Long-term date palm experiment for Evaluation of Elite Date Palm Varieties for biotic and abiotic stress

Objectives

  1. Assess the long-term impact of salinity on date palm growth, productivity, and fruit quality as well as on land (soil)
  2. Asses the genotypic differences for fruit quality, quantity, and disease and pest susceptibility.
  3. Scale-up best management practices under salinity stress ->  Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy
  4. Develop the Palm Smart Management Solution modules for Irrigation,
  5. Develop the Palm Smart Management Solution modules for Infestation Complete Surveillance, and Early detection and compare the effectiveness of different new control techniques for Red Palm Weevil
  6. Conserving the existing genetic resources by replanting the missing trees using tissue culture technique  (lost after severe disease affectation)

Experiment Details

Planting date: 2001 and 2002

Field Variables:

  • Date Palm Varieties: 18 (10 from UAE; 7 from Saudi Arabia and 1 from Iraq)
  • Salinity levels: 4 (0.4 dS/m, 5 dS/m,  10 dS/m  and 15 dS/m)
  • Replications: Variable; 2 for 0.4 dS/m, 3 for 5 dS/m and 5 each for 10 and 15 dS/m 
  • Planting arrangement: Systematic planting in rows within each salinity level

Date palm varieties

Date palm varieties used in our experiment and their origin, approximative potential yield, maturity time, and distribution in the UAE

# Date Type Origin Approximative yield potential kg/tree Maturity group (early, mid, late) The distribution in the UAE
1 Farad UAE 70-90 Mid to late All UAE
2 LuLu UAE 70-90 Late All UAE
3 Jabri UAE 40-60 Late All UAE
4 Naghal UAE 40-60 Very early All UAE
5 Khisab UAE 100-120 Very late Very limited
6 Barhi Iraq 80-120 Mid to late All UAE
7 KHALAS UAE 70-90   All UAE
8 Khnizi UAE 60-70 Mid to late All UAE
9 SHAHLAH UAE 60-70   In some region
10 Abu-Maan KSA 50-70 Mid In some region
11 AM-AL-HAMAM KSA 60-70   In some region
12 Rothan KSA 60-70 Mid Very limited
13 Sukkari KSA 50-70 Mid Very limited
14 Shagri KSA 50-60 Mid -
15 Ajwat AlMadinah KSA 60-70 Mid Very limited
16 Makhtoumi KSA 40-60 Mid In some region
17 Nabtat-Saif KSA 35-60 Mid In some region
18 Nabtat sultan KSA 30-60   In some region