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The scarcity of water resources in arid and semi-arid areas is considered a threat to agricultural sustainability. Therefore, approaches are needed to rationalize use of irrigation water without reducing crop productivity or degrading soil properties. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of different organic amendments (O1 = control, O2 = compost, and O3 = vermicompost) combined with different rates of nano- zinc foliar spraying (Zn1 = 0, Zn2 = 1 and Zn3 = 2 gm/L), under irrigation supplements (I1 = 100%, I2 = 85%, and I3 = 65% of water requirements) on clay soil characteristics, on the production of Egyptian barley Giza 126. Over two successive winter growing seasons, 2018/2019 and 2019/2020, field experiments were conducted as a split-split plot design with three replications. The results show that using vermicompost is an appropriate organic amendment to improve the physical and chemical properties of soils as compared with compost. Application of vermicompost led to a reduction in soil salinity (ECe), exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), and soil bulk density (BD), of −5.67%, −5.44%, and −2.21%, respectively; there was a significant increase in soil organic carbon (SOC), available nitrogen (A.N), and field capacity (F.C.), of 43.75%, 14.37%, and 18.65%, respectively, compared with unamended soil (O1). The maximum values for grain yield were increased by 13.2% and 14.9% in both seasons, respectively, and the irrigation water productivity of barley was increased more than compost and control. Vermicompost increased the irrigation water productivity for grain (1.69 and 1.69 kg grain m−3) and straw (1.23 and 1.17 kg straw m−3) in the first and second season, respectively. Similar trends were also observed from treatments on the water applied, stored water, and water application efficiency. Application of vermicompost and nano-Zn foliar spraying could be exploited for the development of barley growth and yield, which are enhanced under water-saving irrigation strategies.

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In order to study the effect of genotype × environment interaction and stability of sugar beet genotypes for seven cultivars, viz Lilly, DS 9004, Gazella, Oscar Poly, Pather, Toro and Hercule. A field trail was sown in eight environments as major four locations (Sakha, Giza, El-Fayoum and Malawy) for two years (2011/12 and 2012/13) using a randomized complete block design, with three replications. Analysis of variance for root yield, sugar yield and sugar content showed that the environment and genotype and genotype × environment interaction (GEI) were significant. GEI were evaluated by two methods (phenotypic stability and AMMI model). According to phenotypic stability analysis results, genotype (Lilly) was the most stable for sugar content and root and sugar yield. This genotype recorded the highest root and sugar yield (30.34 and 5.22 ton/fed, respectively) across environments, and Sakha environment had the highest mean values of environments followed by El-Fayoum environment. AMMI model explained most of the genotype × environment interaction (85.97%, 83.34 % and 86.47 %) for root yield, sugar content and, sugar yield, respectively. Lilly was the best genotype based on the biplot, and showed specific adaptation to Sakha and El-Fayoum location. The varieties Pather, Hercule and Toro were the lowest variety among the evaluated varieties and it is better not to use it in the studied areas. The genotypes Gazella, Oscar poly and DS9004 had an average genetic potential for the studied traits, but its high general adaptability, then it could be introduced for all areas. Among the locations, Sakha was the best location, and was more similar to El-Fayoum. Meanwhile, Malawy was the poorest location. Therefore, two stability methods confirmed that Sakha and El-Fayoum are recommended as suitable regions for sowing sugar beet and Lilly variety could be suggested as the best genotype for these locations. Meanwhile, AMMI method showed new information.

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In order to study the combining ability, type of gene action and partition the components of the genetic variance to its constituents of additive and dominance gene effects using half diallel cross for eight genotypes to produce twenty eight sesame crosses. Two field experiments were carried out during two summer growing seasons 2016 and 2017 at Arab El-Awammer Research Station, Assuit, Agricultural Research Center. Results showed that mean squares due to both general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining ability were highly significant for all characters, indicating the importance of both additive and non-additive gene effects in the inheritance of studied traits. The ratio of GCA/SCA indicated that the largest part of the total genetic variability due to the additive and additive x additive was very important than the non-additive gene effects in the genetic variability for all studied traits. Estimates of GCA for eight parents revealed that P 8 was good combiner for plant height, length of fruiting zone, seed yield/plot and number of days to 50% flowering, while P 1 , P 2 was good combiner for number of capsules/plant, seed yield/plant and 1000-seed weight. Significant SCA effects were observed for some crosses, cross (P1xP5), (P1xP7) and (P2xP3) were the best ones for seed yield/plant. Additive "D" and dominance (H 1 and H 2) genetic variation were significant for plant height and seed yield/plot. The "D" parameter estimating the additive effect was highly significant and was larger in magnitude than the dominance parameters (H 1 and H 2) in the all studied traits indicating that the type of gene action is partial dominance. The positive and negative alleles were unequally distributed among the parents. All studied traits had a high values for the broad sense than the narrow sense heritability. Graphical analysis revealed that the regression lines cuts Wr axis above origin point, indicating partial dominance for all the studied characters.

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