M. GUETTOUCHI Ahlam

Abstract
Molecular markers are a good way to study genetic diversity, and to introduce them into plant improvement programs according to the importance of each plant. Molecular markers have been used in many studies of many plants (wheat, barley, maize....). For date palms, many molecular markers (RAPD, ISSR, SSR ...) have been used for several purposes [1], The most important of which is the molecular identification of date palm varieties and the study of the genetic convergence between the varieties and the use of them to identify the types of resistance to diseases, for example the varieties resistant to the disease of Bayoud [2], and also to verify the genetic compatibility of the vitro-plants obtained from tissue culture and if there are mutations, Through molecular markers.
Can molecular markers be used to identify more about date palm inheritance? Can molecular markers help treat endangered palm diseases?

Keywords: Date palm ; Molecular markers ; Molecular identification ; Resistance ; Tissue culture.

The most lethal disease affecting the North African date palm is Bayoud. Bayoud
disease of the date palm (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis) is a vascular
disease caused by a soil fungus. Twenty-one Algerian date palm cultivars (20
females and 1 male) in addition to 6 genotypes of Deglet Nour were assessed for
resistance (R) and susceptibility (S) to Bayoud disease using molecular markers.
Specifically, the use of two circular plasmid-like DNAs (R and S plasmids) as
molecular markers allowed us to detect the R cultivars. Among the 21 cultivars, we
found that Baâret ljmal is resistant. In conclusion, the composition of the
cytoplasmic environment plays a role in resistance and some techniques enable
the establishment of a preliminary list of Algerian date palm cultivars that are
resistant or susceptible to Bayoud disease.
Keywords: Date palm; bayoud; Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Albedinis; deglet nour,
baâret ljmal.

This chapter investigated the ISSR and RAPD polymorphisms in date palm cultivars collected from Bou-Saada oasis, located at the bases of the Ouled Nail Range of the Saharan Atlas of Algeria. Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is an important crop plant both from nutritional and economic points of view. The assessment of genetic diversity and population differentiation of date palms are evaluative for its dynamic conservation and sustainable utilization of its genetic diversity. Samples were collected from young leaves of adult trees and kept frozen with liquid nitrogen. DNA extraction was performed according to the standard protocol. A total of 198 (RAPD) and 151 (ISSR) fragments were amplified and scored via electrophoretic gels. Fig. 2 shows examples of resulted banding patterns in the 20 cultivars for the RAPD primer OP-N01 and ISSR primer A38. Both markers resulted in high and comparable levels of polymorphisms; around 75% polymorphic loci were detected among 151 ISSR and 198 RAPD alleles. The contribution of RAPD and ISSR markers to total gene diversity was 0.225 and 0.220 and to Shannon's Information index was 0.344 and 0.337, respectively. At the group level, soft, dry, and median cultivars are distinguished by the presence of particular alleles exclusive to each group, which is seen in significant variations in gene diversity as well as Shannon's Information indexes. But rather than explaining variation between groups, the proportion of common alleles within groups led to strong variation (100% for ISSR and 98% for RAPD) explained within groups of individual cultivars. Generally, RAPD and ISSR markers resulted in disparate clustering patterns, however, both markers configured the close relationship between Rotabaya and Ghars cultivars with 84% bootstrap value (BV; RAPD) and 63% BV (ISSR). The cultivar, Baarit- djemal is strongly identified as possible progenitor of the sampled male tree. Baarit-djemal cultivar and the male tree found closely related with BV equaled to 90% for polymorphism of combined markers, 71% with RAPD markers and 50% with ISSR markers. The clustering patterns resulted from combined data, on the other hand, have confirmed the relationship among Mekarkcha and Deglet nour with 94% BV compared to that exhibited with ISSR markers (98%). Cataloguing the existing date palms at molecular level can be a mandate to support different phases of selection programs and conservation strategies.
Keywords: Date palms; molecular diversity; RAPD markers; ISSR markers; traditional cultivars.

The Oasis of Bou-Saada is gradually deteriorating due to the attack of insect pests such as white scale Parlatoria
blanchardi Targ., the palm worm Myeloïs ceratoniae Zell and some fungal pests. In addition, polluted irrigation water
coming from the wadi Bou-Saada has seriously damaged the oasis palm. Consequently, 23 promising date palm varieties are
facing extinction. The Rehabilitation of the oasis palms of Bou-Saâda requires mass propagation of the endangered date
palm varieties to conserve the fauna and the genotypes. The Tissue Culture technique is the only method through which date
palm oases Bou-Saâda can be restored in a short period as compared to growing the trees through seeds or offshoots. As the
first phase of conservation of the oases, this research project was initiated whereas propagation of two highly promising
varieties Deglet-Nour and Mech-Degla was carried out through tissue culture technique on MS medium using various
concentrations of three different hormones (AIB, GA3, 2,4-D) to obtain organogenesis. Results revealed that the growth in
length of explants of the variety Deglet-Nour and its overall development was better as compared to the variety Mech-Degla
with the AIB (2mg/l). The GA3 hormone performed the best in relation to the development of organogenesis in the two
varieties followed by AIB hormone than the 2,4-D with overall mean lengths of 1.36, 1,26 and 0.84 centimetres,
respectively. The formation of the callus was noticed only in the case of the variety Deglet-Nour.
Key words: Bou-Saâda oasis, In vitro culture, Deglet-Nour, Mech-Degla, 2,4-D, AIB, GA3, Organogenesis.

Molecular markers are a good way to study genetic diversity in plants, which play importance role in plant improvement programs. In date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.), many molecular markers (RAPD, ISSR, SSR…) have been used for several purposes. The most important of which is the molecular identification of date palm varieties, the study of the genetic convergence between varieties, to identify resistant varieties to Bayoud disease, to verify the genetic compatibility of the vitro-plants obtained from tissue culture, in addition to these uses it was possible to determine the sex of the date palm by molecular markers. More investigations are needed to answer questions such as:
Could molecular markers identify all date palm inheritance? Could molecular markers identify danger palm diseases?

In this study we investigated the ISSR and RAPD polymorphisms in date palm cultivars collected from Bou-Saada oasis, located at the bases of the Ouled Nail Range of the Saharan Atlas of Algeria. Both markers resulted in high and comparable levels of polymorphisms; around 75% polymorphic loci were detected among 151 ISSR and 198 RAPD alleles. The contribution of RAPD and ISSR markers to total gene diversity was 0.225 and 0.220 and to Shannon's Information index was 0.344 and 0.337, respectively. At group levels, soft, dry and median types of cultivars characterized by presence of unique alleles to each group noticeable in considerable differences in gene diversity as well as Shannon's Information indices. However, the amount of shared alleles within groups resulted in strong variation (100% for ISSR and 98% for RAPD) explained within groups of individual cultivars rather than among groups. Generally, RAPD and ISSR markers resulted in disparate clustering patterns, however, both markers configured the close relationship between Rotabaya and Ghars cultivars with 84% bootstrap value (BV; RAPD) and 63% BV (ISSR). The cultivar, Baarit- djemal is strongly identified as possible progenitor of the sampled male tree. Baarit-djemal cultivar and the male tree found closely related with BV equaled to 90% for polymorphism of combined markers, 71% with RAPD markers and 50% with ISSR markers.

Bayoud disease of the date palm (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis) is a vascular disease caused by a soil fungus. Twenty one Algerian date palm cultivars (20 females and 1 male) in addition to 6 genotypes of Deglet Nour were assessed for resistance (R) and susceptibility (S) to Bayond disease using molecular markers. Specifically, the use of two circular plasmid-like DNAs (R and S plasmids) as molecular markers allowed us to detect the R cultivars. Among the 21 cultivars, we found that Baâret ljmal is resistant.

The oasis of Bou-Saada,the gate of desert, is one of old traditional Algerian oases with a distance of 250 kilometers from the coast. It is divided into four regions: Djenane Nakhara, Djenane Btom, Djenane Hmaïd, and Djenane Khachbet mimoun with an estimated area of 110 hectares. The declining of the oasis palms is due to several factors, the most important is a number of agricultural pests, which Parlatoria blanchardi Targ. is the most common insect. The highest infestation were 45.58% and 33.1%in Djenane Nakhara and Djenane Hmaïd, respectively. In addition, moth of palm, Myeloïs ceratoniae Zell., where the highest infestation was 34.45% in Djenane Hmaïd. The declining resulted in losses of local varieties, which are important for the region in term of genetics; however, Pollution is contributing to this declining. Our objective is to find out factors that lead to the declining to promote agriculture in the region.

L’objectif principal de cette étude est de recenser le nombre de palmiers et de cultivars restants dans l’oasis de Bou-Sâada qui est considérée comme la plus proche Oasis d’Alger et
du littoral méditerranéen (250 Km). La palmeraie de Bou-Sâada entre 1850-1860 comptait
10 000 palmiers, il n’en reste que 6000 palmiers environ en 2002. Le nombre de pieds recensé est 2147. Ainsi, la palmeraie s’amenuise d’année en année sous la pression du bâti et du
morcellement des exploitations, appelées, « djenane ». Ainsi la superficie de la palmeraie
qui s’étendait sur 155 Ha n’en comptait aujourd’hui que 110 ha.
Les 23 cultivars ainsi recensés dont la moitié est originaire de Bou-Saâda, sont réparties
dans 04 zones, de part et d’autre de l’Oued-Bou-Saâda : Djenane Nakhara, Djenane Btom,
Djenane Hmaïd, Djenaneet Khachbet-Mimoun.
Les cultivars les plus répandues sont : Bou-Saadiya (35,44%), Halwa (15,18%),DegletNour (9,82%), Rotbaya (8,15%) et Horra (6,28%). La sauvegarde de l’oasis de Bou-Saâda
est plus que nécessaire afin de préserver le site et surtout les cultivars menacés par l’urbanisation et l’abandon.

The Bayoud of date palm (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Albedinis), is vascular disease caused by a soil fungus, which considered the most lethal disease of date palm. It is a threat to North African date palm plantations as it is widespread in Morocco and Algeria. Two approaches are the strategy to fight this disease; the first approach lies in the search of resistant, high quality cultivars and clones among local date palm population, while the second approach consists of creating resistant and superior cultivars through a hybridization program. Recently, the development of DNAmarkers offers the possibility to identify and to develop a new approachto improve the efficiency of selection strategies of resistant varieties.
In this study we used the molecular markers to identify the resistant (R) and/or the susceptible (S) cultivars to Bayoud; the use of the two circular plasmid-like DNAs (R and S plasmids) as molecular markers allow to detect the R cultivars to Bayoud. In the first step we used 21 Algerian cultivars of date palm (20 females and 1 male) while in the second step we used 6 genotypes of Deglet Nour. Among the 21 cultivars we found Baâret ljmal is the resistant cultivar (contains the R sequence only) and Deglet Nour represented two plasmids R and S. Using this techniquecan established Algerian date palm cultivars as R and/or S to Bayoud.

The objective of our work is to study the answer of was to study the response of five vine variéties ( Vitis vinefera L.) to the in vitro culture. The design employed counts two basic mediums, MS and NN, complemented with various hormones. Explant response was measured through leaf emission and leaf extension, roots emission and the ability to acclimation. Results showed that MS was globally more efficient as growth medium as far as genotype response was concerned. Certain varieties exhibited a specific behavior toward a medium or the other for the measured variables. Only one variety, the 140 R showed a large adaptation to mediums and hormones used for the initiation of callus, morphogenesis, rhizogenesis and acclamation.
Keywords: Vitis vinefera L –hormones – morphogenesis – rhizogenesis – acclamation.