The paper presents the results of the research whose aim was to establish the sensitivity degree of Betu/a pendula pollen, seeds and seedlings in the adverse conditions of the zinc-lead waste from "Silesia" Steelworks in Katowice. The pollen and the seeds of the birch (from the dump and unpolluted region - Mirów) were tested by taking into condition: pollen capacity and seeds germination capacity. For the pot cultures metallurgical wastes and the soil from Mirów were placed in plastic boxes. For each kind of seeds a different soil variant was applied: Dump soil, Soil from Mirów, Garden soil (control group), 8 seeds were put into each box (total number of seeds for each variant was 96). The seeds of Betu/a pendula growing on smelter waste dumps had been collected in the vicinity of the dumps. The results of the experiment showed that the soil pollution has a significant impact on generative phase of Betu/a pendula.

The current research aimed to use non traditional methods to control some stored grain insects. The effects of 180 millitesla (mT) magnetic field (MF) for six different exposure periods (3 min, 30 min, 1 h, 12 h, 24 h and 48 h) on mortality (%) of two stored grain insects, Tribolium casteneum adults and Trogoderma granarium larvae, reduction in F1-progeny (%), seeds germination (%) and seed components (%) after 8 months storage period were studied under laboratory conditions. According to results, the mortality (%) of tested insects increased with increasing of MF time exposure. Trogoderma granarium was more resistant than T. casteneum in which mortality reached 56 and 75%, respectively 14 days after from exposure period. Without any negative effect on seeds germination (%) the MF was very effective in protecting stored wheat from insect infestation up to 8 months compared to non-magnetic seeds which became infested after 3 months of storage. Furthermore, the germination (%) was accelerated by 6 h compared to non-magnetic seeds. The MF level caused a slight increase in the percent of total carbohydrate, crude protein and ash while slightly decrease the percent of moisture, total fats and crude fiber.

Pantoea species (Pantoea spp.) is a diverse group of Gram-negative bacteria in the Enterobacteriaceae family that leads to devastating diseases in rice plants, thus affecting significant economic losses of rice production worldwide. Most critical rice diseases such as grain discoloration, bacterial leaf blight, stem necrosis and inhibition of seed germination have been reported to be caused by this pathogen. To date, 20 Pantoea spp. have been identified and recognized as having similar phenotypic and diverse characteristics. Detection via phenotypic and molecular-based approaches, for example the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and multiplex PCR give us a better understanding of the diversity of Pantoea genus and helps to improve effective disease control strategies against this emergent bacterial pathogen of rice. In this review, we focused on the significance of rice diseases caused by Pantoea spp. and insights on the taxonomy and characteristics of this destructive pathogen via phenotypic and molecular identification.