Fulltext search in archive

Cutting down 20- to 30-years-old trees of blue spruce (Picea pungens Engelm.) (October, May) and cross-cutting them to sections of different volume (0.5-75 dm3) under conditions of half-shade × open area resulted in a potential food offer for cambiophages. Ips amitinus (Eichh.) and Pityogenes chalcographus (L.) reached the higher frequency of occurrence on sections placed in the open area than in half-shade and on stems felled in the autumn season than in the spring season. Dryocoetes autographus (Ratz.) was markedly profiled on sections in half-shade with the gradual desiccation of phloem. P. chalcographus preferring open areas occurred on branches being accompanied by Cryphalus abietis (Ratz.), which attacked branches located in half-shade. On stems of sections from both autumn and spring felling, one generation of I. amitinus developed, however, on autumn sections, the 2^nd generation developed unsuccessfully on the original nutritive material. P. chalcographus completed the development of one generation on stems and branches from autumn felling. On the spring material, the invasion was delayed and a part of wintering larvae did not complete their development. Logging residues of P. pungens were available for the development of I. amitinus and P. chalcographus during one growing season only.

The objective of this study was to estimate heritabilities and genetic correlations of lactational and daily somatic cell scores with descriptive and linear type traits in Polish Holstein-Friesian cows. Data were: test-day somatic cell scores and conformation evaluations of 24 599 primiparous cows, daughters of 802 sires. Cows calved from 2006 to 2007. The lactational somatic cell score was calculated as the average of four test-day somatic cell scores at least. The daily somatic cell score was the test-day somatic cell score closest to the date of type evaluation. A multi-trait animal model was used to estimate genetic parameters. (Co)variance components were estimated by a Bayesian algorithm via Gibbs sampling. The heritability of lactational somatic cell score was 0.20 and it was much higher than that of daily somatic cell score (0.13). Heritabilities of type traits were high to moderate for height at rump (0.46), size (0.39), overall conformation score (0.30), two linear rump traits (0.28-0.29) and three linear teat traits (0.26-0.29). The genetic correlation between lactational and daily somatic cell scores was 0.84. In many cases, daily somatic cell score showed higher genetic correlations with type traits than lactational somatic cell score. Descriptive udder and feet and legs scores were genetically correlated negatively with both lactational (-0.22 and -0.20) and daily somatic cell scores (-0.28 and -0.33). Somatic cell traits were genetically correlated positively with rump angle (0.21 and 0.19) and negatively with fore udder height (-0.26 and -0.29), udder depth (-0.23 and -0.17) and central ligament (-0.14 and -0.16). Due to higher heritability, direct selection for lower lactational somatic cell score would be more effective than selection for lower daily somatic cell score. The magnitude of obtained heritabilities and the favourable genetic correlations indicate that the selection utilizing some type traits could improve the resistance to mastitis.

The influences of the composition, environmental humidity, and temperature on the stability of dried fruit bars during storage were investigated. Sultana bars were chosen to represent similar types of fruit bars. The moisture sorption isotherms and textural stability of sultana bars with and without glucose and maltodextrin additives were determined at 20°C and 40°C using the standard static gravimetric method. The shape of all of the isotherms was found to be typical of high sugar foods and could be explained by four different models. Additives and storage temperatures affected the monolayer moisture content, equilibrium moisture content, and the textural stability of the sultana bars during storage at the same water activity. The relationship between the loss of stiffness and water activity had a sigmoid shape and was explained by Fermi's equation. This paper fills an important gap with that which does not exist in a large number of sorption behaviour publications available in the literature. It presents real data explaining the true mechanism of textural change during storage with both water activity and glass transition theories for high sugar fruit pastes. The information obtained from this study may help the food producers, who make high sugar containing dried fruit products, to create better textural and sensory properties, and may also help to predict the storage stability and packaging requirements.

The present paper focuses on the point irrigation design for crops and growing vegetables on an experimental area 2432 m² at Buchel locality, Northern part of Gobi desert in Mongolia. An underground water source (drill hole - well capacity 2 l/s with water temperature 10°C) and electricity were available in the locality of the selected area of 1 ha and 0.2% grade of slope (no map was available). The design of the surface and subsurface point irrigation for an area of 128 m² is shown together with a brief description of the hydraulic materials used for the development of the original HYBOZAM program, which was programmed in Microsoft Excel editor, especially to design the pipe dimensions of the point irrigation. A combination of two plastic pipes (with diameters 35.4/40 mm and 28.2/32 mm and 20 m lengths each) was used to provide suitable irrigation uniformity from the orifices on the laterals. HYBOZAM program provides a visual evaluation of the discharge distribution uniformity from the orifices on the laterals by its graphical output. An example of Z1 lateral for surface point irrigation (variant 2) is presented. The final result of the design calculation is given in the table presenting the most important outputs, including statistic evaluation of the discharge distribution uniformity. A table is presented for surface point irrigation - variant 2. From the table is it clear that hydraulic requirements as well as discharge distribution uniformity from the orifices on the laterals have been fulfilled.

A 10-20% decrease in annual precipitation is predicted in the Mediterranean basin, and in particular to the Iberian Peninsula, with foreseen effects on the exchange of soil-atmosphere greenhouse gases (GHGs; CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O). To simulate this scenario, we setup an experimental design in the particularly dry period of 2008-2009 using rainfall exclusion and irrigation, to obtain plots receiving 110% (538 mm), 100% (493 mm) and 74% (365 mm) of the natural precipitation. Soil CO₂ fluxes showed a strong increase from summer to autumn as a consequence of increasing soil heterotrophic respiration that resulted from rewetting. Fluxes of N₂O were negligible. According to our data, soil was a permanent CH₄ sink independent of the soil water content (in the range between 6-26% WFPS - water-filled pore space) and of soil temperature (in the range of 7-28°C), supporting the concept that seasonally dry ecosystems (Mediterranean) may represent a significant sink of atmospheric CH₄. The study provides evidence that the 26% decrease or 10% increase in the ambient rainfall from annual precipitation of ca 500 mm did not significantly affect soil functionality and had a limited impact on soil-atmosphere net GHGs exchange in evergreen oak woodlands in southern Portugal.

Conversion of coniferous monocultures to more stable mixed stands is one of the crucial tasks of present forestry in the Czech Republic. One of the factors hampering this process is the activity of small rodents that can cause severe damage to young plantations in winter. Little knowledge is still available of the ecology of small mammals in the forest environment and of the factors influencing their distribution and extent of damage. In order to acquire relevant information on rodent impacts on forest regeneration, we mapped the cumulated damage to forest plantations in 13 regions within the Czech Republic in 2007 and 2008. We checked 19,650 trees of eight species on 393 plots. Broadleaves were affected by browsing much more than conifers (20% and 4%, respectively). Of the monitored species, beech was damaged the most frequently (26% individuals). Browsing intensity differed among the regions (6-60% browsed individuals). The least damaged were the plantations at the altitudes below 400 m a.s.l.; on higher located plots the browsing intensity showed no trend. The proportion of damaged trees increased with plantation age up to 6 years, then it did not vary significantly. This study has confirmed that rodents are an important factor with a negative influence on the regeneration of broadleaves. Bark browsing in young trees is affected by several factors and the prediction of damage is complicated. Further research should improve the prediction of the bark browsing threat to young plantations and at the same time the efficiency of protection against rodent-caused damage.

The effect of partial and total replacement of soybean meal (SBM) with extruded chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.) and partial replacement of SBM with raw chickpeas on pig growth and carcass characteristics was determined in a 17 week experiment. Sixty growing-finishing pigs were allocated to five dietary treatments: CKP0, ECKP100, ECKP200, ECKP300 and CKP100 of 12 animals each, and received a diet ad libitum. The diet for CKP0 treatment had no chickpeas (control), while those for treatments ECKP100, ECKP200 and ECKP300 included 100, 200 and 300 kg/t of extruded (at 120°C for 20 s) chickpeas, respectively, and for treatment CKP100 it included 100 kg/t of raw chickpeas. Body weight (BW) gain linearly increased (P < 0.05) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) linearly decreased (P < 0.05) with the inclusion of increasing levels of extruded chickpeas during the growing period. However, in both the growing and finishing period, there were no differences between extruded chickpea inclusion treatments in final BW, BW gain, daily feed consumption (DFC), FCR, and carcass yield traits. Partial replacement of SBM with raw chickpeas negatively affected (P < 0.05) BW gain and DFC during the finishing period. Extrusion offers a practical method for the heat processing of chickpeas for use in pig diets. Thus, extruded chickpeas can be used as an alternative protein source to SBM at inclusion levels up to 300 kg/t of diet.

The Fusarium species associated with maize are widely distributed in Malaysia. Eight Fusarium species were obtained in this country. A series of field samplings was conducted from 2006 to 2008, when 167 Fusarium isolates were obtained from maize plants in seven locations throughout Malaysia. The determination was based on micro- and macromorphological features (growth rates, colony features, mode of production of microconidia, macroconidia, conidiophores, and chlamydospores). F. proliferatum (29.9% isolates), F. semitectum (22.2% isolates), F. verticillioides (13.7% isolates), and F. subglutinans (12.6% isolates) were found out most frequently. F. equiseti, F. pseudograminearum, F. oxysporum, and F. solani were also isolated. This is the first report on the occurrence of F. equiseti, F. pseudograminearum, and F. subglutinans associated with maize plants in Malaysia.

We assessed the influence of the particular genotype, age of layers, feather growth-rate gene, and their mutual interactions on selected indicators of eggshell quality in six groups of hens of the laying type Dominant. The following genotypes were examined in the experiment: Barred Plymouth Rock, Dominant BPR 951 (K) strain, slow-feathering; Barred Plymouth Rock, Dominant BPR 901 (k) strain, fast-feathering; Blue Plymouth Rock, Dominant BLPR 954 (K) strain, slow-feathering; Blue Plymouth Rock, Dominant BLPR 894 (k) strain, fast-feathering; crossbreds of the above strains in the F₁ generation Dominant D 107 blue (K), slow-feathering and Dominant D 107 blue (k), fast-feathering. The layers were fed a feed mixture NP1 (16.64 % CP) from the 20^th week of age and a feed mixture NP2 (15.02% CP) from the 42^nd week. Husbandry conditions met the regular requirements of laying hens. Egg production and live weight of hens were monitored for the duration of the experiment (12 months). Eggshell quality was examined at the layers' age of 27, 35 and 56 weeks. The average hen-day egg production for the duration of the experiment (12 months) was not significantly influenced by the particular genotype or the feather growth-rate gene. The varying representation of the feather growth-rate gene significantly (P ≤ 0.001) influenced the live weight; similarly, the relationship between the genotype and the representation of K/k alleles was significant. The average egg weight was influenced statistically significantly (P ≤ 0.001) by the age of hens, their genotype (P ≤ 0.05), feather growth-rate gene (P ≤ 0.001), and the relationship between the age and genotype (P ≤ 0.001). The age of hens, genotype, and the interaction of these two factors affected the egg shape index, as did the incidence of the feather growth-rate gene within the population (with a statistical significance of P ≤ 0.001). The age, genotype and the feather growth-rate gene incidence within the population also significantly affected the eggshell quality indicators. In the eggshell to egg ratio, eggshell thickness and strength, an interaction was determined between the age of hens and their particular genotype. The eggshell colour was also significantly (P ≤ 0.001) affected by hens' age, genotype (P ≤ 0.001), as well as by the feather growth-rate gene (P ≤ 0.001). No significant interaction between the age and the genotype was found for this indicator.

Two-year data from terminal study conducted to evaluate post-weaning growth and carcass traits of Texel, Suffolk and Columbia sired offspring were used to evaluate the effect of breed on cultural energy expenditure of lamb production. Each year whiteface ewes (n = 82) composed of primarily Polypay × Dorset ewes were exposed to Texel, Suffolk or Columbia rams for 35 days in the breeding season. The ewes were wintered outdoors on average-quality lucerne hay according to NRC (1985) requirements and were not provided any concentrate during late gestation or lactation. A total of 279 lambs were born with an average of 1.7 lambs per ewe and weaned lambs were used in the study. The lambs were weaned on average at 70 days of age and lambs from each sire breed were placed either in feedlot or on pasture. Texel and Suffolk sired lambs had higher weaning weight than Columbia sired lambs (P < 0.01). Lambs in the feedlot were fed shelled maize and pelleted protein supplement. Lambs on pasture grazed for 63 days and received 455 g concentrate daily and later they were placed in the feedlot. For the cultural energy analysis, pasture establishment and maintenance, feed in feedlot and on pasture, transportation, labour, machinery, electricity and other inputs were calculated and corresponding values for each input were obtained from literature. It was assumed for the analysis that 20 percent of ewes were culled and lambs sold after weaning were included in the analysis. Texel and Columbia breeds had a higher energy input per kg live weight than Suffolk breed (P < 0.04). There was no difference between breeds in terms of energy input per kg carcass (P > 0.4). Suffolk breed had a lower cultural energy ratio for the protein energy output than Columbia and Texel breed (P < 0.02). Energy output ratio defined as kjoule input/kjoule output was better for Suffolk breed and it was different from that of Columbia and Texel breed (P < 0.03).

Toxic pollution of soils is a major environmental problem in the Czech Republic. Most contemporary remediation approaches do not provide acceptable solutions. For environmental clean-up, the use of specially selected and engineered plants capable of effective restoration and stabilization of contaminated sites is an emerging technology called phytoremediation. Aspen (Populus spp.) trees represent optimal plants for absorption, accumulation, storage, and degradation of environmental pollutants such as heavy metals, pesticide residues, and other waste products. The first aim of this study was to verify possibilities of micropropagating selected elite European aspen (Populus tremula) and hybrid aspen (Populus tremula × Populus tremuloides) mature trees growing in polluted areas. The primary cultures were established from 24 years old trees from provenance plots. Dormant buds were sampled from selected trees in spring. After sterilization of dormant buds, the shoot tips were extirpated and put on nutrient media. MS medium with a higher concentration of BAP (1.0 mg/l) and IBA (0.1 mg/l) showed to be suitable for induction of organogenesis. MS medium with lower concentration of BAP (0.2 mg/l) and higher concentration of glutamine (100 mg/l) in agar medium was used for multiplication. A high number of adventitious shoots (20-30) was produced per multi-apex culture. The losses during rooting and acclimatization were minimal, around 2%. Currently, the plantlets grow on the outside bed of the experimental nursery. Twenty-five clones were established in the gene bank. Secondly, standardization of the efficient transformation of hybrid aspen was investigated with the aim to facilitate production of transformed hybrid aspen with valuable genes for increased capability of phytoremediation in the near future. Four gene constructs of Agrobacterium tumefaciens comprising different promoters (bearing two genes, NPTII coding resistance to kanamycin, and GUS coding glucuronidase synthesis allowing histochemical and fluorometrical identification) were used for transformations of aspen hybrid stem segments. A promoter suitable for transformations was selected on the basis of GUS activity assay. The highest activity was estimated in transformants with construct 148 controlled by promoter CAMV 35S.

Limnocharis flava (L.) Buchenau is among the most problematic rice weeds in Malaysia and is also reported to have developed multiple resistance to AHAS inhibitor bensulfuron-methyl and synthetic auxin 2,4-D. In this study, resistance across different AHAS inhibitors was characterised in a L. flava population infesting rice fields in Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. Dose-response experiments were conducted to determine the level of resistance to sulfonylureas, imidazolinone, triazolopyrimidine, and pyrimidinyl-thiobenzoate. Cross-resistance across different AHAS inhibitors was observed in the resistant L. flava population, exhibiting a high level of resistance to bensulfuron-methyl, while exhibiting a moderate level of resistance to metsulfuron-methyl and a low level of resistance to pyrazosulfuron-ethyl and pyribenzoxim. However, all resistant L. flava individuals were still sensitive to imazethapyr, penoxsulam, and bispyribac-sodium. Based on the results, it is likely that resistance to AHAS inhibitors in L. flava is conferred by target-site resistance mechanisms.

The article's objective, which is to identify the causes of the very poor level of management of the administration of these state assets, to present the possibilities of a long-tested experimental model at the Land Fund of the Czech Republic, and to draw attention to this model's potential in its possible implementation in administration of the entire management complex of these state assets in the Czech Republic. The authors first dealt with the theoretical aspects of the given issue, and then prepared an analysis of the original debt collection management "system". This is logically followed by an analysis of the experimental model's efficiency, rounded off with its conclusions. The final chapter contains the results of the research aimed at the current level of knowledge of the examined issue in compressed form, further the outcomes of the research concerned with original unsystematic debt collection management, also results of the implementation of the experimental model, and the assessment of the significance belonging to the results of implementing the experimental model for the entire national economy of the Czech Republic.

Knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of response to environmental stress is fundamental for the development of genetically stress-tolerant crops. This study aims to find vegetable soybean accessions tolerant to cultivation in stressful tropical environments. Fourteen accessions of the vegetable soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) were grown in mineral and beach ridges interspersed with swale (BRIS) soils. The genetic diversity, estimated using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers, revealed 42.50% polymorphism and was regarded as moderate. The unweighted pair-group method arithmetic average (UPGMA) analysis allocated the tested accessions into five major clusters at a similarity coefficient level of 0.43. The lowest values of the genetic distance were between IIUMSOY11 and IIUMSOY13 & IIUMSOY13 and IIUMSOY14, indicating that these accessions were more genetically distant from the other accessions. Ten differentially expressed proteins were identified in the three selected accessions IIUMSOY1, IIUMSOY11 and IIUMSOY14 using mass spectrometry, revealing a unique expression of the proteins involved in the storage, flavonoid metabolism, protein modification, oxidative stress defence, carbohydrate metabolism and respiratory chain. The findings may be valuable for the selection of genetically diverse accessions, to enhance the breeding of vegetable soybean genotypes suitable for stressful tropical environments.

Foliar nutrients containing macronutrients, micronutrients and a combination of both were applied to Physalis peruviana, P. alkekengi and P. ixocarpa to determine their effect on fruit quality. A randomised complete block design study was conducted in a greenhouse on Madura Island, Indonesia. This study showed significant interactions between Physalis species and foliar nutrition to the physicochemical character of the fruit. Each species responded differently to the given nutrients. The combination of 1 g/L macronutrient (P and K) and 0.0625 g/L micronutrients (Zn, Fe, Cu, B, Mo and Mn) resulted in the highest fruit antioxidant activity, vitamin C, total soluble solids and redness of the three Physalis species. Generally, macronutrients and micronutrients in combination can be recommended to increase the quality of Physalis fruit.

This is a pilot study dealing with the reduced femoral bone structure in Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats following a 10 weeks treatment with bee bread and Cornelian cherries. The adult ZDF rats were divided into 4 groups: the E1 group received bee bread (500 mg/kg b.w. daily), the E2 group received Cornelian cherries (500 mg/kg b.w. per day), the E3 group was simultaneously supplemented by bee bread and Cornelian cherries (500 + 500 mg/kg b.w. daily), and the C group served as an untreated diabetic control. A non-significant decrease in the blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride concentrations, ALP activity and a non-significant increase in the insulin, total body weight of the ZDF rats, femoral length and weight were observed in the E1, E2, and E3 groups. The treatments had no impact on the relative volume of the cortical bone, bone mineral density, bone surface and cortical bone thickness. On the contrary, the relative volume of the trabecular bone, trabecular thickness and trabecular bone surface were significantly increased in the E1 group. The relative volume of the trabecular bone and trabecular thickness were significantly elevated in the E2 group. In the E3 group, the trabecular thickness was found to have significantly increased. Single administrations of either bee bread or Cornelian cherries had more positive effects on the trabecular bone microarchitecture in the ZDF rats than the simultaneous supplementation.

An 11-year-old spayed female Toy Poodle presented with acute tetraparesis. A small subcutaneous mass was found in the right trunk region, and the magnetic resonance revealed a compressive spinal cord lesion due to an irregular bone proliferation at the third cervical vertebra. After surgical resection of the vertebral lesion, the neurological symptoms improved, and the patient could walk on her own. The excised vertebral and subcutaneous masses were diagnosed as a mammary adenocarcinoma on the histopathological examination, with Ki-67 and HER-2 immunohistochemistry staining. This case report highlights the importance of defining the primary tumours of metastatic vertebral tumours and the necessity of palliative surgery to improve the patient's quality of life.

According to the Soil Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan released in May 2016, the soil quality of 666 666.7 ha of agricultural soil requires remediation before 2020. Despite the survey on the environmental quality of soil in China released in 2014, detailed data on current pollutant concentrations remain unavailable. To date, reports on soil environmental quality on the national scale are few. The current research aimed to gain a detailed understanding of soil pollution in China through literature study and data analysis. Data for eight potentially toxic elements (i.e., arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb)) and two organic pollutants (i.e., hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs)) were collected from 367 areas involving 163 prefecture-level cities. Principal component analysis and clustering analysis were conducted to understand the relationships among pollutants. Results indicated that organic pollution was less severe than inorganic pollution. In terms of land-use types, garden soil showed the heaviest pollution, followed by arable land and woodland. Regarding geographic distribution, the south central and southwest areas displayed heavy pollution. Principal component and clustering analyses revealed that As, Hg, HCH, and DDTs were mainly contributed by anthropogenic sources; Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn were primarily caused by natural background; and Cd and Pb were contributed by both sources. The soil pollution status varied among land-use types and geographic areas. The implementation of proper remediation strategies requires detailed investigations on soil environmental quality.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the applicability of B-mode, Doppler, acoustic radiation force impulse elastography and contrast-enhanced ultrasound exams in the differentiation of neoplastic and non-neoplastic benign mammary lesions in bitches. This research was conducted as a prospective secondary observational cohort (2014-2016) study, which included 36 mammary lesions, evaluated physically and by ultrasound (B-mode, Doppler, contrast-enhanced ultrasound and acoustic radiation force impulse) exams prior to mastectomy and histopathological classification as neoplastic or non-neoplastic lesions. All ultrasonographic parameters studied were compared between histopathological classifications using Fisher's or Student's tests and differences were considered significant when P < 0.05. Out of 36 benign mammary lesions evaluated, 25 were classified as neoplastic and 11 as non-neoplastic. The qualitative and quantitative parameters evaluated using the different ultrasound methods were not effective (P > 0.05) in differentiating between neoplastic and non-neoplastic mammary masses in bitches. Nevertheless, some B-mode variables, such as longitudinal length (P = 0.0292), width/length ratio (P = 0.0001) and width/height ratio (P = 0.0001) showed limited efficacy in the differentiation of mammary lesions types. In conclusion, ultrasonographic evaluation of benign canine mammary lesions did not allow differentiation between neoplastic and non-neoplastic tissues and only a few B-mode variables may aid in the prediction of specific tumour types.

In this study, the relationships of temperature humidity index (THI) with milk yield and some physiological responses in dairy cattle were investigated. Our goal in the meta-analysis was to find the parameter(s) primarily affected under heat stress. A total of 16 studies with the temperature humidity index value higher than 72, which is an important factor in determining the effect of heat stress, were included in the meta-analysis. The variables of interest in the meta-analysis included: milk yield (kg/day), respiratory rate (breaths/min), rectal temperature (°C). In addition to the meta-analysis, principal component analysis (PCA) was also performed. In the meta-analysis, high variation or heterogeneity (I² > 99%) was determined between the results of the studies. This may depend on many factors (climate, region, number of samples and management etc.). Heterogeneity is desirable in the meta-analysis, because it provides accurate and reliable interpretations of the variances of parameters. Due to high heterogeneity, the results of the studies were combined according to the mixed model. According to the mixed model and PCA results, a linear relationship was determined between the temperature humidity index and these physiological parameters. According to the meta-analysis, at THI > 72, the mean effect size of milk yield was 50%, and the effect sizes of respiratory rate and rectal temperature were approximately 65% and 38%. All three parameters have a significant effect under heat stress (P < 0.000 1). As a result, there is a linear relationship between temperature humidity index, milk yield and physiological parameters. According to the other characteristics, the respiratory rate was determined as the primary response parameter in parallel with the increase in temperature humidity index.

In the paper, the price volatility was examined. The authors used 650 weekly observations from 2003 to 2015. Such a long period of analysis helped to reveal periods with high volatility. The objective of the paper was to recognize price volatility of agricultural commodities in Poland. The authors chose beef, pork and wheat markets to show the differentiation of price volatility. It revealed periods of large and small volatility. The global market situation impacted Polish agricultural markets with the opening markets and a greater access to the new markets. The periods having the strongest impact on Polish agricultural markets were the integration with the EU, the global crisis in 2008, and problems in the EU zone. The prices of analysed agricultural commodities differed in various EU countries. The prices of wheat increased most in France, Hungary and Lithuania. The prices of store cattle increased most in the years 2004-2015 in Estonia, Sweden and Luxemburg. The prices of pigs increased most in Malta, Sweden and Cyprus.

The external fruit colour is an important parameter of the fig fruit quality. Fig anthocyanin content is critical for the peel colour. The peel of mature fruits of the fig cultivar Orphan and its red peel bud mutant Hongyan were separated for a transcriptomic and proteomic analysis. A total of 162 different abundance proteins (DAPs) and 5 015 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. The correlation analysis revealed that only two and 15 genes were downregulated and upregulated, respectively, at both the transcriptome and proteome levels. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis indicated that the enrichment pathways including Tropane, piperidine and pyridine alkaloid biosynthesis, phenylalanine metabolism and isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis for DEGs, and protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum and flavonoid biosynthesis may contribute to the mutant color phenotype. Our results provide transcriptomic and proteomic information for two fig cultivars and may help to clarify the potential mechanisms of fig colouration.

Winter oilseed rape is the second most frequently grown crop in the Czech Republic. Clubroot, caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae (Wor.), was previously a problem in production of vegetable. The disease has been spreading on winter rape (Brassica napus L.) over the past four years. Infected stands were reported throughout the country in autumn 2011. The pathogen is probably widely spread in the whole country, its incidence depends on suitable weather conditions. Every field with clubroot is considered as contaminated for many years. The amounts of inoculum and its distribution are not sufficient yet, but this is just the initial stage of colonisation. There is a similar situation resembling experiences from other countries (Canada, Germany) where clubroot has gradually expanded in the last 15 years.

Land, water, sun, infrastructure, capital and know-how are needed for any agricultural development. Sub-Saharan Africa has immense natural resources, though often not immediately available altogether in the same place, but is generally short of the other inputs. That is why a public-private partnership can be an effective approach to deal the projects with modern agricultural development: public partner provides land, most of the infrastructure and finance; private partners provide the intensive farming practice, processing know-how and part of the equity. Financial analysis of lower and higher capital demanding scenarios and testing of the impact of changes in the critical drivers of costs and revenues shown that a combination of staple crops and cash crops can be found to balance national food security policy targets and financial appeal for private partners in a mutually satisfactory venture capital. The effect of environmental and infrastructural constraints was also considered, showing how likely-to-happen threats on the side of the implementation of the project may turn into challenging opportunity to climb the agribusiness value chain upward.

The article demonstrates a multilevel method of soil degradation analysis on land within South Moravia (Czech Republic (CZ)), in the Hodonín region, which is among the highest producing agricultural regions in CZ. The analysis takes a top-down approach, from a regional scale, through cadastres, to individual blocks of land. In the initial (rough) phase, selection was based on the Soil Degradation Model created for the Czech Republic, which classifies the extent of soil degradation to a cadastral level. Within the chosen region, the Čejkovice cadastre is the most burdened in terms of the combination of various degradation factors, and was therefore chosen for a further level of analysis in the form of remote sensing. The results of remote sensing and image classification identify areas with a high level of water erosion, which is the most significant degradation factor within CZ. Pedological research was then carried out in these identified areas. The results of both approaches were compared, and showed significant differences between erosional areas and depositional areas of slopes, which confirms their suitability for the given form of research and analysis. A combination of the given general (Degradation Model) and more detailed methods (erosion modelling, image classification and soil sample analysis) can find practical application in the optimization of farm production in the rural landscape.

The aim of this study was a clinical and radiographic evaluation of the minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) method for treatment in dogs with tibial fractures. Ten dogs of different breeds, ages, and sex with tibial fractures were used as the subjects. A medial approach to the tibia was used in all the cases. The tibial tuberosity was palpated proximally and a short incision was made along the midline. After reduction of the fracture, proximal and distal insertion incisions were made to approach the tibia. The mean times for the MIPO operations were 21 minutes. The patients were able to stand and walk postoperatively on the first day and recovery was rapid for all of the dogs. The fracture healing was completed on day 45 based on the radiographic evaluations of these cases. Dogs with tibia fractures treated by MIPO healed rapidly without any complications (90%). Correct fracture selection is important for the use of MIPO to be successful. Further studies with a larger group of dogs should be considered to compare the efficacy of MIPO and other fixation techniques and for the long-term evaluation of the repaired tibial fractures.

Blast disease caused by Pyricularia oryzae is one of the most destructive fungal diseases of rice in Malaysia. Utilisation of resistant varieties is the most efficient management approach towards reducing yield losses. The line IRTP21683 with the Pi9 gene has shown strong resistance against the isolate MPO988.3 of pathotype P_0.0, the most prevalent P. oryzae pathotype in Malaysia. Crossing of IRTP21683 was undertaken with the recurrent parent MR220, a susceptible elite Malaysian rice variety, using a marker assisted backcrossing technique with two simple sequence repeat markers, RM19776 and RM7311, as the tag for the Pi9 gene. Twenty BC₃F₄ lines with the Pi9 gene were resistant when challenged with MPO 988.3. The cluster analysis based on seven agronomic parameters showed that the resistant BC₃F₄ lines could be divided into four groups, of which the members in group 1 and 2 have shown comparable or better performance than MR220. Five lines in group 1, B220PI9-3-48, B220PI9-3-76, B220PI9-3-77, B220PI9-3-79 and B220PI9-3-82 showed outstanding yield performance with early maturation.

The paper addresses social inclusion. It aims to investigate how social inclusion was conceptualized in the main Czech policy documents related to the EU. The text argues that one of the tools of social inclusion - social economy represented by social entrepreneurship and social farming - is a sort of innovative practice. The findings suggest that the understanding of social inclusion evolves within policy documents towards highlighting social economy through matching its theoretical concept with political measures. However, social economy is still not considered by the documents as an innovative approach. If analysing projects funded under Czech Rural Development Programs, social inclusion in rural areas is not the main theme, especially in regions exposed to the risk of social exclusion. In addition, the main actors (NGOs or social entrepreneurs) who are said to support social economy or social farming are not active in submitting projects in rural areas under the Rural Development Program 2007-2013. These actors have not yet used their potential towards developing social economy.