Groundwater is the main drinking water source in Latvia, and Quaternary groundwater is widely used in households due to shallow occurrence. The identification of vulnerable areas is important for better water management and protection of deeper, more intensively used aquifers. The existing groundwater vulnerability map of Latvia does not take into account land use which can be an important factor affecting natural groundwater quality. Multivariate statistical methods - principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) - were applied to identify groundwater groups with distinct water quality in Quaternary sediments in Latvia. On the basis of major ion concentrations and nitrogen compounds four distinct groundwater groups were identified. First group represents natural and most common calcium- magnesium bicarbonate water type in Latvia with low nitrate and ammonium concentrations. Samples from second and third group both reflect anthropogenic influence: diffuse agricultural contamination mostly with nitrates and/or contamination derived from artificial surfaces. Fourth group belongs to calcium bicarbonate water type and is characterised as a very young groundwater formed in sandy deposits. The results show that the highest concentrations of nitrogen compounds can be found in areas with agricultural land use or in artificial surfaces which are often classified as medium low or low vulnerability areas (mostly samples from group two and three). Meanwhile the lowest values of nitrogen compounds are present in areas where dominant land covers are forests and semi-natural areas or wetlands, and groundwater vulnerability classes are medium to high (samples from the first and fourth group).

This paper presents first results of monthly water stable isotope monitoring programme covering the most important surface and groundwater types in the Salaca River basin. The aim is to characterise the isotopic values of different water types in the Salaca River basin, and test if their contribution can be identified in the Salaca river runoff. A monthly groundwater and surface water stable isotope monitoring programme was initiated in August 2015 covering the most of the important surface and groundwater types in the study region – groundwater and surface water in the raised bogs, free-surface groundwater including artificially drained agricultural lands, water emerging from the Lake Burtnieks as well as Burtnieks and Arulika confined aquifers. Preliminary results show that stable isotopes are useful tool to identify distinct water components and their evolution. However, it is needed to continue monitoring programme to draw significant conclusions.

Geophysical studies in mapping and screening applications are widely applied for archaeological, environmental, geological, hydrological and many other applications. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is one of methods from geophysical toolbox that is also called a ground-probing radar, subsurface radar, surface-penetrating radar and ‘georadar’ or impulse radar – it is a non-invasive and non-destructive technique. Pulsed electromagnetic signal is recording the reflected energy and scattering from subsurface objects. Studies were performed in former Littorina Sea lagoons that became lakes after the further Limnea Sea stage in the Baltic Sea established with comparatively lower absolute sea level that is close to present day situation. Characterization of sediments as well as full sediment core description for comparison with GPR signals were performed. Major results show that GPR as non-destructive method in combination with geological coring followed by laboratory analysis of sediment properties can be successfully used to describe layering conditions, topography and depth of shallow lakes. Although there are some limitations regarding the electromagnetic (EM) noise and similar EM properties of analysed sediments, proper treatment of data gives complementary insight thus diminishing the necessity of dense coring network establishments in analysed areas of lakes. The aim of this screening study is to analyse potential advantages of GPR use for mapping sediments and topography of sandy bottom in shallow lagoon lakes as well as pinpoint problems during field and cameral works considering electromagnetic, geological and topographical disturbances.

Due to the globalization, the financial sector has undergone major changes in the way services are provided and delivered. Customers increasingly prefer to receive services remotely, which is a more convenient and faster way, but the majority of European banks are not ready to provide it. 90% of European banks invest less than 0.5% of total spending on service digitization; therefore, only 20 – 40% of the processes are digitized. The service digitization can be a major challenge for banks in the future. Only banks that provide a full range of digitized services will be able to increase profitability and revenues and reduce costs. Therefore, it is necessary to analyse the satisfaction of international corporate customers and define the role of digitized services to improve international activities of banks. Quantitative and qualitative research methods, including the statistical data analysis, graphical analysis, linear and multiple regression analysis, correlation, comparison and grouping methods, as well as survey have been used for the research, and SPSS 20 has been used for data processing. So far there are no analyses of the digitized services in Latvia that would be based on international customer experience and needs. The results of the research concluded that the higher usefulness indicator, the higher is the possibility that international corporate customers will continue to use internet banking services. The digitized services strategy ensures the availability of essential daily digitized services in internet banking and ensures the savings in time and in financial resources for the bank and its international corporate customers.

The purpose of this study was to predict and compare salt accumulation in the soil profile under drained and undrained conditions. The water management simulation model, Drainmod (Ver. 6.1) was used to determine the optimal drainage system design parameters, which will decrease soil profile salinity and provide maximum crop yields in Ankara-Bala Basin of Turkey. Soil sampling points were coordinated with the Global Positioning System (GPS). Soil, crop and site parameters were obtained as an input. The model was run for 5 years from 2005 to 2010 to simulate optimum drainage design parameters (drain depth, drain spacing) while controlling soil salinity in the root zone. Soil water conditions and soil salinity level were simulated for crop rotation of corn (Zea mays) and winter wheat (Triticum). Yield of individual crops was predicted for each growing season. The results of the simulations were analyzed to identify alternatives of subsurface drainage system that would satisfy maximum crop productions. According to the simulation results, the drain spacing of 130 m and drain depth at 160 cm are recommended for Bala Basin. Soil salinity maps were created for undrained and drained conditions. Results showed that the soil salinity level and salinity stress can be reduced and yield increased by installing a drainage system.

Oat (Avena sativa L.) is one of the small grain crops produced in temperate climate zone. Common oat has been studied most often due to its multifunctional characteristics and nutritional profile. The main function of the oat husk is to protect grain from harmful conditions during harvesting and storage time. Oat grain size uniformity is an important parameter to the oat milling industry. The aim of this study was to compare the husk content of common oat cultivars grown in Latvia and to obtain its changes at different grain size fractions during three growing seasons. The field trial was carried out at the State Stende Cereal Breeding Institute from 2012 to 2014. Ten husked oat genotypes were studied. Oat samples were fractioned into size fractions and samples of each fraction dehulled by hand. Results showed that significant (p is less than 0.05) differences in the husk content were observed among genotypes, growing season and different grain size fractions. Significantly lower husk content was for genotype ‘Arta’ in all growing seasons. For majority of used genotypes increasing grain size the husk content decreased.

Pisum sativum L. (field or garden pea), is widely cultivated in Europe. The purpose of this investigation was to see whether pea varieties differ in their yield and content of protein and nutrients. Another aim was to select the best varieties suitable for breeding or production. A field experiment with different varieties of peas (‘Bruno’, ‘Capella’, ‘Clara’, ‘Mehis’ and ‘Vitra’) was carried out at the Estonian Crop Research Institute in 2014. Yields (t haE-1) were not statistically different. Crude protein content (g kgE-1 in dry matter) was lowest in ‘Clara’; all other varieties had a higher content of protein, within much the same range. The lowest N content was found in ‘Clara’, followed by ‘Capella’ and ‘Vitra‘, ‘Mehis’ (44) and the highest in ‘Bruno’ (45). The lowest P content was found in ‘Clara’, followed by ‘Capella‘ and ‘Vitra’; the highest was found in ‘Bruno’ and ‘Mehis’. The lowest K content was found in ‘Mehis’, then ‘Clara’, followed by ‘Capella’ and ‘Vitra’ and the highest in ‘Bruno’. The lowest Ca content was found in ‘Clara’, followed by ‘Capella’ and ‘Mehis’, ‘Vitra’, and highest in ‘Bruno’. The lowest Mg content was found in ‘Capella’, followed by ‘Clara’ and the highest in the other varieties ‘Bruno’, ‘Mehis’ and ‘Vitra’. Thus, choice of the right variety for pea cultivation is very important, but depends on the local agro-climatic conditions. This investigation has been developed with the help of the project EUROLEGUME, funded from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration under the grant agreement no. 613781.

In Estonia, the most promising perennial grass used as raw material for production of heat energy is reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.). Nordic countries (Finland, Sweden) implement a technology including single harvest of the above-ground biomass from frozen soil early in spring. This technology cannot be used in Estonia as the ground does not freeze to the extent of bearing harvesting machines every year. Harvesting in spring is virtually impossible as herbage lodges excessively under the snow weight. A divided harvesting method of reed canarygrass was tested in field trials in 2010–2013 at the Estonian Crop Research Institute. Herbages were cut in July at the height of 60–65 cm, mass was dried as hay, stubble hay was left to grow and was harvested next spring before the growth started but soil had become dry. The effect of seeding rate, row spacing and nitrogen fertilizer on the dry matter yield of reed canarygrass was investigated. The amount of produced heat by trial variants was calculated. The variant with narrow spacing (15 cm), seeding rate of 8 kg haE-1 and usage of fertilizer N70 in the beginning of growth and N70 kg haE-1 after the first cut was giving the best results. Two cuts of this variant yielded on average 8.12 t haE-1 per year, of which the stubble hay, harvested in spring and with better combustion properties, made 64%. Energetic value of the yield was 138 GJ haE-1 per year.

Sapropel or gyttja are the terms that relate to specific water body sediments containing a high level of organic matter formed from the remains of water biota mixed with mineral components. One of the most promising utilisation ways of sapropel is agriculture and forestry where this natural material can be used as soil amendment to enrich soil fertility, neutralise acidity, improve water capacity and reduce phytoavailablity of excess of metallic elements. The aim of this study was to perform plant germination and early seedling tests using various sapropel samples and to reveal response of plant development depending on the type of sapropel to be used as soil amendment. Pure natural sapropel and sapropel/sand substrate of such types as peaty, organic-sandy, cyanobacteria, green algae and carbonatic sapropel, derived from four lakes of eastern Latvia, were tested. Seeds of cucumber Cucumis sativus and tomato Solanum lycopersicum as dicotyledons and perennial rye-grass Lolium perenne as monocotyledon were chosen for the experiment. Seed germination and early seedling tests were performed in PHYTOTESTKIT plates. Seeds were germinated in thermostat at a temperature of 26 °C for 7 days but early seedling development was achieved after 23- 30 days (depending on plant species) under daylight conditions at a temperature of 20 °C. Developed radicles and hypocotyls were measured, shoots and roots were weighed. The obtained results showed a distinctive effect of applied sapropel type on the development of plants depending on species and substrate – substrate containing pure natural sapropel is effective for cucumber and perennial rye-grass, but not for tomato.

From legume seeds it is possible to make new products with different physical properties such as size and hardness by using extrusion-cooking. Peas are products that normally need a rather long cooking time, but extrusion-cooking can make them more usable in daily human diet. As protein based food products in markets are less represented than those based on carbohydrates, but for balanced diet protein intake is essential, our aim was to ensure availability of such products, so experiments were carried out in order to establish optimal moisture content for grey pea (Pisum sativum L.) flour extrusion. Three grey pea (Pisum sativum L.) based products were obtained with different water amount added before extrusion, and their size, volume mass and colour was analyzed in order to ascertain what amount of water is best for such products. Results show significant differences for size, volume mass and colour changes, establishing that the best of the products was the one with 9.00±0.01 g∙100gE-1 added water. This product had better characteristics than others, where 11.00±0.01 g∙100 gE-1 and 7.00±0.01 g∙100 gE-1 water was added. The products with 9.00±0.01 g∙100 gE-1 added water were by more than 100 g∙LE-1 lighter than other products, also colour changes compared to non extruded pea flour were fewer than for other samples and their size was the biggest of all obtained products, averagely 11±1mm.