With the total acreage of 50 million ha and an annual production of about 140 million tonnes, barley ranks high in world cereal production. Selection of new cultivars is mostly associated with a particular ideotype designed by the breeder in line with the targets and goals specified. Although grain yield is an ongoing objective in creating new cultivars, breeding work on barley is further expanded to include other traits, primarily grain quality and lodging resistance. Lodging resistance is largely determined by the genetic background of certain stem properties (length, strength and flexibility) and root system development i.e. structure. The degree of lodging resistance in barley is significantly affected by the morphological traits of aboveground parts (stem length, strength and flexibility; stem wall thickness; length, number and weight of internodes; spike size and spike weight). The new cultivars of winter malting barley currently used by producers are generally characterized by very good lodging resistance and an average plant height of 90 to 100 cm. Breeding spring malting barley has resulted in an optimal height (about 80 cm). Further changes should focus on increasing stem thickness and changing the anatomical structure to ensure sufficient stem strength.

Five winter wheat cultivars created in Small Grains Research Centre of Kragujevac (Ana Morava, Toplica, Vizija, Takovcanka and Lazarica) were grown at the macro field trial in three locations (Kragujevac, Sombor and Backa Topola) during three years (2004-2006). Influence of genetic and agro-ecological conditions of locations on wheat quality components (sedimentation value and wet gluten content) was investigated. The analysis of variance suggested there were highly significant differences among genotypes (G), investigated years (Y) and locations (L) for sedimentation value and wet gluten content. Apart from individual influence of the factors, their interactions (G x Y, G x L, Y x L, G x Y x L) were also high significant for both investigated traits. In average the highest sedimentation value (40.6 ml) and wet gluten content (31.85 %) established at Backa Topola locality. The highest value of all investigated cultivars and localities established at cultivar Vizija (45.3 ml) in Backa Topola, while the lowest at Lazarica (31.7 ml) in Sombor. The highest wet gluten content was measured at Backa Topola locality by cultivar Toplica (38.53 %). In this investigation Backa Topola locality was favourable for both investigated quality traits.

A field trial with four red clover cultivars was established on acid soil in order to evaluate the effect of foliar boron application on seed yield. The crop received foliar boron treatment during the second growth of the second year at two applications. Although seed yield showed a significant increase in boron-treated plants in 2011 compared with control (26.0%), its relative increase was far higher in 2010 (43.2%), which had increased total rainfall amounts during flowering. Sufficient level of boron supply to red clover plants for seed production has a remarkably positive effect under conditions hampering pollination and fertilisation.

An objective evaluation of maize hybrids in intensive cropping systems requires identification not only of yield components and other agronomically important t...