A survey of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) diversity and date palm ( Phoenix dactylifera L.) tree root colonization in arid areas was undertaken in ten palm groves located along the Ziz valley (Tafilalet, south-west Morocco). The frequency and the mean intensity of root colonization reached 72 and 43% respectively and the spore population varied from 238 to 1840 spores/10g of soil. The AMF colonization levels of field date palm roots were found to be negatively correlated with soil phosphorus content (r2 =-0,64). A total of ten AMF species were trapped from the 10 studied sites with a population of 4 to 7 species per sites. The isolated species included: Glomus mosseae, G. fasciculatum, G. constrictum, G. aggregatum, G. macrocarpum , 3 undescribed species of Acaulospora and two of Scutellospora genera . The latter two species were trapped only at the second trapping cycle. Keywords: AMF, diversity, Morocco, palm grove, Phoenix dactylifer ,.