Seven soybean entries namely;(Crawford, Giza 21, Giza 22, Giza 35, Giza 82, Giza 83 and Giza 111) with different reaction for highly yielding, tolerance for salinity, water deficit conditions and resistance for diseases were evaluated under twelve environments through two years (2015, 2016 seasons), three locations (the farm of agricultural research in Mansoura city, Dakahlia Governorate, the farm of agriculture research center, Sakha station Kafr El-Sheikh governorate and the farm of national research Centre in Nubaria, Beheira Governorate, Egypt) in addition two planting dates (the first planting date was 15 may, while the second date was 1 June) to study the range of genetic stability, the behavior responsible for the persistence cultivar, the interactions between these cultivars and all different environments and their effect on some yield components, respectively. Stability analysis was done using data calculated obtained from plant height, first pod height, number of pods/plant, 1000-grain weight, number of grains/plant, grain weight/plant and grain yield/plant traits beside (Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) through using four primers for the previous seven cultivars. The final results revealed that mean square variances of (Genotypes x Environments), (Environments+(Genotypes x Environments), the linear components of (Environments) and (Genotypes x Environments) and pooled deviation were highly significant and detected that the genotypes; (Crawford, Giza 21, Giza 22, Giza 35, Giza 83, Giza 111) were the most genetic stability entries according to the results of stability analysis specially (bi, S 2 di, R 2 ) and recommended for using it under different environments, while the cultivar (Giza 82) coming in the second rank. Heritability in broad sense was high in plant height, number of pods/plant and grain yield/plant traits which indicated that the environment effect on these traits through using the previous entries was very low with intension the genetic stability unlike the rest of traits studied. DNA Fingerprinting analysis was conducted to compare between the seven soybean entries using four primers namely; (OPC10, OPF-4, OPA-17, and OPG-5). The four primers recorded 12 amplicons, where 8 of them were polymorphic with 66.67% polymorphism, while 4 fragments were monomorphic. Cluster analysis divided the seven genotypes into two main clusters, where the first one contained the genotypes (2, 4), while the second cluster involved the rest of genotypes, respectively.

Background Sugar beet is considered a very important strategic economic crop, as it comes at the second place for white sugar production in Egypt after sugar cane and the sugar percentage in its roots is 20%. This work was conducted in Egypt as a direct response to bridge the gap which began to expand significantly between the production and consumption of white sugar and the desire for the genetic improvement process to increase the productivity of this crop. Further, as serious attempt to understand the nature of the genetic diversity among a group of sugar beet accessions with different origins, it constitutes an important source for establishing a program of breeding and improving sugar beet crop under Egyptian conditions. Results The process of verifying the existence of significant genetic variation between the eight sugar beet varieties with various origins was carried out through a set of genetic parameters through two growing seasons besides, the data of ISSR markers profile. Further, all the sugar beet varieties were superior in all the studied traits during their evaluation over two agricultural years, where the two sugar beet accessions Oscar Poly and Rass Poly are superior in TSS % and sucrose % traits, Mont Bianco and Sultan in apparent purity % trait, Blino and Sultan in root yield and top yield traits and Rass Poly and Blino in sugar yield trait, respectively. In addition, the values of heritability in broad sense were high in all studied traits except the two traits; sucrose % and sugar yield where their results were appeared medium during both growing seasons. In the same regard, expected genetic advance values showed significant genetic progress in all studied traits during the two growing seasons. As well, highly genetic diversity was obtained between the eight sugar beet accessions through generated 169 amplified fragments from the twelve ISSR primers, 122 of them were polymorphic with 72.18% polymorphism. Conclusions The eight sugar beet varieties achieved remarkable and distinctive results for all traits under study during two agricultural years. However, they were differentiated and various from each other. As they differed in their superiority in all estimated traits and they proved to be fertile material for studying in this investigation and very suitable for enriching the breeding and genetic improvement program to promote the sugar beet yield in order to increase the productivity of white sugar in Egypt.

Abstract. As part of a four year study evaluating the practicability and value of sewage sludge use in Egypt, soil and plant surveys were carried out on a citrus plantation, irrigated with Cairo sewage since the 1920s, in order to evaluate the long-term accumulation of trace elements and heavy metals and their bioavailability. While total and DTPA soil concentrations correlated well, no relationship could be found between soil and plant tissue concentrations, despite elevated levels of heavy metals in the soil. Study of long-term contamination of soil with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) has not demonstrated a potential risk to crop quality and yield or human health from the slow accumulation of PTEs in sludge-treated agricultural soil. PTE concentrations in plant tissues remained low and within normal ranges despite significant increases in soil content after long-term irrigation with sewage effluent. Concentrations of PTEs in plant tissues were not related to total or DTPA extractable metals in contaminated soil. DTPA may not be a sufficiently reliable indicator of actual phytoavailability of trace elements in sludge-treated soil, although it is accepted that DTPA is widely used in nutrient diagnosis assessment. These data provide assurance about the minimal risk to the environment from trace elements and PTEs in sludge-treated agricultural soil, but a more detailed dietary analysis of Cd intakes under Egyptian conditions is recommended, following the approaches adopted in the UK and US for setting Cd soil limits or loading rates for this element.

Maximum yield per unit area may be obtained by growing maize hybrids that can withstand high plant density. Maize genotypes differ in plant density tolerance (PDT). The objectives of the present investigation were to identify the density tolerant genotypes, to estimate the superiority of tolerant (T) over sensitive (S) inbreds and testcrosses and to identify the trait(s) of strongest association with PDT. Ninety-six testcrosses were produced between 23 inbreds and three testers. All genotypes were evaluated under low (LD), medium (MD) and high (HD) density (47,600, 71,400 and 95,200 plants/ha, respectively). The highest stress tolerance index (STI) under HD and MD was exhibited by the inbred lines L21, IL15, IL53, Inb176, IL80, L28, IL151 and L14 and the testcrosses IL51 × Giza2 , IL51 × SC10, L14 × SC10, L28 × Sd7, IL53 × SC10 and L28 × SC10, in descending order. Grain yield/ha (GYPH) of density tolerant (T) was greater than the sensitive (S) inbreds and Original Research Article

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