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This article analyses the jurisprudence of the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities with regard to gender equality in order to establish the efficacy of gender mainstreaming outcomes in the monitoring of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. At the outset, we elaborate on gender mainstreaming as a policy instrument developed by international human rights organizations, which is gradually being promoted in national policies through action plans and institutional structures that pursue gender mainstreaming efforts, gender budgeting policies, and training of relevant actors. Subsequently, we analyse the Advisory Committee’s efforts in the pursuit and promotion of gender equality in order to establish the extent to which this monitoring mechanism helps the realization of the rights of minority women and girls. In preparing this article, we conducted a detailed examination and evaluation of the country-specific opinions prepared by the Advisory Committee and the relevant academic literature on gender mainstreaming. 

Industrialization and urbanization have led to an increased accumulation of waste materials that are transformed into a nutrient-rich and high-quality product called vermicompost by the vermicomposting process. Vermicomposting is an ecofriendly and economically favorable biotechnological process that involves the interaction of earthworms and microorganisms. Due to the importance of this process and its great potential in dealing with the consequences of waste accumulation, this review aims to provide key insights as well as highlight knowledge gaps. It is emphasized that there is a great challenge in understanding and clarifying the mechanisms involved in the vermicomposting process. The optimization of the factors affecting the possible application of vermicompost is crucial for obtaining the final product. Information on the composition of bacterial communities, amount of vermicompost, effect on heavy metal content, plant pathogens, diseases and organic waste selection is here recognized as currently the most important issues to be addressed. By answering these knowledge gaps, it is possible to enable wider utilization of vermicompost products.

Environmental contamination by uranium (U) and other radionuclides is a serious problem worldwide, especially due to, e.g. mining activities. Ultimate accumulation of released U in aquatic systems and soils represent an escalating problem for all living organisms. In order to investigate U uptake and its toxic effects on Pisum sativum L., pea plantlets were hydroponically grown and treated with different concentrations of U. Five days after exposure to 25 and 50 μM U, P. sativum roots accumulated 2327.5 and 5559.16 mg kg −1 of U, respectively, while in shoots concentrations were 11.16 and 12.16 mg kg −1 , respectively. Plants exposed to both U concentrations showed reduced biomass of shoots and reduced content of photosynthetic pigments (total chlorophyll and carotenoids) relative to control. As a biomarker of oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels were determined, while antioxidative response was determined by catalase (CAT) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities as well as cysteine (Cys) and non-protein thiol (NP-SH) concentrations, both in roots and shoots. Both U treatments significantly increased LPO levels in roots and shoots, with the highest level recorded at 50 μM U, 50.38% in shoots and 59.9% in roots relative to control. U treatment reduced GR activity in shoots, while CAT activity was increased only in roots upon treatment with 25 μM U. In pea roots, cysteine content was significantly increased upon treatment with both U concentrations, for 19.8 and 25.5%, respectively, compared to control plants, while NP-SH content was not affected by the applied U. This study showed significant impact of U on biomass production and biochemical markers of phytotoxicity in P. sativum , indicating presence of oxidative stress and cellular redox imbalance in roots and shoots. Obtained tissue-specific response to U treatment showed higher sensitivity of shoots compared to roots. Much higher accumulation of U in pea roots compared to shoots implies potential role of this species in phytoremediation process.

Due to climate change in recent years, there has been an increasing water deficit during the winter wheat sowing period. This study evaluated six Croatian winter wheat varieties’ physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses under two drought stress levels at the germination/seedling growth stage. Lipid peroxidation was mainly induced under both drought stress treatments, while the antioxidative response was variety-specific. The most significant role in the antioxidative response had glutathione along with the ascorbate-glutathione pathway. Under drought stress, wheat seedlings responded in proline accumulation that was correlated with the P5CS gene expression. Expression of genes encoding dehydrins (DHN5, WZY2) was highly induced under the drought stress in all varieties, while genes encoding transcription factors were differentially regulated. Expression of DREB1 was upregulated under severe drought stress in most varieties, while the expression of WRKY2 was downregulated or revealed control levels. Different mechanisms were shown to contribute to the drought tolerance in different varieties, which was mainly associated with osmotic adjustment and dehydrins expression. Identifying different mechanisms in drought stress response would advance our understanding of the complex strategies contributing to wheat tolerance to drought in the early growth stage and could contribute to variety selection useful for developing new drought-tolerant varieties.

Climate change, through changes in temperature, precipitation, and frequency of extreme events, has influenced agricultural production and food security over the past several decades. In order to assess climate and weather-related risks to fruit and grape production in Serbia, changes in bioclimatic indices and frequency of the occurrence of unfavourable weather events are spatially analysed for the past two decades (1998–2017) and the standard climatological period 1961–1990. Between the two periods, the Winkler and Huglin indices changed into a warmer category in most of the viticultural regions of Serbia. The average change shift was about 200 m towards higher elevations. Regarding the frequency of spring frost, high summer temperatures and water deficit, the most vulnerable regions in terms of fruit and grape production are found alongside large rivers (Danube, Sava, Great and South Morava), as well as in the northern part of the country. Regions below 300 m are under increased risk of high summer temperatures, as the number and duration of occurrences increased significantly over the studied periods. The high-resolution spatial analysis presented here gives an assessment of the climate change influence on the fruit and grapes production. The presented approach may be used in regional impact assessments and national planning of adaptation measures, and it may help increase resilience of agricultural production to climate change.

The commercial apple production in Norway is limited to the small regions along the fjords in the southwest part of the country and around lakes or near the sea in the southeast with favorable climate. Due to the rapid rate of climate change over the recent decades, it is expected that suitable heat conditions for apple growing will expand to the areas that were previously too cold. This study analyses the heat suitability of future climate (2021–2100) under the RCP8.5 scenario for 6 common apple varieties in Norway: Discovery, Gravenstein, Summerred, Aroma, Rubinstep and Elstar. Previously established heat requirement criteria (based on the temperature threshold for the full blooming and growing degree days sum between the full bloom and harvest) are applied to the temperature outputs of the regional climate models downscaled to 1 km resolution. The assessment indicates that as temperature rises, heat conditions suitable for cultivation of all 6 apple varieties will expand. According to the ensemble median value, areas with the favorable heat conditions for growing at least one of the considered apple varieties will increase 25 times in the period 2021–2040 and 60 times in the period 2041–2060, compared to the referent period 1971–2000. At the same time, areas suitable for all 6 apple varieties will increase 3 times in the first, and 3.8 times in the latter period. The favorable areas will advance from south and southeast northwards and inland in the eastern region, along the west and northwestern coastline towards higher latitudes, and along continental parts of fjords. The fastest expansion of heat suitable conditions is expected for Discovery and Gravenstein. The findings of this study are relevant for zoning apple production future potential and for strategical planning of climate change adaptation measures within the sector. Weather-related risks, such as risks from winter low temperatures, spring frost, drought and extreme precipitation were not considered.

Wheat production worldwide is significantly threatened by phytopathogenic fungi of the genus Fusarium, while inadequate nitrogen fertilization can contribute to the development of Fusarium head blight (FHB), ultimately leading to reduced yield and grain quality. This study aimed to elucidate the individual and interactive effects of genotype, Fusarium inoculation and different nitrogen treatments on the antioxidant response of wheat spikes across two growing seasons. The study was conducted under field conditions on four winter wheat genotypes differing in FHB susceptibility. Oxidative stress was assessed by lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant responses by glutathione content and antioxidant enzyme activities. The results showed that wheat antioxidant responses to Fusarium infection were mainly shaped by genotype and seasonal conditions, with significant genotype-dependent interactions with nitrogen supply. FHB-susceptible genotypes, Srpanjka and Sofru, showed consistently lower basal glutathione levels and glutathione S-transferase activity than the resistant genotypes Apache and Graindor in both growing seasons. In both seasons, Fusarium inoculation increased guaiacol peroxidase activity in most genotypes, suggesting a consistent association with infection response. These findings improve understanding of wheat defence responses under varying nitrogen levels and may support more effective FHB management. Overall, the results indicate that antioxidant responses reflect both defence activation and stress intensity, depending on genotype and environmental conditions.

Agricultural production is already, and obviously, affected by climate change. Adapting to climate change includes reducing future risks to ensure yield quality and quantity and considers seizing any potential opportunities induced by climate change. In higher latitude areas, such as Norway, cold climate limits the cultivation of fruits. An increase in temperature offers more favorable conditions for fruit production. In this study, using available phenological observations (full blooming) and harvest dates, and meteorological data from the experimental orchard of NIBIO Ullensvang, the minimum heat requirements for growing different apple varieties are determined. Those criteria are used for zoning of the areas with heat favorable conditions for apple growing. Data on six varieties were used, with lower and higher requirements for heat for fruit development (Discovery, Gravenstein, Summerred, Aroma, Rubinstep, and Elstar). High resolution daily temperature data were generated and used for zoning of the areas with heat favorable conditions for apple growing within the selected domain, which includes Western Norway, Southern Norway, Eastern Norway, and the western part of Trøndelag, Mid-Norway. Dynamics of the change in such surfaces was assessed for the period of 1961–2020. The total surface with favorable heat conditions for growing the varieties with lesser requirement for heat increased three times during this period. The growing of more heat-demanding varieties increased from near zero to about 2.5% of the studied land surface. In the period of 2011–2020, surface area with favorable heat conditions for apple growing was almost 27,000 km2, and a surface area of about 4600 km2 can sustain growing of more heat-demanding varieties. The presented results show the increasing potential of the climate of Norway for apple cultivation and highlight the importance of implementation of fruit production planned according to climate change trends, including the assessment of potential risks from climate hazards. However, the methodology for determining heat requirements can be improved by using phenological ripening dates if available, rather than harvest dates which are impacted by human decision. Zoning of areas with the potential of sustainable apple growing requires the use of future climate change assessments and information on land-related features.

Faced with the challenges posed by climate change, Serbian viticulture is looking for sustainable solutions for adaptable production. This study shows that grass is a multifunctional tool for overcoming the challenges of intensive viticulture while maintaining the quality of the grapes. In a three-year research experiment (2020–2022), the maintenance of an inter-row sward in a vineyard with four certified high-quality French Cabernet Sauvignon clones was investigated, and its effects on the ampelographic composition of the grapes and the quality of the grape juice (must) were studied as a function of wine quality. A grass sward was established between the rows as a biological soil management system and as a climate change adaptation measure in a high-intensity viticultural system. A grass–legume mixture was used as an inter-row cover crop, with nitrogen applied in two doses (50 and 100 kg ha−1) in spring. The growth of the grasses responded to the nitrogen fertilisation, which was reflected in the biomass production, surface cover and nitrogen content in the biomass. At the end of the study, the biomass of the grass increased threefold when a high dose of nitrogen was applied compared to the non-fertilised grass. In contrast to the effects of nitrogen on the sward, N has no effect on the quantitative or qualitative parameters of the grapes. Clone 169 was separated for most grape mechanical parameters such as the bunch mass, all berries and the bunch stem; clone 15 showed the best grape juice quality parameters such as the sugar content and glycoacidometric index. The results show an option for climate change adaptation in viticulture that can mitigate the effects of rising temperatures, contribute to soil conservation and carbon storage in biomass and enable timely interventions in vineyards after heavy rainfall by creating accessible paths within the vineyards. The three-year effect of the different nutrient management of the sward in the inter-rows of Cabernet Sauvignon showed that the interaction between the two systems, sward and vine, is low and has no negative impact on the ampelographic and qualitative grape parameters.

Selenium (Se) deficiency in human and animal nutrition is primarily due to low levels of Se in soils. It can be prevented by enriching crops, such as wheat, with Se through agronomic biofortification. Although Se is not essential for plants, it shows a dual effect on their metabolism depending on its concentration. This study aimed to elucidate the impact of five different concentrations (0.4, 4, 20, 40, and 400 mg/kg) of selenate and selenite on the oxidative status and antioxidative response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv. Kraljica) shoots and roots. According to morpho-physiological analyses, selenite was found to have a lower toxicity threshold than selenate. The measurement of oxidative stress biomarkers showed that Se did not cause oxidative damage to wheat seedlings due to the activation of detoxification mechanisms at the biochemical level, which depended on the type of tissue, concentration, and form of applied Se. Treatment with 20 mg/kg of selenate can be recommended for wheat seedling biofortification due to a sufficient increase in Se accumulation in shoots without signs of toxicity. These results contribute to a better understanding of wheat seedlings’ physiological and biochemical responses to Se and the development of more effective biofortification strategies.