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Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis A15 and Enterococcus faecium A15 had antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes EGDEe 107776. Bacteriocins produced from isolated strains are stable between pH 5 and 8 and stable also until 100C for 10 min. The amount of bacteriocin produced by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis A15 reached to the maximum (2560 AU/mL) at the end of logarithmic phase while Enterococcus faecium A15 was observed in logarithmic phase. PCR results revealed the presence of nisin Z structural gene in Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis A15 and enterocin B gene for Enterococcus faecium A15. Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis A15 was free from genes of asa1, gelE, esp fm , cylA, efaAfs. Otherwise, Enterococcus faecium A15 did not contain an asal, esp fm and cylA genes. Tested strains were sensitive to kanamycin, vancomycin and gentamycin. Tested strains were not able to hydrolyze red blood cells. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSNowadays, the addition of bacteriocins and/or bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as natural food preservatives to food products (i.e. cheese and yoghurt) has been considered with the aim of increasing the food safety of these products. Bacteriocins have successfully been used to control Listeria monocytogenes. Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis A15 could be used as starter culture or co-culture in food system for preventing the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and increasing the safety and shelf-life of dairy products. Enterococcus faecium A15 was able to produce gelatinase but not able to hydrolyze red blood cells. On the other hand, the bacteriocin produced from Enterococcus faecium A15 may find application as bio-preservatives for increasing the shelf-life of Egyptian Dairy products.

Two field experiments were carried out at El-Karada station of irrigation requirements, Kafr El-sheikh Governorate, during the two summer seasons 2008 &2009, to study the effect of irrigation regimes (irrigating soybean plants at 25, 50 and 75% of available soil moisture depletion (ASMD) and biofertilizers (inoculation soybean seeds with phosphoriene, Rizobial and their mixture, comparing with recommended NPK) on yield and its components, as well as, some water relations of soybean plants. The experimental design is split plot with three replicates, where the main plots were assigned to irrigation regimes, while the sub plots were devoted to biofertilizers.Results showed that both of irrigation treatments and biofertilizers had highly significant effect on yield and its attributes of soybean plants. Irrigated treatments after the depletion of 50% in available soil moisture, gave the highest values of plant height, No. of branches per plant, No. of pods/plant, pods weight /plant, seed weight /plant,1000 seed weight and seed yield (kg/fed) in both growing seasons. Meanwhile, the lowest values of the abovementioned parameters were recorded under irrigation at 75 % ASMD in both seasons. Data also showed that phosphorien + rhizobial inoculation produced the tallest plants; however, the remains aforementioned characters were the highest under application of recommended NPK, followed by rhizobial inoculation in both growing seasons comparing with phosphorien.Seasonal applied water (as an average of the two seasons) was 3451.4, 3006.9 and 2515.5m3 /fed for irrigation at 25, 50 and 75%ASMD treatments, respectively. Irrigating soybean plants at 25% ASMD recorded the highest seasonal water consumption as an average of the two seasons (2272.9m3 /fed), followed by irrigation treatments at 50% ASMD (2074.2m3 /fed) , while the lowest seasonal water consumption was recorded under irrigation at 75% ASMD, and found to be (1859.2m3 /fed). The highest values of crop water use efficiency (0.96&0.84 Kg/m 3 ) and water productivity (0.66&0.58 kg seed yield /m3WA) were achieved under irrigation at 50% ASMD in both seasons, respectively. Meanwhile, irrigating soybean plants at 75% ASMD recorded the lowest values of CWUE (0.56&0.39 kg/m3 ) and water productivity (0.38 &0.29 kg/m3 ) in the 1 st and 2 nd seasons, respectively.

Genus Allium (F. Amaryllidaceae) includes a wide variety of edible foods widely consumed for their nutritive as well as health benefits. Seven Allium species, viz., chives, Egyptian leek, French leek, red garlic, white garlic, red onion, and white onion aerial parts were assessed for metabolome heterogeneity targeting both aroma and nutrients phytochemicals. A headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) were employed. Results revealed extensive variation in volatiles and nutrients profile among the seven Allium species represented by a total of 77 nutrients and 148 volatiles. Among edible Allium species, French leek encompassed high levels of nutrients, viz., sugars, fatty acids/esters, organic acids, and amino acids, compared to Egyptian leek. Sulfur aroma compounds appeared as the most discriminatory among Allium, taxa accounting for its distinct flavor. Furthermore, chemometric analysis of both datasets showed clear discrimination of the seven Allium species according to several key novel markers. This study provides the first comparative approach between edible and inedible aerial leafy parts of Allium species providing novel insight into their use as functional foods based on such holistic profiling.

Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile (Zygophyllaceae), also known as the desert date, is an edible fruit-producing tree popular for its nutritional and several health benefits.