A b s t r a c tThe experiment was conducted in the Botanical Garden of UMCS in Lublin. A collection of three ecotypes of Allium ursinum L. from Dukla, Roztocze Region and Bieszczady mountain range, were the subject of our study. The aim of the study was to compare the biometrical features and chemical composition of garlic leaves. There were substantial differences both in growth characteristics and flowering characteristics of the ecotypes of Allium ursinum. The Dukla ecotype formed the longest leaves, whereas the shortest ones were found in the Roztocze ecotype. The Bieszczady ecotype was characterized by the widest leaf blades, the longest leaf stalk and flowering stems as well as the largest diameter of inflorescence. The Roztocze ecotype had the largest number of flowers in an inflorescence, while the Dukla ecotype had the shortest flowering stems and the fewest flowers in an inflorescence. The largest concentration of dry mass in leaves was detected in A. ursinum from Roztocze. The largest concentration of proteins was detected in the leaves of A. ursinum from Bieszczady. The most flavonoids were assayed in the leaves of the Roztocze ecotype of A. ursinum, the fewest in the Dukla one. Phenolic acids were at their highest concentration in the leaves of bear's garlic from Dukla, while the lowest concentration was recorded in the leaves of the ecotype from Bieszczady. The garlic leaves from Dukla had also the highest content of essential oil, while the Roztocze ones had the lowest oil content. The ecotypes of Allium ursinum differed substantially when it comes to the number of components of their essential oils and the amount of selected components.

The principles of good agricultural and horticultural practice, which consider both giving environmental protection and high yielding of plants, require modern cultivation methods. Modern cultivation of horticultural plants uses, for example, cover crops, living mulches, plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs), plant growth regulators (PGRs) and other biostimulants protecting the soil against degradation and plants against phytopathogens and stress. The purpose of field and laboratory studies was to determine the effect of Trianum P (containing Trichoderma harzianum Rifai T-22 spores), Beta-Chikol (a.s.—chitosan), Timorex Gold 24 EC (based on tea tree oil) and fungicide Zaprawa Nasienna T 75 DS/WS (a.s.—tiuram 75%) on the health of carrot (Daucus carota L.) plants and the microorganism population in the rhizosphere of this plant. Moreover, the antagonistic effect of rhizosphere fungi on selected carrot fungal pathogens was determined. Laboratory mycological analysis allowed one to determine the qualitative and quantitative composition of fungi colonizing the underground parts of carrot plants. In addition, the total population of fungi and bacteria was determined (including Bacillus sp. and Pseudomonas sp.) based on the microbiological analysis of the rhizosphere soil. The application of the plant growth-promoting fungus (Trichoderma harzianum T-22), chitosan and tea tree oil positively influenced the growth, development and health status of carrot plants. T. harzianum T-22, chitosan and fungicide most effectively protected carrots against infection by soil-borne fungi from the genus Alternaria, Fusarium, Haematonectria, Sclerotinia and Rhizoctonia. The rhizosphere population of Bacillus sp. and Pseudomonas sp. in the treatments with Trianum P or Zaprawa Nasienna T 75 DS/WS was bigger than in the other experimental treatments. A reverse relationship was observed in the population of rhizosphere fungi. T. harzianum T-22, chitosan and tea tree oil promoted the growth of antagonistic fungi (Albifimbria sp., Clonostachys sp., Penicillium sp., Talaromyces sp. and Trichoderma sp.) in the carrot rhizosphere. Antagonistic activity of these fungi towards Alternaria dauci, Alternaria radicina, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Rhizoctonia solani was higher after the application of the preparations compared to control. Consequently, Trianum P, Beta-Chikol and Timorex Gold 24 EC can be recommended as plant biostimulants in ecological agricultural production, including Daucus carota cultivation.

A b s t r a c t. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of cover crops biomass, mixed with the soil on different dates and with the use of different tools in field conditions. The cover crop biomass had a beneficial influence on the total porosity of the 0-20 cm layer of the soil after winter. The highest porosity was achieved with cover crops of buckwheat, phacelia and mustard, the lowest with rye. During the vegetation period the highest porosity of soil was observed in the ridges. Among the remaining non-ploughing cultivations, pre-winter use of stubble cultivator proved to have a beneficial influence on the soil porosity, providing results comparable to those achieved in conventional tillage. The differential porosity of the soil was modified not only by the catch crops and the cultivation methods applied, but also by the sample collection dates, and it did change during the vegetation period. The highest content of macropores after winter was observed for the phacelia cover crop, and the lowest in the case of cultivation without any cover crops. Pre-winter tillage with the use of a stubble cultivator increased the amount of macropores in soil in spring, and caused the biggest participation of mesopores as compared with other non-ploughing cultivation treatments of the soil. The smallest amount of mesopores was found in the ridges.K e y w o r d s: grubber, non-ploughing cultivation, cover crops INTRODUCTIONThe tendency to divert from ploughing and to replace it with other methods of cultivation and tillage simplification is a world-wide trend, used in agriculture for years. It is also becoming increasingly popular in Poland. The abandonment of traditional ploughing, performed with the use of mouldboard plough, is mostly the result of economic grounds. Ploughing is the most energy-consuming of agricultural methods, requiring the most resources (Dzienia, 2006). The environmental protection is also a decisive factor. Organic farming is usually based on ploughless tillage. Apart from its undisputed advantages, such as deep loosening of soil, its aeration, reduction of weed infestation, covering of postcrop remains, increase of root growth zone, ploughing has also numerous disadvantages. They are: the destruction of the natural protective layer of soil, the destruction of soil structure, the drying of the arable layer, interference in the circulation of nutrients, increased pace of organic matter decomposition, depopulation of soil fauna and disturbance of the biological activity of the soil. Ploughing encourages water and wind erosion. The plough leads to the creation of ploughed sole and ploughing out of stones and inactive subsoil (Bertol et al., 2005;Dexter and Czy¿, 2011;Zimny, 1997). That is why the world agriculture replaces traditional tillage with cultivations that do move the soil, but without turning it over (Zimny, 1997). The conservation cultivation becomes more and more popular, with covering plants playing the major role in it (Çakir, 2010). Also the pro-ecological actions encourage us...

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The present studies aim at determining the antagonistic effect of selected fungi species occurring in the soil under carrot cultivation towards Altenaria dauci (J.G. Kühn) J.W. Groves & Skolko, Alternaria radicina Meier, Drechsler & E.D. Eddy, Fusarium oxysporum E.F. Sm & Swingle, Rhizoctonia solani J.G. Kühn and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary. The field experiment considered cover crops (oats, tansy phacelia and vetch). The control consisted of traditional carrot cultivation (without cover crops). Statistically, the smallest population of fungi was found in 1 g of soil dry weight after the application of oats, and a slightly bigger – after tansy phacelia and vetch. The largest population of fungi was obtained in the traditional cultivation of carrot. Cover crops contributed to the increase of the population of antagonistic Clonostachys spp., Myrothecium spp., Penicillium spp. and Trichoderma spp. in the soil. Regardless of the experimental treatment, those antagonistic fungi were the most effective in limiting the growth of S. sclerotiorum, A. dauci and A. radicina. The effect of those fungi was a little smaller towards F. oxysporum and R. solani. Oats as a cover crop had the best effect on the antagonistic activity of the studied fungi occurring in the soil environment of carrot.