Rodica Soare

The aim of this study was to observe the effect of foliar fertilization with organic products on the nutritional quality of fruits stored. The time between harvest and consumption of fruits and vegetables, may be up to several weeks. In this regard, the storage capacity of tomato fruits at three hybrids has been studied: Antalya, Chocolat and Tiger. The culture was founded in a greenhouse in the south-west of Romania. The fruits were stored at a temperature of 15°C ± 0.5°C and a relative atmospheric humidity of 82% for a period of 42 days. In order to assess the nutritional fruit value during storage, biochemical analyzes were carried out at 7, 21, 35 and 42 days. Experimental results have shown that the best variants of organic manure and storage time, which positive influenced the content of carotene and vitamin C were variants with humic acids + Vitis vinifera seeds extract and humic acids + extract from the seeds of Vitis vinifera + Boro.

The introduction of less common leafy vegetables in the human diet is a priority due to their antioxidant capacity and mineral, flavonoid, and vitamin content. The current article presents a comparative study of the minerals, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant activity in the leaves of less commonly cultivated vegetable species in Romania, specifically sweet potato, three varieties of perilla, and water spinach. The results obtained indicate high variability in minerals and nutrients across these vegetable species. Higher values were identified in red-leaf perilla for P (2694.1 mg kg⁻¹dw), Ca (43,990.0 mg kg⁻¹ dw), Mg (16,696.0 mg kg⁻¹ dw), Na (523.0 mg kg⁻¹ dw), and Zn (43.9 mg kg⁻¹ dw); for K (31,971.0 mg kg⁻¹ dw) in sweet potato; for Cu (17.9 mg kg⁻¹ dw) and Fe (110.0 mg kg⁻¹ dw) in marmorated-leaf perilla; and for Mn (101.0 mg kg⁻¹ dw) in water spinach. The total polyphenol content and high antioxidant activity were 5656 mg GAE g⁻¹ dw and 27.66 µM TE g⁻¹ dw, respectively, in green-leaf perilla. Nineteen bioactive compounds identified within the three species studied varied greatly by species and variety. These results demonstrate that the mineral composition and bioactive compounds of the leafy vegetables studied vary greatly, suggesting that a combination of them may contribute to a diversified human diet with a wider range of nutrients. The mineral composition of the studied species may also contribute to the development of functional foods.

Basil is a species of the genus Ocimum, Lamiaceae family recognized for its bioactive constituents that underlie applications in nutrition, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. This paper presents a comparative study on the mineral content, total polyphenols, and antioxidant activity of a selection of 12 basil genotypes cultivated in the southwest of Romania. The results demonstrated that the studied genotypes exhibited different antioxidant profiles, being an excellent source of mineral substances and phenolic compounds that can be used to address nutritional and antioxidant deficiencies in the daily diet. The mineral element concentrations in the studied genotypes varied as follows: Ca from 17,901 to 29.490 mg kg-1 D.W.; Mg from 5.891 to 11.997 mg kg-1 D.W.; K from 12.502 to 29.209 mg kg-1 D.W.; Na from 33.10 to 95.63 mg kg-1 D.W.; Cu from 6.28 to 11.2 mg kg-1 D.W.; Fe from 105.0 to 293.0 mg kg-1 D.W.; Mn from 37.9 to 89.0 mg/kg-1 D.W. and Zn from 11.0 to 57.9 mg/kg-1 D.W. The antioxidant activity, determined by the DPPH method, ranged from 27.43 µM TE g-1 D.W. to 30.66 µM TE g-1 D.W., while the total polyphenol content varied from 1.056 mg g-1 D.W. to 6.087 mg GAE g-1 D.W. These results support that the genotypes studied can be cultivated and used as raw material for obtaining nutraceutical products or in the food industry. These genotypes could be further cultivated and used as raw material for the production of nutraceutical products or in the food industry.

The pharmacological properties of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) make this plant a green pharmacy that has anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant, wound healing and antiviral properties possessing a wide range of bioactive phytochemicals, including alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, reducing sugars, cardiac glycosides, steroids and glycosides. In this study, 11 genotypes from different areas of the world and a variety obtained at BRGV Buzău cultivated in 2022 in the Teaching Field of the Faculty of Horticulture in Craiova were used. The morphological characters analyzed placed the genotypes in different classes. Considerable variations were observed between individual genotypes, which were predominantly due to the morphological characters of the plant and obviously to the amount of vegetative mass obtained. The most representative character was the production of fresh and dry biomass, highlighting 3 genotypes with a production of over 2000 g/plant and 5 genotypes with over 1000 g/plant.

Kale (Brassica oleracea L. convar. acephala (DC.), belongs to the Brassicaceae family and has a wide variety of uses: culinary, in landscape architecture, in traditional medicine, or as a plant with allelopathic potential through plant residues introduced into the soil releases glycosinolates that have a nematocidal effect. In Europe there are numerous genotypes introduced into the culture. The aim of this study was to analyze the morphological and production characters of an assortment of kale genotypes grown in South-West Region of Romania. The morphological character with the highest variability was plant height, which varied from 45 cm to 74.2 cm. The leaf rosette diameter registered the lowest value of 57 cm and the highest was 70.4 cm. The lenght and width of the leaf varied from 35.4 cm to 45.4 cm and respectively, from 9.05 cm to 16.47 cm, while the average weight of fresh leaves raged between 28.98 g and 56,15 g. All previously mentioned characters influenced useful production of leafy cabbage, which registered an amplitude of variation between 2.23 kg/m2 and 4.90 kg/m2. The morphological and productivity variability registered from within the analyzed genotypes, indicates a high diversity and a degree off their adaptability for cultivation in extensive crops in the SouthWestern area of Romania.

This study presents the characterization of 10 local hot pepper populations selected from the existing germplasm collection within the vegetable growing laboratory of the Faculty of Horticulture in Craiova regarding morphological and productivity characters. Variability analysis indicated low to high variability for most of the characters studied. The average values ranged between 5.3 cm and 10.1 cm for fruit length, between 1.12 cm and 9.38 cm for fruit diameter, between 1.96 cm and 2.86 cm for peduncle length, and for the index of shape values were between 0.69 and 7.58, indicating a conical-elongate fruit shape in most populations. Regarding the number of fruits per plant, there was a very large variation, from 9.1 fruits/plant at V1 De Mârsani to 107 fruits/plant, and the weight of the fruit was between 2.8 g and 11.1. g, and fruit production/ha varied from 3.5 t and 21.0 t/ha. The differences between the studied populations suggest that they can be used in breeding programs for this species.

Cucumis metuliferus E. Meyer ex Naudin belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae. It is an annual vegetable species known as horned melon or kiwano. Fruits are recommended for the daily diet because they provide vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals to alleviate malnutrition and improve human health. In this study, kiwano was cultivated in the climatic conditions of Southwestern Romania, which is characterized by warm summers, lower precipitation, and high temperatures, ensuring optimal conditions for growth and development. The fruits were harvested at three stages of consumption: immature stage (green), intermediate stage (white–yellow) or the mature stage (yellow–orange). They were also subjected to analysis on the productive yield and physical–chemical properties. The results showed that the number of fruits ranged from 13.9 to 15.3 fruits/plant, and their average weight had values from 204 g to 234 g, depending on the harvest stage. The results obtained for bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity indicated significant differences (p ≤ 0.05), depending on the harvesting stage. The highest values for the antioxidant capacity (140.90 μM TE/100g DPPH) and total polyphenols (48.78 TPC mg/100 g) were recorded in the immature fruit phase, as well as for the carbohydrate content (3.56%), total protein (1.98%), ascorbic acid (4.3 mg/100 g f.w.), and carotene (0.98 mg/100 g) in the mature fruit phase. These results may stimulate interest in the introduction of this species as a niche crop and for consumption as a source of natural antioxidants for the prevention of diseases due to oxidative stress.

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is a species of the Cucurbitaceae family cultivated mainly in protected areas in Romania. Cucumber fruits are sources of nutrients necessary for human health, and awarness of quality attributes can satisfy the demands of consumers who are becoming more informed lately. The aim of the study was to analyze of some quality indices in two hybrids of cucumbers, Amour F1 and Capricorn F1 grown in solar, on a soil mulched with black polyethylene film. The quality analyzes were performed immediately after harvesting, at technological maturity and were focused on: ph, titratable acidity, SSC, reducing sugars, glucose, fructose, ascorbic acid, total phenolics and flavonoids content. The results showed that the hybrid Amour F1 recorded higher values in terms of content in SSC, ascorbic acid and total phenolics and in mulched variants compared to the variantes without mulching.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the content of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity of some fresh vegetables from the local market. Recently, attention has been paid to plants phenolic compounds in the diet due to their role in maintaining health. The total phenolic content was determined colorimetric and the antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH radical scavenging assay. The results show that studied chemical indices vary depending on the analyzed vegetable. The studied vegetables show a high phytochemicals content and significant antioxidant activity and recommend their use as sources of phenolic compounds and natural antioxidants.

This study evaluated the elements of production, the content of bioactive compounds, and the antioxidant activity of some types of garlic: softneck—Allium sativum L. var. sativum, Rocambole—A. sativum var. ophioscorodon (Link) Döll, and chives—A. schoenoprasum L. The mean yields and the distribution of bioactive compounds in the bulb, in the cloves of the bulb, as well as in the bulbils formed in the inflorescence, were determined. The average production/ha in the case of chives highlighted a yield of 27.83 t ha⁻¹ of mature bulbs. All these were determined to obtain a better understanding of the biological functionality of the different morphological parts of this species. The content of vitamin C and flavonoids was significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) in Rocambole than in the other varieties. The phenolic compounds were higher in the case of chives, followed by Rocambole and then by softneck garlic. The content of bioactive compounds was higher in the younger organ, depending on the morphological organ (bulbs, cloves, and bulbils on flower stalks) within the same variety. The vitamin C content was higher in the cloves (15.68 mg 100 g⁻¹), followed by the bulbils in inflorescence (14.64 mg 100 g⁻¹), and the mature bulb (13.14 mg 100 g⁻¹) in Rocambole. The bioactive profile of garlic depends on the age of the morphological organ, and the bioactive concentration decreases with its maturity. Therefore, unripe garlic has the best potential to be used for its health benefits. The versatile health effects and nutraceutical properties of garlic can be attributed to the variety of bioactive compounds, mainly polyphenolic substances with strong antioxidant properties, as well as the morphological organ (mature bulb with cloves, a one year bulb derived from bulbil, or bulbil in bloom).