Assessment of the Impact of Biofertilization Utilizing PGPR Strains Isolated from Moroccan Oasis Soils on the Growth of Salt-Stressed Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Seedlings (cv. Boufeggous)

Ibtissame Benaceur1*, Meryem Amssaaf1, Reda Meziani2, Fatima Jaiti1

1Biodiversity, Environment and Plant Protection Team, My Ismail University, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Errachidia, Morocco.

2National Institute for Agronomic Research, CRRA-Meknes, Morocco.

The utilization of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) has shown significant potential in mitigating the adverse effects of salt stress on the growth of date palm trees in saline environments. These beneficial microorganisms enhance the plant's ability to tolerate and adapt to high salt concentrations by stimulating root growth, improving nutrient uptake, and facilitating the synthesis of osmoprotectants. By colonizing the rhizosphere of date palm trees, PGPRs can improve soil structure and nutrient availability, ultimately promoting the growth and development of date palm even in salt-affected environments.

In this study, young seedlings of date palm (cv. Boufeggous) were subjected to salt stress (154 mM NaCl) and inoculated with selected strains of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPRs) isolated from certain arid regions of Morocco. Following a period of three months, the ensuing effects of this intervention were meticulously evaluated through the assessment of diverse plant parameters that are indicative of both physiological and morphological attributes. The meticulous evaluations conducted in this study unveiled that the application of the biofertilizer effectively mitigated the levels of oxidative stress. This alleviation was facilitated through the modification of enzymatic activities associated with antioxidant mechanisms, such as Catalase (CAT) and resulted in accumulation of proline and soluble sugars. thus indicating the efficacy of the biofertilization approach in improving the adverse impacts of salt stress on the date palm seedlings.

Key words: Date palm, tolerance, salinity, PGPRs, biofertilization.