Smallholder dairy farmers in developing countries face many feed constraints such as inadequate feed quality and quantity, poor storage facilities for feed conservation as well as insufficient water. However, feeding of livestock continues to pose many problems due to lack of information on composition and utilization of locally available feed resources. These problems are aggravated by lack of access to and high cost of feed inputs. The use of cheap and readily available local feed resources has great potential to increase livestock productivity. The East African Dairy Development project in Kenya, through use of various participatory rapid appraisal tools conducted a rapid appraisal study of three project areas. The objective was to assess feeds and feeding practices in smallholder dairy systems, identify feed resources available year round and where the gaps are as well as to determine what practices are available for improving production and utilization of feed resources in order to raise smallholder dairy production. Established opportunities for improvement include on-farm production and utilization of fodder, efficient storage, processing and utilization of crop residues, pasture improvement, appropriate water harvesting technologies, formulation of feed rations amongst small scale farmers, small scale feed conservation as well as development of fodder markets. Given the complex farming system within which smallholder farmers operate, changes are needed in both the technologies used for improving feeds and feeding systems and in the institutional and policy arrangements surrounding feed supply. In addition, technical interventions need to be developed in a participatory manner along with farmers and other stakeholders within the system to make them relevant and sustainable.

Sub-Saharan African goats with an estimated population of 180 millions are major asset for farmer communities in a range of agro-ecological zones. This study was undertaken to determine the genetic diversity in and differentiation of relationships among 18 populations of goats from Uganda (4), Tanzania (5), Kenya (2), Mozambique (2), Nigeria (3), Mali (1) and Guinea Bissau (1). Heterozygosity, estimates of FST, genetic diversity and distances were performed using data from 11 microsatellite DNA loci. Expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.450 in Guinea Bissau population to 0.541 in Mbeya population (Tanzania), while the observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.441 in Pafuri population (Mozambique) to 0.560 in Sebei population (Uganda). Mean number of alleles (MNA) per population ranged from 3.82 to 5.91. Gene differentiation (FST) among populations was low (5.3%), a result confirmed by genetic distances (DA). Our results reveal that genetic relationships between populations reflect their geographical proximity rather than morphological classification.

Environmental conditions and climate change on a global scale affects the overall agriculture and food supply. Consumers demand for vegetables with high nutritional value is increasing. Consumers more and more are thinking about a healthy and balanced diet, but it is not easy to provide year-round fresh vegetables. Nettle (Urtica) leaves traditionally are used in early spring as a leafy vegetable in salads and soups. Young leaves before flowering are used for human consumption. Nettle contains a lot of vitamins and biologically active compounds. The research aim was to evaluate different stinging nettle clones, which grow in Pūre village (Tukuma district, Latvia). Samples were collected, when shoots were 10 – 15 cm long. Content of chlorophyll, carotenoids and anthocyanins in five nettle clones leaves were analysed. Biochemical analysis was done in Latvia University of Agriculture, Institute of Soil and Plant Science laboratory. Differences were observed between all clones. Significant difference between genotypes was observed in anthocyanins content, but not in chlorophylls and carotenoids content. Higher anthocyanins content was observed in samples, which grow in places with low nitrogen and phosphorus content. Content of biochemical compounds can influence some metal ions, environmental and other factors.

The aim of this article was to provide an overview on the current status of fruit tree diseases caused by Pseudomonas syringae, their importance and distribution, epidemiology and control possibilities with emphasis on plums and cherry. The plant diseases caused by Pseudomonas syringae are economically important and occur worldwide on large diversity of plants. On stone fruits, diseases caused by different pathovars of Pseudomonas syringae are economically important in major fruit growing regions. The severity of damages and economic importance depends on the geographical region, host plant species and pathovar of P. syringae involved in the disease. Bacterial canker induced by P. syringae pv. syringae on all commercially grown stone fruit species and by pv. morsprunorum predominantly on cherries and plums is considered to be the most serious one. Bacterial decline caused by P. syringae pv. persicae is severe on nectarine and peach. Despite the wide spread and economic importance in the most stone fruit growing areas the diseases caused by Pseudomonas syringae in some areas, e.g. Baltic States, are poorly studied, and the data on distribution and pathovars involved in the diseases observed are still missing.

The number of grape (Vitis sp.) cultivars is increasing every year, the focus point of recent grapevine studies are heading to producing high quality fruits for producing quality wine. A field trial with cultivar ‘Zilga’ was established in 2007 at the Estonian University of Life Sciences and in 2010 in a greenhouse. ‘Zilga’ is one of the well adopted cultivars in Estonia, which has been used mostly for producing wine and grown in open field conditions. The aim of the present experiment was to find out the yield maturity parameters of cultivar ‘Zilga’ for red wine in Estonian conditions. Data was collected from the year 2011 to 2013. The bunch weight and °Brix were determined from fresh materials, but all the other biochemical parameters were determined from frozen (-20 °C) grapes. The recommended content (20 °Brix) of soluble solids was not obtained in open field conditions, but reached to 24.1 °Brix in greenhouse conditions in 2013. Titratable acids content was higher than recommended values, ranging from 1.4 to 1.6 mg 100 gE-1 in open field and showing the lowest content (1.2 mg 100 gE-1) in greenhouse conditions. Maturity index values ranged from 117 to 224, and the optimum was reached in two years from three. The highest total phenolics content, 293 mg 100 gE-1 was obtained in 2011, while anthocyanin content was significantly increased in 2013.

Field trials were carried out at Jõgeva Plant Breeding Institute in 2008 – 2011 to identify the possibilities of using early red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) ‘Jõgeva 433’ (diploid), Washington lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus Lind.) ‘Lupi’ and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) as green manure. Fresh material of the above species was ploughed into the soil in autumn of the sowing year. Fertilizer value was quantified through yield and grain quality of spring wheat ‘Vinjett’ and barley ‘Inari’. The composition and amount of ploughed biomass were recorded. By the time of ploughing, Washington lupine had produced the most abundant biomass. >From studied species crimson clover had the lowest fertilizer value – only by 6–7% extra yield of spring wheat in the following year. Crimson clover had no residual effect of fertilization in the second year. The fertilizer values of red clover and Washington lupine were approximately equal. Their effect on yield increase of spring wheat and barley lasted for three years, on grain quality for two years. Red clover, ploughed into the soil in the year of sowing, resulted in maximum spring wheat yield increase of 23.9%, compared with N 0 treatments; that of Washington lupine was 21.3%. The residual positive effect in the second year quantified as barley production increased by 6.2% in Washington lupine and 7.9% in red clover. The yield increase in the third year was 3.9% and 12.1%, respectively. Green manure increased the contents of crude protein and gluten in spring wheat and crude protein content in barley.

Biogas production from organic wastes is gaining popularity, especially in agriculture, which produces high quantities of organic wastes suitable for anaerobic digestion. Digestate is the valuable by-product of the biogas production that is considered as a valuable fertilizer. The objectives of the experiment conducted from 2012 to 2013 at the Estonian University of Life Sciences were to compare the impact of biogas digestate, undigested (raw) cattle slurry, and inorganic nitrogen fertilizer on grass yield and to assess the fertilizer value of digestate produced from different feedstock. Fertilizers were applied to the grassland rich in low grasses by broadcasting in quantities according to the nitrogen rate of 180 kg haE-1 in three split applications. The application rate of organic fertilizers was calculated based on NH4 -N content. Grassland yield was determined on four treatments: (i) control (no fertilizer was applied), (ii) mineral N-fertilizer (NH4 NO3), (iii) cattle slurry and (iv) cattle slurry digestate. Grass yield was measured three times during the growing period. Our research showed that digestate when applied based on its NH4 -N content is effective fertilizer in grassland. It could be used as a substitute for mineral-N fertilizer, but its efficiency is slightly lower when compared to cattle slurry, due to its lower application amount resulting in lower nutrient and organic matter amount applied to the grassland. Co-digestion of cattle slurry with solid manure, hay and silage does not decrease digestate fertilizer value in grassland, because the addition of other substrate increases digestate DM content.

One of most important traits in dairy farming is cow (Bos primigenius taurus) longevity. In last few years the length of productive life in Latvian dairy cow population significantly decreased. Cow longevity depends on a large amount of genetic and non-genetic factors. Data from 1037 excluded Latvian brown (LB) breed cows were included in the analysis. Cows were born in the period from the year 2002 to 2006 and a farm size was 9 – 163 cows per farm. Farms were dislocated in all main regions of Latvia. Average life length of cows excluded from the herd was 2463.0 days in small farms, 2234.6 days in medium size farms and 2089.5 days in large farms. Cows’ productivity in one life day in small farms was 5.9 kg energy corrected milk (ECM), in medium size farms 6.2 kg ECM and in large farms 6.5 kg ECM. Large farm cows had longer life length in days (p is less than 0.05), but higher productivity in one productive day (p is less than 0.05) and productivity in one life day.