Mansoura University, Faculty of AgricultureJournal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering2090-36859720180701Effects of Soil Fertilization on Sakha 105 Rice Cultivar Productivity, NPK Uptake and Soil Nutrient2532593576210.21608/jssae.2018.35762ENE. GewailyRice Research and Training Center, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, EgyptA. GhoneimRice Research and Training Center, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, EgyptHowida ElhabetRice Research and Training Center, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, EgyptJournal Article20180620Balanced supply of essential nutrient is one of the most important factor for increasing rice yield. Hence, knowledge of interaction of N with other nutrients are very important for improving fertilizer use efficiency and consequently increasing rice yield. A Field experiment was carried out at Rice Research and Training Center experimental farm during 2016 and 2017 seasons to assess the influence of different combinations of N, P, K and Zn fertilizer on yield of Sakha105 rice variety, its attributes, NPK uptake, N-recovery efficiency and agronomic nitrogen use efficiency. The fertilizer combinations were: (1) control, (2) N, (3) N + P, (4) N + K, (5) N + Zn, (6) N + P + Zn, (7) N +K + Zn, (8) N + P + K, and (9) N + P + K + Zn. Yield and yield attributes of Sakha 105 rice cultivar were significantly affected by different combinations of N, P, K and Zn fertilizer. The NPKZn treatment resulted in the highest grain yield, number of panicles hill<sup>-1</sup>, number of filled grain panicle<sup>-1 </sup>andlowest sterility percentage compared with the control. In addition, the uptake of N, P and K varied significantly by the application of different combinations of N, P, K and Zn fertilizer in both growing seasons. Nitrogen recovery efficiency % varied significantly with different fertilizers and ranged from 24.01 to 41.39% and from 26.08 to 43.99% in 2016 and 2017, respectively. The application of different chemical fertilizers significantly increased the available soil NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup> content and available soil P concentration at different days after transplanting compared with the control. The study suggests that balance nutrient application using N, P, K and Zn fertilizers is a key management strategy for sustaining soil fertility and therefore increasing rice yield.Mansoura University, Faculty of AgricultureJournal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering2090-36859720180701Thermal Properties of some Legume Seeds2612673575810.21608/jssae.2018.35758ENA. MatoukAgric. Eng., Dept. Fac. of Agric. Mansoura Univ., Egypt.M. EL-KholyFood Process Engineering - Agriculture Engineering Res. Institute.A. TharwatAgric. Eng., Dept. Fac. of Agric. Mansoura Univ., Egypt.Summer ShamalaAgric. Eng., Dept. Fac. of Agric. Mansoura Univ., Egypt.Journal Article20180626Specific heat, thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of three various varieties of faba bean (Giza 716, Giza 843 and Giza 3 mohsen) and three different varieties of lentil (Sina 1, Giza 9 and Giza 370) were determined as a function of moisture content and temperature. The specific heat and thermal conductivity were measured using the methods of mixture and transient state heat transfer. The experiments of work were done at five levels of seeds moisture content % (w. b.) and five temperature levels [40, 50, 60, 70 and 80°C] with 3 repetitions. The thermal diffusivity was calculated from measured specific heat, thermal conductivity and bulk density. Specific heat of faba bean seeds varieties (Giza 716), (Giza 843) and (Giza 3 mohsen) and lentil seeds varieties (Sina 1, Giza 9 and Giza 370) were increased with the increase of moisture content and decreased with the increase of temperature. The thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of faba bean seeds increased with the increase of temperature and also with the increase of moisture content. The volumetric heat transfer coefficient was increased as the mass air flow rate and air temperature increased. Regression equations that could be used to express the relationship between thermal properties, moisture content and temperature were also presented.Mansoura University, Faculty of AgricultureJournal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering2090-36859720180701Pre-Cooling and Temporary Storage of Apple Fruits2692753575210.21608/jssae.2018.35752ENA. MatoukFood Process Eng. Fac of Agric. Mansoura Univ.M. EL-KholyFood process Eng. Agric Eng Res Institute.A. TharwatFood Process Eng. Fac of Agric. Mansoura Univ.Safy AskarFood Process Eng. Fac of Agric. Mansoura Univ.Journal Article20180702A Laboratory study was carried out to test and evaluate a portable pre-cooling unit for apple fruits. The effect of pre-cooling process on safe storage of the pre-cooled apple in comparison with the non-cooled samples was also determined during temporary storage process under cooled storage condition. A laboratory experiments were conducted at three different levels of water temperature (3, 5 and 8 °C), three different levels of water flow rate (5, 8 and 11 L / min) and two volumes of fruits (medium and large). The results showed that, rapid drop in apple temperature at the early stage of cooling process and the cooling rate starts to decline as the product temperature approached the temperature of the cooling water. The values of cooling coefficient (C) increased with the increase of water flow rate, decrease of fruit volume and decrease of cooling water temperature. The half and seven-eighth cooling times were decreased with the increase of water flow rate, while they were increased with the increase of water cooling temperature and fruits volume. The storage experiments showed that, the pre-cooled apple fruits recorded lower loss in moisture, lower total soluble solids, higher fruit firmness and higher total sugar content in comparison with the non cooled samples.Mansoura University, Faculty of AgricultureJournal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering2090-36859720180701Physicochemical Characteristics of Humic and Fulvic Acids Extracted from Different Feedstocks2772813576710.21608/jssae.2018.35767ENM. OmarSoils Dept. Fac. of Agric., Mansoura Univ., Egypt.A. TahaSoils Dept. Fac. of Agric., Mansoura Univ., Egypt.A. AbbasSoils Dept. Fac. of Agric., Mansoura Univ., Egypt.Journal Article20180715There is a lack of knowledge regarding the variation physicochemical characteristics of humic substances (HS) extracted from various feedstock. For this purpose, humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA) were extracted from soil, compost and clover straw to present several types of feedstock. The physicochemical properties of these humic substances were characterized for organic elements (C and N), total acidity and functional groups as well as IR spectra analysis.Data showed the feedstock recorded a significant effect on physicochemical properties of HS. Carbon and nitrogen concentrations varied widely among the extracted HS. The carbon and nitrogen concentrations in the extracted HA were more than the isolated fulvic acid. The C/N value of humic acid extracted from the soil was less than the other humic acids extracted from other sources. This trend was the same with FA indicating that the HA and FA extracted from the soil are more humified than other feedstock. Total acidity of FA was higher than HA with the superiority to those extracted from soils. The total content of active functional groups (COOH, total –OH, Phenolic –OH and Alcoholic-OH groups) was higher in FA as compared with HA, and the soil type was the most abundance source in most cases.Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra confirm the presence of hydroxyl , aromatic and aliphatic fractions including quinone groups in humic and fulvic acids but in different values based on the feedstock.