Date Palm Phoenix Dactylifera Research Articles

Biochemical Responses of Date Palm Phoenix dactylifera L. to Combined Stress of Salinity and Nickel

This study examined the effects of nickel (Ni) at 0, 25, and 50 mg.L-1 concentrations, applied alone or in combination with salinity (represented by NaCl at 0, 100, and 200 mM concentrations), on the biochemical traits of date palm. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA), membrane stability index (MSI), peroxidase (POD) activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and proline content were among the parameters evaluated. The results revealed significant effects of nickel and salinity on the studied biochemical markers. Nickel at 50 mg.L-1 significantly increased H2O2 (0.87 µmol. L-1) and MDA (2.46 nmol.g-1) levels, while decreasing MSI (75.85%). Moreover, it enhanced POD (25.09 U.min-1.g-1) and SOD (3.78 U. min-1.g-1) activity, as well as proline content (4.35 µmol.g-1). Salinity at 200 mM significantly increased H2O2 (0.90 µmol L-1) and MDA (2.54 nmol.g-1) levels, decreased MSI (77.69%), and increased POD (27.61 U. min-1.g-1) and SOD (3.77 U.min-1.g-1) activity, along with increased proline content (4.54 µmol.g-1). Additionally, the combined application of nickel and salinity, particularly at higher concentrations, resulted in significantly increased biochemical responses compared to individual treatments. The findings highlight the interactive effects of nickel and salinity on the oxidative and antioxidant mechanisms in date palm plants. This study contributes to our understanding of plant responses to abiotic stressors and provides insights for optimizing date palm cultivation under challenging environmental conditions.

Anticancer Properties of Different Varieties of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Leaf Extracts in Human Tumor Cells: a Comparative Study.

Plant polyphenols are nutraceutical components with relevant biological effects on human health. They act against development of several diseases including cancer. In this study, the methanolic extracts of four date palm Phoenix dactylifera leaves (Deglet Noor (DN), Barhee (B), Khalas (KS) and Khunezi (KZ)) collected from south Tunisia were preliminary analyzed for their effects against U87 (human glioblastoma) and MDA-MB-231 (human breast cancer) cell line development. Results showed that Barhee extract (30μg/mL) was the most efficient to reduce the growth of both tumor cells to about 40% (p < 0.05) without inducing cytotoxicity. Significantly, KS, KZ, DN and B extracts (30μg/mL) decreased MDA-MB-231 and U87 cell adhesion towards fibrinogen and fibronectin. Using integrin blocking antibodies, leaf extracts competitively decreased human glioblastoma cell attachment to immobilized antibodies by interfering to αvβ3 and α5β1 integrin receptors. At the same concentration, extracts decreased MDA-MB-23 and U87 cell migration performed with wound healing assay. Particularly, Barhee and Deglet Noor leaf extracts (30μg/mL) significantly reduced U87 cell invasion by 52.92% (p < 0.01) and 74.56% (p < 0.01), respectively. Collegially, our findings revealed beneficial proprieties of four varieties of date palm leaf especially those displayed by DN and B extracts that may serve as active candidates against human glioblastoma and breast cancer progression.

Biowaste Valorization of Palm Tree Phoenix dactylifera L. for Nanocellulose Production.

The desire to reduce reliance on oil resources arises from the concerns about carbon footprint and nonrenewability. Conversely, the global presence of over 100 million palm trees poses a significant challenge due to the substantial amount of biowaste generated annually. Additionally, the use of nanocellulose (NC) as a cost-effective material is steadily gaining recognition for its growing adaptability over time. The main goal of this study is to biosynthesized NC from Iraqi date palm Phoenix dactylifera leaves waste with low-concentration acid-alkali treatment. The date palm leaves waste yields 20 g of NC from 100 g of leaves before acid hydrolysis treatment. The chemical components of biosynthesized NC were 47.90%, 26.78%, and 24.67% for α-cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, respectively. In order to study their properties, NC from raw date palm leaves was studied by microscopic techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, and atomic force microscope (AFM). SEM results revealed rod-like structured NC as well as combined long-fine fibrous structures rather than compacted bundles with sizes ranging between 31 and 74 nm. With EDX, all spectra exhibit the peaks of carbon and oxygen as the main elements with 63.8% and 10.44%, respectively, in their compositions, which relate to the typical composition of cellulose. The 3D image of AFM NC with a tapping mode presented a highly uniform distribution of NC with a size of ∼15 nm. The statistical roughness analysis shows that the obtained roughness average is 7.20 nm with the root-mean-square roughness value of 21.56 nm, which corresponded relatively with the micrographs of SEM. The results of this study demonstrate the promise of using date palm waste as raw material to produce NC as green nanocomposite from biodegradable nanomaterials for water purification and sustained drug delivery for biomedical applications. In this regard and because of the insufficient reports about the extraction of NC from palm tree leaves waste, the objective of this study was designed to fabricate NC biologically from fibers sourced from the waste of Iraqi date palm P. dactylifera leaves that left in agricultural lands or burned, which can be an ecological and health problem as a bionanocomposites in the medical and industrial field and as alternative resources of wood materials.

Managing Dust Mite Oligonychus afrasiaticus (McGregor) (Acari: Tetranchidae) Infesting Date Palm Orchards By Using Lemongrass Extract and Nanosulfur

The dust mite Oligonychus afrasiaticus (McGregor 1939) (Acari: Tetranychidae) poses a significant threat to date palm Phoenix dactylifera L. productivity in Iraq. To address this issue, a field study was conducted in a private date palm orchard in Al-Zubair district, Basrah province, Iraq, to assess the efficacy of some treatments in controlling the dust mite population on date palm fruits. The treatments included lemongrass extract, nanosulfur, a combination of lemongrass extract and nanosulfur, liquid sulfur, and a distilled water as control treatment. Treatments were applied by spraying on leaves and fruits at three dates: five weeks, eight weeks, and eleven weeks after pollination. Dust mite mortality rates were measured at intervals of 1, 3, 5, and 7 days after treatment application. Results revealed that the second date, eight weeks after pollination, exhibited the highest mortality rate of 76.77%, significantly outperforming other dates. Among the treatments, liquid sulfur showed the highest efficiency, with an 87.83% mortality rate, followed closely by the combination of lemongrass extract and nanosulfur (84.14%). Nanosulfur alone recorded a mortality rate of 79.26%, while lemongrass extract alone showed a mortality rate of 49.15%. The mortality rate increased over time, reaching 80.79% after 7 days and 65.76% after 1 day. In conclusion, liquid sulfur emerged as the most effective treatment for controlling the dust mite population on date palm fruits. The second date, eight weeks after pollination, was the optimal time for treatment application. These findings offer valuable insights into sustainable and environmentally friendly pest control strategies for date palm cultivation in Iraq.

Novel Stable Protease Inhibitor from Phoenix dactylifera(L.) Flowers with Antimicrobial and Antitumoral Activities.

A novel protease inhibitor isolated from date palm Phoenix dactylifera(L.) flowers (PIDF) was purified and characterized. A heat and acidic treatment step followed by ethanol precipitation and reverse-phase high-performance chromatography was applied to purify this natural protease inhibitor to homogeneity with a single band of about 19 kDa. The stability study depicted that PIDF was fully stable at 40 °C and retained 65% of its initial activity after heating at 50 °C for 24 h. Its thermal stability at 70 °C was markedly enhanced by adding calcium, bovine serum albumin, and sorbitol as well as by metal divalent cations, especially Mg2+ and Hg2+. This protease inhibitor showed high inhibitory activity against therapeutic proteases, including pepsin, trypsin, chymotrypsin, and collagenase, and acted as a potent inhibitor of some commercial microbial proteases from Aspergillus oryzae, Bacillus. sp, and Bacillus licheniformis. Moreover, a potent antibacterial spectrum against Gram (+) and Gram (-) bacterial strains and an efficient antifungal effect were observed. Its cytotoxicity toward human colorectal cancer cell LoVo and HCT-116 lines suggested that PIDF could serve as a new therapeutic target inhibiting human colorectal cancer.

Analyzing Phytohormone Levels in Fruits of Date Palm Phoenix dactylifera L. Derived from Tissue Culture under Different Pollination Treatments

This study evaluated three male date palm varieties, namely, Red-Ganami, Red-Ganami + Khakri Al-Adi and Red-Ganami + Al-Canary, in three age of spathes (early, late and middle) in a private orchard at Al-Seebah district, Basrah province. The plants were subjected to two pollination dates immediately after opening of female flowers and three days after opening of female flowers. The contents of auxin-like substances, gibberellin and abscisic acid in the flowers were determined. The second pollination date resulted in the highest contents of auxins, gibberellins and abscisic acid, with values of 24.305, 138.660 and 12.355 µg.gm-1, respectively. The mixture of Red-Ganami + canary cultivars had the highest concentrations of auxin 24.512 µg.gm -1 and gibberellins 136.842 µg.gm-1, whereas Red-Ganami had the highest concentration of abscisic acid 3.554 μg.gm-1. Early age of spathes showed significant differences in the concentrations of auxin and abscisic acid, with average values of 26.015 and 14.031 µg.gm-1, respectively. Late postmenopausal age recorded the highest concentration of gibberellins at 136.842 μg.gm-1. For the two- and three-way interactions, a statistically significant superiority was observed in most of the study coefficients. In conclusion, the contents of auxins, gibberellins and abscisic acid significantly differed with the pollination date and the pollin cultivar combinations showed the highest concentrations of these substances. The different ages of male puberty also affected pollination and fertilization

Human-facilitated feeding on Date Palm Phoenix dactylifera sap by trans-Saharan warblers during spring stopover in a Tunisian oasis

ABSTRACT Capsule Some trans-Saharan warbler species feed on human-extracted Date Palm Phoenix dactylifera sap during spring migratory stopover. Aims To investigate the behaviour of birds feeding on Date Palm sap at a Tunisian oasis during the spring migration season. Methods Birds feeding on Date Palm sap were monitored during the peak of spring migratory passage of trans-Saharan birds in southern Tunisia by recording the species involved and their numbers, and noting whether there were agonistic interactions between them. Data were used to describe the assemblages of birds feeding on Date Palm sap. Results We recorded five trans-Saharan warbler species feeding on Date Palm sap, either in single- or mixed-species flocks. Aggressive conflicts were common, suggesting competition by interference within this bird assemblage. However, other abundant fruit-eating trans-Saharan warbler species were never seen feeding on Date Palm sap, possibly due to the potential inability to assimilate some of its components, or simply because they did not need to ingest it for reasons related to their migration strategy. Conclusions Our findings reveal that Date Palm sap is a food resource for some trans-Saharan warbler species, highlighting a rarely documented human-facilitated feeding behaviour in birds. They also underline the high ecological plasticity of these warbler species, capable of using different food resources to meet the needs of their challenging migratory journey.

Effect of spraying with garlic extract and silicon on some physical, chemical, and productive characteristics of date palm Phoenix dactylifera L.

The experiment was conducted in Shatt Al-Arab District - Fourth Al-Jazirah District - Basrah Governorate during the 2020 growing season to investigate spraying with garlic extract and silicon solution on some physical, chemical, and productive properties of date palm fruits Umm al-Dahn variety. The garlic solution extract at a concentration (of 0, 200, 400 ml L-1 ) and silicon at a concentration of (0, 250, 500, 750 mg L-1 ) was used in two-time sprays, the first two weeks after pollination and the second three weeks after the first spray. The spray t with garlic extract at a concentration of 400 ml L-1 and silicon at a concentration of 750 mg L-1 was significant in the physical characteristics under study (fruit weight, length, diameter, and fleshy layer weight), and chemical characteristics (total soluble solids, reducing sugars, dry matter, and total protein) compared to the control treatment. The treatment of spray t with garlic extract at 400 ml L-1 and silicon at a concentration of 750 mg L-1 significantly decreased the percentage of sucrose in the fruits. It resulted in a significant increase in the weight of the fruit and the tree's yield. The spraying with garlic solution extract at a concentration of 400 ml L-1 with silicon spray treatment at a concentration of 750 mg L-1 resulted in the highest productivity of the palm (41.68 kg. Palm-1 ). At the same time, the control gave the lowest productivity of 31.74 kg Palm-1 . Keywords: Garlic extract, Silicon, Date palm, Productivity

Impact of Salicylic and Jasmonic Acid in Mitigating Salinity Stress on Date Palm Phoenix dactylifera L. Barhi Cv.

Date palm is one of the most important trees for economic and social development in many countries and its fruits with high nutritional value. This aimed to determine the role of salicylic (SA) and jasmonic acids (JA) as antioxidants against salt stress. Salt stress was applied with water irrigation to two-year-old date palm offshoots by using 200 mM NaCl alone or in combination with foliar sprays of JA and SA at 1, 2 and 3 mgL-1. Results indicate that salinity at 200 mM NaCl remarkably increased the content of osmolytes (e.g., proline, glycine betaine and soluble sugars) in date palm leaves. Moreover, with the combination of 2 and 3 mg.L-1 SA and 1 mg.L-1 JA with salinity, the osmolyte content was remarkably higher than in salinity treatment alone. When date palm was exposed to salinity alone, the levels of oxidative markers, Malondialdehyde as a lipid peroxidation marker and H2O2 as a ROS accumulation marker, substantially increased compared with the control. Importantly, the levels of these oxidative markers remarkably decreased when plants were subjected to combined salinity and treatment with at 2 and 3 mg.L-1 SA and 3 mg.L-1 SA compared with the salinity treatment alone. In addition, spraying 2 and 3 mg.L-1 SA and 3 mg.L-1 JA on leaves combined with salinity treatment remarkably decreased the salinity effect on membrane stability index. Moreover, when 2 or 3 mg.L-1 were sprayed, no remarkable difference was detected for any investigated characteristics, and SA had a greater effect than JA in alleviating the salinity effect.

The effect of activated charcoal on the adsorption of growth regulators and treat browning phenomenon of date palm Phoenix dactylifera L. in vitro

أجريت هذه الدراسة على فسائل نخلة التمر (صنف الزهدي) (Phoenix dactylifera L.) إذ درس تأثير الفحم المنشط على إدمصاص منظمات النمو للأوكسينات α-Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA)، β-Naphthyloxy acetic acid (NOA)، Indol-3-acetic acid (IAA) والسايتوكينين N-(2-isopentyl) adenine (2,ip) من خلال زراعة النماذج في أوساط زرعية خالية من الفحم المنشط وإيجاد التراكيز المثلى لنشوء البراعم الأولية ومقارنتها مع تراكيز منظمات النمو في أوساط تحتوي على الفحم المنشط . أوضحت النتائج أن أفضل التراكيز كانت 1، 1، 1 ملغم/لتر للأوكسينات NAA، NOA، IAA على التوالي و0.1 ملغم/لتر للسايتوكينين 2,ip في الوسط الزرعي الخالي من الفحم المنشط. كما بينت النتائج بأن التخلص من ظاهرة الإسمرار يكون بواسطة الإنجماد قبل الزراعة بدرجة حرارة -18º م لمدة ثلاثين يوماً بدلاً من إستخدام محلول مضاد الأكسدة 150 ملغرام / لترCitric acid، 100 ملغم / لتر Ascorbic acid.وإستعمل الـ Polyvinyl pyrolidone (P.V.P.) وكعامل إدمصاص الفحم المنشط Activated charcoal. وقد تفوق عامل التجميد لوحده على بقية العوامل بالقضاء على ظاهرة الإسمرار.

Identification of Causative agents associated with decay of Trees Twig and Orchards Die-back and their Impacts on Vessels of Citrus, Date Palm and Ficus

The present work is concerned with the studies of the organism causing wood decay of twigs and branches of citrus orchards, date palm Phoenix dactylifera L, and ficus trees. A survey for the occurrence of this disease in the main growing areas was achieved by the researchers. The following species of citrus orchards [lime (C. aurantifolia), sweet orange (C. sinensis), and mandarin (C. reticulate)] were surveyed, and so date palm and ficus trees. However, the results showed that the incidence of this disease was about 100%. Laboratory examinations data revealed mainly two fungal species causing the disease: Physalospora rhodina (P.rhodina) and Diaporthe citri (D. citri). In addition that, both fungi, which are P. rhodina and D. citri affected the vessels of tree tissues. According to the pathogenicity test, the fungus P. rhodina caused a breakdown of parenchyma cells, and the fungus D. citri caused the darkening of the xylem.

Date Palm Industrial Benefits and Secondary Metabolites Production by Biotechnology Approach

Abstract. Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.), commonly grown in the hot arid zones predominantly in the Middle East and North Africa, became one of the highly important cultivated palms around the world, because of the multiple processing utilization of the edible fruit, and the various industry- uses of the whole tree parts. Moreover, there are intensive studies indicated the higher nutraceutical value of the essential biological compounds in the date palm tissues like (carotenoids, phenols, lignin, flavonoids, tannins and sterols) and their therapeutic aspects, such as antioxidants (lutein, β-carotene and vitamin A), antibacterial (syringic acid, vanillic acid and gallic acid), antifungal (tannic acid) and anti-cancer (quercetin) and anti-sterility (β-sitosterol and stigmasterol). Meanwhile, the biotechnology approach provides the production possibilities of the plants' secondary metabolites, using cell suspension cultures and the scale-up by bioreactors. Also, using the biotic and abiotic elicitors as important factors inducing bioactive compounds accumulation in plants tissue cultures. This review describes the progress in studying the in vitro production of some important secondary metabolites from the date palm tissues.

From waste to a sustainable ingredient: Date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) pits incorporation enhances the physicochemical and sensory properties of Algerian date syrups

The date syrups are processed traditionally from pulps of the date palm Phoenix dactylifera L. The pits, residues from the syrups production, are rich in bioactive compounds and could constitute an added value. The present study aims to promote Algerian dates of low market value and develop new food formulation of syrup from whole dates. Therefore, the physicochemical and sensory properties of the date syrups of three Algerian date varieties, namely H'mira, Ghars and Tantbouche, pitted and from entire fruits, were evaluated. The obtained results indicated that the incorporation of date pits was able to improve significantly the physicochemical and sensory properties of the new prepared syrups. In general, the physicochemical attributes of new syrups varied between samples. However, the syrup prepared by H'mira pits was most appreciated for its color, sweetness and brilliance and therefore received the highest hedonic preference score and purchase intent (2.75 and 2.69 respectively). Overall, date pits incorporation could improve significantly the composition and nutritional properties of date syrups.

Seed Dispersal of Date Palm Phoenix dactylifera by Asiatic Black Bear in Southeastern Iran

Seed Dispersal of Date Palm Phoenix dactylifera by Asiatic Black Bear in Southeastern Iran

The Effect of Chemical Activation Method in the Preparation of Activated Carbon from Local Phoenix Dactylifera Waste Stems

Local date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) waste stems were used to prepare activated carbon (AC) using KOH, NaCl and ZnCl2 as activation agents. Carbonization was conducted at 600 °C for 2hr under nitrogen flow, followed by activation at 750 °C for 2 hr under carbon dioxide flow. AC was characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Iodine adsorption, BET, micropores, and mesopores surface areas at different carbon-to-activation-agent-ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:3). FT-IR spectra results showed a reduction in AC-NaCl bands compared to other AC, which indicates less functional surface groups. At 750 °C, the TGA analysis showed the carbon yield as AC-ZnCl2 &gt; AC-NaCl &gt; AC-KOH, however, among all samples, AC-NaCl at 1:2 ratio was the best in terms of iodine removal. This treated AC sample exhibited about 18.3 % maximum iodine removal, which indicates the high surface area and porosity with 550.4380 m2/g, 348.7432 m2/g, and 201.6947 m2/g BET, micropores and mesopores surface areas, respectively. In conclusion, the local Omani date palm waste stems can be used for AC production with a well porous structure using cheap and environmentally friendly salts as activation agents. In addition, the produced AC attained better adsorption characteristics among other alternatives.

Study the effect of foliar spraying by Glutathione, Butyrecin and their interaction on some physical, chemical and productive characteristics of date palm Phoenix dactylifera L. CV. Hellawi

This study was conducted on Phoenix dactylifera L. Hellawi date palm trees in one of the private orchards in Al-Haritha district in the north of Basra governorate during the growing season 2021 to know the effect of foliar spraying with the antioxidant Glutathione (0, 50, 100 mg. l-1) and the butyrecin growth regulator at a concentration (0, 50, 100 mg. l-1) by three sprays four weeks after contracting, between one spray and another one month, on some physical, chemical and physiological characteristics of fruits, leaves and components of the date palm yield of the cultivar Al-Hellawi. The results showed that the treatments of spraying with Glutathione at a concentration of 100 mg. l-1 and spraying with butyrecin at a concentration of 100 mg. l-1 were significantly superior, by giving them the highest increase in the physical characteristics of fruits (fruit weight, fruit flesh weight, fruit size) in the Kallal and wet stages compared to the control treatment. It outperformed in increasing the rate of fruit set and the rate of fruit ripening and increasing the rate of b and the amount of the total yield compared to the comparison treatment.

Feeding preference of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Oliver) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on different date palm cultivars and host biochemical responses to its infestation.

To counter the insect infestation, plants respond with wide-ranging and highly dynamic biochemical reactions. Of these, the anti-oxidative activity is poorly understood. The red palm weevil (RPW) Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Oliver), one of the most widespread pests in Pakistan, prefers to infest date palm Phoenix dactylifera. Our present study investigated the feeding preference of RPW to 11 different date palm cultivars and the results suggested that the Hillawi cultivar was most preferred. Greater infestation rate, fecundity and hatching rate were also recorded from Hillawi and Mozawati than other cultivars. No significant decreases were observed in chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophylls and carotenoids of RPW-infested Hillawi cultivar over un-infested control. In contrast, the contents of enzymatic antioxidants including phenols, proline, hydrogen peroxide, anthocyanin, malondialdehyde, ascorbic acid and glycine betaine showed a drastic increase after RPW infestation, and there was enhanced superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase activities. Furthermore, we recorded the increase of total protein and sugar contents in RPW-infested date palms. These findings offer valuable insight into the antioxidative molecular mechanism of date palms under RPW attack and may contribute to the breeding of insect-resistant crops.

Effect of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) seeds Mixed with Burger on CCl4-induced Hepatotoxicity and Oxidative Stress in Rats

Effect of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) seeds Mixed with Burger on CCl4-induced Hepatotoxicity and Oxidative Stress in Rats

The effect of some hormones on the in vitro culture of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) of Bou-Aaâda, Algeria

The effect of some hormones on the in vitro culture of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) of Bou-Aaâda, Algeria

A Preliminary Study on Flight Characteristics of the Longhorn Date Palm Stem Borer Jebusaea hammerschmidtii (Reiche 1878) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) Using a Computerized Flight Mill

The longhorn date palm stem borer, Jebusaea hammerschmidtii (Reiche), is a highly destructive beetle of edible date palm Phoenix dactylifera L. The flight capabilities and dispersal potential of this beetle are unknown, which hinders the planning for its proper management in date palm groves. In this study, the flight propensity of this insect pest was investigated using a computerized flight-testing system. The flight system consisted of a flight mill, a digitally controlled testing chamber, and a data logging and processing unit with a USB digital oscilloscope connected with a laptop. A total of 40 field-collected beetles of unknown sex and mating history were used in the experiments; about 34% of this number failed to fly on the flight mill. The relationship between temperature treatments (°C) and flight speed (m/min), cumulative flight time (min), and cumulative flight distance (km) of the test beetles were studied using regression equations with correlation coefficients (R2) of 0.91, 0.98, and 0.98, respectively. The maximum cumulative distance flown by the beetle was 11.5 km at a temperature of 35 °C, and a minimum distance of 2.4 km was recorded at 45 °C. The flight threshold of the beetle was 20 °C, at which flight activities ceased utterly. The velocity of the beetle increased with increasing temperature and reached a maximum of 107 m/min at 40 °C, before starting to decline. The obtained information on the flight characteristics of the J. hammerschmidtii may aid in understanding the dispersal of this pest in date palm plantations and in setting up management strategies.