This study evaluated the chemical composition, mineral content, and in vitro dry and organic matter digestibility of two forage legume species from arid pastures in northeastern Morocco, namely S. ...spinosissima subsp. capitata and S. pallida. This is the first report assessing the nutritive value of these two pasture species. Results revealed a wide variation between selected Sulla species; in particular, the growth stage had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on most chemical traits and digestibility parameters. Comparatively, S. spinosissima had higher organic matter digestibility (72.4 %OM) at the vegetative stage in direct correlation with lower acid detergent fiber (ADF) (24.2 %DM), lower condensed tannin, (CT) (0.27 %DM), and higher crude protein (24 %DM). Conversely, S. pallida plants with a considerable amount of ADF (40.3 %DM) and CT (4.5 %DM) had lower organic matter digestibility (56.1 %OM). Both species are mineral-rich and contain satisfactory mean (g/kgDM) levels of calcium: 23.25 in S. spinosissima and 13.75 in S. pallida, and phosphorus: 1.01 in S. spinosissima and 1.53 in S. pallida. Additionally, chemical analysis of some anti-nutritional factors revealed low concentrations (mg/g) of phytate (0.19), oxalate (0.18), and nitrate (0.21), even at the flowering stage, compared with others pasture plants. The results of the present study suggest the suitability of both Sulla species, particularly S. spinosissima, for domestication to enhance pasture productivity to support small ruminant nutritional needs in arid pastures native to the Mediterranean region.
Fish gelatin‐pectin (GelExt/Pec) composite films incorporated with Mentha pulegium essential oil (MEO) and Lavandula angustifolia essential oil (LEO) at two concentrations (0.5% and 1.5%) were ...developed and their physicochemical, mechanical, and antimicrobial properties were determined. GelExt/Pec‐based film incorporated with 1.5% MEO (GelExt/Pec + 1.5% MEO) showed the highest antimicrobial activity against all bacterial strains tested. Incorporation of essential oils decreased significantly the tensile strength of all the films investigated. The film showing the best functional and antimicrobial properties (Gelext/Pec + 1.5% MEO) was used to prolong the shelf life of tilapia fillets under refrigeration. Control (unwrapped) and wrapped fillets were analyzed every 3 days in terms of microbiological (total viable count (TVC), psychrotrophic bacteria count (PC), lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Enterobacteriaceae (ENT), and physicochemical parameters (total volatile base nitrogen TVB‐N and pH). Gelext/Pec + 1.5% MEO antimicrobial film retarded significantly (p < .05) the growth of TVC, LAB, PC, and ENT, throughout 12 days of storage compared with the control. Gelext/Pec + 1.5% MEO could be considered as an effective packaging to maintain the quality and extend the shelf life of tilapia fillets under refrigeration.
The objectives of this study were to determine for the first time, in Morocco, the nasal carriage rate, antimicrobial susceptibility profiles and virulence genes of Staphylococcus. aureus isolated ...from animals and breeders in close contact. From 2015 to 2016, 421 nasal swab samples were collected from 26 different livestock areas in Tangier. Antimicrobial susceptibility phenotypes were determined by disk diffusion according to EUCAST 2015. The presence of nuc, mecA, mecC, lukS/F-PV, and tst genes were determined by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for all isolates. The overall S. aureus nasal carriage rate was low in animals (9.97%) and high in breeders (60%) with a statistically significant difference, (OR = 13.536; 95% CI = 7.070-25.912; p 0.001). In general, S. aureus strains were susceptible to the majority of antibiotics and the highest resistance rates were found against tetracycline (16.7% in animals and 10% in breeders). No Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was detected in animals and breeders. A high rate of tst and lukS/F-PV genes has been recovered only from animals (11.9 and 16.7%, respectively). Despite the lower rate of nasal carriage of S. aureus and the absence of MRSA strains in our study, S. aureus strains harbored a higher frequency of tst and lukS/F-PV virulence genes, which is associated to an increased risk of infection dissemination in humans. This highlights the need for further larger and multi-center studies to better define the transmission of the pathogenic S. aureus between livestock, environment, and humans.
The effect of gelatin-based edible coating incorporated with Mentha pulegium essential oil (MEO) on physicochemical (pH, titratable acidity (TA), weight loss, total soluble solids (TSS), and total ...phenolic content (TPC)), microbiological (total aerobic mesophilic flora (TAMF) and yeasts and moulds (YM)), and sensorial (color and firmness) characteristics of strawberries stored under refrigeration was studied. Strawberries were coated with gelatin alone (4%) and/or gelatin combined with two concentrations (0.5 and 1%) of MEO and stored at 4°C for 13 days. Gelatin coating and MEO combination significantly inhibited total flora and moulds and yeasts with comparison to control (uncoated strawberries) and had better hygienic quality at the end of storage. The effect was MEO concentration dependent. Our results also showed that the bioactive coating used in this investigation slowed down changes in pH, TA, weight loss, TSS, firmness, TPC, and color of strawberries. Gelatin coating incorporated with MEO at 1% protected at least 60% of strawberries from deterioration after 13 days of storage and could be used as bioactive packaging to prolong the shelf life and an alternative of pesticides use.
The transmission of antibiotic resistance to human population through food consumption is a global public health threat. This study aimed to assess the nasopharyngeal carriage of S. aureus in poultry ...and to investigate antimicrobial susceptibility and virulence-associated genes. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from chickens at the slaughterhouse of Tangier and immediately transported to the microbiological laboratory for phenotypic identification and assessment of antibiotic susceptibility. The presence of 16S rRNA, nuc, mecA, mecC, Panton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL), and the toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) genes were detected by PCR analysis for all isolates. Overall, 548 nasopharyngeal swabs were collected, of which 17 (3.4%) were S. aureus positive. More than half of the strains (54%) were resistant to penicillin, 29.4% to tetracycline, 23.5% to erythromycin, and 17% showed resistance to ciprofloxacin. The mecA and mecC were not identified in any of the recovered isolates. Of the S. aureus recovered, 29.41% of the isolates were found to be toxinogenic; 17.64% and 11.76% were positive for PVL and TSST-1 encoding genes, respectively. The trends of antibiotic resistance and the toxinogenic S. aureus carried by the poultry intended for consumption in Tangier present a huge concern. Preventive and containment measures should be implemented in order to limit the dissemination of resistance genes through the food chain and to reduce their increased rate.
Twenty-six root nodule bacteria from two native forage legumes namely Sulla aculeolata subsp. aculeolata and Sulla aculeolata subsp. mauritanica were isolated and analyzed using a polyphasic approach ...comprising phenotypic traits, ERIC-PCR, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. This is the first time a study has been performed to determine the diversity of bacteria associated with Sulla aculeolata spp. Phenotypically, all the isolates were identified as fast-growing bacteria and shows high tolerance toward various stressed conditions, particularly those derived from S. aculeolata subsp. mauritanica. On the other hand, the genotypic characterization revealed high diversity among the isolated bacteria and clustered into 14 clusters at the similarity index of 90% based on ERIC-PCR analysis. Furthermore, the 16S rRNA gene sequencing of representatives strains indicates that all the strains share 99 to 100% identity with bacteria belonging to Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, Serratia, and Paenibacillus genera with a clear relation to their host plant. In conclusion, the findings of the present study suggested the inoculation of plants with appropriate bacteria to enhance plant growth and quality of Sulla aculeolata under semi-arid conditions of the Mediterranean area.
Legumes, native to the Mediterranean, harbor reservoirs of endophytes that help plants adapt to various environmental stresses. The current study was carried out to evaluate the plant growth ...characteristics and antifungal activity of root nodule endophytes as biocontrol agents and plant growth promoters. Eleven bacterial endophytes isolated from root nodules of Sulla flexuosa L. grown in Northwest Morocco were assessed for their plant growth-promoting (PGP), and antifungal properties. Four endophytic bacteria were selected for their efficiency in solubilizing inorganic phosphate. The selected strains were positive for more than 2 PGP traits, including indole acetic acid, ACC deaminase, siderophore, and ammonia production. The screening for lytic enzyme production revealed that all strains were capable of producing chitinase, cellulase, catalase, and protease, while the secretion of amylase and urease was not detected. The HFB11 was the only strain incapable of producing pectinase. In vitro experiments revealed the strains’ potential to withstand salt and drought stresses by being able to grow in high concentrations of NaCl and PEG. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the strains were identified as Enterobacter and Serratia. The antagonistic activity of the strains against Botrytis cinerea, Aspergillus ochraceus, and Fusarium oxysporum was detected and they were shown to inhibit the fungal growth with various percentages. The highest percentage of inhibition was observed for HFB3 against B. cinerea with 50% inhibition followed by HFB8 which was able to inhibit 47% of F. oxysporum’s growth. In contrast, a weak inhibition was observed against A. ochraceus. All these findings indicate that the chosen endophytes, halotolerant Serratia inhibens HFB8 and Enterobacter hormaechei HFB11, might be used as candidates for effective biocontrol and growth promotion of legumes.
Goat milk, a highly nutritious product is widely used in cheese making. In order to properly select suitable milk samples for production, fifty-five samples of raw goat’s milk were collected from ...eight farms in the North-West of Morocco to analyze their counts of various mesophilic bacteria and determining the physicochemical characteristics during different seasons of the year. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated, identified, and screened for several technological properties. Overall mean values for mesophilic aerobic flora were above 7.10 log cfu/mL in spring and 5.80 log cfu/mL during winter with a statistically significant difference found between all the microorganisms except for coagulase-positive staphylococci. The physical and chemical composition tests showed higher values for fat (4.9±1.01%), dry matter (13.98±0.95%), ash (1.3±0.12%), lactose (3.1±0.65 g/L), and protein (4.6±1.03 g/L) during the winter season which could be of great interest for cheese production. fatty acids (FA) composition mainly consisted of saturated fatty acids (SFA) in both seasons. Lactococci isolates were the most acidifying (pH6h=4.35–pH24h=4.08) while Lactobacillus paracasei produced the highest proteolytic activity (66.93±2.63 mgTyr.L-1) and diacetyl-acetoin (54.83±0.46 mg diacetyl/L). None of the tested isolates were lipolytic, however, several lactobacilli and lactococci exhibited a high salt tolerance and exopolysaccharide (EPS) production. Lactobacillus plantarum exhibited the highest lysis rate (67.34±1.76%) while the antibacterial profile ranged between 10.5±0.137 and 22.9±0.23 mm. The obtained results highlight the importance of Moroccan goat milk as a valuable component for cheese making due to its rich fat and protein contents alongside its abundance in LABs with biotechnological properties.
Utilization of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is now gradually increasing in agriculture and offers an attractive way to replace chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and supplements. This ...study was conducted with a view to isolate bacteria from the rhizosphere of the legume Lotus creticus (L. creticus) and to assess their plant growth promoting functional potentialities. A total of 113 rhizobacteria was isolated from the rhizosphere of L. creticus and were tested for their capacity of solubilizing tricalcium phosphate (TCP) on Pikovskaya (PVK) solid medium. Out of 29 phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), 5 isolates were selected for their solubilization diameters (between 0.6 and 1.5 cm). These isolates were characterized for plant growth promoting (PGP) traits. The results showed that the highest concentration of indole acetic acid (IAA) was produced by LCR33 (19.08 ± 0.96 mg L-1). All 5 isolates could produce hydrogen cyanide (HCN), siderophores, ammonia and amino-cyclopropane carboxylate (ACC) deaminase. The isolates were evaluated for TCP solubilizing quantitative assay in PVK liquid medium. The concentrations of solubilized P were between 43.34±0.18 mg L-1 and 173.57±0.77 mg L-1. This solubilization was accompanied by a pH decrease of the culture media from 7 to 4.06. Furthermore, the 5 selected PSB were tested in vitro for antagonism against phytopathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum. In fact, all the PSB, were capable of inhibiting its growth and the highest percentages of inhibition were obtained for LCP27 and LCR33 (48.15±0.99% and 40.74±0.45%). Also, the effect of these 2 PSB on growth of L. creticus plants was investigated under greenhouse conditions. Significant increases were obtained for shoot and root length and dry and fresh matter production of plants as compared to the uninoculated control. These PSB could be recommended as biofertilizers for contributing to the rehabilitation of degraded soils.
Pseudomonas fluorescens ET76 was isolated from rice rhizosphere in northwestern Morocco. Its draft genome was estimated to be 6,681,652 bp with 5,789 coding sequences (CDSs). Genes encoding for type ...I to VI secretion systems, PvdQ, proteases, siderophores, hydrogen cyanide synthase, ACC-deaminase, among others, highlight its potential use in biological control of plant pathogens.
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