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The study presents the results of a three-year experiment (2013–2015) that was carried out to determine a relationship between the soybean yield components and the seed yield under different irrigation treatments. The results indicated that the study year had the greatest effect on the number of nodes per plant (NNP), while an interaction between the irrigation and experiment year was also statistically significant. The highest average NNP was observed in 2015, being 33% higher when compared to the year 2014. The highest number of seeds per plant (NSP) was observed in 2015, being 20% and 31% higher when compared to 2013 and 2014. An abundant irrigation resulted in the highest NSP when compared to a rational and control treatment. Irrigation, study year, and their interaction did not have a statistically significant effect on the thousand seed weight (TSW) (g), but the lowest average TSW (g) was obtained in the control treatment of each study year. Regression models pertaining to the seed yield prediction in the control treatment and rational irrigation were not statistically significant. However, in the abundant irrigation, the regression model based on the TSW (g), NNP, and the NSP as the predictors provided for a statistically significant model seed yield prediction, but only the NSP was identified as a highly significant seed yield predictor.

Apple crops prefer moderate temperatures along with medium to high humidity. Dry climate and long-term high temperatures during summer can negatively affect the synthesis of chloroplast pigments in the apple leaf, which negatively affects the assimilation processes. One of the defense strategies against heat stress is the synthesis and accumulation of free proline, which is an important osmoregulator. The aim of the research was to determine the content of free proline and chloroplast pigments in the leaves of thirty-three apple varieties grown at two climatically different localities in Croatia, Tenja and Donja Zelina. The leaves were sampled after a long-term hot period, at the end of June 2021. In average for all the examined apple varieties, the location significantly influenced the content of free proline, chlorophyll a, total chlorophylls and the ratio of total chlorophylls and carotenoids. A significant influence of the variety on the accumulation of proline and the content of carotenoids was determined, which points to the genetic specificity in the response to high temperatures. Future research that will link the physiological response of apple to heat stress with the pomological properties of the fruit, should help producers in choosing varieties which are more suitable for cultivation in particular climatic conditions.

Morphological changes of sugar beet leaves in vegetative growth were monitored in the 2014 and 2015 growing seasons. In both years leaf samples were collected on 6 dates from late May to September at 20-day intervals, therefore more than 12, 000 leaves were measured. On 20 August, the most common leaf length (309 leaves) ranged from 48.7 to 51.3 cm, petiole length was between 20.0 and 21.7 cm (274 leaves) and single leaf area (278 leaves) was between 117 and 139 cm2 (278 leaves). The most common leaf blade width was recorded on 10 July, and it ranged from 10.1 to 10.8 cm (279 leaves). Linear regression showed a highly significant relation¬ship for leaf blade length and leaf area (R2 = 0.55, p < 0.001), leaf blade width and leaf area (R2 = 0.87, p < 0.001) and leaf petiole length and leaf area (R2 = 0.18, p < 0.001). Thus, leaf blade width was the best parameter for predicting leaf area.

Zahvaljujući svojoj visokoj nutritivnoj vrijednosti, konzumacija pšenične trave kao prirodnog dodatka prehrani, postaje sve popularnija. Iako niz istraživanja potvrđuje dobrobiti primjene pšenične trave u liječenju i prevenciji raznih oboljenja, o ukupnom i bioraspoloživom mineralnom sastavu nema puno podataka. Stoga je cilj ovog istraživanja ispitati varijabilnosti ukupnih i in vitro bioraspoloživih koncentracija makroelemenata (K, Ca, Mg) i mikroelemenata (Fe, Mn, Zn) iz soka pšenične trave 100 kultivara pšenice. Simulacija probave in vitro provedena je prema standardiziranoj metodi, a ukupne i bioraspoložive koncentracije određene su ICP-OES tehnikom. Sve koncentracije izražene su u mg l-1. Prosječna ukupna koncentracija K iznosila je 3352 ± 292, Ca 367 ± 21, Mg 235 ± 14, Fe 3, 56 ± 0, 27, Mn 3, 67 ± 0, 31 i Zn 2, 11 ± 0, 15. Nakon in vitro simulacije prosječna koncentracija K iznosila je 2982 ± 289, Ca 296 ± 24, 66, Mg 202 ± 13, 64, Fe 1, 47 ± 0, 11, Mn 3, 11 ± 0, 31, Zn 0, 71 ± 0, 01. Općenito, za ukupne koncentracije je utvrđena niža varijabilnost između kultivara u odnosu na bioraspoložive koncentracije. Najveća varijabilnost između kultivara (37 %), utvrđena je za bioraspoložive koncentracije Zn, a najniža za ukupne koncentracije Mg (13 %). Osim toga, između ispitivanih kultivara utvrđena statistički značajna razlika za sve ispitivane makro i mikroelemente. Na temelju dobivenih informacija o mineralnom sastavu soka pšenične trave može se provesti izbor sorti za buduća istraživanja.

Posljednjih desetljeća uloženi su veliki napori u utvrđivanje puteva usvajanja, translokacije i akumulacije minerala u zrno pšenice. Biofortifi kacija se pokazala kao uspješna mjera koja se koristi za povećanje sadržaja minerala u zrnu. Uz to, poznato je da se genotipovi pšenice razlikuju po sposobnosti akumulacije minerala u zrno. Uzevši to u obzir, jasno je da se za postizanje ciljane koncentracije minerala i poželjnog odnosa minerala u zrnu, treba kombinirati biofortifi kaciju s izborom odgovarajućeg genotipa. S obzirom na to, cilj ovog istraživanja bio je istražiti utjecaj biofortifi kacije cinkom i selenom na koncentracije minerala u zrnu različitih genotipova pšenice. Pokus je postavljen po planu potpuno slučajnog blok sustava s dva tretmana (genotip i biofortifi kacija) u tri ponavljanja. Najnižu koncentraciju Mg, Fe, Mn i Zn na svim razinama biofortifi kacije imala je Srpanjka. Genotip U1 imao je najvišu koncentraciju K, Mg, Fe i Zn u tretmanima s biofortifi kacijom, dok je na kontrolnom tretmanu najvišu koncentraciju K, Mg, Mn i Zn imala Divana. Biofortifi kacija je imala najveći utjecala na koncentraciju Zn i Se u zrnu. U prosjeku, koncentracija Zn se povećala za 41 %, dok se koncentracija Se povećala za 5, 4 puta u tretmanu s biofortifi kacijom u odnosu na kontrolni tretman. Budući da se genotipovi razlikuju po stupnju povećanja koncentracija Zn i Se, potrebno je nastaviti istraživanje kako bi se pronašla optimalna kombinacija genotipa, stupnja i vremena primjene biofortifi kacije.

Young shoots of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), called wheat grass, contain numerous phytochemicals that are essential to humans such as fatty acids, enzymes and antioxidants. As a rich source of chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals, and unlike wheat grain it doesn't contain gluten, it's becoming increasingly popular as a food supplement in people's daily diet. Young plant seedlings can also be rich in bioavailable forms of zinc and selenium, the key players in health and immunity. This study examined the genotypic specificity of 100 varieties and 5 wild relatives of wheatgrass, grown in fully controlled conditions, regarding the content of biologically active compounds that positively affect human health. Based on the obtained results, 9 varieties were sown in open field conditions and biofortified with zinc and selenium. From the harvested biofortified grain, wheatgrass has been grown in controlled conditions. The influence of the term of cutting and different growth conditions, on the content of chloroplast pigments, phenols, flavonoids, flavanols, phenolic acids, ascorbic acid, proline, lipid peroxidation, metal chelating capacity and antioxidant activity of fresh wheatgrass juice, have been examined. The variety of wheat, biofortification and the oscillation of ecological parameters during growth, as well as the intensity and duration of irradiation, the temperature and water availability, significantly influenced the examined parameters. The research revealed which varieties and growth conditions can be recommended for home cultivation, in order to maintain the optimal nutritional value of this functional food supplement.

Background: Wheatgrass is health supplement rich with vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and proteins. Permeability data obtained by Caco-2 intestinal in vitro model correlate with human in vivo absorption mimicking transport through enterocyte membrane. The aim of this study is to evaluate bioaccessibility of minerals (Fe, Mg, Zn) indispensable for cells activity. Methods: The strain of wheat grass (Divana, Croatia) was evaluated in the form of fresh juice, digested juice, and powder before and after biofortification. Samples were collected every 15 minutes. Concentration in time dependant manner were estimated by AAS. Caco-2 model was confirmed by measurement of TEER value. Results: Results of absorption for analysed elements indicate different rate of absorption. After 45 minutes’ portion of absorbed elements are as follows: Fe (86.7 – 97.97 %), Mg (68.8 – 83.8 %) and Zn (65.7 – 81.53 %). The highest rate of absorption for Fe and Zn is observed after 15 minutes while absorption of magnesium is reached after 30 minutes. Conclusion: Results indicate passive model of transport for analysed minerals with the highs rate of absorption in the first 30 minutes indicating medium speed of absorption. Iron is better absorbed from biofortificated sample while magnesium and zinc are more effective absorbed from native sample.

Climate changes have a significant impact on the most important aspects of agricultural production: ecosystem fertility, yield, production costs and revenues. The elasticity of the agroecosystem, as the ability to neutralize stressful conditions, significantly corelate the content of organic matter in the soil, which coul be increased by fertilization with manure. The lower price of manures than mineral fertilizers is an additional reason for their use. However, because of relatively low total content of nutrients (e.g. 1- 5 %) compared to mineral fertilizers (e.g. 21-64 %), the large amounts of manure (on average around 35 t/ha, but can vary 10-50 t/ha) should be applied. The consequence are increased costs of transport and application, especially if production areas are far from the place of manure storage. The goal of this paper is to create a model for calculating the costs of manure application, which uses as initial variables: the content of nutrients in the manure, the fertilization needs (depends on the soil fertility and the crop demands), the price of mineral fertilizers and manure, the distance and size of the production area, the need for hired transport of manure to production area, and the capacity, speed and working capacity of the manure spreader. It was found that up to a certain distance it is more profitable to transport manure with a spreader without additional hiring of transport, but this depends not only on the price of the hired transport (e.g. 1.5 EUR/t) but also on the capacity of the spreader. For example, with a spreader capacity of 14 t, it is more profitable to hire transport at a distance of more than 4.21 km to the plot, and with a spreader capacity of 10 t, it is more profitable to hire transport at a distance of more than 3 km. Also, the share of manure application costs in the total costs of organo-mineral fertilization significantly depends on the total fertilization needs and the need for hired transport (i.e. the distance of the plot). In the total costs of organo-mineral fertilization (from 347 EUR/ha on fertile soils to 1, 026 EUR/ha on poor soils), the costs of manure fertilization are from 160 to 668 EUR/ha. The share of manure application in the costs of fertilization on plots 100 m away ranges from 5.04 to 8.38 %, and on plots 5 km away (without hired transport) it ranges from 14.7 to 23.7 %. Hiring transport for a plots distant more than 3 or 4, 21 km decrease total cost of fertilization with manure, but also increases the share of application (hired transport and spreader costs) in total costs. The model determined that by increasing the plot distance, the share of manure application costs in the structure of organic fertilization costs increases from 5.04% (poor soils, distance 100 m) to 23.80% (fertile soils, distance 10 km).

Mladi izdanci pšenice (Triticum aestivum L.), odnosno pšenična trava se zbog svoje visoke nutritivne vrijednosti smatra funkcionalnom hranom. Selen i cink su dva elementa esencijalna za ljude te je na globalnoj razini utvrđen nedovoljan unos prehranom. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je odrediti utjecaj biofortifikacije Se i Zn na sadržaj kloroplastnih pigmenata, vitamina C, fenola, flavonoida te na antioksidativnu aktivnost u soku pšenične trave. Biofortifikacija jednakim količinama Se i Zn provedena je na tri hrvatske sorte uzgajane na polju, u dvije varijante primjene, u cvatnji te u cvatnji i mliječnoj zriobi. Dobiveno sjeme korišteno je za uzgoj u kontroliranim uvjetima te je deseti dan od sjetve pripremljen sok od mladih izdanaka pšenice. U prosjeku za sve sorte, biofortifikacija je rezultirala značajno većim sadržajem fenola te većom antioksidativnom aktivnošću utvrđenom DPPH i FRAP metodom. Najveća antioksidativna aktivnost FRAP metodom utvrđena je kod sorti U1 i Srpanjke biofortificirane u cvatnji i mliječnoj zriobi te kod Srpanjke biofortificirane samo u cvatnji. Utvrđen je značajan utjecaj biofortifikacije na sadržaj ispitivanih bioloških komponenti u soku pšenične trave. Također, dokazana je genetska specifičnost pšenične trave u fiziološkom odgovoru na biofortifikaciju Se i Zn.

Na Fakultetu agrobiotehničkih znanosti Osijek prepoznat je sustav za osiguranje kvalitete kao temeljni uvjet za stvaranje integriranog europskog prostora visokog obrazovanja. Sukladno tome na Fakultetu se prati kvaliteta izvođenja nastave, provode se istraživanja i anketiranja studenata i nastavnika o izvođenju nastave, nastavnim sadržajima, uvođenju novih pristupa i oblika izvođenja nastave, kompetencijama, komunikaciji s nastavnicima, informiranosti studenata o studijskom programu, izvođenju nastave te radnom opterećenju studenata. Upravo je uloga mladih i obrazovanih sudionika u agrarnom sektoru velika te je zbog loše demografske strukture u ruralnom prostoru neophodno ulagati u ljudske resurse. Kako bi se povećala zapošljivost završenih studenata ali isto tako i uočila važnost agrarnog sektora u nacionalnoj ekonomiji potrebno je implementirati sustave mentoriranja koja bi mogla osnažiti i pospješiti znanja i vještine studenata na tržištu rada. U radu su predstavljena tri sustava mentoriranja (mentor-nastavnik ; mentor-student ; mentor-poslodavac) u različitim fazama djelovanja i provedbe na Fakultetu. Cilj rada je analizirati i argumentirati obrazovno iskustvo studenta temeljeno na znanstvenim i stručnim dostignućima kroz individualni pristup mentoriranja te predložiti daljnje smjernice razvitka.

Young shoots of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), called wheat grass, are most often consumed in human and animal nutrition as juice, powder or tablets. It contains numerous phytochemicals that are essential to human such as fatty acids, enzymes and antioxidants. Furthermore, it is a rich source of chlorophyll, vitamins (A, B, B17, C, E, F, and K), minerals (iron, potassium, calcium and magnesium), and unlike wheat grain it doesn't contain gluten. Due to its nutritional value, wheat grass juice has become popular food supplement all over the world. The aim of this study was to determine the differences in the content of total chlorophyll, carotenoids, phenols and vitamin C in the juice and plant residue. Ten varieties of wheat grass (Pipi, Osječka crvenka, Ružica, Eurofit, Divana, Katarina, Janica, Ludwig, SW Maxi and Felix), were sown into the substrate and grown in a fully controlled conditions in growth chamber. On twelfth day after sowing leaves were cut two centimeters above the ground and squeezed. The extracts of juice and plant residue were spectrophotometrically analyzed for the content of chloroplast pigments, ascorbic acid and total phenols. In average for all parameters examined, the plant residue was found to contain more total chlorophyll, carotenoids and vitamin C, while juice was significantly richer in total phenols content. Also, a significant difference in total content of chlorophyll, carotenoids, phenols and vitamin C, was found between the examined varieties of wheat grass. According to the content of physiologically active compounds tested, the juice of variety Ružica and plant residue of variety Divana, showed the highest nutritional value. Oppositely, Felix and Ludwig were two varieties with the poorest nutritional value of both, juice and plant residue. It can be concluded that fresh, whole leaves of wheat grass would be the best to consume, because beside the beneficial phytochemicals, we also ingest plant fibers which are generally lacking in the human diet. In addition, home growers should take care to choose nutritionally high- quality variety for cultivation.

Wheatgrass – WG (Triticum aestivum) known as “living food” possess a variety of biological activities. It is rich source of proteins, vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. Wheatgrass is a common health supplement, consumed in the form of fresh juice, powder or tablet to boost up the health and vitality. Since most of supplements are orally ingested, big question is active concentration of components absorbed cross the intestinal barrier. Caco-2 cell system is intestinal in vitro model which enables evaluation of compound transport mechanism and ability to pass through enterocyte membrane. Permeability values estimated with Caco-2 model correlate well with human in vivo absorption. The aim of this study is to establish cultivation conditions for Caco-2 model to determinate active concentrations of three minerals (Mg, Zn, Fe) indispensable for cells and enzyme activity. Five variety of WG were germinated over 12 days in controlled conditions (tem. 20°C, day and night light (10/14 h). Samples of WG were centrifuged (3000 rpm/10 min/RT) and applied to cells diluted (1:4) in HBSS/MES buffer. As a standard, commercial WG powder was applied. Samples were collected every 20 minutes (0–100 min) in duplicate and stored at -80°C before analysis.Concentration in time dependent manner were estimated by AAS. Caco-2 model was confirmed by measurement of TEER value for each well on the 19th day of cultivation. Concentration range for Zn, Fe and Mg were respectively as follows: 0 min (117.16 ; 826.54 ; 46.3 x103 µg/L), 20 min (93.85 ; 387.26 ; 23.13 x103 µg/L), 40 min (44.45 ; 66.92 ; 6.85 x103 µg/L), 60 min (29.45 ; 104.49 ; 6.54 x103 µg/L), 80 min (15.23 ; 54.24 ; 2.79 x103 µg/L), 100 min (6.67 ; 46.21 ; 1.75 x103 µg/L). Results indicate passive model of transport for analyzed minerals with well notable tendency of reduced rate of absorption through the time. The highest rate of absorption, as anticipated, was in the first 20 minutes pointing to medium speed absorptive compounds

Pšenična trava je visokonutritivni prirodan dodatak prehrani koji se može konzumirati u obliku svježeg soka, praha ili tableta. Zbog raznolikog i bogatog kemijskog sastava pšeničnu travu se preporuča koristiti za očuvanje zdravlja, te kao dodatak prehrani s ciljem prevencije razvoja raznih bolesti. Cilj istraživanja bio je utvrditi koncentraciju proteina u svježem soku pšenične trave kod 14 hrvatskih sorata i 5 divljih srodnika pšenice. Između hrvatskih sorata i divljih srodnika pšenice utvrđena je statistički značajna razlika u koncentraciji proteina (F=14, 089 ; p

Zeleno lisnato povrće bogato je vlaknima, klorofilom, vitaminima, mineralima i aminokiselinama. Zbog visoke nutritivne vrijednosti često se koristi za pripremu svježih sokova u kojima se najčešće kombinira sa svježim voćem. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je ispitati bioraspoloživost Mg, Fe i Zn iz svježeg soka blitve, listova celera i kupusa te utvrditi kako dodatak limunovog soka utječe na bioraspoloživost navedenih elemenata. Bioraspoložive koncentracije utvrđene su u uzorcima nakon simulacije probave in vitro, a izmjerene su, kao i ukupne koncentracije, pomoću ICP-MS tehnike. Najviše ukupne koncentracije Mg (413, 45 ± 5, 41 mg kg-1) i Fe (27, 82 ± 0, 16 mg kg-1) utvrđene su u soku celera dok je najviša koncentracija Zn utvrđena u soku celera u koji je dodan limunov sok (4, 23 ± 0, 028 mg kg-1). Najniže koncentracije Mg (45, 64 ± 1, 85 mg kg-1), Fe (2, 27 ± 0, 067 mg kg-1) i Zn (1, 38 ± 0, 003 mg kg-1) utvrđene su u svježem soku kupusa. Dodatak limunovog soka značajno je povećao bioraspoloživost (%) Mg (t = 7, 27 ; p < 0, 01), Fe (t = 5, 55 ; p < 0, 01) i Zn (t = 12, 15 ; p < 0, 01) u soku od kupusa. U sokovima blitve i celera nije utvrđen utjecaj dodatka limuna na povećanje postotak bioraspoloživosti ispitivanih elemenata. Sokovi blitve, celera i kupusa se značajno razlikuju s obzirom na bioraspoloživost Mg, Fe i Zn, a najniža bioraspoloživost (%) sva tri elementa utvrđena je u soku celera. Općenito Mg ima najveću bioraspoloživost, dok je najniža bioraspoloživost utvrđena za Fe.

Due to similar electrochemical properties, the plants often assimilate selenium and sulfur through the same membrane transporters. Selenium is a beneficial element for plants that is involved in sulfur assimilation pathways and can replace sulfur in organic compounds without the adverse effects on their physiological function. Also, both elements are known to be extremely important in plants’ response to abiotic and biotic stress. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of sodium hydrogen sulfide (NaHS) solution, sodium selenate (Na2SeO4) and their combinations on the content of chloroplast pigments, phenols, flavonoids, vitamin C, proline and the level of lipid peroxidation in three cultivars of wheat grass (Triticum aestivum L.), grown at 10, 20 and 30ºC. Significantly higher contents of phenols and flavonoids were found in wheatgrass plants grown at 10°C. Regarding the cultivar Katarina, the highest content of vitamin C and proline was determined in the variant of seed priming by the combination of Na2SeO4 and NaHS solutions. The highest level of lipid peroxidation was found in the hydro-priming variant. In the cultivar Osječka 20, the highest content of vitamin C was found in plants developed from hydro-primed seeds, and in the case of cultivar Super Žitarka this was seen in the NaHS- priming variant. The results of this research confirm the protective role of both tested elements at growing temperatures outside the optimum limits for wheatgrass, because they affect the synthesis of protective molecules and signaling components in plant metabolism. Also, it has been proven that there is a genetic specificity of wheat grass in response to seed priming variants at different growing temperatures.

Fitotoksičnost uzrokuje smanjenu klijavost, inhibira rast i razvoj biljke uz druge štetne učinke, a može biti uzrokovana solima, teškim metalima, fenolima, amonijskim oblikom dušika ili organskim kiselinama koje mogu nastati razgradnjom inkorporiranih svježih biljnih ostataka ili nezrelih organskih gnojiva. Cilj provedenog istraživanja bio je testom klijavosti utvrditi fitotoksičnost octene i limunske kiseline. Osnovna hipoteza istraživanja je da postoji razlika u fitotoksičnosti octene kiseline i limunske kiseline te da postoji razlika između kres salate i krastavca kao testnih vrsta. Za test klijavosti kres salate i krastavca korišteno je 20 sjemenki i 5 mL otopine rastućih koncentracija octene ili limunske kiseline (0, 10 mM ; 0, 25 mM ; 0, 50 mM ; 1, 00 mM ; 2, 00 mM ; 4, 00 mM ; 8, 00 mM) te Petrijeve zdjelice, a kao kontrolni tretman korištena je deionizirana voda. Rezultati ukazuju da je krastavac osjetljiviji na fitotoksični učinak kiselina, ali je kres salata imala intenzivniju reakciju na različite koncentracije kiselina. Octena kiselina je intenzivnije utjecala na korijen kres salate i krastavca nego limunska kiselina, a kres salata je pogodnija kao indikator vrsta za osjetljivost na organske kiseline. Octena i limunska kiselina imaju visoki fitotoksični učinak u koncentracijama ≥ 4, 0 mM. Fitostimulativni učinak nemaju na krastavac, a na kres salatu imaju u koncentracijama 0, 5 mM i 1, 0 mM, pri čemu je izraženiji fitostimulativni učinak octene nego limunske kiseline. Octena kiselina također ima veće raspone fitostimulativnog i fitotoksičnog učinka nego limunska kiselina, tj. krivulja utjecaja octene kiseline je strmija nego krivulja učinka limunske kiseline. Zaključno, octena kiselina je pri nižim koncentracijama fitostimulativnija, a pri višim koncentracijama fititoksičnija nego limunska kiselina

The aim of this research was to compare nutritional value of wheatgrass juice to apple, carrot, beet, lemon, orange, cabbage, Swiss chard and celery fresh juice on the basis of K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe and Zn concentrations. A concentration of elements in juices was determined by ICP – OES technique. According to one sample t test (p < 0.05) wheatgrass juice had significantly higher concentrations of all examined elements in comparison to apple, carrot, lemon, orange and cabbage juice. As hierarchical cluster analysis revealed, regarding the mineral concentrations, wheatgrass juice is most similar to Swiss chard and beet juice. Obtained results indicated that wheatgrass juice is valuable source of minerals. Therefore, it can be recommended for use in daily diet alongside commonly used juices.

The effect of anaerobically stabilized sewage sludge and sludge compost on the chemical properties, organic matter (OM) content and quality, and macro- nutrient amounts of acidic sand and calcareous chernozem soils was studied. The impact on the yield and nutrient uptake of perennial ryegrass test plant was also evaluated. The amendments were added to the soils in a proportion of 1 % and 3 % rates. The composting process and the compost additive (green waste) increased the pH and decreased the organic carbon and nitrogen contents of the sewage sludge. The pH of the acidic soil was increased especially by compost treatments, while the sewage sludge application lowered the pH of the calcareous chernozem from the alkaline range to near neutral. The OM and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) showed moderate, total N slight, while NH4-N, NO3-N and P substantial increases as a result of the applied treatments. Biomass yields followed a similar trend on both soils: sewage sludge amendment showed a strong effect even at the 1 % treatment rate while increasing the compost addition to soil led to a more gradual growth of ryegrass yields. As a result of the studied treatments, the plant N contents also increased in some cases.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) as a component of cellular signal transduction is involved in a large number of physiological processes and responses to abiotic types of stress. It is known it increases photosynthesis by stimulating the carboxylation pathway of RuBISCO and increasing chlorophyll synthesis. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of sodium hydrogen sulfide (NaHS) and time of application on the physiological properties of etiolated wheatgrass plants. Wheatgrass was grown under controlled conditions for five days without light and then with a 12-hour photoperiod, watered for 3 days with 100, 200 and 500 mM of NaHS solutions. Plants were watered from 7th-9th, 10th-12th and 13th-15th day. The highest content of phenols (268.56 µgGA/100 mg FW), flavonoids (153.72 µgQC/100 mgFW) and hydrogen peroxide (9.617 nmol/gFW) was found in wheatgrass plants watered with 100 mM NaHS. The highest proline content and lipid peroxidation were found in plants at 500 mM NaHS. At 200 mM NaHS, the highest content of total chlorophyll (1.08 mg/gFW), vitamin C (0.897 mg/100gFW) and antioxidant activity (IC50% 13.837 mgFW) were determined. Watering period significantly influenced the examined physiological parameters, as well. The results show that H2S significantly affects the de-etiolation process in wheatgrass plants.

Zbog raznolikog kemijskog sastava i obilja nutrijenata pšenična trava koristi se kao prirodni dodatak prehrani. Mineralni sastav pšenične trave u značajnoj mjeri ovisi o mineralima akumuliranim u zrnu koje se koristi za uzgoj pšenične trave. Poznato je da su divlji srodnici pšenice sposobni akumulirati više minerala u zrnu u odnosu na većinu modernih kultivara. Prema tome, cilj ovog istraživanja bio je ispitati razlike između divljih srodnika i modernih kultivara u ukupnim koncentracijama Mg, Fe i Zn u soku pšenične trave. U ispitivanje je uključeno 100 kultivara pšenice koji su priznati u različitim periodima (prije 1960., 1960. do 1990. i 1991. do 2010.) te 5 divljih srodnika. Pšenica je uzgajana 12 dana u komori za rast biljaka pri temperature od 20 °C i ciklusu dan/noć 10/14. Uzorci soka pšenične trave razoreni su po mokrom postupku, a ukupne koncentracije Mg, Fe i Zn određene su ICP-OES tehnikom. Iako između ispitivanih grupa kultivara i divljih srodnika nisu utvrđene statistički značajne razlike u koncentracijama Mg (F = 1, 24 ; df = 3 ; p = 0, 30) i Fe (F = 1, 61 ; df = 3 ; p = 0, 18), divlji su srodnici ipak imali više koncentracije Mg (238 ± 32, 7 mg kg -1) i Fe (3, 66 ± 0, 60 mg kg -1) nego moderni kultivari. Što se tiče koncentracije Zn, divlji srodnici (2, 92 ± 0, 75 mg kg -1) imali su značajno višu koncentraciju u odnosu na ostale ispitivane grupe kultivara (F = 23, 44 ; df = 3 ; p < 0, 01). Kao što je očekivano, divlji srodnici imaju više koncentracije Mg, Fe i Zn u soku pšenične trave, u odnosu na ostale ispitivane grupe kultivara. Budućim istraživanjima treba ispitati jesu li razlike u koncentraciji minerala između divljih srodnika i modernih kultivara posljedica viših koncentracija minerala u zrnu divljih srodnika ili su rezultat učinkovitije translokacije minerala iz zrna u mlade biljke.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is involved in many physiological processes and responses to the abiotic types of stress. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of sodium hydrogen sulfide (NaHS) and the time of application on the physiological properties of etiolated wheatgrass plants. Two genotypes of wheatgrass were grown under controlled conditions for five days without light and then with a 12-hour photoperiod, watered for three consecutive days with 100, 200, and 500 mM NaHS solutions. The plants were watered in three variants, 7-9, 10-12, and 13-15 days after sowing, respectively. The highest content of phenols, flavonoids, and hydrogen peroxide was found in wheatgrass plants watered with 100 mM of NaHS solution. The highest proline content and lipid peroxidation levels were found in the plants at 500 mM of NaHS solution. Also, the significant influence of the watering period on the examined physiological parameters was determined. The results show that H2S significantly affects the de-etiolation process and concentration of physiologically active compounds in wheatgrass plants., Sumporovodik (H2S) je uključen u velik broj fizioloških procesa i reakcija na abiotske tipove stresa. Cilj istraživanja bio je utvrditi utjecaj natrijevog hidrogensulfida (NaHS) i vremena primjene na fiziološka svojstva etioliranih biljaka pšenične trave. Dva su genotipa pšenične trave uzgajana u kontroliranim uvjetima pet dana bez svjetlosti te nakon toga uz dvanaestosatni fotoperiod, zalijevane tri dana zaredom otopinama NaHS koncentracija 100, 200 i 500 mM. Varijante tretmana zalijevanja uz osvjetljenje bile su sedmoga do devetoga, desetoga do dvanaestoga te trinaestoga do petnaestoga dana nakon sjetve. Najveći sadržaj fenola, flavonoida te vodikova peroksida utvrđen je kod biljaka pšenične trave zalijevanih otopinom 100 mM NaHS. Najviši sadržaj prolina i lipidna peroksidacija utvrđeni su kod biljaka pri 500 mM NaHS. Također, utvrđen je i značajan utjecaj perioda zalijevanja na ispitivane fiziološke parametre. Rezultati pokazuju da H2S značajno utječe na proces deetiolacije kod biljaka pšenične trave i sadržaj fiziološki aktivnih komponenata u pšeničnoj travi.

The maturity and quality of the substrate is most often evaluated by the cultivation of plants by direct sowing into the growing media. The limit of the toxic impact of plant nutrients, in addition to chemical form and concentration, depends on the physico-chemical properties of the growing medium. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of commercial substrate, compost and vermicompost, and their mixtures with commercial substrate in a 1:1 ratio, watered using solutions with 400 or 600 mg NH4+ L-1 on the content of chloroplast pigments, phenols, flavonoids and antioxidant activity. Four plant species were used in the bioassay: garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.), cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), and wheat (× Triticosecale Wittmack). The plants were grown under controlled conditions for four weeks during which they were watered with deionized water or NH4+ solutions. The growing medium, solutions and their interactions significantly influenced the content of chloroplast pigments. No significant effect of before mentioned treatments on carotenoid content was found in barley. Substrate significantly influenced the phenol content in barley and lettuce, and the interaction medium×solution significantly affect its content in barley and wheat. The content of flavonoids in barley was significantly influenced by the substrate, while their content in salad was significantly influenced by the NH4+ solution. Total antioxidant activity in wheat was significantly influenced by both treatments. The highest value of the antioxidant activity according to DPPH method, was found in wheat grown in commercial substrate (0.023) and lowest in mixtures of compost (0.012) and vermicompost (0.016) with commercial substrate. Higher antioxidant activity was found in wheat watered with deionized water (0.021) compared to watering solutions containing 400 mg NH4+ L-1 (0.016) and 600 mg NH4+ L-1 (0.015).

Biološki testovi s uzgojem biljaka precizniji su indikatori zrelosti i fitotoksičnosti organskih gnojiva od testa klijavosti zbog izravne sjetve u medij (organsko gnojivo ili smjese s različitim kondicionerima). Tako su biljke pored vodotopivih tvari izložene i tvarima povezanim sa supstratom koje se mogu mobilizirati promjenama vlažnosti, temperature, izlučevinama korijena ili mikroorganizama. Cilj istraživanja je biološkim testom s uzgojem biljaka usporediti zrelost i fitotoksičnost komercijalnog supstrata, komposta i vermikomposta proizvedenih od biljnih ostataka s javnih zelenih površina. Za test su korištene 4 biljne vrste: kres salata (Lepidium sativum L.), krastavac (Cucumis sativus L.), ječam (Hordeum vulgare L.) i pšenoraž (×Triticosecale Wittmack) i 5 različitih medija (komercijalni supstrat, kompost, vermikompost, smjesa 1:1 komposta i komercijalnog supstrata i smjesa 1:1 vermikomposta i komercijalnog supstrata). Svaki je tretman postavljen u 8 ponavljanja s po 2 (kres salata i krastavac) ili 10 sjemenki (ječam i pšenoraž). Tijekom uzgoja biljke su zalijevane deioniziranom vodom ili otopinom s 400 ili 600 mg NH4+ L-1. U prosjeku svih testnih biljnih vrsta utvrđena je najveća nadzemna masa suhe tvari na komercijalnom supstratu (17, 3) i smjesama s kompostom (16, 6) i vermikompostom (15, 7), a značajno manje mase na kompostu (13, 3) i vermikompostu (11, 9). Najveću nadzemnu masu proizveo je ječam, značajno manju krastavac i pšenoraž, a najmanju kres salata. Značajno najveće mase ječma utvrđene su na smjesama komposta i vermikomposta s komercijalnim supstratom, značajno manje na komercijalnom supstratu, a značajno najmanje na kompostu i vermikompostu. Slično je bilo i kod ostalih vrsta, ali bez značajnih razlika između smjesa i komercijalnog supstrata. Dodane otopine amonijevog karbonata značajno su povećale nadzemne mase suhe tvari ječma i pšenoraži u odnosu na kontrolu s vodom, nisu značajno utjecale na krastavac, a fitotoksični učinak smanjenjem nadzemne mase utvrđen je samo za kres salatu. Biološkim testom potvrđeno je da su kompost i vermikompost kvalitetne komponente za pripremu smjese za uzgoj s komercijalnim supstratom. Najpogodniji indikator produktivnosti i fitotoksičnosti medija su kres salata i ječam.

Pšenica se smatra najznačajnijom žitaricom u svijetu jer se najčešće koristi za proizvodnju kruha. Osim toga pšenica je osnovna hrana velikom dijelu svjetske populacije te samim tim unos hranjivih tvari u organizam ljudi značajno ovisi o nutritivnoj vrijednosti zrna pšenice. Trenutno u svijetu preko tri milijarde ljudi ima zdravstvenih problema zbog nedostatka mikronutrijenata (Fe, Zn, Se, I, Cu i drugi) u svakodnevnoj prehrani. Taj problem je izrazito naglašen u zemljama u razvoju i pogađa sve dobne skupine, a osobito su tom riziku izložene žene i djeca. Uz to, u posljednje vrijeme sve je više istraživanja koja ukazuju na nedostatak određenih mikronutrijenata u prehrani ljudi u razvijenim zemljama. Povećanje sadržaja mikronutrijenata u zrnu pšenice može se postići agronomskom i genetskom biofortifikacijom. U prošlosti su najčešći ciljevi oplemenjivanja pšenice bili kreiranje genotipova s većim prinosom, genotipova s povećanom otpornošću na polijeganje te povećanom otpornošću na bolesti. No, u posljednje vrijeme, s obzirom na problem nedostatka mikronutrijenata u prehrani velikog broja ljudi, kreće se u oplemenjivanje pšenice s ciljem kreiranja zrna s povećanom nutritivnom vrijednošću, što je izuzetno zahtjevan posao s obzirom na nasljednost tih svojstava i kompleksnost genoma pšenice.

Due to its nutritional value, wheatgrass is increasingly used as dietary food supplement in the form of fresh wheatgrass juice (WGJ), powder or tablets. The aim of this research was to examine the difference in total and in vitro bioaccessible concentrations of K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe and Zn in fresh WGJ of 37 wheat genotypes. The results of this research indicates that a selection of genotype for cultivation of wheatgrass is important since genotype has significant effect on total and in vitro bioaccessible concentrations of examined elements. Also, the effect of antinutrients and enhancers of bioaccessibility should be taken into consideration when selecting genotypes for the cultivation of wheatgrass.

Cilj ovoga istraživanja bio je ispitati utjecaj regulatora rasta i fungicida na morfološka i fiziološka svojstva sjemena soje. Istraživanje je provedeno na četiri hrvatske sorte soje - Ema, Lucija, Korana i Sonja. Na sjeme svake sorte primijenjena su četiri tretmana: kontrola, fungicid (Vitavax 200 FF), regulator rasta (Slavol S) i fungicid + regulator rasta, gdje je svaki tretman bio zastupljen s tri ponavljanja. Tretirano sjeme uzgajano je u klijalištu. Ispitivani su duljina korjenčića, duljina hipokotila, masa biljčice, energija klijanja i klijavost. Istraživanjem je utvrđen statistički značajan utjecaj sorte i interakcije sorta × tretman na duljinu korjenčića, duljinu hipokotila i masu biljčice. Također, utvrđen je statistički značajan utjecaj tretmana na duljinu korjenčića. Kod energije klijanja i klijavosti utvrđen je statistički značajan utjecaj sorte i tretmana.

Wheatgrass is rich in nutritionally valuable compounds, which is a reason why it is often consumed as a natural food supplement. It is well known that Mg, Fe and Zn are mineral elements often lacking in human diet. So, in order to identify genotypes that are rich in these elements, the aim of this research was to determine the differences in Mg, Fe and Zn concentration in wheatgrass juice in a set of wheat cultivars of a different origin. The wheatgrass (100 cultivars originating from different countries: Croatia (30), Austria (10), Germany (10) France (10), Hungary (10), Italy (10), Russia (10) and Serbia (10)) was grown in controlled conditions (20°C and 10/14 h day/night cycle). A wheatgrass juice was prepared from 12 days old leaves by manual wheatgrass juicer. Total concentrations of Mg, Fe and Zn were determined by ICP-OES technique after wet digestion of juice samples. Tested groups of wheat cultivars differed significantly in Mg (F = 8.13 ; df = 7 ; p < 0.01), Fe (F = 13.34 ; df = 7 ; p < 0.01) and Zn (F = 16.06 ; df = 7 ; p < 0.01) concentration in wheatgrass juice. The Mg concentration varied from 209 ± 35.4 in Serbian to 266 ± 36 mg kg -1 in French cultivars. The lowest Fe concentration was determined in Russian cultivars (3.10 ± 0.42 mg kg -1) while the lowest average Zn concentration was found in French cultivars (1.79 ± 0.28 mg kg -1). The highest concentrations of Fe and Zn were found in Croatian cultivars (4.02 ± 0.59 and 2.29 ± 0.25 mg kg -1). Obtained results indicate that it would be possible to choose cultivars from the group of Croatian cultivars that will yield wheatgrass juice with higher concentrations of desirable mineral elements in comparison to cultivars from other tested groups.

Young seedlings of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) that can be used as a dietary supplement, are called wheat grass. Its juice is rich in chlorophylls, phenols and other antioxidant components, which is why it is considered a functional food. Chlorophyll is a rich source of bioavailable magnesium bounded to the porphyrin core in a similar way as iron is bounded to the hemium structure. Phenolic compounds are secondary metabolites of plants with high antioxidant activity. The aim of the research was to determine whether there are differences in the content of chloroplast pigments and phenols in wheat grass in five Croatian, five Hungarian and five Serbian cultivars, grown under controlled conditions. The highest ratio of chlorophyll a/b is found in Croatian and Hungarian cultivars in comparison to Serbian cultivars, and the highest average content of phenols was found in the group of Croatian cultivars. In all fifteen examined cultivars, the highest content of chlorophylls and carotenoids was found in the cultivar Žitarka, and the highest content of phenols in the cultivar Srpanjka. The highest content of chlorophylls and carotenoids in the group of Hungarian cultivars was found in the Chardas cultivar, and phenols in the cultivar MV Emese. In the group of Serbian cultivars, the Pesma cultivar was characterized by the highest content of chloroplastic pigments, while the highest content of phenols was found in the Sremica cultivar. The data obtained show that even in young seedlings of wheat, the specifity in chloroplastic pigments and phenols content is highlited and the correct selection of cultivar for domestic growing of this functional dietary supplement, is very important.

Aside from its usage as a staple food, wheat could be used as a dietary supplement as well. Wheatgrass consists of young shoots of wheat that are rich in chlorophyll, bioflavonoids, essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Due to its chemical composition, wheatgrass has numerous positive effects on human health, such as the detoxification of the organism, the strengthening of the immune system, the improvement of blood test results, and others. In this study, forty winter wheat genotypes (23 Croatian, 8 Hungarian, and 9 Serbian) were investigated for total Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, and Zn concentrations in fresh wheatgrass juice (WGJ) and their in vitro bioaccessibility. In vitro digestion was conducted according to Kiers et al. (2001). Total and bioaccessible concentrations of minerals were determined by the ICP-OES technique. The mean values of total mineral concentrations in WGJ varied from 249 to 533 mg L -1 Ca, 156 to 272 mg L -1 Mg, 2.26 to 5.16 mg L -1 Fe, 2.78 to 4.45 mg L -1 Mn, and 1.54 to 2.98 mg L -1 Zn. The percentages of bioaccessibility calculated on the basis of total and in vitro bioaccessible concentrations were as follows: 86% Mg, 84% Mn, 77% Ca, 40% Fe, and 32% Zn. The investigated wheat genotypes differ in total Ca (p

Given the potential of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) as a staple crop for food, feed and pharmaceutical industry, improving the genetic basis of seed quality is one of the main breeding aims on a global scale. The aim of this three-year trial (2010-2012) was to give insight into the soybean seed quality parameters of 22 cultivars suitable for growing in Europe. Field trials were set up as a randomised complete block design with two replicates at the Agricultural Institute Osijek (Osijek, Croatia). The determined seed quality parameters were: protein and oil content, saturated fatty acid content, monounsaturated fatty acid content, polyunsaturated fatty acid content, total saccharide content, total oligosaccharide content, total isoflavone content. Soybean oil and protein contents are the most important seed quality parameters. The usage and value of oil are mainly determined by its fatty acid composition, which affects physical, chemical and nutritional properties. Saccharide composition affects digestibility and nutritional value of soybean seed, affecting the taste and usability while isoflavones are nutraceuticals with many different medical benefits, important for the functional food market and pharmaceutical industry. The results indicate the variability between genotypes for all tested parameters while the influence of environmental conditions was not significant only for total saccharides. The obtained results should be beneficial in determining and planning future breeding strategies, thus enhancing the added value properties of final soybean products for industry and end consumers, making it an integral part of sustainable production.

More than two billion people are exposed to malnutrition, with the lack of zinc being the general problem and the lack of selenium a regional problem. Therefore, 36 barley genotypes were grown in a field experiment with biofortification by 5 or 10 g/ha of foliarly applied selenium. The average protein concentration in whole grain flour without selenium application was 9.14% (range 7.95 - 10.05%) and the zinc concentration was 16.71 to 21.90 mg kg-1 (19.17 on average). The analysed genotypes differ significantly in zinc concentrations, irrespective of the selenium application. In addition, the genotypes differed significantly in terms of protein content and selenium concentrations, and the highest variability was determined after biofortification with a higher dose of selenium. The selenium concentration in barley grains without Se application was very low, just 45 μg/kg on average, but the foliar application of 5 and 10 g Se/ha significantly increased the Se in the grain to 178 and 299 μg/kg on average, which are 4 and 6.6 times higher Se concentrations. Moreover, there were significant differences in genotypes regarding the increase in Se concentrations, from 177 to 511 μg/kg after the application of a higher Se dose. At the same time, biofortification with selenium did not affect zinc concentration, but it had a very significant effect on the protein concentration, with the lowest protein content being in the control treatment without selenium. Considering the average Se concentrations in whole grain barley flour, 1.22 kg of regular flour would be needed for the intake of 55 μg of Se as a mean daily recommendation, but just 309 or 184 g of flour biofortified with a lower or a higher Se dose would be enough. These facts and the specificity of barley genotypes indicate the high potential of barley for biofortification.

Masa 1000 zrna je, uz broj fertilnih klasova po jedinici površine i broj zrna po klasu, jedna od glavnih komponenti prinosa pšenice. Saharozna sintetaza (SUS - Sucrose Synthase) je enzim koji ima ključnu ulogu u pretvorbi saharoze u škrob, a koji čini najveći dio suhe tvari zrna te tako direktno utječe na formiranje njegove mase. Invertaza stanične stijenke (CWI - Cell Wall Invertase) je još jedan enzim povezan s masom 1000 zrna, a koji katalizira hidrolizu saharoze do glukoze i fruktoze. Cilj ovoga istraživanja bio je ispitati alelnu kompoziciju TaCwi-A1 i TaSus2- 2B lokusa na uzorku od 50 hrvatskih kultivara ozime pšenice. Prisutnost TaCwi-A1a alela utvrđena je kod 90 % ispitivanih kultivara pšenice, a TaCwi- A1b alela kod njih 14 %. Na TaSus2-2B lokusu utvrđena je prisutnost Hap-L haplotipa kod 80 % ispitivanih kultivara pšenice, dok je Hap-H haplotip utvrđen kod njih 6 %. Prosječna masa 1000 zrna kultivara s TaCwi-A1a alelom bila je 47, 79 g, a onih s TaCwi-A1b alelom 48, 35 g. Kultivari s haplotipom Hap-L imali su prosječnu masu 1000 zrna 47, 81 g, a oni s Hap-H haplotipom 49, 93 g. Nisu utvrđene značajnije razlike u masi 1000 zrna s obzirom na različite alelne kompozicije ispitivanih kultivara. To se može objasniti činjenicom da je masa 1000 zrna kompleksno svojstvo pod utjecajem većeg broja gena te nije moguće objasniti potpunu fenotipsku varijancu na osnovu alelne kompozicije samo dva lokusa.

Wheatgrass is used as food supplement in the form of fresh juice, powder or tablets. The main reasons for the use of wheatgrass as a food supplement are high quality chemical composition and a presence of numerous nutraceuticals. Wheatgrass is rich in chlorophyll, minerals, vitamins, proteins, enzymes and have high antioxidant potential. The aim of this paper was to give a short review of recent researches related to nutritional quality of wheatgrass.

Minerals are essential nutrients that support a wide variety of bodily functions. Food is the main source of minerals for humans, and some foods are better sources of minerals than others. The aim of this research was to compare two static in vitro digestion methods (Kiers et al. (2000) and Minekus et al. (2014)) for determination of bioaccessibility of K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, and Zn in fresh wheatgrass juice. The experiment was carried out on a 25 wheat cultivars, grown in controlled conditions for 12 days. Higher mean concentrations of Ca (24%), Mg (7 %), K (10%), and Mn (37%) were determined (ICP-OES technique) after simulation of in vitro digestion by Kiers et al. (2000), while higher Fe (38%) and Zn (65%) concentrations were determined after simulation of in vitro digestion by Minekus et al. (2014). Correlation of mineral concentrations between two methods was significant (p

It is known that wheatgrass is a rich source of nutrients that have a positive impact on human health. Making the juice of it using juicer, the cellulose residue is most often thrown away. The aim of the study was to determine the content of photosynthetic pigments, phenols and vitamin C in the juice and the cellulose residue in ten varieties of wheatgrass and evaluate the amount of active components remaining in the cellulose residue. On average for all varieties, significantly higher amounts of these compounds were found in the cellulose residue as compared to the juice. There was also significant difference in the content of the before mentioned compounds between wheat varieties. The highest average content of chlorophyll a, carotenoids and phenols was found in Katarina variety, the highest content of chlorophyll b in the variety Eurofit and the highest content of vitamin C in the variety Pipi. The data obtained show that the variety significantly affects all of the examined parameters and that more than half of the biologically active compounds tested are lost by throwing the cellulose residue.

Young wheat shoots (Triticum aestivum L.) are known as wheatgrass. Wheatgrass is used as a natural food supplement most commonly in the form of fresh juice. A wheatgrass for preparation of juice is mainly grown in a housholds, where mildew occurrence often makes such wheatgrass unsuitable for consumption. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in seed disinfection (distilled water, autoclaved water and 15% NaClO) and the substrate (without substrate, quartz sand and Brill substrate (disinfected and non- disinfected)) on the incidence of mildew, the number of plants, plant weight, amount of juice and the concentration of chloroplast pigments in two cultivars (‘Ilirija’ and ‘Katarina’). Disinfection of seeds and substrates are carried out with methods that can be applied in the households. The highest incidence of mildew, lowest number of plants and lowest plant weight were detected in the wheatgrass cultivated without substrate, regardless of cultivar and disinfection. The highest plant weight in both cultivars was obtained in plants grown from seeds disinfected with distilled water on the disinfected Brill substrate (23.77 ± 1.07 g and 17.73 ± 0.40 g in ‘Ilirija’ and ‘Katarina’, respectively). Plant weight and the amount of juice are correlated (r = 0.98, p < 0.01). The obtained results indicate that examined traits are under strongest effect of cultivar and type of substrate for plant growth.

Due to the high content of bioactive compounds, wheatgrass is used as a natural dietary supplement. Besides as capsules or powder, wheatgrass is also used in the form of fresh juice. Wheatgrass juice (WGJ) is produced from young wheat plants and could be consumed as it is or in mixture with other juices. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of fresh WGJ on a total and bioavailable concentrations of Ca, K, Mg, Mn, Fe and Zn, antioxidant activity and phenol, flavonoid and vitamin C contents in fresh apple, beet, carrot, orange, and lemon juice. The WGJ had the highest total concentrations of Ca (430 mg l-1), Mg (325 mg l-1), Fe (4.64 mg l- 1), Mn (6.40 mg l-1), and Zn (2.80 mg l-1) in comparison to other juices. IC50 for antioxidant activity (based on DPPH method) was 0.27 for WGJ, while IC50 ranged from 0.15 (orange juice) to 2.9 (carrot juice). Total phenolic content (based on Folin Ciocalteu method) ranged from 154 (carrot juice) to 1246 (WGJ) μg gallic acid equivalent/ml of juice. Flavonoids content varied from 56 (lemon juice) to 320 (WGJ) μg quercetin equivalent/ml of juice. Vitamin C content ranged between 0.02 (beet juice) to 1.07 (lemon + WGJ) μg/ml of juice. In general, the addition of WGJ to other juices increased total and bioavailable concentrations of all elements in all examined juices (an exception was bioavailable K concentration in pure beet juice). Addition of WGJ increased antioxidant activity in fresh beet and carrot juice, vitamin C content in apple, carrot, and beet juice, as well as phenolic and flavonoid contents in all, examined juices. Thus, the nutritional properties of some juices could be improved by the addition of WGJ. Therefore, the synergy of WGJ with different foods and beverages should be further investigated.