Soil salinity significantly impacts crop productivity. In response, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) offer an innovative and eco-friendly solution to mitigate salinity stress. However, research on PGPR’s effects on crop physiology under varying salinity levels is still emerging. This study evaluates the impact of five bacterial strains, isolated from compost, on the growth of maize (Zea mays) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants under different levels of salt stress. This study involved treating maize and tomato seeds with five bacterial strains, and then planting them in a greenhouse under varying salt stress conditions (43 mM, 86 mM, 172 mM, 207 mM NaCl) using a Randomized Complete Block Design. Results showed that bacterial inoculation improved plant growth under saline conditions. S2015-1, S2026-2, and S2027-2 (Bacillus cereus, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Bacillus subtilis) were particularly effective in promoting plant growth under salt stress, especially at ionic concentrations of 43 mM and 86 mM, leading to a substantial increase in fresh and dry weight, with strain S2015-1 boosting chlorophyll by 29% at 86 mM in both crops. These results highlight the potential of PGPR to enhance crop resilience and productivity under salinity stress, promoting climate-smart agricultural practices.

The Sebou River Basin is vital for Moroccan agriculture, particularly in terms of producing industrial crops, fruits, vegetables, and olive oil. It is especially significant in viticulture, accounting for 80% and 60% of the national production area for wine and table grapes, respectively. However, the prevalence of diseases and pests requires extensive pesticide application in vineyards. This study aims to assess the impact of pesticides used in vineyards on the environment, human health and their associated sustainability. Agro-environmental indicators were evaluated across 30 vineyards covering 1197 hectares. Results show an average treatment frequency of 24.05 applications per growing cycle, the highest among grape-producing countries, with 77.94% being fungicides. The Quantity of Active Substances Indicator (QASI) reveals a high pesticide application rate of 44.60 Kg a.i./ha. Over 50% of chemicals are classified as “hazardous” based on the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ). A Pesticide Environmental Risk Indicator model (PERI) identifies three active ingredients with a high Environmental Risk Score (>5). Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) reveals that copper sulfate has significant environmental impacts compared to Mancozeb and sulfur. These findings highlight the extensive use of pesticides in vineyards, posing challenges to long-term sustainable agriculture due to associated environmental and health risks.

Environmental concerns are gradually reducing the global yield capacity of agricultural systems, with climate change representing the most significant challenge. Globally, Potatoes are the most essential non-cereal crop. Therefore, understanding the potential impacts of climate change on potato production is crucial for maintaining future global food security. This study aims to explore the roles played by PGPMs in two distinct regions, which are characterized by different climatic conditions, to assess their influence on two potato varieties, namely Siena and Bellini. Inoculation with these strains, particularly the Aureobasidium pullulans strains Ach1-1 and Ach1-2, resulted in significant improvements in growth and yield. In 2018, impressive yields of 194.1 kg/0.05 ha and 186.6 kg/0.05 ha were recorded for the two strains, with the Ain Taoujdate site achieving yields of 157.1 kg/0.05 ha and 151.1 kg/0.05 ha for each of the two strains. Additionally, further observations revealed that the Siena variety is more susceptible to rot than the Bellini variety. However, Ach1-1 and Ach1-2 strains had a significant effect on this rot, showcasing their potential to mitigate this negative issue in the Bellini variety. These promising results underscore the potential of PGPMs to enhance potato production in the Fez–Meknes region of Morocco, contributing to global food security amid climate change.

Chemical compositions and the antifungal efficacy of essential oils derived from Origanum elongatum, Mentha pulegium, Thymus vulgaris, or Corymbia citriodora were assessed against the grapevine gray mold pathogen Botrytis cinerea, isolated from Moroccan vineyards. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses identified the major constituents of these oils as carvacrol (61.8%) from O. elongatum, pulegone (91.2%) from M. pulegium, thymol (47.8%) from T. vulgaris, and cineol (78.11%) from C. citriodora. All these essential oils had antifungal activity, inhibiting in vitro colony radial growth and conidium germination of B. cinerea. Among the essential oils, that from O. elongatum exhibited the greatest inhibition of mycelium growth, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and effective concentrations (EC50), respectively, of 252.5 µL L-1 and 33.27 µL L-1 in direct contact, and 56.17 µL L-1 and 12.75 µL L-1 in fumigation. At 125 µL L-1, origanum essential oil completely inhibited B. cinerea conidium germination. In vivo tests with detached leaves of two grapevine cultivars and grape berries showed that essential oils from M. pulegium and O. elongatum reduced the lesion diameters by, respectively, 78% and 72% on the leaves, and by 58% and 50% on grape berries. The results indicate the potential of using these essential oils as natural and effective alternatives to chemical fungicides for control of B. cinerea, offering a promising strategy for sustainable and environmentally friendly disease management practices.

This study highlights the regulatory potential antibacterial and antiradical of Origanum elongatum essential oil (EO), an endemic medicinal plant of Morocco used for its various properties. The chemical composition of the EO was characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antibacterial activity against different agricultural phytopathogens was determined by disc diffusion and microatmosphere methods, as well as by the determination of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), while the antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH and FRAP assays. To complement the experimental analyses, a molecular docking approach was used to predict and elucidate the mechanisms of action of the identified bioactive compounds, both for their antioxidant and antibacterial properties. The GC-MS analysis revealed a chemical composition dominated by the major compounds: p-cymene-2-ol (25.31%), thymol (23.88%), and γ-terpinene (19.26%). Furthermore, antibacterial analyses performed using different methodological approaches (disc diffusion, microatmosphere, MIC, and MBC) showed significant inhibitory activity against all phytopathogens tested. Moreover, O. elongatum EO exhibited interesting antioxidant ability with an IC50 value of 168.25 ± 1.14 µg/mL for DPPH assay and EC50 value of 164.22 ± 1.04 µg/mL for FRAP assay. Furthermore, in silico molecular docking demonstrated further insights into the interactions between the oil’s active components and bacterial targets, supporting its mode of action. This in-depth characterization highlights the potential of O. elongatum EO as a natural alternative for the biocontrol of plant pathogens. It opens new perspectives for developing natural solutions to protect crops against plant diseases.