Economic aspects of applying hail protection nets in apple plantations

The up to date intense apple growing in Hungary is capable to produce yearly about 500-1000 thousand Ft/ha income, which meansthat the investment of 4 000–5 000 thousand Ft is returned by producing 10-20% net income. The economic balance may, however, be upsetby the damage caused by hail, quantitative and qualitative, with an apparently increasing frequency experienced in each third or fourth year.Estimates prove that each hail causing 50% damage may reduces the income proportionately to the capital by 1.5–2.0 percent points, whichmeans a serious threat for the economy of apple production. According to calculations, a plantation producing 30–40 t/ha yields would not beable to raise incomes compensating the investment of 7.0–10.0 million Ft/ha, let alone the frequencies of hail damages. Consequently, 50–60t/ha yields are needed to become successful, and in planning of new plantations those high yields are aimed with hail nets. An additionaldifficulty is represented by a lack of financial resources to install hail protection nets

Economic aspects of applying hail protection nets in apple plantations

The up to date intense apple growing in Hungary is capable to produce yearly about 500-1000 thousand Ft/ha income, which means that the investment of 4 000–5 000 thousand Ft is returned by producing 10-20% net income. The economic balance may, however, be upset by the damage caused by hail, quantitative and qualitative, with an apparently increasing frequency experienced in each third or fourth year. Estimates prove that each hail causing 50% damage may reduces the income proportionately to the capital by 1.5–2.0 percent points, which means a serious threat for the economy of apple production. According to calculations, a plantation producing 30–40 t/ha yields would not be able to raise incomes compensating the investment of 7.0–10.0 million Ft/ha, let alone the frequencies of hail damages. Consequently, 50–60 t/ha yields are needed to become successful, and in planning of new plantations those high yields are aimed with hail nets. An additional difficulty is represented by a lack of financial resources to install hail protection nets

Functional definition of the N450 event-related brain potential marker of conflict processing: a numerical stroop study

BACKGROUND: Several conflict processing studies aimed to dissociate neuroimaging phenomena related to stimulus and response conflict processing. However, previous studies typically did not include a paradigm-independent measure of either stimulus or response conflict. Here we have combined electro-myography (EMG) with event-related brain potentials (ERPs) in order to determine whether a particularly robust marker of conflict processing, the N450 ERP effect usually related to the activity of the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC), is related to stimulus- or to response-conflict processing. EMG provided paradigm-independent measure of response conflict. In a numerical Stroop paradigm participants compared pairs of digits and pressed a button on the side where they saw the larger digit. 50% of digit-pairs were preceded by an effective cue which provided accurate information about the required response. 50% of trials were preceded by a neutral cue which did not communicate the side of response. RESULTS: EMG showed that response conflict was significantly larger in neutrally than in effectively cued trials. The N450 was similar when response conflict was high and when it was low. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the N450 is related to stimulus or abstract, rather than to response conflict detection/resolution. Findings may enable timing ACC conflict effects.This research has been supported by a grant from the Medical Research Council (G90951)

Symbolic number: the integration of magnitude and spatial representations in children aged 6 to 8 years

The process of learning symbolic Arabic digits in early childhood requires that magnitude and spatial information integrates with the concept of symbolic digits. Previous research has separately investigated the development of automatic access to magnitude and spatial information from symbolic digits. However, developmental trajectories of symbolic number knowledge cannot be fully understood when considering components in isolation. In view of this, we have synthesized the existing lines of research and tested the use of both magnitude and spatial information with the same sample of British children in Years 1, 2, and 3 (6-8 years of age). The physical judgment task of the numerical Stroop paradigm demonstrated that automatic access to magnitude was present from Year 1 and the distance effect signaled that a refined processing of numerical information had developed. Additionally, a parity judgment task showed that the onset of the spatial-numerical association of response codes effect occurs in Year 2. These findings uncover the developmental timeline of how magnitude and spatial representations integrate with symbolic number knowledge during early learning of Arabic digits and resolve inconsistencies between previous developmental and experimental research lines

Conditions and outlooks of growing stone fruits

Conditions and outlooks of growing stone fruit

Assessment of apple varieties based on consumer judgement in integrated production for fresh consumption

In a former paper we treated the same relation comparing varieties frown in the biological or organic system of growing, now thetests have been performed with samples grown by the integrated system. The scores registered properties as taste, skin, colour, consistencyand size. In addition, we also explored the relation between general impression and the individual properties.As first purpose, we started withcollecting primary data on 15 samples taken from fruits grown by the integrated method and kept over 60–90 days in a store, then offered tothe consumers. The test is based on an organoleptic assessment (records are registered in a questionary). The individual judgements areprocessed and coefficients of correlation between the traits (taste, skin, size, colour) calculated. The validity of the mathematically provedrelations is considered to be decisive in judging the preferencial consumption of fruits

Cost and profit analysis of sour cherry production for industrial purposes in Hungary

Our main objective in this present study is to evaluate the profitability and efficiency of sour cherry production by a complex economic analysis of its technological process. We concluded that the per kilogram prime costs range between 80 to 90 HUF/kg in case of sour cherry for industrial purposes. On this basis, it is clear that the 50 to 90 HUF/kg regular selling prices of previous years do not make profitable production possible. Under the present market conditions even considering per hectare average yields of 10 to 15 tons the establishment of sour cherry orchards is not economical, the internal rate of return is below the interests of money-market and the recovery will not be happened even during the whole life-time of the orchard. In this way the domestic enterprises should not only raise the yields but realize technological changes (e.g. mechanic harvesting) in order to decrease the production costs in a significant way and to maintain a profitable sour cherry production. It is expected that the enterprise farming on great land (several ten hectares), being settled for mechanic harvesting (subordinating everything to this), reaching yields of 15 to 20 tons per hectare, producing on high technological and input levels, having specialized knowledge will stay on the sour cherry market far in the future

Assessment of apple varieties based on consumer judgement on their fruits of organic production for fresh consumption

The lack of information is often cause of the insufficiency of attributes being developed and appears on the new commodity characterising its utility. Neither own nor other information is presented. For improving this handicap, we endeavoured to praise apple products grown by biological methods and explain their properties as taste, skin, colour, consistency, and size. In addition, we explore the relation between general impression and the individual properties. The scrutiny starts with collecting of primary data on 9 samples taken from biologically grown apple varieties kept over 60–90 days in a store and offered to the consumers. The test is based on an organoleptic assessment (records are registered in a questionnary). The individual judgements are processed and coefficients of correlation between the traits (taste, skin, size, colour) calculated. The validity of the mathematically proved relations is considered to be decisive judging the preferences in consumption of fruits

Cost and profit analysis of sour cherry production for industrial purposes in Hungary

Our main objective in this present study is to evaluate the profitability and efficiency of sour cherry production by a complexeconomic analysis of its technological process. We concluded that the per kilogram prime costs range between 80 to 90 HUF/kg in case ofsour cherry for industrial purposes. On this basis, it is clear that the 50 to 90 HUF/kg regular selling prices of previous years do not makeprofitable production possible. Under the present market conditions even considering per hectare average yields of 10 to 15 tons theestablishment of sour cherry orchards is not economical, the internal rate of return is below the interests of money-market and the recoverywill not be happened even during the whole life-time of the orchard. In this way the domestic enterprises should not only raise the yields butrealize technological changes (e.g. mechanic harvesting) in order to decrease the production costs in a significant way and to maintain aprofitable sour cherry production. It is expected that the enterprise farming on great land (several ten hectares), being settled for mechanicharvesting (subordinating everything to this), reaching yields of 15 to 20 tons per hectare, producing on high technological and input levels,having specialized knowledge will stay on the sour cherry market far in the future

Assessment of apple varieties based on consumer judgement on their fruits of organic production for fresh consumption

The lack of information is often cause of the insufficiency of attributes being developed and appears on the new commoditycharacterising its utility. Neither own nor other information is presented. For improving this handicap, we endeavoured to praise appleproducts grown by biological methods and explain their properties as taste, skin, colour, consistency, and size. In addition, we explore therelation between general impression and the individual properties. The scrutiny starts with collecting of primary data on 9 samples taken frombiologically grown apple varieties kept over 60–90 days in a store and offered to the consumers. The test is based on an organolepticassessment (records are registered in a questionnary). The individual judgements are processed and coefficients of correlation between thetraits (taste, skin, size, colour) calculated. The validity of the mathematically proved relations is considered to be decisive judging thepreferences in consumption of fruits