In Sudan sugarcane is a key agricultural crop which significantly contributes in economy. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of soil characteristics on sugarcane production at Halfa and Algunied areas. Soil samples were perfectly collected from different parts of each site and analyzed. Soil texture, bulk Density, sand%, clay%, moisture, pH, EC, Alkalinity 〖CO〗_3^(2-),H〖CO〗_3^-,〖Cl〗^-,〖SO〗_4^(2-) and macro nutrient were determined. SAR, RSC were calculated. Some parameters showed clear variations in the two areas. Halfa soil showed mean values of pH (6.99), alkalinity (1000mg/l), chloride (520meq/l), sulfate (10.8mg/kg), bicarbonate (5.2meq/l), and SAR (3.00) indicating high potential sodicity risks. At Algunaid the mean values were pH (7.69), Alkalinity (1066mg/l), chloride (4.5meq/l), bicarbonate (6.5meq/l) and SAR (0.85).

Sugarcane plays a vital role in the industrial growth of Sudan as an important economic crop. This work was aiming to measure the availability of Na, K, Ca, Mg, P and N as macro-nutrients in Halfa and Alguneid sugarcane schemes. Soil samples were collected from different parts of each sugarcane growing field. Minerals concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Notable differences in nutrients content were indicated between Halfa and Alguneid soils. Halfa scheme soils showed minerals content means as Mg (16.76 meq/L), Na (9.89meq/L), and Ca (0.91 meq/L). Algunied soils showed significantly low means of Na (0.367 meq/L), Mg (0.32 meq/L) and Ca (0.058 meq/L). The mean of Algunied soil N (0.067%) was almost similar to that of Halfa N (0.051%), which may reflect the insufficient nitrogen supply for optimum sugarcane growth. Phosphorus showed low mean values in the two fields as (0.00015%) in Halfa and (0.0013%) in Alguneid soils indicating a severe deficiency that can negatively influence root development and yield potential. Halfa soils may need gypsum applications whereas Algunied field may require fertilization management including P and N.

Aluminum and its alloys are widely used in industries due to their favorable mechanical properties, low density, and natural passivation. However, they remain susceptible to corrosion in acidic environments, necessitating effective and environmentally friendly inhibition strategies. In this study, the corrosion inhibition behavior of two phenolic acid derivatives, vanillic acid (VA) and isovanillic acid (ISVA), on aluminum was investigated using a combined density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation approach. DFT calculations revealed that VA exhibits a higher HOMO energy, smaller energy gap, greater global softness, and larger fraction of electrons transferred compared to ISVA, indicating stronger electron-donating ability, higher chemical reactivity, and enhanced adsorption propensity. Fukui function analysis identified oxygen atoms in hydroxyl and carboxyl groups as primary reactive sites, with O (4), O (8), O (11), and O (12) in VA and O (11) in ISVA, highlighting the crucial role of oxygen-containing functional groups in adsorption. MD simulations confirmed strong adsorption of both inhibitors on the Al (111) surface, with adsorption energies of -0.692 eV (VA) and -0.706 eV (ISVA), and revealed favorable molecular orientation, surface coverage, and hydrogen bonding interactions stabilizing the protective layer. Integrating DFT and MD results, VA was identified as the more effective corrosion inhibitor due to its higher reactivity, multiple active adsorption sites, and stronger electron-donating capability. This study provides molecular-level insights into corrosion inhibition mechanisms and supports the rational design of environmentally friendly inhibitors for aluminum in acidic media.