This paper presents the results of a study which was aimed at determining the concentration of Fusarium fungi and their mycotoxins in fresh bee pollen, stored for different periods. The analysed parameters included palynological analysis, moisture content, fungal counts, identification and toxigenic profiles. In this study, 45 bee pollen samples collected from the same apiary families were investigated. Palynological analysis determined six plant families, among which Brassicaceae prevailed. The number of detected isolates in the bee pollen during the study period ranged from 3.5 × 10³ to 9.1 × 10⁴ cfu g⁻¹. During the study, the most prevalent fungal genera of Alternaria, Cladosporium and Yeasts were found in fresh bee pollen. The significantly highest amounts of fungal colonies were determined after 3 days of storage of undried pollen. Fusarium fungal genera were detected in 46% of all studied samples, with levels ranging from 10¹ cfu g⁻¹. After 3 days of storage, the most significant Fusarium spp. increase (17.03%) was detected. F. graminearum and F. sporotrichioides prevailed during the whole period of the study. The highest concentrations of mycotoxins ZEN (280 µg kg⁻¹) and DON (120 µg kg⁻¹) were found after 3 days of pollen storage. The results of the present study report the importance of microbiological and mycotoxicological analyses in monitoring bee pollen from the initial stages of its production process.

The aim of the present study was to determine the concentration of microscopic fungi and selected mycotoxins in fresh bee pollen, stored for different periods. In the study, 12 pollen samples collected from the same apiary families were investigated. The total count of microorganisms in the pollen during the study period varied from 2.9×103 to 4.4×103 cfu g-1. The moisture content of fresh pollen varied between 14.2 and 22.7%. During studies, the most prevalent fungal genera of Fusarium, Penicillium, Alternaria, Mucor and yeast were found in fresh bee pollen. The amounts of microscopic fungi increased from 2.9×103 to 4.4×103 cfu g-1 as the pollen storage time increased. The significantly higest amounts of fungal colonies was determined after 3 days storage of undried pollen. The most significant Fusarium spp. increase (14.9%) was determined after 2 days of storage. The highest levels of mycotoxins ZEN and DON were determined after 3 days of pollen storage. Fresh bee pollen chould be dried as quickly as possible, to reduce the levels of microbial contamination.

One of the problems with storing bee products – pollen – is their microbiological pollution. With high levels of pollen contamination by microscopic fungi, toxins synthesized by the fungi of some genera can have a negative impact on human health. During the experiment, the prevalence of microscopic fungi in pollen was evaluated, and their genera and species were identified. Pollen samples were collected at different times of the year – spring and summer – in order to ascertain the abundance and diversity of different fungal genera and species. The dilution method (CFU/g) was used to determine the number of fungal strains per sample and their amount. The total number of fungal strains in the pollen collected in spring ranged from 1.3 to 5.7 × 10–3 CFU/g, in summer –1.0 to 5.8 × 10–3 CFU/g. In the pollen, 11 genera and six species of fungi were identified. The number of fungal genera and species in pollen collected in spring and summer varied insignificantly. In spring, ten genera and six species of fungi were isolated from pollen, and in summer 11 genera and six species were identified. Penicillium and Alternaria fungi dominated the bee pollen.

Fungi are associated with the European cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos L.) and play important roles in plant growth and disease control, especially in cranberry yields. This article presents the results of a study which was aimed to investigate the diversity of fungi found on different clones and cultivars of the European cranberry grown in Lithuania, causing twigs, leaf diseases and fruit rots. In this study seventeen clones and five cultivars of V. oxycoccos were selected for investigation. Fungi were isolated via the incubation of twigs, leaves and fruit on a PDA medium and identified according to their cultural and morphological characteristics. Microscopic fungi belonging to 14 genera were isolated from cranberry leaves and twigs, with Physalospora vaccinii, Fusarium spp., Mycosphaerella nigromaculans and Monilinia oxycocci being the most frequently isolated fungi. ‘Vaiva’ and ‘Žuvinta’ cultivars were the most susceptible to pathogenic fungi during the growing season. Among the clones, 95–A–07 was the most susceptible to Phys. vaccinii, 95–A–08 to M. nigromaculans, 99–Ž–05 to Fusarium spp. and 95–A–03 to M. oxycocci. Microscopic fungi belonging to 12 genera were isolated from cranberry berries. The most prevalent pathogenic fungi M. oxycocci were isolated from the berries of the cultivars ‘Vaiva’ and ‘Žuvinta’ and clones 95–A–03 and 96–K–05.

The study was aimed to examine the effect of the bioproducts Biokal 01 and Fitokondi on the germination of organically grown winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar ‘Širvinta 1’ seed and its contamination with microscopic fungi as well as the impact on the occurrence of foliar diseases, plant bio­metric indicators and grain quality. Laboratory analyses showed that the tested bioproducts did not exert any significant effect on seed vigour and germination. Fitokondi gave the highest efficacy against pathogens of seeds, its biological efficacy against Fusarium and Alternaria spp. fungi was 50.0% and against Penicillium spp. it was 20.0%. Biokal 01 statistically significantly reduced only grain contamination with Mucor spp. and Aspergillus spp. The bioproducts significantly decreased the incidence of crown rot diseases in the coleoptiles of wheat seedlings and roots. In the field conditions, the bioproducts did not have any significant effect on the incidence of Septoria leaf blotch (Mycosphaerella graminicola (Fuckel) J. Schröt. anamorph Zymoseptoria tritici (Desm.) Quaedvlieg & Crous) and tan spot (Helminthosporium tritici-repentis Died.). A significant increase in plant height and ear length, grain number per ear and 1000 grain weight was recorded. Grain yield increased by 0.66–0.79 t ha–1 or 18.64–22.32%, as well as protein, wet gluten and dry gluten content in response to both bioproducts.

Mokomoji knyga skirta apžvelgti integruotos augalų apsaugos metodus. Knyga susideda iš dviejų dalių. Pirmoje knygos dalyje aptariami pagrindiniai augalų apsaugos metodai. Informacija apie juos padės racionaliau parinkti ir pritaikyti juos praktikoje. Antroje dalyje pateiktos žinios apie cheminę kenksmingų organizmų kontrolę: pesticidus, jų veikimo mechanizmus augaluose, apie jų teigiamas savybes ir neigiamus padarinius. Nemažai dėmesio skirta ir biologiniam augalų apsaugos metodui. Knyga skirta agronomijos specialybių studentams, augalų apsaugos specialistams, ūkininkams ir visiems kas domisi augalų apsaugos mokslu.