Different pathogenic fungi (e.g. Penicillium spp., Monilinia fructigena, Venturia inaequalis, Glomerella cingulata, Diaporthe eres etc.) can cause apple rot by producing pectic enzymes that break down apple pectin to expose the nutrients of the cells to the fungi. This study aimed to identify the pathogens that lead to the degradation of apples from five different varieties (‘Granny Smith’, ‘Topaz’, ‘Imperial Gala’, ‘Jonagold’ and ‘Golden Reinders’) and also the incidence of those pathogens under different treatment conditions. The results reveal different frequent attacks on distinct varieties ranging from 5 to over 50%. Of the pathogens that infect and occur in vegetation and deposit it can be seen that Venturia inaequalis has been identified in all varieties in most test variants. The highest frequency was recorded in the variant where during the vegetation period no treatments with fungicides against apple diseases were applied. Of the pathogens that infected and appeared during storage, isolated on the fruits, only Fusarium spp. and Penicillium spp. had a higher frequency. Applying treatments during the growing season reduced the rotting attack degree of apple fruits during storage. The best response to rot attack in the warehouse was ‘Topaz’ and ‘Jonagold’, the attack degree ranged between 0.3 and 10% on treated variants. By applying chemical treatments, the spectrum and the share of pathogens that lead to fruit degradation is different. This means that chemical treatments must be chosen depending on the nature of the pathogens and the apple variety.

The aim of our study was to clarify the effect of ozone exposure on several phytopathogenic fungi on stored apple fruits under different storage conditions. The study was conducted at Bistrita, Romania, in the storehouse of an experimental apple orchard in 2002 and 2003. Two widely grown apple cultivars (‘Jonathan’ and ‘Golden Delicious’) were used. General microbial examination of the fruits was made during storage in order to identify the most important storage pathogens. Efficacy of six ozone treatments was evaluted on fruit decay caused by phytopathogenic fungi. Monthly observations (January, February, March and April) were made of the degree of decay and three measurements were assessed (disease frequency, disease intensity and degree of attack). Our results showed that the most important phytopathogenic fungi during storage was blue mold, caused by species of Penicillium. Disease frequency of apple fruits was very high on cv. ‘Jonathan’, much higher than on cv. ‘Golden delicious’. Ozone treatments (25 ppm ozone for 0.5 and 1.5 hours in November) caused significantly lower disease incidence on stored apple than all other ozone treatments. For longer storage, it seems that additional ozone treatments in February increased treatment efficacy. Cv. ‘Golden delicious’ seemed to be more resistant to storage diseases than cv. ‘Jonathan’ both on the untreated and treated fruits. The effect of the ozone treatments was also the most effective when 25 ppm ozone was applied for 0.5 and 1.5 hours in November.

The influence of Fusarium ear infection on the maize yield and mycotoxin content (Transylvania-Romania) Maize is the host for a large number of pathogens, which invade all of its organs from the germination until being harvest, ear and grain infection often persistent even during storage. Diseases, through their symptoms reduce significantly the quantity and the quality of yield, estimated between 7-17% but, in the favorable years for this disease, they can be much greater. Fusarium diseases reduce yield value and quality by massive accumulation of Fusarium mycelium biomass (about 85%) on grain and ears and by mycotoxin contamination such as deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEA) and fumonisins (FUM). In this paper are presented aspects regarding the reaction of some maize hybrids under Fusarium spp. natural and artificial infections; the effect of Fusarium ear infection on yield, grain chemical composition, and mycotoxin content; the correlation between ear rot disease degree and yield ability, starch, protein and fat content. ANOVA evidenced the significant influence of experimental factors: infection conditions with Fusarium spp., maize genotypes, and their interaction on expression of the disease degree, yield capacity, protein, starch, fat and DON content. Average yield losses ranged between 7,0-9,3% during the experimental period. The hybrids Turda Star and Turda Favorit were more resistant to Fusarium ear rot, and Turda 165 was the most susceptible one. The artificial infection of ear with Fusarium spp. determined significantly decrease of starch and fat content and increases the protein and DON content for the most part of maize hybrids. Between rot diseased kernels and DON content a positive correlation was determined.

By studying mycorrhizal symbiosis, another important step is made in knowing the relationship between plants and soil microflora. Benefits that these symbiosis bring to plants and ecosystem are semnificative for the interpretation of physiological factors, like: extending the volume of soil accessible to plants, acquiring nutrient forms that would not normally be available to plants; for the ecosystem an important role is to soil structure and mechanical aggregation. In the pasture that we studied in the Apuseni Mountains we found as dominant species Carex hirta, percent in the floristic composition is 35-40%, and that is the primary reason for studying this plant. The study area is positioned at 2 meters far from the forest and the soil is caracterized by a big humidity – the subteran water is at a high level. To identify the influence of the forest, of the humidity and the relation with other plants in the pasture, first step was to find that plants of Carex hirta is colonized by mycorrhizal symbiosis. We harvest the plants with root from a 15 to 20 cm deep and we colored teh roots with a solution of ink with vinegar. The proposed method for diagnosis of mycorrhizal colonization on Carex hirta roots is specific for the area where the studies took place.

Net blotch disease caused by Pyrenophora teres is one of the most damaging fungal diseases of barley crop. This study screened comparatively the effectiveness of eleven fungicide products applied to malting barley (Hordeum vulgare L. conv. distichum Alef.) cultivar ‘Daciana’ in conditions from Transylvania. After fungicide treatment, the net blotch disease index decreased an average of 70.37-78.04% relative to untreated control. Fungicide application ensured an average of 28.66% grain yield increase, 7.51% thousand grains weight increase and 4.36% grain starch content increase relative to untreated control. Top performance was obtained by using products that contained demethylation inhibitors targeting sterol biosynthesis in combination with other active substances with a different mode of action particularly targeting mitochondrial respiration. It is a difficult task to achieve top performance on all dimensions: strict disease suppression, high quantity and quality grain yields. Preventing the occurrence of pathogen resistance to fungicide and minimizing negative effect on crop as well as remanence in the plant, are the main challenges for fungicide use and should receive further attention.