Fruit characteristics of new pepper variety "NS Prva"

Pepper (Capsicum annuum) is one of the major vegetable species in the world, and Serbia as well. The pepper assortment of the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops includes varieties of different fruit type such as the bell, conical, kapia, elongated, pepperoni and tomato-shaped peppers. However, in the assortment of the Institute, there is no variety of sweet pepper with conical and hanging fruits. Because of that, we wanted to develop a new pepper variety with this fruit type and offer it to the market. Selected lines from one of the crossbreeding combinations were grown in the open field and the greenhouse area by the pedigree method in the period 2012-2017. Based on the phenotype, the most vital plants that had the desired characteristics of the fruit were selected. During the many years of breeding, a new pepper variety NS Prva was obtained. NS Prva has been registered in the Republic of Serbia in 2019 and from that period it has been on the National variety list. The fruits of this variety are about 150 g, have one peak, grow hanging on the plant, with light yellow colour in technological maturity, and red in full maturity. A new pepper variety NS Prva is recommended for growing in a greenhouse where it gives uniform fruits suitable for the market in all maturity stages. It can also be recommended for growing in the open field where it gives slightly longer fruits. NS Prva showed good storage ability three weeks after harvest since it had the smallest reduction in fruit weight during storage in a cold chamber

PKB Zmaj: A new variety of winter rye created at PKB Agroekonomik institute

For the last twenty years, in addition to breeding wheat, PKB Agroekonomik Institute has been working very intensively on breeding other real or bread grains. High-yielding, late winter rye variety PKB Zmaj has been obtained by the pedigree method by a simple crossing of genetically different parents from the collection of PKB Agroekonomik Institute: variety Rtanj and line PKB-R-105. This variety of winter rye combines genes responsible for very high yield potential, resistance to lodging, low temperatures and more significant diseases in the rye. Winter rye variety PKB Zmaj was registered by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia in 2018. With the use of optimal agricultural techniques, the variety PKB Zmaj has a high genetic potential for fertility and high adaptation to different climatic and soil conditions.

Variability and interdependence of characteristics of maize hybrids of different vegetation lengths

Maize is one of the most important field crops with broad genetic and phenotypic variations. It occupies an important place in agricultural production in the world as in Serbia. The main aim of maize breeding is to obtain new inbred lines, i.e. to identify new hybrid combinations that will surpass existing hybrids in terms of grain yield and other important traits. The aim of this study was to examine the phenotypic variability of 10 NS maize hybrids of different genetic bases and maturity groups in agroecological conditions in Rimski Šančevi, to consider the interdependence of grain yield and other tested traits using PCA and correlation analysis. The obtained results indicate a significant variation of all examined properties except for the ear length. The significance of the difference indicated by the F test was confirmed by the Duncan test. Correlation coefficients indicate a significant positive interdependence between the mass of 1000 grains and the ear length (r = 0.698). PCA analysis provided a more complex analysis of the interdependencies of the examined traits and grain yield. The highest yields were achieved by hybrids that simultaneously showed high values of several yield components. Yields ranged from 11,210 kg ha-1 in the G-10 hybrid (FAO 600), to 14,790 kg ha-1 in the G-3 hybrid (FAO 400). In this study, hybrids of earlier maturity achieved higher grain yields, mainly due to drought tolerance. Therefore, the goal is to create drought-tolerant maize hybrids that will successfully endure the negative consequences of global warming.

Application of AMMI model in zoning of FAO 400-500 maize hybrids

Identification of high yielding and stable genotypes is one of the main goals in all breeding programmes. Estimation of hybrids is often aggravated due to the presence of genotype x environment (GE) interaction. One of the ways to eliminate negative effect of this interaction is the application of reliable statistical models such as AMMI model, which singles out high yielding and stable genotypes that have positive reaction to the improvement of production environments. This research aimed to establish specific maize hybrids interactions in different environments in two years by AMMI analysis. Twelve KWS maize hybrids belonging to FAO 400-500, were examined in two years over eight locations in Vojvodina. The highest yield in both years had the hybrid KWS2 (12.764 kg ha-1). Based on the AMMI1 model, hybrid KWS9 showed the highest stability and adaptability at all locations. According to AMMI2, hybrids KWS1, KWS3 and KWS12, had the highest stability and adaptability, while hybrids KWS2, KWS6, KWS8, KWS9 and KWS10 showed a satisfactory level of stability and it is necessary to pay attention to which locations they have positive interactions in order to be recommended in such regions. Nevertheless, based on the AMMI2, locations Temerin, Kikinda and Zrenjanin, showed similar interaction response, which points out that the number of trial locations could be reduced. Obtained results would contribute to the more precise decision in hybrids recommendation for the certain region, but also in defining further aims in maize breeding.

Influence of amelioration on the productivity of alfalfa on acid soil types vertisols

Alfalfa is the most important forage legume in our agroecological conditions for feeding cattle. In the area of Jablanica district, alfalfa occupies a considerable place in the total plant production. The restrictive factor in the establishment and short durability of alfalfa stand is the low pH of arable agricultural soil. Within the three-year field trial on Vertisol soil type (pH in KCl 4.9), from 2016 to 2018, alfalfa plot yield has been analyzed with different fertilization variants. The research results indicate that alfalfa provides a significantly higher yield on the plot where amelioration measures were applied, through the application of limestone and manure, with the addition of mineral fertilizer. A barely lower yield was achieved on the calcified and manured plot, while the lowest yield was on the control plot, where a generous amount of mineral fertilizer was added, which is a common practice of agricultural producers in the area of Jablanica district.

Correlations of grain yields and yield components among mother's and full-sib progenies of soybean

The F2 population was developed by crossing the adaptive yield variety of soybean with a variety without the Kunitz trypsin inhibitor in the mature grain. From the segregating F2 population 48 plants were taken. Their seeds were used to set up field experiment; part of the seed was saved for full-sib (FS) crosses. After yield testing, three lines marked as L6, L30 and L38 were chosen. Two FS cross combination, using saved seeds, were made (L30 x L38 and L6 x L30). Progenies of soybean full-sibs (FSF1:2) and each mother plant (F3:4) were grown, to make enough seed for testing in the field experiment. Data obtained in this experiment were processed to determine correlations of grain yield and other studied traits between mother's and proper full-sib progenies, using simple correlations and Spearman's rank correlations. A significant correlation into examinated traits between two types of progenies does not found, except for stem height and 1000 grain weight in the FS combination L30 x L38. The lack of correlation of plant characteristics between progenies of full-sibs and their mothers indicated the influence of lines used as fathers component. In both combinations of FS crosses, FSF1:2 progenies with better yield than the adapted parent (one without Kunitz trypsin inhibitor) were identified, which are considered promising for the further process of creating new varieties.

Influence of phytohormones on vegetative propagation of different forms of pannonian thyme (Thymus pannonicus All.)

The paper examined the impact of the application of three different phytohormones (INCIT 2, INCIT 5 and INCIT 8, all based on a-Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA)), with the cuttings of two forms of Pannonian thyme (the L-16 form, with hairy leaves, and the L-9 form, with hairless leaves), established during two periods (March and May), on the percentage of the rooted cuttings and the morphological properties of the seedlings. As the control, the variant without the application of the phytohormones was taken. The research was conducted in the period from 2019 to 2020, in a plastic greenhouse, using the plant collection of the Institute for Medicinal Plants Research "Dr Josif Pančić", which is located in Pančevo city, Serbia (44°52'20"N; 20°42'06"E; 74 m.a.s.l.). For this research was used the Pannonian thyme species (Thymus pannonicus All.) from the Lamiaceae family, which is grown and produced at the Institute. Plant establishment was carried out in four repetitions with 33 cuttings per each variant. Standard measures of care were used during the period of production of Pannonian thyme. The measurement was performed after 60 days from the date of conducted the experiment. The following parameters were measured: the percentage of rooted cuttings (%), the mass of the rooted plantlings (g), the mass of roots (g), the length of rooting (cm) and the number of root hairs of the formed rootings. The measuring was done using a ruler, millimetre paper and an analytical balance. Given the results achieved, INCIT 2 proved to be the most suitable phytohormone for the rooting of Pannonic thyme cuttings, with the average percentage of rooted cuttings of 61.3%. The lowest rooting percentage was recorded in the control variant, only 29.4%. Satisfactory rooting was found in the cuttings treated with INCIT 8 (57.6%). The L-16 form cuttings showed a higher rooting rate, an average of 53.8%, whereas the L-9 form cuttings had a lower average percentage of rooted cuttings (45.0%) for both plant establishment periods. Greater success and quality in the rooting of cuttings was recorded in the second (May) period of plant establishment, averaging 58.1%, which was higher by 17.4% than the percentage of rooted cuttings in the first establishment period (40.7%). It is important to note that the rooting of the L-9 form was significantly higher in the second establishment period (58.1%) than that in the first establishment period (31.9%).

Experimental evaluation of organic substrates for germination testing of soybean seed

High germination of seeds and seedling establishment are critical for soybean production since it determines crop density and eventually affects the yield. Accurate evaluation of the germination potential of sowing material is valuable, as well as initial quality assessment of newly harvested seed. ISTA Rules prescribe alternative methods for soybean seed germination: sand, between paper, top of paper covered with sand and since 2020 organic growing media. In the Seed Testing Laboratory at the Maize Research Institute soybean germination is conducted in the sand at 20<=>30°C. The objective of this study was to evaluate several available organic growing media and compare results obtained with the standard laboratory method. Five soybean seed lots of different quality were tested in four germination growing media (3 organic and sand), at two temperature regimes (25 °C and 20<=>30°C). Statistical analyses showed that all types of organic growing media were of the same quality. Slightly higher germination in organic growing media was obtained in the experiment at 20<=>30°C compared to sand, but those differences were not statistically significant. When testing was done in germinator with 25°C positive effects of organic growing media were identified and this impact was significant, especially for low-quality seed lots. The experimental outcome was to continue with routine practice and use organic growing media for retesting of seed lots with lower germination as an alternative substrate.

The role of maize hybrids in current trends of bioethanol production

Bioethanol is a biofuel that is mostly used as a replacement for fossil fuels worldwide with yearly production reaching nearly 110 billion liters in 2019. Trends of producing this alternative fuel are rising and maize is considered as one of the best renewable raw materials for the production of fuel ethanol due to the high content of starch in the grain. Taking into account that Serbia is one of the most prominent maize producers in Europe, the surpluses of this crop could be directed towards bioethanol production. Even though there is no organized production and consumption of bioethanol as an automotive fuel in Serbia, the Serbian Government has recently introduced some new regulations regarding biofuels. However, due to the reduction of economic activities since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the global demand for crude oil has fallen sharply, negatively affecting the gasoline demand, and thus for bioethanol, which makes the future of this alternative fuel production notably uncertain.