6. Joint research and technology development
A midterm report was made by every project
of the first call.
The results are published in one of the next newsletters.
A second research call is under preparation and will be published beginning of
2009.
Here the first report (partly) from the project of the University of Natural
Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Department of Applied Plant Sciences and
Plant Biotechnology, Institute of Horticulture and Viticulture and the
University Prishtina.
“Influence of the environment on the quality of peppers and
tomatoes in Kosovo and Montenegro”
Project Staff
Introduction
Project Objectives
Project Progress
Project staff
Coordinator: Vitore SHALA-MAYRHOFER, Austria, Project partner I
Contractor and adviser: Karoline, Maria JEZIK, Austria, Project partner I
Skender KACIU, Kosovo, Project partner II
Natasa MIRECKI, Montenegro, Project partner III
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Vitore SHALA-MAYRHOFER - Institute for Horticulture and
Viticulture, Department of Applied Plant Sciences and Plant Biotechnology at the
University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna
O.Univ. Prof. Mag. Dr. Karoline Maria JEZIK - Head of Department of Applied
Plant Sciences and Plant Biotechnology at the University of Natural Resources
and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna
Prof. Dr. Skender KACIU - Department for Field Crops and Vegetable, at the
Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary, University of Prishtina
Prof. Dr. Natasa MIRECKI - Department of Field crops and Vegetable growing,
Biotechnical Institute, at the University of Montenegro, Podgorica
Ao. Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Johann GLAUNINGER - Head of the Institute of Plant
Protection, Department of Applied Plant Sciences and Plant Biotechnology at the
University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna
Ao.Univ.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Walter WENZEL - Department of Forest- and Soil
Sciences at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences,
Vienna
Dr. Franz BERTHILLER - Centre for Analytical Chemistry Department for
Agrobiotechnology, IFA-Tulln, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life
Sciences, Vienna
Dipl.-Päd. Lukas GACH - Institute for Horticulture and Viticulture, Department
of Applied Plant Sciences and Plant Biotechnology at the University of Natural
Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna
Dipl.-Ing. Mag. Anisa HASANHODZIC - Institute for Horticulture and Viticulture,
Department of Applied Plant Sciences and Plant Biotechnology at the University
of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna
Introduction
Impact of environment on the quality of peppers and tomato fruits is generally
very high. A cultivation of peppers and tomatoes in Kosovo as well as in
Montenegro is important for both economic and consumption reasons.
Agriculture plays an important role in economic development of Montenegro, since
it contributes more than 10% to GDP, whereas the vegetable production in Kosovo
is one of the most important branches of agricultural production and in some
regions even main economic activity.
An organized production of peppers and tomatoes supplying one part of Prishtina
market is located in the region of Plant Power in Obiliq (situated in the
northwest of Kosovo). Gases released from the coal burning factory in this
region are potential polluters of the environment, planted being produced there
and are
also endangering human health (see Photo 1).
Photo 1: Factory for coal burning in Obiliq.
In main vegetable producing regions in
Montenegro (Coastal area and Zeta Valley) the environment is mostly intact
damaged and with no polluters. A factory for aluminium production located in one
part of Zeta Valley is an exception, being a significant polluter of the ground
and air.
Project objectives
It is a fact that until now no studies related to the environmental pollution
and its impacts on the quality of peppers and tomatoes, neither for the Plant
Power production area in Kosovo nor for the vegetable production areas in
Montenegro, have been made.
Based on this information, project objective were quality analysis of these
products, level of pollution of pepper and tomato fruits in this region and
comparison of this data with other production regions in Kosovo (Dukagjini
region) and in Montenegro.
Over and above this project provided a big chance for first scientific
cooperation (share of experience, discussions on research methods, etc.) between
Agriculture Faculty in Prishtina, Kosovo Agriculture faculty in Podgorica,
Montenegro, and University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences in
Vienna, Austria.) and it also opened new opportunities for further continuous
collaboration on different scientific, educational and professional levels
between these organisations.
Project progress
The scientific research planed for this period was carried out. During this time
project partners have been communicating regularly.
First visit to Kosovo, dealing with organizational matters was undertaken by Dr.
Shala-Mayrhofer in the period of 15.-19.05.2008. Next visit took place according
to the project plan (06.-11.07.2008, in Kosovo and Montenegro), the other one
will soon proceed (09.- 14.11.2008, in Vienna).
During the visit in Kosovo a meeting with the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture
and Veterinary was organized (see Photos 2 and 3).
Photos 2 and 3: Meeting with the Prof. Shukri Fetahu, Dean of
the Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary, University Prishtina and other
project partners.
Prof. Karoline Jezik, as Head of Department of Applied Plant Sciences and
Plant Biotechnology at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life
Sciences in Vienna and Prof. Shukri Fetahu agreed to form formal contacts with
other Heads of Departments at their universities for the purposes of future
collaboration in scientific endeavours, as well as, for the creation of
opportunities for student exchange at the bachelor and master level.
Photo 4: First seminar organized at the Faculty of Agriculture
and Veterinary in Prishtina.
Within this visit first seminar, organized by Prof. Skender
Kaciu (see Photo 4) took place at the Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary in
Prishtina.
At this seminar Dr. Vitore Shala-Mayrhofer held presentation explaining to
participants the objectives and the importance of the project.
Prof. Skender Kaciu held presentation about the vegetable production in Kosovo,
regarding the current information about vegetable production in general as well
as about production methods, research methods, problems and application of
technology in production of vegetables in Power Plant region in Kosovo.
Prof. Natasa Mirecki from Montenegro informed seminar participants about same
topics regarding of course the vegetable production in Montenegro.
In her presentation, Prof. Karoline Jezik gave information about vegetable
production in Austria, including laws, regulations and types of cultivation as
well as methods of scientific research implemented in the Institute for
Horticulture and Viticulture in Vienna.
Prof. Glauninger, Head of the Institute of Plant Protection at the University of
Agriculture in Vienna, informed participants about laws and key regulations for
plant protection in Austria, research methods applicable at the Institute and
the most effective methods of protection against health problems in agricultural
products (both vegetables and other crops).
During the visit in Montenegro guests from Vienna got a concrete overview about
practical application of vegetable cultivation in Montenegro. Prof. Jezik and
Prof. Glauninger presented there the situation of vegetable production and
method of organization of plant protection in Austria.
First meeting in Montenegro was organized in Podgorica by Prof. Natalija Perovic
(see Photo 5) Head of Department of Field crops and Vegetable growing.
Prof. Kaciu und Prof. Mirecki also organized some visits to vegetable producers
in different regions of Kosovo and Montenegro, so that project partners from
Austria were able, talking directly to the producers, to get an overview of and
a better insight in the situation with regards to the vegetable production, type
of cultivation, protection measures and law application as well as
implementation, and practical use of pesticides and fungicides in fighting
problems related to plant protection in Kosovo and Montenegro (see Photos 6,7
and 8).
Photo 5: Meeting with the Prof. Natalija Perovic Dean of the
Biotechnical Faculty at the University of Montenegro in Podgorica.
Photos 6, 7 and 8: Project partners from Austria visiting
experimental fields in Montenegro.
Research took place during vegetative period in 2008. Samples
were taken from the regular parcels used for commercial production of pepper and
tomato.
For this purpose following characteristics were tested:
1. Production characteristic: Overall yield, Growth Intensity, Fruit weight and
Yield per plant;
2. Quality of produced fruits: Vitamin C content, General Sugar content, Mineral
matters, Heavy metals and Nitrate;
3. Level of plant health condition: Phytophtora infestans, Photophthora capsici,
Alternaria spp., Mykotoxin and Pesticide residues;
Chemical analysis (dry mater, mineral maters and general sugar) content was made
in laboratories of Agriculture Faculty in Prishtina.
At the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Institute of
Horticulture and Viticulture the analyses of the pH, Resistance [Ω],
Redoxpotential [mV] and P-Value were carried out by Dipl.-Pad. Lukas Gach and
Dr. Shala-Mayrhofer.
At the Institute of Soil Sciences the heavy metals analysis will be supervised
by Prof. Wenzel.
Mykotoxin and Pesticide residue analysis will be carried out at the Centre for
Analytic Chemistry, Department of Agrobiotechnology in IFA – Tulln by Dr.
Bethiller Franz.
For the purpose of testing the level of plant health condition (Phytophthora
infestans, at tomato and pepper Phytophthora capsici, and Alternaria spp.),
naturally infested leaves and fruits have been inspected and evaluated. Further
more, two bachelor theses (Mrs. Teuta Thaqi and Ms. Latif Mustafa at the
University of Prishtina) have been supervised by Dr. Shala -Mayrhofer for the
purpose of this research.
The analysis of all achieved results at the end stage of the project will be
summarised by Dr. Shala-Mayrhofer and Dipl.-Ing. Anisa Hasanhodzic.
Next week from 9-14 November, the partner from Kosovo Prof. Kaciu and partner
from Montenegro Prof. Mirecki will be visiting the Institute of Horticulture and
Viticulture in Vienna.
During their stay guests will meet and discuss with Prof. Jezik at the Institute
of Horticulture and Viticulture, with Prof. Glauninger at the Institute of Plant
Protection, and with Prof. Wenzel at Institute of Soil Sciences.
Mr. Kaciu und Mrs. Mirecki will also hold presentations (“Vegetable gardening in
Kosovo”, “Vegetable gardening in Montenegro” at the Institute of Horticulture
and Viticulture within the framework of the seminar for doctoral students
organized at the Institute of Horticulture and Viticulture in Vienna. Afterwards
Dr. Shala-Mayrhofer will present the project and the results achieved until now.
At the moment the achieved results from the field and plastic tunnel are being
calculated. Those results will than be analysed statistically and presented in
the final report.
At the end of this visit a meeting of all project staff will be organized by
Prof. Jezik and Dr. Shala-Mayrhofer. Following topics such as: problems during
the research, analysis of the results, publishing the work in relevant
scientific journals, and future scientific collaboration in the future, are to
be discussed at this meeting.
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