Abstract
The shortage of irrigation water pooled with the effect of climate change and inadequate management in oases; affects the sustainability of the oasis ecosystem. Irrigation, as practiced in these oases, is not conducted according to the real water requirements of the crops, this management can induce water stress which affects the physical characteristics of the dates cultivated and consequently yield production, or on the contrary a significant water intake and a waste of the resource. This study investigated two irrigation systems; drip-irrigation, which is currently applied under date palms in the Moroccan oases, and the newly introduced underground irrigation (Micro-porous irrigation) .The aim of this work, was to assess the effects of different types of irrigation system on yield and physical quality parameters of ‘Medjool’ dates. Fruit quality assessment including fruit weight, length, breadth, pulp thickness, stone weight, length, breadth, number and average weight of bunches fruit per tree were evaluated, to identify the most effective irrigation system for date palm.
Highlights
Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.), one of the oldest known fruit crops, belonging to Arecaceae family
The experiment was conducted in two blocks, comprising two different irrigation systems: i) An underground irrigation system was installed with a circle of 6 m for each date tree, with a flow rate of 8 l/m*h.; ii) A drip irrigation system was installed with two lateral lines for each row of date palm, with 6 drippers and a flow rate of 96 l/h
Research findings reported from the Middle East and North African countries claimed that irrigation systems influence date palm fruit quality [11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17]
Summary
Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.), one of the oldest known fruit crops, belonging to Arecaceae family. Located in an arid and hostile environment, the oasis constitutes a unique ecosystem, based on the right balance of three elements: water, soil quality, and the presence of date palms whose parasol-shaped foliage creates a real microclimate. This tree is considered as one of the oldest fruit species, its cultivation was practiced by ancient civilizations for centuries, showing a great ecological and socio-economic importance due to its high plasticity, and adaptation to extreme pedo-climactic conditions [4] .The management of water resources is the major factor influencing the economic and social development of the Saharan oases. As a result of the poor management of water on the scale of farms and their environment, many consequences and negative effects on the economy of palm growers can be observed in these zones
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