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Application of silicon (Si) could greatly boost wheat growth and yield by mitigating abiotic stress, especially drought. Aim The objective of this study was to determine the effect of silicon products in different forms and methods of its application on growth and yield of spring wheat cultivated under organic farming regime. Methods A field experiment was conducted in the period of 2017-2018 on a research farm. The impact of different methods of application of powder and liquid forms of Si products to soil, leaves and combined methods of application (to soil and leaves) on growth parameters and yielding of spring wheat was evaluated. The treatments consisted of the recommended doses of two Si products-Adesil and ZumSil at 10 kg and 0.3 l/ha, respectively. The effect of silicon was assessed by measuring emergence and height of plants, number and weight of ears, as well as the SPAD index and yield. Results The number of plants emergence (316-321 seedlings per 1 m 2), the number of spikes and the height of plants were the highest after application of the liquid form of silicon, regardless of the method of application. The yield was statistically higher after the combined and foliar applications of liquid form of silicon (4.97 and 4.84 t/ha, respectively). The powder silicon form was similar effective when was used as the combined application (to soil and leaves) (5.35 t/ ha). Conclusions Si stimulates growth of wheat enhancing number of ears and plant height, increases yields of organically grown spring wheat, a liquid Si formulation (solution of monosilicic acid) is more effective than a powder Si formulation (diatomaceous earth). Soil and foliar Si application is more effective than soil or foliar application.

In this study, the effects of organic powder of Cinnamomum zeylanicum on the development of Botrytis cinerea and its influence on tomato plants were evaluated. The cinnamon bark powder and its water suspensions and filtrates were used at 0.5 and 1% rates. After 6 days of the start of an in vitro experiment the mycelium growth was inhibited by both 0.5 and 1% cinnamon water filtrates-to a greater degree in the case of the higher concentration, by 54.4 and 81.4%, respectively. Spraying with cinnamon water filtrates positively influenced the growth of plants both in the greenhouse and the field. Antifungal activity of cinnamon was proved in the greenhouse tests-the disease symptoms of grey mould on infected tomato plants decreased. The fresh weight of non-inoculated tomato plants treated with cinnamon filtrates was significantly higher than control plants (17.17 g compared to 12.83 g) showing a stimulating effect of cinnamon filtrates. In the case of inoculated plants due to treatment, their weight increased from 7.83 to 10.50 g. In the field experiment, tomato plants sprayed six times with cinnamon were better developed than the control plants. The most significant effect was observed for Hamlet variety-the mean number of leaves was higher by 27.3% and the mean number of branches by 19.7% compared to the untreated control plants. Thus it was proved that cinnamon powder has potential to inhibit B. cinerea growth and also has a stimulating effect for tomato plants.

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The aim of this research was to create an advisory system for commodity services and sugar beet growers to support their decisions about the use of chemical control against the cutworms. Consequently, two forecasting models for determining the chemical control time were compared: one based on a signaling method and the other based on average of [effective] temperatures necessary for caterpillars to achieve the desired L 2 stage. The date of first flights and the total number of pests on plantations were determined. The usefulness of monitoring cutworm catches was also compared with systematic observations of sugar beet fields at the moment when the mass flight of cutworm moths was identified. The beginning of oviposition, hatching of the first caterpillars and the caterpillars' growth to 10-12 mm was observed, and optimal date of chemical treatment against cutworms was forecasted. During the study, the time for insecticidal treatments against cutworms was determined by the signaling method between the 29th and the 41st day following the onset of the cutworm moths' mass flight. The time of treatments was determined phenologically by obtaining the sum of heat which ranged from 300.7 to 696.4°C with an average of 523.17°C and the sum of effective temperatures which ranged from 120.2 to 260.5°C with an average of 180.1°C.

The operation of offshore wind turbines and electricity transmission through submarine cables over long distances generate electromagnetic or static magnetic fields (depending on the technical solution) that may modify the natural geomagnetic field and cause induced electric and electromagnetic fields in the water. The present study synthesizes the current knowledge and speculates on the possible environmental impact of electrical energy transfer based on the example of the Polish Marine Areas (southern Baltic Sea). We review the possible effects of the electrical energy induction and transfer against the existing and planned wind turbine installations. Furthermore, we consider different cable design variants as a way of environmental impact mitigation. Possible impacts of induced magnetic fields on marine organisms and, consequently, on the ecosystem functioning are also addressed.