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Alongside wheat, maize is one of the most important species of cereals used for food and feed as well as in the bioethanol industry. As a result of this fact, maize is today the spotlight of many researchers, constantly trying to increase the productivity of this species, particularly important i from the economic point of view. The main aim of this article is to investigate the efficiency of the Blidar type filter-paper bridges (BFPB) in initiating the maize in vitro cultures for liquid culture media, in comparison with the conventional agarized culture media - solid culture media. In these experiments a modified Murashige-Skoog culture media (1962) (free of AIA and amino acids) supplemented or not with agar, were used. The inocula consisted in caryopsis of Zea mays L. (hybrid Kiskun 4255) and based on the results of these experiments it can be underlined that growth increases for the cultivated vitroplants on liquid culture media provided with filter-paper bridges compared with those conventianlly cultivated on an agarized culture media, as following 5.34% for dry weight and 356.09% for leafs length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is need for more records that aim to expose the effect of spent engine oil (SEO) on crop production. Hence using molecular and biotechnological methods, the genotoxic effect of spent engine oil - polluted soil on soybean (Glycine max) is documented here. Four kilograms (4 kg) of soil obtained at a depth of 1 - 20 cm from agricultural farmland was polluted with different concentrations (4 %, 6 % and 8 %) of spent engine oil, then planted with 4 seeds of Glycine max for 21 days. Results indicate a reduction in pH level of polluted soil to 5.43 ± 0.02, 5.38 ± 0.02 and 5.13 ± 0.02 in 4 %, 6 %, and 8 % SEO polluted soil samples respectively, when compared with 6.55 ± 0.20 in control (unpolluted) soil. The mineral components, THC, SOC, organic matter, and the concentration of potentially toxic metals (in the order Pb>Fe>Mn>Cd>Cr) were higher in the polluted soils. The G. max planted on polluted soil also experienced reduced growth factors, including leaf number, plant height, change in leaf colour from green to yellow, and mortality (only observed in 8 %). The molecular analysis indicated an increase of G max chromosomal breaks, shown by higher number of DNA bands, which reduced in quantity and purity relative to increasing level of dicharge of SEO. This result suggests a possible compromise of the plant DNA and function by SEO; thus indiscriminately discharging this pollutant in the environment portends a genotoxic effect on legumes and crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]