• Soybean germplasm evaluation: Nutritive grain quality under climate change conditions
• Genotypic selection of peas under climate change
• Innovative strategies for early stress detection and increasing maize tolerance to cold stress
• Legumes as a source of biologically active phytochemicals
• Breeding development of alfalfa and red clover germplasm adapted to climate changes
• Predictive modelling of agronomic traits in maize using modern technologies
• Assessment of quantitative traits in small grain cereals germplasm considering climate change
• The role of genetic specificity, plant growth regulators, and biostimulants in increasing the resistance to abiotic and biotic stress, yield, and quality of sour cherry fruit
• The influence of climate changes on the expression of the most important agronomic, physiological and biochemical traits of sunflower under conditions of different plant density
• Influence of combined abiotic stresses and climatic oscillations on production and quality of seed
• Water, soil and cultivar – fundamental elements of sustainable agriculture in climate change

Full project title

The role of genetic specificity, plant growth regulators, and biostimulants in increasing the resistance to abiotic and biotic stress, yield, and quality of sour cherry fruit

Project acronym

GIBB-VI

Lead resercher

Ines Mihaljević, PhD, Scientific Associate

Project team members

1. Vesna Tomaš, PhD, Scientific Associate, Agricultural Institute Osijek
2. Krunoslav Dugalić, PhD, Scientific Associate, Assistant Professor, Agricultural Institute Osijek
3. Dominik Vuković, MSc, Professional Associate, Agricultural Institute Osijek

Project financing source

Nacionalni plan oporavka i otpornosti 2021.-2026. u okviru Programskog ugovora s Ministarstvom znanosti i obrazovanja

Project budget

42,000.00 EUR

Project summary

Sour cherry production in the Republic of Croatia predominantly relies on the ‘Oblačinska’ variety, whose origin is unknown due to the uncontrolled exchange of its reproductive material accros the regions. This situation has led to the appearance of different genotypes in orchards and heterogeneity within the “same” species with different phenotypic characteristics of trees. However, sour cherry yields in Croatia remain notably low, making production non-competitive and unprofitable. The presence of pathogens in orchards, resulting from the withdrawal of a large number of plant protection products from the market and the transition to ecological protection measures, as well as the increasing occurrence of abiotic stress events due to climate change, has a significant impact on the low yield. The solution of this problem are the selection within the population of ‘Oblačinska’ as well as the introduction of new varieties to meet market demands. In order to recommend and introduce new varieties of sour cherries, it is necessary to carry out research on their key agronomic properties and resistance to environmental stresses. Therefore it is necessary to gain insights into the value and suitability of the new assortment under the agroecolocial conditions of Eastern Slavonia. In line with environmentally sustainable trends, the utilization of plant growth regulators, biostimulants, and microbiological preparations represents one of the possible solutions to address the issues of abiotic and biotic stress, as well as to enhance fruit quality. Research on the application of ecologically acceptable growing methods represents a key step towards the improvement of fruit growing, providing the foundations for sustainable and profitable sour cherry production in the future. The project will provide new insights into the adaptability of new cherry varieties to local conditions, their resistance to diseases and pests, as well as their potential for high yield and quality.

Project aims

The primary objective is to investigate the advantages of various assortments of sour cherries for intensive production, aiming to sustain fruit production due the challenges of global climate change

Additional objectives:

• Research the efficacy of various combinations of plant growth regulators, biostimulants, and fertilizers on fertilization, fruit setting, and fruit quality
• Identify the impact of climate factors on fertilization, fertility, and fruit quality
• Determine diferences in the quality and bioactive components of fruit among the tested varieties
• Identify diferences in the resistance of individual varieties to high temperatures and drought, and assess the effectiveness of biostimulators in mitigating abiotic stress
• Conduct field tests to assess the efficacy of biostimulators combined with microbiological fungicides on fruit health, and evaluate the genetic resistance of tested  sour cherry varieties to disease susceptibility
• Improve scientific activities by publishing scientific papers in journals
• Disseminate research findings to both the scientific community and the general public