Berca MihaiUniversity of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest | USAMV Bucuresti · Faculty of Management
Berca Mihai
Prof.univ.dr.ing.dr.h.c.
About
30
Publications
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Citations
Introduction
Researcher, professor and manager, with a broad knowledge of agriculture, agricultural production systems, habitats and its problems.
Expert for the analysis of plant protection activities (50 years of experience) with several publications. Over the years I had many contacts to scientists from big universities and research institutes from Western Europe, especially with business people, with big producers of phyto-pharmaceutical products, with big agronomists, chemists and ecologists.
Additional affiliations
September 2007 - present
Agricultural Sciences University
Position
- Mihai Berca
Description
- soil, water, air, biodiversity
Education
October 1966
Agricultural Sciences University
Field of study
Publications
Publications (30)
In the south part of Romania, during 2016-2021, research was conducted on the water stress of wheat crop, represented by 7 varieties of premium genetics wheat, i.e. high in protein and gluten. The analysis of NDMI (Normalized Difference Moisture Index) showed that, during the research period, the plants benefited from an average index of 0.21 units...
For plants, and especially for agricultural crops, stresses are factors arising from the environment that affect the yield quantity and quality, endangering the food security and safety of people worldwide in the case of cultivated plants. Broadly speaking, the most obvious stresses are generated by climate change, industrial emissions, agriculture...
In the southern part of the Romanian Plain, a research was carried out over a period of 5 agricultural years (2016-2021) regarding the evaluation of wheat crops, consisting of 7 premium varieties, on a surface of 110 ha. The NDVI index was used to assess the quality of management, the influence of climate change, which are in constant variation, on...
Researches on winter wheat in the south part of Romanian Plain during the dry years 2019 and 2020 have been focused on the crop water consumption issue in excessive conditions of air and soil drought. The wheat crop water consumption in the research sites (Calarasi and Teleorman counties), for the entire vegetation period, autumn – spring – summer,...
The paper fits in the field of bioeconomy, which aims the reconciliation between environment and economy, approaching the issue of substitution, even partially, of the synthetic nitrogen with the one biologically fixed to the wheat crop. The study began 12 years ago in a farm from Southern Romania (Burnas Plain) with a surface of 1000ha. In order t...
During 2007-2014 has appeared, in the South part of Romania, a pandemic of common voles (field mice), which surprised farmers and authorities and which caused damages of 1,200-2,000kg/ha on wheat and 1,000-1,700kg/ha on rape. This enormous pest produced, at national level, damages of over 3 billion RON, i.e. 700 million EURO only in 2014. The knowl...
This study is intended to demonstrate that in the pedoclimatic conditions from Seini – Maramures, some that are not very favorable to the wheat crop, the productivity it can be easily increased by applying a new fertilization management scheme and by using wheat varieties of different categories, but with a great plasticity to biotic and abiotic fa...
For wheat crop, in 2013-2014 a comeback of resistant strains of extremely harmful diseases such as yellow rust ( Puccinia striiformis ) and fusarium ( Fusarium spp .) was observed. By preventing the absorption of solar energy and limiting the yield, by average, with 30-40% for the untreated pesticide version, entropy in wheat increased significantl...
For its biomass, wheat consumes a quantity of 20-25 kg nitrogen/ton of yield, at standard parameters. For premium grains, the required quantity of nitrogen is of 24 kg nitrogen/ton (14.5 to 18.0% protein). As input for plants, the nitrogen can be obtained through the Haber-Bosch technological process, a major energy consumer and with a high degree...
Regardless of its geographical position in Romania, corn is a plant of great importance for both human alimentation and animal nutrition, mostly in rural areas. Experiments conducted on the eutricambosoils from Brebu village have found that locals are using local varieties, with a 2-3 times lower productivity than that of specific hybrids in the ar...
The present study was conducted in order to highlight a big problem that breeders are facing with nowadays, namely the relations which are formed between the plants root system and the soil, that constitutes their living and development environment. There were identified three main ways through which the breeding of the roots-soil system can be ach...
Numerous studies, carried out mainly in the last 10 years have revealed that plants have the opportunity to
defend themselves against pathogens by their own diverse immune system. An immune system such as “Innate immune system" was known before, being sent congenitally in plants, from one generation to another. More recently, it was discovered that...
The paper intends to present the soil quality effect (CWS), given by the National Institute of Soil Science official creditworthiness marks on the Burnas Plain wheat yield. In this way is created the scientific basis for new technologies (varieties) that are about to provide a better exploitation of the soil and of its characteristics, as well as t...
The present study aims to present the effect of aridity index (AR) calculated by the UNEP version, of the quality of soil (CWS), given by the official creditworthiness marks of the National Institute of Soil Science and of the agricultural intensity degree (TPI) at various levels of agricultural exploitation over the wheat yield in Romania. That cr...
More than 5 millions hectares of arable land from the total of 9 millions arable land have suffered, in the last 40 years, strong phenomena of ecological degradation due to the excess of works with the plow and to incorrect use of inputs (fertilizers with nitrogen and pesticides). The quantity of humus was reduced by up to 60%, while the biomass fr...
In the researched area, located on the terrace from the south-west of Alexandria city, soil fertility, evaluated by indicators like humus content, biological activity of the soil, ecological index, production level, showed that in the last 100 years, the amount of carbon and nitrogen in the soil was reduced by 2 times, especially due to a defective...
More than 5 millions hectares of arable land from the total of 9 millions arable land have suffered, in the last 40 years, strong phenomena of ecological degradation due to the excess of works with the plow and to incorrect use of inputs (fertilizers with nitrogen and pesticides). The quantity of humus was reduced by up to 60%, while the biomass fr...
Auradur durum wheat variety was introduced in production, in Romania, for the first time in 2006, after a preliminary verification of its behaviour in our experimental fields. Its production increased continuously. The highest yields were obtained în 2011 (4-7 tons/ha). However, there were controverses, especially among some farmers, but also distr...
The paper presents the results of the first two phases of the interdisciplinary research project “Research on an ecosystem approach of sustainable development at territorial- administrative level”, a project financed by C.N.C.S.I.S. and coordinated by ASE Bucharest. The project was carried out in Bacau County between 2004 and 2006. The paper highli...
Field mouse (microtus arvalis) became extremely aggressive the latest two years in Burnas Plain, and especially between Alexandria – Zimnicea – Turnu Măgurele, on the well-known plateau on the right side of Vedea river. The field mouse attacks especially during autumn, and preferably rape crop. But it is also very aggressive to barley and wheat cro...
Romania has a surface of abt. 24 mil ha, and is almost entirely covered with soils. Over 9 millions hectars belong to thegroup of arable soils, cultivated with different field crops and permanently submitted to agricultural machineinterventions. This led to the oxidation of organic matter and of the heteropolycondensed humus due to the lack oftechn...
Starting from the need to feed an increasing population in the world and also in Romania, as well as to totally protect the environment according to the principles of sustainable agriculture, the authors aimed at finding through research working models able to reduce in agriculture the utilization of costly inputs as fertilizers and pesticides and...
The natural grasslands within the agricultural areas located in the northern Dambovita county are generally damaged and they give low yields. There are some small areas (niches), consisting of white clover (Trifolium repens) and various species of gramineae (Festuga nigrescens, Poa pratensis, Rheum pratense, Dactylis glomerata). The study of these...
Nitrogen, as the most important element of biological construction of plants, can be taken from the atmospheric nitrogen (N2) (N º N) or it can be applied in fertilizers. In the first case the nitrogen is taken without financial costs and without pollution, while in the second case it becomes more and more expensive and very polluting. This work wa...
Reintensification of agricultural production starting from natural models requires long and diverse crop rotations and a high index of soil ecological condition (IE). Using common crops in the Southern part of Romania, well acclimatized, the level of yield proved to be dependent on the soil ecological index and the level of rain-falls during the ye...
Provided that conventional nitrogen resources are more and more expensive (Haber-Bosch method) and less accessible to the anthropic, it becomes a must to be familiar with the natural phenomenon of nitrogen fixation so as to stimulate the process and to replace synthetic fertilizers with natural ones. The paper presents the models of nitrogen fixati...
The need to intensify agriculture by increasing yield amount and quality, and cutting costs at the same time, requires a new approach to knowledge regarding the growing of highly productive Premium breeds. To this end two main changes are operated in the management flow of the cropping system: 1. a new soil tillage and seedbed preparation system or...
Because of soil tillage with plough at the same depth, estimated by us at aproximately 5 millions ha, a compact layer is being formed at different depths, very settled at depths of 25-45 cm and 10-15 cm width. Those soils have endurance to compacter penetration of 30-50 kgf/cm2 during the normal years regarding rain-falls, but can reach even 130 kg...
The following mathematical moduli were set up by using land researches presented in a previous study (Berca M., Ene D., Sturzu C., 2007) and mathematical analysis starting from the relationship between roots and soil, as well as between abiotical factors (water + soil) or abiotic and biotic (soil + ecosystem): a modulus describing the relation betw...
Questions
Questions (6)
I have to bring to your attention another scientific and practical problem that appears in winter and spring wheat in all my experimental and production fields from Southern Romania.
For some of the varieties tested by us during this year were registered modifications at the heading time - see Fig. 1.
In fact, the last leaf tightens, it shuts down, it twists and it doesn't allow the exit of aristae (beard) - Fig. 2 - and the grain production on the ear reduces and becomes uneven.
The cause of this phenomenon is related to the climate change.
For this we made two assumptions:
1. Auxins don't reach in the necessary amount at the last basal petals of the last leaves, so these can't grow up enough in order to open and free aristae. The auxins blocking is due to low temperature.
2. Is released abscisic acid, which is a blocker of growth. This release can be generated also by low temperatures overnight.
We believe more in the 1st hypothesis.
Please take a look at the photos and help me find an answer for this strange phenomena. My geneticists colleagues could not find a solution.
This is just a short comment regarding the material published by Prof. Adrian Toader-Williams.
Absolutely all biological processes, but also the non-biological ones destined to human comfort need energy, sometimes involve a lot of energy (see nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing, where energetic participation in the final product exceeds 50%).
My opinion is that the people are wrong trained and educated.
Searching the energy needed for humans in hydrocarbons was a mistake that, at the beginning, the human society did it from ignorance, because they didn't knew the danger of burning hydrocarbons in the act of pollution and degradation of the atmosphere and soil, the 2 basic requires of human survival.
It started wrong and the necessary correction wasn't made because of human greed. Oil has become speculate merchandise, a speculate process that can be practiced much easier than other forms of energy.
Don't even imagine that the Europe's and the world's energy security lies in hydrocarbons. No way. The science, the innovation demonstrated that there are energy alternatives forms of at least the same value as hydrocarbons from oil and gas.
Human society lived many thousands of years without hydrocarbons, and the historical and archaeological discoveries demonstrate that it lived well. The lifestyle of the people who populate the planet today is very expensive compared to that of our ancestors.
Energy security is not a problem, at least for another 4 billion years, as long as there is still sun in the sky. What could lead us to the apocalypse is food safety and environmental security.
The science has made available to mankind new values of alternative energy. These are the hydrogen produced by Craig Venter bacteria or other sources and the hydrocarbons produced by residual biomass. We no longer need shale gas and oil and not even bio-diesel and bio-ethanol because researchers are refusing the competition between food and energy.
After all, the main products necessary for human metabolism are food, water and air. Foods are the most expensive, but the most squandered. The calculation of Prof. von Braun show that the food production will be based, in the future, in proportion of over 75%, on science, innovation with a direct impact on reducing energy from inputs, as well as the surface.
In the absence of environmental protection it is possible for water and air to become at least as expensive as foods or even more.
However, with this way of life humanity is limited in time. Earth people are sick, very sick. It is necessary a metabolic healing of the mankind, but also a mental one. It is absolutely necessary to restore the balance between systems. It is absolutely mandatory to simplify the economic, social and individual life.
To simplify in a right way means thinking, science, innovation and not least the will, the desire to consider the planet as your own home.
Kind regards,
Prof. Mihai Berca
University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest
In our experimental and demonstrative plots a significant number of plants were affected by abiotic stress - perhaps by the alternation between cold nights and hot days.
Initially, we thought that it is a disease, but the analysis performed in our plant pathology laboratory didn't confirmed one.
We address you in order to detect the biochemical phenomenon that led to these anomalies in the form of mutant (see the attached photo). Maybe there is some scientific literature about that. If so, please indicate it.
In the same time, the yields were highly reduced.
Best regards and thank you,
Prof. Mihai Berca
University of Agronomic Science and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest
This issue is going to be very useful in order to make a new step to the ecology of agriculture.
