The field experiment was carried out in years 2008-2010 on rendzina soil. The aim of the research was to determine the effect of the chemical protection level on the yield of two winter spelt cultivars – Schwabenkorn and Spelt I.N.Z. cultivated under different conditions of mineral fertilization. Chemical protection levels included: A) control, B) Mustang 306 SE, Stabilan 750 SL, C) Mustang 306 SE, Attribut 70 WG, Stabilan 750 SL, D) Mustang 306 SE, Attribut 70 WG, Alert 375 SC, Stabilan 750 SL. Mineral fertilization was as follows (in kg of pure component per hectare): lower level N – 60, P – 26.2, K – 83, and higher level N – 80, P – 34.9, K – 99.6. Significantly higher grain yields were obtained from Spelt I.N.Z. cultivar compared with Schwabenkorn cv. Application of higher rates of mineral fertilizers significantly increased the number of ears per 1 m² as well as the grain yield of spelt wheat but had no effect on the weight of 1000 grains, and the number and weight of grains per ear. Chemical protection of Schwabenkorn cultivar caused significantly higher grain yield, from 29.8 to 33.7%, compared with control without chemical protection.

Studies were carried out in years 2006-2010 in south-eastern Poland in Krzeczowice near Przeworsk (49°59’ N; 22°27’ E). In the experiment, insecticide formulations were used that contained imidacloprid (Gaucho 600 FS and Couraze 350 FS) and methiocarb (Mesurol 500 FS). During the years of the research, the percentage of plants damaged by frit fly larvae in the control plots varied from 13.5% to 38.2%. All insecticides in the studied doses showed high efficiency in limiting the harmfulness of the above species. By applying formulations that contained imidacloprid, the number of plants damaged by larvae was limited by 69.6%-98.1%, while in the case of the insecticide that contained methiocarb, by 65.1%-96.2%. The pre-sowing treatment of maize grain with the studied insecticides also resulted in higher grain yield. Following the application of imidacloprid, the increase in grain yield ranged from 3.1% to 17.3%, while in the case of methiocarb, from 1.5% to 10.4%.

Field experiment with the growth of winter triticale (cultivar Grenado) was conducted in years 2007-2009 at the Didactic-Experimental Center in Tomaszkowo which is part of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn. The study was carried out on typical medium brown soil, fertility class IVb. Weed control and yields were studied. Tending method was the first experimental factor and it covered: no tending, harrowing, and protection with Mustang 306 SE herbicide. The level of fertilization with nitrogen at 0, 40, 80, 120, and 160 kg N·ha^-1 was the second factor. The three-year-long experimental period was characterized by high diversity of weather conditions. During all the research years, triticale chemically protected against weeds with herbicide gave significantly higher yields – on mean 5.73 t·ha^-1, compared with mechanical tending (5.11 t·ha^-1) and no tending (4.81 t·ha^-1). Nitrogen fertilization up to 120 kg N·ha^-1 increased triticale yield significantly.

The experiment was carried out in 2005-2007 at the Education and Research Station Krasne near Rzeszów in the brown soil formed from loess, classified as the good wheat complex. The aim of this study was to estimate the effect of four sowing densities on the number, air-dry weight and species composition of weeds and the grain yield of winter wheat under conditions of two levels of agricultural practices. Intensification of level of wheat agricultural practices significantly reduced both the numbers of weeds – on average by 39.2 pcs·m^-2 (49.4%) and their air-dry weight (by 46.4%). An effect of the number of sown wheat grains on weed density was not proved statistically, but the dry weight of weeds from plots with the highest sowing density was less (by 50.5%) than from the plots where sowing density was 250 grains·m^-2. Wheat cultivation at intensive level of agricultural practices resulted in an increase in grain yield in the years of the study from 0.49 to 0.82 t·ha^-1. The sowing 450 and 550 grains·m^-2 provided the highest grain yields, 6.51 and 6.79 t·ha^-1; respectively; a difference in the yield level between those densities amounted to 4.1% and was statistically insignificant. The lowest yield of wheat grain 4.84 t·ha^-1 was found under conditions of the smallest sowing density.

The effect of pH of the growing medium on germination and initial development phases of seedlings of four plant species: Festuca pratensis Huds. and Dactylis glomerata L., Trifolium repens L. and Medicago sativa ssp. falcata × ssp. sativa L. in hydroponic cultures was investigated. Hoagland growing media with pH: 6.5; 6.0; 5.5; 5.0; 4.5; 4.0 were used. In this study we determined the germination energy and capacity of the seeds, the length of green part and fresh and dry matter of seedlings after one month of growth. The obtained results were analysed statistically, which involved making the one-direction analysis of variance and building regression equations. A negative effect of the growing medium acidity on studied features of seedlings was observed, whereas in the case of germination it referred mainly to pH = 4.0. Reduction in pH had the greatest effect on seedling dry matter, particularly in the case of Trifolium repens and Medicago sativa.

Study was conducted in Donatowo near Śrem in 2004 and 2005. Field experiment was carried out at a randomised block design in four repetitions. The experimental factors were phosphorus and potassium fertilization applied at various doses with the constant nitrogen level of 180 kg N·ha^-1. Seed yields obtained in the experiment were high and significantly differed only from the absolute control. Winter rapeseed grown on soil with very high phosphorus content and average potassium content did not respond to fertilization with those nutrients. High yields also depended on good weather conditions at the critical stages of nutrient uptake. Analysis of the correlation between seed yield and the element content in rapeseed leaves at the rosette stage showed that the yield mostly depended on the nitrogen content. Moreover, the evaluation of plant nutrition carried out at the critical stage with a professional program designed for plant material interpretation showed that in the first, as well as in the second year of the experiment, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium were yield-limiting elements. In spite of a very high phosphorus content and average potassium content in the soil, plants did not uptake adequate amounts of potassium, and phosphorus content in the plants reached nearly the minimum of good supply. The highest content of oil was noted in seeds harvested from the control plot (46.7% to 49.63%).

The study was carried out on the basis of two lawn experiments, which were founded in the split-block split-plot with four replications. The experimental unit was a plot with an area of 1 m². For investigate purposes was detailed the kind of the lawn and was called it as monoculture (pure sowing) and-mixed. The criterion for the division of mixtures was sharing of red fescue in sowing. In pure sowing were studied four cultivars of red fescue: Adio, Libano, Corail, Simone. In the, monoculture’s and mixtures experiment were examined the following factors: the type of subsoil with the addition of hydrogel Aqua-gel P4 (H) and without the addition of the hydrogel Aqua-gel P4 (BH), years of study (2003-2004). In the conducted experiments moderately intensive care (so-called Relax) was used. At the end of each growing period in all plots from selected places chosen in a random way, the samples of turf with the root system were taken. In this study applied the hydrogel (Aqua-gel P4) caused an increase in root biomass in both in the monoculture turf of tested red fescue cultivars and in mixtures. Among the tested cultivars of red fescue the greatest root biomass in years of study produced the Polish cultivar Adio, and from mixtures, only those that had in its composition of 60 and 80% red fescue. The action of the hydrogel to produce turf root biomass was particularly significant, when in the summer 2004 drought occurred. It may indicate its beneficial effects particularly in situations of water shortages in the soil.

In the years 2008-2010 an field experiment was carried out, whose aim was determination of reaction of spring wheat to diversified sowing rates of: 350, 450, 550, 650, and 750 grains·m^-2. The experiment was carried out on soil of bonitation class IIIa. As expected, together with the increase of the sowing density, plant density also increased as well as ear density per area unit. It was also observed that the applied sowing rates significantly modified the grain number per ear as well as the weight of 1000 seeds. With the sowing rate of 650 grains per m², the grain yield was 7.26 t·ha^-1 and was significantly higher compared with the yield from plots where the sowing rates were as follows: 350, 450 and 750 grains per m². Uniformity and plumpness of the grain were 88.14%.

On based on the results of analysis of 941 samples of barley, wheat and triticale grain harvested in 2006-2010, carried out in the laboratory of fodder raw materials SanVit S.J. in Janowiec Wlkp. A variability of the content of total protein, raw fibre, phosphorus, calcium and chlorides in raw material for production of fodder mixtures was assessed. Relationships between the content of elements in cereal grain as well as between protein content and variability and total precipitations in the period of spring and summer growth were also determined. It was found that the protein content was the most stable element of grain quality. Its concentration in triticale grain was the highest, the less calcium it contained, whereas in wheat grain it increased with a growth in phosphorus content. In spite of a short time of the study, a tendency to increasing protein content in grain at lower precipitation in April and May and higher precipitation in June and July was observed.

The research was conducted in Boguchwała in crops of spring wheat, in the years 2006-2007, and spring triticale, in the years 2008-2009. The aim of the research was to evaluate susceptibility of different varieties of spring triticale and spring wheat to damage caused by the spring generation of barley gout fly. The experiment was installed with the randomized blocks method in four replications. Analyses covered 9 varieties of spring triticale and 16 varieties of spring wheat. The percentage of plants damaged by barley gout fly larvae was calculated by analysing 100 successive stems in a field. The analyses were conducted when the plants were at the full milk maturity stage. The plant damage was classified using three-step rating scale. In the years of research the spring wheat showed a high degree of damage, i.e, on average 41.6% damaged plants, while spring triticale showed on average a low degree, 8.9%. Individual varieties of spring triticale and spring wheat showed a different degree of damage by barley gout fly larvae. The least susceptible to damage caused by that pest were wheat varieties: Hewilla, Griva, Żura and Koksa, and spring triticale varieties: Mieszko, Milkaro and Milewo.

In the years 2008-2010, 64 samples of plant material derived from farms in the north-eastern Poland were tested towards proper application of plant protection products (PPP) and food safety. It was found that 28% of pesticide treatments were carried out against recommendations of pesticide producers. The average consumption of pesticides, calculated in kg of active substance·ha^-1, ranged from 0.12-2.57. The costs of conducted treatments based on the prices of PPPs ranged from 67-574 PLN·ha^-1. Cultivation of winter rape was characterized by the highest level of pesticide use and the highest price of treatments. In the tested samples no risk of pesticide residues to human and animal health was found.

The present research investigated two faba-bean cultivars: traditional Neptun and self-completing Granit harvested from the experimental field of the Mochełek Experiment Station, the Faculty of Agriculture and Biotechnology, the University of Technology and Life Sciences, over 2008-2010. The analysis of morphological characteristics was made at two seed maturity stages: physiological and technical. The stem strength traits: stem section modulus Wy and maximum bending load σwere determined with the use of INSTRON 8874 universal testing machine (High Wycombe) applying 80 mm stem fragments sampled from the internode right under the first pods. The faba bean cultivars investigated, despite the lack of differences in the degree of lodging, differed significantly in terms of 5 out of 7 morphological traits researched. As for the physiological seed maturity, average stem section modulus Wy was significantly higher than at full maturity. Average maximum bending stress σ(stem resistance to bending), on the other hand, was significantly differentiated neither by the degree of seed maturity nor the faba bean cultivar. The increase in the total stem length and the setting height of the 1st pod and the length of fruit-bearing shoot, as well as the stem thickness and its inner diameter was accompanied by the increase in the stem section modulus and a decrease in stem resistance to bending.

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of water extracts from crop residues and self-seedings of winter rape and soil extracts after its harvesting on the germination energy and capacity, as well as initial growth of winter rape under laboratory conditions. In first part of research the influence of different extracts (from: a – stems, b – siliques and c – young plants of winter rape) at three concentrations: (0.25; 0.5 and 1%) was examined. Control (0%) was watered with distilled water. In second part of research the effect of soil extracts from fields under crop with different proportions of winter rape in crop rotation (0, 33, 66 and 100%) was examined. The seeds watered with self seeding winter rape extracts in comparison with siliques and stems extracts were characterized by a significantly worse germination energy and capacity. In addition the seedlings had the significantly smaller height and the shorter seedling roots. Independently of the kind of extract, significantly worse results of seed germination and initial growth of winter rape seedlings were observed along with an increase in winter rape extract concentrations. It was found that the soil extracts after 3-year winter rape monoculture significantly reduced germination energy and length of seedling roots and also caused tendencies for smaller germination capacity and seedling height in comparison with those watered with extract from soil where rape was not grown for last 3 years and with distilled water.

The purpose of this paper was determination of the effect of meat and bone meal applied without and with effective microorganisms compared with manure fertilization, mineral fertilizers or lack of fertilization on grain true protein content and composition of spring wheat cv. Nawra and Tybalt. The five-year studies (2005-2009) with crop rotation were conducted in Bałcyny at the Experimental and Plant Production Station near Ostróda. It was observed, that the applied fertilization with NPK as well as with manure and meat and bone meal in doses from 1.0 to 2.5 t·ha^-1 affected the significant increase in protein content in grain of the studied spring wheat cv. Tybalt in 2009. Under the effect of the applied meat and bone meal, mainly the gliadin and glutenin content in spring wheat grain of both cultivars increased. The most beneficial influence on protein composition (high percentage participation of constitutional and storage proteins in relation to the total protein content) had fertilization with 1.5 t·ha^-1 dose of meat and bone meal.

In the field experiment carried out in the years 2005-2009 at the Eperimental and Plant Production Station in Bałcyny near Ostróda, effect of meat and bone meal was studied applied with or without the addition of effective microorganisms and NPK, manure and with no fertilization on the amount and fraction composition of protein in the faba bean seeds cv. Titus and winter wheat grain cv. Oliwin. The research was conducted in 5-year crop rotation. It was found that protein content in faba bean seeds increased only under conditions of mineral fertilizations (P and K), while in winter wheat also after application of manure and meat and bone meal, especially at a rate of 2.5 t·ha^-1 with the addition of effective microorganisms. Under the effect of meat and bone meal fertilization, in the protein of wheat grain, there occurred an increase in the proportion of protein fractions, albumins and globulins. Application of meat and bone meals without the addition of effective microorganisms or with its addition in faba bean fertilization is pointless with regard to lack of their actual effect on the content and composition of protein, compared with mineral and organic fertilization.

The work presents the results of a field experiment which was carried out in years 2007-2009 at the Didactic-Experimental Station of the University of Rzeszów in Krasne near Rzeszów. Economic value of six cultivated dwarf oat lines was assessed in comparison with the standard cultivar Krezus. It was shown that, among the studied oat forms, cultivar Krezus was characterized by the best usefulness for growth in the Subcarpathian region. It gave the highest grain yield and formed the greatest number of panicles per 1 m² before harvest and of spikelets and panicle grain mass. The studied dwarf lines gave on average one tone less yield per hectare than cultivar Krezus. The most raw fat was found in the grain of line STH 75, and total protein in the grain of line STH 5417.