To improve the salt tolerance of Genovese cultivar of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) plants, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of certain growth substances (salicylic acid, seaweed extract, dry yeast and moringa leaf extract) on growth, volatile oil percentage and yield as well as chemical constituents under saline water irrigation stress conditions (control, 1000, 2000 and 4000 ppm NaCl). The obtained results revealed that the higher salinity levels (2000 and 4000 ppm NaCl) caused significant decreases in vegetative growth measurements of basil plants compared to control and the lowest salinity level (1000 ppm NaCl). Maximum reduction was observed at 4000 ppm NaCl which showed higher increase of the total phenolics and free proline contents. All recoded parameters were enhanced for plants grown under 1000 ppm NaCl. Seaweed extract was superior than other treatments in enhancing the plant tolerance to salinity which appeared in the significantly increasing of growth and volatile oil content of basil. Phenolics and proline contents were increased with salicylic acid treatment comparing with other ones. The best combination recommended as a result of the current study is treating basil plants with seaweed extract under low salinity level (1000 ppm) for improving the growth and volatile oil parameters.

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The current experiment was conducted to study the response of Ficus elastica var. decora air-layers to seven treatments of IBA (control, 50 and 100 ppm in rooting substrate, 1500 and 3000 ppm by painting girdled zone, and 1500 and 3000 ppm in talc paste) in the presence of root promoting microorganisms including Bacillus subtilis and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). The obtained results indicated that 3000 ppm IBA applied by painting girdled zone gave a significant increase in rooting percentage and the best root and growth characteristics (number of days for root appearance, number, length, fresh and dry weights of roots per rooted air-layer, survival percentage, plant height and number of leaves and shoots) as well as total content of carbohydrates and phenolics, and showed the shortest period required for root appearance in comparison with the other treatments. Air-layers treated with B. subtilis were superior to those treated with AMF. The best results concerning rooting percentage, root characteristics, total contents of carbohydrates and phenolics, survival percentage, increment in growth of air-layers after six months from detachment were observed in airlayers treated with 3000 ppm IBA by painting girdled zone in combination with B. subtilis followed by the same IBA treatment combined with AMF.

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Field experiment was performed during the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 seasons at the Floriculture Nursery, Experimental Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University to investigate the effects of plant spacing (15 and 30cm) and various fertilizer treatments; cattle manure (15m3/feddan), NPK fertilization [ammonium nitrate (33.5% N) 60, calcium superphosphate (15.5%P2O5) 45, and potassium sulphate(48%K2O) 48kg/feddan] and bio-fertilizers [Biogen (500g) and phosphorein (300g/Kg seeds) were added either individually or in combination].A complete randomized block design in a split-plot arrangement with four replicates was used in this experiment. Plant spacing was randomly distributed in the main plots and fertilizer treatments in the sub plots.Data obtained showed that significant increases were found in branch number, seed production, yields of volatile and fixed oil in seeds in relation to plant spacing of 30cm comparison to that of 15 cm. Moreover, leaf contents of carbohydrates, nitrogen, phos