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Basmati rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars viz. PRH-10 (pusa rice hybrid-10) and PS-2 (Pusa Sugandh-2) were grown under two different day/night temperatures (31/24°C, 35/28°C) at ambient (370 μmol/mol) and elevated (550 μmol/mol) carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration, respectively, to characterize how an increase in CO₂ and temperature affects rice photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism. At elevated CO₂, the photosynthetic rates increased under both the temperature regimes, compared with plants grown at ambient CO₂. The photosynthetic rate, sucrose-P synthase (SPS) activity and accumulation of soluble sugars and starch were higher in PRH-10 (pusa rice hybrid-10), compared to PS-2 (Pusa Sugandh-2). Elevated temperature decreased the photosynthetic rates both under ambient and elevated CO₂ conditions. The SPS (sucrose-P synthase) activity and the accumulation of soluble sugars and starch were enhanced at elevated CO₂ under both temperature regimes compared with plants grown at ambient CO₂. The up-regulation of SPS (sucrose-P synthase) under elevated CO₂ and temperature would be beneficial for growth and productivity of rice plants for the future climatic conditions.

Before being used for insemination, young bulls of Czech Fleckvieh (CF) are tested for growth at performance-test stations. While at stations, the bulls are weighed monthly. Evaluation included 7 448 bulls with 82 676 records of weight measured from 6 to 520 days of life. In the station-year-period (HYS), which can be prolonged up to 3 months, different groups were tested according to the beginning of growth curve and according to test-days of weighing. Weight analyses were used to handle heterogeneous variability based on age. Legendre Polynomials (LP) with 5 parameters described the average growth curve for HYS classes. Deviations from average curves were decomposed into genetic (G), animal's permanent environment (PE) and residual (RES) components. Functions of (G) and (PE) were tested using LP random regression (RR) methodology with 5 or 3 parameters and Linear Spline (SP) function with 5 knots. Variance increases with the age of the animals. From 100 to 400 days, heritability was nearly the same with a mild depression in the middle of the period. The average was h² = 0.31 and ended with h² = 0.36. Results were similar for variance components, heritability, genetic, environmental and phenotype correlations from different models with different LP and SP functions. Higher RES variability occurred only for LP with 3 parameters. For traits like live weight, the RR should have at least 3 parameters and SP function should be used.

Investigations on the ovarian cycle of fish species that inhabit Hungarian rivers are necessitated by both environmental and economic reasons. The objective of our research was to explore new fundamental knowledge concerning the ovarian cycle of the white bream (Blicca bjoerkna, Linnaeus, 1758), barbel (Barbus barbus, Linnaeus, 1758), orfe (Leuciscus idus, Linnaeus, 1758) and nase (Chondrostoma nasus, Linnaeus, 1758). Histological investigation of ovaries and determination of proportions of oocytes in different stages of development is an appropriate method for the description of spawning characteristics of these species. Our results show that the GSI value for all four investigated species starts to increase at the end of summer and reaches its maximum before spawning. In the barbel and white bream, the presence of oocytes in the stage of cortical alveoli and the heterogeneous size of oocytes in the stage of vitellogenesis in the pre-spawning period indicate that barbel and white bream are multiple spawners. In contrast, in the orfe and nase, the absence of oocytes in the stage of cortical alveoli and the homogeneous size of cells in the stage of vitellogenesis indicate that orfe and nase are single spawners.

Peat-based and peat-free (compost) materials were tested in a vegetable forcing experiment with Danubia green pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Stability and quality of humic substances and the turnover of different nitrogen forms was determined in the studied media during the vegetation period. The main objective was to find how the degree of humification might influence the productivity of a crop under greenhouse conditions. The highest humus stability and humus stability coefficient values were detected in the green waste compost. Among different peat media, the low-moor peat was more humificated than the mixture of low-moor and high-moor peat. When the medium is more humificated it has a larger mobile nitrogen reserve. However, the structure stability decreases with the increasing humification. The mixture of two types of peat had the most favourable effect on nitrogen supply and the yield of pepper was the highest when grown on this medium. The nitrogen supplying ability of the examined compost was excellent but its structure stability deteriorated during the growing season.

Three hundred and thirty-one (331) horses out of 371 cases (i.e. 351 individuals discharged from the clinic) were followed up in order to evaluate long-term survival rate and complications after colic surgery. Twenty horses were subjected to surgery twice during the period of this study. Out of the sample of 331 patients, 302 animals (91.2%) survived at least 11 months after the operation. Twenty-nine horses (8.8%) died or had to be euthanized. Colic episode was considered to be the cause of death in 23 (79.3%) out of 29 patients. Seven colic patients had to be reoperated. The remaining six patients died of a cause unrelated to the gastrointestinal disease. Seven out of 302 long-term surviving patients needed the second operation within the first 11 months after the first surgery. Colic episode was reoperated in another 15 patients after 12 months to 4 years after the first operation. Conservative treatment was necessary in another 10 long-term surviving horses. In eight long-term surviving horses and in one patient that did not survive 11 months, incision hernias were identified as the postoperative complication. Twenty-one horses out of 331 were subjected to relaparotomy during their first hospitalization. Eighteen out of these (85.7%) survived 11 months after the surgery; the remaining three were euthanized within six months due to colic.

The article supplies the information concerning the transformation of informal MFIs to formal ones (Srnec, Havrland 2006). It underlines some risks of finance investors to the microfinancial segment of money market. Financial investors influence the possible development of MFIs and reverse. In contrary, MFIs can farcify or weaken the economic development in local areas and thus to decrease the financial effect and farm sustainable development.

This paper analyses the impact of the LFA payments on farms economic results on the basis of the Farm Accountancy Data Network in the Czech Republic. Firstly, the approaches are compared to the structure of farms based on the LFA type. Secondly, the share of the LFA payments on economic results of farms is evaluated. The evaluation considers the LFA type, share of grassland, size of the eligible area of farms. Basic economic indicators are being monitored, such as Gross Farm Income, Farm Net Value Added, Family Farm Income, current subsidies, of which in particular the LFA payments. The share of the LFA payments in economic results of agricultural holdings is compared. As a result of the analysis, the winners and losers of the current system were defined.

The population dynamics of wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) was studied in three forest complexes differing in food supply in the intensively managed landscape of southern Moravia. They included an old semi-natural floodplain forest dominated by oak (HL), production broadleaved forest with the predominance of oak and robinia (HA) and a pheasantry with various forest stands consisting of diverse species and age categories of trees with a quantity of additional food for additional feeding of pheasants and roe deer (RB). The population fluctuation within six-year monitoring was affected by seed years (acorn crops in 2003 and 2006), which resulted in an increase in the species population density in the next year. Statistically significant effects of the crop of acorns on the body weight of monitored species were also detected (P < 0.01, F = 1.44). Relative abundance differed significantly between the floodplain forest (HL) and RB and HA (P < 0.01). The two last-mentioned sites did not differ and only a trend of greater preference to the most variable biotope in RB was noted. It evidences the unsuitability of floodplain forest for the species. In spite of the food specialization in small seeds significant effects of the excess crop of acorns can result in a rapid increase in the Apodemus sylvaticus population which can then cause damage to the natural regeneration of oak or artificial regeneration by seeding although to a substantially smaller extent than the more harmful A. flavicollis.

Fluorescent Maillard compounds measurement provides more specific information on the extent of the Maillard reaction than other unspecific tools to monitor the reaction, and is suitable, as the first approach, to assess the nutritional quality of foods as related to protein damage. This work presents an optimised laboratory procedure for the measurement of total fluorescent intermediate compounds (FIC) associated with Maillard reaction, described and evaluated in a cereal-based product. Total FIC are evaluated using increased pronase E concentrations and different incubation times for the enzymatic hydrolysis, as well as three different sample clean-up steps after the enzymatic digestion. The effects of basic/acid media are considered for the stability of the fluorescent compounds. The standardised procedure is finally applied to breakfast cereals as a model of cereal-based products, analysing the correlation between total FIC production and fibre and protein contents. It is demonstrated that fluorescent compounds are mainly linked to the protein backbone in ready-to-eat breakfast cereals. Fluorescence measurement is presented as an inexpensive, rapid and accurate procedure to study the extent of Maillard reaction in breakfast cereals.

Crop yields are reduced by 70-80% due to a water stress situation specifically during the reproductive stage and are not able to fulfil the needs of food requirement in developed and developing countries of the world. Earlier work was mainly focused on the use of morphological or physiological and molecular aspects for improved stress tolerance. Efforts are being made to overcome this problem with the help of today's sophisticated and advanced technology through genomics, proteomics and metabolomics. The presented model summarizes our work in the last five years to mine anatomical parameters as a novel approach to further improving introgression or exploitation of stress adaptive traits. We have focused on some key anatomical traits playing a substantial role in water stress tolerance. This new conceptual model encompasses increased palisade mesophyll height, higher leaf strength index (LSI), higher number of conducting tissues with increased diameter in leaf, stem and root and controlled transpiration rate due to a lower number of stomata per unit leaf area along with the increased guard cell size. Different plants viz. Lycopersicon esculentum, Capsicum annuum, and Calotropis gigantea were screened by developing polyploids to validate this model approach. Genotypes of Vitis vinifera and Solanum melongena were also screened. Wild relatives like Lycopersicon esculentum var. cerasiforme and Solanum khasianum were evaluated for comparison. These observations were further correlated with various stress adaptation traits like yield under stress, in vitro screening, chlorophyll content, transpiration heating and cooling, molecular markers etc. A new scoring method is proposed which will be helpful to screen a large set of germplasms on a preliminary basis to discriminate genotypes for drought tolerance. There is an urgent need to study the genetics of these stress adaptive traits using high throughput molecular markers to make them more useful for a higher magnitude of genetic gain.

The study compares two methods for modeling the potential distribution of pests when applied to the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalisHubner). The development of the European corn borer (ECB) is known to be closely correlated with daily air temperature as well as other climate variables. The climatic parameters are, therefore, used to predict the potential geographical distribution using tested tools such as CLIMEX or ECAMON. These models consider the climatic suitability of a given site/region for the pest's development and, thus, the possible establishment of a population at a given location. In this study, meteorological data from 1961 to 2000 and from 45 meteorological stations were used to characterise the current climate conditions in the Czech Republic. Validation was based on available field data of the occurrence of ECB in the same period. The climate parameters were later modified according to the estimates based on the combination of three SRES emission scenarios and three global circulation models. Under all climate change scenarios, we noted a marked shift of the pest's potential niches to higher altitudes, which might lead to an increase in the infestation pressure during the first half of this century. The present area of the univoltine population will increase due to temperature increases even above 800 m a.s.l. In addition there is a risk of the establishment of a bivoltine population in the main agricultural areas and 38% of arable land in the Czech Republic before 2050.

The first part of the study concerns the effect of the stage of maturity on nutrient content and leaf percentage of lucerne (Medicago sativa). The plants of lucerne were harvested and analysed at several stages of growth. The crop yield and changes in the concentration of nutrients were determined. The leaf percentage from whole herbage and leaf yield were determined as well. The leaf percentage at the growth stage of small buds was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than at the growth stage of bloom in all three cuts (1^st cut 52.7% vs. 46.62%; 2^nd cut 52.03% vs. 44.70%; 3^rd cut 50.58% vs. 46.26%). Crude protein content of lucerne was decreased significantly (P < 0.05) from the large bud growth stage (small buds 219.6 g/kg DM and large buds 203.1 g/kg DM vs. bloom 173.5 and after bloom 154.2). In the second part of the study, the effect of silage additives on fermentation characteristics of lucerne was investigated. The bacterial inoculant (containing homo- and heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria), chemical additive (containing formic acid, propionic acid, ammonium formate and benzoic acid) and the bacterial inoculant with benzoic acid were used for the improvement of fermentation process.The addition of the inoculant with L. buchneri increased acetic acid (P < 0.05) concentration compared to the silage with chemical additive (group I with inoculant - 1.22%; group Ch with chemical additive - 0.84%; group ICh with chemical additive and inoculant - 1.43). Control silage (C) without additive contained 1.14% acetic acid in dry matter.

The main aim of this work was to compare the results of the water storages obtained in the experimental basins in the Jizerské hory Mountains before the time of snowmelt with the total outflows, which were measured in the hydrological stations during the snowmelt period in two winter seasons with extraordinary snow depths (2005 and 2006). The snow water equivalent (measured in weekly steps), daily precipitation amount, and runoff in hourly values were the input data; the calculated runoff coefficients were the output values. The runoff coefficients from the snowmelt periods of 2005 and 2006 were compared in the Uhlířská and the Jezdecká Basins. The runoff coefficient in the Uhlířská Basin increased in 2006 from 0.636 to 0.688 (increase by 4%) and in the Jezdecká Basin it increased in 2006 from 0.660 to 0.749 (increase by 9%). It may have been the result of a bigger volume of precipitation during the snowmelt period 2006. The calculated runoff coefficients, which express the differences between the water storage obtained and the total outflow, can describe the specific characters of the experimental basins. It may be useful for the estimation of the expected inflow into water reservoirs and also for the hydrological forecasting in the foothills of the Jizerské hory Mountains. The measured data of snow cover also serve as a check, and also for the possible adjustment of the snow water equivalent generated by the model SNOW 17 - which is a part of the forecasting modelling system Aqualog. This system is in everyday use for the Elbe river forecasts in the Forecasting Centre of CHMI. The usefulness of this procedure was proved especially during the floods arising from snowmelts in last years. The model SNOW 17 has been calibrated for the catchment of the Černá Desná Stream with the Jezdecká closing profile (one of the experimental basins in the Jizerské hory Mountains). The results obtained demonstrate a very good capability of the model to duplicate the dynamics of the snow cover accumulation and thaw, if quality input data are available.

This article is divided into four parts; the first is concerned with the methodology of evaluation of the type of technical development and its objectives. Another part will evaluate the type of technical development in the national economy as a whole in the period 1995-1999. The main indicators are fund efficiency, productivity of labour and the technical specifications of work. The third part of the contribution will deal with an evaluation of these indicators in the selected sector of the economy, namely in the farms which are obliged to make public their income statements in the business bulletin. The last part, considered from the perspective of the type of technical development will be a farm sample, divided according to size into two groups - production and marginal area. This sample will be considered for the years 1997-2000. Finally a total evaluation of the present development of single monitored groups and an inter group comparison will be carried out.

This contribution describes eight variants of the distribution of the direct payments and their impact on the farm economies in the years 2004-2006. For this purpose, selective set of 152 farms was divided in accordance with production regions: maize-growing, beet-growing, potato-growing, potato and oats-growing and uplands1. Possible demands for standard direct payments depending on the farm situation in 2002 and demands for payments set by different variants of the simplified system of direct payment distribution were figured to each of observed farms. To be comparable, individual bonuses were converted per 1 hectare of the farmland and to be considered more objectively, the eventual subsidies in terms of HRDP were calculated to the farms. In conclusion, all mentioned variants were compared from the point of view of their impact on the farm economies in different production and climatic regions.

We tested the germicide activity of 1% Chloramin BM, 1% Incidin Plus, 1% Lysoformin 3000, 0.2% Mikasept KP, and 2% Sekusept Forte against viruses in suspension (suspension test) and dried onto a surface (carrier test). The agents of the porcine encephalomyelitis (Porcine teschovirus, strains CAPM V-86, CAPM V-37), Aujeszky's disease (strains CAPM V-166, CAPM V-327) and vesicular stomatitis (strains CAPM V-499, CAPM V-331) were used as model viruses. After 30 min contact time in both the suspension and carrier tests, the Porcine teschovirus was 4 lg inactivated only by Mikasept, which was thus the only disinfectant to meet the standard. The other disinfectants decreased the viral titre insufficiently. Under the same conditions, Aujeszky's disease virus was inactivated by at least 4 lg by all the tested disinfectants except for Chloramin BM which decreased the titre of CAPM V-166 only by 3.75 lg in the carrier test. For the inactivation of Vesicular stomatitis virus Chloramin BM and Mikasept KP were tested. Both the disinfectants reliably decreased the viral titre in both the suspension and carrier tests. Our results show that the inactivation of a surface-bound virus is more difficult than its inactivation in suspension. We confirm the high resistance of non-enveloped viruses (Porcine teschovirus) to chemical inactivation.

Molecular studies enabling the recognition of the role of game and ticks in the circulation of pathogens transmitted by ticks and detection of coinfections in order to estimate a risk which a contact with tissues of roe deer, red deer and wild boar from north-western Poland brings were the aim of this research. DNA isolated from the blood and spleen of game and from Ixodes ricinus were the study materials. The results shows that Capreolus capreolus and Cervus elaphus play an important role in the life cycle of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, two Bartonella species, Theileria and Babesia spp. Whereas in the isolates obtained from 50 representatives of Sus scrofa, the DNA of only one pathogen, A. phagocytophilum occurred. 63.5% of 74 PCR+ isolates from Capreolus capreolus showed a double coinfection and three isolates - triple. In the tissues of Cervus elaphus, the coinfections were triple in 38% of individuals, double in 40%, single in 84%.

In the paper, the level of assets and long-term tangible property as well as the development of own and foreign capital, and the development of sales are evaluated in the time period 1992-2004. An analysis of internal financing resources - profit after taxation, reserves, depreciations of long-term property - was done for the years 2000-2005. The monitored items are calculated for agricultural enterprises of legal entities. Further selected factors are evaluated, which influence the property and capital structure of an enterprise.

The article is focused on the importance of using the variant calculation methods in the management of companies' performance under the conditions of multifunctional agriculture. It mentions the difference between the calculations formed for the needs of valuating the production in the financial statements and the managerial calculations. Attention is paid to overhead costs in agriculture, their development is depicted with tables and graphs. The development of overhead costs during the time period of 1997-2006 is presented in crop production and outputs of wheat and rapeseed, in livestock production in Slovakia and in the outputs of cattle (6-24 months) and pigs (1-12 months). The fastidiousness of market environment of the globalized economies requires a gradual transformation from the classical calculation system into the managerial calculation system, which provides a multidimensional insight into the product as well as the market. The sequence of establishing the variant calculation methods is also introduced together with the reasons of under-valuating calculations in the managerial practice.

Concentrations of air pollutants measured by passive samplers, atmospheric deposition to forest ecosystems, soil water chemistry, nutrient content in the soil and foliage were all measured within a study of the causes of forest decline in Nýdek Forest Range, Jablunkov Forest District (Silesian Beskids). Declining Norway spruce stands are situated in a region of historically high air pollution load, mainly from the Třinec and Ostrava agglomeration. Air pollution significantly decreased in the second half of the 1990s. Forest soils showing the insufficiency of main nutrients remain today as the main factor affecting the forest vitality. The situation in the soil is subsequently reflected in the nutrition level of the assimilation tissues. Simultaneous effects of other stressors (e.g. biotic, meteorological ones) can support a sudden worsening of the stand health and cause serious damage.

Altitudinal studies has become of interest to ecologists concentrated on functional alterations aiming to clarify the effects of limiting factors. Nutrient element release from forest floor (FF) decomposition is suppressed by those factors such as low temperature, shortened vegetation period concluding FF accumulation at high elevation fields. To draw out a response to the FF decomposition issue, FF layers as leaf + fermentation (L + F) and humus (H) were collected from 37 representative sample plots along an altitudinal gradient (from 1,400 m to 1,710 m) on Kaz (Balikesir-Turkey) mountain. Mass, pH, organic matter (OM) and total nitrogen (Nt) contents of FF were investigated to explain the relation between decomposition and altitudinal effects. The results revealed that total FF mass and (L + F), (H) sub-fraction masses through elevation show an insignificant relation with the altitude. No significant difference was found between the altitudinal groups in the OM content of L + F. Besides there are significant negative correlations between OM contents (%) of L + F and H layers and altitude with the coefficient values 0.342 (P< 0.05) and 0.597 (P < 0.01), respectively. The Nt content of L + F layer also increases through the elevation revealing a medium correlation with altitude (0.368; P < 0.05). The increasing Nt and decreasing OM contents show better decomposition rates at higher sites regardless of the altitude induced climatic changes. We assume that the forest floor accumulation under tree canopies provides a better decomposition relying on the microclimatic environment mediated by tree canopies, in spite of the altitude.

Antioxidant activity and free radicals were studied in various parts of Vitis vinifera plant in vivo and in wines using EPR spectroscopy. Antioxidative properties of polyphenolic substances play an important role for the evaluation of quality of natural products. Determination of antioxidant activity of experimental samples by EPR method was based on measuring the changes of EPR spectrum of stable nitroxide radicals as a result of their interaction with antioxidants. In the leaves of Vitis vinifera vine varieties for the production of red wines there was observed a higher decrease in free Tempol radicals as compared to the leaves of varieties used for the production of white wines. For all monitored wines there was established a clear decrease in free Tempol radicals to the average value of 75.5 ± 15.6% as compared to the original EPR spectrum. A higher antioxidant activity was observed in yeast sediments from the production of red wines than in those from white ones.

Wild potato species (genus Solanum, section Petota) represent a tremendously diverse gene pool which is traditionally utilized as a source of diverse traits for potato breeding. Abiotic and biotic stress tolerance and resistance belong to the most frequently utilized traits of wild species in potato breeding programs. This review provides an introduction to the taxonomy, centre of diversity, genetic characteristics, evolution and important tolerance and resistance traits of wild potatoes and their use for potato breeding. The review has been written for readers who are interested in the problems of finding and utilization of new resistance genes from the wild genetic resources.

This article describes the results of the analysis of correlation between the soil electrical conductivity and BPEJ (valued soil-ecological units). The measurements were made in 2006 at the School Agribusiness Land Farm in Lány established by the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague. The soil electrical conductivity (EC) was measured by the contact method using a sensor with six electrodes. The soil EC data measured were compared with the data obtained from BPEJ maps. The aim was to verify if any relationship exists between the soil EC and BPEJ. The results achieved show that the same dependency exists between the values of the main soil unit of the BPEJ code and the soil EC. The results achieved can be used in the precise agriculture system to improve the decision process.

The milk urea concentration (MUC) is a respected indicator of the health and nutrition status of dairy cows. It is in relation to their reproduction performance, longevity and technological milk indicators. The accuracy of the interpretation of results depends on their reliability, which is so important. There are a lot of principles of MUC analyses. Their results can be affected by a number of interferential factors. Many disproportions were noticed for the above-mentioned reasons in laboratory practice. That is the reason why relevant result variation sources are studied. The goal of this paper was to search the relationships between different methods of MUC determination with the use of specifically modified samples on a milk basis with the absence of dissolved components such as lactose. The results of two methods (photometric BI with diacetylmonoxime and FT-MIR (mid infrared)) were disqualified for a large shift and variance of values, unsatisfactory recovery and paralysed relation to other methods (BI r = from 0.184 to 0.213; P > 0.05). Therefore the second BI method was retained in the evaluation, and it was probably a local defect in the performance at disqualification. Nevertheless, the procedure showed poorer recovery (75.5 ± 14.3%) and necessity for methodical modifications for support of result reliability such as increase in the number of calibration points as compared to the contemporary procedure. The results of FT-MIR method were strongly systematically displaced due to lactose absence in particular (by 33.824 ± 3.794 mg/100 ml). Nevertheless, the correlations with results of other relevant methods were tight (from 0.991 to 0.999; P < 0.001). The photometrical method with Ehrlich's agent (para-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde, EH) showed acceptable values of all the evaluated indicators of reliability. The specific Ureakvant method (UR; with conductivity difference measurement) showed the most proper results in combination with all the reliability indicators (recovery as much as 93.2 ± 10.2%; correlation from 0.989 to 1.0; P < 0.001; acceptable ratio of systematic and random error components). It is possible to use the tested specific standard samples for the control or calibration of all methods (BI, EH and UR) with the exception of FT-MIR.

Maintenance of garlic (Allium sativum L.) genetic resources has had a long tradition in the Czech Republic. The collection was founded in 1951 and its current holder is the Crop Research Institute, Department of Vegetables and Special Crops in Olomouc. The collection consists of 613 genotypes. The oldest genotype was acquired in 1954. The collection has been evaluated according to the Descriptor list for Allium spp. (IPGRI 2001). 17 characters of the Descriptor list were supplemented with 5 additional characters. The photos of all garlic genotypes were taken. The genotypes were divided into the three main morphological groups according to the ability to produce the scape: the first group with the scape (bolting) - 300 genotypes, the second part without the scape (non-bolting garlic) 205 genotypes and the third part presents semi-bolting garlic - 108 genotypes. The last morphological type has bulbils in the different parts of the pseudostem.

Bovine reproductive disorders are of growing interest from both economic and health standpoints. The role that fungi play in these processes is becoming increasingly important. Study of the seroprevalence of anti-Aspergillus antibodies in cow sera taken from herds with previous reproductive disorders is therefore of great interest. We used an indirect ELISA technique, that had shown suitable results in previous studies in other animal species. Thirteen percent of the 387 animals tested in the current study were positive, accounting for 41% of herds. When this technique was applied to the sera of two fetuses, that were aborted due to aspergillosis, a significant difference in anti-Aspergillus antibody levels was found compared with those in control sera. The ELISA technique was compared with PLATELIA and PCR for 24 ELISA-positive cattle sera; these assays resulted in only one and three positive results, respectively. In conclusion, the ELISA analysis showed a significant seroprevalence of Aspergillus antibodies in herds with previous reproductive disorders. There is therefore a need for more attention to be paid to Aspergillus in the differential diagnoses of these conditions and to improve preventive methods to effectively control this organism.