The importance of phosphorus in the regulation of plant growth function is well studied. However, the role of the inorganic phosphate (Pi) molecule in the mitigation of abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, heavy metal, heat, and acid stresses are poorly understood. We revisited peer-reviewed articles on plant growth characteristics that are phosphorus (P)-dependently regulated under the sufficient-P and low/no-P starvation alone or either combined with one of the mentioned stress. We found that the photosynthesis rate and stomatal conductance decreased under Pi-starved conditions. The total chlorophyll contents were increased in the P-deficient plants, owing to the lack of Pi molecules to sustain the photosynthesis functioning, particularly, the Rubisco and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase function. The dry biomass of shoots, roots, and P concentrations were significantly reduced under Pi starvation with marketable effects in the cereal than in the legumes. To mitigate P stress, plants activate alternative regulatory pathways, the Pi-dependent glycolysis, and mitochondrial respiration in the cytoplasm. Plants grown under well-Pi supplementation of drought stress exhibited higher dry biomass of shoots than the no-P treated ones. The Pi supply to plants grown under heavy metals stress reduced the metal concentrations in the leaves for the cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), but could not prevent them from absorbing heavy metals from soils. To detoxify from heavy metal stress, plants enhance the catalase and ascorbate peroxidase activity that prevents lipid peroxidation in the leaves. The HvPIP and PHO1 genes were over-expressed under both Pi starvation alone and Pi plus drought, or Pi plus salinity stress combination, implying their key roles to mediate the stress mitigations. Agronomy Pi-based interventions to increase Pi at the on-farm levels were discussed. Revisiting the roles of P in growth and its better management in agricultural lands or where P is supplemented as fertilizer could help the plants to survive under abiotic stresses.

The objectives of this study were to assess actinobacterial diversity in five Moroccan extreme habitats and to evaluate their plant growth-promoting (PGP) activities. The soil samples were collected from different locations, including soils contaminated with heavy metals, from a high altitude site, from the desert, and from a marine environment. In total, 23 actinobacteria were isolated, 8 from Merzouga sand soil; 5 from Cannabis sativa rhizospheric soil; 5 from Toubkal mountain; 4 from a Draa sfar mining site; and 1 from marine soil. Based on their genotypic classification using 16S rRNA gene sequences, 19 of all belonged to the genus Streptomyces (82%) while the rest are the members of the genera Nocardioides (4.5%), Saccharomonospora (4.5%), Actinomadura (4.5%), and Prauserella (4.5%). Isolates Streptomyces sp. TNC-1 and Streptomyces sp. MNC-1 showed the highest level of phosphorus solubilization activity with 12.39 and 8.56 mg/mL, respectively. All 23 isolates were able to solubilize potassium, and 91% of them could grow under nitrogen-free conditions. The ability of the isolated actinobacteria to form indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) ranged from 6.70 to 75.54 μg/mL with Streptomyces sp. MNC-1 being the best IAA producer. In addition, all of the actinobacteria could produce siderophores, with Saccharomonospora sp. LNS-1 synthesizing the greatest amount (138.92 μg/mL). Principal coordinate analysis revealed that Streptomyces spp. MNC-1, MNT-1, MNB-2, and KNC-5; Saccharomonospora sp. LNS-1; and Nocardioides sp. KNC-3 each showed a variety of high-level plant growth-promoting activities. The extreme environments in Morocco are rich with bioactive actinobacteria that possess a variety of plant growth-promoting potentials that can further benefit green and sustainable agriculture.

In recent years, more attention is paid to plant growth promoting rhizobacteria use as biofertilizer alternative to chemical fertilizers, which might cause damage to the environment. The main objective of this work was to evaluate the field application of PGP bacteria and rhizobial strains on the productivity of two food crops extensively used in Morocco; Vicia faba L. and Triticum durum L. A field experiment with 4 treatments was designed: i) the control without inoculation, ii) PGP bacteria alone (P), iii) rhizobia alone (R) and iv) the mixture PGP-rhizobia (PR). Furthermore, the PGP strains were tested for their ability to solubilize complex mineral phosphorus and potassium and for their production of indole acetic acid and exopolysaccharides. The strains showed several plant growth promoting traits. Field inoculation by these rhizobacteria improved phosphorus uptake and the agronomic parameters of faba bean and wheat plants, such as biomass of shoots and roots, as well as the weight of bean pods and wheat spikes. The most pronounced effect was displayed by rhizobial strains or the combination of PGP-rhizobia. The rhizobacterial inoculation stimulated significantly the growth of both crops and could be used as potential biofertilizers to optimize growth and phosphorus retention capacity.

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) may improve crop yield and reduce or optimize the use of chemical fertilizers. We investigated the effect of co-inoculation on growth, phosphorus nutrition, and phosphatase-phytase activities of Vicia faba under different phosphorus availability conditions. The studied strains possess several PGPR traits such as nitrogen fixation ability, solubilization of phosphate and potassium, and production of exopolysaccharides, auxins, and siderophores. Based on their 16S rDNA sequences, the strains were identified as Rahnella aquatilis (PGP30), Pseudomonas brassicacearum (PGP291) and Rhizobium sp. (RhOF57A). In a greenhouse experiment, plants were inoculated with an individual strain or co-inoculated with two strains in addition to uninoculated controls. Each setup was supplemented either with tricalcium phosphate Ca3(PO4)2 (TCP treatment) or irrigated with potassium phosphate KH2PO4 (PO4 treatment). Regardless of the applied phosphorus source, co-inoculation significantly increased biomass and phosphorus concentrations in plants as well as in bean pods. Moreover, especially co-inoculation increased phosphatase-phytase activities in roots supplemented with tricalcium phosphate. This study suggests that co-inoculation of plants is a means to prevent phosphorus limitation and for judicious use of chemical fertilizers.

Intercropping is a farming practice that fights pests and diseases and improves plant growth. The use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) strains to boost the yield of intercrops constitutes a promising tool in agricultural practice. This study investigated the impact of single inoculation and co-inoculation with PGPR on plant biomass and phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) concentrations under different cropping systems. Two PGPR strains with different traits were selected: PGP13 (Rahnella aquatilis) and PS11 (Pseudomonas sp.). A greenhouse experiment was designed using durum wheat (Triticum durum L.) and faba bean (Vicia faba L.), sole cropped or intercropped, including four inoculation treatments: (i) uninoculated, (ii) inoculated with PS11 (iii) inoculated with PGP13, and (iv) co-inoculated with PS11 + PGP13. Co-inoculation under the intercropping system improved plant dry matter and enhanced bean pod and wheat spike weights to 685.83% and 385.83%, respectively, of the values for uninoculated, intercropped plants. Higher P and N concentrations were detected in intercropped, co-inoculated plants and in bean pods and wheat spikes. The results were then submitted to principal component analysis, showing that treatments with higher biomass and nutrient concentrations were strongly correlated with intercropped, co-inoculated plants.