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Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is an oilseed crop flourishing in marginal lands. It has a high nutritional value because it is rich in protein and fat and has many health benefits. However, the varieties of this crop available in Egypt are very few. Seventeen new sesame lines incurred evaluation in two crop seasons, 2021-2022, for seed yield under eight environments comprising normal and drought conditions in sandy and clay soils. Applying 16 parameters and non-parameters of stability helped select stable and adaptive sesame lines under ideal and drought conditions, with the genotypes arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Line C5.8 achieved the highest relative productivity in sandy and clay soils and exhibited a good source for breeding programs under drought conditions. Four lines, C1.3, C9.15, C9.6, and C9.20, under eight different environments had higher seed yield than the control. A genetic-environment interaction (GEI) effect on seed productivity occurred in all sources of the combined analysis. The association between seed yield and stability parameters showed the possibility of using a selection index that included some of them to identify sesame genotypes with higher yield and genetic stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The absence of calcium decreases the production of peanuts compared to any other element. To investigate the influence of calcium (Ca) applications on the production and seed quality of four diverse peanut cultivars from different regions—USA (NC-7), Egypt (Giza-6) and Nigeria (Samnut-23 and Samnut-24)—under clay soil conditions, two experiments were carried out at the Agricultural Experimental and Research Station, Cairo University, Egypt, during the two seasons of 2016 and 2017. The experimental design was a randomized complete block in a spilt-plot arrangement with three replications. The main plots were allocated to four peanut cultivars (Giza-6, Samnut-23, Samnut-24 and NC-7), and the sub-plots were devoted to calcium applications (soil application in the form of calcium sulfate dihydrate, foliar application in the form of calcium oxide and the control treatment of distilled water). Results indicated that all four peanut cultivars responded differently to the application of calcium fertilizers. The calcium application significantly enhanced peanut growth, yield components, biological, pod, seed, oil yields, seed oil, free fatty acids and seed calcium percentages in different cultivars. Soil calcium application significantly improved peanut production compared to foliar calcium application. NC-7 cultivar treated with the soil Ca application resulted in the maximum values of biological yield (92.9-ton ha−1), pod yield (6.8-ton ha−1), seed yield (4.4-ton ha−1), oil yield (2247.0 kg ha−1), pod index (203.2 g) and seed index (84.1 g). The interaction between the NC-7 cultivar and soil calcium applications is recommended to attain the best combination, leading to the highest yield and seed quality of peanuts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to improve the engineering properties of expansive soil by using locally low-cost materials such as crushed glass wastes and lime. The studied expansive soil is considered unsuitable soil for civil engineering projects such as roads and buildings, as it was classified according to the AASHTO classification A-7-6. This soil was treated only with different ratios of crushed glass wastes (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% by weight of dry soil), as well as the soil was treated only with different ratios of lime (0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% by weight of dry soil). Experiments of Atterberg limits, standard Procter, direct shear, free swell, swelling pressure, and both un-soaked and soaked California Bearing Ratio tests were carried out on the untreated and treated soil. The results showed that by increasing added percentage of crushed glass wastes and lime separately, the consistency properties (Atterberg limits), the shear strength parameters (direct shear test), free swell, swelling pressure, and both un-soaked and soaked California Bearing Ratio of the studied expansive soil were improved; except for compaction characteristics, by adding crushed glass wastes the M.D.D was increased and O.M.C was decreased while by adding lime, the M.D.D was decreased and O.M.C was increased. This helps to make use of low-cost local materials, clean the environment of glass wastes, and recycle these wastes so that they can be used on an environmental, economic, and engineering level. This aligns with Egypt's Vision 2030 sustainable development approach in both the environmental and economic dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current article aimed to examine the effect of organic and biofertilizers on the growth and yield of lavender essential oil (Lavandula Officinalis L.). This experiment was conducted over two consecutive seasons in 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 at the net house of the Central Laboratory of the Agricultural Climate Research Center in Dokki, Giza Governorate, Egypt. To assess the effects of biofertilizers (Azospirillum spp., Azotobacter spp.) and active dry yeast on the vegetative development, chemical composition, yield, and essential oil concentration of lavender. The obtained results showed that, treated plants with compost + Azospirillum spp. + Azotobacter spp. was the superior treatment, which improved plant growth characters i.e., plant height, number of branches, fresh and dry weights/herb. Chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids concentrations, the phenolic compounds, flavonoid content, total carbohydrates content in dry matter of herb, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium, total free amino acids, the total antioxidants and the endogenous hormones in all cuts. Essential oil content carried out to evaluate the quality of oil. Also, significant increase was showed with active dry yeast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity and weed infestation are major challenges to soybean production. Therefore, two field experiments were conducted in a strip plot design including three replicates in the 2019 and 2020 summer seasons at Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Agricultural Research Centre, Egypt, to investigate the effect of three irrigation levels (I0 (100%), I1 (90%), and I2 (80%)), and six weed control treatments of pendimethalin (T1), oxyfluorfen (T2), bentazon + clethodim (T3), imazethapyr (T4), hand-hoeing twice (T5), and untreated check (T6) on annual weeds, physiological traits, water relations, and yield and its components of soybean cv Giza 111. Results indicated that intermediate irrigation levels lead to the highest yield and economic return, while the herbicide program that resulted in the greatest weed control gave the highest yield. The rate of weed infestation in field experiments was 19.7 and 21.8 t ha−1 dry weights, which decreased soybean yield by 56.9 and 57.1%, compared to treatment (T4). The interactions between 100 irrigation level (I0) and imazethapyr (T4), bentazon + clethodim (T3), and hand-hoeing twice (T5) gave the highest significant values of the most studied characters. Furthermore, under 90% irrigation, all weed control treatments give the best control of weeds and the highest values of the economic criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-year experiment (2018 and 2019) was conducted to investigate the conjoint effect of applying rice straw as a soil mulch and treating snake cucumber (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus) plants by potassium silicate solution (4 mM) either by soaking seeds or by foliar applications for different periods, on soil fertility, vegetative growth and yield traits, antioxidant activities in plant, nutrient uptake, and total yield under heat stress conditions. The experiment was conducted during summer season (the maximum weekly temperature ranged from 35.8 to 40.6°C) on a clay soil at Dokki field under greenhouse conditions, Giza governorate, Egypt. The treatment of T5 (soaking seeds for 24 h in potassium silicate solution) combined with covering soil with rice straw gave superior effects on enhancing soil fertility and nutrient uptake, increasing chlorophyll content, increasing antioxidant enzymes activity, decreasing proline and other free amino acids (FAA), total soluble salts (TSS), and vitamin C content, and these were probably the reasons that increased the plant tolerance to face the stress. Total yield increased by 13.4 and 8.19% under rice straw soil cover. Also, its highest values were achieved by the treatment of T5 (173 and 200%), during the two tested seasons, respectively. Results of this study suggest that the conjoint effect of using rice straw as a soil cover and treating plants with potassium silicate solution (4 mM) by soaking their seeds for 24 h is beneficial for improving soil fertility, nutrient uptake as well as for crop production under heat stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Groundwater head increased up to 26.70 cm for the year 2060. • Land subsidence under the over-pumping scenario is specified. • The shoreline moves inland with a drawdown to 2, 9.50, and 14.80 m. • Future infrastructure planning should consider the land subsidence threat. Land subsidence (LS) due to the Sea Level Rise (SLR) and over-pumping was observed in many groundwater aquifers worldwide. The geotechnical properties and numerical simulation are considered a new integrative approach to investigate the LS hazard. This study investigates the environmental hazards related to LS in the quaternary sediments using laboratory and numerical modeling in the coastal aquifer of Nile delta, Egypt, due to SLR and over-pumping. Therefore, the geotechnical tests are conducted for the aquifer cap and classify the surficial soil as silty clay with moderately complex dispersive characteristics. In addition, hydraulic conductivity and one-dimensional consolidation of silty clay samples were analyzed to estimate the long-term settlement. Consequently, the groundwater head and drawdown were simulated for the current situation. Three proposed future scenarios are SLR and increased abstraction using the SEAWAT code. The results show that groundwater heads increased to 5.65, 14.50, and 26.70 cm for 2020, 2040, and 2060, respectively. Moreover, the estimated LS under the over-pumping scenario reached 7.60, 32.40, and 52.70 cm, with a maximum drawdown of 2.10, 9.70, and 15.10 m. SLR and over-pumping induce more inundation in the northern part due to SLR. The shoreline moves inland with a drawdown to 2, 9.50, and 14.80 m. Integration of measured and groundwater simulation settlements would provide appropriate information about the potential environmental hazards. Moreover, the future LS scenarios help stakeholders to make the right decision in developing effective measures in coastal aquifers to minimize the adverse impacts of LS on infrastructure waterways and human life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]