Dates

The date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, is an erect palm tree in the family Arecaceae grown for its edible fruit, the date. The trunk of the tree is covered in upward-pointing, overlapping, woody leaf bases and terminates in a crown of 20–30 leaves. The leaves are feather-like with spiny petioles and thick midrib. The leaf blades are pinnately divided and are blue-green in color. The uppermost leaves of the crown stand more erect while the lower ones droop and recurve toward the trunk. The tree produces small, fragrant cream-white flowers and the inflorescence may possess as many as 10,000 flowers. The fruits are produced in clusters and are oblong to ovoid berries with single stones and red-brown flesh. Date palms can grow to a height of 30 m (98 ft) and can live for up to 150 years, although they are usually replaced in commercial plantations when their productivity begins to decline. The date palm is believed to originate from Western Asia.


Dates are consumed as a fresh or dry fruit. They are considered a staple in the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East. The fruit may also be used to make juice concentrates, fermented products (e.g. wines) or pastes for use in baking and confection.


Basic requirements Date palms grow best in semi-arid climates close to water bodies such as rivers or oases, with an annual average temperature of 12–27°C (53.6–80.6°F) in regions where there is a long hot summer and mild winter. A mean temperature of 21–30°C (69.8–86°F) for at least one month is necessary for fruit production in addition to a period of no rainfall during flowering to prevent damage to the flowers. Date palms grow well in a wide range of soils provided they are well-draining, have a pH between 5.2 and 8 and are in close proximity to a body of water. Fruit production is highest when grown in sandy loams. Propagation Date palms for commercial cultivation are usually propagated from suckers removed from the base of mature trees to allows desirable characteristics to be maintained. The suckers should be between 3 and 6 years old and are separated from the mother along with some root. Separating of suckers is usually carried out in late summer of Fall. The newly detached suckers are planted to a depth of 80 cm (31.5 in) leaving 9–10 m (30–33 ft) between plants. The newly planted suckers should be watered daily for the first week to aid in establishment and once weekly thereafter. Pollination Date palms are protandric which means that the male flowers are produced before the females. In order for successful pollination to be guaranteed, commercial date palms are pollinated by hand or with the use of machinery. Hand pollination is achieved by cutting the male inflorescence from the palm and joining strands to the female inflorescence. Alternatively, the pollen is extracted and mixed with flour and the mixture is then applied mechanically to the female flowers. Mechanical pollination is conducted with the aid of a small insecticide duster known as a ‘puffer’. General care and maintenance Date development is aided by removing dead leaves and thorns from the trees, thinning of fruit and bunches and also the removal of bunches if the number per palm is too high. Allowing palms to over produce will reduce yield the following year. Each of these practices also aims to maximize fruit size and promote regular fruit production. When bunches begin to develop, they are pulled down and tied to lower leaves in order to protect them from damage from wind. Dates require dry and hot conditions to ripen in combination with the large amount of irrigation of the soil. Harvesting Harvesting of ripe dates requires reaching the top of the palm tree. This is achieved through the use of ladders which may be permanently fixed to the tree or through the use of machinery that can raise the worker on a platform. In the Northern Hemisphere, harvest begins at the end of the summer into early Fall and ends around November depending on the variety. Some varieties continue to be harvested after the onset of the rainy season but rain can damage the fruit and reduce its quality so the fruits are usually protected with the use of waxed paper or nylon sleeves.


CABI Crop Protection Compendium. (2014). Phoenix dactylifera datasheet. Available at: http://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/40698. [Accessed 20 November 14]. Paid subscription required. Elliott, M. L., Broschat, T. K., Uchida, J. Y. & Simone, G. W. (2004). Compendium of Ornamental Palm Disease and Disorders. American Phytopathological Society Press. Available at: http://www.apsnet.org/apsstore/shopapspress/Pages/43143.aspx. Available for purchase from APS Press. Morton, J. (1987). Date. In Fruits of Warm Climates. Morton, J. F. Echo Point Books & Media. Available at: http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/date.html. [Accessed 20 November 14]. Free to access. Zaid, A. (2002). Date Palm Cultivation. Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Available at: http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/y4360e/y4360e00.HTM. [Accessed 20 November 14]. Free to access.