Current studies aimed at replacing soya bean meal with other legumes should take into consideration not only protein content and quality, but also the content and quality of oil. The aim of this study was to assess the Polish breeding lines and cultivars of yellow, blue and white lupine, faba bean as well as hairy and common vetch with regard to their raw oil (crude fat) content and fatty acid profile. The study involved 9 lines and cultivars of yellow lupine and 8 of blue lupine, 2 cultivars of white lupine, 2 cultivars of faba bean, 1 cultivar of hairy vetch and 1 cultivar of common vetch. The content of oil in seeds of the yellow lupine lines and cultivars was within the range 5.1-6.6%, blue lupine 6.2-6.9%, white lupine 9.3-10.6%, faba bean 1.7-1.8%, hairy vetch 1.2% and common vetch 1.1%. Linoleic acid was the main fatty acid in the faba bean, hairy and common vetch and in most of the yellow lupine genotypes oils. Oleic acid dominated in the white lupine oil, whereas in the blue lupine oil linoleic and oleic acids occurred usually in similar quantities. The highest content of α-linolenic acid was in the two vetch species (8.4-8.5%), the next highest in white lupine (6.8-7.6%) and yellow lupine (5.4-9.0%) with the lowest in faba bean (3.2-5.8%) and blue lupine (3.2-5.2%). Yellow lupine genotypes were more differentiated in respect of their oil content, α-linolenic acid and the value of the n-6/n-3 acids ratio than were the blue lupine genotypes.

The aim of the study was to determine the effects of different proportions of Medicago media Pers. in mixtures with Dactylis glomerata L. on the yield of aboveground biomass, protein yield and relative chlorophyll content in orchard grass leaves. The study was carried out in 2011-2013. A strict field experiment was conducted in the Educational and Research Station of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland (53o72' N; 20o42' E), on mineral soil of quality class IVa and very good rye complex. Pure-sown orchard grass and orchard grass in mixtures with hybrid alfalfa were investigated. The experimental factor was a varied proportion (30%, 50%, 70%) of alfalfa seeds in the mixtures. Results demonstrated that the proportion of alfalfa in mixtures increased gradually in subsequent years, but its share in the aboveground biomass was disproportionate to the percentage of sown seeds. Alfalfa introduced as a component of the mixtures increased the relative chlorophyll content in orchard grass leaves, but no significant differences were found between plots with 30% and 70% proportions of alfalfa. The mixtures gave significantly higher yields when compared to pure-sown orchard grass. Depending on the proportion of alfalfa in the mixtures, the yield was about 18 to 27% higher and more reliable in the study years. The introduction of alfalfa to the mixtures caused a significant 56% increase in protein yield per area unit as compared to pure-sown orchard grass. A highly significant correlation coefficient shows that the leaf greenness index can be regarded as an important prediction rate of plant yield.

A single-factor field experiment was conducted in 2009-2011 on light soil to determine productivity of multi-species mixtures of barley, oat, wheat and triticale. The cereals were grown in 3and 4-species mixtures. The objective of this study was to determine if these highly diverse cereal mixtures are more productive and yield more stable than pure stand cereals. Mixtures did not differ in grain yield and each of them yielded between the highest and the lowest yielding component grown in pure stand. All mixtures yielded more stable than pure stands of barley, oat and triticale. Oat-wheattriticale mixture yielded more grain protein than pure stand cereals and mixtures with the exception of barley-wheat-triticale mixture. Growing cereals in mixtures caused reduction in productive tillering of barley and 1000-grain weight of oat, while increased number of grains and grain weight per spike of triticale.

In a field experiment conducted in 2009-2011 on light soil barley, oat, wheat and triticale were grown in 3and 4-species mixtures and in pure stands. The aim of the study was to assess competition between species in mixtures and to determine yield advantage of mixtures over their components grown in pure stands. Competitive hierarchy observed at full maturity of cereals in 4-species mixture clearly reflected hierarchies seen in 3-species mixtures, with triticale showing the highest competitive ability followed by wheat then oat and finally barley. Five weeks after plant emergence all mixtures were more productive than pure stands (LER>1) while no biomass or grain yield advantage of mixtures over pure stands was found at full maturity of cereals.

The effect of biostimulators on plants affects an increase in the level of plant resistance to stress factors which normally occurs in plants, while under non-stress conditions it affects better utilization of the genetically conditioned potential. Based on the field experiments conducted in the years 2011-2013 at the Experimental Station in Tomaszkowo, the effect of mineral fertilization and an organic plant growth stimulator, NANO-GRO®, was determined on the height of grain yield and its components, on the content of macroand microelements and technological quality (protein and its fraction composition, starch, gluten, Zeleny index, hardness and bulk density) in the grain of common wheat and spelt. The combined application of basic mineral fertilization (NPK) with an organic growth stimulator, NANO-GRO®, had no effect on the grain yield and its components in common wheat and spelt, except increasing 1000 grain weight in spelt. Additional spraying of plants with preparation NANO-GRO® contributed to an increase in the content of P, Ca, Cu, Mn, Zn, a decrease in Mg content in spelt grain, an increase in the amount of Cu, Fe, and a decrease in Mg, Ca, Mn in wheat grain. It also caused an increase in the content of protein, gluten and Zeleny index, and a decrease in bulk density in common wheat grain. The content of starch increased in spelt grain, while the content of protein, gluten and grain hardness decreased. The amount of enzymatic proteins (albumins and globulins) increased in both cereals, while the amount of glutenins (as a result of a decrease in low molecular weight fractions, LMW) increased in spelt grain. An increase in gliadins was observed (ω, α/β, γ) as well as a decrease in the total glutenins (as a result of a decrease in LMW fractions) in common wheat grain. The use of the growth stimulator NANO-GRO® favorably affected the ratio of gliadins to glutenins in spelt grain.

Two-factor field experiment was conducted in 2011-2014 and it was designed with split-plot method. The objective of the research was to assess the effect of undersown white clover and common serradella into single-cultivar and three-cultivar mixture of winter rye (Secale cereale L.) on selected physical soil properties. Under normal distribution of precipitation, but in the high annual temperatures, the presence of undersown species in rye significantly affected the decrease of soil moisture and the increase in soil compaction. In the remaining years, when more optimal distribution of precipitation and temperatures was noticed, the implementation of white clover and serradella did not affect soil moisture and soil compaction was significantly lower under both undersown species. The implementation of white clover and serradella into agricultural practices of rye did not affect bulk density, although its slight increase was observed. The presence of white clover and serradella in the rye stand significantly increased total and capillary porosity in a 5-10 cm layer. The similar tendency, although statistically not proved, was observed in a 15-20 cm layer.

In agricultural practice, foliar fertilizers are applied in foliar additional plant feeding. Foliar additional feeding provides plants with nutrients in small doses which are immediately activated and uptaken by the leaves. The work presents the results of a strict field experiment set in 2009-2011 at the Didactic-Experimental Station of the University of Rzeszów in Krasne near Rzeszów. Response of naked (cultivar Cacko) and hulled (cultivar Bingo) oats grown on medium soil, good wheat complex to foliar fertilization with Bio-algeen S 90, Basfoliar 12-4-6+S, and Basfoliar 36 Extra was studied. Grain yield and chemical composition were determined, as well as canopy architecture. On the basis of the conducted research, it was demonstrated that foliar fertilizers caused an increase in oat grain yield. The highest yield was obtained after the application of Basfoliar 36 Extra and Basfoliar 12-4-6+S. Also positive effect of foliar additional feeding was found on the formation of such yield components as mass of 1000 grains and the mass and number of grains per panicle. It was demonstrated that the applied foliar fertilizers determined the decrease in protein content and increased the fat content in the grain. The most intense response occurred after the application of Bio-algeen S 90. Foliar fertilizers also diversified canopy architecture. After their application, an increase in the leaf area index (LAI) and a decrease in the mean tip angle (MTA) were demonstrated. The highest increase in LAI and decrease in MTA in both oat cultivars was found after the application of Basfoliar 36 Extra.