Cereal Research Communications 2005/1. [antikvár]

Vol. 33 No. 1 2005_Cereal Research Communications PREFACE Carbon (Lathi, carbo: charcoal), an element of prehistoric discovery, is very widely distributed in nature. It is found in abundance in the sun, stars, comets, and atmospheres of most planets. Carbon in the form of microscopic diamonds is found in some meteorites. Carbon is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol C and atomic number 6. An abundant nonmetallic, tetravalent element, carbon has several allotropic forms like diamonds, the hardest known mineral, or graphite, one of the softest substances. Carbon occurs in all organic life and is the basis of organic chemistry. This nonmetal also has the interesting chemical property of being able to bond with itself and a wide variety of other elements, forming nearly 10 million known compounds. When united with oxygen it fomis carbon dioxide which is absolutely vital to plant growth. When united with hydrogen, it forms various compounds called hydrocarbons which are essential to industry in the form of fossil fuels. The carbon cycle is a complex series of processes through which all of the carbon atoms on earth rotate. In one part of the cycle, plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and through photosynthesis incorporate the associated carbon atoms into sugars and other molecules necessary for growth. Plants use some of these sugars to generate energy in a process called respiration, which returns carbon atoms back to the atmosphere in the form of CO2. However, much of the carbon absorbed remains "locked up" in the plant's biomass until decomposition or fire releases it back to the atmosphere. Carbon atoms are constantly being cycled through the earth's atmosphere by a number of physical, natural and industrial processes. This conference is organized by three committees of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences; the Crop Production Committee, the Plant Protection Committee and the Soil Science and Agrochemistry Committee, Tlie workshop is initiated by the Alps-Adria movement. The aim and scope of this scientific meeting is to overview research activities and experimental results in the field of plant and soil relations, A decision was taken by the organizers to make each Alps-Adria conference strictly thematical. This workshop is dedicated to a most essential life element - the carbon. The conference venue in this year is at the hotel complex Metropol, namely in its two hotels - Hotel Barbara and Hotel Lucija located in Portoroz, Slovenia, This beautiful resort town is situated in an open, wind-sheltered area and enjoys a beautiful, balmy climate. Its beaches are the largest on the coast. The town has been known as a health resort as early as the 13"' century when the Benedictines from the Monastery of Saint Lawrence treated certain diseases with seawater and salt mud. This is an idyllic resort, strolling paths amidst Mediterranean vegetation and a floral promenade justly giving the town its name - "The Port of Roses", Portoroz, March 2005 The Organizing Committee