Almond (Prunus dulcis Miller [D. A. Webb] or Prunus amygdalus L.) is a major tree nut species and consumed worldwide. Morocco maintains a long-standing presence of domesticated almonds, hosting a secondary genetic diversity hotspot that demands safeguarding as an important resource for future almond breeding. However, detailed information on genetic diversity is lacking, particularly for the traditional (Beldi) almonds propagated for centuries from seeds, representing the original cultivar pool. Here, we assessed the pomological diversity of local Beldi almond ecotypes to detect elite trees based on nuts and kernels characteristics. A high degree of variability was obtained. A significant correlation was found among some studied variables. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for quantitative traits showed that two components explained 78.91% of the total variation and revealed that traits related to fruits contribute to a large proportion of the observed variability. Then, a comprehensive genetic study of 98 almond accession including 93 of the Beldi ecotype and five non-Moroccan cultivars by analyzing 12 Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs) markers with high Polymorphism Information Content (PIC). We used population structure and Principal Coordinates Analyses (PCoA) to analyze the molecular variance and described the genetic diversity of the identified subpopulations. We identified five subpopulations with little genetic differentiation between the populations, but two subpopulations have high genetic diversity. These subpopulations represent promising genetic pools that necessitate full protection. They are a significant resource for developing novel almond varieties that offer high yields in adverse conditions, fostering profitable Moroccan breeding programs for sustainable almond agriculture.

Morocco has a long history of domesticating cannabis and refuges a local Beldia population, which lacks detailed information on genetic diversity. In this study, the genetic diversity of cannabis grown in four Moroccan regions was assessed with six genomic SSR markers involving two cannabis populations: the local Beldia and the introduced Critical variety. A total of 111 alleles were detected, with an average of 18.5 alleles /locus. Several genetic diversity indices were measured for both populations and showed the superiority of Beldia with a high genetic diversity compared to Critical. The analysis of molecular variance showed that genetic variability was remarkably observed within individuals (65%) and, to a less extent, within and among populations (19% and 16%, respectively). Principle coordinates analysis, unrooted neighbor-joining tree, and genetic structure profiles confirmed that Beldia and Critical are genetically distant and belong to two different gene pools. The gene flow revealed the presence of a genetic exchange between the two populations, thus highlighting the need to protect the local genetic heritage of Morocco from potential genetic erosion.