Volume 12 (2020): Issue 1 (December 2020)

The PM₁₀ concentration reduction caused by large-scale precipitation in the Ciuc Basin was studied under no-wind conditions. The PM₁₀ concentration changing before, during, and after the rainfall was followed up from 2008 to 2019. After the rainfall episode, the PM₁₀ concentrations were lower in the cold and warm periods with 2.8 μg/m^3, and 2 μg/m³ respectively. The highest PM₁₀ concentration reduction was detected in the cold season, by the moderate and light rain intensity, after 6 hrs of continuous rain (35.61%, 32.46%), and the average PM₁₀ concentration reduction in the cold and warm periods was 22.3% and 16.1% respectively.

Today, the countries of the world have to face several global challenges with regard to the plans they have developed together. The protection of the natural values of our country and their sustainable use is receiving more and more attention in today’s society. In order to achieve the above, a change of perspective in social strategy built on knowledge and professional training is inevitable. An environmental strategy paradigm shift emphasizing the protection of biodiversity, resources, and landscape cultivation is also necessary. The need for documents providing a basis for the paradigm shift is indubitable; however, more efforts are needed to induce fundamental changes by plans detailed in the documents.

The aim of this study is to review the current environmental protection initiatives in Hajdú-Bihar County and to assess the degree to which the relevant plans are harmonized and that the objectives outlined in the documents overlap.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can be used to promote the productivity of legumes on phosphorus- (P) deficient soils. The present study investigates the inoculation effects of three AMF species (Funneliformis mosseae, Rhizophagus intraradices, and Claroideoglomus etunicatum) and the control (uninoculated) on nitrogen fixation efficiency and growth performance of tropical soybean cultivar (TGx1448-2E) under varying P fertilizer rates (0, 20, and 40 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹) in a derived savannah of Nigeria. The results showed that shoot and root dry matter, number of nodules, relative ureide abundance (RUA), nitrogen derived from atmosphere (Ndfa), total N fixed, shoot P uptake, grain, and biomass yield significantly increased with AMF inoculation, with better performance observed in plants inoculated with Rhizophagus intraradices and Funneliformis mosseae compared to Claroideoglomus etunicatum. Similarly, the soybean growth variables, P uptake, and nitrogen fixation activities increased with increasing P application rates. Conversely, AMF root colonization significantly reduced with increasing P rate. Interaction of AMF inoculation and P rates significantly influenced soybean growth and nitrogen fixation. R. intraradices inoculation with 20 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ resulted in the highest amount of RUA, Ndfa, N fixed, and grain yield. It could be concluded from this study that R. intraradices with moderate P rate could be used to enhance nodulation, nitrogen fixation, and soybean yield in P-deficient soils.

Two separate experiments were done for seedling and adult resistance in rice varieties against blast. Each experiment consists of 20 varieties and is evaluated under artificial inoculation with blast. The result of the study confirmed that NERICA varieties have shown low disease infection at the seedling stage whereas the varieties Chewaka and Edget have shown adult plant resistance. Severe yield reduction and highly diseased grain were obtained from Superica-1, which is highly susceptible at adult plant stage. In contrast, the maximum grain yield was obtained from the Chewaka and Edget varieties, these having a high level of adult resistance. Therefore, Chewaka and Edget are promising candidates for utilization in yield and blast resistance in rice improvement.

The genetic diversity of common bean accessions were assessed using seed storage protein markers. At regional level, accessions from the two major growing regions showed the highest level of gene diversity (H = 0.322, I = 0.485, and H = 0.312, I = 0.473), which can be exploited for the future improvement of the crop. Based on phaseolin, the major storage protein in common bean, the majority of the accessions (86%) were grouped under Mesoamerican gene pool. Seed proteins were also used to differentiate various Phaseolus species, indicating the usefulness of seed storage proteins in species identification in this genus.

In our empirical research, we examined the agriculture of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County. We surveyed the situation of agriculture through farmers using certain criteria to rank the situation within the framework of a SWOT analysis. The responses received from farmers in the county were quantified and evaluated on the basis of what these farmers have considered to be true. The interdisciplinary study of agriculture is a timely and important task. It can be enforced on the basis of systemic contexts studying not only food production but also environmental issues, preservation of rural habitats, employment, and regional development.

In this research, we investigated the variability of soil moisture on two slopes of opposite aspect (a northern slope and a southern slope) but with the same soil type. To identify the spatial disposal of the soil type on both slopes, we georeferenced the paper-based soil map of Sfântu Gheorghe, using the QGIS platform. In order to use the correct slope aspect, we used a numerical model of the terrain (relief). The research plot was soil sampled at the depth of 10 cm on two different dates: on 7 November 2019 and on 3 March 2020, using a Buerkle soil sampler.

Gravimetric method was used to determine the soil moisture values that proved to be the most accurate for our purpose.

The soil moisture values, obtained in weight percentage, were assigned to the coordinates of the sampling points, and soil moisture maps were generated in QGIS for both slopes and for both sampling dates. These maps gave us the opportunity to evaluate the variability in time of the soil moisture distribution on the sample plots.

The water holding capacity of the soils is mostly influenced by their organic C content. So, the total organic carbon content of the soil from the sampling plots was measured using the Tyurin method.