Rasha Baddour *⁽¹⁾ , Jihad Ibrahim⁽¹⁾ and  Rabee Zainah⁽²⁾

(1). Department of soil sciences and water ,faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen University, Lattakia,Syria.

(2). General Commission for Scientific and Agricultural Research,Damascus,Syria

(*Corresponding author:  Rasha Baddour.Email: rasha.r.baddour@tishreen.edu.sy).

Received:  2/08/2023             Accepted:  27/10/2023

Abstract: 

The research was carried out during fall season on silty clay soil at the Center for Scientific Agricultural Research in Latakia (Stakhris Station) in 2019, where the study included four treatments (T0 control without mechanical disturbing of the subsoil layer, LT0 treatment of mechanical disturbing of the subsoil layer only, T1 addition of 1 kg/dunam of Potassium humate during mechanical disturbing, T2 (addition of 2 kg/donum of potassium humate during mechanical disturbing). The results showed a significant decrease in bulk density after mechanical disturbing by 0.14 g/cm³ compared to the control, and the addition of potassium humate in treatment T2 enhanced this decrease to reach 0.16 g/cm³. Mechanical disturbing of the subsurface soil layer improved the total porosity percentage, as it reached 50.51% in the LT0 treatment after it was 46.34% in the control treatment. Potassium humate contributed to improving the total porosity percentage in the subsurface soil layer, reaching 50.63% and 52.49% for the T1 and T2 treatments, respectively. Mechanical disintegration and the addition of potassium humate also improved the size of air pores larger than 10 microns, as their size increased significantly with mechanical disintegration by 5.9% and 6.68% in the LT0 and T2 treatments, respectively. While pores less than 0.2 microns decreased with mechanical disturbing and at addition levels T1 and T2, especially at addition level T2, bringing this decrease to 2.83% compared to the control. Adding potassium humate at a higher concentration enhanced both vegetative growth and production indicators, as the T2 treatment was significantly superior in terms of average plant height (48.43 cm) and average leaf surface index (2.18) compared to the control. Both the percentage of dry matter increased by (1.54%) and starch by (1.374%) significantly in treatment T2 compared to the control. The average production of treatment T2 was significantly higher than the rest of the treatments, as the average production increased with disassembly only by 5.9%, which is a non-significant increase. Adding potassium humate improved production, as it increased significantly by 13.7% and 32.4% in treatments T1 and T2, respectively. Therefore, we recommend adding potassium humate at a rate of 2 kg/dunum during mechanical disturbing of compressed subsurface soil layers, taking into account follow-up research to determine the optimal addition rate for crops and different types of soil.

Keywords: mechanical disintegration ,  potassium humic,   potato , bulk density,  productivity,  subsurface soil layer.

Full paper in Arabic: pdf 

Ruba Hamad^*(1), Mahmoud Ali⁽¹⁾ and Ola Merhej⁽²⁾

(1). Forestry & Ecology Department- Agriculture Faculty- Tishreen University- Latakia- Syria.

(2). General Organization of Remote Sensing- Department of Coastal Region- Latakia- Syria.

(^*Corresponding author:  Ruba Sohail Hamad, E- Mail:  rubaihamad08@gmail.com, mobile phone:  0991265560)

Received:  19/6/2023             Accepted:  24/10/2023

Abstract: 

Forest fires are a frequent phenomenon in the forests of the Mediterranean region in general and cause significant changes in the forest vegetation cover.  To understand how fires affect the structure of forests, it is necessary to study the characteristics of plant communities, their mechanisms of regeneration and the way they respond to the most important indicators associated with the occurrence of fires (heat and smoke).  In this study, the cross-line method was used to calculate the Relative Important Value (RIV) of the plant species in both the burned and unburned areas in Kfardabeel afforestation site in Jableh region (Lattakia), to know the effect of the fire that occurred on 9/10/2020 on natural regeneration of Pinus pinea L. and to calculate Indicators of plant biodiversity, taking into account both the dominance and relative abundance of plant species.  The results of the study showed that there were significant differences between the control group and the burned groups, where the Relative Important Values of Pinus pinea were decreased after the fire and its regeneration was acceptable on both the southern and northern slopes and very low on the western slope.  the Relative Important Values of the plant species that were dominant before the fire were also decreased, such as Genista acanthoclada DC. and Calycotome villosa (Vahl.) Link, in addition to the emergence of new plant species after the fire, such as Cistus salviifolius L. and Poterium spinosum L.  It was also shown that the values of Shannon and Simpson’s indeces were increased in the burned forest groups compared to the control group as a result of the decrease in the dominance of some plant species, the most important of which was Pinus pinea.  At the same time, the number of plant species adapted to the conditions after the fire was  increased, which contributed to an increase in plant biodiversity after the fire- especially on the northern slope.

Key words:  plant biodiversity, Pinus pinea L. (Stone pine), fires, natural regeneration, Kfardabeel Site.

Full paper in Arabic: pdf

Ola Kajo^{(1) *}

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

(*Corresponding author: Dr. Ola Kajo,E-Mail: olakajo0932@yahoo.com , 0932663764).

Received:25/07/2023          Accepted: 25/09/2023

Abstract: 

This research was conducted in the Zagrin region (Lattakia) during the growing season 2022 in order to study the effect of two important factors on the growth and yield of the sunflower crop (the Baladi variety), which are the irrigation intervals, as the first factor, which are (4, 8, 12 days) between one irrigation and the other, and the plant density. As a second factor with two levels 11.11, 5.55 plants/m², and the overlap between them.  The experiment was conducted using the Randomized complete blocks design with three replication. The results showed that there is a significant effect of irrigation intervals; The irrigation treatment every 4 days was superior to each of the two irrigation treatments every 8 and 12 days in most of the studied traits and gave the highest yield of seeds per unit area (3721 kg/ha), as well as the highest percentage of oil in the seeds (38.57%). As for the effect of plant density; The high plant density of 11.11 plants/m² was superior in the yield of a unit area of seeds (3517 kg/ha), while the highest percentage of oil in the seeds (37.95%) was obtained when planting at a low density of 5.5 plants/m². The results of the interaction between the two factors of the study showed that the highest yield of seeds was recorded at close irrigation periods (every 4 days) and cultivation at a high density of 11.11 plants/m² (4452 kg/ha), while the highest percentage of oil was recorded when irrigating every 4 days and the plant density 5.5 plants/m², which amounted to (39.43%).

Keywords: sunflower, irrigation intervals, plant density, yield, oil.

Full paper in Arabic: pdf

Osama kadro^(1)*, Jihad Ebrahim⁽¹⁾, Rabiaa Zaini⁽²⁾,ola kajo⁽³⁾

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

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

(3). Department of Field Crops, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen University, Latakia, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Osama Kadro., E-mail: osamakadro7777@gmail.com   Phone : 0939619282).

Received:20/05/2023          Accepted: 25/09/2023

Abstract: 

This research was conducted within the agricultural scientific research center in Latakia (stakhiris station) for the year 2022, where the design of full random sectors was used with four different levels of pressure applied to Celtic clay soil (0 – 163 – 216 – 297 KPA), and three different levels of humidity (20 – 24 – 28 % by weight).  In order to study the effect of pressure and moisture during pressing on the bulk density changes and the distribution of the porous system of the soil with depth, the results also showed the obvious and significant effect of soil compression in the bulk density of the soil, in addition to the decrease in the size of the total porosity with increasing pressure, noting that the effect of pressure was decreasing with depth, as the compression of the soil in the surface layer (5-20 cm) led to an increase in the bulk density by 0.16 g/cm3 at a pressure of 163 KPA and an increase of 0.21 g/cm3 at a pressure of 216 KPA and an increase of 0.26 g/cm3 at a pressure of 297 KPA and humidity at a pressure of 297 KPA contributed to an increase in bulk density by 0.39 g/cm3 at a humidity of 28% The results showed that the air pores (larger than 10 microns) decreased with increasing pressure and humidity during compression in the surface layer (5-20 cm), where the size of these pores when treated without pressure reached 20.39% as an average relative to humidity and decreased significantly to 10.61%, i.e. by 9.78% at a pressure of 163 KPA, to 9.35% at a pressure of 216 KPA, i.e. by 11.04%, to 6.18% at a pressure of 297 KPA, i.e. by 14.21%, thus exceeding the limit value (12%) at the three pressures 163, 216 and 297 KPA, where the size of these pores reached 3.44% at a pressure of 297 KPA and a humidity level of 28%, It was also observed at a depth (5-20 CM) for pores with diameters (0.2 – 10) microns, which are the pores containing the water available to the plant, that they decreased with increasing pressure from 17.45% in treatment without pressure and at a humidity of 20% by weight to 16.41% at a pressure of 163 KPA, to 14.5% at a pressure of 216 KPA and to 13.26% at a pressure of 297 KPA and with increasing humidity during pressure the size of these pores decreases .

Keywords: soil compactness ,moisture content ,bulk density ,porous system, physical properties of the soil.

Full paper in Arabic: pdf

Manar Alreyahi * ⁽¹⁾ , Saleh Koubili ⁽¹⁾, Majd Darwish⁽¹⁾ and Nizar Moalla⁽¹⁾

(1). Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria.

 (*Corresponding author: Manar alreyahi,  E-Mailm33manarm@gmail.com phone:0932166690 ).

Received:13/8/2023            Accepted: 24/10/2023

Abstract: 

The research was carried out in the laboratories of the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering – Tishreen University, the Tobacco Research Center (Jableh) and the laboratories of the Atomic Energy Commission in Damascus. Seeds of two tobacco varieties (Baladi (Shak Al-Bent) and Virginia) were exposed to five levels of gamma radiation(0-100-200-300-400gy), To study the effect of gamma radiation treatment on the length, width, Length / Width ratio and area of middle leaf and plant yield of green leaves. The results showed the positive effect of treatment with dose (100 gy) of gamma radiation on all studied traits,  The green leaf length increased from (29.15 cm) and (47.32 cm) in the control treatment for both the Baladi and Virginia cultivars to (31.87 cm) and (53.72 cm), respectively,  The same treatment also increased the width of the leaf to (13.7 cm)  and (27.61 cm) in the two varieties, compared to (13.2 cm) and (24.7 cm) in the control treatment. The green leaf area increased in both studied cultivars from (275.4 cm²) and (750.7 cm 2) in the control treatment to (316.77 cm²) and (948.74 cm 2) in the treatment (B = 100 gy), which also gave the highest yield of green leaves (384 g). for Baladi and (1820g) for Virginia compared to the control and other treatment.  Increasing dose of gamma radiation had a negative effect on all studied traits, The leaf length decreased to (19.8 cm) in Baladi and (34.05 cm) in Virginia. As well as , the leaf width decreased to (8.5 cm) in Baladi and (17.57 cm) in Virginia. The green leaf area decreased to (116.24 cm2) in Baladi and (386.24 cm²) in Virginia, as well as the plant productivity of green leaves reached the lowest value (196.5g) in Baladi and (415g) in Virginia when treated with the high dose (E=400 gy). We recommend using low doses of gamma rays as a growth and production stimulant

Keywords: Nicotiana tabacum, Gamma rays, Yield,  leaf area.

Full paper in Arabic: pdf

Fadi Abbas^{* (1)} , Hiba Shams Al-Deen ⁽¹⁾   Thamer Al-Henish ⁽²⁾   Manal Othman ⁽²⁾ and Entessar Al-Jbawi ⁽³⁾

(1). Homs Agricultural Research Centre, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural   Research (GCSAR), Homs, Syria.

(2). Crops Research Administration, (GCSAR), Damascus, Syria.

(3). Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian reform, Damascus, Syria.

 (*Corresponding author: Dr. Fadi Abbas, E-Mail: fadiab77@gmail.com)

Received: 26/06/2023                  Accepted: 9/09/2023

Abstract: 

A field experiment was conducted at Homs Agricultural Research Center, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR), Syria, during 2021 season, to study the effect of plant density on five quinoa varieties leaves and stems fresh and dry weight, leaf area, crop growth rate and net assimilation rate in the middle region of Syria. The experiment was laid out according to randomized completely block design (RCBD) in split plot arrangement with three replicates. Experimental factors included five introduced varieties (Giza-1, Titicaca, Red Carina, Q26 and NSL) and six plant densities (50×20, 50×15, 50×10, 25×20, 25×15 and 25×10 cm). The results of statistical analysis showed significant differences (P≤0.05) among studied varieties, plant densities and interaction between varieties and plant densities for all investigated traits. 100.000 plant/ha (50×20 cm) was the most suitable plant density for all investigated traits compared with higher densities, followed by 133.333 plant/ha (50×15 cm). Giza-1 and Q26 varieties were the best for all agronomical traits so it recommended to be grown in Homs region.

Key words: Growth, Dry matter, Plant density, Quinoa.

Full paper in English: pdf

Hiba Albadee^(1)*

(1). Directorate of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform in Aleppo, Department of Plant Production, Aleppo, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Dr. Hiba Albadee. E-Mail: hibaalbadee@gmail.com).

Received:30/ 09/ 2023      Accepted:15 / 09/ 2023

Abstract: 

In this study, Genetic parameters for total milk traits were estimated, which Heritability, repeatability coefficient, Genetic and phenotypic correlations. Besides, the effect of some non-genetic factors such as age of ewe, weight of ewe at lambing, type of birth, calving month and sex of lamb were evaluated on different milk traits (milk production, fat %, protein %, non-fat solids % and density) of Awassi sheep.  For this purpose, 100 ewes of local Awassi sheep were used, in Minyan, west of Aleppo, during the period (2019-2021). Data were gathered according to the different levels of the main environmental variables that were thought to affect milk production and composition in the Awassi sheep conditions. The data were statistically analyzed using (SAS, 2012). Genetic parameters for milk traits were estimated by the REML (restricted maximum likelihood estimation). The Average values were about (113.14 kg) for milk production, (7.20 %) for fat, (6.35 %) for protein, (11.89 %) for non-fat solids and (1.036 g/ cm³) for density. In general, these values are largely within the natural range suggested by several researchers for Awassi sheep. The results of statistical analysis showed that age of ewe, type of birth and calving month had a significant effect on milk production and composition (P<0.01; P<0.05), while weight of ewe at lambing and sex of lamb had a significant effect only on milk composition (P<0.01), but they did not have a significant effect on milk production (P>0.05). Heritability and repeatability estimated for milk production were (0.26 and 0.40), fat % (0.10 and 0.21), protein % (0.31 and 0.38), non-fat solids % (0.11 and 0.34) and density (0.09 and 0.16), respectively. On the whole, Heritability and repeatability estimated in this study fall within the range of the results already published on Awassi sheep for the usual total traits (milk production, fat % and protein %), with the estimates for fat % being low. Our results, however, tend to be lower than others for certain foreign breeds raised under different management conditions. Genetic and phenotypic correlations between milk production and qualitative traits were clearly negative. For milk composition, both genetic and phenotypic correlations were positive and oscillated from (0.13 to 0.55) and (0.15 to 0.55), respectively. The highest estimates of the genetic and phenotypic correlations were found between fat % and protein % (0.55). This result is of great importance for the selection programs of Awassi sheep, as the genetic estimates of the percentage of fat were much lower than those recorded in other milk sheep breeds.

Key words: Heritability, repeatability Genetic and phenotypic, Awassi sheep.  

Full paper in Arabic: pdf

Ahed Alhelue* ⁽¹⁾, Allaa Abed Alrazak AL-Haj⁽¹⁾ and Mohamed Alkhlaf⁽¹⁾

(1). Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Aleppo.

(*Corresponding author: Ahed Alhelue. E-Mail: ahedalhelue27@gmail.com).

Received:5/ 09/ 2023       Accepted:15 / 09/ 2023

Abstract: 

This study was conducted in a private fishery at the Sheikh Saeed area – Aleppo province -Syria on carp fish, to improve some productive traits and estimating their genetic indicators, through flock selected previously for the best productive characteristics. In this experiment (50 fish) were used. Productivity measurements were taken for some meat production traits (live body weight, total length, body depth, head length) from the age of marketing (6-7 months) until the age of sexual maturity (1.5-1 years). The results indicated that the estimates of the heritability for some productive traits were (0.50, 0.43, 0.37, 0.27 ) for (total length, total weight, body depth, and head length respectively), while the estimates of the genetic correlation between the live  body weight trait with both total length and body depth were positive and relatively high, while the genetic correlation coefficients between the most of the productive traits were negative and  relatively low, while the estimates of the phenotypic correlation between total length and (live weight, body depth, head length) were positive and  relatively high.

Keywords: common carp, selection, genetic parameters, phenotypic correlation.

Full paper in English: pdf

Ali Mohammad Hasan ^(1)*, Boushra Issa ⁽¹⁾, and Ali  Nisafi ⁽¹⁾

(1). Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Ali Hassan. E-Mail: alihassan@gmail.com).

Received: 6/07/2023                Accepted: 30/10/2023

Abstract: 

The research aimed to evaluate the effect of replacing sawdust with tobacco bagasse in the broiler pens’ floor mats on the broilers’ productive performance. In the experiment, 450 Ross chicks were randomly distributed at the age of one day within three different treatments according to the type of litter used: T1_TOb tobacco bagasse, T2saw sawdust. , T3_Mix (50% sawdust + 50% tobacco bagasse) with /150/ sauces per treatment, and each treatment included three replicates with /50/ sauces per treatment. The results showed the positive role of tobacco dregs in improving the nutritional activity of chicks, as the treatment T1_Tob recorded a significant increase in feed consumption (4480.2) grams compared to the two treatments T2_Saw (4279.7) grams and T3_Mix (4382.3) grams, and the treatment T1Tob recorded a significant increase in the feed conversion factor T1_Tob (1.72), followed by the T3_Mix treatment (1.59), then the T2_saw treatment (1.50), and the treatment T1_Tob gave the best results for the productive index of birds of all treatments (331.01) at the age of 35-28 and (374.92) at the age of 42-35, and the treatment T1_Tob recorded a significant decrease in the percentage of Mortality was 2%), followed by treatment T3_Mix (3.33%), then treatment T2_Saw (4%).

Key words: tobacco dregs, sawdust, broiler, meat chicken.

Full paper in Arabic: pdf

Dalal  Al-Dali ^{* (1)}, Walid  Al-Rahmoun ⁽¹⁾, Mansour Ahmed ⁽²⁾, Muhannad Muna ⁽³⁾, and Ghinwa  Khaddour ⁽³⁾

(1). Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria.

(2). Administration of Livestock Research, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research, Damascus, Syria.

(3). Lattakia Research Center, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research, Lattakia, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Dalal Hussam Al-Dali, E-Mail: dalalhdali@gmail.com).

Received: 16/09/2023                Accepted: 23/10/2023

Abstract: 

The study aimed to determine the effect of adding cumin seed powder to broiler diets in different proportions on the productive traits of broilers, This study was conducted in the poultry unit at the Agricultural Scientific Research Center in Lattakia for the period from 17/4/2022 to 24/5/2022 (38 days). In this study, 120 unsexed chicks of one day old of Ross 308 strain, were used. The chicks were randomly distributed among four treatments. three replicates (10 birds per replicate). The treatments were divided into: The first treatment, the control (T1), Which were fed without any additives, the second treatment (T2) Which was fed with the addition of cumin seed powder at a rate of 0.5%, the third treatment (T3) Which was fed with the addition of cumin seed powder at a rate of 1%, and the fourth treatment (T4) Which was fed with the addition of cumin seed powder at a rate of 1.5%. The results indicated a significant increase (P<0.05) in both average live body weight and weight gain, as well as an improvement in the feed conversion factor. As for the average amount of feed consumed, no significant differences were recorded. The results of this study concluded that it is possible to use cumin seed powder as a feed additive because of its positive effect on the productive indicators of broilers.

Key words: Cumin seeds, broiler chickens, Weight gain, feed conversion factor.

Full paper in Arabic: pdf