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Two potato cultivars Kufri Bahar and Kufri Jyoti were stored in heaps and pits under ambient conditions of sub-tropical plains of northern India and their chipping quality was determined after 90 days of storage. During storage there was a significant reduction (33.84%) in the reducing sugar content of potatoes and improvement (31.63%) in chip colour. Sugar levels in stored potatoes were within the acceptable limit for processing and table purposes indicating that potatoes stored up to 90 days on the farm in heap and pits are suitable for these two purposes.

The paper compares the main factors influencing the key supplier-industries for brewing and wine-production in the Czech Republic - hop-growing and winegrowing - and it is a part of a more extensive research focused especially on the processing industries, and the specifics of their analyses. The importance of hop-growing and winegrowing is based on the fact that they significantly influence not only the final product, but also the competitiveness in the successive industries of the product vertical. Similar influence within the examined industries is evidenced in the close interconnection with the above-mentioned (main) successive processing-part, and in the complicated position of the small growers. Differences are shown especially in the flexibility of reaction to the changes of demand for final products of the successive industries, and also in the position of both industries in the Czech Republic, and in the world.

Social-political transition in the former socialist countries led to a new understanding of borders and created the prerequisites for renaissance and significant activation of the cross-border co-operation. This way, Slovakia along with other countries joined the Euro-regional movement in Europe, which spread since the end of 60-ies through Western-European countries. Formation and institutionalisation of Euro-regional relations, links and co-operation was initially hindered by a whole range of obstacles, including the ones with political background. It was obvious mainly in Slovakia where it influenced the existence and potential establishment of new Euro-regional associations. Rebirth of the Euro-regional activities started after 1998. Currently, there are Euro-regions practically operating along the entire Slovak border with its neighbours. The extent and form of institutionalisation and professional staffing varies. Activities of Euro-regions are merely based on projects which bring funding. Projects are broadly oriented, while the prevailing focus is currently on the economic activation of Euro-regions. There is a lack of partner co-operation and co-ordination of activities between countries and their activities, including cross-border activities and activities of Euro-regions. Euro-regional activities play a significant role in activation of border areas in the country, while they have a complementary character for the regional state policy and regional policy of self-governed regions which is being formulated.

This contribution is oriented on the field of dynamic loading analysis of three-point hitch of tractor hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump is placed in circuit of three-point hitch of the tractor ZTS 160 45. Obtained data from operation experiments will be applied for simulation of dynamic loading of the tested hydraulic pump. The measurements were realized during position control with ploughing sets: tractor ZTS 160 45 + plough 5-PN-30 and tractor ZTS 160 45 + plough 7-PHX-35. During the test physical and mechanical properties of soil and operating parameters of ploughing sets were investigated. Pressures of hydraulic system were in range from 3.2 to 7 MPa at aggregation with plough 5-PN-30 and hydraulic pump was loaded. Pressures of hydraulic system during ploughing with ploughing set tractor ZTS 160 45 + plough 7-PHX-35 were in range from 1.8 to 14 MPa and two times hydraulic pump was unloading in time 2 seconds.

As a fermented product, tarhana is the dry form of yogurt-cereal mixture and represents an important part of the diets of many people in different countries including Turkey. In the present study, the effects of the addition of baker's yeast on the quality and functional properties of tarhana were investigated. Tarhana was produced under laboratory conditions (uncontrolled and controlled conditions) using two formulas. Some physicochemical, functional, and sensory properties of the samples were analysed. An increase was found in the acidity value of all samples during the fermentation period. The addition of baker's yeast affected the functional properties (water absorption capacity, foaming capacity, foaming stability, emulsifying activity) of the samples (P< 0.05). The tarhana samples produced by the addition of yeast and under controlled conditions had shorter fermentation times and better sensory properties. This research suggests that the addition of baker's yeast and the employment of controlled conditions can be recommended in the production of the commercial type of tarhana.

Trees of prune (Prunus domestica L.), cv. Jojo, were inoculated by chip budding with three different strains of PPV isolated from European plum in the Czech Republic. These isolates included Plum pox virus M strain (PPV-M), Plum pox virus D strain (PPV-D) and a PPV-recombinant both strains (PPV-Rec). The results of the evaluation of the inoculated trees over 2 years are presented. Trees of plum cv. Jojo behaven differently to infection with the three PPV strains. A strong hypersensitive reaction appeared a year after inoculation with PPV-M and PPV-Rec strains, although not all inoculated tree died. PPV must have been present in the tissue of cv. Jojo because the virus was transferred to the rootstock St. Julien. Plants of the rootstock became systemically infected with the PPV-M and PPV-Rec strains, showing severe PPV symptoms. The presence of PPV was proved by ELISA in leaves of rootstock St. Julien, but not in leaves of cv. Jojo. Inoculation with strain PPV-D resulted in partial hypersensitive reaction of plants of cv. Jojo, but after initial stunting and partial death of shoots recovering of plants was observed.

Two high yielding wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties were pollinated with seven agrarian superior varieties. F₁'s thus obtained were pollinated with diverse winter maize lines/composites and treated with a solution containing 2,4-D and GA₃. The haploid embryos were rescued 13 to 16 days post pollination on MS₁ and MS₄ media. Out of 15, only two crosses viz., (UP 2338 × HD 2285) F₁ × maize and (WH 533 × PBW 343) F₁ × maize resulted in callus development and direct germination via embryo rescue.

Retailers are the strong group both in South Bohemia and in Upper Austria. The development of this sphere is one of the development programmes priorities of both regions. South Bohemia and Upper Austria, especially Muhlviertel region, are areas with a similar economic structure, which is an excellent presupposition for mutual cooperation. An advantage will be the improvement of marketing activity and information transfer. A better technical equipment and its full exploitation will be possible. The problems, however, which could arise from cooperation with foreign partners, should not be underestimated. Not only the language barrier is concerned but also different techniques, methods and expectations that might be caused by different customs and interests of the partners. An important aid to the entrepreneurs, either concerning consultant service, establishing contacts or further education, are economic chambers and other institutions concerned with retail business development.

Knowledge Economy is an education related to the declaration and contents of the Lisbon Strategy - The Perfect Europe and a follow up strategy of the competitiveness of member states of the EU by the year 2010. The term knowledge economy can be defined as "an education about problems of upbringing and educating students, a professional education of managers and population, an education about strategies of being competitive as well as an education about reality and contents of innovating an information society". The application of the Knowledge Economy in the content of education into research and workplace consulting enriches economic theories as well as gradation of agrarian economic in the field of competitiveness and information technology. The Knowledge Economy means a world repute and maximalisation of international relations and at the same time a vision of catching up with the leaders of world economies. Present educational systems, a general and specific education of new member states, is short-sightedly oriented at regional and local education with the effort to educate "an euroengineer, an eurodoctor, etc.", into the expansion of new faculties and their entitling as "European studies, integration studies, some subjects are also innovatived with a modified agrarian and business union politics", which I myself consider to be an "educational lag behind" which is the antithesis to the attributes of catching up with the more developed.

The aim of this paper is to contribute to the knowledge of dynamics of species diversity, abundance, distribution of fruiting bodies and dominance of macromycetes in mycocoenosis of beech monocultures. The problems were studied in beech monocultures on three permanent research plots with various impacts of air pollutants generated by the aluminium plant in Žiar nad Hronom. Over the research period we determined 121 macromycete species and one species of imperfect fungus. We found relatively balanced values of abundance, fruiting body distribution and species dominance on all the examined plots. The species diversity in groups consisting of the most dominant species was practically the same on each plot. As for the ecotrophic requirements of individual macromycetes, we can conclude that the diversity of tree parasites decreased with decreasing pollutant load. We also found out relatively balanced numbers of lignicolous saprophytes and terrestrial saprophytes on each research plot. Air pollutants also influenced the species spectrum of ectomycorrhizal macromycetes negatively (only 6 species on the plot with highest pollution stress and 21 species on the plot with lowest pollution stress).

In this research, leaf area prediction models were developed for some leaf-used medicinal plants namely Calamintha nepeta, Datura stromonium, Melissa officinalis, Mentha piperita, Nerium oleander, Origanum onites and Urtica dioica growing wild in Black Sea region of Turkey. Lamina width, length and leaf area were measured non-destructively to develop the models. The actual leaf areas of the plants were measured by PLACOM Digital Planimeter, and multiple regression analysis with Excel 7.0 computer package program was performed for the plants separately. The produced leaf area prediction models in the present study were formulized as LA = (a) + (b₁ × L) + [(b₂ × (L × W)] + (b₃ × L²) + (b₄ × W²) + [b₅ × (L × W²)] + [b₆ × (L² × W)] + [b₇ × (L² × W²)] where LA is leaf area, W is leaf width, L is leaf length and a, b₁, b₂, b₃, b₄, b₅, b₆, and b₇ are coefficients. R² values for medicinal plants tested varied with species from 0.82 in Origanum onites to 0.98 in Urtica dioica. All R² values and standard errors were found to be significant at the P < 0.001 level.

Yellowing of the Norway spruce is a relatively common problem in many areas of the Czech Republic. In some of them, it is also connected with forest decline; it was studied in the Šumava (Bohemian Forest) Mts. and in the western part of the Krušné hory Mts. This unfavourable phenomenon is initiated by several ecological as well as anthropic processes, one of the most important being the imbalance of forest stand nutrition. Particular reasons lead to the deficiency of nutrients, especially of magnesium. Solution of this undesirable trend is the profound ecological analysis and cause-oriented treatments. Besides lowering the air pollutant input, fertilization with deficient nutrients is a successful treatment in the forest stand management in affected areas. In the areas of interest, the application of a relatively small amount of appropriate fertilizer (SILVAMIX Mg) led to considerable improvement in the defoliation dynamics and yellowing progress since the first years after use.

Ochratoxin A is a very common mycotoxin which can be found rather often, predominantly in various cereal materials and in products from this type of plants. Our aim was to apply an analytical procedure with a suitable detection level of ochratoxin A for its estimation in beer. The detection level of the method suggested was close to 0.001 µg/kg. The analytical procedure is based on HPLC separation with fluorescence detection. The application of this method is demonstrated and analytical results obtained with beer of domestic provenience are reported.

The presence of the chloramphenicol resistance genes cat, cmlA, flo, and the role of plasmids and class 1 integrons in the spread and persistence of chloramphenicol resistance were investigated on a collection of 40 Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strains isolated from animals and humans in Hungary, by PCR and conjugation. Three groups of chloramphenicol resistant strains were identified. Eleven animal and 13 human isolates harboured the flo gene, encoding resistance to chloramphenicol and florfenicol, and possessed integrons of 1.0 Kb and 1.2 Kb typically found on the multidrug resistance island of S. Typhimurium DT104. Fifteen human strains had two different chloramphenicol resistance genes: the catB3 gene, identified as a gene cassette within a 1.45 Kb integron, and the catA gene, both of which were located on and transferred by a 140 Kb plasmid from a representative strain to the E. coli recipient via conjugation. A single animal strain had the catA gene alone, which was also transferred by a 35 Kb plasmid via conjugation. These three groups of strains belonged to three distinct genetic clusters, as it was revealed by macrorestriction analysis of 18 selected strains. This study provides information on the versatile genetic background of the chloramphenicol and florfenicol resistances in S. Typhimurium in Hungary and points to the significance of mobile genetic elements such as conjugative R-plasmids and integrons in the spread and persistence of chloramphenicol resistance genes. The results also indicate the predominance of the flo gene among animal strains and its appearance among human strains inHungary.

Study of the intrarenal arterial pattern of kidney by a corrosion cast method was carried out on 10 kidneys of wolves. The left renal artery was longer than the right one. The renal arteries divided into two dorsal and one ventral branches. The dorsal branches were longer and thinner than the ventral one. Both dorsal and ventral branches gave off the interlobar, arcuate and interlobular arteries, respectively. The right dorsal branch gave off 5-7 segmental arteries, the right ventral branch 4-5 segmental arteries, the left dorsal branch 6-9 segmental arteries and the left ventral branch 7-8 segmental arteries. No anastomoses were observed between the renal arteries and their branches.

Hop downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora humuli) and hop powdery mildew (Podosphaera macularis) are the most important pathogens of hop (Humulus lupulus). The early detection and identification of these pathogens are often made difficult by symptomless or combined infection with another pathogens. Molecular analysis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of rDNA is a novel and very effective method of species determination. Therefore, specific PCR assays were developed to detect the pathogens Pseudoperonospora humuli and Podosphaera macularis in naturally infected hop plants. The specific PCR primer combinations P1 + P2 and S1 + S2 amplified specific fragments from Pseudoperonospora humuli and Podosphaera macularis, respectively, and did not cross-react with hop DNA nor with DNA from other fungi. PCR primer combinations R1 + R2 and R3 + R4 could be used in multiplex PCR detection of Pseudoperonospora humuli, Podosphaera macularis, Verticillium albo-atrum and Fusarium sambucinum. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred for 42 species of the Erysiphales from nuclear rDNA (ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2). The molecular characterisation and phylogenetic analyses confirmed the species identification of hop powdery mildew. The PCR assays used in this study proved to be accurate and sensitive for detection, identification, classification and disease-monitoring of the major hop pathogens.

A study was conducted to determine the relationship between abdominal fat and the intake of methionine deficient diet in broilers. In this study, 66 male broilers at the age of 35 days were used. They were divided into two groups (control, n = 13, and methionine deficient group, n = 53) and all birds were housed in individual pens. During the experiment, normal and deficient diet contained 0.55% and 0.25% methionine, respectively. Control group was fed normal diet for 19 days. Treatment group received methionine deficient diet for 4 days and normal diet for 15 days. Body weight and feed intake were recorded daily. High (HG) and low (LG) groups were theoretically created according to the rates of decreases in individual feed intake. Percent decrease in feed intake of HG and LG groups was 29.4 ± 2.0 and -1.3 ± 1.7, respectively. Abdominal fat in HG and LG groups amounted to 1.62 ± 0.1 and 1.73 ± 0.2%, respectively. The feed conversion ratio of HG and LG groups was 3.1 ± 0.1 and 3.4 ± 0.2, respectively. There was a negative correlation (-0.45 in HG and -0.43 in LG) between the percent decrease in feed intake and abdominal fat.

After the accession to the EU, there is a necessity to develop the land market in Slovakia. The achievement of the following conditions is necessary: settlement of estates in lands and unification of the law of real property in the areas of ownership, utilization, change of the land type, soil conservation, land use planning and building multiple-function agriculture with the legislation of the market economy countries as well as its harmonization with the EU legal regulations. It is also necessary to develop an official network to follow transactions on the land market, a regular update of data and their evaluation.

In this paper we have evaluated the health condition of Prunus persica (L.) Batsch and Prunus armenia-ca L. for the occurrence of the parasitic microscopic fungus Cytospora cincta Sacc. Apricot trees in 5 localities with 10 sites and peach trees in 5 localities with 8 sites were evaluated. We identified symptoms of the disease in host plants, conditions for isolation and cultivation of the fungus and the growth rate of the mycelium hyphae on various substrates. The damage degree was evaluated in 330 trees in four localities while most trees were characterised by degree 1-3. We have derived conclusions for protective measures to prevent further spreading of the infection.

This paper deals with the meat industry in the Czech Republic, the equipment which is used for meat cutting and processing for sale and for production of smoked goods. It determines individual categories of this equipment according to the use and describes materials used for manufacturing of clothing of butchers and also the complementary tools improving labour safety during technology operations. Next it presents materials used for making metal tools and describes the situation in the market of butcher´s equipment in the Czech Republic.

The effects of soil conditioners TerraCottem, Frisol, Bio-algeen and fertilisers Silvamix Forte and Cererit on the survival rate and growth of European ash seedlings until the stage called established plantation were observed on two experimental plots with different anthropogenic substrates. Eight-year experiments showed that under the given conditions the tested agents fulfilled the declared effects only partially. The application of TerraCottem was statistically insignificant both in the survival rate and in the growth. In the applied dose, Frisol manifested itself as an agent that may cause problems with the survival of plants, but at the same time also as a preparation improving the overall growth of young plants statistically significantly. Its effective dosage largely depends on the soil character. Bio-algeen had a very good effect on the survival rate of plants, but it did not surpass the control plants in the initial growth of plants. Silvamix Forte did not cause the mortality of seedlings and influenced the growth of plants statistically significantly for 1-3 years. In the applied dose, Cererit caused a high mortality of seedlings. The application of soil conditioners and Silvamix Forte did not markedly accelerate the growth and development until the stage of the established plantation. Until that time, the costs of the application of conditioners were higher by 4-13% as compared with the costs in the control plants.

The aim of this study was to characterise and compare Pasteurella multocida isolates originating from pigs (n = 43), calves (n = 31), rabbits (n = 27), and to a lesser extent from other hosts (n = 6). A total of 107 P. multocida isolates were obtained from various locations in the Czech Republic. They were analysed by capsular PCR typing and ribotyping, and tested for the production of dermonecrotoxin. Most frequently, serogroup A isolates (n = 74) were found, followed by serogroup D (n = 25) and serogroup F (n = 8) isolates. From a total of fifteen different ribotypes (1-15) generated by restriction endonuclease MspI, four ribotypes (1, 3, 4, and 7) were predominant. The prevalence of predominant ribotypes was different in isolates originating from different hosts. Ribotype 1 was characteristic for rabbit isolates, ribotype 3 was primarily found in pig isolates, and ribotype 7 dominated among calf isolates. Sixteen (mainly porcine) isolates produced dermonecrotoxin but significant correlation among ribotypes and dermonecrotoxin production was not observed.

Six field strains of Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale isolated from chickens in Elazig province located in the East of Turkey were typed by serotyping and random amplified polymorphic DNA assay using a random primer (OPG-11). Using the AGP test used for serotyping, serotype A was found to be the predominant serotype, only one strain was serotyped as serotype B. By RAPD assay, the tested ORT strains were found to have different RAPD profiles. In addition, the RAPD assay showed almost similar DNA profiles among the tested strains of the serotypes A, B, D and E. The strain of serotype C did give a different RAPD profile. Within strains of the same serotype (A), different profiles were found but the strain of serotype (B) had an identical profile as strains of serotype A. This study suggests that more genotypes of ORT strains are present within the same serotype and thus that no relationship exists between the RAPD pattern of ORT and their serotype.

Host range and growth of two Ditylenchus dipsaci (Stem and Bulb Nematode) populations on onion, garlic, leek, spinach and chicory were compared. Inoculation was conducted by placing a droplet of 1.5% CMC suspension containing nematodes between the first leaves. The life cycle of the parasite was completed in variants of the original host plants, i.e. salad chicory was infected with the chicory population, and garlic and onion with the garlic population. Survival of the nematodes on garlic and spinach inoculated with the chicory population, and on chicory inoculated with the garlic population was determined. Nematodes of the chicory population did not survive on onion and leek, nor did the garlic population survive on spinach and leek. Nematode infection did not affect the dry weight of aboveground parts of plants, although a reduction would probably occur if the experiments had lasted longer. Symptoms of the infections were apparent in chicory inoculated with the chicory population. Nematodes in the substrate in which the plants were grown were found only in those variants with plants in which the life cycle was completed.

Two ruminally cannulated Jersey cows were used to determine in situ ruminal degradability and intestinal digestibility of raw (E0) soybeans and soybeans extruded at 145°C (E145), 155°C (E155) and 165°C (E165). The degradation of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) was estimated using nylon bags suspended in rumen for 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 24 and 48 h calculating the effective ruminal degradabilities (ERD) for an assumed outflow rate of 0.06/h. Four extra sample bags were incubated for 12 h to determine CP digestibility using the mobile nylon bag method. Cows were fed a ration of 30% concentrate and 70% meadow hay. Soybean extrusion at all temperatures decreased the effective protein degradability significantly (P < 0.05). Soybean processing at the highest heat input (E165) decreased ERD (44.0%) in the rumen significantly while the values for E145 and E155 were similar, 50.8 and 50.3% respectively. Soybean extrusion at all tested temperatures was followed by a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in the proportion of the rapidly degraded DM and CP fractions a, and both the increased proportions and reduced breakdown rate (c) of the fraction b. The intestinal protein digestibility values of the rumen-undegraded protein of extruded soybean were somewhat higher, however the observed differences between treatments were not significant (P < 0.05). Estimated intestinal digestibilities were 87.2, 89.7, 92.0 and 92.6% for E0, E145, E155 and E165, respectively.

This study deals with effects of pressing of ensiled sugar-beet pulp and of application of a chemical preservative on the quality of fermentation process. The experimental silages had a better sensory evaluation than the control ones. In silages treated chemically with a mixture of acids, statistically significantly (P < 0.01) higher dry matter content, lowest pH value, the value of lactic acid and the lowest content of all acids in dry matter were found after 180 days of storage from the beginning of the experiment. The statistically significantly (P < 0.01) highest lactic acid content (43.39 ± 1.25 g/kg DM) was determined in the control pressed silage. The highest LA/VFA ratio (1.40 ± 0.18) was calculated for non-pressed experimental silage (D - 3 l/t of KEM). As compared with untreated control the highest percentage (P < 0.01) of lactic acid and of all fermentation acids was found out in silage D treated with 3 l/t of KEM (58.18 ± 0.47 g/kg DM). Undesirable butyric and propionic acids were not found in chemically treated silage samples (C, D, E, F). However, the highest (P < 0.01) contents of butyric acid (26.37 ± 0.91 g/DM) and propionic acid (4.58 ± 0.78 g/DM) were measured in untreated non-pressed silage samples (B). The highest (P < 0.01) contents of acetic acid and ethanol were found in control silage samples. The quality of these silages was evaluated as very low.

The set of 102 samples of agricultural soils was taken for the study of the load of agricultural soils with polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofuranes (PCDDs/Fs). The background value of PCDDs/Fs in agricultural soils of theCzech Republicwas determined. The soils with different sources of the load of PCDDs/Fs were compared. It was concluded that fluvisols in fluvial zones and soils with long-term sludge application are soils with the highest contents of PCDDs/Fs. The soils affected by imission outputs show a lower intensity of the load with PCDDs/Fs that is characterised by higher content of toxic congeners.

Differences in reactions to infection and different development of Plum pox virus (PPV) symptoms were observed in leaves and fruits of one hundred sixty-five apricot and seventy-nine peach cultivars and hybrids. A very broad spectrum of reactions from high susceptibility to high resistance and immunity was proved in apricot cultivars and hybrids and the results were published (Polák et al. 1997). A much narrower spectrum of reactions was proved in peach cultivars. Relative concentrations of PPV by ELISA in flowers, intensity of virus symptoms in leaves and fruits of peach cultivars were evaluated. The relative concentration of PPV coat protein (PPV-CP) in flowers was found to be positively correlated with the intensity of leaf and fruit symptoms in most cultivars. On the basis of obtained results cultivars of peaches were divided into four groups and classified as medium resistant, tolerant, medium susceptible and susceptible to PPV. None of the investigated cultivars was immune, highly resistant or resistant to PPV. Eighteen peach cultivars were classified to be medium resistant to PPV. Nine peach cultivars were characterized as tolerant to PPV, with high relative concentration of PPV-CP protein in flowers and mild symptoms in leaves and fruits. Twenty-seven peach cultivars were characterized as medium susceptible to PPV. Twenty-five peach cultivars were rated as susceptible to PPV. It is recommended to grow medium resistant peach cultivars in the areas where PPV is widely distributed.

The work objective is to differentiate rural land of Slovakia with aspect to the possibility of effective rye growing. The differentiation is based on pedo-climatic and production economic parameters. At soil categorization, correlation relationships between the site properties (soil and climatic conditions) and crop biological and agro-technological requirements were considered. Rye requirements were included into yield databases using the software filters in the way that the given site property excluded or limited rye growing, what was reflected in predicted production. The prediction was subsequently interpolated into four suitability categories: soils not suitable for rye growing, less suitable soils, suitable soils and very suitable soils. The database was formed and each of the Bonited Soil-Ecological Units (BSEU) was added in it as well as particular category of suitability for rye growing. By mediation of the Geographic Information System on BSEU distribution in Slovakia, the map of categories of soil suitability for rye growing was also generated. In Slovakia, there is 21% of farmland very suitable for rye growing, 23% suitable, 24% less suitable and 32% non-suitable soils for rye growing according to our calculation. In the paper, these categories are characterized in details and specified from the view of geographic, soil, climatic, productivity, economic and energetic parameters.