A field experiment was carried out during 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 seasons at El-Kassasin Horticulture Research Station, Ismailia governorate, Egypt, to study the effect of irrigation and potassium fertilizer treatments on vegetative growth, yield and quality of globe artichoke plants under drip irrigation system in sandy soil. The experiment was designed as split plot. Main plots devoted to irrigation treatments which included irrigation with 100% of ET c (I 1), 80% of ET c (I 2) and 60% of ET c (I 3). While potassium fertilizer treatments were in the sub-plot. Potassium fertilizer treatments were 100% of recommended potassium fertilizer dose (K 1), application of 75% and 50% from recommended potassium fertilizer dose plus 1% foliar potassium citrate (K 2 and K 3 respectively). Results indicated that the highest values of plant height, leaf fresh and dry weight, number of offshoots plant-1 , flower heads fresh weight and diameter, fresh weight and diameter as well as thickness of receptacle, number of early and total flower heads plant-1 and total yield fed-1 were obtained from I 1 and K 1 , while the lowest values resulted from I 3 and K 3. There were no significant differences between K 1 and K 2 potassium treatments for all characteristics, as well as between I 1 × K 1 and I 1 × K 2 interactions in the two growing seasons. Seasonal applied water was 39.32, 31.63 and 23.97 cm when globe artichoke plants were irrigated with 100, 80 and 60% of ET c respectively. The highest values of productivity of irrigation water (PIW) resulted from irrigation with 60% of ET c. At the same time, potassium treatments of K 1 and K 2 not only resulted in higher yield but also increased the PIW. Generally, it could be concluded that under study condition irrigation with 100 ET c and application of 75% from recommended potassium fertilizer dose plus 1% foliar potassium citrate was the best combination for globe artichoke yield and its quality. When water becomes limiting factor, the treatment of I 3 x K 2 could be recommended.

A field experiment was carried out at Sakha Horticulture Research Station, Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate Egypt, during winter seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 to study the effect of two garlic cultivars, two intra-row spacing and three intercropping systems addition sole were used on growth, yield and quality of garlic and sugar beet, as well as to evaluate land equivalent ratio (LER) and economic return under different combinations. Variety Geloria sugar beet (a mono-germ variety) was used as the main crop. The experiment was laid out in a split-split plot arrangement in a randomized complete block design. Main plots contained garlic cultivars (Balady cv. and Sids-40 cv.), sub plots were devoted to intra-row spacing (10 cm and 15 cm) and subsub plots were assigned to intercropping system (one garlic row, two garlic rows and three garlic rows), pure stand of sugar beet and also pure stand of garlic. Results indicated that Balady cv. was surpasses Sids-40 of germination %, plant height, bulb diameter and clove number. Moreover, Sids-40 cv. gave the highest values for all the other studied characteristics (leaves number, fresh and cured bulb weight, clove weight and total yield per fed.) in two seasons. The 15 cm intra-row spacing superior over the 10 cm intra-row spacing in most characteristics. Also, one garlic row resulted the highest improvement of all characteristics except total yield per feddan of garlic and sugar beet. However, the pure stand of garlic and sugar beet had the highest values of total yield fed -1 and its components in comparison to intercropping system. The highest LER were obtained from Balady cv. at 10 cm intrarow spacing with three garlic rows, followed by the same cultivar at 15 cm intra-row spacing with two rows (1.55 and 1.51), respectively, as mean of both seasons. The highest net income was obtained from Sids-40 cv. (20052 L.E.) followed by Balady cv.(19355L.E) at 15cm intra row spacing with two rows as mean of both two seasons.

Jerusalem artichoke has gained popularity as a new vegetable appearing in markets over the past few years. To improve the quality and storability of tubers, two types of packages (perforate high density polyethylene HDPE and polypropylene PP) and two kinds of essential oil (spearmint and black cumin oils comparing untreated, control) were examined on two varieties (Local cultivar and Fuseau) of Jerusalem artichoke stored at 4ºC and 90-95 % RH for 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 months. Weight loss%, decay%, dry matter%, general appearance (GA), sprouting %, microbial load (total count and yeast & mold), total soluble solids, inulin, total and reducing sugars content were monitored periodically every 2 months during storage. Results showed that Local cultivar tubers were much better in all physical and chemical characters except inulin and total sugars content, Fuseau cultivar tubers were the better. Moreover, storage in the perforated PP package allows maintaining suppress weight loss % and decay %, and increasing dry matter %, reducing sugars content and GA tubers quality. Conversely, HDPE package recorded the least microbial load and sprouting% and the better inulin, total sugars, and TSS. Otherwise, treated tubers with spearmint and black cumin oils resulted in loss less weight by about 63%, decay % was zero for 4 months, reducing microbial load, decreased sprouting % by 72.09% and maintain a good GA quality compared with control. Generally, it is recommended with storage Local cultivar tubers after treated with black cumin oil and packaged in PP at 4ºC and 90-95 % RH which showed significantly reduce in weight loss by 16% and decay by 18% only as well as maintaining the good overall appearance and most physical and chemical properties for 10 months storage.