Date palms thrive on salty water: New study reveals varietal benefits in the United Arab Emirates

Published 2024년 4월 28일

Tridge summary

The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) has discovered that certain date palm varieties can survive and prosper in low to moderate salinity levels found in irrigation water, a significant find for regions where water scarcity is a challenge. The research, published in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, found that when these salt-tolerant varieties are grown using optimal salinity management practices, they can yield dates with similar quality to those irrigated with fresh water or commercially available dates. In some cases, the sugar content of the dates irrigated with moderately saline water even increased. This discovery is anticipated to enhance the understanding of date palm's response to water stress, leading to more sustainable date cultivation practices in arid regions.

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Original content

(MENAFN- Daily News Egypt) New research from the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) offers hope for sustainable date production in arid regions. The study, published in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, found that certain common date palm varieties can tolerate and even benefit from low to moderate levels of salinity in irrigation water. This discovery holds significant promise for water management in date-growing regions struggling with water scarcity and salinity. Tarifa Alzaabi, Director General of ICBA, highlights the importance of the research:“Date palms are vital to food security in the Middle East and North Africa, and finding ways to cultivate them despite environmental challenges is crucial.” ICBA's research program, dating back to 2001, has focused on the impact of saline water irrigation on date palm growth, yield, and fruit quality. Experiments conducted in the UAE with 18 common varieties, including Ajwa Al Madinah, Khalas, and Lulu, revealed ...

Source: Menafn