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Jerusalem artichoke grows underground tubers that store fructans, primarily inulin, which are considered as prebiotics and functional dietary fibre with positive physiological benefits on human health. The aim of this study was to assess the yield and nutritional quality of Jerusalem artichoke tubers according to different cropping systems on dry sandy soils from Southern Romania. The experiments were carried out during 2018-2020 at the Research and Development Station for Plant Culture on Sands Dăbuleni, using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The experimental combined factors applied were fertilization with plants density (5×2). After the tubers were harvested, their quality was evaluated using standard methods. The results suggest that Jerusalem artichoke crop has minimal requirements for fertilization and tolerates very well high plants density without affecting significantly the yield and the nutritional features analysed, respectively the contents in total dry matter, soluble dry matter, inulin, soluble carbo-hydrates and C vitamin. A significant positive correlation was determined between the soluble dry matter and soluble carbohydrates content. The assessed biochemical compounds displayed high values in both fertilized and unfertilized conditions and in both densities, showing that Jerusalem artichoke is a perennial crop with multifunctional high growing potential in marginal terrains usually improper for the conventional crops.

Important land surfaces from hill and mountain areas from the northern hemisphere formerly used for cropping were abandoned. Often, the abandoned land evolved by natural succession to grassland, shrubland or even to forest. The main goal of this paper is to bring new datasets necessary for the understanding of the evolution of ex-arable grassland vegetation from the forest steppe area into relationship with climate. The researches were performed in the locality of Grădinari (Caraş-Severin County, Western Romania) on an ex-arable plot abandoned since 1995. The vegetation data were collected for 19 years (time interval 2003–2021). The analyzed vegetation features were floristic composition, biodiversity and pastoral value. The climate data considered were air temperature and rainfall amount. The vegetation and climate data were correlated statistically, with a view to highlighting the potential impact of the temperature and rainfalls during the evolution of succession process on the grassland’s floristic composition, biodiversity and pastoral value. The pressure of the increased temperatures on the natural restoration process of the biodiversity and pastoral value of ex-arable forest steppe grassland could, at least partially, be mitigated by random grazing and mulching works.

Maize is sensitive to the infection with myco-toxigenous fungi from the genera Fusarium and Aspergillus when the climatic conditions are favourable. The specific maize pests play an important role in the spread of the spores of the myco-toxigenous fungi among the climate conditions. The main Fusarium species are able to produce infections are the following: Fusarium verticillioides, Fusarium proliferatum and Fusarium graminearum. The first two species are producing mycotoxins from the fumonisines group (considered as carcinogenous) and the third produces mycotoxins by the types trichothecene and zearalenone. The most frequent species from the genus Aspergillus in crops is Aspergillus flavus. Near this species there can be found Aspergillus parasiticus. Both fungi are major aflatoxins producers strongly carcinogenous for humans and animals. The infections of these fungi are associated with the dry years, warm climate and the damages produced by insects. The insects play an important role in the epidemiology of those pathogens. This research was developed in a selection field formed from 21 lines of corn placed in the perimeter of the Station of Agricultural Research and Development Lovrin (Timiș County). The purpose of this study is to set the interrelation between pathogens and pests and the implication of the last ones in the fungal epidemiology. The observations regarding the attack of the myco-toxigenous fungi Fusarium verticillioides and Aspergillus flavus were developed in conditions of natural infection. In parallel was noted the frequency of the attack of the pests Helicoverpa armigera and Ostrinia nubilalison cobs and the density of the larvae on cobs. The incidence of the cobs infested with mycelia of Fusarium verticillioides was comprised in the interval 33% - 100% and the severity between 3% and 17.5%. In the case of the fungus Aspegillus flavus the incidence of the cobs with mycelium was comprised between 0 and 27% and the severity doesn't overpass 15%. There was noticed the high incidence of the cobs damaged by Helicoverpa armigera between 40% and 100% and that coincides with the frequency of the cobs infested by Fusarium. The density of the Helicoverpa larvae on cob was one, rarely two and three. Comparative with Helicoverpa armigera, the incidence of the cobs attacked by Ostrinia nubilalis was lower than 40%. The density of the larvae on cobs was similar as in the case of Helicoverpa. The obtained results show the indirect implication of those two pests in the dissemination of the above mentioned myco-toxigenous fungi. The infections level with Fusarium verticillioides was higher on the cobs damaged by larvae, those being entirely covered with white, pink or salmon colour mycelia, characteristic for this fungus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of the research is due to the consideration that Ambrosia artemisiifolia is an invasive species from the Asteraceae botanical family originating from North America, but spread worldwide, implicitly on the European continent. This has a great capacity of invasion of the anthropic habitats (inhabited areas, vegetable gardens, arable land, roadside etc.) because it has the capacity to produce a very high number of seeds. Ragweed has increased very much its territory in the north-western side of Romania, thus Bihor County is one of the most affected by the invasion of this species mainly to the highly favourable soil and climate conditions. Near to the great land invasion capacity this species produces serious health problems to a great part of the population due to the extremely allergenic pollen that is produced in a very high amount during the flowering period. In literature is mentioned the increase of the incidence of the allergies during the ragweed flowering period, this starting generally from the second half of July till to the beginning of October. The pollen of the species Ambrosia artemisiifolia is one of the main factors that causes allergic rhinitis and also represents one of the major causes of the increase of the incidence of the asthma in the case of the sensitive persons at the summer end. The purpose of the research is to develop an evaluation of several genotypes of Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. from different locations from Bihor County. In the work were analysed too aspects regarding the variability of several morphological features of this species from different sites. Thus there was characterised the correlation among the analysed biological parameters. The studied material is represented by individuals of Ambrosia artemisiifolia collected at the beginning of August 2016 from 10 sites from Bihor County: Biharia, Tulca, Tinca, Hidişelu de Jos, Rabagani, Beiuş, Burda, Uileacu de Beiuş, Totoreni and Ştei. From every site were collected 10 plants and were determined several biometric parameters. The considered parameters were plant height (cm), root length (cm), number of ramifications and the number of male and female inflorescence there being analysed their variability and interrelation using Pearson r value. The data were processed with EXCEL application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]