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Egypt did not previously grow buckwheat, due to the belief that the environment does not meet the factors of growth, development, and productivity in an arid or semiarid region. The present study investigated two species of buckwheat, Fagopyrum tataricum (FT) and Fagopyrum esculentum (FE), which were planted in two different soil, weather, and water property sites, including the first in Belbies City and the second in Sadat City in the middle of January, November, and March for two successive seasons, 2018–2019 and 2019–2020. The study uniquely focuses on Egypt to investigate three interactions of location × species, location × sowing date, and species × sowing date on growth and productivity. The parameters measured included plant height (cm), number of branches, internodes, and leaves per plant, fresh weight (gm), number of grains per plant, grain weight of 1 m2, and yield (kg/Ha). Our results indicated significant differences in all measured interactions. For the location × species interaction, FT planted in Belbies City consistently outperformed all other combinations, with a plant height = 97.704 cm in the 1st season and productivity = 859.38 kg/ha in the 1st season, while FE in Sadat showed the lowest growth and productivity. For the interaction of location × sowing date, Belbies × mid-March sowing achieved the highest plant heights of 84.89 cm and 75.44 cm, and productivity of 702.88 kg/ha and 708.21 kg/ha in consecutive seasons. Conversely, Sadat City × Mid-March sowing resulted in the lowest plant heights of 57.500 cm, and 57.667 cm, and productivity of 490.67 kg/ha, and 444.55 kg/ha. The species × sowing date interaction further emphasized the superiority of FT sown in mid-March, which led to the best plant height growth of 95.78 cm in the 1st season and the highest productivity of 837.55 kg/ha in the 1st season. In contrast, FE sown in mid-March exhibited the poorest outcomes. The study provides an understanding of the two-way interactions affecting buckwheat cultivation in Egypt. Our results indicated its viability with appropriate species selection and sowing dates, contributing to agricultural diversity and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was carried out at the Experimental Farm, University of Sadat City, Egypt for two successive seasons (2013/2014 and 2014/2015). Spastiano as a new Scotch potato cultivar in Egypt was used. The split plots in Complete Randomized Block Design (CRBD) was applied. The study aimed to investigate the effect of organic farming using natural spraying foliar ores of (biophertel 10 g/L + Biocide 5 g/L+ bentocide 10 g/L) and 500kg/fed soil application with natural elements mixture versus the conventional farming under four levels of water stress (100%, 80%, 60% and 50% of the ETc irrigation requirements) on potato. The significantly highest potato yield, size and number of tubers were figured out at irrigation level 100% ETc by conventional farming during season of 2014. The lowest values for the potatoes yield and its components characters were observed at irrigation level 50 % ETc by organic farming. Increase water stress resulted in decline the aforementioned characters during the two seasons. No significant differences could be traced regarding texture and colour of tubers cultivated by organic and conventional farming at 100 % Etc. Slight variation could be observed in terms of gross chemical composition of potato tubers cultivated by conventional and organic farming. No significant effect could be observed neither for type of farming nor water stress on sensorial acceptance of French fries. On the other hand, organic farming of potatoes resulted in lowering the oil retention in French fries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two field experiments were carried out to study the effects of three mulch treatments (black polyethylene, clear polyethylene in addition to a non-mulched control) under low tunnel system (with and without tunnel), on plant growth, flowering traits, fruit yield and quality of three strawberry cultivars (Fragaria & ananassa Duch); Festival, Sweet Charlie and Gaviota, grown in sandy soil under a drip irrigation system. The results indicated that the three tested strawberry cultivars which were mulched with clear or black polyethylene and tunneled exhibited significant increases in number of leaves, number of crown, leaf area, dry mass/plant, number of flower trusses / plant and it flowered earlier than the non-mulched and non- tunneled ones. Moreover, most yield potential characters i.e. early yield, total yield, yield/plant, marketable yield, culls yield and average fruit weight; were positively and significantly increased by the application of mulch (clear and black polyethylene mulch) and tunneled compared to non-mulched and non-tunneled ones. Furthermore, these treatments, significantly, enhanced most fruit quality characteristics; total soluble solids, total titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, and reducing, non-reducing and total sugars compared to the control. Both Festival and Sweet Charlie cultivars were exceeded Gaviota one, in this respect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]