Soil salinity is significant abiotic stress that severely limits global crop production. Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important grain legume that plays a substantial role in nutritional food security, especially in the developing world. This study used a chickpea population collected from the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Area (ICARDA) genebank using the focused identification of germplasm strategy. The germplasm included 186 genotypes with broad Asian and African origins and genotyped with 1856 DArTseq markers. We conducted phenotyping for salinity in the field (Arish, Sinai, Egypt) and greenhouse hydroponic experiments at 100 mM NaCl concentration. Based on the performance in both hydroponic and field experiments, we identified seven genotypes from Azerbaijan and Pakistan (IGs: 70782, 70430, 70764, 117703, 6057, 8447, and 70249) as potential sources for high salinity tolerance. Multi-trait genome-wide association analysis (mtGWAS) detected one locus on chromosome Ca4 at 10618070 bp associated with salinity tolerance under hydroponic and field conditions. In addition, we located another locus specific to the hydroponic system on chromosome Ca2 at 30537619 bp. Gene annotation analysis revealed the location of rs5825813 within the Embryogenesis-associated protein (EMB8-like), while the location of rs5825939 is within the Ribosomal Protein Large P0 (RPLP0). Utilizing such markers in practical breeding programs can effectively improve the adaptability of current chickpea cultivars in saline soil. Moreover, researchers can use our markers to facilitate the incorporation of new genes into commercial cultivars.

Six field experiments were carried out in 2015 -16 and 2016 -17 seasons. A randomize complete block design with three replications was used at three locations :1. Giza Experiment Station (latitude 30.01 0 N and longitude 31.21 0 E); 2. Tamiya District, Fayoum Governorate (latitude 29.30 0 N and longitude 30.84 0 E) and 3. Ismailia Governorate (latitude 30.36 0 N and longitude 32.16 0 E)]. The performance of six sugar beet varieties (cvs.); Samba, Pleno, Gloria, Poly belga, Oscar poly and Gazella was studied to estimate sugar yield and its contributing traits as well juice quality traits under the three environmental conditions. The obtained results showed that growing seasons had a significant effect on impurities (K, Na and α-amino N), some technological characteristics (purity, extractable sugar, sucrose and sugar lost to molasses percentages) as well sugar yields/fed. The effect of varieties and locations factors significantly affected sugar percentage, extractable and sugar yield. The obtained results indicated that sowing Samba variety in the three locations had the highest sugar extraction and sugar percentages as well as sugar yield/fed. In general, results revealed that Samba variety followed by Gazella is favorable for the regions of Giza, Fayoum and Ismailia Governorates.

This work aimed to evaluate growth of Stevia rebaudiana under stress conditions. The plantlets were cultured on modified MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of NaCl at 0.0, 5000, 7500 and 10000 ppm for salinity stress, as well as mannitol at 0.0, 5, 7.5 and 10 bar. Results showed that the plantlet growth characters decreased as salinity and drought stress level increased, Plantlet growth traits significantly varied under deferent stress levels. Drought strees was more sever on plantlet growth than salinity stress. The highest values for plantlet growth traits were observed at 5000 ppm salinity level while the lowest values were observed at 10 bar drought stress. Some treatments were promised stevia tolerance under both of salinity and drought stress conditions.

This study was conducted to determine drought tolerant indices of some sugar beet genotypes under water stress and non-stress conditions. Nine sugar beet (Beta Vulgaris L.) genotypes were tested in a Split-plot experiment based on a randomized complete block design in three replications under three levels of water stress 100%, 75% and 50% from plant requirements at the experimental farm Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt during 2015/ 2016 and 2016 / 2017 seasons. Twelve drought tolerance indices were used in this study, stress sensitivity index (SSI), stress tolerance (TOL), mean productivity (MP), geometric mean (GMP), harmonic mean (HM),yield stability index (YSI), yield index (YI), stress tolerance index (STI), sensitivity drought index (SDI), relative drought index (RDI), drought response index (DI) and stress susceptibility percentage index (SSPI). GMP, MP and STI were more informative towards classification of better or superior genotypes with respect to tolerant and sensitive groups. The results showed that the genotypes with high STI, GMP and MP values were suitable for cultivation under drought stress and non-stress environments. Both Yp and Ys of root yield in the control-50% analysis had significantly positive correlated (P value<0.05) with MP, GMP, YI, HM and DI, This indicates that these indices were more effective in identifying high yielding genotypes under drought stress as well as non-stress conditions.Principal components analysis showed that the first two components in the control-50% analysis, genotype Bts 1237 and Temar were identified as the most stable high yielding genotypes in both environments

F IELD experiments were conducted at the Experimental Farm of Environmental Agricultural Sciences Faculty, Arish University, El-Arish, North Sinai Governorate, during the two growing seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016, the experimental design was split-plot in (RCBD) with three replications. The main plots were devoted to forms of nitrogen and biofertilizer treatments in sub-plots. The main objective to evaluate four nitrogen forms, biofertilizer and their interactions on some growth criteria of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.). Results revealed that, urea treatment achieved the highest (LAI) and (RGR) in the first season (CGR) in the second season, whereas ammonium nitrate achieved the highest (CGR) in the first season and (LAI) and (LAD) in the second season. Urea treatment inclusion in seeds with ntrobin application resulted the highest values of (LAI), (CGR) and (LAD) and in the first season. Ammonium sulphate treatment with (phosphorin + ntrobin) obtained the highest (NAR) in the first season. Ammonium sulphate treatment with phosphorin obtained the highest (RGR) in the first season. Ammonium nitrate treatment with phosphorin obtained the highest (LAD) in the second season. Finally, results concluded fertilizing sugar beet plants with ammonium sulphate 100 kg N/fad and inoculated with biofertilizer (ntrobin 600 gm/fad) increased the growth rate sugar beet plants under sandy soil conditions.