Citrus is one of the largest fruit crops grown in Morocco. Citrus crops gain in importance due to the jobs generated during the production process of fresh or processed fruit. Intensive agriculture is characterized by the excessive use of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides. This production system has generated serious environmental contamination problems, thus, it is necessary to implement sustainable production strategies to reduce the use of synthetic chemicals and contribute to soil and water conservation. In this context, Seventy two Rhizobacterial isolates of fluorescent Pseudomonas were isolated from rhizosphere soil of Citrus in the Sapiama nursery. These isolates were tested on germination and growth of Citrus macrophylla rootstock. The results obtained showed that the isolate C11 significantly stimulated germination 16 days after seed inoculation. The C26, C6 and C24 isolates showed PGPR effects improving significantly the growth parameters of C. macrophylla rootstock. They significantly promoted plant height, collar diameter and root length. This study concluded that the Pseudomonas isolates could be potential alternative biofertilizers to chemical products and could be considered as a promising main component for sustainable agriculture development strategy in Citrus farming.
Keywords: Citrus macrophylla, Pseudomonas, PGP
