Šis – 2013. gads – lauksaimniecības zinātnieku saimei ir pagājis kā lielu jubileju gads: Priekuļu Laukaugu selekcijas institūts un Latvijas Augu aizsardzības pētniecības centrs atskatījās uz simtgadi, bet augstāko lauksaimniecības izglītību Latvijā ir iespējams apgūt jau 150 gadus. Visa gada garumā dažādi pasākumi veltīti nozīmīgajām gadskārtām, bet seminārs „Ražas svētki Vecauce – 2013” ir kā noslēgums augstākās lauksaimniecības izglītības Latvijā jubilejas pasākumu virknē. „Vecauce”, kas jau gadiem ilgi tiek dēvēta par „Agronomu Meku”, kur pils priekšā akmenī kalti uz visu noraugās mūsu dižgari Jānis Bergs un Jānis Apsīts, ir vispiemērotākā vieta šim notikumam. Sagadījies, ka arī lauksaimniecības izglītības un zinātnes pamatlicējiem šogad lielas jubilejas: profesoriem Jānim Bergam – 150, Arnoldam Bušmanim – 140, Pēterim Kulitānam – 135, Paulim Lejiņam un Pēterim Rizgam – 130, Jānim Bērziņam – 120, Edgaram Ozolam – 115, Paulim Freimanim – 105, Anatolijam Burmistrovam un docentam Alfrēdam Seržānam – 100. Beidzot 2013. gadā veikta studiju virzienu akreditācija, t. sk. virziens Lauksaimniecība, mežsaimniecība, zivsaimniecība, veterinārmedicīna un pārtikas higiēna ir akreditēts uz 6 gadiem līdz pat 2019. gadam. Visas zinātniskās institūcijas un arī Lauksaimniecības fakultāte 2013. gadā piedalījās plašajā pasākumā „Lauki ienāk pilsētā” (14.09.2013.), kas prasīja daudz darba, bet deva arī lielu gandarījumu, saliedētības sajūtu un parādīja gan pilsētniekiem, gan pašiem sev, ka mūsu nozarei ir ar ko lepoties. Kā katru gadu ir notikušas lauka izmēģinājumu un zinātnisko laboratoriju apskates, lauka dienas, diskusijas, pieredzes apmaiņas. Esam daudz strādājuši un lielā steigā mēģinājuši ielēkt arī „viedo tehnoloģiju vilcienā...” | This - the 2013th year - agricultural scientists family has gone to great anniversary year: Priekuļi Plant Breeding Institute and the Latvian Plant Protection Research Centre looked at the centennial, but higher education in Latvian agriculture is possible to acquire for 150 years. Throughout the year, various events involving the significant anniversaries, but a seminar on " Harvest Festival Vecauce - 2013 " is like closing higher agricultural education Latvian anniversary in a series. " Vecauce ", which has for years been known as the " Mecca of Agronomy ", where in the front of the castle in stone chisels to all look our gazing giants Jānis Bergs and Jānis Apsīts, is the most appropriate place for this event. So happens that the agricultural education and scientific founders have a big anniversaries this year: Professors Jānis Bergs - 150, Arnolds Bušmanis - 140, Peteris Kulitāns - 135, Paulis Lejiņš and Pēteris Rizga - 130, Jānis Bērziņš - 120, Edgars Ozols - 115, Pauls Freimanis - 105, Anatolijs Burmistrovs and an assistant professor Alfrēds Seržāns - 100th. At last in 2013, the study carried out in the direction of accreditation, int.al. direction Agriculture, forestry, fisheries, veterinary medicine and food hygiene is accredited for 6 years up to the 2019th year. In 2013, all scientific institutions and Faculty of Agriculture participated in a large event "Country comes to town" ( 09.14.2013 . ), which required a lot of work, but also gave great satisfaction, a sense of unity and showed both city dwellers and to ourselves that our industry has to be proud of. As every year, field experimentations and research laboratory visitation, field days, discussion, and exchange of experience have been carried out. We've worked a lot and in a hurry tried to jump in a "smart technology train ... "

Lodging is the state of permanent displacement of cereal stems from their upright position. Several models are created for calculating lodging resistance using plant anatomical parameters, but all of them are for wheat (Triticum) or rice (Oryza). The aim of this study was to clarify if the same lodging calculation model of wheat fits to oat (Avena sativa L.). The centre of gravity was the examined parameter for prediction of lodging for oat cultivars. The trial was carried out at the State Stende Cereals Breeding Institute in the 2013. Five oat cultivars were used. At the beginning of yellow ripening (GS 80 – 82) plant samples were taken and stem/ear weight and length was measured. Centre of gravity and its coefficients were calculated. At the end of vegetation period lodging resistance was determined. Results were compared, and showed that genotype with higher centre of gravity characterized with low lodging resistance. This lodging resistance calculation model is suitable for oat, as well as wheat genotypes. | Labības veldrēšanās ir viens no biežākajiem graudaugu ražību ietekmējošajiem faktoriem, kas ne tikai apgrūtina novākšanas procesu, bet arī samazina graudu kvalitāti. Graudu nogatavošanās perioda beigās veldre var samazināt sējumu ražību pat līdz 80% (Berry et al., 2002). Aizvien biežāk tiek pētīti procesi, kas izraisa veldri, un ir noskaidrots, ka veldrēšanās ir komplicēta parādība, kas var būt atkarīga no laika apstākļiem, topogrāfijas, augsnes veida, priekšauga, augsnes apstrādes veida, slimībām un auga anatomiskām īpašībām (piemēram, sakņu sistēmas, auga garuma, stiebra sieniņu blīvuma, vārpas/skaras smaguma un veida) (Baker et al., 1998). Pārsvarā tiek pētīti pasaulē izplatītākie graudaugi kā kvieši (Triticum) un rīsi (Oryza), kam ir izstrādātas matemātiskas sakarības, kuras izmantojot iespējams noteikt veldres izturību (Berry et al., 2004; Reza et al., 2012). Šādu modeļu pagaidām nav auzām, kas lielākoties Latvijai raksturīgos klimatiskos apstākļos saveldrējas salīdzinoši bieži. Auzām galvenokārt raksturīga stiebru veldre augus daļēji noliecot vai nolaužot, kas liek secināt, ka sakņu sistēma ir pietiekoši izturīga, un veldrēšanos izraisa galvenokārt auga virszemes daļu anatomiskā uzbūve un meteoroloģiskie apstākļi. Tādēļ pētījuma mērķis bija noskaidrot, vai matemātiskās sakarības, kuras izmantojot iespējams noteikt veldres izturību, var tikt attiecinātas arī uz auzām.

Polyphenols, phenolic acids and vitamin E which are present in beer are natural antioxidants. The aim of current research was to characterize the dynamics of total phenolic content and antiradical activity of beer during wort fermentation. In experiments different samples of barley malt wort produced in laboratory and on stream were analysed. Total phenolic content was determined by spectrophotometer according to the Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric method. The antioxidant potential of beer was analyzed by the DPPH assay. During wort fermentation total phenolic content of PRa sample decreased by 22%, but increased by 3–13% for samples made in laboratory, respectively PKILa and PLa. All wort and beer samples exhibited strong DPPH radical scavenging activity. It ranged from 918.2 to 2017.5 μmol TE LE-1 during wort fermentation. Strong correlation was found between total phenolic content and antiradical activity of wort and beer samples during wort fermentation.

Strawberry mulching with plastic mulch becomes more and more popular. Application of plastic mulch reduces weed distribution, ensures better water usage and reduces nutrition application due to better uptake of elements by crops. The aim of this study was to estimate the influence of black plastic mulch on soil biological activity in the strawberry field. The experiment was carried out at the Pūre Horticultural Research Centre in 2011 and 2012. An intensity of soil respiration, activity of dehydrogenase and cellulose were used as indicators of microbial activity in the soil. The highest dehydrogenase activity and soil respiration was observed in the middle and at the end of summer, when soil moisture was 12 – 15% and average daily temperature was 12 – 20 °C. Cellulose activity was higher during the first strawberry growing year. Using of black plastic mulch can increase soil biological activity, but further investigations are necessary for obtaining more feasible results.

Pear (Pyrus communis L.) fruits are very popular in Latvia, although orchard areas are not large. The aim of the study was to evaluate influence of various factors on the severity of European pear rust on the cultivar ‘Suvenirs’. The study was performed at the Latvia State Institute of Fruit-Growing from 2008 to 2013. The severity of European pear rust of cultivar ‘Suvenirs’ was evaluated in points 0–5, where: 0 points – a tree has no infected leaves; 5 points – 81 – 100% infected leaves. The disease severity influenced by tree height and weather conditions was analyzed. European pear rust severity results showed significant difference among the years of evaluation. Higher severity was observed on larger and more vigorous trees.

The aim of the study was to analyse the quality of young Latvian Warmblood mares and their adequacy with goals of Selection Programme of Latvian Warmblood Horse. In general, mares born in 2008 corresponded to the conformation standards of Latvian Warmblood horse. Dry constitution and harmonic body characterizes these mares. The average height at the withers was 161.7±0.34 cm, chest 186.0±0.6 cm and cannon circumference 21.1±0.1 cm. Mares’ conformation faults were typical of the breed. The most representative sire lines of Latvian Warmblood mares born on 2008 were Cor De La Bryer – 49 mares, Lady Killer – 47, Ramiro Z – 24 and Alme Z – 21 mares.

Test day records of milk productivity traits and fat – protein ratio in first 150 days of lactation of Holstein Black and White (HM; n = 20) and Holstein Red (HS; n = 15) cows were analysed. HM and HS cows were kept in stall housing system. Animals had ad libitum access to total mixed rations. Significantly highest milk yield was obtained from HM (in the 3rd recording 29.9 kg per day). The HS characterized by higher fat content in milk; in the 1st recording milk fat content was significantly higher of HS (4.29%) as that of HM (3.43%). Protein content was not significantly different among the breeds. The average fat – protein ratio during investigation were from 1.05 to 1.25 for HS and 0.97 to 1.13 for HM cows. HM group had higher risk to get ill with subacute acidosis.

Promoting biogas production to generate energy is associated with several EU policy initiatives such as increasing the output of electricity and thermal energy, energy independence, and the reduction of GHG emissions. Besides, one of the topical problems is the increasing amount of organic waste and residue from agriculture, industry, and households, thereby making waste management, recycling, and waste reduction one of the government policy priorities. Therefore, energy production from biogas that forms in the fermentation process of various (including agricultural) wastes provides environmental, social, and economic gains, and it plays a significant role from both bioeconomic and energy policy perspectives. Owing to the support mechanisms for biogas production in the EU and Latvia, 38 biogas production units with a total capacity of 42.93 MWel operated in Latvia in 2013; 32 of these units produced biogas from biomasses of agricultural origin. Yet, presently, the expansion of this sector is almost stopped, as obligatory purchases of electricity are not held anymore. In the present paper author reveals risk evaluation results of the biogas production plants that produce biogas form agricultural biomasses. Risk evaluation was made in 2013 and it showed that risks in this sector were mainly caused by the political decisions and arises in the biogas production process.

Winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) is an important field crop in Latvia, but its cultivation is subjected to wintering stress. Research on the impact of plant growth regulators to rape wintering in Latvia is still needed. Field trials were carried out at Research and Study farm „Vecauce” in 2012/2013. Three plant growth regulators were used: Caryx (different application times and rates), Toprex 375 SC and Juventus 90 s.c. Results showed that influence of plant growth regulators on seed yield and 1000 seed weight was insignificant. The highest seed yield (5.38 t haE-1; P is greater than 0.05) was obtained using Caryx 1.0 L haE-1 in spring. | Ziemas rapsis (Brassica napus L.) ir nozīmīgs kultūraugs gan pasaules, gan Latvijas lauksaimniecībā. Pasaulē rapša ražošana pēdējo 10 gadu laikā strauji pieaugusi: pēc FAOSTAT datiem 2003. gadā saražoja ~36 milj. t rapša sēklu, bet 2012. g. ~64 milj. t (http://faostat.fao.org). Latvijā pēdējos gados rapša sējumu platības pieaugušas un tā kopplatība jau sasniedz 120 tūkst. ha (www.csb.gov.lv). Pēdējos gados ziemas nav saudzējušas ziemas rapsi un novērotas pārziemošanas problēmas. Latvijā vēl ir maz pētījumu par augu augšanas regulatoru ietekmi uz rapša pārziemošanu (Balodis, Gaile, 2011). Šajā pētījumā tiek novērtēta augu augšanas regulatora Caryx (metkonazols, 30 g LE-1; mepikvāta hlorīds, 210 g LE-1) ietekme uz ziemas rapša augšanu un attīstību. Caryx satur 2 darbīgās vielas, kur mepikvāta hlorīds ir augšanas regulators, bet metkonazols ir fungicīds un augu augšanas regulators (www.agro.basf.lv). Darba mērķis bija noteikt ziemas rapša augšanas punkta augstumu rudenī, vērtēt rapša ražu un 1000 sēklu masu atkarībā no augu augšanas regulatora lietošanas.

Experiments were designed to clarify effects of black and white polyethylene film ground cover and geotextile on the soil temperature and moisture regime in the strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) first year plantation. Experiments were carried out in farm „Bērzemnieki”, Jaunalūksne parish in 2013. Strawberry plants were grown in beds covered with plastic mulch and equipped with drip irrigation system. Control variant was without plastic mulch. Soil temperature and volumetric water content was measured 4 times during vegetation period. Results showed significant increase of water content as a result of soil mulching. The largest differences in the temperature and volumetric water content were observed between white polyethylene film mulch and control. The tendency of temperature reduction under plastic film was stated.