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Application of lead time analysis as a method in EU co-funded mid-term programme evaluations in 2007–2013: the case of Bulgaria and Malta
9-14Views:113Mid-term evaluation of grant programmes always aims to assess the efficiency of programme implementation. An important aspect of assessing efficiency is the lead times of the application mechanisms. A detailed and objective analysis of lead times may set the scenes for an in-depth evaluation of the relevant entities in the application process in terms of capacity,competences or the process itself. The Bulgarian regional operational programme (OPRD) and the Maltese ESF operational programme (OPII) mid-term evaluations offer an opportunity to see application of this method on the ground with a view on results and comparisons. This article attempts to provide an overview on lead time analysis, being a simple but powerful tool for evaluation with great benefits and also great potential pitfalls in terms of use and interpretation.
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Evaluation of long term experiments from a new aspect
55-60Views:112During our work, we developed a new, simple method to show the effects of fertilization on yield, which can both be applied over the long term as well as in series of independent experiments.
During the testing of this method, at the experimental farm of the Debrecen University Center for Agricultural Sciences at Látókép on a chernozem soil with lime deposits, we examined the fertilizer reaction of maize hybrids between 1989 and 1994. The treatments were: winter tillage, plant density of 70-80 thousand, unfertilized, N 120, N 240 kg/ha fertilized treatments, long term experiments using Dekalb 524 and Volga SC hybrids in long term experiments.
Four parameters are shown in the model. In the examined period TRmax represents the greatest yield in the fertilized treatments, NT the yield in unfertilized treatment, k the „efficiency of fertilizer” to NT and b the depression-coefficient, where the expected value is zero. The expected grain yield of the fertilized treatments (Y), in the function of the unfertilized grain yield (x) is the following:
The parameters were determined using the Monte Carlo method, in the optimizing process the sum of deviation square was minimized. The correct conformation of the functions was determined by the greatness of the R-value and the standard error. We found that during six years of testing, the tendency of fertilization efficiency was similar in the case of both hybrids. There was an unfavorable weather interval and, in these years, the yields were low, fertilization did not have an effect and moreover, in extremely bad conditions resulted in an obvious yield decrease. With the improvement of conditions, which in the case of our country means an increase in precipitation, the efficiency of fertilization increases and reaches its peak at 13-14 t/ha. At this point, the yield increasing effect of fertilization is 4-4,5 t/ha. If the yield of the unfertilized treatments increases from 8-9 t/ha, then the efficiency of the applied fertilizer decreases.
Most likely, the k and b parameters depend on the soil of the experimental location (nutrient and water management) and on the amount of pplied fertilizer and the characteristics of the hybrid. With the increase of fertilizer dosage the k-parameter also increases. The greater value though does not obviously mean a more favorable situation. It is true that in medium and good years this means great fertilizer efficiency, but in low or extreme precipitation conditions it also means greater risk. With the increase of the k-parameter, the yield deviation also increases which, from a cultivation point of view, is quite unfavorable. If the value of the b-parameter is other than, zero then the effect is clearly unfavorable, because with the increase of this value, the yield decrease is also greater. The fertilizer reaction of the two examined hybrids can be well characterized by these two hybrids.
Examining the six years, our created model estimated the effect of fertilization on the yield accurately and with a high degree of safety. Both in highly unfavorable and extremely good years, it gave an exact estimate. In our opinion, it can be used well to evaluate the effects of fertilization on yield in the future. -
Studies on the Suitability of Different Mould Media Compositions for the Mycological Evaluation of Hay Samples
34-38Views:66t evaluating mould contamination of hay samples in more than the half of the cases Mucor spp. (and Trichoderma spp. in a smaller extent) overgrew slower developing moulds, spoiling the assessment of total mould CFU and the detection of fastidious organisms, among others the toxinogenic Fusaria. In parallel microbiological evaluation of hay samples comparing to the ISO 7954 medium as reference a) the overgrowth inhibiting effect of Rose Bengal (ISO 7954-RB); b) the combined inhibiting effect of Rose Bengal and Dichloran (dichloro-mononitroaniline) in DRBC; c) the inhibition of Dichlorane in ISO 7954 (ISO 7954-DC); d) the lowering of nutrient levels to 1/4 (1/4 N ISO 7954, 1/4 N-DRBC and 1/4 N-DC); e) the inhibiting effect of dinitro – salicylic – acid (DSA), a reducing sugar binding compound, as a potential growth inhibitor (RBC-DSA) were studied. The results showed, that 1) MSZ-ISO 7954 medium codified by the official method was unsuitable for the detemination of mould count and for the detection of toxinogic spp. in hay samples. In half of the cases the overgrowth of Mucor has spoiled CFU enumeration and recognition of toxinogenic moulds; 2) Inhibitor supplemented DRBC medium (King et al., 1979) enabled early CFU enumeration by uniforming colony sizes and by efficient suppression of Mucor, but the pink background colour of the medium was disturbing the observation of tints of conidia, which were characteristical to toxinogenic moulds like Fusaria. The hypha-staining property of Rose Bengal did not prove very important; 3) According to the recent stage of our studies, the ISO 7954-Dichloran combination can be recommended for the mycological evaluation of hays and dried roughages. CFU can be enumerated early, Mucor suppressed in the same extent as with DRBC and colours are easily observable; 4) 2-4-Dinitrosalicylic-acid (DSA) proved unsuitable as inhibitor, for its poor efficiency and for its intense yellow background coulour.
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Efficiency evaluation of service marketing at a Hungarian telecommunication company
41-47Views:130The article discusses the marketing effectivity of a communication service at a Hungarian telecommunication company. The main target is to establish economic effectivity of the enchanced promotion of the service. The basic metholodogy was the comparison of a new marketing plan and real figures of the planned period. The results of 2005 and 2006 show a very
positive financial effectivity of the surplus communication. Based on the results a further promotion is suggested. -
Methods for the examination of the role of the time factor in managerial and organizational processes
24-32Views:60managerial efficiency. The system of investigations is in accordance with the method elaborated and applied by the Department of Management Science of UD, CAS, Faculty of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development (Berde, 2003). This method involves questionnaire interviews and corporate data collection. The first part of the questionnaire contains data with respect to the company, while the second part focuses on the manager being interviewed. The third part is a closed, directed interview-based preference assessment. I aim to assess the sample at my disposal in order to test the research model.
In the course of the assessment of questionnaires, I apply descriptive statistical methods for the assessment of the personal and professional features of the managers interviewed and the characteristics of the companies. In the case of questions substantively concerning the time factor – resource, managerial function, reaction time, and impact assessments – I carry out hypothesis testing. I draw up a zero hypothesis, whose appropriateness I test by means of statistical methods. I usually apply rank correlation for the evaluation of the relationship between the variables measured on an ordinal scale in my investigations. This can be applied if not the exact values of the given variables, but only their order in one respect or another is known. If the group building criterion is two-variable Mann-Whimey, if a multi-variable Kruskal-Wallis trial can be applied, which, after the rank transformation, gives information about the acceptance or refusal of the Ho hypothesis through the average of the ranks. The model also contains the managers’ evaluation of the time factor in management work. -
A practical means of setting the scene for evaluating aggregated absorption risk in EU co-funded programmes related to project failure
63-66Views:106The main purpose of the mid-term evaluation of grant programmes is to assess relevance, progress, effectiveness and efficiency. There are several methodologies, tools and techniques applied in various evaluations to assess these programme aspects. An important area of the evaluation of both the financial progress and the effectiveness of the programme is to evaluate the risk of absorption which is indicated by various factors, inter alia risk of supported project failure. If a project fails in any EU co-funded programme in the stage of preparation or implementation, then the fund already committed to that particular project (assumed to have already been absorbed or “spent”) is to be reused again or is to face decommitment (funds have to be paid back to the EU). There are strict EU regulations governing the time scale of this re-use (n+2, n+3 rules), therefore it is of major importance to assess the risk severity (measured as the resultant of the volume of grant at risk and the chance of project failure) and build up an early warning mechanism which indicates if the risk reaches a critical level that requires immediate intervention.
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Evaluation of Two Heat Sum Calculation Methods in Maize Production
156-159Views:83Maize production is of primary importance in Hungary, especially considering that its cultivation takes up one of the greatest ratios of land used for agricultural production. As a result, the number of farms where maize is not cultivated for either food production or foraging purposes is insignificant. For this reason, establishing economic production is of decisive importance when it comes to determining the efficiency of farms. Profitable maize production depends on a number of conditions, including the professional suitability of farmers, while some aspects of production are independent from these. Heat-sum calculations form a transition from this aspect, since temperatures ocuring during the growing season cannot be influenced by man. However, the method of calculation and evaluation and thus the tool to improve production is in the hands of the farmer. This scientific paper aims to give a general description of heat-sum calculation methods.
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Comparative study of newly-bred black locust clones with regard to photosynthetic rate and water use efficiency: early evaluation
5-10Views:199Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) is one of the most important tree species in Hungary, due to its positive economic impacts. Research to increase its yield, improve its stem quality and enhance its drought tolerance has been ongoing since the 1960s. Of the current research works in this field, the clone trial of the Forest Research Institute, University of Sopron, established in 2020 in the Nyírség region, is worth highlighting. In this experiment 4 newly-bred clones and a state-approved black locust cultivar ('Üllői') are being tested. In the summer of 2022, ‘on site’ measurements of assimilation parameters – net assimilation (An), transpiration (Tr) – were carried out using the LI-6800 portable photosynthesis system. From the data obtained, the water use efficiency (WUE) was calculated. The results of the statistical analysis (Kruskal-Wallis H test) have shown significant differences (p < 0.05) between the clones for all three parameters (An, Tr, WUE) tested. The NK2 clone has performed the highest value for all the parameters studied. However, no significant differences were found between clones NK2 and PL040 for Tr or between NK2 and control ('Üllői') for WUE. Studies of this kind contribute to the improvement of black locust growing through the production and selection of cultivars, which are relatively resistant to the negative effects (drought) of climate change.
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Assessment of Environmental Susceptibility/Vulnerability of Soils
62-74Views:86Soils represent a considerable part of the natural resources of Hungary. Consequently, rational land use and proper soil management – to guarantee normal soil functions – are important elements of sustainable (agricultural) development, having special importance both in the national economy and in environment protection.
The main soil functions in the biosphere are as follows: conditionally renewable natural resource; reactor, transformer and integrator of the combined influences of other natural resources (solar radiation, atmosphere, surface and subsurface waters, biological resources), place of „sphere-interactions”; medium for biomass production, primary food-source of the biosphere; storage of heat, water and plant nutrients; natural filter and detoxication system, which may prevent the deeper geological formations and the subsurface waters from various pollutants; high capacity buffer medium, which may prevent or moderate the unfavourable consequences of various environmental stresses; significant gene-reservoir, an important element of biodiversity.
Society utilizes these functions in different ways (rate, method, efficiency) throughout history, depending on the given natural conditions and socio-economic circumstances. In many cases the character of the particular functions was not properly taken into consideration during the utilization of soil resources, and the misguided management resulted in their over-exploitation, decreasing efficiency of one or more soil functions, and – over a certain limit – serious environmental deterioration.
Soil resources are threatened by the following environmental stresses:
– soil degradation processes;
– extreme moisture regime;
– nutrient stresses (deficiency or toxicity);
– environmental pollution.
Environmental stresses caused by natural factors or human activities represent an increasing ecological threat to the biosphere, as well as a socio-economic risk for sustainable development, including rational land use and soil management.
The stresses are caused by the integrated impacts of various soil properties, which are the results of soil processes (mass and energy regimes, abiotic and biotic transport and transformation and their interactions) under the combined influences of soil forming factors. Consequently, the control of soil processes is a great challenge and the main task of soil science and soil management in sustainable development.
The efficient control of these processes necessitates the following consecutive steps:
• registration of facts and consequences (information on land and soil characteristics, land use, cropping pattern, applied agrotechnics, yields, with their spatial and temporal variability);
• evaluation of potential reasons (definition and quantification of soil processes, analysis of influencing factors and their mechanisms);
• assessment of the theoretical, real, rational and economic possibilities for the control of soil processes (including their risk-assessment and impact analysis);
• elaboration of efficient technologies for the „best” control alternatives (best management practice).
Scientifically based planning and implementation of sustainable land use and rational soil management to ensure desirable soil functions, without any undesirable environmental side-effects, require adequate soil information. In the last years such data were organized into a computer-based GIS soil database in Hungary, giving opportunities for the quantification, analysis, modelling and forecasting of the studied environmental stresses and for the efficient and scientifically based prevention, elimination or reduction of environmental stresses and their unfavourable ecological and economical consequences.
Special attention was paid to the assessment of various soil degradation processes, as: (1) soil erosion by water or wind; (2) soil acidification; (3) salinization and/or alkalization; (4) physical degradation (structure destruction, compaction); (5) extreme moisture regime: drought sensitivity and waterlogging hazard; (6) biological degradation; (7) unfavourable changes in the plant nutrient regime; (8) decrease of natural buffering capacity, (9) soil (and water) pollution.
The actions against undesirable environmental stresses and their unfavourable consequences are important elements of sustainable, efficient, economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally sound crop production and agricultural development. These are joint tasks of the state, decision makers on various levels, the land owners, the land users and – to a certain extent – of each member of the society. -
Economic questions of precision maize production on chernozem soil
293-296Views:122It is one of the main topical objective to establish the conditions of sustainable farming. The sustainable development in crop production also calls for the harmony of satisfying human needs and providing the protection of environmental and natural resources; therefore, the maximum consideratio of production site endowments, the common implementation of production needs and environmental protection aims, the minimum load on the environment and economicalness. Precision farmin encompasses the farming method which is adjusted to the given production site, the changing technology in a given plot, the integrated crop protection, cutting edge technologies, remote sensing, GIS, geostatistics, the change
of the mechanisation of crop production, and the application of information technology novelties in crop production. Modern technology increases efficiency and reduces costs. The efficiency of crop production increases by reducing losses and the farmer has access to a better decision support information technology system. In addition, we consider it necessary to examine the two currently most important economic issues: “is it worth it?” and “how much does it cost?”. During the analysis of agricultural technologies, we used the precision crop production experiment database of KITE Zrt. and the Institute for Land Utilisation, Regional Development and Technology of the Centre for Agricultural and Applied Economic Sciences of the University of Debrecen.
During our analytical work, we examined three technological alternatives on two soil types (chernozem and meadow). The first technology is the currently used autumn ploughing cultivation. We extended our analyses to the economic evaluation of satellite navigationassisted ploughing and strip till systems which prefer moisture saving. On chernozem soil, of the satellite-based technological alternatives, the autumn ploughing cultivation provided higher income than strip till. In years with average precipitation supply, we recommend the precision autumn ploughing technological alternative on chernozem soils in the future. On meadow soil, the strip till cultivation technology has more favourable economical results than the autumn ploughing. On soils with high plasticity – considering the high time and energy demand of cultivation and the short amoung of time available for cultivation – we recommend to use strip till technologies. -
Economics of hail protection net installation in super intensive apple orchards
27-35Views:127The main objective of this study was to determine and organize beneficial and detrimental effects of hail protection nets, and as far as possible to quantify their economic impact. The main factors were determined, through which hail protection nets can affect the costs and incomes of the production, and as their sum the economic result. Considering these factors together with the investment cost and the annual maintenance costs allows the economic evaluation of purchasing of hail protection nets. The analysis was carried out using a deterministic simulation model based on primary data collection from apple producing businesses. Installing hail protection nets as additional technological elements of intensive apple orchards can be concluded by all means as an economic investment – trough their protective effect. However, to achieve really favourable economic indicators, definitely bigger tree height is needed making possible the realisation of around 8.0 t ha-1 extra yield. The main root of this phenomena are obviously the extremely high investment costs of hail protection nets, which result in a large mass of fixed costs during the production period. Therefore the basic economic interest is reaching higher yields and thereby higher profits per unit area.
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Estabilishing Plant Production Systems by Optimising the Crop Structure
82-84Views:61In our days, ecologiacal and economic models of agricultural application are of ever increasing significance. These provide an opportunity for more accurate planning, and thus can favourably influence the efficiency and the economic situation of the given enterprise. The relevant literature divides models according to various criteria. The most common is the division between optimising and non-optimising models. Non-olptimising models generally endeavour to make the best use of technological lines, of machine capacity, while optimising models are used to optimise revenues returns from sales; or occasionally, production costs. In our case revenue and returns from sales were optimised. The models examined consists of several modules. These are the following: plant cultivation modules, evaluations (assessment of situation, conception plan, complex corporate evaluation), supplementary sheets (sheets and charts for ancillary plant production, general costs of operation, summary and crops structure optimisation). With the help of the model annual plans of plant cultivation can be made an optimal crop structure may be planned with the resources of the enterprise taken into consideration, and thereby it becomes possible to define the largest net revenue on a corporate level.
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Evaluation of automated anaerobic fermentation processes as in the case of mould infected maize
81-86Views:146In Hungary the renewable energy utilization is planned to achieve 13% by 2020. Biogas production is one of the fields with the largest energy potential. Achieving high efficiency during continuous production despite the mixed and variable composition of input materials is the most common problem which the newly built biogas plants using agricultural raw materials have to deal with. The first experimental reactors at the Department of Water and Environmental Management were built 12 years ago. Control and automation of the four separated bioreactors were executed with ADVANTECH GENIE 3.0 software which granted pre-programmed measurement and points of intervention for pH, temperature, CH4, CO2, H2S, and NH3. The system became out-of-data, therefore in 2010 it has been redesigned and tested. The system is controlled by Compair Proview SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) software running on Linux platforms. The Fusarium infection caused serious yield-losses in cereal production in 2010. In the case of cereal products, which non-utilizable as forage seems an optimal solution is utilizing as biogas raw material. The raw material was based on the Fusarium infected maize. In the recent publication infotechnological and technological experiences of the pilot test period are evaluated as well as direction of future development is defined.
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Evaluation of water balance in apple and pear trees
193-198Views:102A significant proportion of the aboveground green and dry weight of the plant constitutes the foliage. The canopy is an important factor
of plant growth. On one hand the canopy absorbs the solar energy, which is necessary for the photosynthesis, on the other hand accumulates
the absorbed nutrients by the roots, and the most of the water-loss happens through the foliages. The determination of the full canopy is not
an easy target. In our research we developed a measurement method to determine the leaf area. With the parameters of the examined tree
(leaf length and maximum width) and the data of ADC AM 100 leaf area scanner we determined the k-value, with which we can easily and
fast evaluate the leaf surface. Furthermore we defined from the water balance of compensation lysimeters the cumulative transpiration of
fruit trees and the efficiency of water use of trees. -
Evaluation of KCl-EDTA-, CaCl2- DTPA-, CaCl2-DTPA-TEA extractants for estimating available Cu in soils
5-9Views:104KCl-EDTA-, CaCl2-DTPA-, CaCl2-DTPA-TEA extraction
methods were compared to determine the plant available Cu
amounts in the soil samples. In the soil extracts, the amounts of
copper were measurable. In the buffered CaCl2-DTPA-TEA
extracts, data showed the lowest values.
On the applied soils, a correlation was observed between
plant removal and soil Cu using extractants mentioned above. The
closest correlation appeared in the case of sandy soils.
From the results of statistical analysis, it appears that soil
properties may play role in the efficiency of the extraction using
either CaCl2-DTPA or KCl-EDTA solutions.
To establish more reliable relations, further studies with
different types of soils are needed. -
The Role of the 4M-ECO Agrieconomical Modell in the Crop Cultivation
170-173Views:87Today, c for agricultural use are of ever increasing significance. These provide an opportunity for more accurate planning, and favourably influence the efficiency and economic performance of given enterprise. The relevant literature divides models according to various criteria. The most common is the division between optimising and non-optimising models. Non-optimising models generally endeavour to make the best use of technological lines, machine capacity, while optimising models are used to optimise revenue returns from sales or, occasionally, production costs. In our case, revenue and returns from sales were optimised. The models examined consist of several modules. Which include the following: plant cultivation modules, evaluations (assessment of situation, conception plan, complex corporate evaluation), supplementary sheets (sheets and charts for ancillary plant production, general costs of operation, summary and crops structure optimisation). With the help of the model, annual a particular can be made for an optimal crop structure the resources of the enterprise. This it becomes possible to define the largest net revenue on a corporate level.
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The significance of local meteorological stations in research planning
87-91Views:186The goal of research planning is to optimize human and material resources while maximizing efficiency. If there are databases that can be used as a substitute for own data collection, effective research can be facilitated by reallocating resources. In the case of environmental studies, the knowledge of the climatic conditions of the study period is known to be a key factor in research planning process.
In the present study, the data of our meteorological station in our research area (known as “Szamárháti Tanya”, Kesznyéten, Hungary) was compared with the measurements of meteorological stations operated by the competent water authority. Stations were taken into the study within a 10 and 20 km radius over a period of 21 months, to determine which provided more relevant data from the area.
During the evaluation of results, the relationship between the local and regional weather stations were determined, and deductions were made from the obtained results to support the decision which of the targeted investigations could be of greater benefit.