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This paper presents the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI)-based approach to agricultural drought monitoring (ADM-SPEI approach) combining well-known methods, expert’ critical opinions, and local agro-climatic specificities. The proposed approach has been described in detail in three phases. This allows its application in any region and modification according to different agro-climatic conditions. The application of the ADM-SPEI approach has resulted in obtaining a modified SPEI for different crops (agricultural drought SPEI (AD-SPEIcrop)) in the Vojvodina region. In the first phase of the proposed approach, analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was used to obtain an experts’ group decision regarding the most suitable method for calculating evapotranspiration for a particular analyzed region. In the second phase, SPEI was modified and adjusted to the conditions in Vojvodina, where ET0 was replaced by ETc. In the validation phase, the results of the application of AD-SPEIcrop were compared to crop yields and well-known indices and evaluated by the experts’ feedback. The statistically significant correlations were achieved between AD-SPEIcrop and crop yields. The highest correlations were achieved in the months when the analyzed crops were in the developmental stages when they are most sensitive to drought. The AD-SPEIcrop better correlates to the crop yields compared to SPEI. The comparison of AD-SPEIcrop to the standardized precipitation index (SPI), SPEI, and self-calibrated Palmer drought severity index (SC-PDSI) shows that it can successfully detect dry and wet periods. The results have indicated that the proposed approach can be successfully applied, and AD-SPEIcrop has shown a good performance for agricultural drought monitoring.

Variability and stability of yield components for the large number of divergent common wheat genotypes originated in different world breeding institutions were studied. Interaction genotype x environment has been evaluated, in different environmental conditions. The experiment was performed using randomized block design in three replications on the experimental field in different environmental conditions. A total number of 60 plants have been analyzed in the full maturity stage. The analyzed cultivars showed very significant differences in the average values of analyzed traits. The significant influence of cultivars, year and their interaction on expression of traits was found. The effects of each of analyzed traits on phenotypic variability were different. The most stable genotypes have been determined for analyzed yield component. On the base of stability and phenotypic variability the genotypes can be used as parents in wheat breeding programs

An experiment was conducted at Rimski Šančevi Experiment Field of Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad during 2000 -2005. The soil in the experimental plot was calcareous chernozem on loess terrace. Using the yield response factor (ky), the study investigated how sunflower yield and evapotranspiration were affected by deficit of available soil water during the growing season. The experiment consisted of an irrigated treatment (T 1 ), in which irrigation was used when soil moisture levels dropped to 60-65% of FC (field capacity), and a nonirrigated control treatment (T 0 ). The sunflower hybrid used in the study was NS-H-111.On average, no significant differences in yield level were observed between T 1 (3.79 t ha -1 ) and T 0 (3.75 t ha -1 ) treatments. Seasonal evapotranspiration (ETm) obtained in T 1 treatment was in the 402-479 mm range. The yield response factor (ky) was obtained as 0.20 for total growing season and 0.27, 0.31 and 0.48 for vegetative, flowering and yield formation period, respectively. Period from flowering to maturity was the most sensitive towards water deficiency.

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