The effect of bunches and strands thinning on yield and fruit quality of Zaghloul and Haiany date palms was investigated during three successive seasons, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Fruit thinning was carried out by adjusting the number of bunches/palm to 5, 7 or 9 bunches. The nine bunches/palm, however, were especially thinned to 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 strands/bunch. The results of the present study indicated a significant negative correlation between bunch weight and bunch-number/palm and a positive one between the bunch weight and strand numbers/bunch. Reducing the strand-numbers/bunch to either 20 or 25 strands significantly decreased the bunch weight and yield/palm compared with the unthinned ones. A remarkable improvement on fruit quality was noticed, after the fruit thinning in comparison to the unthinning. Thinning either bunches or strands lead to a significant increase in the fruit weight, size and flesh percentage as compared to unthinning at all. Fruit thinning also positively improved the date palm fruit chemical properties. It is worth notable that, leaving 30 to 35 strands/bunch would result in a considerable yield characterized by high fruit quality of Zaghloul and Haiany date palms.

The effect of bunches and strands thinning on yield and fruit quality of Zaghloul and Haiany date palms was investigated during three successive seasons, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Fruit thinning was carried out by adjusting the number of bunches/palm to 5, 7 or 9 bunches. The nine bunches/palm, however, were especially thinned to 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 strands/bunch. The results of the present study indicated a significant negative correlation between bunch weight and bunch-number/palm and a positive one between the bunch weight and strand numbers/bunch. Reducing the strand-numbers/bunch to either 20 or 25 strands significantly decreased the bunch weight and yield/palm compared with the unthinned ones. A remarkable improvement on fruit quality was noticed, after the fruit thinning in comparison to the unthinning. Thinning either bunches or strands lead to a significant increase in the fruit weight, size and flesh percentage as compared to unthinning at all. Fruit thinning also positively improved the date palm fruit chemical properties. It is worth notable that, leaving 30 to 35 strands/bunch would result in a considerable yield characterized by high fruit quality of Zaghloul and Haiany date palms.

Tree vegetative growth, leaf mineral contents, yield compo-nents and fruit quality of three grapefruit cultivars namely, March, Red Blush and Ruby Red were studied under upper Egypt conditions during three successive seasons, 2009, 2010 and 2011. The results of this investigation could be summarized as follow: There was a great variability in vegetative growth traits, yield components and fruit quality of these cultivars. March grapefruit trees cultivar surpassed in vegetative growth and vigour compared to either Red Blush or Ruby Red trees cultivars. Also, March grapefruit cultivar was superior among the other cultivars in inducing the highest fruit set, largest fruit number and con-sequently the heaviest yield/tree. On the other hand, Red Blush grapefruit trees were superior in fruit quality and followed by the Marsh tree cultivar in its vegetative growth and productivity. On the account of the present findings, it can be concluded that March or Red Blush trees cultivars under this conditions gained the highest yield with good fruit quality

Tree vegetative growth, leaf mineral contents, yield compo-nents and fruit quality of three grapefruit cultivars namely, March, Red Blush and Ruby Red were studied under upper Egypt conditions during three successive seasons, 2009, 2010 and 2011. The results of this investigation could be summarized as follow: There was a great variability in vegetative growth traits, yield components and fruit quality of these cultivars. March grapefruit trees cultivar surpassed in vegetative growth and vigour compared to either Red Blush or Ruby Red trees cultivars. Also, March grapefruit cultivar was superior among the other cultivars in inducing the highest fruit set, largest fruit number and con-sequently the heaviest yield/tree. On the other hand, Red Blush grapefruit trees were superior in fruit quality and followed by the Marsh tree cultivar in its vegetative growth and productivity. On the account of the present findings, it can be concluded that March or Red Blush trees cultivars under this conditions gained the highest yield with good fruit quality

The vegetative growth and vigor as well as yield components and fruit quality of three fig cultivars, two introduced, namely Conadria and Kadota and the local one, Sultani were evaluated under upper Egypt conditions during three successive seasons, 2010, 2011 and 2012. The results of this study could be summarized as follow: There was a great variability in vegetative, vigor growth, yield components and fruit quality of these cultivars. Kadota fig trees cultivar surpassed in vegetative growth and vigor compared to either Conadria or Sultani trees cultivars. Kadota fig trees recorded the highest values of bud burst percentage, leaves number per shoot and annual pruning wood weight, whereas, Conadria fig trees gave the highest leaf area compared with other two cultivars. On other hand, Conadria fig trees cultivar was superior among the rest cultivars in producing the highest fruits number, and heaviest fruit and consequently the heaviest yield/tree. Moreover, Kadota fig cultivar was superior in chemical fruit properties, whereas Sultani fig cultivar had the least fruit quality compared to other two studied cultivars. Concerning the overall numerical evaluation data revealed that, Conadria and Kadota cultivars gained the highest degrees evaluation. It could be arranged these degrees in a descending order as follows 86.7, 81.3 and 52.3 units for Conadria, Kadota and Sultani fig trees cultivars, respectively, under Upper Egypt conditions. On the account of the present findings, it can be recommended to plant Conadria and Kadota fig cultivars under this condition to obtain the high yield with good fruit quality.

The vegetative growth and vigor as well as yield components and fruit quality of three fig cultivars, two introduced, namely Conadria and Kadota and the local one, Sultani were evaluated under upper Egypt conditions during three successive seasons, 2010, 2011 and 2012. The results of this study could be summarized as follow: There was a great variability in vegetative, vigor growth, yield components and fruit quality of these cultivars. Kadota fig trees cultivar surpassed in vegetative growth and vigor compared to either Conadria or Sultani trees cultivars. Kadota fig trees recorded the highest values of bud burst percentage, leaves number per shoot and annual pruning wood weight, whereas, Conadria fig trees gave the highest leaf area compared with other two cultivars. On other hand, Conadria fig trees cultivar was superior among the rest cultivars in producing the highest fruits number, and heaviest fruit and consequently the heaviest yield/tree. Moreover, Kadota fig cultivar was superior in chemical fruit properties, whereas Sultani fig cultivar had the least fruit quality compared to other two studied cultivars. Concerning the overall numerical evaluation data revealed that, Conadria and Kadota cultivars gained the highest degrees evaluation. It could be arranged these degrees in a descending order as follows 86.7, 81.3 and 52.3 units for Conadria, Kadota and Sultani fig trees cultivars, respectively, under Upper Egypt conditions. On the account of the present findings, it can be recommended to plant Conadria and Kadota fig cultivars under this condition to obtain the high yield with good fruit quality.

A field experiment was carried out at El-Maghara Experimental Station for Desert Research Center, North Sinai Governorate, Egypt during the three successive seasons of 2011 to 2013. The study was set up to evaluate some grapevine rootstocks as well as some grapevines varieties to salinity and drought tolerance. The rootstocks 1103 Paulsen, 110 Richter, Salt Creek, Black Balady and White Kahlili. They irrigated with effluent containing relatively high concentration (1000, 2000 and 3000 ppm) of salts water at different fractions of evapotranspiration (0.50, 0.75 and 1,00 ET). The obtained results indicated that plant hight and leaf area as well as shoot and root dry weight and potassium content of rootstocks significantly decreased linearly with increasing the salinity or drought levels. The decrement due to salinity effects higher than that due to drought ones. Contrary, proline, chloride and sodium contents took unsimilar trend. As to different studied rootstocks, Black Balady recorded the highest significant plant hight and leaf area, as well as shoot and root dry weight and contents of potassium and proline, and lowest significant chloride and sodium contents. It could be arranged the studied rootstocks for these traits as descending order, Black Balady, White Khalili, Salt Creek, 110R and 1103 P, respectively. Moreover, Black Balady had the highest or lowest values of the previous traits under the low level of salinity and drought. Contrary, 1103P and 110R had the lowest and highest values under the high level of salinity and drought. This study cleared a benefit used Black Balady or White Khalili as rootstocks in alleviating the adverse effect of salinity and drought on grape vineyards. ,

A field experiment was carried out at El-Maghara Experimental Station for Desert Research Center, North Sinai Governorate, Egypt during the three successive seasons of 2011 to 2013. The study was set up to evaluate some grapevine rootstocks as well as some grapevines varieties to salinity and drought tolerance. The rootstocks 1103 Paulsen, 110 Richter, Salt Creek, Black Balady and White Kahlili. They irrigated with effluent containing relatively high concentration (1000, 2000 and 3000 ppm) of salts water at different fractions of evapotranspiration (0.50, 0.75 and 1,00 ET). The obtained results indicated that plant hight and leaf area as well as shoot and root dry weight and potassium content of rootstocks significantly decreased linearly with increasing the salinity or drought levels. The decrement due to salinity effects higher than that due to drought ones. Contrary, proline, chloride and sodium contents took unsimilar trend. As to different studied rootstocks, Black Balady recorded the highest significant plant hight and leaf area, as well as shoot and root dry weight and contents of potassium and proline, and lowest significant chloride and sodium contents. It could be arranged the studied rootstocks for these traits as descending order, Black Balady, White Khalili, Salt Creek, 110R and 1103 P, respectively. Moreover, Black Balady had the highest or lowest values of the previous traits under the low level of salinity and drought. Contrary, 1103P and 110R had the lowest and highest values under the high level of salinity and drought. This study cleared a benefit used Black Balady or White Khalili as rootstocks in alleviating the adverse effect of salinity and drought on grape vineyards. ,

Balady mandarin trees grown under Qena region during 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons were investigated to find the best NPK fertilization through 0 to 100% of natural or bio-fertilizers along with a mineral source. The experiment was arranged in a complete randomized block design with five replications, one tree for each, and it consisted of seven treatments. Filter mud cake and calcium super-phosphate, as well as rock phosphate and feldspar were added once in the middle of December. Biostimulants i.e., nitrobien, phosphoren and potassiumage were added in two equal doses in March and May. Potassium sulphate was applied in two equal doses in March and June, where mineral-N fertilizer was added in three equal doses in March, May and July. The obtained results could be summarized as follow: Using the recommended N, P and K via two forms or three forms (mineral, natural plus bio) resulted in an obvious promotion on all growth traits and leaf area and its nutrients, as well as shoot carbohydrates and C/N ratio compared to using them as a mineral fertilizer source only. Amending the trees with natural or bio-fertilizer singly or a mixture of natural, bio and mineral NPK fertilizers significantly improved the yield and fruit quality. No significant differences were noticed on most studied traits among all different treatments except with the mineral source (the check treatment). The improvement in the fruit quality and the reduction in the juice nitrite content were associated with reduction in the mineral NPK source and, at the same time an increase in the mineral or bio-fertilization sources. It is evident from the foregoing results that using either three fertilization forms or any two fertilization forms produce healthy trees, with the highest yield and the best fruit quality. In addition, it reduces the environmental pollution as well as produces organic farming products. .,

The effects of replacing mineral-N fertilization partially by organic or bio-fertilization on growth and fruiting of Seewy date palms were studied during 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons. The palms are grown in a private orchard at El-Dakhla oasis, New Valley, Egypt, where the texture of soil is sandy loam. Ammonium nitrate, farmyard manure and nitrobien were added as mineral, organic and bio-forms of N, respectively. The experiment was set up in a com-plete randomized block design with nine treatments and three replicates, one palm per each.The obtained results indicated that: Fertilizing the palms with either two forms (mineral plus organic) or (or-ganic plus bio-form), as well as, three forms (mineral, organic plus bio-form) considerably increased the leaf area and N, P & K contents of leaves compared to using mineral-N source only. Using three forms gave the highest values of these traits. Using either two form or three forms of nitrogen fertilization increased the residually of N, P and K compared to use mineral-N source only. The heaviest bunch weight was detected on the palms that fertilized with the three forms, contained the third of them. Moreover, using either two or three forms was accompanied with improving fruit quality in terms of increasing fruit weight, total soluble solids and sugar contents and decreasing the moisture per-centage. So, it is concluded that Seewy date palm production can rely on organic and bio-fertilization as alternatives to mineral-N fertilization or at least rationalize its use in the production of organic palm dates as well as increasing soil fertility, the nutritional status and yield besides reducing environmental pollution that may occurr by excess of chemical fertilizers used.