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In this study, the effects of standard fertilisation versus variable fertilisation with mineral and organomineral fertilisers on N, P, K, Ca and Mg leaching from the ploughed layer and yields of winter wheat and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) were studied. The losses of calcium were the highest, and phosphorus from phosphates was the lowest of all studied nutrients when simulated rainfall and lysimeters were used after the crops were harvested. The use of variable rate fertilisation reduced nitrates leaching in all the studied plots. Nevertheless, leaching of calcium, which is present in higher concentrations in soils (and also magnesium leaching), seems to be more dependent on the used fertilisers (or their combinations) and doses. As found in different studies, we proved that variable rate fertilisation may not increase grain yields.

This study investigated how wheat (C3) and maize (C4) respond to soil thallium (Tl) contamination and elevated CO₂ (eCO₂), aiming to understand strategies for mitigating oxidative stress. Under eCO₂, both crops showed higher biomass production. However, high Tl concentration (120 mg/kg) significantly decreased fresh and dry weights by 31–59%, which translated directly to compromised yield. This growth decline is linked to impaired photosynthesis, evidenced by a 54–57% drop in net photosynthetic rate under elevated Tl. Such photosynthetic inhibition intensifies oxidative stress, marked by increased membrane damage and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Furthermore, photorespiration contributed to oxidative stress by generating H₂O₂, with increased activities of glycolate oxidase and hydroxypyruvate reductase rising by 122% and 201%, in wheat and by 179% and 39% in maize, respectively, in response to 120 mg/kg TI under eCO₂ conditions. Simultaneously, to mitigate oxidative damage, antioxidant defences were significantly enhanced, resulting in increased activity of the ascorbate (ASC)/glutathione (GSH) cycle, along with elevated levels of metallothionein and phytochelatin for Tl sequestration, as well as augmented glutathione S-transferase activity. Overall, findings reveal complex interactions between CO₂ and Tl, highlighting species-specific adaptive responses of C3 and C4 plants. C3 plants use photorespiration to combat oxidative stress, while C3 and C4 plants have strong antioxidant systems to reduce the effects of oxidative stress, promoting crop resilience and growth despite Tl toxicity.

This study investigated the effects of coriander seed powder and Lactobacillus acidophilus solution (LAS) on the growth, nutrient digestibility, blood parameters, and intestinal health of growing rabbits under subtropical conditions. Forty Californian rabbits, aged 35 days with an average body weight of 588 ± 34 g, were randomly assigned to four groups: a control group fed a standard diet, a group (T1) receiving the basal diet supplemented with 1.5% coriander seed powder, a group (T2) receiving the basal diet with oral LAS at 1 × 10⁹ CFU/kg, and a group (T3) receiving both coriander seed powder and LAS. The study measured body weight, daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio, mortality rate, blood metabolites, nutrient digestibility, and intestinal histomorphology. Results showed that rabbits fed with 1.5% coriander seed powder had significant improvements in body weight gain, feed conversion, and a reduction in mortality compared to the control. Both coriander seed powder and LAS improved blood metabolites, nutrient digestibility, and intestinal health. However, the combination of both additives did not provide additional benefits over the individual treatments. The findings suggest that either 1.5% coriander seed powder or LAS can enhance growth performance and health in rabbits under subtropical conditions.

Mountain ecosystems, especially those at the highest altitudes, are sensitive to current climate change. Proxy archives may provide an insightful tool to better understand ongoing changes and evaluate future scenarios. Trees have traditionally been used as such archives, as they often respond sensitively to environmental change. Thus, we studied tree-ring records of forest-line species Abies densa Griff. growing in the Eastern Himalayas, central Bhutan, to evaluate the effect of climate on the growth of this species. The annual chronologies were generated using standard dendrochronological methods and then compared with climatic data from the CRU TS database. The results demonstrate a negative effect of summer temperatures on the width of the annual rings, suggesting possible stress caused by higher temperatures during the monsoon season. On the other hand, a positive effect of temperatures on tree growth was observed during late winter months. The response to rainfall was mixed, with a positive effect on growth in November and a negative effect in May and January, suggesting a later onset of the vegetation season. To our knowledge, we present the first dendroclimatological study on this long-lived species in central Bhutan, portraying its potential for future climate and environmental research and applications.

Xinjiang apricot is favoured by consumers because of its distinctive aroma, high nutritive value, and abundant functional active substances. Carotenoids of apricot are efficient antioxidants that can protect the human body from free radical attack. However, the extraction, quantification, and antioxidant activity of carotenoids from Xinjiang apricots have not been reported. In this work, ultrasound-assisted ionic liquid (ILs) extraction and optimisation of carotenoids from Xinjiang apricots and to evaluate their antioxidant potential. Based on Box–Behnken design (BBD), the best conditions were IL/ethanol (R_IL/E) ratio of 1 : 2, solid-liquid ratio (R_S/L) of 1 : 3, extraction time of 17 min and number of extractions of 3. The content of carotenoid extracted by ultrasonic-assisted [Bmim][BF₄] ILs was 32.98 ± 0.27 μg·g^–1 that of traditional extraction method was 25.05 ± 0.35 μg·g^–1. Moreover, ultrasonic-assisted ILs extraction technology can shorten the extraction time, simplify the extraction steps and increase the extraction amount. Meanwhile, in order to recover and reuse ILs, ILs-ethanolic solution was frozen at temperatures lower than –80 °C, allowing the ILs precipitation and separation from the ethanol solution. Meantime, the antioxidant potential of five Xinjiang apricot varieties were evaluated by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS [2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] assays in vitro and analysed by UV–vis spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed Shushanggan apricot has the highest carotenoid content and the strongest antioxidant activity. In conclusion, this research further proves the advantage of ultrasonic-assisted ILs in carotenoid extraction and the potential to obtain valuable carotenoids from the apricot industries.

The European Union (EU) provides both financial and expert support for sustainable forest management initiatives and also boosts compliance with such initiatives in Africa. Thus, there is a need to monitor the progress of implementing such initiatives. The objective of this paper is to describe the role of timber harvesting entities in environmental impact discussions, and to also identify the role of EU institutions in promoting forest sustainability in Sierra Leone. Data were collected in a controlled survey from four communities, using a questionnaire formulated according to guidelines recommended by Babbie and Mouton (2010). The reliability test shows a 0.68 internal consistency among the latent variables (Cronbach alpha test). The selected four communities were Bambawo, Dia, Basara, and Menima, with a population of 6 000, 5 400, 7 500, and 5 600 inhabitants, respectively (Stats SL 2021). A Confirmatory Factor Assessment (CFA) was used for a descriptive statistical analysis of the data. The results showed that the environmental impact has an eigenvalue of 1.08, where only variables with a factor loading exceeding 0.5 were used. The paper concludes with discussions and relevant recommendations on mitigating the impacts of timber harvesting on the environment within the study area.

Effective weed management relies on frequent field monitoring, which is difficult to perform in vast areas. Integrating red-green-blue, thermal, hyperspectral, and multispectral sensors with unmanned aircraft systems and artificial intelligence ensures better results in managing the weed menace. Since India depends largely on agriculture, it is still a long way from implementing more advanced weed management methods. Mapping and surveillance of weeds in croplands by employing remote sensing will lead to varied herbicide application rates, thus reducing its overuse. This study reviews the practical application of remote sensing methods and unmanned aircraft systems in weed mapping

Global food security is increasingly threatened by the vulnerability of agricultural systems to climate variability, especially in sub-humid regions. Northeast China, a major maize-producing region, experiences low spring temperatures and erratic rainfall, which have prompted the widespread adoption of plastic-film mulching (PFM) combined with drip irrigation. However, systematic evaluations of how different PFM patterns affect crop productivity and resource use efficiency remain limited. This study systematically evaluated three PFM strategies – full ridge-furrow mulching (FM), ridge mulching (RM), and no mulching (NM) – in combination with 240 kg N/ha and a zero-nitrogen control under drip irrigation to determine their effects on maize (Zea mays L.) yield, water use efficiency (WUE), and nitrogen utilisation. Field experiments over two consecutive growing seasons assessed crop growth, dry matter (DM) accumulation, nitrogen dynamics, grain yield, and related efficiency parameters. Both FM and RM significantly enhanced early maize growth. At the seedling stage, FM and RM increased plant height by 43.0% and 40.1%, and leaf area index (LAI) by 141.4% and 120.4% over NM, respectively. During the same stage, DM accumulation increased by 228.9% (FM) and 224.9% (RM). These improvements reflected favourable soil hydrothermal conditions under PFM. Before heading, PFM treatments increased pre-anthesis DM accumulation by up to 19.6%, and at maturity, FM and RM raised DM by 6.1% and 5.1% over NM. PFM significantly improved grain nitrogen accumulation, with FM and RM increasing it by 31.0% and 26.9% over NM, respectively, and nitrogen harvest index (NHI), with FM and RM increasing it by 6.8% and 6.1% over NM, indicating enhanced nutrient translocation to grain. PFM also improved grain yield, with FM and RM increasing it by 15.0% and 13.5%, WUE by 17.2% and 15.7%, and nitrogen partial productivity by 16.8% and 14.1%. No significant differences in yield or WUE were observed between FM and RM. Fertilisation consistently enhanced these benefits without changing the relative efficiency ranking of treatments. Notably, the advantages of mulching diminished after the heading stage as temperature and rainfall increased. PFM (both FM and RM) under drip irrigation improves maize yield, water use, and nitrogen efficiency in sub-humid regions. This integrated practice offers a scalable and sustainable strategy to increase maize productivity and resource efficiency, supporting food security in regions facing similar climatic challenges.

This study evaluates the efficiency of various facial recognition camera systems used to control access in agri-food production environments, focusing on their ability to identify individuals based on biometric facial traits. It is also important to prevent the movement of unwanted persons into the production premises in the agri-food complex. The main goal was to assess how these factors influence the recognition performance and to determine the most reliable system for preventing unauthorised entry. The results show notable performance disparities between the devices tested. It can be concluded in this research that there are statistically significant differences between the maternal, professional and semi-professional systems. The device that is most suited is the HIKVISION iDS-2CD8426G0/F-I, achieving the best average performance score. This is based on usual recognition times. These tests indicate that the HIKVISION DS-2DE7232IW-AE(S5), which obtained an average rating of 2.216789, is the second-best acceptable device. With a score of 2.842113, HIKVISION DS-2CD2H45FWD-IZS (2.8–12 mm) (B) received, without a doubt, the lowest ranking. Given the outcomes, systems with superior recognition capabilities like the iDS-2CD8426G0/F-I are best to use for critical access control applications and to also minimise the use of facial coverings in sensitive areas to ensure reliable identification and higher levels of security of agri-food complexes.

This study explores the construction of small reservoirs (SRs) as a strategic solution to address water scarcity in Kashkadarya Province, Uzbekistan, where agricultural productivity is heavily dependent on irrigation. By utilising geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) technologies, optimal locations for reservoirs were identified, focusing on improving the water availability for irrigation during critical periods. The research highlights the socio-economic and environmental benefits of SRs, including enhanced agricultural yields, increased employment opportunities, and reduced reliance on energy-intensive pumping stations. The findings indicate that the construction of an 18 Mm³ reservoir in the Ayakchisoy River could supply water to 26.5 thousand hectares, thereby improving the region’s resilience to climate variability. This approach offers a sustainable framework for managing water resources in arid regions, contributing to food security and economic stability.

Employing the Comprehensive Demonstration of E-commerce in Rural Areas (CDERA) policy as a quasi-natural experiment, this paper explores the impact of rural e-commerce development on agricultural total factor productivity (ATFP) and its underlying mechanisms, using a difference-in-differences model. The analysis utilises panel data from 1 495 counties in China from 2001 to 2021. The findings indicate that the CDERA policy implementation enhanced ATFP in treated counties by approximately 1.6 percentage points compared to control counties, other factors being equal. Mechanism analysis further reveals that the CDERA policy enhances ATFP by improving agricultural technological efficiency and fostering agricultural industrial development. This study highlights the significant role of CDERA policy in enhancing agricultural productivity in China and offers policy insights for advancing rural e-commerce and promoting sustainable agricultural development.

This experimental study evaluated the therapeutic potential of a liquorice-derived hydroalcoholic extract in managing experimentally induced peritonitis in New Zealand rabbits. The animals were randomly divided into six groups (n = 6): one control group, one negative control group (infected but untreated), three treatment groups that received the liquorice-derived extract at 0.5, 1, and 2 g/kg, and one positive control group treated with enrofloxacin. The confirmation of peritoneal infection relied on histopathological and radiographic tests. The effect of the liquorice extract on the peritoneal infection was evaluated using biochemical, haematological, and ultrasound analyses across the groups. The ultrasound examination, along with the haematological and biochemical evaluation on the 20^th day after induction, showed significant differences between the groups. The results demonstrated that higher doses of 1 g/kg and 2 g/kg were more effective than the lower dose of 0.5 g/kg. The haematological and biochemical analyses revealed significant differences in several variables (including WBC, neutrophils, fibrinogen, and liver enzymes) between the treated and control groups, with the most pronounced improvements observed in the group receiving 2 g/kg of liquorice extract, suggesting a dose-dependent therapeutic effect. The administration of a hydroalcoholic extract of liquorice at different doses, along with the standard treatment with enrofloxacin, affected various haematological and biochemical variables in the context of peritoneal infection management. In conclusion, the effectiveness of the liquorice-derived extract is dose-dependent and could be used as an effective therapeutic agent in peritoneal infections in New Zealand rabbits. These findings showed that the liquorice-derived extract effectively improves the local inflammatory and structural changes associated with peritoneal infection without adversely affecting systemic biochemical homeostasis.

Agribusiness is currently faced with the challenge of providing sufficient quality food for a growing population with limited natural resources. Egg production, as an important source of nutrition, is a dynamically developing sector of livestock production on a global scale. Simultaneously, the increasing public and legal considerations of animal welfare affect egg-producing operations. This paper aims to provide insight into missing evidence in the trade-offs between animal welfare and efficiency in egg-producing farms in the Czech Republic and the European Union. Detailed data were gathered on the extent of the enriched cage and indoor cage-free housing systems (aviaries/barns) among the main 30 Czech table-egg-producers. Original micro data enlarged the information on table-egg producers collected using the Orbis database. For the efficiency analysis at the EU level, data on the housing systems were obtained from Eurostat and combined with aggregated data from the Orbis database. A robust data envelopment analysis was applied which benefits from including animal-welfare variables directly into the efficiency evaluation. The results showed a negative, but statistically insignificant, relationship between the animal welfare and efficiency of the egg producers for the Czech Republic table-egg producers as well as those on the EU-country level.

Growth traits belong to the most important economic traits in livestock. One of the genes involved in vertebrate growth and development is insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1). Therefore, in our study we hypothesised that within the sequence of rabbit IGF1 gene it is possible to identify a polymorphism that may influence growth, carcass or meat traits in rabbits. We identified 6 polymorphisms (g.89259430T>C; g.89259338C>G; g.89259328T>C; 89210029A>G; 89210349C>G and g.89194199C>T) within introns of the IGF1 gene. One polymorphism, g.89194199C>T, was analysed using polymerase chain reaction high-resolution melting (PCR-HRM). We performed the association analysis on 370 animals (males to females 1 : 1) of different breeds: New Zealand White × Flemish Giant crossbreds (NZW × FG), Termond White (TW) and Flemish Giant (FG). Results showed that for growth and slaughter traits in TW populations a significant association (P = 0.003) was found for slaughter weight (SW) when CT genotypes showed significantly higher values compared to CC genotypes (2 878.0 g ± 107.0 and 2 678.0 g ± 34.0, respectively). For TW rabbits we found a significant association (P = 0.009) for dissected bone weight in hind leg (HB) when CT genotypes (127.0 g ± 5.8) had significantly higher values compared to CC genotypes (112.0 g ± 2.4). For carcass traits and physical characteristics of meat we found for musculus longissimus lumborum in TW rabbits that the b* parameter value 45 min after slaughter was significantly higher (P = 0.001) for CT genotypes (1.88 ± 0.05) compared to CC genotypes (0.05 ± 0.02). We conclude that the use of identified SNP in breeding may be limited to some breeds.

Forest logging activities negatively affect various soil properties. In this study, we focus on the logging effects on soil water retention and associated pore size distribution. We measured the soil-water characteristic curves (SWCCs) on 21 undisturbed samples from three research plots: a reference area, a clear-cut area and a forest track. A total of 12 SWCC points between saturation and wilting point were determined for each sample with a sand box and pressure plate apparatus. The trimodal behaviour is highlighted by the dependence between soil moisture and suction. Therefore, we proposed a revised model by combining two exponential expressions with the van Genuchten model. The exponential terms describe the influence of macro-and-structural porosities, and the latter is used to calculate textural porosity. This new model with eight independent parameters was suitable to fit trimodal SWCCs in all samples. Results revealed that logging had the most destructive effect on large pores, and the soil on the forest track was the most affected. Both soil-air and available water capacity were reduced and the permanent wilting point increased as a result of damage to the soil structure and pore system. Observed increased organic carbon content in compacted soils can be attributed to slowed decomposition due to reduced air capacity and increased waterlogging susceptibility of damaged soils.

In recent years, China has promoted large-scale hog farming through various approaches. However, this scale-up process may be affected by economic policy uncertainty. This paper empirically examines the impact of policy uncertainty on hog farming scale-up using provincial panel data from 2016–2022 and a fixed-effects model. Our results indicate that economic policy uncertainty significantly inhibits hog farming scale-up, and this effect remains significant even when we increase the criteria for recognising scale-up, alternative estimation methods include two-stage least squares (2SLS), dynamic panel model and panel Poisson model. Mechanism analysis reveals that economic policy uncertainty not only exacerbates the impact of labour and capital factor prices on scale-up hog farming but also exacerbates the volatility of hog prices, which further raises the risks faced by hog farming and inhibits scale-up hog farming. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the effect of economic policy uncertainty on hog farming scale-up decreases as farm size increases. Higher-level economic policy uncertainty can inhibit scale-up hog farming, while lower-level economic policy uncertainty can instead promote scale-up hog farming. Economic policy uncertainty has a more obvious inhibitory effect on scale-up hog farming in major development areas. These findings have important implications for the promotion of large-scale hog farming and related policy regulation.

Malus domestica is one of the world’s most important deciduous fruit trees. Over a four-year period (2017–2020), temporal variations in flowering were evaluated in ‘Honeycrisp’ apple trees on eight rootstocks (G.30, G.969, G.202, G.41, G.11, M.9T337, M.26 EMLA and V.6) planted in 2014 in Chihuahua, México. Among the variables evaluated were the probability of late-spring frost, winter chill units, growing degree days, flowering period, foliar nutrient concentrations, trunk cross-sectional area, number and weight of fruit per tree, and production efficiency. Significantly different chill unit accumulations occurred over the four years, with values falling between 974 and 1 415, where for the latter value, the start of flower opening was earlier, but there was a higher risk of damage by temperatures ≤ –2 °C. There was no effect of rootstock on the time of onset and end of flowering. The most productive combinations were ‘Honeycrisp’ on G.969, G.11 and V.6 with yield estimates of 35 300, 34 200 and 33 600 kg/ha, respectively. The commercial production of ‘Honeycrisp’ apple trees requires the evaluation of their agronomic performance with different rootstocks. Flowering is particularly important since this phenological stage is so closely linked to productivity and is strongly affected by variations in winter temperatures.

The common vole (Microtus arvalis) is the main pest in agricultural areas of Central Europe. It is particularly important to monitor its numbers during spring, and if high numbers are detected, some form of pest management should be considered. In the Czech Republic, the number of active burrows is monitored using the burrow index, BI, which allows estimation of the total number of rodents, saves time and is easy to use. We aimed to assess the relationship between the burrow index and the relative abundance of the rodent species examined by snap trapping in crop fields. Bayesian MCMC algorithms with a zero-inflation model were used for this analysis. The positive relationship between BI and vole abundance occurred in the total sample of all fields and in alfalfa, winter wheat and barley crop fields. A positive relationship between BI and the abundance of the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), the second most common pest in the area, was only confirmed in barley, and this relationship was negative in winter rape. The positive influence of the degree of weed cover on BI was confirmed in the total sample and in winter rape and alfalfa, but weed cover has a negative effect on BI in barley and winter wheat. In contrast, weed cover did not affect the relative abundance of both rodent species in any of the sampled crops. The presence of shrubs and forests around the fields reduced BI in the whole sample, especially in alfalfa. The relative abundance of the voles was not affected by the presence of shrubs and forests around the crop. Still, a positive influence was confirmed for the abundances of mice in the whole sample and alfalfa. BI can be a reliable indicator of vole abundance in crops with high densities, but it is not very accurate at low densities and in crop fields rarely used by voles, such as sunflower and maize. 

Farmland transfer is a practical need for China to achieve agricultural mechanisation and modernisation, and also an important way for farmers to optimise their family resource allocation. The existing studies ignore the impact of farmland transfer on the environment, especially carbon emissions. The practical significance of this paper lies in exploring the likely mechanisms driving the effect of the farmland transfer on agricultural carbon emissions from a microeconomic perspective using data from rural households, based on the heterogeneity of land management scale. Results show: (i) Land transfer impacts carbon emissions differently. Land transfer of small-scale farmers increases carbon emissions, while large-scale farmers reduce them. The threshold value of land management scale is 1 ha. (ii) The impact mechanisms are water-saving technology adoption and input of fertilizers and pesticides. Small-scale farmers increase fertiliser and pesticide input after land transfer, increasing carbon emissions. Large-scale farmers mostly reduce irrigation electricity consumption, as well as fertilizer and pesticide input, thus reducing agricultural carbon emissions. In conclusion, it is recommended to guide farmers to expand farmland transfer scale through subsidy policies; guide small-scale farmers' green agricultural production behaviours; and increase the adoption rate of water-saving technologies.

The aim of this paper is to outline the relationship between income and assets when taking into account selected models of farms' functioning. The following farm models are examined: traditional, industrial, sustainable, and organic. Panel models were used that were based on the results of individual unpublished data for farms in Poland that undertook agricultural accounting according to the Farm Accounting Data Network (FADN) principles from 2004 to 2019. It was found that industrial farms had the clearest income-assets relationship, while traditional farms had the least clear relationship. The value of land, as a component of assets, was found to weaken the income-assets relationship. In consequence, the value of assets increased faster than income. Thus, the farmers are becoming wealthier in terms of the value of their assets, but this is not reflected in their income.

Based on the measurements of the biomass of the stems of 3 699 trees of Scots pine, Norway spruce, and silver birch in Europe since 1950, it has been shown that these tree species show a reduction in biomass and wood density. These results contradict the fact that the volume of wood is directly converted to biomass using the historical values of the conversion rates. From 1950 to 2020 the biomass of 1 m3 of the stem with bark decreased on average by 80 kg (-17%) for Scots pine, by 105 kg (-22%) for Norway spruce and by 92 kg (-15%) for silver birch. The results obtained should be taken into account when assessing the technical properties of wood and estimating carbon sequestration by forest biomass. Since decreasing trends in stem biomass have been identified for several tree species, the phenomenon may have a large degree of generality. Such studies should be continued both at the regional and national level and at the global level.

In this study, we examine the efficiency of companies in Hungary's agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector. We analysed corporate efficiency by using stochastic frontier analysis (SFA). We used two methods to perform the SFA calculations - the Cobb-Douglas and translog functions. The result variable for the SFA calculation was gross value added (GVA), and the explanatory variables were tangibles, material costs, employee costs and other costs. The original database contained cross-sectional and time series data and was transformed into a panel database. We used the maximum log-likelihood method for parameter estimation. We performed the efficiency analysis in the case of the Cobb-Douglas and translog functions in two ways - first, without z variables (factor effects) and second, considering different factors (subsectors, workforce categories, ranking by total assets and ranking by total sales). Taking z variables into account increased the value of the efficiency coefficients. The latter model's results show that the companies' average performance in the sector examined was more than 70%. Further calculations also showed that the subsectors of the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector differed in efficiency scores. The larger companies operated more efficiently than the smaller ones in the sector examined.

This paper selects four grain crops of rice, wheat, soybean, and corn, analyzes their foreign trade from 2002 to 2020, and estimates the virtual land resource. The research results show that China's grain has always been in the state of net import. China mainly exports rice and imports soybeans, and the market structure has an obvious trend of simplification. The net import of virtual land resources in China's grain has grown significantly and has outstanding contribution ability. The average annual net import is 62.25 million ha, which is almost equivalent to the arable land area of China's one-cropping area. The net import contribution of soybean virtual land resources is about 101 times of its sown area, while corn, rice, and wheat account for about 10.42, 11.69, and 74.66% of its sown area. The net importers of virtual land resources are relatively concentrated, mainly in Brazil, the US, Argentina, Ukraine, and Canada.

Sustainable cropping systems require efficient usage of fossil energy. This study performed on a long-term field experiment in the Pannonian Basis investigated the energy efficiency of four tillage systems (mouldboard plough (MP), deep conservation tillage (CT_d), shallow conservation tillage (CT_s) and no-tillage (NT)) for sugar beet and soybean production, taking fuel consumption, total energy input (made up of both direct and indirect inputs), crop yield, energy output, net-energy output, energy intensity and energy use efficiency into account. The input rates of fertiliser, chemical plant protection, and seeds were set constant across years; whereas measured values of fuel consumption were used for all tillage treatments. NT required a considerably lower energy input than MP and CT_d as no fuel is needed for tillage and just slightly more fuel for additional spraying of glyphosate. Anyhow, the energy efficiency parameters did not differ between tillage treatments, as theses parameters were mainly determined by energy output, which was considerably higher than the energy input. However, year effects on the energy efficiency were observed for both crops. Nitrogen fertilisation and diesel fuel consumption were identified as the most energy-intensive inputs. Consequently, the energy input for sugar beet was higher than that for soybean, which was identified as a low-input crop. But sugar beet attained a more than 4 times higher net-energy output, a 2.5 times higher energy use efficiency, and an energy intensity for yield production of less than 3 times those of soybean.

In this study, two strains of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v and CCDM 181 were tested for their ability to grow in milk and soy beverage, for stability during cold storage of fermented beverages, compatibility with yoghurt culture and activity against yeasts. Both strains grew better in soy drink compared to milk. During co-culturing with the yoghurt culture, sufficient acidification of milk and soy beverage necessary for the production of fermented products was achieved. The stability of tested strains in media at pH 4.5 for 28 days at 5 °C was good. L. plantarum was effective in the inhibition of undesirable yeast growth, but the ability was strain-specific. Tested strains demonstrated also a strain-specific ability to suppress the growth of yoghurt culture bacteria. For a possible application of co-culturing L. plantarum with the yoghurt culture, verification of the mutual compatibility of specific strains is necessary.

The paper shows a large-scale shift in agroclimatic zones in the territory of the Czech Republic (CR) between 1961 and 2019. The method used for agroclimatic zoning took advantage of high-resolution (0.5 km × 0.5 km) daily climate data collected from 268 climatological and 787 rain-gauge stations. The climate information was combined with soil and terrain data at the same resolution. The set of seven agroclimatic indicators allowed us to estimate rates of changes in agroclimatic conditions over the 1961-2019 period, including changes in the air temperature regime, global radiation, drought, frost risks and snow cover occurrence. These indicators are relevant for all main crops and agroclimatic zoning and account for local soil and slope conditions. The study clearly highlights major shifts in the type and extent of agroclimatic zones between 1961-2000 and 2000-2019, which led to the occurrence of entirely new combinations of agroclimatic indicators.

The article proposes new technological techniques for clear cutting in swampy areas using standing skylines, new construction of yarder and the technology of its operation. As a result of the research on using the Larix 3T-500 cable yarder in winter and summer, the operational negative peculiarities of tower yarder in waterlogged forests were identified. Analysing data on experimental comparative time studies, some measures to reduce the negative effect of the identified features on yarding, felling, lateral yarding were worked out. General recommendations for work performance in swampy logging areas were developed. Based on the initial data for each bundle (yarding distance, lateral yarding distance, average volume of the bundle, etc.) the calculation in the MathCad program was performed and a regression dependence of the yarder performance was obtained. Obtained numerical data on comparative time studies of the working cycle operations were summarized in bar charts, taking into account the loss of time on operations.

The aim of the study was to determine the interaction of herbicides and herbicides with biostimulants on the accumulation of dry matter and starch in potato tubers. In a three-year field experiment based on the method of randomised sub-blocks, two factors were taken into account. The first factor were potato cultivars: Bartek, Gawin, Honorata. The second factor were five methods of herbicides and biostimulants application: (1) the control object without chemical protection (CO); (2) herbicide linuron + clomazone (Harrier 295 ZC) (H); (3) herbicide linuron + clomazone (Harrier 295 ZC) and biostimulant Ecklonia maxima (Kelpak SL) - (H + K); (4) herbicide metribuzin (Sencor 70 WG) - (S); (5) herbicide metribuzin (Sencor 70 WG) and biostimulant sodium para-nitrophenol, sodium ortho-nitrophenol, sodium 5-nitroguaiacol (Asahi SL) - (S + A). The cultivars and weather conditions significantly affected the content and yields of dry matter and starch. The herbicides and biostimulants used determined the starch accumulation as well as dry matter and starch yields. Most starch in tubers (more by 3.7 g/kg) and the highest dry matter and starch yields (more by 2.87 and 1.79 t/ha, respectively), compared to the control object, were obtained after the application of the herbicide Sencor 70 WG and biostimulant Asahi SL.

In this paper, an original analysis of the direct payment rate shaping mechanism – in terms of the process and from the perspective of game theory – has been carried out. The factors determining the direct payments rates were identified. The results of measuring the impact of these factors on payments rates fluctuations were presented. The territorial scope of the study is Poland. The time range covers the years 2016–2020. The objective scope of the analysis includes four direct support instruments. It was found that the rates of sectoral area payments vary to a greater extent than the rates of general payments due to fluctuations in the area approved for a payment. The findings of this study can be used to develop a method for predicting payments rates based on the analysis of the fundamental factors. The prediction of payments rates could be used to support decision-making processes in agricultural policy. Therefore, the research results involving the decomposition of payments rates are of significant practical value in addition to their cognitive significance.

One of the main causes of having low crop efficiency in Peru is the poor management of water resources; which is why the main objective of this article is to estimate the amount of irrigation water required in quinoa crops through a comparison between the machine learning and AquaCrop models. For the development of this study, meteorological data from the province of Jauja and descriptive data of quinoa crops were processed and a simulation period was established from June to December 2020. From the simulation carried out, it was determined that the best model to predict the required irrigation water is the Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost) model in which it was observed that the mean and standard deviation of the AdaBoost models (mean = 19.681 and SD = 4.665) behave similarly to AquaCrop (mean = 19.838 and SD = 5.04). In addition, the result of ANOVA was that the AdaBoost model has the best P-value indicator with a value of 0.962 and a smaller margin of error in relation to the mean absolute error (MAE) indicator with a value of 0.629. Likewise, it was identified that, for the simulation period of 190 days, 472.35 mm of water was required to carry out the irrigation process in red quinoa crops.