English summary AGRO No. 1/2004

Geum urbanum

In spite of the fact that the attention of the agrarian public is particularly focused on economically significant weeds, there exist many herbal species as well which are very flexible from the biological and environmental points of view, and depending on the environmental conditions, they do well in covering untended and badly cultivated lands. The case of the Geum Urbanum weed, which was out of reach of an significant specialist interest up to now, is something like that. Page

Significance of plant diseases in the planting of cereals

Plants have always existed accompanied by their diseases. From the history it is known that for example Aristoteles mentions the diseases of olive trees, figs, cereals, and grapevines. Plinius, disciple of Aristoteles, says in his Naturalis Historica that cereals suffer from rust rather in the lowlands than in the mountains. Scientific phytopathology originated only in 1755 with Matthieu du Tillets work about smut. Page

Sugar beet in 2003

Planting of sugar beet and other field crops in 2003 was affected by the extraordinary drought and very high temperatures. Locally, rainfalls necessary for sugar beet could be recorded too, and the resulting yields were not decreased considerably (local situation better in Bohemia than in Moravia). On the other hand, even with local rainfalls, owing to high temperatures, evaporation increased, and the positive impact of rainfalls could not become evident. Page

Monilia Laxa

Many stone fruit trees often get frozen and, subsequently, they are affected by apoplexy, and in many cases also by Monilinia Laxa. Individual flowers, productive branchlets or even whole branches turn brown and wither; they look as if they have been burned. Later, with a more intense infection, even massive outflow of an amber-coloured substance can be observed on the branches. The cause of this damage is a fungus known in particular under the name of Monilia Laxa. Page

Fusarium (rot of onion)

The cause of the Fusarium rot of onion is the Fusarium Oxysporum microscopic fungus. The Fusarium Oxysporum rot of onion is a typical proclivity-type disease, that is, the Fusarium Oxysporum fungus lives saprophytically on the rests of plants or on other organic substances, and, only if conditions are favourable, it goes over to the parasitic way of living. That is why the fungus brings about significant losses only in some years or only in some areas. Page

Oulema genus beetles a factor significantly harmful to cereals

The beetles can cause serious damages to cereals. It is a case of the Oulema Melanopus and Oulema Lichenis. The plants attacked have between the ribs of their leafs longitudinal strips which have been bitten out by the beetles and larvae. As opposed to the beetles, larvae, during feeding, leave the bottom skin of leaves undamaged. At a later time, leaves turn yellow and wither. The plants attacked do not form ears properly and maturate prematurely. The beetles attack all kinds of cereals and various kinds of grasses. Page

The first recommendation for providing nutrients for oil seed rape in the spring of 2004

An essential condition of successful planting is the timely attention paid to the standing crop. This means that fertilization must be started as soon as possible. If land is not covered with snow, we begin to fertilize with nitrogen (N), possibly boron, starting approximately on 25 28 February, usually at the beginning of March. Neither rain, nor the thawing snow wash the nitrogen up. The principle still holds which says that a timely dose of nitrogen, applied in March, increases the yields of seeds by tons, while a late dose, applied in April, increases the yields only by quintals, and a dose applied in May only by tens of kilograms. Page

Spring - time fertilization of oil seed rape

Fertilizing with nitrogen has the key position in the spring - time fertilization of oil seed rape. It is essential because rapid increase in the ripes requirements for the nitrogen nutrient after „opening“ of the spring vegetation must be covered. However, the basic assumption of effective utilization of nitrogen contained in the nitrogen fertilizers applied are the appropriate volumes of all the other main and trace nutrients supplied to the ripe plants. Page

Innovations in the cultivar composition of spring cereals

In the spring of 2003, apart from other things, there were registered in the Czech Republic four malt cultivars of spring barley (44 cultivars of spring barley have been registered in total), two cultivars of spring wheat (13 cultivars in total), and one cultivar of oat (14 cultivars in total). Page

Intense protection of oil seed rape and changes after entering the EU

With the EU accession, serious changes in the structure of planted crops will occur, in the same way as they occurred in the period of the ČSR/ČSSR and, consecutively, after 1989. At the same time, intensification of farming will be brought about because the easiest way of reduction in costs per a unit of production is the increase in yields, even at the price of higher, yet economically favourable costs. Page

New trends in regulation of weeds on the arable land

In connection with the ever rising requirements for safe nutrition both for the livestock and man, and with the aim of maximum possible conservation of the environment, we can expect new views of crop cultivation in the nearest future. The territory of this state is relatively rugged, and a high percentage of the farmland is in the areas of foothills and mountains. It is not possible to run intense planting of field crops in these areas. Page

Prospects of intense crop protection after accession to the European Union

Accession of the Czech Republic to the European Union is coming near quickly. And, with respect to this, sooner or later our opinion of the crop planting technological procedures usually used so far will take a change. It is very difficult to predict this development in any of the spheres of economy, and especially in agriculture, because, maybe, even the European Union itself does not yet have an absolutely clear idea of this sensitive industry. The biggest problem is the overproduction of nearly all kinds of foodstuffs and the level of agrarian subsidies, which support this high production. Page

We are with you in the fields in 2004

Last year, principles of the correct agrarian practice were issued, which focus on the protection of water from pollution by nitrate from agrarian sources. It may not be long before the principles of correct agrarian practice appear which will deal with the protection of crops against harmful factors, i.e. utilization of crop-protecting agents. All of us will come to an agreement that without a perfect crop protection, profitable cultivation of farmland was not, is not and will not be possible. Page

Can we expect changes in the phytosanitary practice after the EU accession?

If we look back at the history of plant protection in this country, we find out that even in earlier times greater or smaller changes in the plant protection concept did not use to be a rarity. During the past more than 100 years since the first scientifically substantiated phytosanitary efforts, and especially since the beginning of formation of the integrated phytosanitary service after the establishment of Czechoslovakia, a number of institutional reorganizations have occurred in practical approaches to plant protection and, eventually, in the composition of harmful organisms. Page

Czech potato - producing industry, its prospects, cultivar composition and protection against harmful factors after the EU accession

Accession of the Czech Republic to the European Union is coming near quickly. Among the potato producers, this fact gives rise to a number of various opinions, often even confusions and doubts, about how the Czech potato producers will stand the test in those new conditions. The aim of the Czech potato producers should be a situation in which the potato production is fully useful on the domestic market, and possible oversupply can then be utilized by means of sales in other countries, including the EU member states. Page

Will the fruit protection in the Czech Republic be influenced by the EU accession?

At present, in protection of fruit against harmful factors there prevail synthetical agents which in a relatively reliable way control carriers of fungal diseases, pests as well as weeds. Apart from the positive impact, the synthetical agents also have negative influence on the environment, killing beneficial micro-organisms as well as predators feeding on insects. Besides, they also pose considerable risks both for the man and livestock. Page

Economy of the spring - time weed - controlling treatment of cereals is essential

After the EU accession, cereals will remain the most widespread crop. However, cereals are exactly the crop which will fully encounter the competitive influence of the open trading opportunities within the framework of the entire economic space of Europe. Businesses will be forced to reduce costs per a unit of production, which can be achieved in particular by means of maximization of yields with costs being kept at the same level or even reduced concurrently. Page

How to make use of a Raxil - type seed disinfectant in protection of seeds of spring cereals?

The producer of seeds is more interested in the formulation of the agent. He wants the seed disinfectant to be liquid, to form as little sediments in the tank as possible, to be resistant against low temperatures, to have good dyeing properties and, in total, to have good processing properties appreciated by the operators of the seed disinfecting appliance. Needless to say, a seed producing firm is interested in a price as low as possible and in the biological efficiency as high as possible. In these points, the seed producing company is definitely in agreement with the croppers. Page

Winter - time crop spraying controlling overwintering pests is coming back

As a consequence of the ban on utilization of broad-spectrum agents of the Arborol and Nitrosan types it was practically not possible to carry out efficient end economically favourable winter-time treatment of fruit trees and grapevine to protect them against overwintering pests. If the overwintering forms of pests have not been efficiently controlled towards the end of winter and in the course of the early spring, then their rapid population expansion occurs, which in fact can not be controlled by means of classic insecticides. Page

Experiences with genetically modified plant cultivars up to now

Genetically modified plant cultivars usually have from one to three genes that have been implanted by the methods of genetic engineering. However, over the nine years which have passed since the beginning of their commercial planting, there has not been recorded in the world a single case of a human disease which could be assigned to genetically modified plant cultivars, or foodstuffs and feed made from them. Other catastrophic scenarios of environmental activists have not come true as well. Page

Economically favourable conservation of the environment in the vegetable production according to the EU requirements

When considering the environmental policy of the European Union, we must realize the difference between this policy and state policies. The Union does not hold the exclusive legislative and financial powers, these powers are only shared with the Unions member states. That is why the environmental policy of the EU is based on the continuing mutual co-operation and reaching of the consensus of all partners involved. We can not perceive conservation of the environment as something that we do for the EU. Page