Mohamed Neffati

• Arid Regions Institute

Brassica tournefortii Gouan, commonly known (Aslooz) in Tunisia, is an annual plant, native to the North Africa and Middle East. Brassica species are used as food, their young leaves can be cooked, providing nutrients and health-giving phytochemicals such as phenolic compounds, polyphenols and carotenoids. Phytochemical composition and bioactivity...

The short-term fencing effects on vegetation in dryland landscape depressions are analyzed and the economic performance of grazing-only and integrated grazing with cropping in regard to land capital are compared. The goal is to suggest efficient strategic choices and more profitable land allocation of lowlands in dry areas. To analyze the vegetatio...

The effects of Terfezia boudieri supplementation in the range from 1 to 5% in wheat bread were evaluated in order to obtain a nutritionally increased product. The truffle powder used to enrich the bread showed relatively high levels of soluble dietary fiber (SDF, 0.435 mgÁg À1 DW), insoluble dietary fiber (IDF, 0.149 mgÁg À1 DW) and also a signific...

Revegetation of marginalised rangelands using pastoral halophytes is considered an appropriate scientific and environmental approach to rehabilitation. Atriplex halimus L. (Amaranthaceae), A. mollis Desf. (Amaranthaceae), Cenchrus ciliaris L. (Poaceae) and Lotus creticus L. (Fabaceae) are promising species for arid rangeland rehabilitation, because...

Plants have been seen to possess the potential to be excellent biological matrices to serve as a basis for investigating the presence of promising therapeutic agents for cancer treatment. Several successful anti-cancer medicines-or their analogues-nowadays in use are plant derived and many more are under clinical trials. Under current circumstances...

The Australian genus Reddellomyces comprises several closely related symbiotic ascomycetes with chambered gleba (solid ptychothecium), ornamented ascospores and cylindrical paraphyses that are sometimes difficult to identify based on morphological aspects. Several Reddellomyces species are spread with their Australian host plants (Eucalyptus and Ac...

Jujube (Ziziphus lotus L.) fruit has multiple functional properties and represents an interesting source of bioactive compounds. The purpose of this study was to improve the functionality and the sensory properties of sponge cake enriched with Z. lotus fruit. The polyphenols and flavonoids levels in the sponge cake and its antioxidant potential inc...

In this work, we investigated the chromosome number and genome size of two Mediterranean Amaranthaceae species, namely Atriplex mollis from southern Tunisia and A. lanfrancoi (formerly Cremnophyton lanfrancoi) from Malta. The two species were found to be diploid (2n = 18) for all examined populations. This result is different from that previously r...

The fruits of Rhus tripartita had recently attracted great attention due to its notable therapeutic effects. Their potential effects are attributed to the richness of diverse classes of secondary metabolites. The objective of this research was to access the determination of chemical composition and antioxidant properties of R. tripartita fruit extr...

We examined whether the acetylenic fatty acids 6-octadecynoic acid (6-ODA) and 9-octadecynoic acid (9-ODA) perform as ligands for free fatty acid receptors of medium- and long-chain fatty acids FFAR1 and FFAR4, previously called GPR40 and GPR120, respectively. Phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-1/2 was increased through...

Allium roseum is an important medicinal and aromatic plant, specific to the North African flora and a rich source of important nutrients and bioactive molecules including flavonoids and organosulfur compounds whose biological activities and pharmacological properties are well known. In the present study, the inhibition of amyloid beta protein toxic...

Recently, much attention has been paid to the extracts obtained from plant species in order to analyse their biological activities. Due to the climate diversity in Tunisia, the traditional pharmacopoeia consists of a wide arsenal of medicinal plant species since long used in folk medicine, in foods as spices, and in aromatherapy. Although many of t...

The patterns of germination responses of Atriplex mollis seeds reveal species-specific tolerances and represents the adaptive strategies of species to stressful environments. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report about germination patterns of A. mollis providing basic information for its conservation and reintroduction into degrade...

Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Willd., known as Christ's thorn jujube, is a multipurpose species of the Rhamnaceae family. Seedlings were subjected to various NaCl concentrations (0 to 200 mM) for 21 d. They grew well under control conditions, however, biomass production and relative growth rate decreased with increasing NaCl salinity. This decline in...

Ephedra alata is a medicinal plant with a long history of traditional use for its bronchodilator, anti-asthmatic and cytotoxic effects. In this work, we develop a sensitive and validate LC-ESI/MS method to simultaneously identify and quantify 33 standard phenolic compounds in E. alata methanol (MeOH) crude extract and its derived fractions (Dichlor...

Recently, much attention has been paid to the extracts obtained from plant species in order to analyse their biological activities. Due to the climate diversity in Tunisia, the traditional pharmacopoeia consists of a wide arsenal of medicinal plant species since long used in folk medicine, in foods as spices, and in aromatherapy. Although many of t...

Atriplex mollis Desf. (Amaranthaceae), a North African endemic halophytic species, is further described in this study. Phylogenetic analysis based on a combined dataset of ITS and ETS rDNA and atpB-rbcL and trnK cpDNA showed that A. mollis is closely related to the Malta- and Gozo-endemic Cremnophyton lanfrancoi Brullo & Pavone. Given this close ph...

Poursuivant notre contribution à l'étude biologique et chimique de plantes à huiles essentielles poussant en Tunisie, nous avons choisi la plante Allium roseum de la famille des Liliacées. Cette plante n'ayant fait l'objet d'aucune étude chimique antérieure compte parmi les quatre espèces du même genre (Allium) poussant, entre autres, en Tunisie et...

Aim of this study was to investigate the effect of water shortage in wild jujube plants, Ziziphus lotus (L.) Lam, and how it is related to its ecological success. All leaf anatomical traits were significantly affected following soil drying. Stressed plants displayed more negative stem water potential (ψw) and osmotic potential values of ca. -3.5 an...

Allium roseum L., a spontaneous comestible species in North Africa, presented a nutraceutical potential in terms of essential nutrients and phytonutrients responsible for health benefits. In the present study, growth parameters, soluble sugars, principal secondary metabolites contents (total polyphenols, vitamin C) and their antioxidant properties...

The present study was designed to evaluate the anti-stress effects of the ethanol extracts of five medicinal plants from Southern part of Tunisia, traditionally used in folk medicine: Cymbopogon schoenanthus Spreng. (CSEE), Crithmum maritimum L. (CMEE), Arthrophytum scoparium (Pomel) ll'jin (ASEE), Artemisia herba-alba Asso. (AHEE), and Rhanterium...

Retama raetam (Forssk Webb; Fabaceae) is a xerophytic shrub that is distributed from northern to southern Tunisia and which is of interest for medical use and for revegetation. To quantify seed germination responses of R. raetam to temperature (T) and water potential (ψ), and to determine cardinal Ts, a hydrothermal time model (HTT) was used. The e...

Background: Mood disorder accounts for 13 % of global disease burden. And while therapeutic agents are available, usually orally administered, most have unwanted side effects, and thus making the inhalation of essential oils (EOs) an attractive alternative therapy. Rosmarinus officinalis EO (ROEO), Mediterranean ROEO reported to improve cognition,...

The current study was carried out to check the influence of the gradient saline (0, 50, 150, 200, 250 and 300 mM NaCl) on Astragalus gombiformis Pomel. plants grown in pots in greenhouse conditions. The results demonstrated that salt levels above 50 mM substantially reduced the biomass accumulation in both roots and especially in shoots. Similarly,...

In order to provide more information about phytochemical composition of Tunisian Ephedra alata known for their medicinal uses, fatty acids, volatile compounds and alkaloids have been analyzed in fresh or dry plant materials whether powdered or not. Extraction was performed with hexane and ethanol in soxhlet extractor and all extracts were analyzed...

Allium is the largest and the most important representative genus of the Alliaceae family. For many centuries, several Allium species have been used as vegetables and spices, and as folk medicines for curing various diseases. Besides the well-known garlic and onion, other species are either, widely cultivated for culinary use, such as leek, scallio...

Tunisian has a high diversity of plants as a result of the variation in topography climate and edaphic conditions of the country. Among these plants several aromatic and medicinal species are traditionally used in folk medicines to treat and/or manage common ailments. Some others species are used in foods as spices and/or in aromatherapy. The prese...

Natural substances of plant origin, have been used by man from the very early times of civilizations. Traditional Medicine (TM), a heritage of Africa, is still servicing approx. 80% of the population of this huge continent comprizing 55 countries, 800 languages and an unmeasurable wealth of plant diversity. The continent with a varied flora of an e...

The genus Daucus includes about 20 recognized species worldwide. Northern Africa represents a major center of diversity of Daucus, with Tunisia containing at least 12 species and six subspecies. We assessed morphological diversity from a Daucus L. germplasm collection of 103 accessions at the National Gene Bank of Tunisia. Previous investigation sh...

Use of plant extracts, alone or combined to the current chemotherapy as chemosensitizers, has emerged as a promising strategy to overcome tumor drug resistance. Here, we investigated the anticancer activity of Allium roseum L. extracts, a wild edible species in North Africa, on human Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) K562 cells. The dehydrated aqueous...

In dry areas, natural plant communities are mainly affected by climatic stress and human disturbances – overgrazing, plowing, and biomass harvesting – that accelerate their degradation. Management techniques, including creation of national parks (fencing), are needed to conserve natural resources/biodiversity. The long-term effects of protection on...

Plant biomass is usually assumed to be positively correlated with canopy cover. Measurements of canopy cover can now be easily and precisely made through image processing of high-resolution digital photography. This study aims to determine rapid, accurate and non-destructive ecological measurements of the aboveground biomass of selected plant speci...

The present study aims to analyze the habitat selection of the Scimitar horned oryx, reintroduced in Bouhedma National Park (south Tunisia) and to identify the phytoecological factors affecting their occurrence during winter 2011 and spring 2012. Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) performed by SAS package revealed that the vegetation is not...

Essential oils (EO) from fresh and dry aerial parts of Pituranthos chloranthus (Benth.) Hook and Pituranthos tortuosus (Coss.) Maire were isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC/MS. The main constituents of the EO obtained from fresh herb of P. chloranthus were found to be α-pinene, sabinene, cis-ocimene and myrcene. In dry biomass, a sign...

Allium ampeloprasum (L.) is a spontaneous biennial bulbous plant widespread across landscapes in the Mediterranean area, and has the potential to be used as a vegetable. Physiological and biochemical performance of this threatened vegetable was analyzed to investigate possible responses of sulphur (S) fertilization and how these relate to both ecol...

Actual physiognomy of natural vegetation communities in southern Tunisia results from long dynamic during many decades. Besides the influence of climatic instability, human pressure greatly amplified the degradation process of the vegetation cover. This study aims to show the evolution of the natural vegetation in the governorate of Medenine betwee...

The present study was designed to study the effect of drought on several physiological and biochemical parameters three-month-old Astragalus gombiformis Pomel. plants, submitted to water deficit (5, 10, 15, and 20 days of withheld irrigation). The results show that water deficit treatments reduced the biomass accumulation (DM) in both organs parts...

Crithmum maritimum L., a species original from France and cultivated in Tunisia arid zones. In this study, we interested to the chemical composition and biological activities of essential oils from different parts of Crithmum maritimum L.,. Theses oils were isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The antioxidant activity was eva...

Periploca angustifolia (Apocynaceae) is a multipurpose shrub widely distributed in arid and semi-arid Tunisian regions. Local people often use this laticiferous shrub us a fodder for their livestock and consume the dried latex as a pleasant taste chewing. This study aims to identify laticifers distribution in vegetative and reproductive organs of P...

Stipa lagascae R. & Sch. (perennial bunchgrass) is one of the most promising steppic species for arid and desert lands of Tunisia. The present study was designed to study the effect of drought on root and leaf anatomy, water relationship, and the growth of three- month-old S. lagascae plants, submitted to water deficit (5, 10, 15, 20, 30 days of wi...

El Ouara natural region (southern dry area of Tunisia) is characterized by harsh climatic conditions (high temperature, low rainfall, etc). It is the preferred destination of many herds disturbing local ecosystems and loosing many palatable plant species. These climatic stresses and human disturbances affect the local natural vegetation communities...

Seeds of Helianthemum kahiricum have an excellent germination rate extending to about 90% within short time not more than four days after scarification (mechanical treatment) and a good protocol of disinfection. A high frequency of sprouting and shoot differentiation was observed in the primary cultures of nodal explants of H. kahiricum on Murashig...

Allium roseum leaves were found to be rich in polyphenols and flavonoids and had high antioxidant activity. Allium roseum leaves thermo-physical characterization shows that the increase in water activity and the decrease in temperature significantly augment the equilibrium water content of Allium roseum leaves. A significant difference between deso...

Arid and semi-arid rangelands face increasing climate variability and grazing pressure as the world's demand for food increases. ICARDA is promoting drought-tolerant species as a crucial means of assisting rangeland rehabilitation efforts, helping to conserve rapidly-depleting water resources and maintain grazing at sustainable levels. The result:...

Arid and semi-arid rangelands face increasing climate variability and grazing pressure as the world's demand for food increases. ICARDA is introducing drought-tolerant species as a crucial means of assisting rangeland rehabilitation efforts, helping to conserve rapidly-depleting water resources and maintain grazing at sustainable levels. The result...

Arid and semi-arid rangelands face increasing climate variability and grazing pressure as the world's demand for food increases. ICARDA is promoting drought-tolerant shrub and grass species as a crucial means of assisting rangeland rehabilitation efforts, helping to conserve rapidly-depleting water resources, and maintain grazing at sustainable lev...

The foliage of woody plants, Artemisia herba alba (ART), Eucalyptus globulus (EUC), Pistacia lentiscus (PIS), Rosmarinus officinalis (ROS) and Thymus capitatus (THY), growing in central Tunisia was analysed for contents of nutrients and phytocompounds, including essential oils (EOs) and tannins. PIS and THY were highest in neutral detergent fibre a...

Natural products play a dominant role in the discovery of leads for the development of drugs for the treatment of human disease. Moreover, the international demand for medicinal plants is currently increasing, because of their accessibility and affordable costs and the growing recognition that they have fewer side effects. North African region has...

Most Calligonum species are desert plants, characteristic of the Saharan bioclimatic region. All species karyologically analyzed until present have the basic chromosome number x = 9 and comprise diploids, triploids and tetraploids. The Tunisian flora comprises diploid Calligonum arich and C. azel, of restricted distribution, and the tetraploid C. c...

Aims Seeds of Henophyton deserti (Brassicaceae), an endemic saharan shrub in south Tunisia, produce a pectinaceousmucilage layer that can imbibe a large amount of water when wetted. The aim of this study was to explore the role of mucilage in seed germination of this shrub under heterogeneous stressful environments. Methods Germination of both int...

This study was conducted to elucidate the chemical composition of essential oil of Salvia officinalis L. cultivated in Tunisia and to evaluate the insecticidal activity of this oil. The essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation from fresh aerial part and analysed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The major compo...

The present study was designed to study the effect of drought on root, stem and leaf anatomy of Astragalus gombiformis Pomel. Several root, stem and leaf anatomical parameters (cross section diameter, cortex, root cortical cells, pith, leaf lamina and mesophyll thickness) were reduced under moderate to severe water deficit (20–30 days of withheld i...

Desert truffles are edible ascomycete fungi. These mushrooms are economically important and widely distributed in arid and semi-arid regions of Tunisia. This study aims to characterize the germination of Terfezia boudieri Chatin that would be important to isolate homokaryotic hyphae. Ascocarps of T. boudieri were collected from the southeast of Tun...

The present study deals with the valorization of an edible spontaneous plant of the Tunisian arid areas: Allium roseum. This plant is traditionally used for therapeutic and culinary uses. Thin-layer drying behavior of Allium roseum leaves was investigated at 40, 50 and 60 °C drying air temperatures and 1 and l.5 m/s air velocity, in a convective dr...

his study aims to compare the morpho-phenological variability of nine accessions of Allium roseum L. from different bioclimatic zones of central and southern Tunisia. Results showed the presence of a large morpho-phenological diversity among the studied accessions. The number of homogeneous groups formed after multiple comparisons of means, ranging...

Periploca angustifolia is a native shrub of Mediterranean regions. Multiple uses (ecological, pastoral and medicinal) of this species incited us to make a chemical phytoscreening of many secondary metabolites and biochemical analysis as well the anti-radical activity of three organs (twigs, root barks and seeds). The qualitative study revealed the...

The restoration technique importance resides on the assessment of its impact on biodiversity. This assessment is possible by the use of some environmental indicators extracted from a diachronic study of land cover changes in protected areas. Our study is carried out with the evaluation of some indicators inside Sidi Toui national park. These indica...

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of drought stress induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG)-6000 in wild jujube, Ziziphus lotus. One-month old, hydroponically grown seedlings were subjected to three treatments, i.e. normal watering (−0.2 MPa), moderate (−1.2 MPa) and severe (−2.1 MPa) drought stress for 14 days under controlled clim...

Helianthemum kahiricum has great potential in forage, in traditional medicine, for halting desert encroachment and stabilizing sand dunes through their excellent root systems development, and in the improvement of soil organic matter content. H. kahiricum is threatened with extinction because of overgrazing abuse and increasing human disturbance. F...

Fruits present major morphological characters used to define genera and species within the Apiaceae. Northern Africa represents a major center of diversity of Daucus, with Tunisia containing at least 12 species and six subspecies. We assessed 14 mature fruit characters from the Daucus L. germplasm collection at the National Gene Bank of Tunisia. Qu...

Retama raetam is a stem-assimilating, C3, evergreen, medicinal plant species, desert legume common to arid ecosystems around the Mediterranean basin. This study addresses the genetic diversity and relationship among and within three populations collected from different habitats in southern Tunisia by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Estimat...

The species of the genus Calligonum L. (Polygonaceae) that appear in Tunisian deserts play an important ole in maintaining local ecosystems and supply important natural resources in these regions. In this study, 31 individuals belonging to the 3 hypothetical species of the genus Calligonum (Calligonum arich Le Houér., Calligonum azel Maire, and Cal...

0 ; -0,4 ;-0,6 ; -0,8 ; -1 MPa) ‫الملوحة‬ ‫أثرت‬ (35ِ °C) ‫المثلى‬ ‫الحرارية‬ ‫أما‬ ‫الملوحة‬ ‫من‬ ‫خال‬ ‫بماء‬ ‫البذور‬ ‫ري‬ ‫عند‬ (٪98) ‫مرتفعة‬ ‫اإلنبات‬ ‫نسبة‬ ‫كانت‬ ‫حيث‬ .Z .lotus ‫لبذور‬ ‫اإلنبات‬ ‫يتبين‬ ‫وقد‬ .(٪ 61) ‫اإلنبات‬ ‫قدرة‬ ‫في‬ ‫انخفاضا‬ ‫شهدت‬ ‫فقد‬ (-1 MPa) ‫ملحي‬ ‫إجهاد‬ ‫تأثير‬ ‫تحت‬ ‫المتواجدة‬ ‫البذور‬ .‫اإلنبات‬ ‫مرحلة‬...

Desert truffles are edible ascomycete fungi. These mushrooms are economically important and widely distributed in arid and semi-arid regions of Tunisia. This study aims to characterize the germination of Terfezia boudieri Chatin that would be important to isolate homokaryotic hyphae. Ascocarps of T. boudieri were collected from the southeast of Tun...

A llium roseum leaves were subjected to thin layer convective drying at three temperatures (40, 50 and 60C) and two air velocities (1.0 and 1.5 m/s). The effects of the drying conditions on drying characteristics, color, phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties of A . roseum leaves were assessed. Convective drying induces a considerable moistu...

Helianthemum lippii L. is a perennial, little brush distributed in sandy regions of southern Tunisia as well as of Mediterranean basin. It presents an important ecological, economical and pastoral interest. All these characteristics encourage us to try the in vitro propagation because it is a feasible alternative for the rapid multiplication and th...

This study concerned four plants known for their use in traditional medicine in south-eastern Tunisia (Rosmarinus officinalis, Thymus capitatus, Artemisia herba-alba and Artemisia campestris) whose leaves are commonly consumed as tea. We aimed to determine the chemical composition and the antioxidant activity of these aqueous extracts prepared in a...

Allium roseum L., a North African endemic species, is a rich source of many important nutrients and bioactive compounds responsible for many promising beneficial health physiological effects. The influence of sulfur fertilization (S fertilization) on the flavor, total polyphenols, and carbohydrates content in A. roseum was studied, using three sulf...

Periploca angustifolia Labill. is a multipurpose (ecological, pastoral and therapeutic) native shrub of the Mediterranean basin. Periploca leaves were used, for a long time, by the local population as decoction or infusion to treat digestive disorders. Root bark, known by their hypotensive property, is used as infusion with the tea. The resin, exud...

The chemical composition of essential oils obtained by hydro-distillation of leaves, wood and cones of Cupressus dupreziana (Cupressaceae) was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Thirty-one constituents were identified. Monoterpenes constitute the main chemical groups in the oils from the three organs. The species is an α-pinene (67.2%)/sabinene (9.1%) chemo...

Physicochemical properties and oxidative stability of extra virgin olive oil flavored by Artemisia herba alba and Thymus algeriensis were investigated. Flavored olive oils were prepared by maceration of dry plant materials with Extra virgin olive oil (oleic acidity = 0.7%; peroxide value = 20 meq/kg) at a concentration of 2.5, 5 and 7.5% (w/w) for...

The essential oils extracted by Clavenger apparatus from leaves of Rosmarinus officinalis cultivated in different areas in Djerba (Island in the southern of Tunisia) were evaluated for their chemical composition (GC and GC-MS methods), antioxidant (DPPH method) and antibacterial activities (agar-well diffusion method). GC-MS analysis revealed the p...

This study deals with the valorisation of medicinal and aromatic Allium to find new bioactive natural products. The phytochemical analyses of A. roseum and A. ampeloprasum powders and their aqueous and organic extracts are achieved. The results show that these species are characterized by the presence, among their components, of three precursors of...

Reaumuria vermiculata is a gypso—halophytic plant belonging to the Tamaricaceae family. The physiological response of this species, expressed by the weight growth, nutritional response and osmotic adjustment, has been studied. Different NaCl concentrations varying from 0 to 700 mM were tested. We demonstrated that Reaumuria vermiculata is a halophy...

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of long-term natural aging on germination ability and several biochemical characteristics regarding soluble sugars and polyphenol matter contents and radical scavenging activity of Periploca angustifolia Labill. (Asclepiadaceae) stored seeds for 1, 3, 7, 10, 11 and 15-years, dry storage compared to...

The intraspecific chemical variability of essential oils (50 samples) isolated from the aerial parts of Artemisia herba-alba Asso growing wild in the arid zone of Southeastern Tunisia was investigated. Analysis by GC (RI) and GC/MS allowed the identification of 54 essential oil components. The main compounds were b-thujone and a-thujone, followed b...

The essential oils of the Tunisian Allium roseum flowers and stems gathered in the region of Monastir and obtained by hydrodistillation with 0.012% and 0.002% yield, respectively, were analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Some significant differences were found between the constituent percentages of flowers and stems essential oils. Ten sulphur compounds repr...

The essential oils of three wild species of Calligonum (C. azel, C. arich and C. comosum) growing in the Tunisian desert were obtained by hydrodistillation and were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS in order to discern the differences and similarities between the chemical composition of the essential oils of these species. A total of 110 compounds, whic...

Melanin performs a crucial role in protecting the skin against harmful ultraviolet light. However, hyperpigmentation may lead to aesthetic problems and disorders such as solar lentigines (SL), melasma, postinflammatory hyperpigmentation and even melanoma. Arthrophytum scoparium grows in the desert in the North African region, and given this type of...

This study aimed to investigate the antistress properties of the ethanol extract of Cymbopogon schoenanthus (CSEE), growing wild in the southern part of Tunisia. The effect of extracts on H2O2-induced cytotoxicity and stress in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Its effect on stress-induced in ICR mice was exposed to force swim and tail suspension,...

Réponse à la température et à la salinité de la germination des semences d’Allium ampeloprasum en Tunisie. La salinité et les températures élevées sont les principaux problèmes inhibant la germination des semences et menaçant le couvert végétal dans les environnements arides comme c’est le cas dans certaines régions de Tunisie. Ainsi, pour réhabil...

Allium ampeloprasum evolved as a complex of different cyto- and morpho-types widely distributed either in the wild or domesticated range of the Mediterranean regions. The assessment of genetic and phylogenetic relationships between Tunisian A. ampeloprasum and specimens from different origins and with variable degree of domestication can promote co...

Extracts of aerial parts and roots of wild Astragalus gombiformis Pomel were tested for their antibacterial, antioxidant, and insecticidal activities and contents of phenolic compounds. Antibacterial activity was tested by the paper disk agar diffusion method and determination of the minimal inhibitor concentration. Among the tested extracts, three...

Facteurs influençant la germination des graines de Cleome ambyocarpa Barr. & Murb. (Capparidaceae) dans le Sud tunisien. Cleome amblyocarpa Barr. & Murb. est une plante herbacée annuelle de la famille des Capparidaceae. Elle est abondante dans les environnements sableux, les sols secs et pierreux, ainsi que les alluvions de gravier dans les zones...

If the effects of grazing on plant diversity have been extensively studied in a wide range of ecosystems, effects of controlled grazing are still largely unknown. Species diversity indices are useful indicators of the sustainability of collective rangelands in southern Tunisia. In order to determine an optimal management method of arid rangelands w...