Tomo Milošević

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.

Effect of tree conduce on the precocity, yield and fruit quality in apricot on acidic soil

The experiment was carried out in the experimental orchard in Prislonica near Cacak (Western Serbia) on poor and acidic soil in 2008 and 2009 (second and third year after planting) to determine the effects of Mirobalan rootstock and Blackthorn interstocks with Open vase and Central leader tree conduce system on the length of shoot (LS), trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA), yield (Y), yield efficiency (YE), fruit weight (FW), soluble solids content (SS), titratable acidity (TA) and soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio or ripening index (SS/TA = RI). In the trial there were 5 trees from each apricot rootstock-cultivar and rootstock-interstock-cultivar combination in four replications. The analysis of variance was done in a completely randomized design. The treatment means were compared using LSD test at p < 0.05. Based on the results of this work, the Myrobalan rootstock with Open vase tree conduce induced a high vigorous of apricot trees and higher fruit weight. The Blackthorn interstock with Central leader tree conduce induced a less vigorous tree, higher yield and yield efficiency, and may be better suited for high-density plantings. Also, this interstock showed the higher SS/TA ratio when compared with Myrobalan rootstock. Other fruit quality traits, such as soluble solids content and titratable acidity were similar and respectable in both variant under poor and acidic soil conditions.

Fruit Quality Attributes of Sour Cherry Cultivars

The aim of this study is the evaluation of two sour cherry cultivars (“Oblacinska”, “Cigancica”) grown at Cacak (Western Serbia) by determining main physical properties such as fruit linear dimensions, arithmetic and geometric mean diameter, fruit volume, sphericity, surface area, and aspect ratio at the commercial stage. Also, some attributes related to fruit quality (fruit weight, soluble solids, total acidity, ripening index, and pH juice) were evaluated at different ripening stages. “Oblacinska” shows better physical properties, except aspect ratio, when compared with “Cigancica”. Sphericity was similar in both cultivars. Fruit weight, soluble solids content, ripening index, and pH increased during ripening process, whereas titratable acidity decreased over above process. In general, “Oblacinska” had better chemical composition than “Cigancica”. Finally, fruit of both cultivars is suitable for processing and also for fresh consumption.

Strawberry (Fragaria X ananassa Duch.) yiel das affected by the soil pH

Two-year trials (20062007) suggested that the use of calcium oxide (CaO) on acid soils increased soil pH and yields in strawberry cultivars Marmolada, Selena and Senga Sengana, under the environmental conditions of Cacak (Western Serbia). The highest yield was obtained when CaO was applied at 750 kg ha-1 rate. Further increase in rate up to 1,500 kg ha-1 did not show corresponding increase in yield; the result was a slight yield drop compared to the peak yield shown at 750 kg ha(1) rate. Overall, yields at rates above 750 kg ha(1) were still higher than control and in the treatment employing lowest CaO application rate of 250 kg ha-1.

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.

Apple fruit quality, yield and leaf macronutrients content as affected by fertilizer treatment

During two years we have investigated main fruit quality traits, yield and leaf nutrient content at 120 days after full bloom (DAFB) of ,Idared, and ,Melrose, apples on M.9 rootstock when fertilized with complex NPK (15:15:15) alone, and mixture with natural zeolite (Agrozel) and/or cattle manure. Results showed that fruit quality has been strongly affected by cultivars, whereas fertilizer treatments influenced only yield per tree. Moreover, significant impact of cultivar and fertilizer treatment on leaf P, K and Mg was found. Leaf of ,Melrose, contained higher P and K content, and lower Mg content than those of ,Idared,. In ,Melrose,, NPK alone increased leaf P, whereas in ,Idared, , mixture of NPK+Agrozel and NPK+Manure promoted leaf P, K and Mg content. According to DOP and EDOP indexes, excessive leaf Mg content was found, and deficiency of the rest of nutrients. ,Melrose, exhibited better balanced nutritional values for nutrients as compared to ,Idared,, whereas NPK+M promoted better balanced nutritional values than other treatments.

Apricot Vegetative Growth, Tree Mortality, Productivity, Fruit Quality and Leaf Nutrient Composition as Affected by Myrobalan Rootstock and Blackthorn Inter-Stem

The behavior of five apricots grafted across Blackthorn inter-stem (BI) on Myrobalan stock and on Myrobalan rootstock (MR) was evaluated through vegetative growth, tree mortality, productivity, fruit quality and leaf nutrient composition from the 1st to the 6th leaf. The trial was performed in the Prislonica village (Cacak, Serbia), on a dry, shallow, sandy-loam and acidic soil. Results showed that MR improved tree vigor, yield per tree, cumulative yield, fruit weight, flesh rate, acidity, antioxidant power, leaf N, K, Ca and Mn contents and better balanced nutritional values for macronutrients. BI increased tree mortality, yield efficiency, yield per hectare, total phenolic and total flavonoid contents, and leaf P and Fe amounts. Wide variability among cultivars for evaluated traits was observed on both BI and MR. The more vigorous trees had ‘Biljana’ as compared with others on both BI and MR, whereas the most productive cultivar was ‘Vera’ on BI and ‘Biljana’ on MR. The highest and similar fruit weight had ‘Roxana’ and ‘Harcot’, whereas the highest stone weight and flesh rate was found in ‘Vera’ and ‘Harcot’, respectively, all in both BI and MR. Fruits harvested from ‘Aleksandar’ trees were rich in soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA) and total flavonoid content (TFC), ‘Harcot’ in total phenolic content (TPC), and ‘Roxana’ in acidity and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), also on both BI and MR. The better balanced nutritional values were promoted by BI. Regarding cultivars, the best balanced nutritional values for macronutrients were exhibited by ‘Vera’ on BI, and by ‘Harcot’ on MR. For micronutrients, the wider imbalance among nutrients was found in ‘Roxana’ on BI, and in ‘Vera’ on MR.ZusammenfassungDas Verhalten von fünf Aprikosensorten, die auf Prunus myrobalana mit Zwischenveredlung Schlehe (BI) und direkt auf Prunus myrobalana (MR) veredelt worden waren, hinsichtlich vegetativem Wachstum, Baumsterblichkeit, Ertragsleistung, Fruchtqualität und Ernährungszustand wurde vom ersten bis zum sechsten Laub überprüft. Der Versuch wurde in Prislonica (Cacak, Serbien) auf einem trockenen, flachgründigen, sandig-lehmigen und sauren Boden durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse zeigten, dass die Verwendung der Unterlage Prunus myrobalana die Wuchsstärke des Baumes, den Baumertrag, den kumulativen Ertrag, das Fruchtgewicht, den Fruchtfleischanteil, die Säure, das antioxidative Potential und den Blattgehalt der Hauptnährstoffe N, K, Ca und Mn verbessert und zu einem besser ausgewogenen Verhältnis der Makronährstoffe beiträgt. BI erhöhte die Baumsterblichkeit, den spezifischen Ertrag, den Ertrag pro Hektar, die Gesamt-Phenol- und Flavonoid-Gehalte und den Blattgehalt bezüglich P und Fe. Zwischen den Sorten wurde bei den erfassten Merkmalen sowohl bei BI als auch bei MR eine große Schwankungsbreite festgestellt. Verglichen mit den anderen Sorten brachte ‘Biljana’ sowohl auf BI als auch auf MR die wüchsigsten Bäume hervor, wohingegen ‘Vera’ den höchsten Ertrag auf BI und ‘Biljana’ den höchsten Ertrag auf MR erbrachte.Unabhängig von der Unterlage zeigten sich folgende Ergebnisse: Das höchste Fruchtgewicht hatten, mit geringem Unterschied, die Sorten ‘Roxana’ und ‘Harcot’, während ‘Vera’ den größten Stein-Anteil und ‘Harcot’ den höchsten Fruchtfleischanteil aufwies Früchte, die von der Sorte ‘Aleksandar’ geerntet wurden, waren reich an löslicher Trockensubstanz (SSC), titrierbarer Säure (TA) und absolutem Flavonoid-Gehalt (TFC). Die Sorte ‘Harcot’ hatte einen hohen Gesamt-Phenol-Gehalt und ‘Roxana’ war reich an Säure und hatte ein hohes antioxidatives Potential.Von BI wurde im Allgemeinen ein besser ausgewogenes Nährstoffverhältnis gefördert. Wenn man die Sorten betrachtet, war das am besten ausgewogene Verhältnis der Makronährstoffe bei ‘Vera’ auf BI und bei ‘Harcot’ auf MR zu finden. Bei ‘Roxana’ auf BI und bei ‘Vera’ auf MR gab es die größten Schwankungen bei den Mikronährstoffen.

VEGETATIVE GROWTH, FRUIT WEIGHT, YIELD AND LEAF MINERAL CONTENT OF PLUM GROWN ON ACIDIC SOIL

The experiment was established at a spacing of 4 m × 2 m. Ten plum cultivars were grafted on the vegetative rootstocks ‘Belosljiva’ (Prunus domestica L.). Until the fifth and the sixth year after planting, the vegetative growth, fruit weight (FW), and yield properties were affected by the cultivar. The FW was the highest in ‘Cacanska Rana’ (‘CRa’). ‘Cacanska Najbolja’ (‘CNa’) had the highest one-year-old shoot length (SL). ‘Stanley’ (‘STa’) was the most productive cultivar in 2006 and ‘Cacanska Rodna’ (‘CRo’) in 2007. Yield efficiency (YE) was the highest for ‘CRo’. Significant differences were observed among cultivars for leaf macronutrient [nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg)] and micronutrients [iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), boron (B)] levels at 120 days after fool bloom (DAFB). According to the ΣDOP index, ‘CRa’ and ‘STa’ showed the best balanced macronutrient and micronutrient values, respectively. The leaf Mn, Fe and N content was significantly correlated with SL, FW, and YE.

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.