Abstract Botrytis umbel blight caused by Botrytis allii is a major disease that attacks onion crop. In vitro, Trichoderma viride, Penicillium chrysogenum, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae and extract of bitter apple fruits (Citrullus colocynthis) showed antagonistic effect and inhibited the mycelial growth of B. allii. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of bitter apple fruits showed the existence of 37 compounds and their derivatives. Among them, 10 compounds constituted 58.66% of the total analyses. Greenhouse experiment approved that the extract of bitter apple fruits was the most effective in reducing disease incidence and severity, followed by P. chrysogenum, when they were applied 2 days pre-inoculation with the pathogen. All treatments significantly increased the total phenolic contents than the untreated control, but the highest increase was obtained when S. cerevisiae and P. chrysogenum were applied. A positive correlation was found between the activity of bioagents and improvement of peroxidase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase enzymes in onion plants to resist infection with the pathogen. P. chrysogenum caused the highest increase in polyphenoloxidase activity in infected onion plants, while S. cerevisiae showed the lowest level of this enzyme. The study approved that application of the bioagents not only protected the onions against Botrytis disease but also enhanced the content of antioxidant compounds in onions. This encourages the application of such preparations to manage the production of onion crop, especially in the organic farming that bans the application of any chemicals.

A field experiment was conducted for two successive years to investigate the conventional propagation of Rosa hybrida cv. Eiffel Tower using stem cuttings as affected by the growing season of the year, cutting type and the application of indol-3-butyric acid (IBA) at different concentrations. Uniform cutting types ~ 15-20 cm long (apical, median and basal) were collected from the current year growth of healthy mother plants. Then the cutting bases (2-3 cm) were soaked for 20 minutes in different concentrations of IBA (0, 500, 1000 and 1500 ppm) and the lower end of the cuttings were stuck into 14-cm plastic pots filled with a peat: perlite mixture (1:1v/v). The obtained results statistically analyzed by ANOVA showed that rooting percentage of stem cuttings, number of roots and root length varied according to cutting type, concentration of IBA and growing season. The median cutting type was significantly superior to the other types in both autumn and spring seasons. IBA application significantly improved rooting percentage, root number and root length of the treated cuttings comparing to the untreated ones (control). A significant interaction between cutting type and IBA concentrations was observed on most of the characteristics measured during the autumn season only.

Little information is available about the Cd-phytoextraction mechanism by quail bush [Atriplex lentiformis (Torr.)S. Wats]. A pot experiment was conducted using a Cd-polluted soil (50 mg kg−1) to explore mechanism of Cd-phytoextraction by quail bush as well as the role of EDTA and vinasse as mobilizing agents. EDTA was applied ata rate of 0, 1, 2, and 3 mmol kg−1, while vinasse was applied at a rate of 0, 4, 8, and 16 ml kg−1. EDTA hadnegative effects on the physiochemical properties of the soil. In contrast of EDAT, vinasse caused a remarkablebetterment in soil conditions where it increased the soil structure and porosity by 35 and 48% and increased thesoil acidity by 8.3%. Growth of roots and shoots reduced by 29 and 33%, respectively; when EDTA was appliedat a rate of 3 mmol kg−1, on the other hand the application of 16 ml of vinasse kg−1increased the roots andshoots growth by 20 and 21%, respectively. The highest rate of vinasse induced a 31% increase in chlorophyllcontent but 3 mmol of EDTA caused a great negative stress in plant growth and induced a 78% increase inproline content. EDTA and vinasse enhanced the transfer of Cd from soil to roots and from roots to shoots. Quailbush amended with vinasse at a rate of 16 ml kg−1was able to remove 8.34% of the total soil Cd during a100 days, while that amended with 3 mmol of EDTA was able to remove 5.51%. EDTA was more effective inincreasing Cd availability and uptake, but sugarcane vinasse was more effective in enhancing the Cd-phytoex-traction. Based on the obtained results, using sugarcane vinasse to enhance Cd-phytoextraction by quail bush isan effective plan to remediate Cd-contaminated soils.

A field experiment was conducted at Faculty of Agriculture Farm, Assiut University, New Valley branch during 2015 and 2016 summer season to study the response of five peanut genotypes to phosphorus fertilization levels. This experiment was laid outin arandomized complete block design (RCBD) in a split plot arrangement with three replications. Phosphorus levels (P) were distributed randomly on the main plot and peanut genotypes at sub plot. The obtained result show that peanut plants fertilized with 45 kg fed.-1 P2O5 significantly gained the highest mean values of most studied traits in the two growing seasons. Furthermore, peanut genotypes had a significant effect on most studied traits in both seasons. Thus, L35 peanut genotype surpassed the others tested genotypes in most studied traits in both seasons. Moreover, the highest mean values of seed yield and oil yields were obtained from45 kg fed.-1 P2O5 and L35 peanut genotype surpassed all other genotypes in seed and oil yields in both seasons.

The present investigation was carried out at Elwady El Assiuty Experimental Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University during 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 seasons to study the effect of nitrogen fertilizer splitting on the productivity of six local bread wheat cultivars under sandy soil condition. Randomized complete block design (RCBD) using strip block arrangement with three replications was used. Cultivars under study viz. Giza-168, Misr-1, Misr-2, Sids-1, Sids-12 and Shandaweel-1 were arranged in horizontal strips, while splitting (3, 4, 5 and 6 times) nitrogen fertilizer treatments were allocated to vertical strips. The obtained results pointed out that the superiority was to Sids-1 cultivar in plant height and spike length in both seasons. Moreover, Sids-12 cultivar surpassed other studied cultivars in spike number m-2, biological and grain yields (ton ha-1) in both seasons. While, Misr-1 cultivar was superior the other studied cultivars in harvest index in both seasons. Here too, Giza-168 and Shandaweel-1 had the highest content of chlorophyll in both seasons. Also, the obtained data showed that 1000 kernel weight (g), biological and grain yields and harvest index increased when nitrogen fertilizer was split into five equal doses in both seasons. The previous findings were true with regard to chlorophyll content in the second season only. The tallest plants were obtained when nitrogen fertilizer was split into six equal doses in the two growing seasons. Moreover, the highest numbers of spikes m-2 were recorded when nitrogen fertilizer was split into at three equal doses in both seasons. Also, spike length and spikelets number spike-1 were increased when nitrogen fertilizer was split into four equal doses in both seasons. Moreover, the interaction between wheat cultivars and nitrogen fertilizer splitting had a significant influence on all studied traits in both seasons. The highest mean values of chlorophyll content and plant height were recorded from Shandaweel-1 and Sids-1 cultivars, respectively in both seasons when nitrogen fertilizer was split into six equal doses. Finally, the highest grain yield was obtained from Sids-1 cultivar when nitrogen fertilizer was split into five equal doses.

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