Miroslav Markovic, Predrag Pap, Verica Vasic, Milan Drekic, Leopold Poljakovic-Pajnik, and Zoran Galic

Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment, University of Novi Sad, Antona Cehova 13, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia. E-mail: miroslavm@uns.ac.rs

The results of three-year's research of fungi phylum Basidiomycota on Salix sp. in the area of Central Danube Basin (45°08'18" and 45°42'50" north latitude and 17°10'10" and 17°58'50" east longitude from Paris), are presented in this paper. During the research, the fruiting bodies were collected in the field and determined based on their reproductive organs. Twenty-eight species of macrofungi have been identified on the willows of which Fomes fomentarius (L.: Fr.) Fr., Phellinus igniarius (L.: Fr.) Quel. and Trametes suavealens (L.: Fr.) Fr. have the greatest pathogenic significance as wood rotting agents. Four of the above 28 species are used in human nutrition: Pleurotus ostresus (Jacquin: Fr.) Kumm., Flammulina velutipes P. Karst., Auricularia auricula-judae (Bull. :m Fr.) Wettst. and Polyporus sulphureus (Bull.) Fr.), and one is used in pharmacy (Ganoderma lucidum (Curt.: Fr.) P. Karst.). During this research, 17 species of macrofungi were first found on willow, which have not been so far identified from Serbia and Montenegro. Of 17 newly identified fungi, 7 species have never been identified from Serbia and Montenegro, and 10 have been identified, but on other hosts (e.g. poplars).

Sasa Pekec, Petar Ivanisevic, Sasa Orlovic, Branislav Kovacevic, and Andrej Pilipovic

Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment, Antona Cehova 13, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia. E-mail: pekecs@uns.ac.rs

The paper presents research results of morphological, physical and chemical properties of eugley soil in a protected part of alluvial plains of the Danube River. Research was conducted in the nursery "Kacka suma", where the seedlings of white willow (Salix alba L.) were produced. The following hydrological soil characteristics were studied in detail during the vegetation period: immediate moisture content by depth profile, the dynamics of movement of groundwater and its interaction with water level of Danube. In order to assess the benefits of this soil type for the production of willow seedlings, the height of seedlings of five white willow genotypes (S. alba: cl. '107/65/9', cl.'347', cl.'V-158', cl. '79/64/2' and cl. 'V-55') was measured at the end of the vegetation period. Genotype '107/65/9' exhibited the largest amount of seedlings with proper dimensions and genotype 'V-55' exhibited the smallest one. The results suggest that high quality S. alba seedlings may be successfully used on eugley soils.

Maria Rizzo and Patrizia Gasparini

Agricultural Research Council - Forest Monitoring and Management Research Unit (CRA-MPF), P.za Nicolini 6, 38100 Villazzano, Trento, Italy. E-mail: maria.rizzo@entecra.it

The spread of alien plants, intentionally or accidentally introduced by human activity into areas outside their native ranges, is one of the threats to natural ecosystems. Particularly the alien plant species defined as "invasive" may alter ecosystem processes and threaten the survival of native species in natural ecosystems or cause a critical economic impact in agriculture. The paper presents some data about the occurrence and the distribution of alien invasive tree species in the Italian forests derived from the Italian national forest inventory.

Mara Tabakovic-Tosic*, Snezana Rajkovic,and Vesna Golubovic-Curguz

Institute of Forestry, Kneza Viseslava 3, Belgrade, Serbia. ^*E-mail: mara.tabakovic@gmail.com

In certificated forest ecosystems in Serbia, Bacilus thuringiensis ssp. kurstaki insecticides are well-accepted and most widely used pesticides for control of one of the most important economically harmful defoliators of Lepidoptera order - gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar Linne, 1758), in progradation phase, when number of pests is relatively small. When number is greater, it is assumed that so-called "soft" ecotoxicologically favourable preparations Avaunt^®, Alverde^®, Coragen^®, registered for application in agriculture, but not in forestry, can be used for inhibition of multiplication. The experiments of biological efficacy of those pesticides were established in the period 2009-2010, during the third larval instar of the gypsy moth. From the beginning of feeding till the end of the two groups of experiments the caterpillars were fed with natural (Pedunculate oak leaves) and synthetic food, but from the third instar the food was shortly soaked in water solutions of the analysed doses of the preparation. Results of laboratory studies of biological efficiency of above preparations showed that they have preconditions for application in forest ecosystems. The high biologic efficiency (90.52 % and 100 % for Avaunt^®, 99.53 % and 100 % for Coragen^®, 97.16 % and 100 % for Alverde^®), mechanism of rapid inhibition of larvae feeding, and thereby inhibition of leaf mass damage, resistance to water rinsing, high selectivity, and small quantities of application, anticipated a bright future for them.