Studies were accomplished to identify the important factors affecting successful virgin queens production in Sohag during 2007 and 2008 years. In order to find out the best teaching for rearing virgin queens by grafting method. Markedly differences in the mean number of virgin queens between single and double grafting methods, specially in spring and autumn seasons; in spring mean number of accepted cells of 43.77 with 37.66 emerged queens and 49.85 with 47.07 emerged queens were obtained when single and double grafting were used methods respectively. Spring season was favorable for queens rearing, followed by autumn and summer, while winter season came the latest. There was a clear relationship between larval age at grafting and the larval acceptance, one day old worker larvae gave the highest number of virgin queens emerged. On the other hand, the queen must be removed outside the hive 48 hrs before starting larval grafting to obtain the highest numbers of accepted queen cells. In general, double grafting, situating the cell cups frame in the hive center of the hive and fitting the cell cups on the top and bottom bar, gave the best method for queens acceptance and queens production. However, cell cups fitted on the edges of the bars were successfully reared when ambient temperatures were high in spring season, but queen cells in the center of the hive's brood nest were correlated with higher temperature and had a greater chance for emergence.

Two successive field experiments were carried out during two seasons (2006 and 2007) at three Agricultural Experimental stations of Desert Research Center (DRC) in three locations: El-Maghara, El-Wadi El-Gedeed and Maryout to evaluate variation, mean performance and stability parameters of four diverse sesame cultivars. Also, study the oil content, physical and chemical properties, fatty acids composition of oil and proteins patterns in seeds of the tested cultivars (Shandaweel 3, Toushki 1, Giza 32 and Taka 3). The results obtained could be summarized in the following categories:- Wide range of variability between locations and high genotypic differences were detected. The genotype x environment interaction was significant and a major portion of this was accounted by the deviation among source of variations. Hence, the genotypes tested had a wide diversity and ranked differently among locations and seasons. The average plant height, number of branches/plant, number of capsules/plant, 1000-seed weight, grain yield/plant, grain yield/feddan and oil yield/feddan were recorded under El-Wadi El-Gedeed, El-Maghara and Maryout locations. Toushki 1 recorded the highest values across different locations for Number of capsules/plant (46.21), number of seeds/plant (47.27), seed yield/plant (14.76 g.), seed yield/feddan (333.84 kg.) and oil yield/feddan (168.56 kg.). El-Wadi El-Gedeed location is considered the best location for most studied traits except for number of branches/ plant. On the other hand, Maryout location (calcareous 34% CaCo3) recorded the lowest values for all traits under study; such findings may be due to the differences between soil and irrigation water types. Stability parameters were fitting together in determining the stable genotypes Toushki1, Shandaweel 3, Giza32 and Taka3 overall tested environments. Genotypes varied in their calculated bi values as well as S2di . Toushki 1 is the most stable genotype across different environments and for all traits under study except for number of capsules/plant. However, genotypes produced higher yield such as Toushki 1 and Shandaweel 3 showed below average stability and were well adapted for El-Wadi El-Gedeed conditions.   Oil content was increased while protein content was decreased significantly in seeds of Shandaweel3 and Toushki1 under El-Wadi El-Gedeed location. However, acid value was decreased for all cultivars except Taka 3 under El-Wadi El-Gedeed location at zero and 6 months of storage. On the other hand, the oil of all sesame cultivars which grown under El-Wadi El-Gedeed location had a higher iodine value than oil of the same cultivars under El-Maghara location. In

Larva of cotton leaf worm, Spodoptera littoralis ate and digested an average of 13.79 and 10.82g, respectively of untreated castor bean leaves during its whole sixth instar. These amounts significantly reduced when larvae were fed on leaves treated with different concentrations of neem seed kernel methanolic extract. The reduction was concentration dependent, i.e., an increase in neem extract concentration caused an obvious decrease in the amount of ingested or digested leaves. The consumption and digestion indices are always negative indicating that treated castor bean leaves are not preferred by S. littoralis larvae for feeding. These indices decreased as the concentrations of neem extract increased. Approximate digestibility in S. littoralis sixth instar larvae averaged 78.50%. This percentage insignificantly fluctuated between 77.71 and 81.08% when larvae were fed on castor bean leaves treated with different concentrations of neem extract. Efficiencies of conversion of ingested and digested food to body substances (ECI and ECD) are an overall indicators for ability of S. littoralis larvae to utilize ingested and digested food for growth and food storage in the insect. Such values depend upon the food digestibility, its nutritional values and the ingestion rates. ECI and ECD in larvae fed on untreated leavesreached 22.25 and 28.25%, respectively. These values decreased after feeding the larvae on treated leaves. The decrease was gradually occurred as the concentration of neem extract increased to reach the minimum value at the highest concentration (0.025%).

Se, Selenium; ROS, Reactive oxygen species; APX, Ascorbate peroxidase; CAT, Catalase; PAL, Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase; EDTA, Ethylenediamine tetra acetic acid; MDA, Malondialdehyde; POD, Peroxidase; PVP, Polyvinylpyrrolidone; SOD, Superoxide dismutase; TBA, Thiobarbituric acid; TCA, Trichloroacetic acid; NBT, Nitroblue tetrazolium; P5CR, ∆1-Pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase; P5CS, ∆1-Pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase. OAT, Ornithine-δ-aminotransferase; P5CDH, ∆1-Pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase and PDH, Proline dehydrogenase; Poly acrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE)   ABSTRACT   Selenium (Se) is not an essential nutrient for higher plants. Although, it is able to induce stress tolerance in many plant species. The present study was carried out to investigate the ability of Se to promote the tolerance of cucumber seedlings to salinity stress and to identify some biochemical parameter associated with Se–induced resistance in cucumber seedlings. Plants were irrigated with 2000 ppm NaCl after treatment with 1ppm Se for two weeks and samples collected after 7 days from started salt-treatment. The biochemical changes due to treatment with Se and /or NaCl were monitored by determination of lipid peroxidation (LPO), proline, phenolic compounds and percentage of electrolyte leakage (EL) from plant tissues. Moreover, the activities of peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and phenylalanine ammonialyase (PAL) were determined. The treatment of cucumber seedling with salinity (2000 ppm NaCl) in the presence or absence of selenium caused a remarkable elevation in free proline concentration and the level of phenolic compounds. Salinity stress caused a high level of lipid peroxidation which led to increase the percentage of electrolyte leakage from plant tissues. Se treatment caused a significant reduction in electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde concentration of cucumber seedlings. The specific activities of antioxidant enzymes (POD, SOD, and APX) and PAL were significantly increased by the treatment with NaCl. Also, Se caused a significant elevation in the specific activities of POD, CAT, SOD, APX and PAL in cucumber seedlings grown under salt stress condition. On the other hand, Se caused a significant decrease in SOD activity in cucumber seedlings grown in non-salty condition. The isoenzymes pattern of POD demonstrated that peroxidase was up-regulated by Se either in control or NaCl-treated seedlings. The results concluded that Se induce six POD isoenzymes in cucumber seedlings. Se reduces and overcomes the oxidative injury caused by salinity stress. Moreover, the protective effect of Se against salinity stress may be carried out through a mechanism included activation of PAL which is responsible for phenolic compounds biosynthesis. The accumulation of these phenolic compounds in Se-treated seedling leads to a high activities of antioxidant defensive enzymes and increase the tolerance level towards salinity stress.

The major vegetable crop production in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia require easily produced sources of related information. However, there is a lack of such studies that lead to the use of com-puter programs or geographical information sys-tems in developing an electronic source for these extension, research, and scientific data. Farmers and agricultural engineers need a comprehensive database regarding insect pests, non insects pests, and diseases infecting vegetable crops in Saudi Arabia in Arabic language. Therefore, this project has been executed to design a complete database of such information. Included in this software are colored photographs, which will help users to get acquainted with methods of manage-ment of these pests and diseases. A data sheet has been designed to collect field information for each vege-table crop, including its pests and dis-eases, through field trips for many farms in all the 13 agricultural regions of Saudi Arabia. This field information has been compiled with what has been published in related scientific references. Upon completion of this program, confirmatory trips for five regions had been made in order to meet with farmers, agricultural engineers, and extension agents who are in agricultural branches of the Min-istry of Agriculture in these visited regions. The objectives of these trips were to get feedback about this program. Finally, an elaborate imple-mentation guide was prepared under the title "De-signing an integrated computer program for vege-table cultivation in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia." Also, an attached manual, regarding the compo-nents and the operation of this program, was made. All of these materials have been distributed to farmers and interested people in the agricultural sector

In view of balady bread in Egypt is considered as backbone in diets, accordingly, in this study wheat flour (82%) extraction treated by microwave at 2,4 and 6 minutes, that target to modify starch wheat flour by heating. The rheological properties were studied by using farinograph and extensograph apparatus. Falling number and amylose percent were determined. Balady bread samples were sensory evaluated and staling rate was evaluated. The wheat flour, crust and crumb layers of balady bread were examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results of farinograph indicated that, water absorption arrival time, dough development time and dough stability increased while dough weakening decreased in wheat flour treated by microwave compared with wheat flour untreated (control). The results of extensograph revealed that, dough extensibility, resistance to extension and dough energy increased while proportional number decreased in wheat flour treated by microwave compared with control. Falling number decreased while amylose percent increased when microwave treatment increased from 2 to 6 minutes. Sensory evaluation showed slight decrease in values of both color crust and color crumb while, values of both taste and flavor slightly increased but not significantly different, meanwhile, values of crumb distribution significantly increased in balady bread samples prepared from wheat flour treated by microwave compared with balady bread prepared from untreated wheat flour (control). Wheat flour treated by microwave led to delay staling of balady bread and imilorated freshness of balady bread. The examination by scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed that average size of starch granules increased from 26.10 mm in untreated wheat flour (control) to 29.37 mm in treated wheat flour by microwave at 6 minutes.

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, 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, 75.55, 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.

Fresh Bolti fish (Tilpia nilotica) collected randomly from 9 different markets in Ismailia Governorate for evaluation the effect of grilled fish by the method used in grillrooms and houses on the concentration of pesticide residues found and the nutritive value.  Results revealed that decrease in the estimated parameters i.e. moisture, crude protein, fat and ash by grilling, this decrease were 6.07, 2.63, 4.07 and 1.56%, respectively. On the contrary, carbohydrates behaved another behavior that there was an obvious increase ranged from 1.98% to 2.92%. Fresh and grilled fish were analyzed to detect 12 organochlorine (OC) and 7 synthetic pyrethroid (SP) pesticides with a mean level on a lipid basis. Gas Liquid Chromatography equipped with Electron Capture Detector GC-ECD was used to detect the contamination in the samples. The results showed that p,p'-DDE  isomer was dominated over the other isomers in all analyzed fish samples, followed by a-isomer of hexachlorocyclohexane. The concentrations of OC residues were higher than SP pesticides in all fish muscles. Also, the fresh fish muscle recorded higher concentrations of the evaluated pesticides than the grilled one.

The objectives of this study were to examine the relationship between wheat yield cultivars (Sakha 93 and Giza 168) and antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activities  under different soil water content i.e. low, moderate and high content by irrigation at 80% ETo (1280m³/fed.), by 100% ETo (1600m³/fed.) and120% ETo (1920m³/fed.), respectively. Two lysimeter experiments were carried out in two successive seasons i.e. 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 to estimate  wheat yield and one experiment in plastic bags carried out of the greenhouse to determine the antioxidant enzymes of 28 days wheat plant under three different soil water content i.e. providing wheat seedlings with aforementioned treatment.  Exposing wheat cultivars i.e. Giza 186 or Sakha 93 to water stress by irrigation at 80% ETo (1280 m³/fad.) exerted an increase in CAT, SOD, POD, APX and PAL over those irrigated at 100% ETo (1600 m³/fad.) or at 120% ETo (1920 m³/fad.), but the previous enzyme activities in the tissue of Saka 93 surpassed of that of Giza 168 cultivar. spike weight and weight of 100 grain/plant of Sakha 93 cultivar overcome that of Giza 168 at low soil moisture content (80% ETo), whereas opposite results were obtained at high and moderate water content (120% and 100% ETo) in the first growing season (2006/2007) and spike weight/plant in second growing season (2007/2008). There was a proportional relationship between increasing soil moisture content and grain yield/plant but the difference between moderate water content 100% ETo (1600 m³/fed.) and high water content 120% ETo (1920 m³/fed.) was not significant. Providing 28 days wheat plant with low water content, decreased wheat yield/plant and its attributes comparing with moderate water content for the two studied cultivars. The current study indicates that Sakha 93 cultivar was the most tolerant cultivar compared with Giza 168.

The objectives of this study were to examine the relationship between wheat yield cultivars (Sakha 93 and Giza 168) and antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activities under different soil water content i.e. low, moderate and high content by Irrination at 806/6 ETo (1280m'/fed.), by, 100% ETo (1600m'/fed.) and120% ETo (1920m'/fed.), respectively. Two lysimeter experiments were carried out in two successive seasons i.e. 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 to estimate wheat yield and one experiment in plastic bags carried out of the greenhouse to determine the antioxidant enzymes of 28 days wheat plant under three different soil water content i.e. providIng wheat seedlings with aforementioned treatment. Exposing wheat cuitivars i.e. Giza 186 or Sakha 93 to water stress by Irrigation at 80% ETo (1280 m3/fad.) exerted an increase in CAT, SOD, POD, APX and PAL over those irrigated at 100% ETo (1600 m'/fad.) or at 120% ETo (1920 m'/fad.), but the previous enzyme activities in the tissue of Saka.93 surpassed of that of Giza 168 cuitivar. spike weight and weight of 100 grain/plant of Sakha 93 cuitivar overcome that of Giza 168 at low soil moisture content (80% ETo), whereas opposite results were obtained at high and moderate water content (120% and 100% ETo) in the first growing season (2006/2007) and spike weight/plant in second growing season (2007/2008). There was a proportional relationship between increasing soil moisture content and grain yield/plant but the difference between moderate water content 100% ETo (1600 m'/fed.) and high water content 120% ETo (1920 m3/fed.) was not significant. Providing 28 days wheat plant with low water content, decreased wheat yield/plant and its attributes comparing with moderate water content for the two studied cuitivars. The current study indicates that Sakha 93 cultivar was the most tolerant cuitivar compared with Giza 168.