BOOSTING ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND PHENOLIC CONTENT IN HASSAWI DATE PALM CALLUS THROUGH CHELATED IRON

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is a vital crop in Saudi Arabia, the Arabian Peninsula, and numerous Arab countries, valued for its exceptional resilience to harsh environmental conditions and its profound nutritional, economic, and cultural importance. Tissue culture techniques have been utilized to preserve plant genetic integrity and pass on desirable qualities, allowing for regulated growth of plant tissues to safeguard certain genetic traits. Chelated iron, which is made up of iron ions attached to organic molecules, makes iron more soluble and bioavailable. It is an important part of many physiological processes in plants, including the production of chlorophyll, metabolic activity, and the response to stress. This study investigates the influence of chelated iron on the production of phenolic compounds and the activation of antioxidants in date palm callus cultures, focusing on three elite cultivars native to the Al-Ahsa Oasis: Khalas, Ruziz, and Shishi. Statistical analysis using analysis of variance (ANOVA), coupled with heat map visualizations, revealed a strong correlation between chelated iron concentration and the enhancement of phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Results demonstrated that a double concentration of chelated iron significantly improved the formation of phenolic compounds and boosted antioxidant activity across all cultivars, with the Shishi cultivar exhibiting the highest response. Notable differences were observed between cultivars and treatment levels, emphasizing the critical role of cultivar-specific responses in optimizing tissue culture protocols. These findings underscore the importance of chelated iron in enhancing the biochemical properties of date palm callus cultures and provide a foundation for refining tissue culture practices to support sustainable agriculture and genetic preservation in date palm cultivation.