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Potential of Trichoderma harzianum IS005-12 (TH-IS005-12) to promote seed germination and seedling growth of Italian ryegrass (IRG) forage was evaluated in vitro. Non-desiccated seeds and those pre-harvestly desiccated with total herbicide were treated 25 days (freshly harvested) and 178 days after harvest (mature) with TH-IS005-12 spore suspensions at 0 (T0), 1.8 × 10⁷ (T1) and 1.2 × 10⁹ (T2) spore/mL. TH-IS005-12 promoted the early and final germination and seedling growth in all non-desiccated and desiccated, freshly harvested as well as mature IRG seeds. It was more effective in pre-harvestly desiccated freshly harvested seeds where T2 treatment increased final germination rate for 24%, root number per seedling 1.6-fold and seedling vigour 1.9-fold compared to the untreated control. Moreover, TH-IS005-12 showed an inhibitory activity against seedborne fungi Alternaria alternata and A. ventricosa suppressing their growth in vitro by 82% and 77%, respectively.

A three-year experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of Z'Fix on soil physical properties and crop status. Z'Fix is an agent recommended as an addition to animal bedding to prolong its function and to lower ammonia emissions in stables. Concurrently, a positive effect on organic matter transformation in resulting manure is claimed. The experiment involved control, farmyard manure (FYM), and farmyard manure with Z'Fix (FYM_ZF) as variants. In-field sampling was conducted for cone index, water infiltration and implement a unit draft, where the latter two showed significant differences in favour of FYM_ZF. Also, concerning crop yields, FYM_ZF consistently attained the highest values, followed by FYM throughout all three seasons. Furthermore, remotely sensed data were analysed to describe crop status via normalised difference vegetation index where significant differences were found across all variants. Based on the study, FYM_ZF demonstrated positive effects both on soil properties and crop conditions.

Electrokinetic remediation (EKR) is a powerful technique aimed at pollutant removal in soil, sludge, mine tailings, and so on. In the current work, we performed a bibliometric analysis of the research on EKR for the period of 1900-2018 on the basis of the core database of the Science Citation Index Expanded. In addition to a basic analysis of the research characteristics, keywords were analysed for four major participants: USA, China, Spain, and South Korea. The periods of 1990-2001, 2002-2008, and 2009-2018 were studied using the keyword analysis method to gain insights into the development of EKR and predict its future trends. The results revealed that the related research field in the USA was broad during the study periods. Meanwhile, China was interested in fluorine pollution and contamination in red soil. Spain paid close attention to pollution due to agricultural contamination. South Korea focused on radioactive element pollution. The number of papers published over a period of 28 years increased steadily and continued to rise after 2008. The combined techniques of EKR + phytoremediation and EKR + bioremediation were successively utilised by scholars over time, and the latter is expected to demonstrate vitality in the future.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a toy on the behaviour and body weight of weaned pigs after mixing. Two groups (192 pigs in total, control: without toy; treatment: with toy placed on the floor) of weaned pigs housed in pens (1.8 m × 1.4 m, 4 pigs/pen) were This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a toy on the behaviour and body weight of weaned pigs after mixing. Two were observed with the aid of video technology for nine consecutive hours in the early (days 1 and 2) and late (days 38 and 39) period after mixing. Bodyweight of pigs at the end of the study (Mann-Whitney U-test, Z = -2.46, P = 0.01) and the average daily gain (Z = -2.75, P < 0.01) were 10% higher in the treatment group than in the control group. The presence of the toy in the pen influenced the pig behaviours. In pens enriched with toys, there was an increase in feeding behaviour and a decrease in agonistic and belly nosing behaviours. Toy supply reduced negative social behaviours and thereby improved the bodyweight of weaned pigs. The results of this study suggest that toys used as environmental enrichment are useful for enhancing pig welfare and effective for farmers.

Sustainable crop production requires an efficient usage of fossil energy. This six-year study on a silt loam soil (chernozem) analysed the energy efficiency of four tillage systems (mouldboard plough 25-30 cm, deep conservation tillage 35 cm, shallow conservation tillage 8-10 cm, no-tillage). Fuel consumption, total energy input (made up of both direct and indirect input), grain of maize yield, energy output, net-energy output, energy intensity and energy use efficiency were considered. The input rates of fertiliser, herbicides and seeds were set constant; measured values of fuel consumption were used for all tillage operations. Total fuel consumption for maize (Zea mays L.) production was 81.6, 81.5, 69.5 and 53.2 L/ha for the four tillage systems. Between 60% and 64% of the total energy input (17.0-17.4 GJ/ha) was indirect energy (seeds, fertiliser, herbicides, machinery). The share of fertiliser energy of the total energy input was 36% on average across all tillage treatments. Grain drying was the second highest energy consumer with about 22%. Grain yield and energy output were mainly determined by the year. The tillage effect on yield and energy efficiency was smaller than the growing year effect. Over all six years, maize produced in the no-tillage system reached the highest energy efficiency.

Recently, plant-available sulphur (S) in the soil is decreasing due to the limited use of S containing fertilisers and the reduction of atmospheric S deposition. The aim of this work was to evaluate the S status in a long-term fertilisation experiment on a Chernozem in Hungary, with control and 2 NPK rate treatments, considering that after 27 years of superphosphate (SP) use, SP was replaced by monoammonium phosphate in 2010. Plant and soil sampling were performed in 2017 at three different development stages of winter wheat. To assess the S status, the S balance was estimated (for 34 years), KCl soluble soil sulphate, S as well as nitrogen (N) concentration and some amino acids in wheat grain were measured. N/S ratios, S and N uptake of wheat were calculated. The residual effect of SP could be measured only in terms of KCl soluble SO₄^2--S in soil. According to the wheat grain S concentration (0.08-0.10%) and N/S ratio (14.9-22.0), wheat was S deficient, despite the positive S balance in the fertilised plots. In this experiment, where S fertiliser was applied with 84 kg S/ha dose in 1983-2010, followed by a 7-year period without S fertilisation, S supply is necessary for achieving adequate wheat quality.

Gravel mulching is a characteristic agricultural technique that has been used for hundreds of years in the north-western Loess Plateau of China. However, the effects of the gravel-sand mulch on the processes of the runoff, soil erosion, and nutrient losses are neither fully distinguished nor even known in many parts of the world. This study investigated how different gravel particle sizes in the mulch affected the runoff, erosion as well as the extent of the nutrient losses in the surface runoff. The laboratory experiments were conducted using a rainfall simulator with three gravel mulch treatments: (1) fine gravel mulch (FG); (2) medium gravel mulch (MG); (3) coarse gravel mulch (CG) and a control group, bare soil (BS). The results of these rainfall simulation experiments gave estimates on how the grain size influences the runoff and losses of the soil and its nutrients. Applying the gravel mulch significantly delayed the runoff's starting time when compared with the bare soil. Both the total runoff and soil loss increased with the grain size of the gravel mulch. Compared with the bare soil, the lowest surface runoff and soil loss was observed from the fine gravel treatment. These results clearly show that gravel mulch plays an important role in the runoff and sediment generation processes, and that it significantly reduces the surface runoff and soil loss. The losses of the total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and total organic carbon (TOC) from the bare soil were much higher than those under the gravel mulching. The fluctuations in these nutrient-loss processes were the most intense in the CG treatment, while the TC content, in initial runoff, was significantly higher in the FG than the other treatments. Our findings suggest gravel mulch is a useful water and soil conservation technique in the loess area of north-western China, and these results can inform one on the theoretical principles for properly utilising gravel-mulched fields.

The aim of the study was to determine the interaction of herbicides and herbicides with biostimulants on the accumulation of dry matter and starch in potato tubers. In a three-year field experiment based on the method of randomised sub-blocks, two factors were taken into account. The first factor were potato cultivars: Bartek, Gawin, Honorata. The second factor were five methods of herbicides and biostimulants application: (1) the control object without chemical protection (CO); (2) herbicide linuron + clomazone (Harrier 295 ZC) (H); (3) herbicide linuron + clomazone (Harrier 295 ZC) and biostimulant Ecklonia maxima (Kelpak SL) - (H + K); (4) herbicide metribuzin (Sencor 70 WG) - (S); (5) herbicide metribuzin (Sencor 70 WG) and biostimulant sodium para-nitrophenol, sodium ortho-nitrophenol, sodium 5-nitroguaiacol (Asahi SL) - (S + A). The cultivars and weather conditions significantly affected the content and yields of dry matter and starch. The herbicides and biostimulants used determined the starch accumulation as well as dry matter and starch yields. Most starch in tubers (more by 3.7 g/kg) and the highest dry matter and starch yields (more by 2.87 and 1.79 t/ha, respectively), compared to the control object, were obtained after the application of the herbicide Sencor 70 WG and biostimulant Asahi SL.

Among the various disposal strategies for sewage sludge (SS), soil application is the most suitable. This study was conducted to evaluate soil amendment with SS (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 g/kg) and its impact on soil fertility and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) growth. The SS significantly improved the agromorphological attributes, the number of produced fruits, and the fruit biomass of tomato plants. The 30 g/kg application of SS led to the highest growth rate and fruit yield. Considering the fruits, the best safe enrichment of metal nutrients was recorded at 30 g/kg, with a significant increase in the micronutrient metals Mn, Zn, Ni, Cu, and Fe with 624, 193, 125, 70, and 32%, respectively, compared to the control. The SS amendment enhanced soil fertility, and heavy metals were within the permissible ranges for agricultural soils. Bioaccumulation factors (BFs) indicated that SS application induced the accumulation of most of the studied metals in the roots, and the BF values of Zn, Cu, Ni, and Pb were > 1. The current study concluded that recirculating SS nutrient components to agricultural soils could offer a valid solution for the sustainable management of this organic waste and enhance plant-crop productivity.

The standardisation of protocols and discussion of therapeutic procedures in the rehabilitation of turtles affected by oil spills are necessary to optimise the recovery time and increase the chances of survival of these animals. This study aimed at reporting the processes adopted for the stabilisation, decontamination, rehabilitation and release of an oiled olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), rescued alive on September 23, 2019, at Santa Rita Beach, Extremoz municipality, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Its entire body was covered by oil. At first, the animal was mechanically dry cleaned using a gauze soaked in mineral oil in the keratinised regions (carapace and plastron) and a gauze soaked in vegetable oil was used on the oral, nasal, ocular, and cloacal mucous membranes. The second stage of the oil removal consisted of washing the animal with heated pressurised water (39 °C) and a neutral detergent using a soft foam sponge. The animal received treatment with antitoxins, antibiotics, analgesics, gastrointestinal protectors, and fluid therapy. After 7 days of treatment, the blood count showed that all the parameters were within the normal range. The oil cleaning process and the therapeutic protocol used in the rehabilitation of the olive ridley sea turtle were efficient.

Short storage of in vitro cultures under slow-growth conditions is included in the commercial large-scale micropropagation process. It is dictated by the organizational scheme that provides temporary stop multiplication of shoots for some months. To avoid subculturing to fresh media every 4 weeks, which is obligatory for gooseberry, they can be kept in conditions that protect them from ageing, by slowing down their metabolism. To develop a rational schedule of gooseberry micropropagation, two experiments were used to adopt a temperature and length of time for storage. The best results were obtained with storage conditions at 2 °C for two or four months for proliferating cultures. Under these conditions, the percentage of necrotic shoots was low (< 10%), and shoot proliferation in the subsequent passages was at a level similar to proliferation cultures incubated in the growth room and sub-cultured monthly. The rate of shoots > 1 cm was higher than in the control in the growth room. Storage at 4 °C increased the probability of necrotic shoots up to 80% and decreased the number of all shoots and shoots > 1 cm in subsequent passages.

The success of forest and agricultural plant establishment program mainly depends on the quality of reproductive material. The study intends to offer engineers and farm owners a solution for small-size seed improvement before sowing. The effect of low-intensity coherent light on the seeds of various crops is theoretically and empirically hypothesized. The seedlots of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) of Russian diploid hybrid RMS-127 were germinated in a controlled environment. The germinants were produced from six seed fractions, previously irradiated with 1.274 W.m^-2 at the 632.8 nm wavelength with 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15 min exposure to a standard laser system, plus untreated control. Pine germinants were measured on day 15, beetroot on day 10 after germination. An increase in exposure time reduced Scots pine germination energy and capacity, while for sugar beet the results were not conclusive. On the contrary, increasing the exposure time had a positive effect on both the height and biomass growth of both Scots pine and sugar beet germinants. The 10-min exposure time resulted in maximum values for sugar beet height and biomass and Scots pine height, while the 15-min exposure time produced maximum Scots pine biomass.

New techniques for Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann, 1824) control are being studied and developed to replace traditional organophosphate pesticide applications. A mass trapping strategy offers promising medfly control within integrated pest management (IPM) programmes. Field assays were performed to study the efficacy of two mass trapping techniques based on PheroNorm^® and Ceratrap^® lures that were compared to a conventional approach to control the medfly in Tunisian apricot orchards. The results showed that both mass trapping techniques had a similar efficiency in reducing the C. capitata population. The degrees Brix in the fruits was a determinant issue since the initial apricot fruit damage was detected at 6.4%. At harvesting, the lowest fruit damage rate was recorded in the PheroNorm^® (4.25%) and Ceratrap^® (6.50%) treated orchards, compared with the conventional approach (10.75%). Therefore, the use of 50 PheroNorm^® and Ceratrap^® traps per ha density within an IPM approach may be very useful to control the C. capitata populations in apricot orchards.

Sustainable cropping systems require efficient usage of fossil energy. This study performed on a long-term field experiment in the Pannonian Basis investigated the energy efficiency of four tillage systems (mouldboard plough (MP), deep conservation tillage (CT_d), shallow conservation tillage (CT_s) and no-tillage (NT)) for sugar beet and soybean production, taking fuel consumption, total energy input (made up of both direct and indirect inputs), crop yield, energy output, net-energy output, energy intensity and energy use efficiency into account. The input rates of fertiliser, chemical plant protection, and seeds were set constant across years; whereas measured values of fuel consumption were used for all tillage treatments. NT required a considerably lower energy input than MP and CT_d as no fuel is needed for tillage and just slightly more fuel for additional spraying of glyphosate. Anyhow, the energy efficiency parameters did not differ between tillage treatments, as theses parameters were mainly determined by energy output, which was considerably higher than the energy input. However, year effects on the energy efficiency were observed for both crops. Nitrogen fertilisation and diesel fuel consumption were identified as the most energy-intensive inputs. Consequently, the energy input for sugar beet was higher than that for soybean, which was identified as a low-input crop. But sugar beet attained a more than 4 times higher net-energy output, a 2.5 times higher energy use efficiency, and an energy intensity for yield production of less than 3 times those of soybean.

To provide reference for scientific management of nitrogen (N) fertiliser on tartary buckwheat, the effects of the mixed application of controlled-release N fertiliser (a kind of thermoplastic polymer-coated urea types that are characterised by a semi-permeable membrane) and common urea was studied in the main tartary buckwheat production area in China. In 2018 and 2019, a two-year field experiment was conducted a randomised block design with five treatments: (1) no nitrogen fertilisation (CK); (2) 100% N from common urea (T1); (3) 15% N from controlled-released urea fertiliser (plastic coated) + 85% N from common urea (T2); (4) 30% N from controlled-released fertiliser + 70% N from urea (T3); (5) 45% N from controlled-released fertiliser + 55% N of urea (T4). The N fertilisation rate was 90 kg N/ha in all fertilisation treatments. The results showed: (1) the mixed application of controlled-release N fertiliser and common urea was conductive to enhance the yield, dry mass, N uptake and apparent N fertiliser efficiency (NFE), compared with a single application of common urea. In two seasons, NFE was 38.6% (T1), 48.6% (T2), 53.6% (T3) and 53% (T4), separately; (2) the mixed application of controlled-release N fertiliser and common urea could significantly increase the soil inorganic N content in the soil surface layer and decreased the leaching loss of N; (3) with the increasing ration of controlled-release N fertiliser, the tendency of increasing N content of crop uptake and soil residual and decreasing rate of N loss and N surplus was visible. Overall, considered the indicators of grain yield, input cost, N utilisation and N balance, the suitable N fertilisation mode for tartary buckwheat production is the mixed application of 30% controlled-release N fertiliser and 70% common urea when 90 kg N/ha is applied.

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal, discharged into environments naturally or anthropogenically, where industrial and agricultural revolutions have led to serious Cd pollution into the environment. Poultry feed may be contaminated by Cd due to its presence in concentrates and supplements, and also in the machinery and equipment used in feed production and processing. After absorption in the digestive system, Cd largely accumulates in kidneys, liver, bones and other organs and causes irreversible damage to these organs. Higher doses of Cd in the poultry diet reduced feed intake, body weight, bone mineral density, egg production and eggshell quality. Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient and important component of a variety of antioxidant enzymes, with the ability to antagonize metal toxicity including Cd. Hence, in the current review, we try to summarize recent information about the toxicological effects of Cd and provide updated information about the role of Se as an effective strategy in reducing Cd toxicity in poultry.

Cryphalus asperatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) is described as an exceptional but important secondary pest of Norway spruce seedlings. Of the 10 000 seedlings transported to one location in the Ore Mountains, Central Europe in 2020, in total 1 500 seedlings were killed by C. asperatus. The infestation and death of seedlings probably resulted in part from the substantial local increase in the local abundance of C. asperatus after the sanitation felling of many Ips typographus-infested and otherwise damaged trees; the felled trees provided many branches suitable for C. asperatus feeding. In addition, the seedlings were probably stressed by the multi-hour transportation (probably drought) from the forest nursery.

Although various studies of codon usage bias have been reported in a broad spectrum of organisms, no studies to date have examined codon usage bias for herbicide target genes. In this study, we analysed codon usage patterns for the acetolactate synthase (ALS) gene in eight monocot weeds and one model monocot. The base composition at the third codon position follows C3 > G3 > T3 > A3. The values of the effective number of codons (ENC or Nc) indicate low bias, and ENC or Nc vs. GC3 plot suggests that this low bias is due to mutational pressure. Low codon adaptation index and codon bias index values further supported the phenomenon of low bias. Additionally, the optimal codons, along with over- and under-represented codons, were identified. Gene design using optimal codons rather than overall abundant codons produce improved protein expression results. Our results can be used for further studies, including eliciting the mechanisms of herbicide resistance (occurring due to elevation of gene expression levels) and the development of new compounds, their efficiency and risk assessment for herbicide resistance evolution.

The effect of crop sequences (CR - continuous winter rye; CropR - three-field crop rotation of winter rye-spring barley-bare fallow) and fertilisation systems (unfertilised control, mineral fertiliser (NPK), farmyard manure (FYM)) on crop yield, energy efficiency indicators and land demand were analysed in a long-term experiment under Pannonian climate conditions. Due to lower fuel consumption in the bare fallow, the total fuel consumption for CropR was 27% lower than in CR. It was for NPK and FYM fertilisation by 29% and 42% higher than in the control. Although the energy output was lower in CropR than CR, the energy use efficiency for grain production increased by 35% and for above-ground biomass production by 20%. Overall crop sequences, the NPK treatment had higher crop yields, energy outputs and net-energy output with a lower energy use efficiency than the unfertilised control. CropR increased the land demand just by 20% in comparison to CR, although one-third of the land was not used for crop production. The land demand could be decreased with fertilisation by 50% (NPK) or 48% (FYM). A bare fallow year in the crop rotation decreased the crop yield, energy input and increased the energy use efficiency and land demand.

Soil properties can be influenced by long-term agricultural management practices as described in pedological literature. In this study, selected physical properties (particle density and bulk density, total porosity, maximum capillary water capacity, minimum air capacity, field capacity, permanent wilting point and available water capacity) of topsoils from different reference soil groups (Cambisols, Luvisols, Fluvisols, Chernozems and Phaeozems, Leptosols, Stagnosols and Gleysols) were sampled and analysed in the years 2016-2017. The topsoil samples were taken from points of so-called S (specific) soil pits to be sampled from the General Soil Survey of Agricultural Soils (GSSAS) which was accomplished in the years 1961-1970. In addition, some of the properties were also compared with those measured during the GSSAS. Recognising the properties, only the particle density, the maximum capillary water capacity, the permanent wilting point and the available water capacity of the topsoil of the individual soil groups were statistically significantly (P < 0.05) different. A comparison of the physical properties with those analysed after more than 40 years was performed, the bulk density increased and the total porosity decreased in the topsoil of the major part of the studied soil groups.

Drought stress is a major environmental factor limiting crop growth and productivity. Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) plays an essential role during stress response by acting as a signal molecule that activates multiple stress tolerance mechanisms. In this study, the effects of H₂O₂ on agronomic traits were studied in rice (Oryza sativa L.) cv. Khao Dawk Mali 105 (KDML 105) was subjected to drought stress. H₂O₂ was applied by either seed priming or foliar application method with a concentration of 1, 5, and 15 mmol/L. The results showed that both seed priming and foliar application with H₂O₂ improved some yield components. The tiller numbers, number of panicles, number of filled grains, filled grain weight, and harvest index were improved approximately 1.13, 1.04, 1.23, 1.21, and 1.1 times compared to the untreated plants. Foliar application, however, helps the plant by reducing yield loss as indicated by a 0.5-time reduction in the number of unfilled grain and lower unfilled grain weight. It was suggested that 5 mmol/L H₂O₂ was the most effective concentration to alleviate the effect of drought stress during the reproductive stage in rice.

This study evaluated the phytoremediation potential of eight native plant species on heavy metal polluted soils along the Spreča river valley (the northeast region of Bosnia and Herzegovina). Plants selected for screening were: ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), common nettle (Urtica dioica L.), mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris L.), wild mint (Mentha arvensis L.), white clover (Trifolium repens L.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), dwarf nettle (Urtica urens L.) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.). All aboveground parts of selected native plants and their associated soil samples were collected and analysed for total concentration of Ni, Cr, Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu. The bioaccumulation factor for each element was also calculated. The levels of Cr (90.9-171.1 mg/kg) and Ni (80.1-390.5 mg/kg) in the studied soil plots were generally higher than limits prescribed by European standards, indicating that the soils in the Spreča river valley are polluted by Cr and Ni. Among the eight screened plant species, no hyperaccumulators for toxic heavy metals Ni, Cr, Cd and Pb were identified. However, the concentrations of toxic heavy metals in the above-ground parts of Artemisia vulgaris L. and Trifolium repens L. were significantly higher than in the other studied plants, indicating that both plant species are useful for heavy metal removal.

For 2 years (2019-2020), a field experiment to test the activities of different fertilisation schemes on the yield, colour and health status of five different grass mixtures for football pitches was conducted. Two grass mixtures were composed of different varieties of perennial ryegrass, one mixture was composed of varieties of perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass, one mixture consisted of the species Lolium perenne, Festuca rubra, Festuca arundinacea and Poa pratensis, and the seeds of only one variety of perennial ryegrass were sowed in one plot. Three different fertilisation schemes were included in the experiment. The first scheme (A) contained an inorganic fertiliser with added soil improvers, the second scheme (B) included an organic fertiliser with added soil improvers and the third scheme (C) was composed of an inorganic fertiliser. According to this study, the grass yield largely depends on the soil temperature, amount of precipitation and soil water content, and the occurrence of the fungus Laetisaria fuciformis is influenced by the fertilisation scheme, as the % infection with the fungus was highest when organic fertilisers with low % nitrogen was used. The selection of fertilisers is seen as an important factor for the turfgrass colour.

A tomato plant (Solanum lycopersicum Linnaeus, labelled KVE) displaying virus-like symptoms, tested negative for common tomato viruses, was subjected to high-throughput sequencing (HTS) on the Illumina MiSeq platform using ribosomal RNA-depleted total RNA as a template. The analysis has revealed the contigs mapping to Lettuce big-vein associated virus (LBVaV). The near complete LBVaV-KVE sequence of RNA1 and RNA2 revealed 95.0 and 94.9% identity with the reference sequence, the same length of translated products and a typical varicosavirus genome organisation. After initial long-term maintenance of LBVaV-KVE in the original plant, the virus could be detected by RT-PCR or nanoLC-ESI-Q-TOF in new plants generated from lateral shoot cuttings or inoculated by stem chips, although not uniformly. So far, LBVaV was reported to infect lettuce and related species. Our study expands the natural host range of the LBVaV to tomato.

Small field plot experiments were carried out at the testing station of the Central Control and Testing Institute in Agriculture in Veľký Meder (Slovakia) in the experimental years 2014/2015, 2015/2016 and 2016/2017. Selenium salts in the form of sodium selenite and sodium selenate were applied in growth phases: end of tillering (BBCH 29) and flag leaf ligule and collar visible (BBCH 39). The effect of experimental years 2014/2015, 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 on the yield of wheat grain was not statistically significant within the observed variants. The achieved mean yields were in the range from 10.06 ± 0.81 to 11.07 ± 0.29 t/ha in 2014/2015, from 9.82 ± 0.54 to 10.32 ± 0.10 t/hain 2015/2016 and from 11.23 ± 0.76 to 11.64 ± 0.51 t/ha in 2016/2017. Selenate in comparison with selenite influenced the selenium accumulation in wheat grains more positively. However, a significant difference was recorded in variants with selenite application in the flag leaf growth phase in comparison with the end of tillering phase. The influence on the content of macroelements P, K, Ca and microelements Cu and Fe was observed in sodium selenite only; its application decreased the element content in comparison with the control variant. Statistically significantly higher values of fiber and fat were achieved after application of selenium in the flag leaf growth stage in comparison with the end of tillering.

This study aimed at investigating the effect of ontogenetic and diurnal variability on yield and quality criteria of Mentha piperita. The research was conducted in the Ordu province of Turkey for two years. The trial was established in a randomised complete block design with 3 replications according to factorial regulations. Four different harvesting periods (budding, first flowering, 50% flowering, 100% flowering) and three harvesting hours (9:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m.) were evaluated. A significant difference was determined between the trial years in all characters examined: plant height 55.9-69.0 cm, fresh herb yield 3 236-16 438 kg/ha, drug-herb yield 1 748-2 862 kg/ha, fresh leaf yield 3 477-4 506 kg/ha, drug leaf yield 968-1 253 kg/ha, essential oil ratio 2.0-2.5% and essential oil yield that varied between 19-28 L/ha. The highest yields were obtained at the beginning of flowering in drug leaf yield and 100% flowering period for all other characteristics. Diurnal variability was statistically significant only in the rate of essential oil, and the highest rate occurred in the 9:00 a.m. harvest.

The study determined the effects of the speed of loading and the loading orientation on some selected mechanical properties of the TME 419 cassava tuber variety at different ages of the tuber which are essential in the design and construction of the processing and handling equipment of a cassava peeler. The properties considered include the bioyield and rupture points, compressive and rupture strengths, toughness and firmness, and moduli of stiffness and toughness, which were carried out in the transverse and longitudinal loading direction using an Instron Universal Testing Machine (UTM). As the loading rate increased from 5.00 to10.00 mm.min^-1 and the age of the tuber varies from 1.00 to 2.00 years, the bioyield and rupture points, compressive and rupture strengths, toughness, firmness, moduli of stiffness and toughness in the transverse and longitudinal direction varies from 1 619.61 to 3 636.19 N and 136.08 to 384.52 N, 0.48066 to 1.07913 N.mm^-2 and 0.26604 to 0.75173 N.mm^-2, 766 to 1055 N.mm^-1 and 1 262 to 2 965 N.mm^-1, 303.98 to 553.68 mm.min^-1 and 28.08 to 53.71 mm.min^-1 2.30 to 4.19 N.mm^-2 and 5.376 to 8.94N.mm^-2 respectively. Generally, the values of the properties examined are higher in the longitudinal loading orientation than in the transverse and for a year and half old tuber which will be useful in designing an efficient cassava peeling system.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of ozonation on the water quality, and growth, blood biochemistry, antioxidant capacity and survival of pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) reared in a recirculation aquaculture system for 30 weeks. A group without ozone treatment was used as a control. The ozone application led to a significant reduction of the water chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand and unsuspended solids concentration. The results revealed that an ozone treatment as a water treatment method has a positive influence on the intensive culture of pikeperch ensuring a higher survival rate (77%) compared to the non-treated control group (67.2%). Moreover, the ozonation prevented fin damage to a large extent and reduced the prevalence of an Ichthyophthirius multifiliis infection. Furthermore, the ozone application led to a reduction in the thiobarbituric acid reactive substance level and enhanced the superoxide dismutase activity in the fish gills. However, the effect of ozonation was null on the plasma biochemical parameters. Overall, these findings suggest that an ozone treatment, using adequate technological equipment to destroy the residual ozone, improves the water quality and protects pikeperch against any possible infection and fin damage in a recirculation aquaculture system.

This study was conducted to examine the epidemiological characteristics of two Pseudomonas syringae pvs. - syringae (Pss) and morsprunorum race 1 (Psm) on the sweet cherry in both field and laboratory conditions. Cycled inoculations of one-year-old branches indicated that the sweet cherry became sensitive to Psm race 1 earlier in the season (October) compared to Pss (November). The most severe infections occurred in the dormancy period (November), while the necroses formed in January and March were less in their length. Inoculations of the two-/three-year-old branches performed in November resulted in necrosis, with those induced by Pss being more aggressive. The January inoculations, however, resulted in less formed necroses in length. Laboratory tests performed on excised sweet cherry branches confirmed the results yielded by the field experiments, indicating that the dormancy period poses the greatest risk for the P. syringae pvs. infection. The isolation of Pss and Psm bacteria from naturally infected sweet cherry samples (cankers) during the summer indicated that the bacteria that persists in cankers in low numbers became active during autumn. Significant Pss and Psm race 1 epiphytic bacterial populations were noted during the spring, but decreased in the summer and increased again in the autumn, indicating the presence of inoculum reservoirs. The greater understanding of the control strategies aimed at the epidemiological factors should, thus, facilitate better disease outbreak management.

Finding an appropriate method with the highest rate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) removal from naturally polluted soils is an important research issue. A pot factorial experiment (using contaminated soil samples from the Isfahan Refinery, Iran) was conducted in a 90-day period to compare the following bioremediation strategies: (1) natural attenuation (NA): the inherent ability of soil for bioremediation; (2) bioaugmentation (BA): inoculating soil with PAH degrading microbes Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus; (3) biostimulation (BS): using N, P and K nutrients for the stimulation of bioremediating soil bacteria to achieve the C:N:P ratio of 100:10:1, and(4) bioaugmentation + biostimulation (BS + BA). Treatments NA (22.8%) and BA + BS (63.9%) resulted in the least and the highest rate of PAH removal from the soil. The 2-4 ring compounds had a significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher rate of degradation than the 5-6 ring compounds. The highest rates were resulted by fluorene (76.41%) and acenaphthylene (72.28%) using the BA + BS treatment. However, the lowest degradation rates were resulted by indeno (1,2,3-cd) pyrene (10.05%), benzo [b] fluoranthene (10.17%), benzo (g, h, i) perylene (12.53%), and benzo [k] fluoranthene (13.67%), using NA treatment. The BA + BS treatments are the most effective method for the bioremediation of PAH polluted soils.