Two field trials using canola (var. Serw-6) were conducted to study and evaluate the effects of magnetizing irrigation water on Canola vegetative growth, photosynthetic pigments, seed, yield and water use efficiency as well as seed biochemical constituents and fatty acids composition of the yielded oils. Application of magnetizing irrigation water led to marked increases in growth parameters (plant height (cm), fresh weight and dry weight (g plant-1) and water contents (%); photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, chlorophyll (a+b), carotenoids and consequently total pigments). Treating plants with magnetized water increased also, seed yield and its components plant height (cm), branches (number plant-1),seed weight (g plant-1), pods (number plant-1), seeds weight (g pod-1), 100seed weight (g) and seed yield (kg fed-1) as well as seed biochemical constituents (oil (%), oil yield (kg fed-1) macro and micro elements). The treatment improved oil quality as it affected fatty acids composition of canola oil, by increasing total unsaturated fatty acids and total essential fatty acids. Moreover, Water Use Efficiency (WUE) increased significantly as a result of irrigation with magnetic water by 19.05% compared to control plant. The present findings have shown that irrigation with magnetized water could be employed as one of the most valuable modern technologies that can assist in saving irrigation water and improving yield and quality of Canola under newly reclaimed sandy soil. The usage of magnetic water in the agricultural production will enable intense and more quantities and qualitative production.

No abstract

Two field experiments were carried out at the experimental station of National Research Centre, Al-Nubaria District, El-Behira Governorate, Egypt during winter seasons of 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 to study the effect of potassium soil application at the rates (0, 50, 75 and 100 kg/fed.) with or without chelated zinc foliar application 5% at the rate of (0.03 kg/fed.) on the yield and quality of two flax varieties (Sakha-2 and Amon) in newly reclaimed sandy soil. The obtained results could be summarized as follow: Sakha-2 variety significantly surpassed Amon in plant height, technical length, number of branches/plant, seed yield/plant, straw yield/plant, 1000 seed weight, seed yield/fed., straw yield/fed., fiber %, fiber yield/fed. and oil yield/fed. Amon variety surpassed Sakha-2 in fruiting zone length, number of capsules/plant and oil % in both seasons. Potassium soil application at the rate of (100 kg/fed.) with chelated zinc foliar application 5% at the rate of (0.03 kg/fed.) gave the highest value for all studied characters.

Magnetic field is considered a simple and cheap method for stimulation of germination process compared to traditional chemical processes. In this research, laboratory experiment was conducted at Seed Technology Unit, Mansoura, Egypt to evaluate the effect of magnetic field on germination, seedling growth and cytogenetic characters of fresh and carry over (old) onion seeds (c.v.Giza Red). Seeds were magnetically pretreated by different magnetic field (0.03 or 0.06 T) using static magnetic device for different periods time (30, 60 and 90 mint). The obtained results indicated that magnetic field treatment increased all germination and seedling growth characters compared with control. Exposed fresh and carry over seeds to 0.06 T with 30 mint gave the heights values of germination percentage, germination rate, speed germination index and seedling growth parameters, that is, seedling length, seedling dry weight, seedling vigor I and seedling vigor II. Whereas, mean germination time was decreased using 0.03 T with 60 mint gave maximum values in carry over seeds and with 60 min in new seeds. Also, the results showed significant increase in mitotic activity and chromosomal aberration after 30 min treatments for both doses of fresh seeds and with 0.06 T of carry over seeds, while relative division rate (RDR) gave positive values and little disturbance in mitotic phase index. However, the percentage of mitotic abnormalities increased after all exposure treatments. It could be concluded that utilization of magnetic field could enhancement of germination of onion seeds but we need to be carry out more experiments to make magnetic map for all varieties of onion.

No abstract

Agricultural sciences take an interest not only in the common and valued cropforming factors, but also in those less expensive, safe environmentally and generally underestimated. The technology of magnetic water has been developed and subsequently used widely in the field of agriculture in many countries such as Australia, USA, China and Japan. Desperate its importance, it is not yet explored in Egypt. Therefore, the present work was carried out to study the response of some food crops using magnetized water for irrigation purpose under green house condition. Monocotyledonous such as wheat and flax and dicotyledonous such as chick-pea and lentil plants were selected for the present study. Based on the results of our experiments revealed all the plants which were irrigated with magnetic water exhibited a remarkable increase in vegetative growth and biochemical constitutions. Further the results indicated that the number of protein bands got increased in plants treated with magnetized water when compared to untreated control plants. Moreover, the magnetized water treatment increased yield and yield component traits of all crops. Over two seasons, the increases in seeds yield/plant in monocotyledonous crops reached to 9.10% and 31.33% for flax and wheat, respectively and in dicotyledonous crops reached to 24.92% and 38.46%, for lentil and check pea, respectively compared with crops irrigated with tap water. It may be concluded that the preliminary study upon the utilization of magnetized water could led to improve the quantity and quality of crop production under Egyptian condition.

No abstract

This study aims at the investigation of using magnetic water (MW) to manage brown rot (bacterial wilt) disease of potato. The effect of magnetic field (MF) on the viability of Ralstonia solanacearum (the bacterial causal pathogen of this disease) was investigated by passing the suspension of R. solanacearum through a magnetic liquid modifier tube. The viable count of the bacterial pathogen increased with the increasing of the incubation time (1, 2, 3 and 4 h) as well as with increasing the number of passes through the magnetic tube. In the pots experiment (carried out at Tag El-Ezz Agricultural Research Station, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt-during the period of 17 February to 12 May 2016), the irrigation with MW led to significant increases in total phenols, polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, total chlorophylls, chlorophyll a chlorophyll b, and carotenoids. Significant increase in plant height after 50 and 70 days of planting and decrease in disease rating were noticed. The viable count of R. solanacearum in rhizosphere of the plant irrigated with MW was significantly decreased after 70 and 108 days of planting when compared with the plants irrigated with tap water (TW). The irrigation with MW led to significant increase in potato yield (25.64 %) and a significant decrease in the percentage of infected tubers (40.22 %) in comparing with the plants irrigated with TW. These studies encourage more studies for the use of MW to manage brown rot disease of potato as well as other plant diseases.