Abstract
In this study, 19 ecotypes of Vicia ervilia (L.) Willd. sampled in the traditional agro ecosystems of the Rif mountains (Northwestern of Morocco) were investigated for their characteristics related to germination, phenology, morphology and yield. A large variation was determined among these traditional populations, especially among productive capacity traits as harvest index, which variation can reach up to 40%. The extent of phenotypic variation suggests an important genetic diversity. Indeed, despite a limited geographical scale, we have highlighted population differentiation linked to the production basin origin. Moreover, these populations are characterized by a short lifespan, the absence of dormancy together with precocity, which give to these landraces an interesting adaptive potentiality in the search for alternative crops tolerant to aridity and temperatures raises predicted by ongoing global changes.
Key words: Vicia ervilia, landraces, Rif, ecotypes, genetic resources, alternative crops.
