Effect of different sources of pollen grains on some physical and chemical fruit characters of Barhy date palm cultivar

Abstract EN

This investigation was conducted during 2017 and 2018 seasons on 10-years-old trees of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.

) Barhy date palm cultivar grown in a loamy sand soil at a El-Wahat Bahariya, 10 x 10 m away from each other and watered by drip irrigation system to compare the differences in their growth, fruit physical and chemical characteristics.

The selected trees devoted for this study were strong, healthy, grown under the same air conditions and received the same agricultural practices usually done for date palm; pollen grains samples were taken from male date palms of four locations; i.

e.

, (M1- Ghanamy; M2- Wahat Bahariya; M3- Demiat and M4-Rashied) while they germinated on scabrous solution to detected pollen grain viability by using grain germination.

The results of this study have shown that means of fruit set (% ) and fruit physical parameters of Barhy cultivar expressed as Pollen grains germination (% ); pollen grains weight (g)/spathe; fruit set (% ); number of spathes/palm; fruit weight (g); flesh weight (g); seed weight (g); fruit length (cm); fruit diameter (cm); fruit shape index; flesh (% ); seed (% ); TSS (% ); acidity (% ); TSS/acidity were significantly improved by the various used in the two seasons.

All parameters under study the exhibited highest significant values except Acidity.

Barhy palms pollinated with (Ghanamy) pollen grains exhibited statistically the heaviest fruits as compared to any pollen grains sources under study Hence, it can be recommended to Barhy palms pollinated with (Ghanamy) pollen grains induced the highest statistical values grown in sand loamy soil, (Ghanamy; Wahat Bahariya; Demiat; Rashied depending on every variables during the growing season to get the best results for fruit physical and chemical quality of the resulted date palm.