20.500.12556/RUL-184445 Enhancing the sustainability of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) cultivation in Algerian oasis agroecosystems using drought-tolerant rhizobacteria Izboljšanje trajnosti gojenja boba (Vicia faba L.) v agroekosistemu alžirske oaze z uporabo rizobakterij, odpornih na sušo The present study aimed to isolate, characterize, and evaluate drought-tolerant plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) from Saharan endemic legumes for their potential to enhance nitrogen fixation, growth, and yield of Vicia faba L. under deficit irrigation. Rhizobacteria were isolated from root nodules of native species (Retama raetam (Forssk.) Webb & Berthel. and Vachellia tortilis subsp. raddiana (Savi) Kyal. & Boatwr.) and identified using morphological and 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyses. Their drought tolerance was assessed using polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000), while plant growth-promoting traits, including phosphate solubilization and ACC deaminase activity, were evaluated in vitro. Selected strains were further tested under field conditions in an Algerian oasis system with two irrigation regimes: full irrigation (100 % crop water requirement) and deficit irrigation (50 %). Inoculation significantly improved nodulation, nitrogen fixation, plant water status, and seed yield under water-limited conditions compared to non-inoculated controls. These findings demonstrate that indigenous drought-adapted PGPR represent effective and sustainable biofertilizers for enhancing legume productivity in arid environments. This approach offers a promising, eco-friendly strategy to improve the resilience and sustainability of oasis agriculture under increasing water scarcity. drought-tolerant rhizobacteria Vicia faba nitrogen fixation deficit irrigation oasis agriculture biofertilizer Sahara rizobakterije odporne na sušo Vicia faba fiksacija dušika deficitarno namakanje oazno kmetijstvo biognojilo Sahara true false true Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Članek v reviji 2026-07-07 14:30:28 2026-07-07 14:30:31 2026-07-08 04:12:22 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2026 0 0 8 str. no. 2 Vol. 122 2026 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 63 1854-1941 10.14720/aas.2026.122.2.27532 283951875 MIR+et+al.+(M).pdf MIR+et+al.+(M).pdf 1 F2960A2B178510C85733BAB560AE6185 42b78a55cc97a46edcda4f011194af5e0eef2b7b64e54979a3851a8e42494c19 d07becec-79ff-11f1-9b0d-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=237270 https://journals.uni-lj.si/aas/article/view/27532 1 87c6718b-79ff-11f1-9b0d-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=237269 Biotehniška fakulteta Acta agriculturae Slovenica 0 0 0