Effect of sulphur foliar application on yield and grain quality of selected malting barley varieties

The aim of the experiment was to assess the influence of foliar application of sulphur on grain yield, N-substances and sulphur content in the grain. The content of dimethylsulphide (DMS) and its precursors (PDMS) of malt were determined. The study was performed in the form of a smallplot field trial between the years of 2010 and 2012, at a field trial station in Žabčice (South Moravia). Three malting barley varieties for the production of Czech beer (Aksamit, Bojos and Radegast) and three malting barley varieties for the production of export beer (Prestige, Jersey and Sebastian) were tested in that period. Sulphur (8 kg S per ha) was applied on leaves in the form of a suspension of micronized elementary sulphur with bentonite in stem elongation-first node (BBCH 31) and before end of heading (BBCH 57) of growth stages. Sulphur fertilization in both vegetation phases increased significantly grain yield and the most significant increase was detected after the application in BBCH 57. On the other hand, there was no accumulation of sulphur in the grain nor an increase in N-substances content. Sulphur fertilization did not increase DMS and PDMS content of malt as well.O

Comparison of Two Different Management Practices under Organic Farming System

Organic farmers usually do not have the opportunity to address the actual symptoms of deficiency through the foliar application of synthetic fertilization, therefore, the main treatment is realized by green manure crop cultivation and application of organic fertilizers. The aim of this long-term experiment was to compare two different production systems with and without livestock in terms of organic farming, and a control variant with no fertilization was also included (treatment 1). The production system without animal husbandry was based on solely the application of renewable external resources (compost or digestate) (treatment 2) and the same fertilization with the addition of auxiliary substances (AS) (treatment 3). The production system with animal husbandry included utilization of fertilizers produced on the farm (fermented urine or manure) using solely farm fertilizers (treatment 4) and in addition with AS (treatment 5). Each treatment had three replications. This work describes the average yields from four experimental years and five experimental localities. Winter wheat, potatoes, winter wheat spelt and legume-cereal mix with corn were used and examined as model crops during the first four years of this long-term research. The highest average yield of winter wheat grain and potato tubers during the first two years of the experiment were obtained after the treatments 2 (7.1 t/ha grain, 33.9 t/ha tubers) and 3 (7.0 t/ha grain, 34.1 t/ha tubers). The several times higher nitrogen content in applied digestate and compost in comparison with fermented urine and manure was probably the reason for such results. On the contrary, the results obtained from the third (spelt) and fourth (LCM and corn) experimental years favored treatment 4 (5.5 t/ha grain, 4.6 cereal unit/ha) and 5 (5.4 t/ha grain, 4.7 cereal unit/ha) from the long-term point of view. After four experimental years, the presented results supported the application of farm fertilizers as a preferable option. The treatments with additional application of AS did not provide a higher yield, therefore, such an application seems unnecessary.O

Response of Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to Fertilizers with Nitrogen-Transformation Inhibitors and Timing of Their Application under Field Conditions

Winter wheat is a widely cultivated crop that requires high inputs of nitrogen (N) fertilization, which is often connected with N losses. The application of fertilizers with nitrification (NI) and urease inhibitors (UI) is an opportunity to eliminate the risk of N losses and improve N availability to plants. The aim of this study is to compare the effect of conventional nitrogen fertilizers with fertilizers containing nitrogen-transformation inhibitors as well as to evaluate the timing of their application on the wheat-grain yield and quality under the conditions of a three-year field experiment. The examined fertilizers with inhibitors were applied in a single dose or in a split application in combination with conventional fertilizers. The single application of urea with NI and/or UI resulted in a relatively average increase in the grain yield, while protein content and the Zeleny-test values were significantly increased compared to the split N application. The more significant effect of urea with NI and UI was found under the moisture-rich conditions compared to the drier conditions. A significant increase in the grain yield (by 6.3%) and in the Zeleny-test value (by 16.5%) was observed after inhibited urea application comparing to the control treatment (without inhibitors).O

The antioxidant capacity and macroelement content of several onion cultivars

The aim of this study was to determine the phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and calcium contents, as well as the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity in white, yellow, and red onion varieties. It is evident from the results that the highest content of all of these macroelements except phosphorus was found in the cultivar Fireball. In this cultivar, the phosphorus content was the lowest of all cultivars. The total phenolic content ranged from 1.17 to 2.10 g of gallic acid equivalents kg–1 and the antioxidant capacity ranged from 1.26 and 1.86 g of ascorbic acid equivalents kg–1 of fresh weight and was slightly higher in red onion cultivars than in white and yellow cultivars. The significant influence of color was determined by total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, and macroelements except phosphorus (P < 0.05). While the season had influence on phosphorus and potassium content and on antioxidant capacity, the growing season significantly influenced the total phenolic content of the onions. © TÜBİTAK

Pre-activated biochar by fertilizers mitigates nutrient leaching and stimulates soil microbial activity

Background: Previous studies have suggested that the targeted application of biochars in agricultural soils may benefit soil health and crop production. Physico-chemical properties of soils after biochar addition have been explored, but less is known about how microbial parameters respond. Therefore, impact of biochar (NB), mineral fertilizer-activated biochar (AB), or mineral fertilizer (MF) application on selected chemical and microbial parameters of lettuce-planted soil was evaluated in a pot experiment. Results: In comparison to the control, soil enzymes activities, related to carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) cycling, and their content in plant biomass, were significantly increased by the addition of mineral fertilizer with or without biochar (MF, NB + MF). Conversely, microbial respiration (basal and substrate induced) was highly responsive to the activated biochar amendment (AB) as compared to other treatments. N, P, and potassium (K) concentrations in soil pore water were stabilized by the mineral fertilizer-activated biochar, indicating reduced leaching and the likelihood of increased longevity of these nutrients in soils. Enhanced carbon acquisition and mitigated nitrogen acquisition in soil of the most experimental treatments were coupled with higher crop (lettuce) biomass. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that the application of biochar both with and without mineral fertilizer has the potential to enhance microbial activity and fertility in the tested agricultural soil, but that leaching of fertilizer-borne nutrients may be mitigated by the activation proces.O

Biochar and Sulphur Enriched Digestate: Utilization of Agriculture Associated Waste Products for Improved Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Content, Microbial Activity, and Plant Growth

A number of agriculture residues may be used either directly or after suitable treatment as amendments to improve soil quality. Such materials include biochar made of agriculture residues, digestate or elemental sulphur obtained from biogas desulphurisation. The joint use of these materials via pre-incubation may be more advantageous than only mixing prior the application to soil. In this study, digestates were mixed with amendments and incubated for 6 weeks before application to soil in a short-term pot experiment with lettuce (Lactuca sativa). The following treatments were tested: control digestate, digestate + biochar, digestate + elemental sulphur, digestate + biochar + elemental sulphur. The biochar-enriched digestate significantly increased soil microbial biomass, soil C:N, fresh above ground biomass, fresh and dry root biomass. Elemental sulphur-enriched digestate caused highest arylsulfatase and phosphatase, increased urease, microbial biomass in soil and fresh root biomass. Amendment of digestate + biochar + sulphur led to the significantly highest total soil carbon, microbial biomass, fi-glucosidase, urease, and increased C:N ratio, arylsulfatase in soil and root biomass. It mitigated the adverse effect of either biochar or elemental sulphur on soil respiration. Properties of digestates were apparently affected by pre-incubation. This approach in digestate fertilizer production may contribute to sustainable farming

Polyethylene glycol and sorbitol-mediated in vitro screening for drought stress as an efficient and rapid tool to reach the tolerant cucumis melo l. genotypes

An efficient method to instantly assess drought-tolerant plants after germination is using osmoregulation in tissue culture media. In this study, the responses of three Iranian melon genotypes to sorbitol (0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 M) or polyethylene glycol (PEG) (0.009, 0.012, and 0.015 M) were evaluated as drought stress simulators in MS medium. 'Girke' (GIR), 'Ghobadloo' (GHO), and 'Toghermezi' (TOG) were the genotypes. GIR is reputed as a drought-tolerant genotype in Iran. The PEG or sorbitol decreased the coleoptile length, fresh weight, and photosynthetic pigments content while enhancing proline and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents. Protein content and antioxidant enzyme activity were utterly dependent on genotype, osmotic regulators, and their concentration. Coleoptile length, root and shoot fresh weight, root dry weight, proline and MDA content, and guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) activity can be used as indicators for in vitro screening of Cucumis melo L. genotypes. The results showed that sorbitol mimics drought stress better than PEG. Overall, our findings suggest that in vitro screening could be an accurate, rapid, and reliable methodology for evaluating and identifying drought-tolerant genotypes.IGA/FT/2023/003; University of MaraghehUniversity of Maragheh, Iran; TBU in Zlin [IGA/FT/2023/003

Optimization of logistics (handling, production) processes in the company POEX Velké Meziříčí, a.s.

Diplomová práce je rozdělena do tří částí. V první části se zabývá analýzou současného stavu vybraných logistických procesů ve výrobní potravinářské společnosti POEX Velké Meziříčí, a.s. Ve druhé části jsou představeny návrhy optimalizace k vybraným logistickým procesům. Ve třetí části se práce soustředí na zhodnocení zmíněných představených návrhů. Zhodnocení probíhá z praktického i ekonomického hlediska.The diploma thesis is divided into three parts. The first part deals with analysis of the current state of selected logistics processes in the food production company POEX Velké Meziříčí, a.s. There are presented optimization proposals to selected logistics processes in second part. In the third part, the thesis is focused on the evaluation of the mentioned proposals. The evaluation takes place from practical and economic point of view.Dopravní fakulta Jana PerneraDiplomant přednesl ucelenou a logicky uspořádanou obhajobu svého diplomového projektu. V ní dokázal přesvědčivým způsobem obhájit závěry svých řešení. Na připomínky recenzenta reagoval správně a v plném rozsahu je zodpověděl. U doplňkových otázek prokázal schopnost logického myšlení, pohotové reakce, jasného a srozumitelného vysvětlení.Dokončená práce s úspěšnou obhajobo

Effect of sulphur fertilisation on yield and quality of white mustard seeds

The objective of the present study was to estimate the effect of different forms of sulphur on yields and qualitative parameters of white mustard seeds. This topic was studied in 2004 in the form of a pot trial in a vegetation hall and linked up with an identical experiment with spring wheat conducted in 2003. Besides the control variant not fertilised with sulphur (1) we fertilised the soil with elemental sulphur (2), ammonium sulphate (3) and gypsum (4) and applied foliar dressing of elemental sulphur with bentonite (5). For all variants the nitrogen dose was 0.9 g per pot (0.15 g . kg−1 of soil) and for va­riants 2 to 4 it was 1 g of sulphur per pot (0.17 g. kg−1 of soil). Foliar dressing of elemental sulphur (S0) was not applied until the stage of six true leaves in a dose of 10 kg per ha (0.032 g per pot).Significantly higher yields of white mustard seeds were achieved after foliar application of S0 which can be also due to its fungicide action. The variants where gypsum was applied showed the highest average number of branches and pods and also straw yields. After gypsum fertilisation or foliar application of S0 the oil content in the mustard seeds exceeded 25%; this is the minimal content required for the production of good quality mustard. The 1000-seed weight was significantly higher after foliar application of S0. The proportion of seeds greyish on the surface, a sign of mildew, significantly decreased after fertilisation with all forms of sulphur, but most of all after foliar application of S0.Fertilisation with ammonium sulphate reduced the exchangeable soil reaction after harvest. On the other hand gypsum alkalised the soil environment and increased the content of available calcium and water-soluble sulphur. The soil of the variant where foliar dressing of S0 was applied had a higher content of available calcium after harvest. The least amount of available sulphur and phosphorus in the soil was seen after foliar application of S0 signalising a more efficient uptake of nutrients from the soil for the production of seed yields and for the quality of the seeds