Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) landrace of Zaer had been on-farm conserved thanks to ingenious farmers' practices. Farmers had selected, produced and maintained their landrace to satisfy their food security, ecological and economical needs. However, the increase of drought incidence had encouraged farmers to gradual abandonment of their landrace for L 56 improved variety to increase productivity and incomes. The landrace is therefore threatened for genetic drift by climatic change, varieties innovation and economic development. The main objective of this study is to strengthen the on farm conservation of lentil landrace of Zaer through its promotion under a distinctive sign of origin and quality in accordance with national agricultural policy. Thus, the investigation is focused on analyzing (i) farmers' knowledge through field survey of 41 farmers randomly chosen across Zaer region, (ii) genetic structure of landrace as meta-population and by four geographical locations using biochemical markers (SDS-PAGE), and (iii) genetic relationship between the landrace and L 56 improved variety cultivated in Zaer. Data analysis had provide us with valuable information's on seed management according to climate and farmers' category, genetic structure of landrace as meta-population which was shaped by both natural pressures and human practices, and on seeds flow between landrace and L 56 variety that might be linked to seed acquisition, spatial organization of production field or to post-harvest seed management.

The main goal of this study is to propose saffron as a sustainable substitute crop with high added value in some Moroccan agricultural areas with low and erratic rainfalls for their socio-economical development. The quality of the saffron spice crop produced under different Moroccan environments has to be evaluated prior to recommendation for commercial production. For this purpose, saffron was experimented in eleven different experimental zones with a disparity of altitudes, soils and climate. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to quantify the three saffron components crocins, picrocrocin, and safranal which are respectively responsible for its colour, taste and odor. Two commercial controls from Morocco, 'Taliouin Saffron' and 'Ourika Saffron' were tested for comparison. The first step of this work was successfully achieved and the regions for the new saffron crop introductions, based on crocins level, were identified. Analysis of environmental impact on saffron quality showed that the altitude significantly affects crocins content (R 2 =0.84, p<0.05), and that crocins are stable under each specific environment tested (p>0.05) during three years of study. Meanwhile, there was a large variability in safranal content for the same period (p<0.05). This suggests that post-harvest processing of saffron produced under different environments may need to be improved.