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Agricultural informatisation (AgI) is hailed as a 'game-changer' for farmers worldwide, even as climate change increases agriculture's vulnerability to climatic risks and threatens sustainable agrifood production. While AgI aspires to help alleviate hunger and poverty in smallholder farm households by improving on-farm productivity through the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs), limited empirical evidence exists on the AgI–SAPs nexus, particularly under severe environmental stress such as drought. We analysed data from a survey of maize farmers in central Zambia – a country exemplifying the impact of severe drought, declared a national emergency and disaster – to explore whether and how AgI can optimise SAP adoption and improve crop yields. Given the potential endogeneity of AgI adoption, we employed a recursive bivariate probit (RBP) and endogenous-treatment regression (ETR) to estimate the former and the latter, respectively. We focused on adoption portfolios of three AgI tools – radio, television and mobile phones – and five SAPs: minimum tillage, residue retention, planting basins, improved seed varieties and irrigation. The results reveal that AgI adoption significantly influences SAP adoption, with varying impacts across different AgI and SAP portfolios. Importantly, the adoption of productivity-enhancing SAPs, particularly improved seed and drip irrigation, produced the largest yield effects (124.46 g/capita/day) for AgI adopters. This increase potentially contributes 43.21% towards daily maize-supply quantity, which is crucial for helping households meet the minimum recommended daily caloric intake. The study therefore underscores that AgI plays a critical role in improving yields through SAP adoption, serving as a compelling pathway for agricultural resilience, especially under adverse climatic conditions. These insights align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those aimed at zero hunger, climate action and poverty alleviation, which advocate re-thinking and transforming food-production strategies.

Soil salinisation is a key determinant in soil fertility decline, exerting a direct negative impact on soil organic carbon. In the context of global warming, investigating the response mechanisms of soil organic carbon pools with varying salinity levels to climate change is essential for accurately assessing the carbon cycle and emission potential of degraded soils. Based on soil samples (B1–B6) collected along a coastal salinity gradient, indoor incubation experiments were conducted at 15 °C and 25 °C to characterise soil respiration and its temperature sensitivity (Q10). Double-exponential models were used to simulate soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralisation, characterising active and stable organic carbon pools. The results demonstrated that the Q₁₀ value of the stable organic carbon pool (7–8% of SOC mineralisation) was 103% higher than that of the active organic carbon pool (the initial 1% of SOC mineralisation). The Q₁₀ value of the stable organic carbon pool was 32.6% higher at the high-salinity sites (B1, B2) than at the low-salinity sites (B4, B5). Soil organic carbon, total nitrogen (TN), and total salt (TS) were key regulators of Q₁₀. The Q₁₀ of the active organic carbon pool correlated positively with SOC and TN but negatively with TS, whereas the stable pool showed the opposite trends. The stable organic carbon pool exhibits a salinity-amplified Q₁₀, implying that predictive models must account for this mechanism to avoid substantially underestimating carbon losses from degraded saline soils.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a key role in regulating the carbon cycle in terrestrial ecosystems. However, there is little information on how AMF inoculation affects the carbon fluxes of paddy fields, which are major sources of global carbon emissions. We, therefore, designed an experiment to study the effects of AMF inoculation on methane and carbon dioxide emissions from a paddy field. Results showed that: (1) Among the tested factors, the C/N ratio was the main environmental determinant of microbial community structure in the investigated soil; (2) compared with traditional fertilisation (control), the soil C/N ratio increased by 2.1~15.2% and 1.4~10.5% as a result of AMF application alone (M) or in combination with mineral fertiliser (FM) throughout the growing season, respectively. This change shifted microbial community composition to higher G⁺/G⁻ bacterial and fungal/bacterial ratios; (3) the microbial community change favoured soil carbon retention. Methane (CH₄) emission peaks were reduced by 59.4% and 76.0% versus control in the M treatment and by 52.5% and 29.4% in the FM treatment in the midseason and end-of-season drainage periods, and CO₂ emission peaks were reduced by 70.1% and 52.3% in the M plots and by 55.4% and 66.4% in the FM plots.

The increasing global demand for energy and the negative environmental impacts of fossil fuel exploitation have driven interest in sustainable energy solutions, such as wood. The Russian Federation, as one of the world's largest pellet producers, has an opportunity to utilise pellets domestically. This study addresses the lack of publicly available life cycle assessment (LCA) studies on pellet production and utilisation in Russia, specifically examining the environmental impact of residential heat production from locally produced wood pellets. Utilising primary data from the Northwest region, the study follows ISO 14040 and 14044 standards and employs the ReCiPe 2016 (H) Midpoint v. 1.1 method to assess environmental impacts. The results indicate that the production of pellets is the dominant contributor to the global warming impact category, marine eutrophication, and fossil resource scarcity, while transportation has the least impact across all categories. Sensitivity analyses confirm the robustness of these findings, revealing that using natural gas for pellet drying increases emissions for global warming and fossil resource scarcity, and increasing transportation distance significantly raises emissions across all categories. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders aiming to enhance the sustainability of similar bioenergy systems.

This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of a ceftiofur-neomycin combination against a pathogenic multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli strain, KECS-0513, isolated from pigs, using a combination of genomic, in vitro, and in vivo approaches. The minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration, and checkerboard assays were performed. Time–kill assays were used to assess bactericidal activity over time, and a murine intraperitoneal infection model was used to evaluate survival outcomes following treatment with monotherapies or combination regimens. Whole genome sequencing indicated that KECS-0513 harboured multiple resistance genes, including bla_TEM-1B, sul3, aadA12, aad(3)-IVa, aph(3’)-Ia, and aph(4)-Ia. The resistance genes were localised within a mobile, element-rich plasmid. In vitro checkerboard assays revealed an additive interaction between ceftiofur and neomycin (fractional inhibitory concentration index = 1.0), and time–kill experiments demonstrated enhanced and sustained bacterial clearance with combination therapy. In vivo infection studies in mice demonstrated that the dual treatment resulted in a substantially higher survival rate (66.7%) compared to treatment with either agent alone (33.3% for each). These results support the practical application of ceftiofur-neomycin combination therapy for controlling swine-associated multidrug-resistant E. coli while minimising the risk of resistance emergence.

Environmental valuation studies in the context of developing countries have become more frequent in recent years. However, literature which reviews and examines the environmental valuation studies is limited. Thus, this paper performed a literature review on forest contingent valuation studies conducted in the Ethiopian context in the past two decades (2000 to May 2022), focusing on two specific objectives: (i) to examine amounts of resources that households are willing to pay (WTP) for forest conservation, and (ii) to identify determinants of households' WTP. Results indicate the mean lower annual WTP of USD 0.41 (2.63 birr) and 7.04 man-days per household in money and labour time, respectively. Whereas the mean upper annual WTP of USD 53.52 per household in monetary payment and 94.34 man-days per household in labour time contribution are found for the management and conservation of forest in Ethiopia. The finding reveals that there is a limited proportion of the examined studies that included and estimated WTP in a non-monetary payment vehicle, implying a need for future researches on the topic. The result shows that demographic and socio-economic variables, physical assets ownership, institutional and infrastructural services and bid price variables were the main determinants of households' WTP. This suggests that the forest conservation intervention program involving public participation in the country needs to consider the identified determinants of WTP in design and implementation of the program. Moreover, the finding indicates the presence of mixed results on the effect and direction in which some determinants of WTP are affected. This recommends a pressing need for comprehensive future studies on the research theme.

This study comprehensively examines multifaceted risk factors influencing wheat production among Turkish farmers, aiming to deepen understanding of how these factors shape farmers’ perceptions and decision-making processes. Utilising Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), we analysed the interplay of climate-related issues (F1), market dynamics (F2), and external events (F3), like COVID-19 and wars, alongside socio-demographic factors such as education, income, and land ownership. Findings revealed that higher education and increased agricultural income reduced price-related risks while expanding wheat cultivation areas heightened risk perceptions. Farmers in irrigated regions prioritised cyclical risks, whereas those in dry areas perceived climatic risks as more severe. Capital-intensive practices and storage facilities mitigate climate change and market variability risks, with committed wheat producers showing lower climate change risk perceptions. External factors like the Russian-Ukrainian war and the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impact irrigated area farmers. This study contributes to the existing literature by using empirical evidence from Turkish wheat farming to explore diverse risk perceptions, employing SEM to unravel complex risk factors and decision-making processes, thereby offering new insights for future agricultural risk management research.

Soil is a valuable resource for food production, and it demands a long time to recover itself. Soil erosion is one of the most important issues for countries based on agriculture. This review article analyzed articles published on the topic of general soil erosion in Central Asian countries in 1993–2022. More than 50% of the articles reflect the results of the conducted practical work. The main content of these scientific works is aimed at the prevention of erosion processes, their evaluation and the development of countermeasures. During the considered period, the number of publications on soil erosion has increased in the last years compared to the first years, which indicates that the attention to the topic has increased in recent years. The purpose of this article is to get accurate information about the state of soil erosion in the countries of Central Asia and to get acquainted with the practical works carried out against erosion in these countries. For this aim, the contents of the articles were reviewed and the results of the scientific works conducted on the topic of erosion in each country were presented. According to the content of the articles, the use of modern techniques and technologies in the evaluation and prevention of soil erosion gives effective results.

This research was instigated by the fact that during the last decade annually repeated shallow disk tillage on the same field became frequent practice in Hungary. In order to study the changes of soil condition associated with disk tillage and to assess it is consequences, long-term tillage field experiments with different levels of nutrients were set up in 1991 (A) and in 1994 (B) on Chromic Luvisol at Gödöllö. The effects of disk tillage (D) and disk tillage combined with loosening (LD) on soil condition, on yield of maize and winter wheat, and on weed infestation were examined. The evaluation of soil condition measured by cone index and bulk density indicated that use of disking annually resulted in a dense soil layer below the disking depth (diskpan-compaction). It was found, that soil condition deteriorated by diskpan-compaction decreased the yield of maize significantly by 20 and 42% (w/w), and that of wheat by 13 and 15% (w/w) when compared to soils with no diskpan-compaction. Averaged over seven years, and three fertilizer levels, the cover % of the total, grass and perennial weeds on loosened soils were 73, 69 and 65% of soils contained diskpan-compaction.

The response of carabid beetles to extensive livestock farming and vegetation structure in two traditionally managed 'dehesa' ecosystems was investigated. From March 2011 to January 2012, sampling was done, using pitfall trapping, on two forestry farms located in the Sierra de Hornachuelos Natural Park (Córdoba, Spain), both with hunting use, but one of them also with a heavy livestock load. On each forestry farm, two sampling plots were selected according to the vegetation structure. Faunal differences were proved through the ecological indices, and the faunal uniqueness was checked by the Coldwell and Coddington Complementarity Analysis. To identify the most influential factor on the carabid biodiversity, a Generalised Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) was performed. Results show that abundance and richness are higher in the plots with open vegetation, similarly like the number of recorded tribes. Nevertheless, the ecological indices do not reflect any significant differences. The complementarity between different vegetation structures exceeds that of the exploitation types. In fact, the GLMM analysis indicated that the livestock itself does not have a significant effect on the fauna. In addition, all exclusive, rare or endemic species came from the closed vegetation plots, suggesting that these areas may act as a reservoir of unique species in terms of biodiversity.

This study reports layered double hydroxides (LDHs) modified wheat straw biochar (W-B), denoted as (LDH/W-B), as an efficient adsorbent material for removal of lead (Pb²⁺) ions from aqueous solution. This study also juxtaposes the adsorptive performance of LDH/W-B with W-B for Pb²⁺ removal. W-B was prepared via pyrolysis of wheat straw in a muffle furnace, using a controlled heating rate of 5 °C per min to reach 600 °C over a duration of three hours. Subsequently, LDH/W-B was synthesised using the co-precipitation method. Both resulting adsorbents were characterised for surface morphology and functional groups by means of scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), respectively. The influence of key adsorption parameters on the adsorption efficiency of W-B and LDH/W-B was systematically evaluated. At 60 min, the maximum Pb²⁺ removal efficiency was observed to be 78.21% for W-B and 92.4% for LDH/W-B. An increase in adsorbent dosage from 0.05 to 0.7 g and at a contact time of 1 h further enhanced Pb²⁺ removal, achieving efficiencies of 97% for W-B and 99% for LDH/W-B. The optimal conditions for maximum Pb²⁺ removal were determined to be 0.3 g of adsorbent (W-B and LDH/W-B), an initial heavy metal concentration of 10 mg/L, and a contact time of 1 h. Pb²⁺ removal data of W-B and LDH/W-B best fitted to the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second order kinetic model, which confirmed the dominance of chemisorption of Pb²⁺ ions. Additionally, the maximum theoretical adsorption capacity for Pb²⁺ is close to the experimentally obtained values, suggesting that the adsorption of Pb²⁺ primarily occurs through monolayer formation on the surface of both adsorbents. Overall, this study demonstrates that LDH/W-B is a highly promising adsorbent for Pb²⁺ removal in wastewater treatment applications.

Organic farming is a topic often discussed in the scientific community and public space. The current European policy strongly supports the enhancement of organic farming concerning the environment, sustainability, and social aspects. It is generally assumed that a lower intensity of production, yields, livestock utility, fertilisation, and total costs should be compensated by premium prices, subsidies, or higher economic performance. Research revealed that achieving premium prices for organic products on the market is not obvious for organic farmers as some organic commodities have been sold on the conventional market. Our study focused on the price difference reached by the sample of farms on the organic and conventional markets for two organic commodities (winter wheat and milk) and the farm's economic results. We combined and compared data from two unique databases on organic farming in the Czech Republic. We used the statistical methods of ANOVA and regression for analysis. We found the difference between evaluated market prices. Price variability is wide in both types of organic and conventional markets but the influence of the prices on farm performance was not significant.

Osteosarcoma (OSA) is the most prevalent and aggressive malignancy of canine bones. Etoposide is an effective chemotherapeutic agent for cancer treatment, whereas ellagic acid is a naturally occurring compound with antioxidant and anticancer properties; however, both are inhibitors of the topoisomerase enzyme. In this study, the synergistic/additive effect of etoposide, known to have a growth-inhibitory impact in canine osteosarcoma (OSA) cells, and ellagic acid was investigated. The mechanism by which this effect inhibits cell growth at lower etoposide doses was also examined. The IC₅₀ values of both agents were determined, and possible combination doses were generated accordingly and applied to canine OSA cells. The apoptotic effects of the combinations were evaluated based on DNA breaks and the activity levels of caspase 3, 8, and 9. These findings were supported by the expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax, and Bid genes, as well as the AO/EtBr staining method. The effects on cell cycle and proliferation were analysed through survivin and NF-κβ gene expressions. Antimetastatic effects were determined using invasion and migration assays. EA is a potential therapeutic agent for cancer treatment. In combination with ET, a higher anticancer efficacy was demonstrated compared to etoposide alone. Potential treatment side effects can be reduced by enabling the use of lower drug doses.

The research was conducted in a long-term stationary experiment established on light grey forest surface-gleyed soil in 1965. Data presented in this study were collected during 2022–2024 growing seasons within the framework of this long-term experiment. The experiment is registered in the NAAS long-term field experiments registry (certificate No. 29) and the Global Long-Term Agricultural Experiments Network (GLTEN). The study examined the effect of growing red clover in a four-field crop rotation on nutrient balance at different fertiliser and lime doses and ratios. Red clover was used for feed and feed-green manure purposes. The research aimed to substantiate optimal methods of utilising this valuable forage crop and optimise fertilisation systems to ensure sustainable agricultural development. Growing the first cut of red clover for feed purposes and the second as green manure with fertilisation (N₁₀₅P₁₀₁K₁₀₁ + organic fertilisers + liming) ensures a positive surface balance of 402 kg/ha of nitrogen, 150 kg/ha of phosphorus, and 204 kg/ha of potassium. These data are almost twice higher than indicators under minimal fertilisation doses. Despite the reduction in symbiotic nitrogen fixation from 217 kg/ha to 147 kg/ha when growing red clover in crop rotation with intensive fertilisation, it remains an effective phytobiological ameliorant.

Topsoils from 16 arable Cambisols developed from sand, loam and silt were used to study soil ability to nitrate reduction under flooding conditions. The strongest drop of redox potential (Eh) was observed during the first day of soil flooding. Decreasing tendency in pH values was observed of alkaline and neutral soils, and an increase in pH of acid and strongly acid soils, accompanied by a fall in Eh values. Redox potential was negatively correlated with the pH values (R² = 0.3041; p < 0.001). The fall of NO₃^- varied from 20 to 100% depending on the type of soil and on the time of incubation. With a decrease of nitrate content within the range from 100 to 10 mg NO₃^--N/kg, the value of redox potential decreased from 250 to 190 mV. The highest reduction of nitrates coincided with Eh values within a narrow range between 200 and 210 mV. Statistical analysis of redox potential in the function of the content of nitrates showed a curvilinear relation (R² = 0.3823; p < 0.001).

To select tree peony varieties with high ornamental value suitable for the hot and humid environment of the south Yangtze River area, 74 tree peony varieties from the Chenshan Botanical Garden in Shanghai were selected as experimental materials. The experiment involved initial selection for leaf humidity and heat tolerance, assessing the ornamental value during the flowering period of the following year and measuring a series of indicators such as the relative chlorophyll content of the leaves. Methods including principal component analysis, cluster analysis, and comprehensive membership function were employed. The results indicated that among the varieties assessed for humidity and heat tolerance, 43 obtained a composite score of 3.75 or above. Upon further assessment of the flowering period for these 43 varieties in the subsequent year, 14 varieties clustered in the top tier based on their scoring for ornamental value. Then, during the summer season, physiological indicators were measured for the previously selected 14 tree peony varieties. Combining these data with the comprehensive membership function, the humidity and heat tolerance of each variety were quantified. The synthesis of scores, combined with cluster analysis, revealed that varieties including ‘Yinhong Qiaodui’, ‘Shengge Jin’, ‘Linghua Zhanlu’, ‘Baixue Gongzhu’, ‘Di Guan’, and ‘Cunsong Ying’ exhibit both high ornamental value and tolerance to humidity and heat, making them suitable for cultivation in the south Yangtze River area.

Hokkaido brown bear (Ursus arctos yesoensis) meats are used as ingredients of game cuisines. In contrast, shank meats are unsuitable as edible meats due to gamy tastes and tough meats. Here, new meat sauces were developed using glutinous rice koji and food enzymes for the application of the underutilised meat i.e. shank meat. The proximate analysis showed that the obtained sauces were reduced-salt sauces at approximately 6.4–7.7 g·(100 g)^–1 as salt equivalent. The sauces had a light colour, no unacceptable odours, and strong sweetness and umami taste. The sauce with good sensory acceptability was rich in glutamic acid, leucine, lysine, and alanine. Besides, the essential amino acid contents were remarkably high at approximately 55.6%. In addition, the tested sauces had good antioxidative activities, scavenging activities against reactive oxygen species such as superoxide anion radicals and hydroxyl radicals, and angiotensin I-converting enzyme and hyaluronidase inhibitory activities. These results suggested that Hokkaido brown bear shank meat sauces, which had positive effects for human health, could be used as one of novel condiment with consumer demands.

Suaeda schimperi, a halophyte native to the Red Sea’s hyper-arid salt marshes, thrives in its extreme conditions (high salinity, minimal rainfall, and elevated temperatures). However, its adaptive tolerance mechanisms to these harsh conditions remain unclear. Herein, we investigated its growth responses and physiological mechanisms after short (5 days after treatment; DAT) and long-term (15 DAT) exposure to 0, 100, 200, and 400 mmol NaCl. Moderate salinity (200 mmol NaCl) enhanced growth, inducing 103.2% (5 DAT) and 40% (15 DAT) higher leaf biomass and 43.33% and 59.6% higher root biomass, respectively, compared to non-saline conditions. Deviation from moderate salinity reduced growth and disrupted ion balance, lowering K⁺, raising Na⁺, and increasing the Na⁺/K⁺ ratio, particularly under high salinity. The moderate salinity-enhanced growth was associated with increased chlorophyll, glycine betaine, glutathione, betacyanin, and betaxanthin, as well as higher antioxidant enzyme activity (polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, catalase, ascorbate, and peroxidase) at 5 DAT. At 15 DAT, sugar accumulation and unsaturated fatty acids increased, while malondialdehyde and saturated fatty acids decreased. These findings reveal multiple adaptive strategies that support S. schimperi’s physiological stability under extreme environments and highlight its significance in ecological restoration and breeding salt-tolerant crops under escalating soil salinisation and climate change.

Agricultural carbon emissions (ACE) is a critical contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, which have already become a common challenge for global carbon reduction. As a major agricultural producer and largest carbon emitter, China has made great efforts to reduce ACE. Using the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2011 to 2022, this study explores the heterogeneous impacts of formal environmental regulations (FER) and informal environmental regulations (IER) on ACE. The results reveal that both FER and IER have significant effect on reducing ACE, with FER showing a more pronounced effect. The mechanism analysis indicates that agricultural technological innovation and planting structure adjustment play important mediating roles in this impact mechanism. The effect of FER is more remarkable in major grain producing areas than in non-major grain producing areas, while the effect of IER is completely opposite. Compared with coastal regions, both FER and IER have significant inhibitory effect on ACE in inland regions. Additionally, the marketisation level may reinforce the inhibitory effect of both FER and IER on ACE. Based on the empirical results, this study suggests to strengthen the synergistic effect of FER and IER, promote agricultural technology innovation, and formulate targeted policies according to regional differences.

119 strains of lactic acid bacteria from Chinese pickle were tested for production of antimicrobial compounds (bacteriocins). Among them, strain C8 showed strongly antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 and Escherichia coli ATCC 8739. Strain C8 was identified as Lactobacillus plantarum based on phenotypical, physiological tests and 16S rDNA identification. The antibacterial substance produced by strain C8 was sensitive to protease but not affected by lipase and amylase and designated as bacteriocin C8. Bacteriocin was purified by salting-out, dialysis and Sephadex G50 column chromatography. Based on SDS-PAGE, bacteriocin C8 was 16.5 kDa in size, which was different from that of other bacteriocins and it might be a novel bacteriocin. Bacteriocin C8 showed a wide range of antimicrobial activity especially as it inhibited some Gram-negative bacteria. This bacteriocin was heat resistant (20 min at 121°C) and stable in the pH range of 3 to 6.

The purpose of this work was to monitor the effects of the environmental factors include temperature, precipitation and sun radiation on some physiological aspects of Q. brantii trees in the forest stand involved with the oak charcoal disease during a growing season. We designed a systematic random sampling and all trees were examined for disease status. Our result showed that 70.96% of the trees with different intensities are affected by the charcoal disease. Accordingly, values of predawn leaf water potential (PWP), midday leaf water potential (MWP) and chlorophyll variables showed significant difference in classes of oak charcoal disease. Linear regression analysis showed that the values of PWP, MWP and chlorophyll are changing at the high temperature. Mean of canker length are 20.5 cm and 51.7 cm in class 2 and 3 respectively and there is a great relation between PWP value and canker length (r² = 0.914). Canker length also has a linear relation with MWP values (r² = 0.627). Drought stress affected the physiological functions of oak trees and considerably reduced their defense potential against pathogen agents.

In 2012-2017, the occurrence of deoxynivalenol, zearalenone and T-2 toxin in 592 samples of malting barley from different regions of the Czech Republic was studied using the ELISA immunochemical method. On average, the total content of positive samples was 18.6% for deoxynivalenol (DON), 9.5% for zearalenone (ZEN) and 20.5% for T-2 toxin. The highest values measured were 917 μg/kg for DON (2012), 42 μg/kg for ZEN (2017) and 199 μg/kg for T-2 toxin (2013). The maximal DON and ZEN contents in cereals intended for food production are limited by the Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006, the EU limit from 2013 applies for the sum of T-2 and HT-2 toxins. Concentrations of any of the mycotoxins studied did not exceed the EU limit in any barley samples.

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of copper (Cu) sources and levels on mineral utilization, tissue copper residues, and lipid metabolism in Arbor Acres broilers. A total of 640 male broilers were randomly divided into 5 groups with 8 replicates per group and 16 broilers per replicate. The experiment was used in a 2 × 2 + 1 factorial experiment design. Broilers in the control group were fed a basal diet, and animals in the other four groups were fed basal diets supplemented with Cu from copper sulphate and copper methionine. Copper concentrations of the experimental diets were 20 and 40 mg Cu/kg dry matter. A metabolism trial of 4 days was conducted during the last week of experimental feeding. Neither Cu source nor Cu level affected average daily gain, average daily feed intake or feed gain ratio (P > 0.05). Broilers fed 40 mg Cu/kg diets had lower plasma cholesterol than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Copper supplementation decreased (P < 0.05) plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol but did not alter plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations or plasma triglyceride concentrations. Copper sulphate supplementation increased (P < 0.05) liver Cu but did not alter pectorals Cu, heart Cu, tibia Cu and tibia P. Broilers fed 40 mg/kg Cu from copper sulphate had a lower (P < 0.05) tibia Ca level. The concentration of liver Cu in the broilers fed copper methionine diets was higher (P < 0.05) than that in those fed copper sulphate. Compared with copper sulphate (100%), the relative bioavailability value of copper methionine was 117%. In conclusion, the relative bioavailability of copper methionine obtained in this study was greater than that of copper sulphate. Copper plays an important role in plasma lipids and in the digestion of dietary Ca in broiler chickens.

The impact of non-treated and primed seeds on molasses components, sugar content and technological white sugar yield of the same cultivar of sugar beet root was investigated. The study was conducted in 2012-2014 at the Experiment Field Station of Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW in Skierniewice (51°97'N, 20°19'E) in the central region of Poland. The use of primed seeds resulted in a higher technological white sugar yield with higher sugar content and lower content of α-amino nitrogen in the roots. Also, seed priming increased the technological value of the roots by a lower share in the root yield fractions of the root weight less than 300 g, characterized by lower sugar content and a higher content of α-amino nitrogen.

Within a pilot study, after pedological and mineralogical characterization, various kinetic models were tested to fit lead (Pb)-mobilization kinetics from soils at historic mining and smelting sites. Pb mobilization was obtained by modified electro-ultrafiltration (EUF) after addition of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) at variable conditions of extraction. 10 fractions were sequentially produced, under mild conditions at 20°C/200 V (to simulate an initial release) for fractions 1-5, and subsequently harder conditions at 80°C/400 V (to simulate a long-term release) for fractions 6-10. The special samples treated within this work yielded higher extraction rates within the first runs. Closest fits in terms of the coefficient of determination (R²) were obtained from the 2^nd order polynomial model y = a + bt + ct², and in terms of re-calculated results by the parabolic equation y = a + b √t. The fitted constants obtained by the modified EUF method correlated better with soil pH than with organic carbon and clay contents. From this, it remains open, whether the dissolution of the Pb-minerals in the electric field or concentration resp. diffusion of the DTPA is rate-determining.

An oven drying method was used to dry traditional Indonesian crackers, popularly known as kerupuk, applying drying temperatures of 50, 60 and 70°C and three different flavours, i.e., garlic, chili and seaweed. Newton, Page, Two terms, Midilli, Logarithmic and Henderson & Pabis mathematical models were used to fit the best model while the standard error of estimate (SSE), root mean square error (RMSE) and coefficient of correlation (r) were chosen as the criteria to determine the equation of the best fit drying model. The Midilli model was the best fit for all the kerupuk flavours. The effective moisture diffusivity was in the range of 1.0413 × 10^-10-1.6363 × 10^-10 m².s^-1 for the garlic flavour, 1.0007 × 10^-10-1.5619 × 10^-10 m².s^-1 for the chili flavour and from 1.0000 × 10^-10 to 1.6228 × 10^-10 m².s^-1 for the seaweed flavour. The activation energy of the garlic flavour, chili flavour and seaweed flavour kerupuk are 20.64, 20.64 and 22.57 kJ.mol^-1, respectively. Furthermore, in the present study, the physical properties, i.e., the colour and hardness of the kerupuk crackers after the drying process was investigated.

One of the aerodynamic characteristics of lentil is its terminal velocity. In order to determinate the terminal velocity, was designed a vertical wind tunnel. It was fabricated based on existing methods and standards. For decreasing the non-uniformity of airflow in the vertical wind column, was used a honey comb test area with 5 mesh screens. So, a wind tunnel nozzle was designed and fabricated using Morel method with the aim of increasing airflow rate and decreasing losses due to mesh screens. The height and section area of tunnel were 1.425 m and 0.1 × 0.1 m2, respectively. The pressure loss values were calculated at different parts of tunnel and then, the required power of tunnel was determined. In this study, lentil grains of Kimia and Gachsaran varieties were separated at three groups based on their size (small, medium and large). Then, the terminal velocity was measured at 5 levels of moisture content (8, 12, 16, 20 and 24% (w.b.)) for each group. The results showed that Kimia and Gachsaran variety had the highest (7.204 m.s-1) and the lowest (6.987 m.s-1) terminal velocity, respectively. The mean value of terminal velocity increased linearly from 6.751 to 7.396 m.s-1 by increasing the moisture content from 8 to 24% (w.b.). Also, by increasing the grains dimension from small to large, the terminal velocity increased from 6.345 to 7.792 m.s-1.

The issue of afforestation of non-forest land (e.g. agricultural land use) is currently a significant trend in land management. Sustainable development and maintenance of its ecological stability are among the reasons. The paper compares the 30-year development of the beech stand originated from artificial regeneration on former agricultural land in the area where the Ipeľ River rises in central Slovakia. Two methods of tending were used on three long-term research plots (LTPs) established at the age of 20 years: negative crown thinning, free crown thinning and the third LTP was left to its spontaneous development. The results confirmed the positive impact of tending on the development of these stands. Compared to naturally regenerated stands under comparable site conditions, their higher quantitative production was found. Regarding the qualitative production expressed by the number of trees of selective quality, the worst results were obtained on the control plot. Based on these results, it is recommended to pay more attention to the planting stock quality used for afforestation.

The chemical stability of chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) in the presence of prochloraz manganese (prochloraz-Mn) as biologically active substances used in agrochemical treatments in the cultivation of mushrooms are presented. For model mixtures of the tested components, a relative decrease in ClO₂ content over time was measured in the proportions applied during the mushroom cultivation cycle. Within 20 min after preparing a mixture of 1 500 ppm prochloraz-Mn and 100 ppm ClO₂ in water, the relative decrease in the concentration of ClO₂ was 20%. The obtained results indicate a possibility of simultaneously introducing the working mixture of ClO₂ and prochloraz-Mn salt into the champignon peat casing, assuming its use directly after preparation.

The aims of this study are the quantitative characterisation of the coat colour in the black variety of the Old Kladruber Horse breed, the estimation of the coat colour genetic parameters, and the determination of the factors that influence coat colour intensity. A total of 252 horses aged 1-24 years were included in the study. The colour parameters were taken using a Konica Minolta spectrophotometer CM-2500d at four different body parts during the summer and winter seasons, resulting in 1748 phenotypic records. The possible effects of sex, season, housing system, age and body part on the spectrophotometric parameters were analysed. The results confirmed that the intensity of the black coat colour can be influenced by a number of factors (sex, season, housing system, and age). The mares showed more red and yellow colour compared to the stallions. In the winter season, the horses had a lighter colour with a lower proportion of reddish-brown hairs. Horses kept outdoors, especially in the summer months, had a lighter colour with a higher proportion of red and yellow. Although the age was statistically significant, no specific trend was observed. The differences in colour found between body parts (neck, shoulder, belly, and croup) are in line with current knowledge - reddish fading in the blacks primarily occurs in the belly region. The estimated heritability values suggest possible multifactorial inheritance, especially with regards to the reddish tinge in hairs (h² = 0.20 to 0.29 according to body part).