This study was conducted to investigate the effect of amino acid and vitamin foliar applications on improving iceberg lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) production and quality during the summer. First, two hybrids (Patagonia and Bruma) were grown hydroponically in June 2018 and 2019. Then, for five consecutive weeks, plants were sprayed once a week with Stress Free (a commercial product comprising 0.5% vitamins [vitamin B complex/ascorbic acid] and 0.5% selenomethionine) at concentrations of 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 g/L and Aminomad (20% free amino acids) at concentrations of 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 cm3 /L. Investigations revealed that all plant growth aspects were positively improved with all foliar spray treatments than with the control. Furthermore, while mineral contents (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium) showed positive responses to the applied treatments, the highest dose of amino acids showed the highest marketable and total yield effects among all foliar spray treatments with the Patagonia hybrid. However, the marketable and total yield of lettuce heads was lowest with the control treatment without spraying.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of amino acid and vitamin foliar applications on improving iceberg lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) production and quality during the summer. First, two hybrids (Patagonia and Bruma) were grown hydroponically in June 2018 and 2019. Then, for five consecutive weeks, plants were sprayed once a week with Stress Free (a commercial product comprising 0.5% vitamins [vitamin B complex/ascorbic acid] and 0.5% selenomethionine) at concentrations of 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 g/L and Aminomad (20% free amino acids) at concentrations of 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 cm3 /L. Investigations revealed that all plant growth aspects were positively improved with all foliar spray treatments than with the control. Furthermore, while mineral contents (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium) showed positive responses to the applied treatments, the highest dose of amino acids showed the highest marketable and total yield effects among all foliar spray treatments with the Patagonia hybrid. However, the marketable and total yield of lettuce heads was lowest with the control treatment without spraying.

This study focused on the phytochemical, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of the ethanol extracts of golden berry calyx and fruits. The phytochemical analysis of calyx and fruit extracts revealed high total phenols and flavonoids. High antioxidant capacity was recorded for fruit extracts. Fruit extracts also gave the highest antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas fluorescens, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhimurium. Furthermore, tomato paste was prepared using sodium benzoate and golden berry extract as food preservatives. The incorporation of golden berry extract and chemical preservatives maintained the paste quality indicators over the control samples. A rapid decline in total antioxidant capacity was also observed in control samples (21.6%) as compared with the treated samples (15.21% and 15.41% for sodium benzoate and golden berry extract, respectively) after 30 days of storage. This study demonstrated that dried fruit extract with high phytochemical and antimicrobial properties could be used as a natural food preservative.

This study focused on the phytochemical, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of the ethanol extracts of golden berry calyx and fruits. The phytochemical analysis of calyx and fruit extracts revealed high total phenols and flavonoids. High antioxidant capacity was recorded for fruit extracts. Fruit extracts also gave the highest antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas fluorescens, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhimurium. Furthermore, tomato paste was prepared using sodium benzoate and golden berry extract as food preservatives. The incorporation of golden berry extract and chemical preservatives maintained the paste quality indicators over the control samples. A rapid decline in total antioxidant capacity was also observed in control samples (21.6%) as compared with the treated samples (15.21% and 15.41% for sodium benzoate and golden berry extract, respectively) after 30 days of storage. This study demonstrated that dried fruit extract with high phytochemical and antimicrobial properties could be used as a natural food preservative.

Soil temperature under mulching conditions has a significant impact on crop development, growth rate and other parameters. However, it is not included in the AquaCrop model. Thus, this study aims to improve the AquaCrop model performance for better simulation of soil mulches by considering the heat changing under mulch materials. The proposed modification is conducted through AquaCrop-Open Source software to identify the differences between the temperatures under the mulched soil and air temperatures. It will also help to describe them as additional heat units in specific growth stages. The field data used to evaluate the proposed model has previously been used to calibrate and validate the AquaCrop model in simulating melon growth under different irrigation treatments and soil mulching practices. The results show that the proposed model performs better than the original model in simulating mulched melon under different irrigation regimes. The root mean square error of biomass values was reduced under the modified model by 40%-75% under different irrigation treatments. Additionally, the coefficient of determination (R2) of the modified model slightly increased from the original one. Thus, the proposed model provides a more reliable and robust model.

Soil temperature under mulching conditions has a significant impact on crop development, growth rate and other parameters. However, it is not included in the AquaCrop model. Thus, this study aims to improve the AquaCrop model performance for better simulation of soil mulches by considering the heat changing under mulch materials. The proposed modification is conducted through AquaCrop-Open Source software to identify the differences between the temperatures under the mulched soil and air temperatures. It will also help to describe them as additional heat units in specific growth stages. The field data used to evaluate the proposed model has previously been used to calibrate and validate the AquaCrop model in simulating melon growth under different irrigation treatments and soil mulching practices. The results show that the proposed model performs better than the original model in simulating mulched melon under different irrigation regimes. The root mean square error of biomass values was reduced under the modified model by 40%-75% under different irrigation treatments. Additionally, the coefficient of determination (R2) of the modified model slightly increased from the original one. Thus, the proposed model provides a more reliable and robust model.

The scarcity of fresh water is a primary problem in remote regions. Thus, an economical and related water distillation solar still coupled with a solar collector was designed and studied experimentally. This study aims to investigate and evaluate the performance of an active single-slope solar still (ASSSS) coupled with a solar evacuated tube collector (ETC) as the water heater. The results showed that the average distillate productivity of ASSSS combined with U pipe solar (ETC) was 1.085 l/m2 in December 2020, but 3.12 l/m2 in August 2021. These quantities of the water distiller were higher than those of a passive solar distiller with a single slope (PSSSS). The average value of the water temperature increased using the ASSSS coupled with ETC in August 2021 at 79.1°C, whereas it was 71°C in August 2021 for PSSSS. These results indicate that the ASSSS is more effective than the PSSSS.

The scarcity of fresh water is a primary problem in remote regions. Thus, an economical and related water distillation solar still coupled with a solar collector was designed and studied experimentally. This study aims to investigate and evaluate the performance of an active single-slope solar still (ASSSS) coupled with a solar evacuated tube collector (ETC) as the water heater. The results showed that the average distillate productivity of ASSSS combined with U pipe solar (ETC) was 1.085 l/m2 in December 2020, but 3.12 l/m2 in August 2021. These quantities of the water distiller were higher than those of a passive solar distiller with a single slope (PSSSS). The average value of the water temperature increased using the ASSSS coupled with ETC in August 2021 at 79.1°C, whereas it was 71°C in August 2021 for PSSSS. These results indicate that the ASSSS is more effective than the PSSSS.