The predatory mites, Neoseiulus longispinosus (Evans) and N. womersleyi (Schicha) (Phytoseiidae) are two morphologically close species. Although they can be mainly separated by the length of the dorsal seta S5, misidentifications may occur. The present study investigated various strains of the two closely related species collected from Japan, Taiwan and/or Thailand using a combination of morphological and molecular data. We described and illustrated the adults and immature stages. We also sequenced the 28S region of nuclear ribosomal DNA to determine whether these strains represent different species. The two species could be clearly separated based on the length of seta S5 and the ratio of setae Z5/S5. In a 28S tree, the examined strains also formed separate clades with 100% bootstrap values. We conclude that a combination of different methods is often necessary to precisely distinguish these closely related taxa.

The objective of  this study was to determine the plant density  that result in the best marketable yields and gross crop value per fedan of onion Giza 6 cv. that grown   by sets .Sets were grown at the Experimental Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Assuit University, Assuit on September 13 and 15 in 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 seasons, respectively. Sets were grown on rows of 3.5 m long and 50 cm wide. Three rows were included each plot. Sets were grown at 4, 6 and 8 cm between plants (175,116 and 87 plants when sets grown on two sides of row and  262,175and131 plants when sets grown on three sides of row). Results showed  that  , plants gave the smallest bulb diameter when sets were grown at 4 cm space(high density) .The largest space between plants (low density) ,the highest value for both percentage of bolters and doubles were. The highest value of marketable yield was obtained when sets grown at 4 and 6 cm (262 and 175 plants/ row) and on 3 sides per row .Maximum economic returns occurred at higher plant populations.  High incidence of double onions was closely related to low onion plant population. Doubles clearly decreased with increased plant density. Wide plant spacing reduced onion bulb yield, but it significantly increased individual bulb weight and bulb diameter.

Field experiment were carried out on the clay soil of the Experimental Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University,Assiut in two consecutive  winter seasons 2007-2008 and 2008 -2009.The aim of this investigation was to study the effects of three planting dates and three seeding rates in cv. Giza 6 on yield and quality of onion sets un- der Assiut conditions. The obtained results indicated that the onion plants. Average bulb diameter increased significantly with earlier planting compared with later planting. Lower seeding rate gave significantly the biggest average bulb diameter. The authenticity bulb was obtained from planting on December 1st in the second sampling date (105 days).However, no true bulb was obtained from any planting date in the first sampling date (75 days)in both seasons. Lower seed rate (30 kg/feddan) significantly gave the truth bulb in both seasons.

The experiments of this study were conducted to investigate the effect of magnetized water and two other chemical substances that are kown as Agro promotor1 (substance No.48) and Agro promotor2 (substance No.50) on growth, yield and chemical composition of onion variety Giza 6.  These substances were obtained from Cairo University. Result revealed that growth parameters, yield and its component and chemical contents increased with using both of magnetic water and Agro promotor1 (substance No.48) at concentration of 3 ml/l comparing with control (untreated) treatment. Using magnetized water and Agro promotor1 (substance No.48) at concentration of 3 ml/l induced positive significant effect on plant height and weight, number of leaves/plant and bulb diameter as well as significantly improved neck and bulb diameters, bulb weight, total soluble soiled, total yield and marketable yield percentage than plants of control treatment which showed an increase in percentage of bolters, in both season. In general, it might be concluded that application of each of magnetized water and Agro promotor1 (substance No.48) treatments proved to be good technology to enhance growth, yield and quality when compare with untreated treatment. The marketable yield was increased by 30% as compared with control treatment by using magnetized water and increased by 22-235% when substance No.48 at concentration of 3 ml/l was used. The increase in total yield ranged from 12-15.4% when using magnetized water and was 14-15.4% when substance No.48 at concentration of 3 ml/l compared with control treatment. This study recommends using magnetized water to obtain the highest marketable yield and the lowest percentage of bolters. In case of magnetized water un-available, Agro promotor1 (substance No.48) at concentration of 3 ml/l can be applied.    

Subjection of seeds to a chilling pretreatment has been reported to enhance crop yield particularly earliness in number of vegetable crops including seed-grown (annual) globe artichoke.  Therefore, the current study was carried out to assess the impact of seed chilling pretreatment on the production of seed-propagated globe artichoke in two cultivars (EL-Balady and Chinese) under Assiut conditions. Four seed pretreatments were utilized. These were seeds imbibed in water for 24 h and subjected to chilling at 4-5 0 C for 0 (positive control), 10 and 15 d, in addition to untreated seeds (negative control). These seed pretreatments were scheduled so as to be simultaneously ready at the time of sowing. A field experiment was carried out to test these treatments during 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 winter seasons at the Experimental Farm of Faculty

of Agriculture, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt. Data revealed an influential effect for seed chilling on growth, earliness and yield of artichoke. Comparing to plants of both control treatments, imbibed seeds which were subjected to chilling at 4-5˚ C for 15 d gave the greatest reduction in number of days to form heads and highest early head yield. Average head weight, number of heads/plant and head diameter and height were increased while total yield was elevated. This pre-sowing seed chilling treatments increased yield by 22.5% and 40.3% relative to positive and negative controls, respectively, on average. The reduction in the number of days to develop harvestable inflorescences ranged from 21 d to 23 d comparing with the positive and negative controls, respectively, on average. Apparently, seed chilling pretreatment may be usefully applied to overcome the delay in head formation, due to insufficient natural chilling under Assiut conditions, while elevating total head yield and expanding production season

The current study describes the effect of coloured plastic mulch, clear and black polyethylene (PE), on growth and productivity of different summer squash varieties grown on February “off-season”. A field experiment was carried out during 2012and 2013  seasons at the Experimental Farm of Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt. The performance of different parameters studied for plant received different mulch treatments was superior to the control (bare soil) treatment. The genotypic differences among squash varieties investigated were found significant for all the studied parameters. Clear PE mulch was significantly more effective than the black PE mulch in this respect. Plants of cvs sown on clear PE flowered earlier than those sown on black PE or bare soil.Total fruit yield (ton/fed) was significantly increased by using clear PE (total fruit yield was 12.61 and12.94 ton/fed in the 1 st and 2 nd seasons, respectively; corresponding values for the bare soil were 7.61 and 7.74 ton/fed). Plants of ‘Eskandrany’ produced using clear PE were significantly the earliest to flower and gave the highest early and total fruit yield. It is concluded that mulching, especially clear PE,  can be usefully utilized to enhance the summer squash production when grown off-season

A field experiment was carried out during the two successive winter seasons of 2017/18 and 2018/19. The aims of the experiment were to investigate the effect of using three different mulch treatments (black polyethylene, clear polyethylene, and bare soil) on strawberry ‘Florida’ and ‘Winterstar’ cultivars (Fragaria X ananassa Duch) regarding the fruit yield, yield attributes, and some fruit quality characteristics (vitamin C, anthocyanin, acidity, TSS, and TSS: acidity), along with the financial aspects of using polyethylene mulching for strawberry productivity. Compared to the un-mulched plants, the total fruit yield of ‘Florida’ and ‘Winterstar’ plants was increased by ~40-49% and 17-18%, respectively in the black plastic mulching in the two years. Clear plastic mulching was accompanied by an increased total yield of ‘Florida’ by 19-34%, while decreased ‘Winterstar’ fruit yield by 14-24%. Regarding vitamin C content, the main effects of mulching treatment showed that plants grown in black plastic mulching had significantly higher vitamin C content than clear plastic (both seasons) or no mulching (second season). ‘Florida’ plants in the black plastic mulching achieved significantly the highest vitamin C levels compared to the other treatments. Similarly, ‘Florida’ plants in the black plastic mulching had higher TSS content than the other mulching treatments. Depending on the cultivar used and the growing season, plastic mulching (whether clear or black) was beneficial in improving the fruits anthocyanin content compared to the un-mulched plants. In conclusion, plastic mulching (especially the black) was helpful in improving fruits contents of vitamin C and anthocyanin compared to the un-mulched plants. Regarding the financial aspect, using black plastic mulching for strawberry production in Assiut governorate was more profitable than the un-mulched farm.

Production of pumpkin cv" Kafr Saad"(C. moschata), Damietta landrace, was assessed for plants rose from chilled seeds and girdled plants comparing with untreated ones when grown 50, 75 and 100 cm apart. Sowing was done on May of summer 2010 and 2011. The greatest number of leaves per plant and the highest leaf total sugar content (35 and 40 d after planting) was detected when growing at 75 cm within-row space. Growing plants 75 cm apart gave the highest fruit yield. Fruit yield of plants from chilled seeds substantially surpassed the yield of girdled plants and untreated. The increase in the yield from plants rose from chilled seeds averaged 36.00–40.44% over that of the untreated plants. Girdling either did not change the fruit yield or slightly reduced it as compared to control treatment. Fruit harvested from plants grown 75 cm apart was larger in weight than those produced from plants grown 50 cm apart but smaller than others grown at 100 cm. However, growing at 75 in-row space produced fruits containing elevated carotene, TSS and dry matter comparing with the other spaces. These internal fruit traits were the highest in girdling followed by seed chilling treatments. This study recommends growing pumpkin 75 cm apart employing seed chilling as a simple treatment that adding no production costs while can significantly enhance fruit yield and quality.

Soil salinity limits wheat growth, but several fungal species can promote the productivity under saline conditions. This study investigated how Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and Penicillium funiculosum and Fusarium oxysporum (PFFO) affected wheat growth under saline conditions.

Wheat, inoculated with AMF, or PFFO, or with AMF and PFFO, was stressed with 75, or 150 mM NaCl in the soil. AMF colonization, grain yield, shoot and root dry weights, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), and chloride (Cl), relative permeability, chlorophyll and proline contents and root malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined.

Salinity limited the grain yield, and reduced N, P and K uptake and chlorophyll content. As soil salinity increased, shoot Na and Cl contents, relative permeability and proline content, and MDA increased. PFFO enhanced root colonization with AMF, N and P uptake and AMF significantly increased N, P and K uptake and chlorophyll content and decreased proline, Na, Cl and MDA contents. Compared to AMF, or PFFO, dual inoculation with AMF and PFFO decreased shoot Na and Cl uptake, increased chlorophyll, shoot N and P contents and K/Na ratio and resulted in approximately 25, 35 and 43% higher grain yield at 0, 75 and 150 mM NaCl, respectively.

Data showed that Penicillium funiculosum and Fusarium oxysporum promoted AMF symbiotic effects and alleviated the deleterious effects of NaCl salts on wheat growth