Effect of supplemental irrigation on yield and water productivity of durum wheat cultivated under drip irrigation in Tadla, Morocco

The study of crop response to water deficit is important in areas where water resources are limited such as in Morocco. For this purpose, this study aims to assess yield and water productivity of winter wheat in response to water stress under drip irrigation systems. A field experiment was carried out at INRA Tadla experimental station during two seasons, 2014-15 and 2015-16. In addition to a rainfed regime, three water regimes represented by 100; 67 and 33 % ETc were applied each 7 days interval if rain is missing. The Karim variety used in this study is the most cultivated durum wheat variety in the region. Results showed that average grain yields varied from 3.12 T/ha under rainfed conditions to 8.90 T/ha under 100% ETc. Water use efficiency varied between 16.2 kg/mm/ha under 67% ETc to 13.4 kg/mm/ha under 33% ETc. The 67% ETc treatment was the most efficient for both growing seasons. The actual evapotranspiration (ETa) was 490 mm under 100% ETc water regime. A significant linear relationship was established between ETa and grain yield. Based on these results, it can be conclude that supplemental irrigation of durum wheat using drip irrigation is feasible and more efficient.Keywords: Durum wheat, drip irrigation, supplemental irrigation, water use efficiency, Tadla, Morocc

Epidemiology of Wheat Yellow Rust (Puccinia striiformis) in the Saïss plain during the 2017-2019 growing seasons

Wheat is one of the most widely consumed cereals globally, with bread wheat dominating the majority of cereal fields. However, in recent years, yields have declined due partly to infectious fungal diseases, particularly obligate crop pathogens like yellow rust (Yr). This study examines the epidemiology of yellow rust (Puccinia striiformis) across 99 wheat fields in the Saïss region, Morocco. The prevalence of yellow rust was found to be 56.2% in bread wheat and 43.7% in durum wheat. From 2017 to 2019, overall prevalence increased to 34.9%, with Taoujdate, L'Mhaya and Aïn Jemâa fields being the most affected. Most of the inspected wheat fields exhibited low yellow rust severity, with 78% of fields showing less than 5% severity. The highest severity recorded was 15% in Taoujdate, while the lowest was 1.15% in Haj Kaddour. These findings can feed decision support tools for managing yellow rust outbreaks, contributing to environmentally friendly and sustainable wheat production in Morocco. Keywords: Bread wheat, Durum wheat, Prevalence, Incidence, Severity, Epidemiolog

In vitro and in vivo biological control of Alternaria alternata fungus by Bacillus spp. in Citrus fruit

Alternaria diseases pose a significant threat to the citrus industry worldwide. They are caused mainly by Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissl, and considered to be one of the prevalent diseases in Morocco, affecting both the quantity and quality of citrus fruit. The use of fungicides to manage this disease poses adverse effects on human health and the environment, as well as the potential development of new resistant strains. In response, biological control methods have gained attention as an alternative to chemical treatments. In this context, this study aims to investigate the antagonistic potential of three strains of Bacillus spp. (O1, O2, O3) against two strains of Alternaria alternata (Alt1 and Alt2), and compare their efficacy with two chemical fungicides: Imazalil (IMZ) and Azoxystrobin (AZT). In vitro experiments demonstrated significant inhibition of radial growth by all three bacterial strains against both A. alternata strains. The in vitro mycelial growth inhibition was particularly notable against the first strain, reaching approximately 60%, compared to 25% for the second. In vivo trials involving artificial inoculation of 'Valencia late' orange fruits with both Alternaria strains showed that Bacillus spp. effectively reduced disease development. Bacillus sp. O3 exhibited the highest inhibition percentage at 43%, with a highly significant difference observed compared to the control. As for the fungicides, Imazalil exhibited complete in vitro inhibition of A. alternata (100%) at 0.01 ppm, whereas the applied concentrations of azoxystrobin (250 ppm, 450 ppm, and 1000 ppm) notably reduced disease severity in inoculated citrus fruits by up to 55%. The assayed strains of Bacillus spp. displayed commendable efficacy in controlling the pathogen, yielding competitive outcomes similar to the effectiveness of the two approved fungicides. Keywords: Alternaria alternata, citrus fruit, Bacillus spp. fungicide

Stem bursting as a consequence of winter injury on the young argan plants

The Argan tree (Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels) is an endemic species of Morocco, thriving in arid and semi-arid regions with a Mediterranean climate. It plays a crucial ecological, pharmaceutical, and socio-economic role in its native habitat. However, the Argan forest faces threats such as deforestation, overgrazing, and low natural regeneration. To address these challenges, artificial regeneration through seedling transplantation has been pursued, but many efforts have failed due to various constraints. In response, the Development of Arganiculture in Vulnerable Zones (DARED) project aims to enhance Argan tree transplantation techniques and overcome reforestation challenges. One such challenge observed is stem bursting in young Argan seedlings. This study conducted in Douar Aguerdane, Morocco, aimed to identify the causes of stem bursting and propose preventive measures. Field observations revealed the phenomenon of stem bursting predominantly at the basal part of seedlings, followed by regrowth of shoots. Laboratory analyses ruled out rodent damage and pathogenic infections as causes, implicating climatic conditions, particularly cold temperatures, as the likely factor. Recommendations such as trunk wrapping to protect against extreme cold are proposed to mitigate stem bursting and promote successful Argan tree transplantation efforts. Key words: Argania spinosa, growth, climatic conditions, stem burstin

The Effect of in-ovo injection of anthocyanin on post-hatching traits of Ross 308 broiler chicks

This study investigated the effect of injecting hatching eggs with different anthocyanin concentrations on the morphological and physiological characteristics of one-day hatching chicks at two different times (days 12 and 18) of the incubation period. This study was conducted at Al-Anwar hatchery facility from 11-11-2023 to 2-12-2023. A total of 900 fertilized eggs were used for this study, divided into two groups (450 eggs each), and each group had six treatments with three replicates and 25 eggs for each replicate. The treatments were (NC) negative control, (PC) positive control (NaCl solution), and 50, 60, 70, and 80 ppm of Anthocyanin for T3, T4, T5, and T6, respectively. Results showed that hatching and embryonic mortality percentages were significantly affected in both injected dates in addition to the hatched chick weight in the second period. The percentage of dead piped chicks was significantly low on the 50-ppm anthocyanin level compared to other treatments on day 18 while no significant effect was found on day 12 of the incubation period. The highest recorded chick length was at the level of 50 ppm anthocyanin compared to the control on day 18, while on day 12, the 60 ppm anthocyanin level significantly showed the highest wing length value compared to the control. Both leg length and tonic immobility were significantly affected in both periods, especially when the anthocyanin treatments significantly increased leg length and decreased tonic immobility compared to the control treatments of the second incubation period. Significant differences were obtained between treatments on the appearance and feather condition, leg, and navel status at day 12, while at day 18, only chick activity and appearance and feather condition significantly appeared different effects between treatments.  Keywords: Anthocyanin, hatching chicks, morphological traits, in-ovo feedin

Response of some flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) genotypes to different soil application levels of humic acid

Two field trials were established during 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 seasons at the Experimental Farm of Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Egypt, to evaluate the response of some flax genotypes (Strain 651, Sakha 3, Sakha 5 and Giza 12) to different fertilization levels of humic acid (HA) (0, 1000, 1500 and 2000 g/fed[1]) as a soil application. Split-plot design was used for the experiment with four replicates. The main-plots were assigned to the four fertilization levels of HA and the sub-plots were allocated to the four flax genotypes. The results pointed out that using 2000 g/fed of HA treatment significantly attained the highest values of all studied characters followed by 1500, 1000 and 0 g/fed during both seasons. The results also, referred that S.651 was significantly superior to the rest of the other genotypes in technical length, fiber length, fiber percentage and fiber yield/fed within both seasons. Giza 12 recorded significantly the most beneficial results for stem diameter, straw yield/plant, straw yield/fed, fruiting zone length, seed index and seed yield/plant in both seasons. Also, Sakha 5 significantly surpassed the other genotypes in number of capsules /plant, seed yield/fed, oil percentage and oil yield/fed in the 1st and 2nd seasons. Thus, this research recommended the use of 2000 g/fed of HA with the promising strain (S.651) to obtain the highest fiber yield/fed, or with Sakha 5 to gain the highest seed and oil yield/fed in Northern Delta region of Egypt. Keywords: Flax genotypes, humic acid, straw yield, seed yield, oil yield, fiber yield [1]  fed = feddan = 4200 m

Evaluation of flood risk in an arid region of southern Tunisia: Coupling hydrological and hydraulic modeling

Flash floods are today more intense and more frequent due to climate change, especially in arid regions. This issue particularly threatens the Tataouine province, an arid area located in southern Tunisia, where sudden heavy flood events recorded during the last three decades have caused serious material damage and human life losses. The aim of this study is to assess flood risk in the Wadi Tataouine watershed by integrating a hydrological model, a hydraulic model and watershed physical characteristics. To proceed, a rainfall frequency analysis was performed using the Hyfran-Plus software to determine maximum daily rainfall versus return periods. The results of this analysis were afterwards used for hydrological modeling by the Watershed Modeling System (WMS) to develop a flood hydrograph. The latter served as a boundary condition for the two-dimensional hydraulic model HEC-RAS 2D. A flood hazards map was developed based on the obtained flood hydrograph and land cover manning coefficients that were used to determine inundation depth and water velocity distribution at the flooded area. The water depth map shows that the depth reached 4 m and the velocity values ranged up to 3.5 m/s. A flood vulnerability map was established using the physical characteristics of the Wadi Tataouine watershed. A flood risk map was developed by associating the flood hazards with the vulnerability map of the study area. The results of the applied integrated hydrological and hydraulic modeling approach suggest that urban areas, basically the Tataouine city, present the highest risk of flooding. This can be mainly explained by the increase of impermeability and the higher exposure of people, properties and infrastructure in these zones. Therefore, the flood risk map proposed in the present study can help decision makers identify the most threatened zones in the Tataouine region and develop targeted prevention measures and effective mitigation strategies for flood risk management. Keywords: Flood risk mapping, hydrological model, hydraulic model, climate change, arid regio

Local perceptions, uses and conservation status of Detarium senegalense in the Dahomey Gap (West Africa)

Several species, including Detarium senegalense, face exploitation without regard for conservation or regeneration status, posing a severe threat and contributing to their decline. Few studies addressed conservation strategies of Detarium senegalense. This paper aimed to document the indigenous knowledge of local communities regarding D. senegalense and its conservation status in the Dahomey Gap region. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews and focus groups involving 404 participants from thirty-eight villages, representing four phytogeographic zones in the Dahomey Gap. Collected data included local names, recognition criteria, abundance measures, and uses of D. senegalense. This data supported calculations of knowledge diversity, evenness index, organ usage frequency, and vulnerability indices. The Student Newman and Keuls test were used for multiple comparisons and Correspondence Analysis examined the relationships between variables. Analysis revealed that most respondents were familiar with the species (75.0%), but only half possessed knowledge of its uses. The diversity of knowledge was unevenly distributed among the respondents (IE <0.5). Significant variations in knowledge were observed among phytogeographic zones and ethnic groups, while no substantial differences were found based on gender or age. The study identified the almond as the primary organ of interest for local populations due to its involvement in international trade. The timber obtained from the tree was also used. Natural habitats of D. senegalense were found to be in decline, with logging being identified as the main cause of habitat destruction according to 58.5% of respondents. Consequently, the vulnerability index indicated that D. senegalense is highly vulnerable in its natural environment with vulnerability indices higher than 2.5 in all phytodistricts. Considering the nutritional and medicinal value of D. senegalense, we emphasize the need to investigate structural, morphological, and molecular aspects for conservation and sustainable use. Keywords: Detarium senegalense, endogenous knowledge, Vulnerability indices, Natural habitat, Plant organ

Ethnic knowledge in food, medicinal and economic value of Cochlospermum spp. root powder in Sudanian zone of Benin

Cochlospermum spp. is a multipurpose species used widely in West Africa by local communities. The present study focused on ethnic knowledge in food, medicinal and economic value of Cochlospermum spp. root powder in Sudanian zone of Benin. From nine (9) ethnic groups, 86 key informants and 90 processors of Cochlospermum spp. root were interviewed in the study area using semi-structured questionnaires. Additionally, 36 focus group discussions were conducted each gathering 8-10 women of reproductive age selected on a voluntary basis. A generalized linear model (GLM) was used to investigate the effect of socio-demographic characteristics of the survey population on food and medicinal use value of Cochlospermum spp. root powder. Kruskal Wallis test was carried out to highlight differences between phytodistricts and ethnic groups with regards to the brut monthly income of processors. From all respondents in the study area, thirteen (13) food uses and fourteen (14) medicinal uses were identified for Cochlospermum spp. root powder. Ethnic differences are only observed for food uses. Respondents from Peulh and Waama ethnic groups have the highest food use value, which were on average 6.02 and 5.96 uses respectively, while respondents from Gourmantché ethnic group have the lowest food use value (1.01 uses). Monthly income generated while processing Cochlospermum spp. root was highest for Bariba (40,675 FCFA) and lowest for Boo (16,891 FCFA). Local people livelihoods can be improved if the species is better managed and valorized. Nevertheless, studies are needed to facilitate the domestication of the species.  Keywords: Use value, ethnic groups, health, food security, income-generating activit

Ultra-sonication treatment for saline groundwater: A new innovative approach for preventing emitter clogging in surface drip irrigation systems

Clogging is a serious problem in drip irrigation, especially when using saline groundwater; this may cause uneven water distribution. However, efficient and environmentally friendly methods are rarely available for mitigating clogging. In the present study, an innovative and environmentally friendly technology using ultrasonic waves within radio frequency without the use of chemicals to treat emitter clogging, is evaluated. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the chronological changes in the emitter flow rate and the effect of ultrasonic (US) water treatments on solving the problem of emitter clogging in the field. The performance of the drip irrigation system is tested by measuring emitter discharge and estimating the average emitter discharge (qav), the manufacturer coefficient of variation (CVm), the distribution uniformity of the lowest quarter (DUlq), the application efficiency (AE) and the Christiansen uniformity coefficient (CUC). The results showed that the qav for the emitters improved from 3.37 l/h before treatment to 4.1 l/h after 180 h of US irrigation water treatment. The DUlq and the AE of the drip irrigation system were respectively 76.7% and 69.1% before treatment, due to the presence of salts in the groundwater, which caused emitter clogging. After 180 hours of US water treatment, DUlq and AE improved to respectively 90.3% and 81.3%. This improvement led to saving about 15% of the daily irrigation water. This study showed that ultrasonic water treatment is highly effective as chemical-free treatment method with great potential for preventing emitters clogging in drip irrigation systems, and could be further promoted in drip irrigation with saline groundwater. Keywords: Clogging, drip, irrigation, emitter, saline groundwater, ultrasoni