In this study, we investigated the influence of pedological parameters and variation of altitude ... more In this study, we investigated the influence of pedological parameters and variation of altitude on the mineral nutrients, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activities of olive leaves. Samples of the Chetoui cultivar were collected from eight geographical locations with different altitudes. Levels of phenolic compounds varied according to the altitude. Classification of the locations revealed that altitude 1 (>500 m) was characterized by high levels of secoiridoids and simple phenols, while altitude 2 (500–300 m) and altitude 3 (<300 m) were higher in flavonoids. Levels of Mn, Ca and B in the leaves and level of Zn in the soil were significantly correlated with the abundance of oleuropein and luteolin-7-O glucoside, the most important phenols in Chetoui olive leaves. The results suggest that, in addition to pedological criteria, environmental conditions also influence the formation of phenolic compounds.
Candida and dermatophyte infections are difficult to treat due to increasing antifungal drugs res... more Candida and dermatophyte infections are difficult to treat due to increasing antifungal drugs resistance such as fluconazole, as well as the emergence of multi-resistance in clinical bacteria. Here, we first synthesized silver nanoparticles using aqueous fruit extracts from Scabiosa atropurpurea subsp. maritima (L.). The characterization of the AgNPs by means of UV, XRD, FTIR, and TEM showed that the AgNPs had a uniform spherical shape with average sizes of 40–50 nm. The biosynthesized AgNPs showed high antioxidant activity when investigated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The AgNPs displayed strong antibacterial potential expressed by the maximum zone inhibition and the lowest MIC and MBC values. The AgNPs revealed a significant antifungal effect against the growth and biofilm of Candida species. In fact, the AgNPs were efficient against Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton interdigitale, and Microsporum canis. The antif...
Olive oil is rich in natural antioxidants that conserve its quality under storage conditions. How... more Olive oil is rich in natural antioxidants that conserve its quality under storage conditions. However, there is a growing need to improve the quality of olive oil under storage conditions using phenol-enriched olive oil. In the present study, olive oil from the Chemlali cultivar was enriched with wild olive tree leaves or oleaster. The oil composition was analyzed before and after accelerated storage conditions using a Schaal test. Standard oil parameters, including free acidity; peroxide value; iodine value; specific extinction K232 and K270; fatty acid profile, and polyphenolic, chlorophyll, and carotenoid content, were evaluated for the control olive oil (COO) and the enriched olive oil (EOO). Polyphenolic compounds were identified for COO, EOO, and oleaster leaf extracts (OLE) using high-performance liquid chromatography. Antioxidant activity was analyzed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2' azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) tests. The ...
There is a growing need to develop an effective process for improving the oxidative stability of ... more There is a growing need to develop an effective process for improving the oxidative stability of edible oils using natural antioxidants. Central composite design of experimental measurements was used to investigate the effects of three process variables (weight of dried powdered oleaster leaves, volume of olive oil, and maceration time) on olive oil enrichment with oleaster (wild olive trees) leaves. By solving the regression model equations and analyzing three-dimensional response surface plots, the optimum conditions were determined for the polyphenol, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents and for the antioxidant activity using 2, 2 diphenyil-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2, 2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assays. The optimal conditions were 7.76 g of dried powdered oleaster leaves, 116.44 mL of olive oil and 41.82 h for the maceration time. High polyphenols (354.95 mg/kg), chlorophylls (8.13 mg/kg) and carotenoids (1.51 mg/kg) were determined to be optimism. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that the enrichment process improved the phenolic profile of the enriched olive oil. Furthermore, the DPPH and ABTS activities were 427.30 and 738.50 mg TEAC/kg oil, respectively. The experimental measurements agreed with the predicted values. Oleaster leaves have great potential to be applied as natural sources of bioactive molecules for edible oil processing.
Few studies have reported the relationship between wild (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea var. sy... more Few studies have reported the relationship between wild (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea var. sylvestris) and cultivated (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea var. europaea) olive trees by using diverse markers. Herein, the amino and fatty acids composition of stones from wild and cultivated olives were assessed respectively using amino acids analyzer and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Stones of 24 Tunisian olive samples including twelve cultivated trees and twelve wild trees were obtained from olives harvested at ripe stage. Results showed that 17 amino acids (with eight essential amino acids) and 15 fatty acids (eight saturated and seven unsaturated) were detected in the both olive taxa. Statistically, significant differences among wild and cultivated stones were observed for amino and fatty acids contents. Based on the major fatty acids and the essential amino acids, multivariate analyses classified olive varieties into three groups showing a close relationship b...
La foret tunisienne d'Olivier s'etend du Nord au Sud et temoigne d'une richesse inoui... more La foret tunisienne d'Olivier s'etend du Nord au Sud et temoigne d'une richesse inouie de son patrimoine. Cependant, l'oleiculture du pays a ete presque axee ou quasi limitee a deux principales «varietes»: la Chetoui dans le Nord et la Chemlali dans le Centre et le Sud du pays. Dans le but de contribuer a l'evaluation des ressources genetiques de l'olivier tunisien, nous avons aborde une caracterisation pomologique et une etude de la composition en acides gras des huiles de 15 varietes d'Olivier prospectees «in situ» dans le Nord-Ouest de la Tunisie. L'etude pomologique a fait ressortir un polymorphisme important. En effet, certaines varietes se classent selon leurs ressemblances pomologiques dans deux groupes differents alors que les autres restent distinguees par leurs parametres en formant chacune une classe a part. En outre, la composition en acides gras des huiles des varietes etudiees montre une variation distinctive. Nous avons note que huit varietes presentent des huiles a composition lipidique qui repond totalement aux normes internationales de commercialisation (C.O.I., 1998).
Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences
In agricultural systems, biodiversity includes diversity within species and among species and pro... more In agricultural systems, biodiversity includes diversity within species and among species and provides many benefits for production, resilience and conservation. This article aims to study the diversity of Trigonella foenumgraecum L., an annual herb of Leguminosae with a worldwide distributed culture, among thirty eight local populations collected from different Tunisian regions. The variability analysis was based on morphological characters, compositions of minerals in leaves and vitamins in seeds, and molecular profile. Morphological parameters consisted of vegetative and reproductive characters. Mineral analysis concerned sodium, potassium, iron, calcium and magnesium leaves contents. The analyzed vitamins contents in seeds were B1, B9 and C vitamins and molecular study was carried out by ISSR technique. The structure of the studied populations was established by the principal compound analysis (PCA) and by the unweighted pair group method using arithmetic means (UPGMA). Both analyses based on the combination of morphological, chemical and biochemical parameters and on ISSR molecular study, presented a binary clustering of populations; but the one was different from the other. The combination of morphological, chemical and biochemical parameters allowed distinguishing the populations 2 and 4 of Menzel Temime, 11 of Mateur and 13 of Beja from the remaining populations. These four populations had the highest yields in biomass and seeds and, compared to the rest of populations, they were the best forages and seed producers. Molecular study showed that population 26 of Menzel Temime was genetically far away from the rest of studied fenugreek populations.
Barley "Ardhaoui" (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a local landraces cropped in southern Tunisia character... more Barley "Ardhaoui" (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a local landraces cropped in southern Tunisia characterized by its resistance to drought and salinity. Salt tolerance of barley changes according to the growth stages. In order to study the salinity tolerance of (Hordeum vulgare L.), fourteen barely accessions, were grown in soil and exposed to four salinity levels (5, 7, 13 and 20 dS/m). To evaluate its salt tolerance using multiple parameters, fourteen barley accessions from two regions in the southern Tunisia (costal and mountainous regions) were grown in soil and exposed to four salinity levels (5, 7, 13 and 20 dS/m). Plant growth parameter, total biomass at final harvest, straw yield and yield compound associated with salt tolerance during the different growth stages were determined. The results showed negative effects of salinity on the growth and the development of the barley. However, the salt sensitive accessions showed a greater reduction in tiller number (e.g. by about 80 %) than tolerant ones (e.g. by about 57 %) at 20 dS/m. These decrease on the growth of leaves, tillers and the aerial part constitute a strategy developed by the barely in vegetative phase to reduce the salt stress. Tiller and spikelet numbers were more affected by the salinity at 13 and 20 dS/m the different results showed significant correlation between the spikes numbers and the tiller number (r = 0.872). The salinity affected negatively these two parameters, which both initiate during early growth stages. So, the salinity has a greater influence on final grain yield than on yield components in the later stages. The studied parameters showed significant differences (p<0.05) between the barely accessions. The cluster analysis using agronomic parameters at all growth stage showed that the accessions "Ettalah" and "Elhezma" were ranked as the most tolerant to salinity. However, "Boughrara" and "Edwiret Elgdima" accessions were ranked as moderate and presented a change of their degree of tolerance with the different growth stage. The remaining accessions showed the lowest tolerance to salinity. A highest tolerance was observed on the accessions from plain zones compared at those of mountainous zones. The response differences between accessions of local population of barley "Ardhaoui" reflecting an important internal genetic variability against the salinity. This variability could be more explored and used for the barley breeding program.
Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR) were assayed to de... more Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR) were assayed to determine the genetic diversity of 80 barley specimens from South Tunisia. The ISSR primers showed variation in the percentage of polymorphism, band informativeness (Ib), and resolving power (Rp). The percentage of polymorphism is 66.67%, the average Ib ranged from 0.24 to 0.39, while Rp ranged from 0.74 to 1.16. In RAPD analysis, three primers yielded a total of 17 scorable bands, which are all polymorphic. The three polymorphic primers exhibited variation with regard to average band informativeness (AvIb) and resolving power (Rp). RAPD and ISSR marker systems were found to be useful for the genetic diversity among the barley specimens. The two dendrograms obtained through these markers show different clustering of 80 barely specimens, but we noted that some clusters were similar in some cases. A poor correlation () was found between both sets of genetic similarity data, suggesting that b...
Olive cultivars are diversified but nothing is known on their origins and if they are local or in... more Olive cultivars are diversified but nothing is known on their origins and if they are local or introduced in any regions. The study aims to determine which traits may help to identify native from introduced cultivars and oleaster trees. We compared cultivars and oleasters ...
Faba bean (Vicia fabaL.) is one of the most important legumes in the world. Little is known about... more Faba bean (Vicia fabaL.) is one of the most important legumes in the world. Little is known about the genetic resources of faba bean in Southern Tunisia. In the present study, genetic diversity within Tunisian faba bean germplasms was investigated using 16 simple sequence repeat markers. In total, 50 alleles were detected. The number of alleles per marker ranged from 2 to 6, with an average of 3. Genetic diversity and polymorphism information content values averaged, respectively, 0.43 (range 0.34–0.51) and 0.36 (range 0.28–0.43). The mean heterozygosity value was 0.27. A model-based structure analysis based on neighbour-joining tree and factorial correspondence analysis revealed the presence of two subpopulations, consistent with the clustering based on genetic distance (GD). The overallFisvalue was 0.36, indicating the importance of selfing in these populations. Analysis of molecular variance revealed that the within-population genetic variance component was much higher than the b...
Background: Oilseed samples from four Acacia species (A. cyclops, A. ligulata, A. salicina and A.... more Background: Oilseed samples from four Acacia species (A. cyclops, A. ligulata, A. salicina and A. cyanophylla) were analyzed in order to evaluate the potential nutritional value of their unexploited seeds. Methods: Samples were collected from different Tunisian geographic locations. Seed oils were extracted and carotenoids, tocopherols and sterols were analyzed using chromatographic methods. Results: The studied Acacia seeds seem to be quite rich in lipids (from 6% to 12%). All Acacia species contain mainly the xanthophylls zeaxanthin and lutein compounds: from ca. 38 mg.kg-1 of total lipids (A. cyclops) to ca. 113 mg.kg-1 of total lipids (A. cyanophylla). Total tocopherols varied from ca. 221 mg.kg-1 of total lipids (A. cyclops) to ca. 808 mg.kg-1 of total lipids (A. ligulata). Sterols are highly present and their contents ranged between ca. 7 g. kg-1 of total lipids (A. salicina) and 11 g. kg-1 of total lipids (A. cyclops). Conclusion: This study highlights that these unexploited seeds might have a potential nutritional value and encourages researchers to more explore and find developments for these plants for healthy purposes.
ABSTRACT This study describes the effect of some parameters on anther culture of barley to optimi... more ABSTRACT This study describes the effect of some parameters on anther culture of barley to optimize the plant regeneration condition of this species. The embryo formation and plant regeneration from anthers of three barley cultivars (‘Igri’, ‘Saida’ and ‘Libya’) were investigated. The effects of length of flag leaves, stage of microspore development, and pre-treatments (mannitol or cold pre-treatment) of anthers were investigated. Results showed significant responses. Anthers at the mid uninucleate to mid-late uninucleate stage gave the best anther culture response showing 80, 60, and 30% anther development in ‘Igri’, ‘Saida’ and ‘Libya’ barley cultivars, respectively. The use of mannitol (0.3 M) or 20 days cold pre-treatments showed the best results for embryo and green-plant production.
Medicinal plants contain high levels of natural antioxidants and exhibited strong antioxidant act... more Medicinal plants contain high levels of natural antioxidants and exhibited strong antioxidant activity. In order to find new sources of natural antioxidants, a screening of natural antioxidants from some Tunisian medicinal plants commonly associated with treatment of some diseases were conducted. The total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and hydrolysables tannins were measured, and the antioxidant capacities were evaluated using DPPH and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity assays. Results prove that there are important quantities of these compounds in Tunisian medicinal plants. A positive linear correlation between Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity and the phenolic compound contents suggested that these compounds were a major contributor of antioxidant activity of these plants. The results from this study will help us understand the antioxidant capacity profiles of these medicinal plants, and also investigate new sources of natural antioxidants.
Inonotus obliquus is a kind of mushroom which has long been used as a folk remedy for curing vari... more Inonotus obliquus is a kind of mushroom which has long been used as a folk remedy for curing various diseases such as cancers, heart disease and diabetes in Russian and Eastern Europe. Polysaccharides are one of the main bioactive constituents of Inonotus obliquus with health functions. Three drying methods, freeze drying, hot air drying and vacuum drying methods were comparatively
Genetic relationships were estimated among 25 germplasm belonging to Lawsonia inermis L. using RA... more Genetic relationships were estimated among 25 germplasm belonging to Lawsonia inermis L. using RAPD and ISSR markers. These markers were implemented in analyses of principal coordinates (PCO), unweighted pair group mean average (UPGMA). Results showed that the L. inermis L. germplasm divided on three groups based on RAPD data. However, using the ISSR data, all studied germplasm were grouped in one group which is divided on three subgroups , exception four germplasm. The overall mean genetic similarity based on ISSR data ranged from 0.1 to 0.83 and from 0.07 to 0.83 based on RAPD data. The PCO applied on 25 germplasm using ISSR markers showed three groups constituting the three subgroups obtained in dendrogram based on UPGMA method. Based on RAPD data, the PCO and dendrogram defined three groups; only one group seemed to be the same in the two applied analyses. The groups obtained based on ISSR and RAPD were independently from their geographical origin. Therefore the ISSR and RAPD molecular markers show two genetic grouping of L. inermis L. germplasm which would be as the first step to understand and to conserve these resources characterizing by genetic erosion in these localities.
The olive is widely cropped in Tunisia where also oleaster trees thrive all around orchards and i... more The olive is widely cropped in Tunisia where also oleaster trees thrive all around orchards and in natural sites. Little is known on the genetic relationships between the olive crop and oleaster trees in Tunisia. Fifty-two oleaster trees and fifteen cultivars were sampled from Tunisia. SSR genotyping was performed in polyacrylamide gels after fluorescent labeling. We used seven nuclear and two chloroplast SSR markers. AFC analyses showed close genetic relationships between cultivated and oleaster trees. Genetic relationships were also displayed in a dendrogram based on Unweighted Pair Group Method (UPGMA). Five clusters were defined mixing cultivar and oleaster trees suggesting close relationship between some cultivar and some oleaster trees. One oleaster is single in a cluster. The chlorotype SSR markers show probably three olive origins. Some cultivars have the CE chlorotype originates from the East of the Mediterranean basin, the CCK haplotype originates from Maghreb and the COM chlorotype originates from West Mediterranean. The cultivars were 1) introduced from the East; 2) selected in the West; 3) or selected in the North Africa region. The Tunisian oleaster trees carry eastern and western Mediterranean chlorotype CCK, COM and CE.
The aim of this work is to study the physico-chemical properties of dried tomatoes, variety Rio g... more The aim of this work is to study the physico-chemical properties of dried tomatoes, variety Rio grande using direct solar dryer (DSD), open-air sun drying (OASD) and microwave drying (MW) with three output powers density (1w/g; 2w/g; 3w/g) at different temperatures (57, 67°C). Radical scavenging activity of tomatoes extracts was investigated. Results indicated that drying tomatoes by microwave (3W/g; 67°C) is faster than open-air sun drying (OASD) and direct solar dryer (DSD). The studied parameters (moisture, pH, °Brix, total phenolics, total flavonoids, and carotenoids content) were significantly affected by different drying processes, with minimal effects on pH. The highest activity against the DPPH radical oxidation is investigated in methanolic extracts of tomatoes dried by direct solar dryer (DSD). Nevertheless, the highest ABTS value was observed in methanolic extracts of tomatoes dried by microwave (MW) with 3w/g at 57°C.
Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences
In agricultural systems, biodiversity includes diversity within species and among species and pro... more In agricultural systems, biodiversity includes diversity within species and among species and provides many benefits for production, resilience and conservation. This article aims to study the diversity of Trigonella foenumgraecum L., an annual herb of Leguminosae with a worldwide distributed culture, among thirty eight local populations collected from different Tunisian regions. The variability analysis was based on morphological characters, compositions of minerals in leaves and vitamins in seeds, and molecular profile. Morphological parameters consisted of vegetative and reproductive characters. Mineral analysis concerned sodium, potassium, iron, calcium and magnesium leaves contents. The analyzed vitamins contents in seeds were B1, B9 and C vitamins and molecular study was carried out by ISSR technique. The structure of the studied populations was established by the principal compound analysis (PCA) and by the unweighted pair group method using arithmetic means (UPGMA). Both analyses based on the combination of morphological, chemical and biochemical parameters and on ISSR molecular study, presented a binary clustering of populations; but the one was different from the other. The combination of morphological, chemical and biochemical parameters allowed distinguishing the populations 2 and 4 of Menzel Temime, 11 of Mateur and 13 of Beja from the remaining populations. These four populations had the highest yields in biomass and seeds and, compared to the rest of populations, they were the best forages and seed producers. Molecular study showed that population 26 of Menzel Temime was genetically far away from the rest of studied fenugreek populations. Pterocarpus marsupium Linn in normal and allxanized diabetic rats. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 79, 95-100. Vigouroux Y, Barnaud A, Scarcelli N, Thuillet AC. 2011. Biodiversity, evolution and adaptation of cultivated crops. Comptes Rendus Biologies 334, 450-7. Vinas P, Lopez Erroz C, Balsalobre N, Hernandez Cordoba M. 2003. Reversed-phase liquid chromatography on an amide stationary phase for the determination of the B group vitamins in baby foods. Journal of Chromatography A 10, 77-84.
The wild olive trees or oleaster (var. sylvestris) and the cultivated olive trees (var. europaea)... more The wild olive trees or oleaster (var. sylvestris) and the cultivated olive trees (var. europaea) constitute the two botanical varieties of Olea europaea L. from Mediterranean. In this study, a partial chemical profile was conducted including the total lipids, the fatty acid profiles, soluble proteins, polyphenols, flavanoids contents and antioxidants activities of stone from six oleaster trees. The comparison was made by two olive cultivars cultivated in the same region. The oleaster and cultivar stones were richer in oil content having an average of 8.99 and 7.38 % dry weight basis (DW), respectively. Qualitatively, all studied oils have the same fatty acids profile with the oleic acid C18:1n-9 as the major fatty acid. The oleaster stone oils were richer in monounsaturated fatty acids having an average of 64.87%. They, also, richer in protein content with an average of 198.86 mg/g DW.The globulin is the major fraction, followed by the albumin, the prolamin and the glutemin fractio...
In this study, we investigated the influence of pedological parameters and variation of altitude ... more In this study, we investigated the influence of pedological parameters and variation of altitude on the mineral nutrients, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activities of olive leaves. Samples of the Chetoui cultivar were collected from eight geographical locations with different altitudes. Levels of phenolic compounds varied according to the altitude. Classification of the locations revealed that altitude 1 (>500 m) was characterized by high levels of secoiridoids and simple phenols, while altitude 2 (500–300 m) and altitude 3 (<300 m) were higher in flavonoids. Levels of Mn, Ca and B in the leaves and level of Zn in the soil were significantly correlated with the abundance of oleuropein and luteolin-7-O glucoside, the most important phenols in Chetoui olive leaves. The results suggest that, in addition to pedological criteria, environmental conditions also influence the formation of phenolic compounds.
Candida and dermatophyte infections are difficult to treat due to increasing antifungal drugs res... more Candida and dermatophyte infections are difficult to treat due to increasing antifungal drugs resistance such as fluconazole, as well as the emergence of multi-resistance in clinical bacteria. Here, we first synthesized silver nanoparticles using aqueous fruit extracts from Scabiosa atropurpurea subsp. maritima (L.). The characterization of the AgNPs by means of UV, XRD, FTIR, and TEM showed that the AgNPs had a uniform spherical shape with average sizes of 40–50 nm. The biosynthesized AgNPs showed high antioxidant activity when investigated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The AgNPs displayed strong antibacterial potential expressed by the maximum zone inhibition and the lowest MIC and MBC values. The AgNPs revealed a significant antifungal effect against the growth and biofilm of Candida species. In fact, the AgNPs were efficient against Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton interdigitale, and Microsporum canis. The antif...
Olive oil is rich in natural antioxidants that conserve its quality under storage conditions. How... more Olive oil is rich in natural antioxidants that conserve its quality under storage conditions. However, there is a growing need to improve the quality of olive oil under storage conditions using phenol-enriched olive oil. In the present study, olive oil from the Chemlali cultivar was enriched with wild olive tree leaves or oleaster. The oil composition was analyzed before and after accelerated storage conditions using a Schaal test. Standard oil parameters, including free acidity; peroxide value; iodine value; specific extinction K232 and K270; fatty acid profile, and polyphenolic, chlorophyll, and carotenoid content, were evaluated for the control olive oil (COO) and the enriched olive oil (EOO). Polyphenolic compounds were identified for COO, EOO, and oleaster leaf extracts (OLE) using high-performance liquid chromatography. Antioxidant activity was analyzed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2' azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) tests. The ...
There is a growing need to develop an effective process for improving the oxidative stability of ... more There is a growing need to develop an effective process for improving the oxidative stability of edible oils using natural antioxidants. Central composite design of experimental measurements was used to investigate the effects of three process variables (weight of dried powdered oleaster leaves, volume of olive oil, and maceration time) on olive oil enrichment with oleaster (wild olive trees) leaves. By solving the regression model equations and analyzing three-dimensional response surface plots, the optimum conditions were determined for the polyphenol, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents and for the antioxidant activity using 2, 2 diphenyil-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2, 2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assays. The optimal conditions were 7.76 g of dried powdered oleaster leaves, 116.44 mL of olive oil and 41.82 h for the maceration time. High polyphenols (354.95 mg/kg), chlorophylls (8.13 mg/kg) and carotenoids (1.51 mg/kg) were determined to be optimism. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that the enrichment process improved the phenolic profile of the enriched olive oil. Furthermore, the DPPH and ABTS activities were 427.30 and 738.50 mg TEAC/kg oil, respectively. The experimental measurements agreed with the predicted values. Oleaster leaves have great potential to be applied as natural sources of bioactive molecules for edible oil processing.
Few studies have reported the relationship between wild (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea var. sy... more Few studies have reported the relationship between wild (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea var. sylvestris) and cultivated (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea var. europaea) olive trees by using diverse markers. Herein, the amino and fatty acids composition of stones from wild and cultivated olives were assessed respectively using amino acids analyzer and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Stones of 24 Tunisian olive samples including twelve cultivated trees and twelve wild trees were obtained from olives harvested at ripe stage. Results showed that 17 amino acids (with eight essential amino acids) and 15 fatty acids (eight saturated and seven unsaturated) were detected in the both olive taxa. Statistically, significant differences among wild and cultivated stones were observed for amino and fatty acids contents. Based on the major fatty acids and the essential amino acids, multivariate analyses classified olive varieties into three groups showing a close relationship b...
La foret tunisienne d'Olivier s'etend du Nord au Sud et temoigne d'une richesse inoui... more La foret tunisienne d'Olivier s'etend du Nord au Sud et temoigne d'une richesse inouie de son patrimoine. Cependant, l'oleiculture du pays a ete presque axee ou quasi limitee a deux principales «varietes»: la Chetoui dans le Nord et la Chemlali dans le Centre et le Sud du pays. Dans le but de contribuer a l'evaluation des ressources genetiques de l'olivier tunisien, nous avons aborde une caracterisation pomologique et une etude de la composition en acides gras des huiles de 15 varietes d'Olivier prospectees «in situ» dans le Nord-Ouest de la Tunisie. L'etude pomologique a fait ressortir un polymorphisme important. En effet, certaines varietes se classent selon leurs ressemblances pomologiques dans deux groupes differents alors que les autres restent distinguees par leurs parametres en formant chacune une classe a part. En outre, la composition en acides gras des huiles des varietes etudiees montre une variation distinctive. Nous avons note que huit varietes presentent des huiles a composition lipidique qui repond totalement aux normes internationales de commercialisation (C.O.I., 1998).
Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences
In agricultural systems, biodiversity includes diversity within species and among species and pro... more In agricultural systems, biodiversity includes diversity within species and among species and provides many benefits for production, resilience and conservation. This article aims to study the diversity of Trigonella foenumgraecum L., an annual herb of Leguminosae with a worldwide distributed culture, among thirty eight local populations collected from different Tunisian regions. The variability analysis was based on morphological characters, compositions of minerals in leaves and vitamins in seeds, and molecular profile. Morphological parameters consisted of vegetative and reproductive characters. Mineral analysis concerned sodium, potassium, iron, calcium and magnesium leaves contents. The analyzed vitamins contents in seeds were B1, B9 and C vitamins and molecular study was carried out by ISSR technique. The structure of the studied populations was established by the principal compound analysis (PCA) and by the unweighted pair group method using arithmetic means (UPGMA). Both analyses based on the combination of morphological, chemical and biochemical parameters and on ISSR molecular study, presented a binary clustering of populations; but the one was different from the other. The combination of morphological, chemical and biochemical parameters allowed distinguishing the populations 2 and 4 of Menzel Temime, 11 of Mateur and 13 of Beja from the remaining populations. These four populations had the highest yields in biomass and seeds and, compared to the rest of populations, they were the best forages and seed producers. Molecular study showed that population 26 of Menzel Temime was genetically far away from the rest of studied fenugreek populations.
Barley "Ardhaoui" (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a local landraces cropped in southern Tunisia character... more Barley "Ardhaoui" (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a local landraces cropped in southern Tunisia characterized by its resistance to drought and salinity. Salt tolerance of barley changes according to the growth stages. In order to study the salinity tolerance of (Hordeum vulgare L.), fourteen barely accessions, were grown in soil and exposed to four salinity levels (5, 7, 13 and 20 dS/m). To evaluate its salt tolerance using multiple parameters, fourteen barley accessions from two regions in the southern Tunisia (costal and mountainous regions) were grown in soil and exposed to four salinity levels (5, 7, 13 and 20 dS/m). Plant growth parameter, total biomass at final harvest, straw yield and yield compound associated with salt tolerance during the different growth stages were determined. The results showed negative effects of salinity on the growth and the development of the barley. However, the salt sensitive accessions showed a greater reduction in tiller number (e.g. by about 80 %) than tolerant ones (e.g. by about 57 %) at 20 dS/m. These decrease on the growth of leaves, tillers and the aerial part constitute a strategy developed by the barely in vegetative phase to reduce the salt stress. Tiller and spikelet numbers were more affected by the salinity at 13 and 20 dS/m the different results showed significant correlation between the spikes numbers and the tiller number (r = 0.872). The salinity affected negatively these two parameters, which both initiate during early growth stages. So, the salinity has a greater influence on final grain yield than on yield components in the later stages. The studied parameters showed significant differences (p<0.05) between the barely accessions. The cluster analysis using agronomic parameters at all growth stage showed that the accessions "Ettalah" and "Elhezma" were ranked as the most tolerant to salinity. However, "Boughrara" and "Edwiret Elgdima" accessions were ranked as moderate and presented a change of their degree of tolerance with the different growth stage. The remaining accessions showed the lowest tolerance to salinity. A highest tolerance was observed on the accessions from plain zones compared at those of mountainous zones. The response differences between accessions of local population of barley "Ardhaoui" reflecting an important internal genetic variability against the salinity. This variability could be more explored and used for the barley breeding program.
Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR) were assayed to de... more Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR) were assayed to determine the genetic diversity of 80 barley specimens from South Tunisia. The ISSR primers showed variation in the percentage of polymorphism, band informativeness (Ib), and resolving power (Rp). The percentage of polymorphism is 66.67%, the average Ib ranged from 0.24 to 0.39, while Rp ranged from 0.74 to 1.16. In RAPD analysis, three primers yielded a total of 17 scorable bands, which are all polymorphic. The three polymorphic primers exhibited variation with regard to average band informativeness (AvIb) and resolving power (Rp). RAPD and ISSR marker systems were found to be useful for the genetic diversity among the barley specimens. The two dendrograms obtained through these markers show different clustering of 80 barely specimens, but we noted that some clusters were similar in some cases. A poor correlation () was found between both sets of genetic similarity data, suggesting that b...
Olive cultivars are diversified but nothing is known on their origins and if they are local or in... more Olive cultivars are diversified but nothing is known on their origins and if they are local or introduced in any regions. The study aims to determine which traits may help to identify native from introduced cultivars and oleaster trees. We compared cultivars and oleasters ...
Faba bean (Vicia fabaL.) is one of the most important legumes in the world. Little is known about... more Faba bean (Vicia fabaL.) is one of the most important legumes in the world. Little is known about the genetic resources of faba bean in Southern Tunisia. In the present study, genetic diversity within Tunisian faba bean germplasms was investigated using 16 simple sequence repeat markers. In total, 50 alleles were detected. The number of alleles per marker ranged from 2 to 6, with an average of 3. Genetic diversity and polymorphism information content values averaged, respectively, 0.43 (range 0.34–0.51) and 0.36 (range 0.28–0.43). The mean heterozygosity value was 0.27. A model-based structure analysis based on neighbour-joining tree and factorial correspondence analysis revealed the presence of two subpopulations, consistent with the clustering based on genetic distance (GD). The overallFisvalue was 0.36, indicating the importance of selfing in these populations. Analysis of molecular variance revealed that the within-population genetic variance component was much higher than the b...
Background: Oilseed samples from four Acacia species (A. cyclops, A. ligulata, A. salicina and A.... more Background: Oilseed samples from four Acacia species (A. cyclops, A. ligulata, A. salicina and A. cyanophylla) were analyzed in order to evaluate the potential nutritional value of their unexploited seeds. Methods: Samples were collected from different Tunisian geographic locations. Seed oils were extracted and carotenoids, tocopherols and sterols were analyzed using chromatographic methods. Results: The studied Acacia seeds seem to be quite rich in lipids (from 6% to 12%). All Acacia species contain mainly the xanthophylls zeaxanthin and lutein compounds: from ca. 38 mg.kg-1 of total lipids (A. cyclops) to ca. 113 mg.kg-1 of total lipids (A. cyanophylla). Total tocopherols varied from ca. 221 mg.kg-1 of total lipids (A. cyclops) to ca. 808 mg.kg-1 of total lipids (A. ligulata). Sterols are highly present and their contents ranged between ca. 7 g. kg-1 of total lipids (A. salicina) and 11 g. kg-1 of total lipids (A. cyclops). Conclusion: This study highlights that these unexploited seeds might have a potential nutritional value and encourages researchers to more explore and find developments for these plants for healthy purposes.
ABSTRACT This study describes the effect of some parameters on anther culture of barley to optimi... more ABSTRACT This study describes the effect of some parameters on anther culture of barley to optimize the plant regeneration condition of this species. The embryo formation and plant regeneration from anthers of three barley cultivars (‘Igri’, ‘Saida’ and ‘Libya’) were investigated. The effects of length of flag leaves, stage of microspore development, and pre-treatments (mannitol or cold pre-treatment) of anthers were investigated. Results showed significant responses. Anthers at the mid uninucleate to mid-late uninucleate stage gave the best anther culture response showing 80, 60, and 30% anther development in ‘Igri’, ‘Saida’ and ‘Libya’ barley cultivars, respectively. The use of mannitol (0.3 M) or 20 days cold pre-treatments showed the best results for embryo and green-plant production.
Medicinal plants contain high levels of natural antioxidants and exhibited strong antioxidant act... more Medicinal plants contain high levels of natural antioxidants and exhibited strong antioxidant activity. In order to find new sources of natural antioxidants, a screening of natural antioxidants from some Tunisian medicinal plants commonly associated with treatment of some diseases were conducted. The total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and hydrolysables tannins were measured, and the antioxidant capacities were evaluated using DPPH and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity assays. Results prove that there are important quantities of these compounds in Tunisian medicinal plants. A positive linear correlation between Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity and the phenolic compound contents suggested that these compounds were a major contributor of antioxidant activity of these plants. The results from this study will help us understand the antioxidant capacity profiles of these medicinal plants, and also investigate new sources of natural antioxidants.
Inonotus obliquus is a kind of mushroom which has long been used as a folk remedy for curing vari... more Inonotus obliquus is a kind of mushroom which has long been used as a folk remedy for curing various diseases such as cancers, heart disease and diabetes in Russian and Eastern Europe. Polysaccharides are one of the main bioactive constituents of Inonotus obliquus with health functions. Three drying methods, freeze drying, hot air drying and vacuum drying methods were comparatively
Genetic relationships were estimated among 25 germplasm belonging to Lawsonia inermis L. using RA... more Genetic relationships were estimated among 25 germplasm belonging to Lawsonia inermis L. using RAPD and ISSR markers. These markers were implemented in analyses of principal coordinates (PCO), unweighted pair group mean average (UPGMA). Results showed that the L. inermis L. germplasm divided on three groups based on RAPD data. However, using the ISSR data, all studied germplasm were grouped in one group which is divided on three subgroups , exception four germplasm. The overall mean genetic similarity based on ISSR data ranged from 0.1 to 0.83 and from 0.07 to 0.83 based on RAPD data. The PCO applied on 25 germplasm using ISSR markers showed three groups constituting the three subgroups obtained in dendrogram based on UPGMA method. Based on RAPD data, the PCO and dendrogram defined three groups; only one group seemed to be the same in the two applied analyses. The groups obtained based on ISSR and RAPD were independently from their geographical origin. Therefore the ISSR and RAPD molecular markers show two genetic grouping of L. inermis L. germplasm which would be as the first step to understand and to conserve these resources characterizing by genetic erosion in these localities.
The olive is widely cropped in Tunisia where also oleaster trees thrive all around orchards and i... more The olive is widely cropped in Tunisia where also oleaster trees thrive all around orchards and in natural sites. Little is known on the genetic relationships between the olive crop and oleaster trees in Tunisia. Fifty-two oleaster trees and fifteen cultivars were sampled from Tunisia. SSR genotyping was performed in polyacrylamide gels after fluorescent labeling. We used seven nuclear and two chloroplast SSR markers. AFC analyses showed close genetic relationships between cultivated and oleaster trees. Genetic relationships were also displayed in a dendrogram based on Unweighted Pair Group Method (UPGMA). Five clusters were defined mixing cultivar and oleaster trees suggesting close relationship between some cultivar and some oleaster trees. One oleaster is single in a cluster. The chlorotype SSR markers show probably three olive origins. Some cultivars have the CE chlorotype originates from the East of the Mediterranean basin, the CCK haplotype originates from Maghreb and the COM chlorotype originates from West Mediterranean. The cultivars were 1) introduced from the East; 2) selected in the West; 3) or selected in the North Africa region. The Tunisian oleaster trees carry eastern and western Mediterranean chlorotype CCK, COM and CE.
The aim of this work is to study the physico-chemical properties of dried tomatoes, variety Rio g... more The aim of this work is to study the physico-chemical properties of dried tomatoes, variety Rio grande using direct solar dryer (DSD), open-air sun drying (OASD) and microwave drying (MW) with three output powers density (1w/g; 2w/g; 3w/g) at different temperatures (57, 67°C). Radical scavenging activity of tomatoes extracts was investigated. Results indicated that drying tomatoes by microwave (3W/g; 67°C) is faster than open-air sun drying (OASD) and direct solar dryer (DSD). The studied parameters (moisture, pH, °Brix, total phenolics, total flavonoids, and carotenoids content) were significantly affected by different drying processes, with minimal effects on pH. The highest activity against the DPPH radical oxidation is investigated in methanolic extracts of tomatoes dried by direct solar dryer (DSD). Nevertheless, the highest ABTS value was observed in methanolic extracts of tomatoes dried by microwave (MW) with 3w/g at 57°C.
Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences
In agricultural systems, biodiversity includes diversity within species and among species and pro... more In agricultural systems, biodiversity includes diversity within species and among species and provides many benefits for production, resilience and conservation. This article aims to study the diversity of Trigonella foenumgraecum L., an annual herb of Leguminosae with a worldwide distributed culture, among thirty eight local populations collected from different Tunisian regions. The variability analysis was based on morphological characters, compositions of minerals in leaves and vitamins in seeds, and molecular profile. Morphological parameters consisted of vegetative and reproductive characters. Mineral analysis concerned sodium, potassium, iron, calcium and magnesium leaves contents. The analyzed vitamins contents in seeds were B1, B9 and C vitamins and molecular study was carried out by ISSR technique. The structure of the studied populations was established by the principal compound analysis (PCA) and by the unweighted pair group method using arithmetic means (UPGMA). Both analyses based on the combination of morphological, chemical and biochemical parameters and on ISSR molecular study, presented a binary clustering of populations; but the one was different from the other. The combination of morphological, chemical and biochemical parameters allowed distinguishing the populations 2 and 4 of Menzel Temime, 11 of Mateur and 13 of Beja from the remaining populations. These four populations had the highest yields in biomass and seeds and, compared to the rest of populations, they were the best forages and seed producers. Molecular study showed that population 26 of Menzel Temime was genetically far away from the rest of studied fenugreek populations. Pterocarpus marsupium Linn in normal and allxanized diabetic rats. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 79, 95-100. Vigouroux Y, Barnaud A, Scarcelli N, Thuillet AC. 2011. Biodiversity, evolution and adaptation of cultivated crops. Comptes Rendus Biologies 334, 450-7. Vinas P, Lopez Erroz C, Balsalobre N, Hernandez Cordoba M. 2003. Reversed-phase liquid chromatography on an amide stationary phase for the determination of the B group vitamins in baby foods. Journal of Chromatography A 10, 77-84.
The wild olive trees or oleaster (var. sylvestris) and the cultivated olive trees (var. europaea)... more The wild olive trees or oleaster (var. sylvestris) and the cultivated olive trees (var. europaea) constitute the two botanical varieties of Olea europaea L. from Mediterranean. In this study, a partial chemical profile was conducted including the total lipids, the fatty acid profiles, soluble proteins, polyphenols, flavanoids contents and antioxidants activities of stone from six oleaster trees. The comparison was made by two olive cultivars cultivated in the same region. The oleaster and cultivar stones were richer in oil content having an average of 8.99 and 7.38 % dry weight basis (DW), respectively. Qualitatively, all studied oils have the same fatty acids profile with the oleic acid C18:1n-9 as the major fatty acid. The oleaster stone oils were richer in monounsaturated fatty acids having an average of 64.87%. They, also, richer in protein content with an average of 198.86 mg/g DW.The globulin is the major fraction, followed by the albumin, the prolamin and the glutemin fractio...
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