Tillage and crop management effects on soil erosion in central Croatia

Soil erosion continues to be a primary cause for soil degradation and the loss of soil quality throughout the world. Our objectives were to quantify soil erosion (referred to as erosional drift) and to assign erosion risk to six tillage and crop management treatments evaluated from 1995 to 1999 for a 5-year maize (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine hyspida L.), winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), oil-seed rape (Brassica napus var. oleifera L.), and spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) plus double-crop soybean rotation on Stagnic Luvisols in central Croatia. Standard black fallow (tilled, unsown, and without any vegetative cover) Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) plots were used to establish the erosion potential associated with the rainfall pattern for each year. Soil loss from the check plots was several times greater than the T value, which is estimated to be 10 t ha⁻¹ per year. During the 2 years when spring seeded maize or soybean were grown (1995 and 1996) erosion risk was extremely high, especially for treatments where tillage and planting (row direction) were up and down the slope. When autumn seeded winter wheat or oil-seed rape were grown (1996/1997 or 1997/1998), soil erosion was insignificant. Also, except when plowing and sowing were up and down slope, erosion loss for the spring barley plus double-crop soybean crops in 1999 was insignificant. With no-tillage, soil erosion from the maize and soybean crops was reduced 40 and 65% compared to plowing up and down slope, even though the planting direction was still up and down the slope. With the exception of maize in 1995, erosion losses were moderate to insignificant when plowing and planting were performed across the slope. We conclude that erosion risk can be used as a reliable indicator of sustainable land management and that using no-tillage or plowing and planting perpendicular to the predominant slope are effective soil conservation practices for this region.     

Ethnobotanical knowledge of the Istro-Romanians of Zejane in Croatia

An ethno-pharmacognostic survey was carried out in one of the smallest ethnic and linguistic groups in Europe: the Istro-Romanians of the village of Zejane (in Croatia), which has a population of approximately 140 persons, mainly elderly. Using an intensive field participant observation methodology, we recorded about 60 remedies of the local folk pharmacopoeia, and mainly derived from plants. Among them, the uncommon traditions to use homemade vinegar from wild apple (Malus sylvestris) and Cornelian cherries (Cornus mas) for diverse medical purposes, and houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum) against ear pains have been briefly discussed.     

Detection and genetic characterization of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in pigs from Croatia

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) from the Circoviridae family has recently been associated with two serious diseases of swine, post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) and porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS). During 2002, several outbreaks of clinical disease in pigs with weights ranging from 10 to 70 kg occurred on four farms in different locations in Croatia. The signs were consistent with PMWS and PDNS. Apart from progressive weight loss, pneumonia and/or diarrhoea, multifocal erythematous skin lesions and dermal necrosis were also observed. The PCR results obtained from PCV2 specific oligonucleotide primers confirmed a PCV2 infection. In addition, archive samples that were classical swine fever virus positive and derived from domestic pigs during an outbreak in 1997 were included in this study and one out of the three isolates was found to be positive for PCV2. For a better epizootiological understanding, genetic typing of representative isolates was carried out and compared with available isolates reported in the GenBank databases.     

Influence of different factors on the costs and benefits of oral vaccination of foxes against rabies

The oral rabies vaccination (ORV) programme is the most widespread vaccination programme that is implemented in the European Union and targets wildlife diseases. The size of the project requires significant financial resources, so a cost–benefit analysis is necessary to establish the economic value of the project. We summarized all ORV costs during the period 2011–2016 in Croatia, calculated all established benefits and presented the cost–benefit ratio (CBR). Additionally, we analysed all components included in the ORV and rabies control programme (surveillance, preventive human treatment and vaccination of dogs) to find possibilities to increase the benefits. According to our results, in the period 2011–2016, the CBR was only 0.05, and the majority of the cost was derived from the preventive vaccination of dogs (72.3%). With the implementation of 2‐ or 3‐year vaccination intervals, the CBR can be increased to 1.46 or 1.92, respectively, confirming positive economic value. This study shows the importance of analysing all rabies control and eradication components based on the specific characteristics of a particular country to determine the factors that can be modified to potentially improve the benefits of ORV.     

Current Status and Possibilities for the Development of the Cattle Breeding in the Primorsko-Goranska County,Croatia

At the beginning of 2007 the milk producers from the Primorsko-Goranska County, Croatia were surveyed through the questionnaire in order to determine the current status and to highlight the obstacles and the possibilities of development and improvement of the modern cattle breeding in the observed county. The questionnaire spanned 2001-2006 period and all together 260 families were surveyed. The survey aimed to get as much as possible useful information＇s that would indicate the problems concerning the cattle breeding in this area, and based on these results to give certain guidelines for the improvement of current status. Older age of milk producers, significant number of family farms with small number of cattle and difficult implementation of selective measures due to the small number of cows that were included in milk recording were determined as the main obstacles for cattle breeding development in the surveyed county. It is emphasized that development of cattle breeding in this area should be based upon the increased number of family farms with larger herds. To achieve this it is necessary to retain existing cattle fund, and then gradually increase the number of cattle in the mentioned county through the import of breeding heifers of dairy and combined breeds from neighboring European countries with highly developed cattle breeding. Besides that, it is also necessary to create conditions for the production of organic （ecological） products, which represents the future of agriculture, livestock production, bearing in mind that demanding European market has recognized the value of organic agricultural products that were produced through environment friendly production, which Primorsko-Goranska County, due to its significant natural resources, could easily assure.     

Gender Relations in the Masculine Area of Farming： A Case Study of Croatian Farmwoman and Their Entrepreneurial Abilities

A case study of 350 farmwomen in Croatia was conducted to contribute the understudied area of farming and entrepreneurship. The study considered the sociodemographical features of farmwoman and its influence on entrepreneurial and organization skills. Field research was conducted through a questionnaire and interviews. Results showed that farmwoman were keen to start innovations, use new technologies and start new income generating farm activities but their gender roles and process of socialization hinders them in such attempts. High statistical correlations were significant for sociodemographic status to entrepreneurial abilities like farm work organization, actual professional status to involvement in decision making and farm economic status to farm economical position （income）.     

Runoff and soil loss under different tillage methods on Stagnic Luvisols in central Croatia

Owing to humid climate and unfavourable relief, the problem of extensive soil erosion in central Croatia is of prime importance. The main objective of this research was to determine how soil erosion is influenced by deep (30 cm) soil tillage practised for deep-rooted row crops in comparison with other tillage methods, on Stagnic Luvisols. Soil loss quantity was recorded during the 4-year investigation cycle (1994–1998), under common field crops grown under six tillage methods. Appreciably higher rates of soil erosion were recorded in low-density row spring crops than in high-density winter crops under the same tillage methods. The time immediately following the sowing of spring crops was the most critical period, i.e. the period when highest soil loss occurs. The results showed that erosion processes cannot be completely stopped; however, they can be reduced to an acceptable level by an appropriate tillage method. Efficient soil conservation on Stagnic Luvisols was achieved by no-tillage and all across the slope tillage methods.     

Phylogenetic comparison of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and porcine reproductive respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) strains detected in domestic pigs until 2008 and in 2012 in Croatia

Background

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) have been present for the last 2 decades in Croatia, causing large economical losses in the pig production. The clinical features of the infections are mostly manifested by the development of respiratory problems, weight loss and poor growth performance, as well as reproductive failure in pregnant sows. Even though the infections are continuously recognized in some regions in Croatia, the heterogeneity of the detected viral strains from 2012 has not yet been investigated. The objective of this study was to compare virus strains of PCV2 and PRRSV detected until 2008 in Croatia with strains isolated in 2012 to gain a better epidemiological understanding of these two infections.

Results

PCV2 and PRRSV strains detected in 2012 in fattening pigs from regions where these two diseases have been previously described were compared to strains that have been detected in the same regions within the past two decades. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the circulating PCV2 and PRRSV strains are distantly related to the previously described Croatian viral strains. However, when compared to known isolates from the GenBank a high genetic identity of PRRSV isolates with isolates from Hungary, Denmark and the Netherlands was found.

Conclusion

The results of this study reveal that even though PCV2 and PRRSV are constantly present in the investigated regions in Croatia, the viral strains found in 2012 genetically differ from those detected in earlier years. This indicates that new entries into the pig population appeared with regard to both infections, probably as a result of pig trade.