The microsymbiont Frankia genus belongs to the order of filamentous bacteria, the actinomycetales, family Frankiaceae, is Gram-positive bacteria fixing atmospheric nitrogen which forms symbiotic association with actinorhizal Casuarina glauca. C. glauca is an important introduced tree species in Egypt, valued for windbreaks and shelterbelt; land stabilization and soil improvement.The present study concerned with the phenotypic, ecological and genetic characters; symbiotic competence and host specificity of some local Frankia isolates with Casuarina trees. ** Sixteen native Frankia pure isolates were isolated from root nodules of Casuarina trees, collected from different ecological Egyptian soils and their characteristics assessed in comparison with foreign reference Frankia isolates. ** Frankia isolates were grown well in synthetic nutrient medium. Vegetative hyphae, vesicles; sporangia and reproductive torulose hyphae (RTH) were observed.According to their physiological properties and plasmids number it was found that the isolated Frankia were identified as fifteen different Frankia isolates belonging to Frankia Casuarina. The characterization of Frankia isolates at DNA level revealed that existence of a large diversity with the exception of two isolates that were completely identical in all parameters using RFLP analysis. ** Inoculation of Casuarina seedlings with the various local Frankia isolates induced nodulation (nodules number and dry weights) and enhanced their vegetative growth parameters (stem lengths, branches and shoots dry weight) over the foreign reference strain. ** Some environmental factors included resistance to different antibiotics, neutral salinity and various C-sources utilization were investigated well in comparison with imported foreign reference strain. ** Performance symbiotic N2-fixation of various indigenous Frankia isolates were judged by the percent shoots and roots N-content and N-uptake (mg/seedling) of Casuarina seedlings cultivated in both calcareous and sandy soils. Efficacy of Casuarina seedlings to N2-fixation was significantly increased upon inoculation with the most local Frankia isolates, which resulted in augmentation of N-content and uptake over the reference strain. ** Highly efficient, native indigenous Frankia isolated from Kafr El-Sheikh and those from Ismailia regions identified as salinity tolerant, characterized by well intrinsic antibiotics resistance, showed greatly response to different C-sources and displayed highly symbiotic competence and effectiveness on Casuarina glauca, which surpassed the imported foreign reference Frankia strain. Therefore, such isolates were strongly recommended to be applied as inocula for Casuarina species grown in Egyptian soils.The obtained data clearly emphasize the importance of isolation of proper Frankia strains for high compatible, resistant processed inocula for Casuarina cultivated under ecological conditions similar to initial from which they were isolated i.e. initial niches.

A comprehensive experimental study was conducted at three locations reflecting the semi-arid conditions of Kafr El-Sheikh governorate.The selected soils are slightly salt-affected and irrigated in non-rational rates for a long-time with different sources of wastewaters, under different drainage conditions. A novel conceptual diagram was constructed to integrate the main labile and stable inorganic-S fractions and the ways by which their amounts are determined and calculated.The aim of this study was to assess the biochemical activity of some soil enzymes involved in S-transformations and gain informations about the standing stocks and distributions of all inorganic-S fractions in studied soils under different drainage conditions. Statistical of treatment of the obtained data, could be summarized as follows:  Grand mean value of biological enzymes activity was 328.4 nanomoles SCNreleased.g -1 soil.hour -1 for rhodanese, meanwhile, dehydrogenases activity was 9.41 µg TPF produced. g -1 soil. hour -1 .  Total-S pool recorded 300 mg S. kg -1 soil, its standing stock 257.48 kg S. fed -1 , which was within the normal range reported in other regions.  Inorganic-S value was 111.3 mg S. kg -1 soil, its standing stock 96.6 kg S. fed -1 .Percentage total-S in inorganic-S accounted for 37.7%, which was only a minor fraction compared to the major fraction of organic-S. However, the content of this fraction was higher than reported from temperate and subtropical regions.  Inorganic sulfate-S content was 106.2 mg S. kg -1 , its percentage distribution expressed as % of total-S and of inorganic-S accounted for 36.3% and 95.6, which was the dominate fraction of inorganic-S fraction. This fraction was more pronounced in studied semi-arid soils in comparison with those reported in other regions. Its value had a positive correlation with soil clay content.  Easily soluble and adsorbed sulfate-S contents were 82.1 and 1.8 mg S. kg soil, their percentage distributions accounted for 77.6% and 1.3% of inorganic sulfate-S. Soluble sulfate-S was the major S form of inorganic sulfate-S and at the same time was greater in comparison with reported in literature. Adsorbed sulfate-S had the opposite trend and negative correlation with soil pH as well as positive with clay content.  Dissolved sulfate-S fraction contains insoluble sulfate-S plus Co-precipitated/Cocrystallized with CaCO3. Its value was 22.3 mg S-kg -1 soil accounted for 21.1% of inorganic sulfate-S, which was positive correlated with CaCO3 content.  Inorganic non-sulfate-S value was 5.2 mg S. kg -1 , accounted for 4.4% of inorganic-S, which was greater than reported in other regions and had a positive correlation with CaCO2 content. Oxygenic highly oxidized-S form and lowly oxidized-S plus reduced-S forms were 4.2 and 0.99 mg S. kg -1 soil, accounted for 84.2% and 15.8% of inorganic non-sulfate-S.El-Kammah, M.A.M. 6218 Contents total-S pool and all fractions of inorganic-S as well as their percentage distributions had their maximum values in traditional drained soils in w...

The main objective of the present work aimed to produce, on a large scale, high quality stabilized matured microbial co-composts from the cheapest organic residues and maximizing their soil manuring values for using as soil conditioners and bio-organic fertilizers for bio-organic reclamation and rehabilitation of agricultural sandy and calcareous soils, and consecutively alleviate the environmental pollution and encourage them to replace the expensive agro-chemical fertilizers. The aerobic co-composting bioprocesses for bioconversion from the activated triad organic mixtures agricultural organic low-input cheapest residues rice straw (R), cotton stalks (C) and saw dust (S) were conducted on open site of the Experimental Research of Agricultural farm (un-controlled) Windrows (piles) conditions and on laboratories of Soil & Water Department (controlled) conditions Bin (PVC-barrels) conditions, Fac. Agric., Kafrelsheikh University. These experiments were started during summer season on June 2017 extended till and of September (120 days). For realizing these purposes, the following subjects were entirely achieved: 1-Preparation of the triad components RCS-mixtures by mixing rice straw (R), cotton stalks (C) and saw dust (S) on the basis 1:1:1 v/v preparation their activated organically O-RCS mixtures with chicken manures, fast release mineral activated with N,P,K and S mineral fertilizers mf-RCS-mixtures and slow release mineral activated ms-RCS-mixtures with rock-p, k-feldspar and mineral sulfur-s ᵒ for adjusting their elementary relative ratios C/N=30, C/P=100 and C/S=200. 2-Preparation and stowing 3 piles and charging 8 PVC-barrels with different activated RCS-mixtures. 3-Isolation, purification, enrichment and characterizations of the most potent isolates of cellulolytic microorganisms, phosphate and silicate solubilizing bacteria and non-symbiotic N 2 fixer Azotobacter and preparation their liquid culture inoculants. Molecular genetic characterization of cellulolytic isolates was performed by PCR. These microbial liquid inoculants were incorporated and inoculated the barrels and piles at mesophilic and maturity biophases at two doses for each biophase. Dynamic variations in temperature-degrees and pH-values Four typical co-composting thermal biophases were monitored throughout the aerobic co-composting incubation period elongated 120 days as follows: * Short mesophilic biophase (30 days, normal temperature) its grand mean (GM) Temp. 28 ᵒ C and 34 ᵒ C within barrels and piles respectively, acidic conditions (acid generation) its GM.pH value (6). * Thermophilic biophase (50 days, highly temperature) 43 ᵒ C, 55 ᵒ C within barrels and piles respectively, more alkaline conditions (NH 4 + evolution) its GM-pH value (8.7). * Cooling biophase (15 days, transmissive temp. conditions, median state conditions) GM. temp 34.5 ᵒ C and 36 ᵒ C respectively median alkaline conditions, its GM-pH value (8). * Maturation biophase (25 days, normal temp. conditions) GM. temp 26 ᵒ C and 25 ᵒ C respectively and normal acidic-alkaline m...

LAY dispersion and flocculation are very common processes in ……...salt-affected soils and have a direct impact on the movement of water and dissolved ions. This study was aimed to make use of light transmittance (% T) through soil suspension as a monitor and to reflect the intensity of dispersed clay particles as it relates to hydraulic conductivity (K), and percent of clay dispersion. To achieve this aim, two soils with varied clay contents, were collected from Beheira (S1) and Gharbia (S2) Governorates in north of Nile Delta, Egypt, and treated with sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) chlorides to obtain combinations of sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and electrical conductivity (EC) treatments. Measurements of K and T might be affected by exchangeable cations and correlated negatively with SAR. Results showed that values of T were decreased continually (tendency to clay dispersion), that might be a good indicator for changes of K. Relations between T, K and SAR indicated high clay dispersion and low K as SAR increased. The empirical equations derived from both K and T measurements may introduce a new approach to predict K, taking into consideration the clay content, EC and SAR of the soils. Promising results were obtained when these equations were subjected to evaluation, using 15 various soil samples with high correlation coefficient of determined versus estimated K (R 2 = 98 %). Calculation of dispersion (%) for SAR-EC treatments, using T and standard clay curve (% T versus clay content) showed that soil aggregates are not always stabilizing by an increase of sodium ions and it is not needed to reach complete clay dispersion to clog the conducting pores and loss of water permeability. Dispersion percent decreased within a given SAR as EC increased due to the adverse effect of salinity (tendency to accumulation) on sodicity.

Two experimental sites of arable sandy soil located at Abou Omera Al-Sharkeya village , Baltim district, Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate were chosen. The selected locations represent the conditions of circumstances of northern part of Nile Delta region. Site 1 (fruit field) was devoted for collecting composite surface soil sample for carrying out wheat pot experiment in plastic pots during the growing winter season period 2010/2011. Site 2 (nearby site 1) was occupied for conducting maize field experiment during growing summer season period 2011. The main objectives of this investigation were to study and evaluate the effect of natural raw minerals, soil conditioner types, their mixtures and application rates in sandy soil subjected to different irrigation deficits on the following parameters: (i) soil properties(chemical, physical, moisture constants and nutritional status after cereal crops harvesting and (ii) agronomical production of wheat and maize crops after full maturity in the studied soil under consideration. Four types of soil conditioners [bentonite , compost , mixture of natural mineral raw materials (MNRM)and their mixtures 1:1:1(w/w)] were applied before cultivation in two recommended application rates low (R1) and high (R2). Three levels of soil moisture depletion regimes were used (30, 50 and 70 %) from its available water capacity. The N,P,K mineral fertilizers were added according to the recommended doses for sandy soils. Applying natural soil conditioner types, their mixtures and application rates in the studied sandy soil subjected to moisture depletion regime realized improving soil chemical, physical, water holding capacity and macro nutritional status. Soil salinity (soil reaction, electrical conductivity and ionic strength), hazard sodium parameters (soluble sodium percentage and sodium adsorption ratio), soil porosity, available water capacity and phytoavailable nutrients were increased. On the other hand, hydraulic conductivity and bulk density were decreased. Generally, high application rate achieved the best values of soil properties in comparison with low application rate. Conditioner mixtures 1:1:1 treatment realized the superiority under wheat pot experiment, meanwhile, compost treatment achieved the best values under maize field experiment. Irrigation after 50 % AWSMD gave moderate values of such properties between wet (30% AWSMD) and dry (70% AWSMD). Increasing grains, straw, protein, grains weight, harvest index and other yield components significantly for wheat and maize crops, as a result of adding soil conditioners compared with control. Conditioner mixtures 1:1:1 treatment realized the superiority under wheat pot experiment, meanwhile, compost treatment achieved the best values under maize field experiment. Also, high application rate was better than low application rate. Results also indicated that , from view point of water and economic , the highest values of crop yield were obtained from irrigation at 50 % depletion from its available water capacity rather than 30 % and 70 % ...