Seed vigor tests are used to estimate their quality. One of the most commonly used is the accelerated aging test (AA). The aim of the present study was to study the biochemical changes caused in the seeds and to determine their germination status after the AA. Six safflower genotypes were tested at 43 °C and 45 °C for 0, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h, and germination percentage (GP), mean germination time (MGT) and normal seedling percentage (NSP) were evaluated to determine the aging reactions of the genotypes. During the AA at 45 °C, the seeds quickly lost their germination ability after 48 h; after 120 h, the seeds lost their viability, remaining, however, still viable at 43 °C. Two genotypes that aged more (Linas and Olas) and less (Bayer-6 and Bayer-12) were chosen to examine the biochemical changes during the AA at 43 °C. Eleven biochemical analysis were performed to understand physiological changes associated with the test. Total caratone, xanthophyll, phenolics, flavonoid, soluble protein, soluble sugars, oil and malondialdehyde contents were lower after 120 h, compared to 0 h. Reducing sugars and free fatty acids contents increased in the least and most aging genotypes. However, the total tocopherol content increased in the least aging genotypes and decreased in the most aging genotypes after 120 h, compared to 0 h. The results showed that the AA at 43 °C was suitable to study the aging process in the safflower seeds. Besides, understanding the chemical changes was useful to elucidate the physiological basis of seed aging.

Pomegranate is known to be a fruit grown in tropical and subtropical climate zone belonging to Lythraceae family. Within the scope of the study, 10 kind of pomegranates and a pomegranate from a small private garden have been used for molecular analyzes from the Western Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute in the Antalya Region. To accomplish this objective, samples of genotypes were taken under appropriate conditions and molecular analyzes were performed. As a result of analysis with SSR markers, pomegranate genotypes were separated into two main groups with a 65% similarity using UPGMA clustering method. The first main group consisted of 4 subgroups. The genotypes in the first subgroup were Hicaz, in the second subgroup Aşınar, Batem Onur, Ernar, Batem Hicaz, the third subgroup Beynarı and the fourth subgroup Batem Esin, Batem Yılmaz and Ekşilik. The second main group is divided into 2 subgroups where Katırbaşı and Fellahyemez were in different branches. Batem Onur and Ernar grouped together due to lack of polymorphic markers. Hicaz, Beynarı, Ekşilik, Katırbaşı and Fellahyemez types formed a separate subgroup. In the study, a close genetic similarity between Aşınar and Batem Onur-Ernar, Batem Esin and Batem Yılmaz was evident. SSR finding of pomegranate genotypes is expected to aid determining the genotypes most suitable for future breeding and conservation efforts.

Biber (Capsicum annuumL.) Genotiplerinin SSR Markörleri ile Genetik Karakterizasyonu Molecular Characterization of Pepper (Capsicum annum L.) Genotypes Using SSR Markers ÖZ Amaç:Biber (Capsicum annuumL.) genotiplerinin SSR (Simple Sequence Repeats) markörleri ile genetik karakterizasyonuyapılmıştır. Materyal ve Metot:Çalışmada kullanılan biber çeşitleri Akdeniz Bölgesinde yer alan Antalya ilindeki çeşitli fide şirketlerinden temin edilmiştir. Toplamda 10 çeşit biber fidesi ve 10 SSR primeri ile PCR çalışmaları yürütülmüştür. Bulgular:SSR markörleri ile yapılan UPGMA (unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean) analizleri sonucunda biber çeşitleri 2 ana gruba ayrılmıştır. Birinci ana grup iki alt gruba ayrılmıştır. İlk alt grupta Vezir, Üçburun, Acıburun, Yükselince, Anadol, Serenad, Hayfa Şili yer almaktadır. İkinci alt grupta ise Jalomex yer almaktadır. İkinci ana grupta Ergenekon ve Kanyon genotipleri yer almaktadır. Vezir-Üçburun ve Yükselince-Anadol çeşitleri benzer gruplar olup incelenen SSR bölgeleri bakımından benzer özellik göstererek birlikte gruplanmıştır. Ergenekon-Kanyon, Serenad-Hayfa Şili kendi aralarında benzerlik gösteren diğer gruptur. En uzak benzerlik Jalomex ve Ergenekon arasında olup, ikinci uzak benzerlik Jalomex-Kanyon arasındadır. Toplam allel sayısının 162, spesifik allel sayısının 60 olduğu ve bant büyüklüğünün ise 164 ile 294 bç arasında değiştiği belirlenmiştir. Polimorfik bilgi içeriği (PBİ) 0.04 ile 0.89 arasında değişim göstermiştir. Sonuç:Türkiye'deki biber türlerine ait SSR bulgularımız, bölgede bundan sonraki ıslah çalışmalarında ebeveyn seçiminde bir basamak oluştururken, biber genotiplerinin yayılma alanlarının belirlenmesinde, genetik koleksiyonların karşılaştırılmasında,biber genotiplerinin karakterizasyonunda kullanılabilir.

In this study, the roles of gibberelic acid (GA3/G), kinetin (K) and a combination of these two plant growth regulators (PGR) on the effects of lead [Pb(NO3)2], zinc [Zn(NO3)2.4H2O], cadmium [Cd(NO3)2.4H2O] on some growth parameters of the germination of the Sorghum bicolor L seeds were studied. Lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) prevented the germination of the seeds with the increases of their concentrations. The most adverse effect on the germination was done by Cd, and followed by Pb and Zn respectively. PGR pretreatments could not mostly reduce the preventing and delaying effects of Pb and Cd on germination (only the G applications at 3 mM Pb, and at 0.4, 0.5 and 0.7 mM Cd concentrations were successful) while they could reduce these negative effects caused by Zn. All three heavy metals prevented coleoptile growth, especially radicle growth in germination stage. Radicle growth was more sensitive than coleoptile growth against those three heavy metals. PGR failed to reduce the restraining effects of these heavy metals on radicle elongation during germination. All the used PGR, especially K+G were considerably successful at the reducing of the adverse effects of Pb, Zn and Cd on coleoptile growth. Adverse effects of studied heavy metals on fresh weight and water content percentage of the seedlings during germination could mostly be reduced with PGR treatments, mainly K and K+G.

Mushrooms undergo significant changes in quality after harvest due mainly to changes in color. This study was performed to determine the effects of CaCl2 and hot water on the changes in color, phenolics and polyphenoloxidase activities of mushrooms during storage. Mushrooms were treated with various concentrations of CaCl2 and hot water at various degrees for different time periods and stored for 12 days at 10oC. Significant changes were observed in color components during storage. Color change was associated with the increases in total soluble phenolics, esspecially increases in chlorogenic acid and polyphenol oxidase activity, suggesting that both phenolics and polyphenol oxidase contribute significantly to the browning in mushrooms. Hot water and CaCl2 treatments significantly reduced color change possibly through reductions in total soluble phenolics and the activity of polyphenol oxidase. The results suggest that CaCl2 and hot water treatments could be used to reduce color change after harvest and extend the shelf life of mushrooms.