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Invasive plant species can inhibit the growth of native plants by competing for resources as well as by secreting allelochemicals. Indigobush (Amorpha fruticosa L.), a deciduous shrub adaptable to a wide range of environmental conditions, was introduced into Europe as a decorative and valuable honey plant. In this study, we assayed the phytotoxic effect of aqueous leaf extracts (1, 3 and 5%) obtained from A. fruticosa leaves on seed germination and seedling growth of four important agricultural species (Trifolium pratense L. [cultivar "VIVA"], Medicago sativa L. [cultivar OS‐100], Helianthus annuus L. [hybrid "Matej"] and Triticum aestivum L. [cultivar OS‐Olimpija]). Five parameters were analyzed: germination percentage, mean germination time, germination index, fresh weight of seedling root and shoot. The phytotoxicity of A. fruticosa leaf extract was compared to that of juglone, a strong allelochemical that is known to inhibit growth of numerous plant species. The results demonstrate that A. fruticosa phytotoxicity is dependent on both the plant species tested and leaf extract concentration, with higher concentration extracts having stronger phytotoxicity. The highest concentration (5%) leaf extract caused similar inhibition of seed germination and seedling growth to that of juglone. The results of this study suggest that the rapid invasion of A. fruticosa in agricultural areas may have a negative impact on growth and yield of valuable forage and agricultural crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change also affects food production. However, what will be the response of agricultural crops to future climate conditions across Europe is one of the key issues for the development, implementation and proper implementation of the new European agricultural policy. This paper addresses the potential response of selected European agricultural crops (wheat [Triticum aestivum L.], maize [Zea Mays L.], potato [Solanum tuberosum L.] and olive [Olea europaea L.]) to climate scenarios (RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) in the second half of the 21st century (2070) by considering different global climate models (CC, HE and MP). Bioclimatic data from the ECOCROP database (temperature and precipitation ranges) for each considered crop and the WorldClim climatic database for Europe were used to develop maps showing the future potential crop climate suitability. The results confirm existing assumptions that, in general, the optimal climatic conditions for the production of selected crops will shift towards higher latitudes or altitudes. Indeed, this potential spatial shift is, of course, species specific and depends on many other natural and socio-economic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]