To investigate the effect of nano-zinc fertilizer on growth, yield and mineral status of cotton plants grown under salt stress, a pot experiment was set up in the greenhouse of the National Research Centre. The treatments were as follows: (I) diluted seawater: 10% (S1), 20% (S2) and tap water as a control (S0), (II) 100 ppm (NZn1), 200 ppm (NZn2) nano-zinc and distilled water as a control (NZn0). Irrigation with 10 and 20% seawater decreased dry weight (DW) of leaves by 11.53 and 43.22%, while decreases in bolls were 15.50 and 71.65%, respectively. Except for root DW and top/root ratio, the measured growth parameters were increased as nano-zinc concentration increased. As for the interaction between treatments, the highest DW of stem, leaves and bolls resulted from the addition of NZn2 under normal condition, followed by NZn2 x S1 and the next was NZn2 x S2. The foliar application of 200 ppm nano-Zn led to mitigating the adverse effect of salinity and confirmed that diluted seawater could be used in the irrigation of cotton plant. However, phosphorus fertilizer should be added with nano-Zn application to avoid P/Zn imbalance. Some elements’ status and their ratios were recorded.

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For evaluation of moringa growth and its minerals content response to irrigation with diluted seawater and spraying by potassium silicate solitary (Si) or in combination with salicylic acid (Si+SA), a pot experiment was conducted in the greenhouse of the National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt. Negative relationship was shown between salt stress degree and plant growth characters i.e. plant height, leaves area and dry weight of root, stem and leaves, which decreased as the salt concentration increased in the diluted seawater. Nevertheless, shoot/root ratio and leaf water content were increased with salinity increased. All growth characters increased with Si+SA addition. While adding sole silicate gave more plant height than the combined application without significant difference between them. The highest positive effect was shown when plants irrigated by tap water and spraying with Si+SA together. Significant depressions were obtained in nitrogen concentration or content as a result of growing moringa plants under salinity condition. Similar response in P content but the differences were not significant. Calcium and K concentrations did not significantly responded with salinity but Mg concentration decreased significantly only with the first level of salinity. Calcium showed its higher

Irrigation with high salinity water influences plant growth, production of photosynthetic pigments and total phenols, leading to reduction in crop yield and quality. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of potassium (K) foliar application in mitigating the negative effects of salt stress on pepper plants. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of foliar application of potassium (K) on pepper plants grown with different salinity water irrigation (3000 and 6000 ppm as compared to tap water with salinity level of 300 ppm). Irrigation using high salinity water decreased plant height, biomass production, and fruit yield as compared to those of the plants irrigated by tap water. Photosynthetic pigments and total phenols increased in the former as compared to those of the latter plants. The most serious affect was for the plants under highest salinity irrigation (6000 ppm) as compared to that of the plants under moderate salinity irrigation (3000 ppm). Foliar application of potassium mono phosphate (KMP) at 200ppm concentration increased the plant growth, biomass production, and fruit yield. Chlorophyll_a content and total phenols increased significantly with foliar application of 100 ppm KMP. Further increase in foliar KMP concentration to 200 ppm had no significant benefits on photosynthetic pigments and total phenols content. This study demonstrated that foliar application of KMP, to some extent, mitigated the negative effects of high salinity water irrigation on pepper plant growth and fruit yield

Salinity stress impacts crop growth as well as production. The need for increased food production to feed the increasing population and the limited resources, i.e. optimal quality land and water, require developing strategies to mitigate marginal stresses, including salinity stress, for reasonable expectation of crop production. A pot experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at the National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt in the summer season of 2005 to evaluate the effects of foliar application of ascorbic acid alone or in combination with zinc sulfate on the growth and photosynthetic pigments of millet plants irrigated by tap water (250 ppm, 0.39 dS•m −1) or moderate to high salinity irrigation water [2500 ppm (3.9 dS•m −1) and 5000 ppm (7.8 dS•m −1)]. Increased salinity in the irrigation water decreased the plant growth, biomass, and carotenoid content. Foliar application of ascorbic acid alone increased number of leaves and leaf area, while in combination with zinc sulfate increased the plant height and total plant biomass. However, these treatments had no significant effects on the photosynthetic pigments. This study demonstrates that exogenous application of ascorbic acid can enhance foliar growth which may contribute to increased plant biomass and yield.

Healthy diet for elderly not only provides them with their needs from macro and micronutrients but also help preventing and treating age-related disorders including non-communicable diseases. So, the present study established to evaluate physical, sensory, chemical and biological characteristics of newly formulated functional instant soup mixtures as dietary supplements for elderly. Lyophilized chickpea, some vegetables and some byproducts (at 5% and 10%) were incorporated in the preparation of two instant soup mixtures. The biological effects of the mixtures were studied using a geriatric animal model. The results revealed a reasonable acceptance of the two mixtures even after storage period (4 months) in addition to their contents from protein, fat, crude fiber and carbohydrates (16.62, 6.20, 6.60 and 65.89%, respectively in mixture I; 16.89, 6.30, 6.30 and 54.16%, respectively in mixture II). Mixture II was more promised in flavonoids content and scavenging radical activity than mixture I. Feeding the geriatric rats on the two mixtures did not produce any change in either liver or kidney functions and suggested the ability of these mixtures to prevent the hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia and improve bone health. A slight decrease in brain lipid peroxidation, although not statistically significant, of rats has been observed upon feeding on these mixtures. Also, the two mixtures increased feces weight of rats which indicates to the beneficial effects of these mixtures in prevention of constipation. In conclusion the formulated instant soup mixtures with high acceptability and antioxidant activity can provide elderly people with high percent of their requirements from macro and micronutrients.

This experiment was conducted at the National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt during 2006 and 2007 winter season to evaluate the effects of spraying with tryptophan (TP) and nicotinic acids (NA) on onion plants grown under varying degree of salinity stress (irrigation water with 3000 and 6000 ppm salinity) as compared to tap water (300 ppm) irrigation. Irrigation by high salinity water decreased the number of leaves, mean bulb diameter, fresh and dry weight of bulb and whole plant. Foliar application of TP and NA significantly increased the top height and fresh weight, and bulb dry weight. The above beneficial effects were greater in the plants sprayed with NA as compared to those of the plants received TP spray. At the lower salinity level (3000 ppm), TP was more effective than NA in mitigating the negative effects of salinity stress. At the high salinity stress (6000 ppm), however, the converse was evident. The electrolyte leakage (EL) was not influenced by 3000 ppm salinity irrigation water as compared to that of the plants which received tap water (300 ppm) irrigations. However, it increased significantly in the plants irrigated by 6000 ppm salinity water. Lipid peroxidation (LP) and EL were significantly lower in the plants sprayed with TP or tapwater. In addition, spraying of NA or TP increased the plant growth and biomass weight. Therefore, the above foliar sprays appear to mitigate the negative effects of increased salinity.

Drought stress (DS) is an important limiting factor for crop growth and production in some regions of the world. Limitation in water availability precludes optimal irrigation in some production regions. Therefore, investigations on the interaction of other factors to mitigate the DS to varying degree are important. Two field experiments were conducted in the experimental farm of the National Research Centre, Shalakan, Kalubia Governorate, Egypt, during 2004 and 2005 summer seasons to evaluate the interactions between N, P, K rates and optimal vs. deficit irrigation regimes on biomass yield as well as water use efficiency (WUE) of forage sorghum. Omission of the 4th irrigation significantly decreased the biomass of sorghum c.v. Pioneer, as compared to that of the plants receiving optimal irrigation or subject to omission of the 2nd irrigation. The biomass yield increased with an increase in NPK fertilizer rates. Plant height and leaf area also decreased by omitting the 2nd irrigation as compared to that of the plants under optimal irrigation, and further declined with omission of the 4th irrigation. The biomass of the plants (dry weight basis) that received the high N, P, K rates was greater by 26%, 29%, and 35% as compared to that of the plants that received no N, P, K fertilizers, under optimal irrigation, omission of the 2nd, and omission of the 4th irrigation, respectively. The corresponding increases in water use efficiency (based on fresh weight yield) were 37%, 42%, and 55%.