This paper presents the efficacy of green manures in raising soil fertility and enhancing crop productivity, on the Albic Luvisols in northwestern Romania.Green manures are cover crops that provide various benefits when added to the soil. Peas are especially effective at increasing organic nitrogen in the soil, leaving behind a significant amount of 471.74 kg N(a.s.) per hectare. Regardless of the pressure from the pathogen Fusarium spp. and the pest Ostrinia n. the maize yield was not affected. The incorporated green manures especially peas, significantly raises maize yield surpassing the control with almost 3000 kg. The quality of the maize crop, specifically starch content and hectoliter weight, was not influenced by either green manure or chemical fertilization.

Nitrogen is a key determinant of both yield and quality in cereal crops; however, its efficiency is strongly influenced by environmental conditions and genotype. This study evaluated the impact of different sowing densities and nitrogen fertilization regimes on grain quality indices in four triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack) varieties—Negoiu, Utrifun, Zvelt, and Tulnic—using a split-plot arrangement of the 4 × 3 × 3 type, under the climatic conditions of northwestern Romania. The experiment, conducted over two contrasting growing seasons (2021–2023), employed a split-plot design testing three sowing densities (450, 550, and 650 seeds/m²) and three fertilization levels: basic soil nitrogen fertilization, soil + foliar N-P-K application, and soil + foliar + biostimulant. The results indicated that climatic variability had a predominant effect on grain quality, followed by the genetic characteristics of the varieties and their response to water stress. In the drought-affected 2021–2022 season, the Zvelt variety recorded the highest protein content (14.2%), significantly outperforming the control (13.3%). Supplementary foliar fertilization and the use of biostimulants under drought conditions did not improve quality; in some cases, they led to significant decreases in protein content (from 14.36% to 13.69%) and thousand-kernel weight (TKW). Under optimal precipitation conditions in the 2022–2023 season, supplementary fertilization significantly improved hectoliter weight and TKW (reaching 46.7 g compared to 44.2 g in the soil-only treatments). Higher sowing densities (650 seeds/m²) generally led to decreases in hectoliter weight and TKW in favorable years. These results suggest that nitrogen fertilization can improve triticale quality. In this study, high yields, both quantitatively and qualitatively, appear to be mainly influenced by varieties and climatic conditions, especially water availability during critical growth stages.

Triticale is recognized worldwide due to its high protein and lysine content, high production capacity and adaptability to biotic and abiotic stress conditions, these qualities being taken over from wheat and rye. Triticale is widely used in various fields such as animal feed in various forms, in medicine, the bakery, beer, alcohol, cellulose, bioethanol industry and many others. Thus, the demand for triticale grains is increasing, and this has led to the research and improvement of culture technology to obtain superior products, both quantitatively and qualitatively. The purpose of this study was to identify the best varieties of triticale cultivated in the north-west of Romania, sown in different plots and fertilized on the ground or additionally, the study being carried out over a period of two years at the Livada Agricultural Research and Development Station, Satu Mare county. The study was located on an acidic soil with a pH between 5.19 and 6.65 and a humus content of 2.82%. The climatic conditions in the reference period were extremely variable, in the first year a deficit of more than 90 mm/m2 of precipitation was registered, and in the second year of the study, an increase of more than 34 mm/m2. The effects of additional fertilization were influenced by the level of precipitation, so in the experimental variants additionally fertilized, lower productions were obtained compared to the variants fertilized only on the soil. Compared to the Negoiu control, the Utrifun variety proved to be the most productive, but this will be proven in the following years of study, under different climatic conditions.

Triticale is recognized worldwide because of its high protein and lysine contents, high production capacity, and adaptability to biotic and abiotic stress conditions, these qualities being taken over from wheat and rye. Triticale is widely used in various fields, such as animal feed in various forms, medicine, baking, beer and alcohol brewing, cellulose, bioethanol industry, and many others. Thus, the demand for triticale grain is increasing, and this has led to the research and improvement in culture technology to obtain superior products, both quantitatively and qualitatively. The purpose of this study was to identify the best varieties of triticale cultivated in the northwest of Romania, sown in different plots, and fertilized on the ground. Additionally, this study was carried out over a period of two years at the Livada Agricultural Research and Development Station, Satu Mare County. This study was located on acidic soil with a pH between 5.19 and 6.65 and a humus content of 2.82%. The climatic conditions in the reference period were extremely variable; in the first year, a deficit of more than 90 mm of precipitation was registered, and in the second year of this study, an increase of more than 34 mm. The effects of additional fertilization were influenced by the level of precipitation. In 2023, additional fertilization with foliar fertilizer brought production increases of 884 kg/ha, compared with 2022, where foliar fertilization in drought conditions led to a decrease in production. The Utrifun variety proved to be the most productive; this foliar fertilized and with biostimulator, sown at 550 seeds/m², recorded an increase in production of over 4500 kg/ha compared with the Negoiu control and sown at 650 seeds/m² and fertilized with foliar fertilizer had an increase of over 4370 kg/ha compared with the Negoiu control. It recorded a production of 9700 kg/ha sown at 550 seeds/m² and fertilized only on the soil, and sown at 450 seeds/m² and additionally fertilized with foliar fertilizer recorded a production of 10.900 kg/ha. Utrifun was followed by Zvelt which, sown at 450 seed/m² and fertilized on the soil, recorded 9500 kg/ha, ensuring an increase of 1800 kg/ha compared with the Negoiu control. The lowest production was achieved by the Tulnic variety, which is 2022, sown at 650 seed/m² and fertilized on the ground, recorded 5874 kg/ha, 1621 kg/ha less than the control variant. The increases in production obtained by these varieties will be confirmed in a subsequent study under different climatic conditions.

The suspension of neonicotinoid-based seed treatments in 2025 in Romania has renewed concern regarding the population resurgence of the western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte), one of the most destructive pests of maize. This study, conducted at the Agricultural Research and Development Station (ARDS) Livada, evaluates the short-term consequences of eliminating neonicotinoid insecticides on maize root damage, adult density, and lodging incidence. Data from prior experiments (2011) and field observations in 2025 were analyzed to assess pest dynamics under varying climatic and agronomic conditions. Results showed that treatments with neonicotinoids such as clothianidin and imidacloprid (e.g., Poncho 600 FS, Nuprid AL 600 FS) significantly reduced larval populations (up to −34 %) and minimized plant lodging (<1 %). In contrast, the 2025 observations revealed renewed plant lodging (up to 3–4 %) and increased signs of root damage, likely associated with mild winter temperatures and the absence of chemical seed protection. Although differences among green manure types and fertilization treatments were statistically insignificant, these factors showed potential for integration into ecological control strategies. The findings emphasize the need for integrated pest management (IPM) approaches that combine crop rotation, soil amendment, biological control, and resistant hybrids to mitigate the expected resurgence of D. v. virgifera populations following the withdrawal of neonicotinoids.

Green manuring may improve crop performance on acidic, low-fertility soils, although its effects depend on the incorporated species and mineral fertilization regime. This study evaluated the effects of five green manure crops and mineral fertilization on winter wheat during the 2021/2022 growing season at the Agricultural Research and Development Station Livada, northwestern Romania. A two-factor split-plot field experiment was conducted at a single location during one growing season (2021/2022) using three replicate blocks. Six main-plot treatments—wheat, triticale, pea, narrow-leafed lupine, oilseed rape, and a non-sown control with spontaneous vegetation—were combined with two subplot regimes: with and without combined N–P mineral fertilization. The green manure × mineral fertilization interaction was significant for grain yield (p = 0.008). Under mineral fertilization, pea produced the highest numerical grain yield (8018 ± 116 kg ha⁻¹; mean ± SE, n = 3), compared with 6730 ± 244 kg ha⁻¹ in the corresponding fertilized control. Without mineral fertilization, pea and lupine produced 5427 ± 187 and 5009 ± 237 kg ha⁻¹, respectively, compared with 3419 ± 108 kg ha⁻¹ in the corresponding non-fertilized control. Wheat and triticale green manures were associated with lower subsequent wheat yields than their corresponding controls under both fertilization regimes. Under the conditions of this single-site, single-season experiment, pea and narrow-leafed lupine were associated with favorable grain-yield responses, particularly relative to the corresponding non-sown controls. Further multi-year and multi-location experiments are required to determine the stability of these responses under contrasting soil and climatic conditions.