Dragana Latković

Corn Monoculture Yield Response to Fertilization and Nitrate Nitrogen Distribution

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of fertilization system, nitrate (NO3)– nitrogen (N) distribution along soil profile, and their interaction on corn yield. The study was conducted at the experimental field of Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad (Serbia) during 2001–2004. Corn monoculture included four fertilization variants: control (Ø), nitrogen–phosphorus–potassium (NPK) mineral fertilizers, mineral fertilizer + corn stalks (NPK + S), and mineral fertilizers + manure (NPK + M). The greatest yield was found in the variant NPK + M (9.25 t ha−1). Path coefficients showed that greatest direct positive effects on corn yield were exhibited by NO3-N levels at soil depths of 60–90 cm and 30–60 cm. The path analysis showed that winter precipitation (WP) had a direct negative effect on yield performance. However, the effect of the downward movement of NO3-N from the topsoil to deeper soil layers of WP on yield was positive.

Effect of fertilization system and NO3-N distribution on corn yield

The objectives of the study have been to determine the effects of winter precipitation, NO3-N distribution in the soil profile and their interaction on corn yield in different fertilization systems. Corn yield varied across fertilization systems and winter rainfall in the investigated years (2001–2004). Significantly higher yields were found in variants with manure application in diculture (DC-M-NPK — 12.11 t ha−1) and in monoculture (MC-M-NPK — 9.25 t ha−1). Path coefficients showed that the highest direct positive effects on corn yields were exhibited by NO3-N amounts at soil depths 30–60 cm and 60–90 cm (p = 0.4336** and p = 0.2346**, respectively). Winter precipitation had a direct negative effect on the yield performance (p = −0.1159), however, the downward movement of NO3-N from topsoil (0–30 cm) to deeper soil layers (30–60 and 60–90 cm), whose N levels were directly positively correlated with yield, made the indirect effect of winter precipitation on yield positive.

Effect of Indigenous Pseudomonas sp. and Bacillus sp. Strains on Yield and Main Chemical Growth Parameters of Radicchio

Summary Pseudomonas sp. and Bacillus sp. belong to plant growth promoting rhizobacteria which are able to colonize the plants roots and stimulate growth. In this study, the effect of two indigenous plant growth promoting rhizobacterial strains Pseudomonas sp. Q4 and Bacillus sp. Q10 and their mixture (mix Q4+Q10) on content of the main chemical growth parameters (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium) and the yield of dry biomass of radicchio (Cichorium spp. var. rossa di treviso) aerial parts and root, was investigated. The study was carried out with stagnosol type of soil in pot experiments under semi-controlled conditions in the Institute of Soil Science (Belgrade), in the period from July to October in 2013. Phosphorus was determined by spectrophotometer, potassium - by flame emission photometry and total nitrogen and carbon - using elemental CNS analyzer, while calcium and magnesium were determined by AAS. The data on yield of both aerial parts and root dry biomass of radicchio showed that its treatment with Q4 and Q10 strains, as well as with their mixture, caused noticeably increase in this parameter in relation to the control, whereby the strain Q4 was more effective for aerial parts, while mix Q4+Q10 - for roots. The obtained data on the studied chemical parameters of radicchio root and aerial parts were in total accordance with their yield. Concluding, studied strains have a potential in promoting the biomass yield and main chemical growth parameters of both aerial parts and root of radicchio.

AN AGRO-TECHNOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPEAN BROOMCORN LANDRACES

Comprehensive overview of the extent genetic diversity in South-East European landrace collection was estimated regard broadening of broomcorn (Sorghum bicolor [L]. Moench) germplasm variability. In a long-term field trials 28 accessions were analyzed to determine variability of agronomic (unthreshed panicle weight UTP, threshed panicle weight TRP, grain yield per panicle SWG and threshed panicle ratio RAN), morphological (plant height PHG, stalk height SHG, panicle length PLG, peduncle length PDL, flag leaf sheath length LSL and panicle exsertion PEX) and technological (fiber length FLG, fiber number per panicle NOP and fiber fineness FFI) traits. By all obtained results combining over univariate and multivariate analysis, the study showed significant variability over traits, so the examined landraces will be included in existing broomcorn germplasm. Accessories with valuable quantitative and qualitative characters can significantly contribute to improvement of new bred cultivars and broadening germplasm diversity. Three years field experiment showed significant positive correlations between PHG-SHG, PDL-PEX and UTP-SWG and significant negative correlations between PDL-FLG and SWG-RAN. The performance of examined landraces were generally within the ambit of broomcorn germplasm variability, but several accessions with the extreme trait profile for yield components and panicle quality will be useful as parents in the breeding process.

Phenotypic Analysis of Agronomic Traits in Bread Wheat

Summary Components of yield and seed quality are traits of primary importance in bread wheat breeding programs. Yield components are obviously a major determinant of farmer’s income, whereas seed quality is very important for breeding quality. In this paper, the thousand grain weight (TGW) was chosen as indicative of yield features and the shelling percentage (RND) as indicative of seed quality (although RND is not directly connected to the technological/seed quality, but rather indirectly and it greatly contributes to the wider picture of seed quality). The objectives of the present research were two-fold: to determine the influence of genotype, the environment and their interaction on the thousand grain weight and shelling percentage and to evaluate the stability via the AMMI model. The grain samples were obtained from ten winter wheat cultivars grown in 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12 at three locations in Serbia: Novi Sad, Sremska Mitrovica and Pančevo. The ten winter wheat cultivars used in this study were: Evropa 90, NSR-5, Pobeda, Renesansa, Ljiljana, Cipovka, Dragana, Simonida, NS 40 S and Zvezdana. The thousand grain weight and shelling percentage were investigated and statistically analyzed via the AMMI model, which showed significant differences between genotypes at various locations and ASV rankings. The most favorable cultivar in the experiment was Dragana in terms of all investigated traits.