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Chemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of essential oils from 16 wild edible Tunisian Foeniculum vulgare populations were evaluated. The essential oil yields of fennel seeds ranged from 1.2 to 5.06%. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 20 compounds. Except one sample, essential oils from different locations were mainly composed of phenylpropanoid and the major compound was estragole with a percentage ranging from 66.09 to 85%. The phenolic content of fennel oils varied significantly among populations which could explain the high variation in antiradical scavenging activity. Furthermore, essential oils presented antimicrobial activity against several strains. Results showed that the Gram-positive strains of bacteria were most sensitive to fennel oils. This study encourages the use of wild fennel as a potential source of natural antioxidants and antimicrobial agents and supports an assessment of this species in several application domains. Practical applicationsThe growing interest in the use of medicinal plants in food and pharmaceutical industries has led to a systematic examination of plant extracts for their biological properties. Wild fennel is one of aromatic and medicinal plant known for its biological and pharmaceutical activities. In this study, chemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of fennel essential oil were analyzed with a view of their industrial applications. The variations in essential oil composition and their biological activities in different populations may provide baseline data for breeding programs and large scale multiplication for commercial cultivation of the best fennel population.

This study aims to investigate the effects of inoculation using Terfezia boudieri Chatin ascospores (ectomycorrhizal fungus) on growth, root colonization and nutrient status of Helianthemum sessiliflorum Desf. seedlings grown in pots on two-soil types (gypseous and sandy loam). Mycorrhizal seedlings had significantly increased their height and leaf number compared to non-mycorrhizal ones. Regardless of mycorrhizal inoculation treatments, the plants growing on gypseous soil showed higher growth as compared to sandy loam one. It appears that inoculation with T. boudieri changed root morphology, increasing branching of first-order lateral roots of H. sessiliflorum seedlings. The highest root mycorrhizal colonization was recorded in inoculated seedlings on sandy loam soil (89%) when compared to gypseous one (52%). N, P and K concentrations in mycorrhizal seedlings were significantly improved by fungal inoculation. It can be concluded that inoculation of H. sessiliflorum with T. boudieri increased growth attributes and improved plant nutritional status.

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The investigation was conducted on oil extracted from mature acorns of Quercus suber L. harvested from three different Tunisian sites. The content of total polyphenols, tannins and flavonoides were determined. Antimicrobial activities were also evaluated. Antimicrobial activity of this oil was tested against: Escherichia Coli, Bacillus subtilis and Candida albicans. Gentamicin and amphotericin B were respectively used as a positive reference for bacteria and fungi. Discs without samples were used as a negative control. Fixed oil of cork oak acorn was extracted by the soxhlet apparatus. The oil content, expressed as dry weight, ranged from 0.9 to 2.02%. Fixed oil extracted from acorns of cork oak showed a high amount of total polyphenols 18.93 mg GAE/g. Amounts of flavonoids and tannins were also important. The results showed a significant antimicrobial effect against B. subtilis and C. albicans with inhibition diameter of 10.6 mm and 9.8 mm, respectively.