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Estimation of farm economic sustainability and viability became more topical when redesigning the Common Agricultural Policy which should stabilise farm income and make agribusiness more viable and sustainable (typically in Czech areas facing natural constraints). The key question is how to calculate the income of farms or farm households not only to survive but also to grow sustainably. The article summarises and compares knowledge from 51 studies to provide a comprehensive discussion on different ways how to measure economic viability and sustainability to set income support for farms in the areas with natural constraints optimally. The authors found family farms and off-farm income as important limitations of FADN database (Farm Accountancy Data Network) for evaluation of the economic sustainability of farm household. Moreover, some financial ratios (Return on Assets - ROA and assets turnover) are not suitable viability indicators for farms with a high share of hired land (typically large legal entities). Joining family farms and legal entities, the authors recommend using modified Farm Net Value Added (MFNVA) allowing for opportunity costs of own land and non-land assets. The average wage in the economy or region is a better proxy for opportunity labour costs of unpaid work rather than average agricultural wage.

The characteristic features of traditional cottage sausage were analysed. In addition, the extent to which manufacturers create product diversity on the market was investigated, along with potential health risks of the product to consumers. The samples had high overall sensory scores. The average level of fat slightly exceeded 28%, cholesterol content was in the range of 435.4-1220.3 mg/kg and salt content was 1.53-2.77%. Some manufacturers do not cure their product, but about 20% of them apply nitrites above the level of 150 mg/kg. Due to their relatively high pH level (5.76-6.60) and water activity (0.95-0.98), Polish cottage sausage can be a medium which encourages the growth of microorganisms; however, pathogenic bacteria were not found. Histamine was detected in only 42% of the samples, at the low level of 2.6 to 34.2 mg/kg. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied and the dominant variables were specified for particular PCs.

Soil samples from 100 cultivated and natural sites were assessed for the presence of entomopathogenic nematodes. Heterorhabditid nematodes were recovered from three soil samples during spring months, with the overall positive sample rate of 3%. The isolates of entomopathogenic nematodes were identified as three different strains conspecific with Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Heterorhabditidae). They were found from natural sites and vineyard, while no recovery occurred from intensively cultivated agricultural fields. The morphometrical characteristics of infective juveniles and males showed differences between all Croatian strains and from the original description. Heterorhabditis bacteriophora ISO9 was bioassayed on Lasioptera rubi (Cecidomyiidae) (the raspberry gall midge) larvae at different nematode concentrations under laboratory conditions. The significantly highest mortality was observed in treatments with 50 and 200 infective juveniles per insect larvae within 8 days after inoculation. This is the first report of entomopathogenic nematodes of the family Heterorhabditidae from Croatia, and susceptibility of L. rubi larvae to entomopathogenic nematodes. The Croatian strain H. bacteriophora ISO9 was proved to possess strong insecticidal properties against L. rubi larvae.

The decline of soil organic carbon (SOC) has aggravated salinity-related problems in semi-arid irrigation areas of the Awash river basin, Ethiopia. This study aimed at evaluating the performance of potential remediation crops on saline soil and their effectiveness for remediating soil salinity and improving pH, SOC, bulk density (BD) and hydraulic conductivity (HyCo). Rhodes grass (RHG), alfalfa (ALF), sudangrass (SUG) and blue panicgrass (Retz) (BPG) were grown in saline (3-13.9 dS/m) field plots. The crop biomass was incorporated into the soil immediately before flowering. The results show that at high soil salinity levels, BPG and SUG grew well, with the harvesting frequency of BPG being much higher than for SUG. Conversely, the growth of ALF and RHG was strongly inhibited by high soil salinity. Significant (P < 0.05) reduction of soil salinity levels (-3.2 dS/m) and related ionic concentrations, an increase of SOC (0.8% to 1.6%) and improvement of BD and HyCo were observed in BPG plots. The fast-growing nature of BPG in the hot climate of the experimental area resulted in harvests every three weeks and promoted the incorporation of high amounts of biomass to the soil and efficient soil salinity remediation. At moderately saline conditions, ALF also showed a great potential for salinity reclamation (-1.8 dS/m) and SOC accumulation. The cultivation of fast-growing annual crops proved an efficient and low-cost strategy for soil salinity mitigation and the reclamation of salinity-associated soil degradation in irrigation agriculture in Ethiopia.

To find out exactly how sowing density and sowing pattern affect soybean grain yield, quality and its components in non-traditional soybean growing regions, such as Germany, two field trials have been conducted at two locations in Bavaria in 2016 and 2017. The experiments were carried out with four sowing densities (30, 50, 70, 90 seeds/m²) and four cultivars from different maturity groups (Viola 000, Lissabon 000, ES Mentor 00, Orion 00) as randomized complete block design with four replicates. Almost all evaluated traits varied significantly depending on year × location. There was no interaction between the main factors (cultivar × sowing density). The results revealed that grain yield and height of the first pod increased with increase of sowing density. The number of pods per plant and branching decreased with increasing sowing density. At higher sowing densities at flowering leaf area index was significantly higher than at lower sowing densities. The cv. ES Mentor (00) with 70 seeds/m² has proved to be a suitable cultivar in terms of yield and quality in southern Germany (> 3.6 t/ha grain yield and 40% protein).

Švihov dam, the largest drinking water source in the Czech Republic and Central Europe, has problems with eutrophication. The Švihov dam catchment spreads over 1200 km² and supplies over 1.5 million people in the capital of Prague and the Central Bohemian region with drinking water. Due to intensive agricultural activities and a lack of wastewater treatment plants in small settlements, the water quality is deteriorating. As a result, corrective measures need to be taken. Technological Agency of the Czech Republic supported this research which proposes different scenarios for a reduction of water quality degradation in the dam. The Trnávka dam watershed was chosen for study purposes as it occupies one quarter of the Švihov dam watershed. Hydrological balance was established using measured data. Point and non-point sources of nutrients were determined by field research and included in a Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model. This study aims to propose complex watershed management to improve the state of the environment in the entire area and to reduce eutrophication. Different management practices would reduce nutrient loads of streams and increase water quality which is the critical factor in dam eutrophication. This research brings methodology and systematic approach to integrated management, and can be applied not only for the Švihov dam, but also for other watersheds, including those which function as drinking water supply.

An experimental population commonly used in genetic analyses of gene or quantitative trait loci (QTLs) in rice is chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs). In the present study, with the typical indica variety Guangluai 4 as a donor and japonica variety Taichung 65 as a recipient, seven CSSLs carrying F₁ pollen sterility genes S-b, S-d, S-e, S-b/S-d, S-b/S-e, S-d/S-e, and S-b/S-d/S-e were obtained by specific selection for the target genes, non-specific selection for the genome of the recurrent parents in four backcross populations (BC₁F₂, BC₂F₂, BC₃F₂ and BC₃F₃). We evaluated the genetic effect of the F₁ pollen sterility genes using 35 F₁ hybrid individuals in crosses derived from CSSLs and Taichung 65. Pollen fertility of F₁ hybrid plants was observed and the results indicated that the single genes S-b, S-d and S-e can cause 67.7%, 14.6% and 53.2% of pollen sterility, respectively. Multiple genes S-b/S-d, S-b/S-e, S-d/S-e, and S-b/S-d/S-e can cause 76.6%, 85%, 68.7%, and 93% of pollen sterility, respectively.

To analyse the genetic diversity of the Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) population in Poland and to establish the phylogenetic relationships between the Polish and other isolates described to date, 91 isolates were collected from cucumber plants. The analysis, based on coat protein (CP) gene, revealed the presence of two phylogenetic groups: one consisting of the Polish isolates collected in 2017 and those originated mainly from Asia region and the second including the Polish isolates collected in 2016 and the others from European countries. The sensitive, specific, and rapid one-step loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay was developed for the early detection of genetically diverse CGMMV isolates in seeds and plant material.

Biochar can potentially increase crop production in saline soils. However, the appropriate amount of biochar that should be applied to benefit from resource preservation and increase both grain yield (GY) and quality is not clear. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of biochar applied at various rates (i.e., 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 t/ha) on the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), GY and amino acid (AA) contents of wheat plants in saline soils. The results showed that the application of 5-20 t/ha biochar increased wheat NUE by 5.2-37.9% and thus increased wheat GY by 2.9-19.4%. However, excessive biochar applications (more than 30 t/ha) had negative effects on both the NUE and GY of wheat. Biochar had little influence on leaf soil and plant analyzer development (SPAD) values, the harvest index or yield components. The AAs were significantly affected by biochar, depending on the application rate. Among the application rates, 5-30 t/ha biochar resulted in relatively higher (by 5.2-19.1%) total AA contents. Similar trends were observed for each of the 17 essential AAs. In conclusion, the positive effects of biochar occurred when it was applied at appropriate rates, but the effects were negative when biochar was overused.

Hydrocarbon contaminants have become a global concern due to their long-term adverse effects on soil ecosystems and human health. Successful implementation of phytoremediation to clean up hydrocarbon contaminants requires the identification of the most effective remediation plant species. Twelve native plant species of the Sudd Wetland in South Sudan were evaluated for their potential application as phytoremediators. The treatments included six total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentrations of 0, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 g/kg soil. The twelve native plant species tested were: Sorghum arundinaceum Desv., Oryza longistaminata A. Chev. & Roehrich, Hyparrhenia rufa Nees, Abelmoschus ficulneus L., Gossypium barbadense L., Nicotiana tabacum L., Sorghum bicolour L. Moench, Eleusine coracana Gaertn., Capsicum frutescens L., Zea mays L., Tithonia diversifolia Hemsl. and Medicago sativa L. Significant differences in phytoremediation rates were observed amongst the treatments with exception of the 125 g/kg soil concentration of hydrocarbon that was lethal to all the plant species. Over 50% TPH reduction in the 75 g/kg soil concentration was observed in contaminated soil phytoremediation in H. rufa, G. barbadense, O. longistaminata, T. diversifolia and S. arundinaceum, making them potential phytoremediators of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil in the Sudd-Wetland of South-Sudan.

The results from 23 tasting sessions of experienced evaluators that took place during the last decade in May are presented in 4 periods which lasted 5 years except for the first one, which was seven-years long. The winner of the first testing period was 'Bohemia', 'Meteor' was the winner of the second period and 'Admiral' was the top rated in the remaining two testing periods. Across all the years, 'Meteor' had the highest total punctual value, but it was only about 0.4 points higher than 'Admiral'. In the next sequence, they were followed by the cultivars 'Andera', 'Rubin' and 'Andego'. In the aroma evaluation, 'Andera', 'Gold Bohemia' and 'Topaz' were the best. 'Admiral', 'Gold Bohemia' and 'Andera' were the top rated in flesh consistency. 'Admiral', 'Angold' and 'Andera' were the best in juiciness. 'Gold Bohemia', 'Admiral' and 'Meteor' had the highest values of the general taste. 'Admiral', 'Angold' and 'Meteor' were the most attractive.

Pot experiments were carried out to study the effects of a novel stabilizer of 2,4,6-trimercaptotriazine, trisodium salt, nonahydrate (TMT) on the bioavailability of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb) in soils and heavy metals accumulation in tobacco. The results showed the optimal TMT dosage 200 mL/kg could effectively reduce the bioavailability of heavy metals in soils, and the bioavailability of Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb in soils was reduced simultaneously by up to 73.1, 63.2, 48.0, 68.9 and 57.2%, respectively. Application of TMT could significantly decrease Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb contents of all parts of tobacco. Furthermore, the contents of available Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb in soils were significantly positively correlated with Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb contents in upper, middle and lower leaves and stems of tobacco. There were no significant differences among plant height, number of leaves, stem girth, length and width of maximum leaves of tobacco under TMT treatments and that under control (P < 0.05), which showed that the TMT did not promote and inhibit the growth of tobacco.

Dung deposited by grazing animals is a key driver affecting sward structure and nutrient cycling in pastures. We tested herbage and soil properties in three types of tall sward-height patches (> 10 cm): (i) patches with dung under intensive grazing; (ii) patches with dung under extensive grazing; and (iii) patches with no dung under extensive grazing. These patches were compared with grazed swards under intensive and extensive grazing. Analyses indicated no significant effect of different types of patches on plant available nutrients. Herbage nutrient concentrations from the different types of patches differed significantly. The highest concentrations of nitrogen (30.65 g/kg), phosphorus (4.51 g/kg) and potassium (22.06 g/kg) in the herbage dry matter were in the tall patches with dung presence under intensive grazing regime because of nutrients from dung utilized for sward regrowth. Regardless of dung presence, similar herbage nutrient concentrations were revealed in non-grazed tall sward-height patches in extensive grazing regime. The presence of dung did not have any effect on the plant available nutrients in any type of patches, therefore we suppose that non-utilized nutrients were probably leached, volatilised or transformed into unavailable forms and thus soil nutrient enrichment was low.

In recent times, consumers and politicians from Central and Eastern Europe complain that some food products sold in their regions are of lower quality and less healthy if compared to those sold under the same brands in Western Europe. This situation, that concerns exclusively food produced and sold under even well-known multinational brands, is brought back by many food Multi-National Companies to the necessity to adapt their products to local tastes and gastronomic traditions. Many tests and studies carried out at European level prove poorer-quality products offered by Multi-National Companies to Central and Eastern Europe consumers even if with the same packaging and prices (or even more expensive) of Western countries. This is a very novel issue, and to the best of our knowledge, there is not any scientific paper yet dealing with this issue. Therefore, the aim of the study is to add new knowledge to this field and to shed light on the multiple aspects linked to dual quality food. The analysis, essentially theoretical, has pointed out that in addition to the traditional problems of market failures, there can be positive implications in terms of opportunities of competitiveness for multinational food companies.

Filamentous fungi were isolated from ten spices collected from markets in Indonesia. The aim was to enumerate fungal contamination and to determine the toxigenicity of Aspergillus flavus strains on each of the spices. Viable fungal populations were determined using a dilution method. Toxigenicity of Aspergillus flavus was determined by culture on a quick screening coconut agar and by PCR using four sets of primers specific for aflatoxin pathway genes. All the tested spices were contaminated by storage fungi, Species of Aspergillus was the most commonly isolated moulds followed by species of Fusarium, Mucor, Penicillium and Rhizopus. The greatest number of Aspergillus flavus isolates were found on white pepper, followed by nutmeg, cardamom, and black pepper. The greatest number of Aspergillus chevalieri isolates were found on coriander, followed by nutmeg. Fifty strains of A. flavus were isolated, all of the strains produced large sclerotia and biseriate conidiophores. Their toxigenicity was assayed by the presence of yellow pigment on a quick screening coconut agar medium and PCR amplification of regulatory and structural genes in the aflatoxin pathway.

A unique evaluation of the apple tree trunk bark damage caused by common vole and European hare was presented. Damage was found in an apple orchard under organic farming, in Central Moravia (Czech Republic), at 700 m a.s.l. There were two cultivated apple cultivars Red Spring and Melodie/Angold. Damage occurred in winter with the snow cover lasting from December to February. In total 1 012 trees and 95.7% of trees were damaged. The cv. Red Spring was damaged more than cv. Melodie/Angold. Almost 90% of the dead trees were killed by common voles. While hares damaged both cultivars equally, voles damaged the cv. Red Spring to a significantly greater extent (P = 0.04). The study confirms the need of further research on the development of methodologies for orchard protection from damage caused by small mammals.

Soil erosion is one of the major environmental problems in open-cut mines in tropical regions. It causes negative impacts including the removal of nutrient-rich topsoil, destroys aquatic habitat, dam and pond siltation, clogs river by deposition of sediment, and causes water pollution in the rehabilitation process. Soil texture is an important factor to affect soil erosion. In this study, artificial rainfall experiment in the laboratory scale was conducted to clarify the mechanism of soil erosion under the different soil composition and to discuss the methods for minimizing soil erosion. The obtained results showed that the soil seal generated due to the presence of fine particle under high rainfall intensity is the main contributor to accelerate the soil erosion. Additionally, the surface coverage by the cover crops is the most effective measure to reduce soil erosion because both the coarse and fine contents runoff can be minimized while arranging of the slope angle is effective for reducing the runoff of coarse contents and the soil compaction is effective to reduce that of fine contents. Soil erosion can be minimized by selecting prevention method considering the type of soil because the prevention effect on soil erosion is different depending on the type of soil.

The use of sludge in agriculture within the European Union (EU) is currently regulated only by the limits of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) listed in Council Directive 86/278/EEC. This document is now more than 30 years old. Several European countries have introduced more stringent requirements in comparison with the directive, and have adopted limits for concentrations of other heavy metals, synthetic organic compounds and microbial contamination. The paper provides an overview of the current limits of these substances in sewage sludge and concentration limits of heavy metals in soil intended for sludge application, together with applicable laws and regulations in European Union countries. There is a need to update these regulations taking into account the current risks associated with the application of sludge to agricultural land, with the possibility of using ecotoxicological tests to assess the risks. A wide range of technologies for sewage sludge processing is used in EU countries. The predominant choice is a direct application in agriculture followed by composting. The use of sewage sludge in agriculture in 2014 and 2015 in 13 EU countries that provided data amounted to 22.6% (2014) and 22.1% (2015) of produced sludge and 23.3% (2014) and 23.1% (2015) of sludge disposed. It is also highly variable within EU countries ranging between zero (Malta, Slovenia, Slovakia) and 80% (Ireland). Over 50% of sewage sludge is used in agriculture in Bulgaria according to 2015 data.

Manganese (Mn) is an important micronutrient for growth and development in plants, however, excess Mn is harmful by disrupting photosynthesis system and inducing oxidative damage in leaves. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play key roles in regulating Mn toxicity tolerance in plants. Here, we identified Mn toxicity-responsive miRNAs in Arabidopsis by using small RNA sequencing. Eighteen differentially expressed miRNAs were identified in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings in response to Mn toxicity. These differentially expressed miRNAs are involved in regulating nutrition homeostasis, transport, stress response, and developmental processes. Our results indicated that these miRNAs play a key role in Mn toxicity response in plants.

Resistance to Plum pox virus (PPV) in transgenic Prunus domestica L., clone C5 (cv. HoneySweet) was evaluated in a regulated field in the Czech Republic for fifteen years (2002-2016). PPV mild symptoms appeared in C5 trees only in several leaves situated close to the point of inoculum grafting up to 2010. No symptoms of PPV were observed in the years 2011-2013 and results of ELISA and RT-PCR detection tests were negative. In the twelfth year (2013), there was a severe unusual natural attack of plum trees by Monilinia sp. This Monilinia sp. attack occurred only one time - in 2013. There was no Monilinia sp. infection in 2002-2012 and in 2014-2016. Mild PPV symptoms reappeared in several leaves of transgenic plum trees in the next two years (2014-2015) and the presence of PPV was proved by DAS-ELISA and confirmed by RT-PCR.

Regarding the increased surface runoff from production areas, wide-row crops grown on slopes are considered risk crops. By reducing the surface runoff, it is possible to mitigate the negative effects on both the soil and the plants and positively influence the subsequent production, e.g., after application of de-stoning before planting. During this research, the tied ridging method was applied during planting by a two-row planter in both central and tractor trail furrows in potato rows and on the slope of 8.8% compared to a control plot without this treatment. Rainfall and surface water runoff were monitored, and the crop yields were compared. During three monitored years, up to 86% of the runoff water in the central furrows was saved compared to the control, whereas it was up to 72% in the wider furrows for tractor travel. The total yield was increased on the treated area, however, the increase could not be statistically proven.

The nutritional status of winter oilseed rape (WOSR) during its vegetative period is crucial for plant growth and can be used for the seed yield prediction. This hypothesis was verified based on the data from long-term field experiments. The experiment consisted of four potassium (K) treatments based on the progressive K supply potential to plants from soil and fertilizer and two magnesium treatments (-Mg, +Mg) conducted in 2013-2015. The content of nutrients (N_tot, P, K, Mg, Ca, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu) was determined at the rosette stage (BBCH 30) for leaves and separately for leaves and stems in the late stage of inflorescence growth (BBCH 57-59). The low K content appeared as the key limiting nutrient in WOSR plants in the rosette stage due to the insufficient soil fertility level, depended even more on weather conditions. This negative K nutritional trait persisted through the whole vegetative WOSR growth. Its detection was possible, because stems were included in the diagnostic procedure. The most reliable prognosis of WOSR yield was conducted based on the nutritional status of stems in the late stage of the inflorescence development.

The article demonstrates a multilevel method of soil degradation analysis on land within South Moravia (Czech Republic (CZ)), in the Hodonín region, which is among the highest producing agricultural regions in CZ. The analysis takes a top-down approach, from a regional scale, through cadastres, to individual blocks of land. In the initial (rough) phase, selection was based on the Soil Degradation Model created for the Czech Republic, which classifies the extent of soil degradation to a cadastral level. Within the chosen region, the Čejkovice cadastre is the most burdened in terms of the combination of various degradation factors, and was therefore chosen for a further level of analysis in the form of remote sensing. The results of remote sensing and image classification identify areas with a high level of water erosion, which is the most significant degradation factor within CZ. Pedological research was then carried out in these identified areas. The results of both approaches were compared, and showed significant differences between erosional areas and depositional areas of slopes, which confirms their suitability for the given form of research and analysis. A combination of the given general (Degradation Model) and more detailed methods (erosion modelling, image classification and soil sample analysis) can find practical application in the optimization of farm production in the rural landscape.

Hepatitis A and E viruses (HAV and HEV) are recognised as food- and water-borne infections and shellfish are a well-documented source of these viruses. The presence of HAV and HEV in mussels has not previously been investigated in Bosphorus, Istanbul, Turkey, and therefore the aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of HAV and HEV in mussels collected from this location. A total of 92 pooled samples representing 736 mussels originating along the Bosphorus coast were collected from fish distributors. RNA was extracted using the RNeasy Plant Mini Kit and a TaqMan real-time RT-PCR was performed using primers specific to HAV and HEV. Amongst the 92 pooled samples tested, 3 (3.3%) were found to be positive for HAV by the TaqMan real-time RT-PCR. No HEV was detected in any of the mussels tested. A 174 bp product was observed on gel electrophoresis with HAV positive samples detected by SYBR Green real-time PCR after reverse transcription. This product was sequenced and confirmed to contain HAV sequences by alignment using the data in GenBank. This is the first report describing the presence of HAV in mussels harvested in the Bosphorus, Istanbul, Turkey, indicating the potential contamination of aquatic environment and risk to public health.

The aim of the research was the determination of the tolerance of different pear grafting combinations to various levels o lime concentration in calcareous soils. The experiment was carried out under pot conditions for a two-year period (2015-2016). Two factors including combination of rootstocks/scions (3 × 3) and levels of lime concentration were employed to evaluate leaf responses including total iron (Fe), available Fe, chlorophyll (Chl) (a, b, total), and chlorophyll fluorescence attributes (F0, Fm, Fv/Fm) as well as annual growth and internode length of current shoots. Results showed that soil lime significantly reduced tree growth but conversely intensified iron chlorosis. Also, contrary to our expectations, the Pyrodwarf/Pyrus communis L. (Dargazi) combination displayed more tolerance to high lime concentrations, whereas the OH × F/Williams Duchesse combination did not exhibit suitable tolerance. As a pear rootstock native to Iran, Dargazi seedling rootstock in combination with different scions was found to have relatively better growth under low lime concentrations, but its response under high lime was not as favourable as expected. Cultivar Dargazi combined with different rootstocks showed a better response to high lime stress compared to other scions, while cultivar Williams Duchesse exhibited lower tolerance to high lime concentration when combined with different pear rootstocks.

One of the biotic agents of yellowing and stunting in wheat and barley cultivations is Wheat dwarf virus (WDV) which is naturally transmitted by the leafhopper Psammotettix alienus (Dahlbom). WDV-Wheat and WDV-Barley isolates of WDV were transmitted to wheat and barley, respectively, using the leafhoppers under four temperature regimes of constant 20, 25, 30, and 35°C. Infection rate, symptom development and virus content of the virus-inoculated plants were determined and the data was statistically analysed. The results showed that the temperature of 25°C was associated with the highest infection rate caused by the viruses. Moreover, P. alienus nymphs were found to be more efficient vectors of WDV than adults, highlighting the importance of nymphs in the epidemiology of wheat dwarf disease. WDV-infected plants incubated at 35°C showed less symptoms than those kept at 20, 25, and 30°C. ELISA results showed that these plants had comparatively low virus content. However, there was no significant difference between the infection rate, symptom development and virus content in plants infected by WDV-Wheat or WDV-Barley.

The impact of precipitations and air temperatures on winter wheat yields was evaluated in a 34-year long- term field trial with mineral and organic fertilization established at two experimental sites with different soil-climatic conditions: Ivanovice na Hané with well fertile soils (degraded Chernozem), higher average year temperatures and lower precipitations; Lukavec situated in Bohemian-Moravian highlands with less fertile soils (Cambisol), lower temperatures and higher precipitations. At both sites, a significant positive effect of used fertilizers was noted from the dose of 80 kg N/ha; the best yields were generally obtained at 120 kg N/ha and 160 kg N/ha. The wheat yields at the Ivanovice site were negatively affected by the decrease of precipitations, namely in more fertilized treatments, particularly farmyard manure + mineral nitrogen, from the dose of 80 kg N/ha. A different trend was obtained at the Lukavec site where better winter wheat yields were obtained under lower precipitations. The air temperatures played a positive role at the Lukavec site, but no significant effect of temperature was observed at the Ivanovice site. The less productive areas in highlands can become more interesting for agriculture production with changing climate. However, the soils generally having lower quality and nutrient content can be a limiting factor for obtaining high yields.

To estimate the long-term performance and the optimal ratio of feldspathic sandstone with sandy soil, experiments with different ratios of feldspathic sandstone to sandy soil (0:1, 1:1, 1:2 and 1:5 v/v) was conducted. The physical properties as soil texture, water-stable aggregate (WR0.25) content, and the organic carbon content of the composited soil for 6 years, and corn yield for 9 years were determined. Our results showed that after the addition of feldspathic sandstone: (1) soil texture was notably improved, changing from sand loamy soil (1:2 and 1:5) to sand loam soil (1:1) and silt sand soil (1:1) over planting time; (2) content of water-stable aggregate (WR0.25) significantly increased: WR0.25 of treatments 1:1, 1:2 and 1:5 all increased (by 29.26, 31.47 and 11.56%, respectively) compared with that of treatment 0:1; (3) the organic carbon content of the composited soils increased with time in all treatments. After six years of planting, average organic carbon content in treatments 1:1, 1:2 and 1:5 were 1.64, 1.51 and 1.77 g/kg, respectively, which were higher than that of 0:1 treatment; and (4) among the three ratios, treatment 1:2 (12 984 kg/ha) had the highest corn yield, followed by treatment 1:1 (12 040 kg/ha) and 1:5 (11 301 kg/ha). In conclusion, with a good performance, 1:2 was the best ratio of feldspathic sandstone to sand in improving the sandy soil structure of the Mu Us Desert, China.

Eight less-known juices are characterised and contents are monitored of selected substances and nutritional parameters. 100% juices were produced of Aloe Vera, Aronia, Blackcurrant, Black elder, Cranberry, Malpighia, Pomegranate and Seaberry by pressing, including the flesh. Total phenolic compounds (TPC) and ascorbic acid (AA) content were analysed as other parameters. The juices were measured on total antioxidant capacity (TAC) as the content of trolox, where the highest levels were found for Malpighia 63.2 mM, when the value was significantly different (P < 0.05) compared with all the other juices, while Aloe Vera had lowest levels with 0.4 mM. The Aronia juice possessed the highest level of TPC (8297 mg of GAE/l). TAC levels very well corresponded with TPC levels while AA content actually did not correlate with TAC values. In addition to the objective analysis, the juices were subjected to a sensory evaluation. Blackcurrant presents an attractive product from the sensorial aspect as well as in terms of the nutritional value.

The purpose of this research was to find a suitable protocol to enhance frozen rabbit sperm preservation analysing the role that seminal plasma (SP) plays and the effect of different cryoprotectant agents on sperm quality 0 and 2 h after thawing. Sperm samples were pooled and divided in eight fractions. Four of them were diluted with BotuCrio^® (extender A), INRA 96^® plus 6% glycerol (extender B), 6% N, N-dimethylformamide (extender C) and 6% N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (extender D), respectively. The other four fractions were centrifuged and the supernatant was discarded in order to eliminate SP. Each sample was then resuspended with extender A, B, C and D. Samples were cooled progressively, loaded into 0.5 ml freezing straws and frozen with liquid nitrogen vapour. Thawing was performed by placing the straws into a bain-marie at 37°C for 21 s. Straws were dried and sperm samples placed into Eppendorf tubes to be analyzed by ISAS software, vitality test, HOS test and acrosome integrity test. The best motility and velocity parameters were obtained by extender A (P < 0.050) even when the motility parameter was compared with previous studies using other diluents. Additionally, sperm quality decreased over incubation time (P < 0.050) and no differences were found in samples processed with or without SP. This research revealed that BotuCrio^® could be used for rabbit sperm cryopreservation and moreover the improvement of the cryopreservation process of rabbit sperm due to the demonstration that SP removing is not required.