153 results match your criteria: "National Institute of Agronomic Research[Affiliation]"

Impact of Mating Methods and Semen Preservation on Reproductive and Growth Performances in Palestinian Assaf Sheep.

Biology (Basel)

January 2025

Research Laboratory of Ecosystems and Aquatic Resources, UR03AGRO, National Agronomic Institute of Tunisia, University of Carthage, Carthage 1054, Tunisia.

As global demand for sheep products increases, improving reproductive efficiency and lamb growth performance has become a priority for sheep farmers. Artificial insemination (AI) offers several advantages over natural mating, including improved genetic selection and disease control. This study contributes to understanding the impact of different mating methods and semen preservation techniques on reproductive performance and growth traits in Palestinian Assaf sheep under local breeding conditions.

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Article Synopsis
  • Sweetpotato, a major crop in sub-Saharan Africa, has diverse accessions in Niger, Nigeria, and Benin that have yet to be fully studied for their genetic potential.
  • The study utilized Diversity Arrays Technology (DArTseq) to genotype 271 sweetpotato accessions, revealing high genetic diversity with varying degrees across different chromosomes.
  • Results indicated four distinct populations based on genetic structure, showcasing a mix of accessions from various countries and highlighting unique traits within Nigerian and Beninese landraces.
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Landraces are a critical genetic resource for resilience breeding, offering solutions to prepare agriculture for the challenges posed by climate change. Their efficient utilisation depends on understanding their history and genetic relationships. The current study investigates the phylogenetic relationships of barley landraces from Algeria, varieties from the Near and Middle East, traditional landraces, and modern cultivars from Europe.

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Mushrooms have proven to be a valuable source of diverse bioactive compounds that can hold substantial potential for preventing and managing various diseases. This research focused on examining the numerous bioactive compounds found in () (Cooke & Massee) Priest mushrooms, particularly those obtained from ethyl acetate and dichloromethane extracts. Polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, and alkaloids were also evaluated by chemical analysis.

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A medicinal plant from the Beni-Snassen Forest in the eastern region of Morocco has been studied. This scientific research was carried out to measure the content of essential phytochemical constituents and their antioxidant capacities from the hydromethanolic extract of leaves of L. located on sites at varying levels of altitudes.

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The detrimental effects of hyperthermia on the testes and the protective effect of thyme essential oil against testicular damage induced by this stress in rams were studied. Twenty-four rams of the Barbarine breed with an average weight of 62.5 ± 0.

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Evaluation of phenolics in the analysis of virgin olive oil using near infrared spectroscopy.

Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc

February 2025

Department of Animal Production, NIR Unit, ETSIAM, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain. Electronic address:

Olive oil is an indispensable part of the diet in Mediterranean regions, and is appreciated worldwide for its sensory characteristics, combining a fine aroma and pleasant flavor with the high nutritional value of specific chemical compounds. However, making rapid measurements of phenolic compounds is a major challenge for the olive oil sector. The development of a new method based on near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy may be considered an important advance for the sector, as it is rapid, low-cost, non-contaminant and non-destructive.

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This study analyses, in the Sahelian zone of Niger, the morphological traits of sheep and goats' responses to environmental stress and the contribution of adaptive traits to herd productivity. The study utilized 2490 adult small ruminants, including 653 red and Sahelian goats and 1837 Peulh (with three varieties: Balami, Oudah and Bali-Bali) and Tuareg (Ara-ara) sheep from 13 sites with a marked aridity gradient within the country's northern latitude. Carcass yield was assessed on a second sample of 1617 adult animals, comprising 876 sheep and 741 goats.

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Antioxidant activity, physico-chemical properties, and bioactive compounds of seeds and oil impacted by microwave processing technique.

Heliyon

September 2024

Biotechnology Analytical Sciences and Quality Control Laboratory, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Taroudant, University Ibn Zohr, Agadir, 80000, Morocco.

Strongly anti-oxidant and medicinal, L (NS) is utilized in conventional medicine to address a range of illnesses, including gastrointestinal, inflammatory and rheumatic illnesses. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of microwave processing on the physico-chemical properties of Moroccan-grown Nigella sativa seeds and oils, as well as to investigate the antioxidant qualities of black cumin oils under conditions of accelerated oxidation. The study's specific goal was to ascertain the effects of varying microwave power levels (500 and 750 W) and roasting times (5, 10, and 15 min) on the black cumin oils' quality indices, fatty acid and sterol content, carotenoid and chlorophyll levels, mineral profile, tocopherol amount, and overall antioxidant activity.

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This study aimed to estimate genetic parameters, including heritability and repeatability, for milk yield and prolificacy in sheep. It included 3682 records from 1837 ewes across various breeds: Awassi, Assaf, and Awassi x Assaf crosses, two Awassi lines: Improved Awassi, AFEC Awassi. The study measured total milk yield (TMY), yield up to 120 days (TMY120), and yield up to 150 days (TMY150), alongside reproductive traits: litter size (LS), number of lambs born alive (NLBA), and lambing interval (LI).

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This study investigated the impact of temperature and humidity on milk production traits in Tunisian dairy cows, analysing population-level trends and individual cow responses using various modelling techniques and heat stress (HS) indices. Two distinct datasets were used for this purpose: the first included 551,139; 331,654 and 302,396 test-day records for milk, fat and protein yields, respectively. The second supplemented the production information with daily average (THIavg) and maximum (THImax) temperature-humidity index (THI) data.

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Trend of soil salinization in Africa and implications for agro-chemical use in semi-arid croplands.

Sci Total Environ

November 2024

Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, P.O. Box 57811, 00200 Nairobi, Kenya.

Soil salinization is a gradual degradation process that begins as a minor problem and grows to become a significant economic loss if no control action is taken. It progressively alters the soil environment which eventually negatively affects plants and organism that were not originally adapted for saline conditions. Soil salinization arises from diverse sources such as side-effects of long-term use of agro-chemicals, saline parent rocks, periodic inundation of soil with saline water, etc.

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Salinity has become a major environmental concern for agricultural lands, leading to decreased crop yields. Hence, plant biology experts aim to genetically improve barley's adaptation to salinity stress by deeply studying the effects of salt stress and the responses of barley to this stress. In this context, our study aims to explore the variation in physiological and biochemical responses of five Tunisian spring barley genotypes to salt stress during the heading phase.

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Quinoa ( Willd.) is a facultative halophyte renowned for its importance in enhancing food security, and it supports forage production across diverse climatic regions. The objective of this study is to examine the impacts of multiple pre-treatment methods on seed (Titicaca cultivar) germination parameters, identify the optimum pre-treatment to diminish the consequence of salinity, and promote the productivity of this crop, especially in marginal environments.

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Small ruminants, such as sheep () and goats (), contribute to approximately 475 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCOe) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for approximately 6.5% of the global emissions in the agriculture sector. Crop residues, silage, grasses, hay, browse, plant leaves, shrubs, agro-industrial by-products, poultry litter, and other alternative feed sources are frequently utilized for small ruminant production.

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Introduction: The development of reproducible tools for the rapid genotyping of thousands of genetic markers (SNPs) has promoted cross border collaboration in the study of sheep genetic diversity on a global scale.

Methods: In this study, we collected a comprehensive dataset of 239 African and Eurasian sheep breeds genotyped at 37,638 filtered SNP markers, with the aim of understanding the genetic structure of 22 North African (NA) sheep breeds within a global context.

Results And Discussion: We revealed asubstantial enrichment of the gene pool between the north and south shores of the Mediterranean Sea, which corroborates the importance of the maritime route in the history of livestock.

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Research on microorganisms in various biotopes is required to identify new, natural potent molecules. These molecules are essential to control the development of multi-drug resistance (MDR). In the present study, a Streptomyces sp.

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Improved Expression of a Thermostable GH18 Bacterial Chitinase in Two Different Escherichia coli Strains and Its Potential Use in Plant Protection and Biocontrol of Phytopathogenic Fungi.

Mol Biotechnol

September 2024

Laboratory of Protein Engineering and Bioactive Molecules (LIP-MB), LR11ES24, National Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology, University of Carthage, 1080, Tunis Cedex, Tunisia.

Chitinases are enzymes that can break down chitin, a major component of the exoskeleton of insects and fungi. This feature makes them potential biopesticides in agriculture since they are considered a safe and environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic pesticides. In this work, we performed a comparative study between two different bacterial expression strains to produce a recombinant chitinase with improved stability.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigated the chemical properties of essential oils from four Tunisian species and their effectiveness against aphids and harmful fungi, revealing a variety of chemical classes through analysis methods like GC-MS.
  • - Results showed that the essential oils have a significant impact on pest growth and fungal development, with the degree of effectiveness depending on their chemical composition.
  • - Eucalyptus lesoufii was found to be particularly effective, suggesting that these natural substances could serve as promising alternatives to chemical pesticides in agricultural pest and disease control.
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Background: The Algerian honey bee population is composed of two described subspecies A. m. intermissa and A.

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Protein-based therapeutics have revolutionized the pharmaceutical industry and become vital components in the development of future therapeutics. They offer several advantages over traditional small molecule drugs, including high affinity, potency and specificity, while demonstrating low toxicity and minimal adverse effects. However, the development and manufacturing processes of protein-based therapeutics presents challenges related to protein folding, purification, stability and immunogenicity that should be addressed.

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Cowpea is one of the widely cultivated and consumed grain legumes in Africa, but its production is hampered by soil fertility degradation on farms. Here, we assessed the spatial nutritional diagnosis of cowpea and the variability of their productivity using the diagnosis and recommendation integrated system (DRIS) and geostatistics tool. We achieved a sampling of 200 geo-referred points in cowpea farms in four communes of Benin.

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Physiological Responses of Two Olive Cultivars to Salt Stress.

Plants (Basel)

May 2023

Laboratory of Olive Cultivation, Institute of Olive Tree, Subtropical Crops and Viticulture, Hellenic Agricultural Organization DIMITRA, Leoforos Karamanli 167, 73134 Chania, Crete, Greece.

The olive tree ( L.) is the main fruit tree in most of the arid and semi-arid regions of Tunisia, which is where the problem of salinity is more pronounced. Salinity is one of the main factors that affects the productivity of olive trees, so the objective of this experiment was to study the effects of salinity on the photosynthesis, water relations, mineral status, and enzymatic activity of two cultivars of L.

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Soil temperature (TS) is a crucial parameter in many fields, especially agriculture. In developing countries like Algeria, the soil temperatures (TS) and the meteorological data are limited. This study investigates the use of Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) for the accurate prediction of daily ST at three different depths (30 cm, 60 cm, and 100 cm) using a minimal number of climatic inputs.

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In this study, we investigated in vitro the potential of to produce bioactive secondary metabolites that can be used as alternatives to synthetic compounds. The study focused on analyzing two extracts of using ethyl acetate and -butanol solvents with different polarities. The extracts were examined using phytochemical analysis to determine the content of polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, and alkaloids.

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