The current study aimed to investigate the effect of microbiological treatment on improving the nutritive value of corn silage as animal feed. Dried whole corn plants were prepared and two ground silos (0.5 ton each) wereused for ensiling whole corn silage and inoculated by bacterial inoculant (containing Lactobacillus plantarum and Entrococcus faecium) at the recommended rate of 1/2g bacterial inoculants/liter of water/ton of fresh whole corn silage. The ensiling period lasted for 50 days. The criteria of response were determined by: the quality of treated corn silage, chemical characteristics and performance of rams, nutrients digestibility and nitrogen balance. Results for treated and untreated silage, respectively, showed that the silage had pH 3.71 and 3.69, Total Volatile Fatty Acids (TVFA) were 2.48 and 1.98 mmol/100ml, and NH3-N values were 6.1% and 6.41% (on dry matter basis). The values of organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), ether extract (EE), nitrogen free extract (NFE) and ash content on dry matter basis, however, were very close in the two rations. There were no significant differences between the two rations for the dry matter (DM). The value of CF digestibility was not significantly different from that in treated corn silage, while ration contents of treated corn silage were significantly higher in OM, CP, NFE and EE digestibility than the untreated corn silage. Recorded values for total digestible nutrients (TDN) and starch value (SV) of rations of treated corn silage were significantly higher than those of untreated corn silage being 52.64 and 63.37 vs. 43.53 and 56.09%, respectively. The digestible crude protein (DCP) values were (7.43%) for ration of treated corn silage by 5.96% for the ration of untreated corn silage.

For improving the safety of filling cream, the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) system was applied during different preparation process. Different biological, chemical, and physical hazards that may exist in every preparing step of filling cream were identified and control measures were used for controlling those identified hazards. Dried milk powder was identified as high potential hazard raw materials contaminated with pathogenic bacteria e.g. S. aureus and Salmonella sp. Whipping step in preparing filling cream was identified as critical control point. For improving the safety of preparing filling cream system, different control measures including, thermal processing (pasteurization), addition of natural preservatives (lemongrass oil and herbs of cinnamon, clove and anise) and reduction of pH (fruit pulps of strawberry, apricots and apple) were established. Different applied control measures could be used for improving the safety of prepared filling cream where different investigated microbiological criteria were reduced to acceptable levels especially pathogenic bacteria. In addition, different HACCP principles as the critical control points, critical limits, monitoring, corrective measures, verifications and records were established. Implementing the HACCP system during preparing filling cream can effectively ensure safety of this product and other food products contained filling cram especially bakeries.

This study was carried out during 2013 and 2014 seasons to examine the effect of soil addition of Calcium nitrate at 1.0 kg/tree, borax at 25 g/tree and /or spraying of chelated-Ca at 0.03% and chelated-B at 0.025% on growth, yield and fruit quality of Washington Navel orange trees. Varying sources and methods of application for both Calcium and boron had an announced effect on growth, leaf content of pigments and nutrients, yield and fruit quality .Using both calcium and boron via leaves was superiors than using both via soil and using chelated form of both nutrients was favorable than using calcium nitrate or borax for Ca and B, respectively. Using Ca and B via leaves in chelated forms at 0.03 and 0.025% respectively gave the best results comparing with using both together via soil. A pronounced effect on yield and fruit quality of Washington Navel orange trees was obtained with spraying chelated-Ca at 0.03% plus chelated-B at 0.025 % three times at growth start, just after fruit setting and three weeks later.

The interaction of preservations, growth regulators and cold storage on vase life and quality of Lily (Lilium longiflorum) cut flowers were investigated. Lily cut flowers were treated with 1 ml mol silver thiosulfate (STS), 100 ppm gibberellic acid (GA3), 0.5 ml mol benzyl adenine (BA), 200 ppm citric acid and 4 % sucrose and then were placed in cold storage at 5 ºC for period of 1, 2 and 3 weeks. Vase life (days), fresh weight (%), total chlorophyll (%), total carbohydrate (mg / g d. w.), activity of catalase enzyme content (EU / 1 g f. w.) and amino acid of free proline content (mg / g d. w.) were determined. Cold storage for one week and pulsing with using material of GA3, BA and STS produced the longest vase life, the lowest catalase enzyme activity, the lowest content chlorophyll decreasing, the highest of total carbohydrate content and the lowest amino acid of free proline content.

The study aimed basically at identifying the determinants of agricultural modernization in Siwa oasis through: identifying the level of agricultural modernization in the study area, determining the correlation between the level of farmer’s agricultural modernization and some of the studied variables, identifying the effects of the studied independent variables on the level of respondent farmers’ agricultural modernization and identifying the most important problems facing the agricultural modernization efforts in the study area and suggestions  to solve them from the perspective of respondent farmers. The study was conducted in Siwa oasis, Matrouh governorate on a random sample of farmers located in the area. Data were collected through personal interviews using a questionnaire. The statistical analyzing tools used in the study were: Pearson’s correlation coefficient, Chi square test, Cramer’s coefficient, stepwise multiple regression in addition to frequencies, percentages, arithmetic mean, standard deviation and alpha coefficient. The findings showed that about 18.2% of respondent farmers had a low level of agricultural modernization, 48.2% of them had a moderate level and about 33.6% of respondent farmers had a high level of agricultural modernization. The findings showed also that there was a positive significant relationship at the probability level of 0.01 between the level of respondent farmers’ agricultural modernization and the following variables: family size, farm holding size, organizations’ membership, geographic openness, utilization of extension information sources, the level of ambition and social affiliation. There was also a negative significant relationship at the probability level of 0.01 between the level of respondent farmers’ agricultural modernization and farmers’ ages. Finally, there were four independent variables contributes in explaining the total variance of the level of respondent farmers’ agricultural modernization, these variables were: educational level, family size, organizations’ membership and farm holding size.

Although Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) is chiefly known as a vegetable herb, little information about the botanical characteristics of such plant are available. Therefore, it is aimed in this study to bring light more information about the morphological, anatomical and some important chemical contents of vegetative and reproductive organs of the plant, throughout the consecutive stages of its entire life span under the local conditions. Seeds of Asparagus (cv. Mary Washington 500 W) were sown 2nd Feb. 2013. The field experiment was carried out at the Experimental and Research Station of Fac. of Agric., Cairo Univ., Giza, Egypt during the two successive growing seasons 2013 and 2014. Asparagus is a herbaceous, perennial plant that grows up to 1.5- 2 m height. The plant posses aerial stems (ferns) and much- branched feathery foliage. The leaves are triangular scales like, 3-7 mm in length. The cladodes (modified stems) arise in the axis of scale leaves . Cladodes are found in fascicles (3-6) on each node. The flowers are bell- shaped, greenish –white to yellowish, 4.5-6.5mm long, with 6- tepals,single or in clusters of 2-3. Anatomical studies were carried out for various organs of Asparagus plant including, apex of the aerial stem, visible internode below shoot apex, median portion of the aerial stem, the cladode , median portion of spear, scale - like leaf, rhizome, adventitious root. The major chemical metabolites contents of spear were determined.

The study aimed at measuring competitiveness of Egyptian exports of dates based on indicators Econometric Analysis and indicators of competitiveness.  The important results of this study are: 1-     Indonesia is ranked first in the import of Egyptian dates, amounting is about 31.9%, followed by the state of Morocco with about 24.6%, then the State of Malaysia, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Syria, Germany with rates about 20.9%, 3.8%, 3.6%, 2.9%, 2.3%, 0.99% respectively of total imports. 2-     Egypt has a competitive advantage compared to the rate of penetration of Egyptian exports of dates for the most important international markets in the state of Morocco, followed by Indonesia, Malaysia, and Lebanon respectively. 3-     Egypt has also a competitive advantage in the export price of dates for each of Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and Algeria among the most important countries in the world. 4-      Calculating the geographic concentration of date’s commodity coefficient shows that it is almost close to zero, which suggests that there is a problem in Egyptian exports of dates, despite the fact that Egypt is classified as the first country worldwide in its production. 5-     A ten percent change in the comparative advantage of the phenomenon of Egyptian exports of dates leads to a change in the same direction to the amount of Egyptian exports target of 11.7% . 6-     The study predicts an increase in the quantity and value of Egyptian exports targeted from about 32.9 thousand tons, 41.9 million dollars in 2017 to 38.2 thousand tons, 48.9 million dollars in 2020.   Recommendations   1-    The paper recommends that a production map should be made to determine different consumer tastes in importing countries. 2-    Opening export areas of dates in competitive countries such as the state of Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and Algeria specially where Egypt has a competitive price advantage over these countries. 3-    Reviewing the export policy in general and the policy of exporting dates in particular to support Egypt’s competitive status in the Arab and international markets specially that the rest of the competitive countries in exporting dates had a competitive price advantage compared to Egypt. 4-    Studying both of the Lebanese and Turkish markets to re-open them for Egyptian date exports since these specific markets show a significant lack of Egyptian date exports. 5-    Increasing the competitiveness of dates in the international markets and maintaining the markets in which Egypt has a competitive edge for its exports of dates such as Indonesia and Morocco. 6-    Determining in general the most important kinds of dates that competitive countries exports.

This research aims to evaluate the competitiveness of rice exports during the period of (2002- 2013) using the market share index, the relative stability of exports coefficient, competitive price and market penetration coefficient to know causes of declining market shares for exports of Egyptian rice in the key markets and to suggest some methods to develop the Egyptian export policy for rice to increase competitiveness and improve export performance in the foreign markets. The results indicated that about 67.45% of the average amount of Egyptian rice exports is concentrated in five countries namely: Syria, Turkey, Libya, Jordan and the Sudan and about 32.55% is concentrated in Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Romania, the United States, Lebanon, Britain, the United Arab of Emirates, Kenya, Italy and other countries. Also, the results cleared a comparative advantage for Egyptian exports of rice in the world market. It was shown that each of the quantity, value and export price of rice is characterized by instability. The Egyptian rice has a competitive price advantage in India, Australia, Italy, the United States, China and Pakistan. The results showed that the penetration coefficient of the Egyptian exports of rice during the study period (2002- 2013) increases in the markets of the Sudan, Romania, Syria, Libya, Jordan and Lebanon. The study recommends the expansion of Egyptian rice to the markets of Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kenya which is considered one of the promising markets. Establishing a system to follow up the export markets and gather accurate and immediate information about those markets and make it available in an easy and accessible way for the producers and exporters to identify the export opportunities and directing the production to the markets which receive a great amount of the Egyptian rice crop. Studying the competitive conditions of the Egyptian rice inside its main markets in order to increase the amount of exports.

This study was conducted to determine the present of Ochratoxin (A) (OTA) to the number of 50 samples of wheat grain from varieties of soft wheat (Tricticm astivum) and hard (T. durm), and its products from some Libyan Mills (from the north-west and south-east and north) by using a technique (IAC) immunoaffinity columns cleaning and HPLC-FD to detect, with an overall average rate of recovery of the samples of wheat and grain products and fungal isolates 86.59 ± 0.03% and 89.19 ± 0.01%, respectively. The results showed that 96% of the samples were positive for OTA, with the average concentration of OTA from different regions reached the highest concentration of 0.0928μg/kg for soft wheat. The average concentration of the OTA in the different areas that have been grain assembly resulted the highest concentration of 0.0918 μg kg-1 for soft wheat for the Western Region, followed by 0.0783 and 0.020 < μg kg-1 for the eastern and southern region respectively, while the average concentration of the OTA for hard wheat 0.0307 and 0.3316 μg kg-1 of eastern and western region respectively. However all the samples contain levels of OTA are below the limit recommended by Libyan Standards Specification and European Commission Regulation Standard. Results of statistical analysis also showed no significant differences of (P≤ 0.01) of the concentration of the for hard and soft types wheat between regions , and for soft wheat products between regions while there was significant differences between hard wheat products at level of (P≤ 0.01).  The results showed that the overall average for the moisture content of the samples by region ranged between 10.6, 11.10% for soft wheat for the southern region and western region respectively, 9.54 and 10.08% for hard wheat to the western and eastern region respectively. Results also showed that the overall average for the moisture content of soft wheat products (flour) between different regions was (13.03, 11.78, 8.58%) to the north-east, north-west and south-west respectively. Hard wheat products did not exceed 13.33, 10.76% for the southern- west and north-east reigions of semolina and pasta respectively, while was within the limit to the Codex Alimentarius Commission. the results of the statistical analysis and the presence of highly significant for moisture content between types of soft wheat and hard within regions and this also applies to soft wheat and hard products between the regions at the level of (P≤ 0.01).

The agricultural sector is one of the most important national sectors of the economy as it provides food for humans, raw materials for the industrial sector, in addition to its contribution in Egyptian export. Facing the agricultural sector, losses of more than 16% of the total value of production, and aims of this research estimating were estimated as about tomatoes at the farm area. Nubaria level during the stages of production and marketing. The research used data of a sample of farms in Nubaria area in addition to secondary data from published and unpublished  data as used by various government agencies of the Ministry of Agriculture as well as agricultural management centers in Nubaria area records,  findings of the research were  that average loss of production per acre  during agricultural operations estimated was about 3.35, 2.7 tons of  summer and winter tomatoes  losses we are due to two main reasons,  bad weather and  bad of service operations, the responsibility of each was about 0.856, 2.50 tons per acre of summer tomato and about 0.478, 2.24 tons per acre of winter tomatoes crop, respectively, and losses  bad  operations service,  resulted from of pest control, fertilization, and spacing intervals between plant, irrigation, poor performance of mechanical operations, the average waste of summer tomatoes were about 2.22 tons per feddan, representing about 7.5% of the average production per feddan amounting to 29.5 tons, has resulted in the losses during in marketing operations conducted by farmers , such as collection, packaging, transportation, sales in the wholesale markets, and the average loss amounted for winter tomatoes about 1.99 tons, representing about 7.05% of the average production per acre amounting to 28 tonnes, and this loss resulted to the same previous reasons, and reached the resulting loss the cost of the production losses incurred by the farmers sample to produce the quantity that has been lost for tomato summer 95.5 thousand pounds, tomatoes winter 49.9 thousand pounds, and amounted to a loss in the growers sample income due to the loss of about 76.7,160 thousand pounds for each of tomato summer tomatoes winter on respectively, and amounted to loss of irrigation water as a result of this loss of about 55.18, 24.62 thousand cubic meters for each of tomato summer tomatoes winter, respectively, and the most important recommendations concern operations Pest Control to limit the spread Tota Zisiluta worm which leads to high losses in tomato, work on the existence of centers marketing grouped close to reduce the period between harvesting and transportation, to develop the collection, packaging, transportation and choose a trained labor for harvesting methods. Key words: loss and water amount and economic estimation and cost.