Using UAV to Identify the Optimal Vegetation Index for Yield Prediction of Oil Seed Rape (Brassica napus L.) at the Flowering Stage

Suitability of the vegetation indices of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), blue normalized difference vegetation index (BNDVI), and normalized difference yellowness index (NDYI) obtained by means of UAV at the flowering stage of oil seed rape for the prediction of seed yield and usability of these vegetation indices in the identification of anomalies in the condition of the flowering growth were verified based on the regression analysis. Correlation analysis was performed to find the degree of yield dependence on the values of NDVI, BNDVI, and NDYI indices, which revealed a strong, significant linear positive dependence of seed yield on BNDVI (R = 0.98) and NDYI (R = 0.95). The level of correlation between the NDVI index and the seed yield was weaker (R = 0.70) than the others. Regression analysis was performed for a closer determination of the functional dependence of NDVI, BNDVI, and NDYI indices and the yield of seeds. Coefficients of determination in the linear regression model of NDVI, BNDVI, and NDYI indices reached the following values: R2 = 0.48 (NDVI), R2 = 0.95 (BNDVI), and R2 = 0.90 (NDYI). Thus, it was shown that increased density of yellow flowers decreased the relationship between NDVI and crop yield. The NDVI index is not appropriate for assessing growth conditions and prediction of yields at the flowering stage of oil seed rape. High accuracy of yield prediction was achieved with the use of BNDVI and NDYI. The performed analysis of NDVI, BNDVI, and NDYI demonstrated that particularly the BNDVI and NDYI indices can be used to identify problems in the development of oil seed rape growth at the stage of flowering, for their precise localization, and hence to targeted and effective remedial measures in line with the principles of precision agriculture.O

Effect of Mycotoxins in Silage on Biogas Production

Mycotoxins can pose a threat to biogas production as they can contaminate the feedstock used in biogas production, such as agricultural crops and other organic materials. This research study evaluated the contents of deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEA), fumonisin (FUM), and aflatoxin (AFL) mycotoxins in maize silage prior to it being processed in a biogas plant and in digestate produced at the end of the anaerobic digestion (AD) process. In the experiment, three samples of silage were collected from one silage warehouse: Variant 1 = low contamination, Variant 2 = medium contamination, and Variant 3 = heavy contamination, which were subjected to investigation. A significantly reduced biogas production was recorded that was proportional to the increasing contamination with molds, which was primarily due to the AD of silage caused by technologically erroneous silage treatment. The AD was connected with changes in silage composition expressed by the values of VS content, sugar content, lactic acid content, acetic acid content, and the ratio of lactic acid content to acetic acid content. The production of biogas and methane decreased with the increasing contents of NDF, ADF, CF, and lignin. The only exception was Variant 2, in which the content of ADF, CF, and lignin was lower (by 8-11%) than that in Variant 1, and only the content of NDF was higher (by 9%) than that in Variant 1. A secondary factor that also correlated with changes in the composition of the substrate was the development of undesirable organisms, which further contributed to its degradation and to the production of mycotoxins. It was also demonstrated in this study that during the AD process, the tested mycotoxins were degraded, and their content was reduced by 27-100%. Only the variant with low mold contamination showed a DON concentration increase of 27.8%.O

Anaerobic Fermentation of Silage from the Above-Ground Biomass of Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) and Maize (Zea mayse L.) as a New and Promising Input Raw Material for Biogas Production

Research of new input raw materials for biogas plants is a very actual topic. There are only a very few studies dealing with the possibility of using silage prepared from the above-ground parts of the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) and maize (Zea mayse L.) for methane production. This study deals with the determination of methane production and methane content in biogas during the fermentation of maize silage with dissimilar additions of the biomass of the Jerusalem artichoke (JA). Except for the effect of the JA's addition on the yield of methane, we also studied its potential influence on the inhibition of the process of anaerobic digestion and the bacterial and methanogenic archaeal composition of anaerobic digestate. There were five model silages prepared; two of them contained only maize or JAs, and the remaining three were mixtures of maize and JA silages (30%wt; 50%wt and 70%wt). The fermentation tests showed that the JA addition (from 30 to 70%wt) resulted in the production of biogas decreasing, on average, by 15%. Based on the performed metagenomic analysis, we cannot confirm an essential influence of JA biomass addition on the composition of the community of microorganisms during fermentation.O

Assessment of the effect of optimised field plot size on the crop yield

The presented research deals with the effect of plot size changes on the crop yield. Three plots were chosen in a company engaged in conventional agriculture, on which yields were monitored from 2019 using yield maps. In 2020, the plots (initial size > 30 ha) were divided into different parts sized < 30 ha. In 2021, these newly arisen parts of the plots were harvested. Changes in the yield of grown crops were analysed using yield maps acquired by the harvesting machines. Relative yields (%) and absolute yields (t/ha) were determined on all experimental land parts arising from the initial plots' division. The values were then compared with yields recorded before the division of individual plots using zonal statistics. Measured relative yield values clearly show (P < 0.05) that the division of plots resulted in the increased heterogeneity of crop yields. On the initial plots as well as on the newly arisen plots, the relative yield was divided into the following categories: < 70, 70-85, 85-95, 95-105, 105-115, 115-130 and > 130%, with the value of 100% representing average yield. The analysis of measured yield data showed that the division of plots into smaller parts resulted in an uneven yield distribution because if a divided plot was heterogeneous in terms of yield levels, a cumulation of "higher yield levels (> 100%)" could have occurred in one specific newly arisen plot at the expense of another one. Moreover, new marginal parts of lands came into being during the division of larger soil complexes, and hence zones with potentially reduced yields.O

Effect of Seed Coating and PEG-Induced Drought on the Germination Capacity of Five Clover Crops

The effect of coating the seed of clover crops by water absorbing seed process (WASP) technology pelletization on its germination capacity was studied in conditions of diverse drought intensities simulated by different concentrations of polyethylenglycol (PEG) 8000 solution. Drought resistance was monitored in the seed of five fodder clover species: Anthyllis vulneraria L., Medicago lupulina L., Trifolium repens L., Melilotus albus Medik. and Onobrychis viciifolia Scop. In the seed of given plant species, germination capacity was determined along with the share of dead and hard seeds. Although the coating significantly (p < 0.05) affected the drought resistance of seeds, the germination capacity increased only in conditions of milder drought (simulation with PEG: 0.1-0.3 mol). With the increasing intensity of drought induced by higher PEG concentrations (0.4-0.7 mol) the number of germinable seeds demonstrably decreased and the number of dead seeds increased in the coated seed as compared with the uncoated seed. The coated seed can be appropriate for use in M. lupulina, M. albus and T. repens, while the uncoated seed can be used in A. vulneraria and O. viciifolia

The Election Campaigning and 2016 Regional Election in the Czech Republic

This thesis analyzes the election campaigns of six parties and movements (ANO 2011, ČSSD, TOP 09, ODS, KSČM, KDU-CSL) and one coalition (SPD-SPO). The aim of the diploma thesis is to analyze the election campaigns before the regional councils, which took place on 7.10. - 8.10.2016. In terms of methodology, qualitative research was applied in the diploma thesis. The first part of the thesis focuses on political marketing, which was used in the regional elections in 2016. The second part of the thesis deals with the campaigns of five parties of one movement and one coalition. Political parties have used various forms of political marketing in their campaigns. Elections to regional assemblies did not have one crucial topic to unify the entire political spectrum. Not even within the opposition was a single unifying theme linking the opposition against the government. Each political party chose its sub-theme. All parties had a centralized campaign. CSSD, KDU-ČSL and TOP 09 had a centralized campaign in part. Political party budgets ranged from 16 to 111 million. The least invested in the SPD-SPO coalition and most of the hnutí ANO 2011

Political marketing party ANO

Hlavním cílem předložené bakalářské práce je poskytnout analýzu politického marketingu hnutí ANO. Důraz je kladen hlavně na předvolební kampaň, která probíhala v roce 2013. Část práce, která se věnuje předvolební kampani je z hlediska přehlednosti rozdělena do několika částí, a to na sociální sítě a online marketing, kontaktní kampaň, outdoorovou kampaň a na jiné formy kampaně. Práce zároveň popisuje historii hnutí ANO a ukazuje proměnu loga, kterou hnutí ANO během svého působení udělalo. V závěru se práce snaží poskytnout odpověď na to jaké všechny skutečnosti vedly k úspěchu hnutí ANO a také se snaží zanalyzovat nové marketingové prvky, které hnutí ANO použilo.ObhájenoThe main aim of the bachelor thesis is to provide an analysis of political marketing of ANO. The emphasis is placed primarily on the election campaign, which took place in 2013. The part of the work, which is focused on the election campaign in terms of clarity is divided into several parts, which are the social networking and online marketing, contact campaign, outdoor campaign and other forms of campaigns. The work also describes the history of ANO and shows the transformation of logo, which ANO has made during his tenure. The conclusion of the thesis tries to provide an answer to what all the facts have led to the success of ANO and also tries to analyze new marketing elements that ANO has used

Political marketing party ANO

Hlavním cílem předložené bakalářské práce je poskytnout analýzu politického marketingu hnutí ANO. Důraz je kladen hlavně na předvolební kampaň, která probíhala v roce 2013. Část práce, která se věnuje předvolební kampani je z hlediska přehlednosti rozdělena do několika částí, a to na sociální sítě a online marketing, kontaktní kampaň, outdoorovou kampaň a na jiné formy kampaně. Práce zároveň popisuje historii hnutí ANO a ukazuje proměnu loga, kterou hnutí ANO během svého působení udělalo. V závěru se práce snaží poskytnout odpověď na to jaké všechny skutečnosti vedly k úspěchu hnutí ANO a také se snaží zanalyzovat nové marketingové prvky, které hnutí ANO použilo.ObhájenoThe main aim of the bachelor thesis is to provide an analysis of political marketing of ANO. The emphasis is placed primarily on the election campaign, which took place in 2013. The part of the work, which is focused on the election campaign in terms of clarity is divided into several parts, which are the social networking and online marketing, contact campaign, outdoor campaign and other forms of campaigns. The work also describes the history of ANO and shows the transformation of logo, which ANO has made during his tenure. The conclusion of the thesis tries to provide an answer to what all the facts have led to the success of ANO and also tries to analyze new marketing elements that ANO has used

Q-STRESS v.1.0–a Tool for Determination of Stress Fields Using Digital Image Correlation Systems

AbstractThe contribution deals with a description of noncommercial program, created for digital image correlation systems Dantec Dynamics. Described version of this product called Q-STRESS v.1.0 processes data exported from the software delivered together with correlation systems and allows fast and simply visualize displacement or strain fields and calculate the further to the stress fields. Moreover in chosen points the program allows depict the courses of displacements, strains as well as stresses during the loading process. In this contribution the description of the program is supplemented by its practical application in investigation of stress fields in the surroundings of small hole. Version 1.0 is created only for the analyses in elastic domain

The Possibilities in Use of ESPI Method by Investigation of Strain Fields of Specimen with Stress Concentrator

Abstract The analysis of sheets deformation and corresponding knowledge of their elastic and plastic properties has a great meaning by their following processing. The aim of this contribution is to focus on the description of use an optical ESPI system Q-300 Dantec Dynamics by investigation of elastic deformations of sheets with stress concentrators in a form of notch. The results obtained experimentally using mentioned measuring device were verified numerically in program Ansys Workbench. The paper briefly describes the methodologies of both, experimental and numerical, types of modeling. Keyword