Lavender is among the medicinal and aromatic plants with high economic value in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and aromatherapeutic industries, and in its composition has numerous compounds, such as tannins, anthocyanins, minerals, saponins, flavonoids, polyphenols, essential oil and others. The qualitative and quantitative characteristics of lavender are best highlighted by extraction techniques such as hydrodistillation, steam distillation and supercritical CO₂ extraction. In the water distillation extraction method, the plants are soaked in water until boiling and steam is released, carrying the essential oils with it, which are then separated via cooling. Steam distillation is one of the most common methods used to extract essential oils from medicinal and aromatic plants. Unlike hydrodistillation, where the water is stored directly in a tank, in this method, the steam is transported into the tank from the outside and the oils are released from the plant components when the steam penetrates the structures that contain it. Essential oils contain essential compounds that have antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-fungal, etc., properties. All the component parts of lavender contain essential oils, which are distributed as follows: in leaves at about 0.4%, in stems at about 0.2%, and in inflorescences at about 2–4.5%.

Enhancing the efficacy of biofertilizers and biopesticides for horticultural applications presents numerous challenges, given the need to balance effectiveness with environmental and economic factors. Achieving these goals requires rigorous research into advanced technologies and formulations capable of effectively replacing or complementing traditional chemical inputs, without compromising crop yield or quality. The present study aimed to develop a versatile and yet accessible hybrid percolation–sonication system and method, designed to optimize polyphenol extraction from nettle and sage plants. The resulting extracts were combined and applied on organic tomato crops, to evaluate their biofertilizer and biopesticide effectiveness, in comparison to conventional chemical inputs. Operating the equipment in a hybrid percolation–sonication system led to a 36% increase in polyphenols extraction for nettle and a 29% increase from sage. Regarding the effect on tomatoes, data showed that plants treated with biofertilizer extracts were over 42.88% more productive than control samples and 17.67% more productive than tomatoes treated with chemical fertilizers. Tomato plants treated with biofertilizers grew approximately 10% taller and developed stems that were 5% thicker compared to those treated with chemical fertilizers.

This paper explores hydroponic vertical systems as a sustainable solution to modern agricultural challenges, particularly those posed by climate change. Hydroponics, a method of growing plants without soil using nutrient-rich water solutions, offers significant advantages over traditional farming. Vertical systems maximize space efficiency by growing plants in stacked layers, making them ideal for urban environments with limited space. These systems provide a controlled environment that mitigates the impacts of extreme weather, ensuring consistent crop production. The paper reviews various hydroponic techniques, including deep water culture, nutrient film technique, flood and drain, and drip irrigation. It highlights the efficiency of water use in hydroponics, crucial for areas facing water scarcity. Advanced technologies, such as sensors, automated nutrient delivery, and LED lighting, are employed to optimize growing conditions, enhance resource use efficiency, and improve crop yields. LED lights, in particular, offer energy efficiency, customizable spectra, and low heat output. Mathematical models are used to maximize plant development and resource efficiency, providing a framework for understanding plant-environment interactions. Despite high initial setup costs and the need for technical expertise, hydroponic systems present long-term economic and environmental benefits. This paper underscores hydroponic vertical systems' potential to revolutionize urban agriculture, ensuring food security and sustainability amidst climate change challenges.

The present research aimed to improve the extraction efficiency of polyphenolic compounds from nettle and sage, using an improved hybrid ultrasound—percolation extraction method. A factorial experimental design was employed to systematically evaluate the influence of key extraction parameters: pressure (5, 6, and 7 bar), extraction time (60, 90, and 120 min), and ultrasound power (80, 100, and 120 W) on the total polyphenol content (TPC) of the resulting extracts. The obtained extracts were comprehensively analyzed in terms of total polyphenol concentration, micro- and macronutrient content, and antioxidant activity. Based on the results, optimal extraction conditions were determined and subsequently used to formulate a biostimulant solution derived from nettle and sage. To validate the agronomic efficacy of the formulated biostimulant, greenhouse trials were conducted on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and pepper (Capsicum annuum) plants. The impact of the treatment was assessed by monitoring vegetative growth (total dry mass), chlorophyll content, and crop productivity. The central hypothesis is that systematic variation of the hybrid ultrasound-assisted percolation process parameters will reveal a range capable of significantly improving the polyphenol yield and antioxidant activity of nettle and sage extracts. We further used these improved extracts to increase certain health indicators and overall productivity in tomato and pepper plants. At the end of the growing period, the treated plants showed an increase in dry mass of 22% for tomatoes and 20% for peppers relative to controls samples. Furthermore, productivity showed a substantial increase, rising by 38.6% for tomatoes and 53% for peppers. Chlorophyll content also increased by up to 20% in tomatoes and up to 22% in peppers, showing better plant health.

This paper presents theoretical and experimental research on the process of calibrating corn seeds using a specialized equipment with cylindrical sieves, studying the influence of process parameters and corn seed particularities on the quality of the calibration work. The research took into consideration corn seed characteristics, namely, their dimensions (length, width, and thickness) and weight, determining the influence of process parameters—the contact point between the seed and the cylindrical sieve, the influence of the length of the sieve, and the sieve’s revolution speed on the separation process. The experiments for determining the influence of these parameters on the calibration process were conducted on a calibrating equipment with cylindrical sieves using three different corn hybrids. It was noticed from the experiments that, overall, the revolution speed had the most important effect on the calibration process, with sieve length also affecting the process, but to a lesser degree. Seed calibration efficiency was best at the smallest revolution speed (33 rot/min) and decreased when the revolution speed increased up to 49 rot/min for all corn hybrids tested. The number of calibrated seeds decreased in the second part of the cylindrical sieve. Seed thickness influenced the process, in the respect that seeds smaller than 4.8 mm passed through the first third of the sieve and those with a thickness between 4.8 and 5 mm passed through the other two thirds of the sieve length.

Botrytis cinerea is a major fungal pathogen of grapevine responsible for gray mold, causing significant economic losses worldwide. Under specific environmental conditions, controlled development of Botrytis cinerea may lead to “noble rot,” a quality-enhancing attribute of premium wines; however, the same fungus can rapidly develop into destructive gray mold, causing significant grape losses. Consequently, the challenge is not necessarily the complete eradication of the pathogen, but the regulation of its development to prevent uncontrolled disease progression while preserving grape quality. The present study investigated the potential of using essential oils extracted from selected aromatic plants using ultrasound-assisted hydrodistillation (UAHD) as eco-friendly biocontrol agents against Botrytis cinerea. The extraction process was optimized by evaluating the effects of biomass particle size, ultrasonic power, and distillation time on essential oil yield. Antifungal activity was assessed through in vitro poisoned food and disk diffusion assays and validated in vivo on artificially inoculated grape berries by evaluating disease incidence, disease severity, treatment efficacy, and weight loss. Ultrasound pretreatment increased essential oil yield by up to 29.58% compared with conventional hydrodistillation, with optimal conditions achieved using 1 cm biomass, 150 W ultrasonic power, and 85 min distillation. Oregano, thyme, sage, and lemon balm essential oils achieved 100% inhibition of Botrytis cinerea mycelial growth at the tested concentrations, whereas lavender essential oil showed 95.03% inhibition at 0.125% and complete inhibition at 0.25%. In vivo, essential oil formulations markedly reduced gray mold development, with the 2.0% formulation providing the highest treatment efficacy and the lowest disease severity. These findings show that UAHD-derived essential oils represent promising sustainable alternatives for the management of Botrytis cinerea in viticulture. However, these findings represent preliminary evidence obtained under controlled in vitro conditions, necessitating further validation in real-world applications.