Browsing by Author "Szpunar-Krok, Ewa"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Conservation Agricultural Practices for Improving Crop Production and Quality
    (MDPI, 2025) Staniak, Mariola; Szpunar-Krok, Ewa
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Polysaccharides as Edible Films and Coatings: Characteristics and Influence on Fruit and Vegetable Quality—A Review
    (MDPI, 2021) Kocira, Anna; Kozłowicz, Katarzyna; Panasiewicz, Katarzyna; Staniak, Mariola; Szpunar-Krok, Ewa; Hortyńska, Paulina
    There has been a significant increase in the development of edible films and coatings in recent times, and this is expected to have a significant impact on the quality of fruit and vegetables in the coming years. Consumers expect fresh fruit and vegetables free from pesticide residues, with high quality, nutritional value and an extended shelf life. The application of coatings and edible films to fruits and vegetables represents an environmentally friendly approach to an innovative solution to this problem. Coatings and edible films can act as ecological and biodegradable packaging. The coating strategy involves a combination of natural biopolymers and appropriate preservation methods. The article presents the applicability, trends and perspectives of polysaccharide coatings and edible films and their impact on the quality of fruit and vegetables, providing an understanding of their main functions and benefits. Numerous studies show that natural polysaccharides are well suited for use as packaging material for fresh fruit and vegetables and can often be an important alternative to synthetic compounds. Natural polymer materials are a good barrier to oxygen and carbon dioxide; however, they are characterised by excessive solubility in the water environment, water vapour permeability and low extensibility. The properties of edible coatings can be modified by the addition of plasticisers, surfactants, cross-linkers, antimicrobial agents, functional additives, nanosilver particles or fruit and vegetable residues. The use of an electric field is also a promising technology here. The use of polysaccharides for the preparation of edible films and coatings is justified not only by the possibility of reducing the consumption of packaging made of synthetic polymer materials but also by the fact that the production of some natural polymers can be made using waste products generated during the processing of food raw materials.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Responses of Soybean to Selected Abiotic Stresses—Photoperiod, Temperature and Water
    (MDPI, 2023) Staniak, Mariola; Szpunar-Krok, Ewa; Kocira, Anna
    The sharp increase in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) acreage in the late 20th century and early 21st century is due to the demand for edible oil and feed protein. However, a limiting factor in the extent of soybean cultivation is its high heat requirements and response to photoperiod. Most varieties are short-day plants and are generally the best-yielding genotypes. At higher latitudes (longer day length), there is a delay in the occurrence of subsequent developmental stages and problems with plant maturation before the onset of autumn frost. Global warming allows the cultivation range of warm-season species (including soya) to be shifted; however, periodic droughts and very high temperatures limit crop production. Adverse weather events result in a reduction in soybean seed yield of around 30%. Environmental stresses related to day length, high and low temperatures and water shortage or excess have the greatest impact on soybean yields, as we have no influence on them and can only, to a very limited extent, offset their negative effects. This paper reviews the recent world literature on how soybean responds to these stress factors. The results of our own research were also used.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Shaping Soil Properties and Yield of Cereals Using Cover Crops under Conservation Soil Tillage
    (MDPI, 2024) Wilczewski, Edward; Jug, Irena; Szpunar-Krok, Ewa; Staniak, Mariola; Jug, Danijel
    The aim of this review was to collect current results on the effect of different plants grown as winter and summer cover crops (CC) on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil and on the yield of cereal crops grown in a site with CC, using conservation soil tillage. The analyzed studies indicate that CC usually have a positive impact on the physical and biological properties of the soil. Regardless of the plant species used as CC, we can expect an increase in the number of soil microorganisms and an improvement in the activity of soil enzymes. This effect is particularly beneficial in the case of reduced tillage systems. Mixing CC biomass with the topsoil loosens compacted soils and, in the case of light, sandy soils, increasing the capacity of the sorption complex. The size and composition of CC biomass and weather conditions during the vegetation period and during the covering of the soil with plant biomass are of great importance for improving the chemical properties of the soil. A beneficial effect of CC, especially legumes, on the content of the mineral nitrogen in the topsoil is usually observed. Sometimes, an increase in the content of available forms of potassium (K) and/or phosphorus (P) is also achieved. The effect of CC on the content of soil organic carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), or soil pH is less common. CC used in reduced tillage systems can significantly improve the yield and quality of cereal grain, especially when legumes are used as CC in low-fertility soil conditions and at low fertilization levels. However, non-legumes can also play a very positive role in shaping soil properties and improving cereal yield.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    The content of protein and macroelements in mixtures of Galega orientalis Lam. and Dactylis glomerata L., under of differentiated calcium-magnesium fertilization
    (Instytut Uprawy Nawożenia i Gleboznawstwa – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy w Puławach, 2001) Szpunar-Krok, Ewa; Bobrecka-Jamro, Dorota
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    The content of protein and macroelements in mixtures of Galega orientalis Lam. and Dactylis glomerata L., under of differentiated calcium-magnesium fertilization
    (Instytut Uprawy Nawożenia i Gleboznawstwa – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy w Puławach, 2001) Szpunar-Krok, Ewa; Bobrecka-Jamro, Dorota
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    The function of macronutrients in helping soybeans to overcome the negative effects of drought stress
    (MDPI, 2024) Staniak, Mariola; Szpunar-Krok, Ewa; Wilczewski, Edward; Kocira, Anna; Podleśny, Janusz
    Nutrient deficiencies are a major cause of yield loss under abiotic stress conditions, so proper nutrient management can reduce the negative effects of stress to some extent. Nutrients can alleviate stress by activating resistance genes, enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity, creating osmoprotectants in cells, reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) activity, increasing cell membrane stability, synthesizing proteins associated with stress tolerance, and increasing chlorophyll content in leaves. The current review highlights changes in soybean metabolic activity caused by drought stress and changes in vital functions caused by the deficiency of primary (N, K, P) and secondary macronutrients (Ca, Mg, S). The role of macronutrients in reducing the adverse effects of water deficit stress is highlighted. Under stressed conditions, appropriate nutrient management options can be implemented to minimize the effects of drought and ensure good yields. Balanced nutrient fertilization helps activate various plant mechanisms to mitigate the effects of abiotic stresses and improve soybean drought resistance/tolerance. Nutrient management is therefore a viable technique for reducing environmental stress and increasing crop productivity.