Date Palm Nutrition Using Trunk Injection: A Comprehensive Review
Hussein J. Shareef *
Date Palm Research Center, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Date palm is an important agricultural crop in arid environments, vital for food and economic security. Conventional fertilization approaches are usually ineffective and wasteful due to nutrient leaching and soil salinity. Trunk injection is a new fertilization method based on injecting nutrients into the vascular system of date palms, which improves nutrient uptake and reduces environmental pollution. The review highlights the historical progression, approaches, and technological innovations of trunk injection while demonstrating its merits to traditional methods by providing target nutrient delivery and reduced fertilizer input. Selected research shows the effectiveness of different nutrients, such as iron, potassium, and nano-fertilizers, in increasing vegetative growth and fruit yield. It also covers challenges related to infection risk and labor requirements. Trunk injection of date palms offers great promise for sustainable crop production systems, and the prospects for its integration with precision agriculture technologies are considered, along with the need for research to optimize this technology.
Keywords: Trunk injection, nutrient uptake, nano-fertilizer, sustainable agriculture, date palm, precision agriculture