Iraqi Journal of Agricultural Sciences

Two field experiments were conducted at the research station of College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences -University of Baghdad at Aljadriya, Baghdad –Iraq during two seasons 2021-2022, to evaluate effect of minimum tillage, crop rotation and crop residues on soil health. The 1st one was with split-plot arrangement with two factors: crop residues (0% Residues (0%R) and 100% Residues (100%R)) and tillage (minimum (MT) and conventional (CT)) with four replicates. The 2nd one was with split-split plot arrangement with three factors: the same tillage and residues in 1st trail coupled with crop rotation (clover – maize and clover – mung bean). Soil organic carbon (SOC), organic matter (SOM), active carbon (SAC), aggregate stability, EC, total bacteria and fungi count, available N, P, K, Fe, Zn were evaluated as a soil health indicators. Results of both trails indicated that the best results were (12.78 g SOC Kg-1, 22.03 g SOM Kg-1, 178.92 mg SAC Kg-1, 44.72%, 1.11 dS m-1, 425.0*108 CFU g-1 soil, 357.5*103 CFU g-1 soil, 50.75 mg N, 17.12 mg P, 279.9 mg K, 4.68 mg Fe Kg-1, 2.79 mg Zn Kg-1 soil for the treatment (100%R+MT+ clover – mung bean crop rotation) compared with results of (8.96 g SOC Kg-1, 15.45 g SOM Kg-1, 109.3 mg SAC Kg-1, 31.42% , 1.66 dS m-1, 33.5*108 CFU bacteria g-1 soil, 16.5*103 CFU fungi g-1 soil , 30.62 mg N, 11.75 mg P, 133.5 mg K, 2.95 mg Fe Kg-1, 1.73 mg Zn Kg-1 soil) for treatment (0%R+ CT+ without crop rotation ) respectively.

This research was included a method for preparing synthetic zeolite using araw clay mineral components found in nature (kaolin) and it was prepared by the hydrothermal method in the presence of sodium hydroxide. Natural zeolites were also used and saturated with zinc adopting the method of columns through ZnSO4.7H2O solution. Several measurements were taken for the zeolites before and after the saturation process, the results obtained were ascribed to the X-ray diffraction (XRD) which showed a well crystallization rate while the chemical analysis of the elements showed that they contain a high percentage of silicon and aluminum, which gives evidence, is a balanced and equal reaction. The infrared spectrum (IR) showed the change in the frequency band of 1002 cm-1, which expresses its sensitivity to the occurrence of the substitution process within the structural composition of the zeolite, and confirmation of this is the disappearance of the weak shoulder from the right side of the diffraction 1002 cm-1, which represents the voids in the structural composition of the mineral, which was accompanied by the widening of the diffraction itself, it confirms the occurrence of replacement of zinc in those voids.

This study aimed to monitor and evaluate the impact of fires on the appearance of the land surface in open and flat agricultural areas using spectral indices and Landsat8 Operational Land Imagery (OLI) satellite images. A representative area, covering 250.34 km², was selected in Nineveh Governorate in Iraq lies between latitudes (43˚ 20′ 0̋-43˚ 32′ 30̋) N and longitude (36˚ 25′ 0̋-36˚ 11′ 0̋) E on June and July 2019 in order to determine the burned area on the land, and use the resulting spectral signature to generalize it to the rest of the study area. Data from the American Landsat satellite, GIS software, and spectral indicators for vegetation covers, such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), the Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), and the Normalized Burning Ratio index (NBR), were used to extract the results. Then, the Land Surface Temperature index (LST) and the difference Normalized Burning Ratio index (dNBR) were used to measure the validity of the results and the severity of the fires, respectively. After using and performing corrective processing of the spectral indices, applying the three indices and determining the difference between them for a short period of time, it was possible to discover the areas of fires and the proportions of their effects. The NDVI results showed that the area affected by very severe degradation increased due to the fires to 39.29%, while the LST increased from 47.70 to 48.39 degree. The study concluded that the area of fire spread can be determined when there is a discrepancy in the pattern of spatial data that are close in date of capture and by using spectral indices.

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of commercial Sulfuric acid, phosphorous, iron, and zinc application on Phosphorus, Iron, Zinc Availability in Calcareous Soil and Yield of Cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.), in an agricultural field at College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences / University of Baghdad / Iraq during the autumn season of 2021, in silty loam soil using Split Plot Design in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. Sulfuric acid H2SO4 added with irrigation water at 0 and 2 ml L-1. Phosphorus was added to the soil at (0, 50, 75 and 100%) from the recommended level (65 kg P ha-1) as TSP (20% P), iron was added to the soil at 10 kg Fe ha-1 as FeSO4.7H2O (20% Fe), and zinc was added to the soil at 5 kg Zn ha-1 as ZnSO4.7H2O (23 %Zn). Results showed a significant effect of adding commercial sulfuric acid H2SO4, Phosphorus and zinc fertilizers to the soil (2 ml L-1 + 65 kg P ha-1 + 5 kg Zn ha-1) after 30 days of planting and after harvest and achieved available phosphorus of 27.87 and 22.48 mg P kg-1 soil and available iron of 7.197 and 7.210 mg Fe kg-1 soil and available zinc of 1.907 and 1.883 mg Zn kg-1 soil respectively, and plant yield of 70.64 Mg ha-1 with an increase of 81.12 % compared to control.

The study aims to evaluate the lands of Fadak Farm and their suitability for palm trees cultivation. An area of 2,000 dunams was selected as the study site .It is located in Karbala Governorate between longitudes 43°51'44" and 43°35'16" E and latitudes 32°43'56" and 32°42'59" N. Sentinel-2A satellite imagery was used, Two pedons were identified—one in a cultivated area and the other in an uncultivated -with 40 surface soil samples collected. These samples were analyzed in the laboratory.The spectral signature of the existing land cover in the farm was determined. The reflectance values for date palm trees were 5252 in the green band, 4440 in the red band, and 6280 in the near-infrared band, covering 12% of the surface area. Newly planted date palms had reflectance values of 4708(green), 5196(red), and 6160 (near-infrared), covering 25% of the area. Barren lands covered 43% of the area, with reflectance values of 4804, 5700, and 6180 in the green, red, and near-infrared bands, respectively. Water bodies showed reflectance values of 1349 (blue), 1534 (green), 1532 (red), and 1830 (near-infrared), covering 10% of the area. Built-up areas also covered 10%, with reflectance values of 8504, 7468, and 6904 for the green, red, and near-infrared bands, respectively .The results indicated that all the covers in Fadak Farm showed the highest reflectance in the near-infrared band. The results showed two levels of suitability for date palm cultivation: moderately suitable S2 and marginally suitable S3 .

This study was aimed to identify the genetic polymorphism of the Secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) gene in a sample of Awassi sheep consisting of 48 ewes and its 62 newborns. This study lasted for six months, The results revealed that there were two variations (2 SNPs) in the Promoter Exon 3 of gene SPP1, the first variance SNP1 the position was (SNP1 A > G: P/1212/(84 bp), AG. The second variance Snp2, G > A: P/1207/ (92 bp), There were two genetic components of this gene, GG and GA, at a percentage rate of 60.42 and 39.58%, respectively, and there were high-morale (P≤0.01) differences in the birth weight of the ewe, The GA hybrid ewe outperformed the G-pure terrestrial genetic structure. This study concludes that the mutant GG genetic structure does not appear in the SNP1 and AA does not appear in the SNP2 of the gene's studied region. There is a correlation between the heterogeneity obtained from the study of SPP1 gene and the production of daily milk and some liver enzymes in passive sheep that can be exploited in election and improvement programmes.

The aim of this research is to study the effect of using different concentrations of aqueous extract of damask flowers on the ratios of some major and minor parts and some histological qualities. There are a few studies on the effect of the use of rose water in various agricultural animals. 250 one-day-old commercial ross308 broiler chicks were randomly divided into 5 groups of 50 birds. In the treatment (T1control treatment) plain water was used without additives, while in the transactions T2, T3, T4 and T5 rose water was added to drinking water at a concentration of 5%, 10%, and 5% for 12 hours, and 10% for 12 hours, respectively. The results showed the superiority of coefficients T2 and T5 in live body weight, the percentage of clearance with and without the presence of eaten viscera, the percentage of drummer's stick, the percentage of chest piece and the rest of the other pieces, as well as a significant increase in the height of the villi and the depth of the crypts for the second and fifth coefficients compared to other coefficients at (P≥ 0.05)

The aim of this experiment was to study the effect of replacing treated and untreated rice impurities with urea, with or without acetic acid on the digestibility and performance of Awassi lambs. Twenty-four Awassi male lambs, aged 3-4 months with an initial weight 25.08 ± 0.64kg were divided into six treatments in a 2×3 factorial experiment/ Completely Randomized Design. Experiment period was 56 days, 14/3/2022 to 9/5/2022, preceded by 10 days as an adaptation period. Individual feeding was conducted. All animals fed on three levels of rice impurities treated with urea (0, 50,100%) without acetic acid (T1, T2, T3) and with 1% acetic acid (T4, T5, T6) respectively. The results showed a highly increase (P<0.01) of dry matter and organic matter intake for treatment T6. High increase (P<0.01) of dry matter digestibility (DMD), organic matter digestibility (OMD), digestibility of nutrients and total digestible nutrients (TDN) for treatments T5 and T6. Daily gain and total weight gain increased (P<0.05) for T6, 169.64 g/day and 9.5 kg respectively. In conclusion: Using of 100% rice impurities treated with urea and 1% acetic acid had a positive effect on lambs' performance with best digestibility.

The study was aimed to demonstrate the effect of withdrawing the protein concentrate and reducing the crude protein to the level of (16 and 15%) in the diets and supplementing them with a mixture of amino acids (methionine, lysine and threonine) at a rate of 1, 1.5, 2% on the productive performance of laying hens. 128 laying hens of the Lohmann Brown were used, at the age of 21 weeks. They were randomly distributed in to 8 treatments, with 8 replications for each treatment, as each replicate includes 2 chickens (16 chickens/treatment). The experimental treatments were as follows: T1 the control (standard diet), T2 a treatment devoid of the protein concentrate, and the T3, T4, and T5 Reducing the percentage of crude protein by 1% and adding a mixture of amino acids by 1, 1.5, and 2%, respectively , and the T6, T7, and T8 Reducing the percentage of crude protein by 2% and adding a mixture of amino acids by 1, 1.5, and 2%, respectively. The results showed that there were no significant differences in the interaction rates for the protein reduction treatments 1 and 2%, but it was observed that there was a significant superiority (P>0.05) in egg production, egg weight rate, feed consumption rate, feed conversion efficiency, egg mass and rate of body weight is in favor of treatments adding a mixture of amino acids at a rate of 1.5 and 2% and with a reduced percentage of protein 1 and 2% compared to the control treatment with out of the protein concentrate. It can be concluded from this study that adding a mixture of amino acids at a rate of 1.5 and 2% and reducing the percentage of protein by (1 and 2%) led to a significant improvement in most productive traits compared to the control treatment (with out of protein concentrate).

This study was carried out to separate the DNA genetic material, determining the genotypes of the Foxo3 gene, and studying the effect of the genetic conformation of the mutation (C258T) rs 160226273, and to study the effect of genetic polymorphism of this mutation with the productive performance of Awassi sheep. A total of forty-five Awassi ewes of 2-4 years old were used currently as a source for blood sampling. These ewes produced 54 births, and their ages and weights were followed up from birth until the sixth month of age for the period from5/1 2022 to 25/6 2022.at the AL-Fayha Station for sheep Breeding. The mutation found within the studied segment (365 bp) of exon 2 of the Foxo3 gene, produced three genotypes (CC, CT, and TT), and their distribution rates were 36.36, 52.27, 11.36% respectively. The variation among these ratios was significant (p≤0.01), and the allelic frequency was 0.625 and 0.375 for both the C and T alleles. The results showed that the effect of the genotypes of the Foxo3 gene was significant (p≤0.05), on some traits represented by the ratio of solids non-fat for milk components, and some growth characteristics of lambs such as weaned weight, weight gain between birth and weaning weight, weight at six months of age, weight gain between weaning weight, weight at six months, and weights of lambs at three months of age.

This study was carried out at the vegetable research farm, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, Dohuk University during two growing seasons on the period from 15th November 2021to 1st May 2022 and 15th November 2022 to 1st May 2023, to study the effect of two levels of phosphorus (0 and 36 kg.ha-1) and three levels of Urtica extract (0, 3 and 6 g.l-1) on four cultivars of pea (Mammoth, Mezza Rama, Kaspa and Javor). The results showed that the Mammoth cv. significantly enhanced plant height (cm) and number of pods.plant-1 during both seasons, while Meza Rama cv. significantly enhanced chlorophyll%, weight of pod (g), length of pod (cm), width of pod (cm), number of seeds.pod-1, total yield (g.plant-1) and total yield (t.ha-1) at both study seasons. The application of 36 kg.ha-1 phosphorus caused a significant increase for the all studied parameters. In the same time the increased Urtica concentrations caused significantly increased all studies parameters at the first and second seasons except weight of pod (g), length of pod (cm) and width of pod (cm) in the second season. The dual interaction between two factors (cultivars and phosphorus), cultivars and Urtica) and (phosphorus and Urtica) significantly enhanced all parameters at both seasons. Also the triple interaction among three factors caused a significant effect for the all of the studied parameters compared control.

This study was carried out, to estimate some chemical components of fifteen genotypes of pea (Pisum sativum L.) (five parents+ ten crosses) produced using half diallel crossing system implemented by Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), repeated three times. The Least Significant Difference test (LSD) at 0.01 significant levels was used to compare means. The following is a summary of the study's findings:The mean squares of genotypes, GCA and SCA were highly significant for all studied traits except GCA mean squares of protein which was only significant. The cross (Avolla× Jeza) showed maximum protein and oil% reached 18.613 and 1.287% respectively, while maximum starch% was 58.403% showed by the cross (America× Jeza). Parent (America) showed the best performance for protein, oil and fiber% which recorded 19.793, 1.737 and 1.577% respectively. The cross (Avolla× Jeza) showed the best value for heterosis and heterobeltosis due to protein%, while the cross (America× Jeza) gave the highest values for heterosis and heterobeltosis for starch. The magnitude of σ_sca^2 was larger than σ_gca^2 for all studied traits confirming the importance of non-additive gene effect in controlling the inheritance of these traits. Heritability in broad sense was found to be high for all traits, while it was moderate for protein and ash and low for the other traits.

This study was conducted during the spring and fall seasons of 2024. The results showed a significant positive correlation between the three indices and productivity under both drought stress conditions (Ys) and non-stress conditions (Yp). This indicates that these indices are effective in identifying Genotype with high productivity potential in both scenarios. In the spring season, the superior Genotype were G7 (Giza 113), G14 (ACSAD 51), G15 (ACSAD 56), G20 (ACSAD 62), and G23 (ACSAD 66). In fall season, the top-performing Genotype were G8 (Tabet), G10 (Uruk), G17 (ACSAD 47), G20 (ACSAD 58), and G25 (ACSAD 68). All these Genotype demonstrated drought tolerance with high productivity under both stressed and non-stressed conditions. The indices used in this study help in identifying Genotype with a high ability to withstand drought, thus enhancing their effectiveness in challenging environmental conditions. Additionally, the aforementioned Genotype are considered suitable for use in crop improvement programs in the central region of Iraq, due to their ability to adapt to drought conditions and maintain good productivity under varying circumstances.

This study was carried out at two locations in Sulaimani Governorate, Iraq during 2022 to investigate the genetic potential of thirty-one rice genotypes to highlights the genetic diversity among rice genotypes and emphasizes the importance of considering both genetic and environmental factors in rice breeding programs. The distinct performance of genotypes across different traits and locations provides valuable information for selecting and developing rice varieties with improved characteristics and higher yield potential. The results of the analysis of variance indicate highly significant differences among the genotypes for all studied traits at both Chalakh and Penjwen locations. This suggests a substantial genetic diversity among the studied genotypes, shows their potential as valuable genetic resources for breeding programs. Additionally, the interaction between genotypes and environments was found to be highly significant for most traits, emphasizing the importance of considering both genetic and environmental factors in rice research. G1 was superior to the other genotypes regarding the grain yield plant-1 with 60.909 and 29.004 g at Chalakh and Penjwen locations respectively. Moreover, the impact of location on the studied traits was significant, with Chalakh outperforming Penjwen in all traits. This difference in performance could be attributed to variations in climatic conditions and environmental factors between the two locations.

This research explores an efficient decolorization approach of aqueous solution containing Reactive Navy Blue (RNB), Reactive Red (RR), Reactive Turquoise Blue (RTB), and Reactive Black (RB) dyes by employing laccase immobilized on granular Porcelanite (PC). The process of immobilizing the laccase enzyme from Fenugreek seeds onto Porcelanite was achieved through a covalent method and the immobilization ratio was reached to 98%. PC function groups and surface texture was examined using Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) techniques. The impact of several process parameters, including pH, particle amount, dye concentration, and temperature, were investigated. The treatment successfully led to maximum decolorization rates of 95.50% for RB, 90.19% for RNB, 85.63% for RTB, and 80.82% for RR after only 24 hours, in which the best conditions were (5, 1.5 g, 50 mg/l,25 ◦C, respectively (. Interestingly, the coefficient of determination (R2) for RB, RNB, RTB, and RR dyes was 87%, 82%, 87%, and 72%, respectively, indicating high model predictivity of the behavior of dyes post-decolorization, indicating enhanced wastewater remediation via laccase immobilization.

This study deals with the species were recorded for the first time in Baghdad City discovered about thirty.three species distributed throughout many regions belong to fourteen families, which were Aizoaceae, Amaranthaceae, Asteraceae, Boraginaceae, Brassicaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Papaveraceae, Plantaginaceae, Polygonaceae, Rosaceae, Zygophyllaceae. According to the results of the current study showed that about 34 species were recorded for the first time grown throughout Baghdad and its surrounding areas including Al.Zafaraniya region, Al.Rashidiya region, Aqraquf region, Abu.Nuass gardens and parks, Zyaona and Al.Jadiriyah gardens, Al.Radwanea orchards, Basmaia campus, Abu.Ghraib region, and Al.Zoraa gardens. recoding four of them as new record for Iraq, which were Amsinckia menziesii (Lehn.) A. Nelson & J.F. Macbr. (Boraginaceae), Carduus tenuiflours Curtis (Asteraceae), Medicago polymorpha var. spotii Al.Azerj &Al.Musawi, and Trifolium repens var. spotii Al.Azerj &Al.Musawi (Fabaceae).

The current study was aimed to investigate the antimicrobial and antibiofilm efficiency of local wheat bran active metabolites over locally isolated pathogens including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Local wheat Ibaa99 bran extract consists of phenolic compounds, inulin and phytic acid. The antibacterial activity was examined by well diffusion assay and the minimum inhibitory concentration method by the concentration 1mg/ml for Wheat Bran Extract. On the other hand, antibiofilm dispersal consideration have been completed by Microtiter plate method. The results revealed that Ibaa99 wheat bran extract has antimicrobial activity in average diameter zone, highest inhibition observed over C. albicans isolate with 60 ±0.1 mm. Moreover, the minimum inhibitory concentrations of wheat bran extract were 1 mg/ml against both E. coli and S. aureus isolates. The outcomes of biofilms suppression show high reduction in biofilms, the highest dispersal recorded for Candida albicans with OD (0.07). In conclusion, the extract of local wheat bran is a has antimicrobial effect and biofilm suppressor and represent a promising cheap by- product as alternative medication that can be used to treat many gastrointestinal pathogens.

Optimizing the allocation of agricultural machinery is crucial for enhancing rice production efficiency, particularly in regions with uneven resource distribution. This study addresses the lack of localized, data-driven mechanization strategies in Kubu Raya Regency, bridging an important research gap in sustainable resource allocation. It focuses on Sungai Kakap and Kubu subdistricts in Kubu Raya Regency, West Kalimantan, to develop and prioritize the distribution of hand tractors, cultivators, and power threshers based on land area, cropping index, and existing saturation levels. Primary data were collected through structured interviews with a representative sample of agricultural stakeholders, while secondary data included rice production levels, machinery availability, and land use statistics. The results identified Tanjung Saleh and Kampung Baru as high-priority villages due to extensive paddy field areas, high cropping intensities, and critically low machinery saturation levels. Addressing these shortages can significantly enhance land preparation, planting efficiency, and post-harvest processing, leading to increased productivity and reduced operational costs. A validated coefficient approach and stakeholder engagement were integrated into the prioritization framework to ensure robust decision-making and policy relevance. The proposed prioritization framework offers a data-driven approach for equitable machinery distribution, supporting sustainable agricultural development and regional food security. Beyond Kubu Raya, these findings provide actionable insights for policymakers and practitioners seeking to refine agricultural resource allocation strategies in similar contexts. This study thus proposes a foundation for future research on optimizing agricultural mechanization, highlighting potential benefits for policy and practice at both local and broader scales.

The increasing resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to antibiotics has complicated the treatment of infections due to its various virulence factors. One of its major pathogenic traits is the ability to form thick biofilms, which allow the bacteria to adhere to living or nonliving surfaces and enhance drug resistance. Consequently, exploring safe and effective therapeutic alternatives from plant sources has become essential for combating this multidrug-resistant pathogen. In this study, essential oil of Ocimum basilicum (BEO) was extracted via distillation and analyzed by GC-MS. The BEO was then loaded onto chitosan nanoparticles (BEOCSNPs) prepared using the ionic gelation method with tripolyphosphate (TPP). The nanoparticles were characterized using UV–vis, FTIR, SEM, and XRD techniques. Clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were obtained and identified with the VITEK-2 system. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of BEO and BEOCSNPs were determined using a 96-well resazurin-based microdilution assay. The MIC of BEO ranged from 190 to 95 µg/mL, whereas the MIC of BEOCSNPs was significantly lower, ranging from 3.75 to 0.93 µg/mL. The inhibitory effects at sub-MIC concentrations were assessed by measuring optical density in a 96-well microplate using 0.1% crystal violet staining, which showed a significant decrease in biofilm formation. The biofilm inhibition activity of BEOCSNPs was notably higher in isolates P16 and P22, with inhibition percentages of 84.28% and 79.32%, respectively. In comparison, BEO alone inhibited P16 and P22 at 66.74% and 57.43%, respectively. These results indicate that Ocimum basilicum essential oil loaded onto chitosan nanoparticles exhibits superior inhibitory activity against biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa compared to the essential oil alone.

The study aims to determine the impact of economic and social determinants on the size of women's contribution to agricultural work. The research used qualitative response models to determine the impact of the explanatory variables (age, marital status, educational level, training skills, experience in agricultural work, NGO support, health status, family size, experience in secondary agricultural work, use of agricultural machinery in plant production) and their impact on the variable affiliated with the participation of rural women for a random sample of (384) women in separate rural areas in Baghdad Governorate. The results of the analysis showed that the size of the family and the use of mechanization had a negative and weak effect on the contribution of women. As the increase in the size of the family leads to an increase in its household burdens at the expense of its work in farm work. And because the use of mechanization is limited to men, the increased use of technology, especially modern ones, works to reduce women's working hours on the farm. The rest of the variables had a positive and significant impact on their contribution. Accordingly, the research recommends the provision of health and educational services for women, as well as their involvement in training, extension, and economic and financial empowerment programs to raise their contribution to achieving sustainable agricultural development.

This research aimed to measure the impact of trade openness and changes in the terms of trade on the growth of agricultural domestic product in Iraq for the period 1990-2020. The independent variables were represented by indicators (trade openness, agricultural exports, the rate of trade of agricultural crops, and the exchange rate). The Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model (ARDL) measures the relationship between variables, in addition to the PP test for the stability of the time series. After the estimated model passed the bounds test, the short-run and long-run functions were estimated. The results of the estimation in the short run showed the existence of a positive effect of both terms of trade and the exchange rate on the growth of agricultural domestic product. As for the rate of trade openness, its effect was negative, and the results did not prove significant for the agricultural export index. In the long term, it was significant. As for trade openness, its effect became positive due to the growth of exports in the long term. The results indicated that the terms of trade are not in the country’s favor, due to the small volume of agricultural exports.

This study was aimed to investigate effectiveness of lycopene and nano-lycopene extracted from tomato waste powder in inhibiting the growth of microorganisms was studied. The study included preparing lycopene extract using a triple solvent mixture (hexane, acetone, and ethanol) in ratios (2:1:1) after evaporating them from the extractor and using it to prepare nano-lycopene by the technique of High-energy mechanical grinding. The surface morphology and roughness of the lycopene nanoparticles was determined, and their dimensions were determined using an atomic force microscope (AFM).The effectiveness of both lycopene and nano-lycopene extract was tested to inhibit gram-positive and negative bacteria, fungi, and yeast using the suitable diffusion method at concentrations of (50, 100, 150, 200, and 250) micrograms/ml. Its antioxidant activity was studied using the DPPH method and compared to lycopene extract and industrial antioxidant.

This study was aimed to identify the role of barley prolamin (BP) hydrolysates which prepared from local barley (class Ibaa 99), prolamins isolate using pepsin and trypsin (individually - synergistically) in inhibiting the ACE 1 and as antioxidant agent. The Amino acids (AAs) content of barley protein were estimated by HPLC technique, and barley prolamin (BP) was isolated from whole barley flour (WBF) using 70% ethyl alcohol, and then purified depending IP and centrifugation. Prolamin molecular weight (M.wt) was determined using the electrophoresis technique. Barley prolamin isolate (BPI) subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis using 20U of pepsin and trypsin separately and synergistically for 8 h. Aliquot of the BPI hydrolysate was taken every 60 min to determine the degree of hydrolysis (DH%), antioxidant and antihypertensive properties. The results showed that barley protein contained 22 amino acids, and the percentage of the essential amino acids (EAA) and polar amino acids (AAs) were 35.08, 45.86 % of the barley protein composition, respectively. Prolamin constituted 24% of the total barley proteins and the BPI contained 90.5% protein. Electrophoresis pattern showed that most of the prolamin bands have M.wt about 34-55 KD. Synergistic hydrolysis of BPI gave the highest values for DH (50.68 %) after 8 h hydrolysis. The antioxidant function included the radical scavenging activity (RSA) and reducing power (RP) of hydrolysates was directly proportional to the DH%. The highest RSA value was 45% in the pepsin hydrolysates sample, and the highest absorbency for RP assay was 0.69 by synergistic hydrolysates sample after 8h. Bitter taste appeared in hydrolysates prepared by Pepsin and synergistic hydrolysis after 7h. The ACE 1 inhibition activity was proportional to the DH%, and the maximum activity reach to 81.44% after 8 h in pepsin hydrolyzed samples.

A field experiment was conducted at the Al-Raed Research Station, located 25 km west of Baghdad, to investigate the effects of machine speed and plowing depth on various performance indicators of a mechanized unit. A combined implement was utilized to simultaneously perform multiple agricultural operations. The experiment employed two main factors: forward speed of the mechanized unit, with three levels (1.004, 2.03, and 3.048 km h-1), and plowing depth, with three levels (5, 8, and 10 cm). The performance indicators studied included slip percentage, operating costs (IQD ha-1), the number of soil clods larger than 22 mm in diameter, and Emergence percentage. Through the results obtained in the experiment The initial operational speed of 1.004 km h-1outperformed other treatments in terms of minimal slip (5.48%), reduced soil clod size (17.00 clods/m² > 22 mm), and higher maximum Emergence (85.30%). Nevertheless, it incurred the highest operational cost of 17807 dinars ha1-. Conversely, a plowing depth of 5 cm resulted in the lowest slip (7.42%), cost (15408 dinars ha1-), and soil clod count (18.30 clods/m²), while maintaining a high Emergence rate (84.90%). nested design with a completely randomized block design (RCBD) was adopted.

This experiment aimed to study the effect of integrating a passive cooling system with varying air passage outlet clearances: 0 cm (C0, control), 10 cm (C1), 15 cm (C2), and 20 cm (C3) on the performance of polycrystalline and monocrystalline PV panels used in solar-powered irrigation systems. Performance metrics included PV efficiency, maximum power, required number of panels, and operational costs. Results showed a highly significant effect (P < 0.0001) of air passage clearance and PV type on all measured parameters. Specifically, the 10 cm clearance (C1) yielded the best outcomes, achieving the highest PV efficiency (16.26%), maximum power (41.12 W), lowest panel number (7), and lowest operational cost ($8.75). Among panel types, polycrystalline panels demonstrated superior efficiency (12.52%), maximum power (32.05 W), required fewer panels (11), and incurred lower operational costs ($13.50) compared to monocrystalline panels. These findings indicate that optimizing passive cooling can significantly enhance PV performance while reducing system size and costs.

This stady was aimed to investigate effect of treatment with 0, 0.25 and 0.50 mM of Glutathione (GSH) and 0, 1.0 and 2.0 mg L-1 of Gibberellic acid (GA3) in enhancing the growth of calli cultures was tested under normal and critical concentrations of sodium chloride (NaCl). The experiments were conducted during October, 2022 to June 2023 at the plant tissue culture laboratory in Center of Desert Studies, University of Anbar. The experiments designed according to the complete randomized design (CRD). The critical limit of NaCl in calli cultures was determined after 35 days of cultivation in MS medium. The results showed that the concentration of 200 mM caused the highest significant decrease in the fresh weight (FW) and relative fresh weight (RFW) of these cultures, which amounted to 457 mg and -0.086, respectively. However, it did not differ significantly with what was produced by the concentration with 150 mM. As for the salinity experiment, the combination of 0 mM + 0.5 mM + 2.0 mg L-1 for each of NaCl, GSH, and GA3, respectively, was the most consistent in improving the study indicators. This combination achieved the highest significant average for FW, dry weight (DW), RFW, and the effectiveness of Catalase (CAT) which amounted to 973.7 mg, 52.8 mg, 0.947, and 13.119 U mg-1 protein, respectively. However, the combination with the combination of 0 mM + 0.5 mM + 1.0 mg L-1 for each of NaCl, GSH and GA3, respectively, were recorded the lowest significant level of Malondialdehyde (MDA) content, which amounted to 1.951 µM g-1 FW.

This investigation was aimed to study pollen grains of subgenera Prunus and Cerasus. The polleniferous materials were collected from different places of Kurdistan region of Iraq living specimens. Pollen grains of all investigated taxa of subgenera Prunus and Cerasus were isopolar, monad, symmetric, tricolporate, dicolporate and tetracolporate pollens also observed, but very rarely. The pollen grains shape of taxa of subgenera Prunus and Cecasus divided in two groups subprolate and prolate depending on P/E value. While, the size were medium with the exception of P. domestica subsp. italica grains were found to be small in size. The percentage of repeat morphological shape of pollen grains in polar view showed that the triangular outlines shapes of pollen grains were the most repeated, while, in the equatorial view the elliptic outline shapes was dominant in all taxa. Pollen grains surface of studied taxa was showed stri¬ate pattern with perforations in the grooves except P. domestica subsp. insititia which appeared striate-reticulate type of exine sculpture. Principal component analysis can recognize 67.7 % of the total variability thus can help prediction of taxa.

The current study was aimed at case recording and molecular detection of infectious coryza in chickens. Samples were collected and identified for Avibacterium paragallinarum from about 68 poultry farms for eight months from different five provinces Baghdad, Diyala, Babil, Salahuddin, and Wasit from different flock layers and broilers. Diagnosis of bacterial colonies was first done by isolation and microbiological and biochemical tests. From 15 nasal samples of respiratory sinus cases of chicken,6 isolates were A. paragallinarum, additionally, PCR technique was used to confirm A. paragallinarum, the results for these bacteria in this study were detected in 6 isolates from 15 samples of poultry, Then, after, the result of sequences of A. paragallinarum serogroup C Sequence ID: KJ867498.This study concluded that A. paragallinarum is known to be a significant pathogen causing respiratory infection and economic losses.

This study was aimed to investigate the role of codon usage on infectivity and virulence of fowl adenovirus. The PCR amplicon sequence revealed that loop1 has a hypervariable region and is adjacent to loop2 on Hexon A segment, while Hexon B segment has a less variable region. The fiber gene is similar among isolates, with differences associated with the virus. Most belong to fowl adenovirus-4, with others in type 8b and E. The study revealed increased effective nucleotide codons in isolates 5, 33, 44, and 15 in Fiber gene, Loop2, and Loop1genes. The study analyzed the impact of mutation on codon usage, hypervariable regions 1-4, and the effective number of codons by determining high and low effective usage. Fowl adenovirus has hypervariable regions that extend at a specific area along HexA segment. The study found stable regions in viruses with variable nucleotides, indicating their evolutionary capability and abundance of amino acids Alanine, Glycine, Proline, Arginine, and Serine, as detected by relative codon usage calculation. The high usage of these codons may result in mutational pressure, potentially aiding in understanding the infectivity and pathogenicity of Fowl adenoviruses through natural selection.

This research was aimed to identify the reality of extension managers’ practice of participatory leadership in the agricultural extension system from view of agricultural extension workers in Iraq, through a questionnaire include 22 items distribute over three. The research community include all 15 province of Iraq, A random sample is taken from the province of Iraq (53%) and (8) province, namely (Dhi Qar, Maysan, Holy Karbala, Al-Qadisiyah, Babylon, Anbar, Diyala, Kirkuk) and a proportional, stratified random sample of (51%) is taken from agricultural extension workers distribute among the agricultural directorates and training extension centers, the number is (307, 133) and (157, 68) respectively, The results of revealed that the reality of practicing participatory leadership among extension managers from view of agricultural extension workers is low level , with an overall arithmetic mean of (1.96) scores and a standard deviation of (1.01) scores. The average responses of the sample members to all areas are low level , and they are, in order, as follows: Respectively (2.04 for human relations, 1.97 for delegation of authority, 1.87 for participation in decision-making), the study recommended the necessity of involving the managers activing with them in making decisions to improve the reality of the extension works.