This study was carried out during the two successive seasons (2017 and 2018) on the first and second ratoon of healthy uniform banana cv. Williams (Musa spp.) Plants grown in sandy soil under drip irrigation system in a private orchard located at El-Tahadi region, Cairo Alexandria desert road, Behaira governorate, Egypt. The investigation aimed to study the effect of different slow release potassium fertilizer (SRKF) (50% K2O) rates (100%, 75% and 50%) were added as soil drench during mid March, mid June and mid September while, potassium sulphate dose used in control treatment was added at monthly intervals as soil application from mid March until mid October on vegetative growth, productivity, total yield income and net return/feddan of banana plants. The obtained results showed that, all treatments had a significant effect on enhancing the vegetative growth parameters, i.e. number of green leaves /plant, plant total assimilation area (m2/plant), leaf total chlorophyll content (CCI) and leaf macro element content (N, P and K) as (%) as well as leaf micro element content (Fe, Zn and Mn) as (ppm). Also, improving yield (ton/feddan), bunch weight (kg), number of hands/bunch, hand weight (kg), number of fingers/hand, finger weight (g), finger length (cm), finger circumference (cm), finger pulp weight (g), finger pulp/peel (ratio), TSS (%), TSS/TA (ratio), total sugars (%). In addition, the total yield income (1000 LE) and net return/feddan (1000 LE) in both seasons. Moreover, all treatments had no significant effect on plant pseudostem height (cm), pseudostem circumferences (cm) and leaf area (m2) of plant in both seasons and bunch length (cm) in the first season only. Treatment of: slow release potassium at 100% gave the highest values of physical and chemical properties of banana plants cv. Williams in both seasons compared to, control treatment (100% potassium sulphate) and slow release potassium at 50% gave the lowest values.

The aim of this work is developing and evaluating an automated measurement and system datalogger for continuous monitoring of solar hot air drier for natural convection solar cabinet drier. Measurements includes monitoring of drying process for sliced Banana (Musa acuminata) relation to weather parameters such as ambient air temperature, relative humidity and wind velocity which ensures precise measurements and reproduction of experiments. An electronic measurement system was used for measurement of temperature, humidity, air speed, a solar intensity. A programmable microcontroller ship and code were used to control measurement, timing, and data storage twenty-four hours/day. All measurements data was collected and saved in storage memory card. Results showed that the solar drier drying rate achieved (-0.018gH2O/g dm.h), while the drying rate with mean of electrical thermal drier were  (-0.956 018gH2O/gdm.h) at 105°C, (-0.552 018gH2O/g dm.h) at 70°C and (-0.513 018gH2O/gdm.h) at 50°C. The electronic measurement - datalogging system was able to give an accurate measurement and assessment to the drying system and process. It was found that air leakage from the system and poor insulation inhibit the airflow over the solar absorber plate and drying chamber causing thermal leakage form the bottom and drier sides. It was recommended to supply the solar drier with an air fan, seal the drying air leakage, and air-lock at the entrance to control airflow as well as the temperature of the drying process.

The effect of benzyl adenine (BA) at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 mg l-1 on micropropagation of banana shoot tips was studied. This study also included the morphological responses of banana shoot tips especially with 0 & 6 mg l-1 of BA treatments in relation to some biochemical compositions (total soluble phenols, free amino acids, total soluble sugars, chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids). Growth in 6  mg l-1 of BA resulted in increase in the most morphological parameters compared to the rest treatments. The results showed that 6 mg l-1 of BA treatment significantly increased fresh and dry weights, number of shootlets, shootlet and root length and number of leaves and roots/plantlet as compared without BA. Accumulation of total soluble sugars, free amino acids and chlorophylls was enhanced by 6 mg l-1 of BA while the reverse was true with the rest biochemical compositions (total soluble phenols and carotenoids). The biochemical status and BA treatment at 6 mg l-1 during micropropagation of shoot tips in banana may be important for the development and optimization of strategies for large scale propagation and germplasm conservation.