Walnut (Juglans regia L.) is the oldest fruit grown in the world and grows spontaneously almost throughout Romania. In this study, the physical properties and chemical composition of twenty types of walnuts from three different locations in Romania were studied. The physical analyzes that were performed were: walnut dimensions and shape properties (nut diameter, nut length, nut shape and nut size), fruit properties (walnut weight, walnut kernel weight and percentage of kernel) and external properties of walnut (walnut kernel extraction, kernel color and shell roughness). The proximate chemical composition (content of water, ash, lipids, proteins and carbohydrates) was determined by standardized AOAC methods, while fatty compounds were determined by GSMS. Water content ranged from 1.23% to 5.00%, mineral content between 1.31% and 2.49%, lipids content between 56.09% and 66.56% and protein content ranged between 12.73% and 20.413%. Based on these, the carbohydrate content and nutritional value of the 20 walnut samples were calculated. In all samples, saturated palmitic acid (C16:0) and stearic acid (C18:0) as well as unsaturated oleic (C18:1), linoleic (C18:2) and linolenic (C18:3) fatty acids were determined. A statistical analysis was also performed correlating the results obtained from the chemical analyzes of the walnuts.

In this study, the nutritional potential of some hazelnut varieties from the spontaneous flora of Romania was analyzed as a means to increase the sustainability of the local production. The chemical composition from hazelnuts (Corylus avellana L.) from spontaneous flora was determined in terms of mineral substances, protein, as well as essential and non-essential amino acids. The eight amino acids investigated had the following average values: Arg—0.68 g/100 g, Phe—0.415 g/100 g, Ser—0.277 g/100 g, Glu—0.188 g/100 g, Asp—0.133 g/100 g, Pro—0.038 g/100 g, and Lys—0.031 g/100 g. The average values of metal content were in the ranges: 88.39–146.98 µg·g⁻¹ (Fe); 96.93–123.23 µg·g⁻¹(Zn); 46.68–100.38 µg·g⁻¹ (Cu); 26.00–87.78 µg·g⁻¹ (Mn); 4.87–32.19 µg·g⁻¹ (Ni); 1.87–2.84 µg·g⁻¹ (Cr); and 1.29–1.86 µg·g⁻¹ (Cd). Crude protein content values were in the range 16.33–22.31%. In order to harness this nutritional potential, the variety with superior quality indices was included, in the form of flour, in biscuit-type baked goods that were characterized from nutritional and sensory points of view. The results showed that the content of polyphenols increased with the addition of hazelnut flour, as did the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

The history of bell pepper started 3,000-4,000 years ago, in Peru, in the old Inca Empire, whose civilisation used to practice a flowering agriculture. In a museum of Lima, Peru, they exhibited bell pepper fruits old a few thousand years and vases representing plants and bell peppers found during archaeological findings in Inca tombs. Experiments carried out during 2014-2015 had a polyfactorial character; variants were set after the randomised block method with three replicates specific to experiments in forced protected areas of vegetable culture. Factor A (cultivar) with 5 graduations: a1 – Délibáb F1; a2 – Sláger F1; a3 – Bolero F1; a4 – SJD 5; a5 – SJN 5. Factor B (planting scheme) with 4 graduations: b1 – 40+80x20cm → 8,3 plants/m2; b2 – 40+80x30cm → 5,5 plants/m2; b3 – 40+80x40cm → 4,2 plants/m2; b4 – 40+80x50cm → 3,3 plants/m2. Unilateral statistic evaluation of the influence of genotype and of plant density on fruit length is distinctly significant on the background of significant influence of environmental conditions during the experimental years. Changing the planting distance per row from 20 to 30 and to 50cm resulted in significant increase of fruit length of 8-18%. The combined effect of genotype and plant density had considerable influences (18.81%) on fruit diameter, a value that is distinctly significant. The bell pepper hybrid Bolero and the bell pepper line SJD 5 cultivated at a plant density of 8.3 plants/m2 (80/40x20cm) produce pulp thickness superior to that of the experimental mean

The present article emphasizes the influence of forest vegetation on improving the content of toxic elements from soil, increasing the content of micro and macro elements as well as correlating these variations with characteristics of forest vegetation from the studied areas—Moldova Nouă waste heaps, South-West Romania. The research involved comparing and observing the differences in the content of micro, macro, and toxic elements (Fe, Pb, Zn, and Cd) between the soil of waste heaps from Moldova Nouă from areas with forest vegetation and the content of these elements analyzed 31 years ago during the projection of afforestation works, when forest vegetation was missing. The differences were correlated with stand characteristics of forest vegetation. We observed a significant increase for Fe and a significant decrease for Zn and Cd. The influence of forest vegetation of the variation on the soil’s chemical composition was studied for the chemical elements that previously showed significant differences (Fe, Zn, and Cd). The averages of the statistically significant differences for the concentration of each analyzed element (Fe, Zn, and Cd) were correlated with the characteristics of the stands from the studied sampling points. The variation in time for Fe, Zn, and Cd and actual content of P, Cu, Mg were correlated especially with the average height of trees.

The sustainable management of urban pruning residues is increasingly important for promoting circular bioeconomy practices and reducing green waste disposal. This study evaluated the composting potential of pruning biomass from 18 urban tree species (11 deciduous and 7 coniferous) and assessed the effects of biomass type and feedstock ratio on compost quality. Plant residues were composted with fresh cow manure using two compost ratios: V1 (700 g manure + 100 g plant biomass) and V2 (700 g manure + 700 g plant biomass). Compost quality was evaluated through pH, macroelement (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) and total microelement (Mn, Cu, and Zn) and heavy metal (Pb, Cd, and Ni) concentrations. The composting ratio was the primary factor controlling compost properties. V1 produced alkaline composts (pH 7.96–9.42) with higher nutrient concentrations, whereas V2 generated composts with pH values closer to neutrality (7.39–9.44). Increasing the proportion of plant biomass reduced macronutrient concentrations, with total N ranging from 2.23% in V1 to 0.72% in V2, and potassium decreasing by 50–80% relative to V1. In contrast, micronutrient concentrations increased in V2, reaching 1142.7 mg·kg⁻¹ Mn and 481.1 mg·kg⁻¹ Zn. Total heavy metal concentrations also increased with greater biomass incorporation, although values generally remained low; the highest Ni concentration (15.77 mg·kg⁻¹) was recorded in Paulownia tomentosa compost. Species-specific responses were observed for nutrient release and metal accumulation, highlighting differences between deciduous and coniferous feedstocks. The findings demonstrate that compost quality is primarily determined by the manure-to-biomass ratio, while tree species influence nutrient dynamics and trace element accumulation. Composts with higher manure proportions are suitable for nutrient enrichment and acidic soil amelioration, whereas biomass-rich composts provide enhanced micronutrient contents but require monitoring of heavy metal accumulation.

The experiment was carried out in the greenhouse of the Arboriculture discipline, at the Didactic and Research Base of the "King Mihai I" University of Life Sciences from Timisoara. The seeds of Acer saccharinum L. represented the biological propagation material. The method used to stimulate germination process was hydrothermal wetting 24 h. The purpose of this study was to identify the best substrate for the germination of Acer saccharinum L seeds. The substrates used were: TS 3 Medium Basic peat (Standard), TS 4 Plus medium peat with perlite and clay, TS4 Brut plus Greenfibre peat, Baltic peat, TS 4 medium peat + Clay + Greenfibre. Following the analysed data, it can be concluded that the TS 4 Plus peat substrate medium with perlite and clay, was the most efficient in the growth of seedlings, having the highest values and significant positive differences for most of the analysed criteria. The analysed features were: seedling height, crown diameter, number of roots, root length, number of leaves and leaf area.