Role of smart technology to increase date productivity and water efficiency in MENA countries: a review of innovative sustainable solutions

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has large numbers of palm tree farms. Monitoring these farms’ many trees requires early detection technology that can be sustained at a large scale and minimal cost. The red palm weevil is one of the major pests of palms. No adequate and economical method has been adopted to eradicate this pest, and some concerns are raised for chemical methods, mainly in ornamental plants located in urban areas. Among the proposed techniques, an up-and-coming and eco-compatible solution is palm microwave heating, which could be integrated into an integrated program management (IPM) approach. Advantages of microwave disinfestation include speed, efficiency, and the absence of toxic, hazardous, or polluting residues. Moreover, insects are not likely to develop a resistance to radiation as they often do to chemical insecticides. Temperatures that can be lethal to insects applied on the external layers do not affect the internal palm tissues. Moreover, microwaves can influence the ability of reproduction of the survived weevils. This paper proposes innovative solutions using modern techniques for early detection of pests and early control of red palm weevil, and intelligent exploitation of water resources by adjusting the water level in the soil and thus reducing water consumption. Furthermore, the proposed model has been simulated using extensive MATLAB programs to study its performance. From simulation results, the proposed system has achieved promising performance in both red palm weevil detection and smart irrigation management. Finally, the Internet of things (IoT) technology can be used for water leak detection and irrigation water management, and intelligent solutions to increase water efficiency.