Crop management studies by the Egypt water use and management project

Results were as follows. (1) EWUP"s recommended inter-row spacing of 55 cm increased crop yields 30% or more. (2) Nitrogen fertility is not a major constraint; current fertilizer rates are often higher than need be. (3) Crops responded significantly to the application of phosphate fertilizer, as recommended by the MOA. (4) Foliar application of "Bayfolan," a complex commercial fertilizer mixture, was commonly observed, possibly the result of a micronutrient response. (5) Improved maize and wheat varieties developed by the research institutes increased yields 15-50%; Sakha 8, a maize developed specifically for saline soils, increased yields about 50% in the Delta. (6) Chemical pest control recommended by the MOA was highly effective for tomato and maize production, and should be initiated as soon as possible. (7) EWUP"s technology package of improved irrigation and agronomic practices increased cotton yield by 35%. (8) While the technology package recommended by the MOA is effective, it also tends to exceed farmers" resource constraints. Additional on-farm trials and tests, along with economic evaluations, are needed to overcome this problem.