Background. The lentil plant, Lens culinaris L., is a member of the Leguminoceae family and constitutes one of the most important traditional dietary components. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of sprouting for 3, 4, 5 and 6 days on proximate, bioactive compounds and antioxidative characteristics of lentil (Lens culinaris) sprouts. Material and methods. Lentil seeds were soaked in distilled water (1:10, w/v) for 12 h at room temperature (~25°C), then kept between thick layers of cotton cloth and allowed to germinate in the dark for 3, 4, 5 and 6 days. The nutritional composition, protein solubility, free amino acids, antinutritional factors, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of raw and germinated samples were determined using standard offi cial procedures. Results. Sprouting process caused signifi cant (P ≤ 0.05) increases in moisture, protein, ash, crude fi ber, protein solubility, free amino acids, total, reducing and nonreducing sugars. However, oil content, antinutritional factors (tannins and phytic acid) signifi cantly (P ≤ 0.05) decreased. Results indicated that total essential amino acids of lentil seeds protein formed 38.10% of the total amino acid content. Sulfur-containing amino acids were the fi rst limiting amino acid, while threonine was the second limiting amino acid in raw and germinated lentil seeds. Sprouting process has a positive effect on the essential amino acid contents and protein effi ciency ratio (PER) of lentil sprouts. Phenolics content increased from 1341.13 mg/100 g DW in raw lentil seeds to 1411.50, 1463.00, 1630.20 and 1510.10 in those samples germinated for 3, 4, 5 and 6 days, respectively. Sprouted seeds had higher DPPH radical scavenging and reducing power activities. Conclusions. Based on these results, sprouting process is recommended to increase nutritive value, and antioxidant activity of lentil seeds.

The present work was undertaken at the Nursery of Floriculture Plants, Faculty of Agriculture, Minia University, through the two growing seasons of 2021/2022 and 2022/2023, to evaluate the impact of compost fertilization levels (0, 50, 75 and 100 g/pot) and pinching treatments (no pinching, pinched once, -twice and -thrice), moreover, their interaction on vegetative growth, flowering parameters and some chemical composition of Cineraria hybrida plant. All compost levels significantly enhanced vegetative growth traits (plant height, stem diameter, number of branches and leaves/plant, leaf area and plant aerial parts dry weights), flowering traits (days taken to first flowering, number of flowers/plant, diameter and area of floral disc, flowering fresh weight and flowering duration) and chemical constituents [photosynthetic pigments (mg/g) and NPK (%)] comparing with control. In all cases, 100 g/pot compost was more effective in this concern. Pinching treatments significantly decreased plant height, in the same time, significantly increased the other abovementioned characters. In most cases, the treatment of pinching plants twice was the best treatment in this concern. The best interaction treatment was supplying plants with 100 g/pot compost plus pinched plants twice for good appearance of cineraria plant.