ABSTRACT   Two induced mutant strains, obtained from the fungus Penicillium funiculosum after UV treatments, were used for protoplast fusion. These mutants (12 and 18) were selected according to their dextranase activity and stability. Seven fusants having dextranase over-yield than their parental strain were obtained. The best dextranase producing fusant (No. 2) was selected for further studies. Dextranase was purified from cell-free culture of fusant 2 by consecutive column chromatography using Q-sepharose FF, Superose 12 prep. grade 60/600 and Mono Q-FPLC. The purification was estimated by SDS-PAGE as well as isoelectric focusing. Four dextranase components (I, II, III and IV) were separated with an estimated molecular weights of 67 kDa. The pI of the all components were found to be around 3.0 as estimated by gel electrophoresis using both broad and low pI calibration protein kits. The dxetranase components showed pH and optimum temperature of 5 and 55oC, respectively. Dextran was the sole carbon source for dextranase production by the dextranase components. The effect of the dextranase components on different types of dextrans were also studied.

The seeds of six different species of common pulses were examined as hosts of  two bruchid beetles, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) and C. chinensis L. under controlled conditions of  30±2ºC  and 65±5% R.H. Deposited eggs, Hatched eggs, numbers and weights of emerged adults and also the total developmental period from the deposited eggs to adults emergence were estimated. Results obtained indicated thatcowpea seeds were the most favorable for feeding the two tested bruchid beetles, followed by faba bean seeds, while insect infestation was not observed on common bean and soybean seeds for either bruchid species.Results also revealedthat C.maculatus deposited more eggs on all tested leguminous seeds and gave more emerged adults with heavier weights than C. chinensis.

The current work aims to evaluate the effect of different periods of organic farming on some soils qualities compared with the traditional system. Several farms varied in their soil nature and periods of practicing organic farming system were chosen. The farms are located in Belbes, El-Manayef, El-Fayoum and El- Behera areas. Moreover, the study also involved adjacent traditional managed farms. The evaluation was based on the weighted values of the physical, chemical and biological properties of the 0-50 cm and 0-100 cm soil depths. The considered soil properties weresoil organic matter (SOM); bulk density; porosity; available water; penetration resistance, mean soil particles weight diameter (MWD), cation exchange capacity and total microbial count. The obtained results indicated that soilbiological parameters were less important than the physical or thechemical factors. Principle component1, (PC1) scores indicated that 79.97% and 78.05 % of total variance are attributed to the 0-50 cm soil depth of the organic and conventional managed soils, respectively. In the meantime, 75.72 and 71.94 % are related to the 0-100 cm soil depth for the two farming systems, (Organic and conventional) in the same sequence. The only significantfactor contributing to PC2 was total count; PC2 indicatedthat (10.29 and 10.87% of the totalvariance are accounted for 0-50 and 0-100 cm soil depth of organic farming as well as 15.3 and 16.68% of the totalvariance for 0-50 and 0-100 cm soil depth of conventional farming system, respectively.

This study aimed basically at identifying the level of rural women adoption of environmental practices in Menufiya Governorate. This main obective was achieved throw the followinge sub-objectives : determining the environmental knowledge level of rural women, identifying the dgree of rural women application of environmental practices, determining the factors which correlated  with each of the environmental knowledge level and dgree of rural women application of  environmental  practiece. The study was carried out in two villeges in Menufiya Governorate, the first villege was Monshiat Bakhaty which belongs to Shebien Elkom district and the sconede villege was Sahel Elgawaber which belongs to El shohadaa district. 100 rural women were selected randomly from each village. The study findings were: the environmental knowledge level was high as 83.5% from respondents. About 47% from respondents were applying the environmental practices. There were four independent variables (social participation, culturel cosmoplitness, geographical cosmoplitness, age) explained together 16.3 % of the total variance of the environmental knowledge level. There were six independent variables (family monthly incom, environmental situation at the village, cultural cosmoplitness, family education, geographical cosmoplitness, environmental knowledge) explained together 55.5% of the total variance of the environmental application dgree.

Anthocyanins derived from red cabbage were extracted, and identified by using HPLC. These pigments are used as alternative natural red colorants in some processed foods i.e.; hard candy; jelly and ice sherbets. They are also effect of using as natural antioxidant on sunflower oil. Red cabbage has 90.5 mg anthocyanin /100 gm on fresh weights. Where the major constituents were cyaniding-3-diglucoside-5-glucoside (80%) and cyanidin 3, 5 diglucoside (20%) with HPLC. The best carrier for red cabbage anthocyanin pigment was found to be dextrin followed by cellulose, soluble starch and glucose respectively. On the other hand, color and higher pigment stability of anthocyanin derived from red cabbage were in acidic condition at pH ranged between 1.0 to 4.0 and in temperatures ranged between 40 to 80ºC. Meanwhile, the degradation of anthocyanin being 10% of total pigments after 180 min at 100ºC. Antioxidant activities of red cabbage anthocyanin were assessed by determining peroxide value on sunflower oil during 7 days at 60ºC. Sunflower oil contained 200 ppm red cabbage extract showed lower peroxide value being (9.92) than using 200 ppm synthetic antioxidant (BHT) (10.12) meq/Kg. Analysis of variance for sensory evaluation of prepared hard candy, jelly and ice sherbets indicated that, hard candy, jelly contained 0.10% and ice sherbets contained 0.20% red cabbage anthocyanin pigments revealed the highest score of color, taste, odor and overall acceptability similar with synthetic color (carmine).

The present study was carried out in 2004/ 2005 – 2005/2006 seasons to make survey of plant vegetation at Wadi Wateer  (East southern of Sinai) (a bout 100 km length) at 9 successive sites. The study was carried through two years (two wet and dry seasons) to evaluate the vegetation structure throughout 20 chart quadrates (2 m x 2 m) at each site. The results showed that most of the pasture measurements such as plant density (plants / 4 m2), coverage %, frequency %, abundance % and fresh, and dry yields (ton/fad.) reached its maximum values during the wet seasons. Sites 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 were more suitable for growth of the plant associations than other sites under studies. Many plant species such as Astragalus  spinsous, Medicago laciniata, Artemisia Judica, Artemisia monosperma, Legum spartum, Haloxylon salicornicum, Calotropis procera, Lycium shawii and Paronychia sinaica were capable to grow under the aridity conditions at Wadi Wateer  area.

Information related to pesticide practices in green beans and strawberry fields in some selected exportation farms in Egypt was obtained through questionnaire forms. Such forms were randomly distributed among different target exporters at Giza, Ismaellia, Sharkia, Behirah and Alfayoum governorates. Questionnaire outputs indicated that the percent of the rejected export by importers due to high levels of pesticide residues reached 11.11 and 7.69% in green beans and strawberry respectively. The recommended rates of the used pesticides established by the Ministry of Agriculture and/or EU guidelines were followed by 86.67 and 69.23% of these vegetables growers, respectively. Questionnaire outputs indicated that the percent of exporters who were repeating the application of all or each pesticide during the same season of green beans and strawberry reached 48.89 and 42.31%, respectively. Furthermore, 15.56 and 7.69% of growers followed the recommended Pre Harvest interval (PHI) for each pesticide used in green beans and strawberry. On the other hand, no storage period was followed by 40 and 76.92% of the exporters for green beans and strawberry, respectively. Concerning the transportation conditions data showed that 55.56 and 88.46% of the exporters used cooling trucks with green beans and strawberry, respectively.

Two pot experiments were carried out during the summer seasons of 2006 and 2007 to investigate the effect of irrigation with diluted saline water; i.e., 10, 30 and 50% in addition to Tap water as a control on growth, chemical composition, yield and tuber quality of three new sweet potato cultivars (Minufiya 6/96, Minufiya 2/96 and Minufiya 171/96) as well as the local cultivar (Mabrouka). The obtained results revealed that, saline water at 10 and 30% levels stimulated growth of sweet potato plants represented by plant height, number of leaves and branches, dry weight of shoots as well as the contents of photosynthetic pigments, proline, total carbohydrates, N, P, K+ and Ca++ in sweet potato leaves were also increased. Moreover, total water content (TWC), bound water (BW), bound / free water ratio (BW/FW) and relative water content (RWC) increased under these conditions. All these parameters decreased at the level of 50% salinity. Yield and its quality significantly increased at saline water at 10% level. Also, chemical composition of tuber roots; i.e., total carbohydrates, soluble sugars, carotene, starch and dry matter contents were enhanced under these conditions. All previous parameters decreased with increasing saline water up to 50%. Saline water levels increased Na+ content in the leaves. As for the tested cultivars, generally Minufiya 6/96 had the best growth and yield, was more stable in the chemical components and its roots had the highest nutrients value under the control and salt stress conditions, followed by Minufiya 2/96 then Minufiya 171/96. The tuber roots yield of Mabrouka cultivar was completely depressed at 30 and 50% salinity levels. As for interaction between cultivars and salinity levels. The highest level of salinity (50%) lead to a significant decrease in all growth parameters, RWC, TWC, bound water (BW), bound water / free water (BW/FW), chemical composition, yield and its quality in all new tested cultivars. While, Mabrouka cultivar showed a significant decrease in these parameters under the all salinity levels. Accordingly, Minufiya 6/96 was the highest tolerant to the tested salinity stress, followed by Minufiya 2/96 and Minufiya 171/96. On the other hand, Mabrouka cultivar sensitive to salinity.

Individual and integrated effects of three weed control treatments H [weedy control (H1); Butralin (H2) and manual twice hoeing (H3)] , three hill spacing , D [10 (D1), 15 (D2) and 20 cm (D3)] and two soybean varieties, V [ Giza 111 (V1) and Giza 21 (V2)] on dry matter (DM) of associated weeds, growth traits and parameters, nutrients uptake and seed yield, were the intended aim of the present study. To achieve this aim, split- split plot arrangement was used, where tested variables; H, D and V were allocated in main-, sub- and sub-sub plot, respectively, at newly reclaimed soil of the experimental farm "Demo" of Fac. Agric., Fayoum Univ., during 2006 and 2007 summer seasons. The obtained results could be summarized as follows: Dry weight of weeds were deppressed by twice manual hoeing, dense planting, chemical control and the interaction of H2D2V2 in the first sample and H3 V1 in the second sample.Maximum values of soybean height, number of branches, LA and LAI were obtained by H2 or H3 depending on the sample as well as the studied variety. Soybean density had a significant effect on plant growth (height, DM and LA). In addition CGR and NAR as well as N, P, and K were affected by H3 and H2. Several dual and triointeractions significantly affected the growth traits. Manual hoeing, H3 (1490 kg/fed) out yielded Butralin treatment, H2 (1000kg/fed) and both surpassed the weedy control one, H1 (530 kg/fed). Closest spacing, D1 (1080 kg) followed by intermediate one, D2 (1060 kg) produced markedly by higher seed yield/fed that of the widest spacing (890 kg). V2 (1080kg) out yielded V1 (940 kg/fed). H3 D1 (1840), D2 V2 (1500) and H3D2 (1260) as well as H3D1V2 (1890 kg/fed) were the most effective interactions on soybean yield. The obtained results revealed that, in such newly reclaimed land, the maximum yield with improved quality of soybean could be obtained from Giza 21 planted in closed spacing (10cm) and treated with manual hoeing twice.

The present study is a trial to investigate the toxic effects of the bio-pesticide Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) on male reproductive system of rats. Rats received dietary doses each approximately equivalent to 1/10 or 1/100 of the LD50 value of the Bt bio-pesticide (Agerin) for 90 consecutive days. Sex organs weight, semen picture, concentrations of the hormones [i.e., testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)], and histopathological changes in testes were the criteria used to evaluate the reproductive toxicity on the treated rats. Btat the higher dose caused a significant decrease in the weight of testes and seminal vesicles as compared with control. Both Bt doses decreased sperm count associated with an increase in the morphologically abnormal spermatozoa; however sperm motility was significantly decreased in treated rats with the higher dose only. The concentration of serum testosterone was significantly reduced in both treated groups; however LH and FSH levels were significantly reduced in treated rats with the higher dose. Histopathological examination of Agerin-treated male rat's testes revealed that both Bt doses caused testicular degeneration in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, Agerin may decreases fertility in adult male rats by affecting the concentrations of pituitary gonadotrophins, testosterone and thus subsequent spermatogenic impairment