The paper presents the result of a triennial field experiment (2013‒15), aiming to determine the influence of irrigation, nitrogen fertilization, and cultivars, as well as their interactions on the yield and chemical properties of the soybean seeds. Four soybean cultivars (Lucija, Vita, Ika and Tena) of different maturity groups were investigate as a sub‐subplot factor (C). The main plot factor (A - irrigation) resulted in a statistically very significant (P≤0.01) seed yield in all three years, and it was found out by an analysis of variance. The subplot factor (B - nitrogen fertilization) had an impact on the grain yield depending on the research year, while sub‐subplot factor (C-cultivar) significantly affected all examined traits. The factor interactions and their significance varied by the research years. The seed yield achieved in 2013 (3883 kg ha-1) indicated a great importance of all factors’ interaction. The correlations between a seed yield and a protein and oil concentration were determined during the research.

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The influence of a hydrothermal "cooking" procedure on the starch, protein and oil contents was investigated on two corn hybrids of the same vegetation group (Bc 354 and Bc 394). The "cooking" procedure was started at the moisture contents of 32.73% (for Bc 354)and 31.67%(for Bc 394), which were increased after the "cooking" procedure by 7.36% (for Bc 354) and by 2.96% (for Bc 394). The chemical characteristics of the corn kernels, i.e. starch protein and oil content, were analyzed after drying the kernels at air temperatures of 70oC, 90oC, 110oC and 130oC with or without the prior "cooking" procedure. The results obtained led us to the conclusion that hybrid Bc 354 kernel took a longer time to dry after the "cooking" procedure than hybrid Bc 394 kernel at all selected temperatures, whereas without the "cooking" procedure, hybrid Bc 354 kernel dried more slowly than hybrid Bc 394 kernel only at the temperature of 70oC. After the drying and "cooking" procedures, both hybrids showed an increase in starch content and a decreases in protein and oil content in the kernel when compared to naturally dried kernels. In the same way, starch content increased and oil and protein contents decreased in kernels treated by the "cooking" procedure in comparison to kernels that were only dried

Aim of this study was to monitor the influence of drying method (naturally and chamber drying) and different sample preparation on supercritical CO2 extraction of oil from three grape seed varieties (Graševina, Zweigelt, Cabernet Sauvignon). The highest oil content was obtained from naturally dried screened and washed seeds of red variety Cabernet Sauvignon (14.85%) and lowest from chamber dried screened seeds of white variety Graševina (7.67%). Peroxide value ranged from 0.36 to 1.77 mmol O2/kg oil, free fatty acids 0.28-8.0%, and insoluble impurities 0.05-0.28%. Determined fatty acids were palmitic (6.98-11.58%), stearic (3.82-6.59%), oleic (14.90-19.97%) and linoleic acid (61.82-71.96%) in oil obtained from naturally dried seeds and 6.84-8.68%, 4.12-5.73%, 15.10-20.18% and 67.88-70.76% in oil from chamber dried seeds, respectively. In defatted cakes after supercritical CO2 extraction, protein and fibre content ranged from 8.17 to 9.85% and 34.58 to 43.96%, respectively. According to ANOVA results, sample preparation and drying method had statistically significant influence on grape seed oil extraction.

Preliminary communicationThe most significant factor for controlling root size of red beet is likely to be the density of seed plantings. Most red beet is produced by direct sowing with precision drills at an in-row spacing of 5 to 10 cm, aiming at 30 to 70 plants per m 2 . The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of varied forward speed on in-row seed spacing distribution accuracy of red beet using different types of precision drills. It was found that an increase in the drill operating speed decreases drilling precision. The best in-row seed spacing distribution accuracy was determined at the speed of 0,83 m/s with the pneumatic feed precision drill operated suction system, when 83,1 % of seeds were laid at the 0,5÷1,5 of the theoretical seed spacing. Inferior results were obtained with the belt feed mechanism at an operating speed of 1,81 m/s.Keywords: drill forward speed; feed mechanism; precision drill; red beet; seed spacing accuracy Utjecaj brzine kretanja i tehničkih izvedbi precizne sijačice na preciznost sjetve cikle unutar reda Prethodno priopćenje Veličina korjena cikle najviše ovisi o broju biljaka po jedinici površine (sklopu). U proizvodnji cikle večinom se koriste precizne sijačice podešene na razmak sjemena od 5 do 10 cm u redu, a radi dobivanja sklopa od 30 do 70 biljaka po 1 m 2 . Svrha istraživanja je bila utvrditi utjecaj različitih brzina kretanja preciznih sijačica različitih izvedbi na preciznost sjetve unutar reda. Utvrđeno je da se povećanjem brzine kretanja sijačice smanjuje preciznost sjetve. Najprecizniji razmak sjemena unutar reda postignut je s preciznom pneumatskom sijačicom s podtlakom pri brzini kretanja od 0,83 m/s, gdje je 83,1 % sjemena bilo posijano unutar skupine od 0,5 do 1,5 od traženog (teoretskog) razmaka. U sjetvi s preciznom sijačicom s mehaničkim sijaćim uređajem s trakom pri brzini kretanja od 1,81 m/s su dobiveni lošiji rezultati.

Original scientific paper The present paper investigates the effectiveness of different levels of applied digested residue obtained after anaerobic digestion (AD) of meat-bone meal (MBM) on the morphologic and mineral characteristics of corn. The experiment was conducted in duration of two years and consisted of eight treatments: control (without any fertilizer); mineral fertilization only; treatments with minimum, medium and maximum dosage of digested MBM; fertilization of minimum, medium and maximum dosages of AD residue combined with mineral fertilizer. By combination of treatments with mineral fertilizer and different rates of AD residue, plants increased mass yield, they were larger and had more leaves. Content of mineral substances was within average values, both in plant material and in kernel, and variations in values were conditioned by total mass and ion interactions. MBM after AD treatment is possible to be applied as organic fertilizer. It has higher nutritive value and, as such, is suitable for treatment of agricultural plants, especially in crop production. Keywords: anaerobic digestion; corn; fertilization; meat bone meal Anaerobna digestija specifičnog biorazgradivog otpada i konačno zbrinjavanjeIzvorni znanstveni članka Ovaj rad istražuje učinkovitost primjene različitih razina digestiranog ostatka, dobivenog nakon anaerobne digestije (AD) mesno-koštanog brašna (MKB), na morfološka i mineralna svojstva kukuruza. Istraživanje je provedeno u trajanju od dvije godine, a sastojalo se od osam tretmana: kontrola (bez gnojiva); samo mineralna gnojidba; tretmani s najmanjom, srednjom i maksimalnom dozom digestiranog MKB-a; gnojidba minimalnom, srednjom i maksimalnom dozom digestiranog ostatka u kombinaciji s mineralnim gnojivom. Kombinacija tretmana s mineralnim gnojivom i različitom dozom ostatka anaerobne digestije, povećala je prinos mase biljke, bile su veće i imale više lišća. Sadržaj mineralnih tvari bio je prosječne vrijednosti, kako u biljnom materijalu tako i u jezgri. Varijacije vrijednosti uvjetovane su ukupnom masom i ionskim interakcijama. MKB nakon tretmana AD moguće je primijeniti kao organsko gnojivo. Ima veće hranjive vrijednosti i, kao takvo, prikladno je za tretiranje poljoprivrednih biljaka, posebno u ratarstvu.

This article investigates the effect of processing parameters (conditioning temperature and binder content), on final quality of produced agro-pellets for heat energy generation, obtained from four different olive cultivars using different technological parameters. Technological, physical and chemical properties of pellets (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulphur content, particle density, abrasion length, moisture, ash content, higher and lower heating values, fixed carbon and volatile matter content) have been determined to assess their quality. The performance of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) was compared with the performance of second order polynomial (SOP) model, as well as with the obtained experimental data in order to develop rapid and accurate mathematical model for prediction of final quality parameters of agro-pellets. SOP model showed high coefficients of determination (r 2), between 0.692 and 0.955, while ANN model showed high prediction accuracy with r 2 between 0.544 and 0.994.

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