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The evaluation of the induced soil compaction and the use of different agricultural equipment on some soil structural indicators and on the sunflower crop
No full textSoil compaction, induced by the agricultural machinery traffic, has a significant impact on some physical and
mechanical properties of the soil and, consequently, on sunflower yields. Since Romania remains the largest producer of
sunflower in the European Union, special attention needs to be taken. In 2021, Romania ranked first in the EU both in
terms of production and cultivated area, according to data from the statistical office of the European Union,
EUROSTAT. In this research, experimental investigations were performed in order to quantify the induced soil
compaction perform by simulation of the agricultural traffic through successive „wheel by wheel” crossings on
sunflower crop and different systems of machinery used in soil tillage. To this end there where been carried out several
experimental plots, with different degrees of compaction corroborated with different systems of machinery used in soil
tillage, and the evolution of the following parameters where determined: soil penetration resistance, soil bulk density,
the water stable aggregates of the structural elements and the mean weight diameter of these elements. As per findings
in this research, the soil compaction performed by a tractor Valtra T-190 before plowing, through one passing and
respectively two passes through successive „wheel by wheel” crossings, in order to obtain different graduations of soil
compaction and with different systems of agricultural machinery used in soil tillage, had a negative impact on all
indices followed in the experimental researches and, therefore, on sunflower seed yields
Interaction of biochar with hemical, green and biological nitrogen fertilizers on nitrogen use efficiency indices
Get PDFChemical nitrogen (N) fertilizers are regarded as one of the environmental contaminants in
addition to the necessity for fossil sources for their production. Conversely, it is impossible to neglect
the supply of nitrogen needed as one of the essential ingredients for plant function. For organic
agriculture, it is crucial to use alternative fertilizer management to reduce the harmful impacts and
production costs of chemical fertilizers. In a one-year pot experiment, nitrate (NO−
3
) leaching and
nitrogen efficiency of wheat were examined in relation to biochar (B) mixed with urea (U), legume
residues (L), and azocompost (A), which represent chemical, green, and biological sources of Nfertilizers, respectively. Control (no biochar, no fertilizer), U (46 kg ha−1
), A (5 t ha−1
), L (5 t ha−1
),
B (10 t ha−1
), UB, AB, and LB were the experimental treatments. Grain yield of wheat was enhanced
by 337% and 312% with UB and UL, respectively. The LB produced the highest grain N yield, with a
rise of 8.8 times over the control. L had the highest N-use efficiency, with an increase of 149% over
the control. The highest N-harvest index and N-recovery efficiency were obtained by using LB, with
values of 91 and 70 %, respectively. Nitrate leaching occurred in the following order: U > Control ≥ A
≥ L > UB > AB ≥ LB > B. Nitrogen is retained for the plant in the extensive specific surface of biochar
when N-fertilizers are used in conjunction with them. This not only improves N-efficiency but also
minimizes nitrogen loss through leaching. Additionally, the soil can benefit from the addition of
leguminous organic fertilizer in a similar way as to urea fertilizer in terms of increasing wheat grain
yield, particularly when combined with biochar
Phosphorylated Curdlan Gel/Polyvinyl Alcohol Electrospun Nanofibres Loaded with Clove Oil with Antibacterial Activity
No full textFibrous membranes based on natural polymers obtained by the electrospinning technique are a great choice for wound dressings. In order to promote an efficient wound repair, and to avoid antibiotics, antibacterial plant extracts can be incorporated. In the present work, the new electrospun nanofibre membranes based on monobasic phosphate curdlan (PCurd) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were obtained for the first time. To establish the adequate mixing ratio for electrospinning, the behaviour of the PCurd and PVA mixture was studied by viscometry and rheology. In order to confer antimicrobial activity with the nanofibre membrane, clove essential oil (CEO) was incorporated into the electrospun solution. Well-defined and drop-free nanofibres with a diameter between 157 nm and 110 nm were obtained. The presence of CEO in the obtained nanofibres was confirmed by ATR–FTIR spectroscopy, by the phenolic and flavonoid contents, and by the antioxidant activity of the membranes. In physiological conditions, CEO was released from the membrane after 24 h. The in vivo antimicrobial tests showed a good inhibitory activity against E. coli and higher activity against S. aureus. Furthermore, the viability cell test showed the lack of cytotoxicity of the nanofibre membrane with and without CEO, confirming its potential use in wound treatment
“Zero-Waste” food production system supporting the synergic interaction between aquaculture and horticulture
No full textInadequate production practices are widely used in aquaculture management, causing
excessive water and energy usage, as well as ecological damage. New approaches to sustainable
aquaculture attempt to increase production efficiency, while reducing the quantities generated of
wastewater and sludge. The sustainable operating techniques are often ineffective, expensive, and
difficult to implement. The present article proposes a zero-waste production system, designed
for growing fish and vegetables, using a new circular operational concept that creates synergies
between fish farming and horticulture. In order to optimize the operational flows with resources,
products, and wastes in an integrated zero-waste food production cluster, a business model was
designed associating three ecological production practices: a closed fishing pond, a technology for
growing vegetables in straw bales, and a composting system. The design had the role to assist the
transition toward multiple circular material flows, where the waste can be fully reintegrated into
the production processes. A comparative evaluation was conducted in three alternative growing
environments, namely, a soilless culture established in straw bales, a culture grown in soil that had
received compost fertilizer, and the conventional farming technique. When compared to conventional
methods, experiments showed a significant increase in the cluster’s cumulative productivity, resulting
in a 12% improvement in energy efficiency, 18% increase in food production, and 25% decrease in
operating expenses
Heightening sorghum nitrogen uptake while maintaining optimal soil nutrient levels through mineral fertiliser application
No full textImproving nutrient management of soils is important in subsistence farming systems in the tropics due to declining soil fertility resulting from continuous cropping coupled with inadequate nutrient replenishment. Balancing nutrient inputs with crop removal is crucial in reducing the build-up of nutrients and minimises nutrient losses through different pathways, thus reducing the cost of production. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of N and P fertiliser on sorghum N uptake at Kampi ya Mawe (KYM) in Makueni County and Katumani (KAT) in Machakos County, Kenya. Two factors (nitrogen and phosphorus) each at two levels (0 and 75 kg ha-1) were evaluated, resulting in four treatments, each replicated thrice. At KYM, N content in sorghum tissues increased by 24.2% in comparison with the control following application of N at 75 kg ha-1. At KAT, plots amended with N and P at 75 kg ha-1 resulted in the highest N content in sorghum tissues at the three sorghum development stages assessed. At the seedling stage, an increase of 18.8% was observed. Sole N application led to an increase in N content in sorghum tissues of 17.6% at the seedling stage. A positive linear relationship between NO3-N and N content in sorghum tissues was also observed. The study showed that soil N uptake was higher in the early growth stages of sorghum. The results of this study are essential to farmers and extension officers as a guide to ensure timely fertiliser application to ensure optimum utilisation of nutrients during crop growth
Scientific contributions in order to calculate rainfall erosivity factor (R) from revised universal soil loss equation (rusle) for Valea Tata watershed, Dambovita county, Romania
No full textThe research studies on the occurrence of complex soil erosion phenomena in the hydrographic basin of the Valea Tata
stream, a right bank tributary of the Ialomita river, were carried out in the period 2017-2021 and aimed to quantify the
amount of soil that is lost annually from the surface of the analyzed watershed. The main objective of this study was to
calculate the rainfall erosivity factor (R) included in the Revised Universal Soil Erosion Equation (RUSLE) based on
the records made in the period 2017-2021 on the experimental field as well as the data recorded at the climate
monitoring stations in the proximity of the watershed for a period of 30 years for the calculation of soil loss from the
Valea Tata watershed depending on the rain aggressiveness. The average value obtained for the Moroeni climate
monitoring station was 289.54 MJ mm ha-1 h
-1 year-1 with a minimum value of 83.20 MJ mm ha-1 h
-1 year-1
and a
maximum value of 964.06 MJ mm ha-1 h
-1 year-1 while for Fieni climate monitoring station the values obtained were
between 60.99 MJ mm ha-1 h
-1 year-1
and 537.22 MJ mm ha-1 h
-1 year-1 with an average value of 193.38 MJ mm ha-1 h
-1
year-1
. For the experimental field, where the rainfall data, rain intensity and duration of the erosive events were more
complex, the results obtained for the erosivity factor (R) has values between 149.50 MJ mm ha-1 h
-1 year-1 and 800.80
MJ mm ha-1 h
-1 year-1 with an average value of 284.91 MJ mm ha-1 h
-1 year-1
Chaos synchronization of two Györgyi–Field systems for the Belousov–Zhabotinsky chemical reaction
No full textChemical reactions with oscillating behavior can present a chaos state in specific conditions.
In this study, we analyzed the dynamic of the chaotic Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction using
the Györgyi–Field model in order to identify the conditions of the chaos behavior. We studied the
behavior of the reaction under different parameters that included both a low and high flux of chemical
species. We performed our analysis of the flow regime in the conditions of an open reaction system,
as this provides information about the behavior of the reaction over time. The proposed method for
determining the favorable conditions for obtaining the state of chaos is based on the time evolution
of the intermediate species and phase portraits. The synchronization of two Györgyi–Field systems
based on the adaptive feedback method of control is presented in this work. The transient time until
synchronization depends on the initial conditions of the two systems and on the strength of the
controllers. Among the areas of interest for possible applications of the control method described in
this paper, we can include identification of the reaction parameters and the extension to the other
chaotic systems
Effects of exogenous growth regulators on agrobiological, technological and physiological characteristics of an interspecific grapevine cultivar
No full textThe use of interspecific grapevine cultivars offers new perspectives for sustainable viticulture. Although the application of exogenous plant hormones has become widespread in recent years, data regarding the response of interspecific grapevine cultivars to treatments with biostimulants are scarce. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of different doses of gibberellic acid (GA3) (25, 50 and 100 mg L−1), applied by spraying the inflorescences in the late flowering phenophase, and of the complex product Cropmax® (1.0, 2.5 and 5.0 mL L−1) applied by spraying the leaves in three different phenophases, on the phenology, fertility, physiological characteristics, grape yield and quality of the interspecific table grape cultivar Moldova (Guzal kara × Seyve-Villard 12-375), growing in temperate climate conditions (N-E Romania). The application of GA3 at 50 mg L−1 increased the plant productivity (36%), promoted fruit growth and rachis elongation, improved the percentage of the marketable yield (by 5.5%), balanced the sugar/acidity ratio, but affected the synthesis of phenolic compounds. Foliar application of Cropmax® at 2.5 mL L−1 significantly improved the berry diameter, and sugar and anthocyanin accumulation, but grape acidity remained high. All treatments allowed the normal development of plant phenophases and grape maturation, but GA3 application slightly extended the number of days of the annual biological cycle of the Moldova hybrid cultivar (up to 5.5 days), probably due to a temporary variation in the physiological parameters (except for stomatal conductance), as determined in mature leaves after the application of the exogenous growth regulator
Eco-anxiety and consumer behavior: mutual influences
Get PDFThe economic and social problems facing today's global society are increasingly varied. One of these is the concern
about the environment status, which has as main directions, in the future, especially the following: the depletion of
resources, the decrease of their quality, the increase in the level of pollution and in the prices of basic resources, the
negative impact on human health, etc. All these forms of concern are found in a new concept: eco-anxiety, considered
an emotional disorder. Specific studies and research show that the most affected segment is that of young people,
especially from developed or developing countries. Paradoxically, regarding the presence of this disorder, an inverse
relationship proportional to well-being and progress is identified: the higher the level of development of a country, the
more present this state of eco-anxiety is. From another perspective, today's society has predominantly become a
consumer society, and the interest of individuals to buy more and more has almost become normality. This phenomenon
also prevails in developed and developing countries. In addition, in the last 3 years or so, the orientation of purchase and
consumption, towards ecological or at least more environment-friendly products and services has been observed. The
purpose of this paper is to highlight the mutual influence between two issues of major interest for today's society: ecoanxiety and consumer behavior. It starts from the hypothesis that these two concepts influence each other. The research
methods are: observation, literature review, synthesis and interpretation. Thus, it follows that the manifestation of ecoanxiety stimulates interest in the purchase of environmentally friendly products, and the compulsive buying style - a socalled emotional remedy - generates hyper consumption and, implicitly, has negative consequences on the environment,
such as: pollution, resource depletion and impressive amounts of waste difficult to manage
Assessment of the fertilization capacity of the aquaculture sediment for wheat grass as sustainable alternative use
Get PDFPeriodic removal of sediment from aquaculture ponds is practiced to maintain their productivity
and animal welfare. The recovery of sediment as a plant fertilizer could alleviate the costs
of sediment removal. The objective of this study was to test the effects of a dried sediment, extracted
from an aquaculture pond used for common carp cultivation, on the growth and physiology of potted
wheat grass and the quality of the juice obtained from wheat grass. The results showed that sediment
application did not produce significant morphological changes, although the values for plant height
(16.94–19.22 cm), leaf area (19.67–139.21 mm2), and biomass (3.39–4.26 g/plant) were higher in
sediment-grown plants. However, at a physiological level, the effect was negative, decreasing photosynthesis
(0.82–1.66 mol CO2 m2s1), fluorescence FPSII (0.737–0.782), and chlorophyll content
(1.40–1.83 CCI). The juice yield was reduced in the sediment treatments (46–58 g/100 g), while the
quality was improved by increasing the content of phenols (2.55–3.39 g/mL gallic acid equivalent),
flavonoids (1.41–1.85 g/mL quercetin equivalent), and antioxidant activity (47.99–62.7% inhibition
of; 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl). The positive results obtained in this study can be attributed to the
moderate nutrient content of the sediment and a negligible concentration of heavy metals