Al-Qadisiyah Journal For Agriculture Sciences

The study was conducted on the Tigris River, in front of the Al-Kut Barrage. The study period continued (11 months), where six vertical sections were chosen upstream of Kut Barrage, the distance between one section to another was 100 m. The first section begins at 350 m from the front of Barrage. The result showed that variation in the discharge of Tigris River in  upstream of Kut Barrage during the months of the study period, and it is noticed that the values of the discharge of the studied sections ranged from 117.35 m3/sec  to 542.71 m3/sec, and the lowest average value of  discharge was 217.84 m3/sec on August 2018, and the high average value of discharge was 411.19 m3/sec on February 2019. The values of velocity of the current water of the studied sections ranged from 0.121 m/sec to 0.567 m/sec, and the lowest value of velocity was 0.225 m/sec on August 2018, and the high average value of velocity was 0.402 m/sec on April 2019. The flow area of Tigris River ranged from 295.6 m2 to 2080. 8 m² during the period of study. The depth of water levels of Tigris River ranged from 1.36m to 4.68 m, the area of accumulated sediments upstream of Al-Kut Barrage ranged from 1069.2m2 to 2854. 4 m2 during the period of study. The volume of the accumulated sediments upstream Al-Kut Barrage ranged from 139000m3 to 257740m³.

The study was conducted on the water quality of Tigris River in upstream of AL-Kut Barrage during the period of August 2018 to June 2019. Six vertical sections have been selected upstream of Al-Kut Barrage. The distance between one section to another was 100 m, the first section begins at 350 m from the origin of Barrage. The result showed that the values of cadmium ion were 0.0346 ug/L to 0.0707 ug/L. The Lead values of the Tigris River water samples were 4.29 ug /L to 8.33 ug /L. The values of nickel ion have been ranged between 7.59 ug/L to 9.75 ug/L. Zinc ions have been recorded 53.5 ug /L to 72.1 ug /L. The concentration of above ions was situated within Iraqi and world Health organization (WHO) criterions that relating with propriety of water of Tigris River for drinking and irrigation.

The study aimed to investigate the effect of different densities of M.persicae and T. tabaci on the predatory ability of the predator O. albidipennis and determine the preference for one of the two prey, in addition to assessing the in vitro predator's efficiency in reducing the number of aphids on the carrot plant. The results indicated that the rates of predated adult and nymph thrips were significantly higher than that of predated aphids. The highest rate of predation for nymphs and adults thrips was 33.2 and 25 preys per day, respectively, at a density of 60prey/container, while the highest rate of predation of adults and nymphs of aphids was 19 and 13.2prey/day, respectively, at a density of 60prey/container. The food preference experiment showed that the adults of the predator O. albidipennis feed on the immature stages thrips and aphids when introduced together and have no clear preference for one of the prey. The results of evaluating the efficiency of predator adults on reducing different densities of aphids showed that the predator was effectively able to reduce the population increase of aphids when the insect densities were 10, 20 or 30 insect. however, the predator was not effective when introduced to aphids at starting density of 40, no significant difference was found due to predator presence or absence as the aphids population density were 118.4 and 135.2 insects/cage after four days, respectively.

This study aimed at identifying the most important factors affecting bee honey production, by performing a comparative study for the economic efficiency and the technical efficiency, data were obtained from field sources in light of a random sample constituted a percentage of 5% taken from honey producers from 51 apiaries at the season of 2018- 2019. The research, in estimating economic efficiency and dividing its components into technical and allocative efficiencies, adopted the data envelopment analysis using the model of entry orientation in light of fixed and variable returns in checking the technical efficiency, and in light of variable capacity return  in checking allocative efficiency and cost efficiency, where we note that technical efficiency varied between (0.1-1) with an average of 27%, i.e. the sample is capable of increasing its production by 73% to reach the optimal volume, whereas we note that 96.3% of beekeepers are working with increasing capacity return. The technical efficiency, in light of the variation in capacity return, has varied between 0.5 minimum and 1 maximum with an average of 0.60, and that the apiaries which fell on the possible production curve were 12%. The economic efficiency on the other hand, reached an average of 0.46 and that means the bee breeding farms could achieve the same production level in light of costs reduction of 54%, i.e. capable of producing the current amount using only 46% of the economic resources, and this is attributed to the inadequacy of the allocative efficiency and the improper use of resources. The study recommended the use of amounts that realize the economic efficiency and, the redistribution of resources in a way that guaranties achieving the same level of production or more in light of costs reduction.

The aim of this study was to measure content of total flavonoids for most types of citrus cultivated in Iraq as well as the antioxidant activity. The antioxidant was highest in orange peels [5129] micromole Fe⁺² / gm dry matter. Citrus peels and seeds are a good source of natural antioxidants that can be used both in the medical and commercial fields .