Ezz Al-Dein Al-Ramamneh
@bau.edu.jo
Department of agricultural sciences
Al Balqa applied University
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Horticulture, Agricultural and Biological Sciences
FUTURE PROJECTS
climate change
Applications Invited
Scopus Publications
Scholar Citations
Scholar h-index
Scholar i10-index
Scopus Publications
Ezz Al-Dein Al-Ramamneh, Khalid Y. Alsharafa, Taha Rababah, Razan J. Rahahleh, Fuad Al-Rimawi, Ashok K. Shakya, Ayoup M. Ghrair, Muhammad H. Alu’datt, and Moayad K. Alnawafleh
MDPI AG
The beneficial application of silver nanoparticles and biostimulants to increase crop yield and quality is a long-term strategy to achieve desired agricultural productions that are resilient to various biotic and abiotic challenges. This project aimed to evaluate the individual effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), Ascophyllum nodosum (SEW), and Spirulina platensis (SP) on the growth and physiological responses of Santolina chamaecyparissus. S. chamaecyparissus plants were exposed to AgNPs (20, 40, and 60 mg L−1), SWE (0.5% and 1%), and SP (1%, 2%, and 3%). The finding indicates that the light-harvesting efficiency and plant photochemical capacity are not affected by most treatments except for 60 mg L−1 AgNPs. Furthermore, the pattern of H2O2 levels in leaves was significantly higher after AgNP, SP, and SEW treatments. In parallel, total phenolic production was at least accompanied by a burst in H2O2 levels. However, higher antioxidant activity compared to the control, is shown by the higher free-DPPH-radical inhibition that goes completely smoothly with lower H2O2 levels. Thus, the results of the present study showed that biostimulants overall improved the antioxidant activity of S. chamaecyparissus and induced variable detectable amounts of phenolic compounds in response to the concentrations of each biostimulant.
Yousef M. Abu-Zaitoon, Ezz Al-Dein Muhammed Al-Ramamneh, Abdel Rahman Al Tawaha, Sulaiman M. Alnaimat, and Fouad A. Almomani
MDPI AG
Indole synthase (INS), a homologous cytosolic enzyme of the plastidal tryptophan synthase A (TSA), has been reported as the first enzyme in the tryptophan-independent pathway of auxin synthesis. This suggestion was challenged as INS or its free indole product may interact with tryptophan synthase B (TSB) and, therefore, with the tryptophan-dependent pathway. Thus, the main aim of this research was to find out whether INS is involved in the tryptophan-dependent or independent pathway. The gene coexpression approach is widely recognized as an efficient tool to uncover functionally related genes. Coexpression data presented here were supported by both RNAseq and microarray platforms and, hence, considered reliable. Coexpression meta-analyses of Arabidopsis genome was implemented to compare between the coexpression of TSA and INS with all genes involved in the production of tryptophan via the chorismate pathway. Tryptophan synthase A was found to be coexpressed strongly with TSB1/2, anthranilate synthase A1/B1, phosphoribosyl anthranilate transferase1, as well as indole-3-glycerol phosphate synthase1. However, INS was not found to be coexpressed with any target genes suggesting that it may exclusively and independently be involved in the tryptophan-independent pathway. Additionally, annotation of examined genes as ubiquitous or differentially expressed were described and subunits-encoded genes available for the assembly of tryptophan and anthranilate synthase complex were suggested. The most probable TSB subunits expected to interact with TSA is TSB1 then TSB2. Whereas TSB3 is only used under limited hormone conditions to assemble tryptophan synthase complex, putative TSB4 is not expected to be involved in the plastidial synthesis of tryptophan in Arabidopsis.
Ezz Al-Dein Muhammed Al-Ramamneh
Informa UK Limited
Arwa Mehdawe, Atif Mahadeen, and Ezz Al-Dein Al-Ramamneh
Wydawnictwo Naukowe Gabriel Borowski (WNGB)
The higher cost and increased pollution caused by the intensive use of fertilizers in growing vegetables necessitates the use of safer organic bio-stimulants to partially substitute fertilizers. Analyses of leaf extracts of Moringa oleifera and Moringa peregrina in the present study confirmed their rich content of diverse compounds and ele - ments and indicated that except for Mg and Ca, M. oleifera outyielded M. peregrina for the measured elements and bio-constituents. Foliar spray of leaf extracts of M. oleifera and M. peregrina at (1:10, 1:20, 1:30 extract: distilled water) was attempted on pepper plants under greenhouse conditions every two weeks for five times start - ing 30 days after transplanting date. Enhanced vegetative growth parameters (plant height, number of branches and leaves, plant fresh and dry weights, leaf area, and leaf chlorophyll-content) and better yield attributes (Fruit yield·plant -1 and hectare -1 ) were obtained by foliar spraying of plants with the concentrated extract 1:10 of moringa species. The vegetative growth of pepper plants was significantly influenced by extract concentration, moringa type·concentration, but not for moringa type (P≤0.05). However, moringa type, extract concentration and their interactions significantly affected pepper fruit-yield·plant -1 , pepper fruit-yield·ha -1 and mineral content of pepper leaves (P≤0.05). Irrespective of moringa type, the highest extract concentration 1:10 resulted in the highest yield ·plant -1 (1.68 kg) and yield·hectare -1 (16.88 ton) of peppers. The present study highlighted the potential of using extracts of moringa trees in organic farming.
Mina Bayanati, Abdel Rahman Al-Tawaha, Duraid Al-Taey, Abdul Latief Al-Ghzawi, Yousef M. Abu-Zaitoon, Samar Shawaqfeh, Omar Al-Zoubi, Ezz Al-Dein Al-Ramamneh, Laith Alomari, Abdel Razzaq Al-Tawaha,et al.
Frontiers Media SA
Biofortification is the supply of micronutrients required for humans and livestock by various methods in the field, which include both farming and breeding methods and are referred to as short-term and long-term solutions, respectively. The presence of essential and non-essential elements in the atmosphere, soil, and water in large quantities can cause serious problems for living organisms. Knowledge about plant interactions with toxic metals such as cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb), is not only important for a healthy environment, but also for reducing the risks of metals entering the food chain. Biofortification of zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se) is very significant in reducing the effects of toxic metals, especially on major food chain products such as wheat and rice. The findings show that Zn- biofortification by transgenic technique has reduced the accumulation of Cd in shoots and grains of rice, and also increased Se levels lead to the formation of insoluble complexes with Hg and Cd. We have highlighted the role of Se and Zn in the reaction to toxic metals and the importance of modifying their levels in improving dietary micronutrients. In addition, cultivar selection is an essential step that should be considered not only to maintain but also to improve the efficiency of Zn and Se use, which should be considered more climate, soil type, organic matter content, and inherent soil fertility. Also, in this review, the role of medicinal plants in the accumulation of heavy metals has been mentioned, and these plants can be considered in line with programs to improve biological enrichment, on the other hand, metallothioneins genes can be used in the program biofortification as grantors of resistance to heavy metals.
Ezz Al-Dein M. Al-Ramamneh, Ayoup M. Ghrair, Ashok K. Shakya, Khalid Y. Alsharafa, Khalid Al-Ismail, Samer Y. Al-Qaraleh, Jacek Mojski, and Rajashri R. Naik
MDPI AG
Sterculia diversifolia, widely distributed in Jordan as an ornamental plant, is a synonoum for Brachychiton populneus. Phytochemical studies examining the volatile chemicals in Sterculia diversifolia leaves are limited, despite the rising demand for their numerous applications. Furthermore, it was only recently that a report described the friendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using aqueous extract derived from Brachychiton populneus leaves. Therefore, AgNPs were produced using either aqueous plant extracts (AgWPE) or ethanolic plant extracts (AgEPE), and Shimadzu GC-MS equipment was used to detect volatile compounds in the ethanolic leaf extracts. GC-MS profile of leaf ethanolic extracts of the Jordanian chemotypes of S. diversifolia revealed the existence of major components: (3β)-Lup-20(29)-en-3-ol acetate (30.97%) and 1-octadecyne (24.88). Other compounds are squalene (7.19%), germanicol (6.23), dl-α-tocopherol (5.24), heptacosane (4.41), phytol (3.54) and pentacosane (2.89). According to published studies, these reported chemicals have numerous uses, including as animal feed, vitamin precursors, possible eco-friendly herbicides, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory agents. Aqueous extracts of S. diversifolia leaves had total phenolic of 5.33 mg GAE/g extract and flavonoid contents of 64.88 mg QE/g extract, respectively. The results indicated the contribution of phenolic and flavonoids to this plant’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The reduction in AgNO3 to AgNPs using S. diversifolia leaf extracts was confirmed by the change in solution color from colorless to dark black. Further characterization was attempted by X-ray diffraction, Malvern zeta-sizer and scanning electron microscope. The efficacy of synthesized Ag nanoparticles using aqueous or ethanolic plant extract of S. diversifolia against the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus showed appreciable activity at 25 µg/mL concentration compared to the source plant extracts.
Abdel Rahman Tawaha, Nusrat Jahan, Nidal odat, Ezz Al-Dein Al-Ramamneh, Abdel Razzaq Al- Tawaha, Yousef Abu-Zaitoon, Mohammad Alhawatema, Amanullah Amanullah, Abdur Rauf Abdur Rauf, and Mohammad Wedyan
Wydawnictwo Naukowe Gabriel Borowski (WNGB)
The present investigation was aimed at enhancing the quality and productivity of barley by the fertilizer and chitosan application. The field experiments were conducted in the northern region of Jordan, under the rain fed conditions in the main growing seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016. The experiment was conducted in a well-designed split-plot having three replications and two fertilizer levels (0 and 100 kg·ha-1 DAP (Diammonium phosphate 46% P2O5). Chitosan, in three different concentrations (0, 5, and 10 g·L -1), was randomly applied to all fertilized plots as subplot treatments. The results revealed the highest seed dry weight (5.8 g per plant) in the plants treated with 100 kg·ha-1 of DAP, while the lowest (5.2 g per plant) was recorded in the control which exhibited an increase of about 10%. However, other parameters, namely the number of grains, number of spikes, and number of grains were also found to be influenced by the chitosan treatment. Significant variation (P<0.01) were also high between the lines in the presence and absence of chitosan application. The highest number of grain yield, number of spikes, and grains/spike were found by the foliar treatment of 10 g·L-1 chitosan to barley plants at the tillering stage. Similarly, the grain quality, particularly with respect to protein and starch, was found to be enhanced significantly over control. The highest protein (12.6%) and starch (62.3%) were obtained with 100 kg·ha-1 DAP fertilizer level mixed with 10 g·L-1 chitosan. Hence, based on results, it can be concluded that the fertilizer level 100 kg·ha-1 DAP combined with 10 g·L-1 chitosan is economically best and recommendable for improving the quality and productivity of barley in the northern region of Jordan.
Ola O. Alghonmeen, Khalid Y Alsharafa, Muhamad O. Al-limoun, Khaled M. Khleifat, and Ezz Al-Dein Muhammed Al-Ramamneh
Horizon E-Publishing Group
Plant growth regulators (PGRs) were involved in several types of abiotic stress responses by means of improving seed germination and modifying the growth and development of medicinally important Lepidium sativum via alleviating the negative effects of abiotic stresses. Therefore, the present research was carried out to investigate the effects of exogenous application of PGRson seed germination, protein content and ?-galactosidase activity of L. sativum. Germination of L. sativum seeds was monitored for a short interval after the start of incubation until growth became 100%. While cytokinin treatment showed a positive effect on seed germination more than Gibberellic acid (GA), salicylic acid (SA) produced a higher negative effect than auxins. Quantifying changes in total protein content during seed germination as influenced by PGRs revealed that all PGRs have to exert a positive effect arranged in the following order: SA ? auxin ? cytokinin ? GA. Parallel to changes in germination percentage and total protein content of seed, a negative effect was attainedon ?-galactosidase specific activity in response to PGRs with the following arrangement: SA ? auxin ? cytokinin ? GA.In conclusion, the present study proposed the potential importance of the type and magnitude of exogenously applied PGRs during the germination of easily or even more difficult-to-germinate seeds.
Moawiya A. Haddad, Sati Y. Al-Dalain, Jalal A. Al-Tabbal, Nabeel M. Bani-Hani, Dasan M. M. Jaradat, Mahar Obeidat, and Ezz Al-Dein Al-Ramamneh
Pakistan Journal of Botany
A field experiment was conducted at the National Center for Agricultural Research and Extension in the Jordan Valley, during summer 2015 to evaluate the effect of cattle manure on antioxidant activity of maize leaves. The study also measured the effect of cattle manure on the bioavailability of heavy metals in maize leaves at harvest. Six treatments were compared, no cattle manure (T1, control), and 4 tons ha (T2), 8 tons ha (T3), 12 tons ha (T4), 16 tons ha (T5), and 20 tons ha (T6) cattle manure. ANOVA followed by LSD test were used to compare the treatments at the 5% significance level. Antioxidant activity using DPPH and ABTS were measured for the six leaves extracts representing six treatments of organic manure. A wet digestion method was used to extract the heavy metals from the dry leaf powder samples using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Antioxidant activity for leaves increased significantly with increasing cattle manure amount applied to soil according to DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity. The highest antioxidant activity was reached at the highest amount of cattle manure while the control had the lowest. Concentrations of Ni, Cu, Mn, Zn, Cr and Fe contents in maize leaves of plants grown in soil amended with cattle manure were higher compared to plants grown in no-amended soil. Cattle manure amended soil increased Ca, K and P concentrations in the seeds and leaves of maize. The cattle manure was able to encourage a raise on mineral buildup in aerial parts of tested plants.
Nabeel Bani Hani, Ezz Al-Dein Al-Ramamneh, Moawiya Haddad, Abdel Rahman Al-Tawaha, and Yahya Al-Satari
Pakistan Journal of Botany
Jordan Valley is considered as one of the main intensified irrigated agricultural areas in Jordan with high use of fertilizers especially of nitrogen source which lead to increased ground water pollution with nitrate. A field trial was conducted at the National Agricultural Research Center in Jordan Valley, North West Amman. Six soil treatments with organic cattle manure at the following rates were applied in summer 2014 and 2015: 0 (control), 8, 12, 16 and 20 tons ha. Treatments were arranged in a completely randomized block design using four replicates. Nitrogen fertilizer from ammonium sulphate, as source of nitrogen, labeled with 1% N isotope was added at a rate of 75 kg ha. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different rates of organic cattle manure on nitrogen uptake from ammonium sulphate fertilizer by grains of maize (Zea mays L.) plants using N isotope-tracer technology. It was found that nitrogen use efficiency was decreased as the amount of applied cattle manure increased owing to the high competition of organic versus mineral nitrogen. Whereas cattle manure positively affected the uptake of Zn, Fe and Cu by maize grains, causing increased mineral uptake instances, the uptake of K, P and Ca was not or slightly affected by cattle manure at various levels. The results of the present study could be beneficial for the development of an efficient fertilization schedule that would satisfy maize plant requirement of major elements, in particular N without its accumulation in the soil and the subsequent hazards to environment.
Nabila Benslimani, Madjda Khelifi-Slaoui, Abdelkader Morsli, Amar Djerrad, Ezz Al-Dein Al-Ramamneh, Abdullah Makhzoum, and Lakhdar Khelifi
Horizon E-Publishing Group
Tropane alkaloids are a group of secondary metabolites occurring naturally in Solanaceae family as Atropa belladona, Datura stramonium, Mandragora officinalis, and Hyoscyamus niger. These molecules have valuable therapeutic applications, for example, atropine and hyoscyamine are utilized as antimuscarinic besides being stomach and intestinal diseases drugs. Plants of the Solanaceae family can provide a natural yet less expensive source of these compounds. Hitherto, in order to emphasize these metabolites biosynthesis, D. stramonium seeds were irradiated using a cobalt-60 source of gamma rays of 5 to 80 Gy and germinated in vitro on MS medium in growth controlled chamber. Mutagenesis of D. stramonium seeds was attempted aiming at obtaining plants from in vitro source that are genetically variable for enhancing the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, namely alkaloids. Results indicated that D. stramonium seeds exhibited a good radiosensitivity and the mutagen damage index GR (30-50) for D. stramonium was determined at 80 Gy. The Characterization of alkaloids (Atropine and hyoscyamine) was done by infrared spectroscopy which showed that alkaloids content of the irradiated seeds is altered by irradiation as the reference bands were not found with all doses used. In addition, seedlings grown from irradiated in vitro seeds exhibited remarkable morphological variations that varied based on the employed dose of gamma rays. These findings permitted the selection of the optimal irradiation dose (80 Gy) to induce mutations that are likely to prompt changes at genetic and metabolic level of the targeted alkaloids.
Naif Bashabsheh, Ezz Al-Dein Al-Ramamneh, Hussein Alhrout, Abdel Rahman Al-Tawaha, and Ziad Barakat Al-Rawashdeh
Gaurav Publications
Pistacia vera is an important fruit tree in Jordan especially in the southern part of the country. It is known for its seeds that are eaten fresh or used in food. The yield of seeds is considered profitable which makes the multiplication and area increase of this tree highly recommended. Soaking in water or in molybdenum is thought to enhance imbibitions and germination in many plants. An experiment was conducted in plant laboratory of Aleppo University that addressed the effects of pre-soaking solution (water or 5 ppm molybdenum) and soaking duration (24, 48 and 72 h) on the subsequent seed imbibition and germination of pistachio cvs. Ashouri, Alemi and Batori. The experiment was three-factor based and arranged in a completely randomized design. The highest imbibition percent resulted from soaking Batori seeds in water for 72 h (67.74%), whereas the highest germination percent was recorded in Ashouri seeds pre-soaked for 27 h in molybdenum (84.35%). Thus, the treatment inducing the highest germination percent was not necessarily that inducing the highest imbibition response. In general, increasing pre-soaking duration of pistachio seeds resulted in a corresponding increase in both imbibition and germination percentages irrespective of cultivar. However, the main effects of studied factors indicated that the highest germination per cent resulted, on an average, when using Ashouri seeds, or 72 h pre-soaking duration or with 5 ppm molybdenum as a pre-soaking solution.
Abdel Rahman Al-Tawaha, , Abdel Razzaq Al-Tawaha, Mohammad Alu’datt, Abdul Latief Al-Ghzawi, Mohammad Wedyan, Sa'doon A. Al-Obaidy, Ezz Al-Dein Al-Ramamneh, , ,et al.
Southern Cross Publishing
Field experiments were conducted in the years 2013/2014 with two soil types from northern part of Jordan. The soil types that were chosen for the study were yellow Mediterranean sandy loam soil (site A) and red Mediterranean silt loam soil (site B). At both sites, a control (untreated soil) and experimental soil (hoops method of rainwater harvesting) was used. Our results indicated that barley plants which were grown in red Mediterranean silt loam soil had higher grain yield, increased number of spikes per plant, high amount of grains per spike, 1000-grain weight, increased plant height and higher spike length than those plants grown at yellow Mediterranean sandy loam soil. On the other hand, barley plants which were grown under water harvesting treatment gave the best results compared to those plants which were grown without water harvesting treatment.
Yahya Al-Satari, Ezz Al-Dein Al-Ramamneh, Jamal Ayad, Mohamad Abu Dalbouh, Ibrahim Amayreh, and Zein Khreisat
CSIRO Publishing
Rangelands in Jordan are part of arid areas of the Mediterranean Basin. Stress-tolerant plants such as Atriplex halimus L. have been used to rehabilitate such degraded areas. Seeds of A. halimus were sown in plastic bags in mid-March, mid-August and mid-September of 2012 and placed on the ground in a nursery at Khaldiah Station. Seedlings that were 4, 5 and 10 months old were transplanted on 20 January 2013 to the Khanasri Range Reserve and monitored for their survival over the growing seasons of 2013, 2014 and 2015. At the time of transplanting, the height, weight, stem thickness and root length density of 10-month-old seedlings were greater than of 4- and 5-month-old seedlings. Analyses of leaf tissues indicated high crude protein content in seedlings of different ages (22−26%). The 10-month-old plants showed 15–40-fold higher stem dry weight and more convoluted roots than the 4- and 5-month-old seedlings. The average rate of survival of transplanted seedlings over the three growing seasons was 77.0%, 92.3% and 94.3% for 10-, 5- and 4-month-old seedlings, respectively. Thus, higher growth of the 10-month-old seedlings than of 4- and 5-month-old seedlings at transplanting was compromised by their lower survival percentage throughout the 2013, 2014 and 2015 growing seasons. The dry yield of fodder shrubs was comparable across different-aged seedlings after 2 years of growth in permanent pastures (380, 364 and 354 kg dry yield ha–1 for 10-, 5- and 4-month-old seedlings, respectively). Taken together, these data suggest that 4–5-month-old seedlings of A. halimus are more appropriate for transplanting than 10-month-old seedlings because of cost-effective establishment of seedlings in the nursery, because no significant differences in shrub productivity were observed among plants derived from seedlings of different ages in the permanent rangeland. The impact of the introduced shrubs on different native plants in the range can be addressed in future studies.
Ezz Al-Dein Al-Ramamneh, , Nidal Daradkeh, Taha Rababah, Daniel Pacurar, Maisa Al-Qudah, , , , and
Southern Cross Publishing
Juniperus phoenicea is an ornamental shrub that is also used to flavor food and to supply medicines and timber. Its micropropagation is of industrial concern and can occur by axillary shoot multiplication. Microcuttings of J. phoenicia were established in vitro on Murashige and Skoog (MS) and Rugini Olive (OM) media in glass tubes (25 mm x 150 mm). Factors studied were explant length (0.5 or 1.5 cm) and orientation (horizontal or vertical), media strength (OM, 1⁄2OM, MS, 1⁄2MS) and the following growth regulators: the anti-auxin 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA), the cytokinins 6-benzyladenine (BA) and thidiazuron (TDZ), and the growth retardant daminozide (DM). Microcuttings placed vertically on the surface of OM, 1⁄2OM and 1⁄2MS media without hormones exhibited axillary bud differentiation, but they were swollen and turned brown one month later when placed horizontally on the medium surface. The number of shoots, averaged across OM, 1⁄2OM and 1⁄2MS media, was significantly higher from longer (1.5 cm) than shorter (0.5 cm) microcuttings (4.11 versus 1.57 shoots microcutting) after 60 days of culture. TIBA or DM at 0.1 mg l included in OM medium enhanced leaf differentiation, callus induction and formation of adventitious shoots over three months from 0.5 cm long microcuttings taken from in vitro shoots. The formation of adventitious shoots was sporadic and occurred at a rate of 1 shoot microcutting -1 in the presence of 0.1 mg l DM. OM supplemented with 0.1 mg l TIBA resulted in significantly the highest leaf differentiation (55 leaves microcutting), with a rooting rate of 40%.
E. Al-Ramamne, Z. Al-Rawashd, M. Karajeh, and S. Abu-Romman
Science Alert
Ezz AL-Dein Muhammed Al-Ramamneh
Elsevier BV
E. Al-Ramamneh, M. Serek, and S. Sriskandarajah
International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS)