The antioxidaitve activity of Maillard reaction products MRPs) from heated whey added to butter was investigated. The antioxidant efficiency changed with different concentrations of MRPs used during storage period at 45ºC. Peroxide val-ue, thiobarbituric acid, acid value, carbonyl com-pounds and free fatty acids of butter were in-creased with storage. Their rate of increase de-creased with increasing the added amount of MRPs to butter.

Many countries are interested in production of Mushroom because of its high nutritive value. In Egypt, production of Mushroom is about 0.06% of the world production. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the economic feasibility of Mushroom production to evaluate the predicted profits in Egypt. The results showed that production of Mushroom significantly increased by 0.15 thousand ton/year. China, U.S.A and Germany are the top producing countries where 46.11% from the total world production is produced by these countries. The top exporting countries are China, Poland and Ireland since they export 57.67% from the total world exports of Mushroom. Meanwhile, Germany, Japan, England and U.S.A. are the top importing countries which import about 574.82% thousand tons/year through (2002- 2004). The study revealed that production of Mushroom is profitable as an enterprise for small investors in Egypt. Total production costs per year is about L.E. 8000. This small project gives two work opportunities and income of L.E. 12 thousand per year. The Internal rate of return of the enterprise is about 35% and the Payback period is about three years. Mushroom, the simple rate of return on investment is about 36%. The sensitivity analysis indicated that the least Internal rate of return supposing reduction of total income, is about 10% or increasing the total costs by 10%, the least Internal rate of return reached to14%. Whereas, simple rate of return on investment was estimated by 24% which was more than the interest rate in commercial banks that reached 10%. Therefore, This study recommends encouraging young-people enterprises in rural communities in new lands to produce Mushroom, by introducing technical consults, financial facilities for small investors. Also, limiting production and marketing difficulties, improving efficiency of marketing systems. In addition to maximizing production of Mushroom for exporting to the international markets and organizing training courses for spotting light on the economic feasibility of Mushroom to increase number of the investors to produce Mushroom.

Soil solarization in combination with fungal antagonists and soil amendments has been sub-jected to evaluation as a potential disease man-agement strategy for the control of charcoal rot of sesame caused by Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid. Solarization alone or in combination with Trichoderma pseudokoningii and Emericella nidulans singly or in mixed inocula reduces dis-ease incidence from 30 % (control) to 80%, 91 %, 82 % and 85% respectively. It is noted that while pairing improved the biocontrols potentiality of E. nidulans by increasing the number of healthy plants in both unsolarized and solarized soils it leads to decrease in the biocontrol potentiality of T. pseudokoningii. On the other hand the combina-tion of solarization with soil amendment with Eu-calyptus powdered leaves showed a synergistic effect by increasing number of healthy plants from 65 % in amended unsolarized soil to 77 % in amended solarized soil.

Different coloured plastic buckets (yellow, red, blue and white), filled with water were used as traps for adults of Tropinota squalida Scop. in apple orchards at El-Khatatba (El-Behaira Gover-norate) during seasons 2005 and 2006. The gen-eral mean numbers of adults/ trap were 6.0, 8.1, 14.4 and 24.1 in 2005 and 4.7, 6.7, 10.5 and 18.7 in 2006 seasons for white, red, yellow and blue traps, respectively. The general means for trap efficiency (two seasons) were 9.8, 13.7, 23.2 and 39.3 for white, red, yellow and blue traps, respec-tively. Two groups of white plastic cups, group filled with blue water solution and another group filled with water were used as traps and slung in apple trees. The general mean numbers of adults/trap were 8.1 & 7.5 for blue water solution and 5.8 & 5.2 for water traps during 2005 and 2006, respectively. The general means of trap effi-ciency (two seasons) were 36.8 and 25.9% for the above mentioned traps, respectively

Weeds represent the most serious problem in wheat in Egypt. For their control, two field exper-iments were carried out during two winter seasons (2004/2005) and (2005/2006) at National Re-search Centre experimental station at Shalakan, Kalubia Governorate. Some groups of herbicides (Dirby, Harmony extra, Granstar, Ecopart, Illoxan, Topic and Arelon) as well as hand weeding and unweeded treatments were evaluated in wheat. In addition, herbicide combinations were also as-sessed. Harmony extra at 24 g / fed. provided ac-ceptable control for broad leaved weeds but failed to control completely narrow-leaved weeds. Topic at 140 g / fed. provided great control of narrow weeds (97.68% reduction in dry weight after 90 days from sowing). Mixtures of both Harmony extra +Topic at rates (18 g / fed. +105 g / fed.) were better than Harmony extra alone for weed control (99.19 % control, 90 days after sowing) and grain yield. Concerning the other herbicides, Granstar + Topic were effective in controlling both broad and narrow weeds. The efficacy of Harmony extra + Illoxan was lower (91.2% con-trol). Overall, Arelon or mixture of Harmony extra +Topic were the most effective treatments with regard to weed control and wheat growth, yield and its attributes. However, no carryover damage with all used herbicides was observed on wheat. Estimating individual amino acids in the yielded grain revealed increase in essential and nonessen-tial amino acids due to single or combined appli-cation of herbicides. Pronounced increase was recorded with Harmony extra and Topic

The interactions between dietary zinc, copper and iron and their effects on antioxidant enzymes activity [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST)] were examined. Fifty-four rats weighting approximately between 80-100 grams were divided into nine groups (E1- E9). Each group containing six rats was fed on basal diet with varying amount of Zn (2.5, 35 or 175 mg Zn/kg diet), Cu (1.2, 6.3, or 25 mg Cu/kg diet) and Fe (10, 50 or 230 mg Fe/kg diet). The second group (E2) was fed a diet defi-cient in all studied elements (2.5mg Zn, 1.2mg Cu, and 10mg Fe per 1 kg diet). The results of E2 showed a decrease in SOD and CAT activity and increase GST in plasma erythrocytes and tissues. Moreover, plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive sub-stances (TBARs) and hydrogen peroxide produc-tion in E2 were found to be higher than those in other groups. The high activity of lactic acid de-hydrogenase (LDH) in the plasma indicated that cell membrane damage was occurred. This dam-age was accompanied by elevation of lipid peroxi-dation and in the same time by reduction of SOD and CAT activity. Supplementation of basal diet with the different concentrations of studied miner-als led to improve the activity of antioxidants en-zymes (SOD and CAT) and decrease in TBARs and LDH activity.

Two field experiments were carried out to evaluate six mutant lines having a good agronomic potential comparing with their original varieties Sids5, Sids6 and Sids7. The results showed signif-icant decrease in plant height for all semidwarf mutant lines. The reduction of plant height reached to 19.83% comparing with the original varieties. Some semidwarf mutant lines (line 5-1, line 6-1 and line 7-1) exhibited highly significant values for spike length, number of spikes/plant and grain yield/plant as compared to their original varieties. The original varieties manifested highly significant values for number of grains/spike as compared to their all semidwarf mutant lines. The results indicated that wheat semidwarf mutants of line 5-1, line 6-1 and line 7-1 are promising mu-tant lines, since they gave high grain yield. All studied genotypes were electrophoreticaly ana-lyzed for grain water-soluble proteins. The dis-crimination of such mutant lines and their parental varieties revealed differences in their banding pat-terns and occurrence of genetic variation between such genotypes. The electrophoretic analyses of proteins revealed some newly induced bands such as bands with molecular weights of 114.04, 87.82, 41.55 and 11.90 kDa. Such newly bands, which were not existed in the unirradiated varieties, may be originated from gamma radiation effects. It is expected that gamma rays modified the structure of some genes in the mutant lines, and these modi-fications appeared as absence of protein bands with molecular weights of 72.60 kDa in sids5 and 24.39 kDa in Sids6. The variety Sids7 exhibited the highest numbers of new protein bands after irradiation. The results revealed positive relations

Two field experiments were conducted in 2004 and 2005 seasons at El-Bosaily farm located at Beharia Governorate, Egypt, to study the effect of three nitrogen levels 60, 120 and 180 kg/feddan applied into irrigation water "fertigation" with drip irrigation system on vegetative growth, nutrient content (N, P and K) in leaves and grain and yield of three maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids (Single Cross 10, Three Way Cross 310 and Three Way Cross 324). The experiment design was a split plot with three replications where nitrogen fertilizer levels were distributed in the main plots and maize hybrids allocated in sub plots. The obtained results indicate that the increase of nitrogen level up to 180 kg /fed significantly increased plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf area index, grain yield and straw weight. Single Cross 10 gave the significant highest vegetative growth and grain yield comparing with the other hybrids. The high-est nitrogen level (180 kg /fed) combined with Single Cross 10 gave the significantly highest grain yield and straw weight. On the other hand, 60 kg N / fed gave the highest nitrogen use effi-ciency (NUE) value followed by 120 kg N / fed The regression analysis of nutrition content (N, P, and K %) between leaf and grain was estimated. The highest regression determination coefficient (r2) was found in nitrogen percentage with r2= 0.965 followed by potassium with r2= 0.936. The lowest r2 was found in phosphorus with r2= 0.872.

Laboratory experments and field traits were carried out on the efficiency of selected three con-centrations of each Garlic Gard extract and a mix-ture of chili oil of mustard extract (Valoram) based on fourth instar larvae of the insect. Garlic Gard extract was used in a concentrations of: 1 cm3/L, 0.5 cm3/L and 0.25 cm3/L. The mortality percentages were: 87.5 %, 83.3 % and 66.6 % respectively. The mixture of chili extract and oil of mustard extract was used in a concentrations of : 2 cm3/L, 1 cm3/L and 0.5 cm3/L The mortality per-centages were : 100%, 100% and 73% respect-tively. Garlic Gard extract when used in a field with concentrations of : 8 cm3/L, 6 cm3/L and 4 cm3/L mortality percentages were: 23.3%, 3.3% and 3.3% respectively, and for pupation were : 83.3 %, 49.9% and 36.6% respectively, also the mixture of chili extract and oil of mustard was used in a concentrations of: 20 cm3/L, 10 cm3/L and 7 cm3/L the mortality percentage: 46.6%, 6.6% and 6.6% respectively. And for pupation: 89.9%, 83.3% and 66.6% respectively. Laboratory experiments showed that the mixture of chili ex-tract and of mustard oil was highly effective against insect and more effective than Garlic Gard extract. Field traits showed that both Garlic Gard extract and the mixture of chili extract, and oil of mustard showed repellent effect and Killer materi-als to insects. The mortality percentage was high in using Valoram in comparison with Garlic Gard.

Two field experiments were carried out during the two successive seasons of 2005 and 2006 at Banha (Qalubia Governorate) to study the effect of three rates of poultry manures (50, 75 and 100 N unit/fed.) and the biofertilizer nitrogen (nitroben) on growth, yield, quality and chemical composi-tion of squash. Obtained data showed that using 100 N unit/fed. from poultry manure gave the highest vegetative growth characters, yield and quality. Application 100 N unit/fed. from poultry manure also increased the nitrogen percentage and heavy metals in squash tissues. In addition, using nitroben biofertilizer gave the highest vegetative growth characters, yield, quality and nitrogen per-centage. On the contrary, nitroben biofertilizer reduced the heavy metals in squash tissues