The present investigation was carried out during two successive seasons of 2002 and 2003 on Canino Apricot trees budded on seedlings rootstock at a private orchard located at El-Khatatba district, Menofia Governorate Egypt. Trees were sprayed at full-bloom stage with boron, GA3 and active dry yeast at different concentration alone or in their combinations. Results showed that spraying Boron, GA3 and active dry yeast either singly or in combination caused a remarked promotion in leaf min-eral status, yield and fruit quality compared with control treatment Combined appli-cation solution of 400ppm Boric acid, 40ppm GA3 and 2% active dry yeast at full bloom stage gave the best results with regard to the yield and fruit quality of Canino Apricot.

In this study, both the methanol extraction of sage leaves and clove buds were added as natural antioxidant at concentraction 100, 200 and 300 ppm from butter weight using in cake production. The cake produced was storage at room tempera-ture for 8 weeks. Butter stability was measured by Rancimat apparatus. Also, perox-ide value, acid value and thiobarbituric acid value were measured. Sensory evalua-tion was measured directly after baking (before storage) and at the end of storage pe-riod. Rancimat results showed that increasing natural antioxidant concentration led to longer butter stability and retarded rancidity than control. At the same time sage leaves extraction was much effectiveness for period long butter stability compared to clove buds extraction. Also the results revealed that the more concentration of natural antioxidants increased the peroxide value, acid value and thiobarbituric aicd value decreased compared to control. Sensory evaluation in zero time indicated im-provement in taste, flavor, texture and tenderness while color values were decreased with increasing sage and clove extraction compared to control. After 8 weeks of storage sensory evaluation scores were generally decreased.

Six population’s seeds of four yellow maize crosses were formed during 2001 and 2002 growing seasons. Their plants were evaluated during 2003 growing season under two planting dates (14th May and 29th June) for six agronomic traits at the Agric. Res. Stat. of Fac. of Agric., Ain Shams Univ., Shalakan, Kalubia Gover-norate, Egypt. The present work aimed to determine the genetic parameters and their interactions with planting dates for grain yield per plant, 100-kernel weight, number of kernels per row, ear length, ear diameter, and days to silking in the six popula-tions (P1, P2, F1, F2, BC1 and BC2). Mean values of the six populations for all studied traits in all crosses were higher under normal planting date than those under late one. Therefore, normal planting date seemed to be non-stress environment. The potence ratio for all traits in the four crosses exceeded (+1) except days to silking where it was less (-1). The highest heterosis percentage relative to mid and better parent reached 192.06% and 152.01% in cross 1 for grain yield per plant under late plant-ing date. Inbreeding depression values were not-significant in all studied traits ex-cept ear diameter and 100-kernel weight in crosses 1 and 3 as well as grain yield per plant in all crosses also, it was positive for most studied characters in the four cross-es except days to silking trait. Dominance occupied the first rank, additive or domi-nance type of epistasis occupied the second or the third contributor to the genetic ef-fects in order of importance according to cross with exception of days to silking, where additive and additive occupied the first and the second ranks. Narrow sense heritability was relatively high for yield attributes whereas it was low for grain yield per plant. Meantime, expected genetic advance was relatively moderate or low for all traits. Therefore, it could be suggested that selection for most studied traits in the subsequent generations will be relatively more effective than in the early genera-tions.

Numerical analysis of 62 morphological and histological characters extracted from the 2 previous papers (Ahmed and Mohamed, 2005, a & b) of the 7 studied taxa in the genus Tribulus led to their classification into two groups. The 1st contains 5 pentacyclic flowered taxa (T.terrestris, T. terrestris var. bicornutus, T.macropterus, T.megistopterus & T.mollis) with 2 basal vascular bundles in their small leaflets while the 2nd included 2 tetracyclic flowered taxa (T.kaiseri, T.pentandrus) with single main bundle. The resulted analysis arranged taxa of gp.I into 2 sections while that of gp.II into a third section. Tribulus besides possessing its own generic characters, also shares the Zygophylloid genera in major grounds. Therefore it is recommended to remain in tribe Tribuleae of Zygophylloideae within Zygophyllaceae and never isolated either into a family or even subfamily of its own.

The present study was carried out in an olive orchard at 6th of October city, Giza Governorate, Egypt during 2002 and 2003 growing seasons on “Aggezi” and “Koroneiki” olive cultivars for table and oil purposes, respectively. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of organic farmyard manure (FYM), compost (COM) manure and biofertilizers (Bio) as the combination between phosphorene and nitrobeine, calcium citrate (Cac) and potasseine (K). Besides, the fertilization program adopted in the farm [N (750g/tree), P2O5 (600g/tree) & K2O (500g/tree)] was used as control. The results revealed that, the application of different aforemen-tioned treatments increased significantly shoot growth (length and diameter, number of leaves shoot and area/leaf) compared to the control in both cultivars (Aggezi and Koroneiki) during the two growing seasons. In this concern, the application of FYM+Cac influenced significantly shoot length & diameter, number of leaves/shoot and area/leaf of Koroneiki cv. and shoot diameter of Aggezi cv. Meantime the area /leaf of both cvs.increased when fertilized by FYM+COM+Cac. Whereas, the com-bination of FYM, COM, Cac, Bio, and K improved significantly blooming charac-teristics (number of flowers/inflorescence, inflorescence length and perfect flowers %) of Aggezi and Koroneiki olive cvs. However, number of fruits/shoot and yield of both cultivars increased significantly when treated by the combination of organic and biofertilizers, especially FYM+COM+Bio. Moreover, pulp/seed ratio was in-creased when treated with FYM+Bio (especially in 1st season). In addition, Koro-neiki cv. when provided with FYM+COM+Bio treatment produced the richest fruits in their oil content. Aggezi cv. trees when fertilized with the combination of organic manure & calcium, gave higher contents of chlorophyll (A), (B) & total chlorophyll, however, in Koroneiki cv. chlorophyll B didn't affect. Eventually, nutrient elements (NPK) contents didn't take a definite trend except for N which was affected signifi-cantly with the different combinations, while P & K in Aggezi leaves were influ-enced by FYM only. On the other hand, Koroneiki trees treated with COM+Bio had the highest leaf N content. Leaf P content was positively affected by FYM+Cac in 2002 and FYM+COM+Bio in 2003. Meantime, FYM+K followed by COM+Bio in-duced the highest stimulative effect on leaf K content.

The present work aimed to establish a protocol to minimize the potential effect of in-vitro preservation for 8 months of the two olive cultivars i.e Koronaiki and Kalamata. Three culture conditions (treatments) were chosen to investigate the most suitable one for minimizing somaclonal variations after the process of in vitro preservation. The conditions include MS medium plus mannitol, MS medium plus low temperature and MS medium plus naphthaline acetic acid. RAPD-based finger-printing was employed to determine the effects of the different chemical constituents and other culture conditions on the extent of somaclonal variations after 8 months of in vitro preservation at the DNA level. Four arbitrary primers (OPA-04, -07, -14 and -16) were successfully utilized to achieve such goal. The obtained results showed that Mannitol has more pronounced effect than the other investigated preservation culture and conditions for decreasing DNA alterations.

Comparative detailed vegetative anatomical investigation for stems, leaves and foliar details of the 7 studied taxa of the genus Tribulus in Egypt has been carried out in order to its reclassification based on internal structures. Accurate drawings for each of the studied organs are outlined into cumulative plates. Also an artificial in-dented dichotomous key has been constructed. Variation in number of basal vascular bundles (2 or 1) into the small leaflet-blade within the large leaf is utilized in classi-fying the studied taxa into two Groups. The 1st contained 5 taxa with 2 main bundles while the 2nd included 2 taxa each with single and unique basal bundle/small leaflet. Members of Gp.I are distinguished according to differences in : phloem & cambium characters, presence of 2 distinct glandular trichome types, stem outline & vascular cylinder contents, no. of petiolar vascular strands from base to apex, type of cuticle, type of pericyclic sclerenchymatous patches and others. On the other hand, variation in nature of starch sheath cells (from storing crystals to empty) and presence or ab-sence of schizogenous carnals in pith are found diagnostic in separating both mem-bers in Gp. II.

Solid-phase extraction (SPE), gas chromatography electron capture detector (GC-ECD) and gas chromatography nitrogen-phosphorous detector (GC-NPD) and gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) were applied for trace-level de-termination of 20 pesticides in river nile water. Samples were collected from March to October 2003 from different sites located in Greater Cairo, Egypt. First, extrac-tion by on-site solid-phase extraction of 1 liter from field and laboratory spiked and unspiked (raw river water) samples using poly-divinyl benzene-N-vinyl pyrolidine cartridge based sorbent. Next, water extracts were subject of analysis by GC-ECD and GC-NPD. Next, selected samples that were positive to GC-ECD or GC-NPD were analyzed by GC-MS in order to improve the determination of detected pesti-cides. Recoveries from laboratoy spiked samples were > 85% for 16 of the 20 com-pounds with % relative standard deviation (% RSD) in the 5 to 10 % range. The lowest recoveries were for aldrin, 52 % and prothiofos, 48 %. A similar trend was observed with p,p-DDE and p,p-DDT values. Field spike results also indicated high % recovery for most of the target compounds. Values were > 85% for 12 of the 20 analytes, as was the case in laboratory spikes, Aldrin, 54 % and prothiofos, 55 % yielded the lowest values. Overall field spike recovery reproducibility was lower since % RSDs were higher, 15-40 %. Overall results indicated a relatively high de-gree of accuracy and precision could be achieved for most of the target compounds by methods applied in present study.

The present work was carried out to study the population dynamics of the mealy plum aphid Hyalopterus pruni (Geoff.) and related parasitoids and predators on apricot trees, during the two successive seasons, 2003 and 2004, at Qalubia Gover-norate. The obtained data revealed that, the occurrence of H. pruni on apricot trees covered 5 months (from February to June). The mean total numbers of this aphid species per season were 1.78 (0.01-6.37) and 2.83 (0.00-10.01) individuals./leaf. The maximum numbers of H. pruni were recorded during the 2nd weeks of April, 2003 and 2004. No aphid individuals were observed during the period extended from July to September, in the two studied seasons. Four species of parasitoids; namely Aphidius matricariae Hal., Lysiphylbus sp. (1ry parasitoids) and 2 species of Alloxysta spp. (2ry parasitoids) were recorded during this study, attacking H. pruni. These parasitoid species were found during nearly three months of each season, in connection with the population density of the previous aphid species. The first para-sitoid was the highest in its numbers. The total numbers of predatory species per season were 407 and 1082 individuals, in the two studied seasons, 2003 and 2004, respectively. The maximum monthly occurrence of these predatory species was dur-ing April, 2003 (146 individuals) and April, 2004 (581 individuals), respectively. The predator Chrysoperla septempunctata L. had the highest percentages of occur-rence among other recorded predatory species (52.83 and 73.01%, respectively). In general, the parasitoid A. matricariae and the predator C. septempunctata, could be mass reared and released for controlling H. pruni on apricot trees with other availa-ble safe control methods developed in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs against this pest.

Various percentages of citric acid [0.05, 0.1, 0.15 and 0.2%] were blended with the oil (w/v) before the bleaching of either soybean oil (SOO) or sunflower oil (SUO) to rise the performance efficiency of bleaching earth. Afterwards, activated bleaching earth was added to these oils for bleaching them at 1% level. Also, the same clay was used at 2% level for bleaching the above mentioned oils without us-ing citric acid as a reference. The study revealed that better result for raising the bleaching efficiency of SOO was obtained with 0.15% citric acid. Whilst, 0.1% cit-ric acid gave the best result pertaining the bleaching efficiency of SUO. Also, the data showed high reductions in the values of peroxide number, soap, conjugated dienes and trienes for the bleached oils with the increasing percent content of citric acid. While, the acidity values of the bleached oils (SOO and SUO) slightly in-creased with increasing citric acid percentages. On the other hand, using of citric ac-id at the ratios of 0.15 and 0.2% gave almost the same values in the bleaching effi-ciency of SOO. While, using of citric acid at the ratios of 0.1 and 0.15% gave nearly the same results of bleaching efficiency of SUO. Also, the data indicated that using of citric acid caused somewhat no changes in the fatty acid composition or their oxi-dative stabilities in the bleached oils. Therefore, it can be concluded that the reduc-tion in the color of sunflower and / or soybean oils up to a levels of 33.3 and 36.7% is attainable by using either 0.1 or 0.15% citric acid prior to the bleaching step to de-crease the imported content from bleaching earth to Egypt