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Field experiment demonstrated the benefit resulting from biological soil management including the use of N₂-fixing and growth promoting bacteria A. brasilense B-4485 for long-fibred flax. Seed inoculation by A. brasilense B-4485 was equivalent to the introduction of 15 kg/ha of N that provided the possibility of partial flax N requirement supply. Treatment A. brasilense + N₁₅P₆₀K₉₀ is considered to be the most profitable management in regard to flax yield and its quality, and is comparable to N₃₀P₆₀K₉₀ treatment. Biological management allows preventing high concentrations of N in soil, excludes lodging and negative effects on flax yield and its quality. Implementation of biological management for flax nutrition may be profitable for both ecology and economy of long-fibered flax growing.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of electric pulses on the structural and functional condition of rabbit oocytes. The New Zealand White female rabbits at 3-5 months of age and at 3-4 kg body weight served as oocyte donors. Oocytes after flushing from the oviducts were placed between two electrodes in an electroporation chamber which was filled with a dielectric solution. Following a short incubation in B2 medium, oocytes were subjected to an electric pulse released by an electrical pulse generator. Oocytes were then incubated in 500 µl of B2 medium supplemented with 20% foetal calf serum (FCS) at 38°C in an atmosphere of 5% CO₂ in air. Oocytes were cultured until the morula/blastocyst stage (approx. 72 h). The experiment was conducted using 430 oocytes obtained post mortem. In vitro cultured oocytes not subjected to an electric pulse were the control. Each group was subdivided into replications according to electric current intensity. The analysis of experimental variants shows that in the first variant all embryos developed to the morula stage but only 10% of them continued to develop to the blastocyst stage. In the second variant we observed that 5-10% of oocytes developed to the blastocyst stage after treatment with 2.0 and 2.5 kV/cm pulse but in the group of 1.0 kV/cm pulse 35% of oocytes developed only to the 2-12 b stage. In the third variant only 1 oocyte (5%) continued to develop to the blastocyst stage, but in the fourth variant oocyte development stopped at the morula stage. In the fifth variant, called an "extreme" one, oocytes stopped to develop at the stage of 2-12 b (about 25%) and the percentage of degenerated oocytes dramatically increased (about 60%).

The aim of this study was to reveal the branches of the descending palatine artery, and its relation to the vomeronasal organ inAngoragoats. For this purpose, ten heads of adultAngoragoats obtained from a slaughterhouse were used. The ramifications of the latex enjected descending palatine artery and their vomeronasal organ-related findings were revealed by fine dissection and transverse sections. Arterial blood reached the caudally vomeronasal organ primarily via the sphenopalatine artery, and also cranially via a fine branch of the major palatine artery by crossing the palatine fissure. The average diameters of both the descending palatine artery and its branches were thicker on the left side than on the right, and its ramifications were not variable in this species.

A total of 842 wild boar of differing ages, originating from 29 (37.7%) of the 77 districts in the Czech Republic, were examined during the hunting seasons from 2002 to 2005. Of them, 274 (32.5%) of the animals were wild specimens and 568 (67.5%) from game parks. Out of 786 animals, the following were included in the study: 668 piglets, 61 juveniles, 32 adult males and 25 adult females. A total of 2 704 samples from various tissues and faeces were examined: 309 separately collected faecal samples from 309 (36.7%) animals, 2 332 samples from various tissues and 63 faecal samples from 533 (63.3%) animals. Mycobacteria were isolated from 75 (8.9%) animals from 11 of the districts. Neither a causative agent of bovine tuberculosis, nor any other members of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex were isolated from any of the animals. From one (0.1%) animal, M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis of IS900 RFLP type A-C10 was isolated from intestinal lymph nodes, which was also isolated within the same district during other studies of cattle and free living ruminants. The causative agent of avian tuberculosis, M. a. avium (IS901+ and IS1245+), was isolated from 7 (0.8%) animals; among them tuberculous lesions were detected in intestinal lymph nodes, with gross tuberculous lesions visible on two animals. The causative agent of avian mycobacteriosis M. a. hominissuis (IS901- and IS1245+) was detected in lymph nodes without gross lesions in one (0.1%) animal. From 45 (5.5%) animals without lesions, atypical mycobacteria of the following nine species were isolated from pulmonary lymph nodes, small and large intestine, intestinal mucosa and faeces: M. fortuitum, M. chelonae, M. scrofulaceum, M. triviale, M. terrae, M. phlei, M. abscessus, M. flavescens, and M. smegmatis. Due to a high density of wild boar and their large migration radius, they can be viewed as a potential source for mycobacterial infections as well as other infectious agents.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of inverted radicle and hypocotyl grafting methods on potted nursery tree production in chestnut. The study was carried out in greenhouse conditions in 2003-2004. Newly germinated chestnut seeds and young seedlings of SA 5-1 genotype were used as rootstocks and sprouts with dormant buds of the same genotype were used as scions. Graftings were done at three periods from April to June. Graft success and scion shoot growth were examined to determine a suitable method and time of grafting. It was found in the study that potted chestnut nursery trees could be produced in one year using either of the grafting methods. Better graft success and survival ratio were obtained from inverted radicle grafting. In this method, graft success was 83.6% in 2003 and 96.7% in 2004.

Environmental pollution of heavy metals from automobiles has attained much attention in the recent past. The present research was conducted to study heavy metal contamination in roadside soils of northern England. Roadside soil samples were collected from 35 sites in some counties of northern England and analysed for four heavy metals (cadmium, copper, lead, zinc). Their concentrations and distributions in different road verge zones (border, verge, slope, ditch) were determined. Lead concentration was the highest in the soil and ranged from 25.0 to 1198.0 μg/g (mean, 232.7 μg/g). Zinc concentration ranged from 56.7 to 480.0 μg/g (mean, 174.6 μg/g) and copper concentration ranged from 15.5 to 240.0 μg/g (mean, 87.3 μg/g). Cadmium concentration was the lowest in the soil and varied from 0.3 to 3.8 μg/g (mean, 1.4 μg/g). Though the levels of heavy metals in roadside soils were higher as compared to their natural background levels in British soils, their concentrations in general, however, were below the 'critical trigger concentrations' for the contaminated soils. All the four heavy metals exhibited a significant decrease in the roadside soils with the increasing distance from the road. The border zone had the highest mean concentration of the four metals whereas the ditch zone exhibited the lowest mean concentration.

In Slovakia, soil acidification remains an environmental and forestry related issue despite a sharp decrease in the S02. Recent monitoring of critical acid loads of Slovak forests show that around one third of Slovak forests are directly affected by acidification. In this situation, an increased biomass extraction from forests for energy generation purposes, considered by some decision-makers, poses a serious threat to geobiochemical cycles and may further aggravate the effect of the emissions on soils. In other parts of the country however, the drop in pH value means a soil degradation in sense of soil forming processes rather than in reference to forest production. This fact is also confirmed with the values of growing stock in Slovak forests, continually increasing since 1920.

The primary goal of our analysis is to evaluate the effects of changes in the Slovak agriculture subsidy system on the selected farms located in different production areas between the years 2003 and 2004. Our comparative analysis divides the farms into two groups: The first group represents all those farms that operate in good farming conditions i.e. primarily the land is more productive (PA). The second group of farms operates in less favorable farming conditions (LFA). The regions differ from each other in terms of geographical position, location, production and climatic conditions, as well as the quality of land. We analyzed data of 119 farms.

The paper deals with identification of some forms of potential competitive advantage that can be applied by the Slovak agrarian enterprises after the accession to the EU. The capacity of the economies of scale is being analyzed, as well as the potential of the labor productivity growth, and input management in controlling of intensification process. The paper is targeted at verifying the extent of application of competitive advantages by agrarian enterprises, and identifying the reasons of obstacles that hinder their full utilization.

Laboratory experiments were carried out with seeds of Galinsoga ciliata and Chenopodium album in 1998, 2000 and 2001. The study involved germination of non-dormant seeds in the light and the dark at 5-30°C, the germination energy at 15, 24, and 33°C, and the primary dormancy of seeds matured during the period from July to October. Both weeds germinated better in the light compared to the dark. Seeds of G. ciliata germinated at 10-33°C. Germination exceeding 85% was recorded at 12-28°C. Ch. album germinated in a wider temperature interval (5-33°C). Maximum germination (75%) was obtained at 18°C. A very high germination energy of G. ciliata seeds was found at 24°C. At this temperature, 89% of seeds germinated during the second and third day of the germination test. Seeds of Ch. album had a low germination energy at 15 and 24°C. The germination energy was high only at 33°C, however, the total germination reached at this temperature was only 26.5%. Both G. ciliata and Ch. album formed primary dormant seeds during all three testing years. The length of primary dormancy varied from 10 to 100 days depending on the date of ripening and on the year. The longest primary dormancy was found with early ripened seeds (July and August).

The sown wheat acreage in Israel increased from less than 40 000 ha in 1948 to more than 100 000 ha in the seventies and has declined slightly since that time. About 3/4 of the crop are grown in the central part of the country, mostly rain fed, with precipitation of 250-500 mm. The cultivation of durum wheat, originally dominant, has declined since the sixties to a small percentage of the wheat acreage and durum wheat breeding is thus negligible. Local bread wheat breeding started around 1960 independently at three breeding organisations, one of which extensively used genetic material from international breeding programs in Mexico. Since the fifties about 25 cultivars have been released, but only a few are of economic importance now. Breeding considerably increased the yielding potential of cultivars. The recent top cultivar Galil yields about twice as much as cv. Florence Aurore, the leading cultivar in 1970. The national average grain yield rose from 900 kg/ha in 1948 to recently 2.3 t/ha. The highest on-farm yields under favourable conditions are about 9 t/ha. An increasing proportion of the wheat acreage is used for silage, reaching now more than 25%. Yearly fluctuations of yield are considerable and are closely related to rainfall. Data also show an improvement in water utilisation by the crop during the analysed period. The domestic production covered originally only about 12% of the consumption, reaching 47% in the decade 1970-1979, but declined again due to the population growth from 1.2 to 6.5 millions.

Humerus, tibia and antebrachium fractures determined in 30 dogs of different breed, age, weight and gender were treated using Type I and II external fixators. Meynard and handcuff clamps were used in the external fixators. Limited open approach was applied in 6 of the cases and closed reduction techniques in 24. In cases where closed reduction and stabilisation was done, the patients were seen to use their leg within 3-10 days post-operatively and that walking was reasonably good after 20 days. In cases to which a limited open approach had been applied, use of leg was achieved in a period close to the closed method.

The effect of two priming techniques: hardening (prehydration treatment) and solid matrix priming (SMP) was studied on the seeds of two parsley varieties (Cukrowa and Berlińska) in 3-year laboratory experiments. On the images obtained from scanning electron microscope (SEM) there is a parsley embryo developing during germination up to the moment of radicle emergence. On the surface of primed seeds, in particular using the hardening method, lateral cracks are visible. The respiratory activity of primed seeds was similar to that of non-primed in the period of initial 24 h of germination, but significantly higher after 48 h. As compared to non primed seeds solid matrix priming significantly increased the percentage and the speed of germination. Nevertheless, pelleting reduced the positive effect of priming on the germination ability, without affecting the germination speed. After 18 months of storage, the vigour of primed seeds, particularly through hardening, had significantly decreased.

Weight, height, width and diameter of fruits and stones were evaluated in 21 apricot cultivars and hybrids in 1994-1997. Statistically significant differences between the measured values of traits confirmed their applicability for objective characterization of genotypes. The evaluated traits are genetic dispositions. It was also proved by the rank of genotypes arranged according to the values of particular traits in one year that was highly significantly identical in the other years of the evaluated period (correlation coefficient r = 0.45⁺⁺ to 0.87⁺⁺). The relationship between fruit weight and other traits (stone weight, stone height and stone width) is not linear. Fruit weight increases (or decreases) faster towards the limit values of traits. The average percentage proportion of stone weight in fruit weight ranged from 4.9% to 9.6% in the genotypes over the period of four years. A lower proportion of stone in fruit weight is a positive trait for selection of suitable genotypes for direct consumption and flesh processing. This trait can also be a suitable criterion of genotype selection to breed cultivars with a low proportion of inedible part. Promising cultivar Lemeda is an example of the low stone proportion in flesh weight. A high level of variability was found in the values of stone and fruit weight (coefficient of variation v = 19.00% and v = 24.74%, respectively). Coefficients of variation for other traits (fruit and stone height, width and diameter) were by more than a half lower.

This study was performed on 24 clonal rootstocks and 4 scion apple cultivars to evaluate rootstock/cultivar combinations for susceptibility to fire blight (Erwinia amylovora). For this aim, the clonal rootstocks were planted in plastic greenhouse in 1992 and grafted with 4 cultivars (Golden Delicious, Dulcit, Domino and Dione) in 1998. A total of 96 rootstock/cultivar combinations were tested during 1998-2001. Each year, 10 to 30 actively growing shoots per one combination were inoculated with the pathogen. The shoots were inoculated by cutting through first unfolding leaves with scissors dipped into inoculum (109 cfu/ml). The trees were misted to create a high relative humidity. The susceptibility of the test roostock/cultivar combinations was evaluated by calculating the length of necrosis to the total shoot length 40 days after inoculation. The degree of susceptibility of cultivar tested varied depending on the rootstocks and years. In order of decreasing to increasing levels of fire blight susceptibility of four cultivars tested, the pattern observed was Dulcit, Golden Delicious, Domino (moderately susceptible) and Dione (very susceptible). The lowest susceptibility of four cultivars tested was observed on TE 52 rootstock (on average, the cultivars were evaluated as intermediate), the highest susceptibility was on JTE-E and M9 rootstocks (the cultivars were very susceptible). The influence of 21 remaining rootstocks on susceptibility in scion cultivars was not marked. Thus some rootstocks can render the scion cultivars more fire blight susceptible or more resistant.

The corpus luteum (CL), formed from the ruptured follicle, is required for the course of normal cyclicity and the duration of pregnancy in females. The influence of a mixture of polychlorinated biphenyls - PCBs (Aroclor-1248) - on the secretory function of CL (dispersed bovine luteal cells) during different stages of the estrous cycle was studied. The cells (1.2 × 105/ml) were pre-incubated for 24 h and were then treated with 10, 100 or 500 ng/ml of PCBs. A􀄞er 24, 48, 72, 96 or 144 h luteinizing hormone (LH; 100 ng/ml; positive control) was added to the medium. The most evident impaired secretion of progesterone was measured after 72 h of incubation with PCBs and this time was selected for the further experiments. In Exp. 2 high density lipoproteins (HDL), as a source of cholesterol (25 μg), increased progesterone secretion from luteal cells; PCBs enhanced this effect in mid and late stage of the estrous cycle. PCBs had no effect on the stimulatory influence of LH, which itself stimulated progesterone secretion. In Exp. 3 PCBs (500 ng/ml) decreased progesterone secretion from the early CL and increased stimulatory effect of noradrenaline (NA) on progesterone secretion from mid CL. Aroclor-1248 stimulated oxytocin (OT) secretion from all stages of CL development. NA alone increased OT secretion from mid and late CL and moreover, it amplified effect by Aroclor on CL from all studied stages of their development. We conclude that the mixture of PCBs, commercially available as Aroclor-1248, can directly impair the function of bovine CL and thus it can affect the estrous cycle duration or embryo development.

New analytical procedure for the determination of fosetyl-aluminium in hop cones (also called "hops") was developed. Liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (LC-APCI-MS/MS) allowed a highly selective determination of this fungicide which facilitated the sample preparation. The sufficiently low detection limit (1 mg/kg of dried hops) with the acceptable method performance characteristics (RSD 9%, recovery 76% - at the level of 10 mg/kg) complies with the need to inspect the observance of maximal residual limit 100 mg/kg. The application of LC-MS technique thus provided an effective way of fosetyl-aluminium determination in the complex hops matrix.

Ecology of capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) was studied in the mountains of Central Slovakia (West Carpathians) in 1981-2003. In the studied area, the capercaillie population inhabited especially old natural forests (100-250 years old) in the spruce-beech-fir (850-1,270 m a.s.l.) and spruce (1,250-1,530 m a.s.l.) vegetation zones. The overstorey stand age ranged between 80 and 250 years with the mean of 128 years. The understorey stand age ranged from 10 to 60 years. The overstorey tree density ranged between 200 and 1,050 stems per ha (mean 725). The understorey tree density ranged from 5 to 650 trees per ha (mean 290). Both males and females preferred old forests throughout the year. The results demonstrate a marked decrease (> 50%) in the numbers of cocks and hens on twelve monitored leks (28%) and a slight decrease (< 50%) on ten display grounds (24%). During the study period, capercaillie cocks became extinct on seven (16%) leks and in their surroundings. More or less constant numbers were found on twelve leks only (28%) and a slight increase occurred on two leks only (4%). A statistically highly significant correlation was found between the area of old-growth forest and the number of cocks attending a lek. In addition to forest deterioration predation appeared to be of major importance in limiting the numbers of capercaillies. Key points for forest management in relation to capercaillie protection are suggested.

Fourteen Potato virus Y (PVY) isolates were characterized. They represented PVYN strain only. However, application of serological and molecular genetic methods led to a more complicated characterization. For example, five isolates induced necrotic symptoms on tobacco plants typical of PVY^N, despite reacting as PVY^O serologically. Moreover, the PVY isolates were not identical according to molecular genetic properties. Typical PVY^NTN PCR products were observed for 11 isolates, but four of them (Hr220-5, Hr387-7, Nord 242 and Syn1Scot) did not produce potato tuber necrotic symptoms in infected cultivars. An immunocapture RT-PCR probing was developed using a set of 24 primer pairs derived from eight regions of the PVY genome. Using this method, five out of seven PVY^NTN isolates including the Czech standard PVY^NTN from the potato cv. Nicola were found to be identical. However, two PVY^NTN isolates and all the other probed PVY samples showed unique patterns, suggesting specific differences at the nucleotide level. This method enabled specific identification of individual isolates variability even within different PVY strains.

Aiming at determination differences in leaf and root potassium concentration of diverse sugar beet genotypes as well as its effect on sugar beet root quality and yield. Investigations comprising 15 sugar beet genotypes (five multigerm lines, five hybrids and five monogerm lines) were carried out on two soil types (Calcic luvisol: L-1 and L-3 and Calcic gleysol: L-2 and L-4) during two growing seasons. Root yield of the investigated genotypes on Calcic luvisol (50 t/ha) was higher, than on Calcic gleysol (34 t/ha). In general, multigerm lines were known for the highest leaf potassium concentration (2.75%), lowest root one (3.78 mmol/100 g root), highest sugar content (13.8%) and best root extractable sugar (1.5%). Monogerm lines had the lowest leaf potassium concentration (2.51%), highest root one (4.24 mmol/100 g root), lowest sugar content (12.9%), and the poorest extractable sugar (10.7%). Root yield of the investigated hybrids (48 t/ha) was higher by 16% compared to multigerm lines yield (42 t/ha) and as much as 35% higher compared to monogerm lines (36 t/ha). Sugar beet root potassium was in significantly negative correlation with sugar content at three localities (L-1: r = -0.485**, L-2: r = -0.096, L-3: r = -0.687**, L-4: r = -0.337**) whereas at all four localities it was in negative correlation with extractable sugar (L-1: r = -0.634**, L-2: r = -0.407**, L-3: r = -0.930**, L-4: r = -0.749**). Potassium concentration in sugar beet leaf was in significant positive correlation with sugar content at three localities (L-1: r = 0.382**, L-2: r = 0.231, L-3: r = 0.717**, L-4: r = 0.516**).

The occurrence of Erysiphe cichoracearum (Ec) and Sphaerotheca fuliginea (Sf), causal agents of cucurbit powdery mildewin the Czech Republic (CR) was studied in the period of 1995-2001. Nearly 800 leaf samples with disease symptomswere microscopically examined. Ec is the predominating species, detected on 98% of locations. It was accompanied by Sfon 24% of locations. The occurrence of Sf as the only powdery mildew species was proved on 2% of locations. Recentoccurrence of Sf in the CR corresponds with data on Sf fast spreading and prevailing on cucurbits in West and SouthEurope. However, Ec is the strongly predominating powdery mildew species largely distributed throughout the country.The hyperparasitic fungus Ampelomyces quisqualis was detected on 30% of samples.

The influence of inoculation techniques on induction of post-infection ethylene production in susceptible and resistant genotypes of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) inoculated with the kappa race of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum was studied. Three inoculation methods (brushing, dipping and spraying) of excised leaves were compared. The brushing technique caused both the highest ethylene production at 120 h after inoculation, and better symptom development than dipping and spraying. It was, therefore, adopted to determine the post-infection ethylene production in four inoculated bean genotypes (GLP406 and Kaboon - resistant, GLP636 - moderately resistant; and MDRK - susceptible). Ethylene production increased slightly 24 h after inoculation in all four genotypes, followed by a rapid decline after 48 h. Ethylene production remained low until 120 h after which a sharp rise was observed in genotype MDRK. Increased production, though to a lesser extent, was observed in GLP636. This trend was repeatable and thus may offer an additional physiological marker to bean breeders to screen for resistance to C. lindemuthianum.

Field trials were conducted at two sites Troubsko near Brno and Prague-Ruzyně in 1996-1999 with three varieties of safflower (Gila, CW-74, Sironaria). Three rates of nitrogen fertilization were used: N0 = no fertilization, N₁ = 40 kg/ha, N₂ = 80 kg/ha. Sowing rates were 50 and 70 germinable seeds per m2. The average values of oil content were highest in seeds of CW-74 variety (27.2%). Gila had on average the lowest oil content (24.5%). Linoleic acid was dominant in all three safflower varieties. Variation in content of linoleic acid in different years was not so high as in oil content. The highest average content of linoleic acid was found in Gila variety (81.2%), the lowest in Sironaria (77.4%). At Ruzyně average seed yield on dry basis was 2.7 t/ha and average straw yield was 7.56 t/ha. At Troubsko seed yield was 2.56 t/ha and straw yield was 3.69 t/ha (by 50% lower than at Ruzyně). The effect of year of growing and site on seed yields and on other parameters was highly significant. N fertilization increased safflower seed yield at Troubsko site only, where the dose of 40 kg/ha N increased the yield by 0.08 t/ha on average of years and the dose of 80 kg/ha N increased the seed yield by 0.2 t/ha in comparison with no nitrogen fertilization treatments. Increased N rates and especially higher plant density resulted in an increase in straw yields. Neither were thousand seed weight nor number of flower heads influenced significantly by different N rates or the above-mentioned differences in plant density.

The cabbage-carrot juices were inoculated with Lactobacillus plantarum 92H at the concentration of 8 × 106 CFU/ml and fermented in a thermostat at 24°C for 150 hours. During the fermentation, both analytical (pH, total acidity, reducing sugars, l-ascorbic acid, lactic, acetic and citric acids, biogenic amines) and sensory (appearance, colour, turbidity, sediment and taste) parameters were followed. For the evaluation of the results of the chemical and sensory (taste) analyses of these juices the multivariate statistical methods were applied. PCA and FA reduced the 7 original analytical variables to 1 independent component (factor) that accounted for 96.92% of the total variance, and CA divided samples into 2 groups according to the contents of lactic and acetic acids. PCA and FA reduced the 8 taste and mixture taste descriptors to 2 components (factors) that accounted for 97.28% of the total variance.

Production of verotoxin Stx2e and expression of F18 and K88 colonisation factors were investigated in 222 strains of Escherichia coli isolated from weaned piglets. Sixty-two, 30, and 11 of the 129 verotoxigenic strains were classified to the serogroups O139, O141, and O157, respectively. Other serogroups were identified only sporadically and sixteen strains were unclassifiable. No colonisation factors were detectable in 15 (24.2%) of the 62 verotoxigenic strains classified with the serogroup O139. The fedA gene shared by the colonisation factors F18 was detected by PCR in 47 of the O139 strains (all but one F18ab). Gene fedA, in which the amplification product was digested with endonuclease NgoMI (F18ac), was peculiar to the serogroup O141. No colonisation factors were detected in 19 (14.7%) strains. Genes encoding the colonisation factors F18ac and F18ab were demonstrated in 22 (23.7%) and 11 (11.8%), of the 93 nonverotoxigenic and mostly enterotoxigenic strains, respectively.

In 1998-2000, in a multi-factorial field experiment established by the method of split blocks and subplots, we studied the effect of three systems of beet tops management, two sowing rates and two levels of N fertilization and the effect of interactions of the factors on production and qualitative indicators of spring barley varieties Amulet and Kompakt. The evaluation shows the dominant effect of the particular year on the variability of all characters. The proportion of the effect of the year on the variability of characters ranged from 2.1 (number of plants per m2) to 80.1% (yield). The variability of quality parameters was also considerably affected by the genetic factor of the variety (grain over2.5 mmsieve 40.4%, TGW 20.5%). The level of characters was greatly variable in relation to the course of climatic conditions of the year. The highest grain yield was achieved in 1999 (7.21 t/ha), the lowest one in 2000 (5.25 t/ha). The best quality parameters were shown by grain from the 1998 harvest (yield 6.20 t/ha) with significantly highest TGW (47.76 g), a high proportion of grain over2.5 mmsieve (92.01%, 5.54 t/ha) and a favourable content of N substances in the grain (10.60%). Ploughed down beet tops supported the creation of the yield, the average differences between variants were, however, minimal being heavily affected by the course of weather in particular years. More favourable conditions for the creation of the yield (6.17 t/ha) and for the formation of mechanical properties of the spring barley grain (TGW45.55 g, grain over2.5 mmsieve 85.86%) were produced by variants with late ploughing down beet tops, the smallest accumulation of N substances occurred in variants with harvested beet tops (11.83%). Sowing rate significantly affected values of all studied characters. Variants sown 4.5 MGS (6.27 t/ha) gave higher average grain yields, grain of better quality was obtained from the stands sown 3.5 MGS (TGW45.22 g, grain over 2.5 sieve 84.41%, N substances 11.93%). Between particular varieties, significant differences were found both in the economic yield and the grain quality. The Kompakt variety showed on average 4.7% higher yield (6.37 t/ha) than the Amulet variety which, however, reached the higher average TGW values as well as the proportion of grain over2.5 mmsieve (45.87 g, 88.24%). The grain quality of the Amulet variety was negatively affected by the increased accumulation of N substances in the grain (12.49%). As compared with control, N fertilization at the rate of 30 kg/ha showed significant increase in the yield in 1998 only (by 7.5%) while in other years, an increase in the yield was not noticed. In all years under investigation, the TGW values and the proportion of grain over2.5 mmsieve decreased and the content of N substances in grain increased after application of N at the rate of 30 kg/ha.

The post-eradication incidence of bovine tuberculosis in seven Central European Countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia) was studied between 1990 and 1999. The majority of cattle to the age of 24 months were screened by tuberculin skin test on annual basis. Tuberculous lesions observed during meat inspection at abattoirs were further laboratory examined by direct microscopy, cultivation and histology for the presence of mycobacteria. Data describing the incidence of the disease in animals for the whole period were obtained from all countries except Bosnia and Herzegovina, where data were obtained after the year 1995. Between the years 1990 and 1999, bovine tuberculosis was diagnosed in a total of 1 084 cattle herds. Nine hundred and seventy five (89.9%) outbreaks of the disease were reported in small herds (10 cows) and 109 (10.1%) outbreaks in large cattle herds (>10 cows). The last outbreak of bovine tuberculosis in cattle was diagnosed in Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1993, 1993, 1995, 1999 and 1999, respectively. Bovine tuberculosis was diagnosed under proper quarantine in Slovenia in 37 fattening bulls imported from two European countries before animals were introduced to the targeting farms.

Forestry and Game Management Research Institute at Jíloviště-Strnady has created a new experimental base for thinning research since 1956. A total of 46 experimental series were founded in Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.); 24 series are still maintained. This paper focuses on the series established in young Norway spruce stands in 1958 (Rumburk, Mostek, Vim­perk I, Vimperk II and Nisa). The goal of thinning experiment was to compare two basic methods of thinning: positive selection from above (2a) and negative selection from below (3b or 5b). Each experimental series has a control plot (1c) where no thinning was conducted. The effect of thinning by positive selection from above carried out in the 40-year period of investigations was a 10-45% decrease in the abundance of trees in lower diameter classes compared with control plots. Negative selection from below resulted in a more pronounced decrease in thin trees abundance (50-69% compared with control plots). The abundance of thick trees (diameter of 30 cm and more) increased by 5-50% on all comparative plots with thinning. Static stability characterised by the h/d ratio of mean stem and h/d ratio of dominant trees (200 thickest trees per hectare) was influenced by thinning mostly positively (final value of h/d ratio found by the last revision was considerably lower).

In the decade monitored a total of 45 873 318 pigs were slaughtered and examined according to veterinary hygiene standards. Apart from 1991, when results of tuberculous findings were not obtained, tuberculous lesions were found in 134 088 (0.32%) of the 41 458 565 pigs examined in the remaining nine years. During a detailed analysis of the pathological anatomical examination of 190 940 pigs slaughtered in one district, tuberculous lesions in lymph nodes were found in 4 107 (2.2%) pigs: mesenteric (65.3% pigs), submandibular (18.6% pigs), inguinal (0.1% pigs) and simultaneously intestinal and head lymph nodes (15.9% pigs). Miliary tuberculosis was found only in the parenchymatous organs of four (0.1%) pigs. The following financial losses resulted: 6% for confiscating the head, intestines and stomach, and from 22 to 24% for assessing meat as conditionally edible after processing, i.e. intended only for heat-processed products. Mycobacteria were isolated from 7 246 (41.8%) pigs through the cultivation of tissue samples from 17 326 pigs. Mycobacterium bovis was detected in only five (0.07%) animals which originated from the last outbreak of bovine tuberculosis in cattle in the Czech Republic in 1995. M. avium complex (MAC) isolates came from 6 870 (94.8%) animals: 55.7% M. a. avium isolates were mainly of serotypes 2 and 3 and genotype IS901+ and IS1245+ and 39.2% M. a. hominissuis isolates were mainly of serotypes 4, 8 and 9 and genotype IS901- and IS1245+. Conditionally pathogenic mycobacteria (M. chelonae, M. terrae, M. phlei and M. fortuitum) were isolated from 371 (5.1%) pigs. In the whole period monitored, two marked increases in the findings of tuberculous lesions were recorded: In the mid-1990s as a result of using deep bedding with wood shavings and at the end of the 1990s as a result of supplementing the pigs' feed with peat. The predominant occurrence of M. a. avium isolates of genotype IS901+ and IS1245+ in the first half of the 1990s was replaced above all by M. a. hominissuis isolates of genotype IS901- and IS1245+. The reason for this was probably a change in the sources of infection for pigs. While at the beginning of the 1990s the most frequent source of infection were wild and domestic birds, various parts of the external environment became the source of the infection for pigs from the mid-1990s. In the years 1996 to 1999, Rhodococcus equi was isolated from 203 (11.6%) of the 1 745 animals examined. It was solely isolated from 154 (8.8%) animals and from 49 (2.8%) animals together with mycobacteria.

Specific productivity and some correlations between growth and productivity were evaluated in a set of 24 apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) genotypes in 1994-1999. Even though the planting stock came from the same nursery, was of even age and on the same rootstock, the tree size of genotypes varied from planting to a permanent site. Differences in the tree size of genotypes slightly diminished over the six-year period, likely under the influence of uniform pruning used for all trees. Nevertheless, tree size evaluated from the area of stem cross-section can be considered as a genotype disposition. It is proved by a positive, highly significant correlation (r = 0.84⁺⁺) between the rank genotypes according to the area of stem cross-section in the fourth and eleventh year after planting. Confidence intervals also confirmed significance of differences in specific productivity. In total, specific productivity of twelve genotypes was significantly higher than in the control cultivar Velkopavlovická. A negative, significant moderate correlation (r = -0.40⁺) was calculated between tree size and specific productivity expressed as yield weight per unit area of stem cross-section. Weakly growing genotypes had higher specific productivity. The highest specific productivity was recorded in cultivars Vynoslivyj and Priusadebnyj and in LE-1321 and LE-390 hybrids. Of them, the most interesting for producers and fruit quality was Vynoslivyj with average fruit weight 47 g and harvest ripeness 11 days after Velkopavlovická.