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The aim of this study was to determine temporary impacts of different fertilization systems on some labile soil biochemical and biological properties following potato monocropping under arid conditions. Field and incubation experiments were conducted to determine specifically soil organic carbon (SOC); dissolved organic carbon (DOC); dissolved organic nitrogen (DON); microbial biomass C (C mic), N (N mic), P (P mic); bacterial and fungi counts; soil resistance index (SRI); net N mineralization (N min); and some enzyme activity. Levels of SOC; DOC; N min , C mic , P mic ; bacteria and fungi counts; and soil respiration (SR) were significantly increased under organic and integrated fertilization systems compared with inorganic nano or NPK fertilization system, while levels of microbial biomass N (N mic) and DON were markedly increased under nano or fertilizers compared to organic or integrated (organic + inorganic) fertilizers. By contrast, higher values of metabolic quotient (qCO 2) were recorded in nano or fertilizer treatments suggesting that microbial biomass was less efficient under high maintenance of soil carbon. Enzyme activities of dehydrogenase (DH), β-glucosidase (βG), and acid phosphatase (Ac-P) were in the order of organic > integrated > inorganic fertilization systems, while enzyme activity of urease (UR) was in the vice versa order. Integrated fertilization system recorded greater levels of SOC; DOC; N min , C mic , P mic ; and SR relative to inorganic fertilizers even though applied at lower rates. It is, therefore, important for soils under monocropping system to poise organic and inorganic fertilization system that enhances soil health and soil organic matter build-up.

A field experiment was carried out during two successive seasons of 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 at the Nursery of Ornamental plants, Faculty of Agriculture, Mania University. The aim of this study was to investigate impacts of compost at four levels (0, 5, 10 and 15 ton/fed) in combination with Microbein biofertilizer (M.B.) at 50 ml/plant and/or some antioxidant treatments (salicylic and ascorbic acids) on vegetative growth and flowering of Gladiolus grandiflorus var. Jester plants. Results showed that vegetative growth and flowering parameters of leaf length (cm), number of leaves/plant, leaves dry weight/plant (g), length of spike (cm), spike diameter (mm), spike fresh weight (g), number of florets/spike, lower floret diameter (cm) and lower floret fresh weight (g) were gradually increased with significant differences by increasing levels of compost. In addition, Microbein biofertilizer (M.B.) and/or some antioxidant (salicylic and ascorbic acids) treatments significantly increased all vegetative growth and flowering parameters in comparison with control treatment. Microbein biofertilizer plus salicylic acid and ascorbic acid were more effective in this concern. It was found also that the use of compost (15 ton/fed) in combination with Microbein biofertilizer plus salicylic acid plus ascorbic acid followed by 15 ton/fed with M.B. plus ascorbic acid then 10 ton/fed with M.B. plus salicylic acid plus ascorbic acid noticeably improved different vegetative growth characters and flowering parameters of gladiolus plants. As the most important characters for the quality of gladiolus, the largest length of spike (season one 65.76 cm and season two 65.76 cm), largest number of florets/spike (season one 11.65 and season two 11.98) and the highest lower floret diameter (season one 7.79 cm and season two 8.34 cm) were achieved with compost (15 ton/fed) in combination with Microbein biofertilizer plus salicylic acid plus ascorbic acid. From the results of this study, it could be concluded that adaptability of gladiolus corms of Jester variety (Gladiolus gradiflorus) to the Egyptian environmental conditions is confirmed.

Soils must receive maximum protection to assure sustainable agriculture and quality food production. Heavy metals tend to accumulate in the soil rather than decompose and at a certain limit of their content, toxic consequences for living organisms occur. This research was conducted to survey the contamination status of Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb and microbial activity in soils affected by long-term sugarcane monoculture in Upper Egypt. The rise of diacetate fluorescein hydrolysis (FDA) ranged from 86.25 to 201.25 mg kg -1 soil•h -1 in sugarcane monoculture fields, while the increase under crop rotation fields showed higher and significant values ranged from 207.25 to 266.67 mg kg -1 soil•h -1 . In this study, generally soil microbial biomass and enzymatic activity was usually and significantly higher under crop rotation than sugarcane monoculture. The highest potential ecological risks were found in soils under long-term irrigated sugarcane monoculture, while being moderate for crop rotation. Under both sugarcane monoculture and crop rotation farming systems, cadmium Cd was observed to be the urgency pollutant with the highest degree of contamination even though Cd had the lowest average concentration (Cd 27.03 mg kg -1 ) in sugarcane monoculture fields, and Cd (10.46 mg kg -1 ) in crop rotation. In view of the impacts of these potentially toxic elements of cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) and lead (Pb), on the ecological system and public health, the introduction of new management practices in sugarcane monoculture fields are essential to protect the environment and to achieve future sustainability in sugarcane production in Upper Egypt.

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