PhD Thesis Defense of Ms. Ikram Legrifi

Ikram Legrifi, a graduate of the Faculty of Sciences and Techniques at Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University (FST-USMBA) and the Phytopathology Unit at the National School of Agriculture of Meknès (ENA-Meknès), successfully defended her doctoral thesis entitled “Identification and Characterization of Agents Associated with Olive Root Rot in Morocco and Development of Alternative Control Methods” on Saturday, July 12, 2025. This defense marks the culmination of an exemplary academic journey. Ikram began her research training during her Bachelor's degree (2018), followed by her Master's degree (2021), both carried out at FST-USMBA and ENA-Meknès.

Her PhD work was part of the PRIMA SIRAM project, conducted in collaboration between ENA-Meknès and FST-USMBA, under the joint supervision of Prof. Rachid Lahlali (ENA-Meknès) and Prof. Abderrahim Lazraq (FST-USMBA). The defense was chaired by Prof. Said Amiri, Director of ENA, and took place before a panel of distinguished professors who unanimously praised the scientific quality, methodological rigor, and originality of the results presented.

Throughout her doctoral journey, Ikram stood out for her dedication, scientific discipline, and remarkable productivity. By addressing a complex phytopathological issue critical to the sustainability of the olive sector, she successfully developed alternative control solutions with high application potential. Her research has resulted in over thirty publications, including articles indexed in prestigious international journals and several scientific book chapters.

Congratulations to Ikram on this outstanding achievement, which reflects her personal excellence and highlights the joint efforts of ENA-Meknès, FST-USMBA, and the partners of the SIRAM-PRIMA project.

Rachid Lahlali, Ph.D, Research Professor

Molecular Plant Pathology & Microbiology

École Nationale d'Agriculture de Meknes

Département de Protection des Plantes et de l'Environnement

Km10, Rte Haj Kaddour, BP S/40, Meknès 50001, Morocco

Associate Editor- All Life