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Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can promote plant growth and reduce plant uptake of heavy metals. Phosphorus (P) fertilization can affect this relationship. We investigated maize (Zea mays L.) uptake of heavy metals after soil AMF inoculation and P fertilization. Maize biomass, glomaline and chlorophyll contents and uptake of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cd and Pb have been determined in a soil inoculated with AMF (Glomus aggregatum, or Glomus intraradices) and treated with 30 or 60 µg P-K2HPO4 g−1 soil. Consistent variations were found between the two mycorrhizal species with respect to the colonization and glomalin content. Shoot dry weight and chlorophyll content were higher with G. intraradices than with G. aggregatum inoculation. The biomass was highest with 30 µg P g−1 soil. Shoot concentrations of Cd, Pb and Zn decreased with G. aggregatum inoculation, but that of Cd and Pb increased with G. intraradices inoculation. Addition of P fertilizers decreased Cd and Zn concentrations in the shoot. AMF with P fertilization greatly reduced maize content of heavy metals. The results provide that native AMF with a moderate application rate of P fertilizers can be exploited in polluted soils to minimize the heavy metals uptake and to increase maize growth.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can promote plant growth and reduce plant uptake of heavy metals. Phosphorus (P) fertilization can affect this relationship. We investigated maize (Zea mays L.) uptake of heavy metals after soil AMF inoculation and P fertilization. Maize biomass, glomaline and chlorophyll contents and uptake of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cd and Pb have been determined in a soil inoculated with AMF (Glomus aggregatum, or Glomus intraradices) and treated with 30 or 60 µg P-K2HPO4 g−1 soil. Consistent variations were found between the two mycorrhizal species with respect to the colonization and glomalin content. Shoot dry weight and chlorophyll content were higher with G. intraradices than with G. aggregatum inoculation. The biomass was highest with 30 µg P g−1 soil. Shoot concentrations of Cd, Pb and Zn decreased with G. aggregatum inoculation, but that of Cd and Pb increased with G. intraradices inoculation. Addition of P fertilizers decreased Cd and Zn concentrations in the shoot. AMF with P fertilization greatly reduced maize content of heavy metals. The results provide that native AMF with a moderate application rate of P fertilizers can be exploited in polluted soils to minimize the heavy metals uptake and to increase maize growth.

This study aimed to investigate the influence of the Kisspeptin (KP) injection on semen quality, testosterone concentration, reaction time, testes and accessory genital glands measurements of Ossimi rams. Fourteen healthy Ossimi rams were randomly divided into control group (CG) and KP treated group (KPG) (7 per each). Rams of the KPG were treated once weekly with KP (5 μg/kg body weight) for one month. Semen volume, concentration, mass motility, percentage of live and dead sperm and total abnormal sperm were recorded twice weekly after treatment for five weeks. Testes measurements including scrotal circumference (SC), testis breadth (TB) and length (TL) using measuring tape and caliper were recorded. Blood samples were collected, and ultrasound examination of the accessory genital glands was measured. Semen characteristics were significantly (p  0.05) affected by KP injection. The KP …

This study aimed to investigate the influence of the Kisspeptin (KP) injection on semen quality, testosterone concentration, reaction time, testes and accessory genital glands measurements of Ossimi rams. Fourteen healthy Ossimi rams were randomly divided into control group (CG) and KP treated group (KPG) (7 per each). Rams of the KPG were treated once weekly with KP (5 μg/kg body weight) for one month. Semen volume, concentration, mass motility, percentage of live and dead sperm and total abnormal sperm were recorded twice weekly after treatment for five weeks. Testes measurements including scrotal circumference (SC), testis breadth (TB) and length (TL) using measuring tape and caliper were recorded. Blood samples were collected, and ultrasound examination of the accessory genital glands was measured. Semen characteristics were significantly (p  0.05) affected by KP injection. The KP …

Biomass and yield are important variables used for assessing agricultural production. However, these variables are difficult to estimate for individual plants at the farm scale and may be affected by abiotic stressors such as salinity. In this study, the wild tomato species, Solanum pimpinellifolium, was evaluated through field and UAV-based assessment of 600 control and 600 salt-treated plants. The aim of this research was to determine, if UAV-based imagery, collected one, two, four, six, seven and eight weeks before harvest could predict fresh shoot mass, tomato fruit numbers, and yield mass at harvest and if predictions varied for control and salttreated plants. A Random Forest approach was used to model biomass and yield. The results showed that shape features such as plant area, border length, width and length had the highest importance in the random forest models. A week prior to harvest, the explained variance of fresh shoot mass, number of fruits and yield mass were 86.60%, 59.46% and 61.09%, respectively. The explained variance was reduced as a function of time to harvest. Separate models may be required for predicting yield of salt-stressed plants, whereas the prediction of yield for control plants was less affected if the model included salt-stressed plants. This research demonstrates that it is possible to predict biomass and yield of tomato plants up to four weeks prior to harvest, and potentially earlier in the absence of severe weather events.

This study was carried out during two successive seasons of 2017 and 2018 to evaluate some pomegranate cultivars grown at Assiut Governorate, Egypt. Three local Egyptian pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivars, namely Assiuty, Assiuty-1 and Nab-Elgamal compared to Manfalouty cv. which is one of the commercial cultivars in Egypt. Vegetative growth’ traits, yield components and fruit quality as well as numerical evaluation were investigated. Growth traits were determined (shoot and leaf traits) and yield components (fruit set percentage, yield/tree (kg) and fruit cracking percentage) as well as physical fruit traits (weight, dimension, grains percentage and juice percentage). The chemical traits such as total soluble solids, titratable acidity, reducing sugars as well as vitamin C and anthocyanin contents were assessed. The obtained results indicated that there is a wide variation in each of these traits among the studied cultivars. Assiuty-1 cultivar had the highest values of most studied traits compared to the other studied cultivars, respectively. On other hand, the least values of these traits were recorded of Nab-Elgamal cultivar. As the numerical evaluation of these studied cultivars, it could be arranged in a descendingly order as follows: Manfalouty, Assiuty, Assiuty-1 and Nab-El-gamal cultivar. The inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) marker was used to assess the genetic relationship among the pomegranate cultivars. UPGMA-cluster analysis discriminated the four tested cultivars based on data of ISSR at 0.76 similarity. Assiuty and Assiuty-1 cultivars showed the highest value of similarity (0.87) on the dendrogram, both cultivars showed a good relationship with Nab Elgamal cultivar by showing an average value of similarity (0.82). While, Manfalouty cultivar showed low similarity (0.76) with the rest of cultivars and was separated in a single branch on the dendrogram. This grouping showed a clear genetic relationship among the tested cultivars, which could be used in breeding and improvement programs of pomegranate. These results revealed that Assiuty and Assiuty-1 are considered promising cultivars to obtain a high yield with good fruit quality compared to Nab-El-Gamal.

This study was carried out during two successive seasons of 2017 and 2018 to evaluate some pomegranate cultivars grown at Assiut Governorate, Egypt. Three local Egyptian pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivars, namely Assiuty, Assiuty-1 and Nab-Elgamal compared to Manfalouty cv. which is one of the commercial cultivars in Egypt. Vegetative growth’ traits, yield components and fruit quality as well as numerical evaluation were investigated. Growth traits were determined (shoot and leaf traits) and yield components (fruit set percentage, yield/tree (kg) and fruit cracking percentage) as well as physical fruit traits (weight, dimension, grains percentage and juice percentage). The chemical traits such as total soluble solids, titratable acidity, reducing sugars as well as vitamin C and anthocyanin contents were assessed. The obtained results indicated that there is a wide variation in each of these traits among the studied cultivars. Assiuty-1 cultivar had the highest values of most studied traits compared to the other studied cultivars, respectively. On other hand, the least values of these traits were recorded of Nab-Elgamal cultivar. As the numerical evaluation of these studied cultivars, it could be arranged in a descendingly order as follows: Manfalouty, Assiuty, Assiuty-1 and Nab-El-gamal cultivar. The inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) marker was used to assess the genetic relationship among the pomegranate cultivars. UPGMA-cluster analysis discriminated the four tested cultivars based on data of ISSR at 0.76 similarity. Assiuty and Assiuty-1 cultivars showed the highest value of similarity (0.87) on the dendrogram, both cultivars showed a good relationship with Nab Elgamal cultivar by showing an average value of similarity (0.82). While, Manfalouty cultivar showed low similarity (0.76) with the rest of cultivars and was separated in a single branch on the dendrogram. This grouping showed a clear genetic relationship among the tested cultivars, which could be used in breeding and improvement programs of pomegranate. These results revealed that Assiuty and Assiuty-1 are considered promising cultivars to obtain a high yield with good fruit quality compared to Nab-El-Gamal.

This study was carried out during two successive seasons of 2017 and 2018 to evaluate some pomegranate cultivars grown at Assiut Governorate, Egypt. Three local Egyptian pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivars, namely Assiuty, Assiuty-1 and Nab-Elgamal compared to Manfalouty cv. which is one of the commercial cultivars in Egypt. Vegetative growth’ traits, yield components and fruit quality as well as numerical evaluation were investigated. Growth traits were determined (shoot and leaf traits) and yield components (fruit set percentage, yield/tree (kg) and fruit cracking percentage) as well as physical fruit traits (weight, dimension, grains percentage and juice percentage). The chemical traits such as total soluble solids, titratable acidity, reducing sugars as well as vitamin C and anthocyanin contents were assessed. The obtained results indicated that there is a wide variation in each of these traits among the studied cultivars. Assiuty-1 cultivar had the highest values of most studied traits compared to the other studied cultivars, respectively. On other hand, the least values of these traits were recorded of Nab-Elgamal cultivar. As the numerical evaluation of these studied cultivars, it could be arranged in a descendingly order as follows: Manfalouty, Assiuty, Assiuty-1 and Nab-El-gamal cultivar. The inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) marker was used to assess the genetic relationship among the pomegranate cultivars. UPGMA-cluster analysis discriminated the four tested cultivars based on data of ISSR at 0.76 similarity. Assiuty and Assiuty-1 cultivars showed the highest value of similarity (0.87) on the dendrogram, both cultivars showed a good relationship with Nab Elgamal cultivar by showing an average value of similarity (0.82). While, Manfalouty cultivar showed low similarity (0.76) with the rest of cultivars and was separated in a single branch on the dendrogram. This grouping showed a clear genetic relationship among the tested cultivars, which could be used in breeding and improvement programs of pomegranate. These results revealed that Assiuty and Assiuty-1 are considered promising cultivars to obtain a high yield with good fruit quality compared to Nab-El-Gamal.

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) quality and growth are affected by the foliar fertilization. Algae extract, glutamic acid, and vitamin B are known as foliar fertilizer but there is little information available about the best combinations of these materials for grapevine. Here, 2-year field study in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) were conducted to study the influence of foliar applications of vitamin B, glutamic acid, and algae (Amphora ovalis) extract on Thompson Seedless grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) growth and yield. The growth, yield, and quality of grapevine were affected significantly (P 0.05) by the different treatments. The foliar application of vitamin B, glutamic acid, and algae increased the pruning wood, total chlorophyll, leaf area, and fruit yield compared with the control. In addition, these treatments induced an increase in the concentrations of N, P, and K. The berries quality characteristics of the sprayed vines were significantly better than non-treated ones. Based on the obtained results, the foliar application of glutamic acid, vitamin B complex, and algae besides of their combinations has positive effects on the growth of grapevine plants and berry quality.