Journal of Environmental Biology

Evaluation of pollen germination of some palm males and pollination impact on bunch weight and fruit quality in Kadary date palm cultivar (Phoenix dactylifera L.) 

S.S. Soliman^1,2*, A.M. Al-Saif¹? and R.S. Al-Obeed¹

 ¹Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh-11451, Saudi Arabia

²Department of Horticultural Crops Technology,National Research Centre, Dokki, 12622, Cairo, Egypt

*Corresponding Author E-mail: said_soliman@hotmail.com

Publication Data

Paper received:

09 March 2015

Revised received:

01 October 2015

Accepted:

09 October 2015

Abstract

The present study was carried out during two successive seasons (2013-2014) at the Research and Agriculture Experiment Station, Dirab, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh. Pollen grains, used in this trial, were collected from eleven male, namely Succary, Menify, Sallag, Dikhiny, Nabout Zamel, Serry, Khalas, Shagra, Safry, Maktumi and Kadary in order to pollinate female Kadary date palm cultivar. Results indicated that pollens of Safry male followed by Succary, Menify and Serry increased the physical and biochemical characteristics of fruits during both seasons.? Also, all the studied characters were significantly affected with different pollen males used in this trial. Pollens of Safry male gave highest fruit retention and bunch weight and best fruit quality like fruit? and flesh weight, fruit size and fruit length and fruit biochemical? properties as? compared with other male. In vitro pollen germination of eleven males was studied using various concentration of sucrose (4, 6, 8 and 10 %). The results showed that best germination? was? achieved? with? 8? %? sucrose? concentration;? however,? 10 %? sucrose resulted in reduced percentage of pollen germination.? In addition, pollen tube growth of five males (Succary,? Sallag,? Nabout-Zamel,? Khalas and? Safry) at? 8%? sucrose? was? also studied? at? 2, ?4,? 6? and? 24? hr? time? interval.? Elongation rate of pollen tube increased significantly after 24 hrs and it was found that pollens of Safry male gave highest pollen tube growth after 24 hrs than pollens of other male.      

 Key words

Date palm, Fruit quality, Pollen germination, Pollen tube growth

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