Two field experiments were carried out at Arab El-Awammer Research Station, Assiut Governorate, Agricultural Research Centre, during 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 seasons. The present study assessed the effect of intercropping faba bean with some crops on the production, phyllosphere and rhizosphere microorganisms under modern irrigation systems. Two separates experiments were done and each experiment was subjected to one of studied irrigation systems (sprinkler and drip irrigations). Each experiment contained seven treatments of cropping systems (sole faba bean, sole onion, sole garlic, sole fennel, faba bean + onion, faba bean + garlic and faba bean + fennel). Results showed that plant height, number of branches/plant, number of pods/plant, seed yield/plant, weight of 100 seed and seed yield/fed of faba bean was decreased when intercropped with onion, garlic and fennel compared with sole faba bean in the both seasons. Drip irrigation produced the maximum yield and its attributes of faba bean as compared with sprinkler irrigation in the both seasons. Sole onion and garlic gave the highest values of yield/fed under drip irrigation as compared with intercrop with faba bean and sprinkler irrigation in the both seasons. However, fennel intercrop with faba bean produced the highest value of yield/fed under sprinkler irrigation as compared with sole fennel and drip irrigation in the both seasons. The highest value of land equivalent ratio (LER) 1.92 was observed when fennel intercrop with faba bean under sprinkler irrigation in the second season. Competitive ratio (CR) values of onion, garlic and fennel intercrop with faba bean were greater than of sole faba bean in the both seasons. The highest value of monetary advantage index (MAI) 6519.96 was observed when intercropping faba bean with garlic under drip irrigation in the second season. Rhizosphere and phyllosphere microorganisms were highly affected by the intercropping and various irrigation systems. Total counts of both bacteria and fungi in plants phyllosphere were high under sprinkle irrigation than under drip irrigation system while, in drip irrigation was highest in rhizosphere. Sole cropping contained higher microbial number than cropping system. Higher values of the biodiversity index indicate large variation in fungal communities of different plants especially in intercropping.

The objective of this paper was to assess four crop sequence system including wheat and maize grown in sandy soil of Upper Egypt with respect to the applied irrigation amount for each crop sequence, total production and water productivity. Two field experiments were conducted in Egypt during 2013/14 and 2014/15 growing seasons. Each experiment included four crop sequences: maize then wheat (CS1); maize, short season clover (SSC) then wheat (CS2); cowpea, SSC then wheat (CS3); cowpea intercropped with maize, SSC then wheat (CS4). The lowest amount of applied water was added to CS1 which resulted with low value of wheat and maize yield and the lowest water productivity. The highest amount of applied water was applied to CS2 and CS4 (similar values). The highest wheat yield and water productivity were obtained in CS3. The highest maize yield and water productivity was obtained from CS4. The highest total production (170.88 and 213.43 CU ha -1 in the 1 st and 2 nd season, respectively) and water productivity (0.093 and 0.114 CU m -3 in the 1 st and 2 nd season, respectively) for the studied crop sequences was obtained from CS3. In conclusion, higher water productivity for wheat in sandy soil can be attain by cultivating two legume crops before it (CS3); and for maize, it should be intercropped with a legume crop (CS4).

In order to study the effect of foliar spray by antioxidant (salicylic and ascorbic acids) and intercropping patterns on the production of both maize and soybean. Two field experiments were conducted at Agronomy Department Farm, Agriculture Faculty, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt during 2016 and 2017 seasons. Two factors were studied, the first one was foliar application of Antioxidant compounds (control, ascorbic acid at 200 ppm, salicylic acid at 200 ppm and ascorbic acid + salicylic acid at 200 ppm). Four intercropping patterns were used (maize-soybean 2:2, maize-soybean 2:1, sole maize and sole soybean) as a second factor. The obtained results showed that: The results indicated that foliar spraying with antioxidant and intercropping patterns enhanced significantly all traits in this study except plant height of maize in both seasons. Thus, the highest values of measured traits where observed from plants which sprayed with salicylic acid at rate of 200 ppm of the two crops in the two successful seasons. Maximum yield and its attributes of maize were produced from the sole maize sown followed by the intercropping pattern of 2:1 of maize and soybean in both seasons. In addition, maximum soybean yield and its related traits were produced from the sole sown followed by the intercropping pattern 2:2 of maize and soybean in both seasons. It could be concluded that intercropping pattern 2:2 of maize and soybean with foliar spraying salicylic acid at rate of 200 ppm recorded the maximum of land equivalent ratio (LER) and monetary advantage index (MAI) of the unit area under Assiut Government condition.

A field experiment was carried out at Mallawi Agricultural Research Station, Minia Governorate, ARC, during two successive summer seasons of 2017 and 2018 to study the effect of intercropping three fodder crops on productivity, quality and profitability of maize cv. Giza 168 and using different rates of NKP nano + mineral fertilizer. A complete Randomized Block Design in a split plot arrangement with four replicates was used in both seasons. Main plots were devoted for the following three fodder crops guar, cowpea and cilitora 50% of the recommended. The following rates of fertilizer , 100 % NPK mineral fertilizer, 100% NPK nano fertilizer,75% nano+25% mineral fertilizer, 50% nano + 50% mineral fertilizer and 25 % nano+ 75% mineral fertilizer added for maize from recommended does were allocated in the subplots. The highest values of these characters were obtained with 75% nano fertilization NPK + 25% mineral fertilization NPK fed -1 . Maize grain yield could be noted from the combined analysis that the yield of grain (ardab/fed) was representing 3. 07, 9.71.18.11.8.95 and 8.81% of pure stand of maize, respectively. The percentage of protein, phosphorus and potassium in maize grains increased in percentage compared to the individual in both seasons and combined. Intercropping cilitiora with maize and using 100 % mineral fertilizers recorded the lowest values for (LER& ATER). Net return of intercropping cowpea with maize and using rate 75% nano and 25 % mineral fertilizer 8589.4L.E. fed-1 an average of the two successive seasons.

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