Fulltext search in archive

Selenium (Se), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) play important antioxidant role during the transition period of dairy cattle. However, there is limited information about their blood fluctuations during the entire transition period, especially in heifers. Furthermore, it is questionable whether the use of clinoptilolite, a natural zeolite, affects the availability of these trace elements during this period. The objective of the present study was to monitor the blood concentrations of Se, Cu, and Zn during the transition period of dairy heifers and to investigate whether the dietary inclusion of clinoptilolite has any effect on them. Forty clinically healthy Holstein heifers were used in the experiment. They were randomly allocated in two equal groups (n = 20) formed according to their body condition score. The control group was fed only the basal ration whereas the daily feed of treatment group was supplemented with 200 g clinoptilolite. The experiment started 28 days before the expected day of calving and lasted until day 21 after parturition. Blood samples were taken at the onset of the experiment and then at weekly intervals until parturition, at the day of calving, and on days 7, 14, and 21. All samples were analyzed for blood Se and plasma Cu and Zn concentrations. The results indicate that the levels of Se, Cu, and Zn in blood change significantly (P < 0.05) throughout the transition period in dairy heifers and increase significantly (P < 0.05) immediately after calving. Furthermore, the dietary administration of clinoptilolite does not significantly affect their blood concentration (P > 0.05). Blood levels of Se, Cu, and Zn, although undergoing significant changes throughout the transition period in dairy heifers, remain practically stable until parturition and increase significantly immediately after calving. Clinoptilolite does not impair the dietary availability of the trace elements evaluated when added in heifers' rations during this period.

This study was conducted using three multiparous non-lactating rumen-cannulated Holstein-Friesian dairy cows, with the objective of evaluating the in situ ruminal degradability and fermentation characteristics of novel mixtures of winter cereal and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) plus winter cereal silages (mixture A: triticale, oats, barley and wheat; mixture B: triticale, barley and wheat; mixture C: Italian ryegrass and oats; mixture D: Italian ryegrass, oats, triticale, barley and wheat). The rumen fermentation study was conducted replacing the ensiled mixtures (experimental diets) with vetch-triticale haylage in a total mixed ration (control diet). It was found that the effective protein degradability at 0.08 rumen outflow rates was 80.6% (mixture A), 66.2% (mixture B), 79.7% (mixture C) and 79.3% (mixture D). The effective neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) effective degradability at 0.08 rumen outflow rates was 18.0% and 17.7% (mixture A), 19.7% and 20.5% (mixture B), 19.1% and 17.0% (mixture C), and 15.2% and 14.6% (mixture D), respectively. Different dietary treatments did not change (P > 0.05) the rumen fermentation characteristics as there was no difference (P > 0.05) between control and experimental diets, and the inclusion of 40-55% Italian ryegrass (mixture C and D) did not cause any difference. These results suggest that the mixture of winter cereals and Italian ryegrass plus winter cereal-based silages had good potentially degradable dry matter, effective dry matter and effective protein degradability at 0.01, 0.05 and 0.08 rumen outflow rates without affecting the rumen environment maintaining neutral pH. The ensiled mixtures had a moderate level of potentially degradable NDF and ADF fractions.

In the Czech Republic, the afforestation of agricultural land has been supported by providing subsidies from the government and the European Union. Afforestation of less-productive agricultural land provides many benefits including carbon sequestration, soil erosion control, biodiversity, water retention, cooling, social benefits, decreasing noise and light pollution, increasing air quality, wind speed reduction, oxygen production, wood production and non-wood products. In some aspects, it is possible to produce wood of the same quality on former agricultural land compared to permanent forest land. In this study, we attempted to find out the course of temperatures and volumetric water content as well as some other physical soil properties (at depths of 20, 40 and 60 cm) 9 years after the afforestation of agricultural land (warm, mild dry region of the Czech Republic) with a mixture of broadleaved tree species (Quercus robur L., Quercus rubra L. and Acer platanoides L.) or monospecific Pinus sylvestris L. stand; the study was performed in the period from April to the beginning of November 2020. Concerning the studied physical soil properties, the value of bulk density was higher (and total porosity lower) at a depth of 20 cm in Pinus sylvestris L. compared with agricultural land or the mixture of broadleaves; the water stability of soil aggregates was higher after the afforestation with the mixture of broadleaves. The temperature was lower in the soil of afforested plots (at all studied depths) compared to the agriculturally used land. Differences in rainfall interception, transpiration, soil(and forest floor) properties and other factors could influence the obtained values of water content in the soil of the studied plots. The average volumetric water contents were the highest in the plots with Scots pine (depth of 20 cm) and broadleaves (depth of 40 cm), and on the control plot (depth of 60 cm). The volumetric water content at a soil depth of 20 cm was not significantly (P > 0.05) different when the plot with Scots pine and agriculturally used land were compared. In all other cases and depths, the differences between plots were significant (P < 0.05).

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of two dietary protein levels on performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality parameters in fast- (Ross 308), medium- (JA757), and slow-growing (ISA Dual) chickens to assess the interaction of the two factors. Each genotype was divided into a control group fed a commercial type of feed mixture and an experimental group fed a low-protein diet (LP). The trial was terminated after a common period of fattening of each genotype, and 20 chickens per group (sex ratio 1 : 1) were selected for the carcass and meat analysis. The results indicated that the LP diet decreased growth (P < 0.001) and increased feed consumption (P < 0.001) more in the fast-growing than in the slow-growing genotypes; however, reduced mortality was detected in fast-growing chickens. The LP diet had a negative effect on the European performance efficiency factor (P < 0.001) in fast- (-10%) and medium-growing (-6%) but not in slow-growing chickens. The main effect of the genotype on the carcass characteristics included the highest (P < 0.001) dressing out and breast percentage in fast-growing chickens and the highest (P < 0.001) percentage of thigh and abdominal fat in the slow-growing genotype. The LP diet had only a minor effect on the carcass traits. Regarding meat quality characteristics, slow-growing chickens were characterized by higher contents of dry matter (P < 0.001) and crude protein (P < 0.001) and lower contents of ether extract (P < 0.001) and cholesterol (P < 0.001) compared to medium- and fast-growing chickens. The individual effects of the genotypes were manifested by the largest cross-sectional area of the muscle fibres of pectoralis major in fast-growing chickens (P < 0.001). The results of the present study indicate a significant interaction of the dietary protein levels and genotypes in growth performance and a negligible effect on the carcass composition and physical and chemical quality of meat

Dynamic high pressure microfluidization (DHPM) is considered an emerging and promising technique for the continuous production of fluid foods. This study measured the effect of DHPM on yam juice. After DHPM processing, the content of total soluble solids (TSS), turbidity, flavonoid and non-enzymatic browning was significantly decreased, with the biggest drops being 35.5, 86.2, 20.7, and 66.7%, respectively. Moreover, the average particle size was decreased from 1 944 nm to 358 nm, which showed a strong positive correlation with turbidity. The reduction coefficients and electric conductivity of Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus plantarum were increased significantly after DHPM processing. Combined with morphological analysis, DHPM processing had good bactericidal effects on E. coli and S. cerevisiae. These results provided reference values for the application of DHPM technology in the development of yam juice.

Occurrences of pea aphids and their natural enemies (syrphids, mummies caused by entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria sp. and by the parasitic wasp Aphidius ervi) were compared in monocultures and mixtures of field peas and spring cereals in three seasons (2008-2010). At the beginning of colonisation, the occurrence of aphids was not substantially influenced by intercropping with cereals. However, the numbers of pea aphids located on inflorescences started to decline earlier in mixtures compared with monoculture. More syrphids (eggs + larvae) were found in mixtures than in monoculture, and more syrphid eggs were found in young aphid colonies (10 to 20 individuals) in mixtures. Intercropping did not influence the occurrence of fungal mummies (Beauveria sp.), but mixtures tended to have more aphid colonies infested by A. ervi in 2008 and 2009.

Raw oats are frequently contaminated by fungi producing mycotoxins, and as such, they can pose a health risk to humans regularly consuming oat products. To reveal the effect of particular processing steps on contamination levels in final oat products, two series of samples obtained from an oat flake manufacturer were analysed. Among oat fractions treated, the most significant mycotoxin decrease was demonstrated in cleaning and dehulling steps, where the observed mycotoxin reduction was in the range of 13-75% for monitored mycotoxins, enniatin B, enniatin B1, HT-2 toxin, T-2 toxin, beauvericin and tentoxin. The overall mycotoxin reduction found in final oat flakes was in the range of 65-100%. Furthermore, 20 commercially available oat flakes from the Czech market were analysed. We detected 16 mycotoxins, mainly trichothecenes and emerging enniatins with levels in the interval of 1-156 μg kg^-1. With regard to the current EU legislation, two analysed oat flake products exceeded the maximum limit for ochratoxin A.

A one-month-old, Piedmontese female calf was admitted to the Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, for repair of a large ventral hernia. A large ventral hernia, approximately 20 cm long and 15 cm large was noticed extending from 3 cm caudal to the umbilicus down to the pubis. At ultrasonography the hernia content was represented by small intestine and omentum and no adhesions to the hernial sac could be detected. The hernial sac was composed by skin only. Because of the large dimensions of the defect and the economic value of the animal, surgical correction was recommended to the owner. A prosthetic implant with a polypropylene mesh was elected due to the dimension of the abdominal defect. The implant was placed intra-abdominally with the interposition of the omentum between the mesh and the underlying viscera. Two and six months after surgery follow-ups were performed and a positive outcome was confirmed. This is the first report of ventral hernia repair in large animals that combines the use of a tension-free polypropylene mesh with the interposition of the omentum between the viscera and the mesh. This procedure is safe, cost-effective and not associated with major complications.

Mastitis is a major health problem of the udder in dairy sheep breeds. For diagnosis of subclinical mastitis, somatic cell count (SCC) is commonly used. The presence of pathogens in the udder causes the increase of leukocytes and thus SCC in milk. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of pathogens in the milk of ewes and the possible relationship with SCC. The changes of leukocytes subpopulation in milk samples with high SCC were evaluated as well. The experiment was carried out on a dairy farm with the Lacaune breed. This study was conducted on 45 ewes (98 milk samples) without signs of clinical mastitis. Based on somatic cell count, samples were divided to five SCC groups: SCC1 < 200 000 cells/ml (45 milk samples); 200 000 ≤ SCC2 < 400 000 cells/ml (10 milk samples); 400 000 ≤ SCC3 < 600 000 cells/ml (six milk samples); 600 000 ≤ SCC4 < 1 000 000 cells/ml (six milk samples); SCC5 ≥ 1 000 000 cells/ml (31 milk samples). No pathogens were observed in the majority of milk samples (60.20%). Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) were the most commonly isolated pathogens from the milk of ewes (86.11%). Staphylococcus epidermidis had the highest incidence from CNS (35.48%). In the SCC5 group, up to 79.31% of bacteriological samples were positive. The percentage of leukocytes significantly increased (P < 0.001) in the samples with higher SCC (≥ 200 × 10³ cells/ml) in comparison to the group SCC1. Also, the percentage of polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) was significantly higher with increasing SCC (P < 0.001). In conclusion, the presented results showed that the high SCC was caused by the presence of the pathogen in milk. Thus SCC < 200 000 cells/ml and leukocyte subpopulation, especially PMNs, could be considered as important tools in udder health programs applied in dairy ewes.

Drought stress is a significant abiotic stressor that has a negative impact on crop production and global food security systems. Drought stress was applied to eggplant seedlings with various field capacities (FC), 80% FC as control, 50% FC, 35% FC, and 20% FC. AgNPs were synthesised from green chemical methods, whereas different concentrations of AgNPs (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 µmol) were applied exogenously on drought-stressed eggplants. Drought stress decreased the growth parameters (plant height, fresh mass, dry mass, leaf area), photosynthetic pigments (Chl a, Chl b, carotenoids), and protein content while increased the proline, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and activity of the antioxidant enzymes, i.e., superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). AgNPs restricted proline accumulation and reduced H₂O_2, MDA content by upregulating the antioxidant enzymes. Overall, the current study's findings indicated that AgNPs are an effective eco-friendly and low-cost application for plant growth under drought stress, with the potential to mitigate the impact of drought on plants.

The goal of the study was to compare the dynamic changes in individual biometric indices of Scots pine in different natural zones of Ukraine, Polissya and Steppe. Scots pine stands were mainly concentrated in the Polissya zone, and their area was 3.6 times larger than that of forests in the Steppe zone, and the total wood stock by 4.6 times. The regression equations for biometric indices of artificial modal stands were developed. A comparison of the average height, diameter, and wood stock for pine stands of site index І^а, I, and II growing in Polissya and Steppe was made. It was found that the average differences in the average height (from 1.9 to 2.6 m) are observed at the age of 15-20 years. For the average diameter, the difference increases with age and the growth of the site index. The difference in the average stock is constantly increasing with age. At the age of 20 years this difference is 20-30 m³, and at the age of 120 years from 100 to 120 m³ depending on the site index. The developed growth models can be used in planning and prioritizing appropriate forestry activities for pine stands growing in specific regional conditions.

Irrational use of chemical method for crop protection, presents increasingly serious risks for human health and the environment. Droplet size and meteorological parameters are key factors to both environmental contamination and pest control efficacy. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of the nozzle use parameters, the operating pressure and the wind speed on droplet foliage deposition (retention) and soil deposition (losses), when treating artichoke. Several combinations were tested in a wind tunnel and in the field, under Mediterranean microclimatic conditions, using a fluorescent dye as a substitute for pesticide. Multiple regression models were built from tunnel data to predict foliage deposition and soil deposits, with determination coefficients of 0.96. Thus, models are able to simulate pesticide deposition on artichoke leaves and soil deposition, depending on sprayer parameters and wind speed. Foliage deposition and soil deposits rates ranged from 30 to 52% and 26 to 57% respectively for anti-drift nozzle. For conventional nozzle, rates varied from 20 to 38% and 31 to 62%. To improve retention and reduce spray losses, it is recommended to choose a medium droplet size when using an anti-drift nozzle, in conjunction with medium nozzle size, medium pressure and reduced wind speed.

An attempt was made to ascertain the environmental effects of animal wastes pollution on agricultural soil and water quality at the oldest teaching and research farm, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. Physical, chemical, and bacteriological analyses of water (shallow well) and soil samples were carried out to determine the present quality status. Fifteen soil samples collected at the centre of the animal wastes dump and at a distance of 5 and 10 m, and three different samplings done on the water source were analyzed. The parameters determined using APHA standard procedures included: turbidity, temperature, pH, alkalinity, sulphide, phosphate, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, total hardness, biochemical oxygen demand, total iron, nitrate, chloride, calcium, and heavy metals like copper, zinc, and lead. Most of the parameters indicated pollution including heavy metals presence with the exception of Pb, Zn, Mn, Cu, and Cr that were not detected in water samples. Concentrations of nitrate, biochemical oxygen demand, SO₄^2-, PO₄^3-, and Cl^- were 0.20, 3.20, 10.50, 3.5, and 20.4 mg/l respectively, while those of detected heavy metals such as Mg and Ni were 1.98 and 10.03 mg/l, respectively. Soil water holding capacity, porosity, pH, organic matter, organic carbon, and organic nitrogen ranged from 33.34 ± 3.73 to 59.06 ± 5.69, 34.6 ± 3.28 to 52.43 ± 5.5, 6.56 ± 0.03 to 7.54 ± 0.03, 2.32 ± 0.03 to 5.35 ± 0.03, 1.33 ± 0.01 to 3.11 ± 0.01, and 0.58 ± 0.07 to 1.13 ± 0.03%, respectively. The results showed that the well is strongly polluted with bacteria and pathogens and requires considerable treatment before use while the soil is suitable for crop production.

During the last few years, non-bread cereals, as a rich source of bioactive components, play an increasingly important role in the production of new healthier food. A large number of diet-related diseases in society requires developing and regular consumption of high-quality food. In this study, triticale flour was supplemented with residual oat flour (ROF), which is a by-product in the production of oat fibre concentrate, to obtain triticale-oat bread with improved chemical composition and quality. The flours obtained from 3 winter triticale cultivars were enriched with 10%, 15%, and 20% of ROF. An increasing level of ROF resulted in higher protein and lipids content and a two-fold increase in β-glucan content (from 0.3% for control breads to 0.6% for 20% ROF) what improved the quality of dietary fibre in breads (DF). The bread parameters, especially bread volume (BV), the shape of loaves, crust colour and crumb texture, decreased with the addition of ROF. The triticale-oat breads with the best quality were obtained from 10% addition of ROF. Results confirmed the possibility of utilisation triticale and ROF for the production of bread with a unique chemical composition constituting a simultaneously rich source of DF.

Enzymes benefit digestion and absorption of the ingredients and their addition to an animal-origin meal (AOM) can improve its nutritional quality. This research aimed to evaluate the effect of protease on nutrient digestibility, amino acids, and metabolism of AOM energy for broilers. Four hundred and eighty broiler chickens were distributed in a completely randomized design (4 × 2 factorial scheme), eight treatments, six replicates containing 10 birds/replicate. Treatments consisted of poultry viscera meal, swine viscera meal (SVM), bovine meat and bone meal, and basal diet; with and without protease addition. Two tests were performed. In the first test, the total excreta collection method was used with birds at 13 to 20 days of age and 25% of the reference feed was replaced by AOM. In the second test, a protein-free diet was administered to birds at 21 to 24 days of age and AOM replaced 25% of the starch. The inclusion of protease increased the apparent metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen balance of SVM by 15.99% and the apparent metabolizable crude energy by 5.7%, and it also raised the coefficient of true ileal digestibility of the amino acids in the AOMs by 5.67% on average. The inclusion of protease improved the apparent metabolizable crude energy of AOMs, apparent metabolizable dry matter of bovine meat and bone meal, coefficient of true ileal digestibility of essential amino acids, and apparent metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen balance of SVM. Dietary supplementation of protease may be a potential strategy to improve the digestibility of amino acids for broilers, a possibility of using animal-origin meals as a protein source of diets.

The paper analyses the relationships between the profitability of viticulture on the one hand and the sugar content and grapes yield in viticulture in the Czech Republic between 1995 and 2014 on the other hand. The paper aims to find out which of these has had a greater impact on the viticulture profitability in the Czech Republic over the last twenty years. One of the frequently debated questions is whether a higher yield of grapes may also bring a high or moderately above average sugar content, and also whether the production for sale is profitable. The answer can be achieved either via the micro-appraisal (repeatable and many times conducted experiments) or via the macro-appraisal - collecting average data for the appraised region. For this paper, the macro-appraisal was chosen, i.e. the statistical survey for the Czech Republic between 1995 and 2014. The period of 20 years comes from an annual examination conducted by the Association of Winemakers of the Czech Republic on the grapes yields in their members. In the Czech Republic, the price in the grapes market is set depending on the variety of vine and sugar content. It follows from the 20-year statistics of the Association of Winemakers CR, that the profitability of grapes production for sale is not achieved by the sugar content but by the per hectare yield. The yield per hectare should vary between 5.5 and 7 t/ha (tonne per hectare) at the average sugar content of 18.5 to 21 ^oNM (between 11.0 and 12.5% volume of the potential alcohol). The grapes yield of more than 6 t/ha does not increase the profitability because the price offered by the purchasing companies decreases.

This paper considers the developments whose application is promising for the fishing industry under the production of dried snack products. Fish chips are non-traditional dried products. The goal of this research was to study the functional and technological properties of minced systems consisting of fish and seafood. Minced systems were pre-treated with special food additives to improve their rheological properties and organoleptic indicators. The objects of research were stuffed meat products which included 65% to 75% of pollock, 15% of Pacific herring, and 10% to 20% of seafood. A study of technochemical indicators showed that minced systems were high-protein. They contained 30.0-34.8% of protein, 2.2-3.7% of lipids, and 0.8-2.5% of carbohydrates. Minced systems made of hydrobionts are characterised by the high water-holding capacity of 74.52-90.3%, which indicates good lyophilic properties of raw materials. When studying the rheological parameters of minced systems from hydrobionts, it was found that the maximum shift tension was 6.0-8.1 kPa. The stickiness index was 2 400-3 200 Pa, the dynamic viscosity was within the range of 650-850 Pa s (pascal seconds). The effective viscosity index for fish mince with good mouldability is 600-900 Pa s. The organoleptic evaluation showed that minced systems from hydrobionts pre-treated with food additives had high sensory characteristics.

Festuca ovina L. is an important ornamental species used in urban landscapes and pastures reclamation. However, low resistance of this species to salt stress has hindered its extended application in low-water and salty regions. To study the effects of calcium on reducing salt stress injuries in seed germination and early growth of this species, a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with three replications was conducted. The salt levels included NaCl solutions (5, 10, 15 and 20 dS/m). Calcium source was CaCl₂ with concentrations of 0, 10, 20 and 30 mmol₊/L. Germination percentage and mean germination time were significantly affected by interaction of salinity and calcium. As salinity increased, mean germination time increased. However, germination percentage, shootlet length, rootlet length, shootlet fresh and dry weight, rootlet fresh and dry weight and seed vigour index decreased following the increasing salinity. Concentrations of 10 and 20 mmol₊/L CaCl₂ had significant effects on reducing salt injuries on seed germination of Festuca ovina. This finding was even prominent in higher salinity levels of 15 and 20 dS/m. Therefore, to facilitate using this species in urban landscapes or in pastures, pre-treatment of the seeds using 10 and 20 mmol₊/L CaCl₂ is recommended.

This study was devoted to verifying the performance of various configurations of a winged chisel plough (WCP) in a soil bin. The performance of the new tool was assessed at three wing depths (5, 10 and 15 cm), three bend angles (10, 20 and 30 °), and three rake angles (7.5, 15 and 22.5 °) with three replications using a completely randomised design at a constant depth and speed of 30 cm and 1 m.s-1, respectively. The draught and vertical forces, soil disturbed and upheaved areas plus the efficiency of the soil loosening were measured during the tests. The results revealed that the draught and vertical forces were significantly increased by increasing the wing depth, bend and rake angles. The soil disturbance area increased with an increase in the wing depth, bend and rake angles. While the soil upheaving was decreased by increasing the wing depth and bend angle, the effect of the rake angle on the soil upheaving area was not significant. The maximum efficiency of the soil loosening of 268.1 cm2.kN-1 was achieved for a wing depth of 10 cm, a bend angle of 20 °, and a rake angle of 15 °. A significant improvement in the efficiency of the soil loosening along with maintaining a considerable portion of the residue on the soil surface suggest that the WCP should be adopted for conservation tillage.

One-year-old 'Florida Prince' cultivar peach trees grafted on a 'Nemaguard' rootstock were planted in the early spring of 2018 at the Centre of Agricultural Research and Experiments, Minia University, located in southwest Egypt. The trees were planted 5 × 5 m in a randomised complete block design with four replicates, with ten trees in each replicate. In the late spring, two different pruning systems were applied; traditional open centre (OC) and de-branched top trees (DBT). The OC trees were headed at 80 cm above the ground. DBT is a modification of the OC, but no heading was undertaken and the new shoot growth arising from the 20 cm at the top of the plant were removed. Before the winter pruning took place, measurements were taken on the upper two opposite branches. The average length and diameter values of the upper two opposite branches at the top of the trees trained to the OC were higher than those trained with the DBT. In contrast, the distance between the upper two branches (25 cm) at the top of the DBT trees was significantly higher. Likewise, the values of the crotch angles (48°) and the number of branches (81 of 100 branches) that showed desired crotch angles (more than 40°) were remarkably higher in the trees trained with the DBT. After the winter pruning took place, the DBT trees were higher than the OC trees. Additionally, the trees trained with the DBT had low pruning costs and took less time. Moreover, the pruning wood weight of the DBT trees was about half of the pruning wood weight of the OC trees. In conclusion, the DBT training system showed the desired impact on the crotch angles and the tested pruning characteristics.

The effect of foliar application of selenium (Se) fertilizers (sodium selenite and selenate) in two different Se doses (10 and 20 g/ha) on grain yield, Se content and mechanical and technological parameters of winter wheat grain was investigated in the field fertilization experiment. Foliar spray application of Se was applied at the growth stage of the 2^nd node on the main stem (32 BBCH). Selenate foliar applications in dose 10 g Se per ha showed a significant increase of grain yield in comparison to control treatment without Se application. The mechanical and technological parameters of wheat grain were not significantly affected by both selenite and selenate foliar application. The average Se concentration was significantly lower in 2007/2008 (grain yield 8.72 t/ha) than 2006/2007 (yield 6.35 t/ha) growing season (0.133 versus 0.189 mg Se/kg dry matter). The grain Se absorption efficiency at foliar application of 10 and 20 g Se/ha of selenite and selenate were 1.35-1.45% and 13.24-15.14%, respectively.

Durum semolina was replaced with 10, 15, and 20% of chestnut flour. Pasta was produced on a single screw extruder with the temperature profile of 80/90/90°C and on a laboratory minipress. Pasta samples were dried at room temperature and physical and sensory properties were determined. Generally, the chestnut flour addition to durum wheat pasta decreased optimum cooking time, hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness, but increased cooking losses and pasta adhesiveness. Samples made on an extruder showed shorter optimum cooking times in relation to samples made on a minipress. Absorbed water was decreased with chestnut flour addition. Pasta made on an extruder showed a higher sensory score in comparison with pasta made on a minipress. The addition of chestnut flour influenced the colour of the samples. Samples made on an extruder showed darker colour in dried and cooked pasta samples in relation to minipress samples. In dried pasta samples, the extruder gave yellower samples in relation to the minipress, while in cooked pasta samples it was reversed. Overall, the extruder gave higher-quality pasta compared to the minipress.

In this study, 30 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from 20 different fermented meat products obtained from the Afyonkarahisar province (Turkey). Molecular identification of these isolates was performed by amplification of the 16S rDNA gene using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. LAB isolated from 'sucuk' (spicy and fermented sausage) samples were identified as Enterococcus faecalis (2 isolates), Enterococcus durans (1 isolate), Lactobacillus sakei (3 isolates), Lactobacillus curvatus (2 isolates), Weissella viridescens (3 isolates), Weissella cibaria (2 isolates) and Weissella hellenica (1 isolate). LAB, isolated from salami samples, were identified as W. viridescens (1 isolate), E. durans (3 isolates), Leuconostoc mesenteroides (4 isolates), Carnobacterium maltaromaticum (1 isolate), Macrococcus caseolyticus (1 isolate). Also, LAB, isolated from sausages samples, were identified as E. faecalis (1 isolate), E. durans (4 isolates), Lactobacillus plantarum (1 isolate). Both agar spot and agar well diffusion assay methods were used to determine the antimicrobial activity of the LAB isolates. Isolates of LAB showed higher antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19115, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Klebsiella pneumoniae NRRL B 4420, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 11778, Streptococcus faecalis NRRL B 14617 than against Escherichia coli ATCC 35218 and Bacillus subtilis NRS 744. Results showed that the LAB isolates produced antimicrobial substances that have a potential for different industrial and biotechnological uses.

In this study, two experiments were performed with the aim to optimize intensive aquaculture of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). In the first 140-day experiment the effect of the initial fish density was assessed at three levels: low density (LD) 23 kg/m³, medium density (MD) 35 kg/m³ and high density (HD) 46 kg/m³. All three densities provided the same final Fulton's condition coefficient (FC = 1.24-1.28), specific growth rate (SGR = 0.22-0.24%/day) and survival rate (97-100%). No cannibalism was observed at all tested densities. Feed conversion ratio (FCR = 1.39 ± 0.21 g/g) was the lowest for LD and the highest (1.61 ± 0.08 g/g) for MD. The highest fish biomass (25.7 ± 2.7 kg/m³) was obtained at HD and this density was considered as the most effective density of all tested ones during the intensive culture of largemouth bass. The second 60-day experiment tested the effect of largemouth bass and pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) monoculture and biculture of both species on production efficiency. Higher size heterogeneity was obtained in both (mono- and bicultural) groups of pikeperch (308.91-314.56‰/day) compared to the groups of largemouth bass (279.26-284.05 ‰/day). The higher FC (1.09) was found in both types of culture in largemouth bass compared to both methods of culture in pikeperch (0.74-0.78). The lowest SGR was evident in both types of largemouth bass cultures (1.20-1.28%/day). In contrast, the highest SGR was achieved in the bicultural pikeperch (1.88%/day). Similar results like for SGR were also assessed for FCR, where the highest value of FCR was in both cultures of largemouth bass (1.44-1.48 g/g) compared to the lowest FCR in the bicultural of pikeperch (0.73 g/g). Largemouth bass in both tested types of culture had higher survival rates (99.95-99.99%) compared to pikeperch (98.61-98.63%).

This study investigated the influence of the moisture content and speed on the cutting force and energy of tannia cormels using the response surface methodology (RSM). The moisture content and cutting speed were varied over five levels each [95.79, 113.68, 136.68, 168.42, 242.11% moisture content (dry basis) and 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 mm×min^-1, respectively]. The highest and lowest cutting forces were 114.09 and 63.99 N at the corresponding moisture contents of 168.42 and 113.68% and at cutting speeds of 10 and 20 mm×min^-1, respectively. The highest and lowest cutting energies of 0.92 and 0.49 J were both obtained at a 136.68% moisture content, at the 10 and 20 mm×min^-1 cutting speeds, respectively. The regression models for predicting the cutting force and energy as a function of the cutting speed and moisture content showed that there was no linear relationship between the investigated properties and the independent variables considered which could be attributed to the non-homogeneous nature of tannia cormels. The optimum cutting force and energy were 72.89 N and 0.60 J, respectively, at a 95.79% moisture content and a 22.33 mm×min^-1 speed with a desirability of 0.80. These findings could serve as a guide for the development of chipping and cutting machines for tannia cormels.

The present prospective, randomised, double-blinded clinical study was designed to investigate the commonly used anaesthetic combinations of dexmedetomidine-propofol-isoflurane and medetomidine-propofol-isoflurane on intraocular pressure and pupil size in dogs. Forty client-owned healthy dogs with no ocular abnormalities, average body weight of 25.7 ± 13.1 kg (mean ± SD) and aged 3.7 ± 2.7 years, were enrolled. Twenty four males and 16 females were included. Dogs were allocated randomly to receive dexmedetomidine i.v. at 0.005 mg/kg, dexmedetomidine at 0.01 mg/kg, medetomidine at 0.01 mg/kg or medetomidine at 0.02 mg/kg. Ten minutes later anaesthesia was induced in all dogs with propofol and maintained with isoflurane in oxygen-air. Intraocular pressure, pupil size, heart rate, respiratory frequency and arterial blood pressures (SAP, DAP) were measured prior to (baseline) and at 10 (before propofol), 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 min after dexmedetomidine or medetomidine administration. Oxygen saturation of haemoglobin (SpO₂) and end-tidal CO₂ concentration (EtCO₂) was monitored following anaesthesia induction. Data were analysed using Anderson-Darling and Bartlett's tests for data distribution and homogeneity of variance confirmation and ANOVA followed by Dunnett's tests for multiple comparisons. Changes were considered significant when P < 0.05. Following drug administration, pupil size, heart rate and respiratory frequency decreased significantly within groups, but did not differ between groups. No significant changes in intraocular pressure, SAP and DAP within and between groups, and SpO₂ or EtCO₂ between groups, were observed. Comparable doses of dexmedetomidine or medetomidine combined with propofol and isoflurane induced reductions in pupil size, respiratory frequency and heart rate, however, without a significant influence on intraocular pressure or arterial blood pressure.

To evaluate the long-term effects of fertilisation on soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration in rice-wheat cropping ecosystems, SOC dynamics, stocks and fractionation were determined. The treatments included no fertiliser, mineral N and P, mineral N, P and K, organic fertiliser (OF), OF plus NP and OF plus NPK. The results showed that the average carbon inputs that derived from crop stubble, root residues and organic fertilisers were between 1.47 and 4.33 t/ha/year over the past 34 years. The average SOC stocks measured in the samples collected in 2011-2013 ranged from 31.20 to 38.52 t/ha. The range of the SOC sequestration rate was 0.11-0.40 t/ha/year with a SOC sequestration efficiency of 6.3%. Overall, organic fertilisation significantly promoted C-input, SOC and the sequestration rate compared to mineral fertilisation. The "active pool" (very labile and labile fractions) and "passive pool" (less labile and recalcitrant fractions) accounted for about 71.0% and 29.0% of the SOC fractions, respectively. Significant positive relationships between C-inputs and SOC fractions indicated that SOC was not saturated in this typical rice-wheat cropping system, and fertilisation, especially organic amendment, is an effective SOC strategy sequestration.

Palm oil is a superior product from Indonesia that is continuously and widely used for daily needs such as cooking, grooming, and manufacturing. However, this potential must be supported by oil palm business actors' performance to maintain its intensity and competitiveness. This study investigates how various factors affect Indonesia's crude palm oil (CPO) export intensity and competitiveness by employing panel regression and the basic gravity model. The panel data used here is a 20-year time series with cross-sections from five major importers from 1999 to 2018. The results show that the importer's gross domestic product (GDP) and quantity of export significantly and positively affect Indonesia's CPO export intensity, while the exporter's GDP and economic distance has a significant and negative effect. The factors that positively and significantly influence competitiveness are soybean's import value and Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification, while Malaysian CPO's export and population of importing countries negatively affect Indonesian CPO competitiveness.

In the context of the overall competition for water resources it is important to understand the complex dynamics of crop water management including evapotranspiration, water quality, and leaching requirement, each of them depending on the site-specific conditions. The research started with grain maize and continued with sunflower, grain maize, and wheat, at the experimental field. On both grain maize and sunflower, 10 irrigation treatments were compared that resulted from the factorial combination of two types of water (fresh and brackish water) with five irrigation regimes; the scheduled treatments were applied by furrow irrigation. The amount of salts brought into the soil with the irrigation water during the three irrigation seasons of our trial increased shifting from the lowest to the highest irrigation regime and with the increase of salinity in the irrigation water. From the study of salt distribution in the soil it follows that at the end of the irrigation season the salt concentration increased by passing from the middle of the furrow, a zone more subject to leaching during irrigation, to the intermediate zone between the furrow and the ridge, and in the middle of the ridge between two contiguous furrows, an area of confluence of the wetting and salt accumulation fronts. The leaching water supplied during the irrigation season was poorly efficient in leaching the salts brought in through irrigation, whereas the rainfall water of the autumn-winter period after the irrigation season ensured a good control of soil salinity.

The objective was to determine effects of equilibration length and freezing curve type as well as their interactions on motility and live spermatozoa proportion in bull sperm after thawing. The ejaculates of 6 sires were repeatedly collected. Fresh semen was diluted with one extender and divided into 3 groups equilibrated for 30, 120, and 240 min. Subsequently, half straws of each group were frozen using standard 3-phase or 2-phase freezing curve differing in the rate of temperature decrease. The spermatozoa motility (M) was evaluated immediately after thawing and at 30, 60, 90, and 120 min of thermodynamic test (TDT). Live spermatozoa proportion was evaluated after thawing and at the end of TDT. Average of spermatozoa motility (AM), decrease of spermatozoa motility (MD), average proportion of live spermatozoa (ALS), and decrease of live spermatozoa proportion (DLS) through the TDT were calculated. Significant inter-sire differences in AM (0.45-17.0%; P < 0.05-0.01), MD (0.76-12.57%; P < 0.05-0.01), and ALS (0.99-23.8%; P < 0.01) were detected. The longest equilibration ensured the highest M during TDT and AM (+2.72 and +4.58%; P < 0.05-0.01), however higher MD (+4.06%; P < 0.01) compared to standard length as well. Straws freezed using 2-phase curve achieved higher M through TDT, AM (+7.3%; P < 0.01) as well as ALS (+11.77%; P < 0.01). The 2-phase curve presented higher M compared to the 3-phase freezing curve within all equilibration lengths. Significant differences in AM, MD, and ALS (0.45-6.78%, 0.62-5.35%, and 20.79-21.11%; P < 0.05-0.01) between equilibration length vs freezing curve interactions were determined. Results document the importance of equilibration length, freezing curve, and their interaction effect on live spermatozoa proportion and sperm motility after thawing as well as necessity of individual conditions for bulls semen processing and insemination doses production.