Evaluation of the Mycorrhizal Potential of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Rhizosphere Soils in the Figuig Oasis (Southeastern Morocco)

Abstract

Date palm, an important crop in Morocco and many other arid regions around the world, faces significant challenges from wind, water shortages, and salinization, which contribute to vegetation loss and soil degradation in the harsh environmental conditions of oasis ecosystems with low soil fertility. Protecting and regenerating these degraded lands is crucial for sustainable agriculture and improving the dryland ecosystem. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) comprise a vital element in this dynamic within the microflora of the soil rhizosphere. This study evaluated the potential in mycorrhizal soil and identified AMF in date palm rhizospheres in eight locations within the Figuig oasis (southeastern Morocco). This study found that Extension and Zenaga had more mycorrhizal propagules than other locations. Replanted maize (Zea mays L.) in these soils exhibited higher mycorrhization rates (91–93%) compared to that in other locations, with the Lamaiz site registering the lowest rate (39%). The phosphorus content was negatively correlated with the AMF spore frequency, intensity, and density, while a positive correlation was detected between the soil pH and the AMF spore frequency and density. The morphological identification of spores revealed Glomus as the predominant species, along with Acaulospora and Sclerocystis. This study represents an initial step toward the potential application of these fungi in environmental conservation and sustainable agriculture in arid regions.

Harnessing rhizospheric core microbiomes from arid regions for enhancing date palm resilience to climate change effects

“…Next, to the advantageous ecological and protective services offered by desert plant-associated microorganisms (Köberl et al, 2016;Shilev et al, 2019;Karray et al, 2020;Gargouri et al, 2021b), few microbial profiling studies have been carried out on the rhizospheres and root systems of date palm, the iconic oasis keystone (Chebaane et al, 2020;Gagou et al, 2023;Abumaali et al, 2023a). Moreover, although high-throughput sequencing technology provides excellent In accordance with the available data, date palm rhizosphere soil and root systems shelter a reservoir of beneficial symbiotic microorganisms that positively regulate its homeostasis (Ferjani et al, 2015).…”