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Phoenix dactylifera

Authority	L.
Family	Liliopsida:Arecidae:Arecales:Palmae
Synonyms
Common names	al nakheel, date palm, datte, Dattel, Dattelpalme, dattero, kajoor, korma, palm - date, palma datilera, palmier dattier, pokok korma, tamar
Editor
Ecocrop code	1673

Notes
BRIEF DESCRIPTION A evergreen tree (palm) reaching 15-40 m in height with a terminal crown of 100-120, 4-7 m long pinnate leaves. USES The fruits are usually eaten fresh or dried. Date pulp is a good source of calcium, phosphorous, and carbohydrates. Palm trunks can be tapped for a sap taht is made into palm wine. Palm leaves have been used as thatch and fiber. KILLING T Leaves may tolerate -4 to -6°C and the tree -15°C. GROWING PERIOD Perennial. Begin fruiting within 2-4 years and normally reach full production at 5-8 years, (Rice; 8-10 years) but productivity may increase up to 9-15 years. Yields decline after 40-50 years, but the tree will continue to produce up to about 75 years. COMMON NAMES Date, Palmier dattier, Datilera, Dattelpalme, Khajur, Khaji, Thinbaw thinbaung, Tamareira, Palmera, Datilera. FURTHER INF The tree transpires large quantities of moisture and the amount of available rainfall is often little, or entire absent in the production areas. The water requirement of the palm must be provided for by ground water (the roots of the tree can reach 2-6 m deep) or by irrigation. Irrigation is needed about every 14 days in the summer and 20-30 days in the winter. The water requirement of the palms is about 10000-50000 m3/ha per year, or 1.5 m3 per palm per week as an average over the year. Relative humidity should be between 40 and 50% during ripening time. Rain during flowering can hinder the pollination and rain during the fruit development can lead to bursting and dacay of the fruit. An average well-managed palm can produce about 60-70 kg of fresh dates per year. The palm can be grown at elevations between sea level and 1500 m. Mentioned as a useful agroforestry species.
Sources
SOURCES (P. dactylifera L.) Sims D (pers. comm.) Landon J 1984 pp 280 [TEXT, DRA, DEP, PH, FER, SAL] Roecklein J 1987 pp 211 [USE] Rehm S 1991 pp 199-200 [TEMP, RAIN, DEP, DRA, SAL, PH] Hackett C 1982 pp 113 [PHO, DEP, PH, TEXT, TEMP] Hartmann T 1981 pp 613-614 [KTMP, DEP, DRA, TEXT, SAL] Popenoe W 1974 pp 196 Purseglove J 1972 pp 429-430 [RAIN, TEMP, KTMP, LIG] Rice R 1990 pp 79-83 [USE] Troup R 1921 pp 968 Jesus H 1984 pp 92 Nair P 1984 pp 20 [TEMP, TEXT, PH, DEP, FER, DRA, SAL, USE] Samson J 1986 pp 285-286 [TEMP, LIG, RAIN, LIMIT, SAL, DRA, USE] Maydell H 1986 pp 345-347 [TEMP, KTMP, RAIN, TEXT, SAL, DEP, USE] DeMason D 1988 pp 20-35 [KTMP, TEMP, RAIN, USE] Hockings E 1961b pp 318-320 [USE]