Enhancing young date palm Boufeggouss cv. seedling tolerance to drought stress with fermented seaweed extracts from Gelidium sesquipedale

The date palm ( Phoenix dactylifera L.) is a crucial component of Morocco’s economy, yet its production faces recurring challenges from environmental factors, notably water scarcity exacerbated by climate change in oasis ecosystems. These challenges have far-reaching implications for the economy, society, natural resources, and the environment. This research focuses on assessing the efficacy of three concentrations (T1: 2%, T2: 5%, and T3: 10%) of liquid-fermented extracts derived from the seaweed species Gelidium sesquipedale to enhance the resilience of young Boufeggouss date palm variety seedlings to water stress at various post-germination stages. The findings reveal significant impacts of the fermented extracts on all measured morphological and physiological parameters, with treatment T3 exhibiting the most favorable performance in both water supply regimes. Statistical analysis underscores a significant interaction between treatments and stress levels, highlighting the effectiveness of the algae extracts, particularly in treatments T2 and T3, under water stress conditions. Moreover, biochemical parameters demonstrate notable improvements, supporting the idea that liquid extracts from marine algae can serve as effective biostimulants to bolster the resilience of date palm seedlings to water stress. Importantly, treatments based on the fermented liquid extracts exhibit superior growth responses for young seedlings under water stress conditions. Furthermore, older seedlings show enhanced tolerance under stress, underscoring the significance of seedling age in responding to treatments amidst water stress challenges.