Climate change effect on sour cherry production in Central Hungary

Consideration of the soil and climatic conditions and their expected changes is very important in planning of new orchards.This research focuses on the expected climatic conditions and opportunities of sour cherry production in Central Hungary in the periods of2021–2050 and 2071–2100, compared to the base period of 1961–1990. Results show that in the near future the expected changes are mostlyfavourable for sour cherry production, the utility values are increasing in most of the subregions. By the end of the century the utility valuesshow further increase in the formerly colder subregions. However, in some subregions the utility values slightly decrease because of theappearance of the extreme dry and warm year types, though their values remain at the level of the base period or even higher

Climate change effect on sour cherry production in Central Hungary

Consideration of the soil and climatic conditions and their expected changes is very important in planning of new orchards. This research focuses on the expected climatic conditions and opportunities of sour cherry production in Central Hungary in the periods of 2021–2050 and 2071–2100, compared to the base period of 1961–1990. Results show that in the near future the expected changes are mostly favourable for sour cherry production, the utility values are increasing in most of the subregions. By the end of the century the utility values show further increase in the formerly colder subregions. However, in some subregions the utility values slightly decrease because of the appearance of the extreme dry and warm year types, though their values remain at the level of the base period or even higher

Extreme weather events inWest Hungary

Agricultural production is a rather risky activity, as it is largely exposed to extreme weather events. This paper focuses on the frostand hail data in springtime, affecting fruit production in West Hungary. Regarding absolute minimum temperatures in April, significantincrease of the standard deviations could be observed. Among the sites examined Nagykanizsa shows the highest risk values. According toour evaluation Nagykanizsa is not recommended to plant sour cherry, sweet cherry and apricot orchards because in some years spring frostwill occur. If the plantation is in Zalaegerszeg, Szombathely, Gyôr or Keszthely than usage of frost prevention system is recommended. Siófokis the only area to grow apricot with good result

Extreme weather events inWest Hungary

Agricultural production is a rather risky activity, as it is largely exposed to extreme weather events. This paper focuses on the frost and hail data in springtime, affecting fruit production in West Hungary. Regarding absolute minimum temperatures in April, significant increase of the standard deviations could be observed. Among the sites examined Nagykanizsa shows the highest risk values. According to our evaluation Nagykanizsa is not recommended to plant sour cherry, sweet cherry and apricot orchards because in some years spring frost will occur. If the plantation is in Zalaegerszeg, Szombathely, Gyôr or Keszthely than usage of frost prevention system is recommended. Siófok is the only area to grow apricot with good result

Correlation of precipitation distribution and quality sweet cherry production

Sweet and sour cherry need 550–600 mm yearly precipitation. The critical period is 1–1.5 month after flowering, it is normally between 15.April – 15. June in Hungary. The rain induced fruit cracking is also a critical and costly problem for cherry growers. Fruits grown under arid conditions are less resistant against rainfall during harvest and up to 50–60% crack damage may occur. A computer program was developed to calculate the precipitation related production risks of sweet cherry. Focus of the research was Zala county. Spatial distribution of precipitation was compared in two directions (East and North of Zala county) based on the data of meteorological stations. The first results indicate that the developed method estimates the risks quite well, compared to the farm experiment results. The developed computer program can be parameterised according to the user’s requirements, this allows to take into account the real variety structure of a given orchard

Correlation of precipitation distribution and quality sweet cherry production

Sweet and sour cherry need 550–600 mm yearly precipitation. The critical period is 1–1.5 month after flowering, it is normallybetween 15.April – 15. June in Hungary. The rain induced fruit cracking is also a critical and costly problem for cherry growers. Fruits grownunder arid conditions are less resistant against rainfall during harvest and up to 50–60% crack damage may occur. A computer program wasdeveloped to calculate the precipitation related production risks of sweet cherry. Focus of the research was Zala county. Spatial distributionof precipitation was compared in two directions (East and North of Zala county) based on the data of meteorological stations. The first resultsindicate that the developed method estimates the risks quite well, compared to the farm experiment results. The developed computer programcan be parameterised according to the user’s requirements, this allows to take into account the real variety structure of a given orchard

New perspectives in application of kidney biomarkers in mycotoxin induced nephrotoxicity, with a particular focus on domestic pigs.

The gradual spread of Aspergilli worldwide is adding to the global shortage of food and is affecting its safe consumption. Aspergillus-derived mycotoxins, including aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, and fumonisins (members of the fusariotoxin group) can cause pathological damage to vital organs, including the kidney or liver. Although the kidney functions as the major excretory system in mammals, monitoring and screening for mycotoxin induced nephrotoxicity is only now a developmental area in the field of livestock feed toxicology. Currently the assessment of individual exposure to mycotoxins in man and animals is usually based on the analysis of toxin and/or metabolite contamination in the blood or urine. However, this requires selective and sensitive analytical methods (e.g., HPLC-MS/MS), which are time consuming and expensive. The toxicokinetic of mycotoxin metabolites is becoming better understood. Several kidney biomarkers are used successfully in drug development, however cost-efficient, and reliable kidney biomarkers are urgently needed for monitoring farm animals for early signs of kidney disease. β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) are the dominant biomarkers employed routinely in environmental toxicology research, while kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1) and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) are also emerging as effective markers to identify mycotoxin induced nephropathy. Pigs are exposed to mycotoxins due to their cereal-based diet and are particularly susceptible to Aspergillus mycotoxins. In addition to commonly used diagnostic markers for nephrotoxicity including plasma creatinine, NAG, KIM-1 and NGAL can be used in pigs. In this review, the currently available techniques are summarized, which are used for screening mycotoxin induced nephrotoxicity in farm animals. Possible approaches are considered, which could be used to detect mycotoxin induced nephropathy

Regular transcutaneous myostimulation alters skeletal muscle phospholipid fatty acid composition and oxidative stability in rabbits

This experiment was performed to study the effects of regular, isometric, electrically induced contractions on skeletal muscle phospholipid (PL) and triglyceride (TG) fatty acid profile and oxidative stability. Transcutaneous electrical myostimulation of lo ngissimus dorsi (30 Hz, 20 ms impulse length, 10 mA, for 2×20 min daily) was performed on 8 Pannon White male rabbits for 4 weeks; 8 animals were set as control. Muscle TG and PL fatty acid profiles were determined by capillary gas chromatography after lip id fractionation. In the PL, the proportion of pentadecanoic (C15:0), palmitic (C16:0), linoleic (C18:2 n-6) and γ-linolenic (C18:3 n-6) acids decreased significantly compared to the control, as well as the sum of total saturated fatty acids. Increasing pr oportions of palmitoleic (C16:1n-7), gondoic (C20:1 n-9), arachidonic (C20:4 n-6), eicosapentaenoic (C20:5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic (C22:6 n-3) acids were measured. The C20:4 n6/C20:3 n-6 ratio (estimated ∆5 desaturase activity), the sum of polyunsaturat ed fatty acids (PUFA) of 20 to 22 carbon chain length, the sum of total n-6 fatty acids and the unsaturation index increased. In the TG, stearic acid (C18:0) proportion was significantly decreased by the stimulation. Electrical treatment increased oxidative stability as assessed by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS)

Developmental dynamics of some blood biochemical parameters in the growing turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

Blood serum clinical biochemical parameters of fasted BUT Big 8 male turkeys were determined at the ages of 3 days, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 weeks, for a follow-up of the developmental changes of some serum metabolites, enzymes and ions. The serum protein content (total protein, albumin, globulin) increased with age, indicating also the moulting-associated metabolic changes in the age interval from the 8th to the 12th weeks. Creatinine was shown to have a peak at 3 days of age (role of muscle activity in thermogenesis), while urate concentration sensitively reflected the dietary protein amount. Serum triglycerides peaked at the time of yolk catabolism, while cholesterol was shown to indicate the moulting, as was serum malondialdehyde. Serum sodium content increased throughout the study. Alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities increased along the ontogeny, while alkaline phosphatase activity decreased in parallel with the growth. Serum creatine kinase activity showed an over one-magnitude increase. General metabolic and enzymatic alterations were characteristic and applicable for the description of the ontogenetic development of a precocial (post-hatch triglyceride peak), large bodied, meat-type (lactate dehydrogenase, continuously increasing creatine kinase) bird species