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Done By:
Dr.Hassan A. Shabana
Agri.Engineer: Rashid Khalfan Alshiriqi
Agri. Engineer Mansour Ibrahim Mansour
Agri.Engineer Saleh A. Akroot
Agri. Engineer Waleed M. Alsafadi
Agri.Engineer AbdelMouti S.Nassar
Dr.Hassan Shabana
Agricultural Research Station
Northern Agricultural Region Ras AL Khaimah-UAE
Preface
Date palm is a blessed tree which has linked and deep-rooted in the history of the Arab world since ages. In Response to the sublime directives of H.H.Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan AL Nahyan the president of the UAE and his brothers members of the supreme counsel, rulers of the Emirates the Date palm trees attained great care and their number exceeded 20 million trees.
The sublime directives were translated into works of creativity by the senior officials of the agricultural sector headed by H.E. Saeed Bin Mohammed Al- Ragabani the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries who instructed to establish the Date palm tree research unit in the northern agricultural region to carry out studies, research and experiments and to get acquired with the obstacles and problems that may face the workers in this field which involves the services and post harvest care.
The publishing of the research results contributed much the preparation and the rehabilitation of farmers to cope with the tremendous development in the techniques of date palm propagation and the related industries or scientific basis which will ensure the sustainable development of agriculture in the UAE.
Abdallah K.Alshiriqi
Director of Northern Agricultural Region
Items and Methods
The present study involved five commercial varieties(Khsaab Lulu, khkass, Berhi, Khnezi), They were fertilized with Date and sugar palm pollen (form 1)
| (1) Date palm |
× |
Date palm |
 |
|
 |
| P.dacttylifera |
|
Phoeix dacttylifera |
| Sugar palm |
× |
Date palm |
|
|
|
| P.dacttylifera |
× |
P.silvistris |
 |
 |
| stalks Sugar palm tree |
Male sugar |
Three repetitions of each kind and variety were fertilized. In order to avoid the mixing and polluting the inflorescences with other pollen, they were covered with solid paper bag still accomplishing the fertilization process.
The following studies were carried out:
- Percentage of fertilization
- Early raping
- Average of fruits and stone weight and size.
- Percentage of dissolved solids in the fruits.
- percentage of moisture in the fruits.
- Other observations like falling down of fruits, infection by diseases, fruit fading .
Before starting the pollination the vitality of pollens of both kinds of date palm trees were examined by using the red Asteocarmen tincture and validity was found high in both varieties. Figure (1)
 |
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| Figure (1)male pollen and bunches of palm tree and sugar palm tree. |
Results
The percentage of fertilization was calculated according to the following equation.
Percentage of fertilization = number of the fertilized flowers (100*the total number of flowers in the stalk). The equation is proved in figure No(1) which doesn't show essential differences of the fertilized flowers in both kinds of pollen (date palm sugar palm).The highest difference was shown in Khsaab 77.33% 79.2% and Lulu 87.43% 90.13% respectively.The average of fertilized inflorescences by male sugar palm was increased in Lulu variety by 2.70% than the inflorescences fertilized by Date palm pollen.Figure No(2) Sugar palm pollen.
| Table No (1),The Effect of Pollination of Male Date and Sugar Palm on the Percentage of Fertilization. |
| Variety |
Source of Pollen |
Percentage of Fertilization |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
Average |
| Khsaab |
Date palm |
78.4 |
85.7 |
68 |
77.33 |
| Sugar palm |
73.4 |
81.9 |
82.3 |
79 |
| Lulu |
Date palm |
87 |
89.1 |
90.2 |
91.1 |
| Sugar palm |
89.1 |
90.2 |
91.1 |
90.13 |
| Khlaas |
Date palm |
63 |
66.5 |
65 |
64.83 |
| Sugar palm |
77 |
53.9 |
56 |
62.3 |
| Berhi |
Date palm |
79 |
63 |
72 |
71.33 |
| Sugar palm |
64 |
74 |
76 |
71.33 |
| Khnazi |
Date palm |
77 |
85.2 |
54 |
72.07 |
| Sugar palm |
63 |
83.7 |
69 |
71.9 |
It was also noticed that the percentage of fertilization of inflorescences in khlass variety slightly surpassed when pollinated by male sugar palm.
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| Form No.(2) Fertilization of Khsaab and Lulu variety pollinated by Date palm and sugar palm. |
As for the Metoenic specifications of fruits. The table No.(2) shows the average of weight and size of fruit pollinated with sugar palm and date palm. It was noticed that the fruits whose inflorescences were pollinated by male sugar palm were obviously higher that inflorescences pollinated with make date palm pollen especially in Khlass and Khnezi. Average of fruits weight in Khlass variety whose inflorescences were pollinated with male date palm pollen war reached to (14gram) where as the average of fruit's weight whose inflorescences were pollinated by male sugar palm pollen was reached to (19.1gram)i.e. the percentage of increase was reached to (13.82 gram). The average of seed stone weight however were nearly alike
| Variety |
Source of Pollen |
Size of Fruit (cm 3 ) |
Size of Stone (cm 3 ) |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
Average |
1 |
2 |
3 |
Average |
| Khsaab |
Date palm |
12 |
13.3 |
12.6 |
12.6 |
1.4 |
1.7 |
1.6 |
1.56 |
| Sugar palm |
13 |
12.7 |
13.3 |
13 |
1.3 |
1.3 |
1.3 |
1.3 |
| Lulu |
Date palm |
16.3 |
15.7 |
14.9 |
15.62 |
0.9 |
1.1 |
0.9 |
0.99 |
| Sugar palm |
18.8 |
18.1 |
18.7 |
18.36 |
1.4 |
1.9 |
1.5 |
1.55 |
| Khlass |
Date palm |
16.5 |
16.1 |
16 |
16.2 |
1.2 |
1 |
0.91 |
0.98 |
| Sugar palm |
18.9 |
18.7 |
19.6 |
19.6 |
1 |
1.5 |
1.3 |
1.28 |
| Berhi |
Date palm |
12.9 |
15.5 |
13.5 |
12.9 |
1 |
1.3 |
0.8 |
1.03 |
| Sugar palm |
16.4 |
16.5 |
16.3 |
16.4 |
1 |
1.2 |
1.81 |
1.14 |
| Khnezi |
Date palm |
14.04 |
14.3 |
14.5 |
14.4 |
1.2 |
1.9 |
1.6 |
1.56 |
| Sugar palm |
16.3 |
16.5 |
16.4 |
16.4 |
0.8 |
1.5 |
1.3 |
1.2 |
Varieties pollinated with sugar palm pollen were earlier ripped than that which were pollinated with date palm pollen as clearly show in Table No.3
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| Photo No (3). Bunches of Khsaab variety pollinated with Date and Sugar palm. Superiority and early ripping are noticed in the bunches pollinated with sugar dates. |
| Variety |
Source of Pollen |
Fruit size |
Fruit weight |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
Average |
1 |
2 |
3 |
Average |
Khsaab |
Date palm |
13 |
12.5 |
12.8 |
12.8 |
0.8 |
1.2 |
1 |
1 |
| Sugar palm |
15.6 |
14 |
16.54 |
15.63 |
1.1 |
1.2 |
1.13 |
1.14 |
Lulu |
Date palm |
10 |
12 |
11 |
11 |
1 |
1.3 |
1.3 |
1.2 |
| Sugar palm |
13.2 |
12.5 |
13.1 |
12.92 |
1.1 |
1.3 |
1.1 |
1.25 |
Khsaab |
Date palm |
14 |
14 |
13.9 |
14 |
1.1 |
1.2 |
0.9 |
1.3 |
| Sugar palm |
19.9 |
18 |
19.4 |
19.1 |
1 |
1.4 |
1.6 |
1.6 |
Berhi |
Date palm |
13 |
12 |
13.8 |
12.93 |
1 |
1.2 |
1.3 |
1.3 |
| Sugar palm |
13.4 |
15 |
17 |
15.15 |
1 |
1.1 |
1.2 |
1.2 |
| Khnezi |
Date palm |
13.5 |
14.4 |
13.6 |
13.82 |
1 |
1.1 |
0.9 |
1 |
| Sugar palm |
14.8 |
17.5 |
15.6 |
16 |
1.2 |
1.3 |
1.2 |
1.2 |
Kind of pollination affected the chemical compound of fruits. Superiority of the dissolved solid material and reduction of moisture are obvious in the fruit whose inflorescences were pollinated with sugar palm.
| Variety |
Source of Pollen |
Date of Ripening |
Observations |
| Khsaab |
Date palm |
* |
|
|
| Sugar palm |
|
* |
|
| Lulu |
Date palm |
* |
|
|
| Sugar palm |
|
* |
|
| Khlass |
Date palm |
* |
|
|
| Sugar palm |
|
* |
|
| Berhi |
Date palm |
* |
|
|
| Sugar palm |
|
* |
|
| Khnezi |
Date palm |
* |
|
|
| Sugar palm |
|
* |
|
* pollination with make sugar palm pollen improved the natural specifications of fruits including weight ,size, early ripping and the chemical components as well.
| Variety |
Source of Pollen |
Percentage of Solids % |
Percentage of Moisture |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
Average |
1 |
2 |
3 |
Average |
| Khsaab |
Date palm |
32 |
35 |
29.5 |
32 |
50 |
57.5 |
56.5 |
54.6 |
| Sugar palm |
37.5 |
38 |
37.5 |
37.66 |
57 |
58 |
59 |
58 |
| Lulu |
Date palm |
41 |
42 |
41 |
41.5 |
54 |
51 |
52.1 |
52.43 |
| Sugar palm |
40 |
43 |
42 |
42 |
62.5 |
55 |
63.5 |
60.33 |
| Khlaas |
Date palm |
36 |
42 |
38 |
38.6 |
46.5 |
50.8 |
51 |
49.43 |
| Sugar palm |
38.5 |
37.5 |
38.5 |
38.5 |
59 |
51 |
58.5 |
56.2 |
| Berhi |
Date palm |
48 |
48.2 |
54 |
50.5 |
51.5 |
55.5 |
57.7 |
54.9 |
| Sugar palm |
60 |
58.5 |
61 |
60.5 |
60 |
58.5 |
58.9 |
59.13 |
| Khnezi |
Date palm |
37.5 |
40 |
38 |
38 |
50.1 |
52.8 |
48 |
50.3 |
| Sugar palm |
44.5 |
48.5 |
45 |
46.5 |
55 |
55.7 |
54.9 |
55 |
Abstract
From the above criteria the following can be concluded.
- It is possible to pollinate date palm with pollen of sugar palm and produce fruits of natural specification.
- Percentage of fertilization in both cases are nearly similar.
References
- Al jabouri, Humaid Jasim 1993.Date palm, university of UAE . Alain modern printing Est.
- Dr.Hassan shabana, Agri. Engineer Rashid K.Alshiriqi, Mansour Ibrahim 1992.study on the mechanical fertilization of 20 Date palm varieties. Technical Bulletin MAF/N/8/ Ministry of Agriculture and fisheries UAE.
- Ghaleb Hussam Alneen 1981 Date palm. Al Basra university-Iraq.
- Al Baker Abdel Jabbar 1972 Date palm, Fao. Baghdad- Iraq . Munier, p. 1951 contribution ala mise en valevr du sahara
- Soudanais Francais fruits, 6:104-108.
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