Vol. 4 Issue 1

L.K. Al-Jibury, M.A. Clor and D. Talabany
Effects of NaCl, Na2SO4, and MgSO4, and their combinations on germination and seedling development of bitter lentil were studied. Both of these processes were inhibited by the three salts used . Seedling development, however, was more sensitive to salt treatment than germination. The effect of MgSO4 on germination was essentially osmotic, while that of NaCl and Na2SO4, was presumably due to toxic or ionic actions. Both Na and Cl were more toxic than Mg and SO4. Magnesium sulfate combined with NaCl and with Na2SO4 did not only overcome the inhibitory effects of NaCl and Na2SO4 on germination and seedling growth, but there occurred also a remarkable synergism in both processes, as a result of such combinations.

F.M.R. Al-Charchafchi, M.A. Clor and M.S. Jawad
Achillea fragrantissima (Forssk,) Sch , Bip , (Compositae) is a valuable perennial shrublet in the western desert of Iraq . Some of its germination requirements and subsequent seedling development were studied. Seeds , stored for more than three years at room temperature (fluctuations 18·40°C), and in a refrigerator (about 6°C). maintained their full germination capacity under both storage conditions, The seeds are light positive and little germination takes place in darkness, However, such light sensitivity is gradually lost with time. Germination is poor at low temperature (6°C) and best germination is at 15-20°C. Seeds hydrated for 0.5- 6 hr and then dried for ten days under laboratory conditions maintained full germination capacity, When such seeds were rehydrated for another 3 hr and redried for ten days, for a second time, they also maintained high germination capacity,

Harald Kurschner
This study is the first documentation to be made of the vegetation and flora of the Sultan Qaboos Public Park & Nature Reserve in Oman (Muscat area). The characteristic vegetation units are described by means of a vegetation map (1:10,000) and selected transects. In the final chapter, attention is called to the special importance of the Nature Reserve and proposals are made for its future conservation. An appendix contains a list of the phanerogamic taxa which have been found there up to now.

M.A. Zahran
The genus Kochia comprises species that are salt tolerant and/or drought resistant. Being rich in nutritive constituents and palatable to livestock, rabbits and poults, these plants may be introduced as non-conventional forage crops in arid lands. Two Kochia species (K. indica Wight and K. scoparia (L. ) Schrad.) are studied. For K. indica, seed germination and growth of seedlings were examined under different salinity levels. The response of K. indica to mineral nutrients was also tested. Field experiment was conducted to study germination, growth and vegetative yields of K. indica and K. scoparia in a salt affected land of the arid western region of saudi Arabia. The available artesian saline water was used for irrigation. The results obtained reveal that Kochia plants may be cultivated under salinity and high temperature stresses. Their vegetative yields and hay can be used as green and dry fodders, thus presenting a solution for the problem of the shortage of forage in arid lands.

Wafaa S. Abou-El-Kheir, W.E. El-Saadawi, and Mona H. Darwish
Thin calcite moulds are formed around the upper parts of the sporophytes of the moss Funaria hygrometrica Hedw. due to association with filaments of the blue- green alga Lyngbya sordida (Zanardini) Gomont. Copious amounts of the filaments surround the upper part of the seta, capsule and calyptra. These moulds are comparable to tufa formation

Mohamed El-Geby Younes, Mohamed S. Amer and A.E. Sheta
The ether extract of the defatted leaves of Egyptian Eucalyptus rostrata, yields a new triterpene; 9 alpha-hydroxyursonic acid together with ursolic acid and a series of normal and iso-paraffins

E. Hallaba, A. AI-Suhybani, and A. El-Sadik
Two controlled release formulations (CRF) of copper sulphate as a molluscicide loaded onto natural clay are described. A binding agent such as cement is preferable to heat treatment. The accumulative release of copper ions in water for 6-8 weeks revealed that these CRF follow a zero order release system of theoretical life of 270-350 days. The released dose is 0.3 to 0.15 micrograms/ ml daily which is above the lethal dose for the host schistosomiasis snails.

M.G. Abd El Wahed, H. El-Didamony, A.F. Galal and R. El-Sheikh
The aim of the present work is to study the effect of SiO2 on the formation of tricalcium aluminate in relation to firing temperature; up to 1400 degree Celsius, as well as to determine the metastable phases in this system CaO-Al2O3_SiO2. Four mixes having the stoichiometric composition of tricalcium aluminate with 0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mole of SiO2 were studied. The compounds formed were investigated by using x-ray diffraction as well as chemical analysis to determine the phases formed and unreacted free CaO. The results showed that C3A is formed by firing the stoichiometric composition at 1400 degree Celsius for 3 hours without any additions of SiO2. Addition of SiO2 results in the formation of other phases than C3A and lower percentage of free lime

S.B. Salama and T.S. West
A simple and convenient spectrophotometric procedure has been established for the determination os small amounts of fluoride ion, based n its reaction with the chelate formed between Zirconium and Acid Alizarin Black SN. Microgram amounts of fluoride (0.1 -0.4 microgram) can be determined with an error of less than about 2%.

A.M. El-Naggar, M.R. Zaher amd S.A.A. El-Ghaffar
Fifty seven copper complexes of di-, and tri- and tetra-peptides containing tryptophan, histidine and arginine are studied spectrophotometrically. The lambda ,ax and color of the complex is dependent on the sequence of the amino acid in the dipeptide methyl esters of tryptophan and arginine; and independent on the sequence of dipeptides of histidine or in any of the tri- and tetra-peptides of histidine, arginine and tryptophan. The results achieved confirmed that the nitrogen atoms of the indole nucleus in tryptophan, imidazole ring in histidine and guanidino group in arginine do not participate in complex formation of all studied di-, tri- and tetra-peptides. However, the amide group and hydrazide group of dipeptide amide and dipeptide hydrazides participate in complex formation