Soil fertility management is a key issue for sustaining agricultural production in dry lands. Organic resources are important for nutrient avail-ability and maintenance of soil organic matter. Sustaining fertility of arid soils necessitates in-creasing inputs of organic residues. Two experi-ments with water hyacinth were carried out to monitor (in the first; field study with litter bags) decomposition and changes in N, P, K, Ca and Mg as influenced by method of application where, in the second (greenhouse study) short-term effect on some properties of a sandy soil and early estab-lishment of fodder sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). Results of the first experiment showed that resi-dues incorporated in the top 0-30cm soil depth had significantly (P≤0.01) increased loss of dry matter weight compared to surface application. Decom-position rate constants of surface and sub-surface application were 0.029% week-1 and 0.041% week-1, respectively. Potassium was the fastest nutrient released with 50% loss attained after the 2nd and 6th week from incorporation and surface application, respectively. Nitrogen, P, Ca, and Mg releases from water hyacinth incorporated in the sub-soil were significantly (P≤ range from 0.0001 to 0.008) high compared to surface application. Nutrients loss was in the order of K =Mg > P > N > Ca. However, results of the second experi-ment showed that incorporation of water hyacinth residues significantly (P ≤ 0.001) decreased pH (by about 27%) and hydraulic conductivity (by 40-46%). Also, cation exchange capacity and organic C were significantly increased by about 23 and 100%, respectively. The study concluded that ap-plication of water hyacinth could be one of the good alternatives for improving quality of arid soils.

Two field experiments were conducted at Nubaria Agric. Res. Station during 2003 and 2004 seasons. The objective of this investigation aimed to study the effect of irrigation intervals (irrigation every 14 and 28 days) and six intercropping patterns: (1) Pure stand of soybean (sown in hills 10 cm distance apart on each side of the ridge and thinned at two plants/hill). (2) Pure stand of sunflower (sown in hills 30 cm distance on side of the ridge and thinned at one plant/hill). (3) Soybean sown on one side of the ridge and sunflower sown on the other side of the ridge (100% soybean+100% sunflower). (4) Soybean sown in 2:2 rows with sunflower. (5) Soybean sown in 2:4 rows with sunflower. (6) Soybean sown in 4:2 rows with sunflower on yield and its components of both crops, as well as the competitive relationships. A split plot in complete randomize design with four replicates was used. The results indicated that Irrigation intervals had significant effects on soybean plant height, number of pods/plant, seed yield/fad. and seed oil percentage of soybean plants. Intercropping patterns had significant effects on all studied traits, except oil and protein content percentages in the two seasons. The highest seed yield/fad. was obtained by irrigation every 14 days and sowing soybean in pure stand. Pure stand gave higher seed yield of soybean than that of all intercropping patterns. Irrigation intervals had significant effects on sunflower plant height, number of leaves/plant, seed yield/plant and seed yield/fad. of sunflower plants in the two seasons. Also, intercropping patterns had significant effects on all studied traits in the two seasons. Pure stand of sunflower gave higher seed yield/fad. than all intercropping patterns. The highest seed yields of sunflower and soybean were obtained by irrigation every 14 days and pure stands in the two seasons. The results indicated that land equivalent ratios (LER) of soybean and sunflower values were more than one. Moreover, it could be concluded that soybean and sunflower sown at pure stands with irrigation every 14 days can be recommended for raising soybean and sunflower productivity as compared with all intercropping patterns under the condition of Nubaria region. Also, sunflower was always the dominant crop, whereas soybean was dominated.

Twenty dairy cows belonged to four small holder were put under study, to investigate the efficiency of using scavenger chicken (baladi) as biological control of ticks and their borne diseases. The cows were divided to two groups first and second, they were infested with ticks, Laboratory diagnosis for babesia was carried out. All samples showed positive reaction.Cloxon 2.5 gm/kg/ body weight (BW) was used to treat the cows of the two groups with the presence of ticks, and all cases were recovered. Gamatox was used to control the ticks on the cows in the first group, while scavenger chicken (5 baladi chicken in each farm), were used to control ticks in the second two farms. After seven days no tick was observed on the cows in the second group. It also showed negative result for babesia test. On the other hand, nymphs were noticed on the cows of the first group. The research recom-mended to use scavenger chicken to terminate the life cycle of ticks and to get rid of its pathogenic diseases in small scale dairy farms.

Natural antioxidants have gained considerable interest in recent years for their role in preventing the auto oxidation of fats, oils and fat containing food products. In this study, six spices containing natural antioxidants were evaluated for their re-tarding fat oxidation compared to butylated hy-droxyl toluene (BHT). The yield obtained from water extract of the tested spices ranged between 20% and 50 %. Carob gave the highest yield fol-lowed by anise and cinnamon, then caraway and fennel, while ginger gave the lowest yield .The free radical scavenging activities measured by 2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) were 88.08%, 81.69%, 79.62% , 78.93% , 73.06% , and 71.50 % for cinnamon, anise, carob, caraway ginger, and fennel, respectively at concentration of 2250 μg/ml. Cinnamon showed higher antioxidant ac-tivity on linoleic acid oxidation than BHT fol-lowed by anise, carob and ginger. While, fennel and caraway recorded closely antioxidant activity to that of BHT at low concentration of 100 μg/ml. Total phenolic content of the tested spices varied ranging from 11.19 to 22.95 mg as gallic acid / gm dry extract in carob and caraway, respectively. Depending upon the sensory evaluation of crois-sant containing different levels of tested spices, a concentration of 1.5% of anise, caraway fennel and cinnamon was chosen, while the chosen con-centration of ginger was 2.5% and carob was 1% for testing their effectiveness against oxidation of lipid in croissant. However, a concentration of 2% of anise, fennel, ginger and carob was chosen while, the chosen concentration of caraway and cinnamon was 1% for testing their effectiveness against oxidation of lipid in filling cream. Addi-tion of tested spices gave an excellent antioxidant effect on croissant and filling cream compared with the effect of BHT. The increase in both per-oxide and acid values after 14 and 28 days respec-tively were lower than of control and BHT. Carob, ginger, caraway and cinnamon were more effec-tive in controlling lipid oxidation during storage. In conclusion addition of tested spices as sources of effective natural antioxidants retarded lipid oxi-dation and maintain the quality of croissant and filling cream during storage.

Laboratory experiments were carried out to de-termine the bioeffects of an isolate of ento-mopthogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) and Biofly a commercial product of B. bassiana, on the 1st instar larvae of mushroom fly, Bradysia ocellaris (coms). The bioactivity of B. bassiana was tested, using five concentrations of B. bassi-ana on some biological criteria of the mushroom fly, by calculating LC50 values after three and sev-en days of treatment. Results indicated that the mortality rates percentage increased with the in-crease of the concentrations used and the period after treatment. The highest percentage of mortali-ty occurred within the first seven days following treatment. Statistical analysis of the obtained lar-val-pupal and adults period and weight revealed significant differences between treated and non-treated insects.

A collection of 12 varieties of broad bean (Vicia faba L.) was studied. This was curried out to see the variation of phenolic compounds (tannins) and proteins of the seeds of Vicia faba L.   This study gave the following results - At  the  biochemical level; according to our results one observed a high content in proteins within the species of Vicia faba L.   - The electrophoresis of total proteins confirmed the richness of proteins of Vicia faba L [albumins (67 kDa), Globulins, Vicilline (50 kDa)]. - Finally the phytochemical analysis (phenolic compounds) allowed us to confirm the richness of the colored seeds in phenolic compounds (condensed tannins) "949 T (183±9.66), Aquadulce (132.19±1.53)". The effect of time (the factor of the environment) inflates on the coloring of the seeds (oxidation) and on the polymerization of tannins.

The present research aimed to characterize physical and morphological features of thirteen varieties of mandarin as one of the National Gene Bank and Genetic Resources (NGBGR) objectives in Egypt which include also, collection, conserva-tion, characterization, and evaluation of agricul-tural genetic resources. The present study investi-gates the morphological characterization, pollen grain fertility and sterility as well as fruit chemical characterization (vitamin C, PH, T.S.S and acidi-ty) of 13 mandarin varieties (Citrus sp.).Including Balady, Malawy, Chine mandarin, Clementine, Celiopatra, Centra, Satsuma, Tangerine Dancy, El-Shorbagee, Sonbol, Sayed Marri, Abd El-Razik and Aswan. The Physical and morphological char-acterization descriptors revealed differences among varieties. Characterization of tree shape resulted in eight obloid varieties and five were spheroids. Leaf lamina shape morphological char-acteristic studies showed one elliptic variety, three ovate and 9 lanceolate. Fruit shape studies indicat-ed that five varieties were pyriforum, five obloid and three were spheroid. Fruit apex shape demon-strated that seven varieties were depressed, while six were truncate. Differences in flavedo (skin) color among varieties revealed that seven were orange; two were dark orange and one variety for each of (light orange, green yellow, dark yellow and yellow). As to the color of the pulp (flesh), results indicated that two varieties were yellow, 10 were orange and one was orange-red. The average number of carples per fruit ranged 10-14 carple in 9 varieties and from 5-9 carple in four varieties. The average number of seeds per fruit revealed that five varieties had ten to nineteen seeds; three varieties hold 20-50 seeds and two varieties con-tained five to nine seeds, one variety included one to four seeds, while two varieties had no seeds. Other morphological studies are investigated and will be presented. Fruit chemical characterization disclosed that Malawy had the highest vitamin C concentration (44.82 mg/100 ml) whereas both of Celiopatra and Satsuma showed the lowest con-centration (15.0 and 14.0 mg/100 ml, respective-ly).The greatest pH was determined in Abd El-Razik (pH 3.91) variety in contrast to the more acidity (pH 3.12-3.77) found in El-Shorbagee and Chine mandarin juice, respectively. The best total soluble solids were determined in the Abd El-Razik (15.1%), whereas the least ones were found in Satsuma (9.13%). Chine mandarin recorded the highest titratable acidity of 3.88% in contrast to 0.67 % for Sonbol. Studies of pollen grain fertility showed that Celiopatra and Sayed Marri varieties gave the highest pollen fertility (99.84%and 99.44% respectively). Contrarily, the highest pol-len sterility was found in Clementine variety (8.41%).

Ageratum houstonianum Mill and Tagetes erecta L. (Asteraceae) were subjected to hydrodis-tillation as well as the stepwise extraction with organic solvents. Crude extracts and the hydrodis-tilled essential oils (E.O) were bioevaluated against two phytopathogenic fungi Rhizoctonia solani and Phytophthora megasperma in vitro. The volatile fraction from both plants showed a good antifungal activity towards the tested fungi, EC50s were 91 and 1369 ppm for R. solani and 84 and 1571 ppm for P. megasperma with Ageratum essential oil (E.O) and Tagetes E.O, respectively. But generally; Ageratum E.O was found to be more effective in reducing mycelium growth of R. solani and P. megasperma (EC50 = 91 and 84 ppm respectively) than Tagetes E.O. Chemical compo-sition of Tagetes E.O and Ageratum E.O; fractions F1 (solid) and F2 (liquid) fractions were investi-gated by GC-MS analysis. Interestingly, heterocy-clic benzopyrane compound (Precocene II) was only component which has been detected in Ager-atum E.O fraction F1. Precocene II seems to be the fungitoxic active components in Ageratum E.O and its fractions. However, monoterpenic hydro-carbons were correlated with the fungitoxic effect of Tagetes E.O. In the green house experiments, Tagetes E.O and Ageratum E.O fraction F1 showed a clear selectivity towards tested patho-gens; Rhizoctonia solanii and Phytophthora megasperma. Ageratum E.O; fractions F1 was found to be much more fungitoxic activity than Tagetes E.O. Tagetes E.O and Ageratum E.O frac-tions F1 were controlled the 90.91% of Root-Rot disease in bean caused by Phytophthora megasperma, while the percentage of disease con-trol was only 36.36% for Rhizoctonia solani.

This work conducted on the research farm of Mallawi Agricultural Research Station, El-Minia Province, Egypt, during two successive seasons of 2004 and 2005 to study the role of the late plant-ings on the productivity of soybean. Three out of four genotypes selected to achieve that goal were new released cultivars, Giza-22; Giza-35; and Gi-za-111, and the commercial one, Crawford, the common parent of the three genotypes, as control. Three planting dates started on June 1st, June 15th for the second date of sowing and ended on June 30th for the third sowing date in both seasons. The package of the recommendations of soybean cul-ture carefully applied to get the best results of each sowing date. The results showed that all of the morphological, yield and productivity traits highly significantly affected by genotype and three out of five morphological traits, number of days to both flowering and maturity and plant height, also high-ly significantly affected by late sowing date. The other two traits, number of branches and leaf area at 75 days just significantly affected by late sow-ing date. In terms of yield and its components traits, only seed index highly significantly affected by late sowing date and yield per plot significantly affected by sowing time. All productivity traits were significantly affected by late sowing date specially the content of both oil and protein. Alt-hough yield per plot was significantly affected by late sowing date, the yield per plant was not af-fected by late sowing date indicating that the fac-tor of time of sowing may affect the rate of the germination and control the stand of the plots. Number of active nodules considered as produc-tivity trait because of the residual nitrogen that remain in the soil after harvest for the next crop. This number was significantly affected by sowing time and reached the highest values in the second date of June 15th that may due to the high tempera-ture at this time which lead to increasing the inter-action between soybean roots and the nodule bac-teria.

Combinations of different spices were used at variable concentrations in the preparation of vari-ous curry blends. The sample showed the highest sensory attributes in comparison with control cur-ry sample was compounded with different spices, onion and garlic at variable concentrations in cor-responding seasoning blend. The oleoresin of the seasoning blend that possessed the highest quality scores was prepared and subjected to freeze drying process after dispersion on suitable carrier. The flavour contribution percentages of the character-istic notes; light sweet top, medium aromatic, full boiled spicy and pungent spicy were calculated for each curry and seasoning blends. The hydro dis-tilled (HD) oils of the selected curry and its con-stituents were subjected to GC-MS analysis. The results revealed the high contribution of the com-ponents possess spicy note in the raw curry sam-ple. The components possess pungent notes showed less representation. β-Caryophellene was the major compounds in the HD oil of raw season-ing blends followed by δ-carene and ar-turmenone. The qualitative and quantitative varia-tion in the volatile compounds separated from the HD oil of the freeze dried sample may be attribut-ed to the interaction between such components and the used carrier (10% maltodextrin in water).