feed pellet instead of mash for 35 days.

Periwinkle Cathranthus roseus is an ornamental plant that produces over 200 alkaloids, including vincristine, vinblastine, and vindoline, which are used to treat various types of cancer. However, the low yield of terpenoid indole alkaloids (TIAs) from periwinkle and the high cost of extraction has led researchers to explore alternative methods for their production. The study aims to investigate the influence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) as an elicitor to enhance alkaloid production in periwinkle callus cultures while examining the efficacy and safety of using PEG. Callus was induced and abiotic elicitation experiments were conducted to study callus growth enhancement. The dry weight of the callus was calculated, and vincristine, vinblastine and vindoline were extracted and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. The results showed that low to moderate concentrations of PEG4000 can enhance callus growth, while higher concentrations can reduce it. The addition of PEG4000 also increased the production of important alkaloids, including vindoline, vincristine, and vinblastine, by up to 2.65-fold. The findings suggest that PEG4000 can be used to optimize the production of alkaloids in C. roseus callus cultures.

The target of the manuscript is to quantify and examine the effects of public saving on agricultural and fishing investments for the government and private sectors and economic growth in Iraq for the period 2005-2021. Econometric tools were used to clarify the impact (autoregressive model with distributed lag periods). The findings show that there is cointegration relationship between public saving (S) independent variable, government investments in agriculture, and fishing (GI) dependent variable, private sector investments in agriculture, fishing (PI) dependent variable, and economic growth (GDP) dependent variable, Moreover the value of the error correction parameter significant Generally speaking at the degree of negative (1%) and (5%) for all variables. The results indicated that there was a significant and positive short-term relationship between (S) and (GI) at a significance level (5%), in addition to the absence of a lengthy effect between the two elements that during the study period. There is also no substantial impact of public saving on private investment in agriculture, forestry, and hunting during the research period, neither in the short term nor in the long term. The results also showed that there is a significant and positive short-term relationship between (S) and (GDP), and the presence of a long-term favorable impact at a substantial degree (5%), which means that increasing public saving by one unit results in a rise in GDP of (0.001577). Conversely, a decrease in public saving by one unit leads to a decrease in GDP by the same amount, assuming other factors remain constant. This report suggests that the Iraqi government be given more authority through its economic policies in driving savings and employing it towards investment in the agriculture industry to boost and diversify agricultural output.

The integrated use of organic and mineral fertilizers is a practical and good way to preserve and sustain soil fertility, which results in increased availability of nutrients in the soil and their absorption by plants, thus increasing crop productivity. Due to the fixation of potassium in the soil, it is necessary to work to increase the vitality of agricultural soil by adding fertilizers. Organic potassium is an important means of increasing the availability of macro- and micro-nutrients. Current research was carried out in a private farm in Deir Ezzor province during the summer season of 2022 with the aim of studying the effect of adding potassium, organic fertilizer, and their interaction, on the soil content of NPK and the productivity of maize (Gouta 82 variety). A factorial experiment was conducted according to a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The experiment included two factors: the first was potassium fertilizer (potassium sulfate: 0, 100, 150, 200 kg K.ha-1) and the second was organic fertilizer (sheep manure: 0, 15, 20, 25 tons.ha-1). Results showed that the fourth level of potassium fertilizer was significantly superior in soil content of mineral nitrogen, available phosphorus, and exchangeable potassium. The values were (N: 8.27, P: 12.07, K: 267.81 mg.kg-1), and the fourth level of organic fertilizer was significantly superior to the studied soil indicators (N: 8.97, P: 12.90, K: 262.79 mg.kg-1), while the values decreased in the control. In the studied plant characteristics (plant height, leaf surface area, grain yield), there is a superiority of the fourth level of potassium and organic fertilizers separately. At the remaining levels and in the control, the values in potassium fertilizer were (180.98 cm, 6147.90 cm2, 7.49 tons.ha-1) respectively. In organic fertilizer, plant characteristics reached (183.49 cm, 6191.50 cm2, 7.72 tons.ha-1) at the fourth level. The interaction of the two fertilizers also had a positive effect on all soil indicators studied, as the interaction of the fourth level of potassium fertilizer with the fourth level of organic fertilizer achieved significant superiority over the rest of the interaction treatments and over the non-fertilized control (N: 9.60, P: 13.76, K: 288.27 mg. kg-1). Likewise, with regard to plant characteristics, interfering the third levels (150 kg/ha) and fourth levels (200 kg/ha) of potassium fertilizer with the fourth level (25 tons/ha) of organic fertilizer achieved the best results (186.92 - 188.20 cm, 6296.15 - 6343.98 cm2, 8.32- 8.36 tons.h-1).