الفهرس 
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Abstract
This study was carried out during 2014 and 2015 seasons in a private farm, located at Km 64 Cairo-Alexandria desert road, on mature Superior grapevines (Vitis vinifera L) .The vines were 5 years old grown in sandy loam soil, spaced at 2×3 meters trained as Y shape system under drip irrigation system. The study aimed to investigate the effect of some rare earth elements (REEs) and their mixture on the yield and quality of Superior grapes .The study included 13 treatments which were: lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), neodymium(Nd) , and their mixture at 5, 10, 20 ppm in addition to control. Treatments were arranged in a complete randomized block design. The clusters of each treatment were dipped twice in the treatments, the first was at fruit set and the second during verison stage.
The obtained results could be summarized as follows
1.Total yield / vine
The mixture of the three rare earth elements at 20 ppm showed significantly the highest yield / vine . On the other hand, lanthanum at the three tested concentrations, cerium at 5 or 10 ppm and neodymium at the lowest concentration (5ppm) gave the lowest yield.
2. Cluster weight
In the first season, cerium application at 5 ppm resulted in a significant increase in cluster weight (625 g).On the other side,no significant differences were detected between all other tested treatments and control. Regarding the second season, results show also that no significant differences were detected among all used REEs treatments.
3.-Berry shutter:-
No significant differences were detected between all used REEs treatments and control in the first season. While in the second season, control treatment showed the highest significant values of berry shatter percentage .On the other hand, using lanthanum, cerium and neodymium at the three used concentrations i.e; 5,10 and 20 ppm decreased significantly the berry shutter % as compared with control .In the second season, the mixture of the three REEs reduced the berry shatter % .
4. Cluster length
There was a significant positive effect for the application of REEs on grapevine cluster length. Whereas, control treatment showed significant decrement in cluster length as compared with all used REEs treatments. In this regard, no significant differences were detected among these tested treatments.
5. Berry width
The REEs had a positive effect on increasing the berry width in grapevine while control treatment showed the lowest values as compared with all tested treatments.
6. Total soluble solids (TSS) %
There were no significant differences among all tested treatments .In this connection, the mixture of the three REEs at 20 ppm gave the highest value while this increment was insignificant as compared with control.
7. Total acidity
Total acidity was not affected by the application of the used rare earth elements and their mixture in the two experimental seasons. On the other side, lanthanum application at 10 ppm gave significant increment in total acidity as compared with control in the second season only.
8. TSS / acidity ratio
All used concentrations of REEs increased TSS/acidity ratio while this increment did not reach the significant level between all used treatments in this character.
9. Weight of 100 berries
All used REEs and their mixture with all tested concentrations insignificantly increased the weight of 100 berries as compared with control treatment in the two tested seasons except La at 10,Ce at 5 and Nd at 10 ppm in the first season which increased significantly the weight of 100 berries than control .
10. The volume of 100 berries
All used treatments increased the volume of 100 berries than control treatment in the two tested season. While these increments were not signification the second season. In this respect, no significant differences were detected among the used treatments in both seasons.
11. Cluster width
The mixture of rare earth elements at the highest concentration viz. 20 ppm showed significant increment in cluster width as compared with all other tested treatments including control in the first season. However all lanthanum concentrations, cerium at 10 ppm, neodymium at 5 ppm and the mixture treatment at 10 ppm showed significantly the lowest values in the first season.
12. Berry weight
Lanthanum, cerium, neodymium and their gave insignificant effect on berry weight of Superior grapes in the two tested seasons. Moreover, control treatment (non treated berries) showed significant increment in berry weight when compared with mixture of the three tested REEs at the high concentration (20 ppm) in both seasons.
13. Berry length
Significant increments were detected to the treating of Superior grape clusters with the three used rare earth elements i.e. lanthanum, cerium and neodymium as well as their mixture at the three tested concentrations (5, 10, 20 ppm) as compared with non treated plants (control) in the two tested seasons.
14. Berry firmness:
Generally, the application of REEs resulted in an increment which did not reach to the significance level in some of the tested treatments. However, the highest significant values of berry firmness were detected to the highest concentration used (20ppm) in all used elements in addition to mixture in both experimental seasons.
15. Bruch length
Using REEs increased bruch length in both seasons as compared with non treated plants except lanthanum at 10 and 20 ppm in the first season. However, no clear differences were detected among the used elements and their mixture.
16. Torus thickness
There was no trend of increase in tours thickness due to the application of rare earth elements and their mixture in both seasons.
17. Nitrogen percent
Nitrogen percent was significantly increased by the application of lanthanum, neodymium each at 5 ppm and control in the two tested seasons, In addition to the lowest concentration of the mixture (5 ppm) in the second season. On the other hand, the medium and the high concentrations i.e., 10 and 20 ppm of La, Ce and the mixture showed the lowest nitrogen percent in the two tested years.
18. Phosphorus percent:-
The treatments of REEs increased significantly phosphorus percent as compared with control in the two tested seasons. Whereas, cerium at 10 and 20 ppm gave significant increase in the two tested years.
19. Potassium percent
The highest mixture concentration of the REEs used (20 ppm) resulted in the highest potassium percent in the two tested seasons in addition to the application of La at 10 and 20 ppm, Ce at 10 ppm in the second season and control treatment in the first season .
20. Calcium percent
Using mixture of the three used REEs i.e; La, Ce and Nd at 5 and 10 ppm in the two experimental seasons significantly increased Ca percent in the fruits in addition to La, at 5and 20ppm and the mixture at 20 ppm in the first season .Also, La and Nd at 10 ppm showed the highest significant values of calcium in fruits. On the other side, control treatment gave the lowest values in the two tested years .
21. Magnesium content :-
The highest significant Magnesium content was detected to untreated fruits (control plants). Mean while the lowest values were produced from using all tested REEs and their mixture.
22. Zinc content:-
There were no significant differences among most of the used REEs treatments in the first season. In this respect, neodymium treatments at 5 or 10 ppm gave the lowest significant values as compared with all other tested treatments in addition to control in the first season.
23. Manganese content:-
The results obtained in first season exhibit that there were significant increments in the fruit manganese content accompanied with the application with lanthanum at 5 or 20 ppm and mixture at 5,10,20 ppm as compared with control and the other tested treatments . However, in the second season, there was no significant difference among the various treatment of REEs and control.
24- Nitrate and nitrite concentration in the fruits
The application of rare earth elements whereas, the application of neodymium at all used concentrations and the mixture of REEs at 10 ppm gave the highest significant values of nitrate concentrations, followed by La at 5 ppm, Ce at 10 and 20 ppm and the mixture at 5 and 20 ppm with significant differences between them. On the other hand, the lowest nitrate concentration was detected to control treatment in the two tested seasons.
As for nitrite concentrations in fruits the highest nitrite concentrations were detected to the application of Ce at 10 ppm, Nd at 5 and 10 ppm as well as the mixture at 10 ppm. Also, La at 5 and 10 ppm Ce at 5 ppm, Nd at 20 ppm and the mixture at 5 ppm gave significantly higher nitrite concentrations as compared with control.
Conclusion and recommendation
The study concluded that the low concentrations of the used rare earth elements i.e; lanthanum, cerium, neodymium and their mixture enhanced yield and some quality charterers in grapevine superior cultivar .However it needs future investigation on the effect of some other REEs with different concentrations on the other grapevine cultivars and the other horticultural crops.