**6. Soil analysis**

*Modern Fruit Industry*

monkeys [8].

**4. Ecology**

A flower has very small, separate, male and female flowers. The male flowers crowded near the mouth of the receptacle, whereas female flowers with shorter

Fruits are globular, sessile in axillary pairs, fleshy pericarp and with achenesen trenched in them, they are dark red in color, 1.5–2.0 cm diameter, red to dark purple when ripe; seeds are tiny. Fruit is not edible for humans but is eaten by birds and

In Egypt, various *Ficus* species are establish in streets, gardens, parks and outside

Four main localities characterized by large number of *F. benghalensis*, trees were selected in Ismailia city for the present study. These localities are: El-Mawany area comprises of 55 trees, Mohamed Ali area comprises of 5 trees, Amon area comprises of 16 trees, and Nemra Ceta comprise of 38 trees (**Figures 3** and **4**). In each locality, number of vegetation parameters was measured to describe the *Ficus* trees including; height, cover, circumference at base (CAB), circumference at breast height (CBH), number of aerial root and vitality. Tree vitality has also been measured using the visual assessment of crown conditions. Tree condition is often used in conjunction with other vitality assessments for verification purposes [11, 12]. However, vitality was measured according to the following scale: high, excellent healthy plant (vigor); medium, normal or some yellow leaflets and low, not healthy

the canal banks. Two of the most favorable fruits are eaten by Egyptian people (*F. carica* and *F. sycomorus*) and also they use *Ficus* in their traditional uses in folk

Mousa et al. [9, 10] detailed that there are about 20 species of *Ficus* native to Egypt; most of them are cultivated as street trees for providing shade (e.g., *F. retusa*) as in Alexandria city, while other species used as ornamental plants (e.g., *F. religiosa*). Edlin and Nimmo [4] proved that the latex (source of rubber) has been found in large quantity in the wood of *Ficus* genus, which is representing one

perianth, style long, male and female in the same receptacle [8].

medicine respiratory disorders and certain skin diseases [9, 10].

of the largest economical uses of *Ficus* in Egypt.

**5. Field visits and sampling**

with yellow leaves [13].

**156**

**Figure 3.**

*F. benghalensis trees in Ismailia roads.*

In each site, three soil samples (0–20 cm depth) were taken for soil chemical and physical analyses. Particle size analysis was done by dry sieving for the coarse sand and by pipette for fine sand, slit, and clay [14]. Soil aggregation was treated by 5% of sodium hexametaphosphate as a dispersing agent. Soil was classified based on the percentage of clay and sand using USDA limits of the basic soil textural classes [15]. Soil pH was measured electrometrically using pH meter model 1671 in soil suspension of ratio 1:2.5 soil to water. The soil-water mixture was first shacked for 2 hours, and then pH was measured [16].

The EC was measured in the soil water extract 1:1 using electrical conductivity meter model 4310 ENAWY [17]. Reported the degree of salinity for the course to loamy sand (1:1 soil water extract) as follows: 0.1–1 ds\m for non-saline, and 1.2–2.4 ds\m for slightly saline, 2.5–4.4 ds\m for modestly saline and 4.5–8.9 ds/m for strongly saline. Soil organic matter influences many soil properties including (i) the capacity of soil to supply, N, P and S and trace metals to plant's, (ii) infiltration and retention of water, (iii) degree of aggregation and overall structure that affect air and water relationships, (iv) cation exchange capacity, (v) soil color, which in turn affects temperature relationships [18]. Soil organic matter was measured using loss-on ignition (LOI) method carried out at a high temperature. This method gives quantitative oxidation of organic matter [18].
