Vol. 35 No. 1 (2021): Advances in Horticultural Science
Articles

Improving 'Piyarom' date palm fruit quality with fruit thinning and bunch covering treatments

B. Madani
Horticultural Crops Research Department, Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Hormozgan, AREEO, Bandar Abbas, Iran
A.M. Dastjerdy
Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran, Tell: 0098-09177832148
A. Shahriyari
Horticultural Crops Research Department, Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Hormozgan, AREEO, Bandar Abbas, Iran, Tell:0098-09178652345

Published 2021-01-20

Keywords

  • Khalal,
  • Kimri,
  • Phoenix dactylifera L.,
  • quality,
  • Tamar

How to Cite

Madani, B., Dastjerdy, A. M. ., & Shahriyari, A. . (2021). Improving ’Piyarom’ date palm fruit quality with fruit thinning and bunch covering treatments. Advances in Horticultural Science, 35(1), 11–19. https://doi.org/10.36253/ahsc-9548

Abstract

‘Piyarom’ dates are one of the most important commercial date cultivars grown in Iran but fruit quality and postharvest losses can be a problem. Thinning and the use of bunch covers were examined to improve the date fruit quality. Three different levels of fruit thinning were applied (without thinning, removal of one third of total strands from terminal tips during pollination and removal of one third of terminal tips of central strands in early kimri). In addition, the effects of bunch covers were assessed with the use of polyethylene bunch covers that were applied in the early stages of Khalal. The results showed that bunch covering reduced the lightness of the fruit but increased bunch weight, fruit length, total antioxidant activity and total phenolic compounds compared to the control. Thinning during pollination increased the weight of the fruit compared to the control. The thinning during Kimri stage increased the percentage of Tamar and ascorbic acid content. These results show that the use of covers play a positive role in increasing quality and bunch weight and thinning at both pollination and Kimri ripening stage is recommended to produce high quality ‘Piyarom’ dates.

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