Water Permeability of Soils Amended with Sewage Sludge on Short-Rotation Plantations in Europe

Soil permeability is the measure of the soil’s ability to permit water to flow through soil pores. It depends chiefly on the volume and geometry of soil pores, bulk density, and soil structure. Studied soils were overgrown with short-rotation plantations of Salix and amended with sewage sludge in Germany, Estonia, and Poland. Sewage sludge application as well as the use of soils influenced water permeability

Effect of Growing Period and Cultivar on the Yield and Biological Value of Brassica rapa var. narinosa

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the usefulness of Brassica rapa var. narinosa for field production in Central European climatic zone in order to introduction of this species to large-scale farming. Chinese flat cabbage cultivars, ‘Tatsoi’ and ‘Misome’, were the object of the 2-year-long field experiment in south Poland, conducted in 2 terms: plantings in the middle and at the end of August, harvests in the middle of September and on the beginning of October (1st and 2nd growing period, respectively). Plants were evaluated for morphological and chemical variability at the transplant stage. The yield and bioactive compounds content in the leaf petioles of mature plants were also studied. Analyses of juvenile plants, conducted before transplanting, showed that ‘Misome’ transplants were greater, but they had less leaves then ‘Tatsoi’. Transplants of both cultivars from the 2nd growing period had greater fresh weight, but the content of dry matter, soluble sugars and carotenoids was lower. Total and marketable yield, rosette mass, L-ascorbic acid and crude fibre content were greater for both cultivars planted in the middle of August and harvested in the middle of September. Leaf petioles of Chinese flat cabbage from the 2nd growing period were significantly richer in dry matter and soluble sugars. Only the level of carotenoids and chlorophylls was not influenced by the growing period. ‘Misome’ gave the greater marketable yield of better structure, and had a higher content of biologically active compounds than ‘Tatsoi’, with the exception of crude fibre. In Central Europe conditions, this cultivar should be recommended for plantings in the middle of August to achieve the best yields of high nutrient content

Preliminary screening of biostimulative effects of Göemar BM-86 on eggplant cultivars grown under field conditions in Poland

Seaweed extracts are widely used in agriculture as ecological focus substances applied to improve crop growth and quality. One of the primary benefits they bring is increased effectiveness of fruit setting as well as improved stress tolerance, essential for warm-climate crops cultivated in the nonoptimal environmental conditions of Northern and Central Europe. The aim of this study was a preliminary investigation of any genotype-dependent reaction of eggplant cultivars (Solanum melongena) to application of a standardized extract of the seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum (Göemar BM-86) under field conditions in Poland. The only statistically relevant result of this biostimulant was shown for cultivar ‘Flavine’ F1, where it positively affected the early crop yield and the number of fruits per plant. Fruit quality attributes, including antioxidant activity, as well as selected mineral contents, increased as an effect of biostimulant spraying. This reaction was specific for the cultivars investigated, and it was confirmed by significant differences in the main effects between biostimulant and control treatments for almost all the properties measured. The use of this A. nodosum extract suggested that there could be an improvement in fruit yield and quality in selected eggplant cultivars under field conditions in the temperate climatic zone

Application of modern agronomic and biotechnological strategies to valorise worldwide globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L.) potential - an analytical overview

The globe artichoke [Cynara cardunculus L. var. scolymus (L.) Fiori], an ancient vegetable originated in the Mediterranean Basin, is currently cultivated in many regions of the world under a perennial cycle or as an annual crop, with the first method being more widespread globally. The growing importance of globe artichoke as modern functional food as well as a source of pharmaceuticals has raised new issues that all producers have to face; hence the necessity of contemporaneous development of new centres of production and new technologies application in traditional regions of growing which can complement the global market. This review is focused on development of globe artichoke technology of production in recent several years which meet the diversified requirements of global and local markets. We considered the recent literature to highlight specific applications of modern farming practices and plant breeding along with genetic variation to globe artichoke production system as well as to postharvest management in order to enhance the value added of this commodity. The latter targets are mainly addressed to particular regions of the world and they are based on farmers knowledge, equipment, scale and methods of production, processing, final market. Our reports are focused on sustainable and environmentally friendly methods which can improve the profitability of production as well as product's quality and quantity traits. We discussed the balanced mineral application which can precisely affect the yield chemical composition, attractiveness and shelf life of globe artichoke heads as well as create the opportunities to attain standardised by-products, valuable on the market of health and convenient food. Further topics were developed, such as introduction of seed propagation, intercropping, grafting, flowering induction, postharvest treatments as linked to different regions and conditions of production. Precise selection of modern management practices was recognised as a main goal to fulfil the requirements of local and global market for fresh, processed and new potential globe artichoke products

Cold stress modifies bioactive compounds of kale cultivars during fall–winter harvests

Kale is a plant known and valued since antiquity as a healthy vegetable crop, used for culinary, decorative, but also healing purposes. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of harvest date on physiological status and nutritional composition of two kale cultivars: ‘Winterbor’ F1 (blue-green leaves) and ‘Redbor’ F1 (red-purple leaves). The leaves were harvested in three periods: before frost (>0°C), after medium (−5.0°C) and heavy frost (−15.0°C). Content of dry weight, soluble sugars, l-ascorbic acid, carotenoids, chlorophylls, polyphenols, anthocyanins, as well as antioxidant activity and peroxidase activity were determined. Cold temperature significantly affected bioactive compounds of kale. The content of dry weight, soluble sugars, l-ascorbic acid, phenolics, and antioxidant activity increased after medium frosts for both cultivars. The level of anthocyanins also increased significantly for the ‘Redbor’ F1 cultivar. After strong frost, most of the tested parameters (content of dry weight, soluble sugars, phenolics, anthocyanins, and total antioxidant and peroxidase activity) significantly increased. The chlorophyll a content was reduced by heavy frost in both seasons. Harvesting kale before and after frost may allow the level of biologically active ingredients to be regulated as cold also significantly affects the physiological status of the plants

Differences in subjective quality of life of people with a schizophrenia diagnosis between participants in Occupational Therapy Workshops and those working in a Sheltered Employment Establishment

Aim. The research objective was to compare the course of illness among patients with schizophrenia undergoing rehabilitation in Occupational Therapy Workshops (OTW) or employed in the Vocational Development Center “Pensjonat u Pana Cogito” (VDC), with particular focus on quality of life (QoL), and to analyse the relations between QoL and general, social, and cognitive functioning, psychopathological condition and insight in the two groups. Method. The sample comprised 52 subjects (VDC = 25 and OT = 27). The following tools were used: the LQoLP (for quality of life assessment) by Oliver, the PANSS, GAF, and SOFAS scales, the MoCA, RAVLT and RHLB cognitive tests, and the insight questionnaire “My thoughts and feelings”. Results. Differences were found between the groups, to the VDC group’s advantage, in such areas of subjective QoL as: family relationships (p ≤ 0.05), somatic health (p ≤ 0.05) and selfesteem (p ≤ 0.05). In the VDC group, QoL correlated negatively with symptoms of distress and positively with overall insight into symptoms, while in the OTW group it correlated negatively with cognitive function and positively with insight as a reaction to information from others. Conclusions. For people with schizophrenia obtaining and retaining employment in a VDC translates into better outcomes in important areas of quality of life such as family relationships, overall health, and self-esteem. Poorer QoL was associated with the severity of symptoms, in particular depressive symptoms. People employed in the VDC benefited to a greater extent from autonomous control of symptoms, while among the OTW group an important role was played by others