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The use of burned plant biomass ashes could help not only with respect to utilizing combustion residues, but also with respect to optimizing the nutrition of cultivated agricultural plants without harming the environment. With this aim, a pot experiment of the effects of multi-crop biomass ash on faba bean seedlings was carried out in the Academy of Agriculture of the Vytautas Magnus University (VMU). Four ash fertilization rates were tested: 1. unfertilized (N0, comparative-control treatment); 2. fertilized at a low rate (N1, 200 kg ha -1 ); 3. fertilized at an average rate (N2, 1000 kg ha -1 ); 4. fertilized at a high rate (N3, 2000 kg ha -1 ). Final observations showed that ash fertilization significantly increases the height of faba bean sprouts by 21-38%, the length of the roots by 10-20% and the chlorophyll concentration in the leaves by 17%. The average green biomass of faba bean sprouts consistently increased with increasing fertilization rate, from 56% to 209%. Dried biomass increased by 160-220%. With increasing ash fertilization rate, the percentage of dry matter in the roots decreased by 10-50%. We recommend fertilizing faba bean with medium (1000 kg ha -1 ) and high (2000 kg ha -1 ) ash rates, as these rates led to the largest plants with the highest productivity potential.

In the context of climate change, methods to improve the resistance of coniferous trees to biotic and abiotic stress are in great demand. The common plant response to exposure to vastly different stressors is the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) followed by activation of the defensive antioxidant system. We aimed to evaluate whether seed treatment with physical stressors can activate the activity of antioxidant enzymes and radical scavenging activity in young Picea abies (L.) H. Karst seedlings. For this, we applied seed treatment with cold plasma (CP) and electromagnetic field (EMF) and compared the response in ten different half-sib families of Norway spruce. The impact of the treatments with CP (1 min-CP1; 2 min-CP2) and EMF (2 min) on one-year-old and two-year-old P. abies seedlings was determined by the emergence rate, parameters of growth, and spectrophotometric assessment of antioxidant capacity (enzyme activity; DPPH and ABTS scavenging) in needles. The results indicated that the impact of seed treatment is strongly dependent on the genetic family. In the 577 half-sib family, the activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), peroxidase (POX), and glutathione reductase (GR) increased after EMF-treatment in one-year-old seedlings, while similar effects in 477 half-sib family were induced by CP2 treatment. In two-year-old seedlings, CP1-treatment increased CAT, APX, POX, GR, SOD, DPPH, and ABTS activity in the 457 half-sib family. However, no significant impact of the treatment with CP1 was determined in one-year-old seedlings in this family. The application of novel technologies and the consideration of the combinatory impact of genetic and physical factors could have the potential to improve the accumulation of compounds that play an essential role in the defense mechanisms of P. abies . Nevertheless, for different resistance and responses to stressors of plants, their genetic properties play an essential role. A comprehensive analysis of interactions among the stress factors (CP and EMF), genetic properties, and changes induced in the antioxidant system can be of importance both for the practical application of seed treatment in forestry and for understanding fundamental adaptation mechanisms in conifers.

The increasing demand for organic and biodynamically cultivated fireweeds worldwide has led to a paucity of studies on the effects of solid-phase fermentation and various growth techniques on the quantities of biologically active substances and their antioxidant activity. This experiment was carried out in 2023 at the organic farm in the Jonava district (Safarkos village, Lithuania). The aim of this work was to investigate polyphenols (flavonoids and phenolic acids) and antioxidant activity in fireweed ( Chamerion angustifolium (L.) Holub) leaves fermented for 24 and 48 h in solid-phase fermentation and natural, organic, and biodynamic cultivation. Fireweeds have high quantities of polyphenols and strong antioxidant activity. The method employed for determining antioxidant activity was spectrophotometric, for measuring polyphenols, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine the relationships between the average content of total polyphenols and antioxidant activity in fermented fireweed leaves grown in different systems. This study's findings demonstrated that the leaves of fireweed cultivated organically had the greatest concentration of total flavonoids, total phenolic acids, and total polyphenols. Comparing the fermentation process effect, the amount of predominant phenolic acids-chlorogenic, p-coumaric, and ellagic acids-as well as the content of oenothein B, during the fermentation process significantly decreased, but the concentration of quercetin-3-O-glucoside after a short time of the fermentation process significantly increased. According to the obtained results, it would be possible to create various health-giving and nature-friendly products from fireweeds.

Biological nitrogen fixation in legume plants depends on the diversity of rhizobia present in the soil. Rhizobial strains exhibit specificity towards host plants and vary in their capacity to fix nitrogen. The increasing interest in rhizobia diversity has prompted studies of their phylogenetic relations. Molecular identification of Rhizobium is quite complex, requiring multiple gene markers to be analysed to distinguish strains at the species level or to predict their host plant. In this research, 50 rhizobia isolates were obtained from the root nodules of five different Pisum sativum L. genotypes ("Bagoo", "Respect", "Astronaute", "Lina DS", and "Egle DS"). All genotypes were growing in the same field, where ecological farming practices were applied, and no commercial rhizobia inoculants were used. The influence of rhizobial isolates on pea root nodulation and dry biomass accumulation was determined. 16S rRNA gene, two housekeeping genes recA and atpD, and symbiotic gene nodC were analysed to characterize rhizobia population. The phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that 46 isolates were linked to Rhizobium leguminosarum ; species complex 1 isolate was identified as Rhizobium nepotum , and the remaining 3 isolates belonged to Rahnella spp., Paenarthrobacter spp., and Peribacillus spp. genera. RecA and atpD gene analysis showed that the 46 isolates identified as R. leguminosarum clustered into three genospecies groups (B), (E) and (K). Isolates that had the highest influence on plant dry biomass accumulation clustered into the (B) group. NodC gene phylogenetic analysis clustered 46 R. leguminosarum isolates into 10 groups, and all isolates were assigned to the R. leguminosarum sv. viciae .

Multi-cropping is becoming an increasingly popular technique in agriculture to tackle major and complex agroecosystem problems such as biodiversity and soil fertility loss, erosion and degradation, increased greenhouse gas emissions, etc. Comprehensively assessing the impact of multi-cropping intensity on agroecosystems is a new and still under-researched approach that can provide a better understanding of the impact of individual indicators on the overall functioning of biodiverse agroecosystems. Data from a stationary field experiment using multi-cropping at the Vytautas Magnus University Experimental Station between 2020 and 2022 were used to carry out this study. The study included maize, hemp, and faba bean as single, binary, and ternary crops. A complex assessment approach (CEI value) was used to determine the impact of these crops on the agroecosystem, the interrelationships between the main indicators, and the strength of their effects. It was found that the ternary maize-hemp-faba bean crop had the most positive effect on the agroecosystem. The effectiveness of other crops was 2 to 35% less. The lowest value was calculated for the maize-faba bean crop.

Field studies with the large-stemmed plant Artemisia dubia ( A. dubia ) have been carried out at the Vėžaičiai Branch of LAMMC since 2018. According to three years of experimental results, annual dry matter (DM) yield varied from 7.94 to 10.14 t ha -1 . Growing conditions, nitrogen application level, and harvesting time had statistically significant impacts on A. dubia productivity. The most important tasks of this article were to investigate and determine the factors influencing A. dubia plant biomass productivity and the evaluation of technological, power, and environmental parameters of plant biomass utilization for energy conversion and the production of high-quality solid biofuel pellets. For the experiments, six variants of A. dubia samples were used, which were grown in 2021. Plants were cut three times and two fertilization options were used: (1) no fertilization and (2) fertilization with 180 kg ha -1 of nitrogen fertilizer. These harvested plants were chopped, milled, and pressed into pellets. The physical-mechanical characteristics (moisture content, density, and strength) of the A. dubia pellets were investigated. During this study, it was found that the density in the dry mass (DM) of the pellets ranged from 1119.86 to 1192.44 kg m -3 . The pellet moisture content ranged from 8.80 to 10.49%. After testing pellet strength, it was found that the pellets which were made from plant biomass PK-1-1 (first harvest without N fertilization) were the most resistant to compression, and they withstood 560.36 N of pressure. The dry fuel lower heating value (LHV) of the pellets was sufficiently high and was very close to that of the pine sawdust pellets; it varied from 17.46 ± 0.25 MJ kg -1 to 18.14 ± 0.28 MJ kg -1 . The ash content of the burned pellets ranged from 3.62 ± 0.02% to 6.47 ± 0.09%. Emissions of harmful pollutants-CO 2 , CO, NO x , and unburnt hydrocarbons (C x H y )-did not exceed the maximum permissible levels. Summarizing the results for the investigated properties of the combustion and emissions of the A. dubia pellets, it can be concluded that this biofuel can be used for the production of pressed biofuel, and it is characterized by sufficiently high quality, efficient combustion, and permissible emissions to the environment.

The interactions of the different factors in differently tilled faba bean agroecosystems are still insufficiently studied and evaluated. For these reasons, we studied the results of a long-term field experiment, which was carried out in the Research Station of Vytautas Magnus University, Agriculture Academy (Lithuania). The aim of this study is to comprehensively evaluate the effect of the deep ploughing (DP), shallow ploughing (SP), deep cultivation, chiseling (DC), shallow cultivation-disking (SC), and no-tillage (NT) systems for the faba bean agroecosystem on the complex interactions of the indices, the relations among the indices, and the strength of the impact; the study employs the integrated evaluation method, which uses the complex evaluation index (CEI). CEI values showed that the NT system had a greater effect on the increase of soil aggregate stability (61%), the decrease of CO 2 emissions (12%), and the increase of seed yield (6%) than the DP system. However, the NT system had 36% and 20% higher effect on weed density and biomass increase than DP. CEI values of the DP system were often minimal, i.e., close to 1, which showed the DP system's ineffectiveness.

Plant by-products, which are discarded into the environment, are rich in valuable compounds. The aim of this research was to determine the antibacterial activity of Rubus idaeus L. morphological parts and its correlation with total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. The authors also aimed to evaluate the plant's potential as added-value products. New aspects were revealed for further use and for making novel and natural products. The study's results indicated that raspberry leaves, inflorescences, and fruits could effectively combat three Gram-positive bacteria. According to the findings, among the various plant parts, root and seed extracts had the lowest antibacterial activity. Data revealed moderate, weak, or very weak correlation between the antimicrobial activity and phenolic content parameters. These findings underscore the viability of substituting synthetic antimicrobials with natural alternatives. The present study is significant for preparing novel products as antibacterials by appropriate and optimized processing using all raspberry morphological parts, and the research results show promising prospects for future purposeful utilisation of nature-based products. Raspberry plant parts can find applications in emerging fields that generate economic and environmental value.

Studies on the mineral and vitamin C contents of different species and ripening stages of Solanum fruits are very limited. The aim of the research was to evaluate the content of the mineral elements and vitamin C of four different Solanum species ( S. melanocerasum- SM, S. nigrum- SN, S. villosum- SV and S. retroflexum- SR), and three ripening stages. The mineral composition of Solanum fruits was detected using a CEM MARS 6 ® (Matthews, NC, USA) digestion system outfitted with a 100 mL Teflon vessel, by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). In total, eleven mineral elements were detected (K, Ca, Mg, P, Fe, Na, Cu, B, Mn, Al, and Zn). Vitamin C content was assessed by a spectrophotometric method. Depending on the ripening stage/species, content of microelements ranged from 756.48 mg kg -1 DW in SV fruits at ripening stage III, to 211.12 mg kg -1 DW in SM fruits at ripening stage III. The dominant microelement was Fe. The total content of macroelements in Solanum fruits ranged from 26,104.95 mg kg -1 DW in SV fruits at ripening stage II to 67,035.23 mg kg -1 DW in SR fruits at ripening stage I. The dominant macroelement was K. The data from two experimental years showed that the significantly highest content of vitamin C was in SM fruits and ranged from 48.15 mg 100 g -1 at ripening stage I to 45.10 mg 100 g -1 at ripening stage III.

We benefited from the availability of a species-specific DNA marker to describe the morphometry of T. cordata × platyphyllos hybrids of an impressive age (ca. 150 years) grown in the Pazaislis baroque monastery yard in Central Lithuania. In an earlier study on a country-wide set of 543 T. cordata individuals from natural forest populations in Lithuania, we detected a nuclear microsatellite locus Tc8 well-differentiating between T. cordata and T. platyphyllos . The Tc8 locus contained a 140 bp allele in T. cordata (541 sampled individuals) and alleles above 160 bp in the two trees with a T. platyphyllos -like morphology (sampled in a national park). To verify the Tc8 locus as species specific, we sampled a further four T. platyphyllos -like individuals, which all contained the Tc8 locus alleles above 160 bp. We subsequently genotyped the six old-growth individuals from the Pazaislis monastery with mixed T. cordata × platyphyllos morphology. Results revealed that all six old-growth Tilia individuals from the Pazaislis monastery were heterozygous for the Tc8 locus with alleles of 140 bp (indicative of T. cordata ) and 162 bp (indicative of T. platyphyllos ). This finding confirms the morphological observations that these individuals are hybrids between T. cordata and T. platyphyllos . Additionally, the genotyping of a set of 14 nuclear microsatellite loci revealed that all six trees from the Pazaislis monastery are clones, possessing identical microsatellite genotypes. After the molecular identification, we morphotyped leaves, bracts, twigs, and nuts of the 6 old-growth T. cordata × platyphyllos hybrids from the Pazaislis monastery, 16 T. cordata old-growth trees, 4 T. × europaea var. europaea 'Pallida' trees growing near the Pazaislis monastery, and 4 mature T. platyphyllos trees from a nearby Girionys park. The morphotyping showed that T. cordata × platyphyllos hybrids may be the easiest to distinguish from T. cordata by raised and horizontally tertiary veins of leaves., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

A long-term field experiment has been ongoing since 1999 at the Experimental Station of Vytautas Magnus University's Agriculture Academy. According to the latest edition of the International Soil Classification System, the soil in the experimental field can be classified as Planosol, with a silty medium-loam texture at a depth of 0-20 cm and a silty light-loam texture at a depth of 20-40 cm. Studies were carried out on winter wheat crops in 2014, 2017, and 2023. This research aimed to assess how different long-term tillage systems impact soil shear strength and aggregate stability, their interconnection, and the effect of crop residues on soil stability. The treatments were arranged using a split-plot design. In a two-factor field experiment, straw was removed from one part of the experimental field, while the entire straw yield was chopped and spread at harvest in the other part (Factor A). The subplot factor (Factor B) included three different tillage systems: conventional deep ploughing, cover cropping for green manure with no tillage, and no tillage. The soil samples were analyzed at the Laboratory of Agrobiology at Vytautas Magnus University's Agriculture Academy. The findings indicated that the long-term application of reduced tillage significantly increased the soil shear strength. Shallower tillage depths led to a higher soil shear strength, while the effect of spreading plant residues was relatively lower. The long-term tillage of different intensities, spreading plant residues, and catch crop cultivation for green manure did not significantly affect the soil structure. However, the soil structural stability was found to be highly dependent on soil tillage. Cover cropping for green manure with no tillage and no tillage alone positively affected the soil aggregate stability in the upper 0-10 cm and 10-25 cm layers. The correlation-regression analysis showed that, in the top 0-10 cm and 10-25 soil layers, there were moderate to strong correlations between the soil structural stability, soil shear strength, and the effect of crop residues on soil stability.

Products must be cleaned or otherwise treated to keep them clean when they are prepared for further production or when they are supplied fresh to the consumer. Cereals have significantly lower settling losses than succulent agricultural products, but the risks that can arise from their hydrothermal treatment before milling-where the cereals are moistened and left to rest for 14 h (temperature 30 °C)-are often underestimated. This operation creates a favourable environment for the development of micro-organisms, which, if not destroyed, can continue throughout the processing stages and be passed on to the consumer. This study investigated the qualitative characteristics of winter wheat hydrothermally treated with ozonated water at a concentration of 1.51 ± 0.1 mg L -1 , such as the amount of mould in the grains and flour, as well as the grain protein, moisture, gluten, sedimentation, starch and weight per hectolitre. For the assessment of these parameters, the account was taken of the State standard, which provides the grain class and the type of grain. The reduction in mould fungi after the treatment of the winter wheat grain with ozonated water ranged between 440 and 950 CFU g -1 . The results of the microbiological analysis showed that the ozone treatment improved the mycological safety of the flour samples made from the grain from an average of 390 ± 110 CFU g -1 to 29 ± 12 CFU g -1 . On the other hand, the treatment of kernels with ozonated water did not significantly affect the basic composition of the winter wheat grains.

European Union forest policy calls for closer-to-nature forest management, but natural disturbances and forest succession are ecological phenomena that are difficult to characterize and integrate into sustainable forest management practices. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the adaptive properties of Lithuania's hemi-boreal forest ecosystems. To accomplish this, we first reviewed (i) the potential natural forest communities, (ii) the successional dynamics, and (iii) adaptive strategies of forest trees, and second, we synthesised the adaptive relationships using these three reviews. The results firstly identified that Lithuania's potential natural forests are broadly divided into two climatically based zonal formations: (i) mesophytic and hygromesophytic coniferous and broadleaved forests and (ii) mesophytic deciduous broadleaved and coniferous-broadleaved forests. Secondly, the review of successional dynamics showed that each tree species can be categorised into various end communities and plant functional groups. Using the differences in tree establishment and phenological development modes we identified four forest dynamic types of tree adaptive strategies: stress-resistant ruderals, competitive stress-sensitive ruderals, ruderal stress-sensitive competitors, and stress-resistant competitors. Such functional redundancy leads to a variety of tree responses to competition, stress, and disturbance, which reduces the risk of loss of forest ecosystem functioning. Finally, the synthesised review on the adaptive relationships of each forest tree community shows both the niche position of each hemi-boreal forest tree species and how they should be managed in the organization of plant communities. We believe that this research can serve as a guide for future relevant research and the development of appropriate methods for sustainable forest management.

Meadow restoration and creation projects have faced a lack of local seed diversity due to the limited availability of seed sources. Non-thermal plasma technologies are being developed for agriculture and do not cause damage to heat-sensitive biological systems. This technology has shown the potential to improve agronomic seed quality by enhancing germination and promoting plant growth. However, there is almost no information about the effect of non-thermal plasma pretreatment on the seedlings' emergence of wild plant species. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of non-thermal plasma on the emergence of 17 plant seeds originating from local meadows in Lithuania and compare it with the cold stratification pretreatment. The results obtained indicate that there were differences in emergence parameters among the species. However, NTP did not show statistically significant differences from the control. Non-thermal plasma improved the kinetic parameters of emergence for a few specific species' seeds, such as Anthyllis vulneraria and Prunella grandiflora , while the cold stratification pretreatment enhanced emergence for a broader range of plants. Significant differences were observed between non-thermal plasma and stratification pretreatment, as well as between the control and stratification groups. Both methods also had a negative impact.

In the context of climate change, strategies aimed at enhancing trees' resistance to biotic and abiotic stress are particularly relevant. We applied an electromagnetic field (EMF) seed treatment to observe changes in the establishment and content of biochemical compounds in silver birch seedlings induced by a short (1 min) seed exposure to a physical stressor. The impact of EMF treatment was evaluated on seedling emergence and growth of one-year-old and two-year-old seedlings from seven half-sib families of silver birch. The effects on numerous biochemical parameters in seedling leaves, such as total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), amounts of photosynthetic pigments, total soluble sugars (TSS), level of lipid peroxidation level, antioxidant activity and activity of antioxidant enzymes, were compared using spectrophotometric methods. The results indicated that, in one-year-old seedlings, two of seven (60th and 73rd) half-sib families exhibited a positive response to seed treatment with EMFs in nearly all analyzed parameters. For example, in the 60th family, seed treatment with EMFs increased the percentage of emergence by 3 times, one-year-old seedling height by 71%, leaf TPC by 47%, antioxidant activity by 2 times and amount of chlorophyll a by 4.6 times. Meanwhile, the other two (86th and 179th) families exhibited a more obvious positive response to EMF in two-year-old seedlings as compared to one-year-old seedling controls. The results revealed that short-term EMF treatment of silver birch seeds can potentially be used to improve seedling emergence and growth and increase the content of secondary metabolites, antioxidant capacity and photosynthetic pigments. Understanding of the impact of EMFs as well as the influence of genetic differences on tree responses can be significant for practical applications in forestry. Genetic selection of plant genotypes that exhibit positive response trends can open the way to improve the quality of forest stands.

In Europe, the green course is becoming increasingly relevant, and there are more and more suggestions for its improvement. The valorization of food waste attracts increasing attention and is one important current research area. The aim of this study was to examine oils from 16 raspberry variety seeds and to compare their yields and fatty acid contents. The next task was to extract oil from the raspberry variety 'Polka' by four different methods and to compare the yield, colors, fatty acids content and composition, and kinematic and dynamic viscosity. The last task was to analyze the economic profitability of oil extraction by different methods. This study demonstrates the potential of different varieties of raspberry by-products and shows the influence of different oil extraction methods on the fatty acid composition of the oil and the economic potential of such products. The analysis revealed that the predominating fatty acid in the raspberry variety 'Polka' seed oil was linoleic acid (44.0-44.8%), followed by α-linolenic acid (37.9-38.1%) and oleic acid (10.2-10.6%). Of the 16 raspberry cultivars tested, 'Polka' seed oil had the least linoleic (ω-6) (44.79%) and the most α-linolenic (ω-3) fatty acids and the best ratio of ω-6 to ω-3 fatty acids-1.2:1. Raspberry variety 'Polka' seed oil contains a lot of carotenoids; their total amount depending on the extraction method varies from 0.81 mg/100 g (extracted with subcritical CO 2 ) to 3.25 mg/100 g (extracted with supercritical CO 2 ). The oil yield can be increased by grinding the seeds into a finer fraction. The most expensive method of oil production is supercritical CO 2 extraction, and the cheapest method with the fastest payback of equipment is the cold-pressing method. The results of the research have revealed the influence of different oil recovery methods on the yield of oil, the composition of the fatty acid, colors, and viscosity. The results are very important for producers wishing to commercialize raspberry seed oil.

The aim of the research was to evaluate the influence of the ripening stage on the accumulation of polyphenols and antioxidant activity in fruits of Solanum species. The experiment included two factors: I-four different Solanum species ( S. melanocerasum , S. nigrum , S. villosum , and S. retroflexum ) and II-three ripening stages. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to analyze the individual phenolic compounds (flavonoids and phenolic acids), and the spectrophotometric method was applied to determine antioxidant activity. The results revealed that the accumulation of polyphenols and antioxidant activity in fruits of Solanum species depends on the stage of ripening and species. All studied Solanum species fruits had the highest content of total phenolic acid at ripening stage III and the greatest antioxidant activity at ripening stage I. Fully ripe fruits of S. melanocerasum contained significantly more total flavonoids, whereas S. nigrum contained significantly more total phenolic acids than other investigated Solanum species fruits. The significantly highest antioxidant activity was found in S. melanocerasum fruits at ripening stage I.

With the increasing importance of energy crops, research on potential energy crops is carried out to identify plant species with high productivity and energy value. The field experiment with the new promising energy crop, Artemisia dubia (wormwood), was executed at the Vėžaičiai Branch of the LAMMC. The soil site was naturally acidic Retisol (pH 4.2-4.4). The species was investigated as an energy crop through the evaluation of its biomass productivity and some energetical qualities. According to the three investigation years, DM yield significantly varied depending on the growing season, cutting time and nitrogen rate. The highest average DM yield was observed in 2020-10.58 t ha -1 . On average, the DM yield varied from 6.49 t ha -1 (first cutting) to 11.82 t ha -1 (third cutting). The DM yield was positively correlated with stem height and the mass of one stem. Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) depended on the growing season, cutting time and nitrogen rate. Both N90 and N180 rates should be used for A. dubia fertilization. Energy growing analysis (including direct and indirect expenses) revealed that the highest share of energy expenses are due to indirect energy expenses (particularly nitrogen application). EUE (energy utilization efficiency) tends to decrease as a result of increasing nitrogen fertilization. Overall, A. dubia granules are characterized by a high calorific value.

Fungi are associated with the European cranberry ( Vaccinium oxycoccos L.) and play important roles in plant growth and disease control, especially in cranberry yields. This article presents the results of a study which was aimed to investigate the diversity of fungi found on different clones and cultivars of the European cranberry grown in Lithuania, causing twigs, leaf diseases and fruit rots. In this study seventeen clones and five cultivars of V. oxycoccos were selected for investigation. Fungi were isolated via the incubation of twigs, leaves and fruit on a PDA medium and identified according to their cultural and morphological characteristics. Microscopic fungi belonging to 14 genera were isolated from cranberry leaves and twigs, with Physalospora vaccinii , Fusarium spp., Mycosphaerella nigromaculans and Monilinia oxycocci being the most frequently isolated fungi. 'Vaiva' and 'Žuvinta' cultivars were the most susceptible to pathogenic fungi during the growing season. Among the clones, 95-A-07 was the most susceptible to Phys. vaccinii , 95-A-08 to M. nigromaculans , 99-Ž-05 to Fusarium spp. and 95-A-03 to M. oxycocci . Microscopic fungi belonging to 12 genera were isolated from cranberry berries. The most prevalent pathogenic fungi M. oxycocci were isolated from the berries of the cultivars 'Vaiva' and 'Žuvinta' and clones 95-A-03 and 96-K-05.

With the growing global demand for organically and biodynamically grown fireweeds, little research is being conducted on them, and little is known about how the different growing systems and the process of solid-phase fermentation changes biologically active substances and antioxidant activity. Our experiment was conducted in 2022 in Jonava district, Safarkos village, Giedres Nacevicienes organic farm (No. SER-T-19-00910, Lithuania, 55°00'22″ N 24°12'22″ E). This study aimed to investigate the influence of various growing systems (natural, organic, and biodynamic) and technological parameters (different duration: 24, 48 and 72 h) of aerobic solid-phase fermentation on the change of flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins, carotenoids, chlorophylls, and antioxidant activity. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for polyphenols, carotenoids, and chlorophylls as well as the spectrophotometric method for antioxidant activity determinations were used. The results of the study showed that different growing systems (natural, organic, and biodynamic) and solid-phase fermentation had a significant effect on the quantitative composition of biologically active substances in the leaves of the fireweeds. According to these data, it would be possible to recommend fermented fireweed leaves grown organically as a source of polyphenols (especially: phenolic acids and flavonoids), leaves grown biodynamically as a source of carotenoids (exceptionally: lutein and beta-carotene) and chlorophyll, and leaves grown naturally for better antioxidant activity.

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is an economically important source of natural low-calorie sweeteners, steviol glycosides (SGs), with stevioside (Stev) and rebaudioside A (RebA) being the most abundant. Pre-sowing seed treatment with cold plasma (CP) was shown to stimulate SGs biosynthesis/accumulation up to several fold. This study aimed to evaluate the possibility to predict CP-induced biochemical changes in plants from morphometric parameters. Principle component analysis (PCA) was applied to two different sets of data: morphometric parameters versus SGs concentrations and ratio, and morphometric parameters versus other secondary metabolites (total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC)) and antioxidant activity (AA). Seeds were treated for 2, 5 and 7 min with CP (CP2, CP5 and CP7 groups) before sowing. CP treatment stimulated SGs production. CP5 induced the highest increase of RebA, Stev and RebA+Stev concentrations (2.5-, 1.6-, and 1.8-fold, respectively). CP did not affect TPC, TFC or AA and had a duration-dependent tendency to decrease leaf dry mass and plant height. The correlation analysis of individual plant traits revealed that at least one morphometric parameter negatively correlates with Stev orRebA+Stev concentration after CP treatment.

Oils derived from non-traditional seeds, such as safflower, milk thistle, and black cumin seeds, have recently grown in popularity. Seed oil is in high demand due to consumer interest in illness prevention and health promotion through healthier diets that include a high concentration of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidant phenolic components. This study assessed the quality characteristics of cold-pressed seed oil at three unique storage times: at the beginning of the trial (i.e., before storage), after 2 months, and after 4 months. The results of the performed analyses indicate that the acidity of extracted black cumin, safflower, and milk thistle seed oil fluctuates considerably over time. The highest acidity level change was detected for black cumin seed oil, from 10.26% after the extraction to 16.96% after 4 months of storage at 4 °C. Consequently, changes between pre- and post-storage peroxide concentrations were discernible after four months. Peroxide value in milk thistle and safflower seed oils increased by 0.92 meq/kg and 2.00 meq/kg, respectively, during the assessed storage time, while that of black cumin was very high and fluctuated. The storage period substantially affects oxidative changes and the oxidation stability of the oil. Major changes were observed in the polyunsaturated fatty acids in seed oil during storage. The essential changes were detected in the black cumin seed oil odor profile after 4 storage months. Their quality and stability, as well as the nature of the changes that occur during the storage of oil, require extensive investigation.

Rosehips of various Rosa spp. are well known for having human health-promoting compounds like mineral nutrients, vitamins, fatty acids, and phenolic compounds. However, little is known about rosehip characteristics which describe the fruit quality and may indicate appropriate harvest times. Our study evaluated the pomological (width, length, and weight of fruits, flesh weight, and seed weight), texture, and CIE colour parameters (L*, a*, and b*), chroma (C), and hue angle (h°) of rosehip fruits of Rosa canina , Rosa rugosa , and genotypes of Rosa rugosa 'Rubra' and 'Alba', harvested at five ripening stages (I-V). The main results revealed that genotype and ripening stage significantly affected parameters. The significantly longest ( R. canina ) and widest fruits ( R. Rugosa ) were measured at ripening stage V. Genotypes of R. rugosa 'Rubra' and 'Alba' had significantly higher fruit and flesh weights at ripening stage V. Rosehips of all investigated genotypes expressed darkness (lower L*) during ripening, and had the highest hue angle h° values at ripening stage I while the lowest was at stage V. The significantly lowest skin elasticity of rosehips was found at stage V. However, R. canina was distinguished by the highest fruit skin elasticity and strength. As our results show, the desired pomological, colour, and texture features of various species and cultivars rosehips can be optimised according to the harvest time.

The use of edible flowers has become increasingly popular as a good source of bioactive compounds. Many flowers can be consumed, but there is a lack of information about the chemical composition of organic and conventional flowers. Organic crops represent a higher level of food safety because pesticides and artificial fertilizers are prohibited. The present experiment was carried out with organic and conventional edible pansy flowers of different colors: double-pigmented violet/yellow and single-pigmented yellow flowers. In fresh flowers, the contents of dry matter and polyphenols (including phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, carotenoids, and chlorophylls) and the antioxidant activity were determined by the HPLC-DAD method. The results showed that organic edible pansy flowers contained significantly more bioactive compounds, especially polyphenols (333.8 mg/100 g F.W.), phenolic acids (40.1 mg/100 g F.W.), and anthocyanins (293.7 mg/100 g F.W.) compared to conventional methods. Double-pigmented (violet/yellow) pansy flowers are more recommended for the daily diet than single-pigmented yellow flowers. The results are unique and open the first chapter in a book on the nutritional value of organic and conventional edible flowers.

The heavy use of mineral fertilizers causes imbalances in the biological processes that take place in soil. Therefore, it is necessary to develop more effective fertilizers or fertilizer complexes that ensure agricultural productivity and soil conservation. There is currently a lack of knowledge regarding the effectiveness of biologically enriched, complex mineral fertilizers for spring barley fertilization. The hypothesis of this study was that bacteria-enriched ( Paenibacillus azotofixans , Bacillus megaterium , Bacillus mucilaginosus , and Bacillus mycoides ), complex mineral fertilizers (N 5 P 20.5 K 36 ) have significant impacts on the yield and potential for economic use of spring barley. Experimental studies were carried out for three years (2020-2022) with sandy loam soil in southern Lithuania. Four different spring barley fertilization scenarios (SCs) were investigated. In SC-1 (control), complex mineral fertilizer (N 5 P 20.5 K 36 ) was not applied. In the other SCs, spring barley was sown with a drill and fertilizers were incorporated locally during the sowing operation: fertilization scenario SC-2 used 300 kg ha -1 , SC-3 used 150 kg ha -1 preceded by a bacteria-inoculated complex mineral fertilizer (N 5 P 20.5 K 36 ), and SC-4 used 300 kg ha -1 with the same bacterial complex. The results showed that the bacterial inoculant increased the efficiency of the mineral fertilizer and had an effect on plant growth in barley. For three consecutive years in the same plots, the bacterial inoculant showed significant positive effects on grain yield (changes of 8.1% in 2020, 6.8% in 2021, and 17.3% in 2022 between SC-2 and SC-4). Comparing the several different fertilizer scenarios from an economic point of view, it was observed that the highest profit per hectare was obtained with SC-4 in all three years of the study. Comparing SC-4 and SC-2, an increase of 13.7% was observed in 2020, followed by 9.1% and 41.9% in 2021 and in 2022, respectively. This study will be useful for farmers, biological inoculant manufacturers, and scientists researching the effectiveness of biological inoculants for growing agricultural crops. We found that it is possible to increase the yield of barley (7-17%) using the same rate of mineral fertilization by enriching it with bacterial inoculants. Further studies should be conducted to determine the effects of the bacterial inoculant on crop yield and soil over a period longer than 3 years.

On the summit of a hill with a lack of humidity, and in usually stronger eroded midslope parts, crops thin out. Changing ecological conditions change the soil seed bank as well. The aim of this study was to examine changes in the seed bank size and number of species and the influence of seed surface characteristics on their spread in different-intensity agrophytocenoses under hilly relief conditions. This study included different parts of the hill (summit, midslope and footslope) in Lithuania. The southern exposition slope's soil was slightly eroded Eutric Retisol (loamic). In spring and autumn, the seed bank was investigated at depths of 0-5 and 5-15 cm. Irrespective of the season, in the soil of permanent grassland, the seed number was 6.8 and 3.4 times smaller compared to those of cereal-grass crop rotation and crop rotation with black fallow. The highest number of seed species was determined in the footslope of the hill. Seeds with rough surfaces dominated on all parts of the hill, but the highest amount (on the average 69.6%) was determined on the summit of the hill. In autumn, a strong correlation was found between the total seed number and soil microbial carbon biomass (r = 0.841-0.922).

For the study of the ionomic parameters of Juniperus communis needles, fourteen sites covering most of the territory of Lithuania and belonging to distinct habitats (coastal brown dunes covered with natural Scots pine forests (G), Juniperus communis scrubs (F), transition mires and quaking bogs (D), subcontinental moss Scots pine forests (G), and xero-thermophile fringes) were selected. Concentrations of macro-, micro-, and non-essential elements were analyzed in current-year needles, sampled in September. According to the concentrations of elements in J. communis needles, the differences between the most contrasting populations were as follows: up to 2-fold for Mg, N, K, Ca, and Zn; 2- to 7-fold for P, Na, Fe, Cu, Al, Cr, Ni, and Pb; and 26- to 31-fold for Mn and Cd. The concentrations of Cd, Cr, and Ni in needles of J. communis did not reach levels harmful for conifers. When compared to all other habitats (B, F, G, and E), the populations from transition mires and quaking bogs (D) had significantly lower concentrations of main nutritional elements N (12176 µg/g d. m.), P (1054 µg/g d. m.), and K (2916 µg/g d. m.). In Juniperus communis scrubs (F), a habitat protected by EUNIS, the concentration of K in the needles was highest, while Zn and Cu concentrations were the lowest. Principal component (PC) analyses using concentrations of 15 elements as variables for the discrimination of populations or habitats allowed authors to distinguish F and B habitats from the E habitat (PC1) and F and D habitats from the G habitat (PC2). Discriminating between populations, the most important variables were concentrations of P, N, Mg, Ca, Cu, and K. Discriminating between habitats, the important variables were concentrations of N and P.

Stinging nettle ( Urtica dioica L.) is an herbaceous plant that grows all over the world and is widely used as an edible and medicinal plant. Overall research results reveal that the chemical content and antioxidant activity of aerial parts and roots of stinging nettle depends on the growing region, soil, meteorological conditions (especially sunshine), collecting time, etc. The chemical composition of stinging nettle growing in Lithuania and the solid-liquid extraction efficiency of leaves and roots using different solvents were analysed. Additionally, we determined leaves phenols extraction efficiency using 96% methanol at different extraction conditions. Research results showed that a higher amount of crude fats, non-nitrogen extractives, and total carotenoids were in leaves, but the amount of crude proteins and ash did not differ significantly compared with roots. A higher amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) were detected in roots instead of leaves while saturated fatty acids (SFAs) were in leaves. The extraction results showed that the most effective solvent for total phenols and flavonoids in leaves was 96% methanol, for total phenols in roots was 50% methanol and 50% ethanol for total flavonoids in roots. The most effective temperature for the Urtica dioica L. leaves phenols extraction was 70 °C, while time does not have a significant influence. The present study's findings suggested that concentrated and binary solvents had different effects on the phenol's extraction efficiency from different stinging nettle parts and extraction temperature performed a key role instead of extraction time.

This study aimed to determine the effects of the ripening stage and species on the contents of saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA), and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids in Solanum spp. fruits. A two-factor field experiment with four different Solanum spp. species ( S. nigrum , S. melanocerasum , S. retroflexum , and S. villosum ) and three ripening stages was conducted over two growing seasons (2020-2021). The fatty acid composition of the Solanum fruits was characterized using gas chromatography with a flame ionization detection. The results show that PUFAs are the dominant type of fatty acid in Solanum fruits, followed by MUFAs and SFAs. Overall, the highest PUFA contents were observed in S. nigrum fruits in the ripening stage I, and the highest MUFA and SFA contents were observed in S. melanocerasum fruits during ripening stages I and II, respectively.

At present, the consumption of medical plants and functional foods is growing across the whole world. Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium (L.) Holub), an important medicinal plant that has various pharmacological effects (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and others), can improve the state of health and well-being and reduce the risk of various diseases. The aim of this work was to investigate polyphenols (flavonoids, phenolic acids and tannins) and antioxidant activity in fireweed leaves fermented for 24, 48 and 72 h in solid-phase fermentation under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for polyphenols and the spectrophotometric method based on quenching of stable colored radical (ABTS•+) for antioxidant activity determinations were used. The results showed that the highest amounts of total polyphenols, total flavonoids and tannin oenothein B in the dried matter were found after 72 h and the highest total phenolic acids after 48 h of anaerobic solid-phase fermentation. The highest antioxidant activity was found after 72 h of solid-phase fermentation under aerobic conditions.

As the consumption of plant products grown under regulated-climate conditions intensifies, its production also intensifies. Peat substrate as a growing medium is widely used due to its desirable physical, chemical, and biological properties. Peatlands play an important ecological, economic, and cultural role in human well-being, but their resources are decreasing, so wood fiber can be used as a substitute for peat substrate. Cucumbers ( Cucumis sativus L.) were cultivated in growing media (Factor A) of peat substrate and wood fiber: (1) peat substrate (PS); (2) wood fiber (WF); (3) WF and PS 50:50 v / v ; or (4) WF and PS 25:75 v / v . To evaluate the amount of additional nitrogen, four fertilization rates were used (Factor B): (1) conventional fertilization (CF); (2) N 13 ; (3) N 23 ; or (4) N 30 . The yield of cucumbers grown in wood fiber depended on the amount of additional nitrogen. When plants were fertilized with the highest rate of additional nitrogen, N 30 , their yield increased by 22% compared to the yield of cucumbers that were grown in wood fiber using conventional fertilization. Chlorophyll synthesis was the most intense in the leaves of cucumbers grown in wood fiber when the plants were additionally fertilized with N 23 and N 30, and in mixtures of wood fiber with peat substrate in ratios of 50:50 and 25:75, fertilized with N 23 and N 13 , respectively. In summary, it can be argued that cucumbers can be grown in wood fiber and in a mixture with peat substrate in a ratio of 50:50, but additional nitrogen is needed to compensate for the amount of nitrogen immobilized in the fiber.

The goal of this investigation was to establish the impact of solid-state fermentation of different durations on the quantitative changes of vitamin C, sugars and photosynthetic pigments in the leaves of willow herbs. The tested leaves were fermented using two solid-state fermentation methods (aerobic and anaerobic) for different time periods (unfermented and fermented for 24, 48 and 72 h). The quantitative and qualitative composition of chlorophylls, carotenoids, sugars and vitamin C were determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detectors. Results indicated that aerobic and anaerobic solid-state fermentation significantly decreased the contents of vitamin C, dehydroascorbic and L-ascorbic acids in leaves compared with the unfermented leaves. The contents of total chlorophyll and chlorophyll a were the highest in unfermented leaves and after 24 h of aerobic solid-state fermentation. The maximum content of total carotenoids in leaves were after 48 and 72 h of aerobic solid-state fermentation (149.31 mg 100 g -1 and 151.51 mg 100 g -1 , respectively). The application of anaerobic solid-state fermentation resulted in significant increase in the content of total sugars, fructose and glucose in investigated samples. In conclusion, optimization of fermentation parameters allows increasing the content of sugars and photosynthetic pigments in leaves of willow herbs.

The aim of this study was to apply the combined thermomechanical-biological treatment for corn processing by-product (CPBP) valorization to added-value food and feed material. The mechanical-thermal pre-treatment was performed by applying the extrusion technique. Extruded CPBPs (14, 16, and 18% moisture) were further biodegraded with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum-LUHS122 (Lpl), Liquorilactobacillus uvarum-LUHS245 (Lu), Lacticaseibacillus casei-LUHS210 (Lc), and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei-LUHS244 (Lpa). Acidity parameters, microbial characteristics, sugars concentration, amino and fatty acids profile, biogenic amines (BA), and antibacterial and antifungal properties of CPBP were analyzed. Fermented CPBP had a reduced count of mould/yeast. A significantly lower ( p ≤ 0.05) count of total enterobacteria was found in most of the extruded-fermented CPBP. Fermentation of extruded CPBP (moisture of 16 and 18%) increased valine and methionine content. Cadaverine and spermidine were not found after treatment of CPBP, and the lowest content of BA was found in the extruded-fermented (Lpa, moisture 18%) CPBP. Applied treatment had a significant effect on most of the fatty acids. CPBP fermented with Lpl, Lu, and Lpa displayed inhibition properties against 3 of the 10 tested pathogenic/opportunistic bacterial strains. Extruded-fermented (Lu, Lc, and Lpa moisture of 14 and 18%) CPBP showed antifungal activity against Rhizopus. Extruded-fermented (14% moisture, Lpl) CPBP inhibited Rhizopus and Aspergillus fumigatus . In conclusion, combined treatment can improve certain parameters and properties of CPBP in order to produce safer and more nutritious ingredients for food and feed industries.

Mint is an industrial plant that is a good source of essential oil and many phenolic compounds that have several positive benefits to human health and can be used to prevent the development of many diseases. The aim of this research was to investigate the possibility of increasing essential oil and flavonoid content, changing the chemical composition of these compounds in different mint cultivars under foliar application with precursors (phenylalanine, tryptophan, and tyrosine) at two concentrations, 100 and 200 mg L -1 , to enable the possibilities for wider use of these plants when they are grown in field conditions. Spraying with phenylalanine at 100 mg L -1 concentration increased essential oil content in Mentha piperita 'Granada' plants by 0.53 percentage units. Foliar application with tyrosine solutions at 100 mg L -1 concentration most effectively influenced the essential oil odor profile Mentha spicata 'Crispa'. The highest number of total flavonoids was in Mentha piperita 'Swiss' sprayed with tyrosine at 100 mg L -1 concentration. The flavonoid content depended on the mint cultivar, amino acids, and their concentration. The results showed that the effect of amino acid solutions on different secondary metabolites' quantitative and qualitative composition differed depending on the mint cultivar; therefore, amino acids and their concentrations must be selected based on the cultivar they are targeting.

In recent years, special attention has been paid to climate change assessment and research into our changing environment. The greatest economic losses worldwide are due to the negative effects of drought stress and extreme temperature on the plants' morphological, physiological, and biochemical properties which limit crop growth and productivity. Sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) is one of the most popular plants widely grown around the world as a spice, as well a medicinal, aromatic plant. The seedlings with 5-6 true leaves were divided into two groups, and one group of seedlings was sprayed with 10 mM potassium bicarbonate (KHCO 3 ). Three days after potassium bicarbonate treatment, half of the plants from each group were subjected to a water deficit (drought stress), and the other half were grown under stress-free conditions (well-watered). The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of potassium bicarbonate (KHCO 3 ) on morphophysiological parameters, phenolics content and the antioxidant activity of basil under drought conditions. The application of potassium bicarbonate to drought stressed plants significantly increased the chlorophyll content, fresh and dry weight, phenolics content in the two of tested cultivars, and antioxidant activity, determined by DPPH and ABTS methods. Principal component analysis showed that the first factor was highly and positively related to all the investigated parameters. Hierarchical clustering analysis showed that the first cluster was formed by being well-watered, well-watered and sprayed with potassium bicarbonate, and grown under drought conditions and sprayed with potassium bicarbonate basil cultivars, while the second cluster was formed by all the tested cultivars grown under drought conditions.

Dioscorea caucasica Lipsky is a tertiary relict endemic plant naturally growing in the western part of the trans-Caucasus regions; it has adapted and successfully grows in the temperate region of the Baltic countries. Information about its phytochemical composition and bioactivities is rather scarce. This study reports the results of the identification of 41 compounds in D. caucasica leaf and tuber hydroethanolic extracts using UPLC-QTOF/MS. Organic acids were found in both extracts; hydroxycinnamates and flavonoids were the main phytochemicals in the leaves, while steroidal glycosides, fatty acids (mainly hydroxylated) and carbohydrates were found in the tubers. Leaf extracts inhibited enzymes in a dose-dependent manner and were remarkably stronger inhibitors of physiologically important enzymes, namely α-amylase (48.6% at 480 µg/mL), α-glucosidase (IC 50 = 41.99 and 47.95 µg/mL with and without 0.1 M Na 2 CO 3 ), acetylcholinesterase (45.85% at 100 µg/mL) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (IC 50 = 829.7 µg/mL), most likely due to the presence of some quantified polyphenolic antioxidants. The mode of inhibition of α-glucosidase and acetylcholinesterase was assessed via kinetic studies based on Lineweaver-Burk inhibition plots. Leaf and tuber extracts acted as mixed-type and competitive inhibitors of α-glucosidase, respectively; the leaf extract demonstrated an uncompetitive inhibition mode of acetylcholinesterase. It is expected that this new knowledge of D. caucasica will serve for its valorization in developing new health beneficial ingredients for functional foods and nutraceuticals.

In this study, our investigated hypothesis was that different pre-crops would have different effects on earthworm activity and soil CO 2 emissions. We also hypothesized that a pre-crop clover-timothy mixture would perform best in terms of increasing the share of organic carbon in soil and, in this way, contribute to improving the sustainability of agroecosystems. The aim of this study was to explore the residual effects of using a 50-year-term of three different crop rotations and a continuous bare fallow period on soil CO 2 emissions by investigating the soil earthworm populations, soil agrochemical properties, and winter wheat yields. A field experiment was carried out from 2016 to 2017 at Vytautas Magnus University in Lithuania (54°53' N, 23°50' E). The experiment was conducted in crop stands of winter wheat cv. 'Skagen', which were sown in three crop rotations with different pre-crops and a continuous bare fallow period. The pre-crop used for winter wheat in the cereal crop rotation (CE) was a vetch and oat mixture for green forage, LEG-CER; the pre-crop used for winter wheat in the field with row crops (FWR) crop rotation was black fallow, FAL-CER; the pre-crop used for winter wheat in the Norfolk (NOR) crop rotation was a clover-timothy mixture, GRS-CER; and finally, continuous bare fallow, FAL-CONTROL, was used as well. The highest soil CO 2 emission intensity was determined after the pre-crops that left a large amount of plant residues (clover and timothy mixture) in the soil. Plant residues remaining after the pre-crop had the greatest effect on the number of earthworms in the soil after the harvesting of winter wheat. Winter wheat had the best yield when grown in grass and legume sequences. Crop rotation sequences that included perennial grasses accumulated higher contents of total nitrogen and organic carbon. The best values for the productivity indicators of wheat were obtained when it was grown after a fallow crop fertilized with cattle manure. An appropriate crop rotation that promotes the steady long-term contribution of organic matter and increases the content of organic carbon in the soil will have a positive effect on the agrochemical, biological, and physical properties of soil and agroecosystem sustainability; moreover, these effects cannot be achieved by technological means alone.

The study aimed to determine the changes in phenolic compounds content in lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L. cv. Little Gem) depending on the preharvest short-term daytime or nighttime supplemental light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to high-pressure sodium lamps (HPS) lighting in a greenhouse during autumn and spring cultivation. Plants were grown in a greenhouse under HPS supplemented with 400 nm, 455 nm, 530 nm, 455 + 530 nm or 660 nm LEDs light for 4 h five days before harvest. Two experiments (EXP) were performed: EXP1-HPS, and LEDs treatment during daytime 6 PM-10 PM, and EXP2-LEDs treatment at nighttime during 10 AM-2 PM. LEDs' photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) was 50 and HPS-90 ± 10 µmol m -2 s -1 . The most pronounced positive effect on total phenolic compounds revealed supplemental 400 and 455 + 530 nm LEDs lighting, except its application during the daytime at spring cultivation, when all supplemental LEDs light had no impact on phenolics content variation. Supplemental 400 nm LEDs applied in the daytime increased chlorogenic acid during spring and chicoric acid during autumn cultivation. 400 nm LEDs used in nighttime enhanced chlorogenic acid accumulation and rutin during autumn. Chicoric and chlorogenic acid significantly increased under supplemental 455 + 530 nm LEDs applied at daytime in autumn and used at nighttime-in spring. Supplemental LEDs application in the nighttime resulted in higher phenolic compounds content during spring cultivation and the daytime during autumn cultivation.

Among the innovative technologies being elaborated for sustainable agriculture, one of the most rapidly developing fields relies on the positive effects of non-thermal plasma (NTP) treatment on the agronomic performance of plants. A large number of recent publications have indicated that NTP effects are far more persistent and complex than it was supposed before. Knowledge of the molecular basis and the resulting outcomes of seed treatment with NTP is rapidly accumulating and requires to be analyzed and presented in a systematic way. This review focuses on the biochemical and physiological processes in seeds and plants affected by seed treatment with NTP and the resulting impact on plant metabolism, growth, adaptability and productivity. Wide-scale changes evolving at the epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolic levels are triggered by seed irradiation with NTP and contribute to changes in germination, early seedling growth, phytohormone amounts, metabolic and defense enzyme activity, secondary metabolism, photosynthesis, adaptability to biotic and abiotic stress, microbiome composition, and increased plant fitness, productivity and growth on a longer time scale. This review highlights the importance of these novel findings, as well as unresolved issues that remain to be investigated.

Multi-cropping systems play an important role in improving the quality of soil properties. A field experiment was carried at the Experimental Station of Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy (Lithuania) in 2017 to 2019. The aim of the study was to compare agrophysical and biological properties of the soil in the multi-cropping systems of sole (spring barley, spring wheat, pea, caraway), binary (spring barley-caraway, spring wheat-caraway, pea-caraway) and trinary (spring barley-caraway-white clover, spring wheat-caraway-white clover, pea-caraway-white clover) crops. In the second and the third years of caraway cultivation, when solely caraway was grown, the total nitrogen content was significantly lower than in binary and trinary crops (8.5% and 17.4%, respectively). The results indicated that the highest organic carbon content was in the third year of caraway cultivation in trinary crop when caraway was grown with peas and white clover. In the third year, the highest saccharase and urease activity was found in trinary crop where caraway was grown with spring barley and white clover. A strong positive correlation was observed between the content of saccharase and urease and the total nitrogen, organic carbon, and potassium available in the soil. The results of the study suggest that multi-cropping is important for soil conservation and the sustainability of agro-ecosystems.

Stevioside (Stev) and rebaudioside A (RebA) are the most abundant steviol glycosides (SGs) responsible for the sweetness of Stevia rabaudiana Bertoni. As compared to Stev, RebA has a higher sweetening potency, better taste and therefore is the most preferred component of the stevia leaf extracts. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of pre-sowing seed treatment with abiotic stressors cold plasma (CP) and electromagnetic field (EMF) on the amount and ratio of RebA and Stev in the leaves of stevia. Additionally, the effect on total phenolic content, flavonoid content and antioxidant activity was investigated. Seeds were treated 5 and 7 min with cold plasma (CP5 and CP7 groups) and 10 min with electromagnetic field (EMF10 group) six days before sowing. The germination tests in vitro demonstrated that all treatments slightly increased germination rate and percentage. HPLC analysis revealed that CP and EMF had strong stimulating effect on SGs accumulation. All treatments increased RebA concentration approximately 1.6-fold; however, the ratio of RebA/Stev decreased from 8.5 in the control to 1.9, 2.5 and 1.1 in CP5, CP7 and EMF10 groups respectively, since the concentration of Stev increased more than RebA, 7.1, 4.6 and 11.0-fold, respectively, compared to control. However, treatments had opposite effect on total phenolic content, flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity. We have demonstrated for the first time that short time pre-sowing treatment of stevia seeds with CP and EMF can be a powerful tool for the enhancement of biosynthesis of RebA and Stev, however it can have negative impact on the content of other secondary metabolites.

The long-term implementation of crop rotation and tillage has an impact on the soil environment through inputs and soil disturbance, which in turn has an impact on soil quality. Tillage has a long-term impact on the agroecosystems. Since 1999, a long-term field experiment has been carried out at the Experimental Station of Vytautas Magnus University. The aim of this experiment is to investigate the effects of long-term various-intensity tillage and straw retention systems on soil physical properties. The results were obtained in 2013 and 2019 (spring rape was growing). According to the latest edition of the International Soil Classification System, the soil in the experimental field was classified as Endocalcaric Stagnosol (Aric, Drainic, Ruptic, and Amphisiltic). The treatments were arranged using a split-plot design. In a two-factor field experiment, the straw was removed from one part of the experimental field, and the entire straw yield was chopped and spread at harvest in the other part of the field (Factor A). There were three different tillage systems as a subplot (conventional deep ploughing, cover cropping with following shallow termination, and no-tillage) (Factor B). There were four replications. The long-term application of reduced tillage significantly increased soil water retention and improved the pore structure and CO 2 emissions. Irrespective of the incorporation of straw, it was found that as the amount of water available to plants increases, CO 2 emissions from the soil increase to some extent and then start to decrease. Simplified tillage and no-tillage in uncultivated soil reduce CO 2 emissions by increasing the amount of water available to plants from 0.151 to 0.233 m 3 ·m -3 .

One of the main goals of the 21st century's developing society is to produce the necessary amount of food while protecting the environment. Globally, particularly in Lithuania and other northern regions with similar climatic and soil conditions, there is a lack of data on the long-term effects of crop rotation under the current conditions of intensive farming and climate change. It has long been recognized that monocultures cause soil degradation compared to crop rotation. Research hypothesis: the long-term implementation of crop rotation makes a positive influence on the soil environment. The aim of our investigation was to compare the effects of a 50-year-long application of different crop rotations and monocultures on soil CO 2 emissions, earthworms, and productivity of winter rye. Long-term stationary field experiments were established in 1966 at Vytautas Magnus University Experimental Station (54°53' N, 23°50' E). The study was conducted using intensive field rotation with row crops, green manure crop rotations, three-course rotation, and rye monoculture. Pre-crop had the largest impact on soil CO 2 emissions, and more intensive soil CO 2 emissions occurred at the beginning of winter rye growing season. Rye appeared not to be demanding in terms of pre-crops. However, its productivity decreased when grown in monoculture, and the optimal mineral fertilization remained lower than with crop rotation, but productivity remained stable.

Berries of Actinidia kolomikta ( A. kolomikta ) are known for high ascorbic acid content, but the diversity of phenolic compounds has been little studied. The present research aimed to investigate phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in berries and leaves of twelve A. kolomikta cultivars. The UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS technique was used to determine differences among cultivars in the quantitative composition of individual phenolic compounds. Antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH• free radical scavenging and CUPRAC methods. In the present study, 13 phenolic compounds were detected in berries, whereas leaves contained 17 phenolic compounds. Flavonols were the primary class found in both berries and leaves; other identified phenolic compounds were flavan-3-ols, flavones and, phenolic acids; and dihydrochalcone phloridzin was identified in the leaves. The amount and variety of phenolic compounds in berries and leaves and antioxidant activity were found to be cultivar-dependent. The highest total content of phenolic compounds was found in the leaves of the cultivar 'Aromatnaja' and in the berries of the cultivar 'VIR-2'. Results of this study have confirmed that berries and leaves of A. kolomikta could be a valuable raw material for both food and pharmaceutical industries.

Miscanthus x giganteus is a spontaneous sterile hybrid therefore the creation of useful genetic diversity by conventional breeding methods is restricted. Plant regeneration through indirect organogenesis may be a useful approach to create genetic variability of this important agricultural crop. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the explant type and growth regulators on indirect organogenesis of Miscanthus x giganteus and to determine the ploidy level of plant regenerants by flow cytometry. On average, the highest percentage of morphogenic callus tested explants formed in the medium supplemented with 2.5 mg L -1 IBA + 0.1 mg L -1 BAP + 4.0 mg L -1  l-proline. The most intensive secondary differentiation of callus cells was observed in the medium supplemented with 4.0 mg L -1 ZEA + 1.0 mg L -1 NAA. The highest root formation frequency with the highest number of roots was determined in the MS nutrient medium supplemented with 0.4 mg L -1 IBA, where more than 95% of plant regenerants survived and were growing normally.

Echinacea purpurea L. (Moench) is used in traditional and conventional medicine. However, there is lack of data on the biological activities of primary plant metabolite lectins. The aim of our experiment was to find out how lectin LysM (lysine motif), which was previously purified, affects the immune response in vivo. Eight-week-old BALB/c male mice (n = 15) received four weekly 250 μg/kg peritonial injections of purified Echinacea purpurea L. (Moench) roots' LysM lectin. The control animal group (n = 15) received 50 μL peritoneal injections of fresh Echinacea purpurea L. (Moench) root tincture, and the negative control animal group (n = 15) received 50 μL peritoneal injections of physiological solution. At the fifth experimental week, the animals were sedated with carbon dioxide, and later euthanized by cervical dislocation, and then their blood and spleen samples were collected. The leukocytes' formula and lymphocytes' count was estimated in blood samples, the T lymphocytes' density was evaluated in spleen zones. A statistically significant ( p < 0.05) difference between each group was observed in the leukocytes' formula (monocytes' percentage, also little, medium and giant size lymphocytes). The purple coneflower fresh roots' tincture significantly decreased ( p < 0.05) the T lymphocytes' quantity in peritoneal lymphoid sheaths (PALS) compared with the physiological solution injection's group ( p < 0.05) and the lectin injection's group ( p < 0.001). Meanwhile, lectin injections caused a significant ( p < 0.01) increase in the T lymphocytes in a spleen PALS zone, compared with the physiological solution and tincture injection's group. Our data suggests that LysM lectin acts as an immunostimulant, while fresh purple coneflower tincture causes immunosuppression.

This research aimed to determine the effect of different harvesting times on the chemical composition of stinging nettle ( Urtica dioica L.). The leaves of nettle were harvested at the same place once a month in the period of April-September 2019. The analysis focused on the contents of dry matter, soluble solids, ascorbic acid, titratable acidity, chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b , total carotenoids, total phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, ash content, and macro- and microelements. The nettles harvested in April were characterized by the highest levels of soluble solids and some macro-and microelements (P, K, Fe, Zn). The plants harvested in May were distinguished for titratable acidity, chlorophyll a , chlorophyll b , and carotenoid contents. In this month, the plants were determined to have the highest antioxidant activity during the entire vegetation period. The plants collected in July contained the highest amount of Mn, but the antioxidant activity of these plants was the lowest during the vegetation period. In August, the plants had the highest levels of ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, and ash, while the plants collected in September were characterized by having the highest amounts of Ca, Mg, and B as compared to those established in other months of vegetation.

The aim of the study was to evaluate 11 cultivars of blue honeysuckle ( Lonicera caerulea L.) for bioactive compounds, antioxidant capacity, and the antibacterial activity of berries. Total phenolic contents (TPCs) and total anthocyanin contents (TACs) were established by using ethanolic extracts. For contents of organic acids and saccharides, aqueous extracts were used, and vitamin C was determined by using oxalic acid solution. DPPH • radical scavenging capacity was evaluated by using ethanolic extracts; antibacterial activity was assessed by using both ethanolic and aqueous extracts. The TPC varied from 364.02 ± 0.41 mg/100 g in 'Vostorg' to 784.5 ± 0.3 mg/100 g in 'Obilnaja', and TAC ranged from 277.8 ± 1.1 mg/100 g in 'Čelnočnaja' to 394.1 ± 8.4 mg/100 g in 'Nimfa'. Anthocyanins comprised 53.8% of total phenolic contents on average. Among organic acids, citric acid was predominant, averaging 769.41 ± 5.34 mg/100 g, with malic and quinic acids amounting to 289.90 ± 2.64 and 45.00 ± 0.37 mg/100 g on average, respectively. Contents of vitamin C were 34.26 ± 0.25 mg/100 g on average. Organic acids were most effective in the inhibition of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria tested. In conclusion, berries of L. caerulea are beneficial not only for fresh consumption, but also as a raw material or ingredients of foods with high health-promoting value.

Phenolic compounds have a number of benefits to human health and can be used as preventive compounds for the development of some chronic diseases. Mentha plants are not only a good source of essential oils, but also contain significant levels of wide range of phenolic compounds. The aim of this research was to investigate the possibility to increase phenols content in Mentha plants under the foliar application with L-phenylalanine, L-tryptophan, L-tyrosine at two concentrations (100 mg L -1 and 200 mg L -1 ) and to create preconditions for using this plant for even more diverse purposes. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of phenols in mints were performed by HPLC method. Foliar application of amino acids increased the total phenol content from 1.22 to 3.51 times depending on the treatment and mint variety. The most pronounced foliar application to total phenols content was tryptophane especially in Mentha piperita "Swiss". Mentha piperita "Swiss" was affected most by foliar application and the amount of total phenolic acids depending on the treatment ranged from 159.25 to 664.03 mg 100 g -1 (DW), respectively, non-sprayed and sprayed with tryptophane 100 mg L -1 . Our results suggest that the biophenol content varies according to such factors as foliar application and variety, and every single mint variety has individual response to different applications of amino acids.