Environmental Study of the Effect of Soil Salinity on the Productivity of Selected Date Palm Varieties in the Southern Oases Region

Abstract

The study aimed to identify the current status of date palm cultivation and date production in the study area, as well as to identify the widely cultivated varieties of economic importance, particularly the Deglet Noor and Saeedi varieties. The study investigated the environmental effect of soil salinity on the productivity of some date palm varieties in the Southern Oases region, including Jalu, Awjila, and Ajkhara. The study focused on the two aforementioned date palm varieties. Based on the field results obtained, the study found that the most suitable soils were sandy-clay soils with a pH ranging from 7.5 to 8.0 and a moderate concentration of total dissolved solids (TDS), ranging from 4 to 8. The researchers adopted a descriptive research approach, and a stratified random sample of six date palm farms was selected, with two farms from each of the three municipalities in the study area. The three oases are characterized by suitable climatic conditions for the growth and cultivation of date palm trees, particularly high summer temperatures ranging from 40 to 45 °C, along with low atmospheric humidity during the winter season.