Evica Mratinic

Phenotypic Diversity of Apple (Malus sp.) Germplasm in South Serbia

To determine the overall degree of polymorphism, detect similarities among the accessions and collect highly valued genotypes of native apples, 21 characters of 18 autochthonous apple cultivars were studied for three years. Particular individual accessions were selected from the south region of Serbia according to economically valuable characters and tested in situ. Agronomic evaluation of germplasm accessions revealed considerable diversity among different accessions for all the characters studied. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the accessions and among years for some characters as well. Cluster analysis distinguished Malus sp. accessions into three distinct groups. Despite of the significant differences among the accessions, yield and fruit weight were a clear separation between the clusters. Among the germplasm of a small geographic area, it was possible to find the cultivars with valuable morphological traits that could be immediately distributed to the market or employed in breeding programs.

Morphogenic variability of some autochthonous plum cultivars in western Serbia

A study conducted over a period of two years in a Western Serbian valley included in situ identification of autochthonous plum cultivars. Observation and recording of their phenological and pomological traits were performed using IBPGR and UPOV methodologies. Fifteen cultivars derived from Prunus domestica L. and two cultivars derived from P. insititia L. were identified. Flowering started between 24 March and 7 April and fruit ripening between 12 July (Petrovaca) and 16 September (Trnovaca). Fruit weight ranged from 6.79± 0.018 to 36.62± 0.251 g and stone weight from 0.14± 0.002 to 1.95± 0.023 g. The cultivars were classified as being extremely small in terms of fruit size. Rounded fruit shape and light-yellow ground colour were dominant. Skin colour ranged from amber to black. Yellow green was a dominant flesh colour and medium flesh firmness predominated. The fruits of the above cultivars could be processed, particularly into plum brandy, or they could be used fresh or dried. The selected plum cultivars can be used both in breeding programmes and as rootstocks as well as in further disease-related systematic studies under field and laboratory conditions.

Impact of Harvest Time on the Main Agronomic and Fruit Quality Traits of Three Apricot Cultivars

Fruit quality and sensorial traits of three apricot cultivars as affected by harvest time were evaluated. High variability and significant differences were found among cultivars in all studied traits, except flowering date, yield efficiency, stone weight, titratable acidity, and sucrose. Additionally, all evaluated traits significantly depended on the harvest time. Year-by-year variation also was observed. Mid-late season ‘Hungarian Best’ and late ripening ‘Kecskemét Rosè’ cultivars had better fruit quality and sensorial traits than the early ripening cultivar ‘Senetate’, and can be recommended for fresh consumption, storage, and processing. On a principal component analysis, mid- and late-harvest time was shown to be positively associated with a good yield, sweetness, flavor, juiciness, and aroma, and negatively associated with sourness of the apricot.

The influence of agrozel type zeolite on the content of macroelements in blackberry leaves

Acreages covered in blackberry have been excesively enhanced over the past ten years in Serbia. Over 1987-1994, blackberry was grown on the total of 1,600 ha, and the average annual blackberry production ranged from 7,000-10,000 t (Petrovic et al., 1996). According to Misic and Nikolic (2003), mean annual blackberry production over 1997— 2002 ranged from 12,000-14,000 t. Fertilization of modern, highly intensive blackberry plantings and selection of the type and quantity of fertilizers are based on the chemical analysis of the soil and blackberry leaves (Sharma and Sharma, 2006). According to Stevanovic et al. (1999), high rates of complex NPK fertilizers applied every year (incorporated locally in the rows) in blackberry plantings brought about disorder in the mineral matter content, which was primarily caused by the accumulation of excessive potassium in soil. The objective of our study was to determine the influence of agrozel on the nitorgen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and calcium (Ca) contents in leaves of blackberry grown on unfavourable and chemically and phisically inhomogenous soils.