Effect of Number of Bunches and Leaf : Bunch Ratios on Fruiting of Saiedy Data Palms 2: Fruit Chemical Parameters

Author : Farouk H. Abdelaziz; Faisal F.A. Hassan and Mohamed A.A. Hosain

Date palm cultivar selected for this trial was “Saiedy” of the same age 10 years old and size at El-Dakhla Oasis, New Valley Governorate, Egypt. The experiment was repeated for two successive years (2019 and 2020). Palms in good physical condition, devoid of pest damage and diseases grown on sandy loam soil and drip irrigation were selected for each treatment. The trials were set up in a three-replication with randomized complete block statistical design (one palm tree for each replication). Both leaves and bunches were pruned to achieve a specific bunch/palm and leaves /bunch ratio, and date palms were randomly assigned to 7 different treatments as follows; Control (only the dead leaves were discarded), 9 bunch/palm + 8 leaves / bunch, 9 bunch/palm + 9 leaves / bunch, 9 bunch/palm + 10 leaves / bunch,10 bunch/palm + 8 leaves / bunch, 10 bunch/palm + 9 leaves / bunch and 10 bunch/palm + 10 leaves / bunch. Results indicated that; fruit chemical parameters as: moisture content (%), total soluble solid (TSS%), fruit acidity, sugar content (reducing, non-reducing and total sugar%), phenols and total antioxidant activity. Generally, all applied leaf/bunch ratios had a positive effect on the measured chemical properties of “Saiedy” date palm fruits in comparison with control. The ratio 10 bunch/palm + 9 leaves / bunch gave the best results regarding the tested characteristics of ‘Saiedy date palms under the studied region except with total acidity which decreased with increasing ratio of leaves and bunches and the highest values was associated with the control.

Keywords : Saiedy, date palm, chemical parameters and bunch/palm and leaves/ bunch ratio,

Received:12/10/2022 12:00:00 AM; Accepted: 1/18/2023 12:00:00 AM