Effects of Salinity on Color Changes, Sugar and Acid Concentration in Tomato Fruit

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum, Mill) is vegetable which is relatively resistant to salt concentration in growing substrate. However, research has shown that salinity stress causes changes in the quality of the fruit, which indirectly affects the yield. So the aim of this research was to determine the change in color of ripening fruits, the amount of sugar and acid in the fruit as indicators of the quality of the fruit. Tests were conducted in a greenhouse on tomato cv. Buran F1, where were two varieties of seedlings, grafted and non grafted, grown in the control substrate (EC = 1.7 dS/m) and substrate with EC = 6.8 dS/m. The quality of fruit is observed by a difference in the maturing of the first fruit of the first and second branches of tomatoes, and through the concentration of sugar and acid in the fruit, depending on the position of the plants. The obtained results show that salinity induces higher sugar content and total acidity in grafted and non-grafted tomato fruits. Also salinity leads to faster ripening of grafted and non-grafted tomato. tomato; salinity; grafted; nongrafte

Morphological characteristics and antioxidant properties of Allium ursinum L. wild growing in the northwestern part of the Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Allium ursinum L. (ramson) has been used for centuries as a food and medicinal herb. Generally, the phenology, morphology, as well as health benefits of Allium ursinum plants have been scientifically validated; however, the knowledge about geographic variation in morphological characteristics and antioxidant properties of Allium ursinum are fairly scarce. The aim of this study, therefore, was to reveal the habitat preferences of Allium ursinum in different geographical regions of the Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and to evaluate its morphological characteristics of stems, leaves and bulbs and its antioxidant properties. Morphological characteristics as well as antioxidant properties of Allium ursinum plants including total phenolics and flavonoids contents, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were determined. In this study, the high abundance of Allium ursinum plants was recorded at five different locations: Laktaši, Kozara, Prnjavor, Kneževo and Drinić. The results of this study revealed that Allium ursinum prefers forest habitats and that their morphological characteristics and antioxidant properties are strongly dependent on both geographical location and habitat conditions. We hereby suggest that Allium ursinum can be considered a valuable source of phenolic compounds with relevant antioxidant activity