Root rot and wilt disease complex was detected in several fig (Ficus carica L.), grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.), and pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) transplants in nurseries and new orchards of the El-Kharga, Baris, Balate, El-Dakhla, and El-Farafrah districts, of the New Valley governorate, Egypt. The percentage of root rot/wilt incidence and severity on fig, grapevine, and pomegranate transplants in the surveyed districts differed. The average percentages of root rot/wilt incidence and severity, in the surveyed districts, were 41.26, 31.42% in fig, 38.2, 29.5% in grapevine, and 32.1, 23.7% in pomegranate transplants, respectively. The most frequently isolated fungi from rotted roots of fig, grapevine, and pomegranate transplants were Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani, and Macrophomena phaseolina. In pathogenicity tests, all the tested fungi were pathogenic to fig, grapevine, and pomegranate transplants. Under laboratory conditions, all of the following tested bio-agents: Azotobacter sp., Bacillus cereus, B. megaterium, and B. subtilis, were able to inhibit growth of the causal pathogens to different degrees. The effect of these bio-agents individually and/or mixed, when used as a soil drench treatment, were varied in reducing the incidence and severity of root rot/wilt diseases in fig, grapevine, and pomegranate transplants under greenhouse conditions. The mixed bio-agents gave the highest protection against root rot/wilt diseases compared with the individually used of bio-agents. All treatments significantly increased plant height, number of leaves/transplant, leaf area, fresh and dry weight/transplant compared with the control treatment.

Root Rot wilt disease complex were detected in different date palm offshoots in nurseries and new orchards in New Valley Governorate. Pathogenicity tests showed that Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani and F. moniliforme were pathogenic to date palm offshoots (. Saidy) but they differed in their pathogenic capabilities. The effect of Bacillus subtilis (BSM1), B. megaterium (BMM5), B. cereus (BCM8), Trichoderma viride (TVM2), T. harzianum (THM4) as bioagents against root rot/ wilt disease complex of date palm offshoots under natural infection in nursery cultivated in two location (El-Kharga and El-Dakhla) were studied. The obtained data indicated that all treatments reduced significantly disease severity compared with untreated offshoots (control) in both locations. Bacillus megaterium and T. viride recorded the highest protection against disease severity, while B. cereus and T. harzianum gave the lowest ones in this respect. Under laboratory conditions, all bio-agents inhibited growth of the pathogenic fungi with different percentages. Bacillus megaterium and B. subtilis recorded the highest percentages of growth inhibition, while T. harzianum gave the lowest one. On the other hand, treatments significantly improved growth parameters of date palm offshoots viz. offshoot height, number of leaves, leaflet number leaf -1 , nick leaf thickness in both locations. Bacillus megaterium and T. viride recorded the highest all growth parameters whether in El-Kharga and El-Dakhla, while B. cereus and T. harzianum gave the lowest one.further more Bio-control agents significantly increased chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids in leaf in both locations. Bacillus megaterium and T. viride recoded the highest contents of chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids. Also, all treatments increased nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) Chlorophyll a, b and carotenoid contents in leaves compared with control in both locations. Bacillus megaterium recorded the highest levels of N, P, Ca contents in offshoot leaves, while B. cereus increased K, Na contents and Mg in both locations.

Root rot and wilt complex were the important diseases in offshoots and new orchards of date palm growing in different Oases in New Valley Governorate. The ability of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and/or Baker's yeast (BY) individually and in combination used as soil drench to induce resistance against root rot / wilt disease complex and their effect on growth parameters, mineral and pigment contents in leaves was examined. The obtained data show that AMF and BY individually and/or in combination were able to protect offshoots against root rot /wilt disease complex compared with check treatment (control)in pots under artificial infection with Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani and F. moniliform and naturally infection under nursery conditions in both locations (El-Kharga and El-Dakhla Oasis). The combination between AMF and BY was better than used individually of them for controlling root rot /wilt disease severity.On the other hand, all treatments increased growth parameters viz. number of roots offshoot-1offshoot height (cm), number of leaves offshoot-1, leaflet number leaf-1, nick leaf thickness (cm) and leaf area (cm 2 ) in both locations. The combination between AMF and BY significantly increased all growth parameters compared with used individually. Also, all treatments increase leaf contents of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca) and Chlorophyll a, b and carotenoid compared with control in both locations (El-Kharga and El-Dakhla). In biochemical studies, activity of defense-related enzymes, including peroxidase (PO), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) and catalase as well as total phenolic and flavonoids compounds were increased in offshoots treated with AMF and/or BY individually or in combination in both locations (El-Kharga and El-Dakhla). The combination between AMF and BY recorded the highest all oxidative enzymes, total phenolic and flavonoid compounds compared with AMF or BY alone.

uring seasons 2010/2011, leaf base rot, black scorch and inflorescences rot diseases have been observed on date palm trees and offshoot in nurseries and orchards of El-Kharga, Paris, El-Dakhla and El-Farafrah Oases in New Valley Governorate. Disease infection and severity (%) on date palm (var. Saidy) in the surveyed districts were found to be different. Several fungal species belonging to different genera were isolated from diseased samples collected from the surveyed districts. Frequency of the isolated fungi was different according to locality. Pathogenicity tests indicated that Botryodiplodia theobromae was the causal of leaf base rot disease and Thielaviopsis paradoxa was the causal of black scorch and inflorescences rot diseases. Saidy was the highly susceptible variety to leaf base rot followed by var. Higazi which also was the highly susceptible one to black scorch and inflorescences rot diseases, followed by var. Saidy. Meanwhile, var. Tamr was the least susceptible one to all tested diseases. Efficiency of six different fungicides for controlling the diseases in the orchards was tested. Topsin M 70 , Rizolex-T, Score, Kemazed and Ridomil Gold Plus caused the highest reduction in incidence of leaf base rot, black scorch and inflorescences rot diseases.