bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Induced defence responses of cereals to pathogen attack
Authors: PELTONEN S.
Published: July 2018

The defence responses of plants are usually composed of a multitude of structural and biochemical events. Some occur constitutively, whereas others, which are emphasised in this review, are formed in response to pathogen attack and are considered as active reactions of plants. Induction of defence mechanisms can be observed in all plants regardless of their genetic background. Thus, this phenomenon can occur in cultivars with or without known genes for disease resistance. The general defence features of plants may contribute significantly to the overall disease resistance of plants and increasing evidence for the role of different defence molecules are being obtained from molecular studies. In this review, induction of defence mechanisms, especially phenylpropanoid metabolism and its role in the defence responses of cereals to pathogen attack is addressed. Also, induced resistance as a potential tool for disease control in cereals will be briefly discussed.;
Effect of feeding level and diet type on the performance of crossbred suckler cows and their calves
Authors: MANNINEN M. , ARONEN I. , HUHTA H.
Published: July 2018

A 2 ×2 factorial design experiment with 32 spring-calving Hereford-Ayrshire and 31 Limousine-Ayrshire suckler cows was conducted to compare the effects of diets based on hay (H)or urea-treated straw (US)at two feeding levels (moderatekg/day from day 30 to 0 pre partum Post partum cows received 3.0 kg/day of the same mixture. All cows were in calf to Charolais sires. During the mating period, cows were inseminated after oestrus synchronisation and subsequently exposed to a bull. Average daily intakes of the cows were on treatment MH 9.1 kg DM/day and 77.4 MJ metabolizable energy (ME), on treatment MUS 8.5 kg DM and 67.2 MJ ME,on treatment LH 6.9 kg DM and 58.9 MJ ME and on treatment LUS 6.7 kg DM and 53.7 MJ ME, respectively. Live weight gain (LWG) during the indoor feeding was lower (P
Web-based reference databases and subject gateways to locate current research information in agricultural and food sciences - a Finnish perspective
Authors: AALTONEN M.-L. , HAGELIN R.
Published: July 2018

Databases and the World Wide Web have overwhelmed the information market. Bibliographic reference databases with links to electronic journals that publish full text manuscripts provide information seekers with a wide range of fast and convienient searching methods. Increasingly organisations present their activities on the WWW which allows them to disseminate updated information about their experts, publications and on-going research projects better than was possible previously. The web technology has a major advantage over printed products since it allows end-users to search, browse and print the information in different formats according to their own specific needs. Agricultural and food science papers published in Finland have been documented annually in this journal for a number of years, but the advent of web technologies have made this much less valuable.;
Changes in the contents of kaempherol, quercetin and L-ascorbic acid in sea buckthorn berries during maturation
Authors: JEPPSON N. , XIANGQUN G.
Published: July 2018

The contents of kaempherol, quercetin and L-ascorbic acid in sea buckthorn berries were measured at different maturation stages using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) methods. The content of ascorbic acid decreased over time with significant differences between sampling dates for the five cultivars studied. The mean decrease was 25% in 19 days, from 1.48 to 1.10 g kg-1. Quercetin decreased whereas kaempherol increased during maturation. Among three studied cultivars, the decrease in quercetin was significant (from 0.028 to 0.014 g kg-1) in 'Otradnaja', where as the increase (from 0.012 to 0.016 g kg-1) in kaempherol was significant in the others two, 'Prozratnaja' and 'Gibrid Pertjik'.;
Effects of sodium sulphate and potassium chloride fertilizers on the nutritive value of timothy grown on different soils
Authors: HUHTANEN P. , AHVENJÄRVI S. , HEIKKILÄ T.
Published: July 2018

Third harvest samples from a pot experiment were analysed to study the effects of sodium (Na) (0, 200 and 400 mg dm-3 of soil in a single application as Na2SO4 . 10H2O) and potassium (K) application (0, 100 and 200 mg dm-3 applied at each harvest as KCl) on the nutritive value of timothy grown on three different soil types (clay, loam and organogenic soil). The effects of fertilization on concentrations of crude protein, neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and non-structural carbohydrates, although statistically significant, were relatively minor in absolute terms. Na applications increased and K applications decreased sulphur and phosphorus concentrations, the magnitude of which was dependent on soil type. The increase in sulphur concentration can be attributed to sulphate in Na-fertilizer. The effects of fertilizers on in vitro organic matter digestibility and the potential extent of dry matter (DM) and NDF digestibility were small. Digestion kinetic parameters estimated from fermentative gas production measured using a fully automated system were used in a rumen simulation model to estimate digestibility. Total gas volume and the rate of gas production from the rapidly digestible fraction were negatively correlated with timothy S and N concentrations. Na application had no effect, but K application increased true rumen DM digestibility, the effect being most profound on organogenic soil. The results suggest that Na application does not elicit substantial positive effects on the nutritive value of timothy which has often been reported for perennial ryegrass, but K application can improve the nutritive value of timothy grown on K deficient soil.;
The effect of ammonium ferric hexacyanoferrate on reducing radiocaesium transfer from grass silage to sheep
Authors: PAASIKALLIO A. , SORMUNEN-CRISTIAN R. , JAAKKOLA S.
Published: July 2018

A study was carried out to examine the effect of ammonium ferric hexacyanoferrate (AFCF) on the transfer of radiocaesium from grass silage to the tissues of male lambs. During ensiling, a formic acid based additive and AFCF were sprayed on grass contaminated with 134Cs and the mixture was allowed to incubate for 45 days. A dose of 21 mg AFCF d-1, fed to sheep offered contaminated silage for fourteen days, reduced 134Cs transfer to muscle by 45% compared to that of control sheep. An equivalent dose of AFCF administered in a capsule reduced transfer by only 3%. In another experiment, AFCF intake of 50, 100 and 150 mg d-1 for ten days reduced 134Cs transfer to sheep muscle by 75, 82 and 86%, respectively. In control lambs, of average live weight 38 and 47 kg, the feed to muscle 134Cs transfer coefficient averaged 0.15 d kg-1, but equilibrium between tissue and feed 134Cs had probably not been reached due to the short feeding period. Increasing doses of AFCF from 0 to 150 mg d-1 increased the faecal/urinary 134Cs ratio from 2 to 42.;
Short term behavioural consequences of denied access to environmental facilities in mink
Authors: HANSEN C.P.B , JEPPESEN L.L
Published: July 2018

The aim of this study was to investigate whether farm mink denied access to water for swimming became more frustrated than animals denied access to an empty cage. Also the relative importance of water for swimming, the empty cage and the nest box was measured. Seventy-eight farm mink were placed in four groups according to a 2x2 experimental design: two unit sizes, large and small, and two water conditions, with or without water. Each unit consisted of three cages side by side in which half of the animals had a water filled basin and the other half an empty area in the middle cage. This cage had openings to the other two cages. In addition, a tunnel above the basin connected the right and left cage. One hour before the beginning of daily observations the animals had their access restricted to only the left cage. Each animal was observed ten times a day on nine consecutive days. No difference in scratching into the tunnel, basin or nest box was detected between the four groups. All groups scratched significantly or nearly significantly more into the nest box than into both the tunnel and the basin. Most stereotypies were found in the group in small cages with a dry basin. Our investigation suggests that when compared to the deprivation from a nest box, the deprivation of water for swimming does not alone cause frustration of farm mink any more that the exclusion from an empty cage. However, it does indicate that the cage size may affect the level of stereotypy.;
Reactivity of silicate liming materials from Northern Europe assessed by Soil Incubation and two pH Stat methods
Authors: ERSTAD K.-J. , KONOVALOV N.Y. , PUTRO J.
Published: July 2018

Reactivity studies were carried out with a range of particle size fractions using one Norwegian ferro manganese slag, three Swedish and three Finnish blast furnace and converter slags. Their effect on soil pH was compared with a crystalline calcite. Besides establishing the slags' inherent liming ability, three methods were used in order to establish mathematical relationships for the conversion of data according to European standardisation. With the Soil Incubation method it was found that the converter slags and the amorphous blast furnace slags were slightly superior to the other slags in raising the soil pH of a silty loam, whereas in an acid peat the differences were quite small. Over a prolonged period the slags showed almost the same efficiency as the calcite. When comparing the same particle size fractions, in some cases the finer fraction of calcite gave a better result, whereas the slags were often superior in the coarse particle sizes. Using Sauerbeck/Rietz and the modified Finnish pH Stat methods the converter slags and the amorphous slags showed the highest neutralizing ability. The Finnish method performed a more gentle acid-lime reaction, and this time-consuming method correlated better with reaction in soil than the Sauerbeck/Rietz method. Conversion factors between data from the three methods were computed for all particle size fractions, and correlation equations for practical use established.
Mycorrhizal colonisation of highbush blueberry and its native relatives in central Finland
Authors: KASURINEN A. , HOLOPAINEN T. , ANTTONEN S.
Published: July 2018

Transmission electromicroscopy, trypan blue staining in combination with stereomicroscope analysis and biochemical ergosterol assay were used to study the mycorrhizal symbionts in wild bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), bog whortleberry (Vaccinium uliginosum) and highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) roots. TEM-analysis showed that in all species ericoid mycorrhizas formed hyphae coil inside the epidermal root cells. In stereomicroscopic viewing the highest mycorrhizal colonisation was observed in the roots of wild bilberries (51%), whereas according to the ergosterol assay the highest total fungal biomass of roots was found in bog whortleberries (209 mg g-1 of root d. wt). Both ergosterol and microscopical method showed that the mycorrhizal associations in blueberry cultivars and their wild relatives growing on natural soil medium are frequent, although ericoid mycorrhiza formation of highbush blueberries was somewhat weaker than that of wild bilberries and bog whortleberries.
Modelling of vegetative filter strips in catchment scale erosion control
Authors: RANKINEN K. , TATTARI S. , REKOLAINEN S.
Published: July 2018

The efficiency of vegetative filter strips to reduce erosion was assessed by simulation modelling in two catchments located in different parts of Finland. The areas of high erosion risk were identified by a Geographical Information System (GIS) combining digital spatial data of soil type, land use and field slopes. The efficiency of vegetative filter strips (VFS) was assessed by the ICECREAM model, a derivative of the CREAMS model which has been modified and adapted for Finnish conditions. The simulation runs were performed without the filter strips and with strips of 1 m, 3 m and 15 m width. Four soil types and two crops (spring barley, winter wheat) were studied. The model assessments for fields without VFS showed that the amount of erosion is clearly dominated by slope gradient. The soil texture had a greater impact on erosion than the crop. The impact of the VFS on erosion reduction was highly variable. These model results were scaled up by combining them to the digital spatial data. The simulated efficiency of the VFS in erosion control in the whole catchment varied from 50 to 89%. A GIS-based erosion risk map of the other study catchment and an identification carried out by manual study using topographical paper maps were evaluated and validated by ground truthing. Both methods were able to identify major erosion risk areas, i.e areas where VFS are particularly necessary. A combination of the GIS and the field method gives the best outcome.
Effect of annually repeated undersowing on cereal grain yields
Authors: KÄNKÄNEN H. , ERIKSSON C. , RÄKKÖLÄINEN M.
Published: July 2018

Cover crops can be used to reduce leaching and erosion, introduce variability into crop rotation and fix nitrogen (N) for use by the main crops. In Finland, undersowing is a suitable method for establishing cover crops in cereal cropping. The effect of annual undersowing on cereal grain yield and soil mineral N content in spring was studied at two sites. Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), white clover (Trifolium repens L.), a mixture of red clover and meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.), and westerwold ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam. var. westerwoldicum) were undersown in spring cereals in the same plots in six successive seasons, and their effects on cereal yield were estimated. Annual undersowing with clovers increased, and undersowing with westerwold ryegrass decreased cereal grain yields. The grain yield was only slightly lower with a mixture of red clover and meadow fescue than with red clover alone. Westerwold ryegrass did not affect soil mineral N content in spring and the increase attributable to clovers was small. The mixture of red clover and meadow fescue affected similarly to pure red clover. Soil fertility was not notably improved during six years of undersowing according to grain yield two years later.
Ground beetle (Coleoptera, Carabidae) diversity in Finnish arable land
Authors: HELENIUS J.K. , HOLOPAINEN J.K. , HUUSELA-VEISTOLA E.
Published: July 2018

Carabid data compiled from six independent studies, consisting of 97 799 individuals trapped by pitfalls from Finnish agricultural fields and identified to 111 species were analyzed. Shannon-Wiener H' diversity index was typically around 2.5 and expected species number rarefied to 600 trapped individuals was typically around 30 species. The five most abundant species accounted for 42% of the total catch, and the thirty most abundant species made up 98% of the total catch. Percentage similarities among the assemblages by PS-index were from 16% to 48%. In comparison to published data about carabid diversity in boreal forests, which form the dominating habitat matrix in which Finnish farmland is embedded as relatively small patches, arable fields harbor more species rich assemblages, with more even rank-abundance distributions but variable species composition. Importance of landscape (regional) level, instead of spatial level of crop fields, in understanding carabid diversity in farmland is discussed. Inclusion of carabids into monitoring schemes of agro-biodiversity at landscape level is suggested.
Effect of harvest time on storage loss and sprouting in onion
Authors: SUOJALA T.
Published: July 2018

Storability of onion is affected by timing of harvest. However, the optimal time for maximum yield and maximum storability do not necessarily coincide. This study aimed to determine the most suitable harvest time for obtaining a high bulb yield with high quality and storability. Storage experiments were conducted on onions produced in field experiments at a research field and on farms in four years. Results indicate that harvesting could be delayed to 100% maturity, or even longer, without a marked increase in storage loss. In rainy years, late harvest is likely to impair the quality. The incidence of sprouting in shelf life tests varied considerably between years. An early harvest before 50% maturity and a delayed harvest increased the risk of sprouting. It may be concluded that the harvesting of onions for long-term storage can be timed to take place between 50% maturity and even some weeks after complete maturity without a loss in storage quality. Therefore, it is possible to combine high yield and good storage quality.
Non-wood plants as raw material for pulp and paper
Authors: SAIJONKARI-PAHKALA K.
Published: July 2018

This study was begun in 1990 when there was a marked shortage of short fibre raw material for the pulp industry. During the last ten years the situation has changed little, and the shortage is still apparent. It was estimated that 0.5 to 1 million hectares of arable land would be set aside from cultivation in Finland during this period. An alternative to using hardwoods in printing papers is non-wood fibres from herbaceous field crops. The study aimed at determining the feasibility of using non-wood plants as raw material for the pulp and paper industry, and developing crop management methods for the selected species. The properties considered important for a fibre crop were high yielding ability, high pulping quality and good adaptation to the prevailing climatic conditions and possibilities for low cost production. A strategy and a process to identify, select and introduce a crop for domestic short fibre production is described in this thesis. The experimental part of the study consisted of screening plant species by analysing fibre and mineral content, evaluating crop management methods and varieties, resulting in description of an appropriate cropping system for large-scale fibre plant production. Of the 17 herbaceous plant species studied, monocotyledons were most suitable for pulping. They were productive and well adapted to Finnish climatic conditions. Of the monocots, reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) were the most promising. These were chosen for further studies and were included in field experiments to determine the most suitable harvesting system and fertilizer application procedures for biomass production. Reed canary grass was favoured by delayed harvesting in spring when the moisture content of the crop stand was 10-15% of DM before production of new tillers. When sown in early spring, reed canary grass typically yielded 7-8 t ha-1 within three years on clay soil. The yield exceeded 10 t ha-1 on organic soil after the second harvest year. Spring harvesting was not suitable for tall fescue and resulted in only 37-54% of dry matter yields and in far fewer stems and panicles than harvested during the growing season. The economic optimum for fertilizer application rate for reed canary grass ranged from 50 to 100 kg N ha-1 when grown on clay soil and harvested in spring. On organic soil the fertilizer rates needed were lower. If tall fescue is used for raw material for paper, fertilizer application rates higher than 100 kg N ha-1 were not of any additional benefit. It was possible to decrease the mineral content of raw material by harvesting in spring, using moderate fertilizer application rates, removing leaf blades from the raw material and growing the crop on organic soil. The fibre content of the raw material increased the later the crop was harvested, being highest in spring. Removing leaf blades and using minimum fertilizer application rates in-creased the fibre content of biomass.;
Effects of group size and early handling on some behavioural and physiological welfare parameters in farmed blue foxes
Authors: AHOLA L. , HARRI M. , MONONEN J.
Published: July 2018

The present study included two procedures, both aimed at improving animal welfare: early handling and changing the social conditions of the animals. Production and welfare related parameters as well as behaviour were assessed in blue fox (Alopex lagopus) cubs who were either handled or not before weaning, and housed after weaning either in pairs or in six-animal groups. The effect of the larger group size was observed in the larger number of bite scars in the female cubs housed in six-animal groups. Furthermore, the group size seemed to affect the performance of foxes most clearly in the late autumn when intra-litter aggression was observed during the feeding test. On the other hand, early handling had only short-term positive effects on the performance of the foxes but later transpired to have a negative impact on the stress profile of these animals.
Yield formation of spring rye at high latitudes with reference to seeding rate and plant growth regulation
Authors: PELTONEN-SAINIO P. , RAJALA A. , MUURINEN S.
Published: July 2018

Aspects of crop physiology and agronomy of spring rye were evaluated at Viikki Experimental Farm, University of Helsinki in 1996-1998 to get baseline information on its potential as a novel cereal crop in southern Finland.The German spring rye cultivar Ovid was fertilized with 80 kg N ha-1. Seeding rates were 300,500 and 700 viable seeds m-2. Chlormequat chloride (CCC)was sprayed at the two-node stage of the main shoot and its effects on lodging and yield formation were studied. Various traits were assessed that characterised tiller and main shoot growth and productivity, growth duration and plant stand structure.Spring rye responded differently over years and among CCC treatments. CCC increased grain yield by about 200 kg ha -1 compared with the control.Spring rye has long straw (130-140 cm)and tended to lodge under heavy rainfall.Thus,grain yield was maximum (ca. 5200 kg ha -1 in 1997)when rainfall was minimum.Partly because high seeding rates enhanced lodging,no seeding rate effects on grain yield were recorded.At 300 seeds m-2, yield formation of both main shoot and tillers was enhanced to compensate for the reduced number of main shoots m-2. Ripening was not delayed at low seeding rates.Grain and hectolitre weights were not affected by seeding rate. Thus,spring rye is a potential crop for Finland if low seeding rates are used.;
Influence of inorganic Se + vitamin E and organic Se + vitamin E on reproductive performance of young boars
Authors: JACYNO E. , KAWECKA M. , KAMYCZEK M.
Published: July 2018

The objective of the study was to compare the influence of the organic Se (Se-Yeast) + vitamin E and inorganic Se (Na2SeO3) + vitamin E on reproductive performance of young boars. The studies were carried on the 80 young boars. A feeding test was started on day 70 of their life. Inorganic Se group males received 0.2 mg inorganic Se + 30 mg vitamin E, those of organic Se group 0.2 mg organic Se + 60 mg vitamin E in 1 kg of the diet ration. The experiment was performed in two seasons: I - June-September, II - January-April. On day 180 of life (close of the test), the boars were subjected to live evaluation: testes volume, libido level, semen characteristics as well as Se content and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in seminal plasma and blood serum. The boars of group inorganic Se obtained higher (P = 0.01) selection index of live evaluation than those of the group organic Se. The boars of group organic Se were characterized by better libido level, higher (P = 0.05) concentration and total number of spermatozoa in an ejaculation, lower (P = 0.01) percentage of semen with morphological changes and higher (P = 0.01) value of osmotic resistance test of acrosome membranes in spite of the fact that GSH-Px activity in seminal plasma was lower when compared with those of the group inorganic Se. The findings show that organic Se + vitamin E has been of a more favourable influence on reproductive performance of young boars than that of inorganic Se + vitamin E. More favourable influence of organic Se + vitamin E was observed in winter-spring season than in summer.
Effects of traffic and fertilization levels on grass yields in northern Norway
Authors: VOLDEN B. , SVEISTRUP T. , JØRGENSEN M.
Published: July 2018

Experiments with various traffic regimes in grassland (no traffic, light and medium tractor with two mechanisation lines
Cropping system impact on soil quality determinants
Authors: VESTBERG M. , KUKKONEN S. , SAARI K.
Published: July 2018

Worldwide interest in soil quality evaluation has increased rapidly throughout the past decade, prompting us to evaluate the long-term impact of four cropping systems on several biological, chemical and physical determinants of soil quality. We hypothesized that after 17 years several of the determinants would show significant differences between conventional cereal and low input/organic rotations. Four crop rotations were imposed on a silt soil from 1982 through 1999. Rotation A was a conventionally managed cereal rotation that received 100% of the recommended mineral fertilizer each year. Rotation B was also managed conventionally from 1982 until 1993, although it received only 50% of the recommended mineral fertilizer. From 1994 through 1999, rotation B was managed as an organic rotation. Rotations C and D were low-input rotations with plant residues returned either untreated (C)or composted (D)from 1982 until 1994.From 1994 through 1999,they were also anaged organically. Significant decreases in extractable phosphorus (P)and potassium were observed in rotations C and D compared with rotation A, presumably because their yearly nutrient inputs were somewhat lower. The amount of soil organic carbon (Corg), soil water holding capacity, the numbers and biomass of earthworms and the microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen were or tended to be higher in low input/organic than in conventionally managed plots. These effects may be in connection with the slightly increased levels of Corg in soil of the organic rotations. Activities of twelve enzymes were strongly affected by sampling time (early-versus late-summer), but much less by long-term management. Litter decomposition, numbers of soil nematodes, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM)fungal diversity,AM spore density and AM functioning were little affected by rotation. However,AM spore density correlated positively with the high amounts of extractable calcium and P which were a result from excessive liming applied to some plots in 1982. The crucial question to be answered in future is whether plant growth and yield will correlate with the changes in soil properties. This question will be dealt with in a further paper using data from the same experiment.;
Nitrogen and phosphorus losses from a feedlot for suckler cows
Authors: UUSI-KÄMPPÄ J.
Published: July 2018

The raising of cattle outdoors in winter is becoming more common in temperate areas, although there is little information available on the effects of this practice on forested environments. In this study, the concentrations of ammonium acetate extractable phosphorus (P AAAc )and mineral nitrogen (NH 4-N and NO 3-N) in soil and the quality of percolation water from an open feedlot were studied in eastern Finland in 19972000. In each of four pens (9751300 m2) eight suckler cows were fed in winter from 1995 in the case of the first two pens and from 1996 in the remaining two. The suckler cows usually stayed in the front part of the feedlot. Therefore the nutrient loading was also the highest in this part of the lot. When the pens had been used for 12 winters, the mean contents of PAAAc, NH 4-N and NO 3-N in the surface soil (05 cm)were 14,73 and 3.0 mg l1 respectively, compared to only 3.0, 4.2 and 0.06 mg l1 in the control forested area. In the front part of a 1-m-deep soil layer, the mean amounts of NH 4-N, and NO 3-N were 410 and 28 kg ha1 respectively after 12 years of use of the feedlot. In percolation water, too, the mean concentrations of total phosphorus and total nitrogen were high in the front part: 1.7 28 and 2101400 mg l1 respectively. The minimum requirement is cleaning of the dung, and even then loading may be substantial.;
Effect of anionic salts on some blood and urine minerals, acid-base balance and udder oedema of dry pregnant cows
Authors: TAURIAINEN S. , SANKARI S. , PYÖRÄLÄ S.
Published: July 2018

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of an anionic diet on mineral metabolism, acid-base status and udder oedema of dairy cows fed grass silage based diets during the dry period. Eighteen pregnant, non-lactating Friesian cows were divided randomly into two groups according to their expected calving date. Dietary cation-anion balance (DCAB), calculated as mill equivalents [(Na + + K + ) - (Cl - + S 2- )], for high DCAB (control) and low DCAB treatments were +254 and -41 mEq kg -1 dry matter (DM), respectively. Anionic salts were ammonium chloride (NH 4 Cl), magnesium chloride (MgCl 2 ) and magnesium sulphate (MgSO 4 ). Cows received grass silage (5.2 kg DM), hay (0.9 kg DM) and a concentrate mixture (2.7 kg DM) until calving. Blood and urine samples were collected 4, 3, 2 and 1 week before the expected calving date, at calving, 1 day and 1 week after calving. Udder oedema was evaluated by a quantitative and a subjective method. Acidification resulted in a marked decrease in urinary pH, increased urinary Ca excretion and a change in blood acidbase balance. Blood Ca 2+ and plasma Ca tot concentrations were more stable at parturition for the anionic group, although such differences were not statistically significant. Anionic salts (DCAB -41 mEq kg -1 DM) did not cause udder oedema in experimental cows.;
Yield potential of chive: Effects of cultivar, plastic mulch and fertilisation
Authors: SUOJALA T.
Published: July 2018

Chive is a perennial herb, growing also natural in Finland. Commercial production of the herb is very small in our country, but large amounts of chive are imported. This fact has aroused interest in investigating the opportunities of producing chive using modern cultivation techniques. Effects of cultivar, plastic mulch as ground cover and fertilisation on yield were studied in field experiments over three years. In the experiments, the most productive cultivars or populations (a Finnish population Hankoniemi, a Dutch population Tavallinen and a German cultivar Grolau) produced 1020% higher yields than the less productive cultivars. There were no clear differences in the yield quality between the cultivars. Black plastic mulch was effective in increasing yield, controlling weeds and maintaining soil moisture. For fertilisation, the experiments revealed the high nutrient demand of chive. After the basic soil fertilisation, weekly fertigation with a NPK fertiliser at a higher nitrogen dose (10-15 kg ha -1 N per week) resulted in higher biomass production than fertigation with nitrogen alone and/or a half nitrogen dose. In the years following the planting, the annual uptakes in yield were 185-200 kg ha -1 for nitrogen, 17-20 kg ha -1 for phosphorus, and 120-140 kg ha -1 for potassium in the most intensively fertilised treatment producing the highest yield. The results show that chive is feasible for commercial production with modern cultivation techniques.;
Effects of defoliation height on regrowth of timothy and meadow fescue in the generative and vegetative phases of growth
Authors: VIRKAJÄRVI P.
Published: July 2018

Post-defoliation carbohydrate stores, leaf area and the number of active meristems are important factors affecting the subsequent regrowth of grasses. Defoliation height affects the magnitude of all these factors. Timothy (Phleum pratense L.) and meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.) are the two most common pasture species in Finland, but little is known about their response to defoliation height. In this study the effect of three defoliation heights, 3, 6 and 9 cm, on the regrowth rates of timothy and meadow fescue in both the generative (JuneJuly) and vegetative (August) phases of growth were examined in two one-year experiment in year 2000 and 2001. In addition, the main postdefoliation parameters were measured and their contributions to regrowth were studied. In JuneJuly 2000 the regrowth rates, kg dry matter ha-1 d-1, of both species increased linearly by 19% by increasing the cutting height from 3 to 9 cm. In August 2000 the regrowth rates increased by 27% and the cumulative regrowth dry matter yield increased by 29%. In 2001 the defoliation height had no effect on the regrowth rates but the cumulative regrowth yield increased by 10% by increasing the cutting height. Meadow fescue produced 821% higher cumulative regrowth yields than timothy. In the reproductive phase, the regrowth rate of timothy is dependent on the population density of vegetative tillers but for meadow fescue population density did not have such importance. In vegetative phase there was no single factor essential for regrowth rates of either of the species.;
How do small rural food-processing firms compete?A resource-based approach to competitive strategies
Authors: FORSMAN S.
Published: July 2018

The study was concerned with the competitive strategies of small food-processing firms in rural Finland and their ability to achieve and maintain a competitively advantaged position in relation to larger food companies in the dynamic and mature food market. Competitive strategies were approached from the resource-based view (RBV) that emphasises internal firm factors as sources of competitive advantage and long-term success. As strategic choices, differentiation was specifically considered. The main objective was to explain the relationships between resources, competitive advantage and firm success. To understand the ambiguous nature of the resources in the small-scale food production context, the study introduced a distinction between strategic resources and basic resources and the strategic relationship between them. The empirical part of the study was based on quantitative analyses of the survey data collected from 238 small (less than 20 persons), food-processing firms in rural Finland. The sample firms represented different branches of the food industry and 39% of them operated in connection with a farm. The linkage between resources, competitive advantage and firm success was investigated by means of cluster analysis, mean comparisons and LISREL modelling. The results demonstrated that there are some typical features relating to small-scale food production in Finland. The results also revealed that small-scale, rural food processing firms do not constitute a homogenous group of their own, but that different strategies among small firms can be identified as well. The analyses proved that a linkage between resources, competitive advantage and firm success can be identified, which is consistent with resource-based logic. However, according to the findings, following a particular strategy does not automatically ensure that a firm will achieve success. The analysis also showed that strategic resources and basic resources are strongly interlinked and that the relationship between basic resources and success was, however, considerably stronger than the link between strategic resources and success. The study concludes that resource deployment  in terms of both strategic resources and basic resources  should be balanced in order for a small food-processing firm to have the opportunity to establish a relatively favourable position in the market. Based on the results, theoretical, methodological and managerial implications are suggested and ideas for the further research are provided.;
A dynamic programming model for optimising feeding and slaughter decisions regarding fattening pigs
Authors: NIEMI J. K.
Published: July 2018

Costs of purchasing new piglets and of feeding them until slaughter are the main variable expenditures in pig fattening. They both depend on slaughter intensity, the nature of feeding patterns and the technological constraints of pig fattening, such as genotype. Therefore, it is of interest to examine the effect of production technology and changes in input and output prices on feeding and slaughter decisions. This study examines the problem by using a dynamic programming model that links genetic characteristics of a pig to feeding decisions and the timing of slaughter and takes into account how these jointly affect the quality-adjusted value of a carcass. The state of nature and the genotype of a pig are known in the analysis. The results suggest that producer can benefit from improvements in the pigs genotype. Animals of improved genotype can reach optimal slaughter maturity quicker and produce leaner meat than animals of poor genotype. In order to fully utilise the benefits of animal breeding, the producer must adjust feeding and slaughter patterns on the basis of genotype. The results also suggest that the producer can benefit from flexible feeding technology. Typically, such a technology provides incentives to feed piglets with protein-rich feed. When the pig approaches slaughter maturity, the share of protein-rich feed in the diet gradually decreases and the amount of energy-rich feed increases. Generally, the optimal slaughter weight is within the weight range that pays the highest price per kilogram of pig meat. The optimal feeding pattern and the optimal timing of slaughter depend on price ratios. Particularly, an increase in the price of pig meat provides incentives to increase the growth rates up to the pigs biological maximum by increasing the amount of energy in the feed. Price changes and changes in slaughter premium can also have large income effects.;
Root adaptation and ion selectivity affects the nutritional value of salt-stressed hydroponically grown baby-leaf Nasturtium officinale and Lactuca sativa
Authors: Fernández Juan A. , Niñirola Diana , Ochoa Jesús , Orsini Francesco , Pennisi Giuseppina , Gianquinto Giorgio , Egea-Gilabert Catalina
Published: July 2018

The response of watercress (Nasturtium officinale L.) to salinity has been scarcely addressed in literature despite its growing importance in the baby-leaf market and its wide cultivation in salt-affected agricultural regions. This work evaluates the effect of salinity (2.5, 5 and 10 dS m-1) on productive and quality features of watercress compared with another crop widely cultivated for the baby-leaf sector (lettuce, Lactuca sativa). In watercress, a linear relationship (R2=0.75) was observed between yield decrease and Cl– accumulation in leaves, whereas yield was not affected by salinity in lettuce. NaCl application increased Na+ accumulation at the expense of Ca2+ uptake in the leaf tissues of both crops, but also of K+ in watercress. Health-related features were improved by salinity (e.g. increased phenolics and reduced nitrates), especially in watercress, with limited sensorial quality evaluation effects.
Emissions of nitrous acid (HONO), nitric oxide (NO), and nitrous oxide (N2O) from horse dung
Authors: Maljanen Marja Elisa , Gondal Zafar , Bhattarai HemRaj
Published: July 2018

Horse dung contains considerable amounts of nitrogen which is partly lost during the storage period. Leaching of nitrogen from the dung can be prevented with constructions but also gaseous N-emissions occur. However, the emission rates are not reported in the literature. We measured in laboratory conditions nitrous oxide (N2O), nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous acid (HONO) emissions from fresh, one month old and one year old horse dung samples. NO and HONO emissions increased with the storage time of the dung. The mean emission rates of HONO and NO were from 36 to 280 ng N kg dw-1h-1 and from 15 to 3500 ng N kg dw-1h-1, respectively. N2O emissions were more variable showing also highest emissions (20.3 µg N kg dw-1 h-1) from the oldest samples. Thus, the longer storage of horse dung increases gaseous N losses which should be taken into account when planning the environmental friendly way to handle horse dung.
An integrated simulation model to evaluate national measures for the abatement of agricultural nutrients in the Baltic Sea
Authors: HYYTIÄINEN K. , AHTIAINEN H. , HEIKKILÄ J.
Published: July 2018

This study introduces a prototype model for evaluating measures to abate agricultural nutrients in the Baltic Sea from a Finnish national perspective. The stochastic simulation model integrates nutrient dynamics of nitrogen and phosphorus in the sea basins adjoining the Finnish coast, nutrient loads from land and other sources, benefits from nutrient abatement (in the form of recreation and other ecosystem services) and the costs of agricultural abatement activities. The aim of the study is to present the overall structure of the model and to demonstrate its potential using preliminary parameters. The model is made flexible for further improvements in all of its ecological and economic components. The results of a sensitivity analysis suggest that investments in reducing the nutrient load from arable land in Finland would become profitable only if the neighboring countries in the northern Baltic committed themselves to similar reductions. Environmental investments for improving water quality yield the highest returns for the Bothnian Bay and the Gulf of Finland, with smaller returns for the Bothnian Sea. Somewhat surprisingly, in the Bothnian Bay the abatement activities become profitable from the national viewpoint, because the riverine loads from Finland represent a high proportion of the total nutrient loads. In the Gulf of Finland, this proportion is low, but the size of the coastal population benefiting from improved water quality is high.;
Assessment of cleanness of environmental surfaces in cattle barns and piggeries
Authors: KYMÄLÄINEN H-R. , KUISMA R. , MÄÄTTÄ J.
Published: July 2018

Hygienic issues are important in environmental surfaces of animal houses because of food quality and animal welfare. The aim of this study was to review methods in cleanability research of cattle barns and piggeries. Surface materials, animal welfare and hygiene are also discussed. Concerning different detection methods of cleanness, visual methods have dominated in field studies, but some successful attempts to use optical methods are also presented. A wider selection of different kinds of instrumental, microbiological and visual methods and their combinations have been used in laboratory studies. Radiochemical methods have been demonstrated to be suitable as quantitative laboratory methods. In the case of material studies, laboratory experiments are important prior to field experiments in order to screen potential materials, whereas the field studies provide practical information about the behaviour of the surface materials. The importance of cleanness of environmental surfaces in cattle barns and piggeries is also discussed in the context of material development.
Productivity growth on Finnish grain farms from 1976 2006: a parametric approach
Authors: MYYRÄ S. , PIHAMAA P. , SIPILÄINEN T.
Published: July 2018

In the long term, productivity and especially productivity growth are necessary conditions for the survival of farms and the food industry in Finland. The natural handicap and small farm size are challenges, but farmers are further challenged by the decoupling of supports and their transformation into direct income payments. Additionally, farmers actions are limited by some institutional settings that substantially reduce incentives to improve productivity. Technical progress was found to drive the increase in productivity on grain farms in Finland. The scale had only a moderate effect and for the whole study period (19762006) the effect was close to zero. Total factor productivity (TFP) increased, depending on the model, by 0.61.7% per year. The results demonstrated that the increase in productivity was hindered by the policy changes introduced in 1995. The cumulative increase in TFP over the study period was at the same level as the measured yearly changes in TFP. The results highlight the nature of grain farming in Finland as well as the challenges in simultaneously taking into account the general trend and yearly variation in TFP.;
Modelled impacts of mitigation measures on greenhouse gas emissions from Finnish agriculture up to 2020
Authors: REGINA K. , LEHTONEN H. , NOUSIAINEN J.
Published: July 2018

Emission scenarios based on integrated quantitative modelling are a valuable tool in planning strategies for greenhouse gas mitigation. By estimating the potential of individual mitigation measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, resources can be targeted to the most promising policy measures. This paper reports two agricultural emission scenarios for Finland up to year 2020, one baseline scenario (Scenario 1) based on the projected agricultural production levels determined by markets and agricultural policy and one with selected mitigation measures included (Scenario 2). Measures selected for the analysis consisted of 1) keeping agricultural area at the current level, 2) decreasing the proportion of organic soils, 3) increasing the proportion of grass cultivation on organic soils and 4) supporting biogas production on farms. Starting from 2005, the emissions of nitrous oxide and methane from agriculture would decrease 2.3% in Scenario 1 by 2020 whereas the respective decrease would be 11.5% in Scenario 2. According to the results, mitigation measures targeted to cultivation of organic soils have the largest potential to reduce the emissions. Such measures would include reducing the area of cultivated organic soils and increasing the proportion of perennial crops on the remaining area.
In vitro N degradability and N digestibility of raw, roasted or extruded canola, linseed and soybean
Authors: TURNER T. D. , MCNIVEN M.A.
Published: July 2018

The N degradability and N digestibility of raw, roasted or extruded oilseeds were studied using an in vitro enzyme method. The N degradability and N digestibility of canola, linseed and soybean were calculated based on the proportional difference in N remaining after incubation and the initial N content. Heat treatments increased the undegradable N fraction of linseed and soybean, whereas that of canola was decreased by extrusion. Heat treatments did not decrease the N digestibility of the oilseeds compared to raw samples. The high N digestibility and lower acid detergent insoluble N values of heat treated oilseeds indicated no indigestible complexes were formed. In conclusion, roasting or extrusion can be used to increase the undegradable N fraction of linseed and soybean to increase the dietary protein availability for digestion in ruminants, but was less effective for canola. The present heat treatments did not damage the protein or affect the N digestibility of the oilseeds.;