Biological aspects and life table parameters of the eggplant stem borer, Euzophera osseatella Treit. (Lep.: Pyralidae) were studied under laboratory conditions at 27℃ and 65% R.H. The egg, larval and pupal stages of E. osseatella lasted 5.8, 33.2 and 12.9 days, respectively. The mortality percentage in the corresponding stages reached 14, 37 and 13%, respectively. The sex ratio in E. osseatella was in favour of females (1:1.1). The preoviposition, oviposition and postoviposition periods of the pest averaged 1.8, 3.1 and 1.2 days, respectively. The daily and total numbers of eggs/female of E. osseatella were 46.6 and 147.2, respectively. The male and female of the insect lived 4.4 and 6.2 days, respectively. The mean generation time (T) of E. osseatella averaged 54.22 days. The net reproductive rate (Ro), the intrinsic rate of increase (rm) and the finite rate of increase (exp.rm/ λ) in the pest were 28.09, 0.062 and 1.063, respectively. The generation doubling time (Dt) of E. osseatella reached 14.01 days. The fecundity curve (Mx) of E. osseatella showed three peaks of 14.14, 20.14 and 12.32 female progeny/female/day at the female age (X) of 50.5, 61.5 and 63.5 days, respectively. The survival curve (Lx) of the insect revealed that most death of females occurred after an extended oviposition period to compensate failure of most immature stages to reach maturity (64%).

Germination is a way to improve agricultural productivity and easily to use by low income families, in particular with using some elicitors in germination for enhancing the nutrition value of the seeds by sprouting. For their highly metabolic activities after harvesting, radish seeds were selected for performance of this study. The effect of using abiotic elicitor (saline water, by NaCl at different concentrations) and biotic elicitor (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on sprouting of radish seed has been investigated. After germinating radish seeds for six days using elicitors, chemical analysis and determination for phytochemicals contents have been carried out. Results showed a promising efficiency by sprouting, where an appreciable increasing in some analysis as protein, carbohydrates, some minerals and amino acids comparing to seed. Besides, germination had a positive effect to present some phyto-compounds as some flavonoids, terpenoids and phenolic compounds. Then, this study and similar ones are an important step towards the future development of value-added foods with elicited phytochemicals and can be used in the development of innovative food products with beneficial effects on human’s health.

The problem of research is limited to how to rationalize the use of water in the agricultural sector under the current situation, such as the construction of the Nahdha Dam, which will affect Egypt's share of the Nile River. On the other hand, the increase in water demand, the misuse of water resources in Egyptian agriculture and the inefficient use of water resources Which is reflected in the return of the water unit.  The research aims at identifying the efficiency of water transport and delivery in Egyptian agriculture from its main source in the southern region of Egypt at Aswan until it reaches the fields in all the governorates of the Republic. The research aims in particular to study the development of irrigation water quantities and their losses in Egyptian Agriculture The amount of water used on the waste. The study showed that the average amount of irrigation water used in the field, at the completion of the canals, and in Aswan was about 36457, 41042 and 51515  million m3  respectively during the study period. In the study of the general trend of the development of irrigation water used in the field, when the canal was completed, and in Aswan during the study period, the increase of these quantities was estimated at an annual average of 96.38, 46.3  and 73.9  million cubic meters respectively. The average annual loss of water from Aswan to the field, from Aswan to the fins of the canals, and from the canal and field fillers reached 15057, 10477  and 4380  million cubic meters respectively during the study period. A study of the general trend of the development of water losses from Aswan  to the field, and from Aswan to the dams of the canals, showed that the water losses decreased by a statistically significant annual increase of about   21.9, 273.9  million cubic meters respectively during the study period. While water losses from canal and field fill increased by a statistically significant annual increase of 272.0  million cubic meters dThe results of the statistical estimation of the relationship between the quantity of water losses as a dependent variable and the quantity of water used as an independent variable during the period: .

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is considered the major and important globally vegetable crops especially in Egypt. Tissue culture techniques have facilitated the induction of mutant which helps in crop improvement. The mutation induction in vegetative crops through tissue culture may be the optimal method to improve these crops. Tomato explants of Idkawy Egyptian cultivar were cultured in vitro on MS medium supplemented with 0.2 mg/L BAP. The resulted plantlets were irradiated with different gamma radiation doses (50, 100, 150, 200 or 250 Gy) and the survival and mean of shoot length decreased as gamma radiation doses increased. The survival percentages of irradiated plantlets were ranged from 78.75% with 50 Gy dose to 18.75% with 250 Gy dose, while the shoot length values were decreased by a rate of 2.71 cm for dose 50 Gy and 1.2 cm for 250 Gy dose. The ten SCoT primers amplified a total of 114 amplicons with a range from 4 with SCoT-4 primer to 18 amplicons with SCoT-5  primer with an average of 11.4 amplicons per primer, The radiation specific markers were ranged from one fragment with SCoT-1 and SCoT-2 primers, SCoT- 5 two fragments with primer to five fragments with SCoT-3 and SCoT-33 primers.

Canola (Brassica juncea L.) and mustard (Sinapis alba L.) seed sprout effects on diabetic rats  have no available information and to clarify their effects, both sprouts were investigated in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic and normal rats. Rats were fed on a semi-modified diet containing 10% of canola or mustard sprouted using tap or saline water for sprouting ad-libitum for 6 weeks. STZ showed increases in blood sugar, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), vary low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-c) and triglycerides (TG). The addition of canola and mustard with or without salinty at 10% to diabetic rats diet as semimodified diet resulted a significant decrease in blood glucose, TG and VLDL-c and data was more pronounced using mustard sprouted or saline water without changes in the HDL-c   parameter. These results showed that canola and mustard especially mustard sprouted in saline water had a hypoglycemic activity in diabetic rats and partly improved lipid metabolism in the experimental rats, with non-toxic to rats in doses given  over 6 weeks period in this study.

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.

In the current research, wheat grains were used to study the effect of grain soaking and sprouting using tap water and saline water (NaCl solution) on sprout growth, proximate analysis, minerals content, anti-nutritional and antioxidant compounds of sterilized grains (soaked for 0.33h) and soaked grains for imbibition (12h) and sprouted grain for 24h old. Results revealed that the longest radical of 24h old wheat sprout was observed at 2000 ppm NaCl, and shortest was observed at 4000 ppm NaCl. Soaked wheat grains (12h) for imbibition recorded the highest moisture content (10.2 to 10.9%) while soaked for 20 min (0.33h) in calcium hypochlorite for sterilization recorded medium content (8.8 to 9.9%) and the lowest one recorded in 24h  old wheat sprouts (6.9 to 7.2%). The low moisture content the high total carbohydrate, total fats and energy and vice versa. Soaked grains for sterilization period (0.33 h) and imbibition (12h) increased zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn) and calcium (Ca) while non-sterilized only potassium (K). Tap water increased sprout magnesium (Mg), and manganese (Mn) content while saline water increased sprout magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca) content. Grain sprouting was effective in reducing phytic acid, oxalate and alkaloids anti-nutrient in wheat sprouts especially when using sterilized grains. Soaking non sterilized grains for imbibition (12h) in saline water contained higher total phenol, flavonoids and total antioxidant. Etiolated wheat sprouts contained lower total  flavonoids and antioxidant compared with soaked grains in saline water.

Selenium is a trace element essential in animal nutrition and exerts multiple actions related to enhance animal production, fertility, immune response and antioxidant defense system of chickens. The aim of the present study is investigating the benefit effects of selenium nanoparticles (SEN) in-ovo injection on productive performance, express stimulate antioxidant defense system and immune response of hatched chicks.  A total of 210 broiler breeder eggs ( Habbard Star-Bro) were divided into three in-ovo injection treatment groups,( 0, 5 and 10 ppm SEN) and incubated. Hatchability traits , productive performance,  biochemical profile, antioxidant status and immune response of hatched chicks were estimated. Results indicated significant increase in HDLcholesterol, T3, GSR, GSH, IGA, IGM and IGG as affected by in-ovo inoculated SEN levels. However feed conversion ratio, triglycerides and MDA significantly decreased by in-ovo treatments. No significant alternations were recorded in hatched chicks weight, feed intake, body weight, body weight gain, carcass characteristics, and serum levels of protein fractions, cholesterol, LDL- cholesterol, ALT, AST, ALP, uric acid, creatinine and glucose in in-ovo treated groups compared with the control one. It is summarized that, in-ovo inoculation of different levels of SEN can improve feed conversion ratio, lipid profile, antioxidants status and immunity of  broiler hatched chicks.

Plectranthus barbatus Andrew (Coleus forskolii) is one of the important species of the genus Plectranthus (Coleus) belonging to family Lamiaceae, with a many of traditional medicinal uses in India. C. forskolii is only known source of forskolin; a compound with a many uses in pharmaceutical industries. C. forskolii was lack in Egyptian flora. Moreover, there were no previously studies on this plant in Egypt. Therefore, the present study used tool of biotechnology to conserve the stocks of this plant by micropropagation. C. forskolii seedlings came from its native Thailand at June 2013 and were put in the greenhouse in Desert Research Center for creating an efficient micropropagation protocol. The study was carried out on the effect of growth regulators (cytokinins and auxins) on different micropropagation stages of the explants. In multiplication stage, initiated shoots were cultured on MS medium supplemented with various concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mg/L) of cytokinins (6-benzylaminopurine (BA), Kinetin ( KIN) and Thidiazuron (TDZ). The mean number of axillary shoots per explant of C. forskolii reached the highest value 6.19 ±0.573 on MS medium containing 2.0mg/L TDZ. Where, the highest value of mean length was 6.44± 0.310 cm on MS medium containing 1.0 mg/L KIN. The mean number of roots / explant of C. forskolii reached the highest value and the mean length were 30.00 ± 0.577 and 11.8±0.860 cm respectively, on 1/2 MS medium containing 0.5mg/L indole-3-butyric acid(IBA). While, the highest value of shoot length was 11.8±0.860 cm on 1/2 MS medium containing  2.0mg/L naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). A percentage of 83% of rooted plantlets were successfully acclimatized after four weeks and grown normally in the greenhouse in sterile soil mixture of garden soil,  vermiculate and sand (2:1:1/v/v/v). The protocol could be cost effective and useful in germplasm conservation and delivery of tissue cultured Coleus plants.

The Egyptian agriculture relies on technology to develop the productivity of most of the main crops, including cereal crops, especially wheat, which is reflected in increasing of the cultivated area. According to the Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS): Egypt Vision 2030, The cultivated area with wheat had reached about 1326 thousand feddan in 1980, then it continued to increase until it reached about 1955, and2716 thousand feddan in 1990, and 2007 respectively, and reached its maximum in 2016 by about 3351 thousand feddan. Also, the productivity duplicated from about 1.36 tons/fed. in 1980, and reached about 4..2 tones/fed. in 2016. Egypt plans to reach the area cultivated with wheat to approximately 4.2 million feddan and about 3.6 tons/fed of its productivity in 2030, in order to increase Autarky to about 81% from the locally production. To achieve this target, the absorption of technology must be further increased by increasing the different technology methods, which is reflected in productivity increasing. Wheat crop was selected for the field study through the availability of field data to estimate some economic and statistical indicators that are difficult and it may be impossible to use the secondary data in its estimation. Also, The governorate of El-Behaira was selected According to the relative importance of wheat-cultivated area,where as total area is about 378 thousand feddan representing about 11.27% of total Egyptian cultivated area, it also selected according to the availability of different  types of machines which existing in that region. The study aims at estimate the economic efficiency of agricultural labor use in the light of specific modern technology which is used in Egyptian agriculture, represented by agricultural mechanization technology from the production farms of wheat crop in El-Behaira governorate during the agricultural season (2015-2016) in the short and long run of wheat farmers, where a simple random sample was selected from three villages in El-Behaira governorate (Berijat, Damshli, Alqam), The sample units divided three categories: the first category (less than 0.5 feddan), the second category (0.5 feddan - feddan), the third category (feddan and more) Short and long run for each category, in order to estimate some indicators of production and economic efficiency, and economics of scale. The estimation of short-run production function shows that total elasticity is about 1.3, 1.3, and 1.06 for the first, second and third categories of the sample respectively, while total elasticity is about 1.1 in the long-run, which reflecting the increasing returns to scale and farmers are producing in the first phase of the law of diminishing returns. The estimate of the cost functions in the short-run shows that the optimal production is about 14.1, 36.4 and 88.3 ardabb respectively for the three categories in the study sample, and the optimal production is about 47.7 ardabb in the long-run.