Development of a climate evaluation system and a climate requirement of deglet nour date palm in Tunisia

Abstract EN

Desertic lands have been considered in most cases as marginal for any agricultural activity, given the heat stress, drought and high temperature ranges, where the majority of plant species face difficulties in adapting.

Only the date palm, thermophilic species, native to tropical areas is able to adapt to these conditions.

In southern Tunisia, the Deglet Nour date palm cultivation is the mainstay of the regional economy and the income of dates can contribute up to 90% of revenues in the oasis population.

Currently, this culture is the only profitable speculation in desert regions and contributes to the improvement of the living conditions of the population of these regions.

As part of this work, we analyzed the climatic requirements of the culture of the date palm and its cultivars, including that of Deglet Nour.

We were able to identify the optimal and marginal conditions of the irrigated date palm cultivation and study the impact of different climatic factors on plant growth and fruiting date palm.

Then we developed a climate evaluation system Deglet Nour cultivar in Southern Tunisia.

The results of this evaluation can be very useful to fight against the influence made by climate change.

The introduction of new cultivars in other areas of the pre-Saharan Tunisia can be an alternative to mitigate the effects of drought and excessive increases announced temperatures.

From an ecological standpoint, the oasis is an ideal place for biodiversity and as a refuge for man, fauna and flora that fear the desert heat