The effects of NaCl and mannitol iso-osmotic stresses on calli issued from sugarcane cultivars (cvs.) R570, CP59-73 and NCo310 were investigated in relation to callus growth, water content, ion and proline concentrations. Callus growth and water content decreased under both stresses with the highest reduction under mannitol-induced osmotic stress. The ion concentration was drastically affected after exposure to NaCl and mannitol. Salt stress induced an increase in Na + and Cl -accumulation and a decrease in K + and Ca 2+ concentrations. Under mannitol-induced osmotic stress, K + and Ca 2+ concentrations decreased significantly while Na + and Cl -concentrations remained unchanged. Free proline accumulation occurred under both stresses and was more marked in stress-sensitive cv. than in stress-resistant one. Our results indicated that the physiological mechanisms operating at the plant cell level in response to salt-and osmotic-induced stress in sugarcane cvs. are different. Among the cvs., we concluded that the stress resistance is closely related to the maintain of an adequate water status and a high level of K + and Ca 2+ under both stresses and a low level of Na + concentration in the presence of NaCl. Thus, sugarcane (Saccharum sp.) can be regarded as a Na + excluder. We also provided evidence that proline accumulation is a stress-sensitive trait rather than a stress resistance marker.

Stable callus cultures tolerant to NaCl (68 mM) were developed from salt-sensitive sugarcane cultivar CP65-357 by in vitro selection process. The accumulation of both inorganic (Na + , Cl -and K + ) and organic (proline and soluble sugars) solutes was determined in selected and non-selected calli after a NaCl shock in order to evaluate their implication in in vitro salt tolerance of the selected lines. Both salt-tolerant and non-selected calli showed similar relative fresh weight growth in the absence of NaCl. No growth reduction was observed in salt-tolerant calli while a significant reduction about 32% was observed in nonselected ones when both were cultivated on 68 mM NaCl. Accumulation of Na + was similar in both salt-tolerant and non-selected calli in the presence of NaCl. Accumulation of Cl -was lower in NaCl-tolerant than in non-selected calli while proline and soluble sugars were more accumulated in salt-tolerant than in non-selected calli when both were exposed to salt. K + level decreased more severely in non-selected calli than in NaCl-tolerant ones after NaCl shock. The results indicated that K + and Cl -may play a key role in in vitro salt-tolerance in sugarcance cell lines obtained by in vitro selection and that organic solutes could contribute mainly to counteract the negative water potential of the outside medium.

Seven Colletotrichum acutatum strains isolated from strawberries were cultivated on various culture media and tested in vitro and in vivo on Fragaria x ananassa for anthracnose symptoms. PDA caused an optimum growth of all isolates, MEA, ML and Strawberry allowed a good but not optimal growth. Czapeck, Sabouraud and the organic medium from potato gave the lowest growth rate of all isolates. PDA allowed a good sporulation of isolates follow-up by strawberry, MEA; in contrast, ML, Czapeck and Sabouraud gave a low sporulation. The fungal development is maximal at 25˚C and 27˚C for all the isolates studied. No growth was observed at 5˚C and 37˚C. The studied strains developed at all pH values. They didn't develop at 0.6, 0.65 and 0.7 aw but mycelial growth was perfect at 1 and 0.95 aw. The in vitro test of the pathogenicity caused by C. acutatum strains on strawberry's leaves showed an increasing percentage of infection with time and different infection rates among C. acutatum strains, strain Ca6 having a pathogenic power very high compared to the other isolates. After in vivo inoculation and incubation of the seedlings, all isolates caused severe symptoms related to anthracnose on leaflets and petioles of the studied strawberry plants.

This study aimed to investigate the phenolic profile and selected biological activities of the leaf and aerial extracts of three Ericaceae species, namely Erica multiflora, Erica scoparia, and Calluna vulgaris, collected from three different places in the north of Morocco. The phenolic composition of all extracts was determined by LC coupled with photodiode array and mass spectrometry detection. Among the investigated extracts, that of E. scoparia aerial parts was the richest one, with a total amount of polyphenols of 9528.93 mg/kg. Up to 59 phenolic compounds were detected: 52 were positively identified and 49 quantified—11 in C. vulgaris, 14 in E. multiflora, and 24 in E. scoparia. In terms of chemical classes, nine were phenolic acids and 43 were flavonoids, and among them, the majority belonged to the class of flavonols. The antioxidant activity of all extracts was investigated by three different in vitro methods, namely DPPH, reducing power, and Fe2+ chelating assays; E. scoparia aerial part extract was the most active, with an IC50 of 0.142 ± 0.014 mg/mL (DPPH test) and 1.898 ± 0.056 ASE/mL (reducing power assay). Further, all extracts were non-toxic against Artemia salina, thus indicating their potential safety. The findings attained in this work for such Moroccan Ericaceae species, never investigated so far, bring novelty to the field and show them to be valuable sources of phenolic compounds with interesting primary antioxidant properties.

Objective: An ethnobotanical study of medicinal and aromatic plants was conducted in the region of Al-Hoceima (Morocco) to contribute to the knowledge of medicinal species used in traditional phytotherapy by the local population. Methodology: Using 100 questionnaire sheets, a series of ethnobotanical surveys were carried out in the field during April and May 2019 among ordinary users of the plants. The ethnobotanical survey was carried out using a probability (random) sampling method. Results: The results of this study showed that foliage is the most used part (46%) and the majority of the remedies are prepared as an infusion (46%). Medicinal plants are often used to treat digestive diseases (19%) and 42% of these plants are cultivated. Conclusion: The surveys carried out made it possible to assemble information on medicinal and aromatic plants (the part used and the method of preparation) and on the profile of the informant (sex, age, academic level). Moreover, this study could have a great bibliographical value for scientific research in the fields of phytochemistry and pharmacology.