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The presence of cyanotoxins, mainly microcystins (MCs), in surface freshwater represents a serious health risk to aquatic organisms living in the water body, as well as terrestrial animals and plants that are in contact with contaminated water. Consequently, the use of MCs contaminated water for irrigation represents a hazard for cultivated plants and could induce severe economical losses due to crops' yield reduction. The experimental approach undertaken in this work was exposing Vicia faba seedlings (inoculated with a Rhizobium strain resistant to MCs), to water supplemented with cyanobacterial crude extract containing total microcystins at a concentration of 50 and 100 μg/L (environmental relevant concentrations of MCs dissolved in the raw irrigation water from Lalla Takerkoust Lake-Marrakesh region). After chronic MCs exposure (2 months), biological and physiological parameters (plant growth, nitrogen uptake, mineral assimilation, and oxidative defense mechanisms) were evaluated. The results obtained showed evidence that chronic exposure to cyanobacterial bloom extract containing MCs strongly affected the physiological and biological plants activities; reduction of dry matter, photosynthetic activity, nodule number, and nitrogen assimilation. At the same time, an increase of oxidative stress was observed, as deduced from a significant increase of the activities of peroxidase, catalase, polyphenoloxidase, and phenylalanine ammonia lyase in leaves, roots, and nodules of faba bean plants exposed to cyanotoxins, especially at 100 μg/L of MCs. This experimentation constitutes a simulation of the situation related to cyanotoxins chronic exposure of seedlings-plants via the contaminated irrigation water. For this reason, once should take into consideration the possibility of contamination of agricultural crops and the quality of irrigation water should be by the way monitored for cyanotoxins biohazard.

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The objectives of this study were to assess actinobacterial diversity in five Moroccan extreme habitats and to evaluate their plant growth-promoting (PGP) activities. The soil samples were collected from different locations, including soils contaminated with heavy metals, from a high altitude site, from the desert, and from a marine environment. In total, 23 actinobacteria were isolated, 8 from Merzouga sand soil; 5 from Cannabis sativa rhizospheric soil; 5 from Toubkal mountain; 4 from a Draa sfar mining site; and 1 from marine soil. Based on their genotypic classification using 16S rRNA gene sequences, 19 of all belonged to the genus Streptomyces (82%) while the rest are the members of the genera Nocardioides (4.5%), Saccharomonospora (4.5%), Actinomadura (4.5%), and Prauserella (4.5%). Isolates Streptomyces sp. TNC-1 and Streptomyces sp. MNC-1 showed the highest level of phosphorus solubilization activity with 12.39 and 8.56 mg/mL, respectively. All 23 isolates were able to solubilize potassium, and 91% of them could grow under nitrogen-free conditions. The ability of the isolated actinobacteria to form indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) ranged from 6.70 to 75.54 μg/mL with Streptomyces sp. MNC-1 being the best IAA producer. In addition, all of the actinobacteria could produce siderophores, with Saccharomonospora sp. LNS-1 synthesizing the greatest amount (138.92 μg/mL). Principal coordinate analysis revealed that Streptomyces spp. MNC-1, MNT-1, MNB-2, and KNC-5; Saccharomonospora sp. LNS-1; and Nocardioides sp. KNC-3 each showed a variety of high-level plant growth-promoting activities. The extreme environments in Morocco are rich with bioactive actinobacteria that possess a variety of plant growth-promoting potentials that can further benefit green and sustainable agriculture.

Cyanobacteria are found globally due to their adaptation to various environments. The occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms is not a new phenomenon. The bloom-forming and toxin-producing species have been a persistent nuisance all over the world over the last decades. Evidence suggests that this trend might be attributed to a complex interplay of direct and indirect anthropogenic influences. To control cyanobacterial blooms, various strategies, including physical, chemical, and biological methods have been proposed. Nevertheless, the use of those strategies is usually not effective. The isolation of natural compounds from many aquatic and terrestrial plants and seaweeds has become an alternative approach for controlling harmful algae in aquatic systems. Seaweeds have received attention from scientists because of their bioactive compounds with antibacterial, antifungal, anti-microalgae, and antioxidant properties. The undesirable effects of cyanobacteria proliferations and potential control methods are here reviewed, focusing on the use of potent bioactive compounds, isolated from seaweeds, against microalgae and cyanobacteria growth.