The present study was carried out at the Experimental Farm of El-Quassassin Hort. Res. Station, Ismailia Governorate, Hort. Res. Institute, Agric. Res. Center, Ministry of Agric., Egypt. during the two successive seasons (2010/2011) and (2011/2012) to investigate the effect of water requirements (1150, 2300 and 3450 m 3 / fed.) and fertilization treatments (mineral fertilizers NPK (control) at the rate of 300 kg / fed ammonium sulphat, 300 kg / fed super phosphate and 200 kg / fed potassium sulphate), (three sources of organic manure, i.e., poultry manure (PM), compost (C) and cattle manure (CM) at 10,15 and 20 m 3 / fed) respectively and their interactions between them on growth, dry ray flowers yield and active ingredient of marigold (Calendula officinales L.) plant using drip irrigation system under sandy soil condition.Irrigated marigold plants by 3450 m 3 / fed water recorded maximum values of plant growth parameters ,i.e., plant height, number of branches / plant, plant fresh and dry weights, yield of dry ray flowers / fed, carotenoides and olenolic acid in flowers of marigold plant as compared to other irrigation treatments. While, the lowest values of these parameters were obtained with 1150 m 3 /fed water. On the other side, water use efficiency (WUE) was the highest with 1150 m 3 /fed irrigated water in both seasons. Plant growth parameters and the yield of dry ray flowers/ fed, WUE, carotenoides and olenolic acid content in flowers were increased significantly with plant fertilization with poultry manure (PM) at 10 m 3 / fed. Interaction treatment between water quantity at 3450 m 3 / fed and poultry manure (PM) at 10 m 3 / fed or the same rate of irrigation combined with mineral fertilizers was the superior treatments for enhancing plant growth, yield of dry ray flowers and chemical constituents in flowers of marigold plants in both seasons. While the interaction between 1150 m 3 / fed water and poultry manure (PM) at 10 m 3 / fed was the best treatment for increasing water use efficiency (WUE) in both seasons.It could be concluded that irrigated marigold plants by 3450m 3 water/ fed combined with 10m 3 /fed poultry manure (PM) was the best treatment for enhancing plant growth parameters, yield of dry ray flowers, carotenoides and olenolic acid in flowers. On the other side, water use efficiency (WUE) was the higher when irrigated plants with 1150 m 3 water / fed combined with 10 m 3 /fed poultry manure.

Drying process may contribute to regular supply and facilitate the marketing of plants, because it facilitates the transport and storage. Two of the most commonly used herbs and cultivated throughout the Mediterranean region are parsley (Petroselinum sativum Hoffm.) and dill (Anethum graveloens L.) plants belongs to Fam. "Apiaceae" (Umbelliferae) were used in the present work. The present study was carried out at the Experiment Farm of Horticulture Research Station in EL-Kassasen, Ismailia Governorate, Egypt, in two successive winter seasons of 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 to investigate the influence of some drying methods (shade at 20 ±2 °C, oven at 45 °C, sun at 30 ±3 °C and greenhouse at 35 ±5 °C), on the plant dry weight (g / 100g FW), moisture content (%), the volatile oil quality and quantities of parsley and dill plants. The physical and chemical properties of the volatile oil of the two fresh plants viz., specific gravity, refractive index and optical rotation were determined and are included in this study. The results showed that the shade drying method was the best treatment to produce the highest volatile oils percentage of both plants, while oven drying gave the highest percentage of volatile oils components. On the other hand, sun drying method was the lowest one since it caused a decrease in the plant quality. The G.L.C. of the parsley volatile oil revealed a total of 10 compounds were αand βpinene, sabinene, limonene, α-and βphellandren, myrcene, p-cymene, myresticine and apiol. The total identified compounds constituent 74.6, 79.5, 91.1, 86.6 and 72.1 % in the oil of the control, shade, oven, sun and greenhouse drying methods, respectively. While, the G.L.C. of the dill volatile oil revealed a total of 11 compounds were αand βpinene, myrcene, limonene, p-cymen, αand βphellandren, 3,9-epoxy-p-menthlen, trans-dihydrocarvon, cis-dihydrocarvon and carvon. The total identified compounds constituent 100, 97.7, 98.2, 92.2 and 89.4 % in the oil of the control, shade, oven, sun and greenhouse drying methods, respectively. The method of drying affected the proportion of the oil components in the two plants. The volatile oil % of the total main components (α-and βpinene, myresticine and apiol) was 34.5, 46.7, 59.4, 45.8 and 36.8 % of parsley plants in the oil of the control, shade, oven, sun and greenhouse drying methods, respectively. While, the volatile oil % of the total main components (αphellendren and limonene) was 71.2, 71.5, 78.6, 57.9 and 64.8 % of dill plants, in the oil of the control, shade, oven, sun and greenhouse drying methods, respectively. The method of drying included oven dried at 45 °C for 6 hr. was the best procedure to produce parsley and dill dried materials if compared with the other tested methods, since it kept the leaf volatile oils with characterised features increasing yield quantity and quality.