HERE IS UNPRECEDENTED interest in the biological and non-biological atmospheric nitrogen fixation via some elements e.g., titanium, nickel, vanadium, etc. to reduce the inputs of mineral N-fertilizers in the future, especially under salinity conditions. Also, synthetic nitrogen fertilization could increase the impurities in the sugar beet. So, A field trial ( as an exploratory experiment) was executed in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) to highlight the role of the Ti element in non-biological atmospheric nitrogen fixation and regulating sugar beet plant tolerance to salinity conditions ( soil EC value =6.25 dSm -1 & irrigation water EC value =4.86 dSm -1 ). Treatments were as follows; T 1 : Without Ti (0.0 mg L -1 ); T 2 : Adding Ti as foliar application (5.0 mg L -1 ); T 3 : Adding Ti as foliar application (10.0 mg L -1 ); T 4 : Adding Ti as foliar application (15.0 mg L -1 ); T 5 : Adding Ti as soil injection (5.0 mg L -1 ); T 6 : Adding Ti as soil injection (10.0 mg L -1 ); T 7 : Adding Ti as soil injection (15.0 mg L -1 ); T 8 : Combination of both methods (Soil + foliar) [5.0 mg L -1 , (2.5+2.5 for each method)]; T 9 : Combination of both methods (Soil + foliar) [10.0 mg L -1 , (5.0+5.0 for each method)]; and T 10 : Combination of both methods (Soil + foliar) (15.0 mg L -1 , (7.5+7.5 for each method)]. At the harvest stage, top &roots yield and juice quality were evaluated. The findings illustrate that the difference due to the studied treatments was significant, where the sequence order of the evaluated Ti treatments from the most effective to the less was as follows;T 8 >T 2 >T 3 >T 9 >T 5 > T 6 >T 1 > T 7 >T 4 >T 10 . Through the statistical comparison among the studied treatments, it can be noticed that the combined addition method of Ti (foliar plus soil) was the most effective one then the foliar application method solely followed by the soil injection method alone. Also, the best Ti rate was 5.0 mg L -1 under all studied application methods, while plant yield parameters decreased thereafter as the Ti rate increased . Also, it can be noticed that the plant performance under the control treatment was better than that treated with 15.0 Ti mg L -1 under all studied application methods. Generally, a better understanding of titanium toxicity in plant tissues may promote risk assessment and safe use of it.

T HE goal of the current study was to investigate the effects of fructose supplementation in the culture medium on in vitro maturation, and the developmental competence of murine oocytes, biochemical markers and the expression of apoptotic and HIF-1α in cumulus oocyte cells (COCs). Murine oocytes were matured in IVF media supplemented with 1.25, 2.75 and 5-mM fructose. The developmental parameters (MI, MII, GVBD, degenerated and activated cells) were examined with NO, GPX, GSH, MDA, and TAC biomarkers. The expression of mRNA for apoptotic genes by COCs were evaluated. The low dosage improves significantly (P<0.05) the developmental competence markers than the control and higher doses of fructose. In vitro-matured mouse oocytes with 1.25 mM fructose showed a significant increase (P<0.05) in NO level in the In-vitro matured when compared with the control and other groups. The GPX concentrations in the in-vitro matured oocytes showed a significant decrease (P<0.05) with 5mM fructose. The MDA levels in the vitro-matured oocytes were higher (P<0.05) when the murine oocytes were exposed to 2.75 mM of fructose. The TAC in the oocyte showed no changes (P˂0.05) when the oocytes were exposed to both 1.25 mM. Moreover, the supplementation of IVM media showed a down regulation of apoptotic and HIF-1α genes when compared with the control and high dosage supplementation (P<0.05). Altogether, the supplementation of IVM media with lower dosage of fructose improves the developmental competence markers in the murine oocytes via its effects on oxidant and antioxidant activity and downregulation of apoptotic and HIF-1α genes.

HE CURRENT TREND is finding suitable irrigation techniques that conserve irrigation water and improve efficiency. So, a field experiment was conducted in the Experimental Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura Univ., El-Dakahlya Governorate, Egypt during the season of 2022, aimed to evaluate the growth performance and productivity of maize affected by different irrigation methods i.e., terraces, traditional furrow and alternative furrow techniques as main plots under soil addition of compost as subplots (with application of compost at the rate of 7.0 ton fed -1 and the other without compost application), and foliar application of melatonin at different levels (1.0 and 2.0 mmol L -1 ) as sub subplot. The trial was carried out in a split split-plot design with three replicates. The results showed that plants grown under alternative furrow irrigation technique without compost and melatonin had the highest values of enzymatic antioxidants i.e., superoxide dismutase SOD (80.26, unit mg -1 proteinˉ¹), peroxidase enzyme POD (246.54, unit mg -1 proteinˉ¹), and catalase enzyme CAT (89.07, unit mg -1 proteinˉ¹), at the period of 70 days from sowing, while the maize plants grown under terraces irrigation technique with compost and simultaneously sprayed with melatonin at the rate of 2.0 mmol L -1 possessed the lowest values of these enzymatic antioxidants (69.25, 178.28 and70.57 unit mg -1 proteinˉ¹ for SOD,POD and CAT, respectively). On the contrary, the maximum values of growth parameters and chemical constitute at 70 days from sowing (fresh and dry weight, leaf area chlorophyll content, N, P, K) as well as yield and its components and bio chemical traits of grains at harvest stage e.g., the weight of 1000 grain , cob length, No. of rows cob -1 , grain and biological yield, total carbohydrates, protein and oil content in grain were recorded with terraces irrigation technique plus compost and melatonin at rate of 2.0 mmol L -1 . Generally, it can be concluded that maize plant irrigation should be with the terrace technique and simultaneously addition of compost as water absorbent substance and foliar application of melatonin as a biological hormone regulates plant physiology.

Aims: We investigated the effect of intraperitoneal titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs, 100 mg/kg) for 5 consecutive days on the developmental competence of murine oocytes via its effects on the antioxidant and oxidative stress biomarkers as well as their effects on mRNAs expression for BAX, Caspase 3, P53 and hypoxia inducing factor-1α (HIF- 1). Moreover, the possible ameliorating effect of fructose (2.75 mM/ml) was examined. Materials and methods: Thirty sexually mature (8-12 weeks old; ~ 25 g body weight) female mice were used for the current study. The female mice were divided into three groups as follows: Group1 (G1): Female mice received deionized water and the collected oocytes were cultured in global® total media (control group). Group 2 (G2): Female mice received TiO2 NPs at a dose of 100 mg/kg BW by i/p injection for 5 consecutive days, and the collected oocytes were cultured in global® total media. Group 3 (G3): Female mice received TiO2 NPs at a dose of 100 mg/kg BW + fructose 2.75 mM by i/p injection for 5 consecutive days, and the collected oocytes were cultured in global® total media. Results: Nano-titanium significantly decreased GSH, GPx, and NO while MDA and TAC were increased. The rate of MI, MII, GVBD and degenerated oocytes were significantly decreased. Meanwhile, the rate of activated oocytes was significantly increased. TiO2 NPs significantly upregulated the relative expression of apoptotic genes (BAX, Caspase 3 and P53) and HIF-1. Intraperitoneal fructose (2.75 mM/kg) significantly alleviated the detrimental effects of TiO2 NPs. The transmission electron microscopy showed the ability of the fructose to maintain the surface of murine oocytes. Conclusion: Collectively, these results suggest that the i/p infusion of fructose for consecutive 5 days promote the oocyte development and decrease the toxic effects of TiO2 NPs by changing the oxidative and antioxidant biomarkers secreted by COCs and affects the mRNAs expression of apoptotic and hypoxia inducing factor.

Drought phenomena have been frequenting in Egyptian history. So, the drought in the agricultural sector is a particularly important area to be examined. Therefore, a field experiment was  carried out to  evaluate three irrigation intervals as main factor [irrigation every 7, 9 and 11 days], soil addition of some conditioners [ control ( without),  compost, zeolite and biochar ] as subplots and foliar application of  magnesium silicate (sprayed or not) as sub-subplots on the performance and productivity of soybean plants as well as soil fertility after harvest. The main results showed that the  soybean plants irrigated every 9 & 11 days had a low values of growth and  production criteria compared to the soybean plants irrigated every 7 days which had the highest values of  both growth criteria (e.g., plant height, fresh and dry weights and chlorophyll content) and yield components ( i.e., pod weight plant-1, seed weight plant-1, stover weight plant-1, 1000 seed weight, seed and stover yield). The  addition of all studied soil amendments improved all studied growth and production criteria compared to the corresponding soybean plants grown on  un amending soil, where the superior amendment was  compost followed by zeolite and lately biochar conditioner. On the other hand, foliar application of magnesium silicate improved all studied growth and production criteria compared to the corresponding soybean plants grown without foliar application. Also, all studied soil amendments differed among them in their positive effect on soil fertility as well as their vital role in saving irrigation water.