This work was designed to assess the concentration of six toxic metals in the soil and in unwashed and washed samples of different vegetable species (Petroselinum crispum, Brassica oleraceae var. acephala, Beta vulgaris var. cicla collected from six different sites (stream side, inner city, industrial, suburban, roadside, and rural) in Istanbul in 2007. Concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were determined by using ICP-OES. It was found that the average highest values of metal accumulations were detected in unwashed samples. The correlation was significant between metal accumulations and the sites, where the vegetables were grown, in the industrial areas and along the roadsides. The highest and lowest average values in the vegetables varied between 0.24-0.89 μg/g dw for Cd, 3.73-14.04 μg/g dw for Cr, 1.47-5.19 μg/g dw for Cu, 3.13-13.65 μg/g dw for Ni, 29.28-87.00 μg/g dw for Pb, and 3.48-5.74 μg/g dw for Zn. The pattern of total metal contrations in the vegetables followed Pb>Cr>Ni>Zn>Cu>Cd.

Genus Diplotaxis is represented by more than 20 species mainly distributed in the North Mediterranean. Out of these Diplotaxis tenuifolia (wild rocket) is used widely in Italian and French cuisine. It has also been used for medicinal purpose for different illnesses throughout the history. In this study the germination behaviour of the seeds of D. tenuifolia was investigated. The seeds were very sensitive to pH and salinity stress. The seed germination increased under daylight conditions reaching a level of 80 percent but decreased in dark and continuous light. A remarkable increase was recorded (60%) in the germination of seeds subjected to +4°C shock for a week or two before left for germination. Pre-hydration followed by re-drying increased the germination to some extent (28%). These findings reveal that the storage conditions are important for establishing a seed bank of D. tenuifolia, in order to get highest germination.

The authors studied on the steppic vegetation between Karaman and Ermenek in the south part of Central Anatolia. In this study, a new alliance Genisto involucratae-Marmbion micranthi included in the sub order Asperulo phrygiae-Thymenetalia chaubardii of the order Onobrychido armeni-Thymetalia leucostomi were described. Three new associations and one new sub-association were described in the area, two of which and the sub-association were included in the new alliance.

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