Phytoremediation of Soils Contaminated with Heavy Metals in the Vicinity of the Smelter for Lead and Zinc in Veles

Soil quality is one of the most important factors in sustaining the global biosphere, but it is subject of a series degradation processes or threats. Contamination of the soils with heavy metals is one of them. The region around Veles is one of the typical examples of soil pollution and other environmental media by toxic metals, such as: lead, cadmium, zinc and others, as a result of emission of those elements from the lead and zinc smelters located in Veles. The accumulation of heavy metals in the food chain, especially of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) from soil through the consumption of vegetables, may affect the human and environmental health. To find adequate measures to prevent present ecological problems, we have to use appropriate and successful actions. Phytoremediation is a relatively new emerging green technology that uses plants to extract heavy metals from contaminated soils. This paper presents a research in which four test plants (oilseed rape – Brassica napus Oleifera D.C., white clover - Trifolium repens L., alfalfa - Medicago sativa L., and corn – Zea mays L.) were cultivated in industrially polluted soils in order to find a suitable plant species that could be used for soil remediation in industrial regions. The comparison between the examined crops during the three-year research period in relation to the heavy metal bioaccumulation coefficient indicated that for phytoremediation of soils with high Pb concentration the alfalfa can be recommended, for soils with high Cd concentration oilseed rape and white clover are preferable, and on soils with high Zn concentration alfalfa and white clover are superior

СВОЈСТВА НА ПОЧВИТЕ РАСПРОСТРАНЕТИ ВО ОКОЛИНАТА НА ПЕХЧЕВО НАМЕНЕТИ ЗА ПОДИГНУВАЊЕ НА НАСАД ОД ЛЕШНИК

The paper presents the results of the research of the soils for hazelnut plantation. Conditions for formation of soils, genesis and their properties are described. Particular emphasis is placed on their properties, fertility and the measures to be taken for successful planting and growing hazelnuts

КАРАКТЕРИСТИКИ НА КОЛУВИЈАЛНИТЕ ПОЧВИ РАСПРОСТРАНЕТИ НА ПОВРШИНИТЕ НА SWISSLION РЕСЕН НАМЕНЕТИ ЗА ПОДИГНУВАЊЕ НА НАСАДИ ОД ЈАБОЛКА

The investigation was conducted in the Resen area on the land owned by SWISSLION from Resen. The major soil properties (mechanical composition, chemical properties) of the colluvial soils were determined. These properties of the soils are important for successful and growing orchards and accurate selection of orchards rootstock

Moisture Retention Caracteristics in the Soil Formed upon Limestones and Dolomites in the Republic of Macedonia

The paper presents results from the research of the influence of soil texture on the water retention curves of calcomelanosols, calcocambisols and terra rossa in Republic of Macedonia. The content of the fi ne soil separates in the calcomelanosols varies depending on the subtype. The physical sand fraction (coarse sand + fi ne sand) in the Amo horizon amounts to: 44.81% in the organomineral calcomelanosols, 40.13% in the organogenic and 36.52% in brownised calcomelanosols. In the (B)rz horizon in the brownised calcomelanosols it amounts to 32.64%. The contents (clay + silt) or physical clay in the Amo horizon amounts to: 55.19% in the organomineral calcomelanosols, 59.87% in the organogenic, and the highest content was in the brownised calcomelanosols, 63.48%. The average value of this fraction in the horizon (B) rz in the brownised calcomelanosols amounts to 67.36%. In the calcocambisols the average content of the physical sand fraction in the Amo horizon amounts to 33.43%, and in the cambic horizon (B)rz 22.50%. In the terra rossa the fraction physical clay is represented with a greater percentage related to the physical sand fraction. In the Amo horizon in the physical clay fraction the clay fraction is predominant, average 43.08% and 52.13% in the cambic horizon, 24.90% in Amo and 19.37% in the silt fraction. There is the highest retention capacity, average 41.48% in the humus-accumulative horizon Amo in the calcomelanosols, subtype organogenic. The remaining subtypes of calcomelanosols have lower retention capacity in this horizon. As with retention capacity of 0.33 required in other points of tension (6.25 and 15 bar) it shows the same condition; mean value of organogenic was 29.39 and 17.22%, respectively, then organomineral 23.98 and 18.34%, respectively, and brownised calcomelanosols 21.70% and 16.60%, respectively. The average retention values in the Amo horizon and the cambic horizon (B)rz regarding calcocambisols amounts to 33.49% and 33.24%. The average retention values (pressure of 6.25 = 625 kPa and 15 bar = 1500 kPa) in the Amo horizon and the cambic horizon (B)rz regarding calcocambisols amounts to 25.27% and 17.06% respectively, and 27.89% and 16.68%, respectively. The average retention capacity in terra rossa, amounts to 39.05% in the Amo horizon, and 40.25% in (B)rz. The average retention values (pressure of 6.25 and 15 bar) in the Amo horizon and the cambic horizon (B)rz regarding terra rossa amounts to 29.92% and 20.93%, respectively, and 33.23% and 23.38%, respectively. The results from our research show that in Amo and (B)rz horizons there is a positive correlation between the water retention curves at 0.33; 6.25 and 15 bars and contents of physical clay (clay and silt) and clay. Also there is high negative correlation between the retention curves at 0.33 bars contents of physical sand fractions (coarse sand+fi ne sand; r = -0.47)

MAGNESIUM CONTENT IN CAULIFLOWER AT SALES PLACES IN ZAGREB

Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) is a biennial crop belonging to the mustard family. It is grown for a head consisting of a thick, short, hypertrophied flower stem with undifferentiated flowers and flower embryos. The minerals that are most abundant in cauliflower are sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and sulfur. Magnesium is an essential element for almost all living beings, it is involved in many processes such as the synthesis of organic substances, it is responsible for the activation of a large number of enzymes and has a beneficial effect on the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. The aim of this article was to determine the content of magnesium in cauliflower available in the city of Zagreb and to determine how much magnesium can be settled by consuming that cauliflower. The sampling was carried out at 9 sales places in the city of Zagreb, of which 3 were stores with organic products, 3 markets and 3 retail chains. Magnesium was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry after digestion with concentrated HNO3 and HClO4 in a microwave oven. The magnesium content of cauliflower ranged from 0.17 to 0.22% Mg in dry matter, 21.24 to 38.87 mg Mg/100 g in the fresh matter, and it was found that consuming 100 g of cauliflower can satisfy 5.98-10.75% of our daily need for magnesium

Nitrogen Fertilizer Use Efficiency of Pepper as Affected by Irrigation and Fertilization Regime

The pepper producers in the Republic of Macedonia have used drip irrigation systems to increase yield in recent years, but more research is still needed, related to irrigation scheduling and precise requirement of nitrogen fertilizer to maximise pepper yield. Therefore, a two year experiment was conducted in a plastic house to determine the nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency (NFUE) and yield potential of pruned pepper as affected by irrigation and fertilization regime. Four experimental treatments were applied in this study. Three of the treatments were drip fertigated (DF1, DF2, DF3), while the fourth treatment was furrow irrigated with conventional fertilization (ØB). The labelled urea with 1% concentration of a stable isotope of nitrogen (15N) was applied for determination of NFUE. The results of this study clearly showed that increased NFUE and pepper yield depend on irrigation and fertilization regime. Namely, NFUE was significantly increased with the application of nitrogen fertilizer through drip irrigation system as compared to conventional fertilization with furrow irrigation. Also, drip fertigation frequency positively affects percentage increase of NFUE. Furthermore, our results showed that drip fertigation treatments resulted in significantly higher pepper yields in comparison to conventional fertilization. Also, drip fertigation frequency at four and two days (DF2 and DF1) resulted in higher yields when compared with drip fertigation scheduled by using tensiometers (DF3). Generally, to reach acceptable pepper yield with high NFUE, we recommend drip fertigation with a frequency of two to four days combined with two main shoots of pruned pepper in order to increase farmer’s income and to minimize the environmental impact

ВЛИЈАНИЕ НА КАПКОВОТО НАВОДНУВАЊЕ И ФЕРТИРИГАЦИЈА ВРЗ МЕСЕЧНИОТ И ВЕГЕТАЦИСКИОТ ХИДРОФИТОТЕРМИЧКИ КОЕФИЦИЕНТ КАЈ ПИПЕРКАТА

The main aim of this investigation was to determinate the effect of drip fertigation on hydofphytotermical coefficient of two stem pruned pepper crop (“V”system). The field experiments were conducted with green pepper crop ‘Bela dolga’ grown in experimental plastic house near by the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food in Skopje, during the period of May to October in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Therefore, four experimental treatments were applied in this study. Three treatments were irrigated with drip irrigation and drip fertigation (KK1, KK2, KK3), while the last one was irrigated with furrow irrigation and conventional application of fertilizer (control treatment ØB). From the results obtained during the three years of investigation, it can be concluded that the average hydrophytotermical coefficient in 2005 is 1.52 in 2006 the coefficient is decreasing (1.46), while in 2007 hydrophytotermical coefficient again is increasing (1.48). According to year of investigation, the treatments with drip fertigation (KK1, KK2, KK3) shows from 14.6 to 23.6% lower average hydrophytotermical coefficient in comparison with treatment with furrow irrigation and traditional application of fertilisers ØB

Soil distribution in Pčinja River Basin, North Macedonia and its importance for agricultural production

This paper is a result of many years of field and laboratory research of the soils in Pčinja river basin, North Macedonia, spread out on 237.640,71 ha ranging from 191 to 1664 m above the sea level in order to gain a better understanding of the productive capacities of the soils and measures for their improvement. The catchment area of Pčinja River is a spatial area that extends in two states in the of the Republic of North Macedonia and the part of the Republic of Serbia, whose boundaries are naturally clearly defined. Soil samples were taken by spade and one composite sample was prepared for each sampling site, each containing about 3 kg of soil. Before sieving the samples were air dried. In laboratory, the following analyses have been carried out on the soil samples: hygroscopic moisture, mechanical composition, pH of the soil solution, humus content and total nitrogen, content of carbonates. The mechanical composition and chemical properties of the soils have been determined by standard methods. This area is very heterogeneous, with numerous relief forms, with different expositions and inclinations, and with great differences of altitude. Additionally, there are several geological formations of a very heterogeneous petrographic-mineralogical composition and climate-vegetation zones. Long-term effects of human involvement should also be noted

Impact of climate changes on wheat production

U ovoj studiji, analizirana je proizvodnja pšenice u dvadesetogodišnjem periodu (2001-2020. godina) u svetu i u Srbiji. Variranja visine prinosa zrna po jedinici površine u Srbiji poređene su sa količinom padavina u vegetacionom periodu pšenice. Kvantifikovanjem uticaja klimatskih promena na proizvodnju pšenice daje nam mogućnost da se kreiraju dugoročni planovi u poljoprivrednoj proizvodnji kako bi se održao visok i stabilan prinos zrna. Prosečan prinos zrna, za ispitivani period u svetu, iznosio je 3.112 kg ha-1 dok je u Srbiji bio veći za 26% i iznosio je 3.925 kg ha-1. I pored značajnih godišnjih variranja, trend povećanja prinosa pšenice u svetu bio je značajan. U 2020. godini prosečan prinos zrna u svetu je povećan za 23,5%, a u Srbiji za 34,6% u poređenju sa 2001. godinom. Analiza proizvodnje, kod svetski najvažnijih snabdevača pšenicom, beleži značajno povećanje prinosa po jedinici površine, kao i ukupnu proizvodnju.This study analyzed wheat production in the twenty-year period (2001-2020) in the world and in Serbia. Variations in the yield of wheat grains per unit area in Serbia were compared with the amount of precipitation in the growing season. By quantifying the impact of climate change on wheat production, it gives us the opportunity to create long-term plans in agricultural production in order to maintain a high and stable grain yield. The average grain yield, for the examined period in the world, amounted to 3,112 kg ha-1, while in Serbia it was higher by 26% and amounted to 3,925 kg ha-1. Despite significant annual variations, the trend of increasing wheat yields in the world was significant. In 2020, the average grain yield in the world increased by 23.5%, and in Serbia by 34.6% compared to 2001. The analysis of production at the world's most important wheat suppliers records a significant increase in yield per unit area, as well as total production. The analysis of production at the world's most important wheat suppliers records a significant increase in yield per unit area, as well as total production