Fruit is one of the essential products in the proper nutrition of the population. In the conditions of free trade, due to the great economic importance of fruits and fruit products, fruit foreign trade is subject to constant monitoring and evaluation of the production and consumption conformity. The aim of this paper is to analyze the volume, dynamics and structure of fruit production and consumption in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in the period 2014-2017, and point to the need for greater alignment of fruit production and consumption. Data from secondary sources were studied to determine the degree of self-sufficiency for apples, pears and plums, the three main fruit species in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Methodologically, the level of self-sufficiency was calculated using formulas recommended by FAO and the Laspeyres aggregated price index. The degree of self-sufficiency in apple is between 70% and 86%, depending on the year. Pear has the lowest production but slightly higher degree of self-sufficiency compared to apple (88-96%). BiH has a surplus only in plum, in both fresh plums and plum products, which means that the degree of self-sufficiency is higher than 100% by 2-5%. Given its geographical location and climatic conditions, BiH could produce more fruit than its current production, fully meet the needs of its population, and generate a surplus in its foreign trade.

Indigenous grape varieties represent a significant potential for viticultural diversification. Due to fertilization problems, certain varieties from this group require suitable pollenizers for successful fertilization and in order to achieve high-quality grapes. The study was conducted during the years 2016 and 2017 in the vineyard in Herzegovina (southern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina). The aim of this research is to define a suitable pollenizer for the ‘Blatina’ variety, which has a functionally female flower. Manual pollination was performed with five different pollenizers during the flowering period by applying pollen to the ‘Blatina’ variety inflorescence during the full bloom stage in the early morning hours. Pollinated inflorescences were isolated, marked, and monitored until the end of the vegetation, while open-pollinated clusters were the control group. The most important characteristics of grape clusters and seeds were analyzed. The best results during the research were obtained by open pollination. The significant effect of the pollenizers was registered in parameters: cluster mass, mass of grape berries in the cluster, number of grape berries per cluster, and average seed mass. Varieties ‘Žilavka’ and ‘Vranac’ had better characteristics compared to other pollenizer varieties. The results show that the Blatina variety production with a greater number of pollenizers ensures stable yields.

The nutritional value of fruit is essential for human health; however, these attributes may be lost or degraded during storage. Fruit behavior during the storage period is strongly influenced by pre-harvest production factors. In this study, biochemical quality parameters were analyzed post-harvest, as well as during and after storage in ultra-low oxygen (ULO) conditions. Three pear varieties ('Williams', 'Abate Fetel', and 'Conference') were evaluated on two rootstocks (quince and wild pear seedling) across three plot positions (top, middle, and base) over two consecutive years. The analyses included total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant capacity (AOC), soluble solids content (SSC), and individual sugar profiles (glucose, fructose, sucrose, and sorbitol). The results indicate that the root-stock significantly influenced the analyzed fruit characteristics in cultivars investigated. Rootstock had a highly statistically significant impact on SSC of 'Abate Fetel' and 'Conference', whereas the difference was not significant for 'Williams'. All cultivars showed lower TPC and AOC on seedling rootstock. Conversely, the effect of tree position on the studied parameters and the stability of nutritional traits during storage was not statistically significant. It was concluded that the cultivars exhibited distinct behaviors under the storage regime depending on the factors observed. During storage, 'Williams' maintained a high nutritional value, particularly regarding phenolic and sugar content and strong antioxidant capacity. In contrast, 'Abate Fetel' and 'Conference' showed a decline in nutritional properties, which adversely affected overall fruit quality.