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The goal of this study was to determine for the first time the polyphenol content, antioxidant, and gastroprotective properties of the roots and leaves of Reichardia picroides. TPC considerably varied as a function of organs and solvent nature and ranged from 50 to 284.80 mg GAE/g DW. Leaves exhibited the highest amount of phenolics by using acetone 70%, the same tendency was observed for antioxidant activity. Besides, in vivo gastro-protective effects following HCl/EtOH-induced ulcer models displayed that roots extract at a high dose (500 mg) seemed to be the best performing extract with a decrease of ulceration index (UI) and an increase in the percentage of protection (PP), SOD, CAT, and GPX activities. All these data have been proved with principal component analysis (PCA). Overall, the results indicated that R. picroides could be considered a valuable source of natural compounds, which are beneficial for human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morocco decides to launch a program to create additional argan orchards to meet the high national and worldwide demand for argan products, which is a specie so unique in the world threatened by the global climate change effect. The current study aims to evaluate the efficiency of a multi-species consortium of autochthonous mycorrhizal fungi 'Rhizargan' isolated from 15 Moroccan argan soils in promoting mineral nutrition intake, phosphatase activities, and plant growth of argan trees. The research was conducted on two contrasting ecotypes of argan (Admine and Lakhsas). For 25 months, the performance of argan seedlings inoculated with Rhizargan consortium was monitored and compared to those inoculated with a pure commercialized strain of Rhizophagus irregularis. The results showed that inoculation with the 'Rhizargan consortium' improved plant growth, mineral nutrition, and phosphatases activity more than R. irregularis inoculation. Inoculated Lakhsas and Admine seedlings with Rhizargan consortium increased shoot height by 19% and 26%, and alkaline phosphatase activity by 27% and 14%, as compared to R. irregularis. Our findings can significantly benefit the arganiculture program, as an ecofriendly strategy, by using Rhizargan consortium as biofertilizers adapted to a wider range of argan forest' pedoclimatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the role of phenolic metabolism in the defense of the olive-tree against Spilocaea oleagina, three defense components: soluble phenols, parietal phenols, lignin and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), were studied in two different varieties: a resistant (Picholine du Languedoc) and a susceptible (Moroccan Picholine). The inoculation of olive-tree leaves by Spilocaea oleagina induces a foliar necrosis whose speed of onset and expansion distinguishes clearly the two studied varieties according to their behaviour to the leaf-spot disease. For the resistant variety, these symptoms are composed of small necrotic lesions, whereas for the susceptible variety, they appear as extended necrotic spots. These symptoms are accompanied by an increase in the accumulation of the contents of soluble and parietal phenols, the intensification of the lignification and the induction of the PAL activity of which the speed and intensity plainly distinguish both varieties under study. These results reveal that the response of phenolic metabolism to the resistance of the olive tree to the leaf-spot disease appears to occur in the early stages of infection leading to an increase in the biosynthesis of the contents of three defense components (soluble phenols, parietal phenols and lignin). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]