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Forty-seven Kivircik ram lambs, aged 2 months, raised and managed under an intensive system were used to measure the development of testis diameter and length, and scrotum circumference, length and volume, and their association with the development of body growth. The effects of age and body weight of lambs, type of birth and dam age on the development of the five testicular parameters from weaning at 2-6 months of age were investigated. In ram lambs, the respective least-squares means of testis measurements: testis diameter, testis length, scrotum circumference, scrotum length and scrotum volume were 2.55 ± 0.099 cm, 5.83 ± 0.165 cm, 15.23 ± 0.650 cm, 7.24 ± 0.287 cm and 87.57 ± 5.921 cm³ at 2 months; and 2.99 ± 0.099 cm, 6.59 ± 0.164 cm, 14.24 ± 0.657 cm, 10.60 ± 0.290 cm and 157.49 ± 5.987 cm³ at 6 months. The effect of birth type on testis diameter and the effect of dam age on testis length were significant (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01), besides the effects of lamb age and live weight of lambs on the whole testis measurements were significant (P < 0.01).

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.

The political goal to reduce the transformation effects of political measures to the advantage of active farmers is only partially achieved with the Combi-model. The primary recipients are farmers who will give up their farms after introducing the Combi-model. These farmers have mostly farmed leased land. They will return these lands (leased before the reform) to the former leasers and sell their premium rights to other farm owners or lease these in co-operation with the former leasers for a fee to a new lease. Farmers who want to farm over a long term cannot use the stronger negotiating position against the old lessors following the introduction of the Combi-model because they must maintain a good leaser-leasee relationship. But they do profit to a certain extent, at least at first, because the negotiating results of the farms closing with the old leasers will become public. In contrast, the negotiating position of farmers who first lease their land areas following the introduction of the Combi-model is hardly strengthened, particularly in the current lease market in Germany.

Thymbra spicata var. spicata, which grows wildly in the flora of Turkey, is known as thyme. A field trial was conducted to determine suitable harvesting time and cutting height for Thymbra, therefore plants in the trial were harvested at two cutting heights in various stages of development in the course of the growing season (pre-flowering, full-flowering and post-flowering). It was determined that the time of harvesting had a significant effect on herbage yields, oil percentage and oil yield. The highest drug leaf yield (3.107 t/ha) was obtained in the full-flowering stage with 10 cm cutting length, essential oil percentage ranged from 1.58 to 2.33%, the highest essential oil yield (70.7 l/ha) was obtained at the full-flowering stage with 10 cm cutting length. As a result of this study, harvesting in the full-flowering stage with 10 cm cutting height was the best treatment in respect of the yield of dry matter and oil for thyme (Thymbra spicata) cultivation.

The paper is focused on the analysis of the wine demand and chosen factors which influence the wine demand in the Czech Republic, in Slovakia, in Austria, and in Germany. In the Czech Republic, the wine consumption per inhabitant went up slightly in 1994-2003, the wine demand has a rising trend. The wine demand has the rising trend in Germany as well. In Slovakia, the year wine consumption per inhabitant decreased by 14.9% from 1994 to 2003; in Austria by 7.7%. There is a downward trend of development in these countries. The influence of the analyzed factors on the development of the wine demand is different in the particular countries. The dependence is possible to follow at the total level of incomes in comparison with the consumer's price of wine.

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.

Several methods of Pristiphora abietina adults catching were compared (Malaise trap, white and yellow sticky boards, sweeping). The yellow sticky boards are handy in the field, and under the high population density appear to be a reliable method of detecting sawfly populations: 1. There was a statistically significant coincidence between the samples of Malaise traps and yellow sticky boards. 2. There was a highly significant linear correlation between the number of caught adults on five sticky boards and the degree of defoliation in seven localities. 3. We did not observe any statistically significant differences between the samples on yellow sticky boards taken in different intervals. To estimate the abundance of adults, it is sufficient to install yellow sticky boards before swarming and check them after the swarming. 4. No statistically significant differences were found between the catch means per board in line with different number of boards, it means with different distance, in both male and females.

In any activity, thus at work as well, there is an influence of the environment on a human being. This environment, to which every worker has his own individual relationship, becomes a part and background of the worker's life. The realization of these interactions and relationships markedly affects achieved working results. The ecologically harmless technologies will not be used in forestry considerately towards the environment if forestry workers do not change their negative attitudes to their environment. In this project we tried to map out environmental knowledge of forestry workers.

Various attacks of pathogenic fungi on the larch crown were observed in Trentino/South Tyrol, Italy, over the past few years. In 1999, severe defoliation was caused by Mycosphaerella laricina, a rarely investigated pathogen, whose action was enhanced by high temperatures and humidity in August. In July 2000, larch woods showed crown yellowing due to Meria laricis. Lower temperatures and heavy precipitation were probably the predisposing factors in this case. Hypodermella laricis was observed in 2002 as a localised attack, while Lachnellula wilkommii is commonly recorded. The impact of these diseases and the environmental factors involved in their occurrence are discussed in this paper.

The paper is briefly outlining the expected changes in the economic and financial pre-conditions for Slovak farming during the period after the country's accession to the EU. The starting point of authors reasoning is the current piece of knowledge, saying that the economic performance of individual farms is widely differentiated and the ability of individual farms to meet the future challenges and to use the opportunities is very unevenly distributed among them. Also the competitiveness if a particular agricultural commodity varies. Despite of expectations concerning the price development after accession, not all commodities will be competitive on the single market. The economic situation of farms will considerably benefit from direct payments. Nevertheless, the fact that the Slovak government opted for the Single Area payment Scheme will have some adverse effects on possible gains from payments in productive regions and in farms with high output performance. In order to mitigate these redistribution effects the author is proposing to implement a different scheme of allocation of national top-up is to direct payments. In the final part of his paper the author gives a comprehensive review on payments aimed to promote rural development and payments from the Guidance section of the EAGGF targeted at enhancement of farm re-structuring.

The greatest advance in ecosystem research was made in the last century. The development and acceptance of forest ecology by foresters occurred because it provided a means for recognizing, understanding, classifying and mapping the natural variation of forests. Forest ecology involved studies at the individual, population, community, and ecosystem levels but such studies always needed to involve the ecosystem concept. Today, the new concept of "ecosystem and landscape forestry" integrating ecological and socio-economic research has been developed on the basis of EU COST Action E-25 European Network for a Long-term Forest Ecosystem and Landscape Research Programme. An analysis has been carried out of the present situation in forest research in the Czech Republic. The need for forest ecosystem and landscape research is obvious.

Nowadays, many enterprises face the problem of implementing their enterprise information system in order to keep pace with their competition. It holds generally for all types of enterprises, as e.g. manufacturing, agricultural, trading, financial, transportation, educational, etc. This paper deals with the basic rules for building an information system of the enterprise, particularly of medium or large ones. The attention is focussed at the problems each enterprise must address before starting an IS project. These are mainly the enterprise information policy planning, project feasibility and forms of its management.

The paper presents selected results of the research project NAZV QF 3278 focused on objectification of supply and demand development for organic products. The evaluation of state subsidies' influence on the development of organic agriculture in the Czech Republic and in selected countries of the EU is also included.

The effect of two commercially produced biopreparations on the originators of chestnut ink disease in Slovakia - soil fungi Phytophthora cambivora and Phytophthora cinnamomi was tested in laboratory conditions. Investigations of interrelations between Trichoderma harzianum (Pythium oligandrum) and isolates of Phytophthora sp. obtained from infected tissues of Castanea sativa Mill. proved more important inhibitive effects for Pythium oligandrum (biopreparation Polyversum); efficiency 25.3% (Ph. cambivora) and 26.2% (Ph. cinnamomi). Biopreparation Supresivit (Trichoderma harzianum) reached the efficiency 9.1% for Ph. cambivora isolates and 9.2% for Ph. cinnamomi isolates. Significant effect of the used bioformulas for inhibition of mycelial growth of both Phytophthora sp. and significant difference in the efficacy of two different bioformulas were confirmed statistically.

In the Czech Republic the increased utilization of the biofuels, especially for diesel engines, has been registered in the last ten years. The rape-seed oil based fuels - called biodiesel, is the most extended. The use of rape-seed oil brings a good ecological and agronomic aspect, e.g. positive energetic and CO₂ balance, biological decomposition, etc. A special attention should be paid for the emissions. The paper presents the practical results of the performance with the commercially available biodiesel and their mixtures with different quantity of fermented ethanol. The testing was realized with an unmodified AVIA 712.18 truck engine and an unmodified ZETOR 7701 tractor engine according to thirteen-points homologation test method EHK R49 (ČSN EN ISO 8178-4). Biodiesel NATURDIESEL, according to the Czech Standard ČSN 65 6508, served as a basis for fuel blends and such a comparison fuel. Based on the experiment, it can be said, that the most suitable fuel blend is biodiesel + 2% addition of fermented bioethanol according to following points. This addition significantly reduces the NO_x emissions. At the AVIA engine the reduction is about 54% in comparison with non-additived fuel. With the Zetor engine, it is decreased 88% of its primary value. Even in cause of smokiness, the situation is similar favourable. The power output parameters are almost constant. No significant increase of fuel consumption has been observed. However, there is higher share of unburned hydrocarbons in dependence on increased alcohol content. In this case, the lower concentration of alcohol in fuel blend is advantageous, which is in accordance to the biodiesel with 2% addition of alcohol. Higher share of ethanol is not interesting from the point of view of fuel requirement and even from the economic point of view, because the price of these fuel blends increases, due to the co-solvent addition.

By means of Sörensen's index and Renkonen's number, the differences in species composition and abundance of the ground beetles (Carabidae) were specified in 5 forest altitudinal zones (3^rd, 5^th-8^th) and also the faunal similarity in the linking-up forest altitudinal zones. The entry of some species (Carabus coriaceus, Carabus violaceus, Pterostichus niger and Pterostichus oblongopunctatus) into higher altitudes was much more marked than is mentioned in hitherto published information. The objective of the present study was to explore the potential use of the ground beetles as an ancillary component of the geobiocoenological typological system.

The article deals with the identification and categorisation of economic power of Slovak regions on the base of collecting of unemployment support payment from the employers, employees, and natural persons entrepreneurs into the employment fund. The analysis shows that during the last years, the number of rich regions has decreased and there rises the number of counties which have to be supported by the division of means from the rich counties. The article consequently categorises the development of economically strong and weak counties of Slovakia in the years 1999-2002 and marks the causes of regional polarisation of Slovakia, lying in its economic and structural difficulties. Alongside increasing the regional polarisation in the rate of unemployment, there continues to rise the re-distribution of funds for labour-market policy from the economically stronger regions to the economically weaker regions, which are reliant on socio-spatial solidarity. The course of economic transformation up to date has had significantly different regional impacts and creates unequal chances for people as well as businesses in the afflicted areas.

Cereals have a significant position in land farming in Slovakia. Important commodities are wheat, barley and maize. In the years 1999-2000, a research showed that Slovakia's natural production was lagging behind the developed countries of the EU. Extraordinary low yields were recorded in the economic year 2000/2001 due to drought during the vegetation period. In this paper, there are analyzed the production prices, costs, cereals efficiency and profitability costs. We have also calculated the break-even point in yields, in costs and in production prices of cereals. In addition, we have done some suggestions and recommendations on how to analyze the results.

The evaluation of financial health of an enterprise becomes very important in Czech businesses. Among other factors, it is so because it is viewed as a precondition for being eligible for some of the EU structural funds. Models of enterprise financial health were created mainly on the basis of objective evaluation of indicators and discrimination analysis for prosperous and bankrupting enterprises. Little attention was paid to the influence of particular indicators on the total value of enterprise financial health. Using the principles of objective and formal adequacy of the indicators, as well as their standardisation, and the methods of multicriterial evaluation together with the determination of particular indicators independence can improve the creation of financial health indicators and facilitate a higher rate of its objectiveness.

The presence and distribution of PPV-M strain of Plum pox virus were investigated in selected orchards of apricots and peaches in the Czech Republic. PPV-M was found to be distributed in apricot and peach orchards planted with nursery material imported from abroad. The presence of PPV-M was not proved in orchards planted with trees from local nurseries. The absence of PPV-M in a majority of spontaneous PPV hosts was proved previously. PPV-M strain appears to have been introduced recently.

A study of diprionids associated with spruce was done at 31 sites of the eastern part of the Czech Republic in 1988-2003. In total 45 specimens belonging to Gilpinia abieticola (6 specimens), G. hercyniae (3) and G. polytoma (36) were collected using Malaise traps, emergency traps, bark-beetle pheromone baited traps or sweeping. The spruce diprionids were recorded in 30% of the studied sites only. G. polytoma was the most abundant and it is probably bivoltine with adult activity from April to August. The results of emergence trap-monitoring in Paskovský les indicate that this species is in latency.

The contribution deals with the analysis of methodological approaches to the general evaluation of enterprise results. It is concerned mainly about the methodology of evaluation of financial health of enterprises in the frame of the program SAPARD and further about the possible outline of methodology in the frame of the Sector Operational Plan for agriculture and the Payment Agency. This contribution was prepared in frame of solution of the Institutional Research Intention MSM 411100013.

The economic evaluation of agricultural enterprises in mountain and sub-mountain areas in South Bohemia results from a financial analysis. Financial ratios enable to identify and measure the state and development of individual economic aspects of these enterprises and their synthesis through solvency model makes financial health possible to be elicited.

The requirements for compliance with the manufacturing and quality standards and the related investments in the hygienic and structural upgrading of establishments before Slovakia's accession to the European Union meant that the Slovak food processors had to intensify their effort, revise their objectives (where necessary) and increase the volume of investments, particularly during 2003. Many entrepreneurs, particularly in the animal production, decided to go out of business, mainly because the continued operation of obsolete slaughterhouses would require considerable investment effort; at the end of the day, some meat producers closed their slaughter operations and focused on specialised meat processing. Compared with the year before, the profit of food processors declined by 23%. This was due to the faster decline in revenues than expenses, increased cost of revenues, and the reduced output. Although profitable companies still prevailed, the percentage of loss-making companies increased in comparison with the previous year. The starch industry, sugar industry and the confectionery (including coffee substitutes) industry were some of the sectors where all operators were profitable.

The objective of this study was to obtain information about changes in cold hardiness of larch and silver fir seedlings during autumn and spring by help of measurements of electrolyte leakage from shoots (SEL) and root system (REL). The values of electrolyte leakage from the untreated (control) root system of silver fir decreased during autumn (from 28% on September 25 to 24% on November 27). Minimum values were reached on March 26. A decrease in electrolyte leakage was found for silver fir shoots (SEL) (the maximum was detected on October 2 - 12% and minimum on November 27 - 7%). Contrary to REL, SEL increased in March. The rate of electrolyte leakage from treated (after artificial frost) roots and shoots decreased during autumn (REL and SEL minimum on November 27). The change in the rate of electrolyte leakage from untreated larch roots was similar to that from silver fir roots during autumn. The values continually decreased from 26% (on September 25) to 12% (on November 27). The course of electrolyte leakage from the treated root system was similar for both species. The differences between electrolyte leakage from larch shoots (treated und untreated ones) were statistically significant, but without any clear tendency during autumn.

Forest management in the Czech Republic (CR) was not shaped in the environment of natural forests but in the territory that was influenced by unregulated felling and animal grazing for a long time. Hence the fear for sustainable and balanced benefits from forests endangered by long-term uncontrolled exploitation was legitimate. Almost after three centuries of application of the sustainability principle, forests are considered not only as a source of renewable wood raw material but also as a tool of the environment formation. Mountain forests are an important landscape component of this country. They are an object of specific importance from the aspect of natural environment conservation, stabilization of natural processes and general landscape homeostasis. In addition, they fulfil a number of production and non-production functions. Cardinal elements of sustainable forest management in the CR conditions are as follows: management of the forest as an ecosystem, i.e. transition from exclusive care of forest tree species and their stands to care of the whole forest ecosystems; restructuring (conversion, reconstruction) of damaged and declining forests; optimum (species, genetic, spatial, age) structure of forest ecosystems differentiated according to site conditions and management targets; differentiated transition from general management to group or individual methods; utilization and support of spontaneous processes such as natural regeneration, competition and other principles of self-regulation. The above cardinal elements of sustainable forest management are applicable to forests of the CR in general, but their importance considerably increases in mountain forests where many species survive on the margin of subsistence. Moreover, mountain forests of CR have been heavily destroyed by anthropogenic factors, especially air-pollution ecological stresses, during the last three or four decades.

The paper reviews experiences from the accession process of Poland and the Czech Republic, two countries with different accession conditions regarding the agri-food sector. The paper has two main aims. First is to discuss the scope of action in the EU and in the acceding countries from a game theoretical view. The second aim is to identify the reasons for successfully providing beneficial accession criteria. Investigating two selected agricultural sectors does this: milk and beef production. Our overall argument is that the actions, which nations and interest groups have undertaken with regard to the EU accession and future policy direction are, at least partially, a function of different external restrictions and internal national patterns; i.e., the relevance and structure of agriculture and the bargaining power of interest groups.

The paper focuses on identification of the current key movement forces in wine-production industry in the Czech Republic, and its goal is to analyse these key influences, and to identify the most important ones (long term industry growth-rate, technological changes, regulation influences and changes of government policy, and changes of societal priorities and life style). Based on the identified key factors influencing future development and changes in this industry, recommendations for firms are formulated.

The accession of the Czech Republic in the European Union has brought a necessity to adopt a range of new legal regulations and to apply them in our conditions. Their application however connects with a highly demanding and complex process of implementation of the individual acts of law, administrative and time requirements. One of laws that had to be adopted is the Act No. 76/2002 Coll. on integrated prevention and pollution control, on the integrated pollution register and on amendment to some Acts (hereinafter the IPPC Act). The Act imposes an obligation for all operators of various industrial and processing plants working at certain production or processing capacities have to obtain a so called integrated license without which their activities will not be permitted to continue in the future. At the beginning of the integrated licensing procedure, each subject concerned by the Act is obliged to file an application for the integrated license at a relevant regional authority. There is an analysis of the present time of the IPPC problems in Czech food industry. At the present time, the procedure of licensing and applications for the integrated license are at various stages of the process in individual enterprises.