Date palm production in Morocco – fungal diseases, with a focus on Bayoud, and the potential of endophytic fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Trichoderma for plant growth promotion and disease suppression: A review

In Morocco, the date palm sector constitutes a vital lever for the socio-economic development of oasis regions.Although the literature on abiotic stresses (drought, salinity, degraded soils) and fungal diseases, above all Bayoud caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.albedinis, is abundant, existing studies addresses these threats without providing solutions and discuss endophytic fungi for managing date palm diseases without succeeding in formulating an inoculant based on these endophytes for industrial production.This narrative review, summarises research conducted mainly in Morocco on these constraints and on the use of two groups of beneficial fungi, Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and Trichoderma spp.applied alone or in combination as valuable biological resources for the formulation of inoculants, to the growth promotion of date palm and the bioprotection against Fusarium wilt and other diseases.Studies from other countries are used only to fill gaps in Moroccan data.The literature analysis reveals that research on beneficial endophytes is still limited to a classic sequential approach: isolation, identification, and evaluation of their agronomic effects under inoculation conditions.This observation highlights the need for further investigation beyond this stage and explore techniques for multiplication, formulation, preservation, and application of inoculants in nurseries and in open fields.These studies are fundamental to determining whether locally adapted inoculants could be developed for the agro-ecological conditions of Moroccan oases.