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Sweet fennel is a native Mediterranean plant and has widely naturalised and escaped from cultivation worldwide. We aimed to study the changes occurred in the physical, chemical and biochemical characteristics during development and under cold storage to determine the maturity stage and the most suitable age for harvesting. Two experiments were carried out on sweet fennel cultivar "Florence" in the winter seasons of 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 at a private farm located in Behiera Governorate. Bulbs of 70, 90, 110, 130, 150 and 170 days age from seed sowing were examined The obtained results showed that there were gradual increases in the bulb fresh weight, size and diameter till the age of 130 days after which a rapid increase took place up to the last examined age of170 days exhibiting statistically a curvilinear pattern. However, the bulb firmness increased gradually with the age proceeding till 170 days age. Moreover, an increase in the T.S.S, ascorbic acid and antioxidant activity was detected up to the age of 130 days then followed by a decline up to the age of 170 days showing statistically a curvilinear shape. Furthermore, storing the developmental stages at 15ºC and 95% RH showed that the bulbs of 130 days age reflected the minimum loss in weight and the lower unmarketable percentage during storage and the highest contents of T.S.S, ascorbic acid and antioxidant activity. From the obtained results, it was clear that the bulb maturity stage of the variety Florence of sweet fennel was reached after 130 days and this age was fortunately the most suitable age for harvesting.

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Two field experiments was carried out under Sohag Governorate conditions during 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 seasons, to study the effect of intercropping three chickpea varieties with onion at four chickpea intercropping systems (onion+2 rows of chickpea, onion+3 rows of chickpea, onion+4 rows of chickpea, onion+5 rows of chickpea and chickpea alone), on yield and yield components of both crops. The obtained results could be summarized as follows: 1-Tallest plants and highest No. of leaves/plant of onion were attained under intercropping with chickpea variety of Giza-4 while the lowest values were obtained under intercropping with chickpea variety Giza-3, in both seasons. 2-Intercropping onion with five rows of chickpea gave the tallest plants and highest No. of leaves/plant of onion, while intercropping with two rows of chickpea gave the lowest values in both seasons. 3-Giza-3 variety achieved highest total yield/fed and marketable yield/fed of onion, while Giza-2 achieved the lowest values, in both seasons. 4-Intercropping onion with two rows of chickpea produced highest marketable yield/fed and total yield/fed. as compared to other intercropping system, while intercropping with five rows of chickpea produced the lowest values, in both seasons. 5-Giza-4 variety attained highest No. of branches/plant, No. of pods/plant, and seed yield/fed, while Giza-2 attained the lowest values, in both seasons. 6-Maximum seed yields/fed were observed by cultivating chickpea variety Giza-4 or Giza-3 in pure stand, in the first and second seasons, respectively. 7-The highest combination between the two factors in respect to LER was obtained under chickpea variety Giza-3 when intercropped with onion at system of three rows, in both seasons. It could be stated that intercropping chickpes of Giza-3 variety with onion at three rows maximized seed yield per unit area under Sohag Governorate condition.