The majority of natural Lithuanian rivers were regulated during intensive land reclamation period. Straightening of rivers caused unfavourable conditions for biodiversity. Four tributaries of the Merkys River in the South Lithuania were selected to explore changes in biodiversity patterns and determine the relationships between flow energy distribution in beds and ecological status of selected rivers. The research has shown that variation of cross sections area was usually 1.2 to 2.3 times higher in natural beds as compared to regulated ones. The range of rivers flow energy, estimated by Froude number, values were characterized as higher in natural (0.0 to 0.35) streams than in regulated (0.0 to 0.20) ones. This is the reason why the biggest number of macroinvertebrate taxa during the research period was recorded in natural riverbeds and the lowest - in the fields of the regulated segments. The assessing the abundance of fish revealed that total fish density in natural river sections was four times higher than in regulated ones. The research has approved the importance of naturalness for biodiversity and rehabilitation of regulated rivers in Lithuania.

The most efficient way to dewater sewage sludge is the thermal drying, which simultaneously with the granulation allows obtaining the product in the form of granules, being a non-putrescible fertilizer that is also easy for transportation, storage and bringing into soil. When large volumes of sewage sludge are formed, which are unfit for use in agriculture, application of other utilization methods, such as burning, would be purposeful. The aim is to determine the optimum drying modes of sewage sludge with application of pneumatic pulse method at treatment facilities in the pilot project. To do this, it is necessary to develop a proposal for the design of operating model. The design and making of working model is necessary to determine the optimal conditions for sewage sludge drying at sewage disposal works. The drying process is provided to be realized in a closed-loop cycle (without emission into atmosphere). Due to inner recirculation of dry air, the installation heat consumption is reduced. Calculations have shown that there is economic expediency of using the pneumatic pulse method in sewage sludge thermal drying technology and possibility of using sewage sludge as an alternative fuel. Optimization of sewage sludge thermal drying process with the use of pneumatic pulse method will considerably extend the perspectives for utilization and further use of sewage sludge.

The main objective of this research is to find out if quantitative factors describing agriculture have a statistically significant role on the parliamentary election results in Latvia. If this statistical relationship can be proven, then it is important to interpret the causality behind it. 18 agricultural indicators from the 2001 Census of Agriculture were selected to be analyzed with the 8th Saeima political party election results by using multiple linear regression analysis. These 18 parameters are different in their character, and they describe the size of farms, level of education for farmers, land usage statistics, proportion and productivity of certain crops, livestock and the usage of farm machinery. The main hypothesis of this research was that the rural civil parishes with a high intensity of agriculture have a statistically significant difference in election results when compared to the rest of the election results in Latvia. Initial results showed a strong correlation between election results and agricultural indicators, but when the ethnic factor was taken into account in the linear regression model the role of these agricultural indicators was greatly diminished.

The positive place image attracts investors, foreign and national guests, creates the local residents’ pride and distinguishes it form the competing locations. Project activities are completed/or being carried out under the funding of the European Union and the Republic of Lithuania. The research problem: do project activities form positive place image? The research object – place image formation carrying out project activities. The purpose of the article – to analyze the implemented projects by Silale district Municipality and investigate their impact on the location image formation in Silale district. Research objectives are: (1) to identify and investigate the factors impacting the formation of Silale district Image; (2) to analyze and assess the project activities performed by Silale district Municipality. For the research completion the methods of questionnaire survey and content analysis were applied. The gained research outcome has disclosed that project activities in Silale district are focused to the restoration and beautifying of environment, but not on the investors, and there are not carried out any investment attraction projects. Two segments – local residents and tourists – received the benefit from the project activities in Silale district.

Environmental conditions and climate change on a global scale affects the overall agriculture and food supply. Consumers demand for vegetables with high nutritional value is increasing. Consumers more and more are thinking about a healthy and balanced diet, but it is not easy to provide year-round fresh vegetables. Nettle (Urtica) leaves traditionally are used in early spring as a leafy vegetable in salads and soups. Young leaves before flowering are used for human consumption. Nettle contains a lot of vitamins and biologically active compounds. The research aim was to evaluate different stinging nettle clones, which grow in Pūre village (Tukuma district, Latvia). Samples were collected, when shoots were 10 – 15 cm long. Content of chlorophyll, carotenoids and anthocyanins in five nettle clones leaves were analysed. Biochemical analysis was done in Latvia University of Agriculture, Institute of Soil and Plant Science laboratory. Differences were observed between all clones. Significant difference between genotypes was observed in anthocyanins content, but not in chlorophylls and carotenoids content. Higher anthocyanins content was observed in samples, which grow in places with low nitrogen and phosphorus content. Content of biochemical compounds can influence some metal ions, environmental and other factors.

Assortment improvement is a natural process of updating varieties and improving the quality of variety assortment. The article presents the results of studying the introduced grape (Vitis vinifera) varieties in the conditions of the southeast of Kazakhstan, in particular in the bottom-mountain area of Almaty region. The beginning and the end of the main phenological phases passing for the vegetative period in a grape plant directly depended on climatic and weather conditions of this district. It is established that varieties ‘Kuibyshevsk early-maturing’, ‘Iyulsky’ and ‘Priusadebny’ have a good degree of eyes wintering buds and are able to give a yield of high quality in this area in comparison with recognized variety ‘Almaty early-maturing’.

Height at the centre of gravity is a part of mathematical model to interpret risk of lodging used for cereal crops. Because of the anatomical changes during vegetation period, several measured parameters in early milk stage (stem and panicle weight) will differ from over-ripe stage results in their values. The aim of this study was to define approximate values of calculated parameters describing oat (Avena sativa L.) height at the centre of gravity in early milk and over-ripe stages as well as determine connection with lodging risk. The trial was carried out at the State Stende Cereals Breeding Institute in 2013. There were 5 oat cultivars studied. At the investigated growing stages plant samples were taken from a field and in laboratory conditions stem/panicle weight and length measured. The height at the centre of gravity and gravity ratio were calculated using mathematical model by Berry (1998). Results showed that the value of the height at the centre of gravity in over-ripe stage was significantly higher (p is less than 0.01) than in early milk stage, but correlation with risk of lodging remained. Such lodging resistance describing mathematical model can be useful for oat as well as wheat cultivars.

The study consists of literature review on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) initial seed material – minitubers production. This paper covers aspects of healthy potato microplants production techniques and subsequent greenhouse minitubers production methods. The diversity of conventional minituber growing techniques (on solid medium in greenhouses) is discussed. Review showed that obtained minitubers number depends on growing methods and variety. Physical manipulation during in vitro phase could have positive effects on minitubers yielding capacities.

Field trials were carried out at Jõgeva Plant Breeding Institute in 2008 – 2011 to identify the possibilities of using early red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) ‘Jõgeva 433’ (diploid), Washington lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus Lind.) ‘Lupi’ and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) as green manure. Fresh material of the above species was ploughed into the soil in autumn of the sowing year. Fertilizer value was quantified through yield and grain quality of spring wheat ‘Vinjett’ and barley ‘Inari’. The composition and amount of ploughed biomass were recorded. By the time of ploughing, Washington lupine had produced the most abundant biomass. >From studied species crimson clover had the lowest fertilizer value – only by 6–7% extra yield of spring wheat in the following year. Crimson clover had no residual effect of fertilization in the second year. The fertilizer values of red clover and Washington lupine were approximately equal. Their effect on yield increase of spring wheat and barley lasted for three years, on grain quality for two years. Red clover, ploughed into the soil in the year of sowing, resulted in maximum spring wheat yield increase of 23.9%, compared with N 0 treatments; that of Washington lupine was 21.3%. The residual positive effect in the second year quantified as barley production increased by 6.2% in Washington lupine and 7.9% in red clover. The yield increase in the third year was 3.9% and 12.1%, respectively. Green manure increased the contents of crude protein and gluten in spring wheat and crude protein content in barley.

One of most important traits in dairy farming is cow (Bos primigenius taurus) longevity. In last few years the length of productive life in Latvian dairy cow population significantly decreased. Cow longevity depends on a large amount of genetic and non-genetic factors. Data from 1037 excluded Latvian brown (LB) breed cows were included in the analysis. Cows were born in the period from the year 2002 to 2006 and a farm size was 9 – 163 cows per farm. Farms were dislocated in all main regions of Latvia. Average life length of cows excluded from the herd was 2463.0 days in small farms, 2234.6 days in medium size farms and 2089.5 days in large farms. Cows’ productivity in one life day in small farms was 5.9 kg energy corrected milk (ECM), in medium size farms 6.2 kg ECM and in large farms 6.5 kg ECM. Large farm cows had longer life length in days (p is less than 0.05), but higher productivity in one productive day (p is less than 0.05) and productivity in one life day.