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The purpose of the pilot project Senotín (1993-2000) was to prove the methods of revitalization of sub-mountain headwater area (0.38 km²) in the Novobystřická Vysočina Highland (610-725 m a. s. l.) in the Czech Republic. This area was tile-drained and ploughed in 1985. Seven underground clay shields newly constructed in 1995 stopped the function of the tile drainage. Four balks prevented the surface and subsurface runoff. These adaptations improved water retention capacity of the whole catchment, which is demonstrated using an example of runoff formation in the revitalized area. A typical storm rain (total 15 mm, duration 5.6 h, max. intensity 4 mm/20 min) and the consequent runoff was analysed, including the role of the soil in the runoff retardation and water retention. The runoff started in two hours since the rain beginning. The retention reached 98% of the rain total. The runoff lasted for 85 h. The concave-upward shape of the falling hydrograph limb indicates that the maximum retention capacity of the studied catchment is high.

Pollen viability and germinability in some European chestnut genotypes was assessed in this study. In 10 chestnut genotypes, percentages of pollen viability were generally high and often around or over 80%. The pollen germination percentages of the genotypes were significantly affected by media sucrose concentrations. At optimum sucrose concentrations pollen germination percentages varied between 21.97 and 43.68% in 2004, 3.95 and 31.97% in 2005 and 6.79 and 31.03% in 2006, across all genotypes. The highest pollen germination percentage was obtained from 10% sucrose concentration in all years. Although, in 2006, a highly marked positive correlation (r = 0.80) was determined for the viability and germination percentages, no significant relation between the viability and germination percentages r = -0.54 and r = -0.05, respectively) was found in 2004 and 2005. In 2005 and 2006, germination percentages declined compared to 2004.

The objective of this study was to determine the wildlife hosts of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) in the Czech Republic. A total of 8 796 wildlife animals were examined by culture of faecal or tissue samples during the years 2002-2007. MAP was isolated from 12 (0.5%) out of 2 296 red deer (Cervus elaphus), two (0.2%) out of 835 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 78 (5.7%) out of 1 381 fallow deer (Dama dama), 28 (3.2%)out of 866 mouflons (Ovis musimon), four (2.5%) out of 162 chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) and from one (0.1%) out of 805 wild boar (Sus scrofa). MAP was not cultured from 82 badgers (Meles meles), 55 martens (Martes foina), one pine marten (Martes martes), 25 brown hares (Lepus europaeus), five rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), nine European polecats (Mustela putorius), two steppe polecats (Mustela eversmannii), two American minks (Mustela vison), four raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) and four Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra). MAP was isolated from three (2.0%) out of 149 small terrestrial mammals: one (5.9%) out of 17 brown rats (Rattus norvegicus), one (1.7%) out of 59 common voles (Microtus arvalis) and one (2.6%) out of 39 lesser white-toothed shrews (Crocidura suaveolens). Culture examinations of 34 house mice (Mus musculus) and 2 113 pigeons (Columba livia f. domestica) were negative. All 123 in vitro growing MAP isolates from wild ruminants were of IS900 RFLP type B-C1. One mouflon infected with a MAP strain which did not grow on the tested media was after IS1311-PRA-PCR assessed as being infected with a "sheep" strain. The RFLP type of the MAP isolate from the wild boar was of the RFLP type A-C10. Although the detection of MAP in wildlife in the Czech Republic was not very high, their role as a potential risk factor for cattle should be considered.

The contribution is focused on the analysis of barriers to the entry into fruit production. The branch is identified as a fruit growers branch and the threat to new entries in the branch will concern especially the establishment of a new firm or the expansion of an existing firm's plant production by some fruit species production. The methodology is based on the Porter model of competitive forces in the industry. In fruit production, there have been analysed the following entry barriers: economies of scale, differentiations, capital intensity, transfer, access to distribution channels, cost disadvantage independent of scale, government policy, anticipated retaliatory measures from existing firms. The analysis proves that the barriers to enter the fruit production are rather high nowadays, which should discourage the potential new firms from entering this branch.

For the first time in the Czech Republic, bacteria identified as Pseudomonas marginalis, Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum and Pseudomonas putida were isolated from tubers of Zantedeschia spp. with symptoms of tuber soft rot. The symptoms occurred on mother tubers as well as on new daughter tubers of different calla lily hybrids with yellow spathe, calla lily cv. Mango with bright orange spathe and Zantedeschia rehmanii with pink spathe. The percentage of diseased plants of the total plants in the plot was around 10%. When inoculated into potato tuber slices, strains of P. marginalis and P. c. subsp. carotovorum produced soft rot. Pectolytic activity of P. marginalis strains was less intensive than that of the P. c. subsp. carotovorum strain. The results confirm that bacterial soft rot of Zantedeschia spp. may have several causes.

Microbial activities and counts of microorganisms were monitored as a part of research projects at 11 localities on arable land of different soil types during the years 2002-2006. The counts of microorganisms (total bacteria count, actinomycetes, micromycetes, Azotobacter, oligotrophic and spore-forming bacteria) and microbial activities (respiration, ammonification and nitrification tests) were evaluated using summary statistics, analysis of variance and correlation coefficients. The average counts of microorganisms corresponded with usual counts of microbes in arable soils. There were only some differences among localities in Azotobacter counts. Soil respiration is very often used as an indicator of soil microflora activity. Average values of basal respiration were slightly lower (0.45 mg CO₂ /h per 100 g dry soil) than usual values, potential respiration with glucose (G) or with ammonium and G (NG) responded to usual values (average G 4.27, NG 9.53 mg CO₂ /h per 100 g dry soil). All activities (except actual ammonification) were higher in spring season, but the differences were not significant. There were significant differences in correlation coefficients among the selected criteria; 66% from the total number of correlation coefficients were non-significant, 34% were significant (13% of them was at the significance level 0.05, 10% P < 0.01, and 11% P < 0.001).

In the present paper we describe the basic results of long-term selection for low yolk cholesterol content in Japanese quail and its influence on development and relationship with other egg quality traits during nineteen selected generations. The changes in a selected low cholesterol line were compared with changes in an unselected control line to obtain the real selection response to estimated traits. There was a significant decrease in yolk cholesterol content from 1 815 mg/100 g of fresh yolk (P generation) to 1 522 mg/100 g yolk (S19 generation). According to the value of regression coefficient b the decrease per one generation was 15.71 mg/100 g yolk. The decrease in cholesterol of the edible part of egg was also effective and it significantly decreased by 11.29 mg/100 g of the edible part of egg in each generation. There were only insignificant changes in egg weight, but we found a significant increase in yolk weight during selected generations. According to the regression analysis the increase in yolk weight was 0.019 mg/100 g per one generation. There were a positive but insignificant increase also in albumen weight, shell weight and weight of the edible part of egg. We found a small and insignificant decrease in shape index. We determined very high and significant positive correlations between cholesterol content in yolk and cholesterol content in the edible part of egg (0.801+++) and significant negative correlations between yolk cholesterol content and egg weight (-0.515+), yolk weight (-0.468+) and weight of the edible part of egg (-0.475). There were only low, positive and insignificant correlations between yolk cholesterol content and yolk egg proportion and egg shape index.

The study analyses the growth of beech seedling fine roots and their development in the first five years. The research plots were established in 1997-2003 in community forests of Starý Plzenec (Western Bohemia, Czech Republic). The data are based on annual reviews of beech samplings extracted from surveyed plots. The whole root volume as well as the fine root volume is significantly (on a 95% significance level) growing during the first years after outplanting and there is not any disruption of growth immediately after outplanting.

Intangible issues, which are often very difficult to be quantified become more and more the field of interest of social sciences. There are many research works demonstrating that various types of knowledge, institutions, social networks, and social relations have a great influence on human activities as for efficient achievement of the actors' goals. This paper relates expert knowledge (shaping professional qualification) to human capital and tacit knowledge (understood as a broader, general, and contextual knowledge) to cultural capital. Both forms of capital exist in their primary form only in concrete individual persons. Concerning collective persons (firm, community), cultural and human capitals are transformed into intellectual capital. Work with specific knowledge, tacit knowledge and capitals corresponding to them shows the role of social networks and social capital in their organization. Using the analysis of two farms based on natural experiment, the paper demonstrates the role of tacit knowledge and cultural capital (opposing to the overestimated role of expert knowledge and human capital). The conclusions outline social determination of both types of knowledge through social networks and social capital needed for an efficient work of a farm.

The purpose of the situation analysis of the external environment is to find what is happening in the company environment now and in the future and how these factors will influence the activities and existence of the company. The paper deals with a situation analysis of the external environment of a specific company. This paper describes the external environment of the United Bakeries company using the STEPE analysis and in addition a situation analysis of the external environment was made. Next the probability estimation of the occurrence and influence of the factors is made for today, and for the near and long-term future.

White wines of Debina cultivar were made from musts clarified by flotation using nitrogen as foaming agent. Flotation using air as the foaming agent (must hyperoxidation), without SO₂ addition, was also applied. Turbidity and suspended solids were lower in must clarified by flotation using nitrogen than in that clarified by sedimentation (control). Flotation with hyperoxidation led to a reduction of must phenolics. All experimental wines exhibited similar gross compositions (alcohol, reducing sugars, total acidity, and volatile acidity). Wines made from musts clarified by flotation using nitrogen had similar total phenolic content, browning capacity, and organoleptic quality as the control wines. Wines made from musts clarified by flotation using air had lower total phenolic contents and browning capacity than were those in control wines. These wines were of well acceptable quality but exhibited a slightly oxidised aftertaste. The results indicate that flotation using nitrogen can be effective in the production of typical Debina wine, while flotation using air may be useful in that of table wine without SO₂ addition. Orange juice was clarified by flotation using nitrogen or air as the foaming agent. Orange juice clarified by flotation using nitrogen as the foaming agent exhibited lower turbidity and a similar pulp content to that clarified by centrifugal separator (control). It had an acceptable taste and aroma. Juice clarified by flotation using air as the foaming agent, along with pectolytic enzyme treatment, exhibited much lower turbidity and pulp content compared to control. The clear juice had an acceptable taste but no aroma. The fermented clear juice was averagely rated, exhibiting a pleasant aroma and only a slightly bitter taste. The results indicate that flotation using nitrogen can be effective in the production of natural orange juice, while flotation using air may be useful in the production of orange drink.

The virulence of 166 Fusarium solani isolates collected in the Czech Republic from infected pea plants was evaluated. Based on the ability to produce phytotoxic naphtarazin (DHF - dihydrofusarubin), only two isolates from this collection (designated FS VG and FS We) corresponded with the characteristics of f.sp. pisi. Suitability and effectiveness of two methods of inoculation based on soaking of seed in the inoculum were evaluated. The possibility to use mixtures of inocula of different species (F. solani f.sp. pisi + F. oxysporum f.sp. pisi races 1 and 2) and of mixtures of two isolates with different virulences was explored. Employing an efficient testing method and the most virulent isolate FS VG, 184 semileafless types of field peas and garden peas were screened to find accessions with a higher level of resistance to F. solani f.sp. pisi.

The experiments were conducted to study the effects of arsenic-contaminated irrigation water, zinc and organic matter on the mobilization of arsenic in an Aeric Endoaquept in relation to rice (cv. IET 4786). The results show that the amount of extractable arsenic increased with the progress of submergence decreased with zinc application. The magnitude of such decrease varied with the Zn amount, being greater (0.70 to 1.08 mg/kg) in the treatment where zinc was applied at the rate of 20 mg/kg. With regards to organic matter application, the arsenic content in soil markedly decreased, especially with farmyard manure application. The results of the greenhouse experiment with exposure of graded doses of arsenic to rice suggest that the upper toxic limit of arsenic in soil was 10 mg/kg for rice. The results of the field experiment show that the grain yield of continuous flooding (4.84 t/ha) and intermittent flooding up to 40 days after transplanting followed by continuous flooding (4.83 t/ha) with the application of ZnSO₄ at the rate of 25 kg/ha did not vary significantly. The lowest grain yield (3.65 t/ha) was recorded in the treatment where the intermittent flooding was maintained throughout the growth period without the application of zinc. The amount of arsenic was, however, much lower in the treatment where intermittent flooding was maintained throughout the growing period combined with zinc sulphate application.

Producers in highland and semiarid regions have difficulty in increasing diversity in crop rotations due to unfavorable conditions imposed by cool temperatures, inadequate rainfall, and shorter growing periods. In such conditions, safflower appears as a promising alternative because it is cold and drought tolerant. The objective of this study was to determine the responses of the hybrid and open-pollinated safflower genotypes to irrigated and non-irrigated conditions in a highland environment. For this reason, the field research was performed during the years of 2001 and 2002 in eastern Anatolia, Turkey. According to the results of the study, safflower genotypes tested were well adapted to the cool and short-season conditions in this region. The response of seed yield to genotype varied depending on the growing seasons. The non-irrigated plants produced nearly the same seed yield as irrigated ones. Average seed yields of safflower genotypes tested were 914.3 and 928.0 kg/ha in 2001, and 1143.6 and 1139.9 kg/ha in 2002 years for irrigated and non-irrigated experiments, respectively. In general, the genotypes differed in all of the investigated traits. In both irrigated and non-irrigated experiments genotype × year interactions were very significant for all parameters. This research shows that in semiarid and highland environments safflower has a big potential value as an oilseed crop under dryland conditions.

Investigations on the ovarian cycle of fish species that inhabit Hungarian rivers are necessitated by both environmental and economic reasons. The objective of our research was to explore new fundamental knowledge concerning the ovarian cycle of the white bream (Blicca bjoerkna, Linnaeus, 1758), barbel (Barbus barbus, Linnaeus, 1758), orfe (Leuciscus idus, Linnaeus, 1758) and nase (Chondrostoma nasus, Linnaeus, 1758). Histological investigation of ovaries and determination of proportions of oocytes in different stages of development is an appropriate method for the description of spawning characteristics of these species. Our results show that the GSI value for all four investigated species starts to increase at the end of summer and reaches its maximum before spawning. In the barbel and white bream, the presence of oocytes in the stage of cortical alveoli and the heterogeneous size of oocytes in the stage of vitellogenesis in the pre-spawning period indicate that barbel and white bream are multiple spawners. In contrast, in the orfe and nase, the absence of oocytes in the stage of cortical alveoli and the homogeneous size of cells in the stage of vitellogenesis indicate that orfe and nase are single spawners.

Citrus Greening Disease (CGD) was critically reviewed with respect to its history, origin, symptomatology, host range, pathogenic association, identification and detection, transmission and management. It is evident that the citrus disease has emerged as a potential serious threat to citrus production in all the citrus growing countries of the world including Pakistan. It is has been proved that in Pakistan the greening disease is the major cause of citrus decline; hence it is necessary to formulate definite planning and strategies.

D-alanine (DAL) has been successfully used as a marker of bacterial nitrogen (N) in the small intestine of cows. This study compares DAL contents of intestinal bacteria in digesta of cows and pigs with respect to diet and sampling site. In isolated ileal bacteria of pigs a DAL/N ratio (41.72 ± 3.19 mg/g, n = 18) was found, which was not different from that in rumen bacteria (40.11 ± 1.95 mg/g, n = 18) but higher than in duodenal bacteria of cows (38.09 ± 2.09 mg/g, n = 18, P < 0.001). The DAL/N ratio in ileal bacteria of pigs was independent of the diet (P = 0.38) but it tended to be affected by the animal (P = 0.095). In bacterial preparations derived from cows, the DAL/N ratio depended on the diet (P = 0.04) and the site of sampling (P = 0.004). Our findings indicate that a general value for DAL/N ratio in pig or cow intestinal contents to calculate bacterial N should not be used.

Molecular studies enabling the recognition of the role of game and ticks in the circulation of pathogens transmitted by ticks and detection of coinfections in order to estimate a risk which a contact with tissues of roe deer, red deer and wild boar from north-western Poland brings were the aim of this research. DNA isolated from the blood and spleen of game and from Ixodes ricinus were the study materials. The results shows that Capreolus capreolus and Cervus elaphus play an important role in the life cycle of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, two Bartonella species, Theileria and Babesia spp. Whereas in the isolates obtained from 50 representatives of Sus scrofa, the DNA of only one pathogen, A. phagocytophilum occurred. 63.5% of 74 PCR+ isolates from Capreolus capreolus showed a double coinfection and three isolates - triple. In the tissues of Cervus elaphus, the coinfections were triple in 38% of individuals, double in 40%, single in 84%.

Artificial regeneration of autochthonous target tree species plays an important role in the process of conversion of forest stands. The European beech is one of the most suitable and most frequently used tree species in this process. Modern technologies of intensive methods of the cultivation of the European beech seedlings provide, among others, a possibility to increase the proportion of this tree species in reforestation more quickly. It is however necessary to test at what types of sites this planting material can be used. The health status and growth of intensively grown beech seedlings in the first years after planting were studied on 2 research plots. Proper intensive fertilisation of the beech seedlings affected positively both the initial height and growth. Even the slow-release fertiliser did not negatively influence the beech after planting. The health status of the beech is excellent after 4 years, the average height of plants with different fertilisation treatments having become equal. It is to conclude from the hitherto obtained results that a slow-release fertiliser in the substrate has a positive effect on the plant growth, and that different fertilisation variants did not cause any serious root deformations of the beech planting stock samples taken 4 years after planting. The impacts of prior nursery fertilisation upon the beech planted under the conditions of extreme sites are further investigated.

Abstract: Services become an important participant of the international economic relationships during the last 20 to 30 years. Since the sector of services used formerly to be applied rather more on the national level, we speak of the internalisation of services, which become an important article of international trade. Compared to the dynamics of world trade with tangible goods, services reach higher year-to year increases and their share in the world trade turnover still increases. The explanation lies in the growing importance of services connected to the level of the economy development and in the foreign trade with services liberalisation. The value of the services export on the world level reached approx.1.5 trill. USD in 2000. The value of the world export of tangible goods was 5.5 trill. USD in the same year, so that export of services covered approximately one fifth of the total world tangible and non-tangible goods. The share of services in the world export (tangible and non-tangible) grew continually.

The article deals with communication between a user and an expert system, especially from the viewpoint of psychology aspects of the communication process. Psychological factor of the communication between the user and the expert system seems to be marginal, although it is a necessary part of a final methodology of the expert system development. Domain expert, knowledge engineer as well as IT expert, who takes part in the expert system creation, usually sets up a unified and static communication interface that is identical for all users. The communication process form highly influences user's satisfaction of working with the expert system and his willingness to reuse that system. User's satisfaction expressed by some metrics is one of the key indicators of both efficiency and effectiveness of the expert system. If the system is not used because of the user's discontent, the money spent for its creation cannot be understood as an investment (asset), but as an expense. In the article, there are classified the users from the point of view of their personality type and some recommendations for a communication project development in the frame of the methodology of the expert system creation are suggested.

Our objective was to determine which rhizome extract from Japanese knotweed, Giant knotweed or Bohemian knotweed has the most significant inhibition effect on the germinated seeds. The seeds of white mustard were incubated with the extracts for two days under laboratory conditions. We monitored differences in number of germinated seeds, length of radicles, hypocotyls and root/shoot ratio between the control and experimental seeds. Inhibitory effect of extracts from dried knotweed rhizomes was confirmed, but without differences among tested plants. A higher allelopathic effect was revealed in the case of extract from aboveground parts.

The objective of this paper is to evaluate the contents of CF, NDF, ADF and ergosterol in the forage of Fistulolium, Dactylis glomerata and Arrhenatherum elatius from stands harvested at the end of the growing season. The contents of CF, NDF and ADF were analysed using the ANKOM Fibre Analyzer instrument. The ergosterol content was analysed by the HPLC method. The lowest CF content was in the Festulolium forage matter (26.8%). Conversely, the highest content was in the Arrhenatherum elatius forage (30.2%). The CF content gradually increased during autumn from 28.0% to 29.4%. Likewise, the NDF and ADF contents were lowest in Festulolium (58.3% and 32.3%, respectively). The highest NDF content was in Arrhenatherum elatius (60.5%). The ADF contents in Arrhenatherum elatius and Dactylis glomerata were comparable (35.9% and 35.1%, respectively). The NDF content increased during autumn from 56.4% to 62.0% and ADF content from 32.8% to 36.4%. The ergosterol content suggests a lower infestation of the Festulolium forage by fungi. While this content in the Festulolium forage was 94.9 mg/kg of dry matter (DM), in the Dactylis glomerata forage it was 136.7 mg/kg DM and in the Arrhenatherum elatius forage 139.9 mg/kg DM. Forage samples taken in December contained ergosterol on a level of 248.6 mg/kg DM. The species under study and the time of use in autumn exhibited a statistically highly significant effect (P < 0.01) on the contents of CF, NDF, ADF and ergosterol in the forage matter.

The main aim of this work was to compare the results of the water storages obtained in the experimental basins in the Jizerské hory Mountains before the time of snowmelt with the total outflows, which were measured in the hydrological stations during the snowmelt period in two winter seasons with extraordinary snow depths (2005 and 2006). The snow water equivalent (measured in weekly steps), daily precipitation amount, and runoff in hourly values were the input data; the calculated runoff coefficients were the output values. The runoff coefficients from the snowmelt periods of 2005 and 2006 were compared in the Uhlířská and the Jezdecká Basins. The runoff coefficient in the Uhlířská Basin increased in 2006 from 0.636 to 0.688 (increase by 4%) and in the Jezdecká Basin it increased in 2006 from 0.660 to 0.749 (increase by 9%). It may have been the result of a bigger volume of precipitation during the snowmelt period 2006. The calculated runoff coefficients, which express the differences between the water storage obtained and the total outflow, can describe the specific characters of the experimental basins. It may be useful for the estimation of the expected inflow into water reservoirs and also for the hydrological forecasting in the foothills of the Jizerské hory Mountains. The measured data of snow cover also serve as a check, and also for the possible adjustment of the snow water equivalent generated by the model SNOW 17 - which is a part of the forecasting modelling system Aqualog. This system is in everyday use for the Elbe river forecasts in the Forecasting Centre of CHMI. The usefulness of this procedure was proved especially during the floods arising from snowmelts in last years. The model SNOW 17 has been calibrated for the catchment of the Černá Desná Stream with the Jezdecká closing profile (one of the experimental basins in the Jizerské hory Mountains). The results obtained demonstrate a very good capability of the model to duplicate the dynamics of the snow cover accumulation and thaw, if quality input data are available.

Three hundred and thirty-one (331) horses out of 371 cases (i.e. 351 individuals discharged from the clinic) were followed up in order to evaluate long-term survival rate and complications after colic surgery. Twenty horses were subjected to surgery twice during the period of this study. Out of the sample of 331 patients, 302 animals (91.2%) survived at least 11 months after the operation. Twenty-nine horses (8.8%) died or had to be euthanized. Colic episode was considered to be the cause of death in 23 (79.3%) out of 29 patients. Seven colic patients had to be reoperated. The remaining six patients died of a cause unrelated to the gastrointestinal disease. Seven out of 302 long-term surviving patients needed the second operation within the first 11 months after the first surgery. Colic episode was reoperated in another 15 patients after 12 months to 4 years after the first operation. Conservative treatment was necessary in another 10 long-term surviving horses. In eight long-term surviving horses and in one patient that did not survive 11 months, incision hernias were identified as the postoperative complication. Twenty-one horses out of 331 were subjected to relaparotomy during their first hospitalization. Eighteen out of these (85.7%) survived 11 months after the surgery; the remaining three were euthanized within six months due to colic.

This study was designed to evaluate basic tree characteristics of Quercus dalechampii Ten. and Quercus polycarpa Schur and to find out differences between them. Total height, height of crown base and diameter at breast height were measured before tree felling. Cut stems were visually checked for heart rot on their basal parts. Diameters were measured on each stem in 1 meter long sections from the base to the point of life crown setting. Average values for both species were compared by t-test. The total height was proved to be statistically different; the height of crown base and diameter at breast height were quite similar for both species. Q. dalechampii Ten. was proved to be of larger stem diameter from the tree foot to the 3^rd height meter; the diameter of Q. polycarpa Schur was superior from that height upwards. However, the most significant interspecies difference was found in a number of stems affected by wood-rot fungi as Q. polycarpa Schur turned out to be less resistant than Q. dalechampii Ten.

Regional development strategy has to be designed with knowledge of human resources' development trends. Monitoring of this factor is of concern namely in rural areas where disfavourable demographic situation may occur. Leaving this problem unsolved would constitute depopulation of certain endangered regions. The paper is focused on analysis of human resources' condition and development granding groups of settlements by size.

A three-year field experiment was conducted from 2000 to 2002 in North-East Poland. Each year three sulphur fertilization rates in the form of sulphate (S-SO^2-₄) and pure (S-S⁰) sulphur were applied: 40, 80 and 120 kg/ha. In the soil horizon at the depth of 0-40 cm the triple rate of S- and S-S⁰) depressed soil reaction. Acidification of soil caused by S-SO^2-₄ became evident already in the first year of the study while that resulting from S-S⁰) application appeared as late as in the third year. The effect of sulphur on soil in the 40-80 cm horizon was irregular. As the sulphur rates increased and the duration of the experiment progressed, sulphates accumulated in soil. In the 0-40 cm soil layer, the increasing rates of sulphur tended to increase the content of N-NH⁺₄. In most objects, the NPK + S fertilization, and especially the single S-SO^2-₄ treatment, caused an increase in N-NO^-₃ in both soil layers compared with the NPK fertilized object. The dose of 120 kg/ha S-SO^2-₄ caused a significant increase in the concentration of available phosphorus in soil in the 0-40 and 40-80 cm layers.