Germinated grains are added to wheat dough with the purpose to promote the biological value of bread. As a result, a new product was obtained with a higher content of protein, fibre, B group vitamins; and vitamins C and E. The task was to investigate gluten quality changes at grain germination time, wheat dough rheological properties changes with various wheat, rye and barley amount additions, germinated for a different time. With the purpose to save maximum stability value of gluten, it was ascertained that the germination time of wheat grain could not be more than 24 hours. The best dough quality was obtained with germinated wheat grain additive. Germinated rye and barley grain additive (more than the experimentally ascertained amount) increases dough softening, decreases dough development time and dough stability. Only adding experimentally determined optimal amount of germinated grain, which promotes high quality bread, could produce dough with accepted rheological properties.

Oats contain more beta-glucan (2-7%) than other croppers. Beta-glucan is the most essential water-soluble dietary fibre. It lowers cholesterine level in blood as well as stimulates elimination of carcinogens from the body. In order to enlarge possibilities of use of oats in a diet, they can be separated in water-soluble and insoluble fractions. The aim of the present study is to determine the amount of beta-glucan in hydrolysed oat soluble and insoluble fractions. Gelatinized, hydrolysed and steeped oatmeal prior to hydrolyse, which was separated in water-soluble and insoluble fractions, was used in experiments. Not more than 6% of gelatinized (non-hydrolysed) oatmeal dry matter dissolved in water. The outcome of fermentative hydrolysed dry matter of water-soluble oatmeal was 40-52%. The content of beta-glucan in soluble and insoluble oatmeal fraction was determined by using McClearly method. The content of beta-glucan fraction of gelatinized oatmeal decreased for 78% in comparison to the content of beta-glucan in oatmeal used in the experiments. The content of beta-glucan in the soluble fraction of hydrolysed oatmeal decreased for 8.1% to 9.2%, and increased for 35-42% in the insoluble fraction if compared with the content of beta-glucan in oatmeal.

In Latvia have not been carried out comparable studies regarding chemical pollution in organic and conventional milk, therefore the aim of the present study was to investigate the level of contamination in organic and conventional milk samples by heavy metals and aflatoxin M1. A total of 9 organic bulk milk and 9 conventional bulk milk samples were collected from different regions of Latvia. The content of lead, cadmium, copper, iron, and zinc were detected by flame technique, using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The level of aflatoxin M, in organic and conventional milk samples was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The means of lead concentration in organic and conventional samples were 0.024 and 0.31 mg kgE-1 wet weight that exceed the permissible level for such a product. The cadmium content in organic and conventional milk samples is very low and fairly constant in all types of milk. The legally accepted upper limits of iron, copper and zinc are not exceeded by any analyzed milk sample, not even from conventional bulk milk. The study including heavy metals and aflatoxin M1 in a range of organic and conventional milk samples found no significant differences between organic and conventional milk (p=0.05) in the level of aflatoxin M1 and the heavy metals.

The role of birch natural (NWH) and potential natural (PNWH) woodland habitats for maintaining of biodiversity in Latvia is described and evaluated. The analysis of the proportion of area of birch stands and natural and potential natural woodland hibitats by regions, by age structure, and by growing conditions has been done. The distribution of birch natural and potential woodland hibitats by habitat groups, as well as most often recognized habitat specialist and indicator species is described.

Due to large diversity of site conditions suitable for Scots pine growth in Latvia, it is important to evaluate their influence on growth and survival of particular Scots pine families. To do so, open pollinated progenies from phenotypically selected plus trees of 35 at the age of 32 years have been evaluated in 2 forest types (Cladinosa-callunosa and Hylocomyosa). Investigation revealed that forest type and family influence had a great significance to height, diameter at breast height, and diameter of thickest branch up to 2 meters' height (alpha is less than 0.001), but clone influence had lower significance (alpha=0.008). Proportion of influence to height growth caused by tree family was 70% at the age of 6 years and 17% at the age of 32 years. Proportion of influence on survival caused by tree family was 57% and 44% respectively. The corresponding influence of forest type was 12% and 28% to height, 15% and 39% to survival. Diameter at breast height at the age of 32 years was equally influenced by forest type and family (~11%). Equal breeding effect - but not with the same families - can be reached both in fertile and poor soils. In group (20%) selection this effect was ~8% for height, 11% for diameter, and 30% for survival; in individual selection ~10% for height, and ~17% for diameter.

Ethiopian agricultural markets face challenges despite extensive reforms, which have not yielded expected impacts in growth and poverty alleviation. A concerted focus on getting markets right is critical after reform. Market development is a long-term agenda, requiring a progressive and integrative perspective that addresses the 3 I's: Institutions, Infrastructure, and Incentives. There is an important role for the stage in all of these dimensions, in supporting and facilitating the functional of the private sector.

The national strategy and objective for agricultural marketing focuses on 1. Making markets effective 2. Sustaining and increasing foreign exchange earnings and 3. Increasing productivity by supplying agricultural inputs and products efficiently. Market standards and active monitoring processes will be established to assure the progress of these market development efforts that will be supplemented by a capacity strengthening campaign that will sustain the market development agenda and manage the implementation of reforms.

Making markets work requires an efficient and sustainable flow of information that many poor countries lack. Market Information System (MIS) have the potential to fill the gap by providing all the players in the market with the resources to overcome the greatest market obstacles such as high transaction costs, weak competition and even inform policy decisions. To achieve the potential of MIS, Ethiopia can learn from the other sub-Saharan countries that have experimented with and successfully implemented various MIS models.