The strangest year of many generations has passed, for life is a moment in the spring and all activity was interrupted by the government's March 12 decision on the announcement of a state of emergency in Latvia due to a global pandemic. However, neither agricultural education nor science workers had time to think about life, meditate, and think about what was good in the fast run and what it has caused you to lose. There was a quick need to deal with the redeployment of studies in remote mode, on obtaining the results to be achieved in the projects. These articles presented research results of the scientists of Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies on animal husbandry (beef cattle, lactating sows and dairy cows), soil science (skeletal soils), deer farming products competitiveness, plant production (caraway, winter wheat, faba beans, soybeans, cucumbers and dill), plant diseases (caraway, faba bean chocolate spot and common bunt in winter wheat) identification and control in organic and conventional farming at the scientific workshop “Harvest Festival “Vecauce – 2020”: Research in the Shadow of COVID-19”.

The aim of this paper is to describe a large field experiment, which was established at the Research and Study farm of the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies in 2008. The soil type at the site is Cambic Calcisol. Field trials were designed as a two-factorial experiment: A – soil tillage system (A1 – traditional soil tillage with ploughing at a depth of 22–24 cm; A2 – reduced soil tillage with disc harrowing at a depth to 10 cm) and B – crop rotation. The schemes of crop rotation were changed over years, but currently three variants have become stable: B1– continuous wheat; B2 – wheat–wheat– oilseed rape; B3 – oilseed rape–barley–faba bean–wheat. The aim of this experiment is to study the influence of soil tillage and crop rotation on soil sustainability and biological diversity. The main objectives of the study: formation of yield and yield components; changes of weediness; incidence and causal agents of wheat diseases; changes of activity in soil microbiological processes; species assemblages and biodiversity of epigeic insects; emission of nitrogen and phosphorus and accumulation of carbon. The existing trial allows to open new research directions: studies on greenhouse gas emissions; total amount of energy value (MJ kgE−1) produced by crop rotation etc. Dozens of Bachelor theses, four Master Theses and one Doctoral Thesis have been defended based on the data obtained in this experiment up to now. It is important to maintain these trials to study previously set questions in long-term, as well as for new research directions.

Dill (Anethum graveolens) is one of the major aromatic plants in Latvia, however seeds often have delayed germination and uneven establishment in cool soils. The study was conducted to determine the effect of ultrasound treatment on dill seed germination. For this aim, 35 kHz ultrasound waves at five different lengths of treatment (90 s, 180 s, 270 s, 360 s and 450 s) were tested, and treated seeds were compared to untreated. Seeds were germinated in laboratory conditions under 10 °C, and the germinated seeds were counted daily. Germination started earlier in untreated seeds, but higher germination rate was detected in seeds treated with ultrasound. Seeds treated for 360 s achieved maximum (98%) germination rate. Tests in field conditions should be carried out to test the effect of seed pre-treatment.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between feed crude protein (CP) and nitrogen content in dairy cow manure. The study was conducted with three groups (A, B, C) of lactating dairy cows from the 10th to the 30th days in milk. Total mixed rations containing different levels of CP (18.0%, 17.5% and 17.0% for A, B and C group, respectively) were fed. The amount of feed consumed by each cow was measured and samples collected during the trial. Milk yields (kg dE−1) and faeces amounts were recorded, and samples were collected for analysis at the 21st day of the study. The results showed that milk yield, fat, total protein and urea content were not significantly different among groups and was not affected by the dietary CP levels. The correlation between faecal nitrogen content and CP content in feed was moderately positive and significant (r=0.443), while the correlation between faecal nitrogen content and urea content tended to be moderately negative (r=−0.391; p=0.06).

The beef is rarely valued for its internal fat and marbling in Latvia, but the public interest about meat quality has increased. The aim of the research is to find the most optimal fattening method to obtain the required fat class and marbling for meat in the organic farming system. This article summarizes the preliminary study results on the fattening of Limousine beef cattle at one of the research farms. The bulls in the control group received pasture grass, but the animals of the study group were fed with oat straw and a mixture of concentrates from 80% barley and 20% peas during the final fattening. Increased energy content is required to ensure an adequate layer of fat on the carcass of beef cattle, so the study group received an unlimited amount of concentrated feed, consuming an average of 8.5 kg of concentrates and only 3.0 kg of oat straw per day per animal. Feeding only grass with 66% digestibility resulted in an increase in live weight of only 500–600 g dayE−1, and for the study group the digestibility of feed fed was 75%, which provided an increase in live weight of 1001 g dayE−1. The different feeding and housing system did not result in fat deposition; the carcasses of both groups of animals had a very low layer of fat on the surface of the carcass. When feeding the maximum rations of concentrates, the muscle area is significantly (p is less than 0.05) larger, but no marbling is found in the steak.

Non-destructive methods to get the plant growing parameters become more and more popular, because they are faster and environment friendlier than the traditional chemical methods. This experiment was carried out to find out how several vegetation indexes work for cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) that are grown under three different light sources – LED lamp, induction lamp and high pressure sodium lamp. The use of non-destructive methods in the analysis of cucumbers is a suitable source of information to determine the physiological condition of plants. The indices NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) and PSRI (plant senescence reflectance index) were the most suitable for assessing the physiological condition of cucumbers.

The aim of the research was to determine the feeding efficiency of selfproduced soybean (Glycine max) cake on the milk of lactating sows (Sus scrofa domestica) and the growth of suckling piglets. In order to achieve the goal following tasks were performed: feed recipes were compiled, the chemical composition of pig feed and manure was analysed, and the growth of piglets during lactation was controlled. The study was organized on a production farm. Two groups (control and trial group) of sows were established, each with 18 sows. Animals were selected in groups based on sow’s pedigree, live weight, age and insemination. Sows inseminated with the following breeds of boars: 8 sows M1, 2 Yorkshire and 4 Landrace inseminated with a Pietren boar and 4 Landrace breed sows inseminated with a Yorkshire boar. The control group sows received imported soybean meal mixed with compound feed, but for the trial group sows feed local soybean cake was included in the compound feed. The other feedstuffs in the compound feed were the same. The results showed that inclusion of local soybean cake in the diets of lactating sows did not significantly increase the growth rate of piglets, but the retention of piglets was 1.1% lower. The milk yield of sows was 3.9% higher, without significant differences. Pig manure contained more phosphorus and significantly less organic matter when sows received local soybean cake.

More than half of Latvia’s soils have been formed on the moraine bedrock: ~33% on the clay moraine and 33% on the sandy loam moraine. The research aim is the soil feasibility study for further research of stones relocation method’s approbation. The study area was selected at 57°13’353” North latitude and 26°4’234” East longitude. Eight soil diagnostic horizons have been identified in the soil outcrop. Carbonates were found throughout the soil profile from a depth of 0 cm. A two-part moraine bedrock has been found in the soil outcrop – sediments of the last glacial loam and the sand moraine. The study found that the studied outcrop contained a typical sod calcareous soil.

Area sown with field beans’ (Vicia faba) has grown in Latvia during the last decade. It reached the peak in 2018, and then decreased because of changes in greening requirements and because of poor seed yield (1.96 t haE−1) due to drought in this year. To try to maintain high field beans’ yield, every step in growing technology is important. The aim of this study was to evaluate sowing time effect on yield. Field trial was carried out at the Research and Study farm “Pēterlauki” of the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies in 2019. Researched factors were: A – sowing time (5, 15, 25 April); B – variety (‘Laura’, ‘Boxer’, ‘Isabell’); C – seeding rate (30, 40 and 50 germinable seeds mE−2); D – treatment with fungicide (with and without application of fungicide Signum (boscalid, 267.0 g kgE−1 , pyraclostrobin, 67.0 g kgE−1), 1 kg haE−1). In general, temperature and moisture conditions were suitable for field beans’ seed yield formation in 2019. The highest (p=0.00038) yield was obtained when field beans were sown on 15 April (6.54 t haE−1). Although yields were high also when beans were sown on two other sowing times, they were significantly lower. The highest yield was provided by the variety ‘Laura’, but it was not significantly higher if compared with that of other two varieties. Higher seeding rate and fungicide application also resulted in significant yield increase.

Recently in Latvia, a lot of attention has been paid to the development of non-traditional agricultural industries, which contributes to agricultural diversification and promotes the production of specific products having high added value. In this respect, the development of non-traditional agricultural industries increases local economic potential and facilitates economic activity in rural areas as well as makes a positive effect on socio-economic processes in the region. However, enterprises engaged in non-traditional agricultural production have to be viable, as the positive effect of an enterprise on the socio-economic situation in the region could be observed only in the long term. Deer farming enterprises have to compete with traditional agricultural producers and service providers in a dynamic market. This means that special attention should be paid to selecting a proper market strategy that could ensure a regular and growing market for the products and, consequently, the long-term operation of the enterprises. Accordingly, the aim of the research is to identify the strategic advantages of product positioning and the most appropriate competition strategy for deer farming products.