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Soil chemical and microbial parameters are commonly used as soil quality indicators to evaluate sustainable land management in agroecosystems. The objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of organic and conventional management strategies on biological, chemical and yield parameters in vineyards (Vitis vinifera cv. Sultani seedless). Organic plots received a mixture of barley, vetch and broad bean (25 þ 35 þ 75 kg seed ha 21) as green manure, and farmyard manure (15 t ha 21 ) every year. Inorganic fertilizers (NPK) and pesticides were used in the conventional managed vineyards. Conventional and mulch tillage methods were used in conventional and organic plots, respectively. Microbiological and chemical soil properties were determined in the soil samples which were taken four times in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. In addition, the yield and some quality parameters of vineyards were also determined. Soil microbial biomass, and dehydrogenase, b-glucosidase and alkaline phosphatase activity were significantly higher in organic management than in conventional management. Higher C mic /C org and lower qCO 2 values were found with the organic management. The response of the chemical indicators (C org , N t and available nutrient content) of the soils to different management systems appeared after a longer time than with the biological indicators. In the transition zone between continental and Mediterranean climates of West Turkey, soil quality of organically managed vineyards improved after 2 years of the transition period prescribed for organic certification. However, soil quality improvements in organic plots did not result in higher yield.

(1) Background: Raisins contain a wide range of hormones, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidant enzymes that may contribute to the health benefits of consumers. (2) Methods: The aim of this research was to compare the hormone, mineral, vitamin, and antioxidant capacities of Gök Üzüm (Vitis vinifera L.) raisins immersed in oak ash (OA) and potassium carbonate (PC) dipping solutions before drying. (3) Results: Abscisic acid (ABA) (5751.18–11,868.40 ng g−1) and riboflavin (95.17–135.54 mg 100 g−1) were the most abundant hormone and vitamin quantified in Gök Üzüm raisins. Glutathione S-transferase (540.07–744.85 EU gr berry−1), 6-glucose phosphate dehydrogenase (214.50–317.43 EU gr berry−1), and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (208.25–241.86 EU gr berry−1) enzymes presented the highest antioxidant activity in the samples. Raisins obtained after drying by immersion in OA presented higher indol-3-acetic acid (IAA), ABA, salicylic acid (SA), cytokinins (CK), and zeatin contents; glutathione reductase (GR), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), glutathione S-transferase (GST), 6 glucose phosphate dehydrogenase (6GPD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymatic activity; vitamin B1, B2, B6, C, and A contents; and nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), manganese (Mn), calcium (Ca), sulfur (S), potassium (K), iron (Fe), sodium (Na), and magnesium (Mg) levels compared to the grapes dried after PC applications. (4) Conclusions: Drying Gök Üzüm grapes after the application of OA dipping solution promotes a higher content of hormones, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidant enzymes compared to PC treatments. These results could help raisin producers to make decisions when using a dipping solution to dry grapes.

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