The 21st edition of the national conference on soil science "The Historical Banat: soil, agriculture, traditions", 23-28 august 2015, Timisoara

Abstract

The United Nations decided 2015 to be the International year of soils in order to raise awareness and promote a more sustainable usage of these critical resources worldwide. Healthy soils represent the key support for obtaining agroalimentary products, fuel, fibres, and medical products, as they play an essential role in the ecosystems. The 21st edition of the National Conference on Soil Science with international participation was organized in Timisoara on 23 - 28 August 2015, under the care of the Romanian National Society of Soil Science. The conference represented a good opportunity to analyse and debate the current soil issues, in their various aspects in order to establish viable agricultural strategies and policies. Since 1961, when the first National Conference on Soil Science was organized in Timisoara, coordinated by the founding members of the Romanian National Society of Soil Science, until today there have been organized 20 editions. Among the latest events organized by the territorial organizations of the Romanian National Society of Soil Science we can mention the ones organized in Timisoara (2003, 2015); Cluj – Napoca (2006); Iasi (2000, 2009); Craiova (2012). Banat represents the historical region situated between the rivers Mures (North) and Tisa (West) the Danube river (South) and The Carpathians, between the narrow pass from Zam and Cerna river springs (East). The total surface of the historical Banat is of 28,526 Km2, being currently situated on the territory of three states: Romania – Romanian Banat with the surface of18, 966 Km2 (66.5%); Serbia – Serbian Banat with the surface of 9,276 Km2 (32.5%) and Hungary with the surface of 284 Km2 (1.0 %). During the 21st edition of the National Conference on Soil Science organized in Timisoara there have been analysed and discussed the current aspects related to the use of soil resources, with practical on field applications in the following counties Timis, Arad, Caras – Severin (Romania); Csongrad (Hungary) and Pancevo (Serbia).