Recommended application was done by spray regime for two pesticides, namely diniconazole, fenitrothion and a plant growth regulator (gibberellic acid) and their mixtures. Their residues were determined after different successive treatments in and on grape fruits in two consecutive years. The initial deposits of the fungicide diniconazole when used alone were 0.49 and 0.50 ppm for 2006 and 2007, respectively.  While the initial deposits of fenitrothion reached to 11.35 and 11.19 ppm for the same interval, respectively. Initial deposits of the plant growth regulator gibberellic acid were 30.52 and 30.42 ppm for the same period, respectively. After mixing the tested pesticides and the plant growth regulator, the initial deposits loss reached 38.77 and 42.0 % for diniconazole, 43.08 and 48.16 %  for fenitrothion and 6.88 and 7.00 %  for gibberellic acid for the same seasons, respectively. A significant degradation was recorded with the mixture of the two tested pesticides and plant growth regulator compared with that occurred when pesticide was used alone at the two studied seasons.

This investigation was conducted at Hada Elsham Experimental Research Station, King Abdul- Aziz University during 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 seasons, to study the effects of two irrigation water salinity levels (1200 mg/L and 10000 mg/L), three irrigation water intervals (3, 6 and 9 days) and three sulphur fertilizer rates (0.0, 4.0 and 6.0 t/ha) on seed yield, yield components and seed quality of canola, Pactole cv. The obtained results showed that seed yield kg/ha was significantly increased under the 1200mg/L irrigation water and 6t/ha of sulphur more than the seed yield/ha under the effect of 1200 mg/L irrigation water with 4 t/ha sulphur or 10,000 mg/L irrigation water with 6t/ha sulphur with no significant differences between the two later treatments. Irrigation every 3 days significantly dominated over the irrigation every 6 or 9 days on seed yield and yield components. Irrigation with 10.000 mg/L salinity water significantly decreased No. of branches /plant, No. of fruit/plant and seed weight/ plant. Besides, Protein content of the seed as well as oil content increased as water salinity increased in both seasons. As sulphur fertilizer rate increased seed yield, yield components protein and oil contents of seed significantly increased, in the two studied seasons.

Fresh Bolti fish (Tilpia nilotica) collected randomly from 9 different markets in Ismailia Governorate for evaluation the effect of grilled fish by the method used in grillrooms and houses on the concentration of pesticide residues found and the nutritive value.  Results revealed that decrease in the estimated parameters i.e. moisture, crude protein, fat and ash by grilling, this decrease were 6.07, 2.63, 4.07 and 1.56%, respectively. On the contrary, carbohydrates behaved another behavior that there was an obvious increase ranged from 1.98% to 2.92%. Fresh and grilled fish were analyzed to detect 12 organochlorine (OC) and 7 synthetic pyrethroid (SP) pesticides with a mean level on a lipid basis. Gas Liquid Chromatography equipped with Electron Capture Detector GC-ECD was used to detect the contamination in the samples. The results showed that p,p'-DDE  isomer was dominated over the other isomers in all analyzed fish samples, followed by a-isomer of hexachlorocyclohexane. The concentrations of OC residues were higher than SP pesticides in all fish muscles. Also, the fresh fish muscle recorded higher concentrations of the evaluated pesticides than the grilled one.

The objectives of this study were to examine the relationship between wheat yield cultivars (Sakha 93 and Giza 168) and antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activities  under different soil water content i.e. low, moderate and high content by irrigation at 80% ETo (1280m³/fed.), by 100% ETo (1600m³/fed.) and120% ETo (1920m³/fed.), respectively. Two lysimeter experiments were carried out in two successive seasons i.e. 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 to estimate  wheat yield and one experiment in plastic bags carried out of the greenhouse to determine the antioxidant enzymes of 28 days wheat plant under three different soil water content i.e. providing wheat seedlings with aforementioned treatment.  Exposing wheat cultivars i.e. Giza 186 or Sakha 93 to water stress by irrigation at 80% ETo (1280 m³/fad.) exerted an increase in CAT, SOD, POD, APX and PAL over those irrigated at 100% ETo (1600 m³/fad.) or at 120% ETo (1920 m³/fad.), but the previous enzyme activities in the tissue of Saka 93 surpassed of that of Giza 168 cultivar. spike weight and weight of 100 grain/plant of Sakha 93 cultivar overcome that of Giza 168 at low soil moisture content (80% ETo), whereas opposite results were obtained at high and moderate water content (120% and 100% ETo) in the first growing season (2006/2007) and spike weight/plant in second growing season (2007/2008). There was a proportional relationship between increasing soil moisture content and grain yield/plant but the difference between moderate water content 100% ETo (1600 m³/fed.) and high water content 120% ETo (1920 m³/fed.) was not significant. Providing 28 days wheat plant with low water content, decreased wheat yield/plant and its attributes comparing with moderate water content for the two studied cultivars. The current study indicates that Sakha 93 cultivar was the most tolerant cultivar compared with Giza 168.

ABSTRACT   Iron deficiency anemia is considered one of prevalent patients in developing countries, whereas it is well known that wheat flour is deficient in iron, hence, in this study wheat flour (72%) extraction fortified with celery seeds and cinnamon bark meal individually as a natural sources of iron at levels 5, 7.5 and 10 g/100 g wheat flour and preparation of biscuit samples. Iron content in wheat flour, celery seeds and cinnamon were determined. Biscuit samples were sensory evaluated and baking quality tested. Total iron and available iron were determined in biscuit samples. Biological evaluation for experimental rats designed and histopathological examination was tested for heart organ of rats. The results showed that wheat flour, celery seeds and cinnamon contained from iron 1.98, 57 and 50 mg/100 g respectively. Total iron and available iron increased in biscuits samples by increasing celery seeds and cinnamon additives compared with unfortified biscuits (control). Sensory evaluation of biscuit samples showed slight decrease in color, crunchiness and appearance while odor and taste significantly improved by increasing celery seeds and cinnamon additives compared with control. Baking quality of biscuit samples indicated increasing in weight, while volume, diameter and thickness slightly decreased by increasing celery seeds and cinnamon additives compared with control. Biological evaluation revealed that mean values of hemoglobin, hematocrit, red cell count, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, serum iron and serum ferritin significantly improved after 8 weeks in groups rats fed on biscuits fortified with celery seeds and cinnamon compared with control. Histopathological overhaul declared amelioration in organ heart for groups rats fed on biscuits fortified with celery seeds and cinnamon compared with anemic control.

This work was conducted at the Experimental Farm of Nasser's   Faculty of Agricultural Sciences in Lahej Governorate, Yemen, during three   seasons 2003, 2004 and 2005. Five statistical procedures of relating yield components to yield; i.e., simple correlation coefficient, the path coefficient analysis, the stepwise regression, the multiple regressions and factor analysis were applied to seven yield contributing characters to determine their functional relationships to yield. Sixteen Maize genotypes were used in this study. Simple correlation coefficient revealed that, number of leaves/plant, ear height, ear length, number of rows/ear, number of kernels/row, 1000-kernel weight and shelling% had the greatest influence on grain yield/h. According to path analysis, weight of 1000-kernel had the greatest direct effect (22.23%) towards grain yield/h. While, number of kernels/row (9.33%) and ear length (9.32%) had the highest indirect effect to grain yield. Multiple linear regressions indicated that the variables which had the highest partial coefficient of determination in seed yield/h, were ear height, ear length, number of rows/ear and 1000-kernel weight (R2 = 43%, 22%, 9% and 12%, respectively). The stepwise regression shows that, 1000-kernel weight, number of kernels/row, number of rows/ear and shelling% were accepted variables which had the highest coefficients of determination with seed yield (88.9%). The factor analysis grouped 7 yield contributing characters in two factors, which altogether were responsible for 70.42% of the total variability in the dependence structure.

Several soil-borne fungal pathogens attack soybean plants, causing seedling damping-off and root rot diseases, in Egypt. Isolation trials from rooted rots of soybean, collected from various locations at Gharbiya,  Kafr El-Sheikh and Minufiya governorates, revealed that Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium solani and Macrophomina phaseolina were the most virulent and predominant pathogens. All the tested fungicides significantly reduced linear growth of the tested pathogens. Three known bioagents i.e. Trichoderma  harzianum, T. hamatum and  Bacillus subtilis were tested against such pathogens, and revealed  remarkable  effect in reducing mycelial growth on PDA medium. T. hamatum, mainly, grew over the mycelium of the tested pathogens. Under greenhouse conditions, both the fungicides and antagonists gave significant reductions of root rot severity, but fungicides were more effective than biocontrol agents in reducing the disease. Application of the selective antagonists and fungicides significantly decreased soybean root rot than untreated check, in naturally pathogen- infested fields. Plant growth and activity of nitrogenase enzyme were enhanced greatly, when the fungicides were applied compared with antagonists treatments.

Information related to pesticide practices in green beans and strawberry fields in some selected exportation farms in Egypt was obtained through questionnaire forms. Such forms were randomly distributed among different target exporters at Giza, Ismaellia, Sharkia, Behirah and Alfayoum governorates. Questionnaire outputs indicated that the percent of the rejected export by importers due to high levels of pesticide residues reached 11.11 and 7.69% in green beans and strawberry respectively. The recommended rates of the used pesticides established by the Ministry of Agriculture and/or EU guidelines were followed by 86.67 and 69.23% of these vegetables growers, respectively. Questionnaire outputs indicated that the percent of exporters who were repeating the application of all or each pesticide during the same season of green beans and strawberry reached 48.89 and 42.31%, respectively. Furthermore, 15.56 and 7.69% of growers followed the recommended Pre Harvest interval (PHI) for each pesticide used in green beans and strawberry. On the other hand, no storage period was followed by 40 and 76.92% of the exporters for green beans and strawberry, respectively. Concerning the transportation conditions data showed that 55.56 and 88.46% of the exporters used cooling trucks with green beans and strawberry, respectively.

ABSTRACT   The current study was carried out to evaluate certain non-conventional techniques including the use of organic manures, either residues left from soaking cattle and chicken manures applied to the soil or spray of their extracts on the plant biomass; biofertilizers as well as natural resources of rock phosphate were also used, inorganic fertilizers being included for comparison. Such evaluation was thought to be performed through evaluating responses of soil characteristics represented by both chemical characteristics and element availability; responses of developed plants to applied treatments were thought to be not included in the present study. This study was conducted under conditions of greenhouse located in Soils Department, Faculty of Agriculture, AinShamsUniversity; it represents the application of results obtained from the two pot experiments previously conducted. Cucumber seedlings of 15 days old were planted after being inoculated with liquid culture of the used biofertilizers and let to be grown three months up to harvest. The studied soil samples were taken out before flowering stage of grown cucumber plants to evaluate the concerned responses of the indicated soil samples. Results showed that organic manure application practices were favorable compared to either original untreated soil or inorganic control treatments; application of the used biofertilizers added, either separately or in combinations, to manuring was favorable for most of the studied parameters, application of rock phosphate to the mentioned treatments being also favorable.

Newly ecdysed fourth instar larvae of the cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) were treated with LC50 of ecdysone agonist methoxyfenozide, to provide better insights into physiological symptoms and aspects induced by it as a mimic to the 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-E) action. Larvae ingest methoxyfenozide died within 2-3 days, and being trapped within their excuvae. They stopped feeding shortly before ecdysis. Treatment neither accelerated ecdysis nor ceased feeding, as soon as the larvae ingest such 20-E mimic. The continuous binding of the compound to the ecdysteroid receptors of S. littoralis larvae increased the titre of enzymes regulated by 20-E during the experimental time (3 days). Chitinase and phenoloxidase were activated after 6 and 12 hr from methoxyfenozide administration, respectively. The compound had no effect on chitin production, but endocuticle chitin degradation during moulting might be depressed as illustrated by the presence of higher amount of N-acetylglucosamine in control larvae than methoxyfenozide treated. It is suggested that methoxyfenozide might induces a precocious moult by initiating moulting cycle, but its main toxic effect is due to the fact that its level remains high during moulting and don’t decrease for allowing other hormones necessary for successful moulting to be released.