Fractionation of seeds is a process commonly used by breeding and seed production companies. Separation of seeds into small, medium and large size fractions depends on a thousand kernel weight and thus on the content of the endosperm of the seeds, which is used in the process of embryo germination. Research showed that large seeds were characterized by a higher field germination capacity and generally seedlings had greater weight compared to those obtained from small seeds. The question then arises whether such fractionation would promote plant yield improvement. Yields of maize (Zea mays L.) plants of cv. 'Boruta' obtained from different size fractions (of different thousand kernel weight) were evaluated in the years 2005-2007. A three-year field experiment showed that yielding of the plants depended on the seed size fraction and decreased with an increase in the size of maize seeds sown. Moreover, in the experiment the germination value of seeds was assessed in cold (10°C) and warm (25°C) tests. The highest germination capacity in both the warm and the cold test (79.0% and 74.0%, respectively) was observed in the small seed size fraction. Germination of large seeds in the cold test was by 6.71% lower (a significant difference) than that of small seeds. The amylolytic activity of three fractions was also examined as indicated by dry and swollen seeds. The results showed the highest activity of amylases in small seeds (7.33 mg maltoze g dry matter-1 min-1) and the lowest in large seeds (4.12 mg maltoze g dry matter-1 min-1).

In this report, we presented the profile of polyphenolic substances in flowers, leaves, stalk and roots of Fagopyrum tataricum estimated by using RP–UHPLC–ESI-MS equipment (reversed-phase ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry). The neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, acid detergent lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose were also determined. Flowers, leaves, stalk and roots showed varying levels of dietary fibre and polyphenols. The highest content of neutral and acid detergent fibre were found in the roots (63.92 and 45.45% d.m., respectively) while the most rich in phenolic compounds were flowers (4.8 mg/1 g d.m.). Root and stalk contained the highest level of cellulose, 38.70 and 25.57% d.m., respectively. Among the investigated polyphenolic substances such as: 2,6-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 4-hydrobenzoic acid, caffeic acid, catechin, chlorogenic acid, fagopyrin, ferulic acid, myricetin, gallic acid, isovanilic acid, isovitexin, kaempferol, luteolin, p-coumaric acid, procyanidin B2, quercetin, quercetin 3-D galactoside, rutin, syringic acid and vitexin, we observed that the contents of rutin and chlorogenic acid were the highest. We found some correlation between dietary fibre fractions and individual phenolic substances. The levels of acid detergent fibre (ADF), cellulose and hemicellulose were negatively correlated with isovitexin, kaempferol, vitexin, fagopyrin, caffeic acid and procyanidin B2 content. In this investigation, two solvents (water and methanol) were estimated regarding their extraction efficiency of phenolic compounds. Taking these results into consideration, we recommend using methanol as the extractor to isolate chlorogenic acid, fagopyrin, kaempferol, procyanidin B2, quercetin, quercetin 3-D-galactoside, rutin, vitexin, and water for other investigated polyphenolic substances obtained from Fagopyrum tataricum.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s11130-018-0659-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Many studies have focused on research about impact of time and density of sowing on the agronomic characteristics of different crops. However, the number of studies investigating such a response on the qualitative composition of different types of winter oilseed rape varieties is still limited. The aim of the research was to determine the effect of sowing date and density on yield, protein and oil content and quality of winter oilseed rape varieties: open-pollinated, a typical hybrid of traditional type of growth and a new semi-dwarf hybrid, which biology and yielding have not been thoroughly established. This experiment was conducted applying four sowing dates (August 14, August 25, September 4, September 15), three winter oilseed rape cultivars (PR45D03 -semidwarf hybrid, PR46W31 -hybrid, Californium -open-pollinated) and four sowing rates (30, 40, 50, 60 seeds/m 2 ). Among the compared sowing dates, August 25 proved to be optimal for yielding of the tested winter oilseed rape cultivars. Semi-dwarf variety contained less protein and glucosinolate in seeds, but more oil in comparison to other studied varieties (hybrid and open-pollinated). The yields did not differ significantly within a density of 40, 50, 60 seeds/m 2 , so it is important result, especially for the agricultural practice.

The aim of this study is to assess the effect of two biostimulators (Titanit, Rooter) and six foliar fertilizers (Optysil, Metalosate Potassium, Bolero Bo, ADOB 2.0 Zn IDHA, ADOB B, ADOB 2.0 Mo) on white lupine. In addition, we evaluated the enzymatic activity of dehydrogenase, acid, and alkaline phosphatases, catalase, the level of biological nitrogen fixation, yield, plant biometric, chlorophyll fluorescence and chlorophyll content. A field experiment was conducted between 2016 and 2018 at the Gorzyń Experimental and Educational Station, Poznań University of Life Sciences in Poland. The best effects in plant yield were obtained after the application of Optysil or ADOB Zn IDHA. The three years results of dehydrogenase (DHA), alkaline phosphatase (PAL), and the biological index of soil fertility (BIF), show that the bio-stimulants and most of the foliar fertilizers used did not always stimulate the activity of these enzymes and index in the white lupine crops, as compared with the control treatment. Analysis of the results of the acid phosphatase activity (PAC) shows that during the entire white lupine growing season the foliar fertilizers and bio-stimulants decreased the activity of this enzyme. This effect was not observed when the Metalosate potassium foliar fertilizer was applied. The field analyses of biological nitrogen fixation showed that the fertilizers and bio-stimulants significantly stimulated nitrogenase activity under the white lupine plantation. The best effects in plant yield were obtained after application Optysil or ADOB Zn IDHA.

Plant roots are inhabited by an enormous variety of microorganisms, including fungi, which can control the growth as well as regulate the health of the host plants. The mycobiome composition of the roots of wheat plants, especially spelt, under drought stress has been rarely investigated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the composition of fungal communities in the root endosphere and rhizosphere of three Triticum aestivum ssp. spelta L. cultivars and one Triticum aestivum ssp. vulgare L. cultivar, grown under drought and controlled conditions in different soil preparations. Culture-dependent fungal community profiling was performed to examine the impact of rhizocompartments (endosphere, rhizosphere), host genotype, watering status and different soil preparation on roots mycobiome structure. A total of 117 fungal strains, belonging to 22 genera, were found to colonize the internal and external parts of roots in T. aestivum ssp. spelta L. and T. aestivum ssp. vulgare L. cultivars. The results showed that the part of root and soil preparation type significantly determined the mycobiome composition of wheat roots.

The aim of the study was to determine the influence of PRP SOL and PRP EBV fertilisers and co-inoculation (simultaneous inoculation of plants with bacteria of the Rhizobium genus and endophytic Bacillus subtilis bacteria) on nitrogenase activity, the dynamics of growth of selected soil microorganisms, variation in soil biochemical properties, and soil fertility index in a yellow lupine plantation. There were 12 variants of the field experiment: 1) the control variant of uninoculated yellow lupine, 2) seeds inoculated with the Bacillus subtilis strain, 3) seeds inoculated with nitragin, 4) PRP SOL fertiliser, 5) PRP EBV fertiliser, 6) PRP SOL + PRP EBV, 7) PRP SOL fertiliser + Bacillus subtilis inoculation, 8) PRP SOL fertiliser + nitragin, 9) PRP SOL fertiliser + Bacillus subtilis + nitragin, 10) PRP EBV fertiliser + Bacillus subtilis, 11) PRP EBV fertiliser + Bacillus subtilis + nitragin, and 12) PRP SOL + PRP EBV + Bacillus subtilis + nitragin. Soil samples for microbiological and biochemical analyses were collected at 3 terms: during the emergence of plants, at the beginning of their florescence, and after harvesting. The count of selected groups of soil microorganisms (total bacterial count, moulds, Actinobacteria, copiotrophic and oligotrophic microorganisms) was measured with the serial dilution method developed by Koch. The analysis of soil enzymatic activity such as dehydrogenases and phosphatases in different variants was based on the colorimetric method, and catalase activity was measured with the manometric method. The two-year field experiment was conducted in 2014 and 2015. It showed that PRP SOL and PRP *

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of the agricultural use of sewage sludge in corn for grain, in the year of application and follow up effect after one and two years after its application. The study was conducted on the variety PR39G12 on the field after the 5-year monoculture corn. Sewage sludge was used in accordance with the Directive of Minister of Environment allowing application of 10 t dry mater per ha-1 once every five years. Fertilization with sludge of maize grown for grain did not cause differences in the growth and development of plants, compared to mineral fertilized objects, as well as did not exceed the limit value for heavy metals content in above-ground plant parts. Maize grown using sewage sludge yielded higher than the objects fertilized with mineral, especially in conditions of extreme drought, which occurred in 2006. Beneficial effect of sewage sludge was maintained in the next two years after application and stabilized the grain yield of maize.Keywords: maize, residual effect, sewage sludge, SPAD, yield Abstrakt Celem pracy była ocena efektów rolniczego wykorzystania komunalnych osadów ściekowych w uprawie kukurydzy na ziarno, w roku zastosowania oraz w kolejnych dwóch latach działania następczego. Badania przeprowadzono z wykorzystaniem odmiany PR39G12, na polu po 5-cio letniej monokulturze kukurydzy. Osad ściekowy stosowano zgodnie z ówczesnym rozporządzeniem Ministra Środowiska dopuszczającym aplikację w dawce 10 ton s.m.·ha -1 raz na 5 lat. Nawożenie osadem ściekowym kukurydzy, uprawianej z przeznaczeniem na ziarno, nie spowodowało różnic we wzroście i rozwoju roślin w porównaniu do obiektów nawożonych mineralnie, jak również nie powodowało przekroczenia dopuszczalnych zawartości metali ciężkich w nadziemnych częściach roślin. Kukurydza uprawiana z wykorzystaniem osadów ściekowych plonowała wyżej niż na obiektach nawożonych

Legumes are increasingly important crops in most European Union (EU) countries because of the growing demand for feed protein, and also because they have been shown to improve the characteristics of soil. The main part of the crop rotation is taken up by cereals, but they are connected with undesirable side effects, such as the unilateral utilization of ingredients and the heightened risk of plant diseases, e.g., Fusarium. Simplification of farming methods has become increasingly popular as growers search for cheaper production technologies. However, the effects of long-term simplification in tillage practices on the production and economics of narrow-leafed lupine (NL) cultivation have not been studied. In 2012–2016, we carried out a field experiment in Poland with a one-factorial design with four replications. The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the productivity effect of conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT) and no-tillage (NT) on NL-winter wheat (WW)-winter triticale (WT)-winter barley (WB), rotation. Our results show that the productivity of this crop rotation was lower under RT and NT systems than under CT. From a practical point of view, the reduction of cultivation in rotation with 75% of cereals caused a decrease in yield in all species, which can result in resign of using the RT and NT in conditions of Albic Luvisols soil, as classified according to the World Reference Base (WRB). The highest incomes were found when the CT system was used with NL. Although income losses exceeded the value of savings in both minimalized soil tillage systems (RT and NT), all tillage systems of NL were profitable.