two successive seasons of 2015 and 2016 on Wonderful“ Pomegranates trees grown in sandy soil under drip irrigation system in a private orchard located at Giza governorate, Egypt . Trees were sprayed two times (at fruits size 8-10 mm & Re- spraying at one month later) with  Potassium silicate at (2500 &  5000 ppm) , Boron at(5 &10%) , Kaolin (1 &2% ) , Zinc oxidase (1000 & 2000 ppm) with wrapping as a commercial treatments . Spraying started at July  in the two seasons to improve fruit cracking resistance “Wonderful“ pomegranates  and study their effects upon yield components, physical and chemical fruit properties. Results indicated that the “Wonderful“ pomegranates cultivar had the highest values of fruit weight and the minimum cracking values were obtained by spraying Boron at (5 %) and potassium silicate at (5000 ppm) in both seasons and this treatments gave the maximum values with total yield/tree, /feddan and Marketable yield/tree, /feddan .Meanwhile ,number of arils per fruit ,total soluble solids , total sugar ,total acidity , (arils)/fruit weight was not affected but when trees treated with wrapping, without wrapping and zinc oxidase at (1000 ppm) sprays gave the minimum mentioned above characteristics. However, fruit weight, arils weight, ascorbic acid, anthocyanin and tannins %were increased as influenced by foliar spraying with all treatments in both studied seasons. Therefore, boron at 5 % and Potassium silicate at 5000 ppm treatments could be recommended for improving Wonderfull pomegranate cvs performance in cracking resistance alternative treatments to fruit wrapping under similar conditions of this study.

This study aimed to determine the effect of different salinity and anti-transpiration levels on the growth and biochemical composition of Panicum maximum plants (Guinea grass) during the spring and summer of 2020. Two different anti-transpiration treatments [molasses (sugarcane) (5 mL/L), kaolin (50 g/L) and control] and three salinity levels (S1 well water as the control and salinity S2 2000 ppm; S3 4000 ppm, S4 6000 ppm) were used in 12 treatments in 72 pots (3 anti-transpiration treatments × 4 salinity treatments × 6 replicates); a randomized complete design was used. Results revealed that the plants achieved the highest plant height (123.77 cm) and dry weight (521.87 g/m2) with kaolin and no salt addition treatment during summer. A higher percentage of proteins and carbohydrates were found in spring than in summer, but there was no significant difference in the salinity levels. A high percentage of ash and fiber contents was also observed during summer, with no significant differences between the anti-transpiration treatments. It could be concluded that P. maximum, as one of the most important fodder crops, could be cultivated in marginal lands, especially during the summer season.

An experimental field trial was conducted in seasons of 2015 and 2016 at Giza Experimental Station of Agricultural Research Centre (ARC), Egypt to evaluate the foliar spray effect with transpiration regulators (Potassium, Kaolin and Ascorbic acid) and three levels of irrigations (100%, 80% and 60% of Et0) on yield, its attributes, and water productivity of two sunflower cultivars (Giza 102 and Solala 120). The factorial treatments were arranged in split- split plot design with three replications. The irrigation levels (100%, 80% and 60% of Et0) were devoted for main plots, while subplots contained the three spraying treatments of transpiration regulators. (Potassium at 1%, Kaolin at 3% and Ascorbic acid at 100 ppm), in addition to control treatment (water spray). Sub-sub plots were occupied by the two sunflower cultivars (Giza 102 and Solala 120). Obtained results proved that, increasing irrigation levels up to (80- 100%) caused significant increase in all growth characteristics, photosynthetic pigments (total chlorophyll), relative water content (RWC %) and seed oil %. Also, yield parameters being head diameter, 1000-seed weight and seed yield) show significant reduction under water deficit. Foliar spray with (Potassium at 1%, Kaolin at 3% and Ascorbic acid at 100 ppm), positively affected all the growth and physiological criteria of the tested plants compared with control. Generally, under low irrigation levels, application of transpiration regulators effectively reduced the detrimental impact of drought stress on growth, yield and its components of the two used cultivars in the two seasons. While, foliar spraying of potassium under 100% of Et0 gave the best treatment in this respect. Concerning cultivars, WUE (water use efficiency) for Solala 120 was significantly higher than for Giza 102 in the two seasons. All interactions among factors under study due to WUE were not significant in 2015 and 2016 seasons.