Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC, known as wild rocket, is a perennial herb that features the hybrid Venere, which offers enhanced resilience to lower temperatures, and improved flavor and texture. Rich in phenolics, and glucosinolates (GLSs), this variety is highly valued for its peppery, nutty leaves, making it a popular choice in gastronomy. This study aimed to assess the impact of the biostimulant Kelpak, along with iron and potassium-enriched foliar fertilizers, on the levels of phenolics and GLSs in the leaves of this hybrid, compared to an untreated control group. To achieve this, twenty-three plant phenolics and four glucosinolates were quantified in 70% methanol extracts using an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) system coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-ToF-MS). The results revealed that quercetin derivatives were the dominant phenolics. Notably, quercetin-3,4'-di-O-hexoside-3'-O-(6"-sinapoyl)-hexoside ranged from 505.9 to 700.6 mg/kg FW across treatments, and quercetin 3,7,4'-tri-O-hexoside ranged from 424.8 to 653.7 mg/kg FW, with both compounds being more abundant in the control group compared to the treated samples. This trend was mirrored in the total phenolic content, which was higher in the control (3681.9 mg/kg FW) compared to the treated leaves. Conversely, the fertilized plants exhibited increased relative content of the dominant GLSs, glucosativin, which reached its highest concentration in potassium-treated plants (89.5%). Other GLSs, such as glucoerucin, neoglucobrassicin, and DMB-GLS, also showed variations, with untreated samples generally having higher relative content. The exception was neoglucobrassicin, which exhibited a slight increase in leaves treated with Kelpak. Ultimately, fertilization practices were effective in modifying the phytochemical content and enhancing specific compound levels of wild rocket leaves.

Drought represents a significant abiotic stress affecting crops, particularly cereals, with severe impacts in arid and semi-arid regions. To mitigate the effects of rainfall deficiency and a poor spatio-temporal rainfall distribution, it is crucial to manage available water resources efficiently and utilize drought-tolerant plant varieties.

This study aimed to compare the impact of osmotic water stress, induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG₆₀₀₀), on the germination of two durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf) cultivars: Mohamed Ben Bachir and Oued El Bared. Two concentrations of PEG₆₀₀₀ (10% and 20%) corresponding to osmotic potentials of -1.37 bars and -4.64 bars, respectively, were employed to evaluate the tolerance of these varieties to water stress. The seeds were germinated at 25°C in the dark for seven days.

The results showed that osmotic water stress significantly reduced the germination parameters (germination rate and speed, germination index, and vitality index) and the initial growth parameters (fresh biomass, seedling length, roots, and coleoptiles) for both varieties, with variations in tolerance depending on the stress intensity. At a moderate concentration of PEG₆₀₀₀ (10%), both varieties showed a similar reduction in their germination and growth parameters. However, at a higher concentration of PEG₆₀₀₀ (20%), the Oued El Bared variety exhibited a more marked reduction in the parameters studied, indicating greater sensitivity compared to the Mohamed Ben Bachir variety, which demonstrated greater tolerance to severe water stress.

In conclusion, the durum wheat variety Mohamed Ben Bachir shows remarkable tolerance to severe osmotic stress, whereas the Oued El Bared variety is particularly sensitive. These findings highlight the importance of selecting varieties adapted to water stress conditions to optimize cereal production in drought-prone areas.

The grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is one of the oldest and most economically significant fruit crops in the world. The grapevine’s ability to adjust the expression pattern of specific genes in response to stress causes alterations in its cellular proteome, with metabolic and physiological consequences, resulting in efficient adaptation to environmental stresses. Proteomic studies are crucial to understand the mechanisms by which plants adapt to adverse conditions, identifying stress-response proteins and elucidating their specific role in metabolic pathways.

In this study, the two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) technique was applied to evaluate the protein profile of V. vinifera cv. ‘Touriga Nacional’ grown in field conditions under two water availability settings (irrigated and non-irrigated vines). Grapevine leaves were collected and homogenized with liquid nitrogen. Total proteins were extracted following a methanol/chloroform precipitation protocol and then separated by 2-DE.

The analysis of the resulting proteomic profiles uncovered differences in protein expression. Out of 47 protein spots considered for analysis, 10 were identified as differentially expressed: 9 spots showed significantly higher expression in non-irrigated vines, while 1 spot showed a significantly higher expression in vines under irrigation.

By comparing the apparent molecular weight of the differentially expressed spots with published data, it was possible to find potential correspondences with proteins previously identified in other studies of drought stress in grapevines, including proteins related to defense responses against stress, such as heat shock proteins or antioxidant enzymes, proteins related to carbohydrate and energy metabolism, such as ATP synthase CF1 beta subunit or glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and photosynthesis‑related proteins, such as RuBisCO large subunit or LHC chlorophyll-binding proteins. The involvement of these proteins in grapevine’s adaptation to drought are validated by including other Portuguese traditional cultivars with different plasticities under this environmental constraint. Differentially expressed protein spots common among genotypes are further identified by LC-MS/MS.

The ability of tomato plants to withstand flooding depends on how quickly they recover after the stress ends. Flooding causes damage to the plants' primary roots and replacing the damaged root system with new roots after the floodwaters recede is crucial. We looked at how promoting the growth of new roots through hilling affects growth and photosynthesis resumption in tomato plants after flooding. After a period of partial submersion, we drained the water and allowed plants to recover with or without hilling treatment. Hilling treatment consisted of applying moistened soil to the base of a group of plants immediately after water drainage to prevent new roots from drying out. Another group of plants was left with their stems exposed to the air. Control plants were kept under the same conditions but were watered regularly. We measured various parameters, including biomass allocation, nitrogen concentration in leaves, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, net CO₂ assimilation rate, intercellular CO₂ concentration, and chlorophyll fluorescence, throughout the post-flooding period in control, hilled, and non-hilled plants over a six-day recovery period. Flooding stress significantly reduced plant biomass, but root growth resumed faster in hilled plants, reaching normal levels three days after the stress. Nitrogen content in leaves also recovered more quickly in hilled plants, showing that their root absorbing capacity resumed faster. Additionally, leaf gas exchange, carbon assimilation, and photochemical efficiency were restored in a shorter time in hilled plants. Our findings suggest that promoting root regeneration is crucial to aid recovery from flooding in tomato plants, as promoting stem-borne new root growth speeds up photosynthesis and biomass gain.

Desertification is considered one of the most concerning environmental issues of the 21st century; it is a real problem for arid and semi-arid environments, where precipitation is variable and plants are subjected to more or less prolonged periods of drought. To combat desertification in Algeria, the selection of tree species for reforestation is based on specific criteria, including their tolerance to the water stress. Germination is the starting point of a plant's life cycle. It initiates the growth process. Successful germination is especially crucial in drought conditions to ensure the growth and survival of plants.

The germination of Gleditsia triacanthos L. seeds requires scarification to enhance water absorption. The seeds are divided into two lots: non-scarified seeds (control lot) and scarified seeds. The scarified seeds are further separated into different lots according to the types of scarification used: manual, microwave, boiling water, and sulfuric acid scarification. Osmotic stress is induced using polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG₆₀₀₀), an inert substance used as an osmoticum.

Our findings indicate that the most effective scarification method for this species is manual scarification followed by exposure to a microwave (360 watts) for 90 seconds.

The addition of PEG₆₀₀₀ reduces the osmotic pressure of imbibition solutions, leading to a decline in germination rates, which are observed to be 22% and 64% at -0.55 and -1.59 bars of pressure, respectively. G. triacanthos seeds do not germinate under pressures below -3.13 bars.

Our study reveals a significant variation in the effectiveness of pre-treatments for breaking the dormancy of G.triacanthos seeds. Germination is completely inhibited at -5.17 bars, suggesting that these seeds are poorly tolerant to osmotic stress.

In Algeria, agricultural production is severely limited by several abiotic constraints, the main one being drought. In light of this limiting factor, any attempt to improve and select criteria involved in plant adaptation to water deficit becomes essential. Germination is the most critical stage in the plant life cycle. This process is the basis of plant success and development, and determines uniformity and crop stand density. Successful germination establishes the seedling, which is crucial for the plant’s survival and future growth. The aim of the present work is to study the effect of osmotic and water stress on two crucial developmental stages of Vigna radiata.

Osmotic stress at the germination stage was induced by increasing concentrations of polyethylene glycol (PEG₆₀₀₀) (0, -0.50, -10.27, -13.68, and -17.57bars), while water stress was applied at the seedling stage. All pots were normally watered for three weeks before the application of drought stress, at which point watering ceased.

The results showed that Vigna radiata had a high germination ability, with the germination rate exceeding 90% under an osmotic potential of -10.75 bar, indicating that mung bean seeds are resistant to water deficiency. However, germination was inhibited at -17.57 bar. Applying water stress to seedlings resulted in a gradual decrease in relative water content, accompanied by a slowdown in stem length and leaves number. The root dry biomass/stem dry biomass ratio and root fresh biomass/stem fresh biomass ratio increased in stressed seedlings, indicating that resources were allocated to root elongation at the expense of stem growth in stressed leaves.

The germination of mung bean seeds shows strong resistance to water deficiency, which is a major advantage for the establishment of this species under unfavorable conditions. Water stress leads to morphological changes from the first week of drought stress application.

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) is a commonly grown vegetable valued for both its economic and nutritional value. Sustainable farming methods, which maximize productivity while reducing environmental effects, have gained popularity in recent years. A field study was carried out to evaluate the effects of locally accessible mulching materials on the growth and yield of broccoli in comparison to black plastic mulch, straw mulch, and no mulch. Three treatments (T₀: no mulch; T₁: black plastic mulch; and T₂: straw mulch) and five replications made up the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) of the field layout. All growth and yield parameters showed significant differences, with the exception of stem diameter and chlorophyll. Treatment T₂ lead to the highest plant height (25.6cm), head diameter (15.8cm), leaf area breadth (17.7cm), head dry weight (140.24g), and stem diameter (3cm,) seen in the study. In Treatment T₁, the following parameters reached their maximum: the number of leaves, head fresh weight, root fresh weight, root dry weight, and root length. All other parameters had minimal values in Treatment T₀, with the exception of head fresh weight. All things considered, the control treatment performed the worst. The results of this experiment indicate that black plastic mulch is the best mulch in terms of broccoli growth and productivity.

Diseases caused by plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are still a heavy constraint on modern farming. They can cause losses in crop yield and increase production costs, mainly due to pest management activities. The root lesion nematodes (RLNs), Pratylenchus (Nematoda: Pratylenchidae), are soil-dwelling migratory endoparasites that infect the roots of many crop species. Affected plants develop necrotic spots where the RLNs feed and reproduce in the cortical cells. Injury to plant tissue results in weakened plants that become more prone to attack from opportunistic pathogenic microorganisms. In alfalfa, (Medicago sativa L.), resistance to Pratylenchus penetrans has been linked to an increase in transcripts of key enzymes in the biosynthesis of isoflavonoid phytoalexins; however, the mechanisms of resistance are still unknown. The present work analyzed the activity of antioxidant enzymes of extracts from transgenic roots of susceptible (cv. Baker) and resistant (cv. MNGRN-16) alfalfa. Transgenic roots were obtained after infection of aseptic germinants with Rhizobium rhizogenes and maintained in Schenk and Hildebrandt culture medium. The activity of guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) was ca. 3x higher on extracts of susceptible alfalfa in comparison with those of resistant alfalfa transgenic roots. This suggests that resistance response is not solely dependent on the antioxidant enzymatic activity of GPX. Future work will focus on the metabolomic characterization of these varieties in contact with the RLN.

Tunisia presents a very rich potential in flora because its geological and climatic characteristics. For this reason, continuous efforts are exerted to more explore the species known for their medicinal virtues. Our study aims to determine and compare the phytochemical content and biological activity of various extracts types issued from three Tunisian species: Quercus ilex and Quercus coccifera (harvested from El KEF Governorate), and Pinus pinea (harvested from Nabeul Governorate) at February 2021.

Estimation of the yields of different types of phenolic compounds extraction by aqueous and methanolic macerations is realised. It appears that methanolic extraction is the best technique for extracting total polyphenols compounds and flavonoids, while aqueous one is more effective for condensed tannins extraction.

Data reveals that Quercus ilex specie contains the largest amounts of total polyphenols compounds and flavonoids. Whereas, Pinus pinea presents the highest content of condensed tannins. More that, the large amounts of organic osmolytes (total soluble sugars and proline) is detected in Pinus pinea specie. Evaluation of anti-radical activities by DPPH and ABTS tests of the different extracts and essential oils, shows that the different species are endowed with antioxidant activity. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the foliar extract also the essential oils of Pinus pinea show the highest antioxidant activity compared to Quercus ilex and Quercus coccifera.

It is concluded that the different Tunisian species subjected to our study, show very important phytochemical characteristics as well as biological activities.

Date seeds, considered a major waste product of the date industry, represent a valuable economic resource. Currently, they are often discarded or used as animal feed, despite their rich chemical composition, including high levels of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and antioxidants. This study aimed to evaluate the phytoconstituents present in the extract of Phoenix dactylifera L (Takerboucht) seeds for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

The seeds were extracted using the Soxhlet method with a polar solvent mixture, then subjected to antioxidant tests (DPPH and ABTS). The phytochemical composition of the extract was also determined. The anti-inflammatory activity in vitro was evaluated using the denaturation test on bovine serum albumin (BSA), with diclofenac as the standard.

The crude extract exhibited strong antioxidant activity, with an IC50 value of 2.7 μg/ml for DPPH, comparable to the standards BHT and BHA. This correlated with the phytochemical analysis, which revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenols, and saponins. Regarding anti-denaturation activity, the crude extract inhibited BSA by 92.05% at the highest concentration.

These findings suggest that date by-products, particularly seeds, are a promising source of phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity. They could serve as cost-effective natural antioxidants for food and non-food applications and provide an alternative remedy for managing inflammatory disorders.