Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) fruit pulp from 12 wild and 8 domesticated trees from 15 Moroccan localities were investigated for their polyphenols contents: total polyphenols content (53.22-118.04 mg and 57.46-183.31 mg), total flavonoids (1.41-4.83 mg and 1.62-7.46 mg) and condensed tannins (1.47-7.36 mg and 1.85-6.66 mg) in one carob fresh pulp for wild and domesticated trees, respectively. Fruit pulp from trees in the same region shows variable contents in polyphenols, flavonoids and condensed tannins.

The effect of temperature (18˚C -30˚C), water activity (0.85 -1) and pH (4 -9) was studied by dual culture technique on the antagonism of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Trichoderma harzianum to Colletotrichum acutatum, responsible of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa (Weston) Duchesne ex Rozier) anthracnose. The antagonistic bacteria's strains behave significantly and differently according to the parameters studied. These results reveal useful information about the applicability of their biocontrol in agricultural culture with the change of environmental factors.

Adventitious budding from embryonic cotyledons of immature seeds of carob was obtained. The combination of BAP (4.44 µM) and NAA (1.5 µM) furthered the neoformation of adventitious buds. These latter were multiplied on MS medium added with BAP (2.22 µM). Stems and leaves growing were improved by adding 2.02 µM GA 3 . Elongation was favored by 0.5 µM NAA. 70% of rooting was obtained with 10 µM IBA.

The present study is about in vitro culture of cork oak, through callogenesis from nodes and internodes, withdrawn from seedlings of three months. These latter were obtained after acorns germination on peat. Nodes showed a high capacity for callogenesis and the best rate was obtained on a medium containing Woody Plant Medium (WPM) macronutrients, Murashige and Skoog (MS) micronutrients and vitamins, 4.5 µM of 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP), 7 µM of 2-naphthalineacetic acid (NAA) and 30 g/L of Sucrose. Calluses are transplanted onto the same mineral solution, with or without growth regulators, and in the 3rd transplanting; small white embryos appear on the surface of calluses.

Callus induction was successfully carried out from several explants of carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.). Callogenesis from the apex was tested on three different media containing Woody Plant Medium (WPM), Murashige and Skoog (MS) or Schenk and Hildebrandt (SH) macronutrients supplemented with two different hormonal solutions: benzylaminopurine (BAP) at 4.44 µM alone, or 2.22 µM of BAP plus 5 µM of 2-naphthalineacetic acid (NAA). Primary callus formation was obtained on a medium containing 88% WPM macronutrients. Callus formation from other parts of the plant was as follows: Cotyledon embryos extracted from immature seeds (85% success rate on WPM medium, containing 4.44 µM BAP and 5 µM NAA);  Cotyledon leaves taken from 7-day-old seedlings, obtained from in vitro germination of seeds (62% success rate on WPM medium, containing 4.44 µM BAP and 5 µM NAA);

The present work aims to study the induction of somatic embryogenesis in cork oak (Quercus suber L.) from immature zygotic embryos and young apical leaves obtained from 2-month-old seedlings through acorn germination on sterilized peat. The immature zygotic embryos were grown for 1 month on the mineral solution of MS in the presence of 4.52 μM 2,4-D and 30 g/L sucrose. They were then transferred to the same mineral solution with no added growth regulators. In the third subculture, yellow somatic embryos, characterized by two voluminous cotyledons, were differentiated from the radicle of the immature zygotic embryos. The induction of somatic embryogenesis in young leaves required a series of transfers on different culture media containing 30 g/L sucrose and 100 mg/L myo-inositol. Secondary or recurrent somatic embryogenesis occurred within the immature somatic embryo radicles after 1 month of culture on growth regulator-free medium containing WPM macronutrients, MS micronutrients, and vitamins.

The removal of cadmium (II) and lead (II) ions from aqueous solutions by the Ziziphus lotus fruits powder, as inexpensive and eco-friendly biosorbent, was studied in batch mode. Fruits powder (FP) revealed the highest uptake rate at pH=8 and pH=7 for Cd(II) and Pb(II) consecutively. The best metal adsorption rate is obtained with a temperature ranging from 25 to 30 °C, a contact time of 90 min, an initial ionic concentration of 100 mg/L, and a biosorbent dosage ranging from 3.5 to 5 g/L.The experimental kinetic data of the biosorption process for both heavy metal ions were fitted by the pseudo second order model. The equilibrium data fitted very well to the Langmuir model. The maximum monolayer biosorption capacities were 33.94 mg/g and 69.06 mg/g for Cd(II) and Pb(II) respectively. The main chemical groups which are involved in the trapping of Cd(II) and Pb(II) and which have been revealed by FTIR spectral analysis are: N-C, O=C, H-O, H-C, and O-C. The present research confirms that Z. lotus fruits could be exploited as a low-cost and an effective biosorbent for the elimination of Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions from aqueous solution.