Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of glyphosate (H1) and fluazifop- -P-butyl (H2) herbicides with adjuvants on the common reed without cutting and at two different cutting levels (10 and 30 cm). The adjuvants were urea, nitric acid and sulfonic acid. The relative importance value (RIV), leaf chlorophyll content and plant density were determined to assay the efficacy of herbicides. Glyphosate treatment only (H1a) was more effective than fluazifop-P-butyl (H2a) on reeds without cutting and at the 10 cm cutting level. However, no significant difference was observed between them at the 30 cm cutting level. A positive effect of plant cutting occurred on the efficacy of all herbicides applied alone or in a tank mix with adjuvants. Furthermore, the 10 cm cutting level was more effective in eradication of reeds than the 30 cm cutting level. The adjuvants significantly improved the efficacy of the recommended (Hb) and half recommended (Hc) herbicide rates in comparison to being used alone on uncut reeds. The reduction percentages were 94.5, 86.99, 76.61 and 69.94 for H1b, H1c, H2b and H2c treatments, respectively. However, the adjuvants did not improve the glyphosate effect at different levels of cutting. Conversely the reduction percentage of reeds was improved by the recommended rate of fluazifop-P-butyl with adjuvants (H2b) to 92.77% and 84.62% at 10 and 30 cm cutting levels, respectively.

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.

Biological efficacy of herbicides: propoxycarbazone-sodium (Attribut 70 WG) and sulfosulfuron (Apyros 75 WG) applied with adjuvants was estimated in the field, greenhouse and laboratory experiments. An addition of adjuvants to herbicides Attribut 70 WG and Apyros 75 WG had a positive influence on physical characteristics of tank mixture, herbicidal effect, and the increase of winter wheat grain yield. Ammonium nitrate used as an adjuvant showed the weakest effect. The lowest grain yield was obtained after using the preparations Attribut 70 WG and Apyros 75 WG without adjuvant. Th eoil adjuvants, Adbios 85 SL, A ero 030 SL, Atpolan 80 EC and Olbras 88 EC influenced in a similar manner the activity of tested herbicides. Obtained herbicidal effect, the amount of yield and elements of yield structure were differentiated after joint application of herbicides with adjuvants. The herbicides protected plantations of winter wheat against couch grass (Agropyron repens) during the whole vegetative season. However the herbicide Attribut 70 WG was more effective in controlling regrowth of couch grass after harvest, as compared to Apyros 75 WG. On the other hand, Apyros 75 WG controlled somewhat better broadleaf weeds. Also differences in carryover effect occurred. On the sites after propoxycarbazone–sodium application winter oilseed rape, spring oilseed rape and sugar beet should not be cultivated. On the sites after cereals that were protected against weeds with sulfosulfuron only cultivation of winter oilseed rape should not be recommended, however spring oilseed rape and sugar beet can be grown

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 adjuvants on the efficacy of the plant growth regulators: chlormequat chloride (CCC) and prohexadione-calcium was investigated in winter wheat in 2002 and 2003. Field trials were carried out in the Agricultural Experimental Farm in Winna Góra. The plant growth regulators were applied alone at normal rate and at a r educed rate with and without adjuvants. Two adjuvants were used: Adpros 85 SL, a methylated rapeseed oil and Break-Thru S-240, an organosilicone surfactant. Crop height, lodging, yield and quality of the harvested crop were assessed. Physicochemical properties of spray solution were measured. Adjuvants improved the biological activity of both, CCC and prohexadione-calcium, especially when reduced doses were applied. Efficacy of the plant growth regulators used at normal rate without adjuvant and at reduced rates with adjuvants was similar. Break-Thru S-240 increased the efficacy of CCC and prohexadione-calcium more compared to Adpros 85 SL measured in terms of reduction of plant heigh.

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.