The paper presents two-year results of chemical tests of raspberry fruits in organic and conventional cultivation systems. Raspberry plantations were established on the slopes of Jelica Mountain, on soil having very acidic reaction (pH/KCl 3.67-3.76) and optimal contents of humus and total N. In the conventional cultivation system, the soil had a high supply of readily available P2O5 and K2O and microelements, with excessive levels of Ni, and Cr. In the organic system, the content of Ni and Zn increased. The biochemical properties of organic and conventional fruits showed no significant differences, while the influence of the research year and the interaction of the cultivation system showed significant differences in the content of TA and IS. However, higher values of the levels of soluble solids, total acids and sugars contributed to the more appealing taste and aroma of organic raspberry fruits. The contents of microelements and heavy metals in the fruits of both cultivation systems were measured in the following order Mn>Fe>Zn>Cu>Ni>Cr>Co. No significant difference was found in the contents of the examined elements between organic and conventional fruits, except for the statistically higher content of Fe in organic raspberries. The high share of individual elements (especially Ni) in both cultivation systems indicates the need for continuous chemical testing of soil and fruits. Based on the results, it is important to consider the daily intake of each element in relation to body weight and/or maximum daily intake.

All over the world, especially in Western societies, table salt intake that is inordinately higher than the acceptable level has been observed. An excess of Na in the human diet, mostly from processed foods, is becoming the “number one killer”, leading to increased blood pressure. Therefore, the food industry is faced with a need to reduce Na in human nutrition in an effort to raise public health protection to a higher level. In this study, a commercially available combination of Na/K salts (COMB) at different concentrations was used as a NaCl substitute in the production of a modified, healthier, Na-reduced cheese. Samples of the modified low-Na white soft-brined cheese (WSBC) were produced by adding four different concentrations of COMB to production lots PL-1 to PL-4, and the control (CON) samples were prepared by salting with the usual, non-reduced concentration of NaCl. The effects of NaCl replacement on the physical–chemical parameters, major- and micro-elements, and microstructural and sensory properties of the WSBC were investigated. The obtained results indicated that there was no significant influence on the ash content, pH, and a_w. The Na and K levels differed among treatments (p < 0.001). The lowest Na level in this study was recorded in PL-4 (only COMB was added) and was 334.80 ± 24.60 mg/100 g. According to the Na content, WSBC PL4 can be labeled with the nutrient claim “reduced amount of Na”. A significant difference (p < 0.05) was noticed in overall acceptance between the CON and PL-4, with no statistically significant difference found amongst other WSBC production lots. The replacement of NaCl resulted in a slightly greater firmness of the WSBC. The results confirm the possibility of producing low-Na WSBC when optimal amounts of a suitable mineral salt are used as a substitute for NaCl, thus reducing the risk of high Na intake in the human body through the consumption of evaluated cheese.

The growth and nutrient balance of legumes can be disrupted in soils with increased nickel (Ni) concentrations. The inoculation of legumes with rhizobia, symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria, can be used for the alleviation of trace metal stress in plants. This study evaluated the Ni tolerance of alfalfa rhizobia isolates and some plant growth-promoting traits in the presence of Ni: indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, Ni biosorption potential, and the effect of rhizobia on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) growth. The strains were characterized as Shinorhizobium meliloti, Sinorhizobium medicae, and Rhizobium tibeticum. In total, 70% of the tested strains tolerate up to 0.8 mM Ni, while 15% of the strains tolerate 1.2 mM Ni. The production of IAA was maintained in the presence of Ni until bacterial growth was stopped by raising the Ni concentration. Alfalfa seed germination is significantly reduced in the presence of 0.5 mM Ni, while a significant reduction in 10-day-old seedling length already occurs at a Ni concentration of 0.03 mM. In the plant experiment, when alfalfa was inoculated with rhizobial strains, nodulation was maintained up to 0.05 mM Ni, but a significant reduction in nodule number was detected at 0.01 mM Ni. At the concentration of 0.005 mM Ni, inoculation with 12 particular rhizobial strains significantly improved the number of nodules per plant, plant height, and root length, as well as plant shoot dry weight, compared to non-inoculated plants with Ni addition. However, higher concentrations caused a reduction in all of these plant growth parameters compared to the plants without Ni. The selected rhizobia strains showed a Ni biosorption capacity of 20% in the in vitro assay. The inoculation of alfalfa with effective rhizobial strains improves growth parameters compared to non-inoculated plants in the presence of certain concentrations of Ni.

The pollution of soil by potentially toxic trace elements (PTE) is increasing every year and has become a serious problem worldwide. Plant growth is influenced by numerous interactions with the environmental factors and organisms from the surrounding soil, including high concentration of PTE. The aim of this research was to evaluate the possibility of growing orchardgrass in soils with an increased Ni concentration and improvement of the plant quality in these stressful conditions using Bacillus inoculums. In addition, the plant growth promoting traits and the germination of inoculated Dactylis glomerata seeds with Bacillus inoculants was examined. The main goal was to examine the effects of inoculums on plant yield, nutrient composition, and trace elements concentration in orchardgrass biomass. The ability of bacterial isolates to tolerate high concentration of Ni as well as the potential of these bacteria to enhance the germination of orchardgrass seeds was tested in vitro on Petri dishes. A pot experiment was conducted in soil with elevated Ni concentration, and plant dry mass, as well as the content of micro and macro elements in plant material was determined. The results of the pot experiment showed the positive effect of bacterial inoculation on shoot dry weight of orchardgrass, while the nitrogen content in orchardgrass shoots was slightly increased under the influence of bacterial inoculation. Furthermore, the content of microelements in plant material was reduced in inoculated plants.