Harvesting and Processing :-
Harvesting of dates generally depends upon the weather conditions. The rain and high humidity in the atmosphere at the ripening time is a limiting factor in its cultivation. When the climate is favourable, it is preferable to leave the fruit of most varieties on the palm until it reaches the stage of maturity at which it is to be consumed or stored. The changes associated with ripening and the period during which the fruit may be consumed extend from the peak of the khalal stage, when the fruit has its most intense red or yellow colour and maximum weight, to the final tamar stage, when it has lost the greater part of its moisture content and will keep without special attention to storage. Most of the people like to eat the fruit in khalal stage. At least two varieties of dates Hillawi and Barhee, are liked most for eating in khalal stage. Dates are hand-picked at the stage of maturity. All the dates in the same bunch do not ripen at same time, it has been the practice to make several pickings to harvest the fruit during a season. Sometimes, when the season is favourable and more than 70 per cent fruit is ripe, the entire bunch is harvested.
The research conducted on curing of dates in Panjab (Abohar) have revealed that the rain and high humidity in the atmosphere at the time of ripening (July and August) do not allow the ripening process on the tree to proceed satisfactorily beyond doka stage. If the fruit is retained on the tree, there is checking, splitting and rotting. High humidity and rainfall also cause the fruit to drop. Therefore, the crop has to be harvested at doka stage. Though in comparatively drier seasons partial crop on some trees may become dang (mellow and soft) but the quantity of such fruit is limited. The berries are removed and graded manually on the basis of size and colour.
Scientists working at Abohar (Panjab) have developed a technique to transform satisfactorily the date fruit at doka stage into dry dates (Chhuhara) of good quality. At least four varieties Hillawi, Khadrawi, Shamran and Medjool have yielded very good product. Chhuhara obtained from Medjool, which is a large-sized variety, compare very well with the high quality Chhuhara imported from Middle East countries. The technique developed involves immersion of frut at doka stage in boiling water for 6 to 8 minutes and then drying either in temperature-controlled oven (air-circulation type) for 80 to 120 hours at 480 to 500 C or in the sun for 10-15 days if weather is dry. Thus, an average of 45 per cent fruit product is obtained. Fruits at advanced doka stage or when they attain one-fourth, one-half or full dang (the berries become mellow and soft starting from the distal end) can be converted into soft dates (khazoor) of good quality by drying either in the oven at 400 C or in the sun. Thus, for soft dates, only drying the berries at partial or full dang stage is required with no other treatment and this way a final product of soft Khazoor ranging from 50-60 per cent is obtained.
Hillawi and Barhee yielded 50-100 kg fruit per palm at doka stage. The average yield from Khadrawi and Shamran is obtained 40-70 kg fruit per palm. The yield from Medjool palm is upto 50 kg but its fruits are very large in size.
Artificial ripening of fruit at doka stage to transform it into dang stage was also attempted at Abohar. For these studies, berries were treated with 0.5 per cent to 2.0 per cent common salt (sodium chloride) and similar concentrations of acetic acid in combination with 1.0 per cent salt. The fruits to be treated with salt were spread on polythene sheet and requisite quantity of salt was applied by rubbing and smearing uniformly on the berries. The fruits which were given acetic acid plus salt treatments, were first dipped in solutions of desired acetic acid concentrations for 2 minutes followed salt application by the method described above. Each treated lot was packed into wooden boxes lined with old newpapers and packed in laboratory at room temperature. The boxes were opened after 24 hours. From these studies, it was found that 2 per cent salt, 60 to 70 per cent of the doka fruit were transformed into dang. However, the dang obtained by this treatment was not as good in taste as that of naturally ripened on the tree, but still it was edible and generally acceptable on account of its having lost the astringency. But such products cannot be stored more than 24 hours and, as such, should be consumed to as early as possible.
Insect-pests :-
The most important pests of dates are follows :
(i)Date Stone bettle (Coceotrypes dactyliperda F.) : It attacks unripe fruits and the adult penetrates the fruit and reaches the stone by constructing a direct circular hole through the pulp and both adults and grubs feed inisde on the pulp and results in the drop of unripe fruit. Hillawi and Khadrawi, which ripen early, are more suscepitble to this pest. Spraying the plants with 0.075% per cent Malathion has proved effective for its control.
(ii)Nitiduled bettle (Haptoncus luteolus Ev) : The larve penetrate the fruit and eat the inner portion of the pulp. Their attack is followed by fungal decay. The adult is brownish yellow, oval, slightly oblong, 2.3 + or - 0.13 mm long and 1.16 + or - o.21 mm broad. Initially, the dropped fruits are attacked. Then the peat spread to fruit bunches on the tree and cause the fruit to drop. The pest over winters as pupae in the soil. Spraying wiht Malathion (0.075 per cent) gave satisfactory results. Regular removal of dropped fruits and their destruction also helps in minimising the effect.
(iii) Cigar hoeing bettle (Lasioderma testaceum Duft) : It is reported as pests of stored dates in India. For the control of these pests, fumigate the dates and keeping material with Methyl bromide at a dose of 1/2 kg/27 cubic meter giving an exposure of 24 hours.
(iv) Termites : They feed on the roots of the newly transplanted suckers which may ultimately cause them to wither and die. As a preventive measure, 10 per cent BHC mixed in each pit @ 30 g before planting is recommended.
Diseases :-
Much less work has been done for the investigation of diseases of date palm in India. Studies conducted at Regional Fruit Research Station, Abohar, have found two diseases.
(i) Graphiola leaf spot (Graphiola phoneicis) : It is also called as false smut or palm leaf pustule. It is a serious disease. This disease is more acute in the areas where humidity is more. Numerous hard black smut like pustules are seen scattered developing epidermily on the upper and lower surfaces of leaflets and also on rachis. The pustules at maturity consists of round, hard, black cups about 0.50 * 0.25 mm. These cups contain yellow spores. Older leaves are more affected, they loose their chlorophyll and dry up. For its control, remove and burn the affected leaves to check further contamination and spray the trees with 2 : 2 : 250 Bordeaux mixture (2 kg copper sulphate + 2 kg unslaked lime mixed in 250 litres of water.)
(ii) Fruit rot : It often causes considerable loss when humid weather occurs during the ripening season. Under such conditions, various fungus may develop in the fruit and cause spotting, dropping and rotting. The damage may be reduced by better ventilations of the branches and protecting the fruit from rain. In addition, spray the bunches with a mixture of 5 per cent fahana (ferlic dimethyl dithiocarbamate) in sulpher.
Phalsa. (Grewia asiatica L.) Phalsa is a small bush which grows all over the country except at higher elevations. In Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, it is grown commercially. The fruit is berry-like, globular, smooth, deep reddish brown and comes in the market in May and June.
Climate
Phalsa relish distinct winter and summer for best growth, yield and quality. In regions having no winter, the plant does not shed leaves and produce flower more than once, thus yielded poor quality fruits. Full grown plants can tolerate freezing temperature for a short period. The plants can tolerate temperature as high as 440C. High temperature during fruit development favours ripening of fruits. At flowering time, clear weather is needed, whereas rains at that time affect fruit-setting adversely.
The phalsa is one of the hardiest fruit plants and can be grown successfully throughtout Punjab and Haryana. Being deciduous in habit, it can withstand frost quite well. However, care should be taken to select sites which are not subject to very low temperatures during winter. It can also grow successfully in hot and dry climatic conditions, such as those prevailing in the districts of Ferozepur, Bhatinda and Sangrur of Punjab. It can withstand occassional drought and water shortages better than fruit plants. However, for raising profitable crop of phalsa, satisfactory arrangements for irrigation need to be made.
Soil
The phalsa is not at all fastidious in its soil requirements and can grow quite successfully in almost every kind of soil. Around Amritsar (Punjab), where the soils are comparatively heavy, its plants grow well and bear bumper crops. At many other places such as Ludhiana, it yields well under lighter soil conditions. Though the ideal soil for growing phalsa is the rich loamy type. Under water logged conditions plants become chlorotic and make poor growth.
Proper soil drainage is another factor which should be kept in mind. However, soils where water stagnates for many days during the rainy season or those which have a poor sub-surface drainage and are water-logged should not be selected for commercial cultivation of phalsa .
