Reem Ahmad Khalil^1*, Mouhamd Al-Azem¹ and Waseem Abdulwahed²

¹ Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Technical Engineering, Aleppo University, Syria.

² Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Aleppo University, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Reem Khalil, Email:  reem.khalil.1996.@gmail.com , mob.: 0930553162 )

Received: 11/ 6/ 2025      Accepted: 8/ 10/ 2025

Abstract

In this study, sweet orange fruits (Citrus sinensis) were sourced from local markets in Aleppo city. The fruits were manually juiced, and the extracted juice was subsequently mixed with maltodextrin. The resulting mixture was then subjected to spray drying—a technique widely employed in the food industry for producing fruit juice powders.  The investigation focused on evaluating selected physicochemical properties of three juice samples: fresh orange juice, orange juice supplemented with maltodextrin at a ratio of 4:1, and reconstituted juice obtained from the dried powder. The parameters assessed included: reducing sugars, total acidity, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), soluble solids content (°Brix), moisture content, viscosity, turbidity, and color attributes (L*, a*, b*). The yield of spray-dried orange juice supplemented with maltodextrin was 18.64%. Statistically significant differences were observed among the studied samples in terms of their physicochemical characteristics. Moisture and acidity levels were highest in the fresh juice prior to maltodextrin addition. Conversely, the incorporation of maltodextrin led to an increase in both viscosity and °Brix values. Spray drying had a pronounced impact on all measured parameters, particularly resulting in elevated turbidity and color intensity. On the other hand, reductions were noted in reducing sugars, acidity, and vitamin C content following drying, with final values of 1.201%, 3.525%, and 15.47 mg/100g, respectively.

Keywords: Orange Juice, Maltodextrin, Spray drying, Powder, Drying process, Vitamin C.

 Full paper in Arabic: PDF

Reem Hamze^1* and Mouhamd Al-Azem¹

¹ Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Technical Engineering, Aleppo University, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Reem Hamze, Email: hamzereem432@gmail.com )

Received: 26/ 7/ 2025      Accepted: 14/ 10/ 2025

Abstract

This study aimed to know the effect of adding hydrocolloids (Gum Arabic, Sodium alginate, a mixture of sodium alginate with gum Arabic) to orange juice, and determined some physical and chemical properties of the juice in order to provide information about the most acceptable product characteristics. Samples were prepared and alginate and gum Arabic were added at concentrations ranging from 0.25% to 3%, in addition to a sample without adding any hydrocolloids (control sample). Then, these samples were packaged, pasteurized, cooled to room temperature, until sensory evaluation was conducted to select the optimal concentration of each added colloid and adopt it for conducting some tests. The viscosity, color indices total dissolved solids (Brix%), titratable acidity and pH of the selected samples were measured. In general, it was found that hydrocolloids have an effect on the color indices, viscosity, total dissolved solids, pH and titratable acidity of orange juice. In addition, a commercial orange juice sample was included as a reference for comparison, and its value were presented descriptively without being subjected to statistical analysis.

Keywords: Orange Juice, Hydrocolloids, Gum Arabic, Alginate, Sensory Properties, Physicochemical properties.

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Rawan Maher Khoraki^1*, Imad Aldeen Alkhalaf ² and Amir Alhaj Sakur

1 Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Aleppo, Syria.
2 Department of Analytical and Food Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Aleppo, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Rawan Maher Khoraki, Email: khorakirawan8@gmail.com, 0968061808).

Received: 4/ 3/ 2025         Accepted: 28/ 5/ 2025

Abstract

Water is widely used in all aspects of daily life, and with the growth of various technologies and industries, all of these activities pollute water sources, especially rivers, streams, canals, and inland lakes, with various types of pollutants, including heavy metals. The research aims to study the effect of treated and untreated corn cob powder (Zea mays L.) as an adsorbent to remove zinc from polluted aqueous solutions. Different doses of corn cob powder processed from each solution were studied at graded concentrations (100 – 200 – 300 – 400 ppm), at a constant temperature of (20) degrees Celsius, and pH = 8, at different contact times. Then the samples were filtered and then the previously mentioned concentrations were measured using an atomic absorption device. The results showed that the adsorption percentage for the treated corn cobs ranged between (33-94%) between the two concentrations (100-400), respectively. In contrast, the percentages for the untreated corn cobs ranged between (0-18%), and the optimal economic adsorbent dose was chosen for the treated corn cobs (1.5).

Keywords: Zinc, corn cobs, adsorption, polluted water, atomic absorption.

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Raghad Essa^1*, Ghaithaa Wanas¹, Aziza Ajour² and Marwan Alabi¹

¹ Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria.

² Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Raghad Essa, Email: raghadessa648@gmail.com).

Received: 28/ 4/ 2025       Accepted: 25/ 6/ 2025

Abstract

The research was conducted in Ain Al-Kroum village, Al-Ghab region, Hama Governorate, during the 2024 agricultural season to study the effect of two concentrations of humic acid (2, 4 g/L) and seaweed extract (1, 2 mL/L) on vegetative growth indicators and productivity per unit area of pepper (Capsicum annuum L., Antakli variety). The experiment included 9 treatments, including the control (0 g/L humic acid + 0 mL/L seaweed extract), with three replicates and 20 plants per treatment, following a split-plot design. The main plots were assigned to humic acid fertilization, while the subplots were assigned to foliar spraying with seaweed extract. The results showed significant improvements in plant growth and productivity when using humic acid, seaweed extract, or their combination. The H2A2 treatment (4 g/L humic acid + 2 mL/L seaweed extract) outperformed all other treatments, recording the highest values for vegetative growth indicators: average plant height of 60.93 cm, number of lateral branches of 8.26 branches/plant, number of leaves of 250.9 leaves/plant, and the highest productivity per unit area of 5.47 kg/m². In contrast, the control (H0A0) recorded the lowest values: 41.31 cm for plant height, 4.06 branches/plant, 195.9 leaves/plant, and 2.68 kg/m² for productivity. The H2 treatment (4 g/L humic acid) achieved the highest individual averages for vegetative growth (57.17 cm, 7.24 branches/plant, 241.1 leaves/plant) and productivity (4.85 kg/m²), while the A2 treatment (2 mL/L seaweed extract) recorded averages of 54.19 cm, 7.24 branches/plant, 232.5 leaves/plant, and 4.73 kg/m². These improvements are attributed to the combined effect of both factors, where humic acid enhances nutrient uptake, and seaweed extract promotes vegetative growth and fruit production through plant hormones and nutrients.

Keywords: Humic Acid, Pepper, Productivity, Seaweed Extract, Vegetative Growth.

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Ali Deeb1*, Ali Alkhatib2, and Raeed Gaafar1

1 Department Of Horticulture, Faculty Of Agriculture, Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria.
2 General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research, Lattakia Research Center.
(*Corresponding author: Ali Deeb, Email: alikhalildip@gmail.com).

Received: 27/ 5/ 2024    Accepted: 25/ 8/ 2024

Abstract

The study was conducted during the year 2023 on Mediterranean tangerine trees (Mandarin baladi), grown at the Ciano Research Station of the General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research. (Lattakia Research Center), in a field of 3,000 m2, at an altitude of about 125 m above sea level, with the aim of studying the effect of the rootstock and spraying with boron and zinc on some productive indicators of the trees of the studied cultivar. The study included three rootstocks, Troyer citrange, Citrumelo 4475 and Poncirus trifoliata (L. Raf), and spraying with boron, at a concentration of 200 ppm, and zinc at a concentration of 100 ppm, singly and mixed, this is on three dates (Two weeks before flowering, after fruit set, and one month after the second spray). The results confirmed the great role of the rootstock, as the rootstock Troyer Citrange outperformed the two rootstocks, Citromilo 4475 and the trifoliate orange, for all the studied indicators (percentage of set 21.63%, fruiting coefficient 8.57, tree production 93.64 kg/tree, and productivity 4.68 ton/donm). The rootstock, Citromilo 4475, outperformed the three-leaf orange rootstock, and with regard to foliar spraying treatments with two elements, Boron and zinc were observed to be superior to the treatment of spraying both elements together over the rest of the treatments for all the studied indicators. Also, the treatments spraying with boron and zinc individually outperformed the control treatment and without there being a significant difference between them with regard to the percentage of set and fruiting coefficient, and with the presence of a significant difference between them with regard to tree production and productivity in favor of the treatment. Spraying with the boron element. As for the mutual effect, the spraying treatment with boron and zinc together on the Troyer citrange rootstock was also the highest in value, (percentage of set 28.27%, fruiting coefficient 11.22, tree production 167.28 kg/tree, and productivity 8.36 ton/donm) and it outperformed the rest of the treatments and rootstocks.

Keywords: Mediterranean tangerine, rootstock, boron, zinc, productivity indicators.

 Full paper in Arabic: PDF

Kholod Ahmad Abbas1, Georges Makhoul Makhoul1, Faisal Wajih Dway1, and Mohammad Naddaf2

1 Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Lattakia University, Syria.
2 Department of Food Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Lattakia University, Syria.
(*Corresponding author: Kholod Ahmad Abbas, Email: kholod.abbas7@gmail.com )

Received: 5/ 5/ 2025     Accepted: 25/ 6/ 2025

Abstract

The experiment was carried out during three seasons (2020,2021,2022) on Al- khdery olive trees,30 years old in Rwayst al-hersh village in Lattakia. The aim of research is to study the effect of irrigation and organic fertilization on productive and qualitative characteristics of olive oil cv”Alkhdery”. Two levels of organic fertilizer 5 and 7 kg\ tree, were added in November, and irrigation water was used three times at a fixed irrigation water rate at 800 liters\ tree\irrigation. A completely randomized design was adopted. The experiment included 12 treatments and each treatment had 3 replications. The results were analyzed using Genestat 12 program by calculating the least significant difference level of 5%. The results showed that the T12 treatment (7 kg\tree organic fertilizer+ 3 batches irrigations) was superior to the three- year average in oil ratio 28.78%, and in the average oil quantity 10.964 kg/tree. The chemical analysis showed that the refractive index for all studied treatments was (1.4677-1.4705) at 20 c°, which is within the Syrian Standard Specification 182 ,2000. Also, treatment with 7 kg/tree organic fertilizer and 3 times irrigation was superior to the three- year average in acidity 0.66%. The peroxide index was within the internationally permissible limits and within the Syrian Standard Specifications and  therefore the oil is an extra oil.

Keywords: olive, organic fertilizer, irrigation, fertilization, oil ratio, quality indicators.

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Mazen Nassour1 and Hussam Hdaiwah1*

1 Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen University, Latakia, Syria.
(*Corresponding author: Hussam Hdaiwah, Email: ahmadaboalshykh1993@gmail.com ).

Received: 27/ 7/ 2024       Accepted: 7/ 10/ 2024

Abstract

The research was carried out in Lattakia in agricultural nursery of Tishreen university, Faculty of Agriculture during season (2022-2023). This research aimed to study effect of foliar spraying of Salicylic acid (SA)with three levels (100,200,400 mg/L) on vegetative growth ,flowering production of Stock (Matthiola incana L). The experiment was designed by the complete blocks design with four treatments and three replicates, 20 plants at replicate. The results showed a positive effect of Salicylic acid with level 200 ppm on vegetative parameters growth (Length of plant, number of leaves, area of paper surface and total chlorophyll) , as well as the formation and evolution of flowering date(early flowering,  syphilis length,  number of flowers on the inflorescence and  floral  diameter), the previous concentration  also contributed to an increase  in the life span  of post- harvest flowers(15.9 day)  compared to the control(10.3 day)..

Keywords: Salicylic acid (SA), Stock (Matthiola incana), cut flowers, growth, flowering. 

Full paper in Arabic: PDF

Esraa Omar Bobo^1*, Badie Mohammad Samra¹, Ehab Thabet Ahmad², Gheith Muhammad Nassour²

¹ Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Lattakia University, Syria.

² General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research, Agricultural Research Center of Lattakia, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Eng. Esraa Omar Bobo, E-mail: boboesraa7@gmail.com ).

Received: 2/ 6/ 2025                  Accepted: 3/ 8/ 2025

Abstract

The investigation was conducted in a Plastic greenhouse during the 2023-2024 season in Alsnobar Research Center of Lattakia, to study the effect of grafting the Barcelona eggplant hybrid on growth and yield. The experiment included (3) treatments: Barcelona eggplant hybrid grafted onto a foreign rootstock (Extra Pro), Barcelona eggplant hybrid grafted onto a local grown wild rootstock and non-grafted plants (control). The treatments were arranged in (4) replications, each contained (10) plants, according to a randomized complete block design. The results showed that plants grafted onto the foreign rootstock significantly outperformed the control, followed by those grafted on the wild rootstock, in all measured traits, compared to the control including plant high (156.5, 145.3 and 106.7 cm respectively), the number of leaves per plant (186.3, 173.3 and 103.3 leaves/plant respectively), the number of flowers (44.79, 39.74 and 25.61 flowers/plant respectively), the percentage of fruit set per plant (94.04 and 90.02% respectively) and the total soluble sugars content in fruit juice (4.700 and 3.830% respectively) were higher. In contrast, the grafted plants significantly outperformed both the foreign and wild rootstocks in terms of leaf area (28.043 and 27.266 cm2/plant respectively), the total solids in fruit juice (5.033 and 4.767% respectively) and the total acidity (0.1200% in both) compared to the control without significant differences among the grafted plants. Grafted plants on the foreign rootstock exhibited a significant superiority in yield per unite area, followed by those grafted on the wild rootstock (6.616 and 5.853 kg/m2 respectively) compared to the control (4.187 kg/m2).

Keywords: Eggplant– Fruit quality – Grafting – Growth – Yield.

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Ahmad Abo Alshaykh^1*, Muhammad Arbid² and Lial zaheed

¹ Master Student, College of Agriculture, Al-Furat University.

² Department of Field Crops, College of Agriculture, Al-Furat University.

(*Corresponding author: Ahmad Abo Alshaykh, Email: ahmadaboalshykh1993@gmail.com )

Received: 28/ 2/ 2025     Accepted: 21/ 7/ 2025

Abstract

The study was conducted in the village of Hatla, located north of Deir ez-Zor Governorate, over two agricultural seasons, 2022 and 2023. The study investigated the effect of three rates of compost (0, 2, and 4 tons/ha) and three concentrations of boron (0, 25, and 50 ppm) on peanut yields. The experiment was designed according to a randomized complete block design with three replicates, with compost rates occupying the main plots and boron concentrations occupying the split plots.  The results showed that the interaction of compost at a rate of (4 tons/ha) and boron at a concentration of (50 ppm) gave the highest values ​​for plant height (70.1 cm), leaf area (484.5 cm2), 100-seed weight (87.55 g), fruit yield (2835 kg/ha), harvest index (31.7%), and the lowest value for the number of empty pods (7.6 pods), while the compost rate of (4) tons/ha gave the best results for plant height (65.8 cm), leaf area (454.6 cm2), 100-seed weight (85.2 g), fruit yield (2574 kg/ha), harvest index (30.1%), and the lowest number of empty pods (9.2 pods) compared to the rest of the rates. The highest boron concentration (50) ppm gave the best results for plant height (66.1 cm), leaf area (452.8 cm2), 100-seed weight (81.3 g), fruit yield (2521 kg/ha), harvest index (29.7%), and the lowest number of empty pods (9.2 pods) compared to other concentrations. Therefore, it is recommended to foliar spray boron at a concentration of (50) parts per million on peanut crops and to add compost at a rate of (4 tons/ha) to the peanut crop if the goal of cultivation is to increase fruit yield or forage.

Keywords: Peanut, compost, boron, morphological characteristics, production characteristics.

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Ababel hamoud^1*, Bashir Mubarak¹ , Nabila kridi¹ , Nada Ghiba¹, and Laila Abdel Aziz¹

¹ General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research.

(*Corresponding author: Ababel hamoud, Email: ababelhamod@gmail.com )

Received: 16/03 /2025      Accepted: 17/08 / 2025

Abstract

This research was carried out in the Shebaa area in the Damascus Countryside Governorate for the year (2023), with the aim of studying the effect of vermicompost on some chemical and fertility soil properties and comparing it with fermented cow dung fertilizer and mineral fertilizer and the productivity of the eggplant. The design of the full random sectors was adopted with 4 transactions and 3 replicates, and the studied fertilizer transactions were added according to the agricultural recommendation of the Ministry of Agriculture for summer vegetables after soil analysis. The results showed that there were no significant differences in the acidity of the soil among all the studied treatments, and the results showed an increase in the soil content of total nitrogen in a clear way in all fertilizer treatments compared to the witness, and the superiority of Vermicompost over the rest of the transactions. With clear differences, it reached (0.07), as for the available potassium and phosphorous, the results appear to be clearly superior to the cow dung manure over the witness, and with non-clear differences with the rest of the fertilizer transactions, while the increase was not clear in the Soil content of potassium and phosphorous available for vermicompost and metal treatments compared to the witness, and all treatments were clearly superior to the witness in productivity. The results also showed significant differences in compost coefficients among themselves, and productivity was in the order of mineral fertilizers, followed by vermicompost, and then fermented dung manure.

Keywords: Vermicompost, mineral fertilizer, fermented cow dung manure, chemical properties, eggplant productivity.

 Full paper in Arabic: PDF