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Conventional breeding programmes on common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) are based on knowledge of relationships between forage yield components and economically important characteristics. To improve this knowledge, a small-plot trial was carried out in 2005 and 2006 at Rimski Sancevi, Serbia, with fourteen common vetch accessions from the Novi Sad Vicia collection of diverse geographic origin and collection status. Results showed significant variability in forage yield components and related characteristics. Two-year average values of forage dry matter (DM) yield ranged from 8.0 t ha(-1) (cvs. Armantes and Labari) to 10.2 t ha(-1) (cv. Slavej). The highest 2-year average concentration of crude protein (CP) was for cv. Armantes (239 g kg(-1) DM). Highly significant positive genetic correlation coefficients were found between time from sowing to first flowering and main stem length (0.938) and between number of stems per plant and CP content in the forage DM (0.910). Significant positive phenotypic correlation coefficients were detected between main stem length and time from sowing to first flowering (0.830). A cluster analysis showed four main groups of cultivars based on the recorded forage yield components and related characteristics. It is concluded that common vetch represents a stable and reliable source of protein-rich forage for regions such as the Balkans area of SE Europe. Genetic variability within common vetch and knowledge of the tested cultivars offer a basis for further improvement and developing novel cultivars.

Bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.] is one of the most interesting species in the plant kingdom, due to the diversity of fruit shapes, sizes and ways of use. Warty genotypes are rare compared to non warty genotypes. Considering unusual external appearance of warty fruits, we focused our research on the investigation of its inheritance patterns. By crossing different bottle gourd phenotypes, we studied the mode of inheritance and identified and verified genes responsible for the fruit skin color and warty phenotype segregation. Two parental lines, LAG 70 (with warty fruit of light green color) and LAG 71 (smooth fruit, variegated), F1, F2 and backcrosses populations along with both parents were evaluated. Genetic analysis indicated that warty fruit type is a result of monogenic inheritance, whereby the warty fruit type is dominant (Wt) trait over to the non-warty fruit type (wt). The mode of inheritance of fruit color was controlled by recessive epistasis, with a ratio of 9 variegated (A-, B-), 3 dark green colored (aaB-) and 4 light green colored (aabb) fruits in the F2 generation.

Species from Cucurbitaceae family are not widely present in Serbia, although because of their morphological and decorative features deserve more attention. The aim of this paper was to study the morphological variability and usage of ten species of the Cucurbiataceae family. Based on genetic variability, species were grouped into 8 clusters. Fruit characteristics of most investigated species showed great similarity and the greatest differences were attained for flower and fruit characteristics. The longest was the fruit of Trichosanthes cucumerina (46.2 cm), while the shortest of Cucumis myriocarpus (3.4 cm) which had the smallest circumference as well (4.4 cm). The largest circumference of fruit was recorded for the species Cucumis aculeatus (16.4 cm). In terms of fruit color Momordica balsamina had a red fruit, allocated from other species whose fruits were in various shades of green. Variability is reflected in large variations in size, shape and color of fruit. Considerating that usages of these species are multiple (food for humans and animals, ornamental) studyed species deserve special attention in their further propagation and use.

Nitrogen harvest index - NHI is a measure of efficiency of nitrogen translocation from vegetative organs to grain. The goal of this paper is to investigate variability and stability of nitrogen harvest index of twelve bread wheat genotypes, on three nitrogen levels. ANOVA showed that nitrogen harvest index was mostly under influence of the year x genotype interaction, year of investigation and genotype, and in the smallest amount of the nitrogen rate. Increasing doses of nitrogen did not lead to increased nitrogen harvest index. AMMI analysis showed that most genotypes differed in both the main effect and in GxE interaction. The highest stability i.e. the smallest interaction effect, was found in varieties Axis, Ilona, Sonata and Renan on N0 rate, and in varieties Malyska, Petrana, Axis and Evropa 90 on N100 rate. Cultivar Pobeda with the high average values for nitrogen harvest index, also had small interaction effect, i.e. it proved to be a stable variety.

Using the line x tester analysis we studied the combining ability and gene effects of plant height, spike length and number of spikelets per spike in durum wheat. The results of the study show that non-additive genes play more important role than additive genes in the inheritance of plant height, number of spikelets per spike in both years and in inheritance of spike length only in the first year of research. Variety Belfugito, the best general combiner for plant height and number of spikelets per spike, combined well in two best hybrids: Belfugito x Alifen and Belfugito x Yavaros 79, and these hybrids may be used in wheat breeding programs. In the majority of the cases, good specific combining ability (SCA) effects were associated with crosses of two genetically divergent parents having at least one parent as a good general combiner.

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships among boron (B) concentration, boron content, and tolerance to excess boron in 40 wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes. Boron tolerance was estimated at seedling stage by filter paper technique, imposing three boron treatments (50, 100 and 150 mg L-1 boric acid, H3BO3) and comparing the response of root length and dry weight to the control (0.93 mg L-1 H3BO3). Although substantial variation in boron tolerance, concentration, and content has been found among the studied wheat genotypes, regression analysis showed no relationship between neither root length reduction and boron concentration, nor dry weight reduction and boron concentration. On the other hand, a positive linear relationship was found between boron content and both root length and dry weight response to high external boron; tolerant wheat genotypes were characterized by higher boron content than the sensitive ones. The results may be explained by significant decline of root length and dry weight in sensitive genotypes, which caused reduced uptake of all nutrients, including boron. Vice versa, root length and dry weight of tolerant genotypes were affected by boron treatments to the smaller extent, allowing the uptake of higher amounts of boron and resulting in comparatively high boron content.

We analysed the grain yield and quality in common vetch accessions to assess their breeding potential. A small-plot trial was carried out in 2005 and 2006 at the experimental field of the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops at Rimski Sanevi. 14 accessions, of diverse geographic origin and status, from the Novi Sad Vicia collection were tested. The highest grain yield was in accession VIC 006 (2205 kg ha(-1)), while the highest grain dry matter crude protein was in accession Topaze (329 g kg(-1)). Significant positive correlations were found between the time from sowing to harvest and grain dry matter crude protein content (r(gxy) = 0.754). A cluster analysis of the tested common vetch accessions showed four main groups that are assumed to correlate with geographic and biological origin. The variability measured offers a basis for developing novel common vetch cultivars that could increase the use of this crop among the farmers in Serbia and the Balkans.