Diyala Agricultural Sciences Journal

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different growing mediums {sand, peat moss, and mix (sand + peat moss 1:1 v/v)} and spraying with 0,100 and 150 mg L-1 of humic acid on vegetative and root parameters of “Wonderful” pomegranate hardwood cuttings at Bakrejo nursery station, Sulaimania city, Iraq in 2021. They were planted in polyethylene black bags on 15-3-2021. Using randomized complete block design within the factorial experiments with three blocks. The results indicated that leaves, roots and shoots number, root wet weight, and root length were increased significantly in peat moss medium. Cuttings grown in a mixed medium showed a significant increase of leaf growth including leaf area, leaf dry weight, and chlorophyll content. In addition, spraying with 100 mgL-1 of humic acid caused a significant increase in the root characteristics, and shoot number compared to the control. Furthermore, the maximum root growth was recorded in the interaction between peat moss medium and applying 100 mgL-1 of humic acid compared to other treatments.

Five Matured Noiler chickens 3 months old weighing 3kg±120g were used for the experiment. The birds have fasted for 16 hours without food but with a supply of fresh cool water. The birds were slaughtered and dressed conventionally. The breast meat was excised within one-hour post-mortem and used for the preparation of Asun using charcoal and oven smoking. The breast meats were cut into fillets of average weight without bone; the fillets were spiced, rubbed with vegetable oil, and smoked using charcoal and oven to an internal temperature of 720C for 20 minutes with regular turning. The result shows a significant difference (p<0.05) in the nutritional and chemical composition of raw and smoke Noiler meat. The charcoal and oven-smoked Asun were not different, but both differ from the raw. The organoleptic properties show no significant difference (p>0.05) in color, aroma, and texture while flavor, juiciness, and overall acceptability differ. There was a significantly different (p>0.05) in WHC, cooking loss, and cooking yield. Preparation of Asun using charcoal and oven smoking contributed to the nutritional component except for the moisture content. The cholesterol, SFA, MUFA, PUFA, and amines were also increased. The value obtained shows that charcoal and oven-smoked Noiler meat Asun is safe for consumption and has no negative effect, also impacts positively on both the physical and organoleptic properties of the prepared product and therefore, recommended for the preparation of Asun using Noiler meat.

The study was during which the seeds of triple hybrids were produced by deriving individual hybrids by introducing 6 strains into the half-diallel cross-breeding program, resulting 15 genotypes. In the second season the hybrid seeds were planted Individuals with two strains for the purpose of developing triple hybrids. During the third season, all 48 genotypes were planted according to the randomized complete block design with three replications, service operations were conducted for the crop from irrigation, fertilization, weeding and control whenever needed. The result showed that the triple hybrid (3×1)b was significantly superior to all genotypes for the plant height reached 140.66 cm, and for the number of leaves per plant, the triple hybrid (2×1)b had the highest number of leaves over all the genotypes, which scored 137.9 leaf-1. For the number of fruits and plant yield, the triple hybrid (6×5)a showed significant superiority over all the genotypes within the experiment by recording 43.20 fruits of the plant-1 and 7.921 kg of the plant-1, respectively and the superiority of the triple hybrids (6×2)b and (5×4)a significantly over the rest of the compounds with the highest percentage of carbohydrates amounting to 10.363% and 10.325%, respectively, while the hybrids (6×5)a, (3×2)a, (3×1)a and (5×4)a recorded the highest Significant values of sugars were 16.993%, 16.880%, 16.833% and 16.813%, respectively.

The efficacy of peppermint (Mentha pipreitae), basil (Ocimum basilicum) and their combination as natural feed additives was the goal of the current investigation on the broiler performance and meet quality. A number of 600 days old broiler chicks (Ross 308 strain) were randomly distributed into four treatments with five replicates which contained 30 chicks in each replicate for forty-nine days of the experimental period. The dietary treatments were designed as follows; control (T1) standard diet, 1% of peppermint in the standard diet (T2) and 1% of basil standard diet (T3) and their combination 0.5% peppermint + 0.5% basil (T4). The results of this research were showed that the best live body weight and weight gain were recorded for basil and combination between of two additives compared with the control group. Also, there were no significant differences on the feed intake, feed conversion ratio carcass weight and meat quality of the boiler at the end of the experimental period. The investigations of the current study found that feeding broilers on peppermint, basil and their combination tend to improve their growth performance and feed conversion ratio but not statistically.

In this study, manufacturing synbiotic ice cream is containing fermented banana puree by Lactobacillus acidophilus LA5 and Bifidobacterium (Bif) lactis BB12 and probiotic ice cream containing fermented skim milk by the same bacteria under the same conditions. The Viability of probiotic starters, pH and sensorial properties were tested during the storage period, in addition to the overrun. Synbiotic ice cream showed high bacterial count for both species of probiotics, especially Ice.4 treatment (ice cream containing 10% fermented banana puree with same couple strains) which was 7.54 and 7.59 logarithmic (log) colony-forming unit (CFU)/ gram (g) for Lactobacillus (Lb). Acidophilus LA5 and Bif. lactis BB12, respectively, pH registered 5.7, sensorial attributes recorded 84% and overrun reached 78% compared to others trials that inoculated with 5% of the same puree or ice cream with fermented skim milk with (5,10) % or control treatment (without starters).

The study aimed to show the best effect of the general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) for parents and their hybrids of the studied traits. The study included two main successive seasons. In the first season, cherry tomato pure lines were selected that were introduced from the Tomato Genetics Resource Center (TGRC) at University of California, Davis in USA, 5 pure lines were selected which were the most genetically Distant which are (LA4451, LA4753, LA3334, LA1221 and LA4689) and its code (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) respectively and entered into Full Diallel crossing program to produce individual crosses. The second season included an experiment to compare genotypes (5 parents + 20 cross-hybrids. and its reciprocal hybrids) according to RCBD design with three replications. The results were as follows: parents 1 showed a general significant ability to combine in the desired direction in terms of fruit set percentage and fruit weight, while the superiority of parent 4 in terms of plant yield and total yield. The parent 5 was superior in the number of flowers in the inflorescence, the number of total flowers of the plant and the number of fruits, whereas the hybrid (5×1) showed superiority in the number of flowers in the inflorescence 35.667, number of total flowers 259.66, the percentage of the set 15.69 and the number of fruits 86.83. (1×4) appeared significant effect of (SCA) were shown significant and desirable in the traits average fruit weight 1.47, plant yield 0.55 and total yield 0.69.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) confer both positive and negative effects on the plant symbionts, depending on the prevailing growth condition. We investigated the effect of concurrent variations in phosphorus and soil moisture on percentage root colonization (%RC), mycorrhizal growth response (MGR) and drought response index (DRI) of SAMMAZ-16 maize variety in timescale. The experimental factors were AMF inoculation (addition or no addition), P2O5 applications (30, 60 or 90 kg ha-1) and water regimes (100% and 50% of the soil’s field capacity introduced after 4WAS). The result shows that the overall %RC was 62.22% at 8 weeks after sowing (WAS) and 71.33% at 12 WAS. With 30 and 60 kg P2O5 ha-1 application a rate, %RC was significantly higher at 12 WAS than that of similar application rates at 8 WAS. However, %RC was not different between 8 WAS and 12 WAS in 90 kg P2O5 ha-1 application. AMF inoculation tended to equilibrate the shoot growth of the inoculated plants to that of non-inoculated plants that received 50% higher doses of P2O5 under amply watered conditions. Increasing phosphorus application progressively alleviated the negative mycorrhizal response of the plants at the early stage of growth (week 4) and in 50% FC category at the other sampling times. Higher doses of P2O5 application improved the DRI of the maize in both samplings but the trend was more consistent in AMF-inoculated plants. We conclude that AMF inoculation would be detrimental to the growth of SAMMAZ-16 when there is combined phosphorus and water stress factors.

The study was carried out to evaluate the physical, chemical, and quality properties of four potato cultivars (Jelly, Donata, Hermes, and Caruso), cultivated in an open field during the spring season of 2022. A completely randomized block design RCBD with three replications was used in this experiment. The obtained results could be summarized as follows: the cultivar of Jelly obtained the maximum values of plant yield 1.025 kg, tuber weight 162.50 g, total yield 34.14 t ha-1, tuber equatorial diameter 57.80 mm, TSS 6.20%, maturity index 13.14, and pH 7.13. While the Donata cultivar gave a higher value of a tuber polar diameter of 94.72 mm, shape index of 1.82 and moisture 81.17%, wherase the Hermes cultivar gave the maximum values of parameters such as dry matter 30.79%, starch 23.44% and protein content in tubers 7.17%. Caruso cultivar recorded the maximum values of the number of tubers 4.67 tuber plant-1, hardness 12.83 kg cm2, total acidity 0.62%, and carotene content 0.64 µg g-1 FW. Amongst the four tested potato cultivars, the Jelly variety revealed the best performance due to it gives high values of plant yield, tuber weight, total yield, tuber equatorial diameter, TSS%, TSS/TA, and pH, content in tubers. While the Hermes variety recorded the highest value in TA%, moisture% and carotenoid content in tubers.

Livestock production is an agricultural system that serves as humanity’s protein and calorie source. Its production is the main economic stay for some people and a complementary source for others. However, land misappropriation and draught constrain the sustainable production of pasture for feeding livestock. Further aggravated by farmer/herder clashes and wetlands extinction. The need for an experiment for the selection of the best pasture species in the Sudan Savannah region that can thrive well under diverse soil textures and moisture status becomes imperative. This trial was conducted in the screen house of Babcock University, objectively to test the performances of Sorghum almum, Andropogon gayanus, Brachiaria mulato and Centrosema pascuorum under Sand, Sandy Clay Loam, and Sandy Loam textures and four water regimes: 100%, 75%, 50%, and 25%. Standard agronomic recommendations were practised throughout the experiment. Data collected included plant height, fresh and dry shoot and root weights, number of leaves, and leaf length. Data generated were analyzed using ANOVA. According to the results, Sandy Loam soil (Soil type from Gamawa) was the best for supporting all the pasture species, followed by Sandy Clay Loam (Soil type from Zaki). S. almum outperformed other pasture species significantly irrespective of soil textural type and water stress level treatments, followed by B. mulato. For water levels; 100% and 75% had the most promising biomass outcome. Based on the results, a 75% water regime which represents 25% deficit of the actual crop water requirement is recommended for the production of the tested pastures in the area.

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance of locally developed combine equipment used for several agricultural operations at once in a silt clay loam soil texture. Three factors were used. The first is the forward speed of the machinery unit, with three speeds: of 2.98, 4.37, and 6.18 km h-1, the second is plowing depths, with three plowing depths and subsurface irrigation pipes of 10/20, 15/25, 20/30 cm, the third is the distances between the subsurface irrigation pipes, with three distances of 50, 60 and 70 cm. The field efficiency of the combine equipment, soil moisture content, soil penetration resistance and soil bulk density were studied. Faltra tractor was used as a power source with a power of 88 kW (120 hp), with the combine equipment. The results showed that the speed of 6.18 km h-1 was significantly higher in obtaining the highest field efficiency. While the speed of 2.98 km.h-1 was outperformed in obtaining the highest value for soil moisture content, the lowest soil penetration resistance and the lowest soil bulk density compared to the other speeds. The depth of plowing and subsurface irrigation pipes 10/20 cm outperformed in obtaining the highest field efficiency, the highest moisture content, the least soil resistance to penetration, and the lowest soil bulk density compared to other depths. The distance of 70 cm was significantly outperformed in obtaining the highest field efficiency, the highest value of moisture content, the least soil resistance to penetration, and the lowest bulk density compared to other distances. The treatment of speed 2.98 km.h-1, depth 10/20 cm, and distance 70 cm outperformed in obtaining the highest moisture content of 19.40%, the lowest soil penetration resistance of 2.42 kg.cm-2, and the lowest soil bulk density of 0.93 µg.m-3 compared to other treatments.

Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) is a member of the Brassicaceae family of root vegetables and both the roots and the leaves are consumed for their natural therapeutic value and health promoting effects owing to the presence of phytochemicals. Thus, the effect of three different solvents (Cold, hot and alcoholic) of Melissa officinalis (lemon balm) extracts on germination and growth of radish was studied. A field experiment was carried out during October to December 2021 season with Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Alcoholic, hot water and cold water extraction at a concentration of 1 % showed a higher germination percentage compared to other concentrations, while Distilled water showed a major germination percentage 80% compared to other extractions. Regarding the chlorophyll content, alcoholic extraction at a concentration of 0.5 % showed higher Chlorophyll content of 19.5 compared to other treatments and even the control. The root length of radish for alcoholic extraction at a concentration of 1 % showed the highest root length. Alcoholic extraction at a concentration of 0.5 %, hot water extraction at a concentration of 3% and cold-water extraction at a concentration of 5% showed the highest stem diameter. Alcoholic extraction of lemon balm at concentration of 1 presented the biggest leaf diameter. This indicated that the Melissa officinalis extracts as a medicinal plant had different effects on radish germination and growth. Further research should evaluate radish development in different circumstances to see whether this strategy may boost the output of this vital crop.

The population inflation that countries are witnessing during this century, makes it imperative to provide sufficient quantities of agricultural products to meet their urgent needs. Therefore, it became very necessary to use pesticides to improve agricultural crop productivity and reduce losses resulting from agricultural pests. The indiscriminate use of pesticides causes severe risks not only on agricultural fields, but also workers in their manufacturing processes and individual use in homes and institutions. The main adverse effects of utilizing pesticides on human health, soil, microorganisms of soil, surface water and groundwater have been covered in this review. This investigation is aiming to elevate environmental awareness, highlight the serious harms of pesticides and provide guidance for implementing a serious solution from the people and authorities. In addition, the most important strategies to reduce the pesticides risks have been summarized.