Phelipanche ramosa L. parasitizes major crops, acting as a competitive sink for host photoassimilates, especially sucrose. An understanding of the mechanisms of sucrose utilization in parasites is an important step in the development of new control methods. Therefore, in this study, we characterized the invertase gene family in P. ramosa and analysed its involvement in plant development. Invertase-encoded cDNAs were isolated using degenerate primers corresponding to highly conserved regions of invertases. In addition to enzyme assays, gene expression was analysed using real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction during overall plant development. The dominant isoform was purified and sequenced using electrospray ionization-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-LC-MS/MS). Five invertase-encoded cDNAs were thus characterized, including PrSai1 which encodes a soluble acid invertase (SAI). Of the five invertases, PrSai1 transcripts and SAI activity were dominant in growing organs. The most active invertase corresponded to the PrSai1 gene product. The purified PrSAI1 displayed low pI and optimal pH values, specificity for β-fructofuranosides and inhibition by metallic ions and competitive inhibition by fructose. PrSAI1 is a typical vacuolar SAI that is actively involved in growth following both germination and attachment to host roots. In addition, germinated seeds displayed enhanced cell wall invertase activity (PrCWI) in comparison with preconditioned seeds, suggesting the contribution of this activity in the sink strength of infected roots during the subsequent step of root penetration. Our results show that PrSAI1 and, possibly, PrCWI constitute good targets for the development of new transgenic resistance in host plants using proteinaceous inhibitors or silencing strategies.

The research was carried out in the 2018 agricultural season with the aim of studying the effect of boron foliar spray on reducing cracking of the French pomegranate variety. The experiment was conducted according to a completely randomized design (CRD). We had three treatments for boron concentrations (0, 100, 200 ppm) and four treatments for the number of spraying times (0, 1, 2, and 3). The results showed the superiority of all spraying treatments with boron over the control treatment in most of the studied traits. The increase in the spraying concentration also achieved a significant reduction in the percentage of fruit cracking, which amounted to 21.63% and 18.50% in the treatment of concentration of 100 and 200 ppm, respectively. The increase in the number of spraying with boron led to a decrease in the percentage of fruit cracking, which amounted to 26.83%, 19.89%, and 16.28% for 1, 2, and 3 spraying times respectively. While the percentage of fruit cracking in the control was 73.96%.

The research was conducted with an aim of studying the behavior of the tubers of some potato varieties cultivated in northern Syria towards the dormancy and the sprouting. The research was carried out in the 2019 agricultural season in Idlib Governorate (Al-Rouj Plain), which is considered one of the most important potato production areas in Syria. Three varieties were used in the experiment: Spunta, Synergy, and Panela. The potato tubers were soaked with the yeast solution at four concentrations (0, 5, 10, and 20 g/L) during four different periods (0, 1, 2, and 3 hours). The design was used completely randomly (CRD) in the experiment with three replicates per treatment and each replicate was one kg tubers. The results showed the superiority of all treatments on the control and in all the studied characteristics. Where the treatment of the variety Spunta were superior in the studied traits, followed by the Panela, then Synergy. In addition, the highest concentration of the yeast solution (20 g/L) exceeded the other concentrations in the studied characters. Also, the longer soaking period (3 hours) outperformed the other soaking periods in the studied traits. Generally, the soaking of Spunta variety tubers with the yeast solution at 20 g/L and the period of 3 hours gave the fastest break of the dormancy phase (25 days). While soaking the tubers of the Panela variety with yeast solution at the concentration of 20 g/L and the period of 3 hours achieved the largest number of sprouts per tuber (1.60 sprouts). Whereas soaking the tubers of Synergy variety with the yeast solution of concentration of 20 g/L and the period of 3 hours gave the highest weight of sprouts per sample (66.60 g).

This research was conducted in order to study the effect of treatment with licorice solution on the dormancy and sprouting of tubers of three potato varieties, Spunta, Synergy, and Panela. The research was carried out in the 2019 agricultural season in the Sahel al-Rouj region in northern Syria. Tubers were treated with licorice solution at four concentrations (0, 5, 10, and 20 g/l) and during four periods (0, 1, 2, 3 hours). The results showed that all treatments with licorice were superior to the control, the highest concentration (20 g/L) was superior to the other concentrations, and the longest soaking period (3 hours) was superior to the other soaking periods, in all the studied traits. Generally, soaking the tubers of the Panela variety with yeast solution at the concentration of 20 g/L and the period of 3 hours achieved the largest number of sprouts per tuber (2 sprouts), the major number of basal sprouts (1.38 sprouts), the highest weight of one sprout (7.50 g), the highest weight of sprouts per tuber (15 g). And the highest weight of sprouts per sample (60 g). While soaking of Spunta variety tubers with the licorice solution at 20 g/L and the period of 3 hours gave the fastest break of the dormancy phase (26 days), and the highest daily growth rate (0.25 cm/day). Whereas soaking the tubers of Synergy variety with the yeast solution of concentration of 20 g/L and the period of 3 hours gave the highest number of sprouts per sample (8.11 sprouts), and the highest number of apical sprouts (8.11 sprouts).

In this research, the effect of foliar spraying, with macro and microelements on the productivity of Sourani olive variety, was studied in Arab-Said village (which is 5 km west of Idleb), during the years 2012-2013. A randomized block design was used, and 4 treatments were performed, each of which contained 5 replicates, each replicate was one olive tree. During the experiment, foliar spraying was applied with a mix of macro and microelements, so that the treatments differed between them by the number of sprayings (0, 1, 2, and 3) and their dates (before flowering, one week after flowering, and two weeks after the second spraying). The results showed that all foliar spraying treatments outperformed the control, with a significant increase, in most of the indicators and parameters studied: the leaf surface (2.41 cm2), the number of flowering cluster/branch (13.32), the number of flowers/flowering clusters (8.88), the number of flowers/branch (359.2), the percentage of fruit-set (0.61%), the number of fruits/branch (24.41), the fruit weight (0.98 g), the fruit size (0.49 mL), and pulp/fruit ratio (3.43%). Where spraying once before flowering had the most significant increase compared to other spraying treatments. While the increase in the number of spraying times did not have any significant effect on the previous indicators, it led to a significant increase in the vegetative growth index (6.75cm), in the productivity/tree (39.42 kg), and in the percentage of oil (5.28%), compared to the control. Finally, the results showed that production varied greatly between the two years of the study (the phenomenon of alternatebearing), but that all experimental treatments reduced this difference comparing to the control.