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The Mediterranean is characterised by high biodiversity and numerous endemic species. These species are not only present in natural habitats, but also inhabit areas under human influence, such as agricultural lands. In the biodiversity assessment of Mediterranean vineyards and olive orchards within Zadar County, in Croatia, we identified eight endemic species with Mediterranean distribution, six with a Balkan Peninsula distribution, four with Dinaric Alps distribution and three species rare and endangered in Europe. Alongside these species, we have recorded five new species for Croatian fauna, many of those identified by combining morphological characteristics and the DNA barcoding tool. Araneae and Coleoptera contributed the highest number of endemic species and groups with new record were the following: Coleoptera, Diptera and Araneae. Compared to other sites, an olive orchard with ecological pest management (EPM), surrounded by natural ecosystems, had the highest ratio of endemic and rare species. Our findings emphasise that agricultural lands in the Mediterranean can be habitats for endemic and rare species and that future biodiversity research of these habitats is highly important, to monitor potential biodiversity changes and motivate future species and ecosystem conservation.

Cherry (Prunus avium L.) is an economically highly profitable fruit crop, due to the market, technological and commercial value of the fruit. The aim of this paper was to determine how treatment with different physiologically active substances affects individual morphological properties of the cherry fruit, Regina variety. Research of the effect physiologically active substances had on 75 trees in the cherry orchard was conducted in 2022, during the phenophase of fruit growth and development, in two locations in Zadar County: Ninski stanovi and Murvica. The treatment was carried out three times, with knapsack sprayers on five variants in 3 repetitions: K - no treatment, only water, T1 - CaO 15%, T2 - biostimulator (based on Ascophyllum nodosum L. extract), T3 - prolin, T4 - salicylic acid. The first treatment was carried out at a certain time interval after full flowering, depending on the microclimate of the particular location, while the other treatments were conducted with intervals of 10 days. The fruit samples on which morphological measurements were performed contained twenty random fruits per repetition. Data processing with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression test (Tukey) determined the effect of physiologically active substances on the length, width, weight, as well as on the percentage of dry matter and fruit toughness, by treatments and locations. The highest values of fruit length, width and mass were achieved by treatments T2 and T4, while the least cracked fruits were obtained with treatment T1.

Food production is increasingly preoccupied with precision agriculture. One of its solutions are visual data processing technologies - object detection (OD), combined with the development and application of artificial intelligence (AI) models. These technologies as a tool are much more precise than looking with the “naked eye”. The olive fly Bactrocera oleae (Rossi 1790) is an economic pest of the olive fruit that appears regularly in the Mediterranean climate, but the capture is not the same every year. Measuring the capture on the yellow plates, creating the flight curve is an extremely time-consuming job for olive growers. OD technologies, with the application of AI, speed up the process of measuring captures. The developed AI model bridges the spatial distance and travel time of the yellow plates. The aim of the paper is to show the development of the OD model for B. oleae and its reliability. The AI model was developed in Zadar County on visual samples of images of yellow plates from 6 localities collected from 2020 to 2022. The research was carried out as part of the project: SAN-KK.01.2.1.01.0100 (Smart agriculture network), financed by IRI- ERDF fund. AI model development was carried out using TensorFlow software. The concept used to determine the level of precision bio efficientdet lite4. This is an AI algorithm, and it works by having a separate set of images determine the quality of the model. With it, reliability of up to 95% was achieved. OD technologies, along with the development of AI models, have proven to be applicable in measuring the captures of adults and setting the flight curve of the olive fly. Technology further bridges distance and time to measure adult captures.

The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of the silicon foliar application on the intensity of olive damage caused by the settlement of jasmine moth (Margaronia (Palpita) unionalis Hubner) larvae, and the phenolic response of olive leaves. The field trail on two years old Leccino cv. olives was conducted, as a completely randomized design with two treatments (untreated control (Si-) and silicon treated plants (Si+)), during September and October of 2022. During the trial Si+ plants were foliarly treated five times at intervals of one week. After second treatment the larvae of four jasmine moth were settled on the apical buds of Si- and Si+ olives. Seven days after the last treatment, samples of young and old leaves for phenolic analyses were taken. Damaged leaves, apical buds and the number of pupae per plant were also counted. The results showed significant differences in the oleuropein concentration between Si- and Si+ leaves (6121 mg/100 g DW and 6914 mg/100 g DW, respectively). Comparing the percentage of damaged leaves and the percentage of damaged apical buds, there was no significant difference between Si- and Si+ olives. A significant difference was shown in the number of pupae per plant, namely, no pupae were found on Si+ plants, while an average of 0.3 pupae per olive was found on Si- plants. Due to our preliminary results further investigation of the silicon foliar application in protecting olives from the jasmine moth as well as other insects is needed.

Najdestruktivnija bolest na maslini (Olea europaea L.) je paunovo oko koju izaziva gljiva Spilocaea oleagina, (Castage). Prvi simptomi se pojavljuju na listu. Patogen je prisutan u masliniku tokom cijele godine. Tijek inkubacije od 15 dana pa do nekoliko mjeseci otežava nadzor bolesti zbog pojave latentne zaraze. Uzgoj stabla masline u mediteranskom podneblju je na plitkom skeletnom tlu koje ima niski kapacitet za vodu. Za postizanje zadovoljavajućeg prinosa i kvalitete ploda maslinu je potrebno navodnjavati. Cilj rada je odrediti intenzitet i jačinu zaraze paunovim okom na sorti Coratina u sklopu projekta „SAN – Smart Agriculture Network“ na 24 stabla po slučajnom bloknom rasporedu. Navodnjavanje je provedeno sustavom kap na kap. Varijante su: K (0%) - bez navodnjavanja, T1 (PP) - proizvođačka praksa, T2 (SAN) – 80 % od izračunate evapotranspiracije i T3 (100%) – od izračunate evapotranspiracije. Za određivanje latentne zaraze po pojedinim varijantama pokusa ubrani listovi tretirani su natrijevom lužinom. Ocjenjivan je postotak zaražene površine lista razvrstane u pet kategorija. Statističkom obradom podataka jednosmjernom analizom varijance (ANOVA) i povratnim testom (Duncan) određen je postotak zaraženih listova i postotak pokrivenosti lisne površine lezijama. Dobiveni rezultati ukazuju da bez obzira na obrok navodnjavanja sve varijante u istraživanju imaju jednak broj zaraženih listova. S druge strane sve istraživane varijante imaju jednak prosječni postotak zaražene površine lezijama, osim varijante T3 gdje je on značajno veći.

Jabukov savijač (Cydia pomonella L.) ekonomski je štetnik koji uzrokuje velike gubitke u proizvodnji jabuke. Zbog ekonomske važnosti jabuke (Malus domestica Borkh.) širom svijeta, tržište zahtjeva proizvodnju visokokvalitetnog voća bez prisutnih šteta od jabukovog savijača. Jabukov savijač razvija jednu do četiri generacije godišnje ali zbog klimatskih promjena zabilježen je neočekivani porast populacije i broja generacija štetnika. U suzbijanju štetnika, proizvođači obično učestalo primjenjuju insekticidne tretmane koji uzrokuju razvoj rezistentnosti štetnika i opterećuju finalni proizvod, okoliš i druge ne ciljane organizme agrokemikalijama. S obzirom na navedeno, mnogo je razloga za korištenje sofisticiranijih tehnika praćenja štetnika koje bi poboljšale njegovo suzbijanje. Cilj ovog istraživanja je razviti sustav za automatsko praćenje i ranu detekciju jabukovog savijača korištenjem RGB kamere. Tijekom razdoblja leta jabukova savijača u 2022. godini prikupljeno je 140 fotografija štetnika, na kojima je kasnije anotirano 4000 jedinki vrste. Na temelju 90% anotiranih fotografija trenirana je konvolucijska neuronska mreža. Rezultati su pokazali da analitički model detektirao jabukovog savijača s 80% točnosti, što je potvrđeno korištenjem preostalih 10% anotiranih fotografija. Razvojem ovog pametnog sustava, proizvođači će moći učinkovitije pratiti te pravovremeno detektirati jabukovog savijača što će poboljšati suzbijanje štetnika, a time i proizvodnju jabuke.

Even though the satellites in orbits of different heights are tracked from Earth, for many applications there is a need for precise satellite positioning or timing and therefore, such satellites carry Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) receivers. Many of those are single-frequency receivers. Signals from the main and side lobes of GNSS satellites, arriving to a satellite-borne receiver from different directions, are used to calculate the position and time. To compensate for the ionospheric error, ionospheric models integrated within GNSS, intended for use on Earth, cannot be applied without modifications. For each GNSS signal arriving to the space-borne receiver, the cross-section of the path within the ionosphere must be determined, and the resulting ionospheric error compensated.

Kukuruzna zlatica (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, 1858) i kukuruzni moljac (Ostrinia nubilalis Hübner, 1796) gospodarski su značajni štetnici kukuruza. Odrasli oblici zlatice i moljca stvaraju mnogobrojne populacije čije jedinke stalno posjećuju sve nadzemne dijelove biljaka: list, metlicu, stabljiku, svilu i klipove. Odrasli oblici kukuruzne zlatice i kukuruznog moljca mogu biti vektori spora mikotoksigenih gljivica i tako doprinositi kontaminaciji kukuruza mikotoksinima. Značajniji mikotoksini su aflatoksin B1 i okratoksin A. Aflatoksine proizvode mikotoksigene gljivice vrste Aspergillus flavus, a okratoksin vrste rodova Aspergillus i Penicillium. U sklopu projekta „Proizvodnja hrane, biokompozita i biogoriva iz žitarica u kružnom gospodarstvu“ (EFRR: KK.05.1.1.02.0016) provedeno je istraživanje potencijala prijenosa spora mikotoksigenih gljiva odraslim kukcima. Istraživanje je provedeno u poljskim uvjetima u Osijeku tijekom 2021. Prikupljene su 103 odrasle jedinke kukuruzne zlatice i 87 jedinki kukuruznog moljca. Postupak dokazivanja kukaca kao prijenosnika mikotoksigenih gljivica proveden je ispiranjem kukaca u sterilnoj vodi, inokulacijom i inkubacijom na hranjivoj podlozi Potatoe Dextrose Agar. Kulture gljivica razvijenih na hranjivim podlogama morfološki su determinirane prema dostupnim ključevima. Potencijalno mikotoksigene gljivice su izdvojene i inokulirane na hranjive podloge Potatoe Dextrose Broth koje induciraju proizvodnju aflatoksina B1 i okratoksina A. Aflatoksin B1 i okratoksin A su ekstrahirani i potvrđeni HPLC metodom. Preliminarni rezultati prikazuju pojavnost mikotoksigenih proizvođača aflatoksina B1 i okratoksina A.

Apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) is one of the world's highest-yielding fruit crops. In addition to codling moth (Cydia pomonella L.), which is considered the most important apple pest, other lepidopterans, fruit flies, and true bug species also threaten production, affecting fruit quality and preventing its commercialization. Early detection and monitoring of pests is critical to preventing damage from pests. Due to new climatic conditions, the phenology of pests changes frequently and it is very difficult to predict their occurrence. Therefore, there is an increasing need to develop and use new smart technologies for pest monitoring (smart traps, sensors, etc.). Such methods can greatly facilitate site-specific management and consequently reduce the use of pesticides and their residues. The aim of this work is to provide an overview of methods for automatic monitoring of economically important apple pests in order to improve sustainable pest management in apple production.

Trčci (Carabidae, Coleoptera) često se proučavaju kao agensi biološkog suzbijanja štetnih organizama. Maslinina muha (Bactrocera (Daculus) oleae (Gmelin, 1790) i puževi (Gastropoda) prisutni su u maslinicima i vinogradima mediteranskih agro-ekosustava gdje čine štetu na nasadima. Cilj rada je identificirati vrste trčaka korisnih u biološkom suzbijanju, prateći sezonsku dinamiku odabranih organizama na istraživanim plohama. Istraživanje je provedeno na pet ploha u Zadarskoj županiji. Istraživana su dva vinograda i dva maslinika po jedan u ekološkom, odnosno integriranom sustavu uzgoja. Peta ploha bila je kontrola bez uzgoja, s tipičnom mediteranskom makijom i garigom. Trčci su uzorkovani od travnja do srpnja te od rujna do studenog 2018. u plastične posude volumena 300 mL, po 12 u liniji postavljenih u zemlju kao zamke. Nemetrička višedimenzionalna analiza skaliranja (NMDS) korištena je za provjeru grupiranja skupina trčaka na temelju sličnosti vrsta između ploha. Sezonske promjene u brojnosti B. oleae i puževa te trčaka modelirane su generaliziranim linearnim modelom mješovitih učinaka (GLMM). Mesojedi poput Poecilus (Macropoecilus) koyi (Germar, 1824) i Pterostichus (Morphnosoma) melanarius (Illiger, 1798) bili su najzastupljeniji. Brojnost trčaka pokazala je značajan utjecaj na brojnost puževa. Na osnovi dobivenih rezultata mogu se izdvojiti vrste s potencijalom u suzbijanju promatranih štetnih organizama kroz vegetacijsku sezonu.

One of the most important apple pests are insects from the order of butterflies (Lepidoptera) - the codling moth (Cydia pomonella (Linnaeus, 1758), whose larvae feed on apple fruit, making it unusable for the market, and the pear leaf blister moth (Leucoptera maifoliella (O. Costa, 1836), whose larvae develop in apple leaves. Classical pest monitoring methods are unreliable and time- consuming, resulting in greater damage to apple production. The use of artificial neural networks (ANN) has recently shown great potential for pest monitoring. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to present ANNs as a pest detection tool that can be used for automatic monitoring of Lepidoptera apple pests (Figure 1). Looking at the examples from the literature where ANNs are used for apple pest monitoring and comparing their accuracy, it can be seen that all effective models for codling moth detection have an accuracy of over 90% in most cases compared to manual counts by human experts. The model for pear leaf blister moth is still pending, but since it belongs to the same order as codling moth (Lepidoptera), the model accuracy should also be high. In addition, ANNs have been used to detect damage to leaves caused by the pear leaf blister moth and also achieved high accuracy. Further development of ANNs for detection and monitoring of important apple pests is certain. Thus, this study reveals an unexplored potential for the use of ANNs in monitoring apple pests from the order Lepidoptera. Therefore, this work advocates more efficient and rapid monitoring that allows for targeted and effective pest control without unnecessary insecticide treatments and thus without negative agricultural impacts on the environment and human health.

Maslina (Olea europaea L.) je mediteranska voćna kultura koja zahtjeva navodnjavanje kako bi se postigao optimalni prinos i kvaliteta. Maslinin svrdlaš Rhynchites cribripennis Desbrocher 1869, je štetnik koji izgriza plod. Bitan čimbenik pri berbi je stupanj zrelosti ploda. Cilj rada je utvrditi kako različita praksa, kroz količinu i učestalost obroka navodnjavanja, uz prisutnost svrdlaša, utječe na indeks zrelosti masline, sorte Coratina. Istraživanje je provedeno kroz projekt „Smart Agriculture Network“ (KK.01.2.1.01.0100) na 24 stabla na dvije lokacije u Zadarskoj županiji: Žman (Dugi otok) i Novigrad. Navodnjavanje je provedeno sustavom kap na kap sa četiri varijante u tri ponavljanja: K(0%) bez navodnjavanja, T1(PP) proizvođač određivao obroke prema iskustvu, T2(SAN) obroci određivani obzirom na evapotranspiraciju i fenofazu razvoja, s do 80% poljskog kapaciteta tla i T3(100%) dodavanje vode do 100% od izračunate evapotranspiracije. Analizom tla određen je poljski kapacitet, a evapotranspiracija je očitavana s meteopostaje Pinova™. Berbe su obavljene u listopadu 2020. i 2021. Za određivanje štete od svrdlaša te indeksa zrelosti ubrano je 100 plodova po uzorku. Obradom podataka jednosmjernom analizom varijance (ANOVA) i povratnim testom (Tukey), utvrđen je utjecaj praksi navodnjavanja na indeks zrelosti ploda masline po tretmanima, godinama i lokacijama, jednostruko i u međuovisnosti. Nije ustanovljen utjecaj između prisutnosti svrdlaša i indeksa zrelosti.

Pear leaf blister moth (Lepidoptera: Lionetiidae) is an economically dangerous insect in apple orchards worldwide. During the growing season, the moth develops several generations that cause damage directly to the leaves. The larvae live inside the leaves and feed on the mesophyll tissue, causing defoliation of the leaves and later affecting bud differentiation. In more severe infestations, fruit organoleptic characteristics may also be affected. In the context of precision agriculture, the introduction of new technologies and early detection of pests through the use of automated monitoring systems for economically important apple pests can improve pest control and reduce damage to apple crops. The objective of this study is to develop an automatic monitoring system based on pear leaf blister moth detection using an RGB camera. During a period of 11 weeks, a series of 250 images were taken, and 4150 moths were annotated in the images. A convolutional neural network was trained based on 90% of the annotated images. The results showed that the analytical model trained in this way was able to identify the pear leaf blister moth with 70% accuracy, which was verified using the remaining 10% of the captured images. These preliminary results show that the system can contribute to more accurate and early detection of pests, but still needs to be improved with a larger training data set.

Poljoprivredna je proizvodnja od velike važnosti za prehranu ljudi i životinja. Budući da su potrebe za hranom svaki dan sve veće, a razina šteta se, ovisno o kulturi, umnogome ne mijenja, potrebno je naći nova rješenja. Svaki uzgoj bilja prati i njegova problematika ekonomski značajnih štetnih organizama i stresa uzrokovanog vanjskim i unutrašnjim čimbenicima. Takvi se problemi ne mogu više nadgledati samo ljudskim okom, pogotovu na većim parcelama, pa se rješenja traže u područjima precizne poljoprivrede. Suvremene tehnike uzimanja i obrade vizualnih podataka usmjerene su prema automatskom analiziranju usjeva preko slika i tako uvelike skraćuju vrijeme i rad inače potreban za otkrivanje prve pojave štetnih organizama i abiotskog stresa. Tehnike analize slika omogućuju lakše određivanje stupnja razvoja štetnog organizma (štetnika, biljnih bolesti, korova), klasifikaciju biljaka na zdrave i zaražene te otkrivanje biljnog stresa. Cilj je ovih analiza provjeriti zdravstveno stanje većeg broja biljaka u kraćem vremenu te predvidjeti mogućnost razvoja štetnog organizma i stresa bilja. U tu se svrhu danas koristi umjetna inteligencija kao najbolje rješenje. Ove tehnike i metode moraju biti brže, bolje i ekonomičnije od ljudskog rada. Rad rasvjetljuje nove spoznaje u području istraživanja i primjena tehnika detekcije štetnih organizama i stresa biljaka obradom vizualnih podataka usmjerenih kao alat za pomoć agronomu te pregledom dostupnih istraživanja u fitomedicini.

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura, 1931), native to Eastern and South-eastern Asia, nowadays has spread across North America and Europe. This Dipteran species is an invasive pest that causes economic damages due to its infestation on different fruit crops. It was first reported in Croatia in 2010 across various fruit orchards in Istria, and since then, it has spread across the country’s territory including the capital city Zagreb and the Dalmatian region. In this study, we report the record of D. suzukii from an olive orchard in Zadar County, Croatia, with integrated pest management (IPM) system, surrounded by autochthonous sour cherry var. Marasca (Prunus cerasus var. marasca. To monitor the presence and abundance of flying pests, yellow sticky traps were set up from mid-July to late September 2018 and September and October 2019, within two olive orchards. Additional sampling for biodiversity assessment was done using a beating stick with a net. Examination of yellow traps did not confirm the presence of this invasive pest species. On the other hand, the DNA barcoding method of individuals sampled with a net confirmed the presence of D. suzukii. Earlier research in the area confirmed spider predation on Bacterocera olea, common dipteran pest species. Following mentioned results, we applied gut content analysis using e-DNA method to see potential biocontrol on D. suzukii. Here we present the result of gut content analysis of common predators for biocontrol of D. suzukii. The spread of this invasive fruit pest demonstrated the need to further research and implement environmentally friendly and sustainable pest control within agroecosystems, including biocontrol.

Trešnja je visokoprofitabilna voćna kultura zbog vrijednosti ploda. Uz ostale agrotehničke mjere, pravilna gnojidba osigurava bolji i kvalitetniji prinos. Značajnu ulogu u postizanju ciljeva prilikom proizvodnje trešnje imaju makrohranjiva (N, P, K, Ca, Mg). U pojedinim fenofazama također se ističu uloge mikrohranjiva, poglavito bora (B). Velik doprinos rastu i razvoju voćke, kao i poboljšanju dostupnosti hraniva, imaju gnojiva na mikrobiološkoj osnovi. Mikorizne gljive, kao i ostale korisne gljive i bakterije, imaju značajnu ulogu u postizanju uspjeha prilikom gnojidbe. Pojedini problemi u procesu proizvodnje, kao što je pucanje plodova te neki nametnici, također se mogu smanjiti aplikacijom određenih sredstava za ishranu. Hranjive tvari potrebne voćki mogu se dodati preko površine tla, fertirigacijom ili folijarno. Kao što nedostatak nekog elementa ima štetne posljedice na biljku, tako i suvišak može štetno djelovati. Uz pravilno provedenu analizu tla ili biljnog materijala utvrđujemo preciznu potrebu za hranivima kako bismo održali ekološki prihvatljivu proizvodnju. Također, važna zadaća prilikom upravljanja gnojidbom svakako je očuvanje tla i okoliša u kojemu se biljka uzgaja., Cherry is a highly profitable fruit crop, becouse of the value of its fruit. Along with other agrotechnical measures, proper fertilization ensures a better and higher quality yield. Macronutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) play a significant role in achieving the aim in cherry production. In some phenophases, the roles of micronutrients, especially boron (B), also stand out. Fertilizers on a microbiological basis have a great contribution to the growth and development of fruit trees as well as the improvement of nutrient availability. Mycorrhizal fungi, like other beneficial fungi and bacteria play an essential role in success of fertilization. Certain problems in the production process, such as fruit cracking and some pests, can also be reduced by the application of certain nutritious. The nutrients, needed by the fruit, can be added over the soil surface, by fertigation or foliar. Deficiency of an element has harmful effects on the plant, but excess also can have a detrimental effect. With a properly conducted analysis of soil or plant material, we determine the precise need for nutrients, and like that we sustain environmentally friendly production. Also, an important mission in fertilization management is to preserve soil and environment in which plant is cultivates.

Maslina (Olea europaea L.) je mediteranska voćna vrsta koja je radi svojih uzgojnih karakteristika pogodna za uzgoj u intenzivnim i ekstenzivnim nasadima kao i u ekološkim i integriranim sustavima proizvodnje. Bez obzira na odabir proizvodnog sustava, da bi se ostvarili visoki rezultati u kvaliteti ulja nužno je rano predvidjeti pojavu štetnih organizama radi odabira i pokretanja mjera zaštite. Cilj rada je donijeti i prikazati preliminarna istraživanja obrade vizualnih podataka u svrhu rane prognoze pojave štetnih organizama na maslini i to maslinine muhe (Bactrocera oleae (Rossi)) i paunovog oka (Spilocaea oleaginea (Castagne) Hughes). Istraživanja se provode u sklopu projekta „SAN – Smart Agriculture Network“ (SAN - KK.01.2.1.01.0100) u Zadarskoj županiji na slobodno odabranim sortama masline. Za potrebe učenja i klasifikacije primjenom RGB (Red Green Blue) i HSI (Hyperspectral imaging) slika prikupljeno je 1.500, odnosno 500 slika listova kao podatkovna podloga za razvoj modela neuronske mreže. Sustav analize je uspostavljen korištenjem strojnog učenja odnosno umjetnih neuronskih mreža (Faster R-CNN), čijom primjenom je omogućena detekcija i klasifikacija pojedinačnog lista. Za potrebe razvoja modela korišteni su programski jezici Python i C++, te različiti oblici programske podrške (TensorFlow, Scikit, itd.). Radom će biti predstavljeni i raspravljeni do sad poznati rezultati u obradi vizualnih podataka u ranoj prognozi pojave maslinine muhe i paunovog oka u drugim istraživanjima i preliminarni rezultati projekta SAN. Razvoj modela umjetne inteligencije bit će ugrađen u aplikaciju SAN koja će biti proizvod namijenjen maslinarima, a istraživanje je doprinos razvoja precizne poljoprivrede u maslinarstvu

Trčci (Coleoptera: Carabidae) su jedna od najbrojnijih porodica kornjaša i među najbolje istraženim skupinama kukaca. Generacije znanstvenika, karabidologa i ekologa, već pola stoljeća intenzivno proučavaju trčke kroz taksonomska, filogenetska, evolucijska i ekološka istraživanja. Trčci su dobri pokazatelji (bioindikatori) kvalitete staništa i promjena u ekosustavu. Važni su i u biološkom suzbijanju štetnika kao predatori te u suzbijanju korova kao granivori. Četiri godine nakon uspješnog 17. susreta u Primoštenu, u Hrvatskoj, te 50 godina nakon prvog susreta karabidologa u Biološkoj stanici u Wijsteru u Nizozemskoj, 19. susret održao se u Italiji, u malenom mjestu koje je pod zaštitom UNESCO-a, Fiera di Primiero u Dolomitima, u razdoblju od 16. do 20. rujna 2019.godine. Ovaj znanstveni skup organizirali su istraživači Biološkog odjela Sveučilišta u Calabriji i Nacionalnog parka „Parco Naturale di Paneveggio –Pale di San Martino”. Na skupu se okupilo oko 70 karabidologa iz 22 države Europe, Azije i Sjeverne Amerike (Pizzolotto 2019.), čime se nadišao europski kontekst.

Agricultural ecosystems are very complex regarding predator and prey dynamics depending on crop types and management intensity. Prey availability can affect the number and diversity of predators that are part of higher trophic niches. To analyse diversity of ground active predatory arthropods (Insecta, Carabidae and Arachnida, Araneae) and their potential prey (Malacostraca: Isopoda, Mollusca:Gastropoda and Hexapoda: Collembola) samples were collected using pitfall traps that were exposed during vegetation season, from May till November, in 2018. Five locations were selected, olive groves in ecological production (EO), olive groves in integrated production (IO), a vineyard in integrated production (IV), a vineyard in ecological production (EV) and untreated sites on karst (C), and for each location, community composition of predators and their prey were analysed and compared in respect with applied management. Moreover, predator abundance was compared with prey density in order to predict how prey availability affects carabids and spiders sustainability in the field. Results showed differences in community composition between managed and the control site, and between two types of management. Moreover, a positive correlation between the abundance of predators and potential prey was recorded. Based on these results factors that might enhance diversity and abundance of predatory arthropods as important for natural pest control will be discussed.

Vinova loza (Vitis vinifera L.) gospodarski je značajna kultura za Zadarsku županiju. Štitaste uši (nadfam. Coccoidea) štetnici su na višegodišnjim vrstama. Sišu biljne sokove, izlučuju mednu rosu i vektori su poznatih virusa. Smokvin crvac (Planococcus ficus), (Signoret 1875), nalazi se u većini svjetskih vinogradskih područja. Cilj je istraživanja bio odabrati ekološki i ekonomski najpovoljniju mjeru za njegovo suzbijanje. Istraživanje je provedeno tijekom dviju godina na sorti chardonnay u Ravnim kotarima na lokalitetu Baštica, po shemi latinskog kvadrata s četirima varijantama u četirima ponavljanjima. Varijante su bile redom: kontrola, mehaničko čišćenje odumrle kore, kemijsko suzbijanje, kemijsko i mehaničko suzbijanje zajedno. Uzorci za svaku varijantu pregledani su vizualno i binokularom. Zabilježena je brojnost vrste P. ficus. Krajnji je rezultat dobiven uspoređivanjem brojnosti jedinka štitastih uši na uzorcima varijanta prije i poslije provedenih mjera te je prema Henderson-Tiltonu izračunata učinkovitost pojedine metode. Rezultati su obrađeni statističkom analizom ANOVA i vrednovani Duncanovim testom rangova. Prema dobivenim podatcima prosječni napad na svim trsovima u 2018. godini bio je znatno veći naspram 2017. godine. Varijante s kemijskom mjerom primjene bakrenog oksida i mineralnog svijetlog ulja zajedno s mehaničkim skidanjem odumrle kore u objema su godinama pokazale najbolji rezultat u suzbijanju. Ujedno je primjena navedenih mjera i ekonomski najneopravdanija jer bi za površinu od 6 ha trošak primjene iznosio 30 258 kn. Samo mehaničko uklanjanje odumrle kore iziskuje brojniju radnu snagu. Preporuka je kombinirati obje istražene mjere suzbijanja tako da se u redovima gdje je najveći napad najprije obavi čišćenje odumrle kore, a zatim tretira trs preporučenim pripravcima.

The amount of ionospheric delay is proportional to the Total Electron Content (TEC), the number of free electrons on the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) signal propagation path. In this paper the TEC data derived from reference GNSS stations situated in the European middle latitudes during three years of the solar cycle 24 were used. The TEC is analyzed for each full hour of the local time. The semiannual variation of the night-time TEC in European middle latitudes in solar cycle 24 shows deviation from expected values, with asymmetry between the duration of rising and declining period. The period in which the night-time TEC rises from its annual minimum towards the maximum is shorter and the maximum appears before the summer solstice, during the spring.

Understanding how changes in soil fauna diversity can affect ecosystem functions, with special concern on the trophic network interactions, is among key questions in ecology. Predatory arthropods that occupy higher trophic levels can be negatively affected by pesticides used in the field, directly or/and through reduction of prey. Our aim is to determine predator and prey diversity and abundance in two olive orchards characterized by different type of agricultural management (IPM or ecological) and to analyze predation in both field types. In order to see the differences in trophic interactions among invertebrate fauna (mollusks, earthworms, arthropods), complex sampling has been carried out through vegetation season in 2018. Extensive DNA barcoding of predators and potential prey will be provided, after which complex trophic network will be created using acquired metagenomic data. Biodiversity study has shown that the main predators in soil through late spring and summer were ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and spiders (Arachnida: Aranea). On the other hand, in canopy layer dominant predators were spiders and harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones). The dominant prey were springtails (Collembola), Diptera, ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and mites (Arachnida: Acarina). Differences in predatory fauna between study sites and impact of management type on predators’ diversity in the field will be discussed with the purpose of improving biocontrol potential by predation.

Jabučni savijač (Cydia pomonella (Linnaeus, 1758)) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) najvažniji je štetni organizam jabuke u svim njezinim uzgojnim područjima, pa tako i u Republici Hrvatskoj. Redovito izaziva ekonomski značajne štete na plodu (crvljivost). Godišnje ima dvije, a katkada i tri generacije, te za učinkovito suzbijanje zahtijeva veći broj kemijskih tretiranja ako se ne koriste neke druge metode zaštite (npr. zbunjivanje mužjaka). Značajnije pojave i štete od jabučnog savijača primjetnije su u mediteranskom dijelu Hrvatske nego u kontinentalnom dijelu. Najjednostavnija i učinkovita metoda praćenja leta leptira odnosi se na uporabu feromonskih lovki. Na temelju ulova moguće je pripremiti programe zaštite i provesti zaštitu ploda koristeći model biofix. Hvatanje prvog moljca (leptira), kao metoda sinkronizacije modela i fenologije poljskih populacija, osnova je modela biofix. Provedenim istraživanjem željela se utvrditi učinkovitost preporučenog programa zaštite u poljskom pokusu na jabučnog savijača u dva klimatska područja Hrvatske kombinacijom pripravaka koji sadržavaju djelatne tvari fenoksikarb, klorantraniliprol + abamektin i emamektin benzoat. Tijekom 2018. godine praćenjem dinamike populacije i šteta na plodovima utvrđena je pojava i brojnost leptira na jednom lokalitetu u kontinentalnom i jednom lokalitetu na mediteranskom dijelu Hrvatske te štete koje izaziva njegova gusjenica, kao i učinkovitost preporučenog programa zaštite. Date su preporuke za pozicioniranje pripravaka unutar preporučenog programa zaštite i utvrđeni su ostatci pesticida u plodovima nakon berbe. Štete od jabučnog savijača veće su na jabuci u uzgoju na mediteranskom području, pa je potrebno pojačati broj tretiranja u odnosu na kontinentalni dio., Apple moth (Cydia pomonella (Linnaeus, 1758)) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is the most important apple pest in all apple growing areas, including the Republic of Croatia. It regularly causes economically significant damages to the fruits. It has two generations per year, and when the conditions are completed even third generation appears. For effective control, it requires a greater number of chemical treatments if other protection methods are not used (e.g. confusion method). In recent years there is a noticeable damage increase in the Mediterranean part of Croatia relative to the Continental part. The simplest and most effective method for monitoring moth flight is by using pheromone traps. Based on captures, it is possible to prepare Protection programs and enforce fruit protection using a biofix model. The capture of the first moth (butterfly) as a method of synchronization of the model and physiology of field populations is the basis of biofix model. The purpose of the research was to determine the efficacy of the recommended Protection program by combining plant protection products in two climatic regions of the Republic of Croatia, containing active substances in the order of: phenoxycarb, chlorantraniliprol + abamectin, emamectin benzoate. During 2018 monitoring of the population dynamics and damage to the fruits identified the occurrence and the number of moths in one locality in the Continental and one locality in the Mediterranean part of the Republic of Croatia, the damages caused by its caterpillar as well as the efficacy of the recommended protection programs. Recommendations for the positioning of the products within the recommended protection programs have been established and pesticide residues in the fruits have been determined. Damages to apple fruits are higher in Mediterranean growing area and it is necessary to increase the number of treatments compared to the Continent part.

Maslina (Olea europea L.) je gospodarski značajna kultura mediteranskog podneblja. Maslinina muha (Bactrocera (Daculus) oleae (Gmelin, 1790)) s obzirom na vremenske prilike uzrokuje gospodarske štete na pojedinim lokalitetima. Štete je moguće predvidjeti pravovremenom prognozom leta odraslih oblika postavljanjem feromonskih klopki i žutih ljepljivih ploča. Pojavnost šteta je usko vezana uz temperature i količinu te raspored oborina na pojedinim lokacijama. Zadarska županija je u sklopu projekta PESCAR (Interreg-IPA-CBC (HR-BA-ME277) na deset lokaliteta postavila mrežu agrometeoroloških postaja u svrhu razvoja infrastrukture da maslinari uspješnije suzbijaju štetnike i smanjuju upotrebu pesticida. Cilj rada je usporediti datume pojavnosti i dinamiku leta s podacima o srednjoj dnevnoj temperaturi i količini oborina na pojedinim lokalitetima. Svrha rada je razvijati model učinkovitije prognoze i doprinjeti integriranoj proizvodnji maslina preporučujući tretiranja insekticidima temeljem agrometeorloških podataka. Redovitim praćenjem leta muhe i agrometeoroloških podataka uočeno je da pojavnost i dinamika populacije maslinine muhe nije jednaka na cijelom području Zadarske županije. Usporedbom agrometeoroloških podataka s dinamikom populacije na pojedinim lokalitetima započeta je razrada modela koji predviđa datum pojavnosti i rast populacije maslinine muhe. Preliminarni rezultati su raspravljeni s literaturom, a uspješnost modela će rasti s višegodišnjim mjerenjima i usporedbama pojavnosti, leta i agrometeoroloških podataka.

European red mite (Panonychus ulmi Koch) is one of the most common apple pests. Weather conditions, as well as pesticides, affect red mite development. This mite also shows preferences to particular apple varieties. This research was conducted in Zadar County (Croatia) during three years (2016 - 2018) using the winter control of branches method. In 2016 the highest average number of overwintering eggs was found on Gala (338,33), Cripps Pink (241,33) and Red Elstar (247) until on Golden Delicious and Summer Red lower number was observed. In 2017 the highest abundance was noticed on Cripps Pink (40) and Golden Delicious (24) but still low compared with the previous year. In 2018 the highest number of overwintering eggs was found on Granny Smith (20). Number of overwintering eggs on Golden Delicious and Summer Red was similar in 2016, 2017 and 2018. During this research, no one variety showed a critical number of overwintering eggs., Crveni voćni pauk (Panonychus ulmi Koch) je jedan od najznačajnijih štetnika jabuke. Na razvoj crvenog pauka utječu vremenski uvjeti kao i kemijska sredstva za zaštitu bilja. Ovaj štetnik također preferira pojedine kultivare jabuka. Istraživanje je provedeno metodom zimskog pregleda grana na području Zadarske županije (Hrvatska) tijekom tri godine (2016. – 2018.). U 2016. najveći prosječan broj prezimljujućih jaja je pronađen na sortama Gala (338,33), Cripps Pink (241,33) i Red Elstar (247) dok je na sortama Golden Delicious i Summer Red uočeno znatno manje jaja. Tijekom 2017. najveća brojnost je uočena na sortama Cripps Pink (40) i Golden Delicious (24) ali još uvijek niska u odnosu na prethodnu godinu. U 2018. najveći broj prezimljujućih jaja pronađen je na sorti Granny Smith (20). Broj jaja na sortama Golden Delicious i Summer Red je bio podjednak tijekom 2016., 2017. i 2018. Tijekom istraživanja niti na jednom kultivaru nije uočen kritičan broj prezimljujućih jaja.

Olives and grapes are considered to be among the most significant crops common to the Mediterranean region. Even though they are well adapted to the Mediterranean type of climate, still the events such as invasive alien species, climate changes, etc. can significantly affect these ecosystems causing ecological and economic harms. Neonicotinoids, as the most commonly used insecticides worldwide in last decade, recently have been banned in many countries due to their adverse effects on non-target organisms (insects, birds, etc.), and raised great concerns about the survival of beneficial predatory species (e.g. carabid beetles and spiders), important for pest control and essential for healthy ecosystem functioning. On the other hand, the application of Copper (Cu) has a long historical use, especially in the Mediterranean agriculture. High biodiversity in Mediterranean biogeographical region and thus very complex food webs are far from being well explored which makes it hard to predict all possible negative effects of applied pesticides on non- target predatory fauna. Within the MEDITERATRI project we want to explore the effects of two types of management, IPM and ecological, on trophic interactions between beneficial predatory invertebrates and their prey, their diversity and field abundance, and to analyse certain traits that might be important for the survival of beneficial fauna in the field. Field survey takes place within Mediterranean agriculture ecosystems, in vineyards and olive orchards, treated with both pesticides (thiame thoxam and Copper) and in pristine habitat. Metagenomics will be employed to reveal the complete diet of predatory invertebrates in the field, by identifying and barcoding all the relevant species in the field sites that have not already been barcoded. LC-MS/MS and ICP-MS technique will be used to quantify neonicotinoid residues and Cu concentrations in soil and animals representing different trophic guilds. The results will significantly contribute to the risk assessment of pesticides proliferation in the ecosystem as well as the knowledge on the overall field sustainability of predatory invertebrates as a key group in integrated pest control.

Proizvodnja sredozemnog smilja (Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don) u Hrvatskoj je u porastu te se javlja potreba za bržom i kvalitetnijom ponudom sadnog materijala. Cilj rada je utvrditi kako na visinu biljke, broj postranih izbojaka i masu suhe tvari presadnice utječu dušik, fosfor i kalij pojedinačno i u kombinaciji primijenjeni u hranjivim otopinama različitih koncentracija (električne provodljivosti: 1, 5 mS/cm, 2, 2 mS/cm i 3, 0 mS/cm). Pokus je postavljen na presadnicama u fazi 4 do 5 listova nakon pikiranja. Dobiveni rezultat pokazuje da sve varijante imaju pozitivan učinak na rast i razvoj do određenih koncentracija u odnosu na kontrolu osim kalija. Pojedinačna gnojidba dušikom i fosforom u koncentracijama do 2, 2 mS/cm ima pozitivan učinak na rast i razvoj presadnica smilja, dok koncentracije ovih gnojiva iznad 2, 2 mS/cm nisu doprinijele boljem rastu presadnica. Gnojidba kalijem u kontroliranim uvjetima nije imala pozitivan učinak u usporedbi s ostalim gnojivima.

Proizvodnja sredozemnog smilja (Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don) u Hrvatskoj je u porastu te se javlja potreba za bržom i kvalitetnijom ponudom sadnog materijala. Cilj rada je utvrditi kako na visinu biljke, broj postranih izbojaka i masu suhe tvari presadnice utječu dušik, fosfor i kalij pojedinačno i u kombinaciji primijenjeni u hranjivim otopinama različitih koncentracija (električne provodljivosti: 1,5 mS/cm, 2,2 mS/cm i 3,0 mS/cm). Pokus je postavljen na presadnicama u fazi 4 do 5 listova nakon pikiranja. Dobiveni rezultat pokazuje da sve varijante imaju pozitivan učinak na rast i razvoj do određenih koncentracija u odnosu na kontrolu osim kalija. Pojedinačna gnojidba dušikom i fosforom u koncentracijama do 2,2 mS/cm ima pozitivan učinak na rast i razvoj presadnica smilja, dok koncentracije ovih gnojiva iznad 2,2 mS/cm nisu doprinijele boljem rastu presadnica. Gnojidba kalijem u kontroliranim uvjetima nije imala pozitivan učinak u usporedbi s ostalim gnojivima., Cultivation of (Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don) in Croatia is on a rise and, consequently, there is a growing need for a faster and high-quality seedling production. The aim of this paper is to determine how nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers affect the plant height, the number of secondary shoots and the dry matter mass, individually and in combination, in three separate concentrations of nutritive solution (electrical conductivity: 1.5 mS/cm, 2.2 mS/cm and 3.0 mS/cm). The experiment was performed with seedlings pricked out in the phase of 4 to 5 leaves. The obtained results show that all treatments positively affected the growth and development up to a certain concentration level as measured against the control batch. The only exception is potassium. Fertilization with nitrogen and phosphorus only in concentrations up to 2.2 mS/cm had a positive effect on the growth and development of immortelle seedlings, whereas concentrations of these fertilizers exceeding 2.2 mS/cm did not enhance the seedlings growth. Potassium fertilization in the controlled environment did not show positive results in comparison to other.