EFFECT OF LOCATION, POLLINATION DATE AND POLLENS SOURCE ON SOME PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERES FOR KALAL DATE PALM (Phoenix dactylifera.L)C.V ASHRASSI

Abstract

This study was conducted at two private orchards located at Mandali and Baladruz site of Diyala governorate, during the growing season 2012. The goal of the study was to reveal the effect of pollination date (before and after sheath opening), pollen grain source (Asfar, Ghanamy red, Ressaisy and Aswad) on some physical and chemical properties of Ashrassi date cultivar during Khalal stage. The result confirmed that the first date of pollination (before sheath opening) gave a superiority on second one (after sheath opening) in most characteristics studied at both sites. Pollination with Ghanamy red pollens before female sheath opening had a significant effect in fruits total sugar percentage, reducing sugar percent (48.956)% 5.687% respectively, sucrose percentage (11.921%) compared with after female sheath opening date over the rest pollen source at Mandali location, whereas the effect was insignificant at Baladruz location. No significant effects were observed in fruit circumference and volume at the two locations. No significant effect observed for pollen source on fruit length at Baladruz location, whereas this character differs at Mandali location.