First report of olive anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in Tunisia

Ripe and overripe olive fruits (cv. Meski, Manzanilla and Picholine) showing circular spots 1 to 10 mm in diameter, slightly depressed and reddish-brown in color, were collected from local markets and orchards located in the regions of Takelsa, Zarzis and Rgueb in Tunisia. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was isolated from symptomatic fruits and Koch’s postulates were fulfilled. This is the first report of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides causing anthracnose of olives in Tunisia

Zeitoun Ennwader: Un nouveau cultivar d’olive à huile en Tunisie à bonne qualité d’huile et à alternance de production faible

The most outstanding olive oil cultivar ‘Chemlali Sfax’ has low oleic acid level and high palmitic acid content and a tendency to biennial bearing. Cross breeding program of this cultivar was undertaken in Tunisia since 1994 using local and foreign cultivars. Selected hybrids were planted in a comparative trial since 2005. This study aim to characterize a new olive cultivar 'Zeitoun Ennwader' better than the original cultivar. Data on morphologic, agronomic and oil quality were recorded for the new cultivar. This cultivar is distinguishable from the original cultivar due to its morphological parameters of the fruit (shape, symmetry and apex) and the endocarp (symmetry, position of maximum transverse diameter and apex). This cultivar is different from the original variety on the agronomic plan by its low alternate bearing, its early bearing and its moderate sensitivity to verticillium. The oil of the new cultivar is different from the original variety by its better fatty acid composition (higher oleic acid content and lower palmitic acid content). The adoption of this cultivar will be of great benefit to farmers (high and more regular production) and to exporters (high oil quality). Key words: Olive, Chemlali Sfax, Improvement, Oleic acid, Alternate bearing, Agronomy, MorphologyLe cultivar d’olive à huile le plus remarquable 'Chemlali Sfax' a un faible niveau d'acide oléique, une teneur élevée en acide palmitique et une tendance à une alternance biennale. Le programme de croisement de ce cultivar a été entrepris en Tunisie depuis 1994 en utilisant des cultivars locaux et étrangers. Des hybrides sélectionnés ont été plantés dans un essai comparatif depuis 2005. Cette étude vise à caractériser un nouveau cultivar d'olivier 'Zeitoun Ennwader' supérieur à celui du cultivar d'origine. Des données sur les caractères morphologiques, agronomiques et chimiques de l’huile ont été enregistrées pour le nouveau cultivar. Ce cultivar se distingue du cultivar original par ses paramètres morphologiques du fruit (forme, symétrie et Apex) et de l'endocarpe (symétrie, position du diamètre transversal maximal et apex). Ce cultivar est différent de la variété originale sur le plan agronomique par sa faible indice d’alternance, son entrée précoce en production et sa sensibilité modérée au Verticillium. L'huile du nouveau cultivar est différente de la variété originale par sa meilleure composition en acides gras (teneur plus élevée en acide oléique et plus faible en acide palmitique). L’adoption de ce cultivar sera d’un grand intérêt pour les agriculteurs (production élevée et plus régulière) et pour les exportateurs (huile de bonne qualité). Mots clés: olive, chemlali Sfax, amélioration, acide oléique, alternance, agronomie, morphologi

Zeitoun Ennwader: Un nouveau cultivar d’olive à huile en Tunisie à bonne qualité d’huile et à alternance de production faible

The most outstanding olive oil cultivar ‘Chemlali Sfax’ has low oleic acid level and high palmitic acid content and a tendency to biennial bearing. Cross breeding program of this cultivar was undertaken in Tunisia since 1994 using local and foreign cultivars. Selected hybrids were planted in a comparative trial since 2005. This study aim to characterize a new olive cultivar 'Zeitoun Ennwader' better than the original cultivar. Data on morphologic, agronomic and oil quality were recorded for the new cultivar. This cultivar is distinguishable from the original cultivar due to its morphological parameters of the fruit (shape, symmetry and apex) and the endocarp (symmetry, position of maximum transverse diameter and apex). This cultivar is different from the original variety on the agronomic plan by its low alternate bearing, its early bearing and its moderate sensitivity to verticillium. The oil of the new cultivar is different from the original variety by its better fatty acid composition (higher oleic acid content and lower palmitic acid content). The adoption of this cultivar will be of great benefit to farmers (high and more regular production) and to exporters (high oil quality). Key words: Olive, Chemlali Sfax, Improvement, Oleic acid, Alternate bearing, Agronomy, MorphologyLe cultivar d’olive à huile le plus remarquable 'Chemlali Sfax' a un faible niveau d'acide oléique, une teneur élevée en acide palmitique et une tendance à une alternance biennale. Le programme de croisement de ce cultivar a été entrepris en Tunisie depuis 1994 en utilisant des cultivars locaux et étrangers. Des hybrides sélectionnés ont été plantés dans un essai comparatif depuis 2005. Cette étude vise à caractériser un nouveau cultivar d'olivier 'Zeitoun Ennwader' supérieur à celui du cultivar d'origine. Des données sur les caractères morphologiques, agronomiques et chimiques de l’huile ont été enregistrées pour le nouveau cultivar. Ce cultivar se distingue du cultivar original par ses paramètres morphologiques du fruit (forme, symétrie et Apex) et de l'endocarpe (symétrie, position du diamètre transversal maximal et apex). Ce cultivar est différent de la variété originale sur le plan agronomique par sa faible indice d’alternance, son entrée précoce en production et sa sensibilité modérée au Verticillium. L'huile du nouveau cultivar est différente de la variété originale par sa meilleure composition en acides gras (teneur plus élevée en acide oléique et plus faible en acide palmitique). L’adoption de ce cultivar sera d’un grand intérêt pour les agriculteurs (production élevée et plus régulière) et pour les exportateurs (huile de bonne qualité). Mots clés: olive, chemlali Sfax, amélioration, acide oléique, alternance, agronomie, morphologi

Microstructure and chemical composition of camel and cow milk powders’ surface

This study aimed at investigating the chemical composition and microstructure of spray dried camel and cowmilk powders' surfaces with two different milk-fat contents (1 and 20g 100 g−1). The SEM (Scanning ElectronMicroscopy) micrographs showed that spherical particles with a ‘brain’-type surface for both milk powders wereproduced. The surface roughness (Ra) of whole (WDMP) and skimmed (SDMP) camel milk powders(Ra=7.6 ± 0.4 nm and 5.6 ± 0.7 nm, respectively) were significantly lower as compared with the partiallyskimmed (PSCMP) and skimmed (SCMP) cow milk powders. The XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy)analysis highlighted that the surface of skimmed camel milk powders contained twice the lactose amount(17.7 ± 0.8%) as compared to cow milk powders (8.7 ± 0.4%). Furthermore, both milk powders showed theoverexposure of proteins and fats at their surfaces regardless of the fat content. The CLSM (Confocal LaserScattering Microscopy) micrographs highlighted that most of the camel milk fat globules were encapsulated bythe proteins near the powder surface. Camel milk fat behavior during particle formation was attributed to theirlower size distribution and their higher crystallization temperature

Humeral Artery Aneurysm Revealing a Rare Association between Tuberculosis and Behçet’s Disease

The association of pulmonary tuberculosis and Behçet’s disease revealed by an aneurysm of the humeral artery is exceptional with a complicated management. We report a case in which the two conditions occurred concomitantly with the vascular complication, apart from any use of immunosuppressive therapy, something that has never been reported in the literature. We report an extremely rare case of a spontaneous rupture of an aneurysm of the humeral artery of a 29-year-old woman, with no history. The patient underwent axillo-humeral bypass. Investigations concluded the diagnosis of Behçet’s disease associated with pulmonary and lymph node tuberculosis. Anti-tuberculous chemotherapy followed by corticosteroids, immunosuppressants and colchicine have been administrated. Based on this observation, we insist on the necessity of searching the symptoms of Behçet’s disease in the presence of arterial involvement when having a young patient. Therapeutic management must include medical treatment to control inflammation and limit the risk of recurrence. Endovascular or surgical treatment is necessary if the arterial involvement is threatening. The association with tuberculosis complicates management and requires close monitoring

Caractérisation physicochimiques du sol dans les deux cas de conduite : pluvial et irrigué

La nature de sol est influencée par plusieurs facteurs tels que le facteur climatique (érosion, pluviométrie...). Dans ce travail nous avons étudiées les effets d’irrigation sur la composition physicochimique du sol issu de deux sites différents irrigué et non irrigué (El Massreb ou Kasser Ouled Débe et Douiret du gouvernorat de Tataouine). Nous avons procédé à une analyse granulométrique (texture du sol) à l’aide d’un appareil laser. D’autre part, on a déterminé les paramètres physicochimiques du sol (pH, conductivité électrique, calcaire total, calcaire active et matière organique). Nos résultats ont montrés que les sols étudiés appartiennent au même virage granulométrique et que l’irrigation a un effet sur les paramètres physicochimiques tels que le pH el la conductivité électrique

Screening for Fusarium Antagonistic Bacteria From Contrasting Niches Designated the Endophyte Bacillus halotolerans as Plant Warden Against Fusarium

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) plantations in North Africa are nowadays threatened with the spread of the Bayoud disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis, already responsible for destroying date production in other infected areas, mainly in Morocco. Biological control holds great promise for sustainable and environmental-friendly management of the disease. In this study, the additional benefits to agricultural ecosystems of using plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) or endophytes are addressed. First, PGPR or endophytes can offer an interesting bio-fertilization, meaning that it can add another layer to the sustainability of the approach. Additionally, screening of contrasting niches can yield bacterial actors that could represent wardens against whole genera or groups of plant pathogenic agents thriving in semi-arid to arid ecosystems. Using this strategy, we recovered four bacterial isolates, designated BFOA1, BFOA2, BFOA3 and BFOA4, that proved very active against F. oxysporum f. sp. albedinis. BFOA1–BFOA4 proved also active against 16 Fusarium isolates belonging to four species: F. oxysporum (with strains phytopathogenic of Olea europaea and tomato), F. solani (with different strains attacking O. europaea and potato), F. acuminatum (pathogenic on O. europaea) and F. chlamydosporum (phytopathogenic of O. europaea). BFOA1–BFOA4 bacterial isolates exhibited strong activities against another four major phytopathogens: Botrytis cinerea, Alternaria alternata, Phytophthora infestans, and Rhizoctonia bataticola. Isolates BFOA1–BFOA4 had the ability to grow at temperatures up to 35°C, pH range of 5–10, and tolerate high concentrations of NaCl and up to 30% PEG. The isolates also showed relevant direct and indirect PGP features, including growth on nitrogen-free medium, phosphate solubilization and auxin biosynthesis, as well as resistance to metal and xenobiotic stress. Phylogenomic analysis of BFOA1–BFOA4 isolates indicated that they all belong to Bacillus halotolerans, which could therefore considered as a warden against Fusarium infection in plants. Comparative genomics allowed us to functionally describe the open pan genome of B. halotolerans and LC-HRMS and GCMS analyses, enabling the description of diverse secondary metabolites including pulegone, 2-undecanone, and germacrene D, with important antimicrobial and insecticidal properties. In conclusion, B. halotolerans could be used as an efficient bio-fertilizer and bio-control agent in semi-arid and arid ecosystems

Implementation of the One Health approach to fight arbovirus infections in the Mediterranean and Black Sea Region: Assessing integrated surveillance in Serbia, Tunisia and Georgia

Background In the Mediterranean and Black Sea Region, arbovirus infections are emerging infectious diseases. Their surveillance can benefit from one health inter-sectoral collaboration; however, no standardized methodology exists to study One Health surveillance. Methods We designed a situation analysis study to document how integration of laboratory/clinical human, animal and entomological surveillance of arboviruses was being implemented in the Region. We applied a framework designed to assess three levels of integration: policy/institutional, data collection/data analysis and dissemination. We tested the use of Business Process Modelling Notation (BPMN) to graphically present evidence of inter-sectoral integration. Results Serbia, Tunisia and Georgia participated in the study. West Nile Virus surveillance was analysed in Serbia and Tunisia, Crimea-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever surveillance in Georgia. Our framework enabled a standardized analysis of One Health surveillance integration, and BPMN was easily understandable and conducive to detailed discussions among different actors/institutions. In all countries, we observed integration across sectors and levels except in data collection and data analysis. Data collection was interoperable only in Georgia without integrated analysis. In all countries, surveillance was mainly oriented towards outbreak response, triggered by an index human case. Discussion The three surveillance systems we observed prove that integrated surveillance can be operationalized with a diverse spectrum of options. However, in all countries, the integrated use of data for early warning and inter-sectoral priority setting is pioneeristic. We also noted that early warning before human case occurrence is recurrently not operationally prioritized