Vojvodina Region Research Articles

Testing polymineral post-IR IRSL and quartz SAR-OSL protocols on Middle to Late Pleistocene loess at Batajnica, Serbia.

The loess–palaeosol sequence of Batajnica (Vojvodina region, Serbia) is considered as one of the most complete and thickest terrestrial palaeoclimate archives for the Middle and Late Pleistocene. In order to achieve a numerical chronology for this profile, four sets of ages were obtained on 18 individual samples. Equivalent doses were determined using the SAR protocol on fine (4–11 μm) and coarse (63–90 μm) quartz fractions, as well as on polymineral fine grains by using two elevated temperature infrared stimulation methods, pIRIR 290 and pIRIR 225. We show that the upper age limit of coarse quartz OSL and polymineral pIRIR 290 and pIRIR 225 techniques is restricted to the Last Glacial/Interglacial cycle due to the field saturation of the natural signals. Luminescence ages on coarse quartz, pIRIR 225 and pIRIR 290 polymineral fine grains are in general agreement. Fine quartz ages are systematically lower than the coarse quartz and pIRIR ages, the degree of underestimation increasing with age. Comparison between natural and laboratory dose response curves indicate the age range over which each protocol provides reliable ages. For fine and coarse quartz, the natural and laboratory dose response curves overlap up to ~150 and ~250 Gy, respectively, suggesting that the SAR protocol provides reliable ages up to c. 50 ka on fine quartz and c. 100 ka on coarse quartz. Using the pIRIR 225 and pIRIR 290 protocols, equivalent doses up to ~400 Gy can be determined, beyond which in the case of the former the natural dose response curve slightly overestimates the laboratory dose response curve. Our results suggest that the choice of the mineral and luminescence technique to be used for dating loess sediments should take into consideration the reported limited reliability.

The Model of Knowledge Management Based on Organizational Climate

Keeping in mind the fact that organizations in the region of Vojvodina are moving from a negotiated to market economy, this study aims to analyze how the dimensions of collaborative climate affect the various activities of knowledge management. The degree to which collaborative climate influences knowledge work is investigated on 190 participants in the region of the Province of Vojvodina (Serbia). Two standardized questionnaires were used to collect data: a knowledge management questionnaire, which included 32 questions, and a collaborative climate questionnaire of 20 questions. To test the hypothesis of the study, the technique used was descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling. The results show that only the organizational culture as a dimension of collaborative climate contributes to the explanation of all the activities of knowledge management, except the activity of leaving knowledge, which fails to achieve a statistical relationship with any dimension of collaborative climate. This study provides useful insights for practitioners wanting to improve an organization’s performance and to increase organizational sustainability and learning. It is a useful base to expand further research in a way of better understanding the impact that collaborative climate has on the implementation of knowledge management in a transition towards a knowledge economy.

Ecotoxicological profiling of selected cyanobacterial strains using multi-endpoint effect-directed analysis.

The main goal of this study was to perform an ecotoxicological profiling of terrestrial and aquatic cyanobacterial strains found in different soils or in toxic cyanobacterial blooms in Vojvodina region, Serbia, using the effect-directed analysis (EDA) approach. The applied procedure was based on a series of in vitro or small-scale bioassays covering multiple endpoints in combination with advanced chemical analytical protocols. Non-selective and non-target preparation techniques were used for the extraction of a broad range of chemical compounds present in three terrestrial (Anabaena Č2, Anabaena Č5, Nostoc S8) and three aquatic (Nostoc Z1, Phormidium Z2, Oscillatoria K3) strains. Ecotoxicological endpoints addressed included evaluation of the fish cytotoxicity in vitro (acute toxicity), algal growth inhibition (chronic toxicity), and interaction with cellular detoxification mechanisms. All cyanobacterial strains tested in the 1st tier EDA showed significant effects in terms of chronic toxicity and interaction with cellular detoxification. Three major fractions of different polarities were further tested in the 2nd tier, using bioassays which showed the strongest response: induction of CYP1A1 biotransformation enzyme and inhibition of zebrafish organic anion (Oatp1d1) and cation (Oct1) uptake transporters. Oscillatoria K3 strain was selected for a more detailed 3rd tier EDA, and the obtained results revealed that positive sub-fractions possess polar anion and cation compounds that are reactive to both uptake transporters, and compounds responsible for the strongest effects have a pronounced lipophilic character. Apart from lipophilic non-polar compounds that represent typical phase I substrates, sub-fractions that contained polar substances are also shown to significantly induce CYP1A1.

Radioactivity in drinking water supplies in the Vojvodina region, Serbia, and health implication

Drinking water may contain radioactive substances that could present a risk to human health (WHO, Guidelines for drinking-water quality: fourth edition incorporating the first addendum. World Health Organization, Geneva, 2017). Of particular significance for human radiation exposure from drinking water are the naturally occurring radionuclides that originate from the elements of the thorium and uranium decay series, such as 226Ra and 228Ra. These radionuclides can arise in water from natural processes in the ground or human activities involving naturally occurring radioactive materials (WHO, Management of radioactivity in drinking water. World Health Organization, Geneva, 2018). The measurement of radioactivity in drinking water allows the determination of population exposure to radiation by the habitual consumption of water. The aim of this study was to determine gross alpha and gross beta activities, and 226Ra and 228Ra activity concentrations in 28 drinking water samples from the Vojvodina region, in order to check compliance with recent Serbian and European regulations. Gross alpha and beta activity in drinking water samples were determined according to ASTM D7283-06 Standard test method for alpha- and beta-activity in water by liquid scintillation counting (ASTM D7283-06, Standard test method for alpha- and beta- activity in water by liquid scintillation counting. ASTM International West Conshohocken PA, https://www.astm.org, 2006), and measured by PerkinElmer liquid scintillation counter Quantulus 1220. The activity of 226Ra and 228Ra was determined by low-level gamma-spectrometry, and assuming the radioactive equilibrium between 226 and 228Ra and their progenies. For the analyzed radionuclides activity concentration in the water samples dose calculations were carried out. Gross alpha activity for all presented water samples exceeded the recommended guideline activity concentrations of 0.1 Bq L−1 (WHO, Guidelines for drinking-water quality, 2nd edn. World Health Organization, Geneva, 1993). The activity concentrations for 226Ra in 13 of investigated samples are higher than the legally established levels for radionuclide content in drinking water in Serbia and EU (Official Gazette, Rulebook on limits of radionuclides content in drinking water, foodstuffs, feeding stuffs, medicines, general use products, construction materials and other goods that are put on market, 2013; EC, Council Directive 2013/51/EURATOM, 2013). In 16 water samples concentration of 228Ra is higher than recommended. In 20 investigated samples, total dose GD from radionuclides in drinking water is higher than 0.1 mSv year−1 (EC, European Drinking Water Directive 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 European Commission on the quality of water intended for human consumption. Off J L, 1998). The cancer risk caused by the intake of radium isotopes in drinking water during the lifetime was estimated, and the obtaining results are ranged in the acceptable cancer incidence (WHO, Guidelines for drinking-water quality, 4th edn. World Health Organization, Geneva, 2011; EPA, Cancer risk coefficients for environmental exposures to radionuclides. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, 1999). The presence of 226Ra and 228Ra are explained on the basis of geological and hydrogeological characteristics of the Vojvodina region.

Socijalne mreže i društveni život samohranih roditelja - između sela i grada

Traditional family has undergone major changes over the past century. More and more parents are single parents who, for various reasons, raise their children without help of a co-parent. This paper presents results of an empirical research carried out in the region of Vojvodina on a total sample of 200 single parents. In addition, attention is focused on analysing their social life and the social networks of single-parent families. It concludes with the reliance of single parents on relatives and friendly networks for support in everyday life.

Environmental modeling of interaction variance for grain yield of medium early maturity maize hybrids

The phenomenon of genotype by environment interaction (GEI) represents permanent interest for breeders, geneticists and biometricians with its practical and theoretical aspects. We investigated GEI for grain yield of medium early maturity maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids from the official variety trial network by the Department of Protection and Recognition of Varieties of the Republic of Serbia that includes experimental maize hybrids on eight sites over two years. Environmental variables explained 77.6% and 60.7% of the GEI variation for two consecutive years, respectively. Factorial regression combined with stepwise procedure revealed the model which includes variables precipitation in July (pr7), minimum temperature in May (mnt5), maximum temperature in May (mxt5) and insolation hours in April (sh4), in 2004, and environmental index (EI) and average temperature in September (mt9) in 2005, to be the most explanatory models in the region of Vojvodina (Serbia) in two consecutive years. These results provide a base for further research in GEI and stability analysis, and are a useful tool in characterizing the sub-regions of maize growing area and extending the existing results to new sites.

Forest land-cover changes 2012-2018 in hunting grounds in Vojvodina

Deforestation could influence land cover ecological significance in hunting grounds on a big scale. This research examines changes of forest and shrub patches in the Vojvodina region by a set of landscape metrics. The study area includes 154 hunting grounds from which hunting organizations are managing with 134 hunting grounds, PC "Vojvodinasume" with 17, Serbian Armed Forces with two, and National Park "Fruska gora" with one hunting ground. The results show that in the National Park and Serbian Armed Forces hunting grounds the broad-leaved forest areas occurred on the surfaces that were under the transitional woodland-shrub and vice versa. A similar situation is in the hunting grounds managed by PC ''Vojvodinasume'' where there is not only the most intensive logging of broad-leaved and coniferous forests but also the most intensive afforestation of mixed forests and transitional woodland-shrub. On the other hand, in the hunting grounds managed by hunting organizations, there is the highest area growth under the broad-leaved forest.

Planned and rational management of the brown hare (Lepus europaeus Pallas,1778) population in Vojvodina region (Serbia) for the past 50 years (1967-2016)

Research on the percentage of young in the brown hare (Lepus europaeus Pall.) population in Vojvodina has been carried out since 1967 until 2016. The number of hare in this period ranged from minimum 154,990 individuals (with an average density of the population of 8,06) in 2014 to a maximum recorded in 1975 with 301,680 individuals (with an average population density of 15.10). An average number of hares recorded during annual spring counts was 265,070 with an average population density of 13.15 individuals per 100 ha. The average annual recorded cull was 40,495 hares (15.28% of spring hare count). For this period, each year in the Laboratory for Hunting, tests were carried out on hare (eye lens), and all hunting clubs were obliged to deliver samples in order to be given permission to hunt. In total, there were 9,648 samples, which on average for the 49-year research period amounted to 197. The largest number of samples was in 2009, when 300 hunting clubs, or two-thirds, delivered eye lenses to the laboratory for analysis. For the 1967-2015 period an average of 7,967 rabbits eye lenses (years 1971 and 1972 must be excluded with 605 and 587 eye lenses when a total hunting ban was made, and only hunting was carried out for scientific research). The average share of young for the observed period was 57.6%, with the minimum recorded in 2014 of 35.9% and a maximum of 70.3% in 1994. The reproductive index ranged from 1.09 to 2.33 rabbits per rabbit in 1994. The results of our research showed the diversity of selected population dynamics indicators for all hunting grounds in Vojvodina that were compared with similar research in Europe. Hunting, as shown, doesn't jeopardize the population, but other factors such as intensive soil cultivation with large agricultural plots and excessive use of pesticides followed by improper use.

Potencijali za razvoj turizma hrane u AP Vojvodini u Republici Srbiji

The aim of the paper work is to present the concept of food tourism with a special emphasis on potentials for its development in the area of AP Vojvodina in the Republic of Serbia. Special attention is given to presentation of local resources (natural, social, etc.) that are suitable for development food tourism. Also, the paper work points out the importance of tourism events that contribute to the popularization of local culinary specialties, i.e. manifestations that take place in honor of food in rural areas, which can and /or already represent the basis for development food tourism. Authors give emphasis in research for possibilities for complementary development different types of tourism based on food which is characteristic for the area of AP Vojvodina and special attention are given on rural tourism development. On that way article showes some guidelines for future development of food tourism in target area. If tourism would be linking with agricultural production, ie. food that is characteristic for the region of AP Vojvodina, a new quality of image of tourist destination would be obtained. Through linking tourism, agriculture, events, food trade, can be start up development of rural areas of AP Vojvodina and it can be one of the possible ways how to slove numerous problems that burdning rural areas of this region nowadays.

Improving energy efficiency of apple production by reduced application of pesticides

A large number of apple orchards are treated over 20 times during the vegetation period with high application rates (over 1000 L/hm2) or medium application rates (500-1000 L/hm2) of pesticides which require significant energy input. Experimental research was carried out in the Serbian region of Vojvodina with the aim to show the possibilities to reduce energy usage in apple production by reducing pesticide application rates (200-500 L/hm2) and smaller controlled number of treatments with pesticides while maintaining the biological efficiency of apple chemical protection. Research results showed that the cumulative life cycle energy demand of apple production in Vojvodina, assuming a typical 22 annual treatments and relatively high pesticide application rate (1150 L/hm2), was 48 GJ/hm2 and energy output was 94 GJ/hm2. Reduced number of treatments and lower pesticide application rates have a favorable impact on energy inputs associated with diesel fuel, machinery, chemicals, water and electricity consumption and usage, whereas other energy inputs remain unchanged. The energy input for 12 treatments with pesticide application rates of 381 L/hm2 was 36 GJ/hm2, which is a 25% reduction in comparison to 22 treatments with a pesticide application rate of 1150 L/hm2. Reduced number of treatments and pesticide application rate increased the energy use efficiency from 1.96 to 2.61, energy productivity from 0.82 kg/MJ to 1.09 kg/MJ, and net energy from 46 GJ/hm2 to 58 GJ/hm2. Results also suggest that applying the correct IPM approach can easily lead to a strong reduction in the number of treatments and a major energy saving. Keywords: apple production, energy flow, pesticide application rates, total energy input, energy balancing DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20201304.5743 Citation: Sedlar A, Ponjičan O, Kiss F, Bugarin R, Višacki V, Radojčin M, et al. Improving energy efficiency of apple production by reduced application of pesticides. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2020; 13(4): 93–102.

Evaporacija i referentna evapotranspiracija kao osnove obračuna utroška vode na evapotranspiraciju kukuruza

Analysis of irrigation scheduling of maize was done by using evaporation from the free water surface (Eo) and correction coefficients (k) and reference evapotranspiration (ETo) and crop coefficients (kc). The field experiment was carried out in 2018 on the Experimental field of the Institute of field and vegetable crops in the Department of alternative crops in Bački Petrovac. Maize hybrid NS 6030 was used for the trials. The plants were irrigated by a drip system with a lateral in each row with drippers spaced every 0.33 m. The drippers had an average flow rate of 2.0 l h-1 under the pressure of 70 kPa. The differences in yield of maize in the irrigation conditions were not statistically significant compared to the variant without irrigation because the year was favorable for maize production. As well there was no difference among variants used for the calculation of maize evapotranspiration. Maize evapotranspiration in the growing season (ETm) were 502 mm and 429 mm by using ETo and kc and Eo and k. Monthly values of ETm during the growing season were consistent regardless of the calculation methods, except in July. Values of ETm in July of 151 mm and 107 mm calculated by using ETo and kc and Eo and k methods as well the daily values which are correlated with the monthly have to be checked in irrigation scheduling of maize in the following investigation period. If statistical significance in maize yield between different methods of calculation is determined, the procedure with a higher yield has to be accepted in the calculation of ETm in the climatic conditions of the Vojvodina region. Otherwise, if the differences in maize yield are not statistical significance a method of calculation by using Eo and k will be recommended, because the value of the lower daily water used on maize evapotranspiration may be considered more realistic.

The dynamics of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and brown hare (Lepus europaeus) populations in the Vojvodina region (Serbia) in relation to rabies vaccination

The dynamics of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and brown hare (Lepus europaeus) populations in the Vojvodina region (Serbia) in relation to rabies vaccination

Integration of in situ and satellite data for top-down mapping of Ambrosia infection level

A new approach of integration of remote sensing data with in situ pollen measurements is developed to explore the effect of changing land use on the local pollen records variability. It was conducted in a predominantly agricultural region of Serbia, with the focus on Ambrosia, an invasive weed that is the source of highly allergenic pollen. The land use characteristics were extracted from the Corine Land Cover and more precise crop classification maps for years 2013–2017 created using machine learning from the available satellite (RapidEye, Landsat, Sentinel) and ground truth data. Airborne pollen was collected at five locations for the same period. To integrate in situ and products derived from satellite data we defined catchment areas surrounding pollen measurements stations. Different shapes of assumed catchment areas equivalent to 5 km, 10 km and 30 km radius were tested: circular, wind rose and footprint from SILAM (System for Integrated modeLling of Atmospheric coMposition). The simple fixed circle, used as the rule of thumb in the literature, is a reasonable approximation of the representativeness of the aerobiological data. A gridded Ambrosia distribution and abundance map over Vojvodina was produced by using top-down approach that combines distribution of suitable habitats and airborne pollen concentrations. The results confirmed that variation in the agriculture-associated land use area explains notable amount of variability in the amount of Ambrosia airborne pollen. Detailed crop classification inferred from satellite data revealed the strongest relationship between pollen and variation in areas under soya bean and sugar beet. Maps of Ambrosia infection levels, based on distribution of sugar beet and soya bean fields, instead of total arable land, reveal its additional spatial variability in Vojvodina region.

Complete Genome Sequence of an Equine Arteritis Virus Strain Isolated from a Lipizzaner Stallion in 2015 in Serbia.

Here, we report the first whole-genome sequence of an equine arteritis virus (EAV) strain, RS1, isolated from the semen of a Lipizzaner stallion held in the Vojvodina region of Serbia.

Development of Entrepreneurial Ecosystem through University’s New Companies

Research Question: This paper explores the potential of new start-ups and spin-offs within the university capacity and their impact on the process of creating an entrepreneurial ecosystem. Motivation: The research presented in this paper is motivated by the desire to analyse the role of university in entrepreneurial ecosystem based on the real case of the University of Novi Sad. An insight into relevant literature sources revealed that there exists a large influence of university’s new companies in developing the entire business environment and business sustainability. This example could be relevant to similar universities in the other developing countries, because current literature covers only examples from developed countries. One of this is a research paper conducted by the Stanford University under the name “An analysis of the entrepreneurial activity of the Stanford community over 50 years”. Idea: The main idea is to present the importance of University’s new companies in creating an entrepreneurial ecosystem, and their impact on the creation of economic activity and sustainable development. Data: This research includes economic activity data of business entities at the University of Novi Sad. This paper presents data on new companies within the University of Novi Sad in the period 1990-2015 which were available, as well as data on companies in the territory of the Republic of Serbia, Vojvodina region and the City of Novi Sad. In this analysis, 123 companies from the University of Novi Sad were included. Tools: In this paper comparative statistics was used based on collected data of the total number of companies and the number of employees according to company’s size and geographical location. For the purpose of this research, we used interactive internet portals Trading Economics and IvanStat. Findings: According to the analysis, the University of Novi Sad is a prominent example of the establishment and operation of new companies founded within it. The percentage of companies that have survived in the observed period is high and it is approximately 63%. Contribution: This paper gives us an overview of newly founded companies (start-ups and spin-offs) within the University of Novi Sad, especially focusing on economic activity and creating conditions for sustainable development.

SPEI-Based Approach to Agricultural Drought Monitoring in Vojvodina Region

This paper presents the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI)-based approach to agricultural drought monitoring (ADM-SPEI approach) combining well-known methods, expert’ critical opinions, and local agro-climatic specificities. The proposed approach has been described in detail in three phases. This allows its application in any region and modification according to different agro-climatic conditions. The application of the ADM-SPEI approach has resulted in obtaining a modified SPEI for different crops (agricultural drought SPEI (AD-SPEIcrop)) in the Vojvodina region. In the first phase of the proposed approach, analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was used to obtain an experts’ group decision regarding the most suitable method for calculating evapotranspiration for a particular analyzed region. In the second phase, SPEI was modified and adjusted to the conditions in Vojvodina, where ET0 was replaced by ETc. In the validation phase, the results of the application of AD-SPEIcrop were compared to crop yields and well-known indices and evaluated by the experts’ feedback. The statistically significant correlations were achieved between AD-SPEIcrop and crop yields. The highest correlations were achieved in the months when the analyzed crops were in the developmental stages when they are most sensitive to drought. The AD-SPEIcrop better correlates to the crop yields compared to SPEI. The comparison of AD-SPEIcrop to the standardized precipitation index (SPI), SPEI, and self-calibrated Palmer drought severity index (SC-PDSI) shows that it can successfully detect dry and wet periods. The results have indicated that the proposed approach can be successfully applied, and AD-SPEIcrop has shown a good performance for agricultural drought monitoring.

A rapid dicrimination of wheat, walnut and hazelnut flour samples using chemometric algorithms on GC/MS data

There is a worldwide growing trend in developing methods for determining authenticity and detecting adulteration in food products. In this study an approach utilizing gas chromatography—mass spectrometry (GS/MS) combined with chemometric multivariate data analysis was proposed in order to determine discrimination and classification possibilities of flour samples produced from 16 genotypes of wheat, 9 genotypes of hazelnut, and 8 genotypes of walnut, grown in the Vojvodina region, Republic of Serbia. Plant samples were milled into flour, lipid fraction was extracted with n-hexane and derivatized using a 0.2 M TMSH solution and analyzed on a GC/MS device. Molecular ions of eluting lipid components were selected, isolated from total ion current chromatograms and their peaks employed in further data processing. Unsupervised exploratory data analysis techniques: principal component analysis (PCA), expression heat mapping, hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) were used to select the most important variables, and to explore their potential in discrimination of investigated flour samples according to belonging botanical origin. PCA and heat maps demonstrated that molecular ions of methyl esters of four fatty acids: 270 (palmitic), 294 (linoleic), 296 (oleic), and 298 (stearic), were most discriminative variables, HCA and PCoA showed a clear and strong separations between groups of analyzed samples. A support vector machine (SVM) algorithm was employed in order to classify samples in three groups. The performance of the classification SVM model was excellent, achieving high coefficient of determination of 98.6, with only 1 value being misclassified.

Adjustment of Thornthwaite equation for estimating evapotranspiration in Vojvodina

Evapotranspiration is one of the crucial components of hydrological cycle. The Penman-Monteith method (PM) is recommended as the sole standard method for estimating reference evapotranspiration (ET0). The usage of the PM method is limited in many regions due to the lack of required weather data. In such circumstances, simple Thornthwaite equation is often used to estimate ET0. The main objectives of the present study are (i) to estimate reference evapotranspiration using different Thornthwaite approaches, (ii) to develop optimal adjusted equation, and (iii) to consider the spatial variability of the empirical coefficient(s) of adjusted equation for the study area. In this study, six Thornthwaite approaches were compared to the full set PM equation using weather data from Vojvodina region, Serbia. The original Thornthwaite equation was very poor in estimating ET0 and greatly underestimated PM values at all locations. It can be concluded that an adjustment of the Thornthwaite equation is necessary. The obtained results indicate that ET0 could be estimated from the new Th65 approach (effective temperature, k = 0.65), which reproduced statistical characteristics better compared to other Thornthwaite approaches. The spatial variability of the empirical k coefficient showed that k values varied from 0.62 to 0.69 across the study area with deviations of − 5% to 6% compared to a unique k value of 0.65. These results suggested that single regional k value can be successfully used for estimating ET0.

A survey of isotopic composition (2H, 3H, 18O) of groundwater from Vojvodina

Isotopes of hydrogen (3H, 2H) and oxygen (18O) are perfect candidates for groundwater tracers. A survey of isotopic composition of 34 groundwater samples and one Lake from Vojvodina region (Serbia) is presented here. Tritium activity concentration and stable isotope composition (δ2H, δ18O), as well as deuterium excess, were determined. The groundwater samples lie on the groundwater regression line. Minor deviations and a few lower deuterium excess values indicate waters recharged in a different climate regime and subjected to evaporation, respectively. According to the obtained results, most of the analyzed groundwater can be characterized as modern waters, recharged mostly from precipitation.

Occurrence of aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin A and zearalenone in maize silage in the region of Vojvodina, Serbia

Abstract Silage made from the whole-plant maize is one of the most popular forages in Serbia. Consumption of maize silage by cows can be up to 30-35 kg/day. In Serbia in the few last years in the focus of the public and agriculture community were two mycotoxins, aflatoxin B1 and its metabolite aflatoxin M1 due to the outbreak of contaminated maize which affected the Balkans in 2012. Maize is regularly checked on the occurrence of aflatoxin B1, however forages are often neglected as a potential source of mycotoxins in the nutrition of dairy cattle. In this work, 48 samples of maize silage were analyzed for the occurrence of aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin A and zearalenone. Samples were collected from three regions (Bačka, Banat and Srem) in Vojvodina. In all samples, at least one mycotoxin above the limit of quantification was measured. Aflatoxin B1 was detected in 36 (75%) samples. In two samples from Banat, the concentration of aflatoxin B1 exceeded the maximum level (ML) set by Serbian regulation (30 µg/kg at moisture content of 12%). In seven samples, the concentration of aflatoxin B1 was above 20 µg/kg which is the EU regulated ML. Average concentration of ochratoxin A was 10.4 µg/kg, while the maximum measured value was 34.3 µg/kg. Maximum zearalenone content in all samples was 538 µg/kg while the average zearalenone concentration was 138 µg/kg. The results from this research point out that mycotoxin contaminated silage in the region of Vojvodina, Serbia can significantly contribute to daily intake of aflatoxin B1 in dairy cattle.