Dijlah Journal of Agricultural Sciences

Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are environmentally and economically important
insects, although their colonies are infected with a number of bacterial pathogens,
including Klebsiella oxytoca, a Gram-negative bacterium that belongs to the
Enterobacteriaceae family, that may contribute to the decline in the health of
honeybees. The aim of this study was to assess the antibacterial activity of zinc oxide
nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) against K. oxytoca, which was isolated from honeybees, in
vitro. Samples were collected from a number of beehives from different places in Al-
Diwaniyah Governorate, Iraq. Isolates were diagnosed using culture and biochemical
tests, in addition to a confirmation diagnosis by the VITEK® 2 Compact System and
16S rRNA gene amplification. The 96-well microtiter plate method was used to
evaluate the effectiveness of various ZnO NP concentrations (0, 10, 100, and 500
μg/ml). The results showed that ZnO NPs have effective inhibition on K. oxytoca. The
concentration of 500 μg/mL was the most effective, with significant variations at the
P < 0.05 level. These results show that ZnO NPs could be a good choice instead of
antimicrobials used to control diseases caused by bacteria in honeybees.

In this study, the physiological adaptation and stress reaction of Iraqi indigenous
chickens was assessed after the change from natural rearing system to intensive
rearing system, related to the connection between housing system and health-status
biomarkers. Twenty-five hundred birds were used, divided into five experimental
replicates, and analyzed periodically for complete blood count (CBC) and blood
glucose, lipids and liver enzymes, and specific stress indicators. The results showed
that the conversion to the intensive system resulted in significant and clear changes:
the RBC count decreased by 3.2×106/μL to 2.6×106/μL and the level of hemoglobin
(Hb) went down from 12.5g/dL to 10.0g/dL. In contrast, there were consistent
elevations in blood glucose (from 180 to 265 g/dL) and triglycerides (from 83 to 143
g/dL) while white blood cell (WBC) counts rose consistently from 20 to 32 ×103/μL.
In addition, there was a noticeable metabolic stress load on the liver reflected by a
significant increase in the H/L ratio (1.07) and a decrease in the A/G ratio (1.5 to
1.0), suggesting a shift in protein balance towards immune activity to deal with the
rearing conditions. The overall results indicate that indigenous chickens are at risk
of experiencing real physiological and metabolic stress due to intensive rearing
systems, and require careful management of their hormonal status and productivity.

Diabetes mellitus is often linked with hematological disorders and immune
dysfunctions, which are mainly attributed to oxidative stress and inflammatory
processes. The protective effects of gum Arabic and olive leaf aqueous extracts alone
and in combination against hematological parameters in alloxan-induced diabetic
male rats was evaluated. Forty-two adult male albino rats were randomly assigned
into seven groups, six rats in each group (healthy control, diabetic control, diabetic
rats treated with gum Arabic, diabetic rats treated with olive leaf extract, diabetic
rats treated with gum Arabic treated with olive leaf extract, healthy rats treated with
gum Arabic and healthy rats treated with olive leaf extract). A single i.p. dose of
alloxan monohydrate (100 mg/kg body weight) induced diabetes. The extracts were
orally administered for 4 weeks. At the end of the experimental period, hemoglobin
concentration, packed cell volume, total white blood cell counts and differential
leukocyte percentages were determined. The diabetic rats treated with alloxan
exhibited significant haematological changes such as decrease in percentage
lymphocytes and decrease in hemoglobin concentration, while the percentage
neutrophils and percentage monocytes increased. These changes associated with
diabetes were significantly improved with treatment using gum Arabic and olive leaf
extract. Combined treatment exhibited the highest corrective effect as hemoglobin
level was brought back to 15.57 ± 0.16 g/dL, PCV was restored to 38.43 ± 0.60% and
TWBCC was returned to 7.93 ± 0.10 ×10³/mm³. It also was beneficial in maintaining
a balance in leukocytes, showing higher percentage of lymphocytes and a lower
percentage of neutrophils and monocytes than the untreated diabetic rats. Neither
extract caused any undesirable haematological effects in healthy rats. The results
showed that both the gum Arabic and the olive leaf aqueous extracts alone or in
combination could act as protective agents against the diabetic changes induced in
the blood of rats by alloxan. Additional studies that include oxidative stress markers,
histopathological evaluation, dose–response studies, and use of standard
antidiabetic controls are suggested to further elucidate the mechanisms and
therapeutic implications.

This experiment was applied to study the effect of the interaction between seaweed
extract and max unique humate on some vegetative growth parameters of flax plants
during the 2025-2026 seasons. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) was used
as a factorial experiment with three replications at a probability level of 5%. The first
factor (seaweed extract) was applied by spraying at four levels (0, 1, 2, and 3) mL/L,
designated A0, A1, A2, and A3, respectively. The second factor (max unique humate
fertilizer) was applied to the soil at four levels (0, 12, 16, and 20 kg ha⁻¹), designated
H0, H1, H2, and H3, respectively. The results showed that the addition of seaweed
extract and max unique humate fertilizer significantly affected some vegetative
growth indicators, namely (plant height (cm), root system dry weight (g), and
chlorophyll content). The significance of the effect increased with increasing levels of
added fertilizer. The H3 treatment (20 kg ha⁻¹) yielded the highest values for the
studied traits (60.79 cm, 17.57 g, 30.32 g, respectively), compared to the H0 treatment
(no addition), which yielded (39.10 cm, 11.97 g, 22.10 g, respectively). Similarly, the
A3 seaweed extract (3 ml L⁻¹) yielded (60.37 cm, 16.17 g, 29.72 g, respectively),
compared to the control treatment A0 (0 ml L⁻¹), which yielded (38.08 cm). 13.62 g,
22.87 g) respectively. The interaction between the two factors (A3H3) resulted in the
highest significant increase in most of the studied indicators, yielding (70.48 cm, 19.09
g, 33.09 g) respectively, compared to the interaction treatment (A0H0), which yielded
(31.22 cm, 10.09 g, 20.09 g) respectively.

A factorial experiment was conducted in the greenhouse during the 2024-2025 year
to study the effect of spraying tomato plants with six concentrations (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2,
and 2.5 ml.L-1) of Salicylic acid and Proline on their resistance to infection by the fungus
Alternaria alternate which caused early blight disease . The results showed decrease in
the average number of flowers, fruits, and fruit weight with increasing concentrations of
Salicylic acid and Proline. Conversely, the results showed an increase in defensive
enzymes in the tomato plant, as recorded the activity of the phenylalanine ammonia-
lyase (PAL) enzyme in plants treated with salicylic acid, with activity increasing with
increasing concentration. The highest value was recorded at 2.5 ml. L-1 (3.978 g. L-1),
while the lowest value was 2.953 g. L-1 at a concentration of 0.5 ml. L-1. Conversely,
enzyme activity decreased with increasing proline concentration, reaching a peak of
3.286 at 0.5 ml. L-1 and a minimum of 0.879 at 2.5 ml. L-1. In contrast, the levels of PO,
total protein, and lignin increased with increasing salicylic acid and proline
concentrations, reaching peaks of 0.365, 1.839, and 31.13, respectively, at 2.5 ml. L-1, and
minimums of 0.212, 1.489, and 16.40, respectively, at 0.5 mL/L. Salicylic acid coefficients
were highest at 2.5 mL/L, at 0.290, 1.818, and 20.66, respectively, and lowest at 0.5 ml.
L-1, at 0.153, 1.484, and 13.66, respectively. Regarding the salicylic acid content in the
plant, its coefficients decreased with increasing concentration, reaching a high of 41.18
at 2.5 ml. L-1and a low of 16.47 at 0.5 ml. L-1. In contrast, the proline content in the plant
increased with increasing concentration, reaching a high of 119.06 at 2.5 ml. L-1and a
low of 93.50 at 0.5 ml. L-1. By exploiting the plants\' innate resistance to pathogens, the
use of resistance inducers may reduce the need for environmentally toxic chemicals in
disease management. Therefore, we propose using proline and salicylic acid as
unconventional and environmentally friendly alternatives for plant protection and
promoting sustainable agriculture.

This study examined the spatiotemporal variations of water quality of Tigris River in
Al-Kut city, Iraq to evaluate anthropogenic and hydrological effects. Sixteen
physicochemical parameters were analysed from September 2025 to May 2026 and
sampled monthly at four monitoring stations, according to the ISO 5667 protocols. The
results showed stable baseline levels of pH (7.27±0.19) and dissolved oxygen
(8.08±1.66mg/L); while pollution indicators (COD, phosphate, turbidity and nitrate)
exhibited high variability (CV>70%). A distinct spatial gradient was observed, with
the upstream site being optimal and sites in the urban areas being extremely degraded.
Progressive deterioration was found from the autumn (WQI ≈ 50) to the spring (WQI
>1300) with seasonal analysis; this was attributed to the lack of hydrological flushing
and thermal changes, and possible cumulative organic loadings. Two independent
drivers were found using principal component analysis: mineral
concentration/dilution gradient (PC1, 51.6% variance) and an organic/nutrient
enrichment axis (PC2, 19.6%). Water quality patterns were also confirmed by
hierarchical clustering which showed that spatial differentiation is completely masked
by the effect of seasonal forcing. These results emphasize the importance of the system
during the spring season and the need for a system of seasonally adjusted management
practices to lessen the effects of urban and agricultural pollution in semi-arid
watersheds.

To investigate the pollution status of heavy metals (vanadium, cadmium, lead, nickel,
and arsenic), and to determine the impact of gases and volatile vapors from the Badra
oil field in Badra District, Wasit Governorate, on plant and water pollution, and to
measure the concentrations of these Metals in plants and water, and to compare
these heavy metal concentrations with the international limits described by the
(WHO, 2007) it was noted that heavy metals (vanadium, cadmium, lead, nickel, and
arsenic) are considered pollutants of plants and water if their concentrations exceed
(2, 0.2, 0.3, 10, and 1) mg/kg dry matter for plants and (0.05, 0.003, 0.01, 0.07, and
0.01) mg/L for water, respectively, three plant sites were selected at distances of
(400, 800, and 1600) The source of pollution and water were measured from two
locations (400 m and 800 m), in addition to a control sample at a distance of (3000
m). Soil and water samples were collected from the southeastern and northwestern
sections of the field, in addition to the control sample. The results of the plant analysis
showed a high average total concentration of heavy metals (vanadium, cadmium,
lead, nickel, arsenic) at the studied locations in the southeastern part of the Badra oil
field. At the first location (400 m), the concentrations were (14.69, 3.23, 15.51, 12.26,
4.55) and (11.14, 1.99, 13.31, 9.31, 3.53) mg/kg dry matter for the plants A.
maurorum and Schanginia aegyptica, respectively, compared to the northwestern
section at the same distance, with the first location (400 m) showing the highest
concentration. As for the water samples, the analysis results showed elevated
concentrations of heavy metals (vanadium, cadmium, lead, nickel, and arsenic) at the
studied sites in the southeastern part of the Badra oil field. At the first site (400 m),
the concentrations of these heavy metals in the water reached (0.092, 0.094, 0.093,
0.761, and 0.053) mg/L, respectively. In comparison, the northwestern part of the
field, at the same distance, recorded lower values.

An experiment was conducted to determine the metabolic pathway of tropane
alkaloids (Hyoscyamine and Scopolamine) in white henbane plant (Hyoscyamus
albus L.) during vegetative growth and flowering stages. Various amino acids were
adapted to investigate their impact on the metabolic pathway, the concentration of
alkaloids. The study found that the concentration of Hyoscyamine was the highest in
the roots compared to Scopolamine, while; its concentration was the lowest in the
fluorescence and floral tips. Conversely, Scopolamine concentration was continued
to increase in the shoot (floral tips) and the roots starting from the vegetative growth
stage (S1) to the floral growth stage (S2), while the opposite trend was observed in
plant leaves. The pathway of hyoscyamine alkaloid began in the roots and it
accumulates in the leaves and later in the floral tips. Although alkaloid concentration
increased positively in both roots and leaves, it exhibited an inverse pattern in the
floral tips during the flowering stage and seed maturity (S2). Amino acids affected
alkaloid concentration whether used individually or in combination with the
influence of plant growth stages noticed, Ornithine proved the most effective amino
acid among others. Understanding the metabolic pathways of alkaloids enables the
selection of optimal strategies for plant management and to determine the best time
to harvest plant parts containing the highest alkaloid concentrations during their
ideal growth stage.

This study was carried out to evaluate the efficiency of some aqueous extracts of the
plant’s sweet basil Ocimum basilicum, shrubby Lantana camara, and Eucalyptus
camaldulensis, and the two biological fungi Beauveria bassiana and Trichoderma
viride against the whitefly insect Bemisia tabaci. This experiment was implemented
at the Agricultural Research and Experimental Station associated with the College of
Agriculture, University of Basrah. The results of the laboratory experiment showed
the superiority of the aqueous extract of O.basilium, as it achieved a mortality
percentage of 45.36%, followed by the aqueous extract of shrubby L.camara with a
mortality percentage of 41.38%, while the aqueous extract of E.camaldulensis
achieved a mortality percentage of 37.36%. As for the biological fungi, the fungus
B.bassiana achieved the highest mortality percentage, which reached 47.68%, and it
was significantly superior to the biological fungus T.viride, as the mortality
percentage reached 42.71%. As for the field experiment, the aqueous extract of sweet
basil achieved a relative efficiency of 41.66%, which was superior to the extracts of
shrubby lantana and eucalyptus, as the relative efficiency on nymphs reached 36.18
and 33.42%, respectively. As for the biological fungi, the biological fungus B. bassiana
achieved a relative efficiency of 36.77%, which differed significantly from the
biological fungus T. viride, as it achieved a relative efficiency of 31.86%.

A field experiment was conducted in autumn 2025 at the fields of College of
Agriculture, University of Wasit to evaluate the effect of inoculation with phosphorus
solubilizing bacteria, liquid organic fertilizer Bio-60 and different levels of mineral
phosphate fertilizer triple superphosphate (TSP) on nitrogen, phosphorus and
potassium concentrations in cabbage plants cv. Club Star. The experiment was
conducted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in a 2 × 2 × 3 factorial
arrangements consisting of three replications. The first factor was the inoculation with
phosphorus solubilizing bacteria at two levels; no inoculation (A ₀) and 12 mL plant⁻¹
(A₁). The second factor consisted of two levels of organic liquid fertilizer (Bio-60) (no
application, O₀; 5 mL plant⁻¹ in the O₁). Third factor was mineral phosphate fertilizer
TSP at three levels 0, 50 and 100 kg ha⁻¹ (M₀, M₁ and M₂). The effects of fertilization
on all studied traits were significant at P ≤ 0.05. The control treatment (A₀O₀M₀)
recorded the lowest values of N, P and K with 0.51, 0.236 and 0.755%, respectively.
By contrast, the interaction between all three factors A₁O₁M₂ was significantly better
and gave the maximum values of 1.89, 0.409, and 2.567% for N, P, and K, respectively.
This higher efficiency can be explained by the synergistic effect of biofertilization,
organic fertilization, and mineral phosphate fertilization on nutrient availability and
on nutrient uptake efficiency. Phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria increase phosphorus
availability and stimulate rhizosphere activity, and organic fertilizer enhances soil
physical properties and nutrient holding capacity. On the other hand, mineral
phosphate fertilizer provides a direct source of available phosphorus. These findings
indicate that integrated fertilization is a promising approach to enhance the nutritional
status of cabbage plants and the content of macronutrients under calcareous soil
conditions.

A field experiment was applied at College of Agriculture, University of Wasit, 2025. The
aim of study was to determine the effect of different levels of NPK and boron applied
as a foliar spray on mungbean (
Vigna radiata L.). The NPK concentration (20-20-20)
was used in treatments (F0-F3) at concentrations of (0-10-20-30) ml/L, while the
boron concentration (B0-B3) was used in treatments (B0-B3) at concentrations of (0-
50-100-150) ml/L. The RCBD experiment was designed as a factorial experiment. The
results showed that the highest average concentrations were 30 ml/L for grain yield,
biological yield, yield index, and the percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus, and
potassium in the leaves (2.442 t ha⁻¹, 4.221 t ha⁻¹, 87.27%, 2.842%, 0.481%, and
1.955%, respectively). The highest results were recorded for foliar boron application
at a concentration of 150 ml/L for grain yield, biological yield, yield index, and leaf
nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content (1.824 t ha⁻¹, 2.727 t ha⁻¹, 77.26%,
2.587%, 0.440%, and 1.76%, respectively). These results allowed researchers to
identify how plant growth indicators change when using different levels of NPK
nanofertilizers and to determine the interaction effect of NPK nanofertilizers and
boron on growth indicators and yield enhancement, ultimately identifying the optimal
and most cost-effective formulation.

The study site was selected within the greenhouses at the University of Mosul in
Nineveh Governorate, northern Iraq. Cotton and sesame seeds were sown on June 3,
2025, while maize seeds were sown on July 3, 2025. The cotton and sesame crops
were harvested on November 10, 2025, and the maize was harvested on December
5, 2025. Soil samples were collected from the topsoil (0-30) cm at the study sites,
with three replicates per site, after the harvest. DAP fertilizer (0:46:18) and urea
fertilizer (46%) were used to fertilize the cotton, maize, and sesame soils to increase
crop productivity and to determine effecting of intercropping on soil fertility. A
sprinkler irrigation system was installed on the greenhouses to spray the crops using
water from the Tigris River. The results showed that the soil acidity in all the soils
studied was neutral, slightly inclined towards alkalinity, ranging from (7.20) in the
maize soil to (7.35) in the cotton soil. soil electrical conductivity degree, it ranged
from (0.50 dS m-1) in the maize soil to (0.75 dS m-1) in the sesame soil. Therefore, all
the soils of the study sites are considered good in terms of electrical conductivity and
safe for all cultivated crops. This is reflected in the good concentration of cations and
anions in the soil and is safe for cultivation. The results obtained a clear difference in
soil depletion degree among the studied crops after the end of the experiment and
the harvest of the (cotton, maize, and sesame) crops. It was found that cotton had the
highest stressing effect on the soil, followed by maize, while sesame had the least
effect on nitrogen and phosphorus. The nitrogen percentage ranged between (21.6,
36.3, 91.0) mg kg-1 for the soils of cotton, maize, and sesame crops respectively, while
phosphorus percentage ranged between (31.5, 38.0, 45.0) mg kg-1 for cotton, maize,
and sesame crops soils respectively.

Assessing genetic diversity and trait relationships is essential for identifying useful
selection criteria in rice breeding. In this study we looked at genetic variability, broad
sense heritability, genetic advance, and also how traits relate to each other, focusing
on some selected physiological and morphological characteristics across five Iraqi
rice,
Oryza sativa L. genotypes. A field trial was carried out under a randomized
complete block design with three replications, during the 2025 summer season in
Wasit Governorate, Iraq. Chlorophyll content, flag leaf length, flag leaf width, leaf
area, plant height, and number of tillers were noted at heading to flowering stage,
113 days after sowing. The variance analysis, showed significant to very significant
differences among genotypes for every trait we measured, which suggests there was
a clear and measurable phenotypic variation inside the materials that were tested.
Analysis of variance showed significant to highly significant differences among
genotypes for all traits examined, so it looks like there is clear phenotypic variation
across the materials that were tested. The Local Amber genotype managed to record
the highest mean values for chlorophyll SPAD, flag leaf dimensions, leaf area, plant
height, and number of tillers, all within this particular environment. Broad-sense
heritability was from 71.93% for flag leaf length up to 96.32% for number of tillers,
but genetic advance as a percentage of the mean was top for number of tillers and
leaf area. Overall, these outcomes point that number of tillers and leaf area may be
more responsive to selection in the tested genotypes. Pearson correlation analysis
then indicated positive relationships among essentially all measured traits, and
especially strong links were observed between leaf area and flag leaf width, plant
height, and number of tillers. Overall, the findings provide preliminary evidence of
useful variability among Iraqi Amber-type rice genotypes and suggest that leaf area
and tiller number may serve as potential indirect selection indicators. Further multi-
location and multi-season studies including grain yield are recommended to confirm
their breeding value.

This study evaluated the susceptibility of ten tomato (
Solanum lycopersicum L.)
genotypes to
Fusarium solani and the biochemical defense responses in the
greenhouse. One
F. solani isolate (F4) was found to be most virulent and its identity
was molecularly confirmed as
F. solani based on ITS region sequencing (Accession
No. PZ146854). The incidence and severity of the disease were assessed sixty days
after inoculation. Genetic variability was observed among the genotypes, with a
substantial resistance response. In particular, 'Mercur' and 'Fairuz F1' were highly
resistant (0.00% incidence and severity), whereas 'Balkis F1' was the most
susceptible (100% incidence and 85% severity). To better understand the defense
mechanism, the activities of defense enzymes - polyphenol oxidase (PPO);
peroxidase (POD); and catalase (CAT) - were measured. In resistant cultivars, all
defense enzymes were rapidly and highly activated after infection. In 'Mercur', PPO
increased from 1.67 to 2.50 U/g FW, POD from 1.57 to 2.34 U/g FW, and CAT from
3.35 to 4.36 U/g FW. In contrast, the susceptible 'Balkis F1' exhibited a relatively mild
increase in all defense enzymes (PPO: 1.09 to 1.78 U/g FW; POD: 0.96 to 1.38 U/g
FW; CAT: 2.84 to 2.85 U/g FW). This suggests that the high genetic resistance in
'Mercur' and 'Fairuz F1' is intimately associated with the antioxidant enzyme system.
Therefore, these genotypes are suggested as potential breeding lines for resistance
to soil-borne fungal pathogens in tomato.

Treated wastewater is becoming a source of water for agriculture in arid and semi-arid
regions where freshwater supplies are scarce. The aim of this study was to assess the
effects of wastewater-treated irrigation on the water quality, soil chemical properties,
growth and yield of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), tuber quality, microbial
contamination, and accumulation of heavy metals under field conditions in Al-
Shuwaija, Wasit Governorate, Iraq. Randomized complete block design (RCBD) with
two irrigation water sources (river water and treated wastewater) was used. Standard
laboratory methods were used to analyze the water, soil and plant samples, and
analysis of variance (ANOVA) at p ≤ 0.05 was used to assess the effects of the
treatments. Both treated wastewater and river water were found to have significantly
higher electrical conductivity, TDS, COD, BOD, total nitrogen, sodium, chloride,
bicarbonate, sodium adsorption ratio, sodium percentage, and cadmium and nickel
concentrations than treated wastewater. The use of treated wastewater for irrigation
increased the soil fertility by raising both the organic carbon and organic matter, cation
exchange capacity, total nitrogen, and nutrient availability, and increased soil salinity
and the level of trace metals. Irrigating potato plants with treated wastewater resulted
in better vegetative plant growth, such as height, biomass, and number of leaves. River
water irrigation, however, produced significantly more tubers, weight of tubers, total
yield, marketable yield, and marketable yield percentage. The quality parameters of
tubers, such as dry matter, starch, and specific gravity, were lower under TW
irrigation. In addition, treated wastewater resulted in higher Cd, Ni, Pb, Cr, Zn, and Cu
content in tubers and higher counts of coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli in treated
wastewater. Hence, treated wastewater can be used as an alternate source of irrigation
water, but it must be monitored for salinity, microbial contamination, and heavy metal
accumulation.

The results of this study showed that natural infestation by the jujube fruit
fly (Carpomyia incompleta) induces clear physiological and chemical changes in
jujube fruits (Ziziphus spina-christi L.). Infestation led to a decrease in the relative
content of chlorophyll, carotenoids, total protein, total soluble solids (TSS), and
soluble carbohydrates compared to healthy fruits, indicating impaired
photosynthesis and metabolism, and a decline in the fruit's nutritional value.
Conversely, infested fruits exhibited an increase in total phenolic content compared
to healthy fruits at all study sites. This suggests that the infestation stimulated the
plant's chemical defense mechanisms, as phenolic compounds are among the most
important secondary metabolites that accumulate in response to the biotic stress
caused by the insect larvae feeding within the fruit.
The results also showed variations across all studied chemical properties among the
study sites, indicating that local environmental conditions, along with insect
infestation, contribute to determining the physiological and chemical response of
jujube fruit. These findings suggest that the jujube fruit fly not only affects crop
quantity but also reduces fruit quality and nutritional value, underscoring the
importance of implementing integrated pest management programs to minimize
infestation and maintain the quality and productivity of jujube fruit.

The study aimed to identify the current state of the use of artificial intelligence technologies in
agricultural extension work and their role in addressing climate change, as well as to explore
the major obstacles hindering the employment of these technologies. In addition, the study
sought to determine the requirements necessary for developing agricultural extension
services through the use of artificial intelligence technologies. This was achieved through a
comparative study between Sharqia Governorate in the Arab Republic of Egypt and Baghdad
Governorate in the Republic of Iraq. The study adopted a comparative descriptive approach,
and a questionnaire was used as the primary instrument for data collection. The study
population consisted of all agricultural extension agents and personnel working in agricultural
extension in the two governorates. The sample included 214 respondents from Egypt and 228
respondents from Iraq, with a total of 442 respondents. A comprehensive census method was
employed. Data were analyzed using a range of descriptive statistical techniques, including
frequencies, percentages, weighted means, and relative weights. The findings revealed that the
use of artificial intelligence technologies in agricultural extension was moderate in both
countries, with Iraq recording a higher level than Egypt, where the overall mean score reached
3.14 in Iraq compared with 2.89 in Egypt. Respondents also showed strong positive
perceptions regarding the role of AI technologies in addressing climate change impacts,
especially in agricultural decision-making, climate prediction, and water resource
management, with higher perceptions reported in Iraq. The study identified major obstacles,
including weak technological infrastructure, limited funding and governmental support,
inadequate training, and shortages of specialized personnel. Furthermore, the findings
emphasized that improving smart agricultural extension requires strengthening digital
infrastructure, increasing financial and policy support, providing specialized training, and
enhancing cooperation between extension and research institutions. The study recommended
adopting integrated digital transformation strategies, expanding AI capacity-building
programs, and developing smart agricultural extension systems to improve climate adaptation
and agricultural sustainability in both Egypt and Iraq.