Viorel Mitre

Chromatographic Analysis of Carotenoids and Anthocyanins in Sweet Cherry Autumn Leaves Used in Ornamental Landscapes

The pigments composition of sweet cherry leaves (Prunus avium L.) were identified for the first time under condition of Cluj-Napoca city. Five cherry tree varieties (Merchant, Early Red, Lapins, Burlat, Kordia) have been selected in autumn of 2016 in order to identify and quantify the major pigments in these types of leaves. Five carotenoids (lutein, βcarotene, zeaxanthin, cis-β-caroten, α-carotene) and one major anthocyanin (cyanidin-3-glucoside) were found in cherry leaves. The main carotenoids identified in all cultivars were lutein (340.55 μg/g), followed by β-carotene (147.06 μg/g). Early Red cultivar had the highest content of cyanidin-3glucoside (17.96 mg/100g), followed by Kordia variety (11.46 mg/100g). Cyanidin-3-glucoside is responsible for red coloration of the leaves, meanwhile lutein, β-carotene, zeaxanthin, cis-β-carotene and α-carotene are providing yellow to orange colours of the leaves. The coloration of sweet cherry leaves, given by the accumulation of anthocyanin and carotenoids in autumn, makes this species suitable for ornamental use in urban design.

Preliminary Research Concerning the Application of Viermicompost on Aphid Control in Fruit Growing

There is a growing interest for sustainable agriculture as a response to consumer’s health interest. Vermicompost is a product that answers to this demand. Due to the complex chemical composition it can be used both as a fertilizer, and pesticide. The experiment was conducted in laboratory conditions. On infested branches with black cherries aphids, three different concentrations of liquid vermicompost were applied. The variants were separated by an insulator made from solid framework covered with gauze and each of them consisted in three replicates. The data was registered at 24h, 48h, and 72h when the number of dead individuals was rated and at seven days when both alive and dead individuals were counted. Regarding the effect of liquid vermicompost concentration, the highest mortality was obtained in variant 2 (1:5) with a percentage of 82.72%. Variant 3 follows with the most concentrated solution of vermicompost (1:3), but a lower percentage 73.84%. In variant 1 (1:10) the mortality was of 70.59%, this represents the lowest value registered. Â

THE INFLUENCE OF FOLIAR FERTILIZATION UPON GROWING AT FIVE APPLE VARIETIES FORM E.U. IN SUPERINTENSIVE CULTURE

SUMMARY In order to reveal the behavior during production p rocess of several apple varieties over Cluj-Napoca tree-growing area, there has been organ ized a competition culture including five varieties of apple. Trees were planted in autumn 20 05, at 3,5/0,9 m distance from one another, thus reaching a thickness of 3174 per ha. The fertilizers utilized in the experience were : F erticare 1, Ferticare 2, Ferticare 3, Ferticare Starter and Power in different concentrat ion amounts. Several aspects regarding trees-size and girth, phe nology of flowering, yielding potential, fruit quality from the point of view of taste and chemical compositions (dry matter and sugar contents, acidity); then, feeding value a nd disease hardiness were taken under study. Apples are very appreciated for their flavor and nu tritional value being used all over the year in the human diet. They are rich in carbohydra tes (glucose, fructose, pectic substances, cellulose, hemicellulose). The organic acids (citri c, malic, succinic, oxalic) are the most important components of the flavor of apples and th ey represent 0.3-0.5 %. The most important vitamins in the apple fruit are: vitamin C (ascorbic acid, around 35 mg/100 g), provitamin A, B etc.