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The Earth's population is rising, and this situation puts high demands on agricultural production. Yield and quality should be increased. A growing number of agricultural products is used both for food and for industrial purposes, such as biofuel production. Most of Central European countries have decided to produce biodiesel from oilseed rape. The Croatian agricultural production has a long tradition. It is, side by side with tourism, the basis for future developments. One third of the population is presently associated with agricultural production. There are some problems in relation with agriculture such as small farms, low efficiency and unfavourable climate. Lower efficiency compared to the efficiency level of developed countries increases the productinal costs and producers' debts. The organization of agriculture as well as its economical, energetical and environmental aspects present an issue due to transitional processes, free market conditions and EU recommendations, which should be taken into consideration. All the above mentioned means that steps towards higher efficiency should be taken in order to be competitive (Kanisek et al., 2001). The EU imports 65% of energy, which is the upper limit. The EU signed the Kyoto Protocol according to which some recommendations were made concerning the use of alternative fuels such as biodiesel, ethanol, and biogas, which are obtained from biomass. Based on the above mentioned recommendations three biodiesel plants have already been built in Croatia, and some other plants have been considered. The production of oleiferous plants is lower than the productional capacity of the plants. The disparity has to be resolved by favourable steps, such as higher subventions. Another initative for oilseed rape production could be the improvement of soil quality. This means a higher amount of nitrogen after the vegetation period of oilseed rape, high activity of microorganisms as well as sufficient quality related with with harvest residues on soil (Lauten, 1988). The above mentioned assumptions could positively affect the productional input cost, and on the other side, the increse of the yield in crop rotation. This all can bring about a more eager interest in the production of oilseed rape. Efficient plant nutrition should be a part of proper technology (Szalay et al., 2006). The research presented in this paper compares the yield of wheat sown after oilseed rape and barley, respectively. The results show that after the growth of oilseed rape less nitrogen should be brought into the soil, which decreases the productional cost of the following cultivar.

This study investigated infection levels with Fusarium graminearum and occurrence and levels of DON contamination in malt barley in eastern Croatia. The contamination was surveyed during the crop year 2004. on three barley cultivating locations. Only the level of fungal contamination of the NG barley samples was high (36.13%). F. graminearum contamination was medium (2.45 %) for OS and low (1.05 %) for PZ barley samples. The impact of cultivar properties on F. graminearum contamination level was not statistically significant (p<0.05). DON was detected with an incidence rate of 57, 14 % in the samples. The contamination level was in range of 0.1 to 3.93 mg kg-1, with an overall mean of 0.78 mg kg-1. Location influenced DON contamination levels of samples in a statistically significant fashion (p<0.05). The impact of cultivar properties on DON contamination was not statistically significant (p<0.05). A high correlation coefficient between DON and F. graminearum contamination (r=0.94, p<0.05) indicates that DON concentrations closely correlate with the ratio of F. graminearum contamination. The results presented in this study emphasize the necessity for regular screening for F. graminearum and DON in cereals and cereal products and the need for monitoring activities to ensure the safety of cereal grain products, as well as necessity for Fusarium head blight resistant cultivars.

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of supplemental irrigation and higher plant density on grain composition traits of ten maize hybrids. The experiment was grown in Osijek (Eastern Croatia) in 2002, 2003, 2004 on eutric cambisol, and consisted of factorial combination of two irrigation levels (non-irrigated and irrigated), two plant densities (standard – 57140 and high – 63492 plants ha-1, respectively), and ten commercial maize hybrids of FAO maturity groups 500-700. A self-moving sprinkler was used for irrigation to maintain water content in soil from 60% to 100% of field water capacity. Irrigation consistently affected grain yield across the years, but not the composition traits. Higher density did not affect grain traits except for water content, protein and oil concentration in 2002. Averaged across ten hybrids and two irrigations levels in 2002, higher density decreased protein concentration from 8.92% to 8.76%, and oil concentration from 3.71% to 3.65%.

Maize is one of the most important crops in Croatia, especially for the Panonian part - Slavonia and Baranja region, which is producing, in average, 30% of total maize production in the country (Kovacevic and Josipovic, 1998). The practice is mainly conventional, based on standard soil tillage including ploughing as primary tillage operation, which is the most expensive, slow, with high demands for fuel and labour. Also, it can be ecologically unfavourable and non- sustainable. Meanwhile, in the latest twenty years the knowledge about soil tillage in Croatia and its vicinity (Birkas and Gyuricza, 2000) has been changed, as in many countries in the world, toward simplification, reduced, rational tillage, which was the subject of research by Croatian authors, for instance Zugec (1984), Culjat and Tabakovic (1991) and Jug et al. (2006). Diskharrowing or chiselling, as a primary tillage operation, was not researched thoroughly enough, especially in the light of other reduced tillage systems, such as no-till, where equipment price of special no- till planters and heavier tractors can be limit for average farmers, especially in the changing climate conditions, as emphasised by Dobo et al. (2006). The scope of this paper was to optimise soil tillage for maize in longer period of time.

One of the new strategies is rational production and use of leguminous plants. Recently, precisely for stated reasons, less known plant species that have ability of symbiotic relationship with rhizobium bacteria have been included in numerous and extensive research around the world (Italy, France, Germany, Norway, USA, Japan, Latvia). One of them is Galega orientalis Lam., new perennial (7-10 years) fodder leguminous plant that lives in effective symbiosis with Rhizobium galegae, recently described strain of nodule bacteria.

The aim of this research was to determine the influence of NanofeedR on microorganism activity in faeces and litter, and therefrom on biogas production. Fresh chicken manure was used for the research, with dry matter (DM) concentration reduced to 15%. Anaerobic fermentation process proceeded discontinuously in mesophyllic conditions (40oC) with retention lasting 60 days. Experiment was set up in two groups, Control and Experimental group, with three repetitions. Experimental group represents fresh manure of laying hens that received 1% NanofeedR, preparation which contains tribomechanically activated zeolite clinoptilolite used as antioxidative supplement for feed.Positive effect of zeolite on feeding of domestic animals was confirmed. Nanofeed® ; ; ; is a preparation which contains tribomechanically activated zeolite clinoptilolite which is used as an antioxidative supplement for feed. Added preparation Nanofeed® ; ; ; did not have influence on quantity and quality of biogas. Because of proved positive effect on egg freshness, it can be recommended to farmers who own plant for biogas production or plan to produce it. Utilization of chicken manure for energy production makes possible to make extra profit, reduce environment pollution and increase employment.

Data from three locations were used for this research: Kalnik, Krizevci and Koprivnica. Area of Kalnik is presented with 400 m deep water well (L1) without any influence of agriculture or urbanisation on nitrate concentration in exhausted water. Water samples from this location were used as a control for comparison of nitrate concentration in water from other 2 locations. Water samples from 2 wells in suburb of Krizevci (L3 i L4) represent an area with possible influence of agriculture. Area of Koprivnica is presented with 3 wells that are located mainly in area of intensive agricultural production (L2, L5 and L6). Water wells from location Krizevci and Koprivnica are shallow (10 – 50 m). Ground water samples were collected weekly on described locations (L1-L6) in the period from April 1st 2005 to April 1st 2006. The findings confirm that nitrate concentrations in water samples from wells in 3 different locations in Northwest Croatia are significantly different. The highest average nitrate concentration of 28.7 mg L-1 NO3- is related to location Koprivnica, which is the area of intensive agricultural production. At location Krizevci wells are located at suburban area and average nitrate concentration is 26.5 mg L-1 NO3-. Compared to this two values significantly lower average concentration of 4.6 mg L-1 NO3- is determined at location Kalnik in water samples without any influence of agriculture and urbanisation.

Red clover is a perennial legume, productive for 2 to 3 years. Maximum yields and the highest quality are realised in the second year of its life if the first cutting is done in early flowering (20%) and further cuttings about 45 days after the previous cut. Red clover is a highly adaptable species to various climatic conditions and soil types and therefore grows widely in numerous regions of the world. The field experiment with increased rates of P fertilization was conducted on Brinje soil of moderate fertility at beginning of May 2001. Four rates of P were applied in form of mono ammonium phosphate (MAP: 12% N + 52% P2O5) as follows (kg P2O5 ha-1): a) control, b) a + 500, c) a + 1000, d) a + 1500 and f) a + 2000. The standard fertilization included NPK 10:30:20 (416 kg ha-1) and urea (46% N) 200 kg ha-1 (total kg ha-1: 134 N + 125 P2O5 + 83 K2O). The field experiment was conducted in four replicates (experimental plot of fertilization = 64.26 m2) Maize was grown on the experimental plot for the 2001 growing season and red clover for the 2004-2006 period. The experiment was conducted by randomized block design. The statistical analysis were made according to Mead (1996) as two-factorial experiment (A = cutting ; B = phosphorus fertilization). Results indicated that red clover has potential to realise high hay yields at acid, poor and wet soils of mountain regions of the Republic of Croatia. Phosphorus fertilization had a positive effect on hay yield only when rate of P was high. It had no effects on content of macro and microelements in plant.

This study was aimed to evaluate level and stability of grain yield and grain quality as well as adaptability of exotic and domestic soybean cultivars, and identify the most favorable parental combinations as basis for realizing further genetic improvement of soybean. The research was conducted at the experimental field of the Agricultural Institute Osijek (Croatia) over 4-years period and consisted od 30 soybean cultivars: 15 cultivars originated from the soybean breeding program at the Institute Osijek (OS-cultivars) and 15 cultivars originated from the soybean breeding program at the University of Guelph (Canada) (CA-cultivars). OS-cultivars and CA-cultivars with high agronomic performance in grain yield, protein and oil content are identified as the most favorable parents to be used in hybridization for development new, genetically more diverse cultivars, improved in level and stability of quantity and quality of grain, as well as broad adaptability. Also, these results will be enable strategic incorporation of diversity from exotic Canadian germplasm into the domestic Croatian germplasm to develop new better cultivars. Genetic advance in quantity and quality of soybean grain considerably will contribute both further improving and increasing of soybean production, as well as production of safe product high nutritive and functional value for consumers, as well. Hence, genetic improvement of cultivars, based on conventional breeding strategies, could be characterized as an integral part of sustainable food chain.