Luka Andrić

RESPONSE OF MAIZE AND SOYBEANS TO FERTILIZATION WITH PHOSPHORUS AND POTASSIUM ON ACID SOIL

The field experiment of P and K fertilization was conducted in spring of 2004 (a = ordinary fertilization, b = a + P1, c = a + P2, d = a + P3 , e = a + P1, f = a + P2, g = a + P3 , h = a + P2K2. The amounts of added either/or phosphorus (P2O5) and potassium (K2O) were (kg ha-1) 500, 1000 and 1500, for the step 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The triplephoshate enriched with sulphur and zinc (45% P2O5 + 1. 2% S + 0.06% Zn) was used for P fertilization. Potassium salt (KCl containing 60% K2O) was source of K. Nitrogen amount was equilized for all treatments by adequate quatities of CAN (calcium ammonium nitrate: 27% N). The experiment was conducted in four replicates for crop rotation maize (2004) and soybean (2005: residual effects of the fertilization). Applied fertilization considerable influenced on increases of plant available P and K in soil, while differences of pH and humus among tretaments were in range of statistical error. Also, both P and K single fertilization gave tendency to decrease hydrolitical acidity. In general, grain yields of maize were high and ameliorative fertilization had moderate effects on maize yield as well as P and K in grain and leaves increases. Only applications of the highest K rate and PK combination resulted by significant yield increases, for 5% and 12%, respectively. Only application both P and K nutrients resulted by increase of grain quality (protein content). Residual influences of the fertilization were higher because soybean yields were increased up to 21% (influences of P), 17% (influences of K) and 30% (PK influences). However, protein and oil contents in grain were indenpendent on fertilization.

Influences of irrigation and N fertilization on maize ( Zea mays L. ) properties

Water quantity and the application period are highly significant for achieving high yield. Also, the best results can be obtained with the proper amount of macro and micro nutrients, especially nitrogen. However, nitrogen is ecologically a very sensitive element. The climatic factors and irrigation have a great effect on the efficiency of fertilization. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the effects of supplemental irrigation and nitrogen fertilization on grain maize yield and yield components. The maize grain yield and yield components showed statistical differences between the 2000 growing season (10.64 t ha-1) and 2002 (12.14 t ha-1). Irrigation variant A1 (keeping soil water from 80 to 100% FWC) gave the best results in yield and in all the researched components. Medium (B2) and higher nitrogen level (B3) also gave the best results in the research except grain/ear ratio which had the best results with B1 (100 kg N ha-1). The highest level of irrigation (80-100% FWC) and nitrogen level (200 kg N ha-1) did not give statistically significant higher yield and yield components. Applying 150 kg N ha-1 in the year 2000 also proved environmentally suitable quantity of nitrogen on the researched soil since the higher level of N (B3) did not increase the yield.

Soybean seed vigour and field emergence under influence of cultivar, seed age and planting date

U radu su uspoređeni laboratorijski testovi vigora sjemena soje s vigorom u poljskim uvjetima. Na temelju rezultata istraživanja u kojem su bila ukljucena 4 faktora u vise laboratorijskih i dva poljska pokusa, ocijenjena je pouzdanost laboratorijskih metoda u procjeni nicanja sjemena soje u stresnim poljskim uvjetima u razdoblju od sjetve do nicanja.

Lipid peroxidation and proline content in soybean seedlings under influence of germination conditions

Oil rape is a valuable fodder because in early spring and late autumn it produces green forage used for the nutrition of domestic animals. It has been replacing sunflower and soy in colder and wetter regions. It is additionally advantageous because it leaves behind more nitrogen in soil, which is beneficial to other plants in plant rotation. There are some possible ways for the fixation of nitrogen in soil and they are as follows: by the means of oil rape straw ; by relatively long roots ; by the action of nitrogen bacteria, which perform the nitrogen synthesis within their root system, which is the case in some leguminous plants. Oil seed rape is expected to be wider used in crop rotation of West and Middle Europe, Croatia included. Due to this various sorts have been introduced and potential positive impacts have been studied in order to boost the process. This paper presents information on barley and wheat yield in case when they were sown after oil seed rape and corn. The aim of the research is to determine the presence of positive impacts upon the soil with special attention paid to a potential increase of nitrogen content after oil seed rape was grown. The preceding crops had statistically significant effect. Rape yield was significantly higher compared to the one with corn as preceding crops. Very similar results were obtained in 2007.The maize hybrids seed from three different FAO groups (FAO 400, FAO 500 and FAO 600) in four fractions (KO, KP, SO and SP) produced in two climatically different years (extremely dry 2000 and extremely wet 2001) had been different in quality and chemical composition. The effects of year, genetic specifity and seed fraction at the kernel mass, chemical composition (starch, proteins, cellulose, oil and moisture content) and seed vigour have been evaluated. The influence of agroecological conditions during two production years have been exposed at seed chemical composition and vigour indicators (cold test – CT and bulk seed electrical conductivity - EC). The genetic specificity and seed fraction had significant influence at all tested indices, with the exception of the influence of the fraction at the starch content

Genotypic effects on boron concentrations and response on boron fertilization in maize inbred lines

Boron (B) deficiency in maize can result in barren cobs attributed to silks being nonreceptive which is particularly important for the female parent in seed production. The objectives of this study were 1) to investigate genotypic differences among nine female inbred lines used in seed production for B concentration in ear-leaf and grain, as well as for grain yield and moisture in a three-year experiment (2006-2008) and 2) to determine response and relations among the traits when four of the female inbred lines are treated by foliar boron fertilization - three times in 10-days interval with 0.5% Solubor solution (17.5% B) during one growing season (2008). The investigations were performed on Experimental field of Agricultural Institute Osijek, (soil type: eutrical cambisol). Highly significant differences among the nine female inbred lines were detected for B concentration in ear-leaf (from 14.7 to 46.7 mg B kg-1) and grain (from 1.20 to 2.06 mg B kg-1) as well as for grain yield (from 3.33 to 4.83 t ha-1) and grain moisture (from 14.7% to 26.6%). However, there were also significant effects of growing season and the genotype by environment interaction for all four traits. Positive and moderate correlations were found between the boron status in plant and grain yield. Although B concentrations were considerably increased by foliar boron fertilization (averages 41.7 and 125.3 mg B kg-1 in leaves, 1.79 and 2.80 mg B kg-1 in grain, for control and fertilization, respectively), in general grain yield differences among treatments were non-significant. (averages 5.21 and 5.15 t ha-1, respectively).

Assessment of the influence of different sample processing and cold storage duration on plant free proline content analyses

INTRODUCTION A method which is widely accepted for the analysis of free proline content in plant tissues is based on the use of 3% sulfosalicylic acid as an extractant, followed by spectrophotometric quantification of a proline-ninhydrin complex in toluene. However, sample preparation and storage may influence the proline actually measured. This may give misleading or difficult to compare data. OBJECTIVE AND METHODOLOGY To evaluate free proline levels fresh and frozen strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) leaves and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] hypocotyl tissues were used. These were ground with or without liquid nitrogen and proline extracted with sulfosalicylic acid. A particular focus was the influence of plant sample cold storage duration (1, 4 and 12 weeks at -20°C) on tissue proline levels measured. RESULTS The free proline content analyses, carried out in leaves of Fragaria × ananassa Duch. as well as in hypocotyls of Glycine max (L.) Merr., showed a significant influence of the sample preparation method and cold storage period. Long-term storage of up to 12 weeks at -20°C led to a significant increase in the measured proline in all samples analysed. CONCLUSION The observed changes in proline content in plant tissue samples stored at -20°C indicate the likelihood of the over-estimation of the proline content if the proline analyses are delayed. Plant sample processing and cold storage duration seem to have an important influence on results of proline analyses. Therefore it is recommended that samples should be ground fresh and analysed immediately.