The objective of this study was to estimate how soil organic carbon influences winter wheat yield in the South Pannonian Basin. The treatments evaluated were: fertilized 3 year and 2 year crop rotation, fertilized wheat monoculture and unfertilized 3 year and 2 year crop rotation in the 38 years of continuous cropping (1970–2007). These treatments showed a declining trend of soil organic carbon in the 0–30 cm soil layer, respectively. On average, the plow-layer of the treatments lost 10% of soil organic carbon found at the beginning of the investigated period. The plow­layer of the unfertilized treatments reached a possible soil organic carbon threshold (1.16%) after balance on decomposition and formation was observed. We found that soil organic carbon preservation coupled with proper management such as crop rotation and fertilization is important for preserving soil productivity, and when soil organic carbon increases it could benefit winter wheat yield. Obtained results are valuable for developing a sustainable cropping technology for winter wheat and soil conservation.

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In this paper we investigated basic characteristics of gleyic soils of Banat and presented different interpretations and classification of these soils. Twelve profiles were analyzed to access their physical and chemical properties. Investigated humogley profiles were predominantly clayic with vertic properties and under different influence of groundwater. Most of these soils we classified in Vertisols, but some of them we considered as Gleysols or Chernozems RSG (reference soil group). Eugley was under stronger influence by groundwater than humogley and showed textural uniformity, less clay content and notably higher average content of CaCO 3 . Eugley profiles we classified in Gleysols RSG. Every new analyzed soil profile has to be considered in particular regarding its diagnostic horizons, properties and materials and cannot be transferred from actual national classification to RSG by default.

Spelt wheat (Triticum spelta L.) is regarded as a crop with high nutritional properties. Cultivar Nirvana was analyzed on nine locations in semiarid conditions of northern Serbia in order to assess the effects of different agroecological conditions on the organic spelt wheat production, grain yield and yield components, as well as the quality of the spelt wheat. The highest dehulled grain yield was obtained in Nadalj organic farm (3.98 t ha-1) on a carbonated chernozem, and the highest protein content in whole grain flour was found in organic spelt wheat from Pančevo (13.94%). Correlation analysis showed significant positive correlations among grain yield, spike length, spike weight, number of grains per spike, 1000-grain weight and harvest index and among plant height, spike length, weight spike, and grain weight per spike. Our study indicated that growing spelt wheat in northern Serbia could result in higher grain yield, but protein content depended on crop management on each location.

Soil samples taken from the Ap horizont of arable land and meadows at ten different localities were analyzed for different forms of manganese, including total (HF), pseudo-total (HNO 3 ), 0.1 M HCl-extractable and diethylentriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable. A sequential fractional procedure was used for Mn portioning into fractions: water soluble and exchangeable Mn (I), specifically adsorbed Mn with carbonates (II), reductant releasable Mn in oxides (III), Mn bonded with organic matter (IV) and Mn structurally bonded in silicates (residual fraction) (V). Serbian vertisols have a normal Mn content, comparable with similar soils. The total (HF) and pseudototal (HNO 3 ) Mn contents were not correlated with soil properties, whereas the humus content positively influenced the 0.1 M HCl-extractable Mn in soil (r = = 0.49). Soil pH and CaCO 3 (r = 0.57 and 0.43) showed significant negative correlations with the DTPA-extractable Mn, respectively. The different extraction methods showed similar patterns of Mn content in arable and meadow soils. The sequential fractional procedure showed that reductant releasable Mn occluded in oxides of Fe and Mn was the prevailing Mn fraction in soil, however, water soluble and exchangeable Mn and Mn bonded with organic matter had significant correlations with most of the examined soil characteristics. Potential Mn toxicity in vertisols could be observed under lower pH and saturated conditions.