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Optimizing the Amount of Nitrogen and Seed Inoculation to Improve the Quality and Yield of Soybean Grown in the Southeastern Baltic Region
The cultivation of soybeans, especially where this species has not been grown in large areas, requires the determination of the optimal mineral nitrogen fertilization and seed inoculation with Bradyrhizobium japonicum. The purpose of the study was to determine the optimal dose of mineral N fertilization and seed inoculation treatments with B. japonicum under field conditions in the southeastern Baltic region. The objective of this study was to achieve nitrogen supply and/or inoculation with B. japonicum: check-0 kg N ha−1, 30 kg N ha−1, 60 kg N ha−1, HiStick® Soy + 0 kg N ha−1, Nitroflora + 0 kg N ha−1, HiStick® Soy + 30 kg N ha−1, HiStick® Soy + 60 kg N ha−1, Nitroflora + 30 kg N ha−1, Nitroflora + 60 kg N ha−1. Higher yields of seeds, protein and fat were found after application HiStick® Soy compared to Nitorflora. The inoculation with B. japonicum together with nitrogen fertilization improved crude protein content in seeds, biometrical features, yield components and especially the seed yield of ‘Aldana’ soybean. The highest seed yield was found after the application of HiStick® Soy and nitrogen fertilization in doses 30 kg N ha−1 or 60 kg N ha−1. Compared to the control, combined B. japonicum inoculation and nitrogen fertilization in soybean cultivation proved to be a significant factor in improving the productivity of this species in southeastern Baltic conditions.
Zwiększenie wykorzystania krajowego białka paszowego dla produkcji wysokiej jakości produktów zwierzęcych w warunkach zrównoważonego rozwoju
Mint Plants (Mentha) as a Promising Source of Biologically Active Substances to Combat Hidden Hunger
Hidden hunger, also known as micronutrient deficiency, is a form of undernutrition, which is exacerbated when food security is fragile. However, the amount of phytonutrients in the diet can be increased by using underutilized species, such as fresh mint greens (Mentha). These plants have a high biological value due to the high content of biologically active substances. Plants of the genus Mentha, however, differ significantly in their chemical composition and, thus, nutritional value. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the content of phytonutrients in different Ukrainian species of mint: peppermint (Mentha piperita), horsemint (Mentha longifolia L.), silver-leaved horsemint (Mentha longifolia S.), and spearmint (Mentha spicata L.), and to determine their stability after drying and freezing. After studying the chemical composition of fresh, dried, and frozen plants of these species, it was established that Ukrainian mint species offer a robust set of phytonutrients and can be used as ingredients of the so-called “functional foods.” The biologically active substances in mint are concentrated during drying. Moreover, such raw materials are easily stored and used as an ingredient. However, the losses of ascorbic acid due to drying mint reach 70%; of carotenoids—approximately 10–15%; of chlorophylls—21–38%; and of phenols—19–29%. Peppermint and spearmint were observed to have higher stability of biologically active compounds. As for the freezing, the best stability of the chemical composition was demonstrated by field mint and spearmint samples. Therefore, a targeted selection of mint types and varieties prior to processing will allow preserving maximal preservation of a maximum amount of biologically active substances, increasing the content of phytonutrients in finished products, and preventing the development of hidden hunger.
The Influence of Sowing Density and Nitrogen Fertilization on the Yielding and Main Technological Features of Some Hemp Varieties
Wpływ nośników w postaci krzemionki i ligniny na różnorodność mikrobiomu bakteryjnego oraz wydajność fermentacji metanowej
Variability of cannabinoid yields of fibre hemp cultivars depending on the sowing density and nitrogen fertilisation
Ocena efektu następczego inokulacji nasion łubinu wąskolistnego bakteriami symbiotycznymi na jakość materiału siewnego
The Nitrogen Fixation and Yielding of Pea in Different Soil Tillage Systems
The field experiment was carried out in 2013 and 2014 as part of a long-term experiment to test the influence of different soil tillage systems (conventional, reduced, direct sowing) on (a) the yield of summer pea (Pisum sativum L.) and (b) the amount of biologically reduced atmospheric nitrogen (N), which was determined using the 15N dilution method (ID15N). Spring barley was used as a reference plant. Climatic conditions did not have a significant influence on the yield of pea seeds (mean value 4.56 t ha−1), post-harvest residues (3.76 t ha−1) and total biomass (8.33 t ha−1). Soil tillage system was found to have a significant impact on all components of the pea yield in years of experiment, with the highest average seed yield values observed with the conventional system (5.19 t ha−1) and significantly lower values observed with reduced tillage (4.34 t ha−1) and direct sowing (4.17 t ha−1). The content of total N was greatest in the pea biomass that was harvested in the conventional system (202 kg ha−1) and lowest with direct sowing (155 kg ha−1). Nitrogen accumulated in the pea seeds from three sources: atmosphere (mean value 35.2%), fertilizers (6.8%) and soil (57.9%), equating to 48.6, 9.9, and 85.4 kg ha−1, respectively. Soil tillage system was found to have a significant impact on the amount of N that was fixed from the atmosphere by the peas: 17.7% in conventional tillage, 37.9 in reduced system and 50.2% in direct sowing, which equates to a harvested seed yield of 28.9, 52.0 and 64.4 kg ha−1, respectively. In the post-harvest residues, the amount of N fixed from the atmosphere by the pea crop was also modified by the soil tillage system in range: 20.2% in conventional tillage and 32.6% in direct sowing (which equates to 7.4 and 8.5 kg N ha−1, respectively), but the difference was not significant.
Plonotwórcza rola azotu biologicznie zredukowanego (ID 15N) przez grubonasienne rośliny bobowate w uprawie pszenicy ozimej
Influence of Agroclimatic Conditions on Active Substances Content in Hemp Cultivated in the South-East Baltic Region
Assessment of lupine seed fodder quality depending on the variety and tillage system used as factors for sustainable agriculture
Chemical Composition of Lupin (Lupinus spp.) as Influenced by Variety and Tillage System
Lupins are an important source of domestic protein in many countries, and are often considered as an alternative to soybeans, given their elevated and high-quality protein content, suitability for sustainable production and consumer acceptability. The aim of the research was to determine the effect of the variety (indeterminate and determinate) and tillage system (conventional—CT, reduced tillage—RT, no-tillage—NT) on the chemical composition of three lupin species seeds (narrow leaved lupin—NL, yellow lupin—YL, white lupin—WL). The protein content of the lupin seeds ranged from 323 g kg−1 DM in the narrow-leaved lupin ‘Dalbor’ to 445 g kg−1 DM in the yellow lupin ‘Lord’. The tillage system significantly influenced the crude protein content only in NL seeds, with the greatest value observed with the NT system. An evaluation of the amino acid composition of the protein in the lupin seeds showed that the differences depended largely on the variation between the species. The conducted research shows that the varietal differentiation in terms of the amino acid content was particularly evident in NL and YL, and, to a lesser extent, in WL.
Effects of Seed Fraction on Sowing Quality and Yield of Three-Line Hybrid Maize
Maize is one of the most productive cereal crops, and is increasingly being grown over large areas. Using the right cultivar of high-quality selected seeds for sowing can be crucial for its productivity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of kernel fraction on the seed quality, seed vigor, morphological traits, and seed yield of the trilinear hybrid maize cv. ‘Lokata’. The research factor was the kernel fraction, categorized based on the thousand-kernel weight (TKW) into four groups: I—small; II—medium; III–large; and IV–very large. A three-year experiment showed that increases in the TKW resulted in increases in germination and vigor up to fraction III (large seeds) in maize. Sowing maize seeds with a higher TKW resulted in plants with higher fresh and dry weights in the early stages of maize development; however, this response decreased as growth progressed. The seed yield was significantly correlated with plant height and the number of kernels per cob for all fractions sown, but the fraction did not significantly modify the seed yield of ‘Lokata’ maize.
