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Besides group A rotaviruses, group B and C rotaviruses have been detected as the cause of diarrheal diseases in pigs. Of a set of 329 faecal samples from pigs, 16 samples were selected in which rotavirus was detected by electron microscopy and at the same time group A rotavirus was excluded by ELISA method. Rotaviruses were assayed using specific primers for detection of group B and C rotaviruses, and RT-PCR and semi-nested PCR methods. In one sample, no rotavirus of group B or C was detected; in the remaining 15 samples rotavirus group C was detected, in two samples together with group B rotavirus. Sequencing of the obtained PCR products and comparison with corresponding gene sequences revealed 80% nucleotide sequence identity between group B rotaviruses and available sequences of porcine isolates. A nucleotide sequence identity of 92% was obtained in group C rotaviruses as compared with the Cowden strain.

In order to develop the quality of life in small rural municipalities, their representation faces the thoughts about the perspective of these municipalities in economic terms (the capacity to finance long-term investments) as well as in the socio-cultural terms (the development of participation in public life embedded in the local identity). This article presents the results of the pilot empirical survey in one micro-region of the Czech Republic. The results of the in-depth interviews clearly indicate the preference of the investigated communities to choose the strategy of supporting their independence (which might result in the risk of lower ability to deal with economic problems) prior to the strategy to strengthen the economy of the community through merging the municipalities (and to risk the potential loss of local identity). The conclusions consider the possible forms of municipal cooperation reinforcing the capacity to address economic problems while preserving the autonomy of small rural municipalities. However, the low ability of the partnership cooperation of these municipalities is demonstrated.

Total benefit effect of beer is a result of many individual contributions of natural substances present in such complicated biological material. Recently, regional mark "Czech beer" was obtained by EC. This beer is processed by traditional technology using only recommended brewery materials. Presented work is focused on proteomic and metabolomic analysis of some characteristic active substances specific for "Czech beer". Eight beer samples obtained from retail chain and/or from breweries were enrolled into this study. Polypeptides and proteins that influence beer sensory properties originated mainly from malt. The results of our preliminary study indicate that the main protein fractions in most of beers are protein Z, LTP1 and hordein/glutelin fragments. 2D analyses of "Czech beer" differed in several spots when compared with beer made by other technology. Further, individual beer phenolics originated from malt and hop were analysed by HPLC/UV-VIS and LC/MS. Individual beers differed in distribution as well as in content of phenolics. Hence, some phenolic derivatives seem to be useful as potential authenticity markers.

In the hunting district Hády (897 ha), which is operated by the Křtiny Training Forest Enterprise, 383 samples of biomass utilizable as wildlife forage were collected and analysed; they were also quantified on the basis of surface coverage of grass and woody undergrowth. Grass and herbaceous biomass production in forest stands was 180,740 kg (average 0.02 kg/m²), on road shoulders and other areas it amounted to 25,213 kg (average 0.150 kg/m²). The greatest diversity of plant species (72) was detected on the other areas. In total, forest and other areas provide 205,953 kg of utilizable grass and herbaceous biomass available during the vegetation period. Production of woody biomass, i.e. buds and shoots, amounted to 307,243 kg (average 0.035 kg/m²). The woody component of food in this locality was represented mainly by the species of beech, hornbeam, maple, and ash. Evaluation of sample plots revealed that the area covered by herbs and grasses in the studied forest unit was reduced due to a large-scale shelterwood system. On the other hand, a markedly increased supply of food from woody biomass was found to be available in the form of buds, leaves and shoots. The number of individuals in the advance regeneration of woody species in undergrowth ranged between 270 and 380,000 pcs/ha. Average values used for the calculation of utilizable energy in biomass were obtained from a laboratory measurement of biomass samples and complemented with data from literature. Average values of forest herbs and grasses = 0.60 MJ; buds, leaves and shoots in the growing season = 0.75 MJ. Average daily food consumption was converted to net digestible energy in MJ. In order to estimate food sufficiency with respect to quality energy requirements were calculated on the basis of the metabolic size of roe deer and hare bodies. In the quantitative assessment of available food supply, the standardized game stock would utilize 51% of grass and herbaceous forage and 7.5% of food from woody biomass. In the qualitative assessment of available food supply it was demonstrated that energy requirements of roe deer and hare were fully covered by their daily quantitative consumption of herbaceous, grass and woody biomass.

The article discusses economic development of Slovak agriculture in the period after the accession of Slovakia to the EU and after adopting the CAP. It evaluates agriculture as a whole and its contribution to the national economy, as well as the economic performance of the individual legal forms of business and production sectors. The results achieved by agriculture in 2004-2007 suggest that the income within the sector (except of 2005) has improved also due to the inflow of the EU subsidies. On the other hand, despite the growing aid the production output is shrinking, wages stagnate and the employment is falling. This suggests that the CAP should be changed after 2013, especially as regards the ways of subsidy payments. Economics of the individual products are largely affected by input prices, realisation prices, as well as by the volume of direct subsidies, namely in the plant production - the subsidies for crops grown on arable land, and in animal production - the subsidies per 1 Big Cattle Unit.

In this paper we have discussed the problem of decomposition of a response variable into other predictor variables whose product gives the value of the response variable. This methodology is known as multiplicative yield component analysis. We have discussed the applications of multiplicative yield component analysis in cereal science and breeding. The discussion of multiplicative yield component analysis involves the description of yield component analysis for cereal grain yield, single genotype yield component analysis and across-genotype yield component analysis.

The application of the distributed hydrological model brings the benefits of assessment of the spatially distributed quantities which are hard to measure in the field over a larger area, e.g. evapotranspiration. The Malše River basin has been chosen for the evaluation of evapotranspiration simulation by the distributed hydrological model, SWIM (Soil and Water Integrated Model). The primary interest in this analysis was to assess the ability of the hydrological model to simulate the actual evapotranspiration on larger scales and to evaluate its dependence on the landscape characteristics such as the vegetation cover, soil type, and average precipitation amount during the simulation. Annual actual evapotranspiration in each hydrotope was evaluated in the simulation period of 1985-1998. Because of the lack of the data observed (evapotranspiration), the model was calibrated on the discharge time series. The credibility was quantified using Nash Sutcliffe efficiency which was more than 0.7. The main trends of the simulated actual evapotranspiration were evaluated and assessed as satisfactory. The differences in the soil types did not seem significant for the evapotranspiration variation, the monthly average values among soil types differing by ± 10% except histosol. On the other hand the differences in the land-use categories strongly influenced the amount of evapotranspiration (-30; +50%). It appears that the model SWIM overestimates the actual evapotranspiration in the spring and, on the other hand, underestimates that in the autumn according to the comparison with the only data available in the entire Climate Atlas of the Czech Republic.

Data on 75 567 ejaculates from 1 417 boars of the breeds Czech Large White and Czech Landrace collected in 23 AI centres between 2000 and 2007 were analyzed. Fixed effects were estimated from a four-trait animal model for semen volume, sperm concentration, motility and percentage of abnormal spermatozoa and from single-trait animal models for the total number of spermatozoa and the number of functional spermatozoa. Both the total number of spermatozoa and the number of functional spermatozoa were highest in winter and lowest in summer. Boar's age had a strong influence on semen volume, the total number and the functional number of spermatozoa; these traits increased especially in the first phase. The percentage of abnormal spermatozoa also increased with age. An interval between successive collections of 7 to 10 days yielded the best values for all semen traits. As semen traits are of direct economic importance for AI centres, it can be expected that the estimation of breeding value for semen traits will become important and that AI centres will choose among top boars for production and female reproduction traits the boars with better semen production.

The subsurface total drainage quantity is a very important hydrological indicator to solve the drainage problems in a field of water management in the landscape, especially in a situation after massive floods. Described in this paper is an estimation of the subsurface total drainage quantity, which was developed by the operation of a subsurface pipe drainage system in saturated, middle permeable soil under unsteady state drainage flow with the application of the Dupuit's assumptions and Darcy's law, by analytical approximation. The correctness and applicability of this estimation of the subsurface total drainage quantity was verified by field measurements on the loamy soils of an experimental watershed area of the Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation (RISWC) Prague-Zbraslav, Czech Republic. The parameters and the shape of this subsurface total drainage quantity equation were also proved with the help of nonlinear regression analysis, with application of the method of Marquardt. This analytical approximation should serve as an elementary tool of water engineering practice for an immediate estimation of the values of subsurface total drainage quantities from field pipe drainage systems in saturated loamy soils. It requires only a minimum amount of information (fundamental soil hydrology data and drainage system basic design parameters) and its use is often viewed, it is simple, user-friendly and is possible for a wide range of drainage policies.

An evaluation of the effects of soil structural heterogeneity on maize (Zea mays L.) root system architecture was carried out on plants grown in boxes containing fine soil and clods. The clods were prepared at two levels of moisture (0.17 and 0.20 g/g) and bulk density (ranges 1.45-1.61 g/ml and 1.63-1.79 g/ml). Soil moisture directly affected the probability of clod penetration by maize roots. Primary roots inside the clods manifested morphological deformations in the form of bends. We observed a significant increase of bends per root length at lower soil moisture (P = 0.02). Root diameter and branching density increased, and lateral root length decreased considerably inside the clods. However, once emerging out of the clods and into free soil, values of all three characteristics remained low. While changes in root diameter were caused mainly by clod moisture (P < 0.05), length of lateral roots was related to bulk density (P < 0.01). Branching density was modified exclusively by an interactive effect of both factors (P < 0.05).

The paper focuses on the evaluation of the contemporary situation of two economic sectors in the frame of the European Union, namely the wholesale and retail of agricultural and food products. For these industries, the structural profile with the indicators of turnover, value added and employment was elaborated. Hereafter the costs, productivity and profitability indicators ranking of the top 5 Member States were compared to the EU-25 averages. After a 3.1% increase in the turnover index in 2000, the evolution of sales for the agricultural wholesaling sector recorded a series of small increases and decreases in the turnover, ranging from - 0.6% in 2002 to 1.5% in 2004. Between 2000 and 2005, the agricultural wholesaling sector generally recorded a slower rate of expansion for turnover than the wholesale trade average. The specialised in-store food retailing sector generated EUR 120.4 billion of turnover in 2003. The wealth creation of the specialised in-store food retailing was valued at EUR 23.8 billion; equivalent to 6.5% of the retail trade and repair total, while this activity employed 1.4 million persons, some 9.0% of the retail trade and repair workforce. Half (49.9%) of the turnover in the specialised in-store food retailing sector in the EU was generated by enterprises selling fruit, vegetables, meat, fish or bakery products.

The differences between oak lepidopteran communities were studied in Slovakia in 1993 and 1994. Sampling was undertaken between April and October on 3 oak species (Quercus robur, Q. petraea, Q. rubra). Biological traits of larvae were examined in order to explain differences in seasonal guilds among oaks. Communities varied in structure and abundance. Species richness in four seasonal guilds (flush, late spring, summer and autumn feeders) had a similar pattern on each of the studied oak species. The guild of flush feeders had the richest species assemblage, followed by the late spring feeder guild and both guilds were significantly richer than the summer feeder guild and autumn feeder guild.

The management of changes, innovations, knowledge and human resources of a company are among the crucial factors having an impact on the performance of the company. An organizational change is one of the first conditions for the successful increase in the company's performance if the system approach to the management of changes is observed. A company or its management, if it wants to be successful and to increase the company performance, must strive to change the processes, values and thinking of people, bring new innovative ideas into business and to verify them in the everyday practice. All corporate potential must be used for high-quality innovations that bring profit in the end. If the knowledge management is implemented, the corporate knowledge can be used more efficiently. Management of human resources and work performance ranks among the most-demanding management spheres, having an impact on the overall corporate performance.

Enterotoxigenic Bacillus cereus was detected in a variety of meat stuffs (36), ready-to-cook products (5), and swabs (7). The bacterial colonies isolated from PEMBA agar were identified as B. cereus. The 85 isolates were examined for the enterotoxin production using both TECRA-VIA and BCET-RPLA kits (ELISA - 47, RPLA - 38). Thirty two isolates (66%) were positive for enterotoxin using the ELISA test while only 15 isolates (39%) gave positive results in the RPLA test system. In total, 178 (91.8%) and 164 (84%) of the strains isolated in our laboratory (from various foods) were enterotoxigenic as determined using TECRA-VIA and BCET-RPLA, respectively. Parallel enterotoxin positive results obtained using both tests were demonstrated in only 9 isolates from 19 assessed (47.4%). Coincidental negative results from both kits were established for 3 isolates (15.8%) only. The isolates of B.cereus from meat were resistant to cephalothin (57%), clindamycin (14%), oxytetracycline (14%), and erythromycin (7%). The isolates from swabs were resistant to cephalothin (83%), erythromycin (16%), clindamycin (16%) and enrofloxacin (16%).

Koch method of ornamental trees evaluation is based on interest paid on costs invested in tree-growing up to their maturity stage minus deductions for age, defects and damage. The aim of this paper is to apply the above mentioned method in the economic conditions of the Czech Republic. The paper presents essential economic data generated in accordance with the technological model of tree growing at a permanent site. We also describe the mechanism of the so-called base tree price calculation as a basis for the subtraction of deductions derived from its current condition. The calculated base tree prices are illustratively compared to prices based on the to-date applied calculating techniques and the relevant regulation. We also refer to the method of base price adjustment based on the criterion of landscape tree value. The mechanism of price calculation applied for Koch method testing included two modifications. The first relates to due consideration of growth qualities when calculating development care costs; the other introduces landscaping value indicator as the only base price adjustment to achieve the resulting price, corresponding with the current tree condition.

: At present, the coppice-with-standards system has become so rare in floodplain forests that it is considered a natural monument. In 1990, the coppice-with-standards system was not recorded in the territory of the Czech Republic. This state contradicts the increasing interest of nature protection organizations in the relict remainders of the coppice-with-standards system, which is to be considered the closest to naturally preserved lowland forest type, and is, therefore, recommended as the final state of the biocentres and biocorridors in today's floodplain forests. The aim of this paper is to present the results of the inventory dealing with the present occurrence of the coppice-with-standards system in the floodplain forest of the Litovelské Pomoraví Protected Landscape Area (PLA) in a historical context.

Plant root and shoot dry weight, leaf relative water content (LRWC) and chlorophyll content were reduced by 30%, 21%, 15%, 34%, respectively, at 40mM NaCl as compared to non-salt stress conditions. However, membrane permeability (MP) of plant increased (85.0%) with increasing salinity. Foliar nutrient application (FNA) alleviated deleterious effects of salinity stress on growth and this effect was statistically significant. The highest alleviation effect of FNA at 40mM salinity stress was observed in the case of 10mM foliar KNO₃ and Ca(NO₃)₂ application, resulting in increase in plant root dry weight (50%), shoot dry weight (50%), LRWC (8.2%) and MP decrease (27.4%) at 40mM NaCl. Phosphorus, Fe and Zn contents in shoots and roots of plants also increased with FNA treatments, but they were still much lower than those of non-salt stress treatment. Sulphur, P, Fe and Zn contents of shoots reached similar values as in non-salt stress treatment when KNO₃ was applied, whereas Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu contents of roots reached the values of non-salt stress treatment when Ca(NO₃)₂ was applied.

: The article is focused on the analysis of the bonded metal joints capacity and corrosion weight losses in the conditions of equatorial Indonesia - North Sumatra province. For the purpose of the given article, the province was divided into three main climatic zones: Medan, Balige, Pagarbatu, where the dependence was observed of the bonded joints capacity on the duration of the weather exposure. The joints life and their further usability were predicted based on the analyses of the measured values.

Fog and rime water samples were collected at the meteorological observatory Milešovka in February and June 2006. In the samples, the soluble and insoluble pollutant concentrations were evaluated separately and the differences between the fog and rime water samples were studied. The comparison of the fog and rime water samples indicates that the mean soluble component concentrations in the air appear to be higher during the rime events than during the fog events at Milešovka. We recorded a larger mean particle size of the insoluble compounds in the fog water samples than in those of rime water. Some elements contained in the insoluble particles like Ca, Cl, C, Cu, Ag, were present largely in fog whole others, like Fe, Al, Si, Ti, prevailed in rime. In addition to the overall evaluation, the backward air trajectories were determined for each fog/rime event and the concentrations are presented as depending on the direction of the air particle transfer.

Colour and texture are very important quality properties of all foods. In this work, the influence was investigated of different types of pectin on colour and textural properties in strawberry jams and low-calorie strawberry jams containing fructose and aspartame or fructose syrup and aspartame. The highest anthocyanin content and total phenol content were detected in strawberry jam samples prepared with low methoxy amidated pectin. During storage, after 4 and 6 weeks at both storage temperatures, room temperature and 4°C, anthocyanin content and total phenol content decreased. Also, free radical scavenging activity decreased during storage. As far as the texture parameters are concerned, namely firmness, consistency and cohesiveness, the highest values were found in strawberry jam samples prepared with high methoxyl pectin.

Gas chromatography and IDF Standard method (1999) were used to analyze the fatty acid composition of milk fat of mares originating from the following breeds: 10 of Wielkopolska breed, 10 Konik Polski Horses, and 9 Polish Cold-blooded Horses. Eighty-seven mare's milk samples were collected in the years 2000-2002. Unsaturated fatty acids were shown to prevail in the milk fat of mares of Wielkopolska breed (61.32%) and of Konik Polski mares (52.58%) whereas saturated acids prevailed in the milk fat of Cold Blooded mares (54.95%). The study revealed that the fatty acid composition of the investigated groups of mares was breed-specific. Of course, the impact of other uncontrolled factors such as nutrition is not excluded, either.

Unit hydrograph is a basic method to show changes in runoff in the watershed. The investigation of runoff changes was carried out in the U Dvou louček watershed situated at the summit part of the Orlické hory Mts., East Bohemia. The waveform ordinates of recession limbs of unit hydrographs obtained using a common approach had to be approximated by the least-squares method. Final hydrographs reflected both drainage treatment and forest stand growth influencing the runoff from the watershed. Both factors increase culmination in synergy and reduce runoff on the recession limb of the hydrograph. We confirmed increased maximum runoff taking up 25-30% of the total runoff time when waterlogged sites were drained. The culmination increased by 0.2-0.8 mm/hour indicates the runoff increased by 2-8 m³/ha/hr.

The aim of the paper was to contribute to the acquisition of background data for the specification of safe boron levels in soils in relation to diagnostics by multi-nutrient soil tests and to CEC (cation exchange capacity) value of soil, pH and soil organic matter. The research was conducted on 24 soils. Sorption was determined after 97 days from the application of B at the rates of 0, 1, 2.5, 5 mg B/kg in H₃BO₃. The closest regression of B-sorption was with the CEC value of soil in NH₄-acetate and water tests and it increased with the increasing application of B (regression at a rate of 5 ppm B; NH₄-acetate: linear R

The contamination of bulk samples of cow's raw milk (n = 491) by psychrotrophic lipolytic bacteria (PLiBC), total count of psychrotrophic bacteria (PBC) and mesophilic bacteria (TBC) was monitored for two years on eight dairy farms and the correlations among these groups of bacteria were analysed. An increase in TBC, PBC and PLiBC and in the values of free fatty acids (FFA) was tested experimentally in three milk samples in relation to time (analyses were done in 24-hour intervals until 96 hours) and storage temperature of milk samples (4; 6.5 and 10°C). Bacterial contamination of milk was determined by culture methods in accordance with IDF standards, the values of FFA were determined by an extraction-titration method. These mean values were determined in the set of samples (n = 491): PLiBC 659 CFU/ml, PBC 2 932 CFU/ml and TBC 18 932 CFU/ml. A high correlation was proved between values of PBC and PLiBC (r = 0.87; P < 0.001) while the correlation between TBC and PBC (r = 0.65; P < 0.001) and between PLiBC and TBC (r = 0.59; P < 0.001) was on a medium level. The proportional index p_I for PLiBC/PBC was 0.20, for PLiBC/TBC 0.03 and for PBC/TBC 0.16. In seasonal dynamics a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001; P < 0.05) between the increased values of TBC in the summer season was proved compared to the winter and spring season. The differences in the seasonal variation of PBC and PLiBC values were not significant. Experimental investigation of an increase in the values of tested parameters showed that at temperatures of milk sample storage 4 and 6.5°C TBC did not exceed the permissible hygienic value (100 000 CFU/ml) even after 96 hours while at 10°C it amounted to 90 000 CFU/ml after 48 hours and the limit for TBC was exceeded several times after 96 hours. PBC, which is not inhibited by cold storage to such a large extent, did not exceed the hygienic limit value for PBC (50 000 CFU/ml) even after 96 hours when milk samples were stored at 4°C, but at 6.5°C after 72 hours and at 10°C already after 48 hours the values 6 and 20 times higher, respectively, than the hygienic limit were recorded. A similar trend was observed in PLiBC, which exceeded the hazardous limit (43 000 CFU/ml) at 6.5°C after 96 hours and at 10°C already after 48 hours whereas at 4°C the limit value was not exceeded even after 96 hours. The content of FFA also increased in relation to the storage time and temperature of milk samples but in comparison with the increase in the tested groups of microorganisms the increase in FFA showed a higher correlation with storage time compared to storage temperature. A medium correlation was calculated between PLiBC and/or PBC and FFA content (r = 0.52; r = 0.57; P < 0.001).

This paper pays attention to and analyses two of the economic impacts of the BSE occurrence in the Czech Republic, namely the financial compensations to the farmers whose herds had been affected and the costs of animal killing and carcass disposal in the rendering plant. Between February 2001 and the end of June 2008, a total of 1 263 749 cows were examined and 28 cases of the BSE were detected. Consequently, 4 022 cows in cohorts were killed and their carcasses were safely disposed of. The farmers whose herds had been affected were provided compensations for the losses suffered. The total of the compensations in this period reached CZK 198,413 thousand. Of these, 83.3% (CZK 164.9 million) were compensations for the value of the killed animals, 9.7% (CZK 19.2 million) for the related costs, i.e., killing, safe disposal of carcasses and the examination for the BSE, and 6.9% (CZK 13.5 million) for the losses due to non-materialised production. The average costs per 1 BSE-positive animal were CZK 7.08 million and the average costs per 1 cohort animal were CZK 49 331. In the rendering plant responsible for killing the infected and cohort animals and safely disposing of their carcasses, the total of 2 221 tons of raw material was processed between March 2003 and February 2008, and this cost CZK 9 315 thousand. The fact that there were only two cases of the BSE in 2007 and none in 2008 suggests a trend towards the disease eradication, which is in agreement with the situation in the other EU countries.

The study is a follow-up of the production potential of Douglas fir in mesotrophic sites of the Křtiny Training Forest Enterprise (TFE) (Journal of Forest Science, No. 7, 2008). Production parameters (height, dbh, volume) of Douglas fir are also evaluated, but in acid sites of the Hůrky Training Forest District, Secondary Forestry School in Písek in mature stands. In total, 17 mixed stands with the proportion of Douglas fir aged 88 to 121 years were assessed. Comparing 10 Douglas fir trees with 10 Norway spruce, Scots pine or European larch trees of the largest volume, higher and generally markedly higher production potential of the introduced Douglas fir was always found in all assessed stands. Groups where the volume of Douglas fir trees was two to three times higher than the volume of spruce, pine or larch were not an exception. For example, in stand 22B10, the mean volume of the 10 largest Douglas fir trees was 6.30 m³ but the volume of spruce trees was only 1.93 m³ and the volume of larch trees 2.25 m³. Differences between the mensurational parameters of Douglas fir and spruce (or larch) assessed by the ANOVA test were statistically highly significant. At present (based on annual ring analyses), the volume increment of particular Douglas fir trees ranges at level of 0.06 to 0.10 m³/year (i.e. about 0.6 m³ to 1.0 m³ per 10 years) in mature stands.

The small, fully forested watershed Červík (CE) is situated in the part of the Beskydy Mts called the Zadní hory Mts Since November 1953, water balance has been measured in this place with the goal to find out experimentally the changes of the outflow sums during and after the intensive renewal of the forest with a partly changed wood species composition. The measured data were statistically evaluated by the method of double mass curve. In 1962, the decision was made to divide the watershed area into two separate parts A and B. The research started there in 1966 after a twelve-year long calibration period without timber cutting. The stands in the sub-watershed CE-A were cut down in three times shorter intervals than it is common and were immediately renewed. In the CE-B part, the stands were not tended in order to observe visible differences in the sums of outflow in comparison with those in the CE-A part. The measured data were analysed by double mass curve and revealed only very small differences while influence of the environment appeared to be more significant.

Common ways of nursery cultivation and sorting the planting material of mountain provenances of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) are connected with the risk of undesirable narrowing of the genetic spectrum of populations. Investigations in spruce plantations established by different planting materials found out very good growth (total height is 125 cm 9 years after outplanting) and health status of these slowly growing seedlings planted in extreme mountain conditions. In order to prevent the genetic spectrum narrowing, we recommend to cultivate all seedlings including smaller outsorted (commonly culled) ones. The smallest seedlings can be grown one year longer and subsequently planted out in the same locality as the remaining planting material of the same seed lot.

The objective of this study was to examine and demonstrate how harvesting age (flower age) contribute to the variations in the quality of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench. The effects of different flower developmental stages on caffeic acid derivatives and isobutylamide content are described. These phytochemicals were extracted from fresh plants with 60% ethanol and quantified by the HPLC analysis. The results revealed that the quality of Echinacea is strongly influenced by the flower developmental stages. The highest content of both hydrophilic and lipophilic components in the anthodium of Echinacea plants were found in the third (mature) developmental stage, which is regarded as the optimum one for the harvest to obtain optimum yield levels.