In this study, studies were conducted to optimize callus and suspension culture methods for in vitro mutation breeding in purple and orange carrots. Following this, the developed mutant lines were subjected to in vitro salt stress selection. The study determined the optimal agar dose. The first germination, 50% germination, root-cotyledon formation and genuine leaf formation in carrot seedlings were analyzed daily in the study, which was continued with the determined 7g/L agar dose. The cotyledon and hypocotyl explants from the seedlings were cultivated for callus production in mixtures of MS-1, MS-2 and MS-3 nutritional medium. In the second and fourth weeks following the second subculture, callus production percentages and weights were measured. The MS-3 (1 mg/L 2,4-D + 0.5 mg/L kinetin) nutritional medium and hypocotyl explant were found to be particularly effective at producing callus. The second subculture's data on the number of plants that had successfully regenerated per callus, showed that the MS nutritional medium with 0.2 mg/L Thidiazuron (TDZ) was the best medium for plant regeneration. The dispersed calli were grown in a nutritional medium designed for suspension culture in a nutrient medium mixture comprising MS+0.1 mg/L kinetin. The results obtained with the optimization steps were used in the ongoing study.

Capsicum annuum, native to Central America, specifically Mexico, is widely cultivated throughout Türkiye for its unripe green or ripe red fruits, known as "biber" in Turkish. In this study, a comprehensive assessment of morphological diversity, encompassing both quantitative and qualitative traits, was conducted. A total of 48 different genotypes of C. annuum, varying in colour shape, and size, were collected from the Pazar district and villages in Rize in 2014 and stored at +4°C. Planting of these C. annuum seeds occurred in May 2015 in trays filled with a mixture of peat and perlite at a 2:1 ratio under greenhouse conditions. When the seedlings reached the stage of having 4-5 leaves, they were transplanted into the field in June 2015. The data obtained on morphological characteristics were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA), principal component analysis, and hierarchical clustering analyses. The first six principal component axes accounted for 79% of the variance among the 48 genotypes. Hierarchical clustering revealed four main clusters, whereas ANOVA revealed significant differences in various morphological characteristics of 48 different genotypes of C. annuum. This study revealed substantial morphological variability within the C. annuum genotypes examined and hence provides valuable insights for geneticists and breeders, enabling the identification of populations with desirable characteristics for future integration into pepper breeding programmes

In this study, the responses of callus cultures of Cichorium endivia L. and Cichorium intybus L. to in vitro salt stress (0, 50, 100, and 150mM NaCl) on MS medium were comparatively investigated. Callus morphology (structure and color) and growth parameters (fresh and dry weight) were evaluated alongside key biochemical indicators, including hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, antioxidant enzyme activities (Superoxide dismutase: SOD, Catalase: CAT, and Peroxidase: POD), and soluble protein levels. Principal component analysis (PCA) and heatmap visualization were applied to elucidate relationships among the measured variables and treatment effects. The results demonstrated that increasing salinity significantly influenced both morphological and biochemical responses, with clear interspecific differences. Cichorium intybus exhibited comparatively higher tolerance, as enhanced CAT and POD activities partially alleviated oxidative stress at moderate salinity levels (50-100mM NaCl). In contrast, C. endivia showed pronounced oxidative stress responses even at lower salt concentrations, and no callus formation was observed at 150mM NaCl. Overall, the findings indicate that C. intybus displays greater salinity tolerance under in vitro conditions, highlighting its potential for future stress physiology and breeding studies.

Bu çalışmada, iyi kalitede sofralık ve kurutmalık bir incir çeşidi olan Sarılop çeşidinin yaprak segmentleri kullanılarak direkt ve indirekt somatik embriyogenesis yoluyla somatik embriyo oluşumu amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmada eksplant olarak; 2011-2013 yıllarında Kasım ve Nisan aylarında alınan incir tepe tomurcuklarından Murashige-Skoog (MS) besin ortamında geliştirilen yapraklar kullanılmıştır. Bu yaprak eksplantları, indirekt somatik embriyo gelişimi için ilkbahar döneminde K-2 (2 mg/L 2,4-D (2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic asit) + 0.2 mg/L kinetin) ortam kombinasyonunda kültüre alınmıştır. Bu ortam kombinasyonunda % 66.66 oranında kallus elde edilmiştir; ancak somatik embriyo gelişimi elde edilememiştir. Direkt somatik embriyo oluşumu için ise yaprak eksplantları TDZ (Thidiazuron) ve 2İP’in (N6-2-isopentenyladenine) farklı kombinasyonlarını içeren MS ortamında kültüre alınmıştır. Eksplantlar kültüre; kallus oluşumu, eksplant uzaması, kök oluşumu ile embriyo oluşumu şeklinde cevap vermiştir. En yüksek oranda kök oluşum oranı (% 42.76) ve en yüksek embriyo oluşum oranı (% 20) ilkbahar döneminde DE-4 (MS + 2 mg/L TDZ + 8 mg/L 2İP) kombinasyonunda elde edilmiştir. Eksplant başına oluşan somatik embriyo sayısı 0.83’tür. DE-2 (MS + 2 mg/L TDZ + 4 mg/L 2İP) ortamında % 83 oranında kallus gelişmesi de gözlenmiştir.

Salinity is a major abiotic stressor inducing osmotic imbalance, ion toxicity, and oxidative damage in plant cells. This study investigates the ameliorative effects of 100 mg L⁻¹ zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on Ocimum basilicum L. callus cultures under salinity stress (0–90 mM NaCl) through an integrated enzymatic and GC–MS metabolomic approach. Exposure to 90 mM NaCl significantly suppressed biomass and increased oxidative stress markers (H₂O₂ and MDA). Notably, ZnO NP supplementation exhibited a selective modulatory role, preferentially stimulating the ascorbate–glutathione cycle, with ascorbate peroxidase activity reaching a peak of 1.16 U mg⁻¹ protein. While ZnO NPs alone caused a slight increase in oxidative stress indicators, they significantly mitigated severe stress by reducing H₂O₂ levels and stabilizing protein content. Metabolomic profiling revealed that salinity triggered a shift toward sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (79.71%), whereas ZnO NP application reprogrammed secondary metabolism toward ester compounds (40.50%) and oxygenated metabolites, effectively normalizing salt-perturbed metabolite pools. Principal component analysis explained 72.5% of total variation, clearly distinguishing nanoparticle-driven recovery from stress-driven damage. These findings demonstrate that ZnO NPs enhance stress tolerance by reinforcing metabolic bridges between antioxidant defense and biomass preservation, offering a robust strategy for nano-enabled resilience.