An experiment was carried out to study the effect of Bio and organic fertilizer on cucumber growth and yield during two successive seasons of 2010 and 2011 at Northern region in united Arab Emirates. The Queen cucumber hybrid was fertilized with different organic fertilizers i.e. Horse manure, compost, chickens manure and cows manure. Also using the bio fertilizer i.e. phosphobactein, Azotobacter and mycorrhizal. The results showed that cucumber yields differed in their response to the bio and organic fertilizer. The results showed that the compost was higher nitrogen percent and lower in C/N ratio, and pH, than the others organic fertilizer especially horse manure. The study demonstrated that the average cumulative cucumber yield was higher with compost + 22 (gm) mycorhizol/ plots treatments compared to other treatments throughout the experiment during the two successive winter seasons of 2010 and 2011. The plant height and plant fresh weight (g), with N100% mineral (control) deceased by 28% and 40% compared to N 100% organic (Compost) respectively during the winter season of 2010. The nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content of cucumber fruits (%) significantly increased, as did the soil with the increase of organic fertilizes applied. The experimental results confirmed the combination of bio-and organic fertlizers could increase plant growth, yield and quality. It also confirmed that composted organic fertlizers can be used a source of nutration instead of chemical fertlizers for cucumber plants.

The recent study aims to: identify the degree of knowledge of farmers using pesticides and chemical fertilizers, in addition, identifying the sources of knowledge of the farmers on the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, and determine the relationship between the independent variables studied and knowledge of farmers using pesticides and chemical fertilizers degree and to identify the most important problems facing the respondents in study area.           The study was conducted in Qalioubia governorate.                                                                       Data were collected through the personal interview with asystemtic random sample of 350 far- mers in Qalioubia governorate using aquestionnaire. Frequencies, percentages and simple correlation coefficient (Pearson) were utilized to present and analyze data.                 The most important findings were: 50.6% of the respondents had alow level knowledge. The fending also indicated significant correlation at 0.01% level between the area of agricultural holdings, and the degree of attiude towerds agricultural extension, and the degree of attiude towerds inovations. There were significant correlations at 0.05% level between the degree of leader ship and the degree of awareness of demage excessive use of pesticides, and the knowledge of the respondents level using pesticides and chemical fertilizers. There were non significant correlations between dependent variable and: age and the respondent's education level and the degree of social participation.

To evaluate the performance of micro-catchment water harvesting techniques in combating desertification and the land degradation  in the arid and semi- arid  areas in Syria, this study was conducted at Debah Site of Hama Steppe / Syria, about 100 km north east of Hama city, about 70 km of Salamieh city and about 60 km north east of Hamra area. Community-based approach was introduced as an alternative to better manage the available and degraded resources. The micro-catchment water harvesting techniques were tested at the site (manually prepared semi-circular, contour ridges). Tow spacing (6 and 12m), and three fodder species: (Atriplex halimus, Atriplex leucoclada and Salsolavermiculata) were compared. Statistical analysis of the 2011-2012 showed high efficiency of micro-catchment water harvesting techniques in improving land productivity through increasing soil moisture content and shrub growth and shrub survival rates as compared to the control without water harvesting. Atriplex halimus recorded the highest survival rates and biomass as compared to other species.

This study aims to evaluate the effect of solar UV radiation on defensive enzymes activities in lettuce seedlings. Seeds of lettuce were grown in high tunnels for 35 days, exposed to three different levels of solar UV, created by using three different types of plastic films. Each plastic film transmits different levels of solar UV (0% in UV-B, 4% in UV-L and 83% in UV-T). The obtained results indicated that solar UV radiation has led to significant decrease in seedling fresh weight. UV-B treatment resulted the highest shoot and root length while UV-T treatments exhibited the highest shoot: root ratio. Solar UV radiations have no effect on peroxidase activity in shoots. While ascorbate peroxidase was activated and catalase was inhibited in shoot by UV-T treatments. In lettuce roots, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, and catalase activities were increased by increasing the level of solar UV radiation. In case of UV-T, phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity in both shoots and roots of lettuce seedlings was higher than those of other treatments. In addition, Phenols are accumulated in lettuce shoots as a result of UV radiation in UV-L and UV-T treatments. Also, phenols in roots increased by increasing solar UV dose. The study concluded that solar UV radiation induced some antioxidant enzymes, increased the accumulation and biosynthesis of phenolic compounds and reduced lettuce seedlings growth.

The main objective of this paper was to analyze the impact of government policies on fruit and vegetable sector  in 2003 and 2009 in terms of profitability, protection, efficiency, competitiveness and comparative advantages. The study depended on secondary data and information collected from relevant sources and references. The policy analysis matrix (PAM) adopted as an analytical model to achieve the study objective. Private profitability, social profitability, nominal protection coefficient on outputs, nominal protection coefficient on inputs, effective protection coefficient, domestic resources coefficient private cost ratio and subsidy ratio to producer were calculated for the crops under study. The study results show that fruit and vegetable sector was taxed for outputs and subsidized for inputs, the net effect of outputs taxation and inputs subsidies resulted in a net taxation on value added at varying degrees. Consequently, it could be concluded that, although the overall impact was negative and tending to be worse, but the study results indicate that there are still comparative advantages in fruit and vegetable crops production. The study recommended further vertical and horizontal expansion of fruits and vegetables, strengthening production infrastructures, and government should enact efficient policies that correct the distorting tradable - outputs policy.

Morphological structure and different characters of achene is most important from the taxonomic point of view. In present study achene shape, colour, size, texture and pappus type were recorded for 20 taxa of Asteraceae by using light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Examination of pappus by SEM recorded 6 groups; (1- Scarbous barbellate fine bristles and scarbous barbellate bristles, 2- Scarbous subulate scales free, 3- Scarious scales, 4- Paleaceous scales corona, 5- Plumose bristles and 6- Capillary barbellate). Also eight patterns were recognized based on surface sculpturing pattern: reticulate, with two subtypes, tuberculate, sulcate, puncticulate, colliculate, aculeate, lineate and striate. The data proved useful in the construction of a dichotomous indented key to the studied taxa. Twenty-two characters with 85 characters stats were used to generate anatomical key using the DELTA key-generating programs.

Karish cheese was made by fermentation of skim milk with yoghurt starter culture (Y) or by direct acidification with concentrated juice from orange (O), grapefruit (G) or lemon (L). In a combination of fermentation and direct acidification, the different juices were used to give the treatments of YO, YG and YL. The highest yield (29.17%) of the fresh cheese was recorded from YL treatment. This was followed by values of 27.93, 27.51 and 26.13% from L, YO, and O treatments in order, whereas cheese from Y had the lowest yield being 21.26%. Such yield values were accompanied by the corresponding vitamin C contents of 6.5, 7.33, 6.35, 7.50 and 0.33 mg/100 g, respectively. The use of different juices gave more acidic fresh cheese than cheese made using Y with them or Y alone which caused the lowest acidity content.        The rheological properties of the fresh cheese including hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, gumminess and adhesiveness were also affected by the applied treatments. During storage of all cheese samples in the refrigerator, TS, acidity, total protein, SN/TN and FRI gradually increased with different rates, whereas only vitamin C content decreased. Evaluation of the organolptic properties revealed that the use of orange or lemon juice with yoghurt starter gave the best quality of fresh cheese with the higher scores for body and texture as well as the flavour of the cheese.

Three experiments for to pot ond one field experiment were carried out at Agric. Res. Station, Fac. Agric., Al-Azhar Univ. Nasr City and El-Aklag region, Kaliobia Governorate, Egypt, during 2011/2012, 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 to investigate the influence of mineral nitrogen fertilizer and biological ones i.e. Cerialen and Biogen under foliar spraying with Cysteine on the productivity of three wheat varieties (Sakha-93. Masry-1 and Banisweif). The studied treatments were recommended dose of N (75 kg N/fed., F1), recommended dose of N. fertilizer + Cysteine at the rate of 150 ppm (F2) 50% recommended dose of N fertilizer + Cerialine + Cysteine (F3) and 50% recommended dose of N fertilizer + biogen + Cysteine (F4). Complete randomized design was applied for the pot experiments, whereas split plot design was conducted for the experimental field. The results revealed that the difference between the investigated varieties due to plant height (cm) and flag leaf area (cm2) was substantial. Sakha-93 var. pronounced its superiority due to the both studied growth characters during the pot and field experiment. F2 treatment located the first order and gave the tallest wheat plants, whereas F4 treatment awarded the largest area of flag leaf, during the three experimental seasons. Yield and yield components parameters (No of grains/spike, 1000-grain weight (g), grain yield (g/plant in pots and ardab/fed. in field), straw yield (g/plant and ton/fed. in field) and biological yield (g/plant in pots and ton/fed. in field ) differed significantly between varieties. the maximum value were obtained from Sakha-93 and Masry-1, while the minimum ones associated with Baniswif variety, through the three experimental seasons. With the exception of straw yield either pot experiments or the field one, F2 and F4 treatments resulted in the heighest data for the previous yield and yield components parameters. The effect for the first order interaction (Var. x Fert.) on the studied characters differed with the characters difference (significant or non-significant) as shown from the obtained results during the three experimental seasons.

The purpose of this study was to 1) assess the linkages in the New Valley’s Agricultural Innovation System (NVAIS) and 2) characterize the information structure underlying the system. Data were collected from 50 respondents represent the nine components of the studied system during the period from Feb. to Mar. 2015 using in-depth interviews. The graph theoretical technique (GTT) was used to assess the linkages and information structures in the studied system. The obtained results showed that NVAIS was not fully identified; however, 44 of a total 72 linkages only were identified, and have a density of 0.61. Only 14 linkages are established through specific linkage mechanisms so density declines to 0.19. The component "Observatory of Development and cooperatives (O)" is by far the main sender of information, followed by the component "Extension (E)" and "Higher Education (H)". The main receivers of information, is the component of "Farmers (F)". Components of "Research (R)" and "Policy (P)" have a special position in this system, being the most interactive components as it sends as much information as it receives from others. Components of Secondary agricultural schools (S) and Agricultural Credit (C) are candidates to reform because of they interacts other components at a low tone. The component of private input supply, marketing and processing (M) is isolated is needs to deal efforts on enhancing its interaction within other components of the system. Any interventions on the components of O or F will be reflected in all over the system because the first one is a dominant component while the second is subordinate. The intermediary institutions, O and E, should play a more active role in bringing together other components. Specifically, links between these components could be strengthened through policy dialogues where the O and E could pass information from S, F, M, and C to P, H and R; such transmission of information should help P, R and H reassess agricultural policy, research and education priorities

Sixteen flax genotypes {13 promising lines and 3 check varieties viz., Giza 8 (oil type), Sakha 1 (dual purpose type) and Sakha 3 (fiber type)} were evaluated for straw, seed, oil yields and their related traits under twelve different environments; four locations (Sakha, Etay El-Baroud, Ismailia and Giza Exp. Stations through three successive seasons (2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14). These materials were evaluated in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications at the twelve above-mentioned environments. The analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among genotypes (G), environments (E) and G x E interaction for all studied traits except straw weight per plant, indicating a wide range of variation among genotypes, environments and these genotypes exhibited differential response to environmental conditions. The significant variance due to residual for all characters except both straw weight per plant and oil yield per fad indicated that genotypes differed with respect to their stability suggesting that prediction would be difficult, which means that mean performance alone would not be appropriate. Interaction component of variance (σ2ge) was less than the genotypic variance (σ2g) for all characters, indicating that genotypes differ in their genetic potential for these traits. This was reflected in high heritability and low discrepancy between phenotypic (PCV) and genotypic (GCV) coefficients of variability values for these traits indicating the possibility of using each of long fiber percentage, plant height and technical stem length as selection indices for improving straw weight per plant, as well as, using 1000-seed weight and capsules number per plant as selection indices for improving seed weight per plant. Yield stability (YSi) statistic indicated that S.541-C/3 and S.541-D/10 gave high mean performance and stability for straw, fiber, seed and oil yields per fad in addition to oil percentage, capsules number per plant and 1000-seed weight. Therefore, the two genotypes well be released under the name Giza 11 and Giza 12, respectively. These newly released varieties are of dual purpose type for straw, fiber, seed and oil yield. They may replace the low yielding cultivars Giza 8, Sakha 1 and Sakha 3.