Global warming is not only affecting arid and semi-arid regions but also becoming a threat to agriculture in Central and Eastern European countries. The present study analyzes the responses to drought and salinity of two varieties of Lavandula angustifolia cultivated in Romania. Lavender seedlings were subjected to one month of salt stress (100, 200, and 300 mM NaCl) and water deficit (complete withholding of irrigation) treatments. To assess the effects of stress on the plants, several growth parameters and biochemical stress markers (photosynthetic pigments, mono and divalent ions, and different osmolytes) were determined in control and stressed plants after the treatments. Both stress conditions significantly inhibited the growth of the two varieties, but all plants survived the treatments, indicating a relative stress tolerance of the two varieties. The most relevant mechanisms of salt tolerance are based on the maintenance of foliar K⁺ levels and the accumulation of Ca²⁺ and proline as a functional osmolyte in parallel with increasing external salinities. Under water stress, significant increases of Na⁺ and K⁺ concentrations were detected in roots, indicating a possible role of these cations in osmotic adjustment, limiting root dehydration. No significant differences were found when comparing the stress tolerance and stress responses of the two selected lavender varieties.

Ornamental woody shrubs are used in landscape design worldwide. Their propagation can be made generatively and vegetatively. Vegetative propagation methods are mostly used by nurseries, as such methods are quick and the newly propagated plants inherit the genetics of the mother plant. However, rooting in some woody plants is slow and, unfortunately, sometimes produces only a small number of rooted cuttings. In this study, shoot cuttings from six selected ornamental woody shrubs were subjected to different concentrations of rooting stimulators (0.5 (NAA5) and 0.8 (NAA8) % concentrations of 1-Naphthylacetic acid; cuttings without treatment were considered as control) and propagated in two different periods (spring and summer). Our results show that significant changes were obtained in the plants under the different treatments. Most of the plants showed a positive response to both treatments, expect for Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’, which, compared to control, registered decreases in all the tested parameters under NAA5 treatment. Ilex aquifolium was the species that showed increments in all the parameters when NAA treatments were applied. In conclusion, our research suggests that NAA increases rooting in ornamental woody shrubs, although in some cases rooting could be a species-dependent process.

A cultivar of sedum was used in this experience. Stems were harvested from normally developed plants and were exposed to extreme conditions of temperature and draught. Results show that the plants lost significant quantities of water by physiological processes from one day to another, their weight varying from 16.8 g to 47.9 g.