Following the Directive 2009/128/EC in Slovenia it is necessary to conceive a plan for the reduction of risks and impact of the use of plant protection products (PPP) on the human health and on the environment. The use of PPP in Slovenia was analyzed and compared with the use of PPP in selected European countries. The evaluation of the situation in agricultural production included as far as the species, extent and production type are concerned some field crops, vegetable plants, fruit plants, grapevine and hop. The officially presented use of PPP per hectare in Slovenia does not reflect the actual situation concerning the distribution of the use of PPP per hectare of agricultural areas. Slovenia has in comparison with other EU countries worse production conditions reflected in the fragmentation of arable land, configuration of ground, climate conditions which together with the greater share of permanent plantations in the structure of land properties are reflected in the more intensive use of PPP. For a balanced presentation of pollution with PPP and/or a.i. per hectare we introduced a normalized index of the use of PPP by which the use of PPP in permanent plantation and fields was brought to a common denominator. We defined goals and directions referring to the reduction of risk due to the use of PPP, improvement of surveillance over the use of PPP, replacement of dangerous a.i. PPP with the less dangerous ones, promotion of farming with reduced use of PPP or without their use; development of proper indexes of monitoring of measures required for the reduction of risk. We determined certain indexes for the monitoring of the following goals: the volume of the use of PPP, frequency of the use of PPP and load index. We also defined options for the reduction of risk due to the use of PPP. In order to be able to monitor the risk due to the use of PPP undisturbed we would suggest the introduction of reference farms and experimental-demonstrational centres, undisturbed functioning of the public observation-prognostic service, performance of target-oriented information campaigns led by expert organizations, increase of share of devices which allow lesser drift of PPP, training of the users of PPP, etc. According to our mind great attention should be paid to the establishment of safety zones along the environmentally sensitive areas, crop rotation, mechanical weed control, production of plant varieties resistant or tolerant to harmful organisms, anti-resistant strategy, performance of hygienic measures, etc. We defined possibilities and conditions required for the reaching of goals set which are based on knowledge, research, development and optimization of technological processes (crop rotation, variety selection, choice of proper locations of plantations, training forms, plant nutrition, soil cultivation, mechanical control of harmful organisms, devices for the application of PPP, alternative types of plant protection, biotic protection of plants, anti-resistant strategy, etc.), marketing of products and incentives for the building of energetically efficient infrastructure. Taking into consideration all the possibilities and conditions enumerated above the total use of PPP in Slovenia could be reduced by 10-15 % over the next 10 years.
F.13 Development of new production methods and tools or processes
COBISS.SI-ID: 261451520In the thesis research on plant traits of the invasive common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) was conducted in order to explain its invasion succes across Europe and other regions. Determination of plant traits such as leaf, stem, root dry matter, leaf area, relative growth rate, seed production were determined at various resource availabiliity and various intra- and inter specific competition intensity with Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.). Common ragweed displayed poor competitiveness when there was a high resource availability but under stress (drought, nutrient stress) its development was barely affected by moderate interspecific competition and common ragweed produced considerable amount of seeds. The intensty of competition increased with increasing resource availability and was strongest in the early vegetative growth stages. Addition of nitrogen increased dry matter allocation to upper stratum of the ragweed plants in increased its competitiveness for light, whereas root dry matter production remain unaffected. Root to shoot ratio increased with increasing intraspecific competition and stronger aboveground intensity of competition was determined. Nitrogen use efficiency increased with increasing nitrogen supply. Water use efficiency displayed fare more plastic response compared to nitrogen use effciency. We proved that there is a trade-off between underlying components of nitrogen use efficieny, nitrogen productivity and mean residence time of nitrogen. Common ragweed displayed different strategies for nitrogen use efficiency in response to nitrogen availability, which is a adaptive strategy of plants with a wide ecological tolerance.
D.09 Tutoring for postgraduate students
COBISS.SI-ID: 7191673