Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with severe immune system complications. Camel whey protein (CWP) decreases free radicals (ROS) and modulates immune functions, but its effect on DM-impaired immune systems has not been studied. We investigated the impact of CWP on the immune system in a Type 1 diabetes mouse model. Methods: Three experimental groups were used: (1) non-diabetic control; (2) diabetic; and (3) CWPtreated diabetic mice. Results: Induction of diabetes by streptozotocin was associated with reduction of body weight and insulin level, increase in glucose level and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α), and reduction in IL-2 and IL-4 levels. Upregulated ATF-3 expression was followed by a marked elevation in ROS levels. Lymphocytes from diabetic mice exhibited increased apoptosis through decreased phosphorylation of AKT and I

Rice starch (RS) and blend of rice starch with 10% (w/w) of stabilized rice bran (SRB) were subjected to extrusion process in a co-rotating twin-screw extruder. The effect of SRB addition and extrusion on gelatinization and retrogradation properties of RS was investigated. The results obtained from the Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA) showed a significant decrease (P0.05) in viscosity of the extruded RS compared to the untreated RS. In addition, the viscosity was more decreased after enrichment of RS with SRB and extrusion. A similar decrease trend in gelatinization enthalpy (ΔHgel) of RS was also observed from data of the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). On the other hand, the enrichment with SRB and extrusion led to significant changes in the crystalline structure of RS as observed from the X-ray diffraction (XRD). Furthermore, the enrichment with SRB and extrusion generated a fibrous and porous structured starch gel with lower retrogrdation rate, higher water-holding capacity, and less syneresis during storage at 4°C for 7 days. Therefore, SRB can be recommended as functional food ingredient for enrichment and producing rice starch-based extruded snacks and ready-to-eat food products.

The genotype by environment (G×E) interaction has an impact on the selection of genotypes. The yield productivity of 49 wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes was evaluated using additive main effects and multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) model. Experiments were implemented in four locations (Barrani, Matrouh, Assiut and El-Kharga) across Egypt using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Analysis of variance for grain yield (g/m2) showed that the sum of squares of locations accounted for 86% of total sum of squares. The AMMI analysis of variance showed that two interaction principal components (IPCs) out of three were highly significant (P 0.01). The IPC1 and IPC2 accounted for 55.4% and 31.4% of the G×E interaction, respectively. Genotypes 40 and 48 were well adapted to Assiut location whereas genotype 18 was adapted to Barrani location. The AMMI model identified the best combinations of genotypes and environments for yield.

The genotype by environment (G×E) interaction has an impact on the selection of genotypes. The yield productivity of 49 wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes was evaluated using additive main effects and multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) model. Experiments were implemented in four locations (Barrani, Matrouh, Assiut and El-Kharga) across Egypt using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Analysis of variance for grain yield (g/m2) showed that the sum of squares of locations accounted for 86% of total sum of squares. The AMMI analysis of variance showed that two interaction principal components (IPCs) out of three were highly significant (P 0.01). The IPC1 and IPC2 accounted for 55.4% and 31.4% of the G×E interaction, respectively. Genotypes 40 and 48 were well adapted to Assiut location whereas genotype 18 was adapted to Barrani location. The AMMI model identified the best combinations of genotypes and environments for yield.

Water deficit is being the most devastating abiotic stress factor in newly reclaimed soils in Egypt. Identification of useful alleles in both cultivated varieties and wild relatives of these traits might be helpful in developing drought tolerant genotypes. 301 doubled haploid (DH) lines, their parents (Scarlett and ISR 42-8) and four check cultivars were investigated under two water regimes in the 2013/2014 season in newly reclaimed area at Wadi Al-Asyouti farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt. The QTL analysis revealed 35 putative QTLs as maker main effect and marker × treatment interaction for six studied traits. 17 QTLs were identified with favorable effects of the exotic alleles. Numerous interesting QTLs were detected in this study that displaying beneficial effects of the exotic alleles (Hsp). For instance, the alleles of the QTL QHD.S42-2H exhibited a favorable performance of reducing days to 50% heading by -3.03%. A favorable QTL QPH.S42-7Ha effect was responsible for almost 6.29% decrease in plant height due to Hsp alleles. Interestingly, the QTL QGYP.S42-1Ha revealed that marker × treatment interaction effect and the relative performance of the exotic genotype led to increase grain yield per plant with 14.31%. Altogether 21 pairs of epistatic QTLs as additive × additive effects were detected in current study. The majority of the digenic epistatic interaction pairs had favorable effects on the phenotypic values of the studied traits. For example, the most favorable pair of epistatic QTL for reducing heading date was bPb-9111* bPb-8701 and located on chromosomes 3H (141.94 cM) and 4H (93.64 cM) and accounted for 19.36% of genetic variation. The DH lines carrying the Hsp/Hsp combination at two loci had heavier grain weight by maximum 0.87 g more than lines with the allelic combination Hv/Hv. This study has highlighted the role of the exotic alleles for the detection of favorable alleles lead that for drought tolerance in barley.

Yield performance of 30 F1 grain sorghum crosses, their parents along with two local check varieties was evaluated under two water regimes during summer seasons 2014 and 2015 at two locations represent clay and sandy soil in Egypt. Entries were watered each 14 days (surface irrigation in the clay soil) and for 2 hours each 3 days (drip irrigation system in the sandy soil) to obtain well-watered conditions. While the third and the fifth irrigations were skipped in the clay soil and entries were irrigated for 1 hour each 3 days to induce drought stress conditions. Nine drought tolerance indices namely; mean productivity (MP), geometric mean productivity (GMP), harmonic mean (HM), drought resistance index (DRI), yield index (YI), stress tolerance index (STI), tolerance index (TOL), stress susceptibility index (SSI) and standard drought tolerance index (SDTI) were calculated based on yield under well-watered (Yp) and drought conditions (Ys). The analysis of variance showed highly significant differences among genotypes for Yp and Ys and for all drought tolerance indices, suggesting that genotypes were differing in the performance under both treatments for grain yield and drought tolerance indices. Three groups contained the same genotypes were obtained by principal components and cluster analyses. These groups were described as tolerant, sensitive and semi-tolerant to drought. Significant correlation was observed between Yp and Ys and each of MP, GMP, HM, DRI, YI and STDI. Results indicated that selection based on combinations of drought tolerance indices such Ys, MP, STI and TOL was beneficial to identify drought tolerant genotypes. In hybrid programmes, it would be better to select genotypes based on their combining ability effects along with the reliable drought tolerance indices.

It is desirable for sorghum breeder to know the extent of relationship between yield and each of morphological and physiological traits affecting it which facilitate breeder in selecting plants of desirable traits, especially under drought stress conditions. Therefore, this work was conducted at two locations represent clay and sandy soils of the Experimental Farms of Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt, during two summer seasons 2014 and 2015 under two water regimes. To obtain the well-watered conditions (WW), surface irrigation was applied in the clay soil and genotypes were watered each 14 days, while drip irrigation system was used in the sandy soil and plants were watered for 2 hours each 3 days. To induce drought stress conditions (DS), the third and the fifth surface irrigations were skipped in the clay soil, while plants were drip irrigated for 1 hour each 3 days in sandy soil. Three statistical procedures i.e., simple correlation coefficient, the path coefficient analysis and the stepwise regression analysis were performed to determine the functional relationships between yield and each of its attributes and some physiological traits under both treatments. For this, 43 grain sorghum genotypes including 30 F1 hybrids, their elven parents (6 female and 5 male lines were crossed in line x tester mating fashion) and two check cultivars were used in this study. Results revealed highly significant differences among genotypes for all studied traits under WW and DS conditions. Panicle weight had the highest positive correlation with grain yield of sorghum genotypes under both treatments followed by threshing percentage and seed index, reflecting these traits are the most contributed to yield. Path analysis showed that panicle weight and threshing percentage had positive and direct effect on grain yield/plant, while chlorophyll content, excised leaf water loss and stay green were the most important physiological traits under DS conditions. In addition, panicle width and chlorophyll content showed the highest positive indirect effects on grain yield. Stepwise regression exhibited that panicle weight and threshing percentage had the strongest variation in grain yield per plant under both water regimes. On the other hand, all physiological traits except excised leaf water loss (under WW conditions) showed positive correlation coefficient with GY/P under both treatments. Stepwise regression revealed that relative water content was the most important physiological trait followed by flag leaf area under WW conditions, while chlorophyll content was the most important physiological trait under DS followed by excised leaf water loss that contributed high amount of the total variation of grain yield.

This experiment aimed to estimate heterosis, combining ability effect and some genetic components of relative water content (RWC), excised leaf water loss (ELWL), chlorophyll content (CC), stay green (Stg) and flag leaf area (FLA) under well-watered and drought stress conditions in grain sorghum. The plant materials consisted of 43 sorghum entries including 30 F1 hybrids, five restorer lines, six B-lines and two check cultivars for comparison. The lines were crossed to testers in line × tester mating design in season 2013. The entries were evaluated in 2014 and 2015 seasons under well-watered and drought stress conditions at two locations represent clay and new reclaimed soils with three replications (eight environments). Surface and drip irrigation systems were applied in the clay and reclaimed soil, respectively in order to carry out the well-watered and drought stress conditions. The results of the combined analysis of combing ability revealed that, the lines, testers and line × testers were highly significant for most studied traits suggesting that the plant materials possessed considerable variability that both general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining ability effects were involved in the genetic expression of these traits. However, the parental lines ICSA11, ICSA536 and ICSR102 were the best parents that showed GCA effects for one or two traits and involved in one or two cross combinations that showed highly desirable SCA effects or showed remarkable heterosis. The cross combination ICSA536 × ICSR628 had high positive and significant SCA effects for RWC and CC, while the cross combination ICSA11 × ICSR102 had high positive and significant SCA effects for stay green and flag leaf area. For heterosis, the cross combination ICSA598 × ICSR89034 exhibited desirable magnitude of mid-parent-heterosis for the physiological criteria. The degree of dominance of the RWC, CC and FLA were higher than unity, that means non-additive effect was found to be predominant and desirable in the inheritance of these traits and indicating that heterosis breeding would be more appropriate method for the improvement of this traits. While additive effect was the favorable direction in ELWL and Stg traits and can be easily select these traits in early generation. Chlorophyll content gave maximum narrow-sense heritability followed by stay green, indicating the role of additive gene action in the inheritance of these traits. Broad-sense heritability estimates appeared to be high for all physiological traits under study, indicating the role of non-additive gene action effects on the phenotypic expression of these traits.

Rosell ( Hibiscus sabdariffa L. is one of the most important medicinal plants. Root rot and wilt disese of roselle attack either seedling or adult plants. In this study, the isolation and identification of the pathogen associated with root rot and with symptoms of roselle in Assiut were studied during the seasons 2012-2014.The efficacy of essential oils from three plants i.e. sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum var. basilicum L.), majoram (Majoram hotinsis L.) and peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) at three concentrations (0.5, `1 and 2%) were tested against the most aggressive Fusarium isolate in vitro as well as evaluation in vtvo. Results showed that all tested isllates of Fusarium moniliforme, F. solani and three isolates of F. oxysporum (No. 1. 2 and 3) were pathogenic in roselle plants while the highest pathogenicity was caused by Fusarium oxysporum No. 3 followed by N0. 1. In vitro, the three tested oils were found to have an inhibitory effect against the growth of the pathogenic fungus, the highest inhibition was observed at 2% of majoram and peppermint (2.23 and 2.00 cm inhibition zone , respectively). Under open greenhouse conditions, results of seed coating with the three essential oils under study suppressed infection with pathogenic F. oxysporum. Majoram and peppermint were the most effective oils in reducing disease incidence, 0.5% concentration demonstrate the best protection of roselle seeds against F. oxysporum. Growth characteristics i.e. plant height, No. branches and fruits / plant, fresh and dry weighs of sepals were significantly higher at all treatments. Also, acidity and total anthocyanin increased significantly. Majoram and peppermint oils at 0.5% and basil oil at 2% were the most effective concentration in decreasing disease incidence in addition in increasing the quantity and quality of roselle yield.

Application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is one of the most important actions that increases grain yield and improves grain quality in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. Presently, there are a large number of investigations in the field on different nitrogen fertilizer application regimes. However, there is little information available about the optimum level of N for drip irrigated wheat. Filed experiments in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) conducted to study the response of drip irrigated wheat to three levels of N (120, 180, and 240 kg N ha−1). The field experiments were carried out at the Agricultural Experimental Station farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Egypt during the two successive growth seasons of 2013/14 and 2014/2015. The application of N significantly (P0.05) enhanced the growth of drip irrigated wheat. The highest rate of nitrogen increased the uptake of N, P, and K by 61, 75, and 57% compared to the lowest treatment. Increasing rate of nitrogen to 240 kg N per hectare increased the Water Use Efficiency (WUE) by 34 and 22% in the first and second season, respectively, compared to N120 treatment. The number of spike per m2, number of grains per spike, and grain weight per spike of wheat were affected significantly (P0.05) by N treatments. The application of N240 increased the wheat grain yield by 34 and 22% in the first and second season, respectively, compared to N120. Based on the obtained results, it is recommended to fertilize drip irrigated wheat by 240 kg N per hectare.