PLANT SCIENCE PUBLICATION RECORD Abou-Fakhr Hammad, E. M., and N. M. Nemer. 2000. Population
densities of the pea leafminer (Diptera: Agromyzidae), its dispersal and
development on cucumber, swisschard and bean. Journal of Agricultural
Science 134:6168. Abou-Fakhr Hammad, E. M., N. M. Nemer, Z. K. Hawi, and L. T.
Hanna. 2000. Responses of the sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, to the
Chinaberry tree (Melia azedarach L.) and its extracts. Annals of
Applied Biology. Abou-Fakhr Hammad, E. M., N. M. Nemer, and N. S. Kawar. 2000. Efficacy of the Chinaberry tree (Meliaceae) aqueous extracts and certain insecticides against the pea leafminer (Diptera: Agromyzidae). Journal of Agricultural Science 134:413420.
Abou-Fakhr Hammad, E. M., Zournajian, H., and S. Talhouk. 2001. Efficacy of extracts of Melia azedarach L. callus, leaves and fruits against adults of the sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Hom. Aleyrodidae). Journal of Applied Entomology.
Abou-Jawdah, Y., S. El-Zammar, and H. Sobh. 2001. Management
of virus diseases of squash in Lebanon. Journal of Plant Pathology. Abou-Jawdah, Y., Z. H. Kannaan-Atallah, and A. Saad. 2001.
Virus diseases infecting almond germplasm in Lebanon. Phytopathologia
Mediterranea 39:417-422. Abou-Jawdah, Y., R. Maalouf, W. Shebaro, and K. Soubra. 1999.
Comparison of the reaction of tomato genotypes to infection by tomato yellow
leaf curl begomovirus in Lebanon. Plant Pathology 48:727734. Abou-Jawdah, Y., K. Melki, S. L. Hafez, H. Sobh, Y. El-Masri,
and P. Sundararaj. 2000. Alternatives
to methyl bromide for root knot nematode management on cucumber in Lebanon. Nematropica
30:4145. Abou-Jawdah, Y., L. Rubio, H. X. Lin, and B. W. Falk. 2001.
Geographically distant isolates of the crinivirus cucurbit yellow stunting
disorder virus show very low genetic diversity in the coat protein gene.
Journal of General Virology 82:929933. Abou-Jawdah, Y., W. Saad, and M. Tabet. 1999. Evaluation of
fumigants and soil solarization for the control of root-knot nematodes on
cucumber. Fungicide and Nematicide Tests 54:423. Abou-Jawdah, Y., H. Sobh, A. Fayad, and S. El-Zammar. 2000. Incidence and management of virus diseases of cucurbits in Lebanon. Crop Protection 19:217224.
Abou-Jawdah, Y., H. Sobh, A. Fayad, H. Lecoq, B. Delecolle,
and J. Trad-Ferre. 2000. Cucurbit yellow stuntind disorder virusA new threat
to cucurbits in Lebanon. Journal of Plant Pathology 82 (1):5560. Baalbaki, R., M. Bleik, R. Zurayk, and S. N. Talhouk. 1999.
Germination and seedling development of drought tolerant and susceptible
wheat under moisture stress. Seed Sciences Technology. Baalbaki, I. B., and A. M. Moukkaddem. 2000. An empirical
investigation into the effect of brand name on taste perceptions. Journal
of the Academy of Business Administration. Baalbaki, R., R. Zurayk, M. Adlan, and M. C. Saxena. 2000.
Effect of N-source and salinity level on salt accumulation of two chickpea
genotypes. Journal of Plant Nutrition 23 (6):805814. Dagher, S. M., Z. K. Hawi, and N. S. Kawar. 1999. Comparison
of gas chromatography and immunoassay methods in quantifying fenitrothion
residues in grape juice processed into alcoholic drinks. Journal of
Environmental Science and Health, Part B. Haidar, M. A., and M. Sidahmad. 2000. Soil solarization and
chicken manure for the control of Orobanche crenata and other weeds in
Lebanon. Crop Protection. Hamadeh, S. K., R. Zurayk, F. El-Awar, S. N. Talhouk, D. Abi
Ghanem, and M. Abi Said. 1999. Farming system analysis of drylands
agriculture in Lebanon: An analysis of sustainability. Journal of
Sustainable Agriculture. Kawar, N. S. 2000. Insect pests of cedar forests in Lebanon.
Report submitted to the Food and Agriculture Organization.
Khuri, S., M. Shmoury, R. Baalbaki, M. Maunder, and S. N.
Talhouk. 2000. Conservation of the Cedrus libani populations in
Lebanon: History, current status and experimental application of somatic
embryogenesis. Biodiversity and Conservation 9 (9):12611273. Talhouk, S. N., R. T. Lubani, R. Baalbaki, R. Zurayk, L.
Parmaksizian, and A. A. Jaradat. 2000. Phenotypic diversity and morphological
characterization of Amygdalus spp. in Lebanon. Genetic Resources
and Crop Evolution 47:93104. Tambal, H.A.A., W. Erskine, R. Baalbaki, and H. Zaiter. 2000.
Relationship of flower and pod numbers per inflorescence with seed yield in
lentil Experimental Agriculture. Yau, S. K. 1999. Boron toxicity in lentil: Yield loss and
variation between contrasting lines. Lens. . 1999. Sustain barley yield by early planting and grazing.
Rachis. . 1999. Vernalization requirement of Lebanese barley
landraces. Barley Newsletter (internet version). . 2000. Soil-boron affects straw quality and other
agronomic traits in two cultivars of barley. Communications in Soil
Science and Plant Analysis. . 2001. Terminal drought and sub-soil boron on barley root
growth and water use - An examination of possible interactions. Communications
in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 32:379387. Yau, S. K., and Erskine, W. 2000. Diversity of boron-toxicity
tolerance in lentil. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. Yau, S. K., M. Pala*, and A. Nassar*. 1999. Safflower production and research in
Lebanon. Sesame and Safflower Newsletter. Zurayk, R., N. Khoury, S. N. Talhouk, and R. Baalbaki. 2001.
Salinity-heavy metal interactions in four salt tolerant plant species. Journal
of Plant Nutrition. ABSTRACTS, CONFERENCES, AND PROCEEDINGS Abou-Fakhr Hammad, E. M.
February 2000. Plant derived
pesticides as alternative in farming systems. International Conference on
"Organic Farming." Sponsored by Goethe-Institute, Beirut and
Tripoli, Lebanon. . April 2001. Important
scientific considerations in local race improvement. The National Beekeeping
Conference, "Towards sustainable development of the Beekeeping sector in
Lebanon," Beirut, Lebanon. Abou-Fakhr Hammad, E. M.,
and C. A. Jazzar. November 1999. Management of Bemisia
tabaci (Gennadius) on tomato by specialized biocontrol agents. The 13th
Science Meeting organized by the LNCSR and the Lebanese Association for the
Advancement of Science, Beirut, Lebanon. Abou-Fakhr Hammad, E. M.,
and J. A. Nasr. October 2000. Parasitism of Thaumetopoea wilkinsoni by
hymenopterous egg parasitoids in pine forests of Lebanon. Seventh Arab
Congress of Plant Protection, Amman, Jordan. Abou-Fakhr Hammad, E. M.,
J. A. Nasr, and N. M. Nemer. November 2000. Integration of hymenopterous parasitoids
with botanical extracts in management of the pea leafminer. The 14th Science
Meeting organized by the Lebanese National Council for Scientific Research (LNCSR)
and the Lebanese Association for the Advancement of Science (LAS), Beirut,
Lebanon. . December 2000. Effects
of Melia azedarach L. extracts on larval instars of the pine
processionary moth Thaumetopoea wilkinsoni (Tams.). 2000. Joint Annual
Meeting of Entomological Society of America, Entomological Society of Canada
and Sociιtι d'entomologie du Quιbec, Montreal, Canada. Abou-Fakhr Hammad, E. M.,
N. M. Nemer, and Z. K. Hawi. October 1999. Responses
of two insect pests on vegetables to extracts of Melia azedarach L.
International Symposium on Biological Control of Crop Pests, Aleppo, Syria. Abou-Fakhr Hammad, E. M.,
and H. M. Zournajian. December 1999. Effect of extracts of Melia
azedarach callus, leaves, and fruits on Bemisia tabaci adults. The
Entomological Society of America (ESA). Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Abou-Fakhr Hammad, E. M.,
H. M. Zournajian, and C. A. Jazzar. November 1999. Management of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius)
on tomato by specialized biocontrol agents. The 13th Science Meeting
organized by the LNCSR and the Lebanese Association for the Advancement of
Science, Beirut, Lebanon. Abou-Jawdah, Y., L. Rubio,
H. Lin, J. Soong, J. Kao, and B. W.
Falk. February 2001. Genetic
diversity of natural populations of the whitefly-transmitted curcubit yellow
stunting disorder virus (CYSDV).
European Whitefly Studies Network Symposium, Ragusa, Sicily, Italy. Baalbaki, R. November
1999. Crop rotations. Training workshop on solutions towards
sustainable agricultural productivity, Bekaa, Lebanon. . June 2000. Organic
farming. Training workshop on solutions towards sustainable agricultural
productivity, Bekaa, Lebanon. . October 2000. Effect
of soil solarization on crop yields. Soil Solarization-environmentally
Friendly Technology, Beirut, Lebanon. . November 2000. The
dangers of conventional farming on the environment. Why Organic Farming in
Lebanon, Beirut, Lebanon. . March 2001. Adapting
alfalfa production to Lebanese drylands. Introduction of alfalfa into
Yammouneh and Deir Al Ahmar Regions, Bekaa, Lebanon. Haidar, M., and M. Sidahmad. June 2000. Orobanche ramose
control with rimsulfuron in potato. III International Weed Science
Society, Do Iguassu, Brazil. Haidar, M. A., and S. K. Yau. October 2000. Chemical weeds management in safflower. Seventh Arab Congress of Plant Protection, Amman, Jordan. Kawar, N. S. February 2000. Pesticide residues in
food and their influence on children's nutrition. Workshop on Food and Environment,
organized by the Order of Pediatricians, UNICEF and FAO, Beirut, Lebanon. . February 2001. Monitoring
of pesticide residues in biological media. Workshop on The Needs in
Environment Assessment and Monitoring in Lebanon and AUB's Capabilities in
Environmental Analysis, Beirut, Lebanon. . April 2001. Integrated
pest management in relation to beekeeping. The National Conference on
Beekeeping: Towards a Sustainable Development of the Beekeeping Sector in
Lebanon, Beirut, Lebanon. Kawar, N. S., E. M. Abou-Fakhr
Hammad, T. El-Masri*, and H. Tohme* November 1999. Identification and study of insects and pests in
the Pinus pinea forests in Lebanon. The 13th Science
Meeting of the Lebanese Association for the Advancement of Science, Beirut,
Lebanon. Kawar, N. S., G. I. Chammas and S. M. Dagher. August 1999. Comparison of gas chromatography and immunoassay methods in measuring the distribution of dieldrin in rainbow trout tissues. Abstracts, 218th American Chemical Society National Meeting, New Orleans, Lousiana, USA. . August 2000. Evaluation
of ELISA for quantitative estimation of DDE in cereal-based food samples.
Abstracts, 220th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Washington, DC,
USA. Orr, G. L., and H. M. Haidar. June 2000. Competition among
annual pasture plants (Donald 1951) and Michaelis und Menten law of constant
final yield. International Weed Science Society, Foz Do Iguassu, Brazil. Sarttout, E., S. Talhouk,
R. Zurayk, and R. Darwish. February 2001. Economic evaluation of Lebanese forests.
Mediterranean Forest Externalities and Public Goods Inventory Task Meeting,
Solsona, Spain. Talhouk, S. August 2000.
Invited participant. XXI International Union of Forestry Research
Organizations Congress, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. . October 2000. Invited
participant. Harvesting of Non-Wood Forest Products, Izmir, Turkey. Yau, S. K. November
1999. Potential of safflower in the Bekaa Plain of Lebanon. Annual
Meeting of the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America,
and Soil Science Society of America, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. . November 2000. Early-sown
barley allows a light grazing with no yield reduction. 14th Science Meeting
of Lebanon, Beirut, Lebanon. Yau, S. K., A. Nassar*,
R. Baalbaki, and S. Haj Hassan*. November 2000. Beneficial effects of
seed legumes in rotation with barley: A study in northern Lebanon. 14th
Science Meeting of Lebanon, Beirut, Lebanon. Yau, S. K., and R. Tannous. November 2000. Safflower could be a
profitable field crop for northern Bekaa. 14th Science Meeting of Lebanon,
Beirut, Lebanon. MISCELLANEOUS Abou-Fakhr Hammad E. M. 2000. Insect Pests of Pome Fruit Trees. Supported by the Irrigation Rehabilitation Project in the Yammouneh region, Lebanon - Technology Transfer and Extension, MOA, and in cooperation with the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences (FAFS), AUB. Al-Anwar (local Lebanese newspaper). Seven-page pamphlet. . 2000. Local report Effect of snow storms on agricultural pests. Al-Anwar (local Lebanese newspaper). . 2001. Report on "The effects of chemicals on health - Storage of clothes and carpets with no harm". As-Safir (local Lebanese newspaper). . 2000. The Suni Bug. Supported by the Irrigation Rehabilitation Project in the Yammouneh region, Lebanon - Technology Transfer and Extension, MOA, and in cooperation with the FAFS, AUB. Al-Anwar (local Lebanese newspaper). Three-page pamphlet. GRADUATE THESES AND PROJECTS Dagher, M. February
2001. Floristic assessment of selected communities along the Lebanese coastal zone. S. Talhouk. El-Zammar, S. February
2000. Comparative study on the management of cucurbit viruses. Y. Abou-Jawdeh. Kanaan-Atallah, Z. October
1999. Survey, collection and diagnosis of diseases associated with
almond (Prunus spp.) germplasm in Lebanon. A. Saad. Kharrat, D. May 2001. Fate
of chlorpyrifos and endosulfan in grape juice processed into wine. N. Kawar. Nasr, J. A., May 2000. Biological
studies of Thaumetopoea wilkinsoni: Bioassays using Melia
azedarach extracts and study of its egg parasitoids. E. Abou-Fakhr
Hammad. Nehmeh, G. July 1999. Survey
and characterization of Pistachio (Pistacia spp.) germplasm in
Lebanon. S. Talhouk. Sabra, A. May 2000. Identification
and antimicrobial activity of chemical constituents from five plant species.
R. Baalbaki. Sfeir, E. October 2000. Comparative
toxicity of selected chemicals against the cedar web-spinning sawfly. N.
Kawar. Touma, R. May 2001. Effects
of selected cultural practices on yields of medicinal plants. R. Baalbaki. Yazebek, M. May 2001. Early
growth vigor in safflower (Carathamus tinctorius L.): Correlation with
other agronomic characters, and effect of divergent selection on seed yield.
S. K. Yau. Zahreddine, H. May 2001.
Plant distribution, genetic characterization and horticultural
applications for the conservation management of two coastal plant species in
Lebanon. R. Baalbaki and S.
Talhouk. RESEARCH PROJECTs
Effect of natural compounds on natural enemies of the
pea leafminer The pea leafminer, Liriomyza huidobrensis, is a key
pest on economic crops in Lebanon. Two parasitoid species, namely, Dacnusa
sibirica and Diglyphus isaea, were imported and reared in
colonies. The methodology was based on release of adult insects of each
parasitoid species in insect-proof cages having infested cucumber plants.
Botanical extracts were applied before and after release of the adult
parasitoids and during the different stages of development of the parasitoid
in or on the host. Results indicated that there was a correlation between the
time of application of the extracts and the efficiency of the parasitoid.
Extracts sprayed before introduction of the adult parasitoid acted as a
repellant. Earlier stages of the parasitized larvae were more affected than
later stages due to systemic action of the extract. Results of this study
will help in the management of the pest by incorporating botanical extracts
in the presence or absence of biological control agents. Abou-Fakhr Hammad,
E. (PL), and J. Nasr. Supported by LNCSR Completed at AUB Effect of Melia azedarach on forest pests within
the genera Thauometopoea and Lymantria Pest outbreaks of the pine processionary moth, Thaumetopoea
wilkinsoni (Tams.), have been reported on wild pine in Lebanon as a
serious defoliator. The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), is an
important pest of the Quercus sp. worldwide. Laboratory bioassays and
field experiments with aqueous extracts of the Chinaberry tree, Melia azedarach
L., were performed against the (PPM) larvae. Choice of this plant species is
attributed to its reported insecticidal properties against agricultural
economic pests in our previous studies and other related studies. Results of
the field experiments have indicated a potential promising role for the
extracts against early larval instars of the PPM pest. Monitoring with sex
pheromone for emergence of the adult moths of L. dispar took place.
Treatments with raw plant extracts and their serial dilutions have been
tested against larval instars of this insect. Field experiments will be
performed with raw plant extracts similar to that of the PPM. Abou-Fakhr
Hammad, E. (PL), H. Zournajian, and J. Nasr. Supported by URB In progress at AUB Development of a regional viral-indexing and certification program for plant propagation materials in the Middle East The main objective is to establish standardized virus
detection methods for the Middle East. This will be accomplished through
development of serological and molecular detection methods for virus diseases
of selected crops. The methods must be reliable, sensitive, and must be
tested on major strains present in the region. Cooperation is encouraged
between countries in the region to validate the methods developed. Abou-Jawdah,
Y. Supported by The United States Agency for International
Development Diagnosis of mollicutes infecting fruit trees in Lebanon Fruit production is one of the major assets of agriculture
production in Lebanon. Proper identification of the causal agents responsible
for fruit tree virus and virus-like (Mollicutes) diseases in Lebanon is
essential for designing appropriate pest management strategies, including
quarantine regulations and certification programs. Phytoplasma are
submicroscopic organisms, present only in the phloem of plants and
cannot be cultured on synthetic growth media. In Lebanon, no single survey,
using modern diagnostic techniques, on diseases caused by Mollicutes has been
done, yet molecular biology techniques will be used for the diagnosis of
the diseases induced by Mollicutes and for the identification of their
vectors. In addition, some more fundamental studies will be conducted in
cooperation with international research centers to develop a more
simplified diagnostic technique, if possible, and to develop appropriate
strategies for the management of the major Mollicutes diseases and their
vectors. Abou-jawdah, Y., and E. Abou-Fakher Hammad. Supported by URB Selection of allotetraploid citrus rootstocks tolerant
to biotic and abiotic factors in Lebanon Citrus is among the most important horticultural crops in
Lebanon. Certain biotic (Tristeza, Mal Secco, gummosis) and abiotic factors
(calcareous soils, salinity, drought) factors may adversely affect citrus
production. Development of tolerant rootstocks is now possible through intergeneric
somatic hybridization. Floragh 1, an allotetraploid hybrid was developed by
CIRAD-FLHOR, France. It is resistant to citrus tristeza virus, which is
considered the most damaging citrus disease, and which was recently detected
in Lebanon. The major objective to FAFS is to evaluate its
resistance/tolerance to malsecco disease and to isolate the pathogen toxin to
be used in tissue culture tests as a selection pressure to identify tolerant
variants and try to regenerate them, hopefully, into tolerant plants.
Abou-Jawdah, Y., M. Hamze (LNCSR), R. Baalbaki, N. Kawar, W. Khoury, H.
Youssef, and P. Ollitraut. Supported by Cooperation pour LEvaluation et la
Dιveloppement de la Recherche Selected Lebanese plant flora as sources of natural
products At present, there is great concern about pollution
problems, particularly those due to synthetic pesticides, coupled with a
trend towards the use of natural products (biological products).
Worldwide, several research projects were carried out to search for natural
alternatives to synthetic pesticides. Lebanon is rich in the plant flora,
some of which are known to have medicinal or paramedical uses. The present
research proposal would investigate the efficacy of extracts of some selected
native plant species against some major pests of economic crops, including
fungi, bacteria, and insects. Abou-Jawdah, Y., A. Salameh, and E. Abou-Fakhr
Hammad. Supported by LNCSR Study of the fate of organic pesticides in crops grown
under protected cultivation Growing crops under protected cultivation have been
expanding rapidly in Lebanon in recent years. Farmers, in general, tend
to use excessive amounts of pesticides on these crops, resulting in as many
as 10-12 sprays per growing season. Moreover, the majority of farmers
does not abide by the recommended safety intervals between the last application
and the harvesting of crops. Samples of strawberries treated with the
organochlorine insecticide, lindane, were analyzed, and the results showed
that the residues ranged from 0.8 to 1 ppm on the unwashed strawberries.
Washing the samples before analysis resulted in about 90% reduction in
lindane residues. Strawberry samples purchased from stands along highways
were analyzed for lead, and the results ranged from 18 to 77 ppb, depending
on the location from where the samples were obtained, which was directly
correlated with the traffic. Washing of samples partially removed the lead
and ranged from about 15 to 65% reduction. Kawar, N .S. (PL), S. M. Dagher,
and G. I. Chammas. Supported by URB Fate of chlorpyrifos and endosulfan in
grape juice processed into wine
Wine was prepared from fresh grape juice, fortified with either chlorpyrifos or endosulfan to a concentration of 20 ppm. Yeast was added to allow for fermentation to proceed for 15 days, after which the wine was separated from the lees by siphoning. It was left to stand for an additional 20 days, and then, was siphoned again to separate the finished wine. Samples of the various fractions resulting from this process were analyzed for either chlorpyrifos or endosulfan residues using GC-ECD. Results indicated that the two compounds were fairly stable during the fermentation process. Sorption to the lees was the main pathway for the reduction of chlorpyriphos and endosulfan residues in wine. Further reduction occurred during the second step as a result of additional sorption to the lees. The finished wine contained about 5% and about 20f the amount of chlorpyrifos and endosulfan, respectively, of the initial concentration added to the juice. Kawar, N. S. (PL), and D. Kharrat. Supported by AUB Study of a number of new insect species attacking cedar
forests in Lebanon The cedars of Tannourine-Hadath El-Jebbeh, the largest
forest in Lebanon, have pest problems. Field studies conducted over the past
five years have shown that the trees are suffering from a new insect pest, Cephalcia
tannourinensis n.sp., order Hymenoptera, family Pamphiliidae. The
situation has become very severe; the whole stand is attacked, and the pest
is spreading and threatening other cedar forests among which are the famous
cedars of Bcharreh. A spray program using an insect growth regulator was
implemented over the past three years, and the results have been successful
in reducing the numbers of larvae. Another aspect of the study involves
identifying the pheromones of this insect for possible use in its
control. Two other new insect species have been found. They are: Ernobius
sp., order Coleoptera, family Anobidae and Dasineura cedri, order
Diptera, family Cecidomyidae. Kawar, N. S. (PL), N. Nemer, L. Kfoury*, E.
Abou-Fakhr Hammad, G. Demolin*, and B. Frerot*. Supported by Cooperation pour LEvaluation et la
Dιveloppement de la Recherche Laboratory bioassays of selected chemicals against the
cedar web-spinning sawfly The cedar web-spinning sawfly, Cephalcia tannourinensis
n.sp., is a new insect pest that has been causing serious damage to the
cedars of Tannourine-Hadath El-Jebbeh in Lebanon. Laboratory bioassay tests
were conducted on the eggs, larval instars and pre-pupal stage. The chemicals
tested were two petroleum oils, i.e., DC Tron Plus and Citrole, and the
insect growth regulator, diflubenzuron, used alone and in combination with the
oils. Susceptibility to oils differed between stages with the youngest insect
instars being most susceptible and the eggs the most tolerant. Diflubenzuron
exhibited a high control against the larval instars and was more effective
than the oils. The combination with oils was also effective and had the
advantage of being more environmentally friendly since a low concentration of
diflubenzuron was used in the mixture. The pre-pupal stage was not affected
by any of the chemicals tested. Kawar, N. S. (PL), and E. Sfeir. Supported by AUB Generation of new plant-derived commercial products from indigenous Lebanese plants or other ecologically appropriate ones The project will rely on collaborative research, using biotechnology, to generate new plant-derived commercial products from indigenous Lebanese plants. The purpose is to diversify the agro-industrial portfolio in Lebanon. The justification for conducting this research in Lebanon is related to the high floristic diversity of the country. The Mediterranean region is a recognized center of diversity, with 50 of all plant species found endemic. Lebanon, located on the Eastern shores of the Mediterranean, harbors a high floristic diversity, with an estimated flora of circa 4,100 vascular plant species. Talhouk, S. N., E. Abou Fakhr- Hammad, R. Baalbaki, E. Barbour, G. Hamadeh, and N. Hwalla. Supported by Mercy Corps, Lebanon Darwin project in coastal vegetation survey and
conservation for Lebanon Production of an inventory of coastal plants in addition
to the identification of key areas for conservation. The project will
consist of the training in survey and inventory, plant identification,
herbarium management, and threatened species recovery. The project will
assist in the establishment of plant biodiversity as a teaching and research
component within Lebanese universities as well as support national planning
and sustainable development. Talhouk, S. N., R. Zurayk, R. Baalbaki, K. Knio,
M. Dardas, and M. Dagher. Supported by Darwin Initiative, UK Breeding/selection of winter cereals and legumes for rainfed semi-arid areas of the Bekaa The Bekaa plain has relatively long and cold winters with
precipitation highly concentrated in the winter months. The objective of the
project is to breed/select winter cereals and legumes adapted to rainfed
conditions in the semi-arid Bekaa. The project is working on barley, bread
wheat, durum wheat, lentil, chickpea, and vetch (common, bitter, and narbon).
Initially, advanced lines from the International Center for Agricultural
Research in the Dry Areas were screened. In bread wheat, efforts were shifted
to selection within segregating populations. In barley, there are two main
lines of effort: (1) selecting within a landrace collected near Baalbeck, and
(2) making crosses and backcrosses between landraces and 'Rihane' (the most
widely grown variety in Lebanon) and selecting within the subsequent
segregating populations. Two lines of lentil, one of chickpea, and one of
vetch have been identified to be high yielding over seasons and will be
submitted to the Agricultural Research Institute for on-farm testing.
(Research in progress). Yau, S. K. (PL). Supported by CPP Department A comparison of 2-phase barley rotation systems for
nutrient recycling, grazing, lamb fattening, and conserved-feed production In semi-arid areas of West Asia and North Africa, farmers
have been practicing more barley monoculture. Two objectives of this project
are (1) to assess the effects of different barley/legume rotation systems on
barley grain and straw yield, and (2) to carry out an integrated whole-farm
economic analysis. Eight different two-phase barley-based rotation systems
are studied at AREC. The trial was initiated in 1994/95 and is expected to
continue until 2001/2002. Results from 1997/98 to 1999/00 are reported here.
Rotation with legumes (lentil, common vetch, and bitter vetch) significantly
increased barley grain and straw yield. Rotation with common vetch and lentil
also significantly increased the protein content of barley forage and grain,
respectively. Vetch yielded more seed and all legumes yielded more straw than
barley under monoculture. Despite the higher cost for harvesting legumes, the
net incomes from barley/legume rotations were much higher than that from
barley monoculture. (Research in progress). Yau, S. K., M. Bounejmate*,
S. Hamadeh, A. Nassar*, S. Haj Hassan*, and Makboul*. Supported by AUB Faculty of Agricultural and Food
Sciences, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry
Areas, and the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute Agronomic studies on improving safflower (Carthamus
tinctorius L.) yield in the Bekaa More knowledge on safflower cultivation is needed to
attract farmers into growing the crop. The objectives of the present research
are to find the optimal sowing time and an economical weed management
strategy in safflower. In 1999/00, field trials were planted at AREC in the
Bekaa. The first experiment involved five planting dates (October 28,
December 30, February 1, February 25, and March 27). Seed yield of the first
three dates of planting was comparable and was significantly higher than the
last two plantings. This clearly shows the advantage of safflower, i.e., that
it has a wide optimal date of planting. The experiment on weed management has
6 treatments: check, weed free, pre-emergence herbicide (Pendimethalin +
Kerb), inter-row cultivation, delayed-planting (mid-January 2000), and
delayed planting with inter-row cultivation. Seed yield of all the treatments
was significantly higher than the weedy check. The treatment of delay
planting, herbicide, and weed-free control gave the highest yield. (Research
in progress). Yau, S. K. (PL), M. Haidar, M. Darwish, and M. Nimah. Supported by URB
A study on the potential of safflower (Carthamus
tinctorius L.) in the Bekaa In West Asia and North Africa, there is a critical and
growing shortage of edible vegetable oils. This study investigated if
safflower, which is an oil-seed crop, has the potential for the Bekaa Plain
of Lebanon. In 1997/98, 1998/99, and 1999/2000, 3 to 5 introduced safflower
varieties were compared with a released variety of barley (Rihane), durum
wheat (Waha), bread wheat (Nesser), lentil (Talia-2), and chickpea (Janta-2)
in a field trial at AREC. 'Syrian Hama Local' and 'PI 301055' safflower gave
similar seed yield as barley, which is the highest yielding crop in northern
Bekaa. Coupled with the relatively high price of safflower seed in the world
market, safflower was expected to give higher economic returns than barley.
Such encouraging results suggest that planting safflower can be a profitable
alternative in northern Bekaa. These promising safflower introductions had
also been tested in farmers' field at Kfardan and Ia'at. (Research completed
in 2000). Yau, S. K. (PL), R. Tannous, and M. Pala*. Supported by URB |