Selenium is a trace mineral chemically related to sulfur and tellurium. In the body selenium combines with protein molecules to form selenoproteins and it is distributed in low concentrations and unequally in air, soil and water all over the world. Edible mushrooms are known to be selenium accumulators. Since mushrooms contain relatively high protein levels, and they can accumulate large amounts of selenium, it is reasonable to expect that selenium could be incorporated into proteins. The growth of mycelia and fruit body formation of different medicinal mushroom strains of Pleurotus ostreatus (Hk-35 and P70) over the wide range of concentrations of inorganic form of selenium were examined. Mushrooms were cultivated on agar base media and on substrates based on sawdust. Vegetative growths of mycelium were measured as colony diameter in pure cultures supplemented with inorganic form of Se supplements, prepared as Na2SeO4 and Na2SeO3 in concentrations of: 1, 10, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 150 mg/l. Inorganic form of Se supplements, showed stimulation effects (in concentration of 1-50 mg/l) and toxic effects in higher concentration. On the standard industrial sawdust based substrate, supplemented with 100 mg/kg Na2SeO4 and Na2SeO3, accumulation of Se in fruit bodies was determined by the method of flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The readings were performed on Varian SpectrAA-10 spectrophotometer equipped with VGA-76. Se as Na2SeO4 and Na2SeO3 was effectively taken up from substrates and accumulated in fruit bodies. Mushrooms accumulated selenium between 120 and 250 mg/kg dry weight. In mushrooms cultivated without Se supplement, Se contents were only about 1 mg/kg and in substrate about 0.1 mg/kg

REZIMERđasta mrežavost plodova breskve odavno je poznato i ekonomski značajno oboljenje u mnogim delovima sveta. U Srbiji tokom proteklih godina ovo oboljenje nanosi značajne štete na poznim sortama breskve (Summerset, Suncrest, Fayette i O'Henry). Mada etiologija bolesti nije poznata, brojna istraživanja u mnogim delovima sveta pokušavaju da uspostave strategiju za kontrolu i preporuče odgovarajuće hemijske i druge metode zaštite breskve. U agroekološkim uslovima Srbije strategija primenjena u svetu, da suzbijanje prouzrokovača rđaste mrežavosti treba sprovoditi u višekratnim tretmanima od fenofaze precvetavanja, nije dala zadovoljavajuće rezultate. U pojedinim godinama zaraza plodova osetljivih sorti breskve dostiže 100%. U periodu od 2003. do 2004. godine, ispitivana je efikasnost tri fungicida (kresoksim-metil, fluzilazol i elementarni sumpor) u cilju iznalaženja mogućnosti uspešnije zaštite breskve od prouzrokovača rđaste mrežavosti plodova. Ogled je izveden na breskvi, sorte Summerset, u uslovima prirodne zaraze na lokalitetu Bela Crkva. Intenzitet zaraze rđaste mrežavosti plodova na osnovu procenta zahvaćene površine plodova, u kontrolnim parcelama kretao se od 33,5% u prvoj do 35,4% u drugoj godini ispitivanja. Tokom obe godine ispitivanja kresoksim-metil ispoljio je najveću efikasnost (90,25% u prvoj, odnosno 91,12% u drugoj godini ispitivanja), nižu fluzilazol (87,28%, odnosno 87,61%) i najnižu elementarni sumpor (82,33%, odnosno 80,30%). Određivanje fungicida sa najefikasnijim delovanjem prema prouzrokovaču rđaste mrežavosti plodova breskve u Srbiji predstavlja preduslov za dalja ispitivanja koja će uključiti pre svega optimizaciju rokova fungicidnih tretmana kao i određivanje drugih agrotehničkih mera kontrole.

Shiitake (Lentinus edodes) belongs to medically important and delicious fungi. It is recognizable for its healing properties, excellent taste and rich aroma. According to the traditional Japanese and Chinese medicine, shiitake mushroom significantly increases the strength and vitality of the body. Shiitake contains immunostimulants, compounds that lower cholesterol, prevents clogging of blood vessels, regulates the pressure, balances blood sugar levels, regulates digestion, and improves the performance of respiratory organs by its antirheumatic and antiallergic activities. Shiitake is recommended to use as food, prevention and cure, usually in a form of a spice (dried and ground) or tea. It can be consumed fresh, too. The objective of this study was to test the effect of enrichment in selenium on antioxidant, reducing and free radical scavenging activity of water extracts from fruit body of Lentinus edodes. The fungus was enhanced by adding organic selenium, zinc (II) complex with the ligand 2.6-bis diacetylpyridine (selenosemicarbazon) and inorganic compounds (Na2SeO3) of selenium in nutritional substrate where the fungus was grown. The total selenium content in fruit body was around 50 ppm for the sample enriched with selenium originating from organic sources, and 80 ppm for the sample enriched with selenium from inorganic sources. Samples were prepared by extraction of fruiting bodies in heated water. The results indicated that water extracts of whole fruit bodies, from both control and mushrooms supplemented with selenium, had quite good antioxidant activity. However, there was no significant difference between the samples supplemented with selenium content and those that were not