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The study aimed to evaluate for the first time the degree of contamination of soil and crops with major and trace elements (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, F, Na, Mg, Si, P, Cl, Fe, Al) in agricultural lands situated in the Lower Danube Basin, Galati and Braila counties (SE Romania), impacted by the steel industry. Soil samples, as well as leaves and seeds of wheat, corn, and sunflower, were collected from two depths in 11 different sites. Along with elemental and mineralogical analyses, performed by HR-CS AAS, PIGE, SEM-EDX, and ATR-FTIR, the soil pH, texture, organic matter, electric conductivity, and CaCO3 content were investigated. The results showed that the levels of Cr (83.27–383.10 mg kg−1), Cu (17.11–68.15 mg kg−1), Ni (30.16–55.66 mg kg−1), and F (319–544 mg kg−1) in soil exceeded the Romanian regulations for sensitive use of the land. Igeo, EF, PI, and PERI pollution indices indicate that the soil is moderate to highly contaminated with Cr, Ni, and Cu, while the CSI and mERMQ indices suggested a relatively low risk for metal contamination. The elemental concentrations in plant tissues and bioaccumulation factors (BFs) provide valuable insights into the soil–plant relationship, health risks, and the selectivity of plant compartments for different elements. Thus, the results revealed that the wheat plants tended to exclude the bioaccumulation of particular elements in their tissues, while exhibiting a different bioaccumulation pattern for Zn and Cu. In the case of corn, most BFs were below one, indicating a limited phytoaccumulation capacity. However, exceptions were observed for Cd, Zn, and Cu with the sunflower BFs indicating higher bioconcentration of these elements in leaves and seeds compared to other elements. Chromium (Cr) contributes to non-carcinogenic dermal contact and ingestion hazards, children being more susceptible to the adverse effects of this contaminant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper was to study the phyto-inhibitory and antimicrobial activity of brown propolis collected from the counties of four regions in Romania. The main physico-chemical and functional properties of 16 samples of propolis from different landforms of geographical regions were determined. Their antimicrobial activities were established against 5 bacterial strains (Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, and Proteus mirabilis) and 5 fungal strains (Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Fusarium oxysporum, Mucor racemosus, and Aspergillus niger). Simultaneously, the phyto-inhibitory effect of propolis samples on different cereals was highlighted: hexaploid bread wheat (Triticum aestivum), maize (Zea mays L.), oats (Avena sativa L.), and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Correlations between the antioxidant activity and total flavonoid and phenol content of the propolis samples were identified, respectively, and the statistical analysis highlighted that the diameter of the inhibition zone was influenced by the strain type (bacterial and fungal) and the geographical regions of propolis. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that out of seven principal components, only two exhibited > 0.5. Pearson's correlation coefficient showed a low and moderate positive linear relationship between the diameter of the inhibition zone and the flavonoid and phenol concentration of the propolis samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper purpose was to assess the impact of climate change on wheat, maize and sunflower yield in the period 2017-2021, using statistical data from National Institute of Statistics (NIS) and National Administration of Meteorology (NAM) and other sources. Comparison method was used to evaluate the deviations between the registered air temperatures and precipitations and the 1981-2010 climatological norm. Graphic method reflected the dynamics of monthly air temperatures and rainfalls in each year. Descriptive statistics for mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variation reflected an more comprehensive image upon air temperature, precipitations and yield. Correlations and regression equations were used to establish the intensity of the kinks between climate factors and yield. The highest average air temperature In Romania was 12.130C in 2019. In the period 2017-2020, the average annual temperatures exceeded the climatological norm 1981-2010 accounting for 9.10C. The lowest rainfalls, 614.2 mm, were recorded in 2019, being below of 633.1 mm the norm for the period 1981-2010. The high temperatures associated with drought and low precipitations have deeply affected yield of many agricultural crops, including maize, wheat and sunflower. The highest wheat yield 4,888 kg/ha was achieved in 2017, and the lowest one, 2,966 kg/ha in 2020. Maize registered the highest performance of 7,644 kg/ha in 2018, and the lowest one, 3,977 kg/ha in 2020. Sunflower carried out the high performance 3,041 kg/ha in 2018, and the lowest one, 1,858 kg/ha in 2020. The worst agricultural years for these three crops was 2020, but 2017 favored wheat, while 2018 favored maize and sunflower. The correlation coefficient had in general small values between average temperature and yield, but a higher link with precipitations level. The multiple correlation between yield, air temperatures and precipitations was: r= 0.817 for wheat, r = 0.116 for maize and r = 0.504 for sunflower. In the South Eastern Dobrogea, the driest area in Romania, the rainfalls declined by 65% in the period 2018-2020 having a deep negative impact on sunflower seeds yield, which decreased from 4,282 kg/ha in 2018, to 1,503 kg/ha in 2020. The correlation between precipitations and sunflower yield positive and very strong (r = 0.737). As a conclusion, the climate conditions should be analyzed in each farm and farmers have to take measure to adapt the technologies for sustaining production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For wheat and maize the yields and quality are affected by management practices, soil and climate conditions and genetic characteristics. The research was conducted between 2019 and 2021, in the experimental field of NARDI Fundulea and the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of agrotechnical measures and climatic conditions on the yield and quality of wheat and corn. The experiment involved four different soil works, using three maize hybrids (Iezer, Mostistea and F423) and three wheat varieties (Glosa, Izvor and Pitar) and three fertilized options. The hight productions and good quality of wheat and maize were maximized by applying the factors in associated variants. The results showed that the crops were very significantly affected by the conditions of the year as well as most of the interactions between the factors. The conservative tillages of the soil associated with the fertilization with manure have potentiated the genetic characteristics of the crop plant, raising the final quality of the production by 5-10%, depending on the variant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In conditions of the modernization of agriculture, knowledge and management of the factors that can influence the production and quality are required. An important role belongs to the environmental factors and agrotechnical measures, which together with the genetic characteristics of the varieties or hybrids contribute to the variation of production and quality. The researches were performed during the 2015-2018, in the experimental field of NARDI Fundulea and aimed to study the influence of agrotechnical practices on the yields and quality of wheat and maize. The paper presents the results obtained in long term experiences with fertilizers and rotations, under non-irrigation condition. Yields and the quality is directly influenced by the fertilizers quantity and crop rotation. The results show that 4-year rotations and fertilization contribute with 20-50% to the increase of production and protein content increases with the nitrogen rate applied and less with phosphorus rate, but together (NP) have a significant effect for both wheat and maize. This percentage varied between 9.0-15.5% for wheat and 5.5-9.5% for maize depending on crop year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyzed price elasticity of production for short run for wheat, maize, sunflower, milk, pork, beef and honey in Romania and in its eight micro-regions in the period 2016-2018. Elasticity coefficients were determined using Cook's formula. At Romania's level, the price growth by 1% will determine the increase of output for wheat, maize, milk, and pork, but lower than price growth rate. Considering that other factors of influence are constant, the growth of the acquisition price will favor the increase of production in the territory of Romania as follows: for wheat in NW, SE, Bucharest Ilfov and S W Oltenia micro-regions; for maize in almost all the micro-regions except Bucharest-Ilfov and West; for sunflower in BIF and SW Oltenia; for pork, in the Center, SE, S Muntenia, SW Oltenia and West regions; for beef only in NW and NE regions; for milk in NW and S Muntenia; for honey in the Center, NE, S Muntenia, and SW Oltenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper, there are presented the research results aiming the promotion of the conservative agriculture concept in variants/schemes adapted to: - the soil's properties (medium to heavy texture - 30-42 % clay in the arable layer) - the main field crops cultivated in the sothern area of Romania, in order to obtain competitive, qualitative and quantitative yields (similar to the ones obtained in the conventional agriculture), with lower costs and higher profit for the farmers by improving the soil's properties and protecting the environment. The highest yields were obtained in the first trial - seeding after ploughing. There are significant differences between these results and the results obtained in the trials with direct seeding, due to the fact that the luvosoil at Simnic Research and Development Station is a ,,cold" soil, with a higher clay content, a lower aeration porosity - it needs a better mobilisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

70 maize samples and 42 wheat samples from Alba, Cluj and Timis counties were randomly collected in farms. The maize samples were analyzed for mycotic load and for zearalenone and ergosterol as fungal mass indicator. Following the mycological examination, there has been found a moderate mycotic charge with a number of 14 samples and intense mycotic load with 11 samples. The highest mycetes occurrence have belonged Fusarium, Rhisopus, Alternaria, Aspergillus genera. Ergosterol was detected with all samples with a maximum value of 72 mg/kg, zearalenone was found in 54% of the total of analyzed maize samples reaching values of up to 2250μg/kg, indicating a high degree of fungal contamination as well as a severe zearalenone contamination. The wheat samples were analyzed for 13 trichothecene toxins of the B-type as well as of the A-type. Deoxynivalenol was detected in the range of 21-3395 μg/kg, with a mean content of 576 μg/kg and a median content of 326 μg/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper based on the researches carried out during 2006-2008 in the long term trial placed in 1990 on the preluvosoil from Oradea. Three kind of crop rotation (wheat - monocrop; wheat - maize; wheat - maize - soybean) were studied in unirrigated and irrigated conditions. The smallest content of the protein from wheat grains were registered in the wheat monocrop both nonirrigated and irrigated variant. In the wheat-maize and wheat-maize-soybean crop rotation the values registered were significant statistically bigger than in wheat monocrop. Irrigation determined the decrease of the protein content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]