Soil and water conservation benefits of cover crops have been hypothesized as a way to mitigate and adapt to changing climatic conditions, but they can also have detrimental effects if rainfall is limited. Our objective was to quantify effects of winter cover crops on soil water storage and yield of silage maize under the agro-ecological conditions within Vojvodina Province in Serbia. The experiment was conducted under rain-fed conditions at three locations and included a control (bare fallow) plus three cover crop and two N rate treatments. The cover crop treatments were common vetch (Vicia sativa L.), triticale (x Triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus) and a mixture of the two species. All were managed as green manure and subsequently fertilized with either 120 or 160 kg N ha⁻¹ before planting silage maize (Zea mays L.). Cover crop effects on soil water storage were calculated for two periods, March–May and May–September/October. A Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) used to characterize drought severity for 2011/2012 and 2012/2013, showed values of 3 and 9, respectively, for the two periods. Soil water storage was reduced by all cover crop treatments, with the greatest deficiency occurring during the extremely dry year of 2012. Previous studies have shown cover crop growth reduced by soil water depletion during their growing season and negative effects on early-season growth and development of subsequent cash crops such as silage maize, but if rainfall is extremely low it can also reduce cash crop yield. This detrimental effect of cover crops on soil water balance was confirmed by correlations between soil water storage and maize silage yield.

Three perennial legumes (alfalfa, red clover and birdsfoot trefoil) and four cool-season perennial grasses (orchardgrass, tall fescue, Italian ryegrass and red fescue) were grown in legume–grass combinations and in pure stands of individual species, at three locations in the West Balkan region (Novi Sad, Banja Luka and Pristina) in the period from 2012 to 2015. The study evaluated dry matter yield, legume–grass–weed proportion and forage quality. High annual forage yield of legume–grass mixtures can be obtained with proper selection of species and an appropriate legume–grass ratio. However, high and stable yield, particularly in the case of grasses, depends on the amount and schedule of precipitation as well as the cutting time. The mixtures and legume pure stands achieved better forage production both per cutting and on the annual basis and had better forage quality than grass pure stands.

Through choosing bread wheat genotypes that can be cultivated in less productive areas, one can increase the economic worth of those lands, and increase the area under cultivation for this strategic crop. As a result, more food sources will be available for the growing global population. The phenotypic variation of ear mass and grain mass per ear, as well as the genotype × environment interaction, were studied in 11 wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars and 1 triticale (Triticosecale W.) cultivar grown under soil salinity stress (3S) during three vegetation seasons. The results of the experiment set on the control variant (solonetz) were compared to the results obtained from soil reclaimed by phosphogypsum in the amount of 25 t × ha⁻¹ and 50 t × ha⁻¹. Using the AMMI analysis of variance, there was found to be a statistically significant influence of additive and non-additive sources of variation on the phenotypic variation of the analyzed traits. Although the local landrace Banatka and the old variety Bankut 1205 did not have high enough genetic capacity to exhibit high values of ear mass, they were well-adapted to 3S. The highest average values of grain mass per ear and the lowest average values of the coefficient of variation were obtained in all test variants under microclimatic condition B. On soil reclaimed by 25 t × ha⁻¹ and 50 t × ha⁻¹ of phosphogypsum, in microclimate C, the genotypes showed the highest stability. The most stable genotypes were Rapsodija and Renesansa. Under 3S, genotype Simonida produced one of the most stable reactions for grain mass per ear.

In the agroecological conditions of Vojvodina, there is not enough research on the influence of plowing cover crops as a green manure on the content of labile organic carbon soluble in hot water (HWOC). The aim of the study was to determine the influence of crop rotation of different species of winter cover crops (CC) and spring crops in the subsequent sowing period (corn, soybeans and Sudan grass) on the content of organic matter (OM) levels as well as the dynamic of labile OM. Research was carried out at the Rimski Šančevi experimental station under Chernozem soil type. The winter CC consisted of the combined intercrops: winter pea (Pisum sativum ssp. Arvense L.) + triticale (×Triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus) (PT) and single-species CC winter pea (P) and control (without CC). Plowing of CC and control plots was carried out at a depth of 27 cm in the last decades of May 2018, and the sowing of maize, soybean and Sudan grass in early June with addition of 50 kg N ha-1 . Sampled was done in October at depth of: 0-20 cm, 20-40 cm. The analysis of variance determined a significant effect of cultivated crops (maize, soybeans and Sudan grass) in the subsequent sowing period on the changes of the HWOC content, as well as the interaction of cover crops and fertilization. The highest value of HWOC was measured in maize (658 µg g-1 ) on the variant P N0 (0-20 cm), and the lowest in the Sudan grass P N50 (20-40 cm). The highest share of HWOC in the total OM content was found in maize (2.56%), while the lowest share was measured in Sudan grass (1.87%).

The aim of the paper was to determine the influence of cover crops (CC) and cultivated crops in the subsequent sowing period (maize, soybean and sudan grass) on the physical properties of the soil, and above all on the soil compaction.Research was carried out at the Rimski Šančevi experimental station. Type of soil - chernozem. The winter CC consisted of the combined intercrops: winter pea (Pisum sativum ssp. Arvense L.) + triticale ((×Triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus) (PT) and single-species CC winter pea (P)and control (without CC). Plowing of CC and control plots was carried out in the last week of May 2018, and the sowing of maize, soybean and sudan grass was carried out in early June. Soil compaction was analyzed on the basis of collected data on the resistance of cone penetration into the soil and the immediate moisture content of the soil. The penetration resistance of the cone into the soil was determined using an electric penetrologger Eijkelkamp Penetrologger. Measurement of the resistance was carried out to a depth of 80 cm and expressed in MPa. Based on the conducted research, the smallest percentage content of soil moisture at depths of up to 20 cm was determined for maize varieties (PT) of 10.5% vol.and the highest on the control plot (without CC) (25.7% vol.), as a consequence of the absence of the CC, but also the dense structure of Sudan grass and reduced evaporation from the production area. The lowest Cone index (CI) was measured on a plot also with sudan grass, on the soil preceded by the cultivation of the winter pea as cover crop ( 2,3), while the highest index (3,6) was measured in the soybean crop on variants (PT). The specific resistance to penetration of the cone was varied both on varieties of inter CC (PT), single CC (P) and control, as well as in different cultivated species in the subsequent sowing period. The highest value of the specific resistance in the depth 0-20 cm was found in soybean (PT) 2.76 MPa, and also increased compation in the same crop in the layer (20-40 cm). On the basis of the obtained values it can be concluded that maize least affects soil compaction, unlike soybean, while in relation to the cover crops it is determined that the winter pea has the least impact on soil compaction.