A field experiment was conducted on sandy soil at Ismailia Governorate. The aim of the present study is to improve the productivity of salts affected sandy soil by treat it with different rates of bentonite, chicken manure and their combination. Soil application rates were bentonite (1, 2.5 and 5 %), chicken manure (5, 10 and 15 ton/fed) and their combination (2.5% bentonite with each of 5, 10 and 15 ton /fed chicken manure) were mixed in the upper soil layer (0-15 cm soil depth) and their effects on some soil physical properties and crop productivity of fennel plant (Foeniculum Vulgare Mill.) were investigated during the winter season of 2018. The results revealed that, all studied treatments were significantly decreased of soil bulk density compare to control. The applications of bentonite 1, 2.5 and 5% lead to, reduction of the value of soil bulk density by 4.17, 5.95 and 10.71%. In addition, the applications of chicken manure 5, 10 and 15 ton/fed, lead to reduction of the value of soil bulk density by 8.93, 11.31 and 14.88 %. Also, application of 2.5% bentonite combined with each of 5, 10 and 15 ton/fed chicken manure, lead to reduction of the value of soil bulk density by 11.31, 15.48 and 17.86% as compared with control, respectively. Data indicated also that there are an increase in the percentages of retained moisture in the soil at all treatments under study. Bentonite and chicken manure individually or combined being higher with increasing the applied rate of bentonite and/or chicken manure. Also the application rates of bentonite 1, 2.5 and 5% lead to, increasing the values of water-holding pores (WHP) with 6.87, 8.05 and 10.55%. In addition, WHP values increased to 9.21, 10.43 and 11.27% with the application of chicken manure 5, 10 and 15 ton/fed. Also, data refer that WHP increased to 12.03, 12.81 and 14.11% by application rate of 2.5% bentonite combined with each of 5, 10 and 15 ton/fed chicken manure, as compared with control, respectively. The values of water infiltration rates (cm/h), were affected by different soil applications and can be arranged in the following ascending order: 2.5% bentonite + 15 ton/fed chicken manure < 5% bentonite < 2.5% bentonite + 10 ton/fed chicken manure < 2.5% bentonite < 15 ton/fed chicken manure < 2.5% bentonite + 5 ton/fed chicken manure < 10 ton/fed chicken manure < 5 ton/fed chicken manure < 1% bentonite < control. The water use efficiency values, affected by different soil application can be arranged in the following descending order: 2.5% bentonite + 15 ton/fed chicken manure > 2.5% bentonite + 10 ton/fed chicken manure > 2.5% bentonite + 5 ton/fed chicken manure > 15 ton/fed chicken manure > 10 ton/fed chicken manure > 5 ton/fed chicken manure > 5% bentonite > 2.5% bentonite > 1% bentonite > control. ‎

The impact of climate on crop production has vital importance. Climate variables affect the different crops during different stages of the growth and the development. This research aims to study the environmental factors affecting the growth and production of barley (Hordeum Sp., Gramineae) in a hydroponic system, to provide information to farmers and decision makers by using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) Model for production prediction. Multilayer feed-forward ANN (fully connected) was used in supervised manner and the training method was the back-propagation algorithm by using MATLAB program. The inputs in the ANN model of barley were: seeds density (kg/m2), lighting duration (h/day), light intensity (Lux), temperature (cº), relative humidity (%) and growing period (days). The outputs were: plant length (cm), yield (kg/m2), protein (%), dry matter (%), and conversion factor. Results revealed that the optimal configuration for the ANN model consisted of four layers (6-25-30-5). The hidden layers had 25 and 30 nodes in the first and second hidden layers respectively for the ANN model. Hyperbolic tangent transfer function was employed in hidden and output layers of the ANN model. The learning rate and the momentum parameter were 0.005 and 0.9 respectively for the ANN model. Iterations were 10000 epochs during training process for the ANN model. The results showed that the variation between target and predicted outputs was small while the correlation coefficient (R) was 0.99. Also, the results revealed that the major parameters affecting on all the outputs were seeds density and the duration of the lighting followed by the other factors i.e. temperature (cº), relative humidity (%), growing period (days) and light intensity (Lux). Seeds density has a higher percent relative importance, on yield, plant length, protein (%), DM (%) and conversion factor equal to 22.8%, 24%, 25%, 24% and 22.8% respectively. The developed ANN model was beneficial tool for barley production prediction. The barley yield prediction could be helpful for farmers, decision makers and planning to manage their crop better by providing a series of recommendations about crops planting and clarifying its impact on changes to these factors under the study in order to avoid losses and reach the best benefit (maximization of yield).

Jerusalem artichoke (JA) family (Asterceae) is a perennial species known for its tubers rich in inulin, a valuable source of fructose for diabetics.This study aimed to establish an applicable protocol for calli induction and production from different explants of Jerusalem artichoke (Balady, Fuza and Alba) cultivars. For this purpose; leaf, stem and root explants derived from in vitro growing plantlets were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS medium) augmented with different combinations of benzyl adenine (BA) and naphthalenacetic acid (NAA).The highest percentage of calli induction (100%) was recorded with all tested media except MS free growth regulators medium and MS fortified with 1mg L-1 BA. On the other hand, the maximum value of calli fresh weight was obtained by culturing stem explants on MS supplemented with 1 mg L-1 BA + 2 mg L-1 NAA for all cultivars. NAA for all cultivars. Moreover and concerning calli growth dynamic for each cultivar, the recorded data clearly showed that gradually increase in calli fresh weights by week reaching the maximum value at eighth week for all used explants cultured on the best medium for calli initiation. The results proved that Balady cultivar recorded the best results for calli induction and production compared with Fuza and Alba cultivars. In the same context, stem explant was the superior explant when it compared with root and leaf explants for all examined cultivars. Moreover and concerning calli growth dynamic for each cultivar, the recorded data clearly showed that gradually increase in calli fresh weights by week reaching the maximum value at eighth week for all used explants cultured on the best medium for calli initiation. The results proved that Balady cultivar recorded the best results for calli induction and production compared with Fuza and Alba cultivars. In the same context, stem explant was the superior explant when it compared with root and leaf explants for all examined cultivars. MS medium fortified with 1 mg L-1 BA + 2 mg L-1 NAA was the most suitable medium compared to the other tested media for inducing calli and to enhance calli production from stem explant for all cultivars.

Despite the role of the agricultural sector in the Egyptian national economy, the agricultural production falls short of total consumption needs in Egypt, which led to start thinking to intensify the production of food by vertical expansion beside conventional agriculture through the use of modern technologies, such as aquaponics as soilless agriculture, which the Egyptian farmers are not familiar with, so the paper aims to evaluate the proposed  aquaponics projects in terms of economic assessment, financial assessment, SWOT analysis and to identify the level of technology adoption of the  aquaponics agriculture and from which information sources they obtain their knowledge and to identify the requirements of dissemination of aquaponics technology and the most important problems  facing them and proposals to solve. The research methodology used for achieving our objective was based on some statistical and financial tools, such as percentages, correlation, and regression model, as well as the feasibility study for the aquaponics agriculture, where the paper concluded the following results: - The main source of information for the aquaponics derived from the Central Laboratory for Agricultural Climate at the Ministry of Agriculture. -  Most of the respondents belong to the low adoption category with the impact of the exposure degree to information sources and the risk willingness on the degree of adoption of the Aquaponics technology. - The results showed that the payback period of the second category projects is shorter than the first and third category projects. - By comparing the IRR with the alternative opportunity to invest at a discount rate of 23% and 25% showed the project's ability to bear the adverse changes.  - By comparing the return on investment (ROI), the internal rate of return (IRR) and the Payback period (PBP) between the three categories, the second category projects has been proved and better results achieved at the level of the financial measures used. - Comparison of break-even analysis of the three categories shows that the second category achieves the common break-even point in terms of quantity and value before the first and third categories. - The most important problems faced the adopters of aquaponics were the interruption of electricity and high-risk rate significantly when implement the aquaponics project and the lack of funding for the implementation of the aquaponics project and the lack of knowledge of responders about who can resort to them to design and supervision of the aquaponics units. - The most important proposals to overcome such problems are raising farmers awareness of the need to provide generators in sufficient numbers to use in the event of power outages and the interest of the authorities responsible for training courses for farmers on the aquaponics and to inform them of the schedule of these courses and provide brochures and booklets on the aquaponic technology and offer Facilitator loans to farmers to finance aquaponics projects and educating farmers about the most important entities where they can resort to them to designing and supervising aquaponic units.

It is estimated that the rice cultivated area in Egypt is estimated at about 1.4 million feddans producing about 3 million tons of rice straw. The same estimates indicate that the cultivated area of summer maize is estimated at 2.1 million feddans, which produces about 5.5 million tons of woodland (in 2013), Most of which are burned and not the maximum benefit. The problem of research is to increase the amount of agricultural waste, especially for rice and maize crops, and not to achieve the economic efficiency of these quantities of agricultural, And the study of the development of the area cultivated for each of the maize, cotton, sesame, sorghum, lupine, black beans, sugar beet, rice and the total of these crops in Egypt during the period (2000-2016) the annual average of about 324.44, 460.06, 72.66, 354.76, 4.07, 1471.2, 298.88, 1452.41, 3114.4 and the total area of the maize crop during the study period. The statistical significance of these equations was proved, while the sesame yield was not substantiated. The development of the production capacity of the most important plant waste was studied in Egypt during the period 2000-2016. The average annual production capacity of the maize, cotton, sesame,  sorghum, lupine, peanut, sugar beet, rice straw, These crops are 5586.12, 871.06, 94.47, 4.53, 235.65, 1711.65, 3217.06, 3217.06 and 2634.6 tons respectively during the study period. The  general trend equations showed a decrease in the production capacity of cotton, sorghum and thermos. While the production capacity of each of the sesame, peanut bean and sugar beet was increasing. The statistical significance of these equations was not proved, nor was the statistical significance of the production of maize, rice straw and total production capacity of these crops. The cost of feeding was about 13505.1 pounds, representing about 78.3% of the total average cost of the head, representing about 96.1% of the total average variable costs of the head of about 14049.2 pounds, and amounted to about 17574.8 pounds without the use of silage, which Indicates that the use of silage in nutrition leads to a reduction in feeding costs by about 4069.7 pounds per year, This is due to the lower daily costs of feeding the head of cows when using silage in feeding. The cost of producing a ton of milk for dairy cows that used silage was about 3849 pounds, while the cost of producing milk for the head of dairy cows that did not use silage for about 13715.1 pounds, The production of milk is about 2805.4 kg, and thus the cost of producing a ton of milk for dairy mixtures that did not use silage about 4888 pounds, due to lower feeding costs for animals that used silage than not used silage in feeding.

The present investigation was carried out to study the effect of seed treatments of lupine plants (cv.Giza 2) with chemical inducers Bion (5mM) , salicylic acid (5mM) and saccharin (3mM) as well as as well as Paenibacillus polymyxa and Trichoderma harzianum as biotic inducers on the infection with Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lupine under greenhouse and field conditions. Under greenhouse condition (Agricultural Research Centre, Giza) all treatments significantly reduced the percentages of pre- and post-emergence damping-off compared with the untreated control, the highest percentage of survived plants was achieved 92% by Bion and T. harzianum as well as fungicide Rizolex-T followed by salicylic acid and P. polymyxa as 88%. On the other hand, all treatments decrease significantly the incidence and severity of wilt, also increased the percentage of survived plants compared with untreated control. Under field conditions at Giza and Ismailia Agricultural Research Stations (Giza and Ismailia governorates) during winter season 2016-2017, all the treatments decreased the percentage of pre- and post-emergence damping-off as well as the percentage of wilted plants and increased the percentage of survived plants compared with untreated control in two locations. At Giza research station, the highest percentages of survived plants were recorded with Rizolex-T followed by Bion, P. polymyxa, and salicylic acid. While at Ismailia, the highest percentage of survived plants were recorded with Rizolex-T followed by Bion, P. polymyxa, T. harzianum, and salicylic acid. Meantime, these treatments improved growth parameters i.e. plant height, number of pods/plant, the weight of seeds /plant and the weight of one hundred seed. The higher increase in seed yield (ton /feddan) was obtained with Rizolex-T and Bion treatments followed by Salicylic acid, P. polymyxa, and T. harzianum at two locations. Activities of peroxidase (PO), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzymes and phenol content were determined. Bion treatment showed the highest increase in PO and PPO activity, and total phenols followed by salicylic acid and P. polymyxa treatments in the presence of R. solani or F. oxysporum. f. sp. lupine.

Rhizoctonia solani is considered one of the most harmful pathogens affecting green bean productivity. Phaseolus vulgaris, L. cv. paulista seeds were subjected to UV-C for 60 min. and/or immersed in glycine betaine (GB, 5 mM) for 24 hours to stimulate plant biochemical defenses against R. solani. After treatments, seeds were sown in soil infested with R. solani, then seedling samples were collected after two weeks to evaluate plant resistance and some antioxidant enzymes activities. The results clearly demonstrated that disease index (DI) was highly reduced by GB (54.7%) followed by UV+GB (38.3%) and UV (35.6%). Seed treatment with UV-C for 60 min or GB (5 mM) for 24 h alone or together enhanced plant rooting in infected seedlings comparing with control. Also, there was a high correlation between the levels of lipid peroxidation and Rhizoctonia root rot disease index. Seed treated with UV-C, GB or both mitigated the effect of infection on the lipid peroxidation (Malondialdehyde levels) with percentages of 26.8, 40.2 and 29.3% respectively in comparison with the infected control. Regarding to the plant defensive enzymes, GB was the only treatment that triggered a significant increment in the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in roots of both infected and non-infected seedlings as compared to the control. On the other hand, guaiacol peroxidase (G-POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities were elevated by all treatments in infected plant roots in comparison with control. The maximum activity for G-POD was attained with UV treatment (9042.5 U.mg-1 protein) followed by GB+UV, GB and infected control with values of 7776.5, 7152.4 and 6508.8 U.mg-1 protein, respectively. Similarly, PPO exhibited higher activities with significant differences in all treatments over the infected control with percentages of 54, 59.4 and 48.7% for UV, GB and UV+GB respectively. Finally, it can be concluded that treatment of green bean seeds with UV-C and GB enhanced green bean seedlings tolerance to R. solani by activation of the antioxidant enzymes and activation of defense-related enzymes like polyphenol oxidase. The results of combination of UV-C and GB treatments indicated the absence of synergetic effects in induction of plant tolerance.

This research is aimed at investigating the evolution of the food gap of faba beans and its underpinning factors. Faba beans constitute the most basic foodstuff Egyptian diet.  Among all legumes the beans crop occupies the largest acreage and provides the beans crop occupies the largest acreage and provides the largest volume of production. However, domestic production of faba beans is increasing falling short of its ability to meet the domestic consumption  requirements. That is the food gap of faba beans is widening year after year. In fact the gap increased substantially from 73 thousand tons in year 2000 to about 650 thousand tons in 2016. By an increase of about 891%, this research is intended to study the evolution of the food gap of faba bean in Egypt During the period (2000-2016).

Early blight caused by Alternaria solani (Ell. and Mart.) is one of the most important economic diseases, which caused considerable loss in their yield and quality under Egyptian conditions. Aim the research was to study the relationship between climate change and disease severity for prediction in future seasons. Disease severity was recorded for three growing periods i.e. summer (May. to Aug), autumn (Jul. to Oct) and winter (Nov. to Mar.), at three governorates (Behira, Ismailia, and Assuit) during growing seasons 2016/2017-2017/2018. Severity of early blight disease on tomato has been predicted by regression estimated accumulative disease severity values during 2007/2008 to 2015/2016 season and average max and min temperature and humidity through these seasons. Prediction of disease has been formed as Y= b0+b1x1+b2x2+.......... bqxq. Three models were created to describe the severity disease by multiple regressions (MINITAB® program). The highest value of early blight disease was recorded through season 2017/2018, while the lowest value was recorded during season 2016/2017. Also, highly disease severity was estimated during summer period compared with autumn and winter growing periods, but through winter growing period was the least severity and moderately severity estimated in the autumn growing period. Influence of environmental conditions on the severity of early blight disease during seasons from 2007/2008 to 2015/2016, in Behira governorate, the highest disease severity was showed in season 2010-2011, and the lowest disease was in season 2012-2013, but in Ismailia governorate, highest disease severity was estimated in season 2010-2011and lowest disease was recorded in season 2013-2014 and in Assuit governorate, the highest value of disease was in season 2010-2011, and the lowest value was in season 2013-2014. For Forecasting, significantly differences noticed between disease severity through 2020/2030, 2030/2040 and 2040/ 2050s seasons compared with 2008/2018s seasons and thier relation with climate change in tested governorates, where severity of tomato early blight disease was icreased from 11.8% during 2008/2018s seasons to 2040/ 2050s seasons 15.4% during at Behira governorate, from 18.8% during 2008/2018s seasons to 2040/ 2050s seasons 36.3% during at Ismailia governorate and from 18.8% during 2008/2018s seasons to 2040/ 2050s seasons 40.4% during at Assuit governorate with slight change in maximum or minimum temperatures and percentage of relative humidity.

Accurately estimation of actual crop evapotranspiration (ETa) as a parameter of irrigation scheduling is very critical for efficient use of limited irrigation water resources. The objectives of this study were to (1) build, verify and validate an expert system for managing on-farm irrigation water of some soils under Egyptian conditions, (2) study the effect of coefficient of uniformity (CU) and distribution uniformity for center pivot irrigation system, (3) study the effect of the precise estimation of daily actual crop evapotranspiration (ETa) on maximizing yield and improved water use efficiency. A rule-based program named CPISM-ES (Center Pivot Irrigation System Management- Expert System) was codes and compiled using python3.7.2 language. The program was verified using ready-to-use software programs (cropwat-8 and climwat 2) for estimating the daily reference evapotranspiration and a spreadsheet named the (FAO56Ax8.xls) introduced by FAO-56 for estimating the irrigation water management parameters. It also was validated by carrying out a field experiment at site :-El Salhyia(11.2 m above sea level, 30,35°N,30,26°E), was obtained from several different sources. The irrigation expert system aims to provide the farmers by the irrigation expertise to determine the exact water needed at exact time according to the crop requirements and the environmental factors which effect factors. The experiment included the following factors: a) obtaining climatic data from a weather station b) estimation crop evapotranspiration) coefficient of uniformity (CU) and distribution uniformity for center pivot irrigation system.  1- The estimation of actual crop evapotranspiration (ETa) using crop coefficient. 2- The seasonal cumulative ETa estimated by single-kc approach of El Salhyia (1875 m3 f.1season-1). 3- Yield: the highest of crop potatoes for El Salhyia (16.2 t.fed-1). 4- Water use efficiency: the maximum value of water use efficiency for El Salhyia (0.75 kg m-3).