Analysing the past and the future facts and figures of the Hungarian pasture management the authors has been found the following: − In the period between 1993 and 2003 it was generally believed, that the total area of pasture will be increasing in the future. This forecasting comes not be true. − In the period between 2004 and 2008 the Hungarian pasture area decreased with 13%. We can realise decreasing in the total yield and the yield to/ha too. At the same time in the National Parks and on other protected pastures the grassland management was improved. − Analysing the estimated stock of grazing animal and the necessary pasture area the authors give the main features of the Hungarian pasture utilization in the period after 2008. 

Legal background of nature reservation from areas with national significance to Natura 2000 network is presented. The proportion of nature reservation areas increased from 9% to 21% with the declaration of Natura 2000 network. Details are negotiated on Natura 2000 lands located on and around the Fertő- Hanság National Park. Necessity of collaboration in Natura 2000 actions is urged among Austrian, Slovakian and Hungarian areas located along the frontiers. The importance of grasslands in nature reservation is emphasised. Attention is drawn to the new legal regulation. 

The number of natural grassland restoration projects increased in the last decade in Hungary, and probably the area of restored grasslands will be significantly extended in the next years due to New National Rural Development Program. To contribute to the success of this activity, in this paper we review the most important theoretical and practical aspects of natural grassland restoration methods. In the course of grassland restoration, habitats dominated by grasses and/or sedges have been restored in place of arable lands. In order to perform “natural” restoration, we should consider the ecological conditions of the landscape, and reconstruct natural or seminatural grasslands including of native plant species. Essentially, rehabilitation of natural landscape is supported also by creating new seminatural grassland patches. The basic principles of the natural grassland restoration are:

1. When a spontaneous secondary succession starts to proceed on an abandoned field without invasion of any alien plant species, the re-ploughing of the abandoned field has to be ignored.

2. Generally, the old fields surrounded by species-rich natural or seminatural grassland pathes can succesfully be restorated. Then, as a consequence of newly restored vegetation patches the recovery of the whole landscape can be accelerated. Furthermore, by restoring isolated grassland patches surrounded by arable lands a more diverse landscape pattern could be developed.

3. Spontaneous secondary succession of grasslands should be assisted.

4. The development of typical species composition of a seminatural grassland can be promoted by methods of spreaded hay. For successful process the hay has to be cut in a habitat type similar to ones that will be restored.

5. Applying seed-mix for sowing can be useful to prevent spreading weeds drastically in the early stages of succession.

6. Ideally, the seed-mix is originated from own harvesting or gathering from similar (or the same) habitats. If it is not possible, commercially available seed-mix can be applied, in which the dominant species is the same as in the restored habitat, with similar proportion.

7. Seed-mix consists of alien species has to be avoided.

8. If the composition or structure of the restored grassland is not appropriate after some years, the renewal of the grassland could be necessary. During the improvement process the reploughing of the restored grassland is avoided, but spreading seeds or hay, and direct sowing can be applied.

9. The loading of nutrient is not necessary in any stages of grassland restoration.

10. Applying chemicals is avoided; any herbicides can be used only when extensive invasion of alien plant species occurs.

11. The mechanical intrusions on soil are also avoided.

12. The restored grasslands is required regular or continuous management, which could be a preserving mowing or moderate grazing. The aspects of nature conservation should be considered.

An experiment with overripe sheep-manure was carried out to make the environmental protective technology of nutrition on a cut-utilized grassland in the Karcag Research Institute of University of Debrecen, CAS. Based on our research results gained from the experiment of the low input Alopecuretum pratensis grassland association we established 4 year old research, that the 20 t/ha dose overripe sheep-manure the most favourable economical point of niev and perspective to increase the cover rate of clovers.

The future way of grassland management is greatly influenced by the new functions of the grasslands relative to the environment. This means that the role of raising nutrition will be expand by the role of keeping the natural resources. In the EU the price of the arable lands are controlled by the supply and demand, so the quality of the arable and the value of it come asunder. The market economy has to evaluate the arable reliable and accurate. In according to these sentences it is necessary to show the real value of soil quality, of arable in the register of estate. An important part of the sustainable developing is to find the adaptation to the local area and the nature. This aspect could be found in the multifunctional European Agricultural model and in the rural development too. Nowadays we use the way of the land evaluation known as the “aranykorona”, which is an obstacle to the way of the sustainability. The evaluation of grasslands in Hungary is not solved, the details we have are disused, so it is hard to plan the yields of the grasslands, we can estimate them a posteriori. In the D-e-Meter grassland module we start the evaluation with the DM yield of the characteristic grass. This starting point is modified with the factors proper to the area. The measured and the estimated DM yield were compared to each other at 3 grassland at Bőszénfa. To evolve an up-to-date evaluating system we analysed grasslands at the University of Kaposvár Deer Farm at Bőszénfa to find answers to the followings:

• Soil analysis of the humus, the N, P, K levels and the pH of the grasslands

• Describe the botanical composition by the Balázs-method

• The quality and the nutrition value of the grasslands

• Yearly yields of grasslands

• Analyzing of the results by the D-e-Meter system

The coenological relevés were prepared in 2007 and 2008 on two pasture-lands in the Great Hungarian Plain. areas situated inside and near (0 to 50 meters far from) an animal husbandry farm belong to the first group. Coenological relevés gained from areas situated 50 to 150 meters far from intensively used areas belong to the second group. Data evaluation was made with considering naturalness state in case of habitats, and on the other hand, according to relative ecological factors of occurring species. Primarily, degradation of areas could be experienced. These negative processes are extremely heavy inside and near the animal husbandry farm.

In the present work we introduce the coenological and pedological results of examination on the Balaton Upland (Badacsonytördemic, Csobánc, Káptalantóti and Kővágóőrs). Grass management plays an important role in nature conservation, rural development thus in the viability of rural population. Soil and water suffer from extreme degradation and pollution, partly because of agricultural activities, growing settlements and mining activity. We evaluated the changes in species composition and coverage, the possibly occurring regeneration or degradation and the effects of botanical composition changes on forage values, especially in case of economically valuable species. Investigations show strengths and weaknesses of having animals on grasslands. Sample sites were in Balaton Upland National Park, Hungary. Results proved that among the plants there are either weeds and/or poisonous and/or prickly species, too. We examined how important grasses and pulses appeared or disappeared, how did the number of overgrazing tolerant species changed and how did the species composition of the grazed and non-grazed land differed. Based on the results the characteristics of the examined pastures show the effects of overgrazing. With the decrease of the number of the animals, nature conservation and economical values could be increased. The examined areas had totally different soil characteristics, pH, soil thickness and nutrient content varied greatly. In the Gyulakeszi area even a small catena was found on a single pasture. The high soil organic matter and nutrient content ensure the good grass yield thus the areas are suitable for grazing and for grass cutting, too. 

There have been floristical and plant sociological investigations carried out for several years in Jaba river valley (Somogy county, Hungary) regarding typical and degraded Salvio- Festucetum rupicolae loess steppe community. Bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum) is becoming dominant species of grassland due to disturbance and the alteration of sheep-walk usage. Phytosociological records and harvest sampling have been used for comparative study of typical and Bothriochloa grass dominated derivatives by randomly spotted quadrats. The naturalness and quality (hay-) value for the typical and phytomass for Bothriochloa type showed a higher grade. The Sørensen index of similarity was lower then expected for the floristical relationship of the investigated vegetation types. 

Nutritive value of a fodder from extensive established pasture was tested. The nutrient content was measured by the Wendeeanalysis and by in vitro ruminant digestibility method. Results of former experiments showed that the nutritive value of an extensive established pasture in the case of late outdoor growing is low. In our results the highest crude protein content was in the year 2002, while in 2003 can be observed a steep decline, which showed in 2004 further decrease. The crude protein values were the highest in case of middle seed norm. The nutritive values of these pastures provide just supply for the demand and it was declined due to the negative N-balance in the rumen. Our results showed that the samples from the year of establishment could possibly be used for preserved feed (6.01 MJ NE l kg-1). The crop from all other years and sowing times did not reach a value of 5.00 MJ NE l kg-1, but approach a level of 4.4 to 4.5 MJ NE l kg-1, thus they would not be suitable for preserved feed. It can be recommended that this late season crop should rather be used for grazing of livestock than as preserved feed. 

The purpose of Hungarian rangelands is looked upon in many different ways in our changing world. Environmentalists view the problem from an ecology centered point of view, while economists from an economy centered one. The third approach prefers a kind of rangeland management which can meet all expectations. Grassland and pasture management should be carried out in accordance with operative veterinary, phytosanitary, human and food safety regulations. An internationally acknowledged code includes all principles associated with these regulations. Food production will certainly gain greater significance, resulting in growing interest in rangeland management in the near future. Thus methods listed in this article should be kept in sight. 

The authors made plant pathological investigations of 10 cultivated grass species and cultivars from September 2004 to June 2007. The aim was to determine species diversity and dominance relations of rust diseases of grasses. Four rust species (Puccinia recondita, P. graminis, P. coronata, P. striiformis) were determined on grasses, from among which crown rust (P. coronata), leaf rust (P. recondita) and their forma specialis caused higher infection. The first significant rust infection of grasses was observed on turion after harvesting at the end of July. The maximum value of rust fungi infection was determined in September. This work gives information on rust fungi incidence on cultivated grass species and discusses the curve of seasonal epidemic caused by Puccinia species.

In recent decades grassland science has identified all those products and services, which grasslands can provide for society. Among commodity goods traditional (meat, milk, leather, fibre, medicinal plants, animal excreta for heating, animal power to cultivate crops) and new products (labelled food from grasslands, biodiversity as gene pool for plant breeding, grass for energy) have been discussed. Non commodity benefits of grasslands are discussed in global (mitigation of climate change, air quality, water resources, soil health, carbon sequestration, maintenance of gene pools for biodiversity), regional (aesthetic or landscape values, conservation of watersheds, facilitation of tourism and hunting, avoidance of disasters such as avalanches and landslides, buffer zones for power lines, rehabilitation of landscape damages in mining areas) and local (preservation of grassland based cultural heritage) contexts. These products and services are investigated from the points of sustainability and multifunctionality. Existing grasslands and turfs in the county are categorized according to their basic functions. It is concluded that grasslands are the only ecosystem that is able to fulfil so mary tasks and requirements. Future prospects of grassland use in Hungary are outlined from the point of multifunctionality. Production functions of grassland are facing a slight increase due to organic farming. Ecological function will maintain their high importance. Remarkable increase is expected in amenity uses of grasslands. 

Biologist, a representative the plant sociology school of Professor R. Soó a follower of Braun-Blanquet. He started as lecturer’s assistant at Debrecen and Kolozsvár (Cluj-Napoca) universities. Later he became an active participant of agricultural research. His main line is the botanical and economical evaluation of grasslands by phytosociological records developed based upon Hurt-Sernander’s method for estimation of the vegetation cover, phytomass and quality (hay value). 

Vinczeffy Imre nyolcvanöt évvel ezelőtt született Olasztelken, Udvarhely megyében. Iskolai tanulmányait Székelyudvarhelyen, a mezőgazdasági főiskolát Kolozsváron végezte. Már gyermekkorában felkeltették érdeklődését a természet, a növény- és állatvilág csodái. Pallagon szerezett diplomát 1947-ben. Eddigi fontosabb beosztásai: egyetemi tanársegéd 1950-ben, adjunktus 1952-ben, docens 1954-ben, szakmunkás 1957-ben, tudományos munkatárs 1962-ben, főmunkatárs 1968-ben, egyetemi tanár 1970-ben. A „Veszprém megye gyepgazdálkodása és fejlesztésének lehetőségei” című gyeptipológiai dolgozattal doktorált 1962-ben, „A gyepek termőképességének vizsgálata” témával kandidált 1965-ben, és „A gyepek állateltartó képessége” című, 1985-ben benyújtott dolgozatával szerzett MTA doktori fokozatot. 

Dr. Sáringer Gyula Magyarszerdahelyen (Zala megye) született 1928. december 2-án, ötödik generációs pedagógus családban. Elemi iskoláit Nagybajomban (Somogy megye) 1934-939, gimnáziumot Kaposváron az Állami Somssich Pál gimnáziumban 1939-1947 között végezte. Hat olyan tanára volt, akik a híres Eötvös Kollégium növendékei voltak. Hatodik gimnazista korában (16 évesen), mint leventét a nyilasok Németországba hurcolták, ahol a német légierőnél (Luftwaffe) szolgált, mint segédszolgálatos, majd 1945. május 11-én orosz hadifogságba esett, ahonnan egészségesen hazakerült. 

2008. augusztusában vettünk búcsút Dr. Szabó János nyugalmazott főiskolai tanártól, az elismert gyakorlati szakembertől, az elhivatott pedagógustól és a gyakorlat fejlesztéséért dolgozó kutatótól, az innovatív szellemű kiváló kollégától. A Szolnok megyei Öcsöd község tanyavilágában született 1920-ban, ahol a zárt családi közösség, az önellátás és árutermelés, valamint a tanyasi ember létért való küzdelme volt jellemző. Tehetsége már hamar megmutatkozott, s családja is felismerte, hogy a zárt falusi világból kitörni csak tanulással lehet. Az első hajdúszoboszlói középiskolai évek után a Szarvasi Vajda Péter Evangélikus Gimnáziumban tanult. Érettségi után Debrecen-Pallagon a Gazdasági Akadémián végezte felsőfokú tanulmányait, ahol 1944-ben szerezte meg az okleveles mezőgazda diplomát. 1945-ben a Szarvasi Tessedik Sámuel Középfokú Gazdasági Tanintézetben tangazdaság-vezető tanár kinevezéssel kezdte meg pályáját. Az 1945-ös politikai fordulat viharai állásváltoztatásra kényszerítik, 1951 végéig más mezőgazdasági középiskolák tangazdaságai vezetésére kap megbízást. Ezután különböző állami mezőgazdasági intézmények eredményes gazdálkodása segítésére rendelik ki, talán ezek közül az ötvenes/hatvanas évek fordulóján a Hortobágyi Állami Gazdaság megalakításában végzett munkája emelkedik ki.