SEED AGE AND pH OF WATER SOLUTION EFFECTS ON FIELD PEA (PISUM SATIVUM L.) GERMINATION

The laboratory experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of seed age and water solution pH on field pea (Pisum sativum L.) germination energy, germination, seedling root length and stem height. Seeds aged 33 and 21 months and four water solution pH levels (5, 6, 7 and 8) were tested. The values of all investigated traits were significantly higher (p=0.01) for the 21 months old seed. Different water solution pH exerted an influence on germination, seedling root length, stem height (p=0.01) and germination energy (p=0.05). Irrespective of seed age, germination energy (61.50% in average) was highest at pH=7, whereas germination (70.75% in average) and root length (10.924 cm in average) at pH=6. The stem height of seedlings developed from 33 months old seeds was highest at pH=6. Furthermore, the stem height of seedlings grown from 21 months old seeds was highest at pH=5

Contribution of breeding to increasing soybean grain yield and grain quality

The objective of this research was to determine the genetic gain in grain yield and grain quality accomplished by recently developed domestic soybean elite lines and to determine ways to improve these traits further. Realized gains were estimated by comparing recently developed most promising domestic soybean lines of maturity groups (MGs) 00, 0 and I with commercial cultivars (standards) in comparative field tests during three consecutive years (2002–2004) in Osijek, Croatia. Mean values, broad-sense heritability, genetic gain and relative genetic gain from selection were calculated for grain yield, protein and oil content in grain. The obtained results of biometrical analysis showed genetic improvement in productivity and quality of new domestic soybean elite lines within MGs 00, 0 and 1. The high agronomic performances of this breeding material will considerably contribute to the increasing and improving soybean production in our region as well as genetic improvement of domestic soybean cultivars further