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Land redistributive policies can be viewed as effective tools for reducing rural poverty mainly because agriculture continues to be a major source of rural livelihood and a contributor to rural economic growth. For the structural changes and economy-wide impacts, including behavioural changes of rural land distribution, to be assessed and captured through time, a South African Social Accounting Matrix can be used as a database to construct a dynamic computable general equilibrium simulation model to simulate the potential impact on household welfare in South Africa. This study seeks to assess how government redistributive policies may affect household welfare in short- and long-run, focusing on poverty and income distribution in South Africa by applying a dynamic computable general equilibrium microsimulation model. The results showed that rural land distribution increases poor household income through an increase in factor by an average of 0.828. However, for most macroeconomic variables, the impact is negative in the short-run with a gradual increase in the long-run. The results support the claim that rural land distribution coupled with agriculture investment and government support can be effective in improving household welfare.

For two years, the tomatoes (cv. 'Belle' and 'Clarabella'), ungrafted, self-grafted and grafted onto the 'He-man' rootstock, were grown under two irrigation regimes, i.e., partial-root zone drying (PRD) and fully irrigated (FI), to investigate whether grafting can alleviate drought stress and promote water-use efficiency (WUE). The grafted plants under the FI regime had the highest vegetative growth, which was the result of more leaves and greater leaf area and were only significantly different from the PRD grown ungrafted plants. The grafted plants had the highest yield as a result of the greater number of larger fruits and the yield did not differ between the irrigation treatments. No differences were found in the leaf NPK concentrations, while the Ca and Mg were higher under the PRD regime. The ungrafted plants under the PRD regime had the highest total soluble solids and acidity in the fruit juice. The grafted plants had a significantly higher WUE, more pronounced in the PRD regime. The different types of irrigation did not influence the vegetative growth and the yield in the greenhouse grown grafted tomato. The PRD and rootstock effects should be additionally investigated with deficit irrigation.

Diallyl disulfide (DADS) is an organosulfur compound that is expected to exhibit inhibitory property against urease similar to allicin, affirmed through preliminary study. The research aims to optimize DADS's concentration and duration of inhibition and observe the effect of soil moisture, temperature and pH on the inhibitory action of DADS. The calorimetric method was applied to optimize DADS's concentration significant for inhibition. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to quantify DADS present under different parameters relevant to selected soil conditions. The results obtained suggested that 5% of DADS/urea-N (w/w) treatment exhibited the highest urea hydrolysis reduction by 27.91% compared to the control sample at the end of 30 days. ANOVA results observed urea hydrolysis is significantly slower by applying 5% DADS/urea-N (w/w) treatment compared to the other DADS treatments. DADS also retained its original form longer in soil when the soil conditions were altered to 15% moisture content, 20 °C and pH 4. The findings exhibit the potential of DADS as a natural based inhibitor that is effective at low concentrations, compatible with urea and chemically stable.

Magnesium is one of the most important nutrient elements. Soils are tested for magnesium in many countries with several extractants. Each country has its own validated methods, best-suited for its soils. The current study was designed to compare different magnesium content measuring methods with 80 Hungarian samples. The magnesium content was determined by the potassium chloride (1 M KCl 1:10), Mehlich 3 and CoHex (cobalt hexamine trichloride) methods. The maximum, mean and median values resulting from all the Mg determination methods showed the following order of measured magnitude: KCl < CoHex < M3.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether milk consumption (MC) could be used as a simple farmer-friendly indicator for providing advanced treatment to limited fed diarrhoeic neonatal calves. Complementarily, it was evaluated whether the standard indications for veterinary care (severe dehydration and/or acidosis-septicaemia) are associated with different patterns in MC. The MC and health records of 103 calves with diarrhoeathat were fed a milk replacer at the volume of 10% of their body weight were used in the study. The MC reduction rate (MCRR) was calculated after each feeding (MC_t) during the diarrhoea course, based on the MC prior to the diarrhoea onset for each calf (MC₀) using the formula MCRR = 100 × (MC₀ - MC_t)/MC₀. The calves were assigned into the ST group (n = 58) if they only received the standard treatment (oral rehydration solutions between milk feedings) until recovery, and into the advanced treatment (VT) group (n = 45) if they needed advanced treatment (i.v. fluids ± antibiotics) directly or after the standard treatment. The calves in the VT group that only had dehydration, were further assigned into the DH subgroup (n = 22) and those with signs of acidosis-septicaemia with or without dehydration were assigned into the ASD subgroup (n = 23). The MC was practically stable in the ST group throughout the diarrhoea course. In the VT group, the MC was significantly reduced during the last 36 hours prior to the advanced treatment administration. This reduction was significantly higher in the ASD subgroup than the DH subgroup. The MCRR on the last meal prior to treatment administration was proven to be a very reliable indicator for the detection of diarrhoeic calves needing advanced treatment (cut-off: ≥ 24.5%; sensitivity: 95.6%; specificity: 98.7%) and of those with acidosis-septicaemia (cut-off: ≥ 29.6%; sensitivity: 91.7%; specificity: 99.1%). The results of the study show thatfarmers employing this feeding regimen should seek veterinary assistance when the milk consumption of calves is reduced by ≥ 24.5%.

The causes of food price spikes are complex, and their impact on different countries varies depending on production levels and the varied policies in place. Countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus (CAC) region have implemented a wide range of reforms that vary in form and speed. The existing scientific literature reports about the consequences of price spikes in CAC; however, to date, a comparison of impact between those countries has not been made in terms of the entire supply chain perspective. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of the price spikes on the entire wheat supply chain for the first time in CAC and discusses the role of policies. Another contribution of this study is an evidence-based analysis of the role of policy reformation in maintaining food security under price shocks. Our results indicate a very limited effect of price interventions and trade restrictions on dampening wheat prices in all countries. We find that only trade diversification policy had a positive effect on reducing the level of price spikes, and thus it might be a suitable policy measure for maintaining food security.

The size and shape of leaves can vary significantly between different genotypes within the same species and they implicitly influence plant growth and therefore productivity. The aim of this study was to compare the length, width, and surface area of leaf in nine medlar genotypes (Mespilus germanica L.) through image segmentation procedure using ImageJ software. The data indicate large variations for leaf surface area characteristics from one genotype to another, 2.12 fold for leaf surface area (22.95-48.8 cm²), 1.38 times for leaf length (8.8-12.18 cm) and 1.6 times for leaf width (3.5-5.60 cm). Leaf shape and leaf surface area vary between different genotypes analysed, and the method used can represent a good, non-destructive model of quick and reliable estimation of the medlar leaves surface area. The information obtained can be used in physiology studies, regardless of genetic material.

A three-year pot experiment carried out in the vegetation hall in 2014-2016 included studying the enzymatic activity of soil, into which various amounts of copper: (100, 200 and 300 mg Cu/kg soil) and organic materials (cattle manure, chicken manure, post-mushroom substrate) were introduced, used separately, at a soil-introduction dose of 2 g C_org/kg. Copper and organic materials were used once, only in the first year of the study, before sowing test plant orchard grass. In soil collected after the last (fourth) swath of grass in each year of the study, the activity of urease, dehydrogenases, acid, and alkaline phosphatase was determined. Applications of copper to the soil, regardless of its dose, resulted in a decrease in urease, dehydrogenases and alkaline phosphatase and an increase in acid phosphatase activity. The inactivating effect of this metal on the activity of urease, dehydrogenases and alkaline phosphatase increased with the increase of its dose. Organic fertilisation generally increased the enzymatic activity of the analysed soil. In subsequent years of the study, urease and alkaline phosphatase activity decreased, while acid phosphatase activity increased. Dehydrogenase activity did not change significantly in subsequent years of the study.

Individual companies need to know their financial condition. They have a wide range of methods and procedures to create a system of the financial and economic analysis of a company. The analysis is focused on the evaluation of a specific group of methods for predicting the financial health of a business entity. Evaluations of the financial situation of a company are divided into point methods, mathematical and statistical methods and neural networks. The individual methods differ from each other in difficulty, in the extent of the analyzed areas and possibilities of application. The aim of this work is to assess the possibilities of using selected methods of comprehensive evaluation of companies as a tool for an analysis of the position of each company in the branch. The suitability and feasibility of each method are tested on a selected group of companies. Quick Test, Tamari Model, Beaver Model are included in this work. Based on the results, improvements and recommendations for the practical use were suggested. The results showed that the best predictive methods are Quick Test and Tamari Model, because they are quick and unequivocal when assessing the analyzed companies. An inappropriate prediction method is the Beaver model, which uses only two financial indicators to evaluate companies.

The paper aims to investigate family farm income volatility by decomposing disposable farm income (DFI) into the on-farm income, income from production support and off-farm income (OFI) over time. The research is focused on the OFI, assessing its role in achieving DFI above reference level based on the average net earnings. Three main indicators consistent with Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) were indicated. The research results revealed the significance of OFI. In 2017, 76% of the family farms were engaged in off-farm activities indicating, on one hand that such approaches as part-time farming or lifestyle farming are becoming more attractive to Lithuanian family farmers. On the other hand, research disclosed that farms mostly engaged in off-farm activities yield the lowest on-farm income levels. Moreover, the OFI tends to produce a stabilizing effect on quite a number of farmers as the majority of family farms cannot rely upon the on-farm income as their only income source. Thus, the agricultural and rural development policy makers, aimed at supporting viable farm income and strengthening farm resilience, have to answer the part-time farmers' needs.

This article analyses the competitiveness of dairy farms in Poland in relation to selected EU countries. The competitive advantage of dairy farms was evaluated and compared based on remuneration for family labour. Two variants of the above indicator were calculated: (1) Remuneration for family labour (FL1) as the relationship between farm net income and the farmer's unpaid labour input, and (2) Remuneration for family labour (FL2) as the relationship between farm net income minus the opportunity costs of own land and capital to the farmer's unpaid labour input. The calculations were performed based on EU FADN (European Union Farm Accountancy Data Network) data for an average dairy farm in 2005, 2010 and 2016. The study revealed the highest average remuneration for family labour (FL1) in Irish and German dairy farms. The value of the second indicator (FL2) was also highest in Germany, followed by France. The analysis produced interesting results regarding dairy farms in Denmark and the Netherlands which were characterised by the highest scale of production in the evaluated period (high net value added), but very low farm incomes and remuneration for family labour. The study revealed that Polish dairy farms were characterised by average competitiveness relative.

The Levels-of-Growing-Stock study for ponderosa pine was a collective effort among western Research Stations within the US Forest Service. The experiment was established to test sustainable productivity across a wide range of densities by periodically thinning the plots. Beyond the original purposes for wood production, contemporary applications of these long-term studies have been to determine stand density effects on (i) both overstory and understory responses to stand development of even-aged ponderosa pine, (ii) biomass accumulation and carbon sequestration, (iii) plant diversity and wildlife habitats, and (iv) forest resiliency to insects and pathogens, droughts, and wildfires. Furthermore, these installations have served as a showpiece for the public and natural laboratories for professional foresters and students. For the past half century, the study has helped guide land managers and stakeholders on public and private lands about the value of thinning in overstocked young stands of ponderosa pine across its range. We hope that it will continue to serve as a springboard for addressing future issues facing forest management.

Composition and degradation of anthocyanins in blue and purple grain wheat during bread production were investigated using the HPLC-MS/MS method. The most abundant anthocyanins were delphinidin-3-rutinoside (blue grain wheat), cyanidin-3-glucoside and peonidin-3-glucoside (purple grain wheat). Peonidin-3-glucoside was also the most stable during grain treatment while delphinidin-3-glucoside had the greatest loss. Both blue and purple grain anthocyanins decreased significantly during bread production to 41.81% and 70.10% after baking, respectively, and to 24.21% and 60.00% after short-term storage, respectively. The blue grain wheat anthocyanins were lost mostly during baking, but in the purple grain wheat, the greatest decrease occurred during dough production. Despite the higher degradation, the blue grain wheat still showed higher anthocyanins content.

According to the data of the Central Statistical Office, there has been an increase in forest cover in Poland from 27.8% to 29.6% over the last 25 years. This increase contributed to an increase in the possibility of wood obtaining and processing for energy purposes. The aim of the study was to analyse the efficiency of a chipping machine manufactured by the American Company Bandit Industries (Bandit 990XP chipper) based on the working day chronometer. The study was carried out in specific conditions related to the place of the chipper application because the machine was used to process the material obtained from standing trees in the framework of park maintenance. As it was shown during the analysed working day, the effective capacity W1 in the work cycle of the Bandit 990XP machine was 9.2 m³∙h^-1 chips. Specific working conditions made it impossible to organize the work smoothly. Ongoing obtaining of the material for chipping from standing trees resulted in low productivity during the exploitation time of the shift W08 on the level of 1.3 m³∙h^-1 chips.

The aim of the study was to elaborate a universal calibration for the near infrared (NIR) spectrophotometer to determine the moisture of various kinds of vegetable seeds. The research was conducted on the seeds of 5 types of vegetables - carrot, parsley, lettuce, radish and beetroot. For the spectra correlation with moisture values, the method of partial least squares regression (PLS) was used. The resulting qualitative indicators of a calibration model (R = 0.9968, Q = 0.8904) confirmed an excellent fit of the obtained calibration to the experimental data. As a result of the study, the possibilities of creating a calibration model for NIR spectrophotometer for non-destructive moisture analysis of various kinds of vegetable seeds was confirmed.

Taking action aimed at creating an attractive agritourism product contributes to the development of rural tourism. The main purpose of this study is to present reflections regarding the assumptions of the experience economy and their possible application in developing an agritourism product. The conducted empirical research involved a diagnostic survey method based on a standardized questionnaire. The study results show that the owners of Polish agritourism farms, when focusing on the material components of their offer, should also recognize the need to design memorable experiences for their clients.

Biomass nutrient loss and retention were studied at nutrient-poor forest site dominated by Scots pine where two methods of logging residues handling after clear-cutting were compared. The experiment was conducted on nutrient-poor pine-oak forest site on deep sandy-gravel unconsolidated sediments at the altitude of 255 m. There were three treatments established such as (i) control - no harvesting, (ii) whole-tree harvesting with ca. 10% of the slash retained unintentionally on site as processing residues and (iii) stem-only harvesting when small-diameter wood and slash were left on site. The third treatment was found to retain much larger amounts of nutrients in logging residues representing 16% of total above-ground dry mass which accounted for 58% of N, 32% of P, 56% of K, 22% of Ca and 28% of Mg left on site.

This review is designed to address various alternative weed-control practices and their possibilities in the fruit orchard in terms of sustainability. Correct weed management and maintenance of adequate orchard biodiversity are crucial for sustainable orchard soil management. The key is to practice an alternative weed-management approach (single or integrated) rather than to use possibly harmful chemicals only. Integration of modern equipment with a shallow tillage system can provide effective weed control in tree rows, including optimised tree performance and soil biodiversity. Living mulch suppresses weeds and enhances orchard biodiversity, while selection of less competitive and less pest-attracting species is crucial. Plastic covers offer long-term weed control, but additional nutrient amendments are required to maintain the balanced fertility of the soil. Wood chip mulch is suggested where the materials are available on or near the farm, and where there is lower incidence of perennial weeds. High pressure water and robotic systems are still in their infancy for fruit orchards, and required more research to confirm their efficiency.

The persistent exploitation of natural resources and the consequent use of consumption are driving global food demand with the result that agricultural activity is becoming less and less environmentally friendly. The circular economy (CE) can become a valid alternative, inserting the economic-agricultural system into the harmonic process of material circulation. The corporate social responsibility (CSR) model is particularly interesting not only because of the ethical dimension of the company but also as a factor of strategic business improvement that combines the concepts of CSR and CE as possible solutions for developing sustainable business processes. The objective of the work is to highlight a detailed framework of how the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of the Italian agri-food industry can provide an adequate level of communication, circular strategies and social responsibility practices. The research methodology is based on a qualitative multiple study conducted on a sample of nine companies in the Italian territory. The study highlights the attention of companies on the issues of the CE for the achievement of the set sustainable objectives and the attention to CSR and CE practices. The work has several implications. It provides a further understanding of CSR and CE policies as enabling factors for the development of sustainable organizational performance in agriculture. Moreover, it better investigates the relationship between CSR and the CE. Finally, it analyses the SMEs state of the art in the CE field and strengthens the concept of CE by analysing corporate practices consistent with sustainability reports.

A set of minimum descriptors allow for the rapid characterisation of germplasm facilitating the conservation and use of plant material. The objective of this work was to establish a list of minimum descriptors to facilitate the morphological characterisation of the ex situ pineapple collection in Cuba. Therefore, 48 pineapple accessions were characterised according to the morphoagronomic descriptors established by the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR). The data were processed by Multivariate Analysis, where a Multiple Principal Components Analysis was used for the qualitative and quantitative traits. A list with 14 minimum descriptors was proposed. The leaf's colour, the thickness of the longest leaf, the distribution of the spines, the fruit shape, the fruit colour when ripe, the flesh colour, the weight of fruit flesh, eye form, the fruit height, the fruit diameter, the fruitlet shape, the core diameter, the total soluble solids of the fruit, and the crown weight/fruit weight ratio were selected as the minimum descriptors. Because most of the descriptors refer to the pineapple's genetic improvement or commercialisation aspects, it could be a useful tool for scientists and producers.

Secondary fertilisers are becoming an important alternative to conventional mined fertilisers. For the first time, the struvite "relative" hazenite (KNaMg₂(PO₄)₂∙14 H₂O) has been artificially synthesised. A pot trial assessed whether hazenite-fertilised ryegrass had comparable potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), or phosphorus (P) uptake and shoot yields with treatments receiving conventional K (muriate of potash), Mg (kieserite) or P (triple superphosphate, TSP) fertilisers. Ryegrass shoot biomass production and K/Mg uptake in replicates receiving hazenite were as good as or superior to those amended with conventional fertilisers. Phosphorus uptake of plants whose P source was TSP was significantly higher than that of the hazenite-amended replicates without significantly higher shoot biomass, indicating luxury P uptake. Hazenite's constituent sodium (Na) makes it a potentially useful soil amendment for forage grasses or natrophilic crops such as sugar beet. Its component Mg would also be desirable in forage grasses to pre-empt ruminant hypomagnesemia or in crops with a relatively high Mg demand, for example, maize. Furthermore, hazenite represents a good alternative to KCl for chlorophobic crops such as potatoes. However, given its unusual ratio of Mg, P, and K, the ideal application of hazenite would probably be in combination with other fertilisers.

Agribusiness is the biggest production sector in the European Union taking into account both the value of turnover and the creation of added value as well as employment size. In this context, the food industry deserves a special distinction. In the publication, the analyses of the food industry competitiveness in Poland are presented. For analysing and assessing competitiveness of the Polish food industry, the following factors were used: the orientation of export (OE), covering of import by export (TC), the import penetration (MP) and the revealed comparative advantages according to the Balassa (RCA) and Lafay (LFI). The study also presents the findings of empirical research on an innovative character of the food industry in Poland.

"Hyperostotic tympanic bone spicules" (HTBS), or "mucoperiosteal exostoses" (ME, syn.) are small, globular (≥ 1 mm in diameter), mostly stalked and drumstick-like, bony structures, which arise from the inner wall of the tympanic bulla and project into the middle ear cavity. HTBS present as mineral densities inside the tympanic bulla on radiographs or computed tomographic (CT) images. They have previously been referred to as "otoliths" and were thought to represent mineral concretions secondary to otitis media. Recently, it was shown that HTBS actually consist of regularly composed bone tissue, covered by normal middle ear mucosa. So far, HTBS have only extensively been described in dogs, where they occur with a prevalence of up to > 45%. A recent study detected ME, most likely representing HTBS, in the tympanic cavities of skeletonised skull bones of African lions. To estimate the occurrence of HTBS in other mammal species, the middle ears of adult animals of 78 different domestic, wild, and zoo species undergoing routine necropsy at the Institute of Veterinary Pathology of the LMU Munich, Germany were examined in the present study. HTBS were found in the tympanic bullae of carnivorous species, such as canids (wolf, fox), and in several large felid species (lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah). In contrast, HTBS were not present in domestic cats (more than to 200 cases), small carnivorous species such as mustelids, nor in any primate, ungulate, ruminant, pig, insectivore, or rodent species. The detectability of HTBS by CT of the tympanic bullae of large felids was demonstrated in an African lion. Histologically, HTBS consisted of mature lamellar bone, covered by periosteum and a partially ciliated, flat epithelium, regularly without any apparent inflammatory alterations. The present study demonstrates that HTBS may frequently occur in large felids and in different canid species. These findings should be taken into account when examining the middle ear, or interpreting bulla radiographs/CT-images of the respective species. However, the factors triggering the development of HTBS remain to be identified.

The study of young poplar tree characteristics like initial diameter and height as well as mineral fertilization that promotes the rapid growth of trees for biomass production was the aim of this research. In two forest nurseries of northern Greece, the growth of Populus sp. clone I-214 under five fertilization treatments per dosage was studied, i.e. (i) 120 kg (NH₄)₂SO₄.ha^-1, (ii) 200 kg (NH₄)₂SO₄.ha^-1, (iii) 150 kg (NH₄)₂SO₄.ha^-1 and 300 kg mixed fertilizer 11-15-15 (i.e. 11 kg N, 15 kg P₂O₅ and 15 kg K₂O per 100 kg of fertilizer) per ha, (iv) 150 kg (NH₄)₂SO₄.ha^-1, 200 kg mixed fertilizer 16-20-0 (i.e. 16 kg N and 20 kg P₂O₅ per 100 kg of fertilizer) per ha and 100 kg K₂SO₄.ha^-1, (v) no fertilization. Results showed that initial diameter was the variable that had the greatest effect on growth, while the fertilization with 150 kg (NH₄)₂SO₄.ha^-1 and 300 kg mixed fertilizer 11-15-15 per ha improved significantly diameter growth. Nevertheless, no specific pattern was found statistically for the best fertilization treatment concerning the height growth of young poplar trees. These findings could be taken into account for the best management practices for rapid poplar tree growth and biomass production under similar edaphoclimatic Mediterranean conditions.

We tested the suitability of Landsat images to track defoliation by insect herbivory with focus on the oak leaf roller, Tortrix viridana (Lep.: Tortricidae). Landsat images from the period before (2002) and after the T. viridana infestation (2007, 2014) were compared in oak forests of Zagros in western Iran. The Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was calculated for the test area from Landsat 5, 7, and 8 images. Because the red and near-infrared spectral bands of Landsat 8 OLI sensors are different from the other two, a model for the calibration of Landsat OLI NDVI was developed. The proposed model with a correlation coefficient of 0.928 and root mean square error of 0.05 turned out to be applicable and the NDVI decreased significantly during the observation period. Taking into account the protection status of the area and small fluctuations in temperature, the decrease in NDVI could be attributed to T. viridana damage.

The main aim of the article is recognition of the issues of complexity in economics with the particular emphasis on agriculture, as well as indication of resulting implications for this sector. Complexity in economic theory is in general perceived from the perspective of external effects, while the problem may also have other connotations: as the so-called fallacy of composition, or the phenomenon of entropy. The problem of complexity indicates the need for further reflection on the holistic perception of economic processes. This is particularly evident in the case of agriculture, when the evaluation based mainly on microeconomic approach from the perspective of the effect/cost relationship loses sight of the environmental, social, and cultural context. Focus should also be put on the entropy approach, which takes into account the openness of socio-economic systems and the limitations of resources, including the environment. Both the operating practice of agriculture together with the institutional surrounding, and agricultural economics are more advanced in the area of solving the problems of complexity on the practical and theoretical grounds, but there are still many issues that require solutions, particularly quantification of externalities. The work is theoretical in nature and a heuristic approach was applied in the considerations.

The purpose of the work was to study the suitability of residue obtained during the methane fermentation process of sugar beet pulp for agricultural use in sugar beet plantations. Studies were performed with the sugar beet pulp fermentation residue and sugar beets (Beta vulgaris cv. Fighter) harvested from experimental plots. It was found that the by-product of sugar beet pulp digestion may be utilized in agriculture taking into account its chemical and microbiological standards. The nutrients in digestion residue were as assimilable for sugar beet plants as the nutrients in mineral fertilizers. The evaluation of technological parameters of sugar beet harvested from experimental plots based on standard technological criteria showed that irrespective of fertilization treatment, the raw material obtained met most of the requirements and can be used as a stock material for sugar production.

Due to changing climate and irregular weather patterns, event-based soil loss and sediment yield have become important issues in the agricultural areas. Several mathematical models and prediction methodologies have been used to estimate event-based soil loss and soil redistribution based on soil types, land management, hydrology and local topography. The use of short-lived beryllium-7 as a means of estimating event-based soil erosion/deposition rates has become an alternative to the traditional soil loss measurement methods. A new erosion model taking into account the movement of ⁷Be in soils has been presented recently. In order to direct the attention to the potential offered by this technique (measurements and mathematical model), a two-year study was performed at the erosion plots in Müncheberg, Germany, and twelve individual erosion rates were estimated. This paper presents a systematic comparison of the non-steady state ⁷Be model with the process-based erosion model EROSION-3D and measured data. The results demonstrate a close consistency between the erosion rates estimated by erosion models and the estimates provided by the ⁷Be model and can therefore be seen as a promising contribution to validating the use of this radionuclide to document short-term soil redistribution within the plot and deposited sediment at the bottom of the plot.

DNA methylation undergoes dynamic changes and is a crucial part of the epigenetic regulation during mammalian early development. To determine the DNA methylation levels in bovine embryos, we applied a bisulfite sequencing based method aimed at repetitive sequences including three retrotransposons (L1_BT, BovB, and ERV1-1-I_BT) and Satellite I. A more accurate estimate of the global DNA methylation level compared to previous methods using only one repeat sequence, like Alu, could be made by calculation of the weighted arithmetic mean of multiple repetitive sequences, considering the copy number of each repetitive sequence. Satellite I and L1_BT showed significant methylation reduction at the blastocyst stage, while BovB and ERV1-1-I_BT showed no difference. The mean methylation level of the repetitive sequences during preimplantation development was the lowest at the blastocyst stage. No methylation difference was found between embryos cultured in 5% and 20% O₂. Because mutations of CpGs negatively influence the calculation accuracy, we checked the mutation rate of the sequenced CpG sites. Satellite I and L1_BT showed a relatively low mutation rate (1.92 and 3.72% respectively) while that of ERV1-1-I_BT and BovB was higher (11.95 and 24% respectively). Therefore we suggest using a combination of repeats with low mutation rate, taking into account the proportion of each sequence, as a relatively quick marker for the global DNA methylation status of preimplantation stages and possibly also for other cell types.