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Abstract Sosnowski hogweed is an invasive weed in eastern-middle Europe that is dangerous to human health and the environment. The efficacy of its control using chemical and mechanical methods is limited. Electromagnetic radiation (microwaves) could be an environmentally friendly alternative for controlling this species. This study aims to: (1) Determine the effect of varying microwave treatment (MWT) durations on the control of S. hogweed using a device emitting microwaves at 2.45 GHz, 32.8 kW/m2; (2) Evaluate the impact of MWT on soil by an ecotoxicological bioassays; (3) Analyze biochemical changes occurring in the roots during the process. A field study was performed to assess the efficacy of S. hogweed control using MWT in times from 2.5 to 15 min. The MWT-treated soil was collected immediately after treatment (AT) and tested using bioassays (Phytotoxkit, Ostracodtoxkit, and Microtox). Fourteen days AT, the MWT hogweed roots were dug out, air-dried, and analyzed for the content and composition of essential oil, sugars, and fatty acids. According to the ecotoxicological biotests, the MWT soils were classified as non-toxic or low-toxic. The regeneration of hogweed was observed only in non-treated plants (control). Hogweed MWT for 2.5–15 min did not regenerate up to 14 days AT. The average weight of roots in hogweed MWT for 15.0 min was ca. two times smaller than the control plants. Those roots contained significantly higher amounts of sugars and saturated fatty acids than the control. We did not find a correlation between S. hogweed root essential oil content and composition and MWT time. The main compounds of essential oil were p‑cymene and myristicin. No highly photosensitizing compounds were identified in the tested root oil. We conclude that MWT of S. hogweed could be an environmentally safe and prospective control method, but more studies are needed.

Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica Houtt.) is Poland’s invasive weed, for which there is no efficient control method. The rhizomes of this species are rich in resveratrol. In this work, we evaluated (1) the effectiveness of electromagnetic microwaves (MV) in destroying Japanese knotweed using an original device, HOGWEED (MV of 2450 MHz), (2) the ecotoxic effect of the MV on the soil environment, and (3) the resveratrol content in knotweed rhizomes after MV treatment. The field studies were carried out in 2022 in southern Poland. Cut plants were MV-treated for times of 5.0–25.0 min. The MV efficiency was checked 10 and 56 days after treatment (DAT). After MV treatment, fresh soil samples were taken to analyze their ecotoxicity. As a result, at 56 DAT, knotweed was controlled if MV was used for at least 20.0 min. The MV did not affect the soil ecotoxicity. The MV-treated soils were classified as non-toxic or low-toxic. To analyze the resveratrol content, healthy knotweed rhizomes were dug out, treated with MV in the laboratory at 2.5–10.0 min, and analyzed for resveratrol content in HPLC-MS/MS. As a result, the resveratrol in the rhizomes significantly decreased in a time-dependent manner following MV exposure.

Invasive Japanese knotweed is one of Poland’s most aggressive and difficult-to-control species. New methods of control are of utmost importance. This study aimed to analyze young knotweed offshoots’ regeneration and physiological condition after treatment of their rhizomes with microwaves of high frequency. The fresh rhizomes were microwaved in the laboratory once for different times (from 5 to 60 s, interval 5 s). Next, in the greenhouse, the growth of offshoots and their biochemical state (spectrophotometry of leaves) were recorded in three measurement series. It was shown that the microwave treatment for 35 s directly destroys knotweed rhizomes of a diameter of 1–3 cm, so it does not produce new offsprings. The treatment times from 5–25 s delay offspring regeneration and growth and development of leaves. The leaves initiate the mechanisms of protection against microwave stress in offshoots grown from the rhizomes exposed to microwaves for 10 s (increase in the anthocyanin index) and the 5 or 20 s treatments (higher values of the photochemical reflectance index). Based on the effective dose (ED50) analysis, the threshold of harmful effects of microwaves on the growth and development of Reynoutria japonica rhizomes was assumed to be 17–19 s.

Current ecological trends for production of forage for livestock indicate a need for small usage of fertilisers while increasing productivity. The study aimed to assess yield and interactions of selected Lolium and Festulolium species grown in mixtures with Trifolium repens and fertilised with NS, regarding mutual interactions based on available indicators. A two-year field study (2016-2017) was carried out in southern Poland and the research objects were designed on degraded chernozems. The highest yield was observed for mixtures: L. multiflorum + T. repens and L. × boucheanum + T. repens sown in the proportion 50:50, fertilised with N50S15. The mean dry matter yield was higher in the 1st year of the study, in all variants of fertilisation and types of mixtures. The land equivalent ratio differed for species in individual objects, for individual cuts and study years, and was most often higher than 1.0, which points to a positive interference between species in mixtures. Also, the competitive ratio index was often higher than 1.0, which means that grass species were more competitive than white clover. However, in the second year of study T. repens was dominant in multiple objects.

There is an urgent need to develop new compensatory and human-safe methods for controlling invasive Heracleum species. This research aimed to determine the effectiveness of H. sosnowskyi control under microwave radiation and biochemical changes in tissues and sap after irradiation. In field experiments in southern Poland, the plants were cut and irradiated with a device generating electromagnetic waves (2.45 GHz, 32.8 kW/m2). The control efficacy of plants in the rosette phase irradiated for 5, 10, or 15 min was 20%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. The control efficacy of plants in the flowering phase irradiated for 7.5 or 15 min was 66% and 100%. The metabolomic analysis of tissues and sap of irradiated H. sosnowskyi showed significant changes, mainly in the content and composition of proteins and sugars. In tissues, the treatments resulted in protein denaturation and significant changes in the metabolism of amino acids and the glyoxylate and galactose pathways. The sap was rich in sugars, glutamic acid, glutamine, homoserine, serine, and methionine. More changes in metabolite levels were observed in the tissues irradiated for 7.5 min. In conclusion, microwave radiation of H. sosnowskyi for longer times, e.g., 10 and 15 min, efficiently controls it.

Celem pracy była ocena różnorodności florystycznej ekstensywnie użytkowanych łąk trwałych Beskidu Sądeckiego. Badania florystyczne prowadzono w latach 2017–2019. W runi wybranych łąk stwierdzono 169 gatunków roślin naczyniowych należących do 110 rodzajów i 33 rodzin botanicznych. Wyróżniono związek Arrhenatherion elatioris, reprezentowany przez zespół Gladiolo-Agrostietum capillaris, z liczbą 128 taksonów, oraz związek Calthion, należący do zespołu Cirsietum rivularis, w którym stwierdzono 74 gatunki. Zespół Gladiolo-Agrostietum capillaris odznaczał się wyższym wskaźnikiem różnorodności florystycznej niż zespół Cirsietum rivularis. Rośliny obu analizowanych zespołów w większości preferowały umiarkowane światło i gleby o odczynie obojętnym. W zespole Cirsietum rivularis wyróżniono najwięcej roślin o preferencjach względem gleb zasobnych i wilgotnych. Natomiast w zespole Gladiolo-Agrostietum capillaris stwierdzono najwięcej taksonów o preferencjach gleb umiarkowanie ubogich oraz świeżych.

Badania zrealizowano w latach 2011–2012 w Gnatowicach koło Krakowa. Ich celem była ocena wybranych odmian wiechliny łąkowej użytkowanej w systemie ‘park’. U badanych odmian: ‘Alicja’, ‘Ani’, ‘Bila’, ‘Conni’, ‘Evora’ oraz ‘Limousine’ dokonano oceny: stanu roślin wiosną i jesienią, ogólnego aspektu estetycznego (OA), zadarnienia (Z), intensywności odrastania (IO) oraz występowania chorób. Wiosną najlepszym stanem cechowała się odmiana ‘Limousine’, natomiast najgorszym ‘Evora’. Sposób przezimowania był istotnie zróżnicowany u każdej odmiany. Ogólny aspekt estetyczny i zadarnienie było zależne od odmiany, pory i roku badań. Najbardziej atrakcyjnie rośliny wyglądały latem, natomiast najgorzej jesienią. Na ogół większą intensywnością odrastania cechowały się odmiany w drugim roku badań, wyjątkami pod tym względem były ‘Conni’ i ‘Evora’. Największe nasilenie dwóch chorób – Microdochium nivale i Entyloma dactylidis – zaobserwowano wiosną. Najbardziej porażone przez Puccinia striiformis były rośliny jesienią. Najłagodniejsze objawy Drechslera poae odnotowano latem u wszystkich odmian wiechliny łąkowej.

The change in weather conditions in Central Europe has led to the need to review current standards for fertilization of pulse crops. Physiologists claim that phosphorus may play a significant role in raising tolerance to a temporary lack of water in the soil. The objective of the 2-year field study (2011–2012) was to assess the effect of phosphorus application on characteristics of the aerial and underground plant parts of different varieties of pea and elements of their yield structure. The study showed that a higher phosphorus application rate led to significant intensification of photosynthesis and thus to more rapid vegetative development in the plants, manifested as a greater number of leaves and greater leaf area. The higher rate of phosphorus application significantly influenced the flowering process of pea during soil drought. The number of flowering nodes increased significantly as phosphorus application increased. The plants fertilized with the higher level of phosphorus produced a greater weight of root nodules with more Rhizobium bacterial colonies. Increased phosphorus fertilization had a significant role during the year of permanent semi-drought, 2012, resulting in a significantly greater number and weight of pods as well as a greater number and weight of seeds per plant, and thus a larger final yield.

The Influence of the kind of utilization and fertilization level on the flora of the mountain grasslands was determined in the study consisting of two experiments. The studies were carried out in 1999–2002 on permanent grassland in Czarny Potok near Krynica (at the altitude of 650 m). Three fertilization variants and one control were taken into account in the experiments (I – cut, II – pastured). The most varied floristic composition of the sward was observed under twofold utilization. In this sward three were more significant species than in the utilized pasture. More frequent utilization of the sward readily revealed competitive power between species, which resulted in the limited development of many grasses of low utilization value to the advantage of valuable grasses like: Festuca pratensis Huds., Dactylis glomerata L. and Poa pratensis L. Lack of utilization was the factor which caused the biggest degradation of forage value of mountain grasslands. After four years without utilization the sward was in 83% controlled by persistent weed Deschampsia caespitosa L.

Selection of the preservation method has a great influence on the quality of preserved forages from grassland. First of all it is important to choose the method which assures the smallest losses of nutrients. Fundamentally, there are two methods of preservation: drying, and silage. The aim of the study was to determine the amount of total protein and net lactation energy losses for hay and silage production using different methods. The study were conducted in two mountain farms. Two kinds of drying and silage were taken into account: drying on the area of the meadow with cocking and drying on the rickstands, silage in a temporary silo and in foil bales. In the forages made by using different technologies losses of total protein content fluctuated from 19 to 35% and losses of net location energy from 11 to 28%. Summing up, the lowest level of losses were observed for silage in foil bales. In the mountain area, characterised with high level of atmospheric falls, there are unfavourable conditions for hay production. Hence making silages in foil bales is an alternative for drying hay on the rickstands.