The paper deals with the evaluation of the impact of capital investments on the value added in Latvian dairy specialization farms on the basis of FADN data. The evaluation is carried out through analysing the current level of capital investments in Latvia and the link between capital and the net value added and its main components, based on the comparison with the EU leading milk producing countries. The analysis shows that the current level of capital investments is low in Latvia, especially in buildings and fixed equipment. Insufficient capital investments result in high intermediate costs, lower labour productivity due to large labour contribution in the total output, and also in considerably lower level of the value added, especially per AWU in Latvia.

The investigation was carried out from 2006 to 2008 with the aim of observing the stability of morphological traits in Latgale's melon (Cucumis melo L.) lines in the Tukums region of Latvia. Four lines of Latgale's melons ('8', '14', '5(2)', and '4(3)') were grown in high plastic tunnels: five plants from each line. The following parameters were measured to determine stability of morphological traits in melons: fruit petiole and flower scar diameters (cm), length and wide of melon fruit (cm), and thickness of flesh (cm). Results showed that there was a significant difference in fruit petiole scar diameter between the years 2006 and 2007 for all lines. The melon line '14' was stable in all parameters from 2006 till 2008 except fruit flower scar diameter. The melon line '4(3)' was less stable in all parameters between all melon lines in all years of investigation.

The aim of this research is to work out the graphic method for the calculation of the maximum rain intensity with a different guarantee in Riga. In order to develop this method analysis as regards the rainfall rates having a different probability was carried out. The measurement data of maximum rainfall minute intensity (mm minE-1) 3 and 9 hours as well as daily common rainfall from the accessible archive materials in the period 1954-2006 have been studied in this research and treated with the mathematical statistics methods. After the data collection and calculations, the final results are shown in a graphical way in which it is easy to determine which guarantee percent and repetition probability the rain intensity in Riga may be foreseen. In order to determine which module of one factor regression is the most accurate, five different modules were investigated. From the modules studied the most adequate one for data analyses was the logarithmic module having the accuracy up to 92%. The analysis of the rainfall data as well as the research of the situation of the location place can help to choose the system of rain accumulation and infiltration for each building location thus improving the operation of the total sewerage system. The calculations may be useful in practice to calculate the runoff rates from the areas of different covering. If necessary, using the graphic, it is possible to work out a mathematical expression for the calculation of the maximum rain intensity having any necessary probability. The accessibility and application of a wide range of materials for modern surfaces or infiltration buildings in the world present a wider range of their practical use for separate modern solutions in Riga.

Music schools in Latvia provide pupils with musical education both in the towns and rural areas of Latvia. Studies include instrumental playing, history of music, and music theory lessons. An actual pedagogical problem at the time is activation of pupils' learning. Self-regulated learning acquires significant meaning for pupils' future life. A way of helping pupils' self-regulation in learning is differentiation of learning methods and forms. The aim of the paper is to research the meaning of music schools' ensemble work (collective performance) for enhancing pupils' self-regulated learning. Learning is a process where an individual inherits accumulated experience of the society acquires skills, knowledge, attitudes, enhances his experience, individually and responsibly working and discovering himself, nature and society. Learning as an activity is based on learning experience. According to L.S. Vygotsky's theory of learning, the cultural development depends upon social interaction. The use of ensemble work (collective performance) in school as a form of learning activity and method observes a reciprocal movement towards didactic goal, includes the components of due learning contents (knowledge, skills, instrumental playing experience, attitudes), the results of learning process and its evaluation. Analysis of the obtained data shows that music teachers choose ensemble work as method and form of teaching to indirectly influence the self-regulated learning of pupils, whereas the pupils do not fully understand the significance of ensemble work for enhancing self-regulated learning techniques.

The dietary fibre is edible parts of plants' carbohydrates that are resistant to digestion in human small intestine. Diets naturally rich in dietary fibre support to prevent constipation, improve gastrointestinal health, glucose tolerance and the insulin response, and reduce the risk of colon cancer, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and other coronary heart disease risk factors. About 45% of the dietary fibre intake comes from grains and grain mixtures. In Latvia, there are neither data, nor investigations of the dietary fibre content in grain products during processing and in the end products in which manufacturers and consumers are interested. The aim of this paper was an approval of dietary fibre determination methodology by using analytical equipment the Full option science system (FOS) Analytical Fibertec E 1023. The dietary fibre determination experiments were carried out in the Research Laboratory of the Department of Food Technology at the Latvia University of Agriculture in 2009. The Total Dietary Fibre (TDF) content was analyzed in the samples of rye whole grain flour, rye whole grain bread, and wheat biscuit. Experiments showed that the fibre content in rye whole grain flour is 13.8 g 100 gE-1, in rye whole grain bread - 11.6 g 100 gE-1, and in the wheat biscuit - 1.9 g 100 gE-1. Reached data are comparable with results of other researchers' data.

In the vocational education research, different methods including a formation and analysis of the development scenarios can be used. In the research of vocational education method of scenarios analysis is hardly ever used. In the article the chance to use the method of scenarios analysis in the research of vocational education in Latvia is evaluated. There is the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) method for analysis of scenarios of the Latvia vocational education development used in the article. There are given methodological recommendations for the realisation of the formation and analysis of development scenarios.

In Latvia, almost 50% of all forests are privately owned. Due to hard economic situation in the 1990ies, many private forests have suffered from illegal forestry operations and overexploitation. One of economically most important tree species for private forest owners is Norway spruce. In this study the productivity of state-owned and private spruce forests was compared, assuming that the stand productivity of private forests should be lower compared to those owned by the state. Data gathered in the Forest Resource Inventory in 2004, 2005 and 2006 was used for the analysis. Total standing volume of the dominant stand and the current mean annual volume increment (CMAI) of spruce were used as main productivity indicators. The mean values of the main stand characteristics were found to be rather similar in state and private forests. The only significant differences were discovered in the mean diameter and CMAI of spruce in 60-90 years old stands; in both cases the values were higher in private forests. Site type and mixture degree were tested as the possible influencing factors. Although there were differences in the site type distribution between state and private forests, the influence of this factor on the CMAI of spruce proved to be insignificant. It was found out that the CMAI of spruce depended significantly on the mixture degree. The proportion of mixed stands in the state forests was considerably higher than in the private forests; presumably therefore the value of the CMAI in the state forests was significantly lower.

The data on chemical composition of groundwater in the boreholes installed in the fields of a swine-breeding complex JSC Kontvainiai irrigated by liquid manure and in the production territory are presented in the article. This complex is situated on the Lithuanian coast, southeast of Klaipeda district. The data covers the period 2001-2005. It was established that the chemical composition of groundwater depends mainly on the soil. Ion sum was 2 times higher in the water of the well which was installed in the soil having a peat layer. The chemical composition of groundwater depended as well on its movement direction. As groundwater moves to the southeast, south and southwest from the fertilized area, the mineralization of water in wells 1 and 4 was the highest – 699 and 728 mg lE-1, respectively.

As worldwide trends are changing gradually and sustainable resources economy and reduction of hazardous emissions are coming to the forefront, several industry sectors are forced to revalue their resource consumption. The main emphasis is currently placed on the recycling of by-products. One of the methods, definitely, includes burning of by-products to generate power, however it is not always the most efficient one. By-products must be used in the manner that ensures that they provide high added value for the operation of the company and are environmentally friendly. This research focuses on the use of the by-products of birch (Betula) veneer manufacturing, in order to obtain thermal insulation material. The following characteristics of the wood fibre insulation material were determined: thermal conductivity, water absorption, vapour permeability, and prototype reaction to fire. The characteristics of the obtained wood fibre thermal insulation material: thermal conductivity 0.038 W•mE-1•kE-1; water absorption 12 kg•mE-2; the conformity of the material even to D fire reaction class was not determined. The principal conclusion: the wood fibre thermal insulation material conforms to the requirements set for thermal insulation materials.

Turkish traditional food producers are mainly subsistence and semi-subsistence farmers who have a limited marketing knowledge. They thus encounter a significant number of problems during the supply chain due to the lack of capital, awareness and equipment, as well as underutilized resources and insufficient rural infrastructure. They are also not actively encouraged by the policies implemented at the regional level. The majority of the food reaches consumers either directly (the less common purchases from the farmer) or via a number of intermediaries. If the current volume of traditional food is compared with the past production volume, it can be clearly seen that there is a sharp decrease in the production in contrast to the rapidly increasing population. This study aims to find willingness of Turkish consumers to pay for a MarketMaker website – an electronic trading platform of traditional products in Turkey. The estimations rely on data collected from 157 persons covering all regions in Turkey through an online survey in August, 2015. The average willingness to pay (WTP) annually was found to be about 32 Turkish Liras (TRY) for all observations including zero bids and TRY 164 excluding zero bids. The results of the probit model show that age, marital status and shopping in traditional food markets were identified by the model to have a significant impact on the probability of WTP.