Evaluation of heavy metal content in Qaroun Lake, El-Fayoum, Egypt. Part I: Bottom sediments

AbstractThis paper was undertaken in order to assess the extent of contamination in bottom sediments of Qaroun Lake, El-Fayoum, Egypt. Sediment samples were analyzed for grain size distribution and heavy metals concentration. Ten heavy metals were determined (in ppm) by X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry. The average concentration values in sediments are 2.99 (As), 124.89 (Cr), 38.91(Cu), 14.21 (Pb), 54.74 (Ni), 58.76 (Zn), 3.27 (Sn), 6.77 (Mo), 162.77 (V) and 11.70 (Co). Most of these metals are found with high concentrations in the eastern part of the lake, comparing with them in sediments of the central and western parts. The impact of drains effluents on the lake sediment-metals content is revealed. The dependence of concentrations on the sediment grain size is examined and high correlations between silt and clay-sized grains and the concentrations of Cr, Cu, Ni and Mo are deduced (R ranges from 0.61 to 0.73). Potential contamination of the lake is assessed using the contamination indicators, the geo-accumulation index, Igeo and contamination factor, Cf and the degree of contamination, Cd. Based on the obtained results, it is concluded that the lake sediments are found in contamination conditions. They are moderately contaminated with Cr, Mo, V and Co metals

Optimized potential of utilization efficiency and productivity in wheat by integrated chemical nitrogen fertilization and stimulative compounds

Foliar sprays application is an important crop management strategy, which could help to maximize yield and other beneficial substances. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted at Kafrelsheikh University research farm, Egypt, to study the effect of stimulating compounds (control, salicylic acid and ascobien) and nitrogen levels (0, 57.5, 115, 172.5 and 230 kg N ha-1) on yield and nitrogen utilization efficiency of wheat. Results indicated that spraying of ascobien and increasing nitrogen level had significant effect on yield traits. Interaction between stimulating compounds and nitrogen were achieved progressive increases in all yield traits, furthermore, the magnitude of increments was much more pronounced in response to salicylic acid and control treatments in both seasons. It was observed no statistically significant difference between 172.5 and 230 kg N ha-1 in both seasons. A significant interactive effect were observed on grain N uptake, whole plant N uptake, nitrogen harvest index (NHI), nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUtE) and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by using foliar spraying combined with N fertilizer. Grain N uptake and whole plant N uptake were closely correlated with nitrogen under stimulating compounds, whereas ascobien with 172.5 kg N ha-1 was more effective than salicylic acid in both seasons. Interestingly, foliar spraying of ascobien and N level of 172.5 kg ha-1 was the optimal and could be a useful to improve the efficiency of N-fertilizer and it can be saved 57.5 kg N ha-1. Consequently, could be the key to reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and decrease the cost of production

Interaction between cationic and conventional nonionic surfactants in the mixed micelle and monolayer formed in aqueous medium

Mixed micellization and surface properties of cationic and nonionic surfactants dimethyl decyl-, tetradecyl- and hexadecyl phosphineoxide mixtures are studied using conductivity and surface tension measurements. The models of Rubingh, Rosen, and Clint, are used to obtain the interaction parameter, minimum area per molecule, mixed micelle composition, free energies of mixing and activity coefficients. The micellar mole fractions were always higher than ideal values indicating high contributions of cationics in mixed micelles. Activity coefficients were less than unity indicating synergism in micelles. The negative free energies of mixing showed the stability of the surfactants in the mixed micelles

Inheritance of some agronomic characters and rusts resistance in fifteen F2 wheat populations

Six parents, i.e. Gemmeiza 9, Sids 12, Misr 1, Misr 2, Sids 1 and Sham 4, were used and evaluated with corresponding 15 F2 crosses. The parents in each cross were significantly different for most of these characters, revealing the different genetic background of the parents involved. The phenotypic variances in the F2 crosses were differed significantly from the environmental variances in the corresponding parents in most cases. The parents Gemmeiza 9, Sids 12, Misr 1, Misr 2 were resistant for leaf rust and Gemmeiza 9, Sids 12 and Sids 1 were resistant to stem rust. Among the crosses, three crosses, i.e. Misr 2 x Sids 1, Misr 1 x Sids 1 and Gemmeiza 9 x Sids 1 gave the highest grain yield. The means of F2 hybrids were higher than the means of the parents for most studied characters. The ranges of the F2 values went out the ranges of the two parents in most cases, exhibiting transgressive segregation. Most characters showed moderate to high values of broad sense heritabilities. The studied plants in the F2's crosses segregated and gave ratios fitted the ratios 9:7, 9:7, 3:1, 1:3, 13:3 and 3:13 for leaf rust and 9:7, 7: 9, 3:1, 1:3, 3:13 and 1:15 for stem rust with insignificant χ2 values, indicating that the resistant parents for leaf and stem rusts had one or two genes and were complimentary dominance, recessive or independent in their expressions. Based on the resistance to leaf and stem rusts, suitable plant height (90-110 cm) and grain yield higher than the highest parent, 8-17 plants were selected from seven crosses

A COMPARATIVE STUDY FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE AND YIELD STABILITY IN DIFFERENT GENOTYPES OF BARLEY (Hordeum vulgare L.)

ABSTRACT This comparative study was conducted to access the drought tolerance and yield stability in different genotypes of barley. Study was conducted in growing seasons of 2013-14 and 2014-15 by imposing two water regimes viz. optimal and water stressed. Result of study revealed sufficient genetic variability among the genotypes, substantial expression of genetic potential and the importance of selection was based on stress condition. The mean squares of irrigation regimes explained most of the variations for all the traits in both growing seasons, indicating the relative importance of the genotypes in drought tolerance. Water deficient conditions highly affect the various growth parameters, yield and yield traits in both the studied growing seasons. Among the studied genotypes, Line 2 genotype have minimum heading and maturity time so this genotype could be use as a source of earliness in breeding program. Further, Line 7 and Line 11 genotypes showed highest yield potential under water deficit condition in both seasons, possessed high values for MP, YSI, STI, GMP, YI, and least SSI values less than one indicating suitability of these genotypes for drought tolerance and desirability for both water deficit and non-deficit conditions

Towards in vitro selection studies for salinity tolerance in Canino apricot cultivar. Effect of gamma irradiation on in vitro mutation and selection for salt-tolerance

In vitro mutation method was used to obtain salt-tolerant clone in apricot. Small propagules of Canino apricot cultivar were irradiated with gamma ray at doses of 0, 10, 25, 35, 50, 75 and 100 Gy. After 30 days from treatment, both the radio sensitivity and post-irradiation recovery were assessed as the number of proliferated shoots per explants, fresh weight of cultures, shoot length and productivity of irradiated explants. A sudden and sharp decrease in the survival percentage occurred with the dose 75 Gy, while the highest dose (100 Gy) was lethal for all propagules. A marked decline in the number of regenerated shoots per explant and fresh weight of produced cultures was associated with an increase of irradiation doses. Doses in the range of 10-75 Gy, which preserved high survival percentage of irradiated explants, seemed to be more suitable for in vitro mutation in Canino apricot cultivar. Irradiated shoots were exposed to different concentrations of NaCl which were added to the multiplication medium at the rates of 25, 50, 75, 100, 125 mM and after 30 days, vigorous shoots were selected from salinity treatments. In conclusion, apricot tissues exposed to different doses of gamma irradiation in the range of 10-75 Gy, followed by culturing the plantlets produced in a medium containing additional salts (ranging from 25 to 125 mM) can be considered a good method to identify the most tolerant mutants to salts in apricot cultivars

Modern Biotechnologies: Innovative and Sustainable Approaches for the Improvement of Sugarcane Tolerance to Environmental Stresses

[EN] Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is one of the most important industrial cash crops, contributing to the world sugar industry and biofuel production. It has been cultivated and improved from prehistoric times through natural selection and conventional breeding and, more recently, using the modern tools of genetic engineering and biotechnology. However, the heterogenicity, complex polyaneuploid genome and susceptibility of sugarcane to different biotic and abiotic stresses represent impediments that require us to pay greater attention to the improvement of the sugarcane crop. Compared to traditional breeding, recent advances in breeding technologies (molecular marker-assisted breeding, sugarcane transformation, genome-editing and multiple omics technologies) can potentially improve sugarcane, especially against environmental stressors. This article will focus on efficient modern breeding technologies, which provide crucial clues for the engineering of sugarcane cultivars resistant to environmental stressesThis research was funded by the Natural Science Foundation, PR China (grant numbers: KF2015080, KF2015118, KFA17263A, KJG16005R).Shabbir, R.; Javed, T.; Afzal, I.; El Sabagh, A.; Ali, A.; Vicente, O.; Chen, P. (2021). Modern Biotechnologies: Innovative and Sustainable Approaches for the Improvement of Sugarcane Tolerance to Environmental Stresses. Agronomy. 11(6):1-20. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11061042S12011

Evaluation of turmeric-mung bean intercrop productivity through competition functions

An intercropping experiment was conducted with varying combinations of turmeric and mung bean to find out the efficacy of productivity and economic return through competition functions. Treatments were evaluated on the basis of several competition functions, such as land equivalent ratio (LER), aggressiveness, competitive ratio (CR), monetary advantage index (MAI) and system productivity index (SPI). Results showed that rhizome yields of turmeric were higher in intercropping system than in mono crop. It indicated that intercropping of mung bean did not affect the rhizome yield of turmeric. However, turmeric (100 %) + 3 row mung bean (100 %) in between turmeric lines intercropping system exhibited maximum yield of both the crops as well as turmeric equivalent yield, LER, competitive indices values, SPI and MAI (Tk. 2,44,734.46 ha-1) compared to the other intercropping combinations and the mono crops. Aggressiveness of intercrop indicated dominance of turmeric over mung bean in all the combinations except turmeric (100 %) + 1 row mung bean (33 %). Competition functions of intercroping suggested beneficial association of turmeric and mung bean crops. The study revealed that mung bean could be introduced as intercrop with turmeric without hampering rhizome yield with higher benefit additionally increasing mung bean production area. © 2018 University of Ljubljana. All rights reserved

Antimicrobial Activity and Quantum Chemical Calculations of Pyrazol-2,3-Dihydrothiazole Sugar Derivatives

A number of new [(pyrazol-4-yl) methylene] hydrazono-2,3-dihydrothiazoles, sugar hydrazones, and their N-glycoside derivatives were synthesized. The chemical structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by 1H NMR technique. The newly synthesized compounds were tested for their antimicrobial activities and showed moderate to high inhibition activities. Quantum chemistry calculations were used to study the molecular geometry and electronic structure of the selected derivatives. The energy gap between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO)and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) has been calculated using the theoretical computations to reflect the chemical reactivity and kinetic stability of compounds. Keywords: 1H-pyrazole, aminothiazole, ethylchloroacetate, quantum chemical calculations, antimicrobial activity