Two field experiments were carried out at Baramoon Experimental Station, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt, during the two successive seasons of 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 to study the marjoram (Majorana hortensis Mnch) potential to survive under salinity condition and to find out the effect of some bio-fertilizers on this potential. The present investigation were planed to test (4) levels (0, 2000, 4000 and 6000 ppm) of saline water irrigation, as well as foliar nutrition of some bio-compounds i.e., (EM), Novatrein and Askobein as mixtures and their interactions on plant growth, essential oil, quantity and quality of marjoram. Marjoram plants showed a quite tolerance to salinity at 2000 ppm, whereas the excess concentrations(4000 and 6000 ppm) caused a severe damage to the irrigated plants. A remarked reduction in fresh and dry weights of plant, survival percentage, essential oil percentage and its components under different salinity concentrations. Gas Liquid Chromatography showed that saline water irrigation at levels of 2000 and 4000 ppm slightly decreased the percentages of main components whereas 6000 ppm caused vanishing of some constituents and caused severe harmful to oil principals. All bio-compounds i.e., (EM) and both of Novatrein or Askobein, slightly caused significant increments in the plant growth characters and displayed the best estimates in the two seasons. Application of these compounds raised the plant potential to tolerate salinity and simulation increased the survival percentage. In addition, utilizing these compounds slightly increased oil active principals and could overcome the harmful effect of saline irrigation water.

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Purple coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia DC. var. angustifolia) is an important medicinal plant in pharmacological industry. This plant is produced in commercial scale but their seeds exhibit low germination percentages under field conditions. Enhancing seed germination is thus crucial for improving the production of E. angustifolia. The influence of Ethephon, Gibberellic acid (GA3) and moringa leaf extract on emergence, growth attributes, yield attributing characteristics and essential oil percentage of purple coneflower (E. angustifolia) were investigated. Freshly harvested seeds of E. angustifolia were treated with 0.5, 1 and 2mM of ethephon, 2000 2500 and 3000mg/l of gibberellic acid (GA3) and 5, 10 and 15% of moringa leaf extract (MLE). Then, seeds were stratified at 4oC for 4 weeks in light. All the priming treatments were evaluated for the emergence, growth attributes, yield attributing characteristics and essential oil percentage. Among different treatments MLE-priming at 10% could be recommended, as it was the best in terms of final emergence percentage (96%), mean emergence time (4.78 days), α-amylase activity (52.15 IU/mg), total soluble sugars (61.41 mg/g), reducing sugars (54.19 mg/g), plant height (98.82 cm), number of branches (28.36), biological yield (14.08 ton/h) and root yield dry (8.88 ton/h) and essential oil percentage (0.62 %). Moringa leaf extract (10%) is recommended as a priming agent to overcome seed dormancy and improve the emergence, growth, yield and essential oil percentage of E. angustifolia.