Brankica Babec

This study analyzes the development and performance of regenerative agriculture in Vojvodina, northern Serbia, by combining stakeholder and sector analysis with two farm-level case studies based on production and economic records covering 2012–2025 at Bajmok and 2020–2025 at Bikovo. The methodological approach integrates sector-level assessment with empirical farm data on yield performance, input use, production costs, revenue and profit, while regional conventional yields for Vojvodina were used as reference benchmarks. Climatic conditions varied considerably during the observed period, with annual precipitation ranging from 413.0 to 807.9 mm and substantial seasonal and interannual temperature variability. Results indicate that regenerative agriculture in Serbia is predominantly driven by bottom-up initiatives and remains embedded within broader sustainability frameworks, resulting in a fragmented system at an early stage of institutionalization. Yield analysis from the case-study farms indicates that both conservation-tillage and regenerative management were associated with performance comparable to regional conventional benchmarks in several years, with occasional higher yields, but also with pronounced interannual variability linked to climatic conditions and crop-specific responses. At the Bajmok farm, the conservation-tillage phase and regenerative management showed higher values relative to regional conventional benchmarks in several years, including corn in 2014 and 2017, wheat in 2016 and sunflower in 2013, while less favorable results were observed for some crops during transition or climatically unfavorable years. At the Bikovo farm, oilseed rape, corn and barley exceeded regional conventional averages in several years, although not all crops performed equally well. Economic analysis of the two case-study systems shows that regenerative management did not necessarily reduce production costs in the short term, but rather reorganized cost structures, with profitability primarily associated with yield stability, market conditions and the relative contribution of fertilizer, pesticide and machinery costs. The findings from these case studies suggest that regenerative agriculture in Serbia is developing as a transitional and context-dependent approach, in which soil-oriented and system-level benefits may emerge gradually and have not yet translated into consistently stable economic outcomes in the analyzed systems. The study emphasizes the importance of long-term monitoring, advisory support and the development of supportive policy and market frameworks.

Sunflower is predominantly cultivated and extensively studied as an oil-type crop, which has contributed to the development of broad genetic variability within oil-type germplasm. In contrast, ornamental sunflower has received considerably less research attention. Therefore, the existing genetic variability of oil-type sunflower represents a valuable resource that can be explored and tested for ornamental traits, including postharvest performance and suitability for cut-flower production. This is particularly relevant given the increasing market demand for decorative sunflower types and the growing interest in diversified cut-flower assortments. The objective of this study was to assess the ornamental potential of oil-type sunflower genotypes, with particular emphasis on postharvest performance of cut-flowers. Genotypes from the breeding collection of the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad, were evaluated for key ornamental morphological traits and postharvest longevity. The experiment comprised treatments combining two storage regimes (room conditions and chamber storage) and two holding solutions (distilled water and 10% sucrose), applied across two sowing dates. To identify possible structural determinants of postharvest behavior, three morphologically contrasting genotypes (ĆMD U 12, AS 87, and LIP P 98) were further subjected to anatomical analysis of the peduncle. Postharvest longevity was significantly affected by genotype, sowing date, storage regime, sucrose treatment, and their interactions, demonstrating the strong influence of both genetic background and postharvest handling conditions. Chamber storage consistently affected postharvest longevity in most genotypes, while sucrose supplementation further improved it in several genotypes. Substantial genotypic variation in postharvest performance was detected. Substantial genotypic variation in postharvest performance was detected. Genotype ĆMD U 12 exhibited outstanding postharvest longevity under several storage environments, particularly in the second sowing date, whereas AS 87 showed markedly reduced postharvest longevity, particularly under ambient storage conditions. Morphological traits alone were not reliable predictors of postharvest longevity. In contrast, anatomical analyses revealed clear differences in peduncle tissue organization and vascular architecture among the selected genotypes, indicating that variation in supportive tissues and xylem vessel characteristics may play an important role in postharvest water relations and flower postharvest longevity. The results demonstrate the potential of IFVCNS oil-type sunflower germplasm for developing ornamental cut-flower genotypes adapted to dense sowing conditions, while also identifying postharvest treatments that significantly improve postharvest longevity and commercial usability.

This study investigated soil fungal biodiversity in wheat-based crop rotation systems on Chernozem soil within the Pannonian Basin, focusing on the effects of tillage, crop rotation, and soil properties. Over three years, soil samples from ten plots were analyzed, revealing significant fungal diversity with Shannon–Wiener diversity indices ranging from 1.90 in monoculture systems to 2.38 in a fertilized two-year crop rotation. Dominant fungi, including Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium sp., and Aspergillus sp., showed distinct preferences for soil conditions such as pH and organic matter (OM). Conservation tillage significantly enhanced fungal diversity and richness, with the highest diversity observed in a three-year crop rotation system incorporating cover crops, which achieved an average winter wheat yield of 7.0 t ha⁻¹—47% higher than unfertilized monoculture systems. Increased OM and nitrogen levels in these systems correlated with greater fungal abundance and diversity. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed strong relationships between fungal communities and soil properties, particularly pH and calcium carbonate content. These findings highlight the importance of tailored crop rotation and tillage strategies to improve soil health, enhance microbial biodiversity, and boost agricultural sustainability in temperate climates, providing valuable insights for mitigating the impacts of intensive farming and climate change.

The sunflower is a significant oil crop that can thrive in various environmental conditions. However, due to the changing climate, the pathogen profile has been altered, posing a threat to sunflower production. Among the various threats, charcoal rot, caused by the soil-borne fungus Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid, is one of the most significant. This study aimed to assess the resistance of 79 sunflower inbred lines to this pathogen using two inoculation methods (toothpick method and unwounded stem base inoculation) and natural disease occurrence in field trials spanning two years. The results showed that both inoculation methods and natural disease occurrence effectively differentiated between resistant and susceptible inbred lines, with the toothpick method being the most effective. Thirteen inbred lines were resistant, 16 were susceptible, and the others were moderately resistant or susceptible. The study identified four inbred lines (MA SC 2, L 1, Ha 74, and PB 21) as the most resistant, making them important sources for breeding sunflower hybrids resistant to M. phaseolina. Their resistance was confirmed in the second year, highlighting their potential to combat the impact of climate change on sunflower production. This study represents a valuable insight into the biological control of M. phaseolina using sunflower resistant genotypes, especially since resistance findings have been lacking in other plant species.

Suncokret je sve više izložen negativnim uticajima klimatskih promena, posebno visokim temperaturama i sušnim periodima, što neretko uzrokuje značajne varijacije i smanjenje prinosa semena. S obzirom na to da se klimatske promene ne mogu zaustaviti, neophodno je identifikovati promene u biljci koje omogućavaju prilagođavanje na ekstremne klimatske uslove i primeniti ova saznanja u procesu oplemenjivanja. Stvaranje novih genotipova tolerantnih na sušu i sve vrste stresa je prioritet u sadašnjem ali i budućem procesu oplemenjivanja biljaka. Postizanje ovog cilja zahteva ispitivanje performansi hibrida na više lokaliteta i u različitim godinama, osiguravajući tako pouzdane rezultate i prilagodljivost u promenljivim okolnostima. Institut za ratarstvo i povrtarstvo, Institut od nacionalnog značaja za Republiku Srbiju, Novi Sad sprovodi svake godine multi lokacijske mikro i proizvodne ogleda širom zemlje, testirajući i adaptabilnost i stabilnost novih i već raširenih hibrida suncokreta u različitim mikroklimatskim uslovima. Tokom 2023. godine hibridi nove generacije, odnosno dva konvencionalna hibrida (NS Kruna i NS Ronin) i dva Express (SUMO) hibrida (NS H 8002 i NS H 8005) posejani su u osam regiona tj. okruga, kod četiri poljoprivredna proizvođača u svakom okrugu. Imajući u vidu da je u 2023. godini, prosečan prinos semena suncokreta u Republici Srbiji prema procenama iznosio 2,7 -2,9 t/ha, a kada uporedimo ovu vrednost sa prosečnim prinosima u mreži proizvodnih ogleda osam okruga, jasno se ističe visok kvalitet NS hibrida suncokreta nove generacije. NS Ronin je ostvario izuzetan prinos od 4,2 t/ha, prati ga NS Kruna sa 4 t/ha, dok su SUMO hibridi NS H 8002 i NS H 8005 postigli prinose od 3,7 t/ha i 3,8 t/ha. Rezultati AMMI analize pokazuju da je za prinos semena tokom 2023. godine u prošeku kroz sve okruge najstabilniji bio hibrid NS H 8002, sa vrednošću IPČ1 najbližoj nuli. Hibridi NS Kruna, NS Ronin i NS H 8005 su pokazali manju stabilnost, jer su bili udaljeniji od linije stabilnosti u odnosu na hibrid NS H 8002, ali su ovi hibridi u prošeku ostvarili veće prinose u svim okruzima. Ovi rezultati potvrđuju da novosadski hibridi nove generacije poseduju izuzetnu adaptabilnost, stabilnost, a pored toga i visok potencijal za prinos u različitim agroekološkim uslovima širom Republike Srbije.

Climate change projections for the 21st century pose great threats to semi-arid regions, impacting seed production and the quality of sunflowers. Crop yields are negatively affected by climate variability, especially in the event of droughts during the crucial growth stages. Understanding the relationships between agrometeorological, genetic, and agronomic factors is crucial for maintaining crop sustainability. Optimal sowing dates are an essential condition for maximizing crop genetic potential, but challenges come from annual weather variations. This study analyzes how sunflower genotypes respond to different sowing dates under climate change and focuses on the conditions for obtaining maximum seed yields and favorable agronomic traits. From 2020 to 2022, the experiment featured six genotypes sown across four different dates at two-week intervals, simulating seed sunflower production. The results obtained by ANOVA indicated that the seed yield and oil yield were significantly affected by the sowing date, the genotype, and their interaction, with coefficients of variation ranging from 7.6% for oil yield to 41.1% for seed yield. Besides seed yield and oil yield, LDA biplot and Discriminant Functions confirmed that seed germination energy also played a significant role in separating genotypes into clusters. A Visual Mixed Model showed that shifting the optimal sowing date (mid-April) to early May allows a reduction in the number of days the plants spend in critical growth stages, thereby escaping stressful conditions during pollination and seed filling. The findings resulted, on average, in increased yields and improved seed quality, which are the primary goals of seed production, but not in increased 1000-seed weight. Notably, high temperatures during the critical sunflower growth stages negatively affected the measured parameters of seed production. The increased precipitation during seed filling boosted the 1000-seed mass and seed yield. Extended flowering reduced the growth rate and seed germination, but longer seed filling increased the 1000-seed mass and seed yield. Our future breeding goals will be to create genotypes with a shorter flowering period and an extended seed-filling period to better respond to climate change.

Rapeseed is a major oilseed crop that has various uses in the food, feed, and industrial sectors. The first condition for successful production and achieving high yields is to provide high-quality seeds, which, in addition to high seed vitality, also implies good seedling protection. The goal is to ensure an optimal number of plants per hectare, which is also a basic prerequisite for achieving high yields. Quality seed treatment has proven to be the best solution for plant protection in the initial stages of development. The seeds were treated with fungicides with the a.i. carboxin + thiram and fluopicolide + fluoxastrobin, as well as an insecticide with a.i. flupyradifuron, and the control was untreated seed. Treatments had a great influence on germination energy, seed germination, number of abnormal seedlings, length and weight of seedlings. The fungicidal fluopicolide + fluoxastrobin treatment had the greatest positive effect on most of the tested parameters, while the carboxin + thiram + flupyradifuron treatment had the greatest negative effect on the seed germination parameter.

Climate changes inevitably affect plant production, but it is difficult to predict their direct impact on a vitality (germination) of a produced seed. Germination is the most important indicator of seed vitality and a key stage in the life cycle of plants. Seed germination is significantly affected by environmental factors during the growing season, as well as the method of processing (according to seed size). The aim of this work was to determine the impact of three factors on seed germination of four sunflower inbred lines: i) genotype, ii) environment conditions in a production year, and iii) seed size obtained during processing. The germination was examined in a standard laboratory test by ISTA Ruls, six months after the processing and natural breaking of dormancy. Larger and smaller sizes seeds, obtained in two consecutive years, which were characterized by different environmental conditions (sum of precipitation, mean monthly temperatures and air humidity during flowering), were used. Collected data was analyzed using a three-way analysis of variance, and correlation analysis. The coefficient of variation was 8.19%. Significantly higher average seed germination was obtained during 2020 (92%,) compared to 2021 (85%). The effect of seed size was not statistically significant, regardless of the tested inbred line. It can be concluded that the increase in the seed germination of sunflower inbred lines is mainly influenced by genotype, but also the increase in precipitation, minimum and maximum air humidity during flowering and the decrease in mean monthly temperatures, which was confirmed by the correlation coefficients between the above agroecological conditions and the germination rate of the produced seeds.