Composting Heap Palm Tree＇s Products in Southern Tunisia

Like many fruit trees, palm trees provide large amounts of non valued products. Composting is considered as the most promising technique for the valorisation of these products. In this work, the heap composting way is evaluated. Several physicochemical （pH, humidity, salinity, density, organic matter rate, C/N ratio, heavy metals） and some microbiological parameters （total and faecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, streptococci and salmonella） are studied after compost maturation. Main results show that palm compost is characterised by a neutral pH （7.87）, low humidity （40.77%）, high organic matter （50%）, high salinity （2.06 g/L）, acceptable C/N ratio （12.2）, low density （0.43 g/cm3）, high conductivity （3.22 ms/cm）, 109.6 ppm of NH4 and 256.66 ppm of HNO3. Finally, microbiological parameters respect hygiene requirements in comparison with compost quality standards.

Biochemical and Microbial Properties of Palm Wine: Effect of Tapping Length and Varietal Differences

The effects of variety and tapping length on several physical, biochemical, nutritional and micro-biological parameters (viscosity, pH, Total Titratable Acidity (TTA), fermenting microorganisms, contaminants) of palm wine extracted from two varieties of palm oil tree (Dura and Tenera) were studied. Each variety presented its own palm wine specific characteristics regarding the chosen parameters. Microbiological and biochemical contents of palm wine were determined during the tapping of Dura and Tenera felled oil palm trees for 4 weeks. Some differences in chemical compositions between fresh palm wine samples of two palm trees varieties were observed. The exudates obtained during the first day of tapping of Dura palm wine were very sugary, less sour and did not contain substantial concentrations of alcohol but the highest loads of microorganisms were observed in Tenera palm wine. Throughout the tapping of palm wine, yeasts and lactic acid bacteria population changed with undoubtedly influence on the palm wine quality.

Carbonization, Activation and Description of Activated Carbon from Palm Tree Leaves

One of the maximum residences of activated carbon is adsorption capacity, this significance grows every day in a variety of fields. One of its examples is water treatment, processing of potable, all of those residences deliver capacity of activated carbon in smell elimination and flavor in residues of dissolved natural and color. Activated carbon was made from the carbonization of palm tree leave’s stems and activated using calcium chloride, then tested with an increase in reactivity indicated by iodine adsorption test up to 68.6% reactivity increase in commercial sample and 48.7% in palm tree leaves sample. As the methods and precursors of activated carbon are very diverse and result in deferent adsorption properties, the primary test includes: carbonization of palm tree leaves, size reduction and classification of the charcoal produced, applying an iodine test on the non-activated sample, activating another sample with activating agent CaCl2 to comparison between the activated carbon and the non-activated carbon and shows the increasing in the adsorption capacity for elemental iodine in activated carbon.

Effect of Fusariosis on the Metabolism of Phenolics Compounds of Date Palm Leaflets, Resistant and Sensitive to the Disease

Because of socio-economic importance of date palm in North Africa, the scientific community has always followed the progression of parasitic disease that affects it. The study was performed on population of thirty palm trees belonging to three cultivars of the oases of south-west Algeria TOUAT Gourara. The analytical protocol consists of a hot hydrochloric acid hydrolysis of I g of leaf material dried and ground. Structural analysis of compounds present in extracts was conducted by chromatographic and spectrophotometric techniques. Through the analysis of all HPLC profiles of phenolic acids, we have established three chemotypes： resistant with the highest heights, sensitive, with the lowest height, finally low sensitivity or tolerant with intermediate heights. The increased synthesis of C-glycoflavones, within diseased palms, can be seen as the first sign of plant response to fungal attack, or even as a defense mechanism so these flavonoids correspond to ＂pre-inhibitines＂. It has not been found qualitative differences between different cultivars studied. The merits of our work show a negative correlation between flavonoid content and the level of lignification in the date palm, suggests that the process of lignification is more rapid in resistant cultivars. We can say that there is a constitutive resistance.

Novel Mixture of Materials Produces Bone- and Soft Tissue-Like Imaging Density

The objective of the present study was to access to imaging material density close to or identical density imaging of bone and soft tissue, from raw materials of nature to be used in different model applications and to provide comprehensive evaluation of the imaging system and techniques under realistic conditions in radiology departments for educational purposes. The palm tree of abundance in Saudi Arabia was chosen to study the date’s seeds and palm leaves in terms of photographic density. The results achieved were referring to the lack of imaging density of dates seeds and palm leaves compared to bone density. Thus, it was necessary to use two additional materials: Salt and eggshells in order to find the highest density and graphic approach to bone density. The present preliminary study indicated that the permanent and stable model can be achieved by palm leaves, salt & eggshell powder with imaging material density close to the imaging density of the bone and soft tissue for achieving more clinical skills and medical education.

Spatial patterns of a savanna palm tree Borassus aethiopum and its temporal variability

The spatial distributions and associations of plant species in a stand can provide essential information about their dynamics.However,since tree spatial distribution and association depend on factors that operate at different scales,disentangling the effects of environmental heterogeneity and plant-plant interactions requires the choice of a suitable null model for spatial analysis.We analyzed the spatial distributions of the same savanna palm tree populations that were studied,the underlying hypothesis being that these distributions have changed in 20 years.To remove the effect of large-scale environmental heterogeneity,the inhomogeneous L-function under the heterogeneous Poisson null model was used.We showed:(i)unlike 20 years ago,adults had a regular distribution instead of an aggregated distribution in the grass savanna;(i)although the spatial distribution of seedlings and juveniles was always aggregated,we observed a decrease in the size of the aggregates(intensities);ili)except for juveniles,no other stages were associated with nutrient-rich patches,which was also different 20 years ago;(iv)we did not observe any particular difference in structure between two study sites,only that female palm trees were spatially associated with entire-leafed seedlings in the reserve while they were spatially independent in the rural area.Our study supports the hypothesis that the spatial distributions have partially changed,and that the management of spatial heterogeneity has improved and given more precision in the results.

Fungal diversity in adult date palm(Phoenix dactylifera L.) revealed by culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches

Endophytic flora plays a vital role in the colonization and survival of host plants, especially in harsh environments, such as arid regions. This flora may, however, contain pathogenic species responsible for various troublesome host diseases. The present study is aimed at investigating the diversity of both cultivable and non-cultivable endophytic fungal floras in the internal tissues(roots and leaves) of Tunisian date palm trees(Phoenix dactylifera). Accordingly, 13 isolates from both root and leaf samples, exhibiting distinct colony morphology, were selected from potato dextrose agar(PDA) medium and identified by a sequence match search wherein their 18S–28S internal transcribed spacer(ITS) sequences were compared to those available in public databases. These findings revealed that the cultivable root and leaf isolates fell into two groups, namely Nectriaceae and Pleosporaceae. Additionally, total DNA from palm roots and leaves was further extracted and ITS fragments were amplified. Restriction fragment length polymorphism(RFLP) analysis of the ITS from 200 fungal clones(leaves: 100; roots: 100) using HaeIII restriction enzyme revealed 13 distinct patterns that were further sequenced and led to the identification of Alternaria, Cladosporium, Davidiella(Cladosporium teleomorph), Pythium, Curvularia, and uncharacterized fungal endophytes. Both approaches confirmed that while the roots were predominantly colonized by Fusaria(members of the Nectriaceae family), the leaves were essentially colonized by Alternaria(members of the Pleosporaceae family). Overall, the findings of the present study constitute, to the authors' knowledge, the first extensive report on the diversity of endophytic fungal flora associated with date palm trees(P. dactylifera).

Field study and regression modeling on soil water distribution with mulching and surface or subsurface drip irrigation systems

The soil water status was investigated under soil surface mulching techniques and two drip line depths from the soil surface(DL).These techniques were black plastic film(BPF),palm tree waste(PTW),and no mulching(NM)as the control treatment.The DL were 15 cm and 25 cm,with surface drip irrigation used as the control.The results indicated that both the BPF and PTW mulching enhanced the soil water retention capacity and there was about 6%water saving in subsurface drip irrigation,compared with NM.Furthermore,the water savings at a DL of 25 cm were lower(15-20 mm)than those at a DL of 15 cm(19-24 mm),whereas surface drip irrigation consumed more water.The distribution of soil water content(θv)for BPF and PTW were more useful than for NM.Hence,mulching the soil with PTW is recommended due to the lower costs and using a DL of 15 cm.Theθv values were derived using multiple linear regression(MLR)and multiple nonlinear regression(MNLR)models.Multiple regression analysis revealed the superiority of the MLR over the MNLR model,which in the training and testing processes had coefficients of correlation of 0.86 and 0.88,root mean square errors of 0.37 and 0.35,and indices of agreement of 0.99 and 0.93,respectively,over the MNLR model.Moreover,DL and spacing from the drip line had a significant effect on the estimation of θv.