الفهرس 
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Abstract
The effect of a novel organo-mineral fertilizer (OMF) compost, as a partial alternative to mineral-NPK fertilizers, on growth, physio-biochemical attributes, pollutant concentrations, and pod and seed yields of Phaseolus vulgaris L. plants grown under moderate salt stress was investigated. Soil application of OMF compost (8 – 16 ton feddan–1) improved soil chemical and physical properties, plant growth and productivity, and all physio-chemical constituents. Application of OMF compost at a rate of 12 ton feddan–1, as an alternative to 50% of the recommended dose of mineral-NPK fertilizers, significantly decreased the concentrations of cadmium (Cd2+), lead (Pb2+), nitrate (NO3–) and nitrite (NO2–) in plant leaves, pods and seeds, showing the same or increased growth characteristics (i.e., shoot and root lengths, number of leaves and leaf area per plant, shoot and root fresh weights, dry weight per plant and root system volume), green pod yield and its components (i.e., average pod weight, number of pods per plant, pods weight per plant and pods weight per feddan) and dry seed yield and its components (i.e., seed weight per plant, 100-seed weight and seed weight per feddan) compared to the control (100% of the recommended dose of mineral-NPK fertilizers). This treatment also improved all determined physio-biochemical attributes (i.e., leaf photosynthetic pigments, relative water content, membrane stability index, essential nutrients, ascorbic acid, total soluble sugars and free proline) compared to the control. The benefit of this OMF compost, as a partial alternative to chemical fertilizers, demonstrated the validity and possibility of sustainable agronomic performance of common bean using locally available recycled organic materials. Further studies are needed to focus on the bio-availability of the degraded fractions of the OMF compost in the soil solution, in the rhizosphere, and on the relationships among the activities of these fractions and the metabolism of soil micro-organisms, and their effects on plant metabolism.