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This paper deals with the comparison of the general public perception and the opinion of state forest managers on image of the state forest enterprise. The research was organised during the period 2015-2019. One group of respondents involved all managers of 23 sub-enterprises of state forest enterprise Lesy SR. The other group consisted of 384 respondents representing the general public residing in the Banská Bystrica region. Structured questionnaire with one open and 16 closed questions was applied for data collection with a help of electronic means. Collected data were processed with descriptive (particularly frequency analysis) and two-dimensional statistical methods. The results of the image inquiry aimed at three issues: (i) perceptions of the forest management effectiveness of the state versus non-state forest enterprises, (ii) perception of marketing strategy and its tools of the state forest enterprise, and (iii) comparison between public awareness/experience with public relations activities of the state forest enterprise.

This study assessed both the soil and litter copper (Cu) levels and their relationships with soil microbial activity, in fruit-tree production areas of central Chile where Cu-based pesticides are intensively sprayed. Samples of soil (0-20 cm depth) and litter from a number of selected orchards (kiwi, table grape, plum, and cherry) were collected and analysed for their Cu content and C-induced soil microbial activity. Results showed that the mean total soil Cu level was 225 mg/kg and soluble soil Cu was less than 0.01% of total soil Cu, as expected from pH values of study soils (range of 6.33 to 7.93). However, leaf litter Cu content was 3-7 times higher than in soil (mean of681 mg/kg). Despite the soil and leaf litter Cu concentrations, no effect was observed on the C-induced soil microbial activity. We conclude that leaf litter exerts a protective role, preventing the entry of Cu into the soil and thus soil microbial toxicity.

Nickel (Ni) deficiency limits the production of pecan. Concentrations of mineral nutrients and urease activity in leaflets of young pecan plants cv. Pawnee were evaluated in response to foliar applications of Ni as Ni sulfate or Ni citrate, or as chelates with EDDHA, EDTA, or DTPA. Significant variations were found in N-total concentration with Ni-EDDHA (27.17 ± 0.98 g/kg) and Ni-sulphate (28 ± 0.89 g/kg), where the latter together with Ni-citrate were high in phosphorus concentrations. Levels of Ni²⁺ (3.70 mg/kg), Mn²⁺ (222.73 mg/kg) and Zn²⁺ (38.69 mg/kg) were all increased in leaflets sprayed with Ni-EDDHA but the Mn²⁺ concentrations were similar for leaflets sprayed with Ni-sulphate. The Ni-DTPA spray significantly reduced foliar Fe²⁺ concentration (73.66 ± 3.44 mg/kg). No significant effects of the sprays were observed on the concentrations of total chlorophyll or carotenoids. The plants sprayed with Ni-EDDHA showed significant increases in leaflet area and leaflet dry weight and also in root dry weight. The urease showed maximum activity in leaflets sprayed with Ni-EDDHA, Ni-citrate and Ni-sulphate. This study suggests growers of the pecan should consider foliar sprays of Ni-EDDHA or Ni-sulphate to increase the levels of Ni in their trees if Ni is a growth-limiting factor.

Quick and accurate nondestructive methods of water deficiency detection prior to the appearance of visible symptoms of plant deterioration as well as estimation of photosynthesis parameters are needed to effectively control conditions of plant growth, to manage crop productivity and to implement programs of "smart farming". The aim of our investigation was to analyse spectral characteristics of leaves diffuse reflection as evident in soft spring wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.) of different drought resistance in optimal conditions and under the impact of soil drought; another objective was to determine the reflection indices that could serve as criteria in the phenotyping of genotypes according to their photosynthetic apparatus capacity and the efficiency of light use as well as in the forecasting of genotypes potential productivity and their drought resistance. Wheat plants of 4 drought-resistant and 4 non-resistant cultivars were grown under controlled conditions in the protected ground. In the vessels with simulated soil drought, the moisture content was 30% of total field capacity, while in the control sample it was 80%. Spectral characteristics of radiation reflected from the leaf surface were recorded with the spectrometer HR2000, and then reflection indices were calculated whose value is closely related to the activeness of the photosynthetic apparatus. The experiments conducted showed that in the system of interaction between the soil, the plant and the effective layer of the atmosphere all analysed diffuse reflection indices changed with the emergence of water deficit. The index of photosynthetic apparatus capacity (ChlRI) is less susceptible to short-term soil drought than the indices of the efficiency of light use in the process of photosynthesis (R₈₀₀, photochemical reflection index (PRI_mod) and flavonoid index (FRI_mod)) which change significantly, so that the degree of their change may be a reliable enough indicator of plant stress caused by water deficiency. It is advisable, however, when estimating and comparing the reaction of various plant cultivars, lines and new forms to the developed water deficiency, to include in the array of plants examined those cultivars whose optical properties and the range of their variation resulting from water deficit are known. This will ensure a more reliable ranking of analysed genotypes according to their drought resistance and will enhance the accuracy of the diagnosis.

The concept of the soil phosphorus storage capacity (SPSC) was successfully used to evaluate the phosphorus (P) loss risk and the P retention capacity of acidic soil. This study extended the concept of SPSC from acidic soil to neutral or alkaline soil. A total of 95 surfaces (0-10 cm) soil samples were collected from the Yellow River Delta (YRD) for use in this study. Batch sorption experiments, correlation analysis, stepwise regression, and a split-line model were used to calculate the threshold value of the degree of P saturation (DPS). The SPSC was developed based on the DPS threshold value. Based on a DPS threshold value of 11.5%, we developed the following equation for calculating the SPSC: SPSC = (11.5% - soil DPS) × (0.113 × SOM (soil organic matter) + 1.343 × CaCO₃). In the continuous system in this watershed, from wetland to farmland, the SPSC for vegetable fields (-94.7 ± 79.1 mg/kg) was lowest and that of the restored wetland (76.3 ± 26.1 mg/kg) was the highest. Along the transition zone in the YRD, both the natural soil development and human alternations significantly affected the soil P loss/retention capacity. In terms of P storage, the restored wetlands are the highlands for P retention and the vegetable fields contribute significantly to the P loss in the YRD. As a result, we strongly recommend that the restored wetlands be fully utilised for P retention and that P fertiliser no longer be applied to the vegetable fields to prevent P loss into the watershed.

This study attempts to contribute to the debate on the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on the financial performance (FP), image and reputation (IR) of agri-food firms, examining whether the legal form of organization (LFO) (cooperatives vs. capital firms) moderates these relationships. To this aim, we also consider the potential effects of two scarcely investigated factors that can determine firms' CSR orientation, that is, the capacity to absorb CSR-related knowledge and the perception that managers have of ethics and social responsibility. Using data from a sample of 107 trading firms in the agri-food sector in Almeria (Spain), we show that both factors play a decisive role in the firms' CSR orientation, which has been measured as a multidimensional construct. Also, the orientation towards socially and environmentally responsible practices positively affect IR of agri-food firms and their FP. The relationship with the FP is stronger in the case of cooperatives compared to capital firms. Key implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed.

In this paper, we used several elaborate return-to-risk methods to investigate the risk-adjusted performances of five soft commodities. Regarding only the level of risk, we found that cocoa had the highest risk of losses, followed by orange juice. Cotton and coffee had the lowest risk of losses. However, according to the return-to-risk output, cotton was the worst asset in which to invest because it had negative average returns. In contradistinction, sugar had a relatively high risk of losses but also the highest average returns, which put it in the first place according to the Sharpe, Sortino and modified Sharpe ratios. Although orange juice had the second-worst downside risk performance, it came in second place according to the return-to-risk ratio because it had relatively high average returns.

The aim of this study was to revisit the relationship between productivity and performance by using the panel data model on Taiwanese food listed firms during 2008-2020. The result found that there is a U-shaped relationship between productivity and performance. On the contrary, research and development (R&D) innovation and performance have an inverse U-shaped relationship, reminding that when the food listed firms have a specific R&D innovation base, they should invest more powerful resources, professional productivity, and innovate the food listed firms.

Due to its specificity, animal production depends to a lesser extent than plant production on agrometeorological conditions. Interdependence between the prices of animal products and climatic conditions manifests itself primarily through the fodder markets, which determine the profitability of animal breeding and keeping. The process of economic integration should contribute to a decline in price differentiation between European Union (EU) countries. In the case of the pig market, however, it is necessary to bear in mind the pig cycle, which particularly affects the supply of livestock and their prices. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) currently implemented is not adapted to the turbulent global challenges and, underlining the lack of tools adequate to the increasingly frequent and stronger price fluctuations in agricultural markets, consider it necessary to quickly implement a new strategic reformatting of the EU agricultural policy. This study aims to examine the stochastic convergence between prices on the pig market in the EU countries. The research was conducted using, among others, the augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test and the Johansen test. The monthly data from January 2008 (2008M1) to December 2019 (2019M12) were used in this study (Eurostat, Statistical Yearbook of Agriculture). The conducted research indicates the existence of convergence paths between some countries and the group of EU-15 countries.

The use of wood in outdoor conditions is of great importance for the service life of wood, and the process of thermal modification (TM) directly affects the effective value of wood products. This paper presents theoretical and experimental studies of the parameters influencing TM of wood on the changes of its physical and mechanical properties. Experimental studies were performed on thermally modified wood samples for different values of the influential parameters of thermal modification: T (°C), t (h) and ρ (g.cm^-3), while the tensile strength was obtained as the output parameter. The obtained experimental data were stochastically modelled and compared with the model obtained by genetic programming. The optimization of processing parameters was performed by classical mathematical analysis and compared with the results obtained by optimization with genetic algorithm. The results of the optimal design parameters obtained by different approaches to optimization were compared and based on that the analysis of the characteristics of the presented techniques was conducted.

The article proposes new technological techniques for clear cutting in swampy areas using standing skylines, new construction of yarder and the technology of its operation. As a result of the research on using the Larix 3T-500 cable yarder in winter and summer, the operational negative peculiarities of tower yarder in waterlogged forests were identified. Analysing data on experimental comparative time studies, some measures to reduce the negative effect of the identified features on yarding, felling, lateral yarding were worked out. General recommendations for work performance in swampy logging areas were developed. Based on the initial data for each bundle (yarding distance, lateral yarding distance, average volume of the bundle, etc.) the calculation in the MathCad program was performed and a regression dependence of the yarder performance was obtained. Obtained numerical data on comparative time studies of the working cycle operations were summarized in bar charts, taking into account the loss of time on operations.

In this research, the time consumption of a CF Moto Gladiator 800 all-terrain vehicle (ATV) with a Vahva Jussi 1500/320 log trailer was researched by the timber forwarding in the forests of the Eagle Mountains in the Czech Republic. The study was conducted in an area with a minimal slope, the terrain was full of obstacles, the average forwarding distance was 480 m, while the random harvesting of trees affected by bark beetle was carried out in the forest. A total of 81 forwarding cycles were measured. The elemental time study method and stepwise regression analysis were applied to develop the forwarding time prediction model. In the study, it was found that the total forwarding cycle time is mostly influenced by the forwarding distance and the number of logs loaded. The total average time per forwarding cycle was 22.53 min, of which an average of 40% was transport time and 60% was time for loading and unloading of logs. An average of 1.43 m³ of timber was forwarded per forwarding cycle. Therefore, the estimated productivity of the ATV forwarder was 3.89 m³.h^-1.

Although herbicides are used for weed control in the field, their residues can have unfavourable environmental impacts. The objective was to determine the sulfosulfuron herbicide residues in wheat field soil using bioassay and laboratory (HPLC) methods. The two-year experiment was a randomised complete-block design (RCBD) with three replicates using herbicide at control, recommended (26.6 g/ha, D1) and doubled (53.2 g/ha, D2) rates. Soil samples (0-10 cm) were collected randomly at intervals ranging from 0 to 125 days after spraying. Greenhouse experiments (bioassay method) with eight plant species indicated garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.) and corn (Zea mays L.) as the most and the least sensitive ones, respectively. The herbicide residues were stable at D1 up to 90 days after herbicide use, at 1.41 and 0.52 μg/kg in 2019 and 2020, respectively. However, 125 days after herbicide use no residues were observed. With time and for both treatments, soil herbicide residues decreased or the percentage of herbicide loss increased. The sensitivity of HPLC method to detect the herbicide residues was less than the bioassay method. The three-parameter sigmoid equation indicated the mean of DT₅₀ for D1, averaged for the two years it was 19 days.

As for human resources, the period before the COVID-19 pandemic can be characterized as relatively stable with a low unemployment rate, while stereotyping in the employment of different age groups subsided. With the arrival of COVID-19, organizations have begun to lay off employees 50+, the employee turnover has increased, the demands of employees and organizations have changed, and the scissors in the number of wages and salaries for both sexes and most positions are widening. Against the background of this recent research, the main objective of our study is to identify access of organizations to implementation of age management (precisely measures supporting employees' cooperation and knowledge transfer). Data were obtained using standardized (n = 183) and qualitative research (n = 5) implemented in the second half of 2020 in agricultural and forestry Czech organizations and were evaluated using multidimensional and descriptive statistics. The results have shown that leaders in Czech organizations, due to financial problems of organizations, employee illness, insufficiently skilled workforce, have begun to take unsystematic steps leading to the destabilization of teams, the demotivation of employees. They have stopped paying attention to sustainable human resource management (SHRM), which is necessary for sustainable business. The factors identified using a factor analysis include the group of organizations according to their behavior similarity when organizations primarily focus on HR marketing, the stabilization of the internal environment or performance management, and the acquisition of qualified employees. The results of this study are limited to the researched sample of Czech companies.

Based on the measurements of the biomass of the stems of 3 699 trees of Scots pine, Norway spruce, and silver birch in Europe since 1950, it has been shown that these tree species show a reduction in biomass and wood density. These results contradict the fact that the volume of wood is directly converted to biomass using the historical values of the conversion rates. From 1950 to 2020 the biomass of 1 m3 of the stem with bark decreased on average by 80 kg (-17%) for Scots pine, by 105 kg (-22%) for Norway spruce and by 92 kg (-15%) for silver birch. The results obtained should be taken into account when assessing the technical properties of wood and estimating carbon sequestration by forest biomass. Since decreasing trends in stem biomass have been identified for several tree species, the phenomenon may have a large degree of generality. Such studies should be continued both at the regional and national level and at the global level.

Agroforestry is recognized as one of the strategies for climate change mitigation and adaptation under the Kyoto protocol. The system has been practiced in Ethiopia for a while by smallholder farmers by incorporating crops with trees providing extensive socio-economic and environmental benefits. This unaccounted benefit of the system needs further and specific study. Thus, this study aimed to examine the resilience of three (homegardens, woodlots, and parkland) traditional agroforestry systems (TAFS) on the basis of biomass carbon accumulation and socio-economic characteristics in Silite district, Southern Ethiopia. Systematic random sampling was employed to collect social and biological data. Height and diameter at breast height (DBH) were measured to determine the biomass carbon stock and a questionnaire was performed for the socio-economic data. The mean differences across the system were analyzed using a post hoc test. Socioeconomic data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the chi-square test. Climate change awareness was perceived almost by half of the respondents, thus the contribution of TAFS to climate change adaptation and mitigation was revealed socio-economically and ecologically. Carbon stock and socio-economic benefits gained from agroforestry systems consist in a great sink of carbon and food security.

The main objective of this study was to assess the growth of the established Paulownia cotevisa plantation during an extended time period and compare it with values reviewed in the literature. Seven years after planting, mean diameter at breast height and height of the aboveground part of P. cotevisa 2^® (P. cotevisa) plantation were similar to values reported in the literature and they reached 21.5 cm and 11.2 m, respectively. Besides the crown damage caused by wind, development of the P. cotevisa plantation established in the Danubian Lowland was not affected by any other harmful environmental factor or biological pest. The results suggest that P. cotevisa could be used to a larger extent in diversification of biomass production on abandoned arable lands of the Danubian Lowland.

This article deals with the implementation of innovations and quality improvements into operations of mainly small and medium-sized enterprises and family farms in the Czech Republic. The aim is to improve the competitiveness of production in internal, European, and global markets, as well as in the context of optimising the settings and recommendations for new subsidies within the Common Agricultural Policy for the forthcoming programming period. The dependence of the use of various forms of innovation in relation to financial crises was investigated, as well as the general (proactive vs. reactive) attitude to innovation, and also mutual operation with Local Action Groups (LAGs) as another source of support. Due to the structure of the obtained data, a general linear model (GLM) was used for the evaluation. Using the methods of advanced statistical testing, the two most important aspects of the implementation of innovations in agriculture enterprises were identified from the obtained data. These two key aspects are: cooperation with the LAG and the use of consultants for processing project applications. Thus, other factors, the size of the farm, the existence of financial problems and the length of farming are not statistically significant. This contribution is intended to help public administration bodies that have a power to set the support conditions for the Rural Development Programme.

We introduced here the first loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the identification of honey fungus, Armillaria ostoyae, a basidiomycote playing an important role in spruce declines in the Palaearctic region. In total, 101 isolates, representing three Armillaria species, were used to develop a new LAMP assay to determine species specific identification. We have here described LAMP primers enhanced with fluorescent dye that are able to amplify A. ostoyae DNA and detect fungi in a fast single step reaction. The detection limit of LAMP was 1 pg of genomic DNA per reaction. We optimized a new LAMP assay for the rapid detection of A. ostoyae using the translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1) marker and fluorescence labelled oligonucleotide assimilating probe. The LAMP assay does not require any specialized equipment, hence it can be used in the field for the rapid detection of A. ostoyae even using the portable and mobile device. The specificity of the assay was confirmed by the use of A. ostoyae strains and Armillaria cepistipes and Armillaria gallica strains, respectively. In conclusion, the assay could be a rapid, specific, sensitive and low-cost tool for identification of A. ostoyae as well as the first step for expansion of this method in practical applications.

Pasta is very popular among different groups of the population, being a healthy and cheap product. Therefore, pasta is a promising object for its enrichment with functional ingredients. The paper examined the possibility and feasibility of using red bell pepper powder (BPP) and parsley leaf powder (PLP) in order to enhance the pasta biological value. Recipes of spaghetti pasta production with the addition of red BPP and PLP were developed. The effect of powders from red bell pepper and parsley leaf incorporation on the physicochemical and culinary properties of pasta was studied. The enrichment of pasta induced a decrease in optimal cooking time, swelling index (SI) and water absorption index (WAI). The addition of plant powders decreased the lightness of pasta significantly (P < 0.05) compared to the control sample. On the other hand, the addition of vegetable powders has a positive influence on the total polyphenol content (TPC) and antioxidant activity of pasta. In enriched pasta, the polyphenol content has doubled (pasta with 10.0% BPP) or even tripled (pasta with 10.0% PLP). The received scores from the sensory evaluation showed that pasta fortified with PLP and red BPP can be a technological alternative to provide nutritionally enriched pasta.

The stability of three frying oils (rapeseed, sunflower, and rice) and their effect on the nutritional value of deep-fried fish fingers (FF) and potato croquettes (PC) was evaluated, considering the nutritional importance of reducing the amount of oil absorbed by fried foods. Ten frying cycles were performed for each food to mimic the repeated frying conditions. Dry matter content of fried foods was determined gravimetrically; fat extraction was performed using a Soxhlet apparatus. Oil stability changes were evaluated using the Schaal test; colour changes were monitored spectrophotometrically. Repeated frying had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on the fat content of the tested foods but influenced the dry matter content of PC. The highest and lowest oxidative stabilities during repeated frying were observed for rice and sunflower oil, respectively. During the frying of FF, all oils tended to darken after each frying, which was not observed for PC. The intake of fat owing to the consumption of one portion of the fried FF (150 g) or PC (200 g) approximately equals 9 g and 5 g, respectively. This demonstrates that fried foods themselves (not only the oil soaked) could be a considerable source of fat.

Casein beta (CSN2) is the most explored gene in cattle due to its potential impact on human health. Here, we investigated the entire coding sequence of CSN2 gene except the last two codons for detection of polymorphisms in different cattle populations of Bangladesh as well as genotyping of A1 and A2 allelic variants using a newly developed allele specific polymerase chain reaction (AS-PCR) based the genotyping protocol. Five primer pairs were used to amplify the coding sequences of CSN2 gene. This study included a total of 258 DNA samples from six Bangladeshi zebu populations and one Holstein Friesian (HF) derived crossbred cattle population. Sequence analysis detected five nonsynonymous mutations in the coding sequence of CSN2 gene that defined five allelic variants as A1, A2, B, F and I. In addition, substitution of GTA (Val) by GCA (Ala) at position 197 resulted in an undefined allele in the zebu cattle population of Bangladesh that has not yet been reported elsewhere. Like other Bos indicus cattle populations, A2 allele is predominant in the studied zebu populations. The mean frequencies of A1A1, A1A2 and A2A2 genotypes were 0.02, 0.16 and 0.82, respectively, in zebu cattle populations while the corresponding allele frequencies were A1 (0.10) and A2 (0.90). In opposite, the aforesaid genotype frequencies were 0.14 (A1A1), 0.50 (A1A2) and 0.36 (A2A2) in the HF crossbred population with allele frequencies of 0.39 (A1) and 0.61 (A2). The adopted AS-PCR method was found cost-effective, rapid and had high specificity for genotyping of A1 and A2 allelic variants. Altogether, this study provides information for the selection of desired zebu and crossbred individuals in order to produce premium quality milk as well as to design a breeding plan in the crossbreeding program.

The effects of dietary supplementation with moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.) and mulberry (Morus nigra L.) leaf powder on the clutch trait, reproductive organs, follicles, steroid hormones, and gene expressions of laying chickens were investigated during a 42-day experiment. Two hundred and ten Chinese local strain hens aged 37 weeks were randomly allocated to three groups, each group included five replicates, with 14 hens per replicate. The hens in the control group were fed with the basal diet, whereas those in the test groups were fed with a basal diet supplemented with 2.5% moringa leaf powder and 2.5% mulberry leaf powder (MOLP2.5+MLP2.5), 5% MOLP and 2.5% MLP (MOLP5+MLP2.5). The clutch traits (clutches, clutch length, delay days) were recorded during the trial. At the end of the experiment, the effect of the dietary supplementation with MOLP and MLP on the reproductive organs and tissues was estimated, and the gene expressions of ESR1, ESR2, CYP19A1 and STAR were analysed. Compared with the control group, the clutch performed worse in the treatment groups, however, the laying rate, reproductive organs and tissues in the MOLP2.5+MLP2.5 group showed no significant difference. Though the oestrogen levels did not significantly increase, they were elevated in the MOLP2.5+MLP2.5 group. Furthermore, it was identified that the expression levels of the ESR1 and CYP19A1 mRNA were significantly upregulated in the MOLP2.5+MLP2.5 group compared with those in the control group. In conclusion, a low addition level of MOLP and MLP can be used in laying hens to improve the steroid hormones synthesis-related gene expression which might improve the reproductive performance over the long term.

Indonesia's current potato cultivation areas are mainly in the highlands (1 000 m above sea level - a.s.l.). However, there are obstacles to potato cultivation in the highlands, including erosion, declining land productivity, limited area, and high production costs (i.e. labour wages, fertilisers, and pesticides). This study was aimed at analysing the effects of both an ethanol application and moderate altitudes on the potato production and quality. This study was conducted at the Horticulture Seed Station in the Ulu Ere subdistrict, Bantaeng Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. A split randomised plot design with two factors was used. The main plots were set at two elevation levels: 500 and 700 m a.s.l. The split plots were subjected to the addition of four ethanol concentration levels: 0, 10, 20, and 30%. The results showed that the ethanol application did not significantly affect the potato growth at the moderate elevation, except for the tuber diameter. Moreover, the 20% ethanol concentration produced better results than the 0% ethanol concentration. The application of 10% ethanol at an altitude of 700 m a.s.l. and 30% ethanol at an altitude of 500 m a.s.l. resulted in the best growth and yield among the studied treatments.

Arundo donax L. is an energy crop with the potential use as a renewable fuel. This study focused on the drying process of the canes in field and laboratory conditions to determine the effect of the harvest conditioning on the kinetics parameters of whole and slashed canes. The lab drying test was conducted in a thin layer dryer at temperatures between 30 and 80 °C and a 0.5 m.s^-1 air velocity. The whole and slashed canes showed faster water evaporation rates as the temperature increased, but the slashed canes achieved a lower final moisture content in a shorter time. The effective diffusion coefficient varied between 3.67 × 10^-12 and 1.28 × 10^-11 m².s^-1 and showed a significant effect of the temperature, but not between samples; its temperature dependence was determined by the Arrhenius equation giving activation energies of 24.4 and 20.2 kJ.mol^-1 for the whole and slashed canes respectively, not significantly different. The modelling of the experimental drying data to six thin layer drying models achieved good performance (R² > 95.9%), although the Logarithmic model showed the best fit for both samples (R² > 99.4%). In addition, a temperature dependent equation for the drying constant was included in the Logarithmic model for the whole and slashed canes which predicted with good performance (R² > 97%) the moisture loss. The developed tools constitute an adequate model for the simulation of the drying process of Arundo donax L. that could be useful for the design of various equipment and systems.

Tamil Nadu ranks high in groundnut production in India. The yield prediction of the crop over Tamil Nadu will be highly useful in improving the efficiency of the production. This article aims to identify an efficient machine learning model to predict the groundnut crop yield and analyse the performance of the tested models. The study used the irrigation, rainfall, area and production data as factors for the groundnut crop yield across the districts of Tamil Nadu. This article identified the best set of features for training the models and studied various prediction models to evaluate the performance on the collected data. The trained and tested data were evaluated using various performance measures. The results of the study show that LASSO and ElasticNet provide the optimal results with the lowest RMSE and RRMSE values of 491.603 and 490.931 kg.ha^-1, 20.68 and 20.66%, respectively. The models showed the lowest MAE and RMAE values as well (333.154 and 331.827 kg.ha^-1 and 14.53%, 14.51%, respectively) when compared to other models. The identification of the right time to sow and area to irrigate through feature selection and the prediction of the yield will improve the yield of the groundnut crops. This helps farmers to make practical decisions and reap the benefits.

Currently, several, more or less, suitable means for detecting, identifying and monitoring the position of housed animals exist. However, these means suffer from various limitations, which could be eliminated with regard to the current technical and technological possibilities. One possible solution could be the use of some wireless technologies from the Internet of Things (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, etc.). The uninterrupted supervision of individual housed animals would bring important information about the daily routine of individuals and then, based on the deviations from this daily routine, the opportunity to derive their physical and mental state from these deviations would be potentially possible. This article presents a proof of concept of a low-cost monitoring system of the movement of housed animals. The proposed system is able to detect the client's (prototype's) position in the space by means of Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 standard) and received signal strength indication (RSSI) technologies. A fingerprint method and a triangulation method of analysing the space are used to calculate the position in space with a resulting accuracy within metres of the real position.

The soybean (Glycine max) is used as one of the main protein sources in various animal fodders. However, the presence of anti-nutrients significantly reduces the nutritional value of the bean. To solve this problem, the present work is devoted to the inactivation of the anti-nutrients in soybeans by the use of micronisation as a means of thermal treatment. The purpose of the work is to improve the process of soybean micronisation by determining the impact of the process parameters on the soybean's quality and energy performance, namely - the urease activity and specific energy consumption. A multifactor experiment was carried out using an experimental device for the heat treatment of the beans. The influence of the temperature and time of the heat treatment on the level of inactivation of anti-nutrients and the specific energy consumption for beans with different sizes were established. The modes of heat treatment which allow the inactivation of the anti-nutrients in the soybeans to admissible standard values were also defined. The obtained and studied functional dependencies of the quality and energy indices on the technological factors of the soybean micronisation allow one to improve this process and technical means for its implementation in reducing the anti-nutrient content.

This review contains 208 citation items from 31 countries in total. The highest number of citations come from Spain (34) then from the USA (23), Italy (18) and China (16). Only one citation comes from Denmark, Georgia, Macedonia, and New Zealand. They are all included into 16 topics arranged in alphabetical order. The results or conclusions of each study are briefly described and arranged according to the year of the publication and alphabetical order of the authors. The most important topic was the physiological research containing 40 citations and then the evaluation of cultivars containing 33 citations. From the years of the review, the most important was 2017 with 122 items, whereas the least prolific year was 2015 containing only 35 items.

Breeding efforts within the Eucomis genus has resulted in the global availability of attractive cultivars with decorative leaves and inflorescences. A cultivar that is particularly valuable and attractive, but rarely cultivated due to its low propagation rate is 'Sparkling Burgundy'. In our research, we considered it advisable to check the possibility of intensifying the reproduction of the investigated cultivar by means of leaf cuttings. This study, conducted in the years 2016-2018, involved leaf cuttings collected from plants growing in an unheated polytunnel. The cuttings were soaked, watered or sprayed with 0.4% chitosan with a molecular weight of 7 000 or 10 000 g/mol. The control plants were not treated with chitosan. During the rooting period that followed, the cuttings were assessed for their chlorophyll a fluorescence and the intensity of their greenness, and for their root growth and bulb yield after five months. Chitosan applied during rooting improved some chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and the greenness index of the cuttings. Moreover, the compound with a molecular weight of 7 000 g/mol more efficiently increased the number and length of the roots and the number and weight of the adventitious bulbs than that with a molecular weight of 10 000 g/mol. Soaking the cuttings prior to rooting was more effective in terms of the number, length and weight of the produced roots and the number, diameter and weight of the daughter bulbs than watering or spraying.