title: The date palm tree rhizosphere is a niche for plant growth promoting bacteria in the oasis ecosystem.
abstract: In arid ecosystems environmental factors such as geoclimatic conditions and agricultural practices are of major importance in shaping the diversity and functionality of plant-associated bacterial communities. Assessing the influence of such factors is a key to understand (i) the driving forces determining the shape of root-associated bacterial communities and (ii) the plant growth promoting (PGP) services they provide. Desert oasis environment was chosen as model ecosystem where agriculture is possible by the microclimate determined by the date palm cultivation. The bacterial communities in the soil fractions associated with the root system of date palms cultivated in seven oases in Tunisia were assessed by culture-independent and dependent approaches. According to 16S rRNA gene PCR-DGGE fingerprinting, the shapes of the date palm rhizosphere bacterial communities correlate with geoclimatic features along a north-south aridity transect. Despite the fact that the date palm root bacterial community structure was strongly influenced by macroecological factors, the potential rhizosphere services reflected in the PGP traits of isolates screened in vitro were conserved among the different oases. Such services were exerted by the 83% of the screened isolates. The comparable numbers and types of PGP traits indicate their importance in maintaining the plant functional homeostasis despite the different environmental selection pressures.
authors: LR03ES03 Laboratoire Microorganismes et Biomolécules Actives, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Campus Universitaire, 2092 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors: Raoudha
authors: 0000-0001-7439-9294
authors: R
authors: Ferjani
authors: Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Ramona
authors: 0000-0003-1769-9981
authors: R
authors: Marasco
authors: Department of Food, Environment, and Nutritional Sciences, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy.
authors: Eleonora
authors: 0000-0002-7461-7949
authors: E
authors: Rolli
authors: LR03ES03 Laboratoire Microorganismes et Biomolécules Actives, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Campus Universitaire, 2092 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors: Hanene
authors: 0000-0002-7123-8273
authors: H
authors: Cherif
authors: Université de La Manouba, Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Sidi Thabet, LR11ES31 LR Biotechnologie & Valorisation des Bio-Géo Ressources, BiotechPole Sidi Thabet, 2020 Ariana, Tunisia.
authors: Ameur
authors: 0000-0001-7310-3842
authors: A
authors: Cherif
authors: LR03ES03 Laboratoire Microorganismes et Biomolécules Actives, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Campus Universitaire, 2092 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors: Maher
authors: M
authors: Gtari
authors: LR03ES03 Laboratoire Microorganismes et Biomolécules Actives, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Campus Universitaire, 2092 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors: Abdellatif
authors: A
authors: Boudabous
authors: Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia ; Department of Food, Environment, and Nutritional Sciences, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy.
authors: Daniele
authors: D
authors: Daffonchio
authors: LR03ES03 Laboratoire Microorganismes et Biomolécules Actives, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Campus Universitaire, 2092 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors: Hadda-Imene
authors: HI
authors: Ouzari
mesh_terms: D028023:Arecaceae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D017753:Ecosystem; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D058441:Rhizosphere; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D014416:Tunisia
chemical_list: D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S