The effects of different water stress (control, low, moderate and severe) on some morphological and physiological characteristics of spinach plants were evaluated. The results showed that water stress strongly affects spinach plant growth and metabolism. The increasing water stress decreased the leaf area, petiole length and biomass accumulation, resulting in dramatically lower spinach yields. Photosynthetic pigment contents increased in response to low and moderate level water stress; however, under severe stress conditions their content started to decrease. The increase in water stress also resulted in a higher proline accumulation as well as total phenolic and flavonoid contents. These results lead to the conclusion that spinach plants could produce protective macromolecules and antioxidants in large quantities even under severe drought conditions, suggesting that spinach can be considered a drought-tolerant plant species from a survival point of view.

Talking about a cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) widespread means that it should be immediately emphasized how widespread it is in our country (Bosnia and Herzegovina), both in food and production. Based on that, there is an urgent need for quality and disease-resistant varieties/hybrids produced by technology which reduces the possibility of disease emergence. Greenhouse production of grafted cucumber in Bosnia and Herzegovina in recent years is experiencing significant expansion.Grafted plants of the cucumber hybrid ‘Charta’ were comparatively analyzed with the non-grafted, in order to record the main morphological and productive differences between them.The examined parameters were the number of lateral roots, number of roots hairs, root mass, leaf length and yields.The results of this study show that grafted cucumber in relation to non-grafted achieves a higher yield (161.64±20.82 kg/50m2), while morphological characteristics were mostly similar. Significant differences were observed only in the number of lateral roots (18.00±2.65).

During the three-year study of the influence of pruning on the phenological development and yield of the Alphonse Lavalle variety in the Mostar area, three pruning variants (28, 30 and 40 buds / vines) were applied in four replications. The phenological development of the variety took place within the limits of the average and in accordance with the temperature conditions. The total number of developed shoots and the number of bearing shoots was the highest in 2013 (total 21.72, birth rate 21.25), and the lowest in 2012 (total 18.67, birth rate 18.56). The highest yield of grapes per vine was recorded in 2013 (17.73 kg), and the lowest in 2011 (9.01 kg). The number of bunches per vine was the highest in 2013 (33.94), and the lowest in 2011 (26.71). Pruning variant III had the largest number of total (21.79) and native (21.64) shoots, and variant I the smallest (total 18.46, native 18.17). The highest yield of grapes per vine was recorded in variant II (14.47 kg), and the lowest in variant I (12.05 kg), while the number of bunches per vine was uniform in variants II (31.37) and III (31, 51).

This work aimed to study the effect of pruning on the uvometric characteristics of the Merlot and Vranac wine varieties in the Trebinje region. The research was carried out in 2018, each variety had two variants of pruning, and each variant had three repetitions. The load levels of buds in this study were 11 (Variant I) and 9 (Variant II) buds per vine. The most important uvometric parameters of the tested varieties were measured. As an experimental factor, the variety, had a statistically significant influence on most of the investigated indicators, while pruning did not. The research carried out in Trebinje shows that both tested varieties can be successfully grown in the mentioned locality because the climatic conditions are suitable for their cultivation. 

This study aimed to provide a more in-depth analysis of the fruit quality of three table grape varieties: 'Moldova', 'Lasta', and 'Italia', cultivated in the Žepče area (Bosnia and Herzegovina). The findings from the comparative analysis indicated substantial variations in grape quality among the studied varieties. 'Moldova' grapes exhibited significantly higher total soluble solids and pH values than those of the other table grape varieties. 'Moldova' also had higher total phenolic and flavonoid contents in the grape skin relative to 'Italia' and 'Lasta'. On the other hand, 'Italia' variety showed the highest titratable acidity, followed by 'Lasta' and 'Moldova'. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were highly positively correlated with the antioxidant capacities of all analyzed grape samples, suggesting that phenolic compounds contribute significantly to the antioxidant properties of grapes. Study results also indicated that all heavy metal levels tested in grapes were below the threshold limits, which was expected considering that the experimental soil was not contaminated with the heavy metals being assessed. Overall, the results from the study have shown that all grape varieties studied hereby displayed a satisfactory level of quality based on key chemical parameters, and that the experimental area is quite favorable for their cultivation.

Ždralovac peatland in the karst field Livanjsko polje in southwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina with an area of about 3.500 ha has always been drained and used for the regional people. But drainage, agriculture and climate change cause the peat drying in the summer and create the conditions for frequent fires and serious changes of peat properties. Since 1.000 ha of peatland was used for agriculture (abandoned areas for 25 years that are being cultivated again today), and the extracted peat is used as a raw material for the plant growing substrate. The presence of certain pollutants is a good indicator of the suitability of peat for the plant production. In this paper, the state of peat related to contamination with heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons - PAHs and pesticide residues was investigated in undrained peat areas, reclamation areas and peat burning sites. The presence of heavy metals in concentrations higher than permitted was not recorded. The presence of combustion products PAHs was recorded on all surfaces, but only naphthalene exceeds the permitted concentrations of organic pollutants. Only pesticide residue of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) was recorded in abandoned meliorated areas used in agriculture, and the concentration exceeded the level of uncontaminated land.

Harvest timing is a critical factor in viticulture, as it directly influences grape composition and, consequently, wine quality. This study evaluated the effects of harvest timing on the physical and chemical traits of two widely cultivated grape varieties from the Trebinje vineyard area, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Basic chemical parameters (total soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity) were measured alongside cluster and berry traits, including length, width, and weight of clusters; the number and weight of berries; the skin and flesh weight of 100 berries; and the number and weigh of seeds. Early-harvested grapes showed greater cluster weight but lower total soluble solids, higher titratable acidity, and lower pH compared to later harvests in both cultivars. Changes in cluster and berry traits were more pronounced in ‘Vranac’, where berry weight, skin and flesh mass increased significantly at later harvests, however, in ‘Žilavka’ only the seed weight was notably affected. Across all harvests period, ‘Žilavka’ consistently exhibited higher total soluble solids and lower pH values than ‘Vranac’, indicating a strong varietal effect on grape quality. These findings highlight that delaying harvest within the recommended window can enhance grape composition, while varietal differences determine the extent of morphological and chemical changes during ripening.

Bedding begonias ( Begonia cucullata Hort.) are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal. Boasting beautiful leaves and lively, colourful flowers, these plants can significantly enhance any garden space. They also have the capacity to produce a large biomass, suggesting their suitability for phytoextraction purposes. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of bedding begonia in removing Cr, Pb, and Cd from artificially polluted substrates, with concentrations varying from 100 mg/kg to 500 mg/kg for Cr and Pb, and from 20 mg/kg to 100 mg/kg for Cd. The phytoextraction potential was estimated using bioaccumulation (BAF) and translocation (TF) factors analysis. The current study demonstrated that bedding begonia can successfully grow in substrates enriched with Cr, Pb, and Cd. BAF values < 1 for both Cr and Pb were detected regardless of contamination levels, indicating that this species has limited capacity to restore soils contaminated with these metals. On the other hand, BAF and TF values for Cd were greater than 1 at all contamination levels, implying their potential to remove Cd from polluted soils.