Crop rotation is a simple and effective part of an Integrated Weed Management (IWM) system. This approach makes it possible to rotate herbicides with different modes of action (MOA), avoiding or ...postponing herbicide resistance. Besides all the known advantages and benefits, it is still not widely used in maize (Zea mays L.) production. In Serbia, about 20% of total maize production is a continuous cropping. The aim of this research was to test the benefits of growing maize in crop rotation with winter wheat (Triticum vulgare L.) compared with a continuous cropping, combined with pre-emergence herbicide application. Field trials started in 2009, and five maize-winter wheat rotations have been completed. Weeds were controlled with a herbicide mixture of isoxaflutole and S-metolachlor, applied at either the full label rate or half rate, while one plot was kept weed free (manually), and one was a control. Integrating crop rotation and PRE herbicides decreased the biomass of weeds and their density by 98% and 99%, respectively. In continuous maize, perennial weeds became dominant after the first rotation. Crop rotation significantly influenced maize productive parameters, decreasing the variation in leaf area index and grain yield, increasing values with the number of cycles. The biggest differences in the analyzed parameters were observed in 2015, 2017 and 2019, indicating many positive long-term benefits of crop rotation on maize leaf area index and grain yield.
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•Maize - winter wheat rotation significantly reduced weeds density and biomass.•A decreasing tendency of perennial weeds was reported in crop rotation.•Crop rotation with Isoxaflutole and S-metolachlor reduced weeds up to 99%.•In crop rotation appying 1/2 of herbicide rate could be as effective as the full rate.•Maize leaf area and grain yield were significantly higher in crop rotation.
A comparative in vitro study of the antioxidant potential of natural phenols (zingerone, curcumin, raspberry ketone, magnolol) and their synthesized derivatives was performed. The antioxidant ...efficiency was evaluated in blood serum obtained from healthy individuals, by means of spectrophotometry, before and after the addition of pro-oxidant
-butyl hydroperoxide (TBH). Moreover, the antioxidant effect of an equimolar mixture of curcumin and zingerone was investigated. Interpretation of our results reveals that in the blood serum of healthy individuals curcumin (C1), raspberry ketone (RK1), magnolol (M1) and synthesized derivative of zingerone (Z2) demonstrate remarkable antioxidant effects (
< 0.05). However, in the state of TBH-induced excessive oxidative stress natural magnolol and synthesized derivatives C1, Z1 and RK1 show powerful antioxidant activity and thus can be further investigated to obtain information about their metabolic transformations and their potential influence at the cellular level. Results obtained from measurements in an equimolar mixture of zingerone and curcumin indicate synergism (
< 0.05) between the two compounds. This combination is especially successful due to the fast and efficient neutralization of added pro-oxidant TBH. The commercial availability of turmeric and ginger and their frequent combined use in diet suggest ideas for further broader utilization of the beneficial synergistic effect of their phenolic components.
Sex work can be contextualised by violence, social and material inequality, and HIV vulnerability. We undertook a qualitative study to explore female and transvestite sex workers’ accounts (n = 31) ...of HIV risk environment in Belgrade and Pančevo, Serbia. Violence emerged as a key theme. Accounts emphasise the ubiquity of multiple forms of everyday violence – physical, emotional, social – in street sex work scenes, linked to police as much as clients. We highlight the salience of emotions in sex work risk management, in which the preservation of dignity is of prime importance. Accounts draw upon narratives of hygiene and responsibility which, we argue, seek to resist portrayals, normative to this setting, of sex workers as contaminated and irresponsible. Findings highlight how the ubiquity of the risk of violence in street sex work scenes reflects institutionalised social inequalities and injustices. Sex workers are inevitably participant in the cycle of symbolic violence they seek to resist. The challenges for HIV prevention are therefore considerable, and require interventions which not only seek to foster safer micro‐environments of sex work but structural changes in the welfare, criminal justice and other social institutions which reproduce the cycle of violence faced by sex workers day to day.
To control weeds and cultivate maize (Zea mays L.) with higher yields, production systems have to include more efficient forms of N and appropriate herbicide treatments. The timing of N release could ...give maize an advantage over weeds in competition for resources, whereas cultivation at lower row spacing often decreases weed biomass. Knowledge about the different factors affecting herbicide efficiency increases the accuracy and reliability of chemical control. This study tested the weed infestation level and the development and productivity of a recently developed maize hybrid grown with the application of several integrated practices. The maize hybrid was sown with application of standard and slow‐releasing urea, with row spacing of 50 and 70 cm and treatment with either a pre‐emergence or a post‐emergence mix of herbicides. The numbers of plants of each weed species and their biomass were lower after the application of herbicides, although N form and row spacing produced no significant differences in the average weed infestation level for 3 yr. The post‐emergence herbicide treatment was more effective than the pre‐emergence treatment for weed biomass reduction and enhancing maize yield parameters. The N form did not influence any measured yield parameter, whereas the 70‐cm row spacing resulted in significantly higher harvest index and grain yield (0.45 and 9.19 Mg ha−1, respectively) than the 50‐cm spacing (0.43 and 7.36 Mg ha−1, respectively). The wider row spacing resulted in higher grain yield through its interaction with N form and herbicide treatment.
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.
Redox imbalance occurs when the factors of oxidative stress, known as prooxidants, outweigh the mechanisms of antioxidant protection. In a healthy state, homeostatic mechanisms ensure the balanced ...production of free radicals and a complete series of antioxidants responsible for their safe removal. The generation of free radicals is a part of physiological processes in a healthy organism, some of which act as specific signaling molecules, and their presence and activity are necessary in these processes. In various diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, rheumatic diseases, systemic lupus, and skin diseases, the generation of free radicals overwhelms the protective mechanisms, leading to the development of "oxidative stress" that damages cells and tissues. To prevent the harmful effects of free radicals within cells, there exists a system of enzymatic antioxidant protection composed of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glutaredoxin, reduced/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG), and thioredoxin (TRX). The examples of non-enzymatic antioxidants are: antioxidant vitamins such as A, C and E, dihydrolypoic acid, metallothioneins, ceruloplasmin, coenzyme Q 10, urea, creatinine, etc. Redox balance is influenced by the circadian rhythm and external factors that constitute the "exposome", including dietary habits and lifestyle. Antioxidant supplementation has become increasingly popular for maintaining optimal body function. However, it is important to note that some antioxidants can exhibit prooxidant activity, emphasizing the need for controlled use. The relationship between the redox status of the body and the action of antioxidants enables the development of multidisciplinary research that connects biochemistry, molecular biology, nutritional science, natural product chemistry, and clinical practice.
Redroot (Amaranthus retrofexus L.) and smooth pigweed (A. hybridus L.) are troublesome weeds in row crops in Serbia. Both species are very competitive, hosts for pathogens and insects, produce pollen ...which is highly allergenic; and the most recent research reported herbicide resistance in some populations across Serbia. An integrated approach for the control of both Amaranthus species must be evaluated and presented in order to reduce their negative potential in agriculture. In this paper, 9 yr results on redroot pigweed and smooth pigweed weed control are presented. In three different experiments, weed density and biomass of redroot and smooth pigweed were recorded: a) Crop rotation, b) row spacing and time of herbicide application, c) infuence of nozzles and adjuvants. The infuence of crop rotation and PRE herbicide mixture, PRE and POST mixture, and impact of nozzles and adjuvants were evaluated. PRE herbicide mix of S-metolachlor and isoxafutole infuenced 98.1% and 100% effcacy in the maize (Zea mays L.) continuous and in maize rotated with winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), respectively. The mixture of two herbicides, applied either in PRE or POST, resulted in 100% of control of both species. Finally, similar results were obtained for nicosulfuron application with extended range (XR) or turbo TeeJet induction (TTI) nozzles, and combined with nonionic surfactant (NIS) or ammonium sulphate (AMS) adjuvants. The novelty of obtained results indicates that only holistic approach based on different weed management practices can contribute to sustainable Amaranthus control.
This study aimed to determine the influence of sowing dates on morphological properties and grain yield. The experiment was conducted during 2018 (Y1) and 2019 (Y2) at one location in Serbia (Zemun ...Polje). Three inbred lines, produced at the Maize Research Institute (Serbia), were used as the material. Sowing was set in two terms, earlier 1 April (SD1) and optimal 20 April (SD2). Morphological properties of the cob were measured in the laboratory conditions: the ear weight (EW), the cob weight (CW), the cob length (CL), the cob thickness (CT), the 1000 kernel weight (SW), and the grain yield (GY). The sowing date significantly affected the morphological properties of the cob (p0,05). The interaction of factors also had a significant impact on the variability of traits. Three-way analysis of variance indicates that SD1Y1 treatment in combination with ZP1 and ZP3 inbred lines has a higher yield (6.28 t ha-1, 7.05 t ha-1). Further, the 1000-kernel weight in all three genotypes was higher in the SD1, ZP1 (324.35 g), ZP2 (329.78 g), and ZP3 (326.55 g). The earlier sowing date was also favourable for the cob weight. Meteorological conditions can be more or less stressful for field crops. Adverse weather conditions can be avoided or reduced by applying different sowing dates.
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.
