COLUMELLA – Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
ISSN 2064-9479 (Online) ISSN 2064-7816 (Print) Columella – Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is an international bi-annual journal that publishes original research articles and review papers in all aspects of agriculture and associated environmental sciences. Founded: 2014 at Szent István University, Gödöllő
Szent István Campus of Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Examination of earthworm abundance; biomass andcorrelations of soil organic matter in an irrigated (with river and catfish effluent water) and mulched agroforestry system
The aim of our study was to evaluate a complex agroforestry system with the intercropping of aerobic rice and the utilization of reclaimed water for sustainability and climate change adaptation. The foreseeable positive outcomes of the intercropping system could be higher yields for the arable crops, additional woody products and indirectly favourable microclimate, water conservation, increased biodiversity and wind damage reduction. In this study, a special rice-energy willow/poplar agroforestry system was used to analyze the effects of reused water irrigation and mulching on soil salinity, earthworm biomass and abundance, soil organic matter (SOM) content and weed coverage in treerow-dependent habitats. After a three-year irrigation period, we investigated the woody line (WL), the buffer zone (BZ) and the crop line (CL) habitats. In our small-scale (0.3 ha) experiment, aerobic rice production took place between poplar and willow rows. The rice cultivar and woody lines were irrigated with different doses of river water and effluent water from an intensive catfish farm. The effect of irrigation and organic mulching on earthworm abundance, biomass and species composition was also investigated. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the beneficial effects of straw mulching on reducing soil salinity and improving soil health indicators. Based on our results, significantly greater earthworm abundance (274 ind m−2) and earthworm biomass (54.0 g m−2) values were measured in WL than in BZ or CL habitats. There was no significant difference in weed coverage between the CL (0.61%) and BZ (1.91%), but weeds were significantly denser on the WL (12.3%). These findings emphasize the potential advantages of reused water irrigation, mulching, and agroforestry systems in promoting soil health and effective weed control. Further research is warranted to explore the long-term effects and scalability of these practices. Agroforestry systems have the potential to enhance soil biodiversity and microbial activity, which play crucial roles in nutrient cycling and soil health. By studying the effects of agroforestry practices on soil biology, we can provide valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying soil quality enhancement in these systems.
Copyright (c) 2025 Beatrix Feketéné Bakti, Barbara Simon, Mihály Zalai, Hanaa Tharwat Mohamed Ibrahim, Maimela Maxwell Modiba, Zibuyile Dlamini , Ágnes Kun https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Influence of temperature conditions on the mobile fish hatchery efficency
The demand for angling native fish species and their conservation value are steadily increasing nowadays. Mobile fish hatchery developed by the Department of Aquaculture at MATE AKI allows for immediate on-site propagation after capturing the broodstock. Several experiments have demonstrated the usefulness of the system, but there are certain aspects changing dynamically such as temperature conditions due to the small size of system and environmental exposure, which require further investigation. In this study, applicability of mobile hatchery was compared with a closed recirculation hatchery system. Model species used in the experiments was the chub (Squalius cephalus L.). Results show the difference in daily heat input and average temperature between differently positioned Zuger jars in mobile hatchery; however, it does not affect hatching rate, larval mortality rate or body length of freshly hatched larvae. The closed recirculation system had a higher proportion of deformed larvae than the mobile hatchery; in addition, the hatching rate was positive in all Zuger jars. Based on statistical analysis, no statistically significant difference was detected in body length between Zuger. Body length of freshly hatched larvae in the closed recirculation system was significantly smaller than in case of groups incubated in Zuger jars 1 (P < 0.05) and 2 (P < 0.05). Results show that water temperature of mobile hatchery is affected by the temperature outside, but hatchery units provide optimal temperature for developing eggs even at low air temperatures.
Copyright (c) 2025 Tamás Bartucz, Gergely Bernáth, Cintia Bartucz, Zsolt Csenki-Bakos, Balázs Csorbai https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Copyright (c) 2025 Ákos Horváth https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Camera traps as a research method for carnivore population estimation: strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, analyses and improvements
Camera traps have been gaining popularity in population estimation studies. Based on 149 scientific journals review we evaluated the strengths, weaknesses and improvements of the camera trap method to better understand its effectiveness for studying population parameters. Camera traps have a strong advantage of being a non-invasive method, requiring minimal labor and because of its ability detect multiple species per sampling effort. However, theft and time-consuming data analyses, poor sensor performance and potential behavioral changes of wildlife due to noise and flashlights, prevent the camera traps from being the optimal population estimation method. The population parameter studied depends strongly on the behavior and biology of the target species, although the most common opportunity for development is all related to sensor performance (better triggering response and higher sensitivity) as well as extreme weather condition resistance.
Copyright (c) 2023 Alexandra Kalandarishvili, Miklós Heltai https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Characterization of Argentine honeys based on odour, colour and flavour attributes by descriprive sensory analysis
Argentina is one of the world’s largest producers of honey. It shows great botanical and geographical diversity that allows producing honey with varied sensory characteristics. Honey samples belonging to Buenos Aires, Catamarca and Misiones provinces (Argentina) were analyzed and typified by their odour, colour and flavour. Sensory attributes depend and phytogeographic origin. No differences were found in sensory analysis beneath years for each province, however significant differences in colour were found between provinces, indicating a distinctive floral composition throughout space. Lighter honeys are produced in Buenos Aires; whereas Misiones and Catamarca produce darker ones. Even though half of Catamarca territory is used for honey production, it yield a wide diversity of honey characteristics related to different ecoregions and several microclimates, making honeys produced indistinguishable from those of the other two provinces studied. A Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) of a broader area for Catamarca province, as Catamarca and Yungas region will solve this problem. Sensory analysis allows making distinctions between phytogeographic regions, fundamentally due to their different flora. A certified PDO will provide honeys with an added value and allow them to access new markets with higher commercial value than standard quality ones.
Copyright (c) 2023 Sandra MEDICI, Gabriel SARLO, Lic. Gabriela SANCHEZ PASCUA, Susana B. GARCIA DE LA ROSA, Maria Rosa CASALES, Sandra Rosa FUSELLI https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Spatio-temporal decision uncertainty of selected soil physical parameters can enhance variable rate irrigation
The effectiveness of crop irrigation via sprinkler systems could be improved by environmental variability inherent to field conditions, thus leading to the sub-optimal irrigation of certain sections. To rectify this discrepancy, in-situ soil characteristics were methodically correlated with the region's hydrological circumstances and root zone, assigning a distinct level of uncertainty to each decision point. A stochastic geodatabase was then generated, offering prospective applications in precision agriculture. The experimental agricultural field in Nyírbátor, Hungary, served as the reference point, with the constraints posed by variability being surmounted through a dual-layer iteration of random sampling structures employing the sequential Gaussian simulation (SGS) method. For this purpose, 25 physical, 9 chemical, and 11 soil microelements were examined from samples extracted from 105 boreholes in an 85-hectare cornfield while adopting a regular sampling scheme within a 100 × 100 m grid. Each soil parameter estimation underwent the following process: 1. Organization of data and application of exploratory statistics for outlier identification; 2. Normal score transformation; 3. Exploratory variography; 4. Sequential Gaussian simulations, leading to the construction of a series of plausible, equally probable realizations; 5. Computation of medians and the 95% confidence intervals. These methodologies were deployed concerning the soil characteristics, with porosity being selected as the representative soil parameter for the Nyírbátor cornfield. Porosity was our focus physical parameter because the micro and macro soil structures greatly influence the hydraulic characteristics of the soil such as water infiltration, hydraulic conductivity and moisture retention. Comparative assessments of the Hydrus 3D hydrological models of kriged and sequential Gaussian simulation surfaces were conducted. Results highlighted the efficacy of sequential Gaussian simulation in encapsulating the field's heterogeneity, and the accompanying uncertainty served as a decision-making tool in the diversified water application across the field. The results were validated using field data observations of soil moisture in the corn field from 2020 and 2021 respectively and nonetheless, the uncertainty divergence between the Hydrus outputs unveiled the knowledge deficit concerning actual spatial patterns of soil porosity. The established workflow offers a cost-efficient dynamic methodology for water resource management, potentially curtailing overall irrigation expenditure by variably applying water to parcels based on uncertainty estimates.
Copyright (c) 2024 Louis Angura, Dhimas Sigit Bimantara, Tamás Magyar, Erika Buday Bódi, Zsolt Zoltán Fehér https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
The Varied diet of the golden jackal (Canis Aureus): Experiences from stomach analyses
The golden jackal population shows a rapid expansion in Europe during the recent decades, raising several management and conservation issues. Among others, the opportunistic feeding strategies might be a reason which is responsible for the invasive spreading and survival success of the species in various parts of Hungary. Our aim was to analyze the diet composition of the jackal through stomach content analysis to provide an insight about the evolution and behavioural adaptations of this mesopredator. The stomach samples were collected between 2003 and 2014 from different parts of Hungary. The percentage frequency of occurrence (%FO) as well as the biomass (%B) of the stomach content data were analyzed. Statistical analysis tests based on the presence and absence data of the remains of wild ungulates (cervids and wild boar) from seasonal data (winter-spring and summer-autumn) and between gender groups were conducted. Also, comparisons of the presence and absence data for the three main food categories (rodents, big game and vegetative/plant parts) were statistically tested.The results of the comparisons did not show any significant differences between the classes. This can be explained due to the high spatio-temporal variation of the data. The findings of our study shows the presence of a varied composition of food items such as rodents, insects, fruits, plant parts, ungulates (wild boar, cervids), reptiles (such as lizards and pond turtles), bird species (such as pheasants) as well as jaw remains of the red fox. It is noteworthy to mention in this context that majority of the ungulate remains from the stomach contents were associated with maggots, which indicated the presence of carrion consumption. Our study, based on varied diet composition, supports and confirms the opportunistic, scavenging and highly adaptive foraging of the golden jackal.
Copyright (c) 2023 Shreya Bhattacharya, László Szabó, Mihály Márton, Miklós Heltai https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Examination and comparison the effects of extraction time and temperature for compost tea
Composting represents an efficient technology that enables the effective utilization of by-products and waste materials. Moreover, it proves to be highly suitable for processing raw materials and converting them into fertilizers that would not be recommended for direct application without undergoing pre-processing. This is particularly crucial in the case of poultry manure, which possesses potentially hazardous properties and necessitates pre-treatment. One increasingly prevalent form of compost is known as compost tea, which involves the immersion of compost in water. In this experiment, compost tea or compost solution were created using a product called composted and pelletized poultry litter (CPPL). Four compost:water ratio (CWR) (1/2.5, 1/5, 1/10, 1/20) were applied, along with three different extraction durations (24, 48, and 72 hours) and three distinct extraction temperatures (20 °C, 35 °C, and 50 °C). Since the 1/10 and 1/20 ratios were found to be the best for subsequent applicability and spreadability, their content parameters were measured further. After elimination of the experiment, the most important nutrients (nitrogen content (nitrate and ammonium), phosphorus and potassium) were determined. The results showed that the nutrient content was highest for all four parameters at the extraction temperature of 35 °C. For example, while at 20 and 50°C the NO3 – content ranged from 263 to 768 mg/l and from 210 to 534 mg/l, at 35 °C it ranged from 498.33 to 2636.67 mg/l, irrespective of the mixing ratio and extraction time. If the extraction temperature is not taken into account, the nutrient content increased with the increase of the extraction time, so that the highest values were measured at 72 hours extraction time obviously. The data measured in the present experiment will serve as a basis for subsequent experiments with different indicator plants, investigating the effect of compost when applied as a solution.
Copyright (c) 2024 Nikolett Éva Kiss, Andrea Szabó, Edit Gorliczay, János Tamás, Attila Nagy https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Wetlands in Serbia: Past, present and future
Within the territory of the Republic of Serbia, most wetland areas are situated in the north of the state. This is predominantly because of relief features which comprise lowland terrain intersected by the alluvial plains of large rivers such as the Danube, Tisza and Sava. The area also represents the southern part of the Pannonian plain. Extensive works on land reclamation – drainage of wetlands and canalizing rivers, contributed to the formation of large plots of fertile arable land – cultural steppe. Whereas in the 18th century, wetlands were covering 50% of the territory, nowadays remaining wetlands occupy only around 5%. However, these represent significant biodiversity islands and due to this are declared as protected RAMSAR areas of international importance. There are 11 RAMSAR areas in Serbia, of which 8 are in the territory of the Vojvodina Province. Despite protection these are still under pressure from pollution originating from outside borders, climate changes and invasive species. Monitoring water quality at three wetland special nature reserves in the period 2015–2019 revealed that in most cases it was below required water quality standards. In response to these changing conditions, managers of protected areas in Serbia are conducting active measures of protection. Finally, wetlands provide many benefits, and those could be designated as ecosystem services. The concept is helpful for better estimation of benefits, and making comprehensive future planning on how to maximize its benefits and simultaneously achieve sustainability goals. The ecosystem services–based methodology developed during the IDES project, could be useful tool for future planning of management activities.
Copyright (c) 2024 Jasna Grabic https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Soil related environmental considerations of farmers in the Great Hungarian Plain
Climate change and associated environmental changes are the major sustainability challenges facing the world today. The selection of appropriate agrotechnological elements is required not only to increase the quality and quantity of food produced but as well as reducing the costs of the farmers and protecting the environment for future generations. In the Great Hungarian Plain, the adoption of recent environmentally friendly technologies is still not sufficient and the region faces various environmental challenges. This study aimed to analyse the economic and environmental consciousness of farmers in the selection of 3 agrotechnological elements (soil protective cultivation, soil reclamation/conditioning, manure application). A pilot study was conducted on 5 representative farmers, in which they were interviewed, and questionnaires were designed to critically analyse farmers’ perceptions of the environment based on the opinions of 106 respondents. The result show that farmers are aware of the environmental impacts of selected technologies in their farms. They highlighted some of the environmental challenges they are experiencing including drought, secondary salinization, and unfavourable soil properties. However, they showed more economic than environmental consciousness, as they suggested that it was important to be familiar with economic issues and conditions to ensure higher income. The level of willingness to introduce or apply soil protective cultivation, soil reclamation/conditioning, and manure differed from low to high.
Copyright (c) 2023 József Zsembeli, Géza Tuba, Györgyi Kovács, Lúcia Sinka, Caroline Nyaboke https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Monitoring of plant growth through methods of phenotyping and image analysis
With the rapid development of imaging technology, computing power, and algorithms, computer vision has revolutionized thoroughly plant phenotyping and is now a major tool for phenotypic analysis. Those reasons constructed the base for developing image-based plant phenotyping methods, it is a priority for the complementary or even alternative to the manual measurement. Nonetheless, the use of computer vision technology to analyze plant phenotypic traits can be affected by a lot of factors such as research environment, imaging system, and model selection. The field of plant phenotyping is developing rapidly at the moment. Image-based plant phenotyping has stated proven to be in precision agriculture, providing a quantitative basis for the description of plant-environment interactions.
Copyright (c) 2023 Nezha Kharraz, István Szabó https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Impact of N Supply on Some Leaf Characteristics of Maize Crop
Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient widely used in maize crop production. The application of a high N rate is commonly practiced by growers as a "guarantee" of optimal growth and yield. However, excessive nitrogen consumption can cause wastage, negatively impact plants, and adversely affects the environment. This paper reports on the impact of N supply on leaf characteristics in maize. Maize was grown in an experimental plot of the Department of Agronomy, The Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Hungary, during the spring and summer of 2021 (May - October). Four observation plots consisting of ​​102 m area size were evaluated for various N levels (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg ha-1 N a.i) with marked plants sampling in four replications. Data collection on leaf traits viz. leaf number plant-1 (B), leaf number plant-1 (S), temperature 0C (leaf surface), SPAD, leaf length (cm), leaf width (cm), and leaf area (cm2) were measured one week after application in weekly sequences of N until the eighth week. The results showed that nitrogen fertilizer application increased the leaf number plant-1 (B), temperature, SPAD, and leaf width while contrasting with leaf number plant-1 (S). However, there was no difference in leaf length for all treatments studied. Although an increase occurred up to the use of 100 N. Whereas, the 150 N treatment showed low performance and exhibited a negative correlation for all traits except temperature and number of leaves (S). The results suggest that treatment of 100 N produced the best results in most traits studied. Furthermore, a detailed research study is needed to confirm the findings, as many other environmental factors influence maize plant growth.
Copyright (c) 2023 Suhana, Rosnani, Noriza, Akos, Zoltan, Maria Katalin, Marton https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Relationship between nutrition factors and development of food pad dermatitis (FPD)
Nowadays, foot pad dermatitis and the associated loss of production and income is one of the major problems in intensive broiler chicken production. The third most valuable part of a broiler chicken is the legs. In the case of FPD, losses are realised as animals with foot pad dermatitis (FDP) eat, drink, and move less, and their performance is reduced, which causes serious loss of income. It also raises animal welfare concerns and can cause food safety problems. Development of the FPD and its frequency is influenced by several factors, individually or in combination: genetics, management, and feeding. In this article, we review the feeding causes of the development of FDP. Feedstuffs, rich in soluble NSP substances, low energy concentration in the diet, or luxury protein supply lead to low quality of the litter, predisposing birds to FPD. In addition, some minerals (Na, K, Cl) stimulate water consumption, while deficiency of others (Zn, Cu, Mn) affects epithelial tissue development and thus might provoke FPD.
Copyright (c) 2023 Márk Tóth, Dr. Mária Kovács-Weber, Tibor Pap, Dr. Márta Erdélyi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Examination of water and salt stress for five different maize hybrids
In today's climatic conditions, the yield-reducing effects of drought are increasingly being felt. Farmers should take every opportunity to mitigate these effects. Irrigation is the easiest and most effective way to eliminate the damage caused by drought, however, a new promising method has also emerged in hybrid production. The production of drought-tolerant hybrids is a new trend that can easily affect the amount and quality of crops to be harvested in a drought year. In the course of the research, we investigate the drought responses of different hybrids, in different water doses, in an environment closed from external precipitation in several replicates.
Copyright (c) 2022 Ádám Komlósi, Dr. Futó Zoltán , Bencze Gábor https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
A narrative review on the use of camera traps and machine learning in wildlife research
Camera trapping has become an important tool in wildlife research in the past few decades. However, one of its main limiting factors is the processing of data, which is labour-intensive and time-consuming. Consequently, to aid this process, the use of machine learning has increased. A summary is provided on the use of both camera traps and machine learning and the main challenges that come with it by performing a general literature review. Remote cameras can be used in a variety of field applications, including investigating species distribution, disease transmission and vaccination, population estimation, nest predation, animal activity patterns, wildlife crossings, and diet analysis. Camera trapping has many benefits, including being less invasive, allowing for consistent monitoring and simultaneous observation (especially of secretive or aggressive animals even in dangerous or remote areas), providing photo/video evidence, reducing observer bias, and being cost effective. The main issues are that they are subject to their environment, dependent on human placements, can disrupt animal behaviour, need maintenance and repair, have limitations on photographic data, and are sensitive to theft and vandalism. When it comes to machine learning, the main aim is to identify species in camera (trap) images, although emerging technologies can provide individual recognition as well. The downsides in- clude the large amount of annotated data, computer power, and programming and machine learning expertise needed. Nonetheless, camera trapping and machine learning can greatly assist ecologists and conservationists in wildlife research, even more so as technology further develops.
Copyright (c) 2022 Hanna Bijl, Miklós Heltai https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Sexual differences in morphology and winter diet of the Eurasian magpie (Pica pica) in Hungary
Eurasian magpie (Pica pica) is a widely distributed, common species of the Corvidae family. Since magpies have lived close to humans for centuries, we have much information about the species. However, there are few data about morphological and dietary differences between sexes, primarily due to their monomorphic and omnivorous, and opportunistic characteristics. The aim of the study was to analyse the sexual differences in the morphological characteristics, simultaneously provide the body measurements for both sexes with a high level of accuracy and determine the diet composition through stomach content analysis during the winter. The samples were taken from hunting in February of 2020, in Hungary. The linear measurements of body parts (eight variables considered) have been done for all individuals (n=30), and the values were compared between the sexes. The stomach contents were categorized among five main food components, and comparisons of stomach contents and their weights were also performed between males and females. The results concluded that there were no significant differences between the sexes in the studied morphological variables. The dietary analysis revealed that during the winter magpies fed on a range of different food types, with seeds, invertebrates, and vertebrates being the most frequently consumed food. We revealed slight differences between sexes in the consumption of the two latter categories. Our investigations supported earlier findings on the high morphological and dietary similarities of the two sexes also in case of a Hungarian magpie population. These results can serve as a potential basis for further research on magpies in Europe.
body measurements, monomorphic birds, food composition, stomach analysis, Corvidae
Copyright (c) 2022 Miranda Imeri https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Aquacrop Model Evaluation for Generation of Irrigation Requirements for Winter Wheat Cultivars
Researches on the water-saving techniques in agriculture should be brought forward because of water resources shortages. The optimisation of irrigation strategies to increase water-use efficiency is an important factor in water security for the region. AquaCrop model based on FAO’s crop water productivity is used to simulate yield. In our study, the model was calibrated to the field measurements of the MATE ÖVKI Lysimeter Research Station. Four winter wheat cultivars were cultivated under non-limiting water range. Four different average yields were measured as 6.1 t/ha, 5.0 t/ha, 6.3 t/ha and 7.6 t/ha after the harvest on 6th of July 2020, respectively. The results of vegetative growth were inserted and simulated for the same climate conditions, field management, soil profile and groundwater parameters. Whereas we have achieved a yield of 6,1 t/ha 5,0 t/ha, 6,3 t/ha and 7,6 t/h with respective water productivity of 1.17 and 1.07 and 1.23 and 1.2 from the AquaCrop model schedule, respectively. In practice, water optimisation based on climate data and crop yield can help us achieve the goal. The crop cycle of the plants was a fixed value of 187 days and harvest index of 45% was used in model settings. Generation of sprinkler irrigation schedule developed from this research would provide information for farming communities to mitigate the occurrence of the adverse effect of climate change through innovative changes.
Copyright (c) 2023 Florent Demelezi, Mihály Jancsó, Zoltán Vekerdy https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Effect of irrigation and water quality on the physiological status of sugar beet and fodder beet using SPAD-502 chlorophyll meter
In Hungary, irrigation determines the success of water-intensive beet cultivation. Taking into account the guidelines of the circular economy, we investigated the effect of irrigation with pre-treated nutrient-rich effluent from an intensive catfish-farm on the growth stages of sugar beet and fodder beet. In the two-year-experiment (2020, 2021), two sugar beet (‘Helenika’, ‘Grandiosa’) and two fodder beet (‘Rózsaszín Béta’, ‘Béta Vöröshenger’) cultivars were grown. In addition to the effluent water of the fish farm, the water of the Körös oxbow lake and a mixed water type (1:3 effluent and Körös water, added gypsum) were used for irrigation (sprinkler irrigation methods, 4 replications). The experiment was performed in 64 lysimeter vessels/units (1 m2) in Szarvas. During the research we sought answers to the following questions: (1) whether the onset and length of sugar growth stage and accumulation stage differ depending on water quality, (2) which beet variety has the highest relative chlorophyll content, (3) whether irrigation water quality affected the relative chlorophyll content of beet cultivars. SPAD values measured with the SPAD-502 chlorophyll meter were used to estimate the relative chlorophyll content of beet leaves.
relative chlorophyll content, sugar growth stage, accumulation stage, maximum canopy cover, canopy senescence
Copyright (c) 2022 Ágnes Kun, Ildikó Kolozsvári, Mihály Jancsó, Norbert Túri, Csaba Bozán https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Influence of agricultural effluent irrigation on common purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) and garden basil (Ocimum basilicum L.): preliminary results
The agricultural costs can be reduced with waste water application. The effect of water quality was tested on several parameters of purslane and basil. Four treatments were applied (Irr0: non-irrigated control; Irr1: effluent water from an intensive African catfish farm; Irr2: diluted effluent water with gypsum; Irr3: Körös-oxbow lake water as irrigated control). Completely random sampling was used, ten plants were measured per treatment. For basil the benefical effects of Irr3 irrigation were detected; there were significant differences among the treatments. The highest values of the parameters were in Irr3: plant height (47.96 cm), root length (23.22 cm), biomass (164 g plant-1, fresh floral shoot tip (85.56 g plant-1), fresh stem (78.44 g plant-1) and fresh root weight (9.38 g plant-1). At basil very strong positive correlation was evinced between the biomass, and fresh root weight (p=0.01; Pearson’s r=0.87). The significantly more yield was achieved by irrigation on basil. Irrigation with undiluted effluent water (Irr1: biomass: 124.50 g/plant) is similarly effective to increase yield, as in Irr3.
Copyright (c) 2022 Noémi Júlia Valkovszki, Mihály Jancsó, Árpád Székely, Tímea Szalóki, Ildikó Kolozsvári, Ágnes Kun https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Effect of precipitation on the nutrient reaction of triticale varieties
Triticale is the first man made genus hybrid of wheat and rye. The basic aim of its production was to combine yield potential and grain quality of wheat with the disease and environmental tolerance of rye. In the past decades, triticale crop area has been increasing in Hungary, which climate change has also contributed. The triticale is produce well in dry climatic conditions, so it becomes more and more popular among farmers. Our country is the one of the top 10 triticale producing countries in the World. In the long-term fertilization experiment, at Fülöpszállás, on calcic meadow chernozem soil we carried out experiments in three growing seasons (2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2020/2021) with three winter triticale varieties (Hungaro, Mv Talentum, GK Maros,) in 4 replications, on 20 square meter random layout plots. In our experiment, we examined 15 different fertilization treatments, in every year, which can be used as different fertilization strategies. From the results of our experiments, we concluded that the yield of triticale is largely determined by genotype and nutrient supply, which is strongly influenced by the average annual precipitation. In the dry year, the effect of nutrients on yield was greater than in the rainy growing season.
Copyright (c) 2022 István Kristó, Marianna Vályi-Nagy, Attila Rácz, Melinda Tar, Katalin Irmes https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
The Effects of Tillage Practices on Water Management of Soybean (Glycine max L.)
Continuous world population growth imposes the need to produce higher-quality food. Due to the high content of valuable protein and high concentration of carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, soybean (Glycine max L.) is one of the most essential leguminous and oilseed crop that contributes to human alimentation and animal nutrition. This study assesses the possible impacts of soybean seedling development and seeds’ quality indicators correlate to water supply aboveground and in the root zone. The level of water management is crucial in and out of the growing season; however, the increase in temperature may adversely affect climatic conditions. As a consequence of water contained in soil, leguminous crops can improve soil texture and the capacity of minerals if admissible water is available for the crop. Soil tillage is cardinal for agricultural water management; by practising proper tillage continuously, soil properties can increase, and exposedness can decrease in the long term.
Copyright (c) 2022 Boglárka Bozóki, Gergő Péter Kovács, Márta Birkás, Zoltán Kende, Csaba Gyuricza https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Evapotranspiration of aerobic rice in large weighing lysimeter
Aerobic rice production is an alternative growing method to reduce water consumption of rice and thus increase the water productivity of the system without a significant reduction of yield and quality. Evapotranspiration (ETc) of a Hungarian rice variety, ‘SZV Tünde’ under aerobic conditions was measured in large weighing lysimeter during the growing season in 2020. In our experiment, 506.7 g/m2 grain yield and a total above-ground biomass of 1140.4 g/m2 were produced with the application of 315.6 mm of irrigation. Water use-efficiency (WUE) based on the water input and the grain yield was 0.65 g/L. Total ETc for the whole season was measured as 648.3 mm. However, ETc values were ranged 2.04-3.86 mm/day, 3.57-7.90 mm/day and 0.90-4.26 mm/day at the initial, mid and end stages, respectively. Crop coefficients for the different periods of the season were calculated as Kcini=0.82, Kcmid=1.40 and Kcend=0.77. Negative effects of drought can seriously damage rice crop; therefore irrigation scheduling has significant role in successful aerobic rice cultivation. Reliable estimation of evapotranspiration rate in different crop developmental stages can promote this goal.
Copyright (c) 2022 Mihály Jancsó, Árpád Székely, Tímea Szalóki, Csaba Lantos, Noémi Júlia Valkovszki, Csaba Bozán, János Pauk https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Characteristics of Groundwater Level in the Szarvas-Békésszentandrás Oxbow Subbasin
The shallow groundwater has a direct and indirect effect on natural vegetation and agricultural production. The decline in groundwater level (GWL) can have negative impacts. In many areas in Hungary decreasing GWL trends in the last decades were found by earlier studies. In our research we studied the characteristics of groundwater level focusing on our study area, the subbasin of Szarvas-Békésszentandrás Oxbow. We analysed 20 years daily data of groundwater level of eight monitoring wells. Annual course and long term tendencies of groundwater level were examined. In average of 16 years the GWL reaches its maximum in April and its deepest level in autumn (September, October and November depending on the station). Four typical groups of groundwater level courses could be distinguished based on the average depth and seasonal variations of GWL. The year to year GWL variability is larger in January and April compared to July and especially to October. The trends of the middle months of the seasons are almost the same in significance and slope compared to the trends based on yearly mean time series. The differences in trends can be found between stations rather than between the months used for calculations. The larger part of the subbasin can be characterised by decreasing trend in groundwater levels (2002-2020). The change exceeds 1 m at station Szarvas 2832 (144 cm) and Szarvas 2778 (122 cm). However, there is a station with no significant trend, GWL at Csabacsűd 2779 station shows relative stability in yearly average, which is valid for some areas in the eastern part of the subbasin.
Copyright (c) 2022 Béla Gombos, Ildikó Szalókiné Zima, Erzsébet Csengeri https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Macro-, mesoelement and sodium content of plant parts of energy willows irrigated with effluent water of agricultural origin
Irrigation of recycled water can be considered as an element of integrated water management, in which the nutrients in the water are used and decomposed by natural processes, while water retention is realized at the local level. In our study, we used the effluent of an intensive African catfish farm for irrigation. The farm uses thermal water for fish farming, which is characterized by a high sodium content. At the same time, the effluent is rich in organic matter and minerals. The planting of the willow plants in the study area, which is close to 3 ha, took place in the spring of 2014 with a variety candidate 'Naperti'. During the experiment, seven treatments were set up, of which one was non-irrigated, three were irrigated with the water of the Körös oxbow lake and three were irrigated with the effluent water. Three doses of irrigation water (15, 30, 60 mm) were applied to the one-week irrigation intervals with a microspray irrigation system. At the end of the growing season, samples of the plant parts (leaf, stem, root) were collected, during which mineral element analysis was performed with special regard to nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium levels. The results of the study showed a significant difference in macroelements only for nitrogen for all plant parts. However, there was no significant difference in case of the mesoelements. In the case of sodium, compared to the leaf and stem plant samples, the root part accumulated a significant amount of salt, especially in the samples irrigated with 30 mm effluent water, where the Na content reached 521 mg/kg
Copyright (c) 2022 Ildikó Kolozsvári, Ágnes Kun, Mihály Jancsó, Csaba Bozán, Csaba Gyuricza https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Comparative experiment of various irrigation technologies in maize (Zea mays L.)
Development of domestic maize cultivation largely depends on the applied agrotechnics. In keeping the increase in crop increases, the goal is to minimize crop fluctuations, and there is also an important role in the proper water supply. In our country, the yield of maize is a good water supply. The yield of maize can be significantly increased by improving the water supply of the plant. In many areas there are only very few water available for professional irrigation, so it is increasingly need to focus on modern, most water-saving irrigation technologies. In our experiment, we compare two irrigation techniques. The rain-like watering with console and the solenoid valve-controlled tape drip irrigation. Our examinations extend to mapping the properties of maize that can cause changes in the effect of irrigation and, of course, to develop crop quantities available by various irrigation technologies, since these results provide the proper income for the producer. The research was carried in Szarvas, at the school experimental field of the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Irrigation and Melioration, in 2020.
Copyright (c) 2022 Gábor Bencze, Ádám Komlósi, Zoltán Futó https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Effect of cereal-legume intercrops on the soil enzymatic activity
Sowing and harvesting cereals with legumes is an old crop production practice. The main goal of cultivation is to make the best use of the area and to increase the quality and yield of the crops. The intercropping of cereals and legumes can stimulate the biological activity of the soil, thus increasing the recycling of soil organic matter. Competition between two or more plants has a positive effect on the nitrogen fixation of legumes. In organic form the soil enzyme activity increasing is more effective which is provided by the winter pea (Pisum sativum L.) in this crop production system. We set up our experiment at the experimental sites of the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Plant Production and Agrotechnical Research Station, Szeged-Öthalom and Fülöpszállás in 2020/2021. The experiments were performed on 10 m2 plots, in four replicates, with four cereals and one winter pea species, in different phenological phases. We were used fluorescein diacetate to determine the total microbial activity of the soil. As the phenophases progress, the enzymatic activity of the soil decreases, and activity is affected by soil type. The soil enzyme activity was lower on meadow chernozem soil and higher on calcareous meadow soil. Cereal-legume intercrop systems are better able to adapt to drought. The values are higher in cereal-legume intercropping system than in cereals sowed alone. Based on our results, it can be concluded that the enzymatic activity of the soil can be increased by using soil inoculation with bacteria and mycorrhiza fungi preparations.
Copyright (c) 2022 Attila Rácz, István Kristó, Melinda Tar, Marianna Vályi-Nagy, Apolka Ujj https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Marginal note on wastewater recycling margins from the perspective of simultanism of sustainability and technological development
The main feature of our time is the &quot;duality&quot;: we demand livable environment, on the other hand we use it in an unsustainable way to ensure the overflowing comfort of welfare societies. As a result, the use of the environment – namely the environmental elements and their systems, processes and structures – has now led to overloading (pollution, damage). So the state of our habitats, reflects our actions, there is no doubt about that. That is, our activity is an imprint of our thinking. Changing/modification requires innovations that facilitate the development and application of the embedded technologies of the future, building on the intersubjectivity of individuals. One of the cornerstones of the European Green Deal is that &quot;economic growth should be decoupled from resource use&quot;. Among our resources, the water – especially drinking water – is a scarce commodity. However, with prudence, care and ingenuity, we can do a lot to reduce the amount of wastewater. Our short paper demonstrates, through an example of wastewater recyclability, that increasing volumes are no longer just a problem to solve. Rather, it is a challenge, and technological development offers a way out of its trap, so that the society does not have to face the negative effects of declining water supply.
Copyright (c) 2022 Róbertné Kovács, Valeria Nagy, Chao-Tang Wang https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Yield stability of winter wheat in intercrop makes better adaptation to climate conditions
Global climate change is a main issue today. Negative effects, such as gradual warming, annual precipitation decrease and frequences of extreme meteorological events have also felt in Hungary. These effects significally tested the adaptive capacity of our cultivated plants. In our country two-thirds of the arable land is occupied by cereals. In most cases there is no crop rotation, pre-crop effect remains unused. Intercrop is a special kind of plant association, where two or more crops growing simultaneously on the same field. It can be increases resilience against pest and pesticides, provides better utilization of growth resources, and weed suppression. In mixture mitigate the effects of climate. Our experiments were made in 2020/2021 with 3 winter wheat varieties (GK Szilárd, Celulle, GK Csillag) and a winter pea variety (Aviron) in 4 repeats, on 10 square meter random layout plots in Szeged-Öthalom. We set 3 different seed density in every variety in every combination. Higher seed density of wheat makes higher yield regardless of pea, except of GK Csillag at 75% seed density of wheat and pea. Increasing pea ratio in mixture, wheat yield decreased. In contrast GK Szilárd and Cellule, their 75% and 100% mixture with 75% Aviron achieved higher wheat yield. Pure stands have shown better values than the combined ones, vice versa for GK Csillag: every seed density with 50% of Aviron gaves the highest wheat yield. Wheat and pea yield together gives the yield advantage what intercrop provides.
Copyright (c) 2023 Marianna Vályi Nagy, Melinda Tar, Attila Rácz, Katalin Irmes, István Kristó https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Correlation of secondary salinization and soil conditioning in vegetable production under irrigation with saline water
Secondary salinization is a main problem around the world due to climate change and intrusion of salts in the soil by improper irrigation. Our aim was to study the soil salinization process by simulating vegetable production under irrigation with saline water (total soluble salt content ⁓700 mg L-1). We tested 6 different technologies of soil conditioner application and 3 vegetable crops with different sensitivity to salinity in a small plot experiment set up on a meadow chernozem soil. During the irrigation season in 2020, we regularly measured the electric conductivity (ECa) and the soil moisture content (v/v%) in the topsoil (0.1 m) and analysed these parameters with Pearson’s bivariate correlation method. As our hypothesis, we expected that there is correlation (PCC) among ECa, soil moisture content, soil conditioning, and providing the possibility to quantify the secondary salinization process. We found that all the 4 biosynthetic soil conditioners technologies minimized the harmful effect of saline irrigation. In the case of the not salt tolerant (NT) peas, the PCC correlation was higher to compost application and control expressing more intense salinization. NT beans showed a weaker correlation with lower PCCs, which must be due to its higher root activity leading to intensive leaching resulting in a lower degree of salinization. In the case of chilli with low salt tolerance (LT), micro dosing of soil conditioners was not effective in mitigating the harmful effect of secondary salinization, only full doses decreased the PCC. The salt tolerance of the investigated vegetable crops was also manifested in the yields. We found that PCC is a suitable statistical method to understand and quantify the process of secondary salinization.
Copyright (c) 2022 Arzu Rivera-García, Géza Tuba, Györgyi Kovács, Lúcia Sinka, József Zsembeli https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Assessment of some morphological and physiological parameters in lettuce (Lactuca sativa l.) cultivated in hydroponic system
Lettuce is a valuable leaf vegetable for a well-balanced diet, since it is rich in nutrient elements, has low calories and provides dietary antioxidants. Compared to soil-based cultivation, the hydroponic system is an alternative associated with a shortening of growing cycles and a reduction of wasted water amount. The aim of this study was to analyze the growth of lettuce plants under hydroponic and soil cultivation systems, during three phenological growth stages (45; 47 and 49) according to BBCH scale. During the study different morphological and physiological parameters were evaluated: Plant height (PH); Stem diameter (SD); Fresh mass (FM); Dry mass (DM); Leaf area (LA); Chlorophyll content (CC); Transpiration rate (TR). The research was carried out using a complete randomized design with a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of cultivation system and growth stages. Plants grown in hydroponic system presented higher values of most parameters, except for DM and TR. The cultivation system had the highest effect on PH, SD and LA. The highest variation between growth stages were observed for PH, LA and CC. Finally, we can conclude that lettuce plants cultivated under hydroponic system, presented better growth parameters associated with higher head weight and yield.
Copyright (c) 2022 Dorin Camen, Mihaela Moatar, Adriana Ciulca, Sorina Popescu, Sorin Ciulca https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0