This study was carried out to investigate the effect of saline water irrigation at 2000, 4000, 6000, 8000 and 10000 ppm by using a mixture of two salts (sodium chloride: calcium chloride, 2:1, w/w)  in addition to tap water  as control and foliar sprayings of Salicylic acid (SA) at 100, 200 and 300 ppm in addition to tap water as control on growth, flowering and chemical composition of pot marigold plants in the two successive seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 in the Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Qalyubia Governorate, Egypt. Results revealed that all tested foliar applications of SA increased all vegetative growth characteristics (plant height, number of leaves /plant, leaf area, number of branches/plant, diameter of stem, fresh and dry weights of vegetative growth and roots, and roots volume), and flowering attributes (number of inflorescences/plant, diameter of inflorescence, fresh and dry weights of inflorescences). While, saline water irrigation decreased growth, flowering parameters, chlorophyll, carotene contents in flowers and some minerals contents of the vegetative growth, i.e. nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium percentages. However, saline water irrigation increased proline and some mineral contents, i.e. calcium, sodium and chloride percentages of the vegetative growth. In most cases, under the same saline water irrigation conditions spraying SA at 100 and 200 ppm concentrations alleviated the salinity effect on the plants, enhanced the plant growth and increased the flowering parameters. The most effective treatments which enhance growth, flowering parameters, chlorophyll content, carotene contents in flowers, proline and mineral contents were found to be 100 and 200 ppm SA spraying under nonsaline conditions.

The experiments were conducted in two suc-cessive seasons (2004 - 2005) on Washington Na-vel orange fruits to study the effect of cold storage conditions on reducing postharvest losses and im-proving keeping quality for the export mar-ket.Fruit samples were obtained from El–Fayoum governorate, Egypt and treated with vapor gard (VG) 2%, calcium chloride (CaCl2) 4% or vapor gard 2% + calcium chloride 4%. Fruits were stored at 2 or 8 ºC for 60 days and the last group was stored at 2 ºC for 30 days and transferred to be stored at 8ºC for another 30 days at R.H. 85-90%.The results revealed that during storage fruits treated with Vapor gard (2%) alone or with calci-um chloride (4%) + Vapor gard (2%) had been in good quality as well as it caused a pronounced increase in peel color and fruit firmness, while fruit weight loss and juice percentage were de-creased. In addition, it caused a significant in-crease in ascorbic acid, total sugar and calcium concentration, but there is no significant effect in T.S.S. / acid ratio. While, free amino acid, total soluble phenols and free proline concentrations were decreased. Furthermore, the fruits storaged at 2º + 8ºC caused a pronounced increase in fruit firmness, while fruit weight losses, juice percent-age and peel color were decreased. Also, it caused a pronounced decrease in T.S.S. / acid ratio, total sugar, total free amino acid, total soluble phenols and free proline concentrations, but there is no significant effect on calcium concentration. In addition, there is an increase in ascorbic acid con-centration. Generally, the results revealed that Vapor gard either alone or combired with calcium chloride dipping treatments and stored at 2º + 8ºC had better results in improving fruit quality and decreasing total fruit losses compared with control or calcium chloride treatment alone at other stor-age temperatures and this was also accompanied by changes in various metabolic and physiological processes of orange fruits.