Effect of Potassium Nitrate on Antioxidants Production of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) in vitro

Research on date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) in Al-Ahsa Oasis, Saudi Arabia, reveals that potassium nitrate (KNO3) significantly influences antioxidant production and callus formation during somatic embryogenesis. The study found that while full KNO3 concentration optimizes general callus growth, half the concentration enhances phenolic compound formation and browning emergence across various date palm cultivars. Notably, the Shishi cultivar exhibited the highest phenolic content (2.053 ± 0.010a mg/g) and strong antioxidant activity when cultured with reduced KNO3 levels, with ABTS inhibition at 80.694 ± 0.439 and UM Trolox at 801.575 ± 2.391. This suggests a dose-dependent effect of KNO3 on both growth and antioxidant production in date palms, offering insights for optimizing cultivation techniques to maximize antioxidant yield.

Aldaej, M. I., Alturki, S. M., Shehata, W. F., & Ghazzawy, H. S. (2014). Effect of Potassium Nitrate on Antioxidants Production of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) in vitro. Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, 17(12), 1209–1218. https://doi.org/10.3923/pjbs.2014.1209.1218