This study aimed to determine the effect of microfluidic sperm sorting chip on embryo development and quality in the sperm treatment step in in vitro embryo production in cattle. Only A-quality oocytes obtained from the ovaries of Holstein cattle were included in the study. These oocytes were first placed in in vitro maturation medium, and matured oocytes were randomly divided into two groups at the 24th hour of maturation. Oocytes in the first group with the Microfluidic Sperm Sorting Chip (MFSC, n = 154) were put into a fertilization medium with spermatozoa prepared with microfluidic sperm sorting device. Oocytes in the second group (Con, n = 169) were fertilized with spermatozoa prepared by the routine sperm treatment step of the commercial company. The rate of cleavage (85.71% vs. 76.33%, respectively) and of reaching the blastocyst (44.15% vs. 32.54%, respectively) in the MFSC group were higher than the control group. In addition, it was determined that the numbers of ICM (45.8 ± 2.04 vs. 39.2 ± 1.85, respectively), TE (122.13 ± 2.19 vs. 115.0 ± 2.61, respectively), TC (167.93 ± 2.89 vs. 154.2 ± 2.62, respectively) increased in the MFSC group compared to the control group. A statistically significant difference was found in the number of cells with apoptosis per embryo (5.14 ± 0.77 vs. 11.91 ± 0.79) and apoptotic index rates (3.06 ± 0.47 vs. 7.72 ± 0.55%) of the MFSC and Con groups. As a result, we concluded that using microfluidic sperm sorting chips during sperm treatment in bovine IVEP increases the rate of reaching the blastocyst, embryo development, and quality and reduces the possibility of apoptosis in developing blastocysts. For this reason, it is also thought that the use of microfluidic sperm sorting devices during sperm treatment in bovine IVEP may be a new alternative in this field.

This study investigated the flower structures of a black mulberry population in Tokat province and its surroundings. Of the investigated black mulberry trees of the population, 49% were identified as monoecious-male, 43% as dioecious-female, 5.7% as dioecious-male and 2.3% as monoecious-mixed. Generally, four stamens were identified in male flowers and especially in mixed catkins, 3 or 2 stamens were also identified in male flowers. Female flowers were composed of a long two-lobed stigma and an ovary. Catkin lengths of male flowers varied between 42.7-22.8 mm and catkin lengths of female flowers varied between 24.1-4.3 mm.The number of male flowers per catkin varied between 26.36-10.62 in dioecious trees and 26.3-14.1 in monoecious trees. The number of female flowers per catkin varied between 36.16-13.5 in monoecious trees and between 52.0-15.6 in dioecious trees. There were significant differences in the phenological stages of the flowers. Flowering lasted about 60 days in all genotypes.