NARDI Fundulea

As conservation agricultural practices continue to spread, there is a need to understand how reduced tillage impacts soil microbes. Effects of no till (NT) and disk till (DT) relative to moldboard plow (MP) were investigated in a long-term experiment established on Chernozem. Results showed that conservation practices, especially NT, increased total, active and microbial biomass carbon. The effects on diversity measured through amplicon sequencing were greater for prokaryotes than for fungi. NT increased prokaryotic richness at both the lower and the higher taxonomic level, while for both microbial groups it tended to decrease Shannon index at the higher taxonomic level. No differences were observed between DT and MP. Conversely, tillage intensity induced a clear separation of both prokaryotic and fungal communities among all three practices. Comparing abundance of ecologically meaningful groups revealed more abundant saprotrophic fungi in MP and differences in the bacterial groups involved in the N cycle. Differential analysis showed relatively similar numbers of plant growth promoting prokaryotic taxa. However, it also revealed higher numbers of pathogenic fungal taxa that are enriched in NT. Overall, our findings illustrate that tillage changes the structure of both prokaryotic and fungal communities, including distribution of functional groups, without necessarily changing diversity.

Individuals are the driving force that sustains and helps a company succeed (Mura et al., 2021). Previous research from the organizational behavior domain sustains that management’s emotions are of great importance in the performance of organizations (Lee et al., 2023; Minárová et al., 2020). The role of emotions in an organization is highlighted by Reynolds and Vince (2004) who sustain that “Every organization is an emotional place because it is a human invention, serving human purposes and dependent on human beings to function” (p. 443). In family businesses (FBs), the strength of family bonds and the inclusion of certain family members in the management and work process, strongly impact the organizational processes (Babet, 2020). Worldwide, FBs constitute the dominant organizational structure, with more than 60% of global businesses, contributing over 50%–75% of the gross domestic product (GDP), and workforce employed in any state (Gagné et al., 2021). The specificity and uniqueness of the FB are given by the different reasons that support a family and non-family firm (Chaudhary et al., 2021). The main characteristics are represented by socioeconomic wealth (Craig & Newbert, 2020), strong and trustful relationships between managers (Cunningham & McGuire, 2019), long-term orientation (Chaudhary et al., 2021), strongly connected with their traditions, values, and culture (Minárová et al., 2020), and respect for their business reputation, often associated with family reputation (Beck & Prügl, 2018).

Field pea (Pisum sativum L.) needs improvement to increase productivity due to its high price and demand. However, the incidence of powdery mildew (PM) disease limits its production. This study aimed to analyze the diversity of qualitative and quantitative traits against powdery mildew resistance by utilizing cluster and principal component analysis to explore PM resistance high-yield potential field peas. Shannon–Weaver's diversity index (Hʹ) displayed high intra-genotype diversity for quantitative and qualitative aspects. Heterogeneity was identified for resistance against powdery mildew infections. Eighty-five genotypes were divided into five groups using Mohalanobis generalized distance (D²) statistics. The highest inter-cluster D² value was observed between clusters 2 and 3 (11.89) while the lowest value was found between clusters 3 and 4 (2.06). Most of the genotypes had noticeable differences, so these could be employed in a crossing scheme. Twelve genotypes were extremely resistant, 29 genotypes were resistant, 25 genotypes were moderately resistant, 18 genotypes were fairly susceptible, and 1 genotype was susceptible to powdery mildew disease. Among 29 resistant genotypes, BFP77, BFP74, BFP63, BFP62, BFP43, and BFP80 were high yielders and, could be used directly and/or transferred through hybridization to high-yielding disease-susceptible genotypes. Among the 25 moderately resistant genotypes, BFP78, BFP45, BFP79, and BFP48 were found to be high yielders. In principal component analysis (PCA), the first four PCs with Eigen values > 1 accounted for 88.4% variability for quantitative traits. Clustering sorted genotypes into five groups, where groups 1 to 5 assembled 37, 28, 1, 8, and 11 genotypes, respectively. Genotypes of cluster 4 were identified as high yielders with its attributes. Pearson correlation significantly and positively correlated across all traits except for PM. This variation suggested that there is a mechanism to select promising genotypes for field pea breeding. Considering all features, BFP78, BFP77, BFP74, BFP63, BFP62, BFP45, BFP79, and BFP80 could be preferred as high yielders and PM resistance owing to longer pod lengths, seeds per pod and pods per plant.

Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith, 1797) originates from the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas and has spread to Africa, Asia, Oceania and, more recently, to Europe. This paper provides the first official report of S. frugiperda in Romania. In the southern part of the country, adults of this species were caught in a pheromone trap in November 2023. The identification of fall armyworm was carried out at a morphological and molecular level. Barcode sequences of the Romanian specimens were obtained. No damage was observed in the fields surrounding the trap where the pest was captured. A brief description and information on the economic importance of S. frugiperda are given, mainly for maize, taking into consideration the major importance of this crop in Romania and for the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization region.

The culture of Romanian garlic has a high potential from an economic point of view, being in great demand on the market, Romanians preferring its taste and aroma. However, ..garlic cultivation does not have an easy technology and the Romanian seed is hard to find, so many of the producers are discouraged and prefer to cultivate other, safer crops. Massive imports of garlic led to measures from the state. Underscoring the importance of garlic cultivation for the Romanian economy, the state met agricultural producers with a “de minimis” support to support garlic production. The present paper, in order to contribute to making the necessary decisions for the future production cycle as well as to support farmers who want to cultivate this crop, analyzes the economic efficiency with the help of profitability indicators (profit, profitability rates, breackeven point, etc.), for two possible situations: with financial support granted through the Garlic Production Support Program and without taking into account this “de minimis” support. In this context, it is aimed to evaluate the economic viability in terms of the use of the production framework technology of garlic culture and the rational use of both the raw materials used and the human and financial resources to produce garlic of high quality but at low costs. Agricultural activities are always determined by the profitability of the crop. The findings of the study can have a positive impact on farmers, allowing them to adjust their material resources and current farm capacities for higher productivity, while highlighting the importance of implementing the garlic crop support program.

The aim of the study was to identify current and future trends in terms of trade in vegetables in Romania starting from the analysis of imports and exports of horticultural products. The results of the research highlighted a significant imbalance in the trade in vegetables at the national level. The net higher values of imports compared to those of exports indicated that Romania presented an increased demand for vegetables imported from countries such as: Turkey, Holland, Germany, Poland and Spain, compared to exported values. This situation led to the registration of a deficit in the trade balance, which increased by 104 million euros in the last 3 years. The forecasts made for 2032 indicated a continuous increase in imports, reaching one million euros. At the same time, an increase in exports was anticipated, which will tend to reach 175 thousand euros, reflecting an attempt to compensate for the current imbalance.

Background Ethno-veterinary practices could be used as a sustainable developmental tool by integrating traditional phytotherapy and husbandry. Phytotherapeutics are available and used worldwide. However, evidence of their antiparasitic efficacy is currently very limited. Parasitic diseases have a considerable effect on pig production, causing economic losses due to high morbidity and mortality. In this respect, especially smallholders and organic producers face severe challenges. Parasites, as disease causing agents, often outcompete other pathogens in such extensive production systems. A total of 720 faecal samples were collected in two farms from three age categories, i.e. weaners, fatteners, and sows. Flotation (Willis and McMaster method), modified Ziehl–Neelsen stained faecal smear, centrifugal sedimentation, modified Blagg technique, and faecal cultures were used to identify parasites and quantify the parasitic load. Results The examination confirmed the presence of infections with Eimeria spp., Cryptosporidium spp., Balantioides coli (syn. Balantidium coli), Ascaris suum, Oesophagostomum spp., Strongyloides ransomi, and Trichuris suis, distributed based on age category. A dose of 180 mg/kg bw/day of Allium sativum L. and 90 mg/kg bw/day of Artemisia absinthium L. powders, administered for 10 consecutive days, revealed a strong, taxonomy-based antiprotozoal and anthelmintic activity. Conclusions The results highlighted the therapeutic potential of both A. sativum and A. absinthium against gastrointestinal parasites in pigs. Their therapeutic effectiveness may be attributed to the content in polyphenols, tocopherols, flavonoids, sterols, sesquiterpene lactones, and sulfoxide. Further research is required to establish the minimal effective dose of both plants against digestive parasites in pigs.

Turmeric, a globally cultivated spice, holds significance in medicine, and cosmetics, and is also a very popular ingredient in South Asian cuisine. A study involving 53 turmeric genotypes evaluated for rhizome yield and related traits at Spices Research Center, Bogura, Bangladesh over three years (2019–22). A randomized complete block design was followed with two replications. ANOVA revealed significant trait variations among genotypes. Genotype T0015 emerged as the highest yielder at 28.04 t/ha. High heritability (0.58–0.99) and genetic advance characterized plant height (PH), mother rhizome weight (WMR), primary and secondary finger weights (WPF and WSF), and yield per plant (YPP) across seasons. Genetic gain (GG) was prominent in these traits. Genotypic and phenotypic coefficient variations (GCV and PCV) (6.24–89.46 and 8.18–90.88, respectively) across three years highlighted mother rhizome weight’s importance followed by numbers of primary finger (NPF), and WPF. Positive and significant correlations, especially with PH, WMR, WPF, and YPP, emphasized their relevance to fresh yield (FY). Multiple linear regression identified PH, number of mother rhizome (NMR) and WMR as key contributors, explaining 37–79% of FY variability. Cluster analysis grouped genotypes into five clusters with maximum distance observed between clusters II and III. The geometric adaptability index (GAI) assessed adaptability and superiority, revealing nine genotypes outperforming the best existing cultivar. Genotype T0117 as the top performer based on GAI, followed by T0103 and T0094. Mean rank analysis favoured T0121 as the best performer, succeeded by T0117, T0082 and T0106. The top ten genotypes (T0015, T0061, T0082, T0085, T0094, T0103, T0106, T0117, T0121 and T0129) were identified as superior based on yield and overall ranking, warranting further evaluation. These findings may induce a window for improving turmeric research and ultimately play a role in enhancing its cultivation and productivity.

The study aimed to identify the influence of the altitudinal difference on the fertility characteristics of grasslands soils and implicitly on the production and quality of plant associations intended for grazing with animals. For that, the study material was represented by the soils of the grasslands in the region of the ?ureanu Mountains, part of the Southern Carpathians of Romania. From a geographical point of view, distinct formations were identified in the studied area with altitudes between 250 m and 1800/1850 m as high plains, high hills; subalpine and alpine areas. In the research, the area identified three types of predominate grassland soils: dystric leptosol (21%), albic stagnic luvisol (18%), and moderately eroded albic stagnated luvisol (17%). In general, all these soils from the permanent grasslands have as common characteristics: pseudo-gleysation, moderately to strongly acidic reaction, and moderate humus content, which causes low nutrition of the grassland species, especially those with high fodder value (grasses and legumes). As a result, it can be observed that depending on the altitude, the productive characteristics of the soil fertility indicators also evolve. Thus, at average altitudes of 300 m, the soil of the stagnated luvisol type dominates, towards 1000 m altitude, the dystric leptosol appears, and around the altitude of 1850 meters, the soil of the dystric cambisol overshadowed the gleyic type dominates.

The highly diversified structure of the vegetal carpet in permanent grasslands, made up of numerous plant species from various botanical families, also influences a strong differentiation in the consumption of nutrients by these plant species. Thus, species with high fodder value, are high consumers of nitrogen, and meadow leguminous species require higher consumption of phosphorus, calcium, and potassium. The area of permanent grasslands studied is located in the Banat Plain Romania, more precisely at the contact between the Banat-Crisana Plain and the Western Piedmont Hills. The general aspect of the relief is given by the presence of numerous steps of intense relief fragmented by a series of valleys that descend towards the Barzava river. A variety of grassland soils have been identified and the dominant soils are: eutricambosols, gleyosols and leptosols. The vegetation of meadow ecosystems develops in the moderate continental climate at the interference between the climate province sector with oceanic influence and the climate province sector with sub- Mediterranean influences.

Assessing genetic similarity and purity degree among wheat cultivars is important in breeding programmes and SSR markers have all the features that make them suitable for this purpose. The aim of this study was to assess the varietal purity and genetic diversity among wheat cultivars grown in Romania using 22 SSR markers and to choose the most informative markers. The 40 samples included in the study consisted of seeds from certified and non-certified wheat cultivars, and from other related species. To establish that varietal purity is maintained, seeds from 14 certified wheat cultivars were analysed from two harvesting campaigns (years 2019 and 2020) and seeds of four of them were also compared with the authors’ seeds. The most polymorphic SSR marker was Xwmc596 (seven alleles), followed by Xwmc603 and Xwmc474 (six); Xgwm71, Xbarc347 and Xbarc074 (five); Xgwm469, DuPw004, Xgwm155 and Xbarc184 (four); Xwmc418, Xbarc170, Xwmc533, DuPw167, DuPw115, Xgwm413 and Xgwm372 (three); and DuPw217, DuPw205, Xgwm003 and Xgwm095 (two). SSR marker Xgwm052 showed low polymorphism (one). No contamination of the varieties was observed in these harvesting campaigns since all SSRs markers showed high similarity in the certified wheat cultivars harvest analysis; genetic diversity between genotypes was also observed.

The paper hereby focuses on the essential field of soil evolution in relation to the effect of long-term fertilization on plant yields and the essential, evolutionary, and impactful changes in their fertility. NP fertilization (by application of ammonium nitrate and concentrated superphosphate) causes a change in soil reaction over time through acidification with increasing N doses, while phosphorus is able to partially mitigate this process. Acidic soil—the typical preluvosol—as a result of adsorbed acidity activation, solubilizes Al ions and may become interested in calcic amendment. Acidification tendencies are also maintained in the amended variants, but to a lesser extent due to the neutralizing capacity of the amendment and the presence of calcium ions. Complex NP fertilization in acid soil (preluvosol) cultivated with wheat can maintain a relatively constant humus content (%), but calcium amendment can cause a reduction of this indicator. In contrast, under maize, due to the effects of conventional tillage and intensive tillage, fertilization contributes to a reduction in this indicator, which is more active against the background of limestone amendment. The phenomenon can be explained by potentiation through the mineralization of the organic component of the soil. This effect is diminished in alluvial mollisol with a higher humus content, saturated in bases, and a buffering capacity. Organic and organo-mineral fertilization can control the modeling of soil humus content and its agrochemical status. The regime of essential elements (N, P, and K) becomes active in mobile forms, and the precarious supply conditions of the initial stage tend to improve. Applied superphosphate evolves, differentiated from the applied dose and pH, into non-occluded mineral forms (P-Al, P-Fe, and P-Ca), which supply the mobile forms in the soil solution for the plants, with the importance of maintaining, more of these forms at the level required by plants. In the case of potassium, the dynamics of its forms in the soil (unchangeable and exchangeable) control the soil supply state of this element and the effect of its application to plants. The data presented show that long-term experiments can effectively support the study of soil fertility through the soil-plant relationship.

The demand for soybeans in Europe motivates breeders, researchers, and growers to find suitable cultivars to adapt and extend the soybean crop to improper climate areas. Weed control is a crucial aspect of crop technology in organic agriculture, but particularly for soybean crops. In laboratory conditions, the cumulative stress index for seedlings was determined to identify the susceptible cultivars. A field experiment with 14 soybean accessions and 2 sowing dates was conducted under organic farming conditions over the course of three years, from 2020 to 2022. Plant population density was found to be significantly (p < 0.01 and p < 0.1) negatively correlated to the degree of resistance to low temperature as well as infestation degree with weeds (for p < 0.05 and p < 0.1), with the exception of early sowing in 2021. Yield was significantly (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.1) correlated with plant population density, with the exception of optimal sowing in 2022. Early sowing variants emerged with vigor in the first two years, breeding lines and registered varieties showed low input, and organic agriculture systems showed low yields in the drought years of 2020 and 2022. Although early sowing even in the first two years proved to be a practice that increased the cultivars’ performance, in 2022, due to the long period of chilling stress in the field, this option had negative effects on yield due to the high weed frequency. Therefore, the early sowing strategy for the soybean crop in this particular case of non-irrigated conditions in a temperate continental area proved to be a risky practice.

Mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] is an important food, feed, and cash crop in rice-based agricultural ecosystems in Southeast Asia and other continents. It has the potential to enhance livelihoods due to its palatability, nutritional content, and digestibility. We evaluated 166 diverse mungbean genotypes in two seasons using multivariate and multi-traits index approaches to identify superior genotypes. The total Shannon diversity index (SDI) for qualitative traits ranged from moderate for terminal leaflet shape (0.592) to high for seed colour (1.279). The analysis of variances (ANOVA) indicated a highly significant difference across the genotypes for most of the studied traits. Descriptive analyses showed high diversity among genotypes for all morphological traits. Six components with eigen values larger than one contributed 76.50% of the variability in the principal component analysis (PCA). The first three PCs accounted for the maximum 29.90%, 15.70%, and 11.20% of the total variances, respectively. Yield per plant, pod weight, hundred seed weight, pod length, days to maturity, pods per plant, harvest index, biological yield per plant, and pod per cluster contributed more to PC1 and PC2 and showed a positive association and positive direct effect on seed yield. The genotypes were grouped into seven clusters with the maximum in cluster II (34) and the minimum in cluster VII (10) along with a range of intra-cluster and inter-cluster distances of 5.15 (cluster II) to 3.60 (cluster VII) and 9.53 (between clusters II and VI) to 4.88 (clusters I and VII), suggesting extreme divergence and the possibility for use in hybridization and selection. Cluster III showed the highest yield and yield-related traits. Yield per plant positively and significantly correlated with pod traits and hundred seed weight. Depending on the multi-trait stability index (MTSI), clusters I, III, and VII might be utilized as parents in the hybridization program to generate high-yielding, disease-resistant, and small-seeded mungbean. Based on all multivariate-approaches, G45, G5, G22, G55, G143, G144, G87, G138, G110, G133, and G120 may be considered as the best parents for further breeding programs.

Simple Summary The diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) is a major pest of oilseed rape (OSR) worldwide. In Romania, the diamondback moth (DBM) was considered a minor pest of this crop, without economic importance. Increasing the temperatures due to global warming can have consequences in increasing the pest’s attack on main crops. During our study, the average annual temperature in Southeast Romania was higher than long-term averages. At the same time, a tendency toward decrease rainfalls was observed, especially in the autumn. Our study found higher DBM larva attacks in the OSR field in the autumn that previously weren’t mentioned in the Romanian scientific literature. Seed treatment decreases the DBM larvae attack on OSR plants but not the number of larvae per plant. We found higher moth activity in the November and December. Our findings indicate a higher DBM pressure in the OSR field. This can have negative consequences for Romanian OSR growers in the future. Abstract This paper presents a three-year study concerning the effectiveness of the OSR seed treatment with the cyantraniliprole active ingredient in controlling the DBM larvae attack in autumn and four-year monitoring of the DBM flight pattern, using pheromone sticky traps. The experiment and the monitoring were conducted at the experimental field from the National Agricultural Research and Development Institute (NARDI) Fundulea in Southeast Romania. For the field assessments, each OSR sampled plant was photographed in macro mode, and then images were downloaded and magnified on the PC screen to determine the DBM larva attack. The traps were placed in the OSR crop from mid-March till December and checked twice weekly. Data from the field assessment revealed a higher pest attack on OSR plants on 11 November 2020, when the DBM larvae attack degree was 16.26% in the untreated variant and 11.24% in the variant with treated seeds. The results evidenced unusually higher activity for the diamondback moths during November 2019, 2020, and 2022; the beginning of December 2020 and 2021; and mid-December 2022. This is the first report from the Romanian scientific literature concerning higher DBM attacks at OSR plants in autumn and high moth activity during November and December.

The Yanaquincha River is one of the tributaries that crosses the canton of La Joya de los Sachas from north to south, where the increase in human activities is affecting the quality of water used for agricultural activities and in tourist resorts. The purpose of this research was to determine the biological quality of the water through the BMWP-Col index and physicochemical parameters. Five sampling sites were selected along the length of the river for this assessment. Relatively intact sites were classified as reference sites (BR and FR), moderately impacted sites (EPC and EFPC), and severely impacted sites (PC). Biological and physicochemical data were collected to examine the quality of the water. The Biological Monitoring Working Party Colombia (BMWP-Col) biotic index and Functional Feeding Group (FFG) grouping were used to evaluate river quality. The results showed that water temperature, depth, width, and turbidity are important parameters in the composition of families. In the sampling sites, the BMWP-Col index was a determinant for river water quality (moderate, poor, or bad). Good quality water was not found in any of the sampling sites. The composition of the macroinvertebrate community changes from the source of the river until it ends its journey in the city. In addition, the family abundance and the composition of the feeding group were observed in the sites that showed similar or the same quality of water. The diversity of families and FFGs was generally higher at sites of moderate water quality. Chironomidae and Annelida were the most abundant families while Leptoceridae was the least abundant. The diversity of families was higher in BR while it was lower in PC and EFPC, grouped in six and four (both PC and EFPC) FFGs, respectively. It is important to carry out this type of study in the Ecuadorian Amazon because there is a lack of knowledge about taxonomic and functional diversity and the physicochemical variables with water quality.

Legumes in Conservation Agriculture (CA) have the potential to increase crop productivity and sustainability of the rice-based system. However, there is limited information available on the importance of legume crops in CA in the rice-based system of the Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plain (EIGP). Rice-based cropping is the mainstay of the people in Bangladesh, on the EIGP. These systems are the major food supplier to the region. In addition, they provide income and employment opportunities to the majority of people in the region. However, the system is facing unprecedented challenges and increased risk due to water, energy, labour and capital scarcity, which are exaggerated due to the effects of climate change. This could be further aggravated by deteriorating soil health, depleting underground water, and reduced land and water productivity which ultimately threaten sustainable food production and food security of the EIGP. Hence, sustainable crop intensification is essential, but increasing cropping intensity has reduced the yield of single crops by degrading soil properties. To address these constraints, Conservation Agriculture (CA), with a minimum tillage system, residue retention and crop diversification with legumes, could be an effective approach for improving crop productivity while sustaining the natural resources in intensive rice-based systems of EIGP. The addition of legumes in crop rotation is a suitable technique for crop diversification due to its multiple benefits related to soil health and natural resources. Diverse legume crops involving rice-based cropping exist at different agro-ecological zones in Bangladesh, and their rotation definitely could act a major role in promoting the CA in rice-based systems. Legume-based rotation offers multiple benefits, such as biological nitrogen fixation, improves soil pores through the deep root system, P-availability, soil fertility and enhanced nutrient cycling, and reducing the use of external input and thereby minimizing greenhouse gas emission and groundwater pollution, improving water productivity, and minimizes diseases and pest incidence. As a result, crop rotation with legumes has a high potential for CA and sustainable rice-based cropping systems in Bangladesh. The gaps between legume and non-legume crops in CA for each parameter suggest a noteworthy possibility for the improvement of rice-based systems in EIGP. This review suggests further sustainability improvements can be achieved through future field research focused on the inclusion of legume crops in the diverse rice-based systems under CA.

The increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, especially that of CO2, is a major concern because it is the main source leading to global warming, and its impact on climate change is still widely studied. The intensity and frequency of drought and flooding increase due to the change in climate, which has a negative impact on crop productivity and food security. The aim of this paper was to demonstrate the role of corn in carbon sequestration based on plant biomass and soil organic carbon accumulation. We presented the main factors that contribute to carbon sequestration and concrete examples regarding the capacity of corn hybrids created at National Agricultural Research and Development Institute (NARDI) Fundulea, as well as aspects regarding the importance of soil tillage and fertilisation. In contrast to genotypes in which this ratio was lower, maize genotypes that demonstrated a rise in the root:stem ratio under drought stress conditions produced more biomass, suggesting that the roots of these genotypes can grow at water potentials where stem growth is inhibited, which are attributes that also prove their good potential for carbon sequestration under climate change conditions. The organic carbon content in the superficial soil layer decreased with the intensification of the degree of soil mobilisation (9.95% when working the soil with the chisel, 17.91% for ploughing), but fertilisation had a beneficial effect. The biomass was higher than that of the unfertilised soil. This means that a higher carbon input has a positive influence on the carbon stock in the soil. Keywords: maize; carbon sequestration; hybrids; soil tillage; fertilisation.