Miroslav Habán

ANALYSIS OF BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE SUBSTANCES IN BILBERRY (VACCINIUM MYRTILLUS L.) IN SELECTED NATURAL LOCALITIES OF SLOVAK REPUBLIC

The bioactive substances such as total polyphenols, anthocyanins, quercetin, chlorogen acid, pterostilbene and antioxidant activity in samples of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) from different natural localities of the Slovak Republic – Oscadnica and Liesek (northwestern Slovakia), Poprad, Kežmarok, Stara Ľubovňa (northeastern Slovakia) and one sample of blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) from local supermarket was determined.The total of polyphenols ranged from 33772.5 ± 737.99 mg*kg-1 dw (Kežmarok) to 9685.0 ± 958.63 mg*kg-1 dw(supermarket). The content of total antocyanins was detected in a range from 5578.0 mg*kg-1 dw in a sample from the supermarket to 2887.75 mg*kg-1 dw from Kežmarok locality. The highest quercetin content was detected in the sample from Liesek locality (6.79 ± 0.36 mg*kg-1 dw), then in Stara Ľubovňa (6.03 ± 0.31 mg*kg-1 dw) and Kežmarok (5.83 ± 0.39 mg*kg-1 dw), respectively. The content of chlorogenic acid ranged from 53.19 ± 1.33 mg*kg-1 dw to 5.20 ± 0.16 mg*kg-1 dw. Higher amounts were detected in samples harvested from Poprad locality and the order follows: Poprad > Kežmarok > Stara Ľubovňa > Oscadnica > supermarket > Liesek. The content of pterostilben varied between 2.162 ± 0.217 mg*g -1 dwin the sample from the supermarket and 1.274 ± 0.312 mg*g -1 dw in the sample from Stara Ľubovňa. The highest values of antiradical activity were found in the sample from Kežmarok (81.180 ± 2.020 % inhibition). Based on these measures a conclusion is that geographical location of bilberry harvest was functional in relation to levels of bioactive substances, plus other factors such as weather, ripeness and harvest technique may have a contributory role. From these results, it can be determined, that bilberry contains a significant 357 Journal of Central European Agriculture, 2013, 14(3), p.357-366 DOI: 10.5513/JCEA01/14.3.1328 357 Journal of Central European Agriculture, 2013, 14(3), p.357-366 DOI: 10.5513/JCEA01/14.3.1328 357 Journal of Central European Agriculture, 2013, 14(3), p.357-366 DOI: 10.5513/JCEA01/14.3.1328 357 Journal of Central European Agriculture, 2013, 14(3), p.357-366 DOI: 10.5513/JCEA01/14.3.1328volume of bioactive substances – highly effective during preventive and supportive therapy of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus and others.

Intake of bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) reduced risk factors for cardiovascular disease by inducing favorable changes in lipoprotein profiles

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading causes of death, and lifestyle modification, including dietary changes, is recommended to improve this condition. In this study, regular consumption of bilberries was hypothesized to have beneficial effects on CVD risk reduction, by changes in human health indicators such as decreasing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides (TGs) and increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The research involved women (n=25) and men (n=11) who consumed 150 g of frozen stored bilberries 3 times a week for 6 weeks. Anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, lipid profile, glucose, liver enzymes, creatinine, albumin, magnesium, and antiradical activity were measured. Except for the body mass index of women (P=.019), no significant changes were found for anthropometric indicators. The consumption of bilberries led to a decrease in the following parameters: total cholesterol (P=.017), LDL-C (P=.0347), TG (P=.001), glucose (P=.005), albumin (P=.001), γ-glutamyltransferase (P=.046), and a positive increase in HDL-C (P=.044). In men, additionally, favorable changes were observed in total cholesterol (P=.004), glucose (P=.015), albumin (P=.028), aspartate aminotransferase (P=.012), γ-glutamyltransferase (P=.013), and HDL-C (P=.009; in this group, LDL-C increased [P=.007]). Changes in other parameters were not significant, for both women and men. Thus, the regular intake of bilberries can be important to reduce CVDs risk, by decreasing LDL-C/TG and increasing HDL-C.

The Impact of Multifunctional Crop Rotation on the Yield of Milk Thistle Fruits in the Years 2012 – 2015

Milk thistle can be an annual, rarely a biennial medicinal plant. Polyfactorial field experiment was established during the vegetation period of the years 2012–2015. Three evaluated factors were as follows: crop residues – intercrop – fertilization. Milk thistle was integrated to four crop rotation design with following order of crops: 1. common pea 2. winter wheat 3. milk thistle 4. maize. Milk thistle was subjected to the experimental treatments as follows: 1. K – straw of forecrop removed from the field, R – straw incorporated into soil, 2. M – white mustard as a freezing-out intercrop, B – no intercrop, 3. O – no fertilization, F – with fertilization, 4. experimental year (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015). The recalculated yield of Silybi mariani fructus ranged in the amount from 297 kg*ha-1 (RMO treatment – with crop residues, with intercrop and without the use of fertilizers, year 2015) to 745 kg*ha-1 (KMF treatment – without crop residues, with intercrop and the use of fertilizers, year 2013). Statistical testing of individual factors found highly significant effect of year and highly significant effect of fertilization, and statistically inconclusive effect of sowing intercrop and ploughing crop residues. In the experiment was found a statistically significant difference between yield on the treatments without fertilization and the use of mineral fertilizers.

WOOD ASH FERTILIZATION OF ENERGY PLANT BASKET WILLOW (SALIX VIMINALIS L.)

Abstract Energetic utilization of wood biomass obtained from fast-growing woody plants nowadays records more important capability. The article discusses the issue of research using wood ash as a solid waste from the boiler while burning biomass and the intensification of short-rotation coppice basket willow - common osier (Salix viminalis L.) for energy use as a renewable energy source. The purpose of the article is to show the importance of basket willow (Salix viminalis L.) as a short-rotation coppice with the emphasis of its production and remedial effects. The examined varieties of willow can be ordered according to their suitability for the conditions of southern Slovakia as follows: 1. ULV (52.5 t.ha-1); 2. ORM (41.3 t.ha-1); 3. RAPP (24.3 t.ha-1). In terms of planting organization, better results were achieved in planting space B in single rows (41.8 t.ha-1) than in planting space A as double row system (36.9 t.ha-1). According to the Slovak Republic legislation, it is allowed to use wood ash only for the scientific purposes. We assume that the results obtained within this project will be applied in the modification of legislative framework to enable the use of wood ash for applying nutrients at least in energetic plants cultivation.