Influence of environmental factors on phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in natural populations of the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) in Morocco

Strawberry tree is a spontaneous and typical shrub of the Mediterranean region, known for traditional use of its fruits and leaves due to their health benefits. Previous results have indicated that strawberry tree is an important source of phytochemical compounds with interesting biological activities for pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries. This richness in bioactive compounds offers great prospects for the domestication of this plant is interesting. In this context, we aim to study the effect of provenance on phenolic compounds, in order to determine the parameters of variation of these compounds. The collection of samples was carried out in different biogeographical regions of Morocco where this species thrives. Extraction is effected by maceration in methanol to obtain dry extracts for the quantification of phenolic compounds. Total polyphenol and flavonoid content were determined using the colorimetric method with visible spectrophotometer. A variance between the populations in terms of morphological traits and rates of secondary compounds (polyphenols, flavonoids, condensed tannins, and reducing power) is well noted. Correlations between certain studied traits and environmental conditions are registered. Morphological traits and extract yield constitute good criteria for the selection of natural populations of strawberry tree in Morocco.