Argania spinosa L. is an endangered tree of great socio-economic and ecological value in Morocco. In this study, thirteen nuclear SSR primer pairs were used to assess the genetic diversity and ...structure of 24 natural populations, including 240 individuals, representing 4 geographic regions. A total of 245 alleles were detected with an average of 18.5 per locus ranging from 6 to 35. The polymorphism information content (PIC) was in the range of (0.487-0.936) showing the good discriminating power of the SSR loci used. The observed and the expected heterozygosity across all populations and loci ranged from 0.372 to 0.777 and from 0.486 to 0.735, respectively. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that the main variation existed within populations (78%) rather than among populations (12%). The Mantel test displayed no significant correlation between the geographic distance and the genetic distances for all populations. The STRUCTURE analysis and UPGMA clustering grouped 240 samples from 24 populations into two subgroups. Implications of the results for argan tree conservations are also discussed in this paper.
Global warming may cause +4 °C temperature increases before the end of this century. Heat tolerant bred-germplasm remains the most promising method to ensure farm productivity under this scenario. A ...global set of 384 durum wheat accessions were exposed to very high temperatures occurring along the Senegal River at two sites for two years. The goal was to identify germplasm with enhanced tolerance to heat. There was significant variation for all traits. The genetic (G) effect accounted for >15% of the total variation, while the genotype by environment interaction (G × E) reached 25%. A selection index that combines G and a G × E wide adaptation index was used to identify stable high yielding germplasm. Forty-eight accessions had a stable grain yield above the average (2.7 t ha−1), with the three top lines above 3.5 t ha−1. Flowering time, spike fertility and harvest index were the most critical traits for heat tolerance, while 1000-kernel weight and spike density only had environment-specific effects. Testing of six subpopulations for grain yield across heat-prone sites revealed an even distribution among clusters, thus showing the potential of this panel for dissecting heat tolerance via association genetics.
Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in DNA repair genes are mainly correlated with the response to radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). In NPC patients, previous research has studied the ...association between X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 and 3 (XRCC1 and XRCC3) polymorphisms and radio-therapeutic response. The objective of our study was to test the association between XRCC1 Arg399Gln and XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphisms and the response to radiotherapy in the NPC Moroccan population.
A total of 100 patients with NPC were genotyped for polymorphisms in XRCC1 and XRCC3 genes.
The results revealed that the genotypes and alleles of both SNPs did not show any significant association with clinical stages (for XRCC1 Arg399Gln:
genotype = 0.559;
allele = 0.440) and (for XRCC3 Thr241Met:
genotype = 0.638;
allele = 0.567). Moreover, in the study of the association between the polymorphisms and radiotherapy, the response to radiation therapy between genotypes and alleles was not statistically significant (for XRCC1 Arg399Gln p genotype = 0.583; p allele = 0.459) and (for XRCC3 Thr241Met
genotype = 0.660;
allele = 0.590).
The present study suggests that XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism does not have any impact on the radio-therapeutic response in Moroccan NPC patients whereas XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism may act as a prognostic indicator for NPC patients treated with radiotherapy. However, studies with a larger sample are needed to confirm our results.
Understanding the mechanisms underlying Argania spinosa responses to drought stress is essential for its regeneration and domestication. Toward that end, an integrative study of tolerance responses ...to drought stress in four A. spinosa ecotypes (2 contrasting coastal ecotypes (Adm and Rab) and 2 contrasting inland ecotypes (Alz and Lks)) have been conducted. Responses to soil drying and re-watering were measured at physiological and biochemical levels. Soil drying resulted in significant increase in leaf concentrations of potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+) and magnesium (Mg2+) with differential responses between ecotypes. The glutathione-related enzymes: glutathione peroxidase (GP), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) showed a significant increase in their enzymatic activity in A. spinosa plants subjected to drought stress. Additionally, a significant increase in thiol protein content in the four ecotypes was recorded, during drought stress. These antioxidant traits responded differently depending on ecotype. However, rapid and significant changes in the studied physiological and biochemical traits were observed during recovery from drought, only after four days. According to the traits having the most discriminating power, the both inland ecotypes, especially Lks ecotype, seem to be potential candidates for regeneration of argan forest and their domestication in arid and semi-arid environments.
The objective of study aimed to analyze the genetic diversity and genetic structure of Moroccan landraces of sorghum (
Sorghum bicolor
L. Moench). Samples were obtained from 34 fields in the ...northern regions, specifically from Larache (13 fields), Tangier (11 fields), Chefchaouen (5 fields), and Tetouan (5 fields). A total of 398 individual plants were collected, including three accessions from each of the five cultivated races of sorghum (bicolor, durra, caudatum, guinea, and kafir) from the World Collection. Two molecular marker methods, inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), were employed. Four ISSR primers produced 185 reproducible bands, of which 177 (96%) exhibited polymorphism. Three AFLP primer combinations were used to detect 226 markers, out of which 198 (88%) were polymorphic. The average polymorphic information (PIC) values for ISSR and AFLP markers were calculated to be 0.98 and 0.97, respectively. Both markers revealed a higher relative genetic differentiation, with values of 0.5595 (ISSR) and 0.6216 (AFLP), while the gene flow (Nm) between fields was determined to be 0.3937 (ISSR) and 0.3043 (AFLP). Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) confirmed a greater variation within the field (57%). Classification of the Moroccan landraces based on Jaccard’s similarity index led to the identification of two primary genetic pools, which was further supported by the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) clustering and STRUCTURE analysis. The Mantel test revealed lack of correlation between genetic structure and microgeographical distribution. The ISSR and AFLP data suggest that the bicolor, durra, and caudatum races are more genetically related to the Moroccan landraces of sorghum than kafir and guinea.
Diarrhea and respiratory diseases are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among <5-year-olds worldwide, but systematic data are not available from Mauritania. We conducted a hospital-based ...retrospective study. Data on admissions to Mauritania's National Referral Hospital (the main pediatric referral center in the country), due to diarrhea and respiratory diseases, during 2011⁻2014, were analyzed. A total of 3695 children <5 years were hospitalized during this period; 665 (18.0%) due to respiratory diseases, and 829 (22.4%) due to diarrhea. Case fatality rates in the respiratory diseases and diarrhea groups were 18.0% (120/665) and 14.1% (117/829), respectively. The highest frequency of deaths due to diarrhea occurred in the age group 2⁻5 years (16/76; 21.0%), and due to respiratory diseases in the age group 6⁻12 months (32/141; 22.6%). We conclude that case fatality rates caused by respiratory diseases and diarrhea are extremely high in children hospitalized at the National Referral Hospital. These data call for intensified efforts to reduce deaths among hospitalized Mauritanian children, and also for integrated control measures to prevent and reduce the burden of both diseases. Additional studies are needed to show the effectiveness of the introduction of vaccination programs for pneumococcal diseases and rotavirus infection in the child population, which were launched in November 2013 and December 2014, respectively.
Composting is now at the core of the environmental policy and the circular economy as one of the best options for recycling organic waste leading to a high-value final product. However, composting ...organic waste suffers from several drawbacks in the resulting product, such as insufficient maturity, unstable organic matter (OM), accumulation of phytotoxic substances, and low amounts of nutrients. This study investigated the effectiveness of adding phosphate sludge (PS) to improve the green waste (GW) composting process, as well as its effectiveness when combined or not with sugar beet waste (SBW), GW, and oil mill waste (OMW) in the composting process of food waste (FW). The impact on the fertilizer quality of final products was also assessed. Composting treatments and controls were conducted in large-scale trials for 150 days. The composting process parameters, nutrient dynamics, phytotoxic effect, and agronomic capacity of the compost product were evaluated. The physicochemical analyses demonstrated that the addition of PS increased the pile temperature and prolonged thermophilic period by two weeks compared to controls. The PS addition brought pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N) values of FW and GW composts to maturity acceptable level. The results also indicate that adding PS alone or in combination stimulated the nitrification process in FW composting with a nitrate concentration of 69.91 mg/L recorded in the treatment received the combined addition of PS and GW. The results of Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy analysis showed a significant increase in humification by adding PS in mixtures of FW and GW. The resulting treated composts showed high total content of nutrients, no phytotoxic effect on seed germination, and growth enhancement of tomato plant compared to control compost, NPK fertilizer, and no amended soil.
Four strains of rhizobia nodulating Acacia were isolated from the Moroccan desert soil by trapping with seedlings of Acacia gummifera and Acacia raddiana, and were studied for their ability to ...tolerate high salinity and dryness conditions. The strains MDSMC 2, MDSMC 18 and MDSMC 50 were halotolerant (they tolerated up to 1 M NaCl) and they accumulated glutamate and mannosucrose. The synthesis of the latter solute, which is the major endogenous osmolyte, is partially repressed in the presence of glycine betaine. The strain MDSMC 34 was less halotolerant (growth inhibited by a concentration greater than 0.5 M NaCl), and accumulated trehalose (as the main endogenous osmolyte) and glutamate. Rhizobia from the Moroccan desert soil were highly resistant to desiccation and their tolerance to dryness was stimulated by osmotic pretreatment. Thus, the accumulation of mannosucrose or trehalose by desert rhizobia represents both an osmoadaptative response and a part of a desiccation tolerance mechanism.
This study investigates the feasibility of using front face fluorescence (FFFS) and ultraviolet–visible (UV–visible) spectroscopies to authenticate 100 extra virgin argan oil (EVAO) samples from five ...Moroccan regions (Chtouka, Essaouira, Sidi Ifni, Taroudant, and Tiznit). Additionally, the study aims to identify and predict the percentage of adulteration in pure EVAO samples from these regions using less expensive vegetable oils (such as peanut, walnut, hazelnut, sunflower, grape, rapeseed, sesame, olive, and a mixture of these oils) at varying levels (1, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50%). By applying principal component analysis and factorial discriminant analysis on emission spectra acquired after excitation wavelengths set at 430 nm, 290 nm, and 270 nm, a perfect discrimination of EVAO samples based on their geographic origin was observed, achieving 100% correct classification; while UV–visible spectra data achieved 98.67% correct classification. Regarding the prediction of purity level of EVAO, partial least square regression applied to FFFS and UV–visible spectra data yielded an excellent prediction of adulteration level, with R
2
values of 0.99 for both spectral technics.
The preservation of the diversity of endangered populations of argan trees, in their natural habitat, is a crucial step toward their conservation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the ...genetic diversity of the argan trees in the wild, and to establish a phylogenetic map using DNA fingerprints. The ultimate goal was to develop a core set that would represent the existing diversity in the whole germplasm. In regard to this, 200 samples of Argania spinosa individual trees were collected from 10 different provenances in the region of Essaouira (Morocco). The genetic variation between and within these argan trees was investigated using previously described Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat markers. These markers generated a total of 149 fragments, in which 148 (99.33%) were polymorphic. The samples collected in the ‘Ouled Lhaj’ provenance showed the lowest diversity (% of polymorphic locus P=48.32%; genetic diversity Nei h=0.153; allelic richness A=1.483), compared to those collected in the ‘Mramer’ provenance (%P=68.46%; h=0.233; A=1.685). Also, the results showed a high level of genetic differentiation among provenances (AMOVA=44%, Gst=0.40), and a limited gene flow (Nm=0.73) between the provenances. In addition, these data suggested a low correlation between the genetic diversity of the tree and their respective geographical location in relation to the proximity to the littoral. Finally, a core collection of 13 genotypes that represent the essential of the detected diversity was established. The distribution pattern of this genetic diversity provides an important baseline data for the conservation strategies of argan tree species in the wild.
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