CLIMATE change is one of the most important global issues that impacts all our life sides. Growing crops and their productivity also are influenced by changing in the climate and climatic elements. Growing tea in non-traditional regions like Egypt could be considered a challenge due to the specific climatic and soil requirements for growing and production. However, with careful planning and experimentation, it might be possible to establish tea cultivation in such conditions. So, a lysimeter trial was conducted as an exploratory experiment aiming to assess tea cultivation performance in both sandy and clayey soil. Additionally, a separate field trial was carried out to evaluate tea growth in clayey soil along with applied organic fertilizer (chicken manure). The findings revealed that, under the lysimeter trial, tea plants exhibited robust growth on both sandy and clayey soil. Various parameters, including plant height, fresh and dry weights, leaf area, chlorophyll content, and leaf N, P, K levels, indicated superior performance on sandy soil compared to clayey soil. In the field trial, notable superiority was observed in plants grown on the organic medium containing chicken manure over those plants grown on clayey soil without such supplementation. These outcomes suggest that climate changes could potentially transform Egypt into a favorable region for tea cultivation. More studies are needed to establish a complete program of cultivation of tea including the water and nutrient requirements.

While Egypt's ' s canola production per unit area has recently grown, productivity remains low, necessitating increased productivity. Hydrogels are water -absorbent polymer compounds that can optimize irrigation schedules by increasing the soil's ' s ability to retain water. Accordingly, two fi eld experiments were conducted to examine hydrogel application to sandy soil on canola growth, biochemical aspects, yield, yield traits, and nutritional quality of yielded seeds grown under water deficit fi cit stress conditions. The experiments were conducted by arranging a split -plot layout in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three times replications of each treatment. While water stress at 75% or 50% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) lowered chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids, and total pigments content, indole-3-acetic acid, plant development, seed yield, and oil and total carbohydrates of seed yield, hydrogel treatment enhanced all of the traits mentioned above. Furthermore, hydrogel enhanced to gather compatible solutes (proline, amino acids, total soluble sugars), phenolics content in leaves, seed protein, and crop water productivity, which increased while the plants were under water stress. The results revealed that the full irrigation (100%ETc) along with hydrogel compared to water -stressed (50%ETc) led to enhanced seed yield (kg ha -1 ), Oil (%), and Total carbohydrates (%) of rapeseed by 57.1%, 11.1% and 15.7%, respectively. Likewise, under water -stressed plots with hydrogel exhibited enhancement by 10.0%, 3.2% and 5.1% in seed yield (kg ha -1 ), oil (%), and total carbohydrates (%) of rapeseed by 57.1%, 11.1% and 15.7%, respectively compared to control. As a result, the use of hydrogel polymer will be a viable and practical solution for increasing agricultural output under water deficit fi cit stress situations.

In densely populated countries, underground construction and land reclamation could be possible options to solve the demand for land space, thus securing sustainable long-term development of the nation. For example, in Singapore, land reclamation has been widely conducted using excavated materials from underground development. The excavated materials are commonly marine clays that contain sandy soils. To improve the mechanical properties of these soft soils, cement-treated soil stabilization is popularly adopted. In fact, many researchers have investigated the properties of pure cemented clay or pure cemented sand using conventional design parameters such as water content (water/solids) and cement content (cement/dry soil). However, can these terminologies be still used to accurately examine the role of sand in cemented sandy clay mixtures? Through unconfined compression testing, it is herein shown that the use of existing mix design approaches in the literature cannot properly explain the variation of strength with sand content for cemented sandy clay mixtures. A new mix design approach is thus proposed in this study, which ensures that the role of sand in a cemented clay matrix can be quantified.

H. A. Burezq. 2024. Sustainable Biochar Production from Date Palms: A Scoping Review of Solutions for Arab Regions. Int. J. Agric. Nat. Resour. 157-175. This scoping review investigates the potential of date palm biochar for sustainable agriculture in Arab nations. Analysis reveals that the 82.35 million date palm trees across 18 Arab countries could yield 576,423 tons of biochar annually, offering a significant resource for improving soil sustainability. This study systematically examines existing literature on date palm biochar production, its impact on soil health (including water and nutrient conservation), optimal application methods, and its potential to enhance food security in arid regions. The findings highlight the economic and environmental benefits of biochar, particularly for small-scale farmers, and discuss the Kuwait Biochar Initiative as a successful model for wider adoption of this sustainable agricultural practice. The review concludes by emphasizing the global potential of date palm biochar for sustainable agriculture and soil health.

Hydraulic conductivity and soil compressibility are known to be interdependent characteristics of soils. For agriculturally productive regions, such as San Joaquin Valley (SJV) in central California, certain agriculture practices, for example, overdraft of groundwater during drought periods, have caused excessive settlements in the region. While the effect of pumping has been extensively studied and monitored, the impact of other agricultural practices, such as fertilizer usage, is understudied. Therefore, an experimental study was undertaken to examine and compare changes in hydraulic conductivity and compressibility characteristics of soil treated with variable fertilizer concentrations. The results indicated the hydraulic conductivity increased, compression index decreased initially and then increased, and the coefficient of consolidation decreased with the increase in fertilizer concentration. An example of field application is included to illustrate the effect of changed characteristics on settlement estimations. Based on these findings, the authors conclude that fertilizer treatments were found to initiate changes in soil's hydraulic characteristics and may accelerate consolidation settlements.

Biochar has recently gained attention as a potential soil amendment for its usage in bioengineered structures, e.g., landfill cover system, green slopes, green corridor, etc., that usually comprises compacted soil with vegetation. In literature, many studies have explored the effect of biochar sourced from plant (agri-residues, wood)- and animal -based biomass on physicochemical properties of soil suitable for agricultural application. However, systematic study rarely has been conducted for soil suitable for bioengineered structures, and contradictory results have been reported. The objective of the present study is to explore the effects of biochar produced from different feedstock types (poultry litter, water hyacinth, and sawdust) on physicochemical properties of soil for bioengineered structures application. The results revealed that the amendment of biochar increased the liquid limit (14-52 %), plastic limit (PL, 2-66 %), optimum moisture content (OMC, 4-50 %), pH (29-59 %), cation exchange capacity (20-428 %), and water absorption capacity (12-94 %), whereas it decreased the maximum dry density (7-17 %), specific gravity (3-17 %), and shrinkage area ratio (SAR, 22-57 %) of the soil. Among the different biochar types tested, water hyacinth biochar (WHB) exhibited the highest increase in PL, OMC, and pH, and decrease in specific gravity and SAR of the soil after amendment, whereas poultry litter biochar showed the lowest variation of the same. These changes in the soil physicochemical properties after biochar amendment are likely attributed to the presence of intrapores and active chemicals in biochar, which are highly dependent on feedstock types. The findings of the present study could be useful in understanding the hydro-mechanical and plant interaction of biochar-amended soil (BAS), and potential implementation of BAS in bioengineered structures.

Natural growth and development of plants in cold arid regions are affected by drought stress, limited water availability and sandy soils, thereby reducing growth and productivity. This study was aimed at examining the combined effects of boron and zinc supplementation on the physicochemical responses of carrots in high-altitude cold desert environments using different concentrations of these micronutrients. Experiment was carried out in randomized block design (RBD) and treatment means were differentiated using the Tukey's test at a 0.05 level of probability. It was observed that in comparison to control, the foliar application of Borax @ 0.1% + ZnSO4 @ 0.5% significantly improved root sweetness index, and total sweetness index in carrots. The maximum chlorophyll content (9.29 CCI) in carrot leaf was observed by foliar application of Borax @ 0.2% + ZnSO4 @ 1.0%, which is statistically at par with foliar application of Borax @ 0.1% + ZnSO4 @ 1.0% (9.27 CCI). However, the highest glucose and fructose content was observed with a foliar application of Borax @ 0.1%. The highest nitrate (351.08 mg/100 g) content was recorded in the combined foliar application of Borax @ 0.1% + ZnSO4 @ 0.5% (T5). Among the treatments, maximum values of sulphur (210.73 mg/100 g) in carrot root were observed in Borax @ 0.2% + ZnSO4 @ 0.5%.

Large quantities of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic are discarded into the environment during production, application, and disposal. Although current clean-up strategies aim to mitigate the adverse impacts of PET pollution, efforts struggle to keep up with the escalating amount of PET waste. This accumulation of PET waste poses significant threats to ecosystems worldwide. One recycling method for PET plastic waste involves its utilization in soil reinforcement applications within civil engineering. By incorporating PET plastic waste to reinforce poor-quality sands, sustainable construction practices can be promoted in civil engineering infrastructures, addressing multiple aspects of sustainability, including engineering, economic, social, and environmental considerations. The experimental work conducted in this research involved sieve analysis, proctor compaction test, California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test, and direct shear box test. The sand was reinforced with varying percentages of PET plastic waste flakes, namely 5, 10, and 15 %, with respect to the weight of the soil sample taken for the test, and laboratory tests were performed on the samples. Including PET plastic flakes enhanced various soil properties, such as shear strength and friction angle. It also improved the CBR value of the composite, making it suitable for pavement construction. The reduction in dry density further supports the application of the composite in lightweight structures. In conclusion, the geotechnical material obtained from the soil-PET plastic waste composite can be utilized in various geotechnical projects, including landfills and slope stabilization.

Cashew trees are often cultivated in semi-arid regions with poor soil and limited rainfall, presenting significant challenges for soil management. This study aimed to evaluate soil fertility based on varying doses of bone meal (0, 250, 500, 750 and 1,000 g pit-1), mixed into the planting pit with or without moisture-retaining hydrogel (0 and 5 g pit-1), in dwarf cashew 'BRS 226' cultivation. The soil chemical attributes were monitored over two growing seasons. The bone meal application increased the soil pH by 221 % along the two years and boosted the organic matter by 13 % in the first year and 28 % in the second one. The use of 5 g of hydrogel per pit, combined with 1,000 g of bone meal per pit, is recommended to improve the soil fertility in semi-arid cashew-growing areas over a twoyear period. The bone meal fertilization in cashew planting promotes beneficial changes in the soil, and the hydrogel has a great potential in cashew farming, offering an alternative for expanding the fruit production in regions with low rainfall and sandy soils.

Sand dunes are one of the most common soil types all over the world, particularly in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. These dunes, with their regional extensions, are considered the main natural resource for fine aggregates being used in construction purposes. To use dune sands as a road construction material, suitable treatment is necessary. Sand dunes have typically been stabilized using a cement material, however, though extremely costly and consuming a substantial amount of energy, it is not particularly effective. Therefore, this study has investigated the potentiality of adding cement kiln dust (CKD) for enhancing the strength and durability of dune sands in Najran-Sharourah, SW Saudi Arabia. Twenty-seven specimens have been mixed with 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% CKD plus 2% cement and then examined and assessed using macro-characterization techniques. Results indicated that the strength of the sand dune samples, treated with an enhanced mixture of 30% CKD and 2% cement, improved the minimum dry density from 1.652 at 0% to 1.854 g/cm3. The soil became more qualified as a construction material. This enhanced mixture can serve as a high-quality sub-base for both flexible and rigid pavements. Besides, micro-characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), back-scattered electron imaging (BEI), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) supported by energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), were applied to identify the various phases of the treated dune sands. Finally, the implementation of adding the CKD to the dune sands geomechanical parameters has been modeled, and a series of highly reliable mathematical equations have been introduced (0.938 <= R2 <= 1.0).