The present study aims to generalize cultivar-specific tree phenology responses to winter and spring temperatures and assess the effectiveness of the Tabuenca test and various chill and heat accumulation models in predicting bloom dates for a wide range of climatic conditions and years. To this end, we estimated the dates of rest completion and blooming and correlated them with observed bloom dates for 14 peach and nectarine cultivars that were evaluated in 11 locations across Europe (Greece, France, Italy, Romania and Spain), within the EUFRIN cultivar testing trial network. Chill accumulation varied considerably among the studied sites, ranging from 45 Chill Portions (CP) in Murcia-Torre Pacheco (Spain) to 97–98 CP in Cuneo (Italy) and Bucharest (Romania). Rest completion occurred latest or was not achieved at all for some cultivars in the southern sites in Murcia. Dormancy release happened earliest in Bucharest and Cuneo, sites where heat accumulation had a strong influence on the regulation of bloom time. Blooming occurred earliest in the moderately cold regions of Lleida (Spain) and Bellegarde (France), and 7–11 days later in the warmer locations of Rome (Italy) and Naoussa (Greece), suggesting that bloom timing is strongly influenced by delayed rest completion in these locations. The Dynamic Model resulted in both more homogeneous chill accumulation across years and better predictions of bloom dates, compared with the Utah, Positive Utah and Chilling Hours models. Prediction of bloom dates was less successful for low-chill cultivars than for medium- and high-chill cultivars. Further climatic and experimental data are needed to make estimates of the climatic needs of peach cultivars more robust and to generate reliable advice for enhancing the resilience of peach production under varying and changing climatic conditions.

The stability of slopes is a critical challenge in various civil engineering projects, such as embankments, cut-slopes, landfills, dams, transportation infrastructure, and riverbank restoration. Stabilizing slopes using bioengineering methods is a sustainable approach that limits the negative impact of engineering works; such methods should be implemented and adopted worldwide. Geosynthetic materials and plant roots are sustainable for preventing erosion and surface landslides. The plants used for this paper are known to have beneficial effects on erosion control, namely Festuca arundinaceous, Dactylis glomerata, Phleum pratensis, Trifolium pratense, and Trifolium repens. Using vegetation as a bio-reinforcement method is often more cost effective and environmentally friendly than traditional engineering solutions, making a more sustainable engineering solution for shallow slope stabilization applications. The paper presents the erosion process that occurred on sandy slopes protected by organic soil layers and geosynthetic materials under rainfall simulation in scaled model tests.

The fruit sector in Romania and, particularly, the apple production sector, is considered to have been in decline in recent decades. Changes in the behavior and consumption habits of the population, together with climate change and the increase in fruit imports, have caused shortages in this sector. Apples are regarded as a national fruit in Romania, but recently, there have been significant transformations in apple production and consumption. In order to practically observe the recorded information published in a database for this sector, we developed a questionnaire, which was completed by people in Romania. The aim of this paper was to identify the types of apple consumer profiles in Romania. The reason for choosing this specific fruit was linked to the investigated objective of the projects to which this article is related. Regarding the approached methodology, the paper focused on analyzing descriptive statistics, frequencies and clustering, by which means we designed a pattern of the apple consumer profiles in Romania. Furthermore, the profiles of respondents from two regions of Romania (South-Muntenia and South-East Regions) were explored in more detail. The findings of this research indicate a young, educated consumer profile and a distinct pattern revealed by the three clusters from the specific regions.

This study presents a non-invasive approach to monitoring post-harvest fruit quality by applying CO₂ laser photoacoustic spectroscopy (CO₂LPAS) to study the respiration of “Conference” pears from local and commercially stored (supermarket) sources. Concentrations of ethylene (C₂H₄), ethanol (C₂H₆O), and ammonia (NH₃) were continuously monitored under shelf-life conditions. Our results reveal that ethylene emission peaks earlier in supermarket pears, likely due to post-harvest treatments, while ethanol accumulates over time, indicating fermentation-related deterioration. Significantly, ammonia levels increased during the late stages of senescence, suggesting its potential role as a novel biomarker for fruit degradation. The application of CO₂LPAS enabled highly sensitive, real-time detection of trace gases without damaging the fruit, offering a powerful alternative to traditional monitoring methods. Additionally, artificial intelligence (AI) models, particularly convolutional neural networks (CNNs), were explored to enhance data interpretation, enabling early detection of ripening and spoilage patterns through volatile compound profiling. This study advances our understanding of post-harvest physiological processes and proposes new strategies for improving storage and distribution practices for climacteric fruits.

The life-cycle cost analysis is a method used to assess long-term economic efficiency among equivalent competing processes or products. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the nature and level of costs for an organic orchard located in Southern Romania, using a complex approach covering the entire chain of production, through its life span. The research results, based on a dynamic analysis and an integrated evaluation of the orchard’s performance, were ranked on investment and operational costs and broken down into three categories (establishment, production, post-harvest, transport costs). The highest costs, representing 151,726 EUR/ha/20 years, about 52.72% of the total operational costs and 50.4% of the total farm costs/ha/20 years, were recorded in the exploitation stage. The scenarios for the sensitivity analysis considered different levels of average yields (40 and 60 tons/ha, respectively) with different rates of sold productions (85%, optimistic scenario; 70%, pessimistic scenario). The hot points identified at the production stage were the use of agricultural machinery, several pesticides, the costs of seedlings, anti-hail nets, plastic boxes, and labor costs, while at the post-harvest stage, there were those related to labor and energy consumption. The transport stage had important costs with respect to tractor operations and the track.

The agricultural sector has a significant impact on the global carbon cycle, contributing substantially to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through various practices and processes. This review paper examines the significant role of the agricultural sector in the global carbon cycle, highlighting its substantial contribution to GHG emissions through diverse practices and processes. The study explores the trends and spatial distribution of agricultural GHG emissions at both the global level and within the European Union (EU). Emphasis is placed on the principal gases released by this sector—methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and carbon dioxide (CO₂)—with detailed attention to their sources, levels, environmental impacts, and key strategies to mitigate and control their effects, based on the latest scientific data. The paper further investigates emissions originating from livestock production, along with mitigation approaches including feed additives, selective breeding, and improved manure management techniques. Soil-derived emissions, particularly N₂O and CO₂ resulting from fertilizer application and microbial activity, are thoroughly explored. Additionally, the influence of various agricultural practices such as tillage, crop rotation, and fertilization on emission levels is analyzed, supported by updated data from recent literature. Special focus is given to the underlying mechanisms that regulate these emissions and the effectiveness of management interventions in reducing their magnitude. The research also evaluates current European legislative measures aimed at lowering agricultural emissions and promoting climate-resilient, sustainable farming systems. Various mitigation strategies—ranging from optimized land and nutrient management to the application of nitrification inhibitors and soil amendments are assessed for both their practical feasibility and long-term impact.