Production Conditions Research Articles

Comprehensive assessment of elite forms of black currant of the Ural selection for suitability to mechanized harvesting

In the conditions of the Sverdlovsk region (Middle Urals), a comprehensive assessment of elite forms of black currant was carried out to identify those suitable for mechanized harvesting with intensive cultivation technologies. The objects of research were 12 elite forms of black currant bred by the Sverdlovsk Breeding Station of Horticulture (planting 2018, layout 3×1 m). The research was carried out in 2021–2023 according to generally accepted methods. The studies were carried out according to generally accepted methods. According to the height of the bush, elite forms 3-2-05-08, 3-8-05-08, 5-2-05-08, 2-11-05-08 were distinguished – the measurement result was 100...110 cm; by the width of the bush – 3-1-05-08, 3-5-05-08, 3-8-05-08, 5-2-05-08 – 110...120 cm. The diameter of the base of the bush for most variety samples was 20.. 30 cm. The number of bent branches in all forms was less than 5 %, the diameter of the branches 8...15 mm. The average weight of berries was 1.5 1.8 g for elite forms 2-11-05-08, 3-5-05-08, 4-6-05-08, 4-7-05-08, 5-2 -05-08. The crushing force of berries in the studied variety samples was 201...367 g. Based on the force of berry separation, elite forms 3-5-05-08, 4-5-05-08, 5-4-05-08 stood out – 50 57 g. According to the results of the assessment of suitability for mechanized harvesting, the elite form of black currant 3-5-05-08 has optimal values in all parameters. Elite forms 2-11-05-08, 3-1-05-08, 3-8-05-08, 5-2-05-08, 4-6-05-08, 4-7-05-08, 5-4-05-08 are subjected to testing under production conditions. The following variety samples are not suitable for mechanized harvesting: 3-4-05-08, 4-5-05-08, 5-1-05-08, 5-3-05-08. In the conditions of 2023, elite forms 4-5-05-08, 5-1-05-08 were characterized by resistance to fungal diseases.

High-fat diet impact on prostate gland from adiponectin knockout mice: Morphometric, metabolic and inflammatory cytokines analyses

AimsObesity is a global public health issue, and some studies have linked it to an increased risk of prostatic diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a high-fat diet on metabolic parameters and prostate morphology in wild-type (WT) and adiponectin knockout (KO) mice. Main methodsMale WT and KO mice were fed a control diet (CD) or high-fat diet (HFD) for 6 months. Serum metabolic parameters, inflammatory cytokines in epididymal fat tissue, dorsal prostatic lobe morphometry and histopathology were analyzed. Key findingsCD WT and CD KO mice did not exhibit altered metabolic or prostatic parameters. However, HFD WT mice showed altered glucose and insulin tolerance even without excessive weight gain. On the other hand, HFD KO mice developed obesity, with an increase in low-density lipoprotein (11.8 ± 5.1 vs. 31.4 ± 3.6 mg/dL), high-density lipoprotein (73.4 ± 7.4 vs. 103.4 ± 2.5 mg/dL), and total cholesterol levels (126.2 ± 16.1 vs. 294.6 ± 23.2 mg/dL), a decrease in insulin levels (28.7 ± 12.2 vs. 4.6 ± 2.3 μIU/mL), and glucose and insulin resistance. We also observed that HFD KO animals display an increase in inflammatory cytokines, such as IL6, IL1β, and IL1RA. The dorsal prostate from HFD KO animals also presented significant increases in the mast cells (1.9 ± 0,7 vs. 5,3 ± 1.5 cells/field) and Ki67 index (2.91 ± 0.6 vs. 4.7 ± 0.4 %). SignificanceThe above findings highlight the complex interactions between adiponectin, metabolism, malnutrition, and prostate health. Metabolic deregulation combined with adipose inflammation potentially induces a proliferative and inflammatory microenvironment in the prostate gland under conditions of low adiponectin production, potentially impairing prostate morphophysiology in the context of obesity and aging.

A Comprehensive Review of Theories, Methods, and Techniques for Bottleneck Identification and Management in Manufacturing Systems

With the advancement in global market integration, manufacturing enterprises face increasingly fierce competition, making the development of intelligent manufacturing systems a key factor in enhancing market competitiveness. However, manufacturing systems are characterized by varying characteristics of manufacturing resources and strong interdependencies, which make production control more complex. A bottleneck refers to the issue where the manufacturing system’s actual production capacity is less than or equal to the demand placed on a resource. After extensive research, scholars have concluded that the definition, identification methods, and related studies on bottlenecks are not fixed but depend on the specific research subject and the type of bottleneck. Therefore, scholars suggest that only by accurately defining the bottlenecks within a system can appropriate models be employed for prediction, thereby avoiding issues such as inefficient resource allocation and delivery delays, or implementing measures to minimize these negative impacts. Particularly under unstable production conditions, dynamic bottlenecks are likely to occur, making the prediction and identification of bottlenecks under dynamic environmental conditions crucial. Currently, there is still a lack of research in real-time state sensing and integration, as well as a lack of systematic review of related research. To fill this research gap, this review comprehensively introduces the current state and achievements in bottleneck research within manufacturing systems, focusing on bottleneck categories, identification, shifting, and management. It also provides an outlook on future research trends and directions in the study of manufacturing system bottlenecks.

Considerable energy crop production potentials in the Russian Far East

High-latitude regions are not traditionally considered for energy crop production due to unfavorable production conditions, e.g., low temperatures and short growing seasons. However, with increasing pressures on land use in warmer regions, rising global food demands, and climate change, shifting energy crop production to cold climate regions has become a desirable alternative. Increasing attempts have been made in recent decades to cultivate cold-tolerant energy crops in high latitudes. This study aims to assess the potential biomass and bioenergy productivities of willow, poplar, and miscanthus over the Russian Far East (RFE) federal district, with a yield-predicting model built on newly published data from high latitude. We evaluated the potentials of energy crop production and greenhouse gas mitigation in RFE under three land use scenarios. Our analysis reveals that the RFE has the potential to produce 1.3 × 109 Mg of biomass per year on 215 Mha of spare land with an average yield of 6 Mg ha−1 under the most extensive land conversion scenario, which can be converted to 24 EJ of bioenergy and thus lead to a net mitigation of 4.1 × 108 Mg CO2e greenhouse gas emissions. The productivity and mitigation potential remain substantial (78 % of the most extensive land conversion scenario) under the scenario that all the RFE's existing croplands and forests are preserved. Our assessment offers valuable insights into the potential of energy crop development in the RFE and other high-latitude regions globally, presenting a novel land-use solution for a low-carbon future.

A taxonomy of artists’ postures to grasp the plurality of cultural production practices: Putting an end to the cicada and the ant

The rooted dichotomy between art and economy tends to simplify our understanding of the conditions under which makers of cultural products operate. The contingencies of the last decades, leading to a greater plurality of artists’ practices, urge us to create new conceptual tools to seize the effective cultural production structures. This paper aims to open this dichotomy - anchored in institutional sociology, creative economy, arts management and cultural entrepreneurship - and to reveal the relational complexity of cultural production. Building on a meta-study of a body of qualitative research published between 2012 and 2022 based on semi-directed interviews, focus groups and case studies about artists’ effective practices in music, performing arts, visual and mediatic arts from underground scenes or marginal communities, we identify 20 postures adopted by artists. We place these postures on two axes reflecting the intensity of economic and artistic logics. This taxonomy explains more accurately today's conditions of cultural production. It allows us to better understand: the multiplicity of artists’ and works’ trajectories, as well as creation networks; the coexistence and co-dependency of postures within the same practice; and the diversity of artists’ practices beyond a disciplinary logic and a linear conception of artistic career.

Exopolysaccharide from Leuconostoc mesenteroides XR1: Yield optimization, partial characterization and properties

The production conditions of exopolysaccharide (EPS) from Leuconostoc mesenteroides XR1 were optimized by response surface methodology (RSM). Maximum EPS yield was 56.59 ± 0.51 g/L under fermentation conditions with 2.6 g/L ammonium citrate, initial pH 6.5 and temperature 23 °C, which was 6.21-fold greater than the EPS yield before optimization. Characterization of the chain conformation using Congo red test and circular dichroism (CD) showed that EPS exhibited a random coil structure in aqueous solution. The CD results revealed that the EPS concentration altered its hydrogen-bond interactions and chirality, but did not change its chain conformation. The average polydispersity index (PDI) of the EPS solution was only 27.16 %, indicating that it was uniformly distributed in the aqueous solution with high stability. The degradation temperature of EPS was 253.11 °C, indicating high thermal stability. EPS possessed the ability to scavenge activities of free radicals and was protective against oxidative stress-induced plasmid DNA damage. In addition, stable hydrogels could be formed at EPS concentrations above 5 % (w/v). These results collectively showed that EPS can be used commercially as an antioxidant and drug delivery carrier.

Natural Silk Production Conditions in South Sulawesi Province

Natural Silk Production Conditions in South Sulawesi Province

Cross-domain fault diagnosis for multimode green ammonia synthesis process based on DA-CycleGAN

Green ammonia is a crucial strategy for reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable development. However, in industrial applications, the production load of the ammonia synthesis section must be adjusted to accommodate fluctuations in renewable energy generation and hydrogen production. Consequently, the green ammonia synthesis process operates under multiple conditions with varying production loads. The operations of this multimode process introduce new challenges for process safety. Traditional fault diagnosis methods experience significant performance degradation when production conditions change. In new conditions, only a small number of normal samples can be obtained, and no fault samples are available. To address this issue, a novel transfer learning method named DA-CycleGAN is proposed for the multimode green ammonia synthesis process. This method combines a two-dimensional generation model based on CycleGAN (Cycle-Consistent Generative Adversarial Networks) with domain adaptation to enhance model performance in cross-domain tasks. The feasibility of the proposed method was initially validated using the benchmark Tennessee-Eastman process for fault diagnosis. Subsequently, a case study of the green ammonia synthesis process demonstrated that it significantly enhances performance in multimode processes, ensuring process safety and reducing losses for industrial applications.

Optimizing the uncertainty of measurements on a coordinate measuring machine when controlling complex geometric surfaces

The object of this study is the process of optimizing measurement uncertainty on a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) when inspecting complex geometric surfaces. The problem addressed was insufficient accuracy and efficiency of measurements of complex parts on CMMs under production conditions. A method for optimizing measurement uncertainty has been devised, which includes a mathematical model of the measurement process and an adaptive algorithm for optimizing the control strategy, based on the Monte Carlo method. The model takes into account the geometry of surfaces and CMM characteristics, while the algorithm dynamically adjusts measurement parameters. The results demonstrate a reduction in measurement uncertainty by 15–20 % and a reduction in inspection time by 10–12 % compared to conventional methods. This is achieved by taking into account the specificity of complex surface geometry and an adaptive approach. The uniqueness of the developed method is the ability to automatically adapt to different types of CMMs and measured objects, optimizing the number and location of measurement points, the speed of probe movement, and its contact force with the surface. The method takes into account not only the geometric parameters of objects but also the characteristics of the CMM itself, which allows for high accuracy. The method is particularly effective for parts with complex geometry, in which conventional methods often lead to significant errors. Practical application is possible at machine-building enterprises for quality control of complex parts, especially in serial production. The implementation of the developed method allows for improving product quality and reducing production costs by 8–10 % due to optimization of the control process and reduction of defects

Evaluation of Bovine Milk Production in the Commune of Tioroniaradougou

This study was carried out in the sub-prefecture of Tioroniaradougou on 30 cattle farms to identify the real conditions of milk production in the area. The lack of reliable data in the sector as well as the lack of control over milk production parameters prompted this study. Over two months, a survey was carried out on these farms followed by the collection and estimation of the different amounts of milk on the said farms. The results showed that 63.33% of breeders are of Burkinabé nationality, 23.33% of Malian nationality and 13.34% of Ivorian nationality. The Fulani were the most numerous (70%), followed by the Malinkés (16.67%) and Senufos (10%). Most of breeders (86.67%) were illiterate. Almost all breeders used night park, and the herd was made up of Zebus (93.33%), where cows represented 47.33% of the herds. The diet was based entirely on natural pasture, only 20% of breeders distributed food supplements. The herds were watered in the rivers. Total milk production produced in the 30 farms during the month was 9,408 L with a variation of (130 to 615.5 L/Farm). Regarding the daily milk production in the villages, it varied from 9.33 +/- 0.46 L to 13.27+/-2.88 L. This study made it possible to highlight the characteristics of cattle breeding and their low level of production in the sub-prefect.

Statistical modeling and optimization of volatile fatty acids production by anaerobic digestion of municipal wastewater sludge.

Obtaining value-added products from renewable resources is limited by the lack of specific operating conditions optimized for the physico-chemical characteristics of the biomass and the desired end product. A mathematical model and statistical optimization were developed for the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) by anaerobic digestion of municipal sewage sludge. The experimental tests were carried out in triplicate and investigated a wide range of conditions: pH 9.5, 10.5, and 11.5; temperatures 25°C, 35°C, 45°C, and 55°C; primary sludge with organic loading (OL) of 10 and 14g VS (volatile solids); and digested sludge with 4 and 6g VS. Subsequently, a statistical search was performed to obtain optimal production conditions, then a statistical model of VFA production was developed and the optimal conditions were validated at pilot plant scale. The maximum VFA concentration predicted was 6975mg COD (chemical oxygen demand)/L using primary sludge at 25°C, initial OL of 14g VS, and pH 10.5. The obtained third-degree model (r2 = 0.83) is a powerful tool for bioprocess scale-up, offering a promising avenue for sustainable waste management and biorefinery development.

Optimization and purification of L-methioninase enzyme purified from clinical samples of Pseudomonas spp.

Background: This study focused on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which secrete important enzymes in medical and pharmaceutical applications and are isolated from clinical samples. One of these enzymes is L-methioninase, the most desirable enzyme in the medical and industrial fields today since it converted L-methionine into methanethiol, ammonia, and alpha-ketobutyrate. Objectives: Evaluated the optimum conditions of L-methioninase production and then purified it. Methods: Pseudomonas samples were identified by microscopic and biochemical tests and confirmed with the VITEK2 system. After the L-methioninase production was examined, the optimal conditions for the production of L-methioninase (MGL) were established using clinical samples of P. aeruginosa. Additionally, MGL was purified from the supernatant of P.aeruginosa using ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-cellulose, and Sephadex G150 accordingly. Results: There were 33 isolates of P.aeruginosa according to microscopic characteristics and biochemical tests, followed by the VITEK2 system to ensure identification. The optimization conditions were achieved when supplement media with sucrose 1% w\v, casein 1% w\v, pH 7, temperature 37oC, and incubation for 48hrs within the specific activity of 1.6, 3.3, 3.4, 3.4, and 3.5U\mg protein, respectively, and 4.6 fold the amount of the purified enzyme as compared to the crude enzyme. A single 55 kDa band on the SDS-PAGE indicates the enzyme is purified. Conclusions: P.aeruginosa can be an efficient source of L-methioninase, and this enzyme had better and higher specific activity after applying optimum conditions for it and purifying it.

Empirical model for the effect of air humidity during manufacturing on the glass transition temperature of carbon fiber reinforced hot curing epoxy – a case study

Carbon fiber-epoxy laminates are used in aerospace manufacturing, e.g. as substrates for solar cells of satellites. Commonly, fibers or fibermats are impregnated with epoxy resin and placed in the required orientation. During subsequent curing, the resin molecules are crosslinked. Cured parts are characterized by their glass transition temperature (Tg). It has been observed that Tg of epoxy matrix resin vary with recorded absolute air humidity during wet fiber placement manufacturing. Based on the production data of a series production of 203 carbon fiber laminates for space application, an empirical linear relationship between the absolute air humidity at the beginning of each production day and the observed glass transition temperature of the fully cured laminate is formulated and validated. The empirical equation describes a linear decrease of achievable glass transition temperature with increasing absolute air humidity. The quantitative nature of the results encourages straightforward practical application to determine the maximum achievable Tg for given production conditions.

Characterization and Agronomic Evaluation of 25 Accessions of Chenopodium quinoa in the Peruvian Coastal Desert

Quinoa is a healthy food that possesses high levels of protein that is enriched for dietary essential amino acids. The crop is highly diverse and well-adapted to changing climatic conditions. In spite of being vulnerable to pests and diseases, the development of new resistant varieties is possible. Taking advantage of this genetic variability is crucial for breeding programs, especially to adapt quinoa to the shifting needs of producers. In this study, 25 Peruvian accessions and two commercial varieties were characterized and agronomically evaluated in the Peruvian Pacific desert. Specific methodologies and descriptors of existing crops were used, analyzing a total of 24 quantitative and 23 qualitative variables with 15 repetitions per accession. The data were processed using descriptive statistics and a multivariate analysis. The results showed a high variability in morphological characteristics, with an area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) of the presence of mildew between 529 and 1725, highlighting ACC06 with a lower severity of mildew. The percentage of saponins varied between 0.04 and 0.21 percent, with ACC06 being the one with the lowest percentage. Regarding the crop yield, it ranged between 0.35 and 8.80 t ha−1, highlighting the high-yielding accessions ACC55 and ACC14. These results were promising for the improvement of quinoa yield in the production conditions of the Peruvian Pacific desert.

Endophytic Colletotrichum fructicola KL19 and Its Derived SeNPs Mitigate Cd-Stress-Associated Damages in Spinacia oleracea L.

The application of nanotechnology in agriculture has received much attention in order to improve crop yield, quality and food safety. In the present study, a Cd-tolerant endophytic fungus Colletotrichum fructicola KL19 was first ever reported to produce SeNPs, and the production conditions were optimized using the Box-Behnken design in the Response Surface Methodology (RSM-BBD), achieving a peak yield of 1.06 mM under optimal conditions of 2.62 g/20 mL biomass, 4.56 mM Na2SeO3, and pH 6.25. Following this, the properties of the biogenic SeNPs were elucidated by using TEM, DLS, and FTIR, in which the 144.8 nm spherical-shaped SeNPs were stabilized by different functional groups with a negative zeta potential of -18.3 mV. Furthermore, strain KL19 and SeNPs (0, 5, 10, 20 and 50 mg/L) were inoculated in the root zone of small-leaf spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) seedlings grown in the soil with 33.74 mg/kg Cd under controlled conditions for seven weeks. Impressively, compared with Cd stress alone, the strain KL19 and 5 mg/L SeNPs treatments significantly (p < 0.05) exhibited a reduction in Cd contents (0.62 and 0.50 folds) within the aboveground parts of spinach plants and promoted plants' growth by improving the leaf count (0.92 and 1.36 folds), fresh weight (2.94 and 3.46 folds), root dry weight (4.00 and 5.60 folds) and root length (0.14 and 0.51 folds), boosting total chlorophyll synthesis (0.38 and 0.45 folds), enhancing antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD) activities, and reducing the contents of reactive oxygen species (MDA, H2O2) in small-leaf spinach under Cd stress. Overall, this study revealed that utilizing endophytic fungus C. fructicola or its derived SeNPs could mitigate reactive oxygen species generation by enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity as well as diminish the absorption and accumulation of Cd in small-leaf spinach, promoting plant growth under Cd stress.

Assessment of the spatial and temporal dynamics of food system resilience and its response to natural hazards

Increasingly frequent natural hazards put food systems under constant stress, and there is an urgent need to improve the resilience of food systems. Quantitative assessments of food system resilience (FSR) and research on the factors that influence it are important ways to achieve this goal. In this research, we use probabilistic modeling to quantitatively assess the FSR of forty counties in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau from 2000 to 2020, and explore the spatiotemporal dynamics characteristic of FSR. The Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression (GTWR) model is then used to examine the drivers of FSR from four dimensions: shocks, natural ecology, production conditions, and socioeconomics. The focus is on the spatial and temporal characteristics of the effects of drought, flood, wind hail, snow disaster, earthquake, and geological hazards on FSR. The results of this study highlight the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of FSR and its differential response to different hazards: 1) the assessment of FSR accurately pinpoints areas of low resilience at both spatial and temporal scales, and reveals a significant temporal phase characteristic, with most regions experiencing a notable increase in FSR since 2010; 2) High-intensity droughts and snow disasters, and frequent floods and wind hails significantly affect FSR, so it is necessary to plan targeted measures to mitigate the negative impacts of different natural hazards on food production systems. Our findings enhance the understanding of the relationship between food systems and natural hazards, and contribute to the planning of measures to safeguard food system stability and improve food system resilience to natural hazards in natural hazard-prone regions.

A measurement system for assessing the completeness and deformation of aluminium ladders: case study

Aluminium ladders are popular tools used in many fields of industry and construction. Their completeness and durability are key to ensure work safety and avoid dangerous scenarios. To provide safety to aluminium ladders, it is necessary to perform completion checks and measurements of ladder deformation are necessary during operation. This article presents a measurement system to assess the completeness of aluminium ladders and describes the use of the GOM Pontos system to measure the deformation of the ladder during operation. The main purpose of the research was to verify whether the system proposed by the authors works successfully and the results obtained allow it to be deployed in the production line. Research results and conclusions can provide a basis for further research and may help improve the production and utilisation processes of aluminium ladders. The research was carried out in a company that is engaged in the production of aluminium ladders. This allowed a thorough examination of the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed methods under real production conditions, which is crucial for the practical implementation of this technology in the industry.

How does a superior quality sign guarantee the quality of lamb meat? The Label Rouge case

Owing to the social, environmental and health changes in Europe, meat quality is becoming a critical issue for the long-term future of livestock farming. Label Rouge (LR) is a quality label owned by the French government that identifies food products produced inside or outside the European Union. This label guarantees the superior quality of a product compared with a standard product. This superior quality is guaranteed throughout the production process by specifications negotiated between the Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité (INAO) and operators in the sector. These specifications comprise two documents: first, common production conditions that apply to all specifications in a sector, and second, a book of specifications (BoSs). These two documents, which form the qualification mechanism, are divided into several parts: product name, product description, traceability, production method, labelling and the main control points. This study aims to understand how the LR defines lamb meat quality in the 11 existing BoSs using the seven dimensions of quality of animal-source foods (nutritional, sensory, commercial, technological, safety, convenience and image). We performed a computerised qualitative transversal analysis of the commitments associated with the production method and description of the product. This analysis was enriched by five semi-structured interviews with INAO members. We show that although LR is committed to all aspects of lamb meat quality, the sensory, image and carcass commercial quality attributes are predominant. However, the image attribute of quality is so ubiquitous that it required refinement to provide a better understanding of the construction of quality in terms of its environmental, ethical and cultural components.

Production Optimization of Premium Food Can with Distortion Printing under Waving Requirement

This research aims to propose a novel approach for evaluating and minimizing scraps in an industrial production of premium food cans with distortion printing. Beyond conventional formability criteria, a waving requirement is introduced to ensure aesthetic quality of the printed graphics. The research focuses on real production conditions, specifically involving double-cold-reduced (DR) low-carbon steel sheets and chromium-coated tin-free steel with a thickness of 0.16 mm. The sheets are laminated on both sides with a plastic film prior to undergoing distortion printing on the exterior. Subsequently, a blank is subjected to a drawing-redrawing process to form a food can. To address challenges associated with characterizing these thin sheets, a material parameter identification method is proposed and demonstrated. The thickness profile and flange length are identified as key criteria for this identification process. Measurements of thickness distribution and flange length are obtained using digital image correlation (DIC) and microscopy techniques. Within the manufacturing system, uncertainties related to material properties and forming processes can result in scraps or defects. To analyze these processes, finite element analysis (FEA) is employed and validated through experiments. For the evaluation of scrap rates, uncertainty propagation is conducted using a metamodeling technique, specifically employing radial basis function (RBF) neural networks. The study concludes by offering process optimization recommendations aimed at reducing the scrap rate.

Spatial and temporal variability of meteorological droughts including atmospheric circulation in Central Europe

Drought is one of the natural phenomena influencing many aspects of human activities like water scarcity, food production, agriculture, industry and ecological conditions of the environment. For decades, drought has caused huge financial losses in Europe and around the world. In the area of the Polish Carpathians, there are periods with a deficit of rainwater and increasing frequency of dry months especially in the cold half-year. However, only a limited number of studies exist about the spatial and temporal variability of meteorological drought and the main mechanisms determining its performance in Central Europe. The aim of this work is to perform the spatial and temporal analysis of drought, expressed as SPI, in a heterogenous area of the Polish Carpathian and the highland region in the East-Central part of Europe based on long-term precipitation data. Moreover, for the first time in this work drought characteristics assessed by means of the SPI were discussed considering the atmospheric circulation calendar. In this work monthly precipitation from 55 rainfall stations were analysed from 1961 to 2022. The 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) was used as indicators of meteorological drought. For the 3-month SPI, the main climatic mechanisms determining extreme droughts were defined based on the calendar of synoptic circulations. The Mann-Kendall test was used to detect the trend of extreme droughts. Statistically significant trends of SPI were observed on 52.7% of all analyzed stations and, in most cases, a positive trend was observed, indicating an increase in water resources in the Upper Vistula Basin. Statistically significant trends were more frequently observed in stations located in the western part of the analyzed region. Long-term droughts, represented by the 12-month SPI, occurred in all stations but not in all years. Short-term droughts (3-month SPI) were most frequent in the winter season, 6- and 9-month SPI in winter and spring, and 12-month SPI in winter and autumn. The spatial distribution of droughts was highly diverse. The most intensive drought occurred in 1984, with the 6-month SPI covering 98% of the analyzed region, and the 9- and 12-month SPI covering 90% of the entire region. Droughts exhibit a seasonal pattern, with a dominant 10-year periodicity for all analyzed variants of SPI. Additionally, Fourier analysis revealed a 2-year periodicity for the 3-, 6-, and 9-month SPI and a 31-year periodicity for the 12-month SPI. The results provide insights into the typical climatic conditions in Poland, with strong seasonality in precipitation. The study highlighted that short-term extreme droughts, represented by the 3-month SPI, are often caused by anticyclonic situations with high-pressure wedges Ka and Wa, as observed in 52.3% of cases. These findings are crucial for understanding the spatial and temporal variability of short and long-term extreme droughts in Central Europe, particularly for the agriculture sector which is dominant in the northern part of the analyzed region, where drought frequency is highest.