التغيرات الموسمية في ثمار بعض أصناف نخيل البلح تحت الظروف المناطق الجافة

Abstract EN

This research was conducted on some date palm cultivars; Sukariat EL-Qassim, Nabot Seif and Madjool at the Agricultural Research Station of King Abdulaziz University in Hada ALSham region during two successive seasons (1997, 1998).

The objective of the study was to evaluate the seasonal changes in some physical and chemical fruit properties during the growth under arid land conditions , in order to determine the fruit ripening and the appropiate time for harvesting.

Growth of date fruits was characterized by a rapid increase in fruit and flesh weight.

Such properties reached their maximum value at fruit ripening after 19,20 and 21 weeks from pollination for Sukariat EL-Qassim, Nabot Sit and Madjool cultivars, respectively.

Meanwhile, seed weight reached its maximum value 14 to 16 weeks after pollination.

The maximum values of fruit length and diameter were noticed after 16 weeks after pollination for Sukariat EL-Qassim and Nabot Seif cultivars, and at fruit ripening for Madjool cultivar.

There was a negative correlation between moisture percentage and total soluble solids (TSS.) percentage, i.e the TSS.% reached its maximum value at fruit ripening, when the moisture percentage reached its lowest value.

Fruit acidity reached its lowest value 16 weeks after pollination for Sukarit EL-Qassim and Nabot Seif cultivars, and at fruit ripening for Madjool cultivar.