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The Turn of the month (ToM) effect is a calendar anomaly when the majority of returns of an asset are concentrated into several days around the end of the old month and the start of the new one. Until now, the investigation of the ToM effect has mainly been focused on the stock markets. However, this paper investigates the presence of the ToM effect in eight key agricultural commodity markets (cocoa, coffee, corn, cotton, rice, soybean, sugar, wheat), using three different alternatives of the ToM window, during the 2001–2021 time period. The results show a statistically significant ToM effect in the rice, coffee, and sugar markets. Further results show that the ToM pattern changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that, in the case of commodities with a statistically significant ToM effect, the ToM effect can be efficiently used to beat the buy & hold investment strategy convincingly.

The aim was to study the evolution and severity of white striping and wooden breast myopathies and to carry out a study on the parameters of meat quality and allometric growth of male and female broilers at different ages. The experiment was conducted in a broiler house in a completely randomized design, using 960 one-day-old chicks of the Cobb^® strain, with 480 chicks of each sex. 96 birds per treatment were slaughtered weekly at the age of 21 to 49 days. The present study analyses the occurrence of myopathies, their scores, and their evolution over the age of the birds, comparing males and females. Further assessments included the allometric coefficient and meat quality analyses such as physical measurements (breast length, width, and thickness), pH, colour (L*, a*, and b*), drip loss, water-holding capacity, cooking loss, and shear force. The results demonstrate that the sex of birds did not affect the occurrence of white striping and wooden breast myopathies. However, the degree of myopathies evolved with advancing age, suggesting the weight as a predisposing factor for these myopathies. The emergence of white striping myopathy occurred as early as in the third week of the birds’ life. Wooden breast did not develop as isolated myopathy, occurring only in the concomitant presence of white striping. The allometric coefficient demonstrated that regardless of the sex and age, broiler breast had positive heterogonic growth, i.e. late growth in relation to the other parts of the body.

Brachycephalic dogs are prone to a conformation-related respiratory disorder known as brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). Due to its systemic consequences, BOAS should be considered a systemic disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate platelet count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV), and plateletcrit (PCT) in patients with various grades of BOAS and non-brachycephalic dogs. The latter served as a control group. We included 106 patients with BOAS and 41 non-brachycephalic dogs. According to the severity of the disease, BOAS patients were classified into grade 1 (17 dogs), grade 2 (42 dogs), and grade 3 (47 dogs). Thrombocytosis was found in 46% (46/106) of all BOAS patients. High platelet mass was found in 62% (66/106) of all BOAS patients. We found significantly (P < 0.05) higher PLT, MPV, and PCT in BOAS patients of all grades compared to non-brachycephalic dogs. Our results suggest that platelets may play an important role in BOAS. Our results suggest that platelets may play an important role in BOAS. However, further studies are needed to clarify the role of PLT and platelet indices in BOAS and their relationship with inflammation and hypercoagulability.

Due to a scarcity of freshwater resources, agriculture is dependent on the use of poor quality water for irrigation in arid and semi-arid regions. Hence, the effective use of poor quality water requires pioneering water management and nitrogen fertilizer practices for increasing yield and resource efficiency. This study aimed to investigate the effect of saline water levels, nitrogen fertilizer, and irrigation methods on eggplant yield, water productivity, NPK uptake, and nitrogen use efficiency. The experiment was conducted in 2019 and 2020 under drip (IM1) and surface flood irrigation (IM2). The treatments included three saline water levels i.e. canal water (SW1), ECiw=2.5 dS/m (SW2), and ECiw=5.0 dS/m (SW3) along with the three nitrogen levels of 75% (N1), 100% (N2), and 125% (N3) of the recommended dose of nitrogen. Application of saline water using IM1 reduced the ECe by 41.8% (SW2) and 34% (SW3) over IM2. The fruit yield, water productivity (WP), NPK uptake, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) was increased by 22%, 127.6%, 39.8%, 16.6%, 11.8%, and 23.8% under IM1 over IM2, respectively. A high saline water level under IM2 can cause more reduction in fruit yield, NPK uptake, and water use. Applying saline water through IM1 improves fruit yield, WP, and NUE by 13-32.8%, 104.1-147.3%, and 10.5-35.2% as compared to IM2. We found that saline water and N applied by drip improved eggplant yield, water productivity, and NPK uptake. It is concluded that irrigation water and nitrogen fertilizer consumption are optimized when saline water is applied through drip irrigation.

Agriculture is one of the main contributors to carbon emissions and is also significantly affected by changing climate. This article investigates the impacts of agricultural support on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from agriculture in the European Union. Panel regression models were used to examine the influence of subsidies in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on reducing GHGs from agriculture. First, estimates show that direct agricultural subsidies encouraged agricultural-related carbon emissions. Second, the study concludes that the expansion of organic agriculture and the rural development expenditures contributed to emissions reduction in the member states. Finally, the CAP Health Check reform decreased while the Ciolos reform stimulated GHG emissions.

Development of methods for bioremediation of soils contaminated with petroleum products is one of the most urgent tasks of our time. This task is more difficult to perform in high-mountainous landscapes, at an altitude of more than 4 000 m a.s.l. Moreover, these high-mountain ecosystems are the most vulnerable to various kinds of anthropogenic impacts, and therefore the relevance of bioremediation is obvious. The research was conducted in the high-altitude ecosystems of the Kyrgyz Republic at the Kumtor mine. In this study was carried out on the bioremediation of oil contaminated soil using biostimulation, bioaugmentation and biostimulation + bioaugmentation remediation techniques for 90 days in the climatic conditions of high mountain region. The biostimulation treatment showed the highest total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) biodegradation percentage 62.78% compared to the bioaugmentation 50.63% and biostimulation + bioaugmentation 49.11%. Thus, the method of biostimulation proved to be the most effective method for bioremediation of soils contaminated with petroleum products. The application of this method could be one of the successful methods of recycling contaminated soils. This study demonstrated the possibility of restoring TPH-polluted soils using biological methods of soil treatment in climatic cold conditions of high mountains.

The authors present two cases of borderline ovarian tumours with microinvasion in bitches with variable clinical significance. The first case documents a four-year-old female Weimaraner diagnosed with a tumour on the right ovary during a veterinary check-up, using USG examination, which was then surgically removed. Histological examination revealed a clear cell borderline tumour of the ovary with microinvasion. The second case is represented by a necropsy sample from a 52-month-old female German shepherd which died a day before the planned hysterectomy due to undertreated pyometra. During necropsy, a developed form of bilateral ovarian tumour was found. An additional histological examination diagnosed a serous borderline tumour with microinvasion of both ovaries. This paper discusses the histopathological and clinical aspects involved in the prognosis of borderline ovarian tumours in bitches, This concerns the possibility of a change for a more aggressive form of the behaviour of these tumours and their immunohistochemical profile, then the risk of implant metastases and, finally, the time point of diagnosis, intervention and therapy. Even histologically verified well-differentiated forms of borderline ovarian tumours with microinvasion in bitches can show variable clinical significance and, therefore, in similar cases, only a good or only a bad prognosis of the disease should not be expected.

This study examined the effects of beneficial rhizobacterium Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain AFS009 and entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana strain GHA against plumeria rust Coleosporium plumeriae. Two preemptive or three curative laboratory experiments and a curative field experiment were conducted to examine the effects of these commercially available biocontrol products. Treatments included the application of B. bassiana at 1.23 g/L and P. chlororaphis at 3 or 9 g/L. Systemic fungicide azoxystrobin applied at 0.12 g/L and water were included as positive and negative controls, respectively. While its effect was insignificant in the field trial, B. bassiana reduced the rust pustule development in one of two preemptive and two of three curative laboratory trials. In contrast, P. chlororaphis applied at 9 g/L suppressed the number of rust pustules in both laboratory and field experiments, demonstrating its potential biological activity against plumeria rust. In the field trial, the effect of P. chlororaphis was observed at 14 days post-treatment, suggesting that an application interval of 14 days on infected plants can take the rust under control.

Food security is of great importance to all countries. Correspondingly, agricultural price insurance is an important tool to maintain food security. This study adopts the traditional spider web model to establish a mathematical framework for exploring the internal mechanism of agricultural price insurance, which can ease the volatility of the agricultural market. Then, the influence of agricultural price insurance on the supply of agricultural products is examined. The findings show that the supply elasticity of most agricultural products is greater than the demand elasticity, with agricultural product markets presenting a natural divergence. Agricultural price insurance changes the supply curve of agricultural products by reducing their supply elasticity, subsequently positively affecting the reduction of price fluctuation and the stabilisation of outputs. Agricultural price insurance can even change agricultural product markets under certain conditions, allowing a shift from divergence to convergence. Moreover, by adjusting the insurance parameters of agricultural prices, the equilibrium yield and price can be changed, and the planting area and income of farmers can be maximised. The mathematical basis for agricultural insurance derived in this study can support food security strategies at the national level and further provide a theoretical basis to formulate policies and departmental measures.

Apples are available all year round since they can be stored for long time. However, the expression of the major apple allergen Mal d 1 can increase in the fruit during storage and incease so the risk of allergies in sensitive consumers. Therefore, we studied the change in the expression of the Mal d 1 gene during storage in the modern cultivar UEB 32642 (known under the brand name Opal^®) and the cultivar Gala Brookfield (cv. Gala) as a reference. The cultivars were stored under two different conditions, ultra-low oxygen (ULO) and standard cold conditions. The gene expression was evaluated both in fresh fruits and in fruits stored for four, six, and nine months. Nine isoforms of the gene Mal d 1 with the highest published expression were quantified using real-time PCR. The most expressed isoforms Mal d 1.01, Mal d 1.02 and Mal d 1.06A were found in the fresh and also in the stored fruits. The expression of the Mal d 1.03G and Mal d 1.06D isoforms was higher the sored fruits. Our study confirmed that (i) Opal^® had a lower overall expression of the Mal d 1 gene than cv. Gala, both in the fresh and stored fruits; (ii) standard cold storage is superior in preserving lower Mal d 1 levels in Opal^®apples compared to the ULO conditions; and (iii) less expressed isoforms may be responsible for the general increase in the Mal d 1 gene expression during storage.

This study explored the regulatory effect of temperature stress on fatty acid biosynthesis in the early stage of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) based on Δ6-fatty acids desaturase (Δ6FAD) and elongase-5 (ELOVL5) gene expression and fatty acid composition. One-day-old carp larvae were selected, and after seven days of acclimatisation at 25 °C, the larvae were subjected to temperature stress for 96 h in water at 32 °C or 10 °C. In the post-larval stage, 30-day-old carp juveniles were selected and, after seven days of acclimatisation at 25 °C, were subjected to temperature stress for seven days in water at 32 °C or 10 °C. The results showed that common carp larvae could rapidly and highly express Δ6FAD and ELOVL5 genes within 48 h at high temperature (32 °C) compared with the 0 h group (P < 0.05), while gene expression began to gradually increase after 48 h at low temperature (10 °C). There was a significant improvement in C22:6n-3 and C20:5n-3 after 96 h at low temperature compared with the 0 h group (P < 0.05). In common carp juveniles, the Δ6FAD gene in the intestine, brain and liver was sensitive to low temperature, but the ELOVL5 gene in the intestine, brain and liver of common carp was sensitive to high temperature. The low temperature increased the amount of highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) in the common carp juveniles. The results indicated that temperature could regulate the expression of the Δ6FAD and ELOVL5 genes for HUFA production, as well as for participation in the biosynthesis of fatty acids in the body during the early development of common carp. The results of this study help clarify the regulatory effects of temperature on fatty acid biosynthesis during the early development of common carp.

Particle drift happens during herbicide application when droplets travel outside the intended site. Different nozzles produce various range of droplets, so they play a very important role in coverage and drift occasions. When nozzles produce small droplets, the potential for off-target movement is very high. Another important factor determining particle drift is the distance between crops. Wind velocity gives the energy to herbicide particles to move away from the target place. Therefore, a drift simulation of herbicide (mesotrione and rimsulfuron plus thifensulfuron-methyl mixture) was done in a wind tunnel, using different nozzles Extended Range (XR) and Turbo TeeJet Induction (TTI). The wind speed was set at 4.4 m/s, representing the least favourable conditions where applications are possible. In the wind tunnel, eight crops (cantaloupe, cotton, green bean, pumpkin, soybean, sunflower, wheat, and watermelon) were positioned at 4, 6, 9, and 12 m downwind distances from the nozzle, and drift was simulated. Following treatments, plants were returned to a greenhouse for 28 days, and biomass reduction was recorded. Artificial collectors (Mylar cards) and water sensitive cards were positioned alongside plants. According to obtained results, spraying with XR nozzle influences higher injuries than TTI nozzle. Tracer deposition was higher at all distances when XR nozzle was used. Accordingly, droplet numbers, covered area, Volume Median Diameter (VMD), and deposition were higher on water sensitive cards when spraying were done using XR nozzle. As a consequence, higher biomass reduction occurred using the XR nozzle. The most sensitive crops were cantaloupe, pumpkin and sunflower, while the most tolerant were soybean and wheat.

Phosphorus (P) deficiency significantly affects crop productivity, especially legume crops. Therefore, it is important to understand the P-acquisition strategies of different leguminous crops. In this study, we undertook a pot experiment with 11 legume crops (soybean, faba bean, pea, cowpea, common bean, lentil, adzuki bean, chickpea, grass pea, red kidney bean and common vetch) to investigate P-acquisition strategies related to root morphology, organic acid and acid phosphatase exudations, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonisation under low (4.4 mg/kg) and optimal (40 mg/kg) P conditions. The results revealed that P deficiency significantly decreased biomass and P accumulation, root length (10.5%), and root surface area (7.9%), increased organic acid exudation (80.2%) and acid phosphatase activity (16.8%), and did not affect root diameter or root AMF colonisation rate. Principal component analysis revealed a positive correlation between organic acid exudation and acid phosphatase activity, while root length and root surface area negatively correlated with organic acid exudation, acid phosphatase activity and root AMF colonisation rate. P accumulation positively correlated with root length, surface area, and diameter but negatively correlated with organic acid exudation, acid phosphatase activity, and AMF colonisation rate. These findings confirmed the following: (1) legume crops use a P-mobilisation strategy related to organic acid exudation and acid phosphatase activity to acquire P under low soil P conditions; (2) organic acid exudation coincided with acid phosphatase activity to mobilise soil inorganic and organic P, improving P accumulation; (3) a trade-off exists between the P-scavenging strategy related to root morphology traits and mobilisation strategy.

Grassland as a part of farmland is important for agrobiodiversity, soil protection and agricultural production (grazing, hay production). In the Czech Republic, grassland area increases with increasing altitude. In this study we evaluated the period 1966–2021 and the change in grassland area in different locations in South Bohemia region: fertile lowlands (Písek, České Budějovice, Tábor districts) and marginal uplands (Český Krumlov, Prachatice districts). Data on land use including the share of grassland were obtained from the Czech Cadastral and Surveying Office and Czech Statistical Office. In the upland districts, there is the largest share of grassland areas in the whole region. The prevalence of grasslands is probably due to the geographic and climatic conditions, which are challenging here. Our research shows the results of changes in grassland areas between 1967 and 2021, with regard to the assessed districts. The difference in the percent area of grassland in 2021 compared to 1967 is –0.04 to –1.77 for lowlands, and +1.45 to +5.99 for uplands. Despite this, uplands farmers practice relatively extensive farming methods and extensive grazing due to low ruminant numbers. Although farmers maintain relevant carbon sinks, it is unlikely to increase the carbon stocks per hectare of extensive grasslands on an annual basis, which would be a barrier to participation in a carbon farming system.

The Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict significantly affected wheat production and its export from Ukraine, mainly during the war outbreak. Since both countries rank among the major global wheat producers, the warfare disrupted wheat supplies, hastily pushing the prices. Based on the analysed data, we carried out research using multilayer perceptron networks. The findings suggest the biggest price increase between February and March 2022, witnessing wheat prices at about 1 400 USD per t. We predict a decline to the pre-war values until the end of 2025, estimating its rates between 600 USD and 800 USD per t. This price slump may involve signing an agreement on unblocking Ukrainian seaports, which would restore wheat exports. Yet, our survey is confined to historical data, which do not suggest any dramatic event that would alarmingly sway wheat prices.

This paper presents the results of a two-year trial on the yield, total phenolic and flavonoid contents and total antioxidant capacity of the ‘Willamette’ red raspberry under organic and conventional farming. A trial was conducted in a commercial plantation of ‘Willamette’ raspberries located in the southwestern part of Serbia. The total phenolics and flavonoids in the raspberry fruits were determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and aluminium chloride assay, respectively. The ferric reducing antioxidant power assay was used to evaluate the total antioxidant capacity of the raspberry fruits. The results of this study showed that the raspberry yields were significantly affected by the different farming systems. The raspberry yield in conventional farming was higher than that of organic farming. Contrastingly, the raspberries from the organic farming contained higher levels of the total phenolics and flavonoids and also had a higher total antioxidant activity compared to those from the conventional farming in both 2021 and 2022. This study also showed that the total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the ‘Willamette’ red raspberry have a significant and positive correlation with their total antioxidant capacity, indicating that the phenolic compounds play an important role in the antioxidant activity of the raspberry.

The use of sludge in agriculture within the European Union (EU) is currently regulated only by the limits of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) listed in Council Directive 86/278/EEC. This document is now more than 30 years old. Several European countries have introduced more stringent requirements in comparison with the directive, and have adopted limits for concentrations of other heavy metals, synthetic organic compounds and microbial contamination. The paper provides an overview of the current limits of these substances in sewage sludge and concentration limits of heavy metals in soil intended for sludge application, together with applicable laws and regulations in European Union countries. There is a need to update these regulations taking into account the current risks associated with the application of sludge to agricultural land, with the possibility of using ecotoxicological tests to assess the risks. A wide range of technologies for sewage sludge processing is used in EU countries. The predominant choice is a direct application in agriculture followed by composting. The use of sewage sludge in agriculture in 2014 and 2015 in 13 EU countries that provided data amounted to 22.6% (2014) and 22.1% (2015) of produced sludge and 23.3% (2014) and 23.1% (2015) of sludge disposed. It is also highly variable within EU countries ranging between zero (Malta, Slovenia, Slovakia) and 80% (Ireland). Over 50% of sewage sludge is used in agriculture in Bulgaria according to 2015 data.

This study aimed to determine the nano-emulsion of virgin coconut oil (n-VCO) formula that can produce the best size and zone inhibition of antimicrobial activity. The VCO was formulated with the different percentages of Tween 80 (P1: 24%, P2: 25%, P3: 26%) and sorbitol (P1: 36%, P2: 35%, P3: 34%). The particle size of the n-VCO emulsion was observed under transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The antimicrobial activity test of the n-VCO was determined by a challenge test using Salmonella Typhi (S. Typhi), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. The data were analysed by a one-way ANOVA (P < 0.05). The significant data were furthermore tested by Duncan’s multiple ranges (SPSS v26.0). This study showed that the P3 formulation (26% Tween 80 and 34% sorbitol) produced the best n-VCO among all the treatments showing a particle size of 5–100 nm. Formulas P1 and P2 produced particle sizes of about 500–1 000 nm. The antimicrobial test showed that the P3 formula had a strong inhibitory effect on S. Typhi (7.442 ± 0.52 mm), S. aureus (8.380 ± 0.49 mm), and E. coli (6.490 ± 0.82 mm). This study concluded that the formula of the detergent strongly influences the particle size of the n-VCO. The n-VCO has enormous potential to be used as an alternative antimicrobial.

Apple trees of the cultivar ‘Sampion’ were planted at the Experimental Orchard of National Institute of Horticultural Research in Dąbrowice. In a three-year experiment (2019–2021) the following fertilization combinations were applied: AquaGel (commercial hydrogel), AquaGel combined with a consortium of beneficial bacteria, AquaGel combined with a consortium of beneficial filamentous fungi, organic compost alone, compost combined with a consortium of beneficial bacteria, and compost combined with a consortium of beneficial filamentous fungi. The presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was assessed both in the rhizosphere soil and in the roots of apple trees. The results of the study indicate the most advantageous effect of compost combined with bacteria or fungi on the degree of root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and the formation of their spores in the soil.

A public private partnership can be an effective approach to deal the projects with modern agricultural development in Sub Saharan Africa. A former financial analysis of a development project, carried out by the authors, showed that public and private partners can effectively join in a mutually satisfactory venture capital. The same project is now complemented with a bankability study, considering lenders options, equity allocation, collaterals and likely applicable interest rates, available cash flow and sustainable debt service repayment to provide a through financing scenario for each partner's perspective assessing the relevant Debt Service and Loan Life Cover Ratios. Cash flow and interest rates fluctuation impacts are eventually investigated with a sensitivity analysis to prove the robustness of the proposed scenario.

The estimation of the level of the soil organic carbon (SOC) content plays an important role in assessing the soil health state. Visible and Near Infrared Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (Vis-NIR DRS) is a fast and cheap tool for measuring the SOC. However, when this technology is applied on a larger area, the soil prediction accuracy decreases due to the heterogeneity of the samples. In this paper, we first investigate the global model performance in the LUCAS EU-wide topsoil database. Then, different clustering strategies were tested, including the k-means clustering based on the principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering, combined with the partial least squares regression (PLSR) models, and a clustering based on a local PLSR approach. The best validation results were obtained for the local PLSR approach with R² = 0.75, root mean squared error of prediction (RMSEP) = 13.38 g/kg and ratio of performance to interquartile range (RPIQ) = 2.846, but the algorithm running time was 30.05 s. Similar results were obtained for the k-means clustering method with R² = 0.75, RMSEP = 14.61 g/kg and RPIQ = 2.844, at only 4.52 s. This study demonstrates that the PLSR approach based on k-means clustering is able to achieve similar prediction accuracy as the local PLSR approach, while significantly improving the algorithm speed. This provides the theoretical basis for adapting the spectral soil model to the needs of real-time SOC quantification.

The effects of potato drip irrigation on soil nitrogen dynamics and potato yield was studied in small-plot field trials. The trials were evaluated at during three experimental times seasons (2016-2018). Four variants of irrigation were determined, ie non-irrigated, 60, 65 and 70 ASWC (Available Soil Water Capacity). At the same time, two pre-planting fertilization dates were set at a maximum of 120 kg N/ha a in divided i.e. 60 kg N/ha before planting and 60 kg N/ha by fertigation during vegetation. Pre-planting crop fertilization or in-season fertigation did not have any significant effect on the potato yields of most variants. In all studied parameters, the positive beneficial effect of irrigation was recorded and compared to the non-irrigated control. The mitigation of drought stress in plants during the growing season is the most important advantage of irrigation. In the trials, on average across all years and varieties, the yield of the irrigated variant increased by 41 % compared to the non-irrigated variant. Maintaining optimal soil moisture has a favourable effect use of applied fertilizers. The highest mineral nitrogen content in the soil was recorded for the variant without irrigation. Considering the increased use of nitrogen fertilizers, the subsurface drip line appeared to be optimal for the creation of suitable conditions for nitrogen availability to plants in the root zone.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of rumination time, eating time and season on milk yield and on milk component content in the context of milk recording. The experiment was carried out with two breeds – Czech Fleckvieh cattle and Holstein cattle – for one year. Vitalimetr 5P neck responders were used to monitor eating and rumination time. For statistical evaluation, the time of eating and rumination was divided into three groups according to the length of eating and ruminating, with each breed being categorised separately. The highest protein content, which was 3.6%, was calculated for the group with an average eating time. The fat content was highest for the group with a below-average eating time. On the other hand, the highest milk yield was statistically significantly (P < 0.01) higher in the group with the longest eating time. In terms of rumination, the trend was similar to that of the eating period. In the evaluation of the effect of rumination time, there was no difference in protein %, fat kg and fat % content. A significant (P < 0.05) increase of protein kg was observed with higher rumination time. Changes in milk yield and milk components also occurred throughout the year. During the winter months, the yield decreased, but there was an increase in milk constituent content. During the summer months, the reverse results were obtained. The findings of this study highlight the importance of evaluating eating and rumination time as a potential predictor of milk yield and milk solids content, which are important in milk monetization.

Listeria monocytogenes is not only a pathogen causing a serious food-borne disease in humans but can also occur as a saprophyte in the natural environment. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of L. monocytogenes obtained from the natural environment of the Czech Republic (hereinafter Czechia) and Slovakia in 2016–2018 and to compare the clonal relationship of strains circulating in the environment with the strains originating from the food chain and humans. Altogether, 217 samples of mud, surface water, vegetation and soil were collected in 61 locations. Samples were processed according to the modified EN ISO 11290-1 standard. The obtained L. monocytogenes isolates were characterised using serotyping, macrorestriction analysis, followed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, whole genome sequencing (WGS), and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. L. monocytogenes were detected in 8.8% of the examined samples and were isolated in 15 locations, mainly from the mud from the banks of the surface water sources. Altogether, 25 L. monocytogenes strains were obtained from 19 positive samples. Serotypes 1/2a, 4b, and 1/2b were detected among the strains. Twenty combined AscI/ApaI pulsotypes were obtained by macrorestriction analysis. Altogether, 12 sequence types (STs) were detected using Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) by WGS, with ST451 being the most frequent. The core genome MLST analysis revealed a heterogeneous population of environmental strains. No phenotype resistance was detected by antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Screening of antimicrobial-resistance genes using the platform ResFinder revealed the genes fosX in 24 isolates and blaTEM-116 in one isolate. The occurrence of L. monocytogenes in various samples from natural environments within wide altitude range during different seasons of the year may highlight this bacterium's remarkable adaptability and exceptional tolerance to external factors. Serotype distribution of the strains circulating in the natural environment of Czechia and Slovakia seems to reflect distribution in the human population more than in the food chain.

Nitric oxide (NO) plays numerous essential physiological functions in terrestrial animals. In mammals, NO production from l-arginine is catalysed by the enzyme NO synthase (NOS). In recent years, data have begun to emerge on NOS expression and the physiological significance of NO in ectothermic vertebrates such as fish. However, there are relatively fewer data compared to the mammalian system. Although it is already well known that animal molybdoenzymes can convert nitrate and nitrite into NO, there is almost no information on the content and properties of molybdoenzymes in fish organs in the scientific literature. In this regard, the objectives of the present work were to detect the activity of classical molybdoenzymes xanthine oxidase (XO) and aldehyde oxidase (AO) in the liver and to study their possible activity to reduce nitrate and nitrite to nitrogen monoxide. In this work, the intrinsic activity of XO and AO was examined by using their substrates. At the same time, their nitrate (NR) – and nitrite reductase (NiR) activity were determined. It was determined that XO and AO in the fish liver are mainly represented by the molybdenum-free forms. The presence of an additional source of molybdenum can activate both the intrinsic and the NR and NiR activities. The NiR activity of XO and AO was higher than their NR activity. The data shows that treatment at a concentration of sodium molybdate and glutathione of 1.0 mM increases all activities of XO and AO. The optimal conditions for maximum activation of exogenous molybdate for XO and AO were reached by heating at 70 °C for 5 minutes. The activity of XO increased almost 4.7 times, and the activity of AO 7.7 times compared with its intrinsic activity without heat treatment. NO is formed from nitrite by the enzymes XO and AO much more than from nitrate.

Optimising diagnostic methods in shelters so that they are as economical as possible for the shelter is especially important because shelters often have a significant lack of funds and so usually do not carry out preventive screening of cats. Dermatophyte fungi spread quickly and can infect shelter staff. The aim of our work was to identify the occurrence of Microsporum canis in shelter cats. It aimed to determine the prevalence of M. canis in cats at the selected shelter and compare the efficiency of detection using a Wood’s lamp and culturing on Sabouraud’s agar. All cats present in the shelter at the time of the study (n = 70) were examined with Wood’s lamp and hair sampling followed by subsequent culturing on Sabouraud’s agar. Identification of fungi was based on microscopic proof of macroconidia and microconidia. The prevalence of M. canis by diagnosis on Sabouraud’s agar was 64.29% of cats, with the help of Wood’s lamp 48.57% of cats showed positive fluorescence. The sensitivity of the Wood lamp examination was 71% and the specificity was 92%. Our study suggests that Wood’s lamp could be used by trained shelter personnel for the first examination of cats at reception and could significantly reduce the risk of spreading M. canis in shelters.

Land trusteeship involves farmers entrusting the farming and managing of their land to trustees, who manage the land on their behalf in exchange for a commission fee. Land trusteeship has been an important approach to bridging the gap between smallholder farmers and modern agriculture in China. Because of the information asymmetry in land trusteeship, farmers have higher uncertainty and perceived risk, so social trust and institutional constraints are particularly important in promoting farmers’ participation in trusteeship. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of trust evolution and institutional constraints on smallholder farmers’ decision-making in green prevention and pest control trusteeship. Our research was conducted in Shandong, China, utilising factor analysis and binary regression. The results revealed that trusteeship decision-making combines trust governance and institutional governance, with significant roles played by institutional trust, institutional supervision, institutional regulation, and interpersonal trust. As part-time farming became more prevalent, the importance of institutional trust and institutional supervision increased, indicating a shift in trusteeship governance from social relations to institutional contracts and the maturation of land trusteeship models. In addition, we also tested the interaction effect of social trust and institutional constraints and the heterogeneity effect of different trusteeship contracts. To improve the land trust system, we must enhance farmers’ institutional trust and leverage the active role of intermediary supervision organisations such as village collectives.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different cooking methods (boiling for 5 min and 8 min, microwave cooking for 3.5 min and 6.5 min, and stir-fry for 5 min and 10 min) on wild chard's antioxidant activity and total phenolic content. It was determined that the total phenolic content [1 552.00 ± 299.82 mg GAE·(100 g)^–1, GAE – gallic acid equivalents] increased in 3.5 min in the microwave [2 611.33 ± 311.76 mg GAE·(100 g)^–1] and 5 min in stir-frying [2 434.33 ± 197.75 mg GAE·(100 g)^–1] compared to the raw chard samples (P < 0.05). Two different antioxidant activity determination methods [2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP)] were used in the study. In both methods, it was determined that antioxidant activity decreased in the 10-min application of stir-frying. In contrast, the antioxidant activity increased by applying 3.5 min and 6.5 min in the microwave (P < 0.05). As a result, it was found that the antioxidant activity and total phenol content of wild chard changed when the cooking method and time were changed.

Symptomatic samples were taken from five districts in Yogyakarta and Central Java provinces of Indonesia to survey the genetic diversity of Begomovirus, α and β satellites. A total of 14 samples were tested positive by PCR for tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV), pepper yellow leaf curl Indonesia virus (PepYLCIV), mungbean yellow mosaic India virus (MYMIV), and ageratum yellow vein China virus (AYVCNV) infections. Besides that, ageratum yellow vein alphasatellite (AYVA) was identified for the first time in Indonesia, and tomato leaf curl Java betasatellite (ToLCJaB) were detected for the first time in different hosts. Partial genome sequences of begomoviruses and complete sequences of the α and β satellites were recovered and registered in NCBI GenBank (OP846592-OP846615). Phylogenetic study showed that AYVA and ToLCJaB each had two separate lineages. Polymorphism and diversity analyses confirmed other reports that βC1 coding region of ToLCJaB genome is highly conserved. Comparison of phylogroups 1 and 2 of ToLCJaB produced a high FST value, indicated genetic isolation between them. This report could be a basis for future works on the less studied genetic variation of α and β satellites in Indonesia and other countries.

White asparagus is a highly appreciated, high-value crop with a distinguished economic relevance among vegetables. Freshly harvested asparagus is available only during a short part of the year and the demand varies. The produce is perishable and only proper handling can ensure its quality after a reasonable shelf life. In this study, we investigated a new method to reduce one of the most important reasons for quality decline: fresh matter losses. The potential benefits or disadvantages of moist asparagus packaging for unpeeled white asparagus (cv. 'Gijnlim') was tested. We used polythene sleeves or bags, lined with cellulose fleece to hold added water for moisturizing. 500 g bunches of spears were filled in the bags. Spears were partly covered by the sleeves or totally covered by the bags. All spears were stored for 3 to 11 days at the temperature of 2°C, 8°C and a combination of 2°C/22°C.The last temperatures were to simulate retail conditions. In wet bags spear fresh weight increased, losses in bags with dry fleece were low. Maintaining of fresh weight in wet bags coincided significantly with higher bending firmness, and lower shear force, which points to less fibrousness. Wet storage also reduced the incidence of dried cut surfaces but promoted the incidence of lengthwise fractures and, in combination with higher temperature, grey-brown discolouration and colour saturation. Wet packaging may be beneficial primarily under low temperature and low air humidity storage conditions.