Fulltext search in archive

The objective of this study was to develop a superovulatory program based on synchronization of follicular waves with GnRH which could be applied regardless of the stage of the oestrous cycle. 36 heifers were subjected to this experiment and GnRH (Cystorelin, 200 µg) was applied between Days 0 and 7 (n = 15), 8 and 12 (n = 8) or 13 and 20 (n = 13) of the oestrous cycle. Four days after GnRH treatment, all follicles ≥ 6 mm of heifers (n) were either punctured (n = 21) or left intact (n = 15). All heifers were superstimulated from Day 6 to Day 10 after GnRH treatment with 320 mg Folltropin-V. In parallel, 21 heifers were superstimulated in a conventional manner (Days 8 to 12) and were used as controls. The homogeneity of follicular inventories among Stage-groups occurred within 4 days of GnRH treatment for follicles ≥ 7 mm but only 2 days after follicular puncture for follicles 4 to 6 mm. In response to the follicular puncture, the mean number of follicles 4 to 6 mm increased in heifers of the punctured group (P < 0.01). Following the superstimulation, the follicular (P < 0.01) and ovulatory (P < 0.01) responses were higher in the punctured group than in the nonpunctured group. The in vivo production of transferable embryos in the punctured group was similar to that of the nonpunctured group but it was lower (P < 0.01) than in heifers of the control group. In conclusion, results from the present study indicate that regardless of the stage of the oestrous cycle, the homogeneity of follicular inventories following the follicular synchronization is obtained using GnRH treatment and follicular puncture. The in vivo production of embryos was severely compromised in the present study with heifers. Causes of such reduction in the in vivo production of embryos are still unknown.

A ten-month old, male Black and Tan Coonhound dog was referred with ocular bleeding due to gunshot injury. His mental state was normal. A computed tomography revealed that the bullet was planted in the left cranium. It was presumed that the trajectory of the bullet penetrated from the right medial angle of the eye to the orbit, and changed its track to caudo-dorsal by penetrating the cranium, ending up at the left cranium. The bullet was removed by lateral rostrotentorial craniectomy. No complications were observed during a one-year follow-up except the blindness in the right eye. This is a rare case of gunshot-induced traumatic brain injury featuring a bullet which went through the orbit into the cranium. The damaged frontal lobe seemed to show no neurological signs at the time of first examination in this case. In conclusion, a less aggressive surgical approach is recommended to remove bullets when they are accessible.

By the means of Land Consolidation is understood, in accord with law No. 139/2002 Coll., spending of funds on land consolidations and land offices, provided the accessibility of grounds in public interest. Land consolidations also ensure the conditions for improvement of the ecosystem, protection and reclamation of land resources, waterway management and the increase of the ecological stability of landscape. All mentioned measures are collectively called the Common Measures, rural roads being one of the most significant of these measures as far as the ground accessibility is concerned. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Central Land Office (MZe, ÚPÚ) statistics, for instance in 2008, over 707.4 million CZK was spent on the common measures projects from the public funds. Of this sum, 82 per cent was spent on financing of the land accessibility projects - rural roads and objects on them. The Cost & Benefit Analysis (CBA) method was applied. The analysis explains step by step what benefits the investment projects bring and to whom, as well as what and from whom it takes something away. Thus defined effects and impacts are aggregated, converted into financial flows and included in the calculation of criteria indicators. These calculations enable to make decision whether the concerned project is in its consequences generally contributive. There is a difficulty in the method - it is applied ex-ante, which usually leads to the exaggerated input parameters, which may be significantly affected by a number of variable effects (time factor, socio-economic impacts, inflation rate, etc.). The ex-post application of the method cannot be objectively used due to the absence of the statistically processed input data for the analysis. Such data must be collected during the operational period of the realized investments. This is caused by the fact that these analyses consider lifetime of these investments in terms of 25-30 years. The ÚPÚ statistics, however, say that the operational period of most of realized common measures has not reached one half of their lifetime yet. The ex-ante analysis enables to evaluate the possible difficulty and the general benefit of projects, including their impact on the broad spectrum of subjects.

Grazing-induced variations in vegetation may either accelerate or reduce soil carbon storage through changes in litter quantity and quality. Here, a three-year field study (2005-2007) was conducted in Tibetan alpine meadow to address the responses of surface soil (0-15 cm) organic carbon (SOC) storage in the plant growing season (from May to September) to varying grazing intensity (represented by the residual aboveground biomass, with G₀, G₁, G₂, and G₃ standing for 100%, 66%, 55%, and 30% biomass residual, respectively), and to explore whether grazing-induced vegetation changes depress or facilitate SOC storage. Our results showed that: (i) Higher grazing intensity resulted in lower biomass of grasses and sedges, lower root biomass, and in a change in plant community composition from palatable grasses and sedges to less palatable forbs. (ii) Increased grazing reduced the SOC content and storage with only G₃ showing an SOC loss during the plant growing season. (iii) Soil organic carbon storage exhibited a highly positive correlation with the residual aboveground biomass and root biomass. Our results imply that a grazing-induced reduction in plant biomass productivity and changes in species composition would depress soil carbon storage, and that an increase in grazing pressure can lead to a gradual change of alpine meadow soils from being 'carbon sinks' to become 'carbon sources'.

An adjustable three-point hitch dynamometer with a draft capacity of 50 kN was developed to measure forces on the tractor and mounted implements. The design concept of the dynamometer was based on two linkage frames mounted between tractor links and the implement. The force sensing elements were comprised of a loadcell that was installed between the frames. The system provides variable width and height of the dynamometer links to satisfy a wide range of implement dimensions. All mounted tillage implements at categories II and III such as plows, cultivators and harrows were able to be tested by this dynamometer excluding mounted implements powered by power take-off (PTO). The dynamometer was calibrated and several field tests were conducted to measure the force required to pull a moldboard plow in a clay loam soil. The calibration showed a high degree of linearity between the draft requirements and the dynamometer outputs. Field tests showed that it was able to function effectively as intended without any mechanical problems.

In this study, the effects were investigated of salinity, foliar and soil applications of humic substances on the growth and mineral nutrients uptake of Corn (Hagein, Fardy10), and the comparison was carried out of the soil and foliar applications of humic acid treatments at different NaCl levels. Soil organic contents are one of the most important parts that they directly affect the soil fertility and textures with their complex and heterogenous structures although they occupy a minor percentage of the soil weight. Humic acids are an important soil component that can improve nutrient availability and impact on other important chemical, biological, and physical properties of soils. The effects of foliar and soil applications of humic substances on the plant growth and some nutrient elements uptake of Corn (Hagein, Fardy10) grown at various salt concentrations were examined. Sodium chloride was added to the soil to obtain 20 and 60mM saline conditions. Solid humus was applied to the soil one month before planting and liquid humic acids were sprayed on the leaves twice on 20^th and 40^th day after seedling emergence. The application doses of solid humus were 0, 2 and 4 g/kg and those of liquid humic acids were 0, 0.1 and 0.2%. Salinity negatively affected the growth of corn; it also decreased the dry weight and the uptake of nutrient elements except for Na and Mn. Soil application of humus increased the N uptake of corn while foliar application of humic acids increased the uptake of P, K, Mg,Na,Cu and Zn. Although the effect of interaction between salt and soil humus application was found statistically significant, the interaction effect between salt and foliar humic acids treatment was not found significant. Under salt stress, the first doses of both soil and foliar application of humic substances increased the uptake of nutrients.

Studies of the migratory dynamics of cyathostomin infective larvae (L₃) in different seasons and with two types of irrigation were carried out over 12 months (September 2006 to September 2007) in the subtropical climate of the Baixada Fluminense region of Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. Four faecal masses weighing 500 g each from naturally infected horses were placed in a Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) pasture in the beginning of each season. Samples of faeces and grass were collected every 15 days until the end of each season. The highest recovery in faeces occured in Autumn (491 910 L₃/kg dried herbage) and in pasture was achieved in Winter (9 963 L₃/kg dried herbage). The lowest number of infective larvae recovered from faeces (55 100 L₃/kg dried herbage) and pastures (2 188 L₃/kg dried herbage) were achieved in Spring. The nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test showed a significant difference in infective larvae recovery between the seasons. The collection time of the samples did not affect the larva recovery. The results suggest that in the conditions of the region studied, animals maintained in pasture are at permanent risk of infection.

In an Island of the Netherlands, Pine (Pinus nigra) was planted to stabilize the dunes and to protect the arable lands from the blowing sand. This research was conducted to understand the most important environmental factors responsible for a vegetation change in the Pine plantation and effect of this change on the rare orchid population: Goodyera repens and Listera cordata. Vegetation sampling was carried out according to the Braun-Blanquet phytosociologic method within the three sites of this Island. Twinspan analysis confirmed the definition of three site types and redundancy analysis showed a significant difference between the pure Pine stands and the plots with regeneration. The results revealed that the most significant explanatory variables were litter cover, broadleaved tree cover, and shrub cover indicating the vegetation change under the Pine plantation. The abundance of Goodyera repens is strongly associated with the Pine forest and negatively related to broadleaved cover. Listera cordata could apparently cope with vegetation change. Controlling the herbaceous layer in the Pine plantation can promote the orchid population but on the contrary, promoting the natural regeneration of broadleaved species might endanger them.

A disadvantageous tendency of resigning from milk production by small and medium sized farms has been observed in the recent years in the provinces of Southern Poland. It results from the low profitability of milk production on these farms and therefore the difficulties in reaching the income parity. It leads to a decline in the bovine population not compensated by an increase in the yield per animal and it poses a serious hazard to protecting the natural resources which is the function dairy farms perform in this region. The problem is serious since in the analyzed region, milk is acquired from 75% of farms keeping herds of up to 10 cows. Moreover, grasslands constitute a notably high share in the arable land structure, and for maintaining them cow keeping is a crucial condition. Hitherto functioning system of EU payments proved insufficient; therefore the Polish government intends to provide an additional financial support for dairy farms. The authors intended to reason that despite the hardly important participation of the analyzed regions in total milk production in Poland, an additional support for small and medium sized dairy farms from the state budget is socially necessary, in the first place because of the additional functions fulfilled by these farms.

The potential of antagonistic rhizobacteria in the management of bacterial blight of cotton caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. malvacearum (Xam) was evaluated under greenhouse and field conditions. In this study, 93 bacterial isolates from the rhizosphere of cotton were screened for their efficacy in inhibiting the growth of Xam in vitro. Among them, 21 isolates were found to inhibit the in vitro growth of Xam. These isolates were identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis based on phenotypic characteristics, biochemical properties and using 16S-23S intergenic transcribed spacer-Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Among the 21 isolates, the isolates P. fluorescens Pf32 and P. fluorescens Pf93 and B. subtilis B49 exhibited the maximum inhibitory activity against Xam. Talc-based powder formulations of the effective antagonistic isolates of P. fluorescens (Pf32, Pf93) and B. subtilis (B49) were developed and evaluated individually and in combination for their efficacy in the management of bacterial blight of cotton under greenhouse and field conditions. The P. fluorescens isolates Pf32 and Pf93 and Bacillus subtilis isolate B49 survived well in the talc-based formulation for more than 90 days. The application of a mixture of Pf32, Pf93 and B49 to seed, soil and foliage significantly reduced the bacterial blight incidence and increased the plant height, number of branches and number of bolls under field conditions. The plots treated with a mixture of Pf32, Pf93 and B49 recorded the maximum yield of 1915 kg/ha and 1512 kg/ha in trial I and trial II compared to 1210 kg/ha and 987 kg/ha in the untreated control, respectively.

The MRN complex is formed by the interaction of the products of the Mre11, Rad50 and Nbs1 genes. This complex plays a central role on repair of double-strand breaks (DSBs) and acts in a great number of cellular processes. In this study we have performed the analysis of the MRN complex in diploid and polyploid species of wheat. The molecular characterization was carried out in the diploid T. monococcum (genome A) and Ae. tauschii (genome D) and in the tetraploid T. turgidum (genomes A and B). The results obtained showed that in all cases the genes presented the main characteristics previously described in other species. A modified FISH protocol was used to locate the Rad50, Mre11 and the Nbs1 genes on the homoeologous chromosomes 5, 2 and 1, respectively. Analysis of expression showed that the hexaploid T. aestivum was the species with the higher level of expression whereas the rest of the species analysed showed no relation with its ploidy. Also, quantification of the expression of each homoeologous gene in the polyploid species evidenced in some cases a process of silencing after polyploidization. The study of the interaction between the proteins demonstrated that the interaction of proteins was not restricted to each genome, detecting interaction between proteins belonging to different genomes.

In this experiment we proved an effect of dolomite limestone on chemical immobilization in soil contaminated by trace metals, namely Cd, Pb, and Zn. Primary, we set up lysimeter pot experiment to measure soil leaching without vegetation. Willow clone (S. × smithiana Willd) was cultivated in the second lysimeter pot as a new approach to monitor Pb, Cd and Zn leaching, which was affected by soil liming (used in 1% rate). At the time of both harvests, aboveground biomass increased significantly at the amended variant. After the second harvest aboveground biomass production increased by 80% in comparison with the first one, Cd and Zn concentration in biomass decreased 2-fold and 3-fold, respectively. Dolomite limestone as a process of liming: (i) restricted metals leaching from the soil substrate; (ii) reduced metal uptake by willow; and (iii) increased biomass production of willow. Liming also alleviated the plant stress imposed by risk elements resulting in better plant growth and lower levels of stress markers (total nitrogen content and the main amino acid metabolism parameters in the willow leaves) yet through different mechanisms.

The root system of six-year-old winter jujube (Zizyphus jujuba Mill. cv. Zhanhua) trees were manually pruned at 3, 5 or 7 times trunk diameter distance along both inter-row sides, to study the effects of root pruning on physico-chemical characteristics and biological properties of winter jujube rhizosphere soil. The results showed that the root pruning of 3 and 5 times trunk diameter distance increased the available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium^[concentrations and pH values in the rhizosphere soil and decreased organic matter concentrations, the contents of amino acids, organic acids and total sugars in the root exudates, the populations of bacteria, actinomyces and fungi, and inhibited the activities of catalase, invertase and urease enzymes in contrast to the control in early stage when root pruning was applied. The determined indexes presented a reverse trend as those in early stage after new roots appeared. Compared to the control, the trees by root pruning had higher pesticides residues of the rhizosphere soil in the whole experiment. No differences were noticed between 7 times trunk diameter distance and the control. It is proposed that root pruning had greater impacts on physico-chemical characteristics and biological properties of the rhizosphere soil depending on root pruning intensity.

The Lusatian lignite-mining district (Eastern Germany) is characterized by a high share of marginal post-mining areas. At these sites, crop yield is generally low, and hence, conventional land use systems often fail in terms of reliable and efficient crop production. In this paper the attempt is made to evaluate the production of woody biomass for bioenergy in short rotation coppices (SRC) and alley cropping systems (ACS) with black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) from the aspect of possible ecological and economic benefits compared to the conventional agricultural recultivation practice. The results show that, due to both high establishment and harvesting costs and comparatively low prices of energy wood, land use systems such as SRC or ACS are currently hardly profitable compared to conventional agriculture. However, the cultivation of black locust resulted in a higher humus accumulation and in a lower harvest-related nutrient export than the cultivation of lucerne as a typical recultivation crop in this region. Therefore, it can be concluded that for an improvement of soil fertility woody biomass production is more beneficial than the conventional agricultural recultivation practice.

The article presents the results from the monitoring analyses of the buying/selling prices of agricultural land in accordance with the deposited contracts in the Real Estate Cadastre in years 2001-2008. Agricultural land sales, land areas and market prices are observed and evaluated under the size structure of the sold estates and their anticipated further utilization in the counties Dunajská Streda, Topoľčany, Rimavská Sobota, Liptovský Mikuláš, Michalovce and Svidník and for all observed counties as a whole. By data analyzing and evaluating of the agricultural land purchases/sales, there was taken into consideration the fact that the average price of the sold estates is to a large extent influenced by their size, location and the purpose of further utilisation. The estates of small area characterized as agricultural land are selling for the highest prices, but they already figure in the development studies and the land-use plans of the villages or they are regarded as building estates in the future. Therefore, the sold estates were divided into two categories in accordance with the expected further land utilization. As the estates for further agricultural utilization, there were considered the estates with the area above 1 hectare of agricultural land. In the case of smaller estates, it is assumed that they will be of building, recreational, sporting or other utilization after the landowner change.

The cell survival in the digestive tract is one of the main criteria required for the probiotics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the stability of the selected lactobacilli (Lactobacillus acidophilus CCDM 151; L. casei CCDM 198; L. rhamnosus CCDM 150, and L. fermentum ST 68) in conditions simulating those in the gastrointestinal tract as compared to the commercial probiotic strain Lactobacillus casei LAFTI L-26. The growth of lactobacilli decreased both after 2 h and 4 h incubation in MRS media with increasing concentration of bile salt but all lactobacilli had the ability to adapt in the environment of bile salt. Great differences in viability were detected between the isolated cells in the stomach simulating conditions. L. casei LAFTI L-26 and L. acidophilus CCDM 151 were most stable, L. rhamnosus CCDM 150 did not survive under these conditions. Milk revealed a strong protective influence on the viability of all lactobacilli in the stomach simulating conditions. The conditions existing in the small intestine did not influence the cell viability. Differences in autoaggregation were also observed.

Rhinanthus minor (yellow-rattle) can be used for restoration of species-rich grasslands but is vulnerable to competitive exclusion from high total aboveground biomass production of vascular plants. We asked (1) whether there is a threshold limit for total annual aboveground biomass production of vascular plants above which R. minor cannot establish viable population in grasslands and (2) how is cover of R. minor in grassland related to standing biomass of bryophytes. Data were collected in the Rengen Grassland Experiment (RGE) established in Germany in 1941 with following fertilizer treatments: unfertilized control, application of Ca, CaN, CaNP, CaNPKCl and CaNPK₂SO₄. Cover of R. minor and total annual aboveground biomass production of vascular plants were determined from 2005 to 2009. Further relationship between standing biomass of bryophytes and cover of R. minor was analyzed in 2006. Mean cover of R. minor over five years ranged from 0.7% to 12.3% in CaNPK₂SO₄ and control treatments, respectively. Cover of R. minor was significantly negatively related to total annual aboveground biomass production of vascular plants and cover of R. minor was below 3% in all plots with total annual aboveground dry matter biomass production of vascular plants higher than 5 t/ha. Although cover of R. minor was markedly reduced in highly productive plots in the RGE, high standing biomass of bryophytes (1.8 t/ha) in low productive control was not an obstacle for establishment of its viable population. We concluded, that viable population of R. minor can be established in grasslands only if total annual aboveground dry matter biomass production of vascular plants is below 5 t/ha regardless on standing biomass of bryophytes.

Influence of growth regulators chlormequat chloride, ethephon, trinexapac-ethyl, and a combination of chlormequat chloride and ethephon on decreasing sunflower height was examined in the years 2006-2009. Height was reduced by as much as 63 cm by double application of chlormequat chloride (915 g/ha) + ethephon (465 g/ha) at early and later growth stage (BBCH 32 and 50). Trinexapac-ethyl (375 g/ha) did not affect the height. One-time application of chlormequat chloride (1440-2160 g/ha), chlormequat chloride (458 g/ha) + ethephon (233 g/ha) (BBCH 30 or 50), or ethephon (480 g/ha) (BBCH 30) was sufficient for a ca 30 cm reduction during flowering, but this effect did not last until harvest. With double application (BBCH 30 and 50), reduction lasted until harvest. For ethephon (480 g/ha), application at BBCH 50 reduced height by as much as 35 cm and lasted until harvest. Combining a lower rate of ethephon with ammonium sulfate was effectively equivalent to using a full rate. Flower head diameter at maturity showed no significant negative influence compared to the control. In 2008 and 2009, a delay in flowering onset was observed after applying growth regulators.

Climate change is expected to influence the distribution and population dynamics of many insect pests, with potential severe impacts on forests. Spruce bark beetle Ips typographus (L.) (Col.: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) is the most important forest insect pest in Europe whose development is strictly regulated by air temperature. Therefore, climate change is anticipated to induce changes in the pest's distribution and development. We used the PHENIPS model to evaluate climate change impacts on the distribution and voltinism of spruce bark beetle in the Czech Republic. Two future time periods - 2025-2050 (near future) and 2075-2100 (distant future) - are addressed. The period 1961-1990 is used as the reference. We found that while a two-generation regime dominated in the Czech Republic in the reference period, significant three-generation regime regions are projected to appear in the near future. In the distant future, the three-generation regime can be expected to occur over all existing coniferous stands in the Czech Republic. The analysis of altitudinal shift of n-generation regime regions indicates noticeable expansion of Ips typographus development to higher elevations, leading for example to disappearance of one-generation regime regions in the distant future. Uncertainties and limitations of the presented findings are discussed as well.

Information on the historical background of the present forest conditions is needed for proper decisions on forest management. Disturbances play a major role in the formation of forest structure and composition. This paper compares the present break-up of mountain spruce stands in the Bohemian Forest (in the Šumava Protected Landscape Area) with conditions during their initiation using dendrochronological techniques. On three selected localities we established two study plots within relatively old stands of unknown origin. Stands were recently broken up by a windstorm. The present situation was described by diameter and decay class distribution. To describe the situation at the stand initiation, we cored at least 40 stems on each plot to get the age structure and growth series of trees. Disturbances were marked by discovering synchronous releases on tree-ring series. Main population waves were initiated in association with severe disturbances during a relatively short period, leading to the establishment of relatively even-aged, homogeneously looking stands. The disturbances were synchronized between plots and accounted for by historically known windstorms or bark beetle outbreaks; notwithstanding, logging as a disturbance factor is also particularly possible.

The land consolidation is a significant instrument for the ownership relations issue and for ensuring the maintenance of land functions and the increase of the ecological stability. Despite of the demonstrable arguments, this activity is not fully valued by the society, which is retroactively reflected from the long term point of view into the processes and structures of land consolidation in countryside. The analysis of the current organisation and management of the Land Offices pointed at substantial regional differences in the process management effectiveness, the utilisation of expert capacities during the land consolidation realisation and further administration actions. There is proposed an optimisation of the institutional structure that will be sufficiently flexible towards the changes of the demanded actions. The need for change of organisation and activities requires also the agro-environmental policies of the European Union.

Ornamental nurseries, garden centres, public gardens and urban greenery in the Czech Republic were surveyed in 2006-2009 for the presence of Phytophthora spp. and the diseases they cause on ericaceous plants. Diseased plants such as Rhododendron spp., Pieris floribunda, Vaccinium sp., and Azalea sp. showed various symptoms including leaf spot, shoot blight, twig lesions or stem, root and collar rot. Nearly 140 Phytophthora isolates were collected from symptomatic plants in different areas of the country. Of the Phytophthora spp. on ericaceous plants or in their surroundings, P. plurivora appeared to be the most common species. Herein, we focus on the most frequently occurring species, P. plurivora, and describe its morpho-physiological and pathogenicity features and confirm its identity based on ITS sequences of rDNA. In addition, we give a list of other Phytophthora spp. including P. cactorum, P. cambivora, P. cinnamomi, P. citrophthora, P. megasperma, P. multivora, P. ramorum, and P. gonapodyides that we identified on the basis of their cultural and morphological characteristics and DNA sequences. We also discuss their importance in cultivated and natural ecosystems.

Reactions of winter triticale cultivars mostly from central Europe to recent and old leaf rust isolates were tested in the greenhouse. In one trial 20 cultivars were tested with 8 leaf rust isolates, collected recently from official wheat and triticale trials in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In another trial 15 cultivars were tested with 6 old leaf rust isolates, used to identify leaf rust resistance genes in wheat. The cultivars Cando, Hortenso and Tricolor, registered in the Czech Republic, were resistant to the majority of the recent isolates. The Hungarian cultivar Tatra was resistant to all the recent isolates. The old leaf rust isolates were virulent only to a few of the triticale cultivars. Randomly selected isolates from wheat and triticale were tested on triticale cultivars and on Thatcher near isogenic lines with different Lr genes. On average, leaf rust isolates from triticale were virulent to a higher number of triticale cultivars than isolates collected from wheat and vice versa.

In arid and semiarid regions of northern China, there is an increasing interest in using water-saving superabsorbent polymer (SAP) for field crop production. Experiments were conducted during 2009 and 2010 to study the growth and yield characteristics of summer corn (Zea mays L.) under different (control, 0; low, 10; medium, 20; high, 30 and very high, 40 kg/ha) rates of SAP in a drought-affected field of northern China. Corn yield increased slightly following SAP application at low and medium rate, but significantly at high and very high rates by 22.4 and 27.8%. At the same time, plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, biomass accumulation, harvest index and relative water content as well as protein, sugar and starch contents in the grain increased significantly following SAP treatments. The optimum application of superabsorbent polymer for corn cultivation in the study area would be 30 kg/ha as it best increased the grain yield and quality and maintained higher levels of soil nutrients. Lower rates (10 and20 kg/ha) or higher (≥ 40 kg/ha) rates would neither be sufficient nor economical. We suggest that the application of SAP at 30 kg/ha could be an efficient and economic soil management practice for summer corn production in the drought affected regions of northern China or other areas with similar ecologies.

This work is aimed at the evaluation of the operating parameters and emission of two tractors: Hürlimann H-488 DT and Hürlimann XB Max 100. The measurements were done on a test bench in the laboratory of the Agroscope Reckenholz-Tänikon Research Station ART, Ettenhausen, Switzerland during February 2010. The goal of this paper was to evaluate the operating parameters of the two models of tractors by using classical diesel oil and biofuel, as well as to evaluate the emission (greenhouse gases, dangerous exhaust gases and carcinogens), to make statistical analysis of the results and the conclusion about the samples used and the impact on engine parameters, environment and human health. From the results achieved, it is possible to state the following facts. In each way, the emissions of rape seed methylester (RME) and diesel are equivalent. The values of CO and HC and also particles are lower for RME. But NO_x values are lower for diesel oil. It is liquid that the newer engine of Hürlimann XB Max 100 decreases emission of CO, HC and NO_x significantly.

The objective of research was, on the basis of the exactly predefined input parameters of upper soil horizons of selected forest soils, to perform accurate measurements of the impact of soil loading by tested forestry machinery using the dynamic penetration test. The measurements by the dynamic penetration test in conditions changed by the wheel traffic of forestry mechanization were performed at three localities of the Křtiny Training Forest Enterprise, Masaryk Forest, a special-purpose facility of Mendel University in Brno. The dynamic penetration test was performed with a lightweight dynamic penetrometer. The methodology of the research is based on assessing the ability of soils to resist dynamic penetration of a rod with a cone, in relation to their lithological composition and physicomechanical properties; the measurement itself is defined by the ISO 22476-2 (2005) standard. Penetrometer measurements were repeated in the period after a harvesting operation and again 6 months later, i.e. in October 2007, April 2008 and October 2008. The results of the field dynamic penetration test and the results of laboratory testing of main soil physical parameters are presented in figures and tables. Besides the naturally variable soil compaction on geologically different substrates, the obtained original results document differences in the impact of particular forestry machines. In conditions of the identical geological substrate, the results indicate that the universal wheeled tractor had a more negative influence on the compaction of surface soil horizons compared to the multi-axle harvester and the forwarder.

The addition of plant proteins into meat products is nowadays a commonly used practice especially for the technological and economical reasons. Their properties have been known and used in meat products production for a long time. In the past, wheat protein or flour had been used most frequently, however, in these days they are being replaced by soya protein which has much more favourable properties in its use. Considering the possible misuse of raw materials of plant origin for the adulteration of meat products, the existence of highly sensitive and accurate procedures for their detection is needed including the determination of their content. Soya protein can be detected using various methods. In our work, an immunohistochemical method was used with image analysis for the quantification of soya protein. Model meat products with the addition of known amounts of soya protein in various forms were made for this experiment.