No abstract

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of biocyclic humus soil, a newly found apparently carbon stabilized form of organic matter with significantly different characteristics from common composts or other forms of organic matter (humus), on yield and quality of processing tomato. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design with three replications and three fertilization treatments (untreated, inorganic fertilizer and biocyclic humus soil). The highest fruit yield (116.8 t/ha) was obtained by using biocyclic humus soil. There were no treatment effects on fruit firmness (4.34-4.60 kg/cm2), total soluble solids (4.29-4.76 °Brix) and total acidity (0.25-0.31 g citric acid/100 g fruit) content of fruits. In conclusion, the tomato plants grown in biocyclic humus soil had 45% more yield than in conventional plots, and this big difference is probably related to the fact that the humus soil as a substrate provides an optimum environment for plant growth.

The use of herbicides abused, without a thorough knowledge can be dangerous for the environment through the introduction of toxic waste in agricultural ecosystems. It is necessary to reduce the doses used in relation to the use of conservative technology, finding solutions optimized for effective weed control. Research conducted at ARDS Turda in the years 2013 and 2014 have followed the effect of 12 variants of herbicides used to control weeds in soybean crop, sown in two tillage systems (classical system and minimal tillage system), on the soybean production and quality indicators. Tillage system significantly influenced both qualitative indices and soybean crop production (being 2635 kg/ha to the classical and 2131 kg/ha minimum tillage system). The significant influence of tillage soybeans in fat content (20.34% in minimum tillage system; 19.94% to the classical) and on protein (39.89% minimum tillage system; 40.56% in the classic).

The regional agroecological conditions, specific to the Transylvanian Plain, are favorable to soybean crops, but microclimate changes related to global warming have imposed the need for agrotechnical adaptive measures in order to maintain the level of soybean yield. In this study, we consider the effect of two soil tillage systems, the seeding rate, as well as the fertilizer dosage and time of application on the yield and quality of soybean crops. A multifactorial experiment was carried out through the A × B × C × D − R: 3 × 2 × 3 × 3 − 2 formula, where A represents the year (a1, 2017; a2, 2018; and a3, 2019); B represents the soil tillage system (b1, conventional tillage with mouldboard plough; b2, reduced tillage with chisel cultivator); C represents the fertilizer variants (c1, unfertilized; c2, one single rate of fertilization: 40 kg ha−1 of nitrogen + 40 kg ha−1 of phosphorus; and c3, two rates of fertilization: 40 kg ha−1 of nitrogen + 40 kg ha−1 of phosphorus (at sowing) + 46 kg ha−1 of nitrogen at V3 stage); D represents the seeding rate (1 = 45 germinating grains (gg) m−2; d2 = 55 gg m−2; and d3 = 65 gg m−2); and R represents the replicates (r1 = the first and r2 = the second). Tillage had no effect, the climate specific of the years and fertilization affected the yield and the quality parameters. Regarding the soybean yield, it reacted favorably to a higher seeding rate (55–65 gg m−2) and two rates of fertilization. The qualitative characteristics of soybeans are affected by the fertilization rates applied to the crop, which influence the protein and fiber content in the soybean grains. Higher values of protein content were recorded with a reduced tillage system, i.e., 38.90 g kg−1 DM in the variant with one single rate of fertilization at a seeding rate of 45 gg per m−2 and 38.72 g kg−1 DM in the variant with two fertilizations at a seeding rate of 65 gg m−2.

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In Transylvania, the evolution of wheat insect pests is strongly influenced by the ecotehnological conditions, by climate change and current technology (Malschi, 2009. The paper presents the dynamics and importance of the main pests of wheat (thrips, aphids, leafhoppers, wheat flies, cereals sunbugs, investigated under the integrated pest control system suitable of the area. During 2015-2016, the investigations were conducted at the Agricultural Research and Development Station Turda, from the wheat no tillage cultural system with cereal rotation of three years and applying all zonal recommendations of technology and phytosanitary complex. The pest monitoring was performed based on the samples collected with entomological net, by decadal 100 sweep-net catches/sample. The study data shows the danger of the attack of abundant populations of wheat flies (Phorbia securis, Delia coarctata, Opomyza florum, Oscinella frit etc.; wheat fleas (Chaetocnema aridula) and cereal leaf beetle (Oulema melanopa); leafhoppers (Psammotettix alienus, Javesella pellucida, Macrosteles laevis); aphids (Sitobion avenae, Schizaphis graminum, Rhopalosiphum padi); thrips (Haplothrips tritici), sunbugs (Eurygaster maura, Aelia acuminata) etc., and the necessity of applying insecticide treatments on the vegetation.Since 2015, a stronger impact of global warming on the wheat pests structure (%) are found. This change began on the last ten years. The importance of cereal sunbugs is increasing, well as the importance of the wheat flies, aphids and leafhoppers, which requires professional study on the pest dynamics and adequate integrated control of wheat pests.

The purpose of research on alternative variants of soil tillage systems related to fertilization, vegetal residues, and cover crops, in the case of the maize crop, is to elaborate and promote certain integrated technologies on conservation agriculture. This paper presents the results of a study conducted in the Transylvanian Plain during 2019–2021, regarding the influence of certain technological and climatic factors on the yield and quality of maize. The objective of the research was to focus on how vegetable residues and cover crops can be integrated into the optimization of the fertilization system of conservation agriculture. A multifactorial experiment was carried out based on the formula A × B × C × D − R: 4 × 2 × 3 × 3 − 2, where A represents the soil tillage system (a1 conventional tillage with moldboard plow; a2 minimum tillage with chisel; a3 minimum tillage with disk; a4 no tillage); B represents the maize hybrid (b1 Turda 332; b2 Turda 344); C represents the vegetable residues and cover crops (c1 vegetable residues 2.5 t ha−1 + 350 kg ha−1 NPK; c2 vegetable residues 2.5 t ha−1 + cover crops mustard; c3 vegetable residues 2.5 t ha−1 + gulle 10 t ha−1); D represents the year (d1 2019; d2 2020; d3 2021); and R represents the replicates. The results emphasized the fact that for the soil conditions from the area taken into account (Chernozem), for maize, a minimum tillage with chisel during autumn + disk harrow in spring + sowing can be considered as an alternative to the conventional tillage system. Yield and quality of maize can be improved and optimized by combined fertilization: vegetable residues and cover crops being supported with different sources of mineral NPK.

The Transylvanian Plain has a particular aspect, as the hilly areas are predominant and here the soil erosion phenomena through levigation are frequently encountered. The effect of water availability on yields has been thoroughly researched, being one of the main limitative factors of the winter wheat yields. Starting from these considerations, during the agricultural years 2012-2018, a bi-factorial yield test was performed at Agricultural Research and Development Station (ARDS) Turda, for a period of seven years. The study explored the influence of the water status under the influence of two tillage systems and the climatic conditions specific for this area on winter wheat yields. In the field conditions of Turda during experimental interval, the soil tillage system had a rather small impact on the winter wheat yields. In the conventional system (CS) a reserve of accessible water is preserved better during the spring period, this being attributed to a better infiltration into the soil of winter precipitation (snow). In the conservative system (NT), the observed trend suggests that restoration of the ground water reserve is more difficult than in the CS but the loss of water in the CS is just as fast.