Mesopotamia Journal of Agriculture

This research aims studying the affecting of agricultural loans in the
growth of agricultural output for the selected Arab countries: Jordan, Tunisia,
Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt, and Morocco. For the purpose of measuring this
impact, in order to prove the hypothesis of the research that included
distinctness agricultural loans in the growth rates of agricultural output in the
selected sample of Arab States has been using method two-stage least squares
that required, the use of time-series data for agricultural loans during the period
1980-2003 as dependent variable and interest rate on the total agricultural
loans and capital accumulation s independent variable in the first phase and the
second phase included the annual growth rate of agricultural output for the
same period as dependent variable that estimated total agricultural loans in the
first phase. One of the most important conclusions, it was found that the
increase in aggregate impact on agricultural loans to increase the annual growth
rate of agricultural output in the Arab countries selected but this increase varied
between these countries.

The study included extraction of tannic acid from grape seeds and
pomegranate peels , their content of tannic acid were 4.1 and 27.6 g/100g (
dry weight), respectively .The quality tests which done on extracted tannic acid
from both sources showed positive results, where the increasing tannic acid
concentration leads to increase killing effect on studied microorganisms
especially at highest concentration (2%) .These results showed that extracted
tannic acid from both sources can be used as preservation material in food
processing and component of cosmetic materials and pharmacological drugs

The price proving issues considers one of the most issues that is most
of the world countries suffering from it because of the direct connected with the
people life and with their lived levels this is from one side, and national
economics systematizing (supply and demand) from another side. As we know,
The wheat crop is an importance food strategy crop that is we must interest in it
with specifically for food secure requirements and inquest the self-security that
is all needed concerning with studies the supporting policies and affected it on
producing and consumption in the wheat crop. In this research we shall focus
on wheat price support by considering an important food commodities for the
Iraqi people, therefore the state aimed from the support policies for this crop
specifically to stability prices it in the market and saving it for the people that
their having limited income and it saving the motive for the producer to
continued the producing and development the producing. It is show that trend
timer general chronological taken ascend facing to all of the producing and
consumption with increasing rate assumed (-2.70) and 0.65 on the successively
through mentioned period. confirm the analysis found the policies that Iraq
country to follow it trend wheat crop have positive effect on the producer
welfare (his income and his profit level) since the study time.

Field experiment was conducted during the season 2005-2006 in Singar
- Mosul city to investigate the effects of high level (280 N, 260 P2O5) kg ha-1
and very high level (320 N, 300 P2O5) kg ha-1 fertilizer, pinch and without
pinch, and plant seed rate sowing (0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2) g/10m2 cultivated within 3,
4, 5, 6 rows respectively in (10) m2 plot area on growth and yield of Nigella
sativa L. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design
with three replications. The results indicated that. Very high level of nitrogen
and phosphorus caused a significant increase in plant length, stem diameter,
fresh weight, plant seed yield and total seeds yield kg/ha, were as branches
number, and fruits number cannot be effected significantly by previous factor.
Pinching causes a significantly increased in branches number, fruits number,
while plant high decreased significantly. Increased seed rate sowing from 0.6 to
1.2 g/10m2 caused a significant increasing in branches number, fresh weight,
and plant seeds yield, while stem diameter, and fruits number didn’t effected
significantly by this factor except total seeds yield kg/ha which increased
significantly when seed rate sowing are increased to 1.2g/10m2 and they reach
651.85, 843.56, 1076.51, 1232.67 kg/ha for the four seed rate consecutively.

The importance of the research comes to show the effect of variation in
income distribution upon the rates of agricultural product in selective
developing countries for the years 2003 by applying a hypothesis which says
that poverty may lead to more income variation and more rural poverty in
developing countries .The research aims at studying this relationship and to
have an answer for the following question :Can an agricultural growth be
achieved with the existence of large variation in income distribution ?The
statistical results by using the simple square method f two stages 2SLS
appeared the positive and significant relationship for the variance of
agricultural work to the total work X2 and inflation rate X4 in affecting Gini
Coefficient .The increase in value X2 & X4 by 20.6 and 0.41 units respectively
and this will produce effects with the same direction in increasing the variance
level for distributing in come .The variance of agricultural work ratio to the
number of population X3 has confirmed that it has negative and significant
effect in Gini Coefficient throughout its index by 46.1 units .As for the
increases taken place in Gini Coefficient it has produced small increases in the
rate of annual agricultural product to the total domestic product .The value of
index in Gini is estimated 0.10 units and shows that the growth of income
distribution which represents Gini Coefficient participates actively in affecting
rtes of agricultural product for a sample of studied countries .This will lead to
an increase of rural poverty in a short term .

Field experiment was conducted in Girdarasha fields, College of
Agriculture .Salahaddin University during the growing season 2006 to study
the effect of different levels of nitrogen (0,92,184 Kg N.ha-1) , phosphorus
(0,92,184Kg P2O5.ha1) ,potassium (0,120Kg K2O.ha1) , magnesium (0,40 Kg
MgO.ha-1) and their combinations on yield component of wheat under rainfed
and supplemental irrigation by using factorial Randomized Complete Block
Design with three replications. Nitrogen application had a significant effect at
(p≥0.05) on weight of total dry matter, grain and straw under rainfed and
supplemental irrigation. Highest values (5.09,2.20,2.89) and (8.89 ,4.28,4.61)
Mg.ha-1 were recorded from (N1and N2) treatments under rainfed and
supplemental irrigation respectively, application of P1 gave highest weight of
total dry matter, grain and straw(4.76,2.07,2.69 and 9.37,4.25,5.12) Mg.ha-1
under rainfed and supplemental irrigation. Application of potassium fertilizer
caused an increase in weight of total dry matter,grain and straw. .In general
combination between fertilizers affected significantly (P≥0.05)on weight of
total dry matter, grain and straw under both rainfed and supplemental irrigation.
Highest values( 5.79 , 2.86, 3.40) and (10.8, 4.88, 5.97) Mg.ha-1 were recorded
from combination treatments (N2P1K0Mg0 ,N2P1K1Mg0, N1P0K1Mg1) and
(N1P1K0Mg0, N1P2K1Mg0, N1P1K0Mg0) under rainfed and supplemental
irrigation respectively, while lowest values (2.20 ,0.60 ,1.48) and (4.13 ,1.53
,2.33) were recorded in (N0P0K0Mg0 ,N0P0K0Mg0, N0P0K0Mg1) and
(N0P0K0Mg1 ,N0P0K0Mg1, N2P0K0Mg0) under rainfed and supplemental
irrigation respectively.

This study include the limiting of production volume of crop for the farmers of
shekan area in Nineveh his volume was (160) kg/donum as the result show the
optimum volume (140) kg/donum and the volume of gains maximizing was
(245)kg/donum ,the farmers get only usual gains but they not reach to production
level which maximizing their gains the average of income (160000) dinar per donum,
where the costs was (63920) dinars/donum there for the gains average(96080)
dinar/donum.

The experiment was conducted with aim to improve the growth of Dwarf
Aralias Schefflera arboricola plants, taken from vegetative propagation by
apical stem cuttings. The plants sprayed twice with three concentrations of
gibberellic acid 0, 100 and 200 mg/L. and fertilized with 0, 150 and 300 mg
N/L. by adding 100 ml/15cm standard plastic pot/week. The results showed:
The significant largest values of plant height 25.75 cm, internodes length 1.01
cm, total chlorophyll 15.05 mg/g fresh weight and phosphor percentage
0.282%, obtained when plants sprayed with 100 mg/Land fertilized with 300
mg N/l. While spraying plant with 100 and 200 mg/l GA3 only gave
significantly largest values of leaves number/plant. On the other hand,
significantly higher values of fresh and dry weight of vegetative growth,
longest root length, fresh and dry weight of roots obtained when plants
fertilized with 300 mg N/l. In general, plants sprayed with 100 mg/L. GA3 and
fertilized with 300 mg N/L gave best plants.

The experiment was carried out on Gerbera jamesonii cv. Estafette (red
inflorescence) and Essandre (yellow inflorescence), to investigated the effect of
different concentrations of plant growth regulators include: Benzyl adenine
(BA), Cycocel (CCC) in combination with four preservatives solutions which
include: distilled water, 10% sucrose, 400 mg.l-1 8-hydroxy quinolinsulphate
(8-HQS) and solution contain 10% sucrose+400 mg.l-1 8-HQS. The factorial
experiment was conducted by using complete randomized design. Each
treatment was replicated three times with four inflorescences for treatment. The
results showed: that there were significant differences between cultivars in
vaselife, Estafette inflorescences stay 9.57 days compared with 8.68 days for
cv. Essandre inflorescences. On other hand, spraying the plants with 250 mg.l-1
increased vaselife to 9.84 days. In general, the inflorescences taken from plants
sprayed with BA at 250 and 500 mg.l-1 for Estafette cultivar and 250 mg.l-1 for
Essandre, then holding in solution contain 10% sucrose and 400 mg.l-1 8-HQS
gave best results 12.50, 10.50 and 10.0 days vase life, respectively, lowest
decrease in fresh weight percent and bent neck.

This study was conducted in vegetable farm in the college of Agriculture
and Forestry, Mosul University during 2003-2004 growing season to
investigate the effects of two sowing dates: the Sept.20th and Oct. 20th, two
planting methods of seedling: plots and furrows and with the application of
nitrogen fertilizer (Urea 46% N) at rates 0 and 60 Kg/Donnum applied at two
doses with three methods of splitting: 1- Half of the total amount was added
after two weeks from transplanting and the other half was added at 21 days
prior to harvest (30 + 30Kg Urea /Donnum). 2- One third of the total amount
added after two weeks from transplanting and the other two thirds was added at
21 days prior to harvest (20 + 40Kg Urea/Donnum). 3- Two thirds of the total
amount added two weeks from transplanting and the other one third added at 21
days prior to the harvest (40 + 20Kg Urea/Donnum) on growth, yield and
quality of lettuce cv. Paris Island. The experiment consisted of 16 treatments
conducted in the field in a factorial experiment within split plot using the
Randomized Complete Block Design with three replicates. Results indicated
that vegetative growth i.e. leaf number/plant, leaf area/plant, head
circumferences and mean weight of marketable head were increased
significantly by second sowing date (Nov. 20th), plot planting method as well as
by applying nitrogen fertilizer, while the methods of splitting of nitrogen
fertilizer had no significant effect on most above mention characters. A similar
favorable effect of second sowing date (No.20th), plot planting method and
applying nitrogen fertilizer on yield characters was obtained at harvest,
However, it has increased significantly folded head percentage, total and
marketable yield, whereas the percentage of bolting plants only decreased
significantly by second sowing date. The interaction among sowing date,
plating methods, nitrogen application gave positive and significant increase in
the total and marketable yield.

In this research we've studied the effect of Some Pre-Treatments on the
germination of Coriandrum Sativum L. seeds such as surface and planting at
2.5cm depth from soil surface as well as using the technology of pre-soaking
with the following treatments : without soaking in water, soaking in Gibberellin with a concentration of 200ml.g/lit, soaking in water, soaking in ether
petroleum, soaking in ethanol and soaking in concentrated sulfuric acid.
Findings showed that the surface planting has improved seeds, germination and
seedlings growth for all the features under study comparing with planting at a
depth of 2.5cm. Findings of coefficient's overlap showed that surface planting
and processing with Gibberellin with a concentration of 200ml.g\lit gave the
best results. Seeds germinated early with an increased germination percentage
which were 8.69 day and 75% respectively, as well as an increase in the fresh
and dry weight of the root and green gross and an increase in the length of the
longest seedling, then followed by soaking in water. Using the ether petroleum
and ethanol showed no great significant effect on the features being studied;
whereas the using of concentrated sulfuric acid showed a negative effect on
germination for all features which were germination percentage 25.83 while
which were concentrated 36.33%.

The study was conducted to determine the effect of mulching on surface
runoff under natural precipitation of Mosul city (Northern of Iraq). Standard
flumes (100 x 30 x 12 cm) were filled with soil and treated with four types of
mulching (weeded soil, weeded soil control, wheat straw and gravels). The
flumes were exposed to the natural precipitation of 2004 – 2005 season. The
result revealed that all rainstorms gave a significant amount of surface runoff
depth and the treatments were ranked in the following order: weeds control soil
> weeded soil > gravel mulched soil > wheat straw soil. Runoff threshold
values were determined graphically and showed some variation Among the
treatments. The calculated runoff efficiency of the studied treatments showed
that wheat straw gave the lower value while the weeded soil control offered the
highest value of runoff efficiency.

This study was condluted find the effect of feed withdrawal and addition of potassium chloride in drinking water on decreasing the negative effect of heat stress on productive performance and some physiological parameters in broilers. Three handerants , one day old broilers hybrid ( Iraqi Faw Bro) were reared to 21 days under normal temperature . During the period started at 22 days of age till 56 days , the broilers were subjected to six treatments, these treatments were , first ; free feeding (control) ,second ; feed withdrawal , third ; addition 0.4% KCl in drinking water, fourth ; feed withdrawal + 0.4% KCl in water , fifth ; addition 0.6% KCl in water , and the sixth ; feed withdrawal + 0.6% KCl in water . All groups of broilers were reared during the experimental periods under rotational temp (26-37-26) ºC. Results of statistical analysis of treatments showed no significant effect on live body weight, weekly weight gain , feed intake , feed conversion ratio , relative growth rate , dressing percentage , mortality percent , and blood pH . However , results also indicated a significant (p ≤ 0.05) effect on behavior of feed and water intake as percentage of live body weight . Feed intake was decreased while water consumption increased during the mid day between ( 12 to 8 pm) , body temprichar was significantly decreased as effect by treatments . more over , a significant decrees in blood glucose was detected in all treatments as companied with control . Also significant differences between treatments were found in blood hemoglobin and PCV through the eight week of age .

This study is aiming to investigate the effect of freezing on some organoleptic
Properties for kinds of Domestic , Imported (Turkish & Brazilian) chicken
meats at each thorax and thigh pieces which stored at -18 and -22c for 150 days
. Organoleptic properties analysis including total volatile nitrogen, free fatty
acids, water holding capacity and pH were performed each 30 days. Results
showed that Brazilian chicken meat contain higher total volatile nitrogen and
free fatty acids comparing with other kinds of chicken meats where as pH value
and water holding capacity were highest in Domestic comparing with Turkish
and Brazilian chicken meats. While there are a significant (P<0.05) decrease in
water holding capacity, pH and a significant(P<0.05)increase in free fatty acids and total volatile nitrogen with increasing of freezing period for all kinds of
chicken meats.

The effect of using some food additives like ascorbic acid, nitrate and
nitrite , sodium phosphate, lactic acid and acetic acid with different
concentrations upon some chemical characteristics of local manufacture
basturma during storage within open climate temperature from March to June,
was studied. Significant differences were found in the values of the moisture
content of different treatments of the stored basturma during storage period.
The moisture content of stored basturma decreased simultaneosly with the
increase of storage period which led to increase of protein and fat ratio
significantly. Treatment with ascorbic acid resulted in the decrease of moisture
content and the increase of protein quantity and slight changes in fat content
during storage period. An increase in the ratio of protein was appeared when
nitrate and nitrite were used. Generally, the use of sodium phosphate led to
maintaining of the moisture content of the stored basturma during storage. The
treatment with 5% of lactic and acetic acid did not affect significantly on
moisture content in comparison with control and significant increase in protein
content.

Isolation and purification of fungus which contaminated four species of
citrus fruits which are orange , grape fruit , sweet lemon and sour lemon .
Isolated fungus characterized , Penicillium digitatum , Althernaria citri and
A.crassa used in this study because they were the most spread species in
studied citrus fruits, The flasks stored for four weeks at ambient temperature
with the presence of sodium benzoate with different concentrations. Values of
PH and number of each of three fungus in all treatments were measured .
Results showed that p.digitatum had the most spread in the four kinds of citrus
fruits except orange , then A.citri which had the most spread in orange . The
three species of fungus affected significantly (p < 0.05) in increasing of pH
value with the absence of sodium benzoate especially in the last week of
storage , but the addition of sodium benzoate with concentrations 0.05 and 0.1
% lead to still pH value in the average of standard treatment (at Zero week) , an
increasing in the number of the three fungus with the increasing of storage
period in 0.0% concentration of sodium benzoate in the two kinds of juices
especially P. digitatum wherever the numbers are 239.5 and 203 ×104 spores /
ml of orange and grape fruit juices respectively , but the addition of sodium
benzoate especially at 0.05 and 0.1 % were significantly decreased the numbers
of the three fungus.

This study was done to analysis three hundred and tow samples of
vegetables salad from local markets to found the total and fecal coliform,
molds, and salmonella, in addition to study the role of sodium hypochlorite on
counts of above microorganisms after infusion and shaking the samples for 5,
10, and 15 minutes. The results indicated the total counts of coliform were
arranged from 2.8 × 105 in tomatoes to 4.2 × 108 cell/g in cucumber. When the
fecal coliform counts were at range between 1.1× 103 in tomatoes and 2.9× 106
cell/g in lettuce, and the molds counts were from 1.3 × 105 in cucumber to 3.4
× 106 in lettuce. The bacterial types of salmonella were founds in tomatoes,
Onion, Cucumber, Capsicums, Lettuce, and Celery samples at 4.1, 6.5, 7.4, 8.3,
13.8, and 22.7%, respectively. The infused of vegetables samples in
hypochlorite for 5 minutes were causes reduced the total counts of coliform
which became arranged between 17 in tomatoes to 120 cell/g in lettuce, and the
fecal coliform were only founds in lettuce, celery, and cucumber samples at 10,
12, and 14 cell/g respectively, Also the molds were at 13, 12, and 10 cell/g
respectively. Where the salmonella types were not founds in any samples after
treatment. The infused vegetables samples in hypochlorite for 10 minutes
causes a sharp reduced and non found any microorganism in all samples unless
in lettuce and celery were found total coliform at 22 and 8, fecal coliform at 4
and 3 and molds at 6 and 4 cell/g, respectively. The infusion of vegetable
samples in hypochlorite for 15 minutes causes clearance the samples from all
microorganisms.

Brucella spp. causes Malta fever a zoonotic disease that can be
transmitted to human by consumption of raw milk and unpasteurized dairy
products like soft cheese, whose production is wide spread in Iraq. Because of
the harm of this disease on public health and the difficulty of treatment; therefore this study included the isolation of Brucella from human (final host)
and raw milk (the main source of infection). Two isolates were obtained,
isolate (1) was isolated from (23) blood speciemens taken from patients showed
clinical findings of malta fever and their serum gave high agglutination titer in
Rose Bengal Test, the second isolate (2) was isolated from (37) milk sample
collected from regions (Mahweer, Manarat Shabbak and Bartillah) from sheep
suffered from abortion and their serum gave positive results with Rose Bengal
Test. After the diagnostic biochemical tests were done, we found that as aresult
these two isolates belong to the species Brucella melitensis. It has also been
found that both isolates didn’t withstand the decreasing of pH in yoghurt, the
results also showed the use of starter bacteria Lactobacillus delbreukii subsp.
bulgaricus alone or with the combination of L. delbreukii subsp. bulgaricus
with Streptococcus thermophilus gave effective results on the resistance of
these two isolates in yogurt as compared to the use of S. thermophillus alone.

This study was conducted to show the effects of each aflatoxins (AF) or
activated sodum bentonite(AB) .Singly or combination in the following
groups:1- animals fed Diet (AF) alone at 2.5mg/kg.2-animal fed died (AF)at
2.5mg/kgwith AB(5g/kg). 3-animals fed diet AB alone (5g/kg).The result show
that the effect of AFB1 on physical characteristics were investigated. The toxin
caused changes in the physical characteristics of milk. Viscosity, density, curd
tension and acidity of the produced milk were significantly (p<0.05) decreased
while the pH and coagulation time were significantly increased. Addition of
ASB proved to have a positive effect on the AFB1-treated animals. physical
characteristics became closer to the normal milk. Ceasing AFB1- contaminated
feed consumption by the animals also resulted in physical characteristics of the
produced milk to normal.

This study was carried out during three growing seasons , 1999-2000,
2000-2001 , 2001-2002 at Nineva Agriculture Experimental Station at Al-
Rasheedia to compare forage and grain yield of Barley genotypes namely ;
local Black , Rehan , Jazeera 1, select 11 , 21 and 31.Genotype did not differed
significantly from each other in green forage yield , While there was a
significant differences among strain in hay , silage , straw and grain yield and
with superiority of selected strains over cultivated varieties in these studied
characters . Forage and grain yield of genotypes significantly differed from
season to other with seasonal variation in rainfall quantity and its distribution .
Interaction between genotypes & growing seasons significantly affected all
studied character with exception of green forage yield . genotype have law stability value for all studied characters ,with exception of that for green forage
yield .

The factorial pots experiment was conducted in order to investigate the
effect of some herbicides ( Trifluralin 2.4 , 3.2 , Focus ultra 1,2 L/ ha) with
check treatment and nitrogen fertilizer ( 0.0 , 40 , 80 kg N / ha) on growth of
nodulation in 2005-2006 season at Agric and Forestry college , Mosul Univ .
The results indicate that treflan had effect negtively on number and weight of
nodulation but focus ultra had positive result on it . Weight of nodulation had
increased at 80 kg N / ha but numbers was reduced . The best results obtained
with interaction between focus ultra 2 L / ha and 40 kg N / ha fertilization or 1
L/ ha of the same herbicide with 80 kg N / ha which gave good growth of
nodulation on root lentil crop .

Nine cultivars of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) were tested for two
years at Hammam Al-Alile on 1998 and 1999. Data on plant height, no. of days
to heading and maturity,no. of spikes , no. of grains per spike ,1000 grain
weight and grain yield were recorded and analysed for phenotypic and
genotypic variances , heritability and correlations. Combine analysis exhibited
significant differences between cultivars for all studied characters except grain
yield. Cultivar X year interaction was significant for all studied characters
except no. of days to maturity.High phenotypic and genotypic variances were
found in plant height, no. of spikes , no. of grains per spike ,1000 grains weight
and grain yield .Large environmental variability was observed in most
characters except no. of days to heading and maturity and 1000 grain
weight.High heritability estimations were found for all studied characters
except grain yield and no. of days to maturity which gave low and moderate
estimations respectively.Grain yield positively correlated with number of
spikes in 98 and 1000 grain weight in two seasons

The study included seven parents of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) :
Local, F85, F97-73c, Dijla, Marakishi, IPA69 and F97-158.The parents were
crossed in a diallel fashion (excluding reciprocals) .The seeds of parents and
F1’s were sown during the 2005-2006 season in the field of the College of Agric. & Forestry at Mosul University to estimate gene action. The additive
variance (D) and dominance variances (H1 , H2) were significant for all
characters but the dominance variance was greater than the additive variance
values for all characters excepted 100-seeds weight. Dominance effect (h2), as
the algebraic sum over all loci in heterozygous phase in all crosses, were
significant for all characters except no. of pods per plant and biological yield
.The values of average degree of dominance showed that over dominance effect
controlled all characters except for 100-seeds weight . The ratio KD/KR was
greater than 1 for all the characters. Values of K were less than 1 for all
characters except no. of 90% maturation. High broad sense heritability ranged
from (0.72-0.91) for all characters. Narrow sense heritability was high for 100-
seeds weigh (0.62), and low for biological yield (0.18) and moderate for other
characters (0.21-0.50).