Ljiljana Bošković-Rakočević

Effect of nitrogen fertilization on carrot quality

-1 . After harvesting, root samples were collected and tested for quality. The use of increasing nitrogen rates resulted in increased nitrate accumulation in the roots. The increase in nitrogen fertilizer rate from 60 to 120 kgNha -1 led to a reduction in Vitamin C content and an increase in s-carotene. Differences were observed between cultivars and hybrids in all quality parameters tested.

Heavy Metal Content of Soils and Plum Orchards in an Uncontaminated Area

Research was conducted to assess metal contamination of soils and fruits and evaluate potential human health risks. Heavy metal concentrations (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) in plum orchard soils were below maximum permissible concentration. Igeo showed that soils were uncontaminated (Igeo <0 for Fe and Mn) and uncontaminated to moderately contaminated (Igeo for Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd ranged from 1.20–0.57, 1.32–0.98, 2.97–0.88 and 1.26–0.58, respectively). Fruit Zn, Cu, Mn, Pb and Cd concentrations were within maximum permissible concentration in foods in Serbia. Only Fe levels were above maximum permissible concentration at most locations. The soil-to-fruit transfer factor (TF) showed large differences between metals. TF for Cd and Pb was 0.0, for Mn 0.007–0.030 and for Zn 0.04–0.09, indicating no potential risk to human health, whereas TF for Fe and Cu was high, i.e. 0.30–1.51 and 0.33–1.69, respectively, suggesting that plum can accumulate Fe and Cu.

Effects of pseudogley chemical amelioration on the changes in soil and plant phosphorus and potassium contents

Pseudogley is a soil type that is under natural conditions characterized by unfavorable properties, the most pronounced being insufficient amounts of basic plant nutrients. Using different amelioration measures, numerous researchers have tried to overcome the problems resulting from soil acidity (increased aluminum and manganese contents, deficiency of alkaline cations in the adsorption complex and reduced available phosphorus content). Calcification was the most common measure almost always producing the best results of all the measures. In order to determine the effect of some neutralization acidity materials derived from natural sources (bentonite zeolite, lifos, CaO and MgO) on the change in the available phosphorus and potassium contents, a trial was set up on extremely acid soil to determine the manner of change in the nutrients concentrations in maize leaf and grain. The results obtained show that all ameliorative measures used affected the soil phosphorus and potassium contents increase, depending on the reduction of acidity and the mobile aluminum content, resulting also in a better uptake of the nutrients from the soil.

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.

Cultivar-specific accumulation of iron, manganese, zinc and copper in winter wheat grain (Triticum aestivum L.)

To ensure safe food production, cultivar specificity of mineral nutrition in winter wheat was studied in order to determine genotypic differences in the accumulation of several selected microelements (Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu). Soil properties, plant species and genotypes were found to be major factors affecting the uptake of microelements by wheat plants. The application of NPK fertilizers, manure and lime resulted in a decrease in Fe, Mn and Zn contents, but the decrease was not below the concentrations that would make the plants suffer from nutrient deficiencies. In all treatments, the ratio Fe/Mn was <1.5, indicating that iron was not physiologically active, due to which its function was taken over by manganese. The analysis of variance showed highly significant effects of cultivar and fertilization on grain yield and 1,000-grain weight.

Copper and manganese content of the leaves of pepper ( Capsicum annuum L.) grown on different soil types

The aim of this study was to determine the degree of copper (Cu) and manganese (Mn) uptake by pepper plants ( Capsicum annuum L.) grown on four different soil types. The study was conducted in 2009 and 2010 under controlled conditions in a greenhouse. The experiment was set up according to a randomized block design with four treatments (soil types) in five replications. The results showed that the degree of Cu and Mn uptake by pepper plants was statistically significantly dependent upon the soil type used for pepper cultivation regardless of plant phenostage and year of the study. The degree of Cu uptake by pepper plants was highest in the treatment on chernozem, lower on fluvisol and pseudogley, and lowest on vertisol, while the degree of Mn uptake by pepper plants was highest on chernozem and lowest on pseudogley. The Cu content of pepper leaves in all the treatments was low as compared to related literature data irrespective of plant phenostage. Considering the potential antagonistic relationship between Cu and Mn in the soil solution, we can conclude that one of the reasons for the low copper uptake by pepper plants was the high concentration of Mn in all soil types tested. Keywords: Pepper, soil types, manganese, copper