EJPAU, 2012, Volume 15, Issue 2

In the paper effects of two complex blended fertilizers on yield and content, as well as accumulation of macronutrients by oats are presented. From the results of three-years lasting field trial it can be concluded that application of complex blended fertilizers (under commercial names Amofosmag 4 and Amofosmag 3) did not affect oats grain and straw yields in comparison to control (straight NPK fertilizers). Content of studied macronutrients in grain appeared to be unaffected by fertilization treatments. However, significant differences of chemical composition of oats tissues were noted between seasons of studies what indicated impact of weather conditions. The highest total uptake of nitrogen and potassium by oats yield was found in Amofosmag 3 treatment whereas total uptake of phosphorus was the highest in control treatment.

The aim of this study was to compare Limousin (195) and Simmental (326) primiparous cows based on the variability of age at first calving and body weight as well as to compare some fertility indices, lactation yield and selected zoometric measurements. The research was conducted on the farm located in the West Pomerania Province. Limousin primiparous cows had a significantly higher (P≤0.05) body weight than did Simmentals. Limousin individuals were characterized by an later age at first calving (P≤0.01). Calving interval (CI) was significantly (P≤0.01) shorter in Simmental females. Simmental animals were characterized by a significantly (P≤0.01) higher estimated lactation yield as well as significantly (P≤0.01) higher values of zoometric parameters (hip height and chest girth) compared with Limousin primiparous cows.

This paper analyzes determinants of employment of new employees in industrial enterprises in Poland. The industry is an important sector of the economy not only because of its ability to absorb employment but also because of its numerous links to the science and implementation of new technologies. Therefore, particular attention is paid to issues related to implementation of innovations and changes in employment in the surveyed entities.

Extensive studies (2006–2009) on the influence of apple and pear fruit surface temperature, in dependence on the fruit position in tree canopy and summer pruning, were conducted in a commercial orchard in Lublin district, Poland. There was a significant effect of fruit position in the canopy on heat accumulation in fruit surface. Fruits born in southern part of the canopy were more heated than those from other tree parts. It was found that a blush contributed to an increase of fruit temperature, especially those from southern parts of the canopy. Summer pruning significantly contributed to heat accumulation in apples. The percentage of fruits from summer pruned trees characterized by temperature >35°C was more than doubled in comparison with fruit from not treated trees.

The Dawn Redwood can be propagated by seed sowing and by vegetative methods. For sowing are used imported seeds, because trees growing in Poland do not give productive seeds. Only the oldest specimen growing in Botanic Garden of Warsaw University, in years when very advantageous weather conditions occur, gives some seeds able to germination. Creation of unavailing seeds depends on many factors. Male flowers usually do not develop and pollination cannot be attained. There is also a lack of specimens in phase of senile growth in Poland. The oldest trees are a little over fifty years old. Very often plants able to propagation are growing separately, what hampers to cross pollination. In 1971 it was advanced hypothesis, that achieving of seeds in temperate climatic zone is impossible because of to short vegetation period for Dawn Redwood. Its vegetation period should have 134 days. It is then longer than by other coniferous trees losing its needles before winter. For example for Japanese Larch it is 115 days, and for Bald Cypress 96 days. Dawn Redwood can be propagate vegetative by hardwood or half-ripen cuttings. Works on this subject were started in England in 1948 and in United States of America. Mother plants were five months old seedlings propagated by seeds brought from China. Vegetative propagation methods are still improved.

Taking into consideration  biochemical and physiological properties and previously obtained results, it was decided to determine the influence of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (L.GG) metabolites on in vitro growth of selected aerobic and anaerobic bacteria being the cause of inflammatory changes within parodontium and gingiva. To prevent possible L.GG in vitro invasion the bacteria were enclosed inside alginate microcapsules. The metabolites of L.GG immobilised in microcapsules displayed inhibitory effect on growth of some pathogenic anaerobic bacteria causing periodontitis – Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis. Moreover the metabolites from L.GG immobilised in microcapsules inhibited the growth of  Actinomyces odontolyticus, Actinomyces naeslundii, Actinomyces israelii, Neisseria ssp. and Haemophilus influenzae, bacteria causing gingivitis.

Plants deliver a great number of compounds among which some of them can exert a beneficial therapeutic role in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (e.g. huperzine A, galanthamine, physostigmine). In the present study it was shown that 17 edible fruits or vegetables effectively inhibited AChE and/or BChE. The highest anti-ChE activity was demonstrated in the case of the juice produced from peach (Prunus persica L.), water extracts prepared from dill leaves, wild strawberry fruit, potato tubers and juices produced using apples var. Idared and Champion. Extracts from parsley (leaves) and celery exhibited significantly higher activity towards AChE than BChE. AChE activity was not diminished by extracts prepared from strawberry, bean, broccoli, parsley (root) and tomato. These results confirm that selected fruits and vegetables can be an interesting source of ChE inhibitors with the possible potential in the context of the restoring of cognitive function and improving the memory. Therefore, there is a possibility to compose the diet containing fruits and vegetables aiming the protection against memory deficits caused by AD.

Catch crop cultivation and soil mulching offer many benefits pertaining to environment protection, and match well the rules of organic and sustainable agriculture. Soil mulching is also one of the methods which positively influence physical soil properties as well as moisture. A field experiment was conducted over the years 2002–2006. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of plant mulches (phacelia, spring vetch, serradella, oat) incorporated and retained as mulch on the soil surface on soil moisture changes (0–20 cm and 20–40 cm) in red cabbage and onion cultivation. The effect of mulching was compared to an unmulched control. Soil samples were taken after planting of cabbage seedlings, in the period of cabbage head formation and before cabbage harvest, and after sowing onion seeds, in the period of onion formation and before onion harvest. Higher moisture contents of both the upper and lower soil layers at all the dates of sampling in cabbage cultivation were found in the plots where plant mulches had been ploughed down in the autumn or left on the surface until the end of cabbage growing season, in comparison with the spring-ploughed plots. Phacelia and oat produced more organic matter and, when used as a mulch, they more beneficially influenced soil moisture content compared with serradella and spring vetch. The influence of the above catch crops lasted for the whole growing season of cabbage whereas the effect of oat was noticed even in the following year, after onion planting. Legumes undergo decomposition more rapidly and their mulching effect is much shorter than plants representing other botanical families.

Within the framework of the presented study properties of particleboards manufactured with a proportion of evening primrose straw were investigated depending on the type of the applied binding agent. Straw of evening primrose was used as a substitute of wood chips in the core of boards at 0, 5, 10, 15, 25, 50, 75 and 100% chip weight. UF, MUPF and PMDI resins were used as binding agents. Tests showed that depending on the applied binding agent total or partial substitution of wood chips with particles of evening primrose straw is feasible in the process of particleboard manufacture.

This report describes the reasons for extrauterine pregnancy development, and on the example of two cases of the secondary extrauterine pregnancy in the two different queens possible consequences and factors affecting final outcome of this events are discussed. In the first case, in the four year old, multiparous domestic shorthair queen, two foetuses in different stages of development were found and removed, during a routine spay. According to the history, three months ago she delivered four healthy kittens. There were no complications observed during the delivery. The queen was healthy and did not show any pathological signs since parturition and all kittens were successfully weaned. In the second case also two dead foetuses (one outside and one inside the uterine horn) were found. In this case a few days after an accident significant deterioration of the health status was observed and improvement allows for surgery was achieved after antibiotic therapy.