Kamel Khalil * ⁽¹⁾ Maher Dais ⁽²⁾  and Ahmad soliman ⁽¹⁾

(1). Department of Environmental Prevention, Higher Institute for Environmental Research, Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria.

(2). The General Authority for Scientific Agricultural Research, Lattakia, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Kamel Khalil, Email: d.kamelkhalil@tishreen.edu.sy).

Received: 18/04/2023         Accepted: 24/05/2023

Abstract: 

This study aimed to evaluate the levels of soil pollution by the use of some single pollution indexes such as (the Geoaccumulation index I_geo, and Pollution Index PIi) in addition of some integrated pollution indexes, such as (Average Pollution Index Pl_ave and Nemerow pollution index INPI) in soils of Jableh city. Samples taken from two depths (0-20 cm) and (20-40 cm) for five sites (S1 to S5) during the spring (Corona prohibition period) and autumn season of 2020. The concentrations of the metal were determined: lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn). The results showed that the overall mean values of element concentrations ranged as follows: [Zn (71.16)> Pb(38.28) > Cu(25.13) > Cd1.81 ppm)] for both seasons (spring and autumn). In general, values of metals were higher in the autumn season compared to the spring season (the prohibition period of the Corona pandemic), especially in the surface depths. The results were shown by calculating the overall mean of the individual pollution index PIi values for each element and defining the pollution Class: copper (0.42) non-polluted, zinc (1.02) lightly polluted, lead (2.73) moderately polluted, and cadmium (12.08) severely polluted. The Igeo values for each element and the defined pollution Class: copper (-1.86) uncontaminated, zinc (-0.060) non-polluted, lead (0.82) non-polluted to medium pollution, cadmium (2.85) moderate to severely polluted. Pl_ave values was (4.06) this means that the city soils were Highly polluted and the value of the INPI was (9.014), meaning that the soil of Jableh city is highly polluted. In summary, we conclude that the soils of the city of Jableh are moderate polluted with lead and severely polluted with cadmium, and in general, the soils classified as highly polluted.

Keywords: Heavy metals – Indexes of soil pollution – city (Syria).

Full paper in Arabic: pdf

Ola Farran^(1)* and Yahya Al Saleh ⁽²⁾

(1). General Center of Agriculture Scientific Researches. Aleppo Centre.

(2). Rural Eng. Dept. Faculty of Agriculture, Aleppo University, Aleppo, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Ola Farran, E-Mail: Ofarran3@gmail.com).

Received: 11/05/2023                Accepted: 26/06/2023

Abstract: 

Despite the advantages of mechanical harvesting in reducing labor and reducing harvesting time and costs, using a combined harvester during the mechanical harvesting of corn causes an increase in the loss rates, the losses occur due to the effect of the various harvesting devices (table, thresher, winnowing, and sifting). This research aims to determine the loss percentages that occur with the effect of each of the different harvesting devices. The experiment was conducted on two cultivars of fodder corn, which are the most common among farmers in Aleppo province. Golden West variety harvested at speed of 2.44 km/h. Indaco variety, harvested at speed of 3.33 km/h. The results showed that for Golden West variety the losses due to the effect of the table was 12.03%, the thresher device 18.4%, and the winnowing and sifting devices 0.15%, thus the total loss was 30.85%. As for Indaco variety, these values were 6.7%, Corn, Combine, Mechanical Harvesting, Total Losses, Quantitative Loss, and Qualitative Losses.14.5%, 0.56%, respectively, and the total loss was 21.74%. Losses in both cases are high and this can attributed to several factors, the most important reason that is the oldness of the machine and the failure to adjust its calibers correctly during harvesting.

Key Words: Corn, Harvesting Devices, Loss Rates, Quantum Loss, Qualitative Loss.

Full paper in Arabic: pdf

Sarah Alsheikh ^(1)* and Osama Radwan⁽¹⁾

(1). Ecology and Forest Department Faculty of Agriculture Engineering, Tishreen Univ, Lattakia, Syria.

(*Corresponding author:Salma amairi.E-Mail: sara96alsheikh@gmail.com).

Received: 28/04/2023                     Accepted: 10/07/2023

Abstract: 

This study was conducted in four sites located in Lattakia governorate during the period between 2021-2022, and it aimed to estimate the current plant biodiversity from the city center towards the suburbs and to determine the integrity of the species richness, and compare the change in the diversity of tree species. The results showed that there were clear differences in the distribution of the total number of plant species among the study sites. it was found that the site located in the suburb of Buka, has a greater species richness, which the Arab Technical Institute for Agriculture and Fisheries recorded 90 species, followed by the Panorama garden and gardens of Ain Um Ibrahim with 58 species and 38 species respectively, while the lowest number was recorded in ALmashroa ALsabea garden with 14 species. The results also showed that there is a relative closeness between the city and the suburb in terms of endemic and exotic species, which the percentage of exotic species in the city reached 69,8% and in the suburb 68,9%, while the endemic species recorded a percentage of 30,2% in the city compared to 31,19% in the suburb. The similarity between the city and the suburb was 50%. Most of the families achieved the required percentages in the plant composition of the studied sites, while the percentage of some species and genera exceeded the permissible percentages in the study areas.

Keywords: Tree species, urban forestry, Plant biodiversity gradient, Endemic and exotic species. .

Full paper in Arabic: pdf

Salma Amairi⁽¹⁾, Rita Mansour ⁽²⁾⁽³⁾ Rami Watffa⁽¹⁾ and Nada Ghebeh⁽⁴)

(1). Department of renewable natural resources and environment, Faculty of Agricultural   Engineering, University of Damascus, Syria.

(2). Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Damascus University- Damascus, Syria.

(3). Qasyoun University for Science & Technology, Faculty of Dentistry, Damascus, Syria.

(4)Natural Resource Research Department – General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research – Damascus,Syria.

(*Corresponding author:Salma amairi.E-Mail:Salmaamaery9@gmail.com).

Received: 10/07/2023         Accepted: 23/01/2023

Abstract: 

The experiment was carried out at the Abi Jarash farm, Faculty of Agriculture, the University of Damascus in 2020- 2021.The experiment was conducted according to a Completely Randomized Block Design (CRBD) to calculate the Least Significant Difference (LSD) at a significance level of 0.05. Twenty crop beds were planted with Helianthus annuusL (common name sunflower) andirrigated by five kinds of water (five treatments) at a rate of four replicates per treatment: T1 (100% freshwater), T2 (25% wastewater + 75% freshwater), T3 (50% wastewater + 50% freshwater), T4 (75% wastewater + 25% freshwater) and T5 (100% wastewater).The content of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) in irrigated and filtration water,along with plant parts (root, stem, leaves) were measured at the maturity stage by atomic absorption spectrophotometer and flame spectroscopy. Results showed the concentration of Pb and Cd in filtrate were lower than its concentrations in irrigated water. According to the Syrian Standard for treated wastewater,the filtration water for treatments T3 and T4 is suitable for irrigation (the values of Cd and Pb were 0.032, 3.00 mg/l for T3 and 0.041, 4.00 mg/l for T4, respectively). Conversely, the concentration of K+ and Na+ increased in water filtrate when itwas in irrigation water. The results also showed: significant differences between treatment of T1 and T5 in the plant’s accumulation of Cd. The highest concentration of Cd in leaves were at T5 (0.0647 mg/Kg) and the lowest value in roots were at T1 (0.005 mg/Kg). In addition, there were obvious significant differences between all treatments for Pb accumulation; its highest concentration in the roots was in T5 (17.00 mg/Kg)and the lowest concentration in the stem was in the control(2.00 mg/Kg) . Cd accumulation in the leaves was higher than in the roots, while Pb was concentrated in the lower parts of the plant. Absorption of Na+ and K+ in the root, stems, and leaves decreased when heavy metals accumulated in these plant parts.

Keywords: Helianthus annuusL, Wastewater, Heavy metals, Chemical indicators.

Full paper in Arabic: pdf

Mona Baraka ⁽¹⁾ Mohammad Manhal Alzoubi⁽²⁾ Ola Merhej⁽³⁾ and Ruba Issa^(1)*

(1). Department of Soil and Water Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen, University, Latakia, Syria.

(2). Agriculture Scientific Research Center, Latakia, Syria.

(3). General Organization of Remote Sensing, Latakia, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Ruba Mohammad Issa: E-Mail: rubaessa99@gmail.com).  

Received: 29/06/2023                          Accepted: 24/07/2023

Abstract: 

The severity of the fires is a determining factor in assessing the condition of the region after the fire, however the fires that occurred on 10-9/10/2020 were extremely painful after they turned the green cover in the coastal mountains into ashes. The damage was not limited to forest wealth, as  agricultural soils had a big share of it.  Since soil is the basis for the return and renewal of forest wealth and the preservation of biodiversity as well as the sustainability of agricultural production. In this research, (30) sites exposed to fire were identified, distributed over the four regions of Latakia Governorate (Latakia region, Al-Qardaha region, Al-Haffa region, and Jableh region) two weeks after the fire broke out. And then  the Normalized burn Ratio (NBR) index and the difference Normalized burn Ratio index (dNBR)were applied in conjunction with the application of The Composite burn Index (CBI).  The results of the study showed that Latakia governorate exposed to fires that distributed to very low (0.5-1), low (1-1.5), medium (1.5-2) to high (2-2.5) and very high (2.5-3) according to the composite index, which showed the effectiveness of using the index of difference in the standard fire ratio in assessing the severity of the fire, by calculating the total accuracy of this indicator based on the points of the composite index as field checkpoints, which totaled to (84.67)%, The index showed the difference in the intensity of the fire throughout the studied areas, as the fir and Cedar preserve occupied the largest area in terms of high-intensity fires (1674.84) ha with a total burned area of (3466.37) hectares, and the Qardaha area occupied the highest total area of fire by (7830.23 ha), followed by the Latakia region (4931.52) ha, and on the contrary, the lowest total area of fire was in the Kfardabil area (3433.49) ha.

Key words: Composite burn index (CBI) – The Normalized burn Ratio index(NBR) – the difference Normalized burn Ratio index dNBR – fire intensity – Latakia governorate.

 Full paper in Arabic: pdf

Rania Hasan ^(1)*, Mahmoud Ali ⁽¹⁾, Ali Ramadan ⁽²⁾ and Ola Merhej ⁽³⁾

(1). Department of Forestry and Environment, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Tishreen University, Syria.

(2). Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Tishreen University, Syria.

(3). General Authority for Remote Sensing, Lattakia, Syria.

(* Corresponding author: Eng. Rania Hasan, e-mail: raniahsn1990@gmail.com).

Received: 4/04/2023           Accepted:7/06/2023

Abstract: 

The aim of this research is to study the distribution and spread of the Lebanese cedar trees, Cedrus libani A.Rich, in the Cedar – Fir protected area in the Slenfeh region in Syria, after the reserve suffered from a fire in 2020, which negatively affected the area of cedar natural spread. The squares method was adopted to count the number of trees. 10 squares were chosen on the eastern part and 3 squares on the southern part, where the spread of the cedar is concentrated. The numbers of all the trees spreading in the studied samples were counted, and the plant density in hectares and the relative abundance of the cedar and the associated forest species were calculated. The results showed that the relative abundance and density of Lebanese cedar per hectare on the southern part was the highest compared to the other species, as the relative abundance was 20.2% and the density was 883.33 trees per hectare. On the other hand, only Juniperus drupacea was superior in relative abundance and density to the Lebanese cedar on the eastern part of the reserve, as the density of the cedar reached 478.57 trees per hectare compared to 267.86 trees per hectare for the Lebanese cedar, with a relative abundance of 9.4%.

Keywords: Cedrus libani, Cedar – Fir protected area, Slenfeh, Syria, plant density per hectare, relative abundance.

Full paper in Arabic: pdf

Dalal AL Ebrahim⁽¹⁾ *,  Hassan Ala Aldin⁽¹⁾,  Muhmad  Manhal Alzobi⁽²⁾    and Lina Raya⁽³⁾

(1) . Department of ecology and forestry, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen University,  Lattakia- Syria.

(2) General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research – GCSAR- Damascus, Syria.

(3). Lecturer in the Department of Basic Sciences – Faculty of Agriculture – University of Aleppo.                                                      

(*Corresponding author: Dalal Yasin AL-ebrahim, E-Mail dalalabrahim22@gmail.com ).

Received :11/05/2023                  Accepted:9/07/2023

Abstract: 

 The study was conducted in the years (2018-2019) in different geographical locations in Syria (15) sites,  between Hama Governorate (Al-Ghab) and Lattakia (Kasab), with the aim of studying some morphological and phenological parameters of the naturally spreading   Laurus nobilis L. The results showed the following:   – There are significant differences between the morphological characteristics of the individuals in the studied sites, where the individual (Kb7) taken from the Al-Nabain site (Kasab) was significantly superior to the rest of the individuals in the morphological characteristics related to the length of the leaf (10.34)(cm) , leaf  width (4.96)( cm), neck length (1.44) (cm), leaf weight (0.57) g, leaf surface area (33.12)(cm²) -There is no genetic dimension between the studied individuals that belong to different geographical locations, but rather they are genetically close to an acceptable extent, with a genetic affinity value estimated between (0.93-0.99.(                                          

Kay words:  Cluster tree,  Syria,   Laurus nobolis ,  Morphological parameters, phenological parameters.  

Full paper in Arabic:  pdf

Ousama Radwan *⁽¹⁾  and Muhammad Ghazal ⁽¹⁾

(1). Department of forestry and environment, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen university, Latakia, Syria.

(*Corresponding Author:Dr. Ousama Radwan, E-mail: osamagr3@gmail.com )

Received: 4/04/2023                     Accepted:24/05/2023

Abstract: 

This study was conducted on Al-Abrash Riverbanks in Tartous Governorate in 2020. It aimed to assess the changes in the spread of riparian plants and their response to these changes caused by the construction of Al-Basel dam. In addition to inventorying and documenting encountered plant species. Three sites have been identified (riverbank before the dam – lake bank – riverbank after the dam) and studied using the systematic sampling method. The results of the study showed the following: 54 plant species (14 trees – 4 shrubs – 36 herbs) were recorded in the study sites. There are significant differences between the three studied sites in specific richness, especially between riverbanks before and after the dam. However, the differences caused by the dam were within the natural level of diversity found in the riparian plant community in the riverbanks before the dam. Some plant species with floating seeds (Typha latifolia L.) (Typha australis Schum, et Thonn) increased significantly on the riverbanks after the dam compared to the rest of the species. While the prevalence of tree species decreased significantly, especially species with seeds that don’t float on the water. The construction of Al-Basel Dam on the course of Al-Abrash River caused change in the nature of the riparian habitats, especially between the riverbanks before the dam and after the dam.

Keywords: Riparian plants, Riverbanks, Ai-Basel Dam, Al-Abrash River, Tartous.

Full paper in Arabic:  pdf

Majd Darwish*⁽¹⁾ Youssef  Mohammad ⁽¹⁾ and Oula Youssef ⁽¹⁾

(1). Department of Field Crops, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Dr. Majd Darwish. E-Mail: majds26@yahoo.com).

Received: 21/04/2023                      Accepted: 8/06/2023

Abstract: 

An The experiment was carried out at Al-Darouqiyat village in Lattakia governorate during the 2022 year, by the cultivation of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) seedlings according to the randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates per treatment. The research aimed to study the effect of nitrogen fertilization treatments (0, 100, 150 and 200 kg/ha) or foliar spraying with mannitol (0, 15, 30 and 45 g/L), or nitrogen fertilization and spraying with mannitol together on some growth characteristics and productivity and quality traits of the studied tobacco variety. Plant height (cm) and a number of morphological indicators (total leaf area (cm²), leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (g/m²/day)), productivity (fresh and dry leaves yield (kg/1000 m²)) and quality (the content of dry leaves of phosphorus, soluble sugars, proteins, non-protein nitrogen and nicotine %) were measured. Nitrogen fertilization treatments, especially at rates 150 and 200 kg/ha, and spraying with mannitol (30 and 45 g/L) led to a significant increase (P<0.05) in most of the growth indicators and leaf yield, and the positive effect of mannitol on leaf quality was more noticeable compared to nitrogen fertilization. The nitrogen fertilization and mannitol spraying treatments together increased the values of growth, productivity and quality indicators, when using 100 kg /ha nitrogen with 45 g/L mannitol, and at most of the nitrogen treatments with 15 g/L mannitol. Thus, nitrogen fertilization of tobacco at 100 kg/ha with mannitol spraying at 45 g/L concentration, or fertilization at rates of 100-150-200 kg/ha with a spray concentration of 15 g/L mannitol, or spraying with mannitol at concentrations of 30-45 g/L are recommended due to their positive role in increasing the quantity and quality of leaf yield.

Keywords: Nicotiana tabacum L.; Nitrogen; Mannitol; Productivity; Quality.

Full paper in Arabic:  pdf

Hossam El Din Khalasi⁽¹⁾,  Nizar Mualla⁽¹⁾  and Ghadeer Al Houshi ^{(1) *}

 (1). Department of Field Crops, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen University Lattakia, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Eng. Ghadeer Al Houshi, Email: ghadeerrafikalhoushi@gmail.com)

Received:12/04/2023                     Accepted:9/08/2023

Abstract: 

The study was conducted in the village of Jiboul in the countryside of Jableh city during the agricultural season 2021/2022, to study the effect of plant density on some growth characteristics of Rocket, a “local” variety, and it included two densities: 500,000 plants/ha (one plant in the hole), 1,000,000 plants/ha. (Two plants in the hole). The experiment was designed with a randomized complete block design with three replications, and the averages were compared using the Least Significant Difference (L.S.D) test at the 5% level of significance. The results showed that there was a significant effect of the plant density in all the studied traits. The high density achieved the highest plant height (82.67 cm), while the low density was superior in terms of the number of branches per plant (4.33 branches), the number of leaves per plant (16.66 leaves), the leaf area (49.98 cm²), the wet weight (53.55 g) and the dry weight of the plant (7.43 g).

Keywords: Rocket, Eruca ,density, growth, dry weight.

Full paper in Arabic: pdf