Research Institute for Fodder Crops (Czechia)

Oats are utilized primarily as feed for domestic animals and is also fourth most important cereal crop of the world. The Fodder Research Center, Sargodha, used conventional breeding techniques to generate the general cultivar "Barkat" of oat (Avena sativa L.). It will be launched in 2021. The "FRI-01" commercial cultivar is a highly uniform off spring of the crosses between parental accessions (No. 970 and No. 288) and subsequent selections in multiple segregating populations (F2 through F6) using pedigree procedures. The cultivar outperformed the commercial check "Sargodha-Oat 2011" by 10% and 12.76% in forage yield during 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 station trials, respectively, and by 13.32% in fodder yield during 2016-17 at the zonal level. It is a late-maturing green cultivar that produces light brown seed and has a tall, multi-tillering plant form. It gave 7.13% higher fodder yield during 2017-18 and 22.38% increase over check variety during 2018-19 in national trials. Forage qualities include high palatability (85%), protein content (10.6%), and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. The flowers bloom roughly ten days after the reference variety. Barkat (FRI-01) sown on 1st October and 15th October gave highest fodder yield in comparison with other tested sowing dates while maximum green fodder yield 87 ton ha-1 at 80 kg per ha seed rate and 30 cm row spacing. Barkat (FRI-01) will be extremely valuable cultivars in both irrigated and desert region of Punjab Province due to its high yield, great palatability, higher protein contents than standard check, and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress. Also, the cultivar can serve as a parental line in future efforts to enhance oat genetics.

Smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) is rhizomatous perennial forage grass species spread all over Serbia, mostly beside the roads and at the edges of semi-xerophylous or xerophylous natural grasslands. Stabile and high forage yield, classify Smooth bromegrass in a group of forage grasses suitable for mixtures composing for drought conditions and poor soils in agro-ecological conditions of Serbia. It can be used traditionally for hay production, but also in quality mixtures with legumes for silage or haylage production. Cultivar K-46 is created by multiple phenotypic recurrent selection of populations collected across central Serbia. The main breeding goal was developing of genotypes of Bromus inermis with improved yield and chemical composition of dry matter. Since this grass species generally have been characterised with a lot of large but indelicate leaves, improvement of its biomass quality requires breeding of leaf parameters (size, number, position, etc.). In plot trial on three locations in two years period (2015 and 2016) cultivar K-46 reached average DMY of 6400 kg ha-1. The average height of plants at the moment of cutting was 81.6 cm. Crude protein content was 11.61 g kg-1 of dry matter in the first cut and 13.51 g kg-1 in the second cut, which represents the good quality of grass biomass. New cultivar K-46, which is registered in December 2017, is suitable for mixtures composing for long-lasting and durable grasslands on light, marginal and dry soils. It stabilises land and produces enough amount of quality herbage which can be used with legumes species as complete forage meal for ruminants. It is adapted for cutting and tolerates dry, poor and eroded soils, therefore it shows best results on grasslands on hilly mountainous areas.

The field experiment was established from pre-grown alfalfa sprouts in 2008. In 2009 and 2010, the harvest was carried out. The yield and the root size system (RSS) were evaluated in the total of five cuts. Two localities of diverse soil and weather conditions were selected. Žabčice is a dry location with a highly permeable sandy soil layer, but at the same time, with a considerable fluctuation of the underground water level; Troubsko, on the other hand, represented a location with a higher content of clay in soil suitable for growing alfalfa. The trial was established in two types of plant spacing – 25 × 25 cm (16 plants per m2) and 50 × 50 cm (4 plants per m2). Two alfalfa varieties were used – Hodonínka (an old variety) and Oslava (a new variety). The following factors were evaluated by statistical means: location, variety, plant spacing, and cut number. The effect of location on the above ground phytomass and the RSS value proved highly statistically decisive. The higher average values of above ground phytomass as well as RSS were achieved on the Troubsko location where the above ground phytomass was 19.57 t.ha−1 and RSS was 2.71 nanofarad (nF). The impact of the variety was highly statistically significant only in respect to RSS. The effect of variety on the alfalfa above ground phytomass was not proven. The higher average RSS values were reached by the Hodonínka variety (2.59 nF). The effect of the plant spacing on both the above ground phytomass and the RSS values was highly statistically significant. The higher average above ground phytomass was achieved when the 25 × 25 cm plant spacing was employed (18.64 t.ha−1). As for the RSS value, the case was exactly opposite – the higher average value was reached when the plant spacing was 50 × 50 cm (2.99 nF). The impact of the cut number on both the above ground phytomass and the RSS was highly statistically significant. The highest average above ground phytomass and root system size were measured in the third cut. The above ground phytomass was 30.36 t.ha‑1 and RSS was 3.86 nF.

The issue of moulds and, thus, contamination with mycotoxins is very topical, particularly in connexion with forages from grass stands used at the end of the growing season. Deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEA), fumonisins (FUM) and aflatoxins (AFL) are among the most common mycotoxins. The aim of the paper was to determine concentrations of mycotoxins in selected grasses (Lolium perenne, Festulolium pabulare, Festulolium braunii) and their mixtures with Festuca rubra an/or Poa pratensis during the growing season as a marker of grass safety, which was assessed according to content of the aforementioned mycotoxins. During the growing season grass forage was contaminated with mycotoxins, most of all by DON and ZEA. The contents of AFL and FUM were zero or below the limit of quantification. Moreover, the level of the occurrence of mould was quantified as ergosterol content, which was higher at the specific date of cut. All results were statistically processed and significant changes were discussed.

Altogether, 17 threatened wild plant species of the family <I>Fabaceae, </I>selected in their natural localities, were included in the monitoring. They could have prospects for use in agriculture or horticulture. Most of the monitored species are well conserved within protected areas. Only occasional disturbances can be observed (caused by wild animals, human footpaths, etc.). Declines in species number were observed, especially during dry seasons (2004, 2007). On the other hand, an increase of species numbers was recorded during wet seasons (2006, 2008); this, thanks to the increased occurrence of annual species and ephemerals. For an evaluation of the state of vegetation on each locality, the Shannon diversity index, combined with species richness data, were used. Species growing on extreme (very dry, much insolated, extremely acid, etc.) localities tend to have bigger fluctuations in their population size, but are better protected against human impacts. No negative trends have been observed in the population dynamics of any of the monitored localities.

In tests with artificial infestation of alfalfa by leaf weevils in the greenhouse and also in small-plot trials with natural infestation of sprouting alfalfa it was found that without protection alfalfa is seriously damaged by leaf weevil feeding. After evaluation of the feeding damage by weevils, the damage to plants in the untreated plot was classed as 3<sup>rd</sup>, 4<sup>th</sup> and 5<sup>th</sup> degree on a five-level scale. Plant growth was seriously restricted and in warm and dry weather plants may die. The results demonstrate that in both kinds of trials the pre-sowing treatment of alfalfa seed significantly reduces the feeding of leaf weevils on sprouting alfalfa. No negative effects of insecticidal seed dressing on germination energy and germination were observed. On the basis of the three-year trials, the dressing insecticides Cruiser 350 FS (active ingredient thiamethoxan) and Elado 480 FS (active ingredients beta-cyfluthrin and clothianidin), both at a dose of 20 l/t, can be recommended as an effective method to protect alfalfa against leaf weevils.

The biopreparation Supresivit based on spores from the fungus Trichoderma harzianum was applied as a dressing mixed with mineral fertilizers: NPK, LAV (ammonium nitrate with limestone) and DASA (ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulphate). Our experimental plots with spring barley, winter wheat, winter oil rape, maize and potatoes were fertilized with the mixtures of the biopreparation (1 g, 0.5 g and 0.1 g per 1 kg of fertilizer). There were two check variants, the first variant without any fertilization and without biopreparation, the second with fertilizer and without biopreparation. We observed the infestation of plants with pathogenic fungi and yield parameters. In our experiments it was indicated that Trichoderma harzianum suppresses pathogenic fungi at the concentration 0,5 g of Supresivit per 1 kg of the fertilizer and higher ones. The plants from treated plots had lower infestation - decreasing about 5-15% superficial infestation: tan spot of barley - yellow leaf spot on cereals and leaf blotch of barley, winter wheat - leaf spot of wheat, tan spot of wheat, take-all etc., winter oil-seed rape - black leg and collar rot, potatoes - blight fungus etc. Simultaneously the effect on higher yields was observed.