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Forty six Holstein Friesian repeat breeding cows (the average AI/conception was 5.2 ± 0.2) were investigated using the progesterone assay after AI to determine possible differences in plasma progesterone profiles between summer and winter seasons. Twenty eight (60.9%) and 18 (39.1%) cows were followed in summer (June-August) and winter (December-February), respectively. In the summer season, the total progesterone concentrations were higher (P < 0.05) in pregnant cows with normal luteal function compared to those in non-pregnant animals with abnormal luteal function. In contrast, in the winter season, there was no difference (P = 0.12) in total progesterone concentrations between pregnant and non-pregnant cows with normal or abnormal luteal functions. When the progesterone concentrations were compared, the pregnant and non-pregnant cows with normal luteal functions exhibited no difference (P = 0.92) in summer and winter seasons. Thus, the present study indicates that there is no effect of season on plasma progesterone profiles in repeat breeding cows; however in the summer season, the total progesterone concentrations were considerably higher in pregnant cows with normal luteal function compared to non-pregnant cows with abnormal luteal function.

Phosphorus (P) is essential for crop production. Adequate application P rate is critical for enhancing productivity and profitability of snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The goal of this study was to optimize P application rate for commercial snap bean production in south Florida. Six trials were conducted on sandy soils and muck soils in Hendry County and Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. Before planting cv. Caprice snap bean, plots were fertilized with different P application rates in the form of triple superphosphate (0-45-0). An increase in P₂O₅ application rates up to 134 kg/ha P₂O₅ significantly increased the marketable bean yields. However, beyond that point, significant field gains did not occur with further increased application. At 134 kg/ha P₂O₅, bean appearance quality was the best compared to the other treatments. These results indicate that 134 kg/ha P₂O₅ produced best bean appearance quality and was the optimum rate for commercial production of snap bean in high-pH soils in south Florida.

European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) are considered amongst tree species as some of the most attractive forage for red deer (Cervus elaphus). The aim of this paper is to estimate branch and foliage mass browsing by red deer in young Sycamore maple and European ash in Central Slovakia and to analyze interspecific differences in browsing frequency and quantity. Altogether 665 ash trees and 701 maple trees were measured for height and stem diameter at the ground level. Red deer browsing, defined as leader shoot or lateral branch cropping, was recorded for all trees. A combination of the diameter of browsed branches and branch regression models allowed for the estimation of browsed (potentially consumed) mass by red deer. Results show that browsing occurred more frequently on maple (5 cases per tree) compared to ash (3 cases per tree); however, more total branch biomass was consumed in ash (10.7 g per tree) compared to maple (2.6 g per tree). This is because browsed branches were larger in ash than in maple. We assume that the difference in the size of browsed branches between ash and maple is relative to species-specific branch morphological and structural features.

The contribution follows the development of Czech wine exports to Slovakia, depending on the development of the wine industry attractiveness in Slovakia. Wine export from the Czech Republic to Slovakia in the terms of volume and value of exports, both globally and in the division of export bulk and bottled wine, is confronted with the development of factors influencing the wine sector attractiveness in Slovakia. The Slovak wine market is a market in the phase of growth, the wine consumption per capita in 2011 reached 14.7 Lt.; the domestic production covered only 46% of the domestic consumption. The level of the industry concentration is high, the 6 largest companies produce more than 18.5 mill. Lt. of wine - 50% of the total domestic production. Wine legislation is comparable to the Czech legislation, the purchasing power of the customers shows a positive development, but the cheap table wine imports still represent more than 50% of the total domestic consumption. The opportunity for Czech exporters is the factor represented by the size and growth of the market and the legislation, too. The situation is rather more positive for the re-export of cheap wine from other countries than the direct export of Czech wine to Slovakia in case of other analyzed factors.

The occurrence of chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica) was studied in 2011-2012 at 13 locations in the main chestnut growing areas of Romania. Infections were detected at four localities. The symptoms and the fungus were detected on European chestnut (four localities) and also on oak trees (two localities). A total of 89 isolates of C. parasitica were isolated and characterised. Based on canker and isolate morphology (culture morphology and the Bavendamm test), both virulent and hypovirulent samples were isolated; hypovirulent isolates were found at only one locality. Two vegetative compatibility types corresponding to EU-12 and EU-2 were identified among isolates. Both mating types were found, with a dominance of MAT-1 in southern Romania and MAT-2 in northern Romania.

Cereal/legume intercropping may improve resource use efficiency in agroecosystems and increase yield per unit surface area and yield stability. Two field bean (Vicia faba L.) and four barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars were mono- and intercropped (additive design) in a 2-year lysimeter experiment on a sandy loam soil. The aim was to test the effect of the cropping system on dry matter and N yield of forage, the residual effect on the subsequent ryegrass crop (Lolium multiflorum Lam. westerwoldicum), and NO₃-N leaching in the rotation. Land equivalent ratios were 1.65 for dry matter and 1.67 for N yield, indicating a clear advantage of the intercrop over sole crops. Both species suffered from competition, especially in terms of N resources, but barley was less affected. Nitrate leaching was the lowest from intercrop. Preceding crop significantly affected dry matter, N content and NO₃-N leaching of ryegrass. Field bean sole crop gave the highest benefits to ryegrass in terms of forage dry matter and N content, but also the highest NO₃-N leaching, followed by the intercrop and the barley sole crop. Barley/field bean intercropping may be an effective strategy to reduce land requirements, N leaching losses and fertilizer inputs, thereby increasing the sustainability of farming systems.

The aim of the studies was to determine the effect of the used herbicides and their mixtures on the level of glycoalkaloids (TGA) in the leaves and tubers of three edible potato cultivars. The studied factors were: I - three cultivars: Cekin, Satina and Tajfun. II - five ways of care: 1. mechanical care - the control object and four objects using herbicides Command 480 EC, Afalon Dispersion 450 SC and Stomp 400 SC. The content of glycoalkaloids both in the leaves and in the tubers of the edible potato significantly depended on the genotype. The highest content of TGA characterised the cv. Cekin - 623.5 mg/kg and 67.21 mg/kg of fresh weight (FW), respectively, while the smallest was found in cv. Satina - 339.3 mg/kg and 33.60 mg/kg of FW, respectively. Herbicides used in the experiment caused the increase of the content of glycoalkaloids compared to the tubers from the control object. However, a significantly higher concentration of TGA was stated after using the mixture of herbicides Command 480 EC + Afalon Dispersion 450 SC and Stomp 400 SC + Afalon Dispersion 450 SC.

The high prophylactic doses of ZnO commonly used to control post-weaning diarrhoea (PWD) in piglets have become an environmental problem. The possibility of partial replacement of ZnO by sodium humate (HNa) in PWD treatment was investigated in this study. Weaned piglets (32) were challenged with two enterotoxigenic E. coli strains (ETEC/O149/F4/LT and ETEC/O147/F18/LT) and allocated into four treatments maintained for three weeks: C (no supplementation); ZnO2.5 (2.5 g ZnO/kg diet); HNa + ZnO1.0; HNa + ZnO1.5; HNa + ZnO1.7 (20 g HNa and 1.0, 1.5 and 1.7 g ZnO/kg diet, respectively). The effects on incidence, severity and duration of diarrhoea, faecal shedding of total E. coli and both ETEC strains, growth rate and selected blood parameters were investigated. In contrast with ZnO2.5 and HNa + ZnO1.7, high daily diarrhoea scores, incidence and duration and mortality due to severe dehydration were seen in C, HNa + ZnO1.0 and HNa + ZnO1.5 groups. The administration of ZnO and HNa did not affect the faecal shedding of the challenged ETEC strains for eght days, even in clinically healthy piglets in ZnO2.5 and HNa + ZnO1.7 groups. Signs of growth depression were found in C; HNa + ZnO1.0 and HNa + ZnO1.5 groups during the first week. No difference in growth performance was observed in ZnO2.5 and HNa + ZnO1.7 piglets. Most of the selected biochemical and haematological parameters did not differ significantly among the treatments. However, a significantly higher serum Zn as a result of high dietary ZnO intake in the ZnO2.5 group compared to the control and HNa groups was detected. Significantly lower serum P in ZnO2.5; HNa + ZnO1.7 and HNa + ZnO1.0 groups compared to the control group was most likely induced by the increased Zn in serum. The results indicate the possibility of reducing the high pharmacological levels of ZnO in the prophylaxis of PWD through partial replacement with HNa. Such a treatment maintains the favourable prophylactic effect while lowering the Zn content in faeces.

In this work we compared two species of fish with different feeding habits: Flathead mullet (Mugil cephalus) and Gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata). The aim of this study was to evaluate total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and TOS/TAC ratio (OSI), in order to highlight the presence of any differences and correlations in these two different species of fish. Thirty adult fish of Mugil cephalus and thirty of Sparus aurata were used. From each fish 0.6 ml of blood was collected. TOS and TAC indicators were measured in serum obtained from samples previously clotted and centrifuged. Our results showed statistically significant differences between the two species in TAC. TOS and OSI did not show significant differences between Gilthead sea bream and Flathead mullet. A positive relationship between TOS and TAC was found in Flathead mullet (Mugil cephalus), and a negative relation between TOS and TAC in Gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata). Our study indicates that the oxidative status and the relationship between total oxidant status (TOS) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in serum are probably dependent on the fish species and are affected by different feeding habits.

Seedlots of sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) originating from three different provenance regions were collected in autumn 2012. The seed quality, namely vitality and germination rate, was assessed according to Czech conventions. There were four replications within each seedlot, i.e. twelve treatments altogether for each experimental variant. The effect of gibberellic acid on germination and vitality was studied using three treatments including a control for germination capacity and three treatments including a control for emergence rate. The data shows that the gibberellic acid did not substitute for the stratification procedure as it did not improve the germination capacity of seeds with pericarp when compared with stratified seeds; however for seeds without pericarp the gibberellic acid improved the germination capacity to the level of stratified seeds. The data also shows the positive influence of gibberellic acid on emergence rate. All variants where acid gibberellic was applied have a statistically higher emergence rate than the control. The increase was about 50% higher than in the control, i.e. without the influence of gibberellic acid.

The cooperative movement in Poland has a long but difficult history, which has caused farmers to have an aversion to cooperatives. Nonetheless, in the early 1990s, the first farmers' cooperative marketing organizations, which were called agricultural producer groups, appeared in the market. These groups are bottom-up, voluntary organizations the primary purpose of which is to jointly sell their members' output. In this paper, it is investigated why the new forms of governance, namely cooperative arrangements, were chosen, and we evaluate the implications of these choices on the market success of these groups. Empirical data were collected from 62 producer groups in one Polish province. We found that the groups were typically functioning as associations, unions, and limited liability companies. The factors that had an impact on the choices made were the number of members and the specific investment per member. Additionally, if the initial investment level was low, not only set-up and operational costs but also tax considerations played a role in the decision. Therefore, we argue that the new bottom-up cooperatives, which are theoretically suitable when the start-up capital is high or the number of members is large, will gradually be recognized and accepted in the market despite the fact that these cooperatives have a "bad reputation" caused by the socialist legacy. The new cooperative development trend confirms this argument.

Field validation of spot-fumigation with phosphine (PH₃) applied by a subcontracted pest-control company in a farm grain store infested by pests was conducted. Inside and outside of the fumigated grain spot, containers with adults of 5 species of coleopteran stored-product pests were regularly spaced. The beetle pests were the internally feeding Sitophilus granarius and Rhyzopertha dominica, and the externally feeding Tribolium castaneum, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, and Cryptolestes ferrugineus. A 100% mortality of all pest species inside the fumigated spot under the sheet used for the application was stated. The efficacy (maximal) sharply declined with the increasing distance from the fumigated spot: 50% mortality was observed at 5 m from the spot, 38% mortality at 10 m, and a mortality of 23% was observed at 15 m. Mortality was different among the species, and the most sensitive was O. surinamensis, whereas the most tolerant were S. granarius, R. dominica, and T. castaneum. Although an efficient fumigation within the spot was found, the efficacy was low in the grains surrounding the spot. The practical implications of the findings are discussed.

The water of the breads was replaced with phenolic aqueous extracts from chicory, cabbage, celery, fennel, olive leaf, or grape marc wastes obtained through microwave-assisted extraction. The highest phenolic concentrations were found in the grape marc and in the bread enriched with it. The highest antioxidant activity values were measured in the crust of bread produced with the grape marc extract and in the crumb of bread with olive leaf extract. Generally, the replacement of water caused significant decreases of the specific volume, the shift of the crumb colour towards redder and yellower tones, and modification of gustatory and tactile attributes.

One of the aims in red clover (Trifolium pratense) breeding is to increase the polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, which may effectively reduce protein breakdown in silage and when cattle are fed by fresh clover. We analysed total PPO activity spectrophotometrically and on the level of gene expression using real-time quantitative PCR in single plants derived from an interspecific T. pratense × T. medium hybrid. Experiments were performed for two years and evaluated according to the general linear model with three factors (family, year, and cut). The analysis revealed considerable variability in total PPO activity between individuals and between families. Four families and two individuals with significantly higher PPO activity were selected. Their PPO activity ranged from 3.411 to 3.547 mkatal/min/g and from 4.041 to 5.731 mkatal/min/g, respectively, in comparison with the control variety Amos (2.370 mkatal/min/g). The majority of PPO transcripts were expressed by the two genes PPO1/5 and PPO2. In some genotypes, the PPO5 gene was expressed. Quantitative PCR confirmed the highest activity of PPO genes in seven hybrid plants with higher DNA contents corresponding to 30 chromosomes with 815 013 copies per plant. Our results indicate the suitability of combining two methods for improved selection: initial expression analysis to assess the PPO transcript level indicating gene activity and subsequent enzymatic assay.

The present study was undertaken to sequentially fractionate nickel (Ni) in soils of divergent physicochemical characteristics and evaluate the contribution of different fractions towards plant uptake. For this, fifteen bulk surface (0-15 cm) soil samples were collected from the cultivated fields of northwestern Indo-Gangetic alluvial plains. A pot experiment was conducted with these soils to assess the contribution of soil Ni fractions to plant uptake using soybean as test crop. Results showed that residual Ni was the most dominant fraction in soil constituting 3.19-63.6% of total Ni. The water soluble plus exchangeable Ni accounted for only 0.70-4.04% of total soil Ni. Organically bound Ni varied from 1.60-6.85% of total Ni; these values are relatively lower as compared to those reported for temperate soils. Correlation studies showed that the free iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) and soil organic carbon correlated with various fractions of Ni in soil. Water soluble plus exchangeable and organically bound are the dominant fractions which contributed positively and manganese oxide (MnO₂) bound and residual fractions contributed negatively towards the phytoavailability of Ni in soil.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of sulphur (S) fertilization on macronutrient concentrations in the roots, straw and oil cake of white mustard and Indian mustard. The experiment was conducted in northeastern Poland (2006-2008). The highest content of N, P, K, Mg and S was noted in the oil cake of both mustard species. Sulphur fertilization increased S concentrations and had no effect on Mg concentrations in the roots of white mustard and Indian mustard. Sulphur fertilizers applied to soil significantly increased the content of N, K and Ca in the roots of Indian mustard, whereas they had no significant effect on the content of N, P and Ca, and decreased K concentrations in the roots of white mustard. Sulphur fertilization led to a significant decrease in N content, and an increase in the content of K and Ca in the straw of both mustard species. Sulphur fertilization significantly decreased P concentrations and increased S concentrations in the oil cake of both mustard species. In response to S fertilization, the content of N and K decreased in the oil cake of Indian mustard, but did not change significantly in the oil cake of white mustard. Therefore, S fertilization significantly differentiated the fertilizing value of post-harvest residues and the feeding value of white mustard and Indian mustard seeds.

A field trial with four potato cultivars (Faluka, Manitou, Madeleine and Stirling) was conducted in two consecutive years (2012 and 2013) at a laboratory field of Biotechnical Faculty in Ljubljana. The aim of the study was to evaluate different requirements of the selected cultivars in regard to the ridge and tuber cluster. The following parameters were defined and monitored: area of the form surrounding the tubers (ellipse), cross-sectional area of the ridge, vertical and horizontal tuber span in the ridge, the length of semi-axes (a) and (b) of the ellipse, minimum distance of tubers and ellipse from the outer ridge side. The results of 2012 trial indicated that the minimal ellipse method defining the ellipse was not satisfactory as statistical significance was limited due to a large volume of vacant space in the ridge not occupied by potato tubers. Therefore, the mathematical model was upgraded in 2013 and a physical parameter (tuber mass) was incorporated in the equation to better depict the tuber cluster. The trials were designed as a randomized block with five repetitions. The largest ellipse, horizontal tuber span in the ridge and the longest semi-axis (a) were recorded for the cv. Manitou resulting in the highest yield. However, no statistical differences were recorded in the horizontal tuber span, the length of the semi-axis (a) or cross-sectional area of the ridge among cultivars analysed. It was determined that different cultivars require specific growth space in the potato ridge. Moreover, the newly developed method proved efficient for determining growth requirements of potato tubers in the ridge.

Acquired megaoesophagus was diagnosed in a seven-month-old Holstein steer. Clinical signs included salivation, mild recurrent bloat, dysphagia or regurgitation of ingesta after swallowing and coughing lasting three days. Endoscopic examination revealed mild rhinitis and pharyngitis. Positive contrast radiography of the oesophagus outlined dilatation in the cervical oesophagus without evidence of obstruction. Treatment consisted of feeding management, oral electrolytes, intravenous fluids, and systemic antimicrobial therapy. Clinical signs of megaoesophagus resolved gradually after prolonged antimicrobial therapy and supportive care. However, the steer persisted with episodes of regurgitation and coughing. In conclusion, oesophagitis may have been the principle cause of megaoesophagus in this case but this could not be confirmed because a postmortem examination was not performed.

Autotransplantation of teeth is the most natural technique to for replacing missing teeth in exposed parts of the dental arch. Reports from human patients indicate great progress toward successful transplantations. However, complications such as inflammation and ankylosis still occur. To understand regenerative processes after autotransplantations, several animal models have been used (monkeys, rodents, rabbits, cats and dogs) and histological/molecular methods have been established. This review aims to summarise knowledge from animal models and discuss their advantages or disadvantages with respect to possible usage in research.

The objective of this study was to investigate the nationwide prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in horses reared in Korea using a commercial ELISA kit and two different nested PCR (nPCR) analyses. Our analysis showed that 2.9% (true prevalence: 3.1%, 16/549) of the horses were seropositive by ELISA, and none were positive by the two nPCR analyses. Significant differences were observed in the ELISA results when the data were analysed according to breed and geographic region. In light of a recent case of human granulocytic anaplasmosis in Korea and the predicted increase in the number and distribution of ticks due to global warming, continuous monitoring and appropriate control programs for Anaplasma spp. and other tick-borne pathogens need to be established.

The work quality of selected tine cultivators that are suitable equally for deeper soil cultivation has been evaluated. The following implements were tested in a stubble field: Köckerling Vario 570, Simba Solo 450, Horsch Terrano 5 FX, Strom Finisher Mega 8000, Farmet Turbulent 450, Kverneland CLC 430, Väderstad TopDown 400. The cultivator evaluation criteria were the following: quantity of plant residues left on the soil surface, size distribution of clods, transverse elevation profile of the soil surface, elevation profile of the furrow bottom, cultivation depth, unit fuel consumption, travel reduction ratio, work-rate, and unit draft of a cultivator. All of the cultivators were equipped mainly with tine tools, followed further on by disc tools and either by levelling or by crumbling tools. Plant residues were well worked into the soil by Väderstad and Farmet cultivators. Horsch, Kverneland and Väderstad cultivators showed good crumbling effect. The highest work speed was reached by tractors with Strom and Horsch implements.

The hazards from wind, sand, and soil erosion caused by human activities, such as residue slopes in abandoned urban mines, have resulted in a vicious circle of environmental degradation. Selecting the optimal protective engineering method in mountainous areas has become a major difficulty in recent years, and the primary goal of our research is to accelerate the process of ecosystem reconstruction to maintain water and soil quality. In this study, cover soil of 10, 20, and 30 cm in depth was spread on the 30° accumulation slopes composed of loose residue from the Huangyuan Quarry, Beijing, and combined with two protection measures: eco-bags and bamboo fences. Runoff and soil loss from the aboveground, soil and residue layers were measured under rainfall intensities of 30, 60 and 120 mm/h generated with a rainfall simulator. The results indicated that both eco-bags and bamboo fences decreased runoff and soil loss. Bamboo fences were better at intercepting water under low runoff, whereas soil loss was more strongly reduced by eco-bags. The analysis also demonstrated that the depth of soil cover had an effect on runoff and soil loss. These findings will enrich the understanding of the effects of human activities on surface mines and provide a scientific basis for the ecological restoration of mines using engineering methods.

Economic viability of sustainable forest management has been included in particular forestry strategic documents since 2003. In these documents, it is stated, among other things, that economic viability is a key pillar of sustainable forest management and is of conclusive significance in preserving forests and their multiple benefits for the society. At the same time - the economic viability of sustainable forest management depends essentially on wood-producing functions of forestry. The paper aims at an identification of this key concept and at a situation analysis of economic viability under current conditions of the forestry and wood sector in the Czech Republic with a special focus on the wood-processing industry as part of the forestry and wood sector using a financial analysis.

The goal of the paper is to analyse the potential for the innovation of cross border clusters from the sector of agriculture. The methodology which is used is the research of intellectual property (IP) of the clusters' members and clusters by using a specific questionnaire for clusters in two countries: Hungary and Serbia. The analysis of results shows a high level of innovativeness within the clusters' members and the need of protection of their intellectual achievements. The similar results were achieved in both countries. They show that the IP rights at the level of clusters should be protected as the cross border trademark and the name of origin. The scientific contribution of this paper is to introduce the concept of the joint cross border IP protection for two or more clusters from different countries which might be applied across the EU.

Phenolic acids represent the most common form of phenolic compounds in the cereal grain and many other plants. The phytochemical ferulic acid is found in the leaves and seeds of many plants, but especially in cereals. It is the most abundant phenolic acid in common cereals, representing up to 90% of total phenolic compounds. Ferulic acid has been reported to have many physiological functions, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activities. It is an antioxidant which neutralises free radicals (superoxide, nitric oxide, and hydroxyl radical) which could cause oxidative damage to cell membranes and DNA. Like many other antioxidants, ferulic acid reduces the level of cholesterol and triglyceride, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease.

The influence of storage time on a range of quality parameters, in vitro antioxidant activity, and the sensory acceptability of fully ripe strawberry tree fruits packaged into polypropylene trays under plastic film was assessed. Fruits were stored at 0°C for 6, 12 or 18 days and then transferred to shelf life at 20°C for 2 days. The parameters most influenced by cold storage and shelf life were firmness, colour, and antioxidant activity. Firmness decreased significantly during storage and colour parameters showed a decrease in saturation. Significant increases in polyphenols and anthocyanins were registered during storage, with a resulting increase in total antioxidant activity. The sensory analysis demonstrated that fruits maintain an acceptable quality level for up to 1 day under shelf life conditions following 18 days of cold storage.

The flowering onset of 19 apple progeny was evaluated in 2005-2014 on a total number of 715 seedlings in comparison with their parents and grandparents. A very low flower set delays generally the onset of flowering by one day in comparison with a higher flower set. The maximum span between the first flowering onset and the last one within all the progeny of the study was 11 days. With one exception, the incidence of the first flowering dates of all the progeny fluctuated only within four days - April 28 and May 1. Among them, the great majority of the seedlings had the first flowering date span of not more than ± one day. The progeny of Pink Lady × Discovery was the most exceptional having the mean day on the April 17 and the span about two days longer. The means of the first flowering dates within seedling populations and corresponding dates of both their parents and grandparents were very highly correlated (r = 0.926 for parents and r = 0.877 for grandparents). The incidence of flowering onset dates in almost all progeny followed a typical Gaussian distribution, in which the majority of seedlings start flowering within 3 or 4 days. The maximum difference between both extremes (found only in one progeny) was 11 days. The share of seedlings in both extremes was, however, very small - less than 2%.

Paddy rice is important for Chinese agriculture and crop production, which largely depends on the leaf nitrogen (N) levels. The purpose of this study is to discuss the relationship between the fluorescence parameters and leaf N content of paddy rice and to test their performance in inversing N content of crops through back-propagation (B-P) neural network. In the correlative analysis of the fluorescence parameters and the N content, we found that the correlation between fluorescence ratios (F740/F685 and F685/F525 (F740, F685, F525 - intensity of fluorescence at 740, 685 and 525 nm, respectively)) and the N content (R² are 0.735 and 0.4342, respectively) is weaker than that between the intensity of fluorescence peaks (F685 and F740) and N content (R² are 0.9743 and 0.9686, respectively). Our studies show that the accuracy and precision of N content inversion which is acquired from the intensity of fluorescence peaks through the B-P neural network model are significantly improved (root mean square error (MSRE) = 0.1702, the residual changes between -0.1-0.1 mg/g) compared with the fluorescence ratio (MSRE = 0.3655, the residual changes from -0.3-0.3 mg/g). Results demonstrate that the intensity of fluorescence peaks can be as a characteristic parameter to estimate N content of crops leaf. The B-P neural network model will be serviceable approach in inversing N content of paddy leaf.

Based on a long-term fertilization experiment on a light soil, a study was conducted on the impact of varied fertilization on the levels of silicon forms available in the soil. It was shown that the exchangeable silicon content in the tested soil was very low, which can have a limiting effect on crop yields. Soil pH is a factor that significantly affects the exchangeable silicon content of the soil. Therefore, under the conditions of acidic soils, liming is a treatment that increases the level of silicon forms available to plants in the soil.

Polymorphic SNPs were identified using BovineSNP50 BeadChip in three groups of cervids: farmed Red deer (n = 3), and free range Red deer (n = 5) and Fallow deer (n = 2). From the total of 54 609 SNPs, 53.85% could be genotyped. Out of 28 502 successfully genotyped autosomal SNPs only 5.3% were polymorphic. The average minor allele frequency within cervids was 0.23 (number of polymorphic SNPs ranged from 467 to 686). Results of the molecular variance analysis showed that 67.38% of variation occurred within individuals and the rest was explained by a species difference (F_ST = 0.32). The value of F_IT (0.33) indicated a higher proportion of homozygote genotypes in the analyzed dataset. Pairwise F_ST values showed very clearly the genetic differentiation between Red and Fallow deer which ranged from 0.06 (farmed and free range deer) to 0.74 (farmed Red and Fallow deer). A similar result was found for Nei's genetic distances that ranged from 0.01 (among Fallow deer) to 0.79 (among farmed Red and Fallow deer). The genetic differentiation of the analyzed cervid species was evaluated also by the principal component analysis with the involvement of 6 other species from the family Cervidae, which showed a division of the Cervidae cluster into 7 subpopulations. The panels of SNPs primarily produced for a model species are becoming the marker of choice for the application in other species, but the best methods of their discovery, validation, and genotyping in non-model species need further investigations.