DISEASES DIVERSITY FOR FLAX GENETIC RESOURCES IN LATVIA

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L) yield of stem and seeds and them quality is influenced by a number of harmful diseases but investigation about pathogens in recent years have not been done in Latvia. Each stage of development of disease is important in the pathogen life cycle and requires certain condition. Goal of this study have identify possibilities of the pathogens and were assess disease severity depending on the genotypes on flax in variable environmental conditions. The resistance to the diseases for 24 flax genotypes and standard variety ‘Vega 2’ were evaluated. The field trials have been carried out over the period from 2015 to 2016 at the Research Centre of Priekuli, part of Vilani in Latgale. Disease progress was measured every week, and for each treatment, severity of diseases index and the area under the disease progressive curve (AUDPC) were calculated. The flow cytometry method for detection of flax pathogens was developed. The Fusarium avenaveum was dominating disease and statically significant in both vegetation periods. In 2015 were identified statically significant (

Physiological Aspects of Nitrogen Fertilizer Impact on Latvian Origin Cannabis Sativa L .

The aim of the present study was to evaluate nitrogen fertilizer impact on photosynthesis and yield of hemp, applying modern non-destructive methods. The main object of the investigation – hemp cultivar of Latvian origin ‘Pūriņi’. Laboratory and field experiments showed diverse effects of different nitrogen fertilizer doses on various parameters. Additional nitrogen fertilizer dose of 60 kg ha-1 is most effective as evaluated by chlorophyll content in hemp leaves and changes of chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters. Nitrogen fertilizer negatively affected fiber content in hemp stems, therefore while cultivating hemp only for fiber production use of nitrogen fertilizer should be reduced. According to the seed mass results, additional nitrogen fertilizer doses should be applied following the climatic conditions. In the vegetation period guided with higher rainfall levels, 60 kg of additional nitrogen fertilizer per hectare can be considered as optimal amount. In current investigation hempseed oil composition was not negatively affected by nitrogen fertilizer. Also significant difference between seed yield of N60 and N100 variants has not been observed. To avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizer usage, its negative impact on plant physiology and yield losses, we consider nitrogen fertilizer 60 kg ha-1 as additional fertilizer is optimal for hemp cultivar ‘Pūriņi’. yield

Agronomic Trait and Genetic Analysis of Latvian Flax Germplasm

There is a long history of flax cultivation in Latvia, and breeding programs were active until 1970’s, when flax breeding in Latvia was halted. Since 1992, the Agriculture Science Centre of Latgale (ASCL) has repatriated Latvian flax germplasm from various genebanks, as well as renewed limited breeding activities in flax. Currently, the ASCL holds a collection of 497 flax accessions, as well as 9865 accessions of various lines and hybrids developed at the LLZC since 1993. To assist in the characterization of this Latvian flax germplasm, we have utilised DNA markers to assess genetic diversity and relatedness, as well as surveying functional polymorphism. We have utilised Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers developed from both genomic libraries as well as expressed sequences. The results of the DNA marker survey were utilised to determine the genetic polymorphism and relatedness within Latvian flax germplasm, and these results were compared with the analysis of agronomic traits carried out in field trials at the ASCL. The development of DNA markers linked to traits of agronomic importance will assist in the development of a Latvian flax breeding program. The use of DNA marker technology will allow more efficient assessment and rational utilization of Latvian flax germplasm

POSSIBILITIES OF WINTER CROP GRAIN’S QUALITATIVE INDICES RISE FOR BIOETHANOL PRODUCTION

Bioethanol production is one of cereal’s using ways. COM 2003/30/EC: Directive on the promotion of the use of biofuels or other renewable fuels for transport orders that proportion of biofuels in 2010 must be -5.75% but in 2020 – 10%. The object of research is to study the influence of winter crops cultivation’s technology on quality of grain and suitability for bioethanol production. Field research was organized in the Agricultural Science Centre of Latgale from 2005 to 2008. There were researched 5 fertilizer rates and the influence of varieties on the grain yield and starch in the experiment for 3 years. Starch content, yield and the result of bioethanol have changed depended on species of cereals, varieties, growing year and fertilizer rate. It is recommended to use good quality grains with high starch content and low protein content for bioethanol production

Breeding For Organic Farming : Obtaining And Evaluation Of Flax Somaclonal Families

Plant calli culture could be used as a source of genetic changes (somaclonal variation). There are known several flax varieties, bred on the basis of somaclonal variation, with improved resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, plant height, seed yield and other traits. This method is useful for obtaining the new initial material for flax breeding, including for intensification of breeding for organic farming. Goal of the study was to obtain plants-regenerants from the calli culture of the fibre flax variety ‘Vega 2’ and to evaluate their agronomical traits and resistance to powdery mildew. For obtaining plants-regenerants was used early elaborated protocol of somatic calli cultivation. Agronomically important traits, such as total and technical plant height, number of seed vessels, number of seeds in a seed vessel, and resistance to diseases were evaluated. Most of somaclonal families had higher total and technical plant height in comparison with the initial variety ‘Vega 2’. In the opposite, number of seed vessels and number of seeds in a seed vessel had a tendency to decrease. It was concluded that even changes in not desirable direction may be recognised as an indirect indicator of the rather high level of induced somaclonal variation, which can occurred also in traits, which were not evaluated during this experiment, therefore there is a potential to exploit flax somaclonal variation in applied breeding programs as an additional source of variability

PHYSIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF WHEAT YIELD QUALITY IN DEPENDENCE ON MINERAL SUPPLY THROUGH LEAVES

Spring wheat is a significant crop in Latvia. The fertilisation influences the crop yield and the quality greatly.The main task of experiments: to test the effect of micronutrients (DDMn) and macronutrients (Phosific) supplied through leaves for the modeling environment protecting high yield and grain quality technology’. The grain yield, the quality and the physiological activity were detected.The mineral supply through leaves during the wheat heading phase increased yield for more than 0.2 - 0.4 t ha'1 in comparison with the control. The physiological activity of grains is higher, but there is no significant influence on the quality of grains

IDENTIFIED RESILIENT FLAX GENOTYPES WITH IMPROVED AGRONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS FOR PRE-BREEDING

Genetic diversity evaluation in a breeding program is essential produce robust, resilient crop varieties with improved agronomic characteristics under environmental challenges in the sustainable agro-ecosystems. Knowledge and full potential on the impact of genotypes and growing conditions on flax yield traits still incomplete. The aim of this study was to evaluated the influence of hydrothermal conditions on the development of agronomic important traits of flax, analysed agronomic characteristics and identified perspective genotypes for pre-breeding. Field investigations were carried out from 2014 to 2017 for agronomically important traits of flax. In the study was evaluated flax population with Latvian origin in 24 fibre flax genotypes and ‘Vega 2’ (ST) as the standard variety of Lithuanian origin under Latvian meteorological conditions. Correlation between flax genotypes of the agronomically important yield traits and years of the hydrothermal coefficients during the growth period were analysed. According to the results obtained that most of genotypes the significant higher plants stem yield, total plant height, technical plant height, number of seed vessels per plant were measured in the growing seasons with high humidity. However, the higher seed yield and 1000 seed weight were measured in the driest year. The correlation between flax fibre content, seed number per seed-vessel, oil content and humidity level differed in dependence on genotype. The coefficient of variability between years was higher for of stem yield when compared with seed yield. The flax genotypes ‘S13/5-7/5-93’ exhibited more stable, highest stem yield (840.0 g m-2) and high seed yield (162.2 g m-2). The flax was identified 80% samples the short and 20% the medium vegetation period.

LINSEED FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY

The renewable energy acquisition reduces dependence on fossil energy, which has a beneficial impact not only on agriculture but also on the country's economic development, since it has reduced the amount of bad emissions and the quantity of imports. This study is to determine the carbon content, ash content and yield influencing factors of linseed in order to clarify the possible use of alternative energy. The linseed is suitable for energy production from biomass, because it is derived from different products, which are used for solid fuel and bio diesel production

EFFICIENCY OF NITROGEN FERTILIZER APPLICATION ON WHITE CABBAGE

Nitrogen is considered to be harvest-limiting element. Almost all investigations showed that under optimal nitrogen fertilizer harvest increases despite different and contrastive environmental conditions. There is a lack of research about changes of plant photosynthetic action under nitrogen fertilizer influence. During field and laboratory experiments changes of head cabbage (‘Ancoma F1’ variety) photosynthesis - related parameters under different nitrogen supply (50, 120, 190, 190 + 40 and 190 + 50 + 40 N kg ha-1) were observed. Results of field and laboratory experiments showed that optimal nitrogen fertilizer doses are 190 and 190 + 40 N kg ha-1. The conlusion is that chlorophyll content (in SPAD readings and mg.dm-2) and fluorescence parameters (Fv/Fm, Fv/Fo, RC/ABS and PI) can be used as early indicator for forseeing nitrogen fertilizer efficiency for head cabbage. Fluorescence parameters give precise view of nitrogen fertilizer role in plant physiological processes and nitrogen effect on plant growth and development

CAMELINA SATIVA AS A CROP FOR DIVERSIFICATION OF AGRICULTURE AND AS A PRODUCER OF HIGH QUALITY OIL

‘Camelina sativa’ is one of the oldest oil crops in Europe. Growing areas were reduced dramatically in 20-40-ties of the last century. Low price of rape oil and unclear composition of camelina oil were primary reasons of this process. Nevertheless, last years ‘Camelina sativa' attracted a great interest of scientists and oil processors as a crop for diversification of agriculture and, in the same time, for producing of the high quantity and quality oil for biofuel, feeding, food, and pharmacy (source of a-linolenic acid, linoleic acid and vitamins, especially E). In Latvia ‘Camelina sativa' is spread as a wild form but for the agriculture it is a new crop.The potential of me of ‘Camelina sativa’ in the Latgale region as an alternative oil crop and a new plant in the crop rotation was investigated. We compared the oil content and it composition in ‘Camelina sativa ’ seeds from plants of variety ‘Ligena’ grown in different conditions (Latvia and Germany). We also are looking for a possibility to use biotechnology methods for obtaining additional camelina breeding source material. For this purpose we applied calli culture method for producing plants-regenerants.