Soil salinization and freshwater scarcity are the major challenges limiting the development of the conventional agriculture due to their adverse effects on plant growth and productivity. Moreover, fungal diseases accentuate these challenges and threaten global food security. Thermo-halotolerant bacteria hold a great potential in eradicating phytopathogens proliferation, enhancing crop production and enabling the use of saline water for irrigation in arid and semi-arid regions. Ten novel halo thermotolerant bacteria isolated from Qatar desert environment and coastline were investigated for their ability to produce plant growth stimulators in vivo. Among them, five exhibited substantial potential in producing hydrolytic enzymes, possessing plant growth-promoting traits, exerting antifungal activity, and forming biofilms. Particularly, Bacillus cabrialesii strain HB7 displayed interesting potential to eradicate grey mold disease on post-harvested tomato fruits Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme and promote seeds germination and seedlings growth under saline conditions. Scanning electron microscopy evidenced that HB7 is an endophytic strain capable of forming protective biofilm around tomato seedling roots. This biofilm effectively protected the internal plant tissues, preventing the infiltration of salt. The application of such biofertilizer on tomato cultivation under soil and soil-less systems enhances plant growth, fruit production, and quality under saline irrigation. These findings support the use of Bacillus cabrialesii strain HB7 as an efficient biofertilizer, offering a pathway to sustainable agricultural practices that leverage saline water resources for irrigation
Biography
Dr. Imen Saadaoui, PhD in Biological Sciences, is a Research Associate Professor at the Centre for Sustainable Development, Qatar University, Qatar. Dr. Imen joined Qatar University in 2011 as a Post-Doctoral Researcher for the Biofuel project, funded by Qatar Airways, QSTP, and Qatar University. In this role, she played a leading role in establishing the Qatar University Culture Collection of Cyanobacteria and Microalgae (QUCCCM) and exploring the potential of local isolates for biofuel production. Later, she was active as a Research Assistant Professor, leading various research projects in the field of Microalgal Biotechnologies including animal feed production and food security, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, drug discovery, and biofertilizers for crop production. More recently, Dr. Imen led projects related to the exploration of Qatar Unique microbial Biodiversity for Biofertilizers production to enhane crop production under desert environment and saline irrigation. Findings from several of these projects were recently published in Q1 and Q2 journals. Additionally, Dr. Imen contributed significantly to the supervision of undergraduate and graduate students (Masters and PhD).