The objective of this study was to evaluate the content of ellagic acid in blackberries, as well as in the juice of different blackberry cultivars obtained using a specific technology. The analysis of the ellagic acid content in the test samples was performed using the high-pressure liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD). Results showed considerable variations in ellagic acid content in the test blackberry fruit samples, the highest being determined in the fruit of the blackberry- raspberry hybrid cv. 'Tayberry' (54.794 mg/100 g fresh weight), and the lowest in blackberry cv. 'Cacanska Bestrna' (1.852 mg/100 g fresh weight). The ellagic acid content in the 'Tayberry' juice produced using the specific technology was very high and almost identical to that in fruits.

One of the major problems confronting agricultural production is heavy metal contamination of agricultural soils, which imposes considerable limitations on productivity and leads to great consumer health and safety concerns about the products obtained on these soils. The objective of this study was to evaluate heavy metal dynamics in the soil-leaf-fruit system in an intensive apple cv. 'Idared' planting located in the Municipality of Goražde. Heavy metal contents in the soil samples and plant material were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry using a Shimadzu 7000 AA device, according to the instructions specified in the ISO 11047 method. The dynamics of the heavy metals analyzed, excepting zinc, in the soil-leaf-fruit system was characterized by relatively high total levels of heavy metals in the soil and a very low degree of their accumulation in the leaves and in particular the fruits. No fruit sample was found to have toxic levels of any of the heavy metals analyzed. In terms of soil contamination, this suggests the suitability of the study location for safe apple fruit production.

In order to create conditions conducive to sustainable fruit production, involving optimum utilization of all sources of plant nutrients with minimum environmental pollution, it is necessary to reorient agricultural producers to use those types of fertilization that are environmentally safe and appropriate which can also satisfy all fruit tree nutrient requirements. This gives particular importance to foliar nutrition as this model poses the lowest risk of soil and groundwater contamination with undesirable mineral elements. The objective of this study was to provide a comprehensive review of research papers dealing with the effect of foliar feeding on development parameters in apple trees in an attempt to obtain a more thorough insight into the advantages and disadvantages of this fertilization type and facilitate the potential use of this practice for apple producers. Keywords: Malus x domestica , foliar fertilization, nutrient, leaves

The aim of this study was to determine the degree of copper (Cu) and manganese (Mn) uptake by pepper plants ( Capsicum annuum L.) grown on four different soil types. The study was conducted in 2009 and 2010 under controlled conditions in a greenhouse. The experiment was set up according to a randomized block design with four treatments (soil types) in five replications. The results showed that the degree of Cu and Mn uptake by pepper plants was statistically significantly dependent upon the soil type used for pepper cultivation regardless of plant phenostage and year of the study. The degree of Cu uptake by pepper plants was highest in the treatment on chernozem, lower on fluvisol and pseudogley, and lowest on vertisol, while the degree of Mn uptake by pepper plants was highest on chernozem and lowest on pseudogley. The Cu content of pepper leaves in all the treatments was low as compared to related literature data irrespective of plant phenostage. Considering the potential antagonistic relationship between Cu and Mn in the soil solution, we can conclude that one of the reasons for the low copper uptake by pepper plants was the high concentration of Mn in all soil types tested. Keywords: Pepper, soil types, manganese, copper