Effect of different methods of pollination on fruiting and yield of wet season date palm fruits (Phoenix dactylifera L.) in Dutse, Jigawa State Nigeria

Abstract

The study was carried out to determine the effect of pollination methods on fruiting and yield of wet season Date palm. The experiment was designed as complete randomized block design with three treatments each replicated four times. The three treatments are; T₁ (unpollinated), T₂ (Pollination twice without protection) and T₃ (Pollination twice with protection). Data were collected on fruit set percentage, fruit drop percentage, percentage of seedless fruits, fruit weight, pulp weight, seed weight, fruit size and bunch weight. The results indicated that pollination methods significantly affected fruit set percentage, fruit drop percentage, fruit weight, percentage of seedless fruits, seed weight, fruit size and bunch weight. Maximum fruit set was observed from pollination twice without protection (T₂). Bunch weight was also higher in pollination without protection (T₂₎ but it is not significantly different with T₃ (pollination with protection). On the other hand, pollination with protection gives high quality fruits in terms of fruit weight, pulp weight, and less number of seedless fruits. The significant lowest yield per bunch was achieved by natural pollination. The results suggested that Pollination with protection of wet season inflorescences can substitute natural pollination thus improving the quality of the wet season fruit and also reduced the need for further fruit thinning.

Keywords: Date palm, Fruiting, Pollination strategies, Yield, Wet season