The leopard moth, Zeuzera pyrina (L.) (Lepidoptera: Cossidae), is a xylophagous species that has become a serious pest in the olive (Olea spp.) orchards in Egypt. Both chemical and biological control have scored poorly against this pest and additional methods are needed. A simple, but efficient UV-light-pheromone sticky trap (“Hegazi model”) was devised for leopard moth mass trapping. Activity of leopard moth and efficiency of pheromone-baited, light, and pheromone and light traps were evaluated. The combination of light and sex pheromone was optimally attractive to leopard moth populations in olive orchards. A comparison between light traps baited with sex pheromone in mass-trapping method and conventional controls (insecticidal and physical removal of larvae) in heavily infested plots was carried out between 2002 and 2005. Leopard moths have long flight period, starting in mid-May and lasting until early November. Females of leopard moths were rarely trapped, but all had eggs. In mass-trapping plot, the seasonal captures and active galleries diminished from one year to the next, which may indicate the effectiveness of the method. From May 2003 to October 2005 greater reduction in total counts of active galleries was observed in mass-trapping plot compared with those recorded in the control field, in which chemical sprays and manual killing were performed. Yield from trees in mass-trapping field was significantly increased in comparison to control trees. The study strongly recommends the use of mass-trapping method instead of pesticides against the leopard moths, not only to control them but also to mass trap and monitor other lepidopterous pests of olive trees.

The leopard moth, Zeuzera pyrina (L.) (Lepidoptera: Cossidae), is a damaging pest for many fruit trees (e.g., apple [Malus spp.], pear [Pyrus spp.] peach [Prunus spp.], and olive [Olea]). Recently, it caused serious yield losses in newly established olive orchards in Egypt, including the death of young trees. Chemical and biological control have shown limited efficiency against this pest. Field tests were conducted in 2005 and 2006 to evaluate mating disruption (MD) for the control of the leopard moth, on heavily infested, densely planted olive plots (336 trees per ha). The binary blend of the pheromone components (E,Z)-2,13-octadecenyl acetate and (E,Z)-3,13-octadecenyl acetate (95:5) was dispensed from polyethylene vials. Efficacy was measured considering reduction of catches in pheromone traps, reduction of active galleries of leopard moth per tree and fruit yield in the pheromone-treated plots (MD) compared with control plots (CO). Male captures in MD plots were reduced by 89.3% in 2005 and 82.9% in 2006, during a trapping period of 14 and 13 wk, respectively. Application of MD over two consecutive years progressively reduced the number of active galleries per tree in the third year where no sex pheromone was applied. In all years, larval galleries outnumbered moth captures. Fruit yield from trees where sex pheromone had been applied in 2005 and 2006 increased significantly in 2006 (98.8 +/- 2.9 kg per tree) and 2007 (23 +/- 1.3 kg per tree) compared with control ones (61.0 +/- 3.9 and 10.0 +/- 0.6 kg per tree, respectively). Mating disruption shows promising for suppressing leopard moth infestation in olives.

No abstract

A field experiment was conducted at North Nile Delta, Egypt (Islah-Perempal Region, Motobus District, Kafer El-Shiek Governorate), to evaluate the effect of subsoiling and mole drains with open drainage on improving some soil properties and yields of rice and sugar beet crops as well as raising the efficiency of the open drainage system. Results indicate that, subsurface tillage operations with open surface drainage lowered the water table level, after all growing seasons. The mean values of water table levels are 59.5, 59.5 and 62.3 cm with subsoiling, mole drain and subsoiling +mole, respectively while, it is 44.3 cm with the control (open drainage). Water table level is lower after sugar beet than after rice.Soil salinity and sodcity in the topsoil, were reduced after subsoiling and moling installation. The reductions of salinity, after three years from experiment installation were 86.71, 96.81 and 98.76% for subsoiling, moling and subsoiling +moling, respectively over the control. The corresponding values of ESP decreaces were 83.93, 83.20 and 119.40%, respectively. Ratio of Ca ++ /TSS in the topsoil (0-60cm) was increased in the treated soils.Subsoiling and/or moling seemed to be more effective on reducing soil bulk density especially in the surface layer (0-30cm). Subsoiling and/or moling treatments were superior in enhancing soil porosity. Basic infiltration rate (BIR) was increased with subsoiling and/or moling (from 0.9 to 1.66 cm/h) while, it was ranged from 0.39 to 0.59 cm/h with the control (open drainage). Data also cleared that, BIR after rice crop season was lower than that after sugar beet crop season.The saturation percent, field capacity and wilting point values are lower in the treated soils than untreated soils. Subsoiling and/or moling realized increases in quickly and slowly drainable pores (QDP and SDP) and higher decrease in fine capillary pores (FCP) than open drains. Mean values of QDP, SDP and FCP% in the soil depth of 0-60cm, are 8.71, 12.93 and 32.35%, respectively with open drainage.

Two Lyzimeter experiments were conducted at Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt, for two seasons, 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 Lyzimeters (100 x 70 x 90 cm) were filled with clayey soil and irrigated with three water treatments since twenty three years ago. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of irrigation water quality for long-term on productivity of four barely varieties (Giza123, 124, 126 and Giza129). Three irrigation water qualities; Nile water (W1), polluted drainage water (W3) and mixed water; W2 (50% W1 + 50% W3) used for irrigation to study its effects on barely contents from four heavy metals Ni, Cd, Pb and Cu and some soil characteristics. A split-plot design with four replicates was used where, water treatments and varieties were allocated to main and sub-plots, respectively. The obtained results showed that:  Using poor water quality for irrigation increased ECe, SAR, soluble cations and anions in soil paste extract and DTPA extractable heavy metals in soils (Cu, Ni, Cd and Pb) than that of mixed or good water quality.  Highly significant differences of yield and yield components among barely varities were found due to irrigation water treatments and its contents of heavy metals.  Straw heavy metals content were higher than that of grains.  The results showed that Giza 123 was more tolerant variety to drainage and mixed water and its lower or higher contents of Ni, Pb and Cu.  No significant differences were found among Cd content for all studied barley varieties.  The heavy metals content of barley varieties from can be arranged as follow: With Pb: v2< v3 < v1