The study was conducted during the 2024 and 2025 growing seasons at The Experimental Farm, Department of Soils and Water, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Assiut Governorate. The investigation aimed to assess the effects of different nitrogen fertilizer sources (ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate and urea), application rates and application timing on soil fertility, and potential groundwater pollution during zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) cultivation. The results showed that applying ammonium nitrate, particularly at the rate of 120 kg N/fed., significantly altered soil chemical properties and increased the risk of nitrate leaching into ground water. Similarly, the application of ammonium sulfate fertilizer at 120 kg N/fed. exhibited negative soil and environmental impacts, particularly with prolonged application timing (60 days). under this treatment (120 kg N/fed. ammonium the lowest yield at 120 kg/fed. ammonium sulfate (7.81 ton/fed.) compared to the control and other treatments. However, utilizing urea at the same application rate maximized zucchini. The study concluded that, under the experimental conditions urea is the highly recommended nitrogen source over.
The use of rack-pinion vacuum technology devices (RPVT) for seeding is an essential advancement in modern agriculture. It aims to improve seed placement accuracy, enhance crop uniformity, and optimize resource utilization. In this context, a vacuum-type precision planting prototype was developed and experimentally evaluated under laboratory conditions for two crop types (wheat and okra). The system integrates a vacuum seed metering unit, an Arduino-based control system, the ground wheel speed sensor, a vacuum generation unit, and a dual-servo seed transfer mechanism to ensure accurate and consistent seed delivery. The experimental work assessed the effects of nozzle diameter, forward speed, and vacuum pressure on planting performance. Statistical analysis using ANOVA indicated that all studied factors had a highly significant effect (P < 0.01) on the Missing Seed Index, with nozzle diameter being the most influential parameter. Optimal operating conditions were achieved at a vacuum pressure of 12 kPa and a forward speed of 1.7 km h⁻¹, with crop-specific nozzle diameters of 2.5 mm for wheat and 5.65 mm for okra. Under optimum conditions, the system achieved a Missing Seed Index of 9.12% and a Quality of Feed Index of 85.76% for wheat, compared to 3.45% and 93.67% for okra, respectively. The results demonstrated improved performance for okra due to better synchronization of the seed transfer mechanism at wider spacing intervals. In addition, strong agreement between electronic monitoring data and manual measurements confirmed the reliability of the control system.
Phosphorus is an essential plant nutrient that plays a pivotal role in plant growth, energy transfer, photosynthesis, root development, and grain formation. However, its availability in agricultural soils, particularly alkaline and calcareous soils, is often limited by fixation, precipitation, and absorption processes, leading to reduced PUE and decreased crop yields. Wheat is one of the most important grain crops in the world, highly sensitive to phosphorus deficiency during its early growth stages, making effective phosphorus management a key factor for sustainable production. This study summarizes the soil phosphorus status, the factors affecting its availability and utilization efficiency, and the impact of phosphorus fertilizer source, application rate, application timing, and PSB on wheat yield and PUE. Review studies indicate that appropriate phosphorus fertilization improves nutrient uptake, root growth, and grain yield and quality, while excessive phosphorus application reduces PUE and increases phosphorus accumulation in the soil. Highly soluble phosphorus fertilizers generally improve phosphorus availability in the early stages, while optimized application strategies maximize crop response in alkaline soil conditions. Additionally, PSB enhance phosphorus availability by solubilizing insoluble phosphorus compounds, thereby improving nutrient uptake, plant growth, and PUE, while reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers. Overall, combining appropriate phosphorus fertilizer sources, optimized application timing and rates, and soil inoculation with PSB provides an effective strategy for improving PUE and promoting sustainable wheat production. Future research should focus on developing integrated phosphorus management practices and timing its addition to suit diverse soil and environmental conditions.
Agriculture is a crucial factor for production needs and ensuring food security, but its challenges such as population growth, climate change, and land degradation, particularly in the arid desert regions outside the Nile Valley and Delta. These regions are characterized by their coarseness, fragmented structure, low biological activity, low organic carbon content, and nutrient deficiencies, which, located at Ismailia Governorate. Land reclamation has emerged as a promising solution for agricultural development in Egypt, aiming of research to enhance land and decreased minerals fertilizer by compost application (with/without), factor was foliar treatment (Chitosan, Biofertilizer, Biofertilizer + Chitosan), and factor was NPK rate (50%, 75%, 100%) on Sesame plant. Result showed that significant two-way and three-way interactions were detected for most yield variables, indicating synergistic benefits of combining compost + (Biofertilizer + Chitosan) + 100% NPK on Soil organic matter, available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were positively effective by compost and the combined biostimulant treatment. The combined application of compost with foliar Biofertilizer + Chitosan at 100% NPK rate is recommended for optimizing sesame productivity on sandy soils. This recommended integrated application aligns seamlessly with Egypt’s Vision 2030 for sustainable agriculture; by combining organic amendments (compost) and biostimulants (chitosan and bio-fertilizers), this approach enhances the environmental efficiency of marginal sandy soils, maximizes the productivity of strategic oil crops such as sesame, and supports climate-resilient agricultural practices.
Desertification is a multifaceted occurrence that diminishes the richness of soil by means of interconnected environmental and financial factors, affecting environments across various geographic scales. This research seeks to evaluate how susceptible the environment is to desertification in Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt, using geospatial data and the MEDALUS model. A regional analytical framework was developed through Geographic Information Systems (GIS), land surveys, laboratory analyses, Sentinel-2 imagery, Digital Elevation Models (DEM), geological maps, and climatic datasets. Three primary indicators soil quality, vegetation quality, and climate quality were used to estimate desertification sensitivity. Specific contributing factors such as parent material, soil texture, depth, slope, erosion protection, drought resistance, vegetation cover, precipitation, aridity, and aspect were systematically analyzed. Advanced tools including ArcGIS Pro and Google Earth Engine were employed to derive the Desertification Sensitivity Index (DSI) and generate a map of environmentally sensitive areas (see Figure 7). Results revealed that 63.57% of the study area exhibits very low sensitivity to desertification, 21.42% shows low sensitivity, 7.32% demonstrates medium sensitivity, and 7.69% is highly sensitive. These findings highlight spatial variability in environmental vulnerability and offer a foundation for targeted mitigation strategies in Dakahlia Governorate.
The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the qualitative impacts of concrete lining versus unlined systems to ensure the long-term sustainability of irrigation water resources in Damietta, Egypt. A comparative analysis was conducted between the unlined Al-Balamoun canal (open-end) and the concrete-lined Halawa canal (closed terminal end). Nine samples were analyzed for physicochemical parameters and heavy metals, with quality assessed via SAR, IWQI, and indices. Results revealed that while the unlined canal maintained stable 'Excellent' quality (Mean TDS = 205.17 ppm), the lined canal exhibited severe spatial variability. The stagnant terminal end (Sample 9) showed a dramatic hypersaline surge (TDS = 4180 ppm; SAR = 31.06), shifting its status to 'Unsuitable' (S4) due to evapoconcentration driven by dead-end stagnation. Conversely, heavy metal analysis indicated low contamination ( ), where trace element depletion was linked to the adsorption capacity of clayey sediments.The study recommends the strategic completion of the national canal lining project across Damietta, provided that future designs prioritize flow continuity and avoid dead-end configurations. Periodic flushing and specialized monitoring at stagnant points are essential to mitigate localized salinity. Looking ahead, this research provides a baseline for developing future predictive models to manage salt accumulation in modernized irrigation networks, ensuring both water quantity and quality conservation.
A field experiment was conducted at El-Qanater Horticultural Research Station, Kalubiya, Governorate, Egypt during the two successive winter seasons (2022/2023 and 2023/2024) to quantify crop–water relationships, yield and quality attributes of potato three drip-irrigation regimes corresponding to 100%, 80%, and 60% of ETa. Results showed that, seasonal water consumptive use increased with increasing irrigation level, reaching 381.9 and 348.9 mm under 100% treatment in the two seasons, respectively. Monthly consumptive use followed a consistent seasonal pattern, with peak values in December associated with maximum canopy development and tuber initiation. Reducing irrigation level to 80% and 60% treatments decreased water consumption without proportional reductions in tuber yield. The highest tuber yields were obtained under 100% treatment (16.797 and 16.947 ton fed-¹), whereas 80% treatment produced statistically comparable yields. Despite lower yields, the 60% treatment achieved the highest productivity of irrigation water (PIW), reaching 11.27 and 12.35 kg m-³ in the first and second seasons, respectively and crop water productivity (CWP; 12.45 and 13.64 kg m-³) due to substantial reductions in applied and consumed water. Irrigation level markedly influenced tuber quality and chemical composition. Full irrigation enhanced chlorophyll content and carbohydrate accumulation. The 80% treatment optimized starch content, and treatment 60% increased tuber protein concentration. Nutrient partitioning varied with irrigation regime, with higher nitrogen concentration in tubers under deficit irrigation and greater potassium accumulation under full irrigation. Overall, drip-irrigation with moderate deficit irrigation substantially improved water productivity while maintaining acceptable yield and quality under Egyptian conditions.
Water pollution by heavy metals has become a serious environmental and public health issue due to rapid industrialization, urban expansion, and improper disposal of industrial effluents. These metals are highly toxic, non-biodegradable, and capable of accumulating in living organisms, leading to severe ecological and health problems. This mini review highlights the major challenges and current approaches for removing heavy metals from contaminated water, with particular emphasis on nickel, lead and chromium. Nickel may cause respiratory and skin disorders, lead affects the nervous and renal systems, while chromium, especially hexavalent chromium, is considered highly carcinogenic. Various conventional treatment methods, including chemical precipitation, ion exchange, membrane filtration, and electrochemical processes, have been widely applied for heavy metal removal. However, these methods often suffer from limitations such as high operational cost, sludge generation, and reduced efficiency at low metal concentrations. Therefore, recent attention has focused on sustainable and eco-friendly approaches such as adsorption using biochar and agricultural wastes, bioremediation, nanotechnology, and integrated treatment systems. These emerging strategies show promising potential for improving removal efficiency while reducing environmental risks and treatment costs.
