Kamel Hessini

• PhD
• Professor at Taif University

Widespread plant species exhibit considerable intraspecific variation due to phenotypic plasticity and genetic adaptation. Portulaca oleracea, a ubiquitous invasive annual C4 weed, poses a challenge to agriculture worldwide. Its resilience to climate change, demonstrated by its ability to tolerate extreme temperatures and high salinity, suggests an...

The infusion of olive oil with aromatic and medicinal plants, an age-old tradition, has garnered renewed attention in contemporary times due to its potential to enhance both flavor and health properties. This study focuses on optimizing Chétoui olive oil by enriching it with Punica granatum peel through ultrasound-assisted maceration and D-optimal...

The osmotic dehydration of orange fruit slices in sucrose and prickly pear molasses was studied in order to examine the changes in total mass loss, water loss, and solid gain as well as physical properties (dry matter content, total soluble solid and color parameters) during this process. The contents of total phenolics, ascorbic acid, and sugars,...

The antifungal properties of Tetraclinis articulata essential oil (EO) have shown considerable promise for use as a natural fungicide in agriculture, yet its practical application is limited by its inherent volatility and sensitivity to external conditions. This study aimed to explore the potential of T. articulata EO as a sustainable biofungicide...

In this study, we evaluated the impact of air pollution caused by the cement dust on the biochemical response of castor by measuring chlorophylls, carotenoids, antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds, fatty acid composition, etc. Our results indicated that cement pollution induced a lipid peroxidation in castor leaves as estimated by the increased...

The study assessed the physiological parameters in leaves and the morphological/pomological traits in fruits of six fig cultivars (Ficus carica L.) – Sawoudi, Bayoudhi, Mlouki, Assal, Zidi, and Mozai – which grow in the arid climate of the Gafsa oasis (in the center of Tunisia). These cultivars are distinguished by different peel colors ranging fro...

This study comprehensively characterizes alfa fibers, focusing on their chemical and elemental compositions, granulometry, morphology, and mechanical properties, with a specific emphasis on their seasonal variation. The research site in Sbeïtla, Tunisia, is situated in a semi-arid bioclimatic stage with a unique ecosystem dominated by the alfa plan...

Silicon (Si) is not deemed sensu stricto as an essential nutrient for higher plants, but it is known for its positive impact under environmental stress conditions. The present study hypothesizes that the addition of silicon (Si) could alleviate cadmium (Cd) toxicity and reduce its accumulation in sea barley. Twenty-day-old plants were hydroponicall...

This study investigated the variability of antioxidant and antibacterial activities of essential oil (EO) from geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) aerial parts, collected from four Tunisian regions. The highest EO yield was obtained in Korba, followed by Beja, Tozeur and Sfax. In all regions, geranium EO was rich in oxygenated monoterpenes mainly due...

Comprehending the variability in the chemical composition of olive oil from the same olive variety, based on its geographical origin, is essential. This study investigated the chemical composition of Chétoui olive oils from thirteen mills located in Northern Tunisia's Béja region. The chemical composition of olive oil exhibits substantial regional...

Using green synthesis methods to produce halophytic nanoparticles presents a promising and cost-effective approach for enhancing plant growth in saline environments, offering agricultural resilience as an alternative to traditional chemical methods. This study focuses on synthesizing zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles derived from the halophyte Withani...

Plants are highly sensitive to various environmental stresses, which can hinder their growth and reduce yields. In this study, we investigated the potential of seed priming with salicylic acid (SA), gibberellic acid (GA3), and sodium chloride (NaCl) to mitigate the adverse effects of salinity stress in Hordeum vulgare at the germination and early s...

The proteins containing the domain of unknown functions (DUFs) have significant roles in stress response and the growth of plants. A comprehensive genome-wide analysis and expression profiling of DUF599 was conducted to identify their roles in potato growth and response to stressed conditions. A total of nine DUF599 genes were identified, located o...

Cross-tolerance to abiotic stresses is a typical phenomenon in plants which occurs when exposure to one form of stress confers tolerance to a variety of stresses. Our study aims at investigating whether salinity priming could induce, after a recovery period (2 months), drought tolerance in olive cv. Chétoui. Here, our results revealed that this met...

Iron (Fe) is a vital nutrient for the development of many plants. Therefore, enhancing plant performance and production in relation to Fe deficiency is becoming a serious challenge. In this work, we intended to survey the effect of seed pretreatment with salicylic acid (SA) on oxidative status, phenolic composition, and related antioxidant activiti...

In Tunisia, the oak forest is essentially restricted to the north-west (Kroumirie and Mogods), which is the wettest zone of the country. It forms ecosystems of great ecological and socio-economic interest. This is a significant source of income for local population. In addition, it contributes to soil conservation and is home to a rich and diversif...

Growth stimulating bacteria help remediate dry arid soil and plant stress. Here, Pseudomonas sp. and Pantoea sp. we used to study the stress ecology of Hordeum vulgare and the environmental impact of water deficit on soil characteristics, growth, photosynthesis apparatus, mineral acquisition and antioxidiant defense. Plants inoculated with Pseudomo...

Six varieties of Tunisian durum wheat, barley and oat cultivars namely Maali, Karim, Rihane, Manel, Meliane and Ghzella were analyzed for their physicochemical properties, antioxidant activities and phenolic acids profile. Results showed that there are significant (p < 0.05) differences in moisture (11.8-12.8%), proteins (10.98-12.09%), neutral det...

Microalgae and their metabolites can be influenced by their environment, effects that can be investigated in a laboratory by modifying the composition of the cultivation medium. In this study, pH was varied around (4-10), temperature (10-45 °C), and sodium nitrate (0-5 g/L) concentration to assess the performance of Chlorella sp. and Oedogonium sp....

Olive oil mill wastewater (OMW) is a major waste stream generated in olive oil industry. It is highly polluted due to phenolic compounds. The present study focused on the physicochemical properties of OMW as well as the quantitative and qualitative effects of two extraction methods of phenolic compounds which were liquid–liquid and maceration metho...

The aim of this comparative research was to determine the chemical composition, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the methanolic extracts and essential oils (EOs) of Artemisia absinthium aerial parts from five different regions (Bizerte, Zaghouan, Kasserine, Gabes and Tozeur). The polyphenol and flavonoid contents significantly varied (P...

This work aimed to determine the essential oil composition and their biological activities of four local medicinal plant species (Pinus halepensis, Tetraclinis articulata, Juniperus phoenicea and Juniperus oxycedrus) widely planted in the same geographical site. Essential oil isolation was isolated using hydrodistillation and the chemical compositi...

With the provoked environmental constraints under extreme climatic events, a better understanding of plant responses to these environmental stresses helps in obtaining sustainable productivity. Wheat is a significant cereal crop for the burgeoning population; its yield is significantly limited by too little water in the rhizosphere. The ramificatio...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s12298-022-01140-4.].

This study aimed to determine the chemical compositions and the biological activity of coriander and lavender and their combinations. Results showed that coriander and lavender essential oils (EOs) were dominated by oxygenated monoterpenes (79.91-91.89%) owing to the predominance of linalool (25.83-86.63%). Lavender EO had the potent antioxidant (I...

Purpose Olive oil mill wastewater (OMW) is a major waste stream from the olive oil industry. It is highly polluted due to phenolic compounds. The present study focused on the physicochemical properties of OMW as well as the quantitative and qualitative effects of two methods of extraction (maceration and liquid-liquid extraction) of phenolic compou...

Drought affects plant growth and yield in many agricultural areas worldwide by producing negative water potentials in the root zone that reduce water availability, affecting plant development and metabolism. This study investigated the effect of varying moisture regimes (100% field capacity (FC), well-watered plants, 50% FC (moderate water stress),...

This study aimed to rigorously investigate and integrate the underlying hypothesis that an enhancing effect of gibberellic acid (GA3, 3 µM) with increased growth actually leads to a modification of the physiological role of polyamines during salinity stress (NaCl, 100 mM) in fennel. These analyses concern both reserve tissues (cotyledons) and embry...

Simple Summary Damask rose is one of the most important aromatic plants that is being used in the perfume, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. However, the short blooming period leads to a reduced oil quantity and quality; therefore, preserving the flower shelf life is a crucial step in maintaining the economic viability of this crop. This rese...

Plant biostimulants (BIOs) have been identified as among the best agricultural practices over the past few decades. Ginger extract (GE) and fulvic acid (FA) are a new family of multifunctional BIOs that positively affect development processes in plants. However, the underlying mechanisms that influence these development processes are still unknown....

The genus Brachypodium is generally considered taxonomically difficult because of the high levels of phenotypic variation and frequent hybridization between its species. In this study, the patterns of genetic variation of 180 lines of B. distachyon (B. distachyon, B Stacei and B. hybridum) collected from diverse regions in Tunisia were investigated...

Sodium tolerance and nitrogen-source preferences are two of the most fascinating and ecologically important areas in plant physiology. Spartina alterniflora is a highly salt-tolerant species and appears to prefer ammonium (NH4⁺) over nitrate (NO3⁻) as an inorganic N source, presenting a suite of aboveground physiological and biochemical mechanisms...

Chromium (Cr) is a serious environmental contaminant that drastically limited the crop yields. Nitric oxide (NO) and spermine (Spm) portrayal significance in improving the plant tolerance against abiotic stresses. Therefore, we investigate the protective efficacy of seed priming with NO (100 μM) and/or Spm (0.01 mM) in minimising the Cr-induced tox...

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-021-02370-0

Trace metal pollution is increasing worldwide due to human activities. In this study, we investigated the physiological and biochemical effects of heavy metals on henna plants (Lawsonia inermis L.) grown in oases situated at various distances from an industrial complex in arid southern Tunisia. Our results showed that leaves had higher mean Zn and...

The aim of this research was to investigate the variation regarding the chemical composition and biological activities of needles essential oils (EOs) of P. halepensis. Chemical profiles demonstrated a significant (P < 0.05) variability among the different EOs. The main identified compounds were caryophyllene (48.77 ± 2.26), phenyl isovalerate (22....

Citation: Tammar, S.; Salem, N.; Aidi Wannes, W.; Limam, H.; Bourgou, S.; Fares, N.; Dakhlaoui, S.; Hammami, M.; Khammassi, S.; Re, G.D.; et al. Chemometric Profiling and Bioactivity of Verbena (Aloysia citrodora) Abstract: This research aimed to study the chemical composition of Aloysia citrodora methanolic extract and its biological activities as...

Depending on the geochemical forms, heavy metal (HM) accumulation is one of the most serious environmental problems in the world and poses negative impacts on soil, plants, animals, and humans. Although the use of biochar to remediate contaminated soils is well known, the huge quantities of waste used and its recycling technique to sustain soil in...

The design of the current study was to determine the functional properties of P. maritimum seeds by evaluating their mineral content, fatty acid composition, and biactive compounds. Results showed that seeds contained remarkable amounts of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn, and Fe. The oil yield was found to be 4.58% and contained higher unsaturated fatty acid...

Natural populations of plants may express plastic response, evolve local adaptation, or combine both mechanisms to enhance their genetic variation. Here, 79 lines from Tunisian Brachypodium hybridum populations were cultivated in two contrasting phosphorus (P) availability levels, and their genetic variation was investigated using forage quality tr...

In the present study, we examined the impact of three seed priming agents; H2O2, GA3 and NaCl on the oxidative stress status in primed seed germination dynamics and growth establishment of cauliflower seedlings subsequently grown under salt stress. Results showed beneficial effect of all priming agents in improving plant responses to salinity. Howe...

Water scarcity is a major concern for sunflower production in the semi-arid and arid regions of the world. Potassium (K) application has been found effective to alleviate the influence of drought stress; however, the impact of drought stress on seed quality of sunflower has not been reported frequently. Therefore, a field experiment was performed t...

Pyrenophora teres causes one of the most destructive barley diseases in semi-arid production areas worldwide. With the burgeoning issue of soil salinization, this study focused on the effect of salt in combination with temperature and light on growth of P. teres and the response of barley to the pathogen. The growth of four isolates of P. teres (Pt...

Improvement in salinity tolerance of plants is of immense significance as salt stress particularly threatens the productivity of agricultural crops. This study was designed to assess the tolerance level of six Brassica napus varieties (Super, Sandal, Faisal, CON-111, AC Excel and Punjab) under different levels of salinity (0, 50, 100, 150 & 200mM)...

Nitrogen (N) is an indispensable mineral nutrient for plant growth and development. Proper nitrogen (N) management, in terms of quality and availability, can increase plant productivity and reduce soil N losses. This study investigated the impact of N availability (form and dose) on the growth, water relations, and nitrogen status and assimilation...

Peanut (Arachis hypogea L.) is an important nut crop extensively grown in rainfed regions of Pakistan. The crop requires low inputs; thus, could grow successfully under diverse environmental conditions. Due to pegging ability, peanut grows aggressively in sandy and sandy-loam soils. However, it has not introduced to Thal region of southern Punjab,...

Mismanagement of crop straw and coal gas residue threatens the atmosphere and the economy. Nevertheless, thermal-pyrolysis is an option for management that turns bio-waste into biochar; its viability and adoption by the public as soil amendments is dependent on the agronomic and environmental values compared between biochar and the raw materials. W...

In the present study, ameliorative capabilities of wuxal amino (bio stimulant) under salt stress has been investigated through adaptive mechanisms and antioxidant potential in tomato plants. In the experiment , two different concentrations (2 cm L-1 and 3 cm L-1) of wuxal amino through foliar application and soil irrigation were applied to the salt...

Citrullus lanatus L. is critical vegetable for salinity stress. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and silicon treatments are known to help as bio-ameliorator of saline soils that can improve salinity tolerance in plants. But their combined effect has never been examined on watermelon therefore, present study investigated the effect of inoculation...

Cadmium is a highly mobile toxic heavy metal and a serious hazard to the biosphere. We studied uptake, accumulation and elimination of cadmium in a soil - faba bean - aphid - ladybird food chain. The soil in the study was amended with Cd at concentrations 0, 5, 10, 20 and, 30 mg kg⁻¹ (w/w). We noted significant Cd transfer in a dose-dependent manne...

Crude oil contamination is a serious environmental threat to soil and plants growing in it. Biochar has the potential of biostimulation for remediation of crude oil-contaminated soil. Therefore, the current research was designed to analyze the bio-stimulatory impact of biochar for remediating the crude oil contaminated soil (10%, and 15%), and grow...

Hordeum maritimum With. is a wild salt tolerant cereal present in the saline depressions of the Eastern Tunisia, where it significantly contributes to the annual biomass production. In a previous study on shoot tissues it was shown that this species withstands with high salinity at the seedling stage restricting the sodium entry into shoot and modu...

The rose of Taif (Rosa damascena) is a medicinal and aromatic plant, is the most widely used species for production in the perfume industry and regarded as an important Taif economical product in Saudi Arabia. It is characterized by drought and therefore an accumulation of saline levels in soil which is regarded as the major limitation to the devel...

Drought and salinity are the most serious environmental factors affecting crop productivity worldwide; hence, it is important to select and develop both salt-and drought-tolerant crops. The perennial smooth cordgrass Spartina alterniflora Loisel is unusual in that it is highly salt-tolerant and seems to prefer ammonium (NH 4 +) over nitrate (NO 3 −...

With the depletion in arable land due to climate change, the use of naturally salt‐tolerant species to provide forage resources in arid and saline environments has become an emerging strategy. This study surveyed and determined the nutritive value of selected Tunisian vegetative species for use in Mediterranean saline environments. Eighteen wild sp...

The response of Damask rose to drought and the underlying mechanisms involved are not known. In this study, vegetative, propagated rose plants were grown under control and water-deficit conditions in a greenhouse at Taïf University, south-west of Saudi Arabia. Control plants were irrigated to field capacity (FC), while water-stressed plants were ir...

To enhance crop productivity and minimize the harmful effects of various environmental stresses, such as salinity and drought, farmers often use mineral fertilizers. However, inadequate or excessive fertilization can reduce plant growth and nutritive quality and contribute to soil degradation and environmental pollution. This study investigated the...

Hordeum maritimum With. (= H. marinum Huds. subsp. marinum, 2n = 14) is a wild cereal present in the saline depressions of the Soliman and Kelbia Sebkhas, which contributes significantly to annual biomass production in Tunisia. This species is able to tolerate high NaCl concentrations at the seedling stage without showing symptoms of toxicity; howe...

Supplementary Material Hordeum vulgare and Hordeum maritimum respond to extended salinity stress displaying different temporal accumulation pattern of metabolites

Salinity and phosphorus (P) deficiency are important environmental factors that decrease plant growth and productivity throughout the world. These two stresses frequently coexist in calcareous salt-affected soils. To better understand how plants adapt to these combined stresses, we investigated the interactive effects of salinity and P availability...

Fungi are key actors in controlling primary productivity. Depending on the fungal functional group, they may promote or decrease plant productivity. It is consensual that arbuscular mycorrhizal and some endophytic fungi contribute to promote plant productivity and defense against phytopathogenic organisms, includ- ing fungi. However, there is not m...

Description of the subject. Drought is one of the major abiotic factors affecting growth and productivity of plants by imposing certain morphological, physiological and biochemical changes at different growth stages. Objectives. The objective of this work is to study key morphological, physiological and biochemical responses of faba bean (Vicia fab...

The C4 grass Spartina alterniflora is known for its unique salt tolerance and strong preference for ammonium (NH4⁺) as a nitrogen (N) source. We here examined whether Spartina’s unique preference for NH4⁺ results in improved performance under drought stress. Manipulative greenhouse experiments were carried out to measure the effects of variable wat...

In this study, we investigated variation for tolerance to water deficit in 47 lines of Medicago truncatula Gaertn., M. ciliaris (L.) All., and M. polymorpha L. collected from different ecogeographic regions in Tunisia. Plants were cultivated in the greenhouse under 100 and 30% of field capacity and they were harvested at the flowering stage. Ninete...

Sixty two rhizospheric and endophytic bacterial strains were evaluated for their biocontrol effect on two aggressive Fusarium culmorum isolates (Fc2 and Fc3). We observed that 35 % and 23 % of the tested strains inhibited the in vitro growth of Fc2 and Fc3 respectively. The observed antagonism was due to inhibition by contact (13–19 % of the strain...

In the present study,we evaluated the behavior of 21 Tunisian barley landraces under salt stress. The evaluation was performed using 14 morphological and physiological traits at vegetative growth stage under severe salt stress (200 and 250 mM). A multivariate analysis was used in order to select the genotypes with contrasting behavior towards salin...

Drought is a major factor limiting crop production worldwide. Barley is a well-adapted cereal that is largely grown on dry marginal land where water and salinity are the most prevalent environmental stresses. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of drought stress and subsequent recovery on growth, photosynthetic activity, water rel...

The chenopod Beta macrocarpa Guss (wild Swiss chard) is known for its salt tolerance, but the mechanisms involved are still debated. In order to elucidate the processes involved, we grew wild Swiss chard exposed to three salinity levels (0, 100 and 200 mM NaCl) for 45 days, and determined several physiological parameters at the end of this time. Al...

Little is known about the ability of cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) to recover from salt stress. In a pot experiment, barley plants (cultivar Lamsi) were treated with up to 200 mM NaCl for 0, 15, 30, 45 or 60 d. Plants were collected at the end of each of these salt-treatment periods and at grain maturity. Plant growth, leaf organic and ino...

Four halophytes from El Oued (Atriplex halimus L., Sueda mollis, Tamarix aphylla, Zygophyllum album) which are preferentially grazed by camels and hay vetch-oats, a reference control substrate, were analyzed to determine their nutritional value for camels. Our study is based on the precise chemical characterization of plants and the evaluation of t...

Little is known about the ability of cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) to recover from salt stress. In a pot experiment, barley plants (cultivar Lamsi) were treated with up to 200 mM NaCl for 0, 15, 30, 45 or 60 d. Plants were collected at the end of each of these salt-treatment periods and at grain maturity. Plant growth, leaf organic and ino...

Atriplex (Halimione) portulacoides is a halophyte with potential interest for saline soil reclamation and phytoremediation. Here, we assess the impact of salinity reaching up to two-fold seawater concentration (0–1000 mM NaCl) on the plant growth, leaf water status and ion uptake and we evaluate the contribution of inorganic and organic solutes to...

Rhizoctonia solani reduces quality and yield of potato crops in the south of Tunisia and has become an impediment for potatoes export. The lack of studies on the pathogen prompted us to characterize the growth capacity at different temperatures, the aggressiveness, the host specificity and the sensitivity to the fungicides fludioxonil, pencycuron a...

Water deficit is one of the main factors limiting the productivity of legumes in the Mediterranean basin. Medicago truncatula has been chosen as a model for legumes because of the many advantages it has. This work aims to analyze the variability of photosynthetic capacity under water deficit in a set of parental lines of the populations of recombin...

AbstRAct The progressive salinization of arable lands at a rate of 3 ha min –1 worldwide is a major concern for agricultural crop production. The future of crop improvement to resist or tolerate environmental stresses requires selecting halophytes that will produce high yield and profit. A halophyte, Sulla carnosa (Hedysarum carnosum Desf.), collec...

Background and aims The effects of salt stress on the salt marsh halophyte Spartina alterniflora have been well documented. However, plant responses to combined salinity and ammonium toxicity and the underlying mechanisms are relatively unknown. The aim of the present investigation was to study the effects of both salinity (0, 200 and 500 mM NaCl)...

Seed proteins extracted from Tunisian pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita maxima) were investigated for their solubility properties and sequentially extracted according to the Osborne procedure. The solubility of pumpkin proteins from seed flour was greatly influenced by pH changes and ionic strength, with higher values in the alkaline pH regions. It also dep...

As halophytes grow vigorously in saline soils, they serve as extraordinary resources for the identification and development of new crop systems. Understanding the mechanisms of tolerance of halophytes to salinity in combination with other co-occurring constraints such as drought, flooding, heavy metals and nutrient deficiencies, would facilitate ef...