Volume 22 (2010): Issue 2 (December 2010)

In 2000-2003, studies were conducted in the Felin Experimental Station at the University of Agriculture in Lublin to evaluate the impact of BA + GA₃ 2.2% (Arbolin 036 SL) and BA + GA₄₊₇ 2.2% and 3.75% (Promalin 3.6 SL) in the form of lanolin paste on the increase of the number of lateral shoots in maiden apple trees of the ‘Šampion’ and ‘Jonica’ cultivars. The growth regulators were found to have a beneficial effect on the branching ability of the maidens of the studied cultivars. ‘Jonica’ showed weaker apical dominance than ‘Šampion’. Young ‘Jonica’ trees had more lateral shoots of greater length than the ‘Šampion’ maidens.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of spraying with Aminoplant on the yield of two spinach cultivars in the spring and autumn cultivations. The experiment was carried out in 2008 and 2009 in the experimental station of the University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland. Three factors were taken into consideration: (1) cultivar: ‘Rembrandt F₁’ and ‘Spiros F₁’; (2) time of cultivation: spring and autumn; (3) dose of Aminoplant: control (without Aminoplant), 1.5 dm³ ha^-1 and 3.0 dm³ ha^-1. The spinach yield was dependent on the time of production and cultivar type, and ranged between 18.6-44.8 t ha^-1. Both cultivars yielded better in autumn cultivation. Spraying with Aminoplant had no effect on spinach yield. Dry matter content in spinach leaves was between 6.3-11.2 g 100 g^-1. Spinach grown in the autumn had a greater content of dry matter in comparison to the spring cultivation. In 2009, ‘Rembrant F₁’ was characterized by greater dry matter content than ‘Spiros F₁’. Aminoplant in a dose of 3.0 dm³ ha^-1 lowered dry matter content in spinach leaves as compared to the control. The nitrate content in spinach was differentiated (558-3506 mg NO₃ kg^-1 f.m.) and depended on the time of cultivation, the cultivar, and the Aminoplant dose.

A field experiment was carried out in central-eastern Poland (52°06’N, 22°55’E) to investigate the effect of a sunflower catch crop used as green manure sown on three different dates (21^st July, 4^th and 18^th August) on sweet corn yield and growth. The ‘Challenger F₁’ and ‘Sweet Wonder F₁’ corn cultivars were cultivated in the first year following organic fertilization. Sunflower was plowed in the third week of October. The effect of the catch crop’s green manure was compared to farmyard manure applied at a dose of 40 t ha^-1 as well as a control without organic manuring. The biomass quantity and the amount of macroelements absorbed with the sunflower catch crop sown on the 21^st of July was similar to the quantity absorbed with farmyard manure applied at a rate of 40 t ha^-1. The quantity of organic mass and macroelements absorbed with the sunflower sown on the 4^th of August was smaller by 20%, and by 50% for the 18^th of August set, compared with the corn treated with farmyard manure. The effects of farmyard manure and sunflower catch crop sown on the 21^st of July on the yield were similar. The marketable yield of cobs of corn plants cultivated following farmyard manure treatment and catch crop sown on the 21^st of July amounted to 12.6 and 12.4 t ha^-1, respectively. An application of sunflower sown as a green manure on the 2^nd and 3^rd date prior to corn cultivation decreased marketable cob yields by 8% and 25% as compared to the farmyard manure. The corn cobs cultivated following the sunflower sown on the 21^st of July and treated with farmyard manure had the greatest mass. The corn cobs cultivated with farmyard manure were characterized by the highest biological productivity (72.1%); similar was the cob production of corn cultivated with catch crops sown on the 21^st of July and the 4^th of August. The ‘Challenger F₁’ and ‘Sweet Wonder F₁’ yields were similar. ‘Challenger F₁’ produced cobs with higher mass whereas ‘Sweet Wonder F₁’ produced cobs characterized by greater biological productivity.

The experiment was carried out in 1999-2001 at the University of Agriculture in Krakow (Poland) to study the capacity of nine crops (red beet, field pumpkin, chicory, bean, barley, white cabbage, maize, alfalfa, and parsnip) to remove cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) from different soil horizons (0-20, 20-40, 40-60 cm). The content of exchangeable Cd, Pb, and Zn decreased along with the depth in the soil profile. Red beet cultivation reduced the exchangeable Cd content in the soil by 10.3% and by 8.6% in field pumpkin, barley and maize cultivation in the 0-20 cm horizon. White cabbage and maize decreased Cd in the 20-40 cm horizon by 40.0 and 28.8%, respectively. White cabbage was found to be the most effective in removing Pb from the soil profile. Common bean, maize, and alfalfa reduced exchangeable Pb in two upper horizons of the soil: 0-20 and 20-40 cm. After field pumpkin cultivation, the decrease in Pb contamination in the 0-20 cm horizon was 7.4%. White cabbage and chicory reduced exchangeable Zn content in the surface horizon by 21.5 and 14.1%, respectively. According to their efficiency in metal reduction, maize and red beet may be indicated as potential removers of Cd, cabbage and field pumpkin, of Pb, and cabbage, of Zn.

A study of the influence of intercropping broad bean with phacelia on the occurrence of weevils and broad bean beetles was conducted in the years 2006-2009. The harmfulness of Sitona spp. beetles feeding on the leaves (the number of U-shape notches and the number of damaged leaves) and the harmfulness of the larvae, as well as the feeding on the broad bean root nodules was taken into account. The harmfulness of the broad bean beetle was determined by assessing the condition of the seeds. The influence of phacelia on the presence of weevils (Sitona) and broad bean beetles (Bruchus rufimanus) as broad bean pests was not observed. A smaller amount of broad bean seeds damaged by the broad bean beetle was determined only in some of the years of the study in the plots in which the phacelia was intercropped with broad bean.

Portulaca umbraticola Kunth stem cuttings were treated with BA or BA and NAA in different concentrations. BA was applied by spraying or by the quick-dip method. Independent of application type, in almost all of the treatments BA and BA applied with NAA increased the percentage of rooted cuttings, but had no effect on the number of roots, apart from BA in the 0.5 g dm^-3 concentration, which doubled the root number. Treatment with BA alone resulted in more intensive axillary shoot development, although only in one concentration (0.2 g dm^-3) did BA significantly influence the number and length of lateral shoots. BA applied together with NAA had no effect or inhibited lateral shoot development.

After measurement, rooted cuttings were planted in pots in order to assess subsequent plant growth. Our data indicated that the positive effect of BA on shoot development disappeared during the subsequent cultivation of the plants. BA alone applied by spraying did not influence the number and length of initial and secondary lateral shoots, whereas BA applied with NAA negatively influenced the length of initial lateral shoots as well as the number and length of secondary lateral shoots.

The aim of this study is to examine the influence of activated charcoal on the seed germinating ability and seedling development of Zygostates grandiflora (Lindl.) Mansf. in in vitro culture. The seeds were obtained from a sterilised orchid capsule. They were sown on a Murashige and Skoog medium + indoleacetic acid (1.5 mg dm^-3) and benzylaminopurine (2.0 mg dm^-3) without the addition of activated charcoal and on a medium that contained 1.0 and 3.0 g dm^-3 activated charcoal, respectively, for 18 months. Initial differences in seed germination were observed after nine months since the beginning of the in vitro culture. The addition of activated charcoal had a positive influence on protocorm size and development. The results of this research were confirmed after 12 and 18 months of in vitro culture, where an intensive development of leaf and aerial roots occurred on a medium that contained the highest concentration of activated charcoal, i.e. 3.0 g dm^-3 as a supplement. The statistical analysis showed that the asymbiotic method of orchid propagation in in vitro culture could be used for Z. grandiflora, and that the addition of activated charcoal into the medium improved this method.

A survey was carried out on 38 commercial and experimental stone fruit orchards located in major growing areas of stone fruit trees in Poland to determine the incidence of lesser known viruses and phytoplasmas. Leaf samples from 145 sweet cherry and 102 sour cherry trees were tested for Little cherry virus 1 (LChV-1), Little cherry virus 2 (LChV-2), Cherry green ring mottle virus (CGRMV), Cherry mottle leaf virus (CMLV), and Cherry necrotic rusty mottle virus (CNRMV) using RT-PCR. Sixty samples collected from peach and 20 apricot trees were also tested for CGRMV. Eleven out of 145 sweet cherry and three out of 102 sour cherry trees were infected by LChV-1. CGRMV was detected in 10 sweet cherry, four sour cherry, 14 peach and two apricot trees. No LChV-2, CMLV and CNRMV were detected in any of the tested trees. Phloem tissue from samples of shoots collected from 145 sweet cherry, 102 sour cherry, 128 peach, 37 apricot, five nectarine and 20 European as well as Japanese plum trees were tested for phytoplasmas. The nested PCR of the extracted DNA with universal and specific primer pairs showed the presence of phytoplasmas in six sweet cherry, three sour cherry, nine peach, four apricot, one nectarine and three Japanese plum trees. The RFLP patterns of 16S rDNA fragments after digestion with RsaI, MseI, AluI, and SspI endonucleases indicated that selected stone fruit trees were infected by two distinct phytoplasmas belonging to the apple proliferation group. The stone fruit trees infected by LChV-1, CGRMV and phytoplasmas were grown in orchards localised in all seven regions

A field experiment on fennel growing (Foeniculum vulgare var. azoricum Mill.) was conducted at the Experimental Farm of the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, on a grey-brown podzolic soil. The experiment included the following factors: three kinds of covers - soil covering with black polyethylene film (PE 0.05 mm), soil covering with black polypropylene non-woven fabric (PP 50 g m^-2) and flat covering of plants with white polypropylene non-woven fabric (PP 17 g m^-2); three sowing terms - April, May, June; two fennel cultivars - ‘Rudy F₁’ and ‘Zefa Fino’. Soil mulching with PP50 and, to a slightly lesser degree, black PE, caused an increase in the total and marketable yield of fennel bulbs and had a favourable effect on the yield structure. The lowest yield, with the highest share of non-marketable bulbs, was obtained following plant covering with PP17. The bulbs were the largest in the experimental treatments with PP50 mulching. The smallest bulbs were harvested following PP17 plant covering. For fennel growing, the most favourable sowing time was April. The lowest yield was obtained from the June sowings. The cultivars studied did not vary in terms of yield level and structure. The bulbs of the ‘Zefa Fino’ cultivar were longer and more slender than those of the ‘Rudy F₁’ cultivar

In the years 1997-2008, 131 water samples were analysed. The concentration of N-NH₄, N-NO₃, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Cl, S-SO₄, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, and HCO₃ - was measured. In addition, the pH value and the electrolytic conductivity (EC) were determined and the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) was calculated. The assessment of water was done on the basis of the classifications of water for the irrigation of greenhouse crops grown in soil or traditional media. According to guide values, water samples had to have high concentration of ions, especially HCO₃, Mg, Na and K. The questioned quality in about one half of the water indicates that the limits proposed by different researchers are too restrictive. The criteria to be met by water admissible for irrigation and fertigation should take into consideration the regional differences in water characteristics. The adaptation of recommendations elaborated on the basis of analyses originating from other geographical and geological regions can lead to the elimination of waters possessing favourable quality parameters. For irrigation of field and greenhouse crops, the following concentrations of components in water might be recommended as safe ones: 30 mg N-NO₃, 100 mg K, 150 mg Ca, 50 mg Mg, 100 mg Na, 100 mg Cl and 100 mg S-SO₄ in 1 dm³. For soilless culture fertigation in an open system, the maximum ion concentrations in water cannot exceed the recommended ones in the nutrient solution for the given plant. Also, the EC value should be taken into consideration.

The development of the art of garden design has brought about the emergence of naturalistic or ecological gardens. This paper presents a brief historical overview of this period in gardening, and provides examples of contemporary applications. Plants can function as absorbents of metals and therefore there is also the possibility of their practical application in techniques for purifying the environment from metallic contamination. An urgent need to create collections of this unique wild plant material has been stressed. Naturalistic gardens designed in appropriate areas have been proposed as an adequate form of setting up in vivo collections composed of numerous native taxa.