The aim of this study was to use spreadsheet software (Excel) to solve linear programming models in formulating least cost rations of egg layers. The Ingredients used are corn, wheat, soybean meal, barley, wheat bran, protein concentrate, limestone, salt, dicalcuim phosphate, vitamin and mineral premix, vegetable oil. Results showed that the starter optimum ration for layers from (0 - 6) weeks, consist of these Ingredients (9.40, 26.91, 16.38, 38.71,' 4.51, 0.95, 1.09, 0.25, 1.18, 0.25, (Received April 18, 2009) (Accepted September 28, 2009) 0.33)% respectively and from (6-12) week of (0, 73.43, 8.72, 0, 14.37, 0, 0.99, 0.25, 1.39, 0.25, 0.57) % respectively, from (12-18) week (0, 78.36, 6.17, 0, 12.02, 0, 1.44, 0.25, 0.87, 0.25, 0.61)% respectively, from (18 week - start of production) (0, 15.55, 13.85, 0, 3.81, 0, 4.25, 0.25, 1.16, 0.25, 0.86 )% respectively, and during productive period from (0, 66.93, 10.62, 0,0, 9.09,9.01, 0.25, 3.82)% respectively, and the cost of these ration was 160.6, 130.70, 123.60, 145.22, 195.95) Iraqi Dinar/kg respectively. Results also show sensitivity report of allowable increase and decrease in ingredient cost and in constraint values and the shadow price.

Petroleum products are complex mixtures of hundreds of hydrocarbon compounds. Petroleum has been recognized as a potential environmental contaminant. This research was undertaken to evaluate the effect of petroleum hydrocarbon on soil characteristics and seeds germination in arid lands. Results indicated that bulk density and real density of the polluted samples are relatively higher and lower respectively then the corresponding values of the unpolluted soils. Percent ages of the clay fraction obtained with and without removing the cementing agents showed high and low values for % clay fraction respectively. Low calcium carbonate content was found in the polluted samples as a result of solubilization effects of the petroleum products on calcium carbonate particles. ECe values were very high in the polluted samples (ECe = 28.6 - 82.5 dS/m) and very low in the unpolluted samples (ECe = 2.75 - 2.79 dS/m). Soluble calcium and sulphat ions were the dominant ions in the saturation extract of unpolluted soil samples. Organic matter contents were high (4.94%) in the polluted soil and Low in the unpolluted soil (0.54%). Soil polluted with hydrocarbon was very high (7.13-7.5%) in the unpolluted soil and very low (0.63-0.71%) in the polluted soil. Total elemental contents shows that the most important metals with regard to potential hazards in the contaminated soils, are Cr, Pb, and Ni. Other heavy metals indicated low to medium concentration either in petroleum polluted or the non polluted soils. The concentration of toxic elements in the tested soils could be derived from petroleum pollution and/or from it's chemical weathering particularly under the relatively low pH of the polluted soils. Results indicated no barley seed emergence after 14 days in the polluted soil even after several leaching to alleviate the high level of salt concentrations in the polluted soil. The data reflect the serious effects of petroleum products on the deterioration of soil characteristics which reflected on the emergence of barley seeds.

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.

The present study was carried out in 2004/ 2005 – 2005/2006 seasons to make survey of plant vegetation at Wadi Wateer  (East southern of Sinai) (a bout 100 km length) at 9 successive sites. The study was carried through two years (two wet and dry seasons) to evaluate the vegetation structure throughout 20 chart quadrates (2 m x 2 m) at each site. The results showed that most of the pasture measurements such as plant density (plants / 4 m2), coverage %, frequency %, abundance % and fresh, and dry yields (ton/fad.) reached its maximum values during the wet seasons. Sites 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 were more suitable for growth of the plant associations than other sites under studies. Many plant species such as Astragalus  spinsous, Medicago laciniata, Artemisia Judica, Artemisia monosperma, Legum spartum, Haloxylon salicornicum, Calotropis procera, Lycium shawii and Paronychia sinaica were capable to grow under the aridity conditions at Wadi Wateer  area.

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.

ABSTRACT       A data matrix comprising 100 characters of morphology, anatomy and seed protein banding recorded comparatively for ten species of Cleome and Gynandropsis (Cleomaceae) was analyzed under three fundamentally different numerical methods. The PRIMER analysis used the Bray Curtis (SØrensen) distance measure together with the single linkage clustering methods. The SPSS program used Ward’sclustering as a distance measure and the average linkage clustering method distance or complete linkage distance. All three dendrograms agree in grouping the ten species into two major groups: A (including C. droserifolia and C.chrysantha) and B (including C. amblyocarpa, C. paradoxa, C. arabica, C. viscosa C. brachycarpa, C. scaposa, C. hanburyana and Gynandropsis gynandra).This indicates that Gynandropsis gynandra ought to be submerged in Cleome as Cleome gynandra

The red palm weevil (RPW) Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is the most destructive pest of date palm Phoenix dactylifera L. in Middle East particularly in ArabGulf countries. Distribution of RPW infestations in relation to some factors was studied in date palm farms in Qatif Governorate, EasternSaudi Arabia. For these studies, 80 farms containing over 11000 date-palm trees were inspected. A scale for grading the infestation severity was developed. Numerical, but not statistical differences were in infestation levels with RPW, were found among farms due to their location (desert or oasis), irrigation system (dripping or flooding), intercropping (with or without) and pruning condition (pruned or unpruned). However, too small farms (less than 100 palm trees/farm) or too large farms (over 1000 trees) were highly infested while farms of 400-800 trees/farm were the least infested. Over 42% of infestations were concentrated at or below the soil surface. Light or surface infestations formed 45% while severe or deep infestations formed 19% of total infestations. Trees of 5-10 years old were the most infested while trees over 15 years were the least infested.

The seasonal flight activity of both sugarcane stem borer moths Sesamia cretica Led. (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) and Chilo agamemnon Bles. (Pyralidae: Lepidoptera)were monitored with Robinson light trap for two successive years 2005/2006 & 2006/ 2007 at El-Mattana Agricultural Research Station, Qena Governorate, to determine the proper time for releasing the egg-parasitoid, Trichogramma evanescens West. for biological control program to the two mentioned borers without any application with chemical pesticides. The obtained results showed that, the moths of the greater sugarcane stem borer, S. cretica had a main period of seasonal activity extended from spring to early summer (April to June) and had another four small peaks of seasonal activity at sugarcane fields occurred in April, June, July, and October. The small sugarcane stem borer moth, C. agamemnon had two main periods of seasonal activity at sugarcane fields. The first period extended from spring to early summer (March to June) and the moths probably recorded two broods during this period, whereas the second period was relatively smaller and occurred during July. Results of statistical analysis showed that, the combined effect of the three main weather factors (mean of min. & max. temperatures and %R.H.) two weeks earlier were responsible on the changes in the seasonal flight activity of S. cretica moths for 51.6% and 66.7% explained variance for the 1st and 2nd year, respectively. Also, these factors were responsible on the changes in the seasonal flight activity of C. agamemnon moths for 57.7% and 44.1% explained variance for 1st and 2nd year, respectively. So, it could be recommended that, the egg-parasitoid, Trichogramma evanescens releasing program must be started at mid- April for autumn and spring plantations, while for the next ratoons after two months from harvest and continued biweekly intervals to the end of June.

ABSTRACT   Two induced mutant strains, obtained from the fungus Penicillium funiculosum after UV treatments, were used for protoplast fusion. These mutants (12 and 18) were selected according to their dextranase activity and stability. Seven fusants having dextranase over-yield than their parental strain were obtained. The best dextranase producing fusant (No. 2) was selected for further studies. Dextranase was purified from cell-free culture of fusant 2 by consecutive column chromatography using Q-sepharose FF, Superose 12 prep. grade 60/600 and Mono Q-FPLC. The purification was estimated by SDS-PAGE as well as isoelectric focusing. Four dextranase components (I, II, III and IV) were separated with an estimated molecular weights of 67 kDa. The pI of the all components were found to be around 3.0 as estimated by gel electrophoresis using both broad and low pI calibration protein kits. The dxetranase components showed pH and optimum temperature of 5 and 55oC, respectively. Dextran was the sole carbon source for dextranase production by the dextranase components. The effect of the dextranase components on different types of dextrans were also studied.