Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) is one of the most popular spice and medicinal plants of untraditional horticulture in Latvia. Wild populations of this plant are too few. That is why it is necessary to cultivate oregano for keeping the biodiversity of Latvian nature. It is important to use local oregano genetic resources in agrocenosis as well as to get as rich and qualitative yield as possible. The aim of this research was to explore the parameters of oregano inflorescence in Latvia and to recommend the most productive clones for cultivation. In summer 2011, a total of 45 oregano clones from an ex situ collection of spice and medicinal plants of the Laboratory of Cultivated Plants and Apilogy (Jelgava, Strazdu Street 1) were analysed. Such inflorescence parameters as length and width were explored. The average length of inflorescence of all clones was 17.99 cm, and the average width was 5.74 cm. The results showed that the clone No 26 had the largest width of inflorescence (9.6 cm), but the clone No. 2 had the largest length of inflorescence (31.1 cm). Using oregano Draft Descriptor List, the inflorescence was characterized as short, medium or long. The variability between clones was significant (p is less than 0.05), but between samples of each clone - non-significant (p is greater than 0.05). It is recommended to grow oregano clones No. 2, 5 and 26 in agrocenosis as the most productive.

The aim of this study was oriented to the identification of α - lactoalbumin gene (α-LA) polymorphism and to analysis of genotype structure in population of the dairy cattle in Latvia. The experimentation was carried out at the Laboratory of Molecular Genetic Research of the Faculty of Agriculture of Latvia University of Agriculture. As a research material of 123 blood and 70 sperm cells samples from 7 breeds where used. The PCR products were digested with the restriction enzyme Mnll. Alleles A and B of α-LA were distinguished by Polymerase Chain Reaction and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR – RFLP) analysis. Frequency of α-LA allele B is from 0.7073 to 0.9667. This research is a novelty in Latvia.

Darbā ir izvērtēta vēsturisko datu par pamatjomu koncentrāciju pazemes ūdeņos Latvijā ticamība, analizējot garākās pieejamās datu rindas no individuāliem pazemes ūdens monitoringa punktiem. Izvērtējot vēsturiski izmantotās analītiskās metodes, ir izstrādāti kritēriji, kā identificēt kļūdainos mērījumus datu rindās. Tajā skaitā izmantojot kopējās validācijas kritēriju (KVK), kas tiek aprēķināts dalot vienīgo tieši noteiktā katjona (Ca2+) ekvivalentu koncentrāciju ar visu tieši noteikto anjonu (HCO3-, SO42- un Cl-) ekvivalentu koncentrācijas summu. Ir konstatēts, ka 4 %līdz 6% no Latvijas vides , ģeoloģijas un meteoroloģijas centra (LVĢMC) uzturētajā pazemes ūdens ķīmiskā sastāva datu bāzē iekļauto pazemes ūdeņu sastāva analīžu rezultāti, iespējams, ir kļūdaini. Identificētie iespējamie kļūdu avoti ir nepareiza ūdens paraugu ievākšana un uzglabāšana (parauga sasalšana vai atšķaidīšana ar nokrišņu ūdeņiem) un rupjas kļūdas veicot ķīmisko analīzi. | Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre (LVGMC) supports a database, where several tens of thousands of groundwater composition analyses from Latvia are compiled including data from aquifers that have been sampled only during geological mapping and exploration campaigns, and no open wells are preserved. Thus, only available knowledge about groundwater composition of the significant portion of the sedimentary rocks of Latvia is the historical data compiled in the database. However, the quality of this data is not known. It is suggested to evaluate it by analyzing time series of groundwater composition in monitoring posts acquired by identical methods. This is justifiable because outside the zone of active influence of human and meteorological factors, the groundwater is characterized by constant, time-independent composition, and time series can be considered subsamples from a single large sample. To verify the data, concentrations of major components of the groundwater – cations Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+ and anions Cl-, HCO3-, SO42- – are systematically analyzed in time series starting in early 1961. All the results that significantly deviate from average values are considered to be improper. Although only Ca2+ and all mentioned anions have been determined directly until the mid-90s, a common validation criterion (CVC) has been proposed as the ratio between equivalent concentration of Ca2+ and sum of all the anions. The CVC helps to spot serious errors in cases, when ion balance is correct and average deviation of individual ion concentrations does not indicate an error. The concentrations of all the ions separately using CVC are evaluated for 29 different monitoring wells for a total of 560 groundwater samples. It has been found out that 4% to 6% of all analyses included in the database shall be considered serious errors. It is suggested that this proportion of serious errors can be attributed to the whole dataset found in the database.

Advances in milk production and the expansion of dairy herds have increased the need for improved manure management and whole farm nutrient balance. It is well known in dairy management that the balanced feeding and holding technology is an important level by which milk production and milk composition can be modified. The objective of this study was to evaluate urea content and urea yield in different farms with different holding technologies. Four farms represent three cow breeds (Holstein Black and White, Latvian Brown, and cross breed XP). Individual cow milk samples (n=2740) were collected monthly from September 2009 to November 2010. Milk samples were analyzed for total protein, casein, fat, lactose, and urea content with instrumental infrared spectroscopy method. The average milk yield per cows in farms was significantly different (from 27.9 to 17.0 kg per control day). The urea content in cow milk was between 20.3 to 46.6 mg dLE-1. The average urea content in farms A, B and D was up to standard (from 15.0 to 30.0 mg dLE-1). In the farm C, average urea content ranged between 17.4 and 79.9 mg dLE-1, which indicated problems in feeding or management in the farm. It was established that milk urea content and yield significantly (p is less than 0.05) varied in farms with different dairy cow holding and feeding technologies. Urea content can be used to evaluate feed protein utilization in farms and predict environmental pollution.

Venison is well known as a traditional meat type in Europe, and it is lower in calories, cholesterol and fat content than common cuts of beef, pork or lamb. The aim of the current research was to determine physico-chemical parameters such protein, fat, pH, moisture content as well microbiological quality of pickled venison during storage. Beef as a control was analyzed for comparison of obtained results. The meat (2×3×2 cm) pieces were pickled in vinegar marinade (composition: tomato sauce, mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon, onion, parsley, paprika, basil, black pepper, rosemary, salt) at 4±2 °C temperature for 48±1 h. The marinated meat was placed in polypropylene trays and hermetically sealed with high barrier polymer film under modified atmosphere (C02 40%+N2 60%) without and with iron-based oxygen scavenger sachets (Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Europe Ageless®). As a control, packaging in air ambiance packed pickled products was used. During storage time, the moisture and protein values significantly (p is less than 0.05) decreased and pH, fat content and colony forming units significantly (p is less than 0.05) increased in the pickled venison samples of all packages. Slower changes in pH of pickled venison and in the protein and moisture content of marinated beef were observed in modified atmosphere with oxygen scavenger during storage.

The quality and nutritional value of milk and dairy products are considerably influenced by the stability of its constituents. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possibility of enhancing oxidative stability of cow’s milk fat and vitamin B2 using carrots and palm oil feed supplement CAF 100 as sources of natural antioxidants in cow feed. Milk samples were collected after 25-day period of feed supplementation. The intensity of riboflavin losses during its photo oxidative degradation in sunlight was measured by the fluorometric method. A slight and significant (p is less than 0.05) difference in higher vitamin B2 stability was seen in carrot-supplemented group (TG1) milk, where the losses of vitamin B2 were by 3.01% less compared to CG (CG). The oxidative stability of butter oil samples stored in 60 °C temperature was analyzed by peroxide value (PV) method. The oxidative stability of samples initially affected by light from both trial groups was significantly (p is less than 0.05) higher compared to CG showing the good potential of the cow diet enrichment with carotenoid additives. The longest induction period (larger than 14 days) was observed in CAF-100- supplemented (TG2) cow milk fats, which can be explained by carotenoids and tocopherol presence and its possible synergism in fat protection. The induction periods of the TG1 and CG were 12.03 and 10.97 days, respectively.

Every autumn and winter period, game animals - elk (Alces alces), deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa scrofa) - provide an excellent input in the diversification of many consumer meals. In the recent years, consumption and assortment of game meat products has significantly increased. At the moment there are only few biochemical composition investigations of the game meat. The meat of wild animals is more favourable for human health, because it has a lower content of saturated fatty acid, but a higher content of protein. Therefore the aim of our investigation was to compare biochemical composition of the game meats hunted in Latvia. Investigations were carried out in different regions of Latvia. In the studied samples, protein, intramuscular fat, fatty acids and cholesterol were determined. The biochemical analysis of 54 samples was carried out. The results of the analysis showed that protein content in all types of the meat samples was 22.36 - 22.92%, which is not statistically significant. The fat content, on the other hand, was significantly lower: 1.33 ± 0.88% in elk meat samples, and 1.59 ± 0.59% in roe deer meat samples. Content of cholesterol varied from 64.41% to 95.07% in the ruminant meat samples of different species. From the dietetic point of view, the meat samples of roe deer had the best composition of fatty acids.

Blueberry cultivation is becoming more and more popular in Latvia, and several commercial plantations have been established recently. Highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) are perennial and can grow without replanting for 50 years; therefore a choice of soil and its preparation have a great role. This article summarizes results of research carried out in commercial blueberry plantation established in 2004 on loamy Haplic Cambisol. Soil properties, especially reaction and organic matter content, initially were not suitable for blueberry cultivation, therefore deep tillage and application of soil conditioner (acid sphagnum peat) were done before planting and similar peat mulch was applied every second year. Berry yield of 4 blueberry cultivars, soil properties and the nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium content in growing plant leaves were determined. The obtained results showed that sphagnum peat is an effective material for lowering of soil pH in plant root layer (0 – 40 cm). Data about plant nutrient content in topsoil and subsoil as well as in growing plant leaves will help to develop criteria for soil fertility assessment and diagnosis of plant nutrition.

The American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) is a perspective and marketable crop both in Latvia and foreign markets, but berries are affected by rot in storage. The aim of the study was to detect the incidence level of cranberry fruit rot at the beginning of storage period in different places in Latvia. In 2007 - 2011, two hundred sound berries (out of 1000) were randomly collected by hand along a diagonal from five different cranberry plantations from locations all over Latvia. Berries were kept in plastic bags for a month and refrigerated at +7 °C. At the end of November, berries were sorted and rotten berries were separated from the sound ones. Over the period of 2007 - 2011, the incidence of storage rot reached 12 - 15% at the end of November, with an upwards trend observed every year, but the hot and rainy summer of 2010 significantly reduced the quality of fruit in storage, peaking on the average 33% of decayed berries. The incidence of fruit rot varied among the inspected cranberry plantations, but a tendency was observed that older plantations produced more rotting fruit and incidence of the disease was 12 - 50% after a month’s storage in the oldest plantation. The application of fungicides during the vegetation season did not affect development of post-harvest rot. Storage rot was a problem in the cranberry samples from all inspected plantations in Latvia, and in future the incidence of fruit rot is expected to increase.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the microbiological content of cows’ milk in Latvia’s organic farms with a purpose to detect potential microbiological threats in milk. Samples were collected in December 2011 at 12 biological dairy farms of Latvia. Raw milk samples (N=155) obtained from cow composite milk were studied. The total mesophilic aerobic and facultative anaerobic microorganisms (MAFAM), the presence of coliforms and coagulase-positive staphylococci, count of yeasts and moulds were analysed using standard methods. Of the sampled cows 50% had a low somatic cell count (SCC) (LESS THAN 200,000 cells mLE-1), 23% - high, but 27% had a very high SCC (greater than 500,000 cells mLE-1). The mean value of MAFAM in the samples with low, high and very high SCC was 4.7, 5.0 and 5.0 log10 colony forming units (cfu) mLE-1, respectively. The yeasts were present in 57% of milk samples with the mean concentration of 3.1 log10 cfu mLE-1. Moulds were found in 27% of all milk samples; their mean concentration was 4.4 log10 cfu mLE-1. Identified mould strains belonged to genera Absidia, Aspergillus, Geotrichum, Mucor and Penicillium. In cases of subclinical mastitis and latent mammary infection the most distributed mastitis pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus kristinae, Bacillus cereus and coagulase negative staphylococci.