RIFoC
Digitalna archive of the Instiitute for Forage Crops
Primary research results available.
- Institutional digital repository of the Institute for Forage Crops established in December 2023.
- Since April 2024. portal eNauka regularily harvests meta-data from RIFoC repository.
Contents of RIFoC
- Ustanova vodi poreklo od Uglednog dobra i vrta formiranog 2. februara 1884. godine odlukom Podružine kruševačke Srpskog poljoprivrednog društva na Drugom glavnom zboru a “na osnovu tvrdog uverenja da se neposrednim primernim radovima na oglednim dobrima, najjače i najbrže može dejstvovati na unapredjenje poljoprivrede narodne”. U toku svoje istorije, menjani su nazivi i delimično nadležnosti, a od 21. oktobra 1932. godine postaje naučna ustanova spajanjem Agrobotaničkog odseka Poljoprivredne ogledne i kontrolne stanice u Topčideru i Poljoprivredne stanice u Kruševcu
Recent Submissions
Status and prospects of livestock breeding and animal feed production in the Republic of Serbia in the context of climate change
(Instituta za zaštitu bilja i životnu sredinu iz Beograda i Naučno poslovnog centra ''WORLD'' iz Kraljeva, 2025-01-30) Lugić, Zoran; Zornic, Vladimir; Petrović, Mirjana; Lazarević, Đorđe; Racić, Nedeljko; Mandić, Violeta; Babić, Snežana
Animal husbandry is the most important branch of agriculture because it produces the most important food for people. Forage plants, grasslands and pastures are a cheap and high-quality source of food for animals. They create a large vegetative mass and are rich in proteins, carbohydrates and other nutrients. The climatic condition in Serbia is favorable for forage production of most important forage crops. The crop structure on arable land is very unfavorable, primarily from the aspect of animal feed production and sustainable land use. The trend of decreasing areas under arable forage plants, meadows and pastures coincides with the trend of decreasing numbers of all types of domestic animals, especially cattle, sheep and pigs. One of the main reasons for the decline in livestock production is the low competitiveness and accumulative nature of this production.
THE INFLUENCE OF WEATHER ON THE QUALITY OF HONEY IN RASINA REGION FOR THE PERIOD OF 2019-2024
(University of East Sarajevo, Faculty of Agriculture, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia, 2025-10-02) Jevtić, Goran; Babić, Snežana; Andjelković, Snežana; Lazarević, Đorđe; Petrović, Mirjana; Zornic, Vladimir; Matović, K.
The paper monitored the influence of weather conditions (temperature, air humidity, sunshine and rainfall) on the quality of acacia honey, meadow honey and honeydew in the period 2019- 2024. from the territory of the Rasin district in Serbia. Weather conditions were monitored both throughout the year and for 30 days during the acacia flowering. The parameters of honey quality were determined according to the methods of the Rulebook on the quality of honey and other bee products (2015). According to this rulebook, the following parameters of honey quality were determined: the amount of water, free acids, reducing sugars, sucrose, substances insoluble in water, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), diastase activity and electrical conductivity. When it comes to the weather in this period, two years stand out. One of these was 2024, dry and warm with high temperatures, low humidity and little precipitation. The other is 2023,
which was warm and humid, when a high average temperature was measured, but also the highest amount of precipitation and the highest air humidity. After the weather conditions were followed 30 days since the flowering of acacia, we concluded that the year 2022 was the warmest, and that the other parameters were the highest in 2023. The weather conditions, in all three analyzed types of honey, had the greatest influence on the amount of water and the amount
of free acids. In 2023, all three types of honey had the most water and the most free acids. Acacia honey had slightly more water in 2021 and less sucrose in 2023. Honeydew has an increased content of free acids and their presence in honey does not depend much on weather conditions.
Mineral composition of alfalfa grown in soils with increased concentrations of trace elements
(World Alfalfa Congress, 2025-11-03) Andjelković, Snežana; Pešić, S.; Tošić-Jojević, S.; Sikirić, B.; Milinković, M.; Mrvić, V.; Stajković-Srbinović, O.
Growing plants in soils with increased content of potentially toxic elements requires careful management due to the elements entry into the food chain through crops. In this study, the alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) was grown in the two locations on Fluvisol with different increased nickel (Ni) concentrations: location Mala Ivanča (near Belgrade) with 58 mg kg-1 and location Globoder (near Kruševac) with 195 mg kg-1 of Ni. In addition, the soil near Kruševac has
increased concentrations of chromium (Cr) and lead (Pb). Inoculation of alfalfa with different rhizobial strains (Ensifer meliloti) was performed. The experiments were established both under the field and greenhouse conditions in spring 2024. In the field conditions inoculation of alfalfa seeds (variety K-28) was performed with the strains of rhizobia, E. meliloti 218, 224, G-nov, 4193cs, 217k, 252. Inoculation of alfalfa grown in pots (greenhouse conditions) with additional
seven strains of rhizobia (GPD2, 225, Melxx, 10-2BM, L3Si, L4, 4148ss) was done. The dry mass yield and elements concentrations in alfalfa plants (N, As, Co, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni, Pb) were measured. The plants analysis was done in first cut at the beginning of flowering. It was shown that dry mass yield and Ni concentrations were influenced by the soil characteristics, treatment as well as their interaction. In some inoculated treatments the increase in dry mass yield (up to 20%) and nitrogen content compared to non-treated control plants was observed. The differences between two soil locations were more pronounced under the field conditions then in the greenhouse, where the best performant characteristic showed two treatments E.meliloti 252 and 4193cs. Inoculation with some strains decreased Ni concentration (up to 40%) compared to the control, depending on the strain and type of soil. Alfalfa Ni concentrations in shoots varied from 1.73 up to 7.35¯mg¯kgˆ’1, depending on the soil type, the treatment and culture conditions. The significantly higher concentration of Ni, Cr and Pb in plants of all treatments were detected in the soil with their higher concentrations. Generally, more elements were stored in roots than in alfalfa shoots. Concentrations of all tested elements were mainly within the range of common values for plants. Further research is necessary to evaluate the effects on growth in the second and third year of the trial.
Aluminum toxicity in alfalfa seedlings: Effects on root growth and antioxidative defense in three cultivars
(World Alfalfa Congress, 2025-11-03) Stepić, Marija; Joković, N.; Vitorović, J.; Bekčić, Filip; Petrović, Mirjana; Andjelković, Snežana; Radović, Jasmina
Aluminum toxicity is a major limiting factor for alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) growth in acidic soils (pH<5.5), posing a significant challenge to global agriculture. High concentrations of toxic aluminum ions induce oxidative stress, leading to reduced yield in alfalfa growing regions in the whole world. Toxic effects are manifesting primarily in the root after which affect the development of overall plant tissues. Particularly susceptible are alfalfa seedlings. This study aimed to assess the effect of aluminum toxicity on root growth and biochemistry in seedlings of three alfalfa cultivars (Zuzana, K-28, and O-66). The perfored platform containing seeds was placed put in half-strength Hoagland’s nutrient solution (pH 6) for 7 days. After that period, the pH of solution was adjusted to 4.5 and aluminium chloride was added to a final concentration of 100 μM. The response of three alfalfa cultivars to aluminum stress was evaluated after 14 days. The most affected traits were root elongation and lateral root formation in all cultivars, both of which showed the significant decrease in aluminum treatment. The inhibited activity of two antioxidative enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), also occurred in all cultivars. Root length was significantly reduced in all cultivars compared to the control groups, among which O-66 showed the most pronounced reduction. In contrast, cultivars Zuzana and K-28 showed no significant difference from each other but displayed significantly longer roots than cultivar O-66 under aluminum stress. Lateral root formation followed a similar trend, further highlighting the toxic impact of aluminum on
root development in all three cultivars. The activity of APX and SOD was significantly reduced in all three cultivars under aluminum treatment. The greatest percentage inhibition of both enzymes was observed in cultivar O-66, indicating a higher sensitivity to aluminum-induced oxidative stress compared to the other two cultivars. Aluminum toxicity significantly decreased root growth and antioxidative enzyme activity in alfalfa seedlings, with cultivar O-66 showing
the highest sensitivity. Root elongation and lateral root formation were most reduced in O-66, along with the greatest inhibition of SOD and APX activity. In contrast, Zuzana and K-28 exhibited greater tolerance. These findings highlight the impact of aluminum stress on alfalfa and point to interpopulation variability among these three cultivars.
Pre-sowing inoculation of rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as a way to increase alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) variety productivity on acid soil
(World Alfalfa Congress, 2025-11-03) Racić, Nedeljko; Stevović, Vladeta; Andjelković, Snežana; Sokolović, Dejan; Radović, Jasmina; Lugić, Zoran; Zornic, Vladimir
In regions with well-developed livestock farming, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) holds significant agricultural value due to its high yield of biomass, rich protein, vitamin, and calcium content, and exceptional digestibility. One of the things that limit the long-term growth of alfalfa in acidic soil is reduced microbial activity. Rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) synergistically enhance alfalfa productivity, making microbial inoculation a sustainable solution for acidic soils. It is important to examine how the selected rhizobia strain and AMF inoculants affect the productivity of alfalfa varieties grown on acidic soil. This study monitored the effects of pre-sowing seed inoculation: control, rhizobia-Ensifer meliloti strain 218, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and their mixed inoculation in three alfalfa cultivars (K-28, Zuzana, and Nijagara). The pots experiment was conducted under semi-controlled conditions in a greenhouse at the Institute for Forage Crops in Kruševac . Acidic soil (pHKCl 4.55) from the Maƒçkovac location at a depth of 0-30 cm was used for sowing. Measurements included the number of nodules, mycorrhizal colonization, shoot dry matter yields, root dry matter yields,
protein yield, and phosphorus content. Results from (Graph 1) show that the application of both inoculants significantly affected all treatments. The application of Ensifer meliloti strain 218 significantly increased the number of nodules by 25-40% and root dry matter yields by 20- 40% compared to the other treatments. All inoculation treatments had a highly positive effect on shoot dry matter yields, with increases of up to 30%, and significantly increased protein yields compared to the control treatments. The AMF and mixed inoculation treatments significantly increased mycorrhizal colonization on alfalfa roots compared to the other treatments, which resulted in higher phosphorus uptake. The Zuzana variety produced the highest number of nodules in all inoculation treatments compared to other varieties, while the K-28 variety with rhizobia showed significantly higher dry matter of shoots and protein yields compared to other varieties. The Nijagara cultivar exhibited the highest dry matter yield of roots in rhizobia treatments. According to the findings, alfalfa productivity is positively impacted by both single and mixed inoculation, with mixed inoculation and AMF treatments.
standing out as particularly beneficial for nutrient uptake and overall growth. In future research,
it is necessary to assess how these inoculants perform under field conditions and determine
their long-term effects.