Romanian consumers are open to new things, but the dairy market is highly competitive, with companies constantly looking for new products to attract customers. However, Romanian consumers are embracing this trend. This research aims to identify the direct and indirect factors influencing consumers' intentions to purchase and consume cow's milk versus plant-based alternatives. Data were collected online using Google Forms (n = 450), and a conventional sampling technique was employed to reach consumers. The study explores consumer behaviour towards dairy milk versus plant-based alternatives, focusing on purchase patterns, marketing, motivations for purchase, and the influence of socio-demographic factors. The results suggest that the nutritional and health benefits of milk and milk alternatives motivate consumers. 67% prefer milk, while 31% are open to plant-based alternatives — figures reflecting the current market size. In conclusion, Romanian consumers are open to new products, but intense promotion and attractive marketing strategies are needed to increase their intention to purchase dairy or alternative products.

When dealing with everyday life problems, people use a variety of coping strategies, depending on the actual situation and on their psychological and biological constitution. Biological variables may have a role in influencing the stress response and, thus, the use of specific coping mechanisms. The aim of our study was to examine this association. We have measured the preference for specific coping strategies using The Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Carver, Scheier, Weintraub, 1989). As biological variables we have considered the ABO blood type, the RH, sex and age of our respondents. Our sample is composed of 265 people, 85 from Bulgaria and 180 from Romania. Out of them, 62 of are men and 203 women. The mean age of the respondents is 32,08 years. The distribution of the blood types in our sample is: 90 blood type O, 113 blood type A, 42 blood type B and 20 blood type AB. A number of 173 respondents have positive Rh, while 54 have negative Rh (38 of the respondents do not know their Rh). Descriptive analysis shows that the most used coping mechanisms are: positive reinterpretation, planning and direct approach of problems. Seeking instrumental social support or emotional social support and acceptance are also preferred. The strategies less preferred are denial, behavioral disengagement and substance use. While the Rh shows no relevance for coping in the univariate analysis, the blood type appears to create a difference in using the social support dimension (F=2.742 p=.044), with the A blood type being the last willing to make use of such support. We have also found differences between men and women. Women obtain significantly higher scores (p<.05) on the scales measuring venting of emotions, the use of social support, active coping, planning and religious coping. Age shows positive correlations with active coping, planning and religious coping (p=.001), and negative correlations with mental disengagement and substance use (p=.01). We have also considered the joint influence of the biological variables upon the coping style, using GLM ANOVA-based statistical models. We have found some interaction effects, mainly for Rh and sex; for example, for the problem-focused dimension, we have found the highest mean for women with negative Rh (F=5,60, p=.019). Based on the results we can conclude that the coping profile of each person is complex and can be linked to specific biological variables.

Barberry species' flowers, fruits, and leaves are widely consumed due to their rich nutritional content and positive effects on health. This study determined the leaf mineral content levels of Berberis crataegina DC. genotypes collected from Kayseri province in the center of Turkey. The study material consisted of 10 genotypes collected from the Alidağı region of Kayseri province. A total of 13 mineral substances (Al, B, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, S, and Zn) were determined in the leaves of the genotypes. The mineral content of leaves differed among genotypes. The most abundant mineral substances in Barberry leaves were determined as Ca (906.32 - 3017.62 mg/kg), Mg (250.75 - 950. 50 mg/kg), K (240.50 - 850.50 mg/kg), P (150.50 -350.00 mg/kg), S (60.30 - 175.75 mg/kg) and Na (40.25 - 95.50 mg/kg). The leaves' lowest mineral substances were Ni (0.20 - 0.05 mg/kg) and Cu (0.85 - 1.95 mg/kg). As a result of the study, it was observed that barberry leaves growing naturally in the region have rich mineral content.

This study explores a sustainable strategy for recovering and assessing the bioactivity of resveratrol from Burgund grape pomace. Wet and dried pomace were milled and subjected to microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) with 99.9% ethanol (1:10 w/v, 20 min). Wet pomace yielded a slightly higher total polyphenol content (6.25 mg GAE/g) than dried samples (6.13 mg GAE/g). UHPLC analysis confirmed resveratrol levels of 0.047–0.055 µg/mL in wet pomace, exceeding those in dried samples. Antioxidant activity (DPPH assay) correlated strongly with polyphenol content. In silico profiling indicated compliance with Lipinski’s and Veber’s rules, high intestinal absorption (~91%), moderate permeability, CYP3A4-mediated metabolism, and a favorable safety profile. These findings demonstrate the efficiency of MAE and underline the therapeutic potential of resveratrol, supporting grape pomace as a reproducible, ethical, and eco-responsible resource.

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) is recognized for its rich profile of bioactive compounds and its broad potential in promoting health. Gaining deeper insights into these properties can help maximize its use within the food industry. The fruit is notably abundant in biologically active substances, especially (poly)phenols and terpenoids. Researchers indicates that various food processing methods can significantly impact the concentration and efficacy of these compounds. From a health perspective, both in vitro (laboratory-based) and in vivo (animal or human) studies have demonstrated that elderberry exhibits a variety of beneficial effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiviral (particularly against influenza), antimicrobial, antidiabetic, cardioprotective, and neuroprotective activities. These effects are believed to occur through modulation of key cellular signaling pathways and molecular targets. Despite the encouraging evidence, clinical trials confirming these health benefits in humans are still relatively scarce. Nonetheless, elderberry remains a promising natural ingredient with strong potential for use in functional foods and nutraceuticals designed to help prevent or manage chronic health conditions. The objective of this study is to analyze the plant productivity and fruit quality of two edelberry cultivars in Mărăcineni, Argeş.

For 3 years (2021-2023) on the chernozem of Caracal, the influence of the Ympact biostimulator on the winter wheat variety Glosa was studied through the prism of numerous characters classified according to phenophases as follows: plant growth and development (number of sprouted plants/m2, number of siblings/plant, total plant biomass in spring, root biomass in spring, height); formation of generative organs (number of fertile siblings/m2, spike length, number of grains/spike, weight of grains/spike), production formation (number of spikes/m2, number of grains/m2, mass of 1000 grains); harvest production and its quality (production, total plant biomass, harvest index, hectoliter mass). In addition to Ympact, the biostimulator Kerafol was also tested, both in two doses and 2 variants not treated with biostimulator. The correlations calculated for the entire experiment showed that production was correlated with the number of siblings/plant, root biomass, grain weight/ear, total dry biomass and harvest index, and those calculated strictly for the variants treated with Ympact revealed strongly positive correlations with the number of plants/m2 and total dry biomass.

The genus Lunaria L. belongs to the Brassicaceae family and is of interest to humans due to its numerous properties. This study aimed to investigate Lunaria redivivus's tolerance to high temperatures, low positive temperatures, and soil salinity by germination of the seeds. To achieve this goal, the following objectives were established: assess the high-temperature tolerance, low-temperature tolerance, and salt tolerance of Lunaria rediviva by measuring the percentage of germinated seeds under these conditions. Seeds were germinated in the Petri dishes. Six different concentrations of the salt were used. A seed was considered germinated if it produced a root. This species is not tolerant of high temperatures for germination. The tolerance to the low positive temperatures is at a medium level. A salt concentration of 2% totally blocked germination. A low salt concentration (up to 0.5% of salt) does not significantly influence the germination of the seeds. At a 1% salt concentration, seed germination was very low. Overall, the salt tolerance of Lunaria rediviva is moderate.

Kalanchoe is a perennial succulent plant belonging to the Crassulaceae family and is highly susceptible to various pathogens, particularly fungal and bacterial diseases. Among these, anthracnose is one of the most prevalent disease factors affecting Kalanchoe. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a bioformulation containing four plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) strains—Bacillus subtilis (61.29e and 3.3a) and Bacillus thuringiensis (2B3-1 and 2B2-2)—in controlling anthracnose disease. PGPR solutions were prepared at two concentrations (3×10⁸ and 3×10³ CFU/mL), and six treatment groups were established by foliar spraying on the plants: (1) application of diluted bacterial solution (3×10³ CFU/mL) four days after anthracnose inoculation, (2) full-dose bacterial solution (3×10⁸ CFU/mL) applied four days after inoculation, (3) repeated full-dose application at four-day intervals post-inoculation, (4) culture medium application four days after inoculation, (5) bacterial application followed by anthracnose inoculation after four days, and (6) control group with anthracnose inoculation only. The results demonstrated that the application of PGPR prior to disease inoculation was the most effective strategy in reducing disease symptoms. This was followed by the application of the full-dose bacterial solution post-inoculation. In contrast, application of the diluted solution after infection showed higher disease incidence. Nevertheless, all PGPR treatments, whether applied before or after infection, significantly outperformed the control and culture medium treatments in suppressing anthracnose. These findings highlight the potential of Bacillus spp. based PGPR formulations as promising biological control agents for anthracnose management in ornamental plants, contributing to the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly plant disease management strategies.

The experiments aimed to evaluate the efficacy of some fungicides for the control of pathogens in peppers and eggplants crops under high plastic tunnels. The crops (extended cycle) were established on May 9, in the 2024 year, at R.D.I.V.F.G.-Vidra. The biological material was represented by 2 bell pepper hybrids (Piedone F1 and Blancina F1) and 2 eggplant hybrids (Aragon F1 and Epic F1). Experiments included 5 variants (V5. Untreated control), with 3 replicates. Four treatments with fungicides were applied, at 10-day intervals. The tested products were: V1. Amistar 0.1%, V2. Dagonis 0.1%, V3. Ortiva Top 0.1% and V4. Cidely Top 0.1%. On peppers crops, the Piedone F1 hybrid was attacked by the pathogens Alternaria solani and Colletotrichum capsici, and the Blancina F1 hybrid only by the pathogen Alternaria solani. On eggplants crops, the Epic F1 hybrid was attacked by the pathogens Alternaria solani and Botrytis cinerea, and the Aragon F1 hybrid, only by the pathogen Botrytis cinerea. Among the tested fungicides, Ortiva Top 0.1% and Amistar 0.1% for peppers and Dagonis 0.1% and Amistar 0.1% for eggplants stood out for their efficacy and yield. The Blancina F1 peppers hybrid is less sensitive to the attack of the pathogens Alternaria solani and Colletotrichum capsici and the Aragon F1 eggplants hybrid is less sensitive to the attack produced by Alternaria solani and Botrytis cinerea.

inoculated PGPR (Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria) applications on the growth of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The experiment was carried out under unheated greenhouse conditions using a commercial NPK fertilizer (18:18:18) and five different PGPR isolates: Bacillus megaterium U2-1, Pseudomonas putida 9-4-2, Bacillus thuringiensis 2B-2-2, Bacillus spp. 2B-3-1, and Bacillus pumilus EU-20. The bacterial treatments were applied by soaking the seeds for one minute in bacterial suspensions at a concentration of 1×10³ cfu; the control group was treated with sterile distilled water under the same conditions. Observations were conducted until the beginning of the flowering stage to evaluate the effects of PGPR on plant development. The results revealed that bacterial applications significantly enhanced plant height, stem diameter, fresh and dry plant weight, root fresh and dry weight, root length, leaf area, and leaf number compared to the control. Overall, the effects of different rhizobacterial isolates on growth parameters were found to be comparable to those of commercial fertilizer applications. These findings highlight the potential of PGPR formulations as promising biostimulants agents in vegetable production and their role in promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly cultivation practices.