Boron is an essential plant micronutrient taken up via the roots mostly in the form of boric acid. Its important role in plant metabolism involves the stabilization of molecules with cis-diol groups. The element is involved in the cell wall and membrane structure and functioning; therefore, it participates in numerous ion, metabolite, and hormone transport reactions. Boron has an extremely narrow range between deficiency and toxicity, and inadequate boron supply exhibits a detrimental effect on the yield of agricultural plants. The deficiency problem can be solved by fertilization, whereas soil boron toxicity can be ameliorated using various procedures; however, these approaches are costly and time-consuming, and they often show temporary effects. Plant species, as well as the genotypes within the species, dramatically differ in terms of boron requirements; thus, the available soil boron which is deficient for one crop may exhibit toxic effects on another. The widely documented intraspecies genetic variability regarding boron utilization efficiency and toxicity tolerance, together with the knowledge of the physiology and genetics of boron, should result in the development of efficient and tolerant varieties that may represent a long-term sustainable solution for the problem of inadequate or excess boron supply.

Final grain dry weight, a component of yield in wheat, is dependent on the duration and the rate of grain filling. The purpose of the study was to compare the grain filling patterns between common wheat, (Triticum aestivum L.), and durum wheat, (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum), and investigate relationships among grain filling parameters, yield components and the yield itself. The most important variables in differentiating among grain filling curves were final grain dry weight (W) for common wheat genotypes and grain filling rate (R) for durum wheat genotypes; however, in all cases the sets of variables important in differentiating among grain filling curves were extended to either two or all three parameters. Furthermore, in one out of three environmental conditions and for both groups of genotypes, the most important parameter in the set was grain filling duration (T). It indicates significant impact of environmental conditions on dry matter accumulation and the mutual effect of grain filling duration and its rate on the final grain dry weight. The medium early anthesis date could be associated with further grain weight and yield improvements in wheat. Grain filling of earlier genotypes occurs in more temperate environments, which provides enough time for gradual grain fill and avoids the extremes of temperature and the stress of dry conditions.

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) was one of the earliest domesticated plant species. Biological classification (taxonomy or systematization) manifests evolutional relationships between taxons according to trait similarities. When it comes to taxonomy, hemp is one of the most controversial plant species due to significant effects of environmental conditions on hemp phenology and expression of quantitative traits as well as different levels of gender expression observed in hemp plants. Controversial taxonomy of hemp has gone through several phases throughout history. The attitude on the number of species within the genus Cannabis and the criteria used in taxonomic units division were under dispute. Initially focused on morphological characteristics and geographical origin, the approach was greatly amended by the development of molecular and biochemical techniques. The main cause of taxonomic uncertainties is the inbreeding ability of all wild Cannabis populations, resulting in continual variability of quantitative traits. The aim of the paper is to review the history of Cannabis classification including different approaches to this scientific issue.

Lagenaria siceraria, commonly known as bottle gourd, stands as a versatile member within the Cucurbitaceae family, offering global economic significance an