Scientific publications

@article{nokey,

title = {Impact of Soil-Applied Humic Ameliorative Amendment on the Ligno-Cellulose Quality and Calorific Value of Switchgrass Panicum virgatum L.},

author = {Štefan Tóth and Božena Šoltysová and Štefan Dupľák and Pavol Porvaz},

doi = {10.3390/agronomy13071854},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-07-13},

urldate = {2023-07-13},

journal = {Agronomy},

volume = {13},

issue = {7},

pages = {1854},

abstract = {The main objective of the paper was to determine the ligno-cellulose quality and calorific value of switchgrass Panicum virgatum L. The impact of nutrition treatments (pre-sowing soil humic amendment HA and/or NPK, with annual dose of N on both the treatments, and untreated control UC) and years were evaluated as main effects within a pilot experiment with seven cultivars tested during 2018–2022. Two data sets of acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), crude cellulose (CE), hemicellulose (HEM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and high heating value (HHV) were evaluated, the primary one in terms of quality content and the secondary one in terms of quality yield. The average ADF content of the switchgrass was 43.94% (range 30.15–50.91), while the average contents of ADL, CE, HEM, NDF, and HHV were 9.21% (6.02–12.41), 34.73% (17.98–40.08), 30.49% (21.34–38.41), 74.43% (59.20–81.15%), and 17.206 kJ g−1 (16.579–17.799), respectively. An adequate value of ADF yield was 4.17 Mg ha−1 (0.01–29.31), while for ADL, CE, HEM, NDF and HHV this was 0.79 Mg ha−1 (0.00–5.39), 3.37 Mg ha−1 (0.01–23.92), 2.79 Mg ha−1 (0.01–17.66), 6.96 Mg ha−1 (0.01–46.93), and 1.466 hGJ ha−1 (0.003–10.603), respectively. In terms of the both quality sets the cultivar was confirmed to be the most important factor followed by the year, with nutrition having the least impact. This impact order of the main effects was valid for each of the parameters. Moreover, in terms of quality yield the formation of homogeneity groups corresponded with dry matter yield and therefore with the order of cultivars (EG 1101 ˃ BO Master ˃ EG 1102 ˃ Kanlow ˃ Alamo ˃ Carthage ˃ NJ Ecotype), the years (2021 ˃ 2020 ˃ 2022 ˃ 2019 ˃ 2018), and the treatments (HA ˃ NPK ˃ UC).},

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pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{nokey,

title = {Effect of a Soil-Applied Humic Ameliorative Amendment on the Yield Potential of Switchgrass Panicum virgatum L. Cultivated under Central European Continental Climate Conditions},

author = {Štefan Tóth and Štefan Dupľák},

doi = {10.3390/agronomy13041095},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-04-11},

urldate = {2023-04-11},

journal = {Agronomy},

volume = {13},

issue = {4},

abstract = {The yield potential of switchgrass was verified by testing seven cultivars in a small-scale experiment carried out from 2018 to 2022 on Gleyic Fluvisol under Central European conditions. The treatments are as follows: pre-sowing (i/HA) soil humic preparation Humac AGRO (based on leonardite) with an ameliorative dose of 1000.0 kg ha−1 or (ii/NPK) basic nutrition with a dose of 220.0 kg ha−1 NPK; an annual dose of 70 kg ha−1 N was applied to both treatments (HA, NPK) and compared to (iii/UC) untreated control. A dry matter (DM) yield of 9.02 t ha−1 was achieved in the total average, which varied from 0.05 t ha−1 to 60.64 t ha−1. The yield was affected mainly by years (F-ratio 106.64), then by nutrition (F-ratio 79.03), followed by cultivars (F-ratio 56.87), and finally by replications (F-ratio 0.00). Switchgrass productivity increased according to the utility year; however, the driest year (2020—388 mm, 2021—372 mm, and 2022—288 mm) changed the order of the three full utility years (12.44, 19.13, and 7.73 t ha−1 DM, respectively). HA gives the highest DM yield of 13.69 t ha−1 on average with values of 9.19 and 4.19 for NPK and UC, respectively. The cultivars order was EG 1101 ˃ BO Master ˃ EG 1102 ˃ Kanlow ˃ Alamo ˃ Carthage ˃ NJ Ecotype (21.15, 12.48, 8.14, 7.70, 6.34, 4.47, and 2.89 t ha−1 DM when ranking average yield or 60.64, 45.20, 29.92, 29.15, 17.87, 9.86, and 5.93 t ha−1 DM when ranking maximal yields).},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{nokey,

title = {Soil Reaction and Sugar Beet (Influence of Soil Liming and Rapid Effectiveness of Composite Humino-Calcium Soil Preparations on Soil pH Change)},

author = {Štefan Tóth and Božena Šoltysová and Pavol Porvaz},

issn = {1805-9708},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

urldate = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Listy cukrovarnické a řepařské},

number = {139},

abstract = {The presented work focuses on summarizing the effect of soil

reaction on sugar beet stands, including the principles of soil liming,

and also on summarizing the effectiveness of composite humiccalcined

soil preparations on soil pH change.

The efficacy of the composite preparations was tested in a polyfactorial

ex-situ experiment, based on four soil types and using a remote

range with dose variability. Three soil preparations were tested, of

which 2 humic-calcium and 1 soil conditioner based on humic acids.

The calcium component of the composite preparations consists of

chalk, the natural equivalent of limestone characterized by a high

degree of purity and a calcium carbonate content of up to 90%.

Humic acids, a natural stimulator of soil fertility, are an additive

mixed in an amount of 10% or 30%. The results of the experiment,

which lasted 30 days under standard conditions, confirm the high

effectiveness of those preparations in changing the soil pH.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{nokey,

title = {The influence of mineral nutrition and humic acids on the intensity of photosynthesis, as well as the yield and quality of seeds, roots, and aboveground phytomass of milk thistle Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. in marginal growing conditions},

author = {Štefan Tóth and Gejza Szanyi and Peter Vančo and Ján Schubert and Pavol Porvaz and Peter Bujňák and Božena Šoltysová and Igor Danielovič},

doi = {10.2478/afpuc-2022-0003},

issn = {2453-6725},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-06-24},

urldate = {2022-06-24},

journal = {European Pharmaceutical Journal},

volume = {69},

number = {1},

pages = {27 - 36},

abstract = {Milk thistle Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. is one of the most researched medicinal plants, but at the same time it belongs to crops with wide industry potential whose growth requirements for marginal agroecological conditions or the response to agronomic interventions has not yet been sufficiently studied. The aim of the present research was to verify the effect of mineral nutrition (NPK 200 kg/ha) and humic acids applied to the soil (HUMAC Agro 250 kg/ha) on the main biometric parameters and the intensity of photosynthesis of milk thistle grown under less favourable climatic conditions of the semi-cold and humid foothills in Central Europe. The highest seed yield was achieved with the NPK variant in terms of dry matter 0.534 t/ha, in the HUMAC Agro variant 0.254 t/ha and with the untreated control 0.087 t/ha. The soil before the trial establishment was characterised by low nutrient content. The use of mineral fertiliser on NPK treatment eliminated the influence of low PK nutrients content of the soil, influencing the crop growth and yield/quality, while no doses of NPK were used on the HUMAC Agro variant and the untreated control. For both of the two sequences created (temperature and light), the highest photosynthesis rate was measured on untreated control (20.115 and 12.386 mmol/m2/s1), markedly lower on HUMAC Agro (16.386 and 9.653 mmol/m2/s1) – and the lowest on the NPK (10.933 and 7.813 mmol/m2/s1, respectively), in inverse proportion to the crop yield. Therefore, the size of the leaf area of the crop was decisive for the increased crop yield. The polynomial trend line of the photosynthesis rate according to the temperature sequence shows the photosynthesis rate and the torrential decrease by temperature increasing on untreated control compared with both treated variants. Both of these threats, mineral nutrition and use of humic preparations to soil, although they reduce the photosynthesis rate, have a wide range of complex effects that provide an opportunity to optimise the growth and yield of milk thistle. Ideally, the mineral nutrition and humic preparations should be used in combination with the crop of milk thistle for medicinal and energy purposes.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{nokey,

title = {Wpływ Humacu Agro na plon, zawartość cukru  w burakach cukrowych i właściwości gleby  w warunkach zrównoważonego systemu rozwoju rolnictwa},

author = {Štefan Tóth and Wojciech Rysak and Barbara Symanowicz and Božena Šoltysová and Jaroslav Karahuta},

doi = {10.24326/as.2016.1.7},

year  = {2016},

date = {2016-04-01},

journal = {Agronomy Science},

volume = {71},

issue = {1},

pages = {77-86},

abstract = {W pracy przedstawiono wyniki badań bezpośredniego wpływu Humacu Agro na plon, zawartość cukru w burakach cukrowych i wybrane właściwości gleby w warunkach klimatyczno-glebowych południowo-wschodniej Polski. Humac Agro zastosowano wczesną wiosną. W badaniach uwzględniono trzy warianty: obiekt kontrolny (V1), 250 kg×ha-1 Humac Agro (V2) i 500 kg×ha-1 Humac Agro (V3). Nawożenie azotem w dawce 60,3 kg×ha-1 stosowano na obiekcie V3, a 94,8 kg×ha-1 na obiekcie V1 i V2. Dawki nawozów PKS stosowano takie same dla wszystkich wariantów nawozowych. Największy plon buraków cukrowych (95,97 Mg×ha-1) uzyskano z wariantu V3. Humac Agro w dawce 500 kg×ha-1 wpłynął na zwiększenie plonu cukru o 29,6% w odniesieniu do obiektu kontrolnego. Zwiększyła się również zawartość próchnicy w glebie, pH gleby i zawartość przyswajalnych form P, K, Mg, B, Mn, Cu, Zn i Fe.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{nokey,

title = {Effect of soil coditioner based on humic acids HUMAC Agro on soil and yield and sugar content of sugar beet in context of selected indicators of agriculture system sustainability},

author = {Štefan Tóth and Wojciech Rysak and Božena Šoltysová and Jaroslav Karahuta},

issn = {1805-9708},

year  = {2015},

date = {2015-09-01},

journal = {Listy cukrovarnické a řepařské},

number = {131},

abstract = {This work evaluates the results of direct effect of HUMAC Agro on

yield and sugar content of sugar beet as well as on selected soil

properties in a field trial established in soil-climatic conditions of

south Poland in 2013 (vegetation season: average air temperature

16.0 o

C, total precipitations 261 mm). Soil conditioner HUMAC

Agro was applied to middle heavy pseudopodzolic soil in early

spring of 2013 in two dosages: 500 kg ha–1 in case of Variant 1 (V1)

and 250 kg ha–1 in case of Variant 2 (V2); it was not applied in

case of Variant 3 (V3). Nitrogen fertilization according to Variants:

60.3 kg ha–1 N for V1, 94.8 kg ha–1 N for both V2 and V3. Doses of

phosphorus, potassium and sulphur were the same for all Variants.

V1 achieved the highest sugar beet yield 95.97 t ha–1 with sugar

content 18.12 % which meant the highest sugar yield 17.39 t ha–1

(+29.6 % more than control treatment). V2 achieved sugar beet

yield 86.39 t ha–1 with the lowest sugar content 17.65 % and sugar

yield 15.25 t ha–1 (+13.6 % more than control treatment). The

control treatment achieved the lowest sugar beet yield 72.81 t ha–1

with the highest sugar content 18.43 % and the lowest sugar yield

13.42 t ha–1. Soil conditioner HUMAC Agro also influenced soil

properties. After the application of 500 kg ha–1 HUMAC Agro the

humus content in soil and its pH increased (due to buffering effect)

as well as contents of the available forms of all observed nutrients

(P, K, Mg, B, Mn, Cu, Zn and Fe) in spite of higher sugar beet yield

and thus higher nutrient uptake compared to the control treatment.

The mentioned soil properties increase applied also when compared to the state in the beginning. The higher humus content may

be caused by the increased yields (besides the conditioner humic

acids input), due to higher formation of root mass, which remains

in the soil after harvesting the crop. Conversely, higher content

of available forms of solved nutrients in the soil usually correlates

with their lower consumption and lower harvest. Higher nutrient

uptake by higher yields and higher soil nutrients content at the

same time is a desirable effect of soil conditioners that prevent

leaching of mobile nutrients and increase the accessibility of

nutrients from their unavailable forms in the soil. The mentioned

desirable effect is not obvious in any soil and climatic conditions,

so it is therefore necessary to quantify the effect of soil conditioners on the soil properties by laboratory analyses especially to

prevent a decline in nutrients due to increased yields. The values

of monitored soil parameters for the control variant compared

to their initial state showed decrease with the exception of Mn

and Fe contents.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}