The goal of the research was to investigate the effect of dietary natural or biotic additives such as garlic, black pepper, and chili pepper powder in poultry nutrition on sustainable and economic efficiency of this type of production. A total of eight dietary treatments with 1200 broiler chickens of hybrid line Hubbard were formed, with four replicates. During the experimental period, chickens were fed with three period mixtures diets of different average costs: Starter compound mixture two weeks (0.38 €/kg in all treatments), grower compound mixture next three weeks (0.36, 0.38, 0.40, 0.41, 0.46, 0.39, 0.42, and 0.39 €/kg, respectively), and finisher compound mixture for the final week (0.34, 0.36, 0.38, 0.39, 0.44, 0.37, 0.40, and 0.37 €/kg, respectively). The experiment lasted a total of 42 days. Upon finishing the experiment, results have shown statistically significant (p < 0.05) differences regarding the European broiler index (EBI) as one of the indicators of economic efficacy. The EBI was lowest in the control treatment (220.4) and significantly higher in experimental treatments (298.6), respectively. In cost, a calculation included the cost of feed and used natural or biotic supplements in chicken nutrition. The findings of the study of economic efficiency revealed that the cost per treatment rises depends on the natural additive used. Economic efficiency analysis showed that the most economical natural additive with the lowest cost is garlic (0.68 €/kg), while the most uneconomical is treatment with black pepper with the highest cost of body weight gain (0.82 €/kg). This higher cost of the gained meat is minimal as a consequence of a much healthier and more nutritious food meant for human use, which often promotes sustainable aspects, compared to conventional and industrialized poultry production.

Aim of this paper work is analyzing the situation in the sector

The creation of salt-tolerant wheat genotypes can provide a basis for sustainable wheat production in areas that are particularly sensitive to the impacts of climate change on soil salinity. This study aimed to select salt-tolerant wheat genotypes that could serve as a genetic resource in breeding for salinity tolerance. A two-year experiment was established with 27 wheat genotypes, grown in salinity stress and non-stress conditions. Agronomic parameters (plant height, spike weight, number of grains per spike, thousand grain weight, and grain yield/plant) were analyzed in the phenophase of full maturity, while biochemical parameters (DPPH radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content) were tested in four phenophases. Grain yield/plant was the most sensitive parameter to salinity, with a 31.5% reduction in value. Selection based on salt tolerance indices (STI, MP, and GMP) favored the selection of the genotypes Renesansa, Harmonija, Orašanka, Bankut 1205, KG-58, and Jugoslavija. Based on YI (1.30) and stability analysis, the genotype Harmonija stands out as the most desirable genotype for cultivation in saline conditions. The presence of positive correlations between grain yield/plant and biochemical parameters, in all phenophases, enables the selection of genotypes with high antioxidant activity and high yield potential, even in the early stages of plant development.

A two-year field trial was conducted to study the effects of biohumus, biofertiliser, and soil conditioner application on spelt grain yield in different regions (plain, hilly, and mountainous regions) in Serbia. An analysis of economic efficiency indicators of spelt production in organic farming systems was also performed. The field experiment had a randomised complete block design with three replicates in each of the three regions. One winter spelt cultivar was also studied. The largest differences in spelt yield compared to control were found in the plain region in the biohumus + biofertiliser treatment (28.0%) and the hilly region in the organic fertiliser + zeolite treatment (28.8%). The differences in grain yield between control and treatment conditions in the mountain region were insignificant. Analysis of the economic effects of organic spelt production found a significantly lower gross margin in treatments with expensive organic fertilisers (3955.05 and 1104.75 € ha–1) than the control (5094.31 and 1833.85 € ha–1), leading to the conclusion that their application was not economically justified despite the increases in grain yield. The highest production costs (3569.71 € ha–1) were observed in treatments in the hilly region, resulting in the lowest benefit-cost ratio (0.1), while the greatest benefit-cost ratio was recorded in treatments in the mountainous region (2.1). Following the economic analysis results, a significant negative correlation between the benefit-cost ratio and the total production costs (r= –0.91**) was determined and a positive correlation between the gross margin and grain yield (r=0.66*). These results lead to the conclusion that the management strategy of spelt production in organic farming systems should be harmonised with the soil and agro-ecological characteristics of the region and directed at decreasing the costs and share of external inputs. In this case, organic spelt production can be economically profitable. Highlights - Organic fertilisers and soil conditioners affect spelt grain yield. - The analysis of the economic effects of organic spelt production concluded that fertiliser application was not economically justified despite the increases in grain yield. - Treatments in the plain region displayed the best production results compared to mountain region treatments, but these did not have the best benefit-cost ratio. - Knowledge of production costs is an important element in improving the economic efficiency of organic farming systems.

In limited growing conditions, intercropped field peas and oats can represent a significant source of forage rich in protein. If applied correctly, factors such as nitrogen fertilizer, the mowing phase, and sowing norms can significantly increase the productivity of these mixtures. Field trials were conducted to examine their productivity under different nitrogen levels (0, 40, 80 kg ha−1), different sowing norms/mixtures (field peas: oats—100:15%; 100:30%), and two stages of growth (full flowering, full pod formation). Nitrogen fertilizer and different sowing norms had a significant effect on the biomass, hay, and crude protein yields. On average, the highest hay yields were achieved with 80 kg ha−1 N (4.96 t ha−1), followed by 40 kg ha−1 N (4.27 t ha−1). The highest protein yields were achieved with 40 kg ha−1 N (CP—704.1 kg ha−1), followed by 80 kg ha−1 N (CP—637.6 kg ha−1). Sowing norm 100:30% achieved higher hay yields: 100:30%—4.82 t ha−1; 100:15%—4.44 t ha−1, while 100:15% achieved higher crude protein yields: 100:15%—730.4 kg ha−1; 100:30%—692.7 kg ha−1 on average. The costs were not significantly increased with the nitrogen fertilizer, but the net profits were increased by as much as 163%, depending on the nitrogen level and the mixture. Nitrogen fertilizer also achieves higher economic efficiency for the mixture 100:15% compared to the 100:30% mixture. Mixtures of field peas and oats outperform single-grown crops and provide cost-effective feed for a short time. Using optimal seed ratios and nitrogen fertilizer can significantly increase the productivity and profitability of the feed with minimal impact on the overall production costs.

The cereal grains, which represent the cultivated grasses fruits, supply almost half of the total caloric requirements for humans and provide more nourishment compared with any other class of the food. Out of many cereals used for food, maize, rice, and wheat are the most important food resources for humans, representing 94% of the total cereals consumption. According to the data of the Republic Institute of Statistics for the year 2018, the harvested areas of corn amount to 906,753 hectares. The production of about 7 million tons was achieved with an average yield of 7.7 t/ha according to the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Serbia. Serbia is still among the ten largest exporters of wheat and corn in the world for the period of 2014/15–2017/18. More precisely, it ranks seventh in the export of corn. Utilization of maize products for food animal nutrition (1000 t) is 491,48, and for industrial processing (1000 t) 278,862 expressed as the total consumption (1000 t) is 769,910. Therefore, a total of 103 samples of maize products were analyzed for the presence of toxins, i.e., tropane alkaloids (TAs). The samples were collected from the retail stores in the Republic of Serbia in 2021 and analyzed for the presence of atropine and scopolamine (33 corn grits, 39 polenta, and 31 semolina samples). Therefore, the Recommendation 2015/976/EU on the monitoring of TAs in food was adopted by the EU Commission to obtain more occurrence data on TAs in food. The monitoring extent, however, is restricted because reliable analytical methods and appropriate sensitivity are limited. There was a limit of 1 g/kg for each atropine and scopolamine in cereals containing millet, sorghum, buckwheat, or their derivatives. All the samples were analyzed by the LC-MS/MS. The LOQ was set at 1.0 μg/kg. Out of the total 103 tested samples, 32 samples (31.1%) were contaminated with atropine and scopolamine in concentrations above the LOQ. The highest concentrations of the studied TAs were observed in a semolina sample-atropine: 58.80 μg/kg, scopolamine: 10.20 μg/kg. The obtained results indicate that the TAs concentrations are above the LOQ which can be considered potential human and animal health hazards.

Organic farming is a fast growing market segment in the global food industry. Ecological and health benefits of organic farming are frequently emphasized. In addition, we have recently witnessed the promotion of its role in the development of rural areas by means of creating jobs and strengthening ties with local economies. This paper analyzes the relationship between the presence of organic farming and the main characteristics of agricultural holdings in the case of European Union countries. The objective is to identify factors which have a significant relationship with the organic farming sector and which can affect its future development. The results have shown that large farms are dominant in farm land management in the EU, which is related to the fact that there is a significant correlation between the availability of agricultural areas and the economic value of farms (r = 0.881**). There is a positive and significant correlation between the economic value of a holding and the number of livestock units on the farm (r = 0.940**), which indicates that animal husbandry has strong economic potential. When it comes to the relationships between the structural and economic indicators of agricultural holdings and the presence of organic farming, the results have shown that the number of organic producers is positively and significantly correlated with the available agricultural areas (r = 0.675**), and a strongly positively correlated with the economic value of farms (r = 0.810**). The areas under organic farming are also directly correlated with the utilized agricultural area (r = 0.836**), as well as with the number of livestock units (r = 0.793**), but they are slightly negatively correlated with livestock density (r = -0.211). Therefore, high livestock density can be a limiting factor for the further intensive growth of organic farming areas, considering the significant impact of animal husbandry on the environment.

Tillage methods and intensity can be used as means of improving macronutrient and trace element concentration in soil and crops. A two-year field experiment was conducted to examine the impact of two cropping systems—intensive (ICS) and conservation (CCS), on the macro- and microelements in the soil and their accumulation in the grain of two cultivars of winter wheat. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications of each tillage treatment. The results showed that the content of available N (0.7 kg ha−1) and organic matter (0.04%) slightly increased in CCS compared to ICS. The concentrations of Ca, K, and S macroelements and microelements such asBa, Cr, Hg, and Sr in the soil were significantly higher in CCS than in ICS. Higher concentrations of macroelements K and P, microelements such asFe, Zn, and As, and the greater value of the bioaccumulation factor for elements essential to humans such as P, Cu, Fe, and Zn, were also found in CCS compared to ICS. On the other hand, wheat cultivars grown in ICS were more efficient at accumulating macroelements and some trace elements than ones grown in CCS. While it is not without challenges, the conservation cropping system could represent an important part of the long-term strategy to sustainably improve soil fertility and the nutritional quality of the wheat grain.