Abstract
In this comprehensive investigation, we successfully isolated and characterized 40 distinct plant-associated halotolerant bacteria strains obtained from three halophytic plant species: Tamarix nilotica, Suaeda pruinosa, and Arthrocnemum macrostachyum. From this diverse pool of isolates, we meticulously selected five exceptional plant-associated halotolerant bacteria strains through a judiciously designed seed biopriming experiment and then identified molecularly. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens DW6 was isolated from A. macrostachyum. Three bacteria (Providencia rettgeri DW3, Bacillus licheniformis DW4, and Salinicoccus sesuvii DW5) were isolated for the first time from T. nilotica, S. pruinosa and S. pruinosa, respectively. Paenalcaligenes suwonensis DW7 was isolated for the first time from A. macrostachyum. These plant-associated halotolerant bacteria exhibited growth-promoting activities, including phosphate solubilization, nitrogen fixation, and production of bioactive compounds, i.e., ammonia, phytohormones, hydrogen cyanide, siderophores, and exopolysaccharides. A controlled laboratory experiment was conducted to reduce the detrimental impact of soil salinity. Vicia faba seedlings were inoculated individually or in mixtures by the five most effective plant-associated halotolerant bacteria to reduce the impact of salt stress and improve growth parameters. The growth parameters were significantly reduced due to the salinity stress in the control samples, compared to the experimental ones. The unprecedented novelty of our findings is underscored by the demonstrable efficacy of co-inoculation with these five distinct bacterial types as a pioneering bio-approach for countering the deleterious effects of soil salinity on plant growth. This study thus presents a remarkable contribution to the field of plant science and offers a promising avenue for sustainable agriculture in saline environments.