Intersection of mycotoxins from grains to finished baking

This work is focused on the evaluation of the content of deoxynivalenol and zearalenone in samples of winter wheat of the following varieties: Sultan, Cubus, Akteur, Seladon, Mulan, Chevalier, Evina, Hewitt, Bohemia, Baletka. The total amount of 10 samples harvested in 2011 and 2012 was evaluated and included variants both treated and untreated against fungal diseases. The samples were adjusted for mycotoxicological determination and subsequently measured by the ELISA method. The content of deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA) was measured in grain, flour and breadrolls in all samples. Out of all samples 43% were found to have positive content of DON and 75% of ZEA. In the treated variants, the average DON content was found to be 115 μg.kg-1 in grain, 77 μg.kg-1 in flour and 97 μg.kg-1 in pastries. In the untreated variants, the average DON content was found to be 208 μg.kg-1 in grain, 103 μg.kg-1 in flour and 128 μg.kg-1 in pastries. Moreover, the average ZEA content in the treated variant was 4.95 μg.kg-1 in grain, 3.38 μg.kg-1 in flour and 4.51 μg.kg-1 in pastries, in the non-treated variant average ZEA content in grain was 3.07 μg.kg-1, 4.97 μg.kg-1 in flour and 2.81 μg.kg-1 in pastries. The maximal acceptable limits given by the valid legislation were not exceeded in any analysed sample. It can be concluded wheat grain grown in the Czech Republic, whether it is treated or untreated by fungicides, is not dangerous for consumers. The content of both mycotoxins is not dependent on each other, and the untreated variant has a slightly higher dependency between DON and ZEA. © 2016 Potravinarstvo. All rights reserved

Potential effect of wetting agents added to agricultural sprays on the stability of soil aggregates

A potential effect of adjuvants/wetting agents added to the spray mixture on the water stability of soil aggregates (WSA) in agricultural soil was studied. Nine sites were chosen in the Czech Republic. Each site was mapped using representative soil pits (depth min. 1.3 m). A total of 54 mixed samples were collected from topsoil horizons on the selected sites. The samples were exposed to the action of four different types of wetting agents (organosilicone wetting agent; methyl ester of rapeseed oil; mixture of methyl ester palmitic and oleic acids; isodecyl alcohol ethoxylate), which are the most common wetting agents used in agriculture in the Czech Republic. WSA was determined before and after the addition of wetting agents (WA). Initial WSA values were at the same level in a majority of sampling points. Two sites were an exception, on which Haplic Luvisols and Relictistagnic Fluvisols occurred. These soil types featured the lowest WSA values. After the addition of WA across the sampling points, average WSA values exhibited a demonstrable trend: WSA of control sample (without the WA application) was at all times higher than in samples with the addition of WA. If the measured WSA values are compared in terms of overall means, it is evident that the control variant always exhibited the highest WSA value (on average 44.04 %) and the variants with the application of WA showed always WSA values lower by min 16 %. The worst effect on WSA was that of wetting agents whose basic component was methyl ester of rapeseed. These wetting agents caused a decrease in WSA by more than 50 %. All soil samples were also analysed for basic soil parameters (glomalin, oxidizable carbon - C-ox, pH, Na, P, Ca, K, Mg) in order to determine their potential influence on aggregate stability and to possibly eliminate the negative impact of WA. In this respect, only a significant influence of C-ox content on WSA was recorded, which positively correlated with the stability of soil aggregates.O

Forage as a Primary Source of Mycotoxins in Animal Diets

The issue of moulds and, thus, contamination with mycotoxins is very topical, particularly in connexion with forages from grass stands used at the end of the growing season. Deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEA), fumonisins (FUM) and aflatoxins (AFL) are among the most common mycotoxins. The aim of the paper was to determine concentrations of mycotoxins in selected grasses (Lolium perenne, Festulolium pabulare, Festulolium braunii) and their mixtures with Festuca rubra an/or Poa pratensis during the growing season as a marker of grass safety, which was assessed according to content of the aforementioned mycotoxins. During the growing season grass forage was contaminated with mycotoxins, most of all by DON and ZEA. The contents of AFL and FUM were zero or below the limit of quantification. Moreover, the level of the occurrence of mould was quantified as ergosterol content, which was higher at the specific date of cut. All results were statistically processed and significant changes were discussed

Balanced Scorecard jako nástroj řízení výkonnosti výzkumu a vývoje - případová studie v zemědělské společnosti

Purpose: The growing number of research oriented to research and development (R&D) performance reflects broad debates dedicated to R&D evaluation, measurement of its effectiveness related to competitiveness and also R&D added value and cost management. Therefore many authors call for research focused on the implementation of strategic management accounting tools, primarily the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) used as a R&D management tool in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The aim of this paper is to contribute to the empirical knowledge of implementation of strategic management accounting tools in R&D performance management, with a primary focus on the BSC implementation in SMEs. Design/methodology/approach: The purpose of this paper is to propose a procedure for R&D performance management tailored for SMEs based on BSC. This paper also intends to be an inspiration for further research in this area. As a case study method is recommend by the literature when a particular management tool is a desired output, the case study was provided in a case company. The investigation lasted nine weeks, three key steps can be recognized: (1) reference framework development; (2) strategic goals of the case company and the status quo of R&D management identification (3) development a BSC for the case company. Findings: The case study concludes the BSC proposal as a system of interrelated indicators and a procedure for R&D performance management. The indicators transform the strategic goals of the company into a set of corresponding R&D goals. Hereby this paper responds to the challenges endorsed by the literature, specifically the call to investigate the implementation of BSC in R&D performance management. Research/practical implications: Empirical research of the practical implementation of strategic management accounting tools is of a crucial importance of the further development of this scientific discipline. Innovation management measurement as well as R&D performance management are subjects of interest for a number of expert studies. The ambition of this paper is to provide a procedure for SMEs how to manage R&D by BSC, and also to bring an inspiration for further research in this field. Originality/value: The added value of this paper is extension of the existing knowledge concerning the BSC used in the management of R&D performance.Rostoucí množství odborných článků a studií na téma řízení výkonnosti výzkumu a vývoje odráží rozsáhlé diskuse a otázky týkající se způsobu, jak výzkum a vývoj hodnotit, měřit jejich přidanou hodnotu a řídit náklady ve vazbě na růst konkurenceschopnosti. Jednou z opomíjených oblastí výzkumu v rámci strategického manažerského účetnictví je implementace strategie; existuje málo poznatků o tom, jak jsou nástroje strategického manažerského účetnictví využívány v praxi. Řada autorů zdůrazňuje potřebu výzkumu zaměřeného na využití Balanced Scorecard pro řízení výzkumu a vývoje zejména v malých a středních podnicích. Cílem článku je rozšířit stávající poznání v této oblasti a prostřednictvím případové studie prezentovat přístup k řízení výkonnosti výzkumu a vývoje v malých a středních podnicích s využitím Balanced Scorecard

Řízení výkonnosti výzkumu a vývoje a manažerské nástroje

Economic competitiveness is becoming increasingly linked to rapid technological changes. New technologies are crucial for long term competitive advantages. R&D is a key strategic issue that must be aligned with the corporate strategy, therefore there have been considerable changes in the way that R&D has been managed over recent years and measuring R&D performance has become a key issue that has been extensively debated in innovation and R&D management literature. This paper provides current and up to date knowledge in the field of R&D management and strategic management accounting.Teorie podnikatelských subjektů založená na zdrojích ukazuje, že dlouhodobá konkurenční výhoda je závislá na znalostech, schopnostech inovovat a rozvíjet, využívat a obnovovat základní zdroje. Podniky proto musí věnovat pozornost identifikaci nových faktorů, které jsou pro jejich rozvoj rozhodující; konkurenceschopnost je vázána na nové technologie a znalosti, které konkurence nemá k dispozici. Znalosti se stávají hlavními výrobními faktory rozhodujícími pro ekonomický růst a konkurenční výhodu společnosti, výzkum a vývoj je pak hlavním zdrojem těchto znalostí. Tyto skutečnosti v praxi potvrzuje řada společností , efektivní způsob řízení výzkumu a vývoje, a to jak v soukromé, tak vládní sféře, je předmětem zájmu celé řady odborných studií. Článek propojuje současné poznání z oblasti řízení výzkumu a vývoje a jeho cílem je identifikovat klíčové problémy řízení a nástroje používané při řízení výkonnosti výzkumu a vývoje ve vybraném vzorku malých a středních podniků v ČR

Image_1_Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) and Zigzag Clover (T. medium) – A Picture of Genomic Similarities and Differences.PDF

<p>The genus clover (Trifolium sp.) is one of the most economically important genera in the Fabaceae family. More than 10 species are grown as manure plants or forage legumes. Red clover’s (T. pratense) genome size is one of the smallest in the Trifolium genus, while many clovers with potential breeding value have much larger genomes. Zigzag clover (T. medium) is closely related to the sequenced red clover; however, its genome is approximately 7.5x larger. Currently, almost nothing is known about the architecture of this large genome and differences between these two clover species. We sequenced the T. medium genome (2n = 8x = 64) with ∼23× coverage and managed to partially assemble 492.7 Mbp of its genomic sequence. A thorough comparison between red clover and zigzag clover sequencing reads resulted in the successful validation of 7 T. pratense- and 45 T. medium-specific repetitive elements. The newly discovered repeats led to the set-up of the first partial T. medium karyotype. Newly discovered red clover and zigzag clover tandem repeats were summarized. The structure of centromere-specific satellite repeat resembling that of T. repens was inferred in T. pratense. Two repeats, TrM300 and TrM378, showed a specific localization into centromeres of a half of all zigzag clover chromosomes; TrM300 on eight chromosomes and TrM378 on 24 chromosomes. A comparison with the red clover draft sequence was also used to mine more than 105,000 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and 1,170,000 single nucleotide variants (SNVs). The presented data obtained from the sequencing of zigzag clover represent the first glimpse on the genomic sequence of this species. Centromeric repeats indicated its allopolyploid origin and naturally occurring homogenization of the centromeric repeat motif was somehow prevented. Using various repeats, highly uniform 64 chromosomes were separated into eight types of chromosomes. Zigzag clover genome underwent substantial chromosome rearrangements and cannot be counted as a true octoploid. The resulting data, especially the large number of predicted SSRs and SNVs, may have great potential for further research of the legume family and for rapid advancements in clover breeding.</p

Table_1_Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) and Zigzag Clover (T. medium) – A Picture of Genomic Similarities and Differences.DOCX

<p>The genus clover (Trifolium sp.) is one of the most economically important genera in the Fabaceae family. More than 10 species are grown as manure plants or forage legumes. Red clover’s (T. pratense) genome size is one of the smallest in the Trifolium genus, while many clovers with potential breeding value have much larger genomes. Zigzag clover (T. medium) is closely related to the sequenced red clover; however, its genome is approximately 7.5x larger. Currently, almost nothing is known about the architecture of this large genome and differences between these two clover species. We sequenced the T. medium genome (2n = 8x = 64) with ∼23× coverage and managed to partially assemble 492.7 Mbp of its genomic sequence. A thorough comparison between red clover and zigzag clover sequencing reads resulted in the successful validation of 7 T. pratense- and 45 T. medium-specific repetitive elements. The newly discovered repeats led to the set-up of the first partial T. medium karyotype. Newly discovered red clover and zigzag clover tandem repeats were summarized. The structure of centromere-specific satellite repeat resembling that of T. repens was inferred in T. pratense. Two repeats, TrM300 and TrM378, showed a specific localization into centromeres of a half of all zigzag clover chromosomes; TrM300 on eight chromosomes and TrM378 on 24 chromosomes. A comparison with the red clover draft sequence was also used to mine more than 105,000 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and 1,170,000 single nucleotide variants (SNVs). The presented data obtained from the sequencing of zigzag clover represent the first glimpse on the genomic sequence of this species. Centromeric repeats indicated its allopolyploid origin and naturally occurring homogenization of the centromeric repeat motif was somehow prevented. Using various repeats, highly uniform 64 chromosomes were separated into eight types of chromosomes. Zigzag clover genome underwent substantial chromosome rearrangements and cannot be counted as a true octoploid. The resulting data, especially the large number of predicted SSRs and SNVs, may have great potential for further research of the legume family and for rapid advancements in clover breeding.</p

VLIV UMĚLÉ INOKULACE VYBRANÝMI KMENY FUSÁRIÍ NA NUTRIČNÍ HODNOTU A PRŮBĚH SILÁŽOVÁNÍ BT KUKUŘICE

The objective of the study was to compare the nutritive value and mycotoxin content of maize forage and silage of near isogenic control MONUMENTAL (C) and Bt maize (MONSANTO, MON 810) that was either untreated (Bt) or artificially inoculated with Fusarium strains (I-Bt). The inoculation was made in the growing crop in milk stage of maturity. Plants were harvested at the soft dough stage of maturity and ensiled in microsilage tubes. The content of forage dry matter (DM) was 307.6 g/kg in C, 306.9 g/kg in Bt and 298.0 g/kg in I-Bt. All forages were positive for deoxynivalenol, aflatoxin, fumonisins and zearalenone (P>0.05). Content of DM was the lowest in I-Bt silage (285.5 g/kg) and differed significantly from C (296.7 g/kg) or Bt (303.7 g/kg, P0.05). Lactic acid was predominant product of fermentation in all silages, however silage I-Bt tended to have lower content of lactic acid (20.96 g/kg) than C or Bt (24.76 or 23.82 g/kg, P>0.05). I-Bt silage contained lower levels of eoxynivalenol (602 ppb) than C or Bt silage (748 and 690 ppb, respectively, P0,05). Obsah DM byl nejnižší u I-Bt siláže (285,5 g/kg) a průkazně se lišil od C (296,7 g/kg) nebo Bt (303,7 g/kg, P<0,05). Obsah dusíkatých látek (CP) byl nejnižší u siláže I-Bt (79,0 g/kg) a průkazně se lišil od siláží C (85,7 g/kg) a Bt (81,9 g/kg, P0,05). Kyselina mléčná byla predominantním produktem fermentace ve všech silážích, nicméně u siláže I-Bt byla tendence k nižšímu obsahu kyseliny mléčné (20,96 g/kg) než u C nebo Bt (24,76 nebo 23,82 g/kg, P>0,05). Siláž I-Bt obsahovala nižší hodnoty deoxynivalenolu (602 ppb) než C nebo Bt siláže (748 a 690 ppb, P<0,05). Obsah fumonisinů a zearalenonu u C se nelišil od I-Bt (P<0,05), ale obojí bylo nižší než u Bt (P<0,05). Na závěr, nutriční hodnota a fermentační parametry Bt siláže byly obdobné jako u C s výjimkou obsahu CP a pH, které bylo nižší u Bt (P<0,05). Siláž I-Bt měla nižší obsah DM, CP a tuku než siláž Bt (P<0,05). Kontroverzně, koncentrace mykotoxinů v siláži I-Bt byly nižší než u Bt

Ekonomické a environmentální hodnocení komunálních odpadů - nová technologie fermentace v malých bioplynových stanicích

Solid waste has significant impacts on the environment. As a result of changes in consumers’ habits in recent years, the volume of solid waste is constantly growing. Public administrations attempt to treat solid waste in an environmentally friendly way. There are many efforts being made for the integrated management of solid waste, a comprehensive solution to its disposal and recovery with elimination of the environmental consequences and social impacts, both at EU and regional levels. The EU announced targets for reducing the amount of landfilled biodegradable waste, which prevents the storage of organic matter in landfills from 2016. In accordance with this Directive, it is necessary that partly composted or processed form of digestion exists. The aim of this paper is to present approaches to economic and environmental assessment of selected technologies for the processing of municipal waste, with close attention being paid to a new technology, and the fermentation process of small-scale biogas stations.Tvorba pevných odpadů významně ovlivňuje životní prostředí. V důsledku růstu počtu obyvatel a změn ve spotřebních návycích a spotřebitelském chování se objem pevných odpadů v posledních letech spíše zvyšuje. Pevný komunální odpad je významným světovým problémem. V kontextu snahy o udržitelný rozvoj společnosti roste tlak na veřejnost a na veřejnou správu v oblasti nakládání s pevnými komunálními odpady. Objevují se snahy o integrovaný management pevného komunálního odpadu, tedy o komplexní přístup k jeho využívání, resp. odstraňování při současném zmírňování environmentálních a sociálních dopadů. EU představila cíle pro snížení množství skládkovaného biologicky rozložitelného odpadu; směrnice o skládkách odpadů zabraňuje skladování organických látek (biologicky rozložitelných) na skládkách od roku 2016. Obecným cílem této směrnice je stanovit pomocí příslušných technických a provozních požadavků na odpady a skládky opatření pro předcházení nebo maximální omezení negativních účinků skládkování odpadů na životní prostředí. V souladu s touto směrnicí je tak nutné tuto část odpadu kompostovat či zpracovat formou digesce. Cílem článku je prezentovat přístupy k ekonomickému a environmentálnímu hodnocení vybraných technologií pro zpracování komunálních odpadů