Kazimierz Jankowski

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT CONCENTRATIONS OF KELPAK BIOREGULATOR ON THE FORMATION OF ABOVE-GROUND BIOMASS COCKSFOOT

Studies with growing cocksfoot (cv. Amila) were performed in polyurethane ring with a diameter of 36 cm and a height of 40 cm, which were dug to a depth of 30 cm and filled with soil material. As the experimental factor the trade name of bioregulator Kelpak SL was used, which includes natural plant hormones (auxin and cytokinin). The following aqueous solutions of growth regulator were used: 20, 40, and 60% and control (no preparation). Kelpak were applied to all three regrowth in the form of spray at a dose of 3cm 3 •ring -1 in the shoots elongation phase of the grass. The full use of experimental objects was in 2011-2012. At that time, the detailed study include aboveground bio[%]

THE INITIAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF POA PRATENSIS UNDER THE ALLELOPATHIC INFLUENCE OF TARAXACUM OFFICINALE

This experiment was carried out in laboratory conditions. The aim of this work was estimating allelopathic potential of Taraxacum officinale on seeds germination and initial growth of Poa pratensis. In the experiment different concentration of soil’s and plant’s water solution obtained from common dandelion were employed. The inhibition of germination energy of Poa pratensis under the influence of plant extracts produced from roots and leaves of Taraxacum officinale was found. Germination availability was inhibited in a higher degree by extracts prepared from the leaves than the roots of Taraxacum officinale . Higher concentrations of all solutions of both the soil and the plant inhibited the length of seending of Poa pratensis.

EFFECT OF GROWTH REGULATORS ON SELECTED MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF YELLOW PINE

The aim of study was to compare the effects of two growth regulators on selected morphological features of yellow pine. In April 2012, 9 plants of yellow pine Lawson variety were planted to the soil. In April 15, 2013 a research agent in a form of following growth regulators: Asahi SL and Moddus 250-EC was introduced. There were the following experimental objects: C – control (only water spraying), As – Asahi spraying, Md – Moddus spraying. The tested features were: increase in plant height (cm), the increase in needle length (cm) of yellow pine. Measurements of increases in length of needles were made in each case on the same specially marked parts of the plants and performed on 27th of each month from beginning of May to ending of September. Among the used of growth regulators the greatest influence on the height increase of the tested trees as well as on the needle length of yellow pine more affected regulator Moddus. The largest total increase in the needles length of yellow pine was on the object with Modus and Asahi, and on control object it was significantly lower than on objects with growth regulators.

OCCURRENCE OF ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI IN SOILS FROM FESTUCA PRATENSIS HUDS. CROP

Entomopathogenic fungi are the largest group of microorganisms existing in the soil environment. Occurrence and pathogenicity of entomopathogenic fungi in soil is dependent on many factors affecting the soil environment. The aim of this study was to compare the species composition and the intensity of the occurrence of entomopathogenic fungi in soils from monoculture crops of Festuca pratensis Huds. The study material consisted of soil samples taken from the experiment conducted in two experimental stations of the Research Centre for Cultivars Study. The insecticides fungi were isolated from soil using a method of the selective substrate. Three species of entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana, Isaria fumosorosea and Metarhizium anisopliae were isolated from the study soils using the selective medium.

THE ALLELOPATHIC INFLUENCE OF TARAXACUM OFFICINALE ON THE INITIAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF FESTUCA RUBRA L.

Common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale F.H. Wigg) is perennial plant often stepping out in very large quantity in the sward of natural meadows. This species expands, enlarging its population very quickly. In the literature there is the lack of data related to influences of the common dandelion on plants growing in it’s neighbourhood. It is also unknown why this species creates large clusters. It may compete with different plants through the allelopatic influence. Therefore, the aim of this work was to test of the influence of water extracts from leaves and from the roots of common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ) as well as soil extracts from the radicular layer of this species on the germination of the seeds and the initial growth of Red fescue (Festuca rubra L.). The investigative material came from leaves and roots of Taraxacum officinale and soil coming from the radicular layer of this species. It was applied most often in biotest experiments on germination. Red fescue was the tested plant. The germination energy of red fescue was the most braked through the plant extracts prepared from roots and leaves of Taraxacum officinale .

The influence of nitrogen fertilization applied in different doses on fodder quality of meadow sward

The experiment was organized in four replicants in arrangement split-plot with plots having a surface equal 9 m 2 . The basic fertilization was applied under the first re growth. It was a mixture of unary fertilizers (ammonium nitrate, superphosphate, potassic salt) or polifoska. One form of supplementary fertilization was applied under the second and third regrowth. It was the stable form of fertilizer applied to soil. This form of supplemented nitrogen gave respectively: 50 kg N·ha -l ; 80 kg N·ha -l ; 110 kg N·ha -1 per each moving. During the vegetation season three movings were harvested. From each movings the sampIes of green matter were taken for chemical analyses, i.e. total protein content, soluble carbohydrates and net energy (NEL). The obtained results showed large differences in fodder quality of the meadow sward fertilized with three doses of nitrogen.

An estimation of the effects of synthetic auxin and cytokinin and the time of their application on some morphological and physiological characteristics of Medicago x varia T. Martyn

The aim of the experiment was to determine the effects of synthetic auxin and cytokinin and the time of their application on some morphological and physiological characteristics of Medicago x varia T. Martyn grown under controlled conditions. The experiment was to check whether an application of exogenous hormones during vegetative and generative stages of the plant had an effect on above-ground mass development, on nitrate reductase activity and on plastid pigments content. Experiment factor was synthetic auxin and cytokinin and the date of their application. Auxin was applied in the form of a synthetic indole-3-butyric acid, while cytokinin was sprayed as synthetic 6-benzylaminopurine. The control plants were treated with distilled water. Depending on the experimental variant, spraying was applied at the sixth true leaf stage and at the first flower bud stage. The research showed that the response of the alfalfa plants to the application of cytokinin and auxin was not uniform. It seems that the most effective was the application of a mixture of them both but only during the vegetative stage. Additionally, cytokinin caused an increase in plastid pigments content in alfalfa leaves. On the other hand, a mixture of auxin and cytokinin triggered the highest nitrate reductase activity in alfalfa roots and raised the ratio of total chlorophyll content to carotenoids. Synthetic auxin caused the decrease of the levels of most parameters compared to the control.

Copper and zinc concentrations of medicinal herbs and soil surrounding ponds on agricultural land

This study measured copper and zinc concentrations in medicinal herbs and soil sampled from three agricultural fields with ponds from mid-June till the end of July 2014. Six herb species were tested: Potentilla anserina L., Mentha arvensis, Achillea millefolium L., Comarum palustre L., Lysimachia vulgaris L., and Lycopus europaeus L. Two of the ponds were in the borough of Jabłonna Lacka and one in the borough of Sabnie. The fields around each pond were divided into transects with three concentric soil moisture sections, each with different soil water contents. Soil and plant samples were taken from each transect to determine the concentrations of copper and zinc by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Despite the use of fertilizers and pesticides in the fields, copper and zinc had not polluted the soil or the plants growing in the soil depressions. Out of the six plants tested, only C. palustre had an increased concentration of zinc. Different farming methods used on the fields affected the concentrations of copper and zinc in the soil of the different depressions. The highest concentrations of these metals were found in the soil of the periodically wet sections.

The effect of Ecklonia maxima extract on Medicago X Varia T. Martyn biomass

In 2013 a field experiment was set up in order to determine the effect of Ecklonia maxima extract on the development of the aboveground biomass of alfalfa (Medicago X Varia T. Martyn). The main experimental factor was a biostimulant based on the extract containing plant hormones. The extract was applied to the experimental units in the form of spraying. The following features were determined in the experiment: plant density, the number of shoots per square meter, dry matter weight per square meter, and the ratio of leaves to the entire biomass. The results were processed statistically with the analysis of variance, while differences between means were verified with Tukey’s test (p ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, the Pearson linear correlation coefficient and the coefficient of determination were calculated in order to determine the relationship between the number of plants and shoots per area unit and biomass weight. Extract application led to an increase in shoot length and density, and the weight of dry matter in individual harvest, but it did not affect plant density and the ratio of alfalfa leaves. However, a decrease of plant density in consecutive years was observed.

THE EFFECT OF SOIL CONDITIONERS ON CELLULOSE, HEMICELLULOSE, AND THE ADL FIBRE FRACTION CONCENTRATION IN DACTYLIS GLOMERATA AND LOLIUM PERENNE

Replicated three times, the research was conducted in the experimental field between 2011 and 2014. Three soil conditioners with the following trade names: UGmax, EkoUżyźniacz, and Humus Active Papka were used in the experiment, separately or together with NPK fertilisers. They were all used on plots sown with two species of grass, Dactylis glomerata of the Bora variety and Lolium perenne of the Info variety. The plant material from both grass species was tested for the concentration of ADL fraction (% DM), cellulose (% DM), and hemicellulose (% DM). It was found that the concentration of cellulose, hemicelluloses, and the ADL fraction was significantly higher in the biomass of Dactylis glomerata than in the biomass of Lolium perenne. The grass from the plot with the UGmax soil conditioner applied had the highest amount of cellulose and hemicellulose. The lowest amount of those organic compounds was found in the grass treated with UGmax together with mineral fertilisers and in plants treated with Humus Active, together with mineral fertilisers. However, the fertilisers and conditioners did not increase the ADL content in both grass species.