Croatian islands are olive growing areas characterized by poor conditions for olive trees because of karst soil and a precipitation deficiency. Under these conditions, irrigation is a very important factor for constant olive oil production. This paper aims to investigate the effects of different watering regimes on quantity, sensory and chemical quality and composition of Coratina cv. olive oil obtained from trees grown on ameliorate karst soil during two harvesting years. Olive trees were subjected to rainfed conditions and three different irrigation treatments (T₁—deficit irrigation representing the usual producer’s practice, T₂—regulated deficit irrigation in respect to phenological stages, T₃—full irrigation). Irrigation treatments increased oil yield compared to rainfed conditions (T₁ + 58%, T₂ + 66% and T₃ + 74%, representing average values for both studied years). All olive oil samples were of extra quality. Irrigation led to a decrease in carotenoids, volatiles, polyunsaturated fatty acids and linolenic acid contents, with no difference found among irrigation treatments. Total phenols and secoiridoids concentration was not affected by irrigation, indicating that similar oil quality could be achieved with less demand on the water supply. Obtained results could help producers to define a suitable irrigation management in particular conditions of ameliorate karst.

Agrivoltaics (AVs), the co-location of photovoltaic panels and agricultural production, is increasingly promoted as a strategy to enhance land-use efficiency and support renewable energy transitions. While numerous studies emphasize potential synergies, growing evidence indicates that AV systems also entail significant biophysical, ecological and socio-economic trade-offs. This review synthesizes published literature on the negative impacts and management challenges associated with agrivoltaics across diverse crops, climates and institutional contexts. A structured literature analysis was conducted, integrating findings from experimental field studies, ecological assessments, economic evaluations and policy analyses. The reviewed evidence demonstrates that panel-induced shading and altered microclimatic conditions frequently reduce photosynthetically active radiation, modify soil temperature and moisture regimes, and impair photosynthetic efficiency, yield stability, and quality in light-demanding crops. Open-field AV installations further alter understory vegetation, pollinator activity and soil arthropod communities, leading to functional biodiversity losses beneath panel-covered areas. Economic and institutional analyses reveal high investment costs, regulatory ambiguity and land-tenure constraints that disproportionately transfer agronomic and financial risks to farmers, while land-use conflicts may reduce food production and contribute to indirect land-use change. Overall, open-field AV outcomes are strongly context- and design-dependent. The review highlights the need for long-term, integrative assessments and governance frameworks that explicitly address trade-offs to ensure that AVs contribute to sustainable land-use transitions rather than undermining agricultural and ecological functions.

Prays oleae Bernard, 1788, or the olive moth, is a significant pest in Croatian olive groves. This study aims to develop a functional model based on an artificial neural network to detect olive moths in real time. This study was conducted in two different orchards in Zadar County, Croatia, in the periods from April to September 2022 and from May to July 2023. Moth samples were collected by placing traps with adhesive pads in these orchards. Photos of the pads were taken every week and were later annotated and used to develop the dataset for the artificial neural network. This study primarily focused on the average precision parameter to evaluate the model’s detection capabilities. The average AP value for all classes was 0.48, while the average AP value for the Olive_trap_moth class, which detected adult P. oleae, was 0.59. The model showed the best results at an IoU threshold of 50%, achieving an AP50 value of 0.75. The AP75 value was 0.56 at an IoU = 75%. The mean average precision (mAP) was 0.48. This model is a promising tool for P. oleae detection; however, further research is advised.

Olive groves in the Mediterranean may lose production sustainability because of their vulnerability to climatic change. Irrigation is an important measure that could significantly affect fruit yield, olive fruit fly infestation, and oil characteristics. The aim of paper was to compare the regulated deficit irrigation with different water management practices, in consecutive years, in two locations in Zadar County (Croatia), affecting fruit morphology, olive fruit fly infestation, and quantity and quality of the extracted Coratina cultivar oil. Treatments, namely C—rainfed, T₁—deficit irrigation (produce’s practice), T₂—regulated deficit irrigation, and T₃—full irrigation (100% ECTO), were established. Irrigated treatments had a positive effect on all morphological characteristics of the fruit. The pulp mass, independently of the year, increased in irrigated treatment (ranging from 1.04 to 1.65 in C to 2.25 and 2.30 in the irrigated treatments) and resulted in a higher oil content on a fresh weight basis (ranging from 16.39% to 17.85% in C to 19.48% to 23.26% in the irrigated treatments). However, fruit yield per tree was only location-dependent. When olive fruit fly presence was high, fruit infestation was greatest in the irrigated compared to the rainfed treatment. According to quality parameters, all oils were classified as EVOO. Individual phenols were influenced by irrigation, while the composition of fatty acids was more influenced by location than treatment. The sensory characteristics of the resulting oil were slightly reduced compared to rainfed treatment. The results indicate that regulated deficit irrigation benefits water use sustainability without compromising the quality of the oil.

The cultivation of sweet cherry takes place in various climatic zones, where the plant may be exposed to different types of environmental stress during the growing season, which can significantly affect yield and fruit quality. The role of various physiologically active compounds is crucial for plant resistance to stressful environmental conditions. The aim of this study is to determine how the foliar application of different physiologically active substances affects the mineral composition of sweet cherry leaves. Research was performed in 2022 and 2023 at two locations (Ninski Stanovi and Murvica) in Zadar County with the Regina variety. The trials included five foliar treatments (T0—water only, T1—Ca nutritional supplement, T2—biostimulant (Ascophyllum nodosum L.), T3—proline solution, T4—salicylic acid solution). Leaf samples were collected for the analysis of the following macro-elements: total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), and phosphorus (P). On average, significantly higher TN content in leaves was found only in T2 (15% higher than T0). Ca, Mg, and K contents in leaf dry matter in all variants were higher by 20–29%, 13–20%, and 12–14%, respectively, compared to the control variant. The significant correlations were found between Ca and Mg, Ca and P, as well as Ca and K contents. This study shows a significant impact of the applied compounds on sweet cherry leaf mineral composition, and considering the year and locality effects, further testing of these treatments in different environments could be suggested.

Biološki insekticidi predstavljaju ključan segment održive zaštite bilja jer se temelje na primjeni organizama prirodnog podrijetla i njihovih bioaktivnih spojeva. U preglednom radu razmatrane su glavne skupine bioloških insekticida koje djeluju na štetnike životinjskog podrijetla, uključujući bakterije poput Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner, 1915, viruse iz skupine nukleopoliedrovirusa, entomopatogene gljive poput Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill., 1912 i Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschn.) Sorokin, 1883, te mikrosporidije poput Nosema locustae Canning, 1953. Raspravljena je specifičnost mehanizama djelovanja ovih agensa, njihova selektivnost, niska toksičnost za neciljane organizme te prednosti u pogledu biorazgradivosti i kompatibilnosti s principima integrirane zaštite bilja. Poseban naglasak stavljen je na analizu dostupnosti i regulatornog statusa bioloških insekticida u Republici Hrvatskoj, gdje je broj registriranih pripravaka i dalje ograničen. U tom kontekstu analizirane su prepreke povezane s registracijskim postupcima, tržišnom dostupnošću i razinom informiranosti korisnika. učno, biološki insekticidi nude značajne mogućnosti za smanjenje primjene konvencionalnih kemijskih sredstava, ali njihova uspješna integracija u praksu zahtijeva snažniju institucionalnu i zakonodavnu podršku, edukaciju korisnika te daljnja istraživanja učinkovitosti u agroekološkim uvjetima Republike Hrvatske.