The influences of grafting treatments (6001 and Star rootstocks in addition to, check nongrafted transplants) and some foliar spray treatments (potassium silicate at rate 4 and 5 ml/L, calcium at rate 1 and 2 ml/L and check) on growth, yield and fruit quality of watermelon cv. Aswan F1 were investigated. The experiment was conducted in Baloza Research Station, Desert Research Center, at North Sinai Governorate during the two successive growing seasons of 2016 and 2017. The results indicated that plants sprayed with potassium silicate at a rate 5 ml/L or grafted onto Star rootstock recorded the highest significant values on transplant stand (success) percentage, vegetative growth characteristics (plant length, fresh and dry weight), yield and its components (fruit weight, fruit size, rind and flesh thickness and total yield), while the lowest values were observed in check nongrafted plants. Meanwhile, grafting had reducing effect on fruit quality, where the highest values of total soluble solids and total sugars were found in the fruits of nongrafted plants. The application of 5 ml/L potassium silicate gave the best significant values of TSS and total sugars compared with check treatment during the two studied seasons.

The present experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of acidifiers on growth performance and immunity of the African catfish C. gariepinus. This experiment was carried out in the wet lab of Fish Production Branch, Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University. A total of 120 fish were selected as healthy catfish which had a uniform size and average weight of 94.93 ± 0.89 g. A thirty of catfish were used in each treatment divided into three replicates as (10 fish/ quadrate tank). Four experimental diets were formulated at 35 % crude protein with different levels of organic acid blend (OAB); diet was supplemented with 0, 2, 4 and 6 ml of organic acid per kilogram diet. Growth parameters, apparent digestibility of crude protein and ether extract were measured. The chemical proximate analysis for whole-body of fish was conducted at the end of the experimental period. Hematological parameters of fish and liver function enzymes were also measured. The fish group fed on 0.6 % organic acids blend showed the highest significance (P < 0.05) increase in total weight gain (438 ± 14.24 g), specific growth rate, best feed conversion ratio, feed efficiency ratio and highest protein efficiency than the rest of experimental groups. The highest apparent digestibility for crude protein were achieved in the third fish group which fed diet supplemented with acidifiers at 4 ml / kg diet and have significant difference (P < 0.05) with other groups. Data obtained in hepatosomatic index % showed no significant difference among different treatment refers to the health status of liver. However, ALAT  and ASAT recorded high values in the higher group of OAB-treated fish indicating that liver could be affected. Hematological parameters were in normal range except for PCV, Hb, RBCs, and WBCs count which were decreased in the high dose of treated fish. Finally, it could be concluded that using of acidifiers as feed additives at lower doses can enhance growth, productivity and immunity of the African catfish (C. gariepinus).

Characteristics and protective effect of pomegranate juice (PJ), lemon juice (LJ), wheatgrass juice (WGJ) and their functional blends were evaluated. Total phenolics (TP), flavonoids (TF) content as well as free radical scavenging activity were determined. Meanwhile, total acidity, pH values were determined and the organoleptic attributes were evaluated. Also, the protective effect of functional blending juice against carbohydrate intolerance in patients was investigated by hydrogen breath test.  The results revealed that the WGJ are low acidic in nature. While, the PJ and LJ showed high acidity which raised the total acidity in the functional blending juice. PJ had high content of total phenolics 17.45 mg/ml followed by 5.85 mg/ml for functional blending juice. While, the LJ showed high acidity which raised the total acidity in the in the functional blending juice. PJ had high content of total phenolics 17.45 mg/ml followed by 13.25 mg/ml for functional blending juice. While, significant increase in the TF 22.15 mg/ml in the wheatgrass juice followed by functional blending juice 5.70 mg/ml significant increase in the TF 25.25 mg /ml in the functional blending juice followed by 22.15 mg/ml for wheatgrass juice. Whereas, the results showed that functional blending juice recorded the highest antioxidant activity, which revealed great free radical scavenging activity 98.16%. Depending on sensory evaluation, the proportions of fourth blend WGJ: PJ: LJ in ratio 20:70:10 was most preferred for consumption by the panelists compared to other blending ratios.  After one month for patients group treated by functional blending juice at blinds ratio (WGJ 20: PJ 70: LJ 10), showed a significant decrease in the concentration of the hydrogen level in the exhalation air to reach a significant level of the control patients group, indicating the ability of the active compounds in functional blending juice to relieve the problems of carbohydrate intolerance. Accordingly, healthy promoting beverages can be produced by addition blending of pomegranate juice, lemon juice and wheatgrass juice.

he present experiment was conducted to determine the optimal source and level of phosphorus supplementation in commercial feeds with the highest growth rate and the lowest releasing in environmental and protect water quality of Nile Juveniles tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Fish were divided into twelve groups (groups) each group was stocked into two aquaria each contains 10 fish.  Fish were fed diet contained different levels of phosphorus (0.005, 0.007, 0.009 and 0.011%Kg diet phosphorus) from   three different sources of phosphorus (mono calcium phosphate, mono potassium phosphate and mono sodium phosphate) for a period of 12 weeks. Results showed that average daily gain, specific growth rate, protein efficiency ratio and feed conversation ratio were significantly improved at (p) 1.1% dietary phosphorus level with mono sodium phosphate as the source of phosphorus, mono calcium phosphate represented the highest significant (P<0.05) value of growth and blood parameters (Packed cell volume (PCV), Hemoglobein(Hb) ,red blood cell(RBC) and white blood cell(WBC) in Oreochromis niloticus .  Concerning levels of phosphorus the result clearly indicated that the 0.9% phosphorus level recorded the significant (P<0.05) highest growth and blood parameters in Oreochromis niloticus. Body composition analysis showed that the whole body protein and ash content were increased linearly but lipid was decreased (P<0.05) with increasing dietary of phosphorus.

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) belongs to the family Asteraceae. The current study used the fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism (F-AFLP) technique for evaluating the genetic diversity among 14 sunflower genotypes including eight agronomical traits. Highly significant difference between genotypes was observed for all studied traits (p≤ 0.01). The results of correlation between the studied traits (p≤ 0.05) revealed that positive correlations were observed between most of the traits. Six F-AFLP combination were succeeded in the development of 178 molecular markers within a total of 1007 polymorphic bands, with 97.42% polymorphic percentage. Concerning the molecular markers associated traits, 73 were observed related to morphological and yield component traits. These results may facilitate the simultaneous selection of several economic traits and can thus improve the efficacy of selection based on F-AFLP in the sunflower breeding programs.

Brown rot disease of Canino apricots and FlordaPrince peaches is a major serious decay disease during cold storage in Egypt and worldwide, Infection of stone fruits may occur during blooming until harvest harvest which cause decay during cold storage. The effect of fungicide safe alternatives, (Chemical salts and Inducing resistance). The effect of fungicide safe alternatives, i.e. sodium bicarbonate, calcium chloride, potassium sorbate, potassium silicate,boric acid and salicylic acid, on growth of Monilinia laxa M. fructigena and Monilinia sp. as major pathogens on apricots and peaches ,was investigated at different concentrations ranged from 1000 ppm to 5000 ppm amended in PDA in vitro. Sodium bicarbonate at 1000 ppm completely suppressed the growth of the three isolates of Monilinia spp., Calcium chloride at 1000 ppm to 5000 ppm, did not show any suppression of M. laxa or Monilinia sp., while it suppressed M. fructigena when used at ≥4000 ppm. Potassium silicate did not show considerable effectiveness against different tested isolates of Monilinia spp. IC50 values (chemical concentration that reduce fungal growth to 50%) of sodium bicarbonate, potassium sorbate and salicylic acid on M. fructigena were less than 1000 ppm. On M. laxa, only sodium bicarbonate showed IC50 less than 1000 ppm, while the IC50 values of potassium sorbate and boric acid were less than 2000 ppm. Regarding Monilinia sp. sodium bicarbonate and potassium sorbate IC50 values were less than 1000 ppm. Generally, sodium bicarbonate, potassium sorbate and salicylic acid showed IC50 values less than 1000 ppm, 2000 ppm, and 3000 ppm, respectively.   These salts and inducers at 3000 ppm, were used as three preharvest sprays starting at growth stage no. 64 and then repeated twice at 10 days intervals in orchard located at Qualyubia and Ismailia, during seasons 2015 and 2016. These salts and acids were also adopted at 3000 ppm on naturally infected or artificially inoculated fruits after harvest at growth stage no. 81 during season 2016. Sodium bicarbonate, calcium chloride, potassium sorbate and boric acid were the most effective treatments to control brown rot disease on apricots and peaches during cold storage at 0oC and 90% RH for 15 days and 30 days, either these chemicals were sprayed preharvest or adopted after harvest. These treatments maintained fruit quality regarding firmness and acidity.

Egypt is working on the development of Egyptian agricultural exports and trying to create new markets as this leads to increasing national income and thus economic development, and this comes through improving the agricultural marketing system. Therefore, it can be said that marketing is an accelerated economic development accelerator and may be an obstacle to economic development if the agricultural marketing system is not improved, onion crop in Egypt is exposed recently to many of the problems of production and marketing as well as export problems in either fresh or preserved form that led to The decline in production  and the fluctuation of cultivated area and hence the high price of the consumer with the low quality that the global exports of onions ranged from a minimum of about 8.2 million tons in 2000 and a maximum of 8.6 million tons in 2016. As shown in the same table, India is ranked first in terms of the average quantity of onion exports. The average quantity of exports of this crop reached about 1.3 million tons, representing about 22% of the average total volume of global exports of onions, which is about 6.18 million tons during the same period.

To explore the antibacterial activities of Allium sativium (garlic) extract was tested against two waterborne pathogenic strains isolated from River Nile, to mitigate the increase of bacterial resistance to conventional antibiotics. The two isolates were identified as Enterobacter cloacae DSM 3264 BRB & Enterobacter cloacae MB11506_1CHB by MALDI-Tof-MS. Aqueous, methanolic and oil extraction of garlic were tested for their inhibitory activity against the selected strains using well diffusion method. Enterobacter sp. were more sensitive towards oil extract with inhibition zone 2.3 cm rather than aqueous and methanolic extractions with was 50%. Analysis of garlic essential oil by GC-MS dedicated six sulfur compounds represented 25% of total detected compounds in the oil.

The paper shows the development of strawberries crop area in Behera governorate during the period 2001-2015 showing that its lower area was about 150 feddan and its maximum area was about 2320 feddans. The general time trendof area was 120 feddans a year during the studied period.  Strawbarries production, on other hand, was between 600 ton and 6830 during the above period.  Despite the importance of strawbarries are in the governorate, its total production was only 42.731 or 48% of total production in Egypt. This may be explained by the low productivity of most varieties cultivated by farmers. For this, the study is concerned with the cultivation of varieties with high productivity per feddan.   The study depends on the results of a sample of farmers in the governorate to estimate production and cost functions to evaluate factors affecting these functions. The study reveals that the sample farmers in Kom hamada-which represents about 81% of total strawbarries production are producing in the first stage of the production function. This means that farmers do’ nt  use the optimum method of production. The study estimate cost production and the size of farm that minimize cost and that maximize profit for the farm four groups and for the total sample.

Lentil and Chickpea seeds were used to investigated the effect of seed sprouting using tap and saline water on sprout growth, proximate analysis, energy, minerals content, anti-nutritional compounds and amino acid profile of sprouted samples comparing with dry seeds. Result revealed that higher NaCl concentration > 2000 ppm reduce sprouts radical length of both lentil and chickpea. Sterilized seeds sprouting using tap water and non-sterilized seeds sprouting using saline water decreased sprout moisture content and carbohydrate which resulting in reducing faecal and total coliform counts for both lentil and chickpea. Moreover these treatment increased protein content and energy, (Kcal /g) as compared with dry seeds and other treatments. Sprouting decreased antinutritional compounds compared with dry seeds with sharbly decreament in phytic acid followed by taninins content. Mineral content in sprouts were recorded. The chickpea sprout sample using steralized seeds with tap water for sprouting serve as good sources calcium and phosphorous . Amino acid profile of lentil and chickpea sprouts were also studied. Sprouts using saline water recorded higher lysine amino acid value compared with dry seeds while non-steralized chickpea seeds sprouts using saline water recorded the higher total sulpher amino acid (Methionen + Cystiean) value. Based on these results, sprouting process is recommended to increase nutritive value and decreased antinutritional compounds of lentil and chickpea seeds.