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Tar has been employed by humans since antiquity due to its importance and benefits. Up until now, it is still used in traditional medicine in different countries including Morocco. Using a quantitative research method, this study sheds light on the traditional properties and usage of tar from various social class perspectives in Morocco. To collect data about the general knowledge about tar, three groups of people were given an ethnobotanical questionnaire: general population, herbalists, and tar producers. An online survey was delivered to the general population, while a semi-structured questionnaire was employed to interview the other groups.The online participants were evenly split into two groups according to their gender. Also, there were twelve males for every one female for the herbalists, whereas the producers were entirely males. Tar usage was roughly the same across all three categories. Participants mentioned Juniperus sp., Cedrus sp., and more, herbalists mentioned Eucalyptus sp., Olea sp., and the producers mentioned Yew. For tar production, the online participants and herbalists knew the procedure with a percentage of 21% and 40% respectively, followed by 100% for producers. In this study, producers have more information and understanding about tar production than herbalists, who have a better knowledge about tar usage. Furthermore, medicinal tar is an intriguing product that deserves to be respected.

The richness and diversity of the Moroccan Saharan flora constitutes a veritable phytogenetic reservoir with a flora that includes more than 500 aromatic and medicinal species, many of which remain unexploited. Among these plants we find Atremisia herba alba in the region of Guelmim (Sahara of Morocco) which has a great potential in phytomass and which deserves to be better valued. The objective of this work is the comparative study of the yield and chemical composition of the essential oil derived from Artemisia herba alba in Guelmim region (Sahara of Morocco) according to the date of harvest as well as the determination of its antibacterial and antifungal activity towards eleven microorganisms. Essential oils yields expressed in ml compared with 100 g of dry matter of Artemisia herba alba harvested in March, June, September and December (2015) are respectively 1.62; 0.95; 0.64 and 1.85 %. Chromatographic analyses of essential oils revealed the predominance of camphor, cis-b-terpineol, camphene, trans-thujone and trans-verbenol whose rates vary according to the plant phenological stage. The essential oil of Artemisia herba-alba collected during March was the most active against all microorganisms tested.

Clonal eucalyptus are highly valued in Morocco and in the Mediterranean basin for the production of industrial wood, but nothing is known about their ability to resist xylophagous plants. This study aims to investigate the chemical defenses response of eucalyptus trees to artificially attacks by young larvae of Phoracantha recurva by assessing changes in essential oil production and composition of leaves from Eucalyptus grandis and its clone 977. Fungicidal and termicidal essential oil activities were evaluated to value their biocidal properties. In the Northwest region of Morocco, six of vigorous eucalyptus-trees were selected for each wood species studied. In contrast to a control tree without infection, three from each species were artificially infested in three part of the trunk by hatched larvae of P. recurva. After two months, the most important cambial reaction was observed with E. grandis compared to clone 977. For both species, the primary reaction is less important compared to the reaction of deep tissues. The essential oils recovered by hydrodistillation show that the infested trees have the highest average yield. Arian parties are 1.51% and 2.36% respectively for E. grandis and its clone 977, after infestation, we can observe a decrease of the production of essential in the leaves, respectively 1% and 1.5% for E. grandis and its clone 977. The analysis of the chemical composition by GC-MS method of essential oils shows that the leaves of infested trees of E. grandis and its clone 977, have specific constituents resulting from infestation such as Endo-fenchol, trans-carveol, Nerol and Spathulenol. Equally, this analysis revealed that the attacked trees hemi-synthesized more components compared to their controls. However, the evaluation of fungicidal and termiticidal activities showed that the essentials oil of the clone 977 is more active compared to the parental species E. grandis.

This work had done the object of the chemical quality study and the evaluation of antibacterial and antifungal activity of the Cotula cinerea essential oil from South Morocco. The essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation of the aerial part of the plant had been analyzed by GC/FID and GC/MS. The essence of Cotula cinerea is characterized by dominance of the 3-iso-thujanol followed by Santolina triene and camphor. The antimicrobial activity of Cotula cinerea essential oils had been estimated vis-à-vis of four bacterial strains, three molds and four reference woods rot fungi. The essential oil of this species showed a strong antimicrobial power against the tested microorganisms.

Essential oils from Juniperus thurifera, Juniperus oxycedrus and Juniperus phoenicea (Cupressaceae) collected in various areas in Morocco were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed by CG and CG/ SM. Twenty-four components were identified in the essential oils from the branches of Juniperus thurifera, forty seven from Juniperus oxycedrus and twenty-six from Juniperus phoenicea. The majority components obtained are pinenes and especially â-pinene (36.3%) for the essential oils from the branches of Juniperus thurifera and á-pinene for those of Juniperus oxycedrus (52.1%) and Juniperus phoenicea (64.2%). The antioxidant properties of oils were determined by the DPPH method and were compared to that found for the reference compound (BHT) and for other essential oils.

As part of the valorization of medicinal and aromatic plants in South Morocco, we studied the effect of provenance on the yield, chemical composition and antibacterial and antifungal activity of essential oils of Ammodaucus leucotrichus subsp. leucotrichus. The essential oils obtained by hydro-distillation of the fruits were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The most abundant compounds identified varied depending on the origin of the plant: perillaldehyde (69.9% to 88.7%), limonene (8.3% to 16.6%) and α-pinene (1.4% to 7.1%). The oils analyzed all displayed strong antimicrobial activity against all the microorganisms tested.

Various lineament extraction techniques were applied to LANDSAT TM and SPOT images covering the Centro-Septentrional Tunisian Atlas area. The techniques include various image enhancements; application of spatial filters and directional filters and different image processing (color composite, principal components analysis (ACP), band ratios, etc.). The application of directional Sobel filter onband 4 enables us to map the most important number of lineaments. The statistical analysis of this lineaments show four directions N-S, NW-SE, NE-SW and ENE-WSW to E-W. The important and the longest lineaments are oriented E-W to ENE-WSW and NE-SW. The confrontation of these results to a geological data (geological map) enable us to map a (F1), (F2) and (F3) accidents and to improve their continuity. Theses faults correspond to the NW-SE accident (F1) affecting a Dj. Balouta-Oued-Ousafa area; The NE-SW accident (F2) limiting the NW limb of Massenerh anticline structure. This accident was trounced by a NW-WE (F4) fault restraining a Rohia graben. The ENE-WSW fault (F3) limiting a south limb of Bou El Haneche anticlinal structure. These faults (F1, F2 and F3) constitute a SW prolongation of a Zaghouan thrust. Results from this work show the importance of lineaments analysis to mapping of accidents in Centro-Septentrional Tunisian Atlas such as new emergent meridianal part of Alpine front chain in Northern Africa, Différents techniques d'extraction des linéaments ont été appliquées sur des images TM de LANDSAT-7 et SPOT-XS en 03 Mars 2002 de la région centro-septentrionale de l'Atlas Tunisien. Ces techniques incluent les différents réhaussement sur des images brutes, ainsi que l'application des filtres directionnels sur les divers traitements (composition colorée, analyse en composante principale ACP, rapport des bandes, etc.) appliqués à l'image TM de LANDSAT-7. Parmi ces approches, l'application des filtres directionnels de Sobel sur la « bande 4 » a permis de détecter un grand nombre de lineaments. Leur analyse statistique montre une répartition selon quatre familles d'orientations N-S, E-W, NE-SW et NW-SE. Les linéaments les plus long et les plus fréquents sont ceux E-W à ENE-WSW suivis par ceux NE-SW. La confrontation de ces résultats avec l'image SPOT et les données géologiques de surface (cartes géologiques) permet de cartographier une série d'accidents, dont les composantes principales sont représentées par les accidents (F1), (F2) et (F3) et de prouver leurs continuités. Ces derniers sont traduits respectivement par l'accident NE-SW (F1), affectant le secteur Dj. Balouta-Oued Ousafa, l'accident NE-SW (F2); bordant le flanc NW du Dj. Massenerh. Ce dernier est tronqué par la faille NW-SE (F4) de la cuvette de Rohia. L'accident ENE-WSW (F3), borde la partie sud du Dj. Bou El Hanèche. La continuité de ces segments d'accidents (F1, F2 et F3) constitue le prolongement SW du front de chevauchement de Zaghouan. Ces résultats montrent l'importance de l'analyse linéamentaire dans la cartographie des accidents de l'Atlas centro-septentrional tel la nouvelle mise en évidence de l'émergence de la partie méridionale du front de chevauchement de la chaine alpine dans l'Afrique du Nord.

In Central-northern Tunisia, the septentrional border of Kalâat Khasba trough was considered as a normal fault which has functioned since the Cretaceous to Quaternary periods. A stratigraphic and geophysical recent study of the Kalâat Khasba trough and the Jebel Bou El Hanèche fold area, allows us to propose a new tectonic model. The Northern border was reactivated as reverse fault during the Eocene and was considered as a thrust front. A compressive Eocene event resulted in formation of Bou El Hanèche fold (fault propagation fold) and in determination of a decollement level situated in the Triassic series. This deformation was controlled by the reactivation of normal faults inherited from a distensive aptien phase. The compressive deformation was amplified by the propagation of this fold and, when a ramp reached the competent carbonates series of late Campanian-lower Maâstrichtien times, the fold was stacked, involving a breakthrough steep limb and creating a second thrust on the North. The order of evolution of these events shows an out of sequence thrust. [fr] En Tunisie Centro-Septentrionale, la bordure septentrionale du fossé de Kalâat Khasba a été considéré comme une bordure d’effondrement à jeu normal, ayant fonctionnée du Crétacé inférieur jusqu’au Quaternaire. Une étude de terrain et l’interprétation de profils de sismique réflexion permettent de proposer un nouveau modèle tectonique pour ce fossé et du massif adjacent de Bou El Hanèche. La bordure septentrionale du bassin de Kalâat Khasba a été réactivée à l’Eocène en faille inverse. Cette bordure a une valeur de front de chevauchement sur lequel se met en place le pli de propagation de Bou El Hanèche par rapport à l’avant pays de la chaîne alpine. La compression Eocène entraîne la mise en place du pli de Bou El Hanèche à la faveur d’un niveau de décollement situé dans les séries triasiques. Cette déformation est contrôlée par un réseau de failles normales héritées de la phase distensive présumée aptienne. La dynamique compressive continue depuis l’Eocène engendrant la propagation de ce pli. Lorsque la rampe atteint les calcaires de la formation Abiod, le pli se bloque. Ce blocage entraîne la rupture du dressant et la création, vers le Nord du pli, d’un deuxième chevauchement, ce qui implique une évolution du système de chevauchement dans une séquence inverse ou «out of sequence».