Sowing area under oil-seed rape (Brassica napus L.) has increased during last decade in Latvia and has become more or less stable since 2007. Lack of research on impact of sowing date, sowing rate, fungicide as growth regulator application and other agroecological factor issues on rape autumn growth is observed. The aim of our research, started in autumn 2007 in Research and Study farm Vecauce, was to investigate the influence of applied agroecological factors (five sowing dates, four sowing rates and fungicide (as growth regulator in autumn) application on two type winter rape varieties development in autumn. Winter rape biometrical parameters, dry matter content and dry mass per square m of leaves were estimated. Sowing date affected height of growth point, root neck diameter, plant and root mass, main root length significantly (p is less than 0.05). Sowing rate affected only some indices significantly in autumn 2007. Fungicide (juventus 90 s.c. - metconasol 90 g LE-1) application also affected rape plant biometric parameters during autumn depending on conditions of research year - height of growth point decreased only in year 2007, effect on number of leaves per plant was observed in both trial years, plant weight (2007) and root length (2008) were affected for hybrid variety. Sowing date showed effect on dry matter content in leaves as well as on dry matter mass of leaves per 1 square m. Fungicide application increased dry mass of leaves per 1 square m in two earlier sowing dates. Results are important also for outline of further research directions evaluating significance of above mentioned factors for winter rape wintering in Latvia.

Winter rape (Brassica napus L.) significance among field crops is unchangeable for last decade in Latvia. Rape plant development in autumn, plant wintering and plant yielding is partly influenced by plant density. The aim of our research, started in autumn 2007 in the Research and Study farm ''Vecauce'', was to investigate the influence of agro-ecological factors (sowing date, sowing rate and fungicide (as growth regulator in autumn) application) on two type (line and F1) winter rape varieties' plant density in autumn, in spring and at harvesting. Plant density in autumn, in spring and during harvesting was determined also by meteorological parameters as air temperature and precipitation. Oilseed rape field germination was observed from 84% sown on 1st of August in 2007 till 67% sown on 1st of August in 2008. A significant impact (p is less than 0.05) of the sowing rate was noted for plant winter hardiness (in points) for variety 'Californium' in both years: 2008 and 2009. Fungicide application effect on plant survival during winter was observed for treatments with greater plants density. A very little average plant number decrease per square m during summer growth period was noted for all treatments in both years - within 1 to 4% in some cases. The tendency was observed that final plant density at harvest if greater sowing rates had been used, was never high on average for 'Californium' from 75 plants per 1 square m (120 germinable seeds per square m) to 60 plants per 1 square m (100 germinable seeds per square m) in 2009. Correlations between plant density at harvest time and seed yield were found.

Pear (Pyrus communis L.) fruits in Latvia are very popular, although orchard areas are not large. In the commercial orchards the control of plant pathogens mainly is performed using a plant protection plan, based on long-term observations. European pear rust caused by Gymnosporangium sabinae (Dicks.) G. Winter has become during recent years one of the most important diseases in Latvian pear orchards. Pathogen G. sabinae has a complex development cycle, with four types of spores on two different plants: pear and junipers. Favourable development of each stage depends on the specific environmental conditions. The aim of the study was field evaluation of the disease severity depending on agro-ecological factors. The study was performed at the Latvia State Institute of Fruit-Growing from 2008 to 2012. The severity of European pear rust infection on leaves of cultivars was evaluated in points 0–5, where: 0 – a tree has no infected leaves; 5 – 81% to 100% infected leaves. The disease severity during these years, impact of tree planting year, rootstock, cultivar and tree location in the plot were analyzed. Results gave the opportunity to determine which factors have positive influence on the development of pathogen and severity of disease. Severity of disease was not directly dependent on cultivar, their country of origin, rootstock and planting year. Severity of disease was influenced by tree location in the orchard; higher severity was observed on larger and more vigorous trees, located in outer rows, exposed to the prevailing wind carrying pathogen spores.

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.

Chemical composition of crops before winter is important for successful overwintering of plants. The aim of the research, carried out from 2007/2008 till 2009/2010 at the Research and Study farm ‘Vecauce’, was to investigate the influence of agricultural practices (sowing date, sowing rate, and fungicide application) and meteorological conditions during winter on the content of sugar in apical bud and root of two types of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) cultivars. The content of sugars (monosaccharides) in apical bud and root in autumn and following spring was analysed using the Luff–Schoorl method. Sugar content in apical bud and root of winter oilseed rape in autumn and spring differed depending on the trial year, because of different, even contrary (in season 2009/2010), meteorological conditions. Sugar content was higher in plant parts developed when rape was sowed on earlier sowing dates, but it was substantially influenced by the sowing date only on some occasions. Sowing rate had no impact on sugar content in apical bud and root. Application of a fungicide as a growth regulator had no significant impact on the result, but sugar content decrease during winter 2009/2010 in the root of winter oilseed rape was smaller when fungicide as growth regulator was applied.

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.

Lack of data about effect of meteorological conditions, sowing date, sowing rate, fungicide as growth regulator application and other agroecological factors on rape autumn growth is observed in Latvia. The aim of our research, started in autumn 2007 and continued up to autumn 2010 in Research and Study farm ''Vecauce'', was to investigate the influence of agroecological factors (sowing date, sowing rate and fungicide (as growth regulator in autumn)) application as well as meteorological conditions on autumn plant growth of two types of winter rape varieties. Winter rape biometrical parameters were estimated, and meteorological parameters (hydrothermal coefficient (HTC) and growing degree days (GDD)) were calculated. Four year results showed that winter oilseed rape seed germination was affected by precipitation and air temperature around the sowing time. Calculated GDD correlated with plant biometrical parameters during trial years. HTC showed moisture effect on rape emergence time. Sowing date was important factor which had strong and significant impact on biometrical parameters of rape plants in autumn. Earlier sowing date increased height of growth point, root neck diameter, plant and root mass, and main root length significantly for both cultivars in four trial years. Such agro-ecological factor as sowing rate (plant density) affected plant biometrical parameters only in some trial years. Plant weight was significantly influenced by sowing rate for both cultivars if sowing rates were equal. Other important parameter - height of growth point - was not significantly influenced by sowing rate for both cultivars when similar sowing rates were used in all years; exception was year 2009 for 'Californium'.

One of the factors affecting winter wheat grain yields are leaf blotches. The two-factorial trial was conducted in the Research and Study farm ‘Pēterlauki’ in 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 (Latvia). Four nitrogen rates and five fungicide treatment schemes were used. The aim was to clarify the impact of leaf blotches on the winter wheat yield. In winter wheat plots, the tan spot (caused by Pyrenophora tritici-repentis) dominated but also Septoria leaf blotch (caused by Zymoseptoria tritici) was found. The severity of leaf blotches in winter wheat was low in both years due to dry and warm weather. The development of leaf blotches was influenced by fungicide application schemes, but not by nitrogen fertilizer rate. The total disease impact during the vegetation period was estimated by calculation the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC). AUDPC for both diseases were significantly higher in the variant without fungicides (F0) and in the variant, where half of dose of fungicides at the growth stage (GS) 55–59 (F1) was used. The using of full dose of fungicide at the GS 55–59 (F2) as well as using of fungicides two (F3) or three (F4) times in growing season significantly decreased the values of AUDPC for both diseases, but differences among AUDPC values in mentioned three variants were not significant. Results showed that the nitrogen fertilization significantly increased the average per both years grain yield until the nitrogen rate N180. Fungicide treatment schemes had no significant effect on the average grain yield.

Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) leaf diseases are an important risk factor that influences the productivity and quality of wheat production. The aim of the present study was to review published scientific literature about the possibilities for integrated control of winter wheat leaf diseases. The most common and economically important wheat leaf diseases are Septoria leaf blotch (caused by Zymoseptoria tritici), tan spot (caused by Pyrenophora triticirepentis), yellow rust (caused by Puccinia striiformis), and powdery mildew (caused by Blumeria graminis). The severity of winter wheat diseases has varied significantly over the years and depended on meteorological conditions, variety resistance to pathogen, and tillage system. The crop rotation and an efficient residue management significantly decrease the development of tan spot. The development of Septoria leaf blotch mainly depends on meteorological conditions, but agronomic practice is less important. The use of disease-resistant varieties is the most economical, safe, and effective way to prevent and control wheat leaf diseases. Many European countries have a number of decision support systems for optimizing and minimizing the use of fungicides. Decision support systems are based on control thresholds and meteorological observations. Most used parameters are: air temperature, relative air humidity, and precipitation. These systems have been developed in the countries with a milder climate and a longer vegetation period than Latvia, and systems need to be adapted to Latvian conditions. The main groups of fungicides for disease control in winter wheat are azoles, strobilurin, and carboxamides. The results of many studies about the effectiveness of fungicide groups show that the obtained results differ and further research is needed.

Sowing area under oil-seed rape (Brassica napus L.) has grown dramatically only during the last 10 years in Latvia. Lack of knowledge and research on different issues is observed. The aim of our research, started on season 2005/2006 in Research and Study farm Vecauce, was to investigate the influence of split fungicide (1st dose of fungicide Juventus 90 s.c. (Metconasol 90 g LE-1) used as growth regulator in autumn at the 4-6 leaf stage and the 2nd dose at the growth stage 63-64) application. Winter rape development in autumn, winterhardiness, disease incidence, and yield and its structure elements were estimated. Totally 13 cultivars were used in the trial, but several assessments were done for 5 cultivars. Additional objective was to evaluate economic effect of fungicide use. Winter rape biometrical indices were influenced by the fungicide application in autumn period and by used cultivar. Fungicide treatment in autumn increased also the rape winterhardiness. Our research for the first time indicated that Phoma stem canker could become a problem for rape growers in Latvia. Fungicide use (in growth stage 63-64) decreased incidence of this disease a little (on average by 5%). Fungicide treatment according to applied scheme increased the average seed yield (check 5.37 t haE-1, with fungicide 5.80 t haE-1; LSD0:05 = 0:18 t haE-1), but impact on yield structure elements was mainly non-essential. Despite agronomic improvements, economic calculation showed that on average fungicide use in 2006 was not pro table. Research should be continued for specification of conclusions.