A pot experiment was carried out in summer season of 2006 to evaluate the different concentrations effect of foliar application of methanol and pink pigmented facultative methelotrophic bacteria (PPFM) on some growth parameters and yield of cotton plant. Data showed that, the highest growth rate value was obtained with PPFM isolates from wheat with 1% methanol. The growth rate of PPFM isolates decreased with increasing the methanol concentration. Foliar applications with 20% methanol with PPFM 3 or 4 spraying times gave the significantly highest values of cotton growth and yield parameters. Such two potent treatments increased  leaf area index (LAI) by 51.4 and 55.8 %; number of fruiting branches / plant by 53.1 and 58.0 %; number of total bolls / plant by 38.1 and 43.0 %; seed cotton weight / boll by 37.1 and 48.2 % and seed cotton yield / plant by 46.1 and 50.8, respectively than the control.

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.

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 total of 3108 records on conception rate (CR) and 2123 on litter size (LS) were used in this study. CR data represented 1600 Damascus (D) does, 201 Barki (BR) does, 229 Baladi (BL) does and 1070 crossbred does between D and each of BR and BL, while LS represented  1070 D does, 128 BR does, 145 BL does and 775 crossbred does.  These records were used to study the effect of crossing and other fixed effects and to estimate heritability of these two traits in the Damascus goats. Statistical models included varying combination of the fixed effects of station, genotypes within station, year of mating, month of mating, and parity and the random effect of animal nested within station, genotype, year of mating   and month of mating. Variance and covariance components for Damascus data were estimated through the Gibbs Sampling technique using a model that included the fixed effects of station, year and month of mating and parity, and the random effects of doe additive genetics and permanent environmental. CR mean in different analyses ranged from 0.39 to 0.63. Damascus, with a range of CR of 0.48 to 0.63, surpassed both local breeds (ranging from 0.33 to 0.58) and was close to the crossbreds that ranged between 0.34 and 0.68.  LS mean ranged from 1.26 to 1.50 in different analyses. Baladi scored the highest in LS (1.49). Damascus ranged from 1.15 to 1.24 in different locations. LS ranged from 1.37 to 1.67 for crossbreds. For both traits there was no clear evidence of the merit of Damascus goats or their crosses over the Barki and Baladi goats. More data taken under sound herd management are needed to clarify the utility of the Damascus and its crosses. Heritability estimates+SE for CR and LT in Damascus goats were 0.03 ± 0.003 and 0.04 ± 0.003, respectively.

Day by day increase the importance of using the natural food additives. Hence in this study, the phenolic extracted from basil leaves, spearmint leaves and fennel seeds, as natural antioxidants, were added at concentrations 200, 400 and 600 ppm from fat weight using in biscuit production. Biscuit was stored at room temperature for 8 months. Induction period was measured by Rancimat apparatus. Total phenolic and phenolic acids were determined. Peroxide value, acid value, thiobarbituric acid and refractive index were measured during storage. Antimicrobial activity of phenolic extraction were examined after 8 months. Sensory evaluation was measured directly after baking. The results showed that total phenolic content in basil leaves, spearmint leaves and fen-nel seeds were 3.97, 1.91 and 1.53 mg/g as caffeic acid equivalents respectively. Five phenolic acids were found in both basil leaves and spearmint leaves, while four phenolic acids were found in fennel seeds as determined by using HPLC. Rancimat results showed that induction period for phenolic herbs could be ranked as follow: basil leaves > spearmint leaves > fennel seeds. The re-sults elucidated that the best concentration from natural additives as antioxidants activity were 400 and 600 ppm compared with BHT. The results revealed that with increasing the concentration of natural antioxidants increased, the more peroxide value, acid value, thiobarbituric acid and refractive index were decreased. Total bacterial count and (yeast & mold) count were decreased with increas-ing the concentration phenolic additives. Sensory evaluation indicated that addition of different anti-oxidants showed no significant differences be-tween control and biscuit samples

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%).