In September 2024, following two rare storms, Lake Iriqui in southern Morocco experienced a remarkable revival after five decades of desiccation. Historically, the lake played an important role as one of the largest water bodies before the Sahara Desert, serving as a critical stopover in migratory routes for various bird species. Two field missions documented this event: the first confirmed the lake’s reappearance, while the second recorded the resurgence of the ecosystem and the return of migratory birds, last observed in the lake in 1968. The lake’s surface water extent, which had been completely dry, expanded dramatically, reaching over 80 km² after the first storm and subsequently increasing to approximately 146 km² following the second. This event has drawn considerable attention from international and national media. The revival was monitored using satellite imagery from Landsat 8 and 9 and Sentinel-2A, processed through Google Earth Engine (GEE), with the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) applied to detect water presence. A time-series analysis revealed significant changes in the lake’s surface water extent following the rainfall. This study emphasizes the need for proactive support to preserve Lake Iriqui, aligning with sustainable development goals: SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). These goals highlight the importance of sustainable water resource management, biodiversity conservation, and eco-tourism initiatives to benefit local communities.

The selection and characterization of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) clones often focus on females. Male palms are essential in pollination and improving date production, yet they receive little maintenance and interest and are usually derived from natural seedlings. Our study aims to evaluate and select high-performing male palms. We investigated the morphology of spathes, characteristics of spikelets, and pollen grains of 21 male date palms from the oases of the Middle Draa. The results indicate that all studied traits vary significantly among all male palms. Males M3, M7, and M16 were characterized as highly vigorous and recorded the highest values for all studied traits compared to other males. However, males M3 and M7 were characterized by a higher pollination potential than other males. The pollen weight per tree is positively correlated with all studied parameters, except for pollen grain viability rate, among the male palms studied.

Date palms, a vital Moroccan crop that typically flowers once a year, displayed a rare double flowering phenomenon in the summer of 2023. This study investigated the occurrence of this phenomenon across three small oases in the Zagora region of southeastern Morocco. Field surveys revealed that 60% of spring-blooming palms also produced a second bloom in July, affecting trees of all ages, sexes, and varieties. This secondary flowering cycle featured a compressed development period, leading to limited fruit enlargement and a failure of most fruit to reach maturity. Analysis suggests that climatic fluctuations, specifically a delayed temperature rise during the normal spring cycle and relatively cooler shifts in July 2023, likely disrupted the palms’ reproductive schedule, triggering the anomaly. Despite the failed second harvest, the phenomenon did not have a negative impact on the palms’ productivity for the subsequent year, confirming that double flowering is a complex, climate-influenced event that requires further research to understand its full implications for local date production.

In Morocco, the date palm sector constitutes a vital lever for the socio-economic development of oasis regions. Although the literature on abiotic stresses (drought, salinity, degraded soils) and fungal diseases, above all bayoud caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. albedinis , is abundant,...