Most of the regulated rivers are situated in the middle part of Lithuania. Approximately 90% of all agricultural lands are drained in the Basin of Nevezis River, which is one of the most sensitive basins in Lithuania due to the lack of water and potential anthropogenic pollution. The goal of the research is to assess the impact of drainage on Nevezis River flow. Following the data series of 62 years, it was determined that water balance of Nevezis Basin is characterized by negative water balance during May-September due to higher evapotranspiration than average precipitation amount of the same period. It was stated that the average annual flow coefficient of the whole 10th hydrologic region of Lithuania was 0.3 till reclamation. It decreased to 0.28 during the period of intensive reclamation; however, the average annual flow was 0.35 from the year 1980, i.e., it increased in comparison with the period till reclamation. The average flow coefficient of warm period was 0.10 till reclamation, and remained the same during the period of 1956-1980, while the data of 1981-1995 show that the average flow coefficient increased – 0.11. After assessing the meteorological conditions and soil water balance of the Basin of Nevezis River it might be stated that the primary reason of water lack in the basin is climatic conditions. Drainage systems can hardly have a significant impact on wateriness of Nevezis River.

Electronic circulation of documents and electronic services have become the most significant IT development trend in the public sector. During the last few years public sector institutions in all Europe have significantly improved the quality of the provided services. With the evolving options offered by the internet and the digital signature getting more widely used, citizens expect a more up-to-date approach to communications from governmental institutions. Successful operation of electronic services would not be possible without a proper circulation of electronic documents on the national level. This article briefly inspects the history of the electronic service development and analyses the conditions of the development, deals with the experience of different countries with the implementation of e-services. Particular attention has been paid to Latvia, its current situation and historical analysis of e-services. A special part is dedicated to Agricultural Ministry of the Republic of Latvia which is most closely related to national rural development, projects of transition towards electronic document circulation and provision of electronic services.

The aim of this research is to evaluate the spatial differences of the agricultural economy of Latvia during the First Republic by using spatial autocorrelation calculations. Morans’s I coefficient of spatial autocorrelation is used to describe the spatial relations of the analyzed indicators. The obtained results show that Moran’s I for more than half of the obtained parameters is greater than 0.5, which indicates a rather high spatial autocorrelation. It was observed that variations of the spatial autocorrelation values can be explained by what affects these parameters. Spatial autocorrelation is significantly higher for those parameters whose value depends mainly on the variety of natural factors (land use, specific crop share). Moran’s I value for those parameters whose values depend on the actions by the local government in rural parishes is considerably lower (for example, budget allocation, etc.) A large portion of the examined parameters characterizing the level of parish economic development show the biggest differences when comparing Latgale with the rest of Latvia. In the case of such regional differences, Moran’s I is usually within 0.5–0.7, indicating moderately close spatial autocorrelation. For many indicators regarding agriculture and land use many southern parishes within Jelgavas and Bauskas county show a very considerable difference from the rest of Latvia showing much higher rate of agricultural production.

The aim of this research is to evaluate the spatial differences of the agricultural economy of Latvia during the First Republic by using spatial autocorrelation calculations. Morans’s I coefficient of spatial autocorrelation is used to describe the spatial relations of the analyzed indicators. The obtained results show that Moran’s I for more than half of the obtained parameters is greater than 0.5, which indicates a rather high spatial autocorrelation. It was observed that variations of the spatial autocorrelation values can be explained by what affects these parameters. Spatial autocorrelation is significantly higher for those parameters whose value depends mainly on the variety of natural factors (land use, specific crop share). Moran’s I value for those parameters whose values depend on the actions by the local government in rural parishes is considerably lower (for example, budget allocation, etc.) A large portion of the examined parameters characterizing the level of parish economic development show the biggest differences when comparing Latgale with the rest of Latvia. In the case of such regional differences, Moran’s I is usually within 0.5–0.7, indicating moderately close spatial autocorrelation. For many indicators regarding agriculture and land use many southern parishes within Jelgavas and Bauskas county show a very considerable difference from the rest of Latvia showing much higher rate of agricultural production.

A study was undertaken to understand local knowledge and practices of communities in animal management as a step in designing and implementation of communitybased breeding programs for four local breeds (Afar, Bonga, Horro and Menz) in four sites in Ethiopia. Workshops were held with the project communities to learn their animal management practices, among others the selection of rams and ewes, ram sharing and grazing management. Breeding management skills were studied by conducting heritability and genetic correlation exercises. The most important animal traits for the different production systems were identified from a systems study. Phenotypic, production, and reproduction traits were used either in the form of drawings or verbal explanations. Pairwise combinations of the traits were presented to the communities to express their choices via voting. For evaluating heritability, the communities were asked which trait pair is relatively more heritable than the other. For the correlation exercise, the communities were asked to estimate the magnitude (high, low, and none) of relationship between the traits in each pair. The results indicate that farmers and pastoralists have good skills in sheep management. Although the mating system is generally uncontrolled, the farmers have a tradition of exchanging of rams. All farmers/pastoralists exercise ewe and ram selection based on phenotypic appearance and recalled pedigree. Their knowledge on heritability of traits and genetic correlations between traits more or less concurs with scientific evidence in literature. For example, qualitative traits (like colour) were judged highly heritable followed by production traits. Knowledge of correlations is used for indirect selection when the target traits are either impossible to assess on the live animal or are sexlimited. Indigenous knowledge and existing practices in the communities, developed through years of practical experience, provide an excellent basis for designing sheep breeding programs.

Several fungicide applications are used to control a pear scab (Venturia pirina Aderh.) on pear (Pyrus communis L.) trees. Minimal chemicals use in fruit-growing constantly has been important condition in the integrated fruit production; therefore, sanitation is recommended to reduce a primary inoculum in orchards. The study was carried out in an integrated pear orchard located in Sigulda district, in the central part of Latvia to estimate if a fall treatment of a pear orchard with urea reduces an amount of pseudothecia and pear scab incidence level the following season. Six treatments trial was arranged in the autumn 2011 on a moderately susceptible pear cultivar ‘Belorusskaya Pozdnaya’. An amount of leaf litter, pseudothecia and incidence level of a disease on leaves and fruits were determined. The results showed that urea application reduced both an amount of leaf litter and a number of pseudothecia. An average amount of leaf litter was 127 leaves per 0.25 square m in a control and 89 leaves in a treatment with urea application. The number of pseudothecia reached 250 pseudothecia per one leaf disc in a control and 160 pseudothecia in a treatment with the urea application, the difference was not significant (p is greater than 0.05). The reduction of disease incidence level on leaves was significant (p is less than 0.05) only in the first assessment of five in total.

Oat breeders have improved yielding ability potential of oat (Avena sativa L.) cultivars, but set lower standards for biochemical composition of grain. Nowadays the quality of grain for consumers has become important especially in terms of lipids and β-glucan content. Experiments were carried out at State Stende Cereal Breading Institute in the year 2012 to evaluate the oats yield and grain quality. 15 different cultivars of Stende collection were compared by yield and parameters of productivity (test weight and 1000 kernel weight) as well as biochemical parameters (protein, starch, lipid, β-glucan, content). Biochemical parameters were tested by Infratec Analyser 1241. To obtain an equal research background all cultivars were grown in a plant breeding crop rotation field, with similar growing conditions (sowing-time, fertilizer, plant protection activities), which agree with generally accepted technology of oat cultivation in Latvia. Experiments were done in four replications. Plots were laid randomized. ANOVA procedures were used for data analysis. Yield of experimental cultivars varied between 4.28 ± 0.19 - 5.93 ± 0.22 t haE-1, test weight 46.85 ± 0.99 - 52.75 ± 0.44 kg hLE-1, 1000 kernel weight 33.70 ± 0.24 - 46.34 ± 0.80 g. Significant differences of tested yield parameters among oat cultivars were observed. The highest protein content was observed for local breed cultivars ‘Arta’ and ‘Mara’ 119.5 ± 02.6 and 110.5 ± 1.9 g kgE-1 accordingly. Low starch content, but high β-glucan content is characteristic for all Latvian cultivars.

Agricultural farms in modern production system are specialized; therefore, animal-origin organic fertilizers are not available for many of them. Researches on the use of organic products in agriculture to restrict the use of pesticides and mineral fertilizers have been performed for a long time. Nowadays different organic preparations that are acquired as a result of complex processes are produced, ensuring ready-to-use biologically active substances in them and also activating their properties. One of the purposes of the research was to evaluate the impact of extracts from organic products on the potato (Solanum tuberosum) yield and tuber quality in the conventional cultivation system. A field experiment using cultivars ‘Borodyansky Rozovij’ (early maturity) and ‘Lenora’ (mid-early maturity) was arranged in the State Stende Cereals Breeding Institute in 2011 and 2012. Peat elixir and vermicompost extract obtained at different temperatures: + 45 °C and + 95 °C, as well as a mixture of these extracts were used for treatment of tubers and plants. The research included 24 treatments in total, including control (without treatment) and a standard potato cultivation technology. Tubers were treated immediately before planting, but plants were treated three times during the vegetation period. Average two-year research results showed that the use of organic product extracts significantly (p is less than 0.05) affected the tuber yield in different treatments for both cultivars ‘Borodyansky Rozovij’ and ‘Lenora’. The content of nitrates in tubers, using extracts, did not exceed the allowable level (160 mg kgE-1) in any of treatments.

In the last years total area of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) has increased notably in Latvia, including the Eastern part of the country but there is a lack of actual information about buckwheat growing, best terms of sowing and seeding rates. This study presents the influence of different sowing times, methods and rates on the seed quality of buckwheat yield – (TGW) thousand grain (nutlet) weight and (HLV) bulk density. A field experiment was conducted on the farm “Arāji”, Krāslava region in 2010 and 2012. Buckwheat was sown on six different dates - 15.05, 25.05, 30.05, 05.06, 10.06 and 15. 06. Two types of sowing were used – drill sowing, where 4 seed rates were used - 200, 300, 400, 500 fertile nutlets per m2 , and the column sowing with the three seed rates - 150, 250, 300 fertile nutlets per square m. It was found out that crop sowing time and type significantly affected buckwheat yield quality. Compensation mechanisms of yield in early terms of sowing when lower seeding rates were used were expressed less than that in later sowing terms. It could be concluded, that in early terms different seeding rates could be used with equal success. In later terms of sowing, smaller seeding rates are more appropriate. After two year investigation the most suitable sowing terms were around 4th and 9th June, where TGW and HLW was the highest. The most inappropriate terms were around 25th and 30th May, because meteorological conditions after sowing in both years were unfavorable that resulted in 0.5 to 1.0 t haE-1 lower yields.

TThe aim of this study was to evaluate an impact of nitrogen fertilizer rates on industrial hemp’s (Cannabis sativa L.) growth and development in Latvia. The trial was carried out during 2012 on the Research and Study farm Peterlauki of the Latvia University of Agriculture in the sod calcareous soil. There were three industrial hemp cultivars ‘Futura 75’, ‘Tygra’ and ‘Felina 32’ tested under different fertilizer rates: N0P0K0 – control, N0P80K112 – background fertilizer (in text marked as F), F+N30, F+N60, F+N90, F+N120, F+N150, F+N180 kg haE-1. Weather conditions were proper for good hemp biomass production. Depending on the selected cultivars, the optimal fertilizer rate was in the range of 90 – 150 kg ha-1. Industrial hemp stalk length was significantly (p is less than 0.05) influenced by the applied nitrogen fertilizer rate and cultivars. The highest stalk length was observed in the cultivar ‘Futura 75’ under all nitrogen fertilizer rates. The highest stalk length (3.18 m) had reached under the nitrogen fertilizer rate 150 kg haE-1 at 138 growing day from sowing. At the beginning of growing season (June - July) the growth intensity of hemp stalk length is high. Within one month the stalk length grew up for 1.23 meters of cultivar ‘Futura 75’. The intensive growth of hemp stalk declines when the flowering stage is reached. Flowering stage occurred in early August, and it was dependent on nitrogen fertilizer rate. Under higher nitrogen fertilizer rate the flowering stage reached later.