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• Biostimulant induce growth, chlorophyll content and fresh herbage yield of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and variegated alfalfa (Medicago × varia Martyn) plant

  19-25

  Ebenezer Ayew Appiah

  Csaba István Virág

  Erika Kutasy

  Views:

  414

  The use of biostimulants is associated with promoting plant growth by stimulating cell division and improving nutrient availability and uptake. A study was conducted at the University of Debrecen, Hungary, to examine the effect of biostimulants on alfalfa growth, chlorophyll content and fresh herbage yield. The experiment was arranged in a randomised complete block design with three biostimulant treatments plus control replicated three times. Data collected were subjected to analyses of variance using Genstat, where significantly different means were separated at a probability of 5% using the least significant difference. The findings show no different variation in plant height or chlorophyll content (SPAD) throughout the early stages of growth. Nonetheless, a notable impact was noted in the latter stages (28 days after biostimulant treatment application) on the growth of the alfalfa plant. Biostimulant treatments did not had effect on fresh yield for second through fourth cuts, but the fifth cut showed a significant effect, with T1 treatment recording the highest herbage yield of 19745 kg ha^-1 followed by T2 (Tricho Immun plus Ino Green) and T3 (Tricho Immun), with yields of 19528 kg ha^-1 and 17273 kg ha^-1, respectively, while the T0 (control) recorded the lowest herbage yield of 12060 kg ha^-1. However, the average mean yield indicated the application of biostimulants significantly increased fresh yield herbage by 20.5%. Correlation coefficient values suggested plant height at both 14 and 28 DAH (days after harvest) strongly correlated with fresh herbage yield (r = 0.7756 and 0.7455) which reflected in the increase in fresh herbage yield. Therefore, our results suggest that the use of biostimulants in alfalfa cultivation holds promise for improving growth and yield potential through their positive effects on chlorophyll content and the growth of alfalfa plant.

• Current Conditions and Opportunities of Biofarming in Hungary

  150-156

  Petra Nagy

  Views:

  232

  The aim of organic farming is not to maximize income, but to achieve optimal product quality. It is completed by the tightest possible material, and energy flow within the farm. Organic agriculture significantly reduces external inputs by avoiding the use of chemo-synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and pharmaceuticals. Instead it works with nature to increase both agricultural yields and disease resistance. Total independence of external resources can not be achieved in Hungary due to the small-scale of organic animal husbandry. Some materials in limited quantities can be purchased from external resources, though the group of these materials is strictly regulated. Organic farming harmonizes with the concept of European multifunctional agriculture, because besides farming, it includes social considerations, as it helps to maintain natural resources and the relationship between people and their environment, and provides a living for those living in the region.
  As regards organic farming the fertility of the soil and the health of vegetation can be influenced in various ways. Farmers have to be highly skilled and able to manage a farm with great expertise. Generally it can be stated that as the use of non-organically produced products is limited, the opportunities to correct failures made by the farmer are minimal, contrary to conventional farming. Farmers must be intent on developing the tightest material- and energy flow. This means that organic farms ideally have both animal husbandry and crop production. This energy and skill demanding system of farming is compensated by state subsidies, growing market share and relatively high prices for organic products.

• Effect of the crop-year on plant protection feature of sunflower

  71-75

  Adrienn Novák

  Views:

  277

  Our study focused on plant density reactions of sunflower hybrids on chernozem soil in years with different levels of available water (2011 and 2012). We studied factors (i.e.infections, yield) that are most affected by the amount of precipitation.

  However the amount of precipitation varied in 2011 (average amount of precipitation) and 2012 (drought), Sclerotinia and Diaporthe infections were significant in both years. Diaporthe was stronger in 2011 while in 2012 Sclerotinia infections were greater than average. Higher plant density provided for a favorable microclimate for pathogens meaning that increased stock density enabled enhanced infections. Maximum levels of infections in both the cases of Diaporthe and Sclerotinia were measured at a plant density level of 65 000 plants ha^-1.

  2012 yields (control: between 2 289 and 3 261 kg ha^-1, two-time treated: between 2 699 and 3 659 kg ha^-1) were significantly lower compared to the results of 2011 (control: between 2 825 and 3 672 kg ha^-1, two-time treated: between 3 059 and 4 059 kg ha^-1). Fungicide treatments led to an increased yield in both years: 9.5% in 2011 and a notable, 15.1% growth in 2012. We applied regression analysis to calculate optimum plant density for the examined years and treatments. Based on the calculations we found that in the cases of both treatments optimum plant density was 53 000 plants ha^-1, while in 2012 the optimum was higher due to lower level of infections: 56 000 plants ha^-1 in the control stock and 64 000 plants ha^-1 in the stock treated twice.