Agricultural Research Center

Assessing the physiological impacts of different invert sugars and sucrose on caged nurse honey bees

The quantity and type of carbohydrate sources applied in supplemental feeding have a substantial impact on honey bee physiology and overall colony health. This study examined five carbohydrate treatments—sucrose, Invertase-hydrolysed inverted sugar, Acid-hydrolysed inverted sugar...

Evaluating the biorational profile of selected insecticides in Spodoptera littoralis: from nutritional disruption and genotoxicity to in silico risk analysis

Abstract Background Spodoptera littoralis is a highly destructive pest that threatens various economically important crops. This study evaluated the sublethal effects of five insecticides (Chlorantraniliprole, thiacloprid, emamectin benzoate, indoxacarb, and Bacillus thuringiensi...

Antioxidant treatments combined with refrigerated storage, modified atmosphere packaging, and precooling improve postharvest quality of red cabbage

Abstract Postharvest deterioration of red cabbage involves water loss, oxidative imbalance, membrane damage, and loss of structural and sensory quality. This study evaluated the effects of four food-grade antioxidants—ascorbic acid, citric acid, glutathione, and α-tocopherol—toge...

Innovative application of frankincense resin as a sustainable bio-adhesive for insect trapping in legume crops

Abstract Field experiments were conducted in Kafr El-Dawar, El-Beheira, Egypt during the 2025 summer season using a completely randomized design with four replications to evaluate bio-adhesive sticky traps formulated from frankincense resin as eco-friendly alternatives to importe...

Molluscicidal activity, effects on mucus secretion, and joint actions of Brassica rapa and Salvia officinalis extracts with metaldehyde against Monacha obstructa

Abstract Turnip seed ( Brassica rapa ) and sage leaf ( Salvia officinalis ) extracts were prepared by macerating plant materials in 80% methanol at a ratio of 1:10 (w/v) for five days. The molluscicidal activity of the tested plant extracts and metaldehyde was evaluated against M...

A three-year evaluation of pesticide residue profiles in managed and wild honeybees across traditional and reclaimed agricultural lands of Egypt

Abstract Pesticide contamination in honeybees directly endangers vital pollinators and serves as a bio-indicator of regional agricultural practices. This is especially important in North Africa (Egypt), which has a unique balance between traditional methods and newly reclaimed la...

Validation and optimization of a multi-processor UV-C reactor for inactivation of potato brown rot and soft rot pathogens in surface irrigation water in the Nile Delta

Abstract Bacterial wilt and soft rot, caused by Ralstonia solanacearum and Pectobacterium carotovorum , are major threats to potato production and export. Surface irrigation water (SIW) can transmit these pathogens. This study validated and optimized a multi-processor UV-C (MP UV...

Sero-epidemiological survey of Toxoplasma gondii in water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) across upper and lower Egypt

Toxoplasma gondii ( T. gondii ) is a globally prevalent protozoan parasite affecting warm-blooded species, including humans. In Egypt, serological surveys have been conducted in several livestock; however, studies on species such as buffalo and pigs remain scarce. This study aime...

Effect of Black Soldier Fly Larvae Meal (Hermetia illucens) and Microbial Probiotics with Multi-enzymes on Protein Efficiency Ratio, Metabolic Profile, and Immune Status of Broiler Chickens

Black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM; Hermetia illucens) has been authorized in the EU as an insect-derived protein for feed and is a promising alternative to soybean meal (SBM), with potential functional benefits attributed to lauric acid (LA), chitin, and bioactive peptides; ho...

Integrating Azotobacter inoculation with nano-NPK foliar application: a sustainable strategy for enhancing growth, physiology, and sugar yield in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.)

Sugar beet is a key crop for the sugar industry, increasingly reliant on eco-friendly inputs to meet rising global demand. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) enhance plant growth via root associations, while nanotechnology offers solutions to limitations of traditional f...

Multi-Environment Evaluation of Bread Wheat Genotypes for Sustainable Production Using AMMI, GGE Biplot and Multi-Trait Stability Index Analyses

Climate change and environmental variability pose major challenges to sustainable wheat production, highlighting the need for stable and high-yielding cultivars. This study evaluated fifteen bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes across twelve environments during two consec...

Phenotypic evaluation of nine chance seedling date palms for fruit quality in Sindh Pakistan

Chance seedlings of date palm possess wide genetic and phenotypic variability, which provide valuable material for the selection and development of superior cultivars with improved fruit quality and yield. The current study evaluates the phenotypic fruit characteristics of nine c...

Solar-powered electromagnetic conditioning of saline groundwater: an exploratory assessment of ionic composition and soil-extract salinity

Saline groundwater is a difficult irrigation source in arid and off-grid areas, but a conditioning device must not be described as a desalination process unless net salt removal is demonstrated. This exploratory pilot assessment examined a photovoltaic-powered electromagnetic coi...

Modeling and experimental validation of an indirect active hybrid solar dryer for mint leaves: Coupled thermal and moisture-transfer analysis

A mathematical model was developed and experimentally validated to predict the thermal performance and drying behavior of an indirect active solar dryer (IAHSD) for mint leaves. The distinctive contribution of the proposed approach is its integration of solar-energy input, auxili...

UV-C irradiation and hermetic storage modulate essential oil profiles and antifungal bioactivity of Apiaceae fruits during long-term storage

Abstract Long-term storage can erode the value of Apiaceae fruits through volatilization and compositional drift of their essential oils (EOs). This study evaluated UV-C pre-treatment (25 min) and packaging type as practical approaches to preserve EO quality in fennel ( Foeniculu...

Evaluation of edible coating on quality, biochemical components and microbial community under cooling and freezing conditions on fresh-cut artichoke

Abstract This study evaluated the effectiveness of edible coatings combined with natural essential oils in improving the postharvest quality, nutritional value, and microbial stability of artichokes under different storage conditions. The experiment was conducted over two growing...

Optimizing cold storage of Sitotroga cerealella eggs for the mass rearing of Trichogrammatoidea bactrae: Effects on reproductive performance of parent and progeny

Abstract Improving effective cold storage techniques for maintaining factitious host eggs without adversely affecting their quality and the performance of emerged parasitoids is essential. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of different storage temperatures (–2 °C, 2...

Multi-trait assessment of Meloidogyne incognita resistance in developed Cucumis spp. inbred lines: horticultural, physiological, biochemical, and histological insights

This study aimed to develop nematode-resistant inbred lines from Cucumis sativus, C. sativus var. hardwickii, and C. metuliferus, and to elucidate their resistance mechanisms against Meloidogyne incognita. Three parental genotypes were self-pollinated across five generations, wit...

Biostimulatory Effect of 3-Acetonyl-3-Hydroxyoxindole on the Growth and Secondary Metabolites of Khaya senegalensis: UPLC–MS/MS Profiling and Molecular Docking Insights

Developing sustainable agricultural biostimulants that simultaneously optimize vegetative growth and specialized metabolic pathways is critical for maximizing plant growth, photosynthetic efficiency, and metabolome reprogramming. In this study, for the first time, the effects of...

Acaricidal activity of silver nanoparticles biosynthesized from unripe fruits of Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav. against Tetranychus urticae Koch

Abstract Background Tetranychus urticae Koch, is a globally significant agricultural pest. Its rapid development of resistance to conventional acaricides poses a major challenge to effective control. Recently, nanotechnology has emerged as a transformative approach in agriculture...