Biological aspects and life table parameters of the eggplant stem borer, Euzophera osseatella Treit. (Lep.: Pyralidae) were studied under laboratory conditions at 27℃ and 65% R.H. The egg, larval and pupal stages of E. osseatella lasted 5.8, 33.2 and 12.9 days, respectively. The mortality percentage in the corresponding stages reached 14, 37 and 13%, respectively. The sex ratio in E. osseatella was in favour of females (1:1.1). The preoviposition, oviposition and postoviposition periods of the pest averaged 1.8, 3.1 and 1.2 days, respectively. The daily and total numbers of eggs/female of E. osseatella were 46.6 and 147.2, respectively. The male and female of the insect lived 4.4 and 6.2 days, respectively. The mean generation time (T) of E. osseatella averaged 54.22 days. The net reproductive rate (Ro), the intrinsic rate of increase (rm) and the finite rate of increase (exp.rm/ λ) in the pest were 28.09, 0.062 and 1.063, respectively. The generation doubling time (Dt) of E. osseatella reached 14.01 days. The fecundity curve (Mx) of E. osseatella showed three peaks of 14.14, 20.14 and 12.32 female progeny/female/day at the female age (X) of 50.5, 61.5 and 63.5 days, respectively. The survival curve (Lx) of the insect revealed that most death of females occurred after an extended oviposition period to compensate failure of most immature stages to reach maturity (64%).

Some food additives commonly used by humans have been recently proved to be mutagenic. It is of significant importance to evaluate their genotoxic effects, since they are frequently consumed by humans in their daily meals. In this study, we investigated the effects of monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium benzoate (SB) and saffron on human cell lines; lung cancer (A549), breast cancer (MCF7), colon cancer (Caco-3) and normal lung (Wi38) cell line as control. Cytotoxicity of food additives was screened on multiple cell lines and examined by NR assay (Neutral Red assay). The present study focused on the cytotoxic activity of the food additives and its possible underlying mechanisms. The results showed that food additives; MSG, SB and saffron induced profound cytotoxicity in cancer cells of human colon cancer (Caco-3) (IC50 = 33.92, 15.01, 3.98 μg/ml), human breast cancer (MCF7) (IC50 = 12.79, 0.378, 10.73 μg/ml), human lung cancer cell line (A549) (IC50 = 27.37, 0.45, 2.46 μg/ml), respectively. Moreover, food additives exhibited cytotoxic activity on normal lung cell lines (Wi38) (IC50 = 4.25, 0.733, 18.14 μg/ml). These data indicated that food additives decreased cell viability in malignant and nonmalignant cells as well as confirmed the occurrence of their cytotoxic effects.

Two experiments were carried out in the experimental farm of Al-Kanater Research Station at ElQalyubia Governorate, during the two consecutive years of 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 to investigate the effect of potassium silicate foliar application on growth, productivity and some postharvest treatments on storability of garlic ((Allium sativum L.)" clone sids 40". In the field experiment, the treatments comprised of control(water spray),foliar application of potassium silicate at 4000, 6000 and 8000ppm and plants were sprayed at 30, 60 and 90 days after planting. In the storage experiment, cured bulbs were stored at room temperature conditions and subjected to sixteen postharvest treatments included the previous four treatments (the three potassium silicate levels and control). In addition, three spraying treatments of sodium silicate at 6000 ppm, chitosan at 200 ppm and calcium chloride at 3000 ppm both separately and their combinations with potassium silicate (three treatments in field) were done.   The results revealed that, the highest plant length, number of leaves, fresh, dry weight\plant, neck diameter, bulb diameter and chlorophyll content of garlic were achieved from foliar application of potassium silicate at the 4000ppm after 120 days from planting compared to the control. Foliar spray of potassium silicate at 4000 ppm recorded the highest total yield and bulb quality such as bulb diameter, bulb weight/plant, number of cloves, cloves weight, total soluble solids and dry matter of bulbs. Leaf K percentage significantly increased by spraying of potassium silicate at 6000ppm.Further, all potassium silicate treatments recorded higher silicon percentage over the control.   Postharvest results showed that weight loss and shrinking percentages of the bulbs after 7 months of the storage were the least with the foliar application of potassium silicate at 8000ppm plus chitosan at 200ppm in storage followed by chitosan individually, potassium silicate at 8000 ppm and potassium silicate at 6000 ppm combined with calcium chloride as a postharvest treatment. However, the highest total soluble solids after 7 months of the storage was obtained from foliar spraying of potassium silicate at 4000 ppm combined with either sodium silicate or chitosan. Also, bulbs treated with foliar application of potassium silicate at 6000 or 8000 ppm combined with chitosan at 200 ppm, had the highest values of dry matter after 7 months from storage.  In general, foliar application of potassium silicate at 4000ppm was the superior treatment for enhancing plant growth, yield and quality. Also, foliar application of potassium silicate at 8000ppm and sprayed with chitosan at 200 ppm was the most effective for garlic storability seven months at the room temperature conditions.

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is considered the major and important globally vegetable crops especially in Egypt. Tissue culture techniques have facilitated the induction of mutant which helps in crop improvement. The mutation induction in vegetative crops through tissue culture may be the optimal method to improve these crops. Tomato explants of Idkawy Egyptian cultivar were cultured in vitro on MS medium supplemented with 0.2 mg/L BAP. The resulted plantlets were irradiated with different gamma radiation doses (50, 100, 150, 200 or 250 Gy) and the survival and mean of shoot length decreased as gamma radiation doses increased. The survival percentages of irradiated plantlets were ranged from 78.75% with 50 Gy dose to 18.75% with 250 Gy dose, while the shoot length values were decreased by a rate of 2.71 cm for dose 50 Gy and 1.2 cm for 250 Gy dose. The ten SCoT primers amplified a total of 114 amplicons with a range from 4 with SCoT-4 primer to 18 amplicons with SCoT-5  primer with an average of 11.4 amplicons per primer, The radiation specific markers were ranged from one fragment with SCoT-1 and SCoT-2 primers, SCoT- 5 two fragments with primer to five fragments with SCoT-3 and SCoT-33 primers.

The aim of the research was to quantify the losses of wheat crop during the stages of production, harvesting and storage at farms. To achieve the research objectives, analytical and descriptive statistical tools were used to determine the actual loss and thus affect some economic variables of wheat crop. Secondary preliminary data were collected through a questionnaire for 120 farmers of wheat crop in Gharbia governorate with 120 views during the season (2016/2017). The results showed that study of the relative importance of wheat production showed that the area cultivated with wheat yield in Egypt increased by an annual average of 67.7 thousand feddan during the study period .The increase in the productivity of feddan from about 2.73 tons in 2003 to about 2.77 tons in 2015 by about 1.43% in the year 2000, Than in 2003.The increase in wheat production in Egypt showed a significant increase of 192.87 thousand tons during the study period .A study of the relative importance of the monetary value of wheat in Egypt showed a statistically significant increase of about 1.83 billion pounds during the study period. The increase in the value of wheat imports in Egypt showed a significant statistical increase of about 1.66 billion pounds during the study period.  A study of the loss in the wheat yield and the area planted with the crop showed a decrease in the losses of wheat yield in the high size farms, which is greater than the other sizes, with a decrease rate of 54.4%, 36% and 12.9% respectively. In the sense that increasing the area by one acre leads to a decrease in the quantity of losses in the wheat yield by about 9.99 kg. The study of the relationship between the losses per feddan in wheat harvest and the date of harvest showed a statistically significant negative relationship, meaning that the time of early harvest leads to a decrease in the total losses in the yield of about 3.56 kg, the results of the relationship between losses of feddan in wheat yield and harvest method indicate a statistically significant negative relationship. Meaning that the automatic harvest leads to a decrease in the total losses in the yield of about 18.5 kg, and it was found that the relationship of negative morale statistically, meaning that the wheat that was dried lead to a decrease in the losses of feddan in the wheat crop by about 17.87 kg, and found a significant negative relationship statistically among the losses per feddan In the wheat yield and packing method, in the sense that the mechanical filling leads to a deficiency of the total losses per feddan in the crop of about 33.54 kg for the sample in the province of Gharbia.

Identifying phenols in ornamental trees may provide sources of natural compounds that have applications in the agricultural and pharmaceutical industries. In this study, we profiled phenolic acids in the bark of Quercus sp.  using HPLC-DAD. Q. robur showed high ellagic acid (in Q. robur).  Q. macrocarpa had high caffeic acid. All species showed antibacterial and antifungal activities.  P. aeruginosa was the most sensitive species for bark extracts.  The antifungal activities were high against A. flavus. The study revealed new natural sources of phenolic acids that have antimicrobial activities with agricultural and pharmaceutical applications.

Guava die-back disease is a destructive disease. It causes serious yield losses and reduced guava fruits. Inspection of guava plant for die-back revealed that Beheira governorate had the highest frequencies of all isolated fungi from natural infected guava trees, followed by Alexandria, while Kafr El-Sheikh obtained the lowest frequency. Botryodiplodia theobromae gave the highest frequency of isolated fungi from natural infected guava trees during seasons 2015 and 2016, followed by Alternaria alternata, Alternaria sp., whereas Colletotrichum gloeosperiodes, Phomopsis sp., and Nigrospora sp. obtained minor frequency. The highest frequency of Botryodiplodia theobromae was observed at Beheira, followed by Alexandria governorate. Meanwhile, the lowest frequency was found at Kafr El-Sheikh. Pathogenicity test indicated that Botryodiplodia theobromae was the most pathogenic fungus. RAPD analysis of DNA by using three random primers exhibited five groups of DNA bands with first primer, six groups with second primer and five groups with the third primer and the overall similarities between isolates were arranged from 69 to 100% with P1, from 62 to 100% with P2 and from 33 to 100% with P3. The present study aimed to finding correlation between these isolates groups which resulted of RAPD, its pathogenesis and its geographical isolated locations. Ten isolates of B. theobromae represented ten locations of five governorates in Egypt were tested to evaluate the ability of pathogenesis in guava transplants cultivar Banaty at pots under experiments greenhouse conditions for artificial inoculation. The obtained results were exhibited that all tested isolates were clearly pathogenic to guava transplants and produced typical symptoms of guava die-back disease. Such isolates were differences of differed in their pathogenicity. The  ten isolates were coded according to their locations by three random primers (B.W.1, A.B.2, D.S.3, Q.K.4, A.A.5, B.N.6, K.Q.7, Q.S.8, D.B.9 and K.D.10). Isolate code No. Q.K.4 was the most virulent, followed by D.S.3 and Q.S.8, respectively which isolated of Qalyoubia and Damietta governorates. Meanwhile isolates K.D.10, A.A.5, K.Q.7 were moderately pathogenic, they were isolated from Kafr El-Sheikh and Alexandria, while A.B.2 and B.N.6 were the lowest pathogenic isolates isolated from Alexandria and Beheira governorates.

Selenium is a trace element essential in animal nutrition and exerts multiple actions related to enhance animal production, fertility, immune response and antioxidant defense system of chickens. The aim of the present study is investigating the benefit effects of selenium nanoparticles (SEN) in-ovo injection on productive performance, express stimulate antioxidant defense system and immune response of hatched chicks.  A total of 210 broiler breeder eggs ( Habbard Star-Bro) were divided into three in-ovo injection treatment groups,( 0, 5 and 10 ppm SEN) and incubated. Hatchability traits , productive performance,  biochemical profile, antioxidant status and immune response of hatched chicks were estimated. Results indicated significant increase in HDLcholesterol, T3, GSR, GSH, IGA, IGM and IGG as affected by in-ovo inoculated SEN levels. However feed conversion ratio, triglycerides and MDA significantly decreased by in-ovo treatments. No significant alternations were recorded in hatched chicks weight, feed intake, body weight, body weight gain, carcass characteristics, and serum levels of protein fractions, cholesterol, LDL- cholesterol, ALT, AST, ALP, uric acid, creatinine and glucose in in-ovo treated groups compared with the control one. It is summarized that, in-ovo inoculation of different levels of SEN can improve feed conversion ratio, lipid profile, antioxidants status and immunity of  broiler hatched chicks.

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of different group’s size on productive performance of growing rabbits. A total number of 108 APRI weaning rabbits, their average initial body weight were 560±10g. Animals were assigned to two groups: The 1st group housed by 4 rabbits in cage 60 cm2, while the 2nd group housed by 8 rabbits in cage 120 cm2. During the experimental period live body weight(g), daily feed intake(g) and mortality rate (%)  were recorded and daily body weight gain(g) and feed conversion ratio(FCR) were calculated at 5, 8, 10 and 12 weeks of age. After the end of the experiment (12 wk) 36 rabbits were randomly taken and slaughtered to calculate the measure carcass traits. These include total giblet (g), cervix part (%), front quarters (%), intermediate part (%), hind quarter (%) and the dressing weight. Also the economical efficiency (EE%) was calculated. Results indicated that: the average live body weight (LBW), daily weight gain (DWG) and daily feed intake (DFI) were not significantly influenced by different group size. The best DWG values were recorded for the group 2 (8 rabbits/ cage), by around 2.5% during the whole fatting period (5-12 wks). Daily feed intake was lower in group 2 than group 1 by around 6.20%, 2.00%, 0.31% and 2.83% at 5, 8, 10 and 12 weeks of age, respectively. Data revealed significant improvements in FCR for rabbits in group2 (P<0.05) than group1 for the period 5-8 and during the whole growing period 512 weeks. The mortality rate was lower in group 2  than in group 1. The best dressing weight value was recorded for the group 2 by around 9.2%.The economical efficiency (EE %) was improved in group 2. It is concluded that, increasing number of rabbits to 8 rabbits in cage could decrease the mortality %, increase the dressing weight that also lead to increase the economical efficiency.

Egypt has an appropriate environment for the cultivation of many medicinal and aromatic plants of great economic potential all over the world. Chamomile is one of the most important crops, especially in Fayoum governorate, where the average of cultivated area under the traditional farming system about 9.8 thousand feddan in the year 2015 represents about 77% of total traditional chamomile area in the whole country, where organic chamomile production area was approximately 6.3 thousand feddan which represent about 84% of total organic Chamomile production area in whole Egypt. This research aimed to evaluate the economic efficiency for Chamomile production under organic farming system compared with traditional system in Fayoum governorate over the growing season 2015 -2016 in the short-run and long-run based on preliminary data of a random sample of traditional and organic chamomile farms. A simple random sample was taken from three districts in Fayoum  governorate (Ebshway, Etsa and Youssef El Siddiq), with 75, 60 individuals for both traditional and organic farms respectively, each sample was divided into two categories; the first category (0.5 feddan – 1 feddan), the second category (1.5 feddan - 2 feddan). Analytical procedures were utilized in processing and analyzing the data. Multiple regressions were used to reach the basic findings of this research. Production and Cost function was specified and estimated, in order to derive some indicators of economic efficiency, production efficiency and economic of scale. The results showed that the total production elasticity for both the selected sample farms in the short and long run, indicating that all farms are produced in the first non-economic phase of the Law of diminishing returns.  The results showed that the net return of organic farms was higher than traditional farms by 63.6% and 52.1% for the first and second category farms, respectively.