Early detection of pest-infested date palms is vital to prevent pest spread and support agricultural sustainability. By analyzing microwave scattering behavior, specifically radar cross-section (RCS), this work assesses the potential of microwave sensing in identifying healthy versus infested date palms. The trunk is represented as a dielectric cylinder illuminated by a uniform plane wave with both TM and TE polarizations (with respect to the z-axis). An assessment of dielectric properties in healthy versus infested trees is conducted, along with an analysis of angle-dependent scattering behavior. Results reveal significant differences in the RCS between healthy and infested trees, particularly in the angular ranges of for TM polarization, and for TE polarization. The study demonstrates that microwave sensing offers a promising non-invasive tool for early pest detection and effective tree health management, providing a basis for large-scale agricultural monitoring.
