Pruteanu Augustina

@inma.ro

Department Testing
The National Institute of Research – Development for Machines and Installations Designed for Agriculture and Food Industry – INMA

Pruteanu Augustina


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https://researchid.co/raresel.10

RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS

Multidisciplinary, Agricultural and Biological Sciences, Engineering, Environmental Science
32

Scopus Publications

Scopus Publications

  • Multiyear Soil–Fruit Transfer Dynamics of Macro- and Trace Elements in Raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) Under Field Conditions
    Ionela Ramona Zgavarogea, Nadia Paun, Claudia Sandru, Violeta-Carolina Niculescu, Ana Maria Nasture, et al.
    Plants, 2026
    Understanding the soil–plant transfer of both essential and non-essential elements is crucial for evaluating the crop nutritional quality, environmental interactions, and food safety. This study delivered a multiyear and multielement assessment under field conditions of the element uptake, translocation, and accumulation in raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.), based on data collected over two growing seasons (2024–2025) in two contrasting Romanian agroecosystems. Two commercial cultivars (Opal and Delniwa) were investigated under fertilized and unfertilized conditions. The concentrations of essential macroelements such as Ca, Mg, Na, and K, as well as trace elements (Li and Sr), were determined in soils and fruits using ICP-OES and AAS. The soil–fruit transfer was quantified through the transfer factor, assisted by a robust statistical framework which integrated spatial–temporal variability and non-parametric analysis. The results highlighted two contrasting accumulation regimes. The essential macroelements revealed a dynamic uptake pattern driven by the physiological demand, soil availability, and fertilization. K exhibited the highest transfer capacity, while Ca had a restricted translocation to the fruits, due to the intrinsic transport limitations. On the other hand, Li and Sr revealed a constrained accumulation, characterized by low concentrations, weak responsiveness to fertilization, and a strong dependence on the soil geochemical background and interannual dilution processes. The spatial variability between the cultivation sites and year-to-year changes in the dilution intensity was evidenced as the dominant driver of the transfer efficiency, while the varietal differences had a secondary but detectable role, mainly for the Ca–Sr discrimination. Overall, the results evidenced that the multielement accumulation in the raspberries was governed by the interplay between the soil geochemistry, physiological transport constraints, and environmental variability. Furthermore, the research provided a field-based, multiyear evidence supporting improved soil management, cultivar selection, as well as the strategies that may increase the fruit nutritional quality while minimizing the trace element risks.
  • Induced Phytoextraction of Heavy Metals from Soils Using Brassica juncea and EDTA: An Efficient Approach to the Remedy of Zinc, Copper and Lead
    Augustina Pruteanu, Mihaela Nițu, Valentin Vlăduț, Mihai Matache, Iulian Voicea, et al.
    Environments Mdpi, 2026
    Contamination of agricultural soils with heavy metals, such as zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and lead (Pb), is a major problem for food safety and environmental sustainability. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of phytoremediation induced with Brassica juncea (Indian mustard) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in reducing the content of heavy metals in contaminated soils. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, using soil polluted with Zn, Cu and Pb, to which different treatments were applied, using: the biological method (Indian mustard only), the chemical method (EDTA in three concentrations: 0.5–1.0–2.0 mmol·kg−1) and the mixed method (Indian mustard and EDTA in three concentrations: 0.5–1.0–2.0 mmol·kg−1). The determinations included the analysis of the residual metal content by atomic absorption spectroscopy, as well as the evaluation of the physiological parameters of the plants (biomass, chlorophyll content in leaves, humidity, height). The results of unifactorial and bifactorial ANOVA revealed highly significant differences (p < 0.001) between the treatments and the types of metals, confirming the synergistic interaction between the chelation and phytoextraction processes. The combined treatments Indian mustard and EDTA in concentrations of 1.0 mmol·kg−1 and 2.0 mmol·kg−1, ensured the highest decontamination efficiency, with reductions of 51.5% for Zn, 36.3% for Pb and 27.5% for Cu. In conclusion, the mixed method represents a viable, ecological and reproducible strategy for the remediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals.
  • Sustainable Governance of Extreme Heat Risk in the Context of Occupational Safety and Health
    Daniel Onuț Badea, Doru Costin Darabont, Lucian-Ionel Cioca, Costică Bejinariu, Andreea Feraru, et al.
    Sustainability Switzerland, 2025
    Extreme heat disrupts labour, infrastructure, and health systems, yet most response frameworks intervene after clinical impact is confirmed. This review analyzes documented cases across sectors and regions to determine where heat effects are first detected and why intervention timing varies. The analysis used institutional reports, epidemiological summaries and occupational data to map how early functional signals appear across systems. A conceptual matrix is proposed to permit action to be authorized at the earliest sign of functional stress, using mortality, productivity, service instability, vulnerability, and adaptive capacity as operational inputs rather than retrospective outcomes. The analysis suggests that heat becomes observable first through reduced work capacity or infrastructure strain, not through hospital data, and that systems with predefined activation criteria engage earlier and with less irreversible loss. The matrix provides a transferable basis for integrating occupational, infrastructural, and clinical information into a unified heat response mechanism. This approach supports a transition from post-impact validation to forward-based decision logic, particularly in settings where vulnerable workers remain outside formal surveillance.
  • A review of current technologies for detecting and deterring harmful birds in horticultural crops
    A. Pruteanu, M.G. Matache, D.A. Carstea, R.D. Cristea
    Acta Horticulturae, 2025
  • Evaluation of Growth and Production Parameters of Raspberries and Blackberries Cultivated in Romania
    Augustina Pruteanu, Gabriel Alexandru Constantin, Nicoleta Alexandra Vanghele, Valentin Vlăduț
    Horticulturae, 2025
    There are a multitude of raspberry and blackberry varieties, and each of them develops differently depending on environmental factors and cultivation technology, so much research is needed to see which variety has the best yield in a desired area. This paper studied the growth under natural soil and specific climate conditions in the Bucharest–Ilfov region of Romania of a raspberry plantation and a blackberry plantation, both in their first year of vegetation. The studied interval, the period of June to October 2024, was established from the beginning of the ripening of the first fruits to the late ripening of the fruits. The study analyzed the correlations between the vegetative and productive parameters of the raspberry variety “Delniwa” and the blackberry variety “Thornfree” on productivity per plant. During the study period, good shoot formation was observed, with an average height of 1400 mm for raspberries and 3474 mm for blackberries (r = 0.99 to raspberries and r = 0.98 to blackberries); a good development of the average stem diameter of 8.54 mm for raspberries and 12.78 mm for blackberries (r = 0.96 la zmeur si r = 0.89 la mur), of the number of ripe fruits harvested (r = 0.68 to raspberries and r = 0.58 to blackberries), all of which are correlated with increased productivity of 820 g/plant for raspberries and 2050 g/plant for blackberries. The experimental data were statistically analyzed using linearized, polynomial and hyperbolic models to identify the relationships between the studied variables and to highlight growth variations and fruit production in raspberries and blackberries throughout the season. In the first year of vegetation, both crops recorded constant growth but with different rhythms: raspberries showed constant fruit production, with a peak in June–July and a slight resumption in September, while blackberries had high production at the beginning of summer, followed by a significant decrease in August. The results obtained support farmers who grow raspberries and blackberries under similar natural pedo-climatic conditions, contributing to crop planning and production optimization.
  • VEGETATIVE GROWTH AND YIELD DYNAMICS OF THE RASPBERRY CULTIVAR ‘OPAL’
    Augustina PRUTEANU, Andreea MATACHE, Nicoleta VANGHELE
    Inmateh Agricultural Engineering, 2025
    This study provides an original contribution through an integrated analysis of the vegetative growth and yield dynamics of the raspberry cultivar ‘Opal’, conducted over two consecutive years (2023–2024) under the specific pedoclimatic conditions of the Băneasa area in Bucharest. During the planting year (2023), early vegetative growth was evaluated, while in the productive year (2024), vegetative, yield-related, and pedoclimatic parameters were analyzed. A comprehensive analytical approach was applied, combining polynomial regression models (R² > 0.95) with multiple regression and Pearson correlation analyses to investigate multifactorial relationships. The results revealed a pronounced seasonal asynchrony: yield reached a clear maximum in June (391.6 g per plant) and subsequently declined, whereas vegetative growth continued, indicating a marked reallocation of resources following fruiting. Yield showed a strong negative correlation with vegetative development (r ≤ -0.93) and positive correlations with solar radiation and soil moisture (r ≥ 0.78). The final multiple regression model, integrating plant height, stem diameter, solar radiation, and soil moisture, explained 99.8% of yield variability (R² = 0.998), demonstrating strong predictive capability. The findings provide a solid scientific basis for optimizing raspberry cultivation practices and support the development of more efficient yield systems adapted to local climatic variability.
  • EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT OF THERMAL STRESS IN ORCHARDS THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INNOVATIVE IRRIGATION AND BIOFERTILIZATION TECHNOLOGIES
    Andreea Matache, Florin Nenciu, Nicoleta Alexandra Vanghele, and
    Fruit Growing Research, 2025
    In the context of climate change, improving orchard crop management is essential for effectively addressing the major challenges facing contemporary agriculture. Among these, the thermal stress generated by extreme temperatures and climate variability has an important negative impact on biodiversity, fertility, and soil health. In addition, it is vital to properly manage pests and pathogens that can affect crop quality and yield, as well as to adapt to hyper-intensive cultivation systems that aim to optimize the use of space and simplify harvesting processes. This study explores a number of alternative, sustainable, and effective technologies to improve productivity in orchards using advanced irrigation systems and the use of emergent biofertilizers. These agricultural technologies facilitate precise and efficient management of nutrients, water and biopesticide. The results of the conducted research have demonstrated that these innovative technologies can contribute to a significant long-term increase in productivity, as well as improve the quality of agricultural soils.
  • Novel solutions for mitigating drought impact and restoring soil functionality in agriculture
    Nicoleta-Alexandra VANGHELE, Nicolae-Valentin VLĂDUȚ, Augustina PRUTEANU, Andreea MATACHE, Laurentiu-Constantin VLĂDUȚOIU, et al.
    Inmateh Agricultural Engineering, 2025
    Drought and soil degradation represent critical challenges to sustainable agriculture and global food security, because they limit crop productivity and disrupt ecosystem services. The paper explores novel solutions designed to mitigate the impacts of drought and restore soil functionality in agricultural systems. The proposed approaches integrate innovative soil amendments, such as biochar and compost-based bioproducts, with advanced water conservation techniques and biological interventions aimed at improving soil structure, fertility, and moisture retention. Furthermore, the study examines the role of microbial inoculants and organic matter management in enhancing soil resilience to climatic stressors. This paper focuses on the analysis of case studies that illustrate notable advances in mitigating the effects of drought and improving the quality of agricultural soils through the use of unconventional and innovative technologies. The results highlight the effectiveness of integrating biological, physical, and chemical strategies, carefully adapted to specific site conditions. The adoption of these novel approaches has the potential to enhance the resilience of agricultural systems to climate variability, while simultaneously supporting productivity and long-term sustainability. This research supports the development of climate-smart agricultural approaches that harmonize productive farming with long-term environmental sustainability. This paper synthesizes and critically evaluates the most effective and current strategies identified in recent literature, offering a comprehensive overview aimed at advancing efforts to combat climate change.
  • Experimental Investigation of Magnetic Drum Separation Techniques for Dodder (Cuscuta L.) Seed Removal from Alfalfa Seed Mixtures
    Petruţa Petcu, Augustina Pruteanu, Valeria Gabriela Ciobanu, Ana-Maria Nicolau
    Agriculture Switzerland, 2024
    Thousands of species of parasitic weeds, such as dodder, pose significant threats to agricultural crops due to their ability to spread rapidly through seeds. When cultivated lands become infested with dodder, the quality of production declines, leading to substantial damage. The most effective way to limit the infestation of agricultural lands by parasitic weeds, particularly dodder, is to control the quality of seeds intended for sowing. To obtain seed material free of dodder seeds, special separation machines equipped with magnetic drums are used. These machines operate on the principle of magnetic fields acting on ferromagnetic particles, which helps differentiate the physical states of the seeds intended for separation. This paper presents experimental research on magnetic drum separation techniques for removing dodder seeds from alfalfa seed mixtures. The study examines variables such as magnetic drum speed, feed rate, amounts of iron powder, water, solution (water and glycerin), and the initial content of dodder seeds. The experimental results indicated that using a water–glycerin solution at optimal concentrations for moistening the seeds enhances the separation efficiency of dodder seeds from alfalfa seed mixtures, compared to using only water. Additionally, the numerical content of dodder seeds in the A and C sorts, which primarily contain the seeds of the main crop, decreases with each pass through the machine, resulting in higher quality seed material. The research found that using appropriate parameters—drum rotation speed (20 rpm), iron powder quantity (19 g/min), and seed feed rate (25.39 g/s)—achieved a “free” classification for dodder in alfalfa seeds. These findings are valuable for evaluating the performance of separation equipment with magnetic drums to obtain high-quality seed material. They are also beneficial for designers, machine-building units, and economic agents specializing in this field.
  • Evaluation of an Optical Sorter Effectiveness in Separating Maize Seeds Intended for Sowing
    Dan Cujbescu, Florin Nenciu, Cătălin Persu, Iuliana Găgeanu, Gheorghe Gabriel, et al.
    Applied Sciences Switzerland, 2023
    The current study focuses on analyzing the impact of integrating an optical sorter in a seed-separation technological flow, in terms of increasing the quality of the maize seeds appropriate for sowing. The study showed that there are situations when the use of optical separation may result in a number of difficulties in removing a variable rate of good seeds from the raw mass, which can bring economic disadvantages. The identified issue encouraged the development of several flow assessment approaches in order to determine the problem’s essence and to develop the best strategy for action. The key finding was that the evaluated optical sorting equipment cannot eliminate impurities without also removing good seeds, resulting in every 1% increase in impurity level and a rate of 0.70% of the good seeds lost. Therefore, farmers must carefully consider the scenarios where integrating optical sorting into their technological flow is a suitable option, considering the input material quality, the selling price of the product, and the risk of missing an important quantity of high-quality seeds. The working method described may be of significant importance to other farmers who intend to choose the components of grain-cleaning processes effectively.
  • Contributions to the Optimization of the Medicinal Plant Sorting Process into Size Classes
    Mirabela Augustina Pruteanu, Nicoleta Ungureanu, Valentin Vlăduț, Mihai-Gabriel Matache, Mihaela Niţu
    Agriculture Switzerland, 2023
  • REVIEW OF EFFECTIVENESS OF VISUAL AND AUDITORY BIRD SCARING TECHNIQUES IN AGRICULTURE
    Augustina Pruteanu, Nicoleta Vanghele, Dan Cujbescu, Mihaela Nitu, Iuliana Gageanu
    Engineering for Rural Development, 2023
  • RESEARCH ON THE ACCUMULATION AND TRANSFER OF HEAVY METALS FROM THE SOIL TO BERRIES (BLUEBERRIES - Vaccinium myrtillus L. and RASPBERRIES - Rubus idaeus)
    Mihaela NIȚU, Augustina PRUTEANU, Iuliana GĂGEANU
    Inmateh Agricultural Engineering, 2022
  • ACCUMULATION OF COPPER IN VEGETABLES AND FRUITS
    Augustina Pruteanu, Iulian Voicea, Viorel Fatu
    Engineering for Rural Development, 2022
  • EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH ON THE SEPARATION PROCESS OF SEEDS AND PULP, FROM THE FRUITS OF SEA BUCKTHORN
    Radu CIUPERCA, Alexandra-Liana VISAN, Augustina PRUTEANU, Ana ZAICA, Vasilica STEFAN
    Inmateh Agricultural Engineering, 2022
  • EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH REGARDING THE ACHIEVEMENT OF AN EQUIPMENT DESIGNED FOR CHOPPING WOODY WASTE
    Lucretia POPA, Viktor TROKHANIAK, Ana-Maria CONSTANTIN, Ciprian MIRON, Ana ZAICA, et al.
    Inmateh Agricultural Engineering, 2022
  • Using statistical modeling for assessing lettuce crops contaminated with zn, correlating plants growth characteristics with the soil contamination levels
    Petru Cardei, Florin Nenciu, Nicoleta Ungureanu, Mirabela Augustina Pruteanu, Valentin Vlăduț, et al.
    Applied Sciences Switzerland, 2021
  • Mathematical model to simulate the transfer of heavy metals from soil to plant
    Petru Cârdei, Cătălina Tudora, Valentin Vlăduț, Mirabela Augustina Pruteanu, Iuliana Găgeanu, et al.
    Sustainability Switzerland, 2021
  • The influence of environmental factors and heavy metals in the soil on plants' growth and development
    Nicoleta Alexandra Vanghele, Mirabela Augustina Pruteanu, Ancuţa Alexandra Petre, Andreea Matache, Dumitru Bogdan Mihalache, et al.
    E3s Web of Conferences, 2020
  • Impact assessment of soil contaminated with pollutants on cucumber growth
    Augustina Pruteanu
    Engineering for Rural Development, 2020
  • General tendencies of the behaviour of vegetables developed in a soil contaminated with heavy metals
    Augustina Pruteanu, Valentin Vladut, Petru Cardei, Despina Bordean
    Revista De Chimie, 2020
  • Heavy metals contamination of the soil - Water - vegetables chain in the Ilfov region
    Gabriel Mustăţea, Nastasia Belc, Elena Loredana Ungureanu, Radu Lăcătuşu, Jana Petre, et al.
    E3s Web of Conferences, 2019
  • Researches on the accumulation and transfer of heavy metals in the soil in tomatoes - Solanum lycopersicum
    Mihaela Niţu, Augustina Pruteanu, Despina Maria Bordean, Carmen Popescu, Gyorghy Deak, et al.
    E3s Web of Conferences, 2019
  • Researches in quality of dried and chopped chicory herb sorting process
    Augustina Pruteanu
    Engineering for Rural Development, 2019
  • Application of mechanical oscillations in medicinal plants sorting process
    Augustina Pruteanu, Mihaela Nitu, Catalin Persu, Dan Cujbescu
    Springer Proceedings in Physics, 2018
  • Particle size distribution of some chopped medicinal plants
    Augustina Pruteanu, Ladislau David, Mihai Matache, Nitu Mihaela
    Engineering for Rural Development, 2018
  • Research on algae growing in open system with cascade-type installation
    Ancuta Nedelcu, Lucretia Popa, Iuliana Gageanu, Augustina Pruteanu
    Engineering for Rural Development, 2018
  • Experimental researches regarding the dispersion angle of the nozzle jet from spraying machines
    UPB Scientific Bulletin Series D Mechanical Engineering, 2018
  • Experimental researches concerning heavy metals contamination (Cu, zn, pb) in leafy vegetables
    Augustina Pruteanu
    International Multidisciplinary Scientific Geoconference Surveying Geology and Mining Ecology Management Sgem, 2018
  • Research of technological process for medicinal plant separation
    Augustina Pruteanu, Mihai Matache, David Ladislau, Adriana Muscalu
    Engineering for Rural Development, 2017
  • Researches on quality of nettle (urtica dioica) screening process in order to obtain bioactive extracts
    UPB Scientific Bulletin Series D Mechanical Engineering, 2017
  • Researches on quality of lavender screening process
    Inmateh Agricultural Engineering, 2015