Open-door mass production, chemical composition and biological evaluation of different algal species

Production of biomass from algae as a source of protein is running in Egypt since few years on scale of 24 m2. A clean medium using commercial foliar fertilizer as nutrient solution was used. For the mass production of algae the following species were used; Chlorella vulgaris, Scenedesmus obliquus, Coelastrum sphaericum, Oscillatoria amphibia and Spirulina platensis. Average yields were 15, 15, 19, 18 and 22 g/m2 for the above-mentioned species, respectively. The average chemical composition of the green algae species showed 50.1-55.1% crude protein, and for the last two blue green algae species was 62.2-63.5%. Protein efficiency ratio [PER] and digestibility were found to be within the range 1.9-2.3 and 71-78%, respectively. The product was used as supplement to chicken feed. Small scale trials to cultivate green on waste water of sugar industry as well as poultry manure extract [PME] showed promising and comparable results to the clean culture

Aldolase, carbonic anhydrase and catalase activity in faba bean leaves as affected by iron and zinc

The effect of zinc and iron withhold from the nutrient medium on the activities of aldolase, carbonic anhydrase and catalase enzymes was investigated using faba bean plants grown in nutrient solution [0.2 M strength]. A reduction in catalase activity was observed when iron alone or/and with zinc withhold from the growth medium. In the case of carbonic anhydrase, the absence of zinc and iron from the nutrient medium caused high depressive effect [91%] followed by the absence of zinc [75%] and iron [30%]. Aldolase activity showed no response to both elements. The results showed that the aldolase activity after the first spray [20 days after sowing] was increased with more zinc and less iron applied concentrations. The maximum aldolase activity was reached when plants were sprayed with 100 ppm zinc and 50 ppm iron. It was noted that the different successive levels of zinc or iron alone did not show any promotive effect on the activity of aldolase or carbonic anhydrase enzymes

Effect of different foliar iron chelates on growth and nutrient contents of cotton plants

A POT experiment has been conducted with cotton [var. Giza 75] to study the effect of using several concentrations of different Fe-chelated compounds as foliar application on the growth and nutrient content of cotton plants. Results showed that concentrations exceeding 50 ppm Fe have a negative effect on the growth and mineral content of the plant organs. The chelating agent of a given compound was proved to be essential factor for its efficiency. The best were the compounds containing ligninpolycarboxcylates phenolic acid + sulphate or lignosulphonate followed by those contain EDDHA. The compound containing EDTA was less effective

Comparative study on the effect of chelated multimicronutrient compound and mixture of monomicronutrient compounds on the growth and nutrient uptake in some plants

The objective of this work was to study the effect of foliar application with chelated multimicronutrient compound [Fetrilon Giri] and mixture of mononutrient compounds on the dry weight and uptake of macro and micronutrients by wheat, faba bean and maize plants. The dry weight of wheat, faba bean and maize was increased due to spraying of both Fetrilin Giri and a mixture compound. The increase in the dry weight by using Fetrilon Giri was generally higher than by using mixture compound, while it was less in case of faba bean. Spraying mixture compound and Fetrilin Giri improved nutrient uptake of plants not only for Fe, Mn and Zn but also for other nutrients [N,P,K, Mg and Cu]. It might be concluded that mixture compounds can induce similar effect as Fetrilon Giri foliar fertilizer to improve macro and micronutrient