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Low temperatures have a negative impact on eggplant growth and development. Also, cold stress especially causes yield-limiting during the Autumn growth season. So, the experiment was carried out in the net house at the Central Laboratory for Agricultural Climate, Giza, Egypt during the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 seasons. These studied factors were three different levels of phosphorus fertilizer (50,100 and 150% from recommended before transplanting doses) and foliar spraying with potassium silicate (0, 1, 2, 4 and 8gl-1). The effect of the two studied factors on growth, yield and quality of eggplant plants was tested. The experimental design was split-plot design with three replicates. The obtained results showed that applying 100% of phosphorus fertilizer has a significant positive effect on all studied traits. Otherwise, the least values were recorded by applying 50% of phosphorus fertilizer in the two seasons. Foliar spraying with potassium silicate at 1gl-1 increased all measured values on eggplant plants. On the contrary, the lowest values were reported by foliar spraying with potassium silicate at 8gl-1 in the two study seasons. The application combined 100% of phosphorus fertilizer rate and foliar spraying with potassium silicate at 1gl-1 had the best of all measured parameters. Alternatively, the lowest values were obtained by the application combined application 50% of phosphorus fertilizer and foliar spraying with potassium silicate at 8gL-1 under conditions trail. [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]

The impact of three substrate mixtures and three nutrient solutions on the vegetative growth, mineral content, production and fruit quality of strawberry (Fragaria×ananassa, cv. Festival) was studied under unheated double-span plastic house conditions, at the Central Laboratory for Agricultural Climate (CLAC), Agricultural Research Center (ARC) during the two winter seasons of 2012/2013 and 2013/2014. The three substrate mixtures were perlite:peat-moss (1:1 V/V) M1, perlite: plant compost (4:1 V/V) M2, and perlite : vermicompost (4:1 V/V) M3, while the three nutrient solutions were vermicompost-tea, animal compost-tea and mineral nutrition (control). The tested factors were arranged in factorial design with three replicates. Obtained results indicated that all studied characteristics of the vegetative growth, yield and its components, fruit quality and chemical characteristics were greater by using the substrates mixture perlite: peat-moss as compared to the other two mixtures, whereas firmness, fruit acidity (TA) and vitamins C in fruits were high by using substrate mixtures perlite: vermicompost. The highest concentration of heavy metals (Ni and Pb) in fruits was detected when using substrate mixture perlite: plant compost was used. Regarding effect of nutrient solution, the mineral fertilizer (control) significantly increased vegetative growth, yield and its components, TSS, fruit taste, vitamins C and chemical characteristics compared to other tested nutrient solutions. However, the fruit firmness, TA and heavy metals were significantly higher when animal compost tea was used. The highest significant values of vegetative growth, yield and its component, fruit quality and chemical characteristics were recorded for plants grown in perlite: peat-moss mixture and fertigated with the mineral nutrient (control), while plants grown in perlite: vermicompost mixture and got animal compost-tea as nutrient showed the highest values of fruit firmness, TA and heavy metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]