Mesopotamia Journal of Agriculture

Pots experiment was carried out at the College of Agric & Forestry , Mosul
University in summer growing season of 2003 to determine the percentage of
germination and seedling emergence for Sorghum halepense L seed which
developed from different positions on infloresence of mother plant in relating to
different time of seed maturity . Data was subjected to the convertional analysis of complete Randomized Design ( C.R.D ) as a factorial experiment . Result
indicated that the germination percentage had significantly reduced 60.1 % when
the seeds matured at october comparing with the seed maturity at july . On other
hand , Seed that had been taken from lower part of infloresence had less variability
or less percentage of germination than those taken from upper part of infloresence
. Dry weight of emergering seedling also reduced up to 35.7 % when it was
collected at september than at August , while 18.6 had reduced in dry weight from
the seeds had matured from the lower part of mother infloresence .

Five maize genotypes (CMT 033066, CMT 033060, CMTQ 033072,
CMS 983046, CMTQ 033070) were used in 5x5 diallel crossing with out
reciprocals. Combining ability for some quantitative and physiological traits
was studied. F1 hybrids and the parental genotypes were grown in a
Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The analysis of
data carried out according to Griffing (1956) Method 2 (fixed model).
Significant mean squares due to genotypes were exhibited for all traits. Highly
significant mean squares due to GCA was exhibited for all traits , except
Photosynthetic rate which was found non significant. Also highly significant
mean squares due to SCA was obtained for all traits except, photosynthetic
rate, transpiration rate which was significant only and stomatal conductance
was found not significant .The ratio 2GCA/2SCA was less than one for all
traits, indicating the importance of non additive gene effect, with the exception
of plant height which was more than one, indicating the importance of additive
gene effect, and the average degree of dominance values was more than one
for all traits, except plant high, indicating the over dominance gene effect role
in controlling these characters. Heritability in broad sense was high for all
studied characters, while in narrow sense heritability was high for plant height
only, moderate for transpiration rate and stomatal conductance and low for the
remainder traits.

This study was conducted in telefar region, Mosul governorate during
agriculture season 2002-2003 to study the effect of three plow types (mold
board , Chisel and one way disk) with two plowing depths (10-15 cm) and (15-
20 cm) and two sprinkler irrigation system on soil physical properties (bulk
density , porosity , moisture content and soil penetration resistance)
randomized complete block design (split – split plot design) was used and the
results analyzed statistically. The results showed that the one way disk plow
with the solid set sprinkler irrigation system surpassed in bulk density and
porosity after plowing. The same plow with the two studied depth and the same
irrigation system after germination irrigation and final irrigation surpassed in
bulk density and porosity as well as soil penetration resistance characteristics.
In moisture content of the soil the one way disk plow with depth of plowing
(15-20) cm and the a center pivot sprinkler irrigation system significantly
surpassed after plowing and after germination irrigation. After the final
irrigation, the moldboard plow and the same plowing depth and the same
irrigation system surpassed in moisture content characteristic.Also the moldboard plow with the plowing depth (10-15) cm with irrigation system
surpassed in soil penetration resistance

Weevils were diet on various legume seeds had significant effects on their
biological aspect processes. High mean of egg numbers was 69.6 eggs / female
which lay on cowpea seeds, while in chickpeas were 40.2 eggs/female. Period
5.2 days, while the kidney bean gave the shortest period 4.2 days. The highest
percentage of egg hatching was 90 % for the kidney bean seeds, while the
lowest percentage was 80% in chickpeas. Lentil seeds produced the longest
larval-pupal duration being 29.8 days, the cowpea seeds had the shortest period
23.3 days. Survival of larvae hatched from eggs laid on kidney beans stay died
after a short time of hatching. The highest percentage of adults emerged was
81.6 % in case of feeding on cowpea seeds, while the lowest was 41.3% when
the larvae grown on lentil seeds. Development of larvae on various kinds of
seeds had significant effect on the adult longevity and the highest mean for
female and male adults were 9.8 & 9.0 days respectively, for the larvae reared
on cowpea seeds. While the duration is reduced to 5.1 days for females and to
4.2 days for males that produced from larvae fed on lentil seeds. The longevity
of the females was longer than that of males in all cases. Significant
differences in weight loss of applied pulses as continuous exposure for 4
months were concluded, which take 57.5, 48.3, 33.0, 8.8 & zero % for cowpea.

Different concentrations of cold aqueous extract Ficus carcia leaves
were studied on the levels of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, total lipids,
Aspartate amino transferase (AST) and Alanine amino transferase (ALT)
activity and total protein in the serum and in the liver glycogen level and total
protein in the liver and heart of the normal rats. 25 male albino wistar rats
derived were used, with age 3-4 month, and weight 225-300 g. The rats were
divided randomly into five groups. The first group was injected with distilled
water and consumed the control group. The second, third, fourth and fifth
groups were injected intraperitonealy with 100, 200, 300, and 400 mg/kg B.W
with aqueous extract of Ficus carcia leaves. The blood, liver, and heart tissues
were collected. The statistical results showed a significant decrease in the
glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides and total lipids. While a significant increase
in the Aspartate amino transferase (AST) and Alanine amino transferase (ALT)
activity was showed in group 5of both compared with the control group (P <
0.05). In the tissues a significant reduction showed in the liver glycogen, for all
concentration of the injected extract while insignificant differences were
showed in the liver and heart total protein compared with the control group (P
< 0.05). It was concluded that the cold aqueous extract of ficus carcia leaves
has a biochemical role in the regulation and controlling the metabolic reaction
through decreasing the glucose and lipids levels.

The antibacterial activities of Hibiscus sabdariffa and Quercus
infectoria extracts were screend against 5 spicies of Gram negative bacteria,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens, Proteus
vulgaris and Klebsiella pneumonia. Calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa and nutgalls
of Quercus infectoria were extracted in acetone using a soxhlet apparatus.
Extracts of the plants showed high antibacterial activities on all types of
bacteria tested using the disc diffusion method and comparing with the standard
antibiotics Gentamicin and cephalexin . The combined effect of the two
extracts was also studied against the tester bacteria, and found increase the
inhibition zone diameters at all concentrations, except in S. marcescens which
was inhibited at concentrations from 200-6.25 mg/ml and Pr.vulgaris which
appeared more sensitive against the combination between the two extracts. The
calculated inhibition zone reached 25 mm using the concentration 200 mg/ml
which is greater than the control effects. The study also determined the
Minimum Inhibitiory Concentration MIC of the two extracts and the
combination between them. The bacteria also showed high sensitivity against
the extract combination,with Pr. vulgaris was also more sensitive than other
bacteria. The calculated MIC reached 0.0625 mg/ml meanwhile. K.
pneumonia appeared less sensitivity, the calculated MIC was 0.125 mg/ml.

Six traits of bread wheat in 15 F2 generation of crosses from 6×6
diallel mating system with their parents were studied. The relative efficiency
over grain yield from selection based on several indices were calculated . The
results indicated that there was an increase in efficiency of selection for
yield from 12.986 to 122.372% in various indices, which indicated that a
selection index based on combination of traits, including number of spikes ,
spike length, 100 grains weight and number of grains per spike was superior
to all selection indices, therefore the selection based on these four traits is
recommended.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Thyme leaves(
Thymus vulgaris ) on blood glucose, as well as, their reflection on body weight
, mean body weight increment and feed efficiency in males and females local
rabbits, and its effects on some reproductive characters, as testes and uterine
weight and puberty age .The rabbits which were of 12 weeks old had been
divided into 4 groups each 6 rabbits ( 2 replicates ) for males and females .
Rabbits of 1st group ( males ) and of the 2nd group ( females ) were fed on the
standard ration ( control ) , while the 3rd ( males ) and the 4th ( females ) groups
were fed on standard ration containing 2 % thyme leaves for 10 weeks . And to
determine the puberty age , 4 sexually mature males and 4 sexually mature
females were used since the 6th week of experiment. Blood samples were
obtained at the end of the 10th week. The results revealed a significant
hypoglycemic effect of thyme leaves in both sexes which reflected significantly
as an increase in body weight, mean body weight increment and feed efficiency
improvement in both sexes ( females were better than males ), the treatment
also causes a significant increase in uterine weight percent to body weight that
leads to reduce the female puberty ages significantly.

The objectives of this research were to determine the importance of
Agricultural technologies for the wheat cultivators in Rabeaa District in
Nenevah Governorate and to find out the relationship between the importance and training needs of the cultivators. The research sample included 144
respondents. A questionnaire was developed to collect the data which was
analyzed by using the Arithmetic mean and percentage and spearman rank
correlation. It was found that 63% of the respondent stated that agricultural
technologies were highly important for their agricultural work, and 54% of then
feel a high need for training. The item (How to use Deices insecticide for
controlling Sunn pesta) get the first rank order for its importance and training
need. It was also found that there is a significant correlation between the
ranking of the research items according to their importance on one hand, and
that of the training needs on the other.

This paper tries to analyze structural changes of agricultural sector in
Iraq for the period 1975-2000A.D in order to understand the changes taken
place in agricultural domestic product. The relation ship between the
agricultural domestic product being a followed Variance and all (the added
Value, agricultural investment, the ratio of Fixed agricultural Capital,
agricultural Fixed Capital, agricultural area, the density of using Fertilizer, the
ratio of agricultural Labour Force, total Labour Force) as independent changes.
It was clear from the analysis the effect of each (added Value, agricultural
investment, the ratio of Fixed agricultural Capital, agricultural Labour,
agricultural area, ratio of agricultural Labour Force, total Labour Force) . The
ratio of elements of Factor Share Approach had been calculated and these
shares had remanded that the agricultural area had got a huge growth of 37.2%
and the added Value about 29.3% and ratio in participation with investment about 25.9%.then there is the density of Fertilizers usage about 25.3% and the
agricultural Fixed Capital about 20.1% and finally the ratio of agricultural
Labour force/total labour force about 69.3-%.
Throughout this, it clear that the whole capacity of agricultural sector
was one of the main obstacles in the face of agricultural development, that the
Agricultural sector was unable to accept the rapid growth and this creat a
difficulty in a chieving the process of Structural change in order to organize the
Structure of agricultural sector and this will lead to creat Structural imbalances
in this sector.

The investigation was conducted to study the behavior of boron
desorption in three calcareous soils, classified as calciorthid. The experiment of
boron sorption was conducted by using a different concentrations
(0,0.5,1,2,4,6,8,10,20) mg B.L-1 (as boric acid) at 298 ◌ْ k while desorption
experiment was conducted from adsorbed soils by using (0.01) M CaCl2 at
(289 ◌ْ k ) in order to study of boron hystersis. Langmuir model was used to
describe capability of boron adsorption / desorption then the desorption index
was calculated. Obtained results showed that boron adsorption energy was
(0.843-0.069) L. mg -1 while boron desorption energy was ( 10.037-22.683)
L. mg-1, while the boron desorption index was ( 1.32 - 3.66) for this reason the
boron adsorption was not reversible.

Survey carried under two different storing condition, showed that the
incidence and severity of soft rot of potatoes were very high in none-cooled
stores with the values of 28.92% and 0.11 respectively while the lowest was in
cold storage with values 20.94% and 0.07 respectively. The following
treatments were used in this study to control the disease: 1×10 4 cell/ml of
Bacillus subtills, 10gm/kg of Halex 5ml/L of ciprofloxacin, 1ml/L of Bettanol, and 4% sodiume hypochlorate. All the above treatment lead to reduce the rate
and the severity of the disease and to reduce the effect of the Erwinia
carotovora on the stem high, dry weight of foliage and total weight of tubers
per plant . the treatment with biological fertilizer (Halex) exceeded all the
others in field and green house experiments . Reducing the rate and severity of
soft rot disease in the storage foliage was cut before harvesting and when was
near to mature, in two different dates (two and four days) after the last
irrigation of the field. Harvesting the tubers after eight days after last irrigation
from cutting the foliage led to reduce the rate and severity of soft rot of the
tubers and severity of soft rot of the tubers in the cooled storage, with the
values of 15.62% and 0.13, respectively. Curing of tubers after harvesting and
before interning to the storage was achieved by leaving them in shadow for two
or four days. The rate and the severity of tubers soft rot in the cooled storage
with the values of 9.76% and 0.08, respectively.

Economical fish production in Basrah canal and Shatt Al-Arab River had
been studied during October 2001 until September 2002, using same catch
condition in the two environments. Study shows that catch efforts in Basrah
canal equal to 0.26kg/h, while in shatt al-Arab was 0.47kg/h , and the annual
production in Basrah canal was 13.68kg/hec/year and 21.47kg/hec/year in Shatt
Al-Arab River. The total catch per year was 3.4 and 209.33 ton in Basrah canal
and Shatt Al-Arab respectively.2991 fishes were caught which represented 44
species of them 22 mostly riverine species from Shatt Al-Arab river and 33
mostly marine species from Basrah canal.

The study depended on a hypothesis that world trade organizations policies
have various impacts on achieving food security levels in the developing countries in accordance with the economic structures and the level of their economic growth
for the period 1975-2003. To approve this hypothesis a sample of the developing
countries was selected including Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, Syria, Turkey,
Thailand and Pakistan. Time series data were used in estimating the phenomenon
under study for each country as they reflect the effects of World Trade
Organization policies in achieving levels of food security. The following results
were driven: Agricultural economic revealing variable contributed in increasing
the agricultural gap value with (37.5%) of the sample countries and the other part
of the effect was distributed between either negative or neutral in other states.
Positive effects in direct foreign investment to total local product was (50%) of the
agricultural gap for the sample countries and the negative and neutral effects were
for other countries. The study recommends the following : Improving the
competitive ability of the agricultural products in the local and international
markets under the current economic transformations imposed by the World Trade
Organization agreements by increasing the level of the agricultural production that
is one of the pillars that economic integration should depend on in the developing
countries. Separating economic work from policy through agreements to achieve
Arabic economic integration partially and totally.

This study was conducted in the Agricultural Research Center of American
University of Beirut from 11/3 to 21/4/2005 to evaluated the performance of two
commercial broiler hybrids ( Cobb 500 and Hubbard Classic )for investigating the
more respond one of these hybrids to breeding within environment conditions
under control .400 of one- day- aged unsexed birds were used ( 200 for each
hybrid ). The results of the statistical analysis of data collected during the
experiment period from 1_21 and 22_42 days-old showed that the performance of
the Cobb 500 hybrid was significantly ( P ≤ 0.05 ) superior to that of Hubbard
Classic . The live body weight for Cobb 500 was heavier in that , the mean
reached ( 690.5 and 2210 g ) at 21 and 42 day age respectively , while Hubbard
weights ( 618.75 and 2095.75 g ) at both ages respectively. The type of hybrid as
well had significant effect ( P ≤ 0.05 ) on the feed conversion where the birds of
hybrid Cobb 500 were superior in this trait than those of Hubbard Classic , the
feed conversion coefficient of two types of hybrids were (1.495 and 1.548 g feed
intake / g weight gain ) during the starter period and ( 2. 067 and 2.120 g feed
intake/ g weight gain ) during the growth period for both hybrid respectively.The
mortality percentage was significantly low in Cobb 500 hybrid than Hubbard
Classic during the total breeding period where was (2.89 and 14.88 % ) for both
hybrids respectively .The results of yield factor of the total breeding period
showed that significant differences to hybrid Cobb 500 vs Hubbard Classic
revealed and were (269.8 and 214.42 ) for both respectively . According we can
conclude that the hybrid Cobb 500 was superior in all essential production
indicatory than Hubbard Classic .

Experiment were carried out in field crops experiment location in 2006-
2007 to investigate the effect of seed size and sowing depth on germination and
seedling characters . Wheat seeds of Sham-6 variety were separated by size (
small , Medium , and large ) using standard sieves no. 7 and no. 8 . The seeds
passed through sieve no.8 (2.36 mm) were small , while those passed through
sieve no. 7 (2.83 mm) were medium , the seed retained on sieve no.7 were large
. Seeds sown at 2 , 4 and 6 cm depth in plastic pots filled with loamy soil . The
results demonstrate a significant predominance of large seeds in percentage and
speed of germination , seedling elongation velocity , fresh and dry weight of
seedlings and roots , tall of the longest root and the percentage of consumed
food reserve in seeds . There is a significant decrease in no. of days to
complement germination and occurrence of second leaf in 50 % seedling , there
are markedly similarity between large and medium seeds . The seedling grown
from 2 and 4 cm depths were predominance in most characters comparing with
that grown from 6 cm depth . The interaction were significant in most
characters , the general trend were the mastery of large seeds in lower depth.

Effect of storing honey and pollen grains for bees workers on
groups of honey bees (strong. medium. weak) show that the best area was for
the strong groups and the least for the weak ones. The best periods of storage
after collecting honey was on June 25th and for pollen grains on May 15th. for
the open broad on May 15th and for the closed broad on May 25th for all the
groups. The best wandering for the three groups as related to the collection of
pollen grains was for the strong hives and the less for the weak ones. The best
periods of wandering was on June 16th and for pollen grains on May 25th for all
the groups. Simple correlation (r) results were significantly positive for the
correlation of honey. pollen grains. open and closed broad. honey bees
wandering and pollen grains at 0.01 probability. The correlation of stored
honey area with honey bees wandering was highly significant 92% and also
with the stored pollen grains with the honey bees wandering 68% .

This study is an investigation for the role of agri. TV programme in the
diffusing modern agri. ideas and practices among farmers of Bagerat collective
town in Dohuk province throughout the recognition of their watching the agri.
TV programme and their opinions and points of views have been investigated
and taken into consideration , also finding out the relationship between some
respondents characteristics and their watching the programme.Data were
collected by personal interviews with the help of a questionnaire.A sample
of(76)farmers out of(200)was taken by using the simple random sample
technique.Data were analyzed by using correlation coefficient and chi-square
by using the computer. This research achieves the following results,62% of
respondents watching the programme sometime , 28% Rarely, 68% did not
know the day presentation of the programme , 71% understand the
programmes, subjects partially, 57% of the viewers mentioned that they got
little benefit of programs, subjects . The following factors showed non
significant correlation with farmers, viewing the programme '' farmers, age ,
family size and farm size'' while '' farmers, education , type of land tenure''
showed positive relation ship with farmers, viewing the agri. TV programme.
According to the findings , the researcher recommend , necessary work has to
be made to change time of programme presentation , variation of presentation
methods, strengthen the relation ship with the farmers, and taking care of
characterstics of family members.

Results of the integration study between insect growth inhibitors Trigard
(Cyromazine 75% W.P.) and ladybird beetle Coccinella septempunctata (L.) in
controlling black bean aphid, Aphis fabae (Scopoli), showed that Trigard
exhibit a good effect in controlling Aphis fabae. The results also revealed the
existence of variation in a predation efficiency of males and females of
ladybird according to the treatment method and Trigard concentration, and
showed that the highest average of males predation efficiency reached 56.8,
and 53.5%, and for females 53.5, and 52.7% when the plant leaf treated by
0.15% Trigard concentration respectively. The results also showed a variation
in average mortality percentage of Coccinella septempunctata (L.) males and
females after five days from the treatment according to the treatment method
and Trigard concentration, the highest mortality percentage in males and
females were 47.3, and 43.2%, respectively when spraying Tigard at 0.5%
concentration on plant leaf, Aphids and Ladybird together.

A field research was to conducted to evaluate the performance of double
tines plow by studying some performance parameters ( draught force , disturbed
soil area and energy utilization efficiency ) .The double tines plow – which
manufactured in the state mechanical industry in Al- scandiria – applied at
unplowed and plowed clay silty soils with four plowing depth (25,35,45 and 55
cm). these results were compared with the results of (standard treatment) single
tine plow . the results indicated that the using of double tines plow led to increase
the draught force by 11%, 100% of disturbed soil area and by 90 % of energy
utilization efficiency in compared with single subsoiler plow treatment. High
significant increasing in those parameters were showed with increasing of plowing
depth at both tested soils and high energy utilization efficiency was recorded at 55
cm soil depth with application of subsoiler double tines plow.