Soil salinity is one of the constraints of crop production in Egypt. The aims of this study
were to identify genomic regions associated with grain weight and its related traits along with their
salinity tolerance indices and to identify the most salinity tolerant and high-yielding genotypes.
Therefore, we evaluated an advanced backcross mapping population of barley in newly reclaimed soil
under two salinity levels of groundwater aquifers in South of Sinai, Egypt. We detected significant
QTL associated with grain weight related attributes and the salinity tolerance index (STI) distributed
throughout the whole genome of barley, which can be used to enhance salinity tolerance. Moreover,
the markers bPb-3739 (4H, 96.3 cM), AF043094A (5H, 156 cM), bPb-8161 (7H, 2.22 cM), and bPb-5260
(7H, 115.6 cM), were the most important identified genomic regions corresponding to vernalization,
dwarfing and dehydrin genes, which are correlated with salinity tolerance. Additionally, the doubled
haploid lines SI001, SI043, SI044, SI028, SI242, SI035, and SI005 had the highest STI values based on
yield average. The present study demonstrated that wild and elite barley do harbor novel valuable
alleles, which can enrich the genetic basis of cultivated barley and improve quantitative agronomic
traits under salinity conditions.

Fertilization with high levels of phosphorus increases the risk of environmental pollution.
Identification of critical values of P in soil (SOP) and in plant tissues (PiP) is essential for achieving the
maximum wheat yield without P loss. The critical value is the value of P which gives the optimum
yield; the response of crop yield to P fertilization above this value is not predictable or nil. Here, a 4-year
field experiment was conducted to identify the SOP and PiP for achieving maximum yield of bread
wheat using 11 rates of P fertilization (0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, 120, 135, and 150 kg P2O5 ha?1). The
linear–linear and Mitscherlich exponential models were employed to estimate the PiP and SOP. The
degree of phosphorus saturation (DPS) was used to assess the potential environmental risk; furthermore,
phosphorus use efficiency (PUE)was also calculated under the studied fertilization levels. Phosphorus in
soil and wheat plant was affected by the application rates and growing seasons. Increasing P fertilization
rates led to gradual increases in soil and plant P. The SOP ranged between 21 and 32 mg kg?1, while
the PiP ranged between 6.40 and 7.49 g kg?1. The critical values of P calculated from theMitscherlich
exponential models were 20% higher than those calculated from the linear–linear models. Adding levels
of P fertilization 90 kg P2O5 ha?1 leads to higher potentials of P runoff and leaching, in addition, PUE
decreased sharply under high P fertilization levels. The response ofwheat yield to P fertilization in sandy
calcareous soil is predictable below Olsen P values of 21 mg kg?1. Identification of critical P values
for wheat production is of great importance to help policy makers improve P use efficiency and attain
optimum wheat yield under eco-friendly environmental conditions by eliminating the accumulation of
excess P fertilizers in soil and water

MADS-box transcription factors are crucial regulators of inflorescence and flower development
in plants. Therefore, the recent interest in this family has received much attention in plant
breeding programs due to their impact on plant development and inflorescence architecture. The
aim of this study was to investigate the role of HvMADS-box genes in lateral spikelet development
in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). A set of 30 spike-contrasting barley lines were phenotypically and
genotypically investigated under controlled conditions. We detected clear variations in the spike and
spikelet development during the developmental stages among the tested lines. The lateral florets in
the deficiens and semi-deficiens lines were more reduced than in two-rowed cultivars except cv. Kristina.
Interestingly, cv. Kristina, int-h.43 and int-i.39 exhibited the same behavior as def.5, def.6, semi-def.1,
semi-def.8 regarding development and showed reduced lateral florets size. In HOR1555, HOR7191
and HOR7041, the lateral florets continued their development, eventually setting seeds. In contrast,
lateral florets in two-rowed barley stopped differentiating after the awn primordia stage giving
rise to lateral floret sterility. At harvest, the lines tested showed large variation for all central and
lateral spikelet-related traits. Phylogenetic analysis showed that more than half of the 108 MADS-box
genes identified are highly conserved and are expressed in different barley tissues. Re-sequence
analysis of a subset of these genes showed clear polymorphism in either SNPs or in/del. Variation in
HvMADS56 correlated with altered lateral spikelet morphology. This suggests that HvMADS56 plays
an important role in lateral spikelet development in barley

Essential oils of oregano and cinnamon as an alternative method for control of gray mold disease of table grapes caused by Botrytis cinerea

The current work investigated the influences of different light sources on growth performance, carcass characteristics, blood biochemicals, physiological status and health aspects. One hundred and twenty growing California rabbits were assigned into four empirical collections in an experiment of completely randomized design. Rabbits of the first collection were reared under incandescent light bulbs (control), while the second, third and fourth collections were reared under fluorescent, saving light and LED light bulbs, respectively. The results indicated that rabbits reared under incandescent and LED had the heaviest body weight at 16-weeks-old. Rabbits reared under LED recorded the greatest gain during 14–16 weeks of age and 6–16 weeks of age. The lowest feed conversion ratio was observed in rabbits reared under LED lighting, during 14–16 weeks of age, and during the whole period without significant …

The provision of suitable bedding for rearing broilers is an ongoing challenge for poultry producers. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of using different types of crop residues as alternative bedding materials to wheat straw on growth performance, carcass traits, health, and welfare of broilers; moreover, the effects on the bedding and air quality were analyzed. We randomly assigned 180 1-day-old chickens (Cobb 500) across six bedding groups (three replicates of 10 birds each). Chickens in all groups were reared under similar housing conditions. Chickens of one group were reared on a wheat straw bedding (control), whereas those of the remaining five groups were reared on clover straw, cornstalk chips (CS), sugarcane top chips, chopped palm spines (CPS), and corn ear husks. Cornstalk chip and chopped palm spines were associated with the lowest (P < 0.05) ammonia concentrations

Profitable production of rabbit meat requires comfortable environment for expression of good quality traits embedded in the genetic components of rabbits. One of the major problems facing rabbit production is heat stress, especially in hot regions of the world. This is further aggravated by global warming being experienced as a result of climate change. Rabbits have no or few sweat glands, complicating the problem of heat dissipation, thereby predisposing the animals to heat stress (HS). Heat stress adversely affect welfare and adaptation, feed consumption and utilization, immunity and health status, growth, reproduction, and milk production in rabbits. Rabbits are homoeothermic animals. They should be capable of body temperature regulation within a narrow range. Thermoregulation is extremely poor in rabbits because of lack of sweat glands. Rabbits are highly sensitive to high ambient temperature. The

Effects of exposing quail eggs to high temperature on the heat tolerance ability and productivity of birds were investigated. Four groups of 600 fertile eggs were randomly selected; the first group was incubated under 37.5 °C and the hatched chicks were reared under a gradual decrease in temperature from 35 to 24 °C (Control). The second group was exposed to 39.1 °C for 2 h/day during 4–14 days of embryogenesis and the hatched chicks were reared under a gradual decrease in temperature from 35 to 24 °C. The third group was incubated under 37.5 °C and the hatched chicks were exposed to 39 ± 1 °C for 2 h/day during 4–14 days of age. The fourth group was exposed to 39 ± 1 °C for 2 h during 4–14 days of embryogenesis and the hatched chicks were exposed to 39 ± 1 °C for 2 h/day during 4–14 days of age. The temperature applied changed (P < 0.01) embryo weight and incubation period