Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) has gained increased a worldwide attention since 1970s when it has been revived as a new food crop, due to the attractive nutritive value and potential health benefits as well as to its exceptional tolerance to several environmental stresses. It is considered as a new non-traditional leafy vegetable crop newly introduced to Egypt. Nitrogen requirements for quinoa plants are not clarified yet and the numbers of studies is still quite limited. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of nitrogen sources as ammonium sulfate 20.6% or calcium nitrate 15.5% used at rates of 40, 60 or 80 kg N/feddan on leaf chemical compositions and yield of two quinoa cultivars of Cica and Hualhuas harvested after 40 days from sowing date. A field experiment was carried out at the Experimental Farm of the Horticulture Dept., the Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Shoubra El-Kheima, Cairo, Egypt, during the two winter seasons of 2015 and 2016. The treatments were laid out in a split plot design, with three replicates. The obtained results revealed that Cica cultivar was superior to Hualhuas concerning all measured chemical parameters of leaves and leaf yield during both seasons, except for leaf contents of chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll, ash, fats, Ca and Fe, where Hualhuas cultivar was superior to Cica in these parameters. However, no significant differences were detected between both cultivars regarding leaf carbohydrates content in both seasons. Re garding nitrogen rates and sources, quinoa plants received 80 kg N/feddan as calcium nitrate gave the highest significant values of carotenoids, nitrate, proteins, ash, N, K and Fe contents in both seasons of the study. Whereas, nitrogen treatment of 80 kg N/feddan from ammonium sulfate gave the highest values of leaf contents of Ca and leaf yield in both seasons. Nitrogen treatment of 60 kg N/feddan from calcium nitrate showed the highest significant values of chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll contents during both seasons. No significant differences were realized among all nitrogen treatments (rates and sources) on P content in both seasons. In relation to the interaction effect, the results clearly revealed that leaves of Cica plants received 80 kg N/feddan either from ammonium sulfate or calcium nitrate recorded significant increases in carotenoids, nitrate, proteins, ash, N, P, K and Na contents as well as yield without significant differences between them. On the other hand, the best values of chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll in both seasons were attained when Hualhuas plants received 60 kg N/feddan from calcium nitrate. Moreover, there were no significant differences noticed among nitrogen treatments applied to Cica plants in both seasons on Na. Furthermore, the best values of Zn content were obtained when Cica plants treated with 40 kg N/feddan from ammonium sulfate or 60 kg N/feddan from calcium nitrate without significant differences between them in both seasons of the study.  Given the experimental conditions of this study, it is concluded that Cica plants received 80 kg N/feddan either from ammonium sulfate or calcium nitrate gave the highest yield of leaves with acceptable quality attributes.

The grape seeds extracted with various organic solvents (methanol, ethanol, acetone and chloroform) either pure (100%) or mixed with 30, 50 and 50% water (except chloroform)  were evaluated for its content of antioxidant compounds; i.e. phenolics and flavonoids (by HPLC technique) and/or antioxidant activities (by DPPH test). The extraction yield was ranged between 6-10% depending on solvent type and significantly increased by mixing with water with various percentages. Total phenolics, total flavonoids and antioxidant activity of grape seed extracts were affected by type of solvent. The highest total phenolic compounds and total flavonoids was recorded in methanol 70% extract, while the lowest one was in water 100% extract.

Currently, the international community focus on the problem of food security and nutrition to achieve the goals in the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Plan, in particular the second objective of sustainable development, which concern eradication  of hunger, saving food security and be improved nutrition, as well promotion of sustainable agriculture (The official website of the United Nations). The field study aims to provide an indication of the expected volume of demand for irradiated food in the Egyptian market and estimate degree of approval, due to measuring of consumer’s attitudes. The process of food irradiation gives a competitive advantage in the markets, through achievement of important role in preserving food and agricultural products, an addition protect them from spoilage. The felid Study was based on consumer demand for irradiated food in Cairo Governorate, as the largest governorate in terms of population intensity, representing about 10.06% of the total population of the Republic (Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, 2017). A survey was conducted on consumers who frequented the hypermarket between two areas, one located in a high income area (1st Settlement) and the other located in a low income area (Shoubra). The results of the survey showed that the percentage of those who approved the purchase of irradiated food amounted to about 67%, while the percentage of those who undecided and rejected was estimated at about 12% 21% respectively. The highest percentage of  weighted average value was approved for the axis of the nutritional value of food and quality, which amounted to about 81.33%, while the approval rate for the axis of environmental specifications has reached 74.66% only. The results indicate that the factors affecting on consumers behavior for the purchase of irradiated food are not mainly due to the price specifications of the commodity but to the nutritional value and quality, health and marketing specifications. In addition, the results showed that relationship wasn’t statistically significant between the variables of the age group, gender, social status and all the axes of the irradiated food specification, but relationship was found statistically significant between the variable of the region (high income and low income) and the total specifications. The study suggests which explains the importance of directing marketing strategies appropriate to the consumer groups with a relatively low level of education and low incomes, because increasing the awareness of the benefits of radiation Processed of food, will increase the total economic benefit for them, it’s most important of maintain quality and safety of food for long shelf life. The results also showed the relative importance of information, that effect on demand for irradiated food in the Egyptian market, it’s considered high relatively where was estimated at 87%. Furthermore, the results explained an important role of the major media as television, which has most Watched by consumers by 69%, followed it the Internet by 29%. The dry foods may be provided when the commercial application and marketing of irradiated products in the Egyptian market would be started, This is due to agree with most consumer’s attitude, which selected by 62% of the study sample. Based on the above, the important role becomes clear of felid studies and marketing research in the Egyptian market, to identify the actual wants of consumer, which represented to obtain safe, healthy and high quality of food, how optimization using of food irradiation technology could be met consumer's demand on Specification of food products required in the Egyptian commercial markets. The study recommends of put a marketing strategy for irradiated food, which mainly dependent on providing specifications of these foods, such as nutritional value, quality, health and marketing specifications, which are important economic axes, it had highly compatible with the preference and consumer’s behavior  towards purchasing. This is one of the most important factors affecting on demand according to economic theory. This ensures the marketing process’s effectiveness for these foods before supplied to the market. In addition to achieve the expected economic returns at the national level by saved food security or at the individual level by satisfying the consumer's wants to obtain safe food with high quality and comparatively long shelf life.

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.

Two famous Citrus rootstocks sour orange (C. aurantium.) and volkamer lemon (C. volkamariana.) were tested as interstocks at the stage of transplant production to investigate their mutual effects on the scion growth characteristics, mineral content, carbohydrates, total indols and phenols from side; and rootstock growth traits. nitrogen content, carbohydrates, indols and phenols from the other side. Also the results indicated that Navel orange budded on C. volkamariana grafted on C. volkamariana achieved significantly the highest scion height, root length, leaf number. The highest content of N, P, K, Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn and total phenols in scion stem. Moreover, the mentioned treatment gained the highest significant carbohydrates in roots.

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.

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.

Marjoram and Chamomile are an important exportable crops. Despite the importance of the previous crops in providing foreign currency to finance various investment. The crops are faced with many problems with importing countries. The study aimed at investigating the geographical distribution of Marjoram and Chamomile crops and to find important foreign markets and the possibility of exploring new markets. The study depends on the descriptive and quantitative methods. The study use of Boston model to determine the best countries that may absorb these crops.   The study reveals that Finland market absorbs about 7.6% of Marjoram exports about 7.9% of total exports. The model has also shown that European countries contribute with the highest rank share of the above crops exports. The study suggest to increase of the Arab countries store of the export of the above crops as well as some export countries such as Italy, France and UK.

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.

he efficiency and biochemical effects of certain insecticides belonging to different groups namely: flubendiamide (diamide), pyridalyl (phenoxy-pyridaloxy), clothianidin (neonicotinoide), fipronil (phenylpyrazole) and spirotetramat (tetramic acid) and pirimiphos-methyl (Ops) were tested against 2nd larval instar of Spodoptera littoralis laboratory strain using dipping technique. The efficacy of the tested insecticides are arranged as follows to LC50 values. The results showed that flubendiamide was the superior toxicant insecticides ( LC50 1.03 ppm) followed by pyridalyl (2.13 ppm) then fipronil (7.42 ppm), clothianidin (26.87ppm), pirimiphos-methyl (76.31 ppm) and spirotetramat (431.91 ppm). Biochemical effects of the tested insecticides on acetylcholine esterase (AChE), glutathione-s-transferases (GST), adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase), phenoloxidase, total calcium, and total protein were determined in the treated larvae. Data showed highest significant increase at AChE activity in treatment of fipronil by change% (70.59), while treatment with pirimiphosmethyl recorded highest significant decrease by change% (-56.41). Whereas, all treatments recorded increase in GST activity except pirimiphosmethyl recorded non significant decrease. All insecticides treatments were showed a decrease in phenoloxidase activity the highest decrease recorded by pirimiphos-methyl treatment by change % (- 53.06). Regarding change percentage of ATPase, activity data recorded significant increase with pirimiphos-methyl treatment by (72.91%).  However, total protein in all treatments showed a significant decrease. On the other hand, treatment with pirimiphos-methyl recorded a significant decrease in total calcium and the corresponding change % was   (- 6.0%). Previous data confirmed the mode of action of the novel tested insecticides.