The aim of the study is using systematic literature analysis method – literature overview – identify the factors, which affect the competitiveness of a higher education institution in the conditions of globalization. Qualitative methods, as well as systematic literature analysis method – literature overview have been used in the study. More than 6000 scientific articles were considered to choose 20 full text articles for in-depth analysis. Main conclusions and results – the systematic literature analysis method – literature overview is a convenient tool for systematizing, selecting and collecting information about the research subject, using author’s articles, which have already gathered key information from a number of researchers of a specific topic together; the competitiveness of higher education institution is influenced by the internal factors that are formed by the internal environment of the higher education institution and external factors that are formed by the external micro-environment and macro-environment influenced by the state policy; an analysis of the internal and external factors of an institution is important in order to create competitive advantages in a higher education institution.

With the growing demand for e-learning, as well with the striving for excellence, everyone worldwide is encouraged to improve and ensure the quality of e-learning. Quality assurance requires a supportive environment. The purpose of this paper is to propose procedures for evaluating and controlling the quality of e-learning materials. The article reflects on the approach, which is often mentioned in the field of quality assurance, procedures that characterize the processes, helps to sort them, track their progress sequence and identify those responsible. Clearly, the quality of online learning has many dimensions, but this article deals only with the part that relates to the quality of e-learning materials. In January 2018, experts from European Distance Education Secondary School, Riga Distance Education Secondary School and Riga 1st Distance Education Secondary School were interviewed. The questionnaire included questions about the quality assessment of the study materials. Based on the findings of scientific research literature and taking into account the good practice, procedures for the quality control of electronic learning materials were created. The article offers four procedures that include the use of a web-based checklist developed by the author. Activities of procedures can be divided into areas of responsibility that deal with developers of the material, methodological commission, material evaluators and IT administrator. Distance learning program implementers can use the proposed procedures in the process of making and monitoring electronic learning materials. In addition, the checklist helps to identify important conditions and requirements that affect the quality of the study material.

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.

Puccinia striiformis is a biotrophic pathogen able to cause broad scale epidemics in wheat growing regions. P. striiformis is genetically highly variable pathogen. New, aggressive genetic lineages, adapted to warm temperatures have been observed in the last decades worldwide. The study aimed to ascertain the structure of genetic lineages of P. striiformis in Latvia. Forty one wheat leaf samples with yellow rust symptoms were collected in 2017–2019. Fenotyping and genotyping methods were used for identification of genetic lineages in Global Rust Reference Center, Denmark. Assessments of leaf diseases on winter wheat differentials – ‘Ambition’, ‘Mariboss’, ‘Moro’, ‘Compair’, ‘Rendezvous’, ‘Spalding Prolific’ and local variety ’Fredis’ were made during the research. Five genetic lineages of P. striiformis – PstS4, PstS7, PstS10, PstS13 and PstS14 were found. 56% from the samples belonged to PstS14, 17.1% PstS10, 12.2% PstS4 and PstS7, 2.4% PstS13. Genetic lineages identified from Latvian wheat samples are found in the biggest cereal growing regions in Europe and are able to cause epidemics on wheat. Genetic lineages of P. striiformis from Latvian samples have not been identified before. All differential varieties were infected with P. striiformis in 2017, ‘Ambition’ and ‘Moro’ in 2018, no infection was observed on differentials in 2019 despite the presence of P. striiformis on winter wheat variety ‘Fredis’. The identification of genetic lineages of P. striiformis on wheat in Latvia is necessary to continue.

Drainage ensures flow of water and access of oxygen to the roots of the trees. Therefore, melioration systems have been established in a third of the forest area of Latvia, and for the most part highly productive stands can be observed in these areas. Water flow in these systems is often stopped by beaver dams. The aim of our case study was to assess the impact of ditch reconstruction on the increment of the coniferous trees. Increment cores were collected from 169 trees at a distance up to 45 m from the ditch in the drainage system that was reconstructed 8 years prior. Drainage system reconstruction reversed the trend of declining radial increment for both Scots pine and Norway spruce; however, the influence of this measure over an 8 year period was statistically significant, notable (55%) and positive only for Norway spruce, growing closest to the edge of the ditch. Other growth limiting factors need to be considered and tackled to ensure the highest effect of the investment in drainage system reconstruction, including choice of the tree species, stand density, age, and availability of nutrients.

The aim of the study is to evaluate carbon stock in litter and organic forest soils in Latvia as well as to characterize accumulation of carbon in litter in afforested lands. The study is providing empirically valid information about soil and litter carbon changes for the National greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory by using data from National forest inventory (NFI), forest soil monitoring demonstration project BioSoil and other studies. The study proves significance of organic forest soil carbon pool in Latvia and demonstrates necessity to extend NFI incorporated forest soil monitoring program to improve data on soil density in wet organic soils, as well as to integrate data characterizing water regime in forests. The acquired data also proves that the conservative approach of calculation of carbon stock changes in litter in afforested lands applied in the Latvia’s National GHG inventory avoids overestimation of CO2 removals. The data on litter carbon stock collected in this study is sufficient to estimate total carbon stock for stands dominated by most common tree species and long term impact of changes of species composition. Measurements of organic soil and litter thickness should be continued by NFI and integrated with more detailed soil monitoring to increase accuracy of carbon stock estimates and gather data necessary for verification of modelling data, particularly in afforested lands and due to change of dominant species.

The aim of the study is to determine how successful the initial growth of naturally grown and planted pines is after performing the shelterwood cutting. The research includes tree count and height analysis in Myrtillosa and Hylocomiosa forest types with different regeneration methods in 2018. A total of 10 sites were arranged for the research, each site having 4 sample plots. All naturally regenerated and planted pine (2009, 2012 and 2013) heights were measured. Judging by the number of trees after shelterwood cutting, most sites should not be considered regenerated, additional planting or scarification of soil is required which can improve the efficiency of natural regeneration. In all the sites both in Myrtillosa and Hylocomiosa, after shelterwood cutting it was observed that the height of artificially regenerated trees is higher than the height of naturally regenerated trees, indicating the ability of planted pines to produce more rapid height increment in the first years of life, regardless of forest type. The basal area of the stand has a significant negative impact on the increment, and it indicates the need for the subsequent shelterwood cut to be performed. Although Hylocomiosa is a more fertile forest type than Myrtillosa, the height of the planted pine trees in Myrtillosa is higher than in Hylocomiosa, where, after shelterwood cutting, no sufficiently intensive agro-technical tending has been performed.

The topicality of the study is determined by the increasing demand for sanitary felling services currently mainly provided by manual work. Harvesting using hand-held motor instruments is a physically hard work whose costs are increasing rapidly, but labour availability is declining. In sanitary cuttings, additional complications are caused by the use of conventional machinery in harvesting, which necessitates the creation of wide (4 m) technological corridors and significantly increases the proportion of damaged remaining trees in a stand (according to past studies, a set of middle-class forest machines in thinning of spruce stands results in 4–5% of damaged trees, but in pine stands – in approximately twice less damaged trees than in spruce stands). The compact class forest machines in thinnings result in mechanical damage to not more than 1% of remaining trees. During field trials in sanitary felling 9329 trees were felled. The average productivity, working in one shift, is 5.35 m**3 hE−1 with average stands 10 cm. The cost of harvester’s productive hour is 92 € but of a forwarder it is 78. The compact class forwarder creates significantly smaller impact on the soil by reducing ruts depth and soil compaction, which is especially important in sanitary fellings and extraction of seed trees in regenerated areas.

The aim of the study is to clarify the compliance of machinery information systems used by Latvian logging service providers with the requirements of the Forest Machine Data and Communications Standard StanForD 2010. For determining the number of logging machines and structure registered in Latvia, data from the State Technical Control Agency of Latvia (VTUA) has been used. This dataset includes 2094 registered machinery units from which 1663 units recorded as harvesters and forwarders are distributed for data processing. Using the national AS Latvian State Forests (LSF) database, where 541 machinery units have been recorded, of which 239 harvesters and 302 forwarders, it is determined what and how many machines already use the standard StanForD 2010, how many machines can implement it and which machines are not suitable for the implementation of StanForD 2010. The study showed that the VTUA register does not fully reflect the true quantity of harvesting machines in Latvia and does not provide information about the use of machines. The LSF data provide reliable information on the possibilities of using StanForD 2010 in harvesters in national forests. From the harvesters working in the country’s forests, 52% of the machines use the StanForD 2010 standard. Work should be continued to clarify the possible use of the standard in the machines working in private forests. Similarly, work should be continued with dealers of harvesting machines to identify models for which it is possible to adjust the StanForD 2010 standard and what the cost of adapting the indicative information systems is.

Plantation willows are commonly grown plants which are widely used for energetic purposes that does not correspond completely to its potential. To fully integrate this resource into biorefinery scheme, it is necessary to study optimal conditions of willow bark processing, aimed for separation of bark components, their comprehensive characterization and profitable practical application. Extraction of secondary metabolites is well known approach for bark processing. But the separation of the main cell wall components including lignin from the residual biomass is less studied. In this work plantation residual willow bark after extractives separation by two different solvents (acetone and ethanolwater) was used as a feedstock for Organosolv delignification. Effect of temperature and catalyst used on the yield and properties of lignin isolated from residual bark by ethanol-water treatment was studied. It was possible to obtain pure lignin with high yields (up to 41%) that has the potential to be used for bio-plastic producing. Insoluble residue after delignification was carbohydrate rich (up to 80%) feedstock allowing its practical use for bioethanol producing.