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Background: Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) is a very popular vegetable species that is characterized by a specific taste and high nutritional value. The flower is used for food, although the other green parts of this plant are also edible. In Serbia, broccoli is produced throughout the year, except for winter. Due to the relatively short growing season, it is a good pre-crop, as well as a subsequent crop. During production, the utilization of applied nutrients is questionable, and therefore their effect on production. Materials and Methods: During these studies, the influence of micro granulated starter fertilizer (Super Start NP 10:35 +2% MgO + 5% S +2% Zn, Elixir Zorka, Serbia) on the production characteristics of broccoli was investigated, with the aim of finding the optimal dose its applications. Fertilizer was added to the soil along both sides of the planted plants at a distance of about 10 cm from the roots. In addition to the control in which no starter fertilizer was applied, there were 5 more treatments with doses from 15 to 35 kg/ha. Broccoli variety Parthenon F1 (Sakata Seed) was grown at a density of 28,800 plants/ha. Other agro technical measures were standard (watering, protection). Results: Inflorescences were harvested at technological maturity when they reached the appropriate size. The measured values for the width, height and mass of the inflorescence were significantly higher in the varieties with the highest doses of starter fertilizer. The yield behaved in the same way. The width of the inflorescence ranged from 16.37 to 20.63 cm, the height from 12.52 to 14.79 cm, the mass of the inflorescence from 448.7 to 661.4 g, while the yield had values from 10.68 to 15.74 t/ha. Conclusion: For all examined parameters, the values obtained at the highest doses of starting fertilization (30 and 35 kg/ha) did not differ statistically significantly. Based on this, it can be concluded that the dose of applied starter fertilizer of 30 kg/ha is opti

Fertilizers with controlled release (CRF) are materials that have nutrients for the plant and can be dissolved after a certain time from the moment they are introduced into the soil. They are available to the plant much longer than conventional fertilizers. Phosphate glasses (PG) are quite interesting for controlled release systems due to their low chemical durability. Although pure PG have highly hygroscopic nature, their chemical durability can be compositionally controlled [1,2]. Biochar is the product of biomass pyrolysis, a process where organic substances are broken down at temperatures ranging from 350 °C to 900 °C in a reduced oxygen thermal process. Biochar applications have an effect on soil improvement, waste management, climate change mitigation and energy, and consequently might have social and economic benefits. Biochar improves soil physiology and increases productivity, assisting with crop residue management [3,4]. This paper presents the results of testing the effect of PG and biochar from plum stones (PSB) on rose plantings (sort Lavaglut). The control sample were rose plantings without fertilizer addition. The phosphate glass (45.4P2O5•25.6K2O•14.5CaO•3.1SiO2•9.3MgO•1.2ZnO•0.9MnO2) was prepared from reagent grade raw materials. The glass mixture was melted at T = 1230 °C for t = 1h in an open porcelaine crucible in an electric furnace and the melt was quenched on a steel plate. Phosphate glass and biochar were added in a variety of dosages. The application of 1 g of phosphate glass and the application of 10 g of PSB had the greatest effect on increasing the average height of plants. The application of PG and biochar had no significant effect on the average number of formed branches in the crown, as well as on the average number of newly formed branches. Higher doses of PG (3 g) and PSB (10 g) have a favorable effect on increasing the average number of formed flowers. The chemical analysis of the plant material at the end of the vegetative cycle de

As the most dynamic industry in the world, flower production plays a major role in economic and social development in many countries. Flowers are becoming the most modern consumer good for the people, with great development potential. Flower production is considered an intensive agricultural activity and its technical improvement and profit-making requires scientific management. In order to achieve high quality and high efficiency in this production, it is necessary to set high requirements in terms of production and management. In order to improve the management of this production, it is necessary to consider several very important starting facts: knowing the position of flower production globally and locally, especially in the country where this production is to improve, the possibility of its development on a scientific basis and appropriate promotion of the flower industry that is, develop flower placement strategies. Effective management can save resources, reduce costs and increase yields and quality, leading to good market positioning.

Indoor flowers are an unavoidable element in modern interior design. In addition to enriching the living and working space in terms of decoration, flowers also have a beneficial effect on people: it improves mood and increases productivity at work. The benefits of growing flowers in the interior are numerous and of particular importance for human health is the fact that they improve air quality and reduce the concentrations of many pollutants. Pollutants in the interior can be divided into non-biological and biological according to the source. In most cases, external pollution is mentioned as the main source of increased concentrations of nonbiological indoor air pollutants. The assumption is that the mechanism of air purification implies the absorption of volatile compounds by plant leaves, which are then transported to the roots, and where they are then decomposed by microorganisms. On the other hand, it is supposed that certain compounds characterized as air pollutants are degraded and used in plant metabolism. Research shows that the ability to remove organic volatile compounds from the air into the interior is different and depends on the type of flower species. Indoor flowers that have been shown to be effective in air purifying are from the following families: Moracae, Araceae, Arecaceae, Araliaceae, Orchidaceae, etc. The choice of flowers to alleviate indoor air pollution depends not only on their ability to clean the air, but also on their needs for care, light and finally of personal taste.

Fortification - the process of enriching products with essential nutrients has been used for many years in various branches of the food industry. However, the term biofortification is more recent and refers to increasing the concentration of essential nutrients, especially vitamins and microelements, in edible plant parts. The idea of biofortification as a measure in agricultural production was developed with the aim of reducing the consequences of “hidden hunger”, which is particularly pronounced in underdeveloped countries, and refers to insufficient intake of essential nutrients. Current research shows that more than two billion people in the world are affected by a deficiency of microelements, particularly zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), selenium (Se) and vitamin A. In the context of biofortification, there are several methods that can be used to improve the nutritional value of plant products, namely: transgenic breeding methods (genetically modified crops), conventional breeding methods (selection and crossing) and agrobiofortification (application of fertilizers containing microelements). Agrobiofortification can be done in several ways: soil or foliar application of fertilizers or by treating seed before sowing. Agrobiofortification is considered as an efficient, economically justified and simple method that can be applied to all crops with known cultivation technology, with the aim of obtaining functional food. The specificity of agrobiofortification is reflected in the knowledge of the affinity of the plant species for the adoption of certain elements, in order to implement mineral nutrition in a way that ensures optimal growth and development of plants with the simultaneous accumulation of necessary elements in the edible plant parts. In addition, it is necessary to determine the optimal dose of fertilizer that is ecologically and economically justified, as well as the optimal timing of fertilizer application, that is, to determine the phase of plant development wh

Allium species are known as a rich source of many compounds with potential healing effects. Biofortification is recognized as an effective agrotechnical measure for raising the level of biogenic elements—especially microelements in the edible parts of these species, so Allium can be considered as a ‘natural dietary supplement’. The aim of this research was to test the effects of foliar application of Se fertilizer (Na2SeO4) in different doses (control—0, 10, 20 and 30 g per ha) on the content of macro, microelements and secondary metabolites (SMs)—free phenolics, flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives in the edible parts, i.e., leaves of two selected Allium species in Serbia (A. odorum and A. schoenoprasum), which grew in open field conditions over the course of two growing seasons. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF), as an indicator of the ability of plants to accumulate biogenic elements, was also determined. Although with no full regularity, the dose of 10 g of Se per ha yielded the highest content for the most biogenic elements for both alliums in the first growing season, i.e., a dose of 20 g of Se per ha for A. schoenoprasum, and a dose of 30 g of Se per ha for A. odorum in the second growing season. The obtained results justified the Se-biofortification of different alliums. The BAF values indicated the ability of both Allium species to accumulate S, K and P in their leaves during both growing seasons. The accumulation of potentially toxic elements was not recorded for either species, emphasizing the safety of the produced plant material for human consumption. Additionally, Se-treated plants had higher SM contents compared to control plants. The growing season also showed an impact on SM content; i.e., in the second season, characterized as drought-stressed, the synthesis of SMs was significantly higher compared to that in the first season. Further research should be directed towards finding the appropriate dose of Se, expanded in the sense of conducti

Endive (Cichorium endivia L.) is a leafy vegetable with excellent nutritional composition and bitter taste. Unlike in Southern and Western Europe, the vegetable is little known in Serbia. In an experiment conducted in the greenhouse in the fall of 2022 (August-October), the influence of mulch and bioregulators on the production characteristics of the narrow-leaved curly endive cultivar "Cigal" (C.e. var. crispum) was studied. An extract of the seaweed Ecklonia maxima, trade name Kelpak, was used as a bioregulator. Endive was grown on raised beds with and without PE mulch film. The bioregulator was applied in several ways, from watering the seedlings to foliar treatment. The best results were obtained with the combination in which the seedlings were irrigated with bioregulator before planting and then treated with it for 10 days. The total weight of the endive leaf rosette was 658.1 g for this combination, while it was 550.7 g for the control. The plants grown on the mulch film showed a statistically very significant increase in the total weight of the leaf rosette. All other parameters studied behaved similarly: the number of leaves in the rosette, the height and width of the leaf rosette, and the mass of the tree. The commercial yield of endive after removal of the oldest leaves ranged from 32.7 to 40.4 t/ha. Based on these studies, it can be recommended for production practice to grow endive on dams and with mulch film, and to treat the plants with natural bioregulators from planting to preharvest.

The deep economic crisis in which Serbia finds itself today is a consequence of the insufficient adaptability of the Serbian economy to the changes that have occurred in the world economy, as well as the insufficient and inadequately used resources it owns. In the long run, economic recovery will not be possible without a thorough restructuring and inclusion in new economic flows. As such, agriculture stands out as the support of the national economy, which can be a key factor in economic prosperity. The production of horticultural plants has a very important place in modern agricultural production and trade and is one of the most intensive agricultural activities. It can be organized on smaller areas, enables the engagement of a larger number of people, which has the effect of reducing unemployment, and in addition to harmonizing with European and world standards, it can be a key factor in economic prosperity. Therefore, in the future, we must look at horticultural production in Serbia from the aspect of a perspective life occupation.

In modern interior design, the use of interior plants is becoming increasingly popular. Flowers, not only make the space more attractive and alive, it also plays a role in overall health as it improves air quality and reduces the concentrations of many pollutants. Inhalation of biological particles that are present in the interior, can have a great impact on human health. Exposure to toxins and susceptibility of individuals to indoor pollutants depends on the concentration of pollutants, duration and frequency of exposure, and the consequences of exposure to such air can be manifested through weakening of the immune system, transient morbidity, disease and even death in extreme cases. Phytoremediation is an efficient and economically viable way of using plants to remove toxins from the air, which has the effect of improving air quality in the interior as well. Interior air pollutants come from both non-biological (asbestos, formaldehyde, tobacco smoke, volatile organic compounds, CO2, SO2) and biological sources (house dust, fungi, bacteria, viruses and microorganisms). So far, numerous species of interior plants have been tested as phytoremediators in the interior, and the most effective have been the species belonging to the families: Moracae, Araceae, Crassulace, Palmae, Araliaceae, Pteridophyta, Orchidaceae and others. The following species stand out: Ficus sp., Phoenix sp., Chamaedorea sp., Phylodentron sp., Epipremnum sp., Spathiphyllum sp., Crassula ovata. It should not be forgotten that the choice of interior plants to alleviate indoor air pollution, as a phytoremediator, depends not only on their ability to clean the air, but also on the ease of cultivation and maintenance in the existing interior space, but of course on personal taste.

Flower production is one of the youngest branches of agricultural production. Historically, the cultivation of flower crops is as old as the human race. However, the production of flowers in the form we know today began in the middle of the 20th century. Flower production is classified in horticultural production, as the most intensive agricultural activity, which has a very important place in modern agricultural production and trade. In Serbia, the production of flowers has been growing in recent years and occupies an increasingly important place. The main regions of production are concentrated around large cities. The volume of domestic production does not meet the needs, so the import of flowers is still higher than the export. The reason for that is not the lack of expertise, but the obsolescence of facilities and technical means, unsatisfactory product quality, underdeveloped market as well as insufficient connection between science and practice. In the long run, the development of flower production in Serbia, regardless of its potential, is not possible without further development of infrastructure and human resources. In addition to good staff education and full commitment, it is necessary to adapt to modern technologies in order to ensure high profitability with good product quality, competitive in the market, as well as the involvement of all supporting structures by the state, through subsidies and programs aimed at encouraging and improvement of production.

The influence of different concentrations of phytohormone (IAA) is investigated in this paper, using the preparation of - Slavol on the decorative properties of gladiolus Gladiolus sp. L. variety Raven (length of inflorescence and number of flowers in inflorescence). Research was carried out in the greenhouse of the Faculty of Agriculture in Zemun during spring 2018. Planting of corms was carried out in pots that are 33 cm in diameter. Before planting, gladiolus corms were treated with different concentrations of Slavol, by the following treatments: control-free Slavol, 400ml Slavol / l water, 500ml Slavol / l water and 600ml Slavol / l water, soaking for 1h. The obtained results indicated that the use of Slavol can be justified because it affects the decorative properties of gladiolus, increasing the length of the flower and the number of flowers in the inflorescence. By treating the corms with the highest test concentration, 600ml Slavol / l water, this increase is also significantly higher than the control less test concentrations.

The main goal of agricultural production should be the production of a sufficient amount of agricultural products with the least possible impact on the environment. In traditional agricultural production, in order to obtain a satisfactory yield, artificial fertilizers are used, which have multiple negative impacts on the environment. Glassy fertilizers are a type of fertilizer that, at least according to previous research, do not have a negative impact on the environment and the same time the use of these fertilizers yields not less than when using traditional fertilizers. Glassy fertilizers are fertilizers with controlled dissolution, they do not pollute groundwater or surface water, the pH of the soil does not change with their use, by changing the composition they can adapt to the requirements of each crop individually, etc. The paper presents three phosphate glassy fertilizers of different chemical composition, obtained at the Center for Inorganic Technologies, ITNMS. The method of obtaining of glassy fertilizers, their dissolution rates in a medium that simulates soil conditions, the changes in pH values of solutions for different dissolution times and the effect of temperature on dissolution rates are shown. Also, the results of the influence of glass fertilizers on plant cultures in real conditions are presented.

In this research, we examined the effect of 15 genotypes of selected Allium species: A. sativum L. (10 genotypes), A. ampeloprasum L. var. ampeloprasum (3) and A. cepa L. (2), on the content of metals and metalloids in bulbs. Determination of the content of elements was performed using the method of atomic absorption spectroscopy and ICP-OES method (mg/kg of dry matter). This research found that all tested genotypes differed statistically significantly in the content of Na, K, Ca and Mg both from each other and within the species. The highest content of Na, K, Ca and Mg was established in A. sativum, while the lowest content were observed in onion (A. cepa). Genotypes of A. ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum contained moderate amounts of Na, K, Ca and Mg. The content of certain metals was the same in all genotypes of the tested Allium species and was ˂ 0.01 mg/kg (Hg) and ˂ 0.5 mg/kg (Hg, Co, Ni and Mo). The species A. ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum showed the highest affinity for Cd accumulation in bulbs, followed by A. sativum and A. cepa.

Lettuce, or Lactuca sativa L., is a leafy vegetable from Asteraceae family, that has great nutritional value and it is beneficial for human health. Leaves of this annual plant are great source of fiber in addition to bioactive compounds and are mostly consumed fresh, whereas in some cultures stems are also being prepared as meals. Cultivars of this cool-seasoned vegetable differ by the leaf number, color, size, shape and edges, stem and rosette development, etc. In this study, five lettuce cultivars were analyzed in order to inspect their impact on morphological properties and yield: Aleppo (type Lollo Bionda), Carmesi (Lollo Rosso), Murai (Red Oak leaf), Kiribati (Green Oak leaf) and Tourbillon (Crystal). The experiment was conducted in plastic greenhouse, using the method of randomized block design, where each of four repetitions consisted of eight plants. The analyzed traits were: number of leaves, fresh leaves weight, stem weight, diameter and height of plants, rosette diameter and height, whole plant weight. Statistical analyses pointed out significant differences for each examined morphological aspect. The largest diameter of the rosette was measured in cultivar Crystal (26.6 cm), as well as the diameter (25.9 mm), weight (7.3 g) and the height of the stem (44.6 mm). Further, cultivar Green Oak leaf was formed the largest number of leaves (39.7) in addition to greatest fresh leaves weight (343.5 g) and whole plant weight (347.0 g). Cultivar Lollo Rosso was achieved the highest rosette (18.5 cm) among others, whereas the lowest values in all parameters were obtained from Red Oak leaf cultivar.

Cinnamomum zeylanicum (syn. C. verum), known as true, Ceylon or Mexican cinnamon is the evergreen tree, which have many applications: spice, in perfumery, flavoring and pharmaceutical industries. Cinnamon bark is the most often used part, usually as a powdered spice or as a component for the extraction of essential oil [1]. Many studies are reported that cinnamon spice contains bioactive compounds which show antioxidant, antimicrobial and antifungal properties. The antioxidant properties of cinnamon are attributed to the high content of phenolic compounds, especially cinnamaldehyde and eugenols, which stand out as the main antioxidants [2]. In this study, the antioxidant properties of cinnamon spice were investigated using the following spectrophotometrically assays: CUPRAC, FRAP, TAC and DPPH

Due to the dissolution properties the phosphate glasses can be promising materials for the development of new ecologically safe fertilizers. The complex polyphosphate glass with a molar ratio (M2O + MO)/P2O5 >1 and addition of microelements Zn2+, Mn2+, Fe3+ and Cu2+ were used in substrate for production of flower and vegetables seedlings. Dissolution tests were conducted in deionized water and 2% citric acid. The effects of the reaction time on the normalized glass mass loss (fm) and the normalized concentrations of the ions (fi) at 20, 30, 37 and 50°C were determined. Dissolution rate constants (kw - deionized water, kc -2% citric acid) were also determined (kw-0.0028-0.0094 gm-2, kc-0.029-0.011 gm-2). Values of kc were higher than those of kw, which confirms a significant effect of solvent type and temperature on the dissolution kinetics of glass. The experiments with plants (one vegetable and one flower) showed that the addition of phosphate glass caused an increase in yield and quality of plants. The applied dose of polyphosphate glass of 1gl-1 showed the best effect on the growth of the examined plant seedlings., Polifosfatno staklo, u kome je molski odnos (M2O + MO)/P2O5 >1, koje sadrži i mikroelemente Zn2+, Mn2+, Fe3+ i Cu2+, korišćeno je u supstratu za proizvodnju rasada cveća i povrća. Eksperimenti su izvedeni u stakleniku na Poljoprivrednom fakultetu u Beogradu i u laboratorijama ITNMS. Ispitivano je ponašanje polifosfatnog stakla prilikom rastvaranja u dejonizovanoj vodi i 2% rastvoru limunske kiseline na temperaturama od 20, 30, 37 i 50 °C. Ispitan je uticaj vremena rastvaranja na normalizovani gubitak mase (fm) i normalizovane koncentracije jona (fi). Određene su i konstante brzina rastvaranja(kw-dejonizovana voda, kc -2% rastvor limunske kiseline). Vrednosti kc su veće od vrednosti za kw, što potvrđuje uticaj rastvarača i temperature na proces rastvaranja. Rezultati su pokazali pozitivan efekat polifosfatnog stakla na rast i kvalitet ispitivanih biljaka. Primenjena doza polifosfatnog stakla od 1 gl-1 pokazala je najbolji efekat na rast ispitivanih biljaka-rasada.

Species of the genus Allium are used for different purposes: as food (vegetables, spices, flavor agent in the bakery industry), medical agent in folk medicine, and as decorative perennials. Effect of onion, garlic and leek on human health have been described in many studies. The presence of compounds with potential antioxidant activity are considered responsible for their health effect. Other species of this genus have been intensively studied in recent years in order to estimate their nutritional value and healing effect. In this paper, the antioxidant activity of edible parts of two Allium species (Allium nutans and A. odorum) was determined, by DPPH. and ABTS..+ scavenging assays. The tested species were grown in Serbia, in open field conditions and were foliar treated with selenium fertilizer (Na2SeO4) in four doses (0, 10, 20 and 30 g per ha), in the phase of intensive growth. Antioxidant activity was determined spectrophotometrically, by reading the absorbances of the samples at 515 nm in the case DPPH. assay and at 734 nm in the ABTS.+ assay. The obtained results were expressed as a percentage of inhibition of DPPH radicals and ABTS radical cations caused by the action of the extract of the tested Allium species. A. nutans had the highest antioxidant activity in control variant – without Se treatment (23.77% ± 0.19) in DPPH. assay, and in variant II - 10 g of selenium fertilizer per ha (69.05 ± 6.06) in ABTS.+ assay. The highest antioxidant activity of A. odorum was detected in variant IV - 30 g of selenium fertilizer per ha (25.75 ± 0.28) in DPPH assay. In A. odorum there was no significant difference in antioxidant activity in the control variant (33.41 ± 0.38) and variant III - 20 g of selenium per ha (33.79 ± 0.46), in ABTS assay.

Due to their fast growth, young seedlings have high nutrient requirements. Modern seedling production systems, particularly those with the protected root system, recommend the increased frequency of nutrient application during the process. The optimal continuous nutrient availability is primarily provided by irrigating young plants using the appropriate nutrient solution concentration. The research conducted at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade included cucumber seedlings, while its aims were to underline the impact of seedling fertilisation on the seedling quality and to find the optimal nutrient solution concentration for irrigating seedlings. The cucumber seedlings (Darina F1) were grown in grow chambers at day/night intervals of 14/10h and air temperature of 25/18oC. The seedlings were grown in 9-cm diameter pots (Teku), filled with the substrate TKS 1 (Floragard). After sprouting, the seedlings were irrigated using different nutrient solution concentrations of Fitofert Humistart fertiliser: 0.1%, 0.3%, 0.6% and 1%. The control variant was irrigated using pure water. The seedling period lasted for 22 days (after sprouting), after which the seedling quality was determined by measuring the plant height and stem height, stem diameter, leaf number, leaf surface per plant, as well as plant fresh weight. The cucumber seedlings grown in the control variant had a statistically significantly smaller plant height, stem height and stem diameter, a smaller leaf number and lower plant fresh weight. The seedling variants which were continuously irrigated using only the nutrient solution had the measured quality parameters which did not show statistically significant differences between the variants. On the basis of this research, it can be concluded that the seedling irrigation by means of nutrient solution had a positive effect on the seedling quality. Including the economic point of view, the recommended concentration of nutrient solution is 0.1%.

U radu su prikazane površine i struktura površina pod cvetnim vrstama na teritoriji Grada Beograda kao nezamenljivog i neizostavnog dekora jedne urbane sredine. Sagledavajući postojeće površine na jednoj strani, demografsku sliku i ekonomski razvoj grada na drugoj, očekivanja su da će se potrebe za cvetnim vrstama povećavati, što će direktno uticati na povećanje obima cvećarske proizvodnje. To bi značilo veću investicionu aktivnost u realizovanju ciljeva i prioriteta razvoja cvećarske industrije, kao uslov njene tehničke i tehnološke modernizacije. Tako bi se stvorili uslovi za povećanje broja radnih mesta i produktivnost rada u ovoj oblasti poljoprivredne proizvodnje, čime bi se proširio i proizvodni asortiman cveća koji bi mogao da doprinese i lepšem i „novom“ izgledu grada u celini

In order to obtain the best quality of flowers, contemporary flower production is increasingly relying on the use of phytohormones and biostimulators. Thanks to the widespread application, in recent years, their use in production of bulbous corm flower species has been increasingly examined, especially phytohormones. The justification of the use of indole-3- acetic acid in the production of bulbous corm flower species is reflected in the possibility of improving productive characteristics. In this paper was examined the effect of the application of indole-3-acetic acid as a microbiological fertilizer - commercial name Slavol - on the productive characteristics of two species of the genus Gladiolus sp. and Lilium sp. During the research, the bulbs and corm was soaking in two different time intervals (1 h and 24 h) and in two different concentrations of Slavol (100 ml and 150 ml). The obtained results showed the positive effect of the application of indole-3-acetic acid on the examine productive characteristics: plant height, overhead mass, number of leaves, number of flower buds, length of the flower and weight of bulbs. Studies have also shown that for species of the genus Lilum sp., a greater impact on productive characteristics has the concentration of indol-3-acetic acid in relation to the duration of treatment, while for species of the genus Galdiolus sp. a greater impact has shown the duration of the treatment.

The influence of sowing method, growth regulator and harvest method on alfalfa seed yield was examined in three years (2015-2017), in locality near Belgrade, with using alfalfa variety NS Banat ZMS II. Research showed the statistically very significant effect of sowing method on seed yield, and the best average way for all three years period was 60 cm between rows of sowed seed. The growth regulator proved to be effective only in the rainy year, while harvesting crops previously treated with desiccant proved to beuseful, with the exception in the year of establishment when this difference was not statistically significant. Meteorological conditions had the highest influence on the seed yield, amount of precipitation in the vegetation period mostly, and the researched factors have proved to be useful in suppressing the consequences of poor weather. In years suitable for seed production, the recommendation for the production practice is an intermediate distance of 60 cm and the use of a desiccant.

Species of the genus Allium have great importance in human nutrition due wide range of therapeutic properties and great health benefits. Their nutritional value is primarily determined by the chemical composition of the edible parts. The nutritional quality of Allium crops is possible to improve through agronomic practices (plant nutrition and agrotechnic measures) by the process known as biofortification. In this paper, the effect of biofortification with different concentrations of selenium (0 g, 10 g, 20 g and 30 g per hectare) in open field condition on selected Allium species (Allium sativum var. saggitatum L.; A. fistulosum L.; A. ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum L.; A. nutans L.; A. odorum L.; A. schoenoprasum L.) was investigated, with a goal to improve nutritional value of the edible parts. For this purpose 24 samples of fresh plant material were prepared and extracted with 80% methanol. Total phenolic content (TPC) was determined using the standard spectrophotometric Folin-Ciocalteu method. The obtained results are expressed as mg of ferulic acid equivalents (FAE) per g of fresh weight. TPC was in range from 0.36 to 2.60 mg/g FAE. The obtained research results indicate that TPC in the edible parts differs between species, as well as within the species, and depending on the applied dose of selenium. The obtained results indicate the necessity of determining the optimal doses of selenium in the process of biofortification, in order to obtain edible parts of Allium species with high nutritional value.

In these researches the plan is to look at the effect of different fertilizers on the quality of tomato seedlings made for open field production (cv. roker). Tomato nursery were grown in containers with 104 openings and saved during the seeding period with three types of fertilizes with: fitofert kristal, fitofert humisuper and slavol. They were used with different percentages, and the time of use was after sowing, with the appearance of first leaf that continued during those seven days from sprouting until the end of the seedling period. The following parameters were determined: plant height (cm), number of leaves per plant, stem thickness (mm) and the weight of the plants’ above-ground parts (g). With all of the tested parameters the best results were made with continuous usage of fertilizers. In the container production of tomato seedlings, where the seedlings was being produced in small volume of substrates in short period of time, usage of mineral fertilizers gives overall better results than organic-mineral and microbiological.

The influence of sowing method, growth regulator and harvest method on alfalfa seed yield was examined in three years (2015-2017), in locality near Belgrade, with using alfalfa variety NS Banat ZMS II. Research showed the statistically very significant effect of sowing method on seed yield, and the best average way for all three years period was 60 cm between rows of sowed seed. The growth regulator proved to be effective only in the rainy year, while harvesting crops previously treated with desiccant proved to beuseful, with the exception in the year of establishment when this difference was not statistically significant. Meteorological conditions had the highest influence on the seed yield, amount of precipitation in the vegetation period mostly, and the researched factors have proved to be useful in suppressing the consequences of poor weather. In years suitable for seed production, the recommendation for the production practice is an intermediate distance of 60 cm and the use of a desiccant.

Potentials in the production of flowers and ornamental plants are not sufficiently recognized in Serbia. It is therefore necessary to provide stronger institutional support to this area, both scientific research and business community, in order to make this sector a more profitable production line. In that sense, it is necessary to introduce additional incentives, because considering the existing areas on one side, demographic picture and economic development on the other, expectations are that the needs for floral species will increase, which provides the possibility of improving the overall production of flowers and ornamental plant. Modernization of production, procurement of new machines and equipment, that is, technical and technological modernization would directly influence the increase in production volumes and production assortment, which would lead to the creation of new jobs and increase productivity in this highly intensive field of agricultural production

Polifosfatno staklo, u kome je molski odnos (M2O + MO)/P2O5 >1, koje sadrži i mikroelemente Zn2+, Mn2+, Fe3+ i Cu2+, korišćeno je u supstratu za proizvodnju rasada cveća i povrća. Eksperimenti su izvedeni u stakleniku na Poljoprivrednom fakultetu u Beogradu i u laboratorijama ITNMS. Ispitivano je ponašanje polifosfatnog stakla prilikom rastvaranja u dejonizovanoj vodi i 2% rastvoru limunske kiseline na temperaturama od 20, 30, 37 i 50 °C. Ispitan je uticaj vremena rastvaranja na normalizovani gubitak mase (fm) i normalizovane koncentracije jona (fi). Određene su i konstante brzina rastvaranja(kw-dejonizovana voda, kc -2% rastvor limunske kiseline). Vrednosti kc su veće od vrednosti za kw, što potvrđuje uticaj rastvarača i temperature na proces rastvaranja. Rezultati su pokazali pozitivan efekat polifosfatnog stakla na rast i kvalitet ispitivanih biljaka. Primenjena doza polifosfatnog stakla od 1 gl-1 pokazala je najbolji efekat na rast ispitivanih biljaka-rasada., Due to the dissolution properties the phosphate glasses can be promising materials for the development of new ecologically safe fertilizers. The complex polyphosphate glass with a molar ratio (M2O + MO)/P2O5 >1 and addition of microelements Zn2+, Mn2+, Fe3+ and Cu2+ were used in substrate for production of flower and vegetables seedlings. Dissolution tests were conducted in deionized water and 2% citric acid. The effects of the reaction time on the normalized glass mass loss (fm) and the normalized concentrations of the ions (fi) at 20, 30, 37 and 50°C were determined. Dissolution rate constants (kw - deionized water, kc -2% citric acid) were also determined (kw-0.0028-0.0094 gm-2, kc-0.029-0.011 gm-2). Values of kc were higher than those of kw, which confirms a significant effect of solvent type and temperature on the dissolution kinetics of glass. The experiments with plants (one vegetable and one flower) showed that the addition of phosphate glass caused an increase in yield and quality of plants. The applied dose of polyphosphate glass of 1gl-1 showed the best effect on the growth of the examined plant seedlings.