Tikrit Journal for Agricultural Sciences

The present investigation was carried out in the experimental field of Technical College of Agriculture, University of Halabja, in 2022 summer season to determine correlation coefficient and path analysis results for yield and its components in cowpea. Twenty-eight genotypes of cowpea used in the Completely Randomized Block Design in three replicates to evaluate ten quantitative characters included pods yield/plant, number of pods/plant, pod length, number of seeds/pod, number of branches/plant, 100 grains weight, plant height, average harvest duration, grain index and grain yield/plant. Among the studied traits, pods yield/plant, pod length, number of pods/plant, 100 grains weight, number of branches/plant, plant height and average harvest duration showed highly significant and positively association to grain yield/plant with 0.922, 0.432, 0.787, 0.394, 0.309, 0.515 and 0.560 respectively. Pods yield/plant, with 0.785 recorded the highest value of positive direct effect on the grain yield, followed by the character number of pods/plant with 0.142. The characters number of brunches/plant with -0.060 showed the maximum negative value of direct effect in total grain yield. The pods yield/plant via the number of pods/plant confirmed the highest value of positive indirect effect with 0.654. The highest value of negative indirect effect was -0.033 recorded by the average harvest duration via the character number of brunches/plant. The results of those character association work aid in understanding how various characters contribute to overall yield, breeders can use this knowledge to increase yield-contributing traits directly or indirectly.

A colorimetric film sensor based on wheat gliadin and natural dyes (anthocyanin, chlorophyll, and beta-carotene) was developed for real-time monitoring of cake rancidity. The addition of 0.9% glucose oxidase (270 U/0.09 g), 0.9% alpha-amylase (117 U/0.09 g), and 5% natural pigments significantly enhanced the sensor's sensitivity to rancidity. The enzyme-substrate mixture significantly impacted the intensity of color changes in the films. Examination of the active film's color attributes revealed that chlorophyll changes from green to yellow, beta-carotene from yellow to pale yellow, and anthocyanin from red to brown with increasing storage duration and oxidant concentration. These color changes can be used to detect the rancidity reaction of cake fat. Absorbance measurements at 494, 450, and 666 nm, respectively, showed a considerable decrease in the intensity of anthocyanin, beta-carotene, and chlorophyll films due to the rancidity reaction in cake samples stored for 3 weeks at room temperature (30-35°C) and 25-30% relative humidity. Furthermore, all treated samples exhibited a decrease in color pigment intensity compared to the control within 15 minutes of exposure to 1 ppm hydrogen peroxide, the lowest concentration at which the films are susceptible to oxidation. Additionally, after 4 weeks of storage under the same conditions, cake samples developed a rancid odor, and the peroxide value of the cake fat increased significantly, from 1.3 to 8 mEqO2/kg, approaching the maximum permissible limit set by Codex regulations. This increase in peroxide value and rancidity also led to a complete change in the color of the film sensor

The research aimed to prepare the nanoparticles of zinc, vitamin D3 and cysteine with selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs), and to determine the effect of each of them in inhibiting both the isolated Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus isolated from food by estimating the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) with Kirby Bauer disk diffusion. The results showed that the conjugations of zinc, vitamin D3 and cysteine with se-NPs were more effective in bacterial inhibition compared to inhibition of Se-NPs alone. The MIC of Se-NPs alone or in combination with Zn, D3 or Cysteine against both species of bacteria was appeared at 1% and above. The inhibitory activity increased against the bacterial species E.coli and S. aureus as the concentrations used in the treatments were increased, while the diameter of the inhibition zone was 25% against the two types of bacteria E.coli and Staph. aureus was the highest effect when treated with Se Nps + D3, which was at 30 mm, and 22 mm, respectively.

The research was conducted at the Khalis cow station in Al-Khalis district - DIYALA Governorate and the central laboratory of the College of Agriculture - University of Tikrit for the period from December 13, 2020, to February 1, 2022, a sample of 63 Holstein cows, with the aim of extracting the genetic material and determining the genetic polymorphism of the SCD1 gene and its relationship to reproductive traits in Holstein cows, studying the percentage distribution of genetic structures in the studied cows, the allele frequency and calculating the value of chi-square (χ2) was determined. The percentage distribution of the SCD1 gene in the studied cows samples was 47.62, 46.03 and 6.35 % for the AA, AV and VV genotypes respectively. The value of the chi-square (χ2) was highly significant (P < 0.01). The frequency of the allele A and V was 0.71 and 0.29, respectively. Some reproductive traits have been significantly affected by the different genotypes of the SCD1 gene. Cows with the AV genotype showed the shortest open days (92.82 ± 5.89 days), and AV genotype cows achieved the shortest calving interval (374.27 ± 5.96 days). Based on the study of genetic polymorphism of the SCD1 gene it can be concluded that it is possible to improve reproductive traits in cows. We also recommend applying the study to a larger sample of several different gene seasons and locations to give more accurate results to apply selection and elimination strategies.

The aim of this research is to study the effect of herbs extracts (Mint, Dill, Tarragon and the combination of these herbs) supplementation on the chemical composition, antioxidant activities, rheological and sensory properties of local soft cheese (Paneeri Salik) during three weeks of storage. The addition ratio of herb extract was 6.5 % v/w for each cheese treatment then compared with the control cheese treatment. Only the moisture percentage was significantly different at level (P<0.05) in the cheese treatments which contain herbs from the control treatment, the herbs cheese moisture decreased in three weeks whereas the other chemical properties (Fat, Protein, Carbohydrate, Ash and Acidity) were not significantly different. Mint, Dill, Tarragon and mix herbs supplementation increased scavenging of free radicals and enhanced the antioxidant properties of Salik cheese, the DPPH were (79.85, 94.88, 90.52, 97.33, 99.18)% in each of (Control, Mint, Dill, Tarragon, and mix herbs), respectively in the first week then were decreased to ( 87.10, 83.62, 87.51, 83.46)% in the (Mint, Dill, Tarragon, and Mix herbs) compared to control which became 98.81% in the third week of storage. The herbs affected the hardness of cheese, which increased by increasing the storage periods. Sensory evaluation was acceptable especially in mint cheese but a few decreases in flavor were detected in the cheeses treated with herbs mix and Tarragon after three weeks of storage.

The aim of this research is to study the effect of herbs extracts (Mint, Dill, Tarragon and the combination of these herbs) supplementation on the chemical composition, antioxidant activities, rheological and sensory properties of local soft cheese (Paneeri Salik) during three weeks of storage. The addition ratio of herb extract was 6.5 % v/w for each cheese treatment then compared with the control cheese treatment. Only the moisture percentage was significantly different at level (P<0.05) in the cheese treatments which contain herbs from the control treatment, the herbs cheese moisture decreased in three weeks whereas the other chemical properties (Fat, Protein, Carbohydrate, Ash and Acidity) were not significantly different. Mint, Dill, Tarragon and mix herbs supplementation increased scavenging of free radicals and enhanced the antioxidant properties of Salik cheese, the DPPH were (79.85, 94.88, 90.52, 97.33, 99.18)% in each of (Control, Mint, Dill, Tarragon, and mix herbs), respectively in the first week then were decreased to ( 87.10, 83.62, 87.51, 83.46)% in the (Mint, Dill, Tarragon, and Mix herbs) compared to control which became 98.81% in the third week of storage. The herbs affected the hardness of cheese, which increased by increasing the storage periods. Sensory evaluation was acceptable especially in mint cheese but a few decreases in flavor were detected in the cheeses treated with herbs mix and Tarragon after three weeks of storage.

This study examines the chemical composition of sesame and flax seeds, and analyzes how it changes in biscuits containing varying amounts of their flours (0%, 10%, 20%, and 25% replacement ratios). Moisture content in all biscuit samples ranged from 5.90% to 6.33%, but slightly differed among the different types. Notably, the percentage of ash increased significantly with the substitution level, from 1.33% to 1.70%. Protein content was highest in the BS25% treatment (25% flax flour) at 14.43%, and showed a clear upward trend with increasing replacement rates. Similarly, fat content also correlated with substitution levels, peaking at 10.33% in the BS20% treatment. Fiber followed a similar pattern, reaching its highest level (12.20%) in the same group. Conversely, carbohydrate percentages, ranging from 55.10% to 68.33%, were highest in the control biscuits (without substitutes) and steadily decreased as substitution rates increased. Finally, all types of grains studied (sesame and flax seeds) contained both essential and non-essential fatty acids. Interestingly, the highest proportion of antioxidants (58%) was found in the control biscuits.

There are several methods for defining the determination of soil available phosphorous. Those methods require chemicals, devices, time, and hightcost. Consequently, pedotransfer functions more suitable and economical were used to predict the soil available phosphorous (AP) from soil organic carbon (OC).)Five models were utilized including exponential, linear, logarithmic, polynomial, and power models. Soil AP was predicted as a function of soil OC. The soil AP determined by laboratory tests was compared with the predicted soil AP based on the AP-soil OC model using the Bland-Altman method. The 95% limits of agreement for comparison of soil AP were determined with laboratory tests, and the soil AP pedotransfer function was computed at -1.707 and 1.542 mg kg -1. The mean soil AP difference between the two methods was - 0.083 mg kg -1. The polynomial model AP = 38.173 - 4.462 x OC+ 0.146 x OC2 was given the best fit to predict soil available phosphorus, due to its high R2 (0.868) and low RMSE (0.846).

Because of their toxicity, when present in concentrations beyond the allowable limit, heavy metals in our environment have been a source of great concern. These metals are released into the environment in a variety of ways that favor consumption, such as through industrial processes. Fish are the most popular type of seafood. This study's purpose was to determine the concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Cd, Ni, and Co) in the muscles of Cyprinus carpio from three distinct areas of Dukan Lake (the center of Dukan Lake, Ranya, and Qaladze) of Sulaimani province. The mean values of the elements examined in fish muscles were measured in the descending sequence of Cu > Pb > Cd > Ni > Co. All the discovered heavy metals were within the permitted FAO levels, except for cadmium, whose value (0.136 ppm) was higher than the 0.05 ppm threshold set by the European Union and government (EC, 2006). In conclusion, consuming such fish poses no dangers to humans based on detected amounts of targeted heavy metals except cadmium. The concentration of Co is affected by the location, sex, and season of fish captured, while the concentration of Cu and Ni are affected by fish sex.

This study was conducted to under seek the incidence of some neurotransmitters in drinking water and native medicinal flowers (Alecea Kurdica – Gule Hero and Chamomile) flowers as diet additives on body growth and immune of broiler. 720 one day unsexed hatched chicks will distributed into 12 treatments, each treatment with three replicates (20 chicks), as following: T0 (control -standard diet), [T1 (0.2 g Endorphin), T2 (0.2 g Dopamine) and T3 (0.2 g Serotonin)/ L drinking water], [T4 )0.5 kg Hero flower) and T5) 0.5 kg Chamomile flower)/ 100 kg diet], T6 )0.2 g Endorphin+0.5 kg Hero flower(, T7 (0.2 g Dopamine+0.5 kg Hero flower(, T8 )0.2 g Serotonin+ 0.5 kg Hero flower(, T9 (0.2 g Endorphin+0.5 kg Chamomile flower), T10 (0.2 g/ Dopamine+0.5 kg Chamomile flower), T11= 0.2 g/ L Serotonin/ L drinking water + 0.5 kg Chamomile flower/ 100 kg diet. The addition of neurotransmitters and native flowers additives as immune modulator had significantly affected on body weight, body weight gain and production index and led to to significant increase (P≤ 0.01) in relative weights of spleen, Bursa of fabricius, Thymus and antibodies titer against ND and IB diseases, also decreased the stress ratio which represented by heterophil/ lymphocyte (H/L) especially in T3 and T11.

In this research, an economic analysis it conducted for a sample of orchards producing grapes in Diyala Governorate - Iraq for the production season 2020-2021. Through a questionnaire conducted with (141) producers. The research aimed to measure the specialized efficiency of productive factors and to know the optimal combination that achieves optimal production. By estimating the multivariate production function. It included (X1) nitrogen fertilizer, (X2) phosphate fertilizer, (X3) animal manure, (X4) number of irrigation hours per dunum, (X5) the number of labor hours per dunum, (X6) the amount of control pesticide. In addition, (X7) the number of renewed trees per dunum as independent factors, while productivity (Y) was a dependent factor, the optimal quantities of the productive factors included in the estimated model it reached, including the optimal productivity, which amounted to (4734.5) K.G. / dunum. Which is achieved by adopting the optimal combination of production factors consisting of (141) K.G. of urea fertilizer, (99) K.G. Of phosphate fertilizer, (4098) K.G. Of animal manure, (6) irrigation hours / dunums, (11) working hours / dunums, as well as (6) liters / dunums of control pesticide, and (44) renovated trees / dunums, and with the approval of the budget constraint of (553) thousand dinars / dunums. It recommended applying the optimal combination of the productive factors to achieve the optimal size of dunum productivity, as well as to educate the producers in order to achieve the specialized efficiency of the productive factors.

This study was conducted on the creation of the nanopolitan manganese particles and the study of the physiological effect of the nanopolitan magnes.The results or indicators of blood sugar showed the confirmation of low levels of sugar in the group of diabetes treatment by giving oral throughout the experiment period (28 days). In addition to the high percentage of insulin in the affected group and the treatment of Mn-NPs compared to the affected (positive) control group during the study period. The current study aimed to achieve preventive effects against diabetes. It turned out that eating the nanoparticles and within the permissible concentration 2 mg /kg per day reduces blood sugar and contributes to losing weight, as its consumption is related to a decrease in the risk of type 2 diabetes and reduces the level Blood Glucose in Adult Male Rats.

The fig (Ficus carica L.) is a fruit tree that is important in the Mediterranean region, it is widely distributed in Sulaymaniyah province of the Iraqi Kurdistan region. Due to a lack of information available about the genetic diversity of this plant in Iraq. Thus, in the current study, 12 morphological traits and 15 ISSR markers were used for genetic diversity analysis of 66 fig accessions. Analysis of variance recorded highly significant differences concerning plant morphological and pomological traits in addition to genetic diversity. The highest values for shoot length (79.959 cm), internode diameter (15.563 mm), leaf length (28.183 cm), leaf width (28.480 cm), leaf petiole length (13.397 cm) and leaf petiole diameter (18.360 mm) recorded in AC17, AC41, AC20, AC20, AC17 and AC24, respectively. However, the lowest values (11.120 cm, 4.340 mm, 10.910 cm, 9.813 cm, 3.987 cm and 2.323 mm) for the mentioned traits were recorded in AC14, AC12, AC12, AC12, AC37 and AC52, respectively. The highest values for fruit weight (63.447 g), fruit length (46.960 mm), fruit thickness (60.420 mm), fruit stalk length (29.887 mm), fruit stalk diameter (10.433 mm) and ostiole diameter (8.717 mm) were given by AC03, AC22, AC54, AC58, AC58 and AC14, successively. Whereas the lowest values (4.483 g, 14.770 mm, 18.497 mm, 2.373 mm, 2.533 mm and 2.557 mm) were observed in AC37, AC37, AC12, AC08, AC25 and AC30, successively. The first two principal components analysis (PCA) described 49.15% of the total quality variance. ISSR marker produced 197 polymorphic bands. The genetic diversities ranged as (0.883 to 0.980) and polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged as (0.878 to 0.979), with 100% polymorphism levels. The fig accessions classified into 10 clusters by dendrogram created by ward method. The results indicated that natural fig populations in this region provide a rich genetic resource for fig germplasms, and significant genetic variation across accessions originating from different populations, as well as the marker was informative for genetic variability detection in the collections. The findings of this study could be used in breeding processes.

The study targets to know the genetic Distance of fifteen genotypes of six-row barley (Ibaa99 , Alhadar , Alkheer , Alwarkaa , Buraq , Amal , Shuaa , Rehan , Samir , Arevate , Acsad1811 , Acsad1816 , Acsad1818 , Acsad1827 , Acsad1840 ) Based on the RAPD technique using fifteen primers, The primers used produced 111 band, including 94 band for variant alleles, with a rate of 84.68%, The molecular weights of the prefixes ranged between 200-2000 bp,. The primer OPB-14 gave the highest number of variant sites, reaching 10 bands, and a high discriminatory ability of the primer, which amounted to 10.64, the highest percentage of variant alleles in the primers (OP B-14, OP C-08, OP D-03, OP D-18, and OP F-05) was (100%), and the primer OP C-16 gave the highest efficiency of 11.209. The genetic divergence values showed that the largest genetic divergence was between the Alkheer cultivar and the Acsad1840 genotype (49.00), while the least genetic divergence was between the two genotypes Acsad1818 and Acsad1827, with a value of (9.00), In addition, the results of the kinship tree analysis of the genotypes were divided into two main groups, where Ibaa99 were in the first main group, while the other genotypes were in the second main group. From the results obtained, it is possible to rely on genetically divergent structures in breeding programs by introducing them into crosses with other varieties to obtain good productive characteristics.

This manuscript aims to identify the relative importance of monetary and fiscal policies on the value of agricultural investment in Iraq using Vector Error Correction Model [VECM], the impulse response function [IFC], and analysis of variance [VDCs] and applying it using quarterly data for the period 2004q1-2020q4. Hence, the most important results was found that the fiscal and monetary policy in Iraq has a crucial role for agricultural investment as the main tool through which the country's oil wealth is transformed into economic results and distributed for the benefit of its population, simultaneously, the volatility of oil revenues poses a challenge to fiscal policy in preventing the transformation of revenue volatility into fluctuations in public spending that could Destabilize the economy and reduce the efficiency of government spending. Accordingly, the research recommended to diversifying the base of the Iraqi economy, which depends mainly at the present time on oil revenues, and creating an economy characterized by a gradual increase in the proportions of the contribution of other economic sectors in the formation of the gross domestic product, especially the agricultural sector, which adds cumulative values to the gross domestic product and constitutes a variety of financing sources for the budget and adopting early warning programs in the agricultural sector to respond to the problems resulting from these shocks at the lowest economic cost.

This experiment was conducted during the spring growing season of 2020 conducted in the field at the Grdarasha farm field of Agricultural Engineering College, Salahaddin University in Erbil, located in the south of Erbil city, Latitude: 36.11284 N, Longitude: 44.01247 E. The soil texture class was silty clay loam, the type of soil vertisols, to study the effect of four levels of phosphorus TSP (0, 20, 40, 60) Kg P. ha-1,Three levels of K (0, 15, 30) Kg K. ha-1, and Three levels of N (0, 15, 30) Kg N. ha-1. There combination of yield components and nutrient balance of chickpea plants by using DRIS methodology, by using; split split block design with three factors (N, P, and K) 36 treatment with 3 replicates was used. The main results could be summarized as The combination between Nain plot potassium, Sub main plot nitrogen, and Sub sub main plot phosphorus levels affected the yield of the chickpea plant significant also the maximum yield was recorded in treatment combination (K2N1P2) was (1.55Mg ha-1). Whereas the lowest mean value (0.73Mg ha-1) was recorded from the treatment combination (K0N0P0). The combined effect of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer on nutrient balance indices (NBI) and yield in chickpea plants. The lowest nutrient balance index was recorded from the treatment combination (K2N1P2).