Nihat Yılmaz

Salinity is a major abiotic stress limiting melon (Cucumis melo L.) production, particularly during germination and early seedling growth. This study evaluated salinity tolerance in 28 melon genotypes, including local accessions from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Turkish landraces, and commercial F1 cultivars, using complementary in vitro and hydroponic screening systems. In the in vitro experiment, seeds were exposed to 50, 100, and 150 mM NaCl. Germination declined markedly with increasing salinity, decreasing from 67.1% at 50 mM NaCl to 11.5% and 9.1% at 100 and 150 mM NaCl, respectively. Significant genotypic variation was observed (p < 0.001). Kav 16 and Kav 18 maintained the highest average germination rates (57.1% and 57.0%, respectively), while Şira and Kav 08 also exhibited comparatively high germination under saline conditions. In the hydroponic experiment, seedlings were exposed to 150 mM NaCl, resulting in substantial reductions in all measured growth traits. Compared with the control treatment, plant height, stem diameter, shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, and leaf number decreased by approximately 37%, 30%, 46%, 40%, 56%, and 29%, respectively. Significant genotype-dependent differences were detected for all traits. Kav 19 exhibited superior overall growth performance under salinity, whereas Kav 18, Kav 20, Kav 10, and Özbek (F1) also maintained comparatively high biomass accumulation and vegetative growth. Salt tolerance index analysis identified Özbek (F1) (87.3%), Kav 01 (83.3%), Kav 08 (79.8%), Kav 10 (78.3%), and Kav 18 (75.4%) as the most tolerant genotypes. Principal component and correlation analyses further confirmed substantial phenotypic variation in salinity responses among genotypes. The combined use of in vitro and hydroponic screening successfully identified promising melon germplasm for breeding programs targeting salinity tolerance in Mediterranean and semi-arid production environments.

The skin is the largest organ and protects against extrinsic factors while maintaining essential functions. Skin aging, influenced by pollution, ultraviolet radiation, stress, and unhealthy habits, involves intrinsic and extrinsic processes that degrade collagen and elastin fibers. This study examined Cyperus fuscus—a medicinal plant from the Cyperaceae family—for its potential to slow skin aging by inhibiting elastase and collagenase activity. Biological assays assessed the plant’s enzyme inhibition, while GC-MS profiling identified active compounds. C. fuscus extracts significantly inhibited elastase and collagenase activity. Methanol extracts had the strongest elastase inhibition, with underground-derived methanol extracts showing 35.39% inhibition at 2 µg/mL. For collagenase, underground methanol extracts had the greatest inhibitory effect (62.46% at 2 µg/mL), while the aerial water extract showed the lowest effect (22.21% at 2 µg/mL). Antioxidant assays confirmed high phenolic content, particularly in methanol extracts from aerial parts of the plant. The DPPH assay revealed antioxidative potential, with water extracts performing similarly to synthetic antioxidants. GC-MS analysis identified bioactive compounds, including benzoic acid, ginsenol, and hexadecanoic acid, suggestive of the plant’s therapeutic properties. These findings suggest C. fuscus as a promising natural anti-aging agent; however, further research is required to confirm its clinical potential.

Increasing water demand and the use of treated gray water as an alternate source for irrigation are gaining global importance. This study evaluated the treatment of gray water using a natural adsorbent corn cob filter and investigated the effects of treated gray water on the growth of two spinach varieties (Sindhi and Prikli). The current study showed a significant reduction in morpho-physiological and antioxidant attributes in both spinach varieties when subjected to untreated gray water. However, treated gray water significantly improved the plant root/shoot ratio, water and chlorophyll contents, activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), plant soluble sugar contents, and reduced concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) contents. Moreover, both spinach varieties significantly varied in response to gray water treatment. The Sindhi variety showed comparatively better growth and physio-biochemical attributes than the spinach variety Prikli. It can be concluded that treated gray water may be considered as an alternative for irrigation of horticultural crops.

Water scarcity is a major environmental stress that negatively affects the soil traits, growth of plants, and yield of crops. This research assessed the impact of vermicompost, oak tree biochar, apple tree biochar, and the combined impact of vermicompost and both biochars on the growth, water use efficiency (WUE), and yield of eggplant under conditions of limited irrigation. The main purpose of the study was deficit irrigation, which involved 3 levels of water supply: 50%, 75%, and 100% PWR (plant water requirement). The second focus was on the application of vermicompost, with two levels: 0 and 2000 gm ⁻² , as well as biochar, with two levels: 0, 400 gm ⁻² of oak‐tree biochar, and 400 gm ⁻² of apple tree biochar. The findings revealed that the combination of apple‐tree biochar and vermicompost at a level of 100% PWR, delivered the most positive results in terms of plant growth and functioning. The early harvest yield was greatest when apple‐tree biochar was applied alone at a level of 50% PWR. However, the total yield of the plant was highest when apple‐tree biochar and vermicompost combined were applied at a level of 100% PWR. The plant's WUE reached its highest level after the combined application of apple‐tree biochar and vermicompost at a level of 50% PWR. The maximum leaf levels of N, P, K, Fe, and Mg were observed when both vermicompost and apple‐tree biochar were applied at a level of 100% PWR. The treatments without amendments or with vermicompost only at a level of 50% PWR exhibited the highest values of physiologically significant stress metabolites.

Information on the genetic diversity of local melon (Cucumis melo L.) genotypes is important for breeding and germplasm conservation efforts. This study was to characterize the morphological and molecular features of local melon (Cucumis melo L.) accessions collected from different regions of northern Cyprus and Turkey. We studied 32 melon accessions, comprising 19 accessions collected from different areas in northern Cyprus, 4 hybrid cultivars, and 9 local accessions grown in Turkey. Their molecular characteristics were determined using sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers, and their morphological characteristics were determined according to criteria from the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants and Institute of Plant Genetic Resources. Our morphology data classified the 32 melon accessions into two distinct groups, and our molecular data identified 56 total bands were obtained using 11 SRAP primer combinations, and 11 of them were polymorphic at molecular characterization. The polymorphism rate was 0.69-0.96%.

This study was conducted to collect local Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) genotypes belonging to Malvaceae (Mallow) family in the Northern Cyprus and morphological characterization of this collected material. On the other hand, due to the limited studies on collection and morphological characterization, which are the first step of breeding; the genetic potential of the local okra genotypes of Northern Cyprus has not been determined before. This research was carried out in two stages as the collection and morphological characterization of genotypes. In the first stage of the study, it was aimed to collect local okra genotypes and a total of 58 different locations were reached in line with this target and 24 samples of okra genotypes were collected from these areas. In the second year of the study, morphological characterization studies of 24 okra genotypes from the collected genetic material were carried out according to UPOV and IPGR criteria. As a result of morphological characterization showed that 24 okra genotypes can be categorized under 6 different groups. The regenerated seeds of these 6 different genotypes were preserved. In conclusion, although morphological characterization analyses performed in this study are the methods used to differentiate new species from each other, but it will be insufficient alone. Therefore, it is concluded that this method will be used in coordination with molecular characterization studies to provide more reliable results.

The present study was conducted to determine the seed morphologies and macromorphological characteristics of fifteen local faba bean (Vicia faba L.) genotypes collected from different region of Northern Cyprus. The characteristics in the seeds were evaluated using a light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). SEM pictures were taken of the whole seed and its details. The scope of the research was examined comparatively using LM and SEM, and the seed shapes, surface ornamentation, and quantitative measurements were determined. Different characteristics for seed size and surface were found among the local faba beans accessions. Seed dimensions were between 12.44 and 24.26 mm long and between 9.49 and 17.45 mm wide, colors ranged from yellowish-brown to dark brown, and ornamentation of the seed coat varied. The local faba bean seeds were of subprolate and prolate types. We believe that using this technique to determine the differences among the seeds of different genotypes may play a role in helping to create different programs that can choose specific genotypes to improve cultivars based on the seed characteristics.

Araştırma, Kuzey Kıbrıs’ta yeşilin ve mavinin kesişme noktasında yer alan Lefke bölgesi ve çevresinde (Yedidalga, Çamlıköy, Cengizköy, Yeşilyurt, Doğancı, Gemikonağı Gaziveren) doğal olarak yetişen hurma genotiplerinin bir envanterinin çıkarılması ve ümit verici genotiplerin belirlenmesi amacıyla yürütülmüştür. Kuzey Kıbrıs’ta uzun yıllar boyunca yetiştiriciliği yapılan hurma ağaçlarının bölge ekonomisine olan katkısının artırılması ve ekonomiye kazandırılması amacıyla araştırma materyallerini oluşturan hurma ağaçlarının taraması yapılmış ve dioik bitki olması nedeniyle meyve veren dişilerle ve erkek ağaçlarının sayısı belirlenmiştir. Yetiştiriciliği yapılan bu yerel kaynakların meyve veren ağaçlarda yapılan pomolojik analizler neticesinde ümit verici genotipler belirlenmiş ve bu belirlenen genotiplerin meyvelerine ait meyve ağırlığı (g), meyve boyu (mm), meyve eni (mm) ve tohum ağırlığı (g) gibi bazı pomolojik özellikleri belirlenmiştir. Çalışmalar neticesinde bölgesel anlamda toplam hurma varlığı 1512 olarak tespit edilmiştir. Bu belirlenen sayı içerisinde dişi hurma sayısı 1176 adet ve geriye kalan 336 adedi ise erkek hurmalardan oluşmaktadır. Pomolojik analizlerde genotipler arasında ortalama meyve ağırlıkları 8.91 g ile 15.29 g arasında değişmiştir. Bu bilgiler ışığında kayıt altına alınan bu genotiplerinin adada yapılan ilk olma niteliği ile ileride yapılacak bilimsel çalışmalara ışık tutacağı düşünülmektedir.

In this study, rooting performance of cuttings of local olive types of Northern Cyprus taken in spring and autumn seasons was investigated. Gemlik Olive cultivar was used as the control group and 14 different local olive types constituted the experimental groups. Green cuttings taken from local olive types were initially treated with 4000 ppm indole-3-butyric (IBA) and they were then rooted in perlite medium under fogging unit in a plastic greenhouse. Following 100-days of rooting, rooting ratios, root lengths, number of roots and shooting ratios were determined. As expected, the best rooting ratio was obtained from Gemlik Olive cultivar (control group). Among the local types, the best rooting ratio (58.67%) was obtained from Çamlıköy with Type 8 olive type and the best rooting performance (45.87%) was achieved in cuttings rooted in autumn season.