Introducing a novel multi-layer perceptron network based on stochastic gradient descent optimized by a meta-heuristic algorithm for landslide susceptibility mapping.

Phenolic compounds in Lycium berry: Composition, health benefits and industrial applications

Optimizing urban landscapes in regard to noise pollution

Insect rearing on artificial diets allows to solve a wide range of entomological tasks. During decades passed after publication of the pioneer paper written by G. Bottger (1942) devoted to cultivation of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis, a lot of diets have been developed both for laboratory and mass rearing of insects. The paper briefly reviews published material dedicated to technique of rearing harmful Ostrinia species in the world as well as contains detailed description of procedures used in All-Russian Institute of Plant Protection for rearing the European corn borer, O. nubilalis, the Asian corn borer, O. furnacalis and adzuki bean borer, O. scapulalis on the basis of the universal diet including mix of wheat germs, soybean and corn flour. The paper describes rearing details of Ostrinia representatives providing live material of a various genetic origin which exhibit reactions statistically indistinguishable from those displayed by individuals taken from nature.

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Rearing of trilobed male uncus ostrinia species in laboratory for experimental purposes

Abstract Especially during early developmental stages, competition with weeds can reduce crop growth and have a serious effect on productivity. Here, the effects of interactions between soil water content (SWC), nutrient availability, and competition from weeds on early stage crop growth were investigated, to better understand this problem. Field experiments were conducted in 2013 and 2014 using long-term study plots on loam soil in Hungary. Plots of maize (Zea mays L.) and a weed-maize combination were exposed to five fertilization treatments. SWC was observed along the 0–80 cm depth soil profile and harvested aboveground biomass (HAB) was measured. Significant differences were found between SWC in maize and maize-weed plots. In all treatments, measured SWC was most variable in soil depths of up to 50 cm, and at the 8–10 leaves (BBCH19) growth stage of the crop. The greatest depletion of SWC was detected within PK treatments across the entire soil profile and under both vegetation types, with depletion also considerable under NPK and NP treatments. Biomass growth was significantly influenced by weeds in treated plots between the BBCH 13 and 19 phenological stages, but water availability did not hamper growth rates in non-fertilized conditions. These findings suggest that, at early stages of crop growth, SWC model simulations need to include better characterisation of depth- and structure-dependent soil water uptake by vegetation.

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Changes to soil water content and biomass yield under combined maize and maize-weed vegetation with different fertilization treatments in loam soil

Obtain insects egg batches in laboratory conditions, used for artificial infestation of the maize plants, to establish maize lines and hybrids tolerance to pest attack. Because in nature, the attack of Ostrinia nubilalis are not at same level, every year, as result of the climatic conditions,Â  especially at egg batch deposition and larva emergence, artificial infestation of the maize plants is one of the best method to evaluate maize lines and hybrids reaction at this pest. European corn borer is reared at Plant Protection Laboratory, from NARDI Fundulea, Calarasi County, Romania. Field experiments were made at experimental fields of both, Plant Protection and Maize Breeding laboratories. In 2011 it has obtained 136043 egg batches, in 2012 it has obtained 121945 egg batches and in 2013 it has obtained 133550 egg batches. At the end of the year 2013, the insect colony created in 1979 arrived at 442nd consecutive generation, the insect colony created in 2008 arrived at 77th consecutive generation, the insect colony created in 2010 arrived at 51st consecutive generation and insect colony created in 2011 arrived at 38th consecutive generation. Even if insects are reared more then 440 generations in laboratory conditions, they donâ€™t lose capacity of attacking maize plants. Rearing of the European corn borer ( Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn) in laboratory conditions, in continuous flux, on same artificial diet, is one of the best methods for mass production of the egg-batches necessary for the field researches concerning maize hybrids and lines tolerance at the attack produced by this pest.

Technology of the European Corn Borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn) Mass Rearing, Successive Generations, in Controlled Conditions, at NARDI FUNDULEA

Currently, according to the specialists in the field, Amaranthus species are part of alternative agricultural crops recommended for organic farming. In this context, our scientific approach is to analyse the adaptability of these species in the specific conditions of the southern part of Romania (Reviga village, Ialomita County). Thus, for two consecutive years, two varieties of Amaranthus cruentus, namely ‘Bolivia 153’ and ‘Golden Giant’, were studied regarding: morphology, biology, cultivation technology, plant productivity and quality of yields in the organic farming conditions. After the study period, the ‘Golden Giant’ variety was characterized by the following: 8 days - sowing-emergence period; flowering start on 21 July; 124 days - vegetation period; 839.3 Growing Degree Days (GDD) (Σ t °C > 15 °C); 23.24 g - grains mass per plant; 1.375 g - Thousand Weight Grains (TWG); 2,647 kg ha-1 - grains yields. By comparison, ‘Bolivia 153’ variety plants were presented as follows: 11 days - sowing-emergence period; flowering start on 21 July; 127 days - vegetation period; 842.4 GDD; 22.09 g - grains mass per plant; 1.46 g TWG; 23.78 kg ha-1 - grains yields. In average, the chemical composition of Amaranthus cruentus grains was: 15.20% proteins; 51.70% starch; 5.96% lipids; 13.36% cellulose and 3.35% ash. In conclusion, the experimentation area proved to be favourable to Amaranthus cruentus cultivation, so that the tested varieties behaved well, had a fairly uniform emergences, and the good level of grains yields and quality.

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Research on the morphology, biology, productivity and yields quality of the Amaranthus cruentus L. in the southern part of Romania

Atypically Behavior of the Maize Leaf Weevil (Tanymecus Dilaticollis Gyll) on Maize and Sunflower Crops, in Climatic Conditions of the Year 2014, in South-East of Romania☆

In this paper, authors collective present draught effects concerning evolution of the maize leaf weevil (Tanymecus dilaticollis Gyll), in period 2010-2013, at NARDI Fundulea, both at untreated and treated plants. From the years taken in study, the most favourable for the pest attack at untreated maize plants were 2012 and 2013. However in last years, rainfall distribution is not similarly then in the past. In same months we can have periods with draught (more then 10 days without rain) and air high temperatures followed by days with heavy rainfalls and moderate air temperatures. As result, maize leaf weevil attack in 2012 was higher even if total rainfall amount registered in last decade of April and first two decades of May were higher from all four years taken in study. Seed treatment provide good protection for the maize plants in first vegetation stages against this pest, in different climatic conditions from the spring period.

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Draught influence concerning maize leaf weevil (Tanymecus dilaticollis Gyll) attack on maize crops at NARDI Fundulea.

Abstract In the last years sunflower become one of the most important crops in Romania. The most of the surface cultivated with sunflower from our country is located in south and south-east and, in many cases, sunflower is cultivated after maize. As result the attack of the maize leaf weevil (Tanymecus dilaticollis Gyll) at sunflower plants has increasing. The attack is dangerous when sunflower plants are in first vegetation stages (BBCH 10-BBCH 14). Similar with maize crop, sunflower seeds treatment with neonicotinoids were generalized after 2007. As result of the EU directive 485/2013, no active ingredients remain available for sunflower seeds treatment, against T. dilaticollis, in Romania. The researches from the last years were orientated for finding of the possible alternatives for seed treatments, in eventuality of permanent ban of neonicotinoid insecticides, after 2018. Because of the variability of climatic conditions from the field, during spring period, researches concerning effectiveness testing of sunflower seed treatments, in green house conditions, using high pest pressure is a good method to evaluate influence of the different active ingredients to control T. dilaticollis adults. In this experiment it has tested three doses of cyantraniliprole active ingredient (7.5, 10.0 and 12.5 l/to) and three neonicothinoid active ingredients (imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam). Sunflower seeds were placed in plastic pots. After plants emergence the insects were added in pots. At each pot it has added 20 adult insects, collected from the field. Each day, it has recorded insect mortality. At 8 days from the start of the experiment, it has assessed attack intensity of the adult insects on sunflower plants. The attack was evaluated using a scale from 1 (plant not attacked) to 9 (plant complete destroyed). In conditions of high pest pressure (4 insects/plant) the attack intensity of T. dilaticollis at sunflower plants was ranged from 3.35 in case of variant treated with clothianidin and 8.50 in case of untreated plants. Lower attack intensity of the pest at sunflower plants it has registered in case of variants treated with imidacloprid and thiamethoxam (I=3.58 and 3.50). Plants emerged from the untreated seeds were destroyed by the insects, at 8 days from the start of the experiment.

Emil Georgescu

Papers

Technology of the European Corn Borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn) Mass Rearing, Successive Generations, in Controlled Conditions, at NARDI FUNDULEA

Research on the morphology, biology, productivity and yields quality of the Amaranthus cruentus L. in the southern part of Romania

Atypically Behavior of the Maize Leaf Weevil (Tanymecus Dilaticollis Gyll) on Maize and Sunflower Crops, in Climatic Conditions of the Year 2014, in South-East of Romania☆

Draught influence concerning maize leaf weevil (Tanymecus dilaticollis Gyll) attack on maize crops at NARDI Fundulea.

Researches Concerning Sunflower Seeds Treatment against Tanymecus Dilaticollis, in Green House Conditions