Larval parasitoids of the potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella Zell. were surveyed in potato and tomato fields in Menofyia Governorate in 2003. Three species were found to attack P. operculella larvae infesting potato plants; the endoparasitoids, Apanteles litae var. operculellae Nixon and Diadegma molliplum Hlmgrn. and the ectoparasitoid, Bracon instabilis Marshal. Meanwhile, only B.instabilis was found to attack the larvae infesting tomato leaves. Percentages of parasitism in potato fields averaged 10.8, 5.6 and2.6 % by B.instabilis, A.litae and D.molliplum, respectively. The total percentages of parasitism by the three species ranged from 11.0 to 28.6 % with an average of 19.1 % in potato field, while it ranged in tomato fields from 0.0 to 21.4 % with an average of 11.1 % by B. instabilis

Several nurseries of olives in Fayoum and Giza were surveyed for root rot incidence during early summer of 2003. In Fayoum, root rot incidence reached 53% while in Giza, disease incidence was 44%. Disease symptoms consist of partial wilting, leaves browning and twig dieback, which was associated with severe root rot and basal stem cankers and followed, in most cases, by plant decline and death. The most frequently isolated fungi from rotted roots were Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, F. moniliforme, Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotium rolfsii, Cylindrocarpon sp.  and Alternaria alternata. Isolation frequency of different fungi varied among olive cultivars. Generally, Fusarium spp. were the most frequently isolated  pathogens and Fusarium oxysporum was the most frequent (35.5%) on all cultivars followed by F. solani (19.3%) R. solani (16.1%). Meanwhile, S. rolfsii, F. moniliforme, Cylindrocarpon sp. and A. alternata occurred at lowfrequencies. Pathogenicity tests showed that all tested isolates caused varied degrees of root rot symptoms on olive transplants, cvs. Manzanillo and Picual. Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani and R. solani caused the highest root rot incidence and severity on both cultivars. There was a positive correlation between disease severity on roots and severity of foliar symptoms. All evaluated olive cultivars were susceptible or extremely susceptible to fungal pathogens. All cultivars showed high disease severity with root rots, especially in response to infection by F. solani, F. oxysporum and S.  rolfsii. However, the least foliar symptoms were recorded on cultivar Coratina. Application of two commercial biological control products (Rhizo-Plus and Trichoderma 2000) to soil, 24h before planting olive cuttings in the nursery, significantly reduced incidence of root rot on transplants of cultivars Manzanillo and Picual, up to 28 weeks after planting

Preparationof either Bacillus thuringiensis or Trichoderma harzianum  were used as seed coating or soil application for management of root-knot and root rot disease complex caused by the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne javanica and the fungus Rhizoctonia solani on soybean plants. Number of galls, root galling, egg masses and disease severity were reduced sharply on plants treated with both biocontrol agents, either as seed or soil application compared with non-treated plants. Soil application with both biocontrol agents was the best method in reducing nematode and fungus disease severity. Plant growth parameters i.e. fresh shoot and root weight, dry weight and number of pods and bacterial nodules were markedly increased with all treatments of biocontrol agent either with seed or soil treatment compared to plants grown in infested soil with either pathogens alone or combined. Results show that plant survival was more affected when R. solani was alone or combined with M. javanica. Seed coating was considered the effective method in increasing survival plants. The biochemical analysis of treated plants with both biocontrol agents were affected compared to non-treated plants grown in pathogen infested soil. The biochemical parameters i.e. chlorophyll A and B, carotein, phenols and amino acids were enhanced in bioagent treated plants compared to non-treated plants

A total of 174 actinomycete cultures were isolated from a constructed biological water treatment system (BIOWATSYST)established at Abu Attwa station in Ismailia city, Egypt and funded by the European Commission Grant No.IC18-CT97-0163. The isolates were identified to belong to eight genera; Nocardia, Streptomyces, Intrasporangium, Micromonospora, Nocardioides, Actinomadura, Nocardiopsis, and Thermomonospora.  They were screened for their antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic activities against certain human and plant pathogens. Antimicrobial activities were determined by measuring bacterial and fungal growth inhibitions while cytotoxic activity was studied by using the Artemia salina bioassay. Thirty two percent of isolated cultures displayed antibacterial activity, 15% displayed antifungal activity and 9% displayed cytotoxic activity. Members of genus Streptomyces has recorded as the most frequent active isolates against tested bacteria (42%) and fungi (49%). However, the most cytotoxic activity was found with members of genus Nocardia (46%).  Results evaluated the fact that actinomycetes isolated from such systems could be considered as promising source for antimicrobial and cytotoxic bioactive agents.

A promising cotton inbred line characterized by high yielding ability, earliness in maturity and better fiber quality was developed via pedigree selection from the subsequent segregating generations of a cross between the two long-staple cvs.; Giza 89 and Giza 86 by the Cotton Breeding Section of the Cotton Research Institute. The purpose of this investigation aimed at assessment of the superiority of the physical and fine structural properties of the promising line derived from the cross (Giza 89 x Giza 86) over its parents. The results indicated that: -  The promising line surpassed its parents in upper half mean length, uniformity index, fiber strength, fiber elongation, micronaire value, maturity ratio, hair weight, dry fiber ribbon width, swollen fiber diameter, convolution number / cm., reversals number/ cm. and yarn strength. - There were highly significant positive correlations between upper half mean length, uniformity index, convolution number/cm., fiber bundle strength and yarn strength. - Highly significant negative correlations exhisted between dry fiber ribbon width, swollen fiber diameter, reversals number and bundle strength.   The promising line is now under propagation for growing as a commercial cultivar and would replace both parents in their growing areas.

Surgical site infection (SSI) remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients. A total of 254 bacterial isolates were collected from 303 surgical specimens which were isolated from 92 males (53.2%) and 81 females (46.8%), their mean ages were 39.6±16.05 years (ranged from 1 month to 74 years). These isolates were identified as Staphylococcus aureus,Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonasaeruginosa and commensal Gram+ve and Gram-ve bacteria. The most effective antibiotics were imipenem while ampicillin and penicillin G (First and second generation of b-Lactam) showed much lower activity against all types of bacterial strains. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of  imipenem determined by E-test were 0.047- 0.064 , 0.125, 0.19, 0.25 and 0.75mg/ml against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia  coli, Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiellapneumoniae  and Pseudomonas aeruginosa  respectively.

Twenty nine actinomycetes isolates were isolated from Burullos Lake and characterized taxonomically for 62 phenotypic traits including morphological; biochemical, nutritional, substrate utilization and anti-microbial activities.  The results were analyzed by numerical techniques using the simple matching coefficient (SSM) and UPGMA clustering. At 54% similarity level, the majority of the isolates were grouped into six phena (A, B, C, D, E and F). Only two isolates were grouped separately and formed two single clusters at the same level of similarity. A representative isolate from each phenon was identified. The isolates were found to be Streptoverticillum morookaense, Nocardia brasiliensis, Streptomyces alanosinicus, Streptomyces globosus and Streptomyces gancidicus

The nine most frequent bacterial strains out of 127 were isolated form ten drinking water samples collected from tap water and bottled water in sharqia governorate. The nine isolates were purified and examined for their resistance to increasing concentrations of two heavy metal ions, lead (Pb+2) and iron (Fe+3). Four stains out of the nine isolates encoded I, II, IV, and VIII showed the highest efficiency of both Pb+2 and Fe +3 uptake from nutrient broth media containing 100 ppm of the heavy metal ions. The four bacteria were preliminary identified and then confirmed by the Biolog examination as Corynebacterium jeikeium, Pseudomonas putida biotype A, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Acidovorax delafieldii. The increased concentrations of Pb+2 ions (from 100 to 500 ppm) in nutrient broth media had deleterious effect on the process of heavy metal uptake (biosorption) by all the four selected isolates. Whereas percentage of Pb+2 uptake decreased from 42.9 to 24%; from 72.6 to 42%, from 78.9 to 37% and from 68.8 to 45%, for the four selected isolates, respectively. Meanwhile there was slight decrease change in Fe+3 uptakes percentage accompanying the increase in heavy metal ion concentration. Optimization of the cultural conditions releaved maximum uptake op pb+2 and Fe+3 by the four tested strains in presence of 100 ppm heavy metal concentration when incubated at 25oC except for Acinetobacter calcoaceticus at 35oC in case of Pb+2 uptake, when pH, was adjusted at 5 under static conditions. Upon addition of 50 ppm Cu+2 ions to broth media supplemented with 100 ppm Pb+2 ions, the percentage of metal biosorption by the four tested isolated decreased between 41.11% and 48.45% according to type of strain. Similarly presence of Cu+2 ions caused decrease in Fe+2 uptake by the four isolates ranging between 29.14-45.1%. Percentage of Pb+2 ions uptake by the tested bacteria sharply decreased when a sterile tap water sample was used as natural medium for cell-metal contact. The percentage of uptake inhibition of Pb+2 ranged between 57-65.23% and between 75.1-84.27% for Fe+3 ions. Cell hydrolysate of three tested bacteria appeared to be free from plasmid DNA proving that the genetic character of heavy metal resistance is plasmidless and related to chromosmal DNA in case of Cory. jeikeium, P. putida and A. delafieldii. On the other hand, Acinet. Calcoaceticus contained plasmid of size 23.130 kb. Examining Acientobacter calcoaceticus using transmission electron microscope revealed the accumulation of Pb+2 ions on bacterial cell surface and the intracellular absorption of Fe+3 ions.

A field experiment was carried out for two seasons 2001 and 2002 at Ismailia Agric. Res. Station to study the comparative effect of farmyard manure (FYM) application, individually or in combination with natural minerals, as sources of micronutrients. Such effect was studied during successive growth stages of wheat (vegetative stage, flowering stage and harvest stage), as well as after maize harvesting, on plant growth, nutrients uptake and wheat - maize productivity. The experiment was designed in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Two levels of FYM (2 % and 3 %) and three natural minerals, i.e., magnetite (iron oxide, Mag.), basic slag (Bas.) and manganese dust (Md.) at three rates 0.02 %, 0.05 % and 0.07%, respectively. Obtained results revealed that, at vegetative stage, mineral fertilizers (MF) treatment positively affected the dry matter of both shoots and roots of wheat plants along with contents of nitrogen and potassium in both shoots and roots as well as shoot/root ratios. At flowering stage, obtained data showed that applied farmyard manure at the rate of 3 % (F2) significantly affected the dry matter of both shoots and roots as well as their contents of N, P and K. A similar trend was obtained for micronutrients uptake at the two indicated growth stages of wheat, which recorded high values when FYM, at a rate of 3 % (F2), was applied. On the other hand, obtained results indicated that applied FYM at the rate of 2 % (F1) with high rate (0.07 %) of each of the used natural minerals and FYM at the rate of 3 % (F2) in combination with the moderate rate (0.05 %) of such minerals recorded high values of all tested parameters. In addition, Basic slag (Bas.), generally, gave the highest values, over control, of dry matter content and macronutrients uptake during the studied two growth stages of wheat, (vegetative and flowering stages). The agronomic yield components of wheat (straw, grains and weight of 1000 grains) were increased when MF was applied; such significant increases were obtained in maize yield (residual effect) as a result of applied FYM individually or combined with natural minerals.

This investigation was carried out in the plastic house of Horticulture Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Giza during two consequent seasons (2002 – 2003) and (2003 – 2004). The study was aimed to enhance growth of Casimiroa rootstock seedlings to reach grafting size in a short time, beside defineding the suitable method of grafting. In this concern, results revealed that seed soaked in MgSO4 at 5 % for 15 min. and planted in media consists of peat and sand at 1 : 1, was increased seed germination percentage (92.1 and 94.8 %) and minimized the germination period (19.1 and 19.3 days), as compared with the other treatments. Thus it reached to the grafting size at a period of (179 and 180 days) in both seasons, respectively. However, Dormex (hydrogen cyanamide) treatment at 2% gave the highest root length (24.6 and 24.8 cm), and number of roots per plant (19.4 and 19.0). Results also showed that shield budding by using soft wood grafts, gave the highest percentage of success (69.2 and 72.4%), shortest  period of bud / scion (23.0 and 24.0 days), highest values of scion length (26.5 and 25.7 cm) and highest leaf area (38.28 and 40.67 cm2). However, cleft grafting with softwood grafts increased average number of leaves per sprouted graft (6.0 and 6.6) and shoot scion diameter (0.6 and 0.5 cm). Generally, seeds treated with MgSO4 at 5% berfore sowing in media consists of peat and sand at 1 : 1 in volume, induced healthy and sizeable rootstocks in a short time. Moreover, grafting rootstocks by soft wood grafts was the best method.