B. Omri ¹

i. MOUROU ²

H. Abdouli *¹

L. Tayachi ¹

¹ Laboratory of Improvement& Integrated Development of Animal Productivity & Food Resources, Higher School of Agriculture of Mateur, University of Carthage, Tunisia

² Hospital of Mateur, Tunisia

Abstract - The effect of fenugreek seed on chicken egg fatty acids profile and the related health lipid indices were investigated. Each of two groups of nine Lohmann White laying hens aged 69 weeks were offered either a basal diet (control) or the basal diet + 2 g whole fenugreek seeds. The eggs laid during days 39 to 41 of the experiment were pooled per hen and used for analysis. Eleven and fourteen fatty acids were detected in eggs from hens on the control or fenugreek seed diets, respectively. However, only seven of them were of significant percentages accounting for more than 95.5% of the total in both treatments. These were: oleic (45.08 vs 41.52%), palmintic (29.51 vs 28.77%), stearic (10.8 vs 12.24%), linoleic (8.08 vs 10.11%), arachidonic (2.88 vs 3.53%), palmitoleic (2.3 vs 2.45%) and docasahexaenoic (1.11 vs 0.9%). Total saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids were found to be: 40.47 vs 41.22%, 47.38 vs 44.02 % and 12.14 vs 14.85%, respectively. Fenugreek seed had also no effect (P>0.05) on the atherogenic and thrombogenic indices as well as on the hypocholesterolemic to hypercholesterolemic fatty acids ratio. These were: 0.69 vs 0.71, 1.23 vs 1.27 and 1.93 vs 1.96, respectively. It was concluded that fenugreek seed supplementation at 2g/hen/day was not enough to affect egg yolk fatty acids profile and lipid health indices. Supplementation at higher levels may be useful in further investigation.

Keywords: fenugreek seed / egg lipid profile / atherogenic index / thrombogenic index

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M. HAMMAMI ^*

M. EDDALY

J. KHÉCHINI

M. A. FERCHICHI

H. ROUISSI

Laboratory of Improvement and Integrated Development of Animal Productivity and Food Resources,

Higher Institute of Agriculture of Mateur, University of Carthage, Tunisia.

Abstract - This work was designed to check the effect of incorporation of yeast in sheep concentrate diet on lamb growth. Forty five (45) Noire de Thibar lambs belonging to the flock of the National Land Office in Ghézala-Mateur (Tunisia) were divided into three homogeneous groups of fifteen animals of matching body weight and age, and were offered three different concentrates for mutton sheep associated to the same basal diet. Lambs were lodged in the same conditions and received oat hay ad libitum. Concentrate given to the control group (C) didn’t contain yeast. Concentrates given to experimental groups contained the recommended daily dose of yeast (0.7 g/head/d) for group (RD) and the half recommended dose (0.35 g/head/d) for group (HRD). Each concentrate was given at the rate of 500 g/lamb/day. Results showed that daily hay intake was similar for the three diet treatments (1.15, 1.14 and 1.15 kg DM/lamb/day for C, RD and HRD groups, respectively). Lambs from group HRD showed the best average daily gain (160 g/d against 156 and 145 g/d for RD and C groups, respectively) and the best conversion ratio (kg DM/kg of weight gain). Lambs from the control group, without yeast, showed the highest conversion ratio (7.25 kg DM/ kg of weight gain). The study concluded that incorporation of yeast in mutton sheep concentrate for lambs resulted in lower diet intake, increased body weight and improved conversion ratio.

Keywords: meat sheep / yeast / lamb growth /conversion ratio

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F. Mani  *

C. Hannachi 

High Institute of Agronomy, Chott Mariem Sousse, 4042, Soussa Tunisia.

Abstract - To avoid irrégular fructification of musk melon cantaloup cultivated unde plastic house, light effects were studied on five varieties (Ariana 72, F₁. 6802, Gallicum, Pancha and Sugdor). Three type of light (incandescence, clear red and dark red) were applied during one hour at night beginning from two cotyledon stage and for 38 days

Different light treatments increase fruit number (F₁.6802 and Gallicum), mean fruit weight (Sugdor, pancha and Gallicum), diameter, height (Sugdor) and plant yield (+40% according to the control for Gallicum and F₁. 6802). The F₁. 6802 varietu responded better to these treatments.Fruits of lighted plants are rich in potassium and vitamin C (Ariana 72), but show a decrease in total sugar rate and in saccharose without influencing gustative quality (refraction index remain more than 10).

These results demonstrate that lighting may be used to improve early musk melon yield.

Keywords: melon / improvement / lighting / productivity / illumination.

Résumé - Afin de remédier à l’irrégularité de la fructification chez le melon cantaloup cultivé sous serre, les effets de la lumière d’appoint sur la production et la qualité des fruits ont été étudiés chez cinq variétés (Ariana 72, F₁. 6802, Gallicum, Pancha et Sugdor). Trois types d’éclairement (incandescence, rouge clair et rouge sombre) ont été appliqués, pendant une heure au début de la nuit, à partir du stade deux cotylédons durant 38 jours.

Les différents traitements lumineux augmentent le nombre de fruits (F₁. 6802 et Gallicum), le poids moyen du fruit (Sugdor, Pancha et Gallicum) ainsi que son diamètre et sa hauteur (Sugdor) et le rendement par plante (une augmentation de 40% par rapport au témoin chez Gallicum et F₁. 6802). La variété F₁. 6802 est celle qui répond le mieux à ces traitements. Les fruits des plantes éclairées s’enrichissent en potassium et en vitamine C (Ariana 72). Ils présentent cependant une baisse des teneurs en sucres totaux et en saccharose, sans que la qualité gustative ne soit affectée (l’indice de réfraction restant supérieur à 10). Ces résultats montrent que l’éclairement d’appoint peut être utilisé avec profit pour l’amélioration de la productivité d’une culture de primeur, comme le melon.

Mots-clés : melon / amelioration / éclairement / productivité.

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W.Khouadja ^1,2

L.Hamrouni ¹

A.Ben Ammar ³

M. Hanana ⁴

S. Bouzid ²

ML. Khouja ¹  

¹Laboratoire d’Ecologie et d’Amélioration Sylvo-Pastorale, Institut National de Recherches en Génie Rural Eaux et Forêts, P.B. 10, 2080 Ariana Tunisie.

² Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, el Manar II, 2092. Tunis

³ Faculté de Médecine de Tunis.

⁴ Centre de Biotechnologie de Borj-Cédria, B.P. 901, 2050 Hammam Lif, Tunisie.

Abstract - In order to overcome the problems of pistachio multiplication, the technique of in vitro micro-grafting was considered. The lack of success with several pistachio rootstock species leads us to find specie. In this context, carob tree could be a potential candidate as a rootstock material. Indeed, our study of in vitro micro-grafting of the pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) on carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) displayed satisfying results and showed that the micro-grafting on the hypocotyle (longitudinal split) is more effective with a rate of success (58 %) than on the epicotyle (35 %). Moreover, the use of liquid medium instead of solid one greatly improved the results, micro-grafting survival rate increased from 10 to 68 %. The compatibility of the grafting is observed one month after the culture. Also histological observations demonstrated the efficiency of this technique of micro-grafting as a way of reproduction and improvement and also the histological sections show that the union of grafting begins with the development of calli between the rootstock and the transplant. Later, vascular elements, such as vessels and tracheïds, are established in the zone of interface.

Keywords: carob / micrografting / micropropagation / pistachio

Résumé - Afin de surmonter les problèmes de multiplication du pistachier, nous avons envisagé la technique de micro-greffage in vitro. Le manque de succès faisant suite à l’utilisation de différentes espèces de pistachier comme porte-greffe nous a mené à chercher une autre espèce. A cet égard, le caroubier pourrait constituer un bon candidat en guise de porte-greffe. En effet, notre étude de micro-greffage in vitro du pistachier (Pistacia vera L.) sur le caroubier (Ceratonia siliqua L.) a permis d’obtenir des résultats satisfaisants et de mettre en évidence que le micro-greffage sur l’hypocotyle (en fente longitudinale) est plus efficace que sur l’épicotyle, avec un taux de succès de la technique de 58% et 42,5% respectivement. D’autre part, l’utilisation du milieu liquide au lieu du solide nous a permis d’améliorer considérablement les résultats, le taux de survie des micro-greffes est passé de 10 à 68 %. La compatibilité du greffage est observée un mois après la mise en culture. De même des observations histologiques ont démontré l'efficacité de cette technique de microgreffage in vitro comme technique de multiplication et d’amélioration et aussi les coupes histologiques montrent que l’union de greffage commence par le développement d’un pont des cals entre le porte-greffe et le greffon. Après, des éléments vasculaires, telle que les vaisseaux et les trachéïdes, sont établis dans la zone d’interface.

Mots clés : caroubier / microgreffage / micropropagation / pistachier

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