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Varnava AI, Manganaris GA, Stavrinides MC. Assessing the biodiversity and the impact of pollinators on carob production. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0291431. [PMID: 37862335 PMCID: PMC10588836 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
As the current climate crisis intensifies, drought resistant crops are becoming more important due to their ability to withstand the increasingly hotter and drier summers. Such crops are valuable for pollinators as they provide food resources for wild and managed species. The carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) represents an example of a heat- and drought- resistant crop, able to grow in dry areas with practically no inputs. The current study assessed over two growing seasons the diversity of wild bees and other pollinators relying on carob flowers, as well as the contribution of animal pollination to carob production. Carob flowers were subjected to two treatments: Open pollination, where inflorescences were left untreated, and wind pollination, where inflorescences were bagged in a mesh during blooming. Weekly observations during blooming showed that Apis mellifera was the most frequent floral visitor followed by wild bees and wasps. Carob flowers were visited by at least 10 different wild bee species. Open-pollinated flowers produced significantly more pods, with the benefit ranging from 4 to 16 times higher production, depending on the region. Open pollination led to pods with greater weight, length and number of seeds compared to pods derived from wind pollination. The results of the current study highlight the importance of animal pollination to carob production, as well as the significance of carob trees to wild bee conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Androulla I. Varnava
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
| | - George A. Manganaris
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
| | - Menelaos C. Stavrinides
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
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Kassout J, Hmimsa Y, Fatehi SE, Kadaoui K, Houssni M, Chakkour S, Sahli A, El Chami MA, Ariza-Mateos D, Palacios-Rodríguez G, Navarro-Cerrillo RM, Ater M. Aridity Gradients Shape Intraspecific Variability of Morphological Traits in Native Ceratonia siliqua L. of Morocco. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3447. [PMID: 37836187 PMCID: PMC10575131 DOI: 10.3390/plants12193447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
The carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is a significant fruit tree in the Mediterranean region with cultural, biological, and ecological importance. Despite its importance, intraspecific trait variability (ITV) in carob trees has been largely overlooked in previous studies. Understanding ITV and its relationship with environmental conditions is crucial for conservation and breeding programs. In this study, we investigated the variability of carob pod and seed-related traits across different ecological scales in 25 studied populations in Morocco. Significant differences in morphological traits were observed between carob populations at various ecological levels, and pod-related traits exhibited greater variability than seed traits. Correlation analysis revealed strong associations between carob morphological traits and environmental conditions, with altitude and aridity index playing an influential role. The aridity gradient was strongly related to changes in pod size, seed number, and size, as well as seed yield. Our findings highlight an important ITV reaching 45% at the intra-population level, 36.5% at the inter-geographic level, and 30% at the inter-population level. Overall, this study contributes valuable insights into the ecology and adaptation of carob trees, emphasizing the importance of considering intraspecific variability when studying this remarkable species. This knowledge is critical for addressing the challenges posed by climate change and human activities on the long-term survival and ecological functioning of carob populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jalal Kassout
- Regional Center of Agricultural Research of Marrakech, National Institute of Agricultural Research, Avenue Ennasr, P.O. Box 415, Rabat Principale, Rabat 10090, Morocco
| | - Younes Hmimsa
- Laboratory of Applied Botany, Bio-Agrodiversity Team, Faculty of Sciences, University of Abdelmalek Essaâdi, Tétouan 93030, Morocco; (Y.H.); (S.E.F.); (K.K.); (M.H.); (S.C.); (A.S.); (M.A.)
- TEDAEEP Team Research, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Larache (FPL), University of Abdelmalek Essaâdi, P.O. Box 745, Larache 92000, Morocco
| | - Salama El Fatehi
- Laboratory of Applied Botany, Bio-Agrodiversity Team, Faculty of Sciences, University of Abdelmalek Essaâdi, Tétouan 93030, Morocco; (Y.H.); (S.E.F.); (K.K.); (M.H.); (S.C.); (A.S.); (M.A.)
- TEDAEEP Team Research, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Larache (FPL), University of Abdelmalek Essaâdi, P.O. Box 745, Larache 92000, Morocco
| | - Khalil Kadaoui
- Laboratory of Applied Botany, Bio-Agrodiversity Team, Faculty of Sciences, University of Abdelmalek Essaâdi, Tétouan 93030, Morocco; (Y.H.); (S.E.F.); (K.K.); (M.H.); (S.C.); (A.S.); (M.A.)
| | - Mhammad Houssni
- Laboratory of Applied Botany, Bio-Agrodiversity Team, Faculty of Sciences, University of Abdelmalek Essaâdi, Tétouan 93030, Morocco; (Y.H.); (S.E.F.); (K.K.); (M.H.); (S.C.); (A.S.); (M.A.)
| | - Soufian Chakkour
- Laboratory of Applied Botany, Bio-Agrodiversity Team, Faculty of Sciences, University of Abdelmalek Essaâdi, Tétouan 93030, Morocco; (Y.H.); (S.E.F.); (K.K.); (M.H.); (S.C.); (A.S.); (M.A.)
| | - Abdelouahab Sahli
- Laboratory of Applied Botany, Bio-Agrodiversity Team, Faculty of Sciences, University of Abdelmalek Essaâdi, Tétouan 93030, Morocco; (Y.H.); (S.E.F.); (K.K.); (M.H.); (S.C.); (A.S.); (M.A.)
| | - Mohamad Ali El Chami
- Forestry Engineering Department, ERSAF Research Group RNM-360, University of Córdoba, 14014 Córdoba, Spain; (M.A.E.C.); (D.A.-M.); (G.P.-R.); (R.M.N.-C.)
| | - David Ariza-Mateos
- Forestry Engineering Department, ERSAF Research Group RNM-360, University of Córdoba, 14014 Córdoba, Spain; (M.A.E.C.); (D.A.-M.); (G.P.-R.); (R.M.N.-C.)
| | - Guillermo Palacios-Rodríguez
- Forestry Engineering Department, ERSAF Research Group RNM-360, University of Córdoba, 14014 Córdoba, Spain; (M.A.E.C.); (D.A.-M.); (G.P.-R.); (R.M.N.-C.)
| | - Rafael M. Navarro-Cerrillo
- Forestry Engineering Department, ERSAF Research Group RNM-360, University of Córdoba, 14014 Córdoba, Spain; (M.A.E.C.); (D.A.-M.); (G.P.-R.); (R.M.N.-C.)
| | - Mohamed Ater
- Laboratory of Applied Botany, Bio-Agrodiversity Team, Faculty of Sciences, University of Abdelmalek Essaâdi, Tétouan 93030, Morocco; (Y.H.); (S.E.F.); (K.K.); (M.H.); (S.C.); (A.S.); (M.A.)
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Nieto Feliner G, Cellinese N, Crowl AA, Frajman B. Editorial: Understanding plant diversity and evolution in the Mediterranean Basin. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1152340. [PMID: 36866359 PMCID: PMC9972075 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1152340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo Nieto Feliner
- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation, Real Jardín Botánico (RJB), CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nico Cellinese
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Andrew A. Crowl
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Božo Frajman
- Department of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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