In a trial to isolate and identify ectomycorrhi-zal fungi for the first time in Egypt 13 sporocarpes associated with rang of plants grown on Egyptian soils were collected, to be used for this purpose. Fungal isolates were obtained from collected spo-rocarpes and tested for ectomycorrhiza formation with Bauhinia sp. and Pinus seedlings. The paper sandwich technique was used for simultaneous inoculation of root apices Bauhinia to produce synchronously developing ectomycorrhizas. Typi-cal ectomycorrhizal roots were obtained within 14 days after inoculation with the collected strains. The isolates tested for ectomycorrhiza formation with Pinus sp. to ensure their identity by for-mation of distinct root characteristics on this host. Root colonization levels varied markedly among the tested fungal strains with respect to growth enhancement and NPK uptake of Pinus shoots and roots.

Individuals of the oriental hornet, Vespa orien-talis Fab. were monitored at the apiary of Faculty of Agriculture .Ain Shams University throughout the year of 2006. The individual which was first detected in early spring at the first week of Febru-ary was the mated queens, later during the last week of April workers were appeared. At the first week of September individuals large in size ap-peared which were workers with developed ovary and not a new queen as believed previously. New queens started to appear at the second week of November after about three weeks from appear-ance the drones which appear at the last week of October. The numbers of ovarioles varied from 7 to 8 for each ovary in queens either in spring or in autumn. On the other hand the numbers of ovari-oles were only 7 for each ovary in workers either normal or with developed ovary. The measure-ments of the spermatheca showed no significant differences between all female individuals. The average numbers of spermatozoa in the queen's spermatheca of spring queen hornet were 1.486± 0.370 million spermatozoa and in the new queens who appear in the end of the year, the numbers of spermatozoa recorded 1.343±0.332 million. The counts of spermatozoa in the seminal vesicles of drone hornet recorded 2.336 ± 0.408 million sperms per drone.

A two years (2002/2003, 2003/2004) study was conducted at Hada Al-Sham Agriculture Re-search Station, Makkah Region (King Abdulaziz University) to determine the effects of three dif-ferent dripper discharges (0.5, 1, and 2 gph) on cabbage production, characteristics of its part and its nitrogen contents in whole plant and its parts. Results show a significant increase in Copenhagen variety production (38.5 tone/ha) as compared to Bronzweek Variety (30.2 tone/ha). Also, the drip-per discharge significantly affected the cabbage production, characteristics of head, stem, root or leaves area, whereas cabbage production and char-acteristics of all plant parts (head, stem, root and leaves area) were reduced with the increase in dripper discharge more than 0.5 gph, however, the reduction was not significant between discharges of 1 and 2 gph. The cabbage production were 44.3, 29.7 and 28.9 tone/ha for dripper discharges of 0.5, 1 and 2 gph, respectively). In addition, the interaction between season and variety had only significant effects on root length. Also, there were significant effects for the interaction between dripper discharge and season on cabbage produc-tion and root length. Results also showed that first season (2003) produced cabbage plant significant-ly higher than the second season (2004) in nitro-gen content for both whole plant (2.72% and 2.45% for first and second season, respectively) and head (3.63% and 2.72% for first and second season, respectively). Also, Copenhagen variety significantly outweighs Bronzweek variety on nitrogen content in whole plant (2.88% and 2.30% for Copenhagen variety and Bronzweek variety, respectively), leaf (2.69% and 2.16% for Copen-hagen variety and Bronzweek variety, respective-ly), and stem (2.72% and 2.08% for Copenhagen variety and Bronzweek variety, respectively). On the other hand, the increase in dripper discharge more than 0.5 gph resulted significant reduction in nitrogen content for whole plant (3.10%, 2.44% and 2.22% for dripper discharges of 0.5, 1 and 2 gph, respectively) and its parts (head, stem and leaves) whereas the dripper with less discharge (0.5 gph) outweigh the higher discharge drippers (1 and 2 gph). However, the increase of dripper discharge from 1 gph to 2 gph had only significant reduction in the nitrogen content of head. The re-sults also show that interaction between season and variety had only significant effects on nitro-gen content in whole plant. There were also signif-icant effects for the interaction between season and drip discharge on nitrogen content of whole plant and its leaf.

Different coloured plastic buckets (yellow, red, blue and white), filled with water were used as traps for adults of Tropinota squalida Scop. in apple orchards at El-Khatatba (El-Behaira Gover-norate) during seasons 2005 and 2006. The gen-eral mean numbers of adults/ trap were 6.0, 8.1, 14.4 and 24.1 in 2005 and 4.7, 6.7, 10.5 and 18.7 in 2006 seasons for white, red, yellow and blue traps, respectively. The general means for trap efficiency (two seasons) were 9.8, 13.7, 23.2 and 39.3 for white, red, yellow and blue traps, respec-tively. Two groups of white plastic cups, group filled with blue water solution and another group filled with water were used as traps and slung in apple trees. The general mean numbers of adults/trap were 8.1 & 7.5 for blue water solution and 5.8 & 5.2 for water traps during 2005 and 2006, respectively. The general means of trap effi-ciency (two seasons) were 36.8 and 25.9% for the above mentioned traps, respectively

The interactions between dietary zinc, copper and iron and their effects on antioxidant enzymes activity [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST)] were examined. Fifty-four rats weighting approximately between 80-100 grams were divided into nine groups (E1- E9). Each group containing six rats was fed on basal diet with varying amount of Zn (2.5, 35 or 175 mg Zn/kg diet), Cu (1.2, 6.3, or 25 mg Cu/kg diet) and Fe (10, 50 or 230 mg Fe/kg diet). The second group (E2) was fed a diet defi-cient in all studied elements (2.5mg Zn, 1.2mg Cu, and 10mg Fe per 1 kg diet). The results of E2 showed a decrease in SOD and CAT activity and increase GST in plasma erythrocytes and tissues. Moreover, plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive sub-stances (TBARs) and hydrogen peroxide produc-tion in E2 were found to be higher than those in other groups. The high activity of lactic acid de-hydrogenase (LDH) in the plasma indicated that cell membrane damage was occurred. This dam-age was accompanied by elevation of lipid peroxi-dation and in the same time by reduction of SOD and CAT activity. Supplementation of basal diet with the different concentrations of studied miner-als led to improve the activity of antioxidants en-zymes (SOD and CAT) and decrease in TBARs and LDH activity.

The objective of the present study was to eval-uate the effect of using one method of estrus syn-chronization programs on Jersy cattle reproductive performance under arid land environment, by ap-plying a specific doses of prostaglandin F2α (two injections of 5ml for cow), to increase the repro-ductive efficiency of the animals, through regulat-ing time of pregnancy and parturition. Forty non-pregnant, healthy cows were taken randomly from the original stock of Hada Al Sham Research sta-tion which belong to king Abdul Aziz University and were classified into two groups, treatment and control groups. Results obtained showed that: es-trus synchronization program using two injections of prostaglandin F2α showed that, statistically, there is no significant difference in the plasma progesterone concentration between treated and control groups. Jersy cows treated with prosta-glandin F2α showed estrus in a shorter period compared to the control group. The percentage of animals showed estrus was 75 ٪ in treated group, compared with 65% in control group which showed 84 ٪. The pregnancy rate in treated group was 86.66 ٪, versus 69.23٪ in the control group. Service period length (SPL) was 97 days for the treatedgroup, compared to 104 days for the control group. There is a significant (P0.01) difference in the plasma progesterone concentration between both groups during pregnancy, which was higher in the treated group.- The differences in the plasma progesterone con-centration between both groups after parturition were not significant. Estrus synchronization in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under arid land environment was considered as an application of new technology to improve reproductive effi-ciency of animals, and to regulate time of breed-ing and parturition in the herd. This will lead to a great important in the management of the ani-mal production branches.

Two field experiments were carried out to evaluate six mutant lines having a good agronomic potential comparing with their original varieties Sids5, Sids6 and Sids7. The results showed signif-icant decrease in plant height for all semidwarf mutant lines. The reduction of plant height reached to 19.83% comparing with the original varieties. Some semidwarf mutant lines (line 5-1, line 6-1 and line 7-1) exhibited highly significant values for spike length, number of spikes/plant and grain yield/plant as compared to their original varieties. The original varieties manifested highly significant values for number of grains/spike as compared to their all semidwarf mutant lines. The results indicated that wheat semidwarf mutants of line 5-1, line 6-1 and line 7-1 are promising mu-tant lines, since they gave high grain yield. All studied genotypes were electrophoreticaly ana-lyzed for grain water-soluble proteins. The dis-crimination of such mutant lines and their parental varieties revealed differences in their banding pat-terns and occurrence of genetic variation between such genotypes. The electrophoretic analyses of proteins revealed some newly induced bands such as bands with molecular weights of 114.04, 87.82, 41.55 and 11.90 kDa. Such newly bands, which were not existed in the unirradiated varieties, may be originated from gamma radiation effects. It is expected that gamma rays modified the structure of some genes in the mutant lines, and these modi-fications appeared as absence of protein bands with molecular weights of 72.60 kDa in sids5 and 24.39 kDa in Sids6. The variety Sids7 exhibited the highest numbers of new protein bands after irradiation. The results revealed positive relations

Two field experiments were conducted in 2004 and 2005 seasons at El-Bosaily farm located at Beharia Governorate, Egypt, to study the effect of three nitrogen levels 60, 120 and 180 kg/feddan applied into irrigation water "fertigation" with drip irrigation system on vegetative growth, nutrient content (N, P and K) in leaves and grain and yield of three maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids (Single Cross 10, Three Way Cross 310 and Three Way Cross 324). The experiment design was a split plot with three replications where nitrogen fertilizer levels were distributed in the main plots and maize hybrids allocated in sub plots. The obtained results indicate that the increase of nitrogen level up to 180 kg /fed significantly increased plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf area index, grain yield and straw weight. Single Cross 10 gave the significant highest vegetative growth and grain yield comparing with the other hybrids. The high-est nitrogen level (180 kg /fed) combined with Single Cross 10 gave the significantly highest grain yield and straw weight. On the other hand, 60 kg N / fed gave the highest nitrogen use effi-ciency (NUE) value followed by 120 kg N / fed The regression analysis of nutrition content (N, P, and K %) between leaf and grain was estimated. The highest regression determination coefficient (r2) was found in nitrogen percentage with r2= 0.965 followed by potassium with r2= 0.936. The lowest r2 was found in phosphorus with r2= 0.872.

Laboratory experments and field traits were carried out on the efficiency of selected three con-centrations of each Garlic Gard extract and a mix-ture of chili oil of mustard extract (Valoram) based on fourth instar larvae of the insect. Garlic Gard extract was used in a concentrations of: 1 cm3/L, 0.5 cm3/L and 0.25 cm3/L. The mortality percentages were: 87.5 %, 83.3 % and 66.6 % respectively. The mixture of chili extract and oil of mustard extract was used in a concentrations of : 2 cm3/L, 1 cm3/L and 0.5 cm3/L The mortality per-centages were : 100%, 100% and 73% respect-tively. Garlic Gard extract when used in a field with concentrations of : 8 cm3/L, 6 cm3/L and 4 cm3/L mortality percentages were: 23.3%, 3.3% and 3.3% respectively, and for pupation were : 83.3 %, 49.9% and 36.6% respectively, also the mixture of chili extract and oil of mustard was used in a concentrations of: 20 cm3/L, 10 cm3/L and 7 cm3/L the mortality percentage: 46.6%, 6.6% and 6.6% respectively. And for pupation: 89.9%, 83.3% and 66.6% respectively. Laboratory experiments showed that the mixture of chili ex-tract and of mustard oil was highly effective against insect and more effective than Garlic Gard extract. Field traits showed that both Garlic Gard extract and the mixture of chili extract, and oil of mustard showed repellent effect and Killer materi-als to insects. The mortality percentage was high in using Valoram in comparison with Garlic Gard.

Soil mycoflora play an important role in agri-cultural economy of a country. The current study was made to have the knowledge about soilborne fungi associated with cucumber crop in solarized and unsolarized soils. Solarization exerted various effects, some of which are biological, others are chemical and still others are physical. All together these changes affected directly or indirectly the mycoflora of the soil, especially the soilborne pathogenic ones. Forty-nine fungal species belong to thirty genera have been isolated from solarized and unsolarized soils. The diversity as well as the count was greatly affected by solarization. By comparison of the species lists of the fungal flora of solarized and unsolarized soils it was evident that soil fungi behave differently toward soil solar-ization, while some new species developed e.g. Absidia, Acrophialophora, Talaromyces, Glio-cladium, some remained unaffected e. g. Aspergil-lus, Penicillium, Chaetomium, Botryotrichum, still others disappeared e. g. Acremonium, Cephali-ophora, Eurotium and others. Regarding solariza-tion for controlling white cucumber rot caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, the obtained data clearly show that solarization had led to a marked in-crease in the number of healthy plants up to 72.5%.