growing seasons of 2013-2014 and 2014-2015, in a private farm at El-Salheya El-Gedida City, Ismailia Governorate, Egypt, to investigate the effect of rice straw (RS) as alternative to sandy soil (SS) and drenching applications of potassium humate (K2-HA) at 2 g/l, potassium silicate (K2SiO3) at 5 g/l, and seaweed extract (SWE) at 0.5 g/l on improving growth of sweet pepper (capsicum annuum L.) plants under deficit irrigation every 2 (I2), 3 (I3) and 4 (I4) days in addition to daily irrigation (I1) as control. Plant samples were taken at 90 days after transplanting to record leaf area, shoot fresh and dry weights, in addition to, determination of leaf relative water content (LRWC), concentrations of  N, P, K and Ca. Mean values of drenching applications showed significant increase in the growth parameters ;shoot fresh and dry weights, leaf area, LRWC, as well as, concentrations of  N, P and Ca in the two seasons comparing to untreated control and the best results were due to K2-HA followed by SWE then K2SiO3. The highest concentration of  K was obtained by K2SiO3 followed by K2-HA then SWE. Plants were grown on RS showed significant increase in LRWC comparing to plants were grown on SS. Plants were applied with I2+ K2-HA+ SS showed the highest significant value of shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, leaf area, N, P and Ca concentrations followed by I2+SWE+SScomparing to control plants applied with I1+ SS without drenching applications. Plants were grown on RS showed significant increase in growth parameters comparing with control plants but less than those were grown on SS. The best results were achieved by I3 + K2-HA+ RS, I3 + SWE+ RS, I4 + K2-HA+ RS. Plants were grown on rice strawunderI3 irrigation and applied with K2-HA or SWE showed significant increase in N, P and Ca concentrations, while, under I4  irrigation an increase in N and P concentrations was obtained by K2-HA.The highest concentrations of k were observed with plants grown on SS under the highest level of irrigation deficit I4 by K2SiO3.It could be concluded from the present study that rice straw could alleviate the negative effect of low water supply and applications of K2-HA and SWE are recommended for enhancing sweet pepper growth and nutrient elements uptake under water deficit conditions.

Four common Egyptian Agricultural by products used for ruminant feeding were treated with different concentrations of Probiotic (ZAD) to study the effect of treatment on chemical composition of roughages. Roughages used were rice straw (RS), wheat straw (WS), corn stover (CS) and sugar cane bagasse (SCB). Concentrations of ZAD tested in this study were 0.05, 1.0, 1.5 and 2 ml/Kg of roughage. Roughages were mixed with ZAD solution and incubated anaerobically for 4 weeks. Results indicated that treatments decreased crude fiber (CF) contents of all roughages by 17 % in CS to 30% in SCB and increased EE by multiplication of 1.45 times in WS to 4.9 times in SCB. Statistical analysis showed no significant interaction between roughage source and ZAD concentration on chemical composition of roughages except for crude protein where interaction was significant (P<.05). Results also indicated that ZAD concentration over 0 ml/kg affected CF & CP contents, it was also noticed that CP of RS showed the highest response for treatment followed by SCB and CS, respectively. Crude protein of WS was not affected by different ZAD concentration. It was concluded that ZAD concentration of 1 ml/ 1 Kg of roughage is recommended for treatment to improve roughage chemical analysis.

Composting technique is considered as one of the environmentlly friendly methods used for recycling the excess residues of rice straw ( RS) and solving the environmental problems of olive pomace (OP) by-product of the olive oil industry. For this purpose, three compost piles were made from mainly rice straw, different ratios of olive pomace and some agricultural wastes viz. tomato hallum, banana residues and farmyard manure to evaluate the stability and maturity of composted materials during 90-day composting period. The first pile (A) was made of 60% RS+10% OP+10% tomato hallum+10% banana residues+10% farmyard manure, the second pile (B) wase made of 50% RS +20% OP+10% tomato hallum+ 10% banana residues+ 10% farmyard manure while the  third pile (C) was made from 40% RS + 30% OP10% tomato hallum+ 10% banana residues+ 10% farmyard manure. Representative compost samples were taken after 15, 30, 45, 60 and 90 days of the composting process. The results revealed that slight increase in temperature occurred through the first 2-3 days of composting to reach  the maximum values at 30 days of composting (thermophilic stage). All the composts showed a more pronounced increase in pH, EC, bulk density and total nitrogen, while total organic carbon significantly declined with composting progress. Consequentially, the C/N ratios became narrowed during composting process where they reached 18.80 for pile C. At maturity stage, the greatest values of humification parameters (Humification index, Humification degree and Humification rate) were obtained by pile C followed by pile B. Meanwhile, the ratio of  NH4+/NO3- as an indicator to nitrification process, Extinction coefficient (E4/E6) as well as CO2 rate decreased gradually to reach the minimum values. Finally, the highest values of germination index (92.22 and 95.39%) were achieved with pile C for cress and barley seeds, respectively

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of biological treatments to improvement on the in vitro digestibility disappearance for rice straw.  The parameter used in this study includes; gas-production, IVDMD, IVMOD and pH value. The experiment was divided into seven treatments: 1st treatment: considered as control group was used 3g from straw only. 2nd treatment: Fibrolytic enzymes group 0.3g with 3g from straw. 3rd treatment: Fibrolytic enzymes group 0.4g with 3g from straw. 4th treatment: Saccharomyces cerevisie group 0.3g with 3g from straw.   5th treatment: Saccharomyces cerevisie group 0.4g with 3g from straw. 6thtreatment: The mix group between fibrolytic enzymes group 0.3g and Saccharomyces cerevisie group 0.3g with 3g from straw. 7thtreatment: The mix group between fibrolytic enzymes group 0.4g and Saccharomyces cerevisie group 0.4g with 3g from straw.   The results showed a significant increase (P<0.05) of 6th group in gas production as compared with 3rd group at the beginning of the experiment. Also the 3rd group showed a significant increase (P<0.05) in gas production as compared with 5th group after 10 hrs. from the period of incubation. It has been observed that there was a significant increase (P <0.05) in the 3rd group in gas produced as compared with 4th  and 5th  group after 12 hrs from the period of incubation. The result also showed a significant effect (P <0.05) in the 2nd and 6th groups in the gas production as compared with 5th group after 24 hrs the period of incubation. It has been observed after 48 hrs the period of incubation, there was a significant effect (P<0.05) in gas produced in all treated groups as compared with 5th group. It has been noticed from the experiment that there was result a significant increase (P<0.05) in 5th, 6th groups of pH value as compared with 2nd and 4th groups. The results showed a significant effect (P<0.05) in the 3rd group in IVDMD as compared with 6th group, Similarly, there showed a significant effect (P<0.05) in the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th groups in the IVDMD as compared with 4th group. There was also a significant effect (P<0.05) in the 3rd in IVMOD value than that with 6th group. It has been shown that there was a significant effect (P <0.05) in the 6th group of IVMOD value as compared with 2nd, 4th and 7th groups. Finally it has observed that there was a significant effect (P <0.05) in the control group (1st), 5th and 7th groups in IVMOD value as compared with 4th group. It was concluded from this study that addition of fibrolytic enzymes and a combination of fibrolytic enzymes and saccharomyces cerevisie could improve digestibility of rice straw in vitro.

This study was carried out during two succes-sive seasons 2005 and 2006 on Anna apple trees budded on Balady apple rootstock, grown in sandy soil at (4 x 4m) apart under drip irrigation system, in a private farm at El-Khatatba, Monofia Gover-norate. A comparative study of some weed control treatments have been studied on Anna apple trees with its associated weeds. The tested weed control methods were using different colours of polyeth-ylene for mulching (green, blue, red, black and transparent), rice straw mulch, hand hoeing twice and two herbicides (Glyfosinate and Glyphosate) comparing with unweeded (control). All weed control treatments revented a significant reduction in fresh and dry weight of annual broad-leaved weeds, annual grasses, perennial and total weeds as compared with un weeded. The most effective treatments in decreasing fresh and dry weight of annual broad-leaves weeds were rice straw mulch-ing, followed by black polyethylene mulch and Glyfosinate. While, rice straw, black polyethylene and Glyphosate treatments were the most effective in decreasing fresh and dry weight of grass and total weeds. Also, the highest decrement in fresh and dry weight of perennial weeds were obtained by rice straw mulching and Glyphosate treatments. Moreover, results showed a remarkable improve-ment in growth, nutritional status of apple trees and yield (kg/tree). Also, physical and chemical properties of the fruits were improved. The most pronounced treatment developed under such study on the growth reduction of different grown weeds, meanwhile increased the apple tree growth, fruit yield associated with higher fruit quality was in rice straw mulching, black polyethylene mulching, Glyphosate treatments followed by hand hoeing twice treatment.Finally, it could be concluded that soil mulch-ing with rice straw can be used as a method for weed control in apple orchards. This method de-veloped such advantages over herbicides, polyeth-ylene mulch and hand hoeing in this concern. The possibility of using rice straw mulch for their many positive effects such as low coasts, in har-mony with ecosystem without no harmful residual effect especially for exported fruits and for pro-ducing safe fruits for human nutrition. In addi-tions, soil mulch with rice straw improving growth, leaves mineral contents as well as pro-duced higher yield and better quality of apple fruits.