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Welcome to the Open Repository of research and development results of the Mendel University in Brno. The repository serves to archive Open Access publications of university authors. Publications are automatically sent from the OBD system to the repository in the DSpace system.

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Now showing 1 - 7 of 7

Recent Submissions

Comparative effects of synthetic and natural hydrogels enriched with fertilizer on poppy yield and soil health in drought-prone conditions
(Nature Publishing Group, 2025) Kriška, Tomáš; Antošovský, Jiří; Brtnický, Martin; Kučerík, Jiří; Holátko, Jiří; Jančář, Josef; Škarpa, Petr
The negative effects of agricultural drought are particularly pronounced in spring crops, which are generally less tolerant to dry periods. One such crop frequently affected by drought is poppy (Papaver somniferum L.). Hydrogels enriched with fertilizer represent a promising technology to enhance water availability for plants and improve nutrient uptake from applied fertilizers. The aim of this research was to compare the effects of standard fertilizer (NPKS), a natural-based (NHA) hydrogel, a synthetic hydrogel (SAP), and both hydrogels enriched with fertilizer (NHA-NPKS and SAP-NPKS) on culinary poppy yield, the agronomic efficiency of N fertilization (AEN) and soil microbial activity. Each treatment was applied in two dosages (I and II). Results from a three-year field experiment showed that the application of SAP-NPKS at the lower dose (I) significantly increased seed yield. The highest AEN was also observed in the SAP-NPKS I treatment. The highest seed yield overall was achieved with the higher dose of the natural-based hydrogel enriched with fertilizer (NHA-NPKS II). Furthermore, the use of NHA and NHA-NPKS significantly increased soil microbial activity. These findings suggest that fertilizer-enriched natural-based hydrogels are a promising approach for improving soil moisture retention and nutrient availability, particularly under drought conditions in poppy cultivation.
An Evaluation of Two Counting Methods to Establish Rodent Densities in Crop fields
(Česká akademie zemědělských věd, 2025) Heroldová, Marta; Jánová, Eva; Zejda, Jan; Šipoš, Jan; Suchomel, Josef
The common vole (Microtus arvalis) is the main pest in agricultural areas of Central Europe. It is particularly important to monitor its numbers during spring, and if high numbers are detected, some form of pest management should be considered. In the Czech Republic, the number of active burrows is monitored using the burrow index, BI, which allows estimation of the total number of rodents, saves time and is easy to use. We aimed to assess the relationship between the burrow index and the relative abundance of the rodent species examined by snap trapping in crop fields. Bayesian MCMC algorithms with a zero-inflation model were used for this analysis. The positive relationship between BI and vole abundance occurred in the total sample of all fields and in alfalfa, winter wheat and barley crop fields. A positive relationship between BI and the abundance of the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), the second most common pest in the area, was only confirmed in barley, and this relationship was negative in winter rape. The positive influence of the degree of weed cover on BI was confirmed in the total sample and in winter rape and alfalfa, but weed cover has a negative effect on BI in barley and winter wheat. In contrast, weed cover did not affect the relative abundance of both rodent species in any of the sampled crops. The presence of shrubs and forests around the fields reduced BI in the whole sample, especially in alfalfa. The relative abundance of the voles was not affected by the presence of shrubs and forests around the crop. Still, a positive influence was confirmed for the abundances of mice in the whole sample and alfalfa. BI can be a reliable indicator of vole abundance in crops with high densities, but it is not very accurate at low densities and in crop fields rarely used by voles, such as sunflower and maize.
Regional Development in Forestry from the Point of View of the Bioeconomy at the EU Member-State Level
(MDPI AG (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute-MDPI), 2025) Holušová, Kateřina; Šilhan, Zdeněk; Holuša, Otakar
This study investigates the integration of forestry into strategic planning across territorial levels in the context of the bioeconomy, using the Czech Republic as a case study of an EU member state. This is examined through a qualitative content analysis of regional and territorial local plans, to identify which topics are associated with forestry (n = 67). Using the example of a private forest owner, the specific implementation is then shown. To gather feedback on the assessed strategic documents, we compared economic results for state, municipal, and private forest owners. The research assumption is that the lower the territorial local level, the greater the importance local governments attach to forestry. The main featured topics are the water regime, sustainable forestry, biodiversity support, climate change, maintenance infrastructure, social functions, and economic competitiveness. The results show that the assumption that the lower the territorial planning level, the more forestry is featured in strategies was not confirmed. The relationship is rather the opposite. The presented economic results clearly demonstrate that financial contributions to forest management are a logical consequence of policies. These results correlated with those of the content analysis. The multi-level approach and use of economic data provide valuable empirical depth, and the main finding challenges common assumptions about policy emphasis at lower governance levels.
Ekologické odpovědi savců na urbanizaci: poznatky z dlouhodobého fotomonitoringu v Brně
(Výzkumný ústav lesního hospodářství a myslivosti, 2025) Mikulka, Ondřej; Drimaj, Jakub
Urbanization fundamentally influences mammalian behavior, yet quantitative data from Central European cities remain scarce. We deployed 60 camera traps across Brno (Czech Republic) from January 2024 to April 2025 along an urban-peri-urban-rural gradient, ranging from the historical city center to surrounding forests and agricultural land. In total, we collected 30,488 detections representing 23 mammal species; five species (European hare, roe deer, red fox, wild boar, domestic cat) accounted for over 75% of all records. Synanthropic species (cat, fox) were strongly associated with built-up areas, whereas hare, roe deer, and wild boar primarily used the peri-urban zone and connected green areas. Daily activity patterns corresponded with known ecological rhythms: hare and roe deer showed crepuscular peaks, wild boar and fox were mostly nocturnal, and cats exhibited activity distributed throughout the day. Seasonal shifts in activity were statistically confirmed for hare and fox. Three invasive species (nutria, muskrat, raccoon) were also documented. Our findings show that cities do not act as barriers but rather as heterogeneous mosaics enabling coexistence of species with different space-use strategies. Camera trapping proved effective for detecting early signals of wildlife and invasive species presence in urban environments.
Spectral clustering analysis: discrimination of grass-herb roots and live-dead roots in VISNIR and SWIR regions
(Springer International Publishing AG, 2025) Baykalov, Pavel; Bodner, Gernot; Ostonen, Ivika; Rewald, Boris
Background and aims Hyperspectral imaging is becoming a key, high-throughput technique in plant research. However, its application to roots has not yet received sufficient attention. The aims of this study are to identify spectral features that distinguish fine roots from soil, non-woody roots of different species, and dead from living roots, and to identify appropri ate analytical techniques. Methods Roots of Alopecurus pratensis (meadow foxtail) and Urtica dioica (nettle) and the rhizos phere were imaged in rhizoboxes in the wavelength range 400-1700 nm, covering both visible near- (VISNIR) and shortwave infrared (SWIR) regions. Principal Component Analysis, K-means clustering, and Generalised Linear Model, Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis, and Distributed Random For est models were used to classify groups. Wavebands critical for classification were identified. Results Our results demonstrate the intricate nature of spectra clustering, highlighting the chal lenges in the VISNIR range and the promise of SWIR data for enhanced separability. While spe cies differentiation is challenging, the determina tion of the living conditions of the roots is possi ble within the SWIR range. The analysis reveals the significance of specific spectral regions, nota bly those associated with water content and senes cence, in distinguishing between living and dead roots. Water content regions (mainly 1245 nm and 1450 nm) were most important in discriminating between roots and soil. Conclusions This study highlights the potential of spectral analysis, particularly in the SWIR region, for distinguishing roots by species and vitality. Fur ther efforts are needed to develop robust methods for mixed data sets containing roots of different species and degrees of vitality.