Leaf Morphological Diversity of Traditional Fig (Ficus carica L.) Varieties Grown in Northern Morocco

The fig tree (Ficus carica L.) is an important Mediterranean fruit crop that supports rural livelihoods, dietary diversity, and traditional agroecosystems. Maintaining its locally adapted diversity is increasingly relevant to sustainable fruit production as climate change intensifies water scarcity and environmental variability. This study quantified leaf morphological variation in four traditional Moroccan fig varieties (Fassi, Ghouddane, Nabout, and Ounq Hmam) grown at three sites representing contrasting agroclimatic conditions in northern Morocco: Taza being the warmest and driest, Taounate intermediate, and Chefchaouen the coolest and wettest. Leaf traits related to size, shape, lobing, sinus configuration, and venation were measured from digital images collected in late August 2023. Analyses of variance and principal component analysis showed that site-associated variation predominated for leaf-size and structural traits, whereas varietal effects were more pronounced for selected sinus and venation descriptors. Chefchaouen was associated with greater leaf expansion, while Taza showed smaller leaves and higher major-vein length density, highlighting the influence of growing conditions. The varieties also displayed differences in leaf proportions and venation geometry. These findings improve our understanding of how site, variety, and their interaction shape leaf morphological diversity, highlighting the importance of environmental context in varietal differentiation. From a practical perspective, low-cost digital morphometrics provide accessible quantitative descriptors for traditional fig germplasm characterization, supporting varietal documentation, preliminary screening, and conservation planning in Mediterranean rainfed agroecosystems. However, these morphological differences do not establish drought tolerance or agronomic superiority.