Beneficial Microorganisms as Bioprotectants against Foliar Diseases of Cereals: A Review.

Cereal production plays a major role in both animal and human diets throughout the world. However, cereal crops are vulnerable to attacks by fungal pathogens on the foliage, disrupting their biological cycle and photosynthesis, which can reduce yields by 15-20% or even 60%. Consumers are concerned about the excessive use of synthetic pesticides given their harmful effects on human health and the environment. As a result, the search for alternative solutions to protect crops has attracted the interest of scientists around the world. Among these solutions, biological control using beneficial microorganisms has taken on considerable importance, and several biological control agents (BCAs) have been studied, including species belonging to the genera Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Streptomyces, Trichoderma, Cladosporium, and Epicoccum, most of which include plants of growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs). Bacillus has proved to be a broad-spectrum agent against these leaf cereal diseases. Interaction between plant and beneficial agents occurs as direct mycoparasitism or hyperparasitism by a mixed pathway via the secretion of lytic enzymes, growth enzymes, and antibiotics, or by an indirect interaction involving competition for nutrients or space and the induction of host resistance (systemic acquired resistance (SAR) or induced systemic resistance (ISR) pathway). We mainly demonstrate the role of BCAs in the defense against fungal diseases of cereal leaves. To enhance a solution-based crop protection approach, it is also important to understand the mechanism of action of BCAs/molecules/plants. Research in the field of preventing cereal diseases is still ongoing.

Impact of Pretreatment and Drying Factors on Chemical and Biochemical Attributes of Moroccan Thompson Seedless Grapes.

Drying is a common technique in the agrifood industry, but insufficient control in the drying process can result in changes to the fruit's appearance due to physiological damage during processing. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of pretreatment and drying process parameters on Moroccan raisins' quality and safety. The experimental levels of pretreatment factors (blanching, browning agents) and drying temperature were defined at the beginning. Subsequently, a 24-factorial design was employed to provide a simple and reliable model capable of relating directly the response factor (drying time, color intensity change (E∗), chromaticity (C∗), and browning rate) to the variables (NaOH concentration, antibrowning agent concentration, temperature, and relative humidity). All four parameters had a statistically considerable effect on studied responses. Blanching for 5 minutes at 1% of NaOH solution, using an appropriate concentration of antibrowning agent (5% Na2S2O5), and drying at 70°C with 30% of relative moisture can lead to better preservation of grapes' appearance and quality (chromaticity (C∗) and color change (E∗)). Also, in these conditions, a lower browning rate (14.48%), a lower 5-hydroxymethylfurfural content (12.40 mg/100 g DW), and a higher level of polyphenols (135.79 ± 13.17 mg GAE/100 g DW) and flavonoid content (57.81 ± 3.08 mg Qeq/100 g DW) have been recorded while meeting international standards for SO2 content and microbial quality.

Genetic Mapping for QTL Associated with Seed Nickel and Molybdenum Accumulation in the Soybean 'Forrest' by 'Williams 82' RIL Population.

Understanding the genetic basis of seed Ni and Mo is essential. Since soybean is a major crop in the world and a major source for nutrients, including Ni and Mo, the objective of the current research was to map genetic regions (quantitative trait loci, QTL) linked to Ni and Mo concentrations in soybean seed. A recombinant inbred line (RIL) population was derived from a cross between 'Forrest' and 'Williams 82' (F × W82). A total of 306 lines was used for genotyping using 5405 single nucleotides polymorphism (SNP) markers using Infinium SNP6K BeadChips. A two-year experiment was conducted and included the parents and the RIL population. One experiment was conducted in 2018 in North Carolina (NC), and the second experiment was conducted in Illinois in 2020 (IL). Logarithm of the odds (LOD) of ≥2.5 was set as a threshold to report identified QTL using the composite interval mapping (CIM) method. A wide range of Ni and Mo concentrations among RILs was observed. A total of four QTL (qNi-01, qNi-02, and qNi-03 on Chr 2, 8, and 9, respectively, in 2018, and qNi-01 on Chr 20 in 2020) was identified for seed Ni. All these QTL were significantly (LOD threshold > 2.5) associated with seed Ni, with LOD scores ranging between 2.71-3.44, and with phenotypic variance ranging from 4.48-6.97%. A total of three QTL for Mo (qMo-01, qMo-02, and qMo-03 on Chr 1, 3, 17, respectively) was identified in 2018, and four QTL (qMo-01, qMo-02, qMo-03, and qMo-04, on Chr 5, 11, 14, and 16, respectively) were identified in 2020. Some of the current QTL had high LOD and significantly contributed to the phenotypic variance for the trait. For example, in 2018, Mo QTL qMo-01 on Chr 1 had LOD of 7.8, explaining a phenotypic variance of 41.17%, and qMo-03 on Chr 17 had LOD of 5.33, with phenotypic variance explained of 41.49%. In addition, one Mo QTL (qMo-03 on Chr 14) had LOD of 9.77, explaining 51.57% of phenotypic variance related to the trait, and another Mo QTL (qMo-04 on Chr 16) had LOD of 7.62 and explained 49.95% of phenotypic variance. None of the QTL identified here were identified twice across locations/years. Based on a search of the available literature and of SoyBase, the four QTL for Ni, identified on Chr 2, 8, 9, and 20, and the five QTL associated with Mo, identified on Chr 1, 17, 11, 14, and 16, are novel and not previously reported. This research contributes new insights into the genetic mapping of Ni and Mo, and provides valuable QTL and molecular markers that can potentially assist in selecting Ni and Mo levels in soybean seeds.

In silico comparative genomic analysis unravels a new candidate protein arsenal specifically associated with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis pathogenesis.

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp albedinis (Foa) is a devastating fungus of date palms. To unravel the genetic characteristics associated with its pathogenesis, the two available genomes of Foa 133 and Foa 9 were compared with 49 genomes of 29 other pathogenic formae speciales belonging to Fusarium oxysporum species complex (FOSC). Foa 133 and Foa 9 have genomes of 56.23 Mb and 65.56 Mb with 17460 and 19514 putative coding genes. Of these genes, 30% lack functional annotation with no similarity to characterized proteins. The remaining genes were involved in pathways essential to the fungi's life and their adaptation. Foa secretome analysis revealed that both Foa strains possess an expanded number of secreted effectors (3003 in Foa 133 and 2418 in Foa 9). Those include effectors encoded by Foa unique genes that are involved in Foa penetration (Egh16-like family), host defense mechanisms suppression (lysM family) and pathogen protection (cysteine-rich protein family). The accessory protein SIX6, which induces plant cell death, was also predicted in Foa. Further analysis of secreted CAZymes revealed an arsenal of enzymes involved in plant cell wall degradation. This arsenal includes an exclusively Foa-specific CAZyme (GH5-7). Transcription factors and membrane transporters (MFS) involved in fungicide efflux have been predicted in Foa, in addition to a variety of secondary metabolites. These comprise mycotoxins as well as chrysogin, the latter provides Foa with resistance against adverse environmental conditions. Our results revealed new Foa proteins that could be targeted in future research in order to manage Bayoud disease.

Organic Honey from the Middle Atlas of Morocco: Physicochemical Parameters, Antioxidant Properties, Pollen Spectra, and Sugar Profiles.

This work aimed to characterize and compare the physicochemical, ascorbic acid, phenolic, and flavonoid compounds, as well as the antioxidant properties, pollen spectra, and sugar profiles of twenty-three organic honeys produced in the Middle Atlas of Morocco. As results, the pollen analysis showed 22 taxa and revealed the dominance of Ziziphus lotus pollens for all monofloral honeys. The moisture content ranged from 15.9 to 19.0%, pH values werebetween 3.9 and 4.8, electrical conductivity varied from 100 to 581 µs/cm, ash content varied from 0.1 to 2.4%, and the invertase activity ranged from 3.5 to 36 U/kg. Moreover, hydroxymethylfurfural(HMF) varied from 1.2 to 13.5 mg/kg, which confirmed the freshness of our honey samples. For the sugar profiles, there were no significant differences between the examined groups of honeys (p > 0.05) for both fructose and glucose. Additionally, our study showed good antioxidant properties (total antioxidant activity ranged from 34.18 to 131.20 mg AAE/g; DPPH IC50 values ranged from 8.14 to 45.20 mg/mL; ABTS IC50 values ranged from 8.19 to 32.76 mg/mL) and high amounts of phenolic compounds ranging between 20.92 ± 0.03 and 155.89 ± 0.03 mg GAE/100 g, respectively; flavonoid compounds ranged from 5.52 to 20.69 mg QE/100 g, and ascorbic acid ranged from 8.01 to 23.26 mg/100 g. Overall, the proximate composition and the general characterization of organic monofloral and polyfloral honeys as sustainable and health-promising functional products may increase their commercial values, promote their marketability, and might have a significant impact on the basic circular/sustainable economy as a solid lever for solidarity economic development, especially in the rural/poor Moroccan communities. The investigated features may allow and support the incorporation of Moroccan organic honeys and their biovaluable ingredients in the nutraceutical and food industries for multiple purposes.

Exploring the genetic and phenotypic diversity within and between onion (Allium cepa L.) ecotypes in Morocco.

BACKGROUND: Gaining insight into crop diversity, both at the genetic and phenotypic levels, is of prime importance for onion breeding with an enhanced yield and quality in combination with improved resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. In the current study, 192 different onion plants, representing 16 ecotypes, were characterized using ISSR markers. RESULTS: Based on the ISSR marker profile, there was a clear grouping of the plants into 16 different ecotypes. Though the 16 populations originated from the same geographic region in Morocco, a significant genetic diversity was detected. After a genomic characterization, field trials in three different environments in Morocco were laid out. The phenotypic characterization showed that there were always significant differences between ecotypes, and for most traits, there was also a significant environmental effect and a significant interaction between environment and ecotype. The broad-sense heritability (H2) for the phenotypic traits associated with color (L*, a*, and b*) was the largest (84.2%, 80.6%, 79.2%), demonstrating that color is conditioned primarily by genetic factors. In contrast, the H2 for yield was the lowest (41.8%), indicating that the environment has a substantial effect on yield. In addition, there was a significant association between the presence/absence of certain bands and various phenotypic traits. CONCLUSION: ISSR markers are a powerful tool in distinguishing onion ecotypes. In addition, significant associations between marker scores and phenotypic traits could be detected, representing particular importance for future breeding programs.

QTL and Candidate Genes for Seed Tocopherol Content in 'Forrest' by 'Williams 82' Recombinant Inbred Line (RIL) Population of Soybean.

Soybean seeds are rich in secondary metabolites which are beneficial for human health, including tocopherols. Tocopherols play an important role in human and animal nutrition thanks to their antioxidant activity. In this study, the 'Forrest' by 'Williams 82' (F×W82) recombinant inbred line (RIL) population (n = 306) was used to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for seed α-tocopherol, ß-tocopherol, δ -tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, and total tocopherol contents in Carbondale, IL over two years. Also, the identification of the candidate genes involved in soybean tocopherols biosynthetic pathway was performed. A total of 32 QTL controlling various seed tocopherol contents have been identified and mapped on Chrs. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 16, 17, and 20. One major and novel QTL was identified on Chr. 6 with an R2 of 27.8, 9.9, and 6.9 for δ-tocopherol, α-tocopherol, and total tocopherol content, respectively. Reverse BLAST analysis of the genes that were identified in Arabidopsis allowed the identification of 37 genes involved in soybean tocopherol pathway, among which 11 were located close to the identified QTLs. The tocopherol cyclase gene (TC) Glyma.06G084100 is located close to the QTLs controlling δ-tocopherol (R2 = 27.8), α-tocopherol (R2 = 9.96), and total-tocopherol (R2 = 6.95). The geranylgeranyl diphosphate reductase (GGDR) Glyma.05G026200 gene is located close to a QTL controlling total tocopherol content in soybean (R2 = 4.42). The two methylphytylbenzoquinol methyltransferase (MPBQ-MT) candidate genes Glyma.02G002000 and Glyma.02G143700 are located close to a QTL controlling δ-tocopherol content (R2 = 3.57). The two γ-tocopherol methyltransferase (γ-TMT) genes, Glyma.12G014200 and Glyma.12G014300, are located close to QTLs controlling (γ+ß) tocopherol content (R2 = 8.86) and total tocopherol (R2 = 5.94). The identified tocopherol seed QTLs and candidate genes will be beneficial in breeding programs to develop soybean cultivars with high tocopherol contents.

Preventive planning against mercury over-exposure among Moroccan dentists using multidimensional statistical methods.

BACKGROUND: Mercury used in dental amalgams constitutes a significant source of chronic exposure to this heavy metal among dentists. Thus, the safety of dental amalgam remains a controversial issue despite its long history of use. In Morocco, most studies about dental mercury were mainly focused on the environmental risk related to the management of mercury-contaminated waste. OBJECTIVE: In order to evaluate the occupational exposure to mercury among liberal dentists practicing in two Moroccan regions, a multidimensional statistical approach was used to analyze the collected data. The main objective was to help establishing a targeted prevention plan aiming to reduce the mercury exposure among Moroccan dentists. METHODS: Fifteen variables from 146 dentists were elected for a three-step classification procedure: a multiple correspondence analysis followed by a hierarchical ascendant clustering consolidated by the k-Means algorithm. RESULTS: Three homogenous clusters were identified. The most important one includes 57.5% of the population as well as the majority of the risky factors. The characterization of these clusters allows proposing concise guidelines for a targeted preventive plan. CONCLUSIONS: A real mercurial risk has been observed in the studied population. However, its impact on health as well as the efficiency of simple preventive recommendations remains to be unveiled.

Characterization of the Biochemical Potential of Moroccan Onions (Allium cepa L.).

Allium cepa L. remains the most cultivated Allium species in Morocco and around the world. With the purpose of making the first biochemical characterization of Moroccan onions, several biochemical components have been measured in eleven onion ecotypes. Onions were collected as seeds from different geographical origins and cultivated in the same environment, to eliminate the influence of the environment on biochemical expression. Moisture, total phenols, flavonoids, antioxidant activity, total and reducing sugars, and sulfur dioxide were the biochemical properties of interest. Except for moisture, the eleven onion ecotypes revealed a highly significant variation in terms of the studied biochemical characters. The total phenol and flavonoid content ranged from 5.94 to 11.22 mg equivalent gallic acid/g dry weight and 0.67 to 1.52 mg equivalent quercetin/g dry weight, respectively. The antioxidant activity of the studied onions showed a strong correlation with the polyphenols (R 2 = 0.7189), especially with the flavonoids (R 2 = 0.8063). The sulfur dioxide content parted from 85.60 to 30.43 ppm when measured using the Monier-Williams distillation method. The current results show that there is no correlation between total sugars and reducing sugars. In conclusion, these findings present a clear biochemical profile of Moroccan onion ecotypes, as well as confirm, for the first time, the presence of a clear variation between the biochemical profiles of Moroccan onion ecotypes, which could be useful for future valorization programs.

Inheritance of dwarfism and narrow lobed-leaf in two rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) mutant lines.

There is a need for dwarf and narrow lobed-leaves rapeseed cultivars to reduce transpiration under drought prone areas. A dwarf mutant line 'H2M-1' and a mutant with reduced lobed-leaf 'H2M-2' were developed. To exploit these mutated traits properly in an effective breeding program, one should understand their mode of inheritance. There are conflicting findings for plant dwarfism and limited studies for leaf size in mutant genetic backgrounds. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the inheritance of dwarfism and narrow lobed-leaf mutated traits. Plants of the wild-type variety 'INRA-CZH2' were reciprocally crossed with plants of the line 'H2M-1' and plants of the line 'H2M-2'. A genetic study was conducted by analyzing segregation of mutated traits in F1, F2 and BC1F1 generations. The results revealed that two recessive genes with dominant epistasis action controlled the heredity of plant height in the dwarf line, whereas only a single recessive gene is involved in determining reduced lobed-leaf in the line H2M-2. Thus, there is a possibility to easily and quickly transfer these characters into rapeseed breeding germplasm or varieties towards the development of suitable cultivars for areas marked by increasing drought stress.

The Soybean High Density 'Forrest' by 'Williams 82' SNP-Based Genetic Linkage Map Identifies QTL and Candidate Genes for Seed Isoflavone Content.

Isoflavones are secondary metabolites that are abundant in soybean and other legume seeds providing health and nutrition benefits for both humans and animals. The objectives of this study were to construct a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based genetic linkage map using the 'Forrest' by 'Williams 82' (F×W82) recombinant inbred line (RIL) population (n = 306); map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for seed daidzein, genistein, glycitein, and total isoflavone contents in two environments over two years (NC-2018 and IL-2020); identify candidate genes for seed isoflavone. The FXW82 SNP-based map was composed of 2075 SNPs and covered 4029.9 cM. A total of 27 QTL that control various seed isoflavone traits have been identified and mapped on chromosomes (Chrs.) 2, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 19, and 20 in both NC-2018 (13 QTL) and IL-2020 (14 QTL). The six QTL regions on Chrs. 2, 4, 5, 12, 15, and 19 are novel regions while the other 21 QTL have been identified by other studies using different biparental mapping populations or genome-wide association studies (GWAS). A total of 130 candidate genes involved in isoflavone biosynthetic pathways have been identified on all 20 Chrs. And among them 16 have been identified and located within or close to the QTL identified in this study. Moreover, transcripts from four genes (Glyma.10G058200, Glyma.06G143000, Glyma.06G137100, and Glyma.06G137300) were highly abundant in Forrest and Williams 82 seeds. The identified QTL and four candidate genes will be useful in breeding programs to develop soybean cultivars with high beneficial isoflavone contents.

Modeling Subjective Symptoms Related to Micro-Hydrargyrism in a Population of Moroccan Dentists.

BACKGROUND: The ability of mercury to deposit throughout the body and alter a wide range of molecular and cellular pathways results in a polymorphic and complex clinical phenotype with over 250 possible symptoms. However, some of them are recurrently cited as evoking chronic mercury poisoning. In this light, dentists users of dental amalgams are chronically exposed to mercury so that in-depth epidemiological investigations and adapted statistical methods are required to highlight adverse effects of this exposure. METHODS: In order to study the health impact of the occupational mercury exposure in a population of liberal dentists practicing in two Moroccan regions, a list of eighteen subjective symptoms commonly associated with micro-hydrargyrism was drawn up. Then, seven statisctical models adapted to count data were fitted. Finally, three methods were used to compare their relative performance in order to choose the most appropriate one. RESULTS: The adopted logical path, from the response variable selection till models' comparison, led us to lean towards quasi-Poisson regression as the best way to predict the number of symptoms declared by dentists according to mercury exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Interpretation of the selected model allowed us to conclude that the reduction of dental amalgam use allows the reduction of subjective symptoms related to mercury exposure.

Chemical diversity of essential oils from Asteriscus graveolens (Forssk.) less.: identification of cis-8-Acetoxychrysanthenyl acetate as a new natural component.

Asteriscus graveolens is an endemic medicinal plant mainly distributed in south-western Algeria and south-eastern Morocco. The essential oils of leaves, stems, and flowers of A. graveolens had been studied by GC, GC/MS, and (13) C-NMR. The spectral data of two nerolidol derivatives, 6-oxo- and 6-hydroxycyclonerolidol, were reassigned by 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy. These compounds can be considered as chemical markers of this genus. The structure of a monoterpenic diester with a chrysanthenane skeleton, i.e., cis-8-acetoxychrysanthenyl acetate, was determined for the first time on the basis of GC/MS, and 1D- and 2D-NMR. The stem and leaf oils were characterized by high content of oxygenated sesquiterpenes with 6-oxo- and 6-hydroxycyclonerolidol as major components, and the flower essential oils were dominated by the new monoterpenic compound cis-8-acetoxychrysanthenyl acetate.

Antifungal activity of essential oil from Asteriscus graveolens against postharvest phytopathogenic fungi in apples.

The essential oils of the aerial parts of Asteriscus graveolens have been studied using GC and GC-MS. Twenty-eight compounds were identified in the essential oil amounting to 94.9% of the total oil. The aerial part oils showed similar chromatographic profiles and were characterized by having a high content of oxygenated sesquiterpenes with 6-oxocyclonerolidol (66.7% +/- 5.5) and 6-hydroxycyclonerolidol (8.8% +/-1.2) as the major components. The antifungal effect of the essential oil from A. graveolens leaves was evaluated in vitro against three phytopathogenic fungi of apples (Alternaria sp., Penicillium expansum, and Rhizopus stolonifer). The results suggest that this essential oil has fungicidal properties towards Alternaria sp. from direct contact assay at 0.2% (v/v) and to P. expansum from vapor assay tests at 80 microL.