The productivity, health and welfare of cows are considerably influenced by the microclimate of the cowshed in which they live. The present paper deals with the spatial variation in temperature within uninsulated wooden cowshed and cowshed renovated from stanchions into cubicles. The type of the cowshed (uninsulated wooden cubicle cowshed and renovated cowshed made of concrete elements) influences spatial variation of indoor temperature. Greater spatial variation existed in renovated cowsheds, but these remained within the range of cows' temperature comfort zone.

During the period 1995-1998, in the western part of Lithuania, the organic and intensive (conventional) cropping systems were compared on small autonomous drainage plots in limed Bathihypogleyi-Albic Luvisols (LVa-gld-w) and Dystri-Endohypogleyic Cambisols (CMg-n-w-dy) as well as non-acid Endocalcari-Endohypogleyic Cambisols (CMa-n-w-can) soils. This paper presents the summarised results of field crop productivity and the factors determining drainage water runoff as well as the migration and balance of elements in the organic and intensive cropping systems.

Major diseases occurring on flax crops in Lithuania are caused by Fusarium spp., Colletotrichum lini Manns et Bolley, Polyspora lini Laff. et Peth., Septoria linicola (Speg.) Gar. They can spread through seed, especially when the seed material does not meet quality standards. Microscopic fungi of other species can be found on flaxseed as well. Chemical seed treatment is one of the ways to control disease agents. When treated seed is sown, the seed treaters affect the indigenous micro-biota of the soil. The trial was carried out at the Upyte Research Station of the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture in 1999. The tested seed treaters are registered for cereals in Lithuania. Our experimental results suggest that chemical treatment of flaxseeds is an efficient method to control seed-borne diseases. The microscopic fungi on seeds and roots of seedlings were analysed at the Institute of Botany. The data on the effect of seed treaters on the diversity of pathogenic fungi of flaxseed and seedlings, and the impact of treatment on the seedling infection are discussed in this paper.

Evaluation of virulences of Blumeria graminis f.sp. hordei was started in Latvia in 1981, first in the Baltic States. Until 1994 the observations were carried out only in the central part of Latvia - Salaspils. As the climatic factors and the used barley varieties in various parts of Latvia are different, in 1995 we started regular observations of the particularities of the genetic structure of the pathogen population also in Daugavpils. The aim of this investigation was to detect particularities of the genetic structure of the pathogen population in different parts of Latvia in 1996-2000.

Trying to find the best solution for the ecological problem of karst zone (i.e. protection of surface and ground water from agricultural activity) it is important to determine the migration extent of plant nutrients leached from the soil into the streams and ground water depending on the type of land use. The paper presents the results of the studies carried out in two vicinities of intensive karst zone in Birzai district. The obtained results show the influence of drainage water on the quality of stream water in drained areas. It has also been determined that drainage water quality is influenced by soil forming rocks as well as by the type of land use. In the failures of karst zone, as well as in arable land the quality of ground water is worse, especially when ground water is found near the ground surface.

As the majority of well-known researchers (All right 1982, Jordan 1989, Morrow 1977 etc.) evaluate needs analysis as the starting point for any kind of teaching and learning ESP, and the new developments in educational psychology contributed to ESP (Chambers F., 1980 etc.) emphasize a learner-centreted approach, the first attempt for such kind of data collecting was made in the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Estonian Agricultural University (EAU).

Agriculture more than any other branch of production is influenced by various natural, anthropogenic and economic risk factors on which the profitability of production and preservation of the environment in rural areas depend. The prerequisite of prevention or alleviation of risks is their all-round knowledge and consideration. In order to understand the nature of risks, they will be dealt with in the present study on the example of the cultivation of the most common cereal in Estonia - barley. The difference in barley yields, resulting from the pedoclimatic coditions of Estonia, may be 2-4-fold in different regions and in different years. At the same time, differences in the profitability of barley cultivation, depending on economic factors and on the specificity of production, may be up to 6-fold.

Weed surveys showed that annual broad-leaved weeds were dominant in spring barley sowings in central Latvia. Field trials on broad-leaved weed control in spring barley showed that herbicides Granstar and Duplosan Super at 0,5 and 0,25 doses gave good weed control. There were statistically significant relationships between the abundance of broad-leaved weed and the yield of spring barley when barley yield and broad-leaved weed population were both high.

The rising development of sciences and technologies as well as social problems especially, high unemployment rate, make it indispensable to achieve an incessant innovation of higher education system including the field of electrical and electronics engineering. Some aspects of this goal are formulated in the report of the Ministry of Education and Science of Latvia "Flexible Learning Strategy in Latvian Higher Education" in 1999. The study was based on applying SWOT analysis, i.e. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats were identified. This paper reports the results of one of the first attempts to elaborate and implement an original student centred interactive learning tool for the students of higher and vocational schools in Latvia.

Land reclamation is very important in Lithuania: under the climatic conditions of our country it is necessary to drain land. Today approximately 90% of the whole agricultural production are grown in drained land. In this article financial problems of land reclamation works are analysed. Not taking into account our country's financial abilities, the maintenance of land reclamation systems must be done properly, and in time - only then, we will be able to guarantee the best long-lasting functioning of drainage systems, and in the future there will be no greater and it will be unnecessary to do expensive preliminary reconstructions works. The maintenance works of drainage systems may be full-filled properly and in time when increasing the financing for land reclamation works up to the necessary level (any subsidies resources and payments are possible, as well as different labour variants and other alternatives) or reducing the maintained drained areas, so that we could throughly keep on eye on land reclamation systems.