The intensive application of triazine herbicides, particularly terbuthylazine, has led to the evolution of PSII-inhibitor resistance in Solanum nigrum species in Serbian maize fields. The present study was conducted to identify the mechanisms conferring resistance to terbuthylazine herbicides in a S. nigrum biotype and to explore effective chemical alternatives for managing this resistance. Dose-response studies revealed that the resistant biotype is 12 times more resistant to terbuthylazine than the susceptible biotype. In contrast, herbicides with alternative modes of action remained highly effective, indicating viable management options. However, bentazone exhibited lower efficacy than the other active ingredients tested. Prior treatment with malathion, a known inhibitor of cytochrome P450s, reduced the level of resistance to terbuthylazine in the resistant biotype. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurement revealed that the R biotype maintained an Fv/Fm value close to that of the untreated control across all doses and time points. In contrast, the S biotype exhibited a steady, dose-dependent decline, with a decrease in Fv/Fm of approximately 10–15

The limited availability of herbicides for weed management, coupled with the rapid expansion of herbicide-resistant weed populations, has intensified the need to explore alternative weed management strategies, particularly for producers transitioning to and/or operating in organic farming systems. The expansion of bioherbicides in the US market has opened new opportunities in weed control and new research avenues for weed management. Bioherbicides are natural substances with herbicidal activity, and are mostly non-selective and do not translocate within plants. They are directly connected with agroecological principles by serving as sustainable, nature-derived complementarily to synthetic herbicides aiming to control weeds while preserving biodiversity, soil health, and ecological balance. Their non-selective activity requires special attention because they may also affect crops, while targeted application may be needed for safe use. Because some bioherbicides are new to the market, data on their effectiveness against troublesome weeds is limited. Therefore, bioherbicides, when integrated with precision application technologies and non-chemical tactics, may serve as a bridging strategy for systems facing herbicide resistance. This perspective discusses the challenges and opportunities of bioherbicides as a new tool for weed control, with particular attention to application technology, regulatory pathways, and ecosystem services.

Adjuvants are agrochemicals or natural substances, commonly mixed with pesticides to increase their efficacy or reduce off-target movement by modifying the physical properties of the spray solution, such as surface tension, droplet size, and spreadability, which ultimately improve pesticide adhesion and coverage on target surfaces. Adjuvant use across Europe remains less widespread compared to regions like the USA, where adjuvants are often recommended or required with certain herbicide applications. This paper highlights the potential benefits of incorporating adjuvants with herbicides in weed control, particularly as a strategy to reduce overall herbicide use. Findings from dose-response research on available adjuvants suggest they may enable the application of lower herbicide rates than typically recommended, without sacrificing effectiveness, thereby contributing to the goal of reducing herbicide use by 50% by 2030 in Europe. Furthermore, literature findings indicate that adjuvants significantly improve weed control by enhancing the performance of active ingredients, with efficacy increases of up to 50% compared to using herbicides alone. The integration of adjuvants into herbicide tank mixtures offers considerable promise, especially for managing herbicide-resistant weeds and achieving effective weed control.

Weeds are among the primary constraints reducing soybean productivity, and their effective control is especially important in edamame, a vegetable soybean valued for its nutritional potential. As chemical control remains the dominant strategy, rational herbicide use is essential. This study aimed to evaluate the response of two edamame varieties (Chiba Green and Midori Giant) and the effectiveness of applied herbicides in weed control during the 2022–2024 growing seasons. Treatments included the following: pre-emergence herbicides (S-metolachlor + metribuzin) (H1); pre- (S-metolachlor + metribuzin) and post-emergence herbicides (imazamox + cycloxydim) (H2); and an untreated control (H0). The growing season influenced pod yield and biomass, with the highest yield recorded in 2022 (11.7 t ha−1), while variety affected only pod yield: on average, Midori Giant outperformed Chiba Green (10.6 vs. 6.1 t ha−1). Herbicide treatment affected weed dry biomass (3.3 g m−2 in H2 compared to 341.8 g m−2 in H0) and pod yield (4.3 t ha−1 in H0 for Chiba Green compared to 11.9 t ha−1 in H2 for Midori Giant). The results indicate that pre-emergence herbicides could satisfactorily reduce weed infestation under suitable meteorological conditions. The combined application of pre- and post-emergence herbicides increases production security (particularly in seasons with higher weed infestation), likely by extending the weed control period through pre- and post-emergence herbicide combinations, targeting different weed species during the soybean vegetative period. In addition, weed diversity was associated with a yield increase in Midori Giant. This research provides practical information and options for weed management in edamame production in the Western Balkan region.

Successful maize (Zea mays L.) cultivation is largely reliable by weed interference. Among weeds, annual species are usually dominant, whereas less prevalent perennials can be challenging to control, too. Driven by profitability, maize is often cultivated continuously using the same management practices over time, resulting in increased weed infestations, particularly perennials. However, crop rotation might reduce the abundance of weed species, lower herbicide impact on the environment, delaying herbicide resistance occurrence in weeds and thus contribute to sustainable maize production,. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of continuous maize cropping (Maize-CC) and a three-crop rotation, maize-winter wheat-soybean (Maize-WW-S), in combination with three weed management treatments: 1) application of a pre-emergence herbicide mixture of acetochlor/S-metolachlor + isoxaflutole at the full label rate, 2) at 1/2 of full label rate, and 3) an the untreated control, over a 12-year period. The trial was initiated in 2009, and maize was grown in both cropping systems, Maize-CC and Maize-WW-S, in 2012, 2015, 2018, and in 2021. Total weed density, fresh biomass of all annual and perennial weed species and total dry biomass of all weed species was measured four weeks after herbicide application. Maize leaf area index (LAI) was measured at the anthesis, whereas grain yield was measured at the end of the growing cycle. Weed species diversity, number of individuals, weed fresh and dry biomass, were significantly lower with the combination of Maize-WW-S and the herbicide treatments. Grain yield was significantly and negatively correlated with the fresh weight of annual weeds in Maize-CC and was higher in both herbicide treatments, especially in Maize-WW-S. There was no significant difference between pre-emergence herbicide full labelled rate and 1/2 of the labelled rate in reducing the total fresh weed biomass in Maize-CC (66.3% and 65.9%, respectively) and Maize-WW-S (92.1% and 85.8%, respectively). Thus, the importance of the combined employment of rotation and chemical measures in maize production was confirmed and could be adopted for long-term weed management without compromising yields.

Sustainable agriculture supports environmental protection, climate change mitigation, and forage security to meet the growing demands of livestock production. Given the critical role of macro- and microelements in animal health, diversified and balanced feed production is essential and can be achieved through the sustainable integration of legumes and cereals. This research evaluated the impact of soybean–common millet intercropping and biofertilizer application on the elemental composition and yield performance of forage biomass. Three intercropping patterns were tested: S1M1—alternating rows, S2M2—alternating two-row strips, and S2M4—alternating two-row soybean with four-row millet strips, alongside monoculture controls. The biofertilizer Coveron (BF) was also assessed. The S2M2 combination provided the highest land equivalent ratios for both fresh and dry biomass (1.10 and 1.12, respectively), despite a reduction in millet yield. Considering the elements, the S2M2 combination notably enhanced the accumulation of Ca and B (by 13.2% and 13.0%, respectively, compared to S1) in the soybean vegetative part and Cr and Mn in the reproductive part (by 53.5% and 17.1%, respectively). In contrast, sole soybean showed the highest P levels in both vegetative (3.45 g kg−1) and reproductive parts (4.56 g kg−1). Regarding Al, its accumulation was reduced in intercropped millet. The S1M1 combination increased Mg and S concentrations in both parts of millet biomass (up to 17.3% and 18.4% in the vegetative part, compared to M1). While BF generally had a limited impact on forage biomass yield and elemental accumulation, it increased Mg, P, and S concentrations in soybean pods, as well as concentrations of B, Mn, and Mo in the panicle, simultaneously decreasing P, Cr, and Zn concentrations in the vegetative part of millet. Accordingly, soybean–common millet intercropping in the S2M2 configuration offers a sustainable solution for efficient land utilization and element-enriched forage production.

Popcorn is a specialty maize variety with popping abilities. Although considered a snack, popcorn flakes provide a variety of benefits for the human diet. To evaluate the change in content of bioactive compounds in response to microwave popping, the kernels and flakes of twelve popcorn hybrids were assayed. Accordingly, the content of phytic acid, glutathione, phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and tocopherols, as well as the antioxidant activity, were evaluated. In all evaluated popcorn hybrids, the most pronounced significant average decrease of 71.94% was observed for GSH content, followed by 57.72% and 16.12% decreases for lutein + zeaxanthin and phytic acid content, respectively. In response to popping, in the majority of the evaluated hybrids, the most pronounced significant average changes of a 63.42% increase and a 27.61% decrease were observed for DPPH, followed by a 51.52% increase and a 24.48% decrease for β-carotene, as well as, a 48.62% increase and a 16.71% decrease for α-Tocopherol content, respectively. The applied principal component and hierarchical cluster analyses revealed the distinct separation of popcorn hybrids’ kernels and flakes, indicating the existence of a unique linkage of changes in bioactive compound content in response to popping.

Sustainable nutrition and food production involve dietary habits and farming systems which are eco-friendly, created to provide highly nutritious staple crops which could serve as a functional food at the same time. This research sought to provide a comprehensive analysis of whole-grain cereals, and some ancient grains toward important macro- (protein), micro-nutrients (mineral elements), and bioactive compounds, such as dietary fiber (arabinoxylan and β-glucan) and antioxidants (phytic acid, total glutathione, yellow pigment, and phenolic compounds) to provide functionality in a sustainable diet. Genotypes, such as durum wheat, triticale, spelt, emmer wheat, and barley, could be considered important and sustainable sources of protein (ranging 11.10–15.00%), as well as prebiotic fiber (β-glucan and arabinoxylan, ranging 0.11–4.59% and 0.51–6.47%, respectively), essential elements, and various antioxidants. Ancient grains can be considered as a source of highly available essential elements. Special attention should be given to the Cimmyt spelt 1, which is high in yellow pigment (5.01 μg·g−1) and has a capacity to reduce DPPH radicals (186.2 µmol TE·g−1), particularly Zn (70.25 mg·kg−1). The presence of phenolics, dihydro-p-coumaric acid, naringin, quercetin, epicatechin in grains of oats (Sopot), as well as catechin in barley grains (Apolon and Osvit) underline their unique chemical profile, making them a desirable genetic pool for breeding genotypes. This research provides a comprehensive assessment of different nutritional aspects of various cereals (some of which are commonly used, while the others are rarely used in diet), indicating their importance as nutraceuticals. It also provides a genetic background that could be translated the genotypes with even more profound effects on human health.

In the absence of new herbicides on the market, adding adjuvants into the tank with herbicides is a strategy for increasing efficacy. In our research, we tested whether there are differences in weed control as influenced by the original nicosulfuron formulation and a generic counterpart. In this study, we tested the addition of two commonly used adjuvants: ammonium-sulfate (AMS) and non-ionic surfactant (NIS). In a three-year experiment, based on a percentage of biomass reduction and canopy cover, these results showed no differences in any treatments when comparing the original versus generic nicosulfuron. However, adding an NIS increased efficacy, while adding AMS decreased herbicide activity. The average percentage reduction of biomass in this study was about 80%, implying that using solely nicosulfuron as aceto-lactate synthase inhibiting herbicide is not a good solution in weed control in maize and that other methods for weed control should be considered and integrated, in order to increase weed control efficacy.

During the last 15 years in Serbia, there has been an invasion of H. annuus across the country. Plants were initially limited to non-cultivated areas near arable fields, while in recent years the species has started to occur and establish populations in crop fields, especially into wide-row crops. We tested eight herbicides in two greenhouse experiments: 1) a dose-response study; 2) an efficacy study with reduced herbicide rates adding an adjuvant. The tested herbicides showed satisfactory weed control, where all estimated effective doses 90 (ED 90 ) were lower than the recommended field rate for each herbicide, except for dicamba. The addition of non-ionic surfactants significantly increased the efficacy of glyphosate, mesotrione, rimsulfuron, and foramsulfuron. Whereas, there was no clear advantage to adding an adjuvant to bentazone and tembotrione, as the H. annuus population was already very sensitive (plants died in 1/8 of recommended rate in a dose-response study). All tested herbicides, except dicamba, can be used for satisfactory H. annuus control in maize, while glyphosate can be used for control of the species in non-agricultural lands.

Cover crops play an important role in low-input cropping systems, increasing the use of agro-ecosystem services. Due to the lack of information about the impact of cover crops and bio-fertilizers on popcorn maize (Zea mays everta Sturt.) growth and yield quality, especially the popping volume and nutritive quality, such as concentrations of protein and mineral elements, this research aimed to provide essential information. The interrelation between popcorn maize productivity and quality with important groups of soil microorganisms presents additional novelty. The results demonstrated that field pea is a beneficial cover crop, especially when combined with a bio-fertilizer, supporting the accumulation of maize biomass, chlorophyll, yield potential, and the concentrations of protein, Ca, Mg, Fe, and Zn. In addition, field pea residues promoted N-fixing bacteria, and the number of total microorganisms, especially actinomycetes and decomposing bacteria, which could promote nutrient uptake and grain quality. Residues of cover crop mixtures, common vetch + winter oats and field pea + winter oats, promoted the total number of microorganisms in the soil, and up to the end of vegetation, a greater number of decomposition and ammonification microorganisms were found, especially when the bio-fertilizer was applied, which consequently could support greater maize biomass. Popping volume, as a main trait of popcorn maize, had the highest value in the common vetch + winter oats variant, supporting again the statement that quality traits could be enhanced in sustainable production. Unlike living cover crops, mulch mainly affected soil microbial communities and promoted the development of actinomycetes and cellulolytic microorganisms during the growing season. The results of this research could contribute to the development of sustainable popcorn maize production for improved grain quality. They could also serve as a basis for isolating beneficial soil microorganisms to develop new bio-fertilizers that could improve maize production in synergy with cover crops.

Weed control in corn is a major challenge due to increasing problems with highly dominant weed species and herbicide resistance evolution. Common lambsquarters and johnsongrass constitute up to 80% to 90% of the weed population in many spring crops, such as soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), and corn, in Serbia. Currently, acetolactate synthase-inhibiting herbicides, such as the systemic selective sulfonylurea nicosulfuron, are most commonly used for chemical weed control of those species. A better understanding of the impact of nozzle type and adjuvant use on nicosulfuron efficacy can help to improve control of common lambsquarters and johnsongrass and minimize herbicide resistance development. Field trials were conducted in Serbia from 2020 to 2022 to evaluate the impact of two adjuvants (a non-ionic surfactant [NIS] and a mineral fertilizer ammonium sulfate [AMS]) and two nozzle types (drift-reducing nozzles and flat-fan nozzles) on common lambsquarters and johnsongrass control using nicosulfuron. Satisfactory biomass reduction of common lambsquarters (83% to 87%) and johnsongrass (83% to 97%) was achieved after nicosulfuron application. Adding a NIS adjuvant increased the biomass reduction for common lambsquarters (94% to 98%) and johnsongrass (90% to 100%) independently of the nozzle type used. Selection of nozzle type did not show consistent effects on common lambsquarters and johnsongrass control. Nicosulfuron efficacy was increased with NIS adjuvant for both nozzle types compared to nicosulfuron solo for both species, and Extended Range (XR) TeeJet((R)) nozzles on average resulted in a higher efficacy for common lambsquarters compared to Turbo TeeJet((R)) induction. Adding a mineral AMS adjuvant resulted in lower biomass reduction for both nozzle types and weed species (65% to 78% and 61% to 91% for common lambsquarters and johnsongrass, respectively). Corn grain yield was predominantly influenced by annual meteorological conditions and adjuvant type added to nicosulfuron. This research suggests that addition of the non-ionic adjuvant is an essential factor for successful control of common lambsquarters and johnsongrass in corn and enables use of drift-reducing nozzles.

Climate changes are one of the biggest threats to food security. Sustainable agriculture, focused on eco-friendly practices for highly efficient food production, enables greater resilience and safety. This study experimented on intercropping and bio-fertilizer application as convenient ecological solutions for crop yield stability and quality. The experiment was conducted during 2018 and 2020 with soybean and common millet sown in three sowing patterns: alternating rows, alternating strips 1 (2 rows of soybean + 2 rows of millet), and alternating strips 2 (2 rows of soybean + 4 rows of millet), as well as sole crops (control), with or without a bio-fertilizer Coveron. Grain yield and nutrient grain yield response were calculated through land equivalent ratio (LER) and element-LER (E-LER), while quality was estimated based on the concentration of antioxidants (phytate phosphorus, total phenolic compounds, and yellow pigment) and elements in grains, including potential bio-availability of essential elements. Results revealed LER values to be >1 for all sowing patterns, with the highest one achieved in alternating strips 1 (1.38) together with a greater level of all antioxidants in millet grain. Intercropping significantly enhanced Fe and Mn accumulation in both crops and simultaneously decreased the concentration of potentially toxic elements (Al, Cr) in millet grain. Potential bio-availability of essential elements, expressed through the ratio between phytic acid and Ca, Mg, Fe, and Zn revealed smaller values in intercropped soybean and millet with the bio-fertilizer. The bio-fertilizer also increased the concentration of some micro-elements in millet grain, classifying it as a highly dependent plant to microbial inoculation. Interaction of intercropping and bio-fertilizer was most pronounced for LER, E-LER, and accumulation of Fe and Mn in grains. These results highlighted the benefits of soybean–common millet intercropping, especially in combination with the bio-fertilizer, in light of enhanced land utilization and nutrient absorption, thus increasing the resilience of soybean and millet under dry land conditions and low-input systems toward stability and food security.

Globally, the overreliance of agriculture on herbicides has created environmental, human health, and herbicide-resistance concerns. There is an urgent need to develop alternative, ecologically based weed management systems based on the use of cultural practices that reduce the emergence and growth of weeds in the field. Although not widely adopted by farmers, the current chapter highlights that the role of cultural practices in developing of sustainable ecologically based weed management systems should not be further underestimated. Concerning crop diversification practices, weeds are subjected to diverse agronomic practices becoming less adaptable and competitive in crop rotation systems. Crop selection must follow specific criteria to facilitate successful weed management. Including a cover crop in the rotation is another beneficial practice to further suppress weed emergence and seed production. Moreover, intercropping promotes more efficient and complementary resource use from crop mixtures and reduces the availability of resources to weeds. The selection of competitive cultivars and hybrids is a major agronomic practice to achieve higher levels of weed suppression. The use of increased seeding rates and planting in narrow row spacing increase crop populations and, thus, improve crop competitiveness against weeds. Optimal sowing dates, in relation to weed emergence, and optimal resource management should also be considered as important components of ecologically based weed management systems. Research shows that combinations among different cultural practices may facilitate reductions to weed emergence and weed seed production and could lead to higher crop yields.

A greenhouse study was conducted to test the effects of low herbicide dose exposure on different crops measuring visible damages, plant height, leaf area, and dry matter. Seven crops were tested: lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) cv. Novosadska majska maslena, oil pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Duch) cv. Olivija, oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) cv. NS Ras, pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cv. Kurtovska kapija, soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr) cv. ZP Laura, sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) cv. NS Kruna, and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cv. Dunavski Rubin. Herbicide dicamba in the range of 0.14 to 1 155.6 g a.i. (active ingredient)/ha inhibited biomass, height, leaf area, and visual injury of all crops, while glyphosate doses from 0.48 to 3 840 g a.i./ha also reduced the growth of all tested species. A rate of 116 g a.i./ha mesotrione was needed to reach 80% visual injury in oilseed rape, while the same effects on lettuce only required 1.8 g a.i./ha of mesotrione. Tomato and oil pumpkin were also sensitive to low mesotrione doses, where only 1.3 g and 0.5 g a.i./ha of mesotrione was needed for 80% of biomass reduction, respectively. Lettuce was the most sensitive crop of all tested species; biomass was reduced by 80% by dicamba, glyphosate, mesotrione, and nicosulfuron at the low rates of 33 g a.i./ha, 19 g a.i./ha, 1.25 g a.i./ha, and 2.7 g a.i./ha, respectively. Among all herbicides, visible injuries were detected in dicamba at the lowest rates. Soybean was the most tolerant of glyphosate, mesotrione, and nicosulfuron. Based on the available literature and obtained results, herbicide off-target movement must be mitigated to maximise herbicide efficacy and decrease the negative influence on susceptible plants and the environment.

Maize (Zea mays L.) grain is an important source of nutrients in human diet. The differences in content and relations between certain components of maize grain impact grain colour and its nutritional quality. The objective of the Study was to examine effects of different fertilization systems: mineral fertilizer (urea), organic fertilizer, and bio-fertilizer on white, yellow, and red coloured maize hybrids, regarding grain yield and variations in content of antioxidants: phytate, phenolic compounds, glutathione, carotenoids (yellow pigment), and reduction capacity of DPPH radical. Two-fold higher average grain yield and double fold lower concentration of phenols and carotenoids were present in 2018, in comparison to drier 2017. The lowest phytate content and the highest values of phenols and DPPH reduction capacity were present in red maize kernel, as a hybrid with the highest yield, while in yellow maize kernel, the highest values of yellow pigment and glutathione occurred. The bio-fertilizer expressed the positive impact on reduction of phytate concentration and increase of phenols concentration in maize grain, while urea increased concentration of yellow pigment and glutathione. Correlation analysis showed that reduction in phytate and carotenoids was significant and positive related with grain yield increase, while phenols showed positive correlation with reduction capacity of DPPH radical. Thus, it was shown that changes in fertilization methods could affect antioxidants status in maize grain, particularly in red coloured maize, which besides high yield potential, possess remarkable higher antioxidant capacity in regard to yellow and white coloured maize.

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of environmental conditions and genotype on the yield of three maize lines and the morphological properties of ears and seeds. Three hybrid maize lines were used as material in the study conducted in two consecutive years (2018 and 2019) at one location (Zemun Polje, Belgrade, Serbia). The following parameters were monitored: seed weight (SW), seed volume (V), bulk density (BD), ear length (EL), ear thickness (ET), fraction content and seed yield (MSY). Calibration divided the seed into a small seed fraction of 6.5-8.4 mm (SF) and a large seed fraction of 8.5-11 mm (LF). Seeds smaller than 6.5 mm and larger than 11 mm are presented as seed waste fraction (FW). The average seed yield for all three lines in the first and the second year was 6.13 and 4.66 t ha-1 , respectively. A significant impact of the environment was noticed on seed weights in both years (2018 and 2019), i.e. 327.56 and 251.77 g, respectively. The total variation in yield determined by the morphological characteristics of the seed was R2 =0.514