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A young speckled alder (Alnus incana [L.] Moench) stand was planted on a tract clear-felled due to air pollution and located on a summit plateau of the Jizerské hory Mts. (Central Europe, Czech Republic) at an altitude of 950 m a.s.l. The aim of the experiment was to test the suitability of Alnus incana to form preparatory stands covering the site and thus enabling the reintroduction of more sensitive target species. A potential of Alnus incana to respond to slow-release fertilizing was tested as well. The control treatment showed sufficient growth dynamics, nevertheless, the fertilization significantly promoted the growth (documented by height, height increment and stem-base diameter). If some limitations of alder such as high light requirements are respected, the speckled alder can be recommended as a suitable species for preparatory stands even in the 7^th and 8^th altitudinal (vegetation) zones, especially when fertilized.

The rules of the European Union suppose the value added tax as the only general excise tax. The need for harmonization of this tax in the existing EU member states is obvious, but the results in this field are not entirely convincing. Also the provision of services is a problematic field among others in the implementation of value added tax. It is essential to examine the issue of the value added tax, in this case, both the possibilities of the use of the self assessment system of the value added tax by the recipient of the service compared to the accounting of service including the value added tax by a provider of this service, even if the provider of service from the EU member state shall have a permanent establishment in other member state of the customer, but this establishment is not involved in the provision of the service, as well as the inclusion of services within the so-called extended guarantee to the taxable or exempt fulfilment, when the subject provides the technical support and the assistance to its customers, such as in the case of failures of agricultural machinery, which the provider had supplied to a subject in other member state. On the basis of empirical research, it is needed to assess the results of the harmonization efforts, to identify and recommend the direction in which the European Union should take in this field. The comparison of the individual European Union countries is important here. Value added tax is, regarding its features, still an unsurpassed excise tax, even if it has some weaknesses. The technique of the selection of this tax enables to discover the paid tax at all stages of treatment and it is very appropriate, due to its features for the use in international trade. It is therefore necessary to ensure the sufficient clarity, lucidity and equal conditions for players from the European Union on the basis of the development and adaptation of the rules of the value added tax set at the European Union level within each European Union country.

Citrulline has been recently shown to behave as a novel compatible solute in the Citrullus lanatus (Cucurbitaceae) growing under desert conditions. In the present study we have investigated some aspects of the relationship which might occur in leaves of melon seedlings, also known to produce citrulline, between the capacity to accumulate this ureido amino acid and salt tolerance. With this end in view, salt-induced changes at the citrulline level have been compared in two melon genotypes exhibiting contrasted abilities to withstand the damaging effects of high salinity. Progressive salinization of the growing solution occurred at 23 days after sowing. The final 250 mmol/l external NaCl concentration was reached within 5 days and further maintained for 16 days. In response to this treatment, it was found that the citrulline amount increased in fully expanded leaves of both genotypes according to different kinetics. The salt tolerant genotype Midyat was induced to accumulate citrulline 4 days before the salt sensitive Yuva and as a consequence the final amount of this amino acid was twice higher in the former than in the latter. Compared with citrulline, the free proline level was found to be relatively low and the changes induced in response to the salt treatment exhibited different trends according to the genotypes under study. Thus at the end of the treatment mature leaves of the salt sensitive Yuva contained higher amount of proline than those of Midyat. The changes in the calculated molar ratio between citrulline and free proline suggested that salt tolerance might be associated with high values for this ratio and vice et versa for sensitivity. The interest of citrulline as a biochemical marker for salt tolerance of melon genotypes is discussed.

The effects of putrescine (a polyamine), low temperature and their combinations on the activities of apoplastic antioxidant enzymes were studied in the leaves of two wheat cultivars, winter (Dogu-88) and spring (Gerek-79). Fifteen-day-old wheat seedlings were treated with putrescine solutions (0.1, 1 and 10mM) prior to cold treatment (5/3°C). The activities of apoplastic catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were determined in the leaves both under normal and cold conditions at 1, 3 and 5 days. The results indicate that cold treatment significantly increased the activities of apoplastic catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase in winter wheat while not generally affecting spring wheat. Under control conditions, the putrescine treatments were more effective in increasing the enzyme activities in winter wheat than in spring wheat. However, under cold conditions, the putrescine treatments surprisingly induced enzyme activities in spring wheat while generally reducing those in winter wheat leaves. The results show that putrescine may act as an agent inducing primary changes in the apoplastic antioxidant system of wheat leaves during reactive oxygen species-mediated damage caused by low temperature stress.

The effect of egg collection time, genotype and housing system on egg quality characteristics was evaluated in an experiment with laying hens of ISA Brown, Hisex Brown and Moravia housed on litter and in conventional cages. The experiment was conducted from 20 to 64 weeks of age. Eggs were collected and recorded daily at 06:00, 10:00 and 14:00 h. Once every four weeks, two days in row, all eggs laid from each pen or cage at each oviposition time were used for egg quality analyses (total 1 694 eggs). Egg collection time was dependent on genotype. Significantly more eggs were laid at 06:00h by ISA Brown while Moravia laid eggs mainly at 10:00 and 14:00 h. Housing on litter postponed the time of oviposition. The highest egg weight (62.09 g) was recorded in Hisex Brown genotype placed in cages and at 06.00 h. Interactions of all factors were determined also in Haugh units (P ≤ 0.041). Eggshell strength was affected by housing system, genotype and egg collection time (P ≤ 0.049). It was higher in cages than on litter, and lower in the Moravia genotype in comparison with the other two strains.

In this study genetic diversity, population structure and genetic relationships of Tsigai populations in Slovakia were investigated using microsatellite markers. Altogether 195 animals from 12 populations were genotyped for 16 microsatellites. 212 alleles were detected on the loci. The number of identified alleles per locus ranged from 11 to 35. In the majority of the populations heterozygosity deficiency and potential risks of inbreeding could be determined. High values of F_ST (0.133) across all the loci revealed a substantial degree of population differentiation. The estimation of genetic distance value showed that the Slovak Vojin population was the most different from the other populations. The 12 examined populations were able to group into 4 clusters. With this result our aim is to help the Slovak sheep breeders to establish their own mating system, to avoid genetic loss and to prevent diversity of Tsigai breed in Slovakia.

Force and deformation curves of agricultural materials must be provided for the proper design of harvesting and processing machineries. In this research, the fracture resistance of barley grain was measured in terms of the grain rupture force and energy. In this study, 8 treatments were performed as a randomised complete block design with 10 replications. The barley grains were quasi-statically loaded in horizontal and vertical orientations with the moisture content at four levels: 7.34, 12.11, 16.82, and 21.58% dry basis, and loading rates at two levels: 5 and 10 mm/min. Based on the results obtained, the force required for initiating the grain rupture decreased from 161.97 to 93.94 N, and from 75.37 to 50.16 N, and the energy absorbed at the grain rupture increased from 36.42 to 74.70 mJ and from 27.34 to 62.65 mJ, for horizontal and vertical orientations, respectively, with the increase in the moisture content from 7.34 to 21.58% dry basis. This showed that seeds are more flexible in the horizontal orientation.

This case report concerns a two year old female mongrel weighing about 25 kg which was admitted to an animal shelter. A grapefruit-sized mass was found in the animal's left ovary during a routinely performed ovariohysterectomy. On sectioning, the mass revealed cysts containing tufts of hair in creamy white sebaceous fluid. A histological examination revealed a mixture of tissues. The tumor was diagnosed as a mature teratoma (teratoma adultum).

Segmentation of stands by tracks is often the first phase of forest tending. However, a suitable track width is still discussed in forest practice in the Czech Republic. This article deals with the effect of track width on the growth characteristics of young spruce stands. Research involves several variants of European thinning experiment IUFRO CZ 14 Machov situated in Eastern Bohemia. Totally 3 variants were analyzed: 1 - non-segmented control plot without thinning and plots with forest tending (at top height 10 and 20 m) and with different present width of tracks (plot 3 - originally 3.5 m, plot 4 - originally 5.0 m). The significantly positive effect of stand segmentation and tracks on dbh and crown length was found only for individuals growing in the first row next to a track. As regards the stand volume and volume of mean stem, differences between variants with skidding track (3 and 4) were found minimal and insignificant. Therefore, the observation did not reveal any evident losses of production caused by different widths of skidding tracks.

In this work the Cd, Cu and Zn accumulation in potatoes, their influence on starch, water-soluble (WSS) and water-insoluble saccharide (WIS) contents and content of heavy metals in various saccharide fractions of potatoes were determined. The fraction of WSS was isolated by Somogyi method, the WIS fraction was obtained from delipided portion of potatoes. Enhanced pseudototal Cd contents in relationship to limit value 0.7 mg/kg of soil were determined in 13 soil samples (0.72-1.06 mg/kg). Contents of Zn and Cu were lower than their limit values in all observed soil samples. Observed heavy metals have not influence on their accumulation in potatoes, the Cd content in potatoes (0.0015-0.0042 mg/kg f.m.), Cu (0.0590-0.1780 mg/kg f.m.) and Zn contents (0.1887-0.3517 mg/kg f.m.) were also lower than their limit values. The proportion of observed heavy metals in selected saccharide fractions: Cd (mg/kg): 0.017-0.140 (starch), 0.0133-0.2293 (WIS), 0.8711-109.7713 (WSS); Cu (mg/kg): 0.067-1.433 (starch), 0.2844-6.9877 (WIS), 18.0134-1070.5216 (WSS); Zn (mg/kg): 6.667-66.300 (starch), 0.7869-23.3673 (WIS), 101.4842-4020.790 (WSS)

Fast-growing woody plants that can be grown under short-rotation systems offer an alternative to food production on arable land, and serve as a potential source of renewable energy. In order to establish the feasibility of future large scale production under the conditions of the Czech-Moravian highland, a high density experimental field plantation including a range of available clones of Populus sp. and Salix sp. with the total area of 1.5 ha was established in early 2001 in Domanínek (Czech Republic, 49°32'N, 16°15'E and altitude 530 m). The clone experiment of Populus sp. covered 0.3 ha in the center of the plantation and included 13 clones in total, with hardwood cuttings of only 6 clones available in numbers allowing 4-replicate experiment. The plantation was established on agricultural land and the trees were planted in a double row design with a density of 10 000 trees/ha. The trial was weeded by mechanical methods, and no irrigation, fertilization, or herbicides were applied. The experiment site was harvested at the end of 2006. It was found that the biomass yields of the tested clones of Populus sp. were in the higher range of results from national and European studies in case of hybrid clones. The satisfactory survival rate in the first year, when mortality tends to be highest, was supported by relatively wet weather conditions after plantation establishment. At the end of the first rotation, the highest yields were obtained from clones J-105 and J-104 (P. nigra × P. maximowiczii) and P-494 (P. maximowiczii × P. berolinensis) with J-105 showing a mean annual increment of dry matter close to 14 t/ha. Additional experiments seem to suggest that well managed poplar plantation might produce even better values if higher survival rates can be achieved.

Plant root and shoot dry weight, leaf relative water content (LRWC) and chlorophyll content were reduced by 30%, 21%, 15%, 34%, respectively, at 40mM NaCl as compared to non-salt stress conditions. However, membrane permeability (MP) of plant increased (85.0%) with increasing salinity. Foliar nutrient application (FNA) alleviated deleterious effects of salinity stress on growth and this effect was statistically significant. The highest alleviation effect of FNA at 40mM salinity stress was observed in the case of 10mM foliar KNO₃ and Ca(NO₃)₂ application, resulting in increase in plant root dry weight (50%), shoot dry weight (50%), LRWC (8.2%) and MP decrease (27.4%) at 40mM NaCl. Phosphorus, Fe and Zn contents in shoots and roots of plants also increased with FNA treatments, but they were still much lower than those of non-salt stress treatment. Sulphur, P, Fe and Zn contents of shoots reached similar values as in non-salt stress treatment when KNO₃ was applied, whereas Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu contents of roots reached the values of non-salt stress treatment when Ca(NO₃)₂ was applied.

The small, fully forested watershed Červík (CE) is situated in the part of the Beskydy Mts called the Zadní hory Mts Since November 1953, water balance has been measured in this place with the goal to find out experimentally the changes of the outflow sums during and after the intensive renewal of the forest with a partly changed wood species composition. The measured data were statistically evaluated by the method of double mass curve. In 1962, the decision was made to divide the watershed area into two separate parts A and B. The research started there in 1966 after a twelve-year long calibration period without timber cutting. The stands in the sub-watershed CE-A were cut down in three times shorter intervals than it is common and were immediately renewed. In the CE-B part, the stands were not tended in order to observe visible differences in the sums of outflow in comparison with those in the CE-A part. The measured data were analysed by double mass curve and revealed only very small differences while influence of the environment appeared to be more significant.

The impact of blue spruce (Picea pungens) and reed Calamagrostis villosa) cover on quantity and quality of upper soil layers was investigated. The research was conducted in the Jizerské hory Mts., Czech Republic (altitude 880 m, acidic spruce forest site type - 8K). Mean weight of dry matter of holorganic horizons was similar under both variants. Totally, there were accumulated 153 t/ha of dry matter of humus horizons in blue spruce and 174 t/ha in reed. Soil pH (KCl) varied from 3.7 to 3.2 under blue spruce stand and from 3.6 to 3.3 under reed. The differences of concentrations of nutrients (P, K, Ca, Mg) were not found significant either. Only L horizon showed significant differences: there were higher values of cation exchangeable capacity (T) and higher content of exchangeable bases (S) under reed. We found very similar forest-floor humus properties under both species. Therefore we can not state worsening of the soil conditions under blue spruce compared to areas covered with tested forest weed species.

The level and structure of cigarettes taxation are considered to be very discussed field in these days by the effect of preference trends of taxation of consumption at the expense of direct taxation, stressing the health risks of consumers of tobacco products, externalities caused by this consumption and by the effect of existence of distortions in the market with the tobacco products in the EU states. It is possible to achieve various aims in the field of fiscal and agricultural policies of state, consumption of cigarettes, protection of national market and in the other field by the regulation of excise duty imposed on cigarettes in the EU states. The question is, in frame of excise duty imposed on cigarettes in the EU member state, whether this tax should be imposed through specific rate, ad valorem rate, or by their combination. The choice between these options depends on the laid down aims of tax policy in each EU member states.

The changes were studied in microbiological, chemical, and sensory properties of Pacific oysters stored at 10°C, 5°C, and 0°C. Pseudomonas (22%) and Vibrionaceae (20%) species were dominant in raw oysters. The dominant bacteria found in the spoiled samples were Pseudomonas regardless of the storage temperature. During storage, rapid increases in aerobic plate count (APC) values of the samples stored at 10°C and 5°C were observed, while no obvious lag phases were detected. With the samples stored at 0°C, a decrease in APC value during the first 4 days and a lag phase of about 6 days were observed. The APC values of the samples stored at 10°C, 5°C, and 0°C reached the level of 10⁷ CFU/g on day 6, 10, and 18, respectively. All the tested samples stored at different temperatures revealed a slight decrease in pH and a significant increase of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) during storage. The average TVB-N concentration of about 22.0 mg N/100 g was observed at the end of the shelf-life as determined by APC. Combined with the sensory assessments, the shelf-life of 6-7, 10-11, and 17-18 days for oysters stored at 10°C, 5°C, and 0°C, respectively, was determined.

Total benefit effect of beer is a result of many individual contributions of natural substances present in such complicated biological material. Recently, regional mark "Czech beer" was obtained by EC. This beer is processed by traditional technology using only recommended brewery materials. Presented work is focused on proteomic and metabolomic analysis of some characteristic active substances specific for "Czech beer". Eight beer samples obtained from retail chain and/or from breweries were enrolled into this study. Polypeptides and proteins that influence beer sensory properties originated mainly from malt. The results of our preliminary study indicate that the main protein fractions in most of beers are protein Z, LTP1 and hordein/glutelin fragments. 2D analyses of "Czech beer" differed in several spots when compared with beer made by other technology. Further, individual beer phenolics originated from malt and hop were analysed by HPLC/UV-VIS and LC/MS. Individual beers differed in distribution as well as in content of phenolics. Hence, some phenolic derivatives seem to be useful as potential authenticity markers.

This paper addressed the spatial distribution characteristics of organic matter, total nitrogen, extractable phosphorus and extractable potassium in agricultural soils of Northeast China. The related factors were explored using geostatistics and geographic information systems. The results showed that the log-transformed data of the four soil nutrients followed a normal distribution. Soil extractable phosphorus had a higher coefficient of variation. The experimental variogram of the log-transformed data of soil organic matter, total nitrogen and extractable phosphorus was fitted with an exponential model, while soil extractable potassium was fitted to a spherical model. Soil samples from smaller slope gradients had higher organic matter and total nitrogen. Soil type affected the four soil nutrients significantly. Soil samples from dry farming land had significantly higher total nitrogen and extractable potassium than soil from paddy fields, while the contrary was found for extractable phosphorus. Along the Yinma River, soil samples from the western part have statistically higher values for organic matter, total nitrogen and extractable potassium than those collected from the eastern part.

Sulfur (S) regarded as the fourth key element is mainly taken by the plant roots. However, some plants can also absorb atmospheric sulfides, which may be of great importance for ameliorating the environment and for farming as a green organic S fertilizer used to balance insufficient soil S content for intensive cultivation in China; H₂S and mainly SO₂ are emitted to air as a result of the rapid industrialized and economic development. Globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa L.) might be one of the plants that can use atmospheric sulfides for its growth. Therefore the effects of sulfate deprivation from root on its growth, S status and other elements concentration under hydroponic culture were explored firstly. Based on measurements of plant growth, biomass, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), S, iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), boron (B), and molybdenum (Mo) concentration, the results showed that S concentration in flower, shoot and root of plant without root sulfate supplied was increased with plant growth and development, symptoms of S deficiency disappeared and other elements concentration in plant tended to be nearly the same as the root sulfate-supplied plants. The interesting results might imply that globe amaranth may be able to live on the atmospheric sulfides as sulfur source.

Through data analysis of 7 571 883 pig carcasses slaughtered from 2004 to 2007 the means of quality classes (QC) 2.32, lean meat percentage (LM) 55.83%, carcass weight (CW) 87.21 kg, muscle thickness (MT) 61.95 mm and fat thickness (FT) 15.95 mm were determined. The highest correlation coefficients are between QC and LM (r = -0.920), LM and FT (-0.900) as well as QC and FT (0.828), the lowest between FT and MT (r = -0.084). Quality class as the dominant indicator is influenced mainly by LM, which explains from 77% to 89% of variability in the case of linear regression. Among the eight methods of pig carcass classification the FOM apparatus was used the most frequently (46.5% carcasses) followed by the ULTRA-FOM 300 apparatus (15.6%), another apparatus (13.2%) and by the IS-D-05 unit (9.8%). In the statistical models used all effects (differences) are statistically significant because of the large size of the data set. The results from the separate evaluation of each cross-classified effect are that EV has the largest influence and year-season and methods have a smaller influence. The time trend (42 months) documents stable CW and MT, a slight increase in LM and improvement of QC. The estimated results indicate the successful introduction of pig carcass classification in the CR after accession to the EU.

Avian tuberculosis (ATBC) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in birds in zoos and breeding establishments. The primary sources of Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium (MAA) of serotypes 1, 2 and 3 are infected animals (esp. birds), who shed MAA in different ways and thus contaminate the environment. The first aim of this work was to compare the efficiency of the diagnostic methods that are routinely used for the diagnosis of ATBC (skin test, serology and culture of faeces and eggs) in naturally infected hens with different levels of infection. The second aim was to determine the excretion rate of MAA in faeces and eggs. The tuberculin skin test gave a positive result in nine (42.9%) infected hens of which four (57.1%) and one (14.3%) were heavily and slightly infected hens, respectively. A positive serological response to MAA-b antigen (water bird isolate of serotype 1) was observed in five (23.8%) and to MAA-p antigen (pig isolate serotype 2) in seven (33.3%) hens. No correlation between serological and skin-test data was found. The results show that both techniques, serological and skin-test data are inadequate for the diagnosis of ATBC. In consecutively euthanized hens, with heavy infection and tuberculous lesions, serological positivity was significant (P < 0.05) in comparison with slightly infected hens lacking tuberculous lesions. Faecal culture detected MAA in 50 (29.8%) of 168 samples collected for eight days before euthanasia. MAA excretion in faeces was intermittent, but significantly (P < 0.01) higher in heavily infected hens. No mycobacteria were detected in any of the 43 examined eggs, which implies that the shedding of MAAand/or transmission of ATBC through eggs may not be frequent events.

The objective of this study was to determine some cultivars suitable for their antioxidant constituents, which can further be used in breeding programmes to breed superior varieties and F1 for higher quality attributes. Thirty cultivars of domesticated capsicums were grown and analyzed during 2006-2007; they showed significant variation in their ascorbic acid and capsaicinoids contents. On the basis of ascorbic acid, the rank order of cultivars was PBC-926 > Chilli Long Black > HC-201 > KT OV > Local D-2. On the basis of capsaicinoids content, five top cultivars were selected, namely DARL-210 > Naga Jalokia > Red Sabina > CO-6-1 > Chilli Long Black.

The goal of this study was to gather more clinical information about the relationship between Helicobacter species and gastric ulceration in horses. Twenty seven privately owned patients were selected for the clinical study. All horses were gastroscopically examined and biopsies were taken from the glandular mucosa. Stomach biopsies were examined using a PCR assay specific for Helicobacter pylori and/or Helicobacter equorum. In addition, faecal samples from thirteen horses were examined using a PCR assay specific for H. equorum. Twenty five horses (25/27; 93%) had lesions in their stomach. Gastric biopsies from twenty two horses were examined using the H. pylori specific PCR and the ure gene was detected in three of them (3/22; 14%). H. equorum DNA was not found in the stomach of any of the ten horses examined. H. equorum was diagnosed in only one faecal sample from the thirteen horses examined (1/13; 8%) and that case was not associated with gastric pathology. This study shows the possibility of sporadic detection of the ure gene in the equine stomach affected by mucosal ulceration.

Common ways of nursery cultivation and sorting the planting material of mountain provenances of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) are connected with the risk of undesirable narrowing of the genetic spectrum of populations. Investigations in spruce plantations established by different planting materials found out very good growth (total height is 125 cm 9 years after outplanting) and health status of these slowly growing seedlings planted in extreme mountain conditions. In order to prevent the genetic spectrum narrowing, we recommend to cultivate all seedlings including smaller outsorted (commonly culled) ones. The smallest seedlings can be grown one year longer and subsequently planted out in the same locality as the remaining planting material of the same seed lot.

The aim of the paper is to present a developed spreadsheet tool for the formulation of a daily dairy cow ration. It is constructed on the basis of two linked sub-models developed on the MS Excel platform. It merges the common linear programming model and the weighted-goal programming model with a penalty function. The first sub-model is included in the tool to make an estimate of the least-cost magnitude that might be expected. The obtained result is entered into the second sub-model as the goal that should be met as closely as possible. The tool was tested at two different values of preferential weights for dairy cows with a 25 kg daily milk yield. The results obtained confirm the benefits of the applied approach. In contrast to the common linear program tools, which terminate at formulation of the least-cost ration, our tool provides more efficient rations (in both economic and nutritive terms) by fine-tuning the nutritive goals and by allowing for harmless deviations from these goals by application of penalty functions.

Oxidation changes of different types of vegetable oils were studied during microwave heating. Samples of vegetable oils (rapeseed, sunflower, soybean and corn oil), commercially available at the market in the Czech Republic, were heated in a microwave oven. Parameters as peroxide value, conjugated dienes and trienes levels were determined in oil samples before and after heating in the period from 3 to 30 minutes.

In the food industry, the addition of flavours is used to reinforce the aroma profile of different goods. However, interactions between starch and aroma compounds can occur, and this can impact upon aroma release and perception. In the present study, we have investigated the influence of starch type on aroma release from starch-aroma systems. The food model system used was composed of an aqueous starch dispersion (1 g dry starch/100 g dispersion) and 10 aroma compounds (ethyl butanoate, ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, ethyl 3-methylbutanoate, ethyl pentanoate, methyl hexanoate, ethyl hexanoate, methyl ethyl propanoate, hexyl acetate, 3-hexenol, and phenyl methyl acetate). Different commercially available starches were used: Amilogels P, K, PDP, G, MVK, HP, OK and HPW, and carrageenan (Amilogel CAR) and guar gum (Amilogel GG). Aroma release from these starch-aroma systems into the gas phase above food (headspace) were monitored by GC-MS analysis with a solid-phase micro-extraction technique. The smell of the starch-aroma system was also evaluated sensorially by a trained panel. The release of aroma compounds from the different starch-aroma systems was statistically significant (P < 0.0001) for all of the aroma compounds, with the exception of ethyl pentanoate. A correlation between the concentration of individual aroma compounds in the headspace and the sensory evaluation (smell) was seen. Starch-aroma systems comprising corn starch (Amilogel G), physically modified starches that are soluble in cold water (Amilogels K, PDP), and hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate (Amilogels HP) had sensorially superior smells compared to the other types of starches tested. At the same time, the headspace GC-MS analyses showed ethyl butanoate, ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, ethyl 3-methylbutanoate and ethyl pentanoate to be at the highest concentrations, which are all typical aroma compounds of strawberry fruit, and which also have low perception thresholds. Dextrin-roasted starch, guar gum and carrageenan provided the lowest sensory scores, although in contrast, they more strongly retained these aroma compounds.

Improvement in leaf hydraulics is directly related to the improvement of plant tolerance to drought stress. Therefore, a field and pot experiment was carried out to determine the type of genetic variability and selection of parental types on the basis of combining ability for leaf hydraulics. Genotypes showed similar performance in both experiments; higher values were shown by drought tolerant genotypes in all traits except for osmotic potential, which drought tolerant genotypes maintained lower. Osmotic adjustment in pot experiment showed the highest magnitude of additive type of genetic variability. Female showed a higher and significant contribution of general combining ability effects as compared to male; it suggests that within genotypes female rather than male mostly contribute for additive genes. AMES-10103 showed the highest general combining ability effects for traits such as turgor pressure and osmotic adjustment.

A study was conducted on the effect of two single practices, including soil tillage and returning straw to soil, and their interaction on soil porosity of maize-wheat cropping system. Field experiments involved four tillage practices, including conventional tillage (C), zero-tillage (Z), harrow-tillage (H) and subsoil-tillage (S), with straw absent (A) or straw present (P). Total porosity, capillary porosity and non-capillary porosity of soil were investigated. The results showed that the soil total porosity of 0-10 soil layer was mostly affected; conventional tillage can increase the capillary porosity of soil, but the non-capillary porosity of S was the highest. Returning of straw can increase the porosity of soil. Through the analysis of affecting force, it can be concluded that interaction of soil tillage and straw is the most important factor to soil porosity, while the controlling factor to non-capillary porosity was soil tillage treatment.