Phytostimulation microorganisms (PSM) viz. Trichoderma harzianum (TH), Bacillus subtilis (BS) and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi were tested individually or in mixed culture for their ability to induce pathogenesis-related (PR)-proteins (chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase, peroxidase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase PAL) and phenolics in tomato plants grown in sterilized soilless medium artificially infested with or without the Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici (FORT). PSM-treated plants were more developed than non-treated control or inoculation with FORT. PSM-treated plants were effective in reducing diseases produced by FORT infection. Plants application with PSM significantly increased the activity of peroxidase, chitinase, β-1, 3-glucanase and PAL and accumulated phenolics in tomato plants compared to untreated control. Among the treatments, AM fungi recorded the maximum increase in the activities of all defense–related enzymes and accumulated phenolics followed by T. harzianum and B subttilis. The maximum increase in the activities of peroxidase, β-1, 3- glucanase, PAL and accumulated phenolics were observed 6 days after application of PSM. However, the maximum increase in the activities of chitinase was observed 9 days after application of PSM. Several fold increase in the accumulation of phenolics and activities of defense enzymes was observed when the induced plants were inoculated with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici (FORT). These results suggest that enhanced activities of defense enzymes and elevated content of phenolics by inoculation with PSM may contribute to protection of tomato plants against F. oxysporum.

A study on mite species in marjoram and chamomile plantations in Fayoum was carried out during 2003 and 2004 seasons. Twenty-six species were found and divided according to their feeding habits into three major groups, phytophagous (7 species), predaceous (8 species) and a group of debatable feeding habits (11 species). Population density evaluation showed that Tetranychus urticae Koch was the main phytophagous mite on both hosts. The predatory mite Amblyseius cydnodactylon Shehata and Zaher was dominant on marjoram followed by Hemicheyletia bakeri (Ehara). From the debatable group, Pronematus ubiquitus Mc Gregor was the dominant followed by Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) and Paralorryia gizai El-Bagoury. On chamomile, the predatory mite Eupodes niloticus Abou-Awad & El-Bagoury was dominant and from the debatable group, Tydeus kochi Oud. was dominant followed by T. putrescentiae and P. gizai. Population densities were insignificantly affected by temperature and relative humidity.

This study was carried out at Ras Sudr Experimental Station, South Sinai during 2001 and 2002 seasons. Four sudan grass varieties (Giza2, Piper, Hybrid102 and Is3214) were tested under five nitrogen fertilizer (Mineral and biofertilizer) treatments under two levels of irrigation water salinity (3700 and 9200 ppm). Growth characters i.e. plant height, number of tillers/plant, stem diameter, number of leaves/plant, leaf area, leaves/stem ratio, and forage yield (fresh and dry weight of stem+sheaths and fresh and dry weight of forage yield) were recorded. In addition, carbohydrates, protein, fibers and ash percentages (in leaves and stems) and proline in leaves were determined. Results demonstrate that the Piper variety had the highest value of forage yield compared with the other varieties. The recommended dose of mineral nitrogen fertilizer gave the highest values followed by mixture of biofertilizers (Azospirillum plus Azotobacter) under the two salinity levels of irrigation water at both cuts (the first one was harvested after 65 days from sowing date and the second was obtained at the same time interval). Moreover there was a significant decrease in all growth characteristics and the yield of four sudan grass varieties by increasing the level of irrigation water salinity from 3700 to 9200 ppm except proline in leaves which significantly increased by increasing the level of salinity

A comparison on the larvicidial activity of four commercial bacterial and viral bioagents, Profect®, Virotecto®, Viroset® and Protecto® were evaluated on the 2nd and 4th larval instars of Spodoptera littoralis (Biosd.). The LC50 values showed 1.35, 1.52, 1.57 and 1.61 mg/ ml against 2nd instar larvae, respectively. On the other hand, the LC50 values recorded 2.03, 2.5, 2.72 and 3.01 mg/L. on 4th instar larvae of S. littoralis using the above mentioned commercial bioagent products, respectively. The effect on four isozymes, i.e., ,  esterase (EST), glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) were evaluated. The obtained results indicated differences in the activity of the isozymes in treated 4th instar larvae as compared to untreated larvae.

This work aims at classifying the genus Tribulus which is represented in Egypt by 7 taxa (6 species & one variety) viz.: Tribulus terrestris, T.terrestris var. bicornu-tus, T.pentandrus, T.macropterus, T.megistopterus, T.mollis and T.kaiseri according to the current classical morphological features including those of flower which can lead to a correct taxonomic decision. The work includes detailed comparative vege-tative and reproductive morphology of the studied taxa, while drawings representing the extracted results are tried into cumulative plates. Also an artificial indented di-chotomous key for the studied taxa is constructed. The key easily differentiated the pentacyclic flowered taxa from the tetracyclic in 2 separated collections. The 1st is composed of 5 taxa in which; nature of pericarp (bony or herbaceous), leaflet pairs into large leaf (7 or 6), calyx (persistant or deciduous), anther connection (basi-or dorsifixed) and others are found effective in identification. On the other hand; calyx imbrication (quincuncial or ascending) and stigma (persistant or deciduous) are used in separating the 2 spp. within the 2nd collection.

The present investigation was carried out during two successive seasons of 2002 and 2003 on Canino Apricot trees budded on seedlings rootstock at a private orchard located at El-Khatatba district, Menofia Governorate Egypt. Trees were sprayed at full-bloom stage with boron, GA3 and active dry yeast at different concentration alone or in their combinations. Results showed that spraying Boron, GA3 and active dry yeast either singly or in combination caused a remarked promotion in leaf min-eral status, yield and fruit quality compared with control treatment Combined appli-cation solution of 400ppm Boric acid, 40ppm GA3 and 2% active dry yeast at full bloom stage gave the best results with regard to the yield and fruit quality of Canino Apricot.

In this study, both the methanol extraction of sage leaves and clove buds were added as natural antioxidant at concentraction 100, 200 and 300 ppm from butter weight using in cake production. The cake produced was storage at room tempera-ture for 8 weeks. Butter stability was measured by Rancimat apparatus. Also, perox-ide value, acid value and thiobarbituric acid value were measured. Sensory evalua-tion was measured directly after baking (before storage) and at the end of storage pe-riod. Rancimat results showed that increasing natural antioxidant concentration led to longer butter stability and retarded rancidity than control. At the same time sage leaves extraction was much effectiveness for period long butter stability compared to clove buds extraction. Also the results revealed that the more concentration of natural antioxidants increased the peroxide value, acid value and thiobarbituric aicd value decreased compared to control. Sensory evaluation in zero time indicated im-provement in taste, flavor, texture and tenderness while color values were decreased with increasing sage and clove extraction compared to control. After 8 weeks of storage sensory evaluation scores were generally decreased.

Six population’s seeds of four yellow maize crosses were formed during 2001 and 2002 growing seasons. Their plants were evaluated during 2003 growing season under two planting dates (14th May and 29th June) for six agronomic traits at the Agric. Res. Stat. of Fac. of Agric., Ain Shams Univ., Shalakan, Kalubia Gover-norate, Egypt. The present work aimed to determine the genetic parameters and their interactions with planting dates for grain yield per plant, 100-kernel weight, number of kernels per row, ear length, ear diameter, and days to silking in the six popula-tions (P1, P2, F1, F2, BC1 and BC2). Mean values of the six populations for all studied traits in all crosses were higher under normal planting date than those under late one. Therefore, normal planting date seemed to be non-stress environment. The potence ratio for all traits in the four crosses exceeded (+1) except days to silking where it was less (-1). The highest heterosis percentage relative to mid and better parent reached 192.06% and 152.01% in cross 1 for grain yield per plant under late plant-ing date. Inbreeding depression values were not-significant in all studied traits ex-cept ear diameter and 100-kernel weight in crosses 1 and 3 as well as grain yield per plant in all crosses also, it was positive for most studied characters in the four cross-es except days to silking trait. Dominance occupied the first rank, additive or domi-nance type of epistasis occupied the second or the third contributor to the genetic ef-fects in order of importance according to cross with exception of days to silking, where additive and additive occupied the first and the second ranks. Narrow sense heritability was relatively high for yield attributes whereas it was low for grain yield per plant. Meantime, expected genetic advance was relatively moderate or low for all traits. Therefore, it could be suggested that selection for most studied traits in the subsequent generations will be relatively more effective than in the early genera-tions.

Numerical analysis of 62 morphological and histological characters extracted from the 2 previous papers (Ahmed and Mohamed, 2005, a & b) of the 7 studied taxa in the genus Tribulus led to their classification into two groups. The 1st contains 5 pentacyclic flowered taxa (T.terrestris, T. terrestris var. bicornutus, T.macropterus, T.megistopterus & T.mollis) with 2 basal vascular bundles in their small leaflets while the 2nd included 2 tetracyclic flowered taxa (T.kaiseri, T.pentandrus) with single main bundle. The resulted analysis arranged taxa of gp.I into 2 sections while that of gp.II into a third section. Tribulus besides possessing its own generic characters, also shares the Zygophylloid genera in major grounds. Therefore it is recommended to remain in tribe Tribuleae of Zygophylloideae within Zygophyllaceae and never isolated either into a family or even subfamily of its own.

The present study was carried out in an olive orchard at 6th of October city, Giza Governorate, Egypt during 2002 and 2003 growing seasons on “Aggezi” and “Koroneiki” olive cultivars for table and oil purposes, respectively. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of organic farmyard manure (FYM), compost (COM) manure and biofertilizers (Bio) as the combination between phosphorene and nitrobeine, calcium citrate (Cac) and potasseine (K). Besides, the fertilization program adopted in the farm [N (750g/tree), P2O5 (600g/tree) & K2O (500g/tree)] was used as control. The results revealed that, the application of different aforemen-tioned treatments increased significantly shoot growth (length and diameter, number of leaves shoot and area/leaf) compared to the control in both cultivars (Aggezi and Koroneiki) during the two growing seasons. In this concern, the application of FYM+Cac influenced significantly shoot length & diameter, number of leaves/shoot and area/leaf of Koroneiki cv. and shoot diameter of Aggezi cv. Meantime the area /leaf of both cvs.increased when fertilized by FYM+COM+Cac. Whereas, the com-bination of FYM, COM, Cac, Bio, and K improved significantly blooming charac-teristics (number of flowers/inflorescence, inflorescence length and perfect flowers %) of Aggezi and Koroneiki olive cvs. However, number of fruits/shoot and yield of both cultivars increased significantly when treated by the combination of organic and biofertilizers, especially FYM+COM+Bio. Moreover, pulp/seed ratio was in-creased when treated with FYM+Bio (especially in 1st season). In addition, Koro-neiki cv. when provided with FYM+COM+Bio treatment produced the richest fruits in their oil content. Aggezi cv. trees when fertilized with the combination of organic manure & calcium, gave higher contents of chlorophyll (A), (B) & total chlorophyll, however, in Koroneiki cv. chlorophyll B didn't affect. Eventually, nutrient elements (NPK) contents didn't take a definite trend except for N which was affected signifi-cantly with the different combinations, while P & K in Aggezi leaves were influ-enced by FYM only. On the other hand, Koroneiki trees treated with COM+Bio had the highest leaf N content. Leaf P content was positively affected by FYM+Cac in 2002 and FYM+COM+Bio in 2003. Meantime, FYM+K followed by COM+Bio in-duced the highest stimulative effect on leaf K content.