New fruit juice blends which contain several potent antioxidants (carotenoides, ascorbic acid and selenium) in combination with other favorable aspects of flavor and color were tried. The trial included locally produced fruits such as Kaki, Papaya, Guava and Pomegranate. Five blends were prepared with different percentages of the prepared juices in trying to maximize the required nutrients such as carotenoides, ascorbic acid and other micro-nutrients. The best blend which had the highest content of ascorbic acid 45.73mg/100gm was blend No.(2) which contained 30% kaki, 30% papaya, 30% guava and 10% pomegranate  whereas blend No.(4) (50% kaki, 30% papaya, 10% guava, and 10% pomegranate had the highest content of carotenoids (33.58 mg/100gm). Selenium content of different blends were almost always the same. Organoleptic scores revealed that the best consumer preference was for blends No. (2 and 4). As for main components of different blends a slight difference could be observed between percentages of sugars and titratable acidity.

In field study, Eleven mango varieties, (Mangiferae indica L.) at Sharkia, Ismailia, and Fayoum Governorates, were examined to estimate the population fluctuation of the bud mite Eriophyes mangiferae Sayed, their susceptibility to mite infestation, the relation between the mite infestation and chemical contents of mango buds and the correlation between the bud mite and malformation disease. The highest population occurred during Sept. to Jan. or Feb. and the lowest population was existed during Mar. to Jun. Temperature and relative humidity had no significant effect on the mite population. The highest level of mite infestation was recorded at Sharkia followed by Fayoum and Ismailia Governorates. Mango varieties were differed in their susceptibility to E. mangiferae infestation. Zebda, Taimour, Ewais and Arnaba were the most susceptible varieties, while Mabrouka, Company, Excellent Succari and White Succari were the least susceptible ones. On the other hand Mesk, Geolck and Alphonse varieties showed moderate susceptibility to mite infestation. Buds of some high susceptible varieties possessed a lower values of total carbohydrates and total soluble sugars than some moderate or susceptible varieties to mite infestation. Phenol contents recorded a higher levels in the most of susceptible varieties while a lower levels were found in the most of moderate and low susceptible varieties. The total soluble proteins and amino acids recorded a higher values in some susceptible varieties. The susceptible characteristic was positively correlated with total soluble proteins and amino acids while negatively correlated with the total carbohydrates and total soluble sugars. However the phenol content showed no clear trend. Obtained results also revealed that mango varieties had varying degrees of floral malformation, Company, Alphonse and Geolck were the most susceptible varieties, while Zebda var. was the most resistant one. Statistical analysis showed a negative correlation between the eriophid bud mite and the incidence of malformation disease. Zebda var. harboured the highest number of mites but exhibited the lowest percentages of malformation, whereas the opposite trend was observed with company var

A laboratory investigation was conducted to study the effect of constant tempera-ture on some biological aspects of english grain aphid, Sitobion avenae (Fabricius). The present work was carried out in electrical incubators provided with photoperiod of 16 : 8 (L : D) and 55 – 60% R.H. Data revealed that the english grain aphid passed through four instars to reach maturity. The duration period of the nymphal stage was 19.0, 13.98, 11.96, 8.51 and 7.5 days at 12, 15, 18, 21, 24 °C, respectively. Developmental threshold of this stage is found to be 4.2 °C. The thermal units re-quired for complete one generation was 148 day – degrees. Life table parameters were as following : The reproduction rate (Ro) were 18.75, 30.72, 36.53, 44.21 and 32.42; mean generation time (GT) were 26.16, 21.23, 17.39, 11.92 and 9.86 days; population doubling time (DT) of the english aphid were 6.19, 4.29, 3.35, 2.18 and 1.96; intrinsic rate of increase (rm) were 0.1121, 0.1613, 0.2069, 0.3178 and 0.3528 and finite rate of increase (λ) were 1.119, 1.175, 1.229, 1.374 and 1.423 at 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 °C, respectively. The results indicated clearly that the favourable range temperature for development and multiplication the english grain aphid be-tween 18 and 24°C.

Low-fat frozen yoghurt was made by using commercial probiotic (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus thermophilus & bifidobacteria) and traditional (Lactoba-cillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus & Streptococcus thermophilus) starters; as well as; roasted red sweet potato and pumpkin for enhancing nutritional and functional val-ues of this products. The preparing mixes and resulting frozen yoghurt stored at -20ºC for 8 weeks were evaluated for physicochemical, bacteriological and organo-leptic properties. The results revealed that, there was significant differences (p<0.05) in all properties studied among the mixes and resulting frozen yoghurt. Frozen yoghurt mixes made with traditional yoghurt starter and sweet potato had higher specific gravity, weight per gallon, freezing point and apparent viscosity, but lower in pH values than the mixes made with probiotic starter. Also, resulting frozen yoghurt prepared with traditional starter and sweet potato had higher specific gravi-ty, weight per gallon, freezing time, melting resistance and acetaldehyde content, but lower in overrun % and diacetyl content than that made with probiotic starter. Counts of Lb. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus, Str. thermophilus (traditional starter) and Lb. acidophilus were the most numerous in pumpkin frozen yoghurt, followed by sweet potato frozen yoghurt. On the other hand, sweet potato frozen yoghurt had higher Str. thermophilus & bifidobacteria (probiotic starter) counts, than the other treatments. However, frozen storage for 8 wk was slightly effected on the viable bacterial counts determined of different frozen yoghurt treatments, and bifidobacte-ria counts were still higher along the storage period than the recommended mini-mum levels. Also, frozen yoghurt manufactured with probiotic starter; especially with sweet potato; had the highest total organoleptic scores. Therefore, low-fat fro-zen yoghurt with improved nutritional and functional values, and also good organo-leptic properties could be made by traditional yoghurt and probiotic starters; as well as roasted red sweet potato and pumpkin.

The production of probiotic low calorie sour cream was aimed to experiment in relation to its compositional, bacteriological, biochemical, rheological and organo-leptic properties along the cold storage period of the product. Cream based on 36% total solids (TS) and 30 % fat was made using the obtained fresh cream (54 % TS and 50 % fat) and liquid skimmed milk (9 % TS).To produce low-calorie sour cream, fat content was lowered to 20 and 10 % depending on the addition of Sim-plesse100® to mimic milk fat on the basic of 0.1% fat mimetic is instead of 1.0% fat. Dried whey protein concentrate (DWPC, 95 % TS) was used as bulking agent to overcome the loss occurred in the TS content due to the reduction in the fat content. Thereafter, all creams were homogenized at 55-60°C and further heat treated to 74°C for 30 sec. followed by rapidly cooling to the appropriate temperatures. Then creams were inoculated with 2% freshly prepared bacterial starter culture and incu-bated at 30 or 37 °C, to reach pH value about 4.6, for cream cultured with R-704 or ABT-2 type starter culture, respectively. The results indicated that, the proportional fat replacement of cream led to gradual increase in the protein, carbohydrate and ash contents, and decreased the caloric value. There are a backward relationship between the bacterial population and the fat content of the sour cream. Where, in the product cultured with ABT-2 type, Lactobacillus acidophilus grew and predominated in all other accompanying strains overlooking either the fat content or the cold storage pe-riod (CSP). Streptococcus thermophilus populated the 2nd predominance order fol-lowed by Bifidobacterium sp., which tended to proximate and preceded, actually, Str. thermophilus by prolonging the CSP of the lowest fat-content cream (10%). The increase rate of the bacterial count continued until 3rd weak for Lb. acidophilus and to 1st weak for Bifidobacterium sp.. Thereafter, gradual decreases were occurred. However, Str. thermophilus began to decrease from the 1st day of CSP. Although the count of bacterial type R-704 was always higher, it behaved a trend similar to that of Bifidobacterium sp. toward the CSP. Sour cream of ABT-2 type contained higher ti-tratable acidity (TA) % as well as lower pH, acetaldehyde (AC) and diacetyl (DA) values than that cultured with R-704 type. Along CSP of sour cream the increment in AC, DA and TA contents continued, in order, until the 7th , 14th and the end of theFayed; Gehan Hussein and Azza FarahatArab Univ. J. Agric. Sci., 14(2), 2006experimental period. As the protein content raised at the expanse of the fat content via adding DWPC, which was in the denatured form, the firmness, consistency coef-ficient, and yield stress of sour cream increased, especially when ABT-2 type was used and the CSP progressed. Furthermore, ABT-2 sour cream was sensory distin-guished with, nearly, similar appearance as will as better flavour and consistency ra-ther than that of R-704. The fat reduction to 20 % did not influence the overall sen-sory quality, while that of 10% fat attained panel score averaged 93.5 % of the con-trol when ABT-2 type was used. As a conclusion, it is successfully possible to pro-duce probiotic low calorie sour cream with excellent sensory attributes using Sim-plesse100® as fat mimetic and bacterial type ABT-2 as starter culture.

The seasonal activity of the peach twig borer, Anarsia lineatella Zeller was in-vestigated during 2004 and 2005 seasons. The data revealed that the infested twigs empty from larvae (15%) were higher than that with larvae (1.25%) in February. The situation was reverse in April which recorded 8% and 14.75% for both, respec-tively. In fruits, infestation began to appear in the third week of March which rec-orded 2% whereas the maximum rate was recorded in May (16.75%). Three species of hymenopterous parasitoids were found; Apanteles ruficrus Haliday (Fam. Braco-nidae), Diplazon laetatorus Fab. (Fam. Ichneumonidae) and Microgaster tiro Rein-hard (Fam. Braconidae). These parasitoids reached its maximum during April (13.5%) that seems to be more active. Their numbers were positively correlated with the rate of infestation (r = + 0.799). In spite of presence of four predatory species (Coccinella undecimpunctata L., Rodalia cardinalis Mulsant, and Scymnus syriacus Marseul (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and Syrphus sp. (Diptera: Syrphidae)), it seems to be less active. Their numbers recorded very slight positive correlation with the rate of infestation (r =+0.423)

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