Tikrit Journal for Agricultural Sciences

The hypothesized role of stress-inducible heat shock proteins is to act as a buffer against environmental variations and affect fitness in suboptimal conditions. Our study examining the functions of heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) in the eggs of the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata). We utilized double-stranded RNA, specifically targeting the Hsp27 gene, to reduce its expression and assessed the consequent impact on egg viability. The investigation included the examination of early eggs (less than 6 hours post-laying) and late eggs (more than 42 hours post-laying), using varying concentrations (0.02, 0.1, and 0.2 µg/µL) of Hsp27 dsRNA. Control groups of eggs were dsRNA of ATPase, Cctra-2, or phosphate buffer solution (ph-B-S). Down-regulating Hsp27 dsRNA reduced the hatching rate of the eggs compared to the hatching rate in the control groups, especially in the ph-B-S group. The early eggs were more affected than the late eggs after soaking with Hsp27 dsRNA, where the Hsp27 dsRNA decreased the hatching rates to 12.91% early. The tested concentration of 0.2 µg/µL of Hsp27 dsRNA was achieved with the most significant reduction of 2.75 in egg viability. The sex ratio of insects hatched from treated eggs was investigated after hatching. After the down-regulation of Hsp27, there was no significant effect of the Hsp27 down-regulation on the sex ratio.

The study was conducted in the researcher's apiary located in the Salah al-Din governorate / Iraq. The experiment took place during the winter months of January, December, and February of the year 2021-2022 Which aims to evaluate the Overwintering period based on the temperature and humidity inside Lancastroth cells using a computer monitoring system. 15 cells were used in the experiment. were divided into different treatments: T1 as the control treatment using the usual Lancaster cells, T2 using Langstroth hives coated with secondary ceilings, and T3, T4, and T5 using Langstroth hives coated with adhesive walls of cork, Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and Alkabon, respectively.The results of the statistical analysis of the data obtained from the computer control system showed that the treatments led to the preservation of heat inside the cells by preventing heat leakage to and from the cells. Additionally, there was a highly significant decrease (P≤0.01) in the relative humidity recorded inside the cells and brood by the computer control system during all experimental periods and the general average. The average temperature during winter 22.30, 30.25, 27.64, and 27.53 °C, while the humidity was 79.93, 66.81, 64.95, 61.34, and 62.44% in the treatments.

The coronavirus pandemic is one of the types of communicable and infectious diseases that have caused very significant impacts in many economic variables, especially the food gap for wheat and rice crops in Iraq and in the majority of the world. The problem of research lies in the nature of the challenges and constraints to the production of these two crops, which has made the effects of the pandemic add additional burden to it. Iraq has thus lost its ability to achieve food security, while food prices have risen significantly, reflecting the high rate of deficits in the State's general budget, as Iraq is a net importer of most types of agricultural products, particularly the strategy. The research aims to study the reality of food security from wheat and rice crops during the period of the pandemic and its repercussions in the Iraqi economy. A number of findings have been reached in the practical aspect of the study, including the emergence of the inverse relationship between the quantities produced by wheat and its food gap. The relationship between the quantities produced and imported from rice and its food gap has been expulsive. The State's general budget deficit relationship with the food gap in both crops was expulsive. We recommend diversifying the production of the Iraqi economy, reducing dependence on the oil sector's foreign exchange revenues, adopting a policy of protection for domestic products from foreign competition and developing agricultural infrastructure to the extent that it is capable of achieving food security from both crops at all times.

Object of this study was to describe the histological composition of the adrenal gland in immature and adult local domestic cats. Twenty four healthy cats, as twelve immature aged 2-3 months and twelve adult aged 11-12 months were used. Post euthanized of all cats, their abdominal dissected, identified their adrenal glands and taken carefully. Proper specimens for histological assessment from glands were obtained and after fixation and processing routinely, thin sections prepared and stained. Histological results illustrated, in both ages of the cat, a connective tissue capsule encircled the gland. Two zones of tissues were represent the gland parenchyma including medullary region that hold chromaffin cells, and outer cortex which composed of glomerular, fasciculate, and reticular zones, which contain cells that differ in shape and arrangement. According to data analysis that related to measurements of basic structures of gland, it was revealed that significant differences in most them between the left and right gland as well as between both ages of cats. In conclusion, the study confirmed that the adrenal gland in immature cats showed a distinguish in formation of all basic structure of the gland despite the difference in the thickness of those structure from that of adult cats.

To evaluate the effect of deficit irrigation and partial root zone drying on the water consumptive use, growth and yield of faba bean (vicia faba L.) in a gypsiferous soil, a field experiment was conducted using a completely randomized block design with three replications. The study included seven irrigation treatments (full irrigation as a comparison treatment (F), adding 25% of the water requirement when depleting 50% (DI25%), adding 25% of the water requirement when depleting 75% (DI50%), adding 25% of the water requirement when 50% is depleted on both sides of the root system (FP25%), adding 25% of the water requirement when 75% is depleted on both sides of the root system (FP50%), adding 25% of the water requirement when 50% is depleted, alternating on both sides of the root system (AP25%), and adding 25% of the water requirement when 75% is depleted, alternating on both sides of the root system (AP50%). The seeds of the faba bean crop (Barcelona variety) were planted for the season on 16/10/2021, and the experimental treatments were applied immediately after emergence. The experimental plants were harvested on April 2, 2022, and some growth and yield traits of faba bean crop were measured. The results showed that partial drying of the alternating roots AP50% used the lowest water consumption of 245 mm and gave a seed yield of 5186.3 kg ha-1 while the DI50% deficient irrigation treatment gave the highest dry weight of the root system of 25.6 g plant-1. The results of this experiment will help increase farmers’ awareness of water resource management and contribute to rationalizing consumption.

This study is the first and new record to the spider Scytodes univittata Simon, 1882 (Araneae:Scytodidae)in Baghdad /Iraq , the spiders Scytodes univittata were collected from province Baghdad in Iraq , genus Scytodes belong to the family Scytodidae it is one of the most family are wide distribution around the world have 6 eyes and are slow moving , the genus Scytodes are known from the names spitting spiders ,.Female Scytodes univittata can be characteristic by :large round cephalothorax length:4.45 mm , abdomen length 3.50, total body length 7.95 mm and V-shaped of fovea, scutela triangle and large with long thin legs femur I have two row of spines then spineless are in IV femur , coloration is yellow or white brown with darker spot in upper side of carapace and abdomen.

This study aimed to evaluate the application of different farming programs. Three organic farming (P2, P3, and P4) were used and compared with traditional program P1 (chemical). Their effect in improving medicinal pumpkin seeds quality was examined. As a quality addition of supplying chain, the quantitative and qualitative content of vitamins C and D3 were assayed. This plant seeds are considered of healthy and medical importance, and have their marketing placement. A big amount of the seeds has been consumed directly by human year round. Using the seeds in food production processes increased their nutritional value. The field experiment was conducted on two dates. The design used was the randomized complete block design. All data were collected and analyzed according to ANOVA table using Duncan’s multiple range test at P= 0.05. The results obtained showed significant distinguish of the organic farming program (P3) compared to the rest the programs used. This treatment had significant increase of vitamins C and D3 content in the seeds in the two dates (0.0883 mg l-1, 0.08671 mg l-1, 12.38 mg l-1 and 12.32 mg l-1 respectively). The other two organic programs (P2, P4) were significantly distinct compared to the traditional one (P1). The study concluded that these studied farming programs can be an effective choice to improve seed quality of this crop. The healthy and nutritional value are enhanced, and the side effects of traditional agriculture on the environment are reduced.

The spread of food-borne illnesses through poultry is a major issue in many countries, including Iraq. Bacteria can be present in poultry products if proper hygiene and sanitation protocols are not followed during production and processing. This research aimed to examine the impact of zeolite on performance, immunity parameters, and gut histology. A total 162 one-day old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to a control group and two natural zeolite-supplemented groups, each containing 54 birds (with three replicates/group and 18 chicks/replicate). The group (control) was without any additives, while the other two groups were fed diets containing 1% or 0.5% natural zeolite (NZ). The findings indicated that the groups receiving 1% and 0.5% natural zeolite (NZ) showed significantly (p<0.05) higher BW and BWG compared to the group (control). Feed conversion ratio was affected by 0.5% natural zeolite (NZ) supplement compared to the control. There were no significant differences in production index (PI), spleen (%), bursa of Fabricius (%), total WBC, lymphocytes, heterophils and H/L ratio between the natural zeolite (NZ) groups and control. The research revealed that zeolite may have a beneficial effect on gut histology in broiler. Therefore, using zeolite as a feed supplement for poultry could improve performance.

A field experiment was carried out at agricultural field in al-Alam the coordinates of (N 43.835672 - E 34.777260) district/Salahuddin Governorate during (2021 - 2022) A.D season to study, with the aim of evaluating the genotypes and positions in a crop using factorial mating and in these eight flax genotypes were used in this study it is (Sakha 1, Sakha 2, Sakha 3, Sakha 5, Sakha 6, Giza 8, Syrian local and Thorshansity72). and the first parents (males) and the remaining three (females) were chosen to obtain (15) hybrids If the selection was made on the basis of the genetic base of the genotypes, planted randomly and at different dates in the field, and the experiment was applied using a RCBD and with three replications, results and statistical analysis showed the superior genotype (Sakha1) for the traits of the number of capsules per plant (65.66) and the number of seeds in the capsule (9.79) seed capsulesˉ¹ and the yield of the individual plant (2.69) gm plantˉ¹ and the total yield (539.37) kg h-1 and superior hybrid (Sakha1×Syrian local), which significantly outperformed the traits of the number of capsules per plant (67.03) plant capsuleˉ¹, the number of seeds in the capsule (9.77) seed capsuleˉ¹ and the individual plant yield (2.64) g plantˉ¹ and the total yield (529.12) kg h-1. The best parents in the effects of general ability is Genotype (Sakha1) for the traits of the number of vegetative branches, number of capsules per plant, number of seeds per capsule, and the superiority of the hybrid (Sakha1 × Syrian local) in the number of capsules per plant, number of seeds in the capsule, number of seeds per capsule, single plant yield and total and hybrid. Thus, it can be recommended to plant the varieties (Sakha1) (Sakha2) and (Sakha5) because their performance is distinguished in most of the traits under study.

The utilization of agricultural machinery was fully mechanized for wheat production in Iraq. This study essentially aimed to inspect inputs and outputs of energy for wheat production in Salah Al-Deen, Iraq. The data were obtained from 45 wheat farms by using the face-to-face questionnaire method in 2022. The findings from this study were determined for five basic operations (i.e., tillage, sowing, fertilizing. spraying, and harvesting). Direct energy sources (fuel and humans) accounted for about 51.39% of the total energy used in cultivation. Energy exemplified in fuel recorded the highest rate of the total expenditure of energy, with 51.09 % (6091.01 MJ/ha). Farmers utilized nearly 879.11 MJ/ha of machinery energy, the highest rate of expenditure of machinery energy was in harvesting, which recorded 38.38 % (337.42 MJ/ha) of the total energy of machinery used in the study. Results of analyzing the energy of fuel that farmers utilized indicated that operations of tillage were about 25.98 % (1582.29 MJ/ha) of the total energy of fuel. This rate denotes the highest operation of fuel consumption. Harvesting operations followed it. These operations were implemented through the use of engines powered with diesel, which accounted for about 23.43% (1427.05 MJ/ha). The average energy input/output ratio was 4.40 for the wheat crop, while the energy intensity was 1.79 MJ/kg for the wheat crop.