Fermentacja i proteoliza procesu kiszenia świeżej i podsuszonej zielonki z di- oraz tetraploidalnych form koniczyny czerwonej

form of red clover (2n – 4n), cultivars within the genetic form: 2n (Krynia, Parada), 4n (Jubilatka, Bona) and DM x form, DM x 2n, DM x 4n. Fermentation and proteolysis during the ensilage of red clover were affected primarily by wilting, whereas genetic factors (genetic form, cultivar) exerted a lesser effect. However, the genetic form of red clover affected the true protein content of silage and the extent of proteolysis during the ensiling process. The effect of the genetic form of red clover on the extent of proteolysis in silage (at similar levels of water-soluble carbohydrates and buffering capacity) suggests that diploid and tetraploid red clover cultivars differ with respect to chemical properties (poliphenol oxidase activity, polyphenol content) affecting proteolysis.Analizowano wpływ podsuszenia surowca, formy genetycznej koniczyny czerwonej (2n – 4n), odmiany w obrębie danej formy genetycznej: 2n (Krynia – Parada), 4n (Jubilatka – Bona) oraz SM x forma, SM x 2n, SM x 4n. Uzyskane wyniki wykazały dominujący wpływ czynnika podsuszenia nad czynnikami genetycznymi (forma genetyczna, odmiana) na przebieg fermentacji i zakres proteolizy podczas zakiszania koniczyny czerwonej. Stwierdzono jednak wpływ formy genetycznej koniczyny na zawartość białka właściwego w kiszonkach oraz stopień proteolizy w trakcie zakiszania. Stwierdzony wpływ formy genetycznej koniczyny na zakres proteolizy w kiszonkach (przy zbliżonym udziale cukrów rozpuszczalnych i pojemności buforowej zakiszanych zielonek) pozwala przypuszczać, że występuje zróżnicowanie innych chemicznych cech zielonek wpływających na proteolizę (aktywność PPO, zawartość polifenoli) między formami genetycznymi i odmianami

Biological nitrogen recirculation to food protein – A review

Nitrogen is a part of a complex cycle with transformative reactions being not only an essential element for living organisms, but also facilitating negative environmental impacts as eutrophication and climate change. To reduce the negative environmental impacts, closing the nitrogen loop, reducing inputs of fossil-based synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, and returning nitrogen-rich material and waste streams back into the food system are essential. This review investigates the potential of nitrogen transformation technologies to return nitrogen to food systems from existing material streams, levelling the imbalances of the nitrogen cycle. Review of both conventional and biotechnological pathways for nitrogen recovery, as well as of legal aspects and safety issues uncovers the knowledge gaps, potentials, and barriers for making nitrogen circular in a food system context. Further a few technologies aiming the recirculation of the nitrogen disclosed as a basis for potential industrial scale up and implementation.Peer reviewe

Spatial variability and efficiency of treatment mean comparisons in an experiment with fodder pea using modern statistical methods.

It is typical of breeding experimentation to conduct experiments on large breeding material tested on small plots with a limited number of replications. Under such conditions, observations made on adjacent plots are biased by the effect of autocorrelation and fertility trends. The actual treatment effects can be masked and the capability of the breeder to detect true treatment differences is impaired. This paper deals with the problem of the estimation of effects of spatial variability and their impact on the efficiency of treatment comparisons. The considerations are based on the results from a breeding experiment with 25 treatments of fodder pea arranged according to the partially balanced incomplete block design (IBD) with 4 replications. Plant height and seed yield were analysed with the conventional statistical method ANOVA, the nearest neighbour analysis (NNA) and kriging. Eventually, the efficiency of the neoclassical methods relative to the completely randomised design (CRD) and randomised block design (RBD) was calculated. The estimation of the treatment effect on plant height was accomplished most efficiently with the NNA, whereas the efficiency of the alternative methods in the estimation of seed yield was comparable to the efficiency of the RBD

Yield component analysis with SYCA and TDP in fodder pea.

The paper presents some theoretical assumptions of the SYCA (Sequential Yield Component Analysis) and the application of SYCA followed by TDP (Two-dimensional Partitioning) to analysis of the data from a plant breeding experiment with fodder pea. Partially balanced incomplete block design with 25 morphologically different breeding forms in 4 replications was applied. In both methods of data analysis plant height was the first trait in a sequence of independent traits, followed by different traits depending on the method.The results of the analyses proved that in a morphologically highly differentiated population of fodder pea the contribution of plant height to the yield variability is reduced, with plant height to the first pod being one of the traits that have a significant effect on yield. According to the SYCA method, when the pea forms were divided into groups of plants similar in height, the effect of plant height as the first yield component was high and significant. Generally, the higher were the plants in the groups, the smaller was the share of the trait in the yield, although still relatively high and significant. For the purpose of yield component analysis in pea it is recommendable to divide the breeding material to groups of plants of a similar height.As for the other yield components, the highest contribution into the final yield was attributed to the number of nodes with pods by plant height and seed weight by number of seeds calculated according to the SYCA and the number of nodes with pods calculated according to the TDP method, respectively.The authors, who have used the two yield component analyses for several years, have gained enough experience to claim that the two methods can become effective statistical tools for the elaboration of yield components. Moreover, they can be useful not only in plant breeding studies but also in many other types of agricultural experimentation

Is the biochar produced from sewage sludge a good quality solid fuel?

The influence of sewage sludge torrefaction temperature on fuel properties was investigated. Non-lignocellulosic waste thermal treatment experiment was conducted within 1 h residence time, under the following temperatures: 200, 220, 240, 260, 280 and 300°C. Sawdust was used as lignocellulosic reference material. The following parameters of biochar have been measured: moisture, higher heating value, ash content, volatile compounds and sulfur content. Sawdust biochar has been confirmed to be a good quality solid fuel. High ash and sulfur content may be an obstacle for biochar energy reuse. The best temperature profile for sawdust torrefaction and fuel production for 1 h residence time was 220°C. At this temperature the product contained 84% of initial energy while decreased the mass by 25%. The best temperature profile for sewage sludge was 240°C. The energy residue was 91% and the mass residue was 85%. Higher temperatures in both cases caused excessive mass and energy losses

Land Use Indicators in the Context of Land Use Efficiency

In recent decades, the land use changes induced by various economic activities in agricultural ecosystems have affected many aspects of human life. This is the reason why land use change is considered as one of the agriculture-related environmental impacts in a sustainability assessment of food and bio-based products. At the same time, the methodology applied for the quantification of land use change effects is still under intensive research, stimulating scientific discussions. The overall objective of this paper is to fill the gap in knowledge of responsible and sustainable land use management. Specifically, the research provides a comprehensive set of land use change indicators in the context of land use change and land use efficiency. The indicators can be measured based on publicly available databases with the applicability to agricultural sustainability assessment of land use change on a local, regional and global scale. The high share of artificial land and dominant agricultural use of land with low land use intensity were noted in Belgium, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Slovenia, Cyprus, Croatia, Finland, Germany, and United Kingdom. However, land use efficiency was also low. In turn, heterogeneous land cover (but less artificial areas than in other EU countries) and heterogeneous land uses with diverse land use intensity were noted in Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, and Sweden. The challenge in future research could be aggregation of different indicators in assessing the similarity of land use between countries

The effects of temperature on the dormancy and germination of Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. seeds

The ecophysiological regulation of seed dormancy in perennial species and those with a varied life cycle has not been studied in detail yet. That is why an attempt has been made to determine the Cirsium arvense seed water relations during stratification and afterripening at different temperatures and germination at constant or fluctuating temperatures on the basis of the hydrotime model. The obtained results showed that breaking of the primary dormancy of achenes took place only during the first stratification month at moderate temperatures, mainly due to an increase in the average water-stress tolerance in a seed population. The induction of secondary seed dormancy during after-ripening at all temperatures resulted mostly from a substantial loss of the seeds' ability to tolerate water stress. Fluctuating temperatures affected neither seed germination nor the hydrotime model parameters. The analysis of the variations of hydrotime model parameters allows a better understanding of the physiological basis of seed dormancy relief and induction

Edible Insect Farming in the Context of the EU Regulations and Marketing—An Overview

Insects are increasingly being considered as an attractive source of protein that can cater to the growing demand for food around the world and promote the development of sustainable food systems. Commercial insect farms have been established in various countries, mainly in Asia, but in Europe, edible insects have not yet emerged as a viable alternative to traditional plant- and animal-based sources of protein. In this paper, we present an interdisciplinary overview of the technological aspects of edible insect farming in the context of the EU regulations and marketing. Based on a review of the literature, we have concluded that edible insect farming can be a viable business sector that significantly contributes to the overall sustainability of food systems if the appropriate regulations are introduced and food safety standards are guaranteed. However, the success of the edible insect industry also requires consumer acceptance of entomophagy, which is rather low in Western societies. Therefore, targeted marketing strategies are indispensable to support the implementation of edible insect programs