Bulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca. Horticulture

Influence of Sowing Time on Plant Growth and Production for some Varieties of Chard, in Western Part of Romania

Mariana BEI — 2023-11-18

In Romania, chard is a less cultivated species, being present in some areas of Transylvania, on small areas. This research followed the results regarding chard growth and quantitative and qualitative production, obtained by growing plants in the specific conditions Western Romania. Experiment was bifactorial (5x2 type), with ten experimental variants. Comparative crops were carried out in summer and autumn, respectively, with differences in chard plants development (diameter of leaf rosette, length of leaves and petiole) and in the production achieved by varieties used in this research. For some experimental variants, the yields obtained were over 40 t/ha, being comparable to those obtained and mentioned in literature. Chard leaves content in dry matter as well as vitamin C was also monitored, results being comparable to those obtained in other growing conditions in Europe. Sowing time influenced chard total production, in summer crop being higher compared to autumn one. Also, dry matter and vitamin C content was influenced, crops harvested in autumn registered higher results regarding these traits.

Scab Resistance in some Apples Genotypes from the UASVM Collection Cluj-Napoca

Georgeta Maria BIVOLARIU (GUZU) — 2023-11-18

Apple is one of the most consumed fruits in the world and as well one of the most important crops in temperate areas. Apple scab, caused by Venturia inaequalis is damaging diseases that affects apple species and causes up to 70% yield losses depending of cultivar’s resistance. In order to control this disease, costly chemical pesticides are necessary, which increase the pollution of environment by their toxicity. This study is focused on checking the behaviour of certain apple varieties from the pomological collection at UASVM Cluj-Napoca against apple scab infection. Nine apple cultivars ('Fuji Kiku', 'Red Cap', 'Lena', 'Katja', 'Gala Mitchgla', 'Fiesta', 'Yellow', 'Pinova' and 'Reinette du Canada'), were analysed in terms of behaviour to scab attack on leaves and fruits. Visual observations were completed by molecular analyses for the potential presence of the Vf gene in some cases. Combining results from visual observation and molecular assays, the 'Lena' and 'Pinova' cultivars were noted as resistant to scab in our field trial conditions. This indicates a good opportunity to bring them into apple breeding programs for resistance to apple scab.

The Response of Two Chokeberry Cultivars to the Influence of Climatic Factors in Bistrita Area, Romania

Anca Maria CHIOREAN — 2023-11-18

Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa Michx.) is one of the most cultivated species in recent years, gaining consumer appreciation due to its fruit’s bioactive compounds. This aim of this paper was to study the behavior of two chokeberry cultivars ‘Viking’ and ‘Galicjanka’ under climatic factors in Bistrita area, within an experimental plot established at Fruit Research and Development Station Bistrita. Resistant to low temperatures but sensitive to drought, the two chokeberry cultivars ‘Viking’ and ‘Galicjanka’, have recorded a positive development evolution in pedoclimatic conditions in Bistrita area. For the success of this crop, it is necessary to ensure all the parameters to obtain a high-quality production, so that the deficiencies caused by insufficient water supply can be prevented by implementing technological measures that reduce the negative impact of the ever- changing environment.

Evaluation of some Selections Obtained in the Strawberry Breeding Program

Oana HERA — 2023-11-18

The strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) is a fruit species of interest to growers and consumers due to the early ripening of the fruits, high yields and special nutritional qualities (high content of minerals and vitamins). The paper evaluates the performance of 14 selections from Romanian strawberry breeding and a Romanian cultivar ('Premial') of strawberry under field conditions during 2021-2023. The characteristics evaluated are: phenological data, yield (g/plant), average fruit weight (g), firmness (N), shape, color, soluble solid content and pH. Based on the data obtained, from the 14 selections, it was proposed to introduce into next stages for evaluation those that recorded over 500 g/plant and over 20 g/fruit, namely: '16-3-188', '16-2-12', '16-3-170', '16-3-123'.

Evaluation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Quinoa Seed Production in Greece

Ioanna KAKABOUKI — 2023-11-18

Population growth has led to an increase in food production, resulting in an increase in agricultural products in terms of quantity and quality. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) cultivation is prevalent in most areas of the world due to its high-quality grain and its potential to produce high yields under tough growing conditions. This study aimed to investigate all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by quinoa seed production in Greece and their relationship with farm-related factors, from fertilizer production to energy consumption for all cultivation techniques. The amount of all GHG emissions was estimated using Cool Farm Tool software. In order to collect data, a questionnaire including questions regarding cultivation details, soil characteristics, inputs, fuel, and water use was distributed and completed by forty quinoa producers from Central Greece. Accordingly, the estimated carbon footprint values per hectare and per kilogram of quinoa seed were 1,159.65 and 0.48 kg CO₂-eq, respectively. The present research also found that the highest CO₂-eq emissions per kilogram of quinoa seed were found to be associated with the production of fertilizers, with a value of 0.20 kg CO₂-eq corresponding to 40.88% of the total emissions per kilogram of produced seed. Consequently, attention must be given for the mitigation of the environmental impact of quinoa seed production. It is particularly important to manage chemical fertilizers and agricultural machinery properly in order to ensure the sustainable cultivation of quinoa.

Study Regarding the Status of Fungal Grapevine Trunk Diseases in some Romanian Vineyards

Maria Doinița MUNTEAN — 2023-11-18

Romania is a wine-producing country, with a rich and long tradition in the field of viticulture. Field evaluation of the land and grapevines from a phytosanitary point of view is essential for establishing the most effective control methods for grapevine diseases and pests. Grapevine trunk diseases (GTD) are currently considered one of the biggest threats to vineyard sustainability. In this study, GTD symptoms were investigated by direct field observations in vineyards from Blaj, Bujoru, Murfatlar and Miniș in 2020 throughout the vegetation period. In 2021 samples of the grapevines, showing signs of decline in the previous year were analyzed following traditional methods based on macroscopic examinations. A total of 69 samples were analyzed and symptoms of four GTDs were identified: Esca disease; Eutypa dieback; Phomopsis dieback and Petri disease. Out of these 55 % of the samples presented Esca disease symptoms. More than 80 % of the samples presented symptoms of 2 or more diseases at the same time.

The Effects of Freezing Rain on Forest Stands Administered by Zalău Forestry Department During 2014-2022 Period

Alexandra Elena MURANYI — 2023-11-18

Freezing rain is a rare and extremely dangerous meteorological phenomenon, consisting of the fall of liquid precipitation, while the air temperature at ground level falls below 0^oC, favoring the freezing of raindrops and forming an ice sheet on the surfaces on which they are deposited. In Romania, the areas affected by the freezing rain phenomenon undergo significant changes regarding the structure and composition of the forest vegetation. The main purpose of this work is to figure out how to manage the forest stands affected by the freezing rain identifying optimal solutions for ecological reconstruction and prevention of significant damages. For the research of the affected areas, we placed 7 experimental areas, having the size of 500 m²each, all the trees that were in this radius were inventoried. In this research work we evaluate the presence of this phenomenon which was reported in the Stejarul Zalău Forest District, in 2014, then in 2017, but with a lower intensity. Out of a total of 1627.6 ha, 500 ha were affected by the freezing rain, most of them being surfaces with beech forest stands with a consistency of 0.9, having a high slenderness index. Following the results obtained, it was observed that the most affected trees were the youngest. These having a reduced diameter, thin branches and a high slenderness coefficient.

Household Demand for Plant-Based Protein Foods During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Ajibola Olajide OJEDOKUN — 2023-11-18

This study was conducted to investigate the demand for plant-based protein foods among households during the COVID-19 pandemic. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 1000 households from ten Local Government Areas in Lagos State, Nigeria. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a censored Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System model. Households were categorized into non-poor, moderately-poor and core-poor using the FGT index. The study found that during the COVID-19 pandemic, though non-poor households had a higher expenditure on plant protein foods than both the moderately-poor and core-poor households, the moderately-poor and core-poor households, however allocated higher shares of their total food expenditure share on plant protein foods than the non-poor households. The result also showed that, while cowpea and groundnut were considered to be necessities for all households, soybean, lentils, and pigeon pea, were necessities for the core-poor households. The study therefore recommended that during periods of crisis, soybean, lentils, and pigeon pea should be made available for core-poor households because these households consider them to be very important in their diet and thus, will still purchase them even in the face of price shock.

The Influence of Salt Stress on the Content of Vitamin C in the Leaves of some Varieties and Lines of Bitter Cucumber (Momordica charantia)

Ștefănica OSTACI — 2023-11-18

Bitter cucumber is a tropical and subtropical plant with a long history of medicinal use. Soil salinity is a major abiotic stress that affects the morphology and physiology of plants leading to reduced growth, production yield or in some cases their death. Salt stress increases the accumulation of reactive oxygen species in plants. They developed adaptation mechanisms by increasing the level of antioxidants, including vitamin C. The aim was to estimate the amount of vitamin C in the studied plants to determine the ability to adapt to salinity and improve nutritional properties. To carry out the experiment, two varieties and three experimental lines of bitter cucumber subjected to saline stress through treatments with saline solutions of different concentrations were used. The estimation of vitamin C content was carried out by UV-Vis spectrophotometry using the calibration curve method with standard L-ascorbic acid and KMnO₄. After performing the analysis of variance on the varieties and lines of bitter cucumber, subjected to salt stress by applying the two treatments, it was found that the accumulation of vitamin C was insignificantly influenced by the factor a-the number of the treatment, but it was significantly influenced by the factor b-the concentration saline solution.

Integrating UAV Multispectral Indices (NDVI) with Yield Data for Optimizing Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) Cultivation

George PAPADOPOULOS — 2023-11-18

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), is a multipurpose crop, grown for fiber, seeds, and oil. This study aims to assess flax growth dynamics and agronomic traits using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) maps generated from multispectral imagery captured by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Conducted at the Agricultural University of Athens, the field experiment followed a split-plot design with four replicates, encompassing various sowing distances (30 and 40 cm, between rows) and fertilization treatments (urea fertilization, urea with inhibitors, organic fertilizer). NDVI index maps were produced at key growth stages (60, 90, 120, 150, and 179 Days After Sowing) to facilitate comprehensive growth analysis. The findings indicate that while fertilization treatments and sowing densities influenced early growth stages, no significant differences were observed post 90 DAS. NDVI values correlated with agronomic traits, particularly during the early vegetative phase, highlighting the potential of UAV-based NDVI mapping for precise flax cultivation monitoring.

Carbon Footprint Analysis of Processing Tomato Cultivation in Greece

Ioannis ROUSSIS — 2023-11-18

Agriculture contributes to global warming through the emissions of greenhouse gasses (GHGs). As one of the most important horticultural crops, tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is of great economic importance. Approximately 80% of the tomatoes grown around the world are processed into sauces, juices, ketchup, canned tomatoes, and soups. The goal of the present study was to assess the carbon footprint of commercially grown processing tomatoes in Greece. The emissions were calculated by using the Cool Farm Tool software. For data collection, a questionnaire was distributed to processing tomato producers. The questionnaires were completed by 40 producers from the main processing tomato-growing regions of Greece. The estimated total carbon footprint value of tomato cultivation for a mean area of 7.16 ha (producing 94.8 tn of tomatoes per ha) was 1,369,700 kg CO₂-eq. Specifically, the estimated carbon footprint values per hectare and kg of fruit were 191,298.88 and 0.20 kg CO₂-eq, respectively. In addition, the current study revealed that the highest CO₂-eq emissions per tonne of fruit were observed in energy use (fuel consumption) for field operations, corresponding to 40.49% of the total emissions per tonne of product.

DNA Barcoding of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Cultivars in Duhok Province- Kurdistan Region/ Iraq Using 18S–28S rRNA and ITS Region

Dalal Y. Kh. SINJARE — 2023-11-18

Pomegranate is a tree species with a significant plant diversity, therefore molecular methods are necessary to define and verify approaches to recognize rapidly and correctly. This research looks at a genetic strategy for identifying pomegranate varieties in Duhok KRG. The approach is based on application of ITS region, PCR-RFLP, sequencing and SNP identification. For this study, 14 pomegranate accessions were taken from various regions, namely the Center of Duhok, Amedi, Akre, Zaxo, the South of Duhok, and Sulav. The PCR product of the 18S–28S rDNA intergenic spacer was 854bp, and the sequence analysis revealed a 99.94 percent similarity with other accession numbers in NCBI, demonstrating the use of the 18S–28S rDNA intergenic spacer for identifying and barcoding pomegranate cultivars. The PCR product of the ITS region was 700bp. This result was then employed for PCR-RFLP using two restriction enzymes namely RsaI GT/AC and HaeIII GG/CC which helped grouping as well as genetic similarities. This study Further involved sequencing examined genes were compared using the NCBI BLASTn tool and clustalo (Version 1.2.4) to determine gene location and SNP. According to this study, the result of PCR-RFLP revealed poor association between pomegranate physical morphology and genetic features, while SNP identification was identified between studied cultivars. Moreover, this result showed possible DNA barcoding of pomegranate cultivars under the study.