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The changes in the structure of cereal proteins during the mixing of flour into dough was described and evaluated. Wheat gliadins and glutenins (gluten proteins) have unique physical properties and play an important role in breadmaking. The effect of mixing time on the formation and the structure of the gluten network was determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Buckwheat flour (gluten-free) was used to compare the development of structure during the mixing process.

Soil organic matter is important in controlling heavy metal behaviour in soils. This study aims to determine the distribution of organically bound Cd, Pb, and Zn between humic and fulvic acids in 20 samples of heavily polluted Fluvisols. Traditional procedure of alkaline sodium hydroxide/pyrophosphate extraction of humic substances with consequent humic acids precipitation by acidification was used. All of the three metals were bound predominantly on fulvic acids (mean share was 98.4, 82.0, and 95.7% of total organically bound Cd, Pb, and Zn content, respectively). Mainly the level of pollution controlled the amount of metals bound on fulvic acids. On humic acids, a limited amount of specific sorption sites for the metals is expected. Lead content bound on humic acids was negatively correlated with soil pH. The results suggest relatively high potential mobility of organic fractions of heavy metals in soils under this study. The selectivity of alkaline extracting agent is briefly discussed.

About 15% of the area of the Czech Republic is classified as territories with special status of protection, most of which is covered with forests. At present, at the time of integration of the country into the European structures, an increase in the area of such territories by approximately 20% is expected. The territories show significant variation of protection objectives, management restrictions, profound differentiation in natural conditions, structure of ownership and different levels of damage, especially that caused by anthropogenic pressure. This situation requires the formulation of long-term management strategies. The problem can be solved in the following successive steps: formulation of variants and alternatives of management strategies based on a retrospective analysis of forest development; prognosis of the forest condition development after application of the individual management strategies on the basis of growth and development simulations; addition of technological and economical bases; selection of optimal variants and alternatives from the viewpoint of the fulfilment of the owner's management goals, in accordance with the principles of forest policy and from the viewpoint of the fulfilment of the protection objective formulated for a specific territory with special status of protection. A set of methods for following the above-mentioned steps is specified in the presented contribution.

The level of risk for human health originating from organs of slaughter pigs was determined on the basis of carcass inspection classification at slaughterhouses in the Czech Republic during the period of 1995-2002. The following pig's organs were included in the study: the lungs, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, stomach, and intestines. A potential level of risk relating to food safety of different organs was determined according to the numbers of the organs condemned by official veterinarians. At the same time total number of slaughtered animals was also considered. The trend of the development of potential risk was determined as an index equal to the ratio of the occurrence of condemned organs during the period of 1999-2002 to the same figures from the period of 1995-1998. The highest level of potential risk was found in porcine lungs (at the level of 66.30%) followed by kidneys (18.14%), liver (17.20%) and heart (5.15%). Increasing trend in the development of risk was found for the lungs (index 1.19), spleen (1.16) and heart (1.15). The trends were confirmed as highly significant (P < 0.01). The results indicating high levels of potential risk for food safety and increasing trends in the aforementioned organs of pigs confirmed the importance of veterinary inspection at slaughterhouses and classification of organs of slaughter pigs by official veterinarians. This way the risks for food safety are eliminated.

Feeding selectivity of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) juveniles (9.3-20.9 g) to four aquatic macrophyte species and tilapia growth were studied in 4 consecutive experiments. Plant diet was provided to 8 tanks containing 20 fishes for 5 days. The fish were fed a carp diet between 4 experiments for 14 days. The consumption of 4 aquatic macrophyte species differed significantly [F(3,252) = 39.6; P < 10^-6]. Elodea canadensis was the most preferred plant (Chesson selectivity index = 0.50 ± 0.05, n = 4). Potamogeton pectinatus and Spirodela polyrhiza were consumed with about equal preference. Myriophyllum spicatum was the least preferred species. Elodea canadensis contained relatively more phosphorus, potassium and ash than the other three species. The daily plant dry weight intake ranged between 0.79 and 2.26% of body weight. The fish grew during the first two experiments (SGR = 2.54 and 3.18%/d, respectively), but lost weight during the 3rd and 4th experiments (SGR = -1.75 and -1.71%/d, respectively).

Plum fruits of the cultivars Stanley and Valjevka picked at the beginning of climacteric were stored in different storage atmospheres for 31 days at 3°C. The relations between the O₂ and CO₂ content during this period and after removal from the gas mixture to ethanol, acetaldehyde, non-volatile compounds and some textural values of fruits were investigated. Concentrations of ethanol in the flesh were related to levels of oxygen and CO₂ in ambient atmosphere. In anaerobic conditions (< 0.2% O₂) ethanol reached 1,109 mg/l for the cultivar Valjevka and 628 mg/l for Stanley. The results of single fruit analysis showed a steeply increasing concave curve of ethanol production in the period of anaerobic conditions, followed by the phase of a drop of the production rate in air stored fruit. The concentration of oxygen at a level of 0.9% (ultra low oxygen - ULO) does not physiologically harm the tissues of plums by producing mostly negligible content of ethanol and acetaldehyde, but an ethanol increase to half concentration after 31 days was observed to compare with anaerobic conditions in the cultivar Valjevka. From this aspect plums seem to be relatively sensitive to low oxygen. The post-storage period was extended up to 53 to 63 days, respectively. The senescence caused an increase in ethanol production rate that was exponentially increased after 20 days of cold storage atmosphere. The final concentration after 53 days was still higher for cv. Valjevka than for cv. Stanley at the respective content of 828 mg/land 498 mg/l. Skin firmness was differentiated for both cultivars, and softness was higher for the cultivar Valjevka.

Two GC/MS methods for acrylamide determination in potato crisps were used. By the method without derivatisation the presence of acrylamide was confirmed. The quantities of acrylamide were compared by the bromination method with ¹³C₃-acrylamide and D₃-acrylamide as internal standards. A suitable agreement between the results obtained from two independent laboratories was achieved; the difference was less than 5%. Using average level of acrylamide in crisps 986.5 μg/kg and mean consumption data on potato crisps in Slovakia it was calculated that consumers are exposed to 8.5 μg acrylamide daily from its which means 0.12 μg/kg body weight/day. This amount contributes to 20-40% of daily acrylamide intake from food.

Incidences of powdery mildew were repeatedly evaluated for two years on 1 420 young seedlings of 20 progenies (of different levels of mildew susceptibility) in a green house, and then for 10 years on 642 seedlings in an orchard. Part of the seedlings in the orchard were pre-selected for the characteristic and others not. Except for the first scoring done in the first year, there was no correlation between mildew incidence on individual seedlings in the green house and their mean performance in the orchard. The seedlings with scores above 6 (resistant or tolerant) at the first stage of evaluation in the green house, however, yielded four times more desirable seedlings after final selection in the orchard than the mean of the total. The progenies that had a better healthy state as a whole yielded more partially resistant genotypes than those with low mean scores. Therefore, the progenies that most rapidly develop infestation on the whole lot should be discarded, whereas those that retain a healthy state longer should be subjected to individual selection according to the previous item.

The aim of this work was to determine the heating effect on the thermo-degradation process of rapeseed oil (RO) by rapid fluorescence method. Reference measurements were carried out by chromatographic methods in order to compare results with those obtained by fluorescence spectroscopy. The main compounds which were monitored are polar compounds and tocopherols. During heating process, two temperatures were used: 171°C and 189°C for 4.5 h. The results have showed that the tocopherol content decreases, especially at the highest temperature, and the polar content increases of 20% at the end of heating. These results are in agreement with literature. PLS model was built in order to predict polar and tocopherol contents. The results obtained from this method were satisfactory.

A cold complement fixation test (CFT) was used to identify C. abortus infection in ewes and does in northern Jordan. Sera from 36 flocks of sheep and 20 flocks of goats were collected randomly. The results showed that 433 (21.8%) out of 1 984 ovine sera, and 82 (11.4%) out of 721 caprine sera, were seropositive for C. abortus infection, as indicated by a titre ≥ 1:40. However, all the tested sheep flocks and goat flocks (100%) revealed at least one seropositive animal. There was a strong association (P < 0.05) between the rate of C. abortus infection and the size of the sheep flock, when larger flocks had higher infection rates. However, in goats, the flock size had no relationship with seropositivity. Age had no significant (P > 0.05) impact on C. abortus seropositivity. In sheep, there was a significant difference (P < 0.05) between the rates of the chlamydial infection in the four studied areas of northern Jordan. The highest infection rate in sheep (31.2%) was recorded in Mafraq area, while the rates in Irbid, Ajloun and Jerash were 18.5%, 11.2% and 13.9%, respectively. In goats, there was no significant difference between the rates of the chlamydial infection in the two areas studied. The rates of goat infections were 10.8% and 11.8% in Ajloun and Jerash areas, respectively.

Rice yellow mottle virus genus sobemovirus (RYMV) was first reported in Kenya in 1966. The disease caused by this virus is fast becoming a major limiting factor in the rice production in Africa and neighbouring islands. It is known to occur in eastern, western and southern African countries and, since very recently, in Central Africa. It is transmitted by insect vectors such as Chaectonema spp., Sesselia pusilla Gerst. and Trichispa sericea Guerin (all Coleoptera) and also by mechanical means. About six strains of the virus now exist. Yield losses caused by the virus range from 20 to 100%. Integrated pest management has been suggested to minimise damage caused by this disease to rice. This paper reviews the characteristics of the virus, symptomatology, host range, distribution, strains, transmission, vector dynamics and virus spread, the economic importance, and management strategies. The need of future research of RYMV is also highlighted.

In this study an incremental load triangular exercise test has been performed on 20 Gallopers, divided into two groups, A and B, and the test has been customised to the two groups according to age and sex. The subjects being tested, after a 10 minutes warm-up, have undergone an incremental three workloads exercise test. All steps lasted for three minutes and were separated by 1 minute intervals (incremental loads triangular exercise test). The workload for each phase of the test has been set as follows: group A, speed of 400, 500 and 600 m/min over a distance of 1 200, 1 500 and 1 800 m; group B, speed of 500, 600 and 700 m/min over a distance of 1 500, 1 800 and 2 100 m. Each horse had a heart rate monitor for the assessment of the heart rate mean value at each phase. At rest, after warm up, and at the end of each phase, 30 and 45 minutes after the end of the test, all subjects underwent a blood test by means of an external jugular venipuncture for the immediate assessment of lactate on whole blood with a portable blood lactate analyser. For each horse the following physical attitude parameters have been calculated: VLa2, VLa4, V200, HR2, HR4. The highly significant correlation between heart rate and speed during the test has shown a linear increment for group A (r = 0.94; p < 0.01) and for group B (r = 0.87; p < 0.01), while the incremental trend of blood lactate as related to speed is exponentially correlated for group A (r= 0.84; p < 0. 01) and for group B (r = 0.85; p < 0.01). The following differences are of statistical significance: V200 of group A compared to V200 of group B (p < 0.01); La₁ of group A compared to La₁ of group B (p < 0.01); La_R30 of group A compared to La_R30 of group B (p < 0.05). V200 represents the horse's cardiac power, thus it is possible that adult subjects, as 4 years (and older) horses, have perfectly developed the efficiency of the cardiac pump. Furthermore the galloper in its effort draws from the anaerobic metabolism which starts timely and to a significantly higher extent in older subjects (group B). This implies a greater efficiency of this metabolic pathway during exercise in these subjects. This could be indicative of the type of training done by the galloper. The results are discussed on the base of a possible use of a triangular exercise test on track for the functional assessment of the galloper.

Two trials were designed to determine the quality of pig carcasses, chemical composition and physical indicators of meat and fatty acid composition of backfat. Growing pigs were offered adequate diets containing field beans (20-25%), sweet lupines (15-20%) or extruded soybeans (18-15.4%) instead of soybean or sunflower oil meal (control). The weight and length of the carcass, dressing percentage, weight of ham, chemical composition and physical indicators of meat of pigs fed diets with different leguminous seeds did not differ significantly from those of pigs fed the control diet. Pigs fed diets containing field beans had 5.7-8.2 mm lower backfat thickness, while pigs fed extruded soybeans had 6.6-7.9% smaller loin lean area and 4.57% lower content of oleic acid in the backfat, but the content of linoleic acid was 5.11% higher.

In the present work, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) with chemiluminescent detection for the determination of carbofuran, carbaryl and methiocarb were developed and the analytical parameters of these assays were compared with those of ELISAs with colorimetric detection. The sensitivity of immunochemical methods was expressed as detection limit, linear working range, and I₅₀ value. In comparison with colorimetric ELISA, the ability of the chemiluminescent reagents to detect lower concentrations of HRP allowed to decrease the optimal antibody and conjugate concentrations and to reach better analytical parameters. The experimental comparison of the analytical performance of the ELISAs was carried out by analysing simply diluted fruit juices, spiked at different concentration levels with the above mentioned pesticides. Recovery values for both ELISAs were around 100% and no matrix effects were observed when fruit juices were diluted 1:20 or more.

The Odra River, 55.2 kmof its length, is winding through the Poodří Protected Landscape Area, which has total area of 81,5 km². More than 80% of its stream has retained the natural character of its riverbed and the hydrological regime with regular floods. Ichthyologic research was carried out in the period 1997-2001. It took place in 7 localities comprising 3 localities situated in main tributaries and 4 localities of former river arms. Gill nets and electrofishing were used for the research on limnetic biotopes. A total of 22 fish species in the streams (Odra, Lubina, Ondřejnice, and Bílovka Rivers) and 4 other species in stagnant water bodies were found. Out of all identified species, Oncorhynchus mykiss, Pseudorasbora parva, and Carassius auratus are not native species. Anglers identified further 7 species in their catches. The studied river sections are inhabited by the Barbus - Chondrostoma fish community. The highest biomass belongs to the most frequent species Leuciscus cephalus, Rutilus rutilus, and Barbus barbus. Total abundance in the individual localities ranged from 2 416 to 20 392 fishes/ha and total biomass was in the range from 174 to 788.8 kg/ha. The species diversity index H' of ichthyocenoses fluctuated between 2.238 to 3.108 in the area. There were 4-8 species in low numbers in 4 searched pools. The biomass was also low and the diversity index H' ranged from 1.390 to 1.737.

A long-term study carried out within the 1967 All-Poland Larch Provenance Experiment investigated genetic variation in 20 Polish provenances of larch growing under the site conditions of the Beskid Sądecki Mts. (at a test site in Krynica). The study was based on the measurements of tree height made in individual larch populations during 1969-1999, i.e. when trees were 5, 8, 11, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 years old. The results showed a considerable adaptation stability of the provenances tested at the Krynica site. This stability, however, tended to decrease with increasing mean height of trees. An estimation of the effect of the "genotype (provenance) × years of observation (age)" interaction revealed a high stability of height growth in larch populations having extreme values of this trait. As follows from the study, it is possible, especially in the case of the latter group of provenances, to carry out effective selection in the early stage of tree growth, thus ensuring a permanent genetic gain.

Flavonoids are a large group of secondary plant metabolites with hydroxyl groups. The flavonol quercetin is commonly found in onions. In the edible fleshy scales of yellow onions quercetin mono- and diglucosides are present. The aim of this work was to study quercetin glucosides during technological processing of yellow onion bulb. Onion was boiled in water under reflux for 30 min. The cooking was performed at three different onion/water ratios (1/5, 1/10, 1/20; w/w). The resulting soup, boiled onion solids and the control raw onion samples were lyophilised, extracted with ac. methanol and analysed for quercetin and its derivatives (3-β-D-glucoside, 4'-β-D-glucoside, 3,4'-β-D-glucoside) using HPLC-UV. Major flavonoid components identified in yellow onion were quercetin-4'-β-D-glucosideand 3,4'-β-D-glucoside with a decreasing concentration from outer toward inner rings of the raw bulb. These substances were rapidly transferred into cooking water during thirty minutes boiling making the resulting soup a good source of flavonoids. The effect of water amount added on flavonoid concentration was followed.

The effect of three different anaesthetics, 2-phenoxyethanol (0.6 ml/l), Propiscin (0.75 ml/l)and clove oil (0.033 ml/l), on adult tench (Tinca tinca L.) of mean body weight 260 g (66-583 g), of both sexes was tested at four different water temperatures (17.9; 20.4; 22.6 and 25.1°C). The time periods necessary for the induction of particular characteristic phases of anaesthetisation and recovery were evaluated. At all temperatures, the statistically longest induction of anaesthesia (p < 0.05) and longest recovery (p < 0.01) were registered with Propiscin. With clove oil and 2-phenoxyethanol, the time period necessary for induction of phase II b anaesthesia statistically declined (p < 0.05) with rising temperature, however, this phenomenon was not seen with Propiscin.

Spatial variability of soil mineral nitrogen N_min (N-NH₄⁺, N-NO₃^-) in a soil profile down to 60 cm was determined in a 19-ha experimental field in Prague-Ruzyně for four years. Winter wheat was grown in the years 2000 and 2001, oats in 2002 and mustard in 2003. Root length distribution and depth of the crops were determined at four locations representing different soil conditions within the experimental field. The coefficient of variation as the measure of the variability of nitrate N in topsoil and subsoil (0-30 and 30-60 cm, respectively) in the experimental years ranged between 18-39 and 20-37%, respectively. It was mostly the same or slightly greater in subsoil than in topsoil in respective years. The variability of ammonium N in topsoil and subsoil ranged between 4-58 and 11-27%, respectively. It was similar in topsoil and subsoil, except for autumn 2000. There was a positive relation between nitrate content in top and subsoil on all sampling terms. We did not find a relationship between N_min contents in experimental years. Spatial dependencies were evaluated on the basis of model variogram parameters. The nugget value expressed as a percentage value of the total variogram's sill was used for the class of spatial dependence determination. When a spatial dependence of the observed factor was found it was within a range of medium-strong dependence. Only in two cases a strong spatial dependence was found. A considerable variability was also found out in the variogram's range, which was between 61 and396 m. All these facts pose a problem for further actions, such as appropriate design of a sampling grid, measured data spatial interpolation and application maps design.

Dothistroma needle blight Mycosphaerella pini is an important pathogen of pine needles. In addition to different species of pine, M. pini was found in blue spruce Picea pungens in the proximity of infected Pinus nigra in the region of southern Moravia about 20 km SE of Brno.

A total of 90 Escherichia coli O157 isolates recovered from humans, cattle, and pigs, were examined for the presence of the H7 antigen, ability to produce Shiga toxins and enterohemolysin as well as for antimicrobial resistance and biochemical properties. Fourteen of the human strains (n = 23) and 21 of the bovine isolates (n = 29) were of the O157:H7 serotype as determined by agglutination and PCR methods. All E. coli O157 of porcine origin (n = 38) were H-negative. Based on the ability to produce Shiga toxins (Stxs), all human and cattle isolates and 11 strains recovered from swine were identified as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Among STEC, most human strains (18 isolates) were Stx1- and Stx2-positive whereas cattle strains were mostly Stx2-positive. Eleven porcine STEC produced either Stx1 (7 isolates) or Stx2 (4 strains) toxins; an additional 20 isolates recovered from these animals had the Stx2e toxin gene as previously determined by PCR. All human and cattle E. coli O157 produced enterohemolysin whereas only 4 strains recovered from pigs were ehly-positive. Moreover, the PCR identification of the lpf_O113 gene performed earlier revealed that this putative virulence marker was present in all porcine isolates, only in 5 strains of bovine origin but in none of E. coli O157 recovered from humans. All 90 E. coli O157 strains tested displayed 10 biochemical profiles that were different at least in one of the reaction tested. The most common atypical reaction observed among porcine O157 isolates was ability to ferment sorbitol (all strains) and production of β-glucuronidase (25 isolates). Moreover, none of the sorbitol-positive strains was able to produce indol. Four antimicrobial resistance profiles among 90 E. coli O157 strains tested were observed. Most of the isolates recovered from humans and all strains from cattle were resistant only to rifampicin whereas the porcine strains showed resistance to either 3 antimicrobials (4 isolates) or to 4 drugs tested (34 isolates). The phenotypic data shown in the present study, together with the previously published genotypic analyses of these strains, confirm earlier suggestions that the porcine E. coli O157 strains are mostly different from those of bovine and human O157 isolates and could therefore play less important role in human STEC O157 infections.

The aim of this paper was to analyse alternatives of Pinzgau breeding program. Alternatives were optimised for genetic gain of selection index composed of parameters of milk efficiency traits and increase in inbreeding per generation. A scheme using the mating of 70% old proven sires led to a lower increase in inbreeding per generation from 0.248% to 1.903% than a young sires scheme with 0.313-2.177% or 0.303-2.18% without MOET when 2, 5, 10 and 20 proven sires were used in the population. Schemes using 70% mating of young sires resulted in a shorter generation interval of 3.46 years in comparison with proven sires scheme with 4.06 years. Young sires breeding program yielded lower genetic gain from 420.1 SKK per year when 20 proven sires were used to 578.44 SKK per year when 2 proven bulls were selected in the population. Proven sires breeding program led to higher genetic gain from 400.17 SKK (with 20 proven bulls) to 629.72 SKK (2 proven bulls). In a group with 20 proven bulls young sires breeding program with MOET resulted in genetic gain 466.38 SKK comparable to young sires breeding program without MOET with 10 proven sires. In groups with 10 or 5 proven bulls this alternative led to the highest genetic gain 515.45 SKK and 565.25 SKK, respectively. A group with 2 proven bulls in MOET scheme achieved similar genetic gain (629.14 SKK) like the proven sires scheme.

An average dry matter yield structure (three cuts per growing season) in relation to agronomically valuable characteristics of six forage grass species and a year of herbage utilization was studied over the period of 1989-2002 in Lithuania. The most productive species of the first cut of two years of herbage utilization were Phleum pratense (P < 0.01) and Festulolium hybrids (P < 0.05) (average dry matter yield were 7.42 and 6.66 t/ha, respectively), moderately productive - Festuca pratensis, Dactylis glomerata and Lolium perenne (5.58, 5.42 and 5.20 t/ha), significantly lower (P < 0.01) yielding was Poa pratensis (4.19 t/ha). During two years of herbage utilization Dactylis glomerata produced significantly (P < 0.01) higher dry matter yield of aftermath - 7.30 t/ha. Other grass species were ranked in the following order: Festulolium hybrids 5.85 t/ha, Festuca pratensis 4.94 t/ha, Poa pratensis 4.57 t/ha, Lolium perenne 4.48 t/ha, and Phleum pratense 3.92 t/ha. Dactylis glomerata and Poa pratensis distinguished by the highest aftermath percent in the structure of the annual dry matter yield (57.7 and 52.2%). Phleum pratense formed an especially poor aftermath - only 34.6%. An average annual dry matter yield data analysis of two years of herbage utilization over the period of 1989-2002 showed that Dactylis glomerata and Festulolium hybrids were most productive (P < 0.01) species.

The effects of reducing fat level (9% and 12%), substituting pork fat with olive oil and adding locust bean/xanthan gum on emulsion stability, jelly and fat separation, cook loss, and hardness of frankfurters were investigated and compared with control sample elaborated with 20% of fat content. Results showed that addition of locust bean/xanthan gum produced a significant increase in hydration/binding properties, characterised by lower cook losses, increasing yield, better emulsion stability and lower jelly and fat separation. The substitution of fat pork by olive oil did not affect these parameters. Multivariate comparison between elaborated low-fat products and commercial frankfurters (normal and low-fat) were carried out using a factorial analysis. Results showed that addition of locust bean/xanthan gum results in products similar to commercial frankfurters with higher fat contents.

Analysis of sperm parameters is very important for predicting the outcome of assisted reproductive techniques and is necessary for determination of fertility potential of males tested for artificial insemination. In our study we have determined the level of bull and boar sperm DNA damage by Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay (SCSA). This test is based on increased susceptibility of altered DNA (strand breaks) in sperm nuclear chromatinto in situ denaturation measured by flow cytometry after staining with acridine orange (AO). Sperm chromatin damage was quantified by percentages of spermatozoa with detectable DNA Fragmentation Index - DFI divided into moderate (m-DFI) and high (h-DFI) DFI. Percentage of immature cells (HDS; cells with High DNA Stainability) was also evaluated. We measured sperm SCSA parameters in a total of 37 bulls in two groups from different localities and 68 boar samples from one locality. Significantly higher percentage of spermatozoa with detectable DFI was detected in six bulls (16.2%) and a significantly higher percentage of immature cell forms (HDS) was found in other six bulls (16.2%) among all tested bulls. The mean percentages of spermatozoa with h-DFI and HDS of bulls from the second group were statistically higher than those from the first group (P < 0.01). Five boars (7.4%) of all tested boars had significantly higher percentage of spermatozoa with DFI and 18 boars (26.5%) had significantly higher percentage of sperm with HDS compared to the other boars. Both percentages of spermatozoa with DFI and HDS were significantly higher in one boar compared to the others. Boars had significantly higher percentages of spermatozoa with h-DFI and HDS (P < 0.0001) in comparison to bulls. For individual bulls, the highest percentages of spermatozoa with DFI and HDS were 20.8% and 3.5%, respectively while for boars these were 17.6% and 10.2%, respectively. No significant correlations were found between percentages of spermatozoa with DFI and HDS. This sensitive procedure seems to be convenient as additional method for semen quality detection in farm animals before their exploitation in breeding.

In the course of the 20^th century, the production of beer was substantially changed. Economic pressures led to the concentration, modernisation and automation of the beer and malt production. These changes were reflected in a new view of malting barley varieties' quality. In two last decades, the varieties possessing a strong enzymatic activity, high extract contents and high final attenuation have been promoted. Due to historical reasons, the traditional production of pale lager has been preserved in the Czech brewing. For the production of the Czech-type beer, those varieties of malting spring barley are suitable that enable the production of beer with a higher level of residual extract, strong and full palate, excellent foaming power, and relatively lower alcohol content.

An in vitro method was used to determine ruminal degradability of starch (IVRDS) in a set of cereal grains. The set included 9 feed samples, including 2 samples of ground wheat, 2 samples of wheat treated with sodium hydroxide, ground barley, barley treated with sodium hydroxide, 2 samples of ground oats and ground maize. Ruminal degradability of starch was assayed by the feed fermentation for 2, 4, 6, 16 and 24 hours. A significant difference in starch degradability was found between treated and untreated ground samples after 2-hour fermentation (13.73 ± 3.12 vs. 32.77 ± 8.17; P < 0.001), 4-hour fermentation (33.44 ± 7.31 vs. 60.30 ± 16.71; P < 0.001) and 6-hour fermentation (42.63 ± 7.13 vs. 74.20 ± 6.38; P < 0.001). On the basis of the rate of ruminal degradability of starch the order of cereal grains was as follows (from the highest to the lowest value): ground oats, ground wheat, ground barley, ground maize, wheat and barley treated with sodium hydroxide.

Pot trials and field studies were carried out to describe the influence of soil pH and rainfall on the phytotoxic effect of the herbicide Merlin 750 WG (isoxaflutole) in maize. Symptoms as bleaching, and root and shoot weight reduction in early growth of maize were found. In pot trials, a statistically significant crop injury in early growth of maize was found only at the herbicide dose of 100 and 130 g/ha followed by 30 mm precipitation directly after herbicide application in soils with pH 6.5 and 7.2. Bleaching and significant weight reduction of maize up to growth stage BBCH 13 were observed in field trials at treatments with early post-emergence application of Merlin and 20 mm precipitations. Bleaching symptoms recovered up to BBCH 19. Significant differences were found in maize shoot weight and cob yield between treatments with and without watering (20 mm irrigation), and between pre- and post-emergence application of Merlin under field conditions. No significant differences were found between herbicide doses tested.

In 2002, height and diameter growth of spruce was investigated in the Orlické hory Mts. (the Czech Republic). The aim was to confirm and to quantify a growth increase in stands of different age, and to reveal the relation between growth and climate, and level of nitrogen deposition. Stem analyses of ten sample trees of mature spruce stand (average age 163 years) confirmed a significant increase in height and diameter growth since the mid-eighties of the 20^th century. Nearly 75% of radial increment variability could be explained by climatic factors. Growth in the last 10 years corresponded well to weather conditions. Analysis of the growth - nitrogen deposition relationship showed negative correlations, but the results were not statistically significant. Comparison of the height growth curves of young stands (11-47 years) proved that the younger the stand, the steeper the growth curve. The height of the youngest stands was on average the double of the height of older stands at the same age. The values of the height growth of young stands significantly overreached the yield table values in all the age classes analyzed.

Extract of red bean seeds was prepared using 80% acetone. Crude extract was applied onto a Sephadex LH-20 column. Fraction I of low molecular weight phenolic compounds was eluted from the column by ethanol. Fraction II of tannins was eluted from the column using water-acetone (1:1, v/v) as a mobile phase. Phenolic compounds present in the extracts and in the fractions I and II showed antioxidant and antiradical properties investigated using a β-carotene-linoleate model system, and DPPH radical scavenging activity. Crude extract showed the highest antioxidant activity in a β-carotene-linoleate model system. However, tannins fraction was the strongest scavengers of DPPH radical. The content of total phenolics in the fraction II was found the highest (139 mg/g).