K. Panasiewicz

The effect of forage harvest date and inoculation on the yield and fermentation characteristics of narrow-leaved lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) when ensiled as a whole crop

A experiment was conducted during seasons of the year 2005, 2006 and 2007 to evaluate the effects of the stage of maturity and inoculant application on the fermentation quality of silage produced from narrow leaved lupin. The trial was carried out on the experimental farm in Gorzyn, belonging to Poznan University of Life Sciences (520 33’53 N, 150 53’42 E) in central part of Europe in Poland. A two-factor field experiment was carried out on narrow-leaved lupin cv. Zeus. The first factor was the green forage harvest dates (Cut 1 - at the flat pod stage, Cut 2 – at the stage of green ripe seeds), the other factor – silage inoculants: biological (strains of lactic acid bacteria), chemical (a mixture of organic acids) and a control object without inoculants. The silage raw material was closed in mini-silos for 10 weeks. The crops had a fresh matter yield from 15.8 to 30.8 t ha-1 corresponding to a dry matter yield from 2.2 to 8.8 t ha-1. The dry matter content in unwilted forage per kilogram ranged from 178.8 to 233.8 g. 24-hour wilting caused an increase in dry matter content from 205.5 to 349.5 g kg-1. Both inoculates improved the quality of silages, because they increased the number of lactic acid bacteria and decreased the number of unfavourable groups of bacteria. The narrow-leaved lupin can be used as a silage raw material, but before ensilage plants should be wilted and silage inoculants should be applied.

Efficacy of Biofertilizers and Organic Additive Application in Sweet Basil (Ocimum Basilicum L.) Cultivation Depending on the Type of Soil

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is one of the most important medicinal and aromatic plants of a considerable economic role; therefore research on this plant is required, especially because of the continuous and increasing demand for such products. Literature sources lack information on the improvement of growth conditions for sweet basil with no requirement for preparations containing chemicals, which is of particular importance in organic farming, in which the application of synthetic pesticides and artificial fertilizers are banned. Biofertilizers (UG Max, EM1, PRP SOL) were tested in two-year pot experiments with different types of soil. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of the application of biofertilizers and organic additives in basil grown on different types of soil. The addition of straw to mineral soil provided an effect comparable to cultivation in organic soil, in which greater dry mass of leaved shoots of basil was obtained than in mineral soil. The application of all tested biofertilizers, particularly UG Max, in growing basil on mineral soil provides a similar yield of dry mass of leaves as that grown on organic or mineral soil with an addition of straw.

The Loss of Vigour and Sowing Value of Yellow Lupin Seeds (Lupinus luteus L.) as a Result of Mechanical Harvesting

Abstract The aim of the study was to determine the effect of mechanical harvest on the seed quality of yellow lupin. Two effects were studied: the cultivar of yellow lupin (the indeterminate cultivar - Mister and the determinate cultivar - Perkoz) and harvest methods: hand-picked plants with manual shelling of seeds as a control and mechanical shelling with a plot harvester. In comparison with manual shelling of seeds, the mechanical harvest reduced the seed germination and increased the number of abnormal seeds both cultivars. Determinate cultivar was more sensitive, because the loss of its quality was higher (germination of 10%) than indeterminate cultivar (6%). Perkoz had also higher electrical conductivity, with the mean value of 34.3 μS × cm−1 × g−1. Manual shelled seeds were characterized by a significantly lower leakage of exudates (24.9 μS × cm−1 × g−1), and hence, it exhibited greater vigour than mechanical harvested seeds. Most relations of Pearson correlation coefficient between vigour tests and germination were strong or practically functional.

Response of spring barley to PRP SOL application as a complex of mineral inducer process (MIP)

The aim of the application of a PRP SOL complex of MIP bioactive compounds is to improve the soil characteristics by unblocking the potential of the nutrients in the soil and making them available to plants. This fertilizer is used for soil fertilization rather than crop nutrition. The research focused on evaluation of the yield of spring barley after the application of the PRP SOL technology in the fields of the Research and Education Center Gorzyń, at the Experimental Station in Złotniki, in 2007 to 2011. The purpose of the research was to compare the effects of spring barley fertilization technology by applying a complex of MIP bioactive compounds in the form of a PRP SOL fertilizer with the standard technology applying phospho-potassium fertilization. The five years of the research led to the conclusion that the traditional fertilization of spring barley plantations with phosphorus and potassium can be replaced with the technology applying the MIP complex without grain yield losses. However, the yield was not stable between years. In one of the five research years (2007) there was a significant increase (by 3.7 dt∙ha-1), and in another (2010) a significant decrease (by 3.2 dt∙ha-1) as a result of fertilizer use. The PRP SOL fertilizer may be particularly useful for malting barley due to the favourable increase in the share of lush grain fractions (larger than 2.5 mm) and simultaneous decrease in the share of smaller grains and due to the fact that the weight of 1 hl tends to decrease whereas the thousand grain weight tends to increase.