Biotic and abiotic environmental stressors are key factors influencing plant growth, development, and productivity. Among them, abiotic factors, particularly climatic conditions can significantly affect the morphological and chemical composition of plants. The strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) is a Mediterranean species of significant ecological and nutritional interest. Despite its potential value, limited information is available on the influence of genotype and year on its fruit and leaf characteristics. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of year, genotype, and their interaction on the morpho-pomological and physico-biochemical traits of twelve moroccan strawberry tree genotypes over three consecutive years (2019–2021). Significant differences among genotypes were observed for all the studied traits, except lipid content. The genotype BNO exhibited the highest fruit dimensions, fruit weight, and maturity index, while genotype CHF showed superior leaf traits. Regarding physico-biochemical parameters, the genotype MDZ displayed the highest levels of fiber, total phenols, hydrolyzable tannins, and anthocyanins, as well as the greatest antioxidant potential. The year effect was also significant for most parameters, indicating considerable interannual variation in fruit, leaf, and flower characteristics. However, the fruit shape index and flavonoid content remained relatively stable over the three years, suggesting their potential as reliable selection criteria. Furthermore, the interaction between genotype and year significantly influenced all traits, with the exception of the fruit shape index. Overall, most morpho-pomological and physico-biochemical parameters showed their highest values in 2019, likely due to favorable climatic conditions. The observed differences among genotypes and years highlight the influence of environmental factors on the expression of these traits. The identification of stable and high-performing genotypes provides valuable insight for breeding and conservation programs aimed at enhancing the agronomic and nutritional value of A. unedo in Morocco.

This study explores the potential of olive leaves, long integral to Mediterranean traditional medicine, as a rich source of valuable compounds. The challenge lies in their considerable water content, hindering these compounds’ full valorization. Four drying methods (air-drying, oven-drying, freeze-drying and solar-drying) were investigated for their impact on nutrient and bioactive compound content in the leaves of four olive varieties (“Arbequina”, “Koroneiki”, “Menara” and “Picholine Marocaine”) cultivated in Morocco. In their fresh state, “Picholine Marocaine” exhibited the highest protein levels (6.11%), “Arbequina” had the highest phenolic content (20.18 mg gallic acid equivalents/g fresh weight (FW)), and “Koroneiki” and “Menara” were highest in flavonoids (3.28 mg quercetin equivalents/g FW). Specific drying methods proved optimal for different varieties. Oven-drying at 60 °C and 70 °C effectively preserved protein, while phenolic content varied with drying conditions. Air-drying and freeze-drying demonstrated effectiveness for flavonoids. In addition, an analytical approach using high-performance liquid chromatography and diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) was applied to investigate the effects of the different drying methods on the bioactive fraction of the analyzed samples. The results showed qualitative and quantitative differences depending on both the variety and the drying method used. A total of 11 phenolic compounds were tentatively identified, with oleuropein being the most abundant in all the samples analyzed. The freeze-dried samples showed the highest content of oleuropein in the varieties “Arbequina” and “Picholine Marocaine” compared to the other methods analyzed. In contrast, “Koroneiki” and “Menara” had higher oleuropein content when air dried. Overall, the obtained results highlight the importance of tailored drying techniques for the preservation of nutrients and bioactive compounds in olive leaves.

Virgin olive oil (VOO) production is in a constant state of evolution as it adapts to meet the demands of an increasingly competitive global market. However, despite the significant research effort undertaken across multiple scientific disciplines, this vegetable oil still presents challenges and vulnerabilities that require continued research. Within this context, metabolomics has emerged, over the last twenty years, as a promising tool that can resolve several critical issues regarding VOO quality and authenticity. Advanced metabolomics approaches offer unparalleled insights into the molecular mechanisms that influence the sensorial and nutritional features of this vegetable oil in rapid and accurate analyses. This review highlights recent metabolomics applications that unlock the nutritional and sensorial potential of VOO by investigating the effects of various factors on its chemical composition, including environmental conditions, agricultural practices, harvesting time, oil-processing parameters and storage conditions. The principal studies on ensuring product authenticity and traceability are also discussed.

Plant development is constantly affected by biotic and abiotic factors, which influence their morphology and chemical composition. In this context, the evaluation of morphological and physicochemical variation of 35 loquat genotypes during two consecutive years, 2015 and 2016, were carried out. The results revealed a significant difference of the morphological and the physicochemical traits between the two years. Indeed, 2016 showed high values for fruit and leaf traits as well as the physicochemical parmeters, while 2015 recoreded the highest values for seeds traits. In addition, the ANOVA results showed a significant effect of genotype on the physicochemical parameters and the morphological characters, excluding the geometric diameter and spherical index of seeds. Regarding the effect of year, it was also significant on physicochemical parameters and morphological traits except the size and shape of fruit and the seed shape. For the genotype x year interaction effect, it was significant on all traits studied, with the exception of the traits relating to geometric diameter of fruit and seed plus the sphericity index of the seed. Thus, size and shape of fruit remained stable over these two consecutive years. The identification of stable traits presents a result that could be beneficial for breeding programs.

Morocco has varied wealth of aromatic and medicinal plants (AMPs) which are commonly used for prevention and treatment of various diseases or as complementary therapy such for cancer diseases. An ethnobotanical study was carried out in the province of Nador, located northeast of Morocco. A total of 418 persons were interviewed, information about their profile, type of medicinal plants existing in this area, plant characteristics and uses of those existing plants. Results showed 35 species distributed in 23 families, the most represented were Lamiaceae (7), Apiaceae (5) and Fabaceae (3). This study revealed that the population mainly used seeds (28%), leaves (26%), aerial parts (20%) and fruits (14%). Moreover, it has shown that Nerium oleander were used by the local population for cancer treatments. Biological activity of N. oleandershowed an antimicrobial effect on Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosaand Staphylococcus aureus.

The loquat fruit has a very important commercial value due to its benefits for human health. However, there is very limited scientific research on this species in Morocco. In this regard, a set of 35 genotypes was collected from the Zegzel valley (Berkane). The phenotypic variability was evaluated using nine traits related to fruit and leaf. The results revealed a coefficient of variation ranging from 13.02 to 42.21%, implying a large phenotypic variation in Moroccan loquat, especially for the characteristics associated to the fruit shape. Regarding the multiple correspondence analysis, the first two axes explained 62.57% of the total variance. The major traits that made it possible to distinguish between the genotypes were those related to fruit size. Therefore, the Mekerkba genotype in the Zegzel region is not a single variety, but rather genotypes with a round fruit shape. In addition, the 35 genotypes studied were divided into three main groups regardless of their geographical origin. The results indicate that the geographical proximity did not play an important role in the structure of genotypes, implying a weak adaptation of the genotypes to the environment. The findings of this study could be used in conventional breeding and in situ conservation programs for Moroccan loquat.

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).

Solar drying is affordable, requiring low energy and an eco-friendly method. Thus, the present paper studies the efficiency and characteristics of the indirect solar convective drying in the fruits of Arbutus unedo L. as well as its effects on the fruit phenolic compounds. The fruit samples were dried at 60 °C, 70 °C, and 80 °C. Phenolic compounds were investigated using a Liquid Chromatography platform. Experimental results revealed that the effective moisture diffusivity determined by Fick’s second law varied from 1.51 × 10−9 to 4.68 × 10−9 m2/s, and the activation energy recorded was 2203.62 kJ/kg. Both the total energy consumption and the specific electrical energy of the dried fruits decreased as temperature increased. The Midilli–Kucuk model was selected as the best-fitted model for drying Arbutus unedo L. Significant effect of temperature on phenolics was observed. The concentration of the phenolic compounds decreased by 15.54, 39, and 40.63% at 60, 70, and 80 °C, respectively.

Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus L., which has a special aroma, colour and odour influencing positively its economic value. In this context, ten saffron ecotypes were screened for their biochemical composition and antioxidant activity. The samples were also analysed using GC-MS and LC-MS to determine their content of volatile and phenolic compounds, respectively. The results revealed statistically significant differences among samples based on moisture (9.09%-11.23%), total phenols (31.62-62.71 mg EAG/g), total flavonoids (23.02-40.02 mg ER/mg), total carotenoids (66.12-155.05 mu g/g), picrocrocin (88.99-121.53), crocin (137.44-228.39) and safranal (26.56-53.04). The radical scavenging activity ranged from 17.09% to 29.53% for DPPH assay, and oscillated from 0.128 mmol AAE/g to 0.239 mmol AAE/g for ABTS test, while the ferric reducing antioxidant potency (FRAP) varied from 0.974 to 1.989 mmol Fe2+/g. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis identified 66 volatile compounds, among which the Safranal and Isophorone were the most abondant. The ES1 from Taliouine recorded a very distinct volatile composition compared to the others ecotypes with 22 authentic volatile compounds. Moreover, liquid chromatography- mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis revealed 14 phenolic compounds with picrocrocin and crocin were found to be the major compounds. The principal component analysis classified the investigated ecotypes into two mean distinctive sets with ES1 and ES9 were distinguished as a single items. The alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, limonene, anethole, acetic acid, ketoisophorone, isophorone, safranal, thymoquinone, total flavonoids, FRAP and total carotenoids, are the main discriminant variables. The two-dimensional analysis of the clustered heatmaps divided showed a relatively similar patterns as the principal component analysis (PCA) and confirmed the singularity of the sample ES1 based on its particular volatile profile dominated mainly by alpha-terpinyl acetate, methyleugenol, copaene, anethole, limonene, methyl-cyclopentane, which were not identified in the other samples even at minor levels. These findings herein found revealed the high quality of Moroccan saffron, which is very important for the species breeding and valorization.

The bioavailability of cosmetic, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and food preparations depends, among other factors, on the galenic form and the control of the granulometric structure of powders. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of argan pulp powder particle size on functional, physicochemical properties, and antioxidant bioactivity. The particle size study revealed a unimodal particle volume distribution, explaining the regular particle shape. The results relating to functional properties indicated that the critical fraction was in the range of 50–125 µm. However, the study of the particles in each class, evaluated via SEM, showed that the morphology of the pulp powder was strongly dependent on the degree of grinding. The classes in the range of 50–125 µm had the highest polyphenol content, while those of <25 µm had the highest flavonoid content (893.33 mg GAE/100 g DW and 128.67 mg CE/100 g DW, respectively). Molecular analysis via LC and GC-MS showed that particle size had a significant effect on the release of bioactive molecules. ABTS, DPPH, and TAC tests showed that the fraction, ‘‘50–125 µm’’, had the highest antioxidant activity. However, the FRAP test showed highest antioxidant activity for particles of <25 µm. The analysis of the bioactive compounds of the argan pulp powder confirmed a differential distribution, depending on the size of the particles.

BACKGROUNDThe pomegranate (Punica granatum) is an ancient perennial plant species of the Punicaceae family. Its seeds are consumed as food or as juice. Previous studies have noted that pomegranate juice encompasses many active compounds with beneficial effects. The main goals of this work were to study the phenolic components of freeze-dried and reconstituted pomegranate juices obtained from 13 pomegranate genotypes growing in Morocco. RESULTSWe analyzed several pomegranate juices using high-performance liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry to determine phenolic compounds. Twenty-seven bio-phenols, belonging to four different classes (phenolic acids, hydrolyzable tannins, anthocyanins, and flavonoids), were identified based on their accurate mass measurements, and quantified. Some encouraging results were obtained. Even though the freeze-drying process introduced a marked degradation of bio-phenols, substantially lowering their levels in the reconstituted fruit juices, these fruit juices were still rich enough in bio-phenols to compete with some fresh fruit juices. The reconstituted juices obtained by rehydration of the lyophilized material still differed enough to enable a statistical classification based on their polyphenol content. A correlation analysis was applied to the polyphenol data to explore correlations and similarities between genotypes. CONCLUSIONSThe results showed that freeze-drying and reconstitution of juices introduced some degradation of the polyphenol content. The overall polyphenolic pattern within the same cultivar, in two different harvesting years, was maintained, however, suggesting the composition stability of the freeze-dried juices produced in this time span. (c) 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

This study aimed to explore the use of different advanced extraction methods to obtain oleuropein-rich extracts from leaves of the predominant olive variety in Morocco: "Picholine Marocaine", and compare them with the conventional maceration method. Initially, the solubility of oleuropein in various ethanol-water ratios was predicted using COSMO-RS software. Subsequently, a kinetic study was conducted to extract phenolic compounds using maceration for 3 h, based on the total phenolic and oleuropein contents. Advanced extraction methods, including ultrasound extraction systems (based on both bath and probe systems), bead milling, microwavebased extraction, and accelerated solvent extraction, were then applied for 5 min. The obtained results from COSMO-RS prediction indicated that ethanol-water 60:40 (v:v) was the most efficient ratio. The kinetic study revealed that the highest total phenolic and oleuropein contents were achieved after 1 h of maceration. Ultrasonic extraction, using both bath and probe systems, resulted in extraction within only 5 min, of over 92% (19.61 mg of gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g of dry weight (DW)) and 83% (17.55 mg of GAE/g DW), respectively, of the total phenolic compound yield achieved in 1 h of maceration (21.14 mg of GAE/g DW). Moreover, the extracted amount of oleuropein using ultrasonic systems (fluctuating between 15.90 and 15.10 mg/g DW for the ultrasonic bath and probe extracts, respectively) was higher than that obtained with the conventional method during 1 h (14.31 mg/g DW). Therefore, ultrasonic assisted extraction appears to be the most efficient and rapid method for obtaining oleuropein-rich extracts from Moroccan olive leaves.

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is the world’s second-largest oilseed crop after soybean. It contains functional compounds, including fatty acids and phenols, which are known for their health and nutritional benefits. In Morocco, rapeseed was introduced as a promising oilseed crop that has shown good adaptation and great potential. Six genotypes were registered and released as the most high-performance Moroccan varieties in terms of both seed yield and oil content. Apart from their ‘00′ quality, i.e., oil without erucic acid and meal with very low glucosinolate content, there is no information on other important quality traits. Therefore, this research aimed to characterize the lipochemical and phenolic attributes of those varieties, namely Baraka, Narjisse, Moufida, Lila, Alia, and Adila, grown at two contrasting sites (Allal Tazi and Douyet) so as to assess the environmental impact on oil quality. A set of 14 parameters were analyzed, comprising seed yield, oil content (Oil C), protein content (PC), acidity index (IA), peroxide index (IP), refractive index (IR), iodine value (IO), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoids, total carotenoid contents, free-radical scavenging activity (FRSA), half-maximal inhibitory concentration, fatty acid composition, and omega 6/omega 3 ratio. The results displayed significant differences (p < 0.001) between the two sites for all the abovementioned traits, except for IA, with an outperformance of Allal Tazi over Douyet. Additionally, variety and variety by site interaction had a significant effect on all the studied parameters, except for IA, IP, IR, and TPC. Over both environments, the varietal effect generated variations in yield of 10.9 to 17.1 q/ha, Oil C of 36.7 to 39.9%, PC of 21.3 to 25.9%, IO of 94.1 to 100 g I2/100 g, FRSA of 22.7 to 42.9%, and an omega6/omega3 ratio of 1.8 to 2.3%. It is noteworthy that the Moufida and Alia varieties displayed a low-magnitude effect of the environment, as they maintained similar high performance over both sites. They, thus, represent Moroccan genetic material of interest from an agronomic and nutritional perspective. Therefore, they should be promoted and encouraged for cultivation in Morocco, mainly in the Allal Tazi area and similar regions.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity among 36 wild strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) genotypes belonging to different altitude and geographical origins, using 16 ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeats) markers.Results revealed that ISSR primers produced a total of 344 bands, of which 94.1% were polymorphic, indicating a high level of genetic variation among the studied populations.The mean values of polymorphism information content (PIC), efective multiplex ratio (EMR), resolving power (Rp) and marker index (MI) were 0.34, 19.13, 23.46 and 6.45, respectively.The total gene diversity (Ht), gene diversity within populations (Hs) and total genetic differentiation coefficient among the populations (Gst) values were 0.33, 0.15 and 0.50, respectively.The genetic distance between all pairwise combinations of the genotypes ranged from 0.113 to 0.512.The cluster analysis revealed three main groups and which are subdivided into eight subgroups and a two independant branches.Therefore, the grouping of strawberry tree genotypes was independent of their geographical origins and altitude with exception for the genotypes belonging to Bin El-ouidane and Laanoucer populations.The results showed that ISSR markers are suitable tools for the evaluation of genetic diversity among strawberry tree genotypes.The data of this work will be useful for strawberry tree breeding programs and conservation strategies.

The corrosion inhibition of carbon steel in 1.0M HCl by a hydro-acetonic mixture extract of date seeds (DS) was tested using potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). This work revealed that the mixture extract of DS studied acts as a mixed-type inhibitor, primarily controlling the anodic reaction. We found that the inhibition efficiency of DS increased with increasing concentration, reaching 94.164% at 2 g/L, and decreased with temperature. Increasing the concentration of the corrosion inhibitor enhances the surface coverage and formation of a protective film, which is proven by the results of immersion time. The mixture extract of date seeds (DS) was analyzed by the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) technique.

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is a tropical oilseed crop that is also cultivated in arid and semi-arid environments, where drought occurs frequently. The objective of this study was to assess the performance of some sesame mutants, developed by our team through EMS-mutagenesis in 2020, under well-watered conditions and restricted irrigation by analyzing certain morphological, physiological, and agronomic attributes. The experiment was conducted in pots under field conditions according to a completely randomized design with three replications. The stress was simulated by suspending and reducing irrigation to 50% of the control, from the beginning of flowering until the appearance of the first capsule. The results showed variation attributable to genotypes, water regimes and their interaction was significant for all parameters studied, except the number of seeds per capsule. The mutants “ML2-5”, “ML2-72” and “ML2-37” were found to be the most tolerant to drought, exhibiting lowest stress sensitivity index and highest seed yield were associated with higher proline content in the leaves, more developed root system, higher chlorophyll content, and higher stomatal conductance than the rest of the mutants studied. This is the first report of sesame mutant lines with such high tolerance to drought during flowering. They could be used for developing high-performing cultivars with tolerance to drought during the flowering stage. The number of capsules per plant and stomatal conductance can be considered selection criteria to improve water-stress tolerance in sesame.

Background: The saffron (Crocus sativus L.) planted area and production increased in the past decade in Morocco. This crop has been extended to new regions beyond its original main area due to the shift in climate conditions. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the chemical characterization and the quality of saffron stigma samples collected from 11 different localities. Results: According to the ISO3632 standard method, all samples were within the ISO36-32.2010 categorization range (category I and II) Contents of crocin responsible for color, picrocrocin responsible for taste, and safranal responsible for the aroma, showed significant differences between samples from different areas. The biochemical analysis revealed that samples from Boulmane (Serghina and El Mers) are rich in polyphenols (5.70 +/- 0.34; 5.31 +/- 0.004 mg GAE/g DW, respectively) and have an important antioxidant power (IC50 for the DPPH: 231.12 +/- 1.065; 236.77 +/- 2109 respectively) compared to those from Taznakht and Taliouine known for their higher organoleptic quality. Interestingly, volatile profiling by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry identified the safranal, isophorone, ketoisophorone, ss-isophorone, and 1-4-cyclohexanedione, 2,2,6-trimethyl as the main volatile compounds in saffron samples from different regions. Conclusion: This study is the first to be conducted in Morocco on saffron newly cultivated in new regions (Boulmane, Azilal, and Ain Leuh) and showed the higher potential for growing saffron, thus promoting the adoption of saffron as a substitute crop for the socio-economic development in these new areas.