Field experiments were conducted at the Joniškėlis Experimental Station of the Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry during [2009][2010][2011][2012]. The study was aimed to explore the effects of the ecological fertilizer Ekoplant and the bio-activators Biokal 01 and Terra Sorb Foliar on the formation of the productivity elements, grain yield and quality of spelt (Triticum spelta L.) cv. 'Franckenkorn' and common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cv. 'Toras' in an organic cropping system on an clay loam Endocalcari-Endohypogleyic Cambisol (CMg-n-wcan). The weather conditions, especially those during crop wintering, differed between years and this affected the grain yield of both winter wheat species and resulted in different fertilizer efficacy. In 2010 and 2012, the winter wheat crops overwintered well and the yield of common wheat was by 27.6% and 30.1%, respectively higher than that of spelt. In 2011, due to the contrasting winter conditions with a spell of unusually high temperatures in January followed by a sharp drop of temperature to −25°C the crop of common wheat thinned out more than spelt, which resulted in a significantly lower common wheat grain yield. In 2010 and 2011, the application of ecological fertilizer Ekoplant as well as in combination with Biokal 01 and Terra Sorb Foliar led to an increase in the values of biometric indicators, i.e. stem mass, ear length and mass, grain number per ear significantly increased having used Ekoplant fertilizer in combination with Terra Sorb Foliar. However, in 2012, Biokal 01 exerted the most marked positive effect on the biometric indicators of wheat. The highest yield increase for both wheat species was observed when Ekoplant fertilizer had been used in combination with the bio-activator Biokal 01. The Ekoplant fertilizer as well as in combination with the bio-activator Biokal 01 did not have any significant effect on grain quality indicators, while the bio-activator Biokal 01 increased the protein and gluten content by 2.2% and 3.4%, respectively.

Organic farming does not allow the use of conventional mineral fertilizers and crop protection products. As a result, in our experiments we chose to grow different species of cereals and to see how cereal species affect mycotoxin accumulation. This study describes the occurrence of deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEA) and T-2/HT-2 toxin in a survey of spelt and common wheat and their bran as well as flour. The analysis was conducted using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. The concentrations of DON, ZEA and T-2/HT-2 in Triticum spelta and T. aestivum were influenced by species, cereal type and year interaction. The highest concentrations of these mycotoxins were found in spelt grain with glumes, in spelt glumes and in spring wheat. These results show significantly higher concentrations of Fusarium toxins in glumes than in dehulled grain, which indicates the possible protective effect of spelt wheat glumes. The lowest DON, ZEA and T-2/HT-2 concentrations were determined in spelt grain without glumes. The research shows that it is potentially risky to produce bran from grain in which mycotoxin concentrations are below limits by European Union Regulation No. 1881/2006, since the concentration of mycotoxins in bran can be several times higher than that in grain. As a result, although bran is a dietary product characterised by good digestive properties, it can become a harmful product that can cause unpredictable health damage.

The current study was aimed to determine the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity, rutin, quercetin and phenolic acids content in buckwheat, husked and common oats, winter spelt, winter and spring wheat grain with and without husks or glume, only husks or glume as well as to estimate phenolic compounds ratio and to compare their distribution between cereal grain and husks or glume. In this way to ascertain the losses of phenolic compounds in grain which will be used for food production. Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were determined using the spectrophotometric method and individual phenolic compounds were estimated by high performance liquid chromatography. The significantly highest total phenolic content (10.2 ± 1.6 mg g -1 dry weight (d.w.) in grain with husks and 14.1 ± 2.0 mg g -1 d.w. in husks), antioxidant activity (2-4 times), rutin concentration (from 146.5 to 406.3 µg g -1 d.w.) and with a few exceptions hydroxybenzoic acids concentrations of all group of cereal samples (grain with and without husks or glume and only husks or glume) were established for buckwheat. Oats grain without husks or only husks were distinguished by the highest quercetin content, which was higher in husked oats samples (31-89 µg g -1 d.w.). The highest total phenolic acids content was in common oats husks (882.4 µg g -1 d.w.). Ferulic and p-coumaric acid significantly (P < 0.01) predominated in all oats and wheat samples and accounted for about 70-90% of the total phenolic acids content. Syringic acid is characteristic of oats, winter spelt and winter wheat grain without glume and only glume. In all group of cereal samples sinapic acid predominated only in cereal grain with and without husks or glume. Significantly (P < 0.05) higher concentrations of vanillic, p-hydroxybenzoic, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic, p-coumaric, ferulic acids, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity were quantified in cereal husks or glume compared with those in grain with and without husks or glume.

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