The author examines the ecological impact of technology transfer in rural development. He says that developing countries like the Philippines face many problems resulting from the manipulations in ecosystems as a result of technology transfer. For example, the use of chemicals to protect new rice varieties has resulted in environmental hazards. He further says that developing countries face conflicting choice whether to promote their development or sacrifice ecological aims. To resolve the conflict of technology transfer creating havoc to the ecological system, the author presents an alternative development strategy which is called the ecodevelopment strategy. This strategy calls for the understanding of the interrelationship between the environment and development. The author also encourages policy makers to examine first the kind of development to be introduced that would protect and improved the environment and not vice-versa. Finally, the author quotes Dasmann who said that development should not be implemented at the expense of natural system vital to long-term healthy functioning of the human environment.

The aim of the present study was to determine the level of cholesterol in the milk of the Latvia's cow herds, analyse differences between two different methods of cholesterol determination in milk. Milk samples were obtained from the cows of Latvian Brown and Black and White breeds. The milk fat and protein were analysed by Milkoscan 133, cholesterol content was determined colorimetricaly by Blur procedure with prior lipid extraction by Roese-Gottlieb method and by gas-chromatography method. The obtained results showed that the milk fat content was 4.48+-0.28%, protein was 3.03+-0.09%, cholesterol content in milk was 21.05+-2.01 mg 100 ml*[-1), when assayed by spectrophotometer SF 26 LOMO and 18.29+-1.73 mg 100 ml*[-1), when assayed by gas chromatography. There were no significant differences in cholesterol content between both determination methods.

The purpose of this study to compare milk calcium and phosphorus content of different breeds raised in Estonia. Based on obtained results, different factors and their magnitude of influence on the contents of calcium and phosphorus in milk were studied. On Polula Research Farm five trial groups were made up: Estonian Holstein breed (breeding value 115) (EHF-t), Estonian Holstein breed (breeding value 105...115) (EHF), Red-and-White Holstein breed (RHF), Estonian Red breed (EPK) and Estonian Native breed (EK). Milk samples were collected from five of each trial group twice a month during the year 2001. Calcium and phosphorus contents were determined by using IDF methods 36A:1992 and 42B:1990 in Dairy Laboratory of the Institute of Animal Science.

The forest certification becomes actual within the forest sector as a trade restriction when customers have started to require products from certified sources. There are several international documents that are regulating the use of international market restrictions. However some misunderstandings and problems with interpretation of free market and forest certification regarding certified product market still exist.

The paper gives a brief overview and describes the main results of comparison research in grassland management of conventional and organic farms. The aim of this study was to assess yielding ability and biodiversity of leys depending on the nutritive status of soil. The investigation based on field experiments that were carried out in several regions of Estonia: Laeaene (West), Harju (North) and Voru (South-East) county in 2001. In the research on the productivity of grass-clover leys of the first harvest year was measured the DM yield and content, the botanical composition of the sward and the concentration of crude protein on grass. The soil pHKCL and content of organic matter were measured, also the content in soil of soluble plant nutrients P, K, Ca and Mg was estimated by AL- (ammonium acetate extraction) method. The soil profiles were described and soils were classified. The dominant soil types in farms of West-Estonia were Calcic Cambisols and in North-Estonian farms Calcic Gleysols, in South-East Haplic Podzols types prevailed.

One of the most serious diseases of the potato crop worldwide is late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary. Most growers control the disease by applying fungicides at regular intervals of 8-10 days from the time of row closing until the end of the growing season. The NEGFRY model is used for timing the chemical control of potato late blight. The NEGFRY model is based on two existing models, the "negative prognosis", for forecasting the risk of primary attacks, and a model for timing subsequent fungicide applications during the season. The main objective of NEGFRY is to get high yield and quality with minimum use of fungicides. Present work underlies the experiments that were arranged in 2000 and 2001 at the Jogeva Plant Breeding Institute. Two potato varieties with different resistance to late blight were taken to the experiment in both years: susceptible 'Adora' and modarately resistant 'Anti' in the year 2000 and susceptible 'Berber' and 'Anti' in 2001. NEGFRY gave highest economical effect among six tested treatment regimes.

In order to identify the quality of natural Silver birch stands in Latvia, fifteen sample plots covering all country's regions were established. Stem quality affecting morphological traits - stem straightness, branch angle, branching thickness and branching patterns were measured and assessed to all birches in sample plots. To compare the stand's quality, the integral quality indicator was introduced. According to results obtained in plots, most quality birch stands in Latvia are located in East and North parts of Latvia. The best stands proved to be in Aluksne and Smiltene. Birch stands in West part of Latvia had stems of substantially lower quality. The best quality stand in this region was birch stand located in Tukuma's head forestry.

Flooding of Nemunas floodplain preserves the natural retention capacity of pollutants in water of the main canal as well as improves farming conditions on the inundated meadows of the valley. It was established that nitrogen concentration was decreasing by 20-50 % causing self - purification process on the flooded meadows. Nitrogen retention is mostly observed in the zones of stagnant water. It depends on the velocities of flood current. Heavy metals and nutrients are absorbed by tiny clay and silt particles deposited in the meadows. By the means of mathematical modelling it was established that about 37% of suspended sediments deposited in the flood plain. During the study period (1950-1991), the soils in the valley were covered by 50-60 t ha*[-1) of deposits and were naturally fertilised with 250 t of potassium, 950 t of phosphorus, 38.000 t of calcium and 147.000 t of organic matter saturated with nitrogen. In order to increase those quantities it would be efficient to increase the water discharge and bush cover in the Delta.