1. FRUIT GENETIC RESOURCES
FACING INCREASING CLIMATE
UNCERTAINITY
Saddoud Dabbebi O., Mnasri S., Abdelaali S. and Mars M.
olfa.lf@gmail.com

2. National Gene Bank of Tunisia
 Place: Tunis
 Inaugurated: November 2007
 Gene Bank Network: 9 groups
 Cereals
 Forages
 Fruit trees
 Vegetables
 Forest
 Medicinal
 Animals
 Microorganisms
 Marine genetic resources

3. National Gene Bank of Tunisia
 Main activities:
 Conservation of available genetic resources
 Genetic resources collection
 Scientific research
 Information
 Building capacity
 International cooperation

4. Tunisia and Climate changes

5. Tunisia strategies and climate changes
 Tunisia has ratified the framework convention
of United Nations on Climate Changes
(CCNUCC) on 1993 and Kyoto protocol on
2003
 Efforts were more aimed to mitigation than
adaptation (opportunities to carbon market
and international cooperation)
 Tunisia has developed its own Natioanl
Strategy on Climate Change on 2012

6. Strategy aims
 Mitigation
 Law on energy and climate (aims to – 60% carbon
on 2030)
 Proactive policy
 Adaptation
 Capacity building
 Research
 Management plan are tailored to reduce the
vulnerability of coastal sea level rise
 Less water-intensive agriculture

7. Climate changes
Effects
Drought Floods Increased
temperature
Strong
light
radiation
Results
Accelerated
desertification
Coastal
degradation
(rising sea level)

8. Study case: Oasis vulnerability to climate
change
Southern Tunisia will be the most
vulnerable:
 A rise in temperature and decrease in rainfall
 Prediction of average warming to 1.9 ° C by
2030 and 2.7 ° C by 2050
 A decrease in precipitation of 9% in 2030 and
17% in 2050
GIZ, 2012

9. Effets of climate change to Oasis
 Increased water needs of crops
 Continuing decline in the static level of drilling,
increased salinity and increased water pumping.
 Progressive elevation of sea level favoring the
intrusion of seawater into groundwater in coastal
oasis
 Risk of non hibernation for demanding tree
species in cold and therefore a decline in their
production
 Phenomenon already observed for the
pomegrenate in Gabes
 Drying dates following the succession of hot
days
 Deterioration of plant health of trees
 Decrease on tourism GIZ, 2012

10. Vulnerability of Islands
 Kerkennah: fragmentation
of the archipelago to more
islands (about 30% of the
total area is exposed to
marine erosion).
 Djerba Island: more than
3400ha of wetlands on the
island are threatened by
erosion (in marine areas
Rmal and Ras-el-Bin
ouedien)

11. National program on protection on costal
areas
Djerba
Sousse
Gulf of Tunis
Raf Raf

12. Fruit Trees Genetic Resources are not in
shelters
 Climate change effects
 Intensive agriculture (introduced and
commercial variety)
 Biotic and abiotic stresses
Genetic erosion

13. Fruit trees genetic resources in Tunisia
 Long tradition on Fruit trees cultivation
 Secondary center of domestication
 More than 80% of the area are located in arid
and semi-arid regions (most vulnerable to
climate changes)
 Landraces + Local best practices
 Old introduced varieties
 New improved varieties

14. Fruit trees genetic resources in Tunisia
Economic Ecological
Social Cultural
Importance

15. Fruit trees species
(more than 36 species)
 Olea europea
 Phoenix dactylifera
 Prunus dulcis, P. armeniaca, P.
avium, P. domestica, …
 Malus communis, M. pyrus
 Vitis vinifera
 Citrus sinensis, C. reticultat,
C.limon, C. aurantium,
C.grandis,…
 Ficus carica
 Punica granatum
 Pistacia vera
 Morus alba, M.nigra
 Opuntia ficus indica
 Ceratonia siliqua

16. Agricultural Systems
Intensive
culture
Domestic
agriculture
Oasis

17. Researches
Inventery genetic resources
Morphological
Biochemical
Molecular markers (SSR, AFLP,
RAPDs, ISSRs, RAMPOs, ITS)
Search the main adapted species/varieties

18. Inventory
Species Number of collection
Olive 14
Citrus 2
Date palm 6
Almond 4
Peach 3
Abricot 3
Apple 1
Pear 4
Vine 4
Pistachio 4
Pomegranate 3
Fig 5

19. (Ficus carica L.)
 Moracea, genus Ficus, Gynodioecious (2n = 26)
 The oldest fruit crop known (grown 11,400 to
11,200 years ago as a gynodioecious and insect
pollinated species (KISLEV et al. 2006).
 Vegetative reproduction
 Ecotypes called common figs (unisexual female
trees) and caprifigs (bisexual with functional
male trees).
 This fruit crop is wide spread in the
mediterranean basin countries since it is well
adapted either to different soils or climates.
 It is old settled in Tunisia and well adapted to
diverse conditions, soils and to climate change.

20. Group Ecotypes
North‘‘U; R;
Ts; B’’
Bither Abiadh (T); Zidi (T); Djebbi (T); Wahchi (B); Zergui (B);
Khortoumi (B). Dhokkar* (U); Mestiri* (R); Marsaoui (U); Zidi
(U); Kerkeni (U); Goutti (R); Chetoui (R); Harragui (R); Zidi (R);
Bither Souri (R); Bither Arbi (R); Marsaoui (R)
Centre ‘‘S; K’’ Dchiche Assal (S); Kahli A (S); Zidi (S); Soltani 1 (S); Soltani 2
(S); Kahli 1 (S); Kahli 2 (S); Hemri 1 (S); Hemri 2 (S); Bither
abiadh 1 (S); Bither abiadh 2 (S); Bither abiadh 3 (S); Bidhi 1 (S);
Bidhi 2 (S); Baghali (S); Zidi (S); Besbessi (S); Goutti (S); Chetoui
(S); Ghabri (S); Khadhri (S); Abiadh (K); Temri (K); Bither (K);
Bouang(K) ; Baghli (K). Dhokkar* (K); Jrani* (S);Assafri* (S)
South
‘‘DBkZ’’
‘‘TzG’’
Assal boudchiche (G); Bither abiadh (G); Sawoudi (G); Mlouki
(G); Gaa Zir (G); Khadouri (G); Soltani (G); Mokh bagri (Tz);
Bouslames (Tz); Khalt (Tz);Tounsi (Tz); Hamri (Tz); Khzami (Tz);
Grichy (Tz); Zidi (Tz); Bither (Tz);Tayouri Asfar (D); Sawoudi
(Bk); Makhbech (Z); Hammouri (Bk); Zaghoubi (Bk);Wedlani
(Bk). Dhokkar* (G); Dhokkar* (Z); Dhokkar*(Tz)
Cultivars

21. Morphological description
 Parameters relying on:
 Biological
 Growth
 Leaf
 Fruits
Saddoud et al., 2011 Acta Biologica
Cracoviensia

22. Phenotypic diversity
Bithri akhal Baghli
Temri Kahli

23. Molecular markers

24. Molecular characterization
SSR
A total of 58 alleles and 124 genotypes were
revealed and permitted to evidence high
degree of genetic diversity mainly explained
at the intra group level
Saddoud O. et al., 2007 Heriditas

25. Cluster analysis based on genetic distances proved that a typical
continuous genetic diversity characterizes the local germplasm

26. Identification Key
Microsatellite
multilocus genotyping
has permitted to
unambiguously
distinguish 70 well-
defined ecotypes

27. Conclusion
 Morphological and pomological analysis can provide
reliable information on the variability in fig tree.
 The overall analysis of all traits brings out a wide
diversity in plant material that may have important
implications for genetic resources management.
 The domestication of fig tree occurred independently in
different areas especially around the edge of the
Mediterranean.
 Thus, it is very interesting to conduct the proper
management of these genetic resources.
 This can be addressed by different tools such as the
establishment of ex situ collections. The on-farm
conservation can ensure the sustainability of these
resources.

28. Actions related to this scope
 7 au 8 juin 2012 à Tunis: workshop 'funding
climate' organized by GIZ and ODI of 7 to 8 June
2012 in Tunis
 21-22 November 2012: Member of the scientific
committee of the international seminar organized
by the INGREF and BNG on Impact of global
change on forest genetic resources and pastoral
Mediterranean
 2012: Member of national committee for
elaboration of national strategy on climate
changes

29. Project in relation with this scope
 COOPERATION TUNISIA-ITALY: Protection of
Environment ‘ Tunisian Phytogenetic resources
more conserved and valorized’
 Projet on ‘Sustainable management of oasis
ecosystems in Tunisia’
 Proposal for financement by International
Traetyon plant genetic resources for food and
agriculture (Benefit sharing fund):
Conservation, valorisation et utilisation durable des
cultivars locaux de Citrus face aux changements
climatiques en Tunisie, au Maroc et au Liban