A soil tillage system adjusted to the soil type and agro-ecological conditions, together with the optimal nutrient supply, is a prerequisite for high maize (Zea mays L.) yield. However, there is little knowledge about the influence of soil tillage and nitrogen (N) rates on maize grain quality. A study was initiated in 1978 in Zemun Polje, Belgrade, Serbia, on the chernozem soil type. The effects of three N rates—0, 180 and 240 kg N ha⁻¹—within three tillage practices—no-tillage, reduced and conventional tillage—and their influence on grain yield (GY) and the content of proteins, starch, oil, total tocopherols and carotenoids, phytic phosphorus (Phy), glutathione (GSH), phenols and inorganic P (Pi) in maize grain were analysed in the period 2016–2018. Differences in maize GY were 2.57 and 3.01 t ha⁻¹ for reduced- or no-tillage, respectively, in comparison to conventional tillage. Conventional tillage and higher N rates contributed to the increase in maize yield and the grain nutritional quality with regard to the increased level of proteins, GSH and Phy. On the other hand reduced inputs were beneficial only for grain quality, in relation to the increase in tocopherols and phenols.

Plant genetic resources are a reservoir of genetic diversity and valuable material for the development of new cultivars adapted to climatic changes, tolerant to abiotic stress, pest and diseases, and with improved nutritional quality. These resources involve varieties, landraces, wild species, wild relatives, and mutants for use for food and agriculture. Conservation, sustainable management and use of plant genetic resources are of particular importance with regard to the modernization of agriculture that led to the disappearance or significant decrease in the number of indigenous populations. About 7.4 million samples are kept within gene banks, on field and in vitro. Out of this number, a quarter of the samples are duplicates in a number of collections. The stated number of plant samples is complemented by over 2,500 botanical gardens worldwide, where it is grown over a third of all known plant species and maintain the important herbarium and carpological collections. Conservation of plant genetic resources is regulated by a number of international and national legal documents. Plant genetic resources can be used in breeding programs as a source of specific genes for the development of new varieties, adapted to the new environmental conditions and to expand the genetic base of breeding material, as well as food, in food industry, traditional medicine and tourism.

Kunitz trypsin inhibitor is major antinutritive factor in soybean seed that decrease its nutritional value. Breeding programs aimed to select soybean variety without Kunitz trypsin inhibitor are of great importance as that varieties can be used directly for monogastric animal feeding. By specific markers analysis is possible to detect genotypes without KTI. Ninety sixth soybean genotypes from Soybean collection of Maize Research Institute are analyzed by two markers Satt228 and Satt409. 89 genotypes with both markers had characteristic alleles for genotypes with KTI, and three genotypes Kunitz, Laura and Lana have characteristics bands, with Satt228 alel 2 as with Satt409 band about 170kDa, for genotypes with titi recesive allele. Four genotypes which had both alleles with marker Satt228 with Satt 409 had only allele characteristic for TiTi genotype. Obtained results confirmed that both markers could be used for identification and selection genotypes without Kunitz trypsin inhibitor.