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The deficiency of micronutrients in the human diet is widely recognised as a global problem. The objective of this study was to assess the content of two essential minerals, iron and zinc, in milling streams of old heritage wheat cultivars that have not been produced for more than a half-century to discover potential parent lines with high mineral content for breeding. Kernel size of seven Serbian old wheat cultivars was evaluated for ash content, thousand-grain weight and share of specific kernel fractions. Three cultivars, Crnozrna, Rumska Crvenka and Stara Banatka, were selected as the most appropriate for milling and further analysis of mineral content in the milling streams. The cultivars were milled in a laboratory mill to obtain six flour and two byproduct streams. At the same time, iron and zinc content was determined on a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer. After mixing all six flour streams obtained from each cultivar, three different flour types were obtained. The flour with the highest ash content was the "1100" type originating from cultivar Stara Banatka, characterized by the highest iron and zinc content (54.9 mg/kg d. b. and 5.407 mg/kg d. b., respectively). It was estimated that consumption of a daily average bread portion (166 g according to national statistical data) made from Stara Banatka flour could provide about 90% of the recommended daily intake for iron. Therefore, Stara Banatka may be a target cultivar for wheat breeders searching for high-iron parent wheat lines.

Land consolidation (LC) is an important tool for the improvement of agriculture and rural development, which also includes environmental issues in most of the countries in Europe. This paper presents the most important results of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of land consolidation, conducted in the municipality of Vršac through a pilot project based on the EU methodology set within the project: “Strengthening Municipal Land Management in Serbia”, supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. During the summer of 2018, field survey was carried out at 90 locations, documenting the natural, semi-natural and man-made landscape elements of ecological or cultural values, assessing their quality and estimating the potential harmful environmental impacts of the land consolidation. The already existing negative impacts of intensive agriculture were also registered, such as abandonment or overgrazing of pastures and meadows, converting grasslands into arable land, soil erosion and habitat fragmentation. Although the area of LC is without natural forest and extremely poor in semi-natural elements of rural landscape, the existing entities were revealed as refuges for protected species. Some of the grassland fragments belonged to protected habitat types. The final categorization of the landscape elements was conducted in three levels. Category I landscape elements had to remain undisturbed; Category II landscape elements could be removed with obligatory ecological compensation, while the Category III landscape elements could be removed without environmental compensation. Recommendations were given pointing out the possibilities for improving the environmental characters of the area by the land consolidation process.

The conducted research aims to ascertain the variations in macro and microelement content within the soil-to-leaf relationship in small vineyards. The vineyard block (1.2 ha), located in Sremski Karlovci, Serbia, planted with Grašac (Riesling Italico), was divided into 20 subplots. Each subplot served as an individual location for soil and leaf sampling. Soil samples were collected at three depths, while leaf sampling occurred at two phenophase (end of flowering and at ripening), with separation into petiole and blade parts. Vari­ability of soil physico-chemical characteristics between subplots was determinate, with the greatest variability in the 30-60 cm soil layer. The soil generally displayed low levels of organic matter and available P, K, Zn and B. Erosion processes were indicated by the spatial distribution of physico-chemical parameters. Differences in nutrient contents were noted among leaf parts and phenophases, aligning with existing literature. Comparing leaf nutrient status to optimal values from literature, N and P content was found at lower limits, confirming K and B deficiencies. Identically, fertilization recommendations can be inferred from soil and foliar analyses, primarily for N, K and B. Additionally, based on soil analysis, a slight increase in P and Zn application is advisable. Established correlations among all observed variables revealed connections between soil parameters, across all depths, and nutrients in the leaf blade at the end of flowering. It is notable to say that nutrient content in soil, particularly N, K, Mn and Zn, exhibited statistically significant positive correlations with its content in the leaf blade, respectively. Further research is necessary to lay the foundation for the development of ac­curate and reliable criteria for diagnosing nutrition, not only for the whole species but also among grapevine leading varieties. Given the significant variations in nutrient requirements and accumulation among these genotypes, this research will be instrumental in ensuring op­timal nutrient supply while minimizing deficiencies or excesses.

Nickel (Ni) is an essential nutrient for animals and it has an important role in many physiological and biochemical processes in higher plants. At the same time, it belongs to the group of potentially toxic elements (PTEs). The aim of this study is to determine Ni concentrations in the soil-plant relationships between the main crops and agricultural land in Central Serbia. A total of 71 bulked soil samples are taken from the topsoil at the depth of 0-30 cm in an area belonging to 6 statistical districts of Central Serbia. A total of 71 seed samples are collected during harvest as an average sample of seed from each observed plot, of which 26 are corn, 19 sunflower, 17 wheat, and 9 soybean samples. Analysis of the collected samples includs the main soil parameters and Ni total and available concentrations in soil, as well as Ni total concentration in seeds. The median value of total Ni concentration in soil is 44.8 mg kg-1, close to MAC. The median nickel concentration in wheat and corn seeds is 0.5 mg kg-1, while soybean and sunflower seeds have higher median Ni content of 8.40 and 10.26 mg kg-1, respectively. Bioaccumulation factors in seeds (BAF) in the present study ranges from 0.013 (corn) to 0.256 (soybean). According to statistically significant differences, all crops have equal total NiT concentration in soil, while the available NiA concentration differs in soils under corn and sunflower cultivars. Based on Ni concentration in seed and BAF, two groups are distinguished − the group of soybeans and sunflowers with higher Ni content and the group of wheat and corn with lower Ni content in seed. The obtained differences confirm that plant species have a significant role in the bio­accumulation of Ni. The determined BAF parameter is in a statistically significant negative correlation with the total Ni content in soil in all observed crops except maize. However, the BAF parameter for maize alone is in a statistically significant negative correlation with the readily available Ni concentration in the soil. The obtained correlations indicate that higher Ni concentration in soil causes lower Ni concentration in seeds, which might be due to the activation of plant defense mechanism to preserve the reproductive organs ‒ seeds ‒ from harmful effects. Based on the obtained results, Ni concentration in seeds of the main field crops in Central Serbia is safe for feed and food usage. Increased content of Ni found in agricultural soils in Central Serbia requires constant monitoring for maintaining sustainable agriculture production.

Intensive crop cultivation systems require continuous monitoring of irrigation water quality as well as the control of physical and chemical soil properties. In view of the ongoing climate change and a dramatic decrease in soil organic matter content, the use of low quality irrigation water and its adverse effects on soil, cultivated plants and irrigation equipment must not be overlooked. The aim of this paper was to evaluate general quality of irrigation water from the different water intake sources in the Vojvodina Province. The paper presents the results of irrigation water quality, collected during 2018 and 2019. The research included 140 irrigation water samples obtained from three different intake structures which collect water from wells, canals or reservoirs. Water quality was assessed using the following parameters: pH value, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), ionic balance, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and residual sodium carbonate (RSC) value. Water quality diagram given by the US Salinity Laboratory (USSL) and FAO guidelines for interpretation water quality for irrigation was used. Additionally, the Nejgebauer classification for irrigation water, developed specifically for the area of Vojvodina, was used as a third classification. Based on the results of mineralization of the irrigation water, the following values of the observed parameters were determined: average pH of the analyzed water samples were 7.89, ranged from 7.14 to 9.01, while electrical conductivity values ranged from 0.10 to 3.50 dS/m, with an average of 0.85 dS/m. TDS analysis resulted in a wide range of values, from 112 mg/l to 2,384 mg/l, with an average of 529,22 mg/l. SAR values varied between 0.04-16.52 with a satisfactory average of 1.97. The USSL water classification produced similar results as FAO classification and RSC index

Mercury (Hg) has been listed as a global high priority pollutant by many international organizations due to its mobility and persistence in the environments and high toxicity to organisms. This research was conducted with the aims to determine: (i) total Hg content (THg) and its spatial distribution in sediments of river Tisa along the river course, (ii) possible sources of THg and (iii) degree of THg pollution in sediments from the river Tisa through different criteria. Total Hg in the sediments ranged from 0.07 to 0.49 mg kg-1, with mean ± S.D. value of 0.26 ± 0.10 mg kg-1. The highest mean value of THg (0.30 mg kg-1) was found in the lower stream, while the lowest (0.13 mg kg-1) was found in the tributary. According to Principal Component Analyses (PCA) strong positive loading of metals in all parts of the river Tisa is mainly controlled from the same sources. These sources are related to anthropogenic activities based on calculated Enrichment Factor (EF) values. Total Hg are higher than background value. According to the Republic of Serbia official standard, THg values of river Tisa sediments were within the range of maximum permissible values. Compared with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) guideline, 80.49% of sediment samples indicated that THg in the river Tisa sediments represented minimal and possible risk towards the living organisms. Integrating the results of pollution assessment, it could be concluded that THg in river Tisa sediments in Serbia demonstrates considerable contamination according to Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo), and Contaminant Factor (CF), and high pollution risk according to Potential Environmental Risk Index (PERI).

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of biochar soil amendment (BSA) on chemical and microbial properties in different agricultural soils in Vojvodina Prov­ince. Short-term pot experiment consisted of five biochar application doses (0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 3%) and five contrasting soil types (Mollic Gleysol, Eutric Cambisol, Calcaric Fluvisol, Gleyic Chernozem, and Haplic Chernozem), planted with sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The examined chemical and microbial properties were significantly influenced by soil type and interaction of experimental factors. Significant influence of biochar on the contents of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), total nitrogen (N), total carbon (C), soil organic carbon (SOC), humus and potassium (K) of the tested soils was observed. Biochar also significantly affected the number of azotobacters (AZB), fungi (FNG), actino­mycetes (ACT) and copiotrophic bacteria (CB). The effect of BSA varied depending on the applied dose, with higher values of the examined chemical and microbial parameters at higher doses of application. Further studies on using biochar in soils with low fertility will be neces­sary to establish its efficiency as an enhancer for agricultural production in Serbia. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. TR31072]

The objective of this study was to investigate the possibility of using microbial strains as residue decomposers and to determine the effect of these strains on chemical and microbial properties in the residue-amended soil. Greenhouse experiment consisted of eight Bacillus treatments, three Trichoderma treatments, and their combination, all applied to non-sterile chernozem soil amended with wheat straw. Incorporation of wheat straw improved soil chemical and microbial properties, while the extent of residue decom­position under microbial strains was intensified. Microbial treatments significantly affected the soil pH, the content of carbonate, total carbon, soil organic carbon, humus, and available phosphorus and potassium. Bacterial and fungal treatments also significantly influenced the total microbial number, ammonifiers, N2-fixers, fungi, actinomycetes, oligotrophs, copiotrophs, and cellulolytic microorganisms. The effect of microbial treatments varied depending on the applied strains and examined properties, with Bacillus strains being more promising residue decomposers compared to Trichoderma strains. The most effective microbial strains could be used as potential decomposers of crop residues. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. TR31072]

Mercury (Hg) and potentially toxic elements (PTEs) are components of household dust and are a risk for human health. The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of Hg and PTEs in household dust in individual housing facilities in the town of Šid, Serbia and their correlation to the content of the elements found in the surrounding garden soil. Total of 64 samples of household dust were collected from 16 locations of individual housing facilities on 4 occasions. Samples of surrounding yard and garden soil were simultaneously collected. None of the 64 analysed soil samples exceeded the threshold limit (TL) prescribed by law for non-agricultural soil, which is 0.3 mg kg-1 DM. Content of Hg in household dust was much higher than in the surrounding soil and ranged from 0.005 to 1.566 mg kg-1 DM. The resulting values of PTEs (As, B, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in household dust had a significantly higher range than in the soil. Contents of Hg, B, Cu, and Zn were much higher in household dust than in the soil. According to the results of correlations of the analysed elements in household dust and surrounding soil, and according to the analysed locations, direct effect of Hg and PTEs contents on the content of the same elements in household dust was not confirmed.

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of soil type and forage crops on the content of magnesium in soil and roughages, as well as forage quality regarding Mg content for the prevention of animal disease ‘tetany’. The trial was carried out on chernozem and humogley under alfalfa and red clover. Samples for determination of Mg content in plant and total Mg content in soil were digested using the apparatus Milestone Ethos 1. The content of Mg was determined using the apparatus ICP-OES Vista Pro-Axial Varian. The average total Mg content in soil of the tested sites was 0.64%. Total Mg content in chernozem was higher than in humogley. A higher total Mg content was in the deeper horizon. A significant positive correlation was found between total Mg content in soil and soil pH as well as the content of CaCO3. The average Mg content in forage crops was 0.28%. A higher Mg content in the dry matter was observed in crops grown on humogley. Mg content was significantly higher in red clover. There was no risk for the occurrence of animal disease ‘tetany’ regarding Mg content in crops, because the ratio K/(Ca+Mg) was below 2.2, and K and Mg content in the dry matter of crops was below the critical value. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. TR31072: Stanje, tendencije i mogućnosti povećanja plodnosti poljoprivrednog zemljišta u Vojvodini]

To enhance understanding of edaphic conditions in serpentine habitats, a thorough investigation of chemical and mechanical properties of three soils from disjunct ultramafic outcrops in the central Balkans was undertaken. Soil from a nearby chemically-contrasting limestone habitat was also analyzed. Three plant species differently associated with serpentine (Halacsya sendtneri, Cheilanthes marantae, and Seseli rigidum) were references for site and soil selection. Twenty elements were scanned for, and fourteen were measured in seven sequentially-extracted soil fractions. Quantified soil properties also included: pH, levels of free CaCO3, organic matter, P2O5, K2O, N, C, S, cation exchange capacity, total organic carbon, field capacity and soil mechanical composition. The usual harsh components for plant growth in serpentine soil such as elevated Mg:Ca ratio, high levels of Ni, Cr, or Co, were significantly lower in the available fractions. There was a significant positive correlation of organic matter and field capacity, with most available Ca (70-80%) found in the mobile, rather than the organically-bound fraction. This showed that a more favorable Mg:Ca ratio is highly dependent upon a higher field capacity, which is also in accordance with a more developed vegetation. Increasing the availability of metals (Al, Ba, Ca, Cr, Cu, Mg, Ni, Zn) in a more developed serpentine grassland and forest vegetation, occurred only simultaneously with decrease of the Mg:Ca ratio and rise in other factors of fertility (N, P, K). Progressive development of ecosystem complexity therefore raised the availability of metals, but also reduced harsh Mg:Ca ratio disproportion, boosted levels of nutrients and raised soil field capacity. Principal components analysis confirmed that the main differences among serpentine habitats lay primarily in factors of fertility. The common habitat which hosts all three reference species offers intermediate conditions in a plant habitat selection gradient. Comparing serpentine with limestone showed ample difference in total content and availability of most of the surveyed elements, but very few differences in other chemical properties. The fragility of soil and ecosystem, and biological value of serpentine habitats demand intensive research and protection of these diversity and endemism hotspots of the Balkan Peninsula.

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