Date-palm. (Phoenix dactylifera L.).Some of the imported varieties of date-palm have been cultivated successfully in Punjab. This tree thrives in light as well as in heavy soils, provided the depth is adequate (2.5 to 3 metres) and the drainage is good. The plant is not affected by frost and requires intense heat in summer for the development and ripening of the fruits. The maxim 'head in fire and feet in water' indicates the conditions that are ideal for date-cultivation. If the water-table is within 3 to 3.5 metres from the surface, mature trees need no surface irrigation. A wet season during flowering and fruit-ripening is limiting factor in the successful cultivation of the date-palm. South-western Punjab, northern Rajasthan and Kutch offer suitable conditions for date growing.

Climate
The date palm is a tree flourishes well under varied sets of climate. However, for proper maturity of fruit, the date requires prolonged summer heat without rain or high humidity during the ripening period. A light shower with prolonged periods of cloudy weather and high humidity may cause more damage than a heavy rain followed by clear weather and drying winds. The mean temperature between the period of flowering and ripening of the fruit should be above 21⁰ C rising to 27⁰ C or higher for at least one month. For successful fruit maturation, nearly 3000 heat units are required. The heat units available in most of the north-western districts of India, counted from the time of flowering, i. e. end February to July, indicate that these are suitable for date palm cultivation. Taking this into consideration, parts of Rajasthan extending from Sri Ganganagar to Anupgarh, Jaisalmer and Barmer and Kutch district of Gujarat will be suitable for date cultivation. The climate of Abohar (Panjab) should be considered marginal because of rainfall (30 cm) and high humidity at the time of ripening (July-August) being the limiting factor.

Soil
The date palm can be grown in soils containing more alkali or salts. It can tolerate such condition better than many other fruit plants. In view of the large investment required to bring a date garden into bearing and maintain it on profitable production, sandy loam soil, 2 or 3 metres deep with good water holding capacity and drainage is most desirable. Date palm can tolerate high soil salinity. In the soil having 4 per cent salt concentrataion, dates can survive well provided the root system does not come in contact with a stratum of soil where the sodicity is more than 1 per cent.

Choice of Varieties :-
Hillawi : It is soft date from Iraq. This variety is relished both in doka and dang stages. Total soluble solids range between 28 to 42% and astringency in the fruit at doka stage is low or almost absent. It is an early variety yielding good crops and is somewhat more tolerant to rains. Dry dates (Chhuhara) of good quality and cured soft dates (Khajoor) can be prepared. Its fruit at dang stage (fresh form) is very delicious. Average yield ranges from 50 to 80 kg per palm.

Khadrawi : It also originated from Iraq. This variety proved successful under Abohar conditions. The trees of this variety are comparatively less tall and and yield good crops. It can be used both for dry dates and soft dates. The yield ranges from 40 to 70 kg per palm.

Shamran : It is a mid-season cultiver tolerant to high humidity. The variety yielding prolific crops. The fruits can be cured into good quality. Chhuhara and also softened with salt treatment. Fruit is medium to large, oblong to oblong-oval and yellow at doka stage. Its yield per palm is 40 to 70 kg.

Medjool : The variety originated in Morocco and has large size fruits. It is late in ripening and has proved particularlt good in preparing dry dates of attractive bold size and good quality. Its yiled is 35 to 50 kg per palm.

Barhee : It is soft date from Iraq. The variety has proved extremly good for table use in fresh form (doka stage). The doka fruit contains about 32% TSS, has golden yellow colour and has a very pleasant taste because of low astringency and high pulp content. The trees of this variety are prolific in yields and the fruit is ready for eating late in the season i.e. first fortnight of August at Abohar. Its yield ranges from 60 to 110 kg per palm.

Hayany : It is soft date originated from the UAR. The berries have attractive deep colour. The fruits could be consumed as fresh in the doka stage as ripening does not proceed further under Abohar conditions. The yield per palm ranges from 30 - 40 kg.

Zaidi : It is a mid season variety, slightly tolerant to rain or high humidity. The fruit is small to medium, obovate and yellow at doka stage.

Propagation Techniques :
The date palm are always propagated throughsuckers (offshoots) for commercial plantation. The suckers usually arise near the ground around the trunk. The offshoots arising at a higher level from the ground on tree trunk and with no roots give very poor survival. These are separated from the mother palms during March or August-September. The leaves are trimmed off 4 - 5 days before their detachment. The inner leaves should be cut back by one-half and the outer ones by two-thirds. The tender young unopened leaves near the central bud and parts of the bare stalks of the old leaves necessary to protect the bud, should be kept on the offshoots. The outer whirl of leaves may be fastened to afford protection from heat and cold to the central bud also facilitate detachment and transport.
The suckers weighing approximately 25 to 30 kg and well rooted should be removed. Expose the point of detachment and set a chisel (12 cm wide and 19 cm long) sharpened at the face and welded to a 150 cm long handle of 4 cm diameter. Drive in the chisel by hammering at the other end. It is very important that no injury is caused to the mother palm. Cut surface should by coated with tarcol or some suitable material immediately and earthed up.

Planting Operation :
The offshoots are planted 6 to 7 metres apart in the already prepared pits of 1 * 1 * 1 m size immediately after detachment. In this way 202 to 275 plants/hectare will be accomodated. If transported from long distance, the offshoots may be kept in the straight. The soil around the offshoots should be pressed firmly. The field is irrigated immediately after planting. Thereafter, frequent light irrigations are given to keep the soil always moist. At Abohar, the offshoots removed in March survived better in direct field planting than those removed in August-September. However, the separation could be done both in February-March and August-September.

Orchard Cultural Practices :-
Irrigation :
Date palm is known as drought resistant fruit tree and is able to survive for long periods without irrigation. However, continuous drought condition retards the growth of the plant. If water is available, date palm uses it lavishly. Date palm is highly tolerant to excessive irrigation and floods. Continuous stagnation of water or waterlogged conditions are injurious for its growth. To maintain maximum growth, the root zone up to 2 - 3 m should be kept moist and not allowed to dry. Light but frequent irrigation should be given after planting.
The full grown trees on the lighter soils are usually irrigated 7 to 10 days during mid-summer and every 15 to 30 days during winter. Such soils requires 2.75 to 3.75 acre-meters of water per year and 30 to 45 acre-centimeter per month is needed during summer. On heavy soils, half the amount may be enough. Each irrigation of 10-15 acre-centimeters is usually sufficient. Irrigation is withheld when ripening starts to facilitate harvesting, hasten fruit ripening and to reduce fruit drop caused by high humidity.

Manuring and Fertilization :
Generally the farmers do not apply manure to the date palm. The trees certainly respond to manuring as indicated by increased vigour and growth. The results of studies conducted at Abohar shows that 25 to 50 kg of farmyard manure and 1 to 2 kg ammonium sulphate per palm should be added. The quantities may be reduced if some leguminous crop has been grown in the date palm. Farmyard manure is applied during December-January. The nitrogen dose should be given a fortnight before flowering i.e.in the first week of February.

Intercropping :
Intercropping in date palm with suitable crops bring good income and also improves the fertility of the soil. During the first few years, intercropping can be practised with no shortage of irrigation. Intercrops such as gram, peas, mash, moong, moth, senji and lentil can be sown during summer. Intercropping of some vegetables in plantation located near the cities, can be practised if sufficient irrigation and manuring facilities are available. The filler trees like grapes can be tried with good success.

Fruit Thinning :
Excess load of fruit may cause shrivelling of berries, breaking of spathe stalks, more damage due to rain and humidity, delay in ripening and alternate bearing. It also reduced size and produce poor quality of fruit. It is, therefore necessary to keep only optimum quantity of fruit and thin out the rest. This is usually accomplished either by reducing the number of fruits on each bunch and or by removing some of the bunches. The number of fruit that a palm can safely carry depends on the cultivar, age, size and vigour of the palm and number of green leaves on it. Under normal conditions, 1 - 2 bunches in the 4th year and 3 - 4 bunches in the 5th year may be left. Normally 8 - 10 bunches per palm are retained in India. Small, defective and broken bunches should be removed.
In short-stranded varieties like Khadrawi, the strands are generally cut back to even up the bunch from the top. Most of the fruit thinning is done by the removal of half to two-third of strands from the centre. In the long stranded varieties like Deglet Noor, one-third to half strands are cut in similar way as in Khadrawi, in addition, strands are also cut back to remove about one-third of the flowers.
The desirable number of fruits to be left is between 1300 and 1600 per palm depending on the variety. The per cent thinning is generally done 40 - 50 in Khadrawi, 50 - 55 in Hallawi, 50 - 60 in Zaidi and Barhee. Ethephon 100 - 400 ppm after 10 to 30 days from fruit set was found effective in fruit thinning of cv. Hayany. The biennial bearing habit of the treated palms were found to reduce by ethephon treatment. It also advances the ripening of fruit.