The influence of polleniser on biological properties and quality of apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) fruits

Istraživanjima u okviru ove doktorske disertacije ispitan je uticaj oprašivača na biološke osobine novointrodukovanih sorti jabuke: ‘Gala Must’, ‘Red Elstar’, ‘Rajka’ i ‘Topaz’ u agroekološkim uslovima Čačka. Proučavane su fiziološke osobine (fenofaza cvetanja, fenofaza oprašivanja i oplođenja, i fenofaza zrenja plodova), pomološke osobine (morfometrijske, hemijske i organoleptičke) i produktivne osobine (prinos po stablu i prinos po jedinici površine) navedenih sorti jabuke u kombinacijama međusobnih oprašivanja, kao i u varijanti slobodnog oprašivanja. Fenofaza cvetanja i zrenja ploda je utvrđena standardnim metodama za ovu vrstu istraživanja. Ispitana je klijavost polena in vitro proučavanih sorti jabuke, kvantitativna efikasnost rasta polenovih cevčica (broj polenovih cevčica i njihov rast u pojedinim delovima stubića) metodom fluorescentne mikropskopije, kao i inicijalno i finalno zametanje plodova u zavisnosti od oprašivača. Morfometrijski parametri ploda (masa, visina, širina, indeks oblika, dužina peteljke i broj semenki u plodu), kao i hemijske osobine ploda (sadržaj ukupnih i rastvorljivih suvih materija, sadržaj ukupnih, invertnih šećera i saharoze, sadržaj ukupnih kiselina, pH vrednost soka ploda i sadržaj ukupnih mineralnih materija) utvrđeni su standardnim laboratorijskim metodama. Organoleptička ocena ploda (intenzitet dopunske boje pokožice, atraktivnost, ukus, aroma i konzistencija ploda) utvrđena je poentiranjem u skladu sa UPOV metodologijom navedenom u uputstvima za priznavanje i zaštitu sorti jabuke. Prinos ispitivanih sorti jabuke u zavisnosti od oprašivača utvrđen je računskim putem. Sorta ‘Rajka’ pripada grupi srednjeranocvetnih, dok ostale sorte pripadaju grupi srednjepoznocvetnih sorti jabuke. Po vremenu zrenja sorte ‘Gala Must’ i ‘Red Elstar’ su jesenje, dok su sorte ‘Rajka’ i ‘Topaz’ zimske sorte jabuke. Kvantitativni parametri rasta polenovih cevčica u stubiću tučka ispitivanih sorti jabuke ukazuju na postojanje uticaja genotipa oprašivača, ali i njegovog zahteva u pogledu temperaturnih uslova. Kod svih kompatibilnih kombinacija ukrštanja šest dana nakon oprašivanja konstatovan je prodor polenovih cevčica u bazu stubića, izuzev kod varijante slobodnog oprašivanja sorte ‘Gala Must’, kao i u kombinaciji ‘Rajka’ ‘Gala Must’ u drugoj godini ispitivanja. Kod svih kombinacija oprašivanja utvrđen je visok procenat inicijalnog i finalnog zametanja plodova, uslovljen sortom oprašivačem i godinom ispitivanja...The influence of pollenisers on biological properties of the newly introduced apple cultivars ‘Gala Must’, ‘Red Elstar’, ‘Rajka’ and ‘Topaz’ grown in the region of Čačak were investigated within the scope of this doctoral dissertation. Among the crosspollination, as well as in an open pollination variants within the cultivars abovementioned, the following parameters were studied: physiological properties (flowering phenophase, pollination and fertilisation phenophase, and fruit ripening phenophase), pomological properties (morphometric, chemical and organoleptic) and production properties (yield per tree and yield per unit land area). Flowering and fruit ripening phenophases were determined by using standard method. In vitro pollen germination rate of the studied apple cultivars, as well as quantitative efficacy of pollen tubes growth (number of pollen tubes and characteristics of their growth in particular regions of the style) monitored by fluorescent microscopy and the initial and final fruit set depending on polleniser, were analysed. Morphometric parameters of the fruit (weight, length, width, shape index, stalk length and seed number) along with chemical properties of the fruit (total and soluble solids content, total, inverted sugars and sucrose content, total acids, fruit juice pH value and total minerals content) were determined by standard methods. Organoleptic assessment of the fruit (over colour intensity, attractiveness, flavour, aroma and fruit consistency) involved grading based on UPOV instructions stated in cultivar release and apple cultivars protection procedures. Yield of the studied apple cultivars as influenced by polleniser was calculated manually. ‘Rajka’ belongs to the group of mid-early flowering cultivars, whereas the other assessed cultivars are classified as mid-late flowering. As regards harvest maturity, ‘Gala Must’ and ‘Red Elstar’ belong to the group of autumn cultivars, while ‘Rajka’ and ‘Topaz’ are winter cultivars. Quantitative parameters of pollen tubes growth in the style suggest not only the influence of polleniser genotype, but also point to temperature dependence of this influence. Six days after pollination pollen tubes were observed to penetrate the style base in all compatible pollination variants, except the cross ‘Rajka’ ‘Gala Must’ and open pollinated ‘Gala Must’ in the second year of the study. High initial and final fruit set were recorded in all pollination variants, and depended on polleniser and year of study..

Uticaj BA i BA+GA4+7 na formiranje prevremenih grančica na jednogodišnjim sadnicama sorti jabuke

This study presents the influence of BA (6-benzyladenine) and BA+GA4+7 (6-benzyladenine + gibberellic acids 4 and 7) on feathering of one-year-old apple trees of two cultivars Jonagold and Čadel. Different concentrations of BA (300, 600, 1,200 and 1,800 mg L-1) and BA+GA4+7 (500, 1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 mg L-1) were applied, and two treatments for both chemicals were performed. The first treatment was applied at 70-cm height of nursery trees and the second 2 weeks later. Comparison was performed in relation to untreated control. An application of BA and BA+GA4+7 did not affect both rootstock and nursery tree diameter at 10 cm above the grafting union. Nursery trees of cultivar Jonagold were not influenced by treatments applied, whereas in cultivar Čadel, the treatment with BA+GA4+7 decreased apical growth of nursery trees. The development of sylleptic shoots in both cultivars tested was influenced by the type of growth regulator and concentration applied. Treatment with BA at 300 mg L-1 concentration in both cultivars tested did not influence total length and number of sylleptic shoots, as well as the number of sylleptic shoots longer than 20 cm. The most positive influence on all studied parameters was observed on nursery trees treated with the concentration of 1,200 mg L-1 BA. The lowest concentration of BA+GA4+7 (500 mg L-1) caused the low feathering of both studied cultivars. The higher concentrations (1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 mg L-1) similarly increased the number and total length of sylleptic shoots of nursery trees.U ovom radu je ispitivan uticaj BA (6-benziladenin) i BA+GA4+7 (6-benziladenin + giberelinska kiselina 4 i 7) na bočno grananje jednogodišnjih sadnica dve sorte jabuke Jonagold i Čadel. Primenjene su različite koncentracije BA (300, 600, 1.200 i 1.800 mg L-1) i BA+GA4+7 (500, 1.000, 1.500 i 2.000 mg L-1) pri čemu su kod oba hemijska jedinjenja tretmani izvedeni dva puta. Prvi tretman je izveden kada su sadnice bile visine 70 cm, a drugi tretman je izveden dve nedelje kasnije. Kontrola je bila bez tretiranja. Primena BA i BA+GA4+7 nije ispoljila uticaj na prečnik podloge i sadnice na visini od 10 cm iznad spojnog mesta. Kod sadnica sorte Jonagold nisu registrovane razlike u vršnom porastu pod uticajem primenjenih tretmana, dok je kod sorte Čadel tretman sa BA+GA4+7 uticao na smanjenje vršnog porasta sadnica. Ustanovljeno je da su tip hemijskog regulatora i primenjena koncentracija uticali na razvoj prevremenih grančica kod obe ispitivane sorte. Tretman sa BA u koncentraciji od 300 mg L-1 nije ispoljio uticaj na ukupnu dužinu i broj prevremenih grančica, kao i na broj prevremenih grančica dužih od 20 cm. Najpozitivniji uticaj na sve ispitivane parametre je zabeležen kod sadnica tretiranih sa BA u koncentraciji od 1.200 mg L-1. Najniža koncentracija BA+GA4+7 (500 mg L-1) je izazvala slabo grananje sadnica kod obe ispitivane sorte. Veće koncentracije (1.000, 1.500 i 2.000 mg L-1) su uslovile slično povećanje broja i ukupne dužine prevremenih grančica na sadnicama

Properties of some Late Season Plum Hybrids from Fruit Research Institute Čačak

Since 1979 to 2012 fifteen plum cultivars were named and released in Fruit Research Institute, Čačak. Some of these cultivars, such as Čačanska Lepotica, Čačanska Rodna and Čačanska Najbolja are grown in most important plum growing countries in Europe. Also, these cultivars are used as parent cultivars in many plum breeding programs. In addition to the cultivars, large number of promising hybrids are created in Fruit Research Institute, Čačak and some of them, in this moment, are candidates for new cultivars. Therefore, in 2014 and 2015, we investigated the most important properties of four promising late season hybrids and standard cultivar ‘Stanley’. All four hybrids were harvested since beginning of September (34/41/87) until the beginning of the third decade of September (10/23/87). The earliest flowering time was recorded in hybrid 34/41/87 and the latest in standard cultivar ‘Stanley’. Hybrids 10/23/87 and 26/54/87 generally had the highest fruit weight and all three fruit dimensions. Also these hybrids had the highest content of total sugars and sucrose and highest pH value, but poorest total acids content. The highest content of invert sugars and total acids was recorded in hybrid 22/17/87. This hybrid also, had the highest yield per tree and per hectare while the hybrid 34/41/87 had the lowest these values. Standard cultivar ‘Stanley’ had the largest stone weight and the highest amount of soluble solids

The influence of chemical characteristics of precipitation on tree health in Banjica Forest (Belgrade, Serbia)

The most represented tree species in the Banjica Forest are Acer negundo, Quercus robur, Acer pseudoplatanus, Populus nigra, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Fraxinus ornus and Robinia pseudoacacia. According to the ICP Forests combined assessment (degree of defoliation and decolorization), endangered species are Populus nigra (64.3% of heavily damaged trees), Quercus robur (45.5%), Fraxinus pennsylvanica (37.0%) and Acer negundo (26.6%), while the situation is much better for Acer pseudoplatanus and Fraxinus ornus. For Robinia pseudoacacia, 83% of trees are without decolorization, however, defoliation is established. In the period from April to October 2009, the average pH of rainwater was 5.46, and 5.18 in the period from November 2009 to March 2010. The concentration of SO42- in the period from April to October 2009 amounted to an average of 24.21 mg/l, and 28.87 mg/l in the period from November 2009 to March 2010. The concentration of SO42- and pH values is a possible explanation for the condition of the trees

The relationship between the carcass characteristics and meat composition of young Simmental beef cattle

The objective was to study the relationships between the carcass characteristics and meat composition of young Simmental beef, classified with regard to conformation and degree of fatness scores, and total lipid content, depending on gender. For this purpose, 90 animals (60 male and 30 female Simmental beef cattle) were analysed. The results of the study showed that gender affected carcass measurement scores and chemical composition of meat through its important effect on overall animal fatness. Referring to correlations, male carcass conformation score was negatively related to slaughter weight, total lipid content and fatness score. On the other hand, slaughter weight, hot and cold carcass weight, dressing percentage and carcass conformation was positively related to fatness score, all of them being significant. However, female carcass conformation score was positively related to slaughter weight, total lipid content and fatness score. Hot and cold carcass weights of female Simmental beef cattle were positively correlated to slaughter weight, total lipid content and carcass conformation score. Carcass conformation score and fatness score were affected by gender of young Simmental beef cattle

How Can Tufa Deposits Contribute to the Geotourism Offer? The Outcomes from the First UNESCO Global Geopark in Serbia

The study focuses on the present state and the assessments of geotourism development of the two most representative tufa deposits in the Djerdap National Park—the first UNESCO Global Geopark in Serbia. The findings were designated through implementing the freshly upgraded methodology—M-GAM-1-2 based on an early modified geosites assessment model (M-GAM). To overcome the limitations of the previous model, the authors implemented additional enhancements and involved members of the local community (residents and authorities) in the study to comprehensively evaluate the observed sites. The outcomes revealed that the attitudes of all stakeholders should be taken into consideration in order to develop geotourism properly, additionally attract visitors, and preserve tufa deposits for future generations of locals and visitors. Moreover, geotourism at the observed sites can be one of the vital activities of the population, as well as a type of compensation for various limitations in the development, which are imposed by the regimes of natural and cultural heritage protection within the recently established UNESCO Global Geopark

Physicochemical and sensory characteristics of promising plum (Prunus domestica L.) genotypes bred at fruit research institute, Čačak

Five plum hybrids (38/62/70, IV/63/81, 32/21/87, 34/41/87 and 22/17/87) and newly released cultivar ‘Nada’, obtained by planned hybridisation and singled out within breeding programme at Fruit Research Institute, Čačak, were assessed for the main physical (fruit and stone weight and flesh percentage), chemical (soluble solids content, total and inverted sugars content, sucrose content, total acids content, pH value of fruit juice, ratio of soluble solids and total acids content and ratio of total sugars and total acids content) and sensorial (attractiveness, taste, aroma and consistency) traits compared with the standard cultivar ʻČačanska Lepoticaʼ. Results showed that the studied plum genotypes differed significantly in all of the assessed traits. Regarding the physical features, the best results were shown by hybrid 38/62/70, which had the highest fruit weight (56.92 g) and flesh percentage (96.91%), as well as by the new cultivar ‘Nada’, for which a larger fruit was observed in comparison to the standard (45.54 g and 42.24 g, respectively). Also, ‘Nada’ had better sensorial properties such as attractiveness, taste, aroma and consistency in relation to the other promising hybrids and the standard cultivar. From the aspect of all the studied sensorial characteristics, in addition to ‘Nada’, only hybrid 38/62/70 was aligned with the standard cultivar. Out of the studied genotypes, late ripening hybrid 22/17/87 had the best values of parameters of fruit chemical composition such as the soluble solids content (17.01%), total and inverted sugars contents (12.31% and 8.96%, respectively). The highest sucrose content (3.39%), pH value of fruit juice (3.51), as well as the highest ratio between soluble solids and total acids content (43.72) and ratio between total sugars and total acids content (32.58) were found in cultivar ‘Nada’. The highest total acids content (1.42%) was recorded in hybrid 32/21/87. Compared to ʻČačanska Lepoticaʼ, the same or better results in terms of the fruit chemical composition were determined in cultivar ‘Nada’ and hybrids 34/41/87 and 22/17/87. The study revealed existence of significant correlations between individual studied parameters of the fruit physical, chemical and sensorial properties

“Urban geosites” as an alternative geotourism destination - evidence from Belgrade

The research aimed at testing the combination of GAM/M-GAM models (Geosite Assessment Model/Modified Geosite Assessment Model) on selected geoheritage sites (geosites) of great scientific significance and geotourism potential. Testing was done on eight sites in the City of Belgrade (Serbian capital), an area which has significant potential for geotourism development in typical urban conditions. For this purpose, an assessment scale was used to highlight differences and similarities between main and additional values of the observed geosites. The modification of the original GAM model is based on the inclusion of visitors’ opinions regarding the importance of indicators in the assessment process. The assessment was done by using both GAM/M-GAM and its results were analyzed and compared afterwards. The analysis has successfully identified locations and features of geosites that require action for maintaining or increasing their overall value and function. Moreover, the principal aim of the paper was to analyze the relevance of each sub-indicator for the assessment process by introducing the importance factor in the modified model. The authors were able to point out those values of principal importance for geosite visitors, as well as to attach a different relevance to sub-indicators, which can influence the position of the geosites in the GAM/M-GAM matrices

The influence of BA and BA+GA4+7 on formation of sylleptic shoots on one-year-old apple nursery trees

This study presents the influence of BA (6-benzyladenine) and BA+GA4+7 (6-benzyladenine + gibberellic acids 4 and 7) on feathering of one-year-old apple trees of two cultivars Jonagold and Čadel. Different concentrations of BA (300, 600, 1,200 and 1,800 mg L-1) and BA+GA4+7 (500, 1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 mg L-1) were applied, and two treatments for both chemicals were performed. The first treatment was applied at 70-cm height of nursery trees and the second 2 weeks later. Comparison was performed in relation to untreated control. An application of BA and BA+GA4+7 did not affect both rootstock and nursery tree diameter at 10 cm above the grafting union. Nursery trees of cultivar Jonagold were not influenced by treatments applied, whereas in cultivar Čadel, the treatment with BA+GA4+7 decreased apical growth of nursery trees. The development of sylleptic shoots in both cultivars tested was influenced by the type of growth regulator and concentration applied. Treatment with BA at 300 mg L-1 concentration in both cultivars tested did not influence total length and number of sylleptic shoots, as well as the number of sylleptic shoots longer than 20 cm. The most positive influence on all studied parameters was observed on nursery trees treated with the concentration of 1,200 mg L-1 BA. The lowest concentration of BA+GA4+7 (500 mg L-1) caused the low feathering of both studied cultivars. The higher concentrations (1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 mg L-1) similarly increased the number and total length of sylleptic shoots of nursery trees. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR31063 i br. III46008

Gut-associated lymphoid tissue, gut microbes and susceptibility to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Gut microbiota and gut-associated lymphoid tissue have been increasingly appreciated as important players in pathogenesis of various autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an animal model of multiple sclerosis that can be induced with an injection of spinal cord homogenate emulsified in complete Freund's adjuvant in Dark Agouti (DA) rats, but not in Albino Oxford (AO) rats. In this study, mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), Peyer's patches (PP) and gut microbiota were analysed in these two rat strains. There was higher proportion of CD4(+) T cells and regulatory T cells in non-immunised DA rats in comparison to AO rats. Also, DA rat MLN and PP cells were higher producers of pro-inflammatory cytokines interferon-gamma and interleukin-17. Finally, microbial analyses showed that uncultivated species of Turicibacter and Atopostipes genus were exclusively present in AO rats, in faeces and intestinal tissue, respectively. Thus, it is clear that in comparison of an EAE-susceptible with an EAE-resistant strain of rats, various discrepancies at the level of gut associated lymphoid tissue, as well as at the level of gut microbiota can be observed. Future studies should determine if the differences have functional significance for EAE pathogenesis