Bunch Thinning Improves Yield and Fruit Quality of Omraheem Date Palm Cultivar (Phoenix dactylifera L.)

(Mohammed bin Salem Chikhan)

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Abstract

Bunch thinning as illustrated by removal of bunches to represent fixed leaf/ bunch ratios: no thinning (control), 6:1, 8:1, 10:1 and 12 leaves:1 bunch; was found to differentially affect yield components and fruit quality of (Omraheem) date palm cultivar. Bunch, fruit and seed weight as well as flesh/ seed ratio were significantly affected by thinning practices. Ratios of leaf:bunch which are 10:1 and 12:1 produced the highest bunch , fruit and fruit edible flesh weight. Reducing and non reducing sugars were significantly improved, while fruit moisture content was not affected by increasing leaf:bunch ratio. Improvement of fruit chemical constituents was attributed to possible abundance of assimilates with relatively high leaf : bunch ratio.
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