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A reduction in the water available to plants will lend increasing importance to the dynamics of water uptake and to the water use efficiency (WUE) of cereals. The effect of drought on the water use efficiency of winter cereals was investigated in a greenhouse experiment in the Centre for Agricultural Research. The effect of water deficiency on the water use properties was studied by measuring changes in the grain weight, thousand-kernel weight and aboveground biomass. The water use efficiency of wheat varieties generally ranged from 1.5-2.3 kg/m³ and 1.06-2.0 kg/m³ in the case of optimum and limited water supplies, respectively, while these figures were 1.4 kg/m³ and 0.8 kg/m³ for winter barley and 0.8 kg/m³ and 0.5 kg/m³ for winter oat. Investigation on the relationship between harvest index (HI) and WUE was found that the harvest index is only one indicator of drought tolerance; but the stability of HI under non-optimum environmental conditions also needs to be determined.

The aim of the study was to collect seeds of wild oat from the fields where, in spite of the applied herbicides, the weed is very poorly controlled, and to determine under greenhouse conditions if any resistant biotypes are present. In the years 2008-2011, 34 samples of wild oat were collected from fields where the weed was poorly controlled. The biotypes were analyzed in greenhouse experiments to determine if they are resistant to herbicides. Among five resistant biotypes three of them (R3, R4 and R5) were resistant only to iodosulfuron and mesosulfuron, and biotype R2 - only to propoxycarbazone-sodium. Biotype R1 exhibited multiple resistance to iodosulfuron + mesosulfuron and pinoxaden. The use of sulfometuron proves that the mechanism of resistance of two biotypes of wild oat (R1 and R4) to acetolactate synthase inhibitors is associated with target-site mutation. The curve of biotypes R3 and R5 controlled with iodosulfuron + mesosulfuron shows a relatively low resistance index and control of those biotypes with sulfometuron indicates a metabolic resistance.

Information provided in the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) portal database of the European Commission on "crustaceans and products thereof" for Bangladesh during 2000-2012 was investigated to analyse the trends of occurrences. A total of 159 (10.56%) notifications (alert - 40; border rejection - 47; information - 72) were recorded for Bangladesh against a worldwide 1505 notifications. During the period 120 (20.27%) notifications were identified for residue of veterinary medicinal products against 592 notifications recorded in the portal. Forty-eight consignments were re-despatched to Bangladesh while 11 consignments were destroyed at the European border as a consequence of the notifications by the European countries.

Birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) is a perennial species that is known for its outstanding characters as a crucial component of meadow and pasture vegetation and a highly successful fodder crop. However, its cultivation has been limited by the inability to control pod shattering. The anatomic and physiological bases of pod shattering are known and are considered to be controlled by more than one gene. This paper reviews the known causes of pod shattering and potential ways of overcoming pod indehiscence in L. corniculatus. Genetic transformation is possible in the genus Lotus; however, the useful genes determining the seed pod indehiscent character have not been identified yet. The only way of introducing pod indehiscence characters into L. corniculatus is by interspecific hybridization within the genus Lotus; embryo rescue and protoplast cultures are promising. To determine useful genotypes for crosses, investigations of pre- and post-fertilization barriers are necessary. To that end, we present here a convenient procedure for a whole-mount clearing treatment of immature seeds that leaves the cell walls of tissues intact. This is a useful technique for the study of post-fertilization barriers in Lotus.

Fourteen clonal apple rootstocks (M.9, M.26, M.27, MM.106, J-TE-E, J-TE-F, J-TE-G, J-TE-H, J-OH-A, Jork 9, Pajam 1, Pajam 2, Burgmer M.9-751, and Burgmer M.9-984) were tested in two experimental orchards established in the Research and Breeding Institute of Pomology Holovousy using scion cultivars Golden Delicious, Melrose, Jonagold, Rubin, and Florina. Following characteristics were recorded: yield, trunk circumference, suckering. Rootstocks Jork 9, Pajam 1, Pajam 2, M.9-751, and M.9-984 produced better results than original rootstock M.9. Clone J-TE-E favourably affected fruit-bearing of the Rubin cultivar. The growth vigour of trees grafted on Pajam 2, M.9-751, and M.9-984 was somewhat larger than those on M.9. Rootstock J-TE-H was semi-vigorous and grafted trees had low yield efficiency. Clone Pajam 1 had the similar growth vigour as M.9. Trees on Jork 9 grew significantly weakly in comparison with M.9. The rootstocks J-OH-A and J-TE-F produced a lot of suckers. The following rootstocks were recommended for growing in commercial plantations: Jork 9, Pajam 1, Pajam 2, M.9-751, and M.9-984.

In this study, the pathological lesions and occurrence of subclinical Johne's disease in Awassi sheep is investigated using histopathological (HP) and immunohistochemical (IHC) examinations, Acid Fast Staining (AFS) of tissue sections, direct smears from tissues and culture. Histopathological examination of 202 ilea and the corresponding mesenteric lymph nodes (179) was conducted. In addition, IHC examination, using rabbit polyclonal antiserum, of 134 ilea and 123 mesenteric lymph nodes was also conducted. The occurrence of the disease was observed in 50% and 93% of the ilea examined using histopathology and IHC techniques, respectively. Fifty nine percent of lymph nodes were positive by IHC. The histopathological lesions were graded from І-IV, I being the least severe, based on the type of cellular infiltrate (lymphocytes, macrophages and epithelioid cells) and the severity of the lesions. Grades III and IV (SP) were considered positive while I and II were considered suspected. Analysis of the results also revealed that the majority of suspected cases (grades I and II) reacted positive with the IHC. Furthermore, the IHC reactions were classified into three categories depending on the number of stained cells and the intensity of the staining (I-mild, II-moderate and III-strong). Direct smears, and tissue sections obtained from the ilea and stained with AFS revealed that out of 202 tissue samples, 53 (26%) and 22 (11%) were positive, respectively. Results of the culture revealed that 22 (11%) out of 202 were positive. These results showed that the occurrence of paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) in Awassi sheep is very high in Jordan and needs further study in order to develop rational methods of control effective for the Jordanian sheep population.

Agrimonia eupatoria, Betonica officinalis, Hypericum perforatum, Plantago media, Salvia pratensis and S. verticillata were selected as subjects for a research project studying the genetic diversity of wild medicinal plants in the Czech Republic. Some plants (both in the vegetative form and as seeds) from 26 localities at 5 protected landscape areas around the Czech Republic were transferred to the field nursery in Olomouc; there the contents of the active compounds (essential oil, tannins, hypericin and hyperforin, mucus) were evaluated. The large number of results provides a good opportunity to evaluate the quality of natural medicinal plants for pharmaceutical purposes; with regard to its origin, and to selecting starting materials for both breeding and the production of drugs.

The objective of this research was to examine heritabilities and genetic, phenotypic and permanent environmental relationships between milk dry matter (DM) and milk traits such as milk, fat, protein and lactose yields, milk urea nitrogen (MUN) and somatic cell score (SCS) in extended (to 395 days) lactations of Holstein cows from a big farm in Poland. The data set consisted of 78 059 test day records from the first, second and third lactations of 3 792 cows, daughters of 210 sires and 1 677 dams. Single- or two-trait random regression models were used with fixed effects of calving year, calving month, dry period and calving interval and random additive genetic and permanent environmental effects. The last two fixed effects were not included in the analysis of first lactation data. The highest values of heritabilities for all traits, except DM, were observed in the second lactation. First lactation heritabilities for all traits - except milk yield and SCS - were smaller than those in the third lactation. Lactose yield was highly heritable, with average h² equal to 0.25, 0.29 and 0.28 in lactations 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Heritability for DM was slightly lower than that for lactose (0.22, 0.26 and 0.28 for lactations 1, 2 and 3, respectively). In all lactations heritabilities for SCS were below 0.1. Genetic correlations between DM and milk yield (0.64-0.74) were lower than those between MUN and milk yield (0.67-0.79) as well as between lactose and milk yield (0.72-0.82). In general, DM was much more closely correlated with fat or protein yield (0.55-0.79) than with MUN or lactose (0.38-0.76). Only in the third lactation the correlation between DM and protein (0.72) was lower than between lactose and protein (0.76). For all lactations there were very high genetic correlations between DM and lactose (0.96-0.98) and high correlations between DM and MUN (0.63-0.83) and between lactose and MUN (0.70-0.85). The results suggest that further research is needed, focused on DM and its relationship with other traits in larger populations.

Tomato yellow leaf curl disease (TYLCD) is one of the most devastating plant diseases in the world. As a result of its continuing rapid spread, it now afflicts more than 30 tomato growing countries in the Mediterranean basin, southern Asia, Africa, and South, Central and North America. The disease is caused by a group of viral species of the genus Begomovirus, family Geminiviridae (geminiviruses), referred to as Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV). These are transmitted by an insect vector, the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, classified in the family Aleyrodidae. The genome of TYLCV generally consists of a single circular single-stranded (ss) DNA molecule, with only one exception in which two components were identified. It encodes six open reading frames, only one of which codes for the coat protein (CP) that represents a building block of the viral particle. TYLCV, like all other members of the Geminiviridae, has geminate particles, apparently consisting of two incomplete T = 1 icosahedra joined together to produce a structure with 22 pentameric capsomers and 110 identical CP subunits. Close to 50 years of intensive research into TYLCV epidemics has been conducted to find solutions to the severe problem caused by this virus. To date, breeding for resistance appears to be the best approach to controlling this disease, although only partially resistant varieties are commercially available. Since the virus consists of a ssDNA that replicates in the host-cell nucleus, the molecular mechanisms involved in its nuclear import have been the focus of our studies in recent years and results, as well as prospects, are discussed in this review. In addition, we describe our recent finding of a suppressor of gene silencing encoded by one of the TYLCV-Isr genes. This paper provides an overview of the most outstanding achievements in TYLCV research that may lead to more effective control strategies.

Basmati rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars viz. PRH-10 (pusa rice hybrid-10) and PS-2 (Pusa Sugandh-2) were grown under two different day/night temperatures (31/24°C, 35/28°C) at ambient (370 μmol/mol) and elevated (550 μmol/mol) carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration, respectively, to characterize how an increase in CO₂ and temperature affects rice photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism. At elevated CO₂, the photosynthetic rates increased under both the temperature regimes, compared with plants grown at ambient CO₂. The photosynthetic rate, sucrose-P synthase (SPS) activity and accumulation of soluble sugars and starch were higher in PRH-10 (pusa rice hybrid-10), compared to PS-2 (Pusa Sugandh-2). Elevated temperature decreased the photosynthetic rates both under ambient and elevated CO₂ conditions. The SPS (sucrose-P synthase) activity and the accumulation of soluble sugars and starch were enhanced at elevated CO₂ under both temperature regimes compared with plants grown at ambient CO₂. The up-regulation of SPS (sucrose-P synthase) under elevated CO₂ and temperature would be beneficial for growth and productivity of rice plants for the future climatic conditions.

The aim of this study was to continuously monitor ruminal pH and redox potential of individual dry cows using a newly developed wireless device. Three dry Holstein cows fitted with rumen cannulas were used for the individual measurement of ruminal pH and redox potential (Eh) using a newly developed wireless device. The experiment was carried out in the period of 14 days consisting of a 10-day preliminary period followed by a 4-day measurement period. Cows were fed twice daily the diet based on maize silage, lucerne hay and concentrate. During the measurement period ruminal pH and redox potential were monitored continuously using a developed wireless probe. Average daily feed intake throughout the experiment was 8.2 kg/day. The mean ruminal pH was almost identical in Cows 21 and 25, being 6.79 and 6.75, respectively, and was lower than in Cow 26 (6.86; P < 0.05). The mean Eh of the ruminal fluid was -274 mV in Cow 21 and 26 and -270 mV in Cow 25, while the results did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). The diurnal pattern of ruminal pH and Eh showed a similar trend in all animals. Mean values of rH (Clark's exponent) calculated for Cows 21 and 25 being 4.43 and 4.48, respectively, were lower than the value calculated for Cow 26 (4.59; P < 0.05). This method may be useful for investigating factors affecting the dynamics of ruminal fermentation and may also help in the identification of variables associated with various metabolic disorders.

Colic was treated surgically in 576 horses (545 individuals). Twenty-seven horses were subjected to surgery twice and two horses three times during the period of this study. A total of 371 horses (64.4%) were discharged from the hospital, 205 animals (35.6%) died or were euthanised; 16 of them died during anaesthesia, 102 horses were subjected to euthanasia during surgery, 24 patients did not recover from anaesthesia after surgery completion, and 63 horses did not survive the postoperative period. Ileus of the small intestine was diagnosed in 267 cases (46.4%), affection of the large colon in 239 cases (41.5%), lesion of the small colon in 22 cases (3.8%), lesion of the caecum in 19 cases (3.3%), and affection of stomach and rectum in four and one cases, respectively. In 14 animals (2.4%), lesions were located at two different sites of the gastrointestinal tract. In four horses, the cause of colic was located outside the gastrointestinal tract. Three animals were affected by diffuse peritonitis. No gastrointestinal lesion could be identified during surgery in three horses with recurrent colic. The most common causes of small intestine ileus included incarceration in inguinal hernia (50 of 267 horses, 18.7%), hernia of the omental foramen (31 of 267 horses, 11.6%), anterior enteritis (19 of 267 horses, 7.1%), mesenterial volvulus (18 of 267 horses, 6.7%), and ileal impaction (18 of 267 horses, 6.7%). The most common caecal disorder was acute constipation/dysfunction (5 of 19 horses, 26.3%). Frequent causes of the large colon colic were torsion (63 of 239 horses, 26.4%), left dorsal displacement (36 of 239 horses, 15.1%), and right dorsal displacement (23 of 239 horses, 9.6%). The small colon was most often affected by focal obstruction/constipation (9 out of 22 horses, 40.9%). Surgical treatment of colic of the small intestine, caecum, large colon, and small colon was successful in 59.6%, 36.8%, 73.3%, and 63.6% of the cases, respectively.

The survival and infectivity of infective juveniles of the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema feltiae (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae) were determined after being exposed to 8 insecticides (a.i. kinoprene, lufenuron, methomyl, metoxyfenozide, oxamyl, piperonyl-butoxide, pyriproxyfen, tebufenozide), 7 acaricides (a.i. azocyclotin, clofentezin, diafenthiuron, etoxazole, fenbutatinoxide, fenpyroximate, tebufenpyrad) and 4 fungicides (a.i. captan, fenhexamid, kresoxim-methyl, nuarimol) under laboratory conditions. S. feltiae was tolerant to all tested insecticides and fungicides, mortality during 72 hours varied from 2.26% to 18.68 % and from 7.04% to 8.86%, respectively. Acaricides with a.i. fenpyroximate and tebufenpyrad considerably influenced the S. feltiae ability to infect larvae of Tenebrio molitor. Tebufenpyrad caused 95% and fenpyroximate 85% reduction in S. feltiae virulence. These results suggest that S. feltiae can be applied in combination with all tested pesticides except the acaricides with a.i. tebufenpyrad and fenpyroximate.

The study was undertaken to identify the responses of antioxidant enzyme activities and their isozyme patterns in seedlings of 10 oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) cultivars under drought stress conditions. Plants were grown under three irrigation regimes (FC; field capacity, 60% FC and 30% FC) in a greenhouse. Drought stress preferentially enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and guaiacol peroxidase (POD) whereas it decreased catalase (CAT) activity. Licord with the highest level of enzyme activity under both optimum and limited irrigation regimes is reported as the most tolerant cultivar. Whereas Hyola 308 and Okapy, having the lowest enzymes activities, are mentioned as cultivars sensitive to drought stress. The native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) analysis detected eight SOD isozymes. Oilseed rape leaves contained three isoforms of Mn-SOD and five isoforms of Cu/Zn-SOD. The expression of Mn-SOD was preferentially enhanced by drought stress. Five POD isoforms were detected in oilseed rape leaves. The intensities of POD-4 and -5 were enhanced under drought stress. According to the results, the appearance of new isozyme bands under drought stress conditions may be used as a biochemical marker to differentiate drought tolerant cultivars under drought stress.

The paper analy the economics of cattle fattening. With the help of the model AGRO-ŽV, there were simulated the perspectives of this livestock production branch using 2 agricultural policy scenarios in the Czech Republic for the years 2007 and 2008. With the help of the model AGRO-ŽV, there were computed 5 model variants: economics without supports, economics with coupled supports (scenario 1) and economics with decoupled supports (scenario 2). All the model results (both without supports and with supports) with the actual intensity of the cattle fattening show negative profitability of this branch. For reachig positive results of this branch,it was necessary to increase the intensity. In the Table 1, there is presented the so-called "break-even point" of profitability, which was found through the level of the daily weight gain about 0.90 kg (scenario 1) and nearly 1.00 kg (scenario 2) per 1 feeding day.

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dihydropyridine supplementation on growth performance and lipid metabolism of broilers. A total of 480 one-day-old female Arbor Acres broiler chicks were randomly divided into four groups, each group had six replications of 20 birds. Each group was fed a maize-soybean meal diet supplemented with 0, 100, 200, 300 mg/kg dihydropyridine, respectively, for six weeks. At 42 days of age, body weight and feed intake were not affected by dihydropyridine, while feed efficiency was significantly increased by 8.4%, 15.0% and 12.0%, respectively (P < 0.05). The percentage of abdominal fat and the percentage of liver fat were reduced by 24.5%, 25.9%, 23.3%, and 23.6%, 26.7%, 26.0%, respectively (P < 0.05). The higher level of dietary dihydropyridine (200 or 300 mg/kg) increased the hormone-sensitive triglyceride lipase activity in liver and abdominal fat (P < 0.05). The lipoprotein lipase activity in abdominal fat was significantly decreased by dihydropyridine (P < 0.05). The activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malic dehydrogenase in liver was significantly reduced, whereas the isocitrate dehydrogenase activity in liver was not affected by dietary dihydropyridine. The content of cAMP was significantly increased by dihydropyridine, but malondialdehyde content was decreased (P < 0.05). Dihydropyridine at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg increased apolipoprotein B (P < 0.05), but 300 mg/kg dihydropyridine had no effect on apolipoprotein B compared with the control group. Triiodothyronine was significantly increased by dietary dihydropyridine (P < 0.05). There were no differences in apolipoprotein A, cholesterol, trigly-cerides, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, thyroxine and insulin among dietary treatments. It is concluded that supplementing dihydropyridine has a beneficial effect on feed efficiency and lipid metabolism of broilers, and that 200 mg/kg dihydropyridine supplementation is the optimum dose.

The present paper evaluates the height, diameter and stem volume of parental tree progenies. These Norway spruce progenies are compared with the control estimated from tables. The control was overperformed in all measured growth parameters. Heights of selected spruce progenies at the age of 26 years ranged from 9.2 m (K10) to 10.7 m (K2). The control height was 6.4 m. In the evaluation of diameters, progeny K4 showed the best mean dbh (13.7 cm) while the progeny K17 was rated as the thinnest (10.5 cm). We compared these data with the control diameter of 6.5 cm. The mean volumes of selected material varied from 0.097 m³ (K9) to 0.047 m³ (K17) while the kontrol presented 0.0172 m³. Keywords: economic efficiency; forest tree breeding; growth; Norway spruce; production

In this study, the effects were evaluated of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), ascorbic acid (AA) and α-tocopherol (TO) on the stability of raw mechanically deboned chicken patties stored at -20°C for 6 months. pH, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), haem iron (mg/kg), metmyoglobin formation (%) and colour (L*, a*, b*, C* and h values) of patties were measured for 0, 2, 4, and 6 months of storage time. pH values were found to be the highest in the initial storage period. TBARS values were observed to range between 0.33 and 2.40 mg malondialdehyde/kg of sample and the L*, a*, and b* values of the patty samples during the storage period were found to range between 38.14 and 49.52, 9.01 and 20.87, and 7.28 and 14.62, respectively. The haem iron and metmyoglobin contents were found to range between 8.39 and 10.87 mg/kg and 19.26% and 45.91%, respectively. As a result, it is suggested that L-ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol can be added into chicken patty samples in view of the storage quality parameters mentioned above.

Little information has been known on greenhouse gas emissions from the unique purplish farmland that produces rice for more than 100 million people in Southwest China. We studied methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions under four wheat straw application rates (0, S0; 5.310, S1; 10.620, S2 and 21.240 kg/ha, S3) to a purplish paddy field (Regosols in FAO taxonomy) with the static chamber technique. The seasonal accumulative CH₄ (T_CH4) or N₂O emissions from S0, S1, S2 and S3 were 255, 417, 571 and 687 kg/ha or 3.22, 2.66, 2.35 and 2.16 kg/ha during period from June 1 to September 14, 2005, respectively. Seasonal accumulative CH₄ emission was significantly correlated with straw application (X_straw) (T_CH4 = 290.72 + 0.02 X_straw, r² = 0.93, P < 0.05). Significantly positive linear correlation was displayed between CH4 flux rate and soil temperature at 5 cm depth (Tsoil) (P < 0.05, 18.0°C ≤ T_soil ≤ 26.4°C). Straw application less than 5.300 kg/ha could enhance plant carbon fixation amounts, whilst both CH₄, N₂O emissions and the ratio of carbon equivalent emission to carbon fixation were not increased in the purplish paddy soil.

This study was conducted with the aim to evaluate the effects of the moisture content, internode position, and loading rate on the bending characteristics of barley straw including bending stress and Young's modulus. In the study, 9 treatments were performed as randomised complete block design with 5 replications. The characteristics were determined at three moisture levels: 10%, 15%, and 20% wet basis, three loading rates: 5, 10, and 15 mm/min, and free internodes: the first, second, and third internodes. The results showed that both the bending stress and Young's modulus decreased with an increase in the moisture content and towards the third internode position. The average bending stress was obtained as 8.41 MPa varying from 6.32 to 12.41 MPa, while the average Young's modulus was calculated as 473.88 MPa ranging from 330.94 to 618.91 MPa. As shown by the results obtained, the values of the characteristics increased with increasing loading rate.

The elimination of Plum pox virus (PPV) in different stone fruit cultivars was verified by the method of thermotherapy in vivo. Trees of two plum cultivars Čačanská lepotica and Švestka domácí, apricot cultivars Leskora and Velkopavlovická, and peach cultivars Redhaven and Earliglo were used. They were infected artificially with two strains of the virus (PPV-D, PPV-M). Two cycles of thermotherapy in vivo were performed. During the first cycle, 16 trees of plum, apricot and peach were treated for 15 days at 37°C. In the second thermotherapy cycle, 10 trees of individual cultivars of plum, apricot and peach were treated for 22 days at 37°C. In the first thermotherapy (T1), 8 trees out of 16 died; PPV was eliminated in 2 trees of cv. Čačanská lepotica, 1 tree of cv. Švestka domácí and 2 trees of cv. Velkopavlovická. In the second thermotherapy (T2), 1 of 10 treated trees died. The virus was eliminated in 2 trees of cv. Čačanská lepotica, 1 tree of cv. Leskora, 2 trees of cv. Velkopavlovická, and 1 tree of cv. Redhaven. Nine (T1) and seven (T2) months after the thermotherapy, the presence of PPV was detected in 6 out of 11 originally recovered trees using ELISA. Out of 26 trees, 4 trees remained recovered: 2 plum trees and 2 apricot trees. One of these trees, apricot cv. Leskora was originally infected with PPV-M strain, whereas the other three with PPV-D strain. None of the 10 peach trees was treated successfully.

Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) natural regeneration under parent stand after weed suppression was investigated in the area of the Training Forest Enterprise in Kostelec nad Černými lesy. The study evaluates two measurements made in a two-year interval. The parent stand, where Douglas fir grows in mixture with our domestic tree species, is one of the oldest and most productive stands at the Training Forest Enterprise in Kostelec nad Černými lesy. Herbicides for the control of weeds were applied onto three permanent experimental plots under the parent stand. Measurements done on the plots show a high potential of natural regeneration in areas where the negative impact of forest weeds was suppressed. This conclusion is acknowledged by the high seedling number found on research plots treated with herbicides. The number of Douglas fir seedlings varied from 21,600 per hectare counted on the plot treated with Dominator to 26,650 seedlings on the plot with Velpar treatment even six years after the soil preparation. Statistical analysis confirmed that the seedling number on the plot without any chemical preparation was significantly lower, only 950 individuals per hectare (χ² = 926.84, df = 3, P << 0.01).

The relationships between conformation and longevity traits were analysed in 58 493 Czech Fleckvieh cows first calved from 1994 to 2003. All cows were scored for conformation during the first lactation. Genetic correlations between longevity and conformation traits were estimated by bivariate runs using the VCE 4.0 program for variance component estimation. The values of heritability for conformation traits were in the range from 0.06 to 0.63 and for longevity traits from 0.04 to 0.05. Low or intermediate genetic relationships between recorded linear traits and longevity trait were found. The correlations were lower for functional longevity. Body measurements showed negative genetic correlations with real as well as functional longevity (-0.12 to -0.29). The dairy character negatively correlated with longevity traits (-0.18 to -0.26). The muscularity and udder showed a zero correlation with functional longevity, while the feet and legs were not correlated with real longevity. The highest positive genetic correlations between real longevity and objectively scored linear type traits were found for hock (0.24), rear udder attachment (0.28), fore udder length (0.16) and central ligament (0.11). On the contrary, the correlation between the udder depth and the milk-corrected longevity was positive (0.28) and higher than in the case of real longevity.

Barley primarily serves as a major animal feed crop; smaller amounts of barley are used in health foods and in the malting process. Detailed geometric parameters of kernels are very important for the design of food engineering processes, such as the air transport, drying, milling, and malting. Image analysis was used to determine the size parameters of one hundred kernels of selected varieties of Hordeum vulgare L. The data for every kernel captured were stored for further use, together with the mean, standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), and images themselves. The measured data were then used to compute the volume and surface area of each of the five kernel models (Models 0-4), the results being subsequently verified by pycnometric measurement. Model 0 represents the general ellipsoid, models 1-3 various combinations of two parts of a general ellipsoid with one or two cone frustums. The best fitted model 4 was a combination of two cone frustums. Based on the results of image analysis measurements and on the presented model 4, a simplified method for the specific surface estimation of barley grains from the weight of 1000 kernels is recommended.

In order to investigate the solutes accumulation associated with salt tolerance of rice (Oryza sativa L.), two rice genotypes including IR651 (salt-tolerant) and IR29 (salt-sensitive) were grown hydroponically in the Youshida nutrient solution. Salinity treatment was imposed 3 weeks after sowing using NaCl in two levels 0 and 100 mmol. Samples were separately collected from the youngest (sixth) leaves, leaf sheaths and roots at 72 and 240 h after salinization; then Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, P, Mn²⁺, Cl^- and total soluble sugars concentration and Na+/K⁺ ratio were determined. Total dry weight of both genotypes decreased with the application of NaCl. Salinity caused higher accumulation of Na⁺ and Cl^- in the sixth leaf and leaf sheath of IR29 than in IR651 while their concentration in root of IR651 was higher. K⁺ concentration was decreased in the sixth leaf and leaf sheath of IR29 under NaCl stress. Reduction in Ca²⁺ and Mg2+ concentrations were observed in sixth leaves of both genotypes. P concentration was increased in leaf sheath and root of IR29 under saline conditions while it showed no changes in IR651. Our results indicated that the tolerant genotype had mechanisms to prevent high Na⁺ and Cl^- accumulation in the sixth leaf. High total soluble sugars concentration in shoot of IR651 is probably for adjusting osmotic potential and better water uptake under salinity. These mechanisms help plant to avoid tissue death and enable to continue its growth and development under saline conditions.

The antibacterial and antifungal activities of crude ethanolic extracts of 41 traditional medicinal plant species belonging to 26 families were tested against four bacteria and two fungi: Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus niger. Of the 41 plants tested, 39 showed antimicrobial activity against one or more species of microorganisms. While the crude extracts from Nigellea arvensis did not show antimicrobial activity against the test microorganisms, Pistasia lentiscus showed only antifungal activity against A. niger. The most active antimicrobial plants were Cuminum cyminum, Jasminium officinale, Thymus capitatus, Viscum album, Tanecetum sorbifolium, Pimpinella anisum, Galega officinalis, Liguidamber orientalis, Rhus coriaria, Alnus glutinosa, Pimental officinalis, Achillea coarctata, and Cameli sinensis.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of virginiamycin (VM ) supplementation on ruminal fermentation and microbial populations in steers. Four ruminally cannulated Chinese Luxi steers (BW 559.4 ± 30.1 kg) were used in a crossover design experiment with an experimental period of 28 days. The forage to concentrate ratio of the basal diet was 35:65 on dry matter basis. The experiment consisted of control treatment and treatment with control diet plus VM at a dose of 30 mg/kg concentrate (DM basis). Rumen fluid was collected at 07:30 prefeeding, at 11:30 and 17:30 postfeeding on day 27 and 28. A part of the pooled sample from rumen fluid was transferred to anaerobic culture by a roll-tube technique and analysed for species-specific real-time PCR quantification. The remaining pooled rumen fluid sample was analyzed for pH, VFA, ammonia N and l-lactic acid. The results showed that VM increased the ruminal pH (6.70 vs. 6.63; P < 0.05), but it decreased ammonia nitrogen (4.94 vs. 6.19 mg/100 ml; P < 0.01) and mean counts of amylolytic bacteria and proteolytic bacteria (P < 0.01) as compared to the control. The additive VM did not affect the l-lactic acid concentration (1.39 vs. 1.26 mmol/l) in rumen fluid. Compared to the control, the steers receiving VM have altered a trend of quantification of Selenomonas ruminantium, Anaerovibrio lipolytica, Ruminococcus albus and Streptococcus bovis in rumen fluid (0.05<p<0.1) as compared to the control. However, VM had no significant effect on Lactobacillus spp. (P = 0.41), Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens (P = 0.35), on the genus Ruminococcus (P = 0.25), Ruminococcus flavefaciens (P = 0.52), Prevotella ruminicola (P = 0.54), on the genus Prevotella (P = 0.67) and Megasphaera elsdenii (P = 0.97). In this study, we found that VM had selective effects on ruminal bacteria and influenced ruminal fermentation by changing a part of the specific ruminal bacteria populations.

The optimal conditions for detecting Apple mosaic virus were assessed by determining relative concentrations of viral coat protein in different tissues (leaves, flower petals, dormant buds, and phloem) in five selected symptomless Apple mosaic virus-infected apple trees of two cultivars at different terms during the vegetation period. Relative concentrations of Apple mosaic viru were calculated as the reciprocal value of the Apple mosaic virus coat protein titer determined by ELISA. The highest relative virus concentration and therefore the highest reliability of virus detection was obtained with young leaves in April before flowering. The reliability of the detection was proved by repeating tests of 80 apple trees of four cultivars in the two subsequent years. The presence of Apple mosaic virus was tested in young apple leaves before flowering taken from 472 apple trees from selected orchards of the Czech Republic. The association of the outcome with climate is also discussed.

Sixty-six clinical P. aeruginosa isolates, 17 obtained from canine otitis specimens and 49 received from human patients with bloodstream infections, were collected between February 2007 and January 2008. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the antimicrobial agents of these isolates were determined. Multidrug resistance was common, with 23 (34.8%) isolates found to be ceftazidime resistant. To explore the mechanisms of ceftazidime resistance, PCR analyses were performed to detect drug-resistance genes. The prevalence rate of Ambler class A, B, and D β-lactamase genes were obtained, with bla_TEM-1 100%, bla_PSE-1 100%, bla_OXA-2 96.2%, bla_SHV-18 91.3%, bla_OXA-17 78.3%, bla_VIM-3 26.1%, bla_OXA-10 21.7% and bla_SHV-1 8.7%. An efflux inhibition assay with the PAβN compound was conducted. The ceftazidime resistance isolates were also tested by RT-qPCR to determine the mRNA expression levels of the oprM and ampC genes. Five (21.7%) of the ceftazidime resistance isolates appeared to overactivate the OprM efflux system. The ampD, ampE, and ampR genes and the ampC-ampR intergenic region were subsequently amplified and sequenced. Five (21.7%) of the ceftazidime resistance isolates from humans and canines had a point mutation in AmpR (Asp135-Asn, n = 3; Als194-Ser, n = 2), which induces AmpC overproduction from 10- to 80-fold. This study first reported ceftazidime resistance in P. aeruginosa from canine otitis specimens, which are closely related to ESBLs (50%), including the overproduction of AmpC (25%) and the OprM efflux system (25%). The ESBLs (100%) played an important role in all ceftazidime resistance isolates from humans, and either AmpC (21.1%) or OprM (21.1%) might be overexpressed within the same isolate. A human patient isolate (H307B) showed simultaneous expression of ESBLs, the OprM efflux system, and AmpC overproduction.

Within the framework of the research project ELISA methods for the quantitative determination of allergenic substances in foodstuff and raw materials were developed. ELISA kits for allergenic proteins of milk (casein, beta-lactoglobulin and BSA) egg white proteins and mustard proteins were validated and collaborative studies were performed to prove the validation of the ELISA methods developed. Various methods of extraction were tested. The parameters as a limit of detection, as a limit of quantification, robustness, repeatability and accuracy were determined. A broad range of zero matrices for allergens were tested as well. The ELISA kits are suitable for the determination of allergens according to EU legislation Directive 2005/26/EC and Directive 2006/142/EC in the laboratories focused on this topic.