Production and Application of Bacteria Biofertilizers Prepared from Isolates from Date Palm Roots

Unlike chemical fertilizers that may cause environmental pollution and harm the microbial community balance of the soil, microbial biofertilizers are natural microbial inoculums that enhance soil fertility. This proposal aims to produce and apply biofertilizers prepared from previously isolated plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) from the rhizosphere of date palms and to evaluate their effectiveness in promoting plant growth and yield. Initially, a limited number of the bacterial strains previously isolated and characterized from date palms will be tested in pots for their growth enhancement under natural and salinity conditions under controlled conditions. Subsequently, a selected set of bacterial strains will be used to design a cocktail of biofertilizers where these bacteria will be coated on specific carriers such as vermicompost and tested again for growth-promoting activity in the greenhouse. The impact of the biofertilizer treatment on the plants will be assessed by measuring alterations in their phenotype, growth rate, photosynthetic efficiency, and other growth-related factors in comparison to plants that have not been treated. Finally, the biofertilizer products will be assisted for their economic and environmental benefits. Production and application of bacterial biofertilizers can significantly impact agricultural productivity, food security, and environmental sustainability.