Soil salinization and phytopathogen infection threaten global crop productivity. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria that alleviate abiotic stress while suppressing disease offer a sustainable solution. We aimed to identify a strain with robust salt tolerance, broad-spectrum antagonism, and effective root colonization. A novel halotolerant bacterium isolated from plant rhizosphere at an artificial lakeside was evaluated for plant growth-promoting and biocontrol capacities through phenotypic ass