Copper and zinc concentration in soil and plants used for feed on different locations in Serbia

Abstract

In 2013 an investigation was conducted on 15 different localities on the territory of Serbia (12 on territory of Vojvodina province and 3 in west Serbia - Kolubara count) in order to overview content of copper and zinc in soil and plants. The total and available content of Cu and Zn were determined and compared to the limits concentration in order to determine the level of the supply with these elements in soil and their effect on the plants quality. In the examination of the plant material only plants used for feed (alfalfa, pasture and grassland) were considered. In the aboveground plant mass the content of Cu and Zn was determined and put in correlation with soil content of analyzed elements. Soil samples showed that content of the available Cu was high in all locations, while the content of Cu in plant material was insufficient on three locations. The concentration of available Zn in soil was sufficient on almost all locations, but the analysis showed that the plants was insufficiently provided with Zn on the most locations, thus certain agricultural methods need to be applied in order to increase its content in plants.