Genotype by environment interaction (GEI) is a complex problem that complicates the barley selection and breeding process. The knowledge of the relationship between cereal phenology and climatic data is important for understanding GEI and the physiological pathways responsible for the interaction effect. The grain yield of twenty winter barley genotypes in six environments was observed. Factors influencing the variability were analyzed using a linear mixed model. The partial least squares regression (PLSR) model was applied to determine the most relevant environmental variables in certain stages of development that explained GEI effects. Biplot with environmental variables explained 43.7% of the GEI. The barley was generally the most sensitive to the environmental conditions (relative humidity, maximum temperature and its variation, sun hours, and precipitation) during the anthesis and filling stage (May) which caused GEI. Temperature variables did not show significance only in the vegetative phase. Different genotypes responded differently to environmental factors. Genotypes NS-525, NS-589, and J-103 were highlighted as widely adaptable, and Zaječar was a suitable and reliable location for yield testing. The GEI information presented in this paper can be useful in traditional plant breeding and future breeding programs through molecular research of crop developmental genes and examination of physiological processes in two-row barley.

The identification of wheat genotypes with balanced grain yield, stability, and antioxidant response to abiotic stress is crucial for creating adaptable varieties in changing climates. The research was conducted as a multi-environment trial (MET) across six environments (three localities over two seasons), and included 15 wheat genotypes (bread wheat lines, standard varieties and two spelt wheat lines). This study integrates AMMI and GGE biplot analyses with antioxidant profiling across growth stages to identify genotypes combining yield stability and stress tolerance. Lines KG-4/1, KG-11/1 and the variety Pobeda were identified as high-yielding and stable genotypes, with KG-11/1 ranked as an “ideal genotype” and KG-4/1 achieving the highest grain yield on MET level (6.48 t ha^–1). Specific adaptation of genotypes KG-40/1 and Renesansa indicates their potential for targeted breeding in particular environments. Antioxidant parameters (TPC and DPPH• scavenging activity) at early growth stages were positively correlated with grain yield, indicating that they can serve as suitable biochemical markers for selecting stress-tolerant, high-yielding wheat genotypes. This comprehensive approach, which includes the analysis of grain yield stability/adaptability and antioxidant parameters, is adequate for the evaluation of promising lines that may be suitable genetic resources in climate-resilient wheat breeding programs.

Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), as one of the most important vegetable crops, requires continuous work on the selection of new varieties and hybrids with greater genetic potential for fertility, and the introduction of new cultivation technologies, all to satisfy human needs. In the first year of research, after crossing two parental components based on sterile lines, hybrid seeds of experimental hybrids were produced. A comparative experiment was set up in the greenhouse of the Institute for Vegetable Crops Smederevska Palanka in 2023 to create new pepper hybrids, which are characterized by fruits for different purposes. Of the seven experimental hybrid combinations, one is selected (LPK027 x HM6) for its potential morphological features (fruit weight and number of fruits per plant) as the main components of yield and high content of dry matter and was reported to the Commission for the Recognition of New Varieties in 2024 under the name Katja F1.

In the Balkans, the production of globally cultivated green leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) can be slow due to reduced quality and intensity of solar insolation. Our research aimed to investigate the effects of artificial illumination and the duration of light exposure on the growth and quality of two lettuce genotypes seedlings: Genesis and Jukebox. The research was conducted at the Institute for Vegetable Crops Smederevska Palanka, Serbia. Lettuce seeds were sown in 9 styrofoam containers per genotype, filled with commercial substrate. In the phase of three leaves, plants were placed in plant growth chambers under multispectral white (W) LEDs and monochromatic blue (B) LEDs (three containers per LED and genotype), while three containers were kept in the greenhouse and served as control. The plants were cultured in plant growth chambers for 25 days under a 9h/15h and 10h/14h (light/dark) photoperiod, to simulate outdoor conditions. Morphological growth parameters (number of leaves and plant weight) were measured on the 11th and 25th days. Chlorophyll content was measured on the 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th days. Plants grown under W and B LEDs had a significantly higher number of leaves, plant weight, and chlorophyll content than plants grown in a greenhouse. Using energy-efficient white and blue LED lights in lettuce seedling production during 18-25 days positively impacts seedling quality, and with this seedling production, the plants can achieve high yields and quality.

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is one of the most important cereals in the world, and in Serbia it ranks third in terms of cultivated area, after corn and wheat. However, the production of spring barley faces challenges caused by climate change, which have a negative impact on grain yield and grain quality. Therefore, the aim of this research was to examine the influence of genotype, growing season and their interactions on the productive traits of spring two-row barley. The research was conducted in Kragujevac during 2022 and 2023 growing seasons, where the experiment was set up using the method of random assignment in four replications. As plant material, three two-row spring barley genotypes were used: Jadran, Scarlett and L-1/6-95. The results of the research show that the factor of growing season had a dominant effect in the expression of the number of grains per spike, number of grains per m², thousand grain weight, and grain yield, with the largest share in the variation of the number of grains per m² (77% of the treatment sum of squares), while it did not significantly affect the expression of grain weight per spike, which was mostly influenced by the genotype (62.5% of the treatment sum of squares). In the second season (2023), which was characterized by lower temperatures and evenly distributed rainfall, higher values of number of grains per spike (by 12.95%), number of grains per m² (by 55, 21%), grain weight per spike (by 11.82%), and grain yield (by 46.36%) compared to the first season (2022). However, the higher amount of precipitation during the grain filling phase in 2023 season had a negative impact on the thousand grain weight, which was 5.96% less compared to 2022. These results indicate that excessive rainfall at the grain filling stage can negatively affect grain quality. Also, the factor of genotype had a significant influence on the variation of all traits, except for the number of grains per spike. Genotype Scarlett stood out as the most productive, with the highest average values of number of grains per spike (24.4), number of grains per m² (7821), thousand grain weight (47.3 g), grain weight per spike (1.25 g), and grain yield (3.64 t ha-1). On the other hand, genotype L-1/6-95 had slightly lower values of all these traits, while genotype Jadran had the lowest values in all parameters (except thousand grain weight). These results confirm that genotypes have a significant impact on productive traits, where the genotype Scarlett proved to be the most suitable for production in our agroecological conditions. The high correlation coefficient between grain yield and the number of grains per m² (0.988) confirms that the number of grains per m² is a key trait for achieving a high grain yield of two-row spring barley. On the other hand, a highly significant negative correlation was obtained between the number of grains per m² and the thousand grain weight (-0.500), which is the result of the influence of excessive rainfall in June on grain filling, which did not negatively affect the number of grains. Nevertheless, a high value of the thousand grain weight was found in all genotypes, which makes them suitable for use in the brewing industry. Knowing the influence of genotype and the growing season and their interactions emphasizes the need to adapt agrotechnical practices, to choose appropriate genotypes to achieve high yield and high grain quality.