Water extractsfrom selected Geraniaceae plants, to which paraffin oil was added as adjuvant, were tested. It was observed that the plant extracts researched limited Colorado potato beetle feeding and development and adding adjuvant increased the effects. The highest antifeedant activity towards Colorado potato beetlesand their larvae wasobs erved in extractsobtained from Pelargonium × hortorum Bailey and Geranium pusillum L. The extract from Pelargonium × hortorum Bailey added to food showed a negative effect on the development of female reproductive organs and embryo development and showed the highest effectiveness in field conditions.

The aim of investigations was to understand the effect of herbicides application on soil environment and residues in sugar beet. Field experiments were carried out during 1997-2001 on arable field near Wroclaw. Herbicides to weed control in sugar beet were applied at recommended dose alone and in mixture with adjuvants. Samples of soil, leaves and roots of sugar beet were taken on the day of harvest. Additional, soil samples were taken six weeks (in autumn 2000) and five months (in spring 2001) after harvest. All samples were analysed (herbicide residues) using the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV-detection and gas liquid chromatography (GLC) with ECD. Residues of active ingredient of herbicides determined in roots and leaves of sugar beet did not exceed acceptable values included in EU standards and herbicides use in normal agricultural practice should not present problems for following crops. Moreover, the addition of adjuvants caused an increase of the herbicide active ingredient residue in soil, leaves and roots of sugar beet samples in comparison with the treatments, where herbicides alone were used.

Phosphorothioate CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) are reported to be recognized by the membrane-bound TLR9 and trigger the MyD88-dependent up-regulation of Type I interferons and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Whether plasmids containing multiple CpG motifs stimulate the same signaling pathway is yet to be determined. The present results show that the CpG motifs enrich plasmid pUC18-CpG stimulates RAW 264.7 in vitro, mainly through the TBK1-mediated signaling pathway, causing the up-regulation of IFN-β, and pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6. When pUC18-CpG is co-administered with the recombinant Echinococcus granulosus antigen, the antigen-specific antibody titers are markedly increased compared to the Quil-A adju- vanted group. Antigen specific cytokine quantification shows that cytokine profiles from the pUC18-CpG adjuvanted-group are switched to a Th1-biased immune response.

The influence of different nozzle types and adjuvants on the biological efficacy of fungicides in potato was investigated in four growing seasons in the years 1997-2000. The studied foliar plant disease was late blight (Phytophthora infestans). The biological efficacy of fungicides (alone or with adjuvants) applied with coarse air induction nozzles was comparable to fine standard flat fan nozzle. The differences between the nozzle types tested were small in control oflate blight in potato with systemic and contact fungicides. Coverage of upper side of leaf blades was from three to four times higher than lower side of leaf blades. In general, the highest coverage of upper and lower side of leaf was achieved when the full dosage rate of fungicide (copper oxychloride) was used with both the flat fan XR 110-03 and air induction DB 120-03 nozzle. Adding Atpolan 80 EC and Zero Piany 62 SL to 50% dosage rate of copper oxychloride decreased the spray coverage on lower side ofleaf as well as with both the XR 110-03 and DB 120-03 nozzles. However, addition of adjuvants to spray solution did not decrease the deposition on upper side of leaf blade. In general, adjuvants did not considerably influence the biological efficacy of the fungicide treatments sprayed with both the flat fan and the air induction nozzles but had favourable influence on potato yield.