Date Palm

The Date Palm Phoenix dactylifera is a palm, extensively cultivated for its edible fruit. Due to its long history of cultivation for fruit, its exact native distribution is unknown, but the date palm probably originated somewhere in the desert oases of northern Africa, and perhaps also southwest Asia. It is a medium-sized tree, 15-25 m tall, often clumped with several trunks from a single root system, but also often growing singly. The leaves are pinnate, 3-5 m long, with spines on the petiole and about 150 leaflets; the leaflets are 30 cm long and 2 cm broad. The full span of the crown ranges from 6-10 m.

History of dates

Dates have been a staple food of the Middle East for thousands of years. The date palm is believed to have originated around the Persian Gulf, and has been cultivated in ancient times from Mesopotamia to prehistoric Egypt, possibly as early as 6000 BC. There is archeological evidence of cultivation in eastern Arabia in 4,000 BC.

In later times, Arabs spread dates around northern Africa and into Spain, and dates were introduced into California by the Spaniards in 1765, around Mission San Ignacio.

Fruit

The fruit of the Date Palm is known as a date. They are oval-cylindrical, 3-7 cm long, and 2-3 cm diameter, and when unripe, range from bright red to bright yellow in colour, depending on variety. Dates contain a single seed about 2-2.5 cm long and 6-8 mm thick. Three main Cultivar Groups of date exist; soft (e.g. 'Barhee', 'Halawy', 'Khadrawy', 'Medjool'), semi-dry (e.g. 'Dayri', 'Deglet Noor', 'Zahidi'), and dry (e.g. 'Thoory'). The type of fruit depends on the glucose, fructose and sucrose content.

Dates are naturally wind pollinated, but in modern commercial horticulture are entirely pollinated manually. Natural pollination requires about an equal number of male and female plants. However, with assistance one male can pollenize up to 50 females. Since the males are of value only as pollenizers, this allows the growers to use their resources for many more fruit producing female plants. Some growers do not even maintain any male plants as male flowers become available at local markets at pollination time. Manual pollination is done by skilled laborers on ladders, or less often the pollen may be blown onto the female flowers by wind machine.

Parthenocarpic cultivars are available but the seedless fruit is smaller and of lower quality.

Dates ripen in four stages, which are known throughout the world by their Arabic names kimri (unripe), khalal (full-size, crunchy), rutab (ripe, soft), tamr (ripe, sun-dried). A 100 gram portion of fresh dates is a premium source of vitamin C and supplies 230 kcal (960 kJ) of energy. Since dates contain relatively little water, they do not become much more concentrated upon drying, although the vitamin C disappears in the process.

Dates are an important traditional crop in Iraq, Arabia, and north Africa west to Morocco. In Islamic countries, dates and milk are a traditional first meal when the sun sets during Ramadan. Dates (especially Medjool and Deglet Noor) are also cultivated in southern California in the United States.

Cultivars of dates

A large number of date cultivars are grown. The most important are:

'Aabel' - common in Libya
'Amir Hajj' - from Iraq, these are soft with a thin skin and thick flesh.
''Abid Rahim' (Arabic: عبد رحيم‎), from Sudan
'Amer' (amir) hajj - called "the visitor's date"
'Barakawi' (Arabic: بركاوي‎), from Sudan
'Barhee' (barhi) (from Arabic barh, a hot wind) - these are nearly cylindrical, light amber to dark brown when ripe; soft, with thick flesh and rich flavour. One of the few varieties which are good in the khalal stage when they are yellow (like a grape instead of dried like a raisin).
'Bireir' (Arabic: برير‎) - from Sudan
'Deglet Noor' (Arabic: 'translucent' or 'date of light') - So named because the centre appears light or golden when held up to the sun. This is a leading date in Algeria, the USA, and Tunisia, and in the latter country it is grown in inland oases and is the chief export cultivar. It is semi-dry and not very sweet.
'Derrie' or 'Dayri' (the 'Monastery' date) - from southern Iraq - these are long, slender, nearly black, and soft.
'Empress'- developed by the Deval Family in Indio California USA from a seedling of 'Deglet Noor'. It is larger than 'Deglet Noor', somewhat softer and sweeter. It generally has a light tan top half and brown bottom half.
'Ftimi' or 'Alligue' - these are grown in inland oases of Tunisia.
'Halawy' (Halawi) (Arabic: 'sweet') - these are soft, and extremely sweet, small to medium in size.
'Haleema' - in Hoon, Libya (Haleema is a woman's name)
'Hayany' - from Egypt (Hayani) (Hayany is a man's name) - these dates dark-red to nearly black and soft.
'Iteema' - common in Algeria
'Khadrawy' (Arabic: 'green') - this is the cultivar most favoured by Arabs, it is a soft, very dark date considered to be of the highest quality.
'Khalasah' (Arabic: 'quintessence')
'Khastawi' (Khusatawi, Kustawy) - this is the leading soft date in Iraq; it is syrupy and small in size, prized for dessert.
'Maktoom' (Arabic: 'hidden') - this is a large, red-brown, thick-skinned, soft, medium-sweet date.
'Manakbir' - a large fruit which ripens early.
'Medjool' (Arabic: 'unknown') - from Morocco, also grown in the USA and Israel; a large, sweet and succulent date.
'Migraf' (Mejraf) - very popular in Southern Yemen, these are large, golden-amber dates.
'Mgmaget Ayuob' - from Hoon, Libya
'Mishriq' (Arabic: 'East' - مشرق)‎ - from Sudan and Saudi Arabia
'Saidy' (Saidi) - soft, very sweet, these are popular in Libya.
'Sayer' (Sayir) (Arabic: 'common') - these dates are dark orange-brown, of medium size, soft and syrupy.
'Tagyat' - common in Libya
'Tamej' - in Libya
'Thoory' (Thuri) - popular in Algeria, this dry date is brown-red when cured with a bluish bloom and very wrinkled skin. Its flesh is sometimes hard and brittle but the flavour described as sweet and nutty.
'Umeljwary' - in Libya
'Zahidi' (Zahdi) (Arabic: 'nobility'?) - these medium size, cylindrical, light golden-brown semi-dry dates are very sugary, and sold as soft, medium-hard and hard.

Production

World production of dates was approximately 6.7 Mio tonnes in 2004 (FAO statistics ^*). The major producers are:

Egypt: 1,100,000 t (16.2% of world production)
Iran: 880,000 t (13.0%)
Saudi Arabia: 830,000 t (12.3%)
United Arab Emirates: 760,000 t (11.2%)
Pakistan: 650,000 t (9.6%)
Algeria: 450,000 t (6.6%)
Sudan: 330,000 t
Oman: 240,000 t
Libya: 140,000 t
Others: 1,140,000 t
Iraq used to be a major producer of dates but in recent years production and exports have been curtailed.

The First International Date Conference was held in Tripoli, Libya in 1959, and led to the development of a special program under the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations to promote the commercial utilisation of substandard or physically defective dates.

Food uses

Dry or soft dates are eaten out-of-hand, or may be seeded and stuffed with fillings such as almonds, candied orange and lemon peel, and marzipan. Dates can also be chopped and used in a range of sweet and savoury dishes, from tajines (tagines) in Morocco to puddings, bread, cakes and other dessert items. Dates are also processed into cubes, paste, spread, date syrup or "honey" called dibs, powder (date sugar), vinegar or alcohol. Recent innovations include chocolate-covered dates and products such as sparkling date juice, used in some Islamic countries as a non-alcoholic version of champagne, for special occasions and religious times such as Ramadan.

Dates can also be dehydrated, ground and mixed with grain to form a nutritious stockfeed. Dried dates are fed to camels, horses and dogs in the Sahara desert. In northern Nigeria, dates and peppers added to the native beer are believed to make it less intoxicating.

Young date leaves are cooked and eaten as a vegetable, as is the terminal bud or heart, though its removal kills the palm. The finely ground seeds are mixed with flour to make bread in times of scarcity. The flowers of the date palm are also edible. Traditionally the female flowers are the most available for sale and weigh 300-400 grams. The flower buds are used in salad or pounded with dried fish to make a condiment for bread.

In India, North Africa, Ghana and the Ivory Coast, date palms are tapped for the sweet sap which is converted into palm sugar (known as jaggery or gur), molasses or alcoholic beverages.

Other uses

Date seeds are soaked and ground up for animal feed. Their oil is suitable for use in soap and cosmetic products. They can also be processed chemically as a source of oxalic acid. The seeds are also burned to make charcoal for silversmiths, and can be strung in necklaces. Date seeds are also ground and used in the manner of coffee beans, or as an additive to coffee.

Date Palm leaves are used for Palm Sunday in the Christian religion. In North Africa, they are commonly used for making huts. Mature leaves are also made into mats, screens, baskets and fans. Processed leaves can be used for insulating board. Dried leaf petioles are a source of cellulose pulp, used for walking sticks, brooms, fishing floats and fuel. Leaf sheaths are prized for their scent, and fibre from them is also used for rope, coarse cloth and large hats.

Stripped fruit clusters are used as brooms. In Pakistan, a viscous, thick syrup made from the ripe fruits is used as a coating for leather bags and pipes to prevent leaking.

Date palm wood is used for posts and rafters for huts; it is lighter than coconut and not very durable. It is also used for construction such as bridges and aqueducts, and parts of dhows. Left over wood is burnt for fuel.

Date Palm leaves are used as a lulav in the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.

Where craft traditions still thrive, such as in the Sultanate of Oman, the palm tree is the most versatile of all indigeneous plants, and virtually every part of the tree is utilised to make functional items ranging from rope and baskets to bee-keeping hives, fishing boats, and traditional dwellings.

Traditional medicinal uses

Dates have a high tannin content and are used medicinally as a detersive and astringent in intestinal troubles. As an infusion, decoction, syrup or paste, is administered for sore throat, colds, bronchial catarrh, and taken to relieve fever and number of other complaints. One traditional belief is that it can counteract alcohol intoxication. The seed powder is also used in some traditional medicines.

A gum that exudes from the wounded trunk is employed in India for treating diarrhea and genito-urinary ailments. The roots are used against toothache. The pollen yields an estrogenic principle, estrone, and has a gonadotropic effect on young rats.

Diseases

Date Palms are susceptible to a disease called Bayoud disease which is caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum. This disease, which kills many of the popular older cultivars like 'Deglet Noor', has led to a major decline in production where it is present, notably Morocco and western Algeria. New cultivars resistant to the disease are however being developed.

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