The present study was designed to investigate the effect of light source and type on growth performance, carcass traits and blood constitutes of Sharkasi chickens. Three hundred and sixty birds were randomly assigned to 6 groups and housed in floor pens under two light source and type from 4 wk till 24 wk of age. The first, second and third groups were reared under incandescent bulbs with continues light for 12 hours per day (C), 6 h continues light +6 h flash light/day (T1) and 12 hours flash light per day (T2), respectively. While the fourth, fifth and sixth groups were reared under fluorescent bulbs with continues light for 12 hours per day (T3), 6 h continues light +6 h flash light/day (T4) and 12 hours flash light per day (T5), respectively. Feed and water were available ad lib. and all the other conditions were the same during the experimental period. The results showed that light type significantly affected body weight, daily weight gain, feed conversion and carcass traits. However, it had insignificant effects on blood traits. In addition, birds reared under light source had significantly (P≤0.05) body weight, daily weight gain and feed conversion as compared to the other two groups. No significant differences (P≤0.05) were found between groups in leg problems and carcass traits. Finally, the economical efficiency of the birds reared under fluorescent bulbs was better than the incandescent light groups. However, the economical efficiency of the birds reared under flash light bulbs was better than the continues light groups.

Objectives of this study were to estimate the effects of calf-hood fitness and health traits on age at first calving (AFC). Data of 2230 US Holstein heifers were collected from three farms located in Minnesota from 2003 to 2011 were used. AFC, calculated as a difference between birth date and date of first calving ranged from 571 to 1059 days ( = 716.66 ± 47.4). Multiple trait animal models were applied using REMLf90 software. Fixed effects considered as revealed in; a previous nutritional experiment applied on almost half of these animals (n = 1226), (P 0.01), and interaction between month and year of birth, while covariate effects were serum protein upon arriving to facility (SP), (P 0.01). Fitness traits effects included arrival to facility body weight (ABW), weaning weight (W56), weaning hip height (HH56), adjusted weight to 200d (W200), and adjusted hip height to 200d (HH200). Health traits recorded were scours (Sc) and respiratory disease (RD). Health traits were recorded as categorical traits according to incidence of occurrence (0: non occurrence; 1: occurrence once; and 2: occurrence twice or more). Heritability estimate of AFC was (0.07). Genetic correlations between calf-hood fitness traits and AFC were highly significant (0.45, 0.38, 0.34, 0.75, and 0.33) with ABW, W56, HH56, W200, and HH200, respectively. Meanwhile, genetic correlations between AFC and both health traits (Sc and RD) were (-0.19 and -0.01), respectively. Therefore, it is possible to build a selection index comprising calf-hood’s fitness and health performance and AFC.

Objectives of this study were to estimate the effects of calf-hood fitness and health traits on age at first calving (AFC). Data of 2230 US Holstein heifers were collected from three farms located in Minnesota from 2003 to 2011 were used. AFC, calculated as a difference between birth date and date of first calving ranged from 571 to 1059 days ( = 716.66 ± 47.4). Multiple trait animal models were applied using REMLf90 software. Fixed effects considered as revealed in; a previous nutritional experiment applied on almost half of these animals (n = 1226), (P 0.01), and interaction between month and year of birth, while covariate effects were serum protein upon arriving to facility (SP), (P 0.01). Fitness traits effects included arrival to facility body weight (ABW), weaning weight (W56), weaning hip height (HH56), adjusted weight to 200d (W200), and adjusted hip height to 200d (HH200). Health traits recorded were scours (Sc) and respiratory disease (RD). Health traits were recorded as categorical traits according to incidence of occurrence (0: non occurrence; 1: occurrence once; and 2: occurrence twice or more). Heritability estimate of AFC was (0.07). Genetic correlations between calf-hood fitness traits and AFC were highly significant (0.45, 0.38, 0.34, 0.75, and 0.33) with ABW, W56, HH56, W200, and HH200, respectively. Meanwhile, genetic correlations between AFC and both health traits (Sc and RD) were (-0.19 and -0.01), respectively. Therefore, it is possible to build a selection index comprising calf-hood’s fitness and health performance and AFC.

Objectives of this study were to estimate the effects of calf-hood fitness and health traits on age at first calving (AFC). Data of 2230 US Holstein heifers were collected from three farms located in Minnesota from 2003 to 2011 were used. AFC, calculated as a difference between birth date and date of first calving ranged from 571 to 1059 days ( = 716.66 ± 47.4). Multiple trait animal models were applied using REMLf90 software. Fixed effects considered as revealed in; a previous nutritional experiment applied on almost half of these animals (n = 1226), (P 0.01), and interaction between month and year of birth, while covariate effects were serum protein upon arriving to facility (SP), (P 0.01). Fitness traits effects included arrival to facility body weight (ABW), weaning weight (W56), weaning hip height (HH56), adjusted weight to 200d (W200), and adjusted hip height to 200d (HH200). Health traits recorded were scours (Sc) and respiratory disease (RD). Health traits were recorded as categorical traits according to incidence of occurrence (0: non occurrence; 1: occurrence once; and 2: occurrence twice or more). Heritability estimate of AFC was (0.07). Genetic correlations between calf-hood fitness traits and AFC were highly significant (0.45, 0.38, 0.34, 0.75, and 0.33) with ABW, W56, HH56, W200, and HH200, respectively. Meanwhile, genetic correlations between AFC and both health traits (Sc and RD) were (-0.19 and -0.01), respectively. Therefore, it is possible to build a selection index comprising calf-hood’s fitness and health performance and AFC.

Abstract Two field experiments were conducted during 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 seasons at Agronomy Dept. Farm., Agric. Fac., Assiut Univ., to study the response of lentil to foliar application of mixture phosphorus and potassium under different irrigation treatment. The results showed that: Irrigation treatments had a highly significant influence on the all studied traits except harvest index in both seasons. So, plants which received one irrigation (I1) at pre-flowering (45 days after sowing) produced the highest values of all studied traits. While, plants which received highest values of foliar application of mixture phosphorus and potassium produced the highest mean values of all studied traits except harvest index and protein% in both seasons. The interaction between irrigation management and foliar application of mixture phosphorus and potassium had a significant effect on all studied traits except harvest index and protein% in both seasons. Plants which received the mixture phosphorus and potassium with I1 irrigation produced the highest values of plant height (47.34 and 45.36 cm), number of branches plant-1 (4.52 and 4.25), number of pods plant-1 (46.25 and 44.35), seed yield (1.46 and 1.42 g plant-1), seed yield (1.42 and 1.41 kg plot-1), seed index (26.57 and 27.05), straw yield (6.43 and 6.65 kg plot-1), and seed yield (568.0 and 560.0 kg fed.-1) in the first and second season respectively, comparing with plants control.

ABSTRACT For studying the effect of intercropping system of onion plants on sugar beet plants, a field experiment was conducted at the Experimental Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, during two winter growing seasons of 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 to study the relative advantage of intercropping systems of sugar beet with onion on the growth, yield and yield components of the two crops intercropping parameters are also considered. The results showed that the root yield was not significantly decreased by intercropping with onion comparing with pure stand. Nevertheless the yield of sugar beet grown in monoculture was slightly high than obtained from any intercrop combination under study. Effect the associated cropping patterns of onion with sugar beet on yield and its components of onion crop were significant decreased by intercropping. These results may be due to competition between sugar beet and onion plants for nutrient, water and solar radiation. The highest values of LER and gross return were observed when sugar beet intercropping with onion as compared to mono crops of either species. This investigation showed that grown sugar beet intercropping with onion gave the highest economic return for the farmers.

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Abstract Two field experiments were conducted at El-Dakhla Oasis, New Valley Governorate, Egypt, during the two winter growing seasons of 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 to investigate the effect of three date palm compost rates (0, 5 and 10 m3 fed.-1) and three nitrogen fertilizer rates (50, 70 and 90 kg N fed.-1) on the yield and yield components of bread wheat in the New Valley. The most important findings could be summarized as follow: - Generally, yield and its attributes of wheat increased by adding compost. Application of 5 m3 fed.-1 compost treatment gave the tallest plants and the maximum straw and grain yields fed.-1, while application of 10 m3 fed.-1 compost treatment gave the highest values of spike length, spikelets number spike-1 and 1000-grains weight in both seasons, as well as application 10 m3 fed.-1 and 5 m3 fed.-1 compost treatments gave the maximum spikes number/m2 in the 1st and the 2nd seasons, respectively. - Increasing nitrogen fertilizer rate up to 70 kg fed.-1 increased yield and its components of wheat in both growing seasons. The maximum values of plant height, spikes number/m2 and straw and grain yields fed.-1 were obtained by using 70 kg N fed.-1, while the tallest spike and the heaviest 1000-grains were obtained by using 90 kg N fed.-1 in both seasons. - The tallest plants and the maximum values of spikes number m-2 and straw yield fed.-1 were recorded by applying 5 m3 fed.-1 compost with 70 kg N fed.-1 rate interaction treatment, while the maximum grain yield was recorded by applying 10 m3 fed.-1 compost with 70 kg N fed.-1 rate interaction treatment in both seasons. On the other hand, the highest values of spike length and spikelets number spike-1 were recorded by applying 10 m3 fed.-1 compost with 90 kg N fed.-1 rate in both seasons, while the heaviest 1000-grains weight were recorded by applying 10 m3 fed.-1 or 5 m2 fed.-1 compost with 90 kg N fed.-1 rate interaction treatments in both seasons.

Genetic linkage maps are deployed to locate quantitative trait loci (QTL) of traits of interest and speed up breeding programs. In this study, we used two Vicia faba L. backcross families (BCFams). Genetic linkage maps were constructed with 193 and 288 polymorphic amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers using 131 and 132 individuals for BCFam1 and BCFam2, respectively. The BCFam1 linkage map consisted of 18 linkage groups (LGs) encompassing 1134.7 cM, with a mean inter-marker distance of 11.94 cM. The BCFam.2 linkage map consisted of 19 LGs encompassing 1235 cM with a mean inter-marker distance of 9.29 cM. A set of 13 AFLP markers was homologous among maps of BCFam1 and BCFam2 as well as faba bean consensus map. These linkage maps will be beneficial for genetic analyses and diversity studies as well as for comparative mapping of faba bean and related species.

Reports show that salinity is a major problem that negatively affects agricultural activities all over the world. Although the importance of jojoba as a new industrial crop is known, but information concerning the relation between salt stress and physiological parameters such as antioxidant enzyme activity as well as membrane damage in jojoba has not been reported yet. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of different salinity concentrations i.e. 0, 4, 6, 8. 10 and 12 dSm-1 NaCl on plant growth, leaf measurements, antioxidant enzyme activity and some biochemical and mineral accumulation of jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis (Link) Schneider) plant grown in saline-alkaline soil. Salinity treatments significantly decreased plant height, number of both branches and leaves compared to the control. Salinity stress significantly reduced leaf area, stomatal density, relative water content (RWC), leaf chlorophyll content, N+, PO4-3, K+, Ca+2 and Mg+2, compared to control. Meanwhile, sodium, chloride and total soluble sugars were significantly increased with increasing salinity concentration and the homeostasis of minerals was disturbed. The Na+:K+ ratio was increased with increasing salinity level. Membrane permeability, proline accumulation and antioxidant enzymes activities (SOD, CAT and POD) were increased in salt stressed plants. The increment of both antioxidant enzyme activities and proline accumulation may suggest that they are involving as a part of the defense against salt stress in jojoba plant.