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The weevil, Myllocerus fotedari Ahmad, 1974 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is widely recognised as one of the major walnut pests. Fungal pathogens have shown great potential for the management of some pest species. In the present study, the efficacy of three entomopathogenic fungi, namely Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin, Metarhizium anisopliae sensu lato (Metchnikoff) Sorokin and Lecanicillium lecanii (Zimmerman) Zare and Gams were evaluated against the weevil, M. fotedari, under laboratory conditions. Each fungal suspension contained 1.0 × 109 spores of fungi in 1 mL. The experiment comprised of five treatments along with control (distilled water) and three replicates. An insecticide – chloropyrifos 20% emulsifiable concentrate (EC), was also used as positive control in the experiment. The experimental results revealed that the weevil, M. fotedari, showed mortality due to both virulence of entomopathogens and insecticide. The mortality caused by fungi varied from two days after treatment to eight days after treatment. However, the highest mortality of 100% was recorded for B. bassiana, followed by 85.1% for M. anisopliae after eight days of treatment. The efficacy of L. lecani was the lowest, leading to only 51.8% mortality, and was found significantly less virulent compared to the other two used entomopathogens. The present study is an attempt to use entomopathogens to control M. fotedari over conventional chemical insecticides.

A study was conducted at the University of Venda Experimental Farm, Limpopo province, South Africa to determine the effects of tillage and mulching on selected soil properties, and yield of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with three replications during the 2018/19 and 2019/20 cropping seasons. Treatments consisted of conventional tillage (CT) and minimum tillage (MT) and three levels of avocado leaf mulch (0, 6 and 12 t/ha). Bulk density (BD), aggregate stability (AS), infiltration rate (IR), soil water content (SWC) and grain yield were determined. Tillage had no significant effect on BD in either season but influenced SWC and sunflower grain yield. CT recorded a significantly higher AS than MT during 2018/19 cropping season. Tillage × mulch interaction was significant during 2018/19 season with CT at 12 t/ha mulch recording higher AS than the MT. IR was significantly influenced by tillage × mulch interaction in both seasons with MT recording higher IR than the CT during 2018/19. Avocado mulch had no significant effect on sunflower grain yield in either season but influenced SWC in 2019/20 season. It was concluded that avocado mulch could be a relevant component of conservation agriculture but long-term studies are needed to validate the benefits observed in this study.

The objective of the present work was to evaluate the efficacy of use of the RITA^® temporary immersion system in the large-scale propagation of P. patula. The effects of four concentrations (0.00 µM, 4.50 µM, 9.00 µM, and 13.51 µM) of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) on 10 hypocotyl explants were studied using a completely randomised design with three replicates per treatment. Five hypocotyl explants were grown in 250 mL RITA^® containers of Woody Plant Culture Medium (WPM) supplemented with 20 g·L^–1 sucrose and 10 mg·L^–1 vitamins from Murashige and Skoog (MS) culture medium. The frequency of immersion of the explants into the culture medium was 2 min every 8 hours. The number of adventitious buds and calli formed, as well as shoot growth, were evaluated after 6 weeks of in vitro culture. The 4.50 µM concentration of BAP was the best treatment for shoot production (5 shoots per plant) and shoot length (1.32 cm). These results could help the widespread vegetative propagation of this important forest species.

The present study aimed to evaluate the Clostridium spp. counts in corn silage, raw milk and Kaşar cheese and to identify the clostridial isolates causing a late-blowing defect (LBD) potential using matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Lactate-fermenting clostridial spores (LFCS) were determined by the most probable number method (MPN) in 14 samples of corn silage, 12 samples of raw milk and 20 samples of Kaşar cheese. 181 isolates were obtained from MPN gas-positive tubes. Gram staining, catalase and oxidase activity, anaerobic development tests and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) imaging showed that 95 isolates were typical clostridial bacteria. Sixty-six isolates could maintain viability during the passage and stock stages. A confirmatory identification technique was then performed using MALDI-TOF MS. The results revealed that (49 out of 66 isolates) of bacteria were correctly identified as 38 (77.55%) Clostridium sporogenes, 6 (12.24%) Clostridium butyricum, 3 (6.12%) Clostridium beijerinckii, 1 (2.04%) Clostridium bifermentans and 1 (2.04%) Clostridium sartagoforme. This study determined that clostridial isolates that cause LBD can be identified successfully and quickly by MALDI-TOF MS, a novel method for detecting anaerobic bacteria.

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of selection on the genome structure of beef cattle through identification of selection signatures reflecting the breeding standard of each breed and to discover potential functional genetic variants to improve performance traits. Genotyping data of six beef breeds (Aberdeen Angus, Hereford, Limousin, Charolais, Piedmontese and Romagnola) were used to perform genome-wide scans for selection signatures. The approaches applied were based on an assumption that selection leads to linkage disequilibrium or to a decrease of genetic variability in genomic regions containing genotypes connected with favourable phenotypes. Thus, the selection signatures were analysed based on Wright's F_ST index, distribution of runs of homozygosity segments in the beef genome and determination of linkage disequilibrium variability between breeds. The number and length of detected selection signals were different depending on the breeds and methodological approaches. As expected due to the breeding goals of analysed breeds, common signals were located on autosomes 2, 6, 7, 13 and 20 close to the genes associated with coat colour (KIT, KDR), muscle development (GDF9, GHRH, GHR), double muscling (MSTN), meat tenderness (CAST) and intramuscular fat content (SCD). But, across the genomes of analysed breeds, unique selection signals were found as well. The subsequent analysis of those single nucleotide polymorphism markers can be beneficial for the genetic progress of studied breeds in future.

Tillage intensity can affect soil quality through soil aggregates, which are strongly associated with organic carbon. In this study, we evaluated the effect of different intensity tillage (conventional ploughing (CP), shallow ploughing (SP), deep cultivation (DC), shallow cultivation (SC), no-tillage (NT)) on soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil aggregates at the 0-5, 5-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm layers and root biomass at the 0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm layers. The field experiment on spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) consisted of a split-plot arrangement with four replications. Dry soil aggregates were evaluated using the mean weight diameter (MWD) index. Wet aggregates were assessed using a water-stable aggregate (WSA) index. We identified that tillage intensity significantly influenced the MWD index at four soil levels. Shallow tillage showed greater results at 0-5 and 5-10 cm depths. However, deep tillage increased the MWD at 10-20 and 20-30 cm depth. NT was dominated by evaluating the WSA at every level of the soil. SOC was correlated with WSA. The highest SOC was found under NT. The different tillage intensities did not significantly affect root biomass.

As one of the most widely cultivated vegetable crops worldwide, chillies (Capsicum annuum L.) face serious pest-related problems when grown in either open or protected cultivation systems. However, studies aimed at understanding the implementation of various integrated pest management (IPM) techniques on chilli production in both cultivation systems are scarce. The study aimed to evaluate the impact of implementing an integrated approach that combines the use of a sweet corn barrier, thiamethoxam, control threshold, silver plastic mulch, pest traps, and fungicides on chilli pests and diseases in open and protected farming systems. Those techniques were applied simultaneously to overcome major chilli pests and diseases that commonly co-occur in the field. The experiment conducted in West Java, Indonesia from May to November 2021 revealed that control techniques could maintain chilli pest population below their control threshold and prevented disease outbreak in both cultivation systems. The average yields of chilli cultivated in the netting house were higher than those cultivated in the open field, i.e. 20.92 t/ha and 9.77 t/ha, respectively. Furthermore, the profitability of chilli cultivation using IPM technologies has been demonstrated in both open and protected fields, with the profit generated in the protected system being 3.9 times higher than that of the open field.

Bisphenols (BP) are pollutants that are globally and widely distributed and adversely affect the health of humans. However, knowledge of their presence in animals, especially farm animals such as pigs, remains limited. In this study, the incidence of bisphenol A (BPA) and its five analogues – bisphenol B (BPB), bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol S (BPS), bisphenol Z (BPZ) and bisphenol AF (BPAF) – was monitored in lactating sows on an actual pig farm. The urine samples of 27 sows were collected twice on the 3^rd day after parturition, and stored at –20 °C until analysis using MDGC/MS. None of the lactating sows produced bisphenol-free urine. In contrast, the urine of all sows contained at least two bisphenols (eight females), most often five (10 females) or all six bisphenols (five females). The average concentrations of bisphenols in urine were in the order of BPB > BPA and BPS > BPZ > BPAF > BPF. The most frequently detected bisphenol was BPB (96.0% of samples) followed by BPA (89.0%), BPAF (78.0%), BPS (63.0%), BPF (52.0%) and BPZ (37.0%). Additionally, the proportion of BPB in the total bisphenol concentration in urine samples was the highest (28.74 to 93.85%) while that of BPF was the lowest (2.33 to 16.70%). Estimated daily intakes of bisphenols as well as hazard quotients were much lower than risk thresholds established for the human population, indicating safe doses for the health status of lactating sows. However, these findings are limited as the mechanism of BPA analogue’ activity is still unclear, and the long-term effects of small doses of bisphenols and the potential harmful impact of BP mixtures are unknown. Knowledge of the occurrence of bisphenols in pig farming may contribute to the elimination of BPA and its analogues from this sector, which is crucial for the safety of animal products as well as the welfare of pigs.

In the spring of 2000, field experiments were begun on three 20-year old grand fir (Abies grandis) to influence the elasto-mechanical behavior of the stem, as well as the distribution of the assimilate crown production. The aim was to analyze, and then describe and model the expected resulting change in stem growth. Three stem sections of one fir were reinforced by rigidly attaching T-shaped steel bars to reduce bending stresses. Preliminary calculations with an elasto-mechanical tree and force model (that had been developed for a different tree, but was adapted by taking the size differences into account) gave first indications for the experimental design in regards to the necessary number of the bars and their dimensions required to guarantee that the stem rigidity would be highly increased. Furthermore, the simulations proposed no increased risk of stem breakage in the non-reinforced stem parts. The stability of the second tree was decreased by hanging sand bags with defined masses on the branches. Directly after loading, a significantly changed swaying behavior could be observed, which should cause correspondingly higher stress in the fibers. As for this load case, the simulated results prognosticate only a negligible increase in stress. The roughly-adapted model used, is seemingly invalid for this tree. In regards to the third tree, the bark at the base of all branches of the eastern half of the crown was removed to prevent any import of assimilates into the stem. The branches were not cut off because the mass distribution and thus, the mechanical behavior, of the tree was to be influenced as little as possible. The experiment will be concluded in the winter of 2003, after a four-year growth period. In addition to detailed stem analyses, the spatial crown structure with its needle and branch mass distribution, as well as the mechanical wood properties of the stem will be measured.

The gilt development level is a critical factor for profitability in the pig industry. To evaluate the impact of different gilt development levels on the age structure and production efficiency of female herds we used the performance data of a pig farm that was simulated over a ten-year period, with current production statistics from the Chinese pig industry as a basis for the model. In a herd of 600 breeding sows, we compared age structure, number born alive (NBA), longevity and sow lifetime productivity in three scenarios with gilt culling rates of 10%, 20%, and 30%. The results show that the gilt development has no significant effects on the age structure. The gilt development had no significant effects either on sow reproductive performance or production efficiency. However, the annual replacement rate, longevity, and sow lifetime productivity varied significantly in the three levels of gilt development (P < 0.01). We conclude that the gilt development is closely related to herd turnover and reproductive performance, and ultimately affects the cost of pig production. Gilt development is, therefore, an extremely important factor in an integrated pig production system.

Knowledge of mechanisms by which large mammals select rubbing trees (RT) is a major challenge for the effective management of forests and wildlife resources. In this study, we investigated this issue regarding the Wild boar (Sus scrofa) in the Moroccan forested site of Sidi Boughaba as a case study. We used data from four sets of variables, namely topography, forest type, landscape composition, and microhabitat, measured at 58 rub and control trees, to determine the factors associated with the occurrence of RT by means of generalized linear mixed models. Our results showed that the RT occurrence increased with a high density of red juniper trees and declined with distance to the nearest footpath. Variation partitioning analysis revealed that the pure fraction of microhabitat was the most robust in explaining this occurrence (adj. R² = 0.17, P < 0.001), followed by that of forest type (adj. R² = 0.05, P < 0.05). A scientific monitoring system must be set up to strike a balance between the availability of forest trees on the one hand and the pressure exerted by wild boars on this internationally importance site on the other. It is imperative to test the geographical generality of our results in other Mediterranean forests.

Tillage operations in dry soil conditions have increasingly been used in Iran in recent years. However, due to the recent droughts, the choice of suitable implements to reduce the clod and draught force is still under investigation. This study was aimed at determining the effect of the geometry of a bent leg tillage implement on the soil pulverisation and draught force in dry soil conditions. The treatments included three bent leg tillage depths (10, 15, and 20 cm) and three forward speeds (6, 9, and 12 km·h^–1). The effect of the bent leg tillage implement on the clod mean weight diameter (MWD) and draught force was studied using a split plot experiment with three replications. The results showed that the tillage depth and forward speed affected the MWD and the draught force. Increasing the tillage depth from 10 to 20 cm increased the MWD and draught force by 24.9 and 35.1%, respectively. Increasing the forward speed from 6 to 12 km·h^–1 decreased the MWD by 7.4% and increased the draught force by 40.0%. These findings show that the bent leg tillage technology has the potential to reduce the MWD and draught force at higher forward speeds. Therefore, a bent leg tillage implement can be suggested as a proper implement for tilling in dry land conditions.

Among the varieties of pineapples, honey pineapple is suitable to be processed as a probiotic beverage. The study aimed to evaluate the honey pineapple juice as a growth medium for Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum Dad-13 probiotic strain. The pineapple juice was fermented by adding a starter culture of L. plantarum Dad-13. The fermentation time (0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 h) was used as a variable. The number of L. plantarum Dad-13 cells increased significantly after fermentation (P < 0.05). In acidic pineapple juice L. plantarum Dad-13 can still grow more than 2 log cycles. After 16 h, the results showed the best characteristics with cell count (8.86 log CFU·mL^–1), pH (3.52), and titratable acidity (0.59%). To balance the sour taste, the 8% sucrose addition was the most preferred by the panellists (n = 67), with a 5.74 (slightly like) overall acceptance score. After 42 days, there was no significant decrease in cell viability. The number of cells on day 42 was 8.81 log CFU·mL^–1 with significant changes in pH and titratable acidity. The study showed that honey pineapple juice is a suitable growth medium for L. plantarum Dad-13.

The paper aims to identify the changes and intensity of the factors influencing consumers’ purchasing decision-making process in the food market. The research offers a unique comparison of the situation between the years 2007 and 2022 and reveals the emerging factors affecting consumer decisions. The authors conducted a representative questionnaire survey (N = 686) to determine the influence of individual factors. The data were processed using factor analysis, which allowed for the reduction of the number of factors (20) to four determinants covering 61% of the total variability in the dataset. The determinants of consumer purchasing decisions include traditional promotional elements, product parameters, newly formed factors based on sustainability and health awareness trends, and price discounts. Consumer behaviour appears to be influenced by a wide range of short- and long-term factors, and it is necessary to look at it comprehensively over a longer time horizon, taking current trends into account.

The study aimed to quantify annual mortality and recruitment rates on permanent research plots in the Badínsky prales old-growth forest. The data measured in four stands originate from six censuses, which together cover a 48-year period. The mean annual mortality rate reached 4.2% (DBH > 2 cm) or 2.3% (DBH > 8 cm). The mortality peaked in the first part of the observation period, probably indicating an intermediate disturbance activity, and the subsequent declining trend led to minimum annual mortality during the last 20 years. We found substantially higher fir mortality in comparison with beech, primarily during the first decades of the measurement period. Among three size categories, the stems with DBH 2–8 cm showed the highest mortality rate. We detected the minimum fir recruitment rate throughout the observation period; on the other hand, the beech recruitment rate was relatively high responding to the open canopy. Standing and lying deadwood volumes indicated similar trends like mortality did, and high values of fir standing deadwood observed during the first decades can signify that a relatively high proportion of mortality was related to the fir decline caused by air pollution.

Centaurea cyanus is an annual weed mostly infesting winter cereals and rape. The aim of the study was to provide insights into the association between the seed germination characteristics and the herbicide sensitivity in C. cyanus in the presence of the genetic background control. Four populations of this species resistant to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors were tested. A germination study was conducted in a growth cabinet. Plants were sprayed at the 2- to 3-leaf stage with a field dose of florasulam (5 g/ha). There were four herbicide treatments dates, which included plants that germinated up to the seventh day, between eight and 12, 13 and 15, 16 and 20 days of the germination study. The germination dynamics of the four tested populations of C. cyanus resistant to florasulam was diversified. Three of them reached their maximum germination on the fourth day after sowing, however, the germination of the fourth population was spread over time with the highest number of germinated seeds found seven and twelve days after sowing. The germination time of the plants belonging to the resistant C. cyanus populations differentiated their reaction to florasulam. The conducted study indicated that the germination biology of ALS inhibitor-resistant populations of C. cyanus is diverse, which makes it difficult to introduce universal management strategies of this species into agricultural practice. Integration of control methods is recommended, including delaying the crop sowing date.

One of the efforts to produce functional foods is using ingredients containing health-beneficial bioactive compounds. Another way to produce functional foods is fermentation generating bioactive compounds or fortification with the bioactive compound extract. An ingredient historically believed to have benefits on health is moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaf powder. Moringa leaf powder is a valuable source of functional ingredients, including protein, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients such as carotenoids, tocopherols, polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, and tannins. However, moringa is a plant that is distributed in various tropical countries in the world. Its quality depends on geographical differences, cultivars, environmental conditions, seasons, genotypes, and varieties. This article reviews the bioactive compounds of moringa leaf powder and the characteristics of moringa leaf powder extract. The effect of moringa leaf powder fortification on food product characteristics is also discussed. Moringa leaf powder possesses many pharmacological properties, such as anticancer, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, and antioxidant ones. The bioactivity of leaf extract is extracting solvent dependent. Therefore, fortification results in nutritional improvement and increasing health benefits of food products. However, the adverse effect is found in sensory. Thus properties, thus the moringa leaf powder fortification level usually is less than 10%. Changes in the functional properties of foods due to moringa leaf powder fortification have been studied to a limited extent. A low level of fortification might not affect the properties of food products. Therefore, moringa leaf powder is potentially used as a functional food ingredient. Some studies reported the toxicological effects of moringa leaf powder and the use of this ingredient, should be below the harmful doses.

The objective of this study was to quantify the concentration of acrylamide in biscuits, bread, and cake obtained from industrial and local bakeries, classified based on their colour intensity as light, medium, or dark. The analysis was performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Sugar, moisture, and asparagine analyses were also carried out simultaneously. The results demonstrated that the acrylamide content in biscuits, bread, and cakes varied according to the colour (light 109.9 ± 7.95, 214.7 ± 27.40, and 128.6 ± 7.05; medium 176.3 ± 15.16, 387.0 ± 87.71, and 804.3 ± 17.16; and dark 407.6 ± 105.13, 555.8 ± 16.20, and 1 015.0 ± 83.68 µg·kg^–1, respectively). Statistically, significant differences were observed between acrylamide content and product colour density (P < 0.05). It can be concluded that the acrylamide content increases as the product colour intensity rises due to the increased baking temperature at which the reaction between reducing sugars and asparagine takes place, resulting in the formation of acrylamide. The results suggest that selecting commercial bakery products based on colour may be beneficial for reducing the daily intake of acrylamide by consumers. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid dark-coloured bakery products.

The research was performed to investigate the effect of high hydrostatic pressure low temperature (HHPLT) on Listeria innocua in Ringer's solution (RS) and raw milk (RM). The physicochemical properties of RM were studied at 300 MPa and 10 °C. Compared with the control, protein and lipase activities were reduced at HHPLT in RM. The L-values (luminance) of LHPLT applied RM were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased for colour Pressure application at 300 MPa for 90 min totally inactivated L. innocua at –20 °C in both RS and RM. L. innocua showed resistance to low pressure (200 MPa) in RM. Overall, increasing the pressure with applications at –20 and –30 °C resulted in a higher (P < 0.05) inactivation of L. innocua than at 10 and 20 °C. HHPLT applications to frozen RM resulted in the retention of textural characteristics.

The effect of drip irrigation on the origin and size fraction of soil organic carbon was studied in the soils of an apple orchard (Malus domestica Borkh.) on hilly (20%) terrain in northeastern Slovenia in three slope positions (upslope, midslope and downslope), comparing irrigated with non-irrigated soils. Physical fractionation of soil organic carbon was performed on three soil layers (0–0.05, 0.05–0.15 and 0.15–0.30 m) in three size fractions: fraction A (> 0.0002 m), fraction B (0.0002‒0.00005 m) and fraction C (< 0.00005 m). Fraction A was the richest in soil organic carbon (7.7%), but fraction C was the dominant fraction in the total soil volume (86‒92%), making it the largest source of soil organic carbon (73%). The δ¹³C signature was performed to determine the existence of two different types (origins) of soil organic carbon: fresh and sedimentary. Fresh organic carbon dominates in the A fraction, while sedimentary organic carbon dominates in the C fraction and may contribute to higher structural stability, besides higher carbonates in the finest fraction. Irrigation mainly contributes to the higher stock of soil organic carbon (predominantly fresh and less sedimentary) in the coarse A fraction (21.14 t/ha in irrigated and 14.17 t/ha in non-irrigated soils).

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria (NFB) play a significant role in saline soil ecosystems. However, little is known about the correlation between NFB application on growth and yield components of rice plants on saline soils. Exploration and experimental methods were performed to obtain the potential of NFB from a rice field in saline soil and reinoculated in a pot experiment. The experiment was arranged as a randomised block design consisting of 8 treatments, namely inoculation application (control and seed treatments with 20 g inoculant/kg of seed) combined with soil application dosage (0, 500, 1 000 and 1 500 g/ha). The results showed that grain yield increased by 43.8–130.6% with seed treatment of 20 g inoculant/kg of seed combined with soil application 500–1 500 g inoculant/ha. Rice yield was affected by multiple variables NFB population, plant height, number of tillers, and grain straw ratio (R2 = 0.926). Path analysis findings showed that the greatest effective contribution (45.45%) yield of rice in saline soil was contributed NFB population. This finding concludes that the application of NFB inoculants as seed treatments and soil applications can serve as an effective as well as the environmentally friendly microbial-based strategy of rice cultivation on saline soil ecosystems.

Growth biostimulators activate some physiological processes that increase the efficiency of the usage of nourishing substances, stimulate the development of plants and allow reduced fertiliser consummation. Most biostimulators are capable of reacting against the effect of biotic and antibiotic stresses as they increase the crop production of the cultures and represent an opportunity of growing quality and healthy food. The article affects the results of the influence of RadiCifo L24 and Euroradix over the growth and development of grafted cuttings in vine rootings. The study was carried out through the dessert seedlees grapevine variety ‘Zornitsa’ grafted over the Berlandieri × Riparia (SO4) pad. Before rooting, paraffin is applied to 2/3 of the stratified grafted cutting’s length and is then immersed in a 2% solution of RadiCifo L24 (for 20 minutes) and Euroradix (for 5 minutes), after that the cuttings are rooted to 15-17 cm in depth (to the non-paraffined part). According to the biometrics rating (number of developed shoots, number of roots), the variant with the growth stimulator RadiCifo L24 seems to be a more effective method for the production of first-class vines of the ‘Zornitsa’ variety, thus it can be recommended for the production of vine planting material.

Flaxseeds (Linum usitatissimum L.) (FS) and chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) (ChS) contain fatty acids (FA) with beneficial health effect for the human body. Some people often use them as part of boiled or baked dishes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to observe the effect of FS and ChS heat treatments at 40 °C and 150 °C for 20 min on the content of fat, FA, atherogenicity index (AI) and thrombogenicity index (TI), and total antioxidant activity (TAA) in comparison with heat treatments at 20 °C. The content of fat in FS was higher in comparison with ChS (P < 0.05). Similarly, the content of alpha-linolenic acid, oleic acid, polyunsaturated FA, and monounsaturated FA was greater (P < 0.05) in FS when compared with ChS. However, n6 : n3 ratio [n6 – omega 6 polyunsaturated FA (PUFA), with first double bound on 6^th carbon; n3 – omega 3 PUFA, with first double bound on 3^rd carbon], AI and TI were lower (P < 0.05) in FS in comparison with ChS. The TAA in FS was 37% lower (P < 0.05) compared to ChS, moreover TAA in FS decreased (P < 0.05) at 150 °C in comparison with 20 °C and 40 °C. No effect of different heat treatments was observed on the content of FA or AI and TI in FS and ChS.

The present study was conducted to explore the variability generated through recombination breeding for nine economically important traits in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern & Coss.). Delineation of the inbred lines to different gene pools, based on genetic diversity, enables their utilisation in hybrid breeding. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) and a Euclidean distance matrix was used to delineate the inbred lines to clusters. The variability was studied using the range and coefficients of variation of the traits. Significant variability was observed for all studied traits except for oil content and days to maturity. 128 Indian mustard genotypes were grouped into four distinct gene pools based on genetic diversity. A set of 20 most diverse genotype combinations was produced. Promising inbred lines were identified and recommended as donors for the respective trait. The pedigree analysis of the inbred line groups revealed, that recombination breeding caused a large diversity as confirmed by the assignment of inbred lines with the same parentage to specific clusters.

The Asian rice gall midge (Orseolia oryzae) (Wood-Mason) is a major pest of rice, significantly reducing yields and challenging sustainable rice production. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the biology, lifecycle and geographical distribution of the rice gall midge, along with the damage symptoms it causes in rice crops. The interactions between rice and gall midge, the pest's infestation mechanism and the plant’s defensive responses are also explored. Various management strategies are discussed in detail, including insecticides, cultural practices and resistant varieties. The review emphasises that breeding for resistance, especially through the pyramiding of resistance genes and integrated pest management approaches, shows the most promise for long-term control. Advances in crop improvement through breeding methods such as genotyping, phenotyping, field and greenhouse screening and the pyramiding of resistance genes are highlighted. The review emphasises the importance of monitoring virulence in gall midge populations to guide breeding efforts. The genetic basis of resistance is examined through studies of resistance genes, QTL mapping and marker-assisted breeding. Furthermore, molecular approaches, including metabolomic regulations, microarray analysis and biotechnological strategies, are reviewed for their potential in developing durable gall midge-resistant rice varieties. This article synthesises the current knowledge and highlights future research directions, such as identifying novel resistance genes, improving molecular breeding techniques, and developing integrated pest management strategies that combine genetic resistance with eco-friendly controls.

This review uses a case study based on an executed afforestation project to comprehensively describe the administrative procedure regarding afforestation of agricultural land in the Czech Republic, Central Europe. We consider the official proceedings for obtaining a permit to land-use change (i.e. changing the nature of land use and the mode of land use in the real estate cadastre) as a very complex and protracted procedure, which can substantially reduce the motivation of people to establish new forests. Therefore, we propose a simplification of the administration process of land-use change. The main idea is to make the procedure as simple as possible in those areas where afforestation is desirable, especially from the environmental point of view. It assumes the possibility of quick, precise and, if possible, automatic distinction whether the afforestation is suitable or not. The situation in the Czech Republic is compared with the surrounding Central-European countries: Poland and Slovakia. In these countries, the official procedure connected with afforestation seems to be rather less complicated.

Abiotic stressors are the main barriers to successful crop production in this era. The balance of redox and metabolic activities in plants is negatively impacted by abiotic stresses, which ultimately limit the plants’ capacity to grow and develop. The phytohormones are tiny molecules that control how plants grow and develop, as well as how they react to alterations in their environment. Phytohormone, gibberellic acid (GA) has been proven in a number of recent research to increase plants’ ability to withstand abiotic stress. By regulating numerous physio-biochemical and molecular processes, GA plays a crucial part in reducing the perturbations caused by abiotic stresses in plants. Recent findings have shown that GA controls the activity of antioxidant enzymes, stress-responsive genes, photosynthetic machinery, and reduced oxidative damage. Besides, GA has been involved in cross-talk with other phytohormones to regulate abiotic stress in plants. This review summarises the current research on the application of GA and discusses how GA might support crop growth and production in adverse conditions. The interaction of GA with other phytohormones, potential mechanisms for reducing abiotic stress in plants, the disadvantages of employing GA, and its promise for the future are also covered in this review.

Data on blood chemistry values can make fundamental contributions to our understanding of physiological changes. However, there is a lack of information regarding blood chemistry in Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus). Thus, the objects of this study were to determine reference ranges for 29 blood chemistry variables, and to evaluate differences between age groups and between seasons. Blood samples (n = 138) were collected from 44 (20 males, 24 females; age range, 1-15 years) clinically healthy, captive Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) in the Republic of Korea. Young and adult bears showed significantly higher levels of creatinine and total cholesterol, and lower levels of blood urea nitrogen, blood urea nitrogen/creatinine ratio, lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase MB during hibernation compared to during non-hibernation. Adults also showed significantly higher levels of triglyceride, but lower levels of inorganic phosphorus, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and creatine phosphokinase during hibernation than during non-hibernation. During hibernation, the urea nitrogen/creatinine ratio and levels of alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatine phosphokinase in young bears were significantly higher than in adults, whereas creatinine levels were lower than in adults. During non-hibernation, the urea nitrogen/creatinine ratio and levels of calcium, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine phosphokinase and creatine kinase MB in young bears were significantly higher, whereas creatinine, total protein, albumin, gamma-glutamyl transferase and haemoglobin levels were lower than in adults. The results of this study provide reference values that will aid in understanding the physiology of Asiatic black bears and in assessing the health of these animals in captive environments.

The objective of this study was to calculate economic weights for ten current breeding objective traits and for four new traits characterising claw health and feed efficiency in Czech Holstein cattle and to investigate the impact of different selection indices on the genetic responses for these traits. Economic weights were estimated using a bio-economic model, while applying actual (2017) and predicted (2025) production and economic circumstances. For the actual situation, the economic weights of claw disease incidence were -100.1 € per case, and those of daily residual feed intake in cows, breeding heifers, and fattened animals were -79.37, -37.16, and -6.33 €/kg dry matter intake per day, respectively. In the predicted situation, the marginal economic weights for claw disease and feed efficiency traits increased on average by 38% and 20%, respectively. The new traits, claw disease incidence and daily residual feed intake, were gradually added to the 17 current Holstein selection index traits to improve the new traits. Constructing a comprehensive index with 21 traits and applying the general principles of the selection index theory, a favourable annual genetic selection response was obtained for the new traits (-0.008 cases of claw disease incidence and -0.006 kg of daily residual feed intake across all cattle categories), keeping the annual selection response of the most important current breeding objective traits at a satisfactory level (e.g., 73 kg of milk yield per lactation, 0.016% of milk fat). Claw health and feed efficiency should be defined as new breeding objectives and new selection index traits of local dairy population.