Saline Water Irrigation Effect on Oil Yield and Quality of Argan Trees Domesticated in Laâyoune, Morocco

Abstract

Salinity is one of the major severe constraints that limit crop productivity in 40% of the land surface, notably in the Mediterranean region. In this study, we worked in an argan orchard located in Laâyoune, Morocco. The orchard is characterized by a saline soil and trees that are irrigated with highly saline water. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of irrigation with saline water on oil yield, total phenolic content, flavonoid content, antioxidant activity, and fatty acid composition. The results show that saline water irrigation has a no significant effect on oil yield and most oil quality parameters, yet has a highly significant effect on total polyphenols, flavonoid content as well as two saturated acids (C16:0 and C20:0).

Keywords

• salinity
• argan
• oil yield
• total polyphenol
• flavonoid content
• antioxidant activity