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Known for its natural bio-compounds and therapeutic properties, hemp is being utilized in the development of skin products. These products offer a wide range of applications and benefits in the fields of natural bio-compounds, pharmaceutical technology, topical delivery systems, and cosmeceuticals. This manuscript deals with hemp actives, such as cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids, and their diverse biological properties relative to topical application, including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant effects. Also, the paper reviews strategies to overcome poor penetration of hemp actives, as well as the integration of hemp actives in cosmeceuticals that provide natural and sustainable alternatives to traditional skincare products offering a range of benefits, including anti-aging, moisturizing, and soothing properties. The review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the development and manufacturing processes of skin products containing hemp actives. By delving into the science behind hemp-based products, the paper provides valuable insights into the potential of hemp as a versatile ingredient in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The utilization of hemp in these innovative products not only offers therapeutic benefits but also promotes natural and sustainable approaches to skincare.

Due to strict rules in ecological plant production, especially in case of fertilization and plants protection, productivity i. e. yield could be limited. Choosing the appropriate genotypes, modest requirements to the inputs and adapted to the conditions of ecological cultivation is a particularly important point and one of the prerequisites for economical, profitable and stable production, without big risks and losses. The aim of this paper was to estimate adaptability of wheat genotypes to ecological growing conditions according to grain yield. The trial was carried out in Center for Small Grains, Kragujevac, Serbia. 23 Serbian wheat genotypes were included. There were applied two fertilization variants (manure and NPK fertilizers) and control one, too. Mainly, NPK fertilizers caused statistically significant differences in grain yield. At the same time, manure influenced the increase of grain yield compared to the control variant. The genotypes that achieved similar yields, without significant differences in relation to applied fertilizers, were: Morava, Lepenica, Studenica, KG 100, Lazarica, Pobeda, Evropa 90, Perla, Pesma. Vizija was the more yielding in manure than in NPK variant. Those varieties are interested for practical cultivation in ecological agriculture and could be significant material in wheat breeding in order to obtain new varieties adapted to the ecological system of cultivation and sustainable agriculture.

Stvaranje novih, prinosnijih hibrida osnovni je cilj svakog oplemenjivačkog programa. Prinos je veoma kompleksno svojstvo i, kako bi se prilikom oplemenjivanja izabrala najpogodnija metoda, neophodno je pažnju posvetiti i međuzavisnosti prinosa zrna i komponenti prinosa zrna. Iz tog razloga, cilj ovog istraživanja je bio da se ustanovi međuzavisnost prinosa i komponenti prinosa (dužina klipa, broj redova zrna na klipu, broj zrna u redu i masa 100 zrna), kao i između prinosa i komponenti prinosa, sa jedne strane i sadržaja ulja u zrnu, sa druge strane. U istraživanju je korišćeno 7 inbred linija i njihovo potomstvo ukrštanja. Ogled je postavljen po slučajnom blok sistemu, sa tri ponavljanja. Najjača međuzavisnost ustanovljena je između prinosa zrna i broja zrna u redu, a kod ostalih proučavanih osobina, između dužine klipa i broja zrna u redu. Sadžaj ulja u zrnu bio je u negativnoj korelaciji sa svim proučavanim osobinama, izuzev sa brojem redova zrna na klipu.

Maize is one of the most important cereal crops. Besides its use as food and feed, maize is also an energy crop. In order to ensure sufficient quantities of maize, the main goal of every breeding program is to develop new, better hybrids. Correlation and path coefficient analysis can be used for indirect selection of highyielding hybrids. In light of that, one of the objectives of this paper was to determine relationship between grain yield and morphological traits, for 8 inbred lines and their hybrids, Strong genetic and phenotypic correlations were found between grain yield and other studied traits, except between grain yield, on one side, and kernel row number, where we found medium phenotypic correlations, Between morphological traits of plant and ear the highest values of genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of correlations were found between ear length and kernel number per row. Also, the objective of this research was to find the direct and indirect effects of morphological traits on grain yield. Desirable, high significant influence on grain yield in path coefficient analysis, was found for almost all studied traits. Ear height was the only trait that had negative direct genetic and phenotypic influence.

Polovinom 20. veka doilo je do inteziviranja poljoprivredne pro- izvodnje. Pored toga Sto je industralizacija poljoprivrede dovele do ostva- rivanja veceg prinosa i profita, konvencionalna poljoprivreda imala je Citav niz negativnih posledica po ljudsko zdravlje, zivotnu sredinu i biodiverzi- tet. Danas se konvencionalna poljoprivreda smatra jednim od najzna¢ajni- jih zagadivaca zivotne sredine. Moguénost prevazilazenja ovog problema pronadena je u razvijanju odrzivih sistema poljoprivredne proizvodnije, a organska poljoprivreda je jedan od vidova odrzive poljoprivrede. Cilj ovog rada je da se prikaZe istorijski razvoj organske poljoprivrede kao o sistema poljoprivrede, kao i stanje u organskoj poljoprivredi danas + spektiva njenog razvoja. Analiti¢ari razvoj organske poljoprivrede tri faze: organic 1.0, 2.01 3.0. Organic 1.0 je faza pojave pionira koji su zali na negativne posledice konvencionalne poljoprivrede. Period ox 2.0 karakteriSe se razvojem zakonske regulative i Sirenjem organske privrede u svetu, a organic 3.0 definiSe buducnost organske poljopris kao i izazove sa kojima se organska proizvodnja suoéavala i sa koji se suoéavati, kao i moguénosti njihovog prevazilazenja. Danas se or: proizvodnja odvija na skoro 76,5 miliona ha u 191 zemalja sveta. Ko na zakonska regulativa implementirana je u 74 drZava, a zarada od p organskih proizvoda dostigla je u 2021. godini 124,8 milijardi dolare.

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of different Trichoderma spp. treatments (T1: Trichoderma harzianum, T2: Trichoderma brevicompactum, and T3: T1 + T2) on two tomato cultivars (‘Narvik’ and ‘Gružanski zlatni’) by the non-destructive monitoring of chlorophyll (Chl) and epidermal flavonol (Flav) indices and nitrogen balance index (NBI) in their leaves. The main objectives were to compare the responses of tomato cultivars considered (grown in a greenhouse) to different Trichoderma strains and a combination of Trichoderma strains. Variations in the Chl, Flav, and NBI values obtained were significantly influenced by nearly all the factors examined (namely the tomato cultivar, experimental week, and treatment), the interaction of which was found significant for all the parameters analyzed. The results obtained indicate that the combinations of strains in the T3 treatment markedly enhanced the Chl content in the ‘Narvik’ cultivar in some experimental weeks. Moreover, reduced NBI values were determined in the Trichoderma-treated ‘Narvik’ plants due to the increased flavonol content, which indicates a shift from primary to secondary metabolism. Further research, including the same cultivars and treatments, is warranted under field conditions to evaluate the physiological responses of the ‘Narvik’ and ‘Gružanski zlatni’ tomato cultivars in a multiple-stressor environment.

Soil pollution with heavy metals is a serious threat to the environment. However, soils polluted with heavy metals are considered good sources of native metal-resistant Trichoderma strains. Trichoderma spp. are free-living fungi commonly isolated from different ecosystems, establishing endophytic associations with plants. They have important ecological and biotechnological roles due to their production of a wide range of secondary metabolites, thus regulating plant growth and development or inducing resistance to plant pathogens. In this work we used indigenous Trichoderma strains that were previously isolated from different soil types to determine their tolerance to increased copper and nickel concentrations as well as mechanisms of metal removal. The concentrations of bioavailable metal concentrations were determined after extraction with diethylene-triamine pentaacetate (DTPA)-extractable metals (Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Pb, Mn, Ni, and Zn) from the soil samples by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Two indigenous T. harzianum strains were selected for copper tolerance, and three indigenous T. longibrachiatum strains were selected for nickel tolerance tests. Strains were isolated from the soils with the highest and among the lowest DTPA-extractable metal concentrations to determine whether the adaptation to different concentrations of metals affects the mechanisms of remediation. Mechanisms of metal removal were determined using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), non-destructive methods characterized by high measurement speed with little or no need for sample preparation and very low costs. Increased DTPA-extractable metal content for nickel and copper was detected in the soil samples above the target value (TV), and for nickel above the soil remediation intervention values (SRIVs), for total metal concentrations which were previously determined. The SRIV is a threshold of metal concen

Fruits of Sorbus torminalis L. Crantz. (Wild service tree) have been traditionally used, fresh or dried, for the production of preserves such as jam, jelly, syrup, compote or tea. Furtheremore, these fruits are well known worldwide as a traditional remedy for treating respiratory tract infections, as traditional astringent, diarrheic and antidiabetic agents. As a part of broad research, the aim of this study was to define phenolic profile as well as antioxidant activity of water and methanolic extracts of dried fruits. The presence and content of 44 plant phenolics and quinic acid was determined using LC-MS/MS technique. In order to examine antioxidant potency, few in vitro assays were carried out: DPPH. (diphenylpicrylhydrazyl), HO» (hydroxyl radical), and reducing power (FRAP) assay. In addition, total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined spectrophotometrically. Among examined compounds, quinic acid (precursor of phenolics) was the most dominant among both samples. Moreover, protocatechuic an ferulic acids were the most abundant amongst phenolics acids. Furthermore, analysis of selected flavonoids showed notable content of amentoflavone as well as quercetin glycosides (quercetin-3-O-glucoside and hyperoside). In applied antioxidant tests, methanolic extract showed the highest antiradical activity. Compared to propyl galate, a well known synthetic antioxidant, both extracts exhibited a potent antioxidant activity. Total phenolic content was significant, expecially in methanolic extract, while total phenolic content was low in both extracts. Obtained results indicates a significant antioxidant potential of S. torminalis fruits and higly support traditional use of this species in diet, but also points to its use as a functional food.

The accumulation of heavy metals in the environment is one of the most significant environmental problems due to the potential risk to human and animal health. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of the distance from the industrial zone on the heavy metal content in the soil and vegetative parts of wheat. A field experiment with four wheat genotypes was conducted in the area of the city of Pancevo, Serbia, at three locations at different distances from the industrial zone. By atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS), concentrations of five heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Cr, Cu, and Cd) were determined in the soil and wheat. The highest total content of Zn, Cr, Cu, and Cd in the soil (72.5, 27.3, 26.2, and 0.3 mg kg−1, respectively) was found at the location closest to the industrial zone, while the highest content of Pb (28.9 mg kg−1) was recorded at a location that is in the immediate vicinity of a road. Heatmap correlations and PCA analysis show a significant relationship between the content of heavy metals in the soil and the plant. Genotype Pobeda had the lowest content of Cr, Cu, and Cd in the root and the lowest content of all the analyzed heavy metals in the stem. The highest translocation factor of heavy metals was found in the genotype Apache, which had the highest content of Pb, Cr, and Cu in the stem. The highest heavy metal bioaccumulation and translocation were established for Cd content (0.86 and 1.93). The obtained results indicate a potential ecological risk in the immediate vicinity of the industrial zone, while the difference in the accumulation of heavy metals between the studied genotypes opens new aspects for breeding programs.

The accumulation of heavy metals in the environment is one of the most significant environmental problems due to the potential risk to human and animal health. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of the distance from the industrial zone on the heavy metal content in the soil and vegetative parts of wheat. A field experiment with four wheat genotypes was conducted in the area of the city of Pancevo, Serbia, at three locations at different distances from the industrial zone. By atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS), concentrations of five heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Cr, Cu, and Cd) were determined in the soil and wheat. The highest total content of Zn, Cr, Cu, and Cd in the soil (72.5, 27.3, 26.2, and 0.3 mg kg−1, respectively) was found at the location closest to the industrial zone, while the highest content of Pb (28.9 mg kg−1) was recorded at a location that is in the immediate vicinity of a road. Heatmap correlations and PCA analysis show a significant relationship between the content of heavy metals in the soil and the plant. Genotype Pobeda had the lowest content of Cr, Cu, and Cd in the root and the lowest content of all the analyzed heavy metals in the stem. The highest translocation factor of heavy metals was found in the genotype Apache, which had the highest content of Pb, Cr, and Cu in the stem. The highest heavy metal bioaccumulation and translocation were established for Cd content (0.86 and 1.93). The obtained results indicate a potential ecological risk in the immediate vicinity of the industrial zone, while the difference in the accumulation of heavy metals between the studied genotypes opens new aspects for breeding programs.

The influence of different groundwater table depths on pre-dawn water potential (PWP), soil moisture content and antioxidant activity (FRAP, RSC against DPPH·, NO and ABTS radicals) of adult pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) trees was assessed in three managed stands (localities 1-3) and one unmanaged (locality 4 - forest reserve). The study sites were located within single forest complex at different distances from the Sava riverbed. The measurements were performed during July 2015, when the first evidence of drought was evidenced. We hypothesised that the trees at locations farther from the river would be more drought-stressed due to lower groundwater depth and will show higher antioxidant capacity. Indeed, trees at localities 2 and 3 were more drought-stressed as compared to trees at locations 1 and 4, as indicated by the PWP results. Since antioxidant capacity can be directly correlated to drought tolerance, the present results indicate a higher antioxidant capacity in leaf extracts from locality 3, but also good oxidative adaptation in leaf extracts from locality 4, where the obtained values for almost all examined antioxidant tests were without statistically significant differences compared to those on locality 3. Obtained results may help to explain differences in biochemical responses to water deficit stress of pedunculate oak trees from different microsites within the single forest complex and provide us valuable information about intra-species drought resistance. Therefore, this can be an important tool for the improvement of breeding strategies and artificial regeneration plans for pedunculate oak in dry lowland regions., U ovom radu, procenjen je uticaj različitih dubina podzemnih voda na vodni potencijal lista (PWP), sadržaj vlage u zemljištu i antioksidativnu aktivnost (FRAP, inhibicija DPPH,·NO i ABTS radikala) odraslih stabala hrasta lužnjaka (Quercus robur L.) u tri gazdovne sastojine (lokaliteti 1-3) i u jednoj neuređenoj (lokalitet 4 – šumski rezervat). Lokacije istraživanja su se nalazile u okviru jedinstvenog šumskog kompleksa na različitim udaljenostima od korita Save. Merenja su obavljena tokom jula 2015. godine, kada su zabeleženi prvi dokazi o suši. Pretpostavili smo da će drveće na lokacijama udaljenim od reke biti pod većim sušnim stresom zbog manje dubine podzemne vode i da će pokazati veći antioksidantni kapacitet. Zaista, drveće na lokalitetima 2 i 3 bilo je pod većim stresom od suše u poređenju sa drvećem na lokacijama 1 i 4, kao što pokazuju rezultati PWP. Obzirom da antikosidativni kapacitet može biti direktno povezan sa tolerancijom na sušu, sadašnji rezultati ukazuju na veći antioksidativni kapacitet u ekstraktima listova sa lokaliteta 3 ali i na dobru oksidativnu adaptaciju listova sa lokaliteta 4, gde su dobijene vrednosti za skoro sve ispitivane antioksidativne testove bile su bez statistički značajnih razlika u odnosu na vrednosti dobijene na lokalitetu 3. Dobijeni rezultati mogu pomoći da se objasne razlike u biohmeijskim odgovorima na stres vodnog deficita kod stabala hrasta lužnjaka sa različitih mikrolokacija u okviru jedinstvenog šumskog kompleksa i daju nam dragocene informacije o intra-specijskoj otpornosti na sušu. Stoga, ovo može biti važna alatka za unapređivanje strategije oplemenjivanja i planova veštačke regeneracije hrasta lužnjaka u suvim ravničarskim regionima.

Biofertilizers have great potential to improve crop yields through environmentally save mechanisms. Fungi of the genus Trichoderma, as potential components of biofertilizers, have a positive effect on plant growth and inhibit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms through several antagonistic mechanisms. In this study, commercially available tomato genotypes (Narvik and Gruzanski zlatni) and strains of two Trichoderma species (T. afroharzianum SZMC 25231 and T. rodmanii SZMC 25217) were selected to examine the effects of Trichoderma spp. on morpho-physiological parameters of tomato plants grown under organic production system. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design under greenhouse conditions. In total, 15 plants of two tomato cultivars per treatment were transplanted in soil: NC – control Narvik, GZC – control Gruzanski zlatni, NT1 – T. afroharzianum; NT2 – T. rodmanii; GZT1 – T. afroharzianum; GZT2 - T. rodmanii. The suspensions of Trichoderma isolates were applied in the root zone of tomato plants in the phase of four established leaves. Measurements of relative chlorophyll (Chl), flavonol (Flav) and anthocyanin (Ant) content were performed in vivo on fully developed leaves of the tomato plants using Dualex optical sensor (Force-A, Orsay, France). NBI (Nitrogen Balance Index) was calculated as Chl/Flav ratio. Plant height was measured as a plant growth parameter. Measurements were performed once per week during 35 days of plant growth (5 weeks) and conducted in 10 replications on 10 plants per treatment. Compared to the control, significant increase of Chl and Flav content was observed on genotype GZ after treatment with both Trichoderma species in the 3rd and 4th week, which resulted in decreased value of the NBI. Also, for the same genotype, Trichoderma positively affected plant height. On the other hand, combination of Trichoderma and genotype Narvik hasn’t showed stimulative effect on examined morpho-physiological parameters. These results

Selection of the best breeding technique for the development of new maize hybrids is based on knowledge of gene effects type responsible for the expression of quantitative traits. Thus, the goal of this study was to evaluate gene effects on the grain yield, as the most important agronomic trait, as well as for kernel oil content. one of the major characteristics of maize quality. Genetic material used for the determination of gene effects consisted of four inbred lines: 1109/1V NS, 56811 NS, 922 NS and A-l. Inbred line 1109/1V NS is high oil inbred line, and 568/11 NS, 922 NS A-1 are lines with a different type of seed: dent, semi-dent and flint, respectively. Six basic generations were produced: parental inbred lines (Pi, Pa), first and second filial generations (Fy, F2) and backcross generations (BC), BC2). Two years experiment was performed at the experimental field of the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad, Serbia (Rimski Sangevi) using a completely randomized design with eight replicates. Evaluation of gene effects was performed by generation mean analysis. Obtained results indicated that dominant gene effect had a higher influence than additive in inheritance of the grain yield. The significant presence of duplicate type of epistasis was recorded in all test-cross combinations. For kernel oil content dominance was more important than additive gene action for almost all studied test-crosses. Additive gene effect was higher than dominance only for hybrid 1109/IV NS = 56811 NS. Morcover, a significant presence of duplicate type of cpistasis also was detected for kernel oil content. The significant role of the dominant gene effect in the inheritance of grain vield and kernel oil content in almost all test-cross combinations indicates that inbreding-hybridization method is a useful method for the development of better hybrids.

In cnhancing agricultural productivity, one of the most important determinants is to choose the best fertilizer application system. Among different application systems. fertigation can have multiple benefits on the yield and quality of crops since it can significantly reduce costs and increase the profitability. However. inadequate, excessive application of fertilizers through fertigation and irrigation may lead to soil degradation and deterioration of soil fertility. resulting in a change of some physical and chemical parameters of soil. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the effect of fertigation and conventional fertilization on the soil chemical characteristics. The experiment was designed to determine the effect of two different ways of fertilizer application (through two treatments: drip irrigation systemfertigation and classical way) and three different doses of NPK fertilizers on chemical parameters of chernozem soil type. in a modern apple (Red Jonaprince variety) orchard. From cach treatment. bulk soil samples were taken for the determination of soil pH, mineral nitrogen (N), readily available potassium (K:0) and phosphorus (P20s). Samples were collected in the spring, before fertilizer application, to determine the initial soil condition and in the autumn, at the end of the vegetation period. The pH in H:0 when the highest dose of fertilizer was applied by fertigation had a significantly lower value compared to the control. while in classical fertilization all three doses implicated a decrease of pH value compared to the control. The results showed that different doses of fertilizers significantly affected the content of N, K:O and P:0s. Furthermore, the obtained results were strongly affected by meteorological conditions, because in some months the application of irrigation was not necessary, due to a large amount of precipitation. To conclude, these results could serve as an indicator for further analysis of soil impact on yield and quality of a

The beneficial role of fungi from the Trichoderma genus and its secondary metabolites in promoting plant growth, uptake and use efficiency of macronutrients and oligo/micro‐nutrients, activation of plant secondary metabolism and plant protection from diseases makes it interesting for application in environmentally friendly agriculture. However, the literature data on the effect of Trichoderma inoculation on tomato fruit quality is scarce. Commercially used tomato cultivars were chosen in combination with indigenous Trichodrema species previously characterized on molecular and biochemical level, to investigate the effect of Trichoderma on photosynthetic characteristics and fruit quality of plants grown in organic system of production. Examined cultivars differed in the majority of examined parameters. Response of cultivar Gružanski zlatni to Tricho-derma application was more significant. As a consequence of increased epidermal flavonols and decreased chlorophyll, the nitrogen balance index in leaves has decreased, indicating a shift from primary to secondary metabolism. The quality of its fruit was altered in the sense of increased total flavonoids content, decreased starch, increased Bioaccumulation Index (BI) for Fe and Cr, and decreased BI for heavy metals Ni and Pb. Higher expression of swolenin gene in tomato roots of more responsive tomato cultivar indicates better root colonization, which correlates with observed positive effects of Trichodrema.

Ovo istraživanje sprovedeno je sa ciljem da se ispita uticaj nastiranja na komponente prinosa i prinos krtole mladog krompira. Ogled je postavljen u tri vegetacione sezone na jednom lokalitetu (Begeč), po split-plot sistemu u pet ponavljanja. Uticaj malčovanja ispitivan je na sortama krompira Cleopatra i Riviera. Sadnja je obavljena mašinski, jedna krtola po kućici, na međuredni razmak od 65 cm, a razmak u redu 30 cm. Analizirane su broj krtola po biljci, masa krtola po biljci (g) i prinos mladog krompira (kg/ha). Analiza varijanse je urađena po split-plot modelu na osnovu prosečnih srednjih vrednosti. Poređenje srednjih vrednosti urađeno je primenom LSD testa. Visoko značajan efekat tretmana (nastiranja) utvrđen je za sve tri proučavane osobine. Obe proučavane sorte ostvarile su statistički značajno veći prinos i masu krtola po biljci pri primeni nastiranja, dok je osobina broj krtola po biljci bila veća na kontrolnoj varijanti, ali razlika između kontrole i tretmana nije bila statistički značajna. Statistički značajno više vrednosti za sve tri proučavane osobine ustanovljene su kod sorte Riviera. Na osnovu dobijenih rezultata može se zaključiti da primena nastiranja ima pozitivan uticaj na prinos mladog krompira, što pruža mogućnost za širu primenu ove specifične agrotehničke mere u proizvodnji mladog krompira., The effect of mulching on early potato yeald was investigated on two potato varieties, Cleopatra and Riviera. The experiment was set up in three vegetation seasons at one locality (Begeč), according to the split-plot design with five replications. Tuber number per plant, tuber weight per plant (g) and the yield (kg/ha) were analyzed. Analysis of variance was performed according to the split-plot design based on average means. The comparison of mean values was done using the LSD test. A highly significant effect of treatment was determined for all three studied traits. Both studied cultivars achieved a significantly higher yield and tuber mass per plant when mulch was applied, while the trait tuber number per plant was higher in the control variant (bare soil). Statistically significantly higher values for all three studied traits were found in the Riviera variety. According to results, it can be concluded that the application of mulch has a positive impact on the yield of early potato, which provides an opportunity for wider application of this specific agricutural measure in the production of early potatoes

Heavy metals in the environment when present in excess have negative effect on survival of plants causing diminished physiological and molecular activities. As they are hard to degrade, their exchangeable fraction is accumulated in plants and animals, thus entering the food chain. As one of the major concerns among consumers worldwide is food safety, organic agriculture is a promising system for its preservation. In this work we have examined soil samples from the plant rhizosphere grown in organic production system at 5 different locations: Gložani, Svilajnac, Čenej 1, Čenej 2 and Temerin, for metal presence and chemical characteristics (soil acidity, humus content and free CaCO3 content). Determination of the total metal content ((As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Ni, Zn, Mn)) in soil samples was performed according to EPA 6010C method using inductively coupled plasma-optima emission spectrometry (ISP-OES). Results showed that the sampled soil is mainly of alkaline character,moderatly carbonate and rich in humus. The content of metals, at all localities, did not exceed the maximum allowed concentrations for the following metals: arsenic, cadmium, chromium, iron, manganese, nickel, lead and zinc. In the case of cobalt deviation from the MLC value was observed in four samples. However, in the case of copper only one sample exceeded MDK value. Presented results indicate that maintenance and regular soil quality control is necessary in both organic and conventional agriculture, Teški metali u životnoj sredini, kada su prisutni u većim koncentracijama, imaju negativan uticaj na biljke izazivajući smanjene fiziološke i molekularne aktivnosti. Oni se teško razgrađuju, pa se njihova lako pristupačna forma lako akumulira u biljkama i životinjama, ulazeći tako u prehrambeni lanac. Kako je jedan od glavnih problema potrošača širom sveta sigurnost hrane, organska poljoprivreda je sistem za njeno očuvanje koji se zadnjih godina promoviše. U ovom radu rađeno je ispitivanje uzoraka zemljišta uzorkovanog iz rizosfere biljaka gajenih u organskoj proizvodnji na 5 različitih lokaliteta: Gložani, Svilajnac, Čenej 1, Čenej 2 and Temerin, Određen je pH zemljišta, sadržaj humusa i %CaCO3. Sadržaj ukupnih metala (As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Ni, Zn, Mn)) u uzorcima zemljišta je urađen prema metodi EPA 6010C koristeći ICP-OES spektrometriju. Rezultati su pokazali da su ispitani uzorci bogati humusom, sa umerenim sadržajem karbonata i pretežno alkalnog karaktera. Sadržaj metala na svim lokalitetima nije prelazio maksimalno dozvoljene koncentracije za sledeće metale: arsen, kadmijum, hrom, gvožđe, mangan, nikal, olovo i cink. U slučaju kobalta odstupanje od graničnevrednosti je određeno u četiri uzorka. Međutim, u slučaju bakra samo je jedan uzorak premašio vrednost MDK. Dobijeni rezultati ukazuju da je održavanje i redovan monitoring kvaliteta zemljišta neophodan kako u organskoj tako i u konvencionalnoj poljoprivredi.

The short-term effects of Trichoderma harzianum on growth, content of chlorophyll and epidermal flavonols and metal distribution was examined in young tomato plants grown in the climate chamber. T. harzianum was applied near the root in the phase of sixth established leaves, and plants were grown in a growth cabinet up to the stage of 10 leaves. Trichoderma application positively affected growth of tomato plants, and significantly increased content of epidermal flavonols. Also, the significant decrease of Cd in all plant parts was observed. However, content of Cr and Ni was lower only in roots. The primary goal of the examination of the long-term effect of T. harzianum was the fruit quality of two commercial tomato cultivars grown in organic system of production in the field under polytunnel. One cultivar had a significant response to Trichoderma application. The increase of leaf epidermal flavonols was observed, however as the chlorophyll content decreased, the nitrogen balance index has also decreased, indicating a shift from primary to secondary metabolism. The fruit quality of the same cultivar was improved by increased total flavonoids content, decreased starch, increased Bioaccumulation Index (BI) for Fe and Cr, and decreased BI for heavy metals Ni and Pb. Data indicate that in some cultivars of tomato the interaction with Trichoderma contributes to improved health promoting properties of tomato fruit.

INTRODUCTION: Fungi that belong to the genus Trichoderma colonize plant rhizosphere and are considered as good candidates for the use in environmentally friendly agriculture as plant growth promoters and biocontrol agents. In recent years, investigations are focused on the use of non-destructive characterization of plant responses to different abiotic and biotic stresses. OBJECTIVES: Dualex sensor was used in order to pre-screen the reaction of tomato plants treated with different Trichoderma isolates, based on the previous investigations that imply that the positive effects of this fungi depend on the plant genotype. METHOD / DESIGN: The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design under greenhouse conditions with two replicates. In total 30 plants of two tomato cultivars were transplanted in soil, per treatment: NC-control Narvik, GZC- control Gruzanski zlatni, NT1 - T. harzianum; NT2 - T. brevicompactum; NT3 - T. harzianum + T. brevicompactum; GZT1 - T. harzianum; GZT2 - T. brevicompactum; GZT3 - T. harzianum + T. brevicompactum). The suspensions of Trichoderma isolates were applied in the root zone of tomato plants, in the phase of three established leaves per plant. Measurements of chlorophyll (Chl), flavonols (Flav) and anthocyanins (Ant) content were done in vivo on fully developed leaves of the tomato plants, using Dualex optical sensor (Force-A, Orsay, France), once per week during 50 days of plant growth. NBI (Nitrogen Balance Index) was calculated as Chl/ Flav ratio. RESULTS: Results obtained in this experiment showed that in both cultivars, the content of chlorophyll did not change significantly after Trichoderma application. However, positive trend for Flav content was observed for the cultivar GZ in the treatment with T2. In contrast, at the beginning of the experiment, NBI index decreased in GZ as influenced with T1 and T2 treatments, which could indicate a shift from primary to secondary metabolism in mentioned cultivar. Moreover, it could b

The beneficial role of fungi from the Trichoderma genus and its secondary metabolites in promoting plant growth, uptake and use efficiency of macronutrients and oligo/micro-nutrients, activation of plant secondary metabolism and plant protection from diseases makes it interesting for application in environmentally friendly agriculture. However, the literature data on the effect of Trichoderma inoculation on tomato fruit quality is scarce. Commercially used tomato cultivars were chosen in combination with indigenous Trichodrema species previously characterized on molecular and biochemical level, to investigate the effect of Trichoderma on photosynthetic characteristics and fruit quality of plants grown in organic system of production. Examined cultivars differed in the majority of examined parameters. Response of cultivar Gruzanski zlatni to Trichoderma application was more significant. As a consequence of increased epidermal flavonols and decreased chlorophyll, the nitrogen balance index in leaves has decreased, indicating a shift from primary to secondary metabolism. The quality of its fruit was altered in the sense of increased total flavonoids content, decreased starch, increased Bioaccumulation Index (BI) for Fe and Cr, and decreased BI for heavy metals Ni and Pb. Higher expression of swolenin gene in tomato roots of more responsive tomato cultivar indicates better root colonization, which correlates with observed positive effects of Trichodrema.

Trichoderma species are widely known for their antagonistic properties, but plant growth promotion and abiotic stress tolerance have also been reported. Mechanisms of abiotic stress tolerance, such as drought in plants in interaction with Trichoderma spp., remain unclear. In this work, the results about the influence of Trichoderma brevicompactum on the physiological parameters and abscisic acid (ABA) content in leaves and roots of tomato, as well as the Trichodermamodulated plant response to drought are presented. Both in optimally watered plants and droughted plants treated with Trichoderma, the relative water content (RWC) was 17% higher than in untreated plants. Drought lowered RWC by 25% in both Trichoderma-untreated and -treated plants. Under drought conditions, the better water status of plants treated with Trichoderma is connected with lower stomatal conductance and closure of stomata. The lower increase of root ABA content in Trichoderma-treated plants that we observed could be an adaptive advantage in sense of smaller inhibition of plant growth induced by drought. Trichoderma modulation of the salicylic acid (SA) marker genes response to drought was observed in leaves. Our results suggest that signalling pathways of jasmonic acid (JA), SA and ABA are involved in response to both drought and Trichoderma. The mutual effect of the tested treatments leads to the modification of gene expression in comparison to the reaction to a single stress. The upregulation of SA marker genes in leaves and JA marker genes in the roots 2 weeks after the interaction with T. brevicompactum indicates that it could be promising biocontrol agent.

U ovom radu ispitivani su efekti primene bakterijskih izolata: Bacillus velezensis SZMC 24986, Pseudomonas resinovorans SZMC 25872 i Arthrobacter globiformis SZMC 25081 na dva genotipa paradajza Gružanski zlatni i Narvik gajenih u plasteniku. Reakcije ispitivanih biljaka praćene su kvantifikovanjem morfoloških (visina biljke, sveža i suva masa nadzemnog dela biljke i korena) i fizioloških (relativni sadržaj hlorofila, epidermalnih flavonola, antocijana i balansa azota) parametara. Visina biljaka i fiziološki parametri mereni su 7. 14., 21. 28. i 35. dana od početka primene tretmana. Dobijeni rezultati u ovom radu ukazuju na specifičnost odnosa genotip-mikroorganizam. Uticaj primenjenih tretmana na morfo-fiziološke parametre varirao je specifično u zavisnoti od genotipa kao i od razmatranog perioda merenja. Kod genotipa Gružanski zlatni, primenjeni tretmani su uslovili značajno povečanje u vrednostima većine ispitivanih parametara u odnosu na kontrolu. U skladu sa dobijenim rezultatima dalja istraživanja će se usmeriti na interakcije između bakterija promotora biljnog rasta i genotipa GZ, sa fokusom na korisne efekte koji pomenute bakterije imaju na biljku., In this paper, the effects of bacterial isolates: Bacillus velezensis SZMC 24986, Pseudomonas resinovorans SZMC 25872 and Arthrobacter globiformis SZMC 25081 on two genotypes of Gružanski zlatni and Narvik tomatoes grown in a greenhouse were investigated. The reactions of the examined plants were monitored by quantification of morphometric (plant height, fresh and dry mass of the aboveground part of the plant and roots) and physiological (indices of chlorophyll, epidermal flavonols, anthocyanins and nitrogen balance) parameters. Plant height and physiological parameters were measured on the 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th and 35th days from the beginning of the treatment. The results obtained in this paper indicate the specificity of the plant genotype-microorganism relationship. The influence of the applied treatments on the morpho-physiological parameters varied specifically depending on the genotype as well as on the considered measurement period. In the Gružanski zlatni genotype, the applied treatments caused a significant increase in the values of most of the examined parameters in relation to the control, which makes it superior to the Narvik genotype. Therefore, further research will focus on the interactions between plant growth promoter bacteria and the GZ genotype, with a focus on beneficial effects that these bacteria have on the plant.

Influence of edaphic factors and metal content on diversity of Trichoderma species at 14 different soil sampling locations, on two depths, was examined. Forty-one Trichoderma isolates from 14 sampling sites were determined as nine species based on their internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences. Our results indicate that weakly alkaline soils are rich sources of Trichoderma strains. Also, higher contents of available K and P are connected with higher Trichoderma diversity. Increased metal content in soil was not inhibiting factor for Trichoderma species occurrence. Relationship between these factors was confirmed by locally weighted sequential smoothing (LOESS) nonparametric smoothing analysis. Trichoderma strain (Szeged Microbiology Collection (SZMC) 22669) from soil with concentrations of Cr and Ni above remediation values should be tested for its potential for bioremediation of these metals in polluted soils.

Metal pollution of soils is important environmental risk, that impases the need for development of different methods for their removal, The use of plants that are able to accumulate and tolerate high metal concentrations is one approach that is being examined for that purpose. Sunflower (Helianthus annus 1.) bas been proven as good byperacumulator of metals, with ability to extract them from the soil and translocate thems from roots to shoots and leaves. In this work we have examined ability of sunflower to accumulate copper in hydroponic conditions. Sunlower plants were grown in presence of copper with final concentrations of 50 ppen, 100 pprr and 200 pp. Fresh and dry mass of different plant organs was measured, as well as plant height, 7 days after metal application. ICP-OES method was used to measure concentration of copper in stem and leaves of sunflower plants according to EPA 6010C method. Results has shown that copper addition decreased plants height, fresh and dry mass of stem and leaves. According to the heavy metal consent measured in different plant organs if can be suggested that copper was translocated from stem fo leaves. In order to conclude that sunflower corld be wsed as good metal accumulator in copper polluted soils, further analysis of copper content in roots should be undertaken.

An aerobic denitrifier was newly isolated and identified by VITEK (R) 2 Compact System and MALDI-TOF MS as P. stutzeri strain D1. Sequence amplification indicates that the denitrification genes napA, nirS, norB and nosZ are present in a novel strain D1, as well as in reference strain ATCC 17588. Strain D1 had capability to fully remove 3 g/L of nitrate (as KNO3) in 48 h, while the reference strain completed this task in 60 h. Single factor experiments indicate that the optimal conditions for biomass production were: temperature of 30 degrees C, pH value of 7 and inoculum volume of 5 vol. %. Scaling up of biomass production of both denitrifiers was successfully performed in 3 and 7 L laboratory bioreactors by reaching 9 log CFU/mL of the viable cells. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using investigated P. stutzeri strains in denitrification processes and the simplicity of the up-scaling of biomass production for the treatment of large areas contaminated with nitrate.

Trichoderma koningiopsis and T. gamsii belong to clade Viride of Trichoderma, the largest and most diverse group of this genus. They produce a wide range of bioactive secondary metabolites, including peptaibols with antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. The unusual amino acid residues of peptaibols, i.e., alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (Aib), isovaline (Iva), and the C-terminal 1,2-amino alcohol make them unique among peptides. In this study, the peptaibiomes of T. koningiopsis and T. gamsii were investigated by HPLC-ESI-MS. The examined strains appeared to produce 19-residue peptaibols, most of which are unknown from literature, but their amino acid sequences are similar to those of trikoningins, tricholongins, trichostrigocins, trichorzianins, and trichorzins. A new group of peptaibols detected in T. koningiopsis are described here under the name "Koningiopsin". Trikoningin KA V, the closest peptaibol compound to the peptaibols produced by these two strains, was selected for structural investigation by short MD simulation, which revealed that many residues show high preference for left handed helix formation. The bioactivity of the peptaibol mixtures produced by T. koningiopsis and T. gamsii was tested on agar plates against bacteria, yeasts, and filamentous fungi. The results revealed characteristic differences in bioactivities towards the different groups of target microorganisms, which can be explained with the differences in their cell wall structures.

Gljive iz roda Trichoderma spp. su kosmopolitske filamentozne gljive koje se pojavljuju kao dominantne komponente zemljišnog ekosistema. Ekološka i biološka uloga ovih gljiva je veoma raznovrsna. Kao endofitni simbionti biljaka imaju primenu u kontroli biljnih bolesti čime pospešuju biljni rast i prinos. Takođe, poznata je i njihova sposobnost da indukuju otpornost kod biljaka koje su izložene biotičkom ili abiotičkom stresu. Pored važne primene u poljoprivredi one nalaze primenu i u različitim granama industrije jer proizvode mnogobrojne enzime i metabolite. Obzirom da su mnoge vrste u okviru ovog roda ne mogu razlikovati na morfološkom nivou, neophodna je njihova identifikacja na molekularnom nivou.Cilj ove teze bio je utvrđivanje najvažnijih faktora koji utiču na varijabilnost roda Trichoderma u različitim tipovima zemljišta. Molekularna identifikacija gljiva roda Trichoderma, izolovanih iz različitih tipova zemljišta (rendzina, sirozem na lesu, ritska crnica, fluvisol, ranker, gajnjača, černozem sa različitim podtipovima i smonica) i iz rizosfere različitih biljnih kultura urađena je analizom sekvenci ITS i TEF1-α gena. Uzorci zemljišta ispitani su u funkciji fizičko-hemijskih i mikrobioloških karakteristika, kao i sadržaja ukupnih i lakopristupačnih metala (Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb i Mn). U cilju ispitivanja primene ovih gljiva kao antagonista fitopatogenih mikroorganizama, testirani su odabrani izolati prema Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC), Alternaria alternata i Phoma cucurbitacearum. Enzimska karakterizacija izolata odabranih za test antagonizma, urađena je semikvantitativnim testom API-ZYM. Kako bi se ispitao efekat ovih gljiva i na abiotski stres izazvan povećanim sadržajem metala u zemljištu, između ostalih, odabrani su izolati koji su identifikovani iz zemljišta u kojima je određena povećana koncentracija metala, bakra(II) i nikla(II). Na osnovu in vitro testa, gajenjem izolata na povećanim koncentracijama bakra(II) i nikla(II), odabran je izola, Fungi of the genus Trichoderma spp. are cosmopolitan species present in different ecosystems. with important ecological and biological roles.. Beneficial effects of this fungi are responsible for their use in various fields of biotechnology and agriculture. As plant endophytes they are involved in control of plant deseases. They are known to induce plant tolerance to various biotic and abiotic stresses. Known to produce different enzymes, they can be used in preparations of commercial products, such as biopesticides. However, for their adequate use and application their identification on the molecular level is of great importance.The aim of this thesis was to investigate the most important factors that influence Trichoderma variabilty in different soil types. Molecular identification of Trichoderma spp. from different soil types (Rendzic Leptosol, Regosol (Calcaric, Arenic), Calcic Gleysol, Fluvisol, Dystric Leptosol, Eutric Cambisol, Chernozem on loess terrace Chernozem (Arenic) and Vertisol) and plant rhizosphere of different crops was done based on their ITS and TEF1-α sequences. Variability was investigated in function of physical, chemical, microbiological properties of the soil, as well as total and extractable metal (Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb and Mn) content in the soil. In order to examine the application of these fungi as antagonists of phytopathogens, selected strains of Trichoderma species were tested against Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC), Alternaria alternata and Phoma cucurbitacearum. The enzyme characterization of selected strains was performed with semiquantitative test API-ZYM. Furthermore, the selected strains were tested for tolerance to various concentrations of copper and nickel. The strain T. brevicompactum SZMC 22661 which showed the best tolerance to metals was applied in the examination of drought effect on tomato plants...

Mullein (Verbascum) plants have extensive distribution and can grow in variable environmental conditions. Seed was collected from mullein plants grown at 4 locations, two metals contaminated and two metal uncontaminated areas. Genetic variability of progeny was examined. Populations collected from unpolluted areas were genetically more similar than those collected from polluted areas as revealed by RAPD and SSR markers and UPGMA analysis. The results indicate that there is genetic differentiation between examined populations and therefore they represent suitable material for further investigation of plant adaptation mechanisms to increased metal content.

Some Trichoderma strains can persist in ecosystems with high concentrations of heavy metals. The aim of this research was to examine the variability of Trichoderma strains isolated from different ecosystems, based on their morphological properties and restriction analysis of ITS fragments. The fungal growth was tested on potato dextrose agar, amended with Cu(II) concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 10 mmol/l, in order to identify copper-resistant strains. The results indicate that some isolated strains of Trichoderma sp. show tolerance to higher copper concentrations. Further research to examine the ability of copper bioaccumulation by tolerant Trichoderma strains is needed.

Biološka kontrola podrazumeva upotrebu mikroorganizama koji deluju antagonistički na patogene biljaka i kao takva koristi se za poboljšanje i zaštitu poljoprivrednih zemljišta. Gljive iz roda Trichoderma su kosmopolitske vrste, koje se pretežno nalaze u rizosferi različitih poljoprivrednih kultura i obuhvataju veliki broj vrsta za koje je već dokazano da poseduju mehanizme kojima deluju kao biokontrolni organizmi. Prisustvo ovih gljiva u rizosferi, može indukovati sistemsku stečenu otpornost (SAR) biljaka prema patogenima. Cilj ovog rada je bio ispitivanje varijabilnosti gljiva iz roda Trichoderma, u rizosferi različitih povrtarskih kultura primenom dve metode: klasične mikološke i metagenomski pristup. Rezultati dobijeni primenom obe metode ukazuju na prisustvo sojeva Trichoderma u ispitivanim uzorcima zemljišta. Sledeći korak u ispitivanju genetskog polimorfizma između sojeva izolovanih standardnom mikološkom metodom je njihova identifikacija na osnovu ITS sekvenci. Rezultati dobijeni metagenomskim pristupom su u nekim slučajevima bili osetljiviji u identifikaciji prisustva sojeva Trichoderma u zemljištu. Dalja optimizacija metode je u toku., The use of microorganisms that antagonize plant pathogens (biological control) is ecologically safe method for the improvement and protection of agricultural soils. The genus Trichoderma comprises a great number of beneficial fungal strains that act as biological control agents. Trichoderma spp are fungi usually present in soils, mainly in the plant rhizosphere. The presence of Trichoderma in the rizosphere can induce the systemic acquired resistance (SAR) of the plant, making it more tolerant to the pathogens attacking at the level of crop root and shoot. The objective of this work was to explore the diversity of genus Trichoderma in the rizosphere of different vegetables, by both classic mycological method and taxon-specific metagenomic approach. Results obtained by both approaches confirmed the presence of Trichoderma species in the examined soil samples. Next step in investigation of genetic polymorphism between pure cultures of Trichoderma will be to identify isolates based on their ITS sequences. Metagenomic approach was in some cases more sensitive in determination of Trichoderma presence. Further optimization of method is in progress.