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• Participatory evaluation of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) varieties under irrigation conditions at Abergelle district, Eastern Amhara

  17-22

  A. Mihiretu

  M. Asresu

  Views:

  86

  Participatory on-farm evaluation of improved tomato varieties (‘Melka salsa’, 'Roma VF' and 'Kochero’) against the local tomato variety was carried out during the 2019/2020 growing season involving six farmers of Abergelle district, Eastern Amhara. The objective of the experiment was to assess the performance of different tomato varieties for the farmers, then to collect their feedback. Based on the actual and farmers’ preference data, the analysis underscores the better performance of improved tomato varieties over local varieties by most yield-related attributes. Average marketable fruit yields of ‘Melka salsa’, ‘Roma VF’, ‘Kochero’, and the local variety were 4.62, 3.88, 3.64, and 3.10 ton ha^-1, respectively. The improved varieties thus had a yield advantage of 72.38%, 37.14%, and 25.72% over the local variety in that order. Among improved tomato varieties, ‘Melka salsa' provided the highest fruit yield on top of owing the highest score of overall preference attributes rank. Scale-wide diffusion of ‘Melka salsa’ tomato variety is therefore suggested for similar and potential agro-ecologies. Biological scientists also should take farmers’ preference attributes and feedback as a backup for future breeding and adaptation studies on tomato varieties.

• Acceptance of artificial nesting sites by pollinating mason bees in commercial fruit plantations (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae: mixed Osmia cornuta and O. rufa population)

  43-46.

  P. Benedek

  J. Nyéki

  M. Soltész

  T. Szabó

  C. Konrádné

  Views:

  227

  During a four yeas long experiment a simple bee shelterswas found to be a propermethod to increase the size ofmixed natural populations of the early season Osmia cornuta and O. rufa under practical farm conditions. Instead of the number of pesticide applications the earliness of the flowering of the fruit species in the orchards was found to be themost important factor in the rate of acceptance of reed as nestingmediumby Osmias in the bee shelter. This relationship was negative and highly significant (r = –0.829, p<0.001). This means that much higher acceptance of artificial nestingmedia in bee shelters and consequentlymuch higher population increase of the two early seasonmason bee species can be expected in orchards with early than with late flowering fruit species. Mixed orchards or early flowering orchards surrounded by other orchards falling in bloom later consecutively may also be much favourable to mason bees because they can find continuous food (pollen) supply there for a much longer time during their period of activity than in orchards planted with a single fruit species and being apart from orchards of other fruit species.

• Cumulative vector intensity and seed potato virus infection in Hungary

  61-64.

  Z. Basky

  Views:

  108

  Aphids were collected by Moericke yellow pan traps placed in the potato fields. The cumulative vector intensity is an index that describes the vector abundance and their propensity to transmit PVY (3). The vector intensity was obtained as the number of known PVY vector species caught and multiplied by their relative vector efficiency value. Cumulative vector intensity for the season was calculated by accumulating species-specific vector intensity values at each trapping date. In those places where the number of PVY vectors caught by yellow pan traps were the highest (1194, 1495 and 663, 570, respectively), the cumulative vector intensity was also the highest (322 and 570, respectively). This high vector intensity resulted in high progeny tuber infection 21 and 31 %, respectively. In those years when the cumulative vector intensity did not reach the value of 10 until the end of June and the beginning of July the proportion of PVY infected progeny tubers met the requirements of the standard, it was less than 5 %. The cumulative vector intensity seems to be a reliable way to forecast virus threat to seed potato. Both seasonal variation and vector abundance is reflected in cumulative vector intensity, above all propensity of different vector species is included in the calculation. As the virus translocation from leaves to tubers takes 12-14 days. Therefore it is imperative that immediately after weekly trap catches cumulative vector intensity values are calculated, as when values reach around ten growers in seed potato growing region will have 12 days to execute killing leaves and stems of seed potatoes.

• Giant reed (Arundo donax L.) from ornamental plant to dedicated bioenergy species: review of economic prospects of biomass production and utilization

  39-46.

  G. Antal

  Views:

  484

  Giant reed (Arundo donax L.) is a perennial, herbaceous grass, it has been spread all over the world from continent to tropical conditions by human activities. In continental climate, especially Hungary, it has been considered as ornamental species, due to its decorative appearance, striped variants’ colour of leaves, long growing season and low maintenance requirements. It does not produced viable seeds, so it can be propagated vegetative ways by rhizomes or stem cuttings and by in vitro biotechnology methods. Because of its growth habits and good adaptation capability, it has been considered invasive weed primarily in coastal regions in warmer climate areas. In the previous century, giant reed produced for paper/cellulose/viscose production, woodwind musical instruments, stakes for plants or fishing rods etc. Over the last few decades, it has been produced for bioenergy purposes (bioethanol, biogas, direct combustion) or utilize as chemical basic compounds or construction materials. It has been considered a dedicated promising biomass crops thanks to high biomass production, high energy balance of cultivation and adaptability of different kind of soils and conditions. The objective of the present paper is to overview the most significance literature data on giant reed production and utilization, compare to own experimental data and economic calculations and to determine some critical factors, advantages and disadvantages of giant reed production compare to other biomass species.

• Disease warning models for brown rot fungi of fruit crops

  19-22.

  I. J. Holb

  Views:

  219

  In this review, disease warning models for brown rot fungi, including Monilinia fructigena, M. laxa and M. fructicola, were summarized. Few studies have been made to relate epidemiology and disease warning in brown rot infection caused by M. fructicola and M. laxa in order to predict infections or develop decision support models for fungicide applications during the growing season. More recently a disease warning model and a decision support system were also performed for M. fructigena for organic apple orchards. This review gives an overview on some details of the above disease warning models and decision support system.