The date, the palm tree (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is an important component of arid and semi-arid Mediterranean ecosystems, particularly in Morocco where it plays a considerable socio-economic and ecological role. This species is largely affected by desertification, global warming, and anthropic pressure. Salinity is a very worrying problem that negatively affects the growth and the physiological and biochemical activities of the date palm. In these arid zones, the main challenge is to develop new environmentally friendly technologies that improve crop tolerance to abiotic restraints including salinity. In this sense, Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have received much attention due to their capability in promoting plant growth and tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses. It is thus fitting that the current research work was undertaken to evaluate and compare the effects of native AMF on the development of the growth and tolerance of date palm to salt stress along with testing their role as biofertilizers. To achieve this goal, two complexes and two monospecific isolates of native and non-native AMF were used to inoculate date palm seedlings under saline stress (0 g·L⁻¹ Na Cl, 10 g·L⁻¹, and 20 g·L⁻¹ Na Cl). The obtained results showed that salinity drastically affected the physiological parameters and growth of date palm seedlings, whilst the application of selected AMF significantly improved growth parameters and promoted the activities of antioxidant enzymes as a protective strategy. Inoculation with non-native AMF complex and monospecific isolates showed higher responses for all analyzed parameters when compared with the native complex and isolate. It therefore becomes necessary to glamorize the fungal communities associated with date palm for their use in the inoculation of Phoenix dactylifera L. seedlings.

Saline ecosystems, including saline lakes, are indeed major hotbeds of microbial novelty, harboring diverse and largely unexplored microbes. The sebkha of Lake Naïla (Morocco), an ecologically protected area registered under the Ramsar Convention in 1998, remains largely unexplored. Isolation using three different selective media enabled seven phenotypically distinct actinobacterial isolates to be obtained. Molecular characterization, based on 16S RNA gene sequencing, was used to identify strains as members of the genera Streptomyces, Nocardiopsis, and Prauserella. Three strains showed antimicrobial potential against pathogenic microorganisms, with Streptomyces sp. strain 43 exhibiting the most potent effects. Additionally, all isolates displayed plant-growth-promoting (PGP) traits, including phosphate solubilization, auxin (IAA) synthesis, siderophore secretion, and ammonia production. Notably, Nocardiopsis sp. strain 42 produced the highest IAA levels (282 μg/mL), while Streptomyces sp. strain 39, Streptomyces sp. strain 43, and Streptomyces sp. strain 48 excelled in phosphate solubilization. GC-MS profiling of Streptomyces sp. strain 43 revealed a complex metabolite repertoire, including 1,2-propanediol and nonanal, highlighting the strain’s versatile secondary metabolism. These findings highlight that the sebkha of Lake Naïla represents a rich source of halophilic actinobacteria with promising dual potential for antimicrobial and biofertilizer applications. The findings provide a solid basis for new perspectives on biotechnology applications and sustainable agriculture.