Scientific Bulletin of ESCORENA

Assessment of the environmental variability of a borage strain (Borago officinalis L.) by cultivation in different European regions

2015-06-17T20:22:18+03:00

Â To study the environmental variability, a blue flowered borage genotype (Borago
officinalis L.) was cultivated uniformly at various sites in Europe. Four plots of 1 m2 were
established at each region of which four were situated more in the North (Scotland, Norway
and two in Finland) and two more in the South (Germany and Italy). The environment had a
diverging impact on borage, depending on the characteristic under study. The environment
had a particularly strong influence on the seed yield with a range of 159-837 kg/ha and on the
germination capacity. The variability of the plant height and the duration of the growing
period were smaller. The lowest variability revealed the thousand seed weight, ratio of black
seeds, seed oil content with min. 27.6 % and max. 34 %, and the oil components, including Î³-
linolenic acid, ranging between 18.3 and 22.5 %. Basing on the results of this experiment it
can be concluded that the selection of an appropriate cultivation site has high importance in
particular for the seed yield, which seems to be favoured by cultivation in the northern regions
of Europe. A high content of fatty seed oil and of Î³-linolenic acid as its most important
component are achievable under various environmental conditions.

The yellow watermelon with horns (Cucumis metuliferus) â€“ food and therapeutic species with adaptation possibilities in Arad agroecological area

2015-06-17T20:22:18+03:00

In Arad agroecological area, the characteristic area for the west side of theÂ country, starting with 2012 were undertaken a series of research regarding the cultivationtechnology of yellow melon with horns. Beeing a recent species introduced in Romania, butÂ not studied in the west part of the country, our research were oriented for the aclimatization ofÂ this species, the development of specific cultivation technology for protected areas or field, asÂ like the improvement of this species towards obtaining new species with superior phenotypi characters. The studied species can be successfully grown in Arad agroecological area, both in protected areas as in field, directly. The fruits are valuable from nutritional viewpoint, containing a several beneficial substances in food and medicine domain (doesnâ€™t contain cholesterol).

Volatile Organic Compounds Emitted by Plants Determination using New Gas Chromatography Mass-Spectrometry Methods

2015-06-17T20:22:18+03:00

In the nature, plants emit numerous volatile organic compounds. Common plant volatiles include various green leaves volatiles, terpenes, phenylpropanoids and/or benzenoids. In the present paper it will be characterized thermal desorption (TD) and solid phase microextraction methods (SPME) for simultaneous determination of green leaves volatiles (GLVs), various mono- and sesquiterpenes in headspace of plants. The first method is based on preconcentration of VOCs on solid absorbents coupled with the gas chromatograpy mass-spectrometry coupled with thermal desorption system (GCMS-TD). For trapping the volatile organic compounds (VOC) we used a multibead tube filled with solid sorbents (Carbotrap c and Carbopack c). Different types of solid sorbents have been tested and characterised. The second method is based on adsorption of different volatile compounds on the fibres followed by GC-MS analyses. The fibres trapped and released volatile organic compounds with different numbers of carbons atoms. Both methods have been used for volatile organic compounds emitted by plants from Betulaceae family.

Analysis of the local use of ecolabelled detergents

2015-06-17T20:22:18+03:00

Ecolabelling is an activity whose main goal is to establish a voluntary system ofÂ granting an Ecolabel for products with minimum environmental and health impact, for the
productÂ´s whole life-cycle1. The purpose of using Ecolabels is to promote the products thatÂ have minimal environmental impact; ecolabelling is a voluntary activity.

The Main Objectives Related to Environment in Romania

2015-06-17T20:22:18+03:00

Â Â Â Environmental protection is one of the horizontal policies of the European Union theseÂ days. Its main aim is to design and apply all policies of the Community and its member states.Â The integrated approach shouid be linked to the general integration strategies of the lastÂ decade of the previous century which were lowly adjusted to the pattern of sustainableÂ development.
Â Â Â The Maastricht Treaty raises environmental policy to the "rank" of Community policyÂ and the Amsterdam Treaty includes the principie of sustainable development to the mainÂ Community objectives. It also regulates the application of the Environmental IntegrationÂ Principie to sectoral policies. The European Union has elaborated a complex system ofÂ horizontal Community Laws by designing six environment action programs. They occur inÂ the following fields: air quality, waste management, water quality, landscape protection,Â industrial pol Iul jn and risk management, dangerous chemical substances and geneticailyÂ modified organisms, noise, civil protection, nuclear safety and radioprotection. EU hasÂ changed the sectorial approach into an integrated one, has developed principles and action andÂ has taken important steps in internaÅ£ional cooperation on environment safety.
Â Â Â Currently, the European Union runs the stages of the Sixth Action ProgrammeÂ "Environment 2010-2015: Our future, Our choice" which focuses on four main areas ofÂ action: climate changes, environment and health, nature and bio-diversity and management ofÂ natural resources.
Â Â Â When adhering to the European Union, aceording to Negotiation Chapter 22, RomÃ¢niaÂ assumed to fulfill the European regulations and to allocate financial amounts in order to applyÂ coherent measures in the field of Environmental protection. As full member of the EuropeanÂ Union, RomÃ¢nia defined its own consistent policies in order to follow the strategic directionÂ and priorities of the European Commission. While the Community Acquis was alreadyÂ adopted, further actions and environmental activities aim to reach the targets for eachÂ negotiated transition period.