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Soil and water salinization are affecting an increasing number of countries in the world, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, and cause sensible reductions of agricultural land extension and of crop yields. Consociation with halophytic plants is a promising but not yet widely investigated strategy of salt stress reduction in crops. In this experiment, tomato plants were cultivated in saline conditions, alone and in consociation with three different halophytic species (Portulaca oleracea L.; Salsola soda L.; Atriplex hortensis L.). The salinity was brought either by the soil or by the irrigation water. Consociation with P. oleracea gave the best results in terms of increase of tomato growth and yields, while S. soda caused excessive nutritional competition against tomato due to its fast growth, undoing the positive effects of saline ions uptake. A. hortensis gave intermediate results. Salinity of water resulted in causing more severe stress on the plants, and consequently highlighted more the benefical effect of salt uptake performed by the halophytes on the main crop; salinity of soil on the contrary appeared to be less decisive, probably due to the leaching effect of the irrigation water.

Out of the total number of 434 horses that underwent colic surgery, small intestine was operated in 195 (44.9%) patients, caecum in 10 (2.3%) horses, large colon surgery was performed in 196 (45.2%) cases and small colon surgery in 14 (3.2%) horses. In 12 patients (2.8%) two different parts of the gastrointestinal tract were affected simultaneously, one horse suffered from peritonitis, torsion of the uterus developed in two mares and three animals had negative surgical findings. Of 434 horses, 371 (85.5%) survived. After small intestinal surgery, 159 patients (81.5%) recovered from anaesthesia and were discharged home as well as seven horses (70%) after caecal surgery, 175 horses (89.3%) after large colon surgery and 14 horses (100%) following small colon surgery. 75 out of 103 horses (72.8%) were discharged home after the small intestinal resection and 89 of 98 horses (90.8%) with small intestinal problems where no resection was needed. In total, 43 of the patients that underwent one surgery did not survive the immediate postoperative period. The most frequent lethal complications in horses following the small intestinal surgery included peritonitis (five horses) and paralytic ileus (four horses) and in horses with large colon problems it was typhlocolitis (six cases). Relaparotomy was indicated in 41 of 434 horses (9.4%) that recovered from colic surgery. 21 out of the 41 (51.2%) relaparotomised colic patients were released from the clinic. All successfully repeated surgeries were carried out to overcome primary small intestine ileus problems, and in 14 of these cases (66.7%) resection and anastomosis were performed. The most common finding, diagnosed in 9 of 21 reoperated horses, was paralytic ileus. Of 20 relaparotomised horses that did not survive, three animals were lost after the introduction of anaesthesia, nine horses were euthanised after the abdominal cavity revision, one horse did not recover after the surgical procedure and seven horses did not survive the postoperative period. In 15 of 20 dead horses, the cause of the first surgical intervention was small intestinal ileus, in other four horses there was a large colon problem and in the last patient, it was a stomach disease. In 13 of 15 (86.7%) horses with small intestinal problems and in three of four (75%) patients with large colon disease, either resection or bypass was performed. In the remaining four non-surviving horses of 20 relaparotomised ones, peritonitis and/or adhesion formation was diagnosed at the second surgery, in three horses anastomosis complications were the main problem. Peritonitis or paralytic ileus led to death or euthanasia in four of seven horses that recovered after relaparotomy.

Northeastern part of Anatolia is a gene center of grapevine and a wide diversity of Fox grapes grow here. Viticulture and some grapevines in the Black Sea Region (in the north of Turkey) are on the verge of extinction; several types and varieties grown in this region have never been described and did not survive till present. For the past 10 years vineyards and grapevines in the Black Sea Region have been studied. In the present study, eighteen grapevines of foxy taste grown in the Artvin and Rize provinces were described. An ampelographic description of young shoot, mature shoot, young leaf, mature leaf, berry, bunch and seed were carried out using the OIV (Office International de la Vigne et du Vin) list for grapevine cultivars and Vitis species. However, several other parameters of the cultivars were measured for evaluation.

The perception of exogenous chemical substances, olfactory navigation and the use of the olfactory sense by birds to search for food are reviewed. Many results suggest that the olfactory sense is one of the important components of the navigation system in birds. The olfactory mechanisms used by homing pigeons to navigate homeward from distant sites have been well studied. The scent of potential food, carcasses, is a positive attracting percept for Vultures. Procellariiform seabirds (petrels, albatrosses and shearwaters) are able to localize food sources by using their olfactory sense. Procellariforms are sensitive to scented compounds associated with their primary prey: krill-related odors (pyrazines and trimethylamine), odors associated with phytoplankton (dimethyl sulfide - DMS) and ammonia. Anting is a specific type of behavior of over 200 bird species. Birds probably use anting to control ectoparasites, inhibit the growth of fungi or bacteria, to soothe skin irritated during the molting period, and to remove toxic formic acid from ants prior to their consumption. Insectivorous birds react to insect malodorous substances, produced by insect groups as a chemical defense against predators.

The uniqueness of limestone soil-forming substrate was assessed with respect to the classification of forest ecosystems. 50 soil profiles from the Bohemian Karst were studied and the results were confronted with previously published works from other karst areas. The evaluation of soil profiles was based on a macroscopic description, on the results of chemical and physicochemical analyses, and on a micromorphological study. The carbonate bedrock was a cause of specific genesis of soils in these sites - both recent and relict ones (terrae calcis). However, it does not always condition the unique characteristics of these sites whose differentiation would call for an a priori special edaphic category. Unique geochemical characteristics of the substrate are modified on the gradient of advanced pedogenesis (Holocene up to mid-Pleistocene soils were assessed) by a very intensive soil-forming process connected with the impact of allochthonous, mostly aeolian material. Two possible approaches were designed for the classification of these sites: (i) wider conception - distinction of the basic edaphic category with small limitations for the quality of soil-forming substrate, (ii) narrower conception - limestone edaphic category with a number of limitations to distinguish this edaphic category.

Altitudinal studies has become of interest to ecologists concentrated on functional alterations aiming to clarify the effects of limiting factors. Nutrient element release from forest floor (FF) decomposition is suppressed by those factors such as low temperature, shortened vegetation period concluding FF accumulation at high elevation fields. To draw out a response to the FF decomposition issue, FF layers as leaf + fermentation (L + F) and humus (H) were collected from 37 representative sample plots along an altitudinal gradient (from 1,400 m to 1,710 m) on Kaz (Balikesir-Turkey) mountain. Mass, pH, organic matter (OM) and total nitrogen (Nt) contents of FF were investigated to explain the relation between decomposition and altitudinal effects. The results revealed that total FF mass and (L + F), (H) sub-fraction masses through elevation show an insignificant relation with the altitude. No significant difference was found between the altitudinal groups in the OM content of L + F. Besides there are significant negative correlations between OM contents (%) of L + F and H layers and altitude with the coefficient values 0.342 (P< 0.05) and 0.597 (P < 0.01), respectively. The Nt content of L + F layer also increases through the elevation revealing a medium correlation with altitude (0.368; P < 0.05). The increasing Nt and decreasing OM contents show better decomposition rates at higher sites regardless of the altitude induced climatic changes. We assume that the forest floor accumulation under tree canopies provides a better decomposition relying on the microclimatic environment mediated by tree canopies, in spite of the altitude.

Using a file of economic indicators of a sample of selected agricultural enterprises, their economic results have been evaluated according to their production and climatic conditions, production orientation and the system of management since 1996. The long-term tendencies of economic results and the influencing factors shall be defined according to this analysis. The authors aim to assess the influence of external conditions on management of agricultural enterprises and how the economic result can be influenced. Next, the authors aim to analyse the influence of the accession of the Czech Republic to the EU. In 2005 the agricultural enterprises suffered a decrease in their profit compared with 2004, followed by a decrease of the profit rate. The decrease in the number of labour force and at the same time the increase of labour productivity shows a long-term tendency. Subsidies in agriculture have also been increasing in the long-term perspective. There was the first significant increase in 2004. Subsidies are one of the most important factors influencing the economics of agricultural enterprises and the dependence of their earnings on subsidies is increasing.

The aims of this study are to determine the cooperation of milk producers and to analyze the milk marketing structure in Menemen-Izmir, West Turkey. According to the results of this study, 70% of the producers are the shareholders of the cooperatives, 49.2% of the producers are members of the National Chamber of Agriculture. In this study, 47.20% of total milk production in the farms is marketing to street sellers, 36.11% is marketing to small scale milk processing plants, 10.1% is marketing directly to consumer and 6.6% is marketing to dairy factories. Also, feed prices in the market are 5% higher than the prices of cooperatives. The main problems related to organization and marketing together are the lack of knowledge in production, low milk prices and the high cost of production.

This scientific paper shows the results formulated in the author's research focused on strategic decision-making of the company management in a new entrepreneurial environment resulting from changes caused by integration processes, the development of information technologies and globalisation factors. The goal of this paper is to publish the changes in behaviour of the management of the selected entrepreneurial entities resulting from new factors of changes affecting the entrepreneurial environment. This is reflected in the process of strategic decision-making of entrepreneurial entities in the necessity to use new methods of decision-making of the company management as a reaction to factors of the external as well as the internal environment. Rapid changes in particular in the external environment require the company management to select new approaches and methods of decision-making and to have a well conceived algorithm enabling a flexible response to customer wishes using the findings of knowledge management.

The microbiological quality of the final product and the safety of the production procedures were screened in an ice cream factory, after implementation of a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) system. We analysed 30 vanilla (IC1), 30 strawberry (IC2), and 30 chocolate flavoured (IC3) samples of ice cream; 30 of water; 90 of personnel's hands flora; 150 of plastic ice cream containers flora; 50 of sanitised equipment-surfaces flora. After HACCP introduction, Staphylococcus aureus was not further detectable in ice cream and Escherichia coli was mostly less than 10 CFU/g, while the spoilage markers (total coliforms - TC, aerobic plate counts - APC) in ice cream and the environment were reduced by 20-35%. Mean log CFU/g, for IC1: TC from 2.20 reduced to 1.57, APC from 4.58 reduced to 3.62. For IC2: TC from 2.29 reduced to 1.65, APC from 4.61 reduced to 3.49. For IC3: TC from 2.67 reduced to 1.76, APC from 5.08 reduced to 3.81.

Lucerne (Medicago sativa L. var. Palava), harvested at four successive dates over a 30-day period, was evaluated for chemical composition (dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, crude fibre, nitrogen-free extract, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, acid detergent lignin), amino acid contents and intestinal digestibility in dairy cows. Dry matter (r = 0.78), organic matter (r = 0.95), crude fibre (r = 0.91), neutral detergent fibre (r = 0.94), acid detergent fibre (r = 0.79) and acid detergent lignin (r = 0.48) presented positive linear correlation coefficients (r) with growth stage, whereas crude protein (r = -0.96), ether extract (r = -0.86) and nitrogen-free extract (r = -0.70) showed negative relationships. Total essential amino acid content decreased (r = -0.94) from 84.1 to 55.3 g/kg of dry matter with maturity, with r-values higher than -0.90 obtained between growth stage and contents of lysine, methionine, threonine and valine. With the exception of tyrosine (r = -0.68), r-values between growth stage and individual non-essential amino acids were all higher than -0.90. Total amino acid (r = -0.98) and nitrogen (r = -0.99) contents presented comparable tendencies with successive sampling times. Whereas no definite trends were detected for the amino acid composition of rumen incubated (16 hours) lucerne samples, the intestinal digestibility of total essential (r = -0.78), total non-essential (r = -0.58) and total (r = -0.69) amino acids as well as nitrogen (r = -0.99) decreased with growth. However, due to a small sample size (n = 4), most linear relationships between constituents and growth stage were insignificant. It can be concluded that, although limited in the sample size, this report presents information on the decrease in amino acid contents and intestinal amino acid digestibility as growth proceeds in lucerne (var. Palava) produced in the Czech Republic, which could be utilized in the feeding of ruminants.

The influence of growth regulators on in vitro bulblet formation from ex vitro roots was studied in asiatic and oriental hybrids of Lilium The root segments (3-4 mm) isolated from the middle zone of 2-3 cm ex vitro root were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 1 or 1.5 mg/dm³ naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and/or benzyladenine (BA). Bulblets were not produced in the presence of NAA and BA alone. A significant increase in the per cent explants producing bulblets was observed with 1.5 mg/dm³ NAA and 1 mg/dm³ BA. Maximum number of bulblets and average fresh weight per bulblet was observed with 2 mg/dm³ NAA and 1.5 mg/dm³ BA after 90 days of culture. No differences were found among cultivars in bulblet regeneration of explant or bulblet number although more weighty bulblets occurred in cv. Apeldoorn. About 82% bulblet survival was recorded in coco peat after 30 days of transfer to pots.

The paper presents results from a study of sycamore maple development, health condition and growth in forest altitudinal vegetation zones (FAVZ) 6 and 7 occurring in pollution damage zones A and B in the air-polluted region of Krušné hory Mts. as compared with the trees of identical height in FAVZ 4 and 5 occurring in pollution damage zone D in the Bohemian-Moravian Upland. Sycamore maple develops a fully diversified root system. On spread mounds it creates only a superficial root system and its growth is retarded. The growth of sycamore maple is limited by the layer of humus horizons. If the layer thickness is over 20 cm, the sycamore roots would grow into mineral horizons.

The silver fir was planted under mountain conditions in order to reveal its response to the addition of finely ground rocks (limestone and amphibolite) mixed with soil into the planting holes. The results document that the increments of the plantations fertilised with amphibolite were higher by 25% on average than those of the control plantations while the increments of the plantations treated with dolomitic limestone were lower by 13%. Generally, as concerns both the plantations with the application of ground rocks and the control ones, the development of the fir plantations in 1994-2007 is considered successful. As the damage by climatic stresses has gradually diminished, the number of dead trees has been decreasing and the height increments have been increasing in the last years, therefore a positive development is to be expected also in future.

This paper uses a dynamic, partial equilibrium econometric model to analyze the impact of the 2003 CAP reform and changes of exchange rate on agricultural markets and agricultural incomes in Slovakia. We evaluate three scenarios: (1) baseline scenario with no change in agricultural policies (Single Area Payment Scheme and top-ups are assumed until 2015), (2) CAP reform scenario with full decoupling from 2007 and with modulation from 2013, and (3) exchange rate scenario. In the baseline scenario, production increases. Consumption increases with some exceptions (like pork). Agricultural income rises significantly in the baseline scenario. The full decoupling has a minor impact on agricultural markets relative to the baseline. Weak Euro would lead to higher prices and higher production but lower consumption. Change in the exchange rate causes substitution in consumption of certain commodities due to the relative price changes.

The paper addresses the initiative Tradice Bílých Karpat. It is the example of innovative use of local resources through joining together organic farmers and environmentalists. Content analysis (research technique used in combination with case study) proved to be an efficient tool when evaluating the impacts of this initiative for the public. The results documenting the impacts of this initiative for the public are rather of regional nature. They address only some activities of the Tradice Bílých Karpat, mostly those concentrated around processing of local apples. The paper also outlines the possible reasons for the existing image of this initiative presented in mass media and presenting it for the public.

The submitted paper analyses the development of food industry in the Czech Republic in 2000-2006, its position (in 2006) and development trends of main economic indicators compared to the development of manufacturing industry. In comparison with the dynamic development of Czech manufacturing industry, key position of food industry has decreased. The monitored food sector has heterogeneous structure with regard to branches. In connection with these differences, development trends of separate branches are fluctuating but labour productivity of the food sector as a total has markedly accelerated.

Experimental samples simulated the composition of vermouths. In all experiments, 0.01% quinine was used as a standard bitter substance. Sucrose increased the acceptability in the concentration range of up to 14%, remaining constant at higher concentrations, both in aqueous and 16% ethanolic solutions. A decrease of bitterness was observed in water but not in 16% ethanol. Ethanol did not affect the sweetness appreciably at the concentrations of up to 16%, but 32% ethanolic solutions appeared less sweet. Ethanol enhanced the bitterness only at high concentrations; interactions were similar in the samples containing 10% and 16% sucrose. Aspartame and Neotame sweetness increased the acceptability and decreased the bitterness similarly to sucrose, both in aqueous and in 16% ethanolic solutions.

Sequential extractions, metal uptake by Taraxacum officinale, Ruby's physiologically based extraction test (PBET) and toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP), were used to assess the risk of Pb and Zn in contaminated soils, and to determine relationships among soil characteristics, heavy metals soil fractionation, bioavailability and leachability. Regression analysis using linear and 2nd order polynomial models indicated relationships between Pb and Zn contamination and soil properties, although of small significance (P < 0.05). Statistically highly significant correlations (P < 0.001) were obtained using multiple regression analysis. A correlation between soil cation exchange capacity (CEC) and soil organic matter and clay content was expected. The proportion of Pb in the PBET intestinal phase correlated with total soil Pb and Pb bound to soil oxides and the organic matter fraction. The leachable Pb, extracted with TCLP, correlated with the Pb bound to carbonates and soil organic matter content (R² = 69%). No highly significant correlations (P < 0.001) for Zn with soil properties or Zn fractionation were obtained using multiple regression.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the growth rate and selected carcass and meat quality parameters in bulls fed a high-grain diet and to compare the results with those obtained in bulls fed a diet based on preserved roughage. The trial included 18 Czech-Pied bulls fed a diet with a high proportion of concentrated feed and 18 Czech-Pied bulls fed a diet based on maize silage, used as a control group. The trial was launched after the weaning of calves. During the fattening period, live weight and average daily weight gain were monitored. The bulls were slaughtered at the live weight of 550-600 kg, the mean age at slaughter was 473 days for the high-grain diet group and 474 days for the control group. The carcasses were classified to SEUROP quality grades, and carcass gain and dressing percentage were calculated. Samples of m. longissimus pars thoracis were taken from five bulls in each group to examine selected meat quality parameters. In the period from weaning to slaughter the high-grain diet bulls and the control bulls achieved the average daily weight gain of 1.29 kg and 1.21 kg, respectively. Differences between the groups were not significant. The high-grain diet group showed higher average carcass weight and higher carcass weight gain, differences between the groups were not significant, either. As to meat quality parameters under study, a significant difference was found only in meat lightness (L*), with the mean value in the high-grain diet group being significantly (P ≤ 0.01) lower than in the control group. The other meat quality parameters did not show any significant differences between the groups. In this study, the high-grain diet gave similar performance as the maize silage-based diet in fattening bulls. The high-grain diet group and control group showed comparable average daily weight gain and selected carcass and meat quality parameters.

In the present study and research work, land suitability evaluation (qualitative classification) was made for the Bilverdy research station of the Islamic Azad University in East Azarbaijan for wheat, barley, alfalfa, maize and safflower. The Simple Limitation Method (SLM), the Limitation Method regarding Number and Intensity (LMNI) and the Parametric Methods (PM) such as the square-root and the Storie methods were used. The landscape, climate and soil and characteristics that influence suitability of the land for particular crops have been combined according to the adopted methodology. Economic factors were excluded and moderate level of management was assumed. The results of different methods show that the most important limiting factors are climate, pH, organic matter (OM), gravel, salinity and sodicity, taken either alone or in combination. For safflower, the cation exchange capacity (CEC) can be added to these factors. Evaluation by the SLM and LMNI methods result in similar suitability classes, which confirms previous findings by other researchers for the same crops. However, in many cases the use of parametric methods, especially the square-root method, turned to be more realistic in distinguishing separate suitability classes. This study not only compares different methods and their results but also evaluates the suitability of the study area for particular crops. According to the square-root method, the area can be recommended as marginally suitable for cultivation of wheat, barley, alfalfa and safflower and is expected to yield about 40-65% of optimal production.

Wild service tree belongs among rare woody plants tolerant to higher temperatures and low soil humidity. There are available data from analyses of 34 wild service tree localities in Slovakia. The majority of analyzed localities (70%) were on south-exposed stands (SE, S, SW); 97% of these were in altitudes up to 600 m. Wild service tree prefers biotopes of the oak-hornbeam forests. The highest frequency of this woody plant was found in group of forest site types Fageto-Quercetum. According to altitudinal vegetation stages, the majority of stands (85%) were in the 3^rd and 2^nd vegetation stage, where potential evapotranspiration is higher than the sum of precipitation. From March to September the water deficit is approximately 100-150 mm. The most frequent are stands with mountain climate (62%) with prevalence of moderately warm (38%) and warm (15%) climate. Wild service tree grows mainly on soils with favourable physical characteristics and adsorbing complex (65% of stands). The soils are fertile and well supplied with nutrients (Luvisols, Cambisols). Some localities (35%) have soils rich in minerals; however, their soil chemistry is one-sided, so they are mostly little fertile (Rendzinas). Regarding the water content in soils, Cambisols have generally sufficient water supply; Luvisols have lower water supply with a possibility of their aridization; Rendzinas are mostly loose soils with good permeability, regarding their shallow profile with lower water capacity they have usually less water supply. According to the obtained data, it is possible to evaluate wild service tree as a light-demanding woody plant with requirements for higher temperatures and higher contents of nutrients in soil, able to grow on drier soils with infrequent occurrence of water deficit. With regard to the expected changes of global climate, wild service tree should substitute some tender woody plants with higher sensitivity to drought in landscape as well as in forestry.

In the present study the most outstanding anatomical findings of the heart of a giraffe are described. Two papillary muscles were found in the right ventricle, namely magnus and subarterial. There were no papillary parvi muscles. The supraventricular crest gave insertion to various tendinous chords. These chords fixed the angular cusp of the right atrioventricular valve. The pectinate muscles were better developed in the left auricle than in the right one. Within the left ventricle two big papillary muscles were found as well as a notorious septomarginal trabecula. The left coronary artery irrigated the majority of the heart's territory. It gave origin to the interventricular paraconal branch and to the circumflex branch. The latter gave off the branch of the left ventricular border and the interventricular subsinosal branch.

The paper deals with historical development of floodplain forests in the area of Vrapač National Nature Reserve in the floodplain of the Morava River (Protected Landscape Area Litovelské Pomoraví, Czech Republic). The aim of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of the anthropogenic influences that have over centuries led to the present state of floodplain forests in the study area. Thus, it will be possible to define more efficiently the management plan of this floodplain forest ecosystem.

This report deals with the problems of the status of rural households in the stratification system of the post-socialist Slovak society. The authors take as the basis the concept of associated classification and knowledge about the trends in the development of the social structure of Slovak society in the transformation period. The processing of empirical data from the survey research of rural households in three districts served as an example to compare the classification of households within the economic and socio-cultural lines by the means of the selected indicators. The analysis refers to the inconsistency of the stratification of rural households according to the economic and income statuses as well as education, population and socioeconomic qualities which are significantly conditioned by the regional position and situation. The representative types of rural households for the individual social strata are characterized in the conclusions. They are characterized with regard to the used criteria.

The delimitation of less-favoured areas (LFA) on the territorial and the farm level in the EU member states varies in many ways. The Commission emphasizes the unification of criteria on the territorial level. But the EU countries use very different criteria for the eligibility area definition and for the eligibility on farm level. This makes the comparison very difficult. The CR belongs to the countries with a lower level of differentiation of payments rates. The eligibility area is restricted to the grassland in the CR and degresivity of payments is not applied. In particular, collective farms as the owners' association play an important social role in the country of the Czech Republic and some other countries in the Central and Eastern Europe. It would be necessary to find such differentiation of payment system that would reflect these specific conditions. The holdings with different size and different form of farming as well as the effect of other subsidies to holdings should be taken into account. The support potential within the axis III of the Rural Development Program would be necessary strengthen to elimination of the adverse impact due to further lay-off of the employees in agriculture

Emmer and spelt are two hulled wheats that were widely grown in Spain until the latter 1960s. Twenty-nine emmer and twenty-six spelt lines obtained from Spanish accessions of these hulled wheats were analysed for quality traits and endosperm storage protein composition. The results showed a wide range of variability in these traits. Likewise, a certain association between some alleles of these proteins and the SDS-sedimentation volume has been detected.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of foliar urea applications on quality, growth, mineral content and yield of broccoli under field conditions in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Broccoli cultivars AG 3317 and AG 3324 were treated with foliar urea applications at different concentrations (0.0, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.0%). Foliar applications of urea, especially 0.8 and 1.0% resulted in larger heads, weightier heads and plants as well as higher plants. Conversely, the greatest head and leaf dry matter contents were obtained with no fertilizer-nitrogen application. SPAD chlorophyll readings that were measured in the third year increased with elevated urea concentrations. In regard to the nutrient content, it can be interfered that soil nitrogen fertilization and foliar urea applications increased the content of almost all nutrients in leaves and heads of both broccoli cultivars in three experiment years. Generally, the greatest values were obtained from 1.0% urea application for both cultivars. It results from the study that for optimum yields 0.61 and 0.96% concentrations of urea sprays could be successfully used to obtain better growth and yield in broccoli cultivars AG 3317 and AG 3324, respectively.

The paper deals with the possibilities of arsenic analysis in the soil. The aim is the selection and verification of the methods for analysis of As in the soil, which seem to be suitable for risk evaluation based on the increased As soil load. Economical and analytical availability of the methods is an important criterion. A sample set of 6 heavily contaminated soils was used to compare application potential of prevalent as well as less common procedures for determination of arsenic forms in soils. The results showed that substitution of analytically more demanding As total content analysis and sequential analysis for simple extraction using one-off agents seemed to be promising in many cases. The comparison and evaluation of statistical correlation of used methods of As analysis in the soil was realised. The results suggested that using the combination of simple 1M NH₄NO₃ extraction and determination procedure for amorphous Fe forms in the soil (the Tamm method) was suitable for the risk assessment stemming from the As contamination without necessity of the application of more complicated sequential extraction procedures.