Date Palm Cultivation

Date palm is oldest tree cultivated on earth. They are excellent source of calcium, sugar, iron and potassium. They are used in many social and religious festivals. Also they have many health benefits like relive constipation, reduce heart disease, control diarrhea and help in pregnancy. It is also used for making different products such as Chutney, pickles, jam, juice and other bakery items.

SOIL

It can be cultivated in any soil, don’t have any specific requirement. But for good growth and yield, it required well drained, deep sandy loam soil. pH of soil should be in range of 7-8. Avoid soils having hard pan upto 2meter below soil layer. Saline and alkaline soils are also suitable for cultivation but yield obtained is low.

POPULAR VARIETIES WITH THEIR YIELD

Barhee: Developed in 2016. It is a late maturing variety which matures in mid-August. The trees are tall in height and show vigorous growth. It bears oval shape fruits which are yellow in color and has an average 12.2gm fruit weight. The fruit contains 25.4% T.S.S content. It gives an average yield of 68.6kgper tree at doka stage i.e. early stage of fruit development.

Hillawi: Developed in 2016. It is an early maturing variety which matures in mid-July. The fruits are oblong in shape which is light orange in color having yellowish shade on skin. The fruit contains 29.6% T.S.S content and has 15.2gm average weight. It gives an average yield of 92.6kg per tree at doka stage i.e. early stage of fruit development.

Other state varieties:

Medjool: Late maturing variety. Fruit is large, elongated in shape and medium in size. Average yield of 75-100kg is obtained from individual tree.

Khunezi: Early maturing variety. Fruits are of red color with elongated shape. It can withstand in high humidity level. Average yield of 40kg per tree is obtained.

Khadarawyi: Fruits are soft and of yellow color. Average yield of 60-80kg per tree is obtained.

Khalas: Fruits are elongated shape and of medium size. Fruits are yellowish brown. Sweetness of fruit is medium, not too low, and not too high.

Shamran (Sayer)

Zahidi

Wild date palm

Jamli