Functional classification of communes with less favoured areas in landscape parks in West Pomeranian Voivodeship has shown that among 10 analyzed features the biggest differences between communes were in livestock unit per 100 ha of agricultural land, density of population, proportion of non-agricultural farms in the total number of farms, as well as proportion of agricultural land and forests in the total area. Moreover, among three groups of communes, the best conditions for agricultural production were in group C which included Barwice, Dobrzany, Połczyn-Zdrój and Węgorzyno. In the rest of the studied communes, group A and B, rural tourism, agrotourism and other non-agricultural activities are preferable.

The aim of this study was to estimate the quantitative indexes of stand weed infestation and yields of three cultivars of spring wheat sown in sowing densities 500 and 800 grains per 1 m². The study was conducted in 2006-2009 in the gray-brown podsolic soil formed from loess. The experimental factors were three cultivars of spring wheat different in respect of morphology: Nawra, Zadra and Korynta, as well as their two sowing densities: 500 and 800 grains per 1 m². Assessment of the effect of research factors on weeds occurring in stand was carried out on treatments without herbicides. State of weed infestation of stand was assessed with the quantitative-gravimetric method before spring wheat harvest. Quantitative weed infestation indexes were significantly modified by the sowing density of spring wheat. Increasing sowing density from 500 to 800 grains per 1 m² resulted in a decrease by 22% in the number of weeds and by 27% in their air-dry weight. Of the assessed cultivars, Korynta and Zadra showed a satisfactory competitiveness against weeds, particularly in conditions of increased sowing density (800 grains·m^-2). No differences in yield were statistically indicated either between cultivars or depending on sowing density.

The aim of the research was determination of the relationship between agrotechnical factors and the yield of winter malting barley cv. Corbie. Grain yield and its components were discussed. The source of results was field experiment carried out at the Experimental Station „Bałcyny Sp. z o.o.” near Ostróda, under favourable weather conditions for winter barley in the years 2006-2008. 3^5-2(IV) fractional design was applied in two replications with 27 combinations in each one, in which at the same time 5 factors were tested (A, B, C, D, E) on three levels (0, 1, 2). Very high, though diversified in years, yield of winter barley cv Corbie was confirmed on the soil of the good wheat complex. During studies, the plants of this cultivar overwintered well, to a slight degree they lodged, and their infection with fungal diseases was low. Relationship between the yield and technological level was smaller than assumed in the working hypothesis. The highest grain yield was obtained from barley which was sown earliest (September 9-11^th), at a rate of 450 grains·m^-2 with spring N fertilization at a rate of 60 kg N·ha^-1. These were treatments protected with a dressing and 2 fungicide treatments at the time of growing and treated with regulator Retar 480 SL.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of hydrogel and mineral fertilizers on the lawn turf colour. Lawn experiment was conducted in the years 2002-2004 on experimental plots in the system of randomized blocks with an area of 4 m² (4 x 1 m) in four replications. In the conducted research experiment, the following factors were applied: botanical composition of lawn: Wembley (M1), Park (M2), Relax (M3), Półcień (M4); kind of subsoil: with the addition of hydrogel Aqua-Gel P4 (H), without the addition of hydrogel Aqua-Gel P4 (BH); type of fertilizer: Pokon (N1), Trawovit set (N2), Azofoska (N3), proposed fertilizer (N4). Each year of the study the lawn colours were evaluated. This evaluation was made according to the COBORU methodology [Domański 1992]. It was used valuation 9^o scale, where 9 meant the highest value of this feature. The colours of tested turfs to a large extent were dependent on meteorological conditions, especially the temperature and rainfall, which was confirmed in a different turf colour in each month of the growing periods. The mixture Wembley (M1) with 80% share of perennial ryegrass was characterized by the most intensive green colouration. With the decreasing of the percentage of perennial ryegrass in the mixture (irrespective of the type of substrate) the turf colouration deteriorated to the green grass colour. In subsequent years of research, intensity of the mixtures, colour slightly decreased from brown green colour (about 8^o) to the pure green (about 6^o). Applying hydrogel and proposed fertilizer to a small degree improved lawn colouration. The other fertilizers had no effect on turf colour.

Field experiment on different sowing dates of two winter rapeseed cultivars (Brassica napus L. spp. and oleifera biennis Metzg.) was carried out in years 2009-2010 at the Experimental Station of the Aleksandras Stulginskis University (54°53’ N; 23°50’ E). The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of winter rapeseed sowing date on the biometric parameters of rapeseed rosette: number of leaves, root collar diameter, height of apical bud, and its chemical composition: N:K ratio, amount of dry matter, total sugar in autumn before wintering, changes of chemical composition during the autumn- winter period, and overwintering. Sowing date significantly influenced all the examined indexes. According to the biometric parameters, the chemical composition of leaves, and the apical bud, winter rapeseed sown between August 30^th and September 5^th was best prepared for wintering and overwintered. Growth during the period of preparation for overwintering was more intensive. Changes in the chemical composition during the overwintering period were more favourable and the overwintering of winter rapeseed was better in the hybrid cultivar Kronos compared with cultivar Sunday.

Yield and quality characteristics of three potato cultivars, that is Aster, Muza, and Ania, were examined in an experiment conducted in years 1999-2001. Total tuber yield, starch content, dry matter content, and vitamin C content were determined. Data analysis was based on multidimensional methods, that is interprofile analysis and cluster analysis. The levels of both the yield and component contents were different depending on the cultivar and growth conditions. It was confirmed by means of the profile lines of the examined cultivars, which had different courses in each year of study. Coefficients of similarity rc indicate that the profiles of the cultivars were not similar (comparisons were made between pairs). The most dissimilar were the profiles of Aster and Ania, influenced by the conditions of the 2000 growth season, as well as of Muza and Ania in the year 1999. Cluster analysis revealed that Muza and Ania formed one cluster (were the most similar) in the years 1999 and 2000, and Ania and Aster in the year 2001.

In the studies, the analysis of the diversification of spring wheat characteristics was carried out depending on the growth system. Field experiment was carried out in years 2004-2006 at the Agricultural Experimental Station in Zawady, which is part of the Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities. The obtained correlation coefficients prove that the relation between wheat characteristics depends on the growth system. The applied method of principal component analysis (PCA) allowed a complex assessment of the relations between the characteristics. It also made it possible to reduce the original seven characteristics to three new variables, which carried over 75% of the information of the input data obtained from the direct sowing and almost 80% for the conventional tillage. The greatest discriminatory power, which diversified the studied plants, was shown by the mass of 1000 grains and grain yield.

Studies with cultivation of Dactylis glomerata (cultivar Borna), Festuca pratensis (cultivar Ureus) and Lolium perenne (cultivar Inka), were carried out in the polyurethane pots, in 4 replications, on the experimental area of Department of Grassland and Green Area Creation. Eight seeds of one of the tested species were sown into each of the pots. After germination of grains, when the seedlings reached the 2-3 leaf stage, negative selection was carried out by removing 4 weakest plants. Then, four experimental factors in the form of the following fertilizer combinations were introduced: control – without fertilization, NPK – mineral fertilization, UG – microbiological fertilizer, UG + NPK – combined rates as for combinations NPK and UG. The experiment was carried out in 2008-2010. Detailed study included the following characteristics: aboveground biomass yield (g DM·pot^-1) and leaf greenness index (SPAD). All tested grass species reacted to fertilization applied in the experiment. However, significantly highest yield occurred on the objects with mineral fertilization combined with a microbiological fertilizer (on average 96.97 g DM·pot^-1). The largest amount of chlorophyll pigment occurred in plants cultivated on soil with a microbiological fertilizer and with a microbiological fertilizer together with mineral fertilization. The study showed usefulness of a microbiological fertilizer in the cultivation of Dactylis glomerata, Festuca pratensis and Lolium perenne. However, its highest effectiveness was observed in combination with mineral fertilization.

This study presents the results of a three-year field experiment carried out during 2006-2008 at the Didactic and Research Station of the University of Rzeszów in Krasne near Rzeszów. The yield, its components and chemical composition of 4 lines of barley were analysed in comparison with the cultivar Rastik. Statistical analyses indicated that in the area of the Subcarpathian region are favourable conditions for growing naked barley. Of the studied lines, STH 6263, STH 6290, STH 4731 and the cultivar Rastik turned out to be the most useful for growing in this region of Poland in respect of yield. The grain of line STH 6263 contained the most protein, and the grain of the cultivar Rastic had the most fat. Functional characters of the assessed lines of barley indicate a slow breeding progress in the group of naked cultivars.

In the field experiment carried out in 2002-2004 the effect of undersown catch crops of Italian ryegrass and red clover and stands in crop rotations with 25, 50 and 75% of spring barley on its health was assessed. The composition of microorganisms colonizing the stem base in barley was also determined. It was indicated that catch crops did not have effect on differences in the degree of barley infestation by pathogens of net blotch, ear blight and fusarium foot rot. However, they caused increased incidence of powdery mildew and scald. Rust appeared only on barley grown without catch crops. An increased development of net blotch was observed on barley with catch crop, grown after spring wheat, and of scald – after potato. In pure stand the highest intensity of net blotch, powdery mildew, rust and leaf-strip disease was found in crop rotation with 75% of barley. This crop rotation was also favorable for development of the stem base diseases. No effect of the sowing method and stand in crop rotation on the number of microorganisms colonizing the stem base of spring barley was observed.

The aim of the research was evaluation of the effect of agrotechnical level on the brewing quality of winter barley grain with the use of 3^5-2 (IV) fractional design. Quality parameters of malting barley malt and grain were subjected to analysis. The analysis of experimental features was based on the linear model. In case of rejecting the null hypothesis (H₀), multiple comparison test SNK was applied with the significance level P = 0.05. It was proved that quality parameters of winter barley malt are typical cultivar traits, which to a slight degree may be modified with the use of a different level of agricultural techniques. The only agrotechnical factor which significantly affected quality parameters of malt obtained from winter barley grain was nitrogen fertilization. Together with the increase of nitrogen fertilization level, extractivity and Kolbach index significantly deteriorated, while value of diastatic power improved.