This study, based on a collaborative project with the Regional Council forResearch and Agricultural Extension, was carried out at an experimental farm of asandy soil belonging to Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, El-BustanRegion, Beheira Governorate, during two seasons (2004&2005) on an area of 5850m2. The experiment was designed in a split plot, arranged in a randomized completeblocks with three replications. Irrigation operations [Drip(DI)/Sprinkler(SI)] wereassigned to the main plots, while weed control methods (hoe weeding/herbicide usedthrough either conventional spraying with 0.300kg/fed concentration or herbigationwith three herbicide concentrations of 0.150, 0.225 and 0.300kg/fed.) were assignedto the subplots. The data were statistically analyzed by the Least Squares Methodusing a model involving the two factors (irrigation system and weed control method)and their interaction as affecting eradication percent, tomato yield/fed., and cost ofcontrol operation. The effect on herbicide residues in the tomatoes was alsoinvestigated

A blend Juice prepared from apple juice and kiwifruit juice (60:40 v/v), was pas-teurized and stored for 3 and 6 months at 4o and 25oC untill analysis. Sensory evalu-ation showed significant differences between the fresh and pasteurized blend juice in all sensory attributes. The headspace volatiles of fresh apple, fresh kiwifruit, fresh and stored pasteurized blend juice at different temperatures were collected and sub-jected to GC and GC-MS analysis. A total of 33 volatile components were identi-fied, 18 esters (17 aliphatic and one aromatic), 6 alcohols, 3 aldehydes, 3 terpenic hydrocarbons, 2 ketones and 1 carboxylic acid. The volatile components in the pas-teurized blend juice showed considerable quantitative and qualitative variations dur-ing storage. By comparative study between the blend juice and fresh apple, fresh kiwifruit juices it was clear that the pasteurization process caused a remarkable in-crease in the total esters content due to the high increase in methyl propanoate, me-thyl butanoate and methyl benzoate. Pasteurization caused a sharp decrease in buta-nol which is the most abundant compound in fresh apple juice. All alcohols showed the same trend except ethanol. Pasteurization revealed a remarkable decrease in (E)–2-hexenal which is the most abundant compound in fresh kiwifruit juice. Regarding the effect of storage it was noted that the blend juice stored at 4oC showed high qual-ity after 3 months due to the remarkable increase in the contents of total ester, buta-nol, and (E) –2- hexenal with a decrease in limonene, but after 6 months the good quality was attributed to the high increase in ethyl butanoate concentration. While stroage at 25oC showed good quality after 3 months due to the very high increase in total esters content which attributed to a greate increase in ethyl butanoate concen-tration (which gave sweet and fruity aroma to juice), but storage for 6 months gave rise to a sharp decrease in ethyl butanoate which led to a high loss in aroma quality.

The toxicological effect of two pesticides, pyriproxyfen and abamectin were eva-luated on third instar larvae of the cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.). According to the estimated toxicity values, i.e. LC50, LC90 and slope values, the chemical abamectin showed that it was slightly more toxic than pyriproxyfen. The effect of these two insecticides, at the determined LC50 and LC25 values on the di-gestive physiology of treated larvae, as indicated by some nutritional indices was conducted. Obtained results demonstrated that pyriproxyfen and abamectin caused a significance reduction in growth of treated larvae as depicted by larval weight gain Also, a significant decrease was found in the efficiency of ingested food to body matter and efficiency of conversion of digested food to body matter as compared to untreated insects. These effects were generally more evident when abemectin was used. The two tested compound also caused histological changes in the midgut of treated larvae, in form of disruption in the columnar epithelium cells and stretching leading to tearing in the peritrophic membrane. This observation might explain the impairment in nutritional indices in treated larvae as compared to the control.

Canino apricot trees received four sprays of magnesium sulphate at 0.5%, 1.0% and 3.0%, boric acid at 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0%, ascorbic acid at 250, 500 and 1000 ppm, Vitamin B complex at 100, 200 and 400 ppm and a combination of the medium concentrations of each substrate were evaluated during 2004 and 2005 seasons. Single or combined application of magnesium, boron, ascorbic acid or vitamin B complex was favourable for improving leaf area, leaf mineral content (N, P, K and Mg), yield as well as physical and chemical properties of the fruits compared to untreated trees. The promotion effect was associated with increasing the applied concentrations. Using magnesium, born, ascorbic acid and vitamin B complex, in descending order was very effective in improving growth, nutritional status, fruit quantity and quality. Carrying out four sprays at starting growth, after blooming, after fruit setting and at three weeks later with a combination of 1.0% magnesium sulphate, 0.5% boric acid, 500ppm ascorbic acid and 200 p.p.m vitamin B complex suggested to be beneficial in improving growth, nutritional status, yield and fruit quality of “Canino” apricot.

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

The effect of both beekeeping processes (compressed bees Cb and traditional beekeeping Tb) and food diets (vitamins mixed with pollen grains, pollen grains only and plain sugar syrup) on the colony build up were studied during February – April, 2004, at the apiary belonging to Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University. Feeding colonies with supplementary vitamins plus pollen grains resulted after four brood cycles significantly high daily rates of rearing brood (523 and 434 brood cells for Cb and Tb, respectively) and drawing combs (4.31 and 1.61 combs for Cb and Tb, respectively) compared to either unique pollen grains (432 and 338 brood cells and 3.2 and 1.19 combs for Cb and Tb, respectively) or plain sugar syrup (313 and 219 brood cells and 2.1 and 0.79 combs for Cb and Tb, respectively). On the other hand, the worker’s longevity recorded vice versa which were 21.2  26.2, 23.8 days for colonies fed on vitamins plus pollen grains, pollen grains and sugar syrup, respectively. The colonies which fed on vitamins plus pollen grains, pollen grains and plain sugar syrup, their workers were hoarded 236, 220 and 191 mg of sugar syrup / 3 days, respectively.

Lake Manzala in Egypt have shown great changes in water properties including pH (7.4 to 8.4), total suspended solids (19 to 350 mg/l), total dissolved salts (1578 to 33480 mg/l), dissolved oxygen (2.25 to 8.45 mg/l), ammonia (0.00 to 44.8 mg/l) and nitrate (0.00 to 8.96 mg/l). In addition there has been quite high bacterial density in water and fish of the lake, including total viable bacterial counts and indicator organisms such as total coliforms, faecal coliforms and some other organisms such as Aeromonas spp., Vibrio spp. and Staphylococcus spp. However, the magnitude number of bacteria in water and fish was found to vary sometimes considerably and sometimes slightly depending on the site of sampling. Our results herein showed that LakeManzala is highly contaminated.

Two field experiments were performed at Sids Agriculture Farm Research Station, Bani Swif Governorate during 2003 and 2004 seasons, to study the suitability of different tillage treatments, i.e. chisel plough two and three passes at 10, 15 and 20cm depths and intercropping patterns of maize and soybean i.e. two ridges of maize : two ridges of soybean (2:2) and two ridges of maize : four ridges of soybean (2:4) on water consumption, growth characters, yield and quality of maize (cv. T.W.C. 310) intercropped with soybean (cv. Clark). The results indicated that using chisel plough 3 passes decreased the value of mean weight diameter (M.W.D) by 33.00%, 27.92% and 31.87% as compared when using chisel plough 2 passes for 10, 15 and 20cm depths respectively. On other hand, yield and quality of maize, as well as, yield and quality of soybean were significantly increased by using tillage with chisel plough 3 passes. Both yield of maize and soybean per feddan. in pure stand were always higher than those within any intercrop combination, these results were true in both seasons. The data also revealed that maize yield in (2:2) pattern and using chisel plough 3 passes at 15cm depth gave the highest yield whereas, the highest yield of soybean per feddan was obtained when soybean plants grown in (2:4) pattern with 3 passes of chisel plough at15cm depth. On other hand the highest values of water use efficiency (W.U.E) in the two seasons were recorded when (2:4) pattern was applied and using chisel plough 3 passes at15cm depth The highest values of land equivalent ratio (LER) in the two seasons were 1.54 and 1.53 respectively   when (2:4 ) pattern was applied.

The present study was carried out to maintain aromatic extracts of Melissa using different techniques (water distillation, steam distillation and extraction with acetone). The volatile components of these extracts were identified. Likewise, the antioxidative properties and antimicrobial activity of these extracts were determined.  Data confirmed that the yield percent of acetone oleoresin extract was higher than both of water distillation and steam distillation extracts. Moreover, fractionation of volatile components using GC/MS technique showed the ability of acetone to extract more components than that of other techniques. In addition to being more effective in extracting higher amounts of sesquiterpene and phenols fractions.  Odor threshold level confirmed that the concentration up to 1000 ppm from either water distillation or steam distillation extracts could be mixed with sunflower oil without affecting its odor, while acetone oleoresin extract could be used at concentration up to 800 ppm. Likewise, the different aromatic extracts of melissa exhibited antioxidative properties on sunflower oil. However, acetone oleoresin was markedly superior to that of water distillation as well as steam distillation extracts as antioxidant agents. This could probably attributable to the high content of some active components such as phenolic compounds in the acetone oleoresin extract. Also, antioxidant synergistic effect was observed for a mixture of 200 ppm tested extracts and BHT at 100 ppm. However, a mixture includes acetone oleoresin extract was the most effective as an antioxidant on sunflower oil. In conformity with antimicrobial activity, all tested extracts exhibited antimicrobial activities, however acetone oleoresin extract appeared the most potential antimicrobial spectra.

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.