Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa L.) fruit and processed berries have very high biological value because they are a rich source of bioactive compounds. The method of black chokeberry juice preservation is of key importance. One of the more recent ways in which semiliquid and liquid products can be preserved is the pulsed electric field (PEF) method. The aim of our study was to compare chosen physical and chemical properties of fresh and PEF-preserved chokeberry fruit juices derived from farms located in the vicinity of Cracow (Kraków). The analysis focused on the physical properties and chemical composition of black chokeberry juices, their bioactive compound content, and antioxidant activity. After using the PEF method, there was an increase in dry weight, sugars, and polyphenols, which could be caused by the slight evaporation of water during the process. During this process, antioxidant activity decreased, and ultra-weak luminescence slightly increased. The process of preserving juices using the PEF method is a good way to preserve the bioactive properties of the obtained aronia juices.

The application of hydroponic cultivation fertilized with biologically nitrified synthetic urine can produce nitrate-rich fertilizer for lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata L.). The mounting water crisis and depletion of natural resources makes nitrogen recovery from human urine a practical option. Nitrified urine can be used in indoor vertical hydroponic cultivation and is characterized by a high degree of element recovery. Because of its high ammonium content, hydrolyzed fresh urine may be toxic. A nitrification sequencing batch reactor with suspended activated sludge biomass ensured urine stabilization and biological conversion into nitrate-rich fertilizer. The diluted nitrate-rich fertilizer was then supplied for soilless cultivation. The results show that diluted nitrified urine is an excellent source of bioavailable nitrogen and phosphorus and, with proper enrichment with microelements, could replace commercial fertilizers in hydroponic systems. The yield and quality parameters of lettuce cultivated with enriched urine were comparable to those obtained with a commercial fertilizer. The mass balance calculation showed that industry-scale lettuce production can be based on urine fertilizer collected from a few hundred people for a single unit.

Elderberries of wild-growing shrubs are most often used; however, various cultivated varieties of this shrub appear more and more often. The aim of this research was to compare the fruit composition of specific varieties with those grown wild in urban and ecologically clean conditions. Six varieties of elderberry grown on one experimental farm and two wild-growing samples from the city center and the landscape park were assessed. The content of vitamin C, antioxidant activity, sugar and organic acid content, triterpenes and carotenoids was marked in the tested fruits. The analyses show that there were significant differences in the content of the tested ingredients between the varieties tested, while the place of cultivation was of less importance. Apart from organic acids and triterpenes, fruits from wild-growing shrubs were more abundant in other compounds determined. The white variety of ‘Albida’ turned out to be the poorest in bioactive compounds.

Viticulture in a cool climate is more challenging than in traditional wine regions. Due to the weather conditions, the berries may not achieve their full maturation composition. Therefore, suitable grape cultivars should be selected for cultivation in cool climate regions. The aim of this research was to compare selected grape cultivars grown under the same climatic conditions in terms of their antioxidant activity, chemical composition, and macronutrient contents. Their dry matter content, total soluble solids, pH, total acidity, and vitamin C were also analyzed. This research confirmed the existence of differences between the cultivars regarding their antioxidant activity, total soluble solids and polyphenols, and content of vitamin C and macronutrients.

The selection of species which show the highest possible tolerance to negative habitat conditions, also among plants of foreign origin, is a pressing issue. One of the species we would like to recommend for planting in urban areas is the white mulberry species (Morus alba) due to both its outstanding adaptability and its ecosystem services. There are no reliable studies on the distribution of this species in urbanized areas in Poland, nor sufficient analyses of the methods of its renewal, both deliberate and spontaneous spread through self-seeding. Collecting data on the population of an alien species within individual regions and forecasting potential changes in the population’s size and structure, as well as its possible impacts on other organisms, is one of the basic measures to reduce biological invasions, which is one of the six priority objectives of the European Biodiversity Strategy and an element of the Strategy on Invasive Alien Species. The aim of this study was to determine the size and structure of the white mulberry population in the city of Wrocław and to analyse the relationship between this structure and intensity of anthropopressure and thermal conditions.