This study aimed to determine the concentrations of ten metals (Mn, Ni, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cr, Pb, Cd, Cu) in the soil at depths of 10 and 20 cm and selected plant species (Populus nigra L., Fraxinus ornus L., Salix alba L., Salix caprea L.), as well as to assess the ability of these plants of metal bioaccumulation, translocation and phytoremediation on the location of the mine pit and flotation tailings of the selected mine (in the center of the Republic of Serbia). The concentrations of Pb and Cu in the investigated soil at a depth of 10 cm were above remediation values stated in the regulations of the Republic of Serbia. At the same time, the concentration of Cd, Cr, Pb and Cu was above the limit values in both of the examined soil depths, while Ni in the soil at a depth of 10 cm was above the limit value determined in the Directives of the European Union. The species F. ornus shows the ability to phytoextract Ca, species P. nigra Zn, Ca and Cd, while both Salix species have the capacity to phytoextract Zn and Ca. The results showed that species S. alba is an efficient bioaccumulator of Mn, Fe, Cr, Pb, Zn and Ca, S. caprea of Fe, Cu, Cr, Mg and Pb, and P. nigra of Mn and Cd. The bioaccumulation and translocation of the investigated elements depend on plant species and their organ. The selection of plant species adequate for remediation should take this into account.

Pseudogley soils in Serbia are characterized by poor chemical and physical properties that limit maize yields. Nevertheless, they are still used on large areas due to their favorable topographic position and lack of better-quality soils. It is common practice to regularly apply mineral fertilizers to these soils, but this does not increase maize yields to an economically sufficient level, although the doses are increased. At the same time, the inappropriate application of mineral fertilizers deteriorates soil chemical properties. Lime is only moderately used in Serbia despite its known benefits, whereas manure is not satisfactorily used. Therefore, a two-factorial experiment was set up as a randomized block design with three replications and conducted near Kraljevo, Serbia, to investigate the effect of mineral fertilizers, manure and lime on maize growth. The experiment included three fertilization regimes: F—application of common fertilizer doses, LF—application of the same fertilizer doses with 3 t·ha⁻¹ of lime, and LMF—application of the same fertilizer doses with lime and 30 t·ha⁻¹ of manure. The response of four maize hybrids to different fertilization practices was investigated. The soil was acid, poor in humus, and contained an increased content of mobile aluminum. There was a significant increase in the 3-year average yield of all hybrids in LMF- and LF-treatments compared with F-treatment, 30.7 and 25.6%, respectively. The increase in yield was accompanied by an improvement in soil chemical properties after three years, i.e., increased soil reaction in LF- and LMF-treatments, increased content of available phosphorus, an increase in base saturation by 61 and 75%, and aluminum immobilization by 2.55 and 4.19 fold, respectively, compared to initial conditions. The hybrid NS 640 demonstrated the highest yield when only mineral fertilizers were used, which indicated its tolerance to the unfavorable physical and chemical soil properties and suggested that it can be recommended for growing on pseudogleys without applying amelioration practices. The hybrids NS 6030 and ZP 606 achieved statistically significantly higher yields than the other hybrids when lime and manure were applied, which indicates that adequate fertilization coupled with soil improvement practices should be used in order to achieve satisfactory yields. The obtained results showed that liming can be considered as a longer-term sustainability practice in maize production in Serbia on pseudogley soils, and that there is an array of maize hybrids which can be grown depending on management strategies applied.

Research was performed to determine the effect of cadmium-contaminated phosphorus fertilizers on the content of available Cd in the soil, its accumulation in potato tubers and potato yield. The experiment was conducted on a slightly alkaline alluvial soil containing available cadmium at a level of 0.0248 mg/kg. The available Cd content of the soil varied with the type of phosphorus fertilizer used and the degree of its contamination with Cd, ranging from 0.0232 mg/kg on average in the treatment with the Russian monoammonium phosphate containing the lowest Cd concentration to 0.0318 mg/kg under Bulgarian diammonium phosphate treatment. Cd concentration in potato tubers was highest under the Bulgarian diammonium phosphate (0.092 mg/kg), which contained the highest amount of Cd, and lowest under diammonium phosphate manufactured in Russia (0.036 mg/kg). In all treatments, Cd concentrations in potato tubers were within the maximum permissible limits. The average potato yield was highest under monoammonium phosphate and lowest under triple superphosphate, and showed no dependence on the Cd contamination of fertilizers.

Research on the effect of different rates and methods of application of mineral NPK fertilizers on the quality of potato variety 'Carrera' was conducted on a luvisol of the Radočelo Mountain massif. Treatments included an unfertilized control, NPK 16:16:16 (1500 kg/ha) applied in-furrow at planting, NPK 16:16:16 (1200 kg/ha) applied in-furrow at planting, and NPK 16:16:16 applied at 700 kg/ha during seedbed preparation and at 500 kg/ha in-furrow at planting. Results on the nutritional value of potato tubers showed that the levels of tested nutrients were higher in the skin than in the flesh. The concentrations of tested nutrients in potato tubers were highest at the highest NPK fertilizer rate, whereas the lowest levels of all nutrients, except Fe, were determined in tubers at NPK rates of 700 kg/ha applied pre-plant and 500 kg/ha applied at planting.

To ensure safe food production, cultivar specificity of mineral nutrition in winter wheat was studied in order to determine genotypic differences in the accumulation of several selected microelements (Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu). Soil properties, plant species and genotypes were found to be major factors affecting the uptake of microelements by wheat plants. The application of NPK fertilizers, manure and lime resulted in a decrease in Fe, Mn and Zn contents, but the decrease was not below the concentrations that would make the plants suffer from nutrient deficiencies. In all treatments, the ratio Fe/Mn was <1.5, indicating that iron was not physiologically active, due to which its function was taken over by manganese. The analysis of variance showed highly significant effects of cultivar and fertilization on grain yield and 1,000-grain weight.