University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest

Abstract Heat stress alters oil quality in oilseed crops, yet its genetic underpinnings in Camelina sativa remain unclear. This study investigated the genetic basis of heat-induced changes in seed fatty acids using a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cross between two camelina varieties, Suneson and Pryzeth. Exposure to high temperature during reproductive growth led to increased proportions of saturated (C16:0, C18:0) and monounsaturated (C18:1) fatty acids, whereas polyunsaturated C18:3, total unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) and the PUFA/MUFA ratio were decreased, suggesting an inhibition of the C18:1 → C18:2 → C18:3 desaturation pathway. A high-density linkage map (4981 bins across 20 chromosomes) was built, and 25 QTLs for fatty acids were detected, with hotspots on chromosomes 1, 9, 12, 13, 16, and 20. A major QTL on chromosome 1 (~ 80 cM) explained the largest variance component for PUFA/MUFA under heat. Three desaturase genes ( FAD2 , FAD7 , FAD8 ) were located within key QTL intervals, nominating them as candidates for modulating unsaturation under elevated temperature. These results provide a genetic basis for fine mapping and functional validation, supporting future molecular and breeding efforts to stabilize oil quality under warming conditions.

Agroforestry integrates trees, crops, and/or livestock to provide ecological and economic benefits, and its importance has grown in recent decades, particularly in fragile environments like Southern Oltenia, Romania. This region faces increasing aridization, deforestation, and soil degradation, although remnant oak-dominated forests persist and several autochthonous oak species remain ecologically significant. The aim of this study was to assess the survival of four oak species within an agroforestry system at HortiNova Nursery after the second growing season. The experimental plot covered 1.15 ha and included 20 square plots, with plot no. 2 planted in November 2023 with 275 container-grown oak seedlings (135 pedunculate, 65 Turkey, 38 sessile, and 37 red oaks) intercropped with onions in 2024 and maize in 2025. Seedling survival was monitored at the end of each growing season, while temperature, relative humidity, and soil properties (pH, humus, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) were recorded and analyzed. During the period from April 1 to September 15, 2025, air temperatures ranged from 1.57°C to 42.74°C (mean 22.02 ± 7.84°C) and relative humidity fluctuated between 16.45% and 89.34% (mean 54.86 ± 19.26%), with slightly higher variability compared to 2024. Soil conditions were suboptimal (pH 5.83, low humus, moderate nutrients), and oak seedling mortality in plot no. 2 was recorded as 19 pedunculate, 8 Turkey, 10 sessile, and 2 red oaks out of 275 planted.

A two-factor field experiment was carried out in 2024 on the chernozem soil of the Burnas Plain, Teleorman County, under irrigated conditions, to evaluate the impact of differentiated organo-mineral fertilization on soil properties and maize performance. The experiment was conducted at the S.C. MILAGRO ANG S.R.L. farm in Sfințești, using six maize hybrids (MAS DM 5332, GIRO, P 0450, P 0710, DKC 5810, and DKC 5709) and five fertilization treatments: unfertilized control (M), organic fertilization with 40 t ha⁻¹ poultry manure (O), organic + mineral fertilization with 20 t ha⁻¹ poultry manure + 111 kg ha⁻¹ NPK 20:20:0 (O + NPK), mineral fertilization with 222 kg ha⁻¹ NPK 20:20:0 (NPK), and urea fertilization at 310 kg ha⁻¹ (U).Soil samples were collected before fertilization and after harvest to determine pH, humus, total nitrogen, available phosphorus and potassium, zinc, copper, and magnesium. The results indicated that poultry manure significantly increased soil humus content and nutrient availability, especially when combined with mineral fertilizers. The organic + NPK treatment recorded the highest improvement in humus content (2.48% in the 0 - 20 cm layer) and enhanced levels of available phosphorus and potassium compared to the control.The findings highlight that balanced organo-mineral fertilization can improve soil fertility, sustain maize productivity, and contribute to sustainable nutrient management on chernozem soils in southern Romania.

This study investigates the impact of soil tillage systems on the productivity and economic performance of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.), under the pedoclimatic conditions of Southern Dobrogea (Mereni, Constanța County, Romania), over three consecutive agricultural years (2021–2024). The experiment was conducted at the Iancu Ionuț Individual Enterprise, evaluating three commercial hybrids: Kicker (Rapool), Umberto (KWS), and PT 264 (Corteva Pioneer), cultivated under conventional and no-till management systems. The research aimed to assess the interaction between genotype, tillage system, and environmental factors on key yield components (plant height, number of siliques per plant, thousand-seed weight, test weight, and seed yield), as well as to determine the economic efficiency of both technological variants. Statistical analyses included ANOVA, Pearson correlations, and multiple regression models to identify the main determinants of yield variability.Results demonstrated that, although the no-till system produced on average 7–11% lower yields compared to conventional tillage (ranging from 2.7 to 3.1 t·ha), it significantly reduced production costs by 10–12%, maintaining a comparable profitability level and a higher return on investment. Furthermore, in years characterized by low rainfall (<350 mm), the no-till plots exhibited superior soil moisture conservation and better plant uniformity, reflecting enhanced resilience to drought stress. The regression model (R² = 0.999) confirmed that rainfall amount and seed test weight were the primary factors influencing yield performance. The findings highlight that no-till technology, while slightly reducing productivity, ensures greater economic stability and resource efficiency under semi-arid conditions. Its integration into the crop rotation systems of Southeastern Romania could therefore represent a strategic pathway toward sustainable intensification, balancing productivity, profitability, and environmental protection.

The links between fertilizer dosages and irrigation guidelines on the one hand, and the changes they cause to the soil, leaves, and fruit production on the other, are discussed in this study based on experimental results conducted on the pear species, Lucas cultivar. The study was carried out on an area in the northwest part of Romania. Six fertilization and four irrigation versions were used in the tests. The variants were placed in randomized blocks, in four repetitions for the variants involving different types and dosages of boron and NPK fertilizers, and in three repetitions for the variants involving irrigation regime. The application of NPK in pear cultivation has improved the concentration of these elements in the soil and leaves, leading to a 30–48% increase in yield and evident cost-effectiveness in trees fertilized with NPK. Compared to trees with a boron deficiency, fertilizing with a 0.5% boric acid solution enhanced production by 71% on average over five years, and all fertilized trees produced fruit of a higher quality (55–60%).

The development of implantable neural interfaces is essential for enabling bidirectional communication between the nervous system and prosthetic devices, yet their evaluation still relies primarily on in vivo models which are costly, variable, and ethically constrained. Here, we report a bio-inspired artificial nerve simulator engineered as a reproducible ex vivo platform for pre-implantation testing of plug-type electrodes. The simulator is fabricated from a conductive hydrogel composite based on reduced graphene oxide (rGO), polyaniline (PANI), agarose, sucrose, and sodium chloride, with embedded conductive channels that replicate the fascicular organization and conductivity of peripheral nerves. The resulting construct exhibits impedance values of ~2.4–2.9 kΩ between electrode needles at 1 kHz, closely matching in vivo measurements (~2 kΩ) obtained in Sus scrofa domesticus nerve tissue. Its structural and electrical fidelity enables systematic evaluation of electrode–nerve contact properties, signal transmission, and insertion behavior under controlled conditions, while reducing reliance on animal experiments. This bio-inspired simulator offers a scalable and physiologically relevant testbed that bridges materials engineering and translational neuroprosthetics, accelerating the development of next-generation implantable neural interfaces.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have become essential instruments for precision agriculture and forest monitoring, offering rapid, high-resolution data collection over wide areas. This review synthesizes global advances (2015–2024) in UAV-derived vegetation indices (VIs), combining bibliometric and content analyses of 472 peer-reviewed publications. The study identifies key research trends, dominant indices, and technical progress achieved through RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, and thermal sensors. Results show an exponential growth of scientific output, led by China, the USA, and Europe, with NDVI, NDRE, and GNDVI remaining the most widely applied indices. New indices such as GSI, RBI, and MVI demonstrate enhanced sensitivity for stress and disease detection in both crops and forests. UAV-based monitoring has proven effective for yield prediction, water-stress evaluation, pest identification, and biomass estimation. Despite significant advances, challenges persist regarding illumination correction, soil background influence, and limited forestry applications. The paper concludes that UAV-derived vegetation indices—when integrated with machine learning and multi-sensor data—represent a transformative approach for the sustainable management of agricultural and forest ecosystems.

Background/Objectives: This article brings forward a novel methodology for the intra-op approach of forearm amputation stumps to facilitate their subsequent wireless connection to a neural prosthesis. A neural prosthesis offers the amputee more motor functions compared to myoelectric prostheses, but the neural prosthesis must be connected to the patient’s stump nerves. Methods: An experimental animal study was conducted on 15 Wistar rats. Under anesthesia, the sciatic nerve was carefully dissected and preserved using a folding technique to maintain maximum length without tension. Nerves were repositioned with consideration for future use with biocompatible conduits. Morphometric measurements (nerve length, external diameter, fascicle count) were performed, followed by statistical analysis of length–diameter correlations. Results: The techniques show that the length of the nerves in the amputation stump can be preserved and integrated into the muscle masses with appropriate methods and biomaterials, which ensures the transmission of motor impulses to control the movements of a prosthesis. Fibrosis and mechanical injury have a lower risk of occurring with the nerves protected in the muscle mass. Through statistical analysis we find that sciatic nerve length and diameter have a positive correlation (r = 0.71, p = 0.003), supporting anatomic plausibility for human extrapolation of results. Conclusions: The amputation technique preserves much of the nerve length and viability and is simple to perform. Neural electrode implantation can be facilitated by folding the nerve within a large muscle mass and using biomaterial conduits. Better rehabilitation of the patient may occur with the use of a prosthesis equipped with more functions and superior control.

Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) could be used as a substrate in anaerobic digestion (AD), but some studies have reported modest production and yield of methane. Several solutions have been proposed to mitigate this issue, such as co-digestion with other substrates, various pretreatments, and the use of additives. In this study we report for the first time the possibility of enhancing the process of methane production from spent Pleurotus substrate (SPS) using a pretreatment with enzymes recovered by a simple aqueous extraction from SPS. This represents an alternative to harsher chemical and physical pretreatment methods. The pretreatment increased the methane production from SPS by 16% at saturation, and a 25% faster anaerobic digestion process was obtained. After 2 days of AD, the methane volume for SPS + enzyme was 287 ± 9 NmL, approaching the maximum of 295 ± 14 NmL obtained for this variant, and was 39% more than SPS without pretreatment (207 ± 16 NmL). Pleurotus cultivation, AD, and the enzymes increased the crystallinity of the substrate. The enzymes increased the chemical oxygen demand, total carbon, and the concentration of pentanoic acid and 2-methyl-butanoic acid and decreased the concentration of hexanoic acid in the liquid digestate. The pretreatment increased, in general, the P and K content in the liquid and solid digestates. All data were compared with the hay used for Pleurotus cultivation.

This study aims to screen the extracts of tomato plant waste (aerial parts-mixture of leaves, stems, and bunches resulting from tomato crop maintenance, and axillary shoots-resulting from pruning practices) and evaluate their antifungal, prebiotic, and cytotoxic effects. A phytochemical profiling was performed to analyze volatile and semi-volatile compounds by GC-MS, functional groups by FTIR, soluble sugars by HPLC-RI, and glycoalkaloids by LC-MS/MS. Tomato plant waste extracts were further tested in vitro, and their biological effects were assessed with probiotic microorganisms (Enterococcus faecium ATCC 19434, Enterococcus faecium VL43, Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014, and Lactobacillus plantarum GM3) to determine their prebiotic-like properties, particularly after demonstrating strong antifungal activity against several Candida species, such as Candida albicans ATCC 10231, Candida parapsilosis ATCC 22019, Candida glabrata ATCC 64677, and Candida auris 6328. The extracts were also evaluated for the cytotoxic effect against HEP-G2, HeLa, and HT-29 cell lines, while cytotoxicity assays confirmed no significant effects on the normal HEK-293 cell line compared to the control. The in vitro antimicrobial activity and prebiotic-like substrate assay proved the difference between extract effects against Candida species (C. glabrata-MIC 125 µg/mL) and, respectively, the influence on Lactobacillus strains growth (up to a 1.6-fold increase in OD600). Furthermore, they exhibited selective cytotoxicity against HEP-G2, HeLa, and HT-29 cancer cell lines, while showing no significant toxicity on normal HEK-293 cells. Overall, this research highlights tomato axillary shoots as a sustainable source of bioactive compounds, with potential applications in developing natural, plant-based prebiotic products that exhibit antifungal and antitumor activity. This research focuses on developing natural, plant-based prebiotic products with antifungal and cytotoxic effects.