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Excedentary, deficient or untimely reaching of the optimal thermal, insolation and water thresholds influences the passage of the vegetation phenophases of the varieties, always with negative implications in the quantitative and qualitative grape production. Our research team conducted studies on the main climatic elements recorded in the Murfatlar wine center during 1989-2018 and created a database on the succession of vegetation phenophases, in relation to climate change and the specificity of wine and table grapevine cultivars, between the years 2000-2019. Due to climate change, significant effects may be seen on grapevines, due to the interaction between climatic conditions specific to the Murfatlar vineyard, the effect of increased CO2 on photosynthesis, and the genetic resistance of plants. The analysis of the climatic elements carried out over a period of 30 years (1989-2018) shows an increase in temperatures during the winter and during the vegetation period, the four seasons being no longer very well defined. By analyzing the development of the vegetation phenophases in the Murfatlar Wine Center during the 20 studied years, the following can be observed: budburst takes place throughout April for all the studied cultivars; flowering begins in the last decade of May and early June, depending on the cultivar and the recorded temperatures; harvest for the early ripening varieties begins in the second half of July, for the medium ripening varieties in August, and for the late ripening varieties in September; full maturity is usually achieved one month after harvest, depending on the characteristics of each variety; harvesting takes place when the grapes have reached the sugar concentration and acidity necessary to obtain quality wines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total phenolic, total flavonoid distribution and antioxidant activity in skin, pulp and fruit extracts of 12 plum cultivars were investigated. The results showed that the levels of total phenolic and flavonoid compounds changed depending on cultivars and fruit parts. The total phenolic content in skin was 4.5 times higher than that in pulp and 3.2 times higher than that in the whole fruit. The total flavonoid content in skin was 18.7 times higher than that in pulp and 9.6 times higher than that in the whole fruit. As the trend observed for antioxidant activity, a positive relationship (correlation coefficient r2 = 0.83-0.92) was presented between total phenolics and total antioxidant capacity. The results confirm that plum is a good source of natural phenolic antioxidants. Practical Applications The present study indicated that plum can contribute to the dietary intake of antioxidants, depending on cultivars and fruit parts. It is among the few studies investigating the distribution of total phenolic, total flavonoids and total antioxidant capacity in the skin, pulp and fruit of plum cultivars. It was observed that the highest values of total phenolic and flavonoid content were obtained from skin extracts. The study highlighted that phenolics and flavonoids in plums may play an important role as radical-scavenging agents that could be used for a healthy human life. This fact may open new perspectives for plum - besides its traditional uses - to be used in assuring a wholesome diet and a healthy life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prohexadione-Ca (ProCa) was applied in an adult walnut orchard of cv. Franquette to test its ability to reduce severity of Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis (Xaj) infection, and the effect on the contents of phenolic compounds in walnut fruits. ProCa was used three times over at 8-10 day interval, starting before the stigmas emergence at 0.125 mg l-1 concentration (treatment R1), and at the stage of brown stigmas at 0.250 mg l-1 concentration (treatment R2). Blight severity was assessed within the orchard at the same time as the husk tissues from symptomatic fruits were sampled for phenolic analyses, which were conducted using HPLC with PDA and MS detection. ProCa caused a significant reduction in Xaj severity regardless of the concentration and the first application date. The induced defence reaction was maintained throughout the season. Within a 15-day interval after the ProCa treatments, the walnut husks showed up to a 14 fold higher content of different phenolics than before fruit maturation. The treated fruits had a higher total phenolic content (TPC), more hydroxycinnamic acids (HC), and flavanols, whilst the contents of flavonols and gallic acid had decreased due to ProCa. The expressed potential of ProCa for triggering the defense mechanisms of walnut through the regulation of phenolic synthesis should be confirmed by additional experiments with the final aim of including this product in a sustainable control against Xaj. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a preliminary study that explores the incompatibility alleles that are expressed in pollen of hazel cultivars in Romania. The materials and methods being used in the study are provided including the emasculation of the branches from each mother plant and the preservation of catkins from tester cultivars. The results revealed that the polinic compatibility and incompatibility system of the cultivars was complex and there were two alleles that dominate the cultivars. It notes that it was possible to establish the pollinators for each cultivars.

The article presents studies that explore the dwarf nectarine selections in Romania. It notes that the researches were made during 2000-2009 through a biological material from the Prunus National Collection. The results reveal that the plants register a little growth which is close to witness cultivar when they reached nine years old. It reveals that the dwarf nectarine selections show a medium resistance to the temperatures of -22° Celsius . In addition, it states that the elites and their genitors proved to be sensitive to Thaphrina deformans.

In the conditions of central Transylvania, Romania, five plum cultivars were studied, with different fruit ripening: earlier (Tuleu timpuriu), semi-earlier (Reine Claude d'Althan), medium (Valor), semi-late (Vinete de Italia), late (Vinete romanesti). Tuleu timpuriu and Reine Claude d'Althan distinguish for their high productivity (over 20 kg of fruits per tree), Valor for the large fruits (with the average of 68.0 g, but with a lower quality), Vinete romanesti and Vinete de Italia for their extreme susceptibility to the most important diseases (Polystigma rubrum and Plum-pox virus). One of the traditional plum cultivars from Romania, still largely spread in Transylvania, Vinete romanesti, which is very appreciated, both for its fruit taste and for the alcohol distillation obtained, confirmed its estimation due to fruit quality. Vineta romanesti has small fruits compared to the actual commercial requirement of the fresh plum, low productivity, and it is extremely susceptible to Plumpox virus and Polystigma rubrum attack, thus the cultivar unfulfills the conditions for modern cultivars. In addition, the cultivar can be used in plum breeding, as genitor for quality (taste of fruits) and the low vigour of trees. The high values of the heritability coefficient, in a broad sense, applied to the majority of the analyzed traits, suggest that, through an adequate selection of the genitors, descendents, which can present valuable traits from the parental form, can be obtained and thus, new cultivars can be selected. Vinete romanesti can be used in plum breeding, as genitor for quality (taste of fruits) and the low vigour of trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proper identification of Castanea, Corylus, Juglans and Prunus accessions is needed to ensure that the product is genetically pure to meet the expectations of growers and distributors and is also important in protecting the legal rights of breeders. The use of RAPD technique for molecular characterization of valuable genotypes represents a new approach in Romania. The 32 genotypes used in this study were obtained from the Castanea, Corylus, Juglans and Prunus collections maintained at S.C.D.P. Valcea. The potential use of RAPD technique for characterization and assessment of genetic relationships was investigated in Castanea, Corylus, Juglans and Prunus genotypes. Thirty seven of the 54 decamer primers yielded scorable amplification patterns. These primers generated polymorphic bands among the genotypes studied. Some of the primers produced no amplification or unreadable gel smears. The primers which generater the most polymorphic bands in Castanea genus were OPAB 11 and OPA 04, in Corylus -- OPC 14, in Juglans - OPC 15 and in Prunus -- OPB 11. These primers will be further used to assess the genetic relationships between 27 Castanea, 54 Corylus, 53 Juglans and 61 Prunus accessions. The presence of the different patterns generated by RAPD primers shows variance between the accesions from the genetic point of view. This difference will be further analyzed using other types of molecular markers (Inter Simple Sequence Repeats-ISSR or Simple Sequence Repeats-SSR) in order to obtain a more precise molecular characterization of the studied genotypes. The collected data will be useful in developing DNA fingerprinting techniques for routine use in the orchard, to distinguish the valuable genotypes used in selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cucumis metuliferus E. Meyer ex Naudin belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae . It is an annual vegetable species known as horned melon or kiwano. Fruits are recommended for the daily diet because they provide vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals to alleviate malnutrition and improve human health. In this study, kiwano was cultivated in the climatic conditions of Southwestern Romania, which is characterized by warm summers, lower precipitation, and high temperatures, ensuring optimal conditions for growth and development. The fruits were harvested at three stages of consumption: immature stage (green), intermediate stage (white-yellow) or the mature stage (yellow-orange). They were also subjected to analysis on the productive yield and physical-chemical properties. The results showed that the number of fruits ranged from 13.9 to 15.3 fruits/plant, and their average weight had values from 204 g to 234 g, depending on the harvest stage. The results obtained for bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity indicated significant differences ( p ≤ 0.05), depending on the harvesting stage. The highest values for the antioxidant capacity (140.90 μM TE/100g DPPH) and total polyphenols (48.78 TPC mg/100 g) were recorded in the immature fruit phase, as well as for the carbohydrate content (3.56%), total protein (1.98%), ascorbic acid (4.3 mg/100 g f.w.), and carotene (0.98 mg/100 g) in the mature fruit phase. These results may stimulate interest in the introduction of this species as a niche crop and for consumption as a source of natural antioxidants for the prevention of diseases due to oxidative stress.

：The aim of the study was to investigate the differences between walnut genotypes of various geographical and genetic origins grown under the same or different environmental conditions. The biological material analyzed consisted in walnut kernels of 34 cultivars, nine advanced selections, and six hybrids harvested in 2015 and 2016, summing up to a total of 64 samples. The walnuts, walnut oil, and residue were characterized in respect to their chemical (proximate composition-fat, protein, nutritional value, fatty acids profile by ¹H-NMR) and carbon-13 isotopic composition. The data was used to statistically discriminate the cultivars according to composition, geographical area of origin, and year of harvest, comparing the Romanian cultivars, selections, and hybrids with the internationally available ones.

Central odontogenic fibroma (COF) is an extremely rare benign tumor that accounts for 0.1% of all odontogenic tumors. It is a lesion associated with the crown of an unerupted tooth resembling dentigerous cyst. In this report, a 10-year-old male patient is presented, who was diagnosed with central odontogenic fibroma of simple type from clinical, radiological, and histopathological findings.

The incidence of candidiasis in two groups of voluntary participants wearing tight and loose fitted dresses was investigated by both microscopic and cultural techniques for a period of two months. Two-thirds of the positives by stain and culture were recovered from those wearing tight clothing (P < 0.05). The findings suggest that tight clothing can predispose the wearer to candidiasis, an organism that can cause vaginitis. (Am J Public Health 1982; 72:176-177.)