Wild Iris plants are usually found in spontaneous flora, but due to their ornamental characteristics, they can also be used for ornamental purposes, which means that it is very important to find the perfect conditions for plant growth. This research aimed to evaluate the ornamental value and adaptive behavior of wild Iris aphylla L. in “ex situ” conditions. Plants from wild flora were cultivated experimentally in the Floriculture field at the Faculty of Horticulture, IULS, Iași, Romania. The biometric determinations revealed the significantly higher ornamental value of conserved plants grown in “ex situ” conditions compared to wild plants. In “ex situ” conditions, the plants displayed more vigorous growth (~100%) and had a higher number of flowers per stem (5–9 flowers), whereas, in wild conditions, this species has from two to a maximum of five flowers. Given the absence of anatomical studies in the literature, detailed anatomical investigations of the leaf structure were performed, complemented by analyses of the photosynthetic pigment content to assess the plant’s physiological performance. Additionally, the molecular phylogenetic analyses conducted using two plastid markers (rbcL and trnL-F) confirmed the taxonomic classification of the native I. aphylla L. species. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the molecular phylogeny of the wild Iridaceae species in Romania. These findings provide insights into the taxonomy, morphology, cultivation potential, and ornamental value of the species, supporting future conservation and horticulture development programs.

In Romania’s wild flora, several Iris species exhibit important ornamental characteristics, such as early spring flowering and resilience to abiotic stress. This study assessed the behavior to new ecological conditions, the ornamental potential, and the antioxidant capacity of the wild species of Iris brandzae using morpho-anatomical, physiological, and biochemical biomarkers. The study of phenotypic characteristics (number and size of leaves on sterile and fertile shoots, size of flowering stems, bracts protecting the flowers, and perianth-segments) aimed to confirm and supplement existing information in the literature, as well as to evaluate the ornamental potential of this species. Morphological analyses revealed clear differences between fertile and sterile shoots, while photosynthetic activity across phenophases showed values within normal parameters, with the maximum recorded during flowering and with the chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b ratio maintained at values close to 3:1, indicating favorable cultivation conditions. Biochemical investigations (total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activity) demonstrated that dried plant material, particularly roots, contained higher levels of phenolic and flavonoid compounds and exhibited stronger antioxidant activity compared to fresh material. By integrating morpho-anatomical, physiological, and biochemical data, this research provides the first comprehensive characterization of I. brandzae beyond taxonomic and ecological descriptions. Our findings emphasize the species behavior under cultivation conditions, its ornamental value, and its potential as a source of bioactive compounds relevant to pharmaceutical applications.

Delayed post-sowing watering may leave treated wheat (Triticum aestivum) seeds in dry soil for several weeks before germination begins, raising the question of how long the effects of seed-applied biostimulants remain biologically active under these conditions. This study evaluated the persistence of the biological effects of a seed-applied biostimulant, applied alone (BS) or combined with a triticonazole-based fungicide (TBS), after delayed watering of wheat seeds. Seeds were watered immediately after sowing or after 2, 3, 4, or 5 weeks and evaluated in Petri dishes and growth pots. Compared with the untreated control, BS and TBS reduced mean germination time by up to 9.4 h and 8.7 h, respectively (p < 0.05), while also promoting greater seminal root development after prolonged exposure to dry conditions. In the pot experiment, treatments including the biostimulant maintained greater root dry weight at both BBCH 11 and BBCH 12, indicating that a measurable stimulatory response was still observed beyond germination and early seedling establishment. The strongest responses were observed when watering was delayed by 2–3 weeks, remained evident after 4 weeks, and declined after 5 weeks of dry sowing conditions. Under the conditions of this experiment, the results demonstrate that, although the biostimulant supports early root system development after moisture restoration, the magnitude of the treatment response is conditioned by the duration of the pre-germination waiting period.