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Echinophora plants are used for the treatment of various diseases in folk medicine and for imparting flavor to food. The present study outlines the antioxidant and toxic activity, total phenol, flavonoid content and phenolic profile of the ethanol extract of E. tournefortii in addition to evaluating its mineral elements. The antioxidant activities of E. tournefortii was investigated using different methods (radical scavenging methods, total antioxidant test systems, metal chelating and power reducing assays). The phenolics were determined using HPLC and some mineral elements (Mn, Na, B, S, Zn, Fe and Cu) were evaluated. The ethanol extract was able to reduce ABTS and DPPH radicals with 96.52 and 169.45 mu g/mL respectively as well as exhibit the chelating and reducing ability (38.15% and 0.15mg/mL respectively). The inhibition value of linoliec acid oxidation was calculated as 87.46% and antioxidant (phosphomolybdenum) activity of the E. tournefortii was 45.74 mu g/mg. The HPLC results determined major phenolics: 2,5 dihydroxybenzoic, rutin and caffeic acid. In addition, E. tournefortii also have rich in polyphenolic content together with toxic activity. These results could prove the potential use of this plant as a food ingredient and/or as a natural antioxidant in the human diet and for medicinal applications.

Digitalis plants have different biological actions, including antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. In addition, some members of this genus are used in traditional Turkish medicine as diuretics and tonics. The purpose of the present study is to compare the antioxidant, toxic activity and phenolic profile of two extracts of D. ferruginea L. subsp. ferruginea. The radical scavenging capacities in the hydromethanolic extract were higher than the hydroethanolic extract. The same extract was effective in total antioxidant (?-carotene, 83.75% and phosphomolybdenum 111.5 µg/mg) and metal chelating activities. The hydromethanolic extract (75.91 mgGAEs/g) exhibited higher phenolic content than hydroethanolic extract (70 mgGAEs/g). There were no statistical differences between the flavonoid and tannin contents of the extracts. The HPLC results determined major phenolics: 2,5 dihydroxybenzoic, vanillic and caffeic acid. In addition, this plant is also rich in polyphenolic content as well as toxic activity. The present data could provide significant information regarding its potential use in the pharmaceutical industry. Keywords: Digitalis ferruginea L. subsp. ferruginea; HPLC; Toxicity; Antioxidant capacity

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is an economically important Allium species grown all around the world. It is a highly heterozygous biennial diploid plant (2n=2x=16). Onion is a difficult crop plant to work with since onion genetics and breeding studies may take many years to complete. Turkey is among the major onion producing countries where many landraces and open-pollinated (OP) standard cultivars are commonly used in onion production. Production of pure lines is a major challenge in onion improvement programs. We are carrying out a gynogenesis-based doubled haploid (DH) strategy to obtain fully homozygous onion lines that can be used as potential parents in the development of new hybrid onion cultivars. In this study, a total of 10 Turkish OP onion (three standard and seven breeding lines developed from landraces) lines were used in two-year gynogenesis induction experiments. A total of 387 gynogenic plantlets were developed from all of the donor onion lines. About one-fifth of the plantlets continued to grow in in vitro. Dried bulbs were produced from 14 DH gynogenic plants. Thirteen of the bulbs that were re-planted in the greenhouse provided selfed-seeds (between 63 and 880). Seedlings of DH lines grew uniformly and did not show any sign of breeding depression. Bulbs of these pure lines were comparable to the bulbs of OP donor lines in size, color, and other morphological features. These pure onion lines are currently studied for their potential to be used as parental lines in the production of new hybrid onion lines. © 2020 International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved.

In this study, an experiment for cytotoxic activitywas carried out on the methanol and water extracts of three species belongingto the Lamiaceae family (Thymus zygioidesGriseb, Teucrium sandrasicum, Origanum sipyleum) collected from Turkey. Abrine shrimp (Artemia salina L.)lethality test was established for the present study and the cytotoxicity wasreported in terms of 50 % lethal concentration (LC50). The LC50values of the extracts were calculated using an EPA Probit Analysis Program(version 1.5). The A. salina werehatched and the active shrimps were collected for use in the assay. Ten A. salina were added to differentconcentrations of the extracts, the surviving shrimps were counted after aperiod of 24 h and the lethality concentration LC50 was assessed.The water and methanol extracts of these plants showed cytotoxicity againstbrine shrimp. The cytotoxic activities of the extracts ranged from34.66-643.652 µg/mL. The strongest cytotoxic activity were obtained from themethanol extract of T. zygioides.This significant lethality of the extracts from three species could be thesource of potential cytotoxic components in these species but this will requirefurther investigation.

This work was designed to evaluate the phenolic compounds and biological activities (antioxidant, cytotoxic and anthelmintic) of Teucrium sandrasicum extracts (ethanol and acetone) as well as to determine proximate parameters (such as proteins, carbohydrates, fat). The phenolic contents were identified using HPLC. The ethanol extracts exhibited higher free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities than acetone extracts. The reducing power, metal chelating and radical cation activities were found to be statistically different between the acetone and ethanol extracts. T. sandrasicum exhibited cytotoxic, anthelmintic activities with rich nutrient contents. Based on these results, this plant may be considered as a potentially useful source for the food and pharmaceutical industry. © 2019 Chiriotti Editori. All rights reserved.

The present study was designed to examine the total phenolic, flavonoid, tannin contents, antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of hydroethanolic and hydromethanolic extracts of Origanum sipyleum and Thymus zygioides and to determine their proximate parameters (ash, carbohydrate, protein, fat, energy) and mineral elements (P, Mg, K, Zn, Fe, Cu). The antioxidant properties of these plants were evaluated using radical scavenging methods (DPPH and ABTS), total antioxidant test systems (beta-carotene/linoleic acid and phosphomolybdenum), metal chelating and reducing power assays. Among the extracts, the hydromethanolic extract of T zygioides exhibited the highest scavenging (DPPH, 40.14 mu g/mL, ABTS, 49.17 mu g/mL) and antioxidant capacity (phosphomolybdenum, 72.21 mu g/mg). There were no statistical differences among the chelating activity of the extracts. The hydroethanolic extract of T zygioides showed the highest reducing capacity. The total antioxidant activity of the extracts with beta-carotene/Linoleic acid test was in the range of 87.91-92.69 %. In addition, O. sipyleum and T zygioides also possessed rich total phenolic, flavonoid and tannin contents. With regard to cytotoxite, all extracts exhibited high cytotoxic activities. The phenolic content of the hydroethanolic extracts was examined using HPLC and determined major phenolics: caffein acid, rutin and epicatechin. Based on the results, these medicinal plants may be considered as an alternative source of antioxidant and cytotoxic agents for pharmacological applications, as well as potential sources of nutritional requirements for human dietary components and the food industry.

The present study was designed to examine the total phenolic, flavonoid, tannin contents, antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of hydroethanolic and hydromethanolic extracts of Origanum sipyleum and Thymus zygioides and to determine their proximate parameters (ash, carbohydrate, protein, fat, energy) and mineral elements (P, Mg, K, Zn, Fe, Cu). The antioxidant properties of these plants were evaluated using radical scavenging methods (DPPH and ABTS), total antioxidant test systems (beta-carotene/linoleic acid and phosphomolybdenum), metal chelating and reducing power assays. Among the extracts, the hydromethanolic extract of T zygioides exhibited the highest scavenging (DPPH, 40.14 mu g/mL, ABTS, 49.17 mu g/mL) and antioxidant capacity (phosphomolybdenum, 72.21 mu g/mg). There were no statistical differences among the chelating activity of the extracts. The hydroethanolic extract of T zygioides showed the highest reducing capacity. The total antioxidant activity of the extracts with beta-carotene/Linoleic acid test was in the range of 87.91-92.69 %. In addition, O. sipyleum and T zygioides also possessed rich total phenolic, flavonoid and tannin contents. With regard to cytotoxite, all extracts exhibited high cytotoxic activities. The phenolic content of the hydroethanolic extracts was examined using HPLC and determined major phenolics: caffein acid, rutin and epicatechin. Based on the results, these medicinal plants may be considered as an alternative source of antioxidant and cytotoxic agents for pharmacological applications, as well as potential sources of nutritional requirements for human dietary components and the food industry., C1 [Kaska, Arzu] Pamukkale Univ, Dept Sci & Math, Fac Educ, Denizli, Turkey.

Nepeta cadmea Boiss. is a species endemic to Turkey that belongs to the Nepeta genus. Several species of this genus are used in folk medicine. This study was designed to investigate the phenolic compounds, antioxidant, anthelmintic, and cytotoxic activities of various extracts (ethanol, methanol, acetone, and water) of N. cadmea. The antioxidant activities of these extracts were analyzed using scavenging methods (DPPH, ABTS, and H2O2 scavenging activity), the β-carotene/linoleic acid test system, the phosphomolybdenum method, and metal chelating activity. Among the 4 different extracts of N. cadmea that were evaluated, the water extract showed the highest amount of radical scavenging (DPPH, 25.54 μg/mL and ABTS, 14.51 μg/mL) and antioxidant activities (β-carotene, 86.91%). In the metal chelating and H2O2 scavenging activities, the acetone extract was statistically different from the other extracts. For the phosphomolybdenum method, the antioxidant capacity of the extracts was in the range of 8.15 to 80.40 μg/mg. The phenolic content of the ethanol extract was examined using HPLC and determined some phenolics: epicatechin, chlorogenic, and caffeic acids. With regard to the anthelmintic properties, dose-dependent activity was observed in each of the extracts of N. cadmea. All the extracts exhibited high cytotoxic activities. The results will provide additional information for further studies on the biological activities of N. cadmea, while also helping us to understand the importance of this species. Furthermore, based on the results obtained, N. cadmea may be considered as a potentially useful supplement for the human diet, as well as a natural antioxidant for medicinal applications. Practical Application: The plants of the Nepeta genus have been extensively used as traditional herbal medicines. Nepeta cadmea Boiss., one of the species belonging to the Nepeta genus, is a species endemic to Turkey. In our study, we demonstrated the antioxidant capacities, total phenolic, flavonoid, tannin content, anthelmintic, and cytotoxic activities of various extracts of Nepeta cadmea. The present study could well supply valuable data for future investigations and further information on the potential use of this endemic plant for humans, in both dietary and pharmacological applications. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®

The genetic structures of two sea turtle species (Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas) nesting along the Turkish coast, were analyzed using tissues (kidney, liver, gonad, muscles etc.) from dead hatchlings and embryos. We collected tissues 31 different (14 C. caretta and 17 C. mydas) dead hatchlings from 10 different nesting beaches (Dalyan, Dalaman, Fethiye, Cirali, Belek, Kizilot, Anamur, Goksu, Kazanli and Samandag) and preserved in absolute alcohol. We used AluI, HindIII, HaeIII and SmaI restriction enzymes for digestion in PCR-RFLP analyses. The SmaI and HindIII enzymes were not digested the mtDNA from both species. We detected five polymorphisms (in three C. caretta and two C. mydas) on four different beaches of Turkey (produced by the digestion of AluI and HindII enzymes). These results showed that there are genetical diversities of the sea turtle population on Turkish beaches and these results are discussed in identifying the genetic source of the turtles and their conservation.

Araştırmada, yenilebilir Alliumlar A. cepa L., A. ampeloprasum L. ve A. tuncelianum (Kollmann) N. Özhatay , B. Mathew & Şiraneci türlerinde çiçek tomurcuğu kültürü yöntemleri ile ginogenik ve somatik bitki elde edilmesi ile ilgili detaylı deneyler yapılmıştır. İki yılda gerçekleştirilen doku kültürü deneylerinde A.cepa'dan 10 donör grubuna ait 45 genotip, A. ampeloprasum'dan altı genotip ve A. tuncelianum'a ait bir populasyonlardan alınan açmamış çiçek tomurcuğu eksplantları, farklı temel besin ortamları, büyüme düzenleyicileri ve sukroz konsantrasyonları uygulamalarına tabii tutulmuşlardır. Temel besin ortamları olarak BDS (Dunstan ve Short, 1977), MS (Murashige ve Skoog, 1962) ve B5 (Gamborg ve diğ., 1968) denenmiştir. Bu temel besin ortamlarına farklı kombinasyon ve konsantrayonlarda bitki büyüme düzenleyicileri ve sukroz eklenmesiyle oluşturulan ortamların ginogenik ve somatik sürgün oluşturma performansları saptanmıştır. Denemelerde benzil amino pürin (BAP; 0, 1 ve 2 mg/l) , 2, 4-dikloro fenoksi asetik asit (2,4-D; 0, 1 ve 2 mg/l) , naftalen asetik asit (NAA; 0,5 ve 1 mg/l), 2-izopenten adenin (2IP; 0, 1, 4 ve 8 mg/l) ve tidizuran (TDZ, 0 ve 2 mg/l) tek başlarına veya birlikte kombinasyonları yapılarak kullanılmışlardır. A. cepa deneylerinde iki yılda 10 donör grubundan toplam 387 ginogenik ve 3230 somatik sürgün elde edilmiştir. A. cepa'da ginogenesis uyartımı için en uygun besin ortamının % 0,62 ginogenik bitkicik üretilen BDSA (2 mg/l BAP ve 2 mg/l 2, 4-D ve 100 g/l sukroz içeren BDS) ve somatik sürgün uyartımı için en uygun besin ortamının % 14,33 somatik sürgün üretilen BDSF (2 mg/l 2, 4-D ve 2 mg/l BAP ve 100 g/l sukroz içeren BDS) olduğu tespit edilmiştir. A. cepa denemelerinde yapılan ginogenesis uyartımı ve somatik sürgün uyartımı denemelerinde güçlü genotip ve medya etkilerinin varlığı ortaya çıkmıştır. Flow sitometrik analizle yapılan DNA miktarı ölçümlerinde ginogenik A. cepa bitkilerinin genellikle haploid (n; % 46,37) oldukları bulunmuştur. Diğer ginogenik A. cepa bitkilerinin haploid ve diploid için miksoploid (n+2n; % 0,43), diploid (2n; % 18,84), diploid ve tetraploid için miksoploid (% 2,89) ve tetraploid (4n; % 1,45) oldukları tespit edilmiştir. A. cepa kültürlerinden elde edilen somatik sürgünlerin büyük bir çoğunluğunun diploid olduğu (% 81,63) ama diğer sürgünler arasında 2n+4n için miksoploid (% 5,10) ve tetraploid (% 13,26) oldukları görülmüştür. Diploid, miksoploid ve tetraploid A. cepa bitkileri in vivoya aktarılmış ve daha sonra serada büyütülmüşlerdir. Haploid A. cepa bitkilerinde ise kromozom katlaması uygulaması (400 mg/l Kolçisin içeren MS medyasında de 48 saat) yapıldıktan sonra gelişmeye devam eden üç bitkide in vivoya aktarılmıştır. İki yılda 14 ginogenik A. cepa bitkisinden 29 baş elde edilmiştir. İlk yıl elde edilen iki ginogenik hatta ait 15 baştan 13 tanesi çiçeklenmiş ve bunlardan kendilenmiş tohum elde edilmiştir. Bunlardan bitki başına 63 ile 880 arasında değişen miktarlarda kendilenmiş tohum eldesi sağlanmıştır. İki yılda in vivoya aktarılan 111 somatik A. cepa bitkisinden 384 baş üretilmiştir. İlk yıl elde edilen 180 baştan 146 tanesi çiçeklenmiş ve tohum üretmişlerdir. Somatik bitkilerden bitki başına 0 ile 738 arasında değişen miktarlarda kendilenmiş tohum elde edilmiştir. Ginogenik, somatik ve donör A. cepa bitkilerinden kendileme ile elde edilen tohumlar ekilmiş ve fideler morfolojik özellikler için gözlenmiştir. Ginogenik hatlara ait fidelerde beklenen dışında hiçbir özellik gözlenmezken somatik ve donör bitkilerinden üretilen fideler arasında albinolar tespit edilmiştir. Ginogenik bitkiler kendi içlerinde çok uniform çimlenme ve büyüme göstermişlerdir. A. ampeloprasum deneylerinde altı genotipten toplam 48 ginogenik ve 875 somatik bitki üretilmiştir. Bu türde ginogenesis uyartımına en uygun medyaların % 0,22 ginogenik bitkicik üretilen BDSD (2,4-D ve 100 g/l sukroz) ve % 0,21 ginogenik bitkicik üretilen BDSA, somatik sürgün uyartımı için en uygun meydanında % 5,50 somatik sürgün üretilen BDSC olduğu bulunmuştur. Bu sonuçlar A. ampeloprasum türünde de ginogenesis uyartımı ve somatik sürgün uyartımında medyanın ve genotipin güçlü etkilerinin olduğunu göstermiştir. Flow sitometrik analizle yapılan DNA miktarı ölçümleri ginogenik A. ampeloprasum bitkilerin çoğunlukla diploid (% 55,56) geriye kalan bitkilerin tetraploid (% 44, 44) olduğu göstermiştir. Bu türe ait kültürlerden elde edilen somatik sürgünlerin hiç birinde ploidi değişikliği gözlenmemiştir. İki yılda in vivo ya 12 ginogenik A. ampeloprasum bitkisi aktarılmıştır. İlk yılda aktarılan bitkiler serada yaşamazken ikinci yılda aktarımı yapılan ginogenik bitkilerden altı tanesi büyümeye devam etmişlerdir. Bunlardan bir tanesi çiçeklenerek 920 kendilenmiş tohum üretmiştirA. tuncelianum populasyonundan alınıp kültüre konulan açmamış çiçek tomurcuğu kültürlerinden üç ginogenik embriyo, 55 somatik kallus ve altı kallus aracılı somatik sürgün üretilmiştir. Bu türde elde edilen ginogenik embriyoların iki tanesi (% 0,55) MSD (8 mg/l 2IP, 1 mg/l NAA ve 100 g/l sukroz modifiye MS), bir tanesi (% 0,09) BDSA medyasında elde edilmiştir. A. tuncelianum çiçek tomurcuğu eksplantlarında en fazla somatik kallus (% 2,99) ve kallus aracılı sürgün (% 0,56) BDSA medyasında elde edilmiştir. Flow sitometrik analizle yapılan DNA miktarı ölçümlerinde A. tuncelianum'da nükleer DNA miktarının 34,07 pg/2C DNA olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Elde edilen bir ginogenik bitkide eşit miktarlarda haploid ve diploid ploidi seviyesine sahip çekirdeklere sahip hücreler bulunduğu ve bu nedenle miksoploid (n+2n) olduğu belirlenmiştir. Elde edilen A. tuncelianum somatik sürgünlerin diploid, sürgüne dönüşemeyen kallusların tetraploid ploidi seviyelerine sahip oldukları bulunmuştur.Bu tez çalışmasında yer alan tüm Allium materyallerinin hepsi ginogenesis ve somatik sürgün uyartımına cevap vermişlerdir. Elde edilen bulgular çalışmaya dahil edilen yenilebilir Allium türlerinde yapılmak istenen ıslah ve klonal çoğaltım uygulamalarının in vitro düzeyde gerçekleştirilebilmesinin mümkün olduğunu göstermektedir. Projenin en önemli çıktılarından birisi önceleri sadece A. cepa için başarılı olduğu düşünülen ginogenesis uyartımının diğer yenilebilir Allium türlerinde de gerçekleştirilebileceğinin ispat edilmiş olmasıdır. Bu tez çalışması bu yönüyle ülkemizde yenilebilir Allium biyoteknolojisi ile ilgili ilk detaylı çalışma olma özelliğine sahiptir. In this thesis research, detailed experiments were carried out to obtain gynogenic and somatic plants from edible Alliums A. cepa L., A. ampeloprasum L. ve A. tuncelianum (Kollmann) N. Özhatay ,B. Mathew & Şiraneci by using flower bud culture methods. In two-year tissue culture experiments, unopened flower buds collected from 45 genotypes of 10 A. cepa donör groups, six A. ampeloprasum genotypes and a A. tuncelianum population were cultured on various tissue culture media with varying amounts of growth regulators and sucrose. As basic media BDS (Dunstan and Short, 1977), MS (Murashige and Skoog, 1962) and B5 (Gamborg et al., 1968) were tested. Culture media prepared by adding different types and amounts of growth regulators and sucrose into those basic media were tested for their gynogenic and somatic shoot production potantial. In the experiments, benzil amino purine (BAP; 0, 1 and 2 mg/l) , 2,4–dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D; 0, 1 and 2 mg/l) , napthaleneacetic acid (NAA; 0,5 and 1 mg/l), isopentenyl adenine (2IP; 0, 1, 4 and 8 mg/l) and thidiazuron (TDZ, 0 ve 2 mg/l) were used alone or in combination with other growth regulators. In A. cepa experiments, total of 387 gynogenic and 3230 somatic shoots were obtained from 10 donör groups in two years. The medium best suited for gynogenesis induction in A. cepa was BDSA (BDS medium combined with 2 mg/l BAP, 2 mg/l 2,4-D and 100 g/l sucrose), which provided 0,62 % gynogenic plantlets. The best medium for somatic shoot induction in A. cepa was the medium coded as BDSF (1 mg/l BAP, 1 mg/l 2,4-D and 100 g/l sucrose containing BDS), which provide 14,33 % somatic shoots. The results obtained indicated that there were strong effects of gynotype and medium in gynogenesis and somatic shoot induction in A. cepa species. In the DNA amount measurements performed with flow cytometry analysis, it was found that gynogenic A. cepa plants were generally haploid (n; 46,37 %). Other gynogenic A. cepa plants were mixoploid for haploid and diploid (n+2n; 0,43 %), diploid (2n; 18,84 %), mixoploid for diploid and tetraploid (2,89 %) and tetraploid (4n; 1,45 %). Most of the somatic shoots obtained from A. cepa cultures were diploid (81,63 %) but there were also 2n+4n mixoploid (5,10 %) and tetraploid (13,26 %) plants. Diploid, mixoploid and tetraploid A. cepa plants were transferred to in vivo and grown in a greenhouse. Haploid A. cepa plants were treated for chromosome doubling (48 hrs in liquid MS with 400 mg/l colchicine) and surviving three plants were also transferred to in vivo. Twenty-nine heads were produced from 14 gynogenic A. cepa plants in two years. From 15 heads developed from two gynogenic plants obtained in the first year, 13 of them produced flowers and provided selfed seeds. Selfed seeds produced per gynogenic A. cepa plant varied between 63 and 880, In two years, 384 heads were produced from 111 somatic A. cepa plants. From the 180 heads produced in the first year, 146 of them produced flowers and produced selfed seeds. Selfed seeds produced per somatic plant varied between 0 and 738. Selfed seeds obtained from gynogenic, somatik and donör A. cepa plants were sown and seedlings were observed for morphological traits. There were no unexpected phenotypes among the gynogenic lines while the seedlings from somatic and donör plants had albinos among them. In each gynogenic line, germination and growth were very uniform.In A. ampeloprasum experiments, 48 gynogenic and 875 somatic plants were obtained from six genotypes. The media best suited for gynogenesis induction in A. ampeloprasum were BDSD (BDS medium combined with 2 mg/l 2, 4-D and 100 g/l sucrose) and BDSA, which provided 0,22 % and 0,21 % gynogenic plantlets. The best medium for somatic shoot induction in A. ampeloprasum was BDSC (2 mg/l BAP and 100 g/l sucrose containing BDS), which provided 5,50 % somatic shoots. The results obtained indicated that there were strong effects of gynotype and medium in gynogenesis and somatic shoot induction in A. ampeloprasum species. In the DNA amount measurements performed with flow cytometry analysis, it was found that gynogenic A. ampeloprasum plants were mostly diploid (55,56 %) and the others were tetraploid (44,44 %). Somatic shoots obtained in the cultures of this species did not show any ploidy changes. Twenty A. ampeloprasum gynogenic plants were transferred to in vivo in two years. None of the plants survived the transferred in the first year but six of the plants transferred in the second year survived and continued to grow. One of the gynogenic plants flowered and provided 920 selfed seeds. Flower buds collected and cultured from an A. tuncelianum population provided three gynogenic embryos and 55 somaic cali and six callus mediated somatic shoots. Two gynogenic embryos (0,55 %) obtained in this species were induced on MSD (modified MS containing 8 mg/l 2IP, 1 mg/l NAA and 100 mg/l sucrose). One gynogenic embryo (0,09 %) obtained was induced on BDSA medium. The highest amounts of somatic calli (2,99 %) and callus mediated somatic shoots (0,56 %) were obtained from the flower bud explants cultured on BDSA medium. In the DNA amount measurements performed with flow cytometry analysis, it was found that Nuclear DNA content of A. tuncelianum was determined to be 34,07 pg/2C DNA. One gynogenic A. tuncelianum plant obtained showed equal amounts of haploid and diploid cells. Therefore it was determined to be a mixoploid for n+2n. A. tuncelianum somatic shoots obtained were diploid and calli with no shoot production were tetraploid.All Allium materials included in this study responded positively to gynogenesis and somatic shoot induction. The data obtained shows that the breeding and clonal propagation applications can be performed in edible Alliums. One of the major outcomes of this project is that it proved the applicability of gynogenesis induction, which was initially thaught to be working for only A. cepa, in other edible Alliums. In this sense this dissertation is the first detailed biotechnology based study on three edible Turkish Allium species. 280

A total of 65 stranded and 2 injured turtles were found in 2001 along the southwestern Mediterranean coast of Turkey during the monitoring program and the majority (n=42) of the stranded ones were loggerhead turtles and the others (n=23) green sea turtles. The main causes of turtle mortalities were fishing-industry related injuries and trawl nets drown. Damages, such as broken carapace shell or cuts from boats as well as other injuries related to fishing industry could be found on 25 of the stranded turtles. The concentrations of Cd, Pb, Fe, Cr, Ni, Se, Sb, As and Cu were measured in tissue samples collected from these stranded loggerhead and green turtles. The levels of essential elements, such as Fe and Cu, were detected to be the highest in most of the specimens. The other heavy metals were found to be present in tissues at important levels and, therefore, more likely to affect the health of these endangered turtle varieties in the Mediterranean.