The apple tree (Malus domestica), a member of the Rosaceae family, holds significant economic value but faces postharvest challenges, like blue mold caused by Penicillium expansum and gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea. While synthetic fungicides are widely used, their limitations highlight the need for sustainable alternatives. This study explores the antifungal properties of extracts from Celtis australis, Olea europea var. sylvestris, Chamaerops humilis, and Asparagus albus against these pathogens. In vitro tests assessed mycelial growth inhibition, whereas in vivo trials consisted of measurement of weight loss, firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, and maturity index. Moreover, the phytochemical traits of the extracts were determined using the Folin–Ciocalteu method and HPLC. The results revealed notable antifungal activity, particularly for Celtis australis extract at a concentration of 300 g L⁻¹, which led to significant mycelial growth inhibition (61% for P. expansum and 41% for B. cinerea), a reduction in diseases’ severity (39% and 50%), and a notable decrease in diseases’ incidence (43% and 48%), respectively. Phytochemical analysis reflected the presence of phenols and flavonoids in the tested extracts. Importantly, the natural treatments helped preserve the apples’ quality during storage. Molecular docking studies further revealed that major compounds in Celtis australis extract inhibit the 14α-demethylase enzyme, a key target in fungal sterols biosynthesis.

Wheat stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, threatens global wheat production, with climate change intensifying its spread. This meta-analysis, following PRISMA protocol, evaluated chemical and biological control methods through a systematic review of literature (2005–2025), identifying 12 peer-reviewed studies with 156 experimental comparisons under various conditions. Random effects models assessed treatment impacts on disease severity and grain productivity using standardized mean differences (SMDs). Chemical control significantly reduced stripe rust severity (SMD = −1.04) and improved productivity (SMD = 1.30), with low to moderate variability and consistent yield responses. Effectiveness varied by active ingredients and wheat types, with the greatest benefits in highly susceptible varieties. Biological control agents, particularly Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Trichoderma species, also reduced disease severity (SMD = −2.19) and increased yield (SMD = 2.39), though with greater heterogeneity reflecting strain-specific and environmental effects. Chemical fungicides provided more predictable disease control, while biological agents offered significant yield increases with agroecological benefits. This meta-analysis demonstrates complementary roles for both approaches, strongly supporting integrated disease management combining plant resistance, optimal fungicide use, and strategic biological control to enhance resilience and sustainability of global cereal production systems.

Background: Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) have traditionally been used in Morocco’s folk medicine, reflecting the strong cultural and biodiversity background of this country. The present work aims to analyze ethnobotanical research that has been carried out about MAPs use in traditional medicine in Morocco since 1990, with a particular emphasis regarding the scope, methods and data quality. Methods: A bibliometric and methodological analysis was performed regarding ethnobotanical studies published between 1990 and 2023. Data were gathered from various scientific databases, and analyzed descriptively for publication trends, authorship, institutional contributions, study methods and surveyed populations. International collaboration was analyzed using VOSviewer (v.1.6.20), generating a full-counting country co-authorship network with modularity-based clustering. To perform the networking institutional collaborations map we used the open-source Geographical Information System software QGIS 3.38.2 Results: Ethnobotanical studies conducted in Morocco are characterized by an increase since 2018 and are predominantly undertaken by Moroccan researchers and institutions. Surveys using interviews and questionnaires (69 %) prevail over reviews. Most publications are in English (83 %) and are concentrated in high-impact journals indexed in Scopus and ScienceDirect. However, there are gaps in the reported studies, such as duration of studies, informant demographics and statistical methods. Most informants and MAPs users are women, showing their central role in traditional knowledge transmission. Conclusions: This review summarizes the growing interest in Moroccan ethnobotany, emphasizing methodological quality and reporting deficiencies. The findings encourage improved rigor and standardized data reporting to support ethnopharmacological development. Keywords: Ethnobotany; Moroccan Traditional medicine; Knowledge transmission

Background: The medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) have been used in Moroccan traditional medicine. This review aims to make a synthesis of floristic data from ethnobotanical studies conducted between 1990 and 2023, in order to highlight plant diversity, use pattern, and conservation status. Methods: A total of 1427 plant species were cited across 230 ethnobotanical studies. The relative frequency of citation (RFC) index was calculated as an indicator of cultural importance. Phylogenetic relationships between the species that were commonly reported to possess antidiabetic potential were generated by MEGA X software through the Neighbor-Joining method. The IUCN status of the plants and native origin of plants were also assessed. Results: The most frequently cited botanical families were Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Apiaceae, Fabaceae and Rosaceae, whereas Marrubium vulgare L., Mentha pulegium L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Artemisia herba-alba Asso and Olea europaea L., were the most cited species. Native plants represented 65.53% of reported species, largely characterized as Least Concern (42.89%). The commonest treated diseases were diabetes, bronchopulmonary, and gastrointestinal diseases. Phylogenetic analysis revealed clustering of key antidiabetic species, suggesting potential links between evolutionary relationships and therapeutic properties. Conclusions: The ethnobotanical knowledge in Morocco is floristically rich, culturally varied and therapeutically important. The identification of most cited species and their conservation status can provide a reference for sustainable use, drug discovery, and traditional knowledge preservation. Keywords: Ethnobotanical review; medicinal plants; Morocco; plant citation index; phylogenetic analysis; IUCN conservation.