<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>The constructivist approach is based on the idea that knowledge can never be passed from one person to another. The only way to acquire knowledge is to create or construct them. The constructivist approach changes also the role of the teacher in the educational process, the task of them is to organize the environment so that the student himself can construct the cognitive forms that teacher wants to give him. In the paper, the nature of the constructivist approach is identified, different aspects regarding mathematics education are analysed as well as the potential impact on the development of mathematical competences in the context of sustainable development is discussed. The study process and learning methods appropriate to constructivist approach also were studied. In order to illustrate the need for a constructivist approach in mathematics education, the survey of students from Latvia University of Life Science and Technologies (LLU) and Riga Technical University (RTU) were carried out, the results of which proved that mathematics learning at universities has to be changed. The current study proved that the constructivist approach radically changes the process of teaching and learning mathematics, connecting it with daily life, rather than teaching only abstract formulas and using a creative approach to mathematical tasks solving. This study shows that using constructivist approach to the teaching of mathematics, the competences needed for sustainable development are boosted.</abstract>

A Constructivist Approach to the Teaching of Mathematics to Boost Competences Needed for Sustainable Development

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>Milk composition is of prime economic importance for farmers. Milk total proteins are composed of casein, whey proteins and non-protein nitrogen. The objective of this work was to establish milk crude protein, non-protein nitrogen (NPN) and urea content in dairy cow milk produced in different farms in Latvia. Cow milk samples (n=30) were collected in September 2012 from four different farms breeding diverse cow breeds. Average crude protein, casein and urea content in milk varied significantly among farms. NPN content in cow milk varies among farms - from 0.194% to 0.232%. Average crude protein and casein content was significantly higher (p&lt;0.05) for Latvia Brown breed cows, while NPN content did not differ significantly among breeds. Regression between NPN and urea content in milk was R² = 0.458. Correlation between NPN and urea content was significant (r = 0.677). This study allowed establishing that crude protein and NPN content in milk varied significantly (p&lt;0.05) in farms with differing dairy cow housing and feeding technologies</abstract>

Crude Protein and Non-protein Nitrogen Content in Dairy Cow Milk

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>In rural Kazakhstan, the credit and insurance services are limited and the state support is weak. Therefore, households’ saving is crucial to provide an insurance against the economic and social shocks. The main goal of this study is to contribute to the literature on financial literacy in emerging economies, namely, the effect of financial literacy on saving rates of rural population. Being well educated not always means to be financial literate and make efficient decisions regarding one’s own finance. People with a lower formal education level but with better experience in consuming financial products could be better prepared for making financial decisions including those related to savings. In this paper other socio-economic determinants of saving rates were taken into account, such as an income level, family size and an employment status. This research was carried out in Pavlodar region of Kazakhstan, and the data collection took place in spring 2014. In total, 405 households were surveyed. Results of the analysis show that if a respondent gives at least one correct answer, it positively affects the saving rates as well as one can observe that the higher the financial literacy level, the higher are the saving rates. Availability of state supported financial education programs for rural people will significantly contribute to the financial literacy improvement. At the same time, providing various and appropriate financial products in rural areas will motivate rural people to search for new knowledge and require authorities to intensify activities in this field.</abstract>

Financial Literacy of Rural Population as a Determinant of Saving Behavior in Kazakhstan

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>This study examined the livelihood strategies and food security situation of rural households around Derba Cement Factory by taking a randomly selected sample of 215 heads of farm households from three rural kebeles. A mixed research approach was employed to triangulate concurrently collected data through household survey, key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Informed by the sustainable rural livelihood framework, descriptive statistics were used to describe rural households’ livelihood strategies and challenges they faced while inferential statistics was employed to explain households’ food security situations with different livelihood combinations. While mixed farming was found to be the mainstay of the household economy, small-scale irrigation and extracting forest products were also used as supplementary economic activities. More than a half of the respondents (52.5%) reported at least one non-farm activity. Land shortage was identified as a major constraint to expand crop production and this was further aggravated by the activities (e.g. querying leading to displacement) of the Derba Cement Factory. This further affected household labor allocation and natural resources utilization. The result of household food (in) security access scale indicated that 59% of the respondents have experienced food access insecurity in 2016. However, respondents who combined agriculture and non-farm activities appeared relatively more food secure than those engaged in agriculture alone or in non-farm activity only. Overall, households with multiple livelihood strategies had diverse food entitlements to maintain sustainable food consumption. Yet, necessity induced diversification was found to affect food access security of households. This calls for inclusive policies and strategies that integrate rural non-farm activities to subsistence farming in order to assure sustainable livelihood in rural communities.</abstract>

Rural Livelihood Strategies and Household Food Security of Farmers Surrounding Derba Cement Factory, Oromia Region, Ethiopia

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> The aim of the study was to evaluate cocoa beans quality produced in Cameroon, Ecuador, Nigeria and Ghana from safety position determining heavy and trace metals concentration and evaluating the oxidative stability of confectionery products prototypes (trials) with analysing cocoa beans. For evaluation of oxidative stability of confectionery products, the main ingredients - butter and cocoa beans kernels were tested making trials as milk chocolate prototype. The composition of confectionery ingredients affects quality of products; therefore it is very important to evaluate quality of raw materials in confectionery industry, as they are purchased practically in all regions of the world. Mercury, arsenic, lead, cadmium concentration was determined in whole cocoa beans as their presence in foods have toxic effect on human beings and their concentration are strictly limited as maximum residue limits for processing. Cocoa shells can be used as additive to confectionery products recipes therefore the object of the study was cocoa beans and cocoa shells. Analyzing cocoa beans quality indices there was established that lead, cadmium, aluminium and zinc concentrations vary in cocoa beans significantly. Differences in lead concentration in cocoa beans from Ghana, Cameroon and Ecuador were significant (p &lt; 0.05) compared with concentration of lead in cocoa beans from Nigeria (p &gt; 0.05). Cadmium concentration in cocoa beans from Cameroon was significantly different comparing with cocoa beans from Nigeria, Ecuador and Ghana (p &gt; 0.05). Differences in aluminium concentration in cocoa beans kernels were significant (p &lt; 0.05) in all analyzed samples. Concentration of zinc was higher in shells of cocoa beans, especially in shells of cocoa beans from Ecuador (p &lt; 0.05). The presence of cocoa products in milk chocolate prototypes inhibited the speed of lipid peroxidation. The different trace and heavy metals concentrations in cocoa beans should be taken into account choosing ingredients and components for confectionary products production particularly those with high content of cocoa (chocolates, sweets, cocoa fillings, cocoa creams and others) with the aim to prevent oxidation process during shelf-life of products.</abstract>

The Effect of Cocoa Beans Heavy and Trace Elements on Safety and Stability of Confectionery Products

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>Apple fruit rot can be caused by several fungi. In Northern Europe, the most common storage rot, Bull’s eye rot, is caused by <italic>Neofabraea</italic> spp., bitter rot by <italic>Colletotrichum</italic> spp., brown rot by <italic>Monilinia fructigena</italic>, grey mould is caused by <italic>Botrytis cinerea</italic> and <italic>Fusarium</italic> rot by several <italic>Fusarium</italic> species. Blue mold decay caused by <italic>Penicillium expansum</italic> is an important disease in several European countries. Incidence of different causal agents may vary depending on cultivar, climate during growing season and agricultural practices. The main objective of the study was to obtain baseline information about apple rot-causing fungi, their incidence during fruit storage and to evaluate the fungicide sensitivity of most of isolated fungal species. The study was performed during the storage period of apples after the growth season of 2013. Rotten apples were sorted in the storage and part of them was brought to the laboratory in order to obtain fungal isolates. Fungi were identified according to the morphological characteristics and sequencing of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region. During storage in February and March the total percentage of rotten apples in various cultivars varied from 3.6 to 58.9%. All post-harvest diseases described in Northern Europe were detected. In part of the storehouses apple rot caused by <italic>Cadophora luteo-olivacea</italic> was observed. <italic>Alternaria</italic> spp. and <italic>Cladosporium</italic> spp. were detected on few apples as secondary infection agents. Using the most often isolated fungal species, sensitivity tests were performed against five commonly used fungicides. In general, the sensitivity of tested fungi to the fungicides was high with exception of several <italic>Neofabraea</italic> and <italic>Alternaria</italic> isolates.</abstract>

Fungi Causing Storage Rot of Apple Fruit in Integrated Pest Management System and their Sensitivity to Fungicides

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
Globally, food systems are the most significant cause of environmental change; therefore, efforts to create more environmentally sustainable food systems are presented. One of the directions is strengthening the local actors and short food supply chains. Simultaneously, changes in farming systems are needed, and organic agriculture is one of the ways to make food systems more environmentally sustainable. Despite the abundance of research on the environmental consciousness of consumers in short food supply chains, the question is raised whether local food chain farmers are also committed to environmental sustainability. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the importance of environmental sustainability to organic short food supply chain actors. More specifically, the research depicts the views of organic farmers and consumers and their relation to the actual environmental sustainability of short food supply chains. During the research, a specific short food supply chain – a direct purchasing network – was explored. A qualitative approach was applied to reach the aim. Thus, in-depth interviews and observations were used as a research method. The research results demonstrated the views of farmers and consumers of the specific network regarding environmental sustainability aspects in the network. In the research, such environmental aspects as the circularity of resources, biodiversity, chemicals in the environment, seasonality and locality of diets, and the distance (food miles) were admitted as crucial ones by the specific short food supply chain actors. The differences in opinions of consumers and farmers emerged when thinking about the scale of their views.
</abstract>

Environmental Sustainability Aspects in Short Food Supply Chains: the Views of Organic Farmers and Consumers

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
This research in progress paper investigates the multifaceted factors shaping the work-related attitudes of top managers in organizations with a focus on Germany. Through in-depth interviews with seasoned experts, it reveals crucial work attitudes, examines the impact of interpersonal and procedural factors, and evaluates information’s role in the principal-agent relationship at top management levels. The findings challenge conventional assumptions, providing different perspectives on leadership and highlighting the evolving nature of management practices in the digital age. The study also explores potential differences between top IT managers and other C-level roles, investigating their implications.
The results of this research based on expert interviews are used in a broader context of research to triangulate literature analysis findings and quantitative surveys in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of factors influencing top managers’ work attitudes. Semi-structured expert interviews were conducted to gain a comprehensive perspective on the influencing factors of work attitudes in top management functions. Six German experts participated, bringing diverse backgrounds and affiliations with professional associations. Despite varied perspectives, universal importance was identified in key work attitudes, challenging assumptions of significant differences between employer and employee representatives. A novel contrast between hierarchical and broader perspectives within owner and worker associations emerged, suggesting a need for a more comprehensive understanding of management approaches. Additionally, interpersonal factors in leadership, information flow, trust-building, were highlighted as contributions. Furthermore, distinctions and commonalities between IT management and other top managerial roles were identified. This study both confirms existing knowledge and introduces valuable insights to management science, potentially shaping future research and practices.
</abstract>

Factors Influencing Work-Related Attitudes of Top Managers: An Expert Perspective

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
The objective of this research was to study potential pests of Japanese quince (<italic>Chaenomeles japonica</italic>) plantations in Latvia. Studies were carried out in eight plantations during 2017–2019. Major pests that would regularly cause significant yield losses for this plant were not observed. Black-veined white (<italic>Aporia crataegi</italic>) was considered a local pest, mass outbreaks of which can occur in individual plantations and cause significant losses of plant foliage. Four species were considered minor pests: garden chafer (<italic>Phyllopertha horticola</italic>), yellow-banded weevil (<italic>Chlorophanus viridis</italic>), silver-green weevil (<italic>Phyllobius argentatus</italic>) and copse snail (<italic>Arianta arbustorum</italic>); they are also pests of plant foliage. The European red spider mite (<italic>Panonychus ulmi</italic>) was not considered as a pest of Japanese quince. A small population was observed in summers only in one plantation, which was located next to a heavily infested orchard. Overwintering eggs were not found on the plants in any year, and we concluded that the species was an accidental immigrant in this plantation. No aphid (Aphididae) colonies were observed on the quince plants. Monitoring and evaluation of potential harmfulness of four tortrix moths – large fruit-tree tortrix (<italic>Archips podana</italic>), rose tortrix (<italic>Archips rosana</italic>), codling moth (<italic>Cydia pomonella</italic>) and holly tortrix (<italic>Rhopobota naevana</italic>) – was done. It was concluded that rose tortrix is a minor fruit pest, but the other three species were not yet considered pests of Japanese quince. Significant pests of quince flowers and fruits were not detected in our study.
</abstract>

Studies on Potential Pests of Japanese Quince (<italic>Chaenomeles japonica</italic> (Thunb.) Lindl. ex Spach) in Latvia

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
Pesticides have been used for a long time in agriculture to prevent the growth of undesired organisms. However, depending on the type of production (i.e., conventional, organic, and regenerative), they might not be applied. Adequate types and uses of pesticides should not cause any damage to any non-target species or environments due to the exposure to it, especially if all farming operations have been done properly. Reversely, when pesticides are applied in inappropriate time, amount or technique, they may cause several impacts, among which is water contamination. Brazil stands out worldwide for its agricultural potential, but it is exposed to risks concerning the water supply security to its population. The current study is a comparison of the Maximum Permissible Concentrations (MPC) for pesticides in potable water supply in Brazil with the values set in the United States, Canada, European Union countries, Japan, and the guidelines issued by the World Health Organization. The regulations of each country were used, as well as the trading, consumption and agricultural production data. The Brazilian regulation is the one accounting for the largest number of pesticides. However, their MPC is 5,000 times more permissible than that from the European Union for the herbicide known as glyphosate, 300 times than that for 2,4-d and 20 times than that for atrazine. Finally, it was possible to observe the relevance of revising the regulation and public policies in place to minimize the indiscriminate use of pesticides in Brazil and adapt these compounds to the standards in a global level.
</abstract>

A Comparison of Maximum Permissible Concentrations for Pesticides in Brazilian Water Supply

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
Poverty alleviation, employment creation, environmental conservation and income augmentation can be transformed based on agricultural diversification. Lotus farming is considered as a solution to improve income and livelihood for smallholder farmers. Many different products and values can be explored from lotus farming including lotus flower, lotus root, lotus seed, lotus fiber, as well as combining ecotourism. But many barriers are preventing the lotus products diversification of lotus growers. This study will provide a better understanding of lotus farming and explore the barriers to lotus products diversification and causes of these barriers. Phong Dien district, central Vietnam was selected as a case study. The qualitative research was applied through 54 semi-structured interviews including lotus growers, lotus buyers and officers of local government, as well as one focus-group discussion, observation method and secondary data from statistical data and reports were also conducted. The research findings indicated that there is a big gap between lotus products diversification of lotus growers and available lotus products on the market. Lotus growers only grow and sell raw products, of which, fresh unshelled lotus seed is the main product. Lack of knowledge, worries on loss, lack of market and market information, lack of labour and machines and traditional production habits are main determinants of the barriers. Characteristics of lotus seed, high production and monopoly of collectors are different features in barriers to lotus product diversification compared to other crop diversification.
</abstract>

Barriers to agricultural products diversification: An empirical analysis from lotus farming in Central Vietnam

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
A series of initiatives have been adopted in the European Union to address greenhouse gas emissions and establish a society that is resilient to climate change. In response to these initiatives, the implementation of mobility budgets offers a more precise strategy for addressing carbon footprints associated with travel. Prioritizing localized carbon footprint control, mobility budgets are calculated and customized according to distinct regions, goals, and target demographics. When prioritizing the mobility budget as the central objective in municipal transport route planning, the focus should encompass principles of fairness and equity in travel. This entails considering factors such as accessibility, variety of mobility choices, inclusivity of transportation modes, and social justice. Therefore, this article aims to formulate an enhanced activity modelling methodology that would aid data-driven decision-making in municipal transport route planning, while upholding the principles of travel fairness and equity. Тhe results obtained from scrutinizing data related to public bus services and mobile networks are presented. The evaluation of Jelgava’s city transportation network to facilitate mobility budget reduction is undertaken, and this assessment is based on an analysis of data derived from a survey on public transport use coupled with an examination of the city’s mobility budget. The research presents the communication challenges that municipalities will face in planning and implementing changes that are needed to meet the greenhouse gas emission targets and outlines the possible use of visualization tools for modelling, explanation and communication of scenarios.
</abstract>

Municipal Transport Route Planning Based on Fair Mobility Budget

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>Nitrogen management strategy in plant growth period based on chlorophyll content evaluation in plant can improve nitrogen usage efficiency and reduce environmental contamination. This study is aimed to determine the impact of different nitrogen and sulphur fertilizer rates on dynamics of chlorophyll content in winter wheat during vegetative growth and to determine the relationship between nitrogen and chlorophyll content and grain yield of winter wheat. Field trial involving a winter wheat (<italic>Triticum aestivum</italic> L.) variety ‘Kranich’ was conducted at the LUA Research and Study Farm Vecauce during a three-year period (2012-2015). The treatments were 0, 85, 153, 175+S21, 175 (in 2015), 187 N kg ha−1 and different nitrogen norms according to chlorophyll meter Yara N-tester (Konica Minolta Ltd.) data: 180, 150, 205 N kg ha−1 depending on the year. The results of the trial show that the maximum chlorophyll content in different plant parts was observed at the end of flowering stage. The chlorophyll content depended on the level of mineral fertilisation. The highest chlorophyll content in leaves, stems and ears was obtained by using additional sulphur in two trial years. Usage of chlorophyll meter Yara N-tester obtained the highest chlorophyll content in all analyzed plant parts in one trial year. Chlorophyll content was significantly dependant on plant growth stage in stems in all trial years, in leaves in two trial years, and in ears in one year. Nitrogen fertilization significantly affected chlorophyll content in leaves and stems in one trial year. Close positive correlation was observed between grain yield and wheat plant chlorophyll content and average nitrogen concentration at the end of flowering stage in all three trial years.</abstract>

Effect of Nitrogen and Sulphur Fertilization on Chlorophyll Content in Winter Wheat

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>Polyphenol compounds are very important components of cider – they are responsible for the colour and the bitterness and astringency balance of cider. The polyphenolic profile of apples and apple drinks is influenced by several factors: apple variety, climate, maturity, and technological processes applied. This research paper concerns the influence of apple variety on the phenolic compounds and sensory properties of cider. Fermentation of 12 varieties of apple juice with <italic>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</italic> yeast ‘71B-1122’ (Lalvin, Canada) was performed in a laboratory of the Faculty of Food Technology of the Latvia University of Agriculture. The total phenol content (TPC) was determined according to the Folin-Ciocalteu spectrophotometric method. Individual phenolic compounds were analysed using HPLC. Sensory properties (clarity, the apple, fruit and yeast aroma, the apple and yeast taste, sourness, astringency, and bitterness) were evaluated by trained panelists using a line scale. Special attention was paid to the use of dessert apples for the production of cider. The most important sensory properties of cider are the aroma and taste of apples and fruit. All cider samples showed the intensity of apple aroma ranging from 5.3 to 7.6 points, and higher results were obtained for cider from the bvariety ‘Auksis’ apples. The TPC in cider samples varied from 792.68 to 3399.78 mg L-1: Among crab apples, the highest TPC was detected in ciders made from the ‘Hyslop’ and ’Riku’ varieties, whereas among dessert apples, the highest TPC was detected in ciders made from the ‘Antonovka’ variety. Among the twelve phenols identified in cider samples, chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid were the dominating ones. Variation in the sensory properties of ciders was dependent on the physicochemical composition of the apples used.</abstract>

Department of Food Technology, LLU, Liela iela 2, Jelgava LV–3001, Latvia

Department of Chemistry, LLU, Liela iela 2, Jelgava LV–3001, Latvia

Phenolic Composition and Sensory Properties of Ciders Produced from Latvian Apples

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title><italic>Phomopsis vaccinii</italic> cause a serious disease of blueberry, cranberry and other <italic>Vaccinium</italic> crops in the North America and Europe as well. Over 1000 species names are described by <italic>Phomopsis</italic> spp., but their biology and life style are mostly unknown. Identification of <italic>P. vaccinii</italic> by methods of classical phytopathology is difficult and complicate, because many species are morphologically similar to <italic>P. vaccinii</italic>, and <italic>P. vaccinii</italic> itself has diverse patterns of colony morphology. For this investigation <italic>P. vaccinii</italic> isolates were obtained from five cranberry plantations in different locations of Latvia (Babite, Alsunga, Rucava, Ape and Pargauja municipality) from berries affected by viscid rot at harvest and storage in 2010. Altogether 44 <italic>P. vaccinii</italic> isolates were cultivated on potato dextrose agar for description of colony morphology. In order to find some relationships between samples, the isolates were arranged in different groups on the basis of mycelium color and structure (zoning), reverse pigmentation, pycnidium formation time, size, location, number and size of conidia. During this study the colonies of <italic>P. vaccinii</italic> from cranberry in Latvia showed different morphological features in culture and no relationships between growing regions and groups of isolates were found. <italic>P. vaccinii</italic> is easy to confuse with other <italic>Phomopsis</italic> species if only classical phytopathological methods are used.</abstract>

Latvia University of Agriculture, Liela str.2, Jelgava, LV-3001, Latvia

Latvian Plant Protection Research centre, Struktoru str. 14a, Riga, Lv-1039, Latvia

Morphological Diversity of <italic>Phomopsis vaccinii</italic> Isolates from Cranberry (<italic>Vaccinium macrocarpon</italic> Ait.) in Latvia

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
The work states that the strategic guideline for building an effective competitive national transport system and prosperous using Ukrainian multimodal potential is the formation of a regulatory environment for scaling ESG-investment in the context of transformation to a “climate-neutral” economy. The absence of a unified methodology for (assessment) scoring ESG-direction of business as the basis for decision-making on ESG-investment is established in the world and national practice. For the first time, the author’s model of scoring trends and regularities of business development is proposed in accordance with ESG-principles, in contrast to traditional trend dynamic models, which identifies and iteratively conceptualizes processes by the set of ESG-indicator components determined using the cocoupling-analysis toolkit (tools for assessing the cocoupling-effect). A classification of the cocoupling-effect has been developed and each of its types has been characterized. Possible options for ESG-effectiveness of business are identified, which conditionally correspond to the four zones of the ESG-investment decision-making matrix. A research on the expected cocoupling-effect of ESG-investment in the multimodal transportation development is carried out to validate the feasibility of implementation the author’s scoring model for the ESG-direction of business and obtaining realistic results according to the data of the International Energy Agency and the State Statistics Service of Ukraine. An effective measures arsenal of creating the regulatory framework for ESG-investment in the multimodal transportation development is identified and a Roadmap is proposed for their high-quality implementation, which would ensure positive changes in Ukraine’s position in the world ranking of countries by multimodal potential usage efficiency.
</abstract>

Creating a Regulatory Framework for the ESG-investment in the Multimodal Transportation Development

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Rural Sustainability Research

Former: Proceedings of the Latvia University of Agriculture

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 The scientific journal Rural Sustainable Research (ONLINE ISSN 2256-0939) of Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies is a...

Rural Sustainability Research

Former: Proceedings of the Latvia University of Agriculture

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