Date (fruit)
A date is the fruit of the date palm, Phoenix dactylifera. Three main fruit types exist: soft, semi-dry, and dry. The type of fruit depends on the glucose, fructose and sucrose content.
A 100 gram portion of fresh dates is a premium source of vitamin C and supplies 230 kcal (960 kJ) of energy. 100 grams of dried dates, one the other hand, provides 3 grams of dietary fibre and supplies 270 kcal (1130 kJ) of energy.
Dates are an important traditional crop in Arabia, and most varieties were bred there. In Islamic countries, dates and milk is a traditional first meal when the sun sets during Ramadan. In the USA, dates are mainly grown in California.
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.
Pollination is done by skilled laborers on ladders, or less often the pollen may be blown onto the female flowers by wind machine. Date farmers in Iraq lost their 2003 crop, because the nation was at war during pollination time.
Parthenocarpic varieties are available but the seedless fruit is smaller and of lower quality.
Varieties of dates
- medjool
- deglet noor
- amer (amir) hajj
- empress
- barhee (barhi)
See also: list of fruits
