Mediterranean Region Research Articles

Comprehensive insights into COVID-19 vaccine-associated multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS): A systematic analysis of reported cases

ABSTRACT Considering the widespread use of COVID-19 vaccines as a preventive measure against the spread of the virus, it’s necessary to direct attention to the adverse effects associated with vaccines in a limited group of populations. Multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS) following COVID-19 vaccination is a rare adverse reaction associated with COVID-19 vaccines. In this systematic review, we collected 19 articles with 27 patients up to November 1, 2023, summarizing the basic information, clinical manifestations, examinations, treatments, and recoveries of the 27 patients. The 27 enrolled patients (6 males, 21 females) had a median age of 34.1 years (15–71 years old) and were mainly from 5 regions: Asia (8), the Mediterranean region (8), North America (7), Oceania (3) and Brazil (1). Symptoms occurred post-first dose in 9 patients, post-second dose in 14 (1 with symptoms after both), post-third dose in 1, and both post-second and booster doses in 1, while details on 2 cases were not disclosed. Treatments included tapered oral steroids (6), topical steroids (3), tapered prednisone with antiviral drugs and vitamins (1), and valacyclovir and acetazolamide (1), while 16 received no treatment. All patients experienced symptom improvement, and nearly all patients ultimately recovered. Moreover, we summarized possible hypotheses concerning the mechanism of COVID-19 vaccine-associated MEWDS. The findings provide insights into the clinical aspects of COVID-19 vaccine-associated MEWDS. More attention should be given to patients with vaccine-associated MEWDS, and necessary treatment should be provided to patients experiencing a substantial decline in visual acuity to improve their quality of life.

The Determination Mealybug Species and Natural Enemies in Pitaya Greenhouses in the Mediterranean Region

Pitaya, Hylocereus spp. (Caryophyllales: Cactaceae) has been one of the new species cultivated in Türkiye for recent years. There are many limiting factors, including pests, diseases and weeds, to decrease the yield and fruit quality in pitaya (dragon fruit) areas in Türkiye. In addition, the pests of pitaya is not fully studied therefore this study has been conducted to determine mealybug species in pitaya greenhouses in Türkiye. The present study was aimed to determine mealybug species and its natural enemies (parasitoids, and predator insects) in pitaya greenhouses in Adana, Mersin, and Antalya between 2021 and 2022. According to results of this study, 2 different mealybug species was determined; Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley 1898, Phenacoccus madeirensis Green, 1923 (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in pitaya greenhouses. Moreover 1 parasitoid (Aenasius arizonensis Girault (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), and 2 different predatory insects from 2 different order and 2 different families (Chrysoperla carnea Stephens (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), Nephus includens Kirsch (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)) were detected within this study. As can be seen above results, these two invasive mealybug species have wide spectrum host plants and may cause economically important damages on pitaya, if natural enemies cannot work successfully or control strategies do not applied properly in pitaya greenhouses.

Mosquito Egg Raft Distribution Is Affected by Semiochemicals: Indication of Interspecific Competition.

Numerous species of animals alter their behavior in response to increasing competition. To do so, they must possess the ability to detect the presence and density of interspecific competitors. We studied the role of semiochemicals released by increasing densities of larval Culiseta longiareolata Macquart on female oviposition habitat selection in two field experiments. Similarly to C. longiareolata larvae, subordinate Culex laticinctus Edwards are periphyton grazers who dwell in rain-filled pools in the Mediterranean region. We show that C. laticinctus females oviposited significantly less in mesocosm pools that were treated with crowding signals originating from C. longiareolata larvae. In the second experiment, we placed a similar number of larvae directly inside the 50 L mesocosms. These low-density mesocosms did not affect C. laticinctus oviposition but were attractive to conspecific oviposition. These results increase our understanding of the female ability to detect species-specific signals, indicating increased larval competition.

Exploring the Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources for Vegetation Covers in Extremadura (Spain)

Mediterranean areas will likely undergo climate shifts in the near future that modify the water resources for vegetation. However, in some regions of southwestern Spain, such as Extremadura, the impact of different future scenarios on the water resources for vegetation has not been studied extensively. This study focused on the quantification and spatial distribution of water resources for vegetation covers in Extremadura and analyzed the impact of future climate change scenarios on those water resources. For this, five downscaled global climate models from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) were used in four future periods (from 2021 to 2100) following two Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP-2.45 and SSP-5.85). These projections were compared with a historical baseline period (1970–2000) to obtain the variation of water resources. The results showed decreases in the water resources for all the scenarios and periods analyzed compared to those observed in the historical baseline period. The smallest decreases were noted over 2041–2060 for SSP2-4.5, with almost 74% of the region decreasing between 15 and 18% (with an average of 16.4%). The greatest decreases were over 2081–2100 for SSP5-8.5, in which 90% of the region displayed water resource declines of greater than 50%. In this last situation, the three more widespread vegetation covers (agrosilvopastoral systems of dehesas, grasslands, and crops) underwent similar declines of around 55% of their water resources (from ≈203 to ≈93 mm), while the fourth widely spread vegetation cover, forests, declined by 49% (from ≈261 to ≈133 mm). If any of these future projections occur, the decline in water resources could modify the forest composition and structure of these water-dependent ecosystems, compromising their maintenance and ecological, cultural, and economic functions.

Impacts of Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies for Rainfed Barley Production in the Almería Province, Spain

Mediterranean water-stressed areas face significant challenges from higher temperatures and increasingly severe droughts. We assess the effect of climate change on rainfed barley production in the aridity-prone province of Almería, Spain, using the FAO AquaCrop model. We focus on rainfed barley growth by the mid-century (2041–2070) and end-century (2071–2100) time periods, using three Shared Socio-economic Pathway (SSP)-based scenarios: SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5. Using the paired t-test, Spearman and Pearson correlation coefficient, Root Mean Squared Error, and relative Root Mean Squared Error, we verified AquaCrop’s ability to capture local multi-year trends (9 or more years) using standard barley crop parameters, without local recalibration. Starting with a reference Initial Soil Water Content (ISWC), different soil water contents within barley rooting depth were modelled to account for decreases in soil water availability. We then evaluated the efficiency of different climate adaptation strategies: irrigation, mulching, and changing sowing dates. We show average yield changes of +14% to −44.8% (mid-century) and +12% to −55.1% (end-century), with ISWC being the main factor determining yields. Irrigation increases yields by 21.1%, utilizing just 3% of Almería’s superficial water resources. Mulches improve irrigated yield performances by 6.9% while reducing irrigation needs by 40%. Changing sowing dates does not consistently improve yields. We demonstrate that regardless of the scenario used, climate adaptation of field barley production in Almería should prioritize limiting soil water loss by combining irrigation with mulching. This would enable farmers in Almería’s northern communities to maintain their livelihoods, reducing the province’s reliance on horticulture while continuing to contribute to food security goals.

Demographic models predict end-Pleistocene arrival and rapid expansion of pre-agropastoralist humans in Cyprus

The antiquity of human dispersal into Mediterranean islands and ensuing coastal adaptation have remained largely unexplored due to the prevailing assumption that the sea was a barrier to movement and that islands were hostile environments to early hunter-gatherers [J. F. Cherry, T. P. Leppard, J. Isl. Coast. Archaeol. 13, 191-205 (2018), 10.1080/15564894.2016.1276489]. Using the latest archaeological data, hindcasted climate projections, and age-structured demographic models, we demonstrate evidence for early arrival (14,257 to 13,182 calendar years ago) to Cyprus and predicted that large groups of people (~1,000 to 1,375) arrived in 2 to 3 main events occurring within <100 y to ensure low extinction risk. These results indicate that the postglacial settlement of Cyprus involved only a few large-scale, organized events requiring advanced watercraft technology. Our spatially debiased and Signor-Lipps-corrected estimates indicate rapid settlement of the island within <200 y, and expansion to a median of 4,000 to 5,000 people (0.36 to 0.46 km-2) in <11 human generations (<300 y). Our results do not support the hypothesis of inaccessible and inhospitable islands in the Mediterranean for pre-agropastoralists, agreeing with analogous conclusions for other parts of the world [M. I. Bird et al., Sci. Rep. 9, 8220 (2019), 10.1038/s41598-019-42946-9]. Our results also highlight the need to revisit these questions in the Mediterranean and test their validity with new technologies, field methods, and data. By applying stochastic models to the Mediterranean region, we can place Cyprus and large islands in general as attractive and favorable destinations for paleolithic peoples.

Pharmacogenetic landscape of pain management variants among Mediterranean populations.

Chronic pain is a major socioeconomic burden in the Mediterranean region. However, we noticed an under-representation of these populations in the pharmacogenetics of pain management studies. In this context, we aimed 1) to decipher the pharmacogenetic variant landscape among Mediterranean populations compared to worldwide populations in order to identify therapeutic biomarkers for personalized pain management and 2) to better understand the biological process of pain management through in silico investigation of pharmacogenes pathways. We collected genes and variants implicated in pain response using the Prisma guidelines from literature and PharmGK database. Next, we extracted these genes from genotyping data of 829 individuals. Then, we determined the variant distribution among the studied populations using multivariate (MDS) and admixture analysis with R and STRUCTURE software. We conducted a Chi2 test to compare the interethnic frequencies of the identified variants. We used SNPinfo web server, miRdSNP database to identify miRNA-binding sites. In addition, we investigated the functions of the identified genes and variants using pathway enrichment analysis and annotation tools. Finally, we performed docking analysis to assess the impact of variations on drug interactions. We identified 63 variants implicated in pain management. MDS analysis revealed that Mediterranean populations are genetically similar to Mexican populations and divergent from other populations. STRUCTURE analysis showed that Mediterranean populations are mainly composed of European ancestry. We highlighted differences in the minor allele frequencies of three variants (rs633, rs4680, and rs165728) located in the COMT gene. Moreover, variant annotation revealed ten variants with potential miRNA-binding sites. Finally, protein structure and docking analysis revealed that two missense variants (rs4680 and rs6267) induced a decrease in COMT protein activity and affinity for dopamine. Our findings revealed that Mediterranean populations diverge from other ethnic groups. Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of pain-related pathways and miRNAs to better implement these markers as predictors of analgesic responses in the Mediterranean region.

International Legal Regulation of Activities of States in the Great Mediterranean Region

INTRODUCTION. In modern international and domestic maritime law, regional fragmentation of legal regulation is becoming more and more noticeable, which, in turn, objectifies and actualizes the formation of complex arrays of legal norms, united by the consistency of the political and legal positions of the contracting states that have national interests in the relevant water area, primarily-coastal states extending their state sovereignty to certain areas of maritime space. In this context, the Greater Mediterranean region should be considered as one of the most important in the world merchant shipping and naval support of international peace and security, as a basin that optimally connects the Atlantic and Indian Oceans from the point of view of logistics, which requires the formation of an appropriate scientific and methodological basis for full implementation of the fundamental principle of international cooperation in the maritime policy of the states of the region.MATERIALS AND METHODS. To substantiate the expediency of singling out the Greater Mediterranean as an independent object of legal regulation, general and special international legal treaties, the domestic legislation of the Mediterranean states, as well as political and legal documents indicating the existence of certain disputes and situations around certain zones of the Mediterranean water area, primarily – in the Eastern Mediterranean region. To obtain reliable and substantiated results of the study, methods of scientific knowledge were used: formal-legal, logical, historical-legal, system-structural analysis. Thus, the formal legal method made it possible to clarify the content and meaning of international legal treaties concluded at different times and aimed at regulating public relations in the maritime sphere. The logical method made it possible to substantiate the need for comprehensive international cooperation of the coastal states of the Greater Mediterranean. With the help of the historical and legal method, an overview was made of both the world, Soviet and Russian practice of applying the norms of domestic and international law on issues related to ensuring international law and order in the Greater Mediterranean region. The logical method made it possible to build the necessary connections and patterns of development of international legal regulation in the Greater Mediterranean region in the general context of ongoing universal and regional political and legal processes and transformations. Using the method of system-structural analysis, it was possible to display a holistic picture of law-making and law enforcement of the Mediterranean states, aimed at the formation of unified principles and norms for the exercise of the sovereign rights of coastal states.RESEARCH RESULTS. International maritime merchant shipping seems to be a very complex area of public relations with a large number of entities that have different legal status and, accordingly, are related to each other in a very different way.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. This work is devoted to the study of the main trends in the development of the Greater Mediterranean region in terms of formulating key international legal guidelines and rules of conduct for its constituent states. The object of the study is the legal relations carried out in the maritime spaces of the Greater Mediterranean as one of the key regions, which, along with its economic and political significance, is an integral zone for the implementation of the national interests of the Russian Federation, extending to the entire World Ocean.

Fatty Acid Composition, Antioxidant, and Enzyme Inhibition Activities of Cachrys Crassiloba (Boiss.) Meikle Fruit and Leaf Extracts

The genus Cachrys L. (Apiaceae) is distributed in the Mediterranean region and contains 11 species. C. crassiloba (Boiss.) Meikle is a species that grows in Southwest and Western Anatolia. Considering the literature studies, there were not enough studies on C. crassiloba. In this study, fatty acid composition, total phenol/flavonoid contents, antioxidant and acetyl-butrylcholinesterase, tyrosinase, and α-glucosidase enzyme inhibition activities of n-hexane and ethanol extracts prepared from C. crassiloba fruits and leaves were investigated by spectrophotometric methods at different concentrations. When the results were evaluated, it was found that the hexane extract of C. crassiloba leaf (123.92 ± 4.62 GA mg/g extract) had the highest total phenol content, while the ethanol extract of C. crassiloba fruit (134.38 ± 0.98 QE mg/g extract) had the highest flavonoid content. C. crassiloba hexane and ethanol leaf extracts (IC50= 8.04 ± 1.31 µg/mL; 10.30 ± 3.15 µg/mL) showed good antioxidant activity com-pared to the ascorbic acid (IC50= 14.59 ± 1.96 µg/mL) in DPPH assay. C. crassiloba leaf ethanol extract (IC50= 17.38 ± 5.02 µg/mL) has the highest ABTS scavenging activity. C. crassiloba extracts have mod-erate cholinesterase inhibitory activity. C. crassiloba leaf ethanol extract (IC50= 196.65 ± 1.94 µg/mL) has good tyrosinase enzyme inhibition activity. C. crassiloba leaf hexane extract (36.35% ± 1.13) was found to have significant inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase. In conclusion, besides its antioxidant activity, C. crassiloba may be effective against neurodegenerative diseases and skin disorders such as hyperpigmentation and diabetes mellitus, but further phytochemical analysis studies are required.

Effects of Sustainable Rice Management on the Behavior and Bioefficacy of Bispyribac-Sodium: A Medium-Term Study

The practices (tillage and flooding) used for rice crops are unsustainable, especially in areas characterized by water shortages, such as the Mediterranean region. Therefore, it is necessary to develop sustainable methods in order to ensure the viability of rice production. However, it is essential to understand the effects that alternative management can have on herbicide behavior. In this context, this paper describes the first field experiment conducted to evaluate the medium-term effects of different agricultural practices on the fate of bispyribac sodium (BPS). Thus, the treatments were as follows: tillage and flooding (TF), tillage and sprinkler (TS), and no-tillage and sprinkler (NTS). In addition, “alperujo” compost (AC) from olive mill waste was used in each treatment (TF-AC, TS-AC, and NTS-AC). The AC was applied only once in 2015 when the TS and NTS treatments were implemented. The AC amendment increased the adsorption of BPS and its irreversibility, thereby decreasing the BPS leaching capacity. Furthermore, throughout this study, the BPS persistence was up to 1.85 times greater with sprinklers than in the flooding condition, which could explain the high values of BPS effectiveness (increased by a factor of 1.45 on average) found with sprinklers. Therefore, the implementation of sprinklers in combination with AC can be considered a sustainable strategy for Mediterranean rice production, at least in the medium term, as it reduces BPS water pollution and increases its weed control efficiency.

Evaluation of the impact of erosion control measures on dam siltation and upstream erosion using radioisotope technique 7Be and MUSLE model in the watershed upstream of Allal El Fassi dam, Morocco

Water erosion poses a significant threat to the sustainability of natural resources and hydro-agricultural infrastructure, particularly in the Mediterranean region, including Morocco. The Allal El Fassi watershed faced such challenges and underwent anti-erosion measures between 2008 and 2014. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of these measures in mitigating dam siltation within the watershed. The methodologies employed include the utilization of the MUSLE model, optimized with bathymetric surveys of the dam, to estimate the amount of sediment reaching the dam and derive the P-factor associated with the implemented anti-erosion measures. Additionally, the radioisotope technique was utilized to assess erosion rates at managed and unmanaged sites within the watershed. The results obtained using the MUSLE model and bathymetric data revealed a noteworthy reduction in mean annual soil loss within the timeframe of 2002–2010 to 2010–2013, resulting in a 13.9% decrease in sediment reaching the dam. Furthermore, variations in the P-factor of erosion control measures were observed, ranging from 0.31 to 0.52 during the respective periods. Utilizing the radionuclide 7Be, erosion rates ranging from 6.8 to 25.3 t.ha−1 were determined for the studied plots, facilitating the calculation of P-factors for specific erosion control measures. Significantly, gabion check dams displayed a P-factor of 0.47, dry stone barriers had a P-factor of 0.41, fruit trees with basins showed a P-factor of 0.51, and enclosures exhibited a P-factor of 0.67. These findings suggest a causal relationship between the implementation of erosion control measures and the reduction in sedimentation rates at the Allal El Fassi Dam, highlighting the interdependence between the two phenomena.

Wildlife following people: A multidisciplinary assessment of the ancient colonization of the Mediterranean Basin by a long‐lived raptor

Abstract Modern humans widely shaped present ecosystems through intentional and unintentional geographical redistribution of wildlife, both in historical and pre‐historical times. However, the patterns of ancient human‐mediated indirect changes in wildlife range are largely unknown, and the mechanisms behind them remain obscure. We used a multidisciplinary approach to (a) reconstruct the process of colonization of the Mediterranean Basin by a long‐lived bird of prey, the Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata), and (b) test the hypothesis that this colonization was unintentionally favoured by anatomically modern humans through a release of competition by dominant species, primarily golden eagles (A. chrysaetos). The fossil record of Bonelli's eagles in the Mediterranean Basin was restricted to the last c. 50 ky. This timing matches the period of modern human presence in Europe. Distribution modelling showed that Bonelli's eagles find more suitable conditions in interglacial periods, while glacial maxima are largely unfavourable unless in coastal refugia. In agreement with this, all Bonelli's eagle's fossils were found in coastal areas, and demographic inference from genetic data revealed a drop in the effective population size by around the last glacial maximum. In today's communities, we found a strongly asymmetric competitive relationship between (subordinate) Bonelli's and (dominant) golden eagles, with the former occupying far more humanized areas than the latter both at the landscape scale and the local (i.e. nesting cliff) scale. Moreover, the nesting habitat overlap analysis indicated that, in the absence of the other species, a notably higher population of Bonelli's eagle, but not of golden eagle, could be expected. Our findings are consistent with the human‐mediated competitor release hypothesis, by which anatomically modern humans could have unintentionally favoured the large‐scale colonization by Bonelli's eagles of a previously competitively hostile Mediterranean Basin. Reconstructing the role of ancient humans in shaping present ecosystems may help to understand the historical, current and future population trajectories of competing species of conservation concern under the ongoing scenario of global environmental change. It also illustrates how human‐mediated apparent competition may promote large‐scale redistribution and colonization of wildlife, including long‐lived species. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Gone with the waves: the role of sea currents as key dispersal mechanism for Mediterranean coastal and inland plant species.

Thalassochory, the dispersal of propagules through marine currents, is a key long-distance dispersal (LDD) mechanism with implications for global biogeography and particularly for island colonization. The propagules of coastal plant species are generally assumed to be better adapted for sea dispersal than those of inland plants, but this hypothesis remains largely untested. We conducted experiments on four genera (Juniperus, Daucus, Ferula, and Pancratium) and compared traits among nine species with different habitats and distributions. Our results showed that Juniperus spp. and P. maritimum have strong thalassochorous potential within the Mediterranean Basin. Interestingly, we did not find a clear association on the thalassochorous potential of coastal versus inland species within all the tested genera, apart from P. maritimum compared withthe endemic inland P.illyricum. These findings suggest that thalassochory may be a more common dispersal mechanism than previously assumed. The apparently weak link of dispersal syndrome with species ecology broadens the possibility of dispersal by the sea also for inland plants, although considered to be poorly salt-tolerant. Moreover, our results reveal significant differences in sea dispersal between endemic and widespread species, but do not rule out an important role of thalassochory in shaping the distribution patterns of archipelago endemic flora. The presented method is largely replicable and could be used for further studies with a larger set of species to better delineate trends of sea dispersal syndrome among species with different ecology or dispersal traits.

Impact of direct and indirect ingestion of six systemic pesticides on the parasitoid Anagyrus vladimiri

Anagyrus vladimiri (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is the main parasitoid of Planococcus citri (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), which is one of the most important pests of citrus crops in the Mediterranean Basin. Pesticide residue on trees and in the nectar of wildflowers growing in citrus orchards might cause side effects in beneficial insects. In the present study, we assessed the effects of six systemic pesticides (acetamiprid, dimethoate, cyantraniliprole, flupyradifurone, spirotetramat and sulfoxaflor) on the survival and progeny of A. vladimiri. Anagyrus vladimiri fed on the pesticide solutions and on the nectar of Fagopyrum esculentum Moench plants that had been watered with a solution containing these pesticides. Acetamiprid, dimethoate, flupyradifurone and sulfoxaflor increased female mortality more than the control (water) after 6h; after A. vladimiri consumed these pesticides, female mortality ranged from 62% to 73%. Cyantraniliprole had no immediate toxic effect on parasitoid survival but caused mortality after 15 days. All tested pesticides except flupyradifurone and spirotetramat reduced parasitoid progeny. After six days of feeding on F. esculentum nectar of plants watered with a pesticide solution, significantly increased female mortality was observed with dimethoate (96%), spirotetramat (80%), acetamiprid (62%), cyantraniliprole (62%) and sulfoxaflor (50%). Progeny was reduced in females that fed on plants treated with spirotetramat and dimethoate. These results demonstrate that some of these insecticides can have lethal or sublethal effects on A. vladimiri by both routes of exposure, via direct or indirect pesticide consumption through the nectar of treated plants.

Use-wear evidence for the use of threshing sledges in Neolithic Greece

Threshing sledge or tribulum represents an important innovation in agricultural techniques. It allows processing huge amounts of cereals and it has often associated to an increased agricultural production. Their use is attested during the Late Neolithic/Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age both in south-western Asia and Europe. In the Mediterranean area, their use lasted until few decades ago. Recently, as part of project focused on the analysis of the early agricultural tools of Neolithic Greece, a few elements bearing macro- and microscopic use-wear traces visually similar to ethnographic and archaeological threshing sledges have been identified from a number of Early and Middle Neolithic sites (i.e., Achilleion, Platia Magoula Zarkou, Revenia Korinos, Paliambela Kolindros). In this paper, we present the result of their study, including technological and traceological analysis. To provide a stronger assessment of the nature of the observed use-wear traces a quantitative comparison with ethnographic and experimental use-wear traces is carried out by integrating confocal microscopy. Despite the low number of recorded artefacts, obtained results suggest that threshing sledges were in use since the early phases of the Neolithic in Greece.

Valorization of a Local Italian Pear (Pyrus communis L. cv. ‘Petrucina’)

In recent decades, the food production chain has undergone transformations that have profoundly affected the way food is supplied, causing changes in the quality of the final products. Moreover, biodiversity is seriously threatened worldwide, and the valorization of local germplasm is a priority goal for most sectorial policies in Europe and elsewhere. Southern Italy and the Mediterranean basin present a vast heritage of fruit tree cultivars that is gradually being lost. Through this work, we aim to valorize a well-adapted local pear cultivar named Petrucina from the Salento area (southeastern Italy, Apulia region), which has never been studied before in detail. With this aim, the nutritional and nutraceutical features of pear flesh were characterized and compared with a reference pear cultivar that is widespread and well-known in Europe (cv. ‘Conference’). Petrucina fruits have shown a peculiar aromatic compound profile, and a content of up to 398.3, 30.9, and 4.7 mg/100 g FW of malic acid, citric acid, and ascorbic acid, respectively, much higher than that of Conference fruits. Additionally, Petrucina flesh presents a more than triple total phenolic content and an antioxidant activity more than double that of Conference, making Petrucina a true functional food that deserves wide appreciation.

Predicting wheat yield gap and its determinants combining remote sensing, machine learning, and survey approaches in rainfed Mediterranean regions of Morocco

Wheat plays a crucial role in Morocco’s food security, economic stability, and livelihoods of farming communities. Assessing key vegetation indices (as yield predictors), along with understanding potential yield, yield gap, and major determinants for this gap at regional and national scales, is vital for improving food security with resilience in variable climatic conditions. Analysing the yield gap and its causes during drought and optimal weather conditions can reduce crop failure risks and enhance productivity specially in variable rainfed production systems. This study aimed to develop scalable methodology to predict field- and landscape-level yield and yield gaps for wheat and their underlying causes examplifying Morocco’s rainfed production environment combining remote sensing, machine learning, and ground information. By analysing six vegetation indices (EVI2, CGVI, MSR, NDVI, OSAVI, and RVI) derived from Sentinel-2 satellite imagery (10 m resolution) over three successive growing seasons (2018–2019, 2019–2020, and 2020–2021), the study employed advanced vegetation index models for accurate prediction of wheat yields and yield gaps at plot and on a larger regional scale within the Rabat-Sale-Kenitra region. To identify the determinants of yield gap, climate and soil datasets were merged with crop management information and the random forest model was fine-tuned and assessed for each season and cumulatively. The findings highlighted that RVI, GCVI, and NDVI vegetation indices were particularly effective in predicting wheat yields, showing the highest R2 and the lowest prediction errors (RMSE). Such predictive methodologies are crucial for policymakers to proactively plan and mitigate risk minimization and adaption plans at regional and national levels. The models predicted rainfed potential yields of 5.99, 1.53, and 4.66 t ha−1, with corresponding yield gap of 3.38, 0.73, and 1.58 t ha−1 for the seasons of 2018/2019 (favorable); 2019/2020 (drought) and 2020/2021 (favorable), respectively. Across three periods, critical factors determining yield include soil moisture, total rainfall during the crop growing period, evapotranspiration, and soil texture and carbon content. To minimize drought risks and maximize benefits during variable rainfall conditions, it is essential to implement pre-season drought forecasts, customize seeding dates based on soil moisture, adopt technologies that enhance soil moisture retention, and utilize climate-adapted farming practices in the semi-arid and arid rainfed regions.

Classifying PDO Kalamata Olive Oil from Geographic Origins of the Messenia Region based on Statistical Machine Learning

Kalamata is a smart city located in southeastern Greece in the Mediterranean basin and it is the capital of the Messenia regional unit. It is known for the famous Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Kalamata olive oil produced mainly from the Koroneiki olive variety. The PDO Kalamata olive oil, established by Council regulation (EC) No 510/2006, owes its quality and special characteristics to the geographical environment, olive tree variety, and human factor. The PDO Kalamata olive oil is produced exclusively in the regional unit of Messenia, being the main profit of local farmers. However, soil chemical composition, microclimates, and agronomic factors are changed within the Messenia spatial area leading to differentiation of PDO Kalamata olive oil characteristic. In this paper, we use statistical machine learning algorithms to determine the geographical origin of Kalamata olive oil at PDO level based on synchronous excitation−emission fluorescence spectroscopy of olive oils. Evaluations of the statistical models are promising for differentiating the origin of PDO Kalamata olive oil with high values of prediction accuracy thus enabling companies that process and bottle kalamata olive oil to choose olive oil from a specific region of Messenia that fulfills certain characteristics. Concretely, the current research effort focuses on a specific olive oil variety within a limited geographic region. Intuitively, future research should also focus on validation of the proposed methodology to other olive oil varieties and production areas.

Phylogenetic diversity and regionalization in the temperate arid zone

AbstractAstragalus (Fabaceae) is astoundingly diverse in temperate, cold arid regions of Earth, positioning this group as a model clade for investigating the distribution of plant diversity in the face of environmental challenges. Here, we identify the spatial distribution of diversity and endemism in Astragalus using species distribution models for 752 species and a phylogenetic tree comprising 847 species. We integrated these to map centers of species richness (SR) and relative phylogenetic diversity (RPD) and used randomization approaches to investigate centers of endemism. We also used clustering methods to identify phylogenetic regionalizations. We then assembled predictor variables of current climate conditions to test environmental factors predicting these phylogenetic diversity results, especially temperature and precipitation seasonality. We find that SR centers are distributed globally at temperate middle latitudes in arid regions, but the Mediterranean Basin is the most important center of RPD. Endemism centers also occur globally, but Iran represents a key endemic area with a concentration of both paleo‐ and neoendemism. Phylogenetic regionalization recovered an east‐west gradient in Eurasia and an amphitropical disjunction across North and South America; American phyloregions are overall most closely related to east and central Asia. SR, RPD, and lineage turnover are driven mostly by precipitation and seasonality, but endemism is driven primarily by diurnal temperature variation. Endemism and regionalization results point to western Asia and especially Iran as a biogeographic gateway between Europe and Asia. RPD and endemism highlight the importance of temperature and drought stress in determining plant diversity and endemism centers.

Revisiting the role of climate change on crop production: evidence from Mediterranean countries

AbstractThe Mediterranean region is an important agricultural center and is expected to be most affected by climate change due to its location. In this study, the role of climate change on agriculture is examined for eight South European countries on the Mediterranean coast for the period of 1996–2016. Carbon dioxide emissions, temperature and precipitation values are used as the indicators of climate change while cereal production is taken as a proxy for agricultural production. Results of the panel vector autoregression approach reveal that an increase in the carbon dioxide emissions and temperature have a negative impact on the cereal production. However, this effect is statistically significant only in the initial periods. On the other hand, an increase in rainfall has a statistically significant positive effect on crop production only in one period. However, eventually this effect turns to negative as expected, since excessive rainfall has a negative effect on agriculture as much as drought. In conclusion, the importance of bringing the policies and strategies to the forefront in ensuring the sustainability of agriculture and minimizing the negative effects of climate change in the region are discussed.