Evaluation of Sewy Date Palm Productivity under Different Climatic Conditions

Abstract

This study was carried out during three successive seasons of 2015, 2016 and 2017 to evaluate yield and fruit quality of Sewy date palm cultivar grown under Aswan, El-Kharga, Assiut and Al-Dakhla climatic conditions. The data revealed that, Sewy cultivar grown in El-Kharga and Al-Dakhla which had higher temperature and lower relative humidity (R.H.) gave the higher bunch weight and total yield compared with those grown in Assiut which had lower temperature and higher R.H. High temperature and low R.H. from March to October caused earlier fruit maturity in Aswan and El-Kharga with about three to four weeks than in Assiut, whereas the earlier harvest date under Al-Dakhla about two weeks than in Assiut. Fruit dimensions, weight and flesh percentage recorded the greatest values in Assiut and Al-Dakhla as compared with other studied locations. At high temperature and low R.H. under Aswan and El-Kharga conditions, the pulp of Sewy dates had higher TSS and total sugar content whereas it had less moisture content than pulp of those produced in the other localities. No significant differences were observed in chemical fruits quality that produced under El-Kharga and Al-Dakhla locations. It is evident from the foregoing results that the climatic conditions of Al-Dakhla and El-Kharga are ideal climatic conditions for the cultivation and production of Sewy date palm.