Propolis, considered one of the most effective natural broad-spectrum antibiotics, which do not induce resistance or destroy the organism’s commensal flora, together with catechin, quercetin and gallic acid (at different concentrations), have been tested against Gram positive bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes ATTC 19615, Stapylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Gram negative Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Salmonella enterica ATCC 14028, Shigella flexneri ATTC 12022, as well as the yeast Candida albicans ATTC 10231, using the agar diffusion method. Propolis and the three compounds showed antimicrobial potential at most concentrations. The highest sensitivity to propolis (conc. 0.001-1%) was shown by the Gram-positive bacterial strain S. pyogenes, followed by the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli, while the other species had an equal and reduced reaction. Gallic acid showed high antibacterial activity on S. aureus, P. aeruginosa and S. enterica, and a reduced effect on other bacterial strains. The antibacterial efficiency of 3.0224% quercetin was high against the bacterium S. pyogenes and catechin (2.9028%) proved to be the best antifungal, followed by propolis 1%, and quercetin 3.0224%. At certain concentrations, propolis and the three compounds could supplement gentamicin and ampicillin, as they have shown similar or even higher antibacterial efficacy than conventional drugs.

Juglans regia L. is an edible fruit tree cultivated worldwide for its fruits and wood and as an urban tree. Globally, there is growing concern for preserving the genetic diversity of trees with high economic and ecological value. This study investigates the genetic diversity of J. regia in urban landscapes and assesses the quality of its walnut kernels as a local food product. An inventory of 150 trees from five populations in public green spaces in Lugoj, Caransebeș and Jupa, as well as two semi-natural hilly ecosystems in the Banat Region, was conducted. Molecular analyses showed that Directed Amplification of Minisatellite-region DNA (DAMD) markers were more effective than Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) markers, with a higher average polymorphism of 56.26%, compared to 49.44%. DAMD07 achieved 100% polymorphism and DAMD05 showed a strong balance between P.I.C. (0.35) and polymorphism (54.54%). Chemical analysis revealed the following contents in walnut kernels: protein (12.81% to 16.80%), lipids (60.39% to 69.08%), total polyphenols (5484.66 to 10,788.4 mg GAE/kg), copper (3.655 to 8.532 mg/kg), manganese (14.408 to 28.618 mg/kg), zinc (19.813 to 46.583 mg/kg), lead (1.204 to 2.27 mg/kg) and cadmium (0.03451 to 0.08065 mg/kg). These findings are critical for conservation efforts, urban forestry management and ensuring the quality and safety of walnut products derived from J. regia.

The cultivation of alfalfa is crucial for farmers as it is an excellent forage crop with a high nitrogen-fixing capacity, making it indispensable in crop rotations. Breeding programs face challenges in advancing more rapidly in genetic diversity to achieve a higher heterosis effect and, consequently, greater yield. In this study, we used 30 alfalfa varieties, which were used for molecular analyses by 5 ISSR primers and 13 RAPD primers. The results obtained highlighted the greater efficiency of ISSR primers in identifying genetic diversity. On the other hand, the simultaneous use of ISSR + RAPD allowed for clearer clustering of varieties that enabled more efficiently distinguishing the genetic diversity. The most efficient ISSR primer, A17, generated 31 polymorphic bands, while the most efficient RAPD primer, L-07, generated only 21 bands. Varieties such as “Pastoral” and “F1413-02” exhibited low similarity coefficients (0.39), suggesting their potential for enhancing genetic variability through crossbreeding, thereby increasing the potential of achieving a greater heterosis effect. Conversely, varieties with high similarity coefficients, such as ”Cristal” and “Viking” (0.81) are less suited for this purpose. The correlation between specific markers highlights that using both ISSR and RAPD markers together offers a clear understanding of genetic diversity in alfalfa, aiding in more effective selection for crossbreeding in breeding programs.

The main purpose of the paper is to highlight the impact of foliar fertilization during the various growth stages of winter wheat and its role in achieving high-quality and superior production. Foliar fertilizers play a crucial role in calibrating and forming active growth intervals correlated with productivity factors. The research was conducted over a two-year period using the Andrada winter wheat variety. It involved the application of four different foliar fertilizers: basic mineral fertilization, FoliMAX Orange (two treatments and three treatments), FoliMAX CerealsMIX (two treatments and three treatments), and Microfert U (three treatments). Depending on the treatment, two or three applications of foliar with foliar fertilizers were carried out at various stages of winter wheat development, including pre-flowering and grain formation. The research method used to record physiological parameters was non-destructive (the leaves were not detached from the plant) and was based on the use of the CIRAS-3 foliar gas analyzer, which simultaneously determines several physiological and environmental indicators. As an indicator read by the device, photosynthesis was chosen for leaf temperature and leaf transpiration, correlated with production and quality indices. By applying the foliar fertilizer treatments to the wheat culture, we managed to increase production and improve the quality. After using different foliar fertilizers, the assimilation and physiological parameters had higher values of over 30 μmolm⁻²·s⁻¹. Foliar fertilization applied to the winter wheat variety resulted in an average production increase between 450 and 765 kg·ha⁻¹ and quality indices with a protein percentage between 11.5 and 12.6%, gluten content between 21.5 to 24.0% and the Zeleny index between 29.0 and 39.0%, and the mass of one thousand grains was between 48.0 and 50.5 g.

Tree species with high ecological plasticity are recommended for use in urban green infrastructures. This study explores the genetic diversity of Tilia cordata, Tilia platyphyllos, and Tilia argentea, highlighting their contribution to urban landscapes. In this respect, the genetic variability of individuals from four populations of the Tilia genus has been analyzed using Inter Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSR) molecular markers, and some of their phenotypic characters were naked-eyed observed or determined by dendrometric measurements. Significant variability between the populations studied was determined. Cluster analysis identified two main groups: Tilia cordata I and Tilia cordata II populations formed the first cluster, and Tilia platyphyllos and Tilia argentea populations formed the second cluster. The results of the phenotypic analysis confirmed the genetic results separating the two populations of Tilia cordata from the populations of Tilia platyphyllos and Tilia argentea in relation to their visible morphological characters. Results obtained from dendrometric measurements analysis represent the foundation for further investigations on urban ecology. An essential potential practical use of the results: the establishment of more efficient ISSR primers to identify the Tilia species analyzed: UBC864, A12, UBC840, and A7 for Tilia cordata, A13 for Tilia platyphyllos and A7 for Tilia argentea has been demonstrated.

Applications of the Drosophila melanogaster (D.m.) research model have an important means both for genetic investigations and for the study of metal toxicity, because D.m. has physiological mechanisms comparable to those in human organisms. In this research, the toxic effect of lead (Pb²⁺) and copper (Cu²⁺) on four D.m. genotypes—the wild genotype (Oregon-R, used as control) and three mutant genotypes (white, brown, and white-vestigial)—was compared. Five replicates were made to observe the development progress of monitorized genotypes exposed to five different concentrations 0, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, and 2.00 mM of copper (CuSO₄) and lead Pb(C₂H₃O₂)₂. Proliferation rates of larvae, pupae, and adults depend on genetic factors, metals used (copper or lead), and their concentrations. The white-vestigial mutant genotype showed the greatest sensitivity at IC₅₀ concentration (inhibition of proliferation of more than 50% compared with the control sample) at doses of 1.00 mM for Cu²⁺ and 2.00 mM for Pb²⁺. In contrast, the control genotype (Oregon-R) showed only an inhibition IC₅₀ concentration of 2.00 mM for Cu²⁺. The white-vestigial mutant genotype showed the greatest sensitivity at IC₅₀ concentration (inhibition of proliferation of more than 50% compared with the control sample) at doses of 1.00 mM for Cu²⁺ and 2.00 mM for Pb²⁺. In contrast, the control genotype (Oregon-R) showed an inhibition at the IC₅₀ concentration of 2.00 mM for Cu²⁺. The results conclude that (i) the dose influences the prolificacy rate in a directly proportional way, (ii) the comparative analyses between Cu²⁺ and Pb²⁺ revealed a more acute effect of Cu²⁺, and (iii) differentiated prolificacy values according to genotypes were recorded. Those reflect the importance of using D.m. as a research model in the comparative studies of the interactions between genetic factors and metal toxicity. Also, this study provides significant information on non-toxic maximum doses for organisms.