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The aim of this study was to characterise and compare Pasteurella multocida isolates originating from pigs (n = 43), calves (n = 31), rabbits (n = 27), and to a lesser extent from other hosts (n = 6). A total of 107 P. multocida isolates were obtained from various locations in the Czech Republic. They were analysed by capsular PCR typing and ribotyping, and tested for the production of dermonecrotoxin. Most frequently, serogroup A isolates (n = 74) were found, followed by serogroup D (n = 25) and serogroup F (n = 8) isolates. From a total of fifteen different ribotypes (1-15) generated by restriction endonuclease MspI, four ribotypes (1, 3, 4, and 7) were predominant. The prevalence of predominant ribotypes was different in isolates originating from different hosts. Ribotype 1 was characteristic for rabbit isolates, ribotype 3 was primarily found in pig isolates, and ribotype 7 dominated among calf isolates. Sixteen (mainly porcine) isolates produced dermonecrotoxin but significant correlation among ribotypes and dermonecrotoxin production was not observed.

New possibilities of oak mildew (Microsphaera alphitoides) control were tested and compared with present methods. The results of three-year experiments in 6 localities (Cikar, Budkov, Planá nad Lužnicí, Vědomice, Voznice, Zadní Bor) clearly showed that the sulphur-based fungicides registered for the control of oak mildew (Sulikol K, Sulka) had a relatively good and stable effectiveness, and that two other newly tested preparations (Systhane 12 EC, Amistar) were even more effective when the percentage of infested plants did not exceed 2% (Systhane 12 EC) or 5% (Amistar) in any experimental locality. Their registration should be extended in this way. The biopreparations with fungicidal or fungistatic effects such as Supresivit, Polyversum and Ibefungin, known and used in forestry, showed that it was not possible to use them for oak mildew control, similar results were received in tentative testing of another preparation (PFR). Testing of preparations Bion 50 WG and Neem Triact 90 EC gave interesting and promising results. Besides their sufficient effectiveness in the control of oak infestation by the mildew, our experiments also indicated their generally positive influence on the health of plants; this could compensate their economic disadvantage compared to classical fungicides.

The spreading of bulldozer-formed windrows represents a second stage of the site restoration with bulldozers utilization in the Ore Mts. In the first period, bulldozers were used to create windrows for mechanized reforestation of immission-declined stands, causing profound devastation of forest sites, because removed surface humus was the only source of nutrients and environment for tree species roots. Preparatory stands have been established, and have to undergo re-construction in the coming years. Nowadays, the windrows are spread by the bulldozers again, covering 1/3 f the whole area between windrows by the rest of holorganic matter. This substratum is impoverished by the extensive mineralization and connected nutrient (especially N) losses, representing differently suitable space for tree rooting. Presented paper documents the effects of fertilization by different types of the SILVAMIX fertilizer on the growth and prosperity of new spruce plantations. Effects of fertilization are visible very soon and they are significantly beneficial for the new forest plantations.

In relation to sustainable rural development, the paper starts with the question of its conditions. One of them is social acceptance of various projects or programmes. This issue is joined with the co-ordination of human activities. The mechanism facilitating the co-ordination in contemporary societies is related to social capital. Its concept is outlined through the references to the basic literature about the topic. Using content analysis, based on the quantification of the categories created through the analysis of the literature about the topic, the social capital in selected municipalities is investigated. The main aim of the paper, however, is to show the role of this method in social capital fast identification. Although the approach necessitates further elaboration, it can be considered as the first important step in the practice of development activities. The background of the paper reflects the challenges of the World Bank concerning the elaboration and development of the new methods of measuring social capital.

The paper compares the main factors influencing the key supplier-industries for brewing and wine-production in the Czech Republic - hop-growing and winegrowing - and it is a part of a more extensive research focused especially on the processing industries, and the specifics of their analyses. The importance of hop-growing and winegrowing is based on the fact that they significantly influence not only the final product, but also the competitiveness in the successive industries of the product vertical. Similar influence within the examined industries is evidenced in the close interconnection with the above-mentioned (main) successive processing-part, and in the complicated position of the small growers. Differences are shown especially in the flexibility of reaction to the changes of demand for final products of the successive industries, and also in the position of both industries in the Czech Republic, and in the world.

Two high yielding wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties were pollinated with seven agrarian superior varieties. F₁'s thus obtained were pollinated with diverse winter maize lines/composites and treated with a solution containing 2,4-D and GA₃. The haploid embryos were rescued 13 to 16 days post pollination on MS₁ and MS₄ media. Out of 15, only two crosses viz., (UP 2338 × HD 2285) F₁ × maize and (WH 533 × PBW 343) F₁ × maize resulted in callus development and direct germination via embryo rescue.

Forty-seven Kivircik ram lambs, aged 2 months, raised and managed under an intensive system were used to measure the development of testis diameter and length, and scrotum circumference, length and volume, and their association with the development of body growth. The effects of age and body weight of lambs, type of birth and dam age on the development of the five testicular parameters from weaning at 2-6 months of age were investigated. In ram lambs, the respective least-squares means of testis measurements: testis diameter, testis length, scrotum circumference, scrotum length and scrotum volume were 2.55 ± 0.099 cm, 5.83 ± 0.165 cm, 15.23 ± 0.650 cm, 7.24 ± 0.287 cm and 87.57 ± 5.921 cm³ at 2 months; and 2.99 ± 0.099 cm, 6.59 ± 0.164 cm, 14.24 ± 0.657 cm, 10.60 ± 0.290 cm and 157.49 ± 5.987 cm³ at 6 months. The effect of birth type on testis diameter and the effect of dam age on testis length were significant (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01), besides the effects of lamb age and live weight of lambs on the whole testis measurements were significant (P < 0.01).

The aim of the study was to investigate acute toxicity of clove oil for common carp and, using values of haematological and biochemical profiles of blood and histological tissue examinations, to assess the effects of the fish exposure to that anaesthetic. Acute toxicity values of clove oil for carp were found 10 minLC50 74.3 mg/l; 10minLC0.1 51.6 mg/l; 10minLC99.9 110.1 mg/l; 96hLC50 18.10 mg/l; 96hLC0.1 15.45 mg/l; and 96hLC99.9 19.80 mg/l. The fish were divided into four groups for haematological and biochemical examinations of blood and histological examinations of tissues. The groups were Control I (before the anaesthetic administration), Experiment I (immediately after 10 min anaesthesia at the concentration of 30 mg/l), Experiment II (24 hrs after 10 min anaesthesia) and Control II (controls examined in parallel with Experiment II). A total of 40 carp were examined. Clove oil anaesthesia had not effect on the haematological profile. The 10-min exposure to clove oil at a concentration of 30 mg/l caused a significant (P < 0.01) increase in the concentration of glucose (GLU) and inorganic phosphate (PHOS) immediately after anaesthesia. Clove oil anaesthesia had not effect on other biochemical indices. Histological examination showed capillary ectasia of gill filaments immediately after clove oil anaesthesia. Twenty-four hours after anaesthesia, no ectasia was observed. No histopathological changes were demonstrated in other tissues following anaesthesia. Results of the examinations suggest that the use of clove oil at a concentration of 30 mg/l does not cause irreversible damage in carp.

This material describes parameterization of allometric functions applicable to biomass estimation of European beech trees. It is based on field data from destructive measurements of 20 full-grown trees with diameter at breast height (dbh) from 5.7 to 62.1 cm. The parameterization was performed for total tree aboveground biomass (AB; besides stump), stem and branch biomass, respectively. The allometric functions contained two or three parameters and used dbh either as a single independent variable or in combination with tree height (H). These functions explained 97 to 99% of the variability in the measured AB. The most successful equation was that using both dbh and H as independent variables in combination with three fitted parameters. H, as the second independent variable, had rather a small effect on improving the estimation: in the case of AB, H as independent variable improved prediction accuracy by 1-2% whereas in the case of branch biomass by about 5%. The parameterized biomass equations are applicable to tree specimens of European beech grown in typically managed forests.

Changes in radial increment of Norway spruce in 25 stands more than 100 years old were analysed. Stands were growing on sites of different exposure situated at 450-1,200 m above sea level in the Polish Western Beskids Mountains. In the mid-1990s a considerable increase in annual ring width was observed. The greatest increase occurred in trees growing at the highest altitudes. This phenomenon occurred after a long period of increment decrease at the turn of the 1970s. After 1990 as the annual ring width was increasing, the variation and amplitude of ring width also increased. The cause of a long-term increase in radial increment was the improvement of thermal and pluvial conditions during late winter and early spring having a substantial effect on Norway spruce growth. In the 1990s the period of rapid changes in thermal and pluvial conditions of summer began. After moist and cold summers there were hot and dry summers. This resulted in increased variations and amplitude of the growth responses of Norway spruce and contributed to the weakening of trees above 100 years of age. The increasing break-up of Norway spruce stands growing in the lower mountain zone of the Polish Western Beskids Mountains, observed in recent years, is the final effect of this process.

The contribution deals with the development of livestock since 1990. Since that year, beef and dairy cattle numbers have dropped by more than 50 percent in the Czech Republic. This decrease has been partly compensated by an increase in efficiency, yet milk production has dropped to 55% in this period and beef production to 60% compared with 1989. The declining amount of cultivated land in the Czech Republic has resulted in a decrease in the stocking rate and the corresponding production. It adversely influences the economy namely in highland areas. In this sense the high rate of permanent pastures with low stocking rate enables to efficiently exploit the EU direct payments and thus the direct payment system discriminates above all the farms in highland areas (potato and oat-growing areas and upland production areas).

The paper describes the importance of integrated purchasing for agrarian businesses and for retail chains, i.e. on two opposite sides of the different economic and negotiating power. It points out the trends of the modern purchasing, economic benefits of long-term business relations, and the importance of objectively settled terms of payment for the purchased products. The paper emphasizes the specifics of sales cooperatives of farmers as a modern element of sales and purchasing activities of the agricultural primary production.

The mortality of pupae in stems lying on the ground during hibernation was 51.7% in 2003. The emergence of adults in 2003 and 2004 was monitored from late April to early July by photoeclectors placed on fields that grew poppy the previous year. Most adult gall wasps emerged in April to early May 2004. The occurrence of females ovipositing on poppy stems varied from April to July and the degree of damage to the plants increased. Most frequently the females oviposited in the first stem internodes. The infestation of poppy cultures with the gall wasps was almost uniform, the number of infested plants increasing still in June. In late June, only seven out of 600 plants were not infested. Green sticks covered with non-coagulating glue and placed in the poppy field, indicated the stem heights frequented by ovipositing females. The gall wasp larvae were parasitised by Trichomalus bracteatus Walker and Pseudotorymus papaveris Ruschka, with T. bracteatus predominating. Most frequently, gall wasp larvae inside the seventh internode were parasitised by this species.

The evaluation of effects of some non-genetic factors (sex, litter size, age of dams and year of study) on the growth of 85 kids of the Brown Short-haired breed was carried out in a period of two successive years. The analysis of the growth of all kids revealed that in the time interval from birth to Day 90 of age daily gain and final body weight were 181.3 g and 19.52 kg, respectively. As far as the effect of sex was concerned, the intensity of growth was significantly higher in males than in females (P ≤ 0.01) in all periods under study. From birth to Day 90, the respective daily gains of males and females were 200.6 g and 162.0 g. As far as the litter size was concerned, it was found out that daily gains of singles and triplets were higher than those of twins and that the differences between single kids and twins were significant (P ≤ 0.01) in all periods under study. Specifically, daily gains of single kids, twins and triplets in the time interval from birth to Day 90 were 201.4 g; 167.1 g and 175.6 g, respectively. The analysis of the effect of age of dams on daily gains revealed significant effects of this factor on daily gains in the time intervals of Day 30 - Day 60; Day 60 - Day 90; Day 30 - Day 90 and from birth to Day 90 (P ≤ 0.05). With the exception of the period from birth to Day 30, the highest daily gains were recorded in kids of four-years-old dams in all other periods under study. In both years of study, all kids were reared under nearly identical conditions but the effect of year of study on the growth was significant.

Green forage of fourteen lucerne varieties grown at four Experimental Stations of the Research Centre for Cultivar Testing in Słupia Wielka was harvested in these stages: the first growth in the budding stage (cut I), re-growths in the pre-bloom stage of maturity (cut II) 35 days after the first cut, and the next cut, 42 days later (cut III). Three bulls equipped with rumen and duodenal cannulas were used to study rumen degradability by the nylon bag technique and intestinal digestibility by the mobile bag method. The nutritive value of lucerne green forage was estimated according to IZ-INRA (2001) feed evaluation system. The composition of the lucerne cuts differed in DM content (P < 0.01); the highest was found in cut III (226.9 g/kg), the lowest in cut II (182.0 g/kg).The crude protein content (CP) in DM of cuts I and II was similar (P > 0.05) but lower in cut III (P < 0.05). Cut II contained the highest (P < 0.05) levels of crude fibre, neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), cellulose (CE), and acid detergent lignin (ADL), and the lowest of non-structural carbohydrates (NFC) and soluble in neutral detergent cell content (CC), (P < 0.01). The differences between cut I and III in the contents of these components were not significant (P > 0.05). The highest DM digestibility in the total alimentary tract was found for cut I (P < 0.05). The DM of cuts II and III was digested at a similar rate (P > 0.05). There were no significant differences between the cuts in effective degradability, digestibility in the small intestine of the fraction not digested in the forestomachs and total digestibility of CP, CF, NDF, ADF, hemicellulose and cellulose (P > 0.05). The digestion of rumen undegraded CP in the post-rumen part of the alimentary tract was lower compared with the digestion of essential amino acids (81% and 98%; respectively). The first cut harvested in the spring in the budding stage contained about 5% more PDIA and PDIN, but 7% less LFU compared with both cuts of regrowth (cuts II and III) which contained on average: 58 g PDIA; 123 g PDIN and 0.93 kg LFU. All the cuts contained similar levels of PDIE, UFL per kg of DM (106 and 0.76 g, respectively).

The reed canary grass as a source of energy was tested in field experiments on small plots at three different sites in 1996-2003. The effects of soil and weather conditions, different times of harvest (July, November, March) and different doses of nitrogen fertilization (0, 30, 60 kg/ha) on yields of phytomass were investigated. The effects of the harvest time on the water content in harvested phytomass, loss of phytomass in different harvest period and the content of basic nutrients and heavy metals in plants were all specified. The influence of the year, site and N fertilization on yields of phytomass of the reed canary grass was highly significant. The reed canary grass responded positively to increasing doses of nitrogen by the increase of yields of phytomass. On the averages of years and sites, the N application dose of 30 kg/ha increased dry phytomass yields of the reed canary grass harvested in November by 14.6% (1.08 t/ha). The higher dosage of N 60 kg/ha increased yields of phytomass of the reed canary grass at all sites by 32.8% (2.08 t/ha) on average in contrast with variants without fertilization. By the dose of N 60 kg/ha, the dry above-ground phytomass harvested in autumn was 10.04 t/ha in Ruzyně, 8.27 t/ha in Lukavec and 6.94 t/hain Chomutov on average over the whole period. The later times of harvest resulted in a decrease of the average yield of phytomass (8.41 t/ha in July, 8.00 t/ha in November and 6.04 t/ha in March) and the average water content (64.3% - 45.2% - 21.5%); on the contrary, energy value of phytomass increased (16.93 GJ/t - 17.02 GJ/t - 17.19 GJ/t). The average content of ash in plants varied from 6.5% in Lukavec to 9.31% in Chomutov. The content of heavy metals in plants never exceeded the highest permissible values set in the Czech Republic for food and feed purposes.

The prevalence of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. was evaluated in the caecum and on carcasses of pigs at slaughter and in the facilities of slaughterhouses in the period of 2001- 2003. During that timeframe, prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in both the pigs and the environment of slaughterhouses decreased. In 2001, Campylobacter spp. were detected in 34% of 316 samples; in 2002 there were 27% of positive findings out of the 624 samples; and in 2003, Campylobacter spp. were detected in 16% out of 300 samples. Campylobacter spp. were mostly found primarily in the caecum (292 isolates) and in smears collected from carcasses (21 isolates), while Campylobacter spp. were isolated only sporadically from the work surfaces of equipment in slaughterhouses. The majority of isolates were identified as C. coli. In 2001, 16 out of 109 strains of Campylobacter spp. were identified as C. jejuni; in 2002, 8 out of 167 strains were C. jejuni; and in 2003, none of 47 isolates was identified as C. jejuni.

An episode of mortality in waterbirds occurred on a sedimentation reservoir with effluents from the sugar beet processing plant at Hrusovany n.J. (South Moravia, Czech Republic) in summer 2003: tens of black-headed gulls (Larus ridibundus), several lapwings (Vanellus vanellus), one little ringed plover (Charadrius dubius), one ruff (Philomachus pugnax), one wood sandpiper (Tringa glareola), and two avocets (Recurvirostra avosetta) died. One of the two avocets and the plover, local breeders, were examined and found positive for Clostridium botulinum type C toxin by use of the toxin-neutralization test. Avocet is classified as a rare bird species according to Red Book data and is listed as critically endangered species in theCzechRepublic, and is therefore protected. Avian botulism can occasionally cause deleterious effects to waterbird fauna and its protection.

The subject of our research was to verify effects of the mechanical preparation of soil in the natural regeneration of pedunculate oak in a floodplain forest. On the site of a hard-wooded floodplain forest at the confluence of the Morava and Dyje rivers (Czech Republic), several sample plots were established differing in the preparation of soil during regeneration, in weeding the plots and in the period of the implementation of soil surface scarification before and after the fall (or distribution) of acorns. On the basis of results obtained, mechanical preparation of soil on non-weed-infested plots in the heavy seed year is not necessary, however, it supports seedling emergence from acorns and eliminates weed tree emergence and weed. However, it is better to realize it only after the fall of acorns and to incorporate them into soil and thus their emergence will be increased. Soil scarification can be carried out also in the course of harvesting the parent stand through the extraction of wood and slash from the regenerating area. In weed-infested stands, however, the thorough preparation of soil before the fall of acorns appears to be a necessity.

The political goal to reduce the transformation effects of political measures to the advantage of active farmers is only partially achieved with the Combi-model. The primary recipients are farmers who will give up their farms after introducing the Combi-model. These farmers have mostly farmed leased land. They will return these lands (leased before the reform) to the former leasers and sell their premium rights to other farm owners or lease these in co-operation with the former leasers for a fee to a new lease. Farmers who want to farm over a long term cannot use the stronger negotiating position against the old lessors following the introduction of the Combi-model because they must maintain a good leaser-leasee relationship. But they do profit to a certain extent, at least at first, because the negotiating results of the farms closing with the old leasers will become public. In contrast, the negotiating position of farmers who first lease their land areas following the introduction of the Combi-model is hardly strengthened, particularly in the current lease market in Germany.

This paper deals with the meat industry in the Czech Republic, the equipment which is used for meat cutting and processing for sale and for production of smoked goods. It determines individual categories of this equipment according to the use and describes materials used for manufacturing of clothing of butchers and also the complementary tools improving labour safety during technology operations. Next it presents materials used for making metal tools and describes the situation in the market of butcher´s equipment in the Czech Republic.

A total of 36 samples of feed - 19 samples of hays and 17 samples of silages were used for estimation of in vivo and in vitro digestibility. The organic matter digestibility (OMD) was estimated by in vivo and two in vitro techniques (method of Tilley and Terry and two-stage pepsin-cellulase method (Pepcel)). The regression equations were calculated from the results obtained in the experiment. Tilley and Terry method provided consistent results of OMD estimation for both the groups of roughages: in vivo OMD = 14.7 + 0.782 × [Tilley and Terry] (n = 18; R² = 0.76); in vivo OMD = 36.3 + 0.513 × [Tilley and Terry] (n = 16; R² = 0.75) for hays and silages, respectively. Different accuracy was found out in Pepcel method: in vivo OMD = 37.0 + 0.478 × [Pepcel] (n = 19; R² = 0.49); in vivo OMD = 37.8 + 0.484 × [Pepcel] (n = 17; R² = 0.87) for hays and silages, respectively.

Ninety-three rectal swabs of lambs and young goats from two extensively and two intensively managed herds in Jordanwere taken and examined for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). The bacteriological examination included the preenrichment of rectal swabs in EC broth with novobiocin, and a subsequent parallel isolation on enterohemolysin agar and immunomagnetic separation with cultivation on CT-SMAC. The STEC O157:H7 strains were demonstrated in 8 of 32 diarrheic lambs 1- to 3-weeks old in one sheep herd with intensive milk production. In the remaining three herds, serogroups O128, O78, O15 and serotype O128:K85 of STEC strains were the most frequent findings. The presence of stx2, ehlyA and eaeA genes in all STEC O157:H7 isolates was confirmed by PCR. In two untypable STEC isolates, stx2 and ehlyA genes were detected. In other STEC non-O157 isolates, only stx1 a ehlyA genes were found. All STEC O157:H7 isolates were resistant against sulphonamides and chloramphenicol, five were also resistant against ampicillin and streptomycin, one against co-trimoxazole. One isolate was resistant against ampicillin, ampicillin-sulbactam, cephalosporins (cefazolin, cefuroxime), monobactams (aztreonam), sulphonamides, co-trimoxazole, aminoglycosides, tetracycline and chloramphenicol. Compared the resistant STEC O157:H7 isolates, the multiresistant isolate had a different RAPD pattern. Of 36 STEC non-O157 isolates, one isolate was resistant against sulphonamides and co-trimoxazole, and another one against ampicillin, streptomycin, sulphonamides and co-trimoxazole. STEC isolates resistant against antimicrobial agents were demonstrated only in herds with intensive management.

A total of 245 isolates of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae included in this study were isolated from lung tissues of pigs which died of porcine pleuropneumonia. The isolates were obtained from 52 swine herds in the Czech Republic over the period 2003-2004. All the serotypes were serotyped by the coagglutination test. All isolates with cross-reactivity between serotypes 9 and 11 or 1, 9, and 11 in the coagglutination test were further serotyped by the quantitative coagglutination test. The results of serotyping showed that serotype 9 was dominant (46.5%) followed by serotypes 2 (18.5%), and 11 (14.2%). Two-way cross-reaction between serotypes 9 and 11 was found for 7.5% of the isolates. The serotypes 4, 5, 7, and 12 were found infrequently (2.4%). The isolates that could not be serotyped (11%) were classified by PCR typing system based on the apx and omlA genes into the serotype groups 1, 9, 11 (7.5%); 2, 8 (2.3%), and 7, 13 (1.1%).

In the paper we evaluate the influence of crown thinning with positive selection, different intensity (moderate PRP III and heavy PRP IV) and 5-year frequency on development of growth, production, quality and leaf area index of black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) monocultures growing on the series of three permanent research plots (PRP) Sikenica (Levice Forest Enterprise, Levice Forest District) as observed in 1978-2003. The trends of development of mean stem, basal area, standing volume and aboveground dendromass (in dry matter) were mainly influenced by heavy crown thinning. The index of growth was as follows: basal area 169.01%, standing volume 262.12%, aboveground dendromass (in dry matter) 324.48%. At the age of 64 years the black walnut monocultures tended by heavy crown thinning had the following parameters: basal area 31.03 m²/ha, standing volume 463.88 m³/ha and aboveground dendromass 194.98 t/ha. Mean periodic increment reached the values: basal area 0.51 m²/ha/year, standing volume 11.48 m³/ha/year and dendromass 5.39 t/ha/year. The index of increment percent growth was: basal area + 31.75%, growing stock + 30.85% and dendromass + 0.79%, compared to the control. The total production was also significantly influenced by heavy thinning. At the stand age of 64 years the tended stands had the total basal area of 4.92 m²/ha, total volume production of 572.77 m³/ha and total weight production of 246.04 t/ha. The total mean increment of basal area is 0.67 m²/ha/year, of volume 8.95 m³/ha/year and of weight 3.84 t/ha/year, which is by 24.07%, 23.96% and 16.01% more than on the control plot. The leaf area index at the age of 64 years ranges from 6.54 ha/ha (PRP III) to 7.82 ha/ha (PRP V). Dendrochronological analyses revealed minimum widths of annual rings in the years 1952, 1961, 1968, 1971, 1975, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1993, 2000, maximum ones in 1951, 1957, 1959, 1967, 1974, 1979, 1982, 1984, 1989, 1999.

Large areas were deforested as a consequence of the immission calamity in the Czech Republic in the last decades. As a part of restoration activities, preparatory species were utilized, both planted and sown, to cover forest soils, to prevent soil erosion and to regenerate forest microclimate, necessary for reintroduction of target, climax species. Birch (especially Betula pendula Roth.) was among the mostly common preparatory species. Presented paper documents the effects of birch in the case of its cultivation on an intact soil. In this case, birch was documented as a species suitable in a short-time perspective, improving soil characteristics and forming effective shelter against increased humus mineralization.

Czech agricultural sector undertook many great changes in the last 12 years. These changes have resulted in the creation of business structure, which, however, is still not finished due to external (market) and internal (enterprise) conditions. The main goal within these changes was to create functional efficient and competitive agricultural sector, which is to survive in ever changing global world, in particular with respect to the intention to join the unified Europe. One of the questions, which is currently discussed very often, is to what extent the current business agricultural structure is efficient in input allocation, eventually which structural changes have to be undertaken to create such effective sector. The main objective of this contribution is therefore to present findings, which were obtained within the research project processing.

The area of vineyards has increased to 19 261.5 hectares and the number of wine producers to 18.292 by 1 May 2004. This branch needs a long-term study that will lead to the establishment of the new politics for viniculture and wine-growing, related to the needs of the region. The trends are compared to the main European producer - France, and another country from the so called "New World"- the South African Republic. The researches are focused on the consumption of wine by population, share in the gross national product, employment in this branch, areas of vineyards, and number of wine-growers.

Field experiments were carried out to study effects of zinc application on quality traits of barley in 1994-1996. The treatments were applied as 0 and 23 kg/ha of zinc sulphate and incorporated into soil before sowing. The experimental design was split plot with four replications. Barley genotypes responded differently to zinc application in relation to thousand grains weight, protein content and starch content. A significant increase was determined for thousand grain weight in cultivars Tokak 157/37 and Cumhuriyet 50, for protein content in Orza, Bülbül 89 and Anadolu 86, for starch content in Karatay 94 and Cumhuriyet 50, while a significant decrease has been found for thousand grain weight in Karatay 94 and Obruk 86 and for protein content in Karatay 94, Cumhuriyet 50 and Tarm 92. When feeding and malting quality are considered together, Karatay 94 and Cumhuriyet 50 are the most suitable cultivars for growing in zinc-applied soils of semi arid areas.