STUDIES ON SOME QUALITY COMPONENTS IN A LANDRACE COLLECTION OF CLIMBING BEANS (PHASEOLUS VULGARIS VAR. COMMUNIS)

The study aimed at evaluating a landraces collection of climbing beans regarding some characters that contribute to quality of grains or green pods. The biological material was formed of 56 landraces and 2 varieties of climbing beans from which the grains or green pods can be used in food. The landraces were collected from western and southwestern Romania. The experimentation was performed over three years in a collection-type experience, arranged in three repetitions. As elements of quality we determined: the percentage of husks from beans, boiling coefficient, the percentage of bean total protein, 1000 grain weight, the percentage of sugar in green pods. The experimental data were processed by analysis of variance and applying the t-test for determination of differences from the variety ‘Aurie de Bacau’ used as a control. The collection includes precious populations for all studied characters, but their number is reduced. For the percentage of grain husks and the protein content of grain, the most populations are below the control variety. For sugar percentage in green pod and the coefficient of boiling, the landraces are similar to control variety. In the collection, there are populations that can be processed by selection or can be used as parents in hybridization programs

Studies on stability of grains number from panicle to a collection of oats autumn (Avena sativa L.) genotypes

The study aimed at assessing stability the grains number from panicle to autumn oats, under the influence of climatic conditions. The study was conducted over a period of three years. The biological material consisted of 73 genotypes. The experimental data was obtained by performing biometric measurements. The experimental data was processed by various linear regression analysis modelesses: Finlay-Wilkinson, Hardwick-Wood, Muir, Wrike but also the concordance between the ranks of different models of appreciation. The values of grains number in panicle fluctuate according to the climatic conditions of the year, both as an average value and as intrapopulational variability. The Jeferson, Carie, Florina varieties, and the 4458, PA 725-4743, PA 822-818 lines exhibits a high dynamic stability associated with values above the average of the experience for the number of grains in panicle. In the case of this character, 53.10% of the genotype x environment interaction is due to heterogeneity of variances

STUDIES REGARDING THE VARIABILITY OF THE PLANT PRODUCTIVITY CHARACTERS OF THE BELL PEPPER (CAPSICUM ANNUUM VAR. TETRAGONUM)

The study tracked the evaluation of the characters that contribute to the plant production in a collection of bell pepper genotypes. The experimentation was done in field, under the usual technological conditions. The data collected by biometric measurements were statistically interpreted by variance analysis and by the setting of the selection indices (S, h2, ΔG). The biological material consisted of 20 landraces collected from the West of Romania. Most populations are similar to Globus variety in terms of fruit size. The Tomnatic II population is remarkable with many and small fruits, but also the Apateu I and Cenad populations which have the fruit weight on the plant significantly higher. For the fruit weight, the differences between the populations may be up to about 100 g (Şimian), which has the greatest heritability (0.83). In most populations, the heritability of this character is less than 0.50. The number of fruit per plant is influenced by environmental factors, but the expected genetic progress can be up to 5.98 fruit (Tomnatic II). The most common values are between 2 and 3 fruits. For the number of fruit per plant, few populations have a heritability of more than 0.50. The fruit weight on the plant can be improved by selection with a progress ranging from 21.43 g (Tomnatic I) to 340.73 g (Valcani). The heritability of this character is over 0.60 for nine populations. Considering these indices, the collected material is valuable for the selection process, but the selection must be longer. The studied populations of bell peppers are an important reservoir of genes for the breeding process, the variability of morphological characters being satisfactory

Seed Germination and Physiological Response of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Cultivars under Saline Conditions

The purpose of the experiment was to highlight the germination of sunflower seeds affected by the presence of saline stress and the identification of tolerant genotypes. The biological material was represented by sunflower cvs. (Helianthus annuus L.): Coril, Select, Santiago and Fundulea-206. To simulate the saline conditions, germination solutions of sodium chloride (NaCl) were used with concentrations corresponding to the osmotic pressures -6 and -10 atm and the control seed hydration was performed with distilled water. Determination of seed germination, growth of seedling, percentage of plumules dry matter, chlorophyll content and free proline were performed. The experimental data obtained suppose the existence in the assimilation apparatus of sunflowers seedling subjected to stress a competitive chlorophyll/free proline biosynthesis processes. The experimental results regarding the effect of salinity on seed germination and seedling growth revealed important differences between genotypes. The radicle growth in the germination process were strongly affected by saline excess, with significant differences between cultivars. Saline stress results in significant reductions in the amount of chlorophyll, and high levels of free proline. It can be observed that with the increase of the stress level the percentage of the dry matter increases, indicating an accentuated water deficit

Physiological Aspects of Absorption, Translocation, and Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Silphium perfoliatum L. Plants Grown in a Mining-Contaminated Soil

Soil pollution by heavy metals as a result of mining activities is increasingly taking place. Once accumulated in soil, the heavy metals can then be dispersed, with serious effects on the environment and human health. It is therefore necessary to minimize, or even remove, all heavy metals from polluted areas, and one of the environmentally friendly and sustainable methods to do so is phytoremediation. A greenhouse pots experiment was conducted to evaluate the phytoremediation capacity of Silphium perfoliatum L. plants, in the vegetative growth stages, on a soil polluted with Cu, Zn, Cr and Pb, taken from a former mining area compared to an unpolluted soil (Us). The initial heavy metal content of polluted soil (Ps) was 208.3 mg kg−1 Cu; 312.5 mg kg−1 Zn; 186.5 mg kg−1 Cr and 195.2 mg kg−1 Pb. This shows that for Cu and Pb, soil concentrations exceed the intervention threshold, and for Zn and Cr, they are above the alert threshold. The removal efficiency, bioaccumulation factor, translocation factor, metal uptake and contamination factor index of Cu, Zn, Cr and Pb by S. perfoliatum L. were quantified to determine the bioremediation success. The data show that plants grown in Ps accumulated a significantly higher amount of Cu by 189% and Zn by 37.95% compared to Us. The Cr and Pb content of the plants recorded a progressive and significant increase from one developmental stage to another, being more intense between three and five leaves

Physiological Aspects of Absorption, Translocation, and Accumulation of Heavy Metals in <i>Silphium perfoliatum</i> L. Plants Grown in a Mining-Contaminated Soil

Soil pollution by heavy metals as a result of mining activities is increasingly taking place. Once accumulated in soil, the heavy metals can then be dispersed, with serious effects on the environment and human health. It is therefore necessary to minimize, or even remove, all heavy metals from polluted areas, and one of the environmentally friendly and sustainable methods to do so is phytoremediation. A greenhouse pots experiment was conducted to evaluate the phytoremediation capacity of Silphium perfoliatum L. plants, in the vegetative growth stages, on a soil polluted with Cu, Zn, Cr and Pb, taken from a former mining area compared to an unpolluted soil (Us). The initial heavy metal content of polluted soil (Ps) was 208.3 mg kg−1 Cu; 312.5 mg kg−1 Zn; 186.5 mg kg−1 Cr and 195.2 mg kg−1 Pb. This shows that for Cu and Pb, soil concentrations exceed the intervention threshold, and for Zn and Cr, they are above the alert threshold. The removal efficiency, bioaccumulation factor, translocation factor, metal uptake and contamination factor index of Cu, Zn, Cr and Pb by S. perfoliatum L. were quantified to determine the bioremediation success. The data show that plants grown in Ps accumulated a significantly higher amount of Cu by 189% and Zn by 37.95% compared to Us. The Cr and Pb content of the plants recorded a progressive and significant increase from one developmental stage to another, being more intense between three and five leaves