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High maize yields can only be achieved on fertile, loose and well-permeable soils. Previous research indicates that novel maize hybrids respond favorably to higher crop density. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of meteorological conditions, soil type and seeding density on cob length, number of grain rows on the cob, number of sterile plants, grain yield and grain water content of the maize hybrid AS 6E02 (FAO 620) during the growing season. The tests were carried out during 2017 and 2018 through field micro-experiments in the agroecological conditions of the Vranje municipality using the split-plot design with four replications on eutric cambisol, vertisol and alluvium soils. The area of the plot for grain yield was 8.4 m2 . The agronomic practices used in the experiment were standard, as for regular maize production. The years in which the surveys were conducted differed in terms of meteorological conditions, the amount and distribution of precipitation. The smallest average cob length (17.6 cm) for all investigated soils and years was obtained with the narrow-row sowing. The number of grain rows did not vary significantly depending on the sowing density. On a two-year average, the grain yield was significantly higher, influenced by the type of soil in relation to the sowing density. On average for soil types and years, the lowest percentage of sterile plants (1.90%) was found at the sowing density of 75.187 plants per ha. In comparison to 2017, the water content was higher by 8.5 index points in 2018.

Recommended agrotechnical measure that is performed immediately before sowing of soybean is the inoculation of grain with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. The purpose of the experiment was to examine the influence of inoculation and variety on morphological characteristics, yield and content of primary grain metabolites. Three domestic soybean cultivars (Apollo, Gorštak and Trijumf) were examined on the plot on which soybeans were previously grown, on chernozem-type land, at the experimental field of the Tamiš Pancevo Institute. The following morphological characteristics and yield parameters were studied: plant height, number of side branches, number of nodes, plant height to the first pod, number of pods per plant, the mass of pods per grain per plant, grain weight per plant and grain yield per hectare. The content of oil, nitrogen and protein was determined by standard analytical methods. Inoculation had a statistically significant effect on the morphological trait of plant height up to the first pod, while inoculation had no statistically significant impact on other morphological traits and yield parameters. Inoculation did not have a statistically significant effect on oil, nitrogen and protein content. For most of the examined parameters, the effect of genotype was observed. The average yield of plants of inoculated seed (1250 kg ha-1) and non-inoculated seed (1230 kg ha-1) was far lower than the multi-year average, due to significantly lower precipitation compared to the multi-year average and high average air temperatures during the growing season.

The aim of this paper is to show the state of production of seed intended for the establishment of organic crops in Serbia. Current regulations in many countries require that the seed and planting material used for organic farming must be produced according to the rules applicable to organic crops. Organic seed production, compared to conventional, carries a higher risk of weed seed contamination and of seed-borne diseases which make it more difficult to obtain high quality seeds. The early harvest is one of the possible measures to improve the seed health and there are various forms of seed treatments (natural plant extracts and substances of natural origin). Results within the field of seed production are closely related to conservation of plant landraces and exchange of their seeds that are necessary for organic food producers in Serbia.

Cultivation of goji berries (GB), fruits of Lycium barbarum L. (Solanaceae), is expanding worldwide, including in Europe. In this study, a comparative analysis of the nutritional value, chemical composition and in vitro biological activities of GB from different locations in Serbia was performed. Proximate compositions were evaluated according to standard methods. Minerals were assessed by inductively coupled plasma techniques, while fatty acids, sterols, and phenolic profiles were analyzed by gas- and liquid chromatography-based techniques coupled with flame-ionization, mass spectrometry, or diode array detection. The total content of phenolics, flavonoids, carotenoids, and polysaccharides was assessed using spectrophotometric methods. Methanol extracts from GB were examined for their antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory (α-amylase, α-glucosidase, acetylcholinesterase and tyrosinase) and antibacterial activities. Despite significant variations among samples from different locations, the results confirmed that GB are a valuable source of dietary fiber and protein and are characterized by favorable fatty acid profiles. Phytochemical analysis revealed that β-sitosterol, Δ 5 -avenasterol, and 24-methyldesmosterol are the predominant sterols and caffeic acid, gallic acid, quercetin and rutin are the main phenols. All GB samples showed both antioxidant and mild antimicrobial activity. A dose-dependent anti-enzymatic activity (IC 50 ranging 1.68-6.88 mg/mL) was demonstrated. The results support further promotion of GB cultivation in Serbia and further investigations on their potential applications in various industries., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Sodium alginate is one of the most interesting and the most investigated and applied biopolymers due to its advantageous properties. Among them, easy, simple, mild, rapid, non-toxic gelation by divalent cations is the most important. In addition, it is abundant, low-cost, eco-friendly, bio-compatible, bio-adhesive, biodegradable, stable, etc. All those properties were systematically considered within this review. Carotenoids are functional components in the human diet with plenty of health benefits. However, their sensitivity to environmental and process stresses, chemical instability, easy oxidation, low water solubility, and bioavailability limit their food and pharmaceutical applications. Encapsulation may help in overcoming these limitations and within this review, the role of alginate-based encapsulation systems in improving the stability and bioavailability of carotenoids is explored. It may be concluded that all alginate-based systems increase carotenoid stability, but only those of micro- and nano-size, as well as emulsion-based, may improve their low bioaccessibility. In addition, the incorporation of other biopolymers may further improve encapsulation system properties. Furthermore, the main techniques for evaluating the encapsulation are briefly considered. This review critically and profoundly explains the role of alginates in improving the encapsulation process of carotenoids, suggesting the best alternatives for those systems. Moreover, it provides a comprehensive cover of recent advances in this field.

This study investigates the effects of ultrasound, in combination with chemical pretreatments, on the quality attributes (total phenolic and carotenoid content, antioxidant activity (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay (DPPH)), ferric-reducing ability (FRAP), CIE L* a* b* color, non-enzymatic browning, rehydration ratio, textural and morphological properties) of red pepper subjected to drying (hot air drying or freeze drying). The fractional factorial design was used to assess the impact of factors. The global Derringer desirability function was used to determine the optimal conditions for the best quality attributes of dried pepper. The drying method influenced total phenolic content, a* (redness), and initial rehydration ratio; pretreatment time significantly affected FRAP antiradical activity, a*, chroma and non-browning index, while pH-value had a significant effect on the texture of dried pepper. Non-enzymatic browning was reduced to 72.6%, while the DPPH antioxidant capacity of freeze-dried peppers was enhanced from 4.2% to 71.9%. Ultrasonic pretreatment led to changes in the pepper morphology, while potassium metabisulfite (KMS) was a more effective additive than citric acid., Competing Interests: The authors have declared no conflicts of interest for this article.

This study aimed to characterize mixtures of goat milk proteins and Agaricus blazei Murrill (ABM) extracts (aqueous, AE and polysaccharides, PE). The mixtures showed stable particles with ζ-potential more negative than -41.1 mV. The addition of AMB extracts to goat milk did not result in a significant particle size change, whereas their addition to heated goat milk significantly increased mean particle diameter (from 194 nm to 225 nm). Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that ABM extracts provoked changes in the secondary structure of goat milk proteins and interactions between polysaccharides and milk proteins predominantly via hydrogen and/or glycoside bonds and hydrophobic interactions. The milk protein profiles revealed proteolytic activity in mixtures with AE resulting in the formation of five new polypeptides. The different microstructures of mixtures with AE and PE were found by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). A schematic representation of possible milk proteins-ABM extracts interactions has been given., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Starting from the idea that unexplored areas may yield new and different ethnobotanical information, we performed a survey of traditional uses of plants in two neighboring districts situated in east Serbia (Bor and Aleksinac), both lacking in previous ethnobotanical reports, but characterized by an interesting history and culture, together with some specific features. In this study, we hypothesized that such small and specific areas could be of high ethnobotanical importance., Methods: Semi-structured interviews were used with 155 informants. Relative cultural importance (RCI) indices, such as the frequency of citation (FC), relative frequency of citation (RFC), relative importance index (RI), informant consensus factor (ICF-FIC), use value (UV), fidelity level (FL) and Jaccard index (JI), were calculated, and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) was performed., Results: In this study, 2333 use-reports and 114 plants were recorded. Of the 101 medical herbs, 33 are included in the European Pharmacopoeia Edition 8.0. The most frequently used mode of preparation was as an infusion (50.0%), while leaf (44.7%) was the most used plant part. The highest FC and RFC values were recorded for Hypericum perforatum L. (13.1 and 0.2, respectively), while the highest RI was documented for Urtica dioica L. (1.0). ICF and FL indices showed important differences among selected groups of informants. The PCoA showed three homogeneous plant groups. Plants were mostly used for the treatment of digestive (49.1%), circulatory (41.2%) and respiratory system disorders (35.1%). Thirty-seven (32.5%) herbs were used for human nutrition, 14 (12.3%) in veterinary medicine, 17 (14.9%) in rituals and ethnoculture, while 24 (21.0%) for miscellaneous purposes. The highest degree of similarity was determined with studies conducted in close proximity. Four species are new to Balkan ethnobotany. New uses for some well-known plants are highlighted., Conclusion: The study indicated that small and specific areas in the Balkans may be an important reservoir of ethnobotanical knowledge., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Alchemilla vulgaris L. (lady's mantle) was used for centuries in Europe and Balkan countries for treatments of numerous conditions and diseases of the reproductive system, yet some of the biological activities of lady's mantle have been poorly studied and neglected. The present study aimed to estimate the potential of A. vulgaris ethanolic extract from Southeast Serbia to prevent and suppress tumor development in vitro, validated by antioxidant, genoprotective, and cytotoxic properties. A total of 45 compounds were detected by UHPLC-HRMS analysis in A. vulgaris ethanolic extract. Measurement of antioxidant activity revealed the significant potential of the tested extract to scavenge free radicals. In addition, the analysis of micronuclei showed an in vitro protective effect on chromosome aberrations in peripheral human lymphocytes. A. vulgaris extract strongly suppressed the growth of human cell lines derived from different types of tumors (MCF-7, A375, A549, and HCT116). The observed antitumor effect is realized through the blockade of cell division, caspase-dependent apoptosis, and autophagic cell death. Our study has shown that Alchemilla vulgaris L. is a valuable source of bioactive compounds able to protect the subcellular structure from damage, thus preventing tumorigenesis as well as suppressing tumor cell growth.