SOIL LIMING AND MINERAL FERTILIZATION FOR ROOT NODULATION AND GROWTH OF FABA BEANS IN AN ACID SOIL IN TUNISIA

Faba beans (Vicia faba L) are grown in northern Tunisia where annual rainfall approaches 1200 mm and where the soil acidity is the most limiting factor for plant growth. Aluminum (Al) and manganese (Mn) toxicities provide a hostile environment to root growth. To alleviate such a problem, farmers use selected acid-tolerant species. However, crop yields remain far below their optimal levels. Liming, a practice to eliminate acidity, has never been tried in this area before. This research aimed to evaluate the impact of lime and mineral fertilizers on root nodulation, plant uptake and yield of faba beans using a pot experiment. Treatments were combinations of two rates of calcium carbonate with three rates of superphosphate and three rates of potassium sulfate. Liming produced significantly higher number and weight of nodules on roots as well as higher nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents in plant tissue. Liming also increased shoot growth and bean yield.     

Response of some horticultural crops to irrigation in the semi-arid region of Tunisia

Response to a limited water supply was determined for 3 horticultural crops, pepper, melon (cantaloup) and tomato, in the Nebhana Valley, Tunisia. Varying fractions of potential evapotranspiration (PET), as calculated by Penman, were used to define 4 irrigation treatments which were replicated 4 times. The study was conducted on a shallow sandy loam soil in the lower Nebhana Valley, near Monastir. For each of the crops the following production parameters were evaluated: marketable yield; average fruit weight; number of fruits per unit land area. For socio-political reasons, the cost price of the irrigation water to the farmers in the Nebhana Valley is of negligible importance, and thus the economic threshold could be drawn from the relationship between yield and total available water. The marketable yield for pepper, melon and tomato crops was not significantly affected by rationing the seasonal water application volumes to 57, 47 and 67%, respectively, of the calculated PET. To increase the water-use efficiency for the crops studied, limited irrigation is advisable.     

Study of some resistance mechanisms to Orobanche spp. infestation in faba bean (Vicia faba L.) breeding lines in Tunisia

The behavior of seven faba bean breeding lines toward Orobanche foetida and Orobanche crenata infestation was examined under field, pots, and in vitro conditions and compared to reference cultivars. The breeding lines presented resistance reaction to Orobanche spp. in different experiment conditions. In infested field by O. foetida, the grain yield reduction ranged from 55.7 to 83% for the breeding lines compared to 97% for the susceptible cultivar Badï. Lines L6 and L7 were the less affected by Orobanche parasitism considering severity, number of emerged Orobanche, and yield. In pots, the number of attachments varied from .6 to 3.4 and from 1.4 to 6.4 for the breeding lines against 10.4 and 12.3 for Badï inoculated, respectively, by O. foetida and O. crenata. In Petri dish experiment, Orobanche germination reached the highest rates; 69.9 and 59.7%, respectively, with O. crenata and O. foetida for Badï. For the breeding lines, it ranged from 6.3 to 44.9% for O. crenata and from 4.8 to 40.8% for O. foetida. Moreover, all breeding lines showed low tubercles number and delay in Orobanche attachments as compared to Badï. All breeding lines, except L5, maintained an acceptable level of resistance to Orobanche species manifested by a reduced Orobanche germination rate, low Orobanche number and dry weight, delay of attachments, and higher grain production compared to Badï. L5 seems to be less resistant even it behaves better than Badï in different culture conditions. The studied breeding lines could be recommended as resistance sources or candidates for varieties registrations.     

Genetic diversity, population structure and relationships of Tunisian Thymus algeriensis Boiss. et Reut. and Thymus capitatus Hoffm. et Link. assessed by isozymes

The genetic diversity and population structure of two Tunisian Thymus species (Thymus algeriensis and Thymus capitatus), from 46 natural populations growing in six bioclimates, were analysed by starch gel electrophoresis using eight isozymes. The genetic diversity within populations varied at species level. Variation in T. algeriensis was higher than that observed for T. capitatus, and exclusive alleles were detected for the two studied species. A high differentiation among populations, for each species, estimated by Wright's F-statistics was revealed. In each species, a high level of inbreeding within populations induced by Wahlund effect was observed. A relatively high level of differentiation associated with a restricted gene flow among species was revealed. The PCA and UPGMA analysis, performed on all populations, showed two distinct groups with respect of specific differentiation level. The high genetic divergence between the two species corroborates their taxonomic status, as previously reported using morphological traits. The strategy for the management and conservation of populations should be made for each taxa according to its level of diversity and bioclimate.     

Spatial distribution and habitat selection of culicoides imicola: The potential vector of bluetongue virus in Tunisia

The increasing threat of vector-borne diseases (VBDs) represents a great challenge to those who manage public and animal health. Determining the spatial distribution of arthropod vector species is an essential step in studying the risk of transmission of a vector-borne pathogen (VBP) and in estimating risk levels of VBD. Risk maps allow better targeting surveillance and help in designing control measures. We aimed to study the geographical distribution of Culicoides imicola, the main competent vector of Bluetongue virus (BTV) in sheep in Tunisia. Fifty-three records covering the whole distribution range of C.imicola in Tunisia were obtained during a 2-year field entomological survey (August 2017 – January 2018 and August 2018 – January 2019). The ecological niche of C. imicola is described using ecological-niche factor analysis (ENFA) and Mahalanobis distances factor analysis (MADIFA). An environmental suitability map (ESM) was developed by MaxEnt software to map the optimal habitat under the current climate background. The MaxEnt model was highly accurate with a statistically significant area under curve (AUC) value of 0.941. The location of the potential distribution of C. imicola is predicted in specified regions of Tunisia. Our findings can be applied in various ways such as surveillance and control program of BTV in Tunisia.     

突尼斯软子石榴丰产栽培技术

经过6年栽培试验,突尼斯软子石榴栽培上需要配置授粉树(6:1),严格疏花疏果,根据枝条特性整形修剪,冬季要采取防冻措施等.表现出良好的品种特性,果实性状、经济效益远高于其他品种,具有良好的市场前景,有很大的发展空间.     

Health status of the pear tree following the establishment of Fire blight in Northern Tunisia

ABSTRACT

Pears have great importance in Tunisia for their desirable taste and commercial value. Until 2012, the pear cultivation was protected against fire blight by the application of a rigorous quarantine system. Fire blight, caused by Erwinia amylovora, was outbreak in Tunisia in the spring of 2012 and has spread rapidly through the most important pear growing regions destroying several hundred hectares of pear plantations. Therefore, the total pear production has decreased from 60,000 metric tons in 2011 to less than 20,000 metric tons in 2016. In this study, collected data of pear culture and surveys were carried out during four years (2012–2016) in the main pear growing areas to evaluate the current situation of the disease in the country particularly in the damaged regions of the lower valley of Medjerda (Manouba, Ben Arous, Bizerte, and Beja). Samples collected from symptomatic trees were processed for the isolation and identification of the causal agent using microbiological and molecular techniques. The results indicate that the disease had destroyed more than 5500 hectares among a total of 8400 hectares of pear plantations area. Both provinces Manouba and Ben Arous were the most affected by fire blight disease resulting in the eradication of 350 and 325 hectares of pear plantations, i.e., 100% and 98% of the total infected area, respectively. All control attempts, including sanitary measures, the application of mineral oil and copper, growth regulators and biological control have failed to limit the spread of the disease. The presence of pathogen in the prospected regions was confirmed by pathogenicity and molecular tests, which are compatible with the symptoms observed throughout the surveys. The pear cultivation in Tunisia is threatened by fire blight due to the restriction tolerance of the available varieties and the climatic conditions favoring the staggered flowering of the species. Quarantine measures must be implemented to prevent the spread of this disease in a new disease-free areas.     

EFFECT OF PROTECTION ON PLANT COMMUNITY DYNAMICS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN ARID ZONE OF SOUTHERN TUNISIA: A CASE STUDY FROM BOU HEDMA NATIONAL PARK

Ecosystems protected from heavy grazing impacts, such as national parks and refuges, are generally considered to sustain higher plant species diversity and better ecosystem composition and structure compared to heavily grazed areas. To evaluate the impact of livestock grazing, we sampled vegetation characteristics from two areas having different grazing intensity levels. The first site has high protection from grazing and is located inside the Bou Hedma National Park in Southern Tunisia. The second site has a low protection from grazing and is situated within an open area located immediately outside the park boundary where human populations and their livestock have unrestricted access to ecosystem resources. Total plant cover, density, perennial species cover and their contribution were compared between the two grazing level sites. Results show that considerable positive effects occur in the areas protected from grazing. As compared to the overgrazed (open) sites. Several species known for their high palatability, such as Cenchrus ciliaris L., Salvia aegyptiaca L., Echiochilon fruticosum Desf. and Helianthemum sessiliflorum Desf., are more abundant inside the park than outside. These results are very important for managers to apply this technique as a tool for increasing the resilience of arid ecosystems, qualified very vulnerable to climate change. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Genetic diversity among Elaeagnus compatible Frankia strains and sympatric-related nitrogen-fixing actinobacteria revealed by nifH sequence analysis

Elaeagnus compatible Frankia isolates from Tunisian soil have been previously clustered with Frankia, colonizing Elaeagnaceae and Rhamnaceae in two different phylogenetic subgroups, while strain BMG5.6 was described as a new lineage closely related to Frankia and Micromonospora genera. In this study we further assess the diversity of captured Frankia and the relationship with BMG5.6-like actinobacteria, by using nifH gene sequences. Using PCR-RFLP screening on DNA extracted from lobe nodules, additional microsymbionts sharing BMG5.6 features have been detected proving a widespread occurrence of these actinobacteria in Elaeagnus root nodules. Neighbour-Joining trees of Frankia nifH sequences were consistent with previously published 16S rRNA and GlnII phylogenetic trees. Although four main clades could be discerned, actinobacterial strain BMG5.6 was clustered with Frankia strains isolated from Elaeagnus. The present study underscored the emanation of new diazotrophic taxon isolated from actinorhizal nodules occupying intermediate taxonomic position between Frankia and Micromonospora. Moreover, its aberrant position in nifH phylogeny should open network investigations on the natural history of nitrogen-fixing gene among actinobacteria.