الفهرس 
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Abstract
Two field experiments were conducted at the Experimental Farm of Ismailia Research Station, during two successive seasons of 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 to study the effect of irrigation rates, biofertilizers (Effective microorganisms (EM), Phosphorein and Nitrobein) and their interaction on vegetative growth and chemical composition of Silybum marianum L.
The experiment was laid out in split block design with main plot having two drip irrigation rates (1050 m3/fed. and 1400 m3/fed.) and sub-plot treatments included seven biofertilizers [control, biofertilizers (EM 1cm3/plant, EM 3cm3/plant, Nitrobein1g/plant, Nitrobein 3g/plant, Phosphorein 1g/plant and Phosphorein 3g/plant)]
The irrigation rates have an enhancing effect on vegetative growth characters and silymarin percentage in the dry fruits especially with the high rate.
Concerning biofertilizers, plant height (cm), number of leaves/plant, number of branches/plant, root length (cm), number of roots/plant, stem diameter (mm/plant), dry weight of roots (gm/plant), dry weight of herb (gm/plant) and dry weight of flowers (gm/plant) were increased by using all treatments.
Generally, the greatest values of the vegetative growth characters, silymarin, seed yield, N, P, K contents in the leaves in both seasons recorded by using 1400 m3 water/fed. with inoculation by Nitrobein, Phosphorein 3 g/plant and 3cm3/plant EM.
On the other hand, total chlorophyll in the leaves were increased with decreasing irrigation rate in both seasons but increased with increasing biofertilizers. On the other side, water use efficiency was decreased with increasing irrigation rates in both seasons but increased with increasing biofertilizers treatments.