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The experiment was conducted in the Abi Al-Khaseeb orchard, Basrah, Iraq, during the 2019 season, on date palm (‘Hillawi’). The effect of foliar nano-fertilizer on the response of the growth and fruit ripening rate was positive. Adding nano-fertilizer to the annual date palm fertilization program improved growth and increased production. A comparison was done of foliar-applied NPK (traditional; 1 and 2 g·L−1), nano-fertilizer, and a combined treatment. The results revealed that the treatment of traditional foliar fertilizer and nano-fertilizer together increased the weight of fruit and bunches, water content, indoleacetic acid, and gibberellic acid relative to other treatments. Nano-fertilizers (1 g·L−1) led to an increase in fruit ripening rate, dry mass, total soluble solids, activity of the enzymes peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, and abscisic acid content. The leaflet protein expression shows that the appearance of protein bands 1 to 5 and 6 was upregulated by the control and traditional fertilizer, whereas the protein bands 6 and 7 were downregulated under nano-fertilizer. Hierarchical cluster analysis of proteins in the leaf in response to traditional fertilizer and nano-fertilizer showed two distinct clusters. The use of nano-fertilizer alone leads to the acceleration of fruit ripening, while the fruit production is increased using foliar nano-fertilizer with traditional fertilizer.

Opuntia spp. are among the most important potential crops in the sustainable agricultural development of arid and semi-arid regions. They are mostly known as a fruit crop, and it is slowly achieving the status of the formal crop; however, there is an increased interest in Opuntia fruit and cladode production due to the great demand for human and animal nutrition in the global market. Fruit are harvested based on peel color, fruit size, fullness and flattening of the floral cavity or receptacle. They are non-climacteric and highly perishable with a short shelf life of few days under marketing conditions. Shelf life is mainly affected by decay, which is related to physical damages during harvest and handling. The fruit is also susceptible to chilling injury when exposed to a prolonged cold temperature below 9 °C. For harvested cladodes, the acid content and flavor may fluctuate significantly during the day and can also be affected by postharvest storage temperature. Therefore, to reduce decay, maintain quality, and prolong the shelf life of Opuntia fruit and cladode, this chapter will discuss on harvest methods, as well as postharvest physiology and technology of Opuntia species that are used for the production of fruit, as well as cladodes that are widely used as a type of vegetables for human nutrition, in addition to those used as forage for animal feed.

The genus Opuntia, family Cactaceae, originated in Mexico and spread to arid and semiarid regions worldwide. Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. is one of the most agro-economically important cactus species due to its fruit value with high nutritional and medicinal importance. Fruit can be consumed fresh, processed, or as a juice. Some Opuntia species are wild, and fruit is not suitable for human nutrition, but plants can be used as forage for animal nutrition. Moreover, Opuntia spp. is used to produce cladodes that are widely used as a type of vegetables. Cultivation of Opuntia spp. is an easy process. To achieve good results, several factors should be considered, such as the location, planting method, environmental conditions, soil type, cultural practices, and harvest stage to produce high yield with good quality.

As a natural bio-stimulant, bread yeast has an influence on growth, yield and fruit quality of many crops. This research was conducted during two successive seasons, 2013 and 2014, in order to study the effect of spraying with yeast and potassium dehydrogenase phosphate (KH2PO4) on yield, bunch weight and fruit quality of 13 year old Sukary date palm. Five spraying treatments were performed with control (water only), potassium dehydrogenase phosphate at 1 and 2%, and yeast at 4 and 8%. These treatments were applied once at 4 weeks after pollination or twice at 4 week after pollination, repeated after another 4 weeks. All treatments with yeast or potassium dehydrogenase phosphate twice had a pronounced effect compared with the control fruit during both seasons. Spraying Sukary date palms twice with potassium dehydrogenase phosphate (2%) was effective in improving yield, bunch weight and fruit physical characteristics, while spraying yeast (4 and 8%) improved soluble solids content (SSC), and total and reducing sugars.

The present study was carried out to improve fruit set, yield, quality, marketability, and exportability of ‘Washington’ Navel orange. Pre-harvest foliar sprays of GA3, K, and Ca, either alone or combined, were applied at full bloom. The following treatments were applied: {control (T1), 25 mg/L GA3 (T2), 2% K2SO4 (T3), 25 mg/L GA3 + 2% K2SO4 (T4), 25 mg/L GA3 + 2% Ca Cl2 (T5), 2% K2SO4 + 2% Ca Cl2 (T6), and 25 mg/L GA3 + 2% K2SO4 + 2% Ca Cl2 (T7). All treatments improved fruit set, yield, physical and chemical characteristics, mineral content of leaves and fruit rind, and the percentage of exportable fruit in comparison to the control. Fruit set, fruit detachment force, peel firmness, and the mineral content of leaves and fruit rind were enhanced significantly with the combination of GA3 + K2SO4 + Ca Cl2 (T7) in comparison to all other treatments and the control. Results indicated that all foliar combination treatments improved fruit quality and marketability, and increased the percentage of expor...

Organic sources have received much attention from growers and researchers during the last two decades. Field and laboratory trials suggest that these organic substances have the potential to provide the plant with necessary nutrients, and to improve soil physical and chemical properties as well as to suppress plant disease pathogens and particularly fungal infections. This study was carried out during 2010 and 2011 at Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt. The effects of pre-harvest foliar sprays with compost tea (CT) or filtered biogas slurry liquid (BSL) at 50% and 100% on storability of Washington Navel orange fruits at room temperature [21 ± 2°C, 65–75% relative humidity (RH)] for 45 days and refrigerated (7°C, 90–95% RH) for 75 days were studied. Most of the four organic spray treatments had a significant effect at most sampling times in reducing fruit decay and weight loss, and maintaining fruit quality. The most effective treatment(s) and the significance of differences between spray treatments varied with paramet...

Sixteen-year-old navel orange trees at a private orchard located in Kafer El-Sheikh Governorate, Egypt, were used in this study. Compost tea (CT) and filtrate biogas slurry liquid (FLB) were applied at two different concentrations (50% and 100%); control trees were sprayed with water. Trees treated with CT at 100% were the highest in yield, fruit weight, and vitamin C, whereas the highest percentage of fruit set, fruit number, and soluble solid content (SSC), lowest fruit drop, and highest reducing and total sugars were in trees treated with 100% FLB. Concentrations at 50% for both foliar application (CT and FLB) improved yield and fruit characteristics than control treatment. Generally, using a foliar application of compost tea and filtrate biogas slurry liquid at (100%) treatments as food nutrients could be recommended to improve the yield and fruit quality of navel orange fruits under the current study conditions. Implications: Consequently from the previously mentioned results, it was clear the great ...

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a hereditary inflammatory disorder transmitted as an autosomal recessive trait. It predominantly affects people living in, or originating from, areas around the Mediterranean and was difficult to diagnose until mutations in the MEFV gene were identified. This study aims to analyse the five most common MEFV mutations in Egyptian patients diagnosed clinically as FME Thirty-eight unrelated patients were tested for the presence of the MEFV gene mutations V726A, M694V, M694I, M680I and E148Q, using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and the amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS). Twenty-three patients (60.5%) had one or more mutations, whereas no mutation was found in the remaining 15 patients (39.5%). The most common mutation was M694I (42.5%), followed by V726A (22.5%), M680I (17.5%) and E148Q (17.5%). The M694V mutation was not detected. The profile of MEFV gene mutations in this study suggests that the origin of FMF in Egypt is heterogeneous, a finding in concordance with that for other Arab populations; however, some differences were observed as M694V, the most common mutation reported in Arabs, was not detected in this study.

Fertilization is one of the most important cultural practices in date palm orchards. Spraying micro-nutrients has an important role in fruit set, fruit retention, development, improved total yield, and fruit characteristics. The present study was conducted during the two successive seasons, 2011 and 2012, in order to investigate the effect of bunches sprayed with boron and/or zinc on fruit set, yield, and fruit quality of 10-year-old “Mnifi” date palm. Bunches were pollinated by placing 10 “Meghal” fresh male strands among female clusters during both seasons. Nine spraying treatments were performed twice; 2 h before pollination and 4 weeks after pollination. Results of the two seasons indicated that application of 1500 ppm boron +300 ppm zinc (B1 + Zn1) increased total yield/palm, fruit weight and volume, flesh weight, soluble solids content (SSC), and total and reducing sugars. Fruit set and titratable acidity were improved with spraying of 1500 ppm boron (B1). Fruit dimensions and moisture content increased with B1 treatment in the first season and B1 + Zn1 treatment in the second season. Application of boric acid alone (1500 ppm) or combined with zinc sulphate (300 ppm) to get a positive effect on fruit set, total yield, and fruit quality of “Mnifi” date palm could be recommended.

Our research was conducted at the Agricultural Experimental and Research Station (Deyrab), College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in the 2011 and 2012 seasons. Twenty-one date palm females were selected, introduced into a randomized complete block design (RCBD), and subjected to three pruning treatments concerning the leaf/bunch ratio, whereas eight bunches were left on each experimental tree. The tested treatments, after two applications (after fruit harvesting and fruit setting), were: T1 = 8 leaves/bunch, first week in November, T2 = 10 leaves/bunch, first week in November, T3 = 12 leaves/bunch, first week in November, T4 = 8 leaves/bunch, first week in May, T5 = 10 leaves/bunch, first week in May, T6 = 12 leaves/bunch, first week in May, and T7 = control, without pruning. Control pruning treatment resulted in clear reduction in the yield/tree, whereas T5 (10 leaves/bunch, first week in May) gave the highest yield/tree. T5 led in most physical and chemical properties in both seasons. Fruits of T5 and T6 treatments revealed significant increments in fruit moisture percentage, as compared with the control. Generally, yield and fruit quality of Barhi date palm cultivar growing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, had improved leaf/bunch ratios and it was found that 10 leaves/bunch was sufficient to obtain a suitable yield of good quality fruits in the first week of May.