Background: Optimizing preservation parameters for pistachios (Pistacia vera L.), such as temperature, relative humidity (water activity) and moisture content, is crucial for maintaining their quality over time. Temperature control helps prevent microbial growth while preserving the nutrients and flavors of pistachios. Methods: A regression model was developed to assess the impact of temperature, water activity and moisture content on pistachio quality. The model aims to provide accurate predictions for optimal storage conditions. Result: Water activity was found to be the most influential factor on pistachio quality, followed by temperature. Higher water activity increases moisture content, while higher temperatures reduce moisture content. The regression model confirmed these effects, offering valuable insights for optimizing pistachio preservation.

The Moroccan rangelands face significant threats, yet their species assessment and ecology remain understudied. Hence, the M'Goun Geopark was selected as a case study. Species were sampled using the stratified sampling approach combined with floristic habitat sampling. Nonparametric diversity and evenness indices were employed to estimate diversity. Subsequently, species were evaluated against IUCN status, endemism, and rarity. Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) and hierarchical clustering techniques were applied to explore plant communities. Concurrently, the ecology of these rangeland communities was examined. The Geopark rangelands support exceptional biodiversity, harboring 12.03% of Morocco's plant species, totaling 509 species. The Asteraceae family is the most prominent, followed by the Fabaceae and Poaceae. The nonparametric estimator Chao 2 estimates 543.24 species, and Jackknife 1 estimates 566.48 species. In addition, the assessment revealed the precarious state of biodiversity in the Geopark. A concerning 27.73% of the assessed species are threatened according to the IUCN, and a significant portion (74.45%) lack proper evaluation. The endemism rate is 21%, with nearly half (49.5%) of these endemic species restricted solely to Morocco. Rarity criteria indicate a 17.43% rarity rate, including 8.4% considered very rare, 4.42% rare, 8.78% suspected rare, and three vulnerable. These species form 13 associations within the QUERCETEA ILICIS class, distributed across various ecological conditions and occupying elevations between 540 m and 3700 m. The bioclimate ranges from semi-arid to subhumid. Climate parameters vary considerably, with precipitation ranging from 247.13 mm to 733.83 mm, Tmin oscillating from-0.65 degrees C to 12.69 degrees C, and Tmax spanning between 11.42 degrees C and 25.66 degrees C. The associations occupy Thermomediterranean to Oromediterranean vegetation levels, particularly in limestone, clay, and sandstone substrates. Our findings reveal that these rangelands are at the epicenter of Anthropocene challenges, particularly concerning biodiversity decline, as numerous species face threats and vulnerability. Consequently, urgent conservation and monitoring plans are essential. (c) 2024 The Society for Range Management. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

Moroccan vegetation faces significant pressure particularly from human activities and climate change, while most ecosystems lack detailed assessments. Phytoecological studies and species assessments are implemented using vegetation sampling, analysis of climate data, geological substrate maps, and the Digital Elevation Model (DEM). The study area hosts 565 plant species distributed into 74 families, with Asteraceae being the most abundant family, representing 17.7%. In addition, the correspondence analysis test demonstrates that species are grouped into six distinct blocks. Block 1 comprises a set of Quercus ilex forests. Block 2 encompasses Juniperus phoenicea lands and transition zones between Quercus ilex and Juniperus phoenicea. Block 3 represents Pinus halepensis forests and pine occurrences within Quercus ilex and Juniperus phoenicea stands. Block 4 indicates the emergence of xerophytic species alongside the aforementioned species; it forms the upper limits of Blocks 1, 2, and 3. Block 5 corresponds to formations dominated by Juniperus thurifera in association with xerophytes. Block 6 groups together a set of xerophytic species characteristic of high mountain environments. Additionally, Quercus ilex colonizes the subhumid zones and prefers limestone substrates, Juniperus phoenicea and Tetraclinis articulata, and Pinus halepensis occupies the hot part of the semi-arid in limestone, clays, and conglomerates, while the Juniperus thurifera and xerophytes inhabit the cold parts and limestone substrates. The thermo-Mediterranean vegetation level occupies low altitudes, dominated by Tetraclinis articulata, Juniperus phoenicea, and Olea europaea. The meso-Mediterranean level extends to intermediate altitudes, dominated by Quercus ilex and Juniperus phoenicea. While the supra-Mediterranean level is dominated by Quercus ilex, Arbutus unedo, and Cistus creticus. The mountain Mediterranean level, located in the high mountains, is dominated by Juniperus thurifera associated with xerophytes. Finally, the oro-Mediterranean level, found at extreme altitudes, is dominated by xerophytes. Some species within this region are endemic, rare, and threatened. Consequently, the implementation of effective conservation and protection policies is recommended.

Stevia rebaudiana is a perennial shrub native to Paraguay. Its leaves naturally accumulate steviol glycoside (SVglys) sweeteners. Currently, the demand for calorie-free sweeteners has prompted researchers to study other "natural" sweeteners that can replace sugar in the global market. Optimization of stevia perennial cultivation in Morocco is based upon breeding adapted high-value genotypes. The basis of a pre-breeding program is to evaluate in field conditions the performances of a large set of genotypes that could be used as genitors for new varieties. This study investigates the dry leaves production and the variability in total SVglys, rebaudioside A (RebA) and stevioside (STV) contents in stevia genotypes cultivated in two distinct regions of Morocco, Agadir and Marrakech, over four years. The analysis reveal significant year-to-year variability in dry leaf yields and SVglys content, with notable increases observed in the second year, indicating that specific climatic conditions were highly favorable during Y2. In addition, the results showed significant difference of SVglys, STV and RebA yields across the 4-harvest years. The STV represented the major SVglys in the both studied regions over the four harvest years with an amount reaching up to 12.63 %, followed by the RebA. In Agadir, the mean cumulative production per plant over four years was 518.57 g of dry leaves, 18.79 g of RebA, 51.37 g of STV and 80.87 g of SVglys. While in Marrakech, the cumulative dry leaves production was 529.9 g, 22.93 g of RebA, 41.99 g of STV and 77.95 g of SVglys. These findings highlight the influence of genotype and environment on SVglys production, emphasizing Morocco's potential as a competitive region for stevia cultivation.

The primary goal of this study is to identify changes in the vegetation cover of the geopark M’goun region of Morocco, as a sample area to track the Moroccan vegetation status, and the crucial factors that influenced its evolution between 1984 and 2021. The NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) method has been used, combined with supervised classification manipulated with the Google Earth Engine and through statistical analysis using R, together with field trips and Google Earth records for supervised classification. The percentage of vegetation density, made up of oak groves, Matorrals, red juniper, and thuja, in addition to a highly biodiverse cover, displays a declining trend. Medium-cover vegetation decreased by 29.5%, dense vegetation decreased considerably by 70.9%, and low-cover vegetation saw a minimal decline of 0.02%. As a result, dense and medium vegetation are being replaced by bare lands or poor-quality cover formed by sparse plants and solitary trees. In addition, precipitation increased slightly, showing an irregular trend, with average minimum and maximum temperatures rising by +1.7°C and +1.4°C, respectively. Furthermore, the population increased by 84.47%. Statistical analysis showed that the most important parameters affecting medium and dense vegetation cover are temperatures (Tmin and Tmax) and population density, as evidenced by the strong correlation between them. In contrast, sparse vegetation cover showed less correlation due to its heterogeneity. However, precipitation played a minimal role in vegetation evolution. Change detection maps revealed a significant negative impact on vegetation cover. This degradation was localized in the southern part of the area of study, where, according to the demographic density map, the majority of the population resides. Deforestation continues due to the lifestyle and economic activities of the local population. These factors, combined with climate change, are exerting large-scale pressure on the forest throughout the geopark.

The preparation of table olives represents an important economic and social activity in the Mediterranean region, notably in Morocco. This sector generates large quantities of solid pollutants such as olive stones. ‘Moroccan Picholine’ is the most widely cultivated olive variety in Morocco due to its high adaptability as it known for its olive and oil productivity. The objective of this work is to extract the oil from the seeds of olive stones, determine its physicochemical parameters and study its fatty acid composition from the Moroccan Picholine. The seeds were obtained by crushing the stones and isolating the cellulose part, and oil was extracted from the olive seeds using the standard Soxhlet method. A series of indices have been determined in the course of the work, such as free acidity, the peroxide index, the specific extinction coefficients K232 and K270, the total phenol content and the unsaponifiable matter content. The results showed that the oils extracted from olive seeds (a by-product of table olive processing units) have an oil yield ranging from 26.5 to 43.6 %, an acidity between 5.16 and 7.87 % and normal peroxide values from 10.15 to 12.31 Meq O2/kg. In addition, olive seed oils contain high levels of phenols varying from 6.27 to 11.82 g EAG/kg. On the other hand, gas chromatographic analysis shows that this oil is of the oleic, linoleic type. The main fatty acids are, in order of importance, oleic acid (67.1-68.5%), linoleic acid (18.9-20.6%), palmitic acid (7.8-8.2%). All these results show that olive seed oil is a new source of vegetable oil for different sectors.

The Moroccan High Atlas ecosystems, particularly the Geopark M’goun, face increasing threats from demographic and environmental pressures, necessitating urgent assessment. The habitat mapping is carried out using remote sensing and GIS techniques, along with fieldwork and Google Earth records. Habitat ecology is established using climate data, bioclimatic levels, vegetation levels, substrate types, and elevation data. Additionally, NDVI, change detection, and supervised classification are combined to assess habitat change. As a result, the M’goun Geopark exhibits an outstinding habitat diversity; Quercus ilex (27.53%) dominates up to 3000 m, favoring limestone and dolomites in subhumid zones, while Juniperus phoenicea (14.78%) occupies lower altitudes (up to 2000 m) and semi-arid regions. Pinus halepensis (1.38%) flourishes between 1100 and 2000 m, mainly in detrital formations and limestone, adaptable to semi-arid and subhumid bioclimates. Juniperus thurifera (1.33%) and xerophyte cushions (6.84%) thrive at high elevations in limestone terrains within subhumid cold bioclimate variants. Secondary habitats, including Chamaerops humilis, Buxus, and Euphorbia resinifera, thrive within the primary habitats. Furthermore, Juniperus thurifera and Pinus halepensis forests are severely degraded, while Quercus ilex and Juniperus phoenicea forests, though degraded, are more resilient. This funding supports conservation initiatives in Mediterranean ecosystems, addressing the urgent preservation and restoration policies.

Le procédé de production du paprika à partir de la Niora (Capsicum annuum L.) au Maroc consiste essentiellement en une récolte manuelle des fruits en pleine maturité, en un séchage traditionnel au soleil et en un broyage dans des unités de transformation traditionnelles et se termine par un huilage (l’enlèvement du pédoncule est facultatif). Les détails concernant les opérations de transformation sont rapportés. Dans un deuxième volet une étude comparative de la qualité du paprika provenant de trois régions productrices de l’épice au Maroc a été abordée à travers l’analyse de leurs paramètres physico-chimiques et nutritionnels, de leur composition en métabolites secondaires et de leur pouvoir antioxydant. Les paprikas des 3 provenances ont montré des valeurs d’ASTA qui variaient de 104 à144 Unités. Les principaux acides gras composant le paprika sont l'acide linoléique, l'acide palmitique et l’acide oléique. En matière de composition minérale, les paprikas issus des 3 régions sont riches en potassium, en magnésium et relativement pauvre en sodium. Le paprika d’El Kalâa des Sraghna a montré les valeurs les plus élevées en capsaicinoïdes totaux (184,97 mg/kg PS). Les meilleures capacités antioxydantes ont été obtenues par le paprika du Tadla (IC50 de 260 µg/ml pour le test de DPPH et de 43,03 µg/ml pour le test d’ABTS).

Roasted carob powder is produced from the pulp of carob fruit (Ceratonia siliqua L.). In this study, the roasting process was optimized using a central composite design of the response surface methodology in order to maximize the product quality and minimize processing temperature (100–160 °C) and time (5–60 min). Analysis of variance qualified the effect of roasting with different types of models: first, linear models for dry matter, glucose, and ABTS scavenging activity; then, correlative models for proteins, total dietary fibers (TDF), and polyphenols; and last, quadratic models for total flavonoids, flavonols, and DPPH scavenging activity (all significant at p < 0.05). The process increased the antioxidant activity, TDF, and total polyphenol contents, while the concentration of the other components decreased. The optimal conditions for carob roasting were 100 °C for 37.32 min.

In Morocco, landfilling is the most common method of municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal. The first step in a controlled landfill project is a site selection in order to minimise the impact on the environment and health. Almost all of the waste generated in the Agadir Ida Outanae and Inezgane-Ait Melloul prefectures is buried in the Tamelest landfill, which has several problems as under-sizing of leachate storage ponds and olfactory nuisance. It becomes necessary to find a new site to implement a new controlled landfill. In this study, the selection of the new site of sanitary landfill is obtained thanks to development of a geographic information systems (GIS), assessment of free surfaces and a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM). A field visit confirmed the results of the study; the site is located in the municipality of Amsekroud, which is part of the Agadir Ida Outanane prefecture. The results of the multi-criteria analysis were confirmed by the VIROK method.

The objective of the present work is to evaluate the relationship between the edapho-climatic conditions of the cultivation environment and the variability of olive productivity, yield, and quality of olive oil in orchards of the Moroccan Picholine (PM) population variety (Olea europaea L.). This work was carried out on different agricultural territorial units (agroecosystems) of the Beni Mellal-Khenifra region with a semi-arid climate during four agricultural seasons (2016/2017 to 2019/2020). For this purpose, the relevant agronomic and agro-biochemical parameters were studied, namely the stage of maturity, fruit and olive oil yields and quality indices. The data treatments of the results were performed according to descriptive and affiliated statistics by analysis of variance (ANOVA). We have found significant correlations (according to Pearson's R) between agroecosystems, particularly for weight of crude olives produced per hectare and temperature (R= 0.803), olive yield and humidity (R= 0.654), olive oil yield and temperature (R= 0.837), olive oil richness and humidity (R= -0.622), as well as the qualitative characteristics of the extracted oils, through the levels of free acidity and peroxide value (R = 0.467). These results confirm that in the studied semi-arid environments, the properties of the biotope of the cultivated olive groves, combined with the interannual agroclimatic variability, effectively influence the productivity of the olive trees, the oil production and the chemical and organoleptic quality of the extracted olive oil

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the most common chronic disease.Scientific research has turned to traditional herbal remedies as a potential adjunct therapy to maintain better glycemic control with minimal side effects.Garlic has been known since ancient times as an essential regulator either in diet or in medicine.Today the use of garlic is growing and widespread all over the world.This study is carried out to evaluate in vivo and in vitro antidiabetic effects of garlic extract compared to glibenclamide on biochemical parameters in alloxan induced diabetic mice.In-vitro antidiabetic effect of the A. sativum aqueous extract was conducted using αamylase assay.Meanwhile in-vivo antidiabetic activity was conducted using alloxan induced diabetic mice with an intraperitoneal injection of 160 mg/kg body weight.The diabetic mice were divided into five groups, two of which were given garlic extract orally (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg) and a group composed of diabetic mice were given the standard drug, glibenclamide, orally at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg.The control mice (normal and diabetic) were fed normal saline once a day for 28 days.The preventive effect of garlic extract was proved to have the same result as the standard drug, glibenclamide when given at the dose indicated above.This result was shown when experiments dealt with blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin levels, total cholesterol, triglycerides, total lipids, alanine aminotransferase (ALAT), and aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), with significant increases in plasma insulin.In addition, the plant extract exhibited a considerable inhibitory effect on α-amylase activity with IC50 value of 680.54± 0.58μg/ml.The present study shows that garlic extract possesses significant, potent anti-diabetic activity in vitro and in vivo, and that this activity is dose related.The garlic extract also recovers metabolic alterations and preserves insulin secretion capacity.

In this study, native microalgae cultivated in the batch mode were used to purify secondary munic-ipal wastewater (MW) from Azilal (Morocco) at different concentrations; the treatment of the MW under laboratory conditions and natural conditions was compared. The biomass produced was har-vested by coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation. The results showed that the maximum biomass was obtained in outdoor cultures by 1.11 vs. 0.79 g center dot L-1 in indoor cultures. Ammonium removal reached 99.8% in indoor cultures and 97.5% in outdoor cultures. The highest chemical oxygen demand removal percentage was 60.3% in indoor cultures and 68.9% in outdoor cultures. Regarding biomass harvest-ing, 140 mg center dot L-1 of ferric chloride resulted in 97.4% of the biomass recovered in 20 min of sedimen-tation and improved the final effluent quality. Finally, these native microalgae showed a promising alternative for MW treatment combined with valuable biomass production.

Wastewater contaminated with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) poses a serious threat to the environment and human life. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of living microalgae to remove HCQ from an aqueous solution. Batch mode experiments were conducted under different conditions to investigate the effect of operating parameters on HCQ removal efficiency and mechanisms. Equilibrium, kinetic and thermodynamic study was also carried out to better describe the interactions between HCQ and microalgae. The maximum HCQ removal was 92.101.25% obtained under optimal pH of 9.90.1, a contact time of 45min, a stirring speed of 300rpm, an initial HCQ concentration of 20mg/L, and a microalgae dose of 100mg/L. The Langmuir isotherm and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model were best suited for the biosorption experiments, and the maximum biosorption capacity was 339.02mg/g. The thermodynamic study showed that the biosorption process was exothermic and spontaneous. Experiments on real wastewater showed that the HCQ removal was not significantly affected by the presence of other contaminants in the water. Practitioner Points The best HCQ removal was 92.10 +/- 1.25% obtained under optimal conditions. The Langmuir isotherm and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model were best suited for the biosorption experiments. The maximum biosorption capacity was 339.02 mg/g. The thermodynamic study showed that the biosorption process was exothermic and spontaneous. The microalgae studied can be successfully used in HCQ removal from water.

Two samples of olive oils of the Arbequina variety were enriched with different extracts of olive stones of Moroccan Picholine variety, the olive stones used are generated in the process table olive preparation and olive oil extraction industry. The enriched oils were analyzed in order to evaluate the influence of the enrichment on of their quality during storage time. The following parameters were determined: acidity, peroxide values, absorption coefficients K270 and K232 for nine months of storage in the dark at room temperature. The prepared extracts of olive stones were characterized in terms of phenolic content and antiradical activity by spectroscopic methods. The results of our study show that the oil of the Arbequina variety is less stable in terms of oxidation compared to the oils of the Moroccan variety Picholine. Enrichment with olive kernel extracts partially reduced acid hydrolysis and increased resistance to oxidation especially in oils enriched with seedless olive kernel extracts. The lowest peroxide value, after nine months, was observed in oil enriched with extracts of seedless olive stone (E1: 13.31 ± 0.25 Meq (O2) / kg, E2: 14.52 ± 0.19 Meq (O2) / kg) compared to the Arbequina oil control sample (E1: 17.68 ± 0.23 Meq (O2) / kg and E2: 20.16 ± 0.17 Meq (O2) / kg) and to Picholine oil (E1: 12.54 ± 0.24 Meq (O2) / kg, and E2: 12.82 ± 017 Meq (O2) / kg). These results are confirmed by measuring the coefficients K232 and K270. The results show that stone extracts can extend the storage times of olive oil and also have excellent antioxidant activity

BACKGROUND:The production of solid waste continues to increase as the population and standard of living increases. In addition, changes in living conditions can induce significant variation in the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of waste.OBJECTIVES:The aim of the present study was to examine the impact of the lockdown period on the generation of solid waste produced in the city of Marrakech.METHODS:The tonnage of household waste, construction and demolition waste and green waste was collected from the landfill and an analysis was made during the lockdown period in 2020 in comparison with the same period in 2019.RESULTS:The analysis of solid waste tonnage in 2019 and 2020 showed that the lockdown had a significant impact on the various wastes; with a 27.61% decrease for household waste, 6.27% decrease in the case of green waste, and 57.40% decrease for construction and demolition waste.DISCUSSION:The degree to which the tonnage of household waste decreased depended on the standard of living in each district which was defined by housing type. The tonnage of construction and demolition waste was influenced by the halt in construction activity in the city.CONCLUSIONS:The results of the present study showed that the tonnage of household waste and demolition and construction waste decreased during the lockdown period.COMPETING INTERESTS:The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, is a perennial herbaceous plant native to Paraguay. This plant produces diterpene glycosides that are powerful natural low calorie sweeteners, about 300 times sweeter than saccharose. Stevia has now become an important agricultural crop for the production of a high-potency natural sweetener. Cultural practices are still in development and the productivity potential of desirable steviol glycosides in more or less stable proportions and under different agriculture conditions are largely unknown. Currently, commercial growers and processors all over the world are seeking to maximize the productivity of rebaudioside A, a steviol glycoside. The present study aimed to characterize the effects of region and varieties on stevia dry leaf yield, steviol glycoside content, and steviol glycoside yield under Moroccan conditions. The content of steviol glycosides obtained from dry leaves of four varieties of Stevia rebaudiana, compared to the edaphoclimatic conditions in six different areas in Morocco, was determined using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Dry leaf yield, leaf steviol glycoside content, and leaf steviol glycoside yield varied according to varieties and regions, with significant interaction of varieties by regions. Dry leaf yield varied from 1.57 to 7.86 t/ha. Stevioside yield ranged from 57.04 to 739.77 kg/ha and rebaudioside A yield varied between 60.8 and 614.04 kg/ha, with Reb A/STV ratios that reached up to 2.62. The total of steviol glycosides yield ranged from 163.21 to 1353.2 kg/ha with significant interactions between regions and varieties concerning sweet glycoside contents. Stevia offers great potential for introduction as a commercial crop producing a biological sweetener under Moroccan conditions.

Objective: Review compliance with preventive measures to limit the spread of covid-19 during the containment period in Morocco. Method: An online questionnaire consisting of questions covering several areas: demographic data, knowledge of Covid-19, ports of contamination and precautionary measures. Results: A total of 352 participants responded to the survey, of which 69.3% were male, 48.6% were between 20 and 30 years of age and 37.2% were students. The Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region had the highest turnout with 59.9%. 20.98% of participants cover their mouths when coughing, 90.52% use liquid soap to wash their hands, 58.09% still wear face masks and 64.27% were satisfied with the prevention measures initiated by the Moroccan health authorities. Conclusion: Based on the results obtained and in the absence of treatment for this contagious disease, the best method of protection for you and your loved ones is to respect the measures and barrier gestures.

Despite its impact on the environment, the most widely used method for waste management in African countries is landfilling. Energy recovery, in particular refuse derived fuels (RDF), can be a promising option for sustainable waste management in the context of Africa. The scope of this work is to characterize dry fractions contained in municipal solid waste produced in a province in Morocco. The characterization was done according to the seasons, and to the type of area (urban and rural). A second characterization was done in laboratory for dry fractions in study area, and five other refuse derived fuel formulated. The results show that combustible fractions constitute 30% of the waste produced in the study area with a high quantity of textile and hygienic waste. Thus, the seasons and the type of area have an impact on the distribution of some combustible fractions such as paper, textiles, and hygienic waste and wood. Laboratory analysis of dry fractions from the study area and the combinations formed shows the effect of the composition on the quality of RDF, the presence of plastic improves its calorific value. The NCV, ash content, and chlorine content of dry fractions in the study area were measured obtaining a value of 18.65 MJ kg−1, 6.48%, and 0.21%, respectively. Therefore, the most predictive empirical model of net calorific value is the Chang model.