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The traditional method of Moroccan paprika processing consists in manual harvesting the fruit in full ripe stage, sun drying, crushing in traditional processing units and oiling (removing the peduncle and seeds is optional). The details about the paprika processing operations are reported. In a second part, a comparative study of the quality of paprika from three spice-producing regions in Morocco was undertaken by analyzing their physicochemical, nutritional and bioactive constituents and their antioxidant activity. The paprika of the three provenances showed values of ASTA which varied from 104 to 144 Units. The main fatty acids components of paprika are linoleic acid, palmitic acid and oleic acid. In terms of mineral composition, paprika from the three regions is rich in potassium, magnesium and relatively poor in sodium. El Kalâa des Sraghna paprika showed the highest total capsaicinoid values (184.97 mg/kg DW). The best antioxidant capacity was obtained by Tadla paprika (IC50= 260 µg/ml for the DPPH test and 43.03 µg/ml for the ABTS test). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has been strongly dealt with in the literature on the economy in recent decades. In many semi-arid regions of the world, issues related to climate change including the scarcity of water resources are crucial for consideration in overcoming obstacles to development. The value of water increases and presents itself as a quantitative and qualitative constraint to its domestic, industrial and, particularly, agricultural use. Given the multi-dimensional and multi-scalar nature of climate change, this research proposes an integrated agronomic, economic and hydrologic modelling for the Tadla sub-basin in Morocco to assess the potential economic impacts of climate change on agricultural water management in this region. This tool permits to predict inter-annual variations of selected socio-economic water management indicators from 2014 to 2050. The simulated climate scenarios include the RCP (Representative Concentration Pathway) 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenario, taking into account the main crops, water resources and the socio-economic context of the study area. The results show that climate change can have an impact in reducing the total agricultural profit calculated across the Tadla sub-basin (by about -0.34% and -0.44% each year according to RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 climate scenarios, respectively) and in increasing irrigation water shadow price progressively. Overall, this research helps to improve understanding of the potential economic impact of climate change and to guide stakeholders in their choices in terms of future adaptation policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, is a perennial herbaceous plant native to Paraguay. This plant produces diterpene glycosides that are powerful natural low calorie sweeteners, about 300 times sweeter than saccharose. Stevia has now become an important agricultural crop for the production of a high-potency natural sweetener. Cultural practices are still in development and the productivity potential of desirable steviol glycosides in more or less stable proportions and under different agriculture conditions are largely unknown. Currently, commercial growers and processors all over the world are seeking to maximize the productivity of rebaudioside A, a steviol glycoside. The present study aimed to characterize the effects of region and varieties on stevia dry leaf yield, steviol glycoside content, and steviol glycoside yield under Moroccan conditions. The content of steviol glycosides obtained from dry leaves of four varieties of Stevia rebaudiana , compared to the edaphoclimatic conditions in six different areas in Morocco, was determined using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Dry leaf yield, leaf steviol glycoside content, and leaf steviol glycoside yield varied according to varieties and regions, with significant interaction of varieties by regions. Dry leaf yield varied from 1.57 to 7.86 t/ha. Stevioside yield ranged from 57.04 to 739.77 kg/ha and rebaudioside A yield varied between 60.8 and 614.04 kg/ha, with Reb A/STV ratios that reached up to 2.62. The total of steviol glycosides yield ranged from 163.21 to 1353.2 kg/ha with significant interactions between regions and varieties concerning sweet glycoside contents. Stevia offers great potential for introduction as a commercial crop producing a biological sweetener under Moroccan conditions. • Rebaudiana crops have proved to be very well adapted to the Moroccan conditions. • High dried leaf yields of stevia were detected with significant variability. • The accumulation of steviol glycosides was very important in the 4 varieties. • Biomass and steviol glycosides are influenced by Variety × environment interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]