M. TELLACHE Slimane

L’abricotier c’est l’une des espèces fruitières la plus répondue en Algérie, la wilaya de M’Sila est l’une des plus importantes régions de l’Algérie qui recèle des variétés les plus appréciées. Notre expérimentation s’intéresse à plusieurs aspects concernant l’étude du comportement de trois variétés (Louzi rouge, Bulida et Pavit) d’abricotiers vis-à-vis de l’effet de la catégorie d’âge de l’arbre, pour chaque stade phénologique du cycle biologique annuel de l’abricotier et les caractéristiques physiques et biochimiques des fruits. La variété Bulida est la plus précoce, suivie par la variété Pavit et enfin par la variété Louzi rouge qui est la plus tardive. On note que l’influence de l’âge de l’arbre est très importante sur le pourcentage des stades phénologiques, du débourrement des boutons floraux à la maturation des fruits généralement la valeur la plus élevée est notée généralement chez les arbres adultes. Les bonnes caractéristiques physiques des fruits sont en faveur des arbres adultes tandis que les caractéristiques organoleptiques sont meilleures chez les fruits des vieux arbres.

L’abricotier c’est l’une des espèces fruitières la plus répondue en Algérie, la wilaya de M’Sila est l’une
des plus importantes régions de l’Algérie qui recèle des variétés les plus appréciées. Notre expérimentation
s’intéresse à plusieurs aspects concernant l’étude du comportement de trois variétés (Louzi rouge, Bulida et Pavit)
d’abricotiers vis-à-vis de l’effet de la catégorie d’âge de l’arbre, pour chaque stade phénologique du cycle
biologique annuel de l’abricotier et les caractéristiques physiques et biochimiques des fruits. La variété Bulida est
la plus précoce, suivie par la variété Pavit et enfin par la variété Louzi rouge qui est la plus tardive. On note que
l’influence de l’âge de l’arbre est très importante sur le pourcentage des stades phénologiques, du débourrement
des boutons floraux à la maturation des fruits généralement la valeur la plus élevée est notée généralement chez
les arbres adultes. Les bonnes caractéristiques physiques des fruits sont en faveur des arbres adultes tandis que les
caractéristiques organoleptiques sont meilleures chez les fruits des vieux arbres.

The present work consists in contributing to the study of pollination. Field observations and tests were carried out on six varieties of apricot in the region of M'sila, "Pavit", "Boulida" "Alarbi", "Tounsi", "Ben sarmouk" and "Louzi rouge". For natural self-pollination, the branches were covered to avoid cross-pollination, and the fruit set was determined. Controlled pollination was carried out using pollen and pollen from the other trees that bloom at about the same time. The fruit set rate was determined after counting the fruits in relation to the number of blooming flowers. The rate of fruit set varies from one variety to another. Alarbi with 62.5%, Louzi with 69.7%, Tounssi with 56.5%, Bulida with 50.7%, Ben Sermouk with 23.2%, and Pavit with 45.8%. The bagging rate of the bagged branch obtained at the end of the physiological fall did not show any significant differences between the varieties and ranged between 77.50% for Alarbi and 41.22% for Pavit. The results show that the number of fruits after manual crossing is zero for all crops. All varieties tested are self-compatible and no cross-compatibility group has been guessed on the tested growths, from self-pollination and inter-pollination.

L’abricotier constitue une culture stratégique dans la région du M’sila. Le présent travail consiste en la contribution { l’étude de la pollinisation, des observations sur
terrain et des tests ont été menés sur six variétés, "Pavit","Boulida","Alarbi","Tounsi","Bensearmouk" et "Louzi rouge". Le taux de débourrement et de floraison, a été déterminé par comptage du nombre de boutons floraux ayant débourrés par rapport au nombre total de boutons floraux. Et du nombre de fleurs épanouies sur le nombre total de boutons à fleurs débourrés respectivement. Pour l’autopollinisation naturelle, les branches ont été ensachées pour éviter la pollinisation croisée, et l'ensemble de fruits a été déterminé. Des pollinisations contrôlées ont été réalisées en utilisant le propre pollen et le pollen de l'arbre d'autres qui fleurissent à peu près au même moment. Le taux de nouaison a été déterminé après comptage des fruits noués par rapport au nombre de fleurs épanouies. Les taux de débourrement sont élevés pour l’ensemble des variétés, le plus élevé a été observé chez les variétés Tounsi et Bulida avec 93.93 et 95.91% respectivement, 95.81% pour Alarbi et 93.75% pour Bensermouk, et 89.75 et 80.97% pour Louzi et Pavit respectivement. Le taux de floraison est plus important chez toutes les variétés, le plus élevé est chez la variété Bulida 95.77% puis Tounssi rouge, Alarbi, Bensermouk et et Louzi avec plus de 93%, pour Pavit, le taux est moins important avec 77.36%. Le taux de nouaison varie d’une variété { l’autre. Alarbi avec 62,5%, Louzi avec 69,7%, puis
Tounssi rouge avec 56,5%, Bulida avec 50,7%, Bensermouk avec 23,2 % et Pavit avec 45,8 %. Le taux de nouaison du rameau ensaché obtenus { la fin de la chute physiologique n’ont pas présenté de différences significatives entre les variétés et se sont situés entre77,50% pour les Alarbi et 41,22% pour Pavit. Les résultats montrent que le nombre des fruits noués après le croisement manuel chez les six variétés est nul pour tous les croisements. Toutes les variétés testées sont auto-compatible et aucun groupe d’inter-compatibilité n’a été
deviné sur les croisement testés à partir d’auto-pollinisation et inter pollinisation.

Un brise-vent est installé pour des raisons agronomiques et environnementales. Il est constitué d’une ou plusieurs rangées d’arbres. Le périmètre de Boukhmissa (M’sila) où les plantations fruitières à base d’abricotier est la spéculation la plus importante et illustre bien ce genre de pratique. Un diagnostique de la situation dans 29 stations d’étude a permis de montrer que les brise-vent dans ce périmètre sont installés de manière subjective et anarchique:
 L’utilisation des résineux est dominante dans plus de 62% des stations d’étude.
 Les brise-vent présentent un âge relativement jeune (moins de 20 ans) ce qui montre que ce système agroforestier de protection dans ce périmètre est récent.
 La faible porosité du système (28%) en raison de la densité relativement élevé de plantation.
 Concernant la hauteur des brise-vent de nos stations, et étant donné l’âge relativement jeune (mois de 20ans) pour la plus part des stations, la hauteur est inferieure à 10m.
 La plus part des stations ont des brise-vent de largeur faible c’est à dire inferieure à 3 mètres soit plus de 86% des stations d’étude et ce en raison de leur composition d’une seule rangée d’espèces végétales protectrices. Cet état de fait n’est autre que le souci du non gaspillage de la SAU et pour moins d’entretien du rideau en question.
 La longueur des brise-vent les stations parait assez importantes mais ce ci n’est pas signe de parcelles de grandes superficie où cette longueur parait être justifiée par son installation beaucoup plus comme limites de parcelles ou le long des canaux et des chenaux d’irrigation que pour la protection proprement dites des cultures.
Comme perspectives, pour une meilleure exploitation des brises vent, nous avons dégagé des propositions concernant ces ouvrages agro-forestiers et qui doivent avoir les normes suivantes pour pallier aux insuffisances constatées: une hauteur optimale de protection, une porosité de 40 à 50%, une largeur minimale de 03 mètres, une orientation perpendiculaire à la direction des vents et enfin un choix des espèces à croissance rapide, longévives et présentant un multi-usage.

Les études de la diversité génétique de l’abricotier en Algérie se sont basées essentiellement sur des critères phénotypiques, certains de ces critères sont limités à des stades de développements bien déterminés qui sont fortement sensibles aux facteurs environnementaux. En effet, ces critères sont instables, il devenait donc nécessaire de prendre en considération des caractères génétiques plus fiables pour mieux caractériser les diversités taxonomiques réelles. Les marqueurs à forts taux de mutations, comme les microsatellites (SSR) employés dans notre étude, ont la capacité de révéler un polymorphisme élevé entre différents individus. Dans la présente étude 8 génotypes d’abricotier ont été analysés avec 11 paires d’amorces microsatellites. L’amplification PCR (Réaction en chaîne de la polymérase) des régions microsatellites a révélés des profils polymorphes clairs et facilement interprétables. Ces amorces ont produit 100 bandes qui ont été employées pour étudier la diversité génétique des 8 génotypes. Pour les 100 bandes obtenus, 40% de ces fragments se sont avérés polymorphes et 60% monomorphes. La taille des bandes générées par ces 11 amorces est variable, elle oscille entre 60 pb à 360 pb. L’analyse de différents résultats ont permis de classer les huit variétés en trois groupes distincts. Ces résultats obtenus indiquent une forte proximité génétique entre les variétés, malgré leurs origines géographiques parfois très différentes. Ces résultats confirment l’utilité des marqueurs microsatellites pour l’étude de la diversité génétique chez l’abricotier.

Algeria is vast country which presents several bioclimatic stages and agro-ecological which supports the production, a multitude of agricultural produce. The steppe forms integral part of this extent of which importance is hardly lower than the other areas. Hodna is in the middle of the Algerian steppe, it is a relatively degraded basin of 25000 km2, consequence of a prolonged dryness and an overgrazing. This study is devoted to the diagnosis of the current location of the perimeter of the plain of M'sila which is in the Western Northern zone of the basin of Hodna on a geographical area of a surface of 780 km2. The population is dense in North with the existence of an urban centre and a relatively populated rural area in the South, the population is less dense with relatively distant urban centers. The plain of M'sila receives an annual rain average of 213.20 mm, the rains of Autumn are sometimes torrential which gives birth to abrupt risings and devastators. The thermal amplitude of the station of M' sila is of 35.02°C. The dominant winds are the wind of West known as Dahraoui, wind of North known as Bahri and the Sirocco which is hot wind and blowing dryness of the South and which blocks the development of the cultures by accentuating their drying. The diagram ombrothermic allows to identify existence; only one period of 3 months dryness, the end of May at the end of August. The zone study is made up an alluvial plai. nof low altitudes, <400 m made of alluvial deposits of quaternary (alluvia, clays and sands) with a soft slope <3%, pertaining to steppe bioclimatic stage. The ground is not very advanced of alluvial contribution with limono-argillaceous texture rather deep. Occupation of the ground by the vegetation is diversified, one noted a broad diversity of the agricultural activity which settled current the last years which exceeds 54,700 ha, the fallow exceed half of agricultural surfaces during the agricultural partner 2009/2010, the cultivation of cereals which occupies 36% of the grounds followed by the fodder cultures and fruit-bearing arboriculture at a rate of 5 and 4%, respectively. The exploration of the not cultivated plant species of the area study, counts 550 tax relating to the steppe communities with Chott El Hodna. One finds there many species endemic with the area of Hodna such as Saccocalyx saturoides, Arnebia decumbens and Linaria laxiflora that one finds only in this area. As well as endemic species North African such as Muricaria prostrata, Loncophora capiomontiana, Rhanterium suaveolens, Stippa tenacissima L., Artimisia herba alba, Anabasis oropediorum L., Salsola vermiculata L., Atriplex halimus and Salicornia arabica L. The zone of study, like the majority of the steppe zones is with vocation agropastorale with manpower of the ovine breeding bordering the 130.000. The zone study belongs to the large catchment area of Chott El Hodna, characterized by a very dense hydrographic network where the rivers take their sources in the mounts of Hodna, the principal river is El-K's ob. The near total of water of the plain of M'sila has a temperature which varies between 21.5 and 22°C, this translated by a strong corrosion of the casing of the drillings. The majority of water of this plain have a strong conductivity, therefore a degree of raised mineralization in the event of irrigation with this salt water charged one can expect falls of outputs.

Algeria is vast country which presents several bioclimatic stages and agro-ecological which supports the production, a multitude of agricultural produce. The steppe forms integral part of this extent of which importance is hardly lower than the other areas. Hodna is in the middle of the Algerian steppe, it is a relatively degraded basin of 25000 krrr', consequence of a prolonged dryness and an overgrazing. This study is devoted to the diagnosis of the current location of the perimeter of the plain of M'sila which is in the Western Northern zone of the basin of Hodna on a geographical area of a surface of 780 km2 The population is dense in North with the existence of an urban centre and a relatively populated rural area in the South, the population is less dense with relatively distant urban centers. The plain of M'sila receives an annual rain average of 213.20 mm, the rains of Autumn are sometimes torrential which gives birth to abrupt risings and devastators. The thermal amplitude of the station of M'sila is of35.02°C. The dominant winds are the wind of West known as Dahraoui, wind ofN orth known as Bahri and the Sirocco which is hot wind and blowing dryness of the South and which blocks the development of the cultures by accentuating their drying. The diagram ombrothermic allows to identify existence; only one period of 3 months dryness, the end of May at the end of August. The zone study is made up an alluvial plain of low altitudes, <400 m made of alluvial deposits of quaternary (alluvia, clays and sands) with a soft slope <3%, pertaining to steppe bioclimatic stage. The ground is not very advanced of alluvial contribution with limono-argillaceous texture rather deep. Occupation of the ground by the vegetation is diversified, one noted a broad diversity of the agricultural activity which settled CUITenthe last years which exceeds 54,700 ha, the fallow exceed half of agricultural surfaces during the agricultural partner 2009/201 0, the cultivation of cereals which occupies 36% of the grounds followed by the fodder cultures and fruit-bearing arboriculture at a rate of 5 and 4%, respectively. The exploration of the not cultivated plant species of the area study, counts 550 tax relating to the steppe communities with Chott El Hodna. One finds there many species endemie with the area of Hodna such as Saccocalyx saturoides, Arnebia decumbens and Linaria laxiflora that one finds only in this area. As well as endemie species North African such as Muricaria prostrata, Loncophora capiomontiana, Rhanterium suaveolens, Stippa tenacissima L., Artimisia herba alba, Anabasis oropediorum L., Salsola vermiculata L., Atriplex halimus and Salicornia arabica L. The zone of study, like the majority of the steppe zones is with vocation agropastorale with manpower of the ovine breeding bordering the 130.000. The zone study belongs to the large catchment area of Chott El Hodna, characterized by a very dense hydrographie network where the rivers take their sources in the mounts of Hodna, the principal river is El-K'sob. The near total ofwater of the plain of M'sila has a temperature which varies between 21.5 and
22°C, this translated by a strong corrosion of the casing of the drillings. The majority of water of this plain have a strong conductivity, therefore a degree of raised mineralization in the event of irrigation with this salt water charged one can expect falls of outputs.

Key words: Hodna, biodiversity, course, steppe, culture, plain of M'sila

The culture of the apricot tree in the area of Boukhmissa, wilaya of M’sila passes by one critical period which requires an immediate rectification; this degradation is due to several factors of a nature ecological, agronomic, economic and social. The climate change, the water quality of irrigation and the absence of a network of drainage are among the ecological elements which worsen this situation. The agronomic factor contributes in a direct way to this decline as the lack of diversity in varieties, the ageing of the orchards of
apricot trees and the ignorance of the modern farming techniques by the farmers of the area. The lack of maintenance of the orchards is due to the economic factor because of the dearness of the products necessary like to their scarcities on the local market. Finally the social factor which will worsen even more this situation, because of the division continual of the orchards between heirs, the ageing of the hands of open specialized, the exodus of the young farmers towards other less painful activities and the last element it is the invasion of the masonries on the orchards, which will reduce way marked the surfaces devoted to the culture of the apricot tree. All these factors can cause a total renunciation of the orchards of apricot tree, which will end up disappearing with the profit from the urbanization or the replacement by other plant species like the olive-tree or cereals.

The culture of the apricot tree in the area of Boukhmissa, wilaya of M’sila passes by one critical
period which requires an immediate rectification; this degradation is due to several factors of a nature
ecological, agronomic, economic and social. The climate change, the water quality of irrigation and the absence
of a network of drainage are among the ecological elements which worsen this situation. The agronomic factor
contributes in a direct way to this decline as the lack of diversity in varieties, the ageing of the orchards of
apricot trees and the ignorance of the modern farming techniques by the farmers of the area. The lack of
maintenance of the orchards is due to the economic factor because of the dearness of the products necessary
like to their scarcities on the local market. Finally the social factor which will worsen even more this situation,
because of the division continual of the orchards between heirs, the ageing of the hands of open specialized,
the exodus of the young farmers towards other less painful activities and the last element it is the invasion
of the masonries on the orchards, which will reduce way marked the surfaces devoted to the culture of
the apricot tree. All these factors can cause a total renunciation of the orchards of apricot tree, which will end
up disappearing with the profit from the urbanization or the replacement by other plant species like the
olive-tree or cereals.
Key words: Apricot tree Boukhmissa Factors of degradation M’sila Arboriculture

Of share its situation inside the country, the area of Hodna, wilaya of M'sila, presents hot southernmost influences very interesting for an early product arboriculture. Surface occupied by this culture with passed of 3200 ha in 2001 to 6750 ha during the year 2006. Boukhmissa, is one of the most important arboriculture areas of Hodna, it contains an important collection of varieties of apricot tree, with various categories of age. Our study consists to evaluate and diagnose the situation of the culture of apricot tree in the area of Boukhmissa. A dry climate, following semi-arid bioclimatic stage with one cold winter and a very hot dry summer characterize the area of study. Being precipitations, the zone receives approximately 300 mm/an. The ground is of muddy type with alkaline pH (8.38) with an electric conductivity equalizes with 10.18 µs/cm.
Useful agricultural surface on 140 ha, being occupied by several cultures: Arboriculture 57 ha, cultivation of cereals 40 ha, market gardening 15 ha. These cultures all are led in irrigated system. Arboriculture accounts for 40.71% of the whole of the practised cultures. Among the various fruit-bearing species, which exist the apricot tree, is more dominating, with 90% of the orchards. Indeed, it has been about a speculation inherited a generation to another for several decades. Concerning the old one of the orchards, they are distributed as follows: 30% are lower than 10 years, 45% between 10 to 30 years and 25% are higher than 30 years. For the varieties, we find mainly Bullida 47%, Paviot 21%, red Louzi 17% and Tounsi 15%. As regards production, the statistics reveal strong increases passing in 4899q with 216000q, nevertheless the outputs remain weak and fluctuate one year to another according to the climatic conditions on the one hand and the ageing of the orchards and the plant health situation on the other hand.

Of share its situation inside the country, the area of Hodna, wilaya of M'sila, presents hot
southernmost influences very interesting for an early product arboriculture. Surface occupied by this culture
with passed of 3200 ha in 2001 to 6750 ha during the year 2006. Boukhmissa, is one of the most important
arboriculture areas of Hodna, it contains an important collection of varieties of apricot tree, with various
categories of age. Our study consists to evaluate and diagnose the situation of the culture of apricot tree in the
area of Boukhmissa. A dry climate, following semi-arid bioclimatic stage with one cold winter and a very hot
dry summer characterize the area of study. Being precipitations, the zone receives approximately 300 mm/an.
The ground is of muddy type with alkaline pH (8.38) with an electric conductivity equalizes with 10.18 µs/cm.
Useful agricultural surface on 140 ha, being occupied by several cultures: Arboriculture 57 ha, cultivation of
cereals 40 ha, market gardening 15 ha. These cultures all are led in irrigated system. Arboriculture accounts for
40.71% of the whole of the practised cultures. Among the various fruit-bearing species, which exist the apricot
tree, is more dominating, with 90% of the orchards. Indeed, it has been about a speculation inherited a
generation to another for several decades. Concerning the old one of the orchards, they are distributed as
follows: 30% are lower than 10 years, 45% between 10 to 30 years and 25% are higher than 30 years. For the
varieties, we find mainly Bullida 47%, Paviot 21%, red Louzi 17% and Tounsi 15%. As regards production, the
statistics reveal strong increases passing in 4899q with 216000q, nevertheless the outputs remain weak and
fluctuate one year to another according to the climatic conditions on the one hand and the ageing of the
orchards and the plant health situation on the other hand.
Key words: Boukmissa area Arid stage Valorisation Apricot tree M'sila