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In calcareous soil, two field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of two potassium silicate treatments (with and without) and three irrigation levels (100, 80 and 60%, of crop evapotranspiration, abbreviated as IW100, IW80 and IW60, respectively) on wheat yield and nutrient uptake and water use efficiency (WUE). The experimental design was a strip plots design in randomized complete block arrangement with three replicates. Findings reveal that potassium silicate improved grain weight spike−1 by about 1.06 times whether with IW80 or IW60. Also, seed index increased by 1.03, 1.06 and 1.04 times owing to potassium silicate in the 1st season under IW100, IW80 and IW60 treatments, respectively. Application of potassium silicate surpassed the control treatment by about 1.05, 1.4 and 1.07 times for biological straw and grain yields under IW80. The interaction of IW80 × potassium silicate significantly equaled IW100 × potassium silicate for P, S Mg and Mn uptake in both seasons as well as N, K and Zn uptake in the 1st season and Fe uptake in the 2nd season. IW80 or IW60 with potassium silicate application were the efficient combinations for improving WUE in both growing seasons.

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Despite the soil could contain high amount of phosphorus (P), salinity reduce its availability for crop plants. Hence, farmers should practice several tactics to ameliorate P deficiency in soils. The current study aimed to assess the importance of zinc (Zn) supply for mitigating the deficiency of P for canola grown in saline soil. The effects of three Zn rates (0, 150 and 300 mg L−1, Zn0, Zn150 and Zn300, respectively) under three P rates (0, 36 and 72 kg P2O5 ha−1, P0, P36, and P72, respectively) on physiological status, yield and quality of canola were measured. Treatments were arranged in the strip plot design based on completely randomized blocks with three replicates. Findings exhibited that P36 recorded the highest values of membrane stability index in the 2nd season, while statistically leveled P72 for relative water content and chlorophyll fluorescence in both seasons. Zn300 exhibited potent effect on all canola physiological traits in both seasons. In both seasons, P36 × Zn300, P72 × Zn150 and P72 × Zn300 showed the maximum chlorophyll fluorescence and performance index values. Plots treated with P72 achieved 70.0% increase in canola seed yield, greater than the untreated ones. Seed yield obtained with Zn300 were higher than Zn0 and Zn150 by1.30 and 1.10 times in 2019/20 season and 1.23 and 1.05 times in 2020/21 season. The highest oil % was recorded with P0 × Zn150 and P72 × Zn0 in the 1st season and with P72 × Zn150 in the 2nd season.

and 2007 growing seasons to study the response of three cultivars (Toshka, Shandawel-3 and Shansawel-4) of sesame yield and the associated weeds to four weed management practices (adding false irrigation followed by light hoeing with either two hoeing {W1} or without hoeing {W2} as well as without adding false irrigation with either two hoeing {W3} or without hoeing {W4}), and two sowing methods (drilling seeds in ridges or in rows). Data revealed that W1 or W2 exceeded W3 or W4 for reducing dry weights of broadleaf and total weeds at 3 WAS. Moreover, W 1 recorded the lowest dry weight values of broad leaf and total weeds (at 6 and 12 WAS) and grassy weeds (at 12 WAS), while W3 gave the minimal dry weight of grassy weeds (at 6 WAS). W1 was the best practice for enhancing plant height, capsules number and weight/plant, seeds weight/plant, weight of 1000 seeds, oil % as well as biological, seed and oil yields/fed. Broad leaf and total weeds (at 12 WAS) showed the minimal dry weight when sesame plants were grown in ridges than in rows. While, sowing methods had no significant effect on sesame yield and its components as well as oil % and yield/fed. At 12 WAS, Shandawel-3 along with Shandawel-4 was less infested with grassy and total weeds recording the minimum dry weight values. Shandawel-3 was the potent cultivar for producing the highest values of plant height, capsules and seeds weight/plant as well as biological, seed and oil yields/fed. W1 x ridges x Shandawel-3 combination possessed the least dry weight at all stages, and recorded the highest values of seeds weight/plant, seed yield and oil yield/fed. Seed yield of the three tested cultivars, i.e. Toshka, Shandawel-3 and Shandawel-4 was correlated negatively and highly significant with dry weight of total weeds (at 6 and 12 WAS). Plant height, capsules number and weight/plant and seeds weight/plant of the three cultivars were correlated positively and highly significant with seed yield. Finally, it could be recommended that the combination of false irrigation followed by light hoeing and accompanied with hoeing twice at 25 and 45 days from sowing of sesame c.v. Shandawel-3 that was sown in ridges is the best practice for weed suppression and higher yield potentiality.