Atlas Journal of Biology 2018, pp. 422–545 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) Proceedings of the Fourth International American Moroccan Agricultural Sciences Conference - AMAS Conference IV, May 9-11, 2018, Meknes, Morocco My Abdelmajid Kassem1*, Alan Walters2, Karen Midden2, and Khalid Meksem2 1 Plant Genetics, Genomics, and Biotechnology Lab, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, NC 28301, USA; 2 Dept. of Plant, Soil, and Agricultural Systems, Southern Illinois University, Car- bondale, IL 62901-4415, USA Received: May 12, 2018 / Accepted: June 9, 2018 __________________________________________________ * Corresponding author: mkassem@uncfsu.edu 422 Abstract The International American Moroccan Agricultural Sciences Conference (AMAS Conference; www.amas-conference.org) is an international conference organized by the High Council of Moroccan American Scholars and Academics (HC-MASA; www.hc-masa.org) in collaboration with various universities and research institutes in Morocco. AMAS IV was held on May 9-11, 2018 in Meknes, Morocco. The current proceed- ings summarizes abstracts from 73 oral presentations and 168 posters that were presented during AMAS Conference IV. Keywords: AMAS Conference, HC-MASA, Agricultural Sciences. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecom- mons.org/licenses/by/3.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the origi- nal work is properly cited. Session I: Plant Health & Production I (Plenary Session) Co-Chair: David Lightfoot, Southern Illinois Uni- versity, USA Co-Chair: Ikram Blilou, KAUST, Saudi Arabia O1. Detection of QTL Underlying Seed Composition Traits in Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] Masum Akond1, Jiazheng Yuan1, Shiming Liu2, Stella K. Kantartzi2, Khalid Meksem2, Nacer Bellaloui3, Da- vid A. Lightfoot2, and My Abdelmajid Kassem1*. ORAL PRESENTATIONS ABSTRACTS WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY MAY 9 & 10, 2018 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 1 Plant Genomics and Biotechnology Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, NC 28301, USA; 2 Department of Plant, Soil and Agricultural Systems, Southern Illinois Uni- versity, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA; 3 USDA-ARS, Crop Genetics Research Unit, 141 Experiment Sta- tion Road, P.O. Box 345, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: mkassem@ uncfsu.edu. Abstract Improving seed composition and quality including protein, oil, and beneficial fatty and amino acids con- tents is an important goal of soybean farmers and breeders. This study’s aim was to use the ‘Hamilton’ by ‘Spencer’ recombinant inbred line (RIL) popula- tion (HxS, n=93) and map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for protein, oil, fatty and amino acids contents. The genetic linkage map was created using 5,376 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). A total of 13 QTL for the traits studies have mapped on 4 chromosomes (chr) of the soybean genome. Three major QTL have been mapped to a 7–13 cM region on chr6. One major QTL for oil content (qOIL001; LOD=39.47, R2=76%) that explained approximately 76% of the total variation in oil content in this population; one major QTL for ALA (qALA001; LOD=50.24, R2=74%) that explained approximately 74% of the total variation in ALA content in this population; and one major QTL for palmitic acid content (qPAL001; LOD=2.71, R2=21%) that explained approximately 21% of palmitic acid content in this population. These firm QTLs cover the approach for soybean seed pro- tein, amino acids, oil, and fatty acids contents breed- ing by marker-assisted selection. Keywords: Soybean; SNP Linkage Map; QTL; RIL; protein, oil; fatty acids; ‘Hamilton’; ‘Spencer’. O2. Integrative Approach Toward Revealing and Un- derstanding Complexity of Root System Architecture in Date Palm Ikram Blilou* Plant Cell and Developmental Biology, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdul- lah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. *Corresponding and Presenting Au- thor: Ikram.blilou@kaust.edu.sa. Abstract The evolution from the primordial aquatic organisms to vascular terrestrial plants has been accompanied by increasing complexity in the structure and functions of their vegetative and reproductive organs. Plants have undergone dramatic changes in their root systems to adapt to terrestrial life. The development of complex diverse root architectures gave plants the advantage ability to colonize new and particularly arid and dry environments. Date palm Phoenix dactylifera fruits are known for their high nutritive, economic and social values. In arid and semi-arid areas, it plays an impor- tant role in affecting the microclimate by creating a microsystem allowing desert farming. Understanding the properties of growth and development in date palm is an essential step towards gaining insights as to how plants have evolved their strategies to cope with changes in their surrounding and survive in chal- lenged habitats like the desert. To unravel the under- lying mechanisms of date palm adaptation to desert conditions we conducted a detailed analysis of date palm anatomy during different stages of develop- ment from germination to adult plants. Using the art of state imaging technologies, we unraveled new devel- opmental mechanisms in date palm occurring during germination, plant growth and development. MicroCT Xray imaging technology combined with high resolu- tion microscopy revealed that date palm roots bear structures that have not been previously described. Some of these structures are conserved only among desert palm species. In addition, a comparative stud- ies of date palm cultivars originated from different geographical habitat, Tunisia, UAE and KSA and hav- ing distinct levels of tolerance to soil salinity revealed substantial differences in root system architecture. O3. Enhanced Nutritional Quality By Glutamate Synthe- sized By Transgenes Improves Crop Growth, Herbicide Tolerance And Reduced Fungal Toxin Contamination. David A. Lightfoot*. Department of Plant, Soil, and Agricultural Sys- tems, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: ga4082@siu.edu. 423 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) Abstract Maize (Zea mays L.) and other crop plants have al- tered transcript and metabolic profiles caused by in planta expression of the bacterial glutamate dehy- drogenase (GDH; EC 1.4.1.2), encoded by a modified gdhA. Labeling experiments showed glutamate pro- duced in the cytoplasm was increased 2 fold, but only by 5% in the chloroplast. The change in glutamate concentration in the cytoplasmic pool has profound effects on metabolism and homeostasis. The meta- bolic changes resulted in phenotypic changes that in- cluded increases in; mean plant biomass production in dry soils; nutritional value; tolerance to the herbicide phosphinothricin; and tolerance to both severe and mild water deficit improved NUE and WUE. Crosses to waxy, flinty and brown-midrib maize were made. Comparisons of transgenic and non-transgenic maize showed a 11% increase in WUE and 9% increase in NUE across a range of water delivery rates. Resis- tance to rotting necrotrophs including carcinogenic As- pergillus flavus and Fusarium virguliforme was noted. Sporulation of A. flavus was inhibited. The abundance of 747 fungal and 395 maize grain transcripts were altered suggesting the GDH maize was not supporting normal fungal growth because of metabolic and com- positional alterations. Cancer incidences due to toxin contamination can potentially be reduced by 50% by GDH. Better nutrition will lead to less pollution. O4. The Rose Genome and Beyond; Understanding Rose Domestication and the Mechanisms Underlying Major Traits. Mohammed Bendahmane*. Ecole Normale Supérieure (INRA CNRS Lyon1 ENSL), Lyon, France. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: mohammed.bendahmane@ens-lyon.fr. Abstract Roses are of high symbolic value and have great cul- tural importance in many societies worldwide. They hold high cultural and economic importance as orna- mental plants and for the perfume industry. The rose is well suited to be an original model organism for woody ornamental species as it has a relatively small genome size (560Mbp) and it has a short life cycle for a perennial woody plant. During centuries, gen- erations of rose breeders had fastidiously selected the showy and desirable traits of Rosa species based on keen and meticulous observation. Several traits, involving mainly floral quality (ie. recurrent flower- ing, flower form and double flower formation, scent biosynthesis, …), are of high economic importance, but the molecular and genetic mechanisms control- ling these traits remain poorly understood1. During the past years, we generated a number of molecular and biotechnology tools such as reproducible genetic transformation as well as a database that provides useful information on Rosa sp. genome structure and expressed genes with thorough annotation and an overview of expression patterns for transcripts with good accuracy1-3. These tools allowed us to discov- er the molecular mechanisms controlling the double- flower formation4 and the biosynthesis of major scent molecules, the terpenes5. Recently, we used Single Molecule Real-Time sequencing and an original me- ta-assembly approach to obtain a very high-quality assembly -at the chromosome level- for the rose cul- tivar Rosa chinensis, known to have extensively par- ticipated in rose breeding and the creation of mod- ern roses6. Resequencing of the genome of 14 major genotypes that contributed to rose domestication, along with genome diversity analyses, highlighted the mosaic origin of the genome of modern rose hybrids that combines the growth vigor traits of European species and recurrent blooming of Chinese species6. Expert gene annotations along with gene expression data permitted the reconstruction of gene regulatory pathways associated with major rose traits, and al- lowed to describe epigenetic variation landscapes along the rose genome6. Reconstruction of regula- tory and secondary metabolism pathways involved in scent and flower color, validated by biochemical and molecular analyses, allows us to propose mod- els of interconnected regulation of flower color and scent compounds6. The data also provide indication on why roses evolved alternative routes to produce scent compounds, such as terpenes, in the petals. To- gether, these resources provide a solid foundation for understanding the mechanisms governing rose traits and their diversity and will accelerate improvement in roses, Rosaceae and ornamentals. Recent advances will be presented and discussed. 424 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 425 Selected References 1. Bendahmane et al., (2013) Genetics and genomics of flower initiation and development in roses. J Exp Bot 64(4):847-57. 2. Dubois et al., (2012) Transcriptome database re- source and gene expression atlas for the rose. BMC Genomics 13:638. 3. Dubois et al., (2011) Genomic Approach to Study Floral Development Genes in Rosa sp. PLoS ONE 6: e28455. 4. Dubois et al., (2010). Tinkering with the C-function: A molecular frame for the selection of double flowers in cultivated roses. PLoS ONE 5: e9288 5. Magnard et al., (2015) Biosynthesis of monoter- pene scent compounds in roses. Science 349: 81-3. 6. Raymond et al., The Rosa genome provides new in- sights into the domestication of modern roses. Nature Genetics (in press). O5. Valorization of Moroccan Saffron through Scientific Research Serghini Mohammed Amine*, K. Lagram, M. Ben El Caid, L.H. Atyane, M. Lachheb, L. Salaka, and S. El Merzougui Laboratory of Biotechnology and Valorization of Natural Ressources, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr Uni- versity, Agadir, Morocco. *Corresponding and Pre- senting Author: maserghini@live.fr. Abstract Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. Also called ‘red gold’, this spice is derived from the dried red stigmas of Crocus sativus L. It is well appreciated for its color (crocin), taste (picrocrocin) and aroma (safranal). It has medicinal properties at low doses. Recently, a growing interest focuses on its components which may have an anti-carcinogenic effect. World saffron production amounts to some 320 tonnes/ year. The main producing countries are: Iran (94%), Greece (2.2%), Morocco (1.5%), India (1%), Spain (0.5%) and other countries (0.7%). Morocco is the largest African producer of saffron with an annual turnover of 90.000.000 DH. Saffron cultivation is an important economic activity in the mountainous re- gions of Taliouine (Taroudant province) and Taznakht (Ouarzazate province). Morocco is renowned for the good quality of its saffron, which is a flagship local product and which strongly contributes to the income of local people. Improving saffron production is pos- sible through the use of good quality plant material, but also by controlling good cultural practices and post-harvest processes. The conference will focuse on the agro-morpho-physiological stidies of saf- fron, it’s molecular and chemical chararization and the application of tissue culture to this species. The agro-biological characterization was applied to dif- ferent provenances of saffron of high, medium and low altitude and was carried out simultaneously in the original production site for each provenance, in a site in Taliouine where all the accessions were grouped and in one site with a micro-climate and altitude com- pletely different from the original sites. Preliminary information on the agro-morphometric variability of Moroccan saffron under different planting sites, al- lowed us to make a first selection of accessions and planting conditions that show a clear superiority in the production of corms, leaves, flowers and qualita- tive performance. The simple sequence repeat mark- ers were used to evaluate the genetic variability in different accessions of Moroccan saffron and saffron from other countries and some of them were able to trace diversity in these accessions and assign a mo- lecular identity. The chemical study of saffron focused on the quality of spices by evaluating the content of its three main metabolites. It also aimed to control the authenticity and to distinguish different geographical origins of this spice using UV-Vis, HPLC, GC, IR and colorimetric technics. Different methods related to stigma drying, storage and preservation were com- pared. The auto-triploid nature of saffron creates problems for sexual reproduction and only vegeta- tive propagation is possible. This propagation carries the risk of disease transmission and the regeneration rate of daughter corms under natural conditions is relatively low. This slow vegetative propagation con- stitutes significant bottlenecks for the development and improvement of saffron culture and in vitro micro- propagation is used in order to produce large quanti- ties of the propagating healthy material in saffron. This conference will outline the major advances of in vitro culture in direct and indirect organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis of saffron. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 426 O6. Evaluation of EMS Induced Genetic Variability in Quantitative Traits in Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) Souhail Channaoui1,2, Mustapha Labhilili3, Mohamed El Fechtali1, Hamid Mazouz2, and Abdelghani Nabloussi1* 1 Research Unit of Plant Breeding and Plant Genetic Resources Conservation, National Institute of Agricul- tural Research, Regional Agricultural Research Center of Meknes, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Plant Biotechnol- ogy and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University Moulay Ismail, Morocco; 3 Research Unit of Plant Biotechnology, National In- stitute of Agricultural Research, Regional Agricultural Research Center of Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: abdelghani.nabloussi@gmail. com. Abstract Genetic variability is a prerequisite feature of any crop-breeding program and chemical mutagenesis has become a proven way of creating new variations within a crop germplasm. Seeds of Brassica napus L. (variety ‘INRA-CZH2’) were treated by Ethyl Methyl Sulphonate (EMS), with 1, 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6% doses for 6, 7 and 14 hours, and were planted to obtain the M1 plants and then the M2 plants. The objective was to evaluate the novel induced variability observed for some important traits, such as days to flowering, days to maturity, plant height, number of branches/plant, number of pods/plant, number of seeds/pod, pod length, pod diameter and 1000-seed weight. Data were recorded on 10 plants taken randomly from M2 populations derived from each treatment (dose by duration), along with control plants (wild type). A large variability was observed and EMS treatment had a significant effect on all the traits studied. Com- pared to control plants, genotypes coming from seeds treated with low EMS doses were earlier to flowering and maturity. Also, seeds treatment by low EMS doses during short time allowed obtaining some plants with increased number of pods/plant compared to the control. Among the treatment levels used in the pres- ent research, 1% EMS for 6 hours was found to be the most effective in improving earliness and seed yield. This latter was mainly improved due to the increase of the number of pods/plant. Keywords: Rapeseed, induced variability, EMS treatment, earliness, seed yield. O7. Antioxidant and Anti-Cancer Activities of Anacyc- lus pyrethrum from Morocco Hakima Bahri1,2*, Abdeslem El Idrissi2, Salvatore Ro- tondo2, Bouchra Tazi3, Samira Oulahboub1,3, and Chaymae Benkirane1,3 1 Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Plant Im- provement, Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, BPS 40, Meknès, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Neuro- Sciences, Medical Technology Program, Department of Biology, College of Staten Island, City University of New York, New York, 10314, USA; 3 Laboratory of Chemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, BPS 40, Mek- nès, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: hbahri@enameknes.ac.ma. Abstract Over the ages, man has relied on plants to attend to many health problems and plants. Nowadays, a renewed interest in natural products has emerged in order to find safe and effective alternatives to the established chemical drugs. Research efforts target plants as an inexhaustible source of naturally occur- ing bioactive compounds that proved useful in the treatment of many human ilements, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases and inflammatory diseases. This work aims to investigate the antioxydant and an- ti-cancer activities of Anacyclus pyrethrum an indig- enous spontaneous medicinal plant commonly prized for its roots. Pyrethrum root samples were collected from the mid-Atlas region. Plant extracts were pre- pared and antioxidant activity was measured by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging method and total polyphenol and total flavonoid contents using the Folin–Ciocalteu and the aluminum chloride colorimetric methods respectively. We assessed anti-cancer activity against two differ- ent cell lines, HeLa (human cervical cancer cell line) and N2a (mouse neuroblastoma cell line) using the ATP assay. Cell lines were seeded in a 96 well plate at the concentration of 104 cells/well, and plant ex- tracts were added at the concentrations 200, 150, 100, 50, 25 and 12,5 µg/ml. Cell viability was as- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 427 sessed by measuring ATP content by luminescence using CellTiter-Glo® Reagent. The results obtained show that total polyphenol content ranged from 435 to 721 GAE µg/100 mg of extract and total flavo- noid from 166 to 721 QE µg/100 mg of extract. Pyrethrum roots exhibited an important antioxidant activity with IC50 values ranging from 3.3 to 3,8µg/ ml compared to 3.1 µg/ml for ascorbic acid used as the reference antioxidant. Furthermore, the cytotox- icity assay revealed a strong anti-cancer activity of pyrethrum root extracts against the two cancer cell lines used. These findings highlight the interest of Anacyclus pyrethrum roots as an important source of polyphenols with potent antioxidant activity and with high cyto-toxicity effect against cancer. Keywords: Anacyclus pyrethrum, Polyphenol content, Flavonoid content, Antioxidant Activity, anti-cancer activity. O8. Preliminary Results on Flowering Phenology of the World Olive Germplasm Bank of Marrakech Zaher Hayat1*, Moukhli Abdelmajid1, Khayat Mer- iem1, Boutzankad Tfarah1,2, Gaboun Fatima1, Sikaoui Lhassane1, El Modafar C.2, and Khadari Bouchaib3 1 Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, CRRA de Marrakech, BP 533 Menara, 40000 Marrakech, Morocco; 2 Université Cadi Ayyad, Faculté des Sci- ences et Techniques, Guéliz, 40000 Marrakech, Mo- rocco; 3 INRA, UMR 1334 Amélioration Génétique et Adaptation des Plantes (AGAP), 34398 Montpel- lier, France. *Corresponding and Presenting Author : hayatzaher@yahoo.fr. Abstract A set of 591 olive accessions from the world olive collection was planted in Marrakech and character- ized in 2014, 2015 and 2016 for flowering phenol- ogy according to the BBCH scale (the time of inflores- cence buds start to swell, growth and development of inflorescences, flower opening, full flowering, full petal fall, end of flowering, fruit set). Degree days of flowering stages 51 to 69 were higher in 2015 compared to 2014, but the highest flowering period was observed in 2016. A significant positive corre- lation was detected between all flowering stages except for stage 51, which is negatively correlated with flowering period estimated by the difference between the time of stage 69 and stage 61. Vari- ance analysis showed effect of cultivar and year on all flowering stages. Stage 51 is a key stage of olive’s trees phenology; its early observation is correlated with long flowering period. Flowering period obser- vations show correlation between a short flowering period and the increase of temperature expressed by the sum of degree-days. [(T° max + T° min)/2 – 12.5°C] needed to observe stage 51. Varieties with late stage 51 need more time to satisfy their minimum chilling requirements and cumulate more degree- days before reaching the stage. In southern Mediter- ranean countries, we recommend selection of variet- ies with low chilling requirement (early stage 51) for better adaptation to xeric conditions in the summer period especially with the risk of global warming which is more and more considered. For future study we will focus on the estimation of the minimum chilling requirements to observe Stage 51. Keywords: Olive, Flowering, Phenology, BBCH Scale, Core, Marrakech, World, Collection. Chilling requirement, Selection. Concurrent Session II: Animal Health & Production Co-Chair: Karen Jones, Southern Illinois Univer- sity, USA Co-Chair: Mohammed Bouslikhane, IAV, Moroc- co O1. First Isolation and Characterization of Fowl Adeno- virus from a Field Outbreak of Inclusion Body Hepatitis Among Moroccan Broiler Chickens. Samira Abghour1*, Fatima Tahiri1, Khalil Zro2, Mo- hammed Mouahid3, Jaouad Berrada4, and Faouzi Ki- chou4. 1 Division of Pharmacy and Veterinary Inputs, ONS- SA, Rabat, Morocco; 2 Biopharma, Rabat, Morocco; 3 Mouahid’s Veterinary Clinic, Temara, Morocco; 4 Has- san II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, B.P. 6206, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Pre- senting Author: abghour.samira@yahoo.fr. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 428 Abstract Inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) is an acute disease, mainly occurring in young broiler chicken (3-7 weeks old) and caused by several serotypes of fowl adeno- virus (FAdV). A very few studies were conducted in Morocco based only on gross and histopathological examinations. In the present work, an outbreak of IBH in broiler chickens have been investigated through histological examination of affected birds, isolation of virus via chicken embryofibroblasts cell (CEF) and detection by conventional PCR based on hexon gene. Histopathology examination revealed large baso- philic intranuclear inclusion bodies within hepatocytes. The FAdv was isolated in chicken embryo fibroblast cell culturesinoculated with tissue homogenate of liv- ers collected from broiler chickens with IBH. The cyto- pathic effects detected were in the form of rounding, clumping and detachment of cells. Cell culture super- natant from second and third passages of isolateas well as the liver homogenate were subjected to PCR amplification using primer pair HexF1/HexR1, the specific product of 800 bp was detected in all sam- ples tested. These results confirmed the implication of FAdv in IBH among Moroccan chicken flocks. Further- more, in order to determine what genotype and se- rotype involved in this Moroccan outbreak, the FAdv isolate is now being further characterized genetically using phylogenetic analysis based on the nucleotide sequences of the PCR product and the results will be discussed and presented. Keywords: Inclusion Body Hepatitis, Fowl Adenovirus, isolation, PCR, genotype, broiler chickens. O2. A Comparative Analysis of the Economic and Wa- ter Use Efficiencies of Camel and Other Species in the Oases’ Farming Systems. Mohamed Taher Srairi1*, Salah Mansour1, Mohamed Benidir2, Mohammed Bengoumi3 and Véronique Alary4. 1 Hassan II Agronomy and Veterinary Medi- cine Institute, Department of Animal Production and Biotechnology, P.O. Box 6202, 10101, Madinate Al Irfane, Rabat, Morocco; 2 Regional Office of Agri- cultural Development in Ouarzazate, Morocco; 3 Sub regional office of the Food and Agriculture Orga- nization, Tunis; 4 International Center for Agricultur- al Research for Development (CIRAD), Montpellier, France, currently based at the International Center of Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA), Ra- bat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: mt.srairi@iav.ac.ma. Abstract Multiple constraints, such as an increased demograph- ic pressure and the competition for scarce water re- sources, are significantly affecting farming systems in the oases. The combination of these limiting factors impacts the efficiency of inputs’ uses and hampers the incomes from the agricultural activities. Livestock has always been a component of the oasis farming sys- tems, covering a wide range of functions: transpor- tation, soil preservation, income generation through meat and milk, draft, and saving. Faced to the recent changes, this study aimed to characterize the roles and contribution of different livestock species (camel, cattle and small ruminants - goats and sheep -) on the overall performances of the oasis farming systems. To do so, twelve farms illustrating four types of livestock systems previously identified (i.e. three farms per type) were selected: (i) Multi species livestock rear- ing (sheep and cattle as well as sedentary goats of the Drâa breed), (ii) Dairy cattle based activities, (iii) Sheep intensification with an important contribution of purchased feed and (iv) Range land (camel and goats) systems. The study was undertaken in the Drâa valley (South East Morocco), a typical oasis context, with an average annual rainfall level not exceeding 110 mm and summer temperatures often above 45°C. The valley consists in a series of seven palm groves along a distance of 200 km following the Drâa River and covering a total arable land area of 26,000 ha An annual follow-up was performed in each farm with a set of surveys coupled to field observations. Inputs’ uses (water, labor, fertilizers, etc.) and incomes from crops and livestock in the study sample were determined. Off farm revenues were also character- ized. Within each farm, we calculated common ag- ricultural efficiency indicators to assess the efficien- cy use of the most critical production factors: land, labor, water and capital. The results demonstrated that efficient oasis farming systems rely on the crops/ livestock association. Thereby, while providing self- consumed food products, livestock intensified farming systems (D’man prolific sheep and dairy cattle with off-farm feed resources) allow an increase in crops’ yields and their incomes. This is particularly obvious A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 429 for date palm trees, which benefit from the surplus ir- rigation of the underlying alfalfa. In parallel, in spe- cific contexts of the oases where the intensification of agriculture is impossible (for instance in downstream areas, with scarce groundwater or saline water) cam- els remain the main source of income, adding value to the vast pastoral areas and to the by-products of crops (wastes of dates, wheat bran and straw, etc.) and inducing very limited pressure on water resourc- es. Altogether, the results emphasize the crucial roles of camel in areas with limited assets (water, land and even capital), and suggest that such a species might be of significant interest in the near future, in case of exacerbated water scarcity, as it might happen with climate change scenarios. Keywords: camel, dairy cattle, farms’ incomes, farming systems, oasis, sheep, water use efficiency. O3. Bovine Tuberculosis and Paratuberculosis Coexis- tence in Dairy Cattle in Morocco Meryem El Mrini1*, Jaouad Berrada1, Faouzi Kichou1, Beatriz Romero2, Ana Balseiro Morales3, Christian Gortázar4 and Mohammed Bouslikhane1 1 Department of Veterinary Pathology and Public Health, Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veteri- nary Medicine, Rabat, Morocco; 2 Centro de Vigi- lancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET), Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain; 3 Centro de Biotec- nología Animal-SERIDA Gijón Asturias Spain; 4 SaBio IREC Universidad de Castilla – La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: meryem.pathologiste@gmail.com. Abstract Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is a major endemic zoonosis in Morocco, with 33% of dairy cattle farms infected countrywide with mycobacteria of Mycobacterium tu- berculosis complex (MTC) (FAO, 2004). According to economic and public health impacts of the disease, eradication of bovine tuberculosis is an important is- sue in Morocco. Public animal health autorithy recog- nises the in vivo single and comparative intradermal tuberculin (IDT) test as the official diagnosis assays for bovine tuberculosis field diagnosis. The in vitro interfero-gamma (IFN-γ) assay employment may be authorized to maximise detection of early infected cattle. Field diagnosis results interpretations are af- fected by the coexistence of bovine tuberculosis and other mycobacterial infections like bovine paratuber- culosis (PTB) or infection by environmental mycobac- teria. We aimed to investigate the coexistence of TB and PTB in dairy cattle farms in Morocco. The car- casses of 227 slaughtered IDT-positive cows originat- ing from six dairy cattle farms were thoroughly ex- amined and tissue samples were collected from lymph nodes without TB-characteristic macroscopic changes (retropharyngeal, mediastinal, prescapular, mesen- teric and iliac lymph nodes) and from ileo-caecal valve and terminal ileon. One batch of fresh tissues was stored at -20°C for isolation and identification of Mycobacteria from Mycobacterium tuberculosis Com- plex (MTC) by spoligotyping and PCR and Mycobac- terium avium subsp paratuberculois (Map) by PCR. A second batch of bovine paratuberculosis suspected samples was fixed in 10% of Neutral Buffered For- malin for histopathological examination and immuno- peroxidase immunohisto-chemistry (IHC) confirma- tion. Preliminary results of isolation and identification yielded 24 MTC isolates by PCR and spoligotyping resulted in having six spoligotypes of Mycobacterium bovis (SB0120,0121,0125,0265, 0869 and 1167). Map isolation was confirmed by PCR in 3 cattle farms. Immuno-peroxidase IHC proved Map presence in paraffin embedded tissues in a fourth cattle farm. TB and PTB coexistence in cows was diagnosed in two studied dairy cattle farms, thus providing for the first time the evidence of TB and PTB coexistence among Moroccan dairy cattle.Keywords: Bovine, tuberculosis, paratuberculosis, dairy cattle. O4. Effect of the Incorporation of the Argan Press Cake Detoxified On Antioxidant Activity of Goat Milk. Nazha Lakram1,2*, Ikram Mercha2, Rachid Kabbour2, El. Haj El Maadoudi2, Abdalah El Housni2, Mariam Naciri1. 1 Laboratory of Biodiversity, Ecology and Genome, Faculty of Sciences, University Mohammed V of Ra- bat, Avenue Ibn BatoutaB.P1014 Rabat, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Food Technology URPAF, National Insti- tute for Agricultural Research, Rabat, Morocco. *Cor- responding and Presenting Author: nazha.lakram@ gmail.com. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 430 Abstract Goat milk is rich in various physiologically functional components, including proteins, vitamins (such as vita- mins E and C), flavonoïds, and carotenoids with antiox- idant properties. Therefore, goat milk is considered to possess high antioxidant activity that resists oxidative stability and highly protects consumers from exposure to oxidative stress, which is an important characteris- tic of numerous acute and chronic diseases. This study aims to investigate the effect of the inclusion of the detoxified press cake from the argan tree in animal feeding on antioxidant activity of goat milk collected from Meskala region (Essaouira_ Morocco). The feed- ing trails were conducted in the farm using 18 goats of the Alpine breed. They were divided in three lots of 6 goats each. The first lot received the detoxified argan press cake (DA), the second lot received the non-detoxified argan press cake (NDA) and the third receives the concentrate (C). The total phenol com- pounds content in the milk extracts was determined by spectrometry according to the Folin-Ciocalteu proce- dure and calculated as gallic acid equivalents (GAE). Thus, the flavonoïd content in the milk extracts was de- termined spectrometrically, using a method based on the formation of a complex flavonoïd-aluminum and calculated as Quercetin equivalents (QE). The anti- oxidant activity was evaluated through scavenging activity of the stable 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical. The results showed a significant difference (P <0.05) of the antioxidant capacity of goat milk for the lot (DA) compared to the lots (NDA) and (C). Similarly, the polyphenol and flavonoid con- tent were higher in lot (DA) and (NDA) than in lot (C). Keyswords: goat milk, argan press cake, polyphenol, flavonoïd, antioxidant activity. O5. Estimation of Milk Yield Traits of Holstein Cattle Reared at Semi Arid Climate. Abdeslem Talbi* and Said El Madidi§. Laboratory of Biotechnology and Valorization of Natural Resources, Faculty of Science, BP 8 106, Uni- versity Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Morocco. *Presenting Author: talbi_abdslem@yahoo.fr. §Corresponding author: s.elmadidi@uiz.ac.ma. Abstract The purpose of this study is to analyze the official milk control data between 2008 and 2012 of a cattle herd consisting of 6307 Holstein cows. These cows are raised in 118 private farms of dairy cattle which are members of the agricultural cooperative COPAG. These farms are based in the irrigated perimeter of Souss-Massa exactly in southwestern of Morocco. The climate of this region is characterized by a semi-arid to arid climate with average temperatures variable between 19°C in winter and 27°C in summer and can reach 49°C in late spring and summer with the arrival of warm sub-Saharan winds. Rainfall is weak and ir- regular with an annual average of 180 and 280 mm per year. The Production parameters were analyzed using a general linear model (GLM) including fixed effects: calving season, calving year, lactation num- ber and calving age. The averages of production re- corded by this Holstein herd are 6578.30 ± 1619.06 kg for the 305 days-milk yield, 7034.88 ± 1842 kg for total milk yield, 3.70 ± 0.53 % for standard fat content (FC) and 325.10±42.96 days for lactation length. The analysis of variance of production param- eters depending on non-genetic factors demonstrated very highly significant effects of the calving year and calving season (P<0.001) for all the parameters of production studied, with high production during the cold seasons (Autumn and winter) comparing to hot seasons (spring and summer). The lactation number has a very highly significant influence (P<0.001) for all parameters except the fat content whose effect id non-significant (p>0.05). Whereas, the effect of calving age was non-significant (p>0.05) for these parameters of production. The production of this herd has shown a great variation between animals, which reveals the heterogeneity of this Holstein herd. The great sensitivity of cows to seasonal and interannual variations shows the important effect of heat stress caused by high temperatures in hot seasons. Key- words: Holstein cattle, milk yield, non-genetic factors, semi arid climate. O6. Prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in Industry Broil- ers from the Area of Marrakech-Safi, Morocco. Raja Asmai1*, Reda Triqui1, Hakim Karib1, Khadija Es- soucratti2, Brahim Bouchrif3, and Rachid Gradess3. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 431 1 Department of Pathology and Veterinary Public Health, Agronomic and Veterinary Institute Hassan II, Rabat; 2 Department of Biology, Ain Chock Faculty of Sciences, Hassan II University, Casablanca; 3Food Mi- crobiology Laboratory Pasteur Institute of Morocco, Casablanca, Morocco. *Corresponding and Present- ing Author: rajaevet@gmail.com. Abstract In Morocco, the incidence of human campylobacterio- sis has not been evaluated so far. Prevalence studies are a prerequisite for any risk assessment studies. The current investigation aimed at studying the preva- lence of Campylobacter spp. in farm broilers in the Marrakech-Safi area of Morocco. This was carried out in the period of July-October 2017. 90 samples of cloacal swabs were collected from broilers in the 8 provinces of the study area. This represented 30 farms with an average of 3 broilers per farm. Isola- tion and identification of Campylobacter spp. were performed according to a Moroccan standard meth- ods and recommendations of the OIE and WHO (NM O8.O.135/ Standard NM ISO/TS 10272-3, 2013). Thermotolerant Campylobacter species (C. jejuni and C .coli) were isolated in 73,34 % of the farms inves- tigated. Our results revealed the presence and the probable spread of these two species in the broiler farms within the 8 provinces of the study area. Such results are in agreement of an increasing risk of broil- er carcass contamination at the slaughter level, along with the possible hazard transfer to consumers under circumstances of either undercooking or cross-contam- ination at the preparation level. Keywords: Thermo- tolerant Campylobacter, cloacal swabs, Prevalence; Broiler industry. O7. Epidemiological Investigations of Small Ruminant Abortions in the Regions of Khemisset and El Hajeb. Faouzi Kichou*, Fatima Ezzahra Belhassan, Moham- med Bouslikhane, Ahlam Kadiri, and Jaouad Berrada. Département de Pathologie et Santé Publique Vétéri- naires, IAV Hassan II, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: f.kichou@iav.ac.ma. Abstract Abortions in small ruminants deserve particular atten- tion because of their heavy economical burden. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the im- pact of abortions in small ruminants in two regions of Morocco (Khémisset and El Hajeb regions) and to determine the seroprevalence of main abortive infec- tions (Brucellosis, Chlamydophilosis, Q fever, Toxo- plasmosis and Neosporosis) and their involvement in some abortion outbreaks. Sero-epidemiological sur- vey was carried out in 57 flocks (36 sheep flocks, 14 herds of goats and 7 mixed herds) originating from 4 rural counties (Had Lghoualem, Ait Ichou, Ait Bourz- ouine and Ait Hraz Allah). Data about herd structure, reproductive performances and abortion events were collected. In parallel, A total of 433 blood samples were taken from 329 sheep and 104 goats with or without history of abortion. Harvested sera were ex- amined for Brucellosis using Rose Bengal Test (TRB) and then subjected to ELISA in order to search for Chlamydophilosis, Q Fever, Toxoplasmosis, and Neo- sporosis. Results revealed abortion rates ranging from 1.5-10% in sheep and from 0.8-7.3% in goats in the county of Had-Laghoualem, from 8-11.2% in sheep and from 5.8%-44.4% in goats in the county of Ait Ichou, from 0.8%-10% in sheep and from 5-8% in goats in Ait-Bourzouine, and abortion rates ranging from 0.5-5% in sheep in the county of Ait-HrazAllah. Among the examined 57 flocks/herds, 47.3% were positive for toxoplasmosis with a seropositivity rates (SR) of 21.2% in sheep and 2% in goats, 40.3% test- ed positive for Chlamydophilosis with a SR of 9.4% in sheep and 36.5% in goats, 45.6% were positive for Q fever with an SR of 10% in sheep and 8.6% in goats, and 21% were tested positive to neosporo- sis with a SR of 4% in sheep. No flock was found to be serologically brucellosis positive. These results re- flect the relative importance and implication of these abortive infections in the occurrence of abortions and the need for confirmation by direct examinations. Furthermore, the present work documents for the first time in Morocco the serological evidence of infection with Neospora caninum in sheep, which deserves fur- ther investigations. Keywords: Abortion, small rumi- nants, soats, sheep, Khémisset, El Hajeb, brucellosis, chlamydophilosis, Q fever, toxoplasmosis, neosporo- sis, serology. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 432 O8. Spring and Autumnal Hormonal Variations of Ouled Djellal Ewes in Algeria Azdinia Zidane1* and Sarra Metlef2 1 Laboratory of Natural Bio-Resources, Department of Biology, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, Hassiba Benbouali University of Chlef, PO Box 151, (02000) Chlef, Algeria; 2 Laboratory of Natural Bio-Resourc- es, Department of Nutrition and Food sciences, Fac- ulty of Nature and Life Sciences, Hassiba Benbouali University of Chlef, PO Box 151, 02000 Chlef, Alge- ria. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: azdinia. zidane@yahoo.fr. Abstract The photoperiodism represents the capacity of plants and animals to measure the duration of day ; this process implies certain biological calender which al- lows the bodies to determin the convenient moment of the year to make a commitment in appropriate sea- sonal adaptations. During the annual cycle, animals are often exposed to a range of gradually increas- ing and decreasing photoperiods ; these seasonal an- nual variations of photoperiod are at the origin of nu- merous biological and behavioral changes in animals. So, it is admitted that the photoperiodism is the main factor controlling the seasonal variation of the sexual activity of ewes. However, the external manifestations of heat in ewes are difficult to observe, as they are very discreet. So, the use of indirect methods of heat detection or the control of cycles is therefore justi- fied in ovine species. The purpose of this study was to check if the Ouled Djellal ewes followed a seasonal or an unseasonal profile in the region of Chlef, and to study the hormonal profiles: pituitary hormones (FSH and LH) and gonadal hormones (progesterone and œstradiol). The study involved 60 ewes of Ouled Djellal breed, adults, healthy and non-pregnant. The blood samples were carried out from the jugular vein, 2 times a week in spring (April to June) and in autumn (October to December). The hormones have been as- sayed using the ELISA technique. The results did not reveal any significant difference (P < 0.05) between hormone concentrations during both seasons. It is so showed that the ovarian follicular activity of the Ouled Djellal ewes in the region of Chlef is also pres- ent during the seasonal light anoestrus; this leads us to confirm the unseasonal profile of this breed. Key- words: Autumn, hormonal assay, FSH, LH, œstradiol, progesterone, spring. Concurrent Session III: Bioactive Com- pounds & Genetic Diversity Co-Chair: El Hassan Achbani, INRA, Morocco Co-Chair: Karen Midden, Southern Illinois Uni- versity, USA O1. Environmentally and Genotypic Induced Shifts in Reproductive Phenology of Some Almond [Prunus dul- cis (Mill.) D.A. Webb] Cultivars Grown in North-Eastern Morocco El Hassan Sakar*, Mohamed El Yamani, Abdeali Bous- sakouran, and Yahia Rharrabti Laboratory of Natural Resources and Environment, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Taza, Unviersity Sidi Mo- hamed Ben Abdellah, B.P 1223, Taza, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: hassan.sce@ gmail.com/elhassan.sakar@usmba.ac.ma. Abstract In Morocco, almond [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb] is the most important nut crop among the rosaceous fam- ily both in terms of cultivated acreage and produc- tion. The modern Moroccan orchards are character- ized by the dominance of some commercial cultivars such as Marcona, Fournat de Brézenaud, Ferragnès, Ferraduel, and Tuono which were released by Euro- pean almond breeding programs. To optimize agro- nomic practices in almond orchards (pollination, prun- ing, harvesting …), key phenological events must be known. Unfortunately, an accurate knowledge of their phenology is far to be investigated before, hence the novelty of our work. We investigated some key repro- ductive phenological events of almond from the five widely almond cultivars: Marcona (MAR), Fournat de Brézenaud (FBZ), Ferragnès (FRG), Ferraduel (FRD), and Tuono (TUO). This study was undertaken over two crop seasons (2016 and 2017) across five differ- ent sites from north-eastern Morocco namely: Aknoul A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 433 (AK), Bni Hadifa (BH), Rislane (R), Sidi Bouhria (SB), and Tahar Souk (TS). These cultivars were marked in triplicate. Since 2015 season, these were visited periodically and their reproductive phenology was assessed according to the general BBCH scale and reported as Julian days. Phenological events investi- gated consisted were as follow: initial blooming date (BBCH61), full blooming date (BBCH65), final bloom- ing date (BBCH69), blooming duration, and ripening date (BBCH89). ANOVA analyses demonstrated sig- nificant effects of cultivar, site, crop season, and their interactions on the whole studied phenological events. LSD’s test demonstrated wide variabilities between cultivars as regards to their reproductive phenology. Besides, important shifts were detected among the five localities, but also between the two crop sea- sons for flowering and ripening times. The north’s sites (AK, BH, and TS) showed an extended blooming duration as compared to the eastern’s sites (SB and R). Blooming time in our cultivars ranged from middle (FBZ and MAR) to later (FRD, FRG, and TUO). Our re- sults revealed also, a strong negative correlation was found between initial blooming date and blooming duration, while ripening time was independent from blooming time. Shifts in ripening time between culti- vars are highly desirable trait when several cultivars are grown simultaneously in the same orchard. Key- words: Reproductive Phenology, Commercial Almond, North-Eastern Morocco. O2. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Profile of Essential Oil from Asteriscus graveolens (Forssk) and its Antifungal Activity Against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis, the Causal Agent of “Bayoud” Disease on Date Palm. El Mustapha Chibane1*, Adil Essarioui2, Mohamed Ouknin1, Amal Boumezzourh1, and Lhou Majidi1. 1 Lab- oratory of Natural Substances & Molecular Synthesis and Dynamics. FST, Errachidia, Morocco; 2 National Institute for Agricultural Research Regional Center, Er- rachidia, Morocco. . *Corresponding and Presenting Author: elmustaphachibane@gmail.com. Abstract Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is an important food source and commercial perennial crop in the Sahara and North Africa. “Bayoud”, a vascular wilt disease, incited by the soilborne fungal pathogen Fusarium oxyxporum f. sp. albedinis (Foa), has become a seri- ous threat to date production in date palm-growing regions in Morocco. Substantial body of research reported antifungal properties of a wide range of plant extracts. The present work aims to determine chemical composition and anti-Foa activity of essen- tial oil extracted from the aromatic and medicinal plant Asteriscus graveolens (Forssk). Gas chromatog- raphy-mass spectrometry analysis revealed the pres- ence of twenty-five distinct chemical components in the essential oil samples. Mycelial growth and spore germination of Foa were found to be strongly inhib- ited by the oil when tested using agar dilution assay. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the oil was 0.6% (v/v), and its fungicidal effect was reached at a concentration of 13.33% (v/v). These findings contribute significant insight into the potential of us- ing plant extracts for controlling “Bayoud” disease. Keywords: “Bayoud” disease, Asteriscus graveolens (Forssk), Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedenis, antifun- gal activity O3. Antioxidant Activity of Camel Milk: Effect of Incor- poration of Argania spinosa’s Sub Products. Ikram Merch1,2*, Nazha Lakram2, Med Rachid Kab- bour2, Aouatef Benali2, Fouzia Zkhiri1, and El Haj El Maadoudi2. 1 Laboratory of Virology, Microbiology & Quality / Eco-toxicology & Biodiversity University Hassan II, Faculty of Science and Techniques of Mohammedia, PB 146 Mohammedia 20650 Morocco; 2 The Nation- al Institute of Agronomic Research, RCAR-Rabat, PB 6570, Institutes Rabat, 10101, Rabat Morocco. *Cor- responding and Presenting Author: ikram.mercha@ gmail.com. Abstract Phenolic compounds are increasingly of interest in the food industry because they retard oxidative deg- radation of lipids and thereby improve the quality and nutritional value of food. Many studies reported that beneficial bio molecules compounds have been identified from various parts of the Argania spinosa’s (L.) Skeels and can play an important role in fighting diseases and could be used in pharmaceutical and A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 434 personal care products. In this present study we in- vestigate the effect of the incorporation of the argan tree’s sub product in animal feeding, on the antioxi- dant activity of camel milk collected from Essaouira region and compare it to the milk of a control popula- tion argan free. The content of total phenolics in the extracts was determined spectrometrically according to the Folin-Ciocalteu procedure and calculated as gallic acid equivalents (GAE). The antioxidant prop- erties were evaluated by the scavenging test of the diphenyl picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical. The results obtained show that the polyphenol content of camel milk extracts following a diet based on the argan sub products is higher compared to that of the control group, also a greater capacity to trap the DPPH radi- cal with an average of 82.85%. Keywords: Camel milk, Argania spinosa, polyphenolic compounds, anti- oxidant activity. O4. Preservation of Aromatic and Medicinal Plant Re- sources: Case of Thymus Spp. Zineb Nejjar El Ansari* and Ahmed Lamarti Laboratory of Plant biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, M’hannech II, B.P.2121, Tetouan, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: zinebnejjar- elansari@hotmail.com. Abstract The extension of Thymus Spp. culture, as an endem- ic species in Morocco and as producers of essential oil rich in bioactive molecules (thymol, p-cymene, γ-terpinene, β-caryophyllene, carvacrol...), requires to make a very large number of plants available to farmers in a very short time. These plants must be able to give a high yield of essential oil and be mor- phologically and phonologically homogeneous, to fa- cilitate cultural operations. If the high oil content can be obtained by varietal selection, the obtaining of homogeneous material passes through in vitro propa- gation. This latter comprises a number of techniques divided into three categories, namely micropropaga- tion by apex culture, micropropagation by adventi- tious budding and somatic embryogenesis. To find a large-scale application, propagation methods must be reliable, simple and reproducible. For now, only micropropagation from axillary buds seems to be the technique to develop, if we can reduce culture cycle and significantly increase the rate of multiplication to make production profitable. Thus, we established an in vitro vegetative multiplication protocol from stem nodes of three Thymus species (Thymus broussonetii Bois., Thymus pallidus Coss., Thymus vulgaris L.). As a result, we found that mineral and hormonal compo- sitions, as well as the succession of different culture media influenced the multiplication and development of explants. Indeed, MS (Murashige and Skoog) and N30K (Margara) macronutrients give the best results. In addition, the type of cytokinin present in the me- dium plays a determining role in the proliferation of apex. Also, the presence of polyamines seems to be favorable for in vitro propagation. On the other hand, the acclimatization of rooted explants of 12- 16 weeks has been successfully established. There- by, this study suggests that the production of Thymus vitro-plants still needs to be improved, by modern- izing protocols that provide producers in the sector with plant material that is homogeneous, adapted to the growing conditions and performing well in terms of yields and costs. Keywords: Preservation, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants, Thymus Spp., Apex Culture, In vitro Propagation. O5. Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, and Antibacte- rial Acitivity of Argania spinosa Pulp. Fatima Zahrae Zouhair1,2*, Loubna Rachidi2, Younes Ennahli2, Aouatif Benali2, Mohamed Rachid Kabbour2, Mohamed Bouksaim2, and Azzouz Essamri1. 1 Laboratory of Agroresources and Process Engi- neering, Faculty of Sciences, University Ibn Tofail, B, P14000 Kenitra, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Food Technology URPAF, National Institute for Agricultural Research, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Pre- senting Author: fatidoc.89@gmail.com. Abstract Argan (Argania spinosa (L) Skeels), endemic and emblematic tree to Southwestern Morocco, where it represente the lonely species of the tropical of Sa- potaceae, occupies an area of around 820,000 ha (Charrouf et al., 2002). It is the most remarkable in North Africa, due to its economic, botanical and bio- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 435 ecological interest as well as its social value. The yield of fresh fruit varies according to tree, environment and climate season. It is 500 kg / ha / year per hectare on average (M’Hirit, 1989) and about 15 kg / tree (Rahali, 1989). Recently, many beneficial bio-molecules compounds have been identified from various parts of the A. spinosa, which can play a ben- eficial role in fighting disease and could be used in pharmaceutical and personal care product industries. The puprose of this work is to optimize the param- eters extraction of bioactive molecules from the pulp (pericarp) and oil cake part of Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels (A. spinosa) of Tiznit region. The first step was devoted to study the effect of solvent polarity and extraction technique on the phytochemical screen- ing and quantitative caracterisation of the extracted compounds. The second step was designed to the in- vestigation of the antioxidant capacity and the anti- bacterial activity of the extracts containing more phe- nolic compounds. Keywords: Argania spinosa pulp, Optimization, Extraction, Bioactive molecules, Antioxi- dant, antibacterial activity, phenolic compounds. O6. Validation of Antifungal Activity of Essential Oils from Competitive-Ruderal Plants Khadija Basaid1*, B. Chebli1, J.N. Furze2, E.H. Mayad2, and R. Bouharroud3 1 Biotechnology and Environmental Engineering Team, Laboratory for Process Environmental and Energy En- gineering, National School of Applied Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, PO Box: 1136/S, Agadir, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Biotechnologies and Valorization of Natural Resources, Faculty of Sciences - Agadir, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco; 3 Integrated Crop Production Unit, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Agadir, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: khadija.basaid@gmail.com. Abstract Senecio glaucus ssp. Coronopifolius (Maire) and Ridol- fia segetum (L.) are competitive-ruderal plants grow- ing in Morocco. Their essential oils were obtained by hydro-distillation, using a Clevenger-type appara- tus, and tested for antifungal activity in vitro against Botrytis cinerea. S. glaucus and R. segetum produced 68% and 80% inhibition of mycelial growth at 640 µl in the volatile phase, and 83% and 98% at 16 µl/ ml by the poisoned food method respectively. Essen- tial oils evaluated in this study are antifungal agents against B. cinerea, and can therefore be considered as a natural substitute for chemical pesticides. This study constitutes the first step in calculation of inhibition of the fungus by the oils. Qualification and quantification of essential oils will specify measurable units, creating prediction of inhibition. Keywords: Senecio glaucus, Ridolfia segetum, competitive-ruderal, essential oils, antifungal, Botrytis cinerea. O7. Evaluation of antioxidant and phytotoxic activity of extracts of flower buds of Capparis spinosa Fatima-Zahra Ennacerie1*, Fouzia Rhazi Filali1, Na- jia Moukrad1, Amar Bentayeb2, and Mohammed Bouidra2 1 Department of Biology, Team Microbiology and Health, Laboratory Chemistry Biology Applied to the Environment, Faculty of Science, University Moulay Is- mail, Meknes, Morocco; 2 Department of Chemistry, Team Physical chemistry condensed matter, Faculty of Science, University Moulay Ismail, Meknes, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: amsam.en- nacerie@gmail.com. Abstract The purpose of this study is to valorize the spontane- ous Capparis spinosa plant harvested from western Morocco and to rationalize its use by evaluating its antioxidant activity and to test the degree of its tox- icity on plant eukaryotic cells. The antioxidant activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of flower buds was evaluated by two methods FRAP and DPPH. The cy- totoxicity of the extracts was evaluated by the seed germination inhibition test of Lepidium sativum. The different extracts have an antioxidant activity that is similar to that of vitamin C for the aqueous extract of flower buds. The test of toxicity of the aqueous extract of this organ is revealed by anti-germinating effect of moderate intensity, which is reversible after rehydration of Lepedium sativum seeds. His antimi- totic activity is expressed by inhibition of elongation and growth seedlings. Capparis spinosa is a plant of nutritional qualities particular for its high antioxidant effect, and its tolerance by eukaryotic cells vegetari- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 436 an. Keywords: Capparis spinosa, flower buds, ethanol extract, 10% decoction, antioxidant activity, antimi- totic effect, germination, Lipidium sativum seeds. O8. Multivariate Screening of Locals and Foreign Figs (Ficus Carica L.) in Northern Morocco Lahcen Hssaini1,2*, Hafida Haninie2, Rachid Razouk1, Ibtissame Guirrou1,3, Assia Ejjilani1,2, Abderrahman Mekaoui1, and Jamal Charafi1§ 1 National Institut of Agricultural Research (INRA), re- gional center of Meknes, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Bioprocess and Bio-Interfaces, Faculty of Science and Technology, Beni Mellal, Morocco ; 3 Laboratory of food technologies, Qualipole, Meknes, Morocco. *Pre- senting Author: hssaiini@gmail.com. §Corresponding Author: jcharafi@gmail.com. Abstract This work aims to assess pomological and biochemical characteristics of fig fruit of 140 known local and for- eign genotypes belonging to INRA Meknes collection in Ain Taoujdate. Multivariate analysis was made on the basis of 43 pomological and biochemical char- acters on samples of 15 fruits for each genotype. Results showed a very high significant variability in pomological traits between genotypes except for ostiole width. Fruit weight varied form 12.39±0,9 g to 87.03±2,8 g with an average 36,04±1,84g. Also,a very highly significant variability was revealed among samples based on their colorimetric param- eters. More than 65% of genotypes have a very high lightness index (L*) values that varied between 46 and 83.6. The variables chart has shown some strong correlations varied from r²=0.4 (p<0.05)to r²=0.86 (p<0.01) distinguishing neck and ostiole dimensions from the fruit form descriptors. However, the total sol- uble solids was less discriminant. The agglomerative hierarchical clustering based on Pearson correlation has revealed tree distinct and homogeneous groups. Particularly, the genotype “Grosse dama blanche 2259” has been largely distinguished from the oth- ers. The qualitative characterization has highlighted an important variability among genotypes regard- ing their morphological quality. The results showed a dominance of globose (67%) and ovoid (70%) shapes of figs. About 82% of genotype present ribs and over than 72% present skin cracks. The Multiple Correspondence Analysis (CMA) has revealed tree groups especially differentiated by shape, color, juic- iness and pulp characteristics. Biochemical analysis has also revealed a very high significant variability among samples in total soluble sugars, total phenols and total flavonoids contents. The values recorded, attest of a high nutritional potential of the evaluat- ed genotypes. Keywords: Ficus Carica L., Pomology, biochemical analysis, characterization, multivariate analysis. O9. Characterization and phylogenetic diversity of Al- lorhizobium vitis isolated from grapevine in Morocco Khaoula Habbadi1,2,3*, Quentin Duplay3*, David Cha- pulliot3, Isabelle Kerzaon3, Rachid Benkirane2, Abdel- latif Benbouazza1, Florence Wisniewski-Dyé3, Céline Lavire3, Ludovic Vial3, and El Hassan Achbani1 1 Laboratoire de recherche et de protection des plan- tes URPP-INRA-Meknès, Morocco; 2 Laboratoire de Botanique, Biotechnologie, et Protection des Plantes, Faculté des Sciences, Kenitra, Morocco; 3 Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5557, Ecologie Microbienne, INRA, UMR1418, 10 Villeurbanne, F-69622, France. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: khaoula405@gmail.com. Abstract Crown gall was observed in recently planted vine- yards of the Meknes region (Morocco). 82 isolates from 10 affected vineyards were characterized by recA sequencing and were found to belong to A. tu- mefaciens genomospecies G1, G4 or G7, Rhizobi- um rhizogenes, and to Allorhizobium vitis. Only the 39 A. vitis isolates showed to be pathogenic in vi- tro on tomato and MLSA phylogenetic analyses re- vealed a poor genetic diversity, with the definition of only four genomic groups. Definition of the A. vitis genomic groups correlates with specific pathogenic traits: indeed, genomic groups differ with respect to the severity of hypersensitive response symptoms on tobacco leaves, the intensity of necrotic response on grapevine explants, and opine profiles. Both vitopine and octopine were detected by UHPLC in tumors in- duced by isolates of three genomic groups, an opine signature scarcely ever reported. Keywords: Crown A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 437 gall, grapevine, Allorhizobium vitis, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, phylogenetic diversity. Concurrent Session IV: Water & Soil Management Co-Chair: Clarice Coyne, USDA-ARS, Pullman, WA, USA Co-Chair: Ahmed Elamrani, University Mohamed I, Morocco O1. Enhancing Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Germplasm for Increased Resilience to Temperature Extremes and Improved Nutrition Quality. Jinguo Hu1*, Fouad Maalouf2, Yu Ma3, Erik Landry1, Haixiao Dong3, Charles Hawkins3, Zhiwu Zhang3, Cla- rice Coyne1, Long-Xi Yu1, Aladdin Hamwieh4, and Shiv Kumar5. 1 USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Western Re- gional Plant Introduction Station, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA; 2 International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA), Ter- bol-Lebanon; 3 Department of Crop and Soil Scienc- es, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA; 4 International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA), Cairo Egypt; 5International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA), Ra- bat-Morocco. *Presenting and Presenting Author: jin- guo.hu@ars.usda.gov. Abstract Our research on the enhancement of faba bean (Vi- cia faba L.) has the overall objectives of increasing resilience to temperature extremes and improving nu- tritional quality. We conduct traditional field/green- house experiments and adopt contemporary genom- ics approaches in our independent and collaborative research projects. We released four winter-hardy germplasm lines for cover and pulse crop develop- ment and we quantified the low molecular weight carbohydrates in mature and immature seeds of 40 faba bean genotypes. More recently, in collaboration with ICARDA, Terbol, Lebanon and supported partial- ly by a grant from the CGIAR-U.S. University Linkages Program, we collected data for eight agronomic traits on an ICARDA faba bean reference set of 140 acces- sions grown under high temperature at different lo- cations in Lebanon and USA. We genotyped the ref- erence set with the genotyping by sequencing (GBS) technique which produced approximately 4 million reads per genotype on an Illumina HiSeq 2500 Se- quencer. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker calling program UNEAK (Universal Network Enabled Analysis Kit) found 10,950 variant loci from the sequence data. After fileting SNPs with missing rate over 60% and minor allele frequency less than 5%, 2,632 SNPs were obtained for final analyses. The final dataset contained 131 accessions with SNP call rate above 70%. The missing SNPs were imput- ed by LinkImpute. Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) was performed using the program BLINK (Bayesian-information and Linkage-disequilibrium It- eratively Nested Keyway). Four SNP markers were identified to be significantly associated with plant height (2 SNPs) and seed size (2SNPs). We look for new opportunities in collaborative research on faba bean germplasm, genetics and genomics. Keywords: faba bean, low molecular weight carbohydrates, heat tolerance, cold. O2. Agronomic Performance of Commonvetch (Vicia sativa L.) and Forage Pea (Pisum sativum L.) in Pure Culture and Mixed Withbarley in the Souss-Massa Re- gion and their Effect on Soil Fertility. Mimouni Abdelaziz*, Wifaya Ahmed, Bouharrou Ra- chid, Moukrini Fouad, and Karra Youssef. National Institute for Agricultural Research, CRRA, Agadir, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Au- thor: mimouniabdelaziz@yahoo.fr. Abstract In the Souss-Massa region, the rotations adopted are generally characterized by a dominance of cere- als, fodder (maize for silage and alfalfa) and veg- etables. Also, in some area the rotations practiced are based on barley, corn and saffron with a lack of rotations based on legumes. The introduction of forage legumes in the region is an alternative for a diversification of livestock feed. Trials in different lo- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 438 calities have shown that vetch and pea fix significant amounts of atmospheric nitrogen under the edaphic and climatic conditions of the Souss region. The vetch yield average was 132 kg /ha and 126 kg / ha in mixed crops and peas yields were 114 and 93 kg / ha, respectively. Howeve, the contribution of symbi- otic fixation in the accumulation of nitrogen by vetch was 61% and 82% in mixture. This contribution for peas was 76% and 94% in mixed crops. Mixed crops also have the advantage of reducing disease attacks, pests and weeds. These two legumes have a symbi- otic nitrogen binding capacity negatively affected by lack and excess of water, excess nitrogen and defi- ciency of phosphorus and potassium. Trials results also showed that barley-corn and maize-maize rotations decreased soil organic matter by 22-31%. On the other hand, rotations based on both legumes signifi- cantly improved soil organic matter. The barley-corn and maize-maize rotations have the same behavior and induced an increase in the apparent density of 4 and 8%, respectively. However, legume cultivated alone or in mixed crops reduced apparent soil den- sity by 10%. Barley-corn and maize-maize rotations induced respectively a severe decrease in soil wa- ter retention between 29 and 36% compared to the initial value. Conversely, the two legumes cultivated alone and in mixed crops could significantly improve soil water retention between 24 and 26%. Rotations of vetch and pea cultivated alone and mixed crops significantly enriched soil with microorganisms rela- tive to barley-corn and maize-corn rotations. Key- words: Intensification, vetch, pea, symbiotic fixation, soil fertility. O3. Irrigation Management Improvement of Green- house Tomato by Transpiration Models in the Souss- Massa Region. Ahmed Wifaya1*, Mohamed Boutfirass2, Rachid Bou- harroud1, Khalid Azim1, Fouad Elame1, Lahcen Bouird- en3, Lahoucine Gourdo3, Khalid Lekouch3, Mohamed El Jazouli3, Youssef Karra1, Fouad Mokrini1, and Ab- delaziz Mimouni1. 1 Regional Center for Agricultural Research Agadir, Morocco; 2 Regional Centre for Agricultural Research Settat, Morocco; 3 Thermodynamics and Energetics Lab., Faculty of Sciences Agadir, Morocco. *Corre- sponding and Presenting Author: wifaya_ahmed@ yahoo.fr. Abstract This study compares the performance of four mod- els to estimate the daily evapotranspiration (ET) un- der greenhouse. The first, De Villele model (ETDV), Penman-Monteith model (ETPM), Stanghellini model (ETST) and finally the transpiration model based on the heat balance equation at the cover, Takakura (ETTK). The work was conducted during two tomato production seasons 2012 and 2013 under two green- houses types; Monospan and Canarian, located at Experimental Station of Melk Zhar in Balfae (INRA Agadir). ST models and PM correctly simulate tomato transpiration for both measured values for daily gain of the tomato stem (MC/DG) Monospan greenhouse (r ² = 0.55 and 0.62). Similarly, we have reached a satisfactory relationship between the Eff-TR (the effi- ciency of plant transpiration) and the report MC / DG using the ST model under Monospan and Canarian greenhouses (r² = 0.67 ; 0.58) respectively. Conse- quently, we identified critical thresholds or baselines water status of tomato; water comfort (0.40 Eff-TR 0.46 and> 90%). In addition, the comparing means depending on the yield level has identified three groups of ET models ; STa (318T / ha)> TKb (272t/ha)> ~ DVc PMc (236- 249t / ha). Keywords: Tomato, greenhouse, irrigation management, evapotranspiration models. O4. A Comparative Study of the Effect of 2,4-Dichlo- rophenoxyacetic Acid Hormonal Pretreatment and Cold Pre-treatment on the Gynogenetic Response of Five Moroccan Barley Varieties (Hordeum vulgare L.). Rabouan Oubaidou1*, S. Hentour1, Y. El Goumi1, S. Es- sayagh2, O. Lamsaouri1, and M. Fakiri1. 1 Agri-food and Health Lab, Hassan I University, Faculty of Sci- ence and Technology, B.P. 577, Settat, Morocco; 2 Biochemistry and Neuroscience Lab, Hassan I Univer- sity, Faculty of Science and Technology, B.P. 577, Set- tat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: rabouanoubaidou@gmail.com. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 439 Abstract Haplomethods are key during the process of varietal creation. We aimed to improve the protocols of the haplomethods used in our laboratory to enhance the induction rate in calluses and/or embryos and to in- crease the regeneration rate in chlorophyllous plants. Using in vitro cultures of unfertilized ovaries, a tech- nique called gynogenesis, we evaluated the effect of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid hormonal pre-treat- ment on production yields and compared it to what we are used to obtain using a cold pretreatment at 4°C as previously described in our published works. We applied gynogenesis, on five Moroccan varieties of barley namely Tamelalt, Aglou, Asni, Massine and Arig and compared three variations of gynogenesis protocols. Firstly, we investigated the effect of light and darkness on our cultures. Secondly, we incubated unfertilized ovaries at 4°C for 14 days. Thirdly, we injected donor spikes with a solution of 2,4-dichloro- phenoxyacetic acid or incubated donor spikes in a solution of 2,4-D at 4°C for 14 days. The results ob- tained show the benefit of darkness over light. We also noted the benefit of 2.4-D pre-treatment in cold compared to a cold pre-treatment alone. Statistical analysis revealed a significant correlation between the genotype and the photoperiod on the outcome of pre-treatments protocols. We hilighted better yields when ovaries were pretreated with 2.4-D and incubated in the light. We also showed that a cold pretreatment alone had no effect for all genotypes and that only ovaries that had undergone a 2,4-D hormonal pretreatment displayed improved induction rates in the Aglou and Asni varieties and improved regeneration rates of in the Asni variety. The latter gave the highest regeneration rate (13.43%) when spikes were pretreated by 2.4-D combined with a cold pretreatment and ovaries were placed in light. Moreover, the plants that stemed from this method were stronger. Hence, a hormonal pretreatment using 2,4-D could be an alternative to overcome the hur- dles faced when using other types of pre-treatments. Keywords: In vitro culture, Haplomethods, Gynogen- esis, Hordeum vulgare L., 2,4-diclorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), Cold. O5. Some Biochemical Responses of the Use of Arbus- cular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Date Palm Under Salt Stress Mohamed Ait El Mokhtar*, Said Wahbi, Raja Ben La- ouane, Mohamed Anli and Abdelilah Meddich. Plant Biotechnology and Physiology Lab, Faculty of Sciences, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Moroc- co. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: mohamed. aitelmokhtar@gmail.com. Abstract Mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal date palm seedlings were subjected to salt stress in order to study some biochemical responses of the effect of arbuscular my- corrhizal fungi (AMF) in alleviation of salt stress. Two months after germination, the plants were mycorrhi- zed and were subjected to 0mM and 240mM NaCl after five months. The activities of two antioxidant en- zymes were assessed besides of protein, sugar and polyphenols contents. Activities of peroxidase (POD), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and polyphenol con- tent were increased significantly in both mycorrhizal (M) and nonmycorrhizal (NM) plants grown under NaCl salinity while protein and sugar contents de- creased. The results showed that both enzymes ac- tivities were very high in roots compared to leaves especially for the PPO. The application of AMF was found to enhance significantly the activities of POD and PPO under salt stress. In the same conditions, my- corrhizal date palm plants showed a high content on polyphenol in shoots compared to control plant under salt stress. The sugar and protein contents were high in shoots than in roots and under salt stress, the appli- cation of AMF improved the both contents. Keywords: Date palm, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, salt stress, biochemical responses. O6. Agricultural Practices in the Souss-Massa Region and their Consequences on Soil Fertility Mimouni Abdelaziz*, Bouharrou Rachid, Wifaya Ahmed, Moukrini Fouad, Karra Youssef. National Institute for Agricultural Research, CRRA, Agadir, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Au- thor: mimouniabdelaziz@yahoo.fr. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 440 Abstract Using a participatory study and monitoring of the history of soil fertility indices, organic matter, total nitrogen, salinity and others, indices of degradation of soil fertility have been identified. Indeed, the crop- ping system through rotations and techniques prac- ticed in the region have influenced in various ways the soil fertility and subsequently crop performance. Indeed, In the plain of Souss-Massa, agriculture has undergone a great evolution over time, it has reached a level of intensification very high at present. The in- tensified areas have evolved very rapidly, reaching in 2015 about 56434 ha, mainly in monoculture citrus (39808 ha) and early crops (16626 ha). The signifi- cant expansion of these areas was largely the re- sult of the substitution of crops for argan plantations with the dominance of vegetable monoculture, maize and no practice of rotations based on legumes or re- generative soil fertility crops. Over approximately forty years, the clearing of the argan tree and the cultivation of the soil caused a degradation of the organic matter with respective losses of 68% in the Massa and 57% for the Souss. Total nitrogen losses were 52% and 41%, respectively. Also, analyzes of 300 soil samples in different subregions showed that soils in the Souss-Massa region have very low levels of organic matter and total nitrogen. In fact, in the four subregions, Massa, Taroudant, Ait Baha and Taliouine, the samples analyzed showed organic matter contents of less than 0.5% and absence of samples with contents greater than 2%. 65% of the analyzed samples have total nitrogen contents of less than 0.01%. Keywords: Intensified crops, rotations, organic matter, total nitrogen. O7. Effect of Nitrogen and Seed Germination Rate on Yield, Biomass, and Grain Quality of Moroccan Durum Wheat. Oussama Hnizil1*, Sedri Naima1, Nsarellah Nassele- hq2, Baidani Aziz1, Idrissi Omar2, Sahri Ali2, and Ama- mou Ali2. 1 University Hassan II, Settat, Morocco; 2 Not provid- ed. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: o.hnizil@ uhp.ac.ma. Abstract Durum wheat is a typical Mediterranean crop. Its im- portance comes from the fact that durum wheat grain is consumed in different forms namely bread, pasta, couscous, boulghour... However, these different forms require grains of durum wheat of good quality (pro- tein content, gluten strength, grain color and baking strength). Nitrogen (N) element is the nutrient that most frequently limits yield and plays an important role in regulating productivity and quality of durum wheat grain. In the other hand, seed rate (S) is also a vital factor which influence yield and quality of wheat. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of dif- ferent nitrogen treatments and seed rates on yield, total biomass and end use quality of five Moroccan durum wheat varieties. The trial was carried out dur- ing the 2017 cropping season, at three experimental stations (Sidi el Aidi, Marchouch and Tassout). The five Moroccan cultivars were sown following split-plot de- sign with two replications, three seed rates (S: 300, 400 and 500 grains/m2) and three nitrogen treat- ments (N: 45, 90 and 135 kg/ha). Data were record- ed for quantitative characters: yield and components, biomass, NDVI, chlorophyll content and grain protein content. With regard to the results, both N and S had a significant effect on grain yield, biomass, physio- logical treats and protein content. In addition, highly significant genetic variation was observed between genotypes and the genetic response to N supply. The new released varieties showed high response to the variation of N application. The difference between environments was also observed and discussed. The experiment is carried out also on 2018 to validate the result found during the 2017 cropping season. Keywords: Nitrogen fertilization, planting density, durum wheat, yield and its components, grain quality. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 441 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) Concurrent Session V: Plant Health & Production II Co-Chair: Alan Walters, Southern Illinois Univer- sity, USA Co-Chair: Mohamed Amine Serghini, University Ibn Zohr, Morocco O1. Insight into the Mediterranean Olive Tree Domesti- cation and Diversification. Ahmed El Bakkali1*, Adelmajid Moukhli2, and Bou- chaib Khadari3,4 1 INRA, UR Amélioration des Plantes et Conservation des Ressources Phytogénétiques, Meknès, Morocco; 2 INRA, UR Amélioration des Plantes, Marrakech, Mo- rocco; 3 AGAP, University of Montpellier, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Montpellier, France ; 4 Conser- vatoire Botanique National Méditerranéen de Porqu- erolles (CBNMed), UMR AGAP, Montpellier, France. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: ahmed_el- bakkali@yahoo.fr. Abstract The olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is one of the most im- portant oil crops in the world and 95% of total olive oil production derived from the Mediterranean ba- sin (MB). Since the ancient times, out-performed olive genotypes have been selected by local farmers and vegetatively propagated leading to the present va- rietal assortment with almost 1,200 cultivars around the MB. Therefore, the elucidation of the olive origin, domestication and diversification process is important from a cultural and agricultural standpoint since it can inform on the origin and history of human civilizations as well as the management of genetic resources, while offering guidance for modern breeding. Primary do- mestication from wild olive probably occurred around 6000 BP in the Middle East. However, the question remains as to whether current cultivated olive de- rived from single domestication event in the Levant followed by secondary diversification or whether it was the result of independent domestication events. Here we analyzed a comprehensive sample from 35 wild populations (oleasters, 722 individuals) and 410 cultivars from across the MB using nuclear and plas- tid DNA markers. Our genetic findings from Bayes- ian model clustering implemented in the STRUCTURE program and maternal lineages argue in favor of a single primary domestication event in the eastern MB, followed by diffusion of the first domesticated olive and introgression with wild olive from the central and western MB. These results should be examined to gain further insight as to be able to accurately design sampling of Mediterranean olive germplasm suitable for innovative breeding within the sustainable olivi- culture and climate change context. Keywords: Olea europaea, oleasters, simple sequence repeat (SSR), plastid maternal lineage, genetic structure, admix- ture, single domestication center. O2. Econometric Analysis of Market Integration and Price Transmission in Morocco’s Apples Markets: Ap- plication of Threshold Cointegration and Cointegration with Structural Break. Ouahiba Elalaoui1*, Abdelouafi Ibrahimy2, Aziz Fad- laoui3, and Redouane Arrach4. 1 Agro-economist engineer, Graduate of the National School of Agriculture; Morocco; 2 Professor of Ap- plied Statistics and Economics, National School of Agriculture; Morocco; 3 Agro-Economist Researcher, National Institute for Agricultural Research; Moroc- co; 4 Director of Strategy and Statistics Directorate, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: ouahiba.elalaoui@gmail.com. Abstract The level of market integration and transmission of food prices is a key determinant of price stability and food security. Thus, integration can be regarded as a way of assessing efficiency of agricultural markets. This study investigated the degree of market integra- tion using the time series techniques of threshold coin- tegration and cointegration with structural break. The purpose of this study is twofold. Firstly, it attempts to determine whether price transmission sufficiently improved throughout the period under examination. Secondly, it purports to explore the nature of price transmission. In order to achieve these objectives, we sampled five wholesale markets, comprising two sur- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 442 plus markets (Casablanca and Meknes) and three deficit markets (Agadir, Marrakech and Oujda). The dataset for the analysis includes monthly price series from September, 1993 to June, 2017. The results re- veal that apple markets are integrated and hence price signals are transmitted from surplus to deficit regions. However, the extent of market integration is low and price transmission is slow and incomplete. Furthermore, the findings indicate that the intensity of price transmission has not improved throughout this period, in spite of the development of road infra- structures and telecommunications. Overall, the em- pirical evidence confirms the presence of asymmetric price transmission, sign of market inefficiency. Never- theless, the nature of asymmetry does not confirm the research hypothesis stipulating that increases prices are transmitted more quickly than decreases because of the market power of middlemen in the food mar- keting chain. Keywords: Market integration, cointe- gration, apples, price transmission. O3. Culture Method of Cercospora beticola Sacc, Sen- sitivity Test of Isolates with Methyl Thiophanate and De- tection of Resistance in Morocco. Zakariae El Housni1,2*, Said Ezrari1,3, abdessalem Ta- hiri1, Rachid Lahlali1, and Abderrahman Ouijja2. 1 Phytopathology Unit, Departement of Plant Protec- tion, Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, BPS 40, Meknès, Morocco; 2 Departement of Biology, Fac- ulty of Sciences, University Moulay Ismail, P.O. Box 11201, Meknes, Morocco. *Corresponding and Pre- senting Author: atahiri@enameknes.ac.ma. Abstract The Sugar Beet crop (SB) is considered the first source of extraction of refined sugar for Morocco. It is cul- tivated in four large areas: Gharb, Doukkala, Tadla and Moulouya. The BS has a large list of enemy that significantly reduces yields. Cercospora Leaf Spot (CLS) is the main fungal disease. In the last years, we have observed a decline in efficacy of Methyl Thio- phanate (MT), active ingredient belongs of benzimid- azole, which was been used extensively in the man- agement of Cercospora Leaf Spot (CLS) in Morocco. Several samples of Cercospora beticola Sacc were collected from the 4 major production areas for labo- ratory tests. Tests on cultivation techniques have been conducted to see if there is an effect of the follow- ing factors: The culture media (PDA & BLA), the light, the sampling area, the method of isolation, on the growth rate of the fungus, the percentage of germi- nation and the percentage of sporulation. With PCR, all isolates were verified by specific primers (CBAC- TIN959 F and CBACTIN959 R) encoding 959 bp of the active gene to ensure that the species to study is Cercospora beticola Sacc. Radial mycelia growth of each isolate in PDA medium was compared to my- celia growth in PDA medium modified with MT with levels of 1,5, 10 and 50 ppm. The percentage of inhibition obtained was used for the EC50 calculation. All the isolates showed resistance to the MT molecule with different degrees to stand out with 3 groups: Low resistance with EC50 less than 100 ppm, moder- ate resistant with EC50 between 100 and 1000 ppm and very resistant with EC50 more than 1000 ppm. Keywords: Cultivation techniques, Cercospora beti- cola, PCR, sensitivity, resistance, Methyl Thiophanate, EC50, Morocco. O4. A Dynamic Multimarket Analysis of Fat Food Sector in Morocco. Sara Essaten1* and Abdelkader Ait El Mekki2 § 1 Agronomic and Veterinary Institute, Rabat, Morocco; 2 National School of Agriculture, Meknes, Morocco. *Presenting Author: sara.essaten@gmail.com. §Corre- sponding Author: amekki@enameknes.ac.ma. Abstract Due to a severe deficit of the domestic supply, the fat food demand in Morocco is mainly covered by the imports which ensure as much as 80% of the house- holds’ consumption. Thus, Moroccan fat food security is largely defined upon the government efforts to en- hance domestic production on one hand, and the world market patterns, on the other hand. In this context, the fat food sector performances should largely be de- termined by the government price and trade policy knowing that Morocco has signed preferential trade agreements with its main food suppliers (EU and USA) and is an active WTO member. This research aims at analyzing the impact of trade openness and govern- ment farm and marketing price policy on the fatty A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 443 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) products sector in Morocco. In this respect, a dynamic multimarket model, including olive oil, edible oilseed, butter and margarine, will be developed in order to evaluate the effects of price and trade policies re- lated to exogenous variables on the whole fat food value chains from the farmer to the consumer. Indeed, the multimarket model will be made up of six blocks where four of them represent the behavior of eco- nomic agents at agriculture, processing, international trade and consumption steps. The other two blocks will be devoted to the market equilibrium and cross price relationship along the value chains. All dynamic behavioral parameters will be econometrically esti- mated using appropriate microeconomic theory. Key- words: Fat Food Sector, Dynamic multimarket model. O5. Genetic Variability Revealed by SSR (Simple Se- quence Repeat) Markers of Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) Issued from Various Genetic and Environmental Re- sources in Morocco. Jamal Ayour1,6,7*, Imane Elateri2, Mohammed Alami3, Abderrahim Alahyane1, Mohamed Najib Alfeddy4, Jean-Marc Audergon5, Catherine M.G.C. Renard6,7, and Mohamed Benichou1 1 Faculté des sciences, Université Cadi Ayyad, Labo- ratoire Sciences des Aliments, M-40090 Marrakech, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Food, Center of Analysis and Characterisation, Faculty of Sciences-Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, P.O. Box: 2390, Marrakesh, Morocco; 3 Laboratory of Microbi- ology and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Mo- hammed V University, Rabat, Morocco; 4 Laboratoire de Phyto-Bactériologie, Unité de Recherche Protec- tion des plantes au Centre Régional de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, BP 533, Marrakech, Morocco; 5 INRA, UR1052 Génétique et Amélioration des Fruits et Légumes, F-84143 Montfavet, France; 6 Université d’Avignon et des Pays du Vaucluse, UMR408 Sécurité et Qualité des Produits d’Origine Végétale, F-84000 Avignon, France; 7 UMR408 Sécurité et Qualité des Produits d’Origine Végétale, INRA, F-84000 Avi- gnon, France. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: jamal.ayour@ced.uca.ac.ma. Abstract The knowledge of the available genetic resources is of first importance to optimize its preservation and/ or its potential use in breeding programs. The objec- tive of this study was to assess the genetic diversity of Moroccan apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) accessions available in collection using 21 microsatellite mark- ers. Genotypic diversity of 92 genotypes, issued from a prospection organized in all the country, was de- termined using diversity indices, molecular variance analysis, principal component and cluster analysis. Polymorphic parameters indicated that the least in- formative prime was BPPCT001 with 3 genotypes while the most informative primer was UDP98409 with 23 genotypes. The PIC values for SSR loci ranged from 0.08 for AMPA109 to 0.43 for BPPCT001, with the mean value of 0.19. Whereas the Shannon’s in- formation index was ranged from 0.37 to 1.94 for AMPA109 and UDP98409 respectively, this shows an importance genetic variability of analyzed apricots regarding their geographic origin. Indeed, the genet- ic variance was about 87% among apricot clones and 10% among geographic region. The results of neigh- bour-joining, tree analysis and PCoA indicated that the genetic structure of the 92 apricot clones could be grouped in different populations according to their agronomic performances. Information obtained in this study may be useful for apricot breeding improve- ment programs and it could enable the enlargement of the apricot genotype in the Mediterranean basin scale. Keywords: Prunus armeniaca, clone, genetic di- versity, microsatellite markers, variability. O6. Genetic Diversity of Moroccan Sesame (Sesamum Indicum L.) Populations Using ISSR Markers Meriem El Harfi1,2*, Abdelghani Nabloussi1, Hafida Hanine2, and Jamal Charafi1§ 1 Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources Unit, National Institute of Agronomic Research, Regional Agricultural Research Centre of Meknes, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Bioprocess and BioInterfaces, Faculty of Science and Technology, Beni Mellal, Morocco. *Presenting Author: elharfi.meriem@gmail.com. §Corresponding Author: jcharafi@gmail.com. Abstract Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is an ancient oilseed crop known for its nutty seeds and high-quality edible oil. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 444 It is an unexplored crop with a great economic poten- tial. In Morocco, Sesame has been grown for decades and it is one of the specific crops of the Tadla-Azilal area. The present study deals with assessment of ge- netic diversity among 33 sesame populations. Seven Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSRs) primers were used for molecular analysis of these populations. A total of 57 markers were detected and the number per primer varied from 4 to 14, with an average of 8 bands. The primers generated 82% (47 bands) of polymorphic fragments and the pairwise comparison of the 33 genotypes showed that 74% of genotypes pairs were distinct by less than 11 markers. This low diversity between genotypes is confirmed by the ge- netic distances obtained. The Simple Matching coef- ficient of Similarity ranged from 0.509 to 1, with an average of 0.79 and the polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.002 to 0.349. The hier- archical analysis using the UPGMA method showed that, despite subdivision into groups, several geno- types had the same genetic profile and were lowly diversified. The results obtained show that sesame in Morocco has a low genetic diversity and may be probably derived from a limited genetic pool. Key- words: Sesamum indicum L., ISSRs Markers, Genetic diversity, Polymorphism. O7. Effect of Moroccan Seaweed Polysaccharides on Germination of Tomato Seeds (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Abir Mzibra1,2*, Abderrahim Aasfar1, Issam Meftah Kadmiri1, and Ahmed Bamouh2 1 Laboratory of Green Biotechnology of Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Re- search (MAScIR), Rabat Design Centre, Rue Mohamed Al Jazouli, Madinate Al Irfane, Rabat, Morocco; 2 Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Pro- duction, Protection et Biotechnologie Végétales, BP: 6446, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Present- ing Author: abiir.mzi@gmail.com. Abstract Polysaccharides extracted from marine seaweeds can act as plant biostimulants by applying them to seeds, plants, or growing substrates, but always at low concentration, which is provided by specific for- mulations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Polysaccharides Enriched Extracts (PEEs) obtained from 17 Moroccan seaweeds belonging to Chlorophyceae (5 species), Phaeophyceae (5 spe- cies) and Rhodophyceae (7 species) on 3 germination parameters: Germination Percentage (GP), Germi- nation Speed (GS) and Mean Time of Germination (MGT) of tomato seeds (Solanum lycopersicum) under laboratory conditions. Tomato seeds were cultivated in The Half-strength Murashige-Skoog medium and supplemented with different PEEs at 3 concentra- tions of (0.1; 0.05 and 0.02 mg mL-1 (w/v) or with sterile distilled water for control seeds. Our results showed that seeds treated with PEEs extracted from U. rigida, C. tomentosum, C. decorticatum, Gigartina sp., B. bifurcata, F. spiralis, S. polyschides in the 3 concentrations enhanced germination (significant in- crease in germination percentage associated with lower significant mean germination time and high sig- nificant germination speed) and seeds treated with PEEs of G. pistillata, C. acicularis, G. crinale, C. foe- niculacea and C. tamariscifolia enhanced significantly germination parameters just at lower concentrations (0.02 mg.mL-1). G. pistillata at higher concentration (0.1 mg.mL-1) showed an inhibition of germination. This study emphasizes the use of Moroccan PEEs as biostimulants inducing an early tomato seed germi- nation and establishment with the corresponding con- centration. Keywords: Biostimulant; Polysaccharides enriched extracts; Seaweed; Seed germination, Ger- mination parameters. O8. Ethnobotanical uses of Arbutus (Arbutus unedo L.) in Morocco. Faida Rahima1,2*, J Aabdousse1, A Boulli1, S Bouda2, and N Wahid1§ 1 Laboratory of Environment and Valorization of Agro-Resources (EVAR), Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sultan Moulay Sli- mane University, Beni-Mellal, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Management and Valorization of Natural Resourc- es, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni-Mellal, Morocco. *Presenting Author: faida.rahi- ma@gmail.com. §Corresponding Author: wahid2na@ hotmail.com. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 445 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) Abstract Arbutus is a fruit tree with high ornamental, environ- mental, economic and medical value, because of the properties attributed to different biological parts. Given this interest, the present study is interested in describing and compiling available data on the eth- nobotanical uses of Arbutus in Morocco in compari- son with other studies at the international level. It is very present in the everyday uses of foresters, farm- ers and rural populations. The international biblio- graphic analysis shows that the different biological parts of Arbutus, especially fruits, have been widely used by herbalists. The related literature is generally in line with the medicinal use of the plant by Moroc- can inhabitants. On the other hand, the consumption and the industrial valorization of the fruits of Arbutus are very limited in Morocco in comparison with those on the international scale. It is imperative to sensi- tize the local population and landlocked Douars on the knowledge of the valorization of the fruit of this species. Keyswords: Arbutus unedo L., ethnobotanical uses, prospection, ecology, Arbutus fruit. O9. Valorization Challenges to Almonds and their Co- products: Characterization of Oils Extracted from Bro- ken Almonds Springing from Shelling and Sorting Opera- tions. Ahmed Elamrani1*, R. Melhaoui, N. Houmy, M. Addi; M. Abid, A. Mihamou, M-L. Fauconier2, M. Sindic3, and Serghini-Caid1 1 Laboratoire LBPM, Faculté des Sciences, Univer- sité Mohamed Ier, Oujda; Morocco; 2 Laboratoire de Chimie Générale et Organique, Gembloux Agro Bio-Tech, Université de Liège; Belgium; 3 Laboratoire, QSPA, Gembloux Agro Bio-Tech, Université de Liège; Belgium. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: ahmed.elamrani@gmail.com. Abstract The almond tree (Prunus dulcis) is one of the most popular nut trees grown worldwide under arid con- ditions. In north eastern region of Morocco, after the olive tree the almond tree is the second most impor- tant tree crop in this region, due to its resistance and capacity against water shortage and irrigation defi- cit. During this decade, new orchards of almond trees have emerged, thanks to the program Green Mo- rocco, supported by the BTC (*BTC-PROFAO project). Thus 6.000 hectares of new orchards of almond trees were planted using the association Ferragnes / Fer- raduel, which is a couple of French cultivars known for their late blooming. In the aim to improve the income of this rural population, cooperatives and economic interest groups were created; farmers have been trained for good almond cultivation practices as well as almond harvesting and processing. In eastern Mo- rocco, traditionally almonds are hulled and shelled, manually by rural women, but currently, almonds pro- cessing machines are under installation. Manually or mechanically, almonds’ hulling and shelling opera- tions generate many byproducts which are hulls (thin mesocarp, green shell cover), shells (Hardened endo- carp) but also broken kernels from almonds sorting and brown skin as byproduct of almonds’ blanching. Taking in consideration the importance of valorization of almond byproduct, this work deals with the agro economical relevance and added value that could be generated by using broken almonds (as a co product) for Almond oils extraction. Thus this oral communica- tion focuses on (i) the characterization of Almond oils produced by cooperatives in this region as an add- ing value to this almond’s co-products (ii) Paths of re- search for the valorization of the other by-products mainly almonds’ shells and hulls. Briefly, almond oils were extracted from broken almond (as a co-prod- uct) by screw press, oil yield rage between 48 and 56%. Fatty Acids (FA) profile, determined by GC-FID, shows dominance of unsaturated fatty acids fraction [USFA > 85% ] which is mainly represented by oleic Acid (61-69%) and linoleic acid (22-27% ). Saturat- ed fatty acids fraction (SFA <11%) is represented mainly by palmitic acid (7-8%). and stearic acid (2- 3%). Total phenol content range between 40-45 mg/ kg-oil, however total tocopherols content is important and range between 510-530 mg/kg-oil with a large dominance of α tocopherol. The presence of these compounds is important in relation to oil stability and as nutritional quality label. Thus, consumption of al- mond oil is recommended thanks to their beneficial effects on health, but it’s also recommended for cos- metic uses. Keywords: Almond Tree, Almonds, almond co-products, Almond Oils. *BTC- PROFAO: Projet Filière Amandes de L’Oriental, “The almond value chain in eastern Morocco, Pillar II A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 446 of the Moroccan Green Plan, supported by Belgian development agency (BTC 2011-2017). Session VI: Africa Sustainable Agricul- ture (Plenary Session) Chair: Khalid Meksem, Southern Illinois Univer- sity, USA O1. A Strategy for Incorporating Sustainability into Ter- tiary Agriculture Education. John W. Groninger* Department of Plant, Soil, and Agricultural Systems, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: gron- inge@siu.edu. Abstract Where agriculture production systems are rapidly evolving, such as across sub-Saharan Africa, short- term gains in crop yields can occur at the expense of system resiliency needed to achieve sustainability. Post-secondary (tertiary) education institutions have great potential to better facilitate large scale sus- tainability initiatives. Agricultural education resources that do not reflect present industry conditions and the declining prestige of agriculture in urbanizing societies further hinders reform efforts. Based on a 2014 assessment of Samaru College of Agriculture at Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria (funded by the United States Agency for International Develop- ment Farmer to Farmer program and implemented by Winrock International), I identify strategies for using increasing interest in agricultural sustainability to re- vitalize Agriculture Teaching institutions by broaden- ing their value to students and better demonstrating the relevance of agriculture institutions to society. My presentation will focus on education system reforms that can address watershed management issues. Par- ticularly critical are curriculum reforms that promote entrepreneurship, build creative problem-solving skills, and encourage meaningful industry engage- ment among students and staff alike. I conclude with suggestions for increased engagement among uni- versities in Morocco and the United States to work cooperatively with colleagues in sub-Saharan Africa to address ongoing and emerging agriculture sustain- ability issues among all parties. O2. Assessing the Impacts of Agroforestry on Commu- nity and Household Resilience in Africa: An Analysis of the Modified Taungya System in Ghana Kofi Akamani* Department of Forestry, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: k.akamani@siu.edu. Abstract The promotion of sustainable development on the Af- rican continent continues to be challenged by several problems, including population pressure, widespread poverty, food insecurity, resource degradation, and climate change vulnerability. Owing to the shortfalls of industrial agriculture and sustained-yield forest management approaches, agroforestry has been re- ceiving attention as an integrative land use strategy for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa. Agroforestry, a land use strategy that involves the integration of trees with annual crop cultivation and other farm activities, promises several benefits including food security, ecosystem restoration, as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation. How- ever, the relationship between agroforestry and com- munity resilience, i.e. the capacity of communities to adapt to change while maintaining their well-being, has not received adequate attention in the litera- ture. Importantly, the issue of scale has not received explicit recognition in the assessment of agrofor- estry outcomes. Since the adoption of the Modified Taungya System (MTS) in Ghana in the early 2000s, a collaborative approach to agroforestry has been pursued as a means for forest restoration, as well as food and timber production. This presentation utilizes qualitative and quantitative data gathered from two forest-dependent communities in the Ashanti region of Ghana to assess the impacts of the MTS program on social-ecological resilience at the level of the commu- nity and the household. The purpose is to determine whether the impacts of the MTS program on social- ecological resilience at the community and household A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 447 which is dominated essentially by an informal system constitute a potential leverage to enhance productiv- ity and encounter climatic changes. For this purpose, actions should be defined for the promotion of both the formal and the informal sector within their respec- tive contexts. Keywords: Africa, climatic change, agri- cultural model, seed sector. O4. Status of Vegetable Variety Improvement for Mo- rocco Alan Walters* Department of Plant, Soil, and Agricultural Systems, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL USA. *Cor- responding and Presenting Author: awalters@siu.edu. Abstract The choice and utilization of vegetable varieties by growers depends upon many different factors, and the dynamics leading to eventual variety choice and use is highly varied, even in Morocco. The globaliza- tion of agriculture, along with the privatization of the plant breeding industry in the last few decades, has directly influenced which vegetable varieties are available to farmers in developing countries. How- ever, new vegetable variety development is normally non-existent in developing countries, with seed gener- ally sourced from developed countries. This results in developing countries having a dependence on those developed countries that have bred the varieties to supply vegetable seed for their needs. Morocco’s goal for future vegetable market development is to produce high-quality products to be sold in interna- tional markets that allow the highest revenue returns, and this generally requires the use of hybrid varieties that were not necessarily developed for the specific environments in which they are being recommended. So, this situation often times results in vegetable seeds being marketed into regions having environments where they are not always best suited to maximize their productivity. Thus, the adoption of modern hy- brid varieties has lagged in some regions, especially marginal environments that have overall low produc- tion potential, which are often most suitable for local traditional varieties (landraces). New variety devel- opment works best if breeding is conducted in the environment in which it will be grown to maximize A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) levels are equivalent to each other. Analysis of quali- tative data at the community level indicated that when comparing current community conditions to conditions prior to the implementation of the MTS program, both communities have experienced marginal improve- ments in the various capital assets that shape com- munity resilience. At the household level, a statistical comparison of current household capital assets with capital assets prior to the MTS program showed vary- ing levels of decline in household resilience across the two communities. These results suggest the impacts of agroforestry on social-ecological resilience may be sensitive to the scale at which assessments are made. Keywords: Agroforestry, community resilience, liveli- hoods, sustainable development, scale. O3. The Future Agriculture in Africa in the Context of Climate Change: Seeds Perspective Lamiae Ghaouti*. Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Pre- senting Author: lamiaeghaouti@hotmail.com. Abstract Agriculture is highly exposed to climate change, as farming activities directly depend on climatic condi- tions. The modern agriculture through the maximiza- tion of natural resources use contributed in a consid- erable proportion to the climatic change through the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. In comparison to the other continents, Africa is the least contributing to the carbon dioxide emissions but is paradoxically the most impacted area in the world by climatic changes. Therefore, rethinking the agri- cultural model in Africa where agriculture is a crucial sector is a complex issue but compulsory within the view of the present situation. Africa holds a relevant asset through genetic diversity as it is a center of di- versity for a wide range of crops. It is an essential component in the equation of maintaining the food production level while decreasing the agro-ecosys- tems vulnerability. Genetic diversity is a key factor for the management of heat, drought, salinity, pests and diseases that are more acute due to climatic changes. Cropping systems should be adopted de- pending on their efficiency of use of natural resources within the targeted agro-ecosystems. Rethink the ag- ricultural production paradigm. Seed sector in Africa A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 448 future crop yield and productivity. Therefore, the de- velopment of new varieties specific to environments in developing countries is a critical step for future food security in these regions. Keywords: Agricultural glo- balization; Climate change; Food security; Landraces. Concurrent Session VII: Plant Health & Production III Co-Chair: John Groninger, Southern Illinois Uni- versity, USA Co-Chair: Fouad Mokrini, INRA, Morocco O1. Resistance to Pratylenchus penetrans and P. thor- nei in International Wheat Lines and its Durability When Inoculated together with the Cereal Cyst Nematode Heterodera avenae, Using qPCR for Nematode Quan- tification Fouad Mokrini1*, Nicole Viaene2,4, Lieven Waeyen- berge2, Amer Dababat5, and Maurice Moens2,3 1 National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), Rue FAR, Inzegane, Agadir, Morocco; 2 Institute for Ag- ricultural and Fisheries Research, Plant, Crop Protec- tion, Burg. Van Gansberghelaan 96, B-9820 Merel- beke, Belgium; 3 Faculty of Bio-Science engineering, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium; 4 Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; 5 International Maize and Wheat Im- provement Center (CIMMYT), P.K. 39 06511, Emek, Ankara, Turkey. *Corresponding and Presenting Au- thor: fmokrini.inra@gmail.com. Abstract The root lesion nematodes Pratylenchus penetrans and P. thornei cause high yield losses in rainfed wheat fields in Morocco, as well as worldwide. Growing re- sistant varieties is one of the most effective methods for controlling nematodes. Therefore, a collection of 14 lines of spring wheat and 11 lines of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum and T. durum), developed at CIM- MYT, were screened for resistance to P. penetrans and P. thornei in tubes (15 x 20 x 120 mm3) under the greenhouse conditions. The resistance level was evalu- ated based on the numbers of nematodes extracted from roots and soil nine weeks after infestation. The number of P. penetrans or P. thornei were determined visually using a microscope and with a qPCR assay. Three lines (L9, L12 and L13) were found moderately resistant to P. thornei and one of these (L9) was also moderately resistant to P. penetrans. To investigate the durability of this resistance, we co-inoclulated ju- veniles of Heterodera avenae, a cereal cyst nema- tode widely present in Moroccan wheat fields, and assessed the reproduction of both lesion nematodes P. penetrans and P. thornei on the three moderately resistant lines. Our results showed that the lines L9 and L9, L12, L13 remained moderately resistant to P. pen- etrans and P. thornei, respectively, in the presence of H. avenae. These findings are promising; however, the field performance of these lines against root lesion nematode attacks should be evaluated. Keywords: durability, resistance, root lesion nematode, screen- ing, wheat. O2. Transfer and Molecular Mapping of Aegilops taus- chii-derived Hessian Fly Resistance Genes (H22, H23, H24, and H26) from D Genome of Triticum aestivum onto A Genome Chromosomes of Triticum turgidum by Induced Homoeologous Recombination. Moha Ferrahi1*, B. Friebe2, J.H. Hatchett3, and B.S. Gill2 1 National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), Regional Center of Meknes, BP 578, Meknes, Mo- rocco; 2 Dept. of Plant Pathology, Wheat Genetics Resource Center, Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506-5502, USA; 3 Dept. of Entomology and USDA-ARS, Waters Hall, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506- 5502, USA. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: mohaferrahi@yahoo.fr. Abstract Aegilops tauschii Coss. (2n=14, DD) is a rich source of disease resistance genes for the improvement of cultivated wheat including several resistance genes against Hessian fly. To date, five Hessian fly resistance genes (H13, H22, H23, H24, and H26) have been transferred from Ae. tauschii to common wheat (Triti- cum aestivum L.). In this study, we attempted the trans- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 449 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) fer of four genes H22 (1D), H23 (6DS), H24 (3DL), and H26 (4D) from T. aestivum D genome onto A genome chromosomes of T. turgidum. The T. aestivum resistant parents WGRC01 (H22 on 1D), WGRC03 (H23 on 6DS), WGRC06 (H24 on 3DL), and WGRC26 (H26 on 4D) were crossed with T. turgidum cv. Langdon di- somic substitution lines LDN 1D(1A), LDN 6D(6A), LDN 3D(3A), and LDN 4D(4A). We targeted the transfer of Hessian fly resistance genes into D-genome sub- stitution chromosomes of T. turgidum by homologous recombination. In total 88 crosses were made. The re- sulting F1 plants (345 seeds) were backcrossed with the LDN 5D(5B) substitution line in which chromosome 5B is absent and replaced by a pair of 5D chromo- somes with the objective of transferring D genome Hessian fly resistance genes onto A or B genomes of T. turgidum by homoeologous recombination. A total of 2,053 segregating BC1F1 plants were tested for Hessian fly resistance, and the resistant plants (1,132) were backcrossed again with LND 5D(5B) to produce BC2F1 and selfed to produce BC1F2. In the BC1F1 populations, 24 families segregated for an excess of resistant plants than the expected 1:1 resistant to susceptible plants suggesting that they were putative A-D genome positive recombinants. Mapping analy- sis using microsatellites was used in these families to identify recombinants between A- and D- genome chromosomes. The data indicated that H22 recombi- nants were recovered consisting of the distal part of the short arm of 1A, the proximal of 1DS, and the complete long arm of 1D. The recombinant can be described as T1AS-1DS.1DL. The recombinant involv- ing H23 probably consisted of the whole short arm of 6D and the long arm of 6A, and is described as T6DS.6AL. The centromeric marker indicated that this recombinant has the centromere from chromosome 6A. In addition, monosomic substitution lines were re- covered for the remaining resistance genes H24 and H26. These monosomic substitution lines are useful germplasm for further manipulation aimed at trans- ferring genes H24 and H26 to durum wheat. Key- words: Triticum turgidum, Triticum aestivum, Aegilops tauschii, Hessian fly, induced homoeologous recombi- nation, microsatellites mapping. O3. Analysis of Genetic Diversity Among Safflower Ac- cessions of Different Origins Using Agro-Morphological Traits and ISSR Markers Karim Houmanat1,2*, Jamal Charafi1, Hamid Mazouz2, Mohamed El Fechtali1, and Abdelghani Nabloussi1§ 1 INRA, Research Unit of Plant Breeding and Plant Genetic Resources Conservation, CRRA of Meknes, P.O. Box 578, Meknes, Morocco; 2 University Moulay Ismail, Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Meknes, Morocco. *Pre- senting author: k.houmanat@gmail.com. §Correspom- ding Author: abdelghani.nabloussi@gmail.com. Abstract Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is one of the oil- seed crops that have important agronomic and en- vironmental benefits, mainly adaptation to arid and semi-arid environmental conditions. This enables it to be a good alternative oilseed crop for Morocco and other Mediterranean countries which are exposed to an increased climate change trend. The present study aimed to evaluate 61 safflower accessions, from dif- ferent geographical origins, for agronomic, morpho- logical, phenological, pathological and technological attributes. In addition, molecular analysis, using ISSR markers, was carried out to characterize these acces- sions which were planted in two consecutive years, 2013 and 2014, in INRA-Experimental Station of Douyet. Results obtained for agro-morphological study exhibited a large variability among the genetic material evaluated. Hence, average seed yield was about 2 t/ha, with a variation from 1.14 to 4.3 t/ ha. Seed oil content varied between 22% and 39%. Significant differences were also observed among the accessions for their flowering time, their resistance to brown rust and broomrape, for the color of the petals and for their spinesness. Results of molecular analysis showed that a high number of reproducible ISSR bands exhibited a high percentage of polymor- phism, indicating a high genetic diversity among the material studied. Polymorphic profiles were identified according to an index of genetic diversity, generally variable according to the genotypes, from 0.13 to 0.40, with an average of 0.23. Dendrogram similar- ity relationships revealed some clustering according to different genetic pools. The ascending hierarchi- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 450 cal classification (AHC) of molecular data showed two large distinct groups and four subgroups, whilst AHC of agro-morphological data revealed two large distinct groups with a very high level of similarity (0.977). By analyzing and comparing both AHC, one could observe that classification of some accessions in one group is almost similar for both dendrograms. The findings of this study were very interesting and would be useful for safflower breeding program in Morocco as well as in other countries of the world. Keywords: Genetic Resources, Safflower, Variability, Genetic Pools. O4. Assessment of Codling Moth Sensitivity (Cydia po- monella L.) to Certain Insecticides Used in Apple Or- chards in Morocco, Azrou Region Salma El Iraqui1*, Ahmed El Bakkali1, and M’Hamed Hmimina2§ 1 National Institute of Agricultural Research, Meknès Regional Center, BP 578, Meknès, Morocco; 2 Zool- ogy Department, Institut Agronomique et Véterinaire Hassan II, B.P. 6202, Rabat, Morocco. *Presenting Author: iraquisalma@gmail.com. §Corresponding Au- thor: hmimina@yahoo.fr. Abstract The codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), is the key pest of apple production worldwide. In Morocco, there is a sustainable presence of codling moth causing consid- erable damage in apple orchards despite frequent applications of broad spectrum insecticides. At Az- rou region (Morocco), the chemical control is widely and massively used (12 to 15 treatments per season) exclusively to control this pest. This technique seems to be in the advantage of the insect since the traps captures are usually exceeding the action threshold. The failure of codling moth control in the Azrou or- chards led us to examine the insect sensitivity to some insecticides and explore the mechanisms implied in their detoxification. The efficacy of azinphos-methyl, chlorpyriphos-ethyl, diflubenzuron, thiacloprid, me- thoxyfenozide, spinosad, and deltamethrin, was eval- uated on neonate larvae and compared with a labo- ratory sensitive strain. Toxicological tests showed that the populations tested are developing a resistance. In fact, biotests established a decrease of sensitivity for 5 products out of 7 and exhibited the presence of a cross-resistance between the organophosphates, the benzoylureas, the pyrethroids, the neonicotinoids and the diacilhydrazines. This resistance is mainly linked to the esterase activity unlike the mixed- function oxidase activity which was the same between local and sensitive strains. Finally, the kdr mutation, linked to deltamethrin resistance, was found with a low fre- quency in Azrou population attesting that resistance is being selected there.Keywords: Cydia pomonella L, sensitivity, resistance, enzymes, esterase, mixed-func- tion oxidase, kdr. O5. Using Amplicon Sequencing Analysis to Decipher the Microbiome for Date Palm “Bayoud” Disease Sup- pression in Suppressive Soils Adil Essarioui1*, Daniel Cameron Schlatter2, Harold Corby Kistler3,4, and Linda Kinkel4 1 National Institute for Agricultural Research, Regional Center of Errachidia, Morocco; 2 USDA, Washington DC, USA; 3 Cereal Lab Disease, USDA-ARS, St Paul, MN, USA; 4 Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, USA. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: essar002@umn.edu. Abstract “Bayoud”, a vascular disease caused by the soilborne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis, is the prin- cipal enemy of date palm trees that put at stake the future of date industry in Morocco. Previous work showed that some soils are naturally suppressive to the disease. However, our knowledge of how Bayoud pathogen is suppressed in these soils is still limited. To improve our understanding of mechanisms by which “Bayoud” is suppressed in suppressive soils, we char- acterized fungal and bacterial community composi- tion and structure in suppressive and conducive soils using amplicon sequencing analysis. Fungal and bac- terial populations were analyzed by amplifying and Illumina sequencing the internal subscribed spacer (ITS1) and the ribosomal (16S) genes, respectively. Results showed that the suppressive soils have greater microbial density and diversity than conducive soils. Additionally, suppressive soils are more enriched in microbial taxa known for their prolific production of antimicrobial compounds such as Fusarium, Aspergil- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 451 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) lus, and diverse Actinomycetes. We hypothesize that “Bayoud” suppression is the results of two comple- mentary mechanisms: competition for nutrients be- tween the pathogen and a highly dense saprophytic microbial community, and antagonism from antibiotic producing microbial taxa. Keywords: Bayoud disease, suppressive soils, amplicon sequencing. O6. Genome Wide Association Studies on Yield Compo- nents Using a Lentil Genetic Diversity Panel Jamin A. Smitchger1, Yu Ma2, Ping Zheng2, Clarice J. Coyne3*, Rebecca J. McGee3, and Doreen Main2 1 Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99194; 2 Department of Horticulture, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99194, USA; 3 United States Department of Ag- riculture, Pullman, WA 99194, USA. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: Clarice.Coyne@ars.usda.gov. Abstract The cool season food legume research community are now at the threshold of deploying the cutting-edge molecular genetics and genomics tools that have led to significant and rapid expansion of gene discovery, knowledge of gene function (including tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses) and genetic improvement of many crop species. We employed two-enzyme genotyping-by-sequencing to genotype a 367 acces- sion lentil diversity panel (USDA Lentil Core Collec- tion) for use in genome wide association studies for yield components. The SNP markers were filtered for a minimum site count of 75% and minimum al- lele frequency of 0.05 resulting in 4,084 total SNPs in the final data set. We will present preliminary SNP marker discovery based on one year of field phenotyping for days to 50% flowering, plant height, height to lowest pod, average seed per pod, pod dehiscence, 90% maturity and seed yield per plant. Concurrent Session VIII: Micropropa- gation & Tissue Culture Co-Chair: Abdelghani Nabloussi, INRA, Moroc- co Co-Chair: Kofi Akamani, Southern Illinois Uni- versity, USA O1. In Vitro Micropropagation of Almond Rootstock Soufana Safih1,2*, A. Bakkali1, N. Ben Bassou1, K. Mak- roum2, and M. Belfaiza2 1 Unité de Recherche Amélioration des Plantes et Conservation des Ressources Phytogénétiques; Cen- tre Régional de Recherche Agronomique de Meknès, Morocco; 2 Laboratoire de Biotechnologie Végétale, Ecologie et Valorisation des écosystèmes, Université Chouaib Dokkali, El Jadida, Morocco. *Correspond- ing and Presenting Author: soufana.safih@gmail.com. Abstract almond tree can produce in difficult conditions such as drought, salinity… due to the rootstock resistance and tolerance. Many micropropagation protocols were developed for almond rootstock; It’s a suit- able and fast method for obtaining a large number of genetically identical plants. The objective of the present work was to evaluate different protocols of almond micropropagation rootstock under the same condition to see the more efficient method. In shoot multiplication, two mediums were evaluated MS (Mu- rashige & Skoog 1962) and QL (Quoirin & Lepiovre, 1977) Supplemented with variable combination of IBA and BAP. the best shoot proliferation was ob- served through the mean number of shoots and the mean shoot length; To see the efficient protocols to in- crease the shoot length MS was added with BAP and with GA separately. Rooting is considered a critical stage in Prunus sp. Micropropagation; The routing ef- fect of various concentrations of IBA and ANA added to 1/2 MS medium was compared; The best method corresponds to the highest in vitro rooting rate as well as root number per shoot. Keywords: Prunus, micro- propagation , rootstock, almond. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 452 O2. Micropropagation of local “Beldi” Almond Eco- types Mohamed Addi*, S. Kodad, R. Melhaoui, H. Serghini, A. Elamrani, A. Mihamou, and M. Abid LBPM Laboratoire, Faculté des Sciences, Université Mohammed Premier, Oujda, Morocco. *Correspond- ing and Presenting Author: mohamedaddi78@gmail. com. Abstract The almond tree, after the olive tree, is the fruit-bear- ing species, which occupies the most surface in Mo- rocco. In the Eastern region of Morocco, the almond tree occupies a surface of 26,000 ha producing 14 to 15% of the national production out of almonds (1). Many native almond trees (local ecotypes) are still grown in the north eastern region of the coun- try and new species have been introduced particu- larly cultivars imported from France and Spain. Local genetic resources have not yet been systematically conserved. The conventional methods of maintaining fruit-tree crops, both of local ecotypes and intro- duced cultivars, for germplasm preservation for long periods require extensive space and labour. Tissue culture has been exploited to maintain genetic vari- ability of local ecotypes from which crop plants could be improved, to produce healthy planted materials and to increase the number of desirable germplasm useful for almond breeding program (2). The present study was performed to determine the best combina- tion of some growth regulators for the in vitro germi- nation of isolated zygotic embryos in newly harvest- ed Beldi almond seeds. Preliminary results showed multiple shoot initiation on MS medium containing 30 gl-1 sucrose, 1 mgl-1 BAP and 8 gl-1 agar. Keywords : Micropropagation, almond, Beldi ecotypes, genetic variability, tissue culture. (1) Veille économique-Secteur amandier 2017, Minisère de l’agriculture et de la pèche maritime. http://www.agriculture.gov.ma/pages/rapports- statistiques/campagne-agricole-2015-2016 (2) Conservation of Biodiversity Through Tissue culture Sujata Mathur Research and Reviews: Journal of Mi- crobiology and Biotechnology Volume 2 | Issue 3 | July – September, 2013. O3. Demonstration of the Neutralizing Effect of Lumbri- cus terrestris on pH Abdellatif El Harti and Mohammed Raouane* Reserch Team : Lumbricidae, Improving Soil Productiv- ity and Environment (LAPSE), Centre « Eau, Ressources Naturelles, Environnement et Développement Dura- ble (CERN2D) » Mohammed V University in Rabat, Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS), Avenue Mohamed Belhassan El Ouazani, B.P. 5118, Takaddoum, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: mo- hamed_raouane@yahoo.fr. Abstract This study attempts to clarify the role of Lumbricus ter- restris in the regulation of soil pH. The experimental approach adopted for this study involved using fast- ing worms following a totally in vitro protocol, which made it possible to rule out all possible interference with the soil components. Immersion of the worms in the reaction solutions at different pHs allowed the de- limitation of a tolerance zone between pH = 2 and pH = 12. In this zone, the more the pH deviates from the neutrality (6≤pH≤8), the more intense the worms’ reaction, and the more the production of cutaneous excretions becomes abundant. There is a tendency to progressively neutralize the reaction solutions. The regular spraying of the worms with the same reaction solutions made it possible to observe that the more the pH deviates from neutral, the greater the varia- tion in the weight of the live worms. This drop in the fresh weight of the worms is indicative of the release of cutaneous excretion under the effect of pH. The neutralizing power is all the more important as the fresh weight of the worms is substantial. The applica- tion of cutaneous excretions alone obtained by stimu- lation with petroleum ether causes the neutralization of the acidic and basic reaction solutions. Given these results, it can be said that in nature, Lumbricus ter- restris would directly affect the pH of the soil through its skin excretion. The pH factor is a determining fac- tor in soil productivity and the distribution of plant groups. Conditions of high soil acidity or alkalinity significantly affect plant growth because of the ef- fect of pH on the solubility of mineral elements and their uptake by the root system. In fact, the majority of cultivated plants grow in soils with a pH close to A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 453 neutrality. The neutralizing effect of cutaneous excre- tion of Lumbricus terrestris would explain the positive role that earthworms play in plant production. Key- words: Lumbricus terrestris, Cutaneous excretion, pH, Neutralizing effect. O4. Valorization of Essential Oils of Oregano and Eu- calyptus in vitro and in vivo Biological Control of Fire Blight caused by Erwinia amylovora Afaf Ameur1,2*, Naima Rhallabi2, Houda Benchnikh1,3, Marie Epiphane Doussomo1,3, Abdellatif Benbouaz- za1, My Mustapha Ennaji2, and El Hassan Achbani1§ 1 Laboratory of Bacteriology and Biocontrol, Plant Protection Unit- INRA-Meknes Morocco; 2 Labora- tory of Virology, Microbiology, Hygiene and Bioac- tive Molecules and Quality/Eco-Toxicology and Bio- diversity, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Hassan II, Mohammedia, University Mohammedia, Morocco; 3 Departement of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Kenitra, Morocco. *Presenting Author: afaf.ameur@gmail.com. §Corresponding Author: achbani105@gmail.com. Abstract Fire blight is a disease caused by Erwinia amylovora, which affects several plant species, mainly belong- ing to the rosaceae family and ornamental maloids. In Morocco, fire blight made its first appearance in 2006 in the region of Meknes. Since then, it has led to significant economic losses and in the absence of ef- fective control of this disease, research has now been turning to biological control. The present work aims to evaluate the effectiveness of different essential oils in vitro and in vivo against E. amylovora. Essential oils are extracted from aromatic and medicinal plants us- ing the hydrodistillation technique. The minimum inhib- itory concentrations were determined by the dilution method in the liquid medium. And also Tests were per- formed also in vivo on immature fruit of pear and in the field against the bacterium E.amylovora. For the in vitro test, most essential oils show strong antibac- terial activity at very low concentrations. The choice is focused on oregano and eucalyptus, in particular, exert an antibacterial effect against the pathogen; they inhibit the development of E. amylovora with inhibition percentages respectively of 78.37% and 63.27%. The MIC and MBC of the oils vary between 32 and 10 µg/ml and the MBC/MIC ratio shows that both oils are bacteriolytic. For the in vivo test, the oils have been shown to be remarkably effective on im- mature pear fruit and at the field level. Keywords: Erwinia amylovora, rosaceae, biological control, es- sential oils, oregano, eucalyptus. O5. Influence of Application of Silicon on Black Cumin (Nigella Sativa L.) Cultivation in Salt stressed environ- ments Jamila Fahimi1,2*, Fouad Achemchem1, Zakia Bouzou- baâ2, Nabil Saffaj1, Rachid Bouharroud2, and Rachid Mamouni1. 1 Team of Materials, Catalysis and Natu- ral Resources Development, Department of Chemistry, University Ibn Zohr, FSA. Agadir; 2 Agrophysiology & Post Harvest Laboratory Natural Resources and Lo- cal Product Research Unity, CRRA-Agadir, INRA, Mo- rocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: jamila. fahimi@edu.uiz.ac.ma /f.achemchem@uiz.ac.ma. Abstract Salinity is a harmful abiotic factor to agricultural pro- duction particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. In salt conditions almost every physiological and bio- chemical pathway in the plants are affected. The application of silicon is considered as an alternative approach to mitigate salt stress in plants. For that, this research aims to study the influence of silicon on Black Cumin Nigella sativa (L) cultivation grown under three concentrations of salinity (0, 50 and 100 mM). The Results showed a significant decrease of photosyn- thetic pigments contents, the ratio K/Na and biomass in salt conditions. While, the addition of silicon acted positively in Nigella sativa (L). Keywords: Silicon; Ni- gella sativa (L); Salinity; Tolerance. O6. Breeding Effect on Grain Yield and Protein Content of Six Moroccan Durum Wheat Varieties Released Dur- ing the Last Three Decades Abdelali Boussakouran1*, El Hassan Sakar1, Mohamed El Yamani1, Mouna Taghouti2, and Yahia Rharrabti1 1 Laboratory of Natural Resources and Environment, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Taza, Unviersity Sidi Mo- hamed Ben Abdellah, Taza, Morocco; 2 National Ag- ricultural Research Institute (INRA), BP 6356, Rabat, A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 454 Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: boussakouran@yahoo.fr. Abstract Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) is an important crop in Mediterranean environments where yield potential is usually constrained by drought stress and requires efforts towards the release of new va- rieties not only more productive, but also offering im- proved yield stability across a range of environmental conditions. The present work aims to explore breeding effects during the last three decades on grain yield and protein content of six Moroccan durum wheat va- rieties grouped in old, intermediate and modern and subjected to two contrasting environments (irrigated and rainfed) during 2016-17 crop season. Measure- ments consisted in the following parameters: grain yield (GY) and its components spikes per square me- ter (SM2), grain per spike (GS), and thousand grain weight(TGW); protein content (PC); yield components were determined as: plant height (HP) and harvest index (HI). Analyses of variance demonstrated the predominance of water regime effect on the major- ity of investigated traits since it explained more than 77% of their total variance. Breeding effects on GY was marked by a genetic gain of 179 kg.ha-1.yr-1 under favorable conditions but a significant loss of 66 kg.ha-1.yr-1 under stressed conditions. Old va- rieties displayed a relative yield stability across en- vironments compared to modern ones which had a bad performance under water shortage conditions. On the contrary, PC showed a significant genetic gain under both irrigated and rainfed condition (0.084 %.yr-1 and 0.096 %.yr-1, respectively). Under rain- fed conditions, correlation analyses revealed that GY was positively correlated to SM2 (r = 0.952**), PH (r = 0.829*) and TGW, (r = 0.934**). However, a negative association was shown between GY and PC (r = -0.897*). Regarding irrigated treatment, GY was highly dependent on its main components SM2 (r = 0.935**) and positively correlated to PC (r = 0.901*), however GY was negatively associated to PH (r = -0.871*) and TGW (r = -0.960**). Relation- ship between GY and PC was of a curious pattern. In fact, while under favorable conditions increases in GY were accompanied by higher levels of PC, the op- posite was observed under stressed conditions where higher GY was obtained in detriment of good grain quality (lower PC). Keywords: durum wheat, grain yield, protein content, breeding effects, Morocco. Session IX: US-Morocco Research & Higher Education Collaboration Co-Chair: Khalid Meksem, Southern Illinois Uni- versity, USA Co-Chair: Ahmed Bouaziz, IAV, Morocco O1. The Moroccan American Commission for Education- al & Cultural Exchange Mission. The Fulbright Mission in Morocco. James Miller. The Moroccan American Commission for Educational & Cultural Exchange (MACECE), Rabat, Morocco. Abstract Not Provided. O2. Application Process to the Graduate School at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA Oumaima Chetto IAV Hassan II, Rabat, Morocco. Propsective Graduate Student: Department of Plant, Soil, and Agricultural Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Illinois University, USA. Abstract Not provided. O3. Meeting Challenges and Demands of Agriculture through Research, Education and Outreach and a Need for More Young People Karen Stoelzle Midden*. College of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Illinois Uni- versity, Carbondale, Illinois, USA. *Presenting and cor- responding Author: kmidden@siu.edu. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 455 Abstract There is a new paradigm for professional and schol- arly demands in agriculture yet much of the public, especially students, fail to be aware of the critical need and exciting opportunities in these expanding areas. Today’s global agriculture encompasses tradi- tional farming and now also includes much broader practices and challenges. The need to address grow- ing global population, urbanization, climate change and other world developments has inspired scientist, humanitarians, planners and leaders to seek agricul- ture practices to serve our changing society. These practices include alternative food systems and se- curities, urban agriculture, new seed development, food engineering, conservation of natural resources, recreation, and other areas connected to economics, politics, social, cultural, environmental, mental and physical human health; each that demand attention in education and research. To meet the demands and challenges, it is critical to engage talented students to pursue careers in research, education and industry for the future of agriculture. Data from the United States Department of Agriculture states that, in the US alone, an average of nearly 58,000 high-skilled agriculture and related job openings are expected annually with only 35,000 graduates qualified to fill those positions. (https://www.purdue.edu/usda/em- ployment/). There is a need for more young people to pursue their education, research and careers in agriculture. This presentation will discuss today’s ag- riculture as it relates to educational opportunities to prepare students for meaningful careers in agricul- ture, agriculture programs at Southern Illinois Univer- sity and potential collaboration between Southern Illi- nois University and Moroccan universities to serve the global agriculture community. Keywords: agriculture research, careers in agriculture, graduate education, employability, global agriculture. O4. Advice to Graduate Students Khalid Meksem* Southern Illinois University, USA. *Presenting and cor- responding Author: meksem@siu.edu. Abstract Not provided. Concurrent Session X: Plant Pathol- ogy, Nematology, and Disease Resistance Co-Chair: Lamia Ghaouti, IAV, Morocco Co-Chair: Mustapha El Bouhssini, ICARDA, Ra- bat, Morocco O1. Current Status of the Root-Knot Nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) Attacking Vegetable Crops in the Souss Region of Morocco Fouad Mokrini1*, Soukaina Janati2, Abdellah Houari2, Aicha El Aissami3, Ahmeh Wifaya1, Abdelaziz Mimou- ni1, and Mohamed Sbaghi4 1 Integrated Crop Protection Research Unit, Nema- tology Laboratory, INRA, Agadir, Morocco; 2 Fac- ulté Polydisciplinaire de Taroudant, Laboratoire des Biotechnologies, Valorisation et Environnement, Uni- versity Ibn Zohr, Taroudant, Morocco ; 3 Faculté des Sciences, Université Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco; 4 National Institute of Agronomic Research, Scientific Division, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Pre- senting Author: fmokrini.inra@gmail.com. Abstract Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp. ; RKN) are the most common nematodes attacking vegetable crops and causing serious damage worldwide. There- fore, we aimed to review the current status and im- pacts of this nematode on vegetable crops in the Saiss region of Morocco. The earliest report of nematodes attacking vegetable crops in Morocco was in 1982, by Janati, who recorded the presence of four spe- cies of Meloidogyne, M. javanica, M. incognita, M. arenaria and M. hapla. Since then and up to now sev- eral surveys of nematodes associated with vegetable crops were conducted and revealed the presence of four species. However these surveys were limited and primitive since not all vegetable crops production ar- eas were sampled to detect RKN. An intensive survey of RKN was conducted on vegetable crops growing A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 456 regions of Sous-Massa and showed that the root-kont nematodes (RKN) were detected in seventy-five out of 87 localities sampled (= 86%). Four species were detected, viz. M. javanica, M. incognita, M. arenaria and M. hapla. Both M. javanica, M. incognita were the most dominant species. The highest density of J2 of Meloidogyne spp. was recorded in Khmit Ait Amira with 349 J2 (Meloidogyne spp.) (100 g soil)- 1. In view of the estimates of nematode densities obtained in this survey, once can assume that this genus dam- age vegetable crops in many cases. Field studies on the population dynamics and the damage function are necessary to estimate the economic impact of this nematode on vegetable crops in the Souss region. The current status of RKN on vegetable crops in the Souss region is advanced and much work is needed on the distribution, damage threshold and on the manage- ment issues. Keywords : Root-kont nematodes, Veg- etables crops, Survey, Souss-Massa. O2. A New Source of Resistance to Hessian Fly (May- etiola destructor (Say)) in Durum Wheat (Triticum du- rum Desf.) Hajar Brahmi1,2*, M. El Bouhssini2, F. Bassi2, S. El Haloui3, A. Sabraoui2, K. El Fakhouri2, and A. Lazraq1 1 Laboratory of Functional Ecology and Environment, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Tech- nology, Fez, Morocco; 2 International Center for Ag- ricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Rabat, Morocco; 3 National Institute of Agronomic Research, Regional Center of Settat, INRA, CRRA, Settat, Mo- rocco. *Presenting and corresponding Author: hajar. brahmi01@gmail.com. Abstract Durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) is a major compo- nent of human diet worldwide, and is grown over 1 million ha in Morocco. However, this crop suffers from numerous pests, in particular Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor (Say)) causing serious economic damage. The use of resistance cultivars has been the economic and environmentally friendly approach to protect wheat from pest damage. Several resistant varieties to Hessian fly have been developed and registered in the Moroccan catalogue. However, because of the development of virulent biotypes, there is a need for continuous search of new sources of resistance. The present study was carried out under controlled condi- tions at INRA in Settat for two years (Spring 2015 -2016) to screen a collection of 380 genotypes of durum wheat. Promising genotypes from the initial screening were re-evaluated for confirmation in rep- licated trials. The results of phenotypic identification revealed one source of resistance to this pest. Ge- netic studies of this new source will be undertaken to determine if this genotype carries a new gene for resistance to Hessian fly in Morocco. Keywords: Durum wheat, Hessian fly, resistance, screening. O3. Morphological, Pathogenic and Molecular Char- acterization of Rhizoctonia solani Strains Isolated from Potato Tubers Imad Kotba1,2,3*, Mohammed Achouri1, Amina Ouaz- zani Touhami2, Allal Douira2, and El Hassan Achbani3 1 IAV, Complexe Horticole, Agadir, Morocco; 2 Labo- ratoire de Botanique, Biotechnologie et de Protection des Plantes, Faculté des Sciences, Université Ibn To- fail, Kenitra, Morocco; 3 Laboratoire de Phytobacte- riologie et de Lutte Biologique du CRRA de l’INRA, Meknès, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: imad.kotba@gmail.com. Abstract Rhizoctonia solani Kühn [teleomorph: Thanatephorus cucumeris (Frank) Donk.] is an important fungal patho- gen widespread in all potato growing areas of the world that causes stem canker and black scurf of po- tato (Solanum tuberosum L.). The aim of this study was to find a simple and reliable technique for determin- ing the pathogenicity of Rhizoctonia solani isolates. For this purpose, sixty isolates of R. solani obtained from sclerotia on potato tubers, collected from dif- ferent markets of Agadir and Casablanca regions, were studied for their morphology, pathogenicity and molecular characteristics. They were morphologically characterized by the production of sclerotia and mo- niloïd cells, and by the mycelium growth capacity at 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35°C. This morphological charac- terization leads to three groups of isolates. The first group contained P01 and P03 isolates, which were able to develop under 35°C. However, under 25°C, they didn’t develop sclerotia. The second group, only A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 457 formed by L17.1 isolate, did not form sclerotia un- der 25°C and was not able to develop under 35°C. The third group, formed by several isolates, devel- oped sclerotia under 25°C conditions and were not able to grow under 35°C. Also, a positive correlation was consistent between the production of sclerotia and moniloïd cells formation. The anastomosis reac- tion revealed that P01, P03, L17.1, and L4.1 isolates were identified as AG-4 and AG-3 for the other iso- lates. The pathogenic characterization has shown that P01, P03, L4.1, and L17.1 isolates caused important damping off of radish, tomato, beans, zucchini, and melon. However, the other isolates showed only a mi- nor damping off disease rate. The molecular charac- terization confirmed the classical anastomosis group- ing of the isolates into AG-3 and AG-4 anastomosis groups. The molecular characterization is the most rapid and reliable technique to determine the anas- tomosis group of unknown isolates. The three tests including the pathogenicity, the cultural anastomosis grouping, and the molecular method helped sepa- rating the studied isolates to two groups. Keywords: Rhizoctonia solani, Potato, Anastomosis, Morphology, Pathogenicity, Molecular characteristics. O4. Characterization and Diversity of Plant-Parasitic Nematode Communities Associated with Saffron (Cro- cus sativus L.) in Taliouine-Taznakht (Morocco) and their Relationships with Some Soil Physicochemical Charac- teristics Hinde Benjlil1,2*, K. Elkassemi1, Z. Ferji1, E. Mayad2, and K. Cherifi2 1 IAV Hassan II, Campus d’Agadir, Département de Protection des Plantes, BP 18, Agadir, Morocco ; 2 Université Ibn Zohr, Faculté des Sciences, Départe- ment de Biologie, Laboratoire Biotechnologie et Val- orisation des Ressources Naturelles, BP 8106, Aga- dir, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: hinde.benjlil@gmail.com. Abstract Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN) are the most de- structive group of plant pathogens in the world, and they are an economically important group of soil pathogens. Moreover, they cause 12.3% losses to agricultural products worldwide. Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) considered as the most expensive spice in the globe; it has been grown in Morocco for centuries in the region of Taliouine-Taznakht. This latter, has a great saffron reputation nationally and internation- ally. The Saffron’s crop receives increased attention and cultivation according to Morocco’s green plan. As this situation may increases Saffron crop sensitivity to many pathogens as well as plant parasitic nema- todes (PPN). In order to manage this bioagressors a study of their biodiversity is necessary. In this con- text, nematode communities were characterized in 163 soil samples collected from 11 rural communes in different altitude. Fifteen genera were identified belonging to 12 families; four genera of PPN con- sidered to be harmful for saffron were detected: Ditylenchus, Helicotylenchus, Pratylenchus, and Aph- elenchoides. Their frequencies are respectively 92 %; 31%; 63%, and 43% in Taliouine; while in Taznakht, 92%; 21%; 64%, and 56%. Regarding assessing the diversity of (PPN) associated with saffron in all sites, the genus richness (G) ranged from 3 to 9 whereas Shannon diversity index (H’) varies from 0, 9 to 1, 47 and Evenness (E) tends to 1. The relationship between plant-parasitic nematodes and the soil physicochemi- cal properties were investigated with principal com- ponent analysis and co-inertia analysis. Keywords: Frequency; diversity; plant parasitic nematodes; saf- fron; Taliouine Taznakht. O5. Evaluation of Diverse Sets of Barley Germplasm for Resistance to Scald Disease (Rhynchosporium secalis) Houda Hiddar1,2*, Sajid Rehman2, Zakaria Kehel2, Athanasios Tsivelikas2, Ramesh P.S. Verma2, Ab- delkarim Filali-Maltouf1, and Ahmed Amri2 1 Microbiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Moham- med V university, Rabat, Morocco; 2 International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Pre- senting Author: hiddar.houda@gmail.com. Abstract Leaf Blotch, also known as scald, is one of the most destructive diseases of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.); caused by the haploid imperfect fungus Rhynchospo- rium secalis. Scald is widely distributed throughout the A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 458 world and can cause 40% reduction in grain yield. The use of resistant cultivars remains to be the most effective, economical and environmental friendly way to control the disease but the genetic resistance to Moroccan isolates is poorly understood and only few sources of resistance have been identified. This study aims at the identification of new and effective sourc- es of resistance to scald within various subsets: Best bet subset selected using the Focused Identification of Germplasm Strategy (FIGS; 80 accessions), refer- ence set identified within the Generation Challenge Program (GCP; 204 accessions), and an associa- tion mapping panel (284 accessions) developed by ICARDA breeders. All the accessions were sown and evaluated at seedling stage under controlled condi- tions. We have found that of the 568 barley acces- sions tested, 78 barley accessions (14%) were found to be resistant, 86 accessions (15%) to be moderate- ly resistant, 104 accessions (18%) to be susceptible, and103 accessions (18%) to be highly susceptible, respectively. Most of the resistant accessions (125; 22%) showed immune reaction. These new sources of resistance will be a useful resource for resistance bar- ley breeding programs around the world. Keywords: Barley, Scald, Rhynchosporium secalis, resistance. O6. Diversity and Distribution of Entomopathogenic Nematodes in Morocco Youssef Ben Seddik1,2*, Abdelali Blenzar1, Abdel- malek Boutaleb Joutei2, and Said Amiri2 1 College of Sciences, University of Moulay Ismaïl, Meknes, Morocco; 2 National School of Agriculture, Meknes, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Au- thor: benseddikyoussef@gmail.com. Abstract A survey was carried out in three Moroccan regions: Saïs, Middle Atlas and Tafilalet. The aim of the sur- vey was the selection of Moroccan isolates of Ento- mopathogenic Nematodes (EPN) for their use in bio- logical control against soil-dwelling pests. 169 soil samples were tested for the presence of EPN by Gal- leria baiting technique. 14 EPN isolates were found in 13 soil samples (2 isolates were found in the same sample): 8 isolates are Heterorhabditidae nematodes and 6 isolates are Steinernematidae nematodes. Soils where EPN were found differ as regards some char- acters (texture, pH and organic matter content). Key- words: Entomopathogenic nematodes, Galleria bait- ing technique, Heterorhabditidae, Steinernematidae. Concurrent Session XI: Walter Man- agement & Uses Resistance Co-Chair: Abdelaziz Mimouni, INRA, Agadir, Morocco Co-Chair: Meryem El Mrini, IAV, Rabat, Morocco O1. The Public-Private Partnership in Irrigation: What is the Impact on the Technical Efficiency of Citrus Farms in the Souss-Massa Region? Nassreddine Maatala1*, Aziz Fadlaoui2, Philippe Leb- ailly3, and Majid Benabdellah4 1 Hassan II Agronomy and Veterinary Institute, Rabat, Morocco; 2 INRA, Regional Agricultural Research Cen- ter of Meknes, P.O. Box 578, Meknes, Morocco; 3 De- partment of Economics and rural sociology, Gembloux Agro-Bio-Tech, University of Liege, Belgium; 4 Depart- ment of Social Sciences, Hassan II Agronomy and Vet- erinary Institute, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: m.nassreddine@gmail.com. Abstract The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) is a cooperative arrangement that allows the Government to entrust to a private company some public facilities or incor- poreal investments from conception to management for a specific period. In the irrigation sector, this type of partnership appeared in 2005 and concerned the El Guerdane project in the Souss-Massa area. Since then, the Government has continued to imple- ment other projects all over the country. However, the existing literature consulted allowed us to identify a significant deficit in the evaluation and the impact of such projects on farm performance as well as the use of water resources. The aim of this research is to evaluate the impact of two irrigation modes related to water service management on the technical perfor- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 459 mance of citrus farms, which are in our case the PPP mode adopted in the El Guerdane project and the conventional mode whose management is entrusted to a public institution. The selected sample includes 120 farms located in the two perimeters of El Guerdane and Issen. Apart from the fact that Issen perimeter is managed by the Regional Office for Agricultural Development of Souss-Mass, the two perimeters have similar pedo-climatic conditions of production main- ly because of their proximity. In addition, the citrus growers in both areas adopt the same production technology. The farms in our sample were selected using the propensity score matching method, and the estimation of efficiency scores was performed using the parametric stochastic frontier approach to the production by the Frontier 4.1 software. The results revealed that technical efficiency scores range from 16% to 92% for all farms selected in our sample. The average technical efficiency is 68%. Basically, this re- sult demonstrates that there is still room for increased production without additional input from factors of production including irrigation water. Furthermore, the determinants analysis shows that El Guerdane’s farms are relatively more technically efficient than Issen’s farms. Also, It has been found that member- ship of professional organizations contributes to the improvement of technical efficiency. In view of these results, it is recommended that the agricultural council structures intensify their support by targeting the least efficient farms. Keywords : Public-Private Partnership, Irrigation, Technical efficiency, El Guerdane project. O2. Plant Water Status Changes Induced by Water Defi- cit during Phenological Growth Stages of Young Olive Trees (Olea Europaea L.) Grown in Northern Morocco Mohamed El Yamani*, El Hassan Sakar, Abdelali Boussakouran, and Yahia Rharrabti. Laboratory of Natural Resources and Environment, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Taza, B.P 1223, Taza-Gare, University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah, Taza, Morocco. *Corre- sponding and Presenting Author: elyamani.med90@ gmail.com and mohammed.elyamani@usmba.ac.ma. Abstract The present work investigates plant water status changes of young olive trees (Olea europaea L.) belonging to three Moroccan varieties (Moroccan Picholine, Menara and Haouzia) grown under three water regimes namely T100 (unstressed), T50 (me- dium stress) and T0 (high stress) in northern Morocco (Taza Province). Leaf relative water content (LRWC), water potential (ψw), and stomatal conductance (gs), were measured during the principal growth stages; dormancy (BBCH code: 00), leaf development (Code: 15), flowering (Code: 65), fruit development (Code: 71), and fruit maturity (Code: 81) for the growing season 2015-2016. ANOVA analyses showed that the three traits examined were mainly influenced by the water regime and the phenological growth stage; LRWC and ψw were under the effect of both factors in equal proportion, while gs was mostly affected by the water regime. Impacts of variety and interactions were of a very minor magnitude. Water deficit re- duced LRWC by an amount of 12% in high stressed olive plants, while ψw and gs were more affected with a reduction of 34%. The maximum reduction was shown during fruit development. Between pheno- logical growth stages, the highest values of the three traits were recorded during dormant stage, whilst the lowest values were observed at fruit development stage. Among varieties, no significant differences were shown for gs, whereas Menara and Moroccan Picholine displayed the lowest values for LRWC and ψw, respectively. Relationships among water status traits highlighted a close positive correlations be- tween them (r>0.90***). Stage-to-stage fluctuations in rainfall and temperatures and water needs, and adaptive mechanism of olive trees under water defi- cit could explain the findings. Keywords: Olea Euro- paea L., growth stage, water deficit, water status. O3. Effects of Water Regime and Organic Amendment on Flowering Capacity, Growth and Development of Replacement Corms of Saffron Under Different Planting Densities Youssef Karra1*, Abdelghani Tahiri1, Ahmed Wi- faya1, Mohammed Amine Serghini2, and Abdelaziz Mimouni1 1 Research Unit “Natural Resources and Local Prod- ucts”, INRA, CRRA, Agadir, Morocco; 2 Biotechnology and Natural Resources Valorization Lab, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 460 Agadir, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Au- thor: youssef.karra@gmail.com. Abstract In Morocco, saffron cultivation is mainly located in Tali- ouine region (95%), it’s a mountainous area (>1500m of altitude) characterized by a semi-arid climate. Saf- fron is organically grown where local corms are multi- plied to serve as a propagation material. The number and size of corms are main parameters for saffron yield expression which is affected by water supply, replacement corms intensity and organic amendment rates. The objective of this study is to study the effect of planting density, irrigation and compost amend- ment on growth and yield of saffron. Corms were planted according to four levels of planting densities (25, 50,100 and 140 corms.m-2) in two trials plot. In the first plot, different water regimes were allocated to different percentages of evapotranspiration ref- erence (100%, 75%, 50% and 30 % of ETo). In the second plot, compost was amended twice at different rates. The results obtained showed that the irrigation regime at 75% ETo allowed a significant efficiency on corm and stigma yields, the high planting densi- ties revealed a positive effect on number of corms and shoots, although, low densities showed interesting results on corms multiplication rate.On the other hand, the compost amendment had a positive effect on corm development by promoting their multiplication, to the extent that the second input was benefic for the development phase of replacement corms. Finally, the choice of the optimum planting density and the ap- propriate irrigation and amendment rate is extremely crucial to ensure good growth and a significant yield of saffron as a perennial crop. Keywords: Saffron of Taliouine, planting density, corms multiplication, water regime, organic amendment. O4. Adaptive Strategies in Date Palm Revealed by Con- focal Imaging Technologies Ting Ting Xiao* and Ikram Blilou§ Plant Cell and Developmental Biology, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thu- wal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. *Presenting Author: tingting.xiao@kaust.edu.sa. §Corresponding Author: Ikram.blilou@kaust.edu.sa. Abstract Date palm are confronted by harsh environmental conditions and have therefore adapted various strat- egies to survive the hostile environment. To unravel the underlying mechanisms of adaptation to desert conditions we conducted a detailed analysis of date palm tissue anatomy at different developmental stag- es. Using confocal imaging we reveal new anatomical features and complex structures in roots, shoot and leaves explaining strategies of adaptation of date palm to desert conditions. O5. Evaluation of spatio-temporal variability of Runoff and Sediment Yield for a Nakhla Watershed Using SWAT Model Roukia Boukhari Taleb1*, Mustapha Naimi1, Mohamed Chikhaoui1, Damien Raclot1,3, Mohammed Sabir2. 1 IAV Hassan II, Rabat, Morocco; 2 Ecole Nationale For- estière d’Ingénieurs, Tabriquet, Salé, Morocco; 3 Insti- tut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR LISAH, Montpellier, France. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: rokia.boukhari.taleb@gmail.com. Abstract Deterioration and degradation are two main factors caused by the increase and intense use of natural re- sources, soil, water as well as the aggressive natu- ral context that affects both quality and quantity. To solve this problem, evaluating the states and evolution over time and space are essential for a planned and a sustainable future to soil and water management. SWAT 2012 (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model was thus implemented on a daily time frame for the Nakhla watershed, which is located at 20 kilometers in the south of the city of Tetouan. Treatment of en- vironmental data (MNT, pedology, satellite imagery and climatic data) has allowed us to describe the nat- ural characteristic of the field at a resolution adapted to the objectives of the study. The adopted methodol- ogy was composed of the combined use of the SWAT agro hydrological model implemented in the QGIS geographical information system open source for op- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 461 erations of analysis and modeling of hydrological processes at the level of the watershed area and of SWAT-CUP tool to optimize the operations of sensitiv- ity and uncertainty analysis. The calibration process was performed on two temporal scales; monthly and daily; and on the two stations Timezouk and Nakhla; and over three periods: warm-up period from 1980 to 1983, calibration period from 1984 to 1990, and the validation period from 1991 to 1994. The results acquired after calibration (NS = 0.8, R² = 0.8) and validation (NS = 0.7, R² = 0.8) at monthly timescale were adequate and presented good level of real- ism in the representation of the interactions between the different compartments of the model; as well as the simulation of the flow rates; and also in assessing the spatial distribution of the importance of erosion across the basin and quantifying sediment yield. Key- words: QGIS, SWAT, Hydrology, Sediment, Nakhla, Morocco. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) POSTER PRESENTATIONS ABSTRACTS WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY MAY 9 & 10, 2018 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 462 P001. In vitro Germination of Orange Tree’s (Citrus si- nensis) Immature Embryos Karim Mahmoudi1,2*, Najat Handaji1, Mohammed Ibriz2, Najat Arsalane1, Tarik Aderdouri1,2, Kawtar Label1,2, and Hamid Benyahya1 1 Laboratoire d’Amélioration et Conservation des Ressources Phytogénétiques, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Kenitra, BP 257, Morocco; 2 Laboratoire de Génétique et Biométrie, Universi- té Ibn Tofail, Faculté des sciences Kenitra. Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: karim1.mah- moudi1@gmail.com. Abstract Oranges constitute the major part of the production of citrus fruit, which Is the most important fruit group in international trade. The creation of new triploid hybrids via the rescue of immature embryos allows diversification of the varietal profile of orange trees. The objective of this study Is to optimize the in vitro germination of immature embryos according to the chemical composition of four in vitro culture media in two variétise of orange trees (Pinéale and Parsons Brown). At the maturity stage, the fruit was harvested and the extracted seeds were classified according to their size. Only small or flat seeds were cultured in a base medium of Murashig and Tuker (MT) under sterile conditions. The different growth regulator con- centrations were tested to obtain the best medium for seedling development: M1 (MT + 1 mg / l GA3), M2 (MT + 1mg / l Kenitin + 0.5 mg / l BAP + 0.1 mg / l ANA), M3 (MT + 25 mg / l adenine sulphate), M4 (MT + 0.5 mg / l Kenitin + 0.5 mg / l BAP + 1 mg / l GA3). For bot Orange variétise Pinéale and Parsons Brown, the germination rate Is maximum in M3 medi- um respective Ly at percentages of 100% and 90%. variétise Be tween 6 and 7 dayas. With respect to growth rate (mm / week), bot variétise knew a varia- tion in the four media. Similarly, the maximum acclima- tion rate in the M1 medium Is 80% and 90% respec- tive Ly for the Pinéale and Parsons Brown variétise. In general, the smaller the embryos, the more sensitive they are to the composition of the culture medium. It Is therefore essential to optimize the components of the medium to promote their growth and their in vitro developments. Therefore, the medium M1 (MT + 1 mg / l GA3) remains the best to promote good germi- nation in short time and a better acclimatizationrate. Keywords: Citrus, Orange tree, triploidy, in vitro ger- mination, immature embryos. P002. The Potential of Cactus Pear as Food and Forage Crop for Sustainable Agriculture in the Arid and Semi- Arid Regions Mohamed Arba* Plant Ecophysiology and Cultures of Arid Zones Labo- ratory, Department of Horticulture, Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine in Agadir, B.P. 121, Ait Melloul 5615, Morocco. *Presenting author: arbamohamed@yahoo.fr. Abstract This paper describes the importance of cactus pear and cladodes as food and forage crop in the arid and semi-arid regions and its worldwide distribution. The importance of cactus pear in the sustainable ag- ricultural systems of the arid and semi-arid regions has been discussed. The physiological features of cactus pear and the importance of this plant in Mo- rocco are presented. The potential of cactus pear as food crop and the contribution of cactus pear fruits and cladodes in the human nutrition are highlighted. The possibilities of valorization of cactus pear to by- products, which enable high income for rural popula- tions and the nutritional value of the fruits and young cladodes as food for human are explained. The for- age resources of the arid and semi-arid regions and the area of cactus pear used for animal feed in the world are presented. The potential of cactus pear as fodder and the nutrients contents in the pads useful for animals are investigated. The possibilities of mix- ing pads with other fodders and food intakes devel- oped for ruminants are suggested. The crude proteins contents and minerals in the cactus pear pads have been studied in southern Morocco regarding their requirements by cows and sheep. Keywords: Sustain- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 463 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) able agriculture; food crop; animal feed; fodder; hu- man nutrition; animal nutrition. P003. Olive Growing for Mitigation of Climatic Chang- es Effects Oumkeltoum Krimi Bencheqroun*, A. Hadiddou, M. Al- ghoum, A. Mekkaoui, and L. Hssaini INRA Meknes, Morocco. *Corresponding and Present- ing Author: oumkaltoumkrimi@yahoo.fr. Abstract The olive tree is one of the emblematic species of the Mediterranean where it has been cultivated for more than 6000 years. In fact, 95% of the world’s olive-growing heritage is in the Mediterranean basin. This tree is known for its great hardiness and its high power of adaptation to the severity of natural condi- tions. Therefore, it is one of the plant species capable of contributing significantly to the mitigation of the effects of climate change and this, thanks to its high tolerance to drought and the high adaptability of its root system to different types soil which gives it its im- portant role in erosion control. Indeed, the olive tree is known among the populations of the Mediterranean as being “THE RICH VEGETABLE OF POOR SOILS”. Indeed, the robustness of its root system, its impor- tant development and its capacity of adaptation to the physicochemical characteristics of the ground, its structure and its texture increase its capacity of fixa- tion of the soil. No need to mention that the olive tree is characterized by a broadly spreading foliage that allows a clear mitigation of the effects of torrential rains on the ground and facilitates, therefore, the infiltration of runoff water. Similarly, the evergreen leaves (which are usually renewed every three years) which characterize the olive tree and which have fine hairs on their underside, simultaneously allow the preservation of moisture and increase the absorp- tion capacity. carbon in the olive tree. Hence its great role as protector of the environment. Genetically, it is one of the plant species that has great richness and remarkable variability. At present, more than 2000 olive varieties have been identified and are culti- vated worldwide. In Spain, 262 varieties have been recorded, 476 varieties in Italy and more than 150 varieties in Algeria. In this plant species, tolerance to drought is a varietal character. Indeed, the level of resistance varies according to the different varieties and according to the pedoclimatic conditions. This is due to the importance of the Genotype X Environment interaction. Hence the interest of comparative trials for the identification of the most successful varieties and best adapted to different climatic conditions. In Morocco, in addition to its ecological role, olive grow- ing is of great socio-economic importance. The latter has always occupied more than half of the national arboreal surface. Recently, the area reserved for ol- ive trees has exceeded 1,000,000 ha. Given the im- portance of the added value of the olive sector on the national economy, the benefits of products, good quality, this tree (table olives and olive oil) on human health, which explain the rise Demand at the national and international levels, Morocco is consciously com- mitted to the extension of the area reserved for olive growing. This relevant choice will give it a good pres- ervation of the environment and a better mitigation of the effects of climate change on the earth and this thanks to the many characteristics and natural characteristics of the blessed tree including the olive tree. Keywords: Olive tree, climactic changes, natural specificities, characteristics, mitigation, preservation, environment. P004. Economic Water Management under Climate Change Impact Elame Fouad1*, Hayat Liounboui1, Doukkali Rachid2 1 Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, Morocco; 2 Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding author : Abstract The recent statistics show a clear downward trend in global and per capita availabilities of water due in particular to climate change. In addition to the recur- ring droughts that Morocco experienced during the last two decades, this tendency is accentuated by an unceasingly increasing demand, in particular under the effect of the demographic pressure and the eco- nomic development. In a context of scarcity and a limitation of potential resources not yet mobilized, Morocco is confronted with the need of changing its supply policy to a demand management one. The A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 464 implementation of such policy requires the adoption of new management instruments and new institutional forms of organization. Accordingly, the present study proposes a tool of modeling and decision-making support which integrates the economic, institutional, hydrological and agronomic aspects. The proposed approach is based on optimization techniques and positive mathematical programming to calibrate an empirical model. Using climate change impact sce- narios, this integrated economic model is tested for the basin of Souss-Massa. These simulations include changes in water availability and economic condi- tions, as well as demand management policy. The study results show that the demand management poli- cy at the river basin level should take into account the regional specificities. The basin’s water resources are substitutable and water management policy cannot ignore this aspect and should integrate surface and groundwater resources at the same time. In drought conditions, the water marginal value ‘shadow price’ increases considerably such that water pricing policy alone cannot result in a rational and a sustainable use of the resource. Keywords: Water resources, climate change, drought, River basin, integrated economic model, scenario. P005. Monitoring Milk Urea Concentrations as Strate- gies to Improve the Efficiency of Nitrogen use in Haouz Dairy Herds in Central Morocco Napoléon Munyaneza* and Youssouf El Hachimi Department of Biology, Laboratory of Food, Environ- ment and Health of Cadi Ayyad University of Mar- rakech. *Corresponding author: munyaneza305@ gmail.com. Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the milk urea concentrations variation and their potential relation- ships with feeding systems and milk production. A total of 251 bulk milk samples was collected in 83 dairy herds and measured in urea by calorimetric methods at the Laboratory of Food, Environment and Health at Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech, Mo- rocco. Feeding strategies and milk production data were collected as part of a formal survey and an- alyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The average of urea concentrations obtained was 11, 4 ± 1, 4 mg N/dl, with a range of 8, 1 to 15, 9 mgN/dl. Out of all samples, 21, 8% had val- ues outside the reference range (12 ± 2 mgN/dl), 3, 1% had values >14mgN/dl and 18, 7% had values < 10 mgN/dl. The milk production ranged of 4 to 28 liters/day/cow. Data analysis on feeding systems used by farmers revealed that about 12% used al- falfa alone, 72,2% alfalfa plus cereals straw, 7, 3 % alfalfa and cereals straw plus residues of beet and 8, 5 % used alfalfa plus cereals straw supplemented by cereals bran. The correlation between urea con- centrations and milk production was observed (r = 0,731; p < 0, 01). When yield milk was > 13, 5 liters /cow (51, 3%), milk urea concentrations was > 12 mgN/dl. The milk production was lower and urea in milk less to 10 mgN/dl (20%) when the cows re- ceived alfalfa alone or associated to cereals straw. The results showed a large variations of urea milk concentrations in relation with yield milk and feed- ing systems between farmers. Thus, monitoring urea concentrations in milk would provide information that could help farmers to use nitrogen inputs and increase the profitability under the specific conditions of each farm. Keywords. Urea milk, dairy herds, nitrogen ef- ficiency, milk production. P006. Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi, Causal Agent of Olive Knot Disease in Morocco: Molecular Identification and Biological Control Abdelaaziz Bouaichi1.2*, Rachid Benkirane2, Khaoula Habbadi2, Said El kinany3, Hanane Lougraimzi4, Mo- hamed Ou-zine3, Soumia Sadik5, Abdellatif Benb- ouazza1, and El Hassan Achbani1 1 Laboratory of Phytobacteriology and Biocontrol, National Institute of Agronomic Research, Meknes, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Botany, Biotechnology and Plant Protection, Faculty of Science, Ibn Tofial Univer- sity, Kenitra, Morocco; 3 Laboratory of microbial bio- technology, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco; 4 Laboratory of Health, Nutrition and Environment, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco; 5 Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: bouaichi.inra@gmail.com. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 465 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) Abstract Olive knot disease caused by Pseudomonas savas- tanoi pv. savastanoi (PSS) is considered one of the most serious diseases affecting olive trees (Olea euro- paea L.) in most olive growing regions worldwide and mainly in Mediterranean countries, which can lead to severe damage in olive groves, causing serious losses in terms of production. This study aimed to isolate and identify the organisms causing olive knots on stems and branches in different regions in Morocco as well as biological control with bio-agents like essential oil and antagonistic bacteria. Bacteria were isolated from young knots on selective media. Biochemical tests, pathogenicity tests and PCR were performed to identify the strains causing disease. Fifty-nine isolates were identified as PSS using biochemical, pathogenicity tests and PCR technique using specific primer. Based on the inoculation of olive plants (cv. Arbequina) with isolated strains, twenty-five caused typical knots at the site of inoculation. To control PSS, essential oils (EO) Thymus ciliatus and the Origanum compactum exhibited in vitro inhibition of PSS strains. Their inhibition rates were respectively 56.25 % and 50%. Also, some biocontrol agents, Rahnella aquatilis, Enterobacter ludwiqii, Paenibacillus brasiliensis, and Bacillus subtilis selected from collection of Regional Centre of Agronomic Research revealed in vitro an- tagonism toward pathogen strains. The most efficient strain, B. subtilis 2515-1 was selected for pots experi- ment using olive trees (cv. Arbequina). This bacterium significantly reduced number and weight of knots on trees inoculated with two pathogens strains (PSS 2064-8 and PSS 2102-4). Keywords: Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi, olive knot disease, molecu- lar identification, biological control, essential oils, an- tagonistic bacteria, Bacillus subtilis. P007. Improving the Growth of Date Palm in Moroc- co through the Use of Biofertilizers including the Plant Growth Promising Rhizobacteria (PGPR) Oufli M1,2*, Elkinany S1, Oouz-Ine M1, Hilali H2, and El Hassan Achbani1 1 Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Protection des Plantes CRRA, INRA, Meknès, Morocco; 2 Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Faculte des Sciences et Techniques, University Mohamed I, Settat, Morocco. *Correspond- ing and Presenting Author: m.oufli@uhp.ac.ma. Abstract Excessive application of agrochemicals to improve agricultural production can cause several problems related to their toxicity to humans, soil and groundwa- ter pollution, and biodiversity loss. The current trend is the reduction in the use of pesticides and mineral fertilizers. To achieve this, the use of rhizobacteria has proven to be a promising approach. Rhizobac- teria known as Plant Growth Promising Rhizobacte- ria (PGPR) are now considered an important means for sustainable agriculture because of their ability to improve yield and fight against biotic and / or abi- otic stresses. Which will significantly affect the mitiga- tion of the use of chemicals and thereby reduce their harmful effects. Rhizobacteria are endowed with the potential of biological fixation of nitrogen, which re- duces the nitrogen fertilizer supply. Thus, they can be considered as a renewable resource. Recently, the use of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in agriculture has become an alternative to reducing the harmful effects of chemicals on the environment and providing sustainable agriculture. Keywords : PGPR, Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.). P008. The moisture sorption isotherms and the Thermo- physical characterization of Durum Wheat “Triticum durum L.” Haytem Moussaoui*, Idlimam Ali, and Abdelkader Lamharrar Laboratory of Solar Energy and Medicinal Plants, Teacher’s Training College, Cadi Ayyad University, BP 2400 Marrakesh, Morocco. *Corresponding and Pre- senting Author: haytem.moussaoui@gmail.com Abstract Durum wheat “Triticum durum L.” Is a cereal, a wheat variety cultivated since prehistoric times, known for its hard and vitreous grain. It is rich in protein and gluten. Durum wheat is mainly used for pasta, especially in countries of Europe and North America, while in other regions (Middle East and North Africa), it is also used as couscous and different types of bread. The ‘Karim’ verity is the most popular variety in Morocco and the A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 466 most widespread. It is a cultivar with wide adaptation (different environments: semi-arid and irrigated); it is also early cultivar as well as tolerant to few diseases (septoria and rust). The objective of this work is to de- velop and validate a trial model of Durum Wheat by identifying the adsorption and desorption curves and optimum water activity. These data constitute an im- portant source of information for establishing stabil- ity and the typical storage conditions for the product. When you want to keep a dry product, it is necessary to know the water content of the product needed for its stability. In the hygroscopic field, there is a spe- cific relationship between the moisture content of the product and the relative humidity of the surrounding environment. Therefore, when we want to determine the appropriate water content to keep the product at a certain temperature, it is necessary to know the relative humidity of the surrounding air, which is re- spected to store properly. Keywords: Durum Wheat, hygroscopic equilibrium, moisture sorption, optimal water activity, sorption isotherms. P009. Quality Proprieties and the Proceeding Evolution of the Phenols Composition During the Maturity of the Diploid and Triploid Vitis vinifera L. grape in Marrakesh Region Hicham Jediyi*, Khalid Naamani, Abderrehim Ait El- koch, Nawal Zhar, Naima lemjiber, and A Elkeroumi Laboratory of Protection and Valorization of Veg- etable Resources. Faculty of Sciences Semlalia Mar- rakech, Cadi Ayyad University, My Abdallah Street, PB: 2390, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco. *Correspond- ing and Presenting Author: jedhicham@gmail.com. Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the qual- ity proprieties according to the effect of phenolic compounds on grape during maturity of three intro- duced triploid varieties: Superior, Early sweet, Flame, and two others locale diploid varieties: Abbou and Adari in Oudaya of Marrakesh region. The variet- ies samples were evaluated by 12 quality param- eters and phenols, flavonoids and tannins compounds. The descriptive quality panel found that introduced or locale grape attributes were significant difference (P≤0.05) among varieties samples. The statistical test established that the variation of quality propri- eties generally and maturity index (°brix/acidity) es- pecially was influenced by the phenolic compounds and the stage of maturity according to fruit maturity. Were the analysis shown as that the phenols, flavo- noids and tannins compounds decreased for the trip- loid and increased up for the diploids during maturity accompanied an increased up of quality proprieties except acidity, and that for of all varieties. The anal- ysis revealed that the phenolic compounds, the rap- port of sugar/acidity remain the principals’ attributes determinant the maturity of fruits. A classification of fruit maturity stage according to variety and quality proprieties according to phenols composition by PCA analysis is provided. As regards the distribution of variables, we have noted that the juice content, sug- ars, maturity index and °brix for PC2, with phenols, flavonoids and tannins for PC1 are the most variables that have contributed to the discrimination of the grapes according to their stage of maturity and va- rieties. Keywords: Vine varieties. Quality proprieties. Phenols composition. Maturity grape stages. P010. Evaluation of Antibacterial Activity of Mentha pulegium Essential Oil Against Strains of Phytopatho- genic Bacteria Hanane Lougraimzi1*, Meryem El Jemli2, El Hassan Achbani3, abdellah Aghraz4, Abdelaaziz Bouaichi5, and Mohamed Fadli1 1 Laboratory of Health, Nutrition and Environment, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco; 3 Laboratory of Phytobacteriology and Biocontrol, National Institute of Agronomic Re- search, Meknes, Morocco; 4 Laboratory of Biotechnol- ogy, Protection and Valorisation of Plant Ressources, Faculty of Sciences, Cadi Ayyad University, Semlalia, Morocco; 5 Laboratory of Botany, Biotechnology and Plant Protection, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail Univer- sity, Kenitra, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: hananelou04@gmail.com. Abstract Aromatic and medicinal plants have interesting bio- logical activities. The aim of the study is to examine A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 467 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) the in vitro antimicrobial activitie of essential oil of the leaves of Menhta pulegium (L) against of phyto- pathogenic bacteria and to propose the alternative solutions based on the use of natural products instead of chemicals while avoiding the presence of toxic sub- stances in the air and soil. The essential oil of this plant was obtained by the hydrodistillation method (Clavenger). The inhibitory effects of this essential oil were tested against phytopathogenic bacteria by us- ing agar disc diffusion and dilution broth methods. The results obtained showed a sensitivity of the dif- ferent strains to the essential oil of Mentha pulegium, which allowed presenting a therapeutic potential of this plant which could be exploited as a natural anti- biotic for the treatment of several infectious diseases caused by these germs and could be helpful in under- standing the relationship between traditional reme- dies and current antibiotics. Keywords: Antibacterial, Essential oil, Mentha pulegium, Sensitivity. P011. Synergistic Effects of the Inoculation with Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria and Arbuscular My- corrhizal Fungus on the Plant Growth in the Field Anas Raklami1,2*, Noura Bechtaoui1, Abdel-Ilah Ta- hiri1,2, Zakaria Es-Salmi2, Abdelilah Meddich2, and Khalid Oufdou1 1 Laboratory of Biology and Biotechnology of Micro- organisms, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayy- ad University, PO Box 2390, Marrakech, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Biotechnology and Plant Physiology, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, PO Box 2390, Marrakech, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: anas.raklami@gmail.com. Abstract Through many researches, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growths-promoting rhizobac- teria (PGPR) have been shown to promote plant growth, yield and nutrient uptake through a range of mechanisms that include improved nutrient acqui- sition especially phosphorus (P) nutrition, producing plant growth hormones, improving host physiological processes and inhibition of plant pathogens. The pur- pose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the in- oculation with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus and their potential to stimulate two of the most widely grown crops over the world. They are not only an important source of proteins in food and feed, but also a significant com- ponent of different agrosystems. These plants are the legume plant Vicia faba L. (Aguadulce variety) and the cereal plant Triticum aestivum (Karim variety). The effect of double inoculation, was studied in field ex- periment in agricultural soil with six treatments, the control without inoculation, PGPR alone, rhizobia alone, mixture of PGPR and rhizobia, AMF alone and a mixture of PGPR, rhizobia and AMF. The greatest effects were observed in the inoculation with a mix- ture of PGPR-rhizobia-AMF. This inoculation improved the growth parameters (length, fresh and dry weight of shoot and root, number of leaves) of V. faba and T. aestivum. This indicates that the mixed inoculation significantly stimulated the growth of crops and could be used as potential bio-fertilizers to optimize plant growth and yield. Keywords: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, rhizobia, growth, Vicia faba L., Triticum aes- tivum, fields, PGPR, biofertilizers. Acknowledgments: This work is financially supported by the project PPR- CNRST. P012. Characterization and identification of olive vari- eties using simple sequence repeats markers Ahmed El Bakkali* and Abderahman Mekkaoui INRA, UR Amélioration des Plantes et Conservation des Ressources Phytogénétiques, Meknès, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: ahmed_el- bakkali@yahoo.fr. Abstract Olive (Olea europaea L.) is an important fruit species cultivated for oil and canned fruit in the Mediterra- nean basin. Ex situ conservation is essential for the optimal management and use of genetic resources for both plant breeding and sustainable production. The collection of Ain Taoujdate (AT), Meknes, is one of the ancient ex situ olive germplasm bank in Morocco with 78 varieties from 9 Mediterranean countries. The characterization of all varieties provide useful information for managing olive germplasm to be pre- served, exchanged and used in breeding program. In this work, we used 17 preselected microsatellites markers (SSR) to characterize 95 accessions in AT col- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 468 lection and results were compared to the World Olive Germplasm Bank of Marrakech (WOGBM) database with 554 olive accessions. Over all the analyzed ac- cessions, low genetic diversity was observed in AT col- lection compared to the WOGBM with 48 and 402 genotypes, respectively, in which 37 genotypes are common between both collections and 11 genotypes exclusively present in AT collection. Additionally, fifty five errors related to mislabeling plantation and high proportion of redundant genotypes for “Picholine Marocaine” and “Frantoio” varieties were revealed. We were able to identify six genotypes considered as molecular variants and 18 cases of synonyms in AT collection such as “Loretana” and “Dritta di Moscufo” varieties. Even with the low genetic diversity identified in the AT collection compared to the WOGBM, 135 and 261 alleles, respectively, the Principal Coordi- nates Analysis (PCoA) revealed that genotypes of AT collection span the range of all the 405 genotypes identified in the WOGBM. This study highlighted the powerful of SSR markers used to discriminate be- tween olive varieties and represents a preliminary step towards managing the ex situ olive collection, authenticating varieties and developing further asso- ciation mapping studies. Keywords : Olea europaea, Ain Taoujdate olive collection, World Olive Germ- plasm Bank of Marrakech, microsatellites (SSR), ge- netic diversity management. P013. Analysis of phenotypic diversity of Moroccan barley accessions maintained ex situ at the National Genebank of INRA, Morocco Ali Sahri1*, Hassan Ouabbou1, Naima Qariouch1, Ali Amamou1, and Abderrazek Jilal2 1 Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Centre Régional de la Recherche Agronomique de Settat, B.P : 589, Settat, Morocco; 2 Institut Nation- al de la Recherche Agronomique(INRA), Centre Ré- gional de la Recherche Agronomique de Rabat, B.P : 6356 - Rabat, Instituts, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: sahriali@gmail.com. Abstract Morocco has long been considered one of the major centers of diversity for barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). It is one of the most important traditional crop and major source for proteins and minerals, in addition to its multiple uses as food and feed. The National Genebank of INRA-Morocco based in Settat con- serves and manages more than 3000 barley acces- sions (representing old cultivars and local landraces) collected from the different regions of Morocco. The characterization of diversity in barley germplasm is very important for utilizing the collection efficiently and effectively. In this study, a representative collec- tion of 200 accessions of barley landraces, belonging to eight different agro ecological regions of Moroc- co, were analyzed for its diversity of ten agro-mor- phological traits. Based on Shannon-Weaver diversity indices (H’), Moroccan barley landraces display an indice of 0.66, indicating the presence of significant degree of variability among the studied populations conserved at the National Genebank. For the agro- ecological regions, the highest mean diversity index (H’ = 0.70) was observed for accessions from the At- las and the Rif mountains. A multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) was carried out on the basis of the ten agro-morphological traits to define the structure of the diversity. The three first axes of the MCA ex- plained 38% of the total variance in the collection and separated the accessions into two main groups. The first group includes the accessions from the Rif and Atlas Mountains and the second group includes the accessions from the other agro ecological regions. The results of the MCA indicated that the geographi- cal proximity and altitude play a main function in the discrimination and the structure of the studied barley accessions. The information generated from this study (high variability) could be used in conventional breed- ing programs and in situ conservation. Keywords: Bar- ley accessions, national genebank, agro-morphologi- cal traits, Shannon-weaver diversity index, variability, multiple correspondence analysis. P014. Effects of Five Biostimulants on Peach Production and Quality in Sais Plain (Morocco) Meriame Laita1,2, Zerhoune Messaoudi1*, Rachid Ben- kirane2, and Lhoussain Ait Haddou1 1 Department of Arboriculture-Viticulture, National School of Agriculture, B.P. S40, Meknes, Morocco; 2 Botanical, Biotechnology and Plant Protection Labo- ratory, Faculty of Sciences, University Ibn Toufail, BP 133, Kénitra, Morocco. *Corresponding and Present- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 469 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) ing Author: messaoudiz@yahoo.fr. Abstract Improvement of production and quality is among the biggest challenges of peach growing under calcare- ous soil and dry and hot summer conditions of Sais (Morocco). High soil pH induces low micronutrients uptake which favors leaf chlorosis and extreme tem- perature and dry air during end of spring and sum- mer time altogether with other conditions induce high incidence of fruit drop and uncertain fruit quality. The present experiment was carried out during 2017 sea- son in a conventional orchard of the Zee lady variety of peach (the rootstock is the almond) in Sais, Mo- rocco with an aim to evaluate biostimulant effects of five products on peach yield and quality. Six variants namely Vitazyme, Protifert LMW 10, Protifert LMW 6,3, Protifert Zinc and Naturfer biostimulants and Control (unsprayed trees) were compared according to a completely randomized design with 3 repeti- tions. Data collected indicated a remarkable effect of biostimulant on fruit number per tree and harvest size and some pomological fruit parameters namely fruit weight, dimensions, core weight and core/flesh ratio. Keywords: Peach, fruit drop, fruit quality, bios- timulant, pomological. P015. New insights of climate change effects on codling moth (Cydia pomonella L.) voltinism in apple orchards and perspectives of efficient control strategy Salma El Iraqui1* and M’Hamed Hmimina2§ 1 Plant Protection Department, National Institute of Agricultural Research, Meknès Regional Center, BP 578, Meknès, Morocco; 2 Zoology Department, Insti- tut Agronomique et Véterinaire Hassan II, B.P 6202, Madinat Al Irfane, Rabat-Institutes, Rabat, Morocco. *Presenting Author: iraquisalma@gmail.com. §Corre- sponding author: hmimina@yahoo.fr. Abstract Codling moth (Cydia pomonella L.) is the worldwide k&ey pest of apples causing heavy economic losses in fruit production. In Morocco, during the last de- cades, a massive flight of moths leads to more than 12 chemical treatments per year. To improve the con- trol of Cydia pomonella, this study aims to accurate its voltinism in relation with temperature variations. The progress of codling moth generations was inves- tigated during 11 years in a Moroccan apple or- chard based on catches of sexual traps. The degree days (DD) method was also investigated to verify its adaptability to phenological forecasting models. The impact of temperatures of two periods was investi- gated: temperatures matching with the beginning of the life cycle of Cydia pomonella (April and May) and temperatures prevailing in the period conducive to diapause (July 10 to early August 5). Results re- vealed that the voltinism of codling moth had evolved in 2, 3 to 4 generations, depending on the season’s temperature. Three complete generations and a fourth partial one characterized mostly its life cycle. The accomplishment of the fourth generation is highly expected in seasons recording high temperatures in April and May (360DD: case of 2014 and 2015). These high temperatures allow an earlier and faster development of the first generation which impacts the progress of the following ones, extends the presence of the insect and consequently increases its voltinism. Moreover, temperatures during, July to early August, are always high in Morocco and thus inhibit insect dia- pause and extends its duration of presence until the harvest. Finally, the estimated generations, based on DD method, were in concordance with codling moth flight dynamics, supporting the use of phenological models. Climate scenarios predict a rise in tempera- tures in the future, favoring the accomplishment of the fourth generation and consequently more damages in productions and more insecticides used. Keywords: Cydia pomonella L., voltinism, temperatures, degree days. P016. Isolation and Identification of Aerobic Bacterial Community in Earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) chlor- agogen tissue Lamia Yakkou*, Maryam Chelkha, Mohammed Ra- ouane, Souad Amghar, and Abdellatif El Harti Reserch Team : Lumbricidae, Improving Soil Productiv- ity and Environment (LAPSE), Centre “Eau, Ressources Naturelles, Environnement et Développement Durable (CERN2D)” Mohammed V University in Rabat, Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS). Avenue Med Belhassan El Ouazani. BP 5118, Takaddoum-Rabat, Morocco. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 470 *Corresponding and Presenting Author: Yakkou.lam@ gmail.com. Abstract Microorganismes living in association with earthworms have a fundamental ecological and agronomic inter- est. Several studies have demonstrated the involve- ment of these invertebrates’ intestinal flora in improv- ing soil productivity, particularly in the processes of humification, decomposition and recycling of organic matter. In this work, we investigated the isolation and identification of other microbial species living in asso- ciation with earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris) in organs other than the gastrointestinal tract. The microscopic observation of chloragogen tissue smears, taken by dissection of the worm, revealed the presence of mi- crobial entities of various shapes and sizes. Isolation and cultivation made it possible to inventory seven bacterial strains. Phenotypic and genotypic studies (PCR amplification of 16S rDNA), allowed identifica- tion: Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas montelii, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter aerogenes, Staph- ylococcus epidermis, Teribacillus aidengensis and Pseudomonas rhizosphaerae. Among the identified bacterial strains, the three species of Pseudomonas (fluorescens, montelii and rhizosphaerae), along with Enterobacter aerogenes are all of ecological and agronomic interest, particularly in improving plant productivity and soil bioremediation. Keywords: Lum- bricus terrestris, chloragogen tissue, Microorganisms, PCR-16S rDNA, Soil productivity. P017. Study of chemical composition and antibacterial activity of Thymbra capitata essential oil and its use in carrot juice preservation Saoulajan Charfi*, Nadia Boujida, Jamal Abrini, and Nadia Skali Senhaji Laboratory of Biotechnology and Applied Microbiol- ogy, Team Biotechnology and applied Microbiology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Abdel- malek Essaadi University, Tetouan, Morocco. *Corre- sponding and Presenting Author: sawlajan@gmail. com. Abstract The aim of this work was to investigate the composition and antibacterial activity of Moroccan Thymbra capi- tata essential oil (TCEO) and to evaluate its applica- tion as food preservative in carrot juice conserved at 20 and 5°C. Chemical composition was analyzed by GC/MS. TCEO antibacterial activity was evaluated by diffusion method and microtitration assays against Escherichia coli O157:H7 CECT 4267, Listeria mono- cytogenes CECT 4032 and Staphylococcus aureus CECT 976. In carrot juice, TCEO activity was evaluat- ed against these pathogens during 30 days storage at 20 and 5°C. Analysis of TCEO chemical composi- tion showed that the main constituent of TCEO was carvacrol (75.52 %), followed by p-cymene (9.75%) and β-caryophyllene (6.45%). TCEO exhibited an an- tibacterial activity in vitro against the tested bacteria. In carrot juice, TCEO was able to inhibit the growth of all pathogenic bacteria at both storage conditions. L. monocytogenes was the most sensitive strain to TCEO when tested with diffusion method and in carrot juice, followed by S. aureus and E. coli O157:H7. TCEO was more efficient against E. coli O157:H7 in carrot juice conserved at 5°C than at 20°C. On the other hand, no significant difference between storage temperatures was noted for L. monocytogenes and S. aureus. These results show the ability of TCEO to inhibit pathogenic bacteria and to maintain the safety of carrot juice. Keywords: Thymbra capitata essential oil, chemical composition, antibacterial activity, carrot juice. P018. Effect of six aromatic plants essential oils on stor- age keeping quality of fresh strawberries and raspber- ries Asmaa Mziouid1*, Bouchra Chebli1, and El Hassan Mayad2 1 Laboratory of Mechanic, Process, Energy and En- vironmental, Biotechnology and Environmental Engi- neering Team, National School of Applied Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, PO Box: 1136/S, Agadir, Moroc- co; 2 Laboratory of Biotechnologies and Valorization of Natural Resources, Faculty of Sciences - Agadir, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: mmesadek@hotmail.fr. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 471 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) Abstract Six essential oils (EOs) were hydrodistillated in a Clevenger-type apparatus from: Artemisia absin- thium, Artemisia herba-alba, Cladanthus arabicus, Lavendula dentata, Thymus broussonnetii and Thymus leptobotrys plants growing in Morocco. The EOs were tested for their antifungal activity first in vitro against Botrytis cinerea using agar dilution and disk diffu- sion methods. And then the EOs showing the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration were tested for their ability to extend the shelf life of fresh strawberries and raspberries, conserved at 4°C. In vitro, Cladan- thus arabicus had the lower antifungal property. The essential oils of Thymus leptobotrys and Thymus broussonnetii inhibited the growth of fungus at 250 µl/L and 500 µl/L respectively and were found to be more efficient preservatives for strawberries and raspberries during 11 days of cold storage. The re- sults suggest that essential oils vapour may improve fruit quality during fresh strawberries and raspber- ries storage and transit. Keywords: Artemisia absin- thium; Artemisia herba-alba;Cladanthus arabicus; Lavendula dentate; Thymus broussonnetii ; Thymus leptobotrys; Botrytis cinerea; Essential oils; shelf life; strawberries; raspberries P019. Fertilization practiced by olive growers of Sais and its impact on olive orchards. Karima Bouhafa1*, Lhoussaine Moughli2, Khadija Bouchoufi1, and Abdelkader Sdouq1 1 Regional Agricultural Research Center, P.O.Box 578, Meknes, Morocco; 2 Department of Soil Science, Has- san II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, P.O.Box 6202, Rabats-Instituts, Rabat, Morocco. *Cor- responding and Presenting Author: bouhafakarima@ gmail.com. Abstract A study on fertilization practices adopted by farmers was carried out, through surveys, soil and leaf analy- sis, at 58 olive orchards randomly selected in Sais region. Soil samples were collected from the 0-30 and 30-60 cm layers during December-January. Leaf samples were also collected during the same period. The results of the surveys showed that about 48% of the olive growers do not use any mineral fertilizer for their olive trees. This has affected the olive yield, which averaged 3 T / ha in fertilized orchards and 1.9 T / ha in unfertilized orchards. Nitrogen is the most provided by the farmers with an average dose of 37 kg N / ha, followed by phosphorus with 20 kg P2O5 / ha and potassium with 9 kg K2O / ha. These doses are low for the olive tree. In addition, phospho- rus is provided by some farmers at very high doses that have reached 138 kg P2O5 / ha. Times of fer- tilizer intakes were generally concentrated over the period from January to April, indicating a lack of in- puts during other periods where the need for mineral elements being important for the olive tree such as the fruit enlargement phase. These data indicate the existence of a failure in the fertilization practices ad- opted by olive growers concerning both the fertilizer doses brought and the timing of fertilizer inputs. Soil tests showed that 50% and 84.5% of the soils studied are low in phosphorus, respectively, for the 0-30 cm and 30-60 cm layers. Soil potassium levels are low to medium in 15.5% and 55% of olive orchards, respec- tively, for 0-30 cm and 30-60 cm soil layers. These soil analysis results from these olive groves confirmed the existence of a failure in the fertilization practic- es adopted by farmers. Leaf analyzes showed that all the studied orchards require nitrogen inputs and nearly 91% of orchards require potassic fertilization. For phosphorus, only a third of the orchards sampled need an application. This study showed that fertilizer is not well controlled by olive growers and olive or- chards are not well fed with essential elements for their production. Keywords: Fertilization, survey, Sais, soil fertility, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium. P020. Impact of PGPR solubilizing phosphate bacteria on growth and phosphorus uptake of legumineuse plan- te Vicia faba L. Bechtaoui Noura1*, Raklami Anas1, El Alaoui Ab- delkhalek1, Benidire Loubna1, Göttfert Michael2, and Oufdou Khalid1 1 Laboratory of Biology and Biotechnology of Micro- organisms, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayy- ad University, PO Box 2390, Marrakech, Morocco; 2 Technische Universität Dresden, Institut für Genetik, Helmholtzstr. 10, D-01069 Dresden, Germay. *Corre- sponding and Presenting Author: noura.bechtaoui@ A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 472 gmail.com. Abstract Phosphorus (P) is a critical element for plant growth; its deficit severely limits crop yields. A considerable amount of phosphate is concentrated in the upper part of soil in mineral or organic composition. Howev- er, these forms are no longer available, because they rapidly react with soil components, therefore only a small quantity of soluble phosphate can actually be absorbed by the roots. A low amount of phosphate limits plant growth, especially in periods of high use, flowering and fruiting stage. Some of the rhizospheric bacteria have the ability to solubilize the complex forms of P in the soil and make it available to plants. These bacteria, in addition to improve phosphate nu- trition, my also promote plant growth by producing phytohormones and some other beneficial substances such as siderophores and antibiotic compounds. The aim of the present study is to screen the phosphate solubilizing bacteria from agricultural soils and to test the synergistic or antagonistic effects of a mixed inoculation on the growth of the legume Vicia faba L. The in vitro test of phosphate solubilizing capac- ity of strains used during this study was carried out on NBRIY medium (Nautiyal, 1999). The capacity of bacteria to produce siderophores, auxins and exo- polysaccharides was also analysed. All of the tested strains produce a significant amount of siderophores and auxins. Inoculation experiments with faba bean revealed that some symbiotic combinations result in an increase in biomass and P content of the inoculated plants. During this study, we prove through our labo- ratory tests and under greenhouse experimentation, that phosphate solubilizing bacteria could be used as potential bio-fertilizers to optimize the phosphorus supply of plants in deficient soils. Keywords: solubiliz- ing PGPR bacteria, rhizosphere, siderophores, Vicia faba. P021. Selection and characterization of rhizobacteria isolated from the rhizosphere of peanut (Arachis hypo- gaea L.) Ouissale Chaghouaoui*, Imane Achkouk, Amin La- glaoui, Mohammed Bakkali, Abdelhay Arakrak Equipe de Recherche de Biotechnologies et Gé- nie des Biomolécules (ERBGB), Faculté des Sciences et Techniques de Tanger B.P. 416, Tanger, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: chaghouaoui- ouissale@gmail.com. Abstract The rhizosphere supports the development and the activity of a microbial community including the plant growth-promoting bacteria or the PGPR, they play an important role in the biofertilisation of where the interest of the use as alternatives of chemical fertil- izers in order to respond to the need of food for the world population, they may intervene either directly by providing the nutrients or by producing growth regulators or indirectly by removing the phytopatho- genic agents. In this context of sustainable agriculture and the protection of the environment, this work led to the isolation and characterization of the solubilising Bacteria The phosphate (BSP) associated with three varieties of peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) (Jumbo, Va- lencia and Beldi) grown in pots under greenhouse conditions for 28 days. Various tests have been car- ried out on the isolates studied to evaluate the differ- ent phytobenificial properties in vitro. A total of 79 isolates on 300 isolates tested (26.33%) have been capable of dissolving the tricalcium phosphate (TPC) on mid Pikovskaya solid, and whose diameters of halo have been between 1 and 10 mm. The isolates with diameters of solubilization ≥ 4 mm (49 isolates) were selected and evaluated for the production of indole acetic acid, siderophores, and ammonia which the percentages are respectively 69.38%, 91.83% and 100%. 6 BSP (JP19, JR33, JR41, JR48, BP49 and BR44) have been tested for the solubilization of the PTC in mid PVK liquid with the highest concen- tration (49.96± 0.85 mg/L) has been registered by JR19. Keywords: Arachis hypogaea, biofertilisation, BSP, PGPR, rhizosphere. P022. Pesticide wastes management in some horticul- tural farms in the Souss Massa Abderrahim Hormatallah* Laboratoire des pesticides. Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Complexe Horticole d’Agadir, BP 18/S. Agadir, Morocco. *Corresponding and Pre- senting Author: phytopharmacie@yahoo.fr. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 473 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) Abstract Horticulture is one of the most relevant segments of the Moroccan agriculture sector. Morocco country reaches the self-sufficiency in vegetable production. This sector provides also an employment for the work- ing rural population and important source of hand currency towards exportation to the European Union, Canada, Russia and USA. The intensive conditions of the horticulture crops (citrus, tomato, pepper, green bean…) seem to be favorable to many insects (leaf miners, thrips, Whiteflies ..) and the development of some diseases (powdery mildew, downy mildew, gray mold…) that cause more damage and affecting the yield quality. Growers are often applying pesticides to protect their production and the yield quality. Pes- ticide waste disposal is a concern for Moroccan horti- cultural producers. In order to meet the objectives of “Green Morocco Plan”, to complain to national Leg- islation (Law 42-95 regarding pesticides regulations, Law 28-00 related to waste management and their disposal) and international regulations (FAO’s Code of Conduct for Pesticide use and disposal) and the requirements of Quality Control standards of agri- cultural products and the environmental management (GlobalGap, Nature’choice, ISO 14000, BRC, it will be very important to know the practices used by farm- ers to manage pesticide wastes. 60 horticultural pro- ducers of the Souss Massa region were interviewed personally with a questionnaire focused on Pesticides waste Management. The Souss Massa, located in the south Atlantic coastal, is a major horticultural produc- ing and exporting area of Morocco. The survey in- dicated that pesticide wastes management depends mainly on the certification of the farms. The major- ity of pesticide wastes were related to empty pes- ticide containers and pesticide effluents. All farmers are aware of human health risk and the environment pollution potential of pesticide wastes. The producers are face problems in terms of eliminating the empty containers due to the absence of laws and facilities for pesticides containers recycling. Certified farms make triple rinsed pesticide containers and stored them under lock and key, or they reuse them for cul- tural operations after cleaning. In the case of the non-certified farms, the empty containers are burned or are sold via informal ways. Burning plastic bottles and pesticide box can lead to the formation of toxic gas in the air. The component 2 of GCP /MOR/041/ GFF project in Morocco will be developed a man- agement system including outreach campaign to us- ers for triple-rinsing and safe storage, collection and recycling of all types of containers, firstly through a regional pilot program in the Souss Massa. Concern- ing leftover spray solutions, most farmers (73%) was reported that they apply them to the border lines of the field area or to weed grasses until the spraying tank is empty. 16% of farmers release the leftover spray solutions into an evaporation area and 11% were used a bioremediation system in phytobac or heliosec. Keywords: Pesticide wastes, empty pesticide containers, pesticide effluents, phytobac, heliosec, Souss-Massa, GCP /MOR/041/GFF project, FAO. P023. Effect of mineral fertilization on olive quality Karima Bouhafa1*, Lhoussaine Moughli2, Khadija Bouchoufi1, Ahmed Douaik3, and Khalid Daoui1 1 Regional Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box 578, Meknes, Morocco; 2 Department of Soil Science, Has- san II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 6202, Rabats-Institutes, Rabat, Morocco; 3 Regional Agricultural Research Center, PO Box 6356, Avenue Mohamed Belarbi Alaoui, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: bouhafakari- ma@gmail.com. Abstract Two fertilization trials were conducted in two olive orchards under rainfed conditions in Oued Amlil (S1) and Ain Taoujdat (S2). The objective was to study the effect of nitrogen (N), phosphate (P) and potassium (K) fertilizer inputs on the olive quality. The experi- mental design adopted for these trials is a factorial in incomplete random blocks. Four doses of each of the elements N, P and K were tested: 0, 0.25, 0.5 and 1 kg N / tree / year; 0, 0.12, 0.25 and 0.5 kg P2O5 / tree / year and 0, 0.5, 1 and 2 kg K2O / tree / year. The average levels of olive oil, expressed as% dry matter, were 28.3 and 37.3%, respectively, in S1 and S2. The effect of nitrogen on olive oil content was insignificant at S1 and highly significant at S2. At the S2, the nitrogen supply induced a decrease in the oil content and the control recorded the maximum level of olive oil (38.5%). Phosphorus had no significant ef- fect on olive oil content in S1. On the other hand, A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 474 the input of P caused a significant increase in the oil content in S2. Potassium did not affect the olive oil content at both sites. Regarding the effects of mineral elements on the olive oil quality, it is noted that nitro- gen is the only element that significantly affected the two measured parameters (peroxide index and acid- ity). The intake of N induced an increase of the per- oxide index to reach the maximum value by the dose 0.5 kg N / tree / year in the site 1, and by the dose 1 kg N / tree / year in the site 2. On the other hand, a decrease in the acidity level of the olive oil was observed with the addition of nitrogen at S2 where the best quality of the olive oil (minimum acidity) was obtained by the dose 0.5 kg N / ha / yr. The effect of nitrogen on olive oil acidity was not significant at S1. Keywords: Olive, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, acidity, peroxide index. P024. Assessment of beta-glucan and micronutrients in a collection of barley’s wild relatives from ICADRA’s gene bank Fadwa Elouadi1*, A. Amri2, A. Jilal3, G. Salih3, and M. Ibriz1 1 Laboratoire de Génétique et biométrie, Faculté des Sciences. Université Ibn Tofaïl, B.P. 133, Kénitra. Mo- rocco; 2 International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Rue Hafiane Cherkaoui, Rabat, Mo- rocco. PO Box 6299, Rabat Institutes, Rabat, Morocco; 3 RU Plant Breeding, Conservation and Valorization of Plant Genetic Resources, INRA, RCAR-Rabat, P.O. Box 6570, Rabat Institutes, Rabat, Morocco. *Corre- sponding and Presenting Author: elouadi.fadwa@ gmail.com. Abstract Barley is one of the oldest domesticated crop in the word, although barley food uses remains important only in some cultures particularly in Asia and northern Africa. Whereas recently the consumer has become aware of the interest of barley as a food grain be- cause of his impressive health benefits, and as a major source of soluble and insoluble fibers, also his antioxi- dant activity. The objective of this study is to investi- gate the genetic variation in a population of barley’s wild relatives. Beta-glucan, and micronutrient concen- tration were determined, as well the identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with these traits in a population of wild barley from ICARD’s gene bank using a genome-wide association study (GWAS). Accessions of wild relatives were grown un- der greenhouse for genotyping, and field conditions for multiplication (2015-2016/2016-2017), charac- terized for beta-glucan, and micronutrient concentra- tion, and then genotyped with 50K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. The population exhib- ited a wide range of variation for these traits, further some accessions had shown high levels of beta-glucan and micronutrient. This study demonstrates the varia- tion of beta-glucan and micronutrient concentration in wild barley and the interest of genotyping to under- line genes controlling these traits. Key words: barley, beta-glucan, micronutrient, genome-wide association, quantitative trait loci. P025. Time Evolution of Transpiration and Heat Transfer Inside Arch Greenhouse Crop Using Computational Fluid Dynamics Allal Senhaji1*, Mhamed Mouqallid1, and Hassan Ma- jdoubi1,2 1 Equipe de recherche en Energétique et Mécanique des Fluides, ENSAM, Meknès, Morocco; 2 CRMEF Fes- Meknès, Meknès, Morocco. *Corresponding and Pre- senting Author: senhaji145@gmail.com. Abstract The most important factor affecting plant growth and development in greenhouses is solar radiation be- cause, in addition to its indirect effect on the distribu- tion of the greenhouse’s internal climate, it governs two important physiological mechanisms of plants, namely the transpiration and photosynthesis. The amount of solar radiation entering the greenhouse depends on the design of the greenhouse, the thermo- physical and optical properties of the material, and the weather conditions, there are important variations in the amount of solar radiation reaching the crop, which strongly impacts climate and therefore crop ac- tivity. The aim of this paper is to develop a specific numerical submodel to simulate the distributed tran- spiration and microclimate inside greenhouses under day-time conditions. The numerical simulation was ad- opted in three dimensions (CFD), using the computer A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 475 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) code Fluent v6.3.26 which is based on solving the Navier-Stokes equations. These equations are solved in the presence of turbulence model (k-ε) and a bi- band radiative submodel distinguishing short and long wavelength radiations was employed through a Discrete Ordinates (DO) model to solve the equation of heat transfer by radiation (ETR). Simulations were carried out for a greenhouse of 810 m2 equipped with continuous roof vents. The analysis focuses on the heterogeneity of the distributions of climatic pa- rameters (speed, temperature and humidity). But the main point concerns the heterogeneity of the radia- tion reaching the canopy and the latent and sensitive heat flux inside the culture. Keywords: Solar radiation, transpiration, CFD, crop, greenhouse, microclimate. P026. Micropropagation and Plantlet Regeneration of Saffrom (Crocus sativus L.) Meryem Maiski*, O. Lamsaouri, M. Fakiri, and Y. El Goumi Laboratoire de recherche Agroalimentaire et Santé, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Hassan 1er, Settat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: meryem.maiskii@gmail.com. Abstract This study consists in evaluating various methods of mi- cropropagation of saffron (Crocus sativus L.).different protocols of surface sterilization have been tested with the aim to decrease the contamination porcent- age. The effect of growth regulators combinations has been also tested on the induction of caulogenesis. The stirilization procedures tested did not show their efficiency on corms. However, in the last protocol, the explants showed a significant lower contamination rate (2,44%). The growth regulators used in the in- duction phase had allowed obtaining the best results of caulogenesis (96%). Moreaver, it was observed that the use of an ather combination of cytokinin and auxin was favorable for buds’ growth. The yield was 1,06 buds per explant newly formed. P028. Variability Analysis of the Seeds and Oil Yields of Several Accessions of Citrullus colocynthis collected in Morocco Abdelhamid Ben Moumou* and Saïd El Madidi§ Biometrics and Bio Resources, Laboratory Biotechnol- ogies and Natural Resources Development (LBVRN), Faculty of Sciences, University Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Mo- rocco. *Presenting author: benmoumou36@yahoo.fr. §Corresponding author: s.elmadidi@uiz.ac.ma. Abstract Citrullus colocynthis has been garnering interest in recent times as a potential biodiesel feedstock crop due to its high seed oil content. This plant is a drought tolerant species, as established from the fact that it grows as a weed in arid and semi-arid lands. Widely distributed in the Sahara-Arabian desert in Africa and the Mediterranean region. It is one of the few spontaneous species of plants that grow in arid condi- tions in southern Mediterranean countries and Middle Eastern countries and could be used as raw material for biodiesel. In addition to its potential as a bio- diesel feedstock the root and callus extracts of C. colocynthis have been reported to have anti-microbi- al, anti-inflammatory,anti-diabetic and anti-oxidant effects. C. Colocynthis is a rich source of function- ally important bioactive compounds and therapeu- tics such as polyphenols, glycosides, triterpenes and cucurbitacins and its fruit has been widely used for the treatment of many diseases including diabetes, rheumatism, paronychia, ulcer and cancer. The ripe fruits of C. colocynthis were harvested in 12 differ- ent localities in Morocco. Geographic coordinates, morphological characteristics were recorded. The measured traits are: fruit weight (FW), seed weight (SW), seed number (SN), weight of 100 seeds, and oil yield. The results of anova (GLM) show significant and very highly significant effects according to the characters measured. Significant variability was ob- served for seed and oil yields. This variability could be exploited for the selection of accessions with high oil yields. Keywords: Citrullus colocynthis, variability, seeds, oil yield, Morocco. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 476 P029. Climate change and land suitability in central Morocco: impact and adaptation A Labaioui1*, K Bouchoufi2, and C Kassimi2 1 Regional Center of Agricultural Research, Meknes, Morocco; 2 Soil Analysis Laboratory, Regional Center of Agricultural Research, Meknes, Morocco. *Corre- sponding and Presenting Author: amlabaioui@gmail. com. Abstract The climate change will bring about changes in the areas suited to the growing of several species. The effects in terms of production potentiality will be very variable according to the region and the vegetal covers. They can come out by a moderate stimula- tion in moderate climate and for a warming limited to 2° - 3°C. Beyond, as for the low latitudes, exces- sive temperatures and an increased frequency of the droughts will lead to negative effects. In our study, we used current and future climatic data up to the year 2050, the Ecocrop Model integrated in the Diva-Gis software and soil map to predict the impact of the climate change on the land suitability of the Meknes area in central Morocco, for wheat, chickpea, the ol- ive and the almond trees, so that these changes can be taken into account in the planning of the strate- gies of adaptation to the climate change. The results show that for wheat, the olive and the almond trees, the aptitude of the soil will increase in spite of the Increase of the temperature and the reduction in rain- fall. Consequently, the strategies of development and of improvement of these three crops will not resist the important constraints related to the climatic conditions and should concentrate on the improvement of agro- nomic management and on the reinforcement of the capacities of farmers by including the techniques of control of the pests and diseases. For chickpea, how- ever, land suitability will decrease, with very margin- al land increasing from 5% to 75% of the total land area. So, the areas that will lose planting capacity need to be maintained, using targeted strategies such as, irrigation and switching to more drought-resistant varieties and or changing planting date. While areas that are likely to suffer from a significant decrease in aptitude should begin to diversify, moving to other crops as soon as chickpea is no longer appropriate. Keywords: climate change, land suitability, Morocco, adaptation. P030. Evaluation of Five Mutants of Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) for Earliness, Agronomic Traits and Response to Changing Environments in M2 Population Souhail Channaoui1,2, Mostapha Labhilili3, Mohamed Mouhib4, Hamid Mazouz2, Mohamed El Fechtali1, and Abdelghani Nabloussi1* 1 Research Unit of Plant Breeding and Plant Genet- ic Resources Conservation, National Institute of Ag- ricultural Research, Regional Agricultural Research Center of Meknes, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University Moulay Ismail, Morocco; 3 Research Unit of Plant Biotechnology, National Institute of Agricultural Research, Regional Agricultural Research Center of Rabat, Morocco; 4 Research Unit of Nuclear Techniques, Environment and Quality, Regional Agricultural Research Center of Tangier, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: abdelghani.nabloussi@gmail.com. Abstract Mutagenesis breeding is an efficient strategy to im- prove rapeseed for several productivity and quality parameters. Five new M2 mutant populations (H2M- 1, H2M-2, H2M-3, H2M-4 and H2M-5) were select- ed from gamma irradiated and Ethyl Methane Sul- phonate (EMS) treated material. A field experiment was conducted in two INRA Experimental Stations, at Douyet and Sidi Allal Tazi, to evaluate rapeseed mu- tants for earliness, agronomic traits and response to changing environments. The variety ‘INRA-CZH2’ (wild type) was used as a check. Data on days to flowering, days to maturity, plant height, number of branches/ plant, number of pods/plant, number of seeds/pod, pod length, pod diameter and 1000-seed weight were recorded. All the parameters showed significant differences among the mutants studied for both envi- ronments. Mutant H2M-1 was earlier to flowering and maturity and was characterized by a higher number of pods/plant than the check. Mutants H2M-2, H2M- 4 and H2M-5 produced higher number of branches per plant and 1000-seed weight, compared to the check variety, whilst Mutant H2M-3 exhibited a re- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 477 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) duced plant height and stature. Among the five mu- tant lines, H2M-1 seemed to be the most interesting and further investigations and trials are needed in order to confirm its performance and stability as a promising and useful germplasm for releasing a new rapeseed variety. Keywords: Rapeseed, mutants, en- vironments, earliness, seed yield. P031. Effect of organic fertilizer and commercial arbus- cular mycorrhizal fungi on the growth of micropropa- gated date palm cv. Feggouss El Kinany Said1,2,5*, Achbani El hassan2, Faggroud Mohamed3, Ouahmane Lahcen4, El Hilali Rania1,4, Haggoud Abdellatif, and Bouamri Rachid1§ 1 Department of Plant and Environment Protection, National School of Agriculture, Meknes, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Plant Protection URPP-National Insti- tute for Agricultural Research, Meknes, Morocco; 3 Department of Agronomy, National School of Agri- culture, Meknes, Morocco; 4 Laboratory of Ecology & Environment, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco; 5 Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology, Sidi Mohamed Ben Ab- dellah University, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Fez, Morocco. *Presenting author: said.elkinany@ usmba.ac.ma. §Corresponding author: rbouamri@ enameknes.ac.ma. Abstract Date palm is an important crop in Morocco, Tunisia and many other drylands of the world, but its growth is often limited due to the low soil fertility and harsh environmental conditions of oases ecosystems, which can hardly be compensated by the sole application of high dosages of chemical fertilizers. For the first time, we investigated the effects of compost applica- tion and inoculation with a commercial strain of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF), Glomus irani- cum, on the growth of micropropagated date palm plantlets (cv. Feggous). After twelve months of growth, plantlets transplanted into compost amended sub- strate inoculated with AMF showed increased biomass production (root and shoot biomass), chlorophyll and mineral nutrient contents than plantlets transplanted into compost amended substrate or without compost addition. Thus, this inoculum reinforced the promot- ing effect of compost and was successful in coloniz- ing the root system. According to our results, sandy substrate enriched with compost and inoculated with G. iranicum can be recommended for improving the growth and nutrition of micropropagated date palm plantlets. Keywords: Phoenix dactylifera L., Compost, Mycorrhizal fungi, Organic fertilizer. P032. Valorization of Natural Resources from Burundi: Case of Myrianthus holstii Engl Niyukuri Jonathan*, Jihane Raiti, and Hafidi Abdel- latif Laboratory of Food Sciences of Cadi Ayyad Uni- versity of Marrakech, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: jonaniyu@gmail.com. Abstract The aim of this work is to investigate the chemical composition of the oleaginous seeds of Myrianthus holstii Engl by determining the physicochemical prop- erties of its lipid fraction and the chemical composi- tion of its oilcake. The fruit which is fleshy is edible and a sclerified pericarp surround the seeds which are the object of our study. Samples were harvested in Burundi in three forests following: Vyanda Nature Reserve, Kibira National Park and Bururi Natural Re- serve. Analysis were conducted at the Laboratory of Food Science at Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech, Morocco. The oil extraction is performed with hexane using a soxhhlet apparatus. The obtained yield of oil is 46.58 ± 6.82% of Dry Matter (DM), unsaponifi- able yield is 1.51 ± 0.87%, the Oil Acidity is 1.38 ± 0.23%, the Iodine Value is 25.37 ± 6.63 g iodine / 100 g of oils and the peroxide value is 5.53 ± 0.61 meq / kg of oil. The ethanol (80%) extracts was used to analyze the composition of the cake. A Total Poly- phenols 0.34 ± 0.03 g Gallic Acid Equivalent / 100 g DM was obtained by the Folin-Ciocalteu Method., Sugars content were formed for reach 6.05 ± 0.37 g Glucose Equivalent / 100 g D M and for Total Pro- teins 0.08 ± 0.01g Bovine Alumina Serum Equivalent / 100g DM. The results show the potential of use of this species as an oleaginous seed. Nevertheless, this research requires others complementary work for be- ing qualified as safe and edible for human consump- tion. Keywords: lipid fraction, unsaponifiable. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 478 P033. The Complementarity of Irrigation Technology Adoption and Groundwater Development; Evidence from the Trifa Plain of Morocco Aaron R. Hrozencik1*, Emily Burchfield2, Dale T. Man- ning1, and Aymen Frija3 1 Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; 2 Department of Environment and Society, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA; 3 Interna- tional Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas, Tunis, Tunisia. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: aaronhroz@gmail.com. Abstract A growing world population and changing climate place increasing pressure on agricultural produc- tion and already scarce water resources. Promoting irrigation technology adoption and investing in ad- ditional sources of water supply are favored policy options to address water scarcity concerns and in- crease agricultural productivity. While many studies have investigated the effects of irrigation technology adoption on resource use, the literature has largely ignored how technology adoption decisions influence investments in additional water supply and vice-versa. This research addresses that gap in the literature by exploring the interaction between irrigation technol- ogy adoption and investments in groundwater devel- opment. We utilize remote sensing and survey data from the Trifa Plain of northeastern Morocco to mea- sure the complementarity between sets of irrigation technologies and investments in groundwater pump- ing capacity. The Trifa traditionally relied on import- ed water to support the region’s robust agricultural economy. However, growing irrigation demand and climatic variability precipitated governmental efforts to promote water conservation and irrigation effi- ciency through technology adoption, particularly the adoption of on-farm water storage and drip irriga- tion systems. Imported water deficits also catalyzed increased investment in groundwater pumping infra- structure with the number of irrigation wells in the Tri- fa increasing by over 46% between 2000 and 2012. We leverage the simultaneity of groundwater devel- opment and irrigation technology adoption, and the exogenous nature of groundwater availability in the Trifa to empirically test for complementarity between pumping capacity development and irrigation tech- nology adoption. This work contributes to the litera- ture exploring technology adoption and resource use decisions while also advancing knowledge regarding the impact of investment in groundwater develop- ment. Keywords: Groundwater, production economics, agricultural development, technology adoption. P034. Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activity of Essential Oil of Artemisia absinthium Against Erwinia amylovora fire blight agent Laaziza Doukkali1*, Farthat Guenoun1, Bouchra Tazi3, and Abdessalem Tahiri2§ 1 Laboratory of bioactive molecules and environment, Moulay Ismail University of Sciences B.P 11201, Me- knes, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Phytopathology, De- partment of the Protection of the Plants & Environment ; National School of Agriculture, BP S 40 Meknès, Morocco; 3 Laboratory of Chemistry, Department of the Basic Sciences; National School of Agricul- ture, BP S 40 Meknès, Morocco. *Presenting Author: elaazizadoukkali@yahoo.fr. §Corresponding Author: atahiri@enameknes.ac.ma. Abstract Dealing with resistance and toxicity problems caused by the massive use of plant protection products (pesti- cides), and with the fact that regulation organizations are questioning the use of antibiotics in agriculture, it is particularly urgent to find alternatives to provide efficient protection of crops against plant diseases. The main objective of this paper is to study the an- tibacterial activity of essential oil (EO) extracted of Artemisia absinthium against Erwinia amylovora. The extraction was carried out by water distillation Clev- enger’s type apparatus. The chemical compositions of EO were investigated by using a GC–MS/FID and showed that EO of Artemisia absinthium was charac- terized by the presence of β-Thuyone, Camphor and Terpinen-4-ol as the main chemical components. The in vitro antibacterial activity against Erwinia amylov- ora was evaluated using the method of aromatogram and the method of Microdilution. The results revealed that EO of Artemisia absinthium showed an antibac- terial activity against Erwinia Amylovora. Keywords: A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 479 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) Fire blight, Erwinia amylovora, chemical composition, Antibacterial, activity, chemical, Artemisia absinthium. P035. Evaluation of Five Mutants of Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) for Earliness, Agronomic Traits and Response to Changing Environments in M2 Population. Souhail Channaoui1,2, Mostapha Labhilili3, Mohamed Mouhib4, Hamid Mazouz2, Mohamed El Fechtali1, and Abdelghani Nabloussi1* 1 Research Unit of Plant Breeding and Plant Genetic Resources Conservation, National Institute of Agricul- tural Research, Regional Agricultural Research Center of Meknes, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Plant Biotechnol- ogy and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University Moulay Ismail, Morocco; 3 Research Unit of Plant Biotechnology, National In- stitute of Agricultural Research, Regional Agricultural Research Center of Rabat, Morocco; 4 Research Unit of Nuclear Techniques, Environment and Quality, Re- gional Agricultural Research Center of Tangier, Mo- rocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: abdel- ghani.nabloussi@gmail.com. Abstract Mutagenesis breeding is an efficient strategy to im- prove rapeseed for several productivity and quality parameters. Five new M2 mutant populations (H2M- 1, H2M-2, H2M-3, H2M-4 and H2M-5) were select- ed from gamma irradiated and Ethyl Methane Sul- phonate (EMS) treated material. A field experiment was conducted in two INRA Experimental Stations, at Douyet and Sidi Allal Tazi, to evaluate rapeseed mu- tants for earliness, agronomic traits and response to changing environments. The variety ‘INRA-CZH2’ (wild type) was used as a check. Data on days to flowering, days to maturity, plant height, number of branches/ plant, number of pods/plant, number of seeds/pod, pod length, pod diameter and 1000-seed weight were recorded. All the parameters showed significant differences among the mutants studied for both envi- ronments. Mutant H2M-1 was earlier to flowering and maturity and was characterized by a higher number of pods/plant than the check. Mutants H2M-2, H2M- 4 and H2M-5 produced higher number of branches per plant and 1000-seed weight, compared to the check variety, whilst Mutant H2M-3 exhibited a re- duced plant height and stature. Among the five mu- tant lines, H2M-1 seemed to be the most interesting and further investigations and trials are needed in order to confirm its performance and stability as a promising and useful germplasm for releasing a new rapeseed variety. Keywords: Rapeseed, mutants, en- vironments, earliness, seed yield. P036. Genetic Diversity and Variability of the Biochem- ical Characteristics of Moroccan Loquat (Eryobotria Ja- ponica) Y. Faiq1,2*, H. Hanine1, S. Ennahli2, H. Latrache1, and O. Kodad2 1 Laboratory of Bioprocess and Bio-Interfaces, FST, Béni-Mellal, Morocco; 2 Department of Pomologie, National School of Agriculture Meknes, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: Youssef.faiq. cqpaa@gmail.com. Abstract The diversity of climatic conditions gives Morocco a vocation of fruit production in general and fruit ro- sacea in particular. This sector, which has expanded considerably since the beginning of the 80s (thanks in particular to private sector initiatives), has a great socio-economic potential and thanks to this impor- tant role the new Moroccan agricultural strategy ‘The Green Morocco Plan’ particular importance to the development of small-scale farming and the promo- tion of local products. In this aspect, the Green Mo- rocco Plan through projects for the intensification of the loquat in the Zegzel valley and in the surrounding areas has made it possible to improve the quality of Zegzel loquat and to enhance the value of its pro- duction through the Protected Geographical Indica- tion. “IGP Loquat of Zegzel”. However, the high ge- netic diversity observed in the loquat orchards of the Berkane area prevents the adoption of an adequate technical itinerary for each cultivar, and consequent- ly a stable quality production from one year to the next. Nowadays, the characterization and evaluation of the diversity and the evaluation of the interannual variability of the physicochemical and biochemical characteristics of the fruit which determine the quality and the specificity of Zegzel loquat within the loquat populations remain unknown. In the perspective of as- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 480 sessing the diversity of loquat cultivated in Northeast Morocco that the present study was undertaken. The main objective of this study is to study the genotypic variability and to evaluate the biochemical quality of the fruit of the main genotypes selected from the traditional orchards of the Zegzel loquat. A set of 35 individuals were selected and studied. The results of the present study confirmed that the biochemical characteristics of the fruit of the different genotypes of the loquat from the region of Berkane present a wide variability for all the characters measured, they show that some genotypes have presented interest- ing performances from a quality point of view. fruit. However, the T9 and T11 genotypes have fruits with a high content of carotenoids, flavonoids, and total polyphenols. Keywords: Japanese loquat (Eriobotrya japonica), Biochemical marker, genotype, environ- ment, flavonoids, carotenoids, total polyphenols. P037. Hepatoprotective effect of methanolic extract of Zygophyllum album against CCl4 –induced hepatotox- icity in rats Wassila Saiah1*, Halima Saiah2, Hanane Halzoune3, El-Hadj Ahmed Koceir1, and Naima Omari1 1 Bioenergetics and Intermediary Metabolism, Labo- ratory, Biology and Organisms, Physiology Depart- ment, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene, Bab Ezzouar, Algeria; 2 Laboratory of natural bioresources, Faculty of SNV, Department of Biology, University Hassiba Ben Bouali, Algeria. *Cor- responding and Presenting Author: saiahbouchra@ yahoo.fr. Abstract Liver diseases pose a major challenge to international public health. Hepatic damage is associated with dis- tortion of metabolic functions of the liver. The present study was carried out to evaluate the hepatoprotec- tive effect of the methanolic extract of Zygophyllum album in CCl4- induced hepatotoxicity in albino rats. Hepatotoxicity was induced in rats by a single intra- péritonéal injection of CCl4 suspended in olive oil af- ter every 72h for 10 days (group II). Hepatotoxicity- induced rats were treated with 100 mg/kg b.w. of methanolic extract of Z. album for 10 days, and also, CCl4 was given as in group II of rats. The effect of the drug was compared with the standard drug silyma- rin. The effect of the studied extract on antioxidant enzymes, serum glucose, urea, createnine serum bili- rubin, total protein and lipid profile was determined. Treatment with Z. album extract showed a significant reduction in blood glucose levels, marker enzymes and lipid profile. The drug significantly increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the liver of hepa- totoxic rats. The results of the present study suggest that treatment with Z. album extract enhanced the recovery from CCl4 –induced hepatic damage due to its antioxidant and hepatoprotective property. Key words: Hepatotoxicity, CCl4, Zygophyllum album, methanol extract, antioxidant. P038. Pomological evaluation of four mains introduced almond cultivars in North Eastern region of Morocco Reda Melhaoui1*, M Addi1; M Abid1, A Mihamou1, H Serghini-Caid1, M Sindic2, and A Elamrani1 1 Laboratoire LBPM, Faculté des Sciences, Université Mohamed Ier, Oujda; Morocco; 2 Laboratoire de Chimie Générale et Organique, Gembloux Agro Bio- Tech, Université de Liège; Belgium. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: reda_melhaoui@hotmail.fr. Abstract Almond (Prunus dulcis L.) is one of the most important cultivated fruit trees in north eastern region of Moroc- co. Recently, as part of the Green Morocco program, North Eastern region of Morocco was supported by the Belgian development agency through the “PRO- FAO*” project for planting 6000 ha of almond trees. Ferragnes and Ferraduel, two French cultivars known for their late flowering in March to escape the late frosts of spring, were chosen for the planting of these new almond orchards , instead of “Marcona” and “Fo- urnat” which also have been previously introduced in this region but appears to be sensitive to spring frost due to their flowering in February. This work focuses on the pomological characterization of these four al- mond cultivars (Ferragnes, Ferraduel, Marcona and Fournat) in five studied areas in North Eastern region of Morocco. For each almond cultivar, recorded po- mological measurements for the fruit and kernel are: weight, width, length, thickness, volume and percent- age of the double kernels. Nuts weight ranges be- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 481 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) tween a minimum value of 2.65g for Ferragnes and a maximum value of 4.41g for Fournat, while the ker- nels’ weight ranges between 0.73g for Marcona and 1.38g for Fournat. Calculated mean values of nuts and kernels volumes are respectively 4000.98mm3 and 846.09mm3 for Marcona, considered as small fruits, and 9667.20mm3, 1553.01mm3 for Fournat considered as big fruits in this study, however interme- diate values have been recorded for nuts and kernels of Ferragne and Ferraduel. Finally, yield after shell- ing and the percentage of doubles kernels have been determined, they range from 20.27% to 33.54% and from 0% to 15% respectively. *PROFAO: Projet Fil- ière Amandes de L’Oriental, “The almond value chain in eastern Morocco, Pillar II of the Moroccan Green Plan, supported by Belgian development agency (BTC 2011-2017). Keywords: Almond, Nut, Kernel, Ferragnes, Ferraduel, Marcona, Fournat. P039. Distribution of a plant of agronomic interest in Morocco: case of common myrtle Aabdousse Jamal*, R. Faida, A. Boulli, and N. Wahid§ Ecology and Sustainable Development Team (ESDT), Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni- Mellal, Morocco. *Presenting author: abdojamal.fst- bm@gmail.com. §Corresponding author: wahid2na@ hotmail.com. Abstract Myrtle is an aromatic and medicinal plant well known for its therapeutic, cosmetic and food properties. In traditional medicine, fruits and leaves are used as an- tiseptics, antibacterial, antihyperglycemic, analgesic and as anti-inflammatory agent, so in Morocco it is widely used in the control of hair loss and skin ton- ing. These diverse properties make myrtle a plant of interest not only therapeutically but also economically and agronomic. In Morocco, it is exploited from the spontaneous natural state for the extraction of es- sential oils from leaves. Its uncontrolled exploitation, coupled with the restriction of its natural environment, the degradation of its ecosystem and the reduction of its density within often isolated stations, increase the risk of a rapid genetic erosion of the species. For the sustainable management of this species, it is neces- sary to define a precise vision of the potential uses of myrtle and the prospects of increasing their sup- ply through domestication. Thus, a broad knowledge of the distribution of this species would facilitate the establishment of a seed bank for the development of agricultural domestication and genetic improvement programs. In order to determine the biogeographical range of the Myrtle in Morocco, we have carried out prospecting missions in different regions of the king- dom ranging from the central plateau to the Western Rif. These missions allowed us to determine the bio- climatic stage as well as the vegetation stage of the myrtle, the optimal climatic conditions for the installa- tion, also the domestication and genetic improvement of this species. Keywords: Myrtus communis L., bio- geographical distribution, bioclimatic stage, ecology. P040. Phosphate solubilizing bacteria: Potential Biofer- tilizers for Sustainable Agriculture Qessaoui Redouan1,2*, R. Bouharroud2, A. Amar- raque2, A. Ajerrar1,2, H. Lahmyed1,2, E H. Mayad3,4, and B. Chebli1 1 Laboratoire Génie de l’environnement et de Bio- technologie, Ecole Nationale des Sciences Appliquée, Agadir, Morocco ; ² Research Unit of Integrated Crop Production, Centre Regional de la Recherche Agronomique d’Agadir (INRA), Morocco; 3 Labora- tory of Biotechnologies and Valorization of Natural Resources Faculty of Sciences - Agadir, Ibn Zohr Uni- versity, Agadir, Morocco; 4 Biotechnology and Envi- ronmental Engineering Team, Laboratory for Process Environmental and Energy Engineering, National School of Applied Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, PO Box: 1136/S, Agadir, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: qessaoui_bio@hotmail.fr. Abstract The concept of sustainable agriculture is a response to the decline in the quality of the natural resource base associated with modern agriculture. The use of chemicals for agricultural needs will result loss in soil physical condition and water pollution. The exploi- tation of beneficial microbes as a biofertilizers has become paramount importance in agriculture sector for their potential role in food safety and sustain- able crop production. Phosphorus is the second mac- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 482 ronutrient essential for growth and development of plants. However, the solubility of this macronutrient is very low and 75 to 90% of phosphate fertilizers are precipitated. Two isolates of Pseudomonas (P. putida QEF11B and P. luteola QEF13B) isolated from the rhizosphere were tested in the phosphate solubiliza- tion in both solid and liquid media. The pH evolution was followed. P. putida QEF11B Shows a significant solubilization of phosphate which varies from 0.53 to 2.92 µg/ml for 24h and 96h respectively. In the solid media each isolate shows a halo around colony. This will be explained by the production of organic acids. The ability of this strain to acidify the media con- firmed by the decreased of pH for both isolates com- pared to control. To circumvent phosphorus deficiency, this phosphate-solubilizing microorganism could play an important role in supplying phosphate to plants in a more environmentally-friendly and sustainable manner, and reducing problems associated with the use of chemical fertilizers. Keywords: Pseudomonas, phosphate solubilization, Sustainable Agriculture P041. Responses of differential barley genotypes to Moroccan isolates of Pyrenophora teres f. teres Karima Taibi1*, F. Bentata2, S. Rehman3, M. Labhilili2, A. El Aissami1, R.P.S. Verma3, and S. Gyawali3 1 Laboratory of Botany, Mycology and Environment, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University Mohammed V-Agdal, Ra- bat, Morocco; 2 L’Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique-Maroc (INRA-M), INRA Avenue Ennasr, Rabat, Maroc BP 415 RP Rabat, Morocco ; 3 Biodiver- sity Integrated Gene Management Program (BIGM), International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA), P.O. Box: 6299 Rabat-Instituts/Ra- bat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: ktaibi1@gmail.com. Abstract Barley net blotch, caused by Pyrenophora teres f. teres (Ptt), is one of the most important foliar diseases in Morocco. The disease causes appreciable yield losses under favorable environmental conditions. To identify effective sources of resistance to net blotch, the understanding of virulence spectrum of Ptt is es- sential. Sixteen barley genotypes were inoculated at seedling stage with 15 Ptt isolates that were col- lected from different agro-ecological zones of Mo- rocco during the disease survey of 2009-2010. The experiment was conducted in factorial arrangement of treatments in randomized complete block design with three replicates. ANOVA and GGE biplot were employed to understand the barley-Ptt interactions. The ANOVA revealed highly significant effects of genotype (G), isolate (I) and G×I interactions. Fur- thermore, the results indicated that race nonspecific interaction and aggressiveness of Ptt isolates domi- nated over gene-for-gene interaction (race specific/ virulence). The study of virulence of Ptt isolates re- vealed highly diverse virulence pattern of Moroccan isolates. In addition, GGE biplot revealed that Mo- roccan cultivars, Taffa and Aglou, showed increased level of stable resistance to Ptt comparatively while Coast and Rabat071 were the most susceptible geno- types. The emergence of new Ptt pathotypes which are highly virulent to durable resistance in Rabat071 poses a greater risk of breaking down currently de- ployed resistance to net blotch in Morocco. GGE Bip- lot also discriminated virulence of Ptt isolates of which Pt2, Pt7, Pt8, and Pt4 being the most virulent isolates, while Pt10 and Pt11 were found the least virulent isolates. A careful evaluation and selection of Ptt iso- lates based on virulence pattern to barley genotypes is essential for successful barley breeding for resis- tance to net blotch in Morocco. Keywords: Virulence, Barley, GGE Biplot, Net blotch, Pyrenophora teres P042. Civil development organizations and ICT: two vectors of social change in rural mountain areas of the middle Atlas (morocco) Noureddine Bahri1*, A. Bentaïbi1 and T. Desrues2 1 Regional Center of Agricultural Research of Meknes, BP. 578 Meknes VN, Morocco; 2 Institute of Advanced Social Studies (IESA) Cordoba, C/ Campo Santo de los Mártires, 7 14004 Cordoba, Spain. *Correspond- ing and Presenting Author: bahrinour@yahoo.fr. Abstract The positioning of civil organizations (NGOs) as an important stakeholder within the institutional land- scape for local development is now recognized as a real characteristic of the new development dynamics A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 483 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) that Morocco is experiencing during the last two de- cades. Local development associations and coopera- tives are a tool for mobilizing the population around concrete projects and a key partner for their partici- patory realization. They are also a local anchor of sustainability and scalability capable of assimilating the social demand and transforming it into innovative initiatives for the production of products and services. Such organizations finally provide the advantage of having a broad credit to the various actors and are therefore able to play an integrative role for the various sectoral development interventions. Access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) is a phenomenon illustrating the dynamics of change re- corded in the Kingdom and is considered as another vector of social change. As a result, NGO’s access to ICTs would allow: 1) to break their isolation, foster- ing internal and external communications; 2) to pro- vide information on local development strategies and needs; 3) To obtain resources and establish partner- ships or raise awareness among policy and adminis- trative leaders; and 4) to promote the participation of their members and local people. These hypotheses are supported by the results of our study, ICTs are, however, resources or instruments that are part of a pre-existing social, economic and political order, so it is appropriate to check in accordance with each local situation the current reconfigurations and whether the latter promote the reproduction of the old positions of power and inequality or are, on the contrary, sources of change. We analyse also the ICTs and develop- ment actions carried out by the three selected NGOs. Secondly, we deepen the question of the place of women in the activities and decision-making processes of these NGOs and, in particular, we return to the empowerment opportunities that ICTs offer to women. In conclusion, we present some of the development opportunities offered by ICTs and certain identified limits, especially in terms of capacity building and gender. Keyword: ICTs, NGOs, Local development, Agricultural development, Collective action, Social change. P043. Characterization and phylogenetic diversity of Allorhizobium vitis isolated from grapevine in Morocco Khaoula Habbadi1,2,3*, Quentin Duplay3*, David Cha- pulliot3, Isabelle Kerzon3, Rachid Benkirane2, Abdel- latif Benbouazza1, Florence Wisniewski-Dye3, Céline Lavire3, Ludovic Vial3, and El Hassan Achbani1 1 Laboratoire de recherche et de protection des plan- tes URPP-INRA-Meknès, Morocco; 2 Laboratoire de Botanique, Biotechnologie, et Protection des Plantes, Faculté des Sciences, Kenitra, Morocco; 3 Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5557, Ecologie Microbienne, INRA, UMR1418, 10 Villeurbanne, F-69622, France. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: khaoula405@gmail.com. Abstract Crown gall was observed in recently planted vine- yards of the Meknes region (Morocco). 82 isolates from 10 affected vineyards were characterized by recA sequencing and were found to belong to A. tu- mefaciens genomospecies G1, G4 or G7, Rhizobi- um rhizogenes, and to Allorhizobium vitis. Only the 39 A. vitis isolates showed to be pathogenic in vi- tro on tomato and MLSA phylogenetic analyses re- vealed a poor genetic diversity, with the definition of only four genomic groups. Definition of the A. vitis genomic groups correlates with specific pathogenic traits: indeed, genomic groups differ with respect to the severity of hypersensitive response symptoms on tobacco leaves, the intensity of necrotic response on grapevine explants, and opine profiles. Both vitopine and octopine were detected by UHPLC in tumors in- duced by isolates of three genomic groups, an opine signature scarcely ever reported. Keywords: Crown gall, grapevine, Allorhizobium vitis, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, phylogenetic diversity. P044. Biological Control of Bacterial Onion Diseases using a Bacterium, Pantoea agglomerans 2066-7 Soumia Sadik1,2*, Hamid Mazouz2, Abdellatif Benb- ouazza1, and El Hassan Achbani1 1 Laboratory of Phytobacteriology and Biocontrol, National Institute of Agronomic Research, BP. 578Me- knès VN 50000, Km 13 Route Haj Kaddour, Meknes- Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, b p 11201, Avenue Zitoune, Meknes, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: sadik.soumia@hotmail.com A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 484 Abstract Epiphytic microorganisms, isolated from the olive knots, apple fruits and trees, quince, compost and water from different areas were screened for antagonistic activity against Pseudomonas marginalis, Pseudomo- nas viridiflava, Xanthomonas retroflexus and Pantoea ananatis on onion bulbs. From 77 microorganisms test- ed for antagonistic property against bacterial onion diseases, the strain 2066-7 of Pantoea agglomerans was selected. Complete control against Pseudomonas marginalis and Pseudomonas viridiflava at 107CFU. ml-1 concentration of 2066-7 and an inhibition per- cent higher than 90% against Xanthomonas retroflex- us and Pantoea ananatis were obtained on wounded onion bulbs inoculated with 106CFU.ml-1 of patho- gens under cold conditions. The inhibitions percent were decreased under 25°C and 30°C. Keywords: Onion, Bacterial onion diseases, Storage, Biological control, Morocco P045. Effect of Parturition and Lactation on Ponderal Performance in Bedouin Goat under Harsh Climatic En- vironment Henna Kamilia, Kouri Fatima, Kouri Amina, Amirat Zaina, Khammar Farida, and Charallah Salima* Research Laboratory of Arid Lands, Faculty of Biol- ogy, USTHB, BP 32 El-Alia, Algiers, Algeria. *Corre- sponding and Presenting Author: charalla@yahoo.fr. Abstract In various animal species, many studies have shown weight fluctuations during parturition and lactation, however, no ponderal study was carried out during these physiological stages in the native bedouin goat in the Algerian Sahara. Given its perfect adaptation to the hostile conditions of the arid zones, it seemed interesting to describe the evolution of body weight (BW) during these critical phases. This study is con- ducted on 14 females kept at the research station of Beni-Abbes (south- west Algeria: 30° 07’ N, 2° 10’ W). These females are weighed in the morn- ing, on the day of parturition (D0) and weekly for six weeks post-partum (W1 to W6). The weight data obtained are analyzed by statistical tests Kruskal Wallis and Dunn (XL Stat). the mean BW on day 0 is 23.2± 5.4 kg but becomes significant from W2 to W5 and drops very significantly in W6, respectively (20.5±5.1, 20.2±5.1, 19.9±3.9 et 19.2±4.00 kg, p= 0.01; 18.9±3.1 kg, p= 0.006). The statistical dif- ference between mean weekly BW from W1 to W6 is not significant. The weight losses recorded during lactation would indicate the low level of ingestion ca- pacity leading to an energy deficit that the lactating female must compensate by using her body reserves accumulated during the second half of the gestation period. At the same time, a progressive average dai- ly gain is noted in newborns. The average BW in D0 would indicate the accumulation of lipid reserves dur- ing pregnancy and nutritional quality ingested. These weight variations reflect the interaction between the food supply and the mobilization of body reserves according to the physiological stage. Keywords: Par- turition, lactation, ponderal performance, goat, arid zone. P046. In vitro evaluation of the effectiveness of peel pomegranate aqueous extract in controlling Brown rot caused by Monilinia spp. Assia Elkhetabi1,2*, Rachid Lahlali1, Said Ezrai1,2, Ab- dessalem Tahiri1, Latifa Askarne3, Jovana Hrustic4, Lahsen El Ghadaroui2, and Said Amiri1 1 Department of Plant Protection, Phytopathology Unit, Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, BPS 40, Meknès, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Functional Ecology and Environment, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdel- lah University, Po. Box 2202, Route d’Imouzzer, Fez, Morocco; 3 Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology and Plant Protection, Université Ibn Zhor, Faculté des Sciences, Agadir, Morocco; 4 Institute of Pesticides and Environmental Protection, Laboratory of Applied Phytopathology, Banatska 31b, 11080 Belgrade-Ze- mun, Serbia. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: elkhetabiassia@gmail.com. Abstract Brown rot is considered as one of major pre-and postharvest pathogen of tree fruit and it is com- monly caused by both fungal pathogens Monilinia laxa and M. fructigena. This disease was usually con- trolled based on integrated strategy, which includes cultural practices and fungicide spray. However, due A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 485 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) to environmental and consumers health concerns, al- ternatives strategies need to be developed in order to substitute the frequent use of chemical substances. Therefore, this study aimed at evaluating the in vitro antifungal activity of peel pomegranate aqueous ex- tract against both fungal pathogens causing brown rot. The preliminary results showed a promising effect of the peel pomegranate aqueous extract on the in vitro mycelial growth of both pathogens when tested at 2.5 mg/ml of PDA medium. In addition, obtained results highlighted a positive correlation between the concentration rate of peel pomegranate aqueous ex- tract and the mycelial growth inhibition. Interestingly, the inhibition rate was increased with increasing the concentration rate of peel pomegranate aqueous ex- tract from 0.5 mg to 5 mg/ml. It was concluded that the aqueous extract of peel pomegranate might be a sustainable alternative control strategy of brown rot. As a result, studies on fruit and mechanisms behind its effectiveness are further considered in more details. Keywords: Brown rot, tree fruit, alternative control strategy, aqueous extract, peel pomegranate. P047. Survey and prevalence of viruses infecting cucur- bit crops in Morocco Nabil Radouane1,2*, Soukaina Ermadi1, Abdessalem Tahiri1*, Meryem Benjelloun2, and Rachid Lahlali1 1 Department of Plant Protection, Phytopathology Unit, Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, BPS 40, Meknès, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Functional Ecology and Environment, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdel- lah University, PO Box 2202, Route d’Imouzzer, Fez, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: ata- hiri@enameknes.ac.ma. Abstract Cucurbit species are important vegetable crops in Morocco and many Mediterranean countries. A survey carried out within 2016 and 2017 in open field has emphasized severe yellowing, chlorosis, and symp- toms of viral infections in major cucurbits growing areas of Morocco; in particular Azmour, El Jadida, Kenitra, Taroudant, Zagoura, and Agadir. Accord- ingly, samples having virus symptoms in two cucurbits corps Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) and Watermelon (Citrulus lanatus) were collected, dried with calcium chloride, and analyzed by DAS-ELISA technique for detection of the most common cucurbit viruses such as Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV), Water melon mosaic virus (WMV), Pa- paya ringspot virus (PRSV) and Cucurbit aphid born yellow virus (CABYV). In addition, both PCR and RT- PCR were used for specific detection of Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV), Cucumber mosaic vi- rus (CMV), Cucumber vein yellow virus (CVYV), and Melon necrotic spot virus (MNSV). Among 136 cucur- bit samples (86 samples of zucchini and 50 samples of watermelon), the DAS-ELISA revealed that 79.07% of the zucchini samples and 60% of the watermelon samples were positive for ZYMV, WMV, PRSV and CABYV. Surprisingly, the PCR bioassay revealed the presence of ToLCNDV for the first time in the coun- try. Regardless of the locality, the CMV was detected only by RT-PCR in most samples, while the CVYV and the MNSV were absents. Keywords: Cucurbita pepo, Citrulus lanatus, CMV, ZYMV, PRSV, CABYV, CMV, CVYV, MNSV, ToLCNDV, DAS-ELISA, PCR and RT-PCR. P048. Effect of Silicon Application on Seed Germination of Coriandrum sativum (L.) Grown Under Salt Condi- tions Jamila Fahimi1,2*, Fouad Achemchem1, Zakia Bouzou- baâ2, Nabil Saffaj1, Rachid Bouharroud2, and Rachid Mamouni1 1 Team of Materials, Catalysis and Natural Resourc- es Development, Department of Chemistry, Ibn-Zohr University, FSA. Agadir, Morocco; 2 Agrophysiology & Post Harvest Laboratory Natural Resources and Local Product Research Unity (UR RN &PDT) INRA-CRRA- Agadir, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Au- thor: jamila.fahimi@edu.uiz.ac.ma /f.achemchem@ uiz.ac.ma. Abstract Salinity is one of the main factors limiting the growth of plants. Agricultural losses caused by salinity are alarming and in continuous increase. Silicon (Si) is the second abundant element in the earth’s crust, per- forming a great role in healing plants in response to abiotic stresses. Seed germination is critical step of the plant development. For that, this work aims to evaluate the germinative behaviour of coriander Co- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 486 riandrum sativum (L.) in salt stress conditions in pres- ence and absence of Si. Seeds were germinated in Petri dishes in three levels of salinity (0, 25 mM and 50 mM of NaCl) with and without Si supply, the num- ber of seeds germinated was recorded daily for 10 days. Our results exhibit that salt treatments acted negatively on germination percentage (%), coeffi- cient of velocity of germination (CVG), germination rate index (GRI) and mean germination time (MGT). Whereas, the application of Si enhanced these ger- mination indexes. Keywords: Silicon; Salinity; Corian- drum sativum (L.); Germination. P049. Improvement of tomato rhizobial inoculant by incorporation of plant growth promoting rhizobacte- ria (PGPR) as biocontrol against the bacterial canker caused by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. Michiganen- sis Meryam Moustaine1,2*, R. Elkahkahi3, A. Benbouazza1, R. Benkirane2, and El Hassan Achbani1 1 Laboratory of Bacteriology and Biological Con- trol, the National Institute of Agronomic Research of Meknes. Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Botany and Plant Protection, Faculty of Sciences, University Ibn Tufail, Kenitra, Morocco; 3 Centre for Innovation and Tech- nology Transfer, University Moulay Ismail, Marjane 2, Meknes. Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: meryamenam@gmail.com. Abstract Three bacterial strains from the compost were tested for their antagonistic properties against the patho- genic bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis on tomato. Their efficacy was compared with that of the Pan- toea agglomerans bacterium (2066-7) whose abil- ity to control Clavibacter michiganensis is recognized. The results show that Pantoea agglomerans reduces the onset of 70% disease symptoms, Serratia prote- amaculans to 45% and Bacillus cereus to 75%. Sub- sequent trials will verify the antagonistic efficacy of the combination of these three rhizobacteria on Cla- vibacter michiganensis. Keywords: Clavibacter michi- ganensis, rhizobacteria, antagonistic. P050. Study of Several Physicochemical Properties of four Sweet Cherry Cultivars (Prunus avium L.) in the Middle Atlas Mountains of Morocco Mina El Baji1,2*, H. Hanine2, H. Latrache2, and O. Ko- dad1 1 Department of Pomologie, National School of Ag- riculture- Meknes, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Biopro- cess and Bio-Interfaces, FST Béni-Mellal, Beni Mel- lal, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: m.elbaji92@gmail.com. Abstract Fruit samples analyzed in this study were harvested in 2015 and 2016 from four sweet cherry cultivars, namely “Burlat”, “Van”, “Napoleon” and “Pigeon heart” grown in the Middle Atlas of Morocco (Touf- selt and Imouzzer). Some physicochemical proper- ties of fruit were investigated. Fruit weight ranged from 6.39 g and 6.90 g, but statistical differences between “Burlat”, “van” and “Pigeon heart” were non-significant. Fruit volume in different cultivars was between 4.89 and 5.26 cm3. The highest values were recorded in “Van” and “Pigeon heart”. The lowest values of flesh width were in cultivars “Burlat” (7.26 mm) and “Napoleon” (7.12 mm). The epidermis of “Napoleon” cherries had low firmness, whereas high firmness values were measured in “Van” and “Pigeon heart”. Titratable acidity was between 8.36 and 11.05 g malic acid/l, “Napoleon” having the high- est value. Soluble solids content in different cultivars was between 14.5 °Brix and 16.07 °Brix. The highest value was recorded in “Van”. Fruit weight and firm- ness were higher in 2016 than in 2015 while fruit length and thickness were lower. “Toufselt” location shows high values of fruit weight and size. The fruits produced in “Imouzzer” locations are characterized by a high firmness. Keywords: sweet cherry, cultivar, physicochemical properties. P051. Humics substances produced during composting process of the olive mill wastes and municipal organic wastes Barje Farid* and Hafidi Mohamed Laboratory of Ecology and Environment, Faculty of A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 487 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) Science Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: fbarje@gmail.com. Abstract The humics substances form an important fraction of soils’ organic compounds; their chemical nature has put forward various hypotheses on the mecha- nisms of their formation. In this context, to follow their evolution,the Humic acids(HAs) and Fulvicacids (FAs) extracted at different stages of co-composting of olive mill waste and organic household refuse with added phosphate, were analyzedwith 13C-NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy. The findings highlight the contrast- ing variations in theproportions of C-aromatic and C-carbonyl of HAs as the H/C atomic ratio changes. The comparative 13C-NMR study of the FAs with the same tendancy,that showlow aromatic (C=C) content in the initial stage of composting, which contained a greater proportion of carbonyl (C=O), O,N-alkyl and alkyl carbon. The FT-IR spectroscopy of HAs showed a decreasingabsorption in bands of aliphatic bonds -CH-, -CH2-, carboxylic acids, esters, amides C=O,the C-O-bonds of polysaccharides and alco- hols with respect to ether bonds C-O-C;they was lin- earlycorrelated with the H/C ratio. For the FAs, the main absorption bands were in the region of 3393 cm-1 (O-H), near 2931 cm-1 (aliphatic C-H), a dis- tinct shoulder between 1717 cm-1 (C=O of carbonyl) and 1640 cm-1 (C=O of amide and ketone), 1547 cm-1 (aromatic C=C with conjugated C=O or am- ide N-H), near 1400-1384 cm-1 ( COO- stretch or OH deformation of COOH). The ratio of HAs to FAs carbon content (CHA/CFA), which is representative of the polymerization degree, showed a positive lin- ear correlation (r =+0.56, p < 0.05) with the degree of aromaticity of HAs. The increase in the CHA/CFA ratio with increasing humic acidsaromaticity,is repre- sentative ofa remarkable aspect of the restructuring brought, with respect to the mechanisms ofpolymer- ization during composting. Keywords: Humic Acids, Fulvic Acids, Composts, Organic wastes. P052. Physicochemical characterization of the pome- granate (Punica granatum) in INRA collection: a first step of selection of performants cultivars Assia Ejjilani1,2*, Hafida Haninie2, Rachid Razouk1, La- hcen Hssaini1, Abderrahman Mekaoui1, Hakim Outg- houliast1, and Jamal Charafi1§ 1 National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA), regional center of Meknes, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Bioprocess and Bio-Interfaces, Faculty of Science and Technology, Beni Mellal, Morocco. *Correspond- ing and Presenting Author: assiaejjila@gmail.com. §Corresponding author: jcharafi@gmail.com. Abstract In order to support the development of the pome- granate (Punica granatum) in Morocco, a collection of several important varieties has been installed in experimental station of the National Institute of Agri- cultural Research (INRA) located in Aïn Taoujdate. This study was carried to assess the appropriate physi- cochemical compounds of fruit for a future selection of performing varieties for agriculture and industry. Eighteen cultivars were characterized including 10 lo- cal genotypes and 8 foreigners. Measurements con- cerned parameters related to the external, internal and qualitative characteristics of fruit (weight, di- mensions, weight of arils, pips, brix degree of juice, …). Our results show a large diversity based on the used descriptors. For fruit weight, it varies between 198.14g for local cultivar “Chelfi” and 589.28g for foreign cultivar “Red Pomegranate 2”. The fruit length differs between 58.93 (Chelfi) to 96.3 mm (Red Grenade2) and its diameter between 72.29 (Chelfi) and 109.99 mm (Red Pomegranate 2). Total arils weight varies between 127 and 463g with an average of 237g. Thus, the weight of one aril varies from 2.6 to 8.9 g with an average of 4.3. Fruit juice content reached from 25 to 52 %. The high values of juice content were observed for cultivars Zheri of Autumn’,’ Zheri Precoce’, and ‘Red Pomegranate’, thus presenting an interest in industry. The flavor and the hardness of arils have a great influence on fruit taste quality. The cultivars Red Pomegranate, Sefri and Yel- low Pomegranate have a good quality marked by a sweet taste (17-20 °Brix), a high richness in antho- cyanins and a softness of their pips. These primary results show that this ex-situ collection of pomegran- ate contains a large physicochemical diversity and can be a basis for selecting the performing varieties for different regions. Keywords: Pomegranate, Punica granatum, characterization, physicochemical, quality, A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 488 ex-situ collection P053. Valorization of the Therapeutic Virtues of Salvia mouretii Extracts from Atlas Mountains of Morocco Sanae Jennan1*, Abdellah Farah2, Fatima Mahjoubi1, and Dalila Bousta3 1 Materials Engineering and Environnement Lab, Depart- ment of Chemistry Sciences, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdel- lah University, Faculty of Sciences Dhar El Mahraz, BP 1796 Fez, Morocco; 2 Applied Organic Chemistry Lab, Department of Chemistry , Faculty of Sciences and Tech- niques, Fez, Morocco; 3 Régulations Neuroendocrini- ennes liées à l’environnement Lab, Faculty of Sciences Dhar El Mahraz, BP 1796 Fez, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: jennansanae@gmail.com. Abstract This study aims to investigate in vitro antioxidant activi- ties of Salvia mouretii and to examine the in vivo anti- inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of the aqueous extract of aerial parts of S.mouretii. The aqueous and ethanol extracts were screened for their possible anti- oxidant activities by three complementary test systems, namely DPPH free radical-scavenging, reducing power and molybdenum systems. Anti-inflammatory activity of the aqueous extract was evaluated by Carrageenan- Induced Rat Paw Oedema method. The antinocicep- tive effect was tested by using the plantar test. The ethanol extract showed better activity (IC50 = 0.4mg/ ml) in the DPPH system. The aqueous extract showed greater activity in the phosphomolybdenum method (389.75 equivalent to ascorbic acid mg/g of extract and 188.73 equivalent to BHT mg/g of extract) and exhibited the highest reducing power. The aqueous ex- tract of S. mouretii at 10% inhibited the inflammation induced by carrageenan in rats at 75% compared to 67.5% for diclofenac at 1% after 4h of inflammation induction. However, at dose of 20%, S. mouretii showed a pro-inflammatory effect. In the plantar test, the toler- ance time of the rats treated with 10% of the aqueous extract was significantly higher compared to the control group. These initial results tend to support the traditional use of S. mouretti used in Morocco for the treatment of burns. Keywords: Salvia mouretii, Antioxidant activity, Anti-inflammatory activity, antinociceptive activity. P054. Characterization of Rhizobacteria Isolated from Compost and their Potential Effect on Promoting Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Growth M. Moustaine1,2*, R. Elkahkahi3, A. Benbouazza1, R. Benkirane2, and El Hassan Achbani1 1 Laboratory of Bacteriology and Biological Control, the National Institute of Agronomic Research, Meknes, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Botany and Plant Protec- tion, Faculty of Kenitra Ibn Tufail Sciences, Kenitra, Morocco; 3 Centre for Innovation and Technology Transfer, University Moulay Ismail, Marjane 2, Me- knes. Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Au- thor: meryamenam@gmail.com. Abstract Rhizobacteria promote plant growth (PGPR) are soil bacteria which colonize roots of the plant, improve growth and live symbiotically with it. These micro- organisms can promote plant growth by nutritional and hormonal balance control, production of plant growth regulators, the solubilization of nutrients (such as phosphate) and including resistance against plant pathogens. The objective of this work was to study the PGP activities and production of antimicrobial enzymes of three bacterial strains belonging to the genus Bacillus cereus (2027-2), Pantoea agglomer- ans (2066-7) and Serratia proteamaculans (2025-1), which are promoter’s rhizobacteria plant growth and having been tested on the culture of the tomato field. Only the strains 2066-7 solubilize the phosphate in the culture medium PVK. Although all isolates produce IAA 2066-7 product the high concentrations of this strain phytohormone in addition to its ability to syn- thesize all antimicrobial enzymes. All isolates showed an acetic acid indole activity in large amounts when cultured in the presence of tryptophan precursor to 1 g / l. This characterization has allowed to know the attributes benefits, which account for the benefits of competitiveness of these bacteria in the rhizosphere of crops, which, with their ability to perform biologi- cal nitrogen fixation, could promote the growth of tomato plants. Keywords: PGPR, AIA, solubilization phosphate, nitrogen fixation, production of ammonia (NH3) and Production antimicrobial enzymes. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 489 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) P055. Conservation of Moroccan saffron with molecu- lar identification by microsatellite markers (Crocus sa- tivus L.) Mohamed Lachheb*, M. Ben El Caid, L. Salaka, K. La- gram, Mohamed Amine Serghini, and Abdelhamid El Mousadik Laboratory of Biotechnology and Valorization of the Natural resources (LBVRN), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Mo- rocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: lach- heb.mohamed91@gmail.com. Abstract Crocus sativus L. is a male sterile vegetatively propa- gated plant. Its flower produces stigmas that when dried, constitute the most expensive spice in the world commonly known as saffron‘ Red Gold’, the name saf- fron is usually used to refer toboth the spice and the plant itself. This plant is cultivatedin anumber ofcoun- tries in the world (Iran, Turkey, India, Greece, Morocco, etc.).In Morocco, saffron is primarily cultivated in the area of Taliouine/Taznakht. The Moroccan Saffron is very popular at both national and international level. The Conservation and enhancement of the Moroccan saffron impose their morphological, biochemical and molecular characterization. The present study has for objectives, the development of a molecular identity of Moroccan saffron, the investigation and evaluation of the genetic variability by molecular markers and the construction of a database allowing fora better management, selection, exploitation and conservation of the Moroccan saffron as anational heritage. The samples used in this study, were collected from four different selected areas (provenances) in the region of Taliouine/Taznakht (Sidi Hssaine, Agadir Melloul, Taznakht and Askaouen) with an average of four samples of leaves from each provenance. Concern- ing the genomic DNA, it was extracted from 40mg of leaves, using CTAB procedure and it has served as the matrix for the amplification by PCR. The micro- satellite markers were selected for the identification and analysis of the genetic variability of cultivars of the Moroccan saffron, because of their large poly- morphism, their specificity, their codominance, their reproducibility and stability. 359 EST sequences of genomic DNA of the saffron were collected from the National center for Biotechnology Information (CNIB). The SSRIT software has allowed the identification of 14 EST-SSR (SSRe) and 12 SSR from the genomic DNA (SSRg), the primers specific for each region SSR were determined by the software Primer 3 version 4.0.0. In addition, 12 pairs of primers developed by Nemati et al. (2012) among the Iranian Saffron and three pairs of primers determined at Iris ensata, were selected for the molecular characterization of the Moroccan Saffron. The first results show that Moroc- can Saffron is genetically different compared to the Iranian saffron, this data is promoter for developing of a conservation strategy for the Moroccan saffron. The provenance of Sidi Hssaine is a clone genetically and agro-morphologically different from other prov- enances, this data is in favor of a high potential for the improvement of the productivity of the saffron of Taliouine with a selection assisted with SSR markers. Keywords: Microsatellite, saffron (crocus sativus), mo- lecular markers, genetic diversity, molecular identity. P056. Phytochemical and antibacterial study of Thymus zygisin the Azrou region Fatima Zahrae Radi1,2*, Sanae Amine1,2, Mohamed Regragui1,2, Najia Hamzaoui1,2, Hamid Oulhaj1,2, and Touriya Zair1,2 1 Research team in the chemistry of bioactive mol- ecules and environment. Department of Chemistry. Moulay Ismail University, Faculty of Sciences, PO Box 11201, 50000 Zitoune Meknès, Morocco; 2 Labora- tories of Materials Chemistry and Biotechnology of Natural Products (Chima-Bio).Department of Chemis- try. Moulay Ismail University, Faculty of Sciences, PO Box 11201, 50000 Zitoune Meknès, Morocco. *Cor- responding and Presenting Author: fati_radi2007@ hotmail.com. Abstract As a part of the valuation of the Moroccan cultural heritage in aromatic and medicinal plants, a phyto- chemical and antibacterial study of a species widely used in traditional medicine was carried out, it is the thymus zygis of the Azrou region. This plant’s yield of essential oil extracted by hydrodistillation is of the order of 5.25± 0,01. The essential oil (EO) was analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 490 mass pectrometry (GC-MS). It contains as majority compounds: the thymol (32.46%), and the carvacrole (18.29%). This plant has undergone a phytochemi- cal screening which consists of detecting the different chemical compounds existing in the plant using pre- cipitation and coloring reactions. Thus, it is rich in tan- nins, flavonoids, sterols and triterpenes, and free from the alkaloids of coumarins, and mucilage. For the an- tibacterial activity two methods were used: The first one is the method of diffusion on the disk and the sec- ond one is the method of the Minimal Inhibitory Con- centration (MIC) and the Minimum Bactericidal Con- centration (CMB). The essential oil was tested against six bacterial species: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Acinetobacter baumanii, Shigella dysenteria, and enterobacter cloacae. The results obtained showed that the plant’s essential oil inhibited the activity of all the species at low volumes (2µl / ml). The CMB was identical to the MIC(2µl / ml). According to the results of this study, we conclude that this medicinal plant possesses very important bi- ological properties which can be widely used in vari- ous fields such as medicine, pharmacy, cosmetology and agriculture. Keywords: Aromatic and medicinal plants, Thymus zygis, phytochemical study, Bacterial species, essential oil and antimicrobial power. P057. Numerical simulation of the airflow, temperature and humidity fields distribution inside multi-span green- house equipped with insect proof under different out- side climate conditions Reda Errais1*, Ahmed Bekkaoui1, Hassan Majdoubi2,3, Younes El Fellah1, and Allal Senhaji3 1 Département Energie et Agroéquipements. Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Rabat, Mo- rocco; 2 Laboratoire de Recherche Scientifique et Développement Pédagogique. CRMEF, Fès-Meknès, Morocco; Equipe de Recherche en Energétique et Mécanique des Fluides. Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Arts et Métiers, Meknès, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: Redaerrais@gmail.com. Abstract The agricultural greenhouses are structures that cre- ate a favorable and optimal microclimate adapted for the growth and the development of each crop by controlling the climate and by reducing the introduc- tion of the various insects harmful to plants. Air cir- culation, temperature and humidity are the most im- portant parameters of greenhouse climate that needs to be controlled in order to achieve optimal plants growth and maximize the yield. The aim of the cur- rent study is to predict the distributed climate inside multi-span tomato-greenhouses equipped with fine in- sect proof in sidewalls ventilation openings. Also, we try to analyze the greenhouse ventilation efficiency under two different external climate conditions in or- der to determine the effect of the outside weather conditions on the airflow , temperature and humidity fields distribution inside and at the greenhouses open- ings. For this purpose, a 3D numerical simulation using a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was carried out to estimate the dynamic and thermal and humidity behavior by using a commercial software package Fluent v6.3.26 based on the finite volumes method to solve the mass, momentum and energy conserva- tion equations. The turbulent transfers were described by model. Likewise, the dynamic influences of insect screens and tomatoes crop on air flow movement were modeled by means of the concept of porous medium. Atmospheric radiations contribution was also included in the model. Keywords: Modeling, simulation, green- house, microclimate, balance energetic, tomato crop, insect proof, CFD, fluent. P058. Meat quality traits of Béni Guil lamb raised in eastern Morocco Kamal Belhaj1,2*, F. Mansouri1, Caid Serghini1, M. Sin- dic2, M-L. Fauconnier3, M. Boukharta4, and Ahmed Elamrani1 1 LBPM laboratory , Faculte of Sciences, University Mohamed Ist, University Mohamed Premier, Oujda, Morocco; 2 QSPA laboratory, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Gembloux, University of Liège, Belgium; 3 Lab- oratory of General and Organic Chemistry, Gem- bloux Agro Bio-Tech, University of Liège, Belgium; 4 Haute Ecole Charlemagne, ISIa-Huy, Belgium. *Cor- responding and Presenting Author: belhaj.kamal90@ gmail.com. Abstract Béni Guil bred is the main ovine breed that dominates livestock farming in the semi-arid region of eastern A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 491 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) Morocco. No previous data is available on the qual- ity of Béni Guil lamb meat raised on the natural pas- ture of this area. Therefore, this study aims to pro- vide chemical composition and nutritional traits of this lamb meat. The animals were slaughtered at 33-37 kg live weight, with a strong fattening condition, cor- responding to notation 4, according to the Commu- nity Scale (scale 1-5) of Grading Sheep Carcasses EUROP (1) and R for conformation, according to the SEUROP grid (2). Chemical analysis was conducted on trimmed lyophilised samples of the longissimus lumbo- rum muscle (LLM). Chemical composition traits of LLM, namely dry matter (25.72%) protein (19.43%) intra- muscular fat (5.14% and ash percentage (0.94%) were similar to those of other indigenous breeds. Total saturated fatty acids (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) content in the intramuscular fat was on aver- age of 49.45 %, 38.48% and 12.4% of total fatty acids, respectively. The UFA/SFA and n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios are 1.04 and 3.78, respectively, and are com- parable to those recommended for a balanced diet. Amino acid (Aa) composition analysis conducted by a high-performance liquid chromatography allowed the identification of 17 Aa, including eight essential amino acids (His, Met, Ile, Leu, Lys, Thr, Val, Phe). The chemical index and the protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score values were 132 and 127, respec- tively. Keywords: Béni Guil Bred, Lamb meat, Fatty acids, Amino acids, Nutritional quality. 1- La grille EUROP de classement pour l’état d’engraissement [Internet]. Centre Interrégional d’Information et de Recherche en Production Ovine, France. 2011. Available from: www.reconquete- ovine.fr. 2- La grille EUROP de classement pour la conforma- tion [Internet]. Centre Interrégional d’Information et de Recherche en Production Ovine, France. 2011. Available from: www.reconquete-ovine.fr. P059. Effect of silicon on growth and grain yield of wheat Bendidi Abderrazzak1*, Rachid Dahan1, El Housin Bouichou1, Chams Dha Khalfi1, Mohamed Ibriz2, Wa- fae Sellami3, and Mohamed El Yaalaoui3 1 National Agricultural Research Institute, Morocco; 2 Faculty of Sciences, University Ibn Tofail, Kenita, Mo- rocco; 3 Faculty of Science and Technology of Fès, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: abendidi1@yahoo.fr. Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the ef- fects of silicon on the growth and grain yield of bread wheat and durum wheat. The trial was conducted at the greenhouse at INRA Meknes Morocco using a Ran- domized Complete Block design with three replica- tions in 2016/2017. Two factors (1- Dose of Silicon; Si-= 0 and Si+= 400 kg Si/ha), and 2- Genotype; G1= bread wheat; Arrehane and G2= durum wheat; Vitron) were tested. Statistical analysis revealed no significant effect of silicon on grain yield and its com- ponents for bread wheat and durum wheat. However, we noticed that silicon improved length, volume and root biomass as well as leaf area, plant height and biomass produced for bread wheat, unlike durum wheat. Probably some benefits of silicon (improved resistance to drought, fungal diseases and salinity) were masked because of the conduct the test in the greenhouse. The question that arises is the interest of bringing silicon for wheat in the Saus region of Mo- rocco. Keywords: silicon, bread wheat, durum wheat, growth, yield. P060. The Chemical and Biochemical Characterization of Moroccan Carob Fruits Fatima Ezzahra Eddabbeh1,2*, Abdelilah Rahou2, and Laila Nassiri1 1 Soil & Environment Microbiology Unit, Faculty of Sciences, Moulay Ismail University, 50050, PB : 298, Marjane, Meknes, Morocco; 2 Biotechnology and Val- uation of Plant Resources, Faculty of Sciences, Moulay Ismail University, P.B. 298, Marjane Meknes, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: eddabbeh_ fati_e@yahoo.fr. Abstract The carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is an agro-sylvo- pastoral tree specific to the Mediterranean region. In Morocco, it covers an area of about 130.000 hectares. There is a great agro-economic interest in A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 492 the carob treebecause of its low agronomic require- ment and its high benefits and Revenues. The results of the chemical and biochemical analyzes made on the Moroccan carob from diverse regions showed a great interest for the industrialists as well as for the valorization of the carob fruit. This explains the in- duction of new plantations in different regions and the creation of cooperatives for the valorization of its fruits. The present paper synthesizes the chemical and biochemical diversity of carob seed and pulp in Morocco. Keywords: Carob tree, Chemical diversity, Biochemical diversity. P061. Evaluation of Soil Fertility of Benslimane Region Habiba Sehlaoui1,2*, H. Dakak2, A. Zouahri2, A. Douaik2, A Ghanimi3, and R. Hassikou1 1 University Mohammed V, Faculty of Sciences, Depart- ment of Biology, Mycology and Environment, Rabat, Morocco; 2 National Research Institute of Agricultural Research, CRRAR, Research Unit on the Environment and Conservation of Natural Resources B.P. 6356 - Institutes, Rabat, Morocco; 3 University Mohammed V, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: se- hlaoui.habiba@gmail.com. Abstract Morocco has always made the development of the agricultural sector a priority and a strategic choice. But being an essentially arid and semi-arid country, intensive agricultural development has led to an im- provement in agricultural production, and it has, on the other hand, generated; degradation of soil qual- ity. This deterioration constitutes a serious danger since it causes a decrease in its fertility. In order to better understand this problem, an assessment of the physico-chemical quality of soils becomes necessary. It is in this context that this study was conducted to ex- amine the chemical fertility of the irrigated perimeter Cherrat, which belongs to the Benslimane region. This region has undergone some economic and particu- larly agricultural expansion in recent years. A survey of about thirty points was carried out. At first, mea- surements of pH, electrical conductivity, organic mat- ter content, available phosphorus and exchangeable potassium were made. In a second step, a geographi- cal information system (GIS) was established in order to study the spatial variations of its parameters. Key- words : Soil, fertility, Benslimane, Cherrat. P062. Agro-morphological analysis of Moroccan sesa- me (Sesamum indicum L.) populations Meriem El harfi1,2*, Abdelghani Nabloussi2, Marouane Jbilou3, Hafida Hanine1, Hajar Rizki1, and Jamal Charafi2 1 Laboratory of Bioprocess and BioInterfaces, Faculty of Science and Technology, Béni Mellal, Morocco; 2 Research Unit of Plant Breeding and Plant Genetic Resources Conservation, National Institute of Agro- nomic Research, Regional Agricultural Research Cen- ter of Meknès, Morocco; 3 Regional agricultural Re- search Center of Afourer, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: elharfi.meriem@gmail.com. Abstract Characterization of a given plant material contributes to the optimization of its conservation and its use as a germplasm in breeding programs. The aim of this study was to characterize 33 populations of Moroc- can sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) on the basis of agro– morphological traits and to estimate genetic diversity among and within populations. The material studied had been collected in 2012 from different zones in the Tadla area and, then, was evaluated in field ex- periments at the INRA experimental station of Afour- er, using randomized block design during 2013 and 2014. The study was done on 13 agromorphological traits, namely growth rate, height of the plant, num- ber of branches, height of the first branch, height of the first pod, number of pods per plant, width of pod, length of pod, number of seeds per pod, thousand seeds weight, seed yield per plant, seed yield per Ha and oil content. Significant differences between sesame populations in two different environments, Afourer 2013 and Afourer 2014, were observed only for three measured traits: height at the first pod (75.27 - 99.46 cm), number of seeds per pod (55.30 – 70.35) and thousand seeds weight (3.07 – 3.50 g). However, the environment has a significant effect on the majority of the traits studied. Also, effect of year was more pronounced for Afourer environment, being 2014 more favorable than year 2013. The A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 493 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) limited genetic diversity among the populations stud- ied might indicate these were very close genetically and likely were derived from a same original variety. Keyswords: Sesame, populations, agromorphological traits, diversity, environment, Morocco. P063. Evaluation and Selection of Lactic Acid Bacteria as Starter Cultures from Natural Biotopes Moussaid Siham1,2*, K. Ounine2, A. Benali1, M. R. Ka- bour1, and E. H. Maadoudi1 1 Laboratory of Food Technology and quality, Food safety/environment, CRRA, INRA, Avenue Ennasr, BP 415 RP, Rabat, Morocco; 2 Nutrition, Health and Envi- ronment Laboratory, Faculty of Science, University Ibn Tofail, B.P. 133 Kenitra. Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: sihamfstg@gmail.com. Abstract For thousands of years, humans have used microor- ganisms in the pharmaceutical, food, agronomic and industrial fields. These ubiquitous microorganisms of our environment and our food occupy an increasingly an important place in our life and are currently at the origin of the rise of biotechnology field. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are among the microorganisms used in the processing and preservation of food by produc- ing organic acids, proteases, lipases, exopolysaccha- rides, antibacterial agents, etc. The objective of our study is to isolate and screen LAB that have important technological skills. A total of forty-eight bacteria were isolated from camel milk, goat milk and argan residues. The evaluation of the acidifying ability by pH monitoring every two hours for twenty-four hours showed that for some bacteria the pH decreased from 6.7 to 3.8 after 24 hours of fermentation. The OPA method revealed that 14% of the isolated have a significant proteolytic activity releasing up to 7 mM Glycine. The dosage of fatty acids released by the isolates using the titrimetry method has shown that its amount varies between 0.6 µmol / ml and 2.6 µmol / ml. Whereas the anti-free radical activity measured by the DPPH method is 5% for a sterile skimmed milk while it is maximum for the same milk inoculated by our isolates to reach 34% compared to vitamin C for certain isolates. 30% of the isolates have an antibac- terial activity against either Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli or Salmonella enterica or on the three strains at the same time whose diameter of the zone of in- hibition of the pathogenic strains is between 2 mm and 12 mm. On the other hand, 49% of isolates are able to produce exopolysaccharides responsible for the texture of processed products. Isolated BAL have shown an important property to allow them to be considered as good starter cultures. Keywords: Lactic acid bacteria; acidifying activity; protease; lipase; antioxidant activity. P064. Genotypic and Environmental Effects on Double- kernelled Fruits of Some Almond [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb] Cultivars Grown in Northern Morocco El Hassan Sakar* and Yahia Rharrabti Laboratory of Natural Resources and Environment, polydisciplinary faculty of Taza, B.P 1223, Taza- Gare (Taza), Unviersity Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdel- lah, Taza, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: hassan.sce@gmail.com / elhassan.sakar@ usmba.ac.ma. Abstract Almond tree [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb] is an important nut crop commercially grown throughout the world. It is cultivated for its kernel of high commercial and nutritional values. Along with nutritional richness, fruit physical aspect is considered as an important fruit quality trait especially for almond processing and commercialization (consumer acceptance). In this regard, production of double-kernelled fruit is unde- sirable trait resulting in small and deformed kernels. In this work, we aimed to investigate fruit double kernels from the five widely almond cultivars: Marcona (MAR), Fournat de Brézenaud (FBZ), Ferragnès (FRG), Ferra- duel (FRD), and Tuono (TUO). To assess environmental effects on this trait, fruits were sampled from three different environments in northern Morocco: Aknoul (AK), Bni Hadifa (BH), and Tahar Souk (TS) over two harvest seasons 2015 and 2016. At maturity stage, which fits 89 on the general BBCH phenological scale, samples of 1.5 Kgs were harvested in triplicate. Once at laboratory, for each sample, sub-samples of 100 fruits were used for double-kernelled fruit estimation. Nuts were cracked, and double kernels were counted and expressed in percentage (%). ANOVA analyses A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 494 outcomes demonstrated significant effects of cultivar, site, harvest season, and their interactions on double- kernelled fruit production. This trait was genetically controlled since genotypic effects were more impor- tant and accounted for more than half of the total variance. Moreover, environmental effects were also significant, but climatic factors (harvest season effect) being the most important. Among sites, BH presented the lowest values of double kernels, while for culti- vars FRD and FRG exhibited lower scores of this trait during the two harvest seasons and TUO showed the greatest values. For harvest seasons, 2016 was rela- tively dry as compared to 2015. 2016 presented the lowest values of double kernels. It could be conclud- ed, that double-kernelled fruit trait was a genotypic trait, but climatic factor could enhance or reduce its expression. Keywords: Commercial Almond Cultivars, double kernels, genotypic and environmental effects, market and consumer acceptance. P065. Development of the tree strawberry varieties (Fortuna, Fragaria and San Andreas) Houda Tahiri1*, Ahlam Hamim2, and Amal El Amrani3 1 In vitro Culture Laboratory/INRA Tangier, Morocco; 2 Vegetable biotechnology Laboratory /Faculty of Science Tetouan, Morocco. *Corresponding and Pre- senting Author: houditahhiri@gmail.com. Abstract The in vitro culture of strawberry plants allows to obtain from a small fragment of a plant placed on a synthetic nutrient medium an infinity of identical healthy plants. In this context, the present work re- volves around two main axes. The first axis aims at studying the in vitro micropropagation of strawberry. The response of the explants to various factors, the basic culture medium, growth regulators. In order to have the answer, different concentrations were stud- ied. In vitro germination of strawberry seeds is a mandatory step for the production of the necessary seedlings for micropropagation. The seeds of three cultivars “Fortuna”,”Fragaria” and “San Andreas” scarified and sterilized by sulfuric acid H2SO2 (36N), (5min); showed a maximum germination capacity af- ter a short passage on the mineral medium of Mu- rashig and Skoog (1962) agar. For the apex mul- tiplication phase, Murashig and Skoog (1962) were selected with hormones with different concentrations of growth regulators (1 mg / l AIB, 0,5 mg / l BA, 0,1 mg / l AG3) for mass production of strawberry plants. For the rooting phase, the results showed that rooting gives better results on the MS medium with different concentrations of AIB (0.5, 1, 2 or 3 mg L-1). ‘AIB are different depending on the cultivar and after 5 weeks the seedlings are grown at variable frequencies. The regenerated seedlings are easily acclimatized on a pre-sterilized turmeric-vermiculite substrate. Concerning the second axis, a test of the resistance of the vitroplants to the mites Tetranychus urticae was carried out. The results showed that phy- tohormone AIB especially at 3 mg / l can increase the resistance of the vitroplants in the three varieties studied. Keywords:in vitro culture, micropropagation, strawberry, Fortuna, Fragaria, San Andreas, apex, hormones, Tetranychus urticae. P066. Antibacterial Activity of Cinnamon Essential Oil and its Major Constituent Cinnamaldehyde on Escherich- ia coli Strains of Avian Origin Khribch Jamila1*, Zrira saadia2, Nassik saâdia3, EL Houadfi Mohammed3, and Oukessou Mohamed1§ 1 Department of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sci- ences, Hassan II Agronomic and Veterinary Institute, BP 6202, 1010, Rabat, Morocco; 2 Department of Food and Nutrition Sciences, Agronomic and Veteri- nary Institute Hassan II, BP 6202, Rabat, Morocco; 3 Avian Pathology Unit, Department of Pathology and Veterinary Public Health, Agronomic and Veterinary Institute Hassan II, BP 6202, Rabat- Instituts, Rabat, Morocco. *Presenting author: j.khribch.inrh@gmail. com. §Corresponding author: m.oukessou@gmail.com. Abstract The development of bacterial resistance to common antimicrobial agents constitutes a great challenge for actors in the field of human as well as animal health. This situation prompted research of new antimicrobial agents from various sources including mainly plants. The present study consists in evaluating the antibacte- rial activity of essential oil of cinnamon and its major active constituent the cinnamaldehyde. This activity was evaluated using the usual techniques of antibio- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 495 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) gram, aromatogram and determining the minimal in- hibitory concentrations (MIC) and the minimal bacteri- cidal concentrations (MBC) in a broth medium against two reference strains (Escherichia coliATCC25922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923) and strains of E. coli isolated from broiler chickens admitted to the Avian Pathology Unit at IAV Hassan II resistant to the main antibiotics (Enrofloxacin and Florfenicol). In total, cinnamaldehyde has been tested on about twenty bacterial strains, and the essential oil of cin- namon has been evaluated on about 11 Escherichia coli strains. In the second part, the association of cin- namaldehyde with certain antibiotics was tested for possible synergies. Furthermore, cinnamaldehyde ki- netic-killing profile was studied using the same germ reference strains. According to the results obtained in this work, essential oil of cinnamon was more active than cinnamaldehyde. The essential oil inhibited the growth of E. coli strains by expressing inhibition halts of 29,3 and 25,1 mm for the reference strain and strains of avian origin respectively, while cinnamalde- hyde gave inhibition zones of 26,5 and 23,23 mm for the reference strains and the wild-type strains respec- tively. The average values of the MICs obtained with cinnamaldehyde against the reference strains were 0,031%, 0,041% for Escherichia coli and Staphy- lococcus aureus respectively. The same product ex- pressed an average MIC of 0,039% for strains of avian origin, while the CMB values were on average 0,031% for E.coli and 0,026% for S. aureus. The com- parison of MIC and CMB values for bacterial strains indicates that this natural product is bactericidal. Fi- nally, the bactericidal activity of Cinnamaldehyde is close to the time-dependent kind antimicrobial and Cinnamaldehyde-Antibiotics combinations were most likely indifferent agents against both S. aureus and E. coli bacteria. Keywords: Essential oil, cinnamon, cin- namaldehyde, Resistance, Escherichia coli, diffusion method on agar. P067. Contract Farming Within the Green Morocco Plan: Case of Cereal Sector Bouichou El Houssain1,2*, A Fadlaoui1, K Allali2,3, and R Arrach4 1 National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), Meknes, Morocco; 2 Agronomic and Veterinary Insti- tute Hassan II (IAV), Rabat, Morocco; 3 National School of Agriculture (ENA), Meknes, Morocco; 4 Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries: Directorate of Strategy and Statistics, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: bouichouelhoussain@yahoo.fr. Abstract Contract farming (CF) has long been practiced but is since the launch of Green Plan of Morocco (PMV) it has regained an important interest with noticeable diversification in structures and involved actors. Under CF, aggregators (AG) and aggregated (Ag) make advance agreements and clauses on volume, quality, time of delivery, use of inputs, and price or pricing formula. The main purpose of the study is to char- acterize and analyze principles governing the con- tracts of cereal aggregation project, implemented on a national scale. Emphasizing the objectives, details the undertakings of the contracting parties, as well as, State’s undertakings. These investigations sensed the implementation of 120 Agricultural Aggregation Project (AAP) in the main cereal crops. The number of the AAP for cereals having received the certifi- cate of aggregation amounts to 7. The project ag- gregation contract of cereals crops analysis launched at national level, allowed revealing that they are structured in five clauses categories: 1) inputs supply, technical support and productions methods; 2) quanti- ties, quality and terms of payment; 3) elements of the fixing of purchase prices and trading conditions; 4) management and sharing of risks; and 5) mediation, agree dispute resolution. This preliminary analysis stressed, inter alia, that great efforts were made of the regulation, and formalization of the contractual relationship. However, the contracts are faced with many shortcomings and insufficiency. Indeed, the prin- cipal ones concern the heterogeneous contents which do not include quality advantages and the lack of the Ag’s implication in the negotiation process. The latters are the ones who support all the risks inherent to the production. Knowing that he use of specialized bodies for the drafting of contracts is rarely carried out. Significant efforts remain of their content and the standardization of their structure which would take into account the guidelines of the law on aggrega- tion. As well as other specific interventions, based on information, training and dissemination of the expect- ed benefits from coordination should increase farm- ers’ willingness to join contract farming. Keywords: A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 496 Agricultural Aggregation Project, Cereal, Contractual clauses, Contract farming, supply chains, Vertical Co- ordination. P068. Effect of feeding argan by-products on the qual- ity of fattening lamb’s meat Sanaa Moutik1,2*, N. Lakram2,3, M. Bendaou2, E. H. El Maadoudi2, R Kabbour2, N. Essafi1, and N El Housni2 1 Physico-chemistry laboratory for inorganic and or- ganic materials, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Moham- med V University, Mohamed Bel Hassan El Ouazzani Avenue, RP BP 5118, Rabat, Morocco; 2 INRA, RCAR- Rabat, P.O. Box 6570, Rabat Institutes, Rabat Mo- rocco ; 3 Laboratory of zoology and general biology, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University, Ibn Bat- tuta 4 Avenue RP BP 1014, Rabat, Morocco. *Cor- responding and Presenting Author: moutik.sanaa@ gmail.com. Abstract Conventional method of fattening of lambs consists of using rations based on concentrate, to ensure a faster growth. Indeed, the studies accomplished have shown that the daily food intake of lambs is composed of about 80% of cereals with 50% of manufactured concentrate, 50% between barley and corn. However, the increase of grain’s price, claim to review ways of lamb’s feeding. An interesting approach is to use the by-products of agriculture. Compared to other by- products, the pulp and the meal of the Argan offers nutritional advantages, they are rich respectively in sugar (12%) and protein (42%). The purpose of this work is to test the effect of incorporating these by- products into the lamb’s diet. The feeding trials were carried out in real medium on two lots of lambs of the Sardi breed. One fed with Argan tree by-products and the other fed a traditional diet. The results ob- tained so far are very encouraging.Keywords: Meal, pulp, Argan, lambs, fattening. P069. Characterization of Flavonoid by HPLC-MS anal- ysis, Antioxidant and Antibacterial potential of Capparis spinosa L. Imane Tagnaout1,2*, Hannou Zerkani1,2, Zakariya Khi- ya1, Aziz Drioiche1,2, and Touriya Zair1,2 1 Research team of Chemistry Bioactive Molecules and the Environment, University Moulay Ismail, Faculty of Sciences, BP 11201, Zitoune, Meknès, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Materials Chemistry and Biotechnol- ogy of Natural Products, University Moulay Ismail, Faculty of Sciences, Zitoune, Meknès, Morocco. *Cor- responding and Presenting Author: i.tagnaout@edu. umi.ac.ma. Abstract Capparis spinosa L. is a species which has a great importance in the field of traditional medicine in arid and semi-arid regions whose nutritional and medici- nal value remains ambiguous in Morocco. It is in this context that our work is aiming at the recovery of this species through a phytochemical study and an evaluation of antibacterial and antioxidant activi- ties of flower buds of Capparis spinosa L. sponta- neous collected and sold by Nour cooperative within the region of Zerhoun, Morocco. We achieved the solid-liquid extraction by two different methods in order to optimize the extraction yields of polyphe- nols; maceration and soxhlet by using two mixtures of solvents: methanol / water and acetone / water at 70%. The best yields are obtained with methanol / water mixture; 46% for soxhlet against 31% for mac- eration. The quantitative analysis of phenolic is being performed by colorimetry, extracts showed that the soxhlet method is more effective than the macera- tion. The qualitative analysis performed by HPLC / UV-ESI-MS also reported the existence of the same flavonoid glycosides in both hydromethanolic extracts in which the most important are the derivatives of kaempferol, quercetin and isorhamnetin. The antioxi- dant activity is determined by the DPPH test, showed that the aqueous-methanolic extracts obtained by soxhlet and maceration expressed some approxi- mate antioxidant powers with IC50 of respectively 0.73± 0.01 and 0.84± 0.01 mg / ml. However, the antibacterial activity evaluated against pathogenic strains such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsilla pneumoniae, revealed the ineffectiveness of various extracts against the most tested strains. Key- words: Capparis spinosa L., Zerhoune, polyphenols, flavonoids, HPLC, antibacterial, antioxidant activity. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 497 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) P070. Molecular and biochemical profiling of Thymus satureioides genotypes cultured under in vitro and in vitro environments Aicha Nordine* and Abdelmalek El Meskaoui Phytobiotechnology Unit, National Agency of Medici- nal and Aromatic Plants, PB 159, Taounate, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: aicha.nor- dine@usmba.ac.ma. Abstract In this study, the in vitro and in vivo essential oil (EO) composition and genetic variability of six microprop- agated genotypes of Thymus satureioides Coss., a Mediterranean medicinal and aromatic plant, were analyzed by gas chromatograph coupled to a mass selective detector (GC/MS) and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Yield and composition of the essential oil varied between genotypes. Cluster analysis based on RAPD data and EO grouped the six genotypes in three groups in both culture condi- tions, thus showing considerable intraspecific genetic and chemical variations. Applying the Mantel test, the result showed a significant correlation between the two proximity matrices; RAPD and EO obtained from in vitro genotypes whereas this correlation was not observed when using the EO obtained from the in vivo genotypes. Keywords: Carvacrol, Essential oil, In vitro environment, Thymol, Thymus satureioides. P071. Response of two varieties of banana (Musa acu- minata) small dwarf and large dwarf in vitro to salt stress Meriem Belfakih1*, Mohammed Ibriz1, and Abdelmjid Zouhair2 Laboratory of Genetics Biometry, Faculty of Sciences, University Ibn Tofail, BP 133. 14 000. Kenitra, Mo- rocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: m_bel- fakih2000@yahoo.fr. Abstract The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of salt stress (NaCl) on the in vitro regeneration of banana and the possibility of using this technique to improve the tolerance of this species to salinity. Pre- viously, the rejects were disinfected with 8% bleach and then grown in Murashige and Skoog medium (1962) containing growth hormones (Appendix 1). The medium was fed with different salt concentrations (0, 2, 4 and 6 g / l of NaCl). The test was conduct- ed at a temperature of 28 to 30 ° C with artificial illumination and a photoperiod of 16 h. The results obtained show that both varieties have regeneration of shoots despite saline treatment. However, salt af- fects leaf length of the explants and the regeneration rate. So, the increase in saline concentration induce to a decrease in the number of shootings per bud. The small dwarf variety appears to be sensitive to the salinityeffect of the medium at all NaClconcen- trations at the regeneration stage and the seedling stage. Keywords: Salt stress, regeneration, growth, in vitro, banana. P072. Impact of the Combination of Salt Stress and Mineral Nutrition on the Growth and Biomass of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L). Meriem Belfakih1* and Mohammed Ibriz1, and Ab- delmajid Zouhair2 Laboratory of Genetics Biometry, Faculty of Sciences, University Ibn Tofail, BP 133. 14 000. Kenitra, Mo- rocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: m_bel- fakih2000@yahoo.fr. Abstract This work aims to study the combined salt stress ef- fects (0.6 and 12g/l NaCl) and the conditions of nor- mal (HN) and limiting (HD) mineral nutrition, on growth and mineral nutrition of three varieties of alfalfa (Sirever, Demnate 203, and Riche). The study was done under controlled conditions in a growth chamber for one month. The results obtained in this test showed that the salt treatment leads to a net reduction of the aboveground and root biomass upon addition of 6g/l. This detrimental effect of salinity becomes less under normal supply conditions, with the exception of the ‘Demnate 203’ variety which showed the high- est yield under limiting supply conditions. Also, saline treatment leads to an accumulation of Na+ cation and a reduction in K+ absorption. The ‘Siriver’ variety was more sodium-inclusive under normal mineral sup- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 498 ply (HN) conditions. In addition, the ‘Demnate 203’ ecotype produced more dry matter under salt con- ditions and limiting mineral supply (HD). Keywords: Alfalfa, Medicago sativa, salinity, mineral nutrition. P073. Survey and Multivariate Characterization of Some Figs Genotypes (Ficus Carica L.) Prospected in Northern Morocco Lahcen Hssaini1,2*, Hafida Haninie2, Rachid Razouk1, Ibtissame Guirrou1,3, Assia Ejjilani1,2, Abderrahman Mekaoui1, and Jamal Charafi1§ 1 National Institut of Agricultural Research (INRA), re- gional center of Meknes, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Bioprocess and Bio-Interfaces, Faculty of Science and Technology, Beni Mellal, Morocco ; 3 Laboratory of food technologies, Qualipole, Meknes, Morocco. *Pre- senting Author: hssaiini@gmail.com. §Corresponding author: jcharafi@gmail.com. Abstract In order to collect some of the most known and cul- tivated fig genotypes in the northern regions of Mo- rocco, the survey of family orchards in the area was performed. Tree main fig growing regions were in- cluded into the field inventory (Taounate, Ouazzane and Meknes). All collected material was morphologi- cally and pomologically characterized according to internationally accepted descriptors for Ficus carica L. The colorimetric analysis was carried out accord- ing to CIE. All data were standardized (µ= 0 and σ = 1) to have a comparable scale. Hence, analysis of variance has shown a very high significant level of variability (p<0.05) among evaluated genotypes for all variables. The principal component analysis (PCA) has revealed two mean groups with a total inertia of 78.7% based on the quantitative traits. Otherwise, the genotypes “Ghani” and “Ounq Hmam_PS14” have been largely distinguished from the two groups. The colorimetric principal component analysis, has shown tree distinctive and homogeneous groups with a total inertia of 90.92%. Thus, the first group con- tains the brightest and clearest fruit skin color (very high values of L*and c* coordinates), the second is related to fruits with skin color less bright and tend- ing to be purple. While the last group characterize genotypes with a dark skin color (low values of L* and negative ones for a* and/or b* coordinates). Qualitative characterization has shown a dominance of globose (74%) and rounded (61%) shape of figs. Most of genotypes have skin ribes (82%) and 78% did not present the drop at the ostiole. Hierarchical ascendant classification (HAC) was been performed using the Euclidian distance based on all 38 variables (color, morphological and pomological descriptors) to decide the ultimate number of clusters by which the accessions could be assessed. The result has shown two main clusters, each one is subdivided distinctively into two homogeneous subgroups with a main distance of 10. Every subgroup is discriminated following a specific group of characters. With the exception of “Ghoudan” and “Ghani”, all genotypes with the same denominations were clustered into the same group. Keywords: Northen Morocco, Ficus Carica, pomology, morphology, colorimetric. P074. Assessment of Genetic Diversity in Two Moroc- can Populations of Walnut (Juglans regia L.) Using ISSR Markers Jamal Charafi*, Abdellah Kajji, and Rachid Razouk National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA), Re- gional Center of Meknes, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: jcharafi@gmail.com. Abstract Walnut (Juglans regia) covers an area of 7600 ha in Morocco and performs an important socio-economic role. Indeed, it constitutes a significant source of in- come for farmers despite the many constraints related to its production and valorization. The fact that seeds are the only mean of propagation used by farmers has largely contributed to its diversification. Prospec- tion was made in two main cultivation regions: Haouz in the High Atlas and Midelt in the Middle Atlas. Thus, assessing the genetic diversity of the walnut’s genetic resources is a first step towards conservation and the elaboration of a breeding program. A characteriza- tion of 33 Moroccan walnut genotypes from these regions - 25 genotypes from the Haouz region and eight genotypes from the Midelt region - was car- ried out. In addition to eight Bulgarian varieties by 13 ISSR, primers can detect a large genetic diversity. A total of 120 markers were detected and the number A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 499 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) per primer varied between 7 and 13 with an aver- age of 9 bands. This number reflects the high level of polymorphism within the studied genotypes. The primers generated 75% of polymorphic fragments and the pairwise comparison of the 41 genotypes shows that all genotypes pairs are distinct by 10 to 50 markers. These large differences are due main- ly to the multiplication mode dominated by seeding which favors the diversity explosion. This high diver- sity between genotypes is confirmed by the genetic distances obtained and hierarchical analysis using the UPGMA method. Results show a minimum distance of 58%, a maximum of 91% and an average of 76%; the geographic structure is evident. The genotypes subgroups of the Midelt region are distinct from those of the High Atlas and the subdivisions into subgroups by village are remarkable. The presence of some genotypes in subgroups of other areas is explained by exchanges of plant material (nuts) between the agricultures. Bulgarian varieties are distinct from local genetic material which confirms the specificity of the local walnut’s genetic patrimony. Keywords: Walnut, Juglans regia., Genetic diversity, Molecular markers, ISSR. P075. Earthworm feeding activity and mucus se- cretion can decrease entomopathogenic nema- todes activity as biological control agents Maryam Chelkha1,2*, Rubén Blanco-Pérez2,3, Francis- co Ángel Bueno-Pallero2, Abdellatif El Harti1, Souad Amghar1, and Raquel Campos-Herrera2§ 1 Research Team “Lombricidae, Improving Soil Pro- ductivity and Environment” (LAPSE), Ecole Normale Supérieure (E.N.S.), Centre Eau, Ressources Na- turelles, Environnement et Développement Durable (CERN2D), Mohammed V University in Rabat, Av- enue Mohamed Bel Hassan El Ouazzani, BP : 5118. Takaddoum - Rabat Morocco; 2 MeditBio, Centre for Mediterranean Bioresources and Food, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, FCT Ed. 8, 8005- 139 Faro, Portugal; 3 Department of Agriculture and Food, Universidad de La Rioja, Calle Madre de Dios, 51, 26006, Logroño, Spain. *Corresponding Author: marychalkha@hotmail.com. §Corresponding Author: rcherrera@ualg.pt. Abstract Earthworms are well-known beneficial organisms as- sociated to plant production by indirect action (i.e. changes in soil aeration, structure and fertility) and by direct action (i.e. enhancing decomposition of organic matter). In addition, earthworms might promote the dissemination of beneficial soil organisms, including biological control agents, such as entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs). Despite the fact that EPNs result innocuous against earthworms, and their displacement can be favoured by the earthworm activity, the impact of other earthworm activities such as feeding behav- iour or mucus production is poorly understood. We hypothesized that feeding activity might decrease the viable EPNs in the soil, reducing their ability to kill insects, whereas the presence of mucus will not affect the biocontrol skills. We evaluated the feeding activity and mucus secretion of the earthworm Eise- nia fetida (Haplotaxida: Lumbricidae) in combination with three EPN species: Steinernema feltiae, S. glaseri and S. carpocapsae (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae). First, we tested whether the presence of mucus can al- ter the infectivity of the three EPNs by using Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) as model insect. Treatments included controls (water and mucus) and two concentrations (1.5 and 10 IJs/cm2) per EPN spe- cies in the presence and absence of mucus. Second, we evaluated the killing ability of EPNs against G. melllonella larvae when applied in autoclaved soil alone or in combination with earthworms or mucus. Our results showed that the presence of mucus sig- nificantly reduced the larval mortality caused by S. feltiae and S. glaseri, while S. carpocapsae was not affected. Similarly, the presence of earthworm and mucus reduced the larval mortality caused by S. felti- ae and S. glaseri, resulting the mucus the most restric- tive treatment. Our results illustrate how the presence of earthworms or their secretions (mucus) can alter the long-term persistence in the soil of certain EPN spe- cies as well as its action as biological control agents in a dense-dependent and species-specific manner. Further studies will investigate whether this trend is general to other EPN species as well as other ento- mopathogenic agents to establish to which extend the combined application of these beneficial organisms is compatible. Keywords: earthworms, entomopatho- genic nematodes, biological control, multitrophic in- teractions A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 500 P076. Analysis of the oil content and fatty acid compo- sition of 94 cultivars of olive Tfarah Boutzankad1*, A. Mhais1, S. Mousavi2, C. El Modafar1, A. El Antari3, A. Moukhli3, H. Zaher3, and M. A. Tadlaoui1 1 UCAM, FSTG, Bd. A. Khattabi, Marrakech, Morocco ; 2 CNR- ISAFoM 128, Via della Madonna Alta - 06128 Perugia, Italy ; 3 INRA, CRRA, Marrakech, B.P.533 Menara, Marrakech, Morocco. *Correspond- ing and Presenting Author: tfarah.boutzankad@ gmail.com. Abstract Olive oil contains a high percentage of unsaturated fatty acids, that is why it is considered to have a big nutitional interest. In litterature, the selection of olive varieties is taken on the basis of their argonomic char- acters. In the present work, our objective is to char- acterize the nutritional quality of 94 cultivars (Core Collection) in term of the oil content and the fatty acids composition in the fruits and the correlation with the genetic profile of core collection cultivars, divided into their genetic structre groups (East, Center and West. The statistical analysis showed significant ef- fect of cultivar and interaction cultivar x replicates for the traits ; oil content, unSATFA/SFA ratio, pal- mitic, oleic and linoleic acids percentage. Then there is only genetic effect for the palmitic and stearic ac- ids percentage. Indeed, regarding to the admixed cultivars from core collection, the oil content is high in Eastern group followed by Western and Centeral groups. Whereas, the unSATFA/SFA ratio is high in Western group followed by Eastern and then Central. Therefore, the cultivars which have high linoleic acid content are from East, followed by the Centeral and the Western groups. The Principal Components Analy- sis (PCA) carried out on data summarizes 69,30% of the general information on the first two dimensions. As a result, three groups were distinguished : the first is characterized by high values of oleic acid percent- age and unSATFA/SFA ratio as well as low palmitic acid percentage. The second contains individuals with intermediate values and last group gave high pal- mitic acid, low oleic acid and unSATFA/SFA ratio. This investigation will be in process for two more years in order to estimate the year effect and to quanti- fy the genetic effect via the heritability estimation. Keywords: Oil content , Fatty acids composition, Core Collection, Olive oil. P077. Livestock Farming System and Reproductive Per- formance of Local Goat in the Argan Tree Park (Ar- ganeraie) of the Agadir Region in Morocco Houda El Kheyyat* and Saïd El Madidi§ Biometrics and Bio Resources, Laboratory Biotechnol- ogies and Natural Resources Development (LBVRN), Faculty of Sciences, University Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Mo- rocco. *Presenting Author: elkheyyathouda@yahoo.fr. §Corresponding Author: s.elmadidi@uiz.ac.ma. Abstract A study was conducted using a structured survey among 35 goat farmers randomly selected and dis- tributed in 9 villages in the Arganeraie of the Agadir region. The livestock system is of an traditional exten- sive type whose diet is based on sylvo-pastoral re- sources. Herd management is permanent wandering with confinement during rainy days. Only 37% of the respondent goats’ farmers can provide their goats with drinking water, only 5.71% who have drinking troughs. The living area per goat is less than (1.5 m² / goat) for 70% of goats’ farms and less than (1 m² / goat) for 57% of the goats’ farms surveyed. The farmers surveyed were mostly illiterate (74.29%) with an age between 27 and 77 years old. The aver- age herd size is 82 animals per farmer and 80% of the farms have between 10 and 100 animals. Ani- mal vaccination is only provided for 25.71% of goat farms and 74.29% of them do not have access to health care. All goat herds are composed of 72.54% females and 27.46% males. Out of a total of 3190 goats observed, 459 are male goats, 1493 female goats, 417 male kids and 821 female kids. The goat herd is heterogeneous and composed mainly (86.4%) of 3 local breeds (Alas, Barcha and Ghazalia) which represent respectively 57.4%, 22.3% and 6.7%. The number of kiddings is 1 for 71.4% of farmers, 1.5 for 28.6% of them. 8.6% of farmers do not know the age at first birth and 82.8% of them, this age is less than or equal to 12 months. The prolificacy rate is 114.3% and the abortion rate is 28.4%.The mortal- ity rate for adults was 17.92% and that for the kids A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 501 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) was 12.76%.The main barriers to goat production in the region are food, housing, health and lack of subsi- dies. Keywords: Livestock farming system, Argan tree park (arganeraie), reproductive performance. P078. Preliminary standards for apple fertilization in the middle Atlas Mountains of Morocco Rachid Razouk*, Abdellah Kajji, Jamal Charafi, Mo- hamed Alghoum, and El Houssain Bouichou Regional Agricultural Research Center of Meknes, B.P 578, Meknes, Morocco. *Corresponding and Present- ing Author: razouk01@yahoo.fr. Abstract Until now, interpretation of soil and leaf analyses for the Moroccan apple orchards is based on refer- ence norms established on other countries such USA, France, Netherlands, United Kingdom and South Af- rica. Establishment of norms under local conditions is therefore necessary for an efficient management of fertilization in Moroccan orchards taking into ac- count local practices and production performances. For this objective, a work was carried out to evalu- ate use efficiency of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium in adult apple orchards in the middle Atlas of Morocco (Imouzzer Kandar) and to establish preliminary reference norms for fertilizing this crop under local conditions. The study was based on soil and leaf analysis and data regarding farm- ing practices and yield level on forty apple orchards (cv. Golden delecious/MM106) where nineteen are growing on silty-clay soil and twenty-one on sandy- loam soil. The results showed significant correlations between leaf content for each nutrient and yield level following polynomial equations, thereby indicating lo- cal reference norms for apple leaf analysis: 2.80- 3.10% for nitrogen, 0.20-0.22% for phosphorus, 1.90-2.10% for potassium, 1.30-1.45% for calcium and 0.25-0.28% for magnesium. The correlations be- tween leaf and soil contents were significant, thereby indicating apple needs in nitrogen fertilizer: 88 kg/ ha on silty-clay soil and 130 kg/ha on sandy-loam soil. Moreover, were determined references norms for soil richness in phosphorus (92-126 ppm on silty-clay soil and 82-106 on sandy-loam soil), potassium (350- 415 ppm on silty-clay soil and 320-410 ppm on san- dy-loam soil), calcium and magnesium for an apple yield objective of 26 t/ha corresponding to the aver- age yield obtained in the study area. The found norms for leaf analysis are less than international standards because of feebleness of yield level in the study re- gion, largely related to deficient cultural practices adopted by farmers. In addition, investigation of leaf nutrients ratios N/K, N/Ca, K/Ca, K/Mg and Ca/ Mg showed that there was a disharmony in uptake of these nutrients originating particularly from high soil richness in Ca and Mg. Taking into account these considerations, the found references norms can be applied only under the adopted farming practices. Nevertheless, by improving local practices, reference values may change. Keywords: Morocco, apple tree, soil analysis, leaf analysis, fertilization standards. P079. Effect of potassium source and rate on produc- tivity and quality of strawberry fruit Amal Nakro* and Ahmed Bamouh§ Department of Plant Production, Protection and Bio- technology, Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Vet- erinary Sciences, BP 6446 Madinate Al Irfane, Rabat, Morocco. *Presenting author: a.nakro@iav.ac.ma. §Corresponding author: a.bamouh@iav.ac.ma. Absract The purpose of this research is to investigate the ef- fect of potassium fertilization source and rate on productivity and quality parameters of strawberry. The experiment was conducted in 2016-2017 at the experimental greenhouse of Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Sciences in Rabat. Straw- berry plants of the cultivar ‘San Andreas’ were plant- ed on November 6th in 12-liter pots equipped with a gravity fertigation system. Tested treatments were two potassium sources: (1) Sulphate of potash for all the growing cycle (SOP/SOP) (2) Nitrate of potash during the vegetative period and Sulphate of potash during the fruit production period (NOP/SOP) com- bined with four potassium rates of 100, 200, 300 and 400 kg/ha of K2O. The experimental design is a split-plot of eight treatments with three replications. The potassium sulfate source was superior to potas- sium nitrate on the improvement of productivity and quality parameters of strawberry fruit. The potassium A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 502 sulphate improved the number of flowers by 16%, the fruit production by 21 %, the titrable acidity content by 0.5 g/l and the sugar content by 3%. The highest yield was recorded in plants treated with 300 kg/ ha of K2O of potassium sulphate. The rate of 300 kg/ha of K2O gave also superior results regarding quality parameters of strawberry fruit. This optimum potassium rate enhanced the number of flowers by 35%, the fruits produced by 44%, the sugar content and the titrable acidity content by 0.9 g/l. Keywords: Strawberry, fertilization, potassium, source, rate, po- tassium sulphate, potassium nitrate, productivity, qual- ity, sugar content, titrabale acidity. P080. Intensive urbanization at the expense of farmland EL Hirch Kaoutar1,2,3*, Ait Yacine Z.2, Idrissi N.3, and Wahid N.1§ 1 Équipe d’Écologie et Développement Durable (EEDD), Département de Sciences de la Vie, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Sultan Moulay Slimane, Béni-Mellal, Morocco; 2 Équipe de Génie de l’Environnement, Département de Sciences de la Vie, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Sultan Moulay Slimane, Béni-Mellal, Morocco; 3 Équipe de Traitement de l‘Information et Aide à la Décision, Département de l’Informatique, Faculté des Scienc- es et Techniques, Université Sultan Moulay Slimane, Béni-Mellal, Morocco. *Presenting author: kaoutarel- hirch.cha2@gmail.com. §Correspondig author: wahi- d2na@hotmail.com. Abstract Currently, the modern city has lost these properties and these landscape reflexes related to the phenom- enon of urbanization. In fact, urban sprawl alters land use and the appearance of the countryside, which contributes to the accelerated evolution of habitats with regard to areas devoted to green spaces. Despite the laws for the preservation of agricultural land, urban sprawl is intensifying to the detriment of land with high agronomic potential, increasingly in the face of economic growth. This is worsening more and more in the absence of a sus- tainable urbanization strategy. Several studies have confirmed that unsustainable urban intensification has environmental consequences; risks on agricultural production, the disruption of agricultural ecosystems, the landscape quality of the city, and the quality of the climate. The current challenge is to define indices of the degree of regression of agricultural land or agricultural biodiversity, and the cost of loss generated by urban intensification. In this context, our work is to trace the evolution of urbanization in the city of Beni-Mellal, in order to evaluate its impact on the structuring of agricultural biodiversity and on the phenomenon of global warming. The evalu- ation and anticipation of its impacts are of interest to both scientists and territorial managers. Keywords: Urban intensification, agricultural biodiversity, global warming, Béni Mellal. P081. Ability of non-pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum strain Fo47 to suppress Rhizomania disease of sugar beets in Morocco Fatima Nouayti1,2*, Ilham Madani2, Abdessalem Ta- hiri1, Abdelali Blenzar2, and Rachid Lahlali1 1 Phytopathology Unit, Department of Plant Protec- tion, Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès (ENA- Meknès), Km10, Route Haj Kaddour, BP S/40, Meknès 50001, Morocco; 2 Moulay Ismail University, Faculty of Sciences. Department of Biology PO Box 11201 Zitoune Meknes, Morocco. *Corresponding and Pre- senting Author: fatimanouayti@gmail.com. Abstract Rhizomania is one of the most devastating diseases of sugar beet worldwide. The disease poses a serious threat to Moroccan production and it is capable of sig- nificantly decreasing quality and yield of sugar beet plantations. The long-term survival of its fungal vector (Polymyxa betae) in soil makes it a very difficult dis- ease to manage. Therefore, this study investigated the potential of a non-pathogenic fungal Fusarium oxys- porum strain Fo47 to control Polymyxa betae. This biocontrol agent was applied as soil treatment, seed treatment, or a combination of the both treatments. A bio-test was performed on treated soil. After four weeks of culture, the roots of sugar beet seedlings were retrieved and analyzed by the DAS-ELISA test. Results indicated that F. oxysporium Fo47 reduced the activity and survival of P. betae when compared to a reference biocontrol agent Trichoderma harzianum, A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 503 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) which only revealed significant in reducing the viral load of Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus (BNYVV) as seed treatment. The non-pathogenic Fusarium oxys- porum Fo47 was more effective as soil treatment and allowed almost the same reduction of BNYVV virus concentration as T. harzianum 908. Therefore, our findings emphasizes that the performance of the bio- control agent depends on the method of application. Keywords: Beet Necrotic yellow vein Virus; Biocontrol, Fusarium oxysporum strain Fo47; Trichoderma har- zianum strain 908. P082. Preliminary study of the effect of humic sub- stances on saffron growth and corms production Abdelghani Tahiri*, Youssef Karra, Meriyem Koufan, Naima Ait Aabd, and Abdelaziz Mimouni National Institute of Agronomic Research, CRRA, Aga- dir, Av. des FAR, BP. 124, Inezgane, Morocco. *Cor- responding and Presenting Author: aghanitahiri@ yahoo.fr. Abstract Among the 85-species belonging to the genus Cro- cus, saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a monocotyledonous plant that belongs to the Iridaceae family. It has been cultivated for its stigmas that provide the most expen- sive spice which has been valuable since ancient times for its odoriferous, coloring, and medicinal properties. Saffron, is an autumn-flowering, triploid male -sterile plant propagated vegetatively by means of corms as the flowers are sterile and fail to produce viable seeds. Low multiplication rates and fungal infestation of corms reduce the productivity and quality, thereby restraining the availability of planting material. To overcome these problems, in this study an experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential effect of commercial humic substances (as biostimulant) on saf- fron growth, quality and corms production. Keywords: Saffron, Corm production, Crocus sativus, Humic sub- stances. P083. Study of the antioxidant compounds of Artemisia mesatlantica maire Sanae Amine1,2* , Fatima Zahra Radi1,2, Zakaria Khi- ya1,2, Smail Amalich1,2, Malika Mahjoubi1,2, Mohamed Bourakhouadar1,2, and Touriya Zair1,2 1 Research team of Chemistry Bioactive Molecules and the Environment, University Moulay Ismail, Faculty of Sciences, BP 11201, Zitoune, Meknes, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Materials Chemistry and Biotechnol- ogy of Natural products, University Moulay Ismail Faculty of Sciences, B.P. 11201 Zitoune, Meknès, Mo- rocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: amina- sanae@hotmail.fr. Abstract Artemisia Mesatlantica maire is an endemic spe- cies of Morocco, belonging to the Asteraceae fam- ily. Located in the Moroccan Atlas region, it is very requested by the local population for its therapeutic properties. However, because of the limited studies conducted on this species, and in order to contribute inits valorization, we selected it in full bloom in the Middle Atlasregion for a phytochemical study and an evaluation of its antioxidant properties. The phyto- chemical screening of A. Mesatlantica maire revealed its richness in polyphenols, sterols, triterpenes and mu- cilage. The extraction yield of the total polyphenols by macerationin a methanol-water mixture (80/20) was 10.10%. The determination of the total phenols by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, after fractionation of the polyphenolic extract ofA. Mesatlantica maire, showed the abundance of these compounds in the butanol fraction. For the total flavonoids essay, using Aluminum Trichloride, the Ethyl Acetate and Butanol fractions of A. Mesatlantica maire were the richest. In addition, the raw extract was particularly rich in con- densed tannins. The valuation of the antioxidant ac- tivity by reduction of iron (FRAP) and trapping of the free radical DPPH* showed that all the extracts have a moderate antioxidant power. These first studies on A. mesatlantica maire of the Middle Atlas revealedits abundance in important chemical compounds, and due to the ability of this plant to trap radicals, it can be considered as a source of natural antioxidants. Keywords: Artemisia mesatlantica maire, Antioxidant activity, Polyphenols, Flavonoids, Tannins. P084. Use of antibiotics for managing bacterial contam- ination and resistance in date palm tissue-culture media Houria Ben-Amar*, Reda Meziani, and Adil Essarioui A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 504 National Institute for Agricultural Research, Regional Center of Errachidia, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: Houriabenamar@hotmail.fr. Abstract Date palm industry in morocco relies on tissue- culture techniques for large scale production of plant material. Unfortunately, bacterial contami- nations of juvenile tissues constrain the improvement of palm micropropagation rate. Antibiotics have been classically used to manage undesired bac- terial growth in plant culture media. This can lead to resistance accumulation within contaminant populations if antibiotics are not properly used. In order to develop methods for managing bacterial contaminations and antibiotic resistance during date palm in vitro multiplication, we studied 9 clinical an- tibiotics for their inhibitory effect against 2 bacterial strains frequently associated with date palm juvenile tissues. Antibiotics differed in their effect on the two bacterial isolates. One strain was sensitive to all antibiotics with an inhibition intensity rang- ing from 6% to 59%. However, the second iso- late was completely resistant to 3 antibiotics and weakly sensitive to the others, with an intensity of inhibition smaller than 12%. This study highlights the importance of alternate use of multiple antibiotics for controlling bacterial growth and managing antibi- otic resistance in date palm tissue-culture media. Key- words: date palm, tissue-culture, bacterial contamina- tion, antibiotics. P085. Physiological analyses of limited transpiration rate under high evaporative demand during durum wheat domestication Rachdad Fatima Ezzahra1,2*, Danguy des deserts Alice1,3, El Bouhmadi Keltoum2, Ghanem Michel Ed- mond1§ 1 Crop Physiology Lab, International Center for Agri- cultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Rabat, Morocco; 2 Departement of Biology, Faculty of Sci- ences Ben M’Sik, University Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco; 3 Montpellier SupAgro, France. *Presenting Author: rachdad.fz@gmail.com. §Corresponding au- thor: M.Ghanem@cgiar.org. Abstract To satisfy increasing wheat demands, scaling up wheat production will require boosting yield in sub- optimal, drought-prone areas. This increase will be particularly challenging since in several major ag- ricultural regions of the world, yield stagnation has been observed during last decades. In addition to soil drought, drought-prone environments tend to ex- hibit high levels of atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (VPD), which is an additional driver of crop water loss via transpiration (TR). Recently, it was hypothesized that “water-saving” cultivars displaying TR decreases in response to high VPD, or in response to the soil drying, should lead to enhanced drought tolerance under terminal drought conditions by increasing the availability of stored soil moisture during the criti- cal grain filling phase (Sinclair, 2017). It is likely that during breeding, breeders favored high-yielding but more water-consuming genotypes, and disfavored / excluded low-yielding but more conservative species. For this purpose, we have examined the evolution of TR traits in a domestication series of durum wheat. TR response to an artificial increase in vapor pressure deficit (VPD) of 3 species was evaluated: Triticum tur- gidum L. subsp. Dicoccoides, Triticum turgidum subsp. Dicoccon, and modern elite lines of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.). Our findings reveal a large diversity of responses especially in wild and primitive wheat. Such considerations will be particu- larly useful to breeding and introgression of useful traits from crop wild relatives. Keywords: Domestica- tion, Drought, VPD, Transpiration, Water conservation traits. P086. Diagnosis of clinical cases of infectious bursal dis- ease using a developed rapid Taq Man-MGB real-time RT-PCR assay Maryame Cheggag1*, Khalil Zro2, Ghizlane Sebbar2, Mohamed Mouahid3, Mohammed El Houadfi1, and Faouzi Kichou1 1 Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine Has- san II, B.P. 6202, Madinat Al Irfane, Rabat, Morocco; 2 BIOPHARMA, Rabat, Morocco; 3 Veterinary Clinic Temara, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Au- thor: cheggagmaryame@gmail.com. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 505 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) Abstract Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is an important con- tagious viral infection of immune system of poultry. Despite various types of commercially available vac- cines against IBDV, this infection poses a permanent threat to the profitability of poultry industry world- wide. The aim of this work was to modify and to de- velop TaqMan-MGB rRT-PCR in one-step involving two fluorogenic TaqMan labeled probe for the de- tection of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) col- lected from suspected cases distributed in different regions of the country during the period 2013-2016. The method developed was validated for specific- ity, linearity, repeatability, sensitivity, reproducibility. It allowed reducing the test running time by 6 folds. This method was applied on 102 pools of bursa of fabricius (BF) samples collected from affected broiler farms suspected to be infected by IBDV. Birds showing macroscopic lesions including muscle petechial hem- orrhages, hypertrophy and hemorrhage of BF, were subjected to molecular analysis using modified proto- col “TaqMan-MGB real-time RT-PCR”. The validation satisfied all criteria and the assay developed could be a useful tool fora very rapid diagnosis of IBDV and permit to detect and to discriminate in one-step very virulent (vv) from non-vv (classic and variant) IBDV strains in poultry. Out of 84 IBDV positive sam- ples, a prevalence of 33 % for hyper-virulent strains and 50 % for classical strains was noted. These results indicate that despite the vaccination hyper-virulent form of IBDV continues to cause serious problems for Moroccan broiler chickens. Keywords: IBDV, One-step rRT-PCR, TaqMan-MGB, Macroscopic lesions. P087. Synergistic Effects between Exogenous Salicylic Acid and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Seedlings under drought Stress Benhiba Laila*, Abdellatif Essahibi, and Ahmed Qad- doury Unit of Biotechnology and Symbiosis Agro-Physiolo- gy, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: lbenhiba.doc@gmail.com. Abstract In Morocco, country traditionally producer and con- sumer of date, the phoenicicole sector is suffering from serious biotic and abiotic constraints such as drought, salinity and Bayoud (vascular fusariosis). However, the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis has been shown to improve plant growth, mineral up- take ability and tolerance to drought stress. It also induces resistance against soil pathogens. In addition, salicylic acid (SA) or orthohydroxy benzomethylic acid is a phenolic compound which influences vari- ous physiological processes and biochemical interac- tions in plants. Indeed, this molecule has a regulatory role in a range of diverse physiological processes in plants, including photosynthesis, ion uptake and trans- port, chlorophyll synthesis, seed germination, mem- brane permeability and plant growth (Aftab et al., 2010). Salicylic acid influences also plant tolerance to drought (Azooz and Youssef, 2010), salinity (Gunes et al., 2007) and heavy metal stress (Moussa and El-Gamal, 2010). The aim of this study was to deter- mine the combined effects of mycorrhizal symbiosis and salicylic acid application (1mM) on the growth and development of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) seedlings in greenhouse conditions under different drought stress (DS) levels. Results showed that both AMF-inoculation and Salicylic-Acid can increase date palm tolerance to drought. The combination of the two factors further promoted drought tolerance, indi- cated by improving plants morphological parameters (leaf and root length, surface area, shoot and root fresh and dry weights) compared to control plants and increasing proline and total soluble sugar accu- mulation in the leaves of stressed plants. Keywords: Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.), Arbuscular my- corrhizal fungi, Symbiosis, Drought stress, Exogenous Salicylic acid (SA). P088. Morphological and molecular characterization of Fusarium spp. associated with Dry Root Rot disease of Citrus in Morocco Said Ezrari1,2*, Rachid Lahlali1*, Abdessalem Tahiri1, Adil Asfeers3, Abdelhadi Ait Houssa3, and Abderra- him Lazraq2 1 Department of Plant Protection, Phytopathology Unit, Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, BPS A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 506 40, Meknès, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Functional Ecology and Environment, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdel- lah University, Po. Box 2202, Route d’Imouzzer, Fez, Morocco; 3 Louata Field -Providence Verte group: PO Box 4 Sefrou Region, Morocco.*Corresponding and Presenting Author: rlahlali@enameknes.ac.ma. Abstract The Dry root rot (DRR) is one of a devastating disease of citrus plantations with higher incidence under bi- otic or abiotic stresses. It might cause significant dam- age to younger citrus plantations depending on the rootstock. Recently, this disease emerged as serious threat to Moroccan citrus plantations; the wilting of young citrus trees was observed in different orchards with typical symptoms of vascular necrosis and root rot. Furthermore, the diseased rootstocks displayed also a brown coloration in the stem. This disease is reported to be caused by a complex of different species of Fusarium, but the Fusarium solani was em- phasized to be predominant. Despite the occurrence of this disease in the past, there was a lack of infor- mations about the identity of the fungal pathogens involved, the favorable conditions for their develop- ment as well as appropriate strategies for their con- trol. Therefore, this study aimed at identifying and phenotyping the fungal pathogens associated with this disease from different diseased plants and soil collected from citrus orchards and nurseries. The pre- liminary results underlined that the fungal pathogen responsible of dry root rot of citrus belongs to the genus of Fusarium spp. based on morphological traits and molecular characterization. As a result, a depth study of morphological and molecular characteriza- tion of Fusarium isolates is further considered in more details. Keywords: Citrus, dry root rot, Fusarium spp., morphological characters, molecular tests. P089. Evaluation of some new introduced hybrids of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) under drought condi- tions in Morocco Rajae Kettani1*, Abdelghani Nabloussi2, Lahcen Hs- saini2, and Chems Doha Khalfi1 1 Research Unit of Agronomy and Plant Physiology, National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA), Re- gional Center of Meknes, Po. Box 578, Meknes, Mo- rocco; 2 Research Unit of Plant Breeding and Plant Genetic Resources Conservation, National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA), Regional Center of Me- knes, Po. Box 578, Meknes, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: r_kettani@yahoo.fr. Abstract Drought was always present in Morocco’s history. Its importance as a structural element of the coun- try’s climate increased during the last decades, with a net reduction in the precipitation and an increas- ing temperature trend, as a result of climate change. The present study was carried out in Meknes area (Morocco) in order to characterize and evaluate new sunflower hybrids for their agronomic performance and tolerance to water stress often occurring at bud and flowering stage. Seven introduced hybrids were conducted in Ain Jemaa under rainfed conditions during 2016-2017. Agronomic parameters, namely plant height, head diameter, number of seeds/head, 1000-seed weight, seeds weight/head, and seed yield/ha, as well as physiological traits, like as chlo- rophyll level, stomatal conductance and relative wa- ter content, were measured. Seed yield was shown to be significantly correlated with number of seeds per head, head diameter and plant height. The highest seed yield, 2.84 t/ha, was observed for the variety ‘Laila’, while the lowest yield is recorded for the vari- ety ‘Merida’. In ‘Laila’ hybrid, during flowering stage, there was a significant and strong positive correla- tion between stomatal conductance and seed yield. As flowering process was happening under drought conditions, it could be suggested that that hybrid was able to maintain open stomata and thus to yield bet- ter than the other studied hybrids. Keywords: Sunflow- er, hybrid, drought, seed yield, stomatal conductance. P090. Effect of commercial organic fertilizers on soil fertility, nitrogen use efficiency and yield of broccoli grown under irrigated arid conditions in south of Mo- rocco Kaoutar Aouass1*, Lahcen Kenny1, and Mariam Bouch- far2 1 Department of Horticulture, Complex of Horticul- ture, Agronomic and Veterinary Medicine Hassan II Institute, Rabat, Morcco; 2 Department of biology, A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 507 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) University Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Morcco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: aouass.kaoutar@gmail.com. Abstract A field research was conducted in order to determine the effect of three different types of commercial or- ganic fertilizers (COF) as compared to compost on soil fertility, nitrogen use efficiency, growth and yield of broccoli in the Souss Massa area in south of Morocco. Broccoli seedling were raised under greenhouse and transplanted to sandy-loamy soils in open field prior to adding 200 kg/ha of N, 80 kg/ha of P and 180 kg/ha of K either as compost (2.5, 3, 2.5), a ternary COF ( 7-4-7), a mixture of one binary COF (8-12-0) and one simple COF (0-0-30) or a mixture of three simple COF (10-0-0, 0-18-0 and 0-0-30). The high- est yields (30 T/ha) were obtained with compost and the ternary COF (28 T/Ha). As for soil fertility pa- rameters, a clear effect of organic inputs was regis- tered on soil organic matter, electric conductivity and pH. The highest coefficient of nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) was obtained with the ternary COF (64%) and the lowest (25%) with the simple COF. Based on these findings, recommendations on how to build an organic fertilization program for leafy vegetables are dis- cussed. Keywords: Organic fertilizer, compost, broc- coli, nitrogen use efficiency, arid conditions. P091. Variations in the proline, glucose and protein con- tents in Origanum majorana L. grown saline conditions Hamza Elhaddaji1*, Moustapha Akodad1, Abdelma- jid Moumen1, Ali Skalli1, and Mourad Baghour1 1 Observatoire de la lagune de Marchica de Na- dor et Région Limitrophes (Labo. OLMAN-RL), Fac- ulté Pluridisciplinaire de Nador, Université Mohamed Premier, BP 300, 62700, Selouane, Nador, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: hamza.elhad- daji@gmail.com. Abstract In recent years, low rainfall in north-eastern Morocco has led to low water levels of water stored in dams. This leads the farmers to look for other alternatives to develop their agriculture, either by looking for other sources of water supply such as pumping ground- water, which is characterized in most cases by poor quality due to high salinity levels, or the introduction of other crops more resistant to salinity and with less water requirements. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of salt stress on the protein, pro- line and glucose contents in marjoram (Origanum ma- jorana L). We started our study by applying different concentrations of NaCl (0, 50, 100 and 150 mM) for 44 days on plants grown in greenhouse at the Multi- disciplinary Faculty of Nador – FPN. Different physi- ological and biochemical parameters were analyzed to evaluate the salinity tolerance of marjoram plants. Our results showed that proteins, glucose and proline contents were affected positively by different con- centrations of NaCl, reaching high value of these pa- rameters with high NaCl level (150 mM). Keywords: Salt stress, protein, proline, glucose, marjoram. P092. Improving Tomato Fruit Production and Quality by Co-Expressing LeNHX2 and SlSOS2 Mostapha Maach1*, María Pilar Rodriguez Rosales2, Kees Venema2, Fancisco Javier Gálvez2, María Elena Sánchez Romero2, Mustapha Akodad1, Adelmajid Moumen1, and Mourad Baghour1 1 Observatoire de la Lagune de Marchica de Nador et Région Limitrophes (OLMAN-RL), Faculté Pluridis- ciplinaire de Nador, Université Mohamed Premier, BP 300, Séloune 62700, Nador, Morocco ; 2 De- partamento de Bioquímica, Biología Celular y Mo- lecular de Plantas. Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, Calle Profesor Albareda, 1, 18008 Granada, Spain. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: mo- staphamaach12@gmail.com. Abstract Salinity is a major environmental factor limiting crop productivity and quality especially in arid and semi- arid regions. The presence of salt in the medium im- pose impose both an ionic and an osmotic stress to most plants and negatively affect plant growth by re- ducing the uptake of essential ions, such as potassium. The transporters responsible for K+/Na+ homeostasis as well as the proteins involved in their regulation are the main mechanisms of salt tolerance. The salt toler- ance locus SOS1 from Arabidopsis has been shown to encode a plasma membrane Na+/H+ antiporter. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 508 SOS1 activity is regulated by a complex composed of the SOS2 kinase and the SOS3 Ca2+ binding protein. On the other hand, NHX genes in plants en- code intracellular Cation/H+ antiporters regulating Na+, K+ and H+ levels in cytoplasm and intracellular compartments, providing osmotic and ionic protection. In this study, transgenic tomato plants (cv. MicroTom) expressing both the endosomal antiporter LeNHX2 and the protein kinase SlSOS2 were produced. Our results suggest that co-expression of LeNHX and Sl- SOS2 genes significantly improved growth, yield, fruit quality and enhanced salt tolerance of tomato plants growing under saline conditions. Keywords: LeNHX2, SlSOS2, Co-expression, Salt stress, Tomato, Yield P093. Micropropagation of date palm (Phoenix dacty- lifera L.) cv. Mejhoul: Morphological and physiological characteristics of regenerant plantlets respond to cul- ture medium texture and composition Reda Meziani1*, Mouaad Amine Mazri2, Essarioui Adil1, and Fatima Jaiti3 1 National Institute for Agricultural Research, Regional Center of Errachidia, Morocco; 2 National Institute for Agricultural Research, Regional Center of Marrake- ch- Morocco; 3 University Moulay Ismail, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques d’ Errachidia-Morocco. *Cor- responding and Presenting Author: redameziani@ yahoo.fr. Abstract Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) has long been a major fruit crop in southern Morocco. In these areas, date production is an important source of food and income for local populations and plays a key econom- ic role by creating suitable microclimate for growing other crops. Unfortunately, over the last century, Mo- rocco has lost about 12 million palm trees mainly be- cause of bayoud, a severe wilt disease caused by the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis. A few years ago, a strategic program was launched to restore disease-devastated areas and create new modern plantations outside traditional oases. The ex- pected total number of palms to plant by 2020 is 3 million trees. The use of in vitro multiplication tech- niques is the best way to achieve this goal. Among the techniques used for date palm micropropagation, organogenesis allows for the production of true-to- type plantlets. However, the efficiency of this tech- nique depends widely on the genotype and medium composition. The effects of various culture conditions on shoot elongation, rooting, plantletphysiological characteristics, and acclimatization were studied. Ad- ventitious shoots obtained through direct organogen- esis of date palm cv. Mejhoul were used as explants. The effects of medium texture (liquid or semi-solid), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), adenine, myo-inositol, and L-glutamine on plantlet quality and acclimati- zation were evaluated. The most effective culture medium was semi-solid half-strength Murashige and Skoog medium (MS/2). In this medium, average shoot length reached 13.15 cm, the mean number of roots per shoot was 3.3, average root length extended to 3.15 cm, and acclimatization success rate attained 85 %. Liquid medium, PVP, adenine, myo-inositol and L- glutamine did not improve survival rate during accli- matization. Some physiological characteristics of the plantlets were also determined. Chlorophyll content and fluorescence, foliar surface and stomatal con- ductance were measured after 3 months of culturing in each medium. The ranges were as follows: Chlo- rophyll content, 12.3-31.8 CCI; chlorophyll fluores- cence, 0.633-0.795; foliar surface, 7.35-13.03 cm2; and stomatal conductance, 10.5-34.6 mmol/m²/s. There was a positive correlation between physiologi- cal characteristics and acclimatization success rate. These findings provide valuable information for cost- effective large-scale production of date palm cv. Me- jhoul plants. Keywords: Date palm, micropropagation, organogenesis, morphological characteristics, physi- ological characteristics. P094. Efficiency of Hedysarum flexuosum L. under stress environments Anass El Yemlahi*, Abdelhay Arakrak, Amin Laglaoui1, and Mohammed Bakkali Equipe de Recherche en Biotechnologies et Génie des Biomolécules (ERBGB), Faculté des Sciences et Tech- niques de Tanger, Morocco. *Corresponding and Pre- senting Author: ELyemlahi@hotmail.fr Abstract The success of such symbiosis between legume and A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 509 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) rhizobium may require the selection of both partners that have the ability to survive at various environmen- tal conditions. In order to study the rhizobium-Sulla efficiency under environmental constraints, we investi- gated the diversity of 36 isolates nodulating four He- dysarum flexuosum L. known as Sulla harvested from different environmental habitats. The isolates were tested for their tolerances to extremes of tempera- ture, pH, salt, water deficit low, resistance to heavy metals, antibiotics, in addition to their ability to use different source of carbon and nitrogen. Correspond- ingly, edaphic and climatic conditions at each har- vested site were analyzed. A different pattern was observed between sampled Sulla, estimated on the basis of plant growth, osmolytes accumulation, nodu- lation and subsequent nitrogen fixation depending on the most prevailing factors of their natural habitat and the degree of tolerance of their associated sym- bionts to stress-testing conditions. Results suggest that such rhizobiums could operate interdependently and/ or synergistically to detoxify the stress molecules and alleviate therefore the effects of environments stress factors. Key words: sulla, rhizobium, biological nitro- gen fixation and environments stress factors. P095. Optimization of the extraction technique for the determination of bioactive compounds in two aromat- ic and medicinal wild plants: Matricaria chamomilla L. (wild chamomile) and Cladanthus mixtus L. Oberpr. and Vogt. (Moroccan Chamomile) Amina El Mihyaoui1,2*, Maria-Emilia Candela Cas- tillo2, Maria-Emilia Requena Candela2, and Ahmed Lamarti1 1 Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology, Biology Depart- ment, Faculty of Sciences, Abdelmalek Essaadi Uni- versity, Tetouan, Morocco; 2 Phytopathology Labora- tory, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain. *Corresponding and Pre- senting Author: elmihyaoui.amina@gmail.com. Abstract Medicinal plant extracts are widely used in pharma- ceutical and cosmetic products. Matricaria chamomilla L, (German Chamomile, Matricaria recutita L., Matri- caria suaveolens L. chamomile) is a widely recognized medicinal plant from the Asteraceae family, it is na- tive to southern and eastern Europe and cultivated also in countries of America and Asia, also, it is one of the most popular medicinal plants commonly used in herbal tea, for food purposes and in folk medicine. The dried flowers of chamomile contain many ter- penoids and flavonoids contributing to its medicinal properties. Wild chamomile. Cladanthus mixtus is an endemic plant of Morocco, also known commercially Chamomile of Morocco, is a biennial chamenyphous Asteraceae with many upright stems. In Morocco, it is encountered in two different zones, the first between Tangier, Ouezzane, Souk Larbaa, Moulay Bousselham and Azilah, and the second between Kenitra, Sidi Sli- mane, Khemisset and Rabat. The extracts produced with the different solvents were determined using HPLC/DAD and HPLC/MS. In the present study, we have determined the extraction solvent medium to obtain a well-illustrated chromatogram for the pur- pose of identifying bioactive compounds in the flow- ers of two medicinal plants: Matricaria chamomilla and Cladanthus mixtus. Keywords: Matricaria chamo- milla, Cladanthus mixtus, HPLC/DAD, HPLC/MS. P096. Potential of Biocontrol in vivo and in vitro of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Trichoderma harzianum against strawberry anthracnose caused by Colletotri- chum acutatum Rababe Es-Soufi*, Mohammed L’Bachir El Kbiach, and Ahmed Lamarti Plant Biotechnology team, Department of Biology, faculty of sciences, Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: rababeessoufi@gmail.com. Abstract Anthracnose is one of the most widely known straw- berry diseases; it can be destructive to strawberry plants, it is caused by Colletotrichum species and mainly by Colletotrichum acutatum. The pathogen produced lesions on leaves, fruit and other parts of plant. The control of fungal diseases attacking straw- berry plants is mainly done by treatment of the soil and the plants using chemical pesticides. But still a lot of work needs to be done before any environmen- tally friendly and consistent control strategies come A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 510 into existence. The use of the antagonists was done with a lot of procedures starting by with isolation and finishing by selecting strains highly effective for the Biocontrol. Relatively little is known about the exact mechanisms used by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens in its behavior as a biocontrol agent on plants. Here, the suspensions of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Tricho- derma harzianum at concentration of 3.105UFC/ml and 104spores/ml respectively (previously selected as the minimal inhibitory concentrations of Colletotri- chum acutatum development) were tested in vitro and in vivo against Colletotrichum acutatum. In vitro study: The wounded Strawberry’s leaves were sprayed with the antagonist suspension and inoculated one hour later by Colletotrichum acutatum, then held in moist chambers at 25°C±2. The leaves did not become infected with C. acutatum. In vivo study: the straw- berry plants were sprayed with the mixture of the antagonist and pathogen suspensions, then held in moist chambers at 25°C±2. The plants didn’t get an- thracnose symptoms. The concentrations studied were effective to control the strawberry anthracnose in vivo and in vitro, next we will start the study in field for this application. Keywords: Biocontrol, Antagonism, Anthracnose, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Trichoderma harzianum. P097. Germination of somatic embryos derived from Moroccan Quercus suber L. trees Safaâ Rahmouni*, Mohamed L’bachir El Kbiach, and Ahmed Lamarti Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, M’hannech II, B.P. 2121, Tetouan, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: safaarahmou- ni@hotmail.fr. Abstract Cork oak (Quercus suber L., Fagaceae) is one of the most important species of the mediterranean basin due to its ecological and socio-economical interests. Nevertheless, the increasing demand for cork and the low natural regeneration provides lost of cork oak forest. Vegetative propagation by in vitro methods (techniques of micropropagation) presents many ad- vantages compared to traditional methods. Somatic embryogenesis is considered as the best method of micropropagation that can solve problems of yield and intraclonal variability. It had several successes in forest species allowing the production of trees from somatic embryos. The goal of our study is the regen- eration of seedlings from Moroccan cork oak somatic embryos of three lines (Ain Rami 1, Ain Rami 2 and Bouhachem). To this end, we were interested in study- ing the effect of growth regulators, embryos size and the period of cold storage on the germination of cork oak somatic embryos. We noticed the presence of dif- ferent types of shoots (Shoots of normal size with or without roots, shoots of small size with or without roots and abnormal shoots). The frequency of germination, the mean number of shoots per embryos, the mean length of shoots, the mean number of leaves per shoot and the mean number of roots per shoot depend on the genotype and the plant growth regulator used. Germination of large somatic embryos (>12 mm and with large cotyledons) from the three embryogenic lines was successful. Stratification at 4°C for 2 months was the most efficient for stimulating somatic embryos germination of Quercus suber L. Keywords: cork oak, Quercus suber L., Fagaceae, secondary somatic em- bryogenesis, germination. P098. Effect of 6-Benzylaminopurine combined with different auxins on vegetative micropagation of Origa- num compactum L. Rajae Benkaddour* and Ahmed Lamarti Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, M’hannech II, B.P.2121, Tetouan, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: Benkaddour- rajae27@gmail.com. Abstract Morocco is well known by botanical diversity of me- dicinal and aromatic plants that show a socioeconomi- cal interest. Indeed, the medicinal and aromatic plants have constituted recently an important choice in vari- ous utilizations such as cosmetic, food and therapeutic fields. However, the anarchic collect of some endemic plants could constitute a main reason for their dispari- tion; otherwise the research of alternatives ways by in vitro culture of these species is a promising strat- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 511 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) egy in biotechnology. In this context, our work rely on (i) improvement, valorization, conservation and characterization of medicinal and aromatic plants, already propagated in the north of Morocco, (ii) pro- duction development by in vitro culture of four se- lected species belong to Origanum genus (Origanum majorana L., Origanum vulgare L. Origanum elonga- tum L.Origanum compactum L.) in order to answer the farmers needs and the introduction of an alternative culture of oregano because of a high value added. A part of my research work aimed to obtain in vitro plants of Origanum compactum L. with a good quality and to achieve its acclimatization by realizing dif- ferent tests. First of all, we determined the most suit- able mineral medium, afterward, realized the test of cytokinins to know the one that gives the best results in terms of budding, growth, hyperhydricity, regen- eration and rooting. The best one was the 6-Benzyl- aminopurine but the length of the root wasn’t good enough to succeed the acclimatization. To obtain the explants of Origanum compactum L. having an impor- tant length of roots and then to success its acclimati- zation; We have tested four auxins (Indole-3-acetic acid, Naphtalene acetic acid, Indole butyric acid, 2,4-Dichlorophenoxy acetic acid.) each of them have been added to the medium at four concentrations (0,2mg/l-0,5mg/l-0,8mg/l and 1mg/l) in the pres- ence of 0,5mg/l of 6-Benzylaminopurine. Our results show that the rooting and the acclimatization were the best when the combination between 1mg/l of Indole- 3-acetic acid and 0,5mg/l of 6-Benzylaminopurine was applied. Our current work is about the study of other growth factors on the budding, growth, hyper- hydricity, regeneration, rooting and acclimatization of Origanum compactum L. Keywords: Aromatic and medicinal plants, Origanum,phytohormones, auxins. P099. Identification of the Cœlomic Microbial Commu- nity of Lumbricus terrestris (Annelida: Lumbricidae) Lamia Yakkou*, Maryam Chelkha, Mohammed Ra- ouane, Souad Amghar, and Abdellatif El Harti. Lumbricidae, Improving Soil Productivity and Environ- ment (LAPSE), Centre « Eau, Ressources Naturelles, Environnement et Développement Durable (CERN2D) » Mohammed V University in Rabat, Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS). Avenue Med Belhassan El Ouazani. BP 5118, Takaddoum-Rabat, Morocco. *Correspond- ing and Presenting Author: Yakkou.lam@gmail.com Abstract Earthworms play an important role in soil fertiliza- tion. These annelids interact with soil microorganisms to promote decomposition, mineralization and recy- cling of the organic material. Several studies have focused on the study of microorganisms associated with the earthworm’s digestive tract. In the present work, however, we were interested in the microorgan- isms possibly associated with the worm at the level of the coelomic liquid. In fact, microscopic examina- tion of coelomic fluid smears taken by puncture of the coelomic cavity of Lumbricus terrestris revealed the presence of microorganisms of various shapes and sizes. Isolation and culturing revealed the presence of three bacterial strains. Phenotypic and genotypic studies (PCR amplification of 16S rDNA) allowed the identification of two of the bacterial strains: Pseudo- monas fluorescens and Buttiauxella ferragutiae. The third strain, which is not listed in the NCBI database, may be a new bacterial species. The two bacterial strains that were identified have a proven ecologi- cal and agronomic interest: Pseudomonas fluorescens, a rhizosphere-secreting bacterium that secretes in- dole-3-acetic acid (phytohormone), plays an impor- tant role in protecting and promoting plant growth. Buttiauxella ferragutiae, on the other hand, is very little studied with regard to its activities at ground level. However, this strain has already been isolated from the intestine of the earthworm. Keywords : Lum- bricus terrestris, Coelomic fluid, microorganisms, PCR- 16S DNA, AIA, Soil productivity, PGPR. P100. Screening of phosphate solubilizing rhizobia iso- lated from Hedysarum nodules in North of Morocco Samia Hamane1*, Saida Aarab1,3, Mounir Hassani Zerrouk2, Anas El Yemlahi1, Amin Laglaoui1, Moham- med Bakkali1, and Abdelhay Arakrak1 1 Equipe de Recherche de Biotechnologies et Gé- nie des Biomolécules (ERBGB), Faculté des Sciences et Techniques de Tanger B.P.: 416 – Tanger, Moroc- co; 2 Faculté polydisciplinaire de Larache, B.P.: 745 – Larache, Morocco; 3 Faculté des Sciences et Tech- niques d’Al Hoceima, B.P.34, Ajdir Al Hoceima, Mo- rocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: samia- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 512 hamane@gmail.com. Abstract Plant-microorganisms’ interactions in the rhizosphere are the major determinants of plant productivity and soil fertility. The use of beneficial bacteria as biologi- cal alternative for chemical inputs needs the selection of competent rhizobacteria exhibiting plant growth promoting (PGP) attributes. This study was aimed to select phosphate solubilizing rhizobia strains isolated from root nodules of the legume Hydesarum flexuo- sum grown in North Morocco, and to evaluate their antagonistic ability against Fusarium oxysporum and Aspergillus ochraceus. Out of 11 isolates, 7 bacte- ria were able to solubilize tricalcium phosphate (TCP) that were evaluated for more PGP activities. As re- sults, none of these selected bacteria proved to be able to synthesize hydrogen cyanide (HCN), while the amounts of indole acetic acid (IAA) produced by these bacteria ranged between 0.27mg l-1 and 1.51 mg l-1. Besides, only 3 strains presented a positive profile for siderophores production. As for extra cel- lular enzymes production (urease, cellulase, amylase, protease and chitinase), the percentage of isolates that produced these enzymes was respectively: 0%, 100%, 28%, 100% and 85%. A quantitative assay of TCP solubilization was conducted too, and solubi- lized P concentrations were between 52 mg/l and 81 mg/l, accompanied by a drop-in media pH. Since the bacterial enzyme ACC-deaminase plays a sig- nificant role in sustaining plant growth under abiotic stress conditions, 5 rhizobia were capable to use ACC as the sole nitrogen source. This study reveals the po- tential of sometest rhizobia to be used as efficient bio-inoculants. Keywords: Hydesarum flexuosum, Rhi- zobia, Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus ochraceus, PGP, TCP, Biofertilizer. P101. Assessment of Soil Erosion by USLE Model Us- ing Remote Sensing and GIS - a Case Study of Moulay Bouchta Watershed, Western Rif, Morocco A. Zouagui1*, M. Sabir2, M. Naimi1, M. Chikhaoui1, and M. Benmansour3 1 Unité de Recherche: Gestion conservatoire des eaux et des sols - IAV-Hassan II, B.P. 6202 - Instituts, 10101, Rabat, Maroc; 2 École Nationale Forestière d’Ingénieurs (ENFI), BP 511, Tabriquet - Salé, Ma- roc; 3 Centre National de l’Énergie, des Sciences et des Techniques Nucléaires (CNESTEN), BP 1382, R.P.10001 - Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: zouagui.anis@gmail.com. Abstract Soil erosion causes many environmental and socio- economic problems: loss of biodiversity, decrease in the productivity of agricultural land, siltation of dams and increased risk of flooding. It is therefore essen- tial to establish a detailed evaluation of this process before any spatial planning. To evaluate the effects of soil erosion spatially and quantitatively in order to face this phenomenon, and propose the best con- servation and land development strategies, the Uni- versal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) coupled with remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) is applied. This model is a multiplication of the five ero- sion factors: the erosivity of the rain, the erodibility of the soil, the inclination and the slope length, the vegetation cover and the anti-erosion practices. The study area is the Moulay Bouchta watershed (7 889 ha), which is located in the western part of the Rif Mountains, is characterized by a complex and con- trasting landscape. The resulting soil loss map shows an average erosion rate of 39.5 (t/ha/yr), 87% of the basin has an erosion rate above the tolerance threshold for soil loss (7 (t/ha/yr)). Soil losses per sub- basin range from 16.2 to 81.4 (t/ha/yr). The amount of eroded soil is estimated at 311,591 (t/yr), cor- responding to a specific degradation of 12.1 (t/ha/ yr). In the absence of any erosion control, 25% of the soil losses would reach the new dam located a little upstream of the basin outlet, reducing its water mobi- lization capacity to 59,625 (m3/yr). The application of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to soil erosion factors shows a significant influence of topographic factor (LS) on soil erosion process, followed by the effect of support practices (P), then by soil erodibility (K). Keywords: Erosion, Siltation, USLE, Rif Mountains, Watershed. P102. Differential evolution and the impact of pests on the biochemical defensive profile during ripening of five Vitis vinifera L. grapes varieties in the Marrakesh region Hicham Jediyi1*, Khalid Naamani1, and Abderrehim A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 513 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) Ait Elkoch1 1 Laboratory of Protection and Valorization of Veg- etable Resources. Faculty of Sciences Semlalia Mar- rakech, Cadi Ayyad University, My Abdallah Street, PB: 2390, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco. *Correspond- ing and Presenting Author: jedhicham@gmail.com Abstract Vitis vinifera (L) is a plant sensitive to various ravages and diseases such as pests. In this study we want to develop the evolution of the phytochemicals of the five grape varieties involving three introduced (Su- perior, Early sweet and Flame) and two other local varieties (Abbou and Adari) during the three stages of maturity (green, ripening and mature) in Oudaya of Marrakesh région. We wish to show the dynamic changes that have taken place in the clusters during the physiological changes complex issues related to the development and maturation, also the action of pests (Diptera) on the evolution of the biochemical profile of these varieties during ripening grape, es- pecially our unknown local varieties. The parameters concerned the amount of total sugars, proteins, the activity of phenylalanine-ammonia lyase (PAL), tyro- sine-ammonia lyase (TAL) and the lipid peroxydation. The analysis of total sugars and proteins showed their gradual increase during the period of ripening fruit of all varieties. We recorded in the TAL activity, a decrease in the course of the maturation of the fruit, and then we noticed an increase in the PAL activity in the ripe fruit for all varieties. This evolution of the pa- rameters analyzed by the ¨ANOVA¨ test, showed a significant difference for all phytochemicals (P<0.05) between the different varieties of vines according to the stages of maturity studied and a significant ef- fect on the case of fruit, attacked or healthy one for all varieties (P<0.01) translating a significant differ- ence between the healthy and attacked mature vines fruit for all varieties. As regards the distribution of variables, on the basis of PCA analyze of the devel- opment stages according to variety and phytochimi- cals, we have observed that the sugars, proteins and tyrosine ammonia-lyase for PC2 are the most vari- ables that have contributed to the discrimination of the grapes according to their stage of maturity and/ or varieties. Keywords: Vine varieties, Maturity grape stages, Phytochemical compounds. P103. Selected biofertilizers effects on plant growth and yield of vegetable crops under field conditions Abdel-Ilah Tahiri1,2*, Zakariya Es-Salmi2, Anas Rak- lami1,2, Noura Bechtaoui1, Abdelilah Meddich2, and Khalid Oufdou1 1 Laboratory of Biology and Biotechnology of Micro- organisms, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayy- ad University, PO Box 2390, Marrakech, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Biotechnology and Plant Physiology, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, PO Box 2390, Marrakech, Morocco. *Correspond- ing and Presenting Author: abdelilah.tahiri.1993@ gmail.com. Abstract At the present time, food security is considered as one of the most serious challenges facing society which will further enhance demand on the production of global food. The current pressure on agriculture has caused land degradation, expansion into more marginal ar- eas and soil types, and higher expectations of ag- ricultural productivity per unit area. Therefore, reli- able, environmentally friendly techniques are needed to sustainably meet growing global food demands. Some plant-microbe interactions like plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), arbuscular mycor- rhizal fungi (AMF) and composts has been known that they are widely used and enhance plant growth by different action mechanisms. In this context, the main objective of this study is to evaluate the impacts of se- lected biofertilizers on the plant growth and the yield of vegetable crops in field. The leek (Allium porrum L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) plants were grown on soil with low levels of organic and mineral matter. We used bio-fertilizers based on AMF, PGPR and com- post obtained from plant and animal wastes, alone or in different combinations. The biological treatments applied showed noticeable results compared to the control without bio-fertilizers. Indeed, the amendment by the compost M3 based on green waste and live- stock unit manure has considerably improved biomass parameters and yields of the two cultures. These in- creases were clearly significant compared to the oth- er treatments, followed by AMF. Nevertheless, some other combinations of PGPR-AMF and compost are also shown to be beneficial for the improvement of A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 514 the yield of the tested cultures. Thereby, the use of such bio-fertilizers can be an interesting strategy for the sustainable management and development. Key- words: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, PGPR, compost, bio-fertilizers, yield, Allium porrum L., Lactuca sativa L., field. Acknowledgments: This work is financially supported by the project PPR-CNRST. P104. Caracterisation of the Moroccan varieties for agronomique and quality traits for breadmaking Kenza Eddakir1,2*, A. Rochdi1, and W. Tadesse2 1 Faculty of Sciences, University Ibn Tofail, kenitra, Morocco; 2 International Center for Agricultural Re- search in Dry Areas (ICARDA), Rabat, Morocco. *Cor- responding and Presenting Author: kenza.eddakir@ hotmail.fr. Abstract Everywhere and because of the importance of wheat, farmers strive to maximize yield, minimize cost, reduce environmental impact and ensure a high baking qual- ity. Seventeen of the Moroccan varieties from INRA , SONACOS and ICARDA are tested for agronomic and quality traits for two years 2016 and 2017. Yield and its component were collected at harvest. Proteins were determined using the kjeldahl Method. Glutenins were extracted from wholemeal flour and electrophoresis was carried out for one grain from each cultivar. For each of the cultivars dough strength, stability and water absorption were assessed using the Chopin Farinograph and the Mixograph, and the samples were also assessed using SDS sedimenta- tion test. Correlations were calculated between the data obtained in these tests of functionality and the quantity of protein in the grain. Most of the values obtained in the functionality tests were correlated significantly with grain protein content. But in gener- al, the results shows that the quality of the Moroccan varieties still very poor and many efforts should be made to improve the local quality for bread making and insure a good yield to meet the population needs and insure the self-sufficiency. Wheat breeders are strongly encouraged to overcome the challenge that face the culivation of wheat and create new varieties that would be tolerant to drought, resistant to dome diseases and with a good quality. Keywords: Triticum aestivum, gluten proteins, SDS Page, breadmaking, quality, yield. P105. The optimal condition of storage and enthalpy- entropy compensation analysis of the powder of Ta- raxacum Officinale’s leaves in moisture sorption phe- nomena Haytem Moussaoui*, Idlimam Ali, and Abdelkader Lamharrar Laboratory of Solar Energy and Medicinal Plants, Teacher’s Training College, Cadi Ayyad University, BP 2400 Marrakesh, Morocco. *Corresponding and Pre- senting Author: haytem.moussaoui@gmail.com. Abstract Taraxacum Officinale is a kind of flowering plant that belongs to a vast family of Asteraceae. This family is represented by more than 2500 species. They are utilized for various purposes that include for dys- pepsia, bile stimulation, bruises, rheumatism, eczema and muscle aches. Moreover, the powder of dande- lion are used as special ingredients in soups, salad green, teas and wine. The Taraxacum Officinale used in this study were collected locally in Settat region, Morocco. The aim of this study is to determine the ex- perimental sorption isotherms, the optimal water ac- tivity, and the net isosteric heat of sorption in order to conserve the powder. These isotherms are a powerful tool to know the state of water inside the product and his functional availability in the biological and chemi- cal substances. The sorption isotherm curves were determined experimentally for the Dandelion seeds at three temperatures (30, 40, 50 °C) and relative humidity within the range of 5-90% commonly used in the drying and storage. The net isosteric heats of sorption of water were determined from the equilibri- um data at different temperatures. The compensation theory was further used to good straight lines were observed for adsorption and desorption. The Gibbs free energy values are positive (ΔGβ> 0), indicat- ing that the sorption processes are not spontaneous. Keywords: Taraxacum Officinale, moisture sorption, optimal water activity, enthalpy, entropy. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 515 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) P106. Antioxidant activity of Anysophyllea boehmii seeds from Burundi Jonathan Niyukuri*, Raiti J., and Hafidi A. Laboratory of Food Sciences of Cadi Ayyad Univer- sity of Marrakech, Morocco. *Corresponding and Pre- senting Author: jonaniyu@gmail.com. Abstract The objective of this study is to valorize some indig- enous trees. The samples of seeds were harvested in October at 3 sites namely: Mumirwa (1000-1500 m of altitude), Buragane (1200-1400 m of altitude) and Buyogoma (1400-2000 m of altitude). The fruit have a mesocarp edible, a thin pericarp and a ten- ders’ seeds. The seeds were dried at room temper- ature in the laboratory. Ethanolic (80%) extraction were performed from powder obtained by grinding the seeds. With ethanolic extract, Total Phenol Con- tent of samples were determined using Folin-Ciocal- teu Method and flavonoid contents were quantified using the colorimetric method of aluminum chloride. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by scaveng- ing of DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) Assay. The kinetics of DPPH reduction by ethanol ex- tract and ascorbic acid were performed by determin- ing steady state. Parameter, Time to the equilibrium state of IC50 (TEC50), allowed to calculate the Ef- fectiveness Anti-radical (EA). The ethanolic extrac- tion yield were 14.80±0.18% of Dry Weight (DW), Total Phenol Contents obtained were 851.89±34.96 mg Gallic Acid Equivalent/100 g of DW and fla- vonoids contents were 261.35±102.45 mg EC/100g MS. The IC50 of Ethanolic extract, Total Phenol and Ascorbic Acid were respectively 0.080±0.012 mg of extract/ml, 0.0033±0.0012 mg Gallic Acid Equiva- lent/ml and 0.095±0.003 mg of Ascorbic Acid/ ml. The TEC50 of Ethanolic extract and Total Phenol was 11±2.2 min and for Ascorbic Acid was 5±0.6. The Effectiveness Anti-radical of Ethanolic extract, Total Phenol and Ascorbic Acid were respectively 166.67±27.78, 4040.40±673.40 and 52.63±3.7 ml/µg.mn the reducing power of plant extracts was 3217.80±415.36 mg AAsc/100g de DW. These re- sults show that of Anysophyllea boehmii has a high antioxidant activity and even greater than that of synthetic antioxidants. Thus, in light of this study, ac- tive ingredients can be isolated from Anysophyllea boehmii polyphenols food industry, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical use. Keywords: Antioxidant activity, indigenous trees, Phenol and flavonoids P107. Traditional Phytotherapy in the High Atlas: Impor- tance and Valorization Salima Boutahiri1,2*, Ayoub Asbabou1,2, Najia El HamzaouiSS1,3, Malika Mahjoubi1,2, Amal Bouzou- baa1,2, Touriya Zair1,2§ 1 Research Team of Chemistry of Bioactive Molecules and the Environment, Faculty of Science, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes, B.P. 11201, Meknes, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Materials Chemistry and Biotechnol- ogy of Natural Products, Faculty of Science, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes, B.P. 11201 Zitoune, Meknes, Morocco; 3 Laboratory of microbiology, Mohamed V Prefectural Hospital Center, Meknes, Morocco. *Pre- senting author: boutahirisalima@gmail.com. §Corre- sponding author: touria.zair@yahoo.fr. Abstract Herbal medication is an ancient practice. Human be- ings have always used plants to ensure their survival and to relieve their ills. In this sense, the objective of this work is to highlight the importance of the tra- ditional phytotherapy and to enhance the supply of medicinal plants in the High Atlas of Morocco. For this purpose, an ethnobotanical study was carried out, and six remarkable spontaneous species were se- lected from the local pharmacopoeia of the region (Thymus satureioides, Mentha rotundifolia, Lavandula mairei, Pallenis spinosa, Artemisia mesatlantica and Teucrium polium) for a laboratory study (phytochemi- cal screening, polyphenol and flavonoid assays and the valuation of antioxidant activity by DPPH). The ethnobotanical study showed that 91.71% of respon- dents use plants (55.63% refer to their own experi- ences and those of their ancestors, and 36.09% re- sort to herbalists). 68.33% of these users are women, 50% are between 15 and 40 years old and 70% are illiterate. Plants are used for a therapeutic pur- pose in 86.20% of cases. This medicinal flora is wide- ly used for the treatment of the digestive system dis- eases (46.06%). The different diseases are mainly treated by decoction of the foliage, thus constituting A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 516 the preparation method and the vegetal organ the most used. 81.65% of cases show improvement after treatment with plants. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins and flavonoids in the six-studied species and a high content of saponins for Thymus satureioides. The highest yields of total polyphenols were recorded in the species Pallenis spi- nose (19.36%), Artemisia mesatlantica (18.5%) and Teucrium polium (16.23%). On this basis, the results for the total polyphenol assay were 2.733, 2.450 and 2.166 mg GA equivalent/g for Pallenis spinosa, Artemisia mesatlantica and Teucrium polium respec- tively, and the results for the flavonoid assay were 2.083, 2.041 and 1.966 mg Quercetin equivalent/g for the same respective species. Extracts from the studied plants showed an interesting antioxidant ac- tivity. The best result was held by Teucrium polium ex- tract, which reduced 50% of the free radical DPPH by a concentration of about 0.51 mg/ml. Keywords: Traditional phytotherapy, ethnobotanical study, Thy- mus satureioides, Mentha rotundifolia, Lavandula mairei, Pallenis spinosa, Artemisia mesatlantica, Teu- crium polium, phytochemical screening, polyphenols, flavonoids, antioxidant activity. P108. Phenotypic and Symbiotic Characterization of Rhizobia Nodulating Lotus creticus in the North of Mo- rocco Taoufik Belechheb*, Mohammed Bakkali, Amin La- glaoui, and Abdelhay Arakrak Equipe de Recherche de Biotechnologies et Génie des Biomolécules (ERBGB), Faculté des Sciences et Techniques de Tanger, Abdelmalek Essadi Universi- ty, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: taoufik.belechheb@gmail.com. Abstract Plants belonging to the Lotus genera are now consid- ered to be promising legumes for sustainable devel- opment, because it was used as a pioneer plant, im- proving soil structure and providing symbiotic inocula to promote plant succession. Moreover, by its creep- ing habit, this species reduces the effects of the se- vere Mediterranean winds thus fulfilling a primordial function in the protection and the preservation of the ecosystems contributes to soil stabilization , provides high quality animal fodder and its productivity is im- portant on a wide range of soils so they are increas- ingly utilized in pastures. Lotus sp, may play a key role in the nitrogen cycle, as it comes into symbiosis with nodulating bacteria Legumes (LNB) collectively known as rhizobium and make them excellent candidates to maintain soil cover, dune stability, restore or improve the fertility of degraded soils and use for sustain- able agricultural systems. This work was conducted to evaluate and characterize the phenotypic diver- sity (biochemical and physiological tests) that exists in a rhizobial collection isolated from nodules of Lotus creticus collected from different sites in Tangier in the north of Morocco. Tolerance to salinity, high tempera- tures, acid and alkaline pH, heavy metals and carbon and nitrogen source assimilation as well as symbiotic and cultural characteristics allowed the description of a wide physiological diversity among tested isolates. The dendrogram prepared by the UPGMA method, allowed us to highlight the most resistant isolates to tested stress conditions which represent the best can- didates for the production of good quality inoculum for plants in marginal areas. Keywords: Lotus creti- cus , phenotypic characterization, Rhizobium, Tangier, forage. P109. Life strategy and social participation of Moroc- can youth in poor rural areas of Morocco Noureddine Bahri1*, A. Bentaïbi1, and T. Desrues2 1 Regional Center of Agricultural Research of Meknes, BP. 578 Meknes VN, Morocco; 2 Institute of Advanced Social Studies (IESA) Cordoba, C/ Campo Santo de los Mártires, 7 14004 Cordoba, Spain. *Correspond- ing and Presenting Author: bahrinour@yahoo.fr. Abstract This research is carried out about young people from the mountainous areas of the Moroccan middle Atlas to better understand their logics and strategies of life. The study was focused on three communes marked by a high rate of poverty and a pronounced distance from the main lines of communication and the political and economic decision-making centers. It has adopted a dual approach to data production, namely: the ad- ministration of a survey with more than 300 individu- als (a quantitative approach) and open interviews (a A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 517 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) qualitative approach) with young people in addition to different key informers. The first objective of this research concerns the exploration of the various strat- egies of life of young people in situations of social, economic and ecological constraints (high poverty and unemployment rates, underemployment, agricul- ture subject to climatic risk, lack of non-agricultural employment opportunities and lack of infrastructure for culture or recreation). The second is focused on the perception of their situation with particular attention to the analysis of the level of citizen participation of rural young people and the relationships maintained with the main actors of local development in general and of agricultural development in particular. This research postulates that these populations of young people are currently experiencing mutations and profound ruptures that challenge current traditional systems. The identification of these mutations would give some visibility to the complexity of these areas and would affirm the need to incorporate this notion of diversity into the public policies in Morocco in the field of social, economic and cultural integration of rural youth. This consideration would enable young people to be better mobilized in local development activities and to reduce their dissatisfaction with their situation. This research has established that the young people of the regions studied are carrying diversity at the ideological level or values, i.e. they confront the management of their daily life in a differenti- ated way according to a series of axiological vari- ables highlighted. This diversity is itself dependent on the nature and extent of the capital (economic, so- cial, educational-cultural) available among the young people concerned. Keywords: Social change, Youth, local development, Agricultural development, Life strategy, social participation. P110. Introduction of new binary forage associations for crop-livestock systems under semi-arid conditions Rajae Kettani1*, Chems Doha Khalfi1, and Driss Cher- gui2 1 Research Unit of Agronomy and Plant Physiology, National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA), Re- gional Center of Meknes, Po. Box 578, 50000 Me- knes, Morocco; 2 Experimental area of Douyet, Fes, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: r_ kettani@yahoo.fr. Abstract The improvement of forage protein autonomy of farms in semi-arid regions implies the increase of the share of adapted and productive associations fod- der as legume and cereals. Indeed, they have many agronomic advantages that must be emphasized: no need to irrigate, a balanced protein product in rela- tion to pure cereals, better protein content, a good competitiveness against weeds and increased resis- tance of the mixture to diseases. The experimentation was carried out at INRA experimental station in Fes (Morocco) for three years to test new binary associa- tions with a seeding rate of 120 kg per ha and the same proportions of 50-50 mixed species combined with different doses of nitrogen. The associated spe- cies are vetch Guich (INRA variety) which is early, productive in green fodder and resistant to Alternar- ia and Botrytis and four early to moderately preco- cious tutors: A rust resistant and productive Nasr oat (INRA variety); two early and high barleys: Amalo (INRA variety) and Kaws (Spain variety) and a rustic triticale Forricale, very tolerant to water deficit and pouring (French variety). The results obtained show that it is possible to improve significantly the produc- tion and quality of forage associations through a good choice of varieties in mixture and appropriate nitrogen fertilization adapted to the production ob- jective. Kaws-Guich combined with 120 nitrogen units per ha produced 9 tons of dry matter per ha and allows a productivity increase of 45% compared to the region average obtained with local binary as- sociations. It also triples the proportion of vetch at harvest and consequently improves forage quality, as well as an increase of dry matter content of 27% and therefore a better forage nutrient concentration. On another side, the Forricale-Guich combined with only 60 nitrogen units per ha produced 5.5 tons of dry matter per ha and offers a better stand composition with a proportion of vetch of 40% and an increase of forage dry matter content of 17% compared to the region data. These two associations harvested in the cheesy stage of grain before drought occurrence has allowed increasing the qualitative and quantita- tive forage. They represent an interesting response for self-sufficiency and less dependence on weather conditions and suit specifically for farms poorly suited to corn silage. Keywords: Binary forage associations, varieties, nitrogen, drought, yield, dry matter. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 518 P111. Cytokinins influence the microtuberization and growth of potato (Solanum tuberosum L) plantels in vi- tro Aziz Akdi1,2*, Ahlam Hamim1, Imane Saibari3, Sliman El Hani1, and Nourdin Mtili2 1 National Institute of Agricultural Research, Tangier, Morocco; 2 Faculty of Sciences, AbdElmalek Essaidi University, Tetouan, Morocco; 3 Faculty of Science and Techniques of Tangier, Abdelmalek Essaadi Univer- sity, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: Azizakdi99@gmail.com. Abstract Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a very important crop in agricultural production in Morocco. However, certi- fied seeds production still one of the major problems hindering the development of this crop. To overcome this problem, the tissue culture techniques including microtuberization are used worlwide to produce pre- basic, virus-free seed potatoes know as microtubers. The microtubers are sown in a protected enviroment to produce minitubers. Tuberization is the predomi- nant type of reproductive development for tuberous plants; it is a complex process, whih is controlled by several factors. The main objectif of the present study was to standarize the media for potato plant growth and microtuber induction on MS medium (Murashinge and Skoog, 1962) with and without cytokinins. To do this, four culture media were tested: MS1 = MS + 80% sucrose; MS2 = MS / 2 + 80% sucrose; MS3 = MS / 2 + 80% Sucrose + 4mg / l Kinetin + 1mg / l BAP (6-benzylaminopurine); MS4 = MS / 2 + 80% Sucrose + 0.2mg / l Kinetin + 5mg / l BAP. The plant material consists of botanical seeds (True Potato Seeds-TPS) of two varieties registered under serial numbers (CIPN °) 997003 and 998010. Induction of microtuberization was completed after 9 weeks of culture under dark conditions at 22°C. for both va- rieties, the best rates of tuberization were obtained on MS3 medium. The increase in the concentration of BAP compared to kinetin causes a decrease in the rate of tuberization. However, the larger microtubers are produced on the MS1 medium for both variet- ies. The addition of Cytokinins in the microtubercule production media promotes the germination of micro- tubers. Keywords: Solanum tuberosum L, microtuber- cules, BAP, Kinetin. P112. Water resources vulnerability factors in a global environmental change context: A systematic review and meta-analysis in international cases Soumaila Kanga*, Mustapha Naimi, and Mohamed Chikhaoui Soil and Water Management Laboratory, Depart- ment of Natural Resources and Environment, Hassan II Institute of Agronomy & Veterinary Medicine, PO. Box 6202 - Madinat Al Irfane, Rabat, Morocco. *Corre- sponding and Presenting Author: soumkanga@gmail. com. Abstract Assessing the vulnerability of water resources is in- creasingly becoming an essential practice in the in- tegrated water resources management. Accordingly, several studies have been carried out around the world during the last two decades. Thus, the main objective of this paper was to review factors used internationally to assess the vulnerability of water re- sources at local scale in order to adapt them and use them in the assessment of the vulnerability of water resources in a context of climate change in Morocco. To achieve this goal, we have pre-selected 187 pa- pers on water vulnerability in the Science Direct da- tabase of Elsevier publisher and the Google Scholar database. By applying the PRISMA protocol, only 13 articles out of the 187 selected met the inclusion or exclusion criteria previously defined for the analysis. The 113 water resources vulnerability factors identi- fied were sorted out into five categories: physical or biophysical factors (35.4 %), socio-economic factors (31%), environment or eco-environment factors (22.1 %), infrastructure factors (8.8 %) and water gover- nance and institutions factors (2.65%). Based on the availability of data, the scale of application and the environmental problems of water resources in Mo- rocco, we were able to recognize 50 factors among all categories that could be used in the assessment of water resources vulnerability in Morocco. Keywords: Water vulnerability factors, integrated water man- agement, water vulnerability assessment, local scale. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 519 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) P113. Evaluation of the Irrigation Water in the Central Bahira Plains of El Kalâa, Morocco Soukaina El Hasini1*, Mohammed El Azzouzi1, Hou- ria Dakak2, Oumaima Ibnhalima2, and Abdelmajid Zouahri2 1 Laboratory of Materials, Nanotechnologies and Environment, Faculty of Sciences, University Moham- med V, Av Ibn Battouta, BP1014, Rabat, Morocco; 2 Research Unit on Environment and Conservation of Natural Resources, National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA) PO Box 6356 Rabat-Institutes, Ra- bat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: elhasinisoukaina3@gmail.com. Abstract The aridity of the climate due to the succession of drought periods in morocco leads to a situation of water paucity. These Conditions make irrigation an unavoidable technical requirement for the develop- ment of agricultural lands. Even so, Agricultural inten- sification was accompanied by a lack of irrigation control which leads to several problems of degra- dation of water and soil quality in terms of salinity and alkalinity. This constitutes a serious danger to the sustainability of the land and water quality. In order to succeed in dealing with this situation as well as to ensure the sustainable preservation of these resourc- es, the requirement of their monitoring and analysis becomes necessary. The present work falls within this framework suggests a synthesis of the hydrochemical situation by assessing the distribution of Salinity and other major problems affecting the quality of ground- water in the Bahira Plain, particularly around Sad Al Majnoun. An approach has been followed including a monitoring of the groundwater at the scale of the area according to a network of 33 water points. The measurements were carried out in situ (CE, pH, piezo- metric level) and in the laboratory for the major and secondary elements to specify (RSC, SAR and N% ). Moreover, the maps of the groundwater quality pa- rameters have been established under GIS allowing us to delineate the areas affected by the problems of degradation of this resource as well as constitute a source of information and management for a best future monitoring of the qualitative state of the water table. Keywords: Irrigation water, hydrochemical situ- ation, cartography, GIS, central Bahira. P114. Ability of non-pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum strain Fo47 to suppress Rhizomania disease of sugar beets in Morocco Fatima Nouayti1,2*, Ilham Madani2, Abdessalem Ta- hiri1, Abdelali Blenzar2, and Rachid Lahlali1 1 Phytopathology Unit, Department of Plant Protec- tion, Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, Me- knès, Morocco; 2 Moulay Ismail University, Faculty of Sciences. Department of Biology, P.O. Box 11201, Meknes, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Au- thor: fatimanouayti@gmail.com. Abstract Rhizomania is one of the most devastating diseases of sugar beet worldwide. The disease poses a serious threat to Moroccan production and it is capable of sig- nificantly decreasing quality and yield of sugar beet plantations. The long-term survival of its fungal vector (Polymyxa betae) in soil makes it a very difficult dis- ease to manage. Therefore, this study investigated the potential of a non-pathogenic fungal Fusarium oxys- porum strain Fo47 to control Polymyxa betae. This biocontrol agent was applied as soil treatment, seed treatment, or a combination of the both treatments. A bio-test was performed on treated soil. After four weeks of culture, the roots of sugar beet seedlings were retrieved and analyzed by the DAS-ELISA test. Results indicated that F. oxysporium Fo47 reduced the activity and survival of P. betae when compared to a reference biocontrol agent Trichoderma harzianum, which only revealed significant in reducing the viral load of Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus (BNYVV) as seed treatment. The non-pathogenic Fusarium oxys- porum Fo47 was more effective as soil treatment and allowed almost the same reduction of BNYVV virus concentration as T. harzianum 908. Therefore, our findings emphasizes that the performance of the bio- control agent depends on the method of application. Keywords: Beet Necrotic yellow vein Virus; Biocontrol, Fusarium oxysporum strain Fo47; Trichoderma har- zianum strain 908. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 520 P115. Optimization of the technical management of agroforestry (choice of cereal species and nitrogen fer- tilization) in olive groves Bendidi Abderrazzak1*, Khalid Daoui1, Rachid Dah- ani1, and Mohamed Ibriz2 1 INRA, Meknes, Morocco; 2 Faculty of Sciences, Uni- versity Ibn Tofail, Kenitra, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: abendidi1@yahoo.fr. Abstract Intercropping is practiced on a large scale in Moroc- can olive groves. According to the data from the fea- sibility study of the fruit growing project (PAF), cereal cultivation is practiced intercropped in more than 50% of the olive groves. In order to determine the influence of intercropped cereal farming techniques on olives trees, we studied olive tree production in association with two different cereal species (bread wheat and durum wheat) with two nitrogen doses (40 and 120 kg N ha-1) in the Khenifra region. The results of the first year of study, characterized by drought and cold during the winter months, showed that durum wheat (Karim) allowed a grain yield (11.3 qx ha-1) higher than that obtained by bread wheat (Amal) (8.8 qx ha-1). Regarding the nitrogen dose, the highest grain yield for wheat was recorded with 120 kg N ha-1 with an average of 11.8 qx ha-1, while grain yield with 40 kg qx ha-1 was only 8.3 qx ha-1. While olive production of 45 kg / tree was not affected by either the cereal species or the amount of nitrogen added to the intercrop. These results show that the installation of cereals as an intercrop in Moroccan olive groves (under 16 years old for the Picholine marocaine va- riety) would allow the farmer to improve the produc- tivity of his land and consequently the maximization of his income. Keywords: Intercropping, olive groves, bread wheat, durum wheat, nitrogen, production. P116. Influence of Photovoltaic Panels on Growth and Productivity of Tomato Under Canarien Greenhouse Kabira Ezzaeri1*, Hicham Fatnassi2, Lahoucine Gour- do1, Abderrahim Bazgaou1, Ahmed Wifaya3, Rachid Bouharroud3, Hassan Demrati1, Ahmed Aharoune1, Ahmed Bekkaoui4, and Lahcen Bouirden1 1 Thermodynamics and Energetic Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, Agadir, Morocco; 2 INRA, Univ. Nice So- phia Antipolis, CNRS, UMR 1355-7254 Institut So- phia Agrobiotech, 06900 Sophia Antipolis, France; 3 Regional Centre of Agricultural Research, Agadir, Morocco; 4 Mechanization Agricultural Department, IAV Hassan II, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: k.ezzaeri@uiz.ac.ma. Abstract Solar energy is one of the cleanest sources of alterna- tive energy. Due to high energy demand in one hand, and environmental negative impact of fossil fuels on the other hand, many countries consider the alterna- tive energy sources as a suitable and feasible option in industry and domestic usage. The use of renew- able energy for greenhouse environment control to replace or reduce the consumption of fuel and power- line electricity is an important objective for sustain- able greenhouse crop production. The photovoltaic greenhouse is a new technology for a “double use” of the resource land, because it generates energy in the form of biomass (crops, flowers, or algae) and, also, electric energy. The goal of our research is to study the development and yield of tomato inside a Canarian greenhouse, with 10% of their roof was oc- cupied by photovoltaic panels. The results shows that the shading provides by the photovoltaic panels have not a significant effect on the tomato development and yield. Keywords: photovoltaic greenhouse, shad- ing, tomato, yield. P117. Epidemiology of multi-resistant bacteria in the hospital environment: service of major burns and plastic surgery, Mohamed V Hospital, Meknes Najia El hamzaoui1*, Hassan Ouallal2, Abouddihaj Barguigua3, and Sbiti Mohammed4 1 Medical Microbiology Laboratory, Mohamed V Hospital, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes, Morocco; 2 Membrane Materials and Separation Processes Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Technics, Irrachid- ia, Morocco; 3 Multidisciplinary Research and Devel- opment Laboratory, Department of Biology-Geology, Polydisciplinary Faculty, Beni Mellal, Morocco; 4 Med- ical Biology Laboratory of Regional Military Hospital Moulay Ismail Meknes morocco. *Corresponding and A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 521 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) Presenting Author: najia.elhamzaoui@gmail.com. Abstract Following several cases of bacterial infections, in the service of major burns and plastic surgery of Mo- hamed V hospital, Meknes, samples were taken from this service to identify the bacteria responsible for these infections. Environmental sampling was carried out by the swabbing method. The cultures were real- ized for 48 hours at 37 °C on lactose agar, CLED, Mannitol Salt Agar (Chapman), blood agar and choc- olate agar. The identification of the isolated bacterial species was carried out using the API gallery systems, the resistance level of the bacteria to the antibiot- ics was studied by the diffusion method in agar. the choice of antibiotics as well as the interpretation of susceptibilitytesting were performed according to CA-SFM recommendations. The surfaces and medical devices containing bacteria are of type: beds, sur- gical equipments,operating tables, bedside tables, door cuffs, stethoscopes, cupboards and washbasins. The identifiedbacteria are staphylococcus epidermi- dis and saprophiticus, Klebsiella penumoniae, Pseu- domonas putida and acinetobacter baumanii, and the results of the antibiogram showed a predomi- nance of multiresistant bacteria, especially Acineto- bacter baumanii and Klebsiella penumoniae. Many observations have suggested that the contamination often resulted from inappropriate application of cleaning procedures, and many factors that are re- lated to microorganisms:lifetime on a support, surface adhesion, ability to produce a biofilm and its ability to withstand adverseconditions. Considering the ob- tained results, the monitoring and the behavior study of bacteria, present in the service of the major burns, with regard to the more commonly used disinfectants- becomes a necessity for the establishment of the ap- propriate disinfection procedures. P118. Long Term Monoculture Promotes Selection of Antagonistic Phonotypes Among Streptomyces in Soil. Essarioui Adil1* and Kinkel Linda L2 1 National Institute of Agronomic Research, Region- al Center of Errachidia, Morocco; 2 Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, USA. *Cor- responding and Presenting Author: essar002@umn. edu. Abstract Streptomyces possess strong antagonistic activities and inhibit diverse plant pathogens. However, the ef- fects of plant community characteristics on Strepto- myces inhibitory activity have received little attention. We evaluated the impact of plant species and plant community richness on the frequency and intensity of inhibitory activity of rhizosphere Streptomyces com- munities against 2 fungal plant pathogens, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis and Fusarium oxyxporum f. sp. lycopersici, the agents of date palm tomato wilts, respectively. Soil samples were taken from the rhizo- sphere of two plant species, Andropogan geradii and Lespedeza capitata, each growing in long term com- munities of 1 (monoculture) or 16 (polyculture) plant species. Streptomyces inhibitory activity against the two pathogens was studied using an in vitro assay to reveal inhibition on each target pathogen. For each soil sample, the proportions of Streptomyces that ex- hibit antagonistic activities against each pathogen and the mean size of the inhibition zone were de- termined. Plant richness modified the impacts of both plant species on Streptomyces antagonistic activity. Regardless of plant species, monocultures supported higher frequencies and greater intensities of Strepto- myces inhibition than polycultures. Streptomyces an- tagonistic capacity increased with decreasing plant community richness, suggesting that plant diversity modifies selection for antagonistic phenotypes among soil Streptomyces. Fostering monoculture conditions in agricultural settings may contribute significantly to re- ducing the impacts of soil-dwelling crop pathogens. Keywords: Streptomyces, Inhibition, Monoculture. P119. Evaluation of Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria Iso- lated from Cytisus monspessulanus Rhizosphere for their Growth Promoting and Antagonistic Activity Against Phytopathogenic Fungus Fusarium oxysporum Imane Achkouk1*, SaidaAarab2, Amin Laglaoui1, Mo- hammed Bakkali1, Abdelhay Arakrak1 1 Equipe de Recherche de Biotechnologies et Génie des Biomolécules (ERBGB), Faculté des Sciences et Techniques de Tanger B. P. 416, Tanger, Morocco; 2 Faculté des Sciences et Techniques d’Al Hoceima, B.P. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 522 34, Ajdir Al Hoceima, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: imaneachkouk@gmail.com. Abstract Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are considered to be the most promising agents for agri- cultural crop via increasing crop yields and decreas- ing disease occurrence. The aim of this work is to evaluate phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) iso- lated from the rhizospheric soil of Cytisus monspes- sulanus, for multiple plant growth promotion traits and to test their antagonistic effect against Fusarium oxy- sporum. A total of 37 isolates (15.81%) among 234 isolated rhizobacteria were able to solubilize the tri- calcium phosphate (TCP) on PVK solid medium. The 21 isolates with solubilization diameters ≥ 0.4 cm were selected and evaluated for the production of hydro- gen cyanide, and the results showed that 52.38 % of these isolates (11 isolates) produced this compound, so theywere retained for further tests. The amount of IAA produced during the quantitative test fluctuated between 55.45±9.52 mg/L and 2.35±0.38 mg/L and all the strains were positive for the production of sidérophores except CMR67.The selected rhizobac- teria were then evaluated for their ability to secrete enzymes such as cellulase, chitinase and protease. The percentages obtained were respectively 81.81%, 45.45% and 63.63%. In addition, the ability of these PSB to produce ammonia was tested, and 9 strains (18.18%) were able to produce this compound. All test strains were assessed by TCP solubilizing quanti- tative assay in PVK liquid medium and the concentra- tions of solubilized P were between 147.49 ± 0.06 mg/l and 7.57± 0.04 mg/l. This solubilization was accompanied by a pH decrease of the medium from 7 to 4.18. The antagonism test against Fusarium oxys- porum showed that all the selected isolates were able to inhibit its growth except the isolates CMP55 and CMR22. The best performance on all qualitative and quantitative tests was recorded by the three isolates CMR64, CMR68 and CMR78 that can be used as bio- inoculants to contribute to the rehabilitation of de- graded marginal soils. Keywords: PSB, PGPR, Cytisus monspessulanus, Fusarium oxysporum. P120. Ethnobotanical uses of Arbutus (Arbutus unedo L.) in Morocco Faida Rahima1,2*, Aabdousse J.1, Boulli A.1, Bouda S.2, and Wahid N.1§ 1 Ecology and Sustainable Development Team (ESDT), Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni Mellal, Morocco. 2 Laboratory of Management and Valorization of Natural Resources, Department of Life Sciences, Fac- ulty of Science and Technology, Sultan Moulay Sli- mane University, Beni-Mellal, Morocco. *Presenting author: faida.rahima@gmail.com. §Corresponding author: wahid2na@hotmail.com. Abstract Arbutus is a fruit tree with high ornamental, environ- mental, economic and medical value, because of the properties attributed to different biological parts. Given this interest, the present study is interested in describing and compiling available data on the eth- nobotanical uses of Arbutus in Morocco in comparison with other studies at the international level. It is very present in the everyday uses of foresters, farmers and rural populations. The international bibliographic analysis shows that the different biological parts of Arbutus, especially fruits, have been widely used by herbalists. The related literature is generally in line with the medicinal use of the plant by Moroccan in- habitants. On the other hand, the consumption and the industrial valorization of the fruits of Arbutus are very limited in Morocco in comparison with those on the international scale. It is imperative to sensitize the lo- cal population and landlocked Douars on the knowl- edge of the valorization of the fruit of this species. Keys Words: Arbutus unedo L., ethnobotanical uses, prospection, ecology, Arbutus fruit. P121. Livestock genetic resources support resilience to climate change in oasis production systems: A review Mustapha Ibnelbachyr* National Institute for Agricultural Research, Center of Errachidia, PO Box 529, Boutalamine, Errachidia, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: m_ A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 523 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) ibnelbachyr@yahoo.fr. Abstract Livestock, an essential component of production sys- tems in oasis areas, is facing increasingly the effects of climate change. Livestock genetic resources play a significant role in promoting biodiversity and improv- ing resilience to this phenomenon in oasis production systems. This review addresses the current status of preservation of animal genetic resources in the oases of southeastern Morocco, and presents the opportuni- ties offered by these resources to meet future needs for oasis production systems. The focus is put on the typical oasis breeds; the Tidili cow, the D’man sheep, and the Drâa goat. The Tidili cow is typical cattle of the valley located between the southern slopes of the High Atlas and the Siroua massif. The main assets of this local breed include its perfect adaptation to local environmental conditions and its interesting milk pro- duction. The D’man sheep is the most prolific Moroc- can sheep that has contributed to the improvement of meat production in the oases and in the crossbreeding areas. The Drâa goat is the goat breed of the oases of the DrâaValley which furrows the Moroccan south- east. It is the only Moroccan goat ableto get conceive at any period of the year and giving an important milk production. Thus, it constitutes a resource of ge- netic and economic interest certain. Overall, livestock breeds are genetically and economically important to improving resilience to climate change in oasis pro- duction systems. Preservation and genetic improve- ment programs are needed to prevent extinction of these breeds in the future. Keywords: Climate change, resilience, local breeds, oasis. P122. Protein, Oil, and Fatty Acids Contents of Soybean Mutant FM6-847 Grown in Fayetteville, North Carolina Safiah Kassem1*, Jiazheng Yuan2, Naoufal Lakhssas- si3, Khalid Meksem3, and My Abdelmajid Kassem2§ 1 Pine Forest Middle School, 6901 Ramsey St, Fayette- ville, NC, USA; 2 Plant Genomics and Biotechnology Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, NC, USA; 3 Department of Plant, Soil, and Agricultural Sciences, Southern Illi- nois University, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA. *Present- ing author: safiahkassem@gmail.com. §Correspond- ing author: mkassem@uncfsu.edu. Abstract Proteins, oil, and fatty acids are important compo- nents of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ] seed com- position. The objective of this study was to compare protein, oil, and fatty acids contents of the soybean mutant FM6-847 with three USDA reference lines (LD00-2817, LD06-7620, and LD07-3395) in a field in Fayetteville, NC in 2016. Our results showed that the mutant FM6-847 had significantly higher levels of protein than LD07-3395 but not LD00-2817 and LD06-7620. The mutant FM6-847 had significantly higher oil and palmitic acid contents than all three USDA reference lines. The mutant FM6-847 had a significantly higher stearic acid content than LD00- 2817 and LD07-3395 but lower than the content in LD06-7620. For oleic and linoleic fatty acids, the mu- tant FM6-847 had significantly lower contents com- pared to all three USDA reference lines. The mutant FM6-847 had significantly higher linolenic acid con- tent than LD00-2817 but significantly lower levels than LD06-7620 and LD07-3395. The mutant FM6- 847 outperformed the USDA reference lines in yield, oil and palmitic acid contents; therefore, it is well adapted to North Carolina, is stable, and will benefit farmers in NC to increase their soybean yield, seed composition, and profit. Key words: Soybean, protein, oil, fatty acids, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid. P123. Response of two varieties of banana (Musa acu- minata) small dwarf and large dwarf in vitro to salt stress Meriem Belfakih1*, Mohammed Ibriz1, and Abdelmjid Zouahri2 1 Laboratory of Genetics Biometry, Faculty of Scienc- es, University Ibn Tofail, BP 133, Kenitra, Morocco; 2 Unité de Recherche « Environnement et Conservation des Ressources Naturelles», INRA, CRRA de Rabat, BP 6356 Rabat Instituts, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: m_belfakih2000@yahoo.fr. Abstract The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 524 of salt stress (NaCl) on the in vitro regeneration of banana and the possibility of using this technique to improve the tolerance of this species to salinity. Pre- viously, the rejects were disinfected with 8% bleach and then grown in Murashige and Skoog medium (1962) containing growth hormones (Appendix 1). The medium was fed with different salt concentrations (0, 2, 4 and 6 g / l of NaCl). The test was conduct- ed at a temperature of 28 to 30 ° C with artificial illumination and a photoperiod of 16 h. The results obtained show that both varieties have regeneration of shoots despite saline treatment. However, salt af- fects leaf length of the explants and the regeneration rate. So, the increase in saline concentration induce to a decrease in the number of shootings per bud. the small dwarf variety appears to be sensitive to the salinity effect of the medium at all NaClconcen- trations at the regeneration stage and the seedling stage. Keywords: Salt stress, regeneration, growth, in vitro, banana. P124. Impact of the combination of salt stress and min- eral nutrition on the growth of alfalfa biomass (Medi- cago sativa L). Meriem Belfakih1*, Mohammed Ibriz1, and Abdelmjid Zouahri2 1 Laboratory of Genetics Biometry, Faculty of Scienc- es, University Ibn Tofail, BP 133, Kenitra, Morocco; 2 Unité de Recherche « Environnement et Conservation des Ressources Naturelles », INRA, CRRA de Rabat, BP 6356 Rabat Instituts, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: m_belfakih2000@yahoo.fr. Abstract This work aims to study the combined salt stress ef- fects (0.6 and 12g/l NaCl) and the conditions of nor- mal (HN) and limiting (HD) mineral nutrition, on growth and mineral nutrition of three varieties of alfalfa (Sirever, Demnate 203 and Riche) .The study was done under controlled conditions in a growth chamber for one month. The results obtained in this test showed that the salt treatment leads to a net reduction of the aboveground and root biomass upon addition of 6g/l. This detrimental effect of salinity becomes less under normal supply conditions, with the exception of the ‘Demnate 203’ variety which showed the high- est yield under limiting supply conditions. Also, saline treatment leads to an accumulation of Na+ cation and a reduction in K+ absorption. The ‘Siriver’ variety was more sodium-inclusive under normal mineral sup- ply (HN) conditions. In addition, the ‘Demnate 203’ ecotype produced more dry matter under salt con- ditions and limiting mineral supply (HD). Keywords: Alfalfa, Medicago sativa, Salinity, mineral nutrition. P125. Evaluation of diverse sets of barley germplasm for resistance to scald disease (Rhynchosporium seca- lis) Houda Hiddar1,2*, Sajid Rehman2, Zakaria Kehel2, Athanasios Tsivelikas2, Ramesh P.S. Verma2, Ab- delkarim Filali-Maltouf1, and Ahmed Amri2 1 Microbiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco; 2 Biodiversity and Integrated Gene Man- agement Program (BIGM), ICARDA, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: hiddar.hou- da@gmail.com. Abstract Leaf Blotch, also known as scald, is one of the most destructive diseases of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.); caused by the haploid imperfect fungus Rhynchospo- rium secalis. Scald is widely distributed throughout the world and can cause 40% reduction in grain yield. The use of resistant cultivars remains to be the most effective, economical and environmental friendly way to control the disease but the genetic resistance to Moroccan isolates is poorly understood and only few sources of resistance have been identified. This study aims at the identification of new and effective sourc- es of resistance to scald within various subsets: Best bet subset selected using the Focused Identification of Germplasm Strategy (FIGS; 80 accessions), refer- ence set identified within the Generation Challenge Program (GCP; 204 accessions), and an associa- tion mapping panel (284 accessions) developed by ICARDA breeders. . All the accessions were sown and evaluated at seedling stage under controlled condi- tions. We have found that of the 568 barley acces- sions tested, 78 barley accessions (14%) were found to be resistant, 86 accessions (15%) to be moderate- ly resistant, 104 accessions (18%) to be susceptible, A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 525 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) and103 accessions (18%) to be highly susceptible, respectively. Most of the resistant accessions (125; 22%) showed immune reaction. These new sources of resistance will be a useful resource for resistance bar- ley breeding programs around the world. Keywords: Barley, Scald, Rhynchosporium secalis, Resistance. P126. Analysis of the hydro-sedimentary process of a watershed in Western Rif of Morocco using the SWAT model: case of the Tleta watershed Fatiha Choukri1*, Mohamed Chikhaoui1, Mustapha Naimi1, Damien Raclot2, and Yannick Pepin2 1 Département des Ressources Naturelles et Envi- ronnement, Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Has- san II, Rabat, Morocco; 2 UMR LISAH, Institut de Re- cherche pour le Développement, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: choukri.fati- ha@gmail.com. Abstract SWAT Model (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) is a tool for simulating flows in the landscape, useful for guiding management and groundworks within catch- ment areas. Accordingly, this model was tested to re- produce, on a daily timespan, water and sediment flows arriving to Ibn Batouta reservoir over the pe- riod 1980-2010. Various climatic (precipitation and temperature), morphologic (MNT) and thematic data (land use and pedology) were used for feeding the model. The measurements acquired at Ibn Batouta reservoir during the periods 1980-1982, 1983-1996 and 1997-2010 were used respectively for initial- ization, calibration and validation after running the sensitivity analysis to determine the most significant parameters. The performances indices of R², NSE and PBIAS were adopted to assess and control the quality of predictions of the monthly flows of water and sedi- ments. The performance of prediction of monthly wa- ter flows is very high with R² (0.95 ; 0.90), NSE (0.94 ; 0.89) and PBIAS (-6 ; 2) respectively for both periods of calibration and validation. Meanwhile the perfor- mance of predictions of the monthly solid transport is very satisfactory with R² (0.83 ; 0.64), NSE (0.82 ; 0.61) and PBIAS (17 ; -6) respectively. Finally, SWAT model allows to properly reproduce monthly water and sediment flows within the Tleta catchment area and testing scenarios of management and ground- works to be considered. Keywords: SWAT, hydrologi- cal modeling, water erosion, Western Rif, Morocco. P127. Performance Analysis of a Modified Solar Still Equipped with Solar Tracker D. O. Maliani*, A. Bekkaoui, E. H Baali, K. Guissi, Y. El Fellah, and H. Krim Département Energie et Agroéquipements. Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Rabat, Mo- rocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: drissi. oussama@gmail.com. Abstract Conventional solar still suffer from its low yield de- spite many attempts to optimize it. This is due to its high dependence of the low energy generated by the greenhouse effect. Hence, the concentration seems to be an effective way to increase heat energy received by the still, and consequently enhance its productivity. However, many researches addressed in the field do not benefit from this powerful technique with an ef- ficient way. They usually use an intermediate item to transport heat to the water inside the still, such pipes filled by a heat transfer fluid, which causes a loss of energy and decreases the thermal performances of the solar still. The new idea, presented in this work deals with the design of an innovative system of solar distillation that concentrate directly the sun’s rays on the water to be distilled while ensuring efficiency in a follow-up of the sun as well in the azimuth as eleva- tion. The greenhouse effect will be used as an extra thermal energy. The aim was carried out to estimate the dynamic and thermal behavior of the concepts. An Arduino electronic card will ensure the control of the system. The yield, economic aspects and payback period of different solar still are examined, and pos- sible conclusions with integration of dissimilar aspects are reached. Keywords: Solar still, Desalination, So- lar tracker, Single slope. P128. Effect of temperature on date-palm syrup (Dibs) processing and quality Noufia Younés1*, Outaleb Zahra2, Alem Chakib3, and Filali Zegzouti Younés4 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 526 1 National Institute of Agronomic Research, Errachid- ia, Morocco; 2 Université Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdel- lah Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Fès, Morocco; 3 Research Team in Biochemistry & Natural Substances, FSTE-UMI, Errachidia, Morocco; 4 Research Team in Biology Environment and Health, FSTE-UMI, Errachid- ia, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: noutfiaa@yahoo.fr. Abstract In 2017, Morocco produced about 112,000 tons of dates. This production is characterized by a high per- centage of KHALTS (clones / varieties with low qual- ity). These date palm clones are sold to non- competi- tive prices or used for processing of others date-palm products. This investigation aims to contribute to the study and characterization of date-palm syrup as a by-product of this fruit. Thus, five samples dates of about 1500g (about 1000g coreless) each were used to manufacture the syrup at two extraction tem- perature (70°C and 90°C). The main processing steps are: Coring, juice extraction, filtration and concentra- tion of the juice. The obtained results of date sam- ples are: Solids = 85.44 ± 3.53, pH = 5.08 ± 0.71, Acidity = 0.15 ± 0.048 and Ash = 1.86 ± 0.49. The physical and chemical composition of syrup was: Brix = 74.03 ± 0.95, Solids = 82.00 ± 1.42, pH = 4.74 ± 0.15 and Ash = 1.62 ± 0.10. The yield pro- duction was about 64%. Also, this study showed that the extraction temperature affects with a very highly significant manner (α=0.00018), the duration of juice concentration. This duration was being 9h and 6.4h for respective extraction temperatures of 90°C and 70°C. However, the extraction temperature does not seem to affect yield, pH and dry matter of the syrup. Keywords: syrup, Dibs, date-palm fruit, temperature, quality. P129. Mycorhization effect on Cork oak acorns and their Eco physiological behavior (Quercus suber L.) in drought conditions Btissame Bouther1*, Younes Abbas2, and Moustapha Arahou1 1 Botanical, mycology and environment lab, depart- ment of biology, faculty of sciences, university Med V Rabat, Morocco; 2 Faculty Polydisciplinary of Beni Mellal, University Sultane Moulay Slimane, Beni Mel- lal, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: bouther.btissame@gmail.com. Abstract The cork oak is one of the most important species in Morocco due to its socio-economic and environmental role. This species occupied a very large area where- as it decreases more and more these last decades, inspite of all the attempts of artificial regeneration which failed. In order to protect this species from ex- tinction and subsequent strong deforestation, nursery cork seeds were planted in a substrate inoculated with three different ectomycorrhizal fungi under con- trolled conditions in order to evaluate the species: Ef- fect on the development and resistance to drought of the cork oak. The plants inoculated by the fungus 3 showed very strong resistance which is explained by very low values in the height of the stem, the num- ber of leaves and the stem diameter. Keywords: Cork oak, mycorhization, artificial regeneration, drought. P130. Efficacity of Ruta graveolens powder to fight against Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera, Bruchi- nae) Lalla Fatima Douiri1*, Nada Lafkih1, Yasmine Ghoua- ti2, Hayat Bouhareb1, Oulghazi Said1, Chakir Mery- em3, Mgamat Fouzia3, and Mohieddine Moumni1 1 Department of Biology Sciences Faculty, / Moulay Ismail University, P.B 11201, Meknes, Morocco; 2 Food Technology and Biochemistry Unit / National school of Agriculture, P.B. S/40 50000 Meknes, Morocco; 3 Department of Biology Sciences Faculty, / Ibn To- fail University, PB : 14000, Kenitra, Morocco. *Cor- responding and Presenting Author: fatimadouiri@ yahoo.fr. Abstract Insects occur at every point along the chain of food production from the open field or greenhouse envi- ronment to larders and pantries in domestic prem- ises. Their presence causes concern not only because of their appearance and the direct spoilage they cause to food products, but also because of the mi- crobiological contaminants and pathogens they may A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 427 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) carry, and because of possible allergenic reactions that their exuviae and frass may generate. This study focuses on the insecticidal activity of Ruta geaveo- lens powders against C. maculatus elevated at the expense of Cicer arietinum seeds (L). Laboratory’s experiment was carried out under controlled condi- tions (27°C, 70 ±5% relative humidity and 12 hours of light). The results obtained for the studied param- eters indicate that powders extrated from rosmary leaves and young twigs have an insecticidal activity against weevils, after (1 to 5) days exposure the low- est LC50 and LC99 range respectively from 87.58 to 13.19 and 157.34 to 26.52mg /50graines for fe- males and 52.63 to 15.90mg/50graines and from 93.79 to 25.74 mg/ 50graines for males. In fact, lon- gevity obtained with the control is 9.1 to 7.73 days, for males 5 to 3.7days and for females de 6 à 4.7days. The Ruta powders exert negative effects on all the parameters of the weevil and can be used against C. maculatus. In addition, they are derived from botanical products, biodegradable, renewable source, economic and have low environmental impact and often undetectable. Keywords: Ruta geaveolens, Cicer arietinum, powders, Callosobruchus maculatus. P131. Improve the effeciency of gibberellic acid to in- crease the fruit set and yield of seedless clementines mandarin of Morocco Ismail Kaidi1,2*, L. Messaoudi1, and Z. Messaoudi² 1 Département de Chimie, Université Moulay Ismail, Faculté des sciences, Morocco; 2 Département Arbo- riculture Fruitière Oléiculture Viticulture, Ecole Natio- nale d’Agriculture de Meknès, Morocco. *Correspond- ing and Presenting Author: ism.kaidi@gmail.com. Abstract The Sidi Aissa Clementine (Citrus reticulata Blanco) is a seedless mandarin of great fruit quality. It is the leading Clementine cultivar produced in Morocco. In recent years, Moroccan growers have planted thou- sands hectares of Sidi Aissa Clementine and more may be planted in the future. One of the major chal- lenges to Moroccan growers is the problem of low fruit set and small fruit size associated with the pro- duction of seedless Sidi Aissa and other seedless Cle- mentine mandarins. To overcome this problem, man- darin growers apply GA3 during bloom to enhance fruit set and yield. However, the current registration of gibberellic acid (GA3) for fruit set of Clementine mandarins in Morocco was based on experiments con- ducted in foreign countries and by private companies. In Spain and South Africa, GA3 is routinely used in the production of seedless mandarins to increase both fruit set and fruit size, but these strategies have not proven reliable in Morocco. The label provides no de- tailed information telling growers how to use GA3 to increase fruit set and yield or yield of commercially valuable large size fruit annually and, thus, results for Clementine mandarin production have been variable production have been variable. Moreover, improper use of GA3 results in low fruit set, canopy damage, and potential reduction of flower formation in follow- ing years. The goal of this research is to identify the proper dose and best timing of GA3 application for increasing fruit set and quality of commercially valu- able fruit of Sidi Aissa Clementine mandarin and to determine the beneficts effects resulting from use of high rates of GA3 or from numerous applications of lower rates of GA3 the current and following years. On yield and fruit size in a comprehensive experi- ment testing the efficacy of combinations of GA3 con- centrations and application times, the effect of which was unknown on mandarins, was undertaken to maxi- mize the yield of quality valuable fruit of Sidi Aissa Clementine mandarin. Keywords: GA3, Clementine, Fruit set, Citrus flowers. P132. Status of Wilt and Root Rot (WRR) Disease of Kabuli Chickpea in Several Regions of Morocco Amine Elbouazaoui1,2*, Ilyass Maafa2, Ahmed S. Ke- mal1, and Allal Douira1 1 Ibn Tofail University Kenitra, Kenitra Morocco; 2 In- ternational Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: amine.elbou10@gmail.com. Abstract Kabuli chickpea is the most important temperate food legume in wheat-based System of Morocco. The area covered by the crop is over 88,000 ha in 2015/16 with a production of 44,000t which is not enough to meet the demand of the population, a fact that pushed the country to imports chickpea to fill the gap. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 528 The low productivity is partly due to diseases and insect pests. Major chickpea diseases are Ascochyta blight and wilt/root rot (WRR) affecting spring and winter planted chickpea causing high yield losses. Although WRR disease is known to impact chickpea production, knowledge on disease incidence, distribu- tion and pathogen associated with WRR complex are not well studied. For this purpose, a survey was con- ducted in two regions of Morocco (Gharb and Saiss) covering 19 fields, to determine the distribution and importance of WRR. The results showed that WRR in- cidence ranged from 1-30% where the majority of the field had 10 to 20% disease incidences. Labora- tory isolation revealed that the major pathogens were Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceris (59.8%), Rhizoctonia bataticola (32.7%) and R. solani (7.3%) and very low incidence of Pythium spp. These results showed the need to develop cultivars resistant to Fusarium wilt and dry root rot. Keywords: Chickpea wilt root rot, Fusarium oxysporum fs ciceri, Morocco. P133. Induction of two Pathogenesis Related PR Pro- teins in Pear (pyrus communis) by Pathogenic and Non- Pathogenic Bacteria Naima Lemjiber¹*, Abdelhai Dihazi¹, Nawal Zhar², Hicham Jediyi², Younes Rakibi², Wassila Arkiz², and Khalid Naamani¹ ¹ Laboratory of Biotechnology and Valorisation of Plant Resources, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, De- partement of Biology, Cadi Ayyad University, Mar- rakech, Morocco; ² Laboratory of Biotechnology for Valorisation and Protection of Agro-resources, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques Marrakech, Departement of Biology, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Mo- rocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: naima. lemjiber2012@gmail.com. Abstract Plants represent a rich source of nutrients for many or- ganisms including bacteria, fungi, protists, insects, and vertebrates. Although lacking an immune system com- parable to animals, plants have developed a stun- ning array of structural, chemical, and protein-based defenses designed to detect invading organisms and stop them before they are able to cause extensive damage.The accumulation of pathogenesis-related proteins such as proteases and peroxidase was stud- ied in two pear varieties, var.Williams and var.Louis Bonne inoculated by pathogen and non-pathogen bacteria. The bacillus pumilus strain increased also the activities of peroxidase and proteases after in- oculation. The obtained results highlight the potential rol of bacillus pumilus in induction of defense-related enzymes. Keywords: Pathogenesis-related (PR) pro- teins, proteases, peroxidase, bacillus pumilus. P134. Antioxidant activity of Crataegus monogyna from Morocco Chaymae Benkirane1,2*, Hakima Bahri1§, Bouchra Tazi2, and Samira Oulahboub1,2 1 Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Plant Im- provement, Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, , BPS 40, Meknès, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Chem- istry, Department of Basic Sciences, Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, BPS 40, Meknès, Morocco. *Presenting Author: chaymae.1.benkirane@gmail. com. §Corresponding Author: hbahri@enameknes. ac.ma. Abstract Antioxidants are tremendously important substances which possess the ability to protect the body from damage caused by free radicals induced oxida- tive stress. The aim of this work was to investigate the antioxidant effect of hawthorn (Crataegus mo- nogyna) collected from Ifrane region (Morocco) as a potential source of new bioactive natural compounds. Hawthorn is a medicinal plant widely used in phy- totherapy for the treatment of many cardiovascular diseases. In this study, samples of flowers, leaves, rip- ened and unripe fruits were analyzed. The antioxi- dant activity was measured by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl- 1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging method. Then, Folin–Denis and aluminum chloride colorimetric assay were used to determine respectively the total polyphenol and the total flavonoid contents of Cra- taegus monogyna extracts. The results showed that all the plant parts possess important antioxidant prop- erties. Unripe fruits and flowers revealed the high- est antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 7.3 and 8.3µg/ml respectively. Total polyphenol content in different plant parts ranged from 105.1 to 280.4 GAE µg/100 mg extract and total flavonoid from 4.7 to 70.8 QE µg/100 mg extract. Antioxidant activity shows a significant correlation with total polyphenol content. These results indicate that Crataegus monog- yna exhibits a good antioxidant activity and thus can present a great potential as a dietary supplement or in pharmaceutical industry. Keywords: Crataegus monogyna, Antioxidant Activity, Total Polyphenol con- tent, Total Flavonoid content. P135. Impact of Partial Root-Zone Drying and Wa- ter Deficit on Glucose, Protein, Polyphenols and Dry Matter Contents of Potato Grown Under Green- house Conditions Said Zantar1*, Sliman Elhani1, M. Haddadi1, and Mounir Hassani2 1 Nuclear techniques, Environment and Quality Re- search Unit. National Institute of Agronomic Research (INRA), 78 Bd. Sidi Med ben Abdellah 90010 Tangi- er, Morocco; 2 Department of Biology, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Larache, University Abdelmalek Essaâdi. B.P 745, Larache, Morocco. *Corresponding and Pre- senting Author: zantar_said@hotmail.com. Abstract Water shortage is the most important factor con- straining agricultural production all over the world. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber yield and qual- ity are impacted by irrigation management. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of two ir- rigation techniques on quality parameters of potato grown under glasshouse conditions. These techniques are deficit irrigation (DI) and partial root-zone drying (PRD). DI consists in irrigating the whole root system of the plant with an amount of water less than the crop evapotranspiration (ETc). PRD, in some way, is an evolution of DI in which the root system is divided be- tween two containers to alternate wetting and drying of the root system. PRD and DI plants were irrigated according to transpiration demand for controls and the amount of water was reduced to 20%, 30% and 50% for both irrigation strategies. The following pa- rameters were studied to evaluate the effect of PRD and DI on the quality: glucose, protein, polyphenol and dry matter content. Tubers from water stressed plants presented less contents of dry matter, glucose and proteins than the well-watered plants. Under PRD strategy, total polyphenols were reduced significantly only under severe water stress (50% less than ETc). At the same irrigation level, PRD technique was more advantageous compared to DI in particular under moderate water restriction for total polyphenols, glu- cose and protein content. Keywords: Potatoes, deficit irrigation, quality, polyphenols, glucose, protein. P136. Estimation of Biochemical Propreties and Antioxi- dant Activity of Several Moroccan Plum (Prunus domes- ticaL.) Cultivars Youssef Ait Bella*, Said Bouda, and Abdelmajid Had- dioui§ Laboratory of Biotechnologies and Valorisation of Plant Genetic Resources, Faculty of Sciences and Technics, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, P. B. 523, BeniMellal, Morocco. *Presenting author: youssef. gvrl@gmail.com. §Corresponding author: ahaddi- oui@yahoo.fr. Abstract In this work, we report on the quality of 15 plum cul- tivars grown in different regions of Morocco. Plum (Prunus domestica L.) is among the most important stone fruit crop in the world. In Morocco, Prunus do- mestica L. is considered an important tree crops and is cultivated in different climatic regions. However, there is little information on the biochemistry of plums of the cultivars growing in Morocco. Fruits are ana- lyzed by determining several parameters such as to- tal polyphenols, flavonoids, antioxidant activity, total soluble solids, vitamin C, titratable acidity, ash, hu- midity, dry matter, juice pH, total sugars, fibers and crude proteins. The results showed that plum cultivars are characterized by a high nutritional value. In the other hand, the results showed significant differences between cultivars for the majority of the estimated parameters: total polyphenols, flavonoids, antioxi- dantactivity, total soluble solids, vitamin C, titratable acidity, ash, humidity , dry matter,juice pH, total sug- ars and fibers. Besides, the fruit mineral composition analysis (Zn, P, K, Mg, Ca…) revealed very high sig- nificant differences among the cultivars. The cultivars Lmozari and Tabarkakacht exhibited respectively the highest total polyphenols value (9.39 mg/g) and A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 529 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) antioxidant activity (70.65 %) comparing with others introduced varieties. Therefore, some local cultivars with a particular chemotype could be recommended to cultivate at large scale. Keywords: Prunus domes- tica L., biochemical parameters, characterization, Cultivar. P137. Humic Substances Produced During Composting Process of the Olive Mill Wastes and Municipal Organic Wastes Farid Barje* and Mohamed Hafidi Laboratory of Ecology and Environment, Faculty of Science Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: fbarje@gmail.com. Abstract The humics substances form an important fraction of soils’ organic compounds; their chemical nature has put forward various hypotheses on the mechanisms of their formation. In this context, to follow their evolu- tion, the Humic acids(HAs) and Fulvic acids (FAs) ex- tracted at different stages of co-composting of olive mill waste and organic household refuse with added phosphate, were analyzed with 13C-NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy. The findings highlight the contrasting variations in the proportions of C-aromatic and C- carbonyl of HAs as the H/C atomic ratio changes. The comparative 13C-NMR study of the FAs with the same tendancy, that show low aromatic (C=C) content in the initial stage of composting, which contained a greater proportion of carbonyl (C=O), O,N-alkyl and alkyl carbon. The FT-IR spectroscopy of HAs showed a decreasing absorption in bands of aliphatic bonds -CH-, -CH2-, carboxylic acids, esters, amides C=O, the C-O-bonds of polysaccharides and alcohols with respect to ether bonds C-O-C; they was linearly cor- related with the H/C ratio. For the FAs, the main ab- sorption bands were in the region of 3393 cm-1 (O- H), near 2931 cm-1 (aliphatic C-H), a distinct shoulder between 1717 cm-1 (C=O of carbonyl) and 1640 cm-1 (C=O of amide and ketone), 1547 cm-1 (aro- matic C=C with conjugated C=O or amide N-H), near 1400-1384 cm-1 ( COO- stretch or OH deformation of COOH). The ratio of HAs to FAs carbon content (CHA/CFA), which is representative of the polymer- ization degree, showed a positive linear correlation (r =+0.56, p < 0.05) with the degree of aromatic- ity of HAs. The increase in the CHA/CFA ratio with increasing humic acids aromaticity, is representative of a remarkable aspect of the restructuring brought, with respect to the mechanisms of polymerization dur- ing composting. Keywords: Humic Acids, Fulvic Acids, Composts, Organic wastes. P138. Mapping of Forest Fire in Morocco by Modis Products Issameddine Zidane1*, Rachid Lhissou2, Abdelali Bou- li1, and Mustapha Mabrouki3 1 Laboratoire d’Environnement et Valorization des Agro-Ressources, Department Science de la Vie, Uni- versity Sultan Moulay Slimane, Beni Mellal, Morocco; 2 Équipe de Recherche en Télédétection Environnemen- tale et NORdique, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Québec, Canada; 3 Laboratoire de Ge- nie Industrial, University Sultan Moulay Slimane, Beni Mellal, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Au- thor: z.issam.13@gmail.com. Abstract As in the Mediterranean countries, the forests in Mo- rocco are exposed to a recurrent risk of fires due to the extreme flammability of forest species during the summer. Faced with this situation, the identification of burned areas and their monitoring are essential information to ensure the proper management and conservation of these ecosystems. This research focus- es on the use of MODIS-Terra’s medium spatial reso- lution satellite imagery in a semi-arid environment, particularly in the Rif region, which is in first place in terms of the number of fires and the area burned on a Moroccan scale. Our main objective is to map burned surfaces during the summer of 2016 using the two NASA forest fire mapping products derived from MODIS images: the MCD64A1 and MCD45A1. For this purpose, we carried out a field campaign to col- lect data on the presence of the fire and the mea- surement of the burnt surface combined with that of the HCEFLCD. The validation and comparison to show that MCD64A1 remains the most reliable in terms of fire presence, with a surface area greater than 25 ha and R² greater than 0.7. Keywords : Wildfire, Remote A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 530 sensing, Burned area, MCD64A1, MCD45A1, Modis. P139. Biochemical Characterization of Several Moroc- can Walnut (Juglans regia L.) Accessions Kabiri Ghizlane*, Bouda Said, Elhansali Mohammed, and Haddioui Abdelmajid§ Laboratory of Biotechnology and Valorization of Plant Genetic Resources, Faculty of Sciences and Tech- nics, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, B.P. 523, Beni Mellal, Morocco. *Presenting Author: kghizlane84@ gmail.com. §Corresponding Author: ahaddioui@ya- hoo.fr. Abstract Juglans regia L. is a significant fruit in the nut species. Walnut has a high calorie level and rich nutrient com- position. In Morocco the walnut is cultivated in various environments mainly on mountainous, as a traditional crop. The aim of this study is to investigate and to compare the biochemical parameters of 11 Moroc- can walnut accessions. Walnut kernels are analyzed by determining several parameters such as the dry matter, the moisture, the total Ash, the total oil, the crude protein, the crude fiber, the carbohydrates, the energy value, the mineral composition (P, K, Mg, Na, Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, Cr, Ni, B), the phenolic compounds, the total flavonoid and the antioxidant activity. The obtained results show that Moroccan walnut is charac- terized by high nutritional value. On the other hand, the result showed significant differences between ac- cessions for the majority of the estimated parameters, meaning of a high intra-diversity. This result should be exploited to select the best walnut accession. Key- words : Juglans regia. L - variability - biochemical – accessions. P140. Evaluation of Some Nematophagous Fungi Iso- lates for their Biological Control Potential Against Root- knot Nematodes (RKN), Meloidogyne Hafsa Tazi1,2*, M. Ait Hamza1, H. Boubaker2, and A. El Mousadik1 1 Laboratoire Biotechnologie et Valorisation des Res- sources Naturelles, Faculté des Sciences, Université Ibn Zohr, BP 8106, Agadir, Morocco; 2 Laboratoire Bio- technologie Microbienne et Protection des Végétaux, Faculté des Sciences, Université Ibn Zohr, BP 8106, BP 8106, Agadir, Morocco. *Corresponding and Present- ing Author: Hafssatazi@gmail.com. Abstract The Root-knot nematodes (RKN), Meloidogyne spp., are serious threat to many cultures around the world, particularly greenhouse crops. Nematicides are the most used method against plant parasitic nematodes. However, the majority of them were banned in devel- oped countries because of their negative effects on both the environment and the human health. Hence looking for other ecological and effective manage- ment strategies has become a necessity. Biological control is considered the most relevant and least dam- aging approach as it is ecofriendly, economically via- ble and offers a sustainable and cost-effective alter- native to chemical nematicides. The nematophagous fungi (NF) have been studied extensively as agents of biological control. This work aims the evaluation of nematicide activity of some NF strains isolated in nurseries. Strains were isolated, including a large di- versity of Orbiliaceae with trapping organs and of toxic Hypocreaceae. Egg-parasitic and endoparasit- ic species were also observed. In vitro predation tests revealed that 7 isolates have increased the immo- bility of juveniles (J2).The most effective isolate was HT21 which increased the percentage of immobility up to 76% followed by HT1 and HT2 with 66 %,HT30 with 48 %,HT13 and HT14;29 %, 20% respectively and finally HT22; 12%. The other isolates have shown a percentage of immobility under 10%. The active fungal isolates are candidates for studies on identifi- cation of potential nematicides. Hence the strains of fungi that have shown their efficacy against plant- parasitic nematodes will be used as bionematicides. Keywords: Root-knot nematodes, Biological control, nematophagous fungi, bionematicides P141. Analysis of Quality Parameters Related to the Maturity of Peaches and Nectarines in the Sais Region Ibtissame Guirrou1*, A. Mamouni2, A. Mekaoui2, and K. Elfazazi3 1 Unité de Recherche Gestion des Ressources naturel- les, Socio économie et Qualité, Qualipôle-Agropolis, A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 531 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) INRA, Meknès, Morocco; 2 Unité de Recherche Amé- lioration des plantes et Conservation des Ressources phyto-génétiques, Centre Régional de la Recherche Agronomique de Meknès, INRA, Morocco; 3 Labora- toire de Recherche en Agroalimentaire, Centre Ré- gional de la Recherche Agronomique de Tadla, INRA, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: guirrouibtissame@yahoo.fr. Abstract As a perishable fruit, peach and nectarine can only be consumed fresh or transformed. So the choice of the date of harvest is very important because it directly influences the quality of the fruits, knowing that it is during the maturation that elaborates the organoleptic quality of the fruits having a strong im- pact on the market value: size, visual appearance, odor, and fruit preservation. Before doing the ex- perimental work, we have done a survey in order to collect the information, concerning the variety range used and the distribution of the periods of maturity as well as the spread of the availability of the fruits on the market in the region of Sais. The diagnosis of the varietal range has shown the presence of a great diversity (more than 200 varieties). We have found a dominance of varieties: Patty, Gypsum, Azurite for peaches and Carolina, Turquoise, Emerald and Zeph- yre for nectarines. The fruit maturity is spread over 5 months, from early May to late September. Some ex- perimental analysis has been done in order to focus on the identification of fruit quality parameters. The parameters studied are the measurement of size/ weight, firmness, color, moisture content, refractomet- ric index (Brix), acidity, pH and total phenolic con- tent. In order to cover the maximum, for each variety, we have practiced between 5 and 6 passages more than what is practiced by the farmer (3 passages) for 3 exploitations at Sais region. The results showed that early varieties have a smaller size, firmness and sugar content compared to seasonal and late variet- ies. While, late varieties have a relatively low acidity compared to early and seasonal varieties and there- fore pH values > 4 classify them as non-acidic fruits. Furthermore, it has been shown that the total phenolic compounds are not influenced by the season (early and late). These compounds are probably deter- mined by the genetic potential of the variety. Indeed, nectarines have a slight wealth compared to peaches. Keywords: peaches/nectarines, maturity, quality pa- rameters, early/seasonal/late varieties. P142. In-vitro Synergic activity between essential oils and methanolic extracts of two medicinal plants from Algeria Elkolli Hayet1* and Elkolli Meriem2 1 Laboratoire des Matériaux Polymériques Multipha- siques, Département de Génie des Procédés, Facul- té de Technologie, Université Ferhat Abbas, Setif 1, 19000, Algeria; 2 Laboratoire de Valorisation des Resources Biologiques Naturelles, Faculté des Scienc- es de la Nature et de la Vie, Université Ferhat Abbas Setif 1, 19000, Algeria. *Corresponding and Present- ing Author: Kolli_h@yahoo.fr. Abstract Due to the increased interest in alternative natural substances (essential oils and plant extracts) for their low toxicity nature, their combinations or mixings rep- resented a potential new strategy for developing new anti-oxidant therapy. The use of combinations thus new approaches to increase their efficacy, taking advantage of their synergistic and additive effects. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview on the efficacy of these combinations. So we have investigated antioxidant activity of individual essen- tial oils and methanolic extracts, then we have studied the antioxidant activity of their combinations. All the combinations gave a synergical effect. According to the IC50 parameter, the radical scavenging capaci- ties are ranked in the following descending order: B. incrassatum EO> B. alpinum EO > EO mixing> Quer- cetin> Rutin> BHT> B. alpinum EXT > EXT mixing > B. incrassatum EXT. Keywords: Essential oil, methanolic extract, Bunium alpinum, Bunium incrassatum, combi- nation, antioxidant activity, synergy. P143. Effect of a Sulla-based Diet (Hedysarum flexuo- sum) on the Productivity and Milk Quality of Local Beni Arouss Goat Mohamed Ayadi1*, A. Errassi2, M. Chabbi2, and S. Zantar1 1 Laboratory of Materials and Valorization of Re- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 532 sources, Faculty of Science and Technology, University Abdelmalek Essaadi, Tangier, Morocco; 2 National In- stitute of Agricultural Research, 78 Av. Sidi Mohamed ben Abdellah, Tangier, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: ayadimohamed004@gmail.com. Abstract Productivity, chemical composition and fatty acid profile of milk were studied in order to highlight the effect of the incorporation of Sulla (Hedysarum flex- uosum) into the diet of Beni Arousse goats in com- paraison with Alfalfa (Medicago sativa). 14 goats were divided into two homogeneous groups and milk collection was carried out weekly. Monitoring milk production during the first three months of lactation for each batch (N=7) has shown that the use of sulla as main food has affected significantly and positive- ly the productivity of Milk (+ 15%). No significant variation was recorded for pH and acidity. On the other hand, the analysis of the chemical composition using Milkoscan revealed that the milk from the test batch is characterized by a slightly higher average content of lactose (5.23 vs 5.13%) and defatted dry extract (10.31 vs 10.12%), while the protein and fat content were not significantly affected (P> 0.05), knowing that the price of milk is estimated essentially from these two parameters. Analysis by gas chroma- tography showed that the incorporation of Sulla has beneficial effects on the fatty acid profile of the milk and which can be summarized essentially by a sig- nificant decrease of 10.51% for palmitic acid content (C16:0) and a significant increase of 28.99% in the family of omega-3 fatty acids which are considered as highly beneficial. In fact, these results show that the exploitation of Hedysarum flexuosum appears as a promising strategy for improving the quality of the local goat’s milk. Keywords : goats, lactation, Sulla, chemical composition, fatty acids. P144. Identification and Pomological Evaluation of Ap- ple (Malus domestica Borkh.) cultivars in Morocco Youssef Khachtib*, Said Bouda, and Abdelmajid Had- dioui§ Laboratory of Biotechnologies and Valorization of Plant Genetic Resources, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, P. B. 523, Beni Mellal, Morocco. *Presenting Author: yos- f5achtib@gmail.com. §Corresponding Author: ahad- dioui@yahoo.fr. Abstract Apple (Malus domestica Borkh) is the second most im- portant tree fruit crop of the Rosaceae family in terms of cultivated area in Morocco, after almond tree; but global apple production involved only a few numbers of cultivars. Besides, the role of local cultivars and landraces in large-scale production has become com- pletely insignificant in front of the introduced ones. In order to identify and evaluate the genetic resources of apple in Morocco, several prospecting were done and leading to collect 29 cultivars throughout its crop- ping area. 32 pomological traits were considered to analyze the phenotypic variability of the cultivars. The results of the analysis of variance showed very high significant differences between cultivars for al- most all measured parameters, implying the existence of high phenotypic variability in Moroccan apple cul- tivars. Fruit shape, weight, length, and texture were revealed to be the most discriminating traits between analyzed cultivars. The autochthonous cultivars have shown the lowest values of considered characters compared with modern cultivars (introduced). This is clearly appeared with local Lahlou cultivar that ob- tained the lowest values of fruit weight, fruit height and fruit size. Nevertheless, the local and introduced apple cultivars were gathered in one group, accord- ing to principal components and hierarchical analy- ses, suggesting that they have had a common ances- tor and a common genetic basis. Furthermore; some mislabeling of apple cultivars could be detected. The results of this study are discussed in the light of how this variation within traditional cultivars can serve as an interesting potential of biodiversity for future ap- ple breeding and germplasm conservation programs. Keywords: Apple, local cultivars, introduced cultivar, Pomological, Variation. P145. Biocide Effect of Ammi visnaga (L) and Asphode- lus cerasiferus Gay. Powder on Callosobruchus macula- tus F. (Coleoptera, Bruchidae) Fouzia Mgamat1*, Ahmed Boughdad2, Fatima Doui- ri3, Rachid Zohair3, El Ayadi Rachida1, and Hamid El Ibaoui1 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 533 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 1 Nutrition, Health and Environment laboratory, De- partement of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Toufail University, Kenitra, Morocco; 2 Departe- ment of Zoology, ENAM, Meknes, Morocco; 3 De- partement of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences , My Ismail University, Meknes, Morocco. *Correspond- ing and Presenting Author: mg.fouzia@yahoo.fr. Abstract In the perspective of looking for alternative methods of fighting a pest of stored products, it is proposed to evaluate the potentialities of Ammi visnaga (L) and Asphodelus cerasiferus Gay. powder as botanical in- secticides for the protection of chickpea seeds (Ci- cer arietinum) against Callosobruchus maculatus (Fab). Thus, 50 seeds of the chickpea were dusted sepa- rately and respectively with the powder of khella seeds and the roots of asphodel at the rate of 0; 0.16, 0.32, and 0.64 g for A. visnaga, and 0, 0.12, 0.23 and 0.46g for Asphodel. The treated seeds were then presented to 10 pairs of newly emerged C. maculatus. Three repetitions were done within each lot. The results showed that the powders of A. visnaga and A. cerasiferus did not affect neither the longev- ity, the fecundity nor the success rate of C. maculatus. Keywords : Cicer arietinum, Ammi visnaga, Asphodelus cerasiferus, Botanical insecticides, Stored products. P146. Responses of Stomatal Conductance, Leaf Water Potential and Water-Use Efficiency in Potato to Partial Root-Zone Drying and Deficit Irrigation Under Glass- house Conditions Sliman Elhani1*, Said Zantar1, and Maroua Haddadi1 1 Nuclear techniques, Environment and Quality Re- search Unit. National Institute of Agronomic Research (INRA), 78, Bd. Sidi Med. Ben Abdellah, Tangier, Mo- rocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: sliman_ elhani@yahoo.fr. Abstract Partial root-zone drying (PRD) is a deficit irrigation (DI) technique which consists in dehydrating half of the root system whereas the other half is well irri- gated, so that abscisic acid produced in the drying roots reduces stomatal conductance and limits tran- spiration. Aiming at comparing this technique to DI under glasshouse conditions, an experiment was con- ducted on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) to evalu- ate stomatal conductance, leaf water potential (ΨL) and water-use efficiency (WUE). PRD and DI plants were irrigated on transpiration demand determined by the weight of the pots. Treatments consisted of four levels of water supply for each irrigation strategy: 100%, 80%, 70% and 50% of crop evapotranspi- ration (ETc). Results showed no significant differences in tuber yield between irrigations strategies whereas statistically significant differences were found among treatments. PRD strategy reduced stomatal conduc- tance and increased leaf water potential. WUE was higher under PRD but did not show statistically sig- nificant differences with DI. Using the same amount of water, PRD strategy allowed better yield and positive physiological responses to water restriction. Keywords: potato, partial root-zone drying, stomatal conductance, leaf water potential, WUE. P147. Agronomic and Molecular Characterization of a Collection of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Chetto Oumaima*, Belqadi Loubna, and Arbaoui Mu- stapha Production, Protection and Plant Biotechnology De- partment, Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veteri- nary Medicine, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: oumaima.chetto@gmail.com. Abstract Despite the importance of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) in Morocco, its acreage has decreased due to a number of biotic and abiotic constraints but also due to the small number of varieties available. In order to con- tribute to the genetic improvement and the creation of new varieties, a study of phenotypic and molecular diversity was carried out on a large number of Mo- roccan and foreign accessions. This plant material was evaluated on the basis of nine agro-morphological traits in two locations; Taounate and Tiflet within the framework of Seminov’s breeding program. In addi- tion, the collection was analyzed using the molecular marker SRAP with six primers, in a laboratory of IAV Hassan II. The study of diversity revealed a high poly- morphism with an extremely significant environmental A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 534 effect as well as a genotype effect for the majority of agro-morphological traits. On the basis of these same features, distance analysis revealed that accessions of foreign origins are distant from Moroccan acces- sions and constitute an isolated cluster. The Mediter- ranean genotypes from Spain and Egypt, fit in among the Moroccan accessions. Furthermore, this study also contributes to develop the SRAP marker technique on agarose gel to evaluate genetic diversity. This char- acterization revealed an average polymorphism rate of 86.2%. The analysis of distance also revealed a grouping which fits partially with the phenotypic anal- ysis results. The association between the SRAP mark- ers and the quantitative traits revealed the presence of some significant associations to more than 95% (t- student): M3-E1-5, M3-E2-1, M3-E2-2, M1-E2-2 and M1-E2-4 markers seemed to be associated with the orobanche tolerance; the yield is associated with M3- E1-4, M3-E2-6 and M2-E6-3 markers; and the TGW to M2-E6-3 and M3-E1-6 markers. Additional studies should be carried out on a larger number of geno- types to validate those molecular markers for their potential use in marker-assisted selection. Keywords: Vicia faba L., SRAP, genetic diversity, marker – trait association P148. Optimization of controlled pollination in Argan tree (Argania spinosa L.) Naima Ait Aabd*, Mohamed Boujghagh, Rachid Bou- harroud, Abdelghani Tahiri, and Abdelaziz Mimouni National Institute of Agronomic Research, CRRA Aga- dir, BP 124, Inezgane, Agadir, Morocco. *Correspond- ing and Presenting Author: aitaabdnaima@gmail. com. Abstract Pollination is a critical stage in sexual plant reproduc- tion and is a key step to assure fertilization and seed production for many plants. The argan tree is a mon- oecious species, with hermaphrodite flowers, alone or grouped in glomeruli. In Fact, the pollination system of argan tree is similar to several angiosperms with more frequent insect pollination in natural conditions. However, few studies assess the quantitative field as- sessment of pollination modes and sexual breeding system of argan tree. In this work different steps have been optimized to assess self and cross-pollination experiments in argan tree in order to evaluate the re- productive biology and directed crosses in breeding programs. Hence, we report the sexual and breed- ing system of 23 trees in INRA orchard installed since 2010 in MZD, Agadir. The breeding system was de- termined by hand, self and cross-pollination experi- ments. Inflorescences were selected, bagged and the following treatments were assigned to each of the selected branch. Open/natural pollination (control), autogamy (isolated pollination), hand self-pollination and hand cross-pollination. The obtained results show strength of incompatibility within trees and A. spi- nosa is largely self-incompatible. The trees showed high heterozygosity in floral and seed development. Likewise, the obtained results are useful to optimize controlled pollinations in Argan tree and can help to increase fruit production in breeding programs and avoid the incorrect interpretation from pollination experiments in studies of reproductive biology. Key- words: Arganiaspinosa, hand pollination, cross-polli- nation, self-incompatible, seed production, breeding system. P149. Screening of Actinobacteria from Sugar Beet Soils in Beni Mellal Region for their Phosphate Solubiliz- ing Capacity Yassine Aallam*, Meriam Bousselham, Abdelmajid Haddioui, and Hanane Hamdali§ Laboratory of Genetic and Plant Biotechnology, Fac- ulty of Sciences and Technology, University of Sultan Moulay Slimane, B.P: 523 Beni Mellal, Morocco. *Pre- senting Author: yassine.aallam@gmail.com. §Corre- sponding author: hamdali_hanane@yahoo.fr. Abstract Agriculture will have to face the challenge of meeting the growing demand for food, which requires inten- sive application of chemical fertilizers like Phosphate which is the second most important nutrient for plant growth, but its availability is often reduced. There- fore, high quantities of expensive chemical soluble P-fertilizers are added to soil. Therefore, it is be- coming a necessity today to develop a modern and sustainable agriculture with alternative methods that are less expensive, less polluting but equally effec- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 535 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) tive. Like the direct use of phosphate rock (PR) as an alternative to chemical P-fertilizers associated to phosphate rock-solubilizing actinobacteria (PRSA) in order to increase PR reactivity. Therefore, the main objective of this work was to obtain competent PRSA presenting other PGPR-associated traits to be used for the development of an inoculant to improve sugar beet growth and P nutrition. In this study, four differ- ent sugar beet soils of Beni Mellal region (Morocco) were explored for the presence of phosphate solu- bilizing actinobacteria. 164 strains of actinobacteria were isolated and tested for their ability to solubi- lize a phosphate rock (PR). Among tested isolates, more than 34% (57 strains) showed growth on syn- thetic minimum medium (SMM) containing insoluble PR and 16% (27 strains) on SMM containing tricalcium phosphate (TCP) as unique phosphate source. Twenty isolates showed the most active growth and solubili- zation ability in the presence of PR and TCP in broth cultures. Thus, this work could contribute to select some actinobacteria as potential PRSA for use in low-input agriculture in low-P soils amended with PR. Keywords: Actinobacteria, Sugar Beet, soils, screening, phos- phate rock solubilization, Beni Mellal. P150. Modeling and Simulation of Convective Solar Drying of Sewage Sludge Toky A. A. Arisily1*, Said Hachimi2, Abdellatif Djer- rari1, and Ali Hajji1 1 Process Engineering and Environment Research Unit, Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Rabat, Morocco; 2 Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines, University Mohamed V, Rabat, Morocco. *Correspond- ing and Presenting Author: tokyarisily@gmail.com. Abstract In recent years, solar sludge drying has attracted more and more communities, including in Morocco, due to its low operating costs and its respect for the environment. The objective of this work is to develop a lumped parameters dynamic model for convective solar drying of sludge from a waste water treat- ment plant (WWTP), then to simulate and validate the model with the experimental data and results found in the literature. A mathematical model of this process will make it possible to optimize the design and the exploitation of these driers, as well as the control of the characteristics of the sludge produced according to end-use or disposal chosen. First, based on the literature, a brief discussion is presented on some models, heat and mass transfer parameters, and sludge drying kinetics. Secondly, a lumped pa- rameters dynamic model representing the different exchanges of heat and mass within the solar dryer is developed. The finite explicit difference method is used for solving the equations. These equations have been programmed in Excel VBA to form a simula- tion tool. Third, the experimental data and results of Amadou (2007) were used for simulations and vali- date the established model. A good agreement was found between the experimental results presented by the author and those given by the model. Keywords: Sewage sludge, solar drying, modeling, simulation, WWTP. P151. Genetic Diversity of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Landraces in the Moroccan Rif Region using Molecular AFLP Markers Nora Aqtbouz1*, Lamiae Ghaouti1, Loubna Belqadi1, and Wolfgang Link2 1 Département de Production, protection et Biotech- nologies Végétales, Institut Agronomique et Vétéri- naire Hassan II, B.P. 6202, Rabat-Institut, Rabat, Mo- rocco; 2 Institute of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, von Siebold Straße 8, 37075 Göttingen, Germany. *Cor- responding and Presenting Author: noraaqtbouz@ gmail.com. Abstract Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is the most important grain legumes grown in Morocco. This crop is mainly pro- duced based on locally maintained varieties and seeds (about 98 %), following an informal system of seed production and supply. These local variet- ies are characterized by a huge genetic diversity and are remarkably well adapted to the tradition- al agroecosystem and farming system. Assessment of genetic diversity is the first step of every plant breeding program. In fact, use of new methods for studying genetic diversity seems important. The ob- jective of the present study was to describe the ge- netic diversity of a representative collection of faba A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 536 bean local populations originating from four regions in the province of Taounate, using the Amplified Frag- ment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) molecular marker. Four AFLP primer combinations were used on 180 samples of faba bean local populations. A total of 139 amplified DNA fragments, varying in size from 60 to 380 base pairs, were revealed. From those, 84 (60.43%) were polymorphic. The AMOVA analy- sis showed significant levels of variation among and within the four regions analyzed. A large extent of variation occurs within regions (98.70%). The UPGMA dendrogram constructed based on the Jaccard’s simi- larity coefficient indicated no clear specific pattern or grouping among these samples analyzed according to their geographical origin. All faba bean samples were displayed in one main cluster, divided in sub- groups, which represent some degrees of similarity. Keywords: Faba bean, Local population, AFLP, Ge- netic diversity, UPGMA, Jaccard similarity coefficient. P152. Occurrence of faba bean (Vicia fabae L.) dis- eases in five regions in Morocco Krimi Bencheqroun Sanae1*, Aouzal Sarra1,2, Lhaloui Saadia1,3, and Seid Ahmed3 1 National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA), Settat, Morocco; 2 Mohamed V university, FST- Set- tat, Morocco. 3 International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: krimisanae@ gmail.com. Abstract Survey were conducted during three successive crop- ping seasons 2013, 2014, 2015 in five major Faba bean growing regions in Morocco (Abda, Doukkala, Saiss, Zemour zair and Chaouia). The aim of this study is to find out the occurrence and distribution of the principal cryptogamic diseases of faba bean affecting yield and quality of cropping. The results showed that Chocolate spot (Botrytis spp.) was the most widespread and destructive disease with high incidence in all surveyed regions. Ascochyta blight (Ascochyta fabae) and Rust (Uromyces fabae) were also important diseases mainly in humid regions (Saiss and Zemmour Zaer). In some fields, the late infection of Ascochyta blight in the season had affected yield and seed quality. Other diseases of minor importance were recorded at low incidence levels in some regions were Downy mildew (Peronospora viciae) and root rots. Therefore, screening for resistance to the major diseases observed in this study has to be intensified within faba bean breeding program in Morocco. P153. Solubilization of organic and inorganic phosphate by soil bacterial isolates Nabil Tirry1*, G. Laghmari1, B. Benbrik1, R. Bouamri2, W. Bahafid1, and N. El Ghachtouli1 1 Laboratoire de Biotechnologie microbienne, Faculty des Sciences and Techniques, Université Sidi Moham- med Ben Abdellah, Fès, Morocco; 2 Département de protection des plantes et de l’environnement, Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, Morocco. *Corre- sponding and Presenting Author: nabil.tirry@usmba. ac.ma. Abstract Phosphorus (P) is one of the major essential macronu- trients for plant growth and development. However, P in soil is generally present in two main insoluble forms: mineral forms, such as apatite, hydroxyapatite and oxyapatite, and organic forms including inositol phosphate, phosphomonoesters, phosphodiesters and phosphotriesters. Microorganisms are capable of con- verting insoluble phosphate into a bioavailable form through solubilization and mineralization processes. Hence, in the present study fifty-seven phosphate sol- ubilizing bacteria were isolated from tree different agricultural sites in Morocco using NBRIP-agar con- taining tricalcium phosphate (TCP) as the phosphate source. The isolates were able to solubilize TCP in NBRIP liquid medium, with different capabilities (up to 190 µg/ml). P solubilization was accompanied by a decrease in the pH of the medium. Crude alkaline and acid phosphatase activities of the strains were determined by p-nitrophenyl phosphate assay. 59 % of the isolates showed alkaline phosphatase activity, 72 % showed acid phosphatase activity, while 49 % displayed both alkaline and acid phosphatases ac- tivities. The isolates were tested for other PGP traits. Results showed that 71.92 % of the bacterial isolates are able to produce siderophores, 45.61 % produce HCN and all isolates produce AIA (up to 500 µg/mL). A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 537 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) The screening for drought tolerance revealed that 4 isolates were able to grow well on the Luria–Bertani medium containing up to 18 % NaCl (w/v). Based on the multifunctional properties, twelve isolates were selected to determine the effect on germina- tion and growth on wheat seeds. The outcome of this research proves plausible practical applicability of these PGPB for crop production in soils of saline and arid environments. Keywords: Phosphate solubiliza- tion, Plant growth-promoting rbacteria (PGPB), Alka- line phosphatase, Acid phosphatase, Salt stress, Seed germination. P154. Characterization of Soil Degradation in Northern Morocco Abderrahim El Boukhari1*, Mustapha Naimi2, Mo- hamed Chikhaoui2, and Damien Raclot1,3 1 Institut Agronomique & Vétérinaire Hassan II, PO. Box. 6608, Madinat Al Irfane, Rabat, Morocco; 2 De- partment of Natural Resources & Environment, Institut Agronomique & Vétérinaire Hassan II, PO. Box. 6608, Madinat Al Irfane, Rabat, Morocco; 3 Research Insti- tute for Development (IRD), UMR LISAH, Visiting at Institut Agronomique & Vétérinaire Hassan II, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: ab- derrahimelboukhari@gmail.com. Abstract Water erosion is a major process of soil degradation. In Morocco, it is considered the main cause of de- sertification. It leads to a reduction of the productive potential of soils and the siltation of dams reservoirs leading to a loss of the volume of mobilizable water and calling into question the durability of these hy- draulic structures. Negative effects are reflected in the areas of power generation, drinking water supply and irrigation. Faced with the scale of this scourge, Morocco urgently needs to multiply its interventions to assess the consequences of land degradation and also to develop appropriate conservation programs. In this context, a sample of 15 dams located in the northern region of Morocco was selected to analyze siltation over periods of 8 to 47 years. The bathymet- ric data were provided by the DRPE (Directorate of Research and Water Planning - State Secretariat for Water), associated with this study. The present paper aims toi) characterize the Specific Degradation (DS) of the northern region of Morocco through the study of 15 watersheds; ii) to deduce a range of variability of DS in this region; and iii) to evaluate the relevance of simple models based on the surface of the basin or the combination of the surface and the anual average water slide, to predict the DS. The approach adopted is based on the confrontation of an updated measure of the Specific Degradation derived from bathymet- ric surveys with assessments of the latter using estab- lished models to predict the siltation of dams in Mo- rocco. Over periods ranging from 8 to 47 years, the review of the siltation of dam reservoirs by analyzing of bathymetric surveys shows an average total annual about 0,6*109 m3, representing a 13% of the initial total capacity that is of the order of de 4,6*109 m3 and a variability of the specific degradation ranging from 172 to 5365 t km-2 an-1, whether a ratio of 1 to 31. Finally, this study shows the very strong vari- ability of the prediction performance of the specific degradation based on simple models using the basin surface and the water slide. Keywords: Water ero- sion, Dams, Siltation, Specific Degradation. P155. Interest of the use of Wastewater in Industrial Plants ‘Energy Value’. Case of Jatropha curcas Ouafae Mokhtari1*, Hassan El Halouani1, Kamal Mer- ghem1, Imade Hamdani2, Abderrahim Lahrach3, and Belkhir Hammouti4 1 Laboratory of Water Science, Environment and Ecology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University Mohammed Premier, Oujda, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Applied Analytical Chemistry, Materi- als and Environment, Faculty of Sciences, University Mohammed Premier, Oujda, Morocco; 3 Laboratory of Geo-Resources and Environment, Sciences and Technologies Faculty, University Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah, Fez, Morocco; 4 Laboratory of Applied Analytical Chemistry, Materials and Environment, Fac- ulty of Sciences, University Mohammed Premier, Ou- jda, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: mokhtari.ouafae@gmail.com. Abstract To assess the interest of the use of wastewater on the cultivation of Jatropha curcas and the role of the lat- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 538 ter in the conservation of water and soil and in the production of renewable energy, tests were conduct- ed under semi-arid climatic conditions of northeastern Morocco (Oujda). The aim is to monitor the growth and behavior of Jatropha curcas irrigated with different types of conventional waters and unconventional (in- cluding the salinity may be elevated up to 2.82 mm- hos / cm). The performances of growth of Jatropha curcas L. were studied under different types of water of irrigation (wastewater, fertigation, freshwater) and others without irrigation (in rainfall regime). The re- sults showed: (1) The significant effect of wastewater on the vegetative development and yield (85%, p <0.3%), (2) Acceleration of the development cycle and formation up to 3 peaks of inflorescences per year, (3) The application of water stress significantly reduced the growth and yield of Jatropha relative to the irrigated plants (a degree of 90%, P <0.2%). Its development is slow, and the first flowering is largely delayed (8 months) only after the arrival of the first rains of November, (4) The fertigation has improved the performance of Jatropha and accelerated the process of reproduction (3 peaks of inflorescences). These results are very similar to those obtained after irrigation with treated wastewater which is only an- other way of fertigation but much cheaper, and (5) Jatropha curcas shows proper installation despite the high salinity of the soil (5,89mmhos/cm to 7 mmhos / cm). This shows a perfect adaptation of the plant to the different soil types: marginal, skeletal and fertile. The production of Jatropha curcas is closely related to water intake, fertilizers, soil quality and climate. Based on these results, the association of wastewa- ter with Jatropha curcas can be a means of: fight against desertification and erosion, of valorization of the marginal grounds by using Jatropha curcas like a reforestation plant, what will contribute to the sus- tainable development of the country by the increase in the national heritage in terms of biodiversity, and in terms of renewable energy “a source of green en- ergy”. Keywords: Waste waters, fertigation, Jatropha curcas, reforestation, sustainable development. P156. Development of an in vitro Micropropagation System for Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) Assia Lozzi1*, Rachid Mentag2, Rabha Abdelwahd2, and Abdelhadi Abousalim1 1 Department of Crop Production, Protection and Biotechnology, Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine Hassan II, Rabat, Instituts-6654, Morocco; 2 Biotechnology Unit. Regional Center of Agricultural Research. National Institute of Agricultural Research, Rabat- 415, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: assia.lozzi@gamail.com. Abstract The carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L. - Fabaceae), is one of the most important component of Mediterranean vegetation for economic and environmental reasons. The economic importance of this species arises from the industrial use of the locust bean gum obtained from its seeds, which is widely used as a natural ad- ditive (E-410) in the food industry to function as a fla- vor, stabilizer and thickener. The world production of carob pods is estimated at about 156,800 tons/year, the main producers are Spain (22.8 %), Italy (20.1 %), Morocco (14 %), Portugal (13.9 %) and Turkey (FAO, 2014). In Morocco, a number of ambitious proj- ects promoting the cultivation and exploitation of this genetic resource, have been launched under the Green Morocco Plan. As the traditional carob propa- gation methods failed to meet the market request, the use of in vitro techniques seems appropriate to fulfil the increased demand for carob plant material. In vitro micropropagation can be applied for mass- scale production by a commercial outfit and may rep- resent a good alternative methodology to the tradi- tional propagation techniques. During our studies on carob micropropagation, a number of parameters have been investigated to optimize an appropri- ate protocol for mass propagation of this important plant species. The obtained results are promising and would set a basis for the further development of car- ob propagation. Keywords: Ceratonia siliqua, carob, micropropagation, in vitro. P157. Soil Fertility Management In The Irrigated Pe- rimeter of Beni Amir, Morocco Houria Dakak1*, A. Zouahri1, H. Sehlaoui1,3, A. Douaik1, A. Ghanimi2, H. Yachou1, and R. Hassikou3 1 National Research Institute of Agricultural Research, CRRAR, Research Unit on the Environment and Con- servation of Natural Resources B.P. 6356, Rabat, Mo- A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 439 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) rocco; 2 University Mohammed V, Faculty of Sciences, Department of chemistry, Rabat, Morocco; 3 Univer- sity Mohammed V, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology, Mycology and Environment, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: Dakak_h@ yahoo.fr. Abstract This work contributes to the rationalization of fertil- izer use in order to sustainably manage soil fertility and limit water contamination. Thus, the optimal nitro- gen dose was determined on the basis of a calibra- tion test that was installed under the cultivation of soft wheat at the farmer’s farm in the Beni Amir region, irrigated area of Tadla. In addition, the statistical analysis showed that the relationship between grain yield and nitrogen dose was parabolic (quadratic), which made it possible to determine the optimal dose (150 kg / ha) which allowed the best grain yield, on the other hand the higher dose (200kg / ha) did not improve grain yield which constitutes a waste of un- necessary money and a risk of pollution by the excess of nitrates which have not been valued for enable better performance. Keywords: Nitrogen fertilization, rationalization, experimentation, optimal dose, wheat culture P158. Psyttalia concolor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Endoparasitoïde of Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephriti- dae): parasitism rate on Argan ecosystem Abdelhadi Ajerrar1,2*, R. Bouharroud2, M Zaafrani1, B Chebli1, A. Amarraque2, R. Qessaoui1,2, and El H. Mayad3 1 Equipe Génie de l’environnement et de biotech- nologie, Ecole Nationale des Sciences Appliquée, Agadir, Morocco; 2 Centre Régional de la Recherche Agronomique d’Agadir, INRA-Morocco; 3 Faculté des Sciences Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: ajirrar@gmail.com. Abstract The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata Wied- mann is the most important pest of several fruits plants in the Mediterranean area. Argan trees (Arga- nia spinosa) known as a reservoir of this pest. Psytal- lia concolor is the only Ceratitis capitata’s endopara- sitoïde known in Morocco. The purpose of this study is to assess the parasitism rate of Ceratitis capitata’s endoparasitoïde in Souss region. Fruits sampling were carried out monthly depending on fruit availability. Fruits collected were immediately transported to the laboratory then incubated in ventilated boxes con- taining sand at 25 +/- 2 °C and 70 +/- 5% of rela- tive humidity. The results obtained shows that Psytta- lia concolor activity’s begin early on December when the first ripe fruits appeared, but parasitism rate is very low during December, January and February (less than 1%). This rate were gradually increased to reach its maximum during June (6,07%). Keywords: Ceratitis capitata, endoparasitoid, Argan, Psyttalia concolor, Souss. P159. Genetic Characterization and Relationship Anal- ysis Among a Collection of Barley Cultivars Solange Nyiraguhirwa1,2,3,4*, Zara Grana1,2,3, Fatima Henkrar1, Hassan Ouabbou2, Ibriz Mohammed3, Sri- pada M. Udupa1§ 1 International Center for Agriculture Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA), Rabat, Morocco; 2 Institut National de Recherche Agronomique (INRA) Rabat, Morocco; 3 Ibn Tofail University, Faculty of Sciences, Kenitra, Mo- rocco; 4 Institut National de Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Settat, Morocco. *Presenting author: hirwaso@ gmail.com. §Corresponding author: s.udupa@cgiar. org. Abstract Barley is an important cereal crop in Morocco and is used for animal feed, and human consumption (mainly as bead and malt). Morocco is the 7th larg- est barley producer in the world. Characterization and deployment of barley genetic diversity is the key for barley improvement. New sources of genetic diversity are being identified and deployed in the barley breeding programs to enhance grain yield, quality, and tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses. Here we characterize 113 barley accessions from 14 countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, Nepal, Italy, Pakistan, Yemen, Syria, Spain, Af- ghanistan, Mongolia using 14 SSR markers and show that this barley collection is genetically diverse. The A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 540 analysis estimated genetic diversity and PIC values of 0.85 and 0.83, respectively, and detected 75 al- leles indicating high degree of genetic diversity. Both Neighbor joining dendrogram and principal com- ponent analysis identified 2 major groups within the analyzed accessions, namely Moroccan accessions vs. others. The results of this study have implications in genetic resources collection, conservation and utiliza- tion. Keywords: Genetic diversity, SSR markers, bar- ley, Horedum Vulgare, differents origin. P160. Assessment of transmission risk of arboviruses in Morocco Amal Bennouna1*, T. Balenghien2, H. Elrhaffouli3, G. Chlyeh4, and O. Fassi Fihri1 1 Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Département de Pa- thologie et Santé Publique Vétérinaire, Immunologie, Maladies Contagieuses, Institut Agronomique et Vé- térinaire Hassan II, Rabat, Morocco; 2 UMR Cirad / Inra, Contrôles des Maladies Animales, Montpellier, France; 3 Laboratoire de Recherche et de Biosécurité P3. Hôpital Militaire d’Instruction Mohamed V de Ra- bat, Morocco; 4 Département de Production, Protec- tion et Biotechnologies Végétales. Unité de Zoologie. Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: amal397@yahoo.fr. Abstract Global changes, including international trade and travelling, have induced a recrudescence of vector- borne diseases, with an important change in their distributions. North Africa is at risk of arbovirus emergence, because it links the Mediterranean ba- sin, where exotic vectors, such as Aedes albopictus, are spreading leading to dengue or chikungunya outbreaks, and the Sahel known as endemic area for some arboviruses such as Rift Valley fever (RVF), which is an acute viral zoonotic disease affecting both humans and domestic animals, and mostly transmitted by mosquitoes. Morocco should be considered as risk of RVF emergence due to its proximity with Maurita- nia where the disease is endemic. This work aimed to identify potential vectors of Rift Valley fever and to characterize the vector role of Culex pipiens, a species known to carry this disease. We carried out transversal studies across the whole territory, by col- lecting adults and larvae with a standard protocol in the aim to have an estimation of the species abun- dance. We carried out adults and larvae collection in more than 140 different sites (urban, suburban and rural) during the springs 2015 and 2016, with a special interest for the South of Morocco, considering the proximity of Mauritania. It is the first recent and extensive prospection of Culicidae in this part of the country. The main abundant collected species were: Culex pipiens, Culex theileri, Culex simpsoni and Culi- seta longiareolata. Aedes species could be underes- timated due to the timing of collections. However, we identified for the first time in Morocco the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus. Specimens were identi- fied by both morphology and molecular assay. The population located in Rabat, capital of Morocco, has overwintered during 2015/2016 demonstrating for the first time the establishment of this species in North Africa. We after proceeded at a molecular analy- sis to characterize the vector role of Culex pipiens by looking for all viral communities harbored by this species. This study is still in process to describe the population of pathogenic arboviruses hosted by Cu- lex pipiens. Keywords: vector-borne diseases, emer- gence, arboviruses, Culex, Aedes. P161. Assessment of Flammability of Moroccan Forest Fuels: New Approach to Estimate the Flammability In- dex Salaheddine Essaghi1,2,*, M’hamed Hachmi², Moham- med Yessef1, Mohammed Dehhaoui1, and Fahed El Amarty2 1 Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, BP 6202, Rabat-Instituts, Rabat, Morocco; 2 Ecole Na- tionale Forestière d’Ingénieurs, BP 511, Tabriquet, 11015 Salé, Morocco. *Corresponding and Present- ing Author: s.essaghi@gmail.com. Abstract A new flammability index (FI) was developed, which integrated two parameters that are highly correlated to fuel moisture content (MC). These parameters are time-to-ignition and flame height. The newly obtained FI-values belong to the variation interval of {0; 20}. In addition to the six flammability classes defined in A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 541 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) the earlier work, a seventh class (FI > 16.5) was pro- posed to include fuel species with a high content of volatile flammable-compounds. Flammability testing and MC measurement were performed at a range of MC obtained through a drying process of samples. As a result, FI was statistically highly correlated with MC for all 13 Moroccan forest fuels tested in this study. Following this, linear regression equations were es- tablished to predict the FI-value as a function of MC. Therefore, the classification of flammability would de- pend on the species as well as the MC-value of the samples and the season in which they were collected. Keywords: flammability testing method; flammability classification of fuels; correlation. P162. Agro-morpho-phenological characterization of an interspecific F3 quinoa population (Chenopodium quinoa Wild) Asmaa Allaoui*, Eric Nathan Jellen, and Ouafae Ben- lhabib IAV Hassan II, Rabat, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: ipiapesa@iav.ac.ma. Abstract Multiple biotic and abiotic constraints impact the world food production. According to the FAO, qui- noa would be a good ally to fight against hunger and malnutrition for its high nutritional value and its adaptation to harsh agro-ecological zones. This in- vestigation aims to characterize a population of 89 IRL-3 quinoa interspecific lines developed from a nat- ural cross between a Chenopodium quinoa accessions Co407and a wild accession (11-54) (Chenopodium berlandieri) known for its adaptation to high tem- peratures and its resistance to pests. A Completely Randomized Block Design trial with three replications was conducted between February and July 2017 on an experimental plot at the Agronomic and Veteri- nary Institute Hassan II of Rabat. Eleven quantitative and six qualitative traits related to the morphology, phenology and production potential were recorded. The analysis of the population descriptors illustrates clearly the large variability of the traits and the ac- cessions. Days to maturity fluctuated between 133 and 170 days, as was the variability of the seed and the inflorescencediameter and color, the plant height, the yield and its components. The analysis of vari- ance (ANOVA) showed highly significant differences among the IRL lines for the studied traits. According to the Pearson Correlation Coefficient, positive and sig- nificant relationships were found between the plant height and the length of the inflorescence (0.987) and between the yield and the aerialdry mater (0.812). The PCA showed that the first principal component (PC1) accounted for 71.67% of the total variance; it is positively associated with the plant height, the inflorescence width and length and the yield. The PC2 accounted for 15.80% total variability and is the positively correlated with the days to maturity. The dendrogram displays five groups; the first includes 23 low production lines;the second includes early matur- ing accessions, tall and with long and broad inflores- cences; the third includes the a little late to late lines. The fourth group is made of short and unproductive lines and the last brings together medium-sized and medium-yielding lines. Keyswords: Chenopodium qui- noa Wild, phenotypic diversity, characterization, ge- netic diversity. P163. Effect of Altitude on Pomological and Phyto- chemical Traits of Dallahia Prickly Pear Fruits in North- ern Morocco Dramane Y. Koalaga1,2, Zerhoune Messaoudi1*, Mo- hamed Ibriz2, and Lhoussain Ait Haddou1 1 Laboratory of Pomology, Department of Arbori- culture-Viticulture, National School of Agriculture, B.P. S/40, Meknes, 50001, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Genetic and Biometrics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Toufail University, University Campus, BP 133, Kenitra, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: messaoudiz@yahoo.fr. Abstract Opuntia sp., commonly known as cactus pear, is origi- nating from Mexico and illustrates the impressive ge- netic diversity of Cactaceae with 400 species and a great number of varieties for Opuntia ficus indica. Moroccan cactus presents a very high genetic vari- ability and several cultivars exist. They are distin- guished by the flowering period (early, late), the flower color (yellow, orange and pink), fruit and pulp colors (green, yellow, orange, red and purple), fruit A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 542 shape (oval, round or oblong), and organoleptic characteristics and antioxidant content of the fruit. Cactus crop plays an important role on the ecological and economical scales but unfortunately, in Morocco, huge amounts of the production are lost due to the lack of valorization prospects. Dallahia prickly pear variety characterized by the green pulp color of the fruit and widely grown in northern Morocco is among the lowest valorized cactus varieties due to the low oil content of its seeds. Therefore, its fruits are mainly used for fresh consumption. The aim of this study is to discuss the effect of the altitude on the pomological (fruit dimensions, seediness and weight) and phyto- chemical (juiciness, sugariness…) traits of the fruits of this variety in northern Morocco in order to reconsider the different possibilities to transform the excess of the production. Keywords: cactus pear, Opuntia ficus indica, Dallahia, altitude, pomology, HPLC, sugars, or- ganic acids, fibers, gross energy. P164. Phenotypic Variability of Moroccan Prickly Pear in Southeast Morocco Abdelmonaim Hormani Bakali1*, Chakib Alem2, Lalla Laaziza Ichir2, and El Houssine El Mzouzi3 1 National Institute of Agricultural Research, Erra- chidia, Morocco; 2 Faculty of Science and Technology of Errachidia, Univer-sity My Ismail, Morocco ; 3 Na- tional Institute of Agricultural Research, Settat, Mo- rocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: hom- rani_bakali@yahoo.fr. Abstract The genus Opuntia (sensu stricto) has been the subject of various studies in Morocco, but it lacks an assess- ment the Saharan regions meanly in southeast of Mo- rocco. The overall objective of this work concerns the characterization of Moroccan cactus accessions with a view to their extension to the pre-Saharan ecosystem of Morocco. The phenotypic study of 36 accessions from different regions of Morocco was conducted in the experimental station of INRA Errachidia. Statisti- cal analysis of the data collected included analysis of variance, multivariate analysis and hierarchical clas- sification. These statistical analyzes enabled us to: (i) classify the accessions into four groups and to choose six of them (77, 83, 134, 135, 181, T1) based on growth and production criteria. (ii) Classify acces- sions into three categories based on cladode traits, then five accessions with large surface (36, 45, 70, 93). , T3) were chosen. (iii) Make classifications ac- cording to the fruit criteria. Thus, the best accessions from the caliber point of view that exceeded on av- erage 120g were: 62, 149 and 182. On the other hand, the sweetest ones were: 33, 62, 70, 183 and T3. This study also includes a comparison between the growths, productions, cladode and fruit traits of the same accessions at Agadir and Errachidia sta- tions. This comparison shows that the characteristics of each accession change according to the biotope. Keywords: Cactus, phenotypic variability, accessions. P165. Control of Chickpea Leaf Miner (Liriomyza cic- erina R.) Using Planting Dates Abdelhadi Sabraoui1,2,3*, M. El Bouhssini1, S. Lhaloui2, A. Bouchelta3, and K. El Fakhouri1 1 International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), P.O. Box: 6299- Rabat Institutes, Rabat, Morocco; 2 Entomology laboratory. Plant pro- tection research unit. Regional Center for Agricultural Research BP 589, Settat, Morocco; 3 Plant Protection and Environment Laboratory, Moulay Ismail Univer- sity, B.P. 11201, Zitoune, Meknes, Morocco. *Corre- sponding and Presenting Author: a.sabraoui@cgiar. org. Abstract In Morocco, chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is the first grain legume in the crop rotation system after cere- als, occupying 45.12 % of food legumes area and producing around 441000 tonnes in 2016. However, the chickpea yield is still low and this is due to many biotic stresses. The chickpea leaf miner (Liriomyza cicerina R.) is one of the main insect pests damag- ing chickpea in North Africa and the Mediterranean region. To determine which planting date will be op- timum for the chickpea crop to reduce Leaf miner in- festation and losses caused by this pest, an experi- ment using four improved kabouli varieties planted in winter and spring, treated/untreated with insecticide, was carried out at two locations in Morocco. The per- cent infestation by the leaf miner was about 25 %, 43 % and 3% for untreated winter planting, untreated A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 543 A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) spring planting and the treated plots, respectively. The grain yield losses caused by this pest were on average 42 % for the spring-sown crop and 20 % for winter planting. The use of winter planting date combined with biological insecticides could be includ- ed as options of integrated pest management for the control of chickpea leaf miner. Keywords: Planting date, Leaf miner, Chickpea, yield losses. P166. In Vitro Evaluation of Compost Extracts Efficiency as Biocontrol Agent of Date Palm Fusarium Wilt El Kinany Said1,2,3*, Achbani El hassan2, Haggoud Ab- dellatif3, Ibijbijen Jamal4, Belmalha Saadia1, Rachidi Fouad1, Echchgadda Ghizlane1, and Bouamri Rachid1 1 Department of Plant and Environment Protection, Na- tional School of Agriculture, Meknes, Morocco; 2 Lab- oratory of Plant Protection URPP, National Institute for Agricultural Research, Meknes, Morocco; 3 Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco; 4 Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: rbouamri@ enameknes.ac.ma. or said.elkinany@usmba.ac.ma. Abstract Bayoud disease, vascular wilt of date palm caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis (Foa), is widely distributed in all date palm growing regions of Mo- rocco. It is the most serious disease of the date palm. Resistance to the pathogen was found in a few culti- vars of date palm, which unfortunately produce poor- quality fruit. Compost is recognized for their ability to improve soil characteristics and to protect the crops against biotic and abiotic stress. In this experiment, in vitro effects of different concentrations of sterilized and unsterilized compost extract on the growth of F. oxysporum f. sp. albedinis were evaluated to control Bayoud disease. All concentration of unsterilized com- post extract significantly decreased radial growth of Foa. In fact, fungal radial growth inhibition ranged from 20 to 97% depending concentrations. High- er antifungal activities were noted in 30 and 40% concentration (more than 93%). Nevertheless, sterile compost extract inhibited mycelia growth only for the 40% concentration with 18% fungal growth inhibition, while lower concentrations were not effective. This ex- periment constitutes a biological approach to protect date palm groves in oasis ecosystem in Morocco. Key- words: Date palm, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedi- nis, compost extract, mycelium growth, inhibition rate. P167. Study of Olive Fruit Peroxidase Activity Against Bactrocera oleae Attack in Attaouia Region, Haouz of Morocco Wassila Arkize1*, M. A. El Alaoui El Fels2, K. Naa- mani2, and A. Elkeroumi3 1 Laboratoire Biotechnologie et valorisation des res- sources végétales, Faculté des Sciences semlalia Marrakech, Morocco; 2 Laboratoire Biotechnologie et valorisation des ressources végétales, Faculté des Sciences semlalia Marrakech, Morocco; 3 Laboratoire Biotechnologie et valorisation des ressources végé- tales, Faculté des Sciences semlalia Marrakech, Mo- rocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: wassila. arkize@gmail.com. Abstract Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) is a pest considered as a major biotic stress of olive fruit in Morocco as well as other Mediterranean countries. Bactrocera oleae is causing considerable damages on the quality of table olives due to laying pits, but also on the olive oil production due to the olive fruit oxidation which results from the consumption of the olive fruit pulp by Bactrocera oleae’s larvae. Plants can defend against the pathogens like Bactrocera oleae by synthesizing peptides and defense proteins, among these the PR proteins, Among PR proteins are peroxidase which have several functions of plant protection against pathogens. Peroxidases catalyzes the reduction of H2O2 from using different molecules such as phenolic compounds, precursors of the lignin and other aux- ins, indeed peroxidase can cope with biotic stress by strengthening the cell walls or producing active forms of oxygen. Olive fruits were sampled from ATTAOUIA region, HAOUZ of Morocco, in twoo sites about 24 km apart, whitch differes in irrigation mode (Site Saguia: Irrigated and Site Bour: not irrigated). The purpose of this study is to compare peroxidasic activity in infect- ed and not infected olive fruits in both of study sites. Keywords: Bactrocera oleae, olive fruit, Peroxidasic A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 544 activity, PR proteins. P168. Interest of the use of Wastewater in Industrial Plants ‘Energy Value’. Case of Jatropha curcas Ouafae Mokhtari1*, Hassan El Halouani1, Kamal Mer- ghem1, Imade Hamdani2, Abderrahim Lahrach3, and Belkhir Hammouti4 1 Laboratory of Water Science, Environment and Ecology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University Mohammed Premier, Oujda, Morocco; 2 Laboratory of Applied Analytical Chemistry, Materi- als and Environment, Faculty of Sciences, University Mohammed Premier, Oujda, Morocco; 3 Laboratory of Geo-Resources and Environment, Sciences and Technologies Faculty, University Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah, Fez, Morocco; 4 Laboratory of Applied Analytical Chemistry, Materials and Environment, Fac- ulty of Sciences, University Mohammed Premier, Ou- jda, Morocco. *Corresponding and Presenting Author: mokhtari.ouafae@gmail.com. Abstract To assess the interest of the use of wastewater on the cultivation of Jatropha curcas and the role of the lat- ter in the conservation of water and soil and in the production of renewable energy, tests were conduct- ed under semi-arid climatic conditions of northeastern Morocco (Oujda). The aim is to monitor the growth and behavior of Jatropha curcas irrigated with different types of conventional waters and unconventional (in- cluding the salinity may be elevated up to 2.82 mm- hos / cm). The performances of growth of Jatropha curcas L. were studied under different types of water of irrigation (wastewater, fertigation, freshwater) and others without irrigation (in rainfall regime). The re- sults showed: (1) The significant effect of wastewater on the vegetative development and yield (85%, p <0.3%), (2) Acceleration of the development cycle and formation up to 3 peaks of inflorescences per year, (3) The application of water stress significantly reduced the growth and yield of Jatropha relative to the irrigated plants (a degree of 90%, P <0.2%). Its development is slow, and the first flowering is largely delayed (8 months) only after the arrival of the first rains of November, (4) The fertigation has improved the performance of Jatropha and accelerated the process of reproduction (3 peaks of inflorescences). These results are very similar to those obtained after irrigation with treated wastewater which is only an- other way of fertigation but much cheaper, and (5) Jatropha curcas shows proper installation despite the high salinity of the soil (5,89mmhos/cm to 7 mmhos / cm). This shows a perfect adaptation of the plant to the different soil types: marginal, skeletal and fertile. The production of Jatropha curcas is closely related to water intake, fertilizers, soil quality and climate. Based on these results, the association of wastewa- ter with Jatropha curcas can be a means of: fight against desertification and erosion, of valorization of the marginal grounds by using Jatropha curcas like a reforestation plant, what will contribute to the sus- tainable development of the country by the increase in the national heritage in terms of biodiversity, and in terms of renewable energy “a source of green en- ergy”. Keywords: Waste waters, fertigation, Jatropha curcas, reforestation, sustainable development. A tla s Jo ur na l o f Bi ol og y - IS SN 2 15 8- 91 51 . P ub lis he d By A tla s Pu bl ish in g, L P (w w w .a tla s- pu bl ish in g. or g) 545 The International American Moroccan Agricultural Sciences Conference (AMAS Conference; www.amas-conference.org) is an international confer- ence organized by the High Council of Moroccan American Scholars and Academics (HC-MASA; www.hc-masa.org).