Vladimir Miklič

High soil salinity limits crop establishment in marginal areas. Safflower ( Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a promising oilseed crop for such environments due to its moderate salinity tolerance. This study examined how differences in achene traits between two genotypes (NS Una and NS Lana) are associated with imbibition, germination, and early seedling growth under non-stressed and stressed conditions of 100, 150, and 200 mM NaCl, with the aim of identifying genotype-specific response patterns relevant to early selection under saline conditions. NS Lana had larger and heavier achenes, whereas NS Una had narrower and more elongated achenes; pericarp thickness did not differ significantly between genotypes. NS Una showed higher imbibition AUC values across all treatments, while NS Lana showed a stronger reduction at 200 mM NaCl. Under control NS Una developed longer roots and shoots with smaller cotyledons, whereas NS Lana produced shorter roots and larger cotyledons. At higher salinity, this pattern reversed as NS Lana developed a longer root system and greater total seedling biomass, while NS Una invested more in cotyledon development. Correlation and PCA analyses revealed genotype- and stress-specific relationships between achene traits and seedling growth. These results suggest that early safflower responses to salinity are genotype-dependent and may be related with achene traits. Therefore, achene morphology, together with early growth traits, may provide useful preliminary indicators for breeding-oriented screening of safflower genotypes under saline conditions, although broader validation is required.

Cold-pressed sunflower oil has gained increasing attention for its superior nutritional quality and retention of natural antioxidants compared to refined oils. Its composition and oxidative stability, however, are strongly influenced by both genetic factors and environmental conditions during seed development. Variations in temperature, solar radiation, and humidity can alter the activity of desaturase enzymes and the accumulation of bioactive compounds, thereby determining the sensory and functional quality of the oil. This study provides a comparative assessment of cold-pressed sunflower oils obtained from oil-type hybrids cultivated in Serbia and Argentina, and confectionery hybrids (intended for food use) grown in Serbia, in order to elucidate the combined effects of climatic conditions and genetic diversity on oil quality. Oils from Serbian-grown hybrids exhibited higher oleic acid (30.54–42.72%) and lower linoleic acid contents (46.03–58.44%) compared with those from Argentina, indicating temperature-driven desaturase inhibition. Total tocopherol content ranged from 341.56 to 719.41 mg/kg, while carotenoids and chlorophylls varied between 3.75–17.78 mg/kg and 0.02–1.43 mg/kg, respectively, with elevated pigment accumulation under higher solar irradiance. All oils met Codex Alimentarius standards and showed low peroxide (1.54–7.06 mmol/kg) and acid values (0.40–3.87 mg KOH/g). Principal component analysis differentiated oils according to geographical origin and hybrid type, explaining over 77% of the total variance. These results demonstrate that both genotype and climate decisively modulate fatty acid composition, antioxidant content, and oxidative behavior, shaping the nutritional properties of cold-pressed sunflower oils.

Sunflower hull hardness significantly affects seed performance in the field, but its effect on seed susceptibility to major seed pests during storage has not yet been assessed. The aim of this research was to determine the effect of sunflower hull hardness (based on a puncture force) on seed germination, and suitability/susceptibility to Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella), a major sunflower pest in storages. We tested the hull hardness of 14 sunflower genotypes in a needle penetration test. Germination was assessed daily, up to day 10. The susceptibility of genotypes to P. interpunctella attack and suitability for the pest's development was assessed in a biotest that encompassed artificial infestation with the moth eggs. The suitability was assessed based on developmental duration (days) and seed damage (%) after the termination of the moth life-cycle. Statistically significant differences in hull hardness were detected among sunflower genotypes and extreme values were registered for Neoplanta (3.83 N) and NS Romeo (2.24 N), as well as NS Oskar (0.62 N) and NS Kruna (0.84 N). Neoplanta seeds had the lowest germination on the first day (9%), followed by NS Ronin (17%) and NS Romeo (28%). During the final observation, Neoplanta and NS Horizont seeds expressed the lowest germination potential (91 and 92%, respectively), while germination of NS Kruna and Sumo 1 PR seeds was 100% after two days. The developmental duration of the moth did not differ statistically between genotypes as it ranged from 28-32 days. Also, seed damages ranged from 18-21.5%, depending on the genotype, but the values did not differ statistically.

Drought stress significantly threatens crop productivity worldwide, requiring a comprehensive understanding of plant adaptations to alleviate its adverse effects. Sunflower, as an important source of edible oil, is greatly affected by drought in different developmental stages. This review investigates the morphological aspects and phenological adaptations of sunflower under drought conditions. Through a detailed description of morphological and phenological changes in sunflower, induced by drought, we aim to unravel the plant’s strategies for coping with water scarcity. In addition, the study describes genetic background of drought tolerance in sunflower, as well as insight about valuable genetic resources. Finally, we have described drought mitigation mechanisms known in sunflower, through morpho-physiological adaptations and agricultural practices which can alleviate the effect of drought. As a future strategy this research emphasizes the importance of genetic diversity in cultivating drought-resilient sunflower, using modern breeding techniques through genomic selection and omic’s technologies as a promising strategy in the face of escalating water limitations and development of drought tolerant and tenacious sunflower.

Sunflower seeds are key agricultural commodities due to their nutritional and industrial value. This study aimed to analyze the distribution of targeted bioactive compounds and assess the physical properties across 27 sunflower seed genotypes, including parental lines and F1 and F2 hybrids, cultivated in Serbia. Various analytical techniques were employed to determine the chemical composition and physical characteristics of the seeds. This research revealed significant genetic variability in fatty acid profiles, with differences in polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acid levels among the genotypes. Hybrid seeds displayed variations in 1000-seed weight and bulk density compared to parental lines, which exhibited higher essential fatty acid contents and mechanical properties advantageous for industrial processing. These insights highlight the potential for refining breeding strategies to improve seed quality for specific industrial purposes. Overall, this study emphasizes the critical role of genetic selection in enhancing the nutritional and processing qualities of sunflower seeds, offering valuable perspectives for advancing agricultural and breeding practices.

Although flower pollinator interactions are known to be mediated by floral traits, not enough attention has been paid to the research of secretory tissues and volatile components of sunflower disc florets as potentially important parameters in breeding programs. (1) To our knowledge, this is the first integrated study aimed at better understanding the attractiveness of sunflower capitula to insects. In the study, we have made a very detailed comparative analysis of secretory tissues and the characterization of the volatile components (VOCs) of disc florets in 10 wild perennial Helianthus species. (2) For anatomical analyses, cross-sections were obtained from the nectary zone of disc florets using a cryotechnique procedure. Micromorphological observation and morphological and anatomical analysis of disc florets were performed using light and scanning electron microscopy. For VOCs, we applied headspace, GC-FID, and GC/MS analyses. (3) The obtained results indicate that there is a difference between the analyzed traits among studied species. H. eggertii, H. hirsutus, H. mollis, H. resinosus, and H. tuberosus had high disc diameter values, a high cross-section area and disc floret corolla length, as well as the largest cross-section area and thickness of the disc florets nectary. In the analyzed VOCs, 30 different compounds were detected. The highest yield and quantity of α-Pinene was observed in H. mollis. (4) Inflorescence features, such as receptacle diameter, corolla and secretory tissue properties, and floret VOCs production and characterization, provided valuable information that can be used as guidelines in sunflower breeding programs to maximize pollinator attractiveness and increase seed yield.

Oilseeds such as camelina and rapeseed are cultivated primarily for their high-quality oil. The oil de-rived from both crops is characterized by a high content of unsaturated fatty acids, tocopherols, phenols, and vitamin E. The camelina and rapeseed oils are applied in various branches of industry including food, pharmaceutical, chemical, and for obtaining biofuels. These oilseeds synthesize a significant amount of protein. These oilseeds play a major role in addressing the growing issue of protein deficit in the diets of people worldwide because of their high protein content. Efforts in breeding are essential to develop genotypes with high yield and protein content, while also maintaining high oil content and ensuring adaptability to climatic changes. During 2022/2023, various genotypes of rapeseed and camelina were grown in the experimental fields of the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops Novi Sad in order to select varieties with ideal attributes. Among these, genotype NS Svetlana exhibited the highest oil content of 44.85 %, whereas genotype NS Dunav demonstrated the highest protein content of 24%. While camelina generally presented lower oil content compared to rapeseed, Genotype III stood out with a maximum oil content of 37.82%. Camelina also displayed significantly higher protein content than rapeseed. Protein content in camelina reached 26.59% in the case of Genotype I.

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.

The breeding of herbicide-tolerant crops (HTC) has been going on in Serbia for almost three decades, and cultivation has been a tradition for two decades. In Serbia, it is allowed to cultivate plants that are tolerant to certain herbicides and have been obtained using conventional breeding methods without the use of genetic engineering. These are sunflowers, oilseed rape and sugar beet, which are tolerant to some ALS inhibitors, as well as maize, which is tolerant to cycloxydim. With the exception of sunflower, which is tolerant to tribenuron-methyl and imidazolinone and occupies over 80% of the arable land of this crop in the Republic of Serbia, the other HTC are represented on smaller areas (1-17%). The potential of these crops is often not used in the best way, and the main challenge and threat are weeds that are resistant to herbicides to which these crops are tolerant. A big problem for the sustainability of growing these crops in Serbia is that growers of these crops rely mainly on herbicides to which they are tolerant and neglect other measures of integrated weed management (IWM). In order to protect these resources as part of IWM, growers' knowledge of best cultivation practices, their benefits and risks must be improved. As a double-edged sword, HTCs allow growers to improve the rotation of herbicides with different modes of action and the control of certain herbicide-resistant weeds, but they can also lead to overuse of herbicides to which they are tolerant and influence the selection of resistant weeds and the shift in weed flora. flora. Herbicides and HTC are very important resources of modern crop production, but only in the context of IWM and without excessive use of these crops and herbicides to which they are tolerant.