Individuals of the oriental hornet, Vespa orien-talis Fab. were monitored at the apiary of Faculty of Agriculture .Ain Shams University throughout the year of 2006. The individual which was first detected in early spring at the first week of Febru-ary was the mated queens, later during the last week of April workers were appeared. At the first week of September individuals large in size ap-peared which were workers with developed ovary and not a new queen as believed previously. New queens started to appear at the second week of November after about three weeks from appear-ance the drones which appear at the last week of October. The numbers of ovarioles varied from 7 to 8 for each ovary in queens either in spring or in autumn. On the other hand the numbers of ovari-oles were only 7 for each ovary in workers either normal or with developed ovary. The measure-ments of the spermatheca showed no significant differences between all female individuals. The average numbers of spermatozoa in the queen's spermatheca of spring queen hornet were 1.486± 0.370 million spermatozoa and in the new queens who appear in the end of the year, the numbers of spermatozoa recorded 1.343±0.332 million. The counts of spermatozoa in the seminal vesicles of drone hornet recorded 2.336 ± 0.408 million sperms per drone.

A two years (2002/2003, 2003/2004) study was conducted at Hada Al-Sham Agriculture Re-search Station, Makkah Region (King Abdulaziz University) to determine the effects of three dif-ferent dripper discharges (0.5, 1, and 2 gph) on cabbage production, characteristics of its part and its nitrogen contents in whole plant and its parts. Results show a significant increase in Copenhagen variety production (38.5 tone/ha) as compared to Bronzweek Variety (30.2 tone/ha). Also, the drip-per discharge significantly affected the cabbage production, characteristics of head, stem, root or leaves area, whereas cabbage production and char-acteristics of all plant parts (head, stem, root and leaves area) were reduced with the increase in dripper discharge more than 0.5 gph, however, the reduction was not significant between discharges of 1 and 2 gph. The cabbage production were 44.3, 29.7 and 28.9 tone/ha for dripper discharges of 0.5, 1 and 2 gph, respectively). In addition, the interaction between season and variety had only significant effects on root length. Also, there were significant effects for the interaction between dripper discharge and season on cabbage produc-tion and root length. Results also showed that first season (2003) produced cabbage plant significant-ly higher than the second season (2004) in nitro-gen content for both whole plant (2.72% and 2.45% for first and second season, respectively) and head (3.63% and 2.72% for first and second season, respectively). Also, Copenhagen variety significantly outweighs Bronzweek variety on nitrogen content in whole plant (2.88% and 2.30% for Copenhagen variety and Bronzweek variety, respectively), leaf (2.69% and 2.16% for Copen-hagen variety and Bronzweek variety, respective-ly), and stem (2.72% and 2.08% for Copenhagen variety and Bronzweek variety, respectively). On the other hand, the increase in dripper discharge more than 0.5 gph resulted significant reduction in nitrogen content for whole plant (3.10%, 2.44% and 2.22% for dripper discharges of 0.5, 1 and 2 gph, respectively) and its parts (head, stem and leaves) whereas the dripper with less discharge (0.5 gph) outweigh the higher discharge drippers (1 and 2 gph). However, the increase of dripper discharge from 1 gph to 2 gph had only significant reduction in the nitrogen content of head. The re-sults also show that interaction between season and variety had only significant effects on nitro-gen content in whole plant. There were also signif-icant effects for the interaction between season and drip discharge on nitrogen content of whole plant and its leaf.

Two field experiments were carried out to evaluate six mutant lines having a good agronomic potential comparing with their original varieties Sids5, Sids6 and Sids7. The results showed signif-icant decrease in plant height for all semidwarf mutant lines. The reduction of plant height reached to 19.83% comparing with the original varieties. Some semidwarf mutant lines (line 5-1, line 6-1 and line 7-1) exhibited highly significant values for spike length, number of spikes/plant and grain yield/plant as compared to their original varieties. The original varieties manifested highly significant values for number of grains/spike as compared to their all semidwarf mutant lines. The results indicated that wheat semidwarf mutants of line 5-1, line 6-1 and line 7-1 are promising mu-tant lines, since they gave high grain yield. All studied genotypes were electrophoreticaly ana-lyzed for grain water-soluble proteins. The dis-crimination of such mutant lines and their parental varieties revealed differences in their banding pat-terns and occurrence of genetic variation between such genotypes. The electrophoretic analyses of proteins revealed some newly induced bands such as bands with molecular weights of 114.04, 87.82, 41.55 and 11.90 kDa. Such newly bands, which were not existed in the unirradiated varieties, may be originated from gamma radiation effects. It is expected that gamma rays modified the structure of some genes in the mutant lines, and these modi-fications appeared as absence of protein bands with molecular weights of 72.60 kDa in sids5 and 24.39 kDa in Sids6. The variety Sids7 exhibited the highest numbers of new protein bands after irradiation. The results revealed positive relations

Sixteen yeast isolates from various sources in-cluding molasses, foodstuffs, concentrated juices and soils were identified using simplified API 20 C AUX yeast identification system and random amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR). The isolates were found to belong to 11 species; Candida famata, C. glabra-ta, C. krusei / inconspicua, C. norvegensis, C. col-liculosa, Cryptococcus humicolus, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Kloeckera spp., Geotrichum capita-tum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. API and RAPD-PCR proved to be useful and convenient taxonomic tools for rapid identification at the spe-cies level, proving that at least two techniques are needed for precise identification. RAPD-PCR pro-cedure is faster than traditional characterization techniques; the identification of a single colony was typically achieved in less than 10 hr.

Soil mycoflora play an important role in agri-cultural economy of a country. The current study was made to have the knowledge about soilborne fungi associated with cucumber crop in solarized and unsolarized soils. Solarization exerted various effects, some of which are biological, others are chemical and still others are physical. All together these changes affected directly or indirectly the mycoflora of the soil, especially the soilborne pathogenic ones. Forty-nine fungal species belong to thirty genera have been isolated from solarized and unsolarized soils. The diversity as well as the count was greatly affected by solarization. By comparison of the species lists of the fungal flora of solarized and unsolarized soils it was evident that soil fungi behave differently toward soil solar-ization, while some new species developed e.g. Absidia, Acrophialophora, Talaromyces, Glio-cladium, some remained unaffected e. g. Aspergil-lus, Penicillium, Chaetomium, Botryotrichum, still others disappeared e. g. Acremonium, Cephali-ophora, Eurotium and others. Regarding solariza-tion for controlling white cucumber rot caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, the obtained data clearly show that solarization had led to a marked in-crease in the number of healthy plants up to 72.5%.

The hoverflies insect species are considered the most economic pollinators of various flowers, the adult visitors feed on nectar and pollen. Many of syrphid survivors are voracious aphid feeders in their larval instars and are considered greatest bio-control agent. They are beneficial insects when estimating the damage of pest control is consid-ered. In spite of their great economic importance, no progress has been estimated on taxonomy and biology of these insects in Syria. A surveillance studies of such flies were carried out in three loca-tions (Agroecosystems) in Deir-Ezzor, Eastern Syria during March-July 2006, based on number of captured adults. Yellow dish traps were used, and 12 spieces were identified and counted. This study will be an applicable addition to the availa-ble knowledge about the Syrian fauna.

This study, based on a collaborative project with the Regional Council forResearch and Agricultural Extension, was carried out at an experimental farm of asandy soil belonging to Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, El-BustanRegion, Beheira Governorate, during two seasons (2004&2005) on an area of 5850m2. The experiment was designed in a split plot, arranged in a randomized completeblocks with three replications. Irrigation operations [Drip(DI)/Sprinkler(SI)] wereassigned to the main plots, while weed control methods (hoe weeding/herbicide usedthrough either conventional spraying with 0.300kg/fed concentration or herbigationwith three herbicide concentrations of 0.150, 0.225 and 0.300kg/fed.) were assignedto the subplots. The data were statistically analyzed by the Least Squares Methodusing a model involving the two factors (irrigation system and weed control method)and their interaction as affecting eradication percent, tomato yield/fed., and cost ofcontrol operation. The effect on herbicide residues in the tomatoes was alsoinvestigated

A blend Juice prepared from apple juice and kiwifruit juice (60:40 v/v), was pas-teurized and stored for 3 and 6 months at 4o and 25oC untill analysis. Sensory evalu-ation showed significant differences between the fresh and pasteurized blend juice in all sensory attributes. The headspace volatiles of fresh apple, fresh kiwifruit, fresh and stored pasteurized blend juice at different temperatures were collected and sub-jected to GC and GC-MS analysis. A total of 33 volatile components were identi-fied, 18 esters (17 aliphatic and one aromatic), 6 alcohols, 3 aldehydes, 3 terpenic hydrocarbons, 2 ketones and 1 carboxylic acid. The volatile components in the pas-teurized blend juice showed considerable quantitative and qualitative variations dur-ing storage. By comparative study between the blend juice and fresh apple, fresh kiwifruit juices it was clear that the pasteurization process caused a remarkable in-crease in the total esters content due to the high increase in methyl propanoate, me-thyl butanoate and methyl benzoate. Pasteurization caused a sharp decrease in buta-nol which is the most abundant compound in fresh apple juice. All alcohols showed the same trend except ethanol. Pasteurization revealed a remarkable decrease in (E)–2-hexenal which is the most abundant compound in fresh kiwifruit juice. Regarding the effect of storage it was noted that the blend juice stored at 4oC showed high qual-ity after 3 months due to the remarkable increase in the contents of total ester, buta-nol, and (E) –2- hexenal with a decrease in limonene, but after 6 months the good quality was attributed to the high increase in ethyl butanoate concentration. While stroage at 25oC showed good quality after 3 months due to the very high increase in total esters content which attributed to a greate increase in ethyl butanoate concen-tration (which gave sweet and fruity aroma to juice), but storage for 6 months gave rise to a sharp decrease in ethyl butanoate which led to a high loss in aroma quality.

The toxicological effect of two pesticides, pyriproxyfen and abamectin were eva-luated on third instar larvae of the cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.). According to the estimated toxicity values, i.e. LC50, LC90 and slope values, the chemical abamectin showed that it was slightly more toxic than pyriproxyfen. The effect of these two insecticides, at the determined LC50 and LC25 values on the di-gestive physiology of treated larvae, as indicated by some nutritional indices was conducted. Obtained results demonstrated that pyriproxyfen and abamectin caused a significance reduction in growth of treated larvae as depicted by larval weight gain Also, a significant decrease was found in the efficiency of ingested food to body matter and efficiency of conversion of digested food to body matter as compared to untreated insects. These effects were generally more evident when abemectin was used. The two tested compound also caused histological changes in the midgut of treated larvae, in form of disruption in the columnar epithelium cells and stretching leading to tearing in the peritrophic membrane. This observation might explain the impairment in nutritional indices in treated larvae as compared to the control.

Canino apricot trees received four sprays of magnesium sulphate at 0.5%, 1.0% and 3.0%, boric acid at 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0%, ascorbic acid at 250, 500 and 1000 ppm, Vitamin B complex at 100, 200 and 400 ppm and a combination of the medium concentrations of each substrate were evaluated during 2004 and 2005 seasons. Single or combined application of magnesium, boron, ascorbic acid or vitamin B complex was favourable for improving leaf area, leaf mineral content (N, P, K and Mg), yield as well as physical and chemical properties of the fruits compared to untreated trees. The promotion effect was associated with increasing the applied concentrations. Using magnesium, born, ascorbic acid and vitamin B complex, in descending order was very effective in improving growth, nutritional status, fruit quantity and quality. Carrying out four sprays at starting growth, after blooming, after fruit setting and at three weeks later with a combination of 1.0% magnesium sulphate, 0.5% boric acid, 500ppm ascorbic acid and 200 p.p.m vitamin B complex suggested to be beneficial in improving growth, nutritional status, yield and fruit quality of “Canino” apricot.