Humic acid is not a fertilizer as it does not directly provide nutrients to plants, but is a compliment to fertilizer. Nicotinamide (Vitamin pp) is a stress-associated compound that can induce and regulate secondary metabolic accumulation and/or the manifestation of defense metabolism in plants. A field experiment was conducted at the experimental station of National Research center at El-Nubaria region, Egypt, to study the role of foliar application of humic acid (as soil conditioner 13 cm/l) and/or priming grains in nicotinamide (vitamin pp 5 mg/l) in saving irrigation water, decreasing fertilizer dose of NPK and at the same time increasing durum wheat (Triticum durum) cultivars' (Beni Sweif-1 and Beni Sweif-3) productivity grown under newly reclaimed sandy soil exposed to drought for three weeks continuously. The results showed that plant treated with humic acid or nicotinamide increased significantly all morphological criteria (plant height, leaves number, fresh and dry weights of shoots), metabolism (photosynthetic pigment, total soluble sugar, total carbohydrates, total amino acids and proline), mineral contents (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) and yield (grain, straw and biology) of both cultivars amended with either recommended or half recommended doses of NPK. Foliar application of humic acid to plant priming in Vitamin pp induced significant increases in all studied parameters (morphology, chemical and yield) of plants amended with recommended or half recommended doses of NPK as compared with control plants. The maximum yields of grain, straw and biology of both cultivars were obtained in response to triple treatment (humic acid + nicotinamide + recommended dose of NPK) or (humic acid + nicotinamide + half recommended dose of NPK) respectively.

These experiments were carried out at Ismaelia, Beheira and Kalubia Governorates on Nuclear, foundation and classical strawberry plants. The aim of the work to study the effect of strawberry transplant order i.e., mother plants or super elite plants, on some vegetative growth and transplant productivity Moreover to collect strawberry samples from roots and runners showing disease symptoms stunting root rots, wilt and death also to isolate and identify the causal organisms and their effects on growth and yield losses. Results show that number of runners and leaves increased significantly in tube plants and nuclear plants compared with the other tested orders. Number of transplants increased significantly in nuclear and foundation plants. Cultivars and transplant order were affected by soil borne diseases whereas, Tamar and Yael cultivars showed some infected plants as stunting, root rots, wilt and death in either open field as classical plants and greenhouse as foundation plants. Higher root system diseases was recorded in Tamar compared with Yael in both greenhouse and open field plants. The percentage of naturally diseased cv. Tamar were 3.6 % and 1.6 % in open field (classic plants) and greenhouse (foundation plants) respectively. While the Yael cultivar recorded 0.8 % and zero in either classic plants and foundation ones respectively. The causal agents were Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum, Macrophomina phaseolina and Rhizoctonia solani. Results show also that Fusarium genus was the most fungal frequency occurred which recorded 41.2% followed by Macrophomina which gave 35.3% frequency while Rhizoctonia was less which recorded 11.8%. Roots of strawberry transplants were more infected organs compared to crowns as they recorded 44.7% and 33.3% respectively. Results indicate also that the highest infection percent was found in Kalubia followed by Ismailia and the lowest was Behira governorate. Finally, results indicated clear reduction in yield and fruit quality due to the different root rot diseases. Ragab, M. E et al. 22

This study was carried out during 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 seasons in two experiments. The first was conducted to investigate the effect of four strawberry nursery mother plant orders, i.e., nucleus, foundation, registered and certified and two promising cultivars, i.e., Tamar and Festival on number and quality of transplants in the nursery. The second experiment aimed to study the same treatments on yield and fruit quality using transplants derived from the above mentioned orders and cultivars. A split plot design was adopted. Results of the first experiment indicated that nucleus plant order showed the highest values of number of transplants/plant, number of roots and crown diameter/transplant. Plants derived from foundation order exhibited the highest values in crown diameter and root length. Also, plants derived from certified order showed the highest root length. As for the cultivar effect, Tamar cultivar showed higher significant values in number of transplants/plant and number of roots than Festival, while Festival plants indicated significant increases in root length and plant height as compared with Tamar. Results of the interaction showed that nucleus plants of Festival cv exhibited the highest values of number of transplants while plants derived from nucleus Tamar showed the highest values of root length and transplant height. Results of the second experiment indicate that transplants derived from nucleus order showed the lowest values of early yield while those derived from foundation order exhibited the highest values of fruit firmness and total acidity. The highest early and total yields as well as total soluble solids were produced from plants derived from registered order. Results showed also that Festival cv, showed higher values of early and total yield and total acidity than Tamar while Tamar fruits indicated higher total soluble solids and ascorbic acid than Festival. The interaction show that plants derived from registered Festival cv gave the highest values of early and total yield while the heaviest fruits were harvested from plants derived from nucleus Tamar cv. The study conclude that it could be recommended to use registered plants (the second generation from tissue culture plants) of Festival to obtain high early and total yield for local market also with high acidity and firmness for export markets.